I have the weirdest cats!

As some of you may know from the bio on my books, I have 4 cats, well 4 presently, but at one time I had 6, and the number fluctuates depending on how many strays get word that there is a cat-lover in the neighborhood who can't turn away any feline who comes her way. Humm. My poor husband, who has learned to live with this fetish of mine, just shakes his head and looks the other way.

But for some reason, the cats I end up with are beyond a doubt the oddest cats in the world. For instance, here is Sniffles, named because she has had a constant cold since she was a kitten and none of the doctors say it's curable. She's 18 years old and a pile of constant mucus (think Turner and Hooch) And she has outlived all her children. Here she is sunbathing in the backyard, The Princess of Snot!

Then, there is Hershey, a stray my daughter handed over to me when she had to move to a smaller place. Hershey has lived up to her name. She is as big as a house and when she runs, her huge belly swings back and forth. Her meow comes out like broken violin and most of the time she cowers when you try to pet her.

A recent addition to the house is Buster. He showed up at my door last summer, half starved to death. He's a wild one who likes to pick on my 3 girl cats so most of the time he stays outside where he likes to pretend he's the King of the Jungle. He loves to leave little pieces of lizards, birds and frogs in the yard for me to step on. But, be careful when you pet him. He's always in attack mode and loves to play by biting your hand.

Last, but not least, there is Mental Kitty. I know, I know what a cruel name to call my cat, but her real name was Mitte Kitty--a name my daughter called her when we first found her wandering about the hills behind my house many years ago. Mitte apparently came from soe show on TV called Southpark. Anyway, one year when my Mom came out for Christmas, I asked her to open the door and call Mitte Kitty in for dinner and she promptly yelled out the front door "Mental Kitty, Mental Kitty" Needless to say, the name stuck, although my husband refuses to call her that and calls her Katie. So, you see why she's a bit Mental. She is terrified of Buster so she remains on my bed all day long.

Since I work from home, these 4 little beasties are my constant companions and despite all their weirdness, I love them to death!

Don't be a Jumbo

Jumbo, who was one of the largest elephants in captivity, was part of the Barnum and Bailey circus for a number of years. He was a gentle giant who used to give rides to children on his back. I heard a story about him not too long ago, that when they first captured him as a small elephant, they would tie him to a stake in a cage to keep him from escaping. Since he couldn't pull himself from the stake, he learned to remain where he was. As he grew and became mightier and mightier, he was known to be able to pick up massive trees with his trunk and uproot them from the ground. Yet, still, every night, they would tie him to this simple, tiny stake in the ground and he never tried to escape. Why? When it would have been no problem at all for him to yank that stake from the ground and gain his freedom? Because he had learned when he was little that he couldn't pull up the stake, and he still believed that when he grew up.

Now, think of yourself as that tiny elephant. That's you before you met Christ or that's you when you were young in the faith. When you didn't really know God or understand His power. When your spiritual muscles were weak. The stake is a problem. It could be a marriage problem, financial problem, kid problem, health problem, job problem, relationship problem...whatever. It is a problem in your life, something that before Jesus would have completely held you captive.

Yet you still just stand there staring at the stake and complaining that you are not free.

Do you realize that as a committed Christian, you are the child of the King of the Universe? Do you realize who your Daddy is? Do you realize the power He's given you at your fingertips, the strength? the wisdom?

Nothing is impossible with God Luke 1:37

If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me! Phillipians 4:13

Don't stand there and stare at the stake as if a problem could hold you down. Call upon the God of the universe, your Daddy, and flex your Faith muscles and then wait and see what He will do.

I meet so many people whose biggest problem is that they simply don't believe who they are In Christ. They are still encumbered with problems they've had since childhood, not realizing that God not only wants to set them free, but can set them free.

Don't be like Jumbo

The winner of Sweet Forever by Ramona Cecil is...

Carolynn W!!! Carolynn, please contact me with your address so I can forward it to Ramona as soon as possible. And enjoy the book! For the rest of you, thank you so much for entering the contest! I'll continue to have them now and then for books I highly recommend. So, stay in touch!
And have a great weekend everyone!

Another Chapter a week!

Whispers of the Bayou by Mindy Starns Clark

What mysteries lie hidden beside the dark waters of the bayou?

Swept away from Louisiana bayou country as a child, Miranda Miller is a woman without a past. Now she has a husband and child of her own and a fulfilling job in a Manhattan museum. But she also has questions—about the tragedy that cut her off from family and caused her to be sent away, and about those first five years that were erased from her memory entirely. When she inherits her grandparents' antebellum estate, Miranda goes back to Louisiana for the first time as an adult. There, she soon finds herself plunged into a nightmare of unknown enemies, buried secrets, and priceless treasure.

RT Book Club Magazine says: "Top Pick! Intricately plotted and exquisitely detailed, Clark's latest novel is fantastic."

On Sparrow Hill
by Maureen Lang
Tyndale House Publishers

As the commercial manager for Quentin Hollinworth' s family estate, Rebecca Seabrooke is focused on just two things: making hers the most successful historic home in the country and forgetting the childhood crush she's had on Quentin since her father worked as his family's valet. After all, they don't exactly run in the same social circles. But when she and Quentin uncover letters in the family vault written by Berrie Hamilton—one of Quentin's ancestors—Rebecca discovers that Quentin isn't the only one with a legacy to appreciate. Only Berrie's words can prepare Rebecca for the dramatic turn her life is about to take.

To read an excerpt of these new titles go to Chapter-a-Week. To join our deeper discussion of each week's titles go to Chapter-a-Week Chat at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CAWChat/ where authors and readers discuss new titles together.

If you enjoy Chapter-a-Week take the time to tell a friend how to sign up. It's easy and free and a great way to find books that fit each person's particular taste.

Food prices on the rise, but is it so bad?

I recently heard a news story where a man here in California was shocked to discover that at his local Costco they were rationing the number of bags of rice each customer could buy. The story went on to say that as a result of government subsidies to farmers to grow grain and corn for earth-friendly fuel, they have not grown enough to feed Americans. Thus, prices go up and quantities go down. If you're the person in your home who does the shopping, you may have noticed that we are now paying 25% more for eggs and 17% more for milk than a year ago. In general food prices are up 4.5% over last year. But rationing? Is this the beginning of the end? I'm thankfully too young to remember any rationing in our abundantly blessed nation, and I know there have been famines across the globe throughout the centuries, but Jesus makes reference to worldwide famines in the last days in 3 of the gospels.

And in Revelation 6: 5-7 "When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, "A quart of wheat for a day's wages, and three quarts of barley for a day's wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!"

My understanding of this scripture is that a single loaf of bread will cost a day's wages. Wow. The oil and the wine refer to riches. In other words, there will be an enormous gap between the extrememly wealthy and the poor.

Although I'm not a fanatical survivalist, I think I will store up some rice and other nonperishables in my closet just in case prices explode. But, I don't want to leave you on a sour note. According to an article in the NY times, this rise in food prices could be a good thing for naturally grown organic produce grown by independent farmers, whose prices are higher than normal pesticide-laden mass produced food which comes to us deplete of nutrients. When the price of "normal" food reaches that of a healthier organic food, then people will choose the healthier food which will support their small local farmer and make them healthier in the process, which will also reduce medical expenses, and everyone will be happy!

Win a free copy of Sweet Forever by Ramona Cecil!

Today I have the privilege to introduce to you one of my critique partners, Ramona Cecil, and her latest release, Sweet Forever.

Here's a bit about the book from the back cover.

A notorious riverboat gambler killed Rosaleen Archer's husband and has taken her captive, forcing her to do unspeakable things. Convinced God hates her, Rosaleen looks to luck for help as she attempts to escape when the riverboat explodes. She awakens in the arms of a stranger who carries her from the riverbank to a new life and a fresh start, outwardly free of her past.

Reverend Jacob Hale senses Rosaleen's innate distrust of God, but as she reveals her past to him, he understands. He finds himself irresistibly drawn to this lovely creature, but can love survive between them despite their differences? Can Jacob convine Rosaleen that God loves even her? Can Rosaleen ever escape the pain and shame of her past?

This book is set in Madison, Indiana, along the Ohio River in 1845, and if you are a fan of adventurous, yet tender historical romances, then this is the book for you!. Heartsong Presents, a book club of Barbour publishing, puts out these incredible historicals that you can literally curl up with a cup of hot cocoa and finish in a day. And Sweet Forever will not disappoint! In fact, I guarantee, you'll want to finish it in a day because you won't be able to set it down for long.

If you know my writing, you know that I love stories about people who have dipped so low into debased society, that they think they are irredeemable and God hates them. And that is exactly what the heroine of this story believes. The best part is to watch how God opens her heart by placing her at the center of God-fearing, loving people who treat her as if she were unsoiled and precious--especially the love of a young reverend who risks all to save her.

Filled with characters you won't easily forget, a love story that will bring tears to your eyes, and adventure that doesn't end until the last minute, Sweet Forever, is a keeper.

Ramona has generously offered to donate a free book. If you'd like to win it, please leave a comment and I'll enter your name in a drawing on Saturday.

The power of life and death is in the tongue

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:21




Have you ever considered how powerful your words are? So many people open their mouths and speak without really thinking about what they are saying. This is definitely a generation of loose lips. Nothing is sacred anymore. Think about it, though. Wars have started over words, marriages broken, lives torn apart. God looks at our words quite differently than we do. The Bible has a lot to say about the importance of our words.

The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. James 3:6-8
So,

The tongue can corrupt our whole person
Our tongues can determine the course of our lives! Wow. Now that's powerful

Listen to what Peter says about the tongue:
For, "Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. 1 Peter 3:10


I'd like to love life and sign up for some good days, wouldn't you?

And here's what Jesus has to say:
But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. Matt 12:26
For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned Matt 12:37
Yikes. That scares me a little bit. I'll have to explain every idle word I've said? That could take some time, and it won't be pleasant.
Consider the story of the Israelites crossing the desert toward the land of promise. Remember when they sent ahead some spies to scout out the land and report back. When they returned they had good news and bad news. The good news was the land is plentiful, the bad news was there are mighty men inhabiting it.
So what did the people do? They complained. Essentially they said. Why did God bring us out here to die? We can't enter the land and conquer these people.
Here's how God responded in Numbers 14

And the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, “How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who complain against Me? I have heard the complaints which the children of Israel make against Me. Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the LORD, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you:

In other words, Okay, God Says...whatever you want. You said you won't enter the land and you'll die in the wilderness, So be it. And He did. That whole generation never saw the promised land.

My advice to you (and myself) is to watch very carefully what we say, not only to others, and to God, but to ourselves. If I go around complaining that I don't have enough time, or I don't sleep well...whatever it is, guess what? I continue to have no time and not sleep well. How much more productive would it be to bring these issues to God, place them in His hands and instead of complaining or declaring the problems again with my tongue, use my tongue to glorify God by reciting a scripture which says "God will supply all my needs" or "The Lord gives sleep to those He loves"

Now, please don't misunderstand me, I'm not an advocate of "name it, claim it". All I'm saying is it's obvious from scripture that our tongues are powerful. God hates complaining and criticizing and anything that hurts someone else, shows a lack of faith, or spurns His grace, so let's use our tongues wisely, to build each other up, to speak positive words and to glorify God.

Happy talking!

Another Chapter a week!

A Bride So Fair
Book Three in A Fair to Remember
by Carol Cox

A young woman searching for independence and adventure.

A handsome Columbian Guard striving to protect and defend.

A little boy caught in a web of intrigue and deceit.

Emily Ralston is delighted when she lands a job at the Children's Building at the Chicago World's Fair. And the White City seems to be living up to its promise of excitement when she meets Stephen Bridger, a handsome Columbian guardsman. Surely Emily isn't the only one to sense the spark of electricity between them?

When Stephen finds a lost boy, he delivers him to the Children's Building to be cared for until his mother is located. But when a dead body believed to be little Adam's mother is found, a mystery begins to unfold. While unraveling the truth, Emily and Stephen are drawn deeper into danger and closer to each other.


"Carol Cox has skillfully woven a heart-tugging romance and page-turning intrigue around a fascinating historical setting, bringing all three to life." --Linda Windsor, author of Wedding Bell Blues and For Pete's Sake

"This talented author's sweet and charming love story—set during the Chicago World's Fair of 1893—is a delightful diversion." --Romantic Times BOOKReviews


Death of a Six-Foot Teddy Bear
Book Two in the Bargain Hunters mysteries
By Sharon Dunn

"A quirky `who done it,' Death of a Six-Foot Teddy Bear is the perfect mystery for women who love bargains and surprise endings." --Melanie Dobson, author of Together for Good and Going for Broke

"If you enjoy whimsy, humor, and fun characters with your mystery, Death of a Six-Foot Teddy Bear is for you! But beware! Under the laughs are buried strong spiritual truths. A delightful, thoughtful read." --Gayle Roper, award-winning author of Fatal Deduction

"The bargain hunter gals are at it again! Dunn's riotous romp seamlessly tucks in truth and light and leaves us in stitches. A must-read for those who think living by faith is boring." --Lois Richer, author of Healing Tides


Summary: Ginger and her bargain hunter friends head down the Wind-Up Hotel in Calamity, Nevada to outlet shop, attend the world's largest garage sale and help Ginger's husband Earl get his invention off the ground at the Inventor's Expo. But their girlfriend time vacation doesn't go quite how they had planned…

To read an excerpt of these new titles go to Chapter-a-Week and to join our deeper discussion go to our new site Chapter-a-Week Chat at http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/CAWChat/ where authors and readers discuss new titles together.

Do Book Trailers work?

Creating a video book trailer for books seems to be all the rage now among authors. Many hire someone to do the work for them. Others, like me, attempt to create them on their own. I use the free software that comes with Windows called MovieMaker, and truthfully, its fun to create a video that represents the book I've poured my heart and soul into. Perhaps its just a tiny sampling of getting to see my book in film (which is every author's dream, of course). So, in case you haven't seen my newest trailer, I'm posting it here for you to view if you desire. This is only the second one I've made, but truthfully, they do take hours to create. My question to you is this: Do you believe they are worth it? In other words, after viewing this, were you any more inspired to buy my book than before? Did it increase your enthusiasm? Did it leave you breathless, desperately wondering what you will do with your time until my book releases? (Okay, I've gone a bit overboard here) Anyway, I crave your opinions here, because I'm not sure I want to put in the time on these things if they really do no good. Thanks!

False Prophet Alert!

Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.

But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

I John 2:18-23

In this powerful passage, the apostle John warns us about false prophets and antichrists. He gives us 2 important criteria to determine if someone is a false prophet.

1. They came from among us. i.e. At one time they called themselves Christians

2. They deny Jesus is the Christ. In other words, they deny that Jesus is the savior of the world and the only way to God and heaven.

In light of this, please click on this link and watch the video. This scares me because this is a very influencial person who has the ears of many people.

You Tube Video

For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths 2 Timothy 4:3-4

Chapter a week! And a new Chat with the author feature.

Chapter-a-Week has a new sister Yahoo! group called Chapter-a-Week Chat. If you'd like to talk to others about the great books featured on Chapter-a-Week or if you'd like the inside scoop on the book from the authors themselves this is an excellent place to start. Each week's featured authors will be on hand to answer questions and give readers an intimate look at the writing life that inspired their works and readers can discuss all the books. Check it out at Chapter-a-Week Chat .
Now for this week's featured books...

The Voice
By Bill Myers

"Bill Myers writes a crisp, express train read featuring 3D characters, cinematic settings and action, and, as usual, a premise I wish I'd thought of -- and succeeds splendidly! Two thumbs up!" -- Frank E. Peretti

Summary
Burned out Special Forces agent Charlie Madison has his reclusive life turned upside down when his thirteen-year- old niece barges into his empty world. Her parents have been kidnapped by religious radicals and he is the only one who can save them. While creating a computer program, they discovered and recorded the actual voice of God. But there is far more at stake than the parents' safety or even religion. If the voice of God created reality, it can destroy it. If it can be controlled, it will become a weapon of mass destruction making all others obsolete. IF it can be controlled.

When the Heart Cries
By Cindy Woodsmall

"Fans of Beverly Lewis and the Amish genre will be thrilled to discover this new author . . ." Tamera Alexander, author of the best-selling Rekindled and Revealed

When Hannah dares to love across the boundaries of tradition, will she lose everything?

Despite being raised in a traditional Old Order Amish family, seventeen-year- old Hannah Lapp desires to break with custom, forgo baptism into the faith, and marry outside the cloistered community. She's been in love with Mennonite Paul Waddell for three years, and before returning to college for his senior year, Paul asks Hannah to be his wife. On the evening of their engagement, tragedy strikes and in one unwelcome encounter, all that Hannah has known and believed is destroyed. As she finds herself entangled in questions that the Old Ways of her people cannot answer, Hannah faces the possibility of losing her place in her family, in her community–and in the heart of the man she loves.

To read an excerpt of these new titles go to Chapter-a-Week and to join our deeper discussion go to our new site Chapter-a-Week Chat at http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/CAWChat/ where authors and readers discuss new titles together.

Why go Organic?

Today was the first day I got to pickup the produce from the organic co-op I signed up for this year. Here's what I got in my basket:

White Beets

Red Cabbage

Carrots

Chard

Young Fava Beans

Green Garlic

Red Russian Kale

Lettuce

Fresh young Onions

Rutabagas

Radishes (Lakeside)

Meyer Lemons (Marsalisi Farm)

I'm so excited this year about this wonderful produce. Last year was the first year my husband and I tried this and it was well worth the money. I got a chance to try many new vegetables that I wouldn't normally pick up in the grocery store. Usually, I just throw everything in a salad and we eat it raw. I know some of you out there are feeling queasy, but I'm telling you, this stuff is delicious and I've never felt better in my life.

So what are the benefits of eating organic vegetables and fruits?

Protect your family’s health

Conventional farmers rely heavily on pesticides that may cause cancer and detrimental reproductive effects. Of the 28 most commonly used pesticides, at least 23 are carcinogenic. Pesticide residues in food cause 20,000 cancer deaths and thousands more new cancers per year, according to the National Academy of Sciences. Eating organic veggies and fruits helps to maintain good health and can help people to lose weight.

Prevent soil erosion

We are facing the worst topsoil erosion in history due to our current conventional agricultural practices of chemical-intensive, mono-crop farming. The Soil Conservation Service estimates more than 3 billion tons of topsoil are eroded from U.S. croplands each year. Organic production practices inherently build long-term soil health and stability.

Protect water quality

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that pesticides contaminate the groundwater in 38 states, polluting the primary source of drinking water for more than half the country’s population. Conventional agriculture is considered the largest non-point source of water pollution in the U.S.

Support small farmers

For the most part, organic farms are small, independently owned family farms of fewer than 100 acres. It’s estimated that the U.S. has lost more than 650,000 family farms in the past decade. Organic farming could be one of the few survival tactics left for family farms.

Support a true economy

Although organic foods might seem more expensive than conventional foods, conventional food prices don’t reflect the hidden costs borne by taxpayers, including billions of dollars in federal agricultural subsidies. If you add in the environmental and social costs of irrigation to a head of lettuce, for example, its price would range between $2 and $3.

Taste better flavor

There’s a good reason why many chefs use organic foods in their recipes -- they taste better! Because organic foods are not treated with fungicides, they must be sent to market as close to harvest as possible. Produce is ripe and may have suffered less nutritional loss by the time you eat it.

I hope you'll consider switching to organic too. I believe it glorifies God when we take care of our bodies. Afterall, they are the temple of His Holy Spirit.

Backed into a corner

As some of you know, I'm working on a novel right now called Blossoms of Faith. The premise is the seed in the parable Jesus tells in Matthew 13 that falls on the rocky place where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, but when the sun came out, the plant was scorched and withered away. Jesus explains that this seed represents someone who hears the Truth of the Gospel, receives it with joy, but has no root, and when troubles come, that person falls away from God.

This reminds me of the story in Exodus, where Moses is leading the people of Israel out of Egypt and of slavery (Just as God leads us out of the world and out of slavery to sin) and what is the first thing God does? He backs them into a corner. I just love God. He has such a sense of humor. He places the people beside the Red Sea with no way to escape the Egyptian army coming after them. Why does He do this? To humiliate them? To allow them to be defeated? No. He does it as it says in Exodus 14, to "gain glory" for Himself. To show the Egyptians who He was and to show the Israelites who is the true God. God is not some egomaniac. He wants us to know Him. To know who He is. He wants a relationship with us, and He delights in providing for us, protecting us and preforming miracles.

Have you ever felt like the enemy was hot on your trail? Have you ever felt backed into a corner where nothing was going right? What did the Isralites do? They wanted to go back to Egypt, to become slaves again rather then be slaughtered in the desert. That's what happens to many Christians when bad things happen. They give up, walk away, decide they'd rather not be a Christian afterall. But you see, they'll miss the miracle. They'll miss everything God has in store for them.

Thank God for Moses. He told the Israelites to "Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring today... The Lord will fight for you: you need only to be still."

Well, you know the rest of the story. And as you know on the other side of the Red Sea, after God delivered them from their enemies, they all sang songs and praised God.

When bad things happen, when you're feeling like the world is against you, don't give up. Don't walk away. Get on your knees, talk to God, and then be still and watch His deliverance. It may not be today. It may not be tomorrow, but if you're faithful, God will come through for you. He can't do anything but that, for it would go against His very nature.

Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation. Psalm 91: 14-15

Chapter a week!

Amber Morn
By Brandilyn Collins
Just released--Amber Morn, the climactic conclusion to Brandilyn Collins' bestselling "Kanner Lake" series.

As the nationally read "Scenes and Beans" bloggers gather at Java Joint coffee shop for a special celebration—chaos erupts. Three gunmen burst in and take them all hostage, shooting one person and dumping the body outside. Police Chief Vince Edwards must negotiate with the desperate trio. What they demand, he can't possibly provide. But if he doesn't, over a dozen beloved Kanner Lake citizens will die…

"Best Christian suspense of 2007." –Library Journal for Crimson Eve, previous release in the series
Awaken My Heart
By DiAnn Mills

AWAKEN MY HEART by DiAnn Mills tells the unlikely love story between 18-year-old Marianne, a wealthy rancher's daughter, and the infamous Mexican rebel leader warring against her father.

--What Reviewers are saying:

"AWAKEN MY HEART is a terrific early nineteenth century Texas Colonial romance starring two caring protagonists who in many ways seem like a North American Romeo and Juliet. The story line is fast-paced and loaded with action . . . DiAnn Mills provides a delightful historical that brings to vivid life a time and place that rarely if ever has served as the background." - Harriet Klausner
"AWAKEN MY HEART is a colorful inspirational tale of romance and adventure! - Diana Risso
Romance Reviews Today

To read an excerpt of these new titles go to Chapter-a-Week .

Student suspended from school for religious ArtWork

This is the kind of thing that drives me absolutley nuts! I heard this story yesterday on Glen Beck. Apparently a senior high school student in Madison, Wisconsin created the artwork I've posted here as part of an assignment to draw a landscape. When his teacher asked him to remove the Bible reference because it was disturbing the other students, he refused, and consequently, she gave him a zero on the project. When he protested, the teacher showed him a policy he had signed at the beginning of the year which prohibited any violence, blood, sexual connotations, or religious beliefs in their artwork, and told him that he had signed away his constitutional rights when he had signed the policy.

A couple of things really bother me about what she said to him. First, how can anyone put religious beliefs in the same list with violence, blood, and sex? Basically you're saying someone's personal faith is just as bad and dangerous as those other things! Secondly, there is no way anyone in this country can ever sign away their constitutional rights. So, what did the student do? He tore up his policy in front of the teacher (gotta love this kid!) and he was promptly suspended.

The schools excuse? The student's artwork infringed on the other student's rights. What??? (me banging head against wall)

It may interest you to know that some of the other artwork in that same class included drawings of Medusa, the Grim Reaper with a scythe, and a being with a horned head and protruding tongue. Also in the school itself, Buddha and Hindu figurines are on display in a social studies classroom where the teacher passionately teaches Hindu principles to students.
In addition, a replica of Michaelangelo's "The Creation of Man" is displayed at the school's entrance, a picture of a six-limbed Hindu deity is in the school's hallway, and a drawing of a robed sorcerer hangs on a hallway bulletin board.

Humm....seems it's not all religions are banned at this school, only Christianity.

But what do we expect? Satan is not going to waste his time going after dead religions that lead people exactly where he wants them--straight to hell. No, he's going to attack the only true religion, the only way for people to truly know God, be redeemed, and end up in heaven.

I'm proud of this student, and I wish we had more Christians like him in this country. He has now filed a lawsuit against the school, and I for one, pray he wins! If he doesn't, we Christians will soon find ourselves and our faith being outlawed by this country.

If you're interested in reading this article, here's the link: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,344350,00.html

The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy

Recently I read a novel written in the early 1900's that came highly recommended. Although I had heard of this book, I'd never had the pleasure of reading it. It was brought to my attention after I described to a friend the storyline of my next release,The Falcon and the Sparrow. He said that my story sounded very similar to the Scarlet Pimpernel. So, of course, I had to run out a get a copy. Believe me, I read many novels and quite a few historical novels, and often these "classics" as well as many recently written novels. . . well, frankly they bore me to tears. What a delightful surprise this book was! The writing was exquisite, the characters deep and amusing, the plot full of adventure and suspense. It kept me intriqued up until the last page. So, I thought I'd share it with you. If you're like me, you're always on the lookout for a good read. I would give away my copy, but this is one I'm definitely going to keep on my shelf (sorry)

I heard there was a movie also, starring Jane Seymour, so I'm on the lookout for that as well. By the way, there's a whole website devoted to this book. Check it out at http://www.scarletpimpernel.com/ I was really surprised to find so much hype about it.

(Perhaps I'm the last to know)