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“I am the good shepherd.  I know my own and my own know me,

just as the Father knows me and I know the Father.  And I lay down my life for the sheep.

I have other sheep that do not belong to this forld.  I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice.  So there will be one flock, one shepherd.

For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.

No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.  I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again.”

John 10:14-18

Actually it’s two contests. You can enter by clicking this button. You’ll be a sure winner if you read this heartwarming book. Contest ends December 31, 2012.

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

 

 

 

 

Chris Evans, a successful high-tech entrepreneur and philanthropist, is the recipient of many awards of distinction. The co-founder of E-Mail software maker DaVinci Systems, he went on to found Accipiter, a leader in Web Site advertising management software.. He currently advises other entrepreneurs privately and as part of the Blackstone Entrepreneur Network. He has served as a board member on the Trinity Forum and sits on the boards of several non-profits. He and his wife Cathy have two children and live in Raleigh, North Carolina.
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A successful high-tech entrepreneur says Christians can demonstrate faith in practical and sustainable ways in the workplace when they evidence the fruit of the Spirit in their lives. When practiced correctly, Chris Evans says this will result in highly valued habits and characteristics and can grow the leadership and relational skills that companies covet in their employees. Christians hesitant to share their faith at work will find biblical principles, stories of workplace situations where the fruit of the Spirit is having a dynamic impact and practical suggestions for putting the key principles into action.

Product Details:

List Price: $14.99

Paperback: 160 pages

Publisher: Lanphier Press (September 1, 2012)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0985629606

ISBN-13: 978-0985629601

ISLAND BREEZES

This book teaches the importance of bearing fruit and of trust in the workplace.

You will find practical suggestions regarding the showing of the various fruits of the spirit in your work place.  It’s about making different choices than you may have made in the past.

Make the fruit of the spirit part of your daily work life.  Both you and others will be blessed while working in a “fruit basket.”
AND NOW…THE FIRST CHAPTER:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience,

kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self- control.

Gal 5:22-23

What does it mean to be a Christian in the workplace? Since I became a Christian over 20 years ago, I have studied, explored, and sought answers to this question. It seems clear that Christians should be different from their co-workers somehow, but how? Should we keep our faith strictly to ourselves as a private matter? Should we decorate our workspace with Christian messages and symbols to advertise our faith? Some would argue that it means sharing our faith with our co-workers, but that still leaves the question of how our faith makes a difference when doing the things we were hired to do. A common fear is that truly being a Christian in the workplace would create tension with your employer and co-workers and might hurt your career.

I believe the answer comes from imitating Christ by developing and exercising the fruit of the Spirit in the workplace.

This book is for everyone…

• …who would like to do more Monday through Friday of

what they learn on Sunday.

• …who doesn’t want to make a trade-off between growing

in their careers and growing in their Christian walk.

• … who is frustrated with the realization that they are a part-time Christian whose spiritual life seems to end at the entrance to their workplace every morning.

Your faith does have an important place in your work. Far from being at odds with your employer; when exercised right your faith can grow the leadership and relational skills most companies covet in their employees. I’ll go further to say that it’s not just possible to exercise your faith in the workplace, it’s critical to your growth as a follower of Jesus Christ. Few other areas in your life offer the kind of environment that will challenge your character, faith, and relationships with others or that can show you where you need to grow. If you leave your faith at the door when you come to work, you’re stunting your spiritual growth too.

The things I’m going to share in this book come from many years in business. I have started three successful businesses, served on the board of a public company as well as several non-profits, advised scores of CEOs on business strategy, and been a guest lecturer at many business schools in the US and Europe. For much of that time, I’ve been trying to grasp what role my faith in Christ has in my work—discovering how the things God is teaching me in my walk can be a blessing to those I’m working with.

I’m writing about bringing the fruit of the Spirit to work for two reasons. The first is that these fruit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control) represent practical guidelines, a tool kit for addressing a variety of situations that come up in work. By understanding what they truly are and their use in the workplace, you have a whole group of resources to use. The second reason, and arguably more important, is that these things are the fruit of the Spirit. As we learn more about fruit, you’ll see that as believers in Christ, we can expect the Holy Spirit to give us supernatural quantities of this fruit as we grow in our faith. Christians should not just be naturally good at exercising love, joy, peace and the rest; they should be supernaturally good at it.

THIS IS A BOOK ABOUT WORKPLACE CHRISTIANITY, NOT WORKPLACE EVANGELISM

There are several great ministries and books that address how to share the gospel with your co-workers. I’m more concerned with developing a sustainable and constantly improving demonstration of your faith where you work. While I’m not discussing strategies for sharing the Gospel, I do believe the effort to demonstrate effective Christianity can be an important ingredient to others coming to faith in Christ.

In my own journey, I heard and understood the Gospel long before I accepted it. I recognized that to truly be a Christian was to embrace a set of values that would have to be applied everywhere— at work, home, in marriage, and with friends. I wasn’t sure it was realistic to truly live like a Christian. It wasn’t until I encountered believers who I respected that were actually doing it that I truly felt I could bet my life on the Gospel. I saw in them that not only was it possible to live out the Christian faith, but that I could turn that practice into strengths that would actually make me a better businessman. The practical day-to-day walk of a Christian is its own ministry—and one we are all called to.

THIS IS A BOOK FOR ANYONE IN THE WORKPLACE, NOT JUST CEOS AND MANAGERS

A friend of mine who works for state government recently lamented that every book about business and Christianity she finds seems to be directed towards the CEO and how to lead a company. “It’s as if the only part of Christianity ordinary workers have to employ is patience towards their bosses,” she said. The things we’re going to cover in this book work for any level of employee. Whether it’s how you relate to your manager or how you relate to your board of directors, I’ve tried to write with a variety of roles in mind. That said, I realize that many of my stories are those of a tech entrepreneur. They may be different from your own stories, but I’ve talked with enough people on this subject that I’m confident you can apply the lessons in this book to your own work life.

THIS IS NOT A BOOK ABOUT USING YOUR FAITH TO PROSPER FINANCIALLY

While it’s quite possible that practicing workplace Christianity will grow your relational and management skills and could result in greater success at work; what it should definitely do is stretch you in your faith and make you more Christ-like. Using the things written here with the objective of making more money would be like enrolling in an MBA program with the goal of adding books to your library—it could happen, but you’d be missing the point.

YOUR CHRISTIAN DEVELOPMENT IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF YOUR SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT

If you are a Christian in the workplace, there are some assumptions I think it’s fair to make about you:

• You plan to remain a Christian throughout your career1

• You would like to be a “better Christian” than you are now

• You intend to spend significant time and energy on

becoming a “better Christian”

If you expect to become a better Christian over time, and you plan to invest time and energy pursuing this goal; you should also expect that the fruit of the Spirit will grow in you. As long as you’re committed to your faith, the skills that come from the fruit of the Spirit will factor into your career plan.

Not only should these skills be a part of your plan; they represent a competitive advantage. While your co-workers spend their spare time working on their golf-swing, gardening, or “Texas Hold-em” skills, you are devoting time to spiritual growth that directly contributes to your value at work.

I believe this is the key to avoiding a struggle between time spent on career and time spent on faith. When you allow the energy spent on spiritual growth to bless your career, there is no longer a competition between the two.

LET’S GET STARTED

We’ll start by learning about what “fruit” means generally and then cover some important things about workplace Christianity, including trust, the word that defines the quality of most business relationships and decisions. We’ll then go one by one through each word describing the fruit of the Spirit and discover its value in our workplace. I hope to show you that bringing the fruit of the Spirit to work is not only natural, but consistent with the advice of some of the most highly-regarded business leaders and authors. As you let this fruit emerge in your own life, you will see how your walk with God has never been closer, and your work never more fulfilling.

1 This is, of course, a tongue-in-cheek assumption. If you don’t plan to remain a

Christian, you’ll need more help than this book can offer you.
The FRUIT

of the SPIRIT

I’ve always loved tool sets. Whether it was my first tool box, a chemistry set, or Batman’s utility belt, they offered a set of elements that, when used individually or combined, could solve a wide range of problems. When I was a boy, I found a branch that had good potential for a walking stick. I whittled and carved it until it was smooth and clean and then I chiseled small compartments into the stick to hold “tools” I might need for my walk—fishing line and hook, a Band-Aid, a dime to phone home. When I took walks in the woods with my “super stick ”, I felt well prepared for anything I might encounter.

When I read the Scriptures about the fruit of the Spirit, I connect with it because it feels like a “Christian utility belt” of tools for any situation. Particularly, it is a powerful combination for solving problems in the workplace.

In this chapter, I’m going to explain the Scriptural roots of the fruit of the Spirit, what it means for them to be called “fruit”, what their role in the workplace is, and how they should factor into your professional growth and career strategy.

The fruit of the Spirit appears in Scripture in the book of Galatians, chapter five. In this chapter, Paul pleads with the Galatians not to be tricked into giving up their freedom in Christ by following the teaching of some legalistic mischief makers. He then goes on to talk about how, if we are free, we can either abuse or thrive on that freedom. We abuse our freedom by following our sinful nature. He says it’s easy to tell if someone is following their sinful nature. It appears through sexual immorality, impurity, hatred, rage, envy, selfish ambition, and the like.

Paul then goes on to say that it’s also obvious if someone is following the Spirit:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self- control.

Gal 5:22-23

The point of Paul’s sentence is that the fruit of the Spirit are the signs that you are filled with the Spirit. They should be the unmistakable marks of a Christian life. While Jesus said “They will know you are Christians by your love,” ( John 13:35) Paul effectively says, “They will know you are Christians by your love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Not only are these things signs of our walking in the Spirit, they are the effect of our walking in the Spirit. We don’t have to produce these qualities under our own power; the Spirit grows them in us.

As much as these fruit are the symptoms of a faithful Christian walk, it’s rare to see them in the workplace. If I surveyed your office and asked them to name who (if anyone) exemplifies love,

joy, peace, patience, and the others; would they be more likely to name a Christian? Hopefully some readers will say so, but I’ve heard many people express otherwise – that there’s no difference between Christians and non-believers at work when it comes to these traits.

The reason for this is easy to imagine. Work can be seen as a jungle where relationships are important but can also be fouled by awkward moments. It’s almost never a good idea to tell a co- worker “I love you”. Likewise, unexplained outbursts of joy could get you labeled a weirdo and strain relationships at the office. Kindness can be seen as kissing up, patience as weakness, and peace as passivity. While it may seem that trying to bring the fruit of the Spirit into the office is professional suicide, the truth is that, when properly understood, these fruit are used and advocated by some of the most successful leaders and business people of our time. The difference is in understanding what the fruit really are and how they work in a business context.

Bringing love to work doesn’t mean you tell everyone “I love you, man,” or anything cheesy, gushy, and trite. No, it’s something more powerful and radical. Love is the counter-instinctive decision to desire the best for another person even if it comes at our personal cost. Love means you work to structure win-win deals with customers and co-workers, even when they would have agreed to a win-lose deal. It means you notice when someone is struggling with a task and take time to help and encourage them. It means remembering that when a co-worker loses someone close to them, that time is standing still for them even though life has moved along for you and everyone else. Before we talk about love or any other fruit, let’s consider what it means for us to have fruit in the first place.

WHAT IS FRUIT?

Fruit is something a tree naturally produces. It doesn’t have to

work to produce fruit. In fact, even if a tree tried hard not to, it would still produce fruit. In the same way, fruit should be a natural product of your walk with Christ. Given that Paul’s passage about fruit occurs in the context of pleading with the Galatians not to be slaves to the law, it would be a contradiction for him to load “bearing fruit” on your shoulders as one more chore you’ve taken on as a Christian (or more likely, one more thing you should feel guilty about not doing more of ). If you make Christ the center of your life, fruit happens.

Some of you may be asking “But what if it doesn’t happen?” There are several explanations. It may be simply a “dry period” that we all experience some time in our Christian lives or there may be some big matter you and God are wrestling with. There is another, uncomfortable answer through: that you may not truly be in Christ. Consider this parable:

“A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

Matthew 13:3-8

Soon after, he explains the parable to his disciples:

“When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown

along the path. The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop,

yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

Matthew 13:19-23

Jesus gives several examples here of people who heard the Gospel, but did not bear fruit. Some just didn’t understand it; some took it, but lacked the depth of commitment to persevere. Some let it get pushed to the side by other priorities. If you are not bearing fruit, I suggest you consider the depth of your commitment to Christ, or his place in your priorities. There is still time to be transplanted to good soil, but you will have to make some important decisions about your life first. This would be a good thing to explore with your pastor, or a mature Christian who you do see bearing fruit. At the risk of hurting the budding relationship between us, let me be clear: It is not okay to be a Christian and not bear fruit. In John 15:5-6, Jesus says:

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.” John 15:5-6

Nobody wants that for you. If you feel this passage describes you, take this opportunity to look into why you haven’t been bearing fruit now!

REAL AND IMITATION FRUIT

There’s something I need to be clear about: Fruit is not something you do to become a Christian, it is something you do because you are a Christian! Some people may get the impression that by trying to exercise the fruit of the Spirit on their own, that they can somehow earn God’s favor or forgiveness. Trying to become a Christian by exercising the fruit is like trying to become a fish by swimming. The fish swims because it’s a fish, the swimming didn’t make it a fish. The more you look at the fruit as some sort of to-do list that you can use to earn God’s favor, the more you are moving in the wrong direction. It’s only by accepting God’s grace that we have access to His Spirit and the real fruit can be produced.

THE MASTER GARDENER

Jesus used plants and gardening as illustrations many times in his ministry. That is only fitting as every plant that ever existed was created through him ( John 1:3). If we are the ones that bear the fruit, he is the master gardener.

WE WERE CHOSEN TO BEAR FRUIT

The first thing we should know is that Jesus chose us to bear fruit.

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last.”

John 15:16

When I go to a nursery to pick out plants for my garden, I look

for signs that they will be fruitful. I avoid the withered ones and take the ones that are already budding when possible. Our master gardener has done the same thing, and he left the nursery with us in his wagon! It is not a question of whether you are capable of bearing fruit—if you are his, you are quite capable.

A CHANGE OF FRUIT

Sometimes a grower will come across a crab-apple tree that is healthy and strong, but produces useless fruit. He then can cut some branches off a good apple tree and graft those branches to the crab apple tree by cutting off some of its branches and joining the cut crab apple limbs with the good apple branches. The result is a harvest of good apples.

This is a good illustration of our own nature. At first we were wild trees producing little or inferior fruit. When we put ourselves under Christ, the master gardener, he spliced new branches onto us so that now we produce good fruit. It is now a part of our nature.

PRUNING

Even a well-cultivated tree will only produce sparing fruit if left on its own. The way a gardener coaxes the most fruit out of a plant is by pruning. Pruning is the process of cutting back part of the plant, sometimes severely, to allow the plant to focus its nutrients in fewer places. Our master gardener does the same thing. Jesus says:

“He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”

John 15:2

As you bear fruit in your life, be aware that the areas where you are bearing fruit are subject to pruning. This may mean that a job

you start to do well is replaced with another job that will challenge you to produce more fruit. While this is uncomfortable, God knows what he’s doing. You should see this pruning as encouragement that God is caring for you and is taking an active role in your growth. Jesus says, “Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline” (Revelation 3:19). Some of that discipline will come as pruning.

LIVE LONG AND PROSPER

The first Psalm refers to fruit when it says:

Blessed is the man

who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners

or sit in the seat of mockers

But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season

and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. Psalm 1:1-3

The kind of person who yields fruit is the kind of person about whom people say “whatever he does prospers”. As you read about the power of the fruit of the Spirit in the workplace, I think you’ll see how a fruitful Christian can be effective in nearly any calling. The other thing the Psalm says about the fruitful man is that their “leaf does not wither”. There are few things more beautiful than a large, healthy hardwood tree with its bright leaves and stretching canopies. That is the picture of the person who yields the fruit of the Spirit everywhere they go. On the other hand, it’s sad to look at a tree that is withering and drying up. The Psalms also say:

The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the LORD,

they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age,

they will stay fresh and green,

Psalm 92:12-14

We’ve all seen people who seem to continue to have purpose and energy even well into retirement. The Word tells us we can be counted among those who continue to bear fruit in old age.

ONE FRUIT, SEVER AL FACETS

Notice that Paul names the fruit (singular) of the Spirit in Gal.

5:22, not the fruits (plural). There are good reasons for this. First: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control are all interconnected. To yield one well is to yield all well. For instance, if I truly love someone, it is natural to be patient with them. For another example, if I hold joy in my heart, peace will be there too. While we will be studying each of these words one at a time, they really have to be practiced as a group. The second reason is that the fruit of the Spirit describes the character of Christ. Read through the Gospels and you will see the best example of a man with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. When we yield the fruit of the Spirit, we aren’t just becoming better Christians; we’re actually becoming more like Christ. As you learn how to bring the fruit of the Spirit to work, you will actually be bringing Christ to work – not just one facet of him, but his whole character!

While Paul had good reasons to use the singular of “fruit” in his letter, it does make it a linguistic challenge to write about them.

You may have already noticed that I will from time to time talk about love, joy, peace, etc. as if they were the fruits of the Spirit, while a more accurate statement is that they are facets of the fruit of the Spirit. That kind of construction, however, makes it really awkward to write a book. Therefore, I humbly ask your indulgence, for both our sakes, to allow me to call love, joy, peace, etc. “fruit”, as long as we both understand that they are really descriptors of the single fruit of Christ-likeness.

Before we talk specifically about the fruit of the Spirit, we need to study the context of the workplace. There is a word that determines the quality of every relationship in the workplace and boosts the chance of acceptance of every proposal: Trust.
KEY IDEAS IN THIS CHAPTER
• The fruit of the Spirit are the signs that you are following the Spirit. Not only are these the signs of walking with the Spirit, they are the effect of our walking with the Spirit.
• We don’t have to produce these qualities under our own power; the Spirit grows them in us. They are a natural product of your walk with Christ.
• Jesus chose us to bear fruit.
• The fruit of the Spirit are all interconnected. To yield one well is to yield all well. When we yield the fruit of the Spirit, we are becoming more

like Christ.
PUTTING IT TO WORK

Ask a close friend or a spouse to look at the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, k indness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control— and tell you which ones the most see reflected in you.

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

 

 

 

 

My First Handy Bible aims to communicate God’s character and His love to the youngest of children, ages one to three. Beautifully illustrated in bright full color, My First Handy Bible has a cheerful padded hardcover with 61 child-friendly hardback pages and a handle and clasp that make it easy for small hands to tote and manipulate. The timeless stories are retold in simple sentences by author and artist Cecilie Olesen, illustrated by author and illustrator Gustavo Mazali and designed by Ben Alex, a C. S. Lewis Gold Medal winner author and designer.

Website for Book

Product Details:

List Price: $12.95

Hardcover: 61 pages

Publisher: Hendrickson Publishers (January 31, 2012)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 8772473045

ISBN-13: 978-8772473048

ISLAND BREEZES

This is a book any toddler could love.

It’s sturdy and has short Bible stories just right for a toddler’s attention span. The table of contents will help parents choose which story to read from Genesis to Revelation.

The illustrations are beautifully done with a child in most of them.

I think the entire book is just right for a little one, especially the handle. I can see little hands loving to carry this around.

 
AND NOW…SOME SAMPLE PAGES (Click on images to enlarge):

Award-Winning Author Steven James Pens New Thriller Series

Pharmaceutical Cover-Up Turns Deadly in New Jevin Banks Series

While covertly investigating a controversial neurological research program, exposé filmmaker Jevin Banks is drawn into a far-reaching conspiracy involving one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical firms. After giving up his career as an escape artist and illusionist in the wake of his wife and sons’ tragic death, Jevin is seeking not only answers about the questionable mind-to-mind communication program, but also answers to why his family suffered as they did.

Rooted in ground-breaking science and inspired by actual research, Placebo explores the far reaches of science, consciousness, and faith. Readers will love this taut, intelligent, and emotionally gripping new thriller from master storyteller Steven James.

ISLAND BREEZES

He did it again. Mr. James, that is. He had me hooked on the Patrick Bowers Files. Now I’m hooked on Jevin Banks.

Does the inner child ever get over illusions and magic tricks? I know mine never did. I’m still fascinated. I want to go to one of Jevin Banks’ stage shows.

Being an escape artist helped Jevin more than once in this action packed adventure.

This book really keeps the adrenalin pumping. It’s one of those I couldn’t put down.

If you just heard a big sigh, it’s me. I have to wait until fall of 2013 before I get to read about Jevin’s next adventure.

It’s all about suspense – the suspense that kept me involved with this book and the suspense of wondering what Jevin and the gang will be up to in the next book.

***A special thanks to Donna Hausler for providing a review copy.***

Critically acclaimed author Steven James has written more than thirty books, including the bestselling Patrick Bowers thriller series. He is considered one of the nation’s most innovative storytellers and versatile authors, and is a contributing editor to Writer’s Digest. Steven lives in Tennessee with his wife and three daughters.

Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, offers practical books for everyday life.  For more information, visit www.RevellBooks.com.

Available November 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

A Merry Little Christmas

 ?

By Anita Higman

Fall in love with this cozy story about two people from different worlds.

Franny Martin is an Oklahoma farm girl who’s preparing to spend the holidays alone…again. Then Charlie Landau shows up one day, all wealth and polish, and offers to buy Franny’s farm. Franny has no money to speak of, but she is clever and spirited, and she’s more than happy to sell the farm and move to the city.
As Sinatra croons from the radio and Christmas descends upon her charming farm, Franny teaches Charlie the curious and sometimes comical ways of country life. In the process, they unearth some discoveries of the heart-that sometimes love comes when you’re least ready for it. Will the holidays bring their most impossible dreams within reach?

ISLAND BREEZES

There are some days when it just seems as if everything goes wrong – no matter where you happen to be.

Then when it seems as if everything is coming up roses for Charlie and Franny, his father comes along and stomps the flower bed to bits. What a horrible man he is.

Now it’s all a mess that only God can straighten out.

Yes, you’re going to need that box of tissues before you finish this book.

***A special thanks to litfuse for providing a review copy.***

 Best-selling and award-winning author, Anita Higman, has over thirty books published (several coauthored) for adults and children. She’s been a Barnes & Noble “Author of the Month” for Houston and has a BA degree, combining speech communication, psychology, and art. Anita loves good movies, exotic teas, and brunch with her friends.
Find out more about Anita at http://www.anitahigman.com.

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

 

 

 

 

 

Author Vicki Tiede, MEd, MMin, is a Bible teacher, speaker, author and a contributing author for five other books. Vicki is also a wife, homeschooling mom, and women’s ministries coordinator at her local church in Rochester, Minnesota.

Visit the author’s website.

When your husband is struggling with pornography, after the shock wears off, you are still left feeling shattered and betrayed. Writing from personal experience, author Vicki Tiede guides readers through the intricate steps of finding hope and spiritual healing in the arms of the Almighty despite a husband’s daily choices.

Product Details:

List Price: $15.99

Paperback: 288 pages

Publisher: New Growth Press (October 1, 2012)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1936768631

ISBN-13: 978-1936768639

ISLAND BREEZES

This is a difficult subject – one that is a sore spot in many marriages.  I’m not sure a man can truly understand the pain this addiction brings a woman.

This book is not about fixing a man’s addiction.  It’s about healing.  Vicki understands.  She’s been there and worked her way through to the other side.

This book can help a woman who has a husband with this addiction.  You can be set free and find hope.

The book is set up in weekly divisions so that you have a chapter to read five days each week.  This book guides you to a safe place in God’s arms.

 
AND NOW…TO READ THE FIRST CHAPTER, PLEASE PRESS LOOK INSIDE:

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

 

 

 

 

Catherine West is an award-winning author who writes stories of hope and healing from her island home in Bermuda. Educated in Bermuda, England and Canada, Catherine holds a degree in English from the University of Toronto. When she’s not at the computer working on her next story, you can find her taking her Border Collie for long walks or tending to her roses and orchids. She and her husband have two college-aged children. Catherine is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America, and is represented by Rachelle Gardner of Books & Such Literary.
Visit the author’s website.

Everything Claire wants seems to be beyond her reach…

After losing her mother to cancer and suffering a miscarriage soon after, Claire Ferguson numbs the pain with alcohol and pills, and wonders if her own life is worth living. Adopted at birth, Claire is convinced she has some unknown genetic flaw that may have been the cause of her miscarriage. She must find a way to deal with the guilt she harbors. But exoneration will come with a price.

With her marriage in trouble and her father refusing to answer any questions about her adoption, Claire begins the search for her birth mother.

For the first time in her life, she really wants to know where she came from.

But what if the woman who gave her life doesn’t want to be found?

For all those who have loved, experienced loss, and lived life’s roller-coaster

Product Details:

List Price: $16.95

Paperback: 248 pages

Publisher: OakTara (September 15, 2012)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1602903298

ISBN-13: 978-1602903296

ISLAND BREEZES

If You’re one of us who have been adopted, you can understand the need to meet your biological parents. If you’re not adopted, this book will help you understand that no matter how much you love your parents, that need is still there, sometimes dormant for years.

That need developed in Claire during a time of grief, depression and guilt.

Claire’s life, marriage and relationships with family and friends were going down the tube. It took caring strangers to bring her back to the joy of living. But were they really strangers?

This story of Claire’s struggles and searching will touch you. It made me want to pay an extended visit to Tara’s Place.
AND NOW…THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Everything was tiny.

Claire stared at a little red dress, her eyes filling as she imagined and wished for the impossible.

People filed in and out of the store, smiling, laughing. Happy. An ordinary day filled with ordinary tasks and lists of things that must be accomplished. She had no such list—just an overwhelming need to pass time quickly on this day that was not so ordinary.

Claire steadied herself and glanced at her watch. Late afternoon. Shoppers jostled by, oblivious to her pain, all in a hurry to get their purchases and conquer the next store in the mall.

If only she had a reason to hurry.

‘Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas’ crooned from the mall loudspeakers. Claire bit her lip and cursed Bing.

Christmas would be merry when it was over.

Claire tightened her grip around the numerous bags she carried and slowly moved forward. Her heel slipped on a slick patch of tile. She regained her balance before falling, but the effort shook her and sent her pulse racing.

After walking a bit, her arms began to burn. Her overflowing shopping bags were heavy, but gave a sense of accomplishment. She’d gotten out of bed and had the purchases to prove it.

“Claire? Hey…yoo-hoo!” A woman’s greeting floated above the noise of the crowd.

Claire lowered her head and rummaged through her purse. She popped a few breath mints into her mouth and chewed as she weighed her options.

Pretend she didn’t hear. Pretend to be someone else. Or turn around and face the owner of the vaguely familiar voice still calling her name.

Curiosity won out and Claire turned.

“Hi, Claire! I thought that was you.” The woman waved and hurried over. Platinum blonde hair swooshed around her shoulders. “Long time no see. You do remember me, don’t you?”

“Um…” No. Claire pushed through the tangled cobwebs in her brain. “Ashley…right? High school?” The woman’s Colgate-bright smile never faltered. She could have been on the cover of a magazine. Or a toothpaste commercial.

“Amanda. Barrington.” Blue eyes twinkled as though she held some untold secret. “Gosh, it’s been a while. How are you? Have time for a coffee?”

“Coffee?” Claire screwed up her nose. Vodka tonic would be more enticing, but whatever. She didn’t have anywhere to be. Not really. “Sure.”

They settled around a table at Starbucks. Amanda insisted on buying, which was fine with Claire. A few minutes later she sipped an Espresso and managed a smile. “So. Amanda. What have you been up to since high school?”

“Oh, not too much, you know. Busy. You?”

Claire nodded. “Same. Busy. Very busy.” Busy not answering the phone. Busy surfing channels. Busy ignoring the whole world.

Amanda stirred another packet of sweetener into her Caffè Misto. “You got married a few years ago, didn’t you? You and James?”

A bizarre image of Guy Smiley from Sesame Street flashed before her and Claire wondered what she’d done to win a spot on This Is Your Life. She suppressed a giggle. That third drink at lunch probably hadn’t been such a great idea. “Yep. Me and James.”

“Any kids?”

As if on cue, a mother walked past them pushing a toddler. The kid looked her way and released a blood-curdling wail. Claire let out her breath. “Didn’t you go to Vassar?”

“Oh.” Amanda’s pretty smile petered out as she fiddled with the top of her cup. “Yes, but I dropped out. Had a breakdown of sorts.”

“Of sorts?” Maybe that was the same as being a little bit pregnant. A ripple of anxiety washed over Amanda’s face and Claire felt a pinch of guilt. “Hey, it’s cool. I’m the last person to be throwing judgment around.” She pulled at a loose thread on her sweater.

Getting out of bed this morning had been tiresome enough, she hadn’t given much thought to her wardrobe. Just grabbed a pair of yoga pants and a long sweater that covered her butt, and pushed her feet into a pair of Uggs. She took in Amanda’s pristine appearance, fumbled with her hair and tried to remember whether she’d even brushed it. “Are you…okay now?” Stupid question. Of course she was.

“Oh, yes.” Amanda answered too quickly. “Right as rain.”

“Funny, that.” Claire couldn’t stop a grin. “Right as rain. People always complain when it rains, don’t they? I mean, what’s right about it, really?”

Amanda didn’t hide surprise well. She opened her mouth but no words came. She nibbled on a bran muffin and dabbed cherry lips with a paper napkin. “Um. I heard your mother died. Last year, was it? I’m sorry.”

Of course she was sorry. Everybody was sorry. God was probably even sorry.

Claire studied her nails. The pink polish was chipped and faded, most of her nails worn down by her chewing on them. Another habit she couldn’t seem to break. “She had cancer. Only lived a few months after her diagnoses.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“Yup.” Claire nodded, still pondering Amanda’s mysterious breakdown. She really wanted to ask how the accommodations were at the funny farm, because if things got any worse she might just be heading there herself. “So, what are you doing now, you know, now that you’re…okay?” Small talk seemed more appropriate.

Amanda perked up at the change of subject. “Oh, a bit of this and that. I’m planning a wedding, so you know how that goes. I got engaged a few months ago.” She waved a hand, a diamond the size of a small country in Africa almost blinding Claire. “You know, Claire…when I saw you, I remembered. You were adopted too, right?”

Hot liquid sloshed out of the small hole in the plastic lid and Claire put her cup down in a hurry. She dabbed at the mess and tried to think what an appropriate response would be. ‘None of your business’ probably wouldn’t go over so well.

“Too?” As Claire lifted the top off her paper cup to clean it, the lid on her memory slid off with it. “That’s right. You were the only other kid I knew who was adopted. Our mothers were friends for a while, weren’t they?”

“When we were in eighth and ninth grade.” Amanda’s eyes got misty. “I used to love going over to your house; you were so much fun. But then we…drifted apart I guess. You ran with the cool kids. I was a geek.”

“Oh.” Claire pushed down the lid of her cup and prayed she hadn’t been completely horrible to this poor girl who had apparently once been a friend.

“Anyway. I found my birth mother.” Amanda sat back, a small smile set in place. “That’s what I wanted to tell you. I thought you…well…that you would understand.”

“Your birth mother?” The words slammed into Claire, went straight for the gut, held tight and twisted. “No kidding?” She took another sip and hoped Amanda wouldn’t notice the tremor in her hand. “How?”

“It wasn’t that hard, really.” Amanda blinked and gazed across the crowded room for a moment. A bizarre heavy metal version of Jingle Bells blasted through the speakers and they shared a smile. “I suppose I just got tired of looking in the mirror and wondering. You know?”

Boy, did she know. Claire shrugged. “When was this?”

“Two years ago. I talked to my parents first, and they were okay with it. I wrote away for my non-identifying information and next thing I knew, Social Services was calling to put me in touch with her.”

“How’d that go?” A slow pounding began in her temples and Claire swallowed down the urge to puke. There was something wrong about this—having this conversation—today, on the anniversary of her mother’s death. Amanda of course, couldn’t know that. Couldn’t know that Claire had, of late, thought of doing the very same thing.

Searching.

Searching for answers. Searching for truth. As if somehow knowing the circumstances concerning her birth would help her get her life back.

Thoughts of whether or not to proceed had become an obsession.

Maybe her best friend, Melanie, was right. “There are no coincidences, Claire. Only Godincidences.” Claire could hear her Melanie now. “It’s a sign. You should do it.”

The only sign Claire wanted to see was the one that said BAR.

She turned her attention back to her long lost friend and hoped she hadn’t missed anything earth shattering.

“We’re not that much alike, and after the first meeting…” Amanda prattled on. “But you know, did you ever think about it? I mean, your mom’s gone now and…”

“Me? Oh, no.” Claire checked her watch and frowned. She was supposed to meet James for dinner. “Hey, this was great, but…you know. My husband…we have plans.”

“Yes, of course. Well…” Amanda foraged in her Marc Jacobs bag and came up with a gold-embossed business card. “Give me a call sometime, Claire. And if you change your mind, you know, about searching, I’m here to help.”

“Thanks. It was great to see you.”

“Merry Christmas.”

“Sure. You have a good one.”

Claire waded through the sea of shoppers until she reached the doors to the parking lot, and stumbled outside. Cold air brought clarity and she breathed deeply. She clasped her elbows and willed the trembling to stop, willed the world to stop spinning as she tried to get her bearings and headed in the general direction she hoped she’d parked.

She needed to get out of here. But to what?

Claire stopped walking and stared at the slush beneath her feet. The knot in her stomach pulled tight. James would be expecting her.

He wanted to talk. Again.

Claire had run out of words a long time ago.

She turned toward the warm building again, scanned the area inside the doors and spied a TGI Friday’s. It was a bit too early for food, but that didn’t matter.

She wasn’t planning on eating.

Two hours later, Claire peered at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. Maybe she should call a cab. She splashed some water on her face, spritzed a little perfume on her neck and picked up her bags.

After waiting half an hour for a cab to come into sight, Claire’s feet were frozen. She gave up and headed back to her car. It would be fine. She hadn’t had that much to drink.

She maneuvered her car down the back roads as carefully as she could. Snow started to fall and got heavier by the minute. Claire shook her head and cursed the snow. Cursed herself for being so stupid.

Staying in bed would have been the more sensible solution.

She’d been doing better. Almost convinced she could make it through the holidays. Now all she could think about was Mom, and that stupid conversation she’d had with Amanda.

Pain rushed her with such force she considered pulling off the road to expel the liquid sloshing around in her stomach. She was re-living it all over again. That long, dark night when her world had shattered like a Christmas ornament dropped from the highest branches of the tree.

“She’s gone, Claire…”

They all thought death was something you could prepare for. Thought if you read up, prayed up and clammed up, it would all be okay.

Her father read books and retreated into silence.

James went to church, put them all on the prayer chain and talked to God.

And Claire just ignored it and hoped the day would never come.

But it had, come and gone, and taken her mother with it.

A blast of sirens jolted her back to the present. Her SUV swerved and she pulled on the wheel, slowing until the vehicle straightened. Obnoxious blue and red flashers intensified the pain in her head. Claire swore, flicked on her turn signal and pulled over. Great. Just what she needed to make a crappy day even crappier.

“Ya better watch out, ya better not cry…” The modern version of the classic blasted from the radio. “Ya better not pout, I’m tellin’ you why…” The Boss’s raspy voice belted out the warning.

Claire almost grinned. Too late, Bruce. Already on the black list this year.

Through the rear-view mirror she watched the officer step out of his vehicle. He sloshed through gray snow, his burly frame shadowed in the setting sun, but she’d recognize that bear-like gait anywhere.

Definitely not Santa Claus.

Claire shook her head, her throat drying up. Why did it have to be him?

She shoved her hand in her purse, pulled out her breath mints and put a few in her mouth, wishing she’d had a second cup of coffee. She chewed quickly and shoved another couple in just before he reached her car.

Robert Ferguson tapped on her car window, a scowl set in place. His dark blue jacket was zipped halfway, his badge glinting. Claire returned the scowl and prayed for an apocalypse. He rapped again and Claire knew she had no choice. She pressed the button and the window slid down.

“Hello, Claire.” Her brother-in-law stepped back and folded his arms over his chest.

A blast of cold air smacked her face as she shifted to face him, tightening her grip on the wheel. “Robert. What a pleasant surprise.” Not. She forced a smile and thought about sending up a quick prayer, but what would be the point?

God wasn’t listening. Not to her.

Not anymore.

“You okay?” He studied her in silence, suspicion settling in his eyes.

Okay? She had a wet butt from falling in the parking lot, lived through that strange conversation with Amanda and had a case of major indigestion, but whatever. “Sure, I’m okay. Sweet of you to ask.” Her heart rate jumped in time to the music as he let out a sigh.

“Can you turn off the stereo, please?”

“Sure.” Claire blinked at the dash and squinted. The silver buttons were so small and they all looked alike. “Ah. There. Better?”

“Where’ve you been, Claire? You were driving a little erratically.”

“Erratically?” She widened her eyes, surprised he knew such a big word. “Oh, back there, you mean? Yeah, black ice. Thought I was done for.”

His scowl deepened, forming a crater above the bridge of his nose. “Black ice, huh? You were all over the road. Going too fast, then too slow…I’ve been following you about a quarter mile. I guess you didn’t notice.”

“Seriously? Guess I didn’t. You know, female drivers. We never check the rear view mirror unless we’re putting on lipstick.” Her palms grew moist despite the cold air flooding her car.

His bland expression told her he wasn’t buying it. “Have you been drinking?” Robert narrowed his eyes, leaning in a little closer.

Claire shook her head and the interior of the car spun. She covered her mouth with one hand and took a minute. “Of course not. I’m not stupid. I wouldn’t do something like that.”

“Claire,” he growled, placing his big hands on the ledge of the open window, “level with me.”

There might have been a hint of compassion in his eyes but it faded too soon. Claire stared at the falling snow and wondered what she’d look like in orange. “I…um…went out for lunch. I might have had a glass of wine. That’s all. Really. I’m fine.”

“You don’t look fine.” He took a step back. “Want to get out of the car?”

“No,” she squeaked. “Come on, Robby. I just told you, I’m okay. Thanks for checking up on me though.” The back of her neck prickled and her throat constricted. He couldn’t possibly be serious.

Robert yanked the door open. “Get out.”

“Please, Robert. I’m begging you. I’m not drunk. You can follow me home if you want to.”

“Get out of the car, Claire.” Anger dripped off his tongue and she knew she’d pushed his limit. Maybe if she pretended to pass out she’d wake up and find this was all some weird dream. Maybe she’d just pass out anyway.

“Claire. Today. If you wouldn’t mind.”

“I’m coming.” She struggled to stand, slipped on the slush beneath her and he caught her elbow before she fell. The towering pines across the road blurred into one big green snowball, hurtling toward her. She steadied herself and tried to focus on Robert. This was a nightmare. It had to be.

But no, she’d definitely had too much to drink and now she was busted.

Served her right.

There was always a price to pay.

She just wished Robert didn’t have to be the one to collect.

He barked instructions at her and Claire tried to follow what he was saying, but the buzzing in her ears made it hard to understand him. And she really had to pee.

“You’re a mess,” he muttered. He leaned forward, his eyes blazing into her. “You’re going to blow over, you know that, right?”

“Maybe we should just skip it then.” Claire held out her wrists toward him and smiled.

“Just get in the patrol car. I’ll drive you home.”

“What? You’re not going to arrest me? You’re actually going to give me a break?” Claire stared in disbelief. “That’s…so…unlike you, Robby.”

He shifted and put his hands on his hips, his stance wide. “Claire, seriously? I’m trying to be nice here.”

“Just spreading a little Christmas joy, huh?” Her eyes landed on the butt of his revolver, his hand dangerously close to it. Tears welled and one rolled down her cheek into the corner of her mouth.

“All right.” He zipped up his coat and propelled her toward the police car. “Let’s get you off the road before you kill somebody.”

“I don’t need your help, Robert.” She tried to squirm out of his grip but he was too strong.

“Do you want me to bring you in, Claire? Honestly, it would be a real pleasure. I’m only giving you a break out of respect for my brother. If you want to throw your life away, fine, I really don’t care, but don’t take him down with you.”

Claire whirled to face him. “Then arrest me! Go on. It’s what you’re supposed to do anyway, right?” The words flew out before she could stop them. She watched his mouth twitch.

“Get in the car.” His glare was enough to silence her into submission.

Claire climbed into the back of the black and white patrol car. It reeked of sweat, cigarettes and coffee. She leaned her head against the plastic-covered seat and waited. Out of the corner of her eye she saw him retrieve her purse from her vehicle while he talked on his cell phone. Her heart raced as she tried to second-guess him. He wasn’t going to arrest her. That was the good news.

Maybe she could get home without her father or James finding out. She’d sleep it off and be fine in the morning.

And never, ever, do anything so stupid again.

Done with his call, Robert tossed her purse onto the seat beside her and slammed the door. The car shook from side to side. Claire winced and closed her eyes. She pulled her knees up, resting her boots on the divider as he pulled back onto the road. “Excuse me?” She rapped on the plastic glass between them. “Can you maybe have my car taken home? There’s a lot of stuff in there. I just went shopping.”

“Before or after you stopped at the bar?”

“Robert!”

“Relax, Claire.” He cracked his gum and sniffed. “There’s a tow-truck on the way. It’ll be impounded. You’ll get it back eventually.”

“Stop kidding around. You can’t do this to me. Come on…”

He slowed at a stoplight along Main. Claire inched down on the seat, searching the faces on the sidewalk. “Where are you taking me? The exit is the other way.”

“I know where the exit is.”

He hated her. He was going to arrest her after all.

Claire swallowed back nausea and chewed on a torn fingernail. “So, um…how’s the family?”

Robert’s shoulders stiffened and he cleared his throat, glancing back at her through the mirror. “Claire?”

“Yes?”

“Stop talking.”

“Sorry.” Claire foraged through the jumbled mess of things inside her purse and came up with a lipstick. Didn’t bother checking the color. After applying a generous amount to her dry lips, she smacked them together. Bad idea. Her stomach rolled again and she popped a couple more mints in her mouth.

When he parked the car at the back of the precinct, Claire glared at the three-story gray building, crumbling in places. She swore it would fall down one of these days. With any luck Robert would be inside when it did.

“You said you were going to take me home.” Claire stared at the back of his big head, watching a fly settle on the short dark hair. Maybe she could smack it for him.

He cleared his throat and she pushed aside the idea.

“You’re staying at your dad’s house now, right?”

“Yes.”

“That’s what I thought. That place is at least a half hour out on the other side of town. That would be going way beyond my family obligations. You can wait here until somebody comes for you.”

“Who’s coming? Who did you call?” Claire pushed herself out of the car but he ignored her and escorted her through the back doors. She walked slowly, determined not to slip. Or fall over. They passed a couple of officers in the hall. Claire saw some raised eyebrows and one of the men let out a low whistle. Wonderful. She’d be the talk of small town Connecticut within the hour.

Robert stopped outside a small office at the far end of the corridor. He kicked the door with his black boot and it swung open. He walked in, checked out the room and glanced her way. “Take a seat. Nobody will bother you. Unless I tell them to.”

Claire’s feet wouldn’t move. “Look, I can just call a cab…I…”

“Nope. You’ll stay right here until you sober up.”

She marched to the desk, threw her purse down and turned on him. “You can’t just shove me in here, Robert! I know my rights! Which you haven’t even read me by the way, and…”

“Claire.” He breathed out her name, sounding tired and beyond reasoning. “Sit down, and for the last time, shut up.” Fury ran across his face. “I told you, I’m not arresting you. But I should be. You should be thanking me, not yelling at me like you haven’t done anything wrong.” Robert stood near the door, his eyes softening. “You’ve got to start dealing with life, Claire. You can’t go on like this.”

She pushed hair off her face and pinched her lips together. “Where do you get off telling me how to ‘deal with it’?” Familiar anger coiled inside her stomach and the dull ache returned. She sank into the chair behind the desk. “First my mother dies; then I have a miscarriage. Why does everybody expect me to just forget, just get over it?” Claire leaned back and closed her eyes.

“That’s not what I meant. But it’d be nice if you started acting more like a mature adult instead of a spoiled, out-of-control teenager.”

“Are you done?” She put her head in hands.

“I’ll be back in a while.”

“Fine.” Claire gazed up at him, unsmiling. “Thank you.”

“Sure. Whatever.” He turned and slammed the door behind him. The noise reverberated around the small room and pierced through her skull.

Claire rubbed her temples and wondered if she could down a couple of Tylenol without water. Robert was probably enjoying every minute of this. He’d hold court later at his favorite watering hole and regale his buddies with the story of how he finally one-upped his wayward sister-in-law.

Claire groaned at the thought. Since Mom’s death, things just seemed to go from bad to worse. Her family, her husband, the whole world was against her. Every single day she had to endure some trial.

She slumped down, put her head on the desk and took a deep breath.

Robert was right though. This time.

She was guilty. She should have known better than to drink and drive. But once she got started, it was so easy to keep them coming. She just wanted to get rid of the pain. But whatever the amount she’d consumed today, it wasn’t enough.

It was never enough.

It’s been quiet here at sunny island.  I’ve been a bit under the weather and unable to get any writing done.  That said, I’m back.