The Last Breath

"Our flag does not fly because the wind moves it. It flies with the last breath of each soldier who died protecting it."

Great is Your Reward

Matthew 5:11-12

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

The sounds of May—teachers shouting with joy and students laughing and fist bumping the air. Schools out for the summer.

The week has been busy with end of school awards. Since retirement, I've been able to attend the activities of grandkids. At the middle school on Wednesday, I watched as my granddaughter Dylan was given certificates from the teachers who worked hard to instill a love of learning. On Thursday, I attended awards for Eli and Zeke, moving from third to fourth grade. Every child beamed when their name was called. They held up their certificates and medals, joyful about their accomplishments. What a way to end the year!

Many of the children received the Tiger award. A special acknowledgement of good behavior, kindness, and hard work. Those students treated their fellow students with respect and were rewarded.

When I accepted Jesus as my savior, I agreed to obey God. Frankly, at times I've failed. But the beautiful thing is—God gives grace. Yes, I obey in hopes of receiving the reward of heaven. More than that, I want to emulate Jesus. I strive to show love the way he has, to others.

Jesus reminds me, in the passage in Matthew, that following him may bring persecution. The devil loves to poke, prod and attack from every side. As certain as I am that it wasn't always easy for the students to show kindness to each other, I know how difficult the path is when following Jesus. Yet, I choose to follow the example Jesus set. To love God and people. For great is the reward of heaven.

Fiction Book Review: Whose Waves These Are by Amanda Dykes

Description:
In the wake of WWII, a grieving fisherman submits a poem to a local newspaper: a rallying cry for hope, purpose . . . and rocks. Send me a rock for the person you lost, and I will build something life-giving. When the poem spreads farther than he ever intended, Robert Bliss's humble words change the tide of a nation. Boxes of rocks inundate the tiny, coastal Maine town, and he sets his calloused hands to work, but the building halts when tragedy strikes.

Decades later, Annie Bliss is summoned back to Ansel-by-the-Sea when she learns her Great-Uncle Robert, the man who became her refuge during the hardest summer of her youth, is now the one in need of help. What she didn't anticipate was finding a wall of heavy boxes hiding in his home. Long-ago memories of stone ruins on a nearby island trigger her curiosity, igniting a fire in her anthropologist soul to uncover answers.

She joins forces with the handsome and mysterious harbor postman, and all her hopes of mending the decades-old chasm in her family seem to point back to the ruins. But with Robert failing fast, her search for answers battles against time, a foe as relentless as the ever-crashing waves upon the sea.  

My Review:
Whose Waves These Are is an amazing story of love, devotion, misunderstanding, loss and redemption. Annie Bliss is a plucky character determined to make amends for her own mistakes and those of her family. She's strong, yet vulnerable. Jeremiah's patience and uncertainty add a delicious layer of mystery to the already interesting story. As Annie and Jeremiah work to unravel the years of tangled family threads, the village of Ansel-by-the-Sea rises up to its full potential to love the people who need it most. Amanda Dykes has woven a fascinating and satisfying story, A perfect Maine tale. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Joy of Spring!

Fiction Review: Summer by the Tides by Denise Hunter

Description:

When her grandmother goes missing from the family beach house, Maddy and her estranged sisters converge in Sea Haven, North Carolina. Being with uptight Nora and free-spirited Emma in the home where their family broke apart is a struggle Maddy is not in the mood to face, especially since she’s recovering from her ex-boyfriend’s betrayal.

As the sisters wait for word of their grandmother, they begin to pack up the family belongings—and unpack memories of the idyllic summers of their childhood. But with those memories come long-buried secrets, and Maddy discovers that all was not as it appeared that last summer in Sea Haven. Meanwhile, Gram’s neighbor, Connor Sullivan, seems overly interested in Gram’s whereabouts. Maddy is drawn in by his quick smile and steady gaze in spite of herself.

Undercurrents of jealousy and resentment threaten to pull the family under again, maybe for good this time. As tensions rise, the sisters must find a way to accept each other for the women they’ve become—and Maddy must decide if falling in love again is worth the potential heartbreak.

My Review:
Love this book! Summer by the Tides is a beautiful story of love, hope, and forgiveness. A visit to Sea Haven, North Carolina made me feel like I was on vacation. The memories embedded in Gram's cottage, from family summers of the past, creates tension between the sisters. The kind of tension that made me keep turning the pages. While Maddy tries to figure out her life, Gram's handsome neighbor, Connor, reaches out to the family. The story of the three sisters is intriguing. I enjoyed this is perfect summer read. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

God is Love

1 John 4:7-10
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

This week has been a tough one. I've been in prayer—a lot. For dear friends who have physical ailments, surgeries and recoveries. For grandchildren and children who need some extra special care. For Tim and I as we let go of one of our best friends, our dog Tater. I don't really know how to say goodbye to our dog. He came to us as the sweetest little puppy. Now fifteen years later, yes that's a long time for a big dog, his body is giving out. But when I look into his face, I see that puppy who stole my heart. Some folks won't understand losing a pet, but many will. He's been part of our family, a comfort at times and a buddy always. The same grief we experience for a loved one has been pounding me ever since we knew he'd be gone soon. I've been angry, sad, relieved, comforted, all those emotions and sometimes all at once. But the one thing I know...we have wonderful memories with a fabulous pet. He protected and loved us.

I don't know if dogs will be in heaven. They are part of God's creation, so I hope they are. But even if they aren't, I'm thankful God made them for us here. Tater has loved us unconditionally. He's given us a glimpse of the bigger love God has for us. I've learned a lot of things from my dog, but the best lesson is love. His love is pure, without manipulation or selfish ambition.

God's love, the purest love, reaches across the universe to every person. Through his love he sacrificed his son, Jesus, so our sins would be forgiven. That had to be hard. His own son. Think about that. God's love is so huge we can't comprehend it. How can he love me, a sinner? Not just love, but forgive. He loves and wants to be loved back. 

Love God and love people. There is no greater commandment.

Historical Fiction Book Review: The Refuge by Ann H. Gabhart

Description:
When Darcie and Walter Goodwin hear of a new cholera epidemic sweeping the area, they join the Shakers whose villages seem immune to the disease. It's meant to be a temporary stay, but Walter is killed in a riverboat accident. With no family and no money, Darcie has little choice but to stay with the Shakers. To complicate matters, she is expecting a baby conceived before she and her husband came to the Shaker village. Marital relationships are considered sinful in this celibate community, putting Darcie in a unique--and lonely--position. Can the arrival of widower Flynn Keller and his headstrong daughter offer Darcie the hope of happiness . . . and family?

My Review:
I enjoyed delving into and learning more about the Shaker community in The Refuge. Ann H. Gabhart's research into the lifestyle and beliefs of the Shakers is beautifully woven into the plot. Darcy and Flynn's stories are entertaining, and I love the stories of the children. Ann added some twists I wasn't expecting, which always makes for a good read. This is well crafted historical fiction; written with great detail and based in the reality of the times. If you enjoy well-written historical fiction, you'll love The Refuge. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.