Ruth Ann Lingwall's Blog

The Quest for Truth

An old post I wrote before my blog was up and ready to go:

Truth is a virtue that has been valued by many people. Perhaps it is valued highly because it is a constant in an unpredictable world or that truthful communications can prevent misunderstandings and pain.  In our time, though, we see evidence of many people without integrity seeking advantage over others. Thus it is beneficial to question if there is ever a time for dishonesty and with whom would you choose to be less than honest.

As I pondered this idea, I remembered Captain Moroni in the Book of Mormon. He was a man of truth yet he was not afraid to use stratagem, a plan or scheme for deceiving an enemy, in war to protect his people and take back their cities and captured people. The case of sending wine to the Lamanites so they would sleep, be easily surrounded in the night, and the prisoners armed was particularly interesting. A man was sent to bring them wine who was truly a Lamanite. Yet they were not truthful (but this occurs to me that a wise man like Captain Moroni probably did have his soldiers go to bed early so they could be rested for the conflict to come and awaken them at just the right time as the spies could let them know how close the enemy was to falling in a drunken stupor) when they told the Lamanite guards Moroni’s army was all sleeping. Stratagem seems to be a regular tactic in war so should not be entirely unexpected from an enemy. I think Captain Moroni is especially justified in this instance because he had recently tried to openly exchange prisoners with their enemies and, as Moroni writes afterwards, the Lamanite king was seeking to deceive everyone about his reasons for war. In conclusion, when dealing with enemies it is good strategy to use some of the same tactics your enemy does so that you are fighting on more equal ground (especially when defending family and freedom).

But how do we respond in situations that test our honesty when we are not dealing with an enemy but with loved ones? It may help to take a deeper look at the different meanings of the word dishonesty. I believe there is never a reason to cheat or betray. Violating trust will lead to distrust which can deeply harm a relationship. Deceit is another definition of dishonesty that means seeking to conceal or misrepresent the truth. Deceit could be mistaken or confused for tact: the skill of knowing how to deal with others and not offend. In an attempt to not offend or anger a loved one, I have, in the past, misrepresented my own feelings. I’ve realized this dishonesty actually hurts others because not acknowledging my own motives or needs misleads them to feel they are the only one hurting or seeking improvement. As I have tried to be more honest in a loving way and taking responsibility for my mistakes, I have found that even though things can be temporarily painful the relationship can grow much more. I still am uncertain though how the truth would have been received in the past and realize that learning new communication skills opened the way to speaking the truth in love. I believe that with love and prayer questions on how to proceed in truth with loved ones can be resolved well.

Of all the people we interact with the one we should never be dishonest with, besides God, is ourselves. For how can we be truly honest with others if we do not even know our own minds, emotions, or motives? The search to discover who we truly are and become courageously truthful with ourselves may be one of our greatest quests in life. I don’t mean to imply only looking out for our own interests and desires but searching for that divine spark, that higher self who is who we really are and really can become. In finding this truth we are freed to serve God and others with our whole selves.

Delving into the meanings of dishonesty has led me to inquire what truth means to me. I believe truth is one of the principle virtues and one should never deviate from it lightly. The safety of our families and our freedoms may at times be more important than wanting to not deceive or mislead an enemy but at other times truth may be exactly what is needed. The words of William Faulkner have moved me to recommit to courageous defense of all virtues while standing in the truth of my convictions: “Never be afraid to raise your voice for honesty and truth and compassion against injustice and lying and greed. If people all over the world…would do this, it would change the earth.”

Content The Quest for Truth was first on Book of Ruth Ann.

Hydroxychloriquine as New Info Shows Useful For Multiple Treatments (Opinion)

Wow! This video, Glycobiology of Hydroxychloriquine, was more interesting than I thought it would be.

So here are a few things I got out of this video. I encourage you to watch it too!

Alkaline stops virus replication in cells so I am thinking a more alkaline or balanced ph diet may be beneficial to people in an illness in general. I wonder if those already following an alkaline diet or who were finished with a diet of that type (reduces risk of cancer according to certain experts) experienced less symptoms of covid?! I found that when I had what I now think was the coronavirus that it was helpful to eat certain foods and herbs to heal faster but some of our people needed a stronger antiviral herbal treatment the male half of the parenthood was discovering beneficial to be able to breath easier and heal.

Hydroxychloriquine enables zinc to enter cells which is one treatment (zinc) I also used in February last year with some elderberry zinc lozenges but had forgotten about these until now. Funny how writing things out can bring things back to mind and that God helped me find these discs (rolled up like a pack of Life Savers candies) before we needed them at Sprouts Farmers Market (I don’t shop there anymore because of their antimedical freedom mask policy).

In this video I learned that it is impossible to create a vaccine that prevents infection as it just lowers symptoms which is similar to what I’ve heard about other vaccines where they lower the immune system response so you don’t see the symptoms while the disease has a chance to remain (possibly indefinitely).

Fauci owns a patent on Moderna vaccine so taking his recommendations with a grain of salt is wise and I still want to see him working in an outdoor office setting to set a good non-hypocritical example!

As an antimilarial drug (#hydroxychloriquine), I wonder if it would also be effective against Zika as well. I am curious too, as it strips the glucose receptors from the cell (I believe), then would it be useful in smaller doses like occur in seltzer water as a diabetes treatment?!

#covid19treatments #health

Content Hydroxychloriquine as New Info Shows Useful For Multiple Treatments (Opinion) was first on Book of Ruth Ann.

Big Brother’s World

Excerpt from article

“…we’re in the early stages of a voice-profiling revolution that companies see as integral to the future of marketing. …marketers say they are on the verge of being able to use AI-assisted vocal analysis technology to achieve unprecedented insights into shoppers’ identities and inclinations.” (I though this said locations not inclinations) “…to buy more expensive versions of the goods they’re considering.”

Opinion

I didn’t like the idea of being manipulated into buying more than I need nor having my personal info updated for me constantly without being aware or giving constant consent. The new Privacy Policies for many tech companies is shocking.

Excerpts

“…makes it nearly impossible for people to hide their feelings or evade [giving away] their identities.”

“…’appear’ to be doing little voice analysis on those devices.”

“…which claims to know the emotions you’re conveying.”

“The company assures customers it doesn’t use Halo data for its own purposes.” (Then for whose purposes? Bilderberg or the ‘more secret’ organization?!)

“…will be able to compare life patterns, such as when and how long family members eat meals, how long the children watch television and when electronic game devices are working — and then have the system suggest better eating schedules for the kids, or offer to control their TV viewing and game playing.”

Opinion

I was surprised by some of the ways voice profiling can influence our lives by limiting our job searches, financial profiling and debt collection, in the workplace, and even the ability to get a reservation at a fancy restaurant. Could voice profiling discriminate against us determining our expected weight, appearance, race, income, religion, sexual preference, and more?

Content Big Brother’s World was first on Book of Ruth Ann.

My Vision of Where America is Now Headed

Biden’s new American Families Plan that he showed on Wednesday is nothing new. This plan has been in the works for years and still has more to unveil as we get used to this new form of manipulation and force. This began years ago with Early Childhood Education which was begun as an experiment and slowly has been inching into education and family lives ‘showing’ us that experts are ‘better trained’ at taking care of young children so we have to begin early removing them from their mothers with preschool, day care, and all day kindergarten. Eventually the plan will be to remove them all together as they did in Sparta to put them in ‘professional hands’ instead of flawed parental ones. Of course, we won’t talk about the fact that the family is a divinely authored institution by God with parents officially given the responsibility and joy of raising their children themselves with God’s help inspiring them individually how to best raise their children. Must we say that only professionals are capable?! But what about the misuse of children in schools and day care that is largely hidden from our eyes by the news media for a secret agenda?! Aren’t children safer in a smaller environment with one-on-one care by those who love them?

I’ll be frank. I don’t think it is an accident that parents are seeing more dystopian literature in the market place. God can inspire whatever field He needs to to give us warning about things to come. As I mentioned in the blog post last year, Mud River Weddings, God can inspire writers to write about certain topics or include unexpected details in just the right timing, like about a previous pandemic, without realizing this. I noticed this as I read several new books in 2020!! In my thinking, we’ll eventually also head toward communal kitchens too as professionals ‘know nutrition and health better’ than the usual cook though in my experience, with genetic testing, nutrition needs an individual approach because not everyone has the genetic capacity to digest the same foods. It seems a little silly to state that there will be communal kitchens but it could happen easily with the last decade’s push for centralized smaller communities with no traveling necessary which makes it easier to control the populace and harder to escape the city in the case of a foreign invasion or natural disaster. I wonder at times why the nutritional specialists don’t understand that fats are essential to digesting fruits and vegetables and for the healthy maintenance and development of the neurological system, brain, and gut. If we are so much in need of forced help professionally why is the sugar industry not regulated and people forced to decrease unhealthy foods like overloaded sugar drinks and peanut butter or egg whites which are highly allergic to contact for other people in public?! Maybe vaccines are the cause of this increased allergens to peanuts and egg whites because they are, or were, ingredients in the vaccines. What about the human baby cells that were murdered for vaccine development (called fetal cells usually)?! Could they be causing unknown neurological disease just as was caused in Mad Cow disease when cows were fed parts of other deceased cattle?! Fertility seems to be declining too as the amount and number of vaccines increase. Perhaps the HPV vaccine is the worst with different reports and studies from around the world with new strange effects, fertility problems, severe pain and mental disability afterwards. I feel vaccine use, like food and child raising, should be decided on carefully after much study from a variety of sources including the government’s research study site PubMed and VAERS, with looking to God to direct our search and find individual answers through prayer.

The plan comes amid both a period of historically low fertility and a pandemic that has launched shockwaves through federal and local economies. Low birth rates could portend future challenges, perhaps serious, for the economy, schools, social safety-net programs and even personal wealth, which depends on factors like the housing market. Experts have different ideas on what’s driving decreased fertility, but there’s considerable agreement that lack of confidence in the ability to afford raising children is one factor. “…other parts of his agenda, like his push to spend billions more on child care, will make it less likely that parents spend time with their kids … and more likely that they are at work. That’s workist. (It) would be better to just give all the billions he’s proposing for child care to families directly and let them choose how to best raise their kids.” https://www.deseret.com/2021/4/27/224...

I agree that money should be given to families directly or, better yet, not withdrawn from their pay checks in the form of high taxes. Unfortunately there is a current trend to look at ways to lower the tax credits for lower and middle class individuals through capping child tax credits, at perhaps only three children, and lowering and dismissing charitable funds donations like tithing, as mentioned in the previous post, to prevent churches from having enough funds to expand and help people charitably instead of relying on government handouts. Really, the best solution is, as always, individual care for their own families, relatives, friends, and neighbors, and then looking toward helping their larger community or global efforts to improve people’s conditions. I prefer giving usually through my church as their stated purpose, in essence, is to help people up but not keep them in poverty and dependence on others.

Content My Vision of Where America is Now Headed was first on Book of Ruth Ann.

Faith Under Attack in America and the World

Excerpts from a news article:

In some countries, unpopular faith groups were blamed for the spread of the virus or required to abide by especially harsh gathering restrictions

Most notably, China has shared its advanced surveillance technologies with other governments, making it easier for nations to track and interfere with religious activities.

If America drops the ball on defending the freedom of belief, millions of people will suffer, commissioners said.

Opinion

I’m seeing a huge increase in religious persecution in the United States as well. It may not be apparent if we just look at each piece individually and not as an aggregate but it is increasing rapidly and will become a huge deal with this new presidential administration because the rights of religious people “infringe on the rights of those who want to sin” like with the new executive order surrounding lgbtq+ rights over those of religious people. To make a person’s beliefs and faith a crime is inexcusably persecutive!!

We can still love those who don’t have the same beliefs or act out on things that are results of trauma or sin but don’t have to agree with whether the actions are acceptable. To change thousands of years of beliefs and now say they are wrong is destroying an important culture. How can we stand by and let this important culture be hidden with the ten commandments removed from the public square, statues destroyed by ‘justly angry and destructive’ ‘coincidental’ mobs, God removed from the national anthem or from the pledge of allegiance and from public places like schools and court rooms, prayer discouraged and frowned on (watch out for the lion’s dens!), and history modified to suit an agenda that brings godlessness into the foreground instead of being seen as the Foundation of our Liberties, Country, Laws, and Constitution.

If you want to live in a godless society, stand by and let religious exemptions to vaccines be removed as your faith and religious experience is defined for you, don’t speak up as the charity donation deductions are lowered until the tithing seems like it isn’t worth paying to those on the borderline of serving God in this way, hide from the lgbtq police and don’t speak up about your faith deserving protection from ‘hate crimes’, let others remove your type of feelings as you hide in shame for the “destructive way you supposedly treat others because as a group our hearts are known but not individually unless you are a protected ‘minority'”, let family rights be undermined as the roles of men and women are demeaned in the church, stage, television, news outlets, and public life! We cannot remain silent nor ignorant of this trend in our world.

Note: The unprecedented media attack in the last two years on churches where their pastors, these are very few, have misspent tithing income from their congregation members, is just a beginning toward the demise of the charity deductions in income taxes. Unfortunately, there will be always some corruption in whatever industry but so far there has not been a widespread attempt to correct this. Congressional misuse of funds from donors has not lead in most cases to recall, disbarment of lawyers is rare, the pharmaceutical industry has been exempt for years from being sued and paying out for known damages according to the act of Congress in 1986 that limited their liability and made taxpayers liable for the payouts instead, and few if ever get to be seen by the vaccine court so it should be seen that there is a real need to revamp a total government and medical industry wide change if the call for tithing and charity donation reform begins. Let’s start with the top and go down from there.

As this article states, there is a movement not just to keep us from worshipping as groups in churches and temples (because online tends to reduce numbers of attendance), but to track and work on improving how to infringe on religious freedom because those with faith fight in ways to keep their other rights and not let governments nor world organizations overtake them and undermine the entire fabric of society.

Religious freedom is important and without it people are thrown in jail, stripped of their rights as citizens, forced to serve in the military in whatever capacity even as “human shields”, children removed from their families, and even death sentences enacted. My Bishop comes from a country where the Biden administration recently acknowledged that genicide was enacted on a certain population. Fortunately, for his family, they were able to come to the United States and practice their religion here. It cannot be stated enough: every religious person needs to be on the lookout for persecution and be willing and actively doing something to curb it or we will be facing eventually more legislative restrictions and even mobs like the Ku Klux Klan. No more can we let God be thrown under the table but place our faith to the test and be courageous in defending our right to actively and publicly believe in Him as we do this with love for those who do not.

One last item, letting those who do not believe slap us in the face with you are not “loving one another” or practicing christian charity if you believe the commandments and teach them or do something as God showed you to is a horrific injustice to ourselves. We can love and be tolerant but not condone and we can be loved and tolerated by those who choose to think and act a different way than we do. We can love and draw the line. We can allow others the freedom to choose their actions and receive the consequences just as we allow ourselves the same privilege to choose and accept divine consequences. It’s impossible to allow someone to touch a hot stove and say they won’t be burned. There are universal truths, like the sun rises each day and that light overcomes darkness, that do not change. Truth is eternal and God can help us know it through prayer, love it, and defend it!

#religion #religious #religiousfreedom #religiousrights #righttobelieve #righttopray #familyrights #family #Jesus #JeusChrist #God #Godisgood #newwayofseeingthings

Content Faith Under Attack in America and the World was first on Book of Ruth Ann.

Blog Tour with Giveaway: Bookers on the Rocks by Chautona Havig

Book: Bookers on the RocksSeries: Independence Islands Series #7Author: Chautona HavigGenre: Christian Contemporary Romance

 

If it ain’t broke, why’s she so intent on fixing it?

Tessa Booker hates romance.

For twenty-five years, Tessa Booker has insisted that romance is something Hollywood cooked up to sell books and movies. Yes, she knows the word existed before movies. She doesn’t care. That’s her story, and she’s sticking to it.

So when Ross gets a gentle nudge from Mallory Barrows to look into what Tessa’s doing every day while he’s at work, he discovers a romance in the works–one that sounds a little too “ripped from the pages” of his life!

Who is this woman, and what has she done with his wife?

Armed with advice from 101 Ways to Romance Your Wife and a copy of the manuscript he printed while she was napping, he’s determined to figure out what’s up with his wife… and if maybe a little romance wouldn’t be a good thing after all.

In a twist of the “on the rocks trope,” this book introduces the next island in the Independence Islands Series featuring five islands, six authors, and a boatload of happily-ever-afters.

The Independence Islands Series: beach reads aren’t just for summer anymore.

My Review

It was not easy to enjoy this book at first because I was too much in the feeling that it struck to close to home. It was going to be hard to continue but I had really enjoyed Chautona Havig’s other books I reviewed before so kept with the book and because I had promised to review this one in the tour.

Timing this with heaven’s aid was interesting as I have been feeling like the end of my marriage was perhaps in part my fault but seeing the truth more in reading Bookers on the Rocks that there wasn’t much I could do to prevent someone else’s choices from ending a marriage in divorce. I loved that this story began in pain for Tessa but through God’s help she was able to work out a solution in an unexpected and fun manner.

*I want you to realize this was not my intention to write more about my own situation but felt that if I had written about mine before in too nice of a light glossing over the pain in my own heart and on the written page that perhaps it still needs some attending to fix the wrong that I portrayed as good. I won’t say more until later if it feels like there is a good change that can be shared.

I would suggest starting this series from the beginning. There is an interesting romance that starts this book in the first chapters and ends this in the epilogue but it doesn’t seem to begin with book seven so I am quite curious to see how those two began to care for each other. It also introduces another romance that will be fun to read in a future book in the series.

“I wouldn’t have divorced him—ever.”

If you want to see more of this book’s quotes (I included the previous one as it really matched my situation and feelings), I am including them after this review this time instead of during! This was delightful to see how sweetly the marriage relationship was saved. I believe this is possible in all times if both people are willing to include God in their lives and seek his help in saving their relationship. I want to recommend any of Chatona’s books as they are filled with light and understanding!

I received a free copy of this book. All opinions are completely my own.

~*~

Get a copy of Bookers on the Rocks:
* Alibris * Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo * Walmart * Google Play

About the Author

Chautona Havig lives in an oxymoron, escapes into imaginary worlds that look startlingly similar to ours and writes the stories that emerge. An irrepressible optimist, Chautona sees everything through a kaleidoscope of It’s a Wonderful Life sprinkled with fairy tales. Find her at chautona.com and say howdy—if you can remember how to spell her name.

You can follow Chautona Havig here:
* Website * Book Trailer * Goodreads * Facebook * YouTube * Twitter * Instagram * BookBub * Pinterest

More from ChautonaWho Needs Romance? My Marriage Is Great as It Is!

Writing a book about a couple who are in love, devoted to each other, and don’t have marriage problems is… challenging. Let’s face it. Most books about married couples, especially ones “on the rocks,” are going to have fights, an affair (at least of the emotional variety), or some big thing threatening to send them straight to divorce court.

Mine doesn’t.

In fact, Bookers on the Rocks shows what happens when couples become too comfortable in their routines—so comfortable, in fact, that they become blind to each other’s needs. If you asked Tessa Booker if anything is wrong in her marriage, she’d say no. If you asked her if she wanted anything different, she’d say no. The age old, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mentality.

Still, if you look at stories in Scripture, you see deep love and even romance in some places. Elkanah, who loved his wife enough to say, “Am I not more to you than ten sons?” Jacob who worked fourteen years to marry the woman he loved. Solomon and his love for the Shulamite woman. While the first two do not make me squirm, Solomon does. That book… oh, that book.

What I think Song of Solomon does is remind us of the Lord’s wooing of His people and how invested the Shulamite woman was in being delighted in her beloved—in all of him. If that isn’t a picture of how we should devote ourselves to our Lord, I don’t know what is.

In Bookers on the Rocks, I explore the possibility that those of us who aren’t naturally romantic might just be missing a vital ingredient in our marriages. A body can look and feel perfectly healthy for years—even decades. But if some essential nutrient is missing in a person’s diet, eventually that body will show it in some way. A lack of calcium can create brittle bones. No one sees the problem until a slight stumble turns into a nasty break.

Did it change how I view my marriage? No… not yet. Then again, yes it did, too. I’m more… aware of what is going on in my marriage these days. I doubt candlelight and roses will ever become a thing in our relationship, but translating what romance might mean and look like to my husband has become something I do think about from time to time. That probably means more Wienerschnitzel and less broccoli, but hey. He did a lot of dishes, dinner, and diapers (my perfect three Ds of romance) when our kids were small. I can endure a hot dog or three thousand, right?

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 10

Livin’ Lit, February 10

lakesidelivingsite, February 11

Sara Jane Jacobs, February 11

She Lives to Read, February 12

Texas Book-aholic, February 12

Book of Ruth Ann, February 12

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, February 13

Rebekah Reads, February 13

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 14

Batya’s Bits , February 14

Inklings and notions, February 15

Simple Harvest Reads, February 15 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, February 16

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, February 16

Robin’s Nest, February 16

Lots of Helpers, February 17

Mypreciousbitsandmusings, February 17

Splashes of Joy, February 18

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, February 18

Artistic Nobody, February 19 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, February 19

For Him and My Family, February 20

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, February 20

CarpeDiem, February 20

deb’s Book Review, February 21

Connect in Fiction, February 21

Locks, Hooks and Books, February 22

Blogging With Carol, February 22

Blossoms and Blessings, February 23

Godly Book Reviews, February 23

Pause for Tales, February 23

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Chautona is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click this link to enter.

Content Blog Tour with Giveaway: Bookers on the Rocks by Chautona Havig was first on Book of Ruth Ann.

Blog Tour with Giveaway: Veiled Sun by Brett Armstrong

Book: Veiled SunAuthor: Brett ArmstrongGenre: Christian Dystopian, Sci-Fi

 

AD 2040: Every day the world slips further into lies. Seventeen-year-old Elliott knows that better than most. Project Alexandria is rewriting history, shaping the world according to sinister goals. To stop it, Elliott must assemble the “Veiled Sun”, a secret program written by his grandfather. The only people he can count on are siegers—outlaws who use their coding skills for purposes almost as nefarious as Project Alexandria. Overcoming the schemes and betrayals all around him, he’s the world’s best hope to save reality, if he doesn’t lose hold of it himself.

My Review

I was intrigued by the dystopian topic of this novel. As a homeschooling mother of seven kids, I’ve noticed some changes in the way history is taught and certain events elevated while others are left out. It was fun to see if there would be much history included in the novel. I wondered if this is what we can expect in the near future.

God cannot alter the past, though historians can.
Samuel Butler

The one problem in this book though is that there wasn’t any cool history info but employs several disjointed ways of moving the plot forward. It felt like it’s an attempt at making a clean christian novel without the real sense of why we worship God. The underlying ‘sense’ of sexual excitement in some places is more than would be expected from this genre in my mind but it is a clean read.

I think reading the first book, Day Moon, before this one would make Veiled Sun easier to understand as there seem to be gaps in the plot info at times. This seemed to me apparent as characters were barely introduced before the action began. It does have potential though with the interesting twist on a future dystopian society.

Some interesting elements were the inclusion of references to popular media. I did notice one reference to a military FBI nonfiction exposé book with new age strategies called Men Who Stare at Goats that is an interesting and terrifying read. If you have a love for things like The Matrix, Narnia, and futuristic sci-fi then this might be a good book for you to read.

I received a free copy of this book. All opinions are completely my own.

~*~

Get a copy of Veiled Sun:
* Alibris * Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Walmart

About the Author

Brett Armstrong has been exploring other worlds as a writer since age nine. Years later, he still writes, but now invites others along on his excursions. He’s shown readers hauntingly sorrowful historical fiction (Destitutio Quod Remissio), scary-real dystopian sci-fi (Day Moon and Veiled Sun), and dark, sweeping epic fantasy (Quest of Fire). Where he heads next is as much a discovery for him as readers. Through dark, despair, light, joy, and everything in between, the end is always meant to leave his fellow literary explorers with wonder and hope.

You can follow Brett Armstrong here:
* Website * Goodreads * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * BookBub * Pinterest

More from Brett

In the near-future world of Veiled Sun, reality is an endangered species. The erosion of confidence in traditional sources of undisputed truth–media, government, academia and science, religion, family, and friends—forces continual skepticism and self-reliance. At the same time, technology is making it more and more possible to “escape” reality. Virtual reality allows us to trick our minds into thinking we’ve literally stepped into another world and augmented reality brings elements of other worlds into our own. Deep Fake is even offering the ability to change past realities by manipulating audio and video recordings in ways our minds can’t distinguish from the real thing.

1 Corinthians 13 is one of my favorite passages of Scripture and verse twelve is probably one of the clearest places to see a sentiment key to the series:

“For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, as I am fully known.”

Veiled Sun follows a teen who knows that reality is being tampered with for nefarious purposes. More important he also sees beyond the physical reality to the spiritual while handling an attack on both. Believers need to be firmly grounded in their faith in a world that increasingly muddles the lines between real and not real, truth and falsehood. There’s research that suggests our brains interpret what we read in the same way as lived experiences. So, in a sense GK Chesterton and others were right when they told us long ago that what we read becomes a part of us. My hope is readers will be better prepared to weather the storms that will come against their faith and hold onto the Truth even as truth is increasingly difficult to discern from fiction.

Blog Stops

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, January 14

Texas Book-aholic, January 15

Wishful Endings, January 16 (Author Interview)

Sara Jane Jacobs, January 16

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 17

For Him and My Family, January 18

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 19

deb’s Book Review, January 20

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, January 21

Inklings and notions, January 22

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 23

Blogging With Carol, January 24

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, January 24

Artistic Nobody, January 25 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

Book of Ruth Ann, January 26

Simple Harvest Reads, January 27 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Brett is giving away the grand prize package of a gift basket consisting of a signed copy of each book, book swag (including specially made bookmarks, story excerpt crafts, and character cards), and a $10 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click this link to enter.

Content Blog Tour with Giveaway: Veiled Sun by Brett Armstrong was first on Book of Ruth Ann.

Further Update on my Situation

I am writing more of what happened as I now need to be seen as capable to meet my own needs to care for my health and life properly and for my kids since my “spouse” has served me with divorce papers to take away all I own (my children primarily and of course the house and any money of ours) and is seeking legal guardianship over me to have me permanently (perhaps) committed to a long-term mental health facility.

This quote below from my religious leaders upholds my belief that I can pray and receive guidance (through hearing God) on whether I should take certain meds or seek other help like nutrition and relaxation in a safe environment instead. I was able to leave all the hospitals except the first E.R. without medicines.  I received a shot there of Zyprexa by force and restraint which seemed overly relaxing so that I could hardly move my body in the bed and needed safety straps to not fall out. I want to never receive force from him or any other source again! It isn’t just to use force on anyone and especially on someone who may be pregnant even if the blood tests come out negative when the results show this does happen consistently for certain women. There are other better signs of pregnancy than forced ultrasounds too.

“…there are other harmful substances and practices that are not specified in the Word of Wisdom or by Church leaders. Members should use wisdom and prayerful judgment in making choices to promote their physical, spiritual, and emotional health.”

I am wondering why my “husband” would think he can send me to hospital after hospital seeking forced meds when the court system found no evidence of my needing long term supervision or forced meds. Perhaps his RN license has given him the sense that he knows better than other people and can force this treatment on his wife. Or maybe he just wants to wound me because of not accepting his tendencies. I will not return to him until I have seen he repents of his actions against me and against the state misusing his RN license to misdiagnose and prescribe medicines for his wife.

Content Further Update on my Situation was first on Book of Ruth Ann.

Update on my Health and Status 12/30/20

In the last month, I was placed in a mental hospital by my husband because he was furious that I told him I was pregnant with twins and said that I could hear God and Jesus teaching me how to repent from being proud. I was alarmed when he said women cannot hear God in prayer only the husband can receive revelation. I had thought we believed the same religion. It was not what I was taught in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We believe that God speaks to both men and women if they are trying to keep His commandments. In the hospital, I was told I couldn’t go home until I changed my beliefs and took psychotropic medicines even though I could see men and women suffering from the side effects listed on the package inserts. I had no right, it seemed, to decline meds though God told me not to use most of the ones offered and instead look for the more natural remedies I love. God is good and helped me in miraculous ways!

“…there are other harmful substances and practices that are not specified in the Word of Wisdom or by Church leaders. Members should use wisdom and prayerful judgment in making choices to promote their physical, spiritual, and emotional health.”

I have been praying about how to forgive him and what to do to forgive his family for helping to keep my children away from me. I wish this was easy. It will be necessary for me to repent of pride again for being angry even though I know it is just that they think on their own sins as well.

If you were reading strange things on my Facebook profile, page, or here on my blog, or received unusual phone calls or text messages about me from Clint, understand that I had no access to the internet while I was in the hospital. It was painful to read this was happening when God showed me that someone was trying to destroy my reputation. I could not find any signs except that someone tried to change my Facebook password while I was committed. This wasn’t possible but the problem was that my husband had access to all my blog, email, phone contacts, social media, and other passwords with a Power of Attorney so may have felt justified in changing my hobby which is a gift to God and has not received any income yet. I wish to thank you ahead of time, if you are able to show me what you saw this time during my hospital(s) stay(s). I say (s) because the week after I trusted him and came home from my aunt’s house to get clothes that fit, not my pre-pregnancy clothes he sent me (except for the jeans were maternity thankfully) in the hospital, and found he walked in to the house with social workers and had police bring me out of the house onto a stretcher (I chose to walk out on my own) to go to three more hospitals on two consiguiente días. I was not surprised as God told me in the hospital, him was going to send me away two more times but I had worried it would be years down the road after repenting and bring me back to our home. I have cried nearly every day for the last month and a half. I wish this time was the first of our troubles but am ashamed to say I was deceiving myself thinking he cared about me all these years. The time in the hospital brought me a way of realizing how subtle evil can be so I wish to apologize for exaggerating our relationship. Perhaps I wished to see it as nice when there were many narcissistic experiences that brought our family down as I remember begging God in tears for relief from the pain I felt occasionally and shutting out the fears much of the time. I don’t want to drag anyone down with the dirty thinking that created such big problems but I will be sharing some over the years as the political situation tends to justify this destructive ‘tendency’. So I will listen to ideas on how to fix any problems that occurred while I was being locked up. If you can send them to my email at ruthaling@gmail.com I will be grateful if you put “Aip” in the subject line to make it easier for me to find! I loved using the AIP (Autoimmune Protocol) Diet several times to help me heal from autoimmune problems brought on by the overwhelming emotions from a dysfunctional marriage. I will not be writing much for this next couple months since I am expecting triplets and hope to remarry soon. If you really want to hear what is happening, this will be best to send me a friend request or follow on my Facebook profile where I will post some things.

~*~

Thank you for being friends, family, and future friends!

Content Update on my Health and Status 12/30/20 was first on Book of Ruth Ann.

Reviewer Tour: Simply West of Heaven by Monique Bucheger

[image error]
[image error]

Book: Simply West of Heaven
Series: Ginnie West Adventures Book #3
Author: Monique Bucheger
Genre: Middle Grade Fiction
Release Date: January 1, 2013

When her dad confiscates her deceased mom’s journals, 12-year-old Ginnie West counts on her BFF, Tillie, to help her get them back. But Tillie’s not so sure the ghost of Ginnie’s mom will make a good addition to their new family tree.

Then the girls’ world gets flipped upside-down when a blast from the past shows up and makes Tillie go nutburgers. Life gets complicated when Ginnie is forced to choose between helping her best friend and getting the answers she’s always dreamed of.

My Review

I was excited to read another Monique Bucheger book after reviewing the first book in the series, The Secret Sisters Club. This new novel was equally good.

I loved that it was fun to read about how family can support and forgive each other even in unexpectedly trying situations. My daughter of the same age as Ginnie and Tillie read this book too! She said, “It was better than the first!”

[image error]

She and I both loved that Ginnie threw less fits about not having her mom’s journals but she did complain more. I’m guessing it was because she doesn’t know much about her mom since she died when Ginnie was just three and misses her a lot.

I loved the sweet chapter near the ending with the very exciting events. It was a surprise to both my daughter and I, then, how the book took a sudden turn in the last chapter which segues into the next book! We are both intensely interested in seeing how that book resolves this plot line!

This book is a must for discussing with young teens! There will be things that you want to know first before buying. If you don’t mind learning a surprise, keep reading. Otherwise, you can click here to skip down to the book links and to read more about the author, Monique Bucheger!

I’m going to share with you a bit more about this book than I usually do in my reviews since it is for youth and, I’m assuming, you are looking at this review for your daughter or son not for unique plot surprises for you to enjoy. This novel does seem like a soap opera in some ways. I am thinking you will want to know that Jake had a child born out of wedlock. He didn’t know this was possible since he only had one time of breaking the commandment to not fornicate. But it appears there was a pregnancy and his ex-girlfriend didn’t tell him thinking this was easier for him to deal with other stuff going on at the time! The daughter is very cute and adds fun to the story. It helps facilitate discussions with young teens about the problems of having sex outside of marriage if you realize this is in the book. I love how the family supports Jake in fixing the situation as much as possible.

Other important themes I loved in Simply West of Heaven are that it is important to forgive family members and support them as they work through difficult situations, that family relationships can be mended even after many years of distance and harsh words, and that you can work through insecurities to see that you really, in most cases, are loved.

Want to read Simply West of Heaven?! Check out the links below!

I bought a copy of this kindle ebook four years ago which I didn’t read until this book review. The Amazon copy is incorrect and shows the second book (Trouble Blows West) inside the ebook instead of Simply West of Heaven. The author reassures me it has been updated but my kindle copy still has this error. I received a free copy (the second copy I now own which is what I finished reading to complete this review) from JustRead Tours and the author. All opinions are completely my own.

~*~

Get a copy of Simply West of Heaven:

* Alibris * Amazon * Apple (audiobook) * Kobo (audiobook) * Google Play (audiobook)

About the Author [image error]

When Monique isn’t writing, you can find her playing taxi driver to one or more of her 12 children, plotting her next novel, scrapbooking, or being the “Mamarazzi” at any number of child-oriented events.

Even though she realizes there will never be enough hours in any given day, Monique tries very hard to enjoy the journey that is her life. She shares it with a terrific husband, her dozen children and 3 in-law kids, eleven granddarlings, 5 cats, and many real and imaginary friends.

She is the author of five published books (and several unpublished ones) and is in two anthologies. You can find more about Monique and her works at: www.moniquebucheger.blogspot.com

You can follow Monique Bucheger here:

* Website * Goodreads * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

Content Reviewer Tour: Simply West of Heaven by Monique Bucheger was first on Book of Ruth Ann.