Book Giveaway

Patty Froese has generously blessed us with a e-book to give to someone. Starting this weekend and running until May 12th leave a comment below to sign up for a chance to win this e-book. In a special twist you may also nominate as many women (and men too) as you would like to have the opportunity to win as well. In true HomePage fashion the more who are involved, the merrier the time we have together.
Now let's have some fun blessing each other. :)

Main stipulation is that this is an e-book so the person who wins will need access to a reading app or be able down load a reading app.

Anne Stanborough, a well known mystery writer, inherits her maiden aunt's book store, Perfect on Paper. The lawyer handling her aunt's estate is none other than the handsome Jake Harrison, but despite his attraction to the beautiful author, his painful divorce has made him wary of a marriage between two driven professionals. Anne can't let go of the career she's worked her entire life towards, and he isn't willing to make a second mistake in marriage. It looks like they should call the whole thing off until Anne discovers that her late maiden aunt might not have been so "maiden" after all… A love story from the past tugs this couple back together again, but will it be enough to prove that a love founded in God really can overcome anything?

Flirting with being controlling

I recently flirted with becoming controlling. To control is defined as "to exercise restraint or direction over; dominate;command" as found on dictionary.com. Let me give you some background information first. Far too many times I have observed mothers give up on basic hygiene for their children. It bothers me. Therefore as the nurse in the hospital taught me how to wash my newborn son I listened intently. Helpful in this whole process is that my son hates to sit in a wet or dirty diaper. They must be changed quickly or a meltdown ensues in a short matter of time. So enough of the background....here is what happened....

My sister came to help me with baby care one afternoon. I had a messy house, still in my work around the house clothes, and I needed to get ready for a professional meeting. My son also needed a bath. I asked my sister to give him a bath which she agreed to do. My sister proceeded to run the water and start bathing my son. I then stood over her shoulder and told her exactly what she needed to do to clean my son properly. His eyelids are gently cleaned first. Then nails on the hands and feet must be scrubbed. Baby rolls must be cleaned out because they are collectors of dirt. The scalp requires special attention to prevent dry skin and cradle cap. The ears are checked for dirt on the outer portion of the ear. Once completed then the child is covered in various lotions and oils to help protect his skin. Never mind I had a long list to accomplish already and she was helping me by giving him a bath. Never mind that I learn a lot from my sister on how to take care of a baby, infant, toddler, etc. For some emotional reason I simply could not let go of the process I use to bathe my son and insisted my sister follow the same method. I did exactly what I dislike so much about people who attempt to control others; I dominated the process and kept everyone from learning and growing. In fact I   did what I dislike the most - I dominated a very wise and experienced woman who had the opportunity to teach me how to better care for my son because she had a more objective point of view. ughhh. This is why I prefer a collaborative approach to life and I think I learned my lesson. No more flirting with controlling behavior.

Prepared for battle?

The young men and women's faces in the room are solemn and the energy in the room reflects the seriousness of the topic. They are completely unaware of the beauty outside their windows. The leader explains to them the gravity of the situation. The final battle has come. Some of them may not be coming home. They are advised to set their affairs in order. For those who have spouses and children it's an unfortunate situation because their families will experience more pain. Those who are unmarried are reassured that their unattached situation will make them better fighters, fewer thoughts of home to prevent them from giving their all. After all this is what their parents raised them to do. The young adults leave to spend the evening partying and spending money, because they won't have any needs where they are going, and there is a good chance some of them won't come home alive.

You would probably expect a scenario like this to play out in military camps across the country. However, this experience is very much like the one's I experienced at church camps and young adult conferences in the Adventist church. When we speak of having limited days on this earth and to ensure we make the most of them, often it is thought that those days will be spent in quiet reflection and time shared with family and friends. The reality is that most people when given a finite number of days to live, make choices they never would have made before, some dangerous, some silly, some just plain rebellious.From my observations of the adult men, more so than the adult women, in the church our emphasis on the end times of the world coming has prevented them from growing up. If these young men won't have the opportunity to marry and experience a fulfilling sexual experience, then thoughtful planning of their education, careers is pushed to the side as they make sure they will have a sexual partner before the end comes. A few also will make sure that they have experienced every other pleasure in life they have been denied living as an Adventist. Somewhere along the line becoming a soldier in the army of the Lord became a solitary activity to battle for our friends and neighbors souls. The result is we have better prepared our young men to serve in the military then to be caring, thoughtful husbands, wise fathers and persistent providers for their families. It was not so in the beginning....




"The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it......The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” Genesis 2:15, 18




The battle today, as in the days of Adam and Eve after the fall, is not for our friends and neighbors souls, the Holy Spirit will move in their hearts as surely as he moves in my own. The battle today, as it has always been, is for our children's hearts....Adam and Eve lost their firstborn children Cain and Abel to this battle (Genesis 4). What would happen in the world if we focused on our own homes and the little ones living there? Now that just might change the world as we now it!