Mystery Week: Please cast your votes!

This is my first time creating a survey with Google Docs, and I'm excited to try it out! If you could fill out this brief, 4-question survey, I would really appreciate it! That way, you have a say in what we focus on this next week. =)

Note: In the questions, the phrase "this week" refers to "Mystery Week," which is scheduled for July 18-22nd (next week). Hope that makes sense! Feel free to ask me any questions in the comments section!

Contentment Reading Challenge: July

For this month's challenge update, I want to start by giving ya'll a glimpse at some summer events that are coming up here at "Seasons of Humility." I did some brainstorming while I was on vacation, and I'm excited to put these plans to action!

July 18-22, Mystery Week: Because it's the PBS Masterpiece Mystery season, this will be a week dedicated to reviews of several of the shows, as well as some mystery book reviews. Maybe we can get some good discussions going!

July 25-29, Christmas in July: 'Tis the season to be jolly! Grab a cup of hot chocolate and join us for a fun Christmas celebration--a little cool reminiscing in the midst of the hot days of summer. ;) Be on the lookout for some fun Christmas themed posts (including the pickle ornament hunt!), as well as a fun giveaway!

August 15-19, County Fair Week: Greasy food, flashy rides, exciting games, and fun competitions...it's time for the county fair! Get ready for a judged competition, shared stories, and maybe some Amish book reviews in honor of this community event.

August 21-27, End of Summer Bash: This is the place to be when the end of August rolls around! We're throwing a big party here at "Seasons of Humility" with the help of some dear author friends, including MaryLu Tyndall, Sarah Sundin, and Laura Frantz--to name a few! Great giveaways and summer-themed interviews should make this a bash to remember!

~ ~ ~

Let me know what you think of these plans! I've done these themed weeks before, but this is a new year with new fun scheduled!

As far as re-reading goes, well...I don't really have anything to report. I read two books from last month's book swap (Love Starts with Elle and Chateau of Echoes, both from Casey), but I haven't re-read any more books. (Let me just say that I LOVED Chateau of Echoes! Thanks for the chance to read those books, Casey!) However, during the "Christmas in July" week, I plan on re-reading a couple of books, so hopefully the August update will be a little more positive. ;)

I'd love to know how you all are doing!

Tag, You're It!

While I was on vacation these past 2 weeks, I was tagged twice! Katy from Legacy of a Writer and Casey from Writing for Christ tagged me, and I'm excited to answer these fun questions:

Are you hot/warm/cold right now? Where are you at?

Well, I'd say I'm warm. I'm writing this post in the wee hours of Saturday morning--so I'm sitting at my desk in my bedroom listening to music with my headphones in, knowing I should get to bed soon... There's just so much to catch up on now that I'm back from vacation! ;)

Upload a picture of the wallpaper you are using.

Since I just got back from vacation (have I already said that?) and saw this was one of the questions, I just changed my wallpaper from a picture of the castle in Disneyland (from our previous vacation) to a picture of the view from our rental home from this last vacation in Oregon. God's creation is beautiful!

When was the last time you ate chicken?

Ummm...that would be yesterday (Friday). I had chicken on my Caesar salad for lunch/dinner (lunner? dunch?) on the way home. Yum! (And just as a head's up, I'm writing this Friday night/Saturday morning, but I'm posting this on Sunday. Sorry for the confusion!)

What song or songs have you listened to recently?

Love this question! Why? Because I get to share about the new CD my parents got me while we were on vacation at the Christian Family Bookstore. It's called Fiddle-Levity, and it is so beautiful and upbeat! I really enjoy fiddle music. And when I played this CD at our rental home, my grandparents, my sister, and my parents all loved it, too! Here's one of the songs featured on the CD called "Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring":



Do you have any nicknames? If so, what are they?

Sort of! One of them is "the cling-on," because I'm always hugging someone in the family. ;)

Tag 5 bloggers.

1. Bluerose from Bluerose's Heart. She's got a lovely blog and shares a wide variety of reviews and fun posts!

2. Hannah from Project Journal. Hannah is an awesome girl with lots of energy and creativity! Her blog started out as a project for school, but has since become a fun hangout. ;)

3. Renee Ann from Doorkeeper. Her posts are beautiful and unique, and she is a lovely, encouraging person!

4. Julia from Dark Glass Ponderings. Julia is a super sweet person with a neat, inspiring blog!

5. Ruth at Booktalk & More. Her blog is super informative, super up-to-date, and super cool!

Ladies, feel free to answer the same questions I did on your own blogs if you're up to being tagged. ;) If not, no worries!

Everyone, be sure to check out their awesome blogs! Katy and Casey, thanks for tagging me!

Christian Fiction Book Club--Pompeii by T.L. Higley

The Christian Fiction Book Club meets every six weeks at different book blogs. This month we're discussing Pompeii by T.L. Higley. Feel free to come join the conversation by commenting here or linking to your own post!

To begin, here are my overall thoughts on the book:

Like Vesuvius, this book is powerful and should not be underestimated! The tension builds steadily, with short sections from the volcano's point of view that remind the reader that below the surface of political upheaval and emotional drama stirs a dangerous depth that will drastically shift priorities once it explodes upon the scene. When that explosion happens, everything changes.

Until then, different sorts of danger fill the pages--from an evil politician bent on continuing his unjust reign, to fears of inadequacy and failure, to intense gladiator fights. There's a lot to take in as a reader, and some of the events (both past and present) are heartbreaking and disturbing to read about. But through it all is an underlying message of hope and security through the Messiah even in the midst of all the evil and suffering of this life. The glimpses of community, acceptance, and love are very sweet indeed.

The love story between Cato and Ariella is also quite an interesting one! I can't help but compare Ariella (Ari) to the Disney character of Mulan. Escaping from a horrible life satisfying the lust of a perverse man, Ari disguises herself as a man and joins a group of gladiators. She is a fighter through and through, and her spirit and perseverance catch the eye of Cato, who is a prominent, albeit new, citizen of Pompeii with a heart for those under oppression. Their journey is a difficult but necessary one that ultimately demonstrates where real, lasting strength and stamina come from: the Lord.

And no section shows that truth more than the last part of the book, when Vesuvius finally fulfills her role. I admit to being rather fearful of volcanoes, especially since I saw the movie Dante's Peak when I was in middle school. Well, I made it through the conclusion of this book, and it is both gripping and moving! As I read it in the early morning hours, I ended up shedding a few tears.

Pompeii: City on Fire is not a light-hearted read, nor is it an easy one, but it is a powerful one that attests to God's control in all things and the beauty of faith amidst the darkest storm.

*With thanks to the author for providing me with an Advanced Reader Edition of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

Note: Since this was an Advanced Reader Edition, some changes might have been made to the final edition which would not be taken into consideration in this review.

I chose two discussion questions to respond to, but feel free to respond to any of the ones on Higley's list, or share any random thoughts that come to mind!

Question: The end of the story involves some specific intervention by God, showing His power. Do you believe God still works in this way? If so, where have you seen or experienced it?

My Response: Yes! I believe God loves us, and because He loves us I believe He cares enough to be involved in our lives and not leave the world to its own devices. If He did leave the world alone, none of us would ever be able to have a relationship with God. Jesus' death and resurrection shows at least one case of God specifically "intervening" in human history to reach out to the people He created who couldn't escape from sin on their own. As for today, I believe He is still sovereign and still works miracles, big and small, like my very own Christmas miracle that I blogged about back in December. =)

However, I do have to say that I don't know if I like the term "intervention." Dictionary.com gives one definition as: "interposition or interference of one state in the affairs of another." Because God is Creator and Lord of all, I don't think he ever "interferes" in our lives, nor do I believe that He only intervenes at specific points in history. He is working His good and perfect will throughout time, and He's always here!
Question: The eruption of Vesuvius and the escape takes up much of the latter part of the book. How did you feel about the author’s treatment of this tragic historical event?

My Response: Higley has a gift for writing, in my opinion! As I mentioned in my review, I ended up crying a little bit when reading the ending--so I think her treatment of the event is a very moving and powerful one. Her descriptions definitely show the tragedy of the eruption and destruction, but throughout all of the suffering, she deftly weaves in hope.

And here's what's next on the schedule:
Next month the Christian Fiction Book Club will be discussing Digitalis by Ronie Kendig. As far as I know (correct me if I'm wrong, Joy!), a host hasn't been chosen yet for this discussion, which will be on Saturday, August 13th.

Please join the discussion! If you read Pompeii and want to share your thoughts, go ahead and leave a comment on this post!

Thunder of Heaven Giveaway!

I was recently asked to help promote the June 2011 Zondervan release, Thunder of Heaven by Tim LaHaye & Craig Parshall, which means I have some exciting news for you! If you're a fan of LaHaye's "Left Behind" series (of if you are simply interested in giving LaHaye's latest book a try!), Zondervan has generously agreed to give away a copy of Thunder of Heaven to one of my readers!

Here's some information on the book:

"Best-known for the 'Left Behind' series, LaHaye and his co-author Parshall introduced readers to 'The End' series with last year’s EDGE OF APOCALYPSE. Now, in THUNDER OF HEAVEN (Zondervan; on-sale June 28th), lead character Joshua Jordan is back. In an epic story ripped from the headlines of world events and filtered through Scriptural prophecy, THUNDER OF HEAVEN chronicles the earth shattering events which eventually lead up to the Apocalypse foretold in Revelation.

According to TV personality Glenn Beck, 'Tim LaHaye’s books always entertain, educate and thrill, but THUNDER OF HEAVEN takes it to a new level.'"

If you'd like a chance to win this book, here's what you need to do/know:

• Leave a comment saying you'd like to be entered in the drawing. Please include your e-mail address!

• You must have a U.S. or Canadian mailing address.

• A winner will be announced when I return from vacation (sometime the first week of July).

Good luck!

Disclaimer: I haven't read Thunder of Heaven, so I can't say whether I recommend the book or not. But I'm grateful to Zondervan for offering to give away a copy to one of my readers!

Glass Road PR: Forever After Review to Come!

Here's a description of the book from Simon & Schuster:

"A fire killed his best friend and his lifelong dream of being a firefighter. The same fire killed her husband and hopes for a family. Can new dreams replace old?

Lucas Vermontez was a proud firefighter like his father. Now, not only has he lost his father and his best friend, Zach, in the fire at the Grove Street homeless shelter, but the devoted rookie can no longer do the work he loves after being crippled in the tragic event. When friendship with his buddy's beautiful widow turns into more, he wonders, what could he possibly offer Jenna?

Jenna Morgan is trying to grieve her husband's death like a proper widow, but the truth is, she never really loved Zach. His death feels more like a relief to her. But that relief is short-lived when she loses her home and the financial support of her in-laws. Now the secrets of her past threaten to destroy her future. Can the two forget the painful past and discover new reasons to live and love?"

Note: I apologize that I haven't finished the book or written my review yet, but hopefully not long after I get back from vacation I'll be able to share my thoughts with you! I'm enjoying it so far--Deborah's writing ability is superb!

*With thanks to the publisher and Glass Road PR for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

Gone on Vacation

Tomorrow my family and I are heading for Sunriver, Oregon for a relaxing vacation! I love our family vacations, and this year my great-aunt and my cousin will be joining us in Oregon for a few days, which will be great! =)

Like last year, I'm planning on spending the following 10 days or so away from the blogosphere, so I can enjoy the undivided time with God and my family. (I'm planning on checking my e-mail occasionally, though, if you need to get a hold of me!) I love blogging, but it's amazing how time-consuming it can be, as you all know. ;) However, I will miss you all, and I look forward to catching up that first week of July!

Before I go, there are some loose ends I need to tie-up and some announcements I need to make:

First, I want to thank Beth from Beth's Thoughts for passing on "The Irresistibly Sweet Blog Award" to me and this blog! Thank you, Beth, for your support and kindness!

I'm supposed to share some random facts about me, so here goes nothing!

• I have a cat named Mr. Murphy who stays at my grandparents' house. He's a brown tabby--a sweet purring machine and a dear friend!
  

• I'm listening to bluegrass music as I write this. Are you surprised? ;)

• I love to dance, even if I'm not very good at it!
  

• I also love to sing, even if I'm not very good at it! ;)

OK, enough about me! Here are the super sweet bloggers I'm passing this award on to:

• Renee at Black 'n Gold Girl's Book Spot

• Laura at LauraFrantz.net

• Casey at Writing for Christ

• Joy at Edgy Inspirational Romance

• Kav at Best Reads (2010-2011)

• Bluerose at Bluerose's Heart

Second, I wanted to let ya'll know that even though I'll be gone for the next week-ish, I still have a couple of posts pre-scheduled, including a cool giveaway! So feel free to comment while I'm gone, and I'll check in with you when I get back.

Also, I have posts scheduled for Monday, June 27th and Monday, July 4th over at The Borrowed Book, so I'd love to have you stop by there, as well, if you get a chance! As with this blog, I'll plan on checking the comments when I return. =)

Third, the weekend after I get back is the Christian Fiction Book Club discussion of Pompeii: City on Fire, which I'll be hosting right here at this blog (Saturday, July 9th)! Be sure to mark your calendars!

I hope you all are having a great summer so far! God bless!