The Seraph Seal ~ A BookSneeze Review

Wow! What an exciting book. Leonard Sweet and Lori Wagner really and I mean really  did a stunner of a job on The Seraph Seal. I really enjoyed the Left Behind series and while I was reading those I thought no book could ever come close to being as amazing as they were.  I received The Seraph Seal from BookSneeze in review for my unbiased opinion. I am very glad I chose this book to review!

I was pleasantly surprised with this book. It managed to do in one book what Left Behind didn’t manage in a dozen. The Seraph Seal is superb. The characters are so real, so well developed and given terrific back story it seems like you are reading a biography or a historical account, not fiction.

The central themes throughout this engaging novel, which I read in one eleven hour block, is end time prophecy and the fulfillment of that prophecy, specifically the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. With a dizzying spate of worldwide travel seeking clues and information interwoven with a touching love story, political intrigue and flat out murder this suspenseful mystery kept me thoroughly engaged the entire time.

The four horsemen are symbols of prophecy and agents of God to fulfill His prophecies. They are tied symbolically to the four elements of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. One December night, thirty years before the ‘current events’ taking place, there were nine births. Eight babies were all born with a symbolic birthmark, one of the symbols of the elements to mark them as one of the horsemen. Paul Binder was the ninth baby born and just before his birth his mother received a very special gift, an antique key and a note telling her to name the baby Paul. Paul is to grow up and have a very special place in the end times.

If this review has intrigued you, get your hands on a copy because I can honestly say this is the best Christian fiction I have read in a very, very long time!

☺☺PENNYWISE PLATTER☺☺ June 30th, 2011

Here it is, another delicious edition of The Penny Wise Platter from The Nourishing Gourmet. 

Today I'm going to share an inexpensive meal that is also FAST and delicious! Everything comes together quickly and bakes at the same time in the oven so it all comes out on the table at once and is no fuss! 

This is also the type of menu  my husband affectionately calls a "Hunter's Delight" because it uses up little bits of this and that that you 'hunt' through the cupboards and pantry for.

Jenn & Pat's Southern Meatloaf

I found this recipe this morning on Jenn's blog (don't you LOVE the name of her blog?) and made it right away. The Stove Top adds an herby goodness and moisture that can't be beat and the BBQ sauce adds sweet kicky yumness (oh look, I made a new word!) that I could not believe. 

Ingredients:

2 lbs ground meat

1 cup barbecue sauce

1 cup Stove Top Stuffing

2 eggs 

Beat the eggs in a bowl. Add the other ingredients and mix well. Put in your loaf pan and bake at 350* for one hour. Voila! Done and YUMMO!!

Now comes the two side dishes that make this dynamite and cook at the same time as the meatloaf:

Easy homemade cheesy scalloped potatoes

4-5 large baking potatoes, peeled and sliced in 1/8-inch thick rounds

2 cups of whatever cheese you have on hand, shredded

2 cups milk (whatever you have in the fridge)

1 stick of butter OR 8 Tablespoons margarine (hey, I know not everyone has butter these days!)

Butter or spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish generously. Layer one-fourth of the potatoes, sprinkle 1/2 cup of cheese over and pour 1/2 cup of milk over. Dot with 2 Tablespoons of margarine cut into small pieces. Repeat layers ending with cheese/milk/butter. Cover with foil and bake right alongside the meatloaf for an hour at 350*. 

Roasted carrots

1 large bag or two small bags ready-to-eat baby carrots (you can wash and peel if you have regular carrots at home, you'd want two carrots per person if you go that route)

Olive oil

Ground ginger

Ground nutmeg

Salt and pepper

Put the carrots in a 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 square baking dish. Generously pour olive oil over. Sprinkle liberally with ginger and nutmeg, salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Bake along with the potatoes and the meatloaf. 

Since ground beef is generally cheap in the 5# chubs here it is usual to have it on hand. I'd say you could buy it for around $2.49 per pound at most markets right now, even cheaper since it's 4th of July weekend. Those ready to eat carrots are ALWAYS on sale here for 2 bags for $3 so I stock up and use up. Potatoes, butter, olive oil, milk and cheese are staples as well and of course the price varies with what you use. I use store brands mostly so this whole meal cost me less than $4 and makes about 8 servings, so that's what, $.50 a serving??? I'd call that VERY penny wise!! 

Have a yummy day! 

The COOLEST giveaway ever ENDS TODAY!!

So, I'm reading through my email this morning and get the Own Your Beauty email from Blogher...did I mention I am rapidly becoming a Blogher addict?

SO, I am reading through the blurbs and clicking through to the 'read mores' when this awesome one from Allie at Wardrobe Oxygen comes up...a Mary Kay giveaway? How awesome is that?!? Ever since high school I've loved Mary Kay but I haven't usually had the money to splurge and feed my needs.

I've been ecstatic to find MK products at Salvation Army or Goodwill or yes, even yard sales...I would sign up to sell but I don't usually have the initial outlay laying around, and when I do I need it for bills or food or well, with three kids, you get the picture.

SO, Allie reviewed the Mineral Eye Color in Sienna, Silky Caramel, and Midnight; Mineral Cheek Color in Shy Blush, Ultimate Mascara in Black, and Tinted Lip Balm Sunscreen SPF 15 in Rose. She looked fabulous with them on and I must say I am oh, so jealous!


I immediately tweeted the opportunity and now I'm blogging it for all, oh, I think THREE of my followers...yeah, so I'm not big in the blog-o-sphere...yet, my pretties...yet! 


I have used MK's Satin Hands pumice scrub for years whenever I find a tube and the lotion is fabulous. Working and living on a farm tends to wear your hands down VERY fast...and this stuff is a dream...I have supermodel hands instead of farmwife hands it is awesome...


Hop on over to Wardrobe Oxygen TODAY and get in on the fun because the contest ENDS TODAY!!!

♥†♥ Word Filled Wednesday ♥†♥ June 8, 2011 ♥†♥

This is today's lesson on Word Filled Wednesday from the awesome ladies at Internet Cafe Devotions, and it is one I really needed to hear repeated.


I am often certain I am exhibiting Godly character traits, including the "fruits of the spirit." But after reading today's wonderful devotion, I realized I am not exhibiting them as well as I thought I was.

For those who are unsure what the fruits of the spirit are, they are love, joy, peace, patience, faithfulness, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self control.

What kinds of fruit is your 'tree' putting out? Let's spend the next week pointedly concentrating on what fruits we want to be able harvest and see sprouting from our trees!

Have a blessed week in the Lord

Lilies in Moonlight ♥†♥ A Blogging for Books Review

This was simply the best inspirational romance novel I have ever read.  I read quite a lot of books which cross many genres. However many of my favorites through the years have been inspirational romance, stories which show that love does not have to be torrid or unpleasing to God, that it can start and be centered on each partner’s relationship with God and putting Him first in their lives and in their relationship.

The characters in this story were so real to me.  Betty Ruth reminded me quite a lot of my own mother who sadly began suffering from age-related dementia about eight years ago. She passed away on April 2^nd of this year and I miss her dearly. This book reminded me to treasure every moment with those you love, especially your elders, because you don’t know from one moment to the next if someone suffering from a neural impairment such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease will remember you or when it is their time to be called home to the Lord. So, remember to treasure your loved ones and say I love you as much as you can.

Lily Margolis, the title character as it were, came from a very difficult upbringing and reminded extraordinarily of my childhood best friend who was raised in a similar home that seemed to lack any love or warmth. Her mom was very religious and treated Dana harshly at times, as well as blaming her for Dana’s father leaving since he didn’t want to be responsible for any children. Lily’s background is nearly identical to my friend Dana’s in that her father left her mother before she was born, a circumstance for which Lily’s mom solely blames Lily. She also resents Lily for the hard life she herself has led, being a single mother in a time when such circumstances were not accepted at all by society. As soon as Lily was able she fled her mother’s home trying to land her feet. She becomes a cosmetics saleswoman, similar to the well-known Avon Lady, and that is how she meets Betty Ruth. Betty Ruth is delighted with Lily and buys all of her products. Lily is a flapper during the “Roaring ‘20’s” period of our American history and the evening after selling her entire inventory to Mrs. Burnside, she accompanies a friend to a very high-class party. After imbibing a bit too much alcohol and wandering off, Lily passes out in the Burnside’s rear garden. She is found the next morning by the housekeeper who thinks she is dead…and calls on the dashing Cullen Burnside to help. To see what ensues you’ll have to read this terrific book for yourself!

This was one of those books that the reader finds themselves thoroughly engaged in and does not want the story to end. I  sincerely hope there are sequels to this novel because I didn’t like saying farewell, however fond, to Betty Ruth, Cullen, and Lily most of all.

†Wednesday Wifehood†

Here it is, Wednesday again. I apologize for the lack of entries but I lost my mom on April 2nd, then I've had finals at college and the pre-entry requirements into my Master's program...

So, here it is at last, a BRAND NEW

 

To join in the Wifehood fun hop over to Christian Frugal Mama and take part!

The latest post entry got me thinking about the Five Love Languages. Now, I was given a copy of the book some years ago and thought "eh, I don't need that." Well, a couple years ago I started wishing I had it. BUT now you can find the Love Language Assessment online which makes it very easy and very quick. Here is my result: 

 I was sort of surprised to find that I tied 3 different languages for #1 but that I didn't get not even ONE tick in "receiving gifts." I mean, I KNOW I'm not a material girl but come on, the fact that I didn't rate one choice preferring a gift to something else? Well, to be honest, it kinda made me feel good, lmbo!

I can't wait to show this to my dh and make sure he knows that I may be pleased when he brings me something but that it is NOT my ultimate 'happy maker.'

I have a feeling this will get us out and about on hikes and canoe trips more this summer as well as some more date nights in with movies!

Love at Last Sight - A Book Review AND Giveaway!

Kerry and Chris Shook have done it again. Love at Last Sight is exactly the book I needed to save my marriage, and it did what I needed it to do. Filled with amazing insight and motivation Love at Last Sight helped me focus on things I had forgotten about as well as things I had never thought about in relation to my marriage. The fact that it is a 30 day journey, not something you have to tackle all at once made it a lot easier to get into and after a couple days I really looked forward to the day's reading and the journaling I did afterward. I was on the brink of leaving because of what I perceived as a lack of love but was actually a combination of exhaustion and a lack of communication on my husband's part that led to emotional wounds and a withdrawing physically, mentally and emotionally on my part. We have the marriage we had both dreamed of and now I am recommending this book to everyone I know who thinks they are about to bail on a marriage because "the love is not there anymore."

I received this book a little more than a month ago and went through it daily. Some days it was very hard
not to read ahead but I wanted to get the full effect of completing the reading, journaling my feelings and praying over the insight I had gotten. Sometimes that meant going back and journaling some more at the end but I was ecstatic with the results and I cannot wait to pass this book on to someone who could really use it!

Now, for the giveaway fun! You receive one entry for commenting. That's all I ask. BUT you can receive more entries for:

• Following! Follow my blog and I will give you TWO BONUS ENTRIES. 
• Tweet about the giveaway! Tweet and put #moira_mcgarry in your tweet so I'll know. 1 entry.
• Facebook it! Post it on your wall then come back here and comment with your FB link. 1 entry. 
• Get your friends to come check it out! If they come, tell them to put you in their comment. You'll EACH get a bonus entry! 

Good luck and have fun!