September 5th, 2016

National Grilling Day

September 6th, 2010. Rerun

Happy National Grilling Day, aka Labor Day.  This day no longer commemorates anything except the obsession of a large majority of Americans gathering together around the family grill.  Enjoy your day and have a burger for me.

There’s no grill on the island, but I think I’ll have to import one next spring.  I do miss the flavor of food cooked out on the grill.

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2016

This year I think we need to do more than just try to escape labor for a day. It’s time to seriously think about our country and the freedoms we have been losing. Let’s focus on patriotism and love for our nation.

Wives

September 3rd, 2016

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Likewise, wives, be submitted to your own husbands so that – even if some do obey the message – by the wives ‘ conduct, without a word they may be won over

as they observe your pure, reverent conduct.

1 Peter 3:1-2

You Have Been Called

August 27th, 2016

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For you were called to this, because Messiah also suffered for you, leaving you an example so you might follow in His footsteps:

“He committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth.”

When He was abused, He did not return the abuse. While suffering, He made no threats. Instead, He kept entrusting Himself to the One who judges righteously.

He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we, removed from sins, might live for righteousness. “By His wounds you were healed.”

For you like sheep were going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.

1 Peter 2:21-25

 

Freedom

August 20th, 2016

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Live as free people, but not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil. Rather, live as God’s slaves.

Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

1 Peter 2:16-17

Ace Collins’ ‘Service Tails’ Take-Your-Dog-to-the-Park Pack

August 17th, 2016

Fall in love with these remarkable service dogs and their stories of courage, faith, and loyalty in Ace Collins’ new book, Service Tails. Their training was intense, their loyalty unquestioned and each step of the way they constantly adapt to better serve those they lead. These unforgettable dogs are more than heroes; they are models from which we can learn how to love and serve unconditionally.

Celebrate the release of Service Tails with Ace by entering to win the Take-Your-Dog-to-the-Park Pack!

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One grand prize winner will receive:

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Enter today by clicking the icon below, but hurry! The giveaway ends on August 30. The winner will be announced August 31 on the Litfuse blog.

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Service Tails

August 16th, 2016

Service Tails

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By Ace Collins

Not all heroic dogs wildly toss themselves into lifesaving situations. Some save lives simply by their incredible commitment to duty and service. Some lead the way to independence for people whose disabilities were supposed to limit their lives.

In Service Tails: More Stories of Man’s Best Hero, prolific author Ace Collins introduces us to leaders whose entire lives are wrapped in the banner of service. Their stories are remarkable snapshots of the value of vision and teamwork, as well as devotion to duty and unconditional love and acceptance-stretching the way we see both canine and human potential. Their training was intense, their loyalty unquestioned and each step of the way they constantly adapt to better serve those they lead. These unforgettable dogs are more than heroes; they are models from which we can learn how to love and serve unconditionally.

ISLAND BREEZES

This is a great book about some really amazing dogs. When most people think of a service dog, they think of “seeing eye” dogs for the blind.

But that’s only the beginning. When I started reading this book I didn’t want to stop. And when the book ended I still didn’t want to stop.

Thank you so much, Mr. Collins, for this very enlightening and interesting book. Please give us more of these stories.

***A special thank you to litfuse for providing a review copy.***

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Bestselling author Ace Collins has written more than 60 books including novels Swope’s Ridge and Words of the Father, as well as the nonfiction Stories Behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas; and Lassie: A Dog’s Life. His books have become movies and network television specials. Ace Collins has sold more than 1.5 million books during his career and makes his home in Arkadelphia, Arkansas.

What is Sin?

August 13th, 2016

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Therefore whoever knows the right thing to do and does not do it – for him it is sin.

Jacob (James) 4:17

Dana Mentink’s ‘Fetching Sweetness’ Prize Pack Giveaway

August 10th, 2016

A recipe for love and loss, merriment and mayhem, fun and faith in the backwoods of the Pacific Northwest can only be found in Fetching Sweetness by Dana Mentink. It should have been so simple for Stephanie Pink: Retrieve a reclusive author’s valuable new manuscript and be promoted to a full-fledged literary agent. But when the author’s canine companion, Sweetness, makes a break for it and Stephanie has to track Sweetness down, she meets Rhett Hastings. They’re in for a surprising string of adventures and misadventures.

Celebrate the release of Fetching Sweetness with Dana by entering to win the Sweetness Unleashed Prize Pack!

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One grand prize winner will receive:

fetching sweetness - collage

Enter today by clicking the icon below, but hurry! The giveaway ends on August 24. The winner will be announced August 25 on Dana’s blog.

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Fetching Sweetness

August 9th, 2016

Fetching Sweetness

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By Dana Mentink

Standing between Stephanie and her dream is one hundred pounds of lovable trouble.
It should have been so simple for Stephanie Pink: Meet up with Agnes Wharton in a small town in California, retrieve the reclusive author’s valuable new manuscript, and be promoted to a full-fledged literary agent.
But Agnes’s canine companion, Sweetness, decides to make a break for it before Stephanie can claim her prize. Until Agnes has Sweetness safely back at home in Eagle Cliff, Washington, Stephanie will never set eyes on the manuscript she needs to make her dreams come true.
When Stephanie tracks the runaway mutt to a campground, she meets Rhett Hastings—a man also on the run from a different life and a costly mistake. Rhett agrees to help Stephanie search for the missing dog . . . thus launching a surprising string of adventures and misadventures.
Once Sweetness gets added to the mix, it’s a recipe for love and loss, merriment and mayhem, fun and faith in the backwoods of the Pacific Northwest.

ISLAND BREEZES

Sweetness? Stephanie is on her way to a promotion as a literary agent. But before that could happen Sweetness enters her life.

Sweetness? Stephanie had to track down an author’s missing dog before she could get her hands on a hot manuscript.

Sweetness? How could anyone name that ugly mutt Sweetness? It couldn’t be because of the dog’s looks or personality.

Sweetness? That doesn’t fit with the author who drove off with Stephanie’s purse. SNow she’s stuck with a the help of a stranger to track down the dog and the author.

Sweetness? Not all that grief and misadventure along the way could be called sweet.

Sweetness? Were the surprises encountered when they caught up with the author sweet? Maybe it just all boils down to A Cup of Mud.

Thank you, Ms Mentink, for this very entertaining book. I enjoyed the smiles brought on by Sweetness.

***A special thank you to litfuse for providing a review copy.***

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Dana Mentink lives in California, where the weather is golden and the cheese is divine. Dana is an American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year finalist for romantic suspense and an award winner in the Pacific Northwest Writers Literary Contest. Her suspense novel, Betrayal in the Badlands, earned a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award. Besides writing, she busies herself teaching third and fourth grade. Mostly, she loves to be home with her husband, two daughters, a dog with social anxiety problems, a chubby box turtle, and a feisty parakeet.

Be Lifted Up

August 6th, 2016

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Therefore submit to God. But resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into gloom.

Humble yourselves in the sight of Adonai, and He shall lift you up.

Jacob (James) 4:7-10