Lion of Babylon: A Review

Lion of Babylon is a great novel. reminiscent of a Joel Rosenberg book.  Davis Bunn’s book mainly takes place in Baghdad.  Spurred on by a close tie to missing intelligence agent (Alex Baird), main character Marc Royce is asked to return to the State Department to find Baird and three others. 

Who is behind the disappearances and why?  Marc Royce seeks to find this out while building friendships and trust between himself and the people of Baghdad, essentially bringing forth a large scale reconciliation between America and the Middle East. 

Discover how Marc Royce makes a difference.  It is something that we all could stand to do!

Thank you Bethany House for providing me a copy of the Lion of Babylon.  I was not paid for this review nor do I have to return the book. 

The Harvest of Grace: A Review

My friend, Emily, hearts Cindy Woodsmall.  I’m a fan of her books too (and Emily).  I read the The Bridge of Peace earlier this year.  I have yet to read the book that launched the Ada’s House series.  I think it will be sitting on my nightstand in the near future, though.

The Harvest of Grace, by Woodsmall, is quite different than most of the Amish fiction books that I have read, in that the main character, Sylvia Fisher, is doing what was/is traditionally considered a man’s job!  In an effort to resist temptation (good for her), she leaves her family to help a dairy farmer revive his farm.  As the farm began to turn around, the owner’s prodigal son returns . . . and slightly interferes with Sylvia’s plans. 

Find out how the situation is resolved.  This would be a great book to check out at the library, ask for your birthday, find on , or place on your Christmas wish list!

Thank you Waterbrook Press.  This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.  I was not paid for this post.  I sincerely hope that Cindy Woodsmall writes more books for the Ada House series. 

Elementary Round Up

I'm ripping some carpeting out in the basement . . . I'll post our week a little bit later!

What did you do?  Or What did you learn?  To see the original Elementary Round Up post, click here.  To see two ways to link up, click here.

If you don’t have a blog to link up with . . . leave a comment and tell us what your family did in the Learning Room!

Guidelines:

1. Write a blog post about your elementary aged child(ren), first through sixth grade,comprising the activities you did the prior two weeks.  You can include pictures, bullet points, tools used, learning gained, God moments, etc.   Or it can simply be a new thing Mom learned.
2. Be sure to include a link back to my blog.  By doing so, other like-minded readers can hang out in a central location if they are looking for Elementary School ideas.   Publish your post and then head back to my site.
3. Provide the exact link (URL) of the Elementary Round-UP blog post you wrote, not your blog’s home address, through the provided Linky.
4. Optional:   I would love it if you grabbed my blog button over on the side.
5. You can combine this with other meme’s if that helps you to save time (as long as it is OK with the other blog owner).

BIG IMPORTANT HEART MOMENT:  This isn’t a blog post to WOW other moms . . . the point of this is to help YOU document on YOUR blog what you and your child(ren) are learning.  My link-up is only to provide some accountability.  I won’t come and leave nasty comments on your blog if you don’t link up.

 

Catch

GO!

My words are formed with a little help.  Influenced by what I have read. 

When I think of the word “catch,” vivid colors coming together to form toddlers playing ball in a backyard.  Giggling.  Throwing but lacking both precision and coordination. 

My mind wanders to seeing the water droplets of someone sneezing and parts of them being flung into the air.  (I know, rather gross.)  And that in itself is amazing . . . if you think about it.  God was crafty to create a sneeze.

I also think of germs on a door handle.  We unwittingly pick them up as we walk through a door into an opportunity, a newly awoken baby, the chiropractor, the dollar store.

Catch.  I hope that the good parts of my faith, the parts that I am obedient in, the parts that I spread joy with . . . those parts that they would end up being flung out into the atmosphere of my home so that my children would catch Jesus.

STOP.

That wasn’t nearly long enough.  I just got started. 

Word Wednesday: Black Walnuts

We’ve yet to crack them open . . . the black walnuts.

I know from this video it is going to be a messy process.  However, when the beloved Sunday school/Awana teachers mention anything, Mr. Smackdown instantly grabs hold of the idea.

We are homeschoolers.  They want to learn, I shall teach. 

I’d like to call a sub in for “opening” day, though.

I will be brave.  I’m a little scared of what lurks inside these walnuts.  Namely the black pigment . . . that can and will seek to dye my hands.

I will wear gloves.  Perhaps three pairs thick.

I really thought the video would dissuade them.  Nope.  We ended up watching approximately five . . . and with each one they became even more enamored with the idea of harvesting our own walnuts.

They don’t even like walnuts.

I do.

Perhaps they will learn.  There is something to be said about harvesting your own food.

Thanks, Pat and Al!