Blogging in 2011... I don't understand the fascination...

I was going to blog on January 1 to start 2011 out, but never got around to it, so here we are two days into the New Year, so I decided to blog about something I don't understand. Well, the possibilties there are endless :-) - but this is about America's fascination with sports. I really don't understand it. Not even a little bit.

I will admit I am strongly biased against sports. I was picked on a lot in school and bullied mostly because I was so bad at sports. I am still affected by that to this day.  And since I went to a small Christian school, I was forced to play whatever sport was the craze of the season. Looking back, that seems so wrong and unfair. But that is beside the point.

I like soccer. It is the only sport I excelled at, and the only one where the other kids wanted me on their team. Unfortunately, it wasn't popular in school.

Softball was ok after I got out of school and got ok at it. Until that fateful day fourteen years ago that led to my selling my ball glove and vowing I would never play again - and I haven't.

Football.... I never liked it. I think a lot of the problem was I had no clue how to play it - seemed like a stupid game (still does!) - I was forced to play it for gym class, and by the time I half understood the game, I already had a deep-seated hatred of the game.

I get why people like to play sports - even though the very word conjures up bad memories for me - especially football - but what I don't get, not even 1%, is the fascination with professional sports. People will stand in line in all kinds of weather to get tickets, will act like total idiots rooting for their team, and act like it is the end of the world if they lose.

Why? They don't personally know any of the players, and if they passed Brett Favre, Michael Jordan, Tom Brady on the street, th guys wouldn't give them the time of day. These guys get played obscene amounts of money for playing a game - because people will play to see them chase a ball around a field. And why? Why does a bunch of guys you don't know chasing a ball make a difference in your life? It sure doesn't make a difference in mine - other than the fact that I root for the opposite team because I get so tired of hearing about it. Bad of me, but oh well. :-)

Sports has been called the god of America, and whoever said that could be correct. There is nothing wrong in playing sports, but there is in the addiction people have with it and the professional teams. There is also something wrong with it in that all too often men and boys are judged by their performance in how manly or masculine they are, and how popular they are.

As I said, I am biased, but if you look down on someone - or worse, bully them, because they aren't good at or like sports - then that is a sad commentary on you and your life.

Everyone has their interests - mine are reading and music. Every year, some of the music groups I listen to are up for awards - favorite song, favorite group, etc. I usually read the results somewhere on line after the fact, but I don't lose any sleep over it, and I don't even get that excited about it. Even when my favorite group gets most of the awards. Good for them, but I'm not going to throw a party over it. :-)

Sports lovers may hate me for this, but hey if you're a Christian you gotta love me and forgive me - but if the Christians who are so into sports put half of that energy and interest into God's work, only God knows what could be accomplished.

I'm not married and have no kids - and never will, but if I did, they would be allowed to play sports - even the cursed football, but I would curb the professional sports interest. Most of the men are immoral guys who no one should want their kids looking at as a role model. They alll too often desecrate the Sabbath by playing on Sunday,  drink, smoke, live immorally, and it seems a lot of them do drugs - yet even Christians follow them like a little puppy dog - and what for?

In the end, this is a free country - and I am thankful for that. So sports lovers are free to post on facebook about their favorite team winning or losing, and doing all the other things they like to do - but people like me also have the right to dislike sports and also make that known. So I have. :-)

Now I have to run. There is a quilting bee on TV I have to watch. I really get into how they stitch those things together, and my favorite group of quilters is up next!

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.

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.

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.

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

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.