Come, Thou Almighty King

A Web Search With A History Lesson

I know we all spend more time on the internet than we intend to. I am blessed that almost on a daily basis, I find helpful things, instead of mind-sucking-time-wasting things. I find sales, recipes, reconnect with friends, and most importantly I use it as a worship tool! I search for one thing and end up forgetting what I was doing as I learn more about the history of the church, devotionals, people sharing the Lord's love and online Bible study communities.

Whew, back to the title and purpose of this post...Come, Thou Almighty King. I fell upon this blog post searching for the lyrics to “Come, Thou Almighty King”. My church also did Kingdom Rock VBS, which always has great worship music, and it was one of the songs. We were invited to lead music worship at a local Layman’s camp, and I managed to round up a pianist and children willing to sing. So, we chose classics that require only one practice, because the kids know them, and this particular song, from VBS. I stumbled upon a little history lesson I think is worth the read.  Click here to read about "Come, Thou Almighty King"

School Shopping: When You Have to Buy New

I love to shop, but hate to see my bank balance go down.  I find I tackle shopping trying to get the most for the least, and I take this challenge to a competitive level.  I start out with a strategy to find all I can during 'garage sale season'; which in Michigan is primarily May-September. Then towards the half point of summer, I start retail shopping.  When I buy new I follow the following steps:

• Know Goodwill prices; make it a goal to get new around the same price.
• Sign up for mailing lists, coupons can come snail mail, email or text.
• If you can control yourself, a store card sometimes yields and extra 5-25% off.
• Shop clearance
• Coupon Stack; some stores let you use more than one code.
• Free shipping should always be a goal, unless the gas costs more that shipping to drive there.
• Rebates for places you shop are great.  I use Ebates regularly. Every time I click a store link and shop, I get a cash % back in the form of a quarterly check. Shopping stores I shop anyway. 
• Ebates

The results of my strategies yield name brand/mall brand clothing for my family at used prices, and at better quality than if I just went to cheap stores that also sell groceries.

Any questions? Suggestions? Feel free to comment.  Happy shopping.

A Book I Couldn't Put Down

A Noble Groom at Amazon.com

This is a book review on A Noble Groom by Jody Hedlund.

Based in the 1880’s, German settlement around the thumb area, the story unfolds around a young widow and her family.  They send to the ‘old county’ for a cousin for her to marry, so she can keep her land and have protection.  In the mean time a nobleman hiding from false charges is directed to help her homestead until her husband can make the trip to America.  Of, course they fall in love and there are hardships that bring them closer, while family and station try to keep them apart.  There are other themes throughout the book beyond tough farm life, class separation and wifely submissiveness. As a Christian book, there are themes about forgiveness, God loving widows and children and values. 

I love historical fiction, and Jody Hedlund has another gem in this book.  As a Michigan native I enjoy finding out more about the early settlers as they build towns around principles of God, family and hard work.  I could not put this book down.

This is a review copy from Bethany House Publishing Group.  I chose this book from a list as an item of interest.  I was not compensated and opinions are my own.

Sweet Book

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The following is a review of the book Unrivaled by Siri Mitchell.

This book is set in 1910, and amazing, busy time to be a forward thinking woman of society.  Lucy lives in a world of rules and social grace wrapped around being an only child. Her father has fallen ill, and the family fortune is dwindling.  She is being pushed into an ‘appropriate’ marriage match while struggling not to fall for the rival candy maker’s son. Business becomes competitive and dirty as these two families try to one up one another. 

This was quite a fun read, could not put it down.

This book was given to me as a  review copy from Bethany House Publishing Group.  I was not compensated for this review and all opinions are my own.

Interesting Book of Love, Change and Politics

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The following is a review of the book Firefly Island by Lisa Wingate.

I love when the central character in a book grows throughout the story. Mallary Hale was working in Washington DC when her life was turned upside down; she meets, falls in love, marries, becomes a mother and moves across the country in the blink of an eye.  She learns to see life outside the bubble she grew up in, takes on small town life and the game of politics.  She steps out of her comfort zone and sees the reality of life is different for others. This former career gal goes through so many changes, she begins to blog out of frustration and to keep friends and family up to date in her daily adventures.  Beyond the daily struggle she begins to trust and believe in God, and how she is in the right place at exactly the right time. 

This book was given to me as a  review copy from Bethany House Publishing Group.  I was not compensated for this review and all opinions are my own.

A Fun Book Full of History and Mystery

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The following is a review of the book The Tutor’s Daughter  by Julie Klassen. 

I thought this was a nice little Christian book of characters wrapped around a love story.  The main character is an educated woman whose father runs a school for boys.  Her father is offered a job to tutor two young boys who happen to be the younger brothers of former students. The job is at the pupils home, which will require relocating to a new town.  She remembers the older brothers from their days at the school; one was her friend and the other tormented her with pranks.  Years later she’s curious to see how the older brothers fair, now that they are grown men.

As with many stories there is emotional conflict and a struggle to have a personal relationship with God grow.  True to many historical fiction works, there’s is a clash with class hierarchy and the desperate measures people go through to retain fortune and status. To make the  book even more exciting there is a mystery entwined. 

I will look for more books by this author in the future!

This book was given to me as a  review copy from Bethany House Publishing Group.  I was not compensated for this review and all opinions are my own.

A Wonderful Guide to Christian Leadership in a Comprehensive Book

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The following is a review of the book The Conviction to Lead: The 25 Principles of Leadership that Matters by Albert Mohler. 

I found this book a good outline of qualities sought in a leader.  It would also serve as a great tool to keep a leader consciously on track.  My favorite part as relating to the aspects of a Christian leader within this book talk of how a leader has a story that they believe in and retell.  The book outlines 25 leadership principles, and is separated into 25 chapters.  I think this would be a beneficial read to anyone who wishes to strengthen leadership skills and anyone seeking an employer or organization that lead as such.

This was a nice read, as I am taking some steps in leadership myself. I found myself nodding my head in agreement and also felt fueled and strengthened in my beliefs.

This book was given to me as a  review copy from Bethany House Publishing Group.  I was not compensated for this review and all opinions are my own.