Meltdown

I've been recently thinking about the power of pictures, photographs. Last weekend I read the book In Focus: National Geographic Presents Greatest Portraits. It was breathtaking to go through this huge volume and see history told through the faces of people. From a little Sardinian girl to a shy Amish boy, every picture really did say 1000 words and more! I took my time pouring over every picture, trying to pick up every nuance to understand the story more thoroughly. It's a beautiful book that I highly recommend.

Also this weekend, I discovered the power of LOLCats. I know they've been around for awhile, and I've heard Doogie talk about them, but I figured it was just a teenage thing, but when Time magazine saw fit to interview its founder this week, I couldn't help myself. I had to look. Then I spent hours looking at that site as well as its sister sites, then calling in Jesse and Molly to make them laugh hysterically with me. If you haven't seen the site, it's a simple concept: funny pet pictures with hilarious captions written in pidgin English. The site is one of a few making money right now in spite of the economy; this is the power of a picture.

My dad's birthday was on Sunday, and I wanted to post this then, but I got caught up in the fervor of cleaning out the closet and lost track of time. The first picture today is my absolute favorite picture of me with my dad. Look in his eyes, and you'll know why. The second picture is another favorite of mine. My parents didn't come to my first wedding, things weren't good between us then, so when Jesse and I were married in 2002, some of the most important and emotional moments of the day were walking down the aisle with my dad and then dancing with him. We're dancing to Celine Dion's Because You Loved Me. Note how both of our eyes are closed, just reveling in the moment. Happy Belated Birthday Dad.

Meltdown by Chuck Holton is the third book in the Task Force Valor series. CIA Agent Mary Walker is heading up her first Spec Ops mission with team members Bobby Sweeney, John Cooper, and Rip Rubio in the Ukraine in the hopes of finding the source of a deadly weapon. While they are undercover, all across America, strikes are made using just that weapon bring the economy and communication to a halt and panicking the entire nation. This was my first read of the Task Force Valor series, but I'm sure it won't be my last! With the action of a James Bond movie and the exciting military story of NCIS, I couldn't put this book down! Holton takes care to keep Christian themes to a minimum, making sure that readers don't feel preached to. There are several plot threads, and he juggles them all with ease, making each character come to life, even those only on the canvas for a few paragraphs. The ending is a terrific twist with a frightening message. A special bonus at the end of the book is Holton's Easter Eggs which will give the reader a whole new appreciation for the series.

Ashley Weis wrote an absolutely stunning blog post yesterday. I dare you to read it and not question the power of your own words.