Every Perfect Gift by Dorothy Love

Dorothy Love has done it again. She has written a historical romance novel that I like!

Every Perfect Gift is the next  book in the “A Hickory Ridge Romance” series. This book is the story of  Sophie Caldwell and Ethan Heyward.

Sophie is unsure of her lineage and is the adopted daughter of Wyatt and Ada Caldwell. She has returned to Hickory Ridge to reopen the Gazette newspaper office.  Sparks fly when she prints an editorial about a ruckus at the Blue Smoke Lodge.  As is typical of romance novels, sparks fly and then feelings fly and romance happens.

Both Ethan and Sophie meet and forge a relationship from places of pain and a need to hide. Sophie is hiding her supposed ethnicity and pain of being an orphan.

What will she do when a strange woman knocks her door at the boarding house claiming she is Sophie’s mother? Will it change Sophie at all? Will she believe the woman? What will, or what can she learn from the encounter?

Ethan Heyward wants to hide from a tragedy in his past. He longs to forget it happened, to bury it forever but when his half-brother shows up, Ethan realizes he must face his past so he can finally learn the truth. And the truth sets not only him free, it also sets Julian, his half brother free.

I love that my pre-teen girls could pick this up and read it.   They are both voracious readers read well above their grade level. I love that there is nothing in these books that make me cringe.

Don’t you love the cover art? It looks Christmas-y, but it’s not a Christmas book!  This is the perfect book to read on a cold, snowy day when you’re curled up under a blanket and just want a good, feel-good story to get lost in!

 

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of review.

Of being sleepy and dizzy

I was telling Mr. FullCup last night that I blogged about being dizzy. We came to the conclusion I probably should have read it. But I think instead I’ll read it when I’m not dizzy.

The dizziness is caused by a virus so I can safely mark brain tumor off my list of maladies. And what a relief that is. I was given some medication Antivert to combat the dizziness. My doctor told me one of the small side effects of antivert is it might make me a little dizzy. Which to me is code for, “you’ll take one dose and wake up next Christmas.”

Not that he implied that, not at all. That is what my brain heard. Because you see Tylenol knocks me out cold.  A few years ago I was tired of constantly dealing with allergies, because I’ve been dealing with them all my life. To combat the allergies I would take some OTC children’s non-drowsy Zyrtec.

It knocked me out for a week.  With medication I’ve learned one thing, if it say non-drowsy I’ll be out cold for at least 7 days. If it says a side-effect is drowsiness, I’ll be out for months.

So far with the medication, and I’ve only taken two doses, I’ve become convinced it makes you sleepy so you sleep and forget about being dizzy.

Last night before it knocked me out I was still experiencing dizziness, I just didn’t care. I did sleep like a rock last night though, which really isn’t any different than normal. I also slept a long time.

I’ve been up now for about an hour…and I’m thinking it’s nap time.

Comfort

Last night we hosted our third annual church staff Christmas party and it was grand! I think the meal, at least my part of it could have used some cpr. I just don’t think  spaghetti was the way to go. Unfortunately I didn’t come to that conclusion until after the party.

Hindsight, I tell you, can be a killer.

Early on in the evening, I was in the kitchen getting the last minute things ready, putting food in serving bowls etc, when the pastor walked in and asked to use the restroom. I pointed him in the right direction and went back to work.
“I found someone’s slippers.” He said and I glanced at his feet and noticed they were encased in dark slippers and so I thought I had misunderstood him and he had actually told me he brought his own slippers.
“Who’s are they?” I think that a very funny question because after all, if he brought them they should technically be his, right? Only he didn’t say he brought his slippers. He found some slippers. I glanced again at his feet and said, “Oh those are mine.” Again I went back to what I was doing.

I thought as soon as he heard they were my slippers he would be sure to kick them off. It would be one thing, in his mind, if they belonged to Mr. FullCup and he wore them but something else entirely if he wore them and they belonged to me. A man I am not.

My powers of observation aren’t always what they could be. For example, I didn’t notice when he exited the bathroom and I didn’t notice his feet at all for the rest of the evening.

At least until he got up from the table, kicked off my slippers and said proudly, “You can have your slippers back” and laughed. His poor wife about died on the spot and said his first and middle names. If we learn one thing, we have middle names so we all know when we’re in trouble.

Really it didn’t bother me in the least that he wore them. I’m not entirely sure I can put them on again. I just have a weird idiosyncrasy that way. If one of the ladies had slipped them on, I’d have no problem at all wearing them, I’m not entirely sure what my hang up is but there you have it.

Today as I reflected on the shindig I realized my favorite part of the whole evening was when the pastor wore my slippers.  It seems a bit odd even to me, but it’s true.

It is true because I want to have the kind of house, be the kind person people just naturally feel comfortable with.  I want others to feel as comfortable in my house as they do in their own. I want them to feel comfortable enough to wear my slippers, raid my fridge, eat my food and say the hard things to me.

No one said anything “hard” to me last night. And in fact until I read the words on the page I wasn’t aware I felt that way but I find it’s true. I do want people, people who know me and love me to feel comfortable enough to tell me when I’m missing the boat. To tell me what I don’t want to hear.  To not fear the loss of friendship if they speak truth into my life.

I really want a mi casa, su casa home and heart. Maybe I’ll work on that this year.

Sometimes I wonder.

I used to always say no one would ever know when alzheimers attacks my body.  Or my mind.  I still maintain that. Somewhat. This morning has me wondering if it will be as difficult as I’ve always imagined it.

Tonight we host our third annual Church Staff Christmas party, I know it’s January 7, but work with me. Have you ever tried to get a church staff together for anything on time? Yeah, I thought not.  We have hosted it the previous two years. Why, you ask? It’s simple. I had the idea.  I thought it was horrible that our church did nothing Christmas related for the staff. So I worked to change it. I lobbied long and hard to get a staff get-together.

Okay so I asked the senior pastor why we couldn’t have one and he saw no real reason. Hence began the FullCup family hosting the shindig. And I LOVE it.

The first year I got all fancy and cooked from my Julia Child‘s, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. It was divine. Dee-Vine I tell you. I made pumpkin, or was it mocha? I can’t remember now but I do know it was either pumpkin or mocha cheesecake. And that was divine too! Last year I popped a roast in the crock pot, made bread and had other families each bring a dish. It worked and was Divine!

This year I had the brilliant idea to go simple and make a comfort food. So on the menu is spaghetti, homemade french/garlic bread. Each of the other families is bringing something. I know we’ll have a green tossed salad, corn and peanut butter cheesecake.

Okay so I’m not positive about the cheesecake. My friend, the pastor’s wife, said if she felt strong and courageous she would make it. Apparently it’s a new recipe. I took the opportunity to be completely spiritual and quote scripture to her, in the face of her fear and trepidation, by saying “Be strong and courageous!”

Anyway back to my demented self. I actually thought of telling our family doctor on facebook today that I thought I was demented. I decided not when I realized he would ask what took me so long to figure that out.

This morning I took my yeast out of the freezer to warm to room temperature and kept forgetting I had to make the bread for french/garlic bread. I kept walking past it and I would think, “I really should put that awa….NO! You need to make the bread.”  The bread is now rising  and I experimented. It seems if someone is coming over I can’t just cook like a normal person. (Okay that is really funny since I’m talking about my demented self.) I have try new things. This time I added some minced garlic, oregano and some Italian herbs to the bread dough. I hope it tastes okay.

I knew I also wanted to get the spaghetti sauce started early so it can cook low and slow all day. I defrosted some hamburger last night and when it was completely defrosted, or actually when I was finished enough with the bread, I turned on the burner on the stove to brown it.

Only I got started doing something else. I can’t remember what. I completely forgot I was going to brown the meat. Oh I remember! I had washed some dishes, the large skillet being one of them, this morning so I was putting them away so I could use the skillet. I got side-tracked by who knows what and was only jolted back to reality when I nearly burned my hand off on the hot burner.  I knew I was in trouble when I could not for the life of me remember turning on the burner or why I might have turned it on in the first place.

So I guess I will be able to tell when I have alzheimers/dementia. But then again, if I’m doing this at my age (which if you add the two numbers together I’m almost 9), will we really be able to tell?

2013

Has anyone noticed that tomorrow is 1-3-13?

A few nights ago I was pondering the new year and pondering the old. What had I accomplished? What do I hope to accomplish this year? Have I changed? Have I grown as a person? A mom? A wife? A friend?

I started praying about an area of focus for this new year. I hadn’t done that before, I prayed specifically for a word for my 2013. One word that I could focus on.

Discipline.

Some people say I am incredibly disciplined. And I can be, just like anyone can be. But I do have my areas of extreme undisciplinedness. I know that’s not really a word, but work with me since my body is exhausted and I can’t think of the opposite of disciplined.

I don’t make resolutions because I’m sanguine enough to forget them 5 seconds after uttering them. I could write them down, which is what I know you’re telling me to do. But I tend to forget where I put things when I write them down. Or put them down.

No joke. Before Christmas I used the usb cable and connected my phone to the computer and downloaded some pictures.  When I was finished, I took the cable and put it…

who knows where. Seriously. I lost it for about 3 weeks. I had it that morning, put it someplace and promptly forgot where I put it. I just found it this morning. And no, it wasn’t in a weird place at all.

Back to being disciplined, I want to be more disciplined in all areas of my life. I want to be more disciplined mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally.

As I was praying about this, I was impressed that I was to ruthlessly eradicate two things from my life:

• Rudeness
• Clutter.

I’ve been convicted lately just how much of our talk is just plain rude. Sometimes we think we’re joking but really that is just a cover for rudeness. If we say something and someone gets hurt by it, we feel justified in saying, “I was only joking!”

Rude is rude. Pain is pain. If it hurts someone, it’s rude and should not be said. I’ll be blogging more about that in the future.

Have you ever noticed how much clutter grows? It’s like guppies and rabbits. You have a little and soon you’re overtaken with clutter.  I’m ruthlessly eradicating it. From my life. From my house.  It’s bound to take some time, but that’s okay, I have all year.

Christmas Stories by Max Lucado

I know Christmas was almost a week ago, and really who can believe that?? Not me, certainly.  I love a good Christmas story. And I love a good Max Lucado book, so what could be better than a Christmas story written by Max Lucado?

My thoughts exactly. I’m not sure there is much better than that.  I can think of better things, like coffee, Jesus, heaven, and friends, but if we’re talking Christmas stories and Max Lucado, not much is better.

Christmas Stories, the title of Max’s new book, is just that. A collection of short Christmas stories.  It starts with the story of the candle maker. 

What’s that? You don’t know the story? Oh well. I’m sorry. You’ll have to get the book to read it.

The next story is the story of The Christmas Child. Oh you say, you know this story. I hate to be rude, but really, unless you’ve read the book, you haven’t heard this story.  A man estranged from his wife travels to Clearwater, Texas because someone sent his father the picture of a church in Clearwater. Neither one knows why.

And neither will you until you read the book.

The most disappointing thing in the book was some of “stories” were taken from some of his other books.  I wish the larger portion of the book was new stories but don’t let that stop you from getting the book.

I loved that the stories were good…no, great stories. I also loved that they weren’t the typical “feel-good-everything-is-great” stories. The story I reference above, The Christmas Child, definitely had a surprising ending. Very surprising.

I plan on trying to remember to read one story/chapter a day next December as part of my preparation for Christmas. It’s a great addition to your Christmas library.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com  book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

 

A Christmas Homecoming.

Jody Pettit leaves home as a runaway. For seven long years no one in her family hears anything from her. No birthday or Christmas cards. No “I’m fine” phone calls. Nothing. Jody misses the death of her father, the father she adored.

Jody’s mom and brother struggle to come to terms with the why of her leaving, when there are no answers.  Her brother turns to anger and self-destructive ways. Her mom claims she is fine but everyone knows that really she is very angry.

Jody left not only her home, her town, her state, she left the country.  Living abroad, she marries, has 2 children and becomes a widow. When she loses her job she realizes it is time to make a change. She sells or gives away almost all she has. And she heads for home.

How will she be accepted? Will she be accepted?  How will her family react to seeing her again on their doorstep? You’ll have to read the book to find out.

The book, A Christmas Homecoming by Maryann Diorio is a short story, easily read in an afternoon if not in one sitting.  The plot develops well, the character development is excellent. But the end is just too soon. I was surprised when I read “The End” on the page because I felt nothing had been resolved. There was no resolution to the conflict. How did Sonia, her mom, work through the anger she felt at her daughter for leaving? How did her brother learn to forgive?  What about Jody? How did she work through the feelings and fears involved in returning home?

All-in-all, it’s a good book, it just ends weird and abruptly.

 

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of review.

 

Deadline

Jake Woods is a reporter. Sunday afternoons are spent with his two lifelong friends, Doc and Finney. Usually at halftime they flip a coin and the loser goes for the pizza. Only on this particular day, the coin actually landed on it’s end, standing up. They decided that meant they should all go for pizza.

Only they don’t all make it. Doc is killed in the crash and Jake is left searching desperately for answers. He sets out to find out who would be so demented as to kill his best friend.  He finds himself caught in a dangerous world of intrigue and mystery unraveling the suspicious accident that caused the death of his friend. But was his friend the intended target? You’ll have to read it to find out.

“Deadline is a dramatic and vivid novel of substance, filled with hope and perspective for every reader who longs to feel purpose in life.”

Randy Alcorn is a masterful story-teller and this book is a prime example of his skill with a pen. It isn’t a new book by any means, released/copyrighted in 1994, but it is a book you’ll want to read. Randy Alcorn weaves the story in such a way the reader can’t help but be drawn into the story and almost lives the story.

We all find we have a little Jake Woods in us. We all want answers to life’s difficult questions. We all struggle to find our purpose in life. And God meets everyone of us, often in places we least expect to find Him.

This is the perfect gift for the mystery lover on your Christmas list. Or may be you’re looking for something to read for yourself. This book won’t disappoint!

I received a free copy of this book for the purpose of review.

Secrets Are Happening.

I was going to say “Secrets are a foot” but I couldn’t decide if it was AFoot or a Foot, so I skipped it and went on.

We are screaming into the Christmas season at break neck speed. It seems a little odd to me as we are still in light jacket weather. Typically we’re buried under 2 or 3 parkas, hats, mittens, scarves and snow boots by this time. I’m not complaining too much. I do find it hard to get into the swing of Christmas planning when it’s sunny and the snow is lacking.

Not that we haven’t had any snow at all. We have! We’ve had 4 snowstorms so far this year. But at present my grass is brown and showing.

The past few years we haven’t sent out any Christmas card, letter, or picture. None! I’ve noticed when you do that the Christmas cards, letters and pictures you get dwindles sadly. I knew I had to rectify this situation fast. I gathered my family, conned…err asked a friend to snap a few photos. 

I did a little experiment. I put a nice family picture on facebook. And I also put the above picture there as well with the caption: Christmas Card Picture. I thought I’d see how many people preferred the nice one over the silly one.

I was shocked. Twenty-six to six people like the silly one better. I’ve had people ask for the silly one.  There is just one small problem…I already had the photo card printed.

As for secrets…this year, for me, is a DIY Christmas. I’m seriously going to try and make everyone’s gift. And then I’ll run screaming from the room.

Some will be sewed (or is it sewn? I tell you people, the older I get the less sure I am about what constitutes good grammar.) and some will be baked. Others will be crocheted.

And when all that is done…I’ll poke myself in the eye with a sharp stick for waiting until December to start any of these projects.

Debt-Proof Your Christmas.

It’s that time between Thanksgiving and the new year. The time when everyone is zeroed in on the next BIG holiday. Of course, I’m talking about Christmas. We’re fully ensconced in the season of gift giving.

Which means we’re also fully ensconced in the season of spending money, lots and lots of money. Often we’re spending in a frenzy, trying frantically to remember what we gave great-Aunt Hilda last year and trying to remember what she gave us so we can be sure to top the monetary value this year. Often though we just can’t remember so we rush to the stores without a plan, nary a thought in our heads about what we have to spend. When our wallets are sadly bereft of cash, it’s no problem, we’ll just whip out Mr. Plastic and let him make our purchases for us.

The only problem with that? When the bill comes in January, Mr. Plastic is sadly quiet and suddenly not quite so nice.

Mary Hunt, financial guru most noted for her no-nonsense approach to digging your way out of a mountain of debt, has written a book on this subject, Debt Proof Your Christmas. As far as “how-to get out of debt” books go, this is really just another one. If’ you’ve read any other book about finances, you could pass this one by.

BUT! This book is worth it’s weight in gold because of the recipes in the back!!  Recipes for holiday gift giving, holiday spiced nuts, slow-cooker sugared nuts, recipes for “Gift in a Jar”, Mocha Mix, Friendship Tea Mix, Cappuccino Mix etc. Worth it’s weight in gold!

So if your finances are on track, but you’re looking for new inexpensive gift ideas, get this book! If you’re finances aren’t on track, but you’re desperately trying to get them there, get this book and make some Christmas gifts. Your house will smell divine and the recipient will get the weight gain. What could be better!!

http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/49966293#49966293

(I received a free copy of this book for the purpose of review.)