The Gifted

I apologize for the lateness of this posting. It was due last week, but my laptop crashed, and I had to borrow my mom's in order to get this up. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I will be back online again soon!

The Gifted by Ann Gabhart is the fifth book in her popular Shaker series about the unusual religious group of the 19th century. Jessamine Brady is a true innocent in the world. The first half of her of life was spent living with her granny, isolated in the woods and listening to the old woman's fairy tales and stories about the Lord. The last half of her life has been spent among the Shakers. When Jessamine was just ten, her granny died, leaving her alone in the world, so she was taken in by the community. She loves working with her hands and worshiping the Lord, but poor Jessamine has never been able to completely follow all of the rules as set forth by the Shakers. She has stories and songs that fill her heart, but are forbidden as sinful, and she has a deep curiousity about the outside world, especially on this one day, parasols, which leads her deeper and deeper into the woods, hoping to encounter White Oak Springs, a fashionable spa where the ladies are known to carry them. Instead of seeing a parasol, Jessamine finds a man who appears to have fallen off of his horse after being shot at. He claims to have no memory of who he is, and Jessamine can't quite seem to keep her hand from touching his face and enjoying the feel of the stubble on his face. Tristan Cooper did indeed lose his memory at first and thought he had been discovered by an angel. Later when his memory returns, he decides to keep that knowledge hidden while he recovers in the Shaker community in order to find out just who would be shooting at him and why. Tristan and Jessamine can't seem to stop thinking about each other, so she is soon in trouble with the elders for breaking too many rules, and he is sent on his way back to the world. Gabhart is terrific at recreating the mysterious world and religion of the Shakers, and she manages to do so without being overly negative about some of their stranger practices. Jessamine is such an innocent that everyone (including readers) who meet her can't help but be drawn to her sweet nature and love of life. Tristan is more of a cipher, despite Gabhart's attempts, I couldn't quite get a grasp of just who he was, and I felt the same way about Sheldon Brady. Because I couldn't relate to either of them, this book didn't have the power for me of previous books in this series. Something was missing just a bit in this volume, so it isn't up the five star status of the other books, but it's still a fascinating read.

Available July 2011 from Revell, a division of the Baker Publishing Group at your favorite bookseller.

Thank you to Revell for providing me with a copy of this book for review!

The Blessed

 July has been an amazing month for me! I finally got some relief from my pain with the fentynal patch my doctor prescribed. It made such a difference that Jesse and I planned our first real summer vacation since I got sick. We've gone camping every year, but Mia has never spent the night in a hotel or seen a big city. We'd been trying to plan a trip to Chicago since back in May, but things just kept falling through, so when the opportunity presented itself, I jumped on it! We started planning on Friday night, and the following Thursday we were in Chicago.

I have to say, first of all, that if it weren't for this pain patch the trip would have been impossible. I walked for HOURS every day, and I drove over half of the way down and back, something my hands normally ache too much to do. That said, we tried to pack far too much into each day. We visited the Field Museum on Thursday, Shedd Aquarium on Friday during the day, and Navy Pier that night, and then Lincoln Park Zoo on Saturday. Around noon at the zoo, I realized that I had hit my physical limit, and we ended up leaving earlier than expected. We had a terrific time. I made mix CDs for the ride, and we spent much of it singing together.

Mia was so overcome with joy several times at the Shedd that she threw her arms around Jess or me, whoever was closest, and just held on, speechless with wonder. That was an amazing gift to be able to give my child. My parents took me on several vacations when I was a child, and they also gave me the opportunity to travel through school and 4-H, and those experiences were life-changing. We took Doogie and Molly on vacations when they were younger, but when I became sick almost seven years ago, it put an end to that. Now I feel like I not only have my life back, but my family does as well.

Seeing the beluga whales at the Shedd was a sacred moment for me. I had tears in my eyes, and I could have watched them all day. Seeing the variety of sea life made me appreciate the imagination and intelligence of my Creator. We are already planning a trip back to Chicago to finish exploring the places we visited, while maybe adding a few.

Over the course of the next few weeks, I'll post pictures of our trip. In the last month I experienced the worst week of my life along with three of the best days of my life. And the summer is only half over!

The Blessed by Ann Gabhart is the fourth book in her Shaker series. The story covers two people, Lacey and Isaac, each trapped between a rock and a hard place, and living life without hope. Lacey's family was shattered with the death of her mother, and after her father married an abusive woman, she was sent to help out Preacher Palmer's family in another town. Lacey grew to see his wife, Miss Mona, as a mother figure, and when an infant girl was dropped off at their doorstep, the two women raised little Rachel together. But with Miss Mona's death, Lacey feels the preacher's eyes on her all the time until he coerces her into marriage so she can continue to raise Rachel, but she gets him to promise to allow her time before attempting to consummate the marriage. The preacher's frustration fills the house with tension and Lacey with the fear that this is all there is for her life. Isaac Kingston thought his wife Ella was just malingering when she told him that she would die if he took her away from her home. His dreams a life and fortune out West took them far away. Ella's words were prophetic, and Isaac brought his young wife home to be buried. Ella's father is an important judge who is angry at the "murder" of his only child and determines to destroy Isaac, making the young man hide in the forest, starving, homeless, and considering suicide until he meets Brother Asa, a young Shaker man who promises a full belly and a bed to sleep in if he comes to work at the Shaker commune, Harmony Hill. Lacey and Isaac are hurting and lonely and wondering if this is all that God created them for when they find each other. Gabhart has done a terrific job with this series of presenting both sides of the Shaker community, their deep abiding faith, work ethic, and desire for peace, along with the legalistic members and strange rules that seem almost crazy today. Gabhart really gives the reader the opportunity to get to know Lacey and Isaac, aching for their helplessness and hopelessness. Her writing is compelling and poignant and always has a message of faith and hope for readers.

Thank you to Revell for providing me with a copy of this book for review. Available July 2011 from Revell, a division of the Baker Publishing Group at your favorite bookseller!

Angel Sister

It's been another busy week, but in a good way this time! Jesse and I purchased some much needed new furniture and appliances for our home. In our eleven years together, we've only purchased three pieces of new furniture (all of which are gone except for a few kitchen chairs), usually going the used route when we needed something. Now that we don't have small children and the pets are trained (most of the time), we are upgrading. It feels good to have things in the house we can be proud of. It was hard at first spending the money. I am a hardcore clearance shopper; I rarely, if ever, buy clothing that isn't on the clearance rack, and I'm a very careful shopper, usually spending a couple hours online printing off coupons before I even go grocery shopping, so when I saw the prices, my heart stopped a bit. But I have a good husband who helped to get us good deals while still having things we can be proud of. I'm looking forward to having company over now that we actually have room for them to sit!

Angel Sister by Ann Gabhart is a poignant story of love and forgiveness in a Southern small town. Kate Merritt is the responsible one of three sisters. As her father, Victor, has slipped further and further into alcoholism, she has picked up more and more burdens around the house. At fourteen, she isn't lovestruck like older sister Evie nor does she want to go fishing all the time like little sister Tori. Kate tries to take care of her father as he stumbles in drunk night after night while her family refuses to discuss what is going on. Lorena Birdsong's parents have abandoned her on the church steps of Rosey Corner in the hopes of a family taking her in and caring for her. Her mother tells her that she will be found by an angel, so when Kate discovers Lorena, the girl is certain that Kate is her angel. Lorena is quickly adopted by the Merritt family, and her presence heals some of the wounds that have been festering, until the town decides that Victor can barely take care of his own daughters because of his drinking, so Lorena must be placed with a different couple. This course of action will put the town on a collision course where the Merritts will be forced to face the past and deal with the ghosts that have been haunting them for thirty years. Gabhart is best known for her historical fiction about the Shakers, but with this novel she has shown readers that she is one of the best writers in Christian fiction today. Kate is a heroine in the vein of Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird, and readers will fall in love with this young woman who will stop at nothing to save her family. When her faith is shattered by a terrible act, I couldn't help but cry the tears she refused to shed. It's her will that pulls her family back together piece by piece. Every character is fully fleshed and remarkably real. I will miss these characters now that the book is done; that is a testament to Gabhart's writing.

Thank you to Revell for providing me with a copy of this book for review. Available February 2011 from Revell, a division of the Baker Publishing Group at your favorite bookseller.

The Seeker

I recently read through the Gospel of John using a Bible study (review will be posted on Thursday), and I learned so much about Jesus. One of the things that stood out to me was how he spoke to people in their own language.

In his conversation with Nicodemus in John 3, he spoke of Scripture. Nicodemus was a respected Pharisee who was intrigued by Jesus' miracles. He spoke to Jesus at night, in secret, for fear of his reputation being sullied by open communication with the man the Pharisees had determined to be a blasphemer. As a Pharisee, Nicodemus would know his Scripture by heart, so when Jesus referred to Moses' serpent, Nicodemus would immediately understand. Yet he was also enigmatic, encouraging the curious and intelligent Pharisee to look deeper, to want to know more. Jesus' talk of being born again would have frustrated most others, but he knew that this man, this one individual wouldn't be able to let the idea go. He would go over it again and again until he found satisfaction, which could only be found in following Jesus. And we know that Nicodemus did just that, because it was he who helped remove Jesus' body from the cross and bought 75 pounds of spices to wrap it in.

Jesus used a completely different model of conversation with the Samaritan woman in John 4. Jesus didn't have to travel through Samaria, in fact, most Jews used a longer road in order to avoid the people they considered filthy. Jesus went to the well, knowing that this woman would come at midday to miss the crowds of other women who came in the morning so she could avoid their scorn because of her lifestyle. To her Jesus spoke of a water that would permanently cure thirst and about the end of discrimination because of where someone chose to worship. He even confronted her openly, but without scorn, about her life of five husbands and living with a new man. He spoke the words that her heart needed to hear- of being fulfilled - and obviously this woman had sought fulfillment her entire life. Why else would she have gone through so many men? She was seeking something in them that none of them could offer. There was a hole in her soul that no one man could fill, and Jesus knew the cure.

Yes, Jesus is the salvation of the world. Yes, he came to save us all, but most importantly, he came to save YOU!  Jesus is a God of the individual, because he loves each and every one of us right where we are. You can see this in Psalm 18. Written by David, it is a celebration of a God who loves not just the world, but him as well.  I know it's a very long Psalm, but it's well worth the read. To really bring it home, insert your name what I've boldfaced.

I love you, O LORD, my strength.
 ² The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
       my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.
       He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
 ³ I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
       and I am saved from my enemies.
 ⁴ The cords of death entangled me;
       the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
 ⁵ The cords of the grave coiled around me;
       the snares of death confronted me.
 ⁶ In my distress I called to the LORD;
       I cried to my God for help.
       From his temple he heard my voice;
       my cry came before him, into his ears.
 ⁷ The earth trembled and quaked,
       and the foundations of the mountains shook;
       they trembled because he was angry.
 ⁸ Smoke rose from his nostrils;
       consuming fire came from his mouth,
       burning coals blazed out of it.
 ⁹ He parted the heavens and came down;
       dark clouds were under his feet.
 ¹⁰ He mounted the cherubim and flew;
       he soared on the wings of the wind.
 ¹¹ He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him—
       the dark rain clouds of the sky.
 ¹² Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced,
       with hailstones and bolts of lightning.
 ¹³ The LORD thundered from heaven;
       the voice of the Most High resounded. 
 ¹⁴ He shot his arrows and scattered the enemies ,
       great bolts of lightning and routed them.
 ¹⁵ The valleys of the sea were exposed
       and the foundations of the earth laid bare
       at your rebuke, O LORD,
       at the blast of breath from your nostrils.
 ¹⁶ He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
       he drew me out of deep waters.
 ¹⁷ He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
       from my foes, who were too strong for me.
 ¹⁸ They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
       but the LORD was my support.
 ¹⁹ He brought me out into a spacious place;
       he rescued me because he delighted in me.
 ²⁰ The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness;
       according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.
 ²¹ For I have kept the ways of the LORD;
       I have not done evil by turning from my God.
 ²² All his laws are before me;
       I have not turned away from his decrees.
 ²³ I have been blameless before him
       and have kept myself from sin.
 ²⁴ The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
       according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
 ²⁵ To the faithful you show yourself faithful,
       to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
 ²⁶ to the pure you show yourself pure,
       but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.
 ²⁷ You save the humble
       but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.
 ²⁸ You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning;
       my God turns my darkness into light.
 ²⁹ With your help I can advance against a troop;
       with my God I can scale a wall.
 ³⁰ As for God, his way is perfect;
       the word of the LORD is flawless.
       He is a shield
       for all who take refuge in him.
 ³¹ For who is God besides the LORD ?
       And who is the Rock except our God?
 ³² It is God who arms me with strength
       and makes my way perfect.
 ³³ He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
       he enables me to stand on the heights.
 ³⁴ He trains my hands for battle;
       my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
 ³⁵ You give me your shield of victory,
       and your right hand sustains me;
       you stoop down to make me great.
 ³⁶ You broaden the path beneath me,
       so that my ankles do not turn.
 ³⁷ I pursued my enemies and overtook them;
       I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
 ³⁸ I crushed them so that they could not rise;
       they fell beneath my feet.
 ³⁹ You armed me with strength for battle;
       you made my adversaries bow at my feet.
 ⁴⁰ You made my enemies turn their backs in flight,
       and I destroyed my foes.
 ⁴¹ They cried for help, but there was no one to save them—
       to the LORD, but he did not answer.
 ⁴² I beat them as fine as dust borne on the wind;
       I poured them out like mud in the streets.
 ⁴³ You have delivered me from the attacks of the people;
       you have made me the head of nations;
       people I did not know are subject to me.
 ⁴⁴ As soon as they hear me, they obey me;
       foreigners cringe before me.
 ⁴⁵ They all lose heart;
       they come trembling from their strongholds.
 ⁴⁶ The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock!
       Exalted be God my Savior!
 ⁴⁷ He is the God who avenges me,
       who subdues nations under me,
 ⁴⁸ who saves me from my enemies.
       You exalted me above my foes;
       from violent men you rescued me.
 ⁴⁹ Therefore I will praise you among the nations, O LORD;
       I will sing praises to your name.

My thought for you today is that Jesus loves you, and if you listen, he will speak to you in a way that you can hear. It won't be hard to understand; you just have to open your eyes, ears, and heart, because he truly wants to talk to you, and he speaks your language.

The Seeker by Ann Gabhart is the third in The Shakers series. Charlotte Vance has long been used to running her family estate, Grayson, in Kentucky until her father brings home a new wife, Selena, who is young enough to be his daughter and who has her own ideas on how Grayson should be cared for. Charlotte's fiance, who would have been her escape from her Selena's reign of terror, but he's broken their engagement to join the Shakers, a religious community nearby that believes in communal living but no marriage. He invites her to join the community as well, and Charlotte is forced to accept before Selena ships her off to boarding school. Before she leaves, newspaper artist Adam Wade tempts her with a kiss in the garden, a kiss that will carry them both through the trying years to come. Gabhart is an extraordinarily talented writer who perfectly renders a tumultuous time in American history. Charlotte and Adam's meeting in the garden is equal to that of Scarlett and Rhett in Gone with the Wind: a feisty heroine who has just been embarrassed by a man, and a mustached gentleman with a devilish grin who is unafraid to tease her and steal a kiss. As the nation is headed toward Civil War, Charlotte and Adam are both caught up in events bigger than they are. Charlotte is a strong-willed and intelligent heroine (who actually looks like the cover model) and readers will enjoy reading about her growth in character and faith. Adam begins as a bit of a rake, but as the book and war progress, he becomes worthy of Charlotte and finds faith of his own. Gabhart's books feel like so much more than just a romance; she packs in history, suspense, drama, and faith all with a powerful punch. I can't wait to read whatever she does next.

Thank you to Revell Books for providing me with a copy of this book for review. Available July 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

The Believer

Today I had one of those moments that made me realize just how amazing my daughter really is. I picked Molly up from work last night, and as much as I hate to admit it, we've been fighting since she walked in the door. Lots of subjects: ignoring her little sister, school clothes, yearbook photo, cleaning her room, etc. I hate weekends like this, because I've missed her all week. I don't want to spend the weekend arguing with her, and I know she doesn't either, but we can't seem to help ourselves.

An ongoing fight has been over school shopping. Mia received a whole new wardrobe because she shot up 2-1/2" and outgrew nearly every item in her closet this summer. Molly's still her sweet little size 4, but wants equal treatment, and no amount of motherly logic seems to work.

She sorted through her closet and dresser, getting rid of two garbage bags of clothing that doesn't fit/isn't the right style/was purchased by well-meaning grandmothers. We both went through the remaining items to determine what she really did need for school. She was seriously disappointed with my verdict of socks, underwear, and maybe two pairs of jeans.

After all of the drama, I sat down at my laptop to take a breather, and I see in my email a notification from Facebook: Molly Kallies has tagged you in a photo. I was a little confused, but clicked to see it. It was one of those Facebook photos made up of 12 different blocks of descriptions (your best friend, best smile, nice hair, etc) that teens tag with the names of the person they think fits each description. I put my mouse over each square interested to see who Molly matched to each (I agree, Deanna Rybka does have the best hair!), but I didn't find my name until the bottom block which was labeled "the prettiest girl I know." My heart locked in my throat and my eyes immediately filled with tears. I was stunned; my 16 year old beauty, who hangs labeled me the prettiest girl she knows in front of all of her friends.

I haven't even been able to tell her thank you or give her a hug, I'm just so moved by her sweetness. Especially when I think that while she was putting up that pic on Facebook I was nagging her to finish her room. (Just two more pictures Mom, hang on!) It was a greatly needed blessing today. Maybe I'll spring for three pair of jeans after all.

The Believer by Ann Gabhart is the second novel by the author about the Shaker community in 19th century Kentucky. Elizabeth Duncan's world has crashed around her. Her father died suddenly, leaving her to care for her brother and sister alone, with no way of providing for them, except for the sinister offer of marriage from their landlord. Her father had talked often of a Shaker community a couple of days journey away, about the peace he found there and how they would take in anyone asking for help. Rather than marry the odious landlord, Elizabeth and her siblings travel to Harmony Hill seeking shelter and safety through the winter. Before she even sets foot in the small town, Ethan, a member of the community, is struck by her beauty. Despite both of their attempts, circumstances continue to force them together making it more and more difficult to disguise the growing feelings inside that run contrary to everything the Shakers believe in. I was unfamiliar with the Shakers, but Gabhart portrays their communal lifestyle with an even hand. The community makes beautiful furniture and is well-known for their seeds and herbal medicines. Their fierce devotion to celibacy and isolation from the world made them vulnerable to Pharisaical leaders. Gabhart really makes this entire community come to life, but the true star of the book is Elizabeth and Ethan's romance. Elizabeth makes some unexpected choices that make this book stand far above most historical romances. I really loved this terrific book.

This morning Jesse, Mia, and I went to a free rummage sale. Yes, everything really was free! I picked up a few things for Mom and I to sell on eBay, like a reverse painted picture of the Statue of Liberty in a big old oval frame, a Munising wooden bowl, Fire King mugs, and a complete baby afghan's worth of granny squares. The squares just have to be sewn together, and the pattern is a very pretty pink and burgundy. All for free! Plus they had face-painting and balloon animals for kids. Mia was made into an adorable bunny, complete with ears they attached to her headband.

Orchard of Hope

Mia's preschool class had a field trip to the zoo yesterday. It was a great time for all the kids and parents. The rain held off until after we were in our van on the way home. The medicine the doctor prescribed Mia is working miracles. She ran all day, climbed up the rope ladder, and never limped once. Jess said she limped a little first thing this morning, but after the medicine she was fine. I spent the entire day in bed recovering from the day walking yesterday. Obviously the doctor still has to work on my medicine. The zoo was so much fun. Mia got to feed a giraffe, goats, sheep, and a reindeer. I tried to get a picture of her feeding the reindeer, but the camera flashed just a moment too slow, so instead I got this amazing picture of her joy. I love this picture.

It's very chilly up here, but we've been leaving our bedroom window open to hear the birds outside. Jess and are I becoming avid bird watchers. We have goldfinches, purple finches, ruby-breasted grosbeaks, and an indigo bunting. On Saturday Jess spotted a summer tanager, which rarely come this far north. We've got binoculars and a bird field guide, now we just have to find a camera with a decent zoom. We've got a bit of a menagerie here. Paco, our pet peacock, has been living here for over 11 years. And now the neighbors potbellied pig has been running loose. He doesn't like to stay in their yard and instead roots in gardens and fields. This picture is from his roaming on Monday.

Orchard of Hope by Ann H. Gabhart is the story of Jocie Brooke and her family in the late summer of 1964. Hollyhill, Kentucky is starving for rain, and as the weather is heating up, so are tensions in the town as the schools start to desegregate and a new black family moves to town. Jocie quickly makes friends with the son Noah, and her father, Reverend David Brooke, hires him to work at the town newspaper he owns and invites the family to come to services at their Mt. Pleasant church. Tensions are also building in the Brooke's home as their friend Wes moves in with them to recover from a broken leg, elder daughter Tabitha approaches the end of her pregnancy, and their housekeeper keeps losing more of her memory. This book is packed with so many sub-plots, but Gabhart never loses track of them or makes any story seem any less important than any other. While much of the story is seen through 13 year-old Jocie's eyes, narration jumps through her family and friends. It's hard to sum up a book this powerful in just a few words. Gabhart does a phenomenal job of portraying the tautness of the Civil Rights movement, the wonder of unexpected love, the despair of love lost, and uses Jesus to ground each. I wish I had read The Scent of Lilacs, the first book in this series, because I'm sure that I would care even more about each character. I teared up in the last chapter, and I'm sure that there is more that the author has to say through the sweet, fresh voice of Jocie. It's one of those rare books where I will miss reading about the characters now that I'm done.

I've just started reading Vicki Norris' Restoring Order to Your Home. I'm really enjoying the book so far, and if I'm feeling better, I intend to blitz the kitchen this weekend. Wish me luck!