Scripture and a Snapshot - Recuperate

Praise the LORD, my soul;

all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

Praise the LORD, my soul,

and forget not all his benefits -

who forgives all your sins

and heals all your diseases,

who redeems your life from the pit

and crowns you with love and compassion,

who satisfies your desires with good things

so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

The LORD is compassionate and gracious,

slow to anger, abounding in love.

He will not always accuse,

not will he harbor his anger forever;

he does not treat us as our sins deserve

or repay us according to our iniquities.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

so great is his love for those who fear him;

as far as the east is from the west,

so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

~Psalm 103:1-5, 8-12~

What love, patience, and grace! Not only does God forgive us and redeem us, but he heals us and gives us strength. Our sin is a disease and damages us in so many ways. Sin has damaged mankind and all of creation, and because we live in a fallen world, some of those effects won't be erased until we reach heaven. But God has had a plan to save us right from the beginning. He has been working to bring us back into right relationship with him and with each other. He saves us and gives us the Holy Spirit, and so we can recover from the sickness and weariness of sin, we can regain our health and strength, we can recover from our losses, and we can be restored to God.

recuperate - verb (used without object)  -  to recover from sickness or exhaustion; regain health or strength; to recover from financial loss.

verb (used with object) - to restore to health, vigor, etc.

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I also link up at Sunday Scripture Blessings, hosted by Peabea's Photos 'n Scribbles; and at Selah, hosted by A Spirit of Simplicity.

This post is also part of the Write 28 Days Blogging Challenge hosted by Anita Ojeda. Find all my posts for the challenge here: Write 28 Days Blogging Challenge - Disappointed

©2008-2021 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

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Share Four Somethings - February 2021

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee. 

A warm welcome to my thoughts about Something Loved, Something Read, Something Treasured and Something Ahead for this month! It's certainly warmer now at the end of the month than it was a couple of weeks ago, but I'm looking forward to even warmer days ahead.

Something Loved

My birthday is in December, and I've been spending my birthday money this month! As usual, I treat myself to books and coffee. And a coffee cup - a travel mug featuring the little alien beings from Strange Planet by Nathan W. Pyle. So many cute things at Threadless if you are also a fan!

Also loved this month - kindness rocks. I've been an occasional participant in painting and hiding rocks, but it's been a really long time since I found one. One extremely cold morning, I found this rock on the windowsill as I arrived at work. I only wish I knew where it traveled and who found it when I rehid it. And I could say that about most of the rocks I've painted and hidden. 

Something Read

I completed two books during the month, but have a couple more that I'll be finished soon! You can see more about my reading in my Monthly Bookshelf Review for February 2021.

Messiah: Biblical Retellings by C.A. Gray

The Lady in Residence by Allison Pittman

 

Something Treasured

I've been especially frustrated over the past couple months when my house seems chaotic and overstuffed with . . . well, stuff. There are six people living here, and two of those people are acquiring stuff in order to set up their own household very soon, so there is a lot of stuff. Every now and again I'm able to purge some stuff of mine that it's time to part with, but finding time to really sort things and be tough about getting rid of the unnecessary things is a challenge. I have some ideas in mind for the rooms that I'll get "back" once the kids move out, so part of me is anxious to get started on that redecorating project and have more control over the space in my house. A couple days ago I was upset at my dining room and front hall being cluttered by stuff that wasn't all mine and I wondered to myself, "When will my house ever be tidy and organized?" Then I realized that if my house is ever tidy and organized, it will probably happen after all my kids have moved out. Yeah, mixed feelings there. I love having all my people here - just don't love having all the stuff. 

All that to say, I am trying to remember to treasure the time I have with most of my people under my roof, and not be unduly impatient. And related to that - oh how I treasure the warm and loving family and in-law relationships we have. I loved my mother-in-law dearly, and miss her very much. My parents have always had a wonderful relationship with my husband. I love my daughter-in-law and my (soon to be) daughter-in-law so much and it's been a delight to have my son's fiancee living with us and become such a natural part of our family. 

Something Ahead

Still full steam ahead on wedding plans! The bridal shower was lovely, and we are now about six weeks away from the wedding day! I need a dress! I'm sure there are wedding details that need to be finalized. The biggest practical concern right now is whether the newlyweds will be able to line up a house or apartment to move into right away. They had hoped to buy, but it's a seller's market right now which means they are priced out, and nice properties to rent at an affordable price are not that easy to find around here anyway. So things are up in the air, but I know that everything will work out because God will provide.

This post will be linked at Share Four Somethings hosted by HeatherGerwing.com

©2008-2021 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

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Monthly Bookshelf Review - February 2021

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee.

Despite the snow days, time has seemed short during this short month, and here we are during the last week already! Keeping up with reading has been a challenge, and I wish I'd made time to read more. I still haven't posted anything about my 2021 Reading Challenge decisions either, and I really need to get to that. On the plus side, the books I have been working on are so, so good!

February's Books Completed and Reviewed

Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare - My Literature class wrapped this up in January, but I didn't write a review until later on. You can now find that review HERE. 

 

A Pretty Deceit by Anna Lee Huber - Verity and Sidney are hunting for evidence sufficient to stop the suspected traitor Lord Ardmore when thefts and a murder at the estate of Verity's aunt also claim their attention.  (Read my full review HERE)

 

Messiah: Biblical Retellings by C.A. Gray - A collection of short stories retelling the miracles of Jesus from the viewpoints of those who were present. Very well written and researched, with new perspectives but faithful to Scripture. (Read my full review HERE)

The Lady in Residence by Allison Pittman  - A fifth-generation illusionist meets the descendant of the detective that first investigated a notorious lady from the past. The two modern-day investigators work together to understand whether Hedda Krause had really been visited by a ghost or was just a con artist. (Read my full review HERE)

During February I started reading:

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen - I'm re-reading this favorite classic as my Literature class studies it, and it's also my Online Book Club read for February. I don't plan on finishing it this week, as our class has had a couple of snow days to reschedule around.

 

Les Miserables by Victor Hugo - This is the current read in another online book club, and I've barely started so I think this will need to be shelved for another time.

The Purple Nightgown by A.D. Lawrence - Heiress Stella Burke checks into a spa looking for relief from her migraines through fasting. Her friend and chauffeur suspects something isn't right about the clinic but will he be able to reach Stella before it's too late?

During February I continued reading:

Hygge: A Celebration of Simple Pleasures. Living the Danish Way by Charlotte Abrahams, and How to Hygge: The Nordic Secrets to a Happy Life by Signe Johansen - still skimming through and hitting the highlights of picks from the January Online Book Club.

  

 During February I shelved:

Timeless Treasure by MaryLu Tyndall - With everything else I've been trying to read and do, I decided this one would have to wait for a bit.

Coming Up in March!

Making Winter: A Hygge-Inspired Guide to Surviving the Winter Months by Emma Mitchell 

The Hygge Life by Gunnar Karl Gislason and Jody Eddy

On my blogs recently . . . 

Besides the reviews, here on Just A Second you'll find:

Scripture and a Snapshot posts

Write 28 Days - Argument

Wordless Wednesday - The Awe of Golden Hour

What I'm Reading - February 8, 2021

Wordless Wednesday - Circle of Life

Share Four Somethings - January 2021

And on my homeschool blog, Homeschool Coffee Break:

Five Minute Friday posts

Write 28 Days - Serendipity

Developing Study Habits

Write 28 Days - Creativity

Illuminating Literature: Characters in Crisis (Write 28 Days - Predicament)

Exasperated - Homeschooling the Subjects that Frustrate You and Your Student

Online Book Club - February Theme: Love

Write 28 Days Blogging Challenge - Disappointed

Online Book Club - Wrapping Up January: Winter

Coffee Break Reading List (January 26, 2021)

This post will be linked at the February 2021 Wrap-Up Roundup and Giveaway hosted by Feed Your Fiction Addiction; (and at the weekly reading list meme hosted at Book Date.)

 

©2008-2021 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. 

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Scripture and a Snapshot - Peaceable

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. "Make level paths for your feet," so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

~Hebrews 12:11-15~

Having to clear snow and ice off our driveways and cars isn't always pleasant. But getting it done, and knowing we've prepared as best we can for the winter weather helps us face the day confidently. We're as ready as we can be, and the porch and walkway are clear and level so we can (hopefully) walk out to the car and to the mailbox safely. My own knees are weak so a clear path through the snow is much appreciated! 

A snow-covered landscape is a scene that brings peace to mind, but so is a clear road after the plows have come by. The discipline of clearing the hazards from our spiritual path trains us for righteousness and peace, and helps us live peaceably with others. May the clear paths through the snow remind us of the discipline of holiness and peace.

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I also link up at Sunday Scripture Blessings, hosted by Peabea's Photos 'n Scribbles; and at Selah, hosted by A Spirit of Simplicity.

This post is part of the Write 28 Days Blogging Challenge hosted by Anita Ojeda. Find all my posts for the challenge here: Write 28 Days Blogging Challenge - Disappointed

©2008-2021 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Recent Reads - The Lady in Residence

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The Lady in Residence by Allison Pittman - Dini Blackstone is a fifth-generation illusionist who also gives ghost walk tours in San Antonio. She's especially fascinated by the story of widow Hedda Krause, who lived in the historic Menger Hotel from 1915 on. As Dini ends one of her ghost tours with this story, a young man on the tour asks to meet with her because he is a descendant of the detective that first investigated Hedda and has some memorabilia of the case that his great-great-grandfather had saved. Dini loans Quin Hedda's memoir and the two develop a friendship and relationship as they re-examine Hedda's story.

In alternating chapters, in excerpts from Hedda's memoir, we read her story. As a young widow, she checked into the Menger Hotel with only her trunk full of clothes, a few pieces of jewelry, and a small supply of cash. As her stay lengthens, she finds the bartender to be her only friend, and the only one that she trusts. After she questions some strange occurrences, she finds out the story of a chambermaid, Sallie White, who died violently and was said to haunt the hotel. Sure enough, Hedda experiences increasingly frightening interactions with Sallie's ghost, until the fateful night she tries to confront the ghost. Hedda sees the apparition and in her terror runs screaming down to the bar. When she returns to her room, it has been ransacked and her jewels are gone. Now destitute, she comes under suspicion as Detective Carmichael investigates the theft. Carmichael relentlessly pursues the truth about Hedda, even as the two of them enter into a romantic relationship.

One hundred years later, can Dini and Quin piece together the truth from Hedda's book and Carmichael's notes? And what can they learn from the experiences of their ancestors? 

I loved the characters Dini and Quin right from the start, and was drawn into Hedda's mysterious story as if reading it along with Quin. Although Hedda tells her own tale, she is a delightfully unreliable narrator. Is she a con artist or a victim? Either way, she is a fascinating character, multi-layered and empathetic, and discovering the possible reasons behind her actions is a detective story in itself. Investigating it along with Quin and Dini made for a great page-turner!

The Doors to the Past series seeks to connect present day characters with historical landmarks, and I wondered whether the Hedda Krause character was drawn from history. She wasn't, but the story of the ghost of Sallie White is one attached to the Menger Hotel.

One other note - although this is a faith-based story and a Christian publisher, this story is not in the least bit preachy, and the faith aspect is very much in the background. There are references to Quin and Dini being believers, mostly mentions that Quin considers it important to attend church, and that because of his belief in the Bible, he does not believe in ghosts. 

From the publisher:

In 1915, young widow Hedda Krause checks into the Menger Hotel with a trunk full of dresses, a case full of jewels, and enough cash to pay for a two-month stay, which she hopes will be long enough to find a new rich husband. Her plans are derailed when a ghostly apparition lures her into a long, dark hallway, and Hedda returns to her room to find her precious jewelry has been stolen.

In 2017, Dini Blackstone gives ghost walk tours in San Antonio. Her favorite is the tale of Hedda Krause who, in Dini's estimation, perpetrated the world's longest con, dying old and wealthy. But then Dini meets Quin Carmichael, great-great-grandson of the detective who originally investigated Hedda's case, who's come to the Alamo city with a box full of clues that might lead to Hedda's exoneration. Can Dini See another side of the story that is worthy of God's grace?

Find out more about this series at Doors to the Past

Visit Barbour Publishing for more info on where to buy.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. 

©2008-2021 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Scripture and a Snapshot - Awestruck

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

~I Peter 1:3-9~

We have the promise of heaven to give us hope and help us persevere when we face trials and tough times. The little glimpses of heaven that we see reassure us. Though we don't yet know what our Savior looks like, the glimpses of his love and glory are beautiful beyond description. Though we're still looking forward to our home in heaven and seeing Jesus face to face, we are awestruck by his love for us.

Let's always be awestruck by what God has done for us, and by his love for us. 

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Thank you for joining Scripture & A Snapshot. Leave a link to your own post sharing a Scripture and a Snapshot. Take time to visit some of the other links and bless each other with comments.

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I also link up at Sunday Scripture Blessings, hosted by Peabea's Photos 'n Scribbles; and at Selah, hosted by A Spirit of Simplicity.

This post is part of the Write 28 Days Blogging Challenge hosted by Anita Ojeda. Find all my posts for the challenge here: Write 28 Days Blogging Challenge - Disappointed

©2008-2021 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Write 28 Days - Argument

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How quick we are to defend ourselves, to argue our side when we're accused. My first reaction is to tell my side of the story, to argue that what I said or did was reasonable or right. Even if I was in the wrong, I want to argue that I hadn't intended harm.

Maybe I have a good case, maybe not. Maybe I have a right to defend myself and make a fair argument. However, as I thought about this prompt for Write 28 Days, the words to an old hymn came to mind:

My faith has found a resting place,

Not in device nor creed;

I trust the Ever-living One,

His wounds for me shall plead.

I need no other argument,

I need no other plea,

It is enough that Jesus died,

And that he died for me.

This first verse and the refrain reminds me that I have no argument for my salvation, at least none I can make for myself. None. Zero. I have no defense. The only possible argument I can make is that Jesus died for me. Praise God - that is the only argument I need. 

*****

This poem was composed by Elizabeth Edmunds Hewitt, who used the pen name Lidie H. Edmunds. She was a public school teacher who was forced to retire from teaching after a student struck her with a slate and suffered a spinal injury. Although an invalid after this incident, she continued to teach children in Sunday School and was a superintendent at the Northern Home for Friendless Children. The tune was a Norwegian folk melody. (from Hymns With a Message)

 This post is part of the Write 28 Days Blogging Challenge hosted by Anita Ojeda. Find all my posts for the challenge here: Write 28 Days Blogging Challenge - Disappointed

©2008-2021 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Wordless Wednesday - The Awe of Golden Hour

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I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all. ~Laura Ingalls Wilder

Simple things like a sunset, frosted trees, spring blossoms, and the stars on a clear night. These are just a few of the everyday things that cause me to catch my breath at their beauty. A couple days ago my husband and I went for a walk, getting in a bit of fresh air and exercise before the expected snow started. Although my attempt to capture it in a quick cellphone photo doesn't do it justice, the so-called golden hour view down our country road as the sun dipped lower in the sky was absolutely lovely. A moment of awe. And a moment of gratitude for a God that combines such beauty and simplicity, and then invites me to enjoy it with him.

This is meant to be a "wordless" post, so I've tried to keep my words to a minimum. I added a few because this post is part of the Write 28 Days Blogging Challenge hosted by Anita Ojeda. Find all my posts for the challenge here: Write 28 Days Blogging Challenge - Disappointed

This post will be linked at Pictorial Tuesday, hosted by Peabea Scribbles.

Pictorial Tuesday

 

©2008-2021 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Recent Reads - Much Ado About Nothing

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee. 

Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare - This Shakespeare comedy follows the romances of two very different couples and the machinations of their friends that help and hurt their causes.

In Act I we meet all the main characters and are introduced to the conflicts. Sharp-tongued Beatrice and her cousin Hero are the two ladies, and Benedick and Claudio are the young men they are paired with. Beatrice and Benedick seem to have a past, indicated by her sarcastic jabs at him and his vehement declaration that he will remain a bachelor. Hero and Claudio, however, fall in love at first sight with barely a word spoken. We also meet Hero's father Leonato and Don Pedro, the prince. Benedick and Claudio are officers serving under Don Pedro in the war.

Later we meet Don John, Don Pedro's brother, and the villain of the piece. Don John is jealous of Claudio's rising fortunes and feels that his own position has been usurped by the younger man. Determined to remove his rival, Don John enters into a scheme with a couple of servants to trick Claudio into believing that Hero is unfaithful to him. Claudio falls for the deception, and accuses the innocent Hero during their wedding. Hero faints and Claudio storms out. More trickery is involved as Claudio is led to believe that Hero has died.

Meanwhile, there is an effort of matchmaking between Beatrice and Benedick, and despite their failed past romance, they do rekindle their affections, and after trading barbs and then witnessing the tragedy between Hero and Claudio, they declare their love for each other.

In the end, all comes right for Hero and Claudio as well. The scandal dies down a bit, Claudio grieves his lost love, and he finds out that it was a trick! Then Claudio agrees to an arranged marriage with a "niece" of Leonato's, and at the masked wedding, it turns out his bride is none other than Hero, who of course had not died after all.

I read this play and studied it along with students in my high school literature co-op class. We discovered how the play made use of the classical unities of place, time, and action. We also learned about the story value of love, and discussed the twists and turns that the love stories of the two couples took through conflicts and changes. 

Our discussion and study was guided by the textbook Illuminating Literature: Characters in Crisis from Writing with Sharon Watson.

©2008-2021 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.