Ash Wednesday

Dust you are, and to dust you will return.




Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent.

There's a deep quiet in my mind today as I prepare for tonight's service. The imposition of ashes causes a stillness that I'd like to recognize and embrace today.

I'll be back Friday with part 1 of a crazy story for you.

the results are in

I won't keep you in suspense about the baking contest.

My team did not win.

HOWEVER, we got loads of nice compliments. So there's that.

Next year, it's on like donkey kong. The 'mid winter challenge,' as this event is called, will be a barbecue contest! And since I don't really have a barbecue sauce recipe (heh..unless Kraft counts) I've got to get to work.

Any pointers?

BIP

Baking in progress!!

Image Source

If the cookie-loving folks at my church agree with me on Sunday, I will return to this space on Monday, VICTORIOUS. There's a chocolate chip cookie contest going on at my church this weekend, and yours truly has entered!

Back to the kitchen...

Book Review: The Shape of Mercy

At the risk of this becoming a 'book review blog' - which is not my intention - I am going to keep posting reviews with the Blogging for Books program. I've received another review book from the publisher WaterBrook Multnomah, and I'm fulfilling my end of the bargain here.

Today's book is a novel called The Shape of Mercy. I read this book over the course of about 30 hours, staying up untl 1am to finish it...it was one of those books I didn't want to put down.

In short, I thought the story was very compelling and the topic was interesting - the Salem witch trials, an event I haven't learned much about yet. The writing was sometimes a little too... hackneyed, like the author was trying too hard. But most of the time the writing didn't get in the way of the really good story. If you're looking for a satisfying, compelling, and easily read historical fiction, I would recommend this novel.

See my full review here. I would love it if you rated my review, too.
Also posted at Amazon here.

You can see all my Blogging for Books reviews here.

take me to your leader

After about 7 weeks of illness and healing, I'm easing back into posting here. And because lately I've been in a major music acquisition mode, I've got songs on the brain.

As such, I thought I would share with you one of the first videos I ever loved, by one of the first bands I ever loved.

Behold...

Take Me To Your Leader, by the Newsboys
(from back in the day, when they were awesome...dare I say?)



In case you were wondering, Duncan (Dunny) Phillips - the one on the hand drums - is the one I had a crush on.

book review: Radical

I just finished reading Radical, by David Platt. I received a free copy through Blogging for Books, a WaterBrook Multnomah program that sends bloggers free books in exchange for reviews. I posted my review here (it'd be swell if you ranked it after reading). You can check out all of my Blogging for Books reviews here.


In short, Radical (and another book with a similar focus, the Irresistible Revolution) completely altered my stupid notions about 'living for Jesus' and what 'being a Christian' should look like. I don't know that I'll really ever be the same. I certainly hope not.

brief hiatus

For all three of you who care, I'd like to mention here that I am taking a brief break from the blog. I've spent the past two weeks in bed, recovering from something awful. I'm planning to spend this week catching up on everything, including blog posts that I have been ruminating but unable to write. I'll likely be back on or around Valentine's day.

Just in case you were wondering...