Lavender Rain - A Book Review





   

 

     Hope-filled fiction is used to describe the Serenity Cove series of novels by Rita Garcia. I just finished reading Lavender Rain - Maggie's Story. This third book in the Serenity Cove Series is as fresh as the first, Kaleidoscope Summer, and the second, Tangerine Morning.

      Rita’s writing provides a perfect Calgon-Take-Me-Away place to relax and enjoy the beautiful setting in Serenity Cove. The characters are easy to bond with and their stories are current and engaging.The beautiful setting is one of the things that brings me back for more visits. But the residents and their special life experiences make it such a pleasure to stay.

     Maggie's story will take you on an even deeper journey with real-life challenges that can only be effectively faced through faith. Rita Garcia stays true to her writing of "inspirational romance." Lavender Rain will remain with you long after you've enjoyed reading it. The story line is current and important on so many levels.

     You can find all three books at www.Amazon.com. The link to Lavender Rain is below. They are also available for your Kindle. Enjoy.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Lavender-Rain-Maggies-Serenity-Series/dp/1494416867/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1386839744&sr=8-3&keywords=rita+garcia

 

   

      Have a cuppa, relax and enjoy your stay in this wonderful and picturesque oceanside community.

Blog: http://www.reflectionswithdr.com
Website: http://www.ritagarcia.com

Dr. Rita Garcia is a Clinical Christian Counselor and an inspirational novelist. Her knowledge and passion for helping others brings realistic details to the counseling woven into her stories. The theme that permeates her writings is: Love, lit by the flame of hope. Romance is a big part of her novels. Hope is an even larger element of the stories. Rita and her husband, Joe, live in Southern California.

A Special Gift

God's Valentine Message

Today’s post for the Valentine season comes from one who will enjoy the source of all love face to face today – with Jesus. My mother, Goldie Opal McCall joined Him and my dad, “Mac” last April 19, 2013.

Mother loved doing acrostics. She used them often in her teaching in Sunday School and for her personal Bible study. The following is one she did February 14, 1991:  

"God’s Valentine Message is for Every Day" 

G – God’s gift of Love to all, His Son Jesus who in
O – Obedience left Heaven for
D – Death on the cross, to provide
S – Salvation to “Whosoever” will accept Him. 

His Gifts to Us: 

V – Victory in life and over death.
A – Answers to our prayers.
L – Love beyond measure and forever.
E – Example of Jesus to follow.
N – A New Nature.
T – Talents and time to serve Him and others.
I – Inheritance in Heaven as His child.
N – (Our) Needs will be supplied according to His riches in glory.
E – Eternal Life. 

        “Valentine’s Day is a time set aside to show love for for another. This is good, but sad that it is not a practice that can be celebrated each and every day.

        “Since God is the source of all Love, I have spent this day in thankfulness to Him for His love toward me, and the love I have received from my family and friends.

        “I wanted to share this, “His Valentine Message” to me, with you and I hope you will claim it for yourself each and every day.” 

Love,

Goldie McCall

2-14-91

Glenda

It's a quiet and cloudy day in Oklahoma City today. I have plenty of things with which to busy myself. But I'm more in the mood to remember other times. With so many of our family who have moved ahead of us into God's kingdom, we need to keep memories alive. For ourselves. For our younger family members. Following is a piece I wrote when my cousin, Glenda, passed away. She was a poet and spent many hours during a time in her life that would leave many feeling they had no resources to be productive. Parkinsons Disease was holding her captive in her body and in her tiny apartment, but she still reached out to others through her poetry and shadow boxes. It is my honor to introduce you to her today:

Glenda is my cousin.  And, for what now seems a lifetime ago, she was my friend, traveling companion, and confidant.  

As children, Glenda and I spent summer days at Grandpa Anderson’s house creating whatever world we chose to live in for the day.  Some days we would load all of our worldly possessions into the family car parked in the driveway, climb into the front seat and head for California or other far-away places.  We didn’t need the car keys, or money for gas or lodging.  All we needed were our imaginations and that supply never ran dry.  A walk to the local grocery store on a summer day could turn into a raging blizzard as we fought against howling winds and life-threatening elements that no one else could experience.

At the end of such an eventful day, we would lie under the moon-soaked window of her tiny bedroom and plan the rest of our lives.  And, like our imaginations, our plans knew no bounds.  The cool breeze was a welcome relief from the summer heat – and much warmer than the howling “winter” winds we had survived earlier that day.

Our lives took different paths, most of which were not in our well-thought-out summer dreams.  Glenda’s ability to step out of her world and into a better place enabled her to write beautiful poetry and create cards and shadow boxes to showcase what she had written.  I’ve heard how her poetry won awards and how she used to be invited to read her inspired creations to other poets.

That she could know such peace in a body that defied her every move and be able to express such love for and faith in God, in her Jeshua, was God revealing Himself to us through her.  I can honestly say that I never once heard Glenda complain or feel sorry for herself over her physical condition.  The only words spoken were words of praise and of hope. 

At Glenda and Jacob’s anniversary celebration one summer, Glenda created yet another memory.  Our grandson, Barrick, was there.  He was about six months old, I guess.  Glenda engaged him by singing what sounded like a Jewish lullaby to him as only she could sing it.  Barrick’s wiggles stopped, his eyes fixed on hers.  He didn’t even notice the involuntary movement of Glenda’s chair twisting on castors that would not be controlled.  He just heard her soft voice and the beautiful song that was for his ears only – like they were the only two people in a room filled with people and activity.  What a gift, and on a day when Glenda should have been the only recipient of gifts.  

There was quite a party going on in Heaven in 2009 and 2010.  One reunion after another, after another, after another…  Early on a Saturday morning at 2:30 AM, it was Glenda’s turn to run into the waiting arms of her parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends - and her Messiah.  And run she could.  With strong legs that allowed her to dictate the direction and speed of her arrival.  I can imagine, once again, and I can see Glenda on the team that writes unending praises to Yahweh.  But that’s where the imagination ends.  This time she really is in a better place.

Thanks for the memories, Glenda.

 

Ode To The "X"

It doesn’t look like much, the letter “X”

But it speaks volumes in the right conteXt

Like the Southern home for a country boy’s eX’s

Just south of the Red River, they call it TeXas.

 

Need a car and have a pile of cash?

A LeXus will finish off your savings stash.

Having a little trouble signing the dotted line?

An “X” on the spot will work just fine.

You can have an eX-wife or even be eXpelled

An eX-con can find his sentence upheld.

You can try to eXplain why you don’t eXercise

But too many eXcuses could bring your demise.

 So number twenty-four in the alphabet

Is a character for sure, one we’ll never forget

To eXpatiate on such a simple theme

Could only happen on the page of a meme.
 

 



 

              

Happy New Year, Friends ...

Photography by  http://midspix.wordpress.com/ 

"The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace,

Because he trusts in You.

Trust in the Lord forever,

For in God the Lord, we have an everlasting Rock."

(Isaiah 26:3,4 NASB)

Wouldn’t it be nice to begin today with a fresh coat of paint covering over the undesirable events from 2013? To wake up to a portrait of smiling faces among the politicians – from both sides of the aisle that’s more like an abyss these days. To be engaged by co-workers, neighbors, relatives who may not agree with our stand on life-impacting issues but who respect our right to express and live out those convictions. To see careers blossoming after a long spell of unemployment. To see health in the eyes of loved ones who left suffering and weakness behind with 2013. To see innocence restored in the eyes of our school-aged children. 

But, January 1, 2014 is just a date signifying the beginning of a new calendar year. Challenges in our lives on December 31, 2013 are still challenges. Not insurmountable, but present. 

Thankfully, the Name above all Names was present today before we arrived at 12:01 AM. He’s the same today as He was yesterday and all the days past and present. The Alpha and Omega Who carried us through last year is just as loving, powerful and in control as we begin the next leg of our brief journey on planet earth.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything 

by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving 

let your requests be made known to God 

And the peace of God, 

which surpasses all comprehension, 

will guard your hearts and your minds 

in Christ Jesus.” 

(Philippians 4:6,7 NASB) 

We can choose to make this a very happy and new year.

Happy New Year

 

Wishing you and yours a very Happy and Joyful New Year!

 

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart

And do not lean on you own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He will make your paths straight."

(Proverbs 3:5,6 NASB)

 

 

More Festive Recipes

Here are some up-and-coming traditional recipes from the next generation of McCall ladies. Kitchen tested and delicious!

 

LEAH’S BLACK BEAN VEGETABLE DIP

½ Cup Vegetable Oil
½ Cup Cider Vinegar
½ Cup Sugar
2 Cloves Garlic – Minced 1 tsp.
Salt ¼ tsp
Black Pepper
1 (15 oz.) Can Black Beans – Rinsed and Drained
1 (15 oz.) White Hominy – Drained
4 Green Onions – Sliced
1 Small Onion – Finely Chopped
4 Tomatoes – Seeded and Chopped
1 Small Green Pepper – Chopped
½ Cup Chopped Celery
Tortilla Chips

In a small pan combine oil, vinegar, sugar, garlic, salt and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer until the sugar dissolves. Set aside. In medium bowl combine black beans, hominy, green onions, onion, tomatoes, green pepper and celery. Pour sugar mixture over beans and gently stir. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Serve with tortilla chips.
Leah doubles the recipe for our (large) family gatherings.

 

 

JULEE’S SAUSAGE CHEESE BALLS

 

1 lb. Sausage

1 lb. Sharp Shredded Cheddar Cheese

3 Cups Biscuit Mix

Mix well and form into balls.

Put on baking sheet until lightly browned.

Cook at 300 degrees for about 25 minutes.

JP’S (JENNIFER PAIGE) PECAN CARROT CAKE

1 ½ Cups of Oil
2 Cups Sugar
4 Large Eggs
2 ½ Cups Flour
2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Vanilla
1 tsp Baking Powder
2 tsp Baking Soda
3 Cups of shredded Carrots
1 Can Crushed Pineapple (Any type)
1 Cup chopped Pecans

CAKE:
Cream together oil and sugar for 15 minutes, then add eggs one at a time. Mix dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture. Slowly add pineapple, shredded carrots and pecans. Bake at 350 degrees until toothpick comes out clean.

ICING:
8 oz. Cream Cheese
1 Cup/2 sticks of Butter (Use stick butter for round cake. Use regular butter for square cake)
1 tsp. Vanilla 1 Box Powdered Sugar

Mix cream cheese and butter until smooth and add vanilla and powdered sugar. Mix well. Add pecans on top.

(It can also be served without the icing)

Ready or Not...

          Probably before the day is over, I will have completed proofing, correcting and fussing over a project I began around March of this year. A few short weeks before my mother passed from the confines of a wheel chair and hospital bed into her eternal and glorious home on April 19, she told me that she wanted me to gather my small collection of thoughts and poems and put them into book form.
          I tried to wiggle out with some very creative objections and excuses, but I knew too well the look in those brown eyes weren’t buying into any of them. So…I promised to honor her request.
          When Mother's health began to rapidly decline, it became evident that my late-night typing would not speed the process enough for her to see the finished product. To reassure her, I took the Introduction, Acknowledgement and a few articles and read them to her and vowed to complete the task.
          I’ve mentioned this self-published endeavor only to a few people and truly my goal is just to fulfill that commitment to a mother who asked very little for herself in an entire lifetime. I could tread a narrow line and say, “I never promised to tell anyone about the book or to promote it in any way.” But those brown eyes wouldn’t buy that either. So…

          Ready or not A Softer Voice in book form will soon become a reality.

       
          The yellow roses on the cover are to honor the only acceptable form of yellow in Goldie Anderson McCall's eyes. Since yellow is just about my favorite color, you can imagine some fun discussions we had with her resistance to a color I would bathe my world in if I could. She finally agreed that, since God made yellow flowers, they were "probably" ok. At her memorial service (and with her permission) there was one yellow rose included in a blanket of pink and white flowers.
          I don’t know what the turn-around time will be once I send the final revision in this weekend, but before long, the promise will have been kept. I have no expectations for A Softer Voice. My prayer is that should it find its way into some readers’ collections, a blessing will be waiting for them from one of the pages. I’m simply giving it back to the Author and Finisher of my faith to do His bidding – whatever that may be.
          Thanks to this week’s “R” meme and Shelley Wilburn’s post on “Reckless” for giving me the courage to “R”oll out A Softer Voice. If only Mother had asked me to put purple streaks in my hair and wear crazy socks instead :) 

Nothingness

Nothing. No way. Not at all.

          “Nothing” can mean “everything” if it takes on the form of a distraction or priority in our relationship with Jesus Christ. The following words of Charles Albert Tindley sounds the warning through this beautifully written hymn that could also be spoken as a prayer:

NOTHING BETWEEN

Nothing between my soul and the Savior.
Naught of this world’s delusive dream;
I have renounced all sinful pleasure;
Jesus is mine, there’s nothing between.

Nothing between, like worldly pleasure;
Habits of life, though harmless they seem,
Must not my heart from Him e’er sever;
He is my all, there’s nothing between.

Nothing between, like pride or station;
Self-life or friends shall not intervene;
Though it may cost me much tribulation,
I am resolved; there’s nothing between.

CHORUS:
Nothing between my soul and the Savior,
So that His blessed face may be seen;
Nothing preventing the least of His favor,
Keep the way clear! Let nothing between.”

         Romans 8:35,37 (NASB) assures us that nothing can separate us from the love of God. Does the hymn speak against the truth of the scripture?

“Who will separate us from the love of Christ?

Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine,

or nakedness, or peril, or sword?...

For I am convinced that neither death,

 nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present,

nor things to come, nor powers, or height,

nor depth, nor any other created things,

will be able to separate us from the love of God,

which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

 

          We can separate ourselves from the precious fellowship with Him through Jesus Christ by wedging in other things, priorities, our own agendas, sin…the list could be endless. “Nothing Between” refers to our choices. Even events life throws at us can serve to draw us nearer to Him when we decide to "keep the way clear."

  

          But what can separate us from the love of God?

 

NOTHING.

In The Twinkling of An Eye...

The days of loading film in darkened rooms, scrolling through to the first available frame, and making sure there were enough flashbulbs at the ready have faded along with some of our treasured photographs. Rolls of 36 exposures came up short at the most inopportune times.

Now a plastic insert about the size of a flattened Chic-let stores an incredible amount of photos. And, once that space is filled, the shots are simply downloaded from the camera and uploaded to a PC, iPad, iPod, CD, DVD, or the local discount house for developing. Then that remarkable little Chic-let is ready for the next 750 - 1000 shots of the objects of our affection.

"Let me show you my grandchildren" could lead to a triple feature complete with sodas and pop corn. Then there's Facebook, Myspace, and You Tube. I love signing into my personal space of choice and immediately seeing the daily shots of my youngest grandson sitting in a bubble bath with bubble beards and hats, or videos of my oldest grandson marching in formation with his high school band on a beautiful fall afternoon.

As quickly as these images flash across our screens, there is one more Face that will suddenly appear. This moment in time will be captured, world-wide, "in the twinkling of an eye." No need to be armed with cameras or video equipment to save this moment for sharing later.

We who are in the eternal family album called the Book of Life will be gone before the rest of the world can blink. The unfortunate non-believers won't even see this most incredible moment in history. All they will have left of loved ones who disappear without notice will be their photos and the reality that the faith of Christian relatives and friends wasn't misplaced after all.

Which family album will you choose?



Now the Good News: Check the sidebar for the link for "I Want To Know Jesus".

Freedom

      Bud and I have had our heads in the clouds. Literally. We’ve been in the Rockies since last Sunday taking in fresh mountain air and panoramic views that surely must be stair steps to Heaven.       

       We toured the Pueblo ruins at Mesa Verde, went four-wheeling on a road built between Durango and Silverton in the 1800’s (Yes, the mini boulders that probably broke many wagon wheels and axles are still there), and have taken a few scenic drives that offer a variety of colors and mountain peaks. We plan to return to Creede in the morning to observe their Hot Air Balloon Festival.

          God allows us these sabbaticals, and we are so grateful for the one we’ve had this week. However, the freedom we’ve experienced has been a little bittersweet as some we love are dealing with serious health issues and others with difficult decisions in their lives and in the lives of others. 

          We look forward to being home again in a few days when it’s time to return to the “real world” where prayers are requested and answers sought. There’s more work to be done for God’s earthly kingdom, and while we can’t solve any of the problems, we can join with them in prayer and offer friendship and support. And watch with them for the call to eternal freedom and joy.

 

"Let us not lose heart in doing good,

for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.

So then, while we have opportunity,

let us do good to all people, and especially

to those who are of the household of the faith."

(Galatians 6:9,20 NASB)

 

"Delight...

 

…yourself in the Lord”

carries one of His special promises:

 “…and He will give you the desires of your heart.”

And another one:

“If because of the Sabbath, you turn your foot

From doing your own pleasure on My holy day,

And call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day of the Lord honorable,

And honor it, desisting from your own ways,

From seeking your own pleasure

And speaking your own word,

Then you will take delight in the Lord,

And I will make you ride on the heights of the earth;

And I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father,

For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

(Isaiah 58:13-14,NASB)

 

That’s a pretty good return for simply loving the Lord and His special day!

  

 

COME

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” 

(Matthew 11:28, NISB)

 

  “Come...” 

“Move from where you are"

  “…to Me.”

“Jesus. I’m all you need. I can help.”

  “all”
               “Anyone. Everyone.”

“who are weary”

               “I want to be your strength.”

 “and heavy laden”

               “I carried the cross and then bore it – just for you. I can carry you, too.”

 “and I will give you rest.”

               “Rest for your mind, body and spirit.”

When the Good Shepherd Speaks

     A favorite card I used to purchase at Mardel carried a simple message about the Good Shepherd. I used to buy as many as were available and sent them often. I haven't been able to locate this particular card there in a while.
     There is no accreditation on the card, and I took the liberty of adding a title. I hope it blesses you with whatever you may be facing today.

When the Good Shepherd Speaks

When the Good Shepherd speaks to His own,
He never uses words of
     Despair,
          Hopelessness,
              Frustration,
                   Defeat,
                        Discouragement,
                             Fear,
                                  Confusion, or                                       
                                       Failure.
Instead, He gives His sheep words of
     Hope,
          Rest,         
               Victory,
                   Peace,
                        Power,
                             Joy,
                                  Triumph, and
                                       Love.

Baseball, Bricktown and Blood

          Living well into the sixth decade of our lives, we’re still finding that it’s fun to do new things – like go to a minor league baseball game for the first time ever. Oklahoma City has a beautiful baseball stadium in the heart of the city – Bricktown, we call it. And we have a great baseball team in the Oklahoma City Redhawks.

          Honestly, our new adventure came about with free tickets given by the Oklahoma Blood Institute in their recent donor campaign. Since I’m O+, I get scheduled reminders that it’s time to pay them a visit every 6 weeks. I feel blessed to be on the giving end of that procedure.

          OK, back to the game. The weather last Sunday night was quite a treat for Oklahomans coming out of two previous hot and record breaking summer seasons. Our seats were in the shade near third base and the breeze was an added pleasure.

 

          When I asked Bud how he was enjoying the game, his reply was that, well, it did give him time to think of other things. And he was so right. Baseball is relaxing to watch. And there’s just enough excitement built in with a couple of homeruns and a close-scoring game to keep relaxation from turning to boredom. Our minds did have time to think ahead – or back as the case may be. But the sound of a bat connecting with a baseball traveling 85 – 95 mph kept our thoughts from staying too far.

          Our Redhawks made us proud with two homeruns (one of them brought in a second runner) and won the game 4 – 3 over Iowa’s team.

         The tough part was inhaling the aroma of funnel cakes, hot dogs and nachos. Our new health-conscious lifestyle kept our resolve intact, and we just settled for the atmosphere of the wonderful food served up as only Oklahomans can.

          Another first? Singing along with “Take Me Out To the Ball Game” during the seventh inning stretch. It made the evening complete. We may even buy our tickets next time.

 

"Appetite"

           My Appetite has undergone a drastic change over the past 18 months. Another “A” word for this meme could be “Addiction” because the one I had was probably shortening the life of this Type II Diabetic. I had squirreled away Blue Bell Home Made Vanilla ice cream with the intentions of eating only a half cup (and still be “legal”), but that would have been like eating only one Lays’ Potato Chip. Remember that commercial? Can’t be done! 
          The inner grocery aisles are lined and stacked with white flour and sugar in infinite forms, and my name was stamped on many of them. I felt that I was living my life with my finger on the self-destruct button.
           A few years ago, my sister’s frustration with her weight issues led to gastric bypass surgery. The required classes before the surgery failed to mention the high mortality rate and the devastating side effects she heard about only after her near-death experience with the surgery. It seemed to be the answer for her at the time, and it very well could have been the best option available; however, the surgeon who may have been well-trained in this particular surgery was not equipped to deal with massive amounts of scar tissue from previous surgeries --- a complication that could well have been the reason for the weight and health problems she was having prior to the by-pass surgery. A forty-five minute procedure dragged into an almost three-hour major operation. Undiagnosed infections and her inability to eat without getting sick over the next six months almost ended her life. After returning to the capable hands of her primary care physician, it was eight months before she could drive a car and then for only very short distances. Thankfully, she did make a full recovery and has only a few lingering, yet controllable, complications. 
          I mention her experience because when commercials began appearing during the news hour that the band surgery could immediately “cure” diabetes, I seriously considered taking the easy way out of this medically-challenged group. Imagine my sister’s reaction when I confided in her about this possibility. To her credit, she didn’t reach through the phone receiver and grab me by the throat demanding to know if I had lost my mind. She calmly explained that, even with all her complications, gastric bypass was the better option because it is reversible. The band is not. 
          It only took a few minutes to mull that bit of information over and decide that surgery was not for me. I knew first-hand the risks and after effects involved were anything but an easy fix for diabetes. If the surgery she went through was the best option, I would try one of the many programs I had tried previously one more time and give it a year before coming back to this as a possibility. 
          To shorten an already long story, I will simply say that a conversation with a close and highly respected friend led to a wonderful and caring health coach and a program that has changed my life. Within three days of trusting her and the system that has been recommended by over 20,000 physicians, I was in the fat-burning mode. The constant craving for carbohydrates was gone, my energy level dramatically increased as the stubborn fat was being burned for energy. 

          I've lost about 60 pounds. My last A1C (a test that measures blood sugar levels over a period of time) was normal. I've been able to reduce my medicationss by three-fourths. My primary care physician is thrilled with the results. 
          My husband, pictured with me, has lost over 50 pounds and is enjoying improved health and reduced medications as well. Our daughter, Mandy? One hundred pounds lost. Her weight loss means she can easily keep up with her active two-year-old and four-year-old sons. Other extended family and friends are seeing the same amazing results.

          I not only have a new dress and jeans size, I have a new career. I've become a health coach. My services are free to my clients and their similar stories are my new Addiction. I have a new purpose in helping others achieve their best health through nutrition, behavior modification and education. I’m not a sales person, just a free health coach who is compensated by an amazing company for introducing the program and encouraging others through their journey. 
          I’ll stop short of making this an “Ad” for the “A” meme and not mention the name of the company. But if you or someone you know could benefit from this program, it would be my honor to encourage them as well. Or if you know someone who could use some extra income by sharing with others from their own home, this program could be the very thing they’re looking for. We’re NOT a multi-level marketing company or a wholesale club. We’re here to coach others to optimal health: Healthy mind, healthy body, and health finances. 

“Or do you not know that your body is 

a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, 

whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?

 For you have been bought with a price: 

therefore glorify God in your body.” 

(I Corinthians 6:19,20, NASB)