Happy Leap Day!

It's Leap Day.  February 29.  That extra day that gets added to February every four years. What's that all about anyway?

We've been taught since we were children that there are 365 days in a year, so why do we add an extra day every four years?  It's all because a complete orbit of the earth around the sun takes exactly 365.2422 days, so we add this extra day every fourth year to keep our clocks in sync with earth's orbit. 

That makes sense, doesn't it?  But why February?  All the other months on our calendar have either 30 or 31 days; why did poor February get stuck with 28?

Turns out that back in the day, the Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus had quite an ego.  His predecessor, Julius Caesar, had the month of July named after him, and July has 31 days.  At the time Caesar Augustus came to power, "his" month (August) only had 29 days, so he robbed some days from February and added them to August so "his" month would have the same number of days as July.  Never underestimate the ego of a politician!

There are a number of legends surrounding this leap day.  One such legend is that women can propose to men on Leap Day.  According to one of the legends, back in the 5th century, an Irish nun, Saint Bridget, complained to Saint Patrick that women were having to wait too long for their suitors to propose.  So, according to the legend, Saint Patrick then gave women the opportunity to pop the question every four years!

There is also  the theory that Queen Margaret of Scotland was behind the fabled Scottish law of 1288, which allowed unmarried women the freedom to propose during a leap year, and the man who refused was handed a fine. That seems a little questionable, to say the least, since Queen Margaret died when she was eight years old and scholars can find no record of such a law.

Do a Google search and you will find all sorts of interesting trivia about this day.  But what does that all really have to do with you and me, other than having an extra day in February this year?  Of course, if you were born on February 29, this is one of the years you celebrate your birthday on the actual day, rather than a day early or a day late.  Other than that, it really doesn't make all that much difference, does it?

We don't typically spend a lot of our time contemplating the inaccuracies of our calendar.  We might get excited at the thought of having an extra day to catch up, except that this Monday will likely be the same as all other Mondays.  We will get up and go to work, or we will get up and go about the usual tasks we do on Mondays.

What if we made this day different?  What if we took a "leap of faith" today?  What if, on this extra day we spent some extra time in prayer, interceding for others?

What if we spent extra time praying for our spouses?  Praying for our families?  Praying for our nation?  Praying for the lost?  And the homeless?  And the hurting?

What if?

What a difference that could make!

On this Leap Day, will you be a difference-maker?


"I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people.  Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them."  (1 Timothy 2:1 NLT)

Jesus: Understanding His Death and Resurrection

Despite what you might think as you walk through the malls and the discount stores, Easter is much more than jelly beans and chocolate bunnies.  Easter is about Jesus!  About His death and resurrection.  With all the commercialism that surrounds this day, sometimes we need to take a step back and refocus.

That's where Jesus: Understanding His Death and Resurrection comes in.  Written by Kay Arthur and David Arthur, this is a "40-minute, no-homework Bible study."  It is designed to be used by small groups over a six-week period, but is just as effective when used in personal devotions.  This study is the third in a 3-part series covering the Gospel of Mark, and focuses on the final three chapters of that Gospel.

Like all Kay Arthur Bible studies, this one is inductive, which means observing and marking the text.  There are questions to guide group discussion, or to stimulate your thinking if you are using this for personal study.

This is an excellent study for any time of year, and especially in these weeks leading up to the celebration of the resurrection.  I highly recommend it.

Blogging for Books provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Anyway

Inevitably there will be some disappointments in life.  Life, even at its best, can be challenging, and those challenges come in all shapes and sizes, in all areas of our lives.

In health.
In relationships.
In politics.
In the workplace.

Everywhere we turn, there are challenges to be faced and disappointments to be dealt with. Some days it seems there is a new crisis hiding around every corner.

How do we deal with all that?  How do we handle these challenges and crises and disappointments?  What do we do?

We trust God anyway.  Even when things aren't going our way.  Even when we have health issues or financial issues or relationship issues.  Even when we have been hurt or disappointed.  Even when our candidate isn't winning.  Even when those we love are suffering.  Even when we don't know how we will pay our bills.  Even when there aren't enough hours in the day.  Even when the pain is more than we think we can bear.

Even then.  Anyway.

Martina McBride expressed this well in a song she wrote and recorded a few years ago.  One verse of that song says, "God is great, But sometimes life ain't good, And when I pray it doesn't always turn out like I think it should. But I do it anyway, I do it anyway."

Anyway.

That's what faith is all about.  Faith is not dependent on circumstances.  Faith is faith in spite of circumstances.

Trust God anyway.

Obey God anyway.

Believe God anyway.

Let your light shine anyway.



"Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the LORD!  I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!  The Sovereign LORD is my strength!  (Habakkuk 3:17-19a NLT, emphasis mine)

A Good Role Model

When I was a child, one of my favorite Bible characters was Samuel.  I always looked forward to those times when the Sunday School Bible story was about the boy Samuel who served in the temple with the priest Eli.

As I have grown older, Samuel continues to be one of my favorites.  Perhaps it's because the story of his mother Hannah, and Samuel's birth, so closely parallel my own life story.

Perhaps it has something to do with the name.  My daddy's name was John Samuel, and that's my brother's name as well.  My grandfather's name was Samuel, and before him, Samuel was the name of my great-great-grandfather.  Samuel C. Austin was the first of that line of my family to come to these United States, back in 1840.

While those are interesting facts, it is Samuel himself who continues to hold my attention.

Just as when I was a child, I am drawn to the story of the little boy Samuel, serving in the temple, who hears the voice of the Lord and says, "Speak, LORD, your servant is listening."  (I Samuel 3:10).

I want to be like Samuel.  I want to be a good listener.  I want to answer when God speaks to me.  I want to hear what He has to say.

One of the great blessings of our cruise last week was gathering each evening in Conference Room A on Deck 2 for a time of worship and a timely word from our pastor.  On one of those evenings he drew our attention to 1 Samuel 12.  In this passage, Samuel is no longer a little boy, but an old man, with some good advice:

"Do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your
heart." (1 Samuel 12:20 NASB)

That was good advice then, and it's good advice now.  It's the way Samuel lived his life.  Samuel was one who didn't just talk the talk; he walked the walk.

Then Samuel says this:  "As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you."  (1 Samuel 12:23 NASB)

Samuel is a good role model.  For me.  For you.  For all of us who are followers of Christ.  This verse tells us that Samuel was a prayer warrior, and we certainly are in need of those in our world today!

Because of all the conflict in our world.  Because of terrorism and ISIS.  Because of conflict between political ideologies.  Because of bitterness.  Because of sin. Because our country is in trouble on so many levels.  Because there are people who need to know Jesus.

For all these reasons and more, we need to be praying as we have never prayed before. We need to be Samuels who will not sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray.

May God forgive our prayerlessness and may He raise up a generation of Samuels who will pray without ceasing!


"I call upon all in this beloved nation who know Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord to pray like we’ve never prayed before." –Don Wilton

Thankful Tuesday: Reflections on Re-Entry

Inevitably, after a week of vacation there comes the process of re-entry into normal life.  There's the unpacking and the laundry, catching up with mail and missed phone calls, getting back to regular routines.  It happens every time, whether we are away for a few days or for a week or for longer.  And it seems that, the older I get, the longer the process can take.  Perhaps that's a function of getting older, or of health, or of lack of discipline.  Whatever the reason, I'm still in re-entry mode, trying to get things back in order after a week in the Caribbean.

As I'm doing laundry and putting things away and sorting through mail, I find my mind wandering back to last week.  Remembering.  Reflecting.  And, on this Thankful Tuesday, doing so with great thankfulness in my heart.  Last week was wonderfully relaxing and refreshing.

 

 

We had a great time exploring the islands with friends.

 



 

There was a lot of good food, like this snapper with mango salsa.

 

 

We experienced some of the beauty of God's creation.

 

 

It was a wonderful week.  What could be better than time with friends spent in  such a beautiful part of the world? 

Friendship.  Good food.  Beautiful scenery.  Rest and relaxation.  Just a few of the blessings of last week that I am so thankful for.

You may not have had the opportunity to spend last week in the Caribbean.  You may not have seen the beauty of Grand Cayman or the glory of a sunrise over Jamaica.  You may not have eaten snapper, or any other fish, fresh from the ocean with mango salsa on top.

But no matter where you are or what the experiences of your life last week or this week or today, there is always something to be thankful for.

This morning I'm missing the sun and the ocean breezes.  It's a gray, gloomy, rainy morning here in the Upstate.  Even so, I have much to be thankful for.  I had a good night of rest in my own, very comfortable, bed.  I have a warm, dry house.  I have plenty of coffee.  My sweet husband had the coffee ready for me when I woke up.

There are blessings upon blessings if we will only take time to see them.

Even on a rainy morning, there is always something to be thankful for.

"Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things He does for me."  (Psalm 103:2 NLT)

Navigating the Ocean of Information

We returned home yesterday afternoon after having spent last week aboard a cruise ship.  I did very little unpacking yesterday afternoon; that will be my task for today.  Unpacking and laundry.  If you need me, that's where I'll be!

Yesterday afternoon I sat in my favorite chair, with coffee in a favorite mug, looking forward to sleeping in my own bed with my own pillow, and I began the process of "re-entry" into my normal life.  I checked the hundreds of e-mails that had accumulated while I was gone, and I made frequent use of the "delete" button. Then I moved on to Facebook and began catching up there.  It was while I was scrolling through Facebook that I came across this quote:

"What a culture we live in.  We are swimming in an ocean of information, and drowning in ignorance."

That is a powerful statement, isn't it?  We are bombarded daily with more information than we know what to do with.  There's social media.  And the twenty-four hour news cycle.  The phone beeps and buzzes and dings.  Tweets are flying back and forth.  Politicians never stop talking.  It goes on and on and on.

Yet even with all this information, are we any more knowledgeable?  How do we sort through all this information to know what is truth and what isn't?

The reality is that in spite of all the tweeting and the talking, everything we read or see or hear is not truth.  The one who talks the most or talks the loudest is not necessarily the one we should be listening to.

Albert Einstein is credited with having said, "What is popular is not always right, and what is right is not always popular."

In our media-driven world, that's an important truth to remember.  As we are bombarded with information daily, much of it misinformation, how do we know who or what to pay attention to? How do we filter through all the information that comes our way? How do we prevent ourselves from drowning in ignorance?

The answer is discernment, defined as the ability to judge well.  Discernment is our "filter"; it is the ability to sift through all the information that comes our way and find the truth. 

The Bible has something to say on this subject.  Consider these examples:

"Make your ear attentive to wisdom, incline your heart to understanding; for if you cry for discernment, lift your voice for understanding; if you seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will discern the fear of the LORD and discover the knowledge of  God.  For the Lord gives wisdom."  (Proverbs 2:2-6a NASB)

"Teach me good discernment and knowledge, for I believe in Your commandments."  (Psalms 119:66 NASB)

If we are to stay afloat in this ocean of information that surrounds us, we must learn to discern truth from error.  We must think carefully about what we see and hear, and not be swayed by the voices of media and celebrity that would distract us.

If we are to discern truth from error, we must have the wisdom that only God can give. 

"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.  But he must ask in faith without doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind."  (James 1:5-6 NASB)

We are bombarded with information daily, particularly in this election season.  But whether the information is from politicians or from the media or from celebrities or from our friends, we need our senses fine-tuned to discern truth from error.  That kind of fine-tuning can only come from the Author of all truth.  We need His wisdom to navigate this ocean of information.  We need His wisdom to discern what is right and what is wrong.  We need His wisdom to know what to believe and what to ignore.

God has promised to give us that kind of wisdom when we ask Him.  Then, and only then, are we able to safely navigate the ocean of information that surrounds us.

"And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ."  (Philippians 1:9-10 NASB, emphasis mine)

Times of Refreshing

We all need it from time to time.  To be refreshed.  To be renewed.  To relax.

That's what I'm looking forward to next week.  On Sunday we will be embarking for a six-day cruise of the western Caribbean.  I know it will be a wonderful week.
Times with friends.  Lots of laughter and good conversation.  And, as is always true on a cruise ship, lots of good food.  All that will be wonderful.

I'm looking forward to experiencing the beauty of God's creation in that part of the world.  Warm ocean breezes.  What some have described as the "cradle of the ocean".  Palm trees.  Tropical islands.  All that will be wonderful.

But what I'm looking forward to most of all is time to relax.

Life can be stressful.  Whether it's because of health or financial concerns or for some other reason, I think we can all agree that just living life in the 21st century can be a cause for stress.  We all experience it to some degree.  For the Feaster family, life has been unusually busy over the last couple of months.  In addition, we have the added stress of having to make new arrangements for a caregiver for Al's mom.  Stress on top of stress.  So, for us, a week of relaxing in the Caribbean couldn't come at a better time!

Next week is going to be a wonderful time of relaxing.

A time of rejuvenating.

A time of refreshing.

I am so excited!

"Refresh my heart in the Lord."  (Philemon 1:20 ESV)

Practice Enhanced Precautions

Mosquitoes are at it again, carrying yet another virus.  This time it's the Zika virus.  The CDC has issued a travel alert to US citizens traveling out of the country to areas where the virus has been widely reported, including some countries in the Caribbean.  This is of particular interest to me since two of the three countries we will visit next week are on that list.

The travel alert does not prohibit our travel to those countries. It does urge us to "practice enhanced precautions."  Such precautions are pretty much common sense things, much like being told not to drink the water in certain areas of the world.  Wear light colored clothing, stay in air-conditioned areas, use insect repellant on your skin and clothing.  Things like that.

Since I'm a mosquito-magnet, I'm prepared with light colored clothing and plenty of insect repellant. We have not changed our travel plans, but are following the advice to "practice enhanced precautions."  I'm not afraid of some mosquitoes.  Cautious, yes.  But not afraid.

"Practice enhanced precautions."  That's good advice, isn't it?  Not only for travel to the Caribbean, but for life in general.  It's why we look both ways before we cross the street.  And why we don't go alone into high-crime areas after dark (or even in the daylight!).  It's the reason we don't eat foods we know we are allergic to.

"Practicing enhanced precautions" is really part of daily life.   This should be our habit of life in all aspects. 

When we are deciding what to eat or where to go or when to cross the street.

When we are choosing what music to listen to and what books to read and which shows to watch.

When we are determining who we will spend our time with and who our friends are.

When we choose how we will spend our time.

When we are making decisions about which candidate will have our vote.

I may have received an alert from the CDC to "practice enhanced precautions" as concerns my travel to the Caribbean, but I have already received similar warnings about how to live life:

"Then Jesus said to them, 'Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed.'" (Luke 12:15 NASB, emphasis mine)

"You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness."  (2 Peter 3:17 NASB, emphasis mine)

"Little children, guard yourselves from idols."  (1 John 5:21 NASB, emphasis mine)

"Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming."  (Matthew 24:42 NASB, emphasis mine)

"Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong." (1 Cor. 16:13 NASB, emphasis mine)

"Be of sober spirit, be on the alert, for your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour."  (1 Peter 5:8, emphasis mine)

I could go on, but I think you get the point.  You might want to get your concordance and look for more of these warnings.  The point is that the instruction to "practice enhanced precautions" is not a new one, but has been a part of Scripture for centuries. 

Yes, I need to be careful next week as we are traveling.  Yes, I need to "practice enhanced precautions" and use good sense when dealing with this mosquito threat.  But how much more do you and I need to "practice enhanced precautions" in every aspect of daily living!

These mosquitoes are a threat to our physical health.  But a far greater threat comes from the enemy of our souls.

Practice enhanced precautions!

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." 
(Ephesians 6:12 NASB)

Some Things Never Change

I spent a few days last week in the Tampa Bay area, where we spent about four years of our lives.  We've lived away from Florida for about ten years now, and every time I go back, I am amazed at how much things have changed.

There are new apartment complexes and new neighborhoods being built.  New hotels and restaurants and shops.  Buca di Beppo, a favorite Italian eatery, is now a burger joint called Ford's Garage.  There's a new Fresh Market just a few doors down from Stein Mart.  I rode through our old neighborhood, and the house where we once lived has been painted a different color.

Fewer orange groves and more apartments.  Different supermarkets.  More traffic.  New restaurants.  There now seems to be a Starbucks on every corner.  A lot of things have changed.

But some things haven't changed.  It was a little cool, by Florida standards, and people were bundled up in coats and scarves.  After all, the temperature had dipped below 50 degrees!  And, just as I remembered it, people were wearing socks with their sandals in that "frigid" weather.

This is strawberry season in Florida, which means I got to enjoy fresh strawberries while we were there.  That has always been one of my favorite things about this season in Florida, and that hasn't changed!

My very favorite thing about traveling to Florida, no matter what the season, is time with friends and family, and this trip was no exception.  My list of favorite things, as always, includes lots of grandson hugs.  That will never change!

Change is a fact of life.  Seasons change.  Political winds blow one way or another.  But there will always be some things that never change.  Among them, this truth:

"The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever." (Isaiah 40:8 ESV)

Thankful Tuesday

It's been a while since I devoted a Tuesday post to reasons for being thankful, but this morning my heart is overflowing with thanksgiving, so it seems a good time to revisit this tradition.

Since it's Tuesday, I'll be heading out to physical therapy later this morning.  While I can't say I enjoy therapy, I am thankful for how it has improved my mobility.  And I'm thankful for Caitlin, who may just be the world's best physical therapist!

After a week of playing telephone tag with the surgery scheduler, I finally have a date for my knee replacement.  On March 28 I will get my new knee.  The end is in sight, and I'm thankful for that.  Thankful for my doctor.  Thankful for the day, a few months from now, when I will be walking with no pain.

Last week we enjoyed a week in Florida, and next week we will be on a cruise ship in the Caribbean.  I'm thankful for these opportunities for relaxation.  I'm thankful for the time with family and friends last week, and looking forward to time with friends next week.

As New Hampshire holds its presidential primary today, I'm thankful to live in a country where this is possible.  No matter how this primary turns out, and no matter what the result of November's election may be, I'm thankful for my country and for the freedoms that are ours as Americans.

Today I'm thankful for the privilege of prayer.  And I'm particularly thankful for answered prayer.  I have had the blessing of praying with and for a young woman whose heart's desire is to be a mommy, and I've just found out that she is pregnant. How I rejoice with her and her husband, and with their families, as they await the birth of this child!  This situation is particularly dear to me as I recall my own struggles with infertility, and gives me another reason for thanksgiving as I think not only of this new life, but of the lives of my sons and my grandsons. 

God is so good!  And I am overwhelmed!

"My heart overflows with a good theme."  (Psalm 45:1 NASB)

Write It Down!

My mother was a list maker.  And even though, as a child, I often rolled my eyes and made fun of her lists, I am a list maker, too.

Mother made lists on scrap pieces of paper and on the back of used envelopes.  (Perhaps she was one of the original recyclers!)  I remember that grocery lists were usually on those envelopes.  But the list I remember most is the one in her purse, where there was always a very small spiral notebook filled with various lists.  That notebook had lists of things that needed to be purchased.  A new spool of blue thread.  Or a new lightbulb.  New jeans for my brother.  New handkerchiefs for my dad.  All sorts of things like that. 

She also had lists of things she needed to remember to do. And she kept an ongoing Christmas gift list, scratching things off as they were purchased.

Even though I ridiculed those lists when I was younger, I now find them to be a necessary part of my life.

Certainly one reason for all my lists is that they help me remember.  Perhaps it's a consequence of the busyness of life, or perhaps it's a function of getting older, but I find it helpful to write things down so I don't forget. 

This is going to be a very busy week here in the Feaster household.  There's laundry and all sorts of other stuff to catch up on because we were out of town last week.  A quick glance at the calendar shows a week full of appointments.  There are phone calls that need to be made and bills to be paid.  We will be having a houseguest this week, so preparations need to be made.  And we will be going on a cruise next week, which means gathering up all the things we need to take with us and getting them all packed.

Without my lists, I would surely forget something!

Lists help me remember.

Lists keep me organized.

Book stores are filled with books about the habits of successful people, and about time management, and about organization, and about priorities.  The common thread in these books is list-making.  If you were to read all these books (an impossible task!), you would discover that, in some way, each of them would recommend making a list of your daily tasks.  Further, once the list is made, the items on the list need to be prioritized.

That's true for the chief executive and for the secretary and for the homemaker and for the college student and for every other area of life.  Making a list helps us stay organized.  It helps us prioritize what needs doing, so that the most important things get done first.

We make lists to remember. 

We make lists to prioritize. 

And we make lists to help us focus.

This is particularly true when it comes to our prayer life.  Because we are so busy, and because there are so many needs about which we need to be praying, it's easy to be overwhelmed and lose focus.  Keeping a written prayer list is a way to overcome the distractions.  It's a way to help us remember.

Life is busy.  I am often distracted and forgetful and disorganized.  My lists help me to stay on task. 

That's true in my household responsibilities.  It is even more true in my prayer life.

Writing things down helps me focus.

And writing helps me remember.


"But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope.  The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."  (Lamentations 3:21-23 ESV, emphasis mine)

Mission Accomplished. Or Not.

They say that all good things must come to an end.  That's true of this week in Florida. We'll be saying farewell to the Sunshine State and driving back to South Carolina tomorrow.  We have had a great week here, and enjoyed the warm weather and sunshine.  This morning, however, is much colder.  It was 44 degrees last time I checked, which may not seem all that cold to those in the frozen north, but it's bitterly cold to a Floridian!

One of my goals this week as I was out shopping was to find the perfect LBD (little black dress) to wear on our cruise next week.  I was beginning to despair I would ever find it, but finally, yesterday morning, there it was!  Mission accomplished.  I also found a pair of shoes to wear with this dress.  Another mission accomplished!

On other fronts, I have not been quite as successful.  I always seem to set unrealistic expectations for myself on these trips.  I envision that, during my time alone in hotel rooms while Al is working, I will make great strides in my writing projects, and I will read copious numbers of books, and that I will generally be extremely productive.  On this trip, as is so often the case, my mission was not accomplished. 

I did finish a book I was reading and posted the review yesterday.  So, mission accomplished there.  I brought a couple of other books with me, but haven't read a word of either of them. 

Beyond the reading, I had a goal to get some writing done, or at the very least, to edit what I had already written.  One again, procrastination took over.  I found so many other things to do:  shopping,  following politics on the news channel, binge-watching my favorite TV show.  None of those are bad things, but they took time away from what would have been a better use of my time, so my mission was not accomplished.

This is my Sunday to lead our Life Group lesson, so thankfully, I used my time wisely enough to allow me to study and prepare the lesson.  Mission accomplished.

Being here in Florida has given me the opportunity to have lunch with a dear friend, and to spend time with family.  I have loved every minute of that, and especially loved those grandson-hugs that I miss out on for most of the year.

It's been a great week!  I have loved the sunshine and the shopping and the family time.  Tomorrow we head home, and I'll love that too. Because there's no place like home!


"Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time and forever.  From the rising of the sun to its setting the name of the LORD is to be praised."  (Psalm 113:2-3 NASB)

Brooklyn on Fire. A Book Review.

A good mystery, filled with historical details, interesting characters, and some humor thrown in.  All this, and more, can be found in Brooklyn on Fire, a Mary Handley Mystery, by Lawrence H. Levy.  I love a good mystery, and this one did not disappoint.

Mary Handley, the heroine of the book, is a spunky and independent young woman who has ambitions to be a detective, following in the footsteps of her fictional hero Sherlock Holmes.  Mary's "real job" is in a bookshop, but her employer is very supportive of her ambition and even goes so far as to have business cards printed for her.

Brooklyn on Fire is the second Mary Handley mystery, and is filled with details of life in Brooklyn in the 1890s.  In this book, Levy gives us a clear picture of society in the late nineteenth century, with its bigotry and class warfare, along with the limits that were placed on women in that time period.

This is the story of a murder that didn't happen, along with several that did, all solved by Mary's detective skills and her determination.  Along the way, the story intertwines the tenements of Brooklyn and the highest levels of society in Manhattan, including families with names like Rockefeller and Vanderbilt and Carnegie.

Brooklyn on Fire  offered a plot full of twists and turns, and I was kept guessing right up to the end.  This is a well-written tale, with well developed characters, and lots of historical detail.  I liked that very much.

On the down side, the romance that developed between Mary and George Vanderbilt (he of Biltmore House fame) stretches the imagination a bit much, and really seems a bit overdone. There is no way a relationship between a Vanderbilt from Manhattan and a butcher's daughter from Brooklyn would have happened in that time period, and George and Mary certainly would not have traveled alone together in that era as they did in this story.  In addition, the language was occasionally more crude than I cared for.

Even with those minor flaws, anyone with an interest in mysteries and historical fiction would likely enjoy getting to know Mary Handley.

I received a copy of Brooklyn on Fire from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest opinion.

Rodents and Pundits

Yesterday was Groundhog Day, that day when we look to a rodent in Pennsylvania to reassure us that spring will be here soon.  I understand that Phil the Groundhog has determined that spring will arrive sooner rather than later.

I'm in Florida this week.  I'm not sure if any local groundhogs ventured out yesterday morning (or even if there are any groundhogs in Central Florida), but if there are groundhogs here, and if they ventured out yesterday morning, they were greeted by dense fog which may have affected their prognostications.  Eventually we experienced a gloriously sunny day, with temperatures in the mid-80s, which is decidedly spring-like in my book.

I'm not sure why we continue to trust our weather forecasting to a rodent, but every year we wait with great anticipation to see what he has to tell us.  I heard on a radio broadcast yesterday that the groundhog is right 39% of the time, which doesn't seem like a particularly good track record to me.  Yet still we wait each February for the rodent's forecast.

Monday night was the beginning of the presidential election process.  I know, you thought we had already spent at least a decade on the 2016 election!  In any event, Iowans went to their caucuses on Monday night, and the results did not exactly match the pundits' predictions.  I don't have a percentage, but I suspect that their track records are not much better than the groundhog's.  Yet we continue to watch them, to listen to them, and to hang on their every word.

That rodent in Pennsylvania is wrong more than he is right.  For all their pontificating and prognosticating, those pundits rarely get it exactly right either, no matter how much they bluster and no matter how many entrance and exit polls they take.

The weather will be what it is.  The groundhog is not in control of that.

Politics will continue to be what it is.  Candidates will continue to debate and bluster and point fingers.  Eventually each of us will get to express our opinion.  And no matter how many polls are taken by or about each candidate, the only poll that really matters is the one in November.

Until then, we may or may not have an early spring.  There may be much more winter to come.  There will be foggy days and cloudy days and rainy days and sunny days.  No matter what the weather, no matter what the politicians do or don't do, no matter the circumstances of life, each day is a precious gift from God.

I intend to enjoy my day.  I hope you do, too!

"This is the day which the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."  (Psalm 118:24 NASB)

Because Words Matter

Some days when I sit to write these posts, words come easily.  Some days, not so much.  Even on the "not so much" days, perhaps especially on those days, I want to choose my words carefully because words matter. 

Not just written words.  All words matter.

For example, there are words of respect.  Please.  Thank you.  Yes, sir.  No, ma'am.  Manners aren't just for southerners!  How we treat each other matters, and the words we choose reflect that. 

In an increasingly discordant world, it's important to be respectful, even when we don't agree.  It's particularly important in this contentious season of presidential politics.   Because words matter.

Words can encourage, or they can bring discouragement.  It matters which we choose. 

We have, by the words we choose to use, the ability to lift someone up or to tear them down.  And this ability carries across the spectrum of life.  At home.  In the workplace.  In the classroom.  At the mall.  At the gym. 

As you're out and about today, doing life, encountering various individuals and situations, choose your words carefully.

Because words matter.

"A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver."  (Proverbs 25:11 ESV)

All Means All

"And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus."  (Philippians 4:19 NASB)

That verse is on my mind this morning.  As I have been praying for friends and family members.  As I have been reviewing all the ways God has answered my prayers and met my needs.

I can't get that verse out of my mind.

We seem to associate that verse most often with financial need.

But it means so much more than that, doesn't it?

All your need.

All means all.

I've written about this frequently.  And if you've heard me teach, you've probably often heard me say this as well.  It's a truth we often need to be reminded of.

All means all.

Not some.

All.

All means all.

So whatever you're needing today, in whatever area of life, He is able to meet your need.  All your need.

In relationships.

On the job.

In your health.

In your finances.

When there's too much month at the end of the money.

When you're lonely.

When you're anxious.

When you need encouragement.

In every area of your life.

He is able to supply all your need.

Even when you don't understand how.

Even when life doesn't make sense.

Even when you can't see any light at the end of the tunnel.

Even then.

He is able.

He is able to supply all your need.

All.

That powerful truth makes me very thankful indeed.


"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever!  Amen." 
(Ephesians 3:20-21 NIV)