Pump Up Your Book: " Kaleidoscope Summer" by Rita Garcia Book Tour/Promo

ABOUT RITA GARCIA

Dr. Rita Garcia is an inspirational novelist—her imagination was creating stories when she was still too young to put pen to paper. Romance is a big part of her novels. Hope is an even larger element of the stories. Rita and her husband reside in Southern California. They have four adorable daughters and seven fantastic grandchildren who fill their lives with love and never a dull moment.
She is a Clinical Christian Counselor, licensed by the National Christian Counselors Association, and certified as a Biblical Christian Counselor by the American Association of Christian Counselors. She has a passion for helping others achieve their most important life goals.
Please visit Rita at her blog and website:
Blog: http://www.reflectionswithdrrita.com/
Website: http://www.ritagarcia.com/

Buy the book:
http://www.amazon.com/Kaleidoscope-Summer-Samanthas-Rita-Garcia/dp/148104317X/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1355240286&sr=8-3&keywords=kaleidoscope+summer
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/kaleidoscope-summer-rita-garcia/1113853921?ean=9781481043175
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16206896-kaleidoscope-summer

Samantha Forrester has it all together. Deafness at age fifteen has not hampered her success. Life, although predictable, has hit a comfortable stride. Until.

Her world crumbles when secrets of the past are brought to light. She travels to Serenity Cove to settle her birth mother’s estate and search for her true identity. Samantha soon becomes enamored with the town. And then there’s police chief Logan Delatorre who startles her pulse, and grandparents who refuse to acknowledge her. More mystery unfolds when an attack is levied against her—someone wants her out of Serenity Cove.

Samantha’s faith is called into question when she stumbles over the need to forgive. Can Dr. Ellie Clarimonde help her connect the pieces of her past and learn the power of forgiveness?

Read my review here.

Follow the entire tour.

Pump Up Your Book Presents :"The Love of Divena"Virtual Book Publicity Tour Review

Join Kay Marshall Strom, author of the Christian historical fiction, The Love of Divena, as she tours the blogosphere October 1 – 26 2012 on her first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book!

ABOUT THE LOVE OF DIVENA

In this final book of the Blessings in India trilogy, Divena struggles against an entire culture to proclaim a faith close to her heart while rocking the world of two families.

India 1990. In the final book of the Blessings of India series, Shridula, old and stooped at fifty-nine, makes her painful way to pay homage to the elephant god Ganesh, lord of success and destroyer of evils and obstacles. “Why are we Hindus instead of Christians?” her seventeen-year-old granddaughter Divena asked.

“Because we are Indian,” said Shridula.

So begins a spiritual journey for Divena as she struggles against an entire culture to proclaim a faith close to her heart while rocking the world of two families.

The Love of Divena by Kay Marshall Strom
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I am only familiar with the nation of India due to the fact that I grew up in a church that supported a fantastic ministry in that country.  When I think of India, I only think of Calcutta, but this book does not take place there.  The history I learned in this book and the understanding I gleaned from its pages were truly the highlight of my reading this book.  I had heard of the caste system being against the law, but I had no idea that the rich still did their best to circumvent the portions of the law that did not favor them.

The story and the characters truly failed to capture my attention beyond the historical aspects.  While the author's writing style is free-flowing and fairly easy to read, I was not captivated with this book as I thought I might be.  But it is hard to judge since this is the final book of the series, and I have not read the entire series.  While this final book in the trilogy could be read on its own (like I did), I think I struggled some because I had not read the first and second in the series.

I was horrified to discover that even in 1990, lower-class people in India were treated so very badly.  I was shocked that the higher-caste people could relate to him, even though it was clear that he was uneasy.  If you're looking for a book that may help you to understand India's recent history, this is the book for you!

I was sent a coy of this book in exchange for my honest review.  I was not financially ompensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.


View all my reviews

ABOUT THE LOVE OF DIVENA 
In this final book of the Blessings in India trilogy, Divena struggles against an entire culture to proclaim a faith close to her heart while rocking the world of two families. India 1990. In the final book of the Blessings of India series, Shridula, old and stooped at fifty-nine, makes her painful way to pay homage to the elephant god Ganesh, lord of success and destroyer of evils and obstacles. “Why are we Hindus instead of Christians?” her seventeen-year-old granddaughter Divena asked. “Because we are Indian,” said Shridula. So begins a spiritual journey for Divena as she struggles against an entire culture to proclaim a faith close to her heart while rocking the world of two families.

I.O. Book Tours Presents "The Door is Open" by Andrew Court Weekly Guest Post 4

Welcome to Weekly Guest Post 4 of the book tour The Door is Open by Andrew Court.  Watch for a weekly guest post for the next several weeks on my site!  

A NEW LOOK AT ADAM & EVE: Part 2 – “The Rib”

“When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.”

Notice here that Adam’s behavior in this story is completely passive. Throughout the scene, he is silent. The Serpent and Eve have their discussion, she decides to eat the fruit, she gives some to Adam, and he eats it too. That's all it says! The story doesn’t say that Eve tempted Adam, and nothing in the narration or in his silence suggests that she did. There’s no indication he’s reluctant to eat the fruit, that his better judgment is overwhelmed by Eve's treachery, or even that he thinks about it at all. He says nothing and he takes no initiative. It’s merely a passive act of acquiescence.

Socrates will later describe the human soul as composed of three parts – the Thoughts of the Mind, the Emotions of the Heart, and the Needs and Appetites of the Body. He shows us that these parts are in a state of total chaos and disorder. To ‘perfect’ one’s soul means that each of these parts must perform its own proper task in a well-ordered harmony with the others.

In the story of Eden, which is a parable of our inner life and the need to evolve and perfect our soul, Adam represents the Mind, Eve represents the Heart, and the Serpent represents the Body. (This is typical ancient mythological symbolism: males = mind, females = heart, animals = body). In their proper alignment, the Mind should be the Active principle that governs the soul. The Body should the Passive principle which supports the efforts of the Mind. And the Heart should be the Reconciling principle that protects and nurtures the soul under the guidance of the Mind. But what happened in the Garden of Eden is that the appropriate ‘order’ became inverted. The serpent (the Body) interfered, took the active lead, and persuaded Eve (the Heart) to go along with its wishes. Adam (the Mind), silent and oblivious, passively joined in.

This was the real ‘sin’ that occurred in the Garden of Eden, and that recurs in each one of us. This is the ‘Original’ (in the sense of ‘fundamental’) sin – the sin of an inverted soul. It takes very little imagination to see that this allegory provides a complete and accurate description of our contemporary life – the pop culture, the greed, the obscenity. The Body’s appetites are completely in charge of what we do, the Heart’s emotions fawn over these cravings, and the Mind (at least in the sense of genuine Wisdom) sits back silently and lets it all continue. ‘Original Sin’ is not “something an evil woman did a long time ago”. Quite the contrary, we are all committing this sin right now. It is high time we stopped blaming ‘Eve’.

When God returns to the Garden of Eden, his instructions are really quite simple. If the soul wants to evolve, the Serpent must crawl on its belly – in other words, the Body must be Passive and focus on the Earth. Adam must “earn his bread through the sweat of his face” – in other words, the Mind (the "face") must make active efforts ("sweat") and take control. And Eve must “obey” her husband.

But this last statement should never have been twisted into a sexist command about social and marital relations. It’s an inner symbol which simply means that the Heart (in all of us) must be obedient to the intelligence of the Mind, not the cravings of the Body.

Andrew Cort is an expert on the inner message of Spiritual Awakening that is always ready to be found in the wonderful stories of the Bible and Greek Mythology. To receive several FREE GIFTS from Dr. Cort (a copy of Chapter One, ‘Making the Decision’, form his new book, THE DOOR IS OPEN; a copy of his article on RECONCILING SCIENCE AND RELIGION; and a complete version of the Bible’s erotic masterpiece, SONG OF SONGS , adapted as a Poetic Dialogue to be read out loud by lovers; as well as a subscription to his SPIRITUAL GROWTH NEWSLETER) click here http://www.andrewcort.com/Gifts . You can also learn more on his blog,Spiritualityand Religion.

Interested in buying the book? 

Amazon Paperback

Amazon Kindle

Website  http://www.spirituality-and-religion.com

Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/andrew.cort.3

Twitter  www.twitter.com/andrewcort

Goodreads  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1409094.Andrew_Cort

Be sure to check out the next stops on the tour:

10/3  My Cozie Corner  Weekly Guest Post 4
10/4 Simply Infatuated   Weekly Guest Post  4
10/4 Reading, Writing and More  Weekly Guest Post 4
10/4    Kristy Centeno  Guest Blog  410/5  Fighting Monkey Press    Weekly Guest Post 4
10/5  The Bunnies Review   Weekly Guest Post 4

To follow the entire tour,  please click here.

Disclaimer:  I don't usually post a disclaimer on a guest post, but I am today.  Guest posts such as this do not necessarily reflect the beliefs of the owner of this blog.  This is guest post is for the sole purpose of promoting this book and creating a dialogue about various "religious" things.

I.O. Book Tours Presents "The Door is Open" by Andrew Court Weekly Guest Post 2

Welcome to Weekly Guest Post 2 of the book tour The Door is Open by Andrew Court.  Watch for a weekly guest post for the next few weeks on my site!  

THE GOD OF WINE

Since bread and wine are traditionally bound together as symbols of life-giving nourishment from the gods, it is not surprising that in ancient Greece Demeter, the goddess of the grain, was often worshipped together with Bacchus, the god of wine. Bacchus was the child of Zeus and a human mother. He is best known to us as the personification of wine and ecstasy. The worship of Bacchus was characterized by wild dancing, music, and madcap abandon.

Like other gods of vegetation Bacchus was believed to have died a violent death, but to have been brought back to life again. Zeus’ wife, the goddess Hera, hated this child born of a human mother and plotted his destruction. Knowing how she felt, Zeus entrusted young Bacchus to the care of guards that he thought he could trust. Hera, however, bribed the guards, and by amusing the boy with a mirror – which he stared into, becoming fascinated with his image – she lured him underground into a trap. The Titans, whom Zeus had imprisoned in the earth, were now co-conspirators with Hera, and they ambushed the boy, tore him to pieces, boiled his flesh, and ate it. But Athena, the goddess of Wisdom, who had shared in Hera’s treachery, now repented and saved the boy’s Heart. She brought it to Zeus, and confessed the whole sordid story. Enraged, Zeus blasted the Titans with a mighty thunderbolt, reducing them to ashes. He was then able to nurture the heart of Bacchus, and from the heart the boy was reborn.

Out of the ashes of the Titans, Zeus had Prometheus craft the Human Race. A composite creature, our lower nature is made of the remains of the Titans themselves (stardust), who had become wicked and distorted because of their long and bitter involvement in the depths of the material world to which Zeus had banished them. Our higher nature, however, comes from the burned remains of the god Bacchus, pieces of whom the Titans had devoured. It is for this reason that the Mysteries taught that suicide is a horrific crime, since every human being contains a portion of the god, and thus our body is his property and his temple and must always be treated reverentially.

Bacchus, a combination of Heaven (his father Zeus) and Earth (his human mother), was thus "of both worlds” – and he is thus a symbol of the Soul, which is also "of both worlds" (and so is Wine, which can produce either lunacy or ecstasy). Bacchus became spellbound by his image in the mirror, hypnotized by the illusory reflection of reality, and thus he was ensnared by the Titans who cut him up into fragments and scattered the pieces amongst themselves (which means, symbolically, that they scattered them everywhere).

In just this way the human soul is mesmerized and ensnared by the fascinating world of matter, and is fragmented and devoured by life, toward which it disperses its scattered attention (hence the need to practice meditation and learn to focus our attention). But all is not lost! When Zeus saw that the Titans, in a degraded caricature of their original generative purpose, were now scattering pieces of the divine idea throughout the lower world, he immediately destroyed them so that the divine idea would not be completely lost. From the ashes (dust) he created human beings, whose purpose is to preserve and nurture the Soul, their little piece of Bacchus, and eventually release it from the lower world of Matter back into the Heavens.

Andrew Cort is an expert on the inner message of Spiritual Awakening that is always ready to be found in the wonderful stories of the Bible and Greek Mythology. To receive several FREE GIFTS from Dr. Cort (a copy of Chapter One, ‘Making the Decision’, form his new book, THE DOOR IS OPEN; a copy of his article on RECONCILING SCIENCE AND RELIGION; and a complete version of the Bible’s erotic masterpiece, SONG OF SONGS , adapted as a Poetic Dialogue to be read out loud by lovers; as well as a subscription to his SPIRITUAL GROWTH NEWSLETER) click here http://www.andrewcort.com/Gifts . You can also learn more on his blog, Spiritualityand Religion.

 Website  http://www.spirituality-and-religion.com

Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/andrew.cort.3

Twitter  www.twitter.com/andrewcort

Goodreads  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1409094.Andrew_Cort

Pick up your own copy here.

Be sure to check out even more the tour:

9/19  My Cozie Corner  Weekly Guest Post 2
9/20 Simply Infatuated    Weekly Guest Post 2
9/20 Reading, Writing and More  Weekly Guest Post 2
 9/21 The Bunnies Review   Weekly Guest Post 29/24  A Night's Dream of Books  Weekly Guest Post 3
9/24   My World  Weekly Guest Post  3

To follow the entire tour, click here.

I.O. Book Tours Presents "The Door is Open" by Andrew Court Weekly Guest Post 1

Welcome to Weekly Guest Post 1 of the book tour The Door is Open by Andrew Court.  Watch for a weekly guest post for the next two months on my site!  

WHERE EXACTLY IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN?

Perhaps the most famous of all of Christ’s quotations, as well as one of the most disregarded, is found in Luke:

Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ For, in fact, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke.17.20-21)

We, however, are held in thrall by the things of this world, our attention dispersed into the world around us, and we look for heaven and God precisely where Christ tells us not to look, turning spirituality into the superficial and formalistic worship of external objects and historical events.

As our focus becomes more and more external, the lower rational mind gains strength and becomes more and more affronted by the irrationality of spiritual and religious claims. This is when the champions of atheism become increasingly vocal and adamant – not without cause!

Jesus was aware of this problem. So he presented his Teachings about the kingdom of heaven through parables in which he paints a picture of the kingdom by using images and symbols that bypass the rational mind and sink directly into higher levels of consciousness.

Here is one example:

The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the heavens come and make nests in its branches. (Matt.13.31-32)

Here, the kingdom is likened to a tiny seed. It is the ‘smallest of all seeds’ because at our usual level of consciousness we give it the least importance! But if the man takes it, and plants it within (‘in his field’), it grows into a huge and magnificent tree – the symbol of enlightenment, thrusting upward through the levels of Being, from roots in the earth to branches in heaven. The ‘birds of heaven’ that nest in its branches are the angels.

Andrew Cort is an expert on the inner message of Spiritual Awakening that is always ready to be found in the wonderful stories of the Bible and Greek Mythology. To receive several FREE GIFTS from Dr. Cort (a copy of Chapter One, ‘Making the Decision’, form his new book, THE DOOR IS OPEN; a copy of his article on RECONCILING SCIENCE AND RELIGION; and a complete version of the Bible’s erotic masterpiece, SONG OF SONGS , adapted as a Poetic Dialogue to be read out loud by lovers; as well as a subscription to his SPIRITUAL GROWTH NEWSLETER) click here http://www.andrewcort.com/Gifts . You can also learn more on his blog, Spirituality and Religion.

Website  http://www.spirituality-and-religion.com

Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/andrew.cort.3

Twitter  www.twitter.com/andrewcort

Goodreads  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1409094.Andrew_Cort

Be sure to check out more from the tour:

9/12  My Cozie Corner  Weekly Guest Post 1
9/13 Simply Infatuated   Weekly Guest Post  1
9/13 Reading, Writing and More   Weekly Guest Post 1
9/14    Crystal's Book Corner  Spot light, First Chapter,
Guest Blog 1, and Giveaway
 9/14 The Bunnies Review   Weekly Guest Post 1
9/14 Fighting Monkey Press  Review9/17  A Night's Dream of Books  Weekly Guest Post 2
9/17  My World  Weekly Guest Post  2
9/18   Nette's Bookshelf Reviews  Guest Pos t2  and Giveaway  

To follow the entire tour,  please click here.

Blog Tour: A Glimpse of Heaven by JoAnna Oblander Book Review

A Glimpse of Heaven is JoAnna Oblander’s first book. Within the pages of A Glimpse of Heaven, JoAnna Oblander shares true life experiences that dramatically demonstrate God’s perfect love for each of his children, his unending desire to be a daily part of our lives, and his plan for us.

Be reminded of the purpose of life and the fact that each of us, as God’s children, has been sent to earth to accomplish a mission uniquely our own. As you read this book, you’ll understand God in ways never before comprehended—your significant worth to your Creator and his significant worth to you. Appreciate your loved ones and your Heavenly Father like never before in this comforting and inspiring experience.

A Glimpse of Heaven: One Woman's Life-Altering Visit with God by JoAnna Lynn Oblander
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I will admit that I planned on giving this a rating of a 3 and then a 4.  But the author won me over, and I can whole-heartedly give this book a rating of a five with only a few objections.  I will mention those later.  This is a fantastic true story from the author's own life that will inspire you.

I did not care for the first couple chapters.  Why?  Well, the author is a Mormon, and I have some very different views on heaven and angels and the afterlife.  I was concerned that this was going to be the whole thrust of the book.

I am so glad I did not give up during those first couple chapters.  As I continued to read, the author's faith absolutely humbled me.  There is no way to explain the events of her life except for the work of God.  The way she clung to her faith when everything was against her inspired me.  I actually wondered if I would ever be able to demonstrate such faith as her.

As I continued to read, I found the author saying things that really spoke to me.  I don't want to take away from anything she said, but it was good to hear someone say that we must not neglect taking care ourselves, and we must rely solely on God to accomplish our purpose in this life.

I want to thank the author for writing such a heartfelt book.  I highly recommend this book to everyone.  It honestly makes not difference if you do not agree with the author's faith--I believe everyone can glean something from this lady's writing.

I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.  I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.


View all my reviews

 JoAnna Oblander is happily married to her husband of over thirty years, Dr. Greg Oblander. She is the mother of six children, two of whom were adopted from Russia. Though her two most important jobs have been wife and mother, she has also been involved in a variety of businesses, church leadership responsibilities, and youth organizations, and she has been the lead organizer of a large biennial women’s event. As a benefactor of many varied life and spiritual experiences, she has gained a strong conviction of the importance of knowing God and His true character. The knowledge and insights she has gained as a result of her experiences have taught her of the importance of gratefully recognizing, acknowledging, and developing our God-given capacities. Those experiences have instilled in her a strong desire to create an eternally meaningful life guided by God and has led her to seek a life that is in harmony emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Her greatest joys are being with her husband, children, and grandchildren and bringing health to others as she works with her husband in his chiropractic office.

You can find more about Joanna at glimpseofheavenbook.com.

To follow the entire tour, check this link.

Things I Need to Stop Doing to Myself (Post Inspiration From Another Blog)

As I was stumbling around this afternoon (I needed a break!), I happened upon a post that I felt that I needed to write about.  I don't usually do this, but I was inspired by this post.  And it is clear from the amount of comments (353!) this post has received, I am not the only one who was inspired.

The name of the blog post is "30 Things to Stop Doing to Yourself," and I plan to comment on the ones that pertain to me.

1.  Stop spending time with the wrong people.  I actually don't associate with many people, but there are those who do bring me down.  My former best friend (Martin) has brought me down quite a bit, to be perfectly honest.  I find that I don't associate with him nearly as much as I used to because as the blog says, life is too short to associate with people who zap the happiness from you!

2.  Stop running from your problems.  This is something I do not do. I'm not saying I am perfect, but I believe, as Maria says on The Sound of Music, "You can't use school {or anything}to run from your problems.  You have to face them!"  Problems don't tend to go away on their own.

3.  Stop lying to yourself.  What I have a tendency to do is run myself down when I get upset or things don't go right.  I tend to tell myself a bunch of lies about who and what I am.  And sadly, if I keep it up, I tend to believe it.  This is a good reminder because I still occasionally do this.  But I am better than I used to be.

4.  Stop putting your own needs on the back burner.  I believe this is very important.  As mothers, we tend to put our children's needs first.  I know I am always wanting to put my daughter before me.  While there are times it is appropriate to do this, if we don't give ourselves the permission to fulfill some our own needs, we may lose ourselves.  It took me a long time to discover who I was, and when I put away my own needs, I feel like I am giving up my own self.  This is a good reminder!

5.  Stop trying to be someone you're not.  Yep, I have tried to do this before, and it nearly destroyed me.  There is almost nothing worse for me than putting on a persona that is not me.  Acting is fine, but when you can't be who you really are with those you care about (and even those you don't), this will really make you feel like you are betraying yourself.  And it is hard to live with a traitor--especially when that person shares your body!

6.  Stop trying to hold onto the past.  This is what my dad is really good at!  He lives in the past and can't stand facing the reality of the present.  Maybe there were good things in the past, but don't let the past keep you from enjoying the present!

7.  Stop being scared to make a mistake.  Yep, this is one I have struggled with all my life.  I have come a long ways in this department.  I used to think that making a mistake was the end of the world.  I used to beat myself up over and over again.  While I still struggle with it, with God's help, I don't do this nearly as much as I used to.

8.  Stop berating yourself for old mistakes.  This was something God taught me during my divorce. I remember going down all the wrong roads.  I shouldn't have gotten married.  I shouldn't have let this happen. I shouldn't have met Martin.  And on, and on, and on.  God taught me that indeed all things do work together for good. Maybe I won't understand this while I am on this earth, but I can trust God.

9.  Stop trying to buy happiness.  I used to be an emotional spender.  When things didn't go right, I went online and made a purchase.  I am still paying off my debts in this area.  But it is true--happiness cannot be bought.  It can deter you for a time and postpone the sadness, but in the end, you won't be any happier.

10. Stop exclusively looking to other for happiness.  It is up to me to be happy.  No one has the responsibility to make me happy.  I am pretty good about this because I had to entertain myself as I grew up.

11.  Stop being idle. I have learned about risk.  I must take the risk.  Yes, I believe on waiting for God's will, but God can't do anything if I stay put and do nothing.

12. Stop thinking you're not ready.  I have been there indeed.  I find myself being placed in situations (even in blogging) where I do not feel comfortable.  And I decide to go ahead and give it a try.  The worst thing that could happen is that I make a mistake.  And I can then try again.  I am willing to get in and try anything.  But I wasn't always that way.

13. Stop getting involved in relationships for the wrong reasons.  Been there, done that, wore that t-shirt.  When I got a divorce and was subsequently rejected by my best friend (long story), I was on the rebound.  And I got involved with something I never should have.  I actually got engaged.  So I learned this one the hard way.

14. Stop rejecting relationships just because the old ones didn't work out.  I agree, but I am not ready for this one.  I am honestly done with men.  Maybe that will change in time, but right now I don't want to be involved.  I am not against having friends, but I need some time away from men!

15. Stop trying to compete against everyone.  I did this when I was growing up, and my daughter is following in my footsteps.  I do not have to be the best, and I can recognize others who are better than I!  I have learned that in exercise, beating my own records are the best things I can do.  I prefer competing with myself!

16. Stop being jealous of others.  I learned this lesson in college.  There was a girl who had won a competition in which I had done well but not won.  Wouldn't you know it that she ended up at the same college as me.  I was so jealous, and I prayed for her and for God to change me.  As time went on, she was the one who dropped out of college.  Before she did, she and I had a good talk where she said she wished she were more like me.  Imagine!  I always wondered what happened to her.

17. Stop complaining and feeling sorry for yourself.  My father is a master at this.  I do my best not to complain.  I am a positive person, and I believe that looking at the good is always better than focusing on the bad.

18. Stop holding grudges.  My dad and my friend in England are champions at this.  This has never been my problem--honestly.  Life is too short for grudges.

19. Stop letting others bring you down to their level.  Easier said than done.  Usually no problem, but once in a while...

20. Stop wasting time explaining yourself to others.  I do not owe anyone an explanation for why I do what I do. It is my business, not theirs.  As long as I am not harming myself or others, people need to accept me as I am.  If they can't, they are not worth my time.

21. Stop doing the same things over and over without taking a break.  That is why I am doing this.  I needed a break from blogging and entering giveaways.  Nice break.  I am good about taking breaks.

22. Stop overlooking the beauty of small moments.  My daughter reminds me to look for rainbows.  And living in the country does remind me of what is really important in life.

23.  Stop trying to make things perfect.  It will never happen anyway.  Why waste your time?  Take it from a recovering perfectionist!

24. Stop following the path of least resistance.  I agree.  I believe that taking the road less traveled is a wise decision.  Don't settle for mediocre.  Reach for the stars!

25. Stop acting like everything is fine if it isn't.  Okay, that does not mean you have to share your deepest, darkest secrets with every passing stranger.  But it is okay to be real with how you feel.  Don't stuff it.  Deal with the emotions.  And that is something I do well.  I don't hide my feelings well.  It is a positive and negative thing.

26. Stop blaming others for your problems.  This is the way our society is.  People do not like to take responsibility for their actions.  It bugs me to no end.  This has not ever been a struggle of mine.

27. Stop trying to be everything to everyone.  You can't do it anyway.  So stop trying.  You'll only kill yourself!  This is not a problem for me either.

28. Stop worrying so much.  Guilty as charged.  I am a natural-born worrier.  I am trying to do better in this area by trusting God.  He tells us to cast our cares on Him because He cares for us.  I have not arrived, but I do try.  I used to live from one worry to the next.  At least worries do not consume me as they once did.

29. Stop focusing on what you don't want to happen.  That is my daughter to a tee.  I thought I tended to run on ahead.  She is to the extreme.  I can't tell you how many times she asks me what if this happens or that.  And in so doing, she overlooks the good things happening today.  Live in the present.  It is a lesson I am still learning.

30. Stop being ungrateful.  Gratitude is a natural part of my life.  I am sure I have been ungrateful, but mostly I do well in this area.

According to the bottom of the post, they also have the counterpart to this post--30 Things to Start Doing For Yourself.  I will have to look at that some time.  If you would like to read the original post, check it out here.

The Priest and the Peaches by Larry Peterson Book Review and Virtual Blog Tour

Welcome to the Tribute Books Virtual Blog Tour of The Priest and the Peaches by Larry Peterson!

Summary from goodreads:  Take a seven day journey with the five, newly orphaned Peach kids, as they begin their struggle to remain a family while planning their dad's funeral. 


They find an ally in the local parish priest, Father Tim Sullivan, who tries his best to guide them through the strange, unchartered and turbulent waters of "grown-up world." A story that is sad, funny, and inspiring as it shows how the power of family love and faith can overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

The Priest and the Peaches by Larry Peterson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved this book! I am not generally a fan of YA books (unless we are speaking of the Hunger Games), but this one is unbelievable, and the theme of the story is quite uplifting.


When I began this book, I was honestly hooked before too long. The whole idea behind a story of an orphaned family of five children seems simple and possibly not that exciting. However, the story is so well-written, engaging, and humorous that I found myself not wanting to put the book down.


Some people might find the death and funeral humor rather disturbing and inappropriate, but I am afraid I must take issue with that. If you can place yourself in the position of these poor kids who have already lost a mother and just lost a father, I think you can appreciate the humor. When circumstances are so tragic, I think having a good sense of humor is a must in order to keep one's sanity. I loved the story of Pop's leg amongst the other tales.


This book had another unusual effect on me. I am not a Catholic, and of course, this book comes at things from that perspective.  I found that the genuine truth shared within the pages of this book reminded me that God will work everything out.  He is a miracle-working God.  And even what seems horrible and catastrophic can and will be used for His will.  It was also a great reminder that living what you say you believe is key.  As a side note, I enjoyed the book's description of why Catholics pray to saints-quite interesting.


Bad points?  Well, there was no sex (in fact, abstinence was preferred).  The bad language was very minor and even laughable at times,  I do not think most readers would find anything offensive in this book.  I wuld recommend it to just about anyone who enjoys family stories.  A definite 5-star rating.


I was provided with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.  I was not financially compensated in any way, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.

View all my reviews

About the Author

Larry Peterson was born and raised in the Bronx, New York. A former Metal Lather/Reinforcing Iron-worker, he left that business after coming down with MS. He, his wife and three kids moved to Florida 30 years ago. Larry began doing freelance newspaper commentary after graduating from Tampa College in 1984.

His first children's picture book, Slippery Willie's Stupid, Ugly Shoes was published in 2011. In 2012, his full length novel, The Priest and the Peaches was released and he is presently working on the sequel.

He also has a blog (http://www.slipperywillie.com) where he posts weekly commentary. He lives in Pinellas Park, Florida and his kids and six grandchildren all live within three miles of each other.

Ready to buy your own copy?

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Follow the rest  of the tour here.

Thoughtful Thursday---God's Story, Your Story by Max Lucado Review

God's Story Your Story by Max Lucado, Excerpt


God's Story, Your Story: When His Becomes Yours by Max Lucado
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was completely engrossed in this book from start to finish.  This is Max Lucado's best book to date.  I appreciated each and every story that was shared in the book, and I found myself near tears many times.


I think the thing that struck me the most is that the emphasis of the book is that God is there in every single circumstance, and He is guiding you through the hard times.  All of us go through struggles.  Some of us live a life fraught with struggles. Does that mean that God is not in control?  Absolutely not!


There was a time I did not like Max Lucado.  I used to feel that he did not dig deeply into the wisdom of the Scriptures.  I am happy to report that is not longer the case!  In recent years, Lucado has delved so deeply into the Word of God, and he always brings encouragement even in the midst of utter chaos.  Everything happens for a reason, and everyone is here for a purpose.


This is an easy read written in Lucado's fantastically readable style.  You will find true encouragement as you surrender your will to the Lord of the universe!


This book was provided to me free of charge in exchange for my honest review.  I was not financially compensated in any way, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.


View all my reviews

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