Snow Memories Present and Past

The unusual winter weather so far for 2013-14 has been much in the news. It has brought devastating conditions in the Midwest, northern plains, Northeast, East Coast, and now in the Deep South. We have seen temperatures pulmuting far below the norms for the area and time. We have seen unprecedented snows in unexpected areas. We have seen storms swoop down from the effects of the Arctic polar vortex and push up from the Gulf and southern coastal waters. It has been hard. It has been cold. It has been trying. It has been a winter to remember.

And as we have memories carved in the recesses of our minds from the weeks and days of winter already experienced this year, it brings memories to mind of long past snowy winters here in middle North Carolina. It brings visions of children out to play in unexpected snows. I see frolicking children building a snowman in front of the picture window for their sibling who could not go out in the snow because of a strep throat and fever.

I see a three year old vainly (yet so funny) trying to get his little tricycle wheels to turn in the snow. Yes, he was stuck just as those Atlanta motorists were just this past week. His wheels simply wouldn't go for him.

I remember my children coming in after being stranded at a shopping center by their ride after a commute of 30 miles from school because conditions were so bad the driver had to leave them for someone else to come get. And someone did.

I remember my teenage son cooking muffins and walking through the snow to take them to an elderly gentleman who lived alone. He just wanted to check on him to be sure he was alright and to share something with him.

I remember my children coming in from an early school closing (again from that school over 30 miles away) on a very snowy day and diving into a piled up plate of donuts I had cooked for them. (Folks, these were the easy "canned biscuit" donuts and I glazed them with a simple glaze.) Talk about happy teens!

I remember when they were young we didn't have the money for snow boots. We simply didn't get enough snow to merit buying them for growing feet. So when it snowed, we used bread bags over their shoes held in place with rubber bands.  They lasted awhile. When their feet got cold, they had to come in.

Yes, here in the south and mid-west and north east there are lots of memories being formed. Memories of being stranded. Memories of someone bringing those stranded something to eat and drink.  Memories of being stuck at school because there was no way home. Memories of teachers and administrators taking care of stranded children. Memories of hot chocolate. Memories of slipping and sliding down hills. Snowball fights. Snowmen.

What memories have you? Treasure them. Be thankful for them.

Southern Snow and Southern Sprit Soars

Getting slammed by snow, ice, and freezing rain preceeded and followed by temps in the teens when you're in the South is the setting for a disaster of mammoth proportions. True the states north of the Mason Dixon Line got a lot more snow and true their temps ran a lot lower, but consider what the south is and what the north is. That is UN-prepared and PRE-pared!

That doesn't mean the south is slow or lacking in wisdom.It simply means that preparation for something such as a slamming snow and ice storm is outside the southern jurisdiction. But then, that is where some of that gracious, cozy, warm and fuzzy Southern living style comes in to play, too. That is where the Christian spirit of those nudging close up to the Bible Belt gets lived out. For example....

..... in Birmingham, Alabama, folks were stranded for hours (I mean somewhere around seven hours) in their cars. No food. No water. Just stranded. These folks don't know the preparedness for getting stuck in a snow storm on an "interstate parking lot" like folks north of the Mason Dixon line do. Northern folks know to carry some food, water, and survival blankets plus flares and flashlights. But when push came to shove, there was a restaurant (fast food, chicken) manager that decided to cook up hundreds of sandwiches and biscuits and pass them out to those stranded. He opened his restaurant to anyone who wanted to crash inside. No charge for anything!

He walked up and down the road, slushing and crunching on the snow and ice, delivering hot, fresh chicken sandwiches to hungry and thirsty.

...... and then there were the stranded teachers and students in schools in Atlanta. They couldn't go anywhere. Folks couldn't come get them. Buses couldn't run. But you had the faithful teachers, administrators, and staff that comforted and consoled the students while they wiled away the hours waiting to be rescued. Then the Governor called out the National Guard to come to the rescue. And then there was a baby born in the freezing grid-lock that was the interstate parking lot (and I believe there just happened to be a nurse stranded nearby, too). 

Now would all of this have played out in the north as well as the south? Probably so. But sometimes you just have to brag a bit on your Southern "cousins" down around Birmingham and Atlanta for being there and doing the right thing.

Now about doing the right thing...... "go and do thou likewise."

Purex® Crystals fresh mountain breeze (Review & Giveaway)

Purex® has again provided Chat With Vera with the opportunity to share one of their products with my readers.  Awhile back we talked about Purex® Crystals and that is what is on the docket again today.

This time the bottle holds 28 oz. and has the new fragrance - "fresh mountain breeze." This is such a terrific fragrance. Not too bold. Not overwhelming. I think it is just right.

Purex® says the following about this nifty product:

• Clothes smell fresh for weeks, not days
• Does not reduce the absorbency of towels 
• Natural formula is safe for your family and the environment.

Mountain air is so much fresher than city air and when I take a whiff of fresh mountain breeze it exudes flowers, freshness, a gentle breeze, and open air. Well, you kinda get a smile on your face just sniffing.

GIVEAWAY: Two of  Chat With Vera's readers have the opportunity to receive a coupon for a free bottle of Purex® Crystals fresh mountain breeze. Just use the Rafflecopter entry form below and let's seen who just might take that imaginary sensory trip to the mountains with a whiff of Purex® Crystals. Open only to US addresses.  Begins January 29 & ENDS February 19 @ 12:01 ET. 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE: The Purex® brand provided me with a sample of Purex® Crystals Fresh Mountain Breeze in exchange for a product review. All opinions expressed are solely my own. Coupons for the giveaway were provided along with the sample for me to host a giveaway.

Shadowed by Grace by Cara C. Putman (Review & Giveaway)

Publisher: B&H Books 
ISBN-13: 978-1433681783

About the book:  Desperate to save her dying mother, an American woman accepts her newspaper's assignment to travel to Italy where she takes photographs dangerously close to the front lines during World War II. But Rachel's real motive in this journey is to find the father she never knew, an artist she hopes can offer the comfort and support both she and her mother need to survive at such a desperate time.

In her quest, Rachel becomes involved with what will become the Monuments Men effort to save great monuments and works of art from the Third Reich. Soon enough she will find more than she ever imagined---in war, in love, and in God.

My thoughts:  I have read many historical fiction novels though few positioned during WWII and in the midst of the battles. So the opportunity to read Shadowed By Grace was appealing to me. The scene is Nazi occupied Italy and involves Grace, a news photographer charged with the responsibility to bring the heart of the war story to the world at large. But Grace is there primarily on a personal journey to find her never-before-seen father.
 
Raised by a single mother who was an art student in prewar WWI Italy, Grace’s mother never shared the birth of Grace with the father. Now Grace’s mother needs funds for life-saving medical treatment. Grace hopes to find her father and appeal to him.
 
Europe was home to centuries of art treasures that told the story of mankind and these treasures were in danger of being lost forever. The American government commissioned a group of service men called The Monuments Men and they were responsible for finding and securing for posterity these magnificent treasures. The Monuments Men were educated in the arts and knew the value of the pieces they sought out. But nefarious sources were also seeking the pieces. Some damaged by the war. Some safe from harm but not secure from thieves.

Grace was assigned to Monuments Men soldier, Scott. Together they did their part in WWII.  

I found Shadowed By Grace to be interesting from a historical standpoint as the author handled the WWII period of history accurately and graciously. I found the information about the effort to salvage and save the world’s art treasures  beyond interesting and compelling. I also believe the author’s title, Shadowed By Grace, to be two-fold in meaning. The heroine’s name was Grace, and she "shadowed" a Monuments Men;  and then the story of the outpouring of the Grace of God was told as well.

GIVEAWAY:  One of Chat With Vera's readers has the opportunity to get a free copy of Shadowed by Grace by simply using the Rafflecopter entry form below.  Open to continental USA addresses only. Begins January28 & ENDS February 17 @ 12:91 a.m. ET.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


About the author: Cara C. Putman graduated high school at 16, college at 20, and completed her law degree at 27. The best-selling author of more than a dozen books, Cara is active in women's ministry at her church, teaches graduate courses at Purdue University, practices law, and is a homeschooling mom. She lives with her husband and 4 children in Indiana.  Visit Cara's website:   http://caraputman.com 

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy  Shadowed By Grace from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. No compensation was received for this review. Opinions expressed are solely my own.

"With Autumn's Return" by Amanda Cabot

ISBN: 9780800734619

About the book: She's planning on instant success. She didn't plan on love.
When Elizabeth Harding arrives in Cheyenne to open her medical practice, she is confident that the future is as bright as the warm Wyoming sun. Certain she'll have a line of patients eager for her services, she soon discovers the town may not welcome a new physician--especially a lady doctor. Even Jason Nordling, the handsome young attorney next door, seems to disapprove of her chosen profession.


When a web of deceit among Cheyenne's wealthiest residents threatens to catch Elizabeth and Jason in its snare, they must risk working together to save one of Elizabeth's patients--even if it means falling in love.


My thoughts:   A story is a story, is a story,…… Well, that is often the case. A novel is simply a story told to entertain and wile away a bit of time while one relaxes. Personally, I prefer stories or novels that educate and enlighten along the way as well as entertain. With Autumn’s Return is a sweet, entertaining story about the Wyoming Territory, specifically progressive Cheyenne, during the 1880s.  When newly graduated Elizabeth leaves medical school and sets up her practice in Cheyenne, she expects to have patients lining up to see her. Not so. Frankly, the wild West is just not ready for a woman doctor.

Her office is situated next door to an attorney, Jason Nordling, who just won a case for a murderer who he really thought was innocent but who declared his guilt at the conclusion of his trial. Now Jason is highly suspect in the town.

A capable woman doctor and a suspect lawyer next door to one another. However, they don’t behave as caring, loving neighbors. He has no use for a woman doctor – just as the other folks in town don’t.

The story of With Autumn's Return is one of acceptance, trust, and a sweet romance. And there is a ripe subplot that addresses the plight of women being accepted as having a role in society other than that of wife, mother, housekeeper. 

This is book three in a series and is not dependent on the first two. There is reference to, but not dependence on the two previous books.

About the author:  Amanda Cabot is the bestselling author of the Texas Dreams series, as well as Christmas Roses, Summer of Promise, and Waiting for Spring. Her books have been finalists for the ACFW Carol Awards and the Booksellers Best. She lives in Wyoming. Find out more at www.amandacabot.com.

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy of With Autumn’s Return from Revell a  division of Baker Publishing in exchange for my honest review. Opinions expressed are solely my own. No compensation was received for this review.

"Unstoppable" (DVD review and giveaway - US and Canada)

Release Date: January 28, 2014

Run Time: 65 minutes

Dove Approved ages 12+

Suggested Retail Price: $14.99

About the film:  Inspired by the death of Cameron’s close friend who succumbed to cancer at the age of 15, Kirk Cameron takes viewers on an inspiring and hope-filled visual journey to better understand the biggest doubt-raising question in faith: “Where is God in the midst of tragedy and suffering?”

Going back to the beginning—literally—Kirk investigates the origins of good and evil and how they impact our lives … and our eternities. UNSTOPPABLE will prompt audiences to consider the role that pain and suffering has in our lives, as they affirm their personal views on faith, and encourage conversation starters about God, suffering, and hope.

In theaters for only two weeknights (Sept 24th and Oct 3th, 2013), UNSTOPPABLE: A Live Event with Kirk Cameron sold a staggering 260,000 tickets and reached a theatrical gross of over $3.2 million dollars. In just two nights this independent project sent a loud message – audiences want thought-provoking and meaningful entertainment.  

Kirk Cameron is best known for his memorable role as “Mike Seaver,” a cultural icon of the 80's, with his mullet hairstyle, cool glasses, and wisecracking comebacks. More recently he enjoyed much success with the No. 1 grossing inspirational film of 2008, Fireproof, and his recent documentary, Monumental. Kirk and his wife, Chelsea, were on-screen sweethearts during their Growing Pains years and are the founders of Camp Firefly, where terminally and seriously ill children and their families are provided an all-expense paid retreat (www.CampFirefly.com). Together, Kirk and Chelsea live in California with their six children.

Review:  At first I wasn't sure I would like Kirk Cameron's visual documentary since I'm not a fan of most documentaries! However, after several minutes, I could start to see how the story was coming together. Kirk does an awesome job bringing to life the story of Man's beginning on earth to the death of Christ and God's redemptive power over evil! Scenes appear throughout the visual journal of the celebration of life of a young 15 year old family friend. Kirk uses this tragedy together with the Biblical stories to help us understand "where is God in the midst of death and suffering?" I'm glad I decided to watch the whole story. It helped me remember that God uses everything for his good and he is always with us, even during times of sickness and death!  (by guest reviewer M.Godley) 

GIVEAWAY:  One of Chat With Vera's readers has the opportunity to win their very own copy of Unstoppable just by entering the contest using the Rafflecopter form below. Begins January 26 & ENDS February 12 @ 12:01 ET. Open in US and Canada.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
About Provident Films: Provident Films, a division of Sony Music Entertainment, produces, markets, and distributes faith-based films. The company is part of Nashville-based Provident Music Group, which has been one of the world’s leading Christian entertainment companies for more than three decades.  Films from the company have included Courageous, October Baby, Fireproof, and Facing the Giants. More info is available at ProvidentFilms.org.

"Disclosure in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising): Many thanks to Propeller consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

 Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

Interview with Susan Warren on her newest release "It Had to Be You" published by Tyndale

Let's  visit with Susan Warren....

1. This is the second installment in a new six - book series. Can you give us   bit of background on this series?
   The Christiansen Family series is a spin -off of the bestselling Deep Haven collection, stories about the townspeople of Deep Haven, Minnesota, a tiny resort town on the north shore of Lake Superior. The original series started with a book titled Happily Ever After and grew to include six titles. However, one family began to stand out, and we decided their story needed to be told. We wanted a series about a family with adult children learning what it meant to carry on the legacy of faith into their lives. And I wanted to write a series that would really let readers dig into the family, feel like they were a part of their journey.
2. This Christiansen Family series is set in Deep Haven, Minnesota. Tell us about this setting.
   It’s a gorgeous place to set a story—on the rocky shores of Lake Superior, in a tiny town where everyone knows your name. It’s a town with a rich heritage, strong ties, and a place where people want to escape—in fiction and in real life (as it is modeled after my town of Grand Marais, Minnesota). You’ll find people from all walks of life here—and most importantly, Evergreen Resort, run by the Christiansen family for four generations.
3. What is your hope for this series?
   Of course, I hope people fall as much in love with the Christiansens as I have. They’re a great bunch—all led by John and Ingrid Christiansen, who have tried to instill their values into their children. But each child has their own path to walk, and part of the series is just watching as they walk that path—through the good and the bad, trying to figure out where their faith and their parents’ legacy fit into their lives. It’s a contemporary epic family series set in the wilds of northern Minnesota with romance, suspense, and lots of great family drama! 
4. What was your inspiration for this particular book and the main character Eden Christiansen?
   Eden Christiansen came from a number of places. Watching the siblings of movie stars and athletes, watching my own daughter cheer her athlete brothers, even watching my friends, parents who feel on the side lines of their children’s lives ....maybe even a little left behind as they leave for college. I began to wonder—what if you had an amazing sibling, and your entire family focused on his or her successes, and you felt left behind, void of your own amazingness? This is Eden—who feels like she hasn’t accomplished anything and is sitting on the sidelines of her life. She feels like she needs to “get into the game” but doesn’t know how or where to start. And she feels like she really has nothing spectacular to offer.. But God has different plans.
5. Did you base the character of Jace Jacobsen on anyone in particular?
   Jace was loosely modeled after famed Minnesota Wild enforcer Derek Boogaard, who died, in part, due to the many concussions he suffered as a hockey player. The problem of concussions with today’s athletes, especially in hockey and football, can be life-threatening for athletes, and although hockey (and football!) is played much differently today, it’s still an issue. I wanted Jace to have the opposite problem from Eden—he is only good at one thing. In fact, he’s spectacular at it, but he believes if he walks away from it, he will be nothing. So same problem...different perspective. It gave me a good opportunity as an author to examine our “worth.” Of course, adding the John Doe element only rounded that theme out with yet another perspective. I loved how these three angles came together.
6. What lessons or truths will your readers find in the pages of this novel?
   I think we all need to see our worth not in relationship to our external successes but in how we work out the task God has for us. How we love one another, how we use our gifts and talents. How we abide with God in our daily lives. Hopefully readers will begin seeing their worth in a new way.
7. How do you expect this new series to resonate with your audience? How do you want your books to make them feel?
   I am hoping readers walk away from this book, and this series, with hope. The sense that they belong to something—to God, to family—and the feeling that our lives are not chaotic or out of control, but that God has a unique and amazing journey for each of us, and it’s lived out with in our relationships. I want them to feel as if they’d found a new set of friends.
8. Have you received any feedback from your fans on this series? What are they saying?
   People fell immediately in love with Darek and his sweet son, Tiger, in Take a Chance on Me, and I think readers will really enjoy Jace and Eden’s romance in this story. I’m thankful that people enjoy the work I put into developing my characters and the romance, and I have loved diving into these multilayered stories about people with realistic, everyday struggles.
9. As a writer, what did you particularly enjoy about crafting this story?
   I loved writing about Minnesota in the winter. And I loved the story of John Doe and uncovering who he might be. (I plotted it like a mystery, so it was fun to revisit my mystery-plotting techniques). I especially loved the layers of Jace, the hero, and how, with every turn, he became more intriguing.
10. What is the best advice or encouragement that you have received?
    Try to up your writing game with each book, and just keep writing. Not every story appeals to every reader, but I try to write a story I would enjoy—and then hopefully my readers will also.

Be sure you come back to Chat With Vera on February 2 and read my review of "It Had To Be You."