Book Review Fearless- Max Lucado

I don't usually do book reviews on this blog, I generally do them on my Hello, book review blog. But this book was so special, and so wonderful I wanted to share it here. If you have ever read Max Lucado make sure you rad this book, if you have not ever read him, this is a great first book for you to read.

I just finished reading Max Lucado's Fearless, and it is a wonderful book! The fact that Max Lucado is my absolute favorite Christian Non Fiction writer, I believe he has outdone himself with this book.

He starts with the story of his brothers death. His brother was a man, troubled by fears and insecurities. He was a recovering alcoholic who at the end faced his fears only to be called home.

We all have fears, fear of not being a good enough parent, fear of dying, fear of not making enough money,

The premise of the book is how much better our lives would be if we didn't have so much far and more faith. The first thing we do is become filled with fear.

A new job opportunity is offered to us, it is different then we are used to so the fer sets in,

a move to a new state, even new food. Sure you love Sushi now, but how calm were you when you sat down and ate it the first time?

God doe snot want us to live fearful life's, as a matter of fact he says in the Bible that we are not to have a spirit of fear but of peace. Why is fear the first feeling we have?

Feed your fears, and your faith will starve.

Feed your faith, and your fears will.

The next time your reaction is fear, turn to God, let Him know.

I recommend this book because it is so uplifting, it is what you need in a scary situation

Max Lucado's book immediately put me in a calming spiritual frame of mind. He mentions several ways to change fear into faith, but reading his books does it for me.

If you are coming up on change that is scary, or different. You are sitting there worried about something. Pick up this book and change you whole frame of reference. God doesn't want us to be scared, he wants us to have faith. This book tells us how.

The one chapter that really touchged me wa chapter "There's a Dragon in your Closet"

What is your dragon? All of us have them. You have to learn to slay that dragon, because it is usually something that is not likely to happen, we just think it will or might, then we are scared.

Read this chapter and learn how to slay that dragon.

The bottom line youneed is your Bible. God tells you how to allay fears, slay dragons, deal with inlaws all of he things you fear. Turn that fear into faith.

Small Talk Six: 6 things your hate or loved about school

Small Talk Six Six things I liked about School Brought to you by the wonderful ladies over at

Mom Dot

1. Tennis, I was on the tennis team.

2. I loved history class, because I loved history. I loved it so much I became a history and english teacher.

3. My teacher Mrs. Michell. She kept telling me I could, when everyone else kept telling me I couldn't. and I DID!

4. I hated bullies, I wasn't bullied but I stood up for some kids that were, got suspended for fighting on campus but the bullies weren't, how interesting.. I learned a lot about life being unfair, that year

5. The quarterback on the football team, we became engaged, he became a cop and was KIA. Life really is not fair.

6. I hated the perky cheerleaders. I couldn't make the squad so I became the "A" in PAlo alto High. The letter girls were below the squad of course. even though we did some of the same routines, etc.

Children and fear, Charleston and moving Random Friday

Imagine your life wholly untouched by angst. What if faith, not fear,

was your default reaction to threats? If you could hover a fear magnet

over your heart and extract every last shaving of dread, insecurity, and

doubt, what would remain? Envision a day, just one day, absent the

dread of failure, rejection, and calamity. Can you imagine a life with no fear?

Max Lucado - Fearless

I have been thinking a lot about fear lately. I have stepped out in faith on some things that have been absolutely scary. Starting my own business meant going for a while without income.

Scary.

Moving to a strange town.

moving again

and again

and yet again.

Is life supposed to be fearful? I don't think so, bu I think it is our first reaction to any situation we are not sure of or appears strange to us. I wonder what would happen if our reaction was faith.

Tasha likes to watch a show called Yo Gabba Gabba. The show positivity irritates me, but it is one of two shows she will really sit and watch. Not to mention sing to and with, do the dance movements then spend 5 minutes telling me all about what happened in the show.

One of the "robots named Trudy was afraid of the dark, and the other robots joined to assure her there was nothing to be afraid of the dark. This show made a profound effect on Tasha. Now she is not afraid of the dark, but since yo Gabba Gabba told her it was OK, she was not going to be afraid of the dark. It is amazing how much of an impact a TV show has on a 3 year old, if we realized this more I think we would be more careful what is on in the background.

I was watching a war movie, and Tasha wasn't paying me or the TV any attention, but after she asked me why the men were playing with firecrackers.

But she wasn't scared. But I was, and kicked myself many times that day for making the mistake for thinking for a second her subconscious wasn't paying attention.

I think fear is a learned exercise. Although some fear is good, (fear of strangers, etc) I don't think we want our kids to be fearful all the time.

Maybe just very cautious. But I don't know how you teach this without scaring them.

Tasha is never left alone, not even in the back yard. She doesn't

't know it is because we worry about things, she just knows that Mom, Nanny and uncles Eric are always there for her.

Do we tell her about the bad people who might reach over the fence and take her away.

The very interesting thing is, even 20 years ago these were not fears we had, kids played in the backyard, or on the front porch.

Polly Klaas's abductor had not made it unsafe for kids to even go to bed at night.

Are you afraid ?

Tasha and the pizza man

The phone was raining yesterday evening and I told Tasha to answer it, because I knew it was her mom, Tasha picked it up and then immediately returned it to it's cradle. She looked at me and said , well Pizza's here! Apparently that's more important then mom. She ran to the door opened it and said: Hello Pizza man! Do you think she likes Pizza?

I am moving my blog to Wordpress next week, I hope all of you will follow.

It is cloudy and overcast in Charleston, I like days like this. It is what I call a thinking day or even a reading day. I can do both.

I hope for you it is a wonderful day.

And so it goes...

Angel

Wordless Wedneday: Bye Bye Summer

Sunday Thank a Soldier for America, day

I have a niche for everything I think, but today being Sunday I think it is a day for God or God's people. I have a special place in my heart for Soldiers, and their families. I come from a long line of Navy men and women. My eyesight was to bad to get into the navy, but Ihad the dream of being hte first female pilot, I wanted to fly those planes off the carrier and soar into the blue. Carriers still fascinate me, I guess that is from my strange side. Come on all of us have strange sides.

You like horror movies remember? and what about all of you starbuckers who cnnot get up in the morning, or get through the day without a double mocha latte? oh, right. thats me. sigh....

The ACLU believes that soldiers shouldn't be allowed to pray a make any reference to God
Can you imagine not having God in Iraq?

Someone told me the other day, I should be careful my readers will get tired of hearing about soldiers and leave. I think, if you are tired of hearing of our soldiers then you should leave.

What the soldiers are doing, is what is giving you the right to read or stay on any blog not just mine. I'm not going to stop, I appreciate our guys and gals and I LOVE America...

American is a wonderful country, we are lucky to be here rather then some other countries.

We may not be perfect, but at least we have the right not to be, we can be whatever we want to be.

So have a wonderful Sunday, enjoy church, praise God for everything, and ask him to bless our guys and their families.

Small Talk Six The daze of Summer

Its Saturday! so it is "Small talk Six day, that is we post six things, pics, sentences, paragraphs, what evever about a certain Topics.

Todays it is six things you will or will not miss about summer...are you kidding? I live in Charleston SC I can give you 106, but I will behave.. Go here and see more from other great bloggers who are probably, although they won't tell, breathing a sigh of relief as they push the young'uns back on that old bus

BTW, what did you do this summer?

You have a wonderful weekend

Angel

I went downtown to a meeting the the other day, and you couldn't get downLibety street. This in itself was a crazy thing to do, it is the first week of school an the dorms are down that street...you think I'd remembered.

Parents were lined up for the entire block, letting kids and packages out of the car moving their precious littleones into the dorms. College kids flying on their own for the first time, see I knew they were first timers, becasue you learn the second year how to avoid the rush and the turmoil.

You move in early. Or late. Beat the crowds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ze-zc7INRMg

I remember when my kids went to collge, it is a sad and a happy time. for them and for you.

Is school starting at your house to? Whether it is college, elem, highschool oar preshcol

it is time for a new year.. Are you ready?

Whats an Anniversary....

Well Happy Blogaversary to me. I used a wishing well cake because, well I have so many wishes.

If wishes were horses....

1. I wish all the soldiers good health and safety.

2. I wish them a safe return home

3. I wish I had won the publishers clearing house sweepstakes

4. I wish I had the money to buy Natasha whatever she wanted, and she would never get spoiled

(well I already do this, and yes she is a teeny little bit spoiled. Well maybe a lot,)

5. I wish it would rain. I know I complained last week, but Charlestons storms are spectular, and I miss them. Can't make me happy at all can we?

I wish I have won the southern living free house givaay,that house in ashville was wonderful!

I wish good health to all my friends.

I would like to do the usual I wish for world peace, etc but I don't think that is going to happen anytime soon.

I am happy I have met so may wonderful people while blogging, and made many friends.

BTW I have many lurkers, I know you are there, come on you show up on my stats, I just want you to know I apprciate you to and if you ever want to drop a commen coolk..but thats okay if you don't. If you wanted to be known you wouldn't be lurking now would you? :)

Angel

Wordless Wedneday - Thank a Soldier

Thank a Soldier and remember his or her family: Charleston's Riverfront park

The all American city, Gas prices, Inflation , Life

It was announced on the news last night that Charleston SC was voted the most American city, has a low crime rate and low cost housing. They went on to say we also had the lowest gas prices in the nation. That, to me seemed like a strange thing to add to the most American city, but it is a very important part of our lives today isn't it?

Yesterday Denise and I were trying to decide if we wanted to take Tasha to the park near our house or go to Riverfront park, a favorite park across town. After checking our finances, and the gas gauge we ended up going to the park up the road.

It dawns on me, We shouldn't have to base a decision on where to take Tasha to the park on the amount of gas we can afford to get us through the week. It is a sad commentary on our times.

I remember walking to the park when I was growing up, by myself. Hanging out with my friends, then walking home at twilight, without a fear in the world. I also remember playing in the street, football, softball, kick ball with the kids across the street until 10 or 11 at night, even playing hide and seek never worrying about the stranger walking down the road or whether or not we had a sex offender in our neighborhood.

So what does being the All American City mean, now days?

I watch Tasha vigilantly if she goes out the front door, I am suspicious because I do not know the neighbors or neighborhood. But even if I did, isn't what they always say about serial killers the same thing, He was such a quiet person, I never would have guessed! So we look at our neighbors with suspicious, especially if they are quiet. :)

If I live like this in the All American City, how do those live who don't live in this type of city?

and if you are not the All American city, what countries city are you?

Charleston is a city of neighborhoods. One neighborhood gently blends into another with grace. The old neighborhoods, such as south of broad downtown speak of the cities history, of grace ladies in long skirts an umbrellas strolling down the street With gentlemen in fedora. The horse and carriage rides seem to belong on the streets more so then the cars, somehow modern life doesn't belong here in Charleston. But before you know it, as enthralled as you are with the beauy of the old, the reality of the new intudes as the neighorhood slips intot hepoorer areas, quietly without a gasp, the history of grand ladies changes to those who were not so fortunate, and are even now fighting the battle of survival. My grandmother told me once, she had never even noticed the depression:her family had always been poor, so the depression passed her by as simply the way of life she had always lived.

In a time of financial disater the middle class suffers the most, they have the most to lose The rich, have a nest egg the poor will always be with us, but the middle clas belongs not in either place, so they are the ones who find themseveles and all they have worked for slipping away as they grope for some sense of steadiness.

Charleston has a middle class, they live mostly in such historical places as St Andrews, Mount Pleasent James Island, but these places have their History as well. St Andrews used to be a large work farm for Prisioners, who toiled there day after day some whose only crime was color of their skin,and some were hanged there.

On the battery you can hear the cannons still firing, and one day I am sure I saw a soldier still standing guard tall and silently, looking out to Fort Sumter with his gun at his side, just for a moment then he vanished as quickly as he was standing there.

And all I had to do was walk three blocks south and look to the west to see the Yorktown, standing proud representing another part of our history, for a second the deck was filled with soldiers, doing their tasks ..then just as quickly they vanished.

I think, that must be what they mean by All American city. Charleston is America, American at it's mightiest. There isn't anything like Charleston, even the silence at Gettysburg, the solemness at Appomattox, the chill of betrayal at Antietam cannot compare to the feeling of Charleston.

It has it's embarrassing history, the fact the Afro Americans were not allowed south of broad after dark, lynchings, slavery. But Charleston doesn't hide it, it is after all a part of Charleston's past, so they celebrate it with everything. Isn't our past what shaped our future and makes us what we are? so it is with Charleston.

So, gas prices not withstanding, I guess we are the All American city and well we should be.

But so is yours, and the sad thing is Charleston history is there for all to see, so often we hide what makes us strong. But the good goes with the bad,and he result is Charleston. What is it in your city?

Small Talk six saturday

6 things you do to relax...Relax???? Whats That......

From the ladies at Mom Dot Visit there for more ways to relax

Reading...I love to read read read.

Listening to Music: I will just lay back and listen to relaxing music, mostly classical, and Christian

hot bath: When I am really really tense, I will run a hot bath, get a glass of very cold champaign and pure chocolate. and of course a book.

Television mindless diversion

taking a walk, the water is around the corner I like to walk around the lake

Sit in the Backyard and watch the planes landing at the base.

Wordless Wednesday

We should always take time to stop and smell the roses, or at leaset the flowers. When was the last time you did?

Happy Monday..Random Thoughts..

I worked out yesterday, with Denise. I would suggest never working out with your child. You would think had learned that when I tried running with her and she left me in the dust.

I thought, surely I can keep up with her on the treadmill, but nope. She left me standing still. Her treadmill was rocking and rolling. Mine, was just rocking.

Working out, Denise and I are training for a 5K in October. I am determined to make it, but what makes me really proud is watching Denise's determination, If I don't make it I plan to be there cheering her on. She is really working hard. The Pictures of of Tasha and Tasha's mom, Denise had company over the weekend and they went to the park. You can tell, how much Denise has been working out. She looks really good.

Tasha's' cat who has been aptly names, uh I think Tasha's cat, is watching TV. This is after jumping from the chair to the computer solely for the fun of chasing the mouse on my computer, screen. It is hard to type with a cat, even a tiny kitten, sitting. in between the keyboard and the monitor, we found I won, for now. I had to move the chair across the room. it really is Tasha's cat. He has a mind of his own.

I have to get a cell phone, up until now I have resisted, but people need to get in touch with me, so getting a phone i am. I think my friend over at nice shoes, has convinced me a IPhone is best, so I am looking into those.I amtrying o decided betwen a palm and a Iphone, I'd love help.

I'd like to say hello to my lurkers. I kow you are there, you show up on my stat counter, evry once in a while I want you to know you are appreciated. I am a lurker to, so I understand you. So Howdy. And if someday you want to leave a comment thats cool to.

I am getting ready to go to bed, and it strikes me this blog is boring tonight, sorry, about the only thing happening is right about now a huge transport jet well helicopter, is fly ing over my house. I can tell by the sound it is going in for a landing, and I am happy, it is either men or equipment returning from the Gulf. When I think of each of these planes, I think of the men and women on board, how excited they must be to look out the window and see home, or if Charleston is not their home, America. At least they know, they will be safe for a minute.

But. again safety is a relative thing. 90 tourists came to America to enjoy New York, and met their fate in the Hudson. Do we ever know, when we are safe? I am going to give Tasha a hug..You find your kids, and hug them tight.

I have started a new ning group, I hope everyone will visit and joing, it is different from any of the other groups, At least I hope. The button is at the top of the page, it is called The bridge. Everyone is welcome.

Happy Monday

And so it goes....

Angel

Small Talk six saturday

This is fun, the subject is "how Lazy can you be" The things I have seen...

1. Moving into a new house, putting all of your boxes in your room then sleeping on the sofa because there is not any room for you.

2. Undressing in the bathroom and leaving clothes on the floor,until you don't have any clean clothes then washing them and stating the cycle over

3. throwing chicken legs in the crockpot and dumping BBQ sauce on the so I don't have to watch them or season them.

4. Holding up traffic in Wal-Marts' parking lot, waiting for someone to back out, to get a parking space three spaces closer to the door

5. spending 30 minutes looking for the remote, rather then just walking tot he TV and changing the channel.

6,buying one of those vacation pet feeders for the cat, so you don't have to feed her everyday.

Thanks for reading Now Hop Over to Mom Dot and see what others have to share

Tasha's bad day.....

Tasha had a hard day yesterday. Her mom worked a double at work, meaning she was gone from 7am until well, she isn't home yet and it's 10:45 pm. So she missed her mom of course, but she just plain had a hard day.

1. She stuffed crackers in her mouth because she was in a hurry to see Dora, and ended up choking on them. As she ran down the hall to get to her TV. We had a time getting her unchoked because she was so scared, she finally (gross sorry) Threw them up. Crying. But we calmed her down and so all was well

until

2. She waited to long to go potty, and had accident. She rushed to get to the potty chair, didn't have time and had a major accident. all over her chair, the floor, and well,just everything. Again with the tars, she wa sooo pitiful! Nanny scooped her up and put her in the bathtub. There jus wasn't anything else to do. She loves taking a bath, so she stayed in there two hours until dinner had a grand old time having Barbie, Aurora, and sleeping beauty dive in the tub. then she went swimming, and all was fine. Nanny had to use towels to mop up the floor, but it was worth it.

So all was fine

until

3. Chasing the kitty up the hall she slipped and slid into my desk and computer, and the phone fell on her head. Again Tear's, of course the phone hurt! But we got through it and all was fine

until

4. I was lying on the sofa with a headache, she decided I needed her blanket to feel better so she went and got me her blanket, and the decided that I need her special pillow, she grabbed the pillow and ran yes ran straight into the door frame. Hit her head. She had a headache for a while.

She will have a bit of a knot on her forehead tomorrow. She got Ice cream for this one. after I held her for a bit feeling every inch of hr pain...the all was fine.

until

5. She was playing with the kitty, and jumped on the chair and rolled off the arm onto,her toosh.

This hurt little more then her pride, but by now I am seriously worried she is not going to survive the night. So I sit her down and watch WaWa wubzy and blues clues with her, so she cannot do any further harm to her self....

and everything is fine

until

Well not really until, she fell aslepp in the middle of Blues Clue, and we didn't even find the clue.

She had a hard day, the little one. I sit here and I feel so bad, but all of us b have bad days sometimes.

All I can hope is tomorrow is better. It will be.Mom is off.

And so it goes...

Angel

Twitter Down!! Oh No!!!!!!

How many were in total depression today because FB was acting up and Twitter was down?

It makes you think, How much time do I spend on these sites anyway?

Since I make my living on the computer and I am generally on it 8 or more hours a day I have a habit of writing an article or a story, or building a website really quick then playing on twitter or FB for a minute before going back to work. That is my break.

I didn't realize how much time I "play" on those sites.

I learned on thing, though. I need to play a lot less.

Wordless Wednesday: Charleston Summer Storm

Things I learned in Life...

Do you ever feel some days like it can't get worse, then it does? So it can't get any worser, right? But it does.. again.. I had one of those weekends, as a matter of fact I think I have ha one of those lives..

.I am doing my usual stealing justnot from Carey this time, but from .my very good friend Simone over at Chocolate covered Daydreams has a segment called things I learned..I am blatantly stealing it, (well it doesn't do for one to be sneaky and besides where will that get me? She reads my blog,) So today I am doing things I learned while on the way through life:

1. June Cleaver is a fraud. What do you think of someone who wears pearls to wash the dishes? That is suspicious enough, but did you ever notice papers on the floor when ward was Reading the paper? I have papers from here to the kitchen.

2. Making plans is useless. Steinbeck said it best: The Best laid plans...There is something to be said for spontaneity.

3. No matter what happens, there is always tomorrow.

4. Speaking of tomorrow, If I don't get it done today Guess whats waiting? Yep Tomorrow.

5. There is nothing worse then losing a close friend, they are not replaceable.

6. Some things come and some things go but money problems are forever.

7. I seldom get to watch TV, but when I do it is going to be a rerun of a episode I have already seen

8. Even if I run across the store to get in the checkout line with only two people, it will be the longest wait because the second person will pay a 200 dollar grocery bill....in pennies.

9. Murphy's law is the only reality.

10. and: Reality is perception. My reality is never yours so don't even try.

11.The man you met in the grocery store who was polite, opened the door for you had a award winning smile, dressed decently..is married. the one who slurped his drink, had his shorts hanging off of him, cut in line, then had the nerve to ask for a date isn't. Guess why?

12. Life goes on. Really. It just feels like it's the end of the world Tomorrow will probably be worse.

13. Are your friends missing? Can't get them on the phone? Don't worry they are either on FB or Twitter or most likely reading someone Elses blog..just go looking...

14. Feel like it absolutely positive has to be said? It probably doesn't, if it can't wait until tomorrow you probably shouldn't say it anyway. Remember once its out there...

15. Did your kids just leave for college and the outside world? Don't worry empty nest sydrome is a rumor.. They'll be back. It's a cold world out there and there really isn't any place like home....or anyone like Mom or her laundry room...

And so it goes....