Cara C. Putman's Blog, page 79

Blinking Lights and a Cat

I’m out of town this week. And some stories are just too good not to share again. Sometimes we just need a smile, and I hope this gives you one today.

Pets do the whackiest things. What’s the craziest thing your pet has done?
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2008

We’re on something like our 10th snowstorm this year. Sigh. I love winter. I love snow. But I am so ready for anything else. Sunday we hit 60 degrees; it was awesome. Monday started that way…then last night it sleeted and snowed. Same today.

So Monday night Eric peered through the blinds to see how much snow there was. I didn’t believe him and had to check for myself.

Then I looked out again. Eric’s car is blinking. Flashing. Winking. Whatever you want to call it.

Eric doesn’t believe me. So he grabs the key fob, hits a button, and asks, “Is this better?”

Nope.

He tries again.

Nope. Still blinking.

Finally, he comes to the window and checks for himself. Yep. The lights are blinking. Flashing. Winking.

Eric decides it’s a good time to move his car inside. When he reaches the car he sees the source of the problem. Somehow our cat snuck into the car while Eric pulled groceries out. The cat is now standing on the front seat, batting at the hazard light button.

Mystery solved.

What wacky things have your pets done?

How to Catch a Prince Review & more

What does it mean to Love Well? Corina is about to find out in @RachelHauck latest. #amreading
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Rachel Hauck writes what I call supernatural romance. Or spiritual fairytales. Whatever you call them, her books are rich romances with strong spiritual truths woven through the story in such an organic way I can’t imagine the stories without them. How to Catch a Prince is no different.

In How to Catch a Prince, a series of secrets has kept Corina and Stephen apart while also binding them together. The future seems settled until the whisper “Love well” breathes across Corina’s heart. The tension pulls them together and thrusts them apart while the past forms a barrier that seems insurmountable.

Love well.

It’s an urging that resonates. What does it mean to love well? How does one do it? This novel whispers at the power of the concept while issuing a challenge wrapped in a romance that is laced with attraction, desire, and secrets dark enough to keep them apart forever.

How to Catch a Prince is perfect for those who love modern fairytales and a book with rich spiritual threads. Think grown up Princess Diaries.

“Perfect for Valentine’s Day, Hauck’s latest inspirational romance offers an uplifting and emotionally rewarding tale that will delight her growing fan base.” –Starred review Library Journal

“Hauck writes a feel-good novel that explores the trauma and love of the human heart. Prince Stephen’s PTSD is all too real to many soldiers coming home from war, and Corina Del Rey’s never-ending love for him is an example of patience and sacrifice that readers will adore.” –4 Star review Romantic Times

“Hauck weaves amazing themes throughout this novel. This is a modern fairytale for the masses.” –CBA Review

An American heiress and a crown prince seem destined to be together. Will the devastation of war keep them apart forever? Find out in Rachel Hauck’s new book, How to Catch a Prince. True love has a destiny all its own. With a little heavenly help, Prince Stephen and Corina embark on a journey of truth. But when the secrets are revealed, can they overcome, move forward, and find love again?

Enter to win a “royal” prize pack! 

One grand prize winner will receive:

A royal-themed Brighton charm bracelet
2 tickets to see the new Cinderella movie
The Royal Wedding series (Once Upon a Prince, Princess Ever After, and How to Catch a Prince)

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on March 23rd. Winner will be announced March 24th on Rachel’s blog.

RACHEL HAUCK

Rachel Hauck is an award-winning, best selling author of critically acclaimed novels such as “The Wedding Dress,” “Love Starts with Elle,” and “Once Upon A Prince.” She also penned the Songbird Novels with multi-platinum recording artist, Sara Evans. Booklist named their novel, “Softly and Tenderly,” one of 2011 Top Ten Inspirationals. She serves on the Executive Board for American Christian Fiction Writers and is a mentor and book therapist at My Book Therapy, and conference speaker. Rachel lives in central Florida with her husband and pets.

ABOUT THE BOOK


How to Catch a Prince (Zondervan, February 2015)She caught her prince once. Can she catch him again?American heiress Corina Del Rey’s life was devastated by war. Every thing she loved was lost. But after five years of grief, she’s shed her grave clothes and started over in the sunshine along the Florida coast.But some things are not so easily forgotten. When a secret from her past confronts her face to face, she realizes she must follow her heart. Even if it cost her everything.Prince Stephen of Brighton Kingdom is a former Royal Air Command lieutenant turned star rugby player, trying to make sense of his life after the devastation of war.

When his brother, King Nathaniel, discovers Stephen’s pre war secret, he must deal with an aspect of his life he longed to forget. But how can he do so without exposing the truth and breaching national security?

Yet, true love has a destiny all it’s own. As the cathedral bells peal through Cathedral City, Corina and Stephen must chose to answer the call of love on their hearts.

Or let it be lost forever?

Learn more and purchase a copy here.

The Story of Us

Today I’m at the Grove talking about the Story of Us.

Chapter One: I was born into a family with parents who were passionately in love with Jesus. Just a few years before my Dad hadn’t known Jesus. Now he did…and he was committed.

Chapter Five: I developed an understanding of who Jesus was and why I would want to follow Him.

Chapter Nine: I made my love for Jesus public at a family camp. It was the next step in the process and one I wanted to make.

To read the rest, pop over to the Grove.

5 Reasons to Stop the Comparison Game

Parenting isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s hard enough to mother in a generation where there are more how-to books than any one person could read. And each has a different strategy, a different technique, a different this-is-the-way-you-must-mother-or-you-have-epically-failed.

Yet this ignores several important elements.

1) Each child is completely different. I have certainly seen this played out in my kiddos. No matter how much I like to think they’re the same, the reality is that they are unique individuals. God planted different skills, talents, personalities, and so much more inside each one. So a one-size fits all approach won’t work with each and every child.

2) Each mother, each father is different. We don’t all fit the molds that people say we should. For example, my kids know if they want sympathy they need to go to their dad. He is much more empathetic, and I tend to be the one encouraging them to rub some dirt on it. Get up. Keep moving. You’ll be fine. But I’m the one who does the homeschooling. Eric is very supportive, but on a day-to-day basis, he’s too busy making a living to help. So I’m the one doing the moment-by-moment educating. We’ve learned to play to our strengths. Dad’s the fun parent, the one who is more likely to extend grace, where I’m the justice parent and the one more likely to give strong boundaries. Together it’s a good balance, but it’s a balance you won’t find in a book.

Wisdom says ask God what kind of Mom I need to be for the kids He gave me. @cara_putman has 5…
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3) Comparing leads to the belief we’re failing. I can always find another mom who is doing a better job. She’s more patient, more engaged, more present with her kids. In the next breath I can find a mom who’s doing a different job — maybe less stellar than I am. Yet wisdom says to ask God what kind of Mom I need to be for the kids He entrusted to me. To be willing to let go of the expectations of others and focus on who I am and who my kids are.

4) Comparison isolates me from my fellow moms. If I’m feeling the need to compare, then I’m going to hold people at arm’s length. From that distance I look like Wonder Woman. Get too close and you see the fact that I hate to cook. That the corners of my house can create an encouraging habitat for a farm of dust bunnies. That I lose my temper when I feel stressed and overwhelmed. That I long for me time and girl time when others think I should be completely fulfilled with my kids alone.

5) Raising children is a mirror God uses to reveal areas in my life where I need to continue to grow. My greatest weaknesses are often revealed as I parent. My lack of patience. My lack of trust. My lack of organization. The ways I can get distracted and time zips by. God has often used these moments to show me areas He wants to develop in me. This comes from His revelation to my heart. Books can be a tool to raise a standard, but the best standard is reliance on Him. The best comparison is His standard, and after all He knows me best.

Do you find yourself falling into the comparison trap? If not, how do you avoid it? What advice would you have for moms trapped in that cycle?

Reviews & Updates

I thoroughly enjoyed Like a Flower in Bloom. Honestly, the cover drew me to it at first — it’s absolutely perfect for the story! Told in first person,Like a Flower in Bloom is from the perspective of Charlotte, a young woman who has been sequestered at home helping her father with his botany work. Now her uncle and father have decided she should be married and someone else has come in to take her place. She feels completely displaced and out of sorts. The book tells the story of her endeavors to convince her father of how much he needs her while making men fall in love with her. And there are some absolutely wonderful characters around her.

I loved readingLike a Flower in Bloom, but what resonated with me most was the heroine’s deep sense of displacement. How many of us have felt like we just don’t fit no matter which way we turn? Yet through the pages of this story, I was reminded that God does indeed have a place for each of us. And that He turns our stories into things of beauty, even when there are a few valleys along the way. I also enjoyed looking into botany in 1850s England. There is enough richness to delight the most discriminating historical reader. And the romance is sweet and perfect.

And just in case you missed it, last week I was blogging all around the blogosphere. You can catch up with the posts easily enough:

At The GROVE I shared part of my journey of how God wooed me to move from perfectionism to grace…a journey still in progress to be sure!

At the Writer’s Alley, I talked about how to find a place in the publishing world.

And at Inspired by Life & Fiction I wrote about seeking God in the moments of “what’s next?”

In two weeks I’m headed to Brazil for a MBA class trip. I need some new reading material…any suggestions?

For Fun: Classic Literature Homes

The author of this infographic on the Homes of Classic Literature shared it with me with permission to share it on. I thought y’all would enjoy it, too. You can find this and more at the company’s website. However, I thought you would enjoy seeing how they imagine homes from Jane Eyre, The Secret Garden and much more. Enjoy! What’s your favorite literature home? I’d love to see Anne of Green Gables’ home!

 

From http://www.terrysfabrics.co.uk/infogr...

 

First post at the Grove

Today is my first post at the Grove. I’d love to have you come join us. Here’s a teaser…

Once upon a time there was a girl who desperately wanted to believe she was special. Unique. Loved. She had a family that loved her, but her heart cried for something deeper. As she grew she wondered if anyone could love the parts of her that were covered with warts. The parts that revealed how far she had to grow.

She learned to look perfect. Act perfect. Be perfect. Because in perfection she found a place of comfort…

To read the rest, come visit.

Bible Reading Plan Update

In January I shared a Bible Reading plan that I’m using this year. You can read that post here. As often happens, the best laid plans fall apart thanks to life.

I did really well with the plan through January…and then February happened. I’m not sure what about this month threw a terrible hiccup in my reading plan, but it did. Ever been there? There are so many checks that haven’t been marked that you’re almost too discouraged to bother moving forward? I was definitely there.

Then I decided to dig in and try to catch up. Maybe February would look different than January, but I gave myself the freedom to say that was okay. You see most Monday – Friday mornings, I’m doing a devo, reading a chapter, and going over Old Testament history with my kids as part of school. This reading plan is in addition to that. So I prayed about a way to get caught up, so I could move forward the rest of the year without discouragement.

Here’s what I found and am really enjoying. I’ve had the BibleGateway app on my phone for years, but I’ve often defaulted to Glo Bible when I’m reading. I love BibleGateway.com, so I thought I’d check for an audio Bible that I could listen to as I caught up. BibleGateway app to the rescue. It has an audio Bible where you can choose from several versions, and dependent on the version a couple different readers. This has been a fantastic way to catch up.

I’ll admit I was concerned that I’d listen without hearing. Yet I’m still having heart stopping revelations as I’ve listened to Matthew and Exodus. Once I’m caught up, I plan to go back to reading, but if you need a new way to do your time in the Word, try the BibleGateway app or another audio Bible. It might be exactly what you need.

How do you spend time in the Bible?

God so Loved Me!

Over at the GROVE, my writer sisters Beth Vogt and Katherine Reay are sharing their hearts about what it was like to discover that God love them. Kristy Cambron and Katie Ganshert shared their stories too.

Isn’t there such power in that thought…

God so loved me…

He reached down across eternity for you…for me.

He knew before He created the first man, the first woman, that sin would follow. That separation would come. That a way of redemption would be necessary. He knew that the price would be His son and He did it anyway.

He did it anyway.

He sent Him anyway.

As a mother of four, I can’t hardly imagine. Well, actually, I can imagine. The pain of sending a child into the breach. Into the void. Knowing what was to come. The pain He would suffer. The separation They would experience from each other. The joy of being reunited.

He did all that because He so loved…me…and you.

How did you discover this truth? Or are you still on the journey of exploration? I’d love to hear more of your story.

Over at the GROVE, my writer sisters Beth Vogt and Kather...

Over at the GROVE, my writer sisters Beth Vogt and Katherine Reay are sharing their hearts about what it was like to discover that God love them.

Isn’t there such power in that thought…

God so loved me…

He reached down across eternity for you…for me.

He knew before He created the first man, the first woman, that sin would follow. That separation would come. That a way of redemption would be necessary. He knew that the price would be His son and He did it anyway.

He did it anyway.

He sent Him anyway.

As a mother of four, I can’t hardly imagine. Well, actually, I can imagine. The pain of sending a child into the breach. Into the void. Knowing what was to come. The pain He would suffer. The separation They would experience from each other. The joy of being reunited.

He did all that because He so loved…me…and you.

How did you discover this truth? Or are you still on the journey of exploration? I’d love to hear more of your story.