Gravel Road Musings

Oh boy, I like to have positive reviews for the book I read, but I'm just not sure I can on this book.  I'm not a big fan of Biblical fiction for starters, so this book immediately had my bias against it when I started it, but I have read some really good Biblical fiction and thought I would try it. I would say Angela has a very good writing style and definitely stuck with the facts that we know for sure in the Bible.  It was just some of the fictional liberties she took didn't strike me.  The story is written from Bathsheba and Nathan the Prophet's perspective flipping back and forth between chapters.  To me, while Nathan the prophet was very instrumental in Bathsheba's life as far as correcting David for his adultery, I didn't think writing half the book from his perspective made a lot of sense.  I also didn't care for the idea that Nathan was in love with Bathsheba and had made plans to marry her until God told him otherwise.  I definitely think this...

My next post was going to be about my living room rearranging project or my office clean up, but it's not.  I just read  this  by Jennie Zimmerman and it set my mind to whirling.  Jennie, I'm not trying to copy you and I'm not sure what I'm about to say even goes with your letter, but my mind rambled on in this direction. It hurts so bad to lose someone we leave.  I'm getting a real collection of friends and family waiting for me up in heaven and I'm looking forward to the day I can go and see them.  The whole death thing is still so very scary and all that, but I think once I'm passed that and can see Jesus and all my loved ones, it sounds pretty awesome.  But in the meantime, what happens? I was going through my collection of cards that I've gotten since we moved up here, so about 15 months worth.  When you have a baby and lose a father and people remember you daughter's first birthday, you get a real accumulation of cards in a year's time....

I read my first Diann Mills book last summer during the Summer Tyndale Reading Program.  It was a great book, so I was excited to be able to review another book by her and I was not disappointed.  Both books were from her FBI series. Deadlock is the fictitious story of two FBI partners working to find a serial killer called Scorpion. The partners couldn't have been more different: different gender, different ways of looking at life. One was a rules person; you followed protocol, you used logic while the other one was a psychology major and would run on hunches or gut instinct. Both had attempts made on their life in the course of the book. And of course, they fell in love with each other. I realize the book is fiction, but I do enjoy reading this style of book: the intrigue, the many resources available to be able to hunt down murderers and other criminals.  I also appreciate the Christian perspective which keeps the book from becoming graphic because I am not okay ...

So, I don't know how many people have watched Shrek, but that song phrase: "I'm a Believer" has been running through my head since last evening.  Why?  Because of the unlikely marriage of two things. For awhile, I have been disturbed by the these ugly marks on our shower surround and on the tub as well.  You know, that soap scum or water marks or whatever it is.  Maybe you don't know because you religiously clean your shower regularly and that takes care of it, but anyway if that's the case, I'm not sure we can be friends.  So this dirtiness, stain, etc. was really bothering me.  I had tried to get it off, but nothing seemed to work.  Websites would talk about the wonders of Dawn and vinegar and I would try it and it would help some, but nothing seemed to really take it all off. Then I read something about warming the vinegar and adding an equal amount of Dawn. So, last night, I was desperate.  I heated a cup of vinegar, dumped in some Blue Up...

The righteous pass away; the godly often die before their time. And no one seems to care or wonder why. No one seems to understand that God is protecting them from the evil to come. For the godly who die will rest in peace. Isaiah 57: 1-2 (NLT) I've been making my way very slowly through Isaiah since Dad died.  Isaiah was Dad's favorite book of the Bible and it seemed a fitting tribute to read it in memory of him.  These two verses stuck out to me this morning when I read them and I thought how lucky Dad is; how lucky Cheryl is and how lucky Nicole and Bentley are.  Yes, perhaps many would say, Dad lived out his time, but he still died long before we expected him to. No one will deny that Cheryl, Bentley and Nicole went to heaven too soon and yet look at what they were spared: "the evil to come." This begs the question: what is wrong with us?  Are we not righteous enough? Why are we still here? Resting in peace sounds like a beautiful thing and yet for those of u...

Here's the deal: I'm a Karen Kingsbury fan.  I don't read a lot of her books because I have this weird phobia that if I read them all, then I'm all caught up and then what?  Tragic, isn't it? Combine that with the fact that I can barely keep up with the books I read for my reviews and I don't get a lot of Karen Kingsbury read.  That being said,  this is the first in a series and I already have the last in a series and I'm tempted to go borrow the middle one in the series from the library, so I can get the whole story all at once. This is not a new book by Karen. In fact, it was first published in 1999, so I'm not sure why it was an option for reviewing, but I'm not complaining.  I will say that I didn't care for the style of book: it was one of the short and fat kinds rather than the taller thinner version.  But, I suppose this time the book fit the reader, at least this one! The story is fascinating: a drunk driver runs a stoplight and sla...

Written by Amy Parker Illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton This is a lovely children's book for ages 4-8. It is based on the verse from Jeremiah that says: For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. It is written in rhyme and talks about how God has a plan for your life and He made you just right for the job he has for you. The second to the last page says this: The whole world will be better, thanks to little ol' you... all because you did what I created YOU to do. That struck me: if we just do our part, we can make the world a better place even if it is just in our own little corner, in our house just taking care of our six month old baby. If nothing else, we make the world a better place, by contentedly and happily doing what God has called us to instead of whining and fussing. The illustrations are really good--bright, bright colors and pictures depicting various occupations with a th...

I promise you guys, this is not a book review, but it should be.  This has got to be one of the most inspiring decorating books I have ever read.  Granted, it may well be the only decorating book I have devoured from cover to cover and tried to drink it all in. I wonder if the library would miss it if I never returned it.  If I never went back to the library for anything ever again, would I have to pay the over due fine? Let me start by giving you a few lines from  "The Imperfectionist Manifesto" WE BELIEVE that home should be the safest place on earth. WE BELIEVE that home has a greater purpose than looking pretty WE BELIEVE in mismatched sheets and unmade beds. WE BELIEVE that toys and homework and smelly shoes and spilled milk are signs of life WE BELIEVE in using the good stuff now, not waiting for some future better purpose WE BELIEVE that contentment results not from stuff but from gratitude WE BELIEVE that it doesn't have to be perfect to be beauti...

Good morning, This is going to be very brief, but I have been toying with the idea that it is time to make this blog more than just book reviews.  Oh no, I'm not giving up book reviews; I like free books too well and am loving stocking my library with brand new books and not just thrift store specials that are 5+ years old already.  But adding to this blog, meaning that I would post one to two non-book posts a week.  But I need ideas of what to write about, not that I'll listen or anything, but it might spark an interest or something. Here are a few things I've thought of: Amber (for her friends and family who follow my blog) Home decor projects or sewing projects (I'm reading an amazing book right now and am full of ideas for how to change up my house and make it a real home that reflects me) Menu options (a thought has been there to get into menu planning for people--any takers?) Deep theological discussions and thoughts Random things that strike me funny or...

This is a story of a family that took over a potter in the 1800's after the older brother had basically been kicked out of the brick making factory where he had been promised to be made part owner. So they bought this pottery at his sister's insistence.  Then their bid proposal were stolen by the nanny and passed on to another potter who would then underbid them and take the contracts.  And so on and so forth. For some reason, this book just didn't hit the right nerve with me.  Something felt off about it; I did enjoy the suspense at the end of seeing if they would win this big contest and how they would figure out about the cheating going on, but something felt missing.  I think it didn't seem 1800ish enough; like the mother-in-law ran the house and had the money and there was no mention of what had happened to the father-in-law. I did think Judith did a very good job of bringing God into the story and talking about prayer changing things and peace happening a...