Curling Up by the Fire

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

12 Pearls of Christmas: What's the Best Thing About Christmas

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas! Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom"! Please follow along through Christmas day as each post shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year. AND BEST OF ALL ... there's also a giveaway!!!! Fill out the quick form at the link located at the bottom of this post to be entered to win a PEARL NECKLACE, BRACELET AND EARRINGS! Pearls - a tangible reminder of God's grace to us all.

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What’s the best thing about Christmas?
by Maureen Lang

The answer to that question will undoubtedly be different depending on the age and the faith of the person being asked. Most children will say it’s all about the gifts. Adults, even if they secretly still enjoy the gifts, will probably strive to sound more mature and say the holiday is all about friends and family. Still others might say it’s about tradition, or memories or the music or even the special food we connect to this time of year. The scrooges among us might say this season is just another marketing gimmick, or materialism gone awry. The faithful will say it’s all about Jesus, a reminder of why He shed the glory of Heaven to step into human skin and frailty.

I’m not here to defend or attack any answer to this question, but rather to ponder those possible answers.

Gifts: They touch us in personal ways, as tangible evidence of someone else’s thought and affection. Even if we don’t get exactly what we hoped, there’s something to be said about the thought behind a gift being the important part. Why wouldn’t gifts be an important and valid part of this holiday in which we celebrate God’s gift of salvation?

Holiday Gatherings: Parties might be a lot of work, forcing some out of their comfort zone, but at the core they’re all about human connection. Isn’t that what most people want?

Traditions and memories: They remind us of the past, of who we are, with the hope that even as we look forward to an unknown future we still hold some things worthy enough to repeat every year. We might find ourselves letting go of some traditions, or we might want to start some new ones.

The music: This is the only time of the year when even secular radio stations welcome songs about a baby born in Bethlehem. As a nation we may be getting stringent about separation of church as state, but the lines blur just a bit with old favorites that reflect this season.

Scrooges: The holiday season is probably a time to endure rather than enjoy, but even the scroogiest-scrooge might admit the lights of the season are pretty to behold. They’re free to look at, after all.

As for the food, the busyness, the expense and all the other things that make up this season: keep in mind that it’s all temporary. This, too, shall pass. Until next year, of course.

I’ll leave you with this thought: we are all made in God’s image, whether we believe that or not. Part of that image is the ability to give—and to receive. So here’s my thought for the day: stop a moment and dwell on all the gifts of the season. From the little mementos that say we haven’t forgotten someone or been forgotten by others, to the costliest gift of all: what God did for us in the form of Christ. As you enjoy the sounds, the sights, the scents and the tastes of this season, may your only trouble be in choosing just one thing among so many best things about Christmas.

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About Maureen: Maureen Lang is the author of ten books, her most recent from Tyndale House is The Great War Series which are full of romance, adventure and spiritual journeys. She lives in the Midwest with her husband, two sons and their lovable Labrador Retriever.

For more information please visit Maureen at her website, http://www.maureenlang.com/.

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A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year's Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is {FILL OUT THIS QUICK ENTRY FORM}. The winner will be announced on the Pearl Girls Blog (http://margaretmcsweeney.blogspot.com/) on New Years Day!

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit http://www.pearlgirls.info/

2011 YA Reading Challenge: Another One!!!

I told myself I wasn't going to do another one, and here I am signing up for what was probably one of my favourite and easiest ones to do last year. I am really happy that Jamie @ For the Love of YA is taking over this challenge (thank you Jamie), so I have decided to participate and up the ante a little bit as well. Last year I decided on 25 books and read well over that amount so I am going to try the most difficult level, the Mega Size YA Reading Challenge.

The Rules are:

1. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate. Create a post about the challenge and link your challenge post up in the linky at http://jamielovesya.blogspot.com/.

2. There are four levels:
--The Mini YA Reading Challenge – Read 12 Young Adult novels.
--The "Fun Size" YA Reading Challenge – Read 20 Young Adult novels.
--The Jumbo Size YA Reading Challenge – Read 40 Young Adult novels.
--The Mega size YA Reading Challenge – Read 50+ Young Adult novels.

3. You can choose from audio, ebooks, print, and re-reads as they all count.

4. You do not need to list your books in advance.

5. The Challenge starts on 01 January 2011 and goes until 31 December 2011.

Here's to challenges!!!!

Review: Indulgence in Death by J.D. Robb

Indulgence in Death (Book 31, In Death Series)
by J.D. Robb
Release Date: November 2, 2010
2010 G.P. Putnam Books
ISBN: 978-0-399-15687-8
Hardcover Edition; 384 Pages
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Source: Review Copy from Publisher

3 / 5 Stars

Summary
Lt. Eve Dallas of the New York Police and Security Department returns home from a long overdue Irish vacation to a string of bizarre murders. The crossbow killing of chauffeur Jamal Houston in his limo in a La Guardia parking lot is followed by the death of high-rent prostitute Ava Crampton, found at Coney Island's House of Horrors stabbed with a bayonet. Other victims include Luc Delaflote, a celebrity chef who's harpooned, and Adrianne Jonas, "a facilitator for the rich" strangled with a handmade bullwhip. Eve, assisted by her trustworthy sidekicks, Det. Delia Peabody and husband Roarke, uncovers a wicked game that grows increasingly macabre.

My Thoughts
When I first started reading this book, I thought J.D. Robb had returned to the writing style of the earlier books of this series and I really enjoyed the set-up and interaction between Eve and Roarke and Roarke's Irish family. Eve and Roarke were in Ireland taking a much-needed holiday and it was fun seeing Eve out of her element in the countryside attempting to deal with nature and countryside and animals. There was a softer side to the book which had been present in the earlier books in the series where we first met Eve and Roarke as they dealt with their horrible childhoods and fell in love. Even the presence of a murder in Ireland did not really take away from the softer side of the story, and I was enthralled, enjoying the novel as well as the interesting plot and character developments. Unfortunately, that 'aura' to the book did not stay when Eve and Roarke returned to New York and I was not really immersed in the novel from that point on.

Don't get me wrong as I enjoyed the novel and I enjoyed reading how Eve and Roarke and Peabody and the various other characters worked together to solve the mystery and the crimes as it was interesting, but there was something lacking in the plot and in the character development whereby I was not as immersed as I was in the earlier novels in this series. I felt like Ms. Robb was perhaps trying too hard looking for a good story and trying too hard to make it really interesting and it showed. I have always been interested in the development of Eve and Roarke's relationship and how she 'softened' over the years, yet except for the wonderful beginning to the novel, I really didn't feel that connectedness between she and Roarke that I felt in the earlier novels which was a shame.

I was a little disappointed in the type of villain in this novel as well. In the past, her villains have always been so interesting and full of character, with many reasons as to why they did the crime. I really felt let down in this novel with these villains, particularly as I know how well-written her villains have been in the past. Maybe I was expecting too much, but there was little anticipation and little climax in this novel and I felt somewhat let-down towards the end. Knowing how good many of her previous novels in this series have been however, I am definitely not ready to give up on this series quite yet, but would like to see a return to a more complicated villain with more justifiable reasons for doing what they are doing.

As usual, one of the strengths of the book is always the witty and interesting dialogue between the characters. There were some funny and comical moments between the characters that did have me laughing out loud, and I particularly enjoyed the rooster scene at the beginning of the novel. Seeing the serious Eve acting it up is always a treat and I always enjoy those moments when she comes out of shell and does something completely unexpected; it definitely keeps things interesting.

Verdict
While Indulgence in Death is not my favourite novel of the series, I am definitely not quite ready to give up on this series as of yet. I would like to see more of the personal sides to Eve and Roarke which would make it more interesting than the formulaic writing that has already been done to death (sorry for the pun, it was unintentional!).

WOW: I Can't Wait for These Ones!

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine, where we get to highlight upcoming releases we are looking forward to reading. It's a great way to share some exciting new releases and discover books on other blogs you may not have known are being released.

The Iron Thorn (Book 1, Iron Codex Series)
by Caitlin Kittredge
Release Date: February 22, 2011

In the city of Lovecraft, the Proctors rule and a great Engine turns below the streets, grinding any resistance to their order to dust. The necrovirus is blamed for Lovecraft's epidemic of madness, for the strange and eldritch creatures that roam the streets after dark, and for everything that the city leaders deem Heretical - born of the belief in magic and witchcraft. And for Aoife Grayson, her time is growing shorter by the day.

Aoife Grayson's family is unique, in the worst way - every one of them, including her mother and her elder brother Conrad, has gone mad on their 16th birthday. And now, a ward of the state, and one of the only female students at the School of Engines, she is trying to pretend that her fate can be different.

Kings of the North (Book 2, Oath of Fealty Series)
by Elizabeth Moon
Release Date: March 22, 2011

Peace and order have been restored to the kingdoms of Tsaia and Lyonya, thanks to the crowning of two kings: Mikeli of Tsaia and, in Lyonya, Kieri Phelan, a mercenary captain whose royal blood and half-elven heritage are resented by elves and humans alike.

On the surface, all is hope and promise. But underneath, trouble is brewing. Mikeli cannot sit safely on his throne as long as remnants of the evil Verrakaien magelords are at large.
Now, as war threatens to erupt from without and within, the two kings are dangerously divided. Old alliances and the bonds of friendship are about to be tested as never before. And a shocking discovery will change everything.

The Dark and Hollow Places (Book 3, Forest of Hands and Teeth Series)
by Carrie Ryan
Release Date: March 22, 2011

Annah knows she has a twin sister, but she forgot her long ago. Back when they went to play in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, she and Elias lost her, and after that there was no going back to the village.

But when Elias disappears, Annah's world crumbles. To her, life isn't worth much more than the walking dead who roam the wasted world she lives in. It's not until she meets Catcher that she cares to start living again.

Yet Catcher has secrets. Dark, terrifying secrets that link him to a past she's longed to forget and to a future too deadly to consider.

Bride of New France
by Suzanne Desrochers
Release Date: January 18, 2011

Laure Beausejour has grown up in a dormitory in Paris surrounded by prostitutes, the insane, and other forgotten women. She dreams with her best friend, Madeleine, of using her needlework skills to become a seamstress and one day marry a nobleman. But in 1669, Laure is sent across the Atlantic to New France with Madeleine as filles du roi. The girls know little of the place they are being sent to, except for stories of ferocious winters and Indians who eat the hearts of French priests. To be banished to Canada is a punishment worse than death.

From the moment she arrives in Ville-Marie (Montreal) she is expected to marry and produce children with a brutish French soldier who himself can barely survive the harsh conditions of his forest cabin. But through her clandestine relationship with Deskaheh, an allied Iroquois, Laure finds a sense of the possibilities in this New World.

I think I am done with the upcoming releases for this week, although I could have kept going. There are so many interesting books being released next year it's almost mind-boggling. What books did you find?

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

12 Pearls of Christmas: Good News!

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Good News!
by Deb Kalmbach

The first Christmas card of the season arrived in my mailbox way back in August. How could anyone be that organized? Then I noticed my friend, Nita, had sent me a card I had written to her more than 20 years ago!

Memories rushed back as I read the words penned in my familiar handwriting. It was Christmas, 1991, and my world had unraveled. I could almost pretend everything was all right at this most wonderful time of the year—but not that year.

My husband Randy’s drinking problem had escalated to the point where his job and career were on the line. He had already been through two alcohol treatment programs and managed to stay sober for short periods of time. Then he slipped back into old, familiar patterns. His ongoing relapses were a crushing disappointment for our family.

I had looked forward to Christmas Eve and our family traditions; making homemade lasagna, singing carols around the piano, attending the candlelight service at church, and then coming home to open one token Christmas Eve present.

“Randy, are you ready to crank out the pasta?” I called to him over the Christmas music I was playing to lift my spirits.

I peered into the living room to see what was keeping him. My heart froze. Randy sat on the couch, trance-like, watching a basketball game while sipping a drink.

No, not on Christmas Eve, I screamed inwardly. I felt like I was suffocating. Usually Randy pulled himself together but it didn’t happen that night. He drank vodka all evening while I finished holiday preparations on autopilot. None of us felt like eating lasagna or celebrating.

Only a few days earlier, I had written these words on the Christmas card to my friend, Nita. I don’t know God’s plans, his timing or his ways in accomplishing his purposes, but I am learning to trust him. He is faithful!

I suspect Nita kept my card all those years because she saw a small seed of faith and it encouraged her heart. I didn’t know it at the time, but it would be eight more Christmas seasons before Randy experienced the miraculous breakthrough of finding freedom from alcoholism.

As I read the card I had written so long ago, I felt awed by God’s faithfulness to us—even when our situation looked completely hopeless.

You may be facing great difficulty as the holidays approach. The last thing you feel like is celebrating. And that’s O.K. The Good News of Christmas isn’t about picture perfect holidays where our homes are decorated a la Martha Stewart and tables are laden with holiday delicacies. Your days may not be merry and bright. You may be grieving the loss of a loved one or the loss of a relationship through divorce or estrangement. Your world has unraveled.

That’s exactly why the message of Christmas is Good News. The Savior is born! The One who came to set you free, to give you peace and hope and help beyond anything you could ever imagine is as near as your next breath. Today you might not be able to see how God’s purposes are unfolding for your future, but you can be assured that He is working all things for good in your life. A twenty year-old Christmas card came on a summer day as an unexpected gift and gentle reminder of God’s presence—especially in the worst of times.

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About Deb: Deb Kalmbach is the coauthor of Because I Said Forever: Embracing Hope in a Not-So- Perfect Marriage and the author of a book for children, Corey’s Dad Drinks Too Much. She has contributed to The New Women’s Devotional Bible, Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace, and other anthologies. She is a vibrant and engaging speaker who gives hope and practical solutions to those who struggle with difficult relationships. Deb and her husband, Randy, live in a tiny town in Eastern Washington. Visit Deb at: http://www.debkalmbach.com/, or on Facebook and Twitter.

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Upcoming Releases: December 20-26

Take a look at some of the books that are being released this week. I am definitely looking forward to the third book in the "Wondrous Strange" series, especially after I had the pleasure of meeting Lesley Livingston in October when she came for a visit at our local library.

Out For Blood (Drake Chronicles, Book 3)
by Alyxandra Harvey
Release Date: December 21, 2010

Hunter Wild is the youngest in a long line of elite vampire hunters, a legacy that is both a blessing and a curse at the secret Helios-Ra Academy, where she excels at just about everything. Thanks to her friendship with Kieran Black, Hunter receives a special invitation to attend the coronation of Helena Drake, and for the first time, she sees the difference between vampires that must be hunted and vampires that can become friends - or even more. When students at the academy fall victim to a mysterious illness, Hunter suspects they are under attack from within. She will need someone she can trust to help her save the future of Helios-Ra . . . help that shockingly comes in the form of Quinn Drake, a drop-dead gorgeous vampire. Who said senior year would be easy?

Tempestuous (Wondrous Strange, Book 3)
by Lesley Livingston
Release Date: December 21, 2010

"I don't love Sonny Flannery." That's the lie Kelley Winslow told to protect the boy she loves from a power he doesn't know he possesses. Devastated, Sonny retreats - to a haven for Lost Fae that's hidden deep underneath New York City.

But Kelley's not about to let things end in heartbreak. To get Sonny back, she's got to find out who's after his magick - and how to use her own. She's got to uncover who's recruiting Janus Guards to murderously hunt innocent Faerie. She's got to help rebuild the shattered theater company she called family. And she's got to do it all without getting dangerously distracted by the Fennrys Wolf, whose legendary heart of stone seems to melt whenever he's around Kelley.

The Legacy (Book 3, Declaration Series)
by Gemma Malley
Release Date: December 21, 2010

When a Pincent Pharma lorry is ambushed by the Underground, its contents come as a huge surprise - not drugs, but corpses in a horrible state. It appears Longevity isn't working and the drugs promising eternal youth are failing to live up to their promises. A virus is sweeping the country, killing in its wake, and Longevity is powerless to fight it. When Richard Pincent of Pincent Pharma suggest that the Underground has released the virus, something has to be done to put the story straight and once and for all alert everyone to the truth.

The Diviner's Tale
by Bradford Morrow
Release Date: December 23, 2010
Walking a lonely forested valley on a spring morning in upstate New York, having been hired by a developer to dowse the land, Cassandra Brooks comes upon the shocking vision of a young girl hanged from a tree. When she returns with authorities to the site, the body has vanished, leaving in question Cassandra's credibility if not her sanity. The next day, on a return visit with the sheriff to have another look, a dazed, mute missing girl emerges from the woods, alive and the very picture of Cassandra's hanged girl.

When Cassandra's dark forebodings take on tangible form, she is forced to confront a life spiraling out of control. And soon she is locked in a mortal chess match with a real-life killer who has haunted her since before she can remember.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

I'm officially on holidays as of Friday night for two weeks. It has been quite a busy few weeks at work in December and with all of the snow we've been lambasted with in this part of Ontario, it's also been quite a challenge getting around. I'm actually really grateful for the first time in my life to have gotten my Christmas shopping finished early as the malls are now super crazy as the snow pretty much confined people for quite a few days. And you'd think being on holidays I'd have time to catch up on my reading, think again! I spent all of yesterday going through boxes I haven't opened since I moved here over five years ago. You wouldn't believe what I found! I'm having a big garage sale next summer.

Next week I'm off to my parents and my in-laws for a few days to make the Christmas visiting rounds and I am praying there are no more flurries for quite a while so we can make it there and back safely. I am looking forward to our annual Boxing Day Bash with our friends. We all get together for some holiday fun, play road hockey, laugh, cheer, eat gumbo, and just have a great time. As we all live so far apart, it's so great to see dear friends again on this day.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a great weekly meme hosted by Book Journey where we reflect on books we have read, those we are currently reading, and those we really need to attack. It's a way to socialize with other book bloggers, see who is reading what, and maybe win a prize, too!

I really did not do too well on the reading side as I've been busy attending children's Christmas parties and adult ones too. It was also my daughter's birthday yesterday, so we had fun celebrating that (and the removal of her car seat was the highlight of the day). I don't know who was more excited over that one, her or me!!!

What I Managed to Read This Week:

Indulgence in Death by J.D. Robb - Review to be posted soon.

Currently Reading:

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

By Fire, By Water by Mitchell James Kaplan

Midnight Fugue by Reginald Hill

What's Next:

The Templar's Code by C.M. Palov

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Hopefully you had a better reading week than I did! Happy reading everyone!

12 Pearls of Christmas: Hurting Near Christmas?

Hurting Near Christmas? 10 Tips to Hope Again
by Stacie Ruth Stoelting

Feel sad this Christmas? Hey, I know the feeling. In fact, many programs have interviewed me to share about it! Last year, I tried particularly hard to share stories and tips on how to cope with grief during the holidays: I wrote a feature for CBN.com, Coping with Grief at Christmas, visited and counseled grieving people, etc.

Then irony hit: Near Christmas, two people I loved died within two days (December 15-16, 2009).

Are you or a loved one hurting during the holidays? I relate. But let me encourage you: Jesus remains faithful! As real as my pain, He met my needs and comforted me with peace unexplainable. I’m serious. He’s real.

Before I continue with tips, let me share this: If you feel suicidal, contact an emergency counseling service like the New Life Call Center at 1-800-NEW-LIFE(639-5433).

10 Tips for Hurting Hearts to Hope and Cope at Christmastime

1.    Realize and internalize it: God still loves you and wants to hear from you. He wants you to know that there is a Way out of your pit of despair. The Way is Jesus.

2.    Sometimes, our suffering causes us to forget His. Understand He understands you. He suffered more than any of us when we bore the weight of every sin and pain on the cross! In fact, Is. 53:3 describes Jesus: “He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.” Think of it: He took your punishment and pain on the cross. He was your capital punishment Substitute! And your Deliverer -your Rescuer- wants to hear from you. His heart hurts with yours. Will you pour your heart out to Him now? He’ll pour His love in where the fear previously resided. Let Jesus inside. Do you know Jesus on a personal, one-to-One basis? Visit here to learn why Jesus was born to die and how to be born again. (Hey, Jesus said it: "You must be born again.")

3.    Rather than mere gifts, make a Christmas prayer list of other hurting people. Then pray for them and request prayer for yourself, too. Contact your church. Tap into ministries (including CBN.com) that offer extra prayer support. And feel free to join my prayer e-group at www.PrayingPals.org or on Facebook by clicking here.

4.    End the Christmas comparison game. Don't compare your Christmas to your neighbor's. Don't compare your Christmas to past celebrations.

5.    Center on the Savior! This year, trade a superficial Christmas for a real one. Deepen your appreciation for the true Christmas: the arrival of Jesus Christ to banish the effects of sin and death!

6.    Whatever your loss or pain, open up and let God be your Gain. Maybe your pain comes from another cause: a divorce, a devastating diagnosis, a job loss...the list extends. God offers to be your Counselor, your Father, your Healer, your Provider. Let Him answer your heart’s cry.

7.    Love on people. Even if you don’t “feel” like it, prayerfully do something for someone else who is hurting.

8.    Remember: Feelings change. God doesn't. Loved ones' deaths never kill His love for you. God's immeasurable, unconditional love still flows to you! When you know Jesus, you know eternal love and security. Nothing separates you from His love! “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39, ESV).

9.    Realize the reality of the sudden reunion. Holidays exacerbate the feeling of long separation from our loved ones in Heaven. Does it feel like it will take forever for you to see your loved one in Heaven? Be encouraged: Jesus IS coming again and it will be a time you don't expect! So the fact that you feel like it won't happen soon is a good thing! Once reunited, it will feel like no time transpired. All sadness will be entirely removed!

10.    When Jesus comes back to earth, it will be a celebration greater than any previous Christmas you've ever experienced!

For believers, losses hurt but never win. We will celebrate Jesus together -and it will be glorious "for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith" (I John 5:4, NIV). In that Day, all believers will be able to jubilantly say, “Merry Christmas to all and to all the true Light!”

Additional Help: Ready for some practical tips for coping with grief at Christmastime? Here’s one: Rearrange furniture to reduce absence reminders. To read this tip and others found in another of my CBN.com’s articles: “Coping with Grief at Christmas", visit http://www.cbn.com/.

Going thru a rough time? Join Stacie Ruth’s prayer group at http://www.prayingpals.org/.

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About Stacie: Stacie Ruth knows pain, but she also knows Jesus! After Stacie Ruth met Jesus, her life blossomed with true joy and purpose. Life’s blows hurt her, but Jesus heals and strengthens her. Now an author, actress, and recording artist, she laughs at the irony and praises God, who uses unlikely people...like herself. Discover why she's written a book at age 15, sung/spoken for the 43rd President, been pictured in major media (i.e. The New York Times, USA Today), and keynoted conferences since she was a teenager. To watch video clips, worship Jesus with music from her album, or get in touch with her ministry for women, visit http://www.brightlightministries.com/.