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Moments with Myles: Homework & God

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
 

If you keep up with me on facebook you’re used to the quips I write taken
 from my six year old son, Myles.

When Myles grows up he wants to be a “joke teller” a.k.a. comedian.  Here’s a moment with Myles:

I was exhausted on Monday, so I retired to the bedroom where my chocoloate candies from Valentine’s were awaiting my attention. My hubby was in the kitchen making him and my daughter some supper. Everything recorded is from what I heard happening in the kitchen. Ahem…

The oven door must have slipped from my hubby’s hand because the loud bang echoed into the bedroom.

“Myles, come and do your homework, Bud.”

I heard the TV silence. Myles had paused it. He pauses it for everything. To get a snack. To go to the bathroom. Heaven forbid he misses a second of Phineas and Ferb, Beyblade or MAD TV (the cartoon).

“Myles–” Tim calls out.

“Ma’am, yes, Ma’am,” Myles hollers in military style,and then I hear giggling.” Apparently, emasculating another man in playful fun starts at an early age.

I hear the chair squawk across the floor as Myles pulls it out and then papers rustle. “Just my spelling test, Dad,” Myles says, and it’s quiet a few moments before I hear the oven timer beeping.
,
I hear Tim close the oven doors again and say, “What are you doing, Myles?”

“My spelling test.”

“How are you doing the spelling test if you can see the words?” A pan rattles on the range. A few seconds pass.

“Why don’t you just let me worry about that, Dad,” Myles replies in an “I got this tone.”

“Myles, stop cheating! Give me a second and I’ll help you.”

I hear the humph, “I’ll be done all by myself by then.”

I laughed, but it struck me that we’re a lot like Myles. We want to hurry through the practice tests, learning nothing or skip them totally. We don’t want to wait on God to come and help us because we think the job can be done faster without Him. And when the real test comes, not the practice test…we can’t pass.

Patience isn’t easy for a six year old. It isn’t easy for a thirty five year old either. Don’t rush through the practice. Learn all you can because the real test will come. It could be a pop quiz! Be ready.

Let’s also thank God that when we do miss practice tests or rush through them, and flunk, He gives the test over and over again. But hey, let’s just learn it and move on. I’m ready to work on something new. I’m tired of taking the same old test I ought to know over again.

“Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not.” Exodus 16:4

“But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts.” 1 Thessalonians 2:4

Have you had to take the same test over and over? What are you practicing for now?

 

Show Me the Love

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
 

So, is everyone blogging about love today? It is Valentine’s Day. I thought I should blog about love and romance since I am a romance writer. I thought I might share some pointers of writing about romance, showing how to create a scene that is full of romantic tension, or even writing about why we love romance. God created us for romance. Divine romance! But I’m not not going to blog about any of that.

Today I’m simply going to use this cyber platform to tell you how much my husband loves me. This morning I woke up to yummy chocolates and a thoughtful card. Was it on my pillow? No. It was on my laptop! Somewhere he knew I’d see it.  I’d forgotten today was V-Day. I was surprised and of course, freaked out as I have bought him nothing!

My husband, of almost 16 years, still dates me. I love that.  Now, my husband isn’t a writer. He’s a muscian, so he understands my passion for writing because he has a passion to tell a story through a song, (Although not through words. He doesn’t write lyrics, much.) He’s usually rather quiet about my writing. He doesn’t brainstorm with me, and I generally don’t use him to bounce ideas off of. While he’s romantic to be sure, he doesn’t enjoy reading romance (he did read one of my novels and he did like it, but I’ve written 12 so, you do the math). In fact, he doesn’t enjoy reading at all. “Jess, why read when I know the movie will be out in six months to a year.” That’s his philosophy. I cringe every time he says it, but we’re all different, right?

He listens to me when I share my goals or my frustrations. It’s called Book Club time to him, but he doesn’t often understand because he’s not walking in my shoes. I’ve mistaken it at times for him not supporting me, but that deduction is very wrong. He supports me in spite of his lack of understanding.

I think it really hit me this weekend. He may not be able to speak writing lingo with me. He can’t wrap his brain around how I come up with ideas, scenes, plot, etc…but he can show me just how much he’s in my corner by doing other things. Huge things!

I just got back from a very expensive conference. Not only was it a chunk of money(and very worth it), but the hotel, the airfare, the extra hundreds of dollars I needed for various things before the trip, the money to take on the trip, and the job of running the family and working still had to be taken care of.  That was something he could do. And he forked money out like it was falling from trees. I don’t know how he put it back, saved, and squeezed. But he did and without so much as one grumbling word because he believes in me. He believes in my writing. And it was a way he could be a part of this. 

When I came home, my house was spotless. I knew it would be. Floors had been vaccumed and the lines still shown where he’d ran them vertically. Cause I like that! The kids had been bathed, Myles had a hair cut, the laundry including towels had been done, the pantry and fridge were stocked because he knew I’d have work to do this week since the conference went well. The bathroom rugs were washed and the shower and tub scrubbed. The sheets were freshly washed and my pajamas had been laid out. Oh yeah, and he brought me food to the airport when he picked me up because he knew I’d be starving! And I was.

My husband loves me. He loves what I do, and he’s proud of me. And I love him and am so very proud of him. This could be my Valentine to him, but since he doesn’t read….

What wonderful thing has your special someone done to show his/her love for you?

Someone is Fighting for You

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
 

Take a peek into Joshua chapter 5 with me, starting with verse 11. I’d like to share the nuggets of treasure I’ve found.

The Israelites have just miraculously crossed over the Jordan. Not a creek, a river-a swollen overflowing river.

God has instructed that the men should be circumcised. And the Manna they had been eating for 40 years in the wilderness has gone away as they’ve eaten for the first time the fruit of the land.

Now Joshua walked out some distance, looking toward Jericho. Maybe he was thinking of military strategy,  or the fact that the Manna had ceased to yield provision. Surely, the responsibilities of being the new leader were weighing on his shoulders. But as his eyes looked up toward the horizon, in front of him, he saw a Man. A Man with His sword drawn.

It was right after the Manna had ceased that this interesting occurence took place. Joshua walks to the Man with the drawn sword, (Joshua 5:13) and he asks if He is for them or against them.

The Man gives a reply much like the Man in the New Testament often gives. He answers a question that really doesn’t matter, with an answer that does. You see, who this Man was for wasn’t the real question. He answers with, “No, but I have now come. I am the Commander of the Lord’s army.” What’s important is who He is. And who He is requires bowing and worship.

In the OT when you see the “Angel of the Lord” and the “A” is capitalized it is referring to Jesus PreIncarnate. If your version doesn’t capitalize the “A” a good way to tell if it is Jesus (before He came as flesh =PreIncarnate) is He is the only Angel that accepts sacrifices (like with Gideon) and allows worship. Other angels always made men get up and stop bowing at their feet.

Imagine this…Joshua is possibly fretting, wondering if the loss of Manna is going to cause a riot from panic and then He sees this Man, who didn’t come up behind him, but was already steps ahead of Joshua. He was waiting on him! This Commander who has already saved them before. Watch.

“And the Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them.” Exodus 14:19

“In all their affliction He was afflicted, And the Angel of His Presence saved them; In His love and in His pity He redeemed them; And He bore them and carried them all the days of old.” Isaiah 63:9 

“…and the Angel of the LORD took His stand in the way as an adversary against him. And he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. 23 Now the donkey saw the Angel of the LORD standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand, and the donkey turned aside out of the way and went into the field. So Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back onto the road.” Numbers 22:22-23

Jesus fought for His beloved. He knew where He was needed most-sometimes in the front but when necessary holding off the enemy from the back. Whatever it took to protect His own He did. Anyone who stood in His people’s way, became an adversary to Him. He felt what they felt and loved them too much to ever relent. A true Man of War.

“The LORD is a man of war;The LORD is His name.” Exodus 15:3

Luke 2: 13 says, “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God…”

 

This word “host” in Hebrew is “stratia” and it means, “an army; a band of soldiers.” You see, the Angel of the Lord had come with a new strategy to save His beloved… as a tiny wrinkled baby crying in a manger, fully flesh…but also fully God. His title, though never as a man on earth, was still Commander. General. His army appeared out of reverance into the starry sky to celebrate the beginning of the greatest war ever fought, led, and won by the greatest Commander ever to exist!

He still fights on your behalf today, even though the real battle was won on the cross at Calvary. And one day, The Bread of Heaven will be tangible again. We will see Him come out of the heavens in all His glory.

 Can you picture it? An army of white horses with riders. The only sound that can be heard are the clicking of boots and a swish of a robe as it brushes the ground while the Commander walks to His horse at the front. He lays a strong but gentle hand on His steed and the great horse paws and blows a blast of hot air from his nose. The Commander doesn’t need to climb up in stirrups, the horse kneels before the Glorious one. He sits upon the horse and whispers into its ear, “Let’s go get our Bride.” The horse raises up and the sound of a unified army rings throughout the heavens. The Commander raises His sword and a sonic boom brings Him into the atmosphere.

And we meet Him in the sky. His promise fulfilled.  He will take us to be with Him forever.

 
“Now, I saw heaven opened and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knows except Himself, He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword that with it, He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” Revelation 19:11-16.
 
What are you studying? Share a nugget!

A Story of Self Sacrifice…Little Rose of Sharon

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

“Surely the Creator will be pleased with my beautiful petals,” she thought happily. Then the Creator stood before her. For a long time, He looked down at her deep red petals and smiled. Before He turned to go, He bent down and breathed her sweet smell.”

Sometimes the most touching stories come in a simple tale for children. I bought this book by Nan Gurley several years ago while I was on a trip in Florida. I walked into the discount Christian bookstore and stumbled out with bags full of books.

I had every intention of giving this to my daughter, and I did…but it stays on my bookshelf because the truth is, God meant for me to have it more. It was what I needed at the time. He’s good about that…directing me to books to share a truth, confirm a promise, remind me of something He shared with me in our secret place or to teach me a new lesson about myself that requires change.

He did it all in this book that I simply cannot read without tearing up. It’s about a glorious rose who loves to have the Creator walk through the beauty He’s created, to stop and be pleased with her. She desperately wants His approval, and she believes it’s her beauty that brings His love for her.

A raging storm comes one night, and with all her strength she hangs on to her petals for fear she won’t be beautiful without them. It’s what makes her a rose. When the storm lets up and morning comes, she’s accomplished her goal. All her petals are still in tact. But then she hears the doves mourning. They fly around in desperate fear, and she realizes the wind has blown the doves’ egg onto the ground and they don’t see it.

The rose has to make a choice: Keep the one thing she thinks makes her loved or let it all go to save the dove’s egg. One by one, the rose lets her petals fall onto the tiny dove’s egg to keep it warm, but she’s left only a stem.

The egg hatches and the doves find their new baby. But it’s come at a cost for the rose.

 One afternoon, she hears the Creator coming in the distance, “Oh, dear,” she thought, “I hope He doesn’t notice me. Without my petals I am no longer beautiful.” The little rose was so ashamed, she looked down.”

But God did notice her. And He noticed her sacrifice.

“You have given all you had to save the life of the baby dove,” said the Creator. The little rose felt warm inside at the sound of His voice. “One day when my Son lives on this earth, He too will give everything He has.” The little rose looked up into the gentle eyes of the Creator. “Because of the love you have shown for the baby dove, I will call My Son the Rose of Sharon, for He too will give everything He has and show the world My love.”

She had misunderstood what God was smelling as a sweet fragrance. It wasn’t her petals, though they were beautiful. What He was taking in and enjoying was her heart.

You’re beautiful to God. What makes you beautiful has nothing to do with your appearance. It’s the love you show to others. It’s your selflessness.

We tend to think our talents and gifts are what make us special to God, when we use them for His glory, and yes those things are beautiful. He enjoys us using our gifts and talents for Him. It’s a sweet aroma, but what moves Him the most is when we give simply…ourselves. A surrendered heart, a sacrificial heart.

What children’s book have you read that touched you or taught you a valuable truth?

Nan Gurley

A Turtle’s Journey…or Maybe a Clownfish

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
 

So this is me. This is where I am. I won’t always be here. I’m on a journey. Sometimes I feel like I’m barreling ahead, and sometimes I feel like I can barely crawl. Mostly I’m at least upright and moving at a decent turtle’s pace, but hey, it’s always forward.

I’ll be going to my first writers conference next Thursday. I’ve been a roller coaster of emotions. I’m exhilirated to meet new people, to learn new things from inspiring teachers, and to walk into a world where I feel at home.

 

And I’m nervous, because though, I feel at home in the writing world, I’m one clownfish in the big sea. (I know… you’re thinking how can a clownfish go at a turtle’s pace?)

I don’t plan to walk in there and think my dream will happen overnight. It could. But most likely it will not. This is the best I can do: I can pray and ask God to put me in the path of the right people. Not necessarily people who can help me now, but be there for me in God’s perfect timing later.

And hopefully, though I’m not a published author yet, I still have something to bring to them. Maybe it’s just a good laugh to break the ice. I’m pretty good at ice breakers. Or maybe, I can encourage another writer who’s crawling and made it to the conference in spite of their doubts. I don’t want this to be all about ME and MY book and MY feelings and MY career or MY ministry. I want to be a blessing too. (Ok so my blog is about me. That’s why it’s my blog. Just go with me a minute or however long it takes you to read.)

So maybe I stumble in a pitch, I just pray God only allows their ears to hear a symphony. Maybe I get asked a question about the industry and I don’t know it and probably should. Fine. I just hope there’s a distraction, like maybe Will Ferrell will bust through the Hyatt, hollering, “We’re going streaking…through the Quad!”. I’m playing of course, but here’s my point: I can’t worry so much about everything that might go wrong that I miss a chance at something so very write.  (Get that…;) little play on the word right! Just helpin you other turtles…or clownfish out.)

And I know something will because God works everything out for the good of those who love Him. That includes me. Will an agent turn me down and say my pitch won’t work for him/her? Probably. Will an editor tell me my material isn’t what they’re looking for? I’d put money on yes. BUT, if I walk away knowing that maybe I’ve made a new friend or future colleague, then that’s good.

So here are my realistic goals for the Writing for the Soul  Conference Feb. 10-13. I give you the dates because I ask if you remember, say a prayer for me. Not to land an agent or an editor(although if you feel led, by all means) but for God to do something good, and that I won’t need Him to smack me upside the head to see it. Because that generally hurts. (and also you can pray these goals for me)

1. To meet  2 critique partners. A cord of 3 strands aren’t easily broken.
2. To walk away with knowledge I didn’t have before.
3. To  not pass out and die when my first page is critiqued in a workshop. (Because it’ll give away that it was mine.)
4. To meet other writers who can share this awesome journey with me, because they understand; they’re in it too.

Those are my realistic goals. Anything else God decides to do is just icing on the cake. And I do love a good buttercream icing. Yum!

Share with me your experiences at writers conferences? How did you meet your critique partners? Any words of advice?
If you’re not a writer, what journey are you on and what animal do you feel like?

A Cord of Scarlet

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
 
I’m a studier- a researcher. Don’t ask any of my highschool friends or my parents, they’ll laugh in your face, but the older I become, the more I love to study. I want to know how things work and how they relate to God. Which brings me to what I love to study most. The Word of God. I love the Bible. I love to read  a story and daydream of what it might have been like between the lines. Strangely, I do not write historical fiction. (Shrug.)
There’s great treasure in the Word of God. In every word, every line. Treasure must be dug  for. Time has to be set aside. A desire to know and learn has to be present and bubbling in the heart. Once you stumble upon a nugget, a sense of thirst takes over and it’s impossible to stop. 
 
Something I teach to our young adults, is it’s never too late to begin, but it takes discipline to drag your lazy butt out of bed and get to it. I think you can read and study anytime, but early morning is the best time, before your day distracts you. And it will. Because life is distracting.
 
I’m studying the book of Joshua. I’m always amazed at the Providence of God. There’s so much beauty to pull out of the book, but today I want to share a little nugget about Rahab. Pronounced, “Ruh Kav.”  Rahab was a prostitute, but not a temple prostitute. Probably a woman who was forced into it by the death of a husband, as he’s not mentioned. She lived in a tiny apartment within the walls of Jericho.
 
It was within these stone walls, that may have felt like a prison, that two spies came to her to lodge. Interesting isn’t it? You know, the spies came from the Acacia Grove. The Acacia Grove is the first place that the Hebrews were introduced to harlots. Balaam put the bug in the Moab king’s ear that these prostitutes would turn the hearts of the men who served God away. And boy did it! I’m speculating now, but I wonder if those spies planned to survey the land, but also planned to do a little extra stuff on the side. What if God was taking care of the Hebrews, but using the lewd ideas of two spies to work everything out for the good of one woman who believed! I don’t know. It’s just a thought. I can’t prove it. But I wonder.
 
Here’s where it really gets good! You know the story…maybe. Rahab tells the spies that (I’m paraphrasing) the whole city is faint of heart and terrified of them because of their God. She even uses God’s personal name, “Yahweh.” Now, it shouldn’t be a surprise to the spies that everyone was afraid. In Dt. 2:25 God tells them all the people will be terrified and faint of heart.
 
Rahab asks to be spared. Kindness for kindness. The Hebrew word for “kindness in this verse is “checed.”  Pronounced,  HECK SUD.  It means “faithfulness; goodness; mercy.”  
 
In essence she is saying, “Since I have been good, faithful, and merciful to you by not turning you into my countrymen, I ask that you in turn show me goodness, faithfulness, and mercy.” 
 
Her last statement in this verse is, “and give me a true token.”
 
The word “true” in Hebrew is “Emeth.”  It means, “reliable; sureness; stability; continuance.”
 
The word “token” in Hebrew is “owth” and sounds like our word “oath.” It means, “a distinguishing mark; a miraculous sign; banner; remembrance;”
 
Rahab’s words are interesting, “Give to me a mark, a miraculous sign, a banner or remembrance that is reliable. Sure. Stable. Continuing.  To show you will save me and my family.”
 
In Joshua 2:14 the men reply, “…our lives for yours…”
They agree and then proceed to give her instructions. You can find these in Joshua 2:17-20. Don’t take my word for it, look it up!  

    She had to drop a scarlet cord or line from the window. A cord they gave to her, not one of her own. The word “cord” used when Rahab let the men down means rope in Hebrew. The word is “chebel”. The word “cord” or “line” used when the men gave Rahab the token is “chuwt” meaning thread.

 
 
But let’s take a closer look…KJV says, “Behold, [when] we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father’s household, home unto thee.”
 
The highlighted word, “Line” in Hebrew is “tiqvah” and it means, “hope; things hoped for; expectation;outcome.”
 
“Bind this hope, (line) –this reliable, sure, continuing (true) distinguishing mark, this marvelous (token) work outside this wall, and bring in your family so that you will be saved.”
Hang with me, catch this! Eph. 2:12-13 says,
“that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” NKJV

 

 
Rahab was a stranger…an alien from Israel and the covenants of promise. She had no hope and was without God.
 
But she believed. She was allowed to hang the crimson cord of hope given to her. She couldn’t produce it on her own. It showed the world where her faith lied. Salvation was given to her and all the family she brought inside.
 
That true token, that reliable and sure distinguishing mark, that miraculous sign was a symbol of an even greater hope that was to come! The true token of the new covenant. The blood of Jesus, the scarlet cord of his life poured out for our lives! Crimson Hope that saves us from death!
 
No longer would she be forced to work as a common prostitute, bound by humiliation and degradation. A Scarlet Cord of Hope freed her from invisible cords of a hopeless and destitute life.
 
Rahab was about to get a chance to start over! Joshua 6:20-22  
Joshua, tells the men to go into the harlot’s house, and bring out THE WOMAN. Her house may have been that of a harlot’s, but no longer would Rahab be a harlot. Go in (harlot) and bring out (woman).
 
A new creature. In Christ. Forever. Matthew 1 shares the geneology of Jesus, “…Salmon begot Boaz, by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David…And Jacob begot Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.”
Not Rahab, the harlot. Just Rahab.
There’s nothing we can ever do that puts us out of the reach of Jesus or separates us from His love. That scarlet cord saved Rahab, a symbol of her many ‘greats’ grandson that would come to save us all!

No matter what circumstances you’re in. God is working behind the scenes on your behalf to bring you  hope and to change your life, to give you a purpose greater than yourself!

If you were Rahab, during those few days left before the Hebrews came to march around the walls of Jericho, what do you think you would have been doing or thinking? How much persuading do you think it took for her to convince her family that they would be spared?

And…what have you been studying? Share a nugget!
 
 

Must Read Monday: Stuck In the Middle

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

“That’s your big idea? Tori will show up for dinner wearing size two designer jeans and you’re going to offer to pick up his dog’s poop?”

This may be one of the funniest lines, to me, in this book by Virginia Smith. Stuck in the Middle is the first novel in her Sister to Sister Series.  Joan’s just come out of a nine year relationship, she’s still living in her own hometown (although that’s by choice), and she feels overlooked and plain.

And then she meets the handsome doctor that moves in next door and sibling rivalry, with the baby sister, takes over. It’s quite humorous as they fight for his attention, even the eighty something old grandmother flirts a little!

Joan is a Christian, but she realizes her relationship with God isn’t at all like the missionary who speaks at her church and not at all like Ken’s, the hunky doc. Her church is very traditional, but she doesn’t know anything else. I really liked her spiritual journey from just another gal sitting in a pew following an ordered service to actually having a personal relationship with Jesus.

I got misty eyed when I read how God showed Joan just how much He specifically cared about her. It warmed my heart and gave me a reminder that He always hears our thoughts and loves us without abandon. He’ll even use our favorite ice cream, but you can read that for yourself!

If you like a deep story with tons of humor and a sweet romance, then this is a book for you.

Stop back by after you read it and if you’ve already read it, what did you think? Happy Monday, Friends!



Virginia Smith



Here’s a teaser:

“Her older sister, Allie, is starting a family, and her younger sister, Tori, has a budding career. Meanwhile, Joan is stuck at home with Mom and her aging grandmother. Not exactly a recipe for excitement — or romance. When a hunky young doctor moves in next door, Joan sets out to catch his eye. It won’t be easy, but with a little help from God, Allie, and an enormous bad-mannered mutt, Joan begins to find her way out of this rut.”

Don’t judge a book by its cover…but for the love, read the back!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
 
 
A true story…
 
My friend, I’ll call her Jane since she said not to use her name as she humiliated herself, came over this week. She brought her laptop, and we decided to search the Amazon store for free books that we could read together. While browsing through them, I became engrossed and tuned her out. I’m really trying to get better about this habit. Our conversation went like this:
 
“Oooh, Jess, this book looks really good!”
 
“Hmmm…”
 
“Are you listening to me?”
 
I was reading the back cover of a love inspired book. “Yeah, what’s it about?”
 
 “A paranormal detective. Stop what you’re doing, and look at the cover. It’s intriguing!”
 
I glanced up as she turned the laptop around, and staring me in the face was a nice looking man with sinister yet determined eyes. In the background a dark shadowy house beckoned my attention and piqued my interest. I had to admit, the cover looked like something I’d definitely want to consider. Not so much the man, but the house and the darkness. I looked at the title, which I’ll not name, typed it in, and hit my “one click” button. BAM…I can read it whenever.
 
I moved on to other books, and then I decided to go back to the paranormal book. I scrolled down to the item description, and my mouth fell open. “Jane, did you read the back cover?”
 
“Um…yeah.” I looked up and glared at her until she felt it and met my eyes. “What? I did.”
 
I can’t arch one brow like most fictional characters, so I raised both. “So…you enjoy gay porn?”
 
Her eyes grew wide, “What!? No! That’s not what that book is about!”
 
I cleared my throat and proceeded to read, “Putting his life and sanity on the line—for a man beyond his reach. Sam Raintree’s experience with things he can’t explain isn’t the only reason his new job as a paranormal investigator is a perfect fit. His coworkers, preoccupied with things outside the norm, will never notice he’s gay…This book has been previously published. Warning: This title contains explicit male/male dream-sex, cross-dimensional electromagnetic theories (mmm, that’s hot!), intense violence, and language graphic enough to wake the dead.” *the remark in parenthesis is not mine.

I sat the laptop down. “Not exactly inspirational fiction.”

Her face turned red. “Maybe I just skimmed it. The cover looked so good.”

“Maybe? Do you realize that since I downloaded this book, next time I’m on Amazon it will prepare a list of books I might enjoy reading based on what I’ve downloaded!?”

“That’s bad, huh?”

I gave her a pointed look and promptly deleted the book. “Don’t even ask to get a say in our next book club read. The answer’s no.”

 

 
 
You never know what’s inside it!
 
Book covers influence what I pick up and what I curl my nose up to. I may put a book down just because the cover isn’t intriguing. (I should also take my own advice and not judge a book by its cover!) But it is important. I went on Amazon and started scrolling through books. Christian and non. I found a pattern to what draws my eye. I then scrolled through some authors I enjoy reading and lo and behold, I found the pattern! Here are few:
 
 

 

 

 

See the pattern?
 

Guess I like scary houses (shrug). I don’t know. It’s what drew me to download the gay porn novel. It was the back cover that inspired me to delete it! The above books have mystery…intrigue. What secrets are lying behind the cover of night? I love designs that hold shadows of people or places. Even if I’m reading a romance, which I love to read, I’d rather see a setting of where the book takes place than to see the people (unless they’re shadows =)). It’s just my reader preference. It’ll probably be my preference when my book goes through cover design. We’ll see what happens when the time comes.

 
Do book covers influence your choice of reading? What kind of designs determine what you purchase?  Have you found a pattern that draws your eye?
 
* Mary Keeley an agent with Books and Such Literary group wrote a great blog on book covers and the design process this past Wednesday. Check it out.
 
Have a great weekend! See you Monday!
 
 

Are YOU a Hoarder?

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

 

 
 

Hoarding: 

to accumulate money, food, or the like, in a hidden or carefully guarded place for preservation, future use, etc.
 
I’ve been watching the hoarding shows on TV the last couple of weeks. Mostly as research, but I suppose if I really wanted to, I could just go to my grandma’s house.
 
The minute the show comes on, my jaw drops. It’s hard to imagine someone living like the person in this picture. You could laugh or poke fun even, I’ve said a few smart-castic (that’s my own word…I think) things about my grandma’s house. But it’s rather tragic.  One episode, they had cleaned up the woman’s house, and six months later it was even worse than before! In six months!
 
Another woman had hundreds of jars. Glass jars for soup. Plastic jars for paint. The therapist asked her why she kept them, and she said because she might want to make soup, and if she threw away the jars then she’d never make it. When asked, “Have you made soup?” She sniffed and wiped a few tears away, “No.”
 
These people are filling up their homes, their sanctuaries, with things they think they need, will use, or can’t part with.
 
I’m not a hoarder. I throw everything away. My poor kids will have no tangible childhood memories. (Sadly, I’m not feelin’ real guilty here.)
But…
 
It made me think of little things we keep in our “sanctuaries” that we think we need or can’t part with. “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” 
1 Corinthians 6:19

In 1 Samuel Chapter 15, Saul spares King Agag’s life after being specifically instructed to “utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them…” (verse 3)

In verse 9 Saul kept everything that he thought was best and got rid of what he considered worthless. It cost him his kingdom.

I know in my life, there have been times God has asked me to clean house. I got rid of some things, but hoarded others. Like Saul.  And I’ve paid a price.

Matthew 12:43-45
 “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.”

 
 

Cleaning out the mess that doesn’t belong isn’t enough. If left empty, it will just pile up again…more so. Just like the woman in the hoarding show.

I like the feeling of a clean house. But, I don’t like it empty. I want it filled with good things. My family, friends, and even my annoying dog. I want to burn my apple cinnamon candle, turn satellite radio on low and listen to the laughter of a happy home. Put in order. And productive.

I want my inside the same the way. Filled with my family-God the Father, His Son the Bridegroom, and the Holy Sprit my Friend and Teacher. I want the warm glow from His light to shine softly, while His fragrance fills every chamber of my heart…drawing others to come in and cozy up. I want my inside to be a joyful, happy place. Put in order. And productive.

What do you want your inside home to look like?

Must Read Monday: Happily Ever After

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

“He barely escaped with his shirt.”
I gotta tell ya, that’s not a shabby way to start out a book. I’m hooked! You judge me, but you know the minute you saw that line, you wanted to read this blog.

Happily Ever After was a free book at the kindle store, check it out it still may be. It’s not necessarily the title or the cover that grabbed my attention, although I love happy endings and books with coffee or tea. It was the word FREE that snagged me.

However, that’s not what held me. I’ve downloaded tons of free books, read a few pages and realized they just weren’t my thing.

Have you ever read that one book, you know was meant for you for that particular time in your life? That’s what Happily Ever After was for me, proving once again that fiction does minister, teach lessons, and touch lives in ways other things can’t. God knew I wasn’t going to be watching TV for two days, or venturing out to hang with friends (I’m slowly getting better. Read my blog for New Year’s Plans), but He did know I’d be reading.

This book was a touching romance with humor that I found funny. The theme of the book was about dreams. Mona Reynolds had dreams of making an old Victorian house into a bookstore and coffee shop. She’d been saving for years to make it happen, and when she finally had it in her grasp, one thing after another taunted her into believing it never would.

I had a rough week before I settled in with Susan’s book. I’d had a few doubts and unsettling moments related to my dream. I switched on my kindle, and picked up at the scene where Mona is giving up. Disappointment has overshadowed all the small successes and breakthroughs. Her quirky friend, who I could so relate to if I was having a good day, told her that God doesn’t give you a dream only to yank it away and laugh at you.

I needed to read that statement. At that moment. If you have dreams, God given ones, don’t give up, and also…read this book.

Now, I will say that her twists were predictable, but she hinted enough that she wanted the reader to guess them. And even though I knew what those were, the book held me and kept me engaged. My heart swelled when the hero swooped in at the end and saved the day. Literally I whooped and laughed out loud! I love books that make me fall in love.

Susan is on the right; geez do I have to
spell it all out for you!?! 🙂
Check out amazon or any bookstore for her
novels.

It also touched on subjects of guilt, forgiveness, Down Syndrome, and faith. I had never heard of Susan May Warren before the free download, but I’ll be sure to mark her as an author to read and follow. I hope you will too! You can click on her name and read her first chapter on her website, if you don’t believe me…but…you know trust me!

Here’s a teaser:

“A bookstore in a Victorian house on the shores of beautiful Lake Superior. Mona Reynolds can’t think of a better storybook setting for a happy ending. Until someone starts to sabotage her plans. Could it be the drifter handyman she hired to help her? Just what will it take to make her dreams come true? “