You Won't Soon Forget This One......

I've been given the honor of sharing a fascinating book with you--and I jumped at the chance to be part of this blog tour. If you're an avid reader like myself and you heart fiction that doesn't forget God's hand in our lives, then you've probably heard of Tricia Goyer already. Maybe you've read some of her books, Life Interrupted, My Life Unscripted, From Ashes to Dust, and so many more. She's got a clear grasp on hunting down historical details, adding characters that are intertwined and drenched with energy and hope, then placing those characters into a plot that's going to keep you turning pages all night long!

A Whisper of Freedom is the third book in her Spanish Civil War Series. Here, you'll catch up with Sophie's heart and her hair raising adventure right from the beginning. It's hard to imagine how heart-wrenching it it was to be caught up in the Spanish Civil War, but Tricia's attention to detail combined with her story telling talent gives us a glimpse. Not only that, here she writes far more than a book, but captures a story of faith not to be forgotten.

If you're feeling as drawn into the series as I am, you can win the entire three book series in the Chronicles of the Spanish Civil War Series. And in entering, you get a fun meme to post on your own blog. This meme gives you an opening to share missions and/or charities you have a heart for. Oh...and to sweeten the pot just a little, they're throwing in gourmet chocolate coins too. You know.... reading chocolate. I read better with chocolate in one hand and a book in the other!

Copy the meme questions below and answer the questions, then head over to Tricia's place and let her know your meme is up. That's it! It's almost as easy as getting lost in an amazing Christian novel while popping gourmet chocolate coins into your mouth. Click HERE to grab the questions off Tricia's blog and let her know you're playing.

1. List three things you would do with a chest full of gold (assuming you got to keep it!)

1. Update the nursing home my friend John resides in and hire employees worthy of working with the beautiful aging residents.
2. Bring Gervasio to the US to study medicine.
3. Pay our debts and the debts of all our friends and family (assuming it's a big chest).

2. List three charities/missions/organizations you support (and why).

1. Cornerstone Church....they are my family.
2. MiracleWord.net because the concept is so simple yet so incredible...read Scripture and come to know the miracle within those pages.
3. Compassion International...we sponsor two beautiful children, Catherine and Gervasio.

3. List three ways you have volunteered your time/services

1. I used to be a candy striper (loved loved loved the jumpers, lol)
2. Visiting elderly at the nursing home.
   
3. Church--wherever I'm told to go.
   

4. List three things you keep "hidden" when company comes over.

1. My kids! (Okay I'm kidding, but sometimes I wish I could)
2. My sewing room--it's downright dangerous if you don't know what you're doing!
3. That's about it, honestly, my friends know I'm not pulled together all the time. And when I finally decided to let them see the real me, suddenly I was free to welcome my friends anytime!
   

5. List the last three things you've lost.

1. My bank card.
2. My gold nugget necklace.
3. Is my mind too cliche?

6. List the last three things you've found.

1. My bank card (car).
2. My gold nugget necklace (where it belongs, pshh last place I look!)
3. $5.00 in my jacket--love that!
   

*There's MORE! Tricia has set aside five signed copies of A Whisper of Freedom for you, my friends, to win. If you want to win your own signed copy (and I know you do), just sign up for her newsletter HERE!

Gen X Giveaway Time

*Yikes, I come back here tonight and re-read what I wrote here and OH.MY.GOODNESS! I read that third paragraph and am sooo embarrassed. I don't know what in the world I was typing when I wrote about Angela being accomplished. I couldn't expect you to figure out what that was code for, so just in case you came by and clicked out shaking your head and tsk tsk tsk-ing, what I wanted to say was that Angela is an accomplished writer herself. She's out of town, so she may not even read this for awhile, much to my relief. It's the direct result of the lack of sleep I've been getting lately. Tonight, another very late night, I'm afraid, so I need to get gone! Oh, wait...I finally got that third column up, but haven't got the standard template replaced. The digi blog template is still in limbo, too. Next time I should wait until I have enough time to do things properly. Sigh.

All things must come to an end, and sometimes that's a good thing. A very good thing! Especially when the end refers to the drawing for the two very amazing GenX books by Tricia Goyer. I don't have the GenX Parenting book, but because I devoured the marriage book and honestly enjoyed it thoroughly, I'm going to order my own copy this week.

However, one very lucky reader doesn't need to do that, she's going to receive BOTH books because her number was the eXtra-special number. I did the random number generator early in the morning but didn't get it posted...in fact I'm on a very old decrepit laptop as I type this, my computer is disconnected for a good part of today, so I'm sorry I can't even access my GenX photos quickly and I have an appointment soon, so trying right now isn't an option for me!

Okay, as the screenshot below indicates, Angelawd, YOU won! I'm very happy for her--Angela is an accomplished was much as I did. If you've got some time, consider heading over there and telling her hello, she's got a great enthusiasm for life, she's a mom of teens (I love that!) and very inspiring. Angela, I'll email you for your contact information and send that onto Tricia's publicist for you, congrats!

Thanks for your hellos--I'm very sorry I didn't get around yesterday much, I had to work. I'll check in later--but now I need to get ready for my guests--actually just Chuck my pastor and Ethan the youth pastor, we're working on a PowerPoint I'll tell you all about soon (be excited, I know!). And given who they are, I need to shower and shove things under couches, in behind closed doors, you know, typical special company stuff!

For those who are asking about that third column, I'm sorry I misled you there...it's actually a third column on my digi scrap site. I thought I'd start there...most of my hits there are only there to grab the freebie, they might never notice! Check it out if you can, I'd love your input!

Hope For A Gen-X Girl Married To A Baby Boomer Boy

It's here! My turn at the Generation NeXt Marriage blog tour has arrived. Reading this book has evoked many feelings: sadness, guilt, excitement, hope and so many others.

I took a chapter that hit close to home (they all did, it was hard choosing ). In Chapter 7, Against All Odds/Media Matters, Tricia hit on some issues that I struggle with. She uses Psalm 101:3 in making a point here: "I will set before my eyes no vile thing". I wish! While I watched less television now than ever, I know the impact of the television shows I watched reaches far into my childhood and encompasses my marriage even now. In an email interview with Tricia, I asked this:

TV was where I gleaned a large part of my “worldly experience”. Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Three’s Company and even soap operas. It gave me a very unrealistic view of adult life but compared to my parents’ distant marriage, was so appealing. I believed what I watched was how the real, normal world lived. Have you found this as well? If so, how have these unrealistic relationships impacted our marriages?

Tricia's response:

I completely agree that this "pretend" relationships molded our thinking. I remember as a young teen being fascinated by Bo and Hope's love affair on Days of Our Lives. They slept together--I thought that's how you showed love! And ... then I did that in my relationships only to find myself heartbroken.

During our formative years it was hard for us to separate reality from television drama. I found myself acting very dramatic over little stuff. I also expected John to act like those romantic guys on television. Forget the fact they are PAID actors who have scriptwriting telling them what to say and directors telling them how to act.

I really helped me to "think through" my expectations.

1. Where did I get ideas from?
2. Are they realistic?
3. What SHOULD my expectations be?
4. How can God help me?

I found that asking God go back and do some "spring cleaning" on all those influences really helped. Life is not drama ... and thank goodness for that!

Asking God to do a spring cleaning of the influences in our lives! I hadn't thought of it that way, and I like it. I always imagined when I was married, I'd wake up in my penthouse apartment, head to my job as a hotel manager (loved that show!). When I got home (still looking as good as when I woke up with all my makeup on) we'd have a martini and head for our vacation. We flew in a little private plane to our secluded island where...well, you know, it's just a fantasy. And while I exaggerate a little, I honestly did think it would be magical all the time.

In this book, Tricia touches on all the biggies, arguing, money, past relationships (ohh the baggage we bring), just to mention a few. Throughout the book she keeps it real, and doesn't tell her readers she has the cure. Each chapter begins with an 80s song, you gotta love that! I couldn't not ask her...which was her favorite? Rick Astley's "Whenever You Need Somebody".

If you haven't already, be sure and click the button on my sidebar, it'll take you to my post with the giveaway. She's letting me give away two of her books, Generation NeXt Marriage and Generation NeXt Parenting--just leave a comment and you're in.

It's not over, oh no. There's more! Tricia wants to hear your stories. How did you meet your husband? Do you have a picture to share? If yes, head over to Love, Gen X Style and fill her in. She'll not only print it on her blog, but the winning story will be published on her newsletter AND you and hubby will be be treated to a dinner for two at a restaurant you pick, up to $50.

Two Books One Lucky Winner Giveaway!

The tour is revved up and hitting the road! I'm pretty excited to share my take on Tricia Goyer's book, Generation NeXt Marriage. I devoured it quickly, relieved I wasn't the only one bringing obstacles to the marriage table. But more about that later when it's my turn on the tour (April 7). Until then, I want to get this fantabulistic giveaway going on! I get to give away both Generation NeXt Parenting and Generation NeXt Marriage.

What do you have to do? Not a lot...just leave a comment on this post letting me know you want to be entered. Using fantabulistic won't get you an extra entry this time, but it will make me smile. On April 10th, I'll use the good old random number generator and draw a lucky reader. If you win, I'll email you so you can let me know where you'd like your two books sent! That's it! Even I could do this. Probably.

For more information on the tour dates, click HERE! And, of course, good luck!

**You know, this would be a great way to come out of lurking and say hello! I'd love it!