A Net in Time

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Finding Your Voice

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It is the 14th day of the Write 31 days challenge.  Today’s word challenge is Voice.  I thought I’d write about finding your voice as a writer.  

Finding your Voice

Go: Finding your Voice.

By being myself,
As scary as that is.
Revealing my heart,
To others online.
I found this elusive thing.
My writer’s voice.

It rings out some days
Clarion clear
Calling out for the world to hear.
Me, a writer,
A lover of verse.
Lover of family, thought, and choice

Homeschooling shouts out
But not only that.
Think of where you’ve been
And where you are at.
Look to the future see it there.
God calls to heart.
Meet me here.

Share these words
Let others see.
And before you know it
A audience you will see.
Write for them, but also yourself
Lose not yourself in them.
But let them see you
Let them hear your voice

And you will change
Your corner of the world.

Keep on writing,
It’s simple, it’s true
The only way from me to you.
Read yourself.
Read all others.
Grow and change,
Metamorphosize yourself and others.

Let the words spill
One by one
Over the page,
Into the heart.
Know your audience
And know yourself
Decisions in writing
Give them your heart.

And you will change
Your corner of the world.

Stop

Reach Out Thine Hand

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Today’s Write 31 Day Challenge word is Reach.  I found this song entitled Reach Out Thine Hand.  To reach implies action, either on your part and/or on the part of another.  When you reach the desire to grab on to something.  Hold that thought while you read the words of this hymn.

reach

Lyrics

Reach out Thine hand, my Savior dear,
I long to feel Thy presence near;
When Thou art near, my soul is blest,
In Thee I find sweet peace and rest.

Refrain

O Savior dear, reach out Thine hand,
And by Thy side, O let me stand,
Till Thou shalt say, Enough, My child,
No longer face the tempest wild.

Reach out Thine hand and take me in,
And let me now Thy favors win;
I’m sorely tossed upon the sea,
I long to hide myself in Thee.

Refrain

How oft I’m tempted on the way,
And foes surround me every day;
O Savior dear, reach out Thine hand,
And lead me to the Beulah land.

Refrain

Reach out Thine hand, and hold me fast,
Until the tempests all are past;
Then I shall mount on wings of love,
And reach the promised land above.

Refrain

reach out thine hand

Comments

There are no youtube videos for this song.  Not a single one. I did manage to find the sheet music for it though. 

Holland L Boyd is actually a fairly recent hymnist.  This American started releasing his music in 1915, and wrote about 40 songs.  This particular one he dedicated to Miss Elgil Bradford of Alabama.  Other than that we don’t know a whole lot about him.  

But did you read the words?  Isn’t this a lovely plea?  Calling out to the Lord to hang on tight, while temptations and storms surround.  Oh… lovely words.  I wonder why it’s not sung any more?

A Wild Child’s Guide to Endangered Animals

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Do you know many of the world’s endangered animals?  In A Wild Child’s Guide to Endangered Animals you can learn about 43 animals scattered across the world.  Learn their stories, and in learning them, be prepared to help them. 

A wild child's guide to endangered animals review

A Wild Child’s Guide to Endangered Animals.
Millie Marotta.
Chronicle Books.
140 pages.  All ages.

Reviewed for Raincoast Books.

Endangered Animals, plant and animal art, animals, biology, science,

From New York Times bestselling author Millie Marotta comes this gorgeous celebration of the animal kingdom. A Wild Child’s Guide to Endangered Animals highlights the plight of 43 endangered species from around the world, including rare and well-known animals living in freshwater, oceans, forests, mountains, tundras, deserts, grasslands, and wetlands. Vivid illustrations bring caribous, axolotls, giraffes, agami herons, and many more to life on these rich and varied pages. Illuminating text relays the story of each species, from how they live and why they are endangered to what is being done about it. Complete with a map detailing where each species can still be found, this visually rich, timely, informative book raises awareness in the most spectacular way.

A wild child's guide to endangered animals

The Details of Endangered Animals

When I first glanced A Wild Child’s Guide to Endangered Animals, I thought “Wow, what a pretty book!”.  Every page in this over-sized book is filled with creative plant and animal drawings. 

A wild child's guide to endangered animals

Each full-page depiction of each endangered animal is followed by text that gives clear information about them.   We can learn about the superior swimming abilities of the Scalloped Hammerhead Shark, and incredible survival skills of the Wild Bactrian Camel.  Be surprised at the large size of the Gharial, and about the horned marsupial frog with horns.  So many fascinating animals that are endangered all around the globe. 

A wild child's guide to endangered animals

Learn about animals from 8 different ecosystems of the world.  43 different animals with their own unique abilities and their own needs. 

  • Oceans : Tiger tail seahorse
  • Forests : Black robin
  • Deserts : Gobi bear
  • Fresh Water : Axolotl
  • Grasslands : Chinese Penguin
  • Mountains : Olm
  • Tundra : Caribou
  • Wetlands : Shoebill
A wild child's guide to endangered animals

Helpful tips for getting involved are enclosed at the close of the book.  Ways to be involved include actively being part of wildlife organizations, raises awareness, using social media and learning how to live with the planet in mind.  Books such as Small changes and Ways to change the world are part of this. 

A wild child's guide to endangered animals

It’s good you know, to learn what makes each animal unique.  Be amazed at the pygmy raccoon living on a small island, the wonders of a cat the hunts for fish, and the battling skills of the Nilgiri Tahr. 

endangered animals map

Recommendations

If you have any interest in protecting the animals of this planet and want to learn the stories of just a few of them, A Wild Child’s Guide to Endangered Animals will help you.   

If you have a desire to study the ecosystems, or countries of the world, you will find this hard-cover book a great way to expand your learning. 

The beauty of the pages, the informative text, and the encouragement to be involved.  A fantastic book to help you on your journey to protect the things that help make this world great. 

First, biblical answers

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I admittedly was lacking in inspiration for the word first. I looked up the definition but that didn’t help like it often does.  Then I thought, what if I looked for biblical inspiration.  Would that have the answers?

I found the following, when looking for a definition:

An adjective… like first in line, first prize, first slot, highest priority.

Or it can be an adverb.  It’s a word of action.  First do this, then do that.

It could even be a noun.  Like grade A beef, it’s the best level. 

First, biblical answers

An Adjective

Genesis 1:5
 
God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.
 
Deuteronomy 10:2
 
I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. Then you are to put them in the ark.”
 
1 Corinthians 14:30
 
And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop.

An adverb

Luke 6:42

“Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.

Mark 4:28

“The soil produces crops by itself; first the blade, then the head, then the mature grain in the head.
 
1 Chronicles 16:7
 
That day David first appointed Asaph and his associates to give praise to the Lord in this manner:

A noun

Matthew 20:16

“So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
 
Isaiah 48:12
 
“Listen to me, Jacob, Israel, whom I have called: I am he; I am the first and I am the last.
 
Romans 8:29
 
For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
31 days of free writes

Taking part in the Write 31 Days Challenge.  Today’s word is first, and I simply thought to go to the bible for answers.  

Deep runs the well

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The well runs deep or you could say Deep runs the well….

I’ve pondered this word for much the week.
Wondering how to talk about a well run deep.
Figuring out.
The words to say.
Thinking I’d wait for a more alert day.

This week I showed my lad a gift.
From the church we attend.
RightNow Media, biblical teaching
In video form.
Chan, Wallace, Strickland and more.

The lad was intrigued.
Can I listen too?
Old phone, now his own.
Loaded. Lad listens.
Asks “Can I have my own account?”

A mother’s heart smiles.
This lad loves to learn more
Drinking deep at HIS well.
Seeing God more clearly.
Growing in faith.

And so I think
As imperfect as I am.
Not as stringent as many moms
With a believing Dad.
Somehow, this lad knows.

He sees God.
He talks and prays.
He listens and
Of his own accord WANTS to
Drink deep from the well.

And I am thankful.

Deep runs the well

It took a while for the words of this poem to run through my head, and even so, then ran poorly for a while. 🙂   I managed to stay within five minutes though it was much broken up over the morning.   I’m taking part in a write 31 days challenge, I hope you’ve been enjoying the run!  🙂   OH!  I”m going to include this as part of the #abcblogging post as well!  🙂  Letter D this week, are you blogging for them as well?  Or what would you choose for your letter D?

Time Sight by Lynne Jonell

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Time Travel with a twist, Time Sight is an interesting romp back through history using the Scottish gift of second sight.   In this review, I will tell you about a curious book by Lynne Jonell called Time Sight.   Mind, you don’t need to scared to read a time travel book!  🙂  Yes, scared is the word prompt for today’s Write 31 day challenge. 

Time Sight Review

What I am Reviewing

Raincoast BooksTime Sightn.
Lynne Jonell.
Christy Ottaviano Books.
Henry Holt & Company Books.
416 pages, 9-12 years, trade paperback
Reviewed for Raincoast Books.

Middle school, history, medieval, time travel, fiction, Europe, Scotland, mystery, upper elementary,

Will’s mother is in danger overseas, and his father must find her, so Will and his little brother are packed off to relatives in Scotland. Will feels useless. He can’t save his mother. He can’t help his father. And when he tries to amuse his brother on the plane ride, he can’t even locate the images in Jamie’s book – the hidden pictures that everyone else can see. Once at the family’s ancestral castle, though, Will tries again. And as he delicately adjusts his focus, suddenly his eyes tune in to a different visual frequency – the past.
Looking back five hundred years is interesting . . . at first. But when Jamie impulsively leaps through the opening in time, Will and his cousin Nan must follow, into a past so dangerous that Will isn’t sure how he will get everyone safely home.

The Details about Time Sight

You know those books where there is a picture hidden inside a picture?  Where to find the second picture you need to look into and yet beyond the existing picture?  Take that idea, add in the Scottish belief in second sight, and voila.. a story is born. 

Time sight

You’ll find maps and other interesting line drawings.  They bring great definition to the story. Some were full page, others just partial, but they all fit the story perfectly. I really liked these drawings and found them so well done. Can’t you just see the fear in the lad running from the cook?  🙂

Time Sight

The characters are believable.  Real kids struggling to understand what is happening.  Real kids wanting to be helpful, making some mistakes, but managing to find their way through.   

Time sight by Lynne Jonell

Thoughts/Recommendations

Initially I was not particularly impressed with this middle school read.  It took until I was about 1/3 the way through before I was hooked. Suddenly the story took an interesting twist.  Could Will control his abilities?  Would he be able to save the day?  What about Nan…. could she help at all?

All these questions were answered as I quickly finished this book.  Would I recommend it?  For sure!  Mystery combined with time travel and a willingness to think outside the box… makes for a good read for most anyone. 

If you were doing a study on Scotland and learning about the belief in second sight, this book might make for a fun interpretation of that ability. 

Don’t be scared by unusual gifts.  Use them for good like Nan and Will did. 

scared
disclaimer

Define Join

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Today, as I join with 50+ members of the write 31 days challenge group, I think on this word join and realize my thoughts could go in many different directions. 

define join

Merriam Webster gives me these definition of join.

As Transitive Verb:

  • to bring or put together in order to form a unit
  • to connect by a line
  • to put or bring into close association or relationship
  • to come into the company of
  • to associate oneself with
  • to enter into or engage in

Or as an intransitive verb

  • To come into close association or relationship
  • To become a member of a group
  • To take part in a collective activity
  • To Form an alliance
  • To come together so as to be connected
  • To form an alliance

Join can also be used as a noun but honestly that definition made no sense to me.  🙂 

Wafer

Defining Join, Go

Warning, as I write this poem I have a tune running through my head.  So I”m working with it to get rid of it as an ear worm.


Join, join, join
Join, join, join, join
What can we do with the word join?

We can consider what join means
Defining it now, just as we please.

Today I chose to join a group of youth.
With six rabbits in tow, I joined then.
I helped them see,
To really look
Define what a rabbit is.

Wafer was mobbed by several kids
Parents joined in
To keep her safe.
“She’s a big girl”, the comments were.
Smiling I just set her loose.

The children followed this flemish cross
Joining in a game of tag.
Wafer hopped, and hopped some more.
She connected well, with the floor.

Eventually I saw her face
She saw the doors,
A chance to escape.
Quickly moving, I blocked her way.
Hands joining to lift away.

Once again her travel cage
Lid joined to the base again.
Sad childrens’ faces
As Wafer left
To go back home to
some peace and rest.

Stop, Join Defined

31 days of free writes