I enjoyed this book by Fern Michaels. It is only the second one I’ve read by her.
Central to the story are three sisters ranging in age upwards from 69. They were so funny to me, especially when they instigate a ‘kidnapping’ of sorts, which is really a rescue. I suppose what I like about them is that I want to be like them when I get to that point in life — feisty, involved, loving, fun to be around, engaged in what is going on around them, taking care of their families. I wasn’t enamored of the amount of drinking they did. And there is a brief mention of a child born and left to be raised in Japan.
Alongside their stories (and two brief forays into romance for two of them) is the story of their grown niece, interwoven with the stories of the historical nature of where they live, as well as those who live in their neighborhood.
Also central to the story is the subject of organ donation (which was done against the will of well-beloved character.) It ultimates in finding those who received the donations (by computer hacking) — and ultimately redemption.
It is a story of love, affirmation and good will, with a tidy ending, perhaps tidier than real life would be, but evidencing forgiveness.
I think I enjoyed it as much for the older women and their relationship to each other as anything. In some ways they reminded me of a beloved grandmother. While there are difficult subjects tackled, they are tackled in a light way. Sort of like the substance of whipped cream. Not real satisfying, but an attempt to be deeper than the average romance novel.
This is a great story about a Chinese adoptee who was chosen to be the voice of Kai-lan. Don’t miss the rest of the story.
Hearing what her adoptive mother has been through and seeing the IHappy license plate brought tears to my eyes.
Karin
Jade-Lianna Peters steps into an audio recording booth at I V Media in Brookfield. Jade-Lianna Peters, 10, the voice of Kai-lan, rehearses before a recent recording session at I V Media in Brookfield.
Kai-lan and YeYe are among the characters in “Ni Hao, Kai-lan.”
Jade-Lianna Peters , 10 - with her mother, Kathleen “Candy”; sister, Alexis-Mariah, 7; and father, John - began appearing in commercials when she was 2.
Half a continent away, at Nickelodeon Studios, an animation production team marvels at the 10-year-old’s voice, one that is as natural and light-hearted as a songbird’s, with a sandpapery edge that adds just a rasp of mischief. It’s the pitch-perfect tone for Kai-lan, the lead character of “Ni Hao, Kai-lan,” a preschool series coming to Nickelodeon in August. Executives at the children’s network hope the half-hour episodes will be to Mandarin Chinese what “Dora the Explorer” has been to Spanish. Production continues on a first season of 20 episodes, animated and partly designed in Taipei, Taiwan, and Shanghai, China.
I learned through years of parenting that usually there is one of three things behind a child’s tantrum: either they need food, they need sleep or they need love.
That’s such a truism for life, really. When I have a hard day, it’s generally because I need some rest, but the other two factor in also.
It reminds me of the time Elijah was under the juniper tree. He’d just fled for his life after a seeming spiritual victory (but you note God didn’t tell him to do what he did). And there he was, exhausted, asking God to take away his life, he wasn’t any different than the others.
Did God do it?
Nope. First he had him sleep. Then he fed him. Then he appeared as the still, small voice and re-energized him. And he gave him a friend in the work, Elisha.
These three things are almost a spiritual law, and I bet the rabbis had a word for it.
What is there about food that represents all the good in life. Is it because it is such a basic need?
Not too long ago I watched a friend invite another to come over. I’ll fix you breakfast, she offered. In that simple offering was all the power of providing a few wings in a free fall.
The next time you have a hard day, ask yourself if you are missing one or all of these elements, then try to consciously give them to yourself.
And if you are dealing with a recalcitrant child or some other in your life, you’ll find these help also.
I laugh when I think of the truism: the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. There’s a reason for that adage, and it applies to more than men.
I think there’s something about food disorders that gets back to the base line of love. If you struggle with this, know that you are loved and that you can love. You can rest in that.
To say, my fate is not tied to your fate, is like saying, your end of the boat is sinking. Hugh Downs
Forgiveness is not an elective in the curriculum of life. It is a required course, and the exams are always tough to pass.
Charles Swindoll
These two quotes happened to be side by side in my miscellaneous quote file. I thought, I think they look like they could go together. So I’ve been thinking of them that way. I’m not sure how to tie them in so it would make sense if your thoughts weren’t following the same path. It’s easier for me to see it, than to write it.
Maybe it’s just the syncretism I see in tying them together. If all parts are necessary for the whole, then it stands to some sort of reason that we need all parts, that we are not as separate as we think.
I think we all learn forgiveness, but I’m not sure all-forgiveness is possible in this life (or maybe even a goal.) We do what we can with what we have, and throw some grace in that makes things possible that are not ordinarily possible, and that’s about all I can say about that. And somehow our fates are tied together, forgiveness or not. The required course is tough, but a passing grade is all that is required, not perfection. I think passing can be a sliding scale depending on what we are dealing with, do you? Mercy and grace cover a multitude of falling short of the goal, when we are still doing our best to see our way through.
And somehow, it makes me think, today, of the last HP book in the series. Maybe not the forgiveness part, but the entwined fates part. And how much friendship can make our path easier, even if it is hard.
And it made me laugh to think of only one end of a boat sinking. As if!
I liked the progression of this quotation. Often one quality in thought leads to another, and it’s difficult to get off the treadmill. So it is important what qualities are in our progression of thought, or our progressive steps might be blocked by qualities that don’t allow a forward flow.
I’m not always as quick as I’d like to be in stopping a thought, but I work at it daily. I don’t think we have to think every thought that presents itself to our consciousness. We have a choice.
I was taught as a child to stand porter at the door of thought and only allow those thoughts in that are helpful. It was the natural way for me to think, but I have a friend who had never heard of the concept and didn’t know she had a choice in her thoughts, but of course, she knew she didn’t have to act on everything she thinks.
How about you? do you turn away thoughts or do you feel you have to think every thought that comes?
Karin
Hope is the seed of belief.
Belief is the seedling of faith.
Faith is the stem of forgiveness.
Forgiveness is the flower of love.
Love is the blossom of life.
Author unknown but you can buy it at signals.com
It reminded me of the progression in this quote:
Phil4: 8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. KJV
I know anger is a universal emotion. But the juxtaposition of my short remark yesterday about dealing with my own angry anger was followed by receiving this message into my email box. I had to laugh. Again, I think this reaches way beyond the bounds of divorce, into universals.
Defining Anger
Day 59
Dr. Les Carter says that having anger means standing up for your own worth, needs, and convictions.
“You don’t get angry when folks are kind, pleasant, or understanding. Anger shows up when someone has rejected you or is being uncooperative, or when a person is being critical, harsh, or difficult to get along with. When anger appears on the scene, it arouses your sense of self-preservation.
“You want to preserve one of three things. You want to preserve your worth as a human being; your anger can be your way of wishing to say, ‘Please, show me some respect, will you?’ Anger can be your way of preserving your basic needs: ‘Recognize that I have needs, and acknowledge them, please.’ Or anger can be a way that you stand up for your deepest convictions. It is your way of saying, ‘I believe in things, and I don’t want to back away from them.’”
You will feel anger at some point in your divorce. [You fill in the blank for whatever is making you angry. Karin] Do not try to deny or suppress this emotion. God does not condemn you for your anger when it is justified. God Himself is described as “slow to anger”–not “never angry.”
“And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, ‘The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness’” (Exodus 34:6).
Lord God, sometimes my anger is justifiable; sometimes it’s not. Help me to be slow to anger, like You. Amen.
For more information about DivorceCare, including how to sign up for these daily emails, please visit.
I can’t figure out if I have very little anger (because I hardly ever feel or express it) or if it is so sublimated and running so deep that I’d better get a handle on it. Who knows. I’m not going to waste any time over it. I imagine it’s a bit of both. The Serenity Prayer comes in handy at times:
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference. Reinhold Niebuhr
It’s a truism that progress happens because of discontent, even anger. Otherwise, we’d still be living in caves.
A Bible verse I especially love is:
Eph 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath. KJV
Karin
I do not know about the workbook that is presented below as I have never seen it.
Suggested reading from the DivorceCare HelpCenter
The Anger Workbook
Les Carter
A 13-step interactive plan that explains how emotions and unmet needs can feed anger–and tells how readers can find healthy ways to express and control it. This unique workbook offers answers for anyone who struggles with destructive anger and wants to develop healthy alternatives for dealing with it. The only anger management program on the market that offers interactive exercises to help the readers understand and modify behavior.
Go to the following link to order this or other resources from the DivorceCare HelpCenter:
It’s only fair to present the other side, after Valentine’s Day. I always thought this song was clever.
It might add a little humor to life if we thought of another word for lover — perhaps job or resentment or anger or…we aren’t stuck in unhappiness in life if we look for a way out. Sometimes that might even mean staying under new circumstances.
Finding a market for an idea — and not taking no for an answer.
I recently read an article about David Rowland and his 40/4 stackable chairs. (40 chairs stack in a 4 foot high space.) Likely you’ve even sat in one.
Never let an idea go, if you think it is inspired. Karin
He told church friends for 8 years that he was working on his chair, and they likely thought he was crazy. But in October 1964, The New York Times put his chair on the front page because it won the Gran Prix award at the Milan Triennale (an international showcase honoring emerging design quality.)
His motive was that he wanted to help provide for his parents in their elder years.
But to get to this point, he networked with others in the field who at times told him, among other things, that there was no market for it.
Ultimately he was led to see how many chairs he could fit in a small space.
My only answer was that the idea came from God…And if it came from God, then I’d better fight for it. David Rowland
He was first offered $20,000 for the rights to the chair — a lot of money even today. He was led to turn it down, instead taking a percentage for each chair. He found that some in the company were working against him. So the contract was canceled. A short time later he ran into the national sales manager for the same company and was led to offer his hand. As they spoke together, because he acted in kindness, not resentment, the man suggested another lead. When he called them, they needed 16,000 of his chairs. That paid for the manufacturing. Millions of the chairs have been sold in 43 years, even in Europe.
He was able to provide for his mother in her retirement. (His dad died before the chair was produced.) In the years since then he has also designed other chairs for mass production.
Not only did he design the chair, but he wouldn’t give up until he found a market for it. Never let an idea go, if you think it is inspired.
