The Sun Came Up Late Today

Psalm 119:90(MSG)

Your truth never goes out of fashion; it's as up-to-date as the earth when the sun comes up.  

The sun was late rising this morning.  Well, at least that's what it felt like when I awoke to darkness, as compared with yesterday when the sun was shining brightly in my window at the exact same time.  I already miss that sunbeam coming into my bedroom early. Today is "Day Light Savings", so we sprang forward an hour.  I don't understand the need for Day Light "Savings" Time.  Do we actually save time?  This has always perplexed me.  We get what we get, right?  We end up shuttling more light to the end of the day and less brightness to the front half, but it's the same amount of time, so why do we call it "daylight savings time"?  Indeed...one of the baffling questions of my life that will never have a satisfying answer as far as I can tell.   

Springing forward.

I clearly like consistency, as you can discern from my dislike of the whole time change thing.  Oh to have such problems, right? But on a more serious note, one of my favorite things about God's word is that it is always the same.  It never changes. The words of the Bible are as applicable today as they were centuries ago.  

His Words are on time...every time.  They are never late. The truths of God are for everyone.  They are not for majorities or minorities.  The Word of God is forever adorned with the greatness of His love, mercy, and grace. We don't have to set it forward or back it up to keep pace with the culture in which we live. The Lord has taken care of all of that for us.  Sweet!!   

Father,

Thank You for providing us with an up-to-date time clock that will never change. Thank You for the comfort that we find in Your Word;  a strong tower to run to for shelter. Your words are a light unto our path and a lamp unto our feet.  Your voice is like a gentle stream of living water bringing life to all who would drink deeply of it.  I am forever amazed and give You all of my praise today.

In Christ's Name,

Amen

God's Promises Are Permanent

Psalm 119:89(MSG)
What you say goes, God, and stays , as permanent as the heavens.

The word "permanent" in a Mom's mind conjures up visions of the Sharpie Marker on walls or clothing, right?  Yep.  That's tough stuff to get out.  No amount of scrubbing...even after soaking in "Shout" can get those stains out.  Believe me, I've tried.  It might fade a little, but it isn't leaving.  Nope, it's there for good.

That's a beautiful thought when I think about the promises God has made to us.  They are real and what He says goes.  His words stay forever, just like that marker.

Here are three of my favorite non-washable promises from the Lord:

Florida sunset...thanks for sharing Dad!

Psalm 103:12 (NIV)- As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.

Joshua 1:9 (NIV)  Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified;  do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

Psalm 27: 1-2 (NIV)  The Lord is my light and my salvation-whom shall I fear?  
The Lord is the stronghold of my life-  of whom shall I be afraid?  
When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.    

Father,
Thank You for writing on my heart with permanent marker.  Your words are an everlasting comfort to me.  Bring them to my mind often and help me to live them out every day of my life here on earth!  Let the peace of Your words flow over each one reading this right now.
In Christ's name,
Amen

Book Review: Seeker by Arwen Elys Dayton

This book was not for me.

The night Quin Kincaid takes her Oath, she will become what she has trained to be her entire life. She will become a Seeker. This is her legacy, and it is an honor.

As a Seeker, Quin will fight beside her two closest companions, Shinobu and John, to protect the weak and the wronged. Together they will stand for light in a shadowy world. And she'll be with the boy she loves--who's also her best friend. But the night Quin takes her Oath, everything changes.

Being a Seeker is not what she thought. Her family is not what she thought. Even the boy she loves is not who she thought.
And now it's too late to walk away.

My Personal Review:

Seeker by Arwen Elys Dayton is imaginative and reveals the author's extreme creativity within it's pages.  Although this is considered a YA read and I am an OA (Older Adult), I chose to read this book because I occasionally like to suggest a good read to the young adults in my life.  

Seeker by Arwen Elys Dayton was released February 10, 2015 and is the first debut novel in a YA series.  At the beginning of this book, it is clearly defined that a "Seeker" is one who uses their skills to alter the world for the better;  a protector of the weak.  This knowledge of good verses evil and the idea of using one's talents to change the world to make it a better place give it a strong foundation for a wonderful book with many sequels.  The concept for the book is excellent.  There were many narratives I enjoyed within this book, but unfortunately, there were also many descriptions of violent acts that I did not relish.

I anticipated that the plot would move quickly into an evil underworld of deception, and while the work hints at that, I never fully grasped the complete picture.  Instead, the reader is frequently taken from here to "there" and back again through time travel provided by the special powers of the much sought after stone "Athame".  I found myself continuously turning back pages in an attempt to figure out what I had missed, due to the fact that I consistently was not making connections between events.  I easily envisioned the circular doors leading to new places, but struggled with the transitions between circumstances.  It became distracting and frustrating. 

The three main characters who are training to be Seekers are diverse and interesting.  Their interpersonal relationships with one another and their families draw the reader's attention.  The one area that is narrated in a very detailed manner, is the violent acts of murder and torture that occur in various parts of this book.  Many were extremely graphic and left me with a pit in my stomach.  In fact, the descriptions were so nauseating that had this not been a review copy and as such I had given my promise to read the work completely through, I would not have finished this book.  It was overdone and detracted from the fantasy.

The character's travels were also a bit too shallow for my liking.  I wanted to hear more of Scotland's rich history and visual beauty beyond just the casual comments about the castles and green meadows.  The complexity of Hong Kong could have been expounded upon to inform the reader of some of the culture as well.   Instead, the pages are filled with detailed descriptions of blood and gore, but no redeeming cultural values to at least off set the ridiculousness of overplayed violence.

In the end, the reader is left hanging, of course which is to be expected with a series.  The good part of the book is the mystery of wondering where it's going.  What will happen next?  If I keep reading will I understand this more?  The inferior parts of the book are the lack of fluidity and the violent acts.  The thought of my daughter reading about her "shirt being ripped open and her nipple being twisted" as a means of punishment for incorrect behavior is not a work I want to encourage her to read.  That particular incident is just one example of the many descriptive vile behaviors observed in this reading.

In the end, I am not sure that I will attempt to read the sequels to Seeker.  I'm guessing I'll probably pass.  

Thank you to Random House Children's Books for this review copy of Seeker through the Net Galley Review Program.  I was given this free copy in exchange for reading the book thoroughly and giving an honest review.  The opinions within this review are my own.

Book Review: Both of Me by Jonathan Friesen

This book is creatively mysterious!

It was supposed to be just another flight, another escape into a foreign place where she could forget her past, forget her attachments. Until Clara found herself seated next to an alluring boy named Elias Phinn—a boy who seems to know secrets she has barely been able to admit to herself for years.

When her carry-on bag is accidentally switched with Elias’s identical pack, Clara uses the luggage tag to track down her things. At that address she discovers there is not one Elias Phinn, but two: the odd, paranoid, artistic, and often angry Elias she met on the plane, who lives in an imaginary world of his own making called Salem; and the kind, sweet, and soon irresistible Elias who greets her at the door, and who has no recollection of ever meeting Clara at all. As she learns of Elias’s dissociative identity disorder, and finds herself quickly entangled in both of Elias’s lives, Clara makes a decision that could change all of them forever. She is going to find out what the Salem Elias knows about her past, and how, even if it means playing along with his otherworldly quest. And she is going to find a way to keep the gentle Elias she’s beginning to love from ever disappearing again.

My Personal Review

Both Of Me by Jonathan Friesen is a creatively mysterious and engaging book.  The characters are believable and the story-line brings an extremely realistic look at the very heartbreaking mental disorder tagged as a Dissociative Identity Disorder.  

Both of Me by Jonathan Friesen is my first book review that is classified in the Young Adult Fiction category.  I must confess that I have not read his previous books, but after reading this one, I certainly plan to in the very near future. Friesen's writing is so detailed and skillfully crafted, that I wouldn't want to miss the opportunity to enjoy more of his work.  I chose to review this particular book, because I am a parent of YA's and would really like to know what's out there for them to read.  

So, here's my take on Both Of Me.  I loved it!  It has everything.  From an entertainment standpoint, it is very satisfying.  The characters are authentic and illicit the appropriate emotions within the reader as the story line progresses.  I literally laughed out loud several times with some of the fantastic imagery developed at various spots in the book. Izzy's character and her "guitar" combined with her reckless behavior conjured up all sorts of pictures in my head.  Clara's sensitivity is undeniable.  The depth of her thinking and constant analysis were endearing to me.  There is a chapter where Clara stands at the foot of the cross and empties her heart before God.  It was such a tender description as she poured out her guilt and shame.  It will have you searching your own heart for hidden hurts.  The main character, Elias, is anything but boring.  His dual personality had me confused and perplexed after a few pages of "The Other One".  It allowed me to feel as though I were actually inside of his chaotic mind.  Only a gifted writer can create such an experience for the reader.

Both of Me by Jonathan Friesen also has the "informative factor", as I like to call it.  That means that the reader learns something effortlessly and without intention.  In this particular case, the information being fed to the reader comes from the experiences of the character's lives.  Friesen does an amazing job to portray through the character of Elias, the disorganized thinking, tumultuous relationships, delusions, and challenges that a person with Dissociative Identity Disorder may face on a daily basis.  The inability to find a treatment for those suffering from this life altering mental illness is also concisely communicated within the book.  This is not the only lesson learned from reading Both of Me; there are plenty more.  There are also insights into family dynamics, the freedom of honesty, first love, and the importance of forgiveness. 

Both Of Me is a captivating read.  The subject matter is a little heavy, so I would suggest it for the over sixteen year old population.  I also think this book would make a fantastic suspense filled movie!  Perhaps because I am a "OA" (Older Adult) and not a "YA" (Younger Adult), I find the statement of Atticus to be profoundly true when he says, "It's a round world.  You live long enough, you see it, the coming round of things."  Great read!!

Thank you to Zondervan Publishing for this review copy of Both Of Me by Jonathan Friesen given to me through the BookLook Bloggers program.  I was not required to give a favorable review of this work, but only asked to read it in it's entirety and give my honest opinion. 

Book Review: THE PROMISE, OR THE PROS AND CONS OF TALKING WITH GOD by Sean Paul Murphy

The Memoir is transparent, captivating, tender, and profoundly human. 

THE PROMISE, OR THE PROS AND CONS OF TALKING WITH GOD, by Sean Paul Murphy

A story of first faith and first love and how the two became almost fatally intertwined. The Promise, or the Pros and Cons of Talking with God is Sean’s inspirational, coming-of-age tale of first faith and first love and how the two became almost fatally intertwined in his life. It is a poignant and insightful meditation on surviving in the gray area between God’s sovereignty and our individual free will.

MY PERSONAL REVIEW:

THE PROMISE, OR THE PROS AND CONS OF TALKING WITH GOD by Sean Paul Murphy takes a candid stroll through the very heart and soul of this widely acclaimed screenplay writer and author’s life.  The memoir is transparent, captivating, tender and profoundly human.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.  The fact that the author, Sean Paul Murphy is a product of the 1960’s was just one of the alluring features.  The narration is so descriptive that I found myself drifting back into those youthful days gone by.  The drive-in movies, stretched phone cords in an unsuccessful attempt at privacy, and warm summer nights swinging on the porch under the stars conjured up all sorts of wonderful memories for me. 

However, the most endearing quality of this book is simply the author’s voice.  Murphy’s attention to detail and humorous delivery are exceptional.  He exposes a depth of emotion and permeability that is unique.  As the author unveils years of life experiences, some glorious and others tragic, the reader is forced to ponder their own life in a way that requires a studious look at the issue of mortality.  Further still, the relationship between God and man is brought to the forefront of our minds as we read of the author’s interactions with the Lord throughout the pages of the book.  Sean Paul Murphy’s description of his time with God and his interpretations of those meetings are priceless.  Murphy manages to integrate Biblical truths throughout the course of the reading and seamlessly maintains a reverent posture towards the Son of God and the reality of our “spiritual immortality.”

Like a large ball of yarn that has been unraveled and shuffled from one end of the room to the other, so to this book: The Promise, or the Pros and Cons of Talking With God by Sean Paul Murphy.  The winding words twist and turn through the years of Murphy’s life and lead the reader down a gentle path towards self actualization.  This book is a catalyst into some serious soul searching. 

One of my favorite conclusions drawn by the author is that there is no value of enduring and surviving pain and heartache if we are not willing to share our experiences to help others.  This concept is just one of several empowering and equipping revelations that Murphy shares.  Imagine the change in our world on a global scale if we all had this perspective on life and love. 

This book touched me in the 1970's.

Throughout the reading of this book, Sean Paul Murphy's communication of a persistent love and hope reminded me of the writings of  Leo Buscaglia.  Dr. Buscaglia was a world renown author and speaker who delivered a strong message of gracious love that profoundly impacted my own life after reading his work in the 1970's.  In this same way, Murphy's intention to live his life on a “love note" and to clearly communicate the source of that love in a nonthreatening manner is infectious.  It is an interesting side note, that the two have an uncanny similar physical appearance as well.  Perhaps in the long lineage of Italian heritage there lies some genetic connection between the two, but without a shadow of a doubt, their passion for reaching out to a hurting world is very similar.    

I appreciated, especially after learning of his normally guarded personality, Murphy’s candor throughout this work.  Not only is The Promise, The Pros and Cons of Talking with God, entertaining and insightful, but it more importantly provides fuel for a great deal of thoughtful reflection and, if you dare, conversations with God.