A Net in Time

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Doubt Resides

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Five Minute Friday is upon us again.   Yesterday I needed to work so I didn’t have time to set down and type something up.  And I know that the thought the doubt resides has been brought up before with Five minute Friday even if I can’t find the post! 🙂   But its good to reconsider words isn’t it?   To look deeper and see who God is indeed eh?   🙂 

person looking thoughtful, text Doubt resides

Doubt Resides

Throughout my life
Doubt resides
Can I do it?
Is my faith enough?
What will I do if something bad happens?
At the end of my days will people say
she could have done so much more?
Is living a simple life really okay?
Do I show my hubby enough that he
is a hugely important part of my world?
Do I tell my son enough that I love him
and like the person he is becoming?
Is having a simple faith enough or
do I need to work out my faith harder,
Developing a more complex knowing faith
in the God who created me?

Sometimes I imagine that
my faith is simply a figment of my imagination,
that God talking to me directly
is just something I make up.

And then I’m reminded in his word
that those who seek him find him,
and the quietness in my heart that
resides after I’ve sought him out
suggests to me that it’s not all my imagination.
The directness of his word telling that
one isn’t drawn to seeking him without his action in one’s life first.

And since that reassurance lives
I don’t have to doubt what I’ll
do or how I’ll behave or if my
faith, as it stands, is sufficient.

So should you have doubts in your life
consider this.
He who called you is strong
enough to save.

lady with questions, text doubt resides

What does God have to say?

Romans 8:38-39

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

1 John 4:4

“Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.”

1 Peter 5:8-10

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” 

Nagged Him

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It struck me this morning how evil corrupts good.  Samson got involved with Delilah and she nagged him over and over again.  He gave in.  This man dedicated to God let his secret slip…. and disaster struck.   This made me think back to Paul conversation with the Corinthians when he told them that bad company corrupts good. 

Judges 16:15-19

15 Then she said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when you won’t confide in me? This is the third time you have made a fool of me and haven’t told me the secret of your great strength.” 16 With such nagging she prodded him day after day until he was sick to death of it.

17 So he told her everything. “No razor has ever been used on my head,” he said, “because I have been a Nazirite dedicated to God from my mother’s womb. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man.”

18 When Delilah saw that he had told her everything, she sent word to the rulers of the Philistines, “Come back once more; he has told me everything.” So the rulers of the Philistines returned with the silver in their hands. 19 After putting him to sleep on her lap, she called for someone to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him. And his strength left him.

text: nagged him. Image lady who looks like is nagging someone

Nagged Him

If you read the whole story of Samson and Delilah you would quickly see the Samson got involved with a lady he shouldn’t have.   This woman did not have his best interest at heart, instead she was after ways to to defeat him in order to help her national people out. 

She asked, then she asked again, and then she nagged him.  Tell me the truth!  How can you be defeated?  And for some odd reason (perhaps a blind love) he told her!  And then he was defeated and Israel’s champion was imprisoned. 

Relationships are so hard aren’t they?

But gives me cause to say hey… take a take a close look at people you want to be involved with.  Will they lift you up or cause you to betray the trust between you and God?   Doesn’t mean to stay away from non-believers, but to make sure you have people in your life who will shore up your faith. 

It doesn’t say in the text that Samson took the time to talk with other people of faith before he gave into Delilah’s nagging of him.   If he had, perhaps things would have turned out differently eh?  He needed more people in his life to remind him of the truths of God eh?   Just like we all do as believers.  Do we remember to talk to God before giving into the worldly pressures around us? 

I know I don’t always, sometimes just making snap of the finger decisions.  I need so much to be more cognizant of God in all aspects of my life.  How about you?

The Girl Who Escaped From Auschwitz

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I am enjoying a variety of WW2 based fiction lately.  None have impacted me as much as the story of Mala Zimetbaum as told in The Girl Who Escaped From Auschwitz.  I’m not saying other WW2 haven’t drawn me in completely, but this one drove me to learn more.  Let’s talk eh?  Oh… yes, must get the legalities out the way.  I’ll be linking to Amazon so you can find it easily should you wish.  The proceeds of that affiliate link help me bring you move reviews.  🙂

the girl who escaped from Auschwitz

The Basic Details

Title: The Girl who Escaped from Auschwitz: A world war II novel based on a true story
Author: Ellie Midwood
Genre: WW2, WW2 fiction, 20th Century historical romance, WW2 historical fiction
Formats: Kindle, Audio, Paperback
Pages: 390
Additions: Book Club Discussion Questions
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Intended Audience: Young Adult, Adult

Discovering the Author and the Book

Ellie Midwood can be found on facebook, and is an author of historical fiction.  A New Yorker, she lives with her fiancée and dog (Shark Bait).  Her grandfather fed her love of history with his stories of fighting as part of the 2nd Guards Tank Army.  A Jewess, she feds her love of WW2 and Holocaust History by collecting rare materials concerning it. 

After reading The Girl who Escaped from Auschwitz I urge you to learn more about Mala Zimetbaum.  You’ll see the cruelty and kindness of people during WW2 and life in the concentration camps.   The lies told, the truths seen, and how hope can live even in hard times.   This is the fictionalized story of Mala and Edward.  A love born in the hardness of Nazi extremism. Desperation leads to hope in escape.  Can it be done? Will it last?  We already know the story, but getting there… it’s worth the journey.

the girl who escaped from Auschwitz

The Girl who Escaped from Auschwitz

How does one find hope in horrible situations?

It’s not an easy thing to do you know.  When you are surrounded by death, bullying, and lies.  How does one find hope?  For Mala, being in a privileged position due to ability with languages, hope came in small things.  Finding ways to help fellow inmates, ways to change another’s fortunes, and ways to be beyond your present circumstances.  It’s not easy, and for hope to be overcome, is too often possible. 

And then Edward.  Unexpected, a fellow prisoner, finding courage to ask for help.  Discovering in each other a common ally. 

The clear writing pattern, and the personalization of Mala and Edward brought this story to life.  The gruffness of the Russian prisoners, the hopelessness of moms losing their children, the choice to believe despite smoke and stench, and betrayal of the photo op prisoners.  All the emotions out on a shirt sleeve for all to see, wrapped up with straight-forward depictions of being in prison just for being who you are. 

This is a well-written story to draws you in.   Definitely recommend. 

And it to your schooling?

Are you researching European History?  Or perhaps studying WW2?  Perhaps your study is more along the lines of understanding why people in confinement act they way they do.   The Girl Who Escaped From Auschwitz will add depth to those studies.  Showing you how people can live beyond religious lines, and find hope in the hard things of life.   Even if the story doesn’t end in roses, it shows that people can stand for more than you think when push comes to shove.  And THAT my dear readers, is worth reading about. 

Want to read other WW2 books?  Check out this list. 

Who are we trusting in? 

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Such a contrast presented in today’s today.  We see one that is cursed and one that is blessed.  It should cause us to take a hard look at ourselves.  Who are we trusting in? 

Jeremiah 17:5-8

5 This is what the Lord says:

“Cursed is the one who trusts in man,
who draws strength from mere flesh
and whose heart turns away from the Lord.
6 That person will be like a bush in the wastelands;
they will not see prosperity when it comes.
They will dwell in the parched places of the desert,
in a salt land where no one lives.

7 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in him.
8 They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.”

who are we trusting in text, with willow tree by water

Who are we trusting in? 

I suppose another question we could be asking is Who are we listening to?   Cause if we aren’t listening to the Lord God nothing of what he says matters does it?  He’s the one who is saying who is cursed and who is blessed. 

I do hope that you, my readers, are in fact inclined to listen to the words of the Lord. 

Let’s move on and listen to what he has to say eh?

He starts with those who are cursed.  It’s starts off very simply.  Those who are cursed are those that trust in mankind.  Who think that themselves or others are the answers and they have hearts that turn away from the Lord.   

Wow… I read that am I’m thinking to myself…how often do I trust in my own abilities and my own endeavors?   Do we think through what we are doing when we are doing that?  We are trusting in ourselves more than we are trusting in God.  Now I’m not saying that it means we are cursed!  Not at all.  Because the text also says “who hearts turns away from the Lord”.  But it is a warning isn’t it?  A warning to be mindful of who we are trusting in, and gives us yet another reason to turn to the Lord to change our hearts.   We need him to continually modify who we are to be more like him don’t we?

The Lord then paints a picture of a bush out in the desert.  It’s going to have a hard time surviving isn’t it?  All alone, in a place of desolation, with no hope of prosperity. 

In Contrast, the Blessed

But then we have the blessed.  A person who trusts in the Lord God, a person who is confident in God.   Can you imagine what having confidence in the Lord does? Not being afraid, having no need to fret about things, because you know that God has it in hand. 

The picture he paints for us is so different than the lonely bush growing in the desert, struggling to survive.   Instead we see a tree planted by a stream of water.   

You know what I imagine when I hear those words… a big willow tree growing next to a river, with it’s branches hanging out over the water, majestic, strong, welcoming for birds and insects, perhaps a squirrel or some other critter making a home in the shade of branches.  That tree won’t have to fret about a hard, hot summer, it will have a stream and the bed it runs in to nourish it.  It will continue, if it’s a fruit tree, to bear fruit year after year.   Isn’t that a great word picture? 

What does that say about the person who puts their trust in God? Can you see how it can make a person blossom? How it provides a confidence? If you confidently trust God you don’t have to fear the hard times in life.   See yourself as that massive willow tree growing by a stream, confident that a hot summer isn’t going to be a problem.   

Trust God is what it comes down to.  Place your confidence in him. 

We need to be asking ourselves: Who are we trusting in? 

Come Back to Your Senses

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I read these words from First Corinthians 15 and I like Paul’s statement “Come back to your senses!”  It’s reminiscent of my mom saying “Smarten up, you know better!”.   and that seems to be basically what Paul is saying.   Let’s go on and see eh? 
 
I Corinthians 15:29-34
29 Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them? 30 And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour? 31 I face death every day—yes, just as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32 If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus with no more than human hopes, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised,
“Let us eat and drink,
for tomorrow we die.”
33 Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” 34 Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame.
Come Back to Your Senses, text over graveyard

Come Back to your senses

So Paul has been putting together an argument about the validity of Christ’s resurrection.   I’ll let you read the preceding passage for yourself.   

In todays’ verses Paul asks why would someone risk their life for something that isn’t true?  That doesn’t even make sense to do!  And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour? 31 I face death every day—yes, just as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32 If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus with no more than human hopes, what have I gained?   

A person does not put themselves in hard places for something that you know not to be true!  If all of Paul’s other arguments didn’t make sense that one should eh? 

For tomorrow we die?

He continues with 

If the dead are not raised,

“Let us eat and drink,
    for tomorrow we die.”

If none of what Paul talks about, if Christ didn’t rise from the dead, then nothing matters.  And if it doesn’t matters…. we might as well do whatever we want.   Eat, drink, follow our own base instincts and do whatever cause death will come.  And then it’s just the end (at least that’s the implication eh?)

Paul is clear here… don’t mess around.  You want to be a person of good character… believe truth!  You want to be a good character don’t hang around with people that lack in character. And well.. honestly.. just come to your senses and STOP SINNING.   Stop being ignorant of who God is.  Consider him!  Stop placing yourself in a position of shame. 

I read all this and it causes me to stop and think eh?   Do I remember that yes, Christ died.  But more importantly that he rose from the dead?   Have I truly considered the implications of that?  Sometimes I think I just take it for granted, but here’s Paul talking about why it’s the reason that he willing risks his life. 

Am I willing to risk my life?  It sounds horrible… but honestly I don’t want to die.  And yet, I know I love God and because of him I’m getting bolder at showing my faith at work.  Yet within Christian circles I have no issues living out my faith, but sometimes, in the greater world, I find myself faltering.  I need to be much bolder!  I need to keep Christ’s death and resurrection central to my thinking. That would help don’t you think?  

Helping Children Handle Emotions

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product for Helping Children Handle Emotions (Rainbow of Emotions, Facing Fears, Big Emotions) through Clever Publishing. Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so, and is so much appreciated. 🙂

One of the people I follow on Facebook loves the journals that encourage children in mindfulness and particularly in handling their big emotions.  She often mentions how they have worked wonders with her children. It’s neat to read some of her stories. Clever Publishing has put together three books to help children understand, and therefore handle better, their emotions.  I’m delighted to share with you Rainbow of Emotions, Facing Fears, and Big Emotions.  All designed to help you help your children. 

Helping Children Handle Emotions

The Details You’ll Want

Titles: Rainbow of Emotions: Making Friends with your Emotions
          Facing Fears
          Big Emotions: understanding your emotions
Author: Elena Ulyeva
Illustrator: Olga Agafanova
Format: Board book
Pages: 20
Intended Audience: 2-5 year olds
Publisher: Clever Publishing
Reviewed for: Clever Publishing

About the Author and Books

Elena Ulyeva is an author I have reviewed for before with Hedgehog’s Home For Winter.  She has written quite a few educational manuals and books for children.  A firm believer that children learn best through creativity and play. She is a highly ranked children’s author in Russia, a master of fairy tales, and has 20 years experience as a teacher.   In this series she wants to be helping children handle their emotions better.

Big Emotions: Cam the chameleon is going to visit his grandfather, on the way though, he meets a bunch of unwelcoming strangers.  Watch how Cam feels and then handles his emotions.

Rainbow of Emotions: Cam the Chameleon wants a friend just like him, but can’t find one and has a whole range of emotions he experiences.  Will Cam learn to handle his emotions?

Facing Fears: Cam the Chameleon wants to find his mom but can’t find her, this is scary (and then some).  Can he overcome his fears? 

Helping Children Handle Emotions

Looking Deeper into these emotion books

So I received three books from Clever Publishing that featured Cam the chameleon.  Cam needs to learn about and understand his emotions so they don’t control him.  These three books show Cam’s discoveries and through Cam, perhaps young children can learn as well!

Rainbow of Emotions

Everything about these board books is bright and colourful. And Cam!   Boy oh boy can he show his emotions!   Every shade under the sun.  If Cam feels it, he shows it! 

The writing is very clear, following a natural rhythm in speech.   

Along the way you’ll discover little colour bubbles asking questions to help young readers think through what Cam (and they) are learning. 

Helpful insects pop up along the way with encouragements of “you can do it”, “go for it”, “don’t worry” and more.  Just the thing to encourage youngsters to keep trying. 

And the full-colour pages! You gotta love the facial expressions!  Every page is filled with emotion, I love how the facial expressions help convey the feelings that are going on. 

At the close of each reader you’ll see a page of the different emotions Cam had to deal with.  Such a good way to remind children to think about how they feel and remember how to handle them. 

Add them to your repetoire?

Actually, I think if your primary demographic is young children, these books should be part of your bookshelf.  They make excellent books to share with young children to help them understand their emotions. 

Through these three books, teachers and parents, are also reminded as they read the stories of Cam with their children, that we must work at Helping Children Handle Emotions.  It’s hard figuring some of this stuff out and honestly… I didn’t understand some of the way people felt until well into my 20’s.   So starting at a young age to help children understand is helpful! 

Therefore I urge you to check out Big Emotions, Facing Fears, and Rainbow of Emotions.  These three books would be an excellent compliment to mindset journaling for little ones. 

Receive Reminders

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So a while back I was at a family gathering and a cousin dear to my heart who has struggled for years with something mentioned at the close of the day.  “I had a God-moment, I’m free”.   My heart leapt with joy!  Such a wonderful answer to prayer.  I’m so glad that she was open to what she did receive.  Can you imagine having freedom from a long-term burden?   Sometimes our burdens aren’t long term but short-term and intense.  At those times we need to be open to receive reminders to trust God and remember whose we are… Yes?

receive reminders, text over wrapped photo

Receive Reminders

So a situation at work
a thither it had me in
anger and resentment was
starting to settle in.

Conversations were a happening
advice surely given
I found myself a spiraling
a darkness striven.

Then a friend asked
a question.
Can you give grace in this?
A stop perhaps from heaven?

I found myself stopped
directly in my tracks
Thinking what should
I really do?
Why don’t I give it time
Gather in all the facts?

Chagrin flooded
my heart.
Can I forget so soon
God always has a part?

So often I need to
remember I’m really not all that!
Sometimes I swear I’d forget
That God is up at bat!

So what has God
Put in place already
for me to next receive?
I know that it will
be something, that makes
my faith easier to believe.

Receive reminders text, over floral background

God’s Word

God puts us in community so that we can receive reminders of how we should act and whom we should trust in times of Trouble.

Romans 12: 3-8

3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

1 Thessalonians 3:6-10

6 But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you— 7 for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith. 8 For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord. 9 For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, 10 as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?