Review: Grandparenting with a Purpose

I just finished reading a wonderful book by Lillian Ann Penner, Grandparenting with a Purpose: Effective Ways to Pray for Your Grandchildren. (Crossbooks Publishing) I loved it!

About The Book

Maybe your grandchildren are living with you. Maybe they're thousands of miles away. Their parents may be spiritually rebellious or simply neglectful of the family's spiritual life, failing to make prayer and church attendance a regular part of their routine. But even if your grandchildren's parents have established a strong Christian home, busy schedules, jobs, parenting, and all the distractions of today's world conspire to distract or even destroy the family. How can you, as a grandparent, help? God gives grandparents a sacred trust-an opportunity to imprint another generation with the message of his faithfulness. You can stand in the gap by being a godly example for your grandchildren and by praying for them. Even grandparents who already pray regularly for their grandchildren will discover creative suggestions for making the practice even more meaningful. From cell phones to photo prayer journals, you'll find tools that work for you-and for your grandchildren. Author Lillian Ann Penner provides specific examples of prayers to help you get started, such as alphabet prayers, prayers based on special scriptures, and prayers for certain holidays. You may even widen the circle, praying for other children in your life, for children who have parents in the military, and for the adults who influence your grandchildren. Regardless of how far away your grandchildren are, praying for them can bridge the distance between you and leave them with an inheritance more precious than gold.

My Review

To hear a grandmother praying will deeply touch your heart. The more you read, each prayer will echo your desires, hope, and dreams for your grandchildren. This book is meant to be personal because you are lifting your loved ones up in prayer by name to the Lord. You will be encouraged as a generation to be available in nurturing and caring for your grandchildren by letting them know you are praying for them. What a legacy to be known as a praying grandparent, with the timeless gift of prayer.

The author shares alphabet prayers, scriptural praying, and prayers for certain holidays. The book focuses upon standing in the gap with intercessory prayer, with specific points for our grandchildren regarding back to school, making wise choices and choosing friends wisely. You'll find testimonials, profile sheet templates, and suggestions on making a photo prayer journal. I learned some specific ways to not only pray for your own grandchildren but also their friends, as well as those in your neighborhood.

5/5 stars. Highly recommend.

I was not compensated in any way, in exchange for my honest review, from www.ChristianReviewofBooks.com

About The Author

Lillian Ann Penner is an author, speaker, and grandmother residing with her husband, John, in Portland, Oregon. They have been married for more than fifty years and have three married sons and nine grandchildren.

Penner is the national prayer coordinator for Christian Grandparenting Network (CGN), and she writes about her passion of intentional praying grandparents for CGN's website. She is involved in leadership in the women's Bible study, the fifty-five plus group in her church, and leads a Grandparents@Prayer group.

She has been active in church ministry for over fifty years, led an outreach ministry for young mothers, a mentoring ministry for women, and various other church ministries. She has participated in short term missions in Ukraine and volunteered with several Christian ministries.
She and her husband enjoy traveling, but most of all, enjoy spending time with their children and grandchildren.

Grandparenting with a Purpose: Effective Ways to Pray for Your Grandchildren

photo of my five grandchildren: LadyD Books

I am blessed to have 5 wonderful grandchildren to pray for daily. I love them so!

“You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me." C. S. Lewis

The Benefits of Reading Books Everyday

English: Three Lao girls sit outside their school, each absorbed in reading a book. This photo was taken after a rural school book party by Big Brother Mouse, a publishing and literacy project in Laos, which provides many children with their very first books. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Benefits of Reading Books Everyday

You have shelves and shelves of books just sitting in your house and begging to be read. However, for some reason, you tend to pass over them on a regular basis in favor of other activities. What are some of the reasons that you really should be opening the covers and exploring the world that books have to offer?

The Basic Skills

If you go into any college classroom or high school, you might find a lot of students who are quite proficient in their higher order thinking skills. However, when it comes to the fundamentals, they do not have the necessary tools to succeed. As they grow, they turn into adults who do not understand the basic components of writing and reading. Through reading your books, you will start to understand these skills that are necessary for life.

Opening Your Mind

No matter what the background of the protagonist in the novel is, you'll likely find some way or another in which you can relate to this person. As a result, you begin to look at people who are from different cultures, religious, backgrounds or situations in a new light. You see that you have much in common with them, and you begin to appreciate their worlds. This understanding and appreciation then is able to translate into your regular life.

Power of Learning

Whether you are learning about different cultures, places, people or simply different concepts, books give you the ability to really develop and expand your mind. You do not necessarily have to read novels; you could also give books that deal with certain disciplines a try too. You might learn new information about historical figures, mathematical concepts or scientific skills that you never knew before. If you are taking a course, reading some supplementary material can really help you to better understand the subject at hand. Ask your professor for some recommendations on books you can read to enhance your knowledge and expand your understand of the course.

For Entertainment Purposes

Now, reading does not have to be all about learning factual information and going on a journey to other lands. In fact, reading a book can just make you feel relaxed, and it can provide plenty of entertainment for you. Just like a television show, the stories that are found in books are enjoyable, entertaining, funny and just plain good to read. When you've had a stressful day, settling down with one of your favorite books can just make you feel better again. It's hard to deny the power that a great book beholds. You can read science fiction, romance, romantic comedies, horrors, mysteries and all of the rest when you pick up a book.
Whether you are heading to the library every day or digging out some of your old books, starting to read again is sure to take you on a wonderful adventure. Once you have finished your first day or two of reading, you'll likely start to look forward to it on a regular basis.

As a teacher, author Pam Johnson tries to instill the importance of reading into her students every day. She also enjoys writing and is a contributing blogger for http://www.topteachingcolleges.net.

Thank you Pam for this wonderful article!

“You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me." C. S. Lewis

Looks Like Morning in My Eyes

tree silhouette with sunrise: LadyD Books

With a February Sunrise, on a cold winter's morning I can hear the wind rustle the tree leaves with a swoosh, while our eyes feast on the colors of the early painted sky and we say... Mmmmm! A glorious eastern sky greeting for Skywatch Friday

Sunset Rising

Put your soul in the hands of the music, man
You may think you can't be saved, But you can
So let the movement shake your soul
Come on, Come on now take control
And shine like a sunset rising.

Beyond the rising sunset, Truth through the eye
Let the music lift you up to the golden sky
Within a sunset, shining and rising high
So put your soul in the hands of the music, man
Like a sunset rising, music will never die.

-- Mark Hopwood (author of the poem)

Norah Jones Lyrics

Sunrise, sunrise
Looks like morning in your eyes
But the clocks held 9:15 for hours
Sunrise, sunrise
Couldn't tempt us if it tried
'Cause the afternoon's already come and gone
And i said ooh, ooh, ooh, to you

Surprise, surprise
Couldn't find it in your eyes
But I'm sure it's written all over my face

Surprise, surprise
Never something I could hide
When I see we made it through another day

Then I say, oh, oh, oh, to you

And now the night
Will throw its cover down on me again
Oh, and if I'm right
It's the only way to bring me back

Oh, oh, oh, to you
Oh, oh, oh, to you

Grandparenting with a Purpose: Effective Ways to Pray for Your Grandchildren

Having 5 grandchildren of my own, most living near us and some on the east coast, I love to pray for them. I am enjoying this paperback book by Lillian Ann Penner immensely and will be posting a review sometime next week. Here is my Friday 56

"Father in heaven, I pray ____ will:

Love sincerely and not fake it
Run for dear life from evil
Stand on the side of the good
Be a good friend
Take delight in honoring others
Never be lazy in his/her work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically
Be glad for all God is planning for him/her
Be patient in trouble
Always be prayerful
Help needy Christians
Be hospitable
Bless his/her enemies
Be happy with others when they are happy
Share their sorrow, if they are sad
Get along with others
Not be stuck up or arrogant. Never think he/she knows it all
Not pay back evil for evil or hit back
Discover beauty in everyone

In Jesus' name, Amen."

Take a look at these two refrigerator girls! It seems the little one always wants something to eat from inside "the box", while her mother is preparing "food-to-go" for those little on the run trips. Snacks are important at grandma's house and you'll usually find some blueberries, tangerines and a banana... maybe an animal cookie or two. Linking to Color Connection

Do you have a favorite snack for those on-the-go trips or perhaps a favorite munchie while reading a book?!

Best,

“You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me." C. S. Lewis

Book Review: Andi's Scary School Days

About The Book

(Circle C Beginnings No. 4) is perfect for the older age children who are beginning to read Chapter Books.

Exciting adventures for early readers!

Written for reading levels 2.0-2.8, the Circle C Beginnings series combines fun illustrations and six-year-old Andi's signature curiosity.
In book four, Andi didn't think she was afraid of anything-until now. School means being away from the ranch, away from her family, and away from Taffy. And sitting next to a boy who throws things at her. Having to stand in the corner for something that wasn't even her fault is the last straw.

Christian Fiction/Chapter Book for ages 6-8

About the Author

Susan K. Marlow, like Andi, has an imagination that never stops! Whether she's writing books, teaching writing workshops, or sharing what she's learned as a homeschooling mom, she's always on the lookout for a new story. The author of the Circle C Adventures and the Circle C Beginnings, Susan enjoys relaxing on her 14-acre homestead in the great state of Washington.

Leslie Gammelgaard, blessed by the tall trees and flower gardens that surround her home in Washington state, finds inspiration for her artwork in the antics of her lively little granddaughter.

My Review

Do you remember how you felt when the first day of school arrived? Like most of us, Andi is nervous about attending school for the very first time because things are unfamiliar. From hiding in a barn to climbing up a tree, our main character finds herself not easily fitting in with the routine of classroom rules and students, learning to trust others. On top of that, her teacher Miss Hall has her writing on the blackboard during the children's recess as a way to teach Andi Carter obedience. After all, one of the many rules to learn is, I Will Not Talk During Class. Misunderstandings continue to unfold throughout a series of adventures but things turn around for Andi with the help of a new friend, Cory and his lizard named Pickles. Most importantly, Andi realizes she doesn't need to feel alone at school whenever she is away from home because God is always with her and Miss Hall is very nice, too. An enjoyable read.

5/5 stars. Recommend it.
I was not compensated in any way, in exchange for my honest review, from www.ChristianReviewofBooks.com

Andi's Scary School Days (Circle C Beginnings No. 4)

For more information, visit Susan's website.
http://www.circlecadventures.com/Author.html

Happy Reading!

“You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me." C. S. Lewis

One Word 2013: JOY

Only A Breath

This past month has been a roller coaster for me as far as emotions are concerned. As an older woman, yearly mammograms are important to me. This time, the radiologist said, "I think we found something but maybe it's nothing." After waiting what seemed like ages, I was scheduled for the ultrasound test the day before Valentine's Day. This time, the radiologist came in and announced, "Negative. There's nothing there."

So, "nothing" has turned into "something" to celebrate. Praise God!

And that gives me Joy!

“You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me." C. S. Lewis

Heading Out

Here in these rural parts of SoCal, it's always exciting to see a winter storm heading out towards the mountains, displaying a beautiful cloud cover, moving rapidly for Arizona and other parts eastward. I love these huge white clouds with a touch of gray displaying a cold, winter's day. How is it where you are? Photo for Skywatch Friday.

Book Description

In book four, Andi didn't think she was afraid of anything-until now. School means being away from the ranch, away from her family, and away from Taffy. And sitting next to a boy who throws things at her. Having to stand in the corner for something that wasn't even her fault is the last straw.

LadyD Books is participating in the following book meme. Hope you'll join us and discover what other book lovers are reading. I thought I'd read one more chapter book this week to share with you.

The Friday 56

"Then Andi looked at Pickles. "Poor lizard. You look squished. But if I let you go, a wagon or a horse might run over you... then you'd really be squished."

-- Susan K. Marlow

Andi's Scary School Days (Circle C Beginnings No. 4)

After the rains, we usually see a fairly large coyote and sometimes its mate roaming around the ranch, especially looking for food in our fruit orchard or an occasional bunny. Do you have them in your parts of the country? They usually run away when they see us coming! I was inside the house when I spotted this one and took its picture through the window.

The grandchildren and I having been working on a kitty origami paper project this week. I have always been intrigued by this paper crafting. Are you into folding paper artwork? LadyD Books is linking up with Color Connection.

initiation a l'origami

Best,

“You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me." C. S. Lewis

Agape

Happy Valentine's Day!

“You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me." C. S. Lewis

Review-Author Interview: Lizzy Speare and the Cursed Tomb

Lizzy Speare and the Cursed Tomb (The Lizzy Speare Series)

I was so pleased to hear from author, Ally Malinenko... asking for a possible review of her first book of the Lizzy Speare series, Lizzy Speare and the Cursed Tomb. Of course I said "Yes" because I was so curious as to what I would discover inside! In addition, Ally agreed to an author interview!! How cool is that?! I must tell you from the start, I found this book to be an exciting read and picturing it as a possible future movie. Yep, it's that good. First let me share with you a little description.

About The Book

MEET LIZZY SPEARE…

…a normal twelve year old girl with a talent for writing, who has a very notnormal family secret. And when Lizzy’s father vanishes, that secret will change her life in ways unimagined. (Spoiler Alert! It turns out that Lizzy, or Elizabeth S. Speare, is the last living descendant of William Shakespeare. Shhh! Don’t tell anybody!)

Then Lizzy and her best friend Sammy are kidnapped, awakening in the faraway land of Manhattan. Their host is Jonathan Muse, whose job is to protect Lizzy from becoming the latest victim in a family feud going back nearly five hundred years. Is that why is the mysterious, eye patch-wearing Dmitri Marlowe is after her? (Spoiler Alert 2—he’s the last living descendant of Christopher Marlowe, a friend and rival of Shakespeare’s. But keep it to yourself!) Is Marlowe after Lizzy’s family fortune rumored to be kept in the tomb of that bald guy with the goatee? Does he seek artistic immortality? Or Revenge (with a capital R) for a death long, long ago?

In a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse, Lizzy and Sammy are thrust into the realm of the mythical and fantastic—from satyrs and Cyclopses to Middle Eastern cab drivers and Brooklyn hipsters in what is truly “an improbable fiction” as the Bard himself once wrote.

About The Author

Ally Malinenko is amazing!

You'll find her page at http://www.goodreads.com

For more information, visit her website http://allymalinenko.com/

My Review (Fascinating, thrilling, superb!)

Riveting! I thought the prologue was great and I had to read more! With all eyes on the main character Lizzy, who happens to inherit a legacy, we meet many members of her family with exciting doors opening into her past. Not a perfect family, mind you but with the help of her friend Sammy and the magical writings of a talented author who greatly admires William Shakespeare , together they meet a Symphonia, Satyr and Muse. Although their journey back in time seems like a dream and sometimes a scary adventure, in the end or perhaps on the verge of another sequel, Elizabeth Speare faces her destiny.

A refreshing bridge and fun approach for young people to cross over and enjoy a famous part of English literature. I loved the book; thoroughly entertaining!

5/5 stars! Highly recommend.

Interview with author, Ally Malinenko

Tell us a bit about your book and where it’s available.

Here’s what’s written on the back of the book:

MEET LIZZY SPEARE…

…a normal twelve year old girl with a talent for writing, who has a very not normal family secret. And when Lizzy’s father vanishes, that secret will change her life in ways unimagined. (Spoiler Alert! It turns out that Lizzy, or Elizabeth S. Speare, is the last living descendant of William Shakespeare. Shhh! Don’t tell anybody!)

Then Lizzy and her best friend Sammy are kidnapped, awakening in the faraway land of Manhattan. Their host is Jonathan Muse, whose job is to protect Lizzy from becoming the latest victim in a family feud going back nearly five hundred years. Is that why the mysterious, eye patch-wearing Dmitri Marlowe is after her? (Spoiler Alert 2—he’s the last living descendant of Christopher Marlowe, a friend and rival of Shakespeare’s. But keep it to yourself!) Is Marlowe after Lizzy’s family fortune rumored to be kept in the tomb of that bald guy with the goatee? Does he seek artistic immortality? Or Revenge (with a capital R) for a death long, long ago?

But the book is also about figuring out who you are and very much about how messy and complicated and beautiful family can be.

Right now it’s only available on Amazon but that should be changing soon to include iBooks, B&N, Smashwords, etc.

What was the inspiration for your book?

I was in a Barnes and Noble in downtown Brooklyn and saw a book called Eddie Dickens by Philip Ardagh. It was a cute story about a boy named Eddie Dickens living in Victorian London. I thought it was such a clever idea. On the way home, thinking about Shakespeare, my favorite writer, I started to imagine his descendents and then I had Lizzy, and Jonathan and Dmitri Marlowe. Of course at the time they were very different than they wound up being in the final version. But that’s where it began.

What was your aim for this book? What did you want readers to think and feel when reading it?

Wow that’s a really good question. Ultimately I wanted to write the kind of story that I would have wanted to read when I was ten years old - a story with action and a ton of heart and main character that I could relate to. Hopefully that’s what I did. As for as how reader’s feel – I want them to feel however they do but if anything I guess it was important to me to show my bad guy, Dmitri Marlowe as not just bad but maybe very hurt and very misunderstood. Since the world isn’t filled with evil bad guys and perfect good guys I didn’t want to fill my story with them. Both Jonathan and Dmitri have done things they weren’t proud of. The situation is always shades of grey.

Do you have any other books currently available?

I have a book of poetry entitled The Wanting Bone which was published by Six Gallery Press in 2008. And I have a second book of poems slated for release from Tainted Coffee Press entitled Crashing to Earth.

What will you be working on next?

I’m currently working on the second Lizzy Speare book which is tentatively called Lizzy Speare and the Hall of Hecate. I am also working on a YA book about time travel, chess, street kids and doppelgangers. It’s my first foray into serious Science Fiction.

How did you originally get into writing?

I always like telling stories. I think maybe that’s how a lot of people wind up becoming writers. When I was younger I used to bore my friends to tears re-telling the books I was reading or whatever it was that I dreamt about the night before. I have an overactive imagination. It just seemed natural to start writing them down.

What do you enjoy most about being a writer?

I love the Act of Creation. That moment when you are first coming up with an idea and your brain is firing out of control and you’re flooded with all these ideas. Then the revision part – with all the clean up – comes. That’s less fun.

What do you find hardest about being a writer?

Keeping myself in check. My books tend to get very long (my current YA manuscript is 550 pages long) and I have trouble figuring out what needs to be cut, what is repetitive, what needs to be changed. That’s the great thing about having beta readers. They’ll tell you what is working and what isn’t working.

Who or what would you count as your main influence?

Probably the books that I’ve read – especially when I was 9-12 years old. They were the things that made me want to be a writer. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe especially was one book that I remember finishing and thinking, This is a job? I want this job!

What do you enjoy reading?

I read a little of everything. I still read middle grade books to keep myself fresh and I’ve always loved YA. I read poetry but not as much as I wish I did. And I love non-fiction. I’ve been really interested in polar exploration lately so I’ve been reading a lot about Robert Falcon Scott and Ernest Shakleton. I also recently read a book on Mallory’s summit attempt on Everest. Currently I’m reading a bio on Mozart and another on the notion of mindfulness in the character of Sherlock Holmes.

Who is your favorite author?

I don’t have one single favorite author. I can’t imagine only picking one when there are so many great writers out there. As far as my favorite authors from when I was younger – C.S. Lewis and Madeline L’Engle took the cake for me. But I love more current MG and YA writers – of course Rowling and Pullman and Snicket. Also, I love Salinger and Virginia Woolf. Marie Howe and Sharon Olds are two of my favorite current poets. Fantasy wise, I’m a big fan of Gaiman. And of course – the man of the hour - Shakespeare!

What would be your ideal writer’s haven for creating your book? Would you have a desk in a quiet cabin somewhere or an iPad on the beach?

Actually I think right now I have my idea writer’s haven. It’s a closet with a built in bookshelf and enough room for my desk, a radio to play the classical music station, my comic books and my cat, June. It’s quite and lit with a beautiful soft orange light and at 5 am, when I’m in there working, it feels like home.

A big heart-felt thank you to Ally Malinenko for sharing such wonderful conversation throughout this interview and providing the opportunity for myself and book readers to get to know you. Best wishes and much continued success. I'll definitely be on the lookout for the next book!

Best,

“You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me." C. S. Lewis