The South Will Be Warm Again......

Snow man we built

From Lower Alabama on the Gulf Coast:
What a crazy week!!  Winter Storm Leon just reeked havoc on the entire south for two days.  Those from the north are just laughing and shaking their heads but they don't realize what it's like to live in the south with ice and snow.  

For one--most  of those living in the south have never really dealt with ice and snow.  And even the best of those from the north can't navigate in a car through ice which is what mostly fell for 10 hours straight.  There were cars slipping all over the place on all the roads. Even the major interstates had cars in the ditches because it was just too slippery.  The traffic got so bad in Birmingham that people were abandoning their cars to walk home.  Unbelievable. Some people stayed in their cars all night because they were just too far to walk home. What a mess.

Ice hanging off a chair

Two-We aren't prepared with snow plows and sand as the north is because we just don't see this kind of weather very often.  Cities don't have the extra cash to stash snow plows and salt away for a snowy day, so we have to do the best we can when this does happened every 10 years.

Among all the terrible traffic and weather good things were happening too: 
A baby girl was born in a car in Atlanta.
A Chick-Filet Restaurant manager started feeding people food and water for free so they won't starve or dehydrate.

Front of our house

Several schools had to keep children overnight for safety and fed and entertained them while at school.          
Out door winter activities were taking place unlike any time before: sledding, making snow angels, snow man building.
Everyone from schools to banks got a mid-winter break to stay home and just snuggle.
I have to add this one:  A 62 year-old doctor walks from one hospital in Birmingham during the storm to another hospital to save a person's life in brain surgery.... see below link.

Frozen leaves from our bush

That's the blessing of living in the South....there are still such good people who care about everyone's well being.  It is truly a blessing to live here.



But never fear.... the South will be warm again.  Just wait a few days and this whole episode will not even be noticed as it will be back in the 60's by the weekend. We can get back to barbequing, 4-wheeling, going to church and living our lives in the warmer weather.

Link to article about Doctor walking in storm in Birmingham
                                               

Indie Author Celebration January 2014!

Happy New Year Everyone and we are starting the year off with a bang!!!

A writer friend of mine is sponsoring a book giveaway through Amazon's Kindle program. So for a week Andrea Pearson is giving away her first book of this Six book series.

Here is what she says:

It's time to celebrate the release of The Golden Symbol, Kilenya Series Book Six, the last in my series!

As part of the celebration, we're giving away a Kindle Fire. Enter at the bottom of this post, after you check out the fantastic eBooks I've chosen to showcase here. All of them were hand-selected based on the fact that they're well-edited and really good. I loved them!

Please note that on January 18, 2014, my first book, The Key of Kilenya, will no longer be available for free. Pick up your copy while you can!

Have fun browsing. I know you'll love these books. :-)

The Key of Kilenya

Author: Andrea Pearson
Original and discounted price: $3.99 to Free
Discounted until January 18
Genre and target audience: Fantasy for readers 10 and older
If this book were a movie, what would it be rated? PG
Download it from: Kindle, Nook, Smashwords

Book Description:

We all have a choice—but we can’t choose the consequences.

Jacob Clark is chased down a path that takes him to another world—a world where he is a wanted young man. The Lorkon want to control him and the special powers he possesses. The people of the new world want him to save them from the destruction of the Lorkon. All Jacob wants is to go home, but even that choice has consequences. He doesn’t know what to do and if he waits too long the new world and the one he came from will be destroyed. As Jacob looks for people he can trust, he finds himself in the center of the fight for freedom—both for himself and the people he’s come to know.

Jacob has no idea where the path he chooses will take him, but once the choice has been made—bring on the consequences.


The Ember Gods

 Author: Andrea Pearson

Original and discounted price: $3.99 to $0.99

Discounted until January 18

Genre and target audience: Fantasy for readers 10 and older

If this book were a movie, what would it be rated? PG

Download it from: Kindle, Nook

Book description:

Jacob Clark’s new abilities are a blessing and a curse. He’s a hero for returning the magical Key of Kilenya to its rightful owners, but at school he's starting to get noticed for something other than his basketball skills. And the attention is freaking him out.

Balancing both worlds is tricky enough, but Jacob has tasked himself with saving Aloren who’s trapped in Maivoryl City by the Ember Gods. He doesn't want to wait for the potion that will protect his team from the corrosive influence of the Lorkon, but the desire to prove himself to the high school basketball coach conflicts with his plans to rescue her.

Feeling pulled by both sides, Jacob must walk a tightrope of warring worlds with lives on the line. Lives that will be lost if he doesn’t figure out how to complete his quest and balance his abilities. Fast.


Those were the first two books to get you started.  Now for the introduction of book 6......





                                                       The Golden Symbol

Author: Andrea Pearson
Original and discounted price: $4.99 to $2.99
Discounted until January 18
Genre and target audience: Fantasy for readers 10 and older
If this book were a movie, what would it be rated? PG
Download it from: Kindle, Nook, Smashwords

Book description:

In the final installment of the Kilenya Series, Jacob Clark and his friends only have two months to prepare for their enemy’s return—an event which is sure to bring war—and to discover the recipe for the special antidote that will cure the Lorkon. As things become more and more dangerous, Jacob is surprised to find help in the most unlikely people and places. Things look up briefly when Azuriah agrees to share the well-guarded secret of the Golden Symbol. With its help, Jacob may have a chance against the Lorkon, but even so, he and his friends are greatly outnumbered.

Will they be able to find the recipe and create the antidote before the Lorkon arrive, or will Eklaron—and Earth—fall into the hands of the evil empire for good?

Moral Issues Under Fire

This is a republication of an article I wrote last year. The ideals here still need to be implemented:

 

Through out our country’s history, we were known to be a people of prayer, religious conviction and those who promote life.  We prayed before meals, before school started, before Congress, and before sport games. George Washington prayed during Valley Forge as well as many other military leaders and men in combat. Congress would pray before each session. So why has the media jumped all over Tim Tebow when he drops to a knee to thank his Heavenly Father for his blessings?

Religious convictions, especially Christianity, have come under fire in many areas including entertainment, sports, education and government. Respect for the divine in our country is on a downward slope. The standard of what used to be acceptable in religion is slowly being undermined. In 2006 a public school teacher was forced by a federal judge to remove Christian-themed posters from his bulletin board.  One of them was the picture of George Washington kneeling in prayer at Valley Forge. We remember the Ten Commandment fiasco when a monument showing the Ten Commandments had to be removed from our own state courthouse. There is a lack of regard for what we used to call respect for God’s authority. It is slowly taking over all those who are opposed to those who choose to keep this reverence.

           

As I researched this phenomenon, there was another issue which arose. In the wake of the 39^th March (2012) for Life in Washington D.C., where hundreds of thousands will walk to support the birth of unborn babies this week, the issue of pro-life is under attack.

 Apparently Tim Tebow’s mother Pam had courageously chose to carry Tim to full term despite doctors’ recommendations that she abort him. An abortion never was even considered as Pam knew she was carrying a person within her.  The attacks of their family from certain women’s groups who were opposed to a Focus on the Family TV ad that ran during the 2010 Super Bowl game explaining their pro-life life style was under attack. Pam made her choice but apparently was not the choice others thought she should do.

We all have choices to make in our own life without others judging us and these choices are based on our experience and knowledge.  If the media reports that it’s okay for young mothers to abort their babies, those without the conviction that it is killing an innocent person, will follow the crowd.  But if the true message of what an abortion is all about is revealed, then this knowledge will help women embrace moral understanding; which is why there will be an anti-abortion commercial during the Super Bowl next weekend.

It makes sense to me: praying, religious convictions and choosing pro-life are moral issues which made our country great. In the words of one great American, Ronald Reagan, he said this: "I've noticed that everyone who is pro-abortion has already been born." These standards need to be kept at the forefront of our society and taught to our children at home.

Thankful for Thanksgiving....

 Through out the whole month of November, I've been posting what I am thankful for in my life.  It's funny how we are as a people.  With the holiday  of Thanksgiving, we are reminded of what we have that is so precious to us. If Thanksgiving didn't exist-we might not be so bold as to proclaim what we are thankful for. Sure during the year we might think about it once in a while, but having a special holiday just to remember that we are thankful is a great blessing.  A great blessing especially for those who don't take the time to say thank you....

 Here are several quotes from church leaders and friends who remind us of what we are thankful for in our lives:



Elder Helio Camargo
“I am grateful as I contemplate the years that have passed and the happenings that have unfolded, measuring what the Lord has given me and considering the sure promises for a happier future—a future made even happier by the company of relatives and friends who have preceded me in passing to the other side of the veil. I am grateful for those loved ones with whom I still enjoy living every day—particularly the extraordinary woman that God allowed me to have as a wife in mortality and throughout eternity. Also, I am grateful for the wonderful children and grandchildren he sent to our home to be the joy of our life. As I contemplate all these blessings, gratitude is the predominant feeling that comes to my heart.” (General Conference, October 1990)

 Today I am thankful for all of our friends. All of you from my past on FB and all of my current friends in Daphne. We have truly been blessed with wonderful people in our life. Tasha Smith Quinnelly, Linda Christensen Pam Worsham, Valerie Bashein Steimle Foy, Sabrina Nimmer, Beverly Giles I am especially thankful for you ladies. Such strong examples.
 Connie Frank--Daphne, Alabama


 Yesterday, I watched two baby cousins squeal with delight as they saw each other for the first time in months. I smelled peanut butter breath exit lips curled in a smile, and felt strong hugs from growing muscles. I tasted diverse chocolate dishes until I longed for a salad. Ever had those days? Yes, I'm grateful for the five senses, and that last one, the inner sense that reveals the unspoken need, or unexpressed concern. These blessed tools in our arsenal of humanity, the conduits through which we experience our world and soak in its wonders, also help us record these moments for days when distance and health reduce us to memories alone for a time. And so, for these six senses, I am so very grateful.
   Laurie Lewis--Maryland 


So let's remember through out the whole year to be thankful for all that we have and our lives on earth......

An Amazing Early Holiday Blog Giveaway....

Congratulations to Anna del C. Dye!!!  She won the book set Simplify and Savor the Season by Connie Sokol....

What can I say about Connie Sokol that hasn't been already said?.... We have been on the same blog as authors (mommyauthors.blogspot.com) for a season and she is an amazing example to me on motherhood and womanhood. Here is her newest creation:

 Simplify and Savor the Season

         by Connie Sokol

 Here is my official review:

This handy little gem has come just in time to save you from the holidays.  I say “save you from” because we all know how crazy everyone gets when Thanksgiving is upon us and we are rearing our motors for “Black Friday”.  All of a sudden somebody somewhere says: GO! We don’t stop moving until New Year’s Day when we crash and sleep in hibernation until Easter.

I’ve had conversations just recently with so many people—grocery check-out ladies, customers at Wal-mart, church friends, mailmen, Ect. Ect. Ect.  They are all in agreement that they hate the holiday season because of all the craziness people put upon themselves to over extend into oblivion. Enter Connie E. Sokol’s book Simplify and Savor the Season. This book is a collection of sensible, easy to follow directions on how to focus on the family while keeping the season simple. The first half includes simple planning pages for all the fall holidays from Halloween to New Year’s Eve. 

Connie Sokol’s four step plan using PADE: Plan, Abbreviate, Delegate and Eliminate is a life savor as this guide keeps all of the stress and busy work at bay while helping the reader to not feel guilty in not doing enough for everyone else. The planning pages and master gift list are written right into the book so you don’t even have to run and get paper.

 In the second half of the book, there are wonderful “Savory Snippets” of holiday messages to warm your heart and really help families everywhere to feel the true holiday spirit.  There are anecdotal quips and stories which help those searching for some enlightenment on how to keep the holidays from going over board yet find time to really savor the true meaning of spending time with family.

This book is a must read now before the craziness begins as it will give you a head start on how to keep the holidays from becoming an overbearing boss we hate to deal with at work. So “Savor the Season” and enjoy the fruits of your labors in Connie E. Sokol’s Simply and Savor the Season.

Back Blurb from Connie:

Ready for the holidays? Would you like to be?

This year, organize and re-energize with Simplify & Savor the Season, a three-part holiday planner to help you savor the celebrations!  

First, get ready by brainstorming what’s needed for each of the Big Four—Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. Then detail the to-dos, including menu and gift planning, with quick tips on how to lose the unnecessary and focus on the essential. Keep all your notes in this book or its workbook companion, Simplify & Savor Take-along.

After organizing, sit back and enjoy the season with “5 Holiday Juicers”—tips that teach how to keep life joyful, not stressful. Then curl up and relax with “Savory Suggestions, Snippets, and Stories,” a collection of laugh-out-loud anecdotes including “How the Real Halloween Fright Happened the Next Day,” “Thankful for Warbling,” and “Let Go of the Cookie-Cutter Christmas.”

Make your holiday celebrations meaningful and memorable as you Simplify & Savor the Season!  

 Simplify & Savor Take-along is the second little gem which comes with the first book.  It's a companion book which is especially published to keep all of your holiday planning notes.

 For a sneak peak: Check out Connie's blog for a sneak of both Simplify & Savor AND Simplify & Savor Take-Along companion book on November 5th only:

 Connie Sokol's Blog

 Now for the giveaway:

OUR THANK-YOU BLOGGERS CONTEST! Enter to win a free e-book from this blog (The Blessings of Family Life) AND enter to win an additional contest—our Back to Basics Holiday Gift Set. This festive collection includes three e-books, each with a specific tool to create a meaningful season: Simplify & Savor the Season to organize; 40 Days with the Savior to spiritually focus; and the Life Is Too Short collection to lighten up as needed. 

Visit www.conniesokol.com and either 

1) email a way you’ve simplified the holidays, 

or 2) sign up for our weekly e-letter. 

Winners chosen weekly! 

To have the chance to win a free e-book and print copy of the take along planner from me--post in the comment section below of your favorite Christmas tradition with your family. Your name will be added to the giveaway.
Comments will be taken until the 15th of November.

 Two wonderful ways of winning....

 Here are what other people are saying:

“Connie's inspiring stories and practical tips will help you do exactly that. She has a wonderful way of speaking to women's souls, and de-cluttering our minds and hearts.”

 

–Trina Boice, author of How to Stay UP in a DOWN Economy

 

“Re ading Simplify & Savor the Season is like getting an early holiday gift: permission to let go of meaningless frills and pageantry and instead, focus on family and love. And it helps the most diehard procrastinators get organized in time to enjoy the holidays.”

—Elyssa Andrus, author of Happy Homemaking: An LDS Girl’s Guide

“Love it!  I don’t have to hold my breath anymore. Connie is the master at bringing clarity to the chaotic. This book brings to light the little things that make all the difference. I want to tell all women that serenity during the holidays really can happen. What a gift!

–Kalli Wilson, International Wellness Coach

 Connie Sokol

Connie Sokol is a mother of seven, a national and local presenter, and a favorite speaker at Education Week. She is the Motherhood Matters contributor on KSL TV's “Studio 5 with Brooke Walker”, and regular blogger on www.ksl.com. She is a former TV and radio host, newspaper columnist. Mrs. Sokol is the author of several books including The Life is Too Short Collection, Faithful, Fit & Fabulous, Create a Powerful Life Plan, 40 Days with the Savior, and Caribbean Crossroads. She marinates in time spent with her family and eating decadent treats. For her blog, TV segments, podcasts and more, visit

 www.conniesokol.com

For a November 5 only see this link to down load for free:

Simplify and Savor the Season

New Book Blog Tour...."The Earth Bleeds Red"

A new fiction writer is on the scene: Jackson Baer published his first novel with Pandamoon Publishing which has been our since October 2013... The Earth Bleeds Red

Check out the story:

Book Blurb:

Scott and Jessie are a couple in love. Ashley, their only daughter, is 17-years old and has vanished; leaving behind nothing but a pool of blood. Her strange disappearance is quickly thought to be a homicide. Her cozy, northwest town is stunned when police find the body of another girl at the bottom of the Willamette River. The eerie signature found on the girl links to a monster dubbed the Hail Mary Killer. While Scott searches for Ashley, the FBI feels convinced that she is the killer’s latest victim.

In spite of three other bodies with the same distinct marking, no one prepared themselves for the discovery in southern Oregon. Local hikers stumble upon a car in the mountain brush and a tattooing needle with an evil history surfaces inside. A cabin appears nearby with another gruesome discovery. Scott finds some solace in his friendship with Father Henry as he and Jessie try to salvage their marriage and move on beyond the loss of Ashley. The FBI finally catches a break when they unearth the dark past of the Hail Mary Killer’s family. What emerged in his basement is more terrifying than anyone could have possibly imagined.

What happens to the Miller family and Father Henry will shake your soul and keep you reading till the last page.

Author Jackson Baer:
Originally from Woodstock, Ga; north of Atlanta, Jackson Baer is a huge Braves and Georgia Tech fan. He lived in Oregon for the past 5+ years and recently moved back to North Georgia after spending the past 12 years all over the country. He loves the Trailblazers as well as Oregon State, where he will graduate with a B.A. in English in June 2014. Jackson has been married for 11 years and him and his wife have 4 beautiful children together, aged 4-9.

He graduated from a Bible college in 2003 and that is where he met his wife. He spent 7 years as a youth and teaching pastor, but have not been a pastor for the past 3 year. Though not very religious himself, there are spiritual themes within his writing due to a large part of his life. His characters, much like himself, struggle with faith, doubt, and love as a part of their everyday lives. This newest novel is by no means a Christian novel, however, the language in the story is more of what you would find in real life, as well as situations not suited for a church service.

Interview with Jackson Baer:

 

When did you first start writing and why?

I used to write poems as a kid and titles of books I wanted to write. I never got around to writing any of those books when I was younger. I started to write songs as a young adult and also discovered my love for reading. It wasn't until around year ago that I began to write. Once I did, I found that I just couldn't stop. 

What was the inspiration for this murder mystery book?

To be honest, it's a bit different than a murder mystery. It's an even blend between a literary fiction and a suspense. There is a mystery that runs throughout and the inspiration came from some of my favorite writers like: Joyce Carol Oates, Sherman Alexie, and Junot Diaz. 

How do you find the determination to continue to write?

I love stories. Writing allows me to create this brand new world that didn't exist only seconds ago. There's not much like it in this world. It's a mixture of art, learning, and exploration that makes me whole. 

How do you come up with ideas for your books? 

I'm not exactly sure. Ideas pop into my head and I write down the good ones. Sometimes, I write down the bad ones too :)

 What do you love about writing?

The thing I love most is that is lets me express my innermost thoughts. 

What do you dislike about writing?

Editing. I don't mind editing, but once it gets to the part with the actual editor, I'm just ready for the book to be published.  

What are your writing habits?  

I do most of my writing late at night. It's peaceful and quiet.

  
What do you do when you don't write?

I'm married to a beautiful woman and we have four kids together. Family is the most important thing to me. I am also finishing my English degree at Oregon State University.

Find the Rest of the blog tour here.......

Blog Tour list:

Sunday, November 3 http://ambergilchrist.com/ Monday, November 4 http://valeriesteimle.blogspot.com/ Tuesday, November 5 http://bonniegwyn.blogspot.com/ Wednesday, November 6 http://shelliproffitthowells.com/ Thursday, November 7 http://writtenbymikey.blogspot.com Friday, November 8 http://ourgrainofsand.wordpress.com/ Saturday, November 9 http://heiditighe.blogspot.com/
Links:

Website: www.jacksonpaulbaer.com

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/JacksonPaulBaer

Twitter: http://twitter.com/JacksonPaulBaer

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/JacksonPaulBaer

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Jackson-Baer/e/B0060BDIM0

Author Bio:

http://jacksonpaulbaer.com/about-2/

Common Core Standards: Threats and Dangers

From Freedom Project Education and the American Opinion Foundation comes a startling account of what the Common Core Standards really are about.

To receive your own 70 minute video for $5.00 click on this link:

 Freedom Project Education
                  OR

Watch it online free:

Click here to watch video 

Dr. Duke Pesta and Mrs. Mary Black present the Threats and Dangers of Common Core Standards.

Basically what the video says is this:

Our future education system is a program that will teach our children what to think and not how to think.  This program was put together by business people and lobbyists not educators.

This program is already being tested in several large city areas and not doing well. If enough parents fight it –then it will be put on the back burner.  What is really scary is that it’s linked to ObamaCare. 

Several years ago—the federal government promised each state millions of dollars in federal money IF the state will adapt the Common Core Standard, sight unseen.  That is scary. With Georgia pulling out of the common core curriculum because of what this teaches, Georgia will lose its funding received a few years ago.The Federal Government will take it back.

What state is next???  Texas pulled out—Florida wants to pull out—Indiana and South Dakota as well.  Just Google “States pulling out of Common Core Standards” and you will get an eye full of a lot of information. It is disastrous.

Public school teachers and administrators will think it’s a frame work for what should be taught but if it is not followed exactly how it is planned out—the federal hammer will come down on their state.  Better to reject it now in its early stages than allow it to infiltrate into the system.

Threats:

1. One program fits all—It is basically a nationalized curriculum backed by the federal government.
2. It is a mandated implementation of ObamaCare: ObamaCare documents show health care points for public school children which will be very controlling. Every aspect of the child will be aggressively captured and parents will no longer have any say of what their children learn.
3. Data Mining and Intrusive Record Keeping: There are buildings being constructed just for the keeping of documentation and records of every child in the country.   All actions of every child—whether it is a kindergarten warning to be better behaved or a failing grade on a high schooler’s test.  EVERY THING will be kept.

There was a 126 page report written by the Department of Education in how to measure student effectiveness through sensors and recordable instruments.

Here is the link:

Link to Promoting Grit, Tenacity and Perserverence

Pretty scary. In a nut shell there are four different kind of recordable sensors that students will have in the classroom.  Facial expressive cameras, Posture analysis seats, a pressure mouse for the computer and a wireless skin conductor worn on the wrist.  Some schools are already implementing them.

So the lesson is about how bullying should be taken from the schools.  If you believe that homosexuality is wrong—you are a bully.  Children hearing this in the classroom will squirm, make faces or their heart rate speeds up.  Parents are contacted and asked: “Why does your child feel opposed to homosexuality?  What is the parent going to do?  Children will become wards of the state.   

See page 62 of the link posted above.

4. Promotion of outside interest groups and lobbying: Planned parenthood, Agenda 21, United Nations, Environmental Protection Agency, etc. etc. etc.  Everyone wants to get in on the act and these groups promote their agenda through Common Core.  The blurring of health care and sexuality; teaching young children (age 7) that it’s okay to masturbate and that homosexuality is just fine.  If any parent teaches their children any thing else, it’s considered bullying.

5.  Socialist –Style educational approach and methodology: Everyone has the same grade. There is no achievement to be your best student.  No ambition is necessary. Students will be so ingrained to make approximations in answers (even in Math) that they will not really learn the correct answer.

Supposedly Homeschoolers and private schools will be exempt from the common core standard but not to opt out of ObamaCare.  These children will be under the same scrutiny as public school children in health and what is learned. The ACT and SAT  college entrance exams will be changed to cover the Common Core standards.  Even Homeschool curriculum books are being bought out by the Common Core Standard to publish the same kind of learning material as public school.  If they want to stay in business, they have to accommodate Common Core. Even Bob Jones University Press has buckled under the pressure.

What can we do to stop this?

1. Educate yourself: Get that video (or watch online) and read the truth where ever you can online.  
2. Educate others: Spread the word to other parents. Teachers will probably not take you seriously as there have been new programs adapted all the time over the years and this might seem like a fad—but it’s not.
3. Contact your State Board of Education and tell them—You Do Not Want Common Core!!!

Another post about why parents DO NOT LIKE Common Core Standards....