Scripture and a Snapshot - The Advent Candle of Peace

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose coming forth is from old,
from ancient days.
Therefore he shall give them up until the time
when she who is in labor has given birth;
then the rest of his brothers shall return
to the people of Israel.
And he shall stand and shepherd his flock
in the strength of the LORD,
in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God.
And they shall dwell secure,
for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth.

And he shall be their peace.

~Micah 5:2-5a~

"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has visited and redeemed his people
and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David,
as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
that we should be saved from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us;
to show the mercy promised to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant,
the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,
in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
to go on before the Lord to prepare the way fro him,
to give his people the knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God,
by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
to shine on those living in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.

~Luke 1:68-79~

Scripture & a Snapshot is hosted by A Glimpse of Our Life.

Glimpses is hosted by Embracing Every Day, a lifestyle blog by Barbie Swihart.

©2008-2016 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/

Recent Reads - Bees in the Butterfly Garden

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Bees in the Butterfly Garden (The Gilded Legacy) by Maureen Lang - The beautiful cover art on this book drew me to it initially, and the unusual storyline synopsis was intriguing. Meg Davenport has been raised at an exclusive boarding school, but has never had a relationship with her father. When he passes away, Meg doesn't really feel his loss personally since she didn't know him, but she discovers that instead of him being a wealthy businessman, he was actually one of the most talented thieves of the Gilded Age. She decides not to return to the school or pursue the advantageous marriage that the school was preparing her for, but intends to prove herself as truly her father's daughter - by participating in theft herself.

Ian Maguire was mentored by John Davenport, and looked on him as a father figure, and he knows that John would never have wanted Meg to follow in his footsteps. In fact, Ian was charged with protecting Meg from any consequences of being associated with her father's criminal activities. But when Meg is determined to provide information and assistance to help Ian pull off the biggest heist of his career, Ian is torn between his greed and his wish to protect Meg from danger. And of course, their partnership in crime is only the beginning, because they are falling in love.

Meg has earned an invitation to stay with one of New York's wealthiest families, and thus has access to the information that will help Ian pull off the heist, but the family is also more kind and generous to her than she'd ever expected. As she and Ian plot the theft, they both feel the pangs of conscience and guilt, both for the harm they'll bring to a family who has openly offered friendship and grace, and for the danger they put each other in. Ian realizes that he may have to sacrifice his own plans and freedom to protect Meg; and Meg finds that her attempt to feel like she belonged to her father may backfire and cost her - and Ian - everything.

Overall, I loved this book and it kept me turning the pages eagerly. I was skeptical, however, of Meg's almost immediate determination to become a thief like her father as soon as she discovers what he was. And although it was her talent for garden design that brought her the invitation to the wealthy family's home, I felt that anything to do with the garden was quite peripheral to the story. This struck me as odd as I was nearing the end of the book, but didn't truly diminish my enjoyment of the story. 

©2008-2016 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/

Wordless Wednesday - National Cathedral

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On Sunday afternoon, I had the privilege of attending the Joy of Christmas concert at the Washington National Cathedral. We arrived early enough to take a few pictures outside, and I took a few more after the concert inside, even though it was dark by then, so the stained glass windows didn't show.

 

(See all the pictures and a few more words in my Homeschool Coffee Break post: A National Cathedral PhotoJournal)

This post is linked at Wordless Wednesday, hosted by Life at Rossmont.

©2008-2016 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/

Teaser Tuesday - Bees in the Butterfly Garden

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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, now hosted by Ambrosia at The Purple Booker. To play along, just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• Be careful not to include spoilers!
• Share the title and author, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers! 

"Don't look so happy, Meg. Our partnership could be the worst thing that's ever happened to you."
She shook her head. "No, Ian. I'm sure it's the best."

~Bees in the Butterfly Garden (The Gilded Legacy) by Maureen Lang, page 186

©2008-2016 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/

What I'm Reading - December 12, 2016

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This weekly reading list meme is hosted at Book Date. Join in to see what others are reading and maybe get some ideas of what to read next!

I finished reading . . .  didn't finish anything this week, as I've been very busy!

I'm currently reading . . .

Bees in the Butterfly Garden (The Gilded Legacy)by Maureen Lang - This is different, and I'm enjoying it. Meg wants to get involved in her late father's career - which was thieving! - against his wishes; and forms an unlikely alliance with her father's protegee, Ian, who wants to protect her.




The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill by Julie Klassen - I'm reading this for a review this month. Jane is a young widow who inherited the inn when her husband died, but has little idea how to run it, much to her mother-in-law's dismay.



From Heaven: A 28-Day Advent Devotional by A.W. Tozer - Although I didn't start this devotional 28 days before Christmas, there's a good chance I'll be able to finish on time. But even if I don't, the thoughts of this great theologian are worthwhile!

Next on the stack... 

The Christmas Bargain (A Victorian Holiday Romance) by Shanna Hatfield
She Walks in Power (Protectors of the Spear Book 1) by MaryLu Tyndall
 A Curious Beginning (A Veronica Speedwell Mystery) by Deanna Raybourn - I've decided I need to re-read this one before the second volume in the series arrives. I've had it on pre-order for a long time and it is scheduled to ship in early January.
A Perilous Undertaking (A Veronica Speedwell Mystery) by Deanna Raybourn - this is that second volume, and I know I'll want to start reading as soon as my copy arrives!

     

     

 On my blogs last week . . .

Here on Just A Second:

Scripture and a Snapshot - The Advent Candle of Joy
Wordless Wednesday - Mason Jar Lamp


And on my homeschool blog, Homeschool Coffee Break:

Homeschool Highlights - Holiday Preparations
Virtual Refrigerator - Completed Backdrop
Holiday Sweets and Treats
52 Lists #48 - To Do in December
Holiday Bookshelf


What are you reading?

©2008-2016 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/

Scripture and a Snapshot - The Advent Candle of Joy

How beautiful on the mountains

are the feet of those who bring good news,

who proclaim peace,

who bring good tidings,

who proclaim salvation,

who say to Zion,

"Your God reigns!"

Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices;

together they shout for joy.

When the LORD returns to Zion,

they will see it with their own eyes.

Burst into songs of joy together,

you ruins of Jerusalem, 

for the LORD has comforted his people,

he has redeemed Jerusalem.

The LORD will lay bare his holy arm

in the sight of all the nations,

and all the ends of the earth will see

the salvation of our God.

~Isaiah 52:7-10~

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

"Glory to God in the highest heaven,

and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

~Luke 2:8-20~

Scripture & a Snapshot is hosted by A Glimpse of Our Life.

Glimpses is hosted by Embracing Every Day, a lifestyle blog by Barbie Swihart.

©2008-2016 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/

Wordless Wednesday - Mason Jar Lamp

At Christmas Craft Breakfast last week, working on making a mason jar pendant lamp.

And the finished product. So pretty!

This post is linked at Wordless Wednesday, hosted by Life at Rossmont.

©2008-2016 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/