Grace Notes

A Reluctant Queen By:  Joan Wolf Published by Thomas Nelson Publishers Copyright 2011 When I read historical fiction, and especially fiction based on a Biblical character, I am always looking for the facts to line up just right. If they don't, it takes away from the fun and excitement of the story, and I begin reading critically.  That's what happened when I read A Reluctant Queen by Joan Wolf, based on the life of Esther.   A Reluctant Queen begins with Esther as a young teenage girl who is the beloved niece in the house of Mordecai.  Eventually we find that Esther is half Jew through her mother and half Achaemenid Persian through her father.  Esther is told by her uncle and her rabbi that she must be their "ear" to the king, and therefore she eventually submits herself as an unwilling candidate to be the new queen.  To her surprise, she is chosen, and even more of a shock she likes this king.  Esther finds herself in a position to influence the king, altho

 Flowers bordering ferry slip on Fort Morgan, Alabama.  April 24, 2011  I am so very blessed to have wonderful Christian friends!  For some reason, we seem to be growing closer together now.  We want to do more things together.  I am realizing that my girlfriends are so  much fun to be around!  We laughed so hard this past Saturday night that my ribs ache!  We have some REALLY sarcastic women in our group, myself being one of them.  But each of us are also willing to listen when the others have problems they want to share, things that need prayer.  There's a verse in  Proverbs (27:17) that says "Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend."   When we stick together as Christians, we are there for each other.  We can help lighten each other's loads.  We can gently point out areas that need to be strengthened, and have our own flaws mentioned, too.  We can even help our faith grow stronger, together. There is another verse, Proverbs

 Sunset view from patio of Tacky Jacks II in Gulf Shores, Alabama  "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handiwork."  Psalm 19:1  Gulf Shores, Alabama  "And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.  And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.  "  Genesis 1:9-10  Bellingrath Gardens, Alabama  "And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.  And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth."  Genesis 1:21-22   Bellingrath Gardens, Alabama  "And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the her

Knitting Knee-Highs By:  Barb Brown Published by Krause Publications Copyright 2011 In her new book Knitting Knee-Highs , Sock Styles from Classic to Contemporary, Ms. Barb Brown gives patterns for twenty different knee-high socks to knit, including versions of each knee-high in either socks, legwarmers and/or anklets.  She also gives tips and tricks, the "knee-high formula" and conversion ideas (from knee-highs to socks, etc. and vice versa). Each knee-high pattern is unique and beautiful, and the designs are timeless.  Although I am a fairly new knitter, I am itching to finish my current sock project and start on some of the patterns provided by Ms. Brown!  In fact, I am going out to purchase some yarn this afternoon.  I plan to start with one of the recommended first projects, either a pattern called Counterpane Knee-Highs or the Stalking Stockings .  I think I will save the knee-highs that include multiple colors of yarn for when I am more experienced.  Maybe ther