by Alaina | Nov 20, 2022 | Sunday Scripture
Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
Psalms 139:23
It was a beautiful labor day, the perfect kind of day to go biking with family! My husband had to work on this particular Labor Day, but my parents, aunt and uncle were biking on a beautiful stretch of trail with lots of little bridges over creeks and streams still lush with green summer foliage along their banks. I decided to meet them at the trailhead for a day filled with biking fun. Or so I thought…
We arrived at the trailhead and were busy unloading our bikes from our cars when I realized that along with these beautiful little bridges there were lots of cement poles (designed to keep motorized vehicles off of the trail). I am not a fan of those kinds of poles. Why must they be so narrow? They are intimidating. I think they work great to keep cars and 4-wheelers off of trails but they very nearly keep bicycles off too—you really have to make sure you are lined up before going through them so as not to hit one of the poles or scrap your leg on one.
We had biked quite a distance and I had made it successfully through all of the poled entrances without incident, and we had just turned around and were on our way back. I had gained some confidence over this ride and was now sailing right through those poles with hardly a second thought! Slow down for them? Please—that is for amateurs!
As we headed back to our cars there were two poles that I had to ride through—I confidently lined up my handlebars and without slowing proceeded through them. Almost. I remember having the fleeting thought that these poles were higher than the others and I just might hit my handlebar as I felt a huge jolt go through my body as I went flying over the handlebars, landing painfully on the ground. My knee and wrist broke the fall, and I landed face down on the trail. I laid there, very closely observing the asphalt trail and started to laugh. It was not because I had not gotten hurt—I had skinned myself up pretty well but rather because here I was a young 20-something biking with four geriatrics (they were all over 60) and who got hurt? Me! I should have been the fast one without balance issues but no, I was the one to misjudge and went flying over the handlebars!
We see instances of pride tripping people up all throughout scripture. Saul becomes proud and when the women sing David’s praises. It literally drives Saul crazy. We see Judas Iscariot, the respected treasurer, betray Jesus for 20 silver coins. We see Hamman build a scaffold to hang Mordecai, only for the tables to turn and instead Hamman himself is hung from this scaffold. The Bible is clear about these messages: pride goes before a fall (Proverbs 16:18). Just like I went flying over the handlebars of my bicycle so each of these people went flying and landed face down on the proverbial ground as well.
It is, of course, good and healthy to take pride in certain things in life; our family, the way we do a job, and so forth, but the harm comes when we make any of these good things an idol. Let us always have the heart David did when he wrote, “Search me oh God and know my heart.”
Disclosure
Please remember that this post contains affiliate links; that means if you click on the link, I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you. It’s a way to support my blog! I will only ever share an affiliate link if I love the product and think that you just might love it too!
by Alaina | Nov 17, 2022 | Book Nook
All right, I know—Thanksgiving isn’t here yet but I think it’s time to start lining up some Christmassy reads! I have so many good memories of curling up before the fireplace with a good Christmas story. (A wood stove was our only source of heat growing up, so reading in front of the fire really did happen!) To this day it is still one of the main things I look forward to around this time of year. Here are some historical fiction Christmas reads for you to consider reading this holiday season.
Under the Walnut Tree by Charles Todd
We follow Lady Elspeth Douglas as the First World War breaks out in Europe. Elspeth promises herself to the brother of her good friend only to second guess her decision when she meets Captain Peter Gilchrist. Elspeth becomes a nurse and, as such, experiences the horrors of war personally, as does her fiancée who comes back from war a very changed man causing Elspeth to further question her decision to pledge herself to such a man. I enjoyed this book very much but only a small portion of it takes place at Christmas. This is a good book to kick off your holiday reading early on in the Christmas season.
Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan
Talk about a cozy book to curl up with! This heartwarming story takes place in England in the 1950s and is about college age Megs’ quest to find out from Mr. C. S Lewis himself what parts of Narnia are true on behalf of her beloved brother George. George is seven and has a serious heart condition—Megs and her family never know when they might lose George. When George asks Megs to find out what inspired C. S Lewis to write Narnia, Megs is unable to refuse—even though as a math major she simply can’t figure out what fictional story could possibly matter in real life. The process of discovering this answer changes Megs and how she views the world. This book is full of all the warmth and comfort of the Christmas season! An added bonus is that if you are a Narnia fan, you will really enjoy the glimpse behind the curtain to the creation of Narnia that this book offers.
Last Christmas In Paris by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb
This book takes place during World War I. It is written in letter form between Evie Elliott, her brother Will, and Will’s best friend, Thomas Harding, tells the story of young people coming of age during the First World War—a war they believed would end by Christmas. While this book does not take place exclusively at Christmastime, key parts of it are centered around the four Christmases that elapse during World War I, and a love that grows over the years.
Mr. Dickens and His Carol by Samantha Silva
This story imagines what the backdrop could have been behind the creation of Mr. Dickens’ famous tale: A Christmas Carol. It is a little over a month before Christmas and Dickens thinks he has everything sewn up having just dropped his latest novel off at his publishers and is off to plan his elaborate Christmas party when his world is turned upside down. His publisher has rejected his latest manuscript due to failing sales of his last book. Dickens’ choices are nil: either write a new book before Christmas or face financial ruin. He decides to try for a new story. The question is will he be able to do it in time to save his Christmas?
When Christmas Comes Again by Beth Seidel Levine
This story is geared for middle grade readers but is such a sweet story! I love young Simone (the main character) and enjoy being immersed in her world as she tells first of life as the daughter of the social elite, but also of life as a telegraph operator from overseas on the front line of the fighting. If you have a young reader, this is the perfect book to read with them. Or if you are just looking for something sweet and uplifting this book is great for that too!
A Season of Giving by Richard Peck
Again this book is geared for middle grade and young readers but Richard Peck is an excellent author with a great way of describing characters, showing you what they are like with his descriptions rather than just telling you the facts. This is the story of young Bob, the son of the town’s new preacher, and we follow him through all kinds of misadventures leading up to Christmas as he learns about his new town. Again, lighthearted but not frivolous this is a sweet, funny read for this holiday season!
Disclosure
Please remember that this post contains affiliate links; that means if you click on the link, I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you. It’s a way to support my blog! I will only ever share an affiliate link if I love the product and think that you just might love it too!
by Alaina | Nov 13, 2022 | Sunday Scripture
Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
Ecclesiastes 4:12 NIV
It is very hard for me to believe that we are getting to the end of yet another year! 2022 has flown by and soon we will be seeing all the end of year lists floating across social media. We’ll be seeing the highlight reels of people’s best moments of 2022; people will be recounting the best books they have read; the trips they’ve been on, etc., etc. We live in a culture where we know more than ever before. We know more not just about the world, science, and technology, but we know more about each other in real time than in the decades before us … at least on the surface.
I can see from my home in Pennsylvania what my cousins and their kids in Florida are doing that day. I can see what my cousin overseas had for dinner at a new restaurant he tried. I can see how my friend’s vacation went when she posts pictures on the way home before I even talk to her. From the surface, it looks like we are the most connected and happy culture in all of history. But research shows we aren’t. We are the most lonely, isolated, depressed generation that we have yet seen.
This isn’t a new topic—I’m sure you’ve heard all of it before. We talk about how “Kids these days spend too much time on their phones.” But they aren’t the only ones who are always on their phones. Perhaps this might be a problem for you too? Have you ever thought you should call a friend to see how they are doing, really doing, as you start to scroll then you see a picture of your friend clearly enjoying life, and you’re struggling so you decide to just keep scrolling? You don’t call—you’re really not up for hearing about how great someone else’s life is right now.
We see these snapshots of people’s lives and we forget that everyone has their struggles. We forget about the hard time they were going through while we were having a fabulous year. We allow self-comparison to shut us down. What is worse, we don’t just let it shut us down but we also allow it to make us a martyr. We congratulate ourselves for not calling the friend to rain on their parade and we think what a good friend we are for not calling. How messed up is this? When did we start living so superficially?
Of course, we don’t want to put all the messy details of our lives out on the internet for all to see, but we should crack open the door to our messy lives and hearts with the handful of our closest friends. Did you ever think when you are deciding not to call that friend that perhaps God put them in that position, at that time, to lift you up? Have we lost sight of the fact that we can’t all be going through the same rough patch at the same time because who would be left to be strong and lift us up? We have lost sight of that because we have bought the lie that perfect is better than authentic at all costs.
We need to have people in our lives who we can show the best and the worst of ourselves. “A cord of three strands is not as easily broken,” the Bible says in Ecclesiastes 4:12. Who is your second or third strand?
If you have inadvertently, or even intentionally, drifted away from some of your closest friends, I’d like to encourage you to reach out to them, be a tad vulnerable, and crack the door open. Tell them what is going on with you, and ask what is going on with them. Let them know that what you need is a friend and most likely they will be happy to share some of their happiness with you!
Disclosure
Please remember that this post contains affiliate links; that means if you click on the link, I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you. It’s a way to support my blog! I will only ever share an affiliate link if I love the product and think that you just might love it too!
Other Posts You May Enjoy:
All You Who are Weary
The Comfort of a Friend
Cracking the Door Open
by Alaina | Nov 12, 2022 | Book Nook
I can see it happening already. Halloween is over and Christmas has sprung in all its glory over every department of every store. And I always feel bad. Because in America we have a holiday called, Thanksgiving, which we always rush past as we swap our skeletons for Santa Clauses.
Growing up, our church would always pause our Sunday school for a week or two and we would revisit the story of the Pilgrims. Mind you, the Pilgrims were not the ones who abused the Native Americans living here. There’s very little ill will you can parse out from the story of the original Pilgrims. We have every reason in the world to retell this story of bravery and friendship that is the Thanksgiving story.
In short; these people came over to America to have the ability to worship God as they saw fit. However, the voyage was rough and many of them landed here in ill health—just before winter. The winter was very harsh and about 45 of the 102 Pilgrims died. Come spring, they were in need of help. There was a Native American named Squanto who had been kidnapped as a young man and taken to Europe where he was set free by a Monk and then trained to speak the language. Eventually, Squanto was able to buy passage back to America only to find the devastating fact that his entire village had been wiped out by illness in his absence. Then along came these English-speaking Pilgrims. Squanto demonstrates a huge amount of forgiveness and acts as an interpreter for these people who we refer to as the Pilgrims. The Native Americans teach the Pilgrims farming skills and the Pilgrims are able to stay and weather the winter. The harvest is bountiful and together they celebrate and offer thanks to God—not just for the food, I am sure, but also for the friendship that has been forged between these two very different people groups. This is a story that bears repeating through all the generations. This is a miraculous story of the best of human nature.
Here are some of the books and shows that I always enjoy this time of year to get me into the Thanksgiving mood and to make sure that I remember this season.
The Legend of Squanto by Focus on the Family Radio Theater
This is a dramatized version acted out by excellent actors of the story of Squanto. If you barely remember learning the story of Squanto in school I highly suggest that you either purchase this on CD (or download) or look up Focus on the Family’s daily radio broadcast where they usually play this story the days immediately preceding Thanksgiving.
Pocahontas Podcast by The History Chicks
The History Chicks host a podcast that is all about women throughout history. These two women will research a woman and put out an episode approximately once a month. They have an engaging style and are fun to listen to as they share the telling of the featured woman’s life. Check out episode 212 to hear Pocahontas’s story.
http://thehistorychicks.com/episode-99-pocahontas/
The Landing of the Pilgrims by James Daugherty
This is a short chapter book, perfect for a young reader, but is also a good refresher for adults too! The book tells us what drove the Pilgrims to move to Holland, and from there to make the voyage on the Mayflower, and what it looked like setting up a colony from scratch. While this book is much more factual than narrative it still has an engaging tone that keeps you engaged.
A Lion to Guard Us by Clyde Robert Bulla
I remember reading this book as a young reader (second or third grade) and absolutely loving it! This is the story of three children who, after the death of their father, are traveling across the ocean to start a new life in The New World. This is definitely a children’s book but that doesn’t mean you won’t get something out of it too! This is an excellent piece of historical fiction to introduce your children to the founding of the New World.
Why Thanksgiving by Steve Deace
This is for young children and is a faith-based book about why the Pilgrims decided to move to Holland and then to America—so they could worship God the way they wanted to! The colorful illustrations in this book will grab your child’s attention!
Disclosure
Please remember that this post contains affiliate links; that means if you click on the link, I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you. It’s a way to support my blog! I will only ever share an affiliate link if I love the product and think that you just might love it too!
Other Posts You May Enjoy:
History Mysteries to Curl Up With This Fall
The Power of Forgiveness
Thanksgiving Decor and Centerpiece Ideas
by Alaina | Nov 6, 2022 | Sunday Scripture
For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.
Hebrews 12:6
I had wanted a kitten for forever. I remember when I was really little asking my mom if we could get a cat and she said no, namely because we had a cockatiel named Tweeter and cats and birds don’t mix well. I remember the day Tweeter died trying to look sad as I inquired if now that she had died, could we get a cat? The answer was still no.
Imagine then my delight when, at age 11, I discovered that the neighbor’s cat had kittens! There was just one problem—the cat had her kittens in the woods across the street and it was anyone’s guess where exactly these kittens were located. A few days after the kittens were born (momma cat had gotten considerably skinnier) we were on a family bike ride when we noticed momma heading into the woods. We stopped and watched as she disappeared behind a fallen tree. We hiked up the hillside and what did my wandering eyes behold, but five tiny baby kittens!
I think my mom knew as we carried the kittens down to the neighbor’s house that there was going to be no possible way to put off getting a cat for much longer. I basically lived at the neighbor’s house that summer, holding and playing with the kittens for hours a day. The neighbor had made a bed on her front porch for them and there was a slight slope between the porch and a covered pavilion that the kittens like to race back and forth between. One day my dad and I watched from the bottom of the slope as the only little black kitten raced up the hill and rolled on his back, batting and trying to get his mother to play with him as she was walking down the hill. They batted back and forth for a little bit before momma sat down and started licking her front paw—signaling that she was done. The kitten again rolled on his back and started swatting her front paw. She gave him a harder little swat as if to say, “No, I’m done. Go play with your brother.” Well, that little black kitten stood up, hissed, and did the curvy arched back thing that cats do when they are showing they have attitude.
Whack! Momma swatted him so hard that he rolled down the hill before he scampered off to the pavilion where his siblings were playing. That black cat would become our first cat and we named him Dickenz because boy, did he have an attitude and he sure could be a little dickens! To this day he was the sweetest cat I’ve ever had; he did have his moments of being bad! But he always came back to love us.
This reminds me of the story of David—I promise this is a compliment that I am comparing David to my cat! In the Bible, we hear a lot about David—like a lot! He was labeled by God as a man after God’s own heart. Such praise! But David was just a man, an imperfect one at that. David sinned, he committed adultery, and murder, but when confronted David was quick to repent and turn back to God.
Still, there were consequences for his sin. The first child David conceived with Bathsheba would die. God would ultimately bless them with another son, but David would have to pay for his sins. He would have to be disciplined by God for his sin in order to know true communion with God.
Being disciplined is never fun. I hated hearing that word growing up. But just as it was necessary for the momma cat to discipline her kittens, so it is necessary for God to discipline us—so that we can have the relationship with Him that He craves for us to have.
Disclosure
Please remember that this post contains affiliate links; that means if you click on the link, I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you. It’s a way to support my blog! I will only ever share an affiliate link if I love the product and think that you just might love it too!
Other Posts You May Enjoy:
How Could I Pick Just One?
He Isn’t Safe
The Moments of our Lives
