When the Morning Glory Blooms by Cynthia Ruchti

Cynthia Ruchti weaves together the stories of women, across decades, who experience heartache, hope, and joy. In the 1890s, Anna steps out in faith to protect and nurture women no one else wants. Ivy makes a choice in the 1950s that will change her life forever. Move to 2012, Becky’s frustration with her daughter Lauren leads her down a path she never planned to travel. To complicate matters, she must find a way to show love to her friend Monica, whether she wants to or not. One element ties their stories together, hope.

The picture paintings that the author creates make this book stand out. As I read, I worked beside Anna and Puff as they scrubbed and repaired the old homestead where Anna planned to take in unwed mothers. I sat with Ivy as she poured over letters she tried to write to her baby’s father. With Becky, I wanted to comfort her as she struggled with caring for an unexpected grandson from her teenage daughter, Lauren.

Cynthia shows heartache, friendship and new life through the eyes of one who knows what it is to love fiercely. I met Cynthia and talked with her about her story. She writes as one who offers hope that glows in the dark. In the midst of stress, she turns to God and seeks His guidance. This shows in her writing. She’s a woman who’s experienced life and knows what it means to trust God.

I highly recommend When the Morning Glory Blooms. Not long after I finished the book, I saw morning glories along the road. They now remind me of God’s love and the hope he brings to my life. Pick up a copy of this book, you’ll be glad you did.

You may also want to read Cynthia’s latest nonfiction release, Ragged Hope: Surviving the Fallout of Other People's Choices.

What are you reading?

Taxi Rides and Navy Pier

My co-workers and I arrived in Chicago for the American Library Association conference. We flew in then caught a Go Green van. Our driver, George, a native Chicagoan, entertained us with stories and history about his beloved city. Did you know that Cool Whip, skyscrapers, and the juke box originated in the Windy City and that the nickname doesn’t refer to the wild breeze, but to politicians from the past? All facts, according to George.

Registered for the conference, we enjoyed a delicious lunch, then headed out to explore the city. We learned early that Chicagoans like to honk. The beeps and tweets sounded like a concert. Every taxi we rode in, three in all, honked at least every ten feet. And speaking of taxis, we can say that we experienced a crazy heart-in-your-throat ride, like you see in movies.  Our first driver, a sweet young man named Jose, chatted with us and drove with perfect safety. Driver two made our hearts stutter. He swerved, honked, slammed his breaks, and pretty much made us wonder if we should ever get in a taxi again. Thank goodness, our last driver made a smooth path to our hotel.

If you get to Chicago, go to Navy Pier, walk around, enjoy the people and the beautiful view of Lake Michigan. We hopped on a boat and enjoyed the tour of the shoreline. The boat sailed past the Chicago Harbor Lighthouse, the highlight for me, as we listened to the history of this exciting city.

Off to Printer’s Row today and then to ALA.

Born and Raised in a Small Town

As John Cougar Melloncamp sang, I was raised in a small town. People valued Main Street, with Woody’s grocery, Odell’s drugstore, the library, bank, you get the idea. We even had a men’s clothing store and a fabric shop. Mom knew if I walked downtown after school for a scout meeting, my friends and I were safe.

My work in progress is set in the fictional small town of Turtle Creek, Ohio.  The town’s growing in size and acquiring a taste for arts and crafts, college kids and coffee.  I’ve enjoyed researching and visiting small towns as I pieced Turtle Creek together.

One of the villages I considered is on my route to and from work. The street corners host huge planters of pink petunias accented by purple and green. The sidewalks have a terra cotta brick trim. The drug store window invites the shopper in with an eclectic array of gift items. They even have a donut shop, florist and antique store, that make you want to stop and visit. Yet, the sites I enjoy most are not stores or eateries, but murals. This little town boasts a painting that invites the passerby for donuts or pizza. The other rings out the history of the town. If you’re familiar with Williamsburg, Ohio, you know what I’m talking about. A small town treasure.

Do you have a favorite small town? If so, where?

Book Review-The Face of the Earth: A Novel

The Face of the Earth

By Deborah Raney

Mitch’s wife, Jill, calls to say she’ll be home for dinner. Except, she never arrives. It’s as if she’s disappeared into thin air. His neighbor Shelley wants to help find her best friend, but she’s not sure how close she should get to Mitch. Life needs to move forward, but how, when someone you love is missing?

I lost some sleep over this page turner, filled with questions, suspicions and the perfect thread of tension. This story opens the door to speculation and understanding of what it must be like to wait on the missing person to come home. Do they put life on hold for months or years at a time? Or do they move forward as they hold on to hope? Faith is tested and prayers are flung at God as Mitch, Shelley and their teenage children search for Jill.

Deborah penned a beautiful story of characters with real flaws, broken dreams and faith that carries them through.

Do you like characters with 'real' flaws? If so, who's your favorite?

Going to Summerfair

What do the buttery smell of popcorn, fiddles, harmonicas, a women’s barbershop quartet, and row after row of vendor’s booths filled with colorful art have in common? They are all a part of the annual Summerfair in southwest Ohio.

Early Saturday morning, my daughter and I trekked through one of the largest art and craft shows in the country. We enjoyed meeting the artisans and seeing the work of their hands. I appreciated that many of the artist’s found a way to capture God’s creation on canvas or some other creative form. Photographers, painters, jewelry makers, fiber artists found a way to bring the beauty of the world into focus.

Every vendor invited to participate went through a juried system. Of the one hundred plus artists, I’m posting my top ten favorites, so you can have a taste of Summerfair, too.

Top Ten (You’ll want to see them all):

http://rickloudermilk.com/rickloudermilk.com/home.html

http://www.barbarakgallery.com/index.html

http://www.lacontessa.com/

http://jaehaart.com/index.html

http://www.modallas.com/

http://www.madebyonegirl.com/index.html

http://robertcoomer.com/

http://www.warmdesertwind.com/

http://lisaloudermilk.com/lisaloudermilk.com/prints.html

http://slappyscreations.com/index.html

Is there an art and craft show near you, which you enjoy?

Needle in Hand

I’ve had some kind of needle in my hand since I was five years old. I started with an embroidery needle and floss. I’m sure my early stitches mimicked scratches on a hieroglyphic wall. As my eye-hand coordination improved, I took time to perfect my skills. With practice and interest, I moved on to a quilting needle, sewing machine, crochet hook, latch hook, and a failed attempt at knitting needles.

A few years ago, one of the professor’s in the art department at the local college offered a class on felting wool. I thought I’d give it a shot. This class did not involve a needle, just the gentle motion of my hands in warm water and wet wool. I gave my best attempt to move the materials around in the water at a slow, easy pace. That lasted about ten minutes. My patience wore thin and so did the wool. I finished the project and then walked away. Not long ago, this same teacher offered a workshop on needle felting. Note the word needle. I loved it. Since then, I’ve created a few items myself and plan to make more. I guess I just needed a needle in my hand in order to create.

To integrate this new hobby into my life I:

• ·         Set aside a box to keep the supplies in
• ·         Found venues to purchase supplies
• ·         Looked at needle felting books
• ·         Sketched out ideas
• ·         Let my imagination roam
• ·         Put the needle in hand and felted away

I enjoy learning new crafts, but I’m limited on time. Finding a way to incorporate my new hobby into my life adds an avenue for creativity and relaxation.

Do you have a creative outlet? What do you do to relax? If you do needle felting do you have any tips to share?

Hope - Four Week Mini Bible Study

Hope - Four Week Mini Bible Study by Heather Bixler

Click to go to Amazon

Heather’s life was secure, and she trusted that everything would be okay, until doctors diagnosed her husband with the rare disease, achalasia. As she clung to her faith, her husband reassured her of God’s continued care and prompted her to seek out the hope she knew she could find in God.

In order to refocus her hope, she journeyed through the scripture and discovered that she needed to stop praying for God to give her what she wanted, “and instead pray for what He wanted.”

As a result, Heather created a four-week study on hope. In each study, she offers scripture and thoughts, plus life applications and discussion questions.

Heather’s honest approach, spiritual insight, and conversational writing style welcomes readers to the joy of hope in Jesus. I recommend this Bible study to anyone who seeks spiritual renewal or a better understanding of the peace you find in God’s hope.