Grace Notes

My grandmother, Dot Coon After weeks of careful planning, lots of hard work, and worry that the guest of honor might not be able to make it, the day had arrived.  The event was the 90th birthday of one very special lady, my grandmother Dot Coon.  A couple of weeks ago we thought we might lose her.  Yesterday we thought she was not going to be able to make it to the (surprise) party.  But she did!  She is one very tough woman.  All five of her children were there.  Most of her grandchildren were there.  And several great grandchildren were there.  And one great great grandchild.  All in her honor.  All because we love her.  Grandma with all her sons and daughters and their spouses. The day was perfect.  Hot, but not too hot.  A nice breeze blew through to cool things off.  The shade from the trees was wonderful and inviting.  The smell of the chicken being cooked over an open fire was incredible and made tummies rumble.  Getting re-acquainted with cousins was great! 

The Widow of Saunders Creek By: Tracey Bateman Published by WaterBrook Press Copyright 2012 This book has it all.  A tragedy in a young woman's life.  One from which she does not wish to recover.  Seemingly unrequited love.  Just a hint of the paranormal.  And overall, the love of family willing to help a woman get past her tragedy and begin to live again.  Throughout the book the love of God for His children shines through. It has been six months since Corrie Saunders has buried her young husband, Jarrod.  A war hero.  That's what everyone says.  Even the military has called him a hero.  While he was stationed in Iraq he rushed to try to prevent tragedy by a suicide bomber.  But Corrie doesn't want a dead hero.  She wants her husband back!  Ever since the funeral she has been living with her mother.  Now, she is determined to move into the home she had been refurbishing while Jarrod was overseas.  After all, the home had belonged in his family since his gr

Harriet Beamer Takes the Bus Joyce Magnin Zondervan 2012 Seventy-something year old Harriet Beamer thinks she can handle life on her own.  She is a widow who lives with her basset hound Humphrey  in the home built by her late husband.  She is involved in church, has a set routine, and wants nothing to break her out of if.  Harriet has a son who lives on the opposite side of the country, in California of all places, and she believes the greatest thing that could happen would be for her son and his wife to present her with a grandchild.  But she is beginning to lose hope that will ever happen!  The adventure begins when Harriet’s son Henry and his wife Prudence come to celebrate Christmas.  Decorating the Christmas tree is something Harriet wants to share with Henry and Prudence.  But this one particular ornament – shouldn’t it be placed in just the right spot – it won’t take anything but stepping up onto a chair and it will be done.  Just one little ornament…  And that’s when d

Just when I am getting good and interested in the book, and have had to take a few very deep breaths to hold back some tears, the first chapter ends!  Wait!  I want to read more!  But in order to do that, I am going to have to go out and buy the new book by  Eric Blehm entitled Fearless .  Fearless tells the true story of Navy SEAL Adam Brown, who died the night of March 17, 2010 in the Hindu Kush Mountains of Afghanistan. Take a sneak peak at the short video .  Then read the first chapter , and see if you are going to do like I am and go out and buy the book.  I am certain this is one book I will be sharing with my two teen sons, one who right now is toying with the idea of becoming a Green Beret! Reese NOTE:  Here's my book review:  http://reeseone.blogspot.com/2012/07/book-review-fearless.html

Sometimes the simple things get our attention.  Like these daisies growing alongside the road.  I was on my way to my parents' place in the country Friday evening, where I was going to spend the night with my grandmother and then help my mother do yard work on Saturday.  I had noticed daisies out in the fields and thought it might be good to ride back out Saturday morning withMom to get pictures.  When I came to my parents' road, I pulled in and got out of my car -- with my camera.  And there, on the side of the road with my backside to passersby, I knelt down and took pictures of these daisies.  Saturday morning I was awakened by a downpour.  Thunder was rolling and lightning was flashing, and you could hear the rain pounding on my grandmother's roof and windows. It was only 5 a.m. and I am not an early riser, so I snuggled down under the covers and dozed until time to get up.  I figured with all that rain Mom and I would have a mess working in the garden.

The Matthew 6:33 Piano Teacher:  How to Teach Piano for the Glory of God Author:  K M Logan Published 2012 When I was asked by Mrs. K M Logan to review her new e-book  The Matthew 6:33 Piano Teacher , I jumped at the chance.  Although I am not a piano teacher, I do enjoy playing the piano.  For me, playing the piano is a form of praise and worship.  Therefore, I was very much interested in reading about teaching methods based on Christian principles. Where does music come from?  The ability to write, play, read and sing music?  God-given talent plays a large part, but that talent must be cultivated with practice and teaching.  And what better person to teach than a Christian, someone who wants to give all the praise, honor and glory to God, and pass that passion on to their students?  That's what the new e-book,  The Matthew 6:33 Piano Teacher  by K M Logan, is about.  How do you become the teacher you are meant to be, a teacher who guides, inspires and directs students