moved on over!

okay, not totally done, but is it ever really? lol.. I’ll be blogging over there now, so please change your linkies! I’m working on updating mine! 🙂

the160acrewoods.com

great news!

I finally got my own domain!

I’m working on it, but head over and have a lookie!

http://www.the160acrewoods.com

A book with heart

I know I normally blog about books on Thursday, but I read this one on my trip (which was fantastic by the way.. more about that later), and I couldn’t help but post about this book now. Not to mention I’m part of the bloggy tour for this book (I’m thrilled to be!)

If you have a heart for missions, this is a book you’ll not only appreciate but want to support.

Wiser than Serpents by Susan May Warren

For those who have been reading my blog for a year or more now, will know I have a heart for the Ukraine and Russia. I deeply feel there is a need to reach out to these children who have been left to fend for themselves and that the orphanages are under supported and over-filled. I pray for them, and hope some day that we can visit and maybe bring a teen home with us, or my ultimate goal – God willing is to help teach them a work trade and live and learn how to function with a love -for God to use the 160 in this way…… So this book gripped my heart the fact that it was placed in Russia and deals with human trafficking. From my reading about the Ukraine alone that there are over a 100,000 children in the orphanages now and less than 6% graduate high school. Most end up in the sex trade industry (some even trafficked from their orphanages) and a lot of others go directly to jail because they can’t fend for themselves. I cry for those young children, especially the teenagers who don’t feel they have any alternatives. (I get a little choked up just writing about it)

I’m so glad Susan has taken the time to bring this to our attention in a way we can understand!

So about this book– I’m sure for those who have read Susan’s work before know how great it is! This book is a thriller! I loveeeeeeeeeeee thrillers. I love the excitement and the frustration in this book. I love that I can feel for the characters and that it brings some real issues to light/life. I also love the fact that God is ever presence in this book and that the characters have to rely on Him. It pulls him into the here and now.

Susan’s writing is easy to read. I think I read this book in about a day and half b/c I couldn’t put it down! Similar to my post on Whispers of the Bayou, this is another one that I’ll be searching for more of her books as she’s captured me with her amazing details and imagery in her novel.

Here’s a little capture on the story:

Her sister had vanished, trapped in a human slavery ring. To find her, FSB agent Yanna Andrevka arranged her own kidnapping into Taiwan’s sex-trafficking trade. And found herself with no way out.

Until Yanna discovered an ally deep undercover: Delta Force captain David Curtiss. He was after the kingpin of the Twin Serpents, the organized crime syndicate that had Yanna—and hundreds of others—in their clutches.

With opposite agendas, David and Yanna had to rely on each other to outwit their cold-blooded enemy.

Reason’s why you’ll want to buy this book!

1. It’s an excellent read! I’m going to go search for the first 2 books from the series (I don’t think they have to be read in order)
2. 15% of the royalties will go to helping out http://www.ijm.org which helps fight slavery and human trafficking.

Did I mention how much I love yummy books to read in the summer? lol

If you want to know what others think about this book, check out Susan’s bloggy tour schedule below:

Or visit Susan’s blog: http://susanmaywarren.typepad.com/scribbles/2008/06/wiser-than-serp.html

(and see if you can win the series!!! on second thought if you don’t, I’ll have a better chance! hahaha)

7/7

Mary at Home Steeped Hope http://homesteepedhope.com/

Sunny at Life in the Estrogen Ocean http://estrogen-ocean.blogspot.com/

Stacey at Jamie Forever http://jameeforever.blogspot.com

Melody at Kids, Cakes, Dishes, Laundry…In That Order http://www.kidscakesdisheslaundry.blogspot.com

Brittanie at A Book Lover Forever http://abookloverforever.blogspot.com/

7/8

Georgiana at Viva Inspirational Chick Lit http://georgianad.blogspot.com

Tasra at Real Women Scrap http://www.realwomenscrap.typepad.com/

Margaret at Cappuccino Life http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/cappuccinosmom/profile/

Melanie at Melanie Writes http://www.melaniewrites.blogspot.com/

AnnMarie at More Than Just A Mom http://afriedrick.blogspot.com

7/9

Leticia at My Daily Trek http://leticiasworld.blogspot.com/

Jill at Christian Work At Home Moms http://blog.cwahm.com

Laura at Lighthouse Academy http://lighthouse-academy.blogspot.com/

Michelle at Edgy Inspirational Author http://www.edgyinspirationalauthor.blogspot.com

Ronie at Supernatural Craving http://www.supernaturalcraving.blogspot.com

7/10

Deborah at Books, Movies, Chinese Food http://books-movies-chinesefood.blogspot.com/

Christy at Christy’s Book Blog http://christysbookblog.blogspot.com/

Kate at A Simple Walk http://asimplewalk.blogspot.com/

Dineen at Kittens Come From Eggs http://dineenmiller.blogspot.com

Joy at Five J’s http://fivejs.wordpress.com

Beth at The Writing Road http://thewritingroad.blogspot.com/

7/11

Reel at Reels Reviewz http://www.relzreviewz.blogspot.com

Angela at All that Naz http://allthatnaz.blogspot.com/

Jill Elizabeth at Artistic Blogger http://www.jillelizabethnelson.com

Deena at A Peek at My Bookshelf http://deenasbooks.blogspot.com

Cara at Cara’s Musings http://carasmusings.blogspot.com/

7/12

Amy at My Friend Amy http://www.myfriendamysblog.com

Lynetta at Open Book http://www.lynetta.blogspot.com

Betsy at Writer At Large http://www.betsy-ann.blogspot.com

Susan at His Reading List http://hisreadinglist.blogspot.com/

Chris at Come to the Table http://www.cometothetable.blogspot.com

Jamie at Surviving the Chaos http://www.survivingthechaos.blogspot.com

Marriage Monday

I missed the last marriage monday!  So I didn’t want to miss this months MM!   This month is an open topic about marriage, so I’ll share a little about what’s on my heart lately.

Having a healthy Christian marriage is no easy task.

Being married isn’t easy on the best of days.  There is always someone else you have to look out for — throw in a few children, some rowdy extra family members and few pets and you’ve got basic marriage.  But how do we do it well, and how do you do it as a Christian?

Well, first and for most is having Christ in your marriage.  Taking your issues big and small to HIM.  Teaching your children to pray, and praying together as a couple and as family are so important.

Right now my goals in our marriage is working on goals.  (isn’t that a paradox? lol) Since Mr. C and I moved out here last year, it’s been a year of change.  Mr. C is back in his home territory (next to his parents) while I’m out of my element learning to be a farm girl.

Mr. C and I are alike in a lot of ways, but we are almost polar opposites in some things.  He’s consistent – I’m sporadic.  He’s blond – I’m a brunette.  When he’s quiet I’m outgoing, and when I’m outgoing, he’s quiet.. I think we complement each other for the most part; but we do butt heads a lot while trying to work on things. We are working on trying to figure out our goals.. more for me because being a mother I sometimes feel like I don’t know who I am anymore.

As you might have read in my review above I touched briefly on my heart for the Ukraine/Russia.  I really feel like we – as a family are suppose to do something with that.  We struggle with where God wants to use us regarding it.  If ministry – on a large scale is something our family needs to be involved in, or are we suppose to focus on just being us… while we are growing little people into productive and hopefully children of Christ (which is a ministry of it’s own, just on a different scale).  I also wonder if my photography is part of that dream/goal, or if it should just be left as a hobby.

I guess I know God knows the big picture.  He knows were he wants us.  Some days I know I don’t listen as well as I should.  And sometimes when we slack off in our marriage and don’t work towards God’s goals instead of just trying to get by, we don’t feel very much like loving each other well.  It’s easy to say “I love you” to each other, but our actions don’t always say it.  If we’re not following what Christ has designed for our marriage (even if we don’t like it somedays) we don’t work well -function properly.  There are many times when we could have walked out on each other, but we haven’t for one reason.  We are committed to Christ and his design for us in our marriage.

I hope that you are committed to Christ and his design for your marriage as well.  I pray that God will bless your marriage and that you will invite him into it fully and acknowledge that He is in control of it.  No matter how much each of us differs from our spouses, God has a plan and design for us in our marriage, and he wants it to thrive!

Sabbath seeking

Happy 4th of July to my American Friends!

Hope you guys have a great 4th of July! 🙂

out with the family today! 🙂

this is too cute!

This book was so sweet and the pictures are incredibly detailed I couldn’t help but enjoy reading this with my children.

The Rumpoles and The Barleys – A little story about being thankful by Karen Hunt.  If you find a moment check out  Karen’s website: www.karenalainehunt.com It is an amazing site!  You’ll be surprised at what you find!

Now about the book!  ahhh I love children’s story that actually have purpose.  I mean they are great when they’re silly and fun!  But EVEN  better when they are well crafted with a purpose of bringing an issue that we can subliminally teach our children through.  This sweet book brings attention to being ungrateful and how we need to be grateful for what we have. It gives a positive message, with delightful imagery — almost magical!  The pictures matched the story and what was being told.

My children each understood an element of the story and have been asking to read this book over and over again!  I think I need to purchase one for my new little nephew to enjoy too!  I hope you’ll take a peek at it!

WFW – Perfect

Welcome to Word-Filled Wednesday!

We are perfect through Jesus…. what an amazing thought!

It sure perks me up to read that as I’m not feeling very perfect most days (the downfall of someone who wants to be a perfectionist isn’t it? lol)

I hope your week is amazing and that you are blessed beyond belief!  My family and I are off to enjoy a bit of the summer, so if I don’t respond this week don’t feel bad I’m away til Monday Enjoying the sun and family time!  I’m sure I’ll have some amazing pictures to bring to you when I get back!

God Bless!

The purpose of Word filled Wednesday is to share God’s word through photo’s & a Bible verse!

download it,
read it,
print it,
share with others!

If You’d like to join us for Word Filled Wednesday,
simply add your name to Mr. Linky, post your photo and Bible verse
(or feel free to add mine to your site)
and send a link back here so others can visit and have a word filled day!

(And don’t forget to leave me a comment too! And visit other blogs too! It’s nice to hear from everyone!!)

And there is my sewing… lol and other things.

I have the exact same picture last year, but everyones changed so much!

Daddy and Master J walking through the park!

The kids loving the flower garden in front of the Legislative buildings.

They thought it was really neat to look at the water and birds.

Glad we stuck shorts under the dresses!!!

All in all $8.00 worth of material. 2 bandana’s, 1 easy dress, and 1 pillowcase style dress.

The smiles on the babies faces and all the people who saw us.. priceless!

Hope everyone else is having a happy Canada Day!

Fireworks going off later tonight at the 160!  should be interesting!!

Happy Birthday Canada!