My latest read, “Sherlock Holmes and the Needle’s Eye” by Len Bailey was an interesting concept that had me intrigued as soon as I read the subtitle: “The World’s Greatest Detective Tackles the Bible’s Ultimate Mysteries.” I am a lover of mystery books, including Sherlock Holmes, and also love gleaning new understanding of Biblical stories.
Part of what made this book so much fun to read was the set up. The book is designed for use as a Bible study or just as a collection of stories. You, as the reader, have the choice of answering the questions for each story at the back of the book before beginning to read or not – and just reading it like any other book. I do have one caveat in this regard. I chose to read the book as a Bible study, but my Bible is a Study Bible. I made the mistake of reading my Bible’s study notes while I was answering the questions, which unfortunately solved the first mystery before I even read it. So, if you choose to do it as a Bible study, just read the biblical text. It will make the stories much more fun.
And the stories really are a lot of fun to read. There are ten different mysteries, from both the Old and New Testament, and it is the job of world famous detective Sherlock Holmes and his trusty sidekick Dr. Watson to figure out the mysteries they have been presented with. Some of them are a little easier than others to solve, and one in particular was actually pretty moving to me as a Christian (“Dead Man Walking”).
Overall this was a great summer read and was easy to pick up without feeling lost because it had been too long since you put it down last.
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Book Review: "What's Your Mark?"
When I first read the description of "What's Your Mark?" by photographer Jeremy Cowart, I was instantly intrigued. It promised to be inspiration in the form of real people making their "mark" on the world as they follow Jesus. These stories would be interspersed within the pages of the gospel of Mark. One of the questions posed in the description was, "What will be your mark?"
Before I received the book, I kept thinking about what kind of mark I am currently making and upon whom said mark is being made. I was a little bit nervous that reading these stories would make me feel inadequate in my attempts to leave a mark as I follow Jesus. However, once I got into the book, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Aside from being the first time I actually read the gospel of Mark from start to finish, I honestly liked reading the stories of the people Cowart profiled. As I expected, it was easy to relate to some of the "mark makers," and more difficult to relate to others. What I didn't expect was to be blown away by several of the stories I read. Some of the selflessness displayed by the people being profiled was astounding to me.
I think one of my favorite things about this book was that, with a few exceptions, the people being profiled were just "everyday" people who used their passions, talents and love to make a difference in the lives of other people. My kids complain that there are never any good stories on the news... This little book is a collection of good stories that really deserve to be told.
Before I received the book, I kept thinking about what kind of mark I am currently making and upon whom said mark is being made. I was a little bit nervous that reading these stories would make me feel inadequate in my attempts to leave a mark as I follow Jesus. However, once I got into the book, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Aside from being the first time I actually read the gospel of Mark from start to finish, I honestly liked reading the stories of the people Cowart profiled. As I expected, it was easy to relate to some of the "mark makers," and more difficult to relate to others. What I didn't expect was to be blown away by several of the stories I read. Some of the selflessness displayed by the people being profiled was astounding to me.
I think one of my favorite things about this book was that, with a few exceptions, the people being profiled were just "everyday" people who used their passions, talents and love to make a difference in the lives of other people. My kids complain that there are never any good stories on the news... This little book is a collection of good stories that really deserve to be told.
Friday, January 4, 2013
Medieval Unit Study
Having two children with four years and various abilities between them, makes homeschooling a fantastic journey for me. Despite being four years, almost to the day, apart, my children have some similar interests; not identical, but definitely similar. One of their common interests is King Arthur. My daughter loves the thought of chivalrous knights and fair maidens riding horses. My son longs to be a knight on horse fighting a dragon. See what I mean? Similar, not identical.
This makes Social Studies pretty fun for us. This year my daughter is spending her school year learning about various countries around the world. My son is spending his year learning about the various warrior culture associated with the part of the world she studies. So far we studied Mongolia and Genghis Khan; Japan and ninjas/samurai; Scandinavian countries and vikings. Our next trip will be to the British Isles in order to study knights and castles of the Middle Ages.
As a setup project for the unit study, my kids have been given jobs as travel agents. My daughter is in charge of designing a tri-fold brochure all about England (then she'll do Ireland and Scotland). My son will be responsible for creating a post card for each country, as well as "trading cards" of famous people, indigenous animals and the flag of each country.
Once we get through the current day in these places, we will travel back in time to see what they were like during the Middle Ages. I am going to be putting together the nuts and bolts of the unit each afternoon while they are off playing. I do know that I am going to be looking to find a way to make the Unit Study fun and engaging for each of them at their own level. I'm thinking that my son will complete his study by making a lapbook and my daughter by notebooking her way through. I will post updates and pictures as we go along!
This makes Social Studies pretty fun for us. This year my daughter is spending her school year learning about various countries around the world. My son is spending his year learning about the various warrior culture associated with the part of the world she studies. So far we studied Mongolia and Genghis Khan; Japan and ninjas/samurai; Scandinavian countries and vikings. Our next trip will be to the British Isles in order to study knights and castles of the Middle Ages.
As a setup project for the unit study, my kids have been given jobs as travel agents. My daughter is in charge of designing a tri-fold brochure all about England (then she'll do Ireland and Scotland). My son will be responsible for creating a post card for each country, as well as "trading cards" of famous people, indigenous animals and the flag of each country.
Once we get through the current day in these places, we will travel back in time to see what they were like during the Middle Ages. I am going to be putting together the nuts and bolts of the unit each afternoon while they are off playing. I do know that I am going to be looking to find a way to make the Unit Study fun and engaging for each of them at their own level. I'm thinking that my son will complete his study by making a lapbook and my daughter by notebooking her way through. I will post updates and pictures as we go along!
The Teaching of the 12 - Part 1
For the past couple of years my husband has been trying to get me to pick up the book, "The Teaching of the 12" by Tony Jones. I'll admit that I tried reading once, but just was not interested at the time. So I put it down and left it down. Recently, however, I picked it up again to see what the book is all about.
According to the back of the book,
Introduction
In the introduction, Jones describes what the church looked like in the time that this document is assumed to have been written as, "a small, if growing, band of believers, spreading across the Roman Empire. A blend of educated and uneducated, female and male, poor and rich, slaves and free, Jew and Gentile..." who had to keep their new religion "under wraps." Already this description has me intrigued. To think of so many different types of people all having this one thing in common is kind of interesting to me. It makes me think of my own church (which, admittedly, I love dearly) and makes me wonder what it might look like with such a diverse group of congregants....
The rest of the Intro is the story of how the Didache came to be in our hands today. A brief and fun history lesson. :) The best line in this section is what hit home for me: "The real power of the Didache is its ability to remind us what is truly important in Christianity: showing the love of Jesus to the world."
Now that is something I could enjoy reading.
According to the back of the book,
The Didache, an early handbook of an anonymous Christian community, "is the most important book you've never heard of." It spells out a way of life for Jesus-followers, including how to love one another, how to practice the eucharist, and how to take in wandering prophets.So, the plan is to blog briefly on each section of the Didache as I read it. I read Jones' introduction, which for some reason, struck me as more interesting this time around than last. Who knows why? Sometimes you're ready for something and sometimes you're not, I guess!
Introduction
In the introduction, Jones describes what the church looked like in the time that this document is assumed to have been written as, "a small, if growing, band of believers, spreading across the Roman Empire. A blend of educated and uneducated, female and male, poor and rich, slaves and free, Jew and Gentile..." who had to keep their new religion "under wraps." Already this description has me intrigued. To think of so many different types of people all having this one thing in common is kind of interesting to me. It makes me think of my own church (which, admittedly, I love dearly) and makes me wonder what it might look like with such a diverse group of congregants....
The rest of the Intro is the story of how the Didache came to be in our hands today. A brief and fun history lesson. :) The best line in this section is what hit home for me: "The real power of the Didache is its ability to remind us what is truly important in Christianity: showing the love of Jesus to the world."
Now that is something I could enjoy reading.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Review of My Etsy Shop
"reviews, giveaways, and advertising for doll items on my doll blog. I do detailed reviews on the items, including links, with pictures and everything. Giveaways are also fun too! Advertising can be free to very little cost. Would you be interested? I have around 90 views a day and am know around the blogs as an Etsy fanatic and lover. Everyone comes for reviews and wisdom on Etsy shops."
So, I looked at her blog and realized that she is actually a homeschool kid who runs the blog in her spare time. As a homeschool mom I knew I had no choice but to respond to this request with a yes. After a few emails ("convos" in Etsy speak) when I had a better idea of what she was looking for, my 10 year old and I chose several items to send out to her.
After receiving her message letting me know she received the items and loved them (yay!) she told me she would let me know when she posts her review. Well, the other day I got the link to her site with the review of the PJs I sent to her. I have to say I think she did a great job! She dressed her doll in the PJs and then added a cute headband and pair of slippers to "complete the look," and posed her for a bunch of photos. At the end of the review she used the questions she had asked me and framed them in the setting of me being interviewed by her doll, Victoria. Super cute idea. I loved it.
Below is the gist of her review. But it really is worth looking at her blog for the whole thing with all the photos.
After receiving her message letting me know she received the items and loved them (yay!) she told me she would let me know when she posts her review. Well, the other day I got the link to her site with the review of the PJs I sent to her. I have to say I think she did a great job! She dressed her doll in the PJs and then added a cute headband and pair of slippers to "complete the look," and posed her for a bunch of photos. At the end of the review she used the questions she had asked me and framed them in the setting of me being interviewed by her doll, Victoria. Super cute idea. I loved it.
Below is the gist of her review. But it really is worth looking at her blog for the whole thing with all the photos.
All in all, this was a fun experience. I enjoyed encouraging another homeschooler as well as letting my daughter see what "a kid can do" with something that interests her.The PJs are made from a light weight cotton print. The print is a baby blue with white polka dots (very small) all over! It fastens with velco, for an easy and helpful way to dress. The buttons are a deeper blue and look very tied in with the outfit. The pants are adorable and simple, two things pants need to be! They stick out a little like flare pants.
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Red Letter Revolution Review
Well, I finally finished reading Red Letter Revolution. Truth be told, this book was what my husband would call a "game changer" for me. In the interest of full disclosure I do consider myself a Christian. However, quite often I feel like I'm just not doing it right! I feel like I just keep screwing it up over and over again. Then I read this book and realized that I am screwing it up over and over again, but that every time I do there is a God who is infinite in His grace to forgive me and let me try again. Now I know I should have already known that, and on some level I'm sure I did know it. But reading the way author Tony Campolo puts it: "Because I am not yet living up to what Jesus expects me to be... I always define myself as somebody who is saved by God's grace and is on his way to becoming Christian" (p 11). And I think that the main premise of this book is exactly that... grace. As a Christian, I am extended God's grace and it should be my response to that grace that makes me gracious toward others. Do I always do that? Absolutely not. Have I been trying harder to do that since I read this book? Believe it or not, yes, I have. I'm not perfect at it, but my mind has sure been stretched on who "deserves" and thus receives my grace.
This book is divided into three basic sections, which are made up of a number of discussions between the authors on topics related to the section heading. I will admit that the authors of this book stand far to the left of me on social issues. But to find myself seriously questioning my long-held beliefs on more than one topic was deeply unsettling to me. Understand that I did not necessarily change my beliefs on things, but I was challenged to think beyond some of my "talking point" beliefs. Case in point: I am a pro-life person. Having two children convinced me of that long before I became a Christian. But in my mind, being pro-life meant only "stop women from wanting/having abortions." I never really did anything about it, only had the thoughts in my head. And to top it all off, I was not against the death penalty. Having read the Pro-Life section of this book, I found myself realizing that pro-life means exactly that - for LIFE! "From womb to tomb" as the book calls it. And this is where they got me on the death penalty issue - nobody is beyond the reach of God's grace and forgiveness. Nobody.
The other issue where they had me was in regard to abortion. If I am against them, what am I doing to help the women that don't have them? Aside from saying "Don't do it!" am I offering any assistance to them when they find themselves and their babies in need of help? Am I voting for politicians who will support initiatives to help same women and babies? How am I putting my hands and feet to the work of helping those most vulnerable people? The awful truth was, "Im not." Consequently, very soon after reading this section, a woman I know was participating in a fund-raiser for a Christian crisis pregnancy center that tries to do those things I just mentioned. Without a second's hesitation I wrote the check. Now I realize that isn't enough, but it's a beginning. Perhaps the next step is to get involved with the center in some way? I don't know, but I will keep the idea in mind.
All in all I really liked this book. Not every section caused the crisis of conscience described above, but there were other sections that made me pause. This is one of those books that I think everyone should read, but not my copy! Buy your own here! LOL!!
This book is divided into three basic sections, which are made up of a number of discussions between the authors on topics related to the section heading. I will admit that the authors of this book stand far to the left of me on social issues. But to find myself seriously questioning my long-held beliefs on more than one topic was deeply unsettling to me. Understand that I did not necessarily change my beliefs on things, but I was challenged to think beyond some of my "talking point" beliefs. Case in point: I am a pro-life person. Having two children convinced me of that long before I became a Christian. But in my mind, being pro-life meant only "stop women from wanting/having abortions." I never really did anything about it, only had the thoughts in my head. And to top it all off, I was not against the death penalty. Having read the Pro-Life section of this book, I found myself realizing that pro-life means exactly that - for LIFE! "From womb to tomb" as the book calls it. And this is where they got me on the death penalty issue - nobody is beyond the reach of God's grace and forgiveness. Nobody.
The other issue where they had me was in regard to abortion. If I am against them, what am I doing to help the women that don't have them? Aside from saying "Don't do it!" am I offering any assistance to them when they find themselves and their babies in need of help? Am I voting for politicians who will support initiatives to help same women and babies? How am I putting my hands and feet to the work of helping those most vulnerable people? The awful truth was, "Im not." Consequently, very soon after reading this section, a woman I know was participating in a fund-raiser for a Christian crisis pregnancy center that tries to do those things I just mentioned. Without a second's hesitation I wrote the check. Now I realize that isn't enough, but it's a beginning. Perhaps the next step is to get involved with the center in some way? I don't know, but I will keep the idea in mind.
All in all I really liked this book. Not every section caused the crisis of conscience described above, but there were other sections that made me pause. This is one of those books that I think everyone should read, but not my copy! Buy your own here! LOL!!
Thanksgiving Post - A Little Bit Late
Thanksgiving this year was so much more fun than I anticipated. Not that I thought it would be "not fun," I just enjoyed it more than I thought I would. The husband, kids and I went to my dad and step-mom's house where we were joined by my step-sister and her boyfriend as well as my brother. With everyone there being relaxed and in a great mood and the "fun-ness" of the two dogs, it really was a happy Thanksgiving!
Of course on Facebook were the requisite posts from everyone on "what I'm thankful for this year..." which I didn't bother to do, but I figured I'd put up some of the things I'm thankful for right here:
1) God - I know it sounds cheesy to say that, but I really do mean it truthfully. Without God, everything and everyone around me is nothing. He is the tie that holds it all together. He is ever-loving, ever-forgiving (YAY!) and ever-faithful, just to name a few. Recently, I have found myself looking for more of Him and reading Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis during a recent vacation sort of explained in my head what I've been feeling in my heart. Let's see if I can rephrase what I understand... God is in all of us. When I feel that longing to see God, to learn more about Him, it's that bit of God in me reaching out for Himself. In my mind, it's kind of like a magnet drawn to metal. Not the best analogy, but it makes sense to me!
1) My family - My husband is awesome. He really is. He works hard and he loves us like crazy. He's fun to be around and have deep conversations with. He's also really fun to drink a beer with while we watch a baseball game or hockey game (or whatever) on TV. My kids (as frustrating as they can be sometimes!) are really the light of my life. They are sweet and silly and just a lot of fun to be with. They teach me as much as, or perhaps even more than, I teach them. As homeschoolers, we spend a LOT of time together and I know that could go either way - as if to punctuate my point, literally as I was typing this, my daughter called from a sleepover just to say good morning to me! Did I mention that I LOVE my kids!?!
3) My home - We own a 2 family home and live in the two top floors. My brother lives in the downstairs apartment. It's awesome having family so close. He's been here almost 4 years and he has "come to the rescue" in our house more times than I can count. From things as silly as having extra cooking supplies I've run out of, to fixing our washing machine and replacing our hot-water heater to a host of other things we don't know how to do!
4) My church - The first time I walked in the doors of this building I was most definitely a "seeker." I didn't really know who I was or what I believed beyond a superficial level. I sat down in one of the chairs and listened to the pastor speak and it was if I was "home." Week after week I would listen to, and learn from, him. In the almost 8 years it has been since I walked into this church, I have grown as a Christian, specifically as a person, a mother, a wife and a member of the body. I enjoy serving in several ministries like I never thought I could or would! Well, I guess that's enough for now. Although, I could go on counting my blessings all day! But I think it's time for some breakfast and then time to get the Christmas decorations out so when my daughter comes home we can Deck the Halls!
Happy Thanksgiving.
1) God - I know it sounds cheesy to say that, but I really do mean it truthfully. Without God, everything and everyone around me is nothing. He is the tie that holds it all together. He is ever-loving, ever-forgiving (YAY!) and ever-faithful, just to name a few. Recently, I have found myself looking for more of Him and reading Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis during a recent vacation sort of explained in my head what I've been feeling in my heart. Let's see if I can rephrase what I understand... God is in all of us. When I feel that longing to see God, to learn more about Him, it's that bit of God in me reaching out for Himself. In my mind, it's kind of like a magnet drawn to metal. Not the best analogy, but it makes sense to me!
1) My family - My husband is awesome. He really is. He works hard and he loves us like crazy. He's fun to be around and have deep conversations with. He's also really fun to drink a beer with while we watch a baseball game or hockey game (or whatever) on TV. My kids (as frustrating as they can be sometimes!) are really the light of my life. They are sweet and silly and just a lot of fun to be with. They teach me as much as, or perhaps even more than, I teach them. As homeschoolers, we spend a LOT of time together and I know that could go either way - as if to punctuate my point, literally as I was typing this, my daughter called from a sleepover just to say good morning to me! Did I mention that I LOVE my kids!?!
3) My home - We own a 2 family home and live in the two top floors. My brother lives in the downstairs apartment. It's awesome having family so close. He's been here almost 4 years and he has "come to the rescue" in our house more times than I can count. From things as silly as having extra cooking supplies I've run out of, to fixing our washing machine and replacing our hot-water heater to a host of other things we don't know how to do!
4) My church - The first time I walked in the doors of this building I was most definitely a "seeker." I didn't really know who I was or what I believed beyond a superficial level. I sat down in one of the chairs and listened to the pastor speak and it was if I was "home." Week after week I would listen to, and learn from, him. In the almost 8 years it has been since I walked into this church, I have grown as a Christian, specifically as a person, a mother, a wife and a member of the body. I enjoy serving in several ministries like I never thought I could or would! Well, I guess that's enough for now. Although, I could go on counting my blessings all day! But I think it's time for some breakfast and then time to get the Christmas decorations out so when my daughter comes home we can Deck the Halls!
Happy Thanksgiving.
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