Be Slow to Speak

(James 1:19)
Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:


Look at the picture below. What do you see?

Horse or frog?

Christy award nominees

Christy award nominees are out. I am glad to see a couple of the books on my Must Read list nominated.

Two of them were featured by the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance (cue applause here): namely A Bride Most Begrudging by Deanne Gist and Comes A Horseman by Robert Liparulo. Also on my Must Read list is River Rising by Athol Dickson and Whence Came A Prince by Liz Curtis Higgs.

I’m not familiar with most of the other authors but then I’m just getting to know Christian fiction. However this is proof that they’re worth checking out.

Trinitarian vs Oneness Doctrine

I believe that the Lord my God is one God. Explaining how the Father, Son and Holy Ghost as represented in the Bible is ONE GOD is something that has probably proven challenging for laymen and theologians alike. I have never given it much thought except to think that however you explain it the bottom line must be THAT THERE IS ONLY ONE GOD. Not “one” in terms of purpose as some may postulate but ONE IN BEING. That being said the Bible speaks about the Godhead, which we see manifested in all its forms at one time after Christ was baptized. Jesus rose from the water, the Holy Spirit descended bodily and the Father spoke from heaven. Apparently this is hard for some to accept and still hold to the ‘One God’ doctrine but personally I am of the view that it is not for me to conform God to what I can comprehend but to understand that ‘his ways are higher than my ways and his thoughts higher than my thoughts.’

Tied to this is the issue of baptism and whether to baptize in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost or in the name of Jesus. This is the question that arose and had our pastor explaining to us that we (the church) follow the apostolic doctrine and hence baptize ‘in the name of Jesus.’ I’ve never considered these issues so I decided to do some research on the internet about the subject. This brought up the Trinitarian vs Oneness issue that I was previously unaware even existed. So I am doing some reading about these issues but one thing I am sure about: there is only ONE GOD.

Research Skills Workshop (ii)

10.00 am Exchanged text messages with friend

ME: I am so sleepy. Trying hard not to fall off chair and embarrass self

FRIEND: ask lecturer lots of hard questions and she will get fed up and ask u 2 leave

ME: but then I would miss the free lunch. hmm… sleep or food? Hard decisions . . .

FRIEND: lol

Research Skills Workshop

Written at 1045 am

This is the 2nd day of the Basic Research Skills Workshop at the Cascadia Hotel in St. Ann’s. My eyes are crossing over and I am fighting so hard not to succumb to sleep and fall off my chair (This would be very embarrassing). Also the air conditioning is not helping at all, at all.


At 3.00 pm

Okay recovered somewhat earlier due to required interactive work but again resisting the urge to succumb to sleep (ethnic fatigue?). Hopefully it’s not long again. (Please God.)

A Voice In The Wind

At 4.48 a.m. on Sunday 30 April 2006 I finally finished reading A Voice in the Wind, the first book in the Mark of the Lion Trilogy by Francine Rivera. A lot of tears were involved in the reading of this book. I think it’s my favorite Christian fiction book ever with the exception of Redeeming Love (also by Francine Rivers). One thing is certain; Ms. Rivers’ writing impacts a reader like no other that I’ve read before and with the unmistakable good news of the gospel. Hadassah’s struggle to share the fullness of the gospel with her owners is something we’ve probably all faced at one time or another. Of course, the penalty of a gruesome death was not hanging over our heads. But witnessing might have cost us friends and loved ones unable to accept the truth.

I think that that’s what impacted me greatest was the love that Hadassah showed to all. She treated everyone with a compassion and respect that was truly divine. God used her to touch a lot of lives with His love and that brought home to me that this is what He desires of us even now. If we love as Christ loves us it would be easier to forgive those that hurt us and when we see our fellow man mired in sin, our hearts would burn for the lost soul and it would be unthinkable not to share the gospel with them. I prayed that God would touch my heart so that I would have that type of love and desire to share the gospel no matter the cost to myself.

Web of Lies by Brandilyn Collins

The spiders that usually take up residence in the corners of my room are spindly innocent looking critters that hardly seem worth squashing, they look so harmless. That didn’t stop my heart from leaping in my throat when a strand of my own hair innocently touched my shoulders while in the shower. You got it. I thought it was a spider. What would a spider be doing in my bathroom? Absolutely nothing but I wasn’t thinking clearly at the time since I had just finished reading Brandilyn Collins’ Seatbelt Suspense, Web of Lies.

So, if you’ve never harbored a fear of spiders, watch out. After reading Web Of Lies, the newest release by author Brandilyn Collins that may change.

Web of Lies, fourth and final book of the Hidden Faces series. Web of Lies brings together Brandilyn's two suspense series into one chilling and climactic story. Below is a “sneak pique” of the back cover copy of the book.

BACK COVER COPY
She was washing dishes when her world began to blur.

Chelsea Adams hitched in a breath, her skin pebbling. She knew the dreaded sign all too well. God was pushing a vision into her consciousness.

Black dots crowded her sight. She dropped a plate, heard it crack against the porcelain sink. Her fingers fumbled for the faucet. The hiss of water ceased.

God, I don't want this. Please!

A nightmarish vision. A murder in broad daylight. How are they connected?

After witnessing a shooting at a convenience store, forensic artist Annie Kingston must draw a composite of the suspect. But before she can begin, she hears that Chelsea Adams wants to meet with her-now. Chelsea Adams-the woman who made national headlines with her visions of murder. And this vision is by far the most chilling.

Chelsea and Annie soon find themselves snared in a terrifying battle against time, greed, and a deadly opponent. If they tell the police, will their story be believed? With the web of lies thickening . . . and lives at stake, who will know enough to save them?
(Excerpt from Brandilyn Collins' website)

Link to Prologue and first chapter .

"Don't forget to breathe ..."

Sean Luke

Recently the brutal killing of six-year-old Sean Luke rocked my country. The heinous nature of his demise not to mention the cruel way in which he was assaulted prior to his death was something that was hard for anyone to take in. That two boys allegedly perpetrated these monstrous acts: one 13 and one 16 was even harder to swallow. The identities of the boys, because of their ages were never released in the press. Today however I received a picture in my e-mail that purported to be the one of the alleged offenders.

I don’t know what I was expecting but somehow I expected that a child that could conceive of such acts and perform them on another younger, more defenseless child would look somehow warped and evil and ugly. But he didn’t. And it hurt to look at that picture. I didn’t expect that but there it was: a wealth of horror, dread, pity? that startled me by its very presence and intensity. He just looked so normal. With his low-cut hair and smooth dark skin he could be my god-son in the next couple of years or any one of the Sunday school students I used to teach at one time. It was scary.

It’s for reasons like these, besides wanting to ever be with the Lord that makes my heart say ‘Come Lord Jesus come.’

SUDOKU

Okay, I confess it – deep breath –I am a puzzle freak. I tell you I absolutely love puzzles, especially crosswords. I’m not much into word finds but I also love letter-fit puzzles. How is it that I’ve only tried Sudoku today? I don’t know really but I did and now I’m hooked. So here I am trolling the Internet for some free downloads. Pathetic, probably but you probably have your own addictions. Don’t you?

The Ten Commandments, Ebonic Style

Sometimes you have to change the message's style to get it across.

Try this for some who don't understand the King James Version:

1. I'm God. Don't play me.
(I am the Lord thy God, thou shalt not have any
other gods before me.)

2. Don't be makin no hood ornaments
and charms outta me, or like me.
! (Thou shalt not have any graven images.)

3. Don't be callin' me for no reason
(Thou shalt not use the name of the
Lord thy God in vain.)

4. Y'all betta be in church on Sunday,
and not just the Sundays when
it's Mother's day, Easter
and Christmas
(Remember to keep the Sabbath day holy.)

5. Don't dis or cuss out yo momma.....
and if you know who ya daddy
is, don't dis him neither.
(Honor thy father and thy mother.)


6. no drive bys.
(Thou shalt not kill.)

7. Stick to ya own Boo.
(Thou shalt not commit adultery.)

8. Don't be borrow'n stuff and
don't give it back.
(Tho! u shalt not steal.)


9. Don't be snitchin' on the otha' man to save your behind.
(Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy brother.)

10. Don't be eyein' (skeeming) yo homie's crib, ride, woman, or nuffin.
(Thou shalt not covet anything that belongs to thy brother.)

10 Best Things to say if you get caught sleeping at your desk

10 Best Things to say if you get caught sleeping at your desk Number 1 is a favorite.

10. "They told me at the Blood Bank this might happen."

9. "This is just a 15 minute power nap they raved about in the time management course you sent me too."

8. "Whew! Guess I left the top off the Whiteout. You probably got here just in time."

7. "I wasn't sleeping! I was meditating on the mission statement and envisioning a new business strategy."

6. "I was testing my keyboard for drool resistance."

5. "I was doing a highly specific Yoga exercise to relieve work-related stress. Are you discriminatory toward people who practice Yoga?"

4. "Darn! Why did you interrupt me? I had almost figured out how to handle that big accounting problem."

3. "Did you ever notice sound coming out of these keyboards when you put your ear down real close?"

2. "Who put decaf in the wrong pot?!?"

And the NUMBER ONE best thing to say if you get caught sleeping at your desk.........

1. Raise your head slowly and say, "...in Jesus name, Amen."


P.S. Almost needed this yesterday :D

Return from Camp

We came home from camp today. Hope to post some pictures soon. It was a really great experience. Personally I didn’t do much hiking since I really wanted rest and relaxation. The house we rented was the perfect spot for this. Set on a hill it was blanketed by rolling green grass and surrounded by the majestic mountains of the Northern Range. It was with a sense of awe that I often stood in front of the house and gazed at them feeling God’s protection and love so strongly.

The most beautiful thing that happened in camp however was our Easter Sunday worship service. It was so beautiful. There were a lot of youths that came on the trip: those that had been there before or others that had heard of the fun we’d had on the first trip and wanted to be experience it. While we’d had devotions morning and evening since arriving on Thursday yesterday morning God moved in an awesome way and a lot of the undecided and cold surrendered their all to Jesus. We’ve had altar calls before that a lot of these same youths responded to and I can’t really explain it except to say that I know that God has started something beautiful. A lot of them testified that last night that they’ve never felt God’s touch so powerfully before and some said they hadn’t had such an experience in a long time. It was a time of rebirth and revival for all. Praise the Lord!

God is good

Today was a good day for me. I ministered in church for the second time in about three weeks. This time my voice didn’t tremble as much and I felt more comfortable with the congregation. It may seem a strange thing to say but I had fun. I think it’s because I was comfortable enough to be myself and attempt one or two jokes (yes, successfully). The brethren were very encouraging and I really thank God for the encouragement.

Not that you asked but the message was on Luke 15: the story of the prodigal son. The emphasis however was on the importance of doing things in God’s timing. The son was not mature enough to handle his inheritance and when he received it he squandered it till he had nothing. As children of God when we go out of God’s plan and season for our lives we mess it up and can find ourselves like the younger son, in a far off country, away from our father, with nothing. So it's important to understand where God has us now and what he requires of us so we don't mess it up.

HOW TO TELL THE SEX OF A BIRD

This Is AMAZING!!!

Until now I never fully understood how to tell,
The difference Between Male and Female Birds.

I always thought it had to be determined surgically.

Until Now.

Which of The Two Birds Is a Female???

Below are Two Birds. Study them closely...

See If You Can Spot Which of The Two Is The Female.

It can be done.

Even by one with limited bird watching skills.

A Family Forever by Brenda Coulter

This month Christian Fiction Blog Tours features A Family Forever by award-winning author Brenda Coulter. If you’ve read Ms. Coulter’s award winning book Finding Hope you will have high expectations regarding this new release. Trust me, it will not disappoint.

About the book
Three weeks before her wedding Shelby Franklin finds herself pregnant and without a groom. Her fiancée has died in a tragic accident, leaving her without a father for her unborn baby.

Tucker Sharpe, her fiancée’s brother, battling his own sense of guilt over his brother’s accident proposes a marriage of convenience in order to keep a promise given in his brother’s last moments to take care of Shelby.

In spite of her unease over the fact that Tucker seems to know her better than she knows herself , Shelby agrees to the marriage for the sake of her baby.

Read more about the book here and buy the book at Amazon.com.

You won't regret it.

Pink (Shades of Style) by Marilynn Griffith

This month on the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance the spotlight is on Marilynn Griffith’s novel, Pink (Shades of Style).

If you've ever felt torn between being accepted and being yourself you'll be able to relate to Raya's story.

About the Book
High fashion meets romance in the Big Apple for a fresh, funky designer.

Raya Joseph wants to break free from the beige world around her and celebrate the color of the city. With a sassy pink style and a radical change of hair, she's off to conquer the design world. But it doesn't take long for Raya to meet her match--in style and flair. Flex Dunham, a personal trainer and one of Raya's clients, has got it going on.

As much as Raya would like to pursue a relationship with Flex, she has other matters on her mind--and on her heart. Then a blast from the past comes back to haunt her, and Raya can't help but wonder if she made the right decision in keeping her past a secret. Flex seems to be hiding something too. But what?

Woven with humor, heartache, and hip friendships, Raya's new life has a lot of colorful threads. But will the end result be a beautiful design? Or will it fall apart at the seams? Join Raya and her friends Lily Chau, Jean Guerra, and Chenille Rizzo as they untangle the threads in the Shades of Style series.

Read an excerpt from the book.

Buy Now!

What I’ve been up to

Not much really. Working hard. Getting my life back in order (New Year and all that). Just finished reading James Patterson’s Honeymoon (2005). It was so good I went to the library and found another of his books I hadn’t read yet (1st to die) and that, dare I say it, was even better. I must I admit that while I didn’t figure out whodunit in the beginning of the book, (1st to die: kudos to Patterson) I didn’t fall for those false clues cleverly planted in the script. So I did discover whodunit before it was actually revealed. Yep. *Plucks imaginary suspenders* I’m feeling pret-ty proud of me :D

Blessings

Another Reason I need a car

Another reason I need a car materialised at my side last night while I waited for a taxi to take me home.

“Hello, did we have words?” he asked.

“No, were you standing there? I didn’t see you.” This was truth. If only it could have stayed that way and been reciprocated. I sighed and began the obligatory greetings and pleasantries people exchange at the start of the New Year. That’s when he began THE TALK. THE TALK is the reason I wish he would cross over to the other side of the street when he sees me and the reason I strain my eyes hoping a taxi would appear on the horizon.

No such luck.

THE TALK began in response to my wish for good things for him in 2006. To which he responded that he also wished for good things for US.

US? I thought and tossed out a flippant reply, hoping to deflect the obvious direction of the conversation. Again, no such luck and still no taxi.

“I think I have deep feelings for you. Yeah, I’ve been thinking about you and I can’t seem to get you out of my mind. And when I can’t stop thinking about a woman it usually means something. Maybe God … yuh know .. who knows?”

You may be thinking awwww and that I am being such a (insert word for female dog here) but you have to meet him in person to understand the full extent of his annoyingness. You would have had to tell him many, many times that you are not in the least bit interested in him that way. You would have had to endure these types of conversations in maxis and taxis with other people listening in. In my defense I’ve never been unkind. I’ve shared the good news of God’s love and invited him to church. We’d get along just fine if he would just accept that there is no US and there never will be an US.

Okay, movin on. Did he just imply that God has a hand in my being on his mind? Puhlease. Of course on his next breath he asks, “Um, what’s your name again?”

I could not help it, I laughed heartily and asked. “Hold on, you have deep feelings for me and you can’t even remember my name?”

His excuse: “It’s a very unusual name.”

Seriously, I gotta get that car. If only I knew how to drive.

Tuesday & Wednesday

Tuesday

Okay I had started writing my post for Tuesday and my internet explorer crashed before I had time submit my entry. Of course this would happen the one time I had not previously typed and saved my entry prior to going online to post it. But no biggie. It was probably divine intervention since I’d had a crappy (pardon my English) day. Highlights: bad hair-day, no makeup, late for work, funeral and splitting headache. To put it mildly I was feeling a little blue. So I went to bed early and got up feeling much better.

Wednesday

Today was much better than yesterday. Hair-not so bad, makeup-yes, early-er than yesterday for work.

I started this year feelin out of sorts with myself, my Father and most people around me (especially at work). All the textbooks teach you not to bring your personal life to work with you and I agree this should be so. However, my faith is such a large part of me that if something’s not right then it affects every area of my life. I become short-tempered and frustrated and things I would normally be able to handle I blow a fuse over. In short I’m miserable. It’s funny how things could be bothering you and affecting your life without your really acknowledging it. That’s what was happening to me and I didn’t even recognise it. I was harboring unforgiveness for some ‘friends’ and it was making me unhappy. But I got a breakthrough today (read more about it here) so that my smile doesn’t feel forced and fake anymore. (Thank God for small mercies.) That really was not my style. I might have wished for a fabulous hair day but this was so much better. Praise the Lord!

New Year, New Beginning

It’s a new year. I did say I would not make any new resolutions this year seeing as I’ve so little to show (in my own estimation) for the year past. I still don’t know how to drive, have yet to read the entire Bible and have gotten caught up in mistakes I swore never to make again. Resolutions? Not for me.

However, I have reconsidered. I think it would help to have something to work towards and if I fail… well at least I tried and did not just wander aimlessly along to end up nowhere. So here goes:

From yesteryear
1. I can’t get close enough to God so hopefully the close of this year will find me in a closer relationship with my Father
2. read the bible (I am beginning a ‘bible in a year’ program but I am not holding myself to the finishing of it – I will be satisfied with just spending more quality time in the Word)
overcome sins that so easily beset (impossible by myself but with God all things are possible)
3. learn to drive (important - I hate public transport and need a car)

New possibilities
4. Ministry – I haven’t been involved in much work in church because of my schooling but that’s over now and I want to get more involved in the work of ministry.
5. Writing - been torturing myself with ifs, buts and maybes for months now. This year I will put pen to paper and seriously try – what the worse that could happen?
6. Business – have been exploring a business idea for the past 2 months or so. It may not be possible right now but it can’t hurt to have all my facts and figures in place.