My Happy Place

Psalm 62:1-2

Truly my soul finds rest in God;
    my salvation comes from him.
Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
    he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

Let me tell you about my happy place.

I love my home and hanging out with my family and friends. I enjoy attending church and worshipping with the congregation. But the one place I love to sit and pray, think and listen is miles away from home.

Large rocks rest on the shore of Lake Erie, around Marblehead Lighthouse. We visit the park once or twice a year (more if we can squeeze it in.) After we tour the grounds and maybe climb the lighthouse, we wander to the shore where the water meets the rocks. I ease onto a giant rock and watch the waves slap the moss covered boulders. The seagulls entertain and the sound relaxes every muscle in my body. My mind settles, and I take in the beauty of God's creation.

No matter what season we visit, spring, summer, autumn, or winter, the rocks remain the same. The granite holds me above the ice cold water where I'm safe and secure. Many times I've taken my notebook and pen and written words from the inspiration.

Even as I find refreshment from visiting my happy place, true rest comes from a deeper source. The God I love provides the respite my soul needs. At times I find myself overwhelmed by the love God pours on me. I don't deserve his grace, yet he fills my heart with peace. No matter the circumstances, He's my refuge. He's my fortress in times of trouble, my strength when I need help. He's the peace and joy of my heart.

No matter what we go through, the ups and downs of life. God remains the same. He is the rock who calms my soul.

Do you have a happy place? Somewhere you totally connect with God? If not, find that place. Even when I can't go to my favorite place, the Holy Spirit settles my restless soul with peace and hope.

Take Heart

Psalm 31:24 is a great reminder of hope. 

As we wade the waters of uncertainty and change, keep your eyes on the one who offers hope. No matter what's going on each day, God remains the same, a light in darkness, joy in distress, peace in turmoil. Take heart and trust the Creator of life.

Fiction Review: On a Coastal Breeze (Three Sisters Island book 2) by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Book Description:

For Madison Grayson, life is good. Newly licensed as a marriage and family therapist, she can't wait to start her practice. Despite the unfortunate shortage of eligible bachelors on the island--they're all too young, too old, or too weird--Maddie feels like she's finally found her sweet spot. Not even one panic attack in the last year. Not one.

And then Ricky O'Shea drops in. Literally. Floating down from the pure blue sky, the one man in the world she hoped never to see again--the one who'd been her archnemesis from kindergarten through her senior dance--parachutes into town, landing on Boon Dock, canopy draping behind him like a superhero. Ricky O'Shea. Now Pastor Rick, the new minister on Three Sisters Island.

Time to panic.

My Review:
The Three Sisters Island series continues. In book two, Maddie is finding her footing and setting up her counseling practice. She loves God and her family and wants balance to her days. But, Ricky O'Shea, a boy she had a love/hate relationship with, for years, drops back into her life. Maddie's not perfect, she's made mistakes and those memories, just might take her over the edge. But has Ricky changed? I enjoyed visiting Three Sisters Island again, Suzanne Woods Fisher catches us up on what's going on with the rest of the family and how Camp Kicking Moose has improved. This is a great series, set on an island off the coast of Maine. Maddie's story is one of doubts and pain, forgiveness and fresh starts. Kick your feet up and visit the island for a few days of relaxation. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Historical Fiction Review: A Mosaic of Wings by Kimberly Duffy

Book Description:
It's 1885, and all Nora Shipley wants, now that she's graduating from Cornell University as valedictorian of the entomology program, is to follow in her late father's footsteps by getting her master's degree and taking over the scientific journal he started. The only way to uphold her father's legacy is to win a scholarship, so she joins a research expedition in Kodaikanal, India, to prove herself in the field.

India isn't what she expects, though, and neither is the rival classmate who accompanies her, Owen Epps. As her preconceptions of India--and of Owen--fall away, she finds both far more captivating than she expected. Forced by the expedition leader to stay at camp and illustrate exotic butterflies the men of the team find without her, Nora befriends Sita, a young Indian girl who has been dedicated to a goddess against her will.

In this spellbinding new land, Nora is soon faced with impossible choices--between saving Sita and saving her career, and between what she's always thought she wanted and the man she's come to love.

My Review:
This intriguing story unfolds like butterfly wings. As Nora fights to make a name for herself in the scientific community and struggles to find her footing in the male dominated world of entomology, she discovers what it means to make difficult choices. Duffy's mastery of words and in-depth research weaves the beautiful and the arduous together like a stunning tapestry, as Nora finds her way. The author uses technical names for the creatures Nora encounters, which adds to the picture of Nora's beautiful, intelligent character. I enjoyed the push and pull between Nora and Owen and the gorgeous settings of both Ithaca, NY and India. If you love adventure, romance, and women's fiction, you'll want to read A Mosaic of Wings. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Fiction Review: The Summer House by Lauren K. Denton

Book Description:

Sometimes it takes losing everything to find yourself again.

Lily Bishop wakes one morning to find a good-bye note and divorce papers from her husband on the kitchen counter. Having moved to Alabama for his job only weeks before, Lily is devastated but forced to contemplate her next steps when she sees a flier at the grocery store for a hair stylist position in a local retirement community.

Rose Carrigan built the small retirement village of Safe Harbor years ago—just before her husband ran off with his assistant. Now she runs a tight ship, making sure the residents follow her strict rules. Rose keeps everyone at arm’s length, including her own family. But when Lily shows up asking for a job and a place to live, Rose’s cold exterior begins to thaw. Lily and Rose form an unlikely friendship, and Lily’s salon soon becomes the place where residents share town gossip, as well as a few secrets of their own. Lily even finds herself drawn to Rose’s nephew, Rawlins—a single dad and shrimper who’s had some practice at starting over, and one of the residents may be carrying a torch for Rose as well.

Neither Lily nor Rose is where they expected to be, but the summer makes them both wonder if there’s more to life and love than what they’ve lived so far. The Summer House weaves Lauren Denton’s inviting Southern charm around a woman’s journey to find herself.

My Review:
In this story of change and growth, I appreciated that Lily ended up in a village filled with retirees. I found the setting refreshing. So often people forget that folks over fifty-five live interesting lives. Lauren K. Denton explores not only rising up after losing everything, as Lily does, but also letting go and enjoying life as we watch Rose bloom (pun intended.) I love how the author captures the endearing personalities of the folks in Safe Harbor. I can't forget to mention Rawlins. He's a single dad and a sweetheart with a touching story. I didn't care for the consumption of alcohol by the characters, although it had a connection to the story. Otherwise, The Summer House is a charming story. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Meadows Shout for Joy

Psalm 65:9-13

You care for the land and water it;
    you enrich it abundantly.
The streams of God are filled with water
    to provide the people with grain,
    for so you have ordained it.
You drench its furrows and level its ridges;
    you soften it with showers and bless its crops.
You crown the year with your bounty,
    and your carts overflow with abundance.
The grasslands of the wilderness overflow;
    the hills are clothed with gladness.
The meadows are covered with flocks
    and the valleys are mantled with grain;
    they shout for joy and sing.

The gold finches sing outside my window.

Springtime—I walk outside and study my tiny flower garden. Which beauties will bloom soon? What leaves need to be tied down to allow others to sprout? What annuals do I want to add this year?

No matter what goes on around the world, my flower bed continues to grow. The rain showers fall and the sun shines. Soil enriches the plants, and the blooms burst with beauty.

A few weeks ago, I hung a finch feeder outside the living room window. From my chair, I watch, with delight, as the little gold and brown and red house finches stop by for breakfast and dinner. They flit and flutter, sometimes knocking each other off the bag, as they vie for the thistle seed. Those sweet birds add joy to my day.

In Psalm 65, David writes about God's constant presence. He's always with us. I witness Him in my natural surroundings. Go outside and look up. The clouds appear in the sky as does the sun. Look around. The grass, meadows, wheat, oats, corn all continue to grow. And if you live in the Midwest, you know the rain tumbles down on any given day.

No matter what we endure, God remains the same. He offers hope and joy for this weary world. Find a tree and thank God for the shade. Listen to the call of a bird or watch it take off in flight and witness the wonder of creation. Smell a bloom in the garden and thank God for the beauty. Take a bite of salad and remember who provided the nutrients for growth.

Seeking joy? Look to God's creation.

The birds rejoice with singing.

Songs of Joy

Lately, days seem to run together. Sometimes I don't know the day or date. 

What I do know is God has created evening and morning, and in his presence I find joy.

This colorful sunset fell over Lake Erie, as we watched in awe and wonder.