Tuesday, March 08, 2011

A winner, a scholarship chance and a new book!

So sorry I didn't post on Sunday like I said I would, but time is just getting away from me.
I loved both comments about favorite bible verses, thank you Amy and Monica!!  I have chosen Amy to win the NLT Life Application Study Bible.  Congratulations!!  Amy, you were one of the first people I ever knew outside of my family.  We were best friends growing up and then went our separate ways.  Re-connecting with you through Facebook has been a real blessing to me.  I hope you enjoy your new bible!!  Please send me your mailing address through a private message on facebook or to beckster1024@hotmail.com.

I read an exciting post yesterday on Lysa Terkeurst's blog.  Have any of you heard of the She Speaks Conference?  It's an annual conference put on in beautiful Concord, North Carolina by Proverbs 31 Ministries.  I only recently learned about this conference, but from everything I read it sounds wonderful!  There are three different tracks for the conference:  a speaker's track, a writer's track and a women's ministry track.  I have been struggling with my call recently.  I have felt a "tug" to do something more, but have no idea what.  The She Speaks Conference looks like the perfect place to explore our "tugs".  Lysa Terkeurst is giving away a scholarship to this conference!  You can read all about it here.  Check it out and maybe I'll see you there someday! :)

Guess what I received in the mail today?  You're right, a new book to review!!  I just received "Lazarus Awakening" by Joanna Weaver to review for Waterbrook Press, a division of Random House.  It's my first book from Random House and I'm very excited.  My book group friends and I are reading Joanna Weaver's first book, "Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World".  I've really enjoyed the study and can't wait to dive into "Lazarus"!  Anyone interested in doing an online book study on "Lazarus Awakening"?  It includes a 10-week bible study.  I'd love to read it with you!  Leave a comment here if you would like to participate.

Happy Tuesday everyone!!!  Have a blessed week!

~Becky

Thursday, March 03, 2011

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

This book by E.L. Konigsburg is a children's literary classic.  It was written in 1967 and I believe I read it around 3rd grade which would have been 1980.  I remember this being the book that got me completely hooked on reading so when I saw it come up on one of the kids' Scholastic book order forms I promptly ordered it to share with them.  Tori & I just finished reading it together.  I don't think it touched her quite as much as it did me, but she really enjoyed it.


From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
Book cover from http://www.amazon.com/

When suburban Claudia Kincaid decides to run away, she knows she doesn't just want to run from somewhere she wants to run to somewhere--to a place that is comfortable, beautiful, and preferably elegant. She chooses the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Knowing that her younger brother, Jamie, has money and thus can help her with the serious cash flow problem she invites him along.


Once settled into the museum, Claudia and Jamie, find themselves caught up in the mystery of an angel statue that the museum purchased at an auction for a bargain price of $250. The statue is possibly an early work of the Renaissance master Michelangelo, and therefore worth millions. Is it? Or isn't it? Claudia is determined to find out. This quest leads Claudia to Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, the remarkable old woman who sold the statue and to some equally remarkable discoveries about herself.

Have you read it?  If so, what was your favorite part?  My favorite part was what Claudia discovers about herself at the end of the story.  If you haven't read it yet, why not pick it up?

It was a nice break between 39 Clues books for Tori & I.  We were waiting for our library to get book 8 in and there are actually a lot of similarities between the two.  Tori pointed out how Amy and Dan Cahill are a lot like Claudia and Jamie Kincaid.

Happy Reading!!

Tuesday, March 01, 2011

Reviews, a Giveaway, and taking a dive!

So I know it's been a few weeks since I posted and I have a bunch of reviews and "life" to post so tonight I thought I'd "dive" in.

First, a giveaway!!!!  Tyndale House Publishers has given me a certificate for a FREE Life Application Study Bible, NLT.  This is my first giveaway on my blog and I am so excited.  I know a lot of bloggers leave the giveaway until the end of their posts, but I'm just too excited to keep it to myself any longer. :)  Leave a comment on this post and tell me what your favorite bible verse or story is.  I'll pick a random comment Sunday night, March 6th, and you will win a new study bible in time for Lent.  Isn't that exciting??

And now for my "dive".  There are so many life stories to tell about the last 3 weeks, but the "Wow God" moment that stands out the most to me happened on my way work yesterday morning.  To give you a little back story, my boss at work gave his two weeks notice and last Friday was his last day.  He is greatly missed and more than a few people tried to talk him into staying.  It was a very hard choice for him, but he needed to be closer to his family and we all understand. On Friday it became apparant to me that I would be responsible for a lot of his duties in the interim period.  Now I should tell you that my boss was the CFO and the company had $250+ million in revenue last year and I found out I would be monitoring the cash accounts among other things starting Monday.  Needless to say I had some butterflies driving to work yesterday morning!  It wasn't that I doubted my abilities, but I was nervous with everything seemingly piled on me at the last minute and I didn't want to make a mistake.   So there I was driving along listening to LIFE 101.9 when this song by Steven Curtis Chapman came on.  I LOVE the song and immediately started singing along and then I realized what I was singing.  Here are the lyrics:

Dive by Steven Curtis Chapman

The long awaited rains
Have fallen hard upon the thirsty ground
And carved their way to where
The wild and rushing river can be found
And like the rains
I have been carried here to where the river flows, yeah
My heart is racing and my knees are weak
As I walk to the edge
I know there is no turning back
Once my feet have left the ledge
And in the rush I hear a voice
That’s telling me it’s time
to take the leap of faith

So here I go
I’m diving in, I’m going deep
in over my head, I want to be
Caught in the rush, lost in the flow,
in over my head, I want to go
The river’s deep, the river’s wide,
the river’s water is alive
So sink or swim, I’m diving in

There is a supernatural power
In this mighty river’s flow
It can bring the dead to life
And it can fill an empty soul
And give a heart the only thing
Worth living and worth dying for, yeah
But we will never know the awesome power
Of the grace of God
Until we let ourselves get swept away
Into this holy flood
So if you’ll take my hand
We’ll close our eyes and count to three
And take the leap of faith
Come on let’s go



I really felt like I was in over my head at work, but after I heard this song I knew everything was going to be ok.  God was watching out for me and I knew that even if I made a mistake at work I'm still a child of God and Jesus loves me no matter what!  You know what?  I made it through the first two days just fine even with more surprises. :-) 

I wish you "Wow God" moments in your week, too!

Don't forget to leave a comment here for your chance to win a new bible!

Review - Adventures In BoogaBooga Land DVD

More information
This is an animated children's dvd featuring Marty and Gerard, a comical giraffe and monkey, and their adventures.  There are three 15 minute episodes on the dvd each featuring a different parable:  the workers in the vineyard, the wise and foolish builders and the lamp under the bowl.

Marty and Gerard are very likable characters and the animation is very colorful.  I can see children under the age of 6 getting bored with the stories though.  I think the storylines are best suited for 6-8 year olds, but the animation is aimed at children younger than 6.  Maybe that was done on purpose to appeal to a wider audience, but I'm not sure it works in this instance.

I am all for getting God's word out to children and I love projects like this one for that very reason.  I wouldn't give this a bad rating, but it could have been a lot better.  3 out of 5 stars - good.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”