The Big Reveal - Palm Sunday

     Who really knows what Palm Sunday means?  The palm branches mentioned were the ones placed over the dirt on the road in front of Jesus when he entered Jerusalem riding on a young donkey. He was given a king's welcome just as it was prophesied 700 years before. 

     What's so fantastic about this day is it was the moment when Jesus revealed his true identity as king to the people. He'd been keeping it quiet, only revealing it through parables and to his closest friends until then. They had been believing what he told them and showed them. On that Sunday, even his best friends didn't put two and two together. They didn't realize that he was fulfilling an event prophesied in Isaiah and Zechariah. The summary explains that it wasn't until reappearance three days after his death that they put it all together. Luke says they were on cloud nine! They went back to the scriptures and found all the good news prophesied in the earlier books of the Bible and were filled with joy. 

     We all love a book with a twist, a story that brings us back to earlier clues we noticed but didn't place importance on. Writers work in keys and throw-away hints.  Can you imagine realizing that your best friend and mentor, who just received the death penalty for it, is suddenly proven before your very eyes to be the fulfiller of prophecy? Wouldn't you just freak-out? For me, this event is key for explaining my faith. The Bible tells us to be ready to give the reason for your joy. Well, there you have it. It was predicted and set in writing, it happened many times over exactly as it was supposed to, and even that was recorded by his four best friends and disciples.  From now on Palm Sunday will no longer be just another day with a pre-printed title on the calendar. It's the day proof was revealed for our salvation.

What does Palm Sunday mean to you?

Book Review: Museum of Thieves by Lian Tanner

I first saw this cover on author Shannon Whitney Messenger's blog and hoped I'd win her Middle-Grade-Monday ARC giveaway and Viola! Where do those windy stairs lead? What are all those unusual things lining the walls? A Museum for Thieves? Ingriguing!

It's rare to find a middle grade book written about young children overcoming dystopian societies. What I loved most about this book is that it features both boy and girl characters as strong, important individuals that hold each other up when faced with adversity.  Even though the main character is a girl, the boy character is not far behind in importance and heroism.

Can you imagine being leashed to your parents any time you leave the house? Or can you imagine walking up a flight of stairs that eventually lead you to and underground city with portals to other times and places? 

I loved how Lian Tanner connects you to the story by including the story of Broo and the children's curiousity and love for the dog. The bonding scene where Goldie and Toad spit get into a mud-slinging fight was fabulous. I found that the best part of the story was how the children went from being something to control, to deliverers. Their abilities were apparent to an adult character before their final act of heroism.

"No!" said Ma.  "It's much too dangerous!" 

"She's right. I forbid it!" shouted the Protector.

     Sinew laughed and whacked the Protector on the back in a friendly fashion.  "forbid it all you like! I swear they'll go anyway, the minute you take your eyes off them! And besides, we need them.  They're quick and they're clever.  We won't get the area cleared without them."

This was a  great adventure, far surpassing many middle-grade works. I only had a problem with the names in the book: brizzlehound, Sinew, Broo,Olga Ciavolga,and Goldie. They were like stumbling blocks in the reading for me. I did love the name Toad-Spit and how he got it. It doesn't mean that middle-grade readers won't enjoy the names, though.

The epilogue was fantastic as well and had me laughing out loud. It was a fun surprise reading about what became of the two figures that were in the glass dome of the Great Hall during the flood.

For a middle-grade adventure I give this book ***** 5 stars!

Have your cake, and eat it too....

Should one person's choices re-define motherhood? 

video here

In her essay, this New York writer goes on to say how her 6 month work trip made her realize she no longer wanted to be a traditional mother. She says never even wanted to be one in the first place, but does love her kids and spends quality time with them.

Luke 12:53 talks about parents and children dividing against each other in the end days. I wouldn't say she's against her children, but against their needs and the sacrifices that come with parenthood. She mentions how her husband does all the lunch packing, etc.  It's really a sign of the times.

I can respect her personal choices about her living arrangements with her family, but the thought of her selling her idea in a published essay and on tv makes me so sad for her children. Words are so powerful, especially from a published author. Add to it her tv interviews and new book promo and she may develop a following. I hope that as a result of her essay promotion, no other kids have to hear, "Mommy's getting her own place and will be back when she feels like it."A few years back I had a friend who one day seemed like she loved full-time parenthood, but the next was trying to do the same thing and get an apartment just for herself. I hope that mothers will read this and reaffirm how grateful they are to have sons and daughters to love and care for daily.

Matthew 19:14 says: but Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven."

Would you like me here or there? Would you like me anywhere?

A few weeks ago, my oldest son, Joshua, insisted I pick up the cd copy of Hunger Games for him to listen as he read. He's so pumped up about it!  I remember listening to my little Hobbit record and following along with my book.......So, I go to park at the new 50,000 square foot library downtown. It's packed to celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday. I usually park about 50 feet away, just past the Handicapped rows, but this time I noticed some new new signs.  I love signs, I love to hate signs, I love to ponder the logic behind signs. You can always look at the signs from the past and see what our culture was thinking during that era.

Hmmmm.....first sign says "Hybrid Car Parking Preferred" with expanding arrows left and right.

ooookay....Second sign says the same thing! So I take it they get an entire row within the first available parking for non-handicapped parking within 50 feet.

I turn around and see what's available there and the sign says "Carpool Parking Preferred" with expanding arrows left and right.

The arrows do not indicate where it ends. Is it just three spots per sign? Unending? Logic tells me anything past a few cars PAST the signs is probably available, but they are all full.


I go ahead and leave my van in the hybrid parking, just wishing a city employee might look at me cross-eyed and invite me to a healthy discussion about the new labeling. It's obvious the signs originally said "only" not "Preferred" and somebody doctored them up.

So just what IS the name of the parking area for us unleaded, used mini-van drivers with multiple children, but only one child at the moment? Do they have a sign for "Confused Parkers"? Seriously, our entire family has a much lower than average carbon footprint (just ask my Energy and Sustainabilty Professor), but we are judged solely by our vehicle?
 So I ask you , Sam I Am,  would you like me here or there?

Book Review: The Books of Elsewhere

This volume by Jacqueline West, The Shadows, is first in the series of Elsewhere.  I saw it in the Juvenile section at the library and vaguely remember another book blogger mentioning it. If that's you, drop me a comment! I'd love to re-read your review.
Right away - loved the cover. If you see it in person, the cover actually reflects light and looks like it's glowing. The drawing is a perfect likeness to Olive, the main character. Each illustration is a mix of creepiness and adorability.


I am amazed by Jacquline West and her ability to pack in multiple story lines, adventure and several twists with a few heapfuls of angst in 241 pages.  She tells the tale of Olive Dunwoody moving into her family's first home - the McMartin mansion. This is no ordinary creepy old house - it's a keeper of secret portals disguised as paintings.  Olive discovers a pair of enchanted spectacles that allow the paintings to come to life when she looks through them and even enters them.  Olive meets a distraught boy, Morton, in a painting of her own street and works to free him. Olive battles the evil that lurks in the paintings in a way that parallels Christianity. In order to explain that comparison I'd have to spoil the story so I'll just leave the ending for you to discover.

I loved Olive's spunkiness in this story. When she battles evil old Aldous McMartin, she stubbornly tells him, "I am not afraid of you," and later "Is that supposed to be scary? Because it isn't."  Even when he induces the feeling of spiders covering her body, causing her stomach to lurch, she simply tells herself This isn't real, this isn't real, this isn't real. In today's world of catastrophes and powers that be, who wouldn't want to be like Olive?

The best part of the story was how she threw in twists early into the story line as well as in the middle and end. The story never sagged and was full of surprises. Olive's predicament is resolved, but not the entire big picture, leaving the door wide open for a sequel but not to the extreme that it weakens the book. The only thing I didn't care and took my by surprise was the dark elements of witches discussed by the cats. The sequel gives a hint to potions and such. I may decide not to read the sequel if it's based on dark arts, but will be anxious to check out any works by Jacqueline West.

I would recommend this book for upper-middle grade because of the scary elements.

I give this book ***** 5 stars

"Saying Yes" Part 2

"Saying yes" is more than just being agreeable - it's a choice to open new doors for yourself.   I complain a lot about aging, but with aging comes experience and confidence to say yes. It allows me to think "worst-case scenario - I look like an idiot if I fail - so what?"

Yes to God: Sunday morning I filled in for the kids' ministry pastors which required me to be the go-to person for up 100 kids and their teachers. I team-taught class of 30 using their curriculum - music, puppet skits and a lesson with props. The subject was spiritual gifts and the ages were K-10. Teaching an abstract subject to young kids is like trying to hold jello in your fingers! Still - they got it! And they loved making their own sock puppets (thanks to Dakota's inspiration).

Yes to a promotion: Monday night was my first night as closing manager at the grocery store. I had to get a late start because I had one sick kid that couldn't go to the neighbor's like planned , and of course on my first night, the single employee I depend on for the closing tried to beg off his shift 30 minutes before he was scheduled - challenging! The hardest part was the paperwork. Let's just say I didn't get an "A", but I did balance within $27 - and 10 of it was accounted for.

Yes to education: Tuesday  was my "microteaching" day. Our group of 4 worked together on and off for a month building a lesson plan for college students with the works - a skit, objectives, theories used, strategies, assessments and handouts. I told my husband that at least one of our kids would likely choose March 29th to be sick ; ) and sure enough two of them were. I couldn't miss - it was a quarter of my grade so I kept Josh home to babysit and rewarded him with a pint of Butterfinger ice cream after lunch. On 4 hrs sleep and two days without a shower I managed to act and teach our Ed Psych class for 20 minutes and the professor said we did a great job! I may not have looked great, or smelled great, but so what - have you seen what college students wear?



alien finding American artifacts



Saying "Yes" to college has opened the door to meeting people with great minds. Next Thursday, our Native American Studies class gets a guided tour of Bently Spang's exhibit. He's a Native American artist and performer. I know he may not be familiar to most, but one look at his serious art and his performance appearance and I'm completely psyched see his exhibit.

uummm...NO!

Saying yes makes my soul rich.

although I may draw the line for a few things...

What has saying Yes done for you lately?

"Saying Yes" Part 1

Yesterday, while I was exploring the foyer of the cultural art center, I came across a "Free Poetry Dispensor". What? A dispensor that gives you free poetry? Yes, that's right! I couldn't resist.  Created by local poet, Michelle Corriel. I had been working on a post on the topic of saying "Yes" (see part 2) and was blown away by the poem that I pulled out:

YES

When in the land of ifs,

Which is grown-up land,

Should you want a Yes,

A for sure, rock hard Yes,

Of course don't ask a grown-up.

Grown-ups say but perhaps later maybe

If only except that and possibly, no.

A kid says,

"Why not walk in the creek with your socks on?

That's why we've got a washing machine."

John Heilman