A Net in Time

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God’s Laughter

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I try to be a person of ready laughter, happy to delight in the joys of others.  I do admittedly get frustrated with some of the inexplicable things people do.  My son has this amazing ability to see a different perspective on situations, which helps me then to laugh at my own folly in often having the wrong perspective on a situation. When this word prompt of laugh came up it brought to mind all the times I imagine God smiling at me, or at his people.  Smiling isn’t the same as laughing, so I wondered about God’s laughter.  Here it goes!

God's laughter (text) man laughing against blue sky

God’s Laughter

I wondered about God’s laughter
as his smile I oft have felt
but considering his laughter
I felt a bit left in the dark.

Does God laugh?
I rather assume he did,
after all, created me
in his image, through Adam
the Bible says.

AND I LAUGH!
My sisters laugh,
my hubby laughs,
and even the lad
a time or two.
Everyone I know
has shared a giggle or two.

But then again,
Humans lie,
and that’s something
God never does, so
perhaps that assumption
is simply that.

What then does scripture say?
It says often in the Psalms
how God laughs at nations and
at people who make their own plans
thinking that God pays no heed.

Yet Jesus tells us
that one day
those of us who weep
will one day laugh.
Such a great promise and comfort!

In fact, in Job we
read how God promises to
again fill our mouths with laughter.
Job went through so much, and God
promised him laughter.

So I learn that God laughs,
mocking the scoffers, and yet
he promises us laughter,
a laughter that comes after
hard times, after mourning,
and so laughter does indeed
come from the Lord.
It’s a goodly thing eh?
And more than an
assumption I find.

So then.
Let us laugh.
Perhaps not at the mockers
and scoffers of the world
lest we cause difficulties in
people seeing the Lord.
But let us laugh after
hardship and mourning
seeing the goodness and
mercy of the one who
gave us this laughter in
the first place.

god's laughter (text) girl on grass laughing

God Speaks

Psalm 59:7-8

There they are, bellowing with their mouths
    with swords in their lips—
    for “Who,” they think, “will hear us?”

8 But you, O Lord, laugh at them;
    you hold all the nations in derision.

Luke 6:20-21

20 And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said:

“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

21 “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied.

“Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.

Job 8: 20-21

“Behold, God will not reject a blameless man,
    nor take the hand of evildoers.
21 He will yet fill your mouth with laughter,
    and your lips with shouting.

The Boy Behind The Door

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product (The Boy Behind the Door) through Ascot Media Group. Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so, and is so much appreciated. 🙂

For those who don’t know, I love history (it’s not the only think I love, but it’s up there eh?).  Anyways, books that tell a story, bringing history life… makes for a very good read you know?  The Boy behind the Door is a tale sending us into the life of a short Jewish Lad.  We take a front-row seat to his experiences as Germany swarmed over The Netherlands.  We see his bewilderment as growing restrictions are placed upon the Jewish population.  Learn how Salomon Kook escaped the Nazis in this short, historically-based, fiction read. 

The Boy behind the door

The Facts

Title: The Boy Behind the Door: How Saloman Kool Escapes the Nazis.
Publisher: Amsterdam Publishers
Reviewed For: Ascot Media Group
Pages: 194
Format Received: Softcover
Genre: History, WW2, Teen and Young Adult Survival, Jewish Literature, WW2 Fiction
Intended Audience: Teen, Young Adult

Author Information:

David Tabatsky is a writer, editor and performing artist based in New York City. David’s two passions have driven his career as a performer and writer. He has performed as an actor, clown and juggler around the world, in venues such as Lincoln Center, Radio City Music Hall, the Beacon Theatre, throughout Europe and Japan, and most notably at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

The Story:

Inspired by a real boy and real events shares the story of a Dutch teenager who survived World War II by eluding the Nazis time and time again as German forces occupied the Netherlands.  Learn the story of Salomon Kool and how through the kindness of others, and his own ingenuity, he survived in Nazi invasion of The Netherlands.

Looking More Closely at The Boy Behind the Door

Short chapters and careful character development fill the pages of this quick read.  I won’t say the reading is always easy.  But it was very much eye-opening.  I had not considered the war from the perspective of a Jewish family, particularly that of a young man.  Seeing through the eyes of a just past childhood all the limitations and dislike Jewish families faced.  Seeing how the Nazis worked to destroy families.  Not always easy.  But then seeing, oh, seeing people willing to help.  People willing to risk everything for people they didn’t even know.  How careful they had to be, and yet, risks taken. 

Written from the point of view of Salomon so you get to understand the ramifications of Nazi “enforcement policies” on the Jewish population.  Imagine not being able to play in a park, or watch a movie, go to visit your favourite barber, or not being able to walk on the sunny side of the street.   Things that affected real children in a dangerous time in history.  So very hard. 

Should you read it?

Despite the plethora of WW2 literature invading the bookshelves lately making it hard to choose what to read, The Boy Behind the Door shows a different perspective.   Seeing the war through the eyes of a child-man is eye-opening.  Well worth reading, particularly if you want to learn more about the war. 

This would be a great addition to students learning about the war. I can see teens reading and then discussing or writing papers about various topics raised.  It’s not always easy, but you know what?  War and the brutalization of a people is NOT an easy topic.  Learning about how hard it was perhaps might open eyes and ears so it never happens again!  Wouldn’t it be good if we could prevent THIS history from happening again? 

The Clutter Fix

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product (The Clutter Fix) through Nuts about Books. Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so, and is so much appreciated. 🙂

Are you feeling the stress of your home?  Can’t quite figure out why you feel so bothered when you are at home?  Perhaps, just perhaps, it’s all the stuff around you, or how you have it arranged?  What do you think?   Could it be possible that The Clutter Fix might help you with your headaches?   OR just maybe you aren’t bothered by your possessions, but just want to know how to make things a bit more organized, or a bit more “less intense”.  I dunno your reasoning or thoughts, but if your stuff needs something done with it and you don’t know where to start, Shannon Acheson would be delighted to help you out. 

The Basic Details of The Clutter Fix

The Clutter Fix: The No-Fail, Stress-Free Guide to Organizing Your Home by Shannon Acheson gives us 224 pages in a soft-cover handbook.   Within those pages, you’ll discover 14 chapters divided into 4 sections, along with worksheets, tasks and questions.   Ms. Acheson writes from a faith-based perspective 

Published by Bethany House I am reviewing a softcover book on behalf of Nuts about books. 

Taking a closer look

With four parts and 14 chapters, you will find The Clutter Fix to be a well-organized tome designed to help you combat the clutter in your life. 

These parts are divided into:

  1. Get some quick wins under your belt
  2. Build a decluttering mindset
  3. Declutter and Organize every room in your home
  4. Master Maintenance mode

All but the first part contain worksheets to assist you in your endeavours to not only clean up your home but help you think differently about the things you have. 

Clearly written, down-to-earth language that speaks easily to heart and mind.   Lists, charts and worksheets fill the page.  The author’s faith is evident, but one isn’t inundated with scripture!   Regardless of your faith (or lack thereof), this book is an assist in helping you feel better about the space you live in. 

I know from assisting friends clear up their spaces that once you understand a person’s thought process for a space helps make the space they live in more usable.  So I love that Ms. Acheson takes the time to help her readers to think through how they organize.  We aren’t all the same so sometimes tweaking methods to make it work for each individual person is the best thing you can do! 

Helpful aspects

Don’t you just love books that help you think through and process what you are learning?  Books that help you to become a better you? Discover the decluttered you that you truly are! 

I love books that provide more than one way to skin a cat. Books that say I know you want to learn how to do XYZ, but we’re all different so here’s some variations that will help you learn that!   I know that when I purge, I like to do one room at a time.  Work that room until it’s done, and then I can take a break and work on another room when I have the time. Doing bits and pieces annoys me to no end!  🙂   Having a daily routine works for other friends. 

Will you find it helpful?

Okay, so what do I personally think of The Clutter Fix?   

I love how it’s set up and the helpfulness of the author. 

You’ll find help if you:

  • have no clue about where to start
  • need help with you mindset
  • want practical how-to

I could probably use a bit more “decluttering” mindset in my house, but the clutter we have is there for a reason.  Sometimes, you need to let people figure out that they really don’t need all their notes from college anymore.  I’m guessing when we eventually move from our lovely house with the great backyard (when we are old and feeble) that knowledge will come.  🙂  Until then, I refuse to stress about it.  After all, he lets me hoard food!!!!!  🙂   If our place was smaller it would be different but we have the room, so why fuss? 

helpful tips found!

I did find some helpful tips to add to my reservoir of knowledge, and for a book to do that, makes it a decent book in my eyes. AND it gave me ideas to share with friends because honestly, sometimes decluttering gets a bit touchy… particularly if it is gifts given by others.  THAT stuff… it’s good to have advice for you know?  Imagine what helpful tips you will find!

So if you need to declutter and don’t know where to start… grab up Shannon Acheson’s book The Clutter Fix.  She’ll give you some solid advice and a variety of approaches, and give you the homey advice you need to deal with tricky aspects. 

Might Seem Extreme

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The weather here in SW Ontario has been absolutely fantastic the past couple of weeks.  Just wonderful.  I’ve gotten a TON of outdoor work done, it’s rather amazing actually if I stop and think about it.  🙂  God has been most gracious and I’m feeling a whole lot less stressed.   I have a bit more to do, but I’m not stressed about it at all. A good thing that!   Anyways, I’ve been rather busy this weekend and was having a hard time figuring out what to do for this five minute Friday word prompt.  Today though, with what has happened in my sphere of the world I came up with Might Seem Extreme. 

text: might seem extreme. Image: truck with load of wood pallets

Might Seem Extreme

The past two weeks
Indian summer reigned supreme
in SW Ontario

Everywhere I went
I saw people working hard,
cleaning, moving, building.

Piles of leaf litter
in bags at the curb.
Sometimes tumbling in the wind.

The buzz of a saw
filled my ears
over the fence to the neighbour.

Driving to the dump
loads of people
emptying trailers of trash.

Wood smoke filled the air,
fumes of racing cars,
the aroma of hard working people.

and today
Silence, snow falling
first squall of the year.

No buzzing, no vrooming of engines,
just tumbling, blowing
white wisps collecting.

The change from one
to the next, to some
might seem extreme.

But for us, in
SW Ontario, it’s the joy
of living in the snow belt.

Today, on a Sunday,
with a friend over for the lad
quietness, is most welcome.

Not only in sound, but
in smell, and busyness
it’s settling you know?

After a Sunday Service I find
myself pondering what
might seem extreme.

The study and nuture
the discipline and love
of people knowing the Lord.

Seeing the love,
acknowledging pain and sorrow
the hatred and the welcome.

Christianity
might seem extreme,
but isn’t it supposed to be?

text: might seem extreme Image: snow on blossoms

God Speaks to us

Romans 9:10-16

10 And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, 11 though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls— 12 she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” 13 As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! 15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. 

Matthew 10:35-38

 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. 37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 

Luke 10:25-28

25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”

A Kitten’s Performance

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After working hard all day, and occasionally giving myself time to think about this week’s FMF word, I came up with A Kitten’s Performance.  Not because of all my thinking, but because of the kitten’s reaction to being alone with just me tonight.   He was so funny, pulling all his little tricks on me so I’d engage in what he wanted.   Made me think about who is trying to train whom?  🙂 

a kitten's performance

A kitten’s performance

I have this little kitten
I’m trying hard to train
But I’m starting to think
that he’s picking MY brain.

He’s training us I think
to hear his different mews
the soft, the hungry,
and the most demanding with news!

My Lizzy cat I’ve trained
that on the chair you hop,
and suddenly before
this wonderful treat will hop!

The kitten just the other day
observing this wondrous thing
demonstrated his learning
meowing to see what we’d bring!

Treats just bring him running
and to stop the loud demand
I started to place to small nibble
to teach him where to stand.

Lover of salt,
demander of crackers,
sometimes I wonder
he’d do for other snackers!

Locked up every night
around a quarter to ten
I’m learning to expect
a bum in face around then!

Kittens, and their training
I wonder who trains whom
There are time I’ve to wonder
… should I chase with a broom?


a kitten's performance

Talking More

It’s a good thing that kittens are cute eh?   Otherwise…. oh boy!  🙂 

Benji’s his name.  He’s been with us for almost six weeks and is a bit too smart for his own good!  But as I think about him, I’m minded about how much he drives me crazy but I care for him nonetheless.  I do my best to train him to be a nice cat who is respectful of our rules.  It makes me think of how God wants us to care well for the animals under our care.  Caring well for them helps our animals, and the more we help them, the more they suit our lifestyles all the more.  And consider this, God takes care of the animals of the world, so why shouldn’t we follow his lead? 

Psalm 27:23

23 Know well the condition of your flocks,
    and give attention to your herds,

Luke 14:5

And he said to them, “Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?”

Matthew 6:26

Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

While I Was Waiting

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It’s been a crazy busy weekend. I had a lovely time at the women’s breakfast… they turned out a good spread.  After breakfast, I had the pleasure of listening to a lady speak about the importance of using our memories for good.  Writing them down, using them, and applying our faith to them, so that God can use the life he has given us for something more.  Getting our inspiration can come from various sources because all our five senses can inspire our memories.  But while I was waiting lots of random thoughts popped up so… here you go.  🙂 

while i was waiting

while I was waiting

while i was waiting
at weekend presentation
listening to lady talking
about the importance of memories
and writing them down,
with an open heart, using
our lives to reach into the
hearts and minds of those
who might listen to us.

while i was waiting,
full from the breakfast given,
at this women’s meeting,
i found my attention wandering,
wanting to finish the story
that a picture in a magazine,
a prompt to encourage memories,
inspired in me.

i wanted to finish this story,
to explore a girl who was
happy at a teams terrible loss,
and then I started to wonder,
while I was waiting,
about starting a blog
featuring short stories,
inspired by life, images,
words, and faith.

wondering if i could
pull that off.. but more,
while i was waiting,
realizing that I need
more fun in my life,
fishing with my man,
movies with the lad, a game
night or two, and wishing that
all my busyness of before
winter yardwork was all done.

Sometimes
while I am waiting
I realize that
I need to do …
just a bit more waiting.

Honor Bound

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product (Honor Bound) through Nuts About Books. Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so, and is so much appreciated. 🙂

Fighting the divide between pacifism and the need to protect, can two people form a relationship despite this divide? Come along with Hallee Bridgeman as she explores how God is important to people on both sides of this spectrum. 

Honor Bound

Honor Bound, what you get

I received a trade paperback from Nuts About Books in exchange for my review.  An easy to read fictional romance taking place in Africa and the United States. 

Throughout the 384 pages, faith is evident, even though in many ways Cynthia and Rick live very different lives.  At the same time, they both have jobs where helping others is a pivotal part of what they do. 

Throughout the 30 chapters, we are given more details about the lives of both main characters. Learning about the vastly different social spheres they come from and seeing where God met them in their lives.  It was actually rather interesting to see how God worked in their lives. 

Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, published Hallee Bridgeman’s work.  An easy-to-read novel that includes moments of terror both in Africa and the United States.  Protection details, military men in action against unscrupulous men, and yet… God is in control, acting.   Romance blossoms, discussions about differences in opinions, and hard lessons are learned. 

Simple page dividers were used to signify time shifts as well as bold text to delineate location changes.  These easy additions made it easy to note changes and keep pace. 

Add to your reading list?

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Honor Bound.  I found the characters interesting, and they felt real.  It was not perfect by any means, and with things they needed to work through, but overall, it was a good read.  

I can’t say I liked the ending as it was too ‘tidy”, and the aftermath of all the events was left unresolved so the story never felt quite finished.   All that said though, if you are looking for a light romance, with a strong faith element, that explores pacifism and military life.