Book Review - Beyond Molasses Creek

Okay folks, I am beginning my year with posts of a couple of my favorite subjects:  books and karate. I will post a cooking item soon, that should wrap up the big three in my favorites category.

My first February book review is for the book "Beyond Molasses Creek" by Nicole Seitz.  I have to say that I enjoy reviewing books for Booksneeze because it is a branch of Thomas Nelson publishing.  Most of these books have a Christian message, some subtle, some not so subtle.  This book left it out entirely.  The setup was there.  The opportunity to show a need and a trust in GOD was ready to be taken.  It was ripe, almost falling from the tree.  Yet it was ignored.

That aside, it was a very unique storyline.  Ally Green comes home because her father has died and she must take care of his, now her, house.  Vesey Washington,  Ally's across the creek neighbor and best childhood friend, appears just when she needs him.  Their friendship has withstood racial tensions, years of absence, and forbidden love.

A woman half a world away, Sunila, also ties into the story.  She is different from all those around her and she is an artist in a gravel pit.  She must find out why she is different and where the "book" came from that she cannot read, but she knows holds all the answers.

Nicole Seitz does a wonderful job weaving the three stands of the characters together.  It is not often you find a story told from three different points of view.  Two of the characters share a common background.  Two search for their past and their future.  Once character is sure of his life and his choices, while one had no choice and the last felt her choices may not have been right at all.

Each is looking for something to guide them, a reason to go on, a purpose to fulfill.  With the void in their lives, they feel aimless, yet driven to find and reach their goal.  Their stories come slowly together revealing just enough at a time to keep you turning pages, but not so much that you get lost in the overload of information.

Beyond Molasses Creek invites you to travel through time to a place where characters are shaped and choices are made.  And the work it takes to live with the consequences.

Karate Testing

We have done it.  Another karate test has passed and so did we.  Matt is a blue belt and half way to his Black Belt.  Mikey is now a black recommended belt and is two tests away from the coveted Black Belt.  I am half a step behind Mikey and will be a Black Belt in August.  My wonderful honey is a 2nd degree recommended belt.  He will test in March to be a full fledged 2nd degree Black Belt martial artist.

He was asked to to a board breaking demo with real boards at the testing on Tuesday night.  Here it is.



He did a similar break for his test on Wednesday night.  The speed break (the first one in the video) was replaced with a palm heel and the side kick (the second in the video) was done with him jumping over two kick shields standing side-by-side.  Sorry no videos of that one.  Maybe next time!

A little fun with books

My sister posted a fun video on her blog about books at night once the bookstore closed.

I found this one and thought it would be fun to share with you.



Have a great weekend everyone!  May you find time to snuggle in with a good book (or two).

Another Book Review - First Date

Here we go, another BookSneeze book for review.

Pretty soon I'm going to have to give in and read, and then review, and nonfiction book.  For now I have attacked a fiction book by Krista McGee entitled, "First Date".

This wonderful book is a cross between the TV show "The Batchelor" and the book of Ester from the Bible.  Jonathon Jackson is the President's son.  Addy Davidson is a bookworm who avoids the spotlight.  Both of them find themselves on a reality TV show called "The Book of Love" to find Jonathon a date for his senior prom.

Jonathon must pick one lucky girl from the pool of 100 young ladies from all over the United States.

This was a very fun read.  I could not put it down.  This would be a wonderful book for a young teen girl to be encouraged when trouble comes.  I enjoyed the modern day twist on the book of Ester.  It brings the lessons we are supposed to get from the Bible in to better focus.  As Christians, this book reminds us to not answer anger with anger, and to try to understand those who might be against us a little better.

While there are lessons to be learned from this book, it is not a heavy read, nor one filled with suspense or terror.  I enjoyed the well crafted storyline and the way the author mixed the contestant interviews between the chapters to allow us to get to know the girls a little better.

If you have just finished a long book that required lots of contemplation between chapters (or sentences, for that matter) and need a "refresher" book to help clear your mind and bring a little joy to your heart, this is the book for you.  I recommend this book to anyone who just wants a light read.  It will get you to thinking about yourself and how you handle those troublesome people in your life.

As you read this book, you will cheer for Addy, feel for Jonathon, and despise Hank.  Then you will finish the book and find that your initial reactions may have been off base.

I am looking forward to reading many more books by Krista McGee.  If they are anything like "First Date", I'm sure to enjoy them all!

Book Review - Sunrise on the Battery

I have found that I love reviewing books.  I may not be good at it and sometimes I even ruin the ending for some people but I love talking about books I have read, especially those I really enjoyed reading.

This year I will try to review a book a month.

I just completed "Sunrise on the Battery".  I couldn't read it fast enough.  I loved this book.  A pair of high-school sweethearts has married and busted their tails to overcome rough backgrounds and be accepted into the upper levels of Charleston, South Carolina society.

Mary Lynn is a convenient Christian.  While she attends Bible study with a friend and goes to church occasionally, she thinks about God and she should live for Him when it is convenient for her.  She and her husband have a plan to raise three well rounded daughters according to the standards of high society.

Jackson, a self-made man, puts up with his wife attending church and Bible study.  He is busy building the life he never had and is focused on giving his daughters everything.  God has never helped him so why should he be worried about God.

Then Mary Lynn prays for her husband to know God. And God answers. Big Time.

I highly recommend this book.  It is a quick read, but the story has you cheering for each character.  Your heart will be filled with understanding for Mary Lynn. You will want to encourage the daughters. You just want Jackson to understand what he is missing by trying to have it all.

After you have finished this book, if you are married, you will want to sit down and have a long talk, really listening and communicating, with your spouse.  You will take a look and different areas in your life and wonder about your own goals as a family and an individual.

I would love for Beth Webb Hart, the author of this novel, to write sequels to this book from the different perspective of each of the daughters and how the changes that happened in this book affected their lives and how their lives turned out.

I love it when a book leaves you wanting to know "the rest of the story" as Paul Harvey used to say.  Sunrise on the Battery does just that.

Christmas

Merry Christmas.  I just wanted to share this video with you.  May we all find the peace  and the joy of the season.

Dish Soap vs. Hand Soap

Okay blog world, I have a question.  It is one for which I need an answer.  Do you keep both hand soap and dish soap at the kitchen sink?  Or do you only keep dish soap there and use it for washing both your dishes and your hands?

I faced this conundrum recently.  I keep a small unmarked bottle of dish soap on the back of the sink.  Someone was visiting and wanted to wash up a few dishes for me, and asked where the dish soap was.  When I told the kind visitor where to find the dish soap.

The startled response, "Oh! I thought that was hand soap!  I've been using that to wash my hands."

I had never really given it much thought.  I don't wear gloves while washing my dishes.  This soap is what I always use to wash my hands at the kitchen sink when I am getting ready to prepare meals and such.

I have hand soap in the bathrooms.  Do I need to keep hand soap in the kitchen beside the soap that is already there?

Please tell me if I am breeching some rule of etiquette or ruining my hands by using dish soap to clean them!

Thanks friends!