Rex, by Cahtleen Lewis. Thomas Nelson Publishers

Now this is a book I absolutely love and highly recommend. REX is the story of love and hope and determination and so much more. And quite frankly, in my estimation, the hero of the story is not Rex, the boy, but his mom. Cathleen is amazing! Her energy and love for her son is something that any woman CAN posses but many don't.

As a reader, I found myself rooting for Rex as I have my own children through their struggles and accomplishments in life. Until recently those struggles for my children were small potatoes to Rex's. Recently my adult son became a quadraplegic from an IED explosion in Iraq. The tasks that my son has learned to accomplish show the determination that one must possess to overcome obstacles and live a full live. Fuller than full actually. Ms. Lewis, Rex's mom, needed to be his determination as his autism kept him from expressing his own for a long time.

This reminds me of the time when I was speaking with Andrew on the phone, he was in California and I in New Jersey, when he suddenly let out a "soft" expletive. I asked what happend and his reply was that he had dropped a handful of shaving cream on the floor. Shaving Cream? Why was my son bothering with shaving cream and a razor when he could have simply grabbed an electric razor and been done with the job. After all, he has no finger movement, necessary for blade shaving. Why? Because he wanted to!

Rex's mom helped him avoid the easy way out and try and accomplish the more difficult, to live a fuller life. Skiing? Blind and Austistic? Rough stumbling blocks but not impossible ones. I wonder if I would have half the energy and will that she continued to exhibit on her son's behalf.

Rex's sweet personality will captivate your heart and Cathleen will inspire you to hold on and let go of your children all at the same time.

This book is a real blessing. Think I'll read it again, very soon.

Enjoy.

Day after Christmas Reflection, 2008

This is nice, having the day after Christmas off and no where to be until about noon. I plan on having lunch with Bill & getting the oil changed in my car. And that is it!! No shopping and taking advantage of Black Friday II. I paid cash for every single gift and grocery item for Christmas and don't intend to break that record today. Plus there is absolutely nothing to be added to the gifts I received this year.

You may know we celebrated Christmas twice this year. Once the first weekend of December when the Florida kids were up and then again yesterday with just the locals. And one day was just as special as the other, just different.

Some of the highlights from yesterday:

Our oldest granddaughter, Ashley (FL) sent a package to NJ with gifts purchased with her very own money. Her economics class at school (3rd grade) held a Holiday Bazaar stocked with merchandise made by the students. Each student was to earn "investment capital" at home, purchase supplies, consider man hours etc to determine the retail price of the item. Whew! What are they teaching kids these days? To become productive, contributing citizens or what? We received a decoupage patriotic plate - perfect for the mantle in our Patriotic Christmas Tree room! We also had a great phone conversation earlier in the day with both Ashley & Emily. Always a neat tradition.

And then, our local kids arrived and we had an early dinner. I missed the 3pm sit down time by four minutes!!! And all the food was hot and no burned rolls!! Amazing.

We gathered around the kitchen table, all 11 of us. Oops 10, Brayden (6 mos) took a nap during most of the meal - good boy!

We served sparkling cider in wine glasses, including a shorter glass for Mackenzie (3 yrs). She looked so cute picking it up by the stem and taking sips. And picking it up again and again. Monica (mom) had to move it from her reach and work out a deal. Bite of food, sip of juice. It was really cute. Sorry no camera at the table, darn!

The first gift Brayden opened - with big sister's help - had a clear front on the package. Brayden was sitting on his mommy's lap at the time and when he saw the package he leaned forward and put his face right to the plastic mouth wide open. Inside was a set of teething keys we are sure he wanted to get to, right away. It was cute. Oh by the way, he got "two front teeth" for Christmas and he knows how to use them. Ouch!

Sometime later, after dessert, Pop Pop and Mackenzie retired to the library to do puzzles. Brian (Kelly's boyfriend & police officer) slept through dessert. He worked the night shift Christmas Eve and had to go back to work at midnight. Mom just needed her chair and ottoman, and I think she dove right into her new set of crossword puzzle books (gift from Kelly & Brian).

The rest of us started a game of Scattagories with Teams.
Team One: Kelly & Sara
Team Two: Andrew & Kevin
Team Three: Monica & me

Team One just about walked away with the win! Team Two came in second with some really weird answers. And poor Team Three. Me, 57 year old grandmother and Monica, exhausted young mother with infant in arms while we played. What were we thinking?

But it's funny to see the personalities through the responses to the different catagories. A dice is tossed indicating the letter to be used for the beginning letter of all answers in the round of 11 or 12 topics. My favorite: Companies using the letter G.
Team Three (mommy & grandmom)? Grayco (baby furniture & equipment).
Team Two(boys)? Goodyear (car tires).
Team One(girls, ie shoppers)? Gucci! DUH!!! I think they made a date to go shopping this weekend with thier winnings!

I chuckle even now.

Too soon, for me, the evening came to an end. I had a bit of closure loading the new dishwasher and visiting with Mom and Bill before we retired to our separate living quarters. And then to bed - at 9:30!

It was a good day! A really really good day.

Thanks Jesus for giving us a reason to gather and to give and to enjoy.

Visit Boomtown!

My third book for review for Thomas Nelson Publishers was a juvenile piece of fiction called Boomtown: Chang's Famous Fireworks Factory. Author Nowen N. Particualr has done a bang-up job of drawing a smile to the reader's face telling tales of the citizens of Boomtown, Washington, USA. The folks of Boomtown include everything from fireworks to Hen-Grenades and Rocket Reindeer at every event and celebration. You never know what will blast the town into a new day.

I did find the sub-plot, a mystery, is a bit vague during most of the story. Also, one character's participation in the mysterious events could have been developed a bit more, maybe to let the reader in on a bit of the secret.

I appreciate the author using a vocabulary above children level. Always appreciate the opportunity to expand kids' vocabs. Examples? Hortaculture, canopy, stoic, plundering marauders. See what I mean?

I can just see Adam Chandler as the pastor who is, I suppose, the main character of the story. I think it would make a good comedy. A Laurel and Hardy kind of film for the new millenium.

Size of snow storm? Irrelevant!

Our Florida grandchildren brought their parents to NJ for an early Christmas this year. Before arriving the girls, Ashley and Emily, had asked for and hoped for snow. They think once it's cold in NJ, snow is a given.

We had a lovely day with food, all our kids & grands and presents. What did we do for entertainment before children? They certainly kept us smiling. They are better than any game (video or otherwise), sports event or movie on TV. We just love them and their antics.

About the time we were done with the usual holiday activities, Bill took a look outside to discover it was snowing. Well, to be honest it was really just dusting or flurrying. Certainly not what we North-Easterns would call a snow storm. But to our girls, including Mackenzie from Philly, it was a bonafide, get-bundled-up, hurry-before-it-stops event. And that's just what they did. Their dad, Jeff, even changed out of his shorts into jeans to join them. Me? Oh I stayed inside with the camera, thank you very much.

Oh the joy! They ran, they gathered, they stuck out their tongues for a sampling. And then they did what a NJ kid might not think possible. They built a snowman. Uh, a snow mini-guy? We really don't know what to call it. They used our snowman kit, complete with wooden carrot-shaped nose and black pipe. Even a big red heart.

The inscription on the box that holds the snow man pieces says: "To build a snowman with somone you love, will surely warm your heart."

It sure warmed ours to see the girls enjoying themselves so much. Maybe the best Christmas present we gave this year. Thanks Accu-Weather for the surprise and God for the supply.

We are looking forward to Christmas 2008 II on Dec 25th with just our local kids. I'll have to get my boots ready and fill in for Ashley & Emily and give Mackenzie a hand should snow fall again.

Uh, maybe we'll do play-doh snowmen. They're always fun, right? Oh I am getting sooooo old.

My Little Girl by Tim McGraw & Tom Douglas

What a cute little book! The story is of a daddy & "his little girl" spending a day together. A Daddy-date! Though Katie expected something "spectacular" and prepared for it, the day was quite different than she imagined.

This author (daddy, Country singer Super Star) could have written about any of the extraordinarily expensive days he most likely has spent on and with his daughter. But he chose simplicity to show the SPECTACULAR love he has for his daughter. And the love all daddies (and moms) can show to their children without breaking the bank!

And the illustrations are adorable. Art gallery quality, with love.

Another book worth placing on your bookshelf.

Book Report - Haven't done one in years!

I have recently enrolled in a program with Thomas Nelson Inc. publishers, to read and review (on my blog) one of their recent books. I chose "Billy" an "untold story of a young Billy Graham and the test of faith that almost changed everything".1

I don't typically read non-fiction, but as the Reverend Billy Graham nears the end of his earthly life and grows closer and closer to Heaven I thought I'd like to read this now rather than later.

What an excellent choice! I pray you will take the time to read it. This relatively short book covers only a portion of the evangelist's life, but probably the most powerful, life-changing portion of his life.

"Billy" is brilliantly told in a narrative style of Rev. Graham's early life, from high school through the time of his early tent meetings in 1959. The flash-forward chapters of a deathbed interview with one of Billy's dearest friends in 2001 brings intrigue and insight into the powerful Christian's "crisis of faith"2.

Even being aware of the amazing career of Rev Graham, the book was a real page turner! All will be blessed by reading.

I now hold a greater appreciation for this man of God's walk with the Saviour and his desire for all to know Jesus.

Blessings as you read, Carole

1,2. Cover of Billy, William Paul McKay & Ken Abraham, Thomas Nelson, 2008

What bumps?

James 2 (Young's Literal Translation)

The Royal Rule of Love

James 2:2-4 For example, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty clothes. If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, “You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor”—well, doesn’t this discrimination show that your judgments are guided by evil motives?

2nd Annual Pumpkin Patch Trip

Mackenzie is just three years old but she re-taught me a lesson on our trip to the Pumpkin Patch a few weeks ago.

Our favorite place to go for our Harvest (Halloween) pumpkins is Emery's Blueberry Farm in New Egypt, NJ. We frequent the farm and farm store often throughout the year. I love their pies, just not the blueberries. If you know me, you know I don't like any berries, much to my mother's chagrin. I don't believe Mom would count life necessary without berries, especially straw & blue.

The Emery family offers a wagon ride around the farm, bypassing the actual pumpkin patch returning their guests to a field with rows of pumpkins "planted" for easy pick up.

Families also spend time looking at farm animals and taking pictures with the large cutout Halloween and farm-like characters.

Mackenzie allowed us a quick visit with the penned animals but was totally focused on choosing pumpkins. One for herself and one for Brayden, her four month old brother. She wasn't interested in the wagon ride either, so directly to the field we went.

We adults all know the complexities of carving a not-so-perfect pumpkin. If you don't find the flat bottom and the fully rounded, flawless surface to carve, you might have a lopsided looking jack-o-lantern.

As we adults tried steering her to our opinion of the perfect pumpkin, Sweetiepie had different ideas.

Cute picture, right? Well, look at that pumpkin! Bumps all around it! How do you incorporate that into a typical jack-o-lantern face? May I be crude and call them zits? pimples? But Mackenzie didn't notice. And her parents, God bless them, did not even try to point them out. To bring attention to its flaws may open Mackenzie's eyes to the "flaws" of her family, friends and neighbors. And grandmom! Oh please let her love me with my gray hair, extra pounds, imperfect complexion and not the most "today" wardrobe, and my silly jokes etc etc.

What a lesson in the pumpkin patch! What ever our fellow men wear - or look like - or smell like - or talk like - or _____________, welcome them! Into your house of worship, your fellowship, your home, your circle of friends and family.

Thanks Mackenzie, Grandmom needed that!