Ramblings-n-Writings

Archive for November, 2010

I will praise you; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are your works; and that my soul knows right well. ~Psalm 139:14

Isn’t it amazing how each of us is a unique individual? No two people are exactly alike. Some may look identical (maybe the two little girls growing inside their momma right now?!) or have a similar personality, but each person is still unique. As a result of being unique individuals, we respond to similar situations differently.

One of the biggest areas in my life that I noticed this was divorce and moving on. Every person who walks the road of infidelity and divorce is a unique individual. Each person’s circumstances are different. The stories might sound similar – he had a mistress and left his wife for her – but the individuals involved are unique.

To me, one of the hardest things to deal with wasn’t necessarily the divorce, but the assumption that I was the same as everyone else’s acquaintances and should manage my divorce and healing how those people managed theirs.

We’ve probably all heard the “warning” about not telling a widow or someone else in mourning “I know how you feel” unless we have actually walked in the same shoes and lost a spouse / child / parent. From my perspective, the same is true of divorce and moving on. Here’s some of the phrases I heard from various individuals and what I really wished I could say in response.

• Well, when my sister’s husband left her, she did /didn’t … Guess what? I’m not your sister! I’m me!
• How can you be so sure that your marriage is over? … Well, let’s see … The husband walked out, moved to another state with another woman, and proceeded to tell me a bunch of lies since leaving. Yeah, sounds like it’s over to me.
• How can you even think about dating / remarrying so soon? So-and-so needed a lot of counseling and is just now getting her life back together 2 years later … Sorry, but I’m not waiting just because the “proper” amount of time in your eyes hasn’t passed.
• Are you sure he isn’t a cheater too? (speaking of the guy I was dating) … Um, no one can know for sure and if you think you can, you’re only fooling yourself.
• Why get a divorce? Don’t you have faith that God will restore your marriage? … Absolutely! But it takes two to make it work, and the evidence isn’t there that the other half is willing to make it work. Plus I have complete, undeniable peace from God that this is the step I’m supposed to take.

I’ll admit my responses are somewhat sarcastic. But, honestly, every person is unique. We all handle situations differently. Think about how two people would respond to watching a boating accident happen. One person jumps in the water to rescue whomever he can. The other stands on shore and calls 911. Do we fault either one for how they responded? Likely not.

There’s a new television show (at least I think it’s new) this season. I don’t know the name of the show, but actors / actresses go to public places and “test” people to gauge their responses on serious issues. For example, one episode took place in a restaurant. A young teenage girl was obviously being held against her will by people who weren’t her family members. The TV cameras recorded how the diners reacted as voices were raised, etc. Some did nothing but talk amongst themselves while others took action and tried to remove the girl from the situation. Another episode had a segment of a teenage boy getting beat up for being gay. Most people ignored the fight, but some intervened and rescued him from the bullies. Every person reacts differently to the same situations.

So even if my situation was identical to Suzy Q’s situation, my reaction will be different than hers because I am a unique individual. God made me the way I am. I deal with tragedy and hard times differently than Suzy Q. How is that possible?

Simply, I was reared differently. I was taught differently. I am a unique individual, fearfully and wonderfully in God’s eyes, who followed a unique, God-given path to the point I am at.

God prepared me long before I knew it with how to handle and manage the trials that came my way. Little lessons of heart break along life’s path taught me how to handle the big test of a broken heart. I’m not saying I handled it perfectly because I had learned everything beforehand. Hardly! I had my days of walking on eggshells, becoming a basket case, going through boxes of tissues, and downright anger. But, I knew that in order for life to continue, I had to grieve, allow the grief to heal my heart, and take the first tentative steps forward. One step … having faith … led to another … trusting. Each within God’s perfect timing. I have no doubt.

ABOUT THE BOOK

A thrilling romantic mystery set in the lush Victorian age.

Central Operator Katie Russell’s inquisitive ways have just uncovered her parents’ plan for her marriage to wealthy bachelor Bartholomew Foster. Her heart is unmoved, but she knows the match will bring her family status and respectability.

Then Katie overhears a phone conversation that makes her uneasy and asks authorities to investigate. But the caller is nowhere to be found. Mysterious connections arise between the caller and a ship lost at sea.

Against propriety, Katie questions the new lighthouse keeper, Will Jesperson. Then a smallpox epidemic forces their quarantine in his lighthouse. Though of low social status, Will’s bravery and kindness remove Katie’s suspicion and win her love. Katie and Will together work to solve the mystery of the missing girl and the lost ship as God gives the couple the desire of their hearts.

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Lightkeeper’s Bride, go HERE.

MY THOUGHTS

I’m usually pretty careful about not reading a book that’s part of a series if I haven’t read the previous book(s) especially when I’ll be reviewing a book. However, I somehow missed that The Lightkeeper’s Bride was the 2nd book of the Mercy Falls series. With that being said, this book stands nicely on its own since the main characters are not the same as the first book.

The Mercy Falls series is author Colleen Coble’s first venture into the world of historical fiction, and she does an admirable job with The Lightkeeper’s Bride. The historical information isn’t overwhelming (no long dissertations, er, descriptions), and the time period comes alive in the small vivid details scattered throughout the pages.

From pirates to smallpox quarantines to strange accidents to a quirky bird, all of the storylines fit seamlessly within the story and seem quite realistic, especially considering the time period.

Perhaps my favorite part of the story is the budding relationship between telephone operator Katie Russell and the new lighthouse keeper Will Jesperson. The growth in Katie throughout the story is very evident as she realizes that what society dictates isn’t always the best for the heart or the person. (The story takes place in a time when it was acceptable for parents to arrange a marriage in order to insure future social status.)

A couple of years ago, I read Coble’s Rock Harbor series. The books were chock full with suspense and mystery in a modern day setting and definitely qualified as “page turners.” I couldn’t help but compare The Lightkeeper’s Bride to the Rock Harbor books as I was reading. To me, The Lightkeeper’s Bride is a more mild book. The amount of suspense is far less or at least not as dramatic – when there are dead bodies, pirates, and missing gold, some suspense naturally creates itself. But, the mysteries abound!

Recommendation: This book is great for anyone who enjoys a good mystery and for someone who wants a change from the typical historical fiction stereotype book.

Disclosure: I received this book for free via Christian Fiction Blog Alliance. The opinions I have expressed under My Thoughts are entirely 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.”

ABOUT THE BOOK

With rejections piling up, she could use just a little inspiration…

Amy Gallagher is an aspiring writer who, after countless rejections, has settled for a career as an English professor in small-town Ohio just to pay the bills. All her dreams suddenly start to unravel as rejections pile up–both from publishers and her boyfriend.

But just as Amy fears her life is stuck in a holding pattern, she meets the mysterious, attractive, and unavailable Eli. She struggles to walk the fine line between friendship and something more with Eli, even as staying true to her faith becomes unexpectedly complicated.

When secrets, tragedy, and poor decisions cause rifts in Amy’s relationships, she must come to terms with who she’s become, her unrealized aspirations for her life, and the state of her faith. Can she dare to hope that she will find love and fulfillment despite it all?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Amy Inspired, go HERE.

MY THOUGHTS

It’s not very often that I come across a book that doesn’t interest me after reading 50+ pages and skimming through a couple more chapters. Unfortunately, Amy Inspired is one of those books.

I thought the beginning of the book got off to a really, really slow start. There’s a lot of back story and details about the main character (including six paragraphs listing the heroine’s childhood boy crushes) that to me were cumbersome and kept the story from moving.

I really liked the opening line … “That he showed up to our first date wearing a pink-collared shirt and that he looked prettier in pink than I did should have told me everything I needed to know about Adam Palmer had I been paying attention.” How intriguing does that sound? I just wish the rest of the story was as intriguing.

Another thing I did enjoy about the book was how author Bethany Pierce portrayed the writer’s life. She shows how two different people can view the process of writing from opposite ends of the spectrum – very true to real life. I may pick up Amy Inspired again in the future, because I’d really like to say that I enjoyed a book about a writer.

If you want to read some more reviews of Amy Inspired, be sure to check out other bloggers listed on the CFBA website.

Disclosure: I received this book for free via Christian Fiction Blog Alliance. The opinions I have expressed under My Thoughts are entirely 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.”

A couple of days ago, while searching for a recipe, I came across the following handwritten in one of my notebooks. I realized I had never posted it for you to read. Today is an anniversary date for me of a personal tragedy and I chose today to post about having hope because I realize the miracles God chose to bless me with.

When you are in your darkest days, it is hard to have hope.

We tend to ask ourselves questions like … Will things really get better? Will I continue to fail at ___? When will change come? Is there really hope that I can move on?

Webster tells us that hope is “what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best; to look forward to with desire and reasonable confidence; to feel that something desired may happen; to continue to hope although the outlook does not warrant it.”

In my mind, hope walks hand-in-hand with faith. We can have hope that things will change in the future, and we need faith to keep that hope alive. Let’s dissect what hope is…

What is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best - Hope is believing. When my ex-husband walked out, it was soooo hard to believe things would get better. I could only see the darkness and what I had lost. I feared losing my home, the possibility of becoming a mom disappeared, and I thought I had to change job professions to survive. I didn’t have this kind of hope because I couldn’t see how my husband leaving could turn out for the best.

To look forward to with desire and reasonable confidence – The part of hope that rang true to me was looking forward to how things could work out. I wanted to see how God would mold me. How would the trying of my faith work out patience? Through the tears, heartache, and refiner’s fire, I knew in the end something good would be created – either the restoration of my marriage or the healing of my heart.

To feel that something desired may happen – Those first days were dark. Admitting to friends that my marriage might be over was humbling. One evening on Facebook, I started chatting with a friend in Colorado. We chatted about life’s events, and I honestly don’t remember much that was said except for one line that she shared. She said, “It may not seem like it now but this could be the catalyst for something more extraordinary than you can even imagine.” Wow! Her statement gave me hope!

To continue to hope although the outlook does not warrant it – Who doesn’t want to believe that things will get better? My friend’s statement made me start looking for the extraordinary. Deep inside I began hoping for something extraordinary. Some very tiny, seemingly insignificant events started occurring. The outlook for my life in general was still bleak. I had faith that God would bring me through the trial because that’s what He promised, but my outlook wasn’t the greatest. I started each day hoping it would be better than the one before. Slowly my heart was healed and today I am living what is even more extraordinary than I could imagine.

What is my extraordinary? Today, I am very happily remarried to the most amazing, loving man who is everything I dreamed of. My work is what I choose it to be – no 9 to 5 job. And the most special blessing of all … against some very strong odds, and only through God’s amazing grace, we are expecting two little bundles of baby joy in early 2011. Praise the God of miracles who gives hope in life’s darkest hours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

There are two things twenty-nine-year-old Jackie Donovan asks God for: an honest, wonderful man to marry, and to own a bed-and-breakfast in the Outer Banks region. In the meantime, Jackie works for Lighthouse Views magazine, writing articles about other local business owners, and intrepidly goes on the blind dates set up by her well-meaning but oh-so-clueless relatives.

There’s one specific property Jackie dreams of purchasing: the Bailey Place, a fabulous old home where Jackie spent many happy childhood afternoons, a place that has now fallen into disrepair because of its outrageous price tag.

When Jackie meets handsome Davis Erickson, who holds the key to the Bailey Place, Jackie is sure God has answered both her prayers. But as Jackie learns some disturbing details about Davis’s past, she begins to question her own motivation. Will she risk her long-held dreams to find out the truth?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Hatteras Girl, go HERE.

MY THOUGHTS

Hatteras Girl is what I call a “feel good” book, the kind that just makes you feel good after you turn the last page. The characters are pleasant, and the ending makes you believe that dreams do come true.

One of the things I enjoy about author Alice Wisler’s books is that she makes the reader feel right at home in the story. There’s no heavy back story, no complicated history, no unnecessary details. It’s almost as if the reader is walking side-by-side with the main character and enjoying the simplicity and beauty of life on the Outer Banks.

Jackie is a fun character with little quirks and a big heart. She comes across as the average, everyday gal that you could meet at the local coffee shop one day. She shares her home with her recently widowed best friend and her young son, who is a unique character himself! (After reading Rain Song, another book by Alice, I have to wonder what kind of children she has in her life. The ones she includes in her stories seem to be anything but angelic at times!) After being set up on endless, and mostly boring, blind dates by her well-intentioned family members, Jackie wants to find love on her own. Little does she realize that love has been there all along, and she just didn’t see it.

Besides unique characters with lovable qualities, Alice also includes subtle lessons on trust, overcoming and dealing with grief, and pursuing dreams inside of God’s will.

Hatteras Girl definitely gets a recommendation as a “read this book.” It is appropriate for teenage girls and teaches valuable lessons on relationships. One word of warning, and I give this warning only because it’s sorta a pet peeve of mine, the book is written with present tense verbs, not the usual past tense. But don’t let the verb tense stop you from picking up a copy to read because you’ll miss a great story!

Disclosure: I received this book for free via Christian Fiction Blog Alliance. The opinions I have expressed under My Thoughts are entirely 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.”