Wings of the Wind by Connilyn Cossette

I love a book that keeps you so excited that you will not put it down and this book is indeed a page turner!  Alanah, is a survivor, fighter, woman, unique, broken, and beautiful person that you will fall absolutely in love with and fighting for from the beginning.  Tobiah, the Hebrew who saves her on the battle field is a true gentlemen that captures your heart and together they make the most beautiful love story.  Life is not easy for anyone, but God provides in the most amazing ways.

Connilyn Cossette is an author that uses just the right word and phrasing that makes your heart soar and falter with the characters.  I truly become a part of her stories and this is the 3rd book in Connilyn's series Out From Egypt.  I would be hard pressed to pick a favorite, because each one is truly beautiful.  Capturing God's stories and putting them into a fictional story that makes you think and makes you fall more and more in love with God through each one.

I have always wondered about manna.  Yes, manna.  Well, through the pages you begin to think you know how it taste and the absolute miracle that it truly is and once again the author captures how we take things for granted.  Alanah was so hungry the first time she tasted manna and she never lost the desire and love for the sweet taste.  

Alanah was a Canaanite warrior when you meet her that was fighting disguised as a man and wounded when Tobiah discovers her laying hurt and wounded.  Tobiah brings her back to camp to the woman that is a midwife, she also helps with the wounded.  The healing of her body and heart begin the moment that Alanah meets Tobiah.  

I don't want to give any more of this beautiful story away.  I want each of you to give this gift to yourself or a loved one.  I promise it is beyond 5 stars and it will capture and make your heart swell!  God's love and forgiveness are shown throughout each page.  It is real.  It is authentic and so honest that you will see things in this story that are happening right now and perhaps new eyes will be given through these characters and this author's gift of storytelling.  Eyes for all of us to forgive and let go and keep our eyes on Our Savior.

Go to your local bookstore or order it online today!  It would make a perfect Mother's Day gift if your mom likes to read.

I also want to tell you that this book also entices you to open your Bible and read it with new eyes!  So don't wait.

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

DISCLAIMER:  I received a free copy of this book from the author/publisher.  I was not required to write a positive review, and have not been paid for this.  It is my honest opinion and review.

Baseball and Blue Angels

Yesterday was a real treat!  We had some of our great American values at the ball field!

We had baseball, the American flag, take me out to the ballgame in the 7th inning and the Blue Angels!  It doesn't get any better than this...I was sitting beside my dad, who is now 84 and another gentleman that looked much older than my dad and it was great.  I have to tell you it was emotional.  Emotional with the flag flying proudly over the center field wall, my nephew playing catcher in one of his last college games, the Blue Angels which just give you chills and my dad sitting with Pam and I.

It just doesn't get any better than special times with people you treasure.  It really has been emotional with Vaughn getting to this point in his life.  Not exactly sure what his next step is and where that will lead and supporting him as much as possible and then honestly just getting older.  Not so much me as much as all the folks I love so dearly.  We truly realize with age what really matters...or at least I hope we all do.  It is not stuff.  It is people.  It is moments.  It is these truly special moments of patriotism and family.

I am a proud aunt and daughter.  I love going to all the games with my dad to support my nephews.  Pam truly does share these guys with me and they mean the world to me.  So I celebrate life!

Moments that thrill you beyond words, but scare you at the same time!  Wow, these guys are special! Thanks for the show Blue Angels!

My oldest nephew is the one standing up in the back.  He is truly banged up at the moment with back injury and hurting.  Please keep him in your prayers, he wants so badly to finish up strong!

I love you Vaughn and whether you continue on the baseball field or decide another route...you make me so proud to say you are my nephew!  

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Reinvented in the words of Aunt Martha

New things all to a new and improved you?  Does that sound good?  It did to me.

  I am feeling very pushed out of my comfort zone, but I am enjoying it.  I don't show you this painting, because I think it is wonderful.  I show it because I am stretching myself to try things I've never done before.  No jumping out of airplanes, but creative things!  We are never too old to learn and grow.

I heard Nancy Kerrigan say on Good Morning America that she really enjoy DWTS because it was pushing her out and that is how I am feeling.  My Aunt Martha told me at dinner Monday night Deb you are reinventing yourself and that is a good thing.  She went on to say that we should all do this several times in our lifetime. Aunt Martha is ??(not sharing her age)Re and still learning!  I thought about it and she's right.  Life gets boring, if it is the same.  Yet, I believe God wants us to learn and grow and that is why these times are so fulfilling.  He wants us to create and to share in His Creation and so I am.

I am enjoying taking photos and I am enjoying art.  So today's post, is about encouraging others to get outside your comfort zone.  I don't how that might look in your life, but push past the same, the ordinary, the safe and try to widen your horizons.  You will feel good and it will improve your outlook on life.  Opening your eyes to a whole new world!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie

Where did the time go?

Yesterday, I took a trip down memory lane.  It was great, beautiful, and eye-opening.

I decided rather than sit in the house and watch another hallmark movie, that I would grab my camera and go for a ride.  I ended up in east Texas.  I love this part of the country and it brings back lots of fun family memories.  We had a lake house outside of Jefferson on Lake of the Pines.  We enjoyed growing up on this lake, laughing, crying, and arguing like siblings do...and parents telling us to stop it right now.

As I rode along, so many things popped into my mind.  The family gatherings from my dad's side of the family with all my great uncles and aunts, papaw, and lots of noise and food!  Always, the food at the Sutton gatherings with lots of football...well really only Arkansas talk.  So many gone and so few of us left, but such happy thoughts. 

Looking across this lake it brought back a memory that was so scary.  We had a boat that we had dry docked near the lake.  We always stopped to get the boat on the way to the house.  We took it down to the boat launch and in it went.  Hal and daddy boarded it to bring it around to the house and we went on by car to the house.  In a little while, daddy came walking into the house drenched from head to toe ~ cowboy boots and all!  Hal was slowing walking behind him white as a ghost and scared. 

 On the way to the house, a freak accident happened.  Daddy put the boat where he always did to go to the back of the boat and check something.  When he did something had happened to the gears and it started going in circles and threw him out of the boat.  Daddy told us that right as the motor was right by his head it suddenly stopped.  Hal had thought quick enough (God told him to) turn the key off.  Anyway, our very close call had a very happy ending, but a scary one.  Hal was probably between 10 and 12 and on down the line for our ages.  The lake was never the same for all of us.  It wasn't long before we sold the boat and soon the house.

  Yet, I smiled looking across the lake at how good life has been for all of us.  We celebrate the good and bad knowing that God has been with us through each step.  We celebrate family that we laughed with and will one day again.  Yet, we still have so much to still laugh and share together as family.  My parents are still going strong along with my siblings and their crews...along with my smaller crew of Kenny and I and our doggies.  Yet, life is still throwing us out of boats...not really boats, but obstacles that we must learn how to handle.  All of us must figure out that God is handling it all and we must trust and believe it.  The treasured family members have been examples of learning to do just that...trust God and move forward!

Memories are good for the soul.  I thought wow over fifty years since we started coming here to this part of Texas.  It still is beautiful.  It still is fun.  So I celebrate the good times and look forward to more holding God's hand through all!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie