Amish Peace

 

 

About The Book:  In our instantly connected world, it’s surprisingly easy to lose our connection to God. This devotional taps Amish wisdom in order to help us draw closer to God and hear his voice. In The One Year Book of Amish Peace, you’ll get a daily taste of Amish values and wisdom. Tricia Goyer shares her fascination with the Amish in a way that will inspire and encourage believers to carve out more time in each day to listen to God and experience his presence. This daily devotional contains interesting facts about the Amish, recipes, and information about the way the Amish handle money, rear their children, and center their lives on faith in God. You’ll be inspired to slow down and find ways to simplify so that you, too, can experience God in the ordinary.

About The Author:  Tricia Goyer is the author of over 30 books and has been published in many national publications such as Focus on the Family, Today's Christian Woman and HomeLife Magazine. She has won numerous awards and has been nominated for both the Gold Medallion Book Award and Christy Award. Tricia is a highly sought after speaker at workshops and conferences and is the founder of Hope Pregnancy Ministries in Northwestern Montana. Tricia is married to the love of her life, John, and they have four great kids. They live in Little Rock, Arkansas where John works for FamilyLife.

My Thoughts On The Book: I am a huge fan of daily devotionals and Amish fiction.  I have one I keep at work, one I keep near my favorite chair, and one I keep by my bed.  I use them all daily.  Amish Peace is a book full of daily devotions, each one dated so you never lose track of what day you are on. Each day has an  Amish proverb, a Bible verse, an Amish related devotion, and end with a short prayer. Each devotion is short and to the point and it is just the perfect size for a quick moment with God, Amish style.  If you are looking for something light and easy that you can do in just a few minutes during your busy day then this is your book.  It is not a deep study, yet it is a powerful devotional.  Amish Peace is one of those you want to go to for some one-on-oe with God.  I found each devotional to be almost like a hug from God.  This book would be a great one for personal use, or a special gift. 

Statement of Disclosure: I received an paperback copy of this title from Tyndale House  Publishers, Litfuse Publicity Group, and Net Galley in exchange for a fair and honest reviw. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC 16 CFR, Part 255 'Guides concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising. I was not asked to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are entirely my own. Thanks guys for letting me read this and participate!

Things That Annoy Me Thursday: Halloween Nonsense

If your older kid is planning on going Trick or Treating, make sure he or she has a costume on.

It so irks me when I see older kids come up in regular clothes and want candy. At least put on a Halloween themed shirt or something. Last year a kid came over in regular clothes and actually told me what candy to give him. No. I gave him a tootsie roll.

Also, if you plan on taking your kid out Trick or Treating, leave a bowl of candy out. I get if both parents go with the kid but it bugs me when they get all this candy and then have nothing for the neighborhood. I feel it's only fair to have SOMETHING out if you plan on having your child get some candy.

Why do I say this?

Because on a military base, you get tons of kids. The less houses that do it, the more houses kids come to. Meaning the people who ARE passing out candy run out quickly. I bought 8 bags of candy. Last year I did 6 and I ran out thanks to the many number of houses that didn't have candy. Some people might not celebrate Halloween, but many did because their homes were decked out in decorations for the holiday. Most people are honest and will only take one piece of candy if a bowl is set out.

I hope Halloween goes well this year.

And I also hope for lots of chocolate.

A Fright-ful Wednesday Hodgepodge

Welcome to the Wednesday Hodgepodge. If you're new here, I'm glad you've joined the party. Joyce is our hostess with the mostess.  Everyone is welcome to play along-answer the questions on your own blog, then add your link at the end of Joyce's post. Hop around and say hi to the neighbors too. Here we go-

1. What's something you're dealing with that might be described as tricky?  Right now...it is teaching full time, being the preacher at one church....and the preacher's wife at another.  Both churches are special to me and it is very tricky dividing up my time where I spend time being with them as a preacher's wife.
2. What's your treat of choice?  Butterfingers, plain old candy corn, and York Peppermint patties.  The Peppermint Patties I can get sugar free which makes them a special treat.  Being a diabetic cuts out a lot of sweet things. 

3. Did you/will you carve a jack-o-lantern this month? Which real (living or dead) or fictional 'Jack' would you most like to meet in person? Why?  We are not going to carve a jack-o-lantern this month. We don't have time, I don't really like Halloween, I am a Halloween Scrooge of sorts.  Jack Sparrow would be my choice.  I would love to meet Johnny Depp and have a picture made with him.

4. In your opinion, what's the grossest sounding word in the English language?

Sorry about the crusty word Joyce....I make crusty bread and it is to die for.  My word(s) are masticate and pustule.  I don't like any word that relates to sores and oozing things.  Yuck!5. When did your heart last skip a beat?

When Frank and I walked into the NICU to see Kash and Kruze for the first time.  They are so tiny.  I have left a link so you can go to their facebook page and give some encouragement.  You need to see them in their little(and I mean very tiny) Halloween costumes.

 

6. Monster Mash by Bobby 'Boris' Pickett, Michael Jackson's Thriller, Werewolves of London by Warren Zevon or Ray Parker Jr.'s Ghostbusters...your favorite 'scary' tune?
I am product of The Monster Mash era and love the song.  I also raised children during the Michael Jackson era and like Thriller too.  Phantom of the Opera is out there too.7. It was a dark and stormy night when__________________________
 I flew for the first time.  My trip was from West Palm Beach to Atlanta.  Lightening actually hit the wing of the plane....right outside my window.  As we flew over the Atlantic I just knew we were going to be sucked into the vortex called The Bermuda Triangle.  I don't think I took a breath until we landed.  I cannot remember being so terrified.  I was nine years old.
8. Insert your own random thought here.  Did you know that today is National Candy Corn Day?  I am delighted.  I wish they made it in the sugar free form....but I may just have to cheat a bit today and have a few pieces....or a handful.  I got a picture from Magen for a safe candy corn.  It is a little toboggan that one of the nurses made for the girls.  Is this not precious?

 

A Butterfly and a Creepy Guy

I found a butterfly in my yard the other day.

Oh, hello! It's Natalie the Butterfly.

Ahem. Excuse me. (BANG!)

I just ran into the house. She's amused.

This is what she's going to be for Halloween. It's not one of her many dress up outfits. I bought the costume last year at Gymboree for a fantastic deal.

Natalie did NOT want to take the costume off.

"Can't I just keep wearing this?"

"No. You can have it for good AFTER Halloween. I know you. You'll roll around in the mud while wearing it and insist that you're a muddy butterfly."

"I'm a SILLY butterfly!"

And then I made farting sounds to get her to smile:

Then this creature showed up:

(Getting him to take a picture was not easy. "NOW what do you want from me?" he bellowed when I asked him to come over.)

Added bonus? The eyes light up!


I think Tommy's Halloween days are numbered. And he's fine with that because he's not a fan of much candy anyway.


Naturally I get to pick out the Reeses Peanut Butter Cups after we go trick or treating. It's my payment for taking them around the neighborhood you see.

Only fair.

Saying Goodbye Again - Living With Alzheimer's

I watched other family members of dementia patients console themselves  by thinking that their loved ones wouldn’t know the difference, but through my mom I found out from one of the aides that she daily asked for me.  She did n't always know WHO I was....but she knew I was a constant.  I was her only constant.  Her parting words to me where always, "When are you coming?"  I learned early on in my role of caregiver for an Alzheimer's patient that it would be a difficult pill to swallow.  No one wants to see their parent lose their memory.  I know I didn't.  As the disease porgressed I looked for ways to help her memory.  I felt so helpless as she began to slip further and further away from me...until one day the  independant, "I can do anything I set my mind to," mother I loved and who raised me....was gone.

For five years Frank and I were the caregivers for both of my parents.  My father had cancer and was dying and my mom was drifting away with dementia.  I was going crazy as I slowly began to lose both my parents.  With my father's death in the fall of 2009 my mom had to be institutionalized.  She was a wanderer and we could not let her wander off.  She was placed in a Dadeville facility and it was not ever pretty.  She was angry at me, confused that she could not find my dad, and wanted out.  I was not allowed to see her for the first few weeks because she was so angry at me.  The rest of  her family visited with scarcity.....because they could not stand to see her like that.  I got angry....it was such a cop-out.  It wasn't about them....it was about her!  She learned how to walk to one end of the facility....pull the fire alarm and then scoot to the other end and get the outer door open.  It's alarm was not as loud as the fire alarm.  One day, about a month after she was placed....we went to see her and they told us she had to go.  We were given three choices.  One was in the Valley (an hour away), one was in Pell City (two hours away), or Adams (less than a mile from where I lived at the time).  All three were lock down units.  I chose Adams and our journey there began.  During her tenure aqt Adams I adjusted to seeing her ever changing state and eventually the confusion and anger I had with God subsided.  Her first Christmas I made a calendar for her with once familiar faces and when she opened it we went over all the pictures.  When I got to the one of her as a young woman  she became hostile.  I put the calendar away and we never mentioned it again.  I sang for her unit once and when I went back the second time she met me at the door....excited....Karen was coming to sing.  I told her I was there to sing and she grew hostile because I was not THE Karen that was supposed to sing.  The aide played along....hid my guitar until mom was ready for ME to sing.  Music was the way I reached her.  She might not remember your name...but she remembered the words to songs....and steps to dances....and so we sang....and occassionally I would dance with her.(I am not a good dancer - she was).

Cancer is a terrible thing and it was hard to watch my dad die from it.  He knew me until the end.  What was so upsetting  was that it was hard for me to make peace with Alzheimers.  I did not understand it.  I did not like it.   I wanted my mom back.  I wish I had known then....what I know now.  I struggled alone to find my way through this no-man's land. I read everything I could get my hands on.  I looked for support groups....our town had one....but they met during the day and I teach.....so I was not able to go to their meetings.  I visited my mom every day except on weekends.  The visits were not always long....but there were.  I went, I hugged her, I held her hand, sometimes I laid in the bed with her, held her and sang softly.  I have no regrets there.  I really only have one regret and that regret is that I was not there when she died.  Frank and I went to the mountains for Spring Break.  We left on Sunday after church.  I went by to see her on Friday and told her I would be gone.  She smiled and said she would see me soon.  We got the call on Monday and I made a most dreaded ride home.  She was gone!  She went like she wanted to.  She went to be with my dad.  The last time I was at Adams' to see her....she was sitting in the open room....she asked me if I could see the door.  She told me Aunt Shirley and Daddy needed her help setting the banquet table.  I cried all the way home.  She died with a smile on her face....she was going home....and my dad was waiting on her.  One day I will see them again and we will all be together. 

When I Was 17 It Was A Very Good Year and It Wasn't.

It was the fall of 71…I was soon to be 18…..and  I had a car in my mind that was “the bomb”, oh it was sharp! It had Cragar mags with knockoff spinners,it was Kelly green with white leather interior, it was awesome!  The piece of awesomeness I am talking about was a 1971 Oldsmobile 442.  It was a muscle car….and  I thought that I would be “the man” in this car. It would do 0 to 60 in 5.2 seconds.  This was the car for me.  I knew I could impress anyone with this car…especially the guy I liked…but, when we went to get this car....we passed another car lot and sitting up on a stand....was the car that won my heart. 

It was a flame red 1969 Plymouth Satellite 383.  It had Cragar mags and knock off spinners....and white leather interior.  It was gorgeous.  My dad and I drove it off the lot and it went home to 1127 El Prado.  I had a need for speed and it got me in trouble.  I did some street racing down Dixie with some other street racers.  There was something about getting the flag and hitting the gas.  At this time in my life my dream was to drive funny cars like Shirley Muldowney.  The first three months I owned my car my dad put three sets of tires on it. When he put the third set on he informed me that the next set was coming out of my pocket....needless to say my love of street racing ebbed.  I loved this car....I have to say it was almost my idol.....and  then one day coming home from school…an old beat up Volkswagen Beetle hit me in the rear end… I was stopped waiting to turn into my neighborhood.  Traffic was rather heavy because they were building I-95 at Southern Blvd.....luckily I was waiting for a police officer to pass so I could turn.....the Volkswagon came out of nowhere….she was running 60+ Miles per hour…in a construction zone….the impact was what happened next.  I didn't even know she was coming.  The car hit me so hard that it  knocked the gas tank out from under my car….and knocked the car and I 185 feet.  I had a broken nose, a busted lip, 2 fractured ribs, and a pulled mastoid muscle in my neck….and you got it….the boy I was trying to impress…was not real impressed with my appearance(black eyes, busted nose, bruises and cuts everywhere…and my prized car was totaled.  The wrecker drove me home....and then took my car to the junk yard....my heart was broken.  My dad took me to see it one last time.  It was not recognizable.  My father held me in his strong arms and told me....the car could be replaced....but I couldn't.  I loved my dad for that.  He was right.  It was....just a car.  I was irreplaceable to my parents.....and for the first time in days....I smiled.  It would be alright. 

Hey It's Okay Tuesday!

I got this idea from Glamour magazine. They have a section called Hey, It’s Okay and will list a bunch of things to be okay about. You're welcome to join in and do something like this on your blog. Doesn't have to be on a Tuesday either. Just make sure you link up and that the post you link up is a Hey, It's Okay Post.

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To be buying my new laptop this weekend. It's the MacBook Pro. I did a lot of research and this one seems to be the one that will work best with me. I am still mourning the loss of my old computer though.


To be taking the kids to Texas Roadhouse today. Check out your local one, many are doing a special Kids Night for Halloween where the kids can wear their costumes and do crafts. Last year there was a giant armadillo dressed up. That amused me.


To hope that we don't pass out all the Halloween candy. I'll take those Milky War bars for myself, thanks.


To have made a Red Baron pizza yesterday for dinner. I got tired of cooking. Since Tom has been home I've tried to always have a nice meal but yesterday I was like, "No more cooking!"


To love the pumpkin shakes from Godiva. They are amazing.


To also love the pumpkin cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory. I love that place. We went there for lunch and yum.


To have a giveaway for an interesting book called League of Denial here.


To think it's awesome that Natalie loves sharks. She's always been fascinated by them. She might be girly, but she loves Jaws.

My Computer Died

I knew it was sick.

My poor Dell computer. The one I had for six years. It had started to run slow and then would freeze at random moments, never to come back. I got the blue screen of death twice. I would pet the tower and go, "Please, please, please don't die on me." This alarmed my husband when he returned from his deployment.

"I know I've been gone awhile but this is borderline crazy," he said.

"It's been loyal to me for YEARS!" I explained.

"It's old. We'll get you a new one," Tom said kindly.

"So when I get old are you going to get yourself a new wife?" I replied.

Tom blinked. "No! We're talking about a computer!"

I thought maybe my computer would snap out of it. I deleted many photos thinking that maybe all my crap that I've saved over the years was weighing it down. But no. It would still freeze. So I took it into the Geek Squad.

"Maybe it's some strange virus," I told Tom. "It'll be okay."

"Amber, it's old. Prepare yourself that it might not be okay," he answered.

"It will be!"

Only it wasn't.

I got a call from the Geek Squad telling me that my computer had failed every test that they ran on it.

"Every one?" I repeated.

"I'm sorry, yes. It's the hard drive. You can buy a new one but since the computer is old, there's no saying that something else might break down."

I thanked him, hung up, and promptly burst into tears.

"MY COMPUTER IS DEAD!" I wailed.

Tom, who was on his laptop, turned around and went, "Are you seriously crying over a computer?"

"YES! I loved it!" I said dramatically.

"Here Mommy, you can have Pinkie Pie. She'll cheer you up," Natalie said, pressing her pony into my hand.

"I thought it would be okay," I sniffled.

"I warned you," Tom said. He was beginning to look uncomfortable. He's not a fan when people start to cry. "I said I'd get you a new one."

Tom has always been generous. He's always telling me, "Buy what you want." He's really lucky I don't have expensive tastes.

"Now I have to used to a whole new computer," I sighed.

So now we're figuring out what I should get. Do I want a Mac? Or go back to a Dell? I know some people hate Dell's but we've never had issues. But then I hear the new Windows is horrible. But would I understand a Mac? It looks like you have to buy all sorts of extra stuff with a Mac. Or do you? Would a Mac work on our wireless Internet or does it need a specific Mac one? I am so confused. WHAT SHOULD I DO?

I miss my poor computer.

Kinetic Sand from Uncommon Goods Review

My husband can be a hard man to shop for. This is why I love to find places where I can find something for him.

Uncommon Goods is a site that has multiple items I can get for my husband or for many other things for friends and family.


Uncommon Goods has many different choices and I love the different categories that are set up for helpful ideas. (Some other categories? Gifts for grillmasters, gifts for music lovers, gifts for the wine enthusiast. The list goes on and on..)

My kids would also love the products from the site. My daughter loves sharks so I know she'd enjoy this:

It's a shark you can put outside. It makes sense as the plants I attempt to grow die quickly.


I also like these shower squids.

They hold your shampoo or other bath products in the shower! I know this would get a laugh from my husband.

Uncommon Goods sent us some Kinetic Sand to review. I knew my daughter would enjoy it.

What is it? Basically it's sand you can mold! Think play-doh only sand.

My daughter was amused right away. She loved poking at it.

She also loved how you could make balls with the sand. "The balls stay! This is great sand!" she shouted.

She made molds of sand. She pretended she was cooking stuff. "This sort of looks like the meals you make," she said. I'm not sure if that was an insult or not...


Natalie played with this sand for an hour, which gave me time to clean in peace.


If you want your own Kinetic Sand, you can purchase it here for only $15.00! An affordable price so you can get your own peace.

It's not a messy clean up either. Unlike play-doh, Kinetic Sand does not STICK to things. It easily wipes or sweeps away.

So if you're looking for gift ideas, check out Uncommon Goods! I definitely will this holiday season.


To find out more about Uncommon Goods, you can LIKE their Facebook page.


Or you can FOLLOW them on Twitter.




**I was given the Kinetic Sand to review. My opinions are my own**

The Colors of Fall

I found a wonderful devotional the other day that I needed to share since this is fall.  I am a lover of fall and the colors it brings.  This wonderful piece by Julia Bettencourt reminds us what the colors of fall say about each of us.   

The Inviting Colors of Fall Julia Bettencourt

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" But if our gospel be hid,
it is hid to them that are lost" 2 Corinthians 4:3


Many people are drawn to fall colors. Fall colors are warm, vibrant, extraordinarily rich, and energetic. I wonder how appealing I am as a Christian? Do other people gravitate to me because I am a warm, vibrant, and inviting person?


Red
When I think about the color of the fall leaves, red is my favorite. There's just something about the trees that are full of red leaves glistening in the sun. It's just extraordinary. They stick out and you notice them.

Red brings up the thought of passion. No matter where we are in our Christian walk, I think we all could do with a little more passion for Christ. We should stick out in a good way. We should reflect all that brilliance of Christ.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:16

Orange
The color orange is so beautiful in the fall. We see it in not just the fall leaves, but in those beautiful pumpkins as well. Orange reflects warmth and symbolizes thoughtfulness and sincerity. As Christians that's something we should portray. We should be that warm inviting person that cares about others.

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32

Yellow
The yellow color of fall makes me happy. Yellow conjures up joy and cheerfulness. I don't really think that if we aren't cheerful as Christians, other people will want what we have.

If we have Christ, we should have joy in our hearts and that joy should reflect out through us. It's listed right there in Galatians along with the other fruit of the spirit that we should be bearing.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,gentleness, goodness, faith,Meekness, temperance:against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22,23

Purple
Some of the colors we see in fall are the shades of purple. Leaves we find in the purple family are so striking. Purple is the color of royalty. As Christians, we are royalty in Christ. Our behavior should reflect that royalty. We should be striking as Christians.

The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. Romans 8:16,17 Brown
If we didn't have all that brown in the midst of the bright fall colors, I doubt if they'd be so brilliant. Brown represents stability and it anchors all those other beautiful colors of fall. In Christ, we have our anchor. Others can see if we are living for Christ and depending on Him in our lives. It comes out in our actions and behavior.

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Colossians 2:6,7

Conclusion:
Showing Christ through our behavior is so important in our witness to others . Our "colors" do matter. How we act and behave is what people see when they look at us. I hope I grow to have a beautiful, warm, and inviting life in Christ. I don't want Christianity to be hid from the world because of me. I want to portray vibrancy and warmth so that people will want to get to know me and learn about Christ through me.

So, what colors are you projecting?
Copyright ©2001-2013 Julia Bettencourt
Scripture References are from the King James Version.
www.juliabettencourt.com

Saturday's Circle

What a day!  Frank and I left the house the first time at 7:45 to meet Beth and Ron for Breakfast at Jeff's Place.  This is a weekly tradition that we really enjoy.  After breakfast we stopped back by the house to take care of some things and headed to WoodYard in Griffin, GA (about 1.5 hours from our house) to check on their hardwoods.  We met a man at the Hummingbird Festival in Hogansville who told us about this place.  With the hour time change we managed to get there just minutes before they were supposed to close....but the salesman was wonderful and not in a hurry to get anywhere so we stayed nearly an hour.   You need to go to my link and just look at some of the woods they have.  Did you know there was such a thing as zebra wood?  How about purple heart wood?  I also had a lesson on lignum vitae.  Do you know what that is????  Well...let me tell you. Lignum vitae is a trade wood, also called guayacan or guaiacum, and in parts of Europe known as pockholz, from trees of the genus Guaiacum.   This wood was once very important for applications requiring a material with its extraordinary combination of strength, toughness and density. It is also the national tree of the Bahamas and the Jamaican national flower.  "Lignum vitae" is Latin for "tree of life", and derives its name from . Other names for lignum vitae include palo santo (Spanish for "holy wood").  It is a popular wood in shipbuilding, cabinetry, and woodturning but a completely different timber); lignum vitae is also one of the numerous hard, dense woods loosely referred to as ironwood.

Lignum vitae is hard and durable, and is also the densest wood traded (density: 1.23 g/cm); it will easily sink in water. On the Janka Scale of Hardness, which measures hardness of woods, lignum vitae ranks highest of the trade woods.  I am telling you this stuff was gorgeous...and to me there is nothing like the smell of wood.  After the WoodYard we headed to Columbus(1.75 hours away) to celebrate Virginia's birthday. 

We got there right at 3...of course we stopped at Starbucks before we got there.  3 hours of picking and singing followed once Amanda got there.  Noni came and played bass, Rebecca's cousin came and sang with us...Jeff, Virginia's fiancée played some amazing guitar licks and sang too.  This is what Virginia wanted for her birthday....so this is what she got.  It was a wonderful afternoon.  There is nothing like having a picking and singing at Rebecca's...unless it one at Amanda's....or my house.  I love it when we get together to sing.  I love my girls!  We headed home through Auburn, had dinner and finally got home about 7:30.  It had been a long day and this girl is whooped.  I had done my sermon earlier in the week...and forgot to mail it to myself....so when we got home I wrote a sermon.  Obviously the one I had written earlier...was not the one God wanted me to deliver....and sermon number two was nothing like it.  "Hey God...I get the message." 

Budsie and Halloween DVD Winners!

I did a giveaway for a Budsie here.


I used random.org to pick a winner and it chose...


...number 32 which is One Cryptic Mama.


Congrats!!


I also did a giveaway for a Halloween DVD from Warner Brothers here.


I used random.org to pick a winner and it chose..


...number 4, which is Jerilee!


Congrats!


If you didn't win, I'll have more giveaways in the future!

Evolution Of The Modern Car by Kia!

My son loves history. So when I heard of the new video that Kia created about the Evolution Of The Modern Car I knew we had to check it out.

Here it is. It's short and to the point!

Content and/or other value provided by our partner, Kia Motors

My son loved it. He's amazed how different cars were back in the day.


He did NOT know what a cassette was when it showed how they created cassette players in the 1970s. I immediately felt old.

If your kids like history and want to know how cars were "in the olden times" as my son puts it, check out the video! Let me know what you thought.



**I was given the opportunity to earn a $25 gas card if I shared the video**

League Of Denial: The NFL, Concussions, and the Battle for Truth Review and Giveaway!

Football.

I'm really not into it.

The sport looks too insane for me.

However, I was interested to read League of Denial: The NFL, Concussions, and the Battle for Truth by Mark Fainaru-Wada and Steve Fainaru.

Here is what it is about via Amazon.com:

“PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL PLAYERS DO NOT SUSTAIN FREQUENT REPETITIVE BLOWS TO THE BRAIN ON A REGULAR BASIS.”
So concluded the National Football League in a December 2005 scientific paper on concussions in America’s most popular sport. That judgment, implausible even to a casual fan, also contradicted the opinion of a growing cadre of neuroscientists who worked in vain to convince the NFL that it was facing a deadly new scourge: A chronic brain disease that was driving an alarming number of players -- including some of the all-time greats -- to madness.
League of Denial reveals how the NFL, over a period of nearly two decades, sought to cover up and deny mounting evidence of the connection between football and brain damage.

Comprehensively, and for the first time, award-winning ESPN investigative reporters Mark Fainaru-Wada and Steve Fainaru tell the story of a public health crisis that emerged from the playing fields of our 21st century pastime. Everyone knew that football is violent and dangerous. But what the players who built the NFL into a $10 billion industry didn’t know – and what the league sought to shield from them – is that no amount of padding could protect the human brain from the force generated by modern football; that the very essence of the game could be exposing these players to brain damage.

In a fast-paced narrative that moves between the NFL trenches, America’s research labs and the boardrooms where the NFL went to war against science, League of Denial examines how the league used its power and resources to attack independent scientists and elevate its own flawed research -- a campaign with echoes of Big Tobacco’s fight to deny the connection between smoking and lung cancer. It chronicles the tragic fates of players like Hall of Fame Pittsburgh Steelers center Mike Webster, who was so disturbed at the time of his death he fantasized about shooting NFL executives; and former Chargers great Junior Seau, whose diseased brain became the target of an unseemly scientific battle between researchers and the NFL. Based on exclusive interviews, previously undisclosed documents and private emails, this is the story of what the NFL knew and when it knew it – questions at the heart of crisis that threatens football, from the highest levels all the way down to Pop Warner.


Honestly, reading it made me glad that my son was not interested in football. I would not think a helmet could prevent the crazy blows that sometimes happens in games or in practice.

I found it a shame that the NFL seemed to want to hide injuries from the public and not want to protect their players more. I mean, aren't the players getting paid millions? Wouldn't they want to protect that?

Mind you, I still find our military soldiers to be the true heroes in the world--they are getting shot at and protecting our country--but the football players still deserve to have better protection. It's awful that so many are dealing with multiple concussions.


I found the book well-written and interesting--for those who are avid football fans, they will find it eye-opening.


To learn more about the book and its authors, you can check out the book website.


If you want to buy a copy of League Of Denial you can purchase it from Amazon or other book retailers.



I have a copy of League of Denial that one lucky reader can win!


Giveaway Rules:

--Must live in the US



Mandatory Entry: Tell me who you'd give the book to if you won a copy. Would it be for you or a gift for someone?



I will run this contest until November 9th.


Good luck!


**I was given a free copy of the book to review. My opinions are my own**

Five Minute Friday: Together

Somewhere out in blogdom there is a room full of women all sharing their hearts and their words with each other. Right now. Here. Together tonight. At the Allume Conference.
I am here with them too because this is a safe space...a happy place for me. This  is the Friday exhale of words without the editor’s voice. Without the voice that tells us we aren’t skinny enough, or talented enough, or have clean enough houses.  On Fridays we silence that voice and we just write without worrying if it’s just right or not.  Click here for the back story on how to join us for five minutes today on the word:

 TOGETHER

Go: 
Thanksgiving is looming just around the corner and sometime between now and then we will sing "We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing" in church. I know we are going to at Midway  because it is one of my favorite Thanksgiving hymns.  I love getting together as a fellowship of believers and singing, hearing God's word, and sharing prayers and praises.  When I miss attending...my life goes wonky.  I love get togethers with friends....planned or spontaneous.  Some of my most favorite ones are with the porch people in Rock Mills and with our church families at Rock Mills and Midway.  There is nothing like being together and fellowshipping.   it does not have to be a meal....it can be sitting in someone's garden, eating together after church on Sunday, playing Mexican train, having a lesson in crochet....however the time is spent the most important thing is that we are together.  My dad's family does not get together often.  We tend to only see each other now during weddings and funerals.  The elder generation is gone now but we manage to stay connected through facebook.  My mom's family is a horse of a different color.  WE LOVE to get together.  We will use any excuse as a reason to celebrate and be together.  We have mini reunions throughout the year, but Christmas and Thanksgiving are the biggies.  This year we are all going to get together at the beach.  This has become a tradition since the year of so many losses.  We all wanted a new tradition....and so the beach it was!   There will be somewhere between 30-35 of us in one house....together.  I cannot wait to get together with sister/cousin Amanda and having the opportunity to sing to our hearts content. 

Our family get togethers always involve music.  When I was a child growing up I thought everyone's did.  You can imagine my surprise when I realized that other families did not sing like we did.  Anyways, we are a close knit family....and have a large extension of us (friends and such).  When we gather together we always thank God for this time of closeness.  Changing the subject...you know there are a lot of together lyrics....Get Together(The Youngbloods), Together Again(Emmylou Harris), Come Together(The Beatles), Let's Stay Together(Pat Benatar)....yep...togetherness makes my world go round.  How about you?
STOP:

My Daughter Looks Constipated In Her School Picture. Does Yours?

My son's school picture came out normal. I mean, yes, he's doing a fake I'd-like-to-go-now smile but still. He's handsome.

My daughter?

Well.

Let's just go back in time.

She's always been stubborn in front of the camera. If you aren't amusing her, she's not interested. This was discovered when she was newly born and the hospital tried to get good shots of her. She kept moving her head to the side.

She WOULD NOT look up. The photographer tried to position her head and this is when Tom freaked out.

"Please don't force my daughter's head like that," he snapped. She already had him wrapped around his finger. Natalie, not the photographer.

Needless to say, we did not get any hospital pictures because soon after Natalie cried angrily. And when I say cry, I mean screamed bloody murder. She's never had a problem with using her lungs.

Fast forward a couple of years. I have been noticing that when a photographer tries to get her to smile that she gives them her fake smile.

This.

This is her at Disney World after doing the Bippity Boppity Boutique. The photographer would simply call out, "Smile!" and Natalie would do that.

I should have made farting noises. Or ran into the side of the store. But that would have alarmed the worker who might have sent me to Disney Jail.

Farting noises and running into a wall have always made Natalie laugh. It's how I get shots like these:

Anyway, here's Natalie's school pictures:

"She looks constipated," I told Tom.

"She looks scared," he said.

"The man wasn't making farting noises," Natalie informed us primly. I could picture her walking over and saying, "You need to fart for me or else I won't smile."

Needless to say we returned the photos and had her do a re-take. We have not received those back yet. I'm a little worried because before we walked to school she said she was going to smile like this:

I'd keep that one....

Route 66 Reunions

 

About The Book:  Travel America’s Main Street, Route 66, in three contemporary romances. . . . Tessa falls for the man of her dreams—for the second time. Sarah meets the son she gave up for adoption—and unexpectedly reunites with the boy’s father, too. Amanda returns to her hometown, never dreaming she’d be caught in the aftermath of a devastating tornado—and so near the man who broke her heart. As past and present collide, there’s no telling what lies ahead.

About the Author: Mildred Colvin has been writing sweet inspirational romance since 2001, and is an award-winning author of eighteen novels in both historical and contemporary themes. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, and is active in two very special critique groups. She is also active in her church and enjoys special times with her husband, children, and grandchildren. Her hobbies, when she has time, include quilting, photography, and gardening. Of course, reading is more than a hobby. It’s a way of life. Mother of Jonathan Colvin.  colvin also writes under the name M.J. Conner.

My Thoughts About The Book:  As a huge fan of Route 66, a hopeless romantic,  an avid traveler, and as someone who has the dream of one day traveling the complete Mother Road I was delighted to review Route 66 Reunions by Mildren Colvin.  Colvin's book was three very entertaining stories of boy meets girl, boy gets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back with all the characters knitted together in a cohesive story.  I loved all the characters and the stories made you mad, made you laugh, made you cry throughout.  There were times when I felt such sorrow for the women only to find myself laughing at them minutes later.  This is a fun and easy rainy day read.  If you feel a draw to Route 66 then this book is for you.

Statement of Disclosure: I received an paperback copy of this title from Netgalley Publishing Group and Barbour Publishing, Inc. as part of their blogger review program . I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC 16 CFR, Part 255 'Guides concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising. I was not asked to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are entirely my own. Thanks guys for letting me read this and participate!

Things That Annoy Me Thursday: What's Your Excuse?

I'm sure many of you have seen this picture floating around the Internet.

What's my excuse?

I like to eat.

And, as I wrote on my Facebook page, I don't like wear tiny shorts like that. They tend to give me wedgies.

Was I offended by the picture?

No.

The "What's Your Excuse?" seemed a little snotty, but hey, she posted it on her Facebook page. Her business.

I also discovered that she once was a trainer. She might not be now, but obviously being thin is important to her. She also says that everyone has time to exercise throughout the day. This is true. Only my version of exercising is yanking open the bag of Halloween candy.

She received a lot of nasty messages. I don't agree with that.

I'm okay with the fact that I will never look like her. If I gave up my sweets and my Diet Coke, I would not be a pleasant person to be around. People would run from me. Natalie would call me Meanie Pants.

So good for this lady for looking the way she does. She can go to the gym.

I'll go to my cupboard and partake in a Little Debbie snack.

Hodge Podge on Wednesday

Welcome to another edition of the Wednesday Hodgepodge! Add your link at the end of Joyce's post by clicking here and then hop around and chat with your neighbors. Here are my answers to this week's questions-

1. When it comes to good manners, what two top your list of most important?
My number one times two would have to be saying please when you ask for something and thank you when you're given something.  I teach high school and don't hear either very often.  

2. Let's open a proverbial can of worms...Common Core. Are you familiar with the term (talking education reform in the USA)? If so, care to share your thoughts? In your opinion, what is one of the biggest issues schools (in your home country) face today?

I'm familiar with the term and trust me you do not want to get me started.  I am seriously considering retiring soon because of it. Children are not all cut from the same mold.  When we throw them all together...or expect them all to be Advanced Diploma recipients were doing nothing more than watering down the educational system.  We jump on whatever California or Texas are implementing and before we get it up and going they drop it.  The problem is....people who make up all these routines are not educators or have not been in the classroom for eons. I agree fully with Joyce,  why can't we have a period of time where the standards are tried and tested by fire-in the actual classroom by lots of different teachers with lots of different teaching styles and student populations-before we insist everyone adopt them. 

3. Name a celebrity whose fashion sense you admire and share why.
Sandra Bullock.  She is so clean and wholesome looking.  Her dressing style is classic.

4. How are you affected by the changing seasons?
I love the season changes.  Fall and Winter tend to bring on a bit of melancholy, expecially if I am homebound.  I love the first snow...if we get one. I love the budding of sping and it makes me want to get outside and play.  I love summer and having a sense of freedom. 

5. Scariest book you've ever read?
Cujo by Stephen King.  When I read it I was attending night classes at college and was reading with a reading lamp in the car.  The school security guard and his German Shephard were patroling and the dog jumped up on the side of my car.  I don't know who was more afraid.  The dog, the guard, or me.  I had to finish the book in a well-lit room and did not sleep for two days.  I also had some issues with Christine.  My grandfather owned a car just like it and when I spent the night there....the car was in the shed right off my room.  Fiction became reality for me on both of those.
6. What time of day are you most hungry? What's your go-to snack?
Late afternoon. I would love to eat dinner at that time, because that's really when I'm hungry, but duie to our schedules that does not always happen.  I try and eat healthy - pretzels, fruit, sugar free something, a cup of coffee or tea.  If there is anything else in the house....it is game on.

7. Do you lean more towards being too needy or too independent? Which do you find harder to deal with in others?
I am by nature an independent person, but I also like depending on my husband.  I don't think I am needy, yet I know how to be "needy" if Frank needs to feel like Mr. Machismo.

8. Insert your own random thought here.
I have thought all week about my random thought for today and decided to do mine on Operation Christmas Child.....when I read Joyce's random thought I laughed out loud.  Obviously like minds.   This is something that I too love to do every year is pack a shoebox or two for Operation Christmas Child. My church did 50 last year and have set a goal of 60 for this year.  We are lining the railing to the choir loft right now.  It is fun to watch the amount grow.  I too am fully aware that it is still 62 days until Christmas (not that I'm counting), but the National Shoebox Collection Week is November 18th-25th, and that really is just around the corner.  You do not have to be part of an organization or a church....my kids at school have done them before and you can find everything you need to know about what to pack, how to pack it, what to pack it in, and where to drop or send your shoebox on the Samaritan's Purse website (click here for details).   I truly believe that this is such a wonderful ministry to children all over the world, and it's easy and fun to fill a shoebox. Humbling too, to realize how excited a little child somewhere will be to get a brand new toothbrush or their very own bar of soap.  You select the age range and gender for your box, and I almost always buy for girls because that's what I know best. I buy a few essentials, but also some fun things like a pink purse or glittery crayons and stickers. You can even track your box now by printing a label at home, and then once it's delivered you'll get an email letting you know where your box was sent. I have included my mailing address a few times and have been delighted with letters from the child.  Talk about a blessing.  I sat and read and cried.  You know we all have more than we could possibly need and it is special to do a child's Christmas you have never met. I encourage you to visit the website and see what it's all about. You can bless a child with a shoebox, and in the filling of that shoebox I think you'll find you're blessed right back.  Personally....I would rather give to someone who needs something....than have someone give me something.

He Let Me Sleep In. I Wouldn't Shut Up.

The thunder actually shook the house.

We were in the middle of a storm and suddenly BOOM and the house was shuddering. My husband, who because of his job has been around such noises, jumped out of bed and peered out the window.

"Are we being bombed? Syria, not now," I grumbled into my pillow.

"It's thunder," Tom said and got back into bed....where he proceeded to toss and turn for the next half hour before deciding he was up. He's not the best sleeper. He gets up at random times of the night. "I'll get the kids to school. You can keep sleeping," he added.

I immediately turned off my alarm.

"No take backs. Thank you and goodnight." I shut my eyes and thoughts immediately went through my mind.


Wait. Tom doesn't know what to do in the morning. He's never done it. When he deployed the kids were in different grades. Tommy is in middle school now, he doesn't know that routine. I've got to show him. I imagine he'll figure it out but Tommy has Autism which means he likes things the same. He likes to find his cereal bowl waiting for him on the counter with his cup. Tom doesn't know that.


So I got up. I went downstairs and Tom was like, "Huh?" and I went, "I'm just getting things set up for Tommy. Do you know what times he leaves the house? Tommy knows but he gets distracted with his video games. He leaves at 720."

Tom wrote this down.

"And Natalie gets up at 740 and we leave the house for the school at 820. You can just leave her hair down. I have a barrette to put in it and--"

"Amber. I know. Go back to bed."

Yes. I needed to go back to bed. Weren't all the experts saying that the reason why men don't do more is because the wives freak out about doing it their way? I wasn't freaking out though. I was calmly explaining.

I went back to bed, got under the covers, and thought, "Oh no, will Tom remember to grab Natalie's water bottle?" The kids are allowed to sip on water throughout the day at school. I forgot it once and Natalie wouldn't let me hear the end of it. "You left my water bottle. I was so thirsty. My mouth was SO DRY!" I replied, "Don't they still have water fountains?" and she went, "They do but it's NOT THE SAME!"


So I went back downstairs. Tom sighed and shook his head when he saw me.

"I know," I said. "I know. I'm going after this. For real. You need to remember Natalie's water bottle or else she'll get all dramatic about it."

"Okay! Water bottle. Check. Go back to bed," Tom said.

"I'm going. Oh, one more thing, Tommy needs to be up by 640."

Tom made a motion for me to move along.

"I'm going," I repeated. "Thank you."

And so I got to sleep in. I woke up a few times wondering, "Did Tom remember to get Tommy? Did Tom wake Natalie up?" because he also plays video games and he also can get distracted. But he did everything right. When I came down the stairs at 9 both kids were gone.

"Thank you again," I said to Tom.

"I figured you could use a break. I know you aren't a morning person."

He's seen me many times grunting and shuffling around like a zombie at the crack of dawn. He's used to me moaning, "CAFFEEEEINNNE!"

The next time he lets me sleep in I won't be as crazy. I just...okay, well honestly, I should just let go. Tom is competent, he'd figure everything out.

(Although I did leave out the outfit Natalie had to wear that day. This is because the times he has dressed the kids on his own they've been in pajama bottoms and a regular top. He claims he couldn't tell the difference..)

Gunpowder Tea

About The Book: In a case that could change her career, Miranda uncovers a love that will change her life.  When Miranda Hunt sees the classified ad for an heiress to the legendary Last Chance Ranch, she knows assuming the identity of Annie Beckman is the perfect cover. As one of the finest agents for the Pinkerton Detective Agency, Miranda has been tasked with apprehending the Phantom---an elusive and notorious train robber thought to be hiding on the sprawling ranch.  But she isn't the only one at the ranch with something to hide. Wells Fargo detective   Jeremy Taggart is working undercover as well. Their true identities may be a secret, but it is impossible for Jeremy and Miranda to hide the sparks flaring between them.  Neither is about to let romance interfere with such a huge case. Besides, Miranda hasn't removed Jeremy from her list of suspects yet. The closer they get to uncovering the identity of the Phantom, the more dangerous he gets---and no one on the ranch is safe.The longer Miranda and Jeremy spend working together, the harder it becomes to keep their feelings in check. Their careers-and their lives-depend on solving this case. Love will just have to wait.

About The Author:  Thrills, mystery, suspense, romance: Margaret Brownley penned it all. Nothing wrong with this--except Margaret happened to be writing for the church newsletter at the time. After making the church picnic read like a Grisham novel, her former pastor took her aside and said, "Maybe God's calling you to write fiction." So that's what Margaret did. She's now a New York Times bestselling author and a Romance Writers of America RITA finalist with more than 25 novels to her credit. Her first non-fiction book "Grieving God's Way: the Lasting Path to Hope and Healing" has won much critical acclaim. She is currently working on the third book in her "Brides of Last Chance Ranch series." Not bad for someone who flunked 8th grade English. Just don't ask her to diagram a sentence.

My Thoughts On The Book:  Margaret Brownley had me from the beginning.  The opening chapter of the story had some keystone cop style humor that made me laugh out loud and kept me glued to the book.  The book had a fast moving plot and you hated to put it down for fear that you would miss something.  When I closed the book I was in a state of sheer delight.  This was my kind of story.  I loved it!  One of my favorite parts of the book was the interaction between the hero and heroine.  The whole story reminded me of the old B grade westerns I used to watch as a child.  This book is the third in a series and I didn't  realize that when I started reading it. It does not matter if you have not read the other two stories, because this one makes a great stand-alone story.

Statement of Disclosure: I received an paperback copy of this title from Litfuse, Thomas Nelson  and Netgalley Publishing Group. as part of their blogger review program . I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC 16 CFR, Part 255 'Guides concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising. I was not asked to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are entirely my own. Thanks guys for letting me read this and participate!