Christian fiction writer extraordinaire Angela Hunt lists "Alias Addicts" as one of her favorite links on her blog and for a couple of years I've wanted to check it out. I know, I'm way behind the times. I don't usually watch tv and am hopelessly out of the "what's popular" loop.
Well, my husband,the boys and I were in Best Buy browsing the dvd's and I talked them into getting the first season of Alias. The men were pretty skeptical- sure that it was going to be too "chickflick" for them, but generously deferred to my earnest pleading and promises that Angela Hunt would not steer them wrong.
So now we are on season four with season five waiting in the wings. We have enjoyed the plot twists and nail biting action along with the great cast with special appearances by stars like Lena Olin,Roger Moore, and Isabella Rossellini. How fun is that?
As a result of all this Alias watching I got to thinking about how when we come to know Jesus as lord and savior the Bible says that we become "new creatures in Christ,old things are passed away;behold all things are become new".
It's like being in God's witness protection program. We get a new identity in Christ and a clean slate. Sins are forgiven and we have a new job description as a follower of Jesus Christ.
Now that's really cool.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Restored!
My husband David and I got back from Cabo on Friday. It was our annual "get away from winter and clients" vacation. This time we traveled to a resort called the Bonita Pacifica which was advertised as a holistic resort with a great spa, organic food, and yoga on the beach (for me).
I brought along some yarn, an unfinished crocheted sun hat,yoga clothes and Sharon Hinck's book The Restorer.
When I go to these places I always feel a bit awkward. I know people who would be right at home in the world of luxury vacationsl, but not me. I'm sure if anyone is reading this you are feeling sorry for me right now... But really, this is the tie- in to Sharon's book. It's about a mom like me who feels like a fish out of water in an alternate universe- i.e. me at the pool in a goofy bathing suit-my big splurge custom one didn't get ordered in time (my fault). What I love about Sharon's main character Susan is that I can relate so much to her desire to do something meaningful with her life when my own everyday job description of wife and mother can seem small and my performance even smaller. Susan fights powers and principalities that she didn't even know existed and in spite of her foibles becomes more than a conqueror through Christ.
I flew back to St.Louis restored.
I brought along some yarn, an unfinished crocheted sun hat,yoga clothes and Sharon Hinck's book The Restorer.
When I go to these places I always feel a bit awkward. I know people who would be right at home in the world of luxury vacationsl, but not me. I'm sure if anyone is reading this you are feeling sorry for me right now... But really, this is the tie- in to Sharon's book. It's about a mom like me who feels like a fish out of water in an alternate universe- i.e. me at the pool in a goofy bathing suit-my big splurge custom one didn't get ordered in time (my fault). What I love about Sharon's main character Susan is that I can relate so much to her desire to do something meaningful with her life when my own everyday job description of wife and mother can seem small and my performance even smaller. Susan fights powers and principalities that she didn't even know existed and in spite of her foibles becomes more than a conqueror through Christ.
I flew back to St.Louis restored.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Max
Twelve years ago my husband brought a puppy home in a box. He had stopped to visit a family in his senatorial district who operated a hog farm and as God's timing would have it, the cutest litter of border collie pups had just been weaned and David was kindly offered the pick of the litter.
We had four children under age six at the time(and one on the way) the last thing I needed was a puppy to train, but too late, we lost our hearts to the adorable ball of black fluff with the white markings which made him look like a tiny skunk.
Two thousand dollars worth of training later he was obeying me as the alpha dog- translation: the primary care giver while my husband was away four days a week making laws. That is, he obeyed when I was looking.
Well, you can take the dog away from the farm but you can't take the farm out of the dog, and if Max had a theme song, it would have been "The Wanderer". He loved to explore and his adventures brought him to the pound on at least two occasions. Max taught me the importance of name tags and proper ID at all times. The dog officers loved Max and he was given the run of the place until I wearily came to pick him up and pay the fine. The chief officer even offered to adopt him. I often wondered if I had made a mistake in not letting go of the dog whose middle name was trouble when the opportunity arose.
But I couldn't.
Yesterday Sam and Jon-now fifteen, and Joshua eleven, were outside playing basketball and Max decided to wander off one last time. He strolled down our street and around the corner. A neighbor called to let us know he was there and the boys went to retrieve him. But this time he couldn't make it home. His heart was failing.
David and I rushed him to the veterinary clinic and waited. The doctor said it wasn't good, that Max seemed to be indicating that he'd had enough.
This time I had to let him go.
We had four children under age six at the time(and one on the way) the last thing I needed was a puppy to train, but too late, we lost our hearts to the adorable ball of black fluff with the white markings which made him look like a tiny skunk.
Two thousand dollars worth of training later he was obeying me as the alpha dog- translation: the primary care giver while my husband was away four days a week making laws. That is, he obeyed when I was looking.
Well, you can take the dog away from the farm but you can't take the farm out of the dog, and if Max had a theme song, it would have been "The Wanderer". He loved to explore and his adventures brought him to the pound on at least two occasions. Max taught me the importance of name tags and proper ID at all times. The dog officers loved Max and he was given the run of the place until I wearily came to pick him up and pay the fine. The chief officer even offered to adopt him. I often wondered if I had made a mistake in not letting go of the dog whose middle name was trouble when the opportunity arose.
But I couldn't.
Yesterday Sam and Jon-now fifteen, and Joshua eleven, were outside playing basketball and Max decided to wander off one last time. He strolled down our street and around the corner. A neighbor called to let us know he was there and the boys went to retrieve him. But this time he couldn't make it home. His heart was failing.
David and I rushed him to the veterinary clinic and waited. The doctor said it wasn't good, that Max seemed to be indicating that he'd had enough.
This time I had to let him go.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Taming Rafe Blog Tour
Susan May Warren dishes up some old fashioned, diner-sized portions of inspiration- with a side of bronco-riding suspense and an nice slow trail ride of romance for dessert in her new book, Taming Rafe, the second in the Noble Legacy series.
As a new-comer to the Western Romance genre, I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was surprised to find myself engrossed in the life of Katherine Breckenridge, heiress to a hotel fortune, and her quest to discover her true identity and her purpose here on earth. I found myself caring about the cast of characters, each having their own secrets and past demons to banish from the plains of their souls. Which brings me to the title character, Rafe Noble, a down on his luck rodeo champion who looks like heaven but smells like trouble- or is it the other way around? Never mind, as I'm sure you can tell, this book transported me from my suburban St.Louis domocile to the dude ranch of my dreams.
Are you tempted yet? If you like stories about second chances and characters that you would like to have as your friends then put the tea kettle on and cozy up in your favorite comfy chair and prepare to get in touch with your inner-cowgirl. I did.
As a new-comer to the Western Romance genre, I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was surprised to find myself engrossed in the life of Katherine Breckenridge, heiress to a hotel fortune, and her quest to discover her true identity and her purpose here on earth. I found myself caring about the cast of characters, each having their own secrets and past demons to banish from the plains of their souls. Which brings me to the title character, Rafe Noble, a down on his luck rodeo champion who looks like heaven but smells like trouble- or is it the other way around? Never mind, as I'm sure you can tell, this book transported me from my suburban St.Louis domocile to the dude ranch of my dreams.
Are you tempted yet? If you like stories about second chances and characters that you would like to have as your friends then put the tea kettle on and cozy up in your favorite comfy chair and prepare to get in touch with your inner-cowgirl. I did.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Fasting and Prayer
My life is at a crossroad of sorts. My book project has stalled. I'm wondering if I should give up. It's okay if I do, but I'm trying to get to the bottom of the "Why". The who am I- what am I- of it all. In other words, what are my motives? So I've been doing a fast to clear out the cobwebs. I'm a juice and soup faster and for this carb-especially-chocolate-loving girl, it's a struggle... did I mention my caffeine headache? The green tea isn't cutting it. My body's resistance and protests tell me that my dependency, though on the Lord, gets a major boost from refined sugar and my beloved coffee.
So after two days where am I? In the thick of it- the place where I'm listening to the sermons on the tongue amongst other things, and getting convicted all over the place. But I am feeling God's love, grace and mercy. If I didn't know that He loved me first, I couldn't even face myself, and this fast-small as it is - would be just empty religion.
My conclusion, corny as this may sound, is that I'm going to let Jesus take the wheel.
So after two days where am I? In the thick of it- the place where I'm listening to the sermons on the tongue amongst other things, and getting convicted all over the place. But I am feeling God's love, grace and mercy. If I didn't know that He loved me first, I couldn't even face myself, and this fast-small as it is - would be just empty religion.
My conclusion, corny as this may sound, is that I'm going to let Jesus take the wheel.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Speaking Out of Turn
Can you imagine no love, pride, deep fried chicken
Your best friend always sticking up for you even when I know you're wrong- Train
Sometimes you just need somebody to believe in you. Even when you're wrong.
I'm wrong a lot, but I'm passionate about it. Sometimes I get this knee-jerk thing that happens when one of my six or seven hot buttons gets pushed and before I know it I am launching off an opinion that can clear a room. Once when I was campaigning for my husband's first senate race I was explaining the importance of bumper stickers to a group of homeschoolers and in the middle of my speel they just turned around and walked away. Well not everyone- but one or two...
I've been banned from a lovely bed and breakfast in Kennebunkport Maine- only kidding- but if the owners had been privy to the conversation at our table it would have been curtains for me. My husband the lawyer-lobbyist-former senator- said that he thought it was refreshing to be the one that people liked.
Of course I hate myself afterwards but there you have it- the reason that I will never run for public office. One of them anyway.
Your best friend always sticking up for you even when I know you're wrong- Train
Sometimes you just need somebody to believe in you. Even when you're wrong.
I'm wrong a lot, but I'm passionate about it. Sometimes I get this knee-jerk thing that happens when one of my six or seven hot buttons gets pushed and before I know it I am launching off an opinion that can clear a room. Once when I was campaigning for my husband's first senate race I was explaining the importance of bumper stickers to a group of homeschoolers and in the middle of my speel they just turned around and walked away. Well not everyone- but one or two...
I've been banned from a lovely bed and breakfast in Kennebunkport Maine- only kidding- but if the owners had been privy to the conversation at our table it would have been curtains for me. My husband the lawyer-lobbyist-former senator- said that he thought it was refreshing to be the one that people liked.
Of course I hate myself afterwards but there you have it- the reason that I will never run for public office. One of them anyway.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Tin Men
"Oz didn't give nothing to the tin man, that he didn't, didn't already have." -Dewey Bunnell
The Wizard of Oz was on the other night and it triggered memories for my husband.
David played the Cowardly Lion in his sixth grade production of the Wizard of Oz. He was a precocious boy, the kind of kid that C.S. Lewis was, the kind that people wanted to "wipe that look off his face". Giving David that part allowed him to throw his energy into a wildly popular character and perform with raucous abandon. Our neighbor, Ann, was cast as the Scarecrow and a boy who I never met was the Tin Man.
The Tin Man boy had some problems and was teased by some of his classmates. I'm sure his life had happy moments along with the sad, as we all do, but at some point later on in his adult life he committed suicide.
I wonder how many Tin Men out there need to know that they are loved for who they are. I pray- Jesus make it real. Make love real.
We're all tin men.
The Wizard of Oz was on the other night and it triggered memories for my husband.
David played the Cowardly Lion in his sixth grade production of the Wizard of Oz. He was a precocious boy, the kind of kid that C.S. Lewis was, the kind that people wanted to "wipe that look off his face". Giving David that part allowed him to throw his energy into a wildly popular character and perform with raucous abandon. Our neighbor, Ann, was cast as the Scarecrow and a boy who I never met was the Tin Man.
The Tin Man boy had some problems and was teased by some of his classmates. I'm sure his life had happy moments along with the sad, as we all do, but at some point later on in his adult life he committed suicide.
I wonder how many Tin Men out there need to know that they are loved for who they are. I pray- Jesus make it real. Make love real.
We're all tin men.
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