[shelter] July 23, 2011

"There were a few days of darkness. A few days of crawling and crying and longing for something to break free. There were a few days of me without you. Dark days indeed."

I have a good husband. Have I ever mentioned that on here? Its true. He hears my tears. Feels my pain. And takes me on Ferris Wheel rides to distract me from my sorrows. He's a good man.

Then, when I think he's done it all- he pulls me from my seat on the couch and says, "I have someplace to take you..." and off to the fair we go again so I can watch the polka dancers. Because I mentioned one time that I love that part of the fair. And he remembered. And knew I needed comfort. So we went and I laughed and when we got home he swung me around the room in our own version of the polka. And I laughed again.

God has blessed me. So deeply and richly that I am overwhelmed. But I forget. So many times I forget. I stare at the pain and wallow in fear and cry in darkness. Oh, God. Forgive me.

And then He says, when I am snuggled safely into bed without tears or thoughts of sorrow, "Tasha, your husband's love is but a shadow of mine.

I am the kind of God who takes you on Ferris Wheel rides.

In your pain, remember that I will be your shelter.

I won't take it away but I will dance and laugh with you through it."

[Billy Graham in Quotes] book review

Billy Graham in Quotes

By Franklin Graham with Donna Lee Toney

I heard Billy Graham speak one time. I was about fourteen. I don’t remember a word he said. (we were in a stadium and it echoed badly, that’s all I can recall!)

I always thought that Billy Graham told the truth about salvation but as for his stand on anything else… it must have been toeing the line because everyone, on all sides and in all faiths, tolerated him.

That was a pretty harsh assessment and completely wrong.

The reason for his good standing with so many must simply be the grace of God in his life because he simply spoke truth.

As I read through his quotes on a plethora of subjects (abortion, the Bible, creation, greed, race, society, success, war, etc…) I was amazed at how directly he confronted the lies that have perpetrated our world.

To give you a little taste:

The issue [of] abortion is not whether you have a

right to terminate the life of a child…

The real issue is whether or not you will insist on running your own life

according to your own standards,

or whether you will instead let God run your life.

As for the book itself, there is no doubt that it would make a lovely addition to any library. The soft cover makes it easy to handle, the sections are clearly marked with an easy-to-use index.

As a writer and Sunday School teacher, I will greatly appreciate the use of this book in years to come!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Never the Bride] Book Review

Never The Bride

By Cheryl McKay & Rene Gutteridge

I have to admit, it is not very often that I pick up a Christian chick-lit novel and anticipate reading it. Usually I am thinking, “Here we go…” The reason is: they’re all the same. The same story. The same situations. Often the same “popular” names used.

When I started reading this novel, I was expecting the “same”. There’s this girl, Jessie, who wants to get married (naturally). And there are eleven bridesmaid dresses hanging in her closet (reminisce of that one movie with all the dresses…?) She has an ex-boyfriend who cheated on her. And, surprise, surprise, a “best friend” that she is secretly in-love with. She’s working at a dead-end job (aren’t they all?) and has a hard time liking blonde girls because they get all the guys.

I would have been bored to tears except that the authors really are funny. And then, once I settled in to a laugh a little… the sameness disappeared.

God shows up. Jessie’s story becomes something new and different because it shows a glimpse into what life would be like if God came walking up to you one day…and asked you to surrender all your dreams, trusting him to write your life story in His way and in His time.

It wasn’t perfectly done. There are some things, like her childhood imaginary friend, that weren’t quite explained enough to make sense.

But I’ll forgive that.

And I’ll give the authors ten extra points for being original!

If you like chick-lit… this is definitely one to read and pass around. If you don’t like it… give this one a try anyway. J

I received this book in exchange for my honest review through Blogging for Books.

[from ashes] July 5, 2011

Mornings. Chores. Tired. Garden. Laundry. Meals. Hay. Errands. Chores. Tired. Sleep.

That is pretty much a reflection of my life these days.

Some days I revel in the work. The dirt. The sweat. The feeling of the wind in my hair. The calluses on my hands. The knowledge that I am strong enough to lift twice what the average woman can without even breathing hard. The feeling of accomplishment when I see the milk tank swirling with creamy white milk. The garden blossoming and blooming with vegetables. The line of round bales growing. Thirty. Sixty. A hundred. Only a hundred left to put up before winter.

Then come the other days. The ones when I am so tired I can barely keep my eyes open. When the thought of hanging out another load of laundry could almost make me cry. The days when Amos can't get in from the fields and I have to face the barn full of cows and know that I'm all alone. The days that I avoid the garden and its weeds. When I turn my back on the sink full of dishes. When I crawl into bed with my eyes closed so I can't see the clothes on the floor.

And on those days I start to crumble.

A day came when I was crumbling. I cried over everything. The morning. The cows. The manure. The flies. The pigs. The laundry. The garden. The dishes. The dirt. The heat. My husband. My friends. The fact that I still wasn't pregnant. The fact that despite all our hard work there wasn't any extra money. The fact that no matter how carefully I planned or worked it seemed that I was always disappointing someone.

I looked around and only saw the ashes of the life I desired.

And I heard clearly through my tears the voice of my Father, reminding me of something he once told a friend of mine. "I would not have promised beauty for ashes, if I wasn't going to burn anything down."

I wrote a song that day. One that has been swirling through my head ever since. His answer. His promise. In the end...

He offers beauty for ashes-- strength for pain. Hope for all who call on His name.

He offers-- to hold all our tears. Clothe us in white-- turn the dark into light.

Yet so often we forget

To get beauty for ashes, something must burn

To get strength for pain, something must hurt

For Him to hold all our tears, we must cry

To turn the dark into light, we have to face a black night

All His promises are true-- He'll do just what He said He'd do

But so many times, in the fire, pain and tears--We hide in the darkness, and cry out in fear

"Where are you, God? Where are you, God?"

And He says...

To get beauty for ashes, something must burn

To get strength for pain, something must hurt

For me to hold all your tears, you must cry

To turn the dark into light- you have to face a black night,

But I promise you,

In the end,

I will make all things new.

[Wild Foods]

I have this problem. As far as I know there isn't a name for it but if I could make one up it would be "Egeovictusferus" (ee-geo-victus-faar-us) the definition of which would be..."the need to use every food you have access to, even wild ones".


A similar disease, that goes along with this one, is the desire to make/grow everything you need to survive. Seriously, who needs grocery stores?


Yet, the truth of the matter? I mostly eat foods from grocery stores. So I live in a state of... frustration and overweightness.


But! This year I started doing some of the things that I always said I would. Basically, putting all my research to work.

How? By making clover-granola and clover-flour (for bread making) and stir-frying burdock root and cattail shoots.

And you know what... I LOVE IT!

I've been having so much fun. And the food is delish! Amos even grunted an affirmative reply...which is miraculous.

I think I love it the most because I get to spent time outside to gather... singing worship songs as I sit and smell the sweetness of the summer air. There was a time in my life when I made sure to walk outside almost everyday because I did my devotions in the woods- and this has made me feel like I'm back there again. Where I was full of life and joy and God was near.

And maybe... just maybe- I am and He is.

[Praying for Your Future Husband] Book Review

Praying For Your Future Husband

Preparing Your Heart for His

To be honest, there isn't much that I can say about this book. The title says it all. Are you praying for your future husband? Are you preparing your heart for his? Whether you are or aren't- this book is your inspiration!

Before I got married the Lord put it on my heart to pray for my future husband. I kept a prayer journal that later the two of us read together... and compared to some journals that he had kept over the years. Did you know that God was answering my prayers, even when Amos and I didn't know each other? He was.

This book by Robin Gunn and Tricia Goyer is full of testimonies and practical ideas to use in your own prayer time. I would have loved it when I was single- and I still love the ideas as I pray for my husband (by name, now!)

I know this is so short... but I really don't know what else to say. This book is filled with stories and ideas that are beautiful and inspiring. Go get it! Read it!

This book was sent to me in exchange for my honest review by Blogging For Books.

[Freedom's Stand] book review

Freedom's Stand

by J.R. Windle

I have to admit that it took me a little while to get into this book. The first chapter was engrossing by then it got a bit confusing for a time. The reason, however, was a good one- I'm not familar with middle eastern names and this author tried to write an authentic book... so, needless to say, the names confused me for a time.

However, soon after that I got lost in the story. There is a former suicide bomber, a special forces vetern, a relief worker... all whose paths cross for one single reason: they are followers of Isa Masih. (Better known to us as, Jesus the Messiah)

The story is fiction but it can serve as a reminder that there are believers in this world who are walking a difficult journey.

And there are people who are facing bitter heartbreaking lives. Like Farah, a sixteen year old who came to believe that love was an illusion, man is untrustworthy and gut-wretching pain are a woman's lot in life.

The most wonderful part of the story though is this: Isa Masih changes lives. He makes all things new. And helps us see that there is purpose in all our tears and pain.

I received this book in exchange for my honest review from Tyndale Blog Network.