Five Minute Friday - Home

It's Five Minute Friday again! Lisa-Jo Baker gives a one-word prompt, and then you just write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking. It's fun and freeing and a little scary, and I look forward to it every week :)
Today's word is Home.

GO

Home is where the heart is. Right? That's what they always say. And I understand. And I agree, to a certain extent. But for me, I haven't found my home yet.

Home. As in, a place of my own, a place where I don't have to apologize or clean when I don't want to or worry about making plans around the schedules of others who live here. Where I can decorate the way I want and let my friends eat whatever they want out of the fridge. Where I'm not embarassed to tell people where I live or to have them over. I can't wait for a place like that.

This is just me. No big inspiration or thought-provoking story. Just what I think of as a home. Something I long for and dream about and am working towards. And I know that when I get it, I will never take it for granted.

Like the song This is Home by Switchfoot. It's from the Prince Caspian movie soundtrack. And I love what it says:

I've got my memories, always inside of me

But I can't go back, back to how it was

I believe you now, I've come too far

No I can't go back, back to how it was

Created for a place I've never known

This is home, now I'm finally where I belong

Yeah, this is home, I've been searching for a place of my own

Now I've found it, maybe this is home

I can't wait til I can sing that chorus and know that it's true :)

That was it. Hope it made sense but if you don't understand, it's okay. Just something that's been on my mind and with me for a long time.

To read more five minute posts on Home, click here. And for more info about Five Minute Fridays and how you can join in, click the button below.

A Bride In The Bargain

I just finished reading A Bride in the Bargain by Deeanne Gist. What a fun novel! Set in 1865-66 Seattle, you will fall in love with the characters and root for them as they stumble their way through relationships and other of life's problems.

Joe Denton moved to the Washington Territory ten years ago, to claim his free plot of land. Single men were allowed 320 acres, married men 640. His wife was to follow him there after he had the land settled and a house built. But she never made it. She died back home. Now, as the Civil War is ending and many women have been widowed or orphaned, businessman Asa Mercer has announced to the men of the Washington Territory that he will go east and find them each a bride - for a fee. Joe thinks this idea is ludicrous. Until the judge tells him that unless he can produce a wife soon, he will lose half of his land, reminding him that single men only got 320 acres. Joe can't lose his land now, not after putting ten years of hard work into it. So he grudgingly pays out the money for a Mercer bride.

Meanwhile, Anna Ivey has lost her whole family because of the war. She is working as a cook at a restaurant in Massachusetts, but the owner is a rude and lewd man who is determined to make Anna his. So when she sees an ad in the paper about a ship taking orphans and war widows to the new world out west, she jumps at the chance. The thing is, Mr. Mercer leads her to believe she is being hired as a cook. Little does she know that across the country, Joe Denton is expecting a wife.

As the back of the book says "The wedding is all planned... Someone just needs to tell the bride."

And of course, many more things go wrong. Funny things happen, dangerous things happen, embarrassing things, and through it all Joe and Anna must decide if they should marry out of convenience or wait for true love.

I highly recommend this book (and any by Deeanne Gist) to anyone who loves romance, history, laughter, and a good book.

You can find Deeanne online at her website and her Facebook page.

Five Minute Friday - Ordinary

This is where a brave and beautiful bunch gather every week to find out what comes out when we all spend five minutes writing on the same topic and then sharing them over at The Gypsy Mama. No editing. No planning. Just writing. Today's word is Ordinary.

This is where a brave and beautiful bunch gather every week to find out what comes out when we all spend five minutes writing on the same topic and then sharing ‘em over here. - See more at: http://lisajobaker.com/2013/03/five-minute-friday-ordinary-2/#sthash.8In546Sy.dpuf

This is where a brave and beautiful bunch gather every week to find out what comes out when we all spend five minutes writing on the same topic and then sharing ‘em over here. - See more at: http://lisajobaker.com/2013/03/five-minute-friday-ordinary-2/#sthash.8In546Sy.dpuf

This is where a brave and beautiful bunch gather every week to find out what comes out when we all spend five minutes writing on the same topic and then sharing ‘em over here. - See more at: http://lisajobaker.com/2013/03/five-minute-friday-ordinary-2/#sthash.8In546Sy.dpuf

GO

I'm not ordinary. I know that. I mean sure, I have an average life. I haven't done anything truly awe-inspiring or record-breaking, and on the other end of the spectrum, I haven't done anything too horrifyingly terrible. So, in that way, I guess I'm ordinary. Normal. But beyond that... No. Lol.

I have crazy friends. And I am crazy. I'm a tomboy but I'm not athletic, am scared of bugs and the dark, live in t-shirts, jeans and sneakers but love to wear make-up.

In my mind I'm this free-spirited, go with the flow, fun kind of girl, but in reality I take a while to get ready, get worried and over-think things (although I'll admit I still think I'm fun, most of the time.)

I'm a shy extrovert, a nerd who loves musicals, common-sense smart but not school-smart. A leader who gets ignored and talked over.

And I'm okay with that. I love who God made me. At the same time I'm always wondering what I can do to be better, look better, do better...

But then again, who IS normal? Being "normal" or ordinary, is being different and having quirks. The one's who aren't weird and complicated and confusing are the odd ones, not the normal ones.

And God used, and still uses, ordinary people to do His work. He doesn't just take the strong, confident, super talented or knowledgeable people. He takes normal people like me, and allows them to do extraordinary things.

So yes. I'm unordinary in an ordinary way. Aren't you? I think it's a good thing. And a God thing.

When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. (Acts 4:12-14)

For more posts on Ordinary, click here. To find out more about Five Minute Fridays and how you can join in on the invigorating, inspiring and kinda scary fun, click on the button below.

Arrrgh and Huzzah!

Arrrgh, me mateys. Today be the release of MaryLu Tyndall's newest novel, Forsaken Dreams.

Here be a bit about the book!

Forsaken Dreams - Escape to Paradise Series Book One

They left everything behind to build a new southern utopia.

Colonel Grant Wallace cannot leave his once precious Southern homeland fast enough. After witnessing the death and destruction of the Civil War, he charters a ship and sets sail for the pristine shores of Brazil, eager to start afresh in a new land. Widow Eliza Crawford boards the ship NewHope harboring a dirty secret and a blossoming hope within her heart for a new life away from old memories. But once at sea, troubles abound. Will Grant overcome his demons of bitterness and rage? Can Eliza find the peace she longs for?

 
And here be a bit about MaryLu:

"I'm a multi-published, best-selling author of Inspirational Adventure Romances normally set on the historical high seas.  I spent my early years on the Florida coast, dreaming of adventures at sea with  swashbuckling heroes!  By age 15, I had a thousand stories swirling about in my head, but I never thought I could ever get published, so I took a different path. One that led me far away from my destiny and from the God who created me. I got a degree in Math and Computer Science and spent twenty years working at a career I hated. Still I wrote in my spare time. I couldn't do otherwise. It was who God made me to be. After years of searching  for meaning and after making a mess of my life, I finally came to my senses like the prodigal in the pigpen and gave my life, my all, to the living God. Since then, miracle after miracle has happened! And one of the biggest miracles of all was that God told me to write a book about pirates, so I did. And then He got me published. It's been a wild ride ever since!"

You can find MaryLu many places on the web:
Her website: MaryLuTyndall.com
Her blog: Cross and Cutlass
Her Facebook fan page: Marylu Tyndall: Swashbuckling Romance
And her Twitter page: @MaryLuTyndall 

 

I got me copy, and am about to start readin' it. Methinks you should be doin' the same, or ye may find yerself walkin' the plank!

You can buy Forsaken Dreams online from Amazon, Christian Book Distributors, Barnes & Noble, or Books-A-Million or pick up a copy at your local bookstore.

Healer

A couple weeks ago I finished reading Healer by Linda Windsor. And wow, was it good! Set in sixth century Scotland, the story follows Ronan - firstborn son of a powerful and angry king, and Brenna - orphaned and living in a cave with only a wolf as company.

Ronan's clan has been at war with Brenna's for years. It started when Brenna's mother chose Llas over her intended, Tarlach (Ronan's father, that angry king I mentioned). Now Brenna, a young woman alone in the world, is hunted by Tarlach while her own people wait for her to one day save them as has been prophesied.
 
One day while out hunting, her wolf finds and protects a man who is badly injured, and Brenna takes him back to her cave to nurse him back to health.

Little does she know that he's the son of her most powerful enemy.

I won't tell you anything else, but you should definitely read the book! If you're a fan of King Arthur, Merlin, and Lady Guinevere, you'll be delighted to know that they all play roles in Brenna and Ronan's story!

I look forward to reading the other two books in the Brides of Alba series, Thief and Rebel. Also check out  Linda's Fires of Gleannmara trilogy, which takes place in Ireland around the same time as this series.

You can find Linda's website here: http://www.lindawindsor.com/

Five Minute Friday - Mama

Today is Five Minute Friday. Only my second week of doing this. Every Friday, Lisa-Jo Baker at The Gypsy Mama gives a word, and you just write about it for five minutes. No editing or forethought. Today's word is Mama.

GO

My mama is called Mom. She's sensitive and caring with a conservative and conventional take on life. She loves to go shopping, hates to cook and clean, and wants to help everyone. As I was typing that, I just realized I'm so much more like her than I thought. Other than the conventional part. And where she's calm and sensitive and opposed to conflict and not a risk taker, I'm opinionated and stubborn and argue way too much and love the thrill of taking risks. She hates that about me. But we love each other anyway.

While I don't always agree with her and we can drive each other crazy, she's still my mom. And I can't imagine my life without her. We talk almost every day, hang out often, and, thank God, we have a pretty good relationship.

She and my dad raised my two brothers and I pretty well. We are all really close, closer now than when I was younger. I love my parents, and my brothers are two of my best friends. I spend a lot of time with them. As a matter of fact, I'm at their house while typing this.

Mother's Day is coming up in a few months and I am so glad I have a mom I can celebrate with.

Well, time's up. I feel like I learned a few things about myself from that. Cool.

This is a really fun and unique way to get the creative juices flowing through your brain :) You should try it! Click here to see other posts on Mama and click the button below to find out more about Five Minute Fridays.

Five Minute Friday - Beloved

I am trying something new today. I'm joining the Gypsy Mama with her Five Minute Friday blog posts. She gives a word, and then you just write about it. For five minutes. We'll see how this goes - today's word is Beloved.

When I read the word beloved, the first things that came to mind were the traditional wedding opening "Dearly beloved, we gather here today..." and a verse from Song of Solomon that says "I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine." We don't hear the word beloved that often anymore. Why is that?

I looked it up and the definition says a person who is greatly loved; dear to the heart; such as a wife or husband. Some synonyms are cherished, precious, sweet, and darling. This helps me to better grasp the meaning of the word.

This is getting me thinking about what I cherish, what is precious to me. My family. Close friends. My husband. Our dog. And God. And then I think, I am cherished by God. I am precious to him. I can't quote you any verses right now, but it's definitely in there. We are God's children, he knows each and every one of us, and we are his beloved. Isn't that just a great feeling?

I want to try to remember that more often. I am beloved by God. Say it. I am beloved by God. No matter what, He loves you, and you are precious to Him.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day with those who are precious to you :)


I think I did alright :D You can check out other five minute posts on Beloved here and find out more about Five Minute Fridays by clicking on the button below.