Lillie Ammann's Blog, page 79

Reading and Sharing the Bible

I used to read the Bible through every year. When I started over at the beginning of the year, I changed to a different translation of the Bible.

Anglicans read most of the Bible in a year by reading the daily offices (Morning and Evening Prayer) in the Book of Common Prayer, but I also like to read/study Scripture apart from worship.

In my yearly plans, I have read the King James Version, English Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, New International Version, The Living Bible, Revised Standard Version, and probably more.

One of my favorites was the Chronological Bible, which is arranged chronologically rather than in the standard order of books. Reading the Psalms alongside the events occurring in David’s life at the time he wrote particular psalms made an impact on me. You can also follow a plan to read Scripture chronologically in whatever Bible translation you prefer.

When I was caring for my husband at the end of his life and for the first year after he died, I couldn’t focus well enough to follow such a disciplined reading plan. Last year, I read the New Testament rather than the entire Bible.

This year I started following Professor Horner’s Bible Reading Plan. Professor Horner has ten lists of books of the Bible, and you read one chapter from each list every day. I’m following the plan on YouVersion, which makes it easy to stay on track. I appreciate that you can “catch-up” if you miss a day (or more). I try not to miss, but I have skipped several days when I took a trip, when I was sick in bed, and rarely when I am very busy and get sidetracked during the day.

I’ve completed one complete cycle reading the New American Standard Bible and started over with the English Standard Version. I’m seeing connections in the readings that I’ve missed in the past.

Professor Horner says this about his system:

The very best effect it has is rapid, broad-scale contextualizing across both testaments and all the different biblical genres. Did you know about all the similarities between Ecclesiastes and 2 Corinthians? How about the relationship between Deuteronomy and Matthew? It is like no other system that way, and it provides constant variety (which humans love) as well as consistent conviction (which humans hate). …

Since the lists vary in length, the readings begin interweaving in constantly changing ways. You will NEVER read the same set of ten chapters together again! Every year you’ll read through all the Gospels four times, the Pentateuch twice, Paul’s letters 4-5 times each, the OT wisdom literature six times, all the Psalms at least twice, all the Proverbs as well as Acts a dozen times, and all the way through the OT History and Prophetic books about 1 ½ times. Since the interweaving is constantly changing, you will experience the Bible commenting on itself in constantly changing ways — the Reformer’s principle of ‘scriptura interpretans scripturam’ — ‘scripture interpreting scripture’ IN ACTION!

Something else I’m doing is to share verses from my daily readings by creating quote images at Share-As-Image*. Each day I look for verses that I want to share. My goal is to share verses from at least five of the ten chapters I read. Of course, I’m limited to short passages that will fit in an image, so I have to be selective. Also, I usually avoid repeating verses; otherwise, I’d probably choose the most well-known verses and overlook others.

At first, I shared images from my readings in the daily offices, then later I started to select the verses from my ten-chapter readings. Now I have created images of nearly 750 Scriptures, so I have to search a little harder to find something I haven’t done before.

Even though I’ve read the complete Bible numerous times, I have discovered verses I don’t remember as well as many old favorites. I try to include a mix of both popular and more obscure passages in my images, which I share on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest.

Here are just a few Scripture images I’ve shared:

Image of Bible: © Depositphotos.com/Forgiss

*This is an affiliate link; you will receive a 10% discount on a yearly plan if you follow the link.

October is Agent Orange Awareness Month

My sweet niece was born with multiple physical and mental defects. She wasn’t expected to live, but she’s survived for four decades. It wasn’t until years later that we learned the cause of her disabilities: her father’s exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam.

She’s such a precious child–she’s middle-aged physically but about age six mentally. She’s paralyzed from the waist down and has a drain to remove fluid from her brain, and she’s had breast cancer (also probably related to the Agent Orange). But she is the happiest and sweetest and most loving person you’ll ever meet. She loves Jesus and loves to sing His praises very loudly, and it doesn’t bother her a bit that she is totally off-key. She loves everybody, and is proud of her job in a sheltered workshop. When she had a mastectomy, she was more worried about missing work than about the surgery (though she’s had so many surgeries in her life that it is nothing out of the ordinary). She proudly announces to anyone who will listen that she is a “working woman.”

I hadn’t realized how many children and grandchildren of Vietnam vets suffer from the effects of Agent Orange. Neither did I know that today’s soldiers are being exposed to equally dangerous chemicals.

According to Legacy of Our Veterans Military Exposures (LOVME),

Today our troops are exposed to an onslaught of harmful toxins at a magnitude never before seen. We have learned from the Vietnam war that harmful toxins such as TCDD (Agent Orange) will not only affect the veteran it will also affect the veterans’ descendants for seven (7) generations.

We need to make sure two things happen:

We must stop placing our military members at greater–and unnecessary–risk to them and their descendants by exposing them to dangerous chemicals.
We must ensure that veterans and their descendants are compensated and cared for when they suffer the ravages of these chemicals years or decades or generations after initial exposure.

Learn more about Agent Orange and other dangerous chemicals at these websites:

Agent Orangeness Awareness
Agent Orange Awareness – Facebook
Agent Orange Legacy
Children of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance

Image: © Depositphotos.com/elena1600

Appreciating Clergy

During Clergy Appreciation Month, we appreciate all those who give their lives in the service of God in His church.

I especially recognize and thank the clergy of my church, All Saints Anglican in San Antonio. All our clergy are godly men who teach God’s Word in their words and in their lives.

I appreciate Father Chip Harper for his leadership, strong stand for what is right, forthrightness, and love for the parish and every one of the parishioners. I appreciate Father Isaac Rehberg’s wonderful chanting and teaching, as well as his kindness. I appreciate Deacon Marcus Tinajero and Deacon Barry Kowald for their kindness and their examples as family men as well as clergymen.

We are extremely blessed with these clergy who love and serve the Lord. They are outstanding shepherds of God’s people. Thanks be to God!

National Disability Awareness Month

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

Many years ago, I was offered tax incentives to hire a woman who was profoundly deaf. That experience, which you can read about in an earlier blog post, demonstrated that with a little accommodation, disabled persons can be excellent employees.

Not long after that, I had a stroke and became disabled myself. I continued to run my plant business for several years, and I have worked as a freelance writer and editor for nearly twenty years. I may not walk very well, but I don’t have any limitations on my job skills.

If you are in position to making hiring decisions, I hope you will educate yourself and give individual with disabilities a chance. If you have a disability, I hope you will follow your dreams to do the work you love.

The theme of this year’s observance is “My Disability is One Part of Who I Am.” In the video below, you will see people with disabilities describing themselves.

 

Writer, Author’s Friend, and Bookmaker

 

I provided the following summary of my services to someone recently and decided to share it here.  Most of this information is also available on my Services page with more details about how I work.  However, the “Create” section below is not spelled out elsewhere.

My associate, Jan McClintock, and I will write your personal or business documents, guide you as an author from rough draft to published masterpiece and promotion, or create a literary work featuring you or a loved one.

Write

• Resumes

• Blog posts

• Correspondence

• Proposals

• Training manuals

• Policy handbooks

• News releases

• Other business documents

• Books (ghost write your story)

Edit

• Book Manuscripts (fiction and nonfiction)

• Articles and Reports

• Business Documents (manuals, correspondence, white papers, and more)

• Other Documents

Consult

• Evaluate the different forms of publishing to determine if self-publishing is the best for you.

• Review the steps and services required to write and publish a book.

• Compare using a subsidy publishing company to doing everything yourself.

• If you choose to use a company, compare the services and costs of various companies.

• If you choose to do it yourself, recommend vendors for various services.

• Advise on promotion and assist with distribution.

• Design, create, and maintain your website and set up social media pages.

• Serve as a resource throughout the process to answer questions and assist in resolving problems.

Publish

• Perform a complete content edit of the manuscript.

• Assist with obtaining ISBNs and registering copyright.

• Format the manuscript for publication.

• Negotiate and contract with a cover artist and book designer on your behalf or perform these services for you.

• Proof the cover and completed layout.

• Negotiate and contract with a printer on your behalf or set up account with a POD printer.

• Create e-book formats and upload to sales sites.

• Advise on promotion, including your website, and assist with distribution.

• Serve as a liaison among all parties involved in the publication, distribution, and promotion of the book to ensure production of a quality product within an established timeframe.

Create

• Write a story using you and/or loved ones as characters and design an attractive booklet with the story.

• Write a poem for or about a special person and create a framed, artistic presentation.

• Develop a tribute to an individual or organization in an attractively designed presentation.

If you are interested in a no-obligation quote for any of my services, email me or fill out the contact form. 

Image: © Depositphotos.com/OlezzoSimona

Remembering Jack—Always

Three years ago today my beloved husband Jack went to be with the Lord. I remember him, think about him, and miss him every day, but today is especially filled with memories.

He was a remarkable man, and I was so blessed to have his love for forty-six years and to be married to him for forty-five years.

I still live in the house where we spent our entire marriage. Jack designed and built the house and lived in for three years before we married.

Near the end of his life, we drove by a senior living community. I mentioned that if I were ever left alone, I would consider moving into such a facility.

Jack became very upset (extreme agitation was one of the symptoms of his Alzheimer’s disease). He said, “Promise me you’ll stay in our home. I built that house for us to live in until the last one of us dies.”

“You didn’t even know me when you built the house,” I reminded him.

“No,” he said. “I didn’t, but God did.”

We always believed that God brought us together and blessed us with our love.

Jack often said, “I’m glad that everything in my life–good and bad–happened exactly as it did. Otherwise, I would never have met you.”

I’m so grateful for my life with Jack, and I thank God often.

In the months following Jack’s death, I dealt with my grief by compiling a book of stories that Jack often told, anecdotes and memories from family and friends, and my own recollections. I published Jack Stories: Favorite Memories of Jack Jordan Ammann Jr. in time to celebrate his eightieth birthday with a book party.

The final story in the book is “Jack’s Final Goodbye to Lillie.”

I dreamed that I was standing at the kitchen sink. Something caught my attention and caused me to look over my shoulder. There stood Jack—young, healthy, and strong with a huge smile. He radiated pure joy. Suddenly I was in bed and Jack was standing over me, smiling and handsome and oh-so-happy.

He never moved or said a word, but his smile and radiant joy said it all.

How can I be sad when he is so filled with joy!

World Alzheimer’s Day

September 21 is World Alzheimer’s Day, a day to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s and other dementias.

If you know someone with Alzheimer’s–and especially if you are a caregiver–I highly recommend the book written by a sister, Nancy Nicholson. Nancy has both personal experience (as a caregiver for our father) and professional experience (as a social worker in a nursing home environment). She wrote Help! What Do I Do Now? Caring for Your Loved One with Alzheimer’s to give simple, basic help and advice to caregivers. It’s a great gift for new caregivers.

As one of several caregivers for my father and as the sole caregiver for my husband Jack, I have personal experience with the disease. I have shared my experiences in a number of previous posts, including the following:

National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month and National Caregiver Month
World Alzheimer’s Day
National Alzheimer’s Awareness and Caregiver Month 2013
World Alzheimer’s Day 2013
World Alzheimer’s Day: What Is Alzheimer’s?
National Alzheimer’s Month and National Caregivers Month

You can find other articles by typing “Alzheimer’s” in the search box at the top of the page.

I hope you have never had personal experience with Alzheimer’s, but I also hope that if you don’t know much about the disease, you will educate yourself. The brief video below explains the magnitude of the problem.

 

Book Reviews

I recently read a blog post about book reviews from an author whose first book will be published soon.

Most authors dread bad reviews, but I think the number of reviews you get is more important than the rating and content of any specific review. Sometimes a negative review entices me to read the book, because what the reviewer didn’t like is something I do like or vice-versa.

I actually have few reviews on most of my own books, as I don’t like to ask for reviews. Since I value reviews, I write at least a brief review of every book I read and post it on both Amazon.com and Goodreads.

As a reviewer, I like to give readers a sense of what I liked or didn’t like so they can make up their own mind about whether they would enjoy the book or not. I seldom give a negative review and when I do, it’s because of something very specific–more often than not because the book seems to stop in the middle and ends with a cliffhanger saying “continued…” If a book is part of a series, I think the description should indicate if it ends in a cliffhanger or I feel deceived. Otherwise, I generally abandon a book rather than finishing and writing a negative review.

I read a book about publishing success by a best-selling author who said you should have as many 1-star reviews as 5-star reviews. Your book should be so targeted to a specific audience that people in that group love it and people outside the target audience hate it.

Most authors don’t like to think someone doesn’t love their book. Typically, when I ask prospective clients who the target audience is for their book, they say, “Everybody!” But we all have preferences, and no book is right for “everybody.”

I’ve already mentioned that I hate cliffhangers, but some readers love them. I enjoy romance, mysteries, and Christian fiction and nonfiction, but I don’t read fantasy, erotica, or horror. If I’m reading a book and discover it’s horror, I will probably abandon it. However, if the horror doesn’t appear until I’m so invested in the story that I want to know the ending, I may finish it but my review will reflect that I didn’t like coming across horror that I wasn’t expecting.

My goal with my reviews is to give enough information about my reaction to the book to help readers decide if they want to read the book. Even if I didn’t love the book, other readers will.  

 

National Day of Remembrance for Aborted Babies

The pro-life organizations sponsoring the National Day of Remembrance for Aborted Babies encourage people to visit the gravesites of aborted babies to pray on this day of remembrance.

Several prayers are available on the memorial day website. Although these prayers are meant to be prayed at the sites of graves or memorials for aborted babies, all of us can pray, even if can’t all visit one of the gravesites or memorial sites.

Let us pray for all victims of abortion, including the thousands of babies who were disposed of as medical waste and those whose body parts were sold as commodities. No matter how they were treated, each one is a beloved child of God.

Father God, You tell us in Your word that unless we become as little children we cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven. You showed us by how Jesus treated children how precious each tiny life is. We pray for those babies who never had the chance to be born–those whose lives were snuffed out in the womb. We know You love each one of them, Lord. May they rest in peace.

We pray for everyone involved in the abortions, Lord–the mothers and fathers; the family members and friends who advised or pressured the mothers to abort; the abortionists and staffs in the clinics who performed, assisted, or abetted the procedures; the siblings and extended family members deprived of the companionship of these children; and society who has missed out on all the contributions they would have made.

Lord, we ask for Your protection of babies at risk for abortion. Touch the hearts of their mothers and everyone around them to give life rather than take it away. Guide and encourage everyone who stands for life–prolife activists and organizations, pastors and priests who teach their flocks Your truth, individuals who protest and educate.

Thank You that You love each one of Your children, Lord, at whatever stage of development from conception to natural death. Help those of us who love You to change this nation from a culture of death to a culture of life.

In the name of Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Ghost forever and ever. Amen.

We Remember 9-11

We will never forget 9-11-01. The video below is a tribute and reminder with a song from Alan Jackson.

O GOD, merciful and compassionate, who art ever ready to hear the prayers of those who put their trust in thee; Graciously hearken to us who call upon thee, and grant us thy help in this our need; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

ALMIGHTY God, our heavenly Father, in whose hands are the living and the dead; We give thee thanks for all those thy servants who have laid down their lives in the service of our country. Grant to them thy mercy and the light of thy presence, that the good work which thou hast begun in them may be perfected; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord. Amen.