Home to Harmony

Source

"Home to Harmony" by Philip Gulley is a refreshing book about small-town America, in what I thought was "the old days." It was actually set in modern times, which goes to show the reader just how small a town Harmony really is. It begins with a Quaker minister going back to his hometown to take over as pastor of the church he grew up in. Although the church members and elders would like for things to go on exactly as they were before, the new pastor has a different approach to his ministry and is ready for a change.

The book is full of all sorts of things you would expect to see in a small town: the local gossips, people being in everyone else's business, people liking things to stay the way they have been their entire lives. But, you also see a side of people in the small town that is sweet and Christian and humbling: the parents who lost their son at a young age and stayed in the home, but now want the pastor and his young family to move into their home. The only stipulation - that they can come have coffee and read the morning paper on the porch on the weekends, and that every so often, they can come inside and touch the spot where they last marked their son's height on the dining room wall. That spot on the dining room wall is why they were never able to sell their home.

"Home to Harmony" was a sweet read. There were some silly characters, some of which you might know someone just like them in real life. And there were some really sweet characters. All in all, the people of Harmony were good people, and Harmony seems like a nice place. A good, Americana, type place. I recommend reading it, if you get a chance.

Phillip Gulley has other books about Harmony available: Just Shy of Harmony, Signs and Wonders, Christmas in Harmony, Life Goes On, A Change of Heart, The Christmas Scrapbook, Almost Friends.

He has also written other Christian books, which can be found on his website GraceTalks with Phillip Gulley. *Note* - I read this book and wrote the review on my own. I am in no way affiliated with the author. I just found the website, when I Googled an image, so there you go. Put some Windex on it. Any takers? You know what movie that is? :) I love how I can be talking about one thing and completely go off topic. Anyway. Go read the book, haha.

A Child Called "It"

Source

A Child Called "It" by Dave Pelzer. I'm going to be honest with you. I had no desire to read this book. True accounts of child abuse or any type of harm brought on by one human being onto another make me sick. It is frightening to think how some peoples' minds work in comparison to the norm, and that they could be living right down the street from me. I had to stop watching Criminal Minds because of this. I'm weird; I know. Anyway, back to the book.

My friend checked the book out from the library, and during the two day stint of her reading it, asked if I had read it, and talked about how parts of it had her crying; it was that awful. She has two sons of her own and could not imagine doing to her children what this mother had done to hers. She brought it for me to read, and I read it within four hours (large typeface).

I had already heard of some of the types of abuse before: how a parent will choose one child to take out their "anger" on. I say "anger," because it sure as hell (pardon me) is not anger - these people are sick in the head - while treating their other children like angels. Parts of it actually made me queasy, and I had to put the book down, until the feelings passed. I don't know if it was because I had only had coffee at that point in the morning and nothing to eat, or if it was just that gross and disturbing. Despite all of it, the story is written by the boy, who survived, so you know that he made it out of his living nightmare.

Do I think it's a great read? I don't know. Is it honest? Brutally. Should you read it? Probably.

Why? There were plenty of signs for the adults in his life to see...for years...and it took years for them to do anything about it. Why was he the only one of his brothers with dirty clothes with holes in them? Why was he the only one of his brothers stealing food? Why was he the only one of his brothers who was never seen playing outside? Why, when the social worker was called to their house on a report he was being abused (because a neighbor did what was right) did she not do anything, when he admitted that his mom beat him, but only when he deserved it? So many people should have stepped up to help this child, but nobody did.

Nobody saw the signs or realized they were seeing the signs of a child being abused by his own mother.

I don't suggest reading the book to make you cry or to make you sick to your stomach, but to make you aware. You may come across a child in your life or may know one now, that is silently calling out for help. That is why Dave Pelzer wrote his book - awareness. He was silently calling out for help. And he was forever thankful for the people who finally became aware and stood up for him, when no one else would.

Your Best Life Now

I'll say it now: I like Pastor Osteen. I was born and raised in Houston, TX, but never went to Lakewood Church. If I lived there now, I would be getting there two hours early every Sunday just to get a parking space! Call me a follower, a fan or a "watcher" of his program; I simply love the way the man preaches. He has a positive, happy demeanor about him, which makes listening to his sermons a joy.

I am NOT, let me repeat, NOT a fan of the "hellfire & damnation" preachers at all. Who likes sitting in church feeling guilty about things you haven't even done? Geez! I get it; I know what's bad and what could get me thrown out of God's favor. I want someone to teach me the Bible; to make me happy about going through this thing called life; to let me know that although He is all-powerful, He is also on my side.

With that being said, I recently read "Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living At Your Full Potential" by Joel Osteen. And I loved it! Like lovingly absorbed every single page. It has been one of those books I've always thought about getting around to reading, but I never actually bought it. Fast forward to my Mom coming in town for a visit and finding the book at Goodwill for $2.00 - Score! Plus, she bought the book, because what else does a mom do but spoil her daughter and grandchild (and slightly the son-in-law - love you, babe!) by buying them whatever they want, when she hasn't seen them in over a year? Double Score! Tangent Over: Back to the book review.

There are 7 Parts to "Your Best Life Now":

Enlarge Your Vision
Develop A Healthy Self-Image
Discover the Power of Your Thoughts and Words
Let Go of the Past
Find Strength Through Adversity
Live to Give!
Choose to be Happy

Each part is broken down into chapters, where Pastor Osteen shares how to achieve these 7 steps. He tells funny stories from his childhood, about his family, his children, people he has known, past and present, interesting little-known stories about people from all around the world. All of these stories are combined with stories from The Bible. And the way the book is written; you can definitely read it and hear Pastor Osteen's voice in your head.
A true writer.

One passage I really loved, the one that spoke to me the most, since it was the only page I dog-eared to go back to over and over again was this:

"When times get tough or things don't go your way, keep your confidence up. When discouragements come or when people tell you that your dreams are never going to come to pass, you're never going to be happy, and you can never change, boldly remind yourself who is at work in your life. God is turning things around in your favor. God is opening doors of opportunity for you. He is restoring relationships; He is softening people's hearts toward you. God is completing what He started. You may not see anything happening with your natural eyes, but you must believe that in the unseen world, God is at work on your behalf."

That is something I love to hear, something that makes me feel good. I know that no matter what may be going on in my life, with all the craziness of this world, the uncertainty of where things may be headed, God "has my back," so you could say. (I'm sure there is a much better term than God "having my back," you know what I mean? I couldn't really think of anything else, though. But, you know what? He knows what I mean, and that's really all that matters. He is probably shaking his head at the vocabulary of today, thinking, 'Boy, that Briana is a prime example." Haha. I like to think God thinks I'm funny and that I make him chuckle from time to time. He certainly makes me a happy person. Okay, okay...Second Tangent: Over!)

It makes me think of the saying, "If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it." I may not be aware of the goings-on up above; but I am very certain of His love.

Successful Adoption

This book is obviously a topical book and one very close to my heart. It's about adoption, and I purchased the book to gain a little insight into the world of adoption from a Christian point of view. I follow a few blogs written by some awesome Christian gals, some of whom have already adopted, some of whom are adopting again, some who are currently in the process and some, like me, who have not yet begun the actual process. For those currently in the process, saving up for their adoption, or who have ever thought about adoption and have a heart for orphans and wish to adopt in the future, this book is a wonderful resource.

"Successful Adoption: A Guide for Christian Families" by Natalie Nichols Gillespie is a two-fold book, about both domestic and international adoption. She lets prospective parents know what to expect along the way; emotionally, mentally, cost-wise, paperwork-wise (Is that a word? It is now!). She also includes the personal stories of well-known Christians, such as Steven Curtis Chapman, Stormie Omartian, Karen Kingsbury, Nicole C. Mullen and Sandi Patty, among others. At the back of the book, she includes samples of letters and documents, so you can get an idea of what your paper trail will look like. She also lists adoption agencies, websites, ministries, support groups, organizations, financial resources and country-specific information in the Appendix. She basically took all of my past Internet surfing and combined it all in one place. :)

The author's dedication at the beginning of the book tugged at my heart, and I knew then I had made a good choice in purchasing the book. Here is the dedication: "This book is dedicated to the millions of children around the world who wish for nothing more than the love of a family to call their own - and to the families reading this who will bring them home."

We are praying for our little one until the day we bring her home.

"And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me."

- Jesus Christ (Matthew 18:5)

I really enjoyed this book. It was an easy read with lots of helpful information. The stories of the families, who have already adopted, were so touching. It is always wonderful to learn of another happy adoption story. I purchased the book at my local Christian store, so go out and get yours today. You will not be disappointed! It will make your heart even more delighted and excited about your adoption journey! I know it did for mine!

5 Love Languages

Who knew there were five love languages? And that if you could figure out the love language of your spouse, it would make for a happy spouse, and that if they could figure out your love language, it would make for a happy YOU!

This guy did...

Gary Chapman.

Author of "The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts."

Here's the gist of what he has to say.
There are five different ways in which we, as humans, wish to be loved on, in other words,

The 5 Love Languages:

Words of Affirmation
Quality Time
Receiving Gifts
Acts of Service
Physical Touch.

Words of Affirmation is obviously praise, such as, "You look nice in that," "I'm proud of you for your hard work," "I appreciate you," "Great job." You know, an atta' boy or a you go, girl on a fairly regular basis. Quality Time is just that. Quality time. Going for a walk together, meeting each other for lunch, talking with each other, uninterrupted, about your days, spending family time together doing fun activities. Receiving Gifts can be a visual symbol of love for some people. Gifts don't have to be expensive; they can be handmade, something found in nature, a note, something small, but meaningful enough to let the person know you are thinking of them. Acts of Service can range from filling up the car with gas, to folding all the clothes, to doing the one chore you know the other hates to do. Physical Touch is just what it sounds like, although the author notes that sex is not a part of this. Sex in marriage is a no-brainer. The author means physical touch throughout the day; a hug, holding of hands, a pat on the back, running your fingers through their hair, a neck rub, a kiss hello, goodbye and goodnight.

At the end of the book, there is a personal profile for both you and your spouse to take, which tell you what your love languages are. Hubs and I both took it. We are...

Drumroll please...

I am a Quality Timer & Hubs is a Physical Toucher.

Both of our runners-up was...
Words of Affirmation.

We have been working on spending some quality time together. It has definitely been a lot easier since he's been home from Afghanistan. (Go figure, right?) I have to work on the physical touch. I didn't grow up in a touchy-feely-hugs-all-around-kinda family, so my bad. :) And we are both working on the words of affirmation, as well. For both of us, it was just one point away from being tied with our number one choice, so we figured it was pretty important, too.

So, atta boy & you go, girl! Woot!

Now, go buy the book, and learn your spouse's love language. I recommend it!

Feathered Serpent

I love to read...pretty much anything. Well, don't give me a technical book on how to rig up my computer to open and close my garage door or something. I will just give you a blank stare. But, I love novels, fiction, epic books about awesome things, books that make me happy...you get my drift. Absolutely loved Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden (and the movie)!!! Books written about ancient Chinese or Japanese culture or The Orient (is that PC to say anymore?) are fascinating to me. So, I was pleased to find Feathered Serpent by Xu Xiaobin at my local bookstore for a decent price. The cover was beautiful and the jacket read like an interesting short story.

If I thought I would be getting something similar to Memoirs of a Geisha, I was more than wrong. While Feathered Serpent was an interesting read; it was VERY confusing to follow. I prefer books that flow from chapter to chapter, and that are written in the same voice throughout, in either 1st or 3rd person. Feathered Serpent had a host of "narrators" of the story, and it took a few paragraphs into the new person's story to know who was even telling their story. It was an A-ha moment every few chapters. It also jumped from year to year. I know some books start in the present and do a flashback, but this book would go from the present to the past back to the present then to ancient times then head back to the past and come right back on in to the present. Confused? Yeah, welcome to my world. And sometimes, I couldn't even tell if an event had really happened, or if it had been a dream that someone had had. More confusion.

But, when it comes to reading, I am not a quitter. I told myself I would finish it, and I did. It wasn't the best of reads. I say this, simply because I only consider books that I can barely put down to be amazing. When I find myself reading before bed, on the couch, with my morning coffee, etc., then I know I've found a great book. Unfortunately, Feathered Serpent was not one of those books. So, does this book get my recommendation? No. However, if you want an interesting, yet confusing ride, then yes, by all means...go for it. I just know I won't be keeping it in my "Must Read Again" pile.

Songs in Ordinary Time

My first book review. Not that anybody asked me to review it, or that anybody cares what I think about it, or that it will even be semi-professional in the wording that I choose. I'm just glad I have my own little spot in the world to tell people what I think about some things every now and then. You should get one, too. :) With that being said, here goes...

Pretty much anything in Oprah's Book Club is going to be a good book, in my mind (Erin, I know you'll think so, too, you little Oprah lover, you!). The books I've read so far from the list really tend to have a lot of "meat" to them, a lot of heart and soul; they always leave you coming back for more.

And with a book that is 740 pages long, you are definitely going to be coming back for more with this one! Now, since I'm not a professional book critic, I'm not obligated to give the background of the story, which is good (and usually boring to read about). I'm just going to give some basics...in my words...

Songs in Ordinary Time
by Mary McGarry Morris
is a Guh-Reat Book!

Here are some of the characters and a brief description:

Marie Fermoyle
The mom who can't catch a break and has had it rough

Sam Fermoyle
Her fall-down drunk of an ex-husband and father of her kids

Alice Fermoyle
Their daughter who is lookin' for love in ALL the wrong places

Norm Fermoyle
The tough middle son, trying to find his way, but still messing up

Benjy Fermoyle
The youngest who knows too much but wants peace for his mom

Omar Duvall
A stranger who comes into their lives making big promises

Chief Stoner
The police chief having an affair, while his wife is dying of cancer

Father Gannon
A new priest who is pretty radical in his ways

Helen LaChance
Sam's sister, uptight, strong, driven, hates her brother

Renie LaChance
Helen's husband who makes anonymous obscene phone calls

Blue Mooney
Marine on leave causing trouble with a thing for Alice

It's really a great book. There's heartache, murder, deceit, an old lady living in a crib, people just trying to get by. It takes place in the 50's or 60's. I don't know how you are when you read a book, but the whole time with some of the situations, I would get angry, thinking, "The truth is staring you in the face, you idiot!" What can I say? I get into my books. :) So, I recommend the book. It's a great read, even though it's a long read.

I typically can finish a book within a couple of weeks, but with this, I could only read a few pages here and there. It took a couple months, but it was worth it. (I read other books in between, as well.) But, this way, it made me care about the characters and what was happening in their lives, and I like that about a book. I enjoy a book that I can really care about.

So, yes, go out and get this book.
It comes highly recommended by Bri. :)

**If you click the picture above, it will take you to Amazon, and you can buy it right now! And if you live near me, you can borrow my copy. I got it from the library book fair for $1. Woot!**