Sunday Morning Peace

Calvary and Easter

A song of sunshine through the rain,
Of spring across the snow;
A balm to heal the hurts of pain,
A peace surpassing woe.
Lift up your heads, ye sorrowing ones,
And be ye glad of heart,
For Calvary and Easter Day
Were just three days apart!

With shudder of despair and loss
The world's deep heart is wrung,
As, lifted high upon His cross,
The Lord of Glory hung . . .
When rocks were rent, and ghostly forms
Stole forth in street and and mart:
But Calvary and Easter Day,
Earth's blackest day, and whitest day,
Were just three days apart.

--Susan Coolidge

Alelulia, He is Risen!
Blessings

On Passionate Writing . . .

The role of a writer is not to say what we all can say,

but what we are unable to say.

--Anias Nin


Writers on the whole are not talkative creatures.
That is, not unless it's something to do with the work of writing.
Or cats.
Or chocolate.
Or writing.
Maybe a few more things.
Maybe not.

Whatever.
But give them a pen and pad or a computer,
some way to write words,

and they can explore worlds,
span galaxies,
create languages.

What cannot come from lips and tongue
can sing music on paper,
evoke heart-rending emotions between couples
and stir the most hardened agnostic to tears.

That's passionate writing.

Blessing!

Monday Morning Gratitudes

The strength of Christ's victory over death and the grave and hell
The timeless evidence of Christ's resurrection
The awesomeness of faith
The love of Mary
Christ's gentleness
What a man!
What a God!
The beauty of Easter
The celebrations: worship, songs, peace, joy
The enjoyments: children, new clothes, hats, colors, flowers, springtime, gatherings, food
Jesus' love.


Blessings!

Sunday Morning Peace

 

 

 

''To a Christian, Easter Sunday means everything,

when we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.''

--

 

 

 

Easter says you can put truth in a grave,

but it won't stay there. 

~Clarence W. Hall

 

 

 

 

It is the hour to rend thy chains,
The blossom time of souls. 

~Katherine Lee Bates

 

 

 

Easter is the demonstration of God

that life is essentially spiritual and timeless. 

~Charles M. Crowe

 

Tomb, thou shalt not hold Him longer;
Death is strong, but Life is stronger;
Stronger than the dark, the light;
Stronger than the wrong, the right...
~Phillips Brooks,

"An Easter Carol"

Blessings!

The Diaries of Pontius Pilate: A Review

Kevin Elliot, head archeologist, Jill Gates, assistant, and their team have discovered some ancient scrolls at the Dead Sea area. This valuable discovery has the potential of being the work of a life time except someone--some unknown group--is determined to destroy these scrolls.

During a terrible desert storm, the whole team except Kevin, Jill and the area police chief, is destroyed. Running for their lives, they load the scrolls and escape the annihilation and destruction. Their escape is not easy. The anti-christian group called The Society, do not give up. From the warehouse where the policeman leaves them, to the cargo ship where they are attacked; from bus attacks to kidnapping by foe or friend, Kevin and Jill keep moving and are determined to get the information into the right hands.

This fast paced thriller will keep you on your reading toes. It's the debut novel written by talented author Joseph Max Lewis. Keep your eyes on him for more action novels that will give you the roller coaster rides of your life. I highly reccomend this book.


About the author:

Joseph Max Lewis served as a member of an Operational Detachment in the U.S. Army's Seventh Special Forces Group, the storied Green Berets. During his service Lewis received antiterrorist training and his detachment was tasked to "Special Projects." Afterward, he served as an instructor at the Special Forces Qualification Course. Lewis attended the Pennsylvania State University, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, the University of Tel Aviv in Israel, and the University of Pittsburgh, receiving degrees in International Politics and Law while being certified in Middle East Studies.

After living and studying abroad, first in the Middle East and then Southeast Asia, Lewis returned home to practice law. He’s a columnist in the New Bethlehem Leader-Vindicator and currently lives, writes, and practices law in and around Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

***

NEXT month:

Upcoming review of Hummingbird, a novel by David Stearman.

Blessings!

The Winner is . . .

Jackie W.

For my March St. Patrick's Day contest (prize FIVE books) in honor of the upcoming release of my book, The Redemption of Caralynne Hayman!

Congratulations, Jackie.

Everyone: thank you so much for entering.

Check back later to see what I've got in store for Easter! :) And of course, there's April, May, June . . . and on and on--more contests until my book releases!

Thank you so much for visiting. Wish I could have picked all your names!

Blessings!

Monday Morning Gratitudes

surprises
children looking for their Easter baskets
the resurrection
strong substances-like faith!
brightly colored baskets
fun contests
napkins
good reviewers
brainstorming sessions with hubby
a new day

Blessings!

Sunday Morning Peace

Irish Sayings to Bless Your Heart Today

 

 

The Irish believe in impossible things

just long enough to make them come true.

 

 

Be nice to them on the way up;

you might meet them on the way down.

 

 

A man that can't laugh at himself

should be given a mirror.

 

 

And my wish for you today:

May there always be work for your hands to do,

May your purse always hold a coin or two,

May the sun always shine warm on your windowpane,

May a rainbow be certain to follow each rain.

May the hand of a friend always be near you,

And may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.

 

 

Blessings!

Name the Green Contest . . .

In honor of the upcoming release of my book, The Redemption of Caralynne Hayman, I'm holding at least one contest a month until the book publishes!

Answer one of these or all five to enter March's contest. The more you answer, the more times your name will be entered into the contest:

1. Give me the name of your fav green food.

2. Name something about St. Patrick's day that is interesting to you.

3. Why did God make green grass?

4. Tell me why you'd love to win a trip to Ireland.

5. Tell me the name of a book, a picture, or a song with the name of green in it.


Hard?
You've got until March 17th midnight to answer. I'll draw a name on the 18th.
You can answer one question to be entered into the random drawing. OR answer all five to have your name entered FIVE times.

No right or wrong answers, but you must answer at least one to enter.

Prize?
Five books with green in their covers. Some are romance. Some suspense. Some with a little mystery. These are books from my shelves--not new--but still good. I'll give you titles and you're welcome to choose or I can send you a selection.

What? You want more? Easter's coming this month too! Check back later to hear what I've got planned.

Enjoy! and spread the word about my book. I'll thank you!

Blessings!

Monday Morning Gratitudes

brotherly love
ordinary things that kids love
gummy bears
jelly belly beans
black jack gum--occasionally!
babies feeding themselves
new games
meeting old friends, again
the sun after a cloudy day
a good night's rest.

blessings!

Sunday Morning Peace

May your hand always be stretched out in friendship,

not in want.

 

--Irish blessing

On Passionate Writing . . .

I try to leave out the parts that people skip. 

~Elmore Leonard

What part of your writing drafts

need to be left out

deleted

destroyed?

 

What is filler,

the part that helped us gain the words we needed,

but proves no worth?

 

Does it make us weep

laugh

rejoice

despair?

 

If not, it needs to be gone.

Our words must serve a purpose.

They must have passion.

 

Blessings

Monday Morning Gratitudes

An understanding hubby
a giving heart
inspirational pictures
peppermints
fun meetings with writing friends
learning something new and interesting
fresh starts
new notebooks
flower gardens
the thought of the upcoming Easter season


Blessings

Sunday Morning Peace

If we had no winter,

spring would not be so pleasant.

 

If we did not sometimes taste adversity,

prosperity would not be so welcomed.

 

--Charlotte Bronte

A Thought or Two

DID YOU KNOW:

As you walk up the steps to the building which houses the U.S. Supreme Court, you can see near the top of the building a row of the world's law givers and each one is facing one in the middle.
Who is facing forward with a full frontal view? It is Moses, and he is holding the Ten Commandments!


 

DID YOU KNOW: As you enter the Supreme Court courtroom, the two huge oak doors have the Ten Commandments engraved on each lower portion of each door?

DID YOU KNOW: 
As you sit inside the courtroom, you can see the wall, right above where the Supreme Court Judges sit, a display of The Ten Commandments?




DID YOU KNOW:
James Madison, the fourth President, known as 'The Father of Our Constitution' made the following Statement:

'We have staked the whole of all our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government, upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to The Ten Commandments of God.'






DID YOU KNOW: Every session of Congress begins with a prayer by a paid preacher, whose salary has been paid by the
taxpayer since 1777.





DID YOU KNOW:
Fifty-two of the 55 founders of the Constitution were members of the established Orthodox churches in the colonies or that . . .

Thomas Jefferson worried that the Courts would overstep their authority and instead of Interpreting the law would begin making law an oligarchy: the rule of few over many.

How then, have we gotten to the point that everything we have done for 220 years in this
country is now suddenly wrong and unconstitutional?

Contemplative blessings!