YouTube Thursday

You may have noticed that yesterday's picture was just another version of last week's Wordless Wednesday.  We recently found out that my brother-in-law has a very aggressive form of cancer and it has taken over his body.  The prognosis is not good. 

However, I know that we have a very powerful and almighty God who can do miracles every day.  I know that he can completely heal Kevin's cancer and remove it completely from his body so he has a very long and healthy life to spend with my sister and niece.

If you would, please pray for Kevin.  He started his radiation and chemotherapy yesterday and had his port put in since they will be dousing him with these poisons for multiple weeks at a time while also doing immunotherapy.  Tomorrow he goes in for his spinal tap. 

I can only imagine the overwhelming feelings he has right now.  What do I do? Who do I turn to?  What should I do? Will it work? And so forth.  This week's song is dedicated to Kevin and his ongoing fight.

You're Going to Be Okay by Brian and Jenn Johnson

Thank you for praying for Kevin.  If there's anything I can pray about for you, please let me know in the comments or fill out the form in my sidebar.

You Tube Thursday

2018 has been quite the year so far, and I don't mean that in a good way.  Between financial issues, medical issues, and family drama, I have decided that I need a mulligan for the last couple of months.  Can I get an "Amen" from someone out there?

As a result, music has become even more of a soul-soother because that's the time I have to connect with God without anyone interrupting.  Me.  Worship. God.  Nothing else--except maybe traffic because I'm usually driving.

It seems like every time I get in the car here lately, I hear Natalie Grant belting out More Than Anything, just at the time I need to be reminded to focus on what's important and not the little distractions.  (Isn't that amazing when God works that way?!)




Hopefully you're having a better year than I am, and if not--chin up because God's got this!  I hope you have a wonderful day!

YouTube Thursday

Lately, there have been so many things I've been worrying about--finances, relationships, the future... but I heard this song on the radio the other day and the words made a huge impact on my thinking.

 It's so true.  God has big shoulders and He can handle every situation that pops up in my life. I've just got to trust Him.  (Yet another thing we've been working on.)

My worrying just makes me focus on what's wrong and not what's right about a situation.  It takes away my hope and my freedom to actually live.

So if you find yourself worrying about all of the crazy events in your life.  STOP.  Give your worry over to God and let Him take it.  He's got this.  Let Him do His thing because nothing is impossible with God on your side!


 I hope you enjoy this video and song!  Let me know what you think in the comments section.

YouTube Thursday

Things have been hectic as usual with working six days a week to try and pay those pesky bills.  I'm praying for a smaller apartment  upstairs efficiency to open up to help alleviate some of the cash flow bleeding from my account.  Until then, I just have to trust that God's got a plan and that He's navigating these rough waters for me.  It's during these rough times that God like to remind me of His love for me.  Every time I pray about my financial situation (which is pretty much non-stop--especially while driving) God's been playing this song.  Every. Time.

It's a wonderful reminder that God's love is Fierce and that He will do everything for my good.  I hope you enjoy this song and are reminded of God's Fierce love for you!

Fierce by Jesus Culture

Unbreakable by Nancy Mehl

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Litfuse Publicity Group book  blogger campaign. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Title: Unbreakable (Road to Kingdom book 2)

 Author: Nancy Mehl

 Format: trade paperback

Genre: Christian, Romantic Suspense, Mennonites

Source: Litfuse Publicity Group book blogger campaign

Published: Bethany House / 2013 / ISBN: 978-0-7642-0928-4 / 326 pages / $14.99

Buy the Book:  Amazon / Publisher / Christianbook / Barnes & Noble 

Find the Author Online:  Website / Facebook / Suspense Sisters Blog

Why I Read this Book:  I first learned of Nancy Mehl's work through the LibraryThing Early Book Reviewer's site when I received a free copy from the publisher of Inescapable- (book one in the Road to Kingdom series.)  I had only read a few Amish/Mennonite books at that point in time, so when I saw the word suspense with Mennonite, I was intrigued to find out how it would play a role in their everyday lives.  I mean, suspense and Mennonites?  It didn't really add up.  Well, I was proved very wrong.  Murder, lies, and broken family relationships were all a part of the first book. After reading Inescapable, I was hooked!

What I Liked:  I really enjoyed the fact that the characters in Unbreakable are realistic.  I think oftentimes, the Amish and Mennonite ways of life are painted as boring and perfect because they do not incorporate the same technologies that the rest of the world abuses uses on a daily basis.  Unbreakable shows that while the Mennonites are considered "plain," the people still suffer and fall prey to the same temptations and sins that the rest of us do.  Thankfully, their sense of community and faith are strong enough that rather than lock their doors to everyone, they all chip in and help each other out.

The suspense of who was causing all of the destruction both inside the town of Kingdom and outside kept me reading; hungry for more information.  I don't want to give spoilers to the story, so let's say that I was just as angry, sad, and confused as the characters while they were living through these attacks on the town and its members.

When sparks of attraction started to fly between several of the characters, I was biting my nails in anticipation of the final decision that had to be made.  Which of the suitors would be chosen and why?  I can honestly say that I didn't envy the decision that had to be made, but I'm glad there was a choice.

I enjoyed that the issue of faith and trust in God was brought up many times throughout the book.  I think as believers, we tend to doubt and not really trust that God is on our side, even if we say we do.  The characters had to actually live out their trust in God, and some even had to put their lives on the line and live out their belief that God would take care of them, even in the face of dire circumstances.  It's a great lesson to be learned by us all.  

What I Didn't Like:  The book ended too soon! I wanted to learn more about the other characters and their relationships, but I guess that will have to wait for the next book in the series.  *wink*

Overall Impression:  I thoroughly enjoyed reading Unbreakable, the second book in the Road to Kingdom series. It has opened my eyes to the reality and struggles that the members of the Mennonite and Amish communities face on a daily basis.  It has also made me realize that though their way of life is drastically different from my own, we still share the same struggles and frustrations, as well as doubts.  The good news is that our faith in God helps us to conquer the challenges that we face, and sometimes helps others to see that there is a proverbial "light at the end of the tunnel"
 if we just practice our faith and show what we believe.

 

Rating: 4 out of 5

Let me know what you think!  Happy Reading! 

Unbreakable Kindle Fire Giveaway and 3/5 Facebook Party!

Celebrate the release of Unbreakable with Nancy Mehl by entering her Kindle Fire Giveaway and RSVPing to the March 5th Author Chat Party on Facebook!

One fortunate winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• Books one & two in Nancy's Road to Kingdom series (Inescapable and Unbreakable)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on March 4th. Winner will be announced at the "Unbreakable" Author Chat Party on March 5th. Connect with Nancy, get a sneak peek of her next book, try your hand at the trivia contest, and chat with readers just like you. There will also be gift certificates, books, and fun Mennonite-themed giveaways.

Grab your copy of Unbreakable and join Nancy on the evening of the March 5th for a chance to connect with Nancy and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun, RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 5th!

UPDATE ON DAVID

A few days ago I posted about my friend David that was in a coma and the doctors said that he may never come out of it, or he will remain in a vegetative state for the rest of his life. David is only 39 years old and is now being moved to an Assisted Living Facility in the Town-n-Country area of Tampa because he is still unresponsive and can no longer stay in the ICU. (It's about an hour and a half commute in traffic for his wife each day from Brandon.)

My friend Mary, the one who gave up her job so that I could keep mine, is the one who has been in contact with David's wife and keeping me updated. His wife is not doing well at all--now being the person who must be the bread-winner and care-giver in the family, plus visit him when he's so far away. (Mary is also at a loss because David was her go-to person for the tech help she needed since this is her first year as a tech person.)

Please continue to keep them both in your prayers. I know she's completely at wit's end just trying to come to terms with this change in her life--not knowing when/if David will ever "wake up." Please keep David in your prayers as well. I know our God is a big and mighty God who is able to create miracles in our lives and heal the sick. Pray for David and his family to receive an abundance of miracles. Thank you!

Sunday is for...

thanking God that the Internet connection is fixed! I think I've thanked Him about a million times since it was fixed Friday evening.

In celebration--after church and after finishing my book (The Elevator by Angela Hunt--really good! Setting is here in Tampa during a hurricane!), I decided to play with Photoshop Elements. I'm still fighting with the program to get it to do what I want, but I'm SLOWLY getting it figured out through trial and error. Here's what I came up with today...

The top layers were created by one of the artists at ScrapArtist, so all I had to do was insert the picture, but it took me forever to figure out how to make the picture fit the frame. I finally realized that it was the layers tool. Grrrr... DON'T even ask me how long it took me to get the layers palette to show.

I created a couple more layouts--unfortunately, since they were 2-page spreads it wouldn't let me save them as jpegs. Grrrr.....

What have you been up to lately? I haven't received too many comments, so I'm wondering if I'm only speaking to myself here? Let me hear from you!

AAAACCCKKK!

I would have never believed it if you had told me--my stomach is actually churning and burbling with anxiety over the outcome of this election. I know everything is in God's hands, but what if His will isn't the same as mine?

While I'm all for CHANGE (remember, I'm the girl that moved half-way across the country to "try" a job for a year), I'm not really liking the idea of Socialism. Of course, if CHANGE does occur, I guess I should be happy. After all, I could go on a massive shopping spree while maxing out my credit cards (almost enough to match the National Debt), then I could quit my job, and declare bankruptcy. After all, CHANGE is going to take care of me--right? I'd be without a job and homeless, so I could have health care benefits and those people who are "lucky enough" to have a job can take care of my expenses since I will not be able too. Hmmmm....maybe this CHANGE person isn't so bad after all. I wonder if it will work?

Yes, I know--it's a little late to be airing my opinion now, but God and I have been at a cross-roads and He's not budging right now. I guess I'll have to wait and find out with the rest of the world who becomes our next President. Grrrrr....I'll get back to praying.

The Power of Prayer

What a difference a week makes--especially when God's moving!

Wednesday afternoon, I arrived home to find a note on my door from my apartment managers letting me know that my apartment was going to be "inspected" the next day. Inspected?! So, I went to look around at the other apartment doors and NO ONE else had an inspection notice on their doors. So, trying to rationalize it, I decided that it was probably a yearly maintenance thing and that I would call the apartment people in the morning, since I was going to meet my Aunt for dinner the following evening and couldn't stop by the apartment office.

Thursday, I called the apartment office during my lunch break to find out what they were inspecting--after all, I have a list of things that need to be repaired if they need it. Deb said that it was really a financier (the bank) that was inspecting my apartment because they were considering buying it. (Excuse me!?) She said that I shouldn't worry because they generally buy a couple blocks of apartments at a time, and that unless they had someone specifically in mind to rent it to, or that wants to buy my specific apartment to live in, that I wouldn't have to move. (Tell that to my neighbors that used to live downstairs--they had to move out, and the girl that just moved in is the one that bought it out from under them.) Needless to say, I was a little upset at first, but this could actually be an answer to prayer. You see, I had been considering moving for awhile (I'll fill you in on this at a later time), and if someone buys my apartment, then I will not be breaking my lease. :) It works out for everyone!

During eighth period, I received a phone call from another Media Specialist in the area and she tells me that our Supervisor asked her to call me and let me know that her position may be opening up in December, and was I interested? (I had told me Supervisor awhile back that I was trying to move further North to be closer to my family and help them out. While this location is West, it's still closer than what I am now.) WAS I INTERESTED?! UM, YEA!

So, while I had dinner with my Aunt, I used her as a sounding board for all of these changes. My cousin actually went to this school, and it wasn't the best. It's been cleaned up some since it's a magnet school, but the location is still in the inner-city. My co-worker is a year and a half away from retirement and is a former shop teacher (Read: has no experience in the library). I would be a non-paid department head, which is gobbledy-gook for a lot of responsibility with no compensation, but I would be closer to my family, and I would be out of my current situation. (BIG SMILES!)

Although I must admit--I'm scared too death! After all, I'd be in charge (me, who can't make a decision to save her life!) and it would be MY library. (Yikes!) I keep telling myself that my Supervisor wouldn't even consider me if she didn't think I could do it. After all, I'd have to deal with someone with no experience in the field, as well as relearn how things are run in the school. It's a lot for someone to handle without experience, and she's chosen me! (That, or she's setting me up to fail--which is also niggling in the back of my head. But, I can't believe that. Why would she set someone up to fail? It's her job to see that things are running well, so she wouldn't be evil to me--would she?)

As you can see, I have a lot of indecision running through my brain, but I did tell my supervisor to go ahead and put my name in for a possible transfer if this happens. Of course now I'll be worrying until Christmas, but I've been praying that God slams this door shut if this is not His will, and if it is His will that He carries me through.

Thank you for your continued prayers. I'll keep you updated with any news I learn!

I SURVIVED (the first day of school)...

barely. Our air conditioning was out--in Florida. On the second floor. With hundreds of bodies piled in the library. Did I mention in Florida? Oh--they we had all of the wonderful parents....they are just so polite and helpful, and NEVER complain when they have to wait or come back with the correct paperwork the next day because they chose to register their child on the first day of school even though the school is open all summer for registration...NOT!

I'm glad that I was able to stand along the sidelines and help where needed rather than stand on the front-line because I probably would have been fired for slapping someone because they were rude (let's just say I learned some new profane words today) to me or someone else.--No wonder students today are so disrespectful--it's because their parents are no better.

HINT FOR ALL PARENTS: NEVER speak ill about any other adult around your child--even if you dislike that person! YOUR child learns HIS/HER behaviors, actions, and attitudes from YOU! Be the ADULT in the situation and show them that you CAN use your brains and YOUR manners because THEY will take you farther than rudeness and obnoxiousness will! (Otherwise, I may come off of the sidelines and smack you over the head with my newspaper like I used to do with my students! They learned!)

Yep--I worked with the kids today, which was perfectly fine with me. Many of them were happy to see me, some not so happy (see newspaper remark), but ALL were polite and respectful (except for DC, but she and I worked it out)--despite having to run to different rooms across campus in the sweltering Florida heat and humidity, until we figured out whose homeroom they were in!

Yep--that's why I'm there--the "children." Even though they drive me bananas most days, most of the time they make me laugh at their complete craziness. It makes me feel young (sometimes) to be able to "hang with my peeps" who so badly need someone to listen and understand them. Despite the fact they think they're old enough to make decisions for themselves, they still want approval--even if they don't admit it.

Yep--my goal is to be a shining light for them. Although they are respectful when I bring up God, I can tell that some shut-down inside but are ever watchful of me. It's tough having to be firm with them, while letting them know I'm on their side and that they can trust me. There are many "secrets" I've been told, and some confidences I've had to break to bring help to those kids, but I still try to remember that I have their best interests at heart and if that's the way God wants me to show His love, then I'm there.

Yep--I think this will be a great year. Despite the lack of air, the rude and obnoxious parents, inconsistent administration--several of whom need to leave or retire, crazy teachers, and even crazier students. I just feel it in my heart that BIG things are going to happen this year, and I can't wait to see what God has in store for us!

Four A.M. comes around pretty early, so I'd better sign off now to get things ready for tomorrow. I'm praying that it's better than today!

Here we go again....

My only excuse is that it's raining outside and I'm taking a break from my book.

Craig Bazan performing Hamlet monologue



Brilliant really. I wish some of my students would be this fabulous in their theatre productions at school. It might actually make the $8 admission a little more worth it. :)



Gossip Girl-CW Fall Promo



It's amazing that they managed to show almost every book within this one promo. If you haven't read the books--just watch this clip and you won't need to do so. No, I will not be watching this series--mainly because I don't really care. No one who lives in the "real world" actually lives like this, so why waste my time?


One of my new favorite groups:

GROUP 1 CREW--video for "Forgive Me"



Live showing of "Let It Roll"


I'm going to try to make this my theme song this year for work. We'll see how well this works. Hopefully I'll be able to let things roll...


Live showing of "Can't Go On"



This song is one of my favorite songs; unfortunately, this live version is not that great. Buy their self-titled album--it really does have fabulous songs on it.

And when I'm really feeling down and need to get my eyes off of myself and put them back on God, Mary Mary's song "Shackles" is perfect....