Hannah's List, book #42

This book is one I have been anxious to read since I started the Blossom Street series, and once again Debbie Macomber did not disappoint.  The more I read her books (although I am going to try to limit myself to just this series!) the more I love her style.  She intersperses big words that still make this 46 year old use her context clues, and she uses lots of detail, then explains in the story why that detail is important.  

Hannah's List also hit home to me because of the topic.  Hannah and Michael had been married for more than a decade when they discovered stage 4 cancer.  She tried chemo and radiation, but since it was an aggressive cancer she was gone before he knew what hit him.  Hannah was his one love, his only love, and the past year he spent in depression, grieving, and almost became "at home" with it.  

Then on the one year "anniversary" of her death his brother in law (aka best friend) gave him a letter Hannah wrote, encouraging him to move on, stop moping -- as she knew he would be! -- and find someone new to marry to make him happy and have children.  

Here is where this hits home to me.  No, as far as I know I do not have cancer and besides these menacing migraines I'm healthy as a horse.  But I do think about my girls.  And Roger.  And what would happen if I did die before him while the girls were still at home. I have do have one dear friend on my "list" (which he knows about!) but as much as I love her I'm not sure she may be the best.  I know it is a dismal topic, but I would like to have a few friends, if any are left unmarried, to encourage Roger to consider.  That poor boy will need all the help he can get to carry on with the girls!!

That said, let's hope I don't ever have to use it.

You really will enjoy this book, written in first place from various characters points of view, but mainly Michael's.  


On the anniversary of his beloved wife's death, Dr. Michael Everett receives a letter Hannah had written him.  

In it she reminds him of her love and makes one final request. An impossible request. I want you to marry again. She tells him he shouldn't spend the years he has left grieving—and she's chosen three women she asks him to consider.

First on Hannah's list is her cousin, Winter Adams, a chef who owns a café on Seattle's Blossom Street. The second is Leanne Lancaster, Hannah's oncology nurse. Michael knows them both. But the third name is one he's not familiar with—Macy Roth.

During the months that follow, he spends time with these three women, learning more about each of them…and about himself. Learning what Hannah already knew. He's a man who needs the completeness only love can offer. And Hannah's list leads him to the woman who can help him find it.
(picture and description at amazon.com)

O:)
Melissa

Si-Cology 1, book #41

Uncle Si, Uncle Si, Uncle Si, what are we going to do with you?!?!?  I am currently in the "take in everything I can about the Robertson's" stage since we were late comers to the Duck Dynasty fan club.  So, when this book came out I couldn't wait to get it in my hands and read it.  

However, I was a little disappointed.  I mean, in reality, Uncle Si is a little bit like the cherry on top of the milkshake.  It's just what it needs in small doses, but really if you had any more than, say, 5 cherries, it would be overload.  So in some respects this book wasn't quite overload, mainly because it almost seemed like two people were writing this.  It was interesting to read about his growing up years, his time in Vietnam and Germany, his wife and kids.  And it was refreshing how he could take all the hard times he had endured and use that quirky personality to make them bearable.  But it would have been more enjoyable if it had of been written 3rd person with his antics stuck in between the "real" part.  That way you would have known how to distinguish between the two.  Or maybe there is another side of Si, the serious one, that we never see on TV.   

As you read this book, there are a few things you have to understand: 95 percent of my stories are truthful. Every member of the Robertson family has the God- given gift of storytelling. Hey, when you’ve sat in a duck blind for more than half of your life, you have to figure out some way to pass the time! It’s better than looking at Willie and Jase for six hours! Many of the stories I like to tell happened when I was a young boy or when I was in Vietnam. At my age, a few of the details are cloudy, but I’ll recollect the coming stories as best I can. Hey, just remember it isn’t a lie if you think it’s true! It’s up to you, the reader, to figure out what’s truth and what’s fiction. Best of luck with that, Jack! May the force be with you.
Hey, another thing you have to know: my stories are kind of like my vocabulary. You might have noticed I like to say “hey” quite a bit. “Hey” can mean anything. It can mean “yes,” it can mean “maybe,” and it can mean “no.” Hey, it could mean “next week.” The bottom line is, you have to understand “hey” to understand me.
And if you know anything about Silas Merritt Robertson, you know I’m a hard rascal to figure out.
—From the Prologue
(picture and description from amazon.com)


O:)
Melissa

Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, Books #37 - #40

Matthew the Apostle

Mark the Evangelist

Luke the Evangelist

John the Baptist

Back at the first of the year our Connect Group worked through a series and we were encouraged to read through the Gospels in chronological order rather than book order.  I have read the Bible through several years ago in chronological order and it makes so much more sense!!  It really is amazing to see how tied together everything is.  It was especially interesting reading just the Gospels and comparing/contrasting the versions of the miracles and events of Jesus' life and how the different writers saw things different ways.

For example, Matthew's main aim was to show that Jesus really was the Jewish Messiah.  In his book, of the 1071 verses, 60% are the spoken words of Jesus.  (That's a lot of red ink!)  Mark has often be referred to as the newspaper version of the gospel.  It is the shortest gospel but the most action packed one.  The word "immediately" is used over 40 times!  Luke, being a doctor, is more in tune with details and other people in the gospels, like women, children, and social outcasts.  He records the fullest life story of Jesus Christ as a way to strengthen the faith of the Gentiles.  It is the longest New Testament book. John the Baptist sees the bigger picture.  While he does not record any of Jesus' parables and carefully chooses from His numerous miracles, he does highlight the reactions of people to Christ; how they either responded in faith or, in unbelief, rejected Him.
(All of the information above I gathered from various sources while I was reading the Bible through chronologically in 2010.  If you are interested I can dig some of them out for you!)
 

I highly recommend reading the Bible through at least once in your life, and if you have the chance to read it through chronologically you will see it in a whole new light!!!

O:)
Melissa

James & Mercy Triumphs, Books #35 and #36

Earlier this year I worked through this Bible Study with my friends from The People's Church in Spring Hill.  It was led by my good buddy Lori Leal and was life changing indeed.  During the course of the study I was challenged to dig deep to see what sin I had buried so deep I didn't even know I had it, but needed to bring it out and confess it.  After a week or so of praying that prayer the LORD brought to my eyes my sin of judgementalness and He helped to free from it once and for all.  I never realized how something so deep I didn't even know it was down there could be so disruptive to my life but it sure felt good to get that out!!

James: Mercy Triumphs - Member Book by Beth Moore provides a personal study experience five days a week plus viewer guides for the 8 video sessions of this in-depth women's Bible study. James, Jesus' own brother, started out as a skeptic. See how one glimpse of the resurrected Savior turned an unbeliever into a disciple. Bible scholars compare James to the prophet Amos. In other ways, James more closely resembles the Book of Proverbs than any other New Testament book. Topics in this study include: joy, hardship, faith, reversal of fortunes for rich and poor, wisdom, gifts from above, single-mindedness, the dangers of the tongue, humility, and prayer.  (picture and description from christianbook.com)

Naturally, during the course of the study I also read the book of James, writing down the complete book in the study, and picking apart each verse or set of verses daily as we attempted to grasp all that James had to share.  (picture from wikipedia)

O:)
Melissa

Time for Bed, book #34

Ok, I decided that if I am ever going to get close to 100 books by the end of November I need to start being more realistic and writing down ALL the books I have read, even if they are board books and have only a few pages.  Granted I have read this one before, so it may be cheating, but I wanted to add it. 

This sweet book I read over and over and over every night to Rebecca when she was a baby.  Just going back and reading it recently made me wish she was a baby again when I could rock her to sleep and love on her all I wanted to ....

“It’s time for bed, little cat, little cat / So snuggle in tight, that’s right, like that.” This 1993 bedtime favorite from the Australian author Mem Fox and the illustrator Jane Dyer is now available in this small, square board book edition. Even the most reluctant snoozers will find themselves lulled by the repetitive rhythms, as the parent sheep, cat, snake, and fish implore their babies to get some shuteye: “It’s time for bed, little sheep, little sheep, / The whole wide world is going to sleep.” Dyer’s watercolor illustrations are bucolic and beautiful. A sweet, soothing lullaby.   (picture and book from amazon.com)

O:)
Melissa

Summer on Blossom Street and The Twenty-First Wish, books #33 + 1/2

About a month ago as I perused my night stand and saw all the books piled high, I told Solo Hombre that I seriously needed to start reading faster if I was EVER going to get through all those books piled high.  Since then I seem to be averaging about a book a week so maybe there is hope.  But then again, new books just keep appearing out of nowhere so I'm not sure.  :)

I was back on Blossom Street this week and enjoying every minute of it!  Lydia at the yarn store decided to have a new class called "Knit to Quit" which was to encourage folks that needed to quit something to learn how to knit to get their mind off whatever they needed to quit.  Poor Alix at the bakery needed to quit smoking once and for all so she and Jordan could get pregnant and have a baby.  She really wanted that, but she was also afraid of being a mother since she was in too many to count foster homes growing up.  A newbie Phoebe shows up to get over "a man", while conveniently enough a man joins the group to "quit" his stress at work.  And lucky this guy is not married and something began to happen ... Finally Anne Marie at the bookstore is doing great with Ellen, her adopted daughter, when a tall, dark and handsome stranger shows up.  And that just gets it started ...

Knitting and life.

They're both about beginnings—and endings. That's why Lydia Goetz, owner of A Good Yarn on Seattle's Blossom Street, offers a class called Knit to Quit. It's for people who want to quit something—or someone!—and start a new phase of their lives.

First to join is Phoebe Rylander, who's trying to get over a man. Alix Turner and her husband want a baby, so she has to quit smoking. And Bryan Hutchinson needs a way to deal with the stress of running his family's business.

Then there's Lydia's friend Anne Marie Roche. She and her adopted daughter, Ellen, have finally settled into a secure and happy routine—when a stranger appears asking questions.

Meanwhile, Lydia and her husband, Brad, have their hands full with the angry, defiant twelve-year-old who unexpectedly becomes their foster child….

But when your life—and your stitches—get snarled, your friends can always help!
(picture and description at amazon.com)

 
My other 1/2 book was one story in this collection called "The Twenty -First Wish."  It is a short story follow up to one of the characters in the Summer book.  I can't give it away or you'll know what happens!!!  Suffice it to say, this one was a quick read in just one morning and tied up loose ends from Summer that didn't really need a whole book.  
(picture at amazon.com)


Now I'm trying to decide what to read next.  Book Club is tonight, but we have already picked out one for October.  I try to read a non-Blossom Street book in between to spread out the joy so I'll have to see what I can pick off the library of my night stand.  Oh wait!!  I just remembered I pre-ordered Si-cology 1 and I'm getting it tomorrow!!!  THAT is what is next!  Quack! Quack!

O:)
Melissa

Rosemary Cottage, Book #32

Ahhh, this book I blew through so fast it was almost like a weekend trip to the beach.  It was full of romance, mystery, intrigue, sleuthing, fearful yet hopeful love, a cute little one year old, all in one sweet package at my favorite place on earth ..... the beach!!! This is the second in the Hope Beach series, set in Outer Banks, North Carolina.  I always love when authors tie in characters from other books in the series and you can see how things have progressed in their life since the last book left off.  

A must read for sure!!!


Amy came to Rosemary Cottage to grieve, to heal, maybe even find love. But there’s a deadly undertow of secrets around Hope Island . . .

The charming Rosemary Cottage on the beach offers Amy Lange respite she needs to mourn her brother, Ben. She’s even thinking of moving her midwife practice to the Outer Banks community. It’s always been a refuge for her and her family. She also wants to investigate Ben’s disappearance at sea. Everyone blames a surfing accident, but Amy has reason to wonder.

Coast Guard officer Curtis Ireland has lost a sibling too. His sister, Gina, was run down by a boat, leaving him to raise her infant daughter. If anyone knew who little Raine’s father was, Curtis could lose his beloved niece. Yet he can’t help being drawn to Hope Beach’s new midwife, Amy. He even agrees to help her investigate what happened to both Ben and Gina.

Can two grieving people with secrets find healing on beautiful Hope Island? Or will their quest for truth set them at odds with each other…and with those who will go to any length to keep hidden things hidden?  (picture and description found at amazon.com)

O:)
Melissa

Kids' Allowances : How Much, How Often, and How Come, Book #31

Ok, since I am being honest about sharing ALL the books I read this year, no matter what, I'll admit this one was also on my list.  Roger and I "read" this on our way to the beach back in July hoping to glean some valuable information.  Alas, we did not get the free workbook as this was purchased at the library used book sale for about 50 cents.  

This book is basically a fleshing out of a survey that was done by adults and kids about 14 or 15 years ago, divided into various areas like (1) how do you come up with the amounts? (2) how much allowance do you give? (3) how often do you give allowance? (4) what factors go into consideration, etc etc etc.  After that a few experts share what they think and then the author, David McCurrach, shares "Dave's Way."  
 
Unfortunately it did not answer or solve our allowance debate.  In one camp you have those who say, "give kids money with no strings attached and teach them how to handle it" whether it be an envelope system, various bank accounts, investments, or whatever.  We are not completely in that camp, although we do feel we need to teach them about money management.  In the other camp you have those who say allowance should be tied to chores, whether it be a blanket amount, or price per chore.  Here is my challenge with that.  First of all, I don't want to nickle and dime each thing around the house.  You also have to take into consideration not only was it done, but was it done well.  Is it the same amount no matter what?  Do different aged children get paid different amounts for the same job?  How do you keep track of all that?  Is it fair that only one child can iron clothes, clean bathrooms, etc because she is the oldest one? Also, we have made it quite clear that schoolwork is their job, LifeWay stuff is daddy's job, and house work is my job.  As a stay at home mom, I feel like it is my job to keep the house and all that goes along with it taken care of.  Yet, I want to teach my girls how to wash clothes, iron, dust, etc too.  

And then our heads start spinning and we drop the book and conversation and run away as fast as we can.  

However, our oldest child is at a point where she needs money.  I'd love for her to get some babysitting jobs or something so she can earn someone else's money and not mine, but that hasn't happened yet.  Even though the other two really have no need for extra money, no item they are dreaming off, saving up for, etc (except hot chocolate at the World Cafe at church) does that mean they shouldn't get any money?  And with the times the way they are, apparently 50 cents isn't enough for drying dishes and putting them away one night.  They don't see the cost/benefit worth it.  

Wait, run away fast again ......

And here we sit.  

Maybe if you are interested you could borrow this book from me, or find one for yourself at a used book sale.  Maybe you will have more luck with it.  

O:)
Melissa