Just Show Up

Hebrews 10:23-25
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Have you ever gone somewhere and not known why you were there, but you knew you should be there?

Saturday morning, I maneuvered my Jeep into the church parking lot filled with a lot of cars. I had planned, for the first time, to attend the women’s breakfast. In my retirement, I spend most of my time at home, with Tim, or with my family, but a few weeks ago God nudged me to fellowship with the  women in my church, most of whom I didn’t know.

Blessing #1. When I arrived, my usual anxiety about meeting with a large group of people didn’t exist. I felt safe to go in. At a table, I gave them my name and a young lady, holding her young son, handed a name tag sticker and then guided me to a lovely array of breakfast foods. In line, I chatted with Liz, a young woman I knew through my daughters.

Blessing #2. Once I filled my plate and grabbed a coffee, I wound my way through a few tables and a sweet lady invited me to sit with their group. One of the women at the table had been my neighbor for a few years, and I met several kind-hearted women.

Blessing #3. Three women of various ages talked to us about prayer. How to pray, when to pray, and why pray. The one thing that struck me was the humbleness of every one of them. By the time we finished, I understood why God wanted me there.

Blessing #4. A young lady who used to serve on the church’s worship team, and is now in a different church’s ministry, closed the event with a beautiful song of thanks to God.

God had not asked much of me, except to simply show up and be blessed. I’m thankful I listened and obeyed His nudge. To be blessed means to be happy, and I experienced great happiness and even deeper joy fellowshipping with like-minded women.

Has God asked you to go somewhere? Meet with someone? He has a plan, listen to His call.

My Stronghold

 The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 
-Psalm 18:2

I can't say it better than the Bible. 

God is my rock and refuge. He's the solid foundation of my life.

Throwing the Rug in the Wash

Ephesians 1:7-10
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding,  he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

I’d put off cleaning the bathroom.

Confession—I don’t like to clean. Oh, I love the results, a shiny sink, sparkling toilet, and glistening shower, but I need motivation to make it happen.

After I gave Rosie May a bath, and I got as wet as she did, I scrubbed the shower, shined the mirror and overall cleaned the bathroom. We have a beautiful crocheted rug, in a hue of rainbow colors, a friend made for me. I tossed that one and the shower mat in the washer. After everything sparkled, I laid the rugs on the floor. The difference between the dirty rug I washed and the clean rug I pulled out of the dryer was remarkable. The colors shone and brightened the room.

At times in my life, my heart resembled the dirty rug. Muted colors replaced vibrancy. Like the dirt, sin darkened my joy and sucked the life out of me. Then Jesus took my sin, my filth, the garbage in my life, and washed it all away. He carried sin to the cross and died with it there, but the beautiful thing is, He rose on the third day and with open arms offers a way out of negativity, addiction, sorrow, suffering, mistakes—you get the idea. In Jesus, there is hope. Through Jesus, God wants to lavish His grace on us. His grace cleanses the soul and restores vibrancy with joy and hope.

I’m thankful Jesus loves me more than I understand.

Seek Jesus and ask Him to cleanse your soul.

Ah, Kindness

Everyone struggles with something-- 

and most likely we don't know what their struggle is

any more than they know ours.

Be kind.

God calls us to love one another 

and that includes kindness, compassion, and understanding.

Love one another as Jesus loves us.

 

Cozy Mystery Review: A Killer Unleashed (book #5 Low Country Dog Walked) by Jackie Layton

What it’s about:

When a client’s dog turns up missing and her husband turns up dead, Low Country dog walker Andi Grace Scott will have to rely on dogged determination to track down a killer . . .

When a frantic client calls, worried about her dog, Andi Grace is happy to drop by the woman’s home and check in on her beloved pet. She’s initially concerned when she discovers the dog’s not in the house, but she’s out-and-out shocked to discover that the woman’s husband is—strangled to death in his office chair. On top of that, she soon finds a ransom note demanding a hefty sum for the dog’s safe return. Andi Grace knows better than to meddle in a murder investigation, but there’s no way she’s going to let a dognapper get away with it.

Unsure of whether the killer took the dog or if they were unrelated crimes, Andi Grace finds herself confounded from the start. More puzzling still is that the dog’s owner seems more upset about her missing pooch than her dead husband. Could the whole thing have been a setup? Did the woman murder her own husband and send Andi Grace to the house under false pretenses to discover the body? As sinister as that possibility may be, the trail of clues leads Andi Grace to uncover an even more nefarious scheme, and she knows she’ll have to tie up all the loose ends fast before the whole case goes to the dogs . . .

My thoughts:

Jackie Layton is one of my favorite cozy mystery writers. I’ve enjoyed all of the Low Country Dog Walker series, but I believe A Killer Unleashed is my favorite one yet. Andi Grace and Marc are trying to plan their wedding, but a murder gets in the way. I was guessing right up to the end who dun it. Oh, and there was a dognapping and a possible hurricane. Andi Grace, with Marc’s help, gathers clues and works with the local police to discover the real killer. I love the setting for the books and the secondary characters who join in to solve the mystery. If you love cozy mysteries and dogs, you’ll want to read this whole entertaining series. I purchased a copy of the book. My opinions are my own.

Historical Fiction set in Ireland: The Maid of Ballymacool by Jennifer Deibel

What it’s about:

Brianna Kelly was abandoned at Ballymacool House and Boarding School as an infant. She has worked there since she was a wee girl and will likely die there. Despite a sense that she was made for something more, Brianna feels powerless to change her situation, so she consoles herself by exploring the Ballymacool grounds, looking for hidden treasures to add to the secret trove beneath the floorboards of her room.

When Michael Wray, the son of local gentry, is sent to Ballymacool to deal with his unruly cousin, he finds himself drawn to Brianna, immediately and inescapably. There is something about her that feels so . . . familiar. When Brianna finds a piece of silver in the woods, she commits to learning its origins, with the help of Michael. What they discover may change everything.

Fan favorite Jennifer Deibel invites you back to the Emerald Isle in the 1930s for this fresh take on the Cinderella story, complete with a tantalizing mystery, a budding romance, and a chance at redemption.

My Review:

Jennifer Deibel’s stories are a delight to read. In The Maid of Ballymacool, Brianna works hard every day, but never pleases the head of the school. Even in the most difficult times, she keeps her faith and enjoys the respite of the nearby forest. Michael arrives at Ballymacool with the intent of helping his cousin, then leaving. Then he meets Brianna. Deibel weaves a story of deception, and anger with hope and joy. I love the pictures she paints with her words and the beautiful ending to a fairytale like story. If you haven’t read Jennifer Deibel’s books, I highly recommend them. I received a copy of this book for free from Netgalley. My opinions are my own.

Children's Book Review: Odder by Katherine Applegate

This beautiful children’s book, Odder, written in free verse is simply delightful. From beginning to end, Odder is one of those books that feeds the soul with joy.

Here’s a bit about the book:
Meet Odder, the Queen of Play:

Nobody has her moves.
She doesn’t just swim to the bottom, she dive-bombs.
She doesn’t just somersault,
she triple-doughnuts.
She doesn’t just ride the waves,
she makes them.

Odder spends her days off the coast of central California, practicing her underwater acrobatics and spinning the quirky stories for which she’s known. She’s a fearless daredevil, curious to a fault. But when Odder comes face-to-face with a hungry great white shark, her life takes a dramatic turn, one that will challenge everything she believes about herself―and about the humans who hope to save her.

Inspired by the true story of a Monterey Bay Aquarium program that pairs orphaned otter pups with surrogate mothers, this poignant and humorous tale told in free verse examines bravery and healing through the eyes of one of nature’s most beloved and charming animals.

As a fan of children’s literature, this is one of the best I’ve read in a while. It’s in a similar vein as another favorite of mine, Love That Dog. Plus, the cover is adorable! 

P.S. Odder is not just for kids. Adults will love this story based on true events.

5 stars.