Lydia Howe's Blog, page 14
May 9, 2016
The Seven Laws of Love By Dave Willis: Book Review
The Seven Laws of Love By Dave Willis
Find it on: Amazon Goodreads
First-Person One Point of ViewNon-Fiction272 Pages
About the Book (Backcover Blurb):
In our fast-paced, success-obsessed culture, we’re constantly tempted to chase after things that don’t matter. We’ve been conditioned to value possessions over people, status over relationships, and ourselves over God.
But the reality is this: God created love to be the centerpiece of our lives. In The Seven Laws of Love, Dave Willis makes the case for a love revival and proves that in returning to a life of love we have no greater model than the one who is love himself.
In Dave’s humorous, touching, down-to-earth style, The Seven Laws of Love takes you on a journey through the ins and outs of everyday relationships—with your spouse, your children, your friends, and your coworkers—using practical, applicable examples and guiding principles that demonstrate what a life of love actually looks like.
There is no higher calling on earth than to love and be loved. It’s time to learn The Seven Laws of Love, and to make loving a priority over all other pursuits. Anything else isn’t really living.
Why I Choose this Book:
It's a constant aim of mine to love more. It's so easy for me to be motivated by goals, by achievement, by need, and by guilt, but I want to be driven by love. I want my life to shower those around me with the love that God has so freely given to me.
What I Thought About this Book:
Mr. Willis is really down to earth; in fact, I would liken his style to that of a friendly email. I know that probably sounds weird, but there was one point where I actually subconsciously thought I was reading an email... Something that I don't think has ever happened to me while reading a book before. I enjoyed the style - it was real and easy to breeze through, yet packed in a lot of good information.
The book was practical and very Biblically based, backing up many of the statements or ideas with verses. I appreciated that. Mr. Willis also uses examples from his own life and that of his family to help drive points home and make them stick. He's a pastor (something I hadn't realized going into the book), and that was evident: He sounded like a joking, easy-going pastor.
There were a lot of suggestions of ways to be more loving, as well as a list of discussion questions at the end of each chapter. (Although, I maybe didn't quite read all of the discussion questions... Oops.)
Conclusion: There were a few of his examples I didn't exactly appreciate and maybe 100 % agree with, but other than that I found the book helpful and encouraging, as well as inspiring and convicting, as the case may be.
Rating:
I'm giving The Seven Laws of Love four stars out of five, and seven out of ten.
*I received this book for free from BookLook in exchange for an honest review*
Find it on: Amazon Goodreads
First-Person One Point of ViewNon-Fiction272 Pages
About the Book (Backcover Blurb):
In our fast-paced, success-obsessed culture, we’re constantly tempted to chase after things that don’t matter. We’ve been conditioned to value possessions over people, status over relationships, and ourselves over God.
But the reality is this: God created love to be the centerpiece of our lives. In The Seven Laws of Love, Dave Willis makes the case for a love revival and proves that in returning to a life of love we have no greater model than the one who is love himself.
In Dave’s humorous, touching, down-to-earth style, The Seven Laws of Love takes you on a journey through the ins and outs of everyday relationships—with your spouse, your children, your friends, and your coworkers—using practical, applicable examples and guiding principles that demonstrate what a life of love actually looks like.
There is no higher calling on earth than to love and be loved. It’s time to learn The Seven Laws of Love, and to make loving a priority over all other pursuits. Anything else isn’t really living.
Why I Choose this Book:
It's a constant aim of mine to love more. It's so easy for me to be motivated by goals, by achievement, by need, and by guilt, but I want to be driven by love. I want my life to shower those around me with the love that God has so freely given to me.
What I Thought About this Book:
Mr. Willis is really down to earth; in fact, I would liken his style to that of a friendly email. I know that probably sounds weird, but there was one point where I actually subconsciously thought I was reading an email... Something that I don't think has ever happened to me while reading a book before. I enjoyed the style - it was real and easy to breeze through, yet packed in a lot of good information.
The book was practical and very Biblically based, backing up many of the statements or ideas with verses. I appreciated that. Mr. Willis also uses examples from his own life and that of his family to help drive points home and make them stick. He's a pastor (something I hadn't realized going into the book), and that was evident: He sounded like a joking, easy-going pastor.
There were a lot of suggestions of ways to be more loving, as well as a list of discussion questions at the end of each chapter. (Although, I maybe didn't quite read all of the discussion questions... Oops.)
Conclusion: There were a few of his examples I didn't exactly appreciate and maybe 100 % agree with, but other than that I found the book helpful and encouraging, as well as inspiring and convicting, as the case may be.
Rating:
I'm giving The Seven Laws of Love four stars out of five, and seven out of ten.
*I received this book for free from BookLook in exchange for an honest review*
Counted with the Stars By Connilyn Cossette: Book Review
Counted with the StarsBy Connilyn Cossette
Find it on: Amazon Goodreads
Third-Person One Point of ViewFiction352 Pages
About the Book (Backcover Blurb):
Sold into slavery by her father and forsaken by the man she was supposed to marry, young Egyptian Kiya must serve a mistress who takes pleasure in her humiliation. When terrifying plagues strike Egypt, Kiya is in the middle of it all.
To save her older brother and escape the bonds of slavery, Kiya flees with the Hebrews during the Great Exodus. She finds herself utterly dependent on a fearsome God she's only just beginning to learn about, and in love with a man who despises her people. With everything she's ever known swept away, will Kiya turn back toward Egypt or surrender her life and her future to Yahweh?
Why I Choose this Book:
I have a kind of love-hate relationship with Biblical fiction. When an author clearly upholds the authority of scripture and has done their research, I really like how the Bible comes even more alive to me through their imagination. At the same time I can't stand it when someone stretches Biblical truths to make their fictitious story work better. I decided to give Miss Connilyn a try and see how true to reality her book was.
What I Thought About this Book:
The book was enjoyable and I liked it a lot. A list of things that made me happy:
* I felt like everything mentioned in God's Word was held in high authority and the Miss Connilyn really wanted to uphold the truth * The characters were well developed and different from each other * The historical time period felt very well researched* The world was painted with bright colors and came alive to me* Although I basically knew the story, there were still a few things I didn't see coming, so the surprise was good
Despite all the good, there were a few things about the book that made it less than stellar. One of those would be the grip factor... Although I enjoyed reading it, I was able to put it down easily which isn't a plus. I'm pretty sure that was mostly due to the fact that I knew the original story so well. It would have to be difficult to take something like the Exodus of Egypt and put a new twist on it while leaving it historically accurate. Miss Connilyn did do a good job of putting in a few twists though, so good for her.
For most of the book I felt like there was a good small balance of romance, but then near the end there were a few scenes that I didn't agree with or feel were necessary. That seems to be the reoccurring theme in my reviews though, so...
Conclusion:
A few of the ways she depicted Biblical themes weren't they way I imagined them, but that's not necessarily a bad thing, because I'm pretty sure it's just my imagination against her imagination.
I liked this book and hope to read more books in the series.
Rating:
I'm giving Counted with the Stars four stars out of five, and seven out of ten.
*I received this book for free from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review*
Find it on: Amazon Goodreads
Third-Person One Point of ViewFiction352 Pages
About the Book (Backcover Blurb):
Sold into slavery by her father and forsaken by the man she was supposed to marry, young Egyptian Kiya must serve a mistress who takes pleasure in her humiliation. When terrifying plagues strike Egypt, Kiya is in the middle of it all.
To save her older brother and escape the bonds of slavery, Kiya flees with the Hebrews during the Great Exodus. She finds herself utterly dependent on a fearsome God she's only just beginning to learn about, and in love with a man who despises her people. With everything she's ever known swept away, will Kiya turn back toward Egypt or surrender her life and her future to Yahweh?
Why I Choose this Book:
I have a kind of love-hate relationship with Biblical fiction. When an author clearly upholds the authority of scripture and has done their research, I really like how the Bible comes even more alive to me through their imagination. At the same time I can't stand it when someone stretches Biblical truths to make their fictitious story work better. I decided to give Miss Connilyn a try and see how true to reality her book was.
What I Thought About this Book:
The book was enjoyable and I liked it a lot. A list of things that made me happy:
* I felt like everything mentioned in God's Word was held in high authority and the Miss Connilyn really wanted to uphold the truth * The characters were well developed and different from each other * The historical time period felt very well researched* The world was painted with bright colors and came alive to me* Although I basically knew the story, there were still a few things I didn't see coming, so the surprise was good
Despite all the good, there were a few things about the book that made it less than stellar. One of those would be the grip factor... Although I enjoyed reading it, I was able to put it down easily which isn't a plus. I'm pretty sure that was mostly due to the fact that I knew the original story so well. It would have to be difficult to take something like the Exodus of Egypt and put a new twist on it while leaving it historically accurate. Miss Connilyn did do a good job of putting in a few twists though, so good for her.
For most of the book I felt like there was a good small balance of romance, but then near the end there were a few scenes that I didn't agree with or feel were necessary. That seems to be the reoccurring theme in my reviews though, so...
Conclusion:
A few of the ways she depicted Biblical themes weren't they way I imagined them, but that's not necessarily a bad thing, because I'm pretty sure it's just my imagination against her imagination.
I liked this book and hope to read more books in the series.
Rating:
I'm giving Counted with the Stars four stars out of five, and seven out of ten.
*I received this book for free from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review*
Yankee in Atlanta By Jocelyn Green: Book Review
I finished multiple books during the last few days and so this Monday is going to be my "Review Day" where I post three or four of them. I hope y'all enjoy seeing what I've been reading and maybe choose one or two books to add to your own reading list. To see a complete list (and reviews) of the books I've read in 2016, you can check out my Goodreads list. If you have any books you'd recommend, I'd be delighted to hear from you.
It's that time again where we get to choose where Annie goes for this week in our Friday Series, Around the World in Fifty-Two Weeks . And our destination is... Bosnia and Herzegovina!
Yankee in Atlanta By Jocelyn Green
Find it on: Amazon Goodreads
Third-Person, Multiple ViewsFiction416 Pages
About the Book(Back cover blurb)
When soldier Caitlin McKae woke up in Atlanta after being wounded in battle, the Georgian doctor who treated her believed Caitlin's only secret was that she had been fighting for the Confederacy disguised as a man. In order to avoid arrest or worse, Caitlin hides her true identity and makes a new life for herself in Atlanta.
Trained as a teacher, she accepts a job as a governess to the daughter of Noah Becker, a German immigrant lawyer, who enlists with the Rebel army. Then in the spring of 1864, Sherman's troops edge closer to Atlanta. Though starvation rules, and Sherman rages, she will not run again. In a land shattered by strife and suffering, a Union veteran and a Rebel soldier test the limits of loyalty and discover the courage to survive. Will honor dictate that Caitlin and Noah follow the rules, or love demand that they break them?
Why I Choose this Book:
It appears to be a spy book and starts out with the MC masquerading as a man to fight in the Civil War. Now that, my friends, is a big grab for me.
What I Thought About this Book:
I had such high hopes for this book and it started out SO well. I read the first two books in the series just so I would be ready for this book and not miss out on anything. Both books 1 (see review) and 2 (see review) received three stars and I was pretty sure this was going to be a four star book because it was so promising... And instead it barely squeaked in with three stars. What in the world?
First of all, I was wrong about the premise. Caitlyn isn't a spy. She's only a solider during the prolog. She's a governess. (I must confess, I didn't read the whole back cover blurb because I like being surprised. After reading the book I guess I would have had lower expectations and therefore might have enjoyed the book better if I had finished the back cover.) Still, the book was still redeemable, despite the two most exciting elements not panning out... Yet, it wasn't redeemed.
Instead I felt like there was far to much focus on romance and some of it was too detailed and I ended up skim reading sections. A fair amount of one of the sub-plots was how one of the characters from a previous book dealt with being abused and (sorta) forced into prostitution. I'm guessing that if I was working with ladies who were dealing with those issues this book might have come in handy, but I'm not, and it didn't. (Hence the skim-reading.)
The ending was also an eye rolling experience for me. I felt like one of the characters jumped out of character and did something that in reality, they would never do. And then *boom* so many pieces fell into place at just the right time for a happy-ever-after. Obviously that kind of stuff can happen, and when it does in real life it's so cool, but in fiction it feels very... fictional.
So, with all of these issues why did the book still garner three stars? Because, despite all that^, the book was captivating at times and the characters really came alive and were well developed and individual. I liked the story, although it wasn't what I was imaging, and I enjoyed finding out what the characters were doing after the last book.
I learned a lot about the war and how the civilians lived in Atlanta and all the problems they faced. The book reminded me once again how horrible war is. This series has brought the Civil war alive from the perspective of the women during that time. I commend the author on what seems like through research.
Conclusion:
I was pretty sure I wouldn't read any more books in the series... But, then I saw the next book IS about a spy, so we'll have to see. I sadly won't recommend this book because of the romance I had to skim-read, but other than that I think it was nice.
Rating:
I'm giving "Yankee in Atlanta" 3 out of 5 stars, 4 out of 10 stars.
*I received this book for free from Moody Publishers in exchange for an honest review*
It's that time again where we get to choose where Annie goes for this week in our Friday Series, Around the World in Fifty-Two Weeks . And our destination is... Bosnia and Herzegovina!
Yankee in Atlanta By Jocelyn Green
Find it on: Amazon Goodreads
Third-Person, Multiple ViewsFiction416 Pages
About the Book(Back cover blurb)
When soldier Caitlin McKae woke up in Atlanta after being wounded in battle, the Georgian doctor who treated her believed Caitlin's only secret was that she had been fighting for the Confederacy disguised as a man. In order to avoid arrest or worse, Caitlin hides her true identity and makes a new life for herself in Atlanta.
Trained as a teacher, she accepts a job as a governess to the daughter of Noah Becker, a German immigrant lawyer, who enlists with the Rebel army. Then in the spring of 1864, Sherman's troops edge closer to Atlanta. Though starvation rules, and Sherman rages, she will not run again. In a land shattered by strife and suffering, a Union veteran and a Rebel soldier test the limits of loyalty and discover the courage to survive. Will honor dictate that Caitlin and Noah follow the rules, or love demand that they break them?
Why I Choose this Book:
It appears to be a spy book and starts out with the MC masquerading as a man to fight in the Civil War. Now that, my friends, is a big grab for me.
What I Thought About this Book:
I had such high hopes for this book and it started out SO well. I read the first two books in the series just so I would be ready for this book and not miss out on anything. Both books 1 (see review) and 2 (see review) received three stars and I was pretty sure this was going to be a four star book because it was so promising... And instead it barely squeaked in with three stars. What in the world?
First of all, I was wrong about the premise. Caitlyn isn't a spy. She's only a solider during the prolog. She's a governess. (I must confess, I didn't read the whole back cover blurb because I like being surprised. After reading the book I guess I would have had lower expectations and therefore might have enjoyed the book better if I had finished the back cover.) Still, the book was still redeemable, despite the two most exciting elements not panning out... Yet, it wasn't redeemed.
Instead I felt like there was far to much focus on romance and some of it was too detailed and I ended up skim reading sections. A fair amount of one of the sub-plots was how one of the characters from a previous book dealt with being abused and (sorta) forced into prostitution. I'm guessing that if I was working with ladies who were dealing with those issues this book might have come in handy, but I'm not, and it didn't. (Hence the skim-reading.)
The ending was also an eye rolling experience for me. I felt like one of the characters jumped out of character and did something that in reality, they would never do. And then *boom* so many pieces fell into place at just the right time for a happy-ever-after. Obviously that kind of stuff can happen, and when it does in real life it's so cool, but in fiction it feels very... fictional.
So, with all of these issues why did the book still garner three stars? Because, despite all that^, the book was captivating at times and the characters really came alive and were well developed and individual. I liked the story, although it wasn't what I was imaging, and I enjoyed finding out what the characters were doing after the last book.
I learned a lot about the war and how the civilians lived in Atlanta and all the problems they faced. The book reminded me once again how horrible war is. This series has brought the Civil war alive from the perspective of the women during that time. I commend the author on what seems like through research.
Conclusion:
I was pretty sure I wouldn't read any more books in the series... But, then I saw the next book IS about a spy, so we'll have to see. I sadly won't recommend this book because of the romance I had to skim-read, but other than that I think it was nice.
Rating:
I'm giving "Yankee in Atlanta" 3 out of 5 stars, 4 out of 10 stars.
*I received this book for free from Moody Publishers in exchange for an honest review*
May 6, 2016
Around the World in Fifty-Two Weeks Week Eighteen: Dominica
So, this week I've been focused on editing WLHYL and so it was hard to switch gears and work on this series. I hope it's still enjoyable and informative, although I know it's not my best by a long shot. And now, for the 18th segment of my fictitious story, Around the World in Fifty-Two Weeks.
Around the World in Fifty-Two Weeks Week Eighteen: Dominica
We were supposed to have a return ticket to show the custom officers in order to gain entry into Dominica, but thankfully one of the booking agents back at Exploration Airlines headquarters had called ahead and got us special entry permission. And I say “us” because somehow Sophie had worked it out to travel to Dominica and spend the week there exploring with me. I couldn’t have been happier. After over four months, I was homesick for my friends from back home and Sophie was just the tonic I needed. Getting to Dominica from Norway was a longer process than normal and for the first time since I’d been traveling with Exploration Airlines, my luggage got lost. “Bad things happen when you leave the office,” I said, teasing Sophie. “No kidding.” She frowned. “I’m going to go back in the Employes Only area and see if I can figure out what’s going on.” I gaped at my friend, “Don’t you think they’ll just be annoyed by you? It’s not like you can really figure out what’s going on, right?” “Honey, I take care of airline emergencies for a living. I also know quite well how to handle people and I’ll leave if I’m not needed.” She swept her gaze over me and I knew I looked tired and grungy. I wasn’t the most elegant of travelers especially when the destination was a humid, although beautiful, island. “Are you going to come back with me or do you want to go to the restroom and try and get cleaned up a bit?” A smile played over my face at Sophie’s try at being diplomatic. “I think I’ll probably head to the restroom and get cleaned up.” “You did pack a change of clothes in your carry-on, right?” “I’m a seasoned traveler.” I waved my hand at Sophie. “Of course I have a change of clothes. You just head on back and figure out what’s going on with our luggage and I’ll go and get presentable.” Somehow Sophie looked fresh and professional, even though I knew she’d been through the same ordeal as me. Normally I didn’t think of traveling as an ordeal, but not only had our luggage gotten lost, but we’d gotten lost. I’m crediting the fact that our layover was literally in the middle of the night and so we were rushing through the airport at 2:25 a.m. but we totally missed our flight. We should have had coffee before disembarking our first plane. At least Sophie was with me so I wasn’t left alone while trying to book a new flight. (Our missed flight is, in all reality, probably the reason why our luggage was missing.) It took some doing and nearly a half an hour, but I finally felt presentable in my clean clothes with my hair pulled back into a French twist and my make-up (sparse though it be), reapplied. “Yay, you’re ready!” I emerged from the restroom to see Sophie standing there with our luggage next to her. “How in the world?” Sophie was a wonder, there was no other way to describe her. “Let’s hurry. We’ve got a van waiting outside to take us to our hotel.” My co-worker started power-walking toward the doors. “We’ve already used up most of today which means we only have five days to explore and there’s so much to do.” “Right.” The driver of the van helped us load or luggage into it. “Most of the island is covered with densely wooded mountains and rain forests. From what I’ve read the terrain is quite steep and rugged. I thought we could take the remainder of today to rest since it’s almost supper time anyway, and then tomorrow morning we could get up and do some hiking.” “Sounds good to me.” In reality, anything sounded good to me. I was just so happy to be able to sit back and let someone else do all the planning. The next morning while I slept-in, a delicious ocean breeze wafting through our open windows making my cozy bed feel extremely comfortable, Sophie got up and did some research on her laptop. By the time I pulled myself out of bed, she had the rest of our week mapped out. “We’ll spend the week at Cabrits National Park.” I rubbed my still sleepy face. “Wait, we’re spending the whole week at one place?” That sounded strange to me. “There’s a ton to do, silly. The park protects coral reefs, wetlands, and tropical forests.” Sophie grinned, “Besides, do you know how big this island is? It’s tiny. We can travel around as much as we want and then return to the park the next day.” “Sounds good to me then. Tell me what the plan is.” “We’ll spend today hiking. There’s an old English garrison called Fort Shirley and we’ll visit there as well. I thought you could get some footage of the fort for your blog.” “Cool, can you tell me more about Fort Shirley?” I took my phone out and began tapping out notes from force of habit although in reality I could probably ask Sophie to repeat any of the information I needed her to. “Fort Shirley used to be a military outpost and was built in the 18th century to defend north Dominica. The fort housed more than 600 men consisted of over 50 buildings. It was abandoned in 1854 and it wasn’t until 1989 that restoration began. Although several of the buildings have been completely restored, a lot are still in ruins and can be found all over the peninsula.” “You sound like a tour guide.” “Thank you. Now, on to the rest of our itinerary. Thursday we’re going to learn how to SCUBA dive, Friday we’re going to the Dominica Museum, Saturday we’re going to hike up a volcano, and then Sunday we’ll just hang out at the beach.” “Wait, we’re going to go SCUBA diving?” I felt my mouth drop open. “Of course. How could we spend the week here and not? It will be fun and safe so go ahead and get excited about it.”
And to my amazement, I did get excited.
Around the World in Fifty-Two Weeks Week Eighteen: Dominica
We were supposed to have a return ticket to show the custom officers in order to gain entry into Dominica, but thankfully one of the booking agents back at Exploration Airlines headquarters had called ahead and got us special entry permission. And I say “us” because somehow Sophie had worked it out to travel to Dominica and spend the week there exploring with me. I couldn’t have been happier. After over four months, I was homesick for my friends from back home and Sophie was just the tonic I needed. Getting to Dominica from Norway was a longer process than normal and for the first time since I’d been traveling with Exploration Airlines, my luggage got lost. “Bad things happen when you leave the office,” I said, teasing Sophie. “No kidding.” She frowned. “I’m going to go back in the Employes Only area and see if I can figure out what’s going on.” I gaped at my friend, “Don’t you think they’ll just be annoyed by you? It’s not like you can really figure out what’s going on, right?” “Honey, I take care of airline emergencies for a living. I also know quite well how to handle people and I’ll leave if I’m not needed.” She swept her gaze over me and I knew I looked tired and grungy. I wasn’t the most elegant of travelers especially when the destination was a humid, although beautiful, island. “Are you going to come back with me or do you want to go to the restroom and try and get cleaned up a bit?” A smile played over my face at Sophie’s try at being diplomatic. “I think I’ll probably head to the restroom and get cleaned up.” “You did pack a change of clothes in your carry-on, right?” “I’m a seasoned traveler.” I waved my hand at Sophie. “Of course I have a change of clothes. You just head on back and figure out what’s going on with our luggage and I’ll go and get presentable.” Somehow Sophie looked fresh and professional, even though I knew she’d been through the same ordeal as me. Normally I didn’t think of traveling as an ordeal, but not only had our luggage gotten lost, but we’d gotten lost. I’m crediting the fact that our layover was literally in the middle of the night and so we were rushing through the airport at 2:25 a.m. but we totally missed our flight. We should have had coffee before disembarking our first plane. At least Sophie was with me so I wasn’t left alone while trying to book a new flight. (Our missed flight is, in all reality, probably the reason why our luggage was missing.) It took some doing and nearly a half an hour, but I finally felt presentable in my clean clothes with my hair pulled back into a French twist and my make-up (sparse though it be), reapplied. “Yay, you’re ready!” I emerged from the restroom to see Sophie standing there with our luggage next to her. “How in the world?” Sophie was a wonder, there was no other way to describe her. “Let’s hurry. We’ve got a van waiting outside to take us to our hotel.” My co-worker started power-walking toward the doors. “We’ve already used up most of today which means we only have five days to explore and there’s so much to do.” “Right.” The driver of the van helped us load or luggage into it. “Most of the island is covered with densely wooded mountains and rain forests. From what I’ve read the terrain is quite steep and rugged. I thought we could take the remainder of today to rest since it’s almost supper time anyway, and then tomorrow morning we could get up and do some hiking.” “Sounds good to me.” In reality, anything sounded good to me. I was just so happy to be able to sit back and let someone else do all the planning. The next morning while I slept-in, a delicious ocean breeze wafting through our open windows making my cozy bed feel extremely comfortable, Sophie got up and did some research on her laptop. By the time I pulled myself out of bed, she had the rest of our week mapped out. “We’ll spend the week at Cabrits National Park.” I rubbed my still sleepy face. “Wait, we’re spending the whole week at one place?” That sounded strange to me. “There’s a ton to do, silly. The park protects coral reefs, wetlands, and tropical forests.” Sophie grinned, “Besides, do you know how big this island is? It’s tiny. We can travel around as much as we want and then return to the park the next day.” “Sounds good to me then. Tell me what the plan is.” “We’ll spend today hiking. There’s an old English garrison called Fort Shirley and we’ll visit there as well. I thought you could get some footage of the fort for your blog.” “Cool, can you tell me more about Fort Shirley?” I took my phone out and began tapping out notes from force of habit although in reality I could probably ask Sophie to repeat any of the information I needed her to. “Fort Shirley used to be a military outpost and was built in the 18th century to defend north Dominica. The fort housed more than 600 men consisted of over 50 buildings. It was abandoned in 1854 and it wasn’t until 1989 that restoration began. Although several of the buildings have been completely restored, a lot are still in ruins and can be found all over the peninsula.” “You sound like a tour guide.” “Thank you. Now, on to the rest of our itinerary. Thursday we’re going to learn how to SCUBA dive, Friday we’re going to the Dominica Museum, Saturday we’re going to hike up a volcano, and then Sunday we’ll just hang out at the beach.” “Wait, we’re going to go SCUBA diving?” I felt my mouth drop open. “Of course. How could we spend the week here and not? It will be fun and safe so go ahead and get excited about it.”
And to my amazement, I did get excited.
May 5, 2016
May 2016 Goals
If the Lord wills and I live, in May of 2016 I will...
1. Go to bed by 10:30 fifteen times
2. Get up by 6:30 fifteen times
3. Walk or jog 100 miles
4. Read & Review four non-fiction books
5. Get WLHYL ready to send to beta readers and send it out
6. Stick to my healthy eating for at least 29 days
1. Go to bed by 10:30 fifteen times
2. Get up by 6:30 fifteen times
3. Walk or jog 100 miles
4. Read & Review four non-fiction books
5. Get WLHYL ready to send to beta readers and send it out
6. Stick to my healthy eating for at least 29 days
Walking Goals: Twenty-Four Miles in Two Days Challenge
I'd been hoping to accomplish my 24 Before 24 challenge of walking 24 miles in two different days while here in Mexico. Monday walked 8 miles in the morning and then did 2 more in the evening. (It's so hot here I can't walk a lot during the day.)
I was excited about the possibility of getting my 24 miles in during two days - I only had to get 14 miles in on Tuesday and I'd be able to mark it off my list. It was a slightly daunting task though, since I've never done more than 10 or 11 miles in a day, and I've only done that about twice. Nevertheless, I set my alarm and got up early Tuesday morning and then set out to beat the heat.
Walking on the sand is fun, especially with the cool water washing over my feet, but after a while my feet start feeling the lack of support. So, Tuesday morning I started out wearing tennis shoes - one of the first times I've put them on during the last month. The problems is that the beach is wet and damp shoes aren't exactly my forte, so after 3 miles I took them off and was instantly relieved.
It's amazing the amount of changes that occur on the beach in a several-hour time period. I was walking back and forth over about a mile and a half range, so I kept seeing the same stretch of beach over and over again, yet the sand looked different with the tide sweeping in and out. Shells would arrive, ripples would appear, and a fair amount of dead fish would wash up.
Tuesday morning was cloudy which meant I was able to walk longer than usual and I got 10 miles in. Then, the sky was over cast again in the evening before supper so I rushed out to try and get my last 4 miles in. During most of this time I'd been walking at a moderate pace, only a little over 3 miles an hour. I know that's not much at all, but the sand really does make it a bit more difficult than regular walking.
I was excited to get over 4 miles in during the next hour before supper. It took quite a bit of jogging (I don't power-walk on the beach very well), but I stashed a water bottle on the beach and the water helped keep me going. By this time I'd discovered that no matter how soft sand appears to be, after walking over it for 24 miles, it loses it's softness. I quite literally sanded my feet and they hurt.
By this time though, I was no longer satisfied with reaching my 24 Before 24 challenge, instead I wanted to do a marathon over the period of two days. My family kindly excused me from dishes after supper so I could hurry out and get two more miles in before it was too dark. I'd been out walking at sunrise and sunset for two days now and I was enjoying it a lot.
The sky was cloudily and therefore there wasn't anything to see when it came to the sunset, but the wind was blowing at a nicely (some evenings it's difficult to walk in because it blows so hard) and the air was cooling down from the 100 degree day. It was perfect weather for finishing up my two-day marathon.
I was tired by this time, but determined to keep going. I knew that eventually the pain of the exercise would abate and I'd be that much closer to reaching my goal of running a marathon in October. I went back and forth between listening to an audio book on fast speed and praise and worship music, and finally, right before dark, I accomplished my goal.
26.2 miles in 7 hours and 45 minutes isn't spectacular, it's not award winning, and it's not a what most people dream of, but to me, it was fantastic. It showed me how very far I've come along in my quest for health and reminded me that my goal of a marathon really is within reach.
That night my feet ached and my sister kindly rubbed them for me, but it was so worth it. I gave myself a break yesterday and this morning from long-distance walking, but I'm eager to jump back and and cut my walking time down considerably.
And now for a 26.2 miles in one day...
I was excited about the possibility of getting my 24 miles in during two days - I only had to get 14 miles in on Tuesday and I'd be able to mark it off my list. It was a slightly daunting task though, since I've never done more than 10 or 11 miles in a day, and I've only done that about twice. Nevertheless, I set my alarm and got up early Tuesday morning and then set out to beat the heat.
Walking on the sand is fun, especially with the cool water washing over my feet, but after a while my feet start feeling the lack of support. So, Tuesday morning I started out wearing tennis shoes - one of the first times I've put them on during the last month. The problems is that the beach is wet and damp shoes aren't exactly my forte, so after 3 miles I took them off and was instantly relieved.
It's amazing the amount of changes that occur on the beach in a several-hour time period. I was walking back and forth over about a mile and a half range, so I kept seeing the same stretch of beach over and over again, yet the sand looked different with the tide sweeping in and out. Shells would arrive, ripples would appear, and a fair amount of dead fish would wash up.
Tuesday morning was cloudy which meant I was able to walk longer than usual and I got 10 miles in. Then, the sky was over cast again in the evening before supper so I rushed out to try and get my last 4 miles in. During most of this time I'd been walking at a moderate pace, only a little over 3 miles an hour. I know that's not much at all, but the sand really does make it a bit more difficult than regular walking.
I was excited to get over 4 miles in during the next hour before supper. It took quite a bit of jogging (I don't power-walk on the beach very well), but I stashed a water bottle on the beach and the water helped keep me going. By this time I'd discovered that no matter how soft sand appears to be, after walking over it for 24 miles, it loses it's softness. I quite literally sanded my feet and they hurt.
By this time though, I was no longer satisfied with reaching my 24 Before 24 challenge, instead I wanted to do a marathon over the period of two days. My family kindly excused me from dishes after supper so I could hurry out and get two more miles in before it was too dark. I'd been out walking at sunrise and sunset for two days now and I was enjoying it a lot.
The sky was cloudily and therefore there wasn't anything to see when it came to the sunset, but the wind was blowing at a nicely (some evenings it's difficult to walk in because it blows so hard) and the air was cooling down from the 100 degree day. It was perfect weather for finishing up my two-day marathon.
I was tired by this time, but determined to keep going. I knew that eventually the pain of the exercise would abate and I'd be that much closer to reaching my goal of running a marathon in October. I went back and forth between listening to an audio book on fast speed and praise and worship music, and finally, right before dark, I accomplished my goal.
26.2 miles in 7 hours and 45 minutes isn't spectacular, it's not award winning, and it's not a what most people dream of, but to me, it was fantastic. It showed me how very far I've come along in my quest for health and reminded me that my goal of a marathon really is within reach.
That night my feet ached and my sister kindly rubbed them for me, but it was so worth it. I gave myself a break yesterday and this morning from long-distance walking, but I'm eager to jump back and and cut my walking time down considerably.
And now for a 26.2 miles in one day...
May 3, 2016
When Life Hands You Lymes Thoughts
I just got back from a nice long (hot!) walk on the beach and am all geared up and excited to get some editing done on When Life Hands You Lymes. Sometimes it feels like I've been working on this book forever. It's gone through so many drafts and although the main plot and ideas have stayed the same, there have been dozens of variations on just how that plot has been carried out.
It was four years ago this month when I sat in the car, probably listening to music, and gazing almost unseeingly out the window and decided to write a book where the main character had Lyme disease. I was on my way from an out-of-state doctor where I had finally gotten a diagnosis that I had Lyme disease. I didn't want anyone to feel as hopeless and alone as I had and I figured a book would be the best way to accomplish that - or at least a good start.
It wasn't long after that when I was swinging one day (something I did for hours each day because it helped me feel better), and the title When Life Hands You Lymes popped into mind. Ideas would float in every so often and I pondered the story a lot, trying to decide what elements were needed to make it work.
I didn't feel ready to write about Lyme disease though, and so continued pondering it, but never committing anything (except maybe a few outlining ideas) to paper. It wasn't until April of 2013 that I first wrote anything public about Lyme disease, and that was on my blog for the A to Z Challenge. It was so rewarding and freeing and really helped me along with the emotional healing process.
When Life Hands You Lymes didn't get past the brainstorming stage for almost another year though. Then on January first of 2014 I began writing the story. I had no clue at the time what a huge process it would be, but each day brings me closer to completion, and for that I'm thankful.
I'm at the point now where I can see the story really beginning to take shape and I'm rather excited about what I can hopefully accomplishing during these last two weeks before I head back home. It's a very beautiful place to work and I feel my creativity seeping into the story, despite being in the editing process, a phase that doesn't always get along well with my creativity.
And now I'm off to edit.
It was four years ago this month when I sat in the car, probably listening to music, and gazing almost unseeingly out the window and decided to write a book where the main character had Lyme disease. I was on my way from an out-of-state doctor where I had finally gotten a diagnosis that I had Lyme disease. I didn't want anyone to feel as hopeless and alone as I had and I figured a book would be the best way to accomplish that - or at least a good start.
It wasn't long after that when I was swinging one day (something I did for hours each day because it helped me feel better), and the title When Life Hands You Lymes popped into mind. Ideas would float in every so often and I pondered the story a lot, trying to decide what elements were needed to make it work.
I didn't feel ready to write about Lyme disease though, and so continued pondering it, but never committing anything (except maybe a few outlining ideas) to paper. It wasn't until April of 2013 that I first wrote anything public about Lyme disease, and that was on my blog for the A to Z Challenge. It was so rewarding and freeing and really helped me along with the emotional healing process.
When Life Hands You Lymes didn't get past the brainstorming stage for almost another year though. Then on January first of 2014 I began writing the story. I had no clue at the time what a huge process it would be, but each day brings me closer to completion, and for that I'm thankful.
I'm at the point now where I can see the story really beginning to take shape and I'm rather excited about what I can hopefully accomplishing during these last two weeks before I head back home. It's a very beautiful place to work and I feel my creativity seeping into the story, despite being in the editing process, a phase that doesn't always get along well with my creativity.
And now I'm off to edit.
May 2, 2016
April 2016 in Review
What I Focused on in April:
1. When Life Hands You Lymes - Lots of editing, chopping, and adding2. My Mexico trip 3. Family Time 4. The A to Z Challenge
Birthday Challenge and Dream List Update
Birthday Challenge:
2. Pray the "prayer of Jebez" every day for three months {Completed in December. +3)
3. Read the whole Bible {Completed}6. Read 12 non-fiction "spiritual" books {1}
7. Read the Proverb of the day every day for six months {6 months - missed one day}
13. Write a monthly review on my blog within 5 days of the end of the month whenever internet is available {6 months}
14. Blog my 3 (or more) top goals for each month within 5 days of the beginning of each month whenever internet is available {5 months}
15. Write 24 book reviews {10}23. Read 24 non-fiction books {4}
Dream List: None
Reading Update
Fiction: 6Non-Fiction: 4Reviews: 10 Audio Books: 4 (fiction)
Traveling
Nights Gone: 20New Countries or States: None
April Goals
1. Complete the A to Z Challenge and visit 200 other A to Z Blogs {Completed the challenge - didn't visit very many other blogs}
2. Finish the first edits on SL (WLHYL #2) {Yes }
3. Prepare and leave for Mexico {Yes}
4. Read and review 4 non-fiction books {Yes}
5. Contact 100 (___________) {Haha, nope: Only like 15.}
What I've Been Learning
I read a book about the USS Indianapolis and WW2 and the struggles people went through to bring the horrible war to an end. It was crazy the extremes that people had to suffer through. From Dangerous Love I learned what it's like to keep going, even when the going gets tough. God's love can change us and mold us if we allow it to. When Others Shuddered gave me an overview of the lives of eight women who made a big difference in their world and reminded me that I, too, want to be a world-changer.
During the month I read three historical fiction books that took place during the Civil War. They were very historically accurate, including snippets from people's letters and journals who lived during that era. It was sobering to think about how our country was once torn and fighting each other. It also made me thankful that our country stayed together and that we can heal and look past our mistakes and differences. And, it also made me realize how very important it is to do just that.
I also had fun learning about the countries that I "visited" this month during the series I have on Noveltea called Around the World in 52 Weeks. (The countries were Norway, Bhutan, Cayman Islands, and Georgia.) The country I'd want to visit most out of those? Probably Norway. They really like books there and I really like books... So, it sounds delightful.
It's much easier for me to keep up with life when I'm keeping up with the small things - like eating healthily. I let myself have about eight or nine days of eating sweets and dairy and breads and all those yummy treats and yikes... I've discovered that really and truly nothing tastes as yummy as being healthy feels. I'm happily and confidently back on my healthy lifestyle and although I might take a meal (or day) off now and then, I won't be doing such a long stretch again for a long time.
Although I had fun with the A to Z Challenge, I got tired of it near the end of the month. I wanted to be creative and post whatever I wanted, instead of just posting about creativity. That actually surprised me a bit. I think it's partly to do with the fact that I was out of my normal environment and everything felt "off." All in all though, the challenge was enjoyable and it stretched me a bit, so that was good. I think my main concern was that Noveltea would seem really redundant to y'all, so hopefully that wasn't the case and if it was, then I whole-heartedly agree with you.
I need to make sure the monthly and weekly goals I set are realistic, and if they aren't or if they aren't moving me forward in the overall range of my life goals, then I need to learn to let go and reevaluate.
Re-writing and adding and chopping my WIP can be rewarding and fun, but it can also be really difficult and draining and make me want to take a dozen naps. Pushing through will be worth it in the end and bribing myself with listening to music and taking walks really does help.
Other
This was a good month. And a very long one. I can barely remember what happened back at the beginning of it because so much has been going on in my life. Thankfully these last two weeks have been slow, easy-going weeks with a lot of reflection time.
Right before I left for Mexico I had fun answering questions for an interview I did over at this blog. The questions were great and made me really think, so it was fun. The interview went live today so y'all should check it out.
Family time is amazing. I've had wonderful hours spent playing tons of Uno with my youngest brother, swimming in the ocean and pool, cooking, doing dishes, walking, playing multiple games multiple times with multiple people, and just hanging out.
* * *It's that time again where we get to choose where Annie goes for this week in our Friday Series, Around the World in Fifty-Two Weeks . And the destination is: Dominica!
(The first two countries I landed on were Pakistan and Central African Republic, but both of them had strong warnings against visiting them at this time because of unrest so I figured Annie wouldn't have been able to go.)
1. When Life Hands You Lymes - Lots of editing, chopping, and adding2. My Mexico trip 3. Family Time 4. The A to Z Challenge
Birthday Challenge and Dream List Update
Birthday Challenge:
2. Pray the "prayer of Jebez" every day for three months {Completed in December. +3)
3. Read the whole Bible {Completed}6. Read 12 non-fiction "spiritual" books {1}
7. Read the Proverb of the day every day for six months {6 months - missed one day}
13. Write a monthly review on my blog within 5 days of the end of the month whenever internet is available {6 months}
14. Blog my 3 (or more) top goals for each month within 5 days of the beginning of each month whenever internet is available {5 months}
15. Write 24 book reviews {10}23. Read 24 non-fiction books {4}
Dream List: None
Reading Update
Fiction: 6Non-Fiction: 4Reviews: 10 Audio Books: 4 (fiction)
Traveling
Nights Gone: 20New Countries or States: None
April Goals
1. Complete the A to Z Challenge and visit 200 other A to Z Blogs {Completed the challenge - didn't visit very many other blogs}
2. Finish the first edits on SL (WLHYL #2) {Yes }
3. Prepare and leave for Mexico {Yes}
4. Read and review 4 non-fiction books {Yes}
5. Contact 100 (___________) {Haha, nope: Only like 15.}
What I've Been Learning
I read a book about the USS Indianapolis and WW2 and the struggles people went through to bring the horrible war to an end. It was crazy the extremes that people had to suffer through. From Dangerous Love I learned what it's like to keep going, even when the going gets tough. God's love can change us and mold us if we allow it to. When Others Shuddered gave me an overview of the lives of eight women who made a big difference in their world and reminded me that I, too, want to be a world-changer.
During the month I read three historical fiction books that took place during the Civil War. They were very historically accurate, including snippets from people's letters and journals who lived during that era. It was sobering to think about how our country was once torn and fighting each other. It also made me thankful that our country stayed together and that we can heal and look past our mistakes and differences. And, it also made me realize how very important it is to do just that.
I also had fun learning about the countries that I "visited" this month during the series I have on Noveltea called Around the World in 52 Weeks. (The countries were Norway, Bhutan, Cayman Islands, and Georgia.) The country I'd want to visit most out of those? Probably Norway. They really like books there and I really like books... So, it sounds delightful.
It's much easier for me to keep up with life when I'm keeping up with the small things - like eating healthily. I let myself have about eight or nine days of eating sweets and dairy and breads and all those yummy treats and yikes... I've discovered that really and truly nothing tastes as yummy as being healthy feels. I'm happily and confidently back on my healthy lifestyle and although I might take a meal (or day) off now and then, I won't be doing such a long stretch again for a long time.
Although I had fun with the A to Z Challenge, I got tired of it near the end of the month. I wanted to be creative and post whatever I wanted, instead of just posting about creativity. That actually surprised me a bit. I think it's partly to do with the fact that I was out of my normal environment and everything felt "off." All in all though, the challenge was enjoyable and it stretched me a bit, so that was good. I think my main concern was that Noveltea would seem really redundant to y'all, so hopefully that wasn't the case and if it was, then I whole-heartedly agree with you.
I need to make sure the monthly and weekly goals I set are realistic, and if they aren't or if they aren't moving me forward in the overall range of my life goals, then I need to learn to let go and reevaluate.
Re-writing and adding and chopping my WIP can be rewarding and fun, but it can also be really difficult and draining and make me want to take a dozen naps. Pushing through will be worth it in the end and bribing myself with listening to music and taking walks really does help.
Other
This was a good month. And a very long one. I can barely remember what happened back at the beginning of it because so much has been going on in my life. Thankfully these last two weeks have been slow, easy-going weeks with a lot of reflection time.
Right before I left for Mexico I had fun answering questions for an interview I did over at this blog. The questions were great and made me really think, so it was fun. The interview went live today so y'all should check it out.
Family time is amazing. I've had wonderful hours spent playing tons of Uno with my youngest brother, swimming in the ocean and pool, cooking, doing dishes, walking, playing multiple games multiple times with multiple people, and just hanging out.
* * *It's that time again where we get to choose where Annie goes for this week in our Friday Series, Around the World in Fifty-Two Weeks . And the destination is: Dominica!
(The first two countries I landed on were Pakistan and Central African Republic, but both of them had strong warnings against visiting them at this time because of unrest so I figured Annie wouldn't have been able to go.)
April 30, 2016
Z is for Zeal
Yesterday my brother said, "You must really like writing to do it every day" and I just looked at him for a moment then said, "Um, yeah." (So eloquent, I know.) In truth I really do like to write. I enjoy constructing sentences and building worlds and writing down my thoughts.
In truth though, there have been many times when I haven't felt like writing. When the tentacles of editing and grammar and plot holes squeeze around my creative side and force me down in the murky depths of apathy.
It's during times like that when my zeal for a challenge comes into play. See, there are plenty of days when I don't do much on the writing front, but I still make sure to write at least 100 words on my WIP every. single. day.
I know this isn't the way everyone works and I don't even necessarily recommend doing it for as long as I have, but for me it helps me stay focused because even if I end up throwing those words away, I know that I worked on my writing. And for me, staying in the race helps keep the momentum going.
Today was my 1,327th day of writing every day and looking at that, I feel my zeal for writing and my zeal for a challenge inspiring me to keep going and not lose ground.
So, even if you're not doing a lot to accomplish your dreams, doing something each day just might do the trick of helping them become a reality one day in the future.
What dream do you have that you're willing to spend at least a few minutes on each day?
In truth though, there have been many times when I haven't felt like writing. When the tentacles of editing and grammar and plot holes squeeze around my creative side and force me down in the murky depths of apathy.
It's during times like that when my zeal for a challenge comes into play. See, there are plenty of days when I don't do much on the writing front, but I still make sure to write at least 100 words on my WIP every. single. day.
I know this isn't the way everyone works and I don't even necessarily recommend doing it for as long as I have, but for me it helps me stay focused because even if I end up throwing those words away, I know that I worked on my writing. And for me, staying in the race helps keep the momentum going.
Today was my 1,327th day of writing every day and looking at that, I feel my zeal for writing and my zeal for a challenge inspiring me to keep going and not lose ground.
So, even if you're not doing a lot to accomplish your dreams, doing something each day just might do the trick of helping them become a reality one day in the future.
What dream do you have that you're willing to spend at least a few minutes on each day?
April 29, 2016
Y is for Yukon & Yellowstone
I can't even remember when I first heard the words "Yukon" and "Yellowstone" but I've wanted to visit both places ever since. I still hold to the dream of one day exploring those gorgeous portions of earth. I can imagine breathing in deeply and feeling creativity fill me with every air molecule that sweeps past me.
photos from PixabaySometimes I take time to just look at pictures of amazing settings in the world and soak in the beauty. It's not quite as good as being there in person, but it's kinda the next best thing.
And, because pictures are worth a 1,000 words, I'll stop typing and let you gaze at these two breath-taking places.
photos from PixabaySometimes I take time to just look at pictures of amazing settings in the world and soak in the beauty. It's not quite as good as being there in person, but it's kinda the next best thing. 
And, because pictures are worth a 1,000 words, I'll stop typing and let you gaze at these two breath-taking places.
