Thursday, December 30, 2010

Stories Behind the Greatest Hits of Christmas by Ace Collins

You know these songs by heart. They’re the “greatest hits” of Christmas. But do you know the fascinating, inspirational stories behind them—who wrote them and how they came to be? In his latest book, Ace Collins reveals the stories behind the greatest hits of Christmas—all the songs you have enjoyed for generations. For example, as the story goes, jazz great Mel Torme wrote “The Christmas Song” after visiting a friend in California, who, longing to escape California’s heat for the cold winters of his New England, doodled these now-famous phrases on his spiral pad: “Chestnuts roasting … Jack Frost nipping … Yuletide carols …” Torme saw those words and one of the most famous Christmas songs of all time, first recorded by Nat King Cole, was born. Within these pages, you’ll discover the origins of such famous Christmas songs as “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “Winter Wonderland,” “White Christmas,” “Little Drummer Boy,” “Feliz Navidad,” “O Holy Night,” and two dozen others. Although not yet as famous as the Christmas songs of which he writes (he’s working on that), Collins’s many books have sold tens of thousands of copies and have become treasured family classics, read and enjoyed by young and old alike. His new book is a treasure-trove of the kind of magic that makes Christmas the beloved holiday it is. This is Ace Collins at his storytelling best … which means it’s sure to become a “greatest hit” with your family, too.

My review:
I have all of Collins' books in this line of books, and as with the others, it is is obvious he has put a lot of research into this one. He takes 34 of the most popular Christmas songs of all time, religious and secular, and tells how they came to be written, along with information about the writer.

Each song is a separate chapter, making this a great book to read over a period of time. Collins has a writing style for this type of book that makes it easy to read, and very interesting. I was familiar with the origins of a few of the songs in the book, but still enjoyed reading about them from his writing.

Christmas is over, but this, along with his other books in this line, make a great read for Christmas, or any time during the year. I highly recommend it and the others by him.

About the author:
Ace Collins is the writer of more than sixty books, including several bestsellers: Stories behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas, Stories behind the Great Traditions of Christmas, The Cathedrals, and Lassie: A Dog’s Life. Based in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, He continues to publish several new titles each year, including a series of novels, the first of which is Farraday Road. Ace has appeared on scores of television shows, including CBS This Morning, NBC Nightly News, CNN, Good Morning America, MSNBC, and Entertainment Tonight.


Author Website:
http://www.acecollins.com/


Stories Behind the Greatest Hits of Christmas is available from Zondervan Publishing.

Thanks to Zondervan for the review copy.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Digitalis by Ronie Kendig

Step into the boots of a former Marine in this heart-pounding adventure in life and love. Colton “Cowboy” Neeley is a Marine trying to find his footing as he battles flashbacks now that he’s back home. Piper Blum is a woman in hiding—from life and the assassins bent on destroying her family. When their hearts collide, more than their lives are at stake. Will Colton find a way to forgive Piper’s lies? Can Piper find a way to rescue her father, trapped in Israel? Is there any way their love, founded on her lies, can survive?

My review:
I have been looking forward to this second book in the Discarded Heroes series by Ronie Kendig, and it was worth the wait. I started reading it last night and got totally caught up in the story. I was surprised when I looked at the clock when I was getting close to the end, and it was 1 am. And yes, I finished it, so this book definitely gets the "read-in-one-sitting" status I give books such as this.

This book also deals with PTSD, but in different ways than the first. In some ways, this book was even better than the one that precedes it. It focuses on another member of the Nightshade team, Colton Neeley, and we learn much more about him. I love the work that Ronie puts into developing her characters. You learn a lot about them.

In this book, there is a lot of action and suspense just as the first, but even more, and there is also a lot more of the romantic element. Don't let that scare you away guys. This, just like the first book, will definitely capture male readers' interest. There is a lot of action, guns - all the stuff that the average man is interested in, yet women should and do enjoy these books also.

I have never used stars or numbers when reviewing books, but if I did, this would get the highest star, which is usually 5 stars. Ronie has hit a home run with this, and I am looking forward to reading more in this series and finding out more about the other members of the Nightshade team.


About the author:


Ronie Kendig grew up an Army brat, married a veteran, and they now have four children and a Golden Retriever. She has a BS in Psychology, speaks to various groups, volunteers with the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), and mentors new writers. Ronie can be found at http://www.roniekendig.com/ .

Check out the website for the series: http://www.discardedheroes.com/

Digitalis, and the first book in the Discarded Heroes series is available from Barbour Publishing.

Thanks to Barbour for the review copy.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Tyndale contest

To enter, visit the NLT Facebook page by clicking here.








There are several levels of prizes you can win, here are the details:











With the Give the Word Bible Contest and Giveaway:

• Ministries win: Each time the NLT Facebook Page reaches a fan count milestone, votes will be tallied and the three ministries will receive cash donations from the New Living Translation and Tyndale House Publishers.

• Everyone wins: Everyone who enters on the Bible Contest website wins a free download of Matthew West reading the Christmas story.

• Daily NLT Study Bible winners: Vote on the NLT Facebook page and you will be entered to win two NLT Study Bibles—one to keep and one to give away. A new winner will be chosen every day.

• Weekly Give the Word Locally winners: Tell us about a deserving local ministry on the NLT Bible Contest website and they could win five NLT Study Bibles and $250 worth of NLT products.

• One Grand Prize winner will enjoy a unique trip customized just for them and their family (or three guests of their choice), to Wycliffe Bible Translators world headquarters and the WordSpring Discovery Center where they will experience firsthand the exciting world of Bible translation. The Grand Prize winner could also choose to donate the value of the trip--$2000--to Wycliffe instead.

Enter here.

Tabitha's Travels by Arnold Ytreeide

Following in the footsteps of the immensely popular Jotham’s Journey and Bartholomew’s Passage, this captivating story will take families through Advent to Christmas as they share in Tabitha’s adventures. Curious, competent, and courageous Tabitha is the daughter of a shepherd who is taking his family on caravan to his birthplace. Along the way, she meets and becomes friends with Jotham and Bartholomew, watches as Romans take her father prisoner, spends time with Zechariah and Elizabeth, helps Mary and Joseph just before Christ’s birth, and ends her travels at the stable in Bethlehem. With day-by-day readings, reflections for family devotions, and advice for making Christmas a meaningful season of worship, Tabitha’s Travels continues the beloved tradition of celebrating Advent with your family.

My review:
I was familiar with these books, but had never read any. This is getting pretty close to Christmas, but if you aren't familiar with the books, it might get you interested for next year.

Tabitha's Travels is a story, but it is split up into the four weeks of Advent, and has a chapter of a few pages for each day of that week. First is the story part, then a short application of what was just read.

The book starts out with an explanation of Advent customs and some ideas on how to observe it.

The story is interesting, and the author's applications and insights are very helpful. A great tool for the whole family. This is a book I would highly recommend to start a new Christmas tradtion.

About the author:
Arnold Ytreeide is a fine storyteller who cares deeply about spiritual growth in families. Ytreeide is the founder of Storyteller Productions and lives with his wife and two children in Nampa, Idaho.


Tabitha's Travels is available from Kregel Publications.

Thanks to Kregel for the review copy.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Books... the best of 2010

I read and reviewed a lot of books in 2010, so I decided to compile a list of the ones I liked the best. I tried to do a "top 10", but after cutting down my fiction list, got stuck with 12, so  here they are in no particular order, my top 12 fiction favorites, and top 10 non-fiction favorites:

Fiction:

  1. Nightshade by Ronie Kendig
  2. Unlocked by Karen Kingsbury
  3. The Right Call by Kathy Herman
  4. Don't Look Back by Lynette Eason
  5. Judgement Day by Wanda Dyson
  6. The Bishop by Steven James
  7. Frenzy by Robert Liparulo
  8. Predator by Terri Blackstock
  9. Rooms by James Rubart
  10. In Harm's Way by Irene Hannon
  11. Forget-Me-Not by Vicki Hinze
  12. Deliver Us From Evil by Robin Carroll

Non-fiction:
  1. Bond of Brothers by Wes Yoder
  2. Life Without Limits by Nick Vujicic
  3. Son of Hamas by Mosab Hassan Yousef
  4. Everything Christmas by David Bordon and Thomas J Winters
  5. What Your Son Isn't Telling You by Susie Shellenberger and Michael Ross
  6. The Life Recovery Bible
  7. Crave by Chris Tomlinson
  8. Word of Promise New Testament
  9. Going Rogue by Sarah Palin
  10. Washed And Waitng by Wesley Hill

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Carol by Bob Hartman

Jack O'Malley hates shopping. He hates snow. He even hates Christmas. All three at once is Jack's idea of a very bad day. Storming into Starbucks to escape, Jack almost knocks someone over. Someone quite beautiful. And mysterious. And his entire life--what he once was, who he is now, and who he could become--flashes before him. This contemporary retelling of Charles Dickens's classic story A Christmas Carol is funny, moving, and thought-provoking.

My review:

This is a cool book. It isn't long - 96 pages, so it doesn't take long to read it. In it, the author does a modern day retelling of Charles Dicken's Christmas Carol which is entertaining, humorous, and makes you think. It was a fast read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Even if it were not for the lenghth, this would be a read-in-one-sitting book, which is exactly what I did.

In the book, jack Malley runs onto a beautiful woman in a bookstore. He is ready to hit on her, but he discovers she is not what she seems as she takes him on a journey into the past, present, and future to show him that he needs to change some things in his life. A great book.

About the author:

Bob Hartman is a popular children's writer and performance storyteller, a regular at festivals including the Spring Harvest Christian festival in the UK and the Edinburgh International Book Festival. He also works as a youth pastor for a Baptist church in Pittsburgh. His books include the best-selling Lion Storyteller Bible, The Lion Storyteller Bedtime Book, and the highly acclaimed Wolf Who Cried Boy. Total sales of his books for Lion are now in excess of one million copies.


Carol is available from Kregel Publications from their Lion Hudson imprint.

Thanks to Kregel for the review copy.

What I like about winter

It is well known that I hate winter. I don't just dislike it - I hate it. I have friends who love it, and though they are my friends, I think they border on insanity for loving it.

I blogged a sarcastic post recently about what I love about winter, which was actually things I don't like. Some of my friends are trying to get me to see the good about winter, so I am taking up their challenge and making a list of what I like about winter. I repeat - this is a list about what I love/like about winter. Your list may differ from mine. OK, here I go.......

1) Christmas

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Our God Is With Us

This is one of my all-time favorite Christmas songs. Our God Is With Us by Steven Curtis Chapman

Verse 1
One of us is cryin’ as our hopes and dreams are led away in chains,
And we’re left all alone;
One of us is dyin’ as our love is slowly lowered in the grave,
Oh and we’re left all alone.
But for all of us who journey through the dark abyss of loneliness
There comes a great announcement - we are never alone -
For the maker of each heart that breaks, the giver of each breath we take
Has come to earth and given hope it’s birth.

CHORUS
And our God is with us, Emmanuel.
He’s come to save us, Emmanuel.
And we will never face life alone
Now that God has made Himself known,
As Father and Friend, with us through the end, Emmanuel.


Verse 2
He spoke with prophets’ voices and showed Himself in a cloud of fire,
But no one had seen His face;
Until the One Most Holy revealed to us His perfect heart’s desire,
And left His rightful place;
And in one glorious moment, all eternity was shaken,
As God broke through the darkness that had kept us apart.
And with love that conquers loneliness, and hope that fills all emptiness
He came to earth to show our worth.

(chorus)


So rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel has come!
And our God is with us, Emmanuel.
He’s come to save us, Emmanuel.
And we will never face life alone
Now that God has made Himself known,
As Father and Friend, with us through the end, Emmanuel.
Our God is with us, Emmanuel!

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Giving for the right reasons

*Names have not been used to protect the "guilty". :-)
** I would rather get a Christmas photo card or "send out card, than nothing" :-)
*** I really, really do despise Christmas letters/brag letters...

I know someone who frets and worries that they will get a Christmas card from someone they didn't send one to. They have sent out a card at the last minute because Great Aunt Freda sent them one this year.

Someone else I know informed me that this year, they are only sending cards to people who send them one first.

Now, both of these people are important to me, but it amuses me, and I am not criticizing or knocking them, for all to many of us are guilty. Whatever happened to giving because it is the season to give, because God gave us His Son - which is what Christmas is all about. Are we really that shallow that we can only give to those who are going to give us? Had God done that, I am afraid there never would have been a Savior sent to the world. No virgin birth, no king born in a manger.

For varying reasons, my card giving is down this year. I am pretty much sending cards to people I don't see often. And yes, two of those people sent me a card, but I was already planning on sending them a card.

So why do we give? Just to reciprocate a gift given to us, or because we know a gift will be given? Do we give out of duty? It is expected that we give a gift to our brother-in-law, though we hate his guts.

I have given out of duty, out of reciprocation. And sometimes it is necessary, but it is sad. Giving should be done in love, because the person means something to us and we want to show them that.

I guess that is why I am not a fan of photo cards, Christmas letters, or the new "in thing" - send-out-cards. Anything mass-produced just doesn't cut it for me. I'm sorry. I received a card this morning at church that made my day. Inside, it wasn't just signed by the givers of the cards. They wrote "love and prayers_____" and then the good part: "You are a special guy and we appreciate your friendship." I feel good all over again typing that. I didn't give them a card yet, but was planning on it - but they gave me a card and wrote a nice message in it and made this guy feel very good. Not sure where they got the idea I am special, but it made my day.

So this Christmas, let us put aside the giving out of duty or reciprocation -and give for the right reasons. Give a gift or card to someone who most likely will not give you one back. Better yet, give a gift to someone anonymously, Toys for Tots, or the Angel Christmas Tree thing. I could be wrong, but when we give to someone who we are not expecting something back - I think that is when we nail down what this season is all about.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

My Christmas List

I'm bored and in the mood to blog. Those two things can be a bad combination, but I won't do one of my famous rants. Instead, I will blog my Christmas list. I should hope for peace on earth and all that lovely stuff, but we know that ain't gonna happen, so will be realistic. For the most part. I would like a new president and Sentae majority leader. And a new VP also.......


1) a full time job

2) my own place, or at least out of my parents' place

3) A hippopotamus
4) a slimmer waist

5) the Talley Trio's new CD

6) A snuggie

7) Sarah Palin's new book

8) Sarah Palin for president

9) a date with Ann Coulter

10) a cruise to the Bahamas

11) a sword like Peter had in the Narnia movies

12) Mario games for my Wii

13) the energy of a young kid

14) a new friend

15) a cure for baldness

16) $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

17) another battery charger for my Wii remotes

18) another niece or nephew

19) a hat that would look cool on me

20) lower gas prices

21) a new car

22) meeting George W Bush

23) meeting Sarah Palin

24) meeting an honest Democrat who is conservative and actually cares about our freedoms

25) a trip to Indiana to visit my friends

26) a life

27) a place to belong

28) meeting Ann Coulter

29) chocolate

30) a green, snowless winter

31) Sarah Palin for my mother-in-law

32) Wii Sports Resort

33) $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

34) a house sitting job in a warm climate

35) a vacation

36) spray on cologne or body spray

37) shampoo and other hair care products

38) a new bed

39) a recording contract

40) a book deal

41) a new winter jacket

42) more time in my day

43) bourbon chicken from Asian Chao

44) the chance to smack the stupid out of Nancy Pelosi

45) gift certificates

46) $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

47) meeting Karen Kingsbury

48) an end to my depression

49) a skinny gene

50) my own bookstore


Ok, not all of those were serious, obviously, but I entertained myself, at least. :-)

20 ways to be a kid again at Christmas

  1. go caroling in your neighborhood
  2. go to a bookstore and read Christmas picture books in the kid's section
  3. build a snowman
  4. throw snowballs at the neighbor's car
  5. decorate sugar cookies, and be sure to make an absolute mess
  6. go to the mall and see if you can buy 5 gifts with $10
  7. shake every box under the Christmas tree and guess what is in each one
  8. ask everyone you meet how many more days til Christmas
  9. get your picture taken with Santa
  10. put at least 5 marshmallows in your hot chocolate - the big ones
  11. go sledding
  12. watch a different Christmas movie every night
  13. get up at 6 am on Christmas morning
  14. leave cookies for Santa
  15. go through a toy catalog and tear out everything you want for Christmas
  16. jump with joy on your last day of work before the holidays
  17. write a letter to Santa
  18. shovel driveways and collect donations for the local homeless shelter
  19. make a Christmas tree ornament. Get creative with construction paper, glitter, and pine cones
  20. after Christmas, write thank-you notes. Be sure to include lots of colorful stickers

Sunday, December 5, 2010

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey

"The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey" is a story of love, redemption and above all, hope. When a broken hearted boy loses the treasured wooden nativity set that links him to his dead father, his worried mother persuades a reclusive, ill-tempered woodcarver to create a replacement, and to allow her son to watch him carve it. The commission takes their relationship to unexpected places as the young boy makes greater and more difficult demands of the woodcarver’s ability, and as Christmas approaches, the three of them struggle to come to terms with each other, their painful memories and the process of putting their unhappiness behind them. Outstanding performances, stunning CGI visuals and a brilliant score make this compelling, funny and ultimately, very moving adaptation of one of America’s most loved and award winning children’s books a must-see family movie experience.

This movie was first a book, and I first heard it several years back at our candle light service. The wife of the pastor we had at that time told it, and had a carved Nativity set she used as she told it. I loved the story, and eventually bought the book, and also got a copy for my nieces and nephews.

The movie intrigued me. Sometimes a movie made from a book isn't what you expect - or are impressed with. This one was great. They did add some things and expanded the story, but that just made it better in my opinion. The movie is 100% clean - no cursing, nothing inappropriate.

So if you're looking for a good Christmas family movie to watch this year, get this one. Christianbook.com is selling it for $5.99 - a great deal.

Friday, December 3, 2010

CSN Stores......A review

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I received the oppurtunity to review a product of my choice for CSN stores. I had never heard of them, but after I was given an gift certificate to work with, I started exploring. They have 200+ websites with things like furniture, housewares, home improvement, baby and kids, outdoor living, office supply - you name it.

It took me a while to decide, but I finally picked an item to review. I had  a lot left to spend, so I got a second item to review.

First off, the shipping was very fast, and was free. They offer free shipping on a lot of their items, which is very cool, and since they ship very fast, there is still time to order before Christmas and get your items on time.

The first thing I picked was the quilt pictured below.


Features are:
•Throw

Homestead collection

•Material: cotton


•Bed and home decor


•Finest quality cotton product, hand layered and hand quilted


•Machine washable, line or flat dry only


•Overall dimensions: 50" W x 60" L

   I really like the quilt. It is made well - good quality, and though not quite big enough to use for anactual quilt, it does make an excellent throw. I have curled up under it in my lazy boy on a few cold days, and love it - and it is very attractive to look at.

I bought it from CNS store's site, beddingandmore.com, and the brand name is Patch Magic.
Next up from the same store and brand is a pillow.


Features:
•Toss pillow



•Natures Splendor collection


•Material: cotton


•Bed and home decor


•Decorative, quilted pillow


•Machine washable, line or flat dry only


•Overall dimensions: 16" W x 16" L

   I really like lodge type decor, and they have a lot of that type of thing here on this site. The pillow is very cool. It looks hand-made and has a cool scene on it, as you can see from the picture.

The pillow is soft, and the the outer part easily removes for cleaning, which is very convenient.

I am very happy with the products I picked, and recommend shopping at CNS stores. Fast shipping - free in this case, great selection, and quality products. Check them out.

Thanks to Caitlin from CNS stores for the oppurtunity to review these products.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

The Truth of the Matter by Andrew Klavan

Book description:
Charlie is certain that if he could just regain his memory, the chaos around him would make sense. But the truth of the matter is even more incredible than he could imagine.



Charlie West was an ordinary high school kid who went to bed one night and woke up in the clutches of terrorists and wanted by the police for murder. He also woke up with no memory of the events of the past year.


Now Charlie has found the one person who knows what happened . . . and who can help him remember. But remembering is painful--as well as dangerous--and figuring out what to do with this new knowledge may be Charlie's toughest challenge yet.

My review:
I love this series. Though aimed at young adults, they capture my attention and are very suspenseful. The first two books had Charlie running from everyone - the police and the terrorist organization he seemed to be part of, but couldn't remember amything of the past year, including being part of them.

In this book, a lot comes to light: how and why he became part of the Homelanders, the events surrounding his best friend's murder, and how and why he lost the memory of those events in the first place.

This may be the best of the three books so far, but they are all so exciting and gripping that it is hard to decide.

This book seemed to have more of a Christian message than the first two, but regardless of that, they are clean, curse-free, sex-free and are great books for teens - or adults. My fifteen-year-old niece loves the books.

So this book - and series - gets my whole-hearted approval and recommendation. And of course gets my "read-in-one-sitting" status.

About the author:
Andrew Klavan wrote his first novel, Face of the Earth, in 1977. He then moved to Putnam County, New York, where he worked as a reporter for a local newspaper. His experience covering local crime later formed the basis for his novel Corruption.



After Face of the Earth was published, Klavan returned to New York, where he took a series of jobs (as a script reader for Columbia Pictures and a news writer for WOR Radio and ABC Radio Networks) while writing mysteries and freelance book reviews. During this time he wrote The Scarred Man using the pseudonym Keith Peterson. Klavan's book, The Rain, won an Edgar Award for Best Original Paperback.

Klavan went on to write such international bestsellers as Don’t Say A Word, which was filmed starring Michael Douglas, and True Crime, which was filmed by Clint Eastwood and Empire of Lies. He also wrote the screenplay for the film version of Simon Brett's novel A Shock to the System, which starred Michael Caine and the horror film One Missed Call.

Klavan and his family moved to London, where they lived for seven years. Returning to the United States, they settled in Southern California. While still writing thriller novels for adults, Klavan says he’s excited to be writing his first novels for younger people. “I’ve always tried to write stories that move like lightning but still deal with big ideas,” he says. “I’d like to bring that skill to a younger market.”

Visit the author's website at http://www.andrewklavan.com/ and the Homelander's website at http://www.thehomelanders.com/

The Truth of the Matter, The Last Thing I Remember, and The Long Way Home are available from Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson for the review copy.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

We Are the Reason

Awesome song, awesome performance. We Are The Reason by Avalon

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

The Lightkeeper's Bride by Colleen Coble




This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
The Lightkeeper's Bride
Thomas Nelson (October 19, 2010)
by
Colleen Coble

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Author Colleen Coble’s thirty-five novels and novellas have won or finaled in awards ranging from the Romance Writers of America prestigious RITA, the Holt Medallion, the ACFW Book of the Year, the Daphne du Maurier, National Readers’ Choice, the Booksellers Best, and the 2009 Best Books of Indiana-Fiction award. She writes romantic mysteries because she loves to see justice prevail and love begin with a happy ending.
A word from Colleen: God has been faithful, though the path has not been easy. Nothing worth doing is ever easy. God wouldn’t let me give up, and I like to think the struggle made me stronger. God has given me so much in my life, most importantly my great family, a loving church family at New Life Baptist Church, and my wonderful publishing family at Nelson Books.
ABOUT THE BOOK:

A thrilling romantic mystery set in the lush Victorian age.

Central Operator Katie Russell's inquisitive ways have just uncovered her parents' plan for her marriage to wealthy bachelor Bartholomew Foster. Her heart is unmoved, but she knows the match will bring her family status and respectability.
Then Katie overhears a phone conversation that makes her uneasy and asks authorities to investigate. But the caller is nowhere to be found. Mysterious connections arise between the caller and a ship lost at sea.

Against propriety, Katie questions the new lighthouse keeper, Will Jesperson. Then a smallpox epidemic forces their quarantine in his lighthouse. Though of low social status, Will's bravery and kindness remove Katie's suspicion and win her love. Katie and Will together work to solve the mystery of the missing girl and the lost ship as God gives the couple the desire of their hearts.

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Lightkeeper's Bride, go HERE.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Life Without Limits by Nick Vujicic

Book description:
Life Without Limits is an inspiring book by an extraordinary man. Born without arms or legs, Nick Vujicic overcame his disability to live not just independently but a rich, fulfilling life, becoming a model for anyone seeking true happiness. Now an internationally successful motivational speaker, his central message is that the most important goal for anyone is to find their life’s purpose despite whatever difficulties or seemingly impossible odds stand in their way.


Nick tells the story of his physical disabilities and the emotional battle he endured trying to deal with them as a child, a teen, and a young adult. “For the longest, loneliest time, I wondered if there was anyone on earth like me, and whether there was any purpose to my life other than pain and humiliation.” He shares how his faith in God has been his central source of strength and explains that once he found his own sense of purpose—inspiring others to make their lives and the world better—he found the confidence to build a rewarding and productive life without limits.


Nick offers practical advice for realizing a life of fulfillment and happiness by building trust in others, developing supportive relationships, and gaining strength for the journey. He encourages the reader by showing how he learned to accept what he could not control and focus instead on what he could.

My review:Several times as I read this book, I thought "man, I thought I had it bad!" This is a very inspiring and encouraging book. Nick tells a lot about how he learned to live with no arms or legs, and how he learned to deal with what many would view as limitations.

I am amazed at what this guy has done - and can do. He rides a surf board, swims, goes scuba diving, and other things that most people with arms and legs don't do.

Scattered throughout the pages of the book are also stories of people he met who had either disabilities or bad circumstances, yet overcame them. He is a motivational speaker, and gives a lot of advice on how to rise avove your circumstances. He is a Christian, an ordained evangelist, so he talks a lot in the book about depending on God and how God has helped him, and does help him.

I found myself to be encouraged, inspired, and convicted by reading this book. It is so easy to get overwhelmed with life, but after reading Nick's story, I realize all too often we give into our circumstances, and lose the battle.

I usually give my "read-in-one-sitting" status to a suspense type book, but this book was so interesting that I read it in one evening, and so I will bestow that status on it. I really recommend reading it.

About the author:

NICK VUJICIC is a motivational speaker and the directorfounding President of the a non-profit organization, Life Without Limbs. A longtime resident of Australia, he now lives in southern CaliforniaIt was in recent years that Nick made the move from Australia to Southern California from where he now continues to passionately travel around the world, spreading a message of hope to all people.


Visit his website at http://www.nickvujicic.com/.

Life Without Limits is available from Random House Publishing.

Thanks to Waterbrook/Multnomah for the review copy.

Friday, November 19, 2010

Unlocked by Karen Kingsbury

Description:

Before You Take a Stand … You Got to Take a Chance.

Holden Harris is an eighteen-year-old locked in a prison of autism. Despite his quiet ways and quirky behaviors, Holden is very happy and socially normal—on the inside, in a private world all his own. In reality, he is bullied at school by kids who only see that he is very different.

Ella Reynolds is part of the “in” crowd. A cheerleader and star of the high school drama production, her life seems perfect. When she catches Holden listening to her rehearse for the school play, she is drawn to him … the way he is drawn to the music. Then, Ella makes a dramatic discovery—she and Holden were best friends as children.

Frustrated by the way Holden is bullied, and horrified at the indifference of her peers, Ella decides to take a stand against the most privileged and popular kids at school.

Including her boyfriend, Jake.

Ella believes miracles can happen in the unlikeliest places, and that just maybe an entire community might celebrate from the sidelines. But will Holden’s praying mother and the efforts of Ella and a cast of theater kids be enough to unlock the prison that contains Holden?

This time, friendship, faith, and the power of a song must be strong enough to open the doors to the miracle Holden needs.

My review
Though she does not write suspense, my favorite genre' to read, Karen Kingsbury is my favorite author. I thought this book sounded like a winner, as all of hers are, and was it ever. It is a very touching and emotional story, and she pulls out all of the stops on this one. It is obvious she did a lot of research on autism - and I learned a lot about it in the book. She also does an excellent job of portraying the emotions of the boy's parents. The feelings of loss, as if they had truly lost him out of their lives.

She also tackles the subject of bullying in the book. Kids picking on and making fun of kids who are different. I confess I have cried before while reading a Karen Kingsbury book, but this one really brought the waterworks. (I know, I'm a guy - you try reading this one without getting misty-eyed!) The story is not necessarily sad, though parts of it is, but it is an emotional story of hope. This has got to be one of her best books ever. I highly recommend it, and it definitely gets my "read-in-one-sitting" status.

About the author:

New York Times Bestselling author Karen Kingsbury is America's favorite inspirational novelist with over fifteen million books in print. Her Life-Changing Fiction has produced multiple bestsellers, including Take One, Between Sundays, Even Now, One Tuesday Morning, Beyond Tuesday Morning, and Ever After, which was named the 2007 Christian Book of the Year. An award-winning author and newly published songwriter, Karen has had several movies optioned for production, and her novel Like Dandelion Dust is in post production as a major motion picture release. Karen is also a nationally known speaker with several women's groups. She lives in Washington State with her husband Don, and their six children, three of whom were adopted from Haiti.

Unlocked is available from Zondervan Publishing.

Thanks to Zondervan for the review copy.

Check out the trailer for the book - very nicely done.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

CSN Stores

If you are looking for counter stools, bookshelves, or other such items, look no further. Thanks to my friend, Molly, I have been given the opportunity to pick out an item to review for CSN stores. To be honest, I had never heard of CSN stores before, but I checked them out after Molly's email. They have 200+ websites with things like furniture, housewares, home improvement, baby and kids, outdoor living, office supply - you name it.

There are a ton of things to pick from. Molly did this bookcase, and maybe I will lean that way - can always use more bookcases - so watch for my review of a CSN product coming up in the next few weeks.

Christmas At Harringtons by Melody Carlson

Sometimes the best gift is a second chance


Christmas is approaching, and Lena Markham finds herself penniless, friendless, and nearly hopeless. She is trying to restart her life, but job opportunities are practically nonexistent. When a secondhand red coat unexpectedly lands her a job as Mrs. Santa at a department store, Lena finally thinks her luck is changing. But can she keep her past a secret?

Reading Christmas at Harrington's, a story full of redemption and true holiday spirit, will be your newest Christmas tradition.

My review:
Melody Carlson has several Christmas novels under her belt, and she is quite the pro at writing them. This one may be her best yet.

The story is about Lena Markham, a woman in her early 40's who has just been released from prison after being in prison for eight years for embezzlement, which she did not do. She has been given some cash and clothes by the prison and sent to a new place to start her new life.

I don't want to give any of the book away, so that is it for my description. I will say that I immensely enjoyed the book. I started it at the doctor's office, but wouldn't you know, they took me in right away. Sigh. I did finish it later that day, and I loved it. I really enjoyed the characters and the plot - and the setting. I love Christmas books, and Christmas makes a great setting for this type of book: a new start, forgiveness, hope.

This is the type of book that you will want to read again, next Christmas. Melody Carlson has written a winner here, and you will not be disappointed if you read this book.

About the author:

Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of over two hundred books, several of them Christmas novellas from Revell, including her much-loved and bestselling book, The Christmas Bus. She also writes many teen books, including Just Another Girl, Anything but Normal, the Diary of a Teenage Girl series, the TrueColors series, and the Carter House Girls series. Melody was nominated for a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her books, including the Notes from a Spinning Planet series and Finding Alice, which is in production as a Lifetime Television movie. She and her husband serve on the Young Life adult committee in central Oregon. Visit Melody's website at www.melodycarlson.com.
Christmas At Harrington's is available from Revell Publishers, an imprint of Baker Book House.

Thanks to Revell for the review copy.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

The Silent Order by Melanie Dobson


This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
The Silent Order
Summerside Press (November 1, 2010)
by
Melanie Dobson

 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Melanie Dobson is the award-winning author of The Black Cloister; Love Finds You in Liberty, Indiana; and Together for Good.

Prior to launching Dobson Media Group in 1999, Melanie was the corporate publicity manager at Focus on the Family where she was responsible for the publicity of events, products, films, and TV specials. Melanie received her undergraduate degree in journalism from Liberty University and her master's degree in communication from Regent University. She has worked in the fields of publicity and journalism for fifteen years including two years as a publicist for The Family Channel.

Melanie and her husband, Jon, met in Colorado Springs in 1997 at Vanguard Church. Jon works in the field of computer animation. Since they've been married, the Dobsons have relocated numerous times including stints in Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Colorado, Berlin, and Southern California. These days they are enjoying their new home in the Pacific Northwest.

Jon and Melanie have adopted their two daughters —Karly (6) and Kinzel (5). When Melanie isn't writing or entertaining their girls, she enjoys exploring ghost towns and dusty back roads, traveling, hiking, line dancing, and reading inspirational fiction.

ABOUT THE BOOK
Rural America - 1928. After the murder of his partner, Detective Rollin Wells hides away in an Amish home near Sugarcreek, Ohio, to find out who in the police force is collaborating with Cleveland’s notorious mob. While Rollin searches for answers to his partner’s death, he befriends an elusive young Amish woman named Katie and her young son. As Rollin learns about Katie’s past, he’s shocked at the secret Katie is hiding - a secret that has haunted Rollin for eight years.

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Silent Order, go HERE.

My review:
I gotta admit it. I wondered to myself "What on earth was this author thinking?! Amish and mafia?!" It does seem a strange mix, but it worked. I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

It is set in Cleveland and Sugarcreek, Ohio. Sugarcreek is in Holmes County, and the whole area is a big Amish area. It is also not far from me - about an hour and fifteen minutes - great place to visit - so that made the book even more interesting to me, being set in a place I am familiar with.

So what does the mafia and Amish have to do with each other? Nothing, but in this book, the Amish end up hiding and protecting a police detective that the mafia is after. There is a lot in the book about Amish, and there is a lot in the book about the mafia. Makes for an interesting mix, and the average Amish book lover might not enjoy this one, unless you are also into suspense.

I really did enjoy the book, even more than the previous book that I read by this author. I have been disappointed in a couple of books I have read from this publisher, but not in this one. It is a great suspense novel, and is definitely Christian. I definitely recommend it.

Thanks to Summerside Press for the review copy.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Hatteras Girl by Alice Wisler


This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Hatteras Girl
Bethany House; Original edition (October 1, 2010)
by
Alice Wisler




ABOUT THE AUTHOR:





Alice J. Wisler is an author, public speaker, advocate, and fundraiser. She has been a guest on several radio and TV programs to promote her self-published cookbooks, Slices of Sunlight and Down the Cereal Aisle. She graduated from Eastern Mennonite University and has traveled the country in jobs that minister to people. Alice was raised in Japan and currently resides in Durham, North Carolina.



Facts about Alice

* Born in Osaka, Japan and lived in Japan for 18 years

* Went to Kyoto International School and Canadian Academy

* Majored in Social Work and graduated in 1983 from Eastern Mennonite University

* Worked at a group home for disadvantaged kids outside of Philadelphia

* Taught English and Culture Orientation at a refugee camp in the Philippines

* Taught English as a Second Language in Japan

* Speaks and teaches on Writing the Heartache

* Has three kids on earth, and one in Heaven

* Recently got married to Carl on 2/7/09



ABOUT THE BOOK



There are two things twenty-nine-year-old Jackie Donovan asks God for: an honest, wonderful man to marry, and to own a bed-and-breakfast in the Outer Banks region. In the meantime, Jackie works for Lighthouse Views magazine, writing articles about other local business owners, and intrepidly goes on the blind dates set up by her well-meaning but oh-so-clueless relatives.



There's one specific property Jackie dreams of purchasing: the Bailey Place, a fabulous old home where Jackie spent many happy childhood afternoons, a place that has now fallen into disrepair because of its outrageous price tag.



When Jackie meets handsome Davis Erickson, who holds the key to the Bailey Place, Jackie is sure God has answered both her prayers. But as Jackie learns some disturbing details about Davis's past, she begins to question her own motivation. Will she risk her long-held dreams to find out the truth?



If you would like to read the first chapter of Hatteras Girl, go HERE.

Giveaway

Still a couple of more days to enter to win a cool Christms book here.

Son of Hamas by Mosab Hassan Yousef

Book description:

Since he was a small boy, Mosab Hassan Yousef has had an inside view of the deadly terrorist group Hamas. The oldest son of Sheikh Hassan Yousef, a founding member of Hamas and its most popular leader, young Mosab assisted his father for years in his political activities while being groomed to assume his legacy, politics, status . . . and power. But everything changed when Mosab turned away from terror and violence, and embraced instead the teachings of another famous Middle East leader. In Son of Hamas, Mosab Yousef—now called “Joseph”—reveals new information about the world’s most dangerous terrorist organization and unveils the truth about his own role, his agonizing separation from family and homeland, the dangerous decision to make his newfound faith public, and his belief that the Christian mandate to “love your enemies” is the only way to peace in the Middle East.
 
My review:
I honestly cannot remember reading a more interesting and gripping non-fiction book. This one gets my "read-in-one-sitting" status, for that is exactly what I did. The story is well written, and is a fascinating tale. I learned a lot about Islam, the Hamas, the conflict between Isreal and the Palestinians, and a lot more.
 
The most amazing part of the story is not that Mosab became an agent working with the Isrealis against Hamas, an organization his own father helped to start, but that in spite of his strict Islamic upbringing, that God reached down and changed him from a son of Hamas to a follower of Jesus Christ.
 
Though my normal genre' is Christian fiction, and my favorite is suspense/mystery, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and highly recommend it. It will be worth your time.
 
About the author:

Mosab Hassan Yousef was born in Ramallah, in the Palestinian West Bank, in 1978. His father, Sheikh Hassan Yousef, is a founding leader of Hamas, internationally recognized as a terrorist organization and responsible for countless suicide bombings and other deadly attacks against Israel. Yousef was an integral part of the movement, for which he was imprisoned several times by the Shin Bet, the Israeli intelligence service. He withstood torture in prison only to discover Hamas was torturing its own people in a relentless search for collaborators. He began to question who his enemies really were—Israel? Hamas? America?


While in an Israeli prison, Yousef was approached about becoming a spy for the Shin Bet. Initially, Yousef accepted the offer with the idea that he would betray them, and in hopes he could use the role to protect his father and family. Later, as Yousef saw the hypocrisy within Hamas and became a Christian, he used the position to save lives on both sides of the conflict. Yousef worked as a double agent within Hamas for nearly 10 years. He became a vital intelligence asset for the Israeli government while serving side-by-side with his father within the upper ranks of Hamas. After a chance encounter with a British tourist, Yousef started a six-year quest that jeopardized Hamas, endangered his family, and threatened his life. He has since embraced the Christian faith and sought political asylum in America. His story was revealed in the 2008 Fox News documentary "Escape from Hamas."

Yousef 's first book, Son of Hamas, written with Ron Brackin (SaltRiver), released March 2, 2010. In Son of Hamas, Yousef reveals new information about this dangerous terrorist organization and unveils the truth behind his own secret role. He describes his surreal journey to a new faith that instructed him to love his enemies. And he tells the story of the agonizing decisions that led him to walk away from his family, friends, and homeland. For blog updates from Yousef, visit http://www.sonofhamas.com/.

Son of Hamas is available from Saltriver Publishing, an imprint of Tyndale Publishing.

Thanks to Tyndale for the review copy.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

NaBloPoMo Day #9... Christmas CDs, the bad and ugly

I covered my favorite Christmas CDs, now time for my least favorites. Ever hear an awesome song, run out and by the CD, only to find the rest of the CD is not so awesome? That has happened to me with some Christmas CDs. Unlike my favorite CDs, these do not warrant the bother of pictures. And again, in no particular order...

Hey Santa by Wendy and Carnie Wilson - I love the title song. Not sure why, as I am not a big fan of Santa...... Anyway, I bought the CD - cheap, fortunately, for the rest of the CD was.... boring. I didn't think they sang the songs well, and it was a letdown from the title song. I sold it on ebay.

Merry Christmas by Mariah Carey - I absolutely love the song from this CD, All I Want for Christmas Is You. And again, I bought the CD and yuk! Double yuk... I gave the CD away, hated it too much to sell it. :-)

Rockin Around the Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee - No one - and I mean no one - can sing this song like Brenda Lee. Yes, there are other great versions of the song, but she tops them all. A true classic. And the rest of her Christmas CD is classic.... classic horrid - awful CD. Not sure what I did with it after I bought it, but I listened to it once. The title song remains on my Ipod though.

Home for Christmas by Dolly Parton - I love Dolly's singing, and love the Christmas CD she did with Kenny Rogers. I was however, disappointed with this CD. It isn't bad, it just bored me. She needs to do a new one with newer, more lively arrangments. She released a single new song last Christmas - Coming Home for Christmas that I really love. But I didn't keep the Home for Christmas CD.

A Greater Vision Christmas by Greater Vision - These guys do a great job on "Cherish That Name", but overall, the CD was a disappointment to me. With a marvelous song writer in their group, Rodney Griffin, I was hoping for some new Christmas songs, but they were all classics, and it bored me. They have a new CD out this year that looks more promising.

Christmas by Jason Crabb - I did not buy this CD - thank God for the modern technology we have of being able to preview CDs before you buy them. I almost bought it until I listened to it. I like Jason's voice, but am not impressed with the CD, so I will not be buying it.

The Promise by Michael Card - I am not a fan of Michael Card. I like his voice, but not his style. His Christmas CD looked good, so I bought it. I liked 2 songs on it - Immanuel - an awesome song - and We Will Find Him. The rest of the CD.... no thanks.

Yuletide Joy by Sandi Patty - I like Sandi Patty's voice, and loved her Christmas CD, The Gift Goes On. This CD looked promising.... but I hated it. Especially her Jingle Bells rendition. I about shudder at the thoughts. This one went on ebay so fast it would have made heads spin.

Breath of Heaven by Vince Gill - His first Christmas CD was tops, but this one - not so much. It isn't a terrible CD, but was just disappointing. And why, oh why did he record "Breath of Heaven"... aka "Mary's Song"? That makes as much sense as Dolly Parton singing "He's Alive". "Breath of Heaven" is supposed to be Mary talking - I seriously doubt Vince Gill has ever been pregnant.... though he does have a very high voice....

I am sure there have been others, but these stick in my mind. Any you would add to the list?

Monday, November 8, 2010

Grace by Shelley Shephard Gray


This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Grace
Avon Inspire; Original edition (October 26, 2010)
by
Shelley Shepard Gray






ABOUT THE AUTHOR:







Shelley Shepard Gray is the beloved author of the Sisters of the Heart series, including Hidden, Wanted, and Forgiven. Before writing, she was a teacher in both Texas and Colorado. She now writes full time and lives in southern Ohio with her husband and two children. When not writing, Shelley volunteers at church, reads, and enjoys walking her miniature dachshund on her town's scenic bike trail.







ABOUT THE BOOK

It's Christmastime at the Brenneman Bed & Breakfast, and everyone is excited about closing down for the holiday.



Anna and Henry will be celebrating their first Christmas as a married couple, and for Katie and Jonathan Lundy, it's their first Christmas with baby Stefan. Winnie and Samuel Miller plan to stop by as well for a wonderful two weeks of family and rest.



But when two unexpected visitors show up, hoping to stay for Christmas, the family must test their commitment to hospitality. Levi is a widower who lost his wife four years ago and can't bear the thought of another Christmas alone. And Melody is a young pregnant woman who won't open up about how she ended up on her own at Christmas at almost nine months pregnant.



Anna, who knows a thing or two about keeping secrets, doesn't trust her, and strives to find out the truth about these two strangers who have disrupted their holiday. But as the Christmas spirit descends on them all, as well as snow that traps them in the inn, a healing and hopefulness takes over, allowing new relationships to be built, and the boundaries of family to be extended.



If you'd like to read the first chapter of Grace, go HERE.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

NaBloPoMo Day #7.... The best Christmas CDs

I am not in the mood to blog, but I did commit to this National Blog Posting Month thing, so here goes..... my favorite Christmas CDs of all time...... not in any particular order

Once Upon A Christmas by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton. These two sound great together, and this CD is tops... I love listening to it.







A Family Christmas by the Talleys, 1988. This one would have to be my all time favorite - totally awesome CD from the Talleys, back when it was Debra, Roger, and Kirk. I had had the cassette for years, and when I went to all CDs was fortunate to find the CD on ebay - and there is one on ebay right now if anyone is interested...... They did a few very nice medleys on this CD and a few original songs I love.



Every Light That Shines At Christmas by Ernie Haase and Signature Sound. These guys are my favorite quartet and one of my favorite groups. Their first Christmas CD was really good, but this one tops it. It has 15 songs, new and old, and is an awesome CD.




I have always loved Garth Brooks voice, though I haven't cared for many of his songs. He has, however done two great Christmas CDs. This one, The Magic of Christmas, is the newer of the two, and is my favorite of the two. It is mostly new songs, but I like how he does it, and it is a favorite Christmas CD of mine.



Jeff and Sheri Easter have always been one of my favorite groups, so I was excited when they finally did a Christmas CD... and I was not disappointed. Filled with a mix of old and new Christmas songs, this one has been in my favorites list since it came out.






The first of two Christmas CDs by country group, Lonestar - This Christmas Time. I loved it at first listen, and still do. The best cuts... Reason for the Season and Please Come Home For Christmas.







David Phelps has done two Christmas CDs, and this is the newer and more lively of the two. It also features his new anorexic Shirley Temple look.....

This CD, One Wintry Night,  has 15 songs, and is an awesome Christmas CD, leaning more contemporary than Southern Gospel. David wrote some of the songs on it, and it also has some classic Christmas songs - a great mix.


One of the best ever Christmas CDs ever, Still The Greatest Story by the Gaither Vocal Band. It has one song I don't like, but the others are so great that it makes my list. Favorite song - It's Still The Greatest Story - awesome song.





No picture, but there was an obscure Southern Gospel family back in the 80's who did a couple of CDs, including a Christmas CD. The group, The Manuel Family Band, penned mostly original songs on the CD, and I love the CD - has some really cool songs, such as Even Santa Ought to Know, Take The "X" Out of Your Christmas, The Reason, and more. Makes my list for sure.

Let There Be Peace On Earth by Vince Gill - a great country Christmas CD, and his newer Christmas CD pales in comparison. This is another I had on cassette and replaced with the CD - a CD worth having.







I don't think I had ever listened to anything by SCC until I bought this, The Music of Christmas - and I loved it right off the bat. It has some original songs that I love, my favorite cut being God With Us - a totally awesome song. I enjoy the whole CD, though different from my normal listening styles.





Though not as good as their first Christmas CD, this CD by the Talley Trio, as opposed to the Talleys - Kirk being replaced by his niece, Lauren, this is another musical delight for the ears. It has some newer songs and classics - a must have for Southern Gospel lovers.





The new Gaither Vocal Band Christmas CD, Christmas Gaither Vocal Band Style, is not as good as the first, and has more classics than new, but is still a favorite already of mine -  a great CD.




I have many more Christmas CDs, but these are my favoites and most played. Any input - some you would add?

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Joy to the World: Advent Activities for your Family

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!


Today's Wild Card author is:


and the book:

Liguori Publications (July 1, 2010)
***Special thanks to Rebecca Molen of Liguori Publications for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:



Kathleen Basi is a stay-at-home mom, freelance writer, flute and voice teacher, composer, choir director, natural family planning teacher, scrapbooker, sometime-chef and budding disability rights activist. She puts her juggling skills on display on her website (see below).


Visit the author's website.


Product Details:

List Price: $5.99
Paperback: 80 pages
Publisher: Liguori Publications (July 1, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0764819372
ISBN-13: 978-0764819377

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:


Introduction

Reclaiming
Advent

Call it December madness: On the day after Thanksgiving 2008, a seasonal worker was trampled to death by shoppers swarming a department store at opening time. In mid-America, two women got into a fist fight over a toy, and the store personnel had to pull them off each other.

At this time of year, it’s hardly possible to escape feeling rushed, harried, and overwhelmed. It seems like every year the Christmas decorations at the mall go up a little earlier, and all the news reports dwell on how much money retailers are (or aren’t) going to make. The ad inserts get fatter and the TV shouts: “No need to wait! Zero down! No interest for thirteen months! Hurry, hurry, hurry!”

Just about everyone gripes about it, but no one seems to know what to do about it. Some families throw out the whole secular celebration in an attempt to prevent materialism from overwhelming both Advent and Christmas. But most families feel—rightly so—that they shouldn’t have to choose one over the other. It’s supposed to be “the most wonderful time of the year,” but often families feel stressed as the calendar fills up with recitals, shopping, parties, and housecleaning. In this atmosphere filled with distractions, the idea of Advent as a season in its own right has been overwhelmed. How can we wait for Christmas when we never have to wait for anything else?

Christmas is not about children, gifts, cookies, or trees. It’s about a love so powerful that God came to earth to dwell among us: human and divine intertwining—a holy union of wills that reaches its apex not in birth, but in crucifixion and resurrection. In salvation.

And we spend December fighting over Blu-ray discs and toys?

It’s time to reclaim Advent—that season of holy hush, of waiting, of light and anticipation—that season that helps make Christmas so special. We can’t withdraw from the world, but we can take the trappings of the season and infuse them with a deeper meaning. Joy to the World: Advent Activities for Your Family outlines a way to reconcile the secular with the sacred—to celebrate them side-by-side, to mold them into a single, month-long “liturgy,” and in so doing, to enrich both celebrations.

Chapter 1 presents a brief overview of Advent and why it is important. Chapter 2 introduces the three parts of the Advent Reclamation Project, which are explained more fully in Chapters 3 through 5. Chapter 6 offers suggestions for other traditions that families or parish communities might choose to adopt as their own, and in the appendices, you will find resources to flesh out the earlier chapters.

Early childhood is the ideal time to start developing family traditions, so this book is aimed at young families. Each chapter contains a short italicized section to be read directly to children, explaining some part of the celebration. As your family grows, you can adapt the traditions to fit your own circumstances. Many of the ideas will also translate to the classroom. Remember that Advent, like Sabbath, was not created for God’s sake, but for ours (see Mark 2:27). God doesn’t need it. We do.

Chapter

1

The Case
For Advent

Advent holds a unique place in the Christian calendar. For Catholics, it is the beginning of the liturgical year. It is a season in which the church is decked out in purple—a sign of penitence—yet the Scriptures also speak of joy, hope, and light.

The word “Advent” comes from a Latin word meaning arrival or coming. In the earliest days of the Church, all of life focused on the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ. After all, the Apostles expected the Second Coming during their lifetimes.

At this time, the ancient pagan cultures structured their seasonal celebrations on nature. The celebration of the winter solstice was the biggest festival of the year in ancient times. It centered upon the shortest day of the year—the day when the “unconquered” sun began slowly to take back the days. Gift-giving, feasting, lights, and greenery all originated in these pagan celebrations. As Christianity expanded into these lands, the Church adopted many of these traditions, infusing them with Christian meaning in order to ease the transition for its new members. Thus, sometime in the fourth century ad, Christmas—and Advent—made their appearances.

Originally, Advent was a forty-day period of fasting and penitence—a parallel to Lent. In the early centuries, the Church focused on preparing for the Second Coming. Not until the middle ages did Advent begin to point toward the birth of Christ. Over the centuries, many traditions cropped up surrounding the season. The Advent wreath grew out of a Pagan tradition of lighting candles to signify the hope of spring. The Jesse tree probably originated in Northern Europe, where lineage and genealogy determined one’s place in society. The Jesse tree taught the faithful about Jesus’ royal lineage. Over time, these customs (and the meanings associated with them) have evolved. Some grew more important, others less so.

Nowadays, the secular culture and many Protestant denominations make no distinction between Advent and Christmas. The Sundays of December are filled with the story of the Christ Child, and the Christmas celebration is over and done around New Year’s. But in Catholic tradition, the season of Advent focuses on the two “comings” of Christ—the Incarnation, when God came to Earth as human child, and the glorious Second Coming at the end of time. In fact, the readings for the first two weeks of Advent speak of John the Baptist “preparing the way” for Jesus, the grown man who turned the world upside down. Only in the later part of Advent does our focus zero in on Bethlehem.

This duality is something we experience even with our senses. Catholic churches are hung with violet for these four weeks—the color traditionally associated with penitence. But the purple we use at this time of year is different from the purple of Lent; it is meant to be a richer, royal purple, reminding us also that Christ is King.

Advent gives us a chance to meditate on:

Hope—for deliverance;

Expectation—for the coming of one who will bring justice to an unjust world;

Preparation—so that we may prepare our hearts to receive Christ, who is

Light—the light of the world.


These are beautiful themes. Why should Advent be shoved into a corner, nothing more than four weeks of filler before Christmas? Advent can be a magical time, if we approach it the right way.

Advent does not need to become a “second Lent,” but the violet hangings and vestments remind us that penitence remains an important part of the season. Advent gives us the chance to examine our hearts and “defrag” our scattered souls. To reorder our thinking and our priorities. To point our lives, for four weeks, toward Christmas, so that when we reach the holiday, it has meaning and beauty that is distinct from the four preceding weeks.

Nor is Christmas the end of the journey. Without Holy Week and the resurrection, the manger in Bethlehem would be unremarkable: just one more baby born in poverty. For Christians, the destination is Easter. Glorious as it is, Christmas is a stop along the way.

For the children:

Even though all the advertisements on TV are about Christmas, right now we are actually in the season of Advent. During Advent, our job is to get ready for Jesus to come and live in our hearts. At Christmas, we will celebrate Jesus being born as a baby—but he has promised us that he will come back again someday, and we need to be ready. One way we do this is by remembering our sins and trying to do better. This is called penitence, and it is why the church is decorated in purple. But Advent is also about looking forward to Jesus coming. We are excited because Jesus is the light of the world, and when he comes, he will make the world fair for everyone.