A Blessed All Saints' Day

Adoration of the Trinity by Albrecht Durer, 1511

From the Archives...

Today, November 1, is the Feast of All Saints. On this day we remember all of the saints who have walked the Pilgrim Pathway before us, living the Christian life in a God-pleasing manner.

The Collect for All Saints from the 2011 Book of Common Prayer 

ALMIGHTY God, you have woven your disciples into one communion and fellowship in the mystical Body of your Son, Christ our Lord; Give us grace to follow your Saints in righteous and holy living, and to come to the joy beyond words which you have prepared for those who truly love you; Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and rules with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen. 

From AmericanCatholic.org's Saint of the Day e-mail:

The earliest certain observance of a feast in honor of all the saints is an early fourth-century commemoration of "all the martyrs." In the early seventh century, after successive waves of invaders plundered the catacombs, Pope Boniface IV gathered up some 28 wagonloads of bones and reinterred them beneath the Pantheon, a Roman temple dedicated to all the gods. The pope rededicated the shrine as a Christian church. According to Venerable Bede, the pope intended "that the memory of all the saints might in the future be honored in the place which had formerly been dedicated to the worship not of gods but of demons" (On the Calculation of Time).

But the rededication of the Pantheon, like the earlier commemoration of all the martyrs, occurred in May. Many Eastern Churches still honor all the saints in the spring, either during the Easter season or immediately after Pentecost.

How the Western Church came to celebrate this feast, now recognized as a solemnity, in November is a puzzle to historians. The Anglo-Saxon theologian Alcuin observed the feast on November 1 in 800, as did his friend Arno, Bishop of Salzburg. Rome finally adopted that date in the ninth century.

Comment:This feast, first honored martyrs. Later, when Christians were free to worship according to their conscience, the Church acknowledged other paths to sanctity. In the early centuries the only criterion was popular acclaim, even when the bishop's approval became the final step in placing a commemoration on the calendar. The first papal canonization occurred in 993; the lengthy process now required to prove extraordinary sanctity took form in the last 500 years. Today's feast honors the obscure as well as the famous—the saints each of us have known.

Quote:“After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.... [One of the elders] said to me, ‘These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb’” (Revelation 7:9,14). 

All Saints of Scotland Icon

And from The High Calling's Daily Reflection:

Today is All Saints Day, a holy day recognized by the Catholic Church and, in various ways, by various Protestant denominations. Eastern Orthodox Christians celebrate the Sunday of All Saints on the week after Pentecost.

Some Christian traditions focus on remembering special Christians on All Saints Day or bringing to mind believers who have died and gone to be with the Lord. This day offers a fine opportunity to thank God for those whose lives have honored him and made a difference to us. Yet, it's important to remember that the biblical sense of "saint" includes all of God's people, not just those who have excelled in discipleship. I thought it might be helpful for us to review what we learned about saints from Ephesians 1:1.

In the opening verse of this letter, Paul addresses the letter's recipients as "God's holy people." Traditionally, the Greek word hagioi, translated here as "God's holy people," is rendered "saints." Thus, the King James version reads, "To the saints which are at Ephesus." In fact, the English word "saint" comes from the Latin sanctus, which means "holy." So, saints are holy people, by definition.

But what does it mean to be a holy person, a saint? From a biblical perspective, something is holy when it is set apart for God and God's purposes. So, an animal to be sacrificed to the Lord is holy because it is designated for this special function. In Exodus 19, God set apart the Israelites as his own "treasured possession" (19:5). They would be a "holy nation" (19:6) through which God would make himself known to the world. In the New Testament, believers in Jesus Christ are referred to as "saints" or "holy people" because they have inherited Israel's divinely conferred status as people set apart by God for him and for his saving purposes.

If you have put your faith in Jesus Christ, you are a saint. You are a holy person. This does not necessarily say anything about your worthiness to receive this title or your exemplary lifestyle, however. I wouldn't recommend that you go around putting "Saint" in front of your name. Rather, you are a saint because God has chosen you to belong to him and his people. He has set you apart so that you might participate in his redeeming work in the world.

Remember, you are not a solo saint. There is no such thing from a biblical perspective. Rather, as a saint, you have been joined to the family of all saints, including those who live around the world and those who have gone to be with the Lord. Therefore, on All Saints Day, it is a perfect time to remember that God has made you special for him and his purposes, and that he has joined you into the eternal, worldwide fellowship of all his saints. Moreover, it's a good day to take seriously the fact that God wants to make himself known in this world through you as a member of the family of all saints.

QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION: When you hear the word "saint" or "holy person," what do you envision? Do you believe that God has set you apart for himself and for his mission in the world? Who are some of the "saints" who have encouraged you in your faith? Why not thank God for them today?

PRAYER: Holy God, it is amazing to think that you have set me apart for you and for your mission. Thank you for choosing me to enter into a relationship with and to serve you in the world.Help me, dear Lord, to live out who I am as a saint. May I see my whole life in light of the fact that you have set me apart for you. May I live distinctively, reflecting your presence and values in all that I do. And may I do so as part of your family of saints.

Thank you, gracious God, for those saints who have meant so much to my discipleship. I thank you for those I have never met, like the Apostle Paul, or J. S. Bach, or C. S. Lewis. And I thank you for those who have nurtured me in a personal way, for my parents and grandparents, for my Sunday School teachers and youth leaders, for my pastors and mentors. Thank you, dear Lord, for these wonderful saints! Amen.

So as we focus on the amazing men and women of the Faith, those who are now the "great cloud of witnesses" who cheer us onward as we run the Race, may we look to His Holy Word which encourages and helps us:

Hebrews 12:1-2, ESV

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

May we indeed run the Race for God's glory as so many of his Saints have done for the past two thousand years!!

Wishing you a blessed remembrance of All Saints,

The Vigil of All Hallows Eve

(re-post from 2009 with some additions)

"If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly bright, as when a lamp with its rays gives you light.” -- Luke 11:36, ESV

The Vigil of All Saints, also known as All Hallows Eve or Hallowe'en, has been celebrated since 835 A.D. when All Saints Day was moved to its present date, November 1. All Saints' Day is the celebration of all who have walked the pilgrim pathway on the straight path, entering by the narrow gate. We can admire these saints and emulate their lives as we, too, journey this pilgrim pathway trod hard and fast by the footsteps of those who have traveled it before us.

However, Hallowe'en, the Vigil of All Saints, has been transformed from a night of fun and "well-mannered frivolity" to an evening that is dark, even dangerous. In my childhood, I remember Hallowe'en being a night of fun and neighborliness, and in our small mountain village, it remains so with several families providing small parties in their front yards for the parents to sit down around small fire pits and chat while the kids visit the houses on the street.

In our village, there's only one area with street lights and concrete curbs (nope, we have no sidewalks in our town--concrete curbing is the best we have, and even that's rare), and that's where most of the Hallowe'en activity is concentrated. In the middle of this area, our local church used to host a "Gospel Barn" in a large front yard with stories and treats for the kids while parents mill around, chatting and drinking hot cider. This year Pine Valley Community Church is combining a "Trunk or Treat" with the "Food Truck Friday" community events we held during the summer. So the whole village is invited to eat, "trunk or treat," and just hang out together around some fire pits.

After Trick-or-Treating, it's a wonderful night to curl up with the kids, a bowl of popcorn in our laps and a "scary" movie on TV, watching Boris Karloff or Bela Lugosi. But Hallowe'en seems to have been co-opted by older teens and adults, and a distinctly sinister tone exists that didn't when I was a child (or perhaps I was merely oblivious to it).

As AmericanCatholic.org states:
While this autumn feast can be used for evil purposes, our culture celebrates it as an innocent night of begging and fun. We who believe in the light of the world can use it to celebrate the Light. "Hallow" means holy and the word Halloween refers to the night before the feast of all holies, or All Saints Day. Emphasize all things good, joyful and pure. Let your children know that they are "children of the light" called to walk in the light.

Remember, though, that All Hallows Eve is a distinctly Christian feast, and Fr. Bosco Peters posted the actual Hallowe'en liturgy on his website Liturgy New Zealand which I reproduce for our use below:

The Forerunners of Christ with Saints and Martyrs (tempera on wood) by Fra Angelico, c. 1423-24

All Saints' Vigil (Halloween)
(congregational responses are in bold)

Liturgical Colour: White

Alleluia! Christ is risen.
He is risen indeed. Alleluia!  

Let us pray.

God of glory, as daylight fades, we give you thanks for surrounding us with the brightness of the evening light; as you enfold us with the radiance of this light, so shine into our hearts the brightness of your Holy Spirit; through Jesus Christ the light of the world. Amen.

Grant us, compassionate God, the lamp of love which never fails, that it may burn in us and shed its light on those around us, and that by its brightness we may have a vision of that holy City, where the true and never-failing Light lives: Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.

God of the universe, you are the source of life and light: dispel the darkness of our hearts, that by your brightness we may know you to be the true God and the eternal light, loving and living, now and for ever. Amen.

Be our light in the darkness, God we pray, and in your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Eternal God, who led your ancient people into freedom by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night: Grant that we who walk in the light of your presence may rejoice in the liberty of the children of God; through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.

Any of the following may follow: Evening Prayer, Night Prayer, readings, a sermon, baptism, the eucharist. A Renewal of Baptism may be used at an appropriate point.

A Renewal of Baptism
I invite you (to stand) to affirm your commitment to Christ and your rejection of all that is evil.

Do you believe in God the Father?I believe in God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, is seated at the right hand of the Father, and will come again to judge the living and the dead.

Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit?I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Those who are baptised are called to worship and serve God. From the beginning, believers have continued in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers.

Will you commit yourself to this life?

I will, with God's help.

Will you forgive others as you are forgiven?

I will, with God's help.

Will you seek to love your neighbour as yourself, and strive for peace and justice?

I will, with God's help.

Will you accept the cost of following Jesus Christ in your daily life and work?

I will, with God's help.

With the whole Church will you proclaim by word and action the Good News of God in Christ?

I will, with God's help. (NZPB p. 390)

Let us give thanks to God.
It is right to offer thanks and praise.

We thank you God for your love in all creation, especially for your gift of water to sustain, refresh, and cleanse all life.

We thank you for your covenant with your people Israel; through the Red Sea waters you led them to freedom in the promised land. In the waters of the Jordan your Son was baptised by John and anointed with the Holy Spirit. Through the deep waters of death Jesus fulfilled his baptism. He died to set us free and was raised to be exalted Lord of all.

We thank you that through the waters of baptism you cleanse us, renew us by your Spirit, and raise us to new life. In the new covenant we are made members of your Church and share in your eternal kingdom.

We pray that all who have passed through the waters of baptism may continue for ever in the risen life of Christ. Through Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all praise and thanks be yours, Redeemer God, now and for ever. Amen. (cf. NZPB pages 385-386)

God our creator, the rock of our salvation, we thank you for our new birth by water and the Holy Spirit, for the forgiveness of our sins, and for our fellowship in the household of faith with all those who have been baptised in your name; keep us faithful to the calling of our baptism, now and for ever. Amen.

A Blessed and Safe All-Hallows Eve to you and yours, my blogging friends!!

In God's Holy keeping,

Even More Book Reviews!

So here are a few more book reviews, mostly dating back into August and early September when I had my Kindle Unlimited account and took a rest between finishing up teaching my Fan Fiction summer course at Brave Writer and starting the new school year....


Darcy Goes to War: A Pride and Prejudice Re-Imagining by Mary Lydon Simonsen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Set during World War II, everyone at Longbourn is doing his/her part in the war effort. Elizabeth drives a lorry, delivering food and supplies where needed. But Elizabeth refuses to fall for anyone when men and dying left and right; the death of Jane's fiance (who was also Elizabeth's childhood friend) taught her that. But what can she do when fighter pilot Darcy starts pursuing her? Set during the rocket attacks in Britain in the days before the attack on Normandy, this book is historically accurate and emotionally compelling; I simply could not put it down!!



Love Never Fails: A Pride and Prejudice Variation by Jennifer Joy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another lovely variation of Austen's beloved Pride and Prejudice. In this variation, Mr. Bennet passes away the morning of the Meryton Assembly; thus, the Bennet women are in mourning and do not meet the Bingleys or Darcy. However, Darcy met Mr. Bennet the day before his death and is carrying guilt regarding the elderly gentleman's passing. Darcy writes a letter that Mrs. Bennet, thinking it a bill, burns. Elizabeth turns down Mr. Collins' proposal despite the fact that marrying him would allow her family to continue at Longbourn, but Charlotte, when she accepts Mr. Collins' offer of marriage, persuades him to allow the Bennets to remain at Longbourn at least until their year of mourning is over. Mrs. Bennet, indignant at Charlotte's acceptance of Mr. Collins and declaring that Longbourn is no longer their home, quits the estate practically overnight, selling off her husband's library (which grieves Elizabeth to no end) to finance her and the older two girls' stay in London while bringing Lydia with her as well; the other two girls remain with the Phillipses. Once in London, the fireworks begin.... ;)

An enjoyable variation of Austen's famous novel, and a delightful summer afternoon read!



The Resolute Suitor: A Pride and Prejudice Variation by Don H. Miller
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A delightful and dramatic variation on Austen's Pride and Prejudice, The Resolute Suitor introduces a very resolute Darcy who, despite Elizabeth's refusal, continues to pursue her. Elizabeth is slowly introduced into the ton and becomes a fixed figure there, and finally she and Darcy become engaged. However, tragedy strikes, and life changes for all of the Bennet girls...and that's all I'm gonna say for now. But it's good. Really good. Unable-to-be-put-down good. Yep. This one is a keeper.

In the hundreds of variations of Austen's novels I've read, I've discovered that some of the most profound versions have been written by men, and Don H. Miller is at the top of that list...along with Austen Variations' Jack Caldwell.



Rumours and Recklessness: A Pride and Prejudice Variation by Nicole Clarkston
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A wonderful variation of Austen's Pride and Prejudice, Rumours and Recklessness starts with a tragic accident at Longbourn that changes the situation of all of the Bennet family on the morning after the Netherfield Ball. This alteration causes the party at Netherfield to not leave, as occurred in Austen's novel, and Elizabeth, practically forced into a marriage she does not want, rebels at the highhandedness of the men who visit her at Longbourn during this difficult time. Will Fitzwilliam Darcy be able to win her heart and hand after all that's happened?

I thoroughly enjoyed this variation of Pride and Prejudice. In fact, I don't usually give 5's to books that are not classics in their own right, but this book was practically un-put-downable. I had to force myself to hide my Kindle out of sight so that I could devote time that I would rather be reading to actually teaching my online classes.

And as I read the author biography at the end, I was thrilled to discover that she is also a homeschooling mom and is also an ardent admirer of Elizabeth Gaskell as well as Jane Austen...just as I am!

So Rumours and Recklessness provides a wonderful excursion back to the Regency era, allowing us readers to revisit our favorite (and not-so-favorite) characters from Austen's most popular novel and enjoy the humor and romance that makes us adore Austen's books and characters so greatly. Read and enjoy!!



Hope For Mr. Darcy by Jeanna Ellsworth
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I always love Jenna Ellsworth's variations of Austen's novels; they are well-written, romantic without being too detailed, contain great character development and exciting plot twists, and contain subtle Christian themes.

Much like Georgia McCall's Obligation and Redemption, the Christian themes are at the heart of the novel, but not in a clingy, saccharine-sweet manner. And while these themes pervade the novel, they add to the plot and the character development rather than detracting from it. For the most part, I have not been a fan of Christian romance novels, but Hope for Mr. Darcy was a delightful read. Much lighter and more accessible than McCall's novel (which I just finished reading before starting this book), it doesn't have the depth and angst of Obligation and Redemption, but Hope for Mr. Darcy, like all of Ellsworth's books, is a wonderful variation of Austen's Pride and Prejudice and should be enjoyed by all devotees of continuations and variations of Austen's novels, whether the readers are Christians or not. And I am looking forward with great anticipation to the second and third volumes in this trilogy series.


The Mistress of Longbourn by Jann Rowland
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A very interesting variation of Austen's Pride and Prejudice, The Mistress of Longbourn finds a very diminished Bennet family. An epidemic struck the village of Meryton, taking the lives of many; hardly a family was left untouched. But Longbourn received the worst of it: the only survivors were Elizabeth, whose strong constitution allowed her to be the only one at Longbourn to fall ill and survive (although her convalescence was lengthy), and Kitty, the only one in the household to never fall ill. With their Uncle Gardiner in London as their guardian and their Uncle Phillips in Meryton to watch over them, Elizabeth and Kitty grow close during their year of mourning. Elizabeth learns to run the estate and Kitty the house, and with wise decisions thanks to a wonderful steward who marries the replacement housekeeper after Mrs. Hill's demise (as well), Longbourn is thriving.

And then Netherfield is let by a single man in possession of a good fortune....

A definite twist or three from the Austen's original, I found myself unable to put this book down. It was well-written, with delightful character development and plenty more twists and turns along the way as Elizabeth, now the mistress of Longbourn, has plenty of admirers to deal with.



Happy Reading!

More Reviews of Recently-Read Books

I have been so busy with teaching three online Brave Writer courses this autumn that my book review posts from Goodreads have fallen sadly behindhand. I tend to read variations of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice for two reasons: firstly, I am currently working on two novellas in this genre, and secondly, I haven't the brain power to meet and get to know new characters, so I stick with long-beloved book series or Austen variations. Some of these reviews date back to late August, but I'll try to post a few groupings over the next week to catch up completely.

Oh, and I rarely give "5" scores except for incredible classics such as Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, Hamlet, etc. So a "4" on a non-classic is really a great score--it means that I enjoyed the book very much indeed. And a "5" on a non-classic is really a "Wow!!"

The Coming of Age of Elizabeth Bennet by Caitlin Williams
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Coming of Age of Elizabeth Bennet is not a short novel, but I managed to finish it in fewer than 24 hours, partly because I took a sick day and partially because I simply couldn't put it down. Darcy meets Elizabeth Bennet when she is only 15, and mayhem ensues, with Elizabeth squarely in the middle. I don't want to write anything further because I don't want to spoil the myriad twists and turns this story takes over a six-year period. But it's an immensely satisfying read...and is definitely impossible to put down. I strongly recommend reading this book when you can clear a day to enjoy it all in one (very long) sitting, because it's quite the roller-coaster ride!!

I've given the "5" rating to only a handful (as in fewer than five) Pride and Prejudice variations out of the hundreds I've read over the past few years, but this one definitely deserves it!

Although I've read this book on Kindle Unlimited, I may have to invest in my own copy so that I can return to it again and again.

(Yes, it was *THAT* good!!)


Darcy's Ultimatum: A Pride & Prejudice Variation by Jennifer Joy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another wonderful variation of Austen's Pride and Prejudice in which Jane and Elizabeth attend the London season with the threat of marrying Mr. Collins hanging over Elizabeth's head if she does not marry during the three months. And Darcy has a similar ultimatum: after Anne de Bourgh's rejection of his suit, he must marry within three months or his father will disinherit him. And then mayhem ensues (as it always does as soon as Elizabeth and Darcy meet). ;)

I have become quite a fan of Jennifer Joy's variations of Austen's novels; she writes with humor and depth at the same time. This is the first of the "Cousins" series, and I am definitely going to read the next two books in the series!


An Heir for Pemberley: A Pride and Prejudice Variation Short Story by Jane Grix
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A sweet short story of the birth of Darcy and Elizabeth's first child, written in third person from Darcy's point of view. I would have loved to have had this vignette expanded somewhat because it is indeed *very* short, but it was a lovely read nevertheless.




The Angel of Grove Street: A Novel of the Darcys and Bennets by Don Miller
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A delightful variation of Pride and Prejudice, The Angel of Grove Street shows us a very strong and independent Elizabeth who, after the death of her father at the news of Lydia's elopement with Wickham, transitions from country girl to a woman of the city. Living with Kitty at the wealthy Gardiners' after Jane's marriage to a doctor, Elizabeth devotes her time to working at and to singing to help fund Hope House, a charity for homeless girls. This charity remains dear to Elizabeth's heart after Lydia's disappearance two years previously. But while Elizabeth catches the eye of two suitors of the Ton, Darcy and a young Earl, she remains too scornful of the Ton and too independent to marry either man, good though they may be. And the story rolls on from there....

I was pleasantly surprised to find that this very well-written variation was written by a male author, and I was further pleased to come across a nice long list of previous Austen variations written by Don Miller. I think I will be reading many more of them in the future.... ;)



Earning Darcy's Trust: A Pride & Prejudice Variation by Jennifer Joy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another wonderful and thought-provoking variation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice in which Darcy learns to trust and to depend on others, including Elizabeth, in order to protect his family against the wiles of Wickham and Caroline Bingley. A terrific plot with a theme that should make us all consider trusting others rather than trying to handle our problems all alone.



Progression Vol. 1: A Continuation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice by Jodi L. Covey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I first read Progression (now separated into two volumes) on FanFiction.net, and I was enthralled! I absolutely adored it, and re-reading it now was even better. A delightful continuation of Austen's Pride and Prejudice, chapters 1-36 may be found in Volume 1 and chapters 37-61 may be found in Volume 2.

Starting with the Darcys' double wedding with Bingley and Jane, we follow William and Elizabeth through their honeymoon period and into Elizabeth's (and Georgiana's) introduction into London Society at the behest of Darcy's aunt, the Countess of Matlock. Caroline Bingley is also pursued by the mysterious Marquess of Thornhaugh. Anne De Bourgh manages to stand up to her mother and remove herself to London for the Season. And Colonel Fitzwilliam goes against his family in order to go to war against the French in the Spanish Peninsula.

Much more happens in both volumes of Progression, but I'll leave that for you to enjoy...and enjoy it you will!



Second Impressions by Amy George
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A very different variation of Austen's Pride and Prejudice, Second Impressions begins two years after Darcy and Elizabeth part at Lambton with the news of Lydia's elopement with Wickham. Afraid to meet Darcy after the ruin of her family and especially after he does not return to Hertfordshire with Bingley, Elizabeth travels to Boston to stay with her cousin, Emeline. After Lydia marries Wickham and Jane marries Bingley, Elizabeth begins her journey, requesting Jane, who now lives a very short distance from Pemberley, to not write her any news of Darcy. But with the news that Jane is again expecting after the birth of twins a year previously, Emeline persuades Elizabeth to returning to England and even accompanies her despite her disdain for the many rules of the ton.

Much has happened during those two years in Darcy's life, and Elizabeth returns to Derbyshire to find quite a different Darcy--a gaunt, haunted man. What can Elizabeth do to revive this shell of the man with whom she had been falling in love before she left? And whom does the highly independent American cousin Emeline (despite her jaded past) find to marry in staid old England?


That should be enough reviews for now. I'll post a few more in the coming week. Kindle Unlimited is wonderful--that's how I could manage to read so many books for so little cost! :)

Reading with you,

Thoughts on Sky Mesa Journal

Sky Mesa Journal by Judith Deem Dupree, published by Wipf and Stock Publishers

FOR LOCAL READERS: Judith will be featured at an Author Talk at the Alpine Library (1752 Alpine Blvd.) this Thursday, October 20, from 6:00-8:00 PM. She will be reading from Sky Mesa Journal and discussing the genesis and the publication of the book. Judith will also have some books for sale, and she will happily sign copies.  

*  *  *  *  *

"One could say Sky Mesa Ranch is a smallish noun, verbed out by the countryside around it. . . . 

"And, in a way, all that lies upon this small uplift, all that transpires, that respires here, is a microcosm of the Life beyond life that draws our eyes upward. A parable, something of a parallel. The mundane, the spiritual, nature in its every aspect." 

~from Sky Mesa Journal by Judith Deem Dupree


Sky Mesa consists of pale shades of brown, beige, and gray pierced by the vibrant blue skies of late summer in the arid hills of Alpine, east of San Diego.

Judith and I drove slowly through the remnants of Sky Mesa Ranch on a day in late August. Not much remains of the ranch that becomes yet another quirky character in Judith's nonfiction book, Sky Mesa Journal. In fact, the setting of Sky Mesa Ranch assumes a life of its own, complete with vagaries of mood, its ancient secrets wafting on dry puffs of breeze not at all refreshing. Just hot . . . breathlessly hot.

Houses that can best be described as cookie-cutter mansions, tall with pretension, perch on hillsides stripped of spicy-scented, pale green chaparral. Instead, manicured landscaping fills the empty spaces between newly-stamped luxury homes which stare down their long noses at us. Windows shimmer--empty eyes in empty neighborhoods--as we navigate Judith's Camry Hybrid through the narrow, winding streets, perfectly asphalted. The once expansive acres feel closed-in; I fight a swelling of claustrophobia rising in my throat.

The corner of Sky Mesa Road and LaForce Road in Alpine, California

Finally we find the corner we're looking for: Sky Mesa Road, named for the extensive ranch where Judith stayed the summer twenty-five years ago and wrote Sky Mesa Journal, meets LaForce Road, called after the former owner of the ranch, Bea LaForce.  Appearing from time to time in Judith's journal of that long-ago summer, Bea LaForce was truly a Force to be reckoned with in the village of Alpine. A town, still rather small, nestling into the nooks of hills, boulders, sharp-smelling chaparral, and wizened oaks.

But Judith describes more than the coming demise of Sky Mesa Ranch in her journal of memoir and meditation that she drafted that summer of 1991. Writing of far more than the ranch that outstripped Bea's ability to care for it, far more than the odd collection of critters at the ranch: Linda the donkey, Vesla the cat, Annie Goose, and Cockadoo the proud rooster with his bevy of hens, Judith ponders her spiritual life . . . and ours as well. How do we push forward into the places of God's richness and plenty when all seems arid, blowing further out of reach with every puff of heated wind?

Yet here at the ranch-that-was-no-longer-to-be, we can glimpse Truth with Judith through the wealth of solitude well-spent, alert with listening ear and rambling pen and eyes that see beyond hillside and boulder to the very Kingdom of God.

In Sky Mesa Journal, Judith invites us to journey with her through the hard, painful, dry places into the refreshment of spiritual oasis. Her poetic words and musical phrases mirror the rhythm of nature that surrounded her that summer a quarter century ago. Yet she revised this journal over the last few years as Writer-in-Residence for Ruminate Magazine, shaping and reshaping it with meditations on our modern world and its problems to be solved: Our crumbling environment. Our greed and covetousness. Global hunger and poverty. The "Mid-East mired in deeply and viciously in fratricide." The ever-present problem of evil and the sin in our own hearts.      

Near the end of Sky Mesa Journal, Judith writes:

You, each of you, need a Kingdom-of-God place--a Sky Mesa--some-Place to go to within when your soil is baked and cracked with drought and there is no water, no cloven clouds on your horizon. May you find your way to it. May he lead you there! For you it will be smaller or larger, greener or hillier or flatter, a back lot or back country or back bedroom, alone or not. But within its fluid borders lies your Promised Land. It's all there inside you, waiting.

That's where we want to go. That's where we need to go. We each need to find our Sky Mesa.

And may we do so.

*  *  *  *  *

It has been my privilege to assist Judith with some of the proofreading and "techy" side of publishing Sky Mesa Journal. From employing my grammar-Nazi "skillz" to learning how to insert edits into the publisher's proofs to posting Judith's amazing blogged thoughts at This Higher Point of Land to assisting with social media promotion, it's been wonderful to come alongside Judith and be her "right-hand woman." And I was fortunately one of the first to read Sky Mesa Journal . . . which is a prize in and of itself.  

This is a book unlike most others. Yes, I can claim the cliche: "I laughed; I cried." And I did. But my heart also swelled with wonder and my soul somehow grew three sizes bigger as a result of reading and pondering this little book so chock-full of truly God-sized thoughts. 

It's the Kingdom, baby. That's what Sky Mesa is.  

Wishing you all a wonderful week,

Saint Francis of Assisi

I have always been fascinated with the lives of the saints. Whether I'm reading about the Catholic saints of yore or the modern saints'lives highlighted by Voice of the Martyrs and other sources, I love reading about the lives of God's people. in their lives, I find inspiration and a new sense of dedication.

Yesterday I was reading some canticles by Saint Francis (who lived from 1182-1226) and was impressed by the beautiful simplicity of his poetry. And so I thought I'd share the story of his life today, his Feast Day.

From Saint of the Day at AmericanCatholic.org

Saint Francis of Assisi’s Story

Francis of Assisi was a poor little man who astounded and inspired the Church by taking the gospel literally—not in a narrow fundamentalist sense, but by actually following all that Jesus said and did, joyfully, without limit, and without a sense of self-importance.

Serious illness brought the young Francis to see the emptiness of his frolicking life as leader of Assisi’s youth. Prayer—lengthy and difficult—led him to a self-emptying like that of Christ, climaxed by embracing a leper he met on the road. It symbolized his complete obedience to what he had heard in prayer: “Francis! Everything you have loved and desired in the flesh it is your duty to despise and hate, if you wish to know my will. And when you have begun this, all that now seems sweet and lovely to you will become intolerable and bitter, but all that you used to avoid will turn itself to great sweetness and exceeding joy.”

From the cross in the neglected field-chapel of San Damiano, Christ told him, “Francis, go out and build up my house, for it is nearly falling down.” Francis became the totally poor and humble workman.

He must have suspected a deeper meaning to “build up my house.” But he would have been content to be for the rest of his life the poor “nothing” man actually putting brick on brick in abandoned chapels.

He gave up all his possessions, piling even his clothes before his earthly father (who was demanding restitution for Francis’ “gifts” to the poor) so that he would be totally free to say, “Our Father in heaven.” He was, for a time, considered to be a religious fanatic, begging from door to door when he could not get money for his work, evoking sadness or disgust to the hearts of his former friends, ridicule from the unthinking.

But genuineness will tell. A few people began to realize that this man was actually trying to be Christian. He really believed what Jesus said: “Announce the kingdom! Possess no gold or silver or copper in your purses, no traveling bag, no sandals, no staff” (Luke 9:1-3).

Francis’ first rule for his followers was a collection of texts from the Gospels. He had no intention of founding an order, but once it began he protected it and accepted all the legal structures needed to support it. His devotion and loyalty to the Church were absolute and highly exemplary at a time when various movements of reform tended to break the Church’s unity.

He was torn between a life devoted entirely to prayer and a life of active preaching of the Good News. He decided in favor of the latter, but always returned to solitude when he could. He wanted to be a missionary in Syria or in Africa, but was prevented by shipwreck and illness in both cases. He did try to convert the sultan of Egypt during the Fifth Crusade.

During the last years of his relatively short life (he died at 44), he was half blind and seriously ill. Two years before his death, he received the stigmata, the real and painful wounds of Christ in his hands, feet and side.

On his deathbed, he said over and over again the last addition to his Canticle of the Sun, “Be praised, O Lord, for our Sister Death.” He sang Psalm 141, and at the end asked his superior to have his clothes removed when the last hour came and for permission to expire lying naked on the earth, in imitation of his Lord.

---

Reflection

Francis of Assisi was poor only that he might be Christ-like. He recognized creation as another manifestation of the beauty of God. In 1979, he was named patron of ecology. He did great penance (apologizing to “Brother Body” later in life) that he might be totally disciplined for the will of God. His poverty had a sister, humility, by which he meant total dependence on the good God. But all this was, as it were, preliminary to the heart of his spirituality: living the gospel life, summed up in the charity of Jesus and perfectly expressed in the Eucharist.

---

Saint Francis of Assisi is the Patron Saint of:

Animals
Archaeologists
Ecology
Italy
Merchants
Messengers
Metal Workers

Soli Deo Gloria,

Book Review: Obligation and Redemption

As I noted in my previous blog post, I have been enjoying a Kindle Unlimited subscription this summer as I way of forcing my body and mind to rest after a very stressful and over-worked year. I also shared the link to my previous post of book reviews on Twitter, and Cassandra Grafton, Abigail Reynolds, and Monica Fairview (all of whom I have become familiar with on the amazing Austen Variations where they write) all liked and retweeted my reviews as well.

And by the next day, I had two more authors of variations on Pride and Prejudice offering to send me books! I accepted, of course, and was surprised that the first book sent to me was one that I had already chosen as my next book to read on Kindle Unlimited! And it was one of the best variations of Pride and Prejudice I have read yet.

Here is the review as I have posted it on Goodreads and Amazon on Monday:

***

I have read over 300 variations of Austen's Pride and Prejudice, and Georgia McCall's novel Obligation and Redemption is one is definitely in my Top Five Austen-based novels. I think that out of all of my reviews, I've only given a handful of "5" ratings to variations of Austen's novels, saving that esteemed number of perfection for classics such as Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice itself. But if I had a "6" rating available, I'd give it to this book.

This is not a light and fluffy variation; it ventures into the deep, dark depths of the human soul and stays there for quite a while; hope seems distant at best and impossible at worst. Obligation and Redemption is for lovers of angst, and, for that reason, I simply couldn't put it down. In fact, I lost a whole day of grading and lesson prep on Saturday because I had to know what happened next and how this twisty-turny plot was going to somehow resolve. At times, resolution seemed absolutely impossible.

McCall's Darcy is darker than we see in most depictions of Austen's famed hero. I noted several outraged Darcy fans when I perused the reviews, but I thought that this Darcy was far less perfect and far more human, and I liked him all the better for it. I enjoyed not seeing Darcy fawning over Elizabeth from their earliest meetings; I thought his disdain and distrust were far more natural reactions to the overall situation for a man of his position and pride. He is suspicious of Elizabeth's motives from the very first and thinks the worst of her at almost every opportunity. The time it takes for both Darcy and Elizabeth to admire and trust one another seems realistic, especially given the various plot twists that cast serious doubts on the merits of the other.

And Elizabeth is not depicted as perfect, either; she has her obvious failings of temper and understanding, but she is the more forgiving of the two--and more forgiving of her own mistakes and prejudices. The experiences she undergoes would have been the ruination of many a delicate gentlewoman, but Elizabeth is strong, and despite all the forces aligned against her, she fights bitterness at the difficulties of her situation and attempts to find contentment despite the fact that a single act of kindness has apparently ruined her life.    

Christian elements of sin and redemption are woven into this novel, but not in the obtrusive or sickly-sweet manner often seen in Christian literature. It's a subtle theme, one that shouldn't be a bother to most non-Christians but one which Christians should greatly appreciate. But in the climax of the plot, Darcy has what can be compared to a modern Road-to-Damascus moment in which he, like Saint Paul, realizes the extent of his sin; as a result, Darcy returns to Pemberley a changed man. We can't help sighing with relief as Darcy finally recognizes his hypocrisy, his unmerited pride, and even his unconscious cruelty as he vows to become a man worthy of a loving wife.

Many evil machinations provide plot twists that keep us guessing throughout the book. Obviously, as a variation of Austen's romantic novel, we know that Darcy and Elizabeth will eventually reconcile and fall in love, but the strength of this particular variation is that one impediment after another keeps Darcy and Elizabeth from loving and trusting one another. They have a long, difficult journey to respecting and loving one another, but it's a journey made all the sweeter by the many woes they've endured and fears they've conquered.

My only wish for this book was that we could have enjoyed a couple more chapters of Darcy and Elizabeth's happiness together near the end. After so much angst and on-the-edge-of-my-seat drama, I would have liked to have basked in their love just a wee bit longer; the ending of the book would have been even more satisfying.  

I look forward to re-reading Obligation and Redemption often in the years to come; it has already claimed a treasured place in my library and definitely in my heart. It's brilliant, unflinching, and so heart-rending; in fact, I caught myself reaching for the tissue box more than once over these 500+ pages. For me, reading this lengthy novel was well-worth the time; I was rather sad when the book ended. Obligation and Redemption is one of those rare books that cause us to sigh in satisfaction when we finish it...and then forces us to flip back to the first chapter and immediately start reading it again.

Yes, it's that good.  

***

Reading with you,

Reviews of Recently-Read Books

This summer, I invested in two months of Kindle Unlimited in order to make myself rest up. I knew that I had majorly overworked in the spring (well, all year, really), and I had to rest, one way or other. The first book I won as part of a lovely give-away on Austen Variations; the rest were straight from Kindle Unlimited with the exception of the second book (the mystery) which came from the library. Because of my very limited attention span this summer, I've read either series I know well (Anne Perry and Victoria Thompson's mysteries, each with more than 20 books featuring the same main characters) or Austen and/or Bronte fan fiction novels.

* * *

The Particular Charm of Miss Jane Austen by Ada Bright and Cass Grafton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was completely non-put-down-able. I should have been grading stories for my online writing class, but I spent all morning finishing this book. I won my Kindle copy of this book as part of a release give-away, and I am wearing my Darcy quote necklace as I type this. :)

I found Rose and Morgan, James and Aidan, and especially Jane, to be compelling and very "human" characters. Their flaws and embarrassing moments were blush-worthy at times and laughable at others. Some of the suspense was incredible, too, as the story took what could have been a very serious turn...but dodged the proverbial (not literal!) bullet at the last possible second.

I felt that the ending left us hanging a bit...so perhaps a sequel shall be in the works????

And how in the world do two authors write in tandem so seamlessly??? So very impressive!!

What a wonderful "ride," ladies, and congratulations on a delightful book! And thank you for my lovely Austen "goodies" although I'm not so sure about the Love Hearts--I think I prefer my American version of Sweet-Tarts. ;)



Murder on St. Nicholas Avenue by Victoria Thompson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A rather shorter book, and I quite missed Sarah and Malloy as this mystery occurs while they were in Europe on their honeymoon.

But Maeve and Gino, with the great help of Sarah's parents, the Deckers, a well-known Knickerbocker family, solve the mystery before Sarah and Malloy return...and before Christmas



Steampunk Darcy by Monica Fairview
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Such an intriguing book, especially with the Steampunk fantasy world which is so very detailed that I wondered if it were not a fantasy world in and of itself outside of this one novel.

The story itself is fascinating, the characters compelling, and the overall effect was truly out of this world! I loved it!!



Mr. Darcy's Pride and Joy: A Pride and Prejudice Variation by Monica Fairview
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Like everything written by Monica Fairview, I adored it. Her characterizations of Darcy and Elizabeth are always so fascinating. I had not read the first two books in the series, but to find Darcy and Elizabeth on the brink of their engagement...an engagement that Mr. Bennet is trying to delay if not completely destroy because of his own pride, was indeed intriguing enough to push ahead and see what happens, even if I didn't have the complete backstory. I'm glad I did. :)



Mr. Darcy's Journey: A Pride & Prejudice Variation by Abigail Reynolds
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fascinating romance set against the budding social unrest in the North as the workers in various factories revolt with violence and brutality against anyone of the higher classes, despite the fact that Darcy and his family are attempting to help the impoverished workers. Elizabeth is caught in the middle of it all, of course, and her poor opinion of Darcy quickly changes as she sees his true character readily displayed in his actions rather than in his awkward words alone.



Halton Cray by N.B. Roberts
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I came across Halton Cray as I sought out some variations of Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre, my favorite novel, on FanFiction.net. This fan fiction novel picked up Charlotte Bronte's language and characters so perfectly that I could have sworn that Charlotte had left an alternative ending of her famous novel behind, and it had just been discovered. Seriously.

In the author's notes on the fan fiction site, the author noted that she had written a modern novel that is loosely based on Jane Eyre called Halton Cray, and I happily downloaded it to my Kindle. Alexandra, a 21-year old recent college graduate, takes a part-time job at Halton Cray, a British historical landmark that is open for tours. The only problem: the house is reportedly haunted. Weird and inexplicable happenings occur, but skeptical Alex doesn't scare easily. The historian/archivist, Thomas, mocks her continuously, treating her with little respect, but she is inexplicably drawn to him despite the fact that he can be rather creepy and many of the staff steer clear of him.

And I won't say any more because I don't want to spoil it for anyone. ;)

Halton Cray started a wee bit slowly, much as Jane Eyre itself does, but once I got about 25% of the way into the book, I couldn't put it down until I finished it. In fact, the grading of my summer school class suffered as a result; I just had to keep reading this book.

The parallels to Jane Eyre are surface-level, mostly in the Gothic setting and the plucky but plain main character who falls for the brash and mysterious historian who seems to date the town's richest (and greatly Botoxed) widow, much as Rochester pretended to pursue Blanche Ingram with the view of making Jane jealous and realize her feelings for him. Alex falls into the same trap herself as she tries to uncover the mysteries that enshroud Halton Cray. However, a great deal of this modern novel diverges from Bronte's most famous book; Halton Cray went in directions I was definitely not expecting but found exciting and compelling all the same.

Halton Cray is apparently the first book in The Shadows of the World series, and I am very much interested in the second book which continues the story of Alex in the aftermath of the events at and around Halton Cray.

* * *

So I have obviously done a lot of reading (and reviewing) this summer. Not bad for a mere $20 investment in Kindle Unlimited...given that I have another dozen books to post reviews on! :)

Happily reading,

Catching Up...and This Week's Collect and Quote

The Twitter header for Judith Deem Dupree as she publishes her first nonfiction prose book, Sky Mesa Journal, available from Wipf and Stock Publishers and Amazon on Kindle and in paperback.

These last weeks between finishing my summer Fan Fiction class at Brave Writer and starting my 20th year of home education have been busy but not. I've been overtired and in more pain than usual, so I've had to slow down and rest whether I wanted to or not.

I had wanted to use these two weeks to catch up on the last of the MLA Research Essays from last spring's Expository Essay course at Heritage Christian School's East County II Class Day; I still have five more essays to grade, and I just have not been able to concentrate enough to comment on them adequately.

I have my Essay Grading Service at SusanneBarrett.com all spiffed up and ready for Fall 2016. Quite a few families, new and returning, have already contacted me with questions about how the essay grading service works. In fact, I just wrote a brand-new explanation of the process: 2016-2017 Essay Grading Service.

I've also been blessed in assisting my dear Pine Valley friend and mentor Judith Deem Dupree with her new book, Sky Mesa Journal. I'll post more about our journey into publishing in a week or two. But for anyone who enjoys creative nonfiction, spiritual journeys, ecology, and poetic wording, this little book may be just the thing. I highly recommend it after reading and proofreading and formatting and proofreading again and then reading once again to glean excellent quotations for social media postings. Elizabeth is helping with publicity for the book, and she's a wonder. She designed and created the Twitter header image at the top of the page. Judith's blog is also full of wisdom and insight if you'd like to check it out: This Higher Point of Land.

But now to this week's Collect and Readings from the Book of Common Prayer 2011:

FOURTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

THE COLLECT:

ALMIGHTY and eternal God, we ask you to increase in us faith, hope, and love; And, so that we may obtain what you have promised, make us love what you command; Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and rules with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (1 Corinthians 13.13; John 14.15-16; 19.21-23; Revelation 22.14)

THE READINGS:

Galatians 5.16-24; Luke 17.11-19; Psalm 84; Psalm 95.1-3; Jeremiah 29.1, 4-7

And here is my Quotation of the Week from Sky Mesa Journal:

"Humility walks on bruised feet--but it does not limp."

                 ~Judith Deem Dupree in Sky Mesa Journal

May God bless us and guide us in following His most Holy Will, today and always!

Warmly,

Pine Valley Days 2016

Pine Valley, California 

Today was our 15th Pine Valley Days celebration and the 46th year of this small town tradition. There's nothing like a small town festival to bring neighbors together...and to bring former neighbors back, plus a few friends from "down the hill," as we like to refer to the city and suburbs of San Diego.

You see, up here in a town of 1500 souls at, as our license plate frames state, "4000 Feet Above Care," we think differently than the "flatlanders." With the nearest Costco a 45-minute drive and the nearest WalMart half an hour away, we combine our trips "down the hill" and make a day of it. We depend on each other and help each other, whether it's an elderly widow who needs help with her yardwork or providing after school care for elementary and junior high kids.

Our town boasts two social "hubs" where we run across neighbors and friends on a daily basis. The first is the post office. In a town far too small for residential mail delivery, the trip to fetch our mail from our post office boxes is part of our daily routine. Our family is extremely fortunate as our "trip" to the post office is a quick stroll across the meadow; we can see the post office from our front porch, after all. Some stop by the post office on their way out of or into Pine Valley if they've been "down the hill" while others make a purposeful trip to the post office to pick up their mail; either way, we usually see someone we know, whether for a quick wave or a few moments' stop to catch up with each others' lives.

The other hub is the county library branch which is blissfully air-conditioned (and is where I've parked myself to work on my online Fan Fiction class every afternoon). Again, neighbors and friends stop by to pick up or return books and DVDs, to use the computers, for a meeting in the community room, or for one of the many programs available for preschoolers through adults. We never know what might be going on at the library or with whom we might "run into." When I worked there on Wednesday, I met up with a fellow book editor who gave me the scoop on her visit to Comic Con the previous week. (Someday I shall go!!) A henna tattoo artist was there on Thursday, so I took a break from my class work to get two (free!) tattoos, one on my left hand and the other on my right ankle.

We know we're in a small town when the parade announcer is our 80+ year old neighbor to the south, and the neighbor to the east comes over to ask me to type up and proofread the "press release" advertising Pine Valley Days which was written on a yellow legal pad. We also invited friends from the next hamlet over to park in our driveway so that they can walk across the meadow and watch their oldest granddaughter in the parade.

The Model "T" Club appears in the Pine Valley Days Parade every year....

It was stinkin' hot this year. The parade started at 9:00 AM, and Elizabeth and I were already dripping with perspiration. Fearing that we would get baked, we crossed the street to sit in one partially-shady spot in front of the port-a-potty (yep, just one of 'em) stationed in front of the veterinarian's office. A kind family offered me a folding chair (since ours are all in the back of the car that's currently at the mechanic), and Elizabeth stood.

Candy was thrown by people on floats, advertising local (as in within a few towns' distance) hairdressers, feed stores, the church (yes, we only have one in town), our winning AYSO soccer team, etc. Model T's are interspersed with Mercedes and Corvette convertibles with the pageant princesses (Miss Mountain Empire is one of my former writing students!) carefully seated so that their tiaras and crowns glint in the sunshine and their formal gowns sparkle. A fleet of John Deere tractors is followed by the mounted Border Patrol. And then comes my favorite...the bagpipes!

The parade continues with an alumni marching band from a "flatlander" high school, more horses, the ubiquitous Shriners in their little parade cars, Chinese dragons twisting and dancing from a martial arts school from Alpine (the medium-sized town (50,000 people) halfway "down the hill"), and then the piece de resistance:the final parade entry is our town fire truck. Living in a place in which wildfires are rampant and extremely dangerous (two people were killed in the recent Potrero Fire in June), we depend on our fire department not only to keep our homes safe but to also be our first stop for emergency care since the nearest hospital is over thirty miles away. We have one paid firefighter in Pine Valley, and the rest of the fire department is staffed entirely by volunteers. It's small town know-thy-neighbor and let's-pitch-in at its very finest.

Pine Valley Fire Department, County of San Diego

I have to admit to nearly tearing up a couple of times during this simple parade, watching the little ones collect the hard candy thrown to them by the various groups on the backs of trucks and trailers (as close to a "float" as we get up here), smiling at the clowns' antics, admiring the cars from the 1930's and '40's, waving at those we knew on the "floats," and clapping for our little fire department.

And late this afternoon, it rained--just a wee bit--as it so often does on Pine Valley Days weekend, the final weekend in July.

You see, we almost had to leave this town. I won't get into specifics, but we are waiting for final written confirmation that our loan has been switched over to a new lender (and a scrupulous one this time, thanks be to God!). It's been nine months of suspense, sometimes thinking that we would be forced to relocate out of state and sometimes thinking that all was well only to find that it was not. This week we received two verbal confirmations that our (prayerfully) former loan company has accepted the pay-off from the new lender. Just receiving a new loan is a miracle in itself.

So for now, Pine Valley remains our home, and we are so thankful, even for stinkin' hot days, sitting on the asphalt and watching the parade go by. That's one part of small town life that I shall treasure...always.

Warmly (well, more like hotly),