Just A Second

Tuesday, June 13

Recent Reads - The Trees Will Clap

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by Bonnie Mae Evans - I finished this novel some time ago and my original review was posted at The Old Schoolhouse website. Following is a shorter version of the review.

This delightful and heartwarming novel tells the story of a little girl growing up in the rural Delmarva Peninsula in the 1960s. Yvonnah is only five-and-a-half years old when she gets a new name and almost everything in her little world changes. She learns to answer to her new name, Lacey, and has to adjust to living with her mother and new dad instead of with her beloved grandparents.

Lacey tells her own story as a memoir, vividly describing her thoughts and feelings and the world around her. Her relationship with her mother is rather strained to begin with, but she is very close to her Grandy and Nana. She is particularly attached to Grandy, and the security and love he and Nana have given her. Her new situation is frightening and unfamiliar to her, but she gains some new family members that she is learning to love. And best of all, she soon has a new friend named Lyddie. The two little girls become best friends quickly and explore their neighborhood together, and begin a sweet and childlike journey of faith and friendship together.

Her new friend, her new family members, visits to her grandparents, and time spent in nature help to heal Lacey's hurts, but when hardships and tragedies come along, Lacey learns about faith, forgiveness, and extending love and hope to others.

The first couple of chapters moved a little slowly, as Lacey's memories of the day she got her name change are combined with the memories and descriptions of people and experiences leading up to that day; but soon I found myself captivated by her evocative and often humorous descriptions of her world, and felt her heartbreak and confusion right along with her. Although set in the 1960s, Lacey's story is one that would resonate with many young people in today's world who long for stability and hope in circumstances where they have little control. The lyrical descriptive style makes it a charming read suitable for teens and adults, with a subtle but encouraging message that even in times of pain and heartbreak, God's love is still real.

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Sunday, June 11

Scripture and a Snapshot - Great Commission

And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

~Matthew 28:18-20~

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

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

Sunday Scripture Blessings is hosted by Peabea Scribble Pad.

Monday, June 5

What I'm Reading - June 5, 2017

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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!

My schedule got crazy last week so I skipped the weekly What I'm Reading, and just did a Monthly Bookshelf Review. And even that was posted a little bit late! So this will cover about two weeks worth of time, but I think you'll see that it didn't really double the amount of reading I did!

I finished reading . . .

All in Good Time (The Gilded Legacy) by Maureen Lang - This was a good historical romance, with a young woman opening a home for disadvantaged women in Denver, and the banker who financed the effort against his instincts. (Read my full review HERE)

Love's Rescue by Christine Johnson - another very good historical. This was set in colonial Key West, and saw a young woman dealing with grief and guilt and needing to make the right choice of husband. (Read my full review HERE)

Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims by Rush Limbaugh - I'm reading and reviewing the entire series, so will share the review(s) here after they've been posted on Homeschool Coffee Break.

I'm currently reading . . .

Wings of the Wind (Out From Egypt) by Connilyn Cossette - I'm loving this third in the Out from Egypt series. Alanah is a Canaanite woman that Tobiah, a Hebrew, has married in hopes of protecting her and that she will choose to stay and turn to Yahweh.

Rush Revere and the First Patriots - this is the second book in the series that I'm reviewing on Homeschool Coffee Break soon.

Next on the stack...

Barbara and Susan's Guide to the Empty Nest by Barbara Rainey and Susan Yates
With You Always (Orphan Train) by Jody Hedlund
Over the Edge (The Kincaid Brides) (Volume 3) by Mary Connealy

On my blogs last week . . .

Here on Just A Second:

Scripture and a Snapshot - Pentecost
Bookshelf Review - May 2017
Recent Reads - Love's Rescue
Recent Reads - All In Good Time
Scripture and a Snapshot - Far Side of the Sea

And on my homeschool blog, Homeschool Coffee Break:

Louis Comfort Tiffany - Blogging Through the Alphabet
Homeschool Highlights - Dear Homeschool Mom
Dear Mom Who is Homeschooling Through High School
Heroes of History from YWAM Publishing - Milton Hershey
Virtual Refrigerator - Glass Art
The Statue of Liberty - Blogging Through the Alphabet
Homeschool Highlights - Long Weekends
Homeschool Records and Books - What to Keep on The Homeschool Post
Norman Rockwell - Blogging Through the Alphabet
Virtual Refrigerator - Silhouette Landscape

What are you reading?

Sunday, June 4

Scripture and a Snapshot - Pentecost

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

"No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

"'In the last days, God says,

I will pour out my Spirit on all people.

Your sons and daughters will prophesy,

your young men will see visions,

your old men will dream dreams.

Even on my servants, both men and women,

I will pour out my Spirit in those days,

and they will prophesy.

. . .

And everyone who calls

on the name of the Lord will be saved.'"

"Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear."

Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off -- for all whom the Lord our God will call."

~Acts 2:1-4, 16-18, 21, 33, 38-39~

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

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

Sunday Scripture Blessings is hosted by Peabea Scribble Pad.

Thursday, June 1

Bookshelf Review - May 2017

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May's Books Completed and Reviewed

The Secret Bridge by Amy Le Feuvre - I actually finished this in April, but the review wasn't posted until May. It's a delightful book written in 1899 that tells the story of a young lady's experience as she finds out that she is a close relation to a family that has been a bitter rival to her husband's family. Oh, and her husband's family doesn't know about the marriage, because he is away with the Navy. (Read my full review HERE)

All the Blue of Heaven by Virginia Carmichael - Allie returns to Chicago after the earthquake and fire in San Francisco ruined her art studio and nearly took her life. Is it too late to renew her relationship with her first love? (Read my full review HERE)

Now Allie had to decide what sort of woman she was: a strong woman of faith who rose above tragedy, or a woman who let fear run her decisions and ran from her idea of a vengeful God.

The Chapel Car Bride by Judith Miller - Hope is traveling with her itinerant preacher father and during the stay in a tiny West Virginia mining community, she meets Luke, and she also finds herself in some danger as she tries to help the neighboring communities. (Read my full review HERE)

After all, she wasn't from these parts where men didn't wait long before speaking their piece and staking their claim on a gal. Luke couldn't be certain, but he figured things were different in big cities. Men likely courted for months and months before stating their affections to a woman.

All in Good Time (The Gilded Legacy) by Maureen Lang - An unlikely romance and partnership develops between Dessa, who is opening a home to rescue women from prostitution, and Henry, the banker who has reluctantly loaned her the money to do so. (Read my full review HERE)

And now Tobias probably suspected Henry's growing, unwieldy infatuation with Dessa Caldwell. Tobias had already tried nurturing it, and he'd no doubt push them right down the aisle if he could.

Love's Rescue by Christine Johnson - Set in 1850s Key West, this story follows Elizabeth as she comes to terms with grief and guilt, and tries to make the right decisions. And hopes to be allowed to marry her first love, although her family doesn't approve. (Read my full review HERE)

Elizabeth had pretended she didn't know who Anabelle meant, which was silly, considering their every conversation centered on him. Rourke O'Malley wasn't the richest wrecker in Key West, but he was by far the handsomest and most daring.

During May I started reading:

Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims by Rush Limbaugh - I'm actually reading the entire series, and have finished this first one, but for the sake of brevity, I listed only the first title here. This is a Homeschool Coffee Break review, so my review of the series will appear here after it's been published on Homeschool Coffee Break.

Wings of the Wind (Out From Egypt) by Connilyn Cossette - I'm already captivated by this third in the Out of Egypt series, in which a young Canaanite woman is rescued by a Hebrew man. In order to protect Alanah, Tobiah must marry her.

During May I shelved:

Alice and the Assassin: An Alice Roosevelt Mystery by R.J. Koreto - I had this from the library, and just could not get to it before I had to return it, so perhaps I'll try again later.