OK--SO IT'S A MERRY BELATED CHRISTMAS

I love, love, love, Christmas. I love the season, the lights, the small-town main streets all decked out in holly and berries and candles and more. I even love the look of department stores with glitter and glimmer and ornaments shimmering, despite the commercialism. It doesn't dampen my spirit or heart--maybe it's the hopeless female-shopaholic in me, I don't know, but the only thing that really gets me down about Christmas is how fast it goes by each year.

This year went especially fast.
I had hip surgery on December 9th, stayed in the hospital for three 1/2 days, and after that, zip, zip, zip, Christmas came, Christmas went. Fortunately, my kids REALLY wanted us to decorate before my surgery, so the very night before, we did. I finished exhausted and not looking forward to the next morning in the operating room, but when I got home from the hospital, the decorated house was a wonderful sight.

I'm one of those who decorate big--not the outdoor glitzy stuff, but the inside, deck the halls and mantels, put a tree in more than one room, fill the picture-window sill with snowmen and santas and angels, and get the nativity just right. After that, layer on the lights!

I'm very visual when it comes to how I feel, and the visual beauty of Christmas is partially why I enjoy it so much. Don't get me wrong, however. I really know that Jesus is the Reason, and some years have been special JUST because of Him. Perhaps all my decorations and adornments only distract me from the Savior. In the end, though, I consider it THE best time of the year for evangelism, and I never feel there can be too much emphasis on the Son of God becoming flesh for our benefit.

HOWEVER: My post today is really an excuse to send YOU a belated Merry Christmas.
Due to my post-op recovering, I did less shopping, less sending of cards, less of just about everything (even decorating). And less cooking!

I also failed to get out a December issue of my online e-zine (which I hope you're subscribed to by now--if not, sign up on my website and you'll get a free download by email right away. Join here:Linore Burkard.com . The thing is, I usually fill the December issue with beautiful, historical Christmas images, as well as a good meaty article. I'm sorry I didn't get to do that...

Which is why this blog post is an excuse for me to at least send you a Christmas e-card, even though it's belated. Actually, I have two cards to share.

The first was sent to me by a sweet reader--The card only takes a minute to view, and it is well worth it! Also, if you have youngsters around, be sure to let them watch as the graphics are sure to delight young and old. Have your speakers on:
Click HERE

This next one is from me and other Ohio authors who are part of the ACFW chapter here in the Buckeye State. Author Michelle LeVigne put it together. A fellow Harvest House author, Mary Ellis, is in this, too. Enjoy it here!

Wait! Just like late night info-mercials, "that's not all!" If you act now (by scrolling down) you can ALSO get some belated lovely images from my collections. After this, I can say goodbye to Christmas.

SCROLL DOWN for IMAGES:


"Stirring the Christmas Pudding"



"Candlemas"





"Angels We Have Heard On High"














Last but not least, about keeping "Merry Christmas" in commercial outlets. My 9 year old loved this.

Merry Christmas!
Hugs and love,

Linore
PS: Today is the LAST DAY you can get The House in Grosvenor Square for only $2.51 on Kindle! If you have an e-reader or an e-reader APP, please don't delay!

More About Paleo and the Science Behind It
(And Why the Evolutionary Argument Doesn't Work)

From Paleo Spirit comes this excellent article giving more information on why the so-called "caveman" diet is really not what it sounds like. It's not evolutionary logic which supplies the scientific mechanism for why this style of eating is so healthy and beneficial.

I'll cut and paste the blog post from Paleo Spirit below, or, if you like, you can click through to the source itself and get on that mailing list for yourself.

Here's the article: (A bit long but well worth the read)

Does the Paleo Diet Make Sense Only in Light of Evolution?
Posted on December 16, 2011 by Lea

The Paleo diet (or Primal if you prefer) is based on the premise that we humans are genetically adapted to the diet of our ancestors. There is a heavy reliance on the explanation that Darwinian Evolution is at the root of this – that we have EVOLVED to eat this way. Now I consider myself an intelligent person. For what it’s worth, while far from being the universal designation of intelligence, I do have a couple of degrees from great universities. I like to examine facts and evidence and use logic in making decisions. But guess what? While I acknowledge adaptations and the like, I am not a believer in Darwinian Evolution and I am not alone. There are many other people like me. The point of this post is NOT to debate evolution or change anyone’s mind (please, let’s not go there). But I would like to explore why it is that I am a devotee of a diet and lifestyle that appears so rooted in something I do not embrace.

Instead of relying so heavily upon human evolutionary theory, the Paleo diet makes sense for other reasons. I believe the argument “cavemen did this so you should too” is illogical. Sure, I like the fun, iconic caveman as much as the next person. There’s no reason we can’t have fun with this, right? But I believe as Matt LaLonde, a biochemist with a Ph.D from Harvard and a strong interest in Paleo nutrition, stated in episode #68 of Robb Wolf‘s podcast, that looking at what our ancestors ate is instructional at best. It can point us in the right direction but does not rise to the level of a convincing argument.

In fact, LaLonde said,

“It really drives me nuts when people justify what I’ll [call] the Paleo lifestyle or way of eating, by stating that ‘cavemen and modern hunter-gatherers ate meat, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds and they did not suffer from the diseases of modern civilization, so you must eat this way too if you want to avoid this disease.’ That is indeed a logical fallacy…It can be used to generate hypothesis that should then be tested. But it does not establish cause and effect.”

This “testing” might take the form of formal scientific studies with well-developed protocols, examinations of biochemical processes, or anthropological studies that focus on the health of our ancestors or modern hunter-gatherer populations. It might simply be what is known as an N=1 experient we conduct on ourselves. (I recommend a Whole30 elimination diet for that, btw.)

Matt LaLonde went on to say,

“One argument actually that gets me even more worked up than the previous one is ‘our Paleolithic ancestors evolved over millions of years while not consuming grains, legumes or dairy so we should not consume these foods because we are not adapted to them.’ This is an assumption, and it is completely incorrect. The assumption that [a] species is not adapted to a food because it never consumed that food is completely false. There are plenty of examples throughout evolution where a species finds a new source of food and thrives on it.”

Clearly Dr. LaLonde is a believer in the theory of evolution. So the point is not that you have to be an evolution skeptic to find holes in this whole argument. He and others have pointed out there are many and varied reasons for eating a Paleo diet OTHER than because cavemen ate this way or because we evolved to eat this way.

One of the reasons the Paleo diet movement (or whatever we call it) is attractive to me is the intellectual curiosity of many of those at the forefront (Robb Wolf, Matt LaLonde, Mark Sisson and many, many others). There’s a willingness to challenge the status quo and question conventional wisdom handed to us by government and others with self-serving agendas. There’s an independent spirit that I admire. And as an official “nutrition nerd” I love the modern nutrition science studies and discussions on the biochemical processes in our bodies. I also like the simplicity of it all – the getting back to basics. It just makes sense to me. And most importantly, I like how much my health has improved as a result of eating this way.

It has always struck me as unfortunate that the Paleo movement focuses so much on the evolutionary component because it can be a real stumbling block for some people. There are many like me who do not believe in evolutionary theory as fact. There’s an impression out there among some Christians, and other believers in a Divine Creator or Intelligent Designer, that adopting this diet and lifestyle somehow puts a stamp of approval on something rooted in what might be perceived as an atheistic world view. Now, please, I am NOT saying that everyone who believes in evolution is an atheist or if you are an atheist that you militate against those of us who do believe in God. Not at all. I am simply pointing out there are many people who might otherwise benefit from this way of eating if they could get past the emphasis on evolution. And sad to say, I have also witnessed some hostility out there to believers in God. It’s as though some folks adopt the Paleo lifestyle as a way of justifying their existing atheism. I have heard people say that because the Paleo diet works so well that it PROVES we MUST have evolved. I could easily argue we were CREATED to eat this way and that is why it works.

For me, the word “PALEO” means something ancient – something simple, a getting “back to the basics”, a harkening back to a time before mankind started adding lots of “stuff” to our lives and to our food. I embrace that word. The name of this site is Paleo Spirit after all! I think there is common ground in this idea. It is possible to come together whether you believe we EVOLVED to eat this way or whether you believe God CREATED our bodies to function best eating this way.

What do you think? Do you know anyone who has stayed away from the Paleo/Primal diet and lifestyle because they were turned off by the emphasis on evolution?

If you liked this post why not subscribe to Paleo Spirit?

[end of article]
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
I find that I always need to qualify my involvement with Paleo by explaining away the unfounded evolutionary associations, so I enjoyed this article very much. Thank you, Paleo Spirit!
Warmest blessings,

Linore
PS: LAST TWO DAYS for my publisher's promo on my book, The House in Grosvenor Square,for only $2.51 on Kindle! If you have an e-reader, don't delay! Promo ends tomorrow! (1/3/12) The print book is greatly reduced from retail, too, by the way. : )
http://www.amazon.com/Grosvenor-Regency-Inspirational-Romance-ebook/dp/B003V4B4HU/ref=pd_sim_kinc_4?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2

Author Gone Paleo!



Todays' post is about food, which may surprise you. But what we put into our bodies is really a part of living and should be one of the ways we seek to please God. So, "Author Gone Paleo" is about some beneficial changes I've made recently in my eating habits that I wanted to share with you.

What is Paleo? It's an eating style--more, a lifestyle--which tries to universally reject modern food tinkering such as GMO's (genetically modified food), over-processing, pesticides, growth hormone-injected meat, etc. It's nothing new in essence, but there are new scientific findings that support this type of eating with one major new factor. Unlike the organic-food eaters of the past, the Paleo diet does away with modern grains. Yes, that means no whole-grain flours, organic wheat flour, etc. But make no mistake: this is NOT your typical low-carb regiment. With newer research showing that coconut flour (and oil) are actually good for you, that eating nuts and seeds are powerhouse nutrient sources and that these, too, are GOOD for you, the Paleo diet becomes rich in its own goodies. Almond flour is now a staple in my pantry. Squashes of all types, sweet potatoes, and fruit are important elements of eating this way, too.

For an in-depth look at what it's all about, visit The Wellness Mama . This Christian lady not only gives the first excellent argument I've ever read explaining why grains are bad for our health, reconciling it wholly with Jesus's calling himself "the bread of life," she also gives scrumptious recipes, tips and ideas that are really helpful. (Read her blog post called, "How Grains are Slowly Killing You." This one post did more to transform my thinking and get me eating better than anything else I've ever read.)

I explained my eating transformation to my friends like this: It's like when Neo (in the Matrix movies) suddenly sees the bad guys as nothing more than CODE--he realizes that they're not real beings, they're computerized code that he is seeing as real. AT that point, he becomes invincible and easily does away with the baddies. Well, reading that article on how grains are slowly killing us made that leap for me: instead of seeing a yummy bagel or doughnut, I suddenly saw POISON.Let me tell you, I love good good food and I come from a family where food is the center of our celebrations, but it was absolutely no stretch, no effort, for me to start eating differently after digesting these food-facts.

Does it work? Well, I lost twelve pounds in the first two months without even trying. I was eating a great deal of fruit and nuts. If you TRY to lose weight on this eating style, you can easily do so by eliminating most fruit, and by eating less nuts and seeds. I wasn't trying, so I ate what I wanted--and lost weight, anyway.

I'm not trying to explain the whole lifestyle here, but I did want to share my Paleo "Cereal" that I ate this morning. It's filling, and chock full of
protein, antioxidants, fiber, micronutrients, and healthy fats. (Not to mention, yummy!)

Linore's Paleo "Cereal"

In a nutshell (pun intended), this is basically a kind of trail mix that I added coconut milk to, and ate as a cereal. The best trail mixes are homemade as you can customize them to what you like best, but this is my current version. Feel free to customize your own as you like. Dried fruits like pineapple or apricots (use moderately), other seeds, nuts, and even spices like turmeric or cinnamon can be added.

Get a one or two quart container with an air-tight lid to store this in. Refrigeration is not necessary. (Ironically, I'm using a cleaned-out container that once held chocolate chip cookie dough--poison, lol!)

Three cups walnuts, chopped or not
Three cups pecans, chopped if preferred, but not fine.
One cup dried cranberries
Two cups pistachio nutmeats
One-two cups sliced almonds
Half cup pine nuts
One cup sunflower KERNELS
1/2 to one cup DARK or bittersweet chocolate chips (optional)
coconut flakes (optional)

I put in the chocolate only because it's Christmas week. But it's perfectly fine to eat a small amount of DARK chocolate every day.

IMPORTANT:
Don't eat scads of this stuff on a daily basis. It's nutrient-dense, so a little goes a long way.
I take a 4-6 ounce mug, fill it about 1/2 to 2/3 full of mix, and then add coconut milk. I wouldn't have this every day for breakfast, but it's a great energy-boosting filler and good for you, to boot.

NOTE: You must understand that if you're going to keep eating all the unhealthy white bread and grains in your diet, then adding paleo foods like trail-mix won't do you many favors.
In fact, you'll gain weight.

The key to using these foods to benefit your body is to remove the grains from your
diet, first. Don't try to do it all at once, but keep removing sugar or white flour
(or any flour) on a weekly basis.

Better health=better productivity in all areas of your life! This past Thanksgiving I made a totally Paleo feast (including grain-free stuffing), and two days later when I weighed myself, I had actually lost two pounds since the previous week. LOST weight, after THANKSGIVING! And I ate until I was more than full.

Resources: Wellness Mama 101--The Basics
Everyday Paleo by Sarah Fragoso and Robb Wolf

Paleo Spirit

Mark's Daily Apple: Primal Living in the Modern World(Ignore the evolution idiocy--for a guy who researches everything about the food he eats, why doesn't he do the same for so-called "facts" of evolution, carbon dating, the fossil record, etc? Even scientists who aren't ready to call themselves Christians conclude that evolution is a religion, a chosen belief-system, based on interpretation of facts that skew the evidence (which overwhelmingly supports a higher-intelligence Creator). After all, evolution is a THEORY. Funny how everyone leaves that word out when referring to this widespread heart-held belief system. Since even museums uphold this theory with religious fervor, people think it must be true.)

Resources:
Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed (DVD)

Answers In Genesis/Creation Scientists

The Riddle of Origins Series


Warmest blessings,

Linore
Linore Rose Burkard.com
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THE HOUSE IN GROSVENOR SQUARE--IRCC AWARD WINNER! Limited Time Promo Price of only $2.51 in effect right now! But hurry--promotion ends on 1/3/12)

Happy Thanksgiving

I love this time of year, don't you? Scroll down to enjoy my way of wishing everyone, whether you live here in the US and celebrate Thanksgiving or not, a
joyful season.

See you soon,
(But not tomorrow--I'll be eating turkey and enjoying family and guests! Hope you'll be doing the same.)

Warmest Blessings,

Linore
ENJOY THE GRAPHICS!

You Can't Take it With You

This post is another from Kathi Macias,who does a weekly devotion for CAN
(Christian Authors Network) of which I'm a member. My dad's passing is still very fresh in my mind and perhaps that's why I wanted to share this with you.
Kathi always finds a concise and focused way to say the things we know to be true but don't think about often. Enjoy.
--Linore

YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU (Not Kathi's title, by the way. But I thought it fit.)

Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give
you:

In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk" (Acts 3:6).

I spent the last few days going through what remained of my
mom's clothes and personal belongings, sorting and searching and bagging up
the vast majority of it to donate to the Salvation Army. (To be honest,
there wasn't much left, as she'd already given away most of it while she was
still here with us.) I set everything out on the front porch, called for a
pick-up, and as of yesterday morning, it was gone.

Strange feeling, isn't it? We know we're only here for a short
time and that eternal life lies beyond, far better than anything we can
experience in this temporal setting. But the old saying, "You can't take it
with you," takes on a new depth of reality when we look upon the material
goods a loved one has left behind after "graduating to heaven."

Knowing that nothing we amass here on earth-whether billions of
dollars or just enough to eke out a meager existence-will accompany us on
that final journey through the valley of the shadow of death should give us
pause, as we consider those things that have eternal value. Peter nailed it
when he said to the crippled man, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I
do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and
walk."

It is those things we do in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth
that will follow us to heaven. The times we told others about the Father's
great love, so great that He would send His only Son to die for us; the
times we cried and prayed for lost loved ones and even nations lost in
darkness; the gifts we gave out of our own needs rather than our abundance.
The One whose name we do it in-Jesus Christ of Nazareth-sees it all, though
at times it may seem that no one sees or cares.

Silver and gold will be left behind when we breathe our last,
but our legacy of all we did in the name of Jesus will continue throughout
eternity. And it is the one thing that will remain when our deeds are judged
and we receive the crown of heaven-which we will promptly and joyously lay
at the Savior's feet.

May we daily give whatever we can in the matchless name of Jesus
Christ of Nazareth!

copyright 2011 Kathi Macias

Here's another great post regarding the question of pain in this life. My husband is currently battling shoulder disabilities, which made this doubly meaningful right now for me. Read, and be encouraged. I got this from John Piper's "Desiring God" blog which arrives daily in my inbox.

The Day of Your Deliverance Is Decreed
By Jon Bloom | Oct 14, 2011 01:30 am



She hobbled into the synagogue to hear the healing rabbi. Hoping against hope. You see, she “had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself” (Luke 13:10-11).

Eighteen years. How many of her tears had God collected in his bottle (Psalm 56:8)? How many of her prayers in his bowl (Revelation 5:8)?

Eighteen years of suffering. The slow burn of chronic pain had worn on her soul. She had suffered the loss of capacities she once took for granted. She had suffered the indignities of others’ pity and disgust. She had suffered their suspicion that her body was bent under the weight of divine judgment.

Did she know that her affliction was Satanic (Luke 13:16)?

God knew. He knew all the ways she suffered, better than she did. And God had long permitted Satan to afflict her. Long, at least, for time-bound creatures whose mortal lives are measured in decades, not millennia (2 Peter 3:8).

Why? We rarely are given answers to such questions.

But we get a rare answer in this woman’s story. For suddenly, in that little synagogue, the grace of God engulfs her in the compassion of God the Son:

When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your disability.” And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight. (Luke 13:12-13)

Just like that. Eighteen years of bondage and with a look, a word, and a touch, the sea of her suffering parts. She has her exodus. This was the day God had decreed her deliverance.
God’s Compassion Is Patient

All those weary years of grief just to find that her pain had been predestined to play a part in revealing Messiah to Israel. God had not been slow to show his compassion; he had been patient (2 Peter 3:9). Was it worth it? “She glorified God” (Luke 13:13).
God’s Compassion Is Purposeful

Jesus’ compassion and this woman’s pain also had had a far-reaching purpose. If you, like this woman, discovered that your seemingly meaningless affliction turned out to be infused with meaning beyond what you imagined possible and resulted in joy inexpressible and filled with glory (1 Peter 1:8) for you and a multitude of others, would it be worth it? Sit down and catch your breath. It is. It’s promised to you (2 Corinthians 4:17).
God’s Compassion Is Powerful

And his compassion was powerful. When the synagogue ruler objected to such mercy as Sabbath-breaking, he found himself rebuked by the Lord of the Sabbath:

You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him. (Luke 13:14-17)

Not all the adversaries that were shamed were seen. Yes, the ruler of the synagogue and likely some Pharisees were humiliated. But Satan far more. This woman had been his captive and he had been disarmed and overthrown with a compassionate word. A horrible harbinger of an approaching defeat he was fighting like hell to thwart.

And it was a holy harbinger of an approaching final deliverance for all who love the Lord’s appearing:

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. (Revelation 21:4)

In this age, it is not the tears or mourning or crying or pain or death that is strange. “The whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19). What’s strange is their defeat.
Your Deliverance Is Coming

Today you may say with Job, “my complaint is bitter; my hand is heavy on account of my groaning” (Job 23:2). You may say with Moses, “Return, O Lord! How long? Have pity on your servants. . . Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, and for as many years as we have seen evil” (Psalm 90:13-15).

But you need to know that, like this disabled woman, the patient, purposeful, powerful compassion of God in Christ for you is approaching like a relentless torrent. The day of your deliverance is decreed. It will come with a sudden joy. Every adversary will be shamed. Every tear will be wiped away. And the days he will make you glad will drown the days you have seen evil into glorious and happy oblivion (Romans 8:18).

________

Recent posts from Jon Bloom —

Love Is Patient
Neither Do I Condemn You
A Nationless Man for All Nations

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My father passed away last week. Thankfully, I was able to be present with him, along with my four sisters and my mother. I'm even more thankful that I know where Dad is, that I knew, during his suffering, where he was headed, and that one day I will see him again. When that day comes, we will both be perfectly human (perfected humans) in perfect bodies, in a glorious heaven--a new earth (also perfect, as it was before the Fall).

Many people seem to think that humans become angels or live forever as disembodied spirits in a pie-in-the-sky heaven that is ethereal. I beg to differ. The Bible, (apart from saying that we shall "meet the Lord in the air,") does not teach these common fallacies. Instead, we shall inhabit a new earth! Not a fallen earth, like the one we live in now, but a new and glorious earth without tears, or sorrow, or pain.

I look forward to this, and while I'm still here, I want to help other people know about God's beautiful plans for eternity,so that I may see and enjoy them there, but even more so that THEY may enjoy God and His fabulous new earth, also.

For these reasons, when I read Kathi Macias's devotion this week it resounded in my spirit. I copy it below for your edification:

O LORD, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup;
You maintain my lot.
The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;
Yes, I have a good inheritance (Psalm 16:5-6).



My mom passed away a couple of months ago, and I heard many glowing tributes to her at her memorial service. It seemed Mom touched many lives and left quite a legacy behind, though that legacy included nothing material because, when Mom died at 90, she no longer had anything material or monetary left to pass on to others. Her legacy was strictly that of fond memories, blessed relationships, and spiritual encouragement.

And that’s the point. As believers, we have the greatest heritage imaginable—God Himself! The psalmist says that the Lord is his inheritance, and He is ours as well. The psalmist also declares that his inheritance is a good one. Though some may inherit mansions or yachts or huge bank accounts when loved ones die, believers inherit the God of the Universe, the Savior of mankind, an unending life of joy and peace and light.

This is an inheritance that should not only cause us to rejoice but to do everything possible to impart that same inheritance to others. As Christians who desire to glorify God, this should be our main focus, our primary goal, each and every day, every moment that we walk this earth. We know the old saying that we can’t “take it [material things] with us” is true, but it is also true that the only treasures we can take with us to heaven and lay at the feet of Jesus are the lives we influence for God’s Kingdom.

The lines truly have fallen to us in pleasant places, dear fellow believers, for we have a good heritage—too good to keep to ourselves. Let’s resolve, while we still have breath within us, to pass it on to as many others as we can!



***My newest releases, Deliver Me From Evil and A Christmas Journey Home, are now available at most online venues and in bookstores across the country. You can find/order them, along with previously published books, on my website (www.kathimacias.com). You can also get a free download of the first two chapters of Deliver Me From Evil at www.newhopedigital.com.


***Kathi Macias, PO Box 772, Homeland, CA 92548

www.kathimacias.com

www.thetitus2women.com

Until next time,

Linore

RECOMMENDED ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: HEAVEN, by Randy Alcorn
and, HEAVEN IS FOR REAL, Todd Burpo

The Gospel in a Nutshell

This small portion of scripture explains the hope we have in Christ, succinctly and without any ado. Share it with someone new to the faith or someone seeking to understand what Christians believe. I like to keep this one near my phone to remind newer believers who may be struggling to feel "good enough" to deserve God's goodness. It's a great reminder that we never have to try and be anything we're not, including "good enough." Salvation is a gift, pure and simple.

"He saved us, but not because of anything we had done to gain his approval. Instead, because of his mercy he saved us through the washing in which the Holy Spirit gives us new birth and renewal. God poured a generous amount of the Spirit on us through Jesus Christ our Savior. As a result, God in his kindness has given us his approval and we have become heirs who have the confidence that we have everlasting life.

Titus 3:5-7

What about you? Do you have a favorite portion of scripture that gives the gospel in a nutshell? (Besides John 3:16, that is!)

Sometimes, just hearing the truth worded a little differently from that which we're most familiar with gives us a new opportunity to digest it more deeply or in a new way. And we can never tell ourselves the gospel too often.

Warmest blessings,

Linore

To Whom Do You Pledge?

This is a beautiful little YouTube from the AFA (American Family Association).
Posting here just to share a minutes' reflection with you.
Warmest blessings,

Linore

Watch NOW

Here's a link to the site where I found the above image--another good values place, where the memory of 9/11 is uppermost.

Today's "guest post" is from a friend who sent me the following in an email. It's refreshing, though eerie in a way, to hear someone finally calling the kettle black.
Our nation is attempting to hide its sins by euphemisms, but Christians are called to be "truth and light." Read the following short prayer for a little light today.
Also, adopt the burden of praying for this sorry state of our country!

Linore

Billy Graham's Prayer For Our Nation

'Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem. We have abused power and called it politics. We have coveted our neighbour's possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honoured values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and Set us free. Amen!'
With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep over our nation and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we again can be called 'One nation under God!'

Woman: God’s Beautiful Creation

Sharon Jaynes

I was sitting in a crowded restaurant with my family when she walked by in her full-length white satin dress delicately trimmed in lace and studded with tiny “jewels,” crinoline that swished as she moved across the room, a rhinestone tiara upon her head, and pearl studded slippers on her feet. Golden ringlets framed her rosy cheeks and puckered lips glistened with a hint of gloss. She knew she was beautiful and glanced around at the admiring smiles of onlookers as she walked through the crowd. She was three-years-old.


I’m not sure when the dream of being beautiful enters a little girl’s mind, but I do know when the dream ends – when the preacher says, “may she rest in peace.”

I remember as a little girl sneaking into my mother’s closet and slipping my child-size feet into her size seven high heels. I’d also stand on my tiptoes on a chair, pull a hat off the top shelf, and plop it on my head like an oversized lampshade. Her satin evening jacket with sleeves that hug eight inches below my finger tips gave a nice elegant touch to my outfit. A lady going to a party would never be caught without “putting on her face,” so I crept into the bathroom, opened the forbidden drawer, and created a clownish work of art on the palette of my face. Red rouge circles on my cheeks, heaps of blue eye shadow on my munchkin lids, and smeared orange lipstick far exceeding the proper border were finished off with a dusting of facial powder with an oversized brush.

From the time a little girl stretches on her tiptoes to get a peek in the mirror, she desires to be beautiful – perhaps like her mommy. As the girl moves into the teen years, she experiments with makeup, delves into fashion, and attempts various hairstyles. Then it’s on to makeover ideas in magazines and on talk shows. If one idea doesn’t work – well there’s always next month.

I believe the dream to be beautiful is not cultural, but at the very core of womanhood. John Eldredge, in his book Wild at Heart, describes three longings that lie at the heart of every man: a battle to fight, a beauty to rescue, an adventure to live. He also ventures to say that women have three longings of the heart as well: to be fought for, to share in an adventure, and to have her beauty unveiled. “Not to conjure,” Eldredge explains, “but to unveil. Most women feel the pressure to be beautiful from very young, but that is not what I speak of. There is also a deep desire to simply and truly be the beauty and be delighted in. Most little girls will remember playing dress up, or wedding day, or ‘twirling skirts,’ those flowing dresses that were perfect for spinning around in. She’ll put her pretty dress on, come into the living room and twirl. What she longs for is to capture her daddy’s delight.” (John Eldredge, Wild at Heart (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2001) p16-17)

We should never be ashamed of our dream to be beautiful. It is a travesty of the feminist movement that has tried to strip women of their femininity and make them more male. It is as if those in the movement were saying that being a woman wasn’t good enough and tried to make us into men. So they tried to make women tough, independent and rugged individuals who didn’t need anyone or anything. But those who were banking on the tenants of feminism were left spiritually and emotionally bankrupt.

A woman was and is one of God’s most magnificent creations. As a matter of fact, she was His grand finale. After He fashioned Eve, creation was complete and He took a rest! God has placed in our hearts a love for beauty and a desire to be beautiful – as He defines it.

In the New Testament, Paul writes, “For we are God’s workmanship” (Ephesians 2:10). The Greek word for workmanship means a work of art. Listen to these words as David describes the Creator at work.

For you created my inmost being;
You knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
When I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
Your eyes saw my unformed body. (Psalm 139:13-16)

Like an artist who sees the finished work in his mind’s eye, God saw your unformed substance and then began to fashion you from head to toe. He made no mistakes but planned each detail of your being. You do not need to compare yourself to other works of art, but thank the Artist for how He chose to create the masterpiece called…you.

How would you like to stop right now and thank God for the wonder of you? Let’s pray together:

Dear Lord, thank you for making each and every part of my being. For eyes that see, ears that hear, legs that move, fingers that feel, arms that hug, feet that run, a heart that beats, a brain that thinks, a tongue that tastes. Oh Lord, forgive me when I complain about your workmanship and wish for something different. Help me to always remember that I am your workmanship…and you make no mistakes.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen

As you go about the rest of your day, make a mental list of all the parts of your body that you are thankful for. You may even want to jot them down. This could take quite some time and perhaps you’ll need to come back to your list several times before it is complete. Then go back and thank God for each one. You are quite a work of art!



Originally posted July 28, 2009.

This article was adapted from Sharon Jaynes’ book Dreams of a Woman: God’s Plan for Fulfilling Your Dreams. To learn more about Sharon’s ministry and other books, visit www.sharonjaynes.com
(Post from CrosswalkFaith Update)

20 Promises For Your Life--from God

(Updated-- and with a free giveaway for leaving a comment.)

It's all happening starting today at Gail Pallotta's blog.

Stop by, leave a comment and you might win my short story "Coach and Four: Allisandra's Tale."

Enjoy reading about promises in the Bible for you, and good luck in the drawing!
Warmest Blessings,

Linore

Read the First Chapter of Before the Season EndsFor Free

Press on the blank screen icon (small rectangle) and a new screen will open on your pc. Enjoy!

Warmly,

Linore

What Does the Lord Look For?

Today's post comes from my current read, Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World," by Joanna Weaver.





Are you a little bit Mary and a little bit Martha? Or, as in my case, a whole lot of Martha?! Read on for encouragement. God doesn't expect us to live in any extreme, but he does expect us to be transformed from either extreme as we grow closer to Him. We can have balance in our lives if we learn how to.

Ms. Weaver says:

"(God) isn't looking as much for workers as he is looking for sons and daughters--a people to pour his life into."

..."When we put work before worship, we put the cart before the horse. The cart is important; but the horse must come first, or we end up pulling the cart ourselves. Frustrated and weary, we can nearly break under the pressure of service, for there is always something that needs to be done."

"When we first spend time in his presence--when we take time to hear his voice--God provides the horsepower we need to pull the heaviest load. He saddles up Grace and invites us to take a ride."

Amen to that.

Later she adds, .."Good news is woven through the New Testament in a grace-filled strand that shines especially bright in the Gospel stories of Mary and Martha. The message is this: Salvation isn't about what I do; it's about what Jesus did."

I don't know about you, but these are good thoughts for me to begin my day with!
Warmest blessings,

Linore

Summer is Flying By...

Summer is FLYING by. June was politely sedate in its stride, though tempestuous and moody in its weather. But since July 4th, the days seem to fall one upon another like dominoes crashing or a house of cards collapsing.

There can never be enough blue-sky, green-field days of July!

Hey, I'm a guest on Lynn Squire's blog today, sharing parts of my testimony I don't usually talk about! Click through if you're interested... Faith, Fiction, Fun and Fanciful: Interview with Linore Rose Burkard: "A fellow historical fiction writer, Linore Rose Burkard, joins us today. Linore, thank you for coming. Her featured book (The House in Gro..."

Got Little Ones?

"If I had my child to raise all over again, I'd build
self-esteem first, and the house later. I'd finger-paint
more, and point the finger less. I would do less correcting
and more connecting. I'd take my eyes off my watch, and
watch with my eyes. I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.
I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play. I would run
through more fields and gaze at more stars. I'd do more
hugging and less tugging."
Diane Loomans

Have you played with your child today? Summers speed by so don't forget to make it one they'll remember.

Click the photo and "save as" to your desktop. Then print out the picture, a free sample from Dover Books, to enjoy with your little one.

20 Promises For Your Life

Psalm 91 has long been one of my favorite portions of Scripture and this morning I was reminded why. Did you know that tucked inside the 16 verses of this Psalm are no less than 20 promises?

It's true.

There are nineteen instances of what God WILL do for the believer, and one "I WILL" (a promise) by the believer. That makes 20 promises. Nineteen for us to receive and one for us to do. I'd say that's a generous ratio!

Let's take a closer look:

1. Whoever lives under the shelter of the Most High WILL remain in the shadow of the Almighty. (vs.1)

2. I WILL say of the LORD, You are my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.(vs.2)

3. He is the one who WILL rescue you from hunters' traps and from the deadly plagues.(vs.3)

4. He WILL cover you with his feathers,
5. and under his wings you WILL find refuge. His truth is your shield and armor.(vs.4)

6. You do not need to fear terrors of the night, arrows that fly during the day,
plagues that roam the dark, epidemics that strike at noon. They WILL not come near you...(vs.6-7)

7. No harm WILL come to you.(vs.10)

8. No sickness WILL come near your house. (vs.10)

9. He WILL put his angels in charge of you to protect you in all your ways.(vs.11)

10. They WILL carry you in their hands so that you never hit your foot against a rock.(vs.12)

11. You WILL step on lions and cobras.(vs.13)

12. You WILL trample young lions and snakes.(vs.13)

13. Because you love me, I WILL rescue you.(vs.14)

14. I WILL protect you because you know my name. (vs.14)

15. When you call to me, I WILL answer you.(vs.15)

16. I WILL be with you when you are in trouble. (vs.15)

17. I WILL save you and honor you.(vs.15)

18. I WILL satisfy you with a long life. (vs.16)

19. I WILL show you (vs.16)

20. how I WILL save you. (vs.16)

Wasn't that fun? I love "unpacking" the scriptures, as my pastor, John Butler, likes to say. This is an amazing Psalm. What promises are speaking to you today?
What promises do you want to remember? Write them down somewhere now.

"For all the promises of God in Christ are yea and Amen!" (2 Cor.1:20)

Goodbye for Now!

My blogging here has been dismal lately, but with surgery scheduled this month--as well as an aggressive writing schedule--I've regretfully decided to put both my blogs on hold. (My other blog is: http://shesgotcharacter.blogspot.com, which I've kept up with.)

I've got some novels in the works and I need to concentrate on them--as well as my family and my recuperation, so I'm saying goodbye for now, but God willing, I'll pick up again in the future.

I look forward to going forward this year, holding His hand, and I pray you do the same. I'll still be leading some workshops as part of the team behind Greater Harvest Workshops. We're tentatively scheduled for mini-conferences in July in Centerville, Ohio, and October in Middletown, Ohio. Get on the Greater Harvest mailing list (or join my mailing list on my website) for updates and more information as those months approach. I also hope to be part of a Captivating Women conference this year with Erin Campbell Ministries. So--I'll be around!

I'll very likely be "resurrecting" this blog again at some point this year, so stay tuned for more here, also.

Thanks so much for being my reader, and I pray that God blesses 2011 abundantly for you!

Until we meet again,
Yours with love,

Linore
PS: Please feel free to browse the archives here for something that may encourage you on a rainy day. And I am always available via email at Linore (at) LinoreRoseBurkard (dot) com. (no spaces)

Written by my dear friend and children's book author (and Pastor's wife) Donna J. Shepherd, I just had to share this with you.

No Minor Rescue

by Donna J. Shepherd

"For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ" – 2 Corinthians 5:21 nlt

Every Thursday on my Facebook Fan Page, I post a 'Thursday Thanks.' Today I am rejoicing that rescuers saved 33 miners trapped for 69 days one-half mile down into the earth in Chile. The men are being called national heroes.

While I thank God for the miners' safety, I keep thinking about the drilling experts at Center Rock, Inc. who worked day and night to make an escape for those men – and way ahead of schedule, too.

But most of all, I cannot stop thinking about the first rescuer, Manuel Alejandro González Pavez, who got into a 900-pound capsule, not knowing for sure that it would work properly, and descended into that cave. The trapped men never made the choice to be there. Manuel did. A hero indeed.

And I can't help but think of Someone else who descended to earth to save me. Jesus Christ did not descend a half mile, but descended from Heaven, laid down His life on the cross, died and rose again to rescue me from the penalty of sin. The apostle Paul wrote to the Romans, "So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 5:21). Sin brought death and condemnation, but Christ's one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God.

The heroic rescue of the miners was broadcast live and watched by millions around the world. Jesus spoke of a day when He will return. He said, "But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory" (Mark 13:24-26). John says in the first book of Revelation that every eye shall see Him.

I watched each miner come to the surface to reunite with family and friends. Tears of joy streamed down faces as each one thanked his rescuers. I, too, have been rescued. I can hardly wait to see Jesus face to face to thank Him for saving me!

Prayer: Thank you, God, for your Love and grace and that You view me as worthy to redeem. Thank You that Jesus came to rescue me. I praise you for my salvation!

--
Posted By Donna J. Shepherd to Devotionals by Donna at 10/14/2010 11:35:00 AM. Please stop by the blog to leave feedback. Bless you, Donna

Did you get my latest ezine? I always include a free download, no strings attached. (But you need to be subscribed to get new issues.)
Click the link below, take a peek, and sign up if you like what you see. : )

Warmest blessings,

Linore


http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Linore-Rose-Burkard-s-E-Zine.html?soid=1102375433676&aid=bhPAw3JK-WU. Every issue comes with a free download

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

Susan Meissner

and the book:

Lady In Waiting

WaterBrook Press; Original edition (September 7, 2010)

***Special thanks to Cindy Brovsky of WaterBrook Press, a division of Random House, Inc., for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Susan Meissner has spent her lifetime as a writer, starting with her first poem at the age of four. She is the award-winning author of The Shape of Mercy, White Picket Fences, and many other novels. When she’s not writing, she directs the small groups and connection ministries at her San Diego church. She and her pastor husband are the parents of four young adults.


Visit the author's website.

Product Details:

List Price: $13.99
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: WaterBrook Press; Original edition (September 7, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0307458830
ISBN-13: 978-0307458834

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Jane

Upper West Side, Manhattan

ONE

The mantle clock was exquisite even though its hands rested in silence at twenty minutes past two.

Carved—near as I could tell—from a single piece of mahogany, its glimmering patina looked warm to the touch. Rosebuds etched into the swirls of wood grain flanked the sides like two bronzed bridal bouquets. The clock’s top was rounded and smooth like the draped head of a Madonna. I ran my palm across the polished surface and it was like touching warm water.

Legend was this clock originally belonged to the young wife of a Southampton doctor and that it stopped keeping time in 1912, the very moment the Titanic sank and its owner became a widow. The grieving woman’s only consolation was the clock’s apparent prescience of her husband’s horrible fate and its kinship with the pain that left her inert in sorrow. She never remarried and she never had the clock fixed.

I bought it sight unseen for my great aunt’s antique store, like so many of the items I’d found for the display cases. In the year and half I’d been in charge of the inventory, the best pieces had come from the obscure estate sales that my British friend Emma Downing came upon while tooling around the southeast of England looking for oddities for her costume shop. She found the clock at an estate sale in Felixstowe and the auctioneer, so she told me, had been unimpressed with the clock’s sad history. Emma said he’d read the accompanying note about the clock as if reading the rules for rugby.

My mother watched now as I positioned the clock on the lacquered black mantle that rose above a marble fireplace. She held a lead crystal vase of silk daffodils in her hands.

“It should be ticking.” She frowned. “People will wonder why it’s not ticking.” She set the vase down on the hearth and stepped back. Her heels made a clicking sound on the parquet floor beneath our feet. “You know, you probably would’ve sold it by now if it was working. Did Wilson even look at it? You told me he could fix anything.”

I flicked a wisp of fuzz off the clock’s face. I hadn’t asked the shop’s resident and unofficial repairman to fix it. “It wouldn’t be the same clock if it was fixed.”

“It would be a clock that did what it was supposed to do.” My mother leaned in and straightened one of the daffodil blooms.

“This isn’t just any clock, Mom.” I took a step back too.

My mother folded her arms across the front of her Ann Taylor suit. Pale blue, the color of baby blankets and robins’ eggs. Her signature color. “Look, I get all that about the Titanic and the young widow, but you can’t prove any of it, Jane,” she said. “You could never sell it on that story.”

A flicker of sadness wobbled inside me at the thought of parting with the clock. This happens when you work in retail. Sometimes you have a hard time selling what you bought to sell.

“I’m thinking maybe I’ll keep it.”

“You don’t make a profit by hanging onto the inventory.” My mother whispered this, but I heard her. She intended for me to hear her. This was her way of saying what she wanted to about her aunt’s shop—which she’d inherit when Great Aunt Thea passed—without coming across as interfering.

My mother thinks she tries very hard not to interfere. But it is one of her talents. Interfering when she thinks she’s not. It drives my younger sister Leslie nuts.

“Do you want me to take it back to the store?” I asked.

“No! It’s perfect for this place. I just wish it were ticking.” She nearly pouted.

I reached for the box at my feet that I brought the clock in along with a set of Shakespeare’s works, a pair of pewter candlesticks, and a Wedgwood vase. “You could always get a CD of sound effects and run a loop of a ticking clock,” I joked.

She turned to me, childlike determination in her eyes. “I wonder how hard it would be to find a CD like that!”

“I was kidding, Mom! Look what you have to work with.” I pointed to the simulated stereo system she’d placed into a polished entertainment center behind us. My mother never used real electronics in the houses she staged, although with the clientele she usually worked with—affluent real estate brokers and equally well-off buyers and sellers—she certainly could.

“So I’ll bring in a portable player and hide it in the hearth pillows.” She shrugged and then turned to the adjoining dining room. A gleaming black dining table had been set with white bone china, pale yellow linen napkins, and mounds of fake chicken salad, mauvey rubber grapes, and plastic croissants and petit fours. An arrangement of pussy willows graced the center of the table. “Do you think the pussy willows are too rustic?” she asked.

She wanted me to say yes so I did.

“I think so, too,” she said. “I think we should swap these out for that vase of Gerbera daisies you have on that escritoire in the shop’s front window. I don’t know what I was thinking when I brought these.” She reached for the unlucky pussy willows. “We can put these on the entry table with our business cards.”

She turned to me. “You did bring yours this time, didn’t you? It’s silly for you to go to all this work and then not get any customers out of it.” My mother made her way to the entryway with the pussy willows in her hands and intention in her step. I followed her.

This was only the second house I’d helped her stage, and I didn’t bring business cards the first time because she hadn’t invited me to until we were about to leave. She’d promptly told me then to never go anywhere without business cards. Not even to the ladies room. She’d said it and then waited, like she expected me to take out my BlackBerry and make a note of it.

“I have them right here.” I reached into the front pocket of my capris and pulled out a handful of glossy business cards emblazoned with Amsterdam Avenue Antiques and its logo—three As entwined like a Celtic eternity knot. I handed them to her and she placed them in a silver dish next to her own. Sophia Keller Interior Design and Home Staging. The pussy willows actually looked wonderful against the tall jute-colored wall.

“There. That looks better!” she exclaimed as if reading my thoughts. She turned to survey the main floor of the townhouse. The owners had relocated to the Hamptons and were selling off their Manhattan properties to fund a cushy retirement. Half the décor—the books, the vases, the prints—were on loan from Aunt Thea’s shop. My mother, who’d been staging real estate for two years, brought me in a few months earlier when she discovered a stately home filled with charming and authentic antiques sold faster than the same home filled with reproductions.

“You and Brad should get out of that teensy apartment on the West Side and buy this place. The owners are practically giving it away.”

Her tone suggested she didn’t expect me to respond. I easily let the comment evaporate into the sunbeams caressing us. It was a comment for which I had had no response.

My mother’s gaze swept across the two large rooms she’d furnished and she frowned when her eyes reached the mantle and the silent clock.

“Well, I’ll just have to come back later today,” she spoke into the silence. “It’s being shown first thing in the morning.” She swung back around. “Come on. I’ll take you back.”

We stepped out into the April sunshine and to her Lexus parked across the street along a line of townhouses just like the one we’d left. As we began to drive away, the stillness in the car thickened, and I fished my cell phone out of my purse to see if I’d missed any calls while we were finishing the house. On the drive over I had a purposeful conversation with Emma about a box of old books she found at a jumble sale in Oxfordshire. That lengthy conversation filled the entire commute from the store on the seven-hundred block of Amsterdam to the townhouse on East Ninth, and I found myself wishing I could somehow repeat that providential circumstance. My mother would ask about Brad if the silence continued. There was no missed call, and I started to probe my brain for something to talk about. I suddenly remembered I hadn’t told my mother I’d found a new assistant. I opened my mouth to tell her about Stacy but I was too late.

“So what do you hear from Brad?” she asked cheerfully.

“He’s doing fine.” The answer flew out of my mouth as if I’d rehearsed it. She looked away from the traffic ahead, blinked at me, and then turned her attention back to the road. A taxi pulled in front of her, and she laid on the horn, pronouncing a curse on all taxi drivers.

“Idiot.” She turned to me. “How much longer do you think he will stay in New Hampshire?” Her brow was creased. “You aren’t going to try to keep two households going forever, are you?”

I exhaled heavily. “It’s a really good job, Mom. And he likes the change of pace and the new responsibilities. It’s only been two months.”

“Yes, but the inconvenience has to be wearing on you both. It must be quite a hassle maintaining two residences, not to mention the expense, and then all that time away from each other.” She paused but only for a moment. “I just don’t see why he couldn’t have found something similar right here in New York. I mean, don’t all big hospitals have the same jobs in radiology? That’s what your father told me. And he should know.”

“Just because there are similar jobs doesn’t mean there are similar vacancies, Mom.”

She tapped the steering wheel. “Yes, but your father said . . .”

“I know Dad thinks he might’ve been able to help Brad find something on Long Island but Brad wanted this job. And no offense, Mom, but the head of environmental services doesn’t hire radiologists.”

She bristled. I shouldn’t have said it. She would repeat that comment to my dad, not to hurt him but to vent her frustration at not having been able to convince me she was right and I was wrong. But it would hurt him anyway.

“I’m sorry, Mom,” I added. “Don’t tell him I said that, okay? I just really don’t want to rehash this again.”

But she wasn’t done. “Your father has been at that hospital for twenty-seven years. He knows a lot of people.” She emphasized the last four words with a pointed stare in my direction.

“I know he does. That’s really not what I meant. It’s just Brad has always wanted this kind of job. He’s working with cancer patients. This really matters to him.”

“But the job’s in New Hampshire!”

“Well, Connor is in New Hampshire!” It sounded irrelevant even to me to mention the current location of Brad’s and my college-age son. Connor had nothing to do with any of this. And he was an hour away from where Brad was anyway.

“And you are here,” my mother said evenly. “If Brad wanted out of the city, there are plenty of quieter hospitals right around here. And plenty of sick people for that matter.”

There was an undercurrent in her tone, subtle and yet obvious, that assured me we really weren’t talking about sick people and hospitals and the miles between Manhattan and Manchester. It was as if she’d guessed what I’d tried to keep from my parents the last eight weeks.

My husband didn’t want out of the city.

He just wanted out.

***************************************************************************

For Your Health

Since I'm posting scriptures of healing and well-being, I thought I should also share a link for a free pdf concerning how to buy foods that are not genetically modified. GMO products have been proven to be highly dangerous (see Mercola.com for the article) but how do we avoid them?

See if this guide can help.

God bless your day,

Linore

Healing Words

I'll be regularly posting "healing words" here, as I see no good reason to keep them to myself. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I have what I call "The Book of Healing which is a collection of God's Word--scriptures that speak of health, healing, and well-being.

May they speak and minister to you today:

Blessed be the Lord,
who daily bears us up;
God is our salvation. Selah
Our God is a God of salvation,
and to God, the Lord, belongs escape from death.
Psalm 68:19-20

The Lord will turn away from you every illness.
Deut.7:15a

But I am lowly, and in pain;
let your salvation, O God, protect me.
You who seek God, let your hearts revive.
For the Lord hears the needy,
and does not despise his own that are in bonds.
Psalm 69:29, 32-33

He delivers the needy when they call,
the poor and those who have no helper.
He has pity on the weak and the needy,
and saves the lives of the needy.
Psalm 72:12-13

The crowds..followed him; and He welcomed them, and
spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and
healed those who needed to be cured.
Luke 9:11

Warmest blessings,

Linore