Forever … that’s how long it’s been since I blogged. I took the month off from CFBA posts. That’ll start up again soon. Honestly, we’ve been up to our eyeballs this summer and I needed to extend myself a bit of grace. This is one area that I needed to let slide. I’ll talk more about that later. It really has been an amazing summer; full of surprises, challenges, hard work, growth, shrinkage … oh, so many stories to tell. I’ll try to get to all of that soon enough.

Today I want to tell you about a link that a friend referred me to on Facebook. Okay, so she referred a LOT of people to it, but I take these things personally. Here’s how the story goes:

A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to splay violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that thousands of people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

Three minutes went by and a middle aged man noticed there was music playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried up to meet his schedule. A minute later, the violinist received his first tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping continued to walk. A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work.

The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. FInally, the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. ALl the parents, without exception, forced them tom ove on.

In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence too over, no one noticed it. No on applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written with a violin worth 3.5 million dollars.

Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston and the seats average $100.

This is a real story (checked out on Snopes.com). Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of an social experiment about perception, taste, and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a commonplace environment, at an inappropriate hour: Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?

One of the possible conlcusions from this experience could be: If we do not a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing the best music ever written, how manny other things are we missing?

The Washington Post won a Pulitzer in the feature writing category of Gene Wiengarten’s April 2007 story about this experiement. The article was called “Pearls Before Breakfast.” Snopes reported on it at www.snopes.com/music/artists/bell.asp

I’m not going to insult anyone’s intelligence by throwing out the “take away” from this story. In fact, I think there are many take aways. I will tell you that I’m slowing down … being intentional in the moment … exercising mindfulness … practicing spiritual journaling as sa discipline … stretching … growing. Yup, it’s been a busy summer.

Jillian Dare by Melanie Jeschke is a modern-day version of Charlotte Bronte’s classic Jane Eyre. Raised in foster homes, title character Jillian takes a job as nanny to the daughter of a wealthy employer and is introduced to a new life of luxury, mystery and adventure. Having read Bronte’s novel a number of times, I found myself anticipating most of the events in the story but found it interesting to see how Melanie Jeschke adapted the characters and situations to the modern world. This book will appeal to readers who enjoy updated versions of the classics.  ~Lori

About the Author~

Melanie Morey Jeschke (pronounced jes-key), a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, grew up in Richmond, Virginia, and graduated from University of Virginia as a Phi Beta Kappa with an Honors degree in English Literature and a minor in European and English History.

A free-lance travel writer, Melanie contributed the Oxford chapter to the Rick Steves’ England 2006 guidebook. She is a member of the Capital Christian Writers and Christian Fiction Writers as well as three book clubs, and taught high-school English before home-schooling most of her nine children. Melanie lectures on Lewis and Tolkien, Oxford, and writing, and gives inspirational talks to all manner of groups, including university classes, women’s clubs, young professionals, teens, and school children.

A fourth generation pastor’s wife (her father Dr. Earl Morey is a retired Presbyterian minister), Melanie resides in the Greater Washington, D.C. area with her children and husband Bill Jeschke, a soccer coach and the Senior Pastor of The King’s Chapel, an non-denominational Christian church in Fairfax, Virginia.

About the Book ~

Jillian Dare leaves her Shenandoah Valley foster home behind and strikes out on her own as a nanny at a large country estate in northern Virginia. She is delighted with the beauty of her new home, the affection of her young charge Cadence Remington, and the opportunity for frequent travel to the Remington castle in England.

She is less certain about her feelings for her handsome but moody employer, Ethan. In spite of herself, Jillian realizes she is falling for her boss. But how can a humble girl ever hope to win a wealthy man of the world? And what dark secrets from the past is he hiding? This contemporary story, inspired by the well-loved classic Jane Eyre, will capture readers’ hearts.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Jillian Dare: A Novel, go HERE

“If you like fast-paced, action-oriented, CIA thrillers, this is the perfect book for you. This book is Vince Flynn splashed with the love of our merciful savior, Jesus Christ. I was impressed with the author was able to think outside the box and keep you turning pages quickly until the surprise ending. In the current environment we are living, this book could come true tomorrow.”

 ~ Dan O.  (This is Dan’s first review for me. I knew he likes this type of novel and recruited him. Thanks, Dan!)

About the Author ~

MARK ANDREW OLSEN whose novel The Assignment was a Christy Award finalist, also collaborated on bestsellers Hadassah (now the major motion picture: One Night With the King), The Hadassah Covenant, and Rescued. Two of his last books were the supernatural thriller The Watchers, and The Warriors.

The son of missionaries to France, Mark is a Professional Writing graduate of Baylor University. He and his wife, Connie, live in Colorado Springs with their three children.

About the Book ~

When an al-Qaeda email is intercepted, threatening an attack on America, it leads to the capture of the group’s leader. Yet even under fierce interrogation, the terrorist clings to his jihadist beliefs and refuses to divulge any information. Desperate, the Army resorts to extreme measures–a controversial protocol designed to break a subject’s resistance. But the attempt must be masked as an offer of clemency and rely on an outside party, someone who is unaware of the protocol’s aims.

They find that someone in Greg Cahill, a disgraced soldier who now serves in a prison ministry. Lured by the chance to restore his reputation, Greg befriends a man the entire country despises. And the result proves combustible, the two men having to flee for their lives. With both in need of redemption, they set out to prevent a major catastrophe…

If you would like to read the first chapter of Ulterior Motive, go HERE

This morning a dear friend sent me a YouTube clip that reminded me how precious are our dreams. As a child, I had so many dreams of what life might be like when I grew up. I remember sitting on top of the corncob pile with my friend, Marlae, and planning my family-t0-be, career-to-be, and home-to-be. Can I just tell you that most days I am overwhelmed by all that God has done in my life and I find myself saying, “I never dreamed …”

Our dreams come from the Dream Giver. Some are small, but many of us have big dreams. I love a song called “Dream Big” by the Martins. Here are the lyrics:

I believe that anything is possible
if we understand who Jesus is
I believe there’s nothing that can
stop us
if we learn to dream like Jesus did
So don’t limit your ambition
to what’s commonly defined
God has a special heart
for those who walk outside the line
Don’t be afraid to spread your wings
and fly
It doesn’t hurt to try
If you’re gonna dream… Read the rest of this entry »

This morning, as I was spending time in the Word, God opened my eyes to a truth about myself that I’ve longed to understand for the last thirty years. I’m going to share it with you now, because I wonder if it might be true for you too. I was reading in 2 Corinthians 5:1-9

Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.  Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.

You may already know that Paul’s reference to our “earthly tent” is speaking about our physical bodies. Not many of us live in actual tents in the twenty-first century, but in those days many people were nomads, living in tents, and Paul was a tent-maker (Acts 18:1), so this was a reasonable metaphor for him to use. While a tent is temporary, unstable, and unsure, the resurrected, glorified body of a believer is secure, solid, and permanent. I can’t help but wonder if the reason why so few of us are content with our physical bodies is because God created us in such a way that somewhere, deep in our heart, we know that there is a better body waiting for us when we get to heaven – and THAT body will reflect our transformed lives. Read the rest of this entry »

Friends, I printed something this week and hung it up where I could see it regularly. My heads been spinning, so please forgive me for not remembering where I found this. Just know that I’m thanking God for the one to whom credit should be given. Here’s what it says.

Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.

Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.

Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.

Painful moments, TRUST GOD.

Every moment, THANK GOD.

Let’s see if we can pick out the common factors … first, life is going to be filled with a smorgasbord of  MOMENTS. Some are going to be like dessert - rich and sweet. Other moments more closely resemble liver and onions. My nostrils are flaring at the very thought. But every moment has value in God’s economy.

Second, GOD is part of every MOMENT. When we have a relationship with Him, we are always in His presence, and we have the opportunity to share each moment with Him as we praise, seek, worship, trust, and thank Him.  

God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him,

though he is not far from each one of us.

‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’

Acts 17:27-28

In the last few weeks, I’ve had every one of the moments listed above and countless more. How about you? But I know that my life isn’t made up of big moments that define me, but of many moments that demonstrate God’s faithfulness, provision, and protection. This week, I encourage you to consider your “moments,” how God has been a part of them, and how you have (in the past) or will (in the future) share those moments with Him as you praise, seek, worship, trust, and thank Him.

With Holy Enthusiasm ~ Vicki 

My dear friend, Virginia (Ginny) Smith has another new book out. It’s called Age before Beauty and it’s the second book in the Sister-to-Sister series. All my blog readers should be familiar with Ginny. I’ve blogged about every one of her books and even hosted a “Virginia Smith” week last summer. Take a moment to check out her latest treat. After several months of insanity, I’ve rewarded myself with a day of sweatpants, (shhhh) no shower, and a good read … Age before Beauty. Stay-at-home moms, women who’ve had young children, and those of us who struggle with independence/control issues will feel a heart tug as they relate to Allie. As usual, Ginny points her readers and her characters to the Source of strength and love, even when we feel the most needy and unlovable. Well done, my friend. 

About the Author~
Virginia Smith left her job as a corporate director to become a full time writer and speaker with the release of her first novel Just As I Am. Since then she has contracted ten novels and published numerous articles and short stories. She writes contemporary humorous novels for the Christian market, including Murder by Mushroom, Stuck in the Middle, and her newest releases, A Taste of Murder and Age before Beauty.
In March of 2008, she was named “Writer of the Year” at Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference. An energetic speaker, Virginia loves to exemplify God’s truth by comparing real-life situations to well-known works of fiction, such as her popular talk, “Biblical Truths in Star Trek.” Visit Ginny online at www.virginiasmith.org.

 About the Book~

Desperate to stay home with her baby, Allie Harrod launches a new career. Sure, she dropped out of Girl Scouts because she was lousy at cookie sales, but makeup is different, right? She’ll do anything to make enough money to cover her share of the household bills, but how can she focus on her business when her list of problems is growing? None of her pre-baby clothes fit, her checking account is dwindling, and her mother-in-law has decided to move in! To top it off, her husband’s attractive coworker suddenly needs his help every weekend. Middle sister Joan insists that God has the answers to all her problems, but Allie isn’t so sure. Can she really trust him? Read the rest of this entry »

Most of my posts lately have been shared by dear friends who are reviewing CFBA books for me. I’ve been working on 6 messages to supplement the Bible study I just finished writing and haven’t taken the time to blog. I just had to take a time out from working here to share a couple of funnies with you all …

Caleb (6) has been sitting on the bed behind me for the last twenty minutes. The only way to describe what he’s doing is to borrow the phrase my parents used to use when describing me … He’s running off at the  mouth. And out of that mouth comes the funniest stuff.

Daddy said we could splurge and order in supper tonight. Three of us wanted pizza and 2 wanted Chinese. That’s seriously extravagant for the Tiedes, but Daddy said, “whatever” and we took him at his word. After I ordered Caleb’s sweet and sour chicken he asked, “Did you order me blonde chicken?”

“You want a blonde chicken?”

“I LOVE blonde chicken!” he answered. Read the rest of this entry »

NEWS FLASH!  “Jack Frost Froze to Death Today in Minnesota!”

Vicki in -40 degrees

Read the rest of this entry »

This weekend ignited the Tiede family for the Advent season. While we celebrated Christmas with my family over Thanksgiving, and the tree has officially been up for 2 weeks already (Yes, I know that’s crazy), this is the weekend that jump started our holiday spirits.

Friday night Mike and the kids went to Rosemount for Kadi’s basketball game. Mike took half the day off to be the parent on duty this time. The Defenders won and everyone had a great time. Mom and I had the privilege of speaking for our local Down Syndrome Parent Support Group. Mom spoke as a parent with 43 years parenting experience with a Down Syndrome son and I spoke as the sibling. it was such a precious time. Read the rest of this entry »