Tonight should be great fun as we'll get to hear David Cook three times!
Wow the audience sounds a little rabid tonight! Yikes!
It appears Syesha is sticking with the grown-up look.
David Archuleta: Paula's choice. "And So It Goes" Nice pretty ballady song that is sort of putting me to sleep. He sounds good, though. Why couldn't Paula have picked a peppier tune? Strange way to start. Randy gushes all over him. Paula gushes as well. Simon is unimpressed.
Syesha Mercado:
Ryan is acting like Randy and the judges are jumping in to read the teleprompter. Randy chooses a modern song for Syesha. Gasp. She sounds good. Fun and good performance. Simon sorta disses Randy's choice. But he tells her she looks gorgeous. Aw that's nice.
David Cook: David's back home in the lovely Missouri. Simon chooses something a bit unusual for David in a Roberta Flack song. I don't think I know this song. Or maybe I'm not super familiar with it. It might surprise you, but I really like it! The judges do crack me up. :) This little rivalry between Randy and Simon is actually quite funny tonight.
Oh by the way CBS is taking the delicious Alex O'Laughlin off the air. Why, I ask, why?
David A: "With You" by Chris Brown He's trying something new. Poor David always comes across as a bit awkward, poor thing. Yeah, this is just alright. Not exactly his style really, is it? Simon's assessment "a chihuahua trying to be a tiger" is dead on. I wish I'd thought of that line.
Syesha: "Fever" Syesha chose this song so she could use the chair. An ok performance, pretty good really. But nothing that's going to stand out tremendously.
David Cook: Singing some Switchfoot a song I really like. Wow, I would have thought David Cook singing a favorite song would be bliss but instead he's sounding a bit rough. Paula's assessment is right on...the song ended a bit abruptly.
David A.: This song is nice and he sings well, but it lacks the excitement factor.
Syesha: Syesha does a fun little song from Happy Feet. Nothing outstanding, but it was fun and I still think she might have a chance for next week. But don't vote for her, vote for David Cook!
David Cook: David Cook singing "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" So far, it's ok....pretty good, he did do a bit of a different take which is nice. Simon says he wins the night. He better win the whole thing.
Well I love David and will vote for him now. Who would you like to see in the finale?
I'll be back Thursday to talk LOST with you all. Pray for Myanmar!
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
American Idol Top 3
Call to Fast for Myanmar
The situation in Myanmar is really unsettling. Not only has the natural disaster taken its toll, but the military/government is not helping people get the aid they need. It's not enough to give money at this point (who knows where it will go?), we have to pray.
I read headlines like..."spoiled food delivered to survivors" and feel sick.
I spend a fair bit of time blogging each day...between writing my own posts and trying to respond to comments, and reading other blogs.
I'm proposing a day of fasting tomorrow. Not just from eating but from blogging as well. Taking the time I would to do those things and instead praying for the victims in Myanmar.
Obviously, I'm not fasting in secret, because I'm hoping against hope that some of you will join me. Let's take the time to pray for Myanmar. Let's ask the True Provider and Only One who can intervene to do just that. Feel free to let me know you joined me in comments (it will be encouraging, I think) or simply don't blog tomorrow, it's up to you. I hope you will join in.
I am still blogging Idol tonight and then I'll see you back here Thursday. (hopefully)
Sincerely Mayla by Virginia Smith
About the book: Kregel Publications is pleased to announce the release of SINCERELY,
MAYLA: A NOVEL by Virginia Smith. In this heartwarming sequel to JUST AS I
AM, Mayla Strong’s life is finally starting to seem normal. She has been
working at the same job for four years, living with a good friend, and
enjoying a deep relationship with God. But when Mayla is suddenly laid off
from her job, the placid surface of her life is shattered. Taking
advantage of her newfound “vacation time,” Mayla flees to her
grandmother’s house in Florida. But one by one, her problems follow . . .
literally.
My Review: I enjoyed Just As I Am, and figured I would enjoy this follow-up as well. Boy, did I! This book is an exquisite piece of Christian chick lit with snappy dialogue, a completely loveable and real heroine, and a host of alternately amusing and touching events that take place. It reminds of exactly what this genre can be and sort of makes me want to dive into a pile of chick lit for the next month. :)
Mayla is just so real. It's so easy to identify with her, she is not a fashion princess, she doesn't always say or do the right thing, but her heart is in the right place. I blew through the book and am hoping hoping that we will get a third. The ending was satisfying, but there is just so much more story that can be explored with all of the delightful and well defined characters in this book.
These are the first books I've read by Virginia Smith but they won't be the last! I already own Stuck in the Middle and plan to hunt down everything else she has written. If you love well written chick lit, I think you will love this book!
Food Crisis in Bangladesh
Many of you have heard about the food crisis in Haiti, but it is also hitting Bangladesh in a severe way. I have a sponsored child in Bangladesh and was really saddened to read the post this morning on the Compassion blog.
To read a little bit more, go to this blog post. It will absolutely break your heart as you read the stories about these children.
Today I am asking you as your bloggy friend, to please pray for the families in Bangladesh when you thank God for your own food. If you are interested in giving some money, you can of course visit the Compassion website and designate funds to the food crisis in Bangladesh. (if they don't have a specific category for it, write a note. I did this after the last cyclone and it showed up on my contributions statement as Bangladesh cyclone relief)
Monday, May 12, 2008
Not So Unique After All
I actually thought it might be higher. My name is kind of common. There are 685,000 Amys. :)
(HT: A Chair, A Fireplace, and a Tea Cozy)
1.5 Trees for Every Costa Rican
Costa Rica seeks to become the first carbon neutral country.
Go Costa Rica! I would like to say though, you can plant a tree but you cannot plant a forest.
Costa Rica has a beautiful rainforest full of insects I hope I never see again.
What do you do?
Gas stations always seem like the place to run a con in movies and on tv and admittedly, I often get hit up there as well.
In fact, I would say that gas stations and my local CVS are the two places I most often get asked for money.
Normally, in the past, I always said no. I had a friend when I was in high school who would actually pick people up who had the will-work-for-food signs and take them to her house to do work. She never really had any successful experiences with it, as they would often disappear or fabricate an excuse as to why couldn't help in her yard. So the seeds were sown that these people weren't seriously in need.
I had another experience working with the homeless in Atlanta. We prepared bags of food and took them to the streets, passing them out to the homeless. It wasn't much you know, some rice and sausage, a packet of cookies. Shadowing those with more experience, I watched when some would ask for more food. "For a friend," he said. My initial reaction was..."no way!" But the guy I was with, chuckled and said, "A friend, huh?" and gave him another bag.
There's a verse I've struggled to understand all my life. It seems so hard and it flies against all logic and reason.
This verse rattled around inside my brain when I said no to the guy at CVS who wanted to wash my car windows for some change. I was in a hurry to go grab my lunch and didn't want to take the time. He's asked me for money before, but at least this time he was even willing to do some work for it! As I drove away, I felt seared by the words in this verse.
This same verse popped up immediately Friday night when I stopped for gas, and a woman approached me. She claimed she was bleeding, though I couldn't see any blood and had just escaped from her abusive alcoholic husband, but needed some gas. I didn't believe her. But those words...those words were pounding in my head.
They come from Matthew: Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
So I bought her ten dollars worth of gas. Was it a con? Yes, but I knew that going in. I especially knew it when a man walked by with a gas can as I was filling up my own car and pointed to the car and asked for some help to buy gas. (was he the alcoholic abusive husband?) Even though they lied to get some gas, I don't know what was really going on in their lives. I don't know God's purpose for our lives intersecting that night, or for the sense I had that I needed to obey and give them money against my better judgement.
Could I have given that ten dollars to an organization that would have used it more wisely, like Compassion? Perhaps, but in truth I might have ended up spending it on Diet Mountain Dew or something.
I'd love to know what you all think about this verse, how you apply it to your life and what you do in these situations. I think it's worth talking about and I'm hoping to get a little discussion.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Mother's Day
When I was in college, I worked at a Boys and Girls Club, tutoring reading. (surprise!)
I only went there a few days a week, but I became attached to one little girl. She was super cute and sure she had some behavioral problems, but she soaked in the attention spent with her. I felt she had potential and rejoiced over the little bits of progress she made. One day, a group from the local high school came to make Valentine's cards with the kids for their mothers. Those of us who worked there helped out. When it was over and we were cleaning up the scraps and scrubbing the glue off of the tables, she came up to me, held out the card and said "Would you be my pretend mother?"
I think my heart broke in that second. I said something terribly bright like, "sure!", gave her a hug and took the card. But what little girl doesn't want to give her mother a card she made for her? What rift was there that she would even consider giving a card made for mom to someone else? (she had a mother btw, in case you were thinking maybe she didn't)
So today I want to say thank you to all the good mothers who love their children and guard and tend to their precious little hearts. And I want to share that showing kindness and loving children doesn't go unnoticed even if you are not a mother.
Happy Mother's Day everyone!
Saturday, May 10, 2008
The 1% Well Read Challenge
I've decided to add this challenge to the others I'm doing because it seems doable. But the Spring Reading Thing, of course, I'm actually way behind on. The idea of this challenge is to read 10 books of the list of 1,001 books to read before you die list.
Anyway, I want to be well read and I'm hoping this will help me focus. :)
My choices:
1) Villette by Charlotte Bronte--a book that has been in my TBR pile since high school.
2) Everything that Rises Must Converge by Flannery O'Connor because I've never read anything by her but always heard such great things.
3) The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne. (cross challenged with SRT)
4) North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
5) England Made Me by Graham Greene
6) Saturday by Ian McEwan--everyone raves about him so I should go ahead and read something he's written.
7) Life of Pi by Yann Martel--I know I know, I haven't read it yet (already in my TBR pile)
8) The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver (already in my TBR pile)
9) A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry (already in my TBR pile)
10) To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee -- I'm really embarrassed to have never read this, so time to put that behind me!
Dream Lucky by Roxanne Orgill
About the book: The time: 1936-1938. The mood: Hopeful. It wasn't wartime, not yet. The music: The incomparable Count Basie and Benny Goodman, among others. The setting: Living rooms across America and, most of all, New York City.
Dream Lucky covers politics, race, religion, arts, and sports, but the central focus is the period's soundtrack—specifically big band jazz—and the big-hearted piano player William "Count" Basie. His ascent is the narrative thread of the book—how he made it and what made his music different from the rest. But many other stories weave in and out: Amelia Earhart pursues her dream of flying "around the world at its waistline." Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., stages a boycott on 125th Street. And Mae West shocks radio listeners as a naked Eve tempting the snake.
Critic Nat Hentoff praises the "precise originality" with which Roxane Orgill writes about music. In Dream Lucky, she magically lets readers hear the past.
My Review: I really enjoyed having the chance to read Dream Lucky by Roxanne Orgill. This is probably not the type of book I would normally pick up and I would be missing out!
What I loved about this book is that it totally transported me to the time period and really brought it to life! The chapters are short and the book is filled with pictures so it is easily digestable. She did her research so well, that she's able to tell the story like a novel and seamlessly weave in quotes and ideas from the time period. I also really really want to read more about some of these people now. If you like learning a little bit about history in a non-threatening way or if you have an interest in this time period or jazz music, I think you'll enjoy this!
Dream Lucky is published by Harper Collins and is available in stores now.
By Reason of Insanity by Randy Singer
The legal thriller genre is one of my favorites. I love John Grisham, William Bernhardt, Steve Martini to name a few authors. There's something so exciting about the combination of courtroom tension and the unraveling of a case, lawyers matching wits and of course the awesome education in law I get. I feel I'm an expert you know!
But Randy Singer may well be my favorite author in this genre. The cases he highlights are always so interesting, unique looks at different situations. His characters are varied and interesting and his pacing is great. His latest, By Reason of Insanity, is no exception.
Here's a little bit about the book: After a series of kidnappings and murders in Virginia Beach, newspaper reporter Catherine O'Rourke experiences disturbing dreams that detail each crime. In an effort to aid the investigation, she shares them with her confidential source--a detective working on the case. Catherine's intimate knowledge of the crimes immediately makes her a prime suspect. When scientific evidence corroborates her guilt, she's arrested and charged with murder. As she begins to doubt her own innocence, Catherine turns to Las Vegas lawyer Quinn Newberg, a high-priced specialist in the insanity defense. Quinn believes in justice, Vegas-style. But he doesn't believe in the supernatural, or that Catherine's dreams are anything other than the result of a fractured personality disorder. Who can understand the human mind? Quinn knows that insanity cases are unpredictable, but nothing had prepared him for this! To win, or even survive, Quinn will need more than his famed legal maneuvering and biting skepticism. On this case, he needs a miracle.
This was another great title from Randy Singer. From the first few pages, you're drawn into the idea of whether or not the insanity plea is a good one. Throughout the book, it's impossible to tell what's really going on with Catherine and you may switch your opinion several times! The book is fast-paced and hard to put down. Perfect for the lover of the legal thriller or any mystery in general.
Best news? It's now available!
Friday, May 9, 2008
Heartbreaking Story from Myanmar
If you have a roof over your head and family to love, you are so very very very blessed.
This, I cannot fathom.
Please pray for all the broken hearts and lives.
(btw, tomorrow is review day. I have like three book reviews and a website review coming at ya!)
Weekly Geeks--Linking to your Reviews!
I'm going to participate in this Weekly Geeks activity.
While this is not exclusively a book blog, I do review at minimum one book a week here. Often these books are part of the CFBA or FIRST tours, but I'd love to link to your reviews with my review if you are interested.
Here are my conditions:
1) If it's a CFBA book, I will only link to your own personally written review, not the canned review. Obviously, if it's not a CFBA review this doesn't apply. ;)
2) I ask that you link back to me if I link to you.
That's it! Just email me mypalamy AT gmail DOT com or use the contact form to let me know about your review and I'll link it up.
The Warriors by Mark Andrew Olsen
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
MARK ANDREW OLSEN whose novel The Assignment was a Christy Award finalist, also collaborated on bestsellers Hadassah (now the major motion picture: One Night With the King), The Hadassah Covenant, and Rescued. His last novel was the supernatural thriller The Watchers. The son of missionaries to France, Mark is a Professional Writing graduate of Baylor University. He and his wife, Connie, live in Colorado Springs with their three children.
ABOUT THE BOOK
A failed recon mission deep in the tunnels of Afghanistan has provoked a demonic onslaught that had been brewing for centuries. The mission's sole survivor is reformed black ops assassin Dylan Hatfield, and he once again teams up with Abby Sherman, now at the helm of the Watchers, an ancient spiritual force. Uncovering and preventing a secret wave of death whispered across cyberspace and threatening to be unleash against civilization will require another level of spiritual power and expertise--the Warriors. Journeying across the Alps of Europe through the multilayered history of warfare in the unseen world, Dylan and Abby uncover an age-old stone engraving that rouses the church's Warriors to action, placing them dead center in one of the fiercest spiritual battles of their time!
And once again they are reminded: This is all part of a vast and perpetual war, a war beyond all human conflicts, one that has engulfed heaven and earth since before the dawn of history....
Abby Sherman is headed back to Israel, where a Watcher, the Sentinel of Jerusalem, lies dying. In her last breaths the old woman tells Abby of an ancient document prophesying humanity's full-scale entry into the ongoing conflict between armies of heaven and fallen angels.
Dylan Hatfield has decided to answer a summons from his old boss and join a secret operation, its mission to reconnoiter the Afghani tunnel complex from which Osama bin Laden escaped in 2001. What he discovers sears his very soul and likely will end his life.
Abby learns of the peril facing Dylan, and she sends out a call for intercession on his behalf. Her frantic email message sets in motion a series of harrowing events, propelling the two on a new mission and quest--one where the stakes are the lives of millions!
The Warriors is packed with high-octane action, featuring exotic international locales, with characters in a clash against spiritual "principalities and powers" with eternal consequences, The Warriors is a story that will enthrall, enlighten, and engage its readers.
If that piques your interest, you can read the first chapter HERE
"Olsen, one of the better writers in this subgenre, delivers powerful, action-packed plots that delve into mystical paranormal worlds."
~Library Journal, Feb. 2008
"Olsen delivers an entertaining thriller likely to be enjoyed especially by fans of the spiritual warfare genre."
~PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Mostly LOST, (but a little bit of Grey's)
Before I dig into LOST, I need to say a few things about Grey's.
What in the world was that whole survey everyone's sexual partners junk? I can't imagine that happening in the real world! The show seemed really far fetched tonight. I have to say that no matter what, Sandra Oh is an absolutely terrific actress who delivered that strange little monologue brilliantly. Don't you think?
Ok LOST...Claire has officially entered the camp of the creepy. What was up with that creepy smile? And was anyone else impressed with the casting and acting of the little boy John Locke and the teenage John Locke? And weren't we all thinking little boy John Locke was going to pick up the knife so it seemed strange that he wasn't supposed to? Why was the knife wrong? And yay for seeing Sayid and Desmond again, though I'm concerned for Desmond's safety. Michael apparently continues to be un-killable which I guess means the Island isn't through with him yet. And you know I have to ask....what does "he wants us to move the island" mean??????? So...
is Claire dead or possessed or what? Why is Christian so important or does he factor in since the Island is essentially his burial ground? Ok, I've got to get to bed, but please feel free to share your thoughts if you watch either show. Or not. It's really up to you.
(Oh one more thing. I do have another guilty pleasure called Gossip Girl Does anyone else watch this show? I know it's a teeny bopper show. Anyway, if anyone else watched did you not think this week's episode was like a story on speed? Sloooowww down writers! There's plenty of time to tell all these juicy stories!)
Happy Birthday to Me!
Birthdays are like New Year's Eve...a chance to examine your life and see if you like where it's going. At least in this stage of life....maybe when I'm older I'll be able to merely relax and celebrate.
I'm 28 today. Only one more birthday after this one until I'm 30. (I can't really believe it...how did this happen???)
I have one hope for this new year of life...a single minded focus on loving God. I think I've had this hope all along, but I am so completely ADD (just read this blog) and it always seems to come back to me how much time, energy, money, and emotion, I still throw at useless things.
In the meantime, I can already imagine the flood of emails I'm going to get about what you guys can get for me for my birthday, and I'm touched really that you care so much, so here are some bloggy gifts you can give me.
You can add my blog to your favorites on Technorati!
You can add me to your blogroll or give me some other linky love!
You can join my Read One Book Challenge!
Or you can just wish me a happy birthday!
Thanks for reading my blog everyone....you make my day with your comments! :)
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Maybe, Quite Possibly, Rethinking Twitter
So I've been rethinking the twittering thing. Partly because of that guy in Egypt. Partly because I've been reading so many blogs about how wonderful it is.
So should I give in? Should I twitter? Do you twitter? Am I going to have anyone to follow or anyone to follow me if I give it a go?
Blog Tour: What Women Want
This is a gorgeous book that came to me right when I was looking for a new Bible study. It examines some core issues for women in a relational style by sharing other women's thoughts and also takes a good look at what God has to say about it in the Bible. It's full of so much warmth and hope. I'm still working my way through it, but I think it would be a great tool to use in a group or with your best friends. And the price is right. It's really affordable for such a great book! Now here's some official information on it.
About the book: From a deeper relationship with God to harmony in the home, from stronger marriages to more satisfying work: Women Want More.
In What Women Want, bestselling author Lisa T. Bergren and Rebecca Price invite readers to thoughtfully consider their soul-deep longings—and pursue God's best in every area of life. Using in-depth interviews from a national survey and hundreds of personal interviews, biblical narratives, their own personal stories and inspiring quotes, the authors point fellow seekers toward the kind of wholeness God desires, providing lots of fun and inspiration along the way. They explore friendship, how and where to find happiness, health, and more with an eye on physical, emotional, and spiritual matters.
A Bible study, designed for personal or group use and tested with dozens of women's ministries around the country before publication, is included at the end of each chapter.
If you click here you can read some sample chapters and take a personal quiz.
Check the book out at amazon.
About the Authors: LISA T. BERGREN is the author of twenty-eight books that have sold many more than she ever believed. She writes a lot from the heart and in whatever category that currently interests her–from gift and children's books to medieval fiction and Bible studies. She is a wife to Tim, an artist, and mother to three phenomenal children–Olivia, Emma and Jack. The Bergrens live in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and worship at Trinity Lutheran Church in Monument. For more specifics on Lisa, see her Web site at www.LisaTawnBergren.com.
REBECCA PRICE credits her long career ("Twenty-five years–yikes!) in the Christian publishing industry as providing opportunities to meet and learn from many gifted teachers and authors. She has worked in marketing and executive positions at NavPress, Word, Multnomah and WaterBrook Press. After moving around the country (and to London and back), she returned to her home state, embarked on a business venture with Lisa, and is now a publishing and marketing consultant. Rebecca lives in Little Rock, Arkansas, and is actively involved at Fellowship Bible Church.
Oh, and did I mention the contest? Rebecca Price and Lisa Bergren want all about your "sister of the heart"... send the girls an email at amy@litfusegroup.com telling who your best friend is and why she is your "heart sister"!
Your stories will be posted on the www.satisfiedheart.com blog...the story with the most comments will win a copy of What Women Want and the What Women Want soundtrack of their choice for themselves and for their "heart sister"!
And…if that wasn't enough, leave a comment on at their blog here and they'll toss your name into the hat for a $15 Starbucks Card. You know...just in case you need that cup of get-up-and-go to get you motivated for your Bible study!
