Friday’s Fave Five

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Friday's Fave Five

Our April has gotten off to a good start. Temperatures were up into the 80s this week, but it looks like we’ll be back down in the 30s a couple of nights next week. It feels like spring has settled in a little more firmly.

I’m joining with Susanne at Living to Tell the Story to share some highlights of the week.

1. Watercolor painting. I’ve wanted to dabble in watercolors for some time, but just never seemed to find time to do it. Mittu asked a mutual artistic friend from church if she’d come over for lunch on Saturday and teach us a bit about watercolors. It turns out to be a lot harder than it looks! Even our friend, with more experience than either of us, had sheets and sheet of practice flowers. So that was a little dismaying on one hand, but encouraging on the other–my lackluster beginning attempts aren’t an indication that I can’t do it, just an indication that it takes time to develop and eye and feel for it. Even more than the painting, we enjoyed the conversation around the table.

We used this video for the tulips and this tutorial for ten small flowers, but only got through the first five.

My results for the afternoon. I think the single tulip turned out the best.

Watercolor flowers

2. Repairs. A few weeks ago, a spring in our garage door broke, making the door come crashing down. Thankfully, nothing was under the door at the time. It took several days for a repair person to come out and fix it. But then, the motor of the garage door opener made a grinding noise whenever we tried to open and close it. Jim tried a couple of repairs that didn’t fix the problem. So he ordered a new system. He had it installed rather than trying to do it himself. It took another several days for them to come out, but that finally got done this week. It’s nice to have it working again.

Then our kitchen faucet has been having issues, getting harder to maneuver, even getting stuck a couple of times. Jim got a new one and installed it this week. Much better! While he had everything out of the cabinet under the sink, he installed a couple of pull-out organizers, making it easier to reach items.

3. A good dentist’s visit. Even a simple dental cleaning is one of my least favorite things to do. But after one a couple of years ago that discovered a cavity under a bridge and several visits to take care of that, I’ve been a little more antsy about going to the dentist. It’s nice to get the all-clear there for another six months.

4. Dogwood blooms. I’ve seen some white dogwood trees blooming around the neighborhood, but our backyard pink ones are just now budding. It’s exciting to see the flowers come in.

5. Checking off a to-do list. I’ve almost completed everything on my list this week, and I should finish up today. Of course, there are always more things to be done. But it feels good to complete a list.

Bonus: Timothy’s birthday isn’t for a couple of weeks. But he has an orthodontist’s visit between now and then, so he wanted to have his birthday dinner before his mouth became sore from that. He chose Fai Thai Kitchen. I was a little apprehensive, because I have not liked any Thai food I’ve tried. So I ate a sandwich beforehand. 🙂 But I was pleasantly surprised. I got the Basil Fried Rice with chicken and the shrimp spring rolls, which were both very good. Some of the entrees were sent out on this robot, which had a cute little voice saying “Here I am!” when it came to the table.

As we commemorate the death of Jesus today, I am so thankful He was willing to suffer all that He did on our behalf. “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:212).

Easter

Happy Easter to you!

Review: A Gilded Lady

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A Gilded Lady

A Gilded Lady by Elizabeth Camden is the second in the Hope and Glory series, a sequel to The Spice King.

Caroline Delacroix is the younger sister of Gray Delacroix, owner of the Delacroix Spice Company in the early 1900s. Caroline and her twin brother, Luke, had been frivolous and undisciplined growing up. Gray, twelve years older, was more like a father figure, especially after their father died.

But now Caroline is the secretary to the First Lady, Ida McKinley. Ida has epilepsy and other ailments and has been grieving the loss of her two children. She is excessively dependent on her husband. Plus she is notoriously difficult (the author says in her notes that the medication Ida was given to calm her nerves and help her epilepsy may have actually caused irritation).

Caroline has been blessed with common sense, political savvy, and a charming manner. She can usually talk Ida down, smooth over her moods, or intervene to avoid political embarrassment, such as when Ida wants to wear a hat with egret feathers to a function, when the papers had just carried news of a shortage of the egret population due to their feathers being used in women’s fashion.

Nathaniel Trask has been hired as the new head of the Secret Service, tasked with beefing up security at the White House. Nathaniel is by the book, no-nonsense–just the opposite of Caroline’s free spirit. So they clash repeatedly.

Furthermore, Caroline must keep her family secret under even tighter reigns. Her brother, Luke, has been arrested in Cuba, charged with helping insurgents there. Luke says he is guilty and has fired every lawyer Gray has hired. But Caroline knows her twin: she knows Luke is not guilty. She hopes that President McKinley will eventually grant Luke a pardon. But if Nathanial Trask ever finds out about Luke, Caroline will likely lose her job as well as Luke’s chance for a pardon.

I had known next to nothing about the McKinleys, so their history as well as behind-the-scenes looks at living in the White House in that era were interesting. The second half of the plot went in a little different direction, which I can’t reveal without spoiling the story. It was good to finally learn what was going on with Luke.

I didn’t like that this story overlapped with the previous book by about four months instead of picking up where the last one had left off. And I didn’t like that Caroline was given a vice in this book–smoking–that was not mentioned at all in the previous book. I think that took away from rather than added to the story.

But, overall, I liked the story and the characters. I listened to the audiobook, which had a much better narrator than the first book.

March Reflections

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March Reflections

March has been a varied month, at home as well as in the weather. We celebrated my husband’s birthday. The guys enjoyed a brief camping trip, while Mittu and I visited them for a few hours one day. We totally missed “Pi Day” (3.14). We got some financial paperwork done that will make things easier on the kids when we pass (hopefully not for a long time in the future). I got some organizational things done here and there. Our health has been relatively stable–always a good thing. We’ve enjoyed the signs of spring slowly making themselves known.

We’ve had snow as well as temperatures in the 80s. We did have some storms and loss of electricity for a short while. And the hardest part of the month was the loss of our niece’s husband after a brutal battle with cancer. We were blessed by the live-stream of the memorial service.

Watching

We’ve started watching a series called Blue Skies about a young woman who is a National Park investigator in CO. In the first episode, a lost dog shows up and “adopts” her, showing an uncanny ability to track and help with cases. Her mother passed away a year earlier in an accident at the park, and she and her father are making progress in her relationship. But a friend thinks her mother’s death was not accidental and has been investigating on the side. It’s a very clean series, if a little slow-moving. My husband and I have laughed over the frequent Significant Glances that occur between characters during important moments. But we’re enjoying the series.

We finished the PBS Masterpiece production of The Count of Monte Cristo about a man in France during the Napoleonic era who is betrayed and wrongly imprisoned for fifteen years.When he gets out, he becomes rich through finding a lost treasure that a fellow prisoner told him about. He reinvents himself as the Count of Monte Cristo. Then he seeks to find out what happened, reward those who stood by him, and exact vengeance on those who betrayed him. But he discovers vengeance often exacts a price on the innocent. We did find a couple of brief objectionable elements, but overall, the series is well done. It’s been so long since I read the book, I’m not sure where they may have varied from the original plot.

Sarah’s Oil is based on the true story of a young Black girl in Oklahoma in the early 1900s. Because she was born in Indian territory and has some Creek Indian heritage, she’s entitled to an allotment of land. She feels sure there is oil under the surface, but trying to find a prospector who is both willing to take the challenge of drilling and honest enough not to swindle her is hard.

First Dog is about a young boy in group foster care who comes across the president’s missing dog. No one will believe him that the dog is the president’s. But he feels compelled to do the right thing and try to return the dog. So he sets out on his own, encountering both helpful and shady people along the way. It was not a terribly well-made movie, but it was quite family friendly. It might have been fun to watch with the kids when they were younger.

Creating

I made a couple of cards this month. This was for Jim’s birthday:

Masculine birthday card

This is one of my favorites. The little scenes on the left and the words were printed and cut from the Cricut.

This was for a friend from church recovering from surgery:

Card

I’ve been wanting to use those 3D blue flower stickers for a long time, so I was glad to finally find a design to do so. The words were from a stamp. Some time ago I used that stamp to make sheets of it in different colors, so I’d have them ready to use when needed instead of having to let the stamp dry while making a card.

Mittu and I met with an artsy friend from church Saturday to do some simple watercolor flowers. It’s harder than it looks! More on that on Friday.

Reading

Since last time, I have finished (titles link to my reviews):

  • Light Upon Light: A Literary Guide to Prayer for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany compiled by Sarah Arthur. I didn’t like this as well as I thought I would, but I did glean a few good selections.
  • Barnaby Rudge by Charles Dickens, audiobook. A young man with mental deficiencies is caught up in the mob reaction to the Papists Act of 1778. The description didn’t sound very exciting, but the book was quite good.
  • Rebel with a Cause by Franklin Graham, his autobiography.
  • All We Thought We Knew by Michelle Shocklee, audiobook. A young woman’s twin brother is killed during the Viet Nam war, and she blames her father for not keeping her brother from going. She leaves home for a few years until she learns her mother is dying. She comes home and learns secrets about her family that may heal or open the rift wider. Very good.
  • The Spice King by Elizabeth Camden, audiobook, the first in the Hope and Glory series. Annabelle moves from Kansas to Washington, DC, with her blind sister, who has an opportunity to work at he Library of Congress in the early 1900s. Annabelle lands a temporary position at the Smithsonian, where her boss wants her to persuade the head of Delacroix Spices to donate some of his plants to the museum. Gray Delacroix refuses, but Annabelle doesn’t give up easily. Meanwhile, Gray tries to keep his frivolous twin siblings out of trouble. Very good.
  • The Gilded Lady by Elizabeth Camden, sequel to The Spice King. I just finished this and hope to have the review up this week.

I’m currently reading:

  • True Woman 201: Interior Design: Ten Elements of Biblical Womanhood by Mary Kassian and Nancy Leigh DeMoss (now Wolgemuth) with our ladies’ Bible study.
  • None Like Him: 10 Ways God Is Different From Us and Why That’s a Good Thing by Jen Wilkin with a friend.
  • All the Beauty in the World: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me by Patrick Bringley. Disappointed by some bad language in this one.
  • Blueprint for a Nonfiction Book: Plan and Pitch Your Big Idea by Jennie Nash. I’ve only read a couple of chapters, then this one got crowded out. I plan to get back to it this month.
  • The Characters of Easter: The Villains, Heroes, Cowards, and Crooks Who Witnessed History’s Biggest Miracle by Daniel Darling.
  • The Prince of Spies by Elizabeth Camden, the third in the Hope and Glory series.

Blogging

Besides the weekly Friday Fave Fives, Saturday Laudable Linkage, and book reviews, I’ve posted these since last time:

Writing

I got a good chunk done this month! It was my turn to present a chapter to our critique group. I was able to get that done and then work in the edits they suggested.

Turning the corner

Easter is coming up, and then Timothy’s birthday as well as a couple of medical appointments. We look forward to more blooming things, more stable weather, more reading, writing, and enjoying time with family.

How was your March? Looking forward to anything in April?

(I often link up with some of these bloggers.)

Who Is Responsible for Jesus’ Death?

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Who is responsible for Jesus' death?

Every now and then, the question comes up: Who killed Jesus? Who is responsible for His death?

Let’s look at the possibilities:

Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea. Even though Pilate said he did not find in guilt in Jesus (John 18:38; 19:5), and tried to have Jesus released (John 19:12), he still delivered Him over to be crucified (John 19:16). Even though Pilate washed his hands, proclaiming his innocence of Jesus’ blood (Matthew 27:24), he is still responsible.

The Roman soldiers. One could say they were just following Pilate’s orders, that they didn’t authorize Jesus’ death. Yet they were the ones to actually nail Him to a cross. And they went beyond orders to mock and beat Him (Matthew 27:27-31).

The Jewish officials. The chief priests and elders “plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him” (Matthew 26:3-5). They paid Judas to betray Him. They sent people to seize Jesus (Mathew 26:47). They accused him before Pilate (John 18:28-32; 19:12-16). When Pilate offered to free Jesus as part of his tradition of freeing a prisoner during the Passover week, they urged the people to ask for Barabbas to be freed instead and to call for Jesus to be crucified Matthew 27:15-23).

The Jewish people. When Pilate washed his hands, saying he was innocent of Jesus’ blood, “all the people answered, ‘His blood be on us and on our children!’” (Matthew 27:24-25). This is not a reason for antisemitism, nor is it saying that all Jews of all time are guilty of Jesus’ death. It’s just saying that the people who had rejected Jesus during the time of His ministry called for His death and willingly took responsibility.

Judas. Judas betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver and led those seeking Him straight to Him. I don’t know if he realized his actions would result in Jesus’ death. But whether he intended it or not, he had a hand in Jesus’ crucifixion.

God the Father. None of the above could have happened if God did not allow it. But God the Father did not merely allow events to happen that resulted in His Son’s death. He gave His Son to die for our sins. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). “In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him” (1 John 4:9).

Jesus Himself. Jesus was not an unwilling pawn in His death. He said, “I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father” (John 10:17-19). “Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. . . Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.” (Ephesian 5:2, 25-27).

Us. How can we be responsible for Jesus’ death when we didn’t live at the time of His crucifixion? He died for the sins of the whole world. “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:5-6). We may not have held the hammer that drove the nails or shouted for His crucifixion. But he was on the cross to pay for our sins.

So–who was ultimately responsible?

Well, the disciples said in Acts 4:27-28 (NKJV), “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done.” The Roman officials, the Jewish people, and even the Gentiles are mentioned–but so is God’s plan and purpose.

Likewise, Acts 2:23 says, “This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.” The Father and Son planned this ahead of time, but it was accomplished “by the hands of lawless men” (some translations say wicked men).

Somehow God’s rule and man’s will worked together to accomplish God’s purposes. It’s like what Joseph said of his brothers’ wrongs committed against him: “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today” (Genesis 50:20).

The good news is that Jesus didn’t die just to heap guilt on us. He died to save us from our sins. He prayed for forgiveness even for the men who killed Him. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). And His desire is that people believe on Him and accept His forgiveness.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved” (Romans 10:9-10).

He died for us. He died for you. Please don’t neglect this wonderful gift of love.

1 Peter 3:18

(I often link up with some of these bloggers.)

Laudable Linkage

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Laudable Linkage

The internet is full of good blogging. Here are a few samples I found this week:

How Do I “Look to Jesus“? HT to the Story Warren. “For all the inspiration we find in the phrase “looking to Jesus,” we may struggle to know exactly what it means. Look to Jesus, yes — but how?”

The Black Sheep and the Laptop Girl, HT to Challies. “I am pleased to share a true story of a decade-long friendship and sisterhood that I hold close to my heart. It is a story of how God once challenged my apathy for the lost in my city. It is a testimony of God’s power and goodness despite my fears and presumptions. It is an example of the value of small talk and sincerity, in a world starved of authenticity and hope.” I enjoyed this a lot.

Love the Hard Ones, HT to Challies. Ths is written for pastors, but it’s good for everyone. I’ve had trouble loving “hard people,” too. “Christ has filled his church with many kind, generous, and gracious people. His Spirit is clearly at work in them. But the Spirit is working in others too, even the opinionated and ungrateful. These men and women may not be a joy to pastor. They like to argue, or they’re grumpy, or they chronically complain—or all of the above. They might be cantankerous, but they’re still God’s. And he calls us to shepherd them as well.”

4 Ways to Combat the Fear of Man, HT to Redeeming Productivity. “Thankfully, as I’ve grown in my faith, the Lord has given me tangible freedom—more than I could’ve imagined when I was younger. While fearing man will always be a temptation, I’ve found tools to combat it when it arises. Here are four habits that have helped me.”

Embracing Slow Sanctification. “In these middle years of life, after walking with Jesus for decades, not days, this is how I’m learning to see the sanctification process. It’s slow by design. The finish line isn’t a moment of arrival but a spiraling closer and closer toward the heart of Jesus.”

When Your Spouse Stops Being Your Project. “Though both husband and wife may acknowledge they have sins and weaknesses of their own, they are convinced that the greatest holdup belongs to the other person. Many spouses remain stuck here almost indefinitely, trapped in the conviction that the transformation of their marriage lies just on the far side of the transformation of their spouse.”

8 Things Caregivers Should Know About Dementia, HT to Challies. “It’s important to remember dementia is a physical disease that causes psychological symptoms. Dementia patients can’t always control their behavior. But for the more than 11 million U.S. adults caring for someone with dementia, it can be hard to remember that when a parent lashes out, empties every kitchen cabinet, or wanders outside at 3:00 a.m. It can be hard for me to remember, and I’ve spent my career in the medical field. Dementia can drive a caregiver either to exasperation or to the cross.”

Wonderfully Woven Personalities. “Even though personality profiles are man-made, it seems self-evident that every child enters the world possessing a unique, one-of-a-kind personality. How can we explain the natural bent that manifests itself so early on in life? Doesn’t it stand to reason that our inner personhood receives God’s attention just as much as our outward formation?”

Three Reminders for Spring. “Last week I got in the car and saw a thick yellow film across the windshield. I turned on the washer fluid and got the wipers going. When that layer of pollen comes to rest on everything everywhere, there’s no mistaking—spring has arrived, and with it, a special level of frantic activity. Here are three things to remember as you usher in the spring with your kids.”

Spring

“Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection, not in books alone,
but in every leaf in springtime.”― Martin Luther

Friday’s Fave Five

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Friday's Fave Five

Here we are at the last FFF of the month already. This has been a great week for me–I hope for you, too! I link up on Fridays with Susanne at Living to Tell the Story, who started this edifying practice of sharing five good things, large or small, that God blesses us with during the week.

1. A much more productive week than I have had lately. I know life isn’t all about getting things done–but there are still things to get done. “A desire accomplished is sweet to the soul” (Proverbs 13:19).

2. A shelf expander and cabinet reorganization. I realized that I had serving platters in two different places. There was one shelf that had a little space, but I didn’t want all the platters stacked on top of each other. I found this expandable shelf that worked great. That led to cleaning out two cabinets, rearranging some things, and setting aside a few items for the thrift store.

Top shelf, before:

shelf, before

Top shelf, after:

top shelf, after

3. Guys’ camping trip. Timothy wanted to take a camping trip for his birthday next month. But he has an orthodontist visit before then, and wanted to camp before that so he could enjoy it without his mouth being sore. 🙂 Jim, Jason, and Timothy went up to the Douglas Dam Camprgound from Monday through Wednesday. Mittu and I went up on Tuesday for a few hours and enjoyed burgers made by the guys. The weather was a little cold, but otherwise beautiful. I love that the camp sites are right by the lake. The view from were I sat:

Camp ground

Jason’s picture by the dam with the Blue Ridge Mountains in the background.

Douglas Dam

A cute little duck couple came up to the camp site. The female, in particular, seemed almost totally unafraid of humans. The male was a little more wary. Jason and Mittu took turns feeding them some bread.

ducks
feeding ducks
camping
camping
camping

4. The Count of Monte Cristo on PBS Masterpiece Theatre, which began last Sunday night. I loved reading the book a few years ago, so I was excited to hear PBS was making a series based on the book. I was confused that IMDB showed this film having been produced in 2024, when the MT site said it was “all new.” But then I read something that indicated this was the US premiere of the series. And, because we have a subscription to MT, we have access to the whole series without having to wait for them to air! We’ve seen the first three episodes so far, and they are excellent. I hope the remaining episodes are just as good.

5. A light cooking week. I had an offer from Ruby Tuesday’s to buy one entree and get another for $3, so we used that for takeout last Saturday night. With Jim gone Monday night, I got take-out Mexican food. I ate out at their campsite Tuesday. Then last night we tried the brand new Culver’s that just opened near us. It took a while, because so many people are eating there for their opening week. But the food was really good. I had the beef pot roast sandwich and Jim had jumbo shrimp. Though hamburgers are their main thing, I like that they have a variety of options other fast food places don’t have.

Happy last week of March!

Review: The Spice King

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The Spice King

The Spice King by Elizabeth Camden takes place during the Gilded Age in Washington, DC.

Annabelle Larkin had come to DC from Kansas when her blind sister, Elaine, received an opportunity to volunteer at the Library of Congress. Elaine had been depressed for a long time after her blindness, but now she was venturing out of her familiar safety. But she was still fearful and dependent on Annabelle.

Annabelle was given a temporary position as a junior botanist at the Smithsonian. Her boss promised her a permanent position if she could persuade Gray Delacroix, owner of Delacroix Global Spice Company, to donate his plant collection to the Smithsonian. Mr. Delacroix had traveled the world for his business, bringing back and cultivating plants he found along the way.

But the famously reclusive Mr. Delacroix has no interest in donating anything to the Smithsonian. He flatly refuses all of Annabelle’s requests.

Undaunted and determined, Annabelle shows up at his home with a gift. At first he refuses to see her. But his interest is piqued, so he allows his assistant to show her in. Their mutual love of plants draws them into conversation, but he still won’t give her any.

When Gray was young, the Union Army seized his father’s ships and burned their home to the ground. Gray and his father lived in a shed while they rebuilt their business. His father later remarried and had two more children: twins, Caroline and Luke. The twins had not known privation and hard work, so they tended to spend and act frivolously. But when Luke’s antics go too far, his life as well as the family’s reputation is in danger. And, unfortunately, Annabelle may have had a hand in his troubles.

Meanwhile, Gray’s business’s fiercest rivals are filling their food products with additives and fillers, making them cheaper than his wares and dangerous to people with sensitivities to them. But can he prove it? His distrust of the government makes him reluctant to appeal to them for regulation. He prefers the food industry to police itself, but what if it won’t?

I’ve read a few of Elizabeth’s books, but this one is my favorite by far. First, I enjoyed that the subject matter was different from other historical fiction books I’ve read. Most are situated in WW2, which is fine–I enjoy those stories. But I do get a little tired of them and wonder why authors don’t venture into the multitude of other eras available.

Then, the spice and food industry proved to be really interesting. Elizabeth shares enough detail to be informative but not academic. Good Housekeeping magazine even makes an appearance in the story long before its “seal of approval” days.

None of that would be helpful if the story and characters weren’t good–but they were!

Though this was Christian fiction, there were a couple of little oddities mentioned, like the luck of a horseshoe and the “stars coming into alignment.” Overall, however, faith in God and living by His Word were the main emphases.

I listened to the audiobook which was well done except that the narrator over-enunciated words, ran sentences together as if they didn’t have periods between them, and emphasized odd words in her inflections, like prepositions (“She disembarked FROM the streetcar,” “his empire IN Virginia,” “He stared at her hand BEFORE offering his own,” and so on). It took a concerted effort to concentrate on the story and not get distracted by the narration.

I thought one character’s fate was left hanging, but then I realized this book was the first in a series called Hope and Glory. I’m looking forward to reading the rest.

Spring for the Soul

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Spring for the soul

After Noah and his family finally got off the ark, God promised, “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease” (Genesis 8:22).

One of the things I loved about moving from TX to SC and TN was having four distinct seasons. Winter has its charms, but it’s not my favorite. Our winters aren’t as severe as many of our northern neighbors, but the cold can still pack a punch.

Early spring can still host a snowfall or two. We don’t usually plant anything until well into May, so young seedlings aren’t killed by a late frost.

Still, by and large, signs of spring increase day by day. Light stays longer. Trees begin to bud. Spring flowers start sending their shoots above ground. And many of us feel a new hope and energy with the return of color and light into our worlds.

Souls have seasons, too, though they are not as predictable as the physical realm. I’ve often been inspired by John Newton’s “Waiting for Spring.” The whole poem, along with some of his journal entries at the time, can be found here. I’ve shared it many times before, but it always speaks to me this time of year. In the first three stanzas, he talks about the change of seasons as part of God’s decree. Then he writes:

Such changes are for us decreed;
Believers have their winters too;
But spring shall certainly succeed,
And all their former life renew.

Winter and spring have each their use,
And each, in turn, his people know;
One kills the weeds their hearts produce,
The other makes their graces grow.

Though like dead trees awhile they seem,
Yet having life within their root,
The welcome spring’s reviving beam
Draws forth their blossoms, leaves, and fruit.

Then he prays in the last stanza:

Dear Lord, afford our souls a spring,
Thou know’st our winter has been long;
Shine forth, and warm our hearts to sing,
And thy rich grace shall be our song.

Another of his poems, or hymns, “Pleasing spring is here again” captures evidences of spring.

What a change has taken place!
Emblem of the spring of grace;
How the soul, in winter, mourns
Till the Lord, the Sun, returns;
Till the Spirit’s gentle rain,
Bids the heart revive again;
Then the stone is turned to flesh,
And each grace springs forth afresh.

Lord, afford a spring to me!
Let me feel like what I see;
Ah! my winter has been long,
Chilled my hopes, and stopped my song!
Winter threatened to destroy
Faith and love, and every joy;
If thy life was in the root,
Still I could not yield thee fruit.

Speak, and by thy gracious voice
Make my drooping soul rejoice;
O beloved Saviour, haste,
Tell me all the storms are past:
On thy garden deign to smile,
Raise the plants, enrich the soil;
Soon thy presence will restore
Life to what seemed dead before.

Both of these hymns were in Newton’s Olney Hymns, Book 2.

Unlike dormant spring plants and trees, we don’t have to wait for the Son to shine. We can go to His light: “The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple” (Psalm 119:130).

“For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).

“Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth” (Hosea 6:3). 

“But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall” (Malachi 4:2).

“To give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace” (Luke 1:77-79).

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone” (Isaiah 9:2).

When winter hangs on in our souls, we need God’s light to warm, nourish, and revive us. We can pray with John Newton:

Dear Lord, afford our souls a spring,
Thou know’st our winter has been long;
Shine forth, and warm our hearts to sing,
And thy rich grace shall be our song.

Luke 1:78-79

(I often link up with some of these bloggers.)

Laudable Linkage

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Laudable linkage

Here’s some of the good blogging found this week:

What God Is Doing When He Doesn’t Seem to be Doing Anything. “Sometimes we can’t help but wonder—what is God doing when he doesn’t seem to be doing anything? What is God doing when it isn’t clear that he is working toward the goal I long for? What is he up to when he doesn’t seem to be answering my most heartfelt prayers? The Bible offers a variety of answers, each of which can encourage us to wait with patience, hope, and confidence.”

Has Manifestation Found Its Way Into Your Prayer Life? “It should come as a surprise to absolutely no one that in our era of expressive individualism, we have come up with a ‘spiritual practice’ that does away with the middleman (who in this case happens to be the God of the universe) and puts the emphasis on the force of our own will. However, I wonder if even firm believers in the efficacy and necessity of prayer have become susceptible to the practice of manifestation in the way we frame our prayers.”

Learning to Be a “Friendtor,” HT to Challies. I love this! “Essentially, I realised I was a regular, bumbling, work-in-progress Christian. If I had to dole out sage spiritual sound bytes at regular intervals or live without mistakes, I would have a giant F on my mentor report card. But as I stepped into the role with doubts and fears, I began to unlearn a few things.”

Fallen from Grace: The Mysterious Warning of Galatians 5:4. ““You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.” (Galatians 5:4). Falling from grace sounds serious. It sounds like something we should avoid at all costs. But how can we avoid it if we are unsure of what it means to fall from grace?”

5 Lies that Steal Your Joy (and How to Replace Them with Truth). “Have you ever experienced something that should bring you joy, but instead leaves you feeling discouraged, anxious, and less than? The biggest culprits that steal my joy are the unbiblical soundtracks playing in my head.”

The Secret to Contentment on the Merry-Go-Round of Life. “Life is like a 1960s merry-go-round. It’s not a gentle carousel that rotates slowly while we sit atop cute animals, bobbing and smiling for pictures. Instead, life in this world flings us around at lightning speed, and when we lose our grip, it casts us into a heap on the hard ground, broken and bloodied. Unless we know the secret. “

When Life Feels Impossible: Lessons from the Book of Ruth. “Some situations feel so hopeless that I struggle to imagine how God could bring good from them. However, God has been showing me that this attitude reveals how little I trust Him to work in these situations—and how distorted my view of Him can become. Recently, He’s been using the book of Ruth to help me see this more clearly. “

Kindness That Blooms in Barren Seasons. “A woman’s willingness to care for others when she herself is hurting is a glimpse of grace at work. Perhaps the reason her example moves us so deeply is because it reflects the character of Christ Himself. His example in the Gospels shows us that when we extend kindness isn’t based on our emotional reserves or dependent on if the weather of our lives feels right. Even in barren seasons, the kindness of God can still bloom.”

Risk Setting Your Soul on Fire: Start Reading Missionary Biographies Today. “Few believers today read missionary biographies. I’m not going to list why not. I don’t understand it myself. Missionary biographies have been a blessing and an inspiration to me throughout my spiritual journey. So here is a whole stack of reasons why you should start reading a missionary biography today.”

Life in the Margins, HT to Challies. “Sometimes in evangelical culture we can be tempted to think that the one shot we have to really connect with the Lord daily is in our ‘quiet time’ (or devotions or whatever you want to call it).⁠ That time is crucial, of course, but what we often fail to realize is that the little moments, the walk-by-the-way moments, add up.”

What Will We Do with What We Know? “I know a lot about the guy. If you’ve been married for long, you probably know a whole lot about your spouse, too. That’s a good thing. But the real question isn’t what do we know about our spouse. It’s what will we do with what we know?”

Time, Routines, and Interruptions That Aren’t. “Whether you are a Christian parent trying to juggle the stay-at-home parenting life, managing a hectic job, holding down commitments to community, church, and family, or a combination of any of those, managing time is a constant struggle. While we want to be good stewards of the time God has given us, we can fall into patterns of unnecessary striving, laziness, avoidance, or idolatry.”

Posting Hoaxes: Part 1: The Facebook Hoax Is Back: Why Writers Must Verify Before They Share and Part2: Before You Share That Post: A Writer’s Guide to Verifying Information and Building Trust Online. Though these posts are written to authors, most of the information is applicable to anyone. When we post what turns out to be a hoax, we lose credibility, among other things.

Adrian Rogers quote

The fear of the Lord is love on its knees. –Adrian Rogers

Friday’s Fave Five

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Friday's Fave Five

We usually celebrate Pi Day on 3/14. But I forgot about it until my Facebook memories reminded me. By that time I didn’t have either the ingredients or the oomph to prepare. We didn’t really do anything to observe St. Patrick’s Day, either, though we don’t always.

So it’s been a much needed quiet week. Here are some of the best parts, sharing with Susanne at Living to Tell the Story.

1. Safety despite storms. This has been a wild weather week. We had some thunderstorms one night, which can lead to fallen limbs and power loss. But they didn’t this time. Then we got snow one day, but it didn’t even stick here. The kids had a slight accumulation in their neighborhoods, but it melted pretty quickly.

2. Recaps. Our church posts snippets from the Sunday sermon on Facebook and Instagram through the week, and our Sunday School teacher will sometimes email a recap of the morning’s lesson. I find them all helpful in remembering and meditating on what was shared on Sunday. It can be hard to take everything in at the moment. Plus, for whatever reason, I have the most trouble sleeping on Saturday nights, so sometimes I am fighting to keep awake and alert on Sunday mornings.

3. Financial paperwork is not a favorite, generally. But I am thankful my husband has a head for that kind of thing. I do not. And I am grateful he has taken the initiative in preparing ahead in order to make things easier on the kids when we’re gone.

4. The first day of spring! It’s nice to have it officially here, and bringing a bit of a warming trend with it.

5. Affresh. Our washing machine had kind of a yucky smell. The paperwork that came with it suggested something called Affresh, tablets to run through a cycle to clean it out. Our washer even has a cycle setting just for that. We hadn’t used it before, but found it at the grocery store. It took a couple of run-throughs, but the washer smells much better now. Sometimes it’s the little things. 🙂

How was your mid-March week?