online Book club - August

So a couple friends decided to join in me in an online book club.  We read one book a month, and then the last weekend of the month we each write a post about it.  They can link up or not, answer questions in comments on this post or discuss in comments, really whatever they want!  We're kind of leaning towards Christian books, and I am so happy about that!  This month we read lineage of grace by Francine Rivers.

via

This book follows 5 women of the lineage of Jesus Christ.  All very unlikely women, with amazing stories and amazing lessons in each one.  Those women are Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, and Mary.  For me Francine's book touched me and just brought me to my knees a few times.  It was all realistic, from a biblical standpoint it was all accurate, and in each story the love, grace, and forgiveness of God just poured through in every word.  At the end of each story was a bible study.  So what I'm going to do is take a question or two from each study and post it here, answer it for myself, and if the other ladies reading the book want to just answer the same questions on their blogs that's cool with me :)

Book 1 was Unveiled and it was the story of Tamar.

1) What have you learned about Judah so far?  Is he confrontational or passive?  Why?

2)  How did Jacob's son Judah acquire a wife?  Who were her people?

3) What was your opinion of Tamar's character and how she reacted to everyone in the house?  Would she be your definition of a 'good' wife?

Book 2 was Unashamed and it was the story of Rahab

1) Who is Rahab?  How does she make her living?

2) How did Rahab recieve the two 'visitors' to Jericho?

3) Rahab and her family were locked up in her house waiting for the fall of Jericho, in what ways are you in a waiting place right now?  What are you waiting for?  And are you waiting in God?

Book 3 was Unshaken and it was the story of Ruth

1) Ruth experienced several life changing events, what life changing events have you experienced?

2)  What is Naomi's attitude when she goes to Bethlehem, who does she blame for her misfortunes?

3) Do you identify with Ruth or Naomi?

Book 4 was Unspoken and it was the story of Bathsheba

1)  Before David knew who the woman was and sent for her anyway, list everything he know about her and would you describe her as a seductress, victim, or something in between?

2) What consequences befall David's family as a result of their sin?

3) Read John 1:9 from this scripture what is God's promise?  What is the condition of that promise?

Book 5 was Unafraid and it was the story of Mary

1) Mary was alone and quiet when God spoke to her.  God speaks to us in small, quiet ways today, but are we available to hear?  List the things that might distract us and keep us from hearing him.

2) Share a time when you had to 'make do' with your circumstances such as Mary and Joseph had to do with theirs in Bethlehem.

3) Read Luke 8:19-21 what do we learn about Mary and Jesus' relationship from that passage?  What appears to be happening to their relationship?  

4) What provisions does Jesus make for Mary as he is dying on the cross?

So overall what did you think of each character?  Were you surprised at your reactions to a specific one?  Or maybe a few of them?  Did your opinions change as their stories went on?  Did you identify with a certain character?

I highly recommend this book!  And if you were one of the ladies who read it I hope you enjoy it and I hope we can continue this book club next month!

Bits & Pieces

Here are some bits and pieces from our weekend, photos, words of wisdom, happy moments, just this and that...Hope you enjoy!

My mom snapped this picture when we weren't looking (obviously) this is us on the ranch standing on an old stump for no reason at all lol and I decided to pair it with my favorite quote from Pride and Prejudice, it's the one that reminds me the most of my husband and I.

I snapped this today while my the husband was out working on the fence with the rest of the guys, I had just finished cleaning up the house and was just loving the smell of clean room, lemon floor cleaner, candles that smell like cotton, and my tea.  I was also thinking of how much I absolutely adore Pride&Prejudice and how sweet and calming it is to drink my tea while watching those adorable little cartoons of Beatrix Potter's.

...And of course we had to pose for just one lol!  The quote is from a Miriam Stockley song that we love to play while we're driving in the rain.

I LOVE having my husband home, he insists on driving!  And while it is hard for me to give up the control once I stop twitching and start looking out the windows I get to see all the small beautiful things I always have to miss!  Like this old barn in a field by our house...absolutely beautiful!  Luckily my honey doesn't mind pulling over so I can take *better* pictures!

ahhhh the one of the funnier parts of this weekend!  Meet my husband's arch nemisis...THE SHOPPING LIST!  We made a quick trip to the store before dinner *which means I had to stay in the car so it would actually be cheaper quick* and I handed him his list and he snorted and said "Really?  It's like 5 things you think I can't remember 5 things?"...well here is how it went once he was back in the car with the bags...

Him: *as he tosses the now crumpled list at me* "I was in and out in under 10 minutes you females I don't understand what takes you SO long or why it's so hard for y'all to get in and out *yes he is looking SUPER smug right about now* oh and that list?  I didn't need it at all...well maybe a little but not really"
Me: "yeah babe you're AMAZING...did you get the coffee creamer?"
<Insert Awkward Silence>
Him: "F***!!!!!"
Me: *looking super SMUG   Understanding* "Maybe you needed it a liiiiiitttle more than a little bit?"

...Could you hear the car door slamming and him grumbling where you're at?...I bet you could! HAH!...I laugh with Love though don't worry!


And My favorite quotes of this weekend are...


"If you're to busy for God, then it's time to change your schedule"-Joyce Meyer
...you can totally expect a longer more in depth post on that quote later this week

"I hold an old fashioned notion that a happy marriage is the crown of a woman's life"-Beatrix Potter

...So How was your weekend?

Amish Forgivness...it's not just for the Amish

Amish Forgiveness

...I know how weird that sounds because...

1) I am obviously not Amish

2) I could (I'm pretty sure this is obvious also) Never be Amish I do not posses whatever those people have to be able to live like they do it's utterly amazing to me!

3) You're probably thinking "what? is that a special kind of forgiveness or something?" and if it is it's obviously not for you because well, you're most likely not Amish either!

So I'm going to explain what I mean by this, I've missed my 'Thankful Posts' for the last two or three days I think.  Because as bad as it sounds the closer it gets to Thanksgiving the less I feel thankful.  I've been letting myself get overwhelmed and stressed out thinking about what's going to happen in January when my husband will be out of a job, when we'll be civilians, how we'll adjust to that, feeling lonely like I have no friends, starting to slip back into self pity, feeling like I failed my diet, getting upset at my family because I don't think they're doing what they should, letting jealousy and bitterness cloud my days and my feelings, and just letting stress and grumpiness and the need for everything to JUST GET DONE is making me lose site of why I'm doing it in the first place and is definitely keeping me from enjoying it, even getting something I've never had before; The Christmas Blahs!...anyway the list could go on and on and I'm sure I've lowered your opinion of me enough for one post.

But, I know how I'm feeling isn't good for me or anyone around me.  I know that I'm in a place in my life that is good for me where I'm realizing that this time of the year is for being anything BUT selfish.  For being kind and generous not just to your family and friends but strangers on the street!  I've been trying to get into the Christmas spirit, and I mean the REAL spirit of Christmas remembering that it's to celebrate the birth of Christ and God's greatest gift to man kind.  Not about presents or decorations or baked goods or holiday get togethers, not about the perfect Christmas card or best Holiday dinner.  But it's hard to pull yourself away from what has sadly become the main stream idea of what Christmas is about.  I don't want to lose sight of

The Real Reason For The Season

So lately I've been trying to focus on what I want to give this year, what I want out of this holiday season, and more importantly what I want to give people and make sure my family and not only those closest to me but strangers on the street take away from meeting me.  Even if it's opening the door for someone, tipping a waiter or waitress, letting someone cross the street without getting grumpy about how long they're taking, making sure no matter what rush I'm in a take a minute to smile at the person and genuinely ask them "How are you today?".  These may seem like small things but I've realized how much I need to REMIND myself to do these things how out of practice I am with them in my every day life and especially during this busy season, when really isn't the whole point of this season is to share goodwill and the love of Christ with your fellow man?

I've struggled with forgiveness my whole life.  As I'm sure most of us have.  For different things and now that I'm older definitely more serious things.  I saw a movie tonight at Bible Study, and I am shocked and pleased to say that I now realize Anything and Everything can and should be Forgiven.  I never realized before though that God did exactly that for us when Jesus was given to us and died on the cross for us!  He forgave us for everything and anything we have done and will do.  So why is it for us that it's so hard to forgive certain people for things that they do us?  We need to follow the example of Jesus. 

Luke 23:34 "Forgive them Father For They Know Not What They Do"

On the cross.  After he'd been betrayed, beaten, and was bloody.  Almost dead, crucified for doing nothing but good.  He asked God to forgive his persecutors!!!! How can we possibly find anything hard to forgive after the example given to us by Christ on the cross?  But sadly we do.

This film was called Amish Grace.  It's about the 2006 Amish school shooting that resulted in 5 girls being killed.  Shot by a man with so many problems and hurts, he'd lost his daughter and wanted revenge, wanted to offend God so he took the lives of these innocent girls.  And one girl prayed for him before he killed her.  It was an amazing movie, eye opening, touching, it is something everyone should watch.  The man killed himself after taking the lives of the girls.  And some men from the Amish community even one who had lost his daughter went to the killer's house and spoke to his wife saying "We are so sorry for YOUR loss, if there is anything we can do for you please let us know" the woman was in shock how could it be possible they could be this kind?  They told her they'd forgiven her husband already.  I won't give away anymore of the story and there is much more.  But it just showed me I have no right, none at all.  To hold grudges, to not forgive, to be angry and bitter about stupid insignificant things because it hurts me more than anyone else.  It hurts my own soul.  This movie made me realize what Thanksgiving is really about, made me rethink forgiveness, made me rethink so much in my life.  It was such a blessing to see and I hope anyone who sees this will rent it or buy it...it is definitely worth it.

Do you have a hard time forgiving?  Do you remember when this awful thing happened? Do you feel like you need to rethink your idea of The Christmas Spirit?  Do you have alot to be thankful for this year?

Tuesday

Tuesday is such a BLAH day, its still way to close to the begining of the week.  But not quite as bad as Monday.  So here is my some of my Tuesday, and what Winnie The Pooh says about Tuesday (yes my Winnie The Pooh Obsession...it is still going Strong)

“You can't help respecting anybody who can spell TUESDAY, even if he doesn't spell it right; but spelling isn't everything. There are days when spelling Tuesday simply doesn't count.”-Winnie The Pooh

"Book collecting is an obsession, an occupation, a disease, an addiction, a fascination, an absurdity, a fate. It is not a hobby. Those who do it must do it." -Jeanette WintersonThat Quote has nothing to do with anything it just speaks to me haha!  So I'm going to be deleting my facebook and I'm going to keep up the online journal sincen nobody reads this LOL but its for me so I guess thats ok, Stephen had me delete his today and I'm going to have mine deleted hopefully by next week.  I'm probably going to be doing updates in my journal ALOT because of not having facebook.  Also going to be blogging ALOT more.  I just need to get people's information and then save most of my pictures (oh Dear Lord help me) and then I can delete it!  It's going to be so hard to not have a facebook and keep up with all my friends and my family but at the same time it's going to be really nice I think to have a break and force myself to live in the real world ;) in a few months my life won't be centered around the Army anymore...it was bound to happen eventually!

Deleting facebook is ridiculously hard they make you think you can only deactivate it and not remove it completely it took me about an hour but I found out how! I'm just not comfortable with the changes facebook is making and their new privacy things that are happening.  So the husband and I are deleting!

Well I just wanted to share that quote and a little info about my day out of sheer procrastination on my part...I'm putting off cleaning and organizing and I am SO close to being done lol!  Ok, ok.  Time to buckle down! I'll post pictures of the Before and After Later :)