What you learned as a kindergartener can help you as a politician

If you really stop and think about life in general, you learned some pretty good rules in kindergarten that will help govern you through all of these "life in general" moments.

I wish our politicians and those aspiring for the highest office and highest honor our country has to offer would remember some of the rules they learned in kindergarten.  You see they learned most of what they need there and would do well to study them again.  

 For example:

 

• Play fair. Don't knock folks down either verbally or physically. 
• Don't hit people. This one is good!  Hitting folks below the belt physically, emotionally, verbally, or mentally is just plain wrong.
• Clean up your own mess. You know the old saying, "You're responsible for your own actions."  That means if you make a mess it's yours to own and yours to clean up.
• Don't take things that aren't yours. That means you don't take another man's wife or another woman who isn't your wife.  You don't take someone's reputation and run it in the ground.
• Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody. Yes.  That means when you say something "hurtful" you say you're sorry.  Better yet, don't say it.
• Wash your hands before you eat. Clean hands and a clean heart are always well beloved.
• Flush. Sanitize everything you can.  Flush dirty words, dirty deeds, and everything dirty down the drain.  Filth corrupts.
• When you go out in the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together. It's a big world out there.  You need to watch out that you don't get run over.  So hold hands and stick together with friends for security.  That goes nationally as well as individually.
• And remember that one of the first words you learned to read was  - LOOK.  Don't forget to look around you in awe and wonder at the wonderful World God has created for us to inhabit. 

"Beyond the Farthest Star" by Bodie & Brock Thoene: Book Review

The authors have written an entirely different type of book with Beyond the Farthest Star from their usual reads.  Their historical novels - no matter the timeline - are always wonderful reads.  This new book  deals with characters who are flawed, deceptive, and evil.  The meanness of some of the characters literally makes my skin crawl.  I am not speaking of demons and dragons or supernatural.  I am referring to the downright meanness of the human nature of fallen men. 

The book opens with the family in Beyond the Farthest Star resettling in a small town in Texas.  The father is a preacher who began his career preaching as a young boy.  The daughter (an only child) is plagued by some troubling emotional or mental condition for which she in medicated.  Mom has issues and secrets and she loses herself in flamboyant romance novels.  They carry secrets, each of them.

Into the mixture, we have a corrupt senator and a battle of church and state.  Evil gets an opportunity to rear it's head here, too.

Supporting cast members include teens exuding peer pressure and cliques.  Rock music in garages, and drunken fathers manhandling their sons.

We also find spiritual truth prevailing,  but it seems to be slow in coming.  Revelation of secrets and the impact they have on individuals leaves the reader reeling.

Again, the Thoenes have written a very good book.  The have taken the screen play of Andrew Librizzi and novelized it.  The storyline is not one I would prefer, but it is good and, sadly, probably a very real reflection on today's world.
I received a complimentary copy of Beyond the Farthest Star from Zondervan via NetGalley for review and am under no obligation to provide a positive review.

"Love Blooms in Winter" by Lori Copeland: Book Review

Lori Copeland's newest book, "Love Blooms in Winter" was released January 2012.  Set in 1892 - this is the first in the Dakota Diaries series of books.

Set in North Dakota during  the Winter, the story begins with the female lead, Mae,  working as postmistress in the small town's general store.  She is a young single lady responsible for the care of her mentally challenged young brother.

Across the street from where Mae and Jeremy live is the home of Pauline, a very elderly lady who has no family and encroaching dementia.  Mae being a kind, caring, Christian young lady has undertaken the care of Pauline; but she is growing desperate knowing that Pauline needs the care of real family.  The problem is, Pauline can't recall having any "kin."

The storyline develops and the male lead, Tom, enters the scene.  There are hysterically  funny moments and distinct personalities that will leave you chuckling or with a warm-fuzzy feeling.

This is an easy, relaxing read and the author, Lori Copeland, captures the personality and characterization of the townspeople.  The story is woven with bits and pieces of early Americana and the life and hardships endured during the early settlement of the Dakotas.

Lori Copeland has written well over 40 books and brings to the table pleasant reads that are woven with the threads of Christianity.  I highly recommend her books.

ISBN: 978-0-7369-3019-2

Harvest House Publishers provided a complimentary copy of Love Blooms in Winter by Lori Copeland for my review.  I was not required to post a positive review.

Joshua Covenant by Diane and David Munson: Book Review

In their life "before writing Christian suspense fiction," David was an NCIS Special Agent, and an undercover DEA Special Agent and Diane was a Federal prosecutor.  But they "retired" from federal life in the fast lane to suspense novels that combine their exciting cases into factional fiction.  They change the names and places. Visit their website to learn more about their writing and the 6 thrillers to their credit.   www.DianeAndDavidMunson.com.

Their newest release, The Joshua Covenant, takes you on a fast paced ride with CIA agent Bo Rider who is "under cover" as a State official stationed with the American Embassy in Israel.  His purpose in doing this is to uncover a mole.

Danger.  Espionage. Bombs. Past family history and current entanglements. His loyalty to his country challenged and his identity in question. Sinister forces unleashed internationally.  It reads like startling headlines.

You won't find questionable behavior or language in this book.  The book is written to a Christian audience but by doing so loses none of its excitement and power.  All audiences will enjoy this book:  mature teens, young adults, men or women, Christian or non-believer.  The storyline is enthralling.

Author Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pP20D0BOMg,
Website: www.DianeAndDavidMunson.com
Two Ex-Feds News Wrap Blog: www.DianeAndDavidMunson.com/blog,
Author FaceBook Page,

Publisher:  Micah House Media, LCC, Grand Rapids, Mich.

ISBN: 978-0-9835590-0-9

I received a complimentary copy of The Joshua Covenant from the authors, Diane and David Munson.  I was not required to post a positive review.

The Donkey That No One Could Ride: Children's Bible Story - Book Review

You will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden.

This beautiful children's story book in lovely rhyme is a loosely told version of the Biblical account of the donkey that was chosen to be the one on which our Savior, Jesus Christ, would ride into Jerusalem the Sunday prior to his death.  (Found in Luke 19:28-38)

Anthony DeStefano, author, and Richard Cowdrey, illustrator, have worked together to bring a lovely version of this lowly beast who feels no worth but who is chosen to be the one to carry or Lord.

He was tied to a post on a small dusty road

And left all alone while his tears overflowed,

Left all alone and wondering why

He was born to be weak, and born to be shy,

And born to be frightened,

And born to cry.

Although this little book is focused on the account of the donkey being chosen to carry our Lord, there is also an underlying theme.  It is that our Lord sees worth in each and every one of us and can use us for His purposes.

"My help is enough;

It's all that you need,

It's all you require in the life to succeed."

Children will delight to have this read to them repeatedly and will also be enchanted by the good use of rhyme to tell the story.  Cadence and rhyme are beautifully done by Anthony DeStefano.

Publisher:  Harvest House  Expected Publication Release:  February 1, 2012
ISBN:  9780736948517

I was provided a complimentary  copy of "The Donkey That No One Could Ride" by Harvest House Publishers in order to provide a review.  I was under no obligation to write a positive review.

Living on the colorful side of the plate

I think we all know and realize that we all need to live our lives a bit more on the healthy side.  You know...... less sugar, more fruit - less cookies and cake, more veggies - less living dangerously, more living with an eye toward safety and health.  Well, I saw this picture online today and it absolutely made me want to start nibbling.  So take a look and salivate with me for some delicious "good-for-you" eats.

Now isn't that one of the most beautiful array of goodies you've seen recently?  What is your favorite?  Take a pick of one of each color.  Indulge yourself.  Go whole veggie!

Good Housekeeping's list of top food trends of 2011 - click here

TYNDALE: The Man Who Gave God An English Voice by David Teems: Book Review

Meet William Tyndale, a contemporary of Martin Luther, and Thomas Moore.  David Teems presents a thorough history of the life and work of William Tyndale and how he was persecuted because he wished to create a Bible in the language of the people of his time and place - the English.  Previous to this time (by two centuries) Wycliff, translated the Bible into English.  Wycliff's English Bible did, indeed, impact the translation work done by Tyndale.  Tyndale's work was, however,  translated from the original Greek language.  The author of this biography of Tyndale, David Teems references only slightly Wycliff's translation in this book.

The Catholic Church did not allow translations they did not endorse or create and persecuted anyone involved in such activity.  They certainly did not want the Bible placed in the hands of people other than clergy.  If you are at all familiar with the period of history dealing with the Reformation, the Renaissance, and the controlling power that the Catholic Church held over all social levels during that period, you already have a grasp of the difficulties facing Tyndale.  However, Tyndale desired to see the Scriptures in his own language for his own people.  Therefore, he endured hardship,  banishment, peril, and censorship all causing him to move from his homeland.  Eventually his choice to bring God's Word to the English in their own language cost him his life.

"Lord! Open the King of England's eyes"
were his last spoken words.

So you ask, just what is Tyndale's legacy?  We don't hear a lot about the Tyndale translation.  It gets about as much mention historically as Wycliff's and other Biblical translation works.  However, the beautiful language in the Bible - the King James Bible - has it's "first appearance, or first mention" in the Tyndale Bible.  These include the beautifully phrased wording given to us by the workmanship and pen of William Tyndale. 

I found David Teem's biography of Tyndale interesting yet difficult to read.  It is not a casual read.  Teems examines Tyndale's work paralleling it with works of more modern writers such as Thomas Wolfe.  I find this inappropriate because we are dealing with vastly differing types of writing and periods in which these literary giants wrote.  Tyndale's "style" and literary genius of expression are or should be directly attributable to the work that he was accomplishing because he was translating directly from the original languages into his own and his work was of a "holy" nature and not that of the secular world.

We in Christendom have much for which to be grateful because of the writings of William Tyndale as well as his beautiful translation of Scripture - Old and New Testaments. 

Behold the lamb of God
I am the way, the truth, and the life
In my father's house are many mansions
For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory
Seek, and ye shall find
With God  all things are possible
In him we live, move, and have our being
Be not weary in well doing
Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith
Behold, I stand at the door and knock
Let not your hearts be troubled
The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light

Fight the good fight
(These phrases made their first appearance in translations
of the Scriptures by Tyndale. pg. xx Prologue, Tyndale)

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for a review.  I was not required to render a positive review.  Opinions expressed are my own.

NOTE:  There are short bio-histories of William Tyndale online.  The following link substantiates David Teem's disclosure and collaboration that William Tyndale's New Testament was translated from the original Greek and not from the works of Wycliffe and Luther.  http://www.greatsite.com/timeline-english-bible-history/william-tyndale.htmlEnglish Bible History-William Tyndale