The Count of Monte Cristo

What a great classic!!! This is another one of those books that must stay on your bookshelf. This is a riveting novel about revenge and the patience to wait for it. The novel begins with laying out the background for the revenge and introducing you to Edmond Dantes through the events that happen within a couple of days/weeks. Edmond Dantes is a very young, trusting and noble man who honors his father and adores Mercedes, who he plans to marry upon his return from sea. But while out to sea the captain becomes ill and asks Edmond to complete a task for him before he passes away. This tasks sets off a landslide of terrible events for Edmond. After returning home, Edmond prepares to marry Mercedes and is arrested during their betrothal breakfast. When he was arrested he met the deputy who made a verbal agreement with Edmond that he was free, but the deputy needed him to wait. Edmond soon found himself being taken to the island where the prison is located and not understanding what was happening. Edmond eventually ends up in a dungeon where he spends four years before meeting a priest who is in a cell near him and they become fast friends. While spending time with the priest, Edmond learns of a family treasure that is hidden and agrees when they get out they would find it. The priest eventually dies while in prison and Edmond uses this to his advantage to get out, dressing in the death clothes. Edmond soon finds himself being thrown over a cliff and into the sea. He survives and begins his long journey of revenge…

So with that I leave you to read the book…just watch out for all the twists that will happen, you will be hooked.

A book is only as good as the discussion that can rise from it.

Well I have not been keeping to my promise of blogging more…Thank you GranolaMom for “reminding” me. For the last two weeks, we have had some colds that hit everyone and Bubba has a double ear infection. So to say it has been kind of miserable in our household is an understatement. So that is my excuse.

About two weeks ago, I was invited by a friend to join a book club with her and some other ladies that I know from church. This is really exciting to me, because I have always wanted to do one with all the reading I do but never have. So of course I was “yes, sign me up” and then she told me that they were reading the Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas. My thinking- “Oh, classic I have never read. I can do this within two weeks.” I did not realize that it was 618 pages and at first I was thinking “What have I gotten myself into?” But I rose to the challenge (with a little help of 2 sick days) and finished the book by this past Saturday morning. Yes, the house did not get clean nor did the laundry. But the kids did get fed and bathed, so it was not a complete distraction.

The book was great, but I will discuss that in the next post. Last night was my first meeting of the book club, which we meet at a coffee/bakery place pretty close to my house (which was really nice and convenient). At first I was a little worried, because I was not fully sure that I was at the right place because there is another one about 10 miles down the road and I was the only one there. But I figured if no one else was there by seven, then I would head to the other one. So I ordered my large chai tea and a glass of water, but it wasn’t long before another member showed up.

The group was great. There were 7 of us and all the different backgrounds of everyone. We had a very good discussion about the book through the use of questions on cards. I had never seen the cards before, but they were really good and did create some discussion. It was interesting to see all the different versions of the book everyone had.

Thank you for inviting me to join and I am looking forward to our next meeting.

Where is God? Book Review

Where Is God?: Finding His Presence, Purpose and Power in Difficult Times by Dr. John Townsend

I found this book to be really hard to “get it”. Dr. Townsend wrote this book with the understanding that everyone’s belief in God using bad things to happen to help strength us is different. The book uses a very methodical way of answering the questions that arise when you feel like God has just abandoned you and you have nowhere to turn. With this question always being asked this book will have uses and he does do very well at relating everything back to scripture and God. But I never really found anything hit me deep in the heart.

For a non-believer or a new christian that is seeking God, this would be a great book to read while struggling with the question of “Where is God?”, but I would not recommend it for someone who has really established a relationship with God.

I review for Thomas Nelson books and received no payment beyond a complimentary copy of this book.

Streaming live…

Into my head. Wow it has been a while since I have posted on my blog and that is not good. So my new February revolution is to blog more and I expect you to hold me to it. So some exciting things have been happening over the past month…and I am going spill the beans.

Big Shu has found himself a part time job working at a woodworking store (just up his alley) and no he has not come home with something every night, but it is close. With this the boys have been spending more time with the grandparents, which has been good for all of them. Bear and Papaw Shu have become buddies verses the antisocialism that was there before. Bear has been growing like a little weed and eats like a cow some days and a bird others. His favorite foods right now are spaghetti and pizza…plus a little McD cheeseburger. But I will never admit that I ate big macs everyday for several months while pregnant with him. Nope; never. Bear has been mastering the English language really well too…and is becoming a very polite young man with thank you and your welcome.

Bubba is growing like a weed and is losing all of his baby-ness. This is really sad for me, because I am not ready to give up my baby. I was thinking the other day, we are 2 months (yes 2) away from Bubba being…Wait for it…2! Can he really be getting that old??? And my mother in law and mom are saying…”yes and it’s time for another one”. Sorry moms, not yet. Bubba received braces for his feet at the beginning of the year and loves them. He has done extremely well with his walking skills since he started wearing them. He is learning to fight for his right on everything and has really found his scream…the terrible twos have already taken their hold.

So that is a very brief update on the boys…

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austin

This is probably one of my favorite classics, I love the book, the movies, and play. This is one of those books that should always be on your bookshelf and is worn by the number of times you have read it.

This story is about three sisters and their struggles with love and heartbreak. The sisters find themselves (along with their mother) having to move to a new home and humble lifestyle after the death of their father. The story centers on the two older daughters Elinor and Marianne with completely different personalities. With nothing to offer for marriage, they find their dreams and love disappearing… But soon, they find themselves in love and planning to marry, Elinor with Edward and Marianne with Willoughby. However, things begin to slowly unravel and the hopes turn into heartache and illness when they find that Edward is engaged to another girl, Lucy Steele and Willoughby plans to marry Miss Grey, a rich debutante. Soon Marianne becomes well and begins to fall in love with Colonel Brandon. Elinor learns the truth from Edward and he in turn proposes. In the end, Marianne marries Colonel Brandon and Elinor marries Edward. Elinor with her good sense and judgment and Marianne with her beauty and passionate spirit life turns out exactly how it was planned.