Book Reviews:

A Love that Multiplies by Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar - very enjoyable! It was nice to see the details behind the scenes from the family's show and their belifs. I borrowed this from a friend as the library did not have a copy. I would like to try to find their first book.

Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda - love it! This is a story about an adoptive daughter and the two mothers in her life. A beautiful picture of how adoption can bring  people together and gives hope where there is very little.

Things with Remembering by Jackina Stark - a good read! Ms. Starks weaves a story of how misconceptions can damage a family and lessons in honesty.

 A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard - wow....what a hard read... This is the true story of Jaycee Dugard who was kidnapped at age eleven and was not found until age 28....18 years in captivity. This was hard to read...very sad to know a little girl had to suffer...even harder that there were people who could have stopped it or ended it early and either chose not to or lack of work ethic and neglect led to her being abused for so very long. 

 James: Mercy Triumphs by Beth Moore - this is my ladies group current Bible study book. So far, I'm enjoying it, but then again - James is an amazing book of the Bible so, of course, it has some wonderful stuff in it!
I also picked up two other books at the library that I did not finish: A Christmas Wedding by James Patterson and Richard DiLallo - within a few pages there was cussing, drug abuse, and spousal abuse. I decided that I didn't want to fill my head with these characters especially during the Lent season.  Just was not in the mood.  The other book was Beach Trip by Cathy Holton. It tells the story of four college friends meeting up after twenty years and spending a week together at a beach house.  Once again, I think I was just not in the mood for this secular book...it just didn't catch my attention after a few pages. I'm to the point that I want to read books that inspire me...not depress me.  It seemed that several characters did not live the life they wanted and were depressed.  There's enough depression in life - just watch the news! - that I'm not in the mood for it right now....maybe another time...or not....

The Best Ever

So glad Aunt Trish loves William enough to send him the best strawberry cupcakes for his birthday.

Confession: I ate two.

So. Dang. Good.

Stopping to Think

Yesterday at the end of church service a friend made a comment that sort of stopped me in my tracks and make me think - which is always a good thing.

She was to start teaching a new ladies class last night during the church's discipleship time.  I usually go to the Thursday morning time and so, have not been able to see her teach.  In past locations and churches we have been very much apart of the Sunday night experience. Traditionally, Sunday nights are "how-to's" and "why" of our faith where as Sunday mornings are more evangelistic. But in Guam we got out of the habit. The chapel there didn't have any Sunday night programs and so, we have gotten very use to Sunday nights being a time of us just hanging out together and gearing up (at least mentally!) for the new week.

Our church here only has Sunday nights classes two times a year for about six to eight weeks. Both times last year as well as this past fall, there were no classes for the teens at all and there were no classes that Drew or I were interested in attending...so we didn't.  Last night was first night for the new session of classes which included classes for the teens! I was thrilled!  It's nice to have an option for EVERYONE - of all ages! (The children's department has classes for the elementary students as well as child-care for the babies through preschoolers.)

So, as I was greeting my friend after church yesterday I told her I may sit-in on her class - if my teens wanted to go to the youth meeting. Then she said. "What!? Letting the child decide if they are to to go church or not??!! What's up with that??"

I was a little taken back....and said something along the lines of "yeah well...hm.....yeah...." Not the most articulate answer!

As my Sunday went along, I thought about what she said. Yes, part of me agrees. When the family attends church - the FAMILY - the WHOLE family attends church - which we do on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings. For those times our children do not have a choice. They are coming to church with us. They do have a choice of being in their age class or they can attend the service with the adults. But go to church, they will.

Our teens have even decided to attend summer camps and  the Monday night weekly study. Of which I am thrilled over! And so with this new Sunday night class, I felt like it was up to them.  Drew and I again were not interested in any of the adult classes, so we as a family we were not going. After talking to both of the teens, they were not really interested in attending the new class. And Drew and I were fine with that.

Instead we had some family time....we all piled up in mine and Drew's bed and watched a show together....sweet times.  We only have all three kids home for just a few more years....church will always be there, but our time together is short - it's nice to be able to enjoy it.

the facebook Effect

This morning I finished reading the facebook EFFECT by David Kirkpartick. Very good! It started off telling how the website came to be, but also in-dept portrayal of the founder, Mark Zuckerburg and a great discussion of privacy in this new age of web-openness.  Several things struck me through-out this book.

-Other than a causal mention that Zuckerburg came from a Jewish family, faith was not mentioned.  At all. Such a stark contrast to my life of where faith is apart of every decision and activity. It's the foundation of  my and Drew's life.

-I was totally amazed at the drive of Zuckerburg and his college friends.  They created this website inside their college dorm room. And they were not the only ones at the time who were interested in building a business. I don't remember anyone during my college years trying to start a business or to "change the world" (as Mark Zuckerburg said time and time again).  My college comtemporaries were more interested in partying and sports and shopping. Maybe that's just the difference in a southern college and the Ivy League.   Now, don't think these Ivy League-ers didn't party - they did - a lot!, but they worked even harder.

- Facebook is what is today - free and without any intrusive advertisements because Mark Zuckerburg demanded it. If he had sold out at any point (and he was confronted with many, many offers in the millions of dollars!), we would have a very different Facebook today.  More than likely it would have gone by the way-side as media people began to run it instead of tech people. Throughout the book it stated over and over that Zuckerburg's goal was not to make money, but to make a great product that people enjoyed. What an incredible point of view. So different than the normal money-seeking greedy people we see in business and in the media today.  One of his main points was that any advertisement would not interfere with the experience of being on facebook.  I, personally, am so glad he stood strong in this.  If I had to pay or had to sit through pop-up ads, I probably would not have a profile.

-One thing that does make me uncomfortable with Zuckerburg's view of the future is his view of privacy and openness.  He seems to want to do away with our privacy - a little bit at a time. Seemingly not to ruin out lives, but to help us share and be "transparent". I'm not so sure I want to be transparent for all to see.  In five years from now, who will control this information? And what will they do with it? Do the powers that be really need to know what tv shows or music I like?

It makes me even more cautious of what I put on facebook for all the world to see.  And whom I am friends with.  Does a person I knew briefly at a prior location really need to know everything about me? It's something that I struggle with - who to be friends with and what to share. 

But at the end of the day, I love facebook. I started with my profile with every intention to delete it within a week or so. I only signed up to see a friend's pictures from a Halloween party.  But then I saw how many of my in-laws were on...and connected with several people I went to high school with. And...I was hooked.  While we were over-seas, it was a great way to share pictures and our tropical island life with our family.

While we are closer to family now that we are back in State-side, I still use facebook to keep family up-to-date with all the kids going-ons. But also, I use it to connect with my friends.  Moving to a new place can be very lonely at times. On facebook I have connect with my Guam friends and know they, too, were struggling to find a place in their new life.  They have been a great source of comfort and encouragement.

So, even with my concerns, I will continue to be on facebook.  But I am doing some careful thinking as to what I want to share and whom to share it with.  Two friends have told me they see it as a way to minister to others....I thought "wow...what a great view!"  Will that be my view? Maybe....but above all, I want to continue connecting with those that I care about. And thankfully, due to Mark Zuckerburg, I will be able to do that free and without any instrusive ads.

Long Weekends

I love long weekends. Sleeping in has to be one of the best parts of life. But I could have done without the illness. I was sick late last week & into the weekend. William had the cold/virus over the weekend. Melissa was down for the count Monday & today.

Hopefully, all will be well tomorrow or at least well enough for school.

Ice Coffee

I have scummed to the next social media: Pinterest. It's a place to post pictures of things you like - and you can see what your friends have posted as well.  All sorts of things are available to view - books, music, movies, clothes, recipes, pictures of wonderful locations, sayings & quotes...anything really! Basically, it's another thing to in the words of my friend, Suzi, "to suck up your time".  Sad, but true.

BUT!!! I have found a few things that I not only "pinned" to my boards, but actually completed in real like.

The first thing is ice coffee - which I love - but as the original author of the recipe said, hate to pay $4.00 for a small glass at that fancy coffee place.  So, through a blog someone "pinned" the recipe on their board, I saw it and tried it out myself. Totally sold!!  The recipe is actually easy. Just soak coffee in water for twelve or more hours then drain off the coffee grounds. Now, I have to admit this draining off the coffee grounds took WAAAAYYY TOOO LONG! I will be working on a better system for that, but the end product was one that I am very happy with. Since I don't want to infrige on any copyrights, here's a link to the original blog with the recipe.

There have been a few other recipes that have caught my interest - which I will pass along as I try them out.

Subbing This Week

Sunday night the vice-principal in charge of the subs called to ask if I could work Monday, but I said no because I had an appointment at the base - which got canceled Monday morning at the very last minute.

Tuesday morning I was asked to work, but I said no because I had an appointment at the elementary school. Benjamin was having his Valentine's Day party and I wanted to attend - and promised him I would.  After all, this would be the last Valentine's Day party at school for any of my kids as Ben is in the 5th grade and there will be no more after this.

Wednesday I had nothing planned - and I did not get called.

Thursday as I was checking Melissa into school late due to an ortho appointment, I was asked if I wanted to stay and work. I declined saying I didn't feel the best and I had my Bible study. I really thought it was just a minor cold or just my allergies. But no, by mid-morning I was running 100.8 temperature.  I stayed in bed pretty much the rest of the day.

Friday I was called again to work, but declined again thinking that while I felt better, I really didn't feel well enough to deal with teenagers all day.

That's pretty much how subbing goes at times - when you can work, you don't get called. When you can't or don't want to work,  you get called.  Oh, well. This is why I sub - to work when it works outs.