And the Winner is. . . (I know...I'm late posting this )

I had promised that I would annouce the winner of my book giveaway yesterday (Friday) but somehow the day got away from me (work, shopping and dining out) and I didn't get it done. Forgive me ya'll. But we just had a Home Goods open up in Bakersfield and I just HAD to go check it out. I bought some beautiful Rose scented Potpourri and a pretty bowl to eat my breakfast in each morning.

So to cut to the quick...the winner is Sarah from Hyacinths for the Soul. She has a beautiful blog and a beautiful new header that she also won. Wow! She's been lucky this month! Please Sarah get in touch with me and I'll have the book headed your way.

Thanks to everyone who entered and I'm glad you all enjoyed the book review!

The Glory Of These Forty Days

The glory of these forty days
we celebrate with songs of praise;
for Christ, through whom all things were made,
himself has fasted and has prayed.

Alone and fasting Moses saw
the loving God who gave the law;
and to Elijah, fasting, came
the steeds and chariots of flame.

So Daniel trained his mystic sight,
delivered from the lions' might;
and John, the Bridegroom's friend, became
the herald of Messiah's name.

Then grant us, Lord, like them to be
full oft in fast and prayer with thee;
our spirits strengthen with thy grace,
and give us joy to see thy face.

O Father, Son, and Spirit blest,
to thee be every prayer addressed,
who art in three-fold Name adored,
from age to age, the only Lord.

Text: Latin, sixth century; trans. Maurice F. Bell, 1906
Tune: ERHALT UNS, HERR, LM. Melody from Geistliche Lieder, 1543

Lord Who Throughout These Forty Days

Lord, who throughout these forty days
for us didst fast and pray,
teach us with thee to mourn our sins,
and close by thee to stay.

As thou with Satan didst contend
and didst the victory win,
O give us strength in thee to fight,
in thee to conquer sin.

As thou didst hunger bear and thirst,
so teach us, gracious Lord,
to die to self, and chiefly live
by thy most holy word.

And through these days of penitence,
and through thy Passiontide,
yea, evermore, in life and death,
Jesus! with us abide.

Abide with us, that so, this life
of suffering over-past,
an Easter of unending joy
we may attain at last!

Text: Claudia F. Hernaman, 1873
Tune: ST. FLAVIAN, CM, Melody from Day's Psalter, 1562

Forty Days And Forty Nights

Forty days and forty nights
Thou wast fasting in the wild;
Forty days and forty nights
Tempted, and yet undefiled.

Sunbeams scorching all the day;
Chilly dew-drops nightly shed;
Prowling beasts about Thy way;
Stones Thy pillow; earth Thy bed.

Should not we Thy sorrow share
And from worldly joys abstain,
Fasting with unceasing prayer,
Strong with Thee to suffer pain?

Then if Satan on us press,
Jesus, Savior, hear our call!
Victor in the wilderness,
Grant we may not faint nor fall!

So shall we have peace divine:
Holier gladness ours shall be;
Round us, too, shall angels shine,
Such as ministered to Thee.

Keep, O keep us, Savior dear,
Ever constant by Thy side;
That with Thee we may appear
At the eternal Eastertide.

Words: George Hunt Smyttan (1822-1870)
Music: HEINLEIN 77.77 Nürnbergisches Gesangbuch (1676)

Fix Me, Jesus

Refrain:

Oh Lord, fix me,
Oh Lord fix me,
Oh Lord fix me,
Fix me Jesus, fix me

1. Fix me for my long white robe.
Fix me, Jesus, fix me.
Fix me for my starry crown.
Fix me, Jesus, fix me. (Refrain)

2. Fix me for my journey home.
Fix me, Jesus, fix me.
For me for my dying bed.
Fix me, Jesus, fix me.

Traditional African American Spiritual

Iwanna Wednesday - Writing on the Wall and a Giveaway

The other day I was creating a blog post and the TV was babbling in the background and a show caught my attention. It was called How I Make My Millions. I've never seen the show, but I'm assuming they do interviews of people who have come up with a way to make money.

What caught my attention was a man who created something called IdeaPaint. What I saw when I watched is people writing on the walls in an office.

Now I put Post-It's all over my wall in my office and they only stay there temporarily until I remove them after finishing whatever they were intended to remind me to do. Some of them actually do stay there quite a while.

But can you imagine being able to just write a reminder or an inspirational quote on the wall? Maybe a different quote every day? I would love that! Iwanna that for my office!

IdeaPaint makes that possible. You can buy paint you spread on the wall and once it drys you can use the Dry-Erase board markers on it, then simply wipe off when you're done! Ingenious! Why didn't I think of that?

Wouldn't that be an awesome product for bloggers? I would love to paint the wall behind my computer with this so I could jot down ideas. Like this photo shows. Don't you love it!

Iwanna someone to paint my wall like this. Except maybe with this beautiful blue color. What do you think? What would you paint with IdeaPaint?

OHHH, before I forget, please go and read the book review I did and you can enter to win the book. It's a great book, well worth your time to go check it out! Click Here!

Mosaic Monday, A Book Review and a Giveaway!

In January I was approached by Sarah Reck, a Web Publicist with Faith Words at Hachette Book Group. She came across my post of a list of books read in 2009 in which I had read two books by one of their authors, Michael Phillips. She asked if I would be interested in receiving a free copy of his latest book, Angel Harp to review on my blog. Would I mind? Not only would I not mind, I was honored! So I immediately sent her an email saying, "Heck yeah!" Actually I was a little more professional but eventually I received this in the mail.

I've finished the book and want to share my thoughts with you.

I loved this book. The main character in the book is Angel Dawn Marie Buchan, a 34 year old widow who could be you or me. Like many of us she had dreams of meeting a wonderful man and being loved and loving him in return, of growing old with this man and watching their children and grandchildren grow. Unfortunately her husband dies before they had time to have children.

Now Marie is on her own just getting through life, working half-days as a teacher's aide, taking harp lessons once a week,  and teaching the harp. She realizes that she's alone and lonely and she brings another dream to life. A dream she and her husband had of someday visiting Scotland. Her husband would write the great American novel (even though they were both Canadian) and she would play the harp and write songs. She realizes this is one dream she can still fulfill and finds herself settling in a Port Scarnose, Scotland.

This mosaic portrays what I saw in my mind of the different people and places written about in the book.

Marie finds more in Port Scarnose than she could ever have imagined. She finds that perfect place she's always imagined to play her harp. She finds a lovely little child that grows to love her. She finds two love interests, the dashing curate of the local church, Iain Barclay and quiet, reserved and troubled Duke Alasdair Reidhaven. She makes many friends in the small community and also ends up finding her faith again.

The book is a wonderful story about not giving up on life. There are so many other adventures, friends and loves if we just have the courage to seek them. I so enjoyed this book that I feel it should become a part of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Book and I would love to give it away to one of you. Please leave me a comment letting me know that you would like to be entered to win this book and another letting me know if you are a follower. If you would like to follow me, please do so and leave another comment letting me know you're a new follower...and welcome! I'll  choose a winner on Friday evening, so stay tuned! Oh and leave me your email if it's not readily available on your blog. Thanks!

Sarah, thanks so much for choosing my humble blog to review your book. It was an honor and a pleasure!

Also please be sure to visit Mary at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday and have a wonderful week!