Remember 1955?

Hi, Friends,

An example of "Shock & Awe."  A look back in time to my "good ole days' that I remember so fondly.  I was a teenager in 1955, looking forward to graduation from high school in 1956; and on to college.  Read on, friend, and enjoy the memories and laugh with those that will read this in disbelief.
 

NOW FOR A GOOD LAUGH !!!!!! REMEMBER 1955 ? If they raise the minimum wage to $1.00,  nobody will be able to hire outside help at the store When I first started driving, who would have thought gas would someday  cost 25 cents a gallon. Guess we'd be better off leaving the car in the garage. I'm afraid to send my kids to the movies any more. Ever since they let Clark Gable get by with saying DAMN in GONE WITH THE WIND, it seems  every new movie has either HELL or DAMN in it. I read the other day where some scientist thinks it's possible to put a man on the moon by the end of the century.  They even have some fellows they call astronauts preparing for it down in Texas . Did you see where some baseball player just signed a contract for $50,000 a year just to play ball?  It wouldn't  surprise me if someday they'll be  making more than the President. I never thought I'd see the day all our kitchen appliances would be electric.  They're even making electric  typewriters now. It's too bad things are so tough nowadays.  I see where a few married women  are having to work to make ends meet. It won't be long before young couples are going to have to hire someone to watch their kids  so they can both work. I'm afraid the Volkswagen car is going to open the door to a whole lot of foreign business. Thank goodness I won't live to see the day when the Government takes half our income in taxes.  I sometimes wonder if we are electing the best people to government. The fast food restaurant is convenient for a quick meal, but I seriously doubt they will ever catch on. There is no sense going on short trips anymore for a weekend. It costs nearly $2.00 a night to stay in a hotel. No one can afford to be sick anymore. At $15.00 a day in the hospital,  it's too rich for my blood. If they think I'll pay 30 cents for a haircut, Forget it. Know any friends who would get a kick out of these ? Pass this on ! Be sure and send it to your  kids and grand kids, too ! LOL, TEE HEE, HAHA,  I hope that brought back good memories to you who are "mature" enough to remember!  Maybe my kids will now believe we didn't travel around in covered wagons back then.  That's the honest truth....they believed we were from another time entirely. That's it for today.....keep on PASSING IT FORWARD! Hugs,  Barb

I LOVED..

"DECISION TO LOVE"

MY REVIEW

"DECISION TO LOVE"

(SACRED VOWS SERIES)

BY

MICHELLE SUTTON

The third and best read in this series.  Michelle is a writer with class and pizzaz.  She is in the top Christian authors among my favorites.  Skilled with putting the right words about questionable situations in the proper place.

MICHELLE SUTTON

This story begins with a startling bang,  Time has passed eight years and we find Tony at ex-wife Brenda’s bloody side as she dies from gash wounds to her stomach. Tony is arrested for her murder, even though he maintains his innocence.  We are reminded that Tony has been a “bad boy,” “womanizer,” and the man whom Hope had an affair in the beginning book of this series, “Sacred Vows.”  His life hasn’t become any better.  Following his divorce from Brenda, he married again and that marriage ended for shocking reasons through this now second ex-wife Kristy entertaining a lesbian lover.  Tony is busy raising his son during all this time and still has no understanding of who God can be in his life until he meets someone in jail who shares with Tony the love of Jesus.  Tony’s life begins to turn around when he commits his life to being a Christian.  After Tony is cleared of murdering Brenda, he will have another surprise waiting for him further along in this incredible story.

The next scene, eight years following the affair, we look in on Hope and her husband James who had been romantically reunited with renewed love and commitment.  Their son Jimmy who is now in college, returns home for Thanksgiving.  Hope’s joy about having Jimmy home is spent planning a wonderful holiday celebration for her family. That joy is soon marred when James and Jimmy begin an argument over Jimmy’s lack of interest in girls and socializing.  During their tense Thanksgiving dinner, Jimmy declined to offer the blessing and spoke out on the teachings he’d learned in a class about the Bible; and he had developed a different attitude toward Christianity.  James is angered and Hope is deeply concerned.  She does a bit of snooping on Jimmy’s social network page causing perplexed blinking in disbelief that Jimmy indicated his interest was in men.  The end of this day already being full of shock and awe, Hope is further disappointed and concerned in James’s inability to perform to their liking in bed.  Later, during a phone conversation between Hope and Jimmy, he admits having sexual feelings, but not for girls.  He tells Hope about Jack, a male friend he is attracted to, but nothing has happened between them.  Jimmy invited his friend, Jack, to spend Christmas with him and his parents. This visit is the catalyst at causing estrangement between Jimmy and his dad, and is literally responsible for the sudden death of James, leaving Hope widowed and dismayed over the recent turning of tragic events.

Not wanting to reveal any more of the turns and circles in the maze of this creative and imaginative story, (the best of this series so far); I wait anxiously curious as to what happens beyond the ending.  The story involving all the characters is very true to the title, “Decision to Love.” I'm so impressed with how far out on the edge Michelle Sutton takes the story yet binds the story well within the limits of acceptability and decency. Michelle’s writing offers so much about the grace of God and his gentle mercies.  Her writing never disappoints me.  If she offered to teach a writing course, I'd be the first to enroll.

So friends, there you have a few subtle hints about the fabric of this book.  I hope you will be running to the book sites on the internet; or take a hot drive to your nearest book store and get Michelle's book in hand.  After you've read it (along with a box of kleenex).....then....PASS IT FORWARD!

I'm looking forward to seeing you next time.

Blessed by Grace,

Barb

NEED HELP...CAN'T POST COMMENTS...?

Sometimes I don't understand exactly how to do something..and this time it's with my comments.  I don't know how to make the comments appear on the blog, and I would like to be able to start doing interviews and giveaways - and that involves being able to make comments and reading them.  Is it my age.....or my noggin?  Can anyone help me understand this situation and cause it to happen?  Would be forever grateful.


Perplexed,
Barb

PASSING IT FORWARD TODAY.....

The blog I've published below spoke to me loudly as though I had said the words myself.  I'm feeling a bit low today...but am lifted, especially by the scripture at the top of this blog.  It is one of my favorites.  Thank you to Ginger Solomon, writer of the "A Bed of Roses" blog.  I hope she won't mind my borrowing her words today to express my own.  My thinker has thunked out.

Blessed by Grace,
Barb

A Bed of Roses...Thorns Included: My heart today

A Bed of Roses...Thorns Included: My heart today: I just finished reading the last book in the Hunger Games trilogy this morning. I am struck by the notion that life is what we make of it ...

INTRODUCING MY FRIEND - JOANN DURGIN

JoAnn Durgin
Author

Excitement built in me as I read JoAnn Durgin's book "Twin Hearts," third in the The Lewis & Clark series.   I first met JoAnn on Facebook when she was writing the first book in the series, "Awakening."  A delightful and heartwarming story about Sam Lewis and Lexa Clark in their romantic duel. You'll need to read this sweet book to find out who won. JoAnn's second book, "The Second Time Around," builds on the story of other friends of Sam & Lexa, Mark and Natalie, newlyweds.  This book involves the trust and renewal of faith in God as well as suspense involving the amnesia of one of the partners early in the newlywed's marriage due to a untimely accident.  Guilt preys on the mind of the other partner because the accident could have been prevented had they performed a needed repair on rotten wood steps. The couple struggles painfully to renew the marriage and bring back the memory of being married to the injured spouse.  Sam & Lexa are the catalyst  of friendship who help the couple find solutions.  An engaging story you'll not be able to put down until you find out what happens... mysteries will be answered with God's help.   Twin Hearts, the third book in the Lewis & Clark series.  JoAnn Durgin and God were in constant consultation while this book was being written. Twin Hearts is JoAnn's finest and most tender story, in my estimation. The characters come alive off the page, she develops them so vivedly. She writes the details so clearly I felt myself wanting to enter into verbal conversation with the characters. JoAnn wrote in perfectly ethical situations and outcomes. I love the people and characters in this series of books. I can't wait for her next work. I know it will be a clear collaboration with our abba father. With that kind of guidance....JoAnn can't go wrong! Firstly, I love my friend JoAnn dearly and am ever grateful that Jesus thoughtfully brought us together as friends.  She is a mentor to me in our Christian prayer relationship as well as an example to me as a talented writer of imaginative stories of faith and belief in our Lord.  I stand in my expectation that our friendship will grow better and better over time; and nothing less than that will be in JoAnn's future books. Watch for her newest publication of an exciting novel of a firefighter, #4 in this series, "Daydreams," which I'm sure will be dreamy.  Congratulations to JoAnn for her quick and deserved success with her authorship.   Time to say be seeing you soon again. You're all in my prayers and stay cool......summer is here! Hugs, Barb JoAnn Durgin : Member of ACFW Member Indiana ACFW 2010 Romance Writers of America Finalist Flash Fiction Winner Louisville Christian Writers JoAnn's Website -  http://www.joanndurgin.com

I HAVE RETURNED!!

Hello There Everyone!!!


You have all been missed and I feel I've been gone forever!!  I am back....perhaps not totally together, but give me some time and maybe I'll return to normal. LOL  Whatever normal is.


Please pardon the mess for a time - there will be some changes made for a far better blog.  With the help of some good friends at Book Blog (http://bookblogs.ning.com/), a great group I belong to - I'll be able to add giveaways, comments that will show up, and various details and improvements I haven't known exactly how to do.  Hooray to my friends at Book Blogs!  While we're at it, visit their website as shown above.  You'll be glad you did!


Now...for a word from Search Quotes (http://www.searchquotes.com/):


Hope is wishing something would happen. 
Faith is believing something will happen. 
Courage is making something happen.



Having hope faith and courage are all apart of living the best life that we may be able to live. There are many times in life in which we are tested. We can either choose to be courageous and confident, or we may choose to let whatever may be in our overcome us because of the lack of faith, and hope that we have in ourselves, and God working through us.

Courage is something that you can't go about with hesitation. When you are courageous there is no questioning what you have to do next. There is a quiet confidence that we must all develop for ourselves. Taking risk after risk, and beating after beating will help us become the best person that we will ever become. Don't just have hope and don't just be faithful. Step out on the faith you have with courage and you will soon reach all of your dreams.


Thank you dear Jesus, for your love.


Hugs,
Barb