We've Moved!

Ramblings-n-Writings has officially moved to its new home as of 2/24/09! (This is a sticky post.) Please bookmark the new site as soon as possible so you don't miss out on anything!

If you've received this post via your feed reader (Bloglines, Google Reader, e-mail, etc.), you need to update the address for the subscription. The new address is http://www.ramblings-n-writings.com.

You might want to check your browser "favorites" or "bookmarks" and update with my new address as well.

I'll also be double-posting at both sites for a few days to make sure no one gets lost in the move. My readers are valuable to me so I don't want to lose anyone!

Do I really want to do this?

I've spent the better part of my afternoon consumed with an attempt at transferring this blog to WordPress. After about 3 hours of making very little progress, I'm not sure I want to continue. IMO, Blogger is a million times more user-friendly.

My idea for moving sprouted from an effort to consolidate and be a wise steward. You see, my business site is hosted at hostmonster.com. I pay for the hosting. HostMonster offers WordPress blogging. I plan to start a blog, with once or twice a week posting, on my business site. Then I thought why should I be using a free platform that doesn't belong to me for this blog when I can easily *cough, cough* move everything to the same spot (hostmonster).

Consolidation is good. Going to one central location for everything is good. Wasting a lot of time trying to make it happen isn't.

Um, not the smartest idea that I've had recently.

So, until further notice, I'm staying put right where I am and not moving unless I have an amazing breakthrough.

Anyone got some chocolate? I need it.

Sunday snow ... again

The weatherman on the Saturday night news said we could see a dusting to 7 inches of snow overnight. I kinda laughed and even tweeted about the forecast. Couldn't the weatherman predict the amount a little better than that?

Seriously, there's a big difference between a dusting and 7 inches! A dusting means we'd be able to get out of the house later today. Seven inches means we'd be stuck here til at least Tuesday since we wouldn't see a snow plow til before that!

This morning we woke to a winter wonderland. I love the snow that sticks to the trees making everything white.

The snow was really light and fluffy with about 4 inches on the ground. As Mandy is demonstrating below, wherever the snow is disturbed, it quickly disappears.

This small tree fascinated me. It's not very far from the house - maybe 30 feet - but I never noticed its curly branches before. I think the snow accented the curl. Neat, huh?

And it wouldn't be an official snow day without a photo of the dogs playing. Sadie and Mandy raced around in the snow for about an hour. They're sacked out in the laundry room now dreaming of springtime and chasing rabbits.

Biblical Fiction: Good or Bad?

This week's Faith 'n Fiction question from My Friend Amy is:

One of area of Christian fiction that is thriving is Biblical Fiction. Biblical fiction, in case you don't know, is when an author takes a story from the Bible and imagines more of the details. Tosca Lee's Havah would be a recent example of Biblical fiction.

What I want to know today is how you feel about Biblical fiction. Have you ever read any Biblical fiction? Did you enjoy it? Do you think Biblical fiction helps us to understand people who lived during Biblical times better or do you think that it's unnecessary? Have you ever read any Biblical fiction that offended you?

In my opinion, biblical fiction is an acquired taste. I know some people love it, but others could live without it. I don't go out of my way to choose biblical fiction, but I don't mind reading it.

Perhaps the reason I don't go out of my way is because I feel like the story has to be absolutely true to scripture. I realize the story will be fictionalized, but the facts that we do know from the Bible must be accurate. And as I read, I find myself wondering what's true, what's accurate, etc.

However, one of my favorite series of all time is a biblical fiction series - The Lions of Judah by Gilbert Morris (I wrote about the series here.)

Besides the Lions of Judah series, the only other biblical fiction I've read that comes to mind is the first couple of books in Brock and Bodie Thoene's First Light series.

I don't recall reading any biblical fiction that's offended me. And after reading the Lions of Judah books, I definitely had a better understanding of the people in biblical times.

FIRST Wildcard: Surviving Financial Meltdown

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!

Today's Wild Card authors are: Ron Blue and Jeremy White and the book: Surviving Financial Meltdown (Tyndale House Publishers, January 20, 2009)

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Ron Blue has been a financial planner and consultant for over 30 years. He currently leads an international effort to equip and motivate Christian financial professionals to serve the body of Christ by implementing biblical wisdom in their lives and practices, resulting in financial freedom. Ron has appeared on national radio and television programs and has authored 13 books on personal finance, including the best-seller Master Your Money.

Visit the author's website.

Jeremy Whitehas been a Certified Public Accountant since 1988 with financial experience in public accounting and industry. He’s currently practicing as a partner with Blythe, White & Associates, a certified public accounting and consulting firm in Paducah, KY. Jeremy is a qualified member of Kingdom Advisors. He has coauthored or assisted with four other best-selling financial books including The New Master Your Money, Splitting Heirs, and Your Kids Can Master Their Money.

Visit the author's website.

Product Details:

List Price: $12.99
Paperback: 144 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers (January 20, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1414329954
ISBN-13: 978-1414329956


AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Riding Out Financial Storms

How to Prepare for Economic Uncertainty

Plunging home values. Declining stock market. Vanishing credit. Rising gas prices. Ongoing war against terrorism. Failing banks. Soaring food costs. Falling value of the dollar. Swelling budget deficits. (Suggested cover story for the next Money magazine—Best Investment Now: Antacids!)

If you’re worried, you’re not alone. You’re not the only one feeling the uncertainty. Consumer confidence measurements have reached their lowest level in decades.

Most of the world would still leap at the chance to trade economic situations with you. You realize that. But you’re still nervous and searching for answers.

It’s easy enough to present our case that economic times are challenging. The daily headlines back us up on that. Our challenge in this book is to prepare you so you have less fear and more financial peace.

We want to help you develop a common-sense financial strategy to weather the economic storms of today as well as those in the far-off financial future. In times of economic uncertainty, the strength of your strategy will determine whether you thrive or survive.

Let’s get started with a reminder of how you prepare for tough times: Prepare in advance.

Don’t Let Your Dreams Be Washed Away
The aerial photo is startling: An attractively designed yellow two-story home stands alone on highly sought-after real estate along the Texas Gulf Coast. Just a few days before, that house was part of a thriving community. Now, it is surrounded on every side by the wreckage of about 200 other homes and buildings. A private helicopter pilot, flying over the area after it had been slammed by Hurricane Ike, had taken the photo.

Not long after he posted the image on CNN’s iReport site, the buzz started. Viewers began debating whether the photo was a fake. After all, how could one home withstand 110 mph winds and a storm surge while every other building around it had been pulverized? The speculation ended when the sister of the home’s owners identified it and provided another photo of the house taken just a few months earlier.

Reporters quickly located the home’s owners, Warren and Pam Adams. Just three years before, the Adams’ home had been destroyed by Hurricane Rita. Because they loved the beach, the couple wanted to rebuild rather than leave the coast. So they did—but with the knowledge that their new home might also be in the path of a hurricane some day.

The couple hired an engineering firm to oversee the contractor as their new residence was built. The builder put the house’s bottom floor on wooden columns that raised it above the surrounding houses. The foundation was made with reinforced concrete, and builders followed the latest hurricane building codes to the letter.

Despite its solid construction, the home did sustain some damage in Hurricane Ike. The first-floor garage and a wooden staircase on the home’s exterior were destroyed. The interior suffered some water and mud damage. Yet unlike their neighbors, who returned to their former home sites hoping to find a few personal belongings among the rubble, the Adams can repair their home.

The precautions the couple took when rebuilding their home after Hurricane Rita may have seemed extreme to some. Yet their foresight appears brilliant now after the town sustained a direct hit by a hurricane. In fact, after Aaron Reed, a spokesman with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, confirmed that the Adams’ home was the only surviving home on that side of the beach, he added, “I thought, if I were ever to build a house on the coast, I’m going to contact the guy who built this.”1

In fact, the couple simply displayed common sense. They knew that their home had been destroyed once by a hurricane and that it could happen again. Of course, others along the Gulf Coast knew they faced that threat as well. The difference was in how they responded to that risk.

Like some Gulf Coast residents, many of today’s investors build their financial houses without much of a strategy. When you build something you want to keep, common sense dictates that you build it according to a plan and with materials that will last. This strategy works for all types of construction, from putting together a financial portfolio to building a house.

Warren and Kay Adams can’t prevent a hurricane from smashing into their home on the coastline. They can’t control which way the wind blows. They can, however, build their house to withstand the wind and water.

Mr. Blue Goes to Washington
Palms sweating and heart racing, I (Ron) remember climbing the granite steps of the Capitol building to testify as an expert witness before a Senate subcommittee. I entered the chamber room where the hearings took place. I had often seen it on television. It was impressive yet intimidating. The senators were seated higher than the witness table and the visitors’ gallery.

I recognized many of the senators’ names on the plaques at their table and took a deep breath. I reminded myself that I wasn’t in trouble—even though the room had the feel of a courtroom. The Senate subcommittee was holding hearings on “Solutions for the New Era: Jobs and Families.” I was one of several “experts” from various economic and social fields. Other participants on the panel pressed for more social programs.

When my turn to speak came, I was hoping my voice wouldn’t crack. Could I live up to my introduction as a financial expert? Leaning in toward the microphone on the table, I began to answer a senator’s question about what the average American family should do in the current economy to survive and thrive. I said I believed the American family could benefit from following a four-part financial plan:

1. Think long-term with goals and investing

2. Spend less than they earn

3. Maintain liquidity (or emergency savings)

4. Minimize the use of debt

The Senate chamber room fell silent for a moment. I was expecting laughter to reverberate among the marble columns and high ceiling at the simplicity of what I said. The committee chairman, Christopher Dodd, looked down at his notes. He furrowed his brow and pursed his lips. He recited the points back to me. Instead of chuckling at me, he then said, “It seems like this plan is not just for the family. It seems it would work at any income level.”

“Yes,” I replied with some relief. Now I was the one doing a bit of chuckling as I added, “including the U.S. government.” We went on to have an engaging conversation about how the senators could exercise strong leadership through wise financial practices.

Four Principles of Financial Success
I had prepared my four-part answer to the senator’s question over many years. In fact, I heard that same question over and over. After a presentation to a large audience or in response to a call-in radio program, people often ask how to get out of a financial mess—or avoid one. Often the questioners hope that I’ll provide a dramatic, one-time solution for their financial difficulties. Though they may be disappointed to hear my commonsense strategy, I know this time-tested, biblically supported answer works.

Let me briefly expand my explanation of these principles here:

Think long term. The longer term your perspective, the better financial decisions you’ll make. Set goals in writing for the future. Invest for the long term and worry less about short-term ups and downs in your 401(K) or investment portfolio.

Spend less than you earn. To accomplish this, you need to know what you’re earning and what you’re spending. Make a spending plan (or, if we dare use that loathed term: a budget). Monitor how you’re doing. Develop the self-control to avoid overspending. If you spend less than you earn consistently over a long period of time, you will do well financially.

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Maintain emergency savings. A reserve set aside will help you ride out the surprises life throws at you. You must spend less than you earn to build savings. Savings will then help you avoid debt. These principles work together.

Minimize the use of debt. Debt increases risk. It may allow you to do more or have more now, but debt will reduce your ability to have more in the future. I know of few cases of financial disaster occurring without debt. Financial problems are magnified with debt.

These four financial principles are so simple that they may easily be overlooked. Yet they have stood the test of time. They work when the economy is in a recession, depression, or boom times. They work despite inflation or deflation. They apply when gas prices or real estate values are rising or falling. They were outlined thousands of years ago in the Bible. Many rich people—and many poor ones—can attest to their truths.

Some technical professionals, such as doctors and engineers, initially think these principles are too simplistic. They want to make succeeding financially as technically challenging and sophisticated as their fields. But you can’t go wrong if you follow these steps. What kind of financial trouble would you ever get in if you spent less than you earned, minimized debt, kept savings available, and thought about the long term?

When Do I Apply These Principles?
Warren and Kay Adams prepared for possible disaster before it happened. The best time to apply these four steps is before the financial storms come.

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You may be thinking, Well, it’s too late for that. I’m in the midst of a financial crisis. The hurricane has already hit. Now what do I do? Here’s hope. You start with these four principles of financial success. If you haven’t done them before, then start now. You can’t lay a solid financial foundation without these four steps. They will lead you out of a crisis—and prevent many future ones.

Perhaps your financial crisis has already happened. You may have lost your job. You may be getting calls from creditors. Perhaps you fear a possible foreclosure. You’re picking up the pieces and trying to rebuild. What do you do? Same answer. You start with these principles.

Perhaps you don’t currently face a financial crisis but are anxious because of all the economic bad news. The Adams’s house is a great illustration that may motivate you to prepare for storms in advance. You can take great comfort in these transcendent principles that apply before, during, and after the crisis.

In fact, some positive results can come from our country’s current economic downturn. We’ve learned that a crisis can sharpen our focus. It helps us think more rationally. When gas prices rose significantly, consumers started moving from large sports-utility vehicles and oversized trucks to more fuel-efficient vehicles. This is rational. But even when gas was less expensive, was a Hummer ever a sensible purchase for an urban dweller?

People ask us, “Now that _____________ (you fill in the blank) is happening, what should I do?” we always give the same advice: follow these four principles. If you set long-term goals and invest accordingly, if you spend less than your income, if you have available savings, and if you eliminate debt, then you’ll be as prepared as possible.

No Surprise Ending with This Book—But Keep Reading
We suppose this would make a poor novel. No mystery or suspense here. We’ve already revealed the four principles of financial success and told you the ending of the story. The punch line came before the setup of the joke.

However, we hope you haven’t missed the paradox: these principles are easy to understand but they’re often hard to do. We’ve stated the principles but not yet helped you understand how you can begin doing them. In the coming chapters, we’ll explore these principles in greater detail. You’ll discover how to approach the future—any future—with financial peace of mind.

We realize that it’s not just a matter of doing four simple steps in a vacuum. You’re part of an overall economy. You can’t avoid feeling some of the effects of our nation’s economic downturn—but it doesn’t have to be as great as you fear. You hear things that make you anxious. Money issues carry with them emotions, baggage from the past, and uncertainty about the future. You probably don’t have a degree in financial management. When it comes to handling your own money, you’re probably in unfamiliar territory. So we’re going to begin by exploring what causes financial fears in our economy. Then you’ll identify your particular fears.

You can do this. You can learn to manage your finances wisely. It’s not too late. Reading financial how-to’s is like exercising or eating healthy food. You know you’re supposed to, but will you do it? You can. People with less education, less talent, less income than you have done it. Financial peace of mind can be more than just a future hope. It can be your expectation. In the pages ahead, you will learn how to take this expectation and make it a reality in your life.

What lives on our farm?

On Wednesday, I showed some photos of eggs and our chickens. Cyndi commented that she didn't know we had chickens. That got me thinking that maybe some others don't know what all calls our farm home.

I should probably be technically correct and explain that it's actually my father-in-law's farm, but our five acres butts into their property and our house sits directly across the road from theirs. To say that we are in the middle of the barnyard would be an understatement. LOL The farm is a family operation with my husband's sister's family sharing in the responsibility too.

So, now that I'm technically correct, what lives on our farm?

I'm sure you already know that we have a herd of cats and a plethora of dogs. Seriously, I think almost every breed of dog roams around the farm - beagle, chow/collie, australian shepherd, boxador, miniature collie, poodle, miniature pincher and ... I think that's it. Some are house dogs like the poodles and minpins, but others are mostly outside. To us, having dogs is important because they are the guardians of the other creatures.

We do have predators including foxes and coyotes. More recently, we've seen evidence of bear and bobcat. In fact, my father-in-law caught a bobcat in a trap on a neighbor's property that backs into our farm. And we also have the standard wildlife like racoon, opossum, muskrat, squirrel and deer.

Besides the pets and predators, we have cattle. We have a registered Black Angus bull and a mixture of black and red angus mama cows. We raise the angus mainly for meat and sale. We also have two registered purebred Jersey cows that produce about 5 gallons of milk a day. From the milk, we're able to get cream and make butter, yogurt and some cheeses.

Next to the cows, the chickens are the most productive. During the summer (or at least warmer weather), we'll get a dozen eggs or more a day. I honestly don't know how many chickens we have since they're free range and never all in one place at the same time. Late last summer, we had about 40 (and obviously got more eggs), but the predators find chicken to be tasty, so we've lost a few.

Roaming around the barnyard are also 5 turkeys. The turkeys are the most recent addition to the farm and have been here for about 6 months. They're neat to watch especially when the tom turkeys start strutting.

Perhaps the most annoying animal on the farm is the guinea. Guineas, if you're not familiar with them, are members of the bird family. Basically, they look like an army helmet or a bike helmet with legs and a head. The annoying part is they're noisy. Very. Noisy. They're great for controlling bugs especially if you have a garden, but when they find a bug, they have to tell the whole world. LOL

Since we're on the topic of birds, we also have ducks. Lots of ducks. Our ducks are here year round and spend time floating on the pond or splashing in the creeks. We don't clip their wings so they're free to fly if they want to. We did have a flock that migrated south to here for the winter too. :) Unfortunately, our duck "turnover rate" can be high at times because of the predators. Right now, I'd guess that there's about 45 ducks on the farm, mostly mallards but there's another breed that I don't remember the name of along with some white ducks.

And finally, my sister-in-law raises goats and has a barn full of babies right now.

In the past, we've also had donkeys and geese. And last year we raised a litter of pigs for sale and for butchering. Now that we don't have the pigs (except for in the freezer), I realize what great garbage disposers they are - they love eating all sorts of veggie and fruit scraps.

The only farm animal that comes to mind that we've never had, and probably never will, is horses. We just don't have the manpower, knowledge, or space for them. However, our neighbor has some beautiful black mares that we drive by on our way out of the hollow. :)

Oh, if you want to see photos of our farm critters, explore the "down on the farm" category and the "pictures" category. Almost every farm critter has debuted on here at some point. LOL

Guest Post: Why We Need A Little Faith

I'm so excited today to introduce to you a guest post by Alyssa Avant. Alyssa is embarking on a new journey and started a speaking, writing, and ministry training program called Faith Leaps. I asked her to stop by and share a little about her burden for the program.

Make sure you visit the Faith Leaps website to read more too. And if you are interested in taking a leap of faith, sign up for the program's Early Bird List to see what it's all about. Membership isn't open yet, but you'll receive Lesson 1 free as well as emails regarding specials and an entry into a contest for a free membership! Make sure you sign up by March 1 to be entered in the contest!

Why We Need A Little Faith

It is unlike anything else you will do with your life. Having faith is something that takes a long time to understand and even longer to truly feel that you have. As the Bible says, “Faith is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you cannot see.” Hebrews 11:1(NIV)

Faith begins with a relationship with Jesus Christ, the man who gave everything, even His own life for our sins. So, why do we feel that we can hold back, keeping things from Him, especially our lives and what we COULD be doing for Him? Yet, we aren't, we're keeping them for our own use and selfishly trying to please our own selves more than we are trying to please Him.

Maybe it is due to a “lack of faith”, after all Hebrews 11:6 says that “without faith it is impossible to please God.” (NIV) That is what often keeps us from truly doing for Him, truly living for Him, our own lack of faith.

For some, people don't understand why they need faith in the first place. Faith is needed for several reasons.

1. It takes faith to begin your relationship with God. Because God is someone we can't see, touch, or hear audibly, it takes faith even to come to know and trust Him. Once you do, the other parts of faith become a little more manageable.
   
   After all faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. We may not hear God audibly but we do hear his word. Faith is also an act of “belief” we all have the ability to believe. Just like you believe that a chair in your home will hold you up, you believe that God is real. You must believe that God is real and that He had His one and only son Jesus die to save us from our sins.
   
   
2. You also need faith to truly enjoy the benefits of being a part of the family of God. As Christians, we walk in our own assurance and faith that God is who He says that He is and will do what He says He will do. Every day life takes faith. And with that faith we enjoy the blessings that God has promised to us.
   
   
3. We need faith to point others to Christ. Without the evidence of our faith, many times it is hard to show others the way. God commands us to “go into all the world.” Without our own faith assured, we will not be able to do that effectively.
   
   
4. Faith also allows us to grow. We can experience growth as a person and as a Christian through faith. Reading God's word, spending time in prayer and with other believers in fellowship helps us to do this.

We may think that it takes a great deal of faith to truly accomplish something, however, be reminded that the Bible says if you have faith as small as a mustard seed that you can tell the mountain to move from here to there and it will.

It may not take a large amount of faith to act, but sometimes we feel that it does. Sometimes we feel nudged to take action but we hesitate. Taking our own leap of faith is often scary. Do you need help taking a leap of faith? Check out “Faith Leaps” and see if we can help you with your “leap of faith.”

About Alyssa

Alyssa Dees Avant is a Christian writer, speaker and blogger. She is passionate about ministry. Founding Beauty by Design Ministries to reach out to girls who are pressured and confused by the messages of style, fashion, and beauty. She is launching Faith Leaps to help others begin their journeys and fulfill their calls and dreams. She is married with three precious children all under the age of 5.

Which Came First...?

One thing I love about our farm is fresh eggs. I love the rainbow of egg colors too - blues, greens, browns, and whites. So pretty!

Then there's these granddaddy eggs. They're huge! Some barely fit in the little egg holder spot.

Of course, looking at photos of eggs leads me to ask...

Which came first - the chicken or the egg?

These ladies like to think they came first ... to the farm, that is. And I think they're correct.

We started out with some full-grown chickens, gathered their eggs, put a few in the incubator, hatched some chicks, let them grow up, gathered their eggs, put a few ... Well, you get the point.

But I know other farmers that started with the eggs by buying them from somewhere else.

So, I guess either answer is right! :)

To see more ABC Wednesday photos, click here. To see more Wordless Wednesdays, click here.

Review: A Cry in the Night by Colleen Coble

The highly anticipated novel that delivers what romantic suspense fans have long awaited - the return to Rock Harbor.

Bree Nichols gets the shock of her life when her husband - presumed dead - reappears.

Bree Nichols and her search and rescue dog Samson discover a crying infant in the densely forested woods outside of Rock Harbor, Michigan. Against objections from her husband, Kade, who knows she'll become attached, Bree takes the baby in. Quickly she begins a search for the mother - presumably the woman reported missing just days earlier.
While teams scour the forests, Bree ferrets out clues about the missing woman. But she soon discovers something more shocking: Bree's former husband - long presumed dead in a plane crash - resurfaces. Is he really who he says he is? And should she trust him again after all these years?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Cry in the Night, go HERE.

MY REVIEW
When I saw Cry in the Night on the book list, I knew I had to read it. I even made a special trip into town to the library to pick up a copy of Into the Deep, book #3 in the Rock Harbor Series.

While Cry in the Night is considered book #4 in the series, it could easily stand alone by itself. Don't feel like you have to read the previous three books to enjoy it. I wanted to read book #3 first because I had already read #1 and #2.

So what kind of book is Cry in the Night? It's a suspense mystery with a hint of romance.

The suspense and emotions in the book run high - can you imagine seeing your "dead" husband, your first love, after four years ... after you're happily remarried to someone else? Throw in kidnapping attempts, dead bodies, abandoned babies, and you have the makings of a page turner.

Just when it seemed like something was okay and everything worked out, a new twist is added to the story. By the halfway point in the book, I was wondering how it would be possible to solve all the plot twists and turns in a believable way! Colleen didn't disappoint either. :)

The book also digs into the emotional struggle of infertility and having a child to love. To me, this was the only loose end left at the end of the story, but maybe that's part of the story for book #5. There will be a book #5, right? The characters in this series are lovable and feel like family by the end, so of course I want there to be book #5.

If you're looking for a good romantic suspense novel, definitely pick up Cry in the Night. The romance factor isn't overwhelming at all ... well, other than the dead husband showing up and the emotional struggle Bree goes through.

On a side note, if the girl on the cover is supposed to be Bree, she is totally not what I pictured her as. LOL

Cara of The Law, Books, and Life posted a great interview with Colleen Coble that some of you might enjoy reading too.

Woo-hoo! Post #300

You're looking at post #300 for Ramblings-n-Writings! We've been here for almost 1-1/2 years, so I guess that's really not that phenomenal of a number. But I still wanted to recognize it!

Somewhere in the past 299 posts, I found my comfort zone and what I felt like the Lord wanted me to do with my blog. When I started blogging, I had no clue what I was doing or what I was writing before I started writing it. I know I have a few readers that have been around since the baby stages and to you I say a huge THANK YOU!

A lot of blogs out there are so much cooler than mine and have thousands of readers more than me. Do I mind? Not at all. Well, I do a little because I'd love to have a lot of readers. :)

Blogging is my outlet - something I can do for me that no one else can control or have a say in. I love reading and reviewing books, talking about farm life, sharing photos and just talking about life with all my readers.

So today, if you've made it this far, here's what's happening in my life...

• I finished and e-filed our taxes today. Yay! We're taking advantage of the first-time homebuyer's credit giving us a nice return. I know a lot of people end up having to pay at tax time, but I honestly don't remember ever having to pay. Even this year without counting the homebuyer's credit, we would have received an $18 refund. Not bad for a self-employed person. :)
• We're still battling it out with the Farmer's worker's compensation. Oh how I dislike those people...a lot. Hopefully we're coming to the end of the road though. In early March we have a mediation scheduled to talk about a settlement, meaning we'll wash our hands of them forever if all goes as planned. I can't wait! I know the Farmer can't either - 5 years of looking over your shoulder for P.I. is 5 years too much.
  
• In case you're wondering, since I haven't mentioned it recently, I'm still working on writing my novel, but I haven't really made it out of the incubation stage yet. My most recent progress has been studying a certain historical town for the setting. The more I learn about the town, the more I love it. And, no, I'm not saying what town. :)
• Along the same lines, I started a fiction writing mentoring course in mid-January. I finished my first lesson and just need to submit it. (Taxes kind of interfered with that since I was greedy and wanted my refund ASAP. LOL)
• In January I worked on three major projects for my business. Two are complete, and the third just arrived back in my inbox yesterday after the author reviewed suggestions.
• All of our furry four-footed babies are doing great. Sadie gave us a scare (again!) last week, but I'll save that story for another post. I will say that even though she is a dog, she has nine lives.
• And, finally, I'm glad it is February because that means I can start thinking about seeds and veggies for the summer garden. We're hoping to do a lot of outside work in the next 2 months - everything we had to put off because winter came. And we'll get to grow grass around our new house! No more mud yard!!!
  

Hot New Item: Against All Odds by Irene Hannon

Irene Hannon's Against All Odds is definitely the new hot item in the romantic suspense category!

So, what can I say about this book? Sitting on the edge of my seat, not wanting to go to bed because the book was so good and I had to finish it, thinking I was reading Dee Henderson again... yep, that sums it up!

A life-and-death crisis throws three major characters together causing sparks to fly (in more ways than one!).

Monica Callahan concentrates on her career and her professional appearance. Anything that gets in her way is just a huge inconvenience that she'll deal with in her own way. If it means change, forget about it. She's also a highly perceptive person seeing behind the facades many put up.

Evan Cooper is hard-nosed, well-trained FBI Hostage Rescue Team member. His main goal is to just do his job and protect whoever is in danger. Unfortunately, his job means disrupting Monica's life. He's not good with words and expressing himself which often results in a blunder. Because of his training, he doesn't like revealing details about himself, something Monica needs him to do.

David Callahan is Monica's estranged father who works as a hostage negotiator. Even though he has highly acclaimed skills dealing with delicate situations, he failed to negotiate his only family. Now he realizes his choices weren't the best and wants to make amends before it's too late.

What happens to these three?

Monica refuses to be intimidated by a related terrorist threat back in the States…until a chilling warning convinces her that the danger is very real—and escalating. As Coop and his partner do their best to keep her safe, David Callahan continues his work in the Middle East—triggering an abduction that puts his daughter’s life at risk. And with every second that ticks by, Coop knows that the odds of saving the only woman who has ever managed to breach the walls around his heart are dropping. Because terrorists aren’t known for their patience—or their mercy.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Against All Odds, go HERE

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

4 ½-star, “Top Pick” rating from Romantic Times BOOKreviews!

"Brava! Award winner Hannon debuts the heroes of Quantico series with a wonderful array of believable characters, action and suspense that will keep readers glued to each page. Hannon’s extraordinary writing, vivid scenes and surprise ending come together for a not-to-be-missed reading experience.”~Romantic Times BOOKreviews~

“I found someone who writes romantic suspense better than I do. I highly recommend Against All Odds as one of the best books I've had the privilege of reading this year. This is a captivating, fast-paced, well written romantic suspense destined for my keeper shelf. I loved this book, and highly recommend this author." ~Dee Henderson~ Author of the O’Malley Family Series

What's Your Perspective on My Blog?

I need your opinion again...

I recently contacted an advertising website hoping that I'd be able to carry some of their ads on my blog. I had heard good things about the company too. Like BlogHer and Logical Media, they vetted my site. But unlike the others, this company turned me down. Here's their explanation...

Content issues: We look for posts with original content and audience participation. When examining your site, we found that it appears to have one or more (not necessarily all!) of the following issues: sponsored "review" posts, posts with content taken from third parties such as other web sites or Wikipedia, posts with little original material, and so on.

I'm guessing that they had an issue with my book reviews and thought they were "sponsored"? The book reviews would also cover the "content taken from third parties" because both First WildCard and CFBA post "About the Book" and "About the Author" on their blogs for reviewers to copy. Not sure how my review of a book would qualify as little original material since a review is my opinion. :)

From my perspective, I try to post about a variety of topics - farm life, writing stuff, book reviews, living frugally, our pets, photos. I know I don't do all of those every week or even consistently. And sometimes there's a string of book reviews simply because that's when the tour dates are, but I try to do no more than 3 reviews a week.

To me, blogging is all about life as it happens. That's why I really don't do sponsored posts about products, companies, or other sites. (By my definition, "sponsored" is when I get paid to write about something.) I've only done 2 sponsored posts in the last year and a half. And personally, I dislike reading blogs that are filled with canned reviews and have little substance.

However, if I like a product (Reynold's Handi-Vac) or have an experience with a company (Enterprise), I'm going to share that with my readers. If my post can help one person come to a decision about a product/company, then I consider my post a success. It's not about making money but helping someone else.

Going off topic here... Enterprise never responded to my letter about our experience. When I submitted it, their message said that the regional manager would be in touch within a few days. I also got a survey call about our experience where I told the lady what happened. The lady promised someone would call me to get details. Two weeks later, no such phone calls have happened. Hmmmm... Okay, rant is over. :)

One thing I found interesting about this advertising company's response was they weren't specific about what the problem was. Essentially they said, "It could be one of these things, but we're not really saying." Further down in the email, they say that if I fix the problem, I can reapply. Um, how can I fix the problem without knowing what it really is? LOL

So, what's your opinion? What would you like to see more of on this blog?

My Thoughts on "Preachy" Christian Fiction

Today, My Friend Amy asked:

I was reading over at Novel Journey the other day (a great blog, by the way!) and this post caught my eye and just really really grabbed at the heart of what I think is the conflict around "preachy" Christian fiction. So I'm going to take this quote from the quote in the post, and ask you to share your thoughts about this topic.

"Too many Christians think we are supposed to use the arts to give people the answers. We’re not. We’re supposed to use the arts to lead them into a question."
Barbara Nicolosi

What do you think? Do you think Christian fiction should provide answers or lead us to questions?

Before giving you my answer, let me encourage you to read the original post at Novel Journey if you haven't already.

In my opinion, good Christian fiction both gives us answers and leads us to questions. However, it is done in an unobtrusive way, typically through the life of a character.

Christian fiction covers a huge gamut of styles (chick-lit to biblical fiction to cozy mysteries). And hopefully each book has a message to deliver. To me, the answers and questions are part of that message.

Whatever intent the author has while writing, whether to prompt someone to salvation or to encourage the downhearted or to show an aspect of God's love, his/her message should be clear. Some authors choose to do this with a 3-page verbatim sermon (huge turnoff to me) or with simple phrases scattered throughout.

Side thought - While I'm sure every author has good intentions for including sermons and theological discussions, I'm finding more and more people are turned off by them. What good does giving the author's version of the answer do if the reader skims over it? - end of side thought :)

I'm reminded of a book ... but I don't know what book! ... that used the phrase "Only what's done for God will last" or a variation of that. I'm thinking it was Tamera Alexander's From a Distance, but I could be wrong. That simple phrase stuck in my head and I carried it with me for days and days after finishing the book.

The story and the evolving characters were proof of that phrase. Were there long sermons (the preachy part)? No. Were there deep discussions between characters? Not really. It was simply the author's message scattered throughout as part of the plot. (It was tastefully and artfully done too.) That simple phrase led me to question how I could apply the story to my life. Could I have what the main character had? If so, how? What benefits would I receive from applying that phrase?

Those questions are legitimate and through the life of the main character, I could form answers. I knew that if I chose to serve God rather than self, I would see the benefits much like the main character.

Some of the commentators mentioned on the original Novel Journey post that Jesus used parables and questions to teach. He then allowed the disciples (or whoever) to form their own conclusions. If they came to the proper conclusion, he told them. If they didn't, he reinforced his teaching and helped them see the correct answer.

In light of Christian fiction, obviously we don't have Jesus teaching us. However, any answers that we conclude as a result of our reading, we should judge in light of the Bible. If the book gives an answer, we need to check it against Scripture. If a book creates a question in our mind, we should seek the Bible for the answer.

So what do you think? Should Christian fiction provide answers, lead to questions, or both?

Sharing Some Friday Linky Love

Today, I'd thought I share a few of the little treasures in bloggy world that I've found recently via Entrecard...

• Daisy the Curly Cat - These often humorous, daily posts feature photo sessions of Daisy and Harley, both cats. Almost every day I get a giggle out of the silliness. My favorite so far has been the Groundhog Day joke and Daisy laughing at the end.
• Golden Prague - This blog is all about living in the city of Prague. Personally, I love reading this blog because my maternal grandfather grew up in Dubrava, Slovakia. (It was Czechoslovakia then.) And while my maternal grandmother was born in the USA, her parents both came from that region too.
  
• Life from My Laptop - I love Alyssa's tagline: "Juggling my life. Relying on my faith." Alyssa found me on Twitter awhile ago, but I've only recently started reading her blog. She's an aspiring writer who is doing quite well in reaching her goals. She's an inspiration to me. :)
• The Virtual Dime Museum - This blog is a collection of old photos and newspaper clippings as well as the stories behind them. Great for history buffs especially if you're looking for the unusual. Also great for plot ideas.
  
• Modern Historian - Want to know what happened today in history? This blog doesn't give the usual fare of political history.

I have plenty of others in my Google Reader that I'll share another day. What blogs do you like reading?

C is for Caves!

We live in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains so our home is tucked up against a hillside in a little valley surrounded by mountains. One of the things I love about our area is the natural beauty.

We have a small mountain-fed stream that runs by our house, and near the head of that stream are some waterfalls. But one of the best kept secrets of our property is only visible in the wintertime. A beautiful rock formation is located just a stone's throw from the road, but I bet the locals don't know what's up there.

From the road, the rock edge is noticeable, but what's in the rock edge isn't. In fact, until last week, I didn't even know what was up there. (And for the last 4 years, I've lived a couple hundred feet away.) The beauty amazed me.

I'll let the photos speak for themselves, but the caves and rock formations are amazing. Honestly, it reminds me of something you'd see out west in the Grand Canyon or Arizona, not in the mountains of West Virginia. Nature sure is surprising!

Okay, so that photo isn't of the caves and rocks, but how could I let "C" week go by without a cow photo? And this cow lady kept her eye on me from across the road the whole time I was exploring the rocks. I think she was the spy reporting back to the other cows if the crazy camera lady started heading their way.

To see more ABC Wednesday photos, click here. To see more Wordless Wednesday photos (yes, I fail miserably at being "wordless"), click here.

First Wildcard Presents The Rose Conspiracy

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!

Today's Wild Card author is Craig Parshall and the book is The Rose Conspiracy (Harvest House Publishers; January 15, 2009)

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Legend says that pages were missing from the John Wilkes Booth diary. Years later, those pages turn up in a dusty attic and are handed over to the Smithsonian Institute. Late one evening, the head of the Smithsonian is examining the pages in his private office when he's murdered and the pages disappear.

Vinnie, a beautiful, talented sculptor, is incriminated in the murder since she had access to the murder victim's office. Despite lack of evidence connecting her to the case, she's staring at a possible death penalty.

She hires J.D. Blackstone, a college professor and reputable lawyer, as her defense attorney. He plunges head first into her case hoping to prove his client's innocence while unraveling the secrets of the diary pages. However, he finds himself caught up in a swirl of occultism, legal barriers, and romance. He crosses paths with an eccentric English lord, a relentless prosecuting attorney, and a U.S. Senator, all with something to hide.

MY REVIEW:
From guilt to greed to romance, there's a little bit of everything in The Rose Conspiracy. This fast-paced book delves into the legal world giving the reader a crash course in what goes on behind the scenes.

The characters are believable and round, meaning they change as the story progresses much like we do in real life. To me, having believable characters is an essential part of any book. If there are good characters and a good story, it will be a good book. The Rose Conspiracy has both of those.

J.D. Blackstone, a somewhat cynical person, struggles with emotional issues related to the untimely death of his family. Julia, his business partner and a likable character, tries to manage her career and personal interest in J.D. Vinnie, while eccentric and slightly suspicious, is another likable character that garners pity from the reader. And perhaps the character that rounds out the group is Rev. John Lamb, J.D.'s uncle, who cares about J.D.'s well-being and spiritual life. In reflection, I really like Rev. Lamb as a character and found his name to be well-suited. Even the minor characters, such as the judge, the law office workers, and the FBI agents, are thought out, well-developed characters.

One of the prevailing topics of the book is Freemasonry. While some authors would skirt the issue and expect the reader to have a basic understanding, Parshall does a fabulous job of slowly enlightening the reader to what Freemasonry is as well as what bearing it has on the story. Essentially, the reader learns along with the characters heightening the suspense of the book.

To me, the book wasn't overtly Christian. It was not preachy or filled with long dissertations. Instead the reader sees how God works in people's lives to bring them to the point of starting a relationship with Him.

If you enjoy legal thrillers or even just a good mystery, The Rose Conspiracy won't disappoint.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Craig Parshall is Senior Vice President and General Counsel of the National Religious Broadcasters Association, and the author of six legal–suspense novels: the five books in the Chambers of Justice series, and the stand–alone Trial by Ordeal. He speaks nationally on legal and Christian worldview issues and is a magazine columnist. He has coauthored five books with his wife, Janet, including the historical novels Crown of Fire and Captives and Kings.

Product Details:

List Price: $13.99
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers (January 15, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0736915141
ISBN-13: 978-0736915144

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

The driver behind the steering wheel was sweating like a hunter in the dripping heat of the jungle.

But this was a very different kind of jungle.

It was five minutes before midnight, and the car was cruising along the marble-and-monument-studded streets of the Capitol Hill district of Washington DC. The driver was tugging at a collar edge. Drops of perspiration trickled down back and torso, even with the air conditioning on. Maybe it was the freakish heat wave that had hit the city, causing brownouts and power failures across the city. Maybe it was something else…the nasty assignment that had to be taken care of. When the trigger was pulled, and it was all over, the long-missing pages of John Wilkes Booth’s personal diary would then be in the grip of someone else’s hand.

Yet the driver knew what was actually at stake that night. And it really wasn’t about the Booth diary. Or even the assassination of Abraham Lincoln at the hand of a Confederate radical. The note that was about to be seized contained a message with ramifications far beyond any of that.

Sweltering temperatures had suffocated Washington with a relentless haze of humidity that week. Even though it was only June, temperatures were in the low hundreds during the day and in the nineties at night.

The only thing cool to the touch was the white marble of the statues and monuments. The driver steered past the Lincoln Monument and then slowed the car slightly. As usual, interior lights illuminated the massive likeness of Abraham Lincoln in his great marble chair. Once past the monument, the car picked up speed, entered Constitution Avenue, and started heading toward the National Mall. The destination was the Castle, the nineteenth-century red-brick building full of turrets and spires where the administrative headquarters of the Smithsonian Institution were housed.

The driver parked the car a block away and walked quickly to the side entrance of the Castle—then, reaching the door, quickly tapped a code into the security panel. The lock clicked open.

Upstairs, the lights were still on in the office of Horace Langley, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. He was working late.

But the object of his work that night was not business as usual.

Only moments before, Langley had opened his safe and pulled out a metal case containing a folder enclosed within a plastic zip bag. Now he was studying the contents—eighteen pages from the diary of John Wilkes Booth. They had been missing for nearly one hundred and fifty years. Their disappearance had occurred suspiciously, about the same time as the federal investigation into the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln was taking place. Booth’s diary had been taken when the assassin was captured and killed. But at the time at least one witness swore that eighteen pages had been removed from it.

That was the point at which those pages seemed to have vanished forever.

Then, a century and a half later, the granddaughter and sole heir of a farmer in central Virginia went rummaging through her grandfather’s attic after his death and happened upon some boxes of old letters and papers. But one sheaf of papers looked different. While much of the writing on them was faded and undecipherable to the layman’s eye, a reference to Abraham Lincoln was visible. In his will, the farmer had given everything to his granddaughter—except the papers. Those, he said, must go to the Smithsonian Institution.

After some wrangling with lawyers, the eighteen pages were transferred to the Smithsonian. Horace Langley had succeeded in keeping the discovery from being leaked to the press, even though he was thoroughly convinced that the pages belonged to the Booth diary.

That June evening, as Langley studied the pages in his office, he knew that some eight hours hence, a council of epigraphers and historians were scheduled to convene and, for the first time, to study the Booth diary entries in that same office.

But he had to get the first look.

He had a pair of white gloves on as he studied the brittle pages, yellowed from age. A pad of paper lay on the desk in front of him, next to his pen. There was a glass of water off to the side.

Langley then began to slowly, painstakingly, write down something on the notepad.

Just a few lines of writing.

He paused to study carefully what he had written.

Then he heard something. He looked up, half-expecting a late-night visitor. “I wasn’t sure I would see you,” was all Horace Langley had a chance to say.

The individual who had entered through the side door below was now standing in front of Langley holding a handgun with a silencer—and proceeded to fire two clean shots directly into the left upper quadrant of Langley’s chest.

The Secretary started to grope upward with his arm, trying to touch the injured area of his chest, but failing. He fell backward into his chair, slumped, and then fell to the floor, where he collapsed on his back, surrounded by an expanding pool of blood.

The shooter stepped over to the desk, picked up the Booth diary pages, placed them back in the plastic zip bag, and put that into a larger bag. The killer snatched the pad of paper, ripped off the top page that had Langley’s writing on it and then another page for good measure, and put them also into the bag. Then the killer placed the pad of paper back on the desk with a clean page exposed as Langley lay dying on the floor, making a final gurgling, gasping sound. Before leaving the room, the shooter paused only for a moment at Langley’s desk, gazing down at the empty drinking glass that was resting there.

Then, exiting quickly through the same side door below where entrance had been made a few minutes before, Langley’s killer made a perfect getaway.

The security guards didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary until twenty-five minutes later, when one of them was making the rounds and stopped to check in on the Secretary. He caught sight of Horace Langley’s feet protruding past the edge of the desk. And the feet in Langley’s dress shoes were absolutely still.

As still as the marble and bronze statues of the famous men that were frozen in time, scattered as monuments across Washington, and that were illuminated by the halogen street lights that buzzed overhead in the suffocating heat of the night.

Can They Overcome the Prejudice?

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing The Desires Of Her Heart (Avon Inspire, February 10, 2009) by Lyn Cote.

ABOUT THE BOOK

A New Orleans lady and a half-breed frontiersman become unlikely allies as they travel the wilds of texas.

In 1821, when circumstances make it impossible for her to remain in New Orleans, Dorritt and her family head west to join Stephen Austin's settlement and recoup their fortune in Texas.

Quinn is a man of the frontier who has made a name for himself as a peerless scout. But as he and Dorritt's party begin a grueling trek across untamed Texas, the success of their journey is in grave doubt. Mexico has broken with the Spanish Crown, and armies from both countries—plus marauding Comanches—roam the pine forests and prairies. And one of the party is plotting destruction.

Now, with their lives joined in a virgin land fraught with peril, can Dorritt and Quinn put all their trust in God and receive the desires of their hearts?

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Desires Of Her Heart, go HERE.

MY REVIEW

I really enjoyed the story of the characters' travels through the frontier and the topic of overcoming prejudices. The historical details were intriguing, and the events believable for the time period. Based on those factors, I would recommend the book as a good read, and it was.

However, I just did not connect with the characters. Something was missing. I've thought about the book since I finished it a few days ago, and I can't put my finger on exactly what it was. I found myself reading to find out what happened next in the action, not what happened next to Dorritt or Quinn. To me, I should care about the characters more than the events of the plot.

For those who are sensitive about certain details in a book, I would recommend reading with caution since there are some obvious physical tensions and details discussed. Based on that, I would not recommend this story for teens.

Lyn Cote, the author, does an amazing job of revealing how prejudice and discrimination based on race or social status can affect all parties involved - the individuals and the family members. We hear so much about the issue of slavery during the early 1800s that, in a way, I never thought of how being a Mexican, an Indian or a half-breed during that time might affect a person and his/her opinion of self-worth. Cote brings a variety of individuals together for an interesting mix.

Overall, The Desires of Her Heart is a good story, and I look forward to the adventures of Alandra in book #2 of the Texas Star of Destiny series.

Simple Woman's Daybook Feb. 2

My Simple Woman's Daybook for February 2, 2009

Outside my window are big fluffy snowflakes falling slowly.

I am thinking of how much I love my husband. :)

I am thankful for our fireplace and a friend's generosity in giving us a free load of firewood.

From the kitchen... Not much going on in the kitchen today. We have leftovers to consume for dinner.

I am wearing a sweatshirt and pj bottoms.

I am creating my writer's fiction journal for my Christian Fiction Mentors course.

I am going nowhere today. The roads are too nasty, but we finally saw the snow plow after last week's storm!

I am reading... Just finished Lyn Cote's Desires of Her Heart and will start The Rose Conspiracy by Craig Parshall tonight.

I am hoping that a situation (quickly) works out for the best and gives God the glory.

I am hearing the fire crackle, the water trickle in the aquarium, and a dog barking.

Around the house...The cats are curled up sleeping, as usual.

One of my favorite things is chocolate and peanut butter. So not liking this peanut butter recall thing.

A few plans for the rest of the week: take the application tests for christianeditor.com; clean up my office desk a.k.a. sort and file all those papers; a trip to Charleston; and hopefully finish our taxes.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

For those of us living in a winter wonderland, spring and summer are coming soon!

Reflection: "This is My Doing"

Sometimes, in the midst of life, certain things I read really hit home. I wanted to share one such passage today because I feel that one of you may need this encouragement.

The following is an excerpt from L.B. Cowman's Streams in the Desert.

"You did not come to this place by accident - you are exactly where I [God] meant for you to be...

Are you in difficult circumstances, surrounded by people who do not understand you, never ask your opinion, and always push you aside? "This is my doing" (I Kings 12:24). I am the God of circumstances...

Are you having problems with money, finding it hard to make ends meet? "This is my doing," for I am the One who keeps your finances, and I want you to learn to depend on Me. My supply is limitless and I "will meet all your needs" (Phil 4:19). I want you to prove My promises so no one may say, "You did not trust in the LORD your God" (Deut. 1:32).

Are you experiencing a time of sorrow? "This is my doing." ... Have you longed to do some great work for Me but instead have been set aside on a bed of sickness and pain? "This is my doing." You were so busy I could not get your attention, and I wanted to teach you some of My deepest truths. "They also serve who only stand and wait." In fact, some of My greatest workers are those physically unable to serve, but who have learned to wield the powerful weapon of prayer.

His grace is sufficient for each test."

Have you experienced the sufficiency of God's grace recently?

Look Who Dropped the Most in January!

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a post about Entrecard, a blog traffic generator. After about 6 weeks or so of use, I still enjoy Entrecard. I've found a lot of great blogs that I enjoy reading each day. Some give me a chuckle, and others give me something to think about.

A common practice with Entrecard users is to post their "top droppers" at the end of the month. These are the people that visited my site the most and, hence, earn the title "top dropper."

So without further ado...


By the way, now that I've participated in Entrecard for a full month, I checked my traffic numbers. I compared January to November. I know I've done a couple of other things besides Entrecard to gain traffic, but my increase was 79%!!!!!!!

And in case you're wondering, my traffic increased 30% from December to January. I started Entrecard midway through December, so that's why I went back to November to see just how much my traffic increased. :)