Grace Notes

Dawn Comes Early By: Margaret Brownley Published by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Now, this is my kind of woman!  Kate Tenney is a girl with a good dose of determination, who fights for what she is after even when the odds are stacked against her.  And...she gets herself into so many laughable situations!  All in the name of proving herself worthy of becoming the heiress to Last Chance Ranch.  A ranch located in Arizona Territory, a very hot, ugly, dry area of the country.  Cactus that jumps up and literally bites you in the backside.  Dust storms.  Miserable heat.  Cattle rustlers.  Even a real, live local outlaw!  What is a girl to do?  Especially a girl with no experience except that she has written dime novels (one BANNED! ) about being a rancher.  But  Kate slowly grows to love the land and finds that there is beauty in the desert.  Not only in the desert of Arizona Territory, but beauty can also come out of the desert of the soul.   Set in the late 1800s, Dawn Comes Early by Mar

Everyone knows that yesterday was Valentine's Day, but I wasn't too concerned about the day because I am a sort-of-happily single gal.  I'm sure most of you married and attached women out there are going to say "no big deal", but I was absolutely moved (to tears!) yesterday afternoon when a gentleman (one of my boss' MARRIED business associates, so no chance of anything romantic) walked into my office carrying a bouquet of mixed daffodils from his garden.  Okay, I know getting a bouquet of flowers normally wouldn't move a person to tears.  But you have to understand the circumstances.  Not an hour before my flowers arrived I had a very emotional, disturbing conversation.  One that left me quite shaken. One that actually gave me a much needed kick in the seat of the pants. Then in came those flowers carried by a grinning gentleman and ... I embarrassed myself by crying!   I was pretty sharp yesterday and knew immediately that God sent that gentlem

Mom's daffodils As you may have read previously, I live in Central Alabama where Spring comes very early.  I have had daffodils in my garden for a month now, and tulips are coming up.  The fragrance of hyacinths blooming by my front door is heavenly.  I have had a few azalea blossoms, but nothing like three years ago when my shrubs were covered in pink.  Of course pansies, the W inter standby,  have been in bloom since last Fall. This past Saturday my sons and I went to my parents' place in the country.  I never go without my camera because there is always something to see.  And sure enough, mom had flowers blooming everywhere!  Jasmine was draped over and hanging off trellises, giving off their vanilla scent.  Roses were not blooming, but were putting out new leaves.  Azaleas were beginning to show flowers.  And the vinca!  Wow, it was growing everywhere!  And look what was poking up through the mulch -- new ferns.  It really l

Lazarus Awakening By: Joanna Weaver Published by Multnomah Books Copyright 2011, 2012 John chapters 11 and 12 give an interesting account of a man raised from the dead by Jesus. This was not just any man, but a man whom Jesus loved, along with his sisters Mary and Martha. Know who it was? Lazarus, of course! Who hasn't heard of the verse in the Bible that says "Jesus wept"? This is the man over whom Jesus wept. One of Jesus very good friends. However, not much is known about Lazarus; no words spoken by Lazarus are recorded, we don't know what he did for a living, we only know who his sisters were and where he lived, and that he was Jesus' friend. Why did Jesus linger two days after receiving notice that Lazarus was sick, especially since Lazarus and his family were such good friends? Why did Jesus weep over Lazarus in light of the fact that He knew He was about to raise him up from the grave? Why did Jesus tell others to remove the stone

Heart of Gold By: Robin Lee Hatcher Published by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Copyright 2012 Set during the Civil War era, Heart of Gold takes the reader from Virginia to Idaho when pastor Delaney Adair is called from his home to a gold rush town.  After much prayer the pastor decides to take his unmarried daughter Shannon with him. Unfortunately he is afraid he has spoiled his daughter, and prays that God will intervene and help her adjust to life away from the only home she has ever known, including helping her with her strong Southern prejudices. Shannon Adair is a fiery spirit, loyal to the Southern Cause, and cannot understand why her pastor father would even consider leaving the South where she feels he is so needed.  Besides, she is needed at the hospital where she assists the doctors who must attend to the wounded and dying soldiers as well as their many other patients.  For Shannon, nursing is her passion, her calling.  What on earth is she going to do to occupy her time in Id

As any parent of teenagers knows, life with teens has you constantly on and off the love/hate list.  Most times you are on the hate list.  So it is with great joy that I take in and cherish every moment on the love list!  Okay, maybe that's taking it a bit far, but doesn't it feel like it sometimes?  Well, several times lately I feel like I might have moved a step or two towards that love list. I know, I know, it won't last long before the teen rules and regulations put me back on the sideline and I am the tough guy again; but really, lately I have ENJOYED being with my teens.  Case in point -- this past Saturday our area sponsored a Home & Garden Show in which my dad and brothers participated.  I wanted to check out their booth and also take a couple of stools for them to sit on (three day event).  I told my dad that "we" would be there around 10:00 in the morning. If you have teenagers, you KNOW they are not keen on getting out of bed early, and especia