If I were to recommend a single, entry level title for Christians to read clarifying the biblical role of angels in creation, Dr. David Jeremiah’s Angels: Who They Are and How They Help would be at the top of my list. This engaging and accessible teaching text turns to the one reliable source for information concerning angels – the revealed Word of the One who created them.

Originally written in the mid ‘90s in response to the waves of angel-mania sweeping North America, Jeremiah firmly roots his work in the scriptures, and in respected commentaries and the works of orthodox Christian thinkers and theologians. This 2009 reprinting is my first encounter with Jeremiah’s work and I’m pleasantly surprised finding it incredibly balanced doctrinally and faithful to the Bible.

For believers who struggle to scripturally answer questions of angels when raised by friends and family, or are confronted by classified ads for “Angel Tarot Card Classes”, Angels is essential reading. Even if there are just a few niggling questions that linger in the back of your mind concerning gaps in your understanding in the realm of angelology (the study of angels), Jeremiah will help you to root yourself in God’s Word so that you’ll no longer be swept away by the winds of confusion.

Eschewing any New Age influences, philosophies, and ungrounded speculation, Angels digs into a vast array of scriptural mentions of angels and proceeds to collect the truth found in the scriptures topically to answer the most oft-asked questions. Truthfully, Jeremiah succeeded in clearing up some questions I’ve had since my earliest days as a believer concerning certain passages of scripture speaking of angels; his gathering of relevant verses and survey of the Bible has proven to be both reassuring and revealing.

The scripture passages are both referenced and the relevant portions included in the text itself. A comprehensive scripture index lists a full eight pages of the scripture references Jeremiah has used in his work from Genesis through Revelation. Chapter and verse are given along with the book page number where you can find the author’s teaching concerning the verses. A traditional topical index is included as well.

This first-class, one-stop reference title doesn’t get bogged down in miniscule details, or in the complex yet scripturally unfounded speculations of some Saint’s past. Rather it’s clear and simple teaching remains focused on God’s glory, and that of His Son, eschewing any adoration or fascination with angels for their own sake apart from their Creator. Angels has found a well-deserved, permanent resting place on my bookshelves.

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Regarding my previous post – our satellite internet is going to be super-easy to move!  I called them up and no worries – they even cover the first $250 of moving our installation once a year (if needed for a move).  Sweet.  Hopefully our high speed should be back up within a couple of weeks, whoowhoo!  I know that I certainly have a bit of catching up to do!

Our family is blessed to be among those who own a home – true it’s modest (and has a mortgage on it), but during these times of economic  when some families unable have been unable to make payments and had to abandon their properties, I’m well aware of our blessing.  Still others who have been financially blessed may be able to take advantage of the Housing Stimulus program that encourages investment in homes by new buyers.

This tax-credit based program used to be open only for individuals and couples who hadn’t purchased a home in the past, or haven’t owned a home in the past three years, but has been expanded to include couples e have lived in a home for five consecutive years of the past eight.  Not only is the program designed to help home owners, but it’s also an attempt to boost the faltering economy, with an estimated 22 billion dollars having been added to the US economy through the program.

The link in this post leads to a chart that summarizes the requirements and a video to watch that will give you a quick overview of the program requirements.  It’s pretty straight forward and easy to understand, so if you’re looking to buy a home this year, do check it out!

I’m  about to do some calling around to see if I can get our satellite internet relocated to our new temporary home for the next year or two.  We use Xplornet (generally called HughesNet in the US).  I need to see if I can get our equipment reinstalled so we can get some HIGH SPEED there (only dial-up right now!) Has anyone ever done this?  Did it work out well for you/cost etc.?

We’ve had a little baby with us on all of our adventures for the past 6.5 years (my definition of baby is pretty broad though, our 19 month old is still a baby in my estimation!)  We’ve even done a wee bit of traveling with our little ones including a trip to the Calgary Zoo last year – I think that’s the farthest we’ve gone since we’ve had children!

When you’re planning an extended trip, or if you’re traveling with a baby for the first time, it can take some time and research to get your head wrapped around traveling with your little one(s).  This neat baby travel website lets parents rate and review hotels for their baby-friendliness as well as introducing parents to neat products that help traveling parents.  Nice to have the opinions of experienced travelers at your finger tips!

In a few days I’ll be finished reading the Psalms in my journey to read through the Bible this year.  I’m really LOVING the Psalms – they are like familiar friends when I read the oft quoted words of the psalmist.  What I’m finding difficult however is having to read so many of them on a single day.  Psalms and Psalms alone doesn’t really feel like a ‘balanced’ reading of scripture.  The Psalms are like gems to be treasured – heartfelt cries from a believer to his loving God.

However, this year I’m establishing my chronological understanding of the events of the Bible.  Next year I’m definitely going to read through a One Year arrangement of the Bible that combines narrative (OT and NT) with a tiny bit of Psalms and Proverbs for each day – that way I can keep moving through the ’story’ of the Bible while lingering over the reflective passages instead of bulking them all up together .

I’m about to reveal that I’m no financial genius, but when it come sto trying to wrap my mind around Annuities, I’m left in a bit of a befuzzled state!  From the Free Annuity Rates website it would seem that an annuity is some sort of investment that you make with an insurance company that pays out regularly scheduled dividends?  There are over 150 articles on this site, but there must be a common language way to explain this for those of us who aren’t financially minded.

Our recent 1 day trip into the city has turned into nearly a week, and needless to say – my packing for an overnight stay didn’t include bringing our homeschooling materials!  After a couple of days I really started to miss our simple homeschooling schedule, I feel like I’m a bit at loose ends with my little ones!  Thankfully though, we did pick up a few more of our educational goodies on a quick trip back to the farm to feed the cows – hands-on activities for preschoolers were sorely needed!!  Now I’m excited to get back home and dig in once again .

I must admit that the recent penning of Jane Austen hybrids pairing sea monsters and zombies with the beauty of Regency-era England have left me somewhat horrified. Yet their incredible popularity combined with the plethora of Janeite fan-fiction, movie re-makes, and historical fiction re-imaginations of the life of England’s most celebrated female novelist point only towards the undying devotion her large body of devotees holds for this once anonymous wordsmith.

Novelist Beth Patillo’s homage to the celebrated author — Jane Austen Ruined My Life — takes a somewhat different tack, blending equal parts fictional travelogue, mystery, and chick-lit romance in a breezy journey of personal discovery. Emma Grant is a recently divorced Austen scholar who has gathered what few resources she possesses and departed for England on a wild-goose-chase to discover (and hopefully publish) a series of secret and previously unpublished letters from the pen of Jane Austen.

Assigned a series of mysterious Austen-related tasks by a secretive group, Emma finds herself traipsing across the English countryside in search of clues that combined with the revelations in the secret (fictional) letters, cast light on a concealed (and fictional) romance of the author’s. Blaming her penchant for happily-ever-after romances that she believes doomed her marriage, Emma plans to use these letters to vault herself into the academic limelight and rebuild her tragically tarnished career. Emma’s own romantic life also isn’t as straightforward as it seems when an estranged friend reappears in her life, instigating an emotional maelstrom.

Patillo’s work is markedly contemporary and free from any Austen-esque stylings despite her clear esteem of Austen’s character, body of work, and personal correspondences. This delightful read is enhanced by previous familiarity with Austen’s work (nearly a requisite), and a basic grasp on the details of Austen’s life – the better with which to sort fact from fiction. Patillo’s own visits to the historic Austen sites and throughout England are greatly appreciated in her careful sharing of architectural and landscape detail.

As I have noted in my review of a previous Patillo novel, the author does incorporate some references to God and His carefully orchestrated plans, but doesn’t include any signs of a personal relationship with Him or His Son in any of her characters. Emma is the daughter of a ministry family and refers to God as though He is a force of nature, but her decisions and morality are not depicted as being influenced by Him. That being said, Jane Austen Ruined My Life is still a good, clean read, free of both profanity and pre-marital intimacy (barring a few rather non-descript kisses.)

Adam, Emma’s friend from the past, is rather lacking in character, being limited to general friendliness and a variety of grins. This combined with other aspects of the budding romance left me generally unsatisfied by the book’s romantic tenor, leaving me more focused upon the focus on Jane Austen and the mystery of her letters. Another male character slips in and out of the story-line in what could have made a great sub-plot but is never developed or fully resolved.

Still, I can credit this work with two late-night reading sessions, it was incredibly difficult to put down. This pleasant diversion for Austen devotees is a pleasantly diversionary way to spend the long, dark, cold winter nights. Readers eager for more in the same vein won’t have long to wait – Patillo’s Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart is newly available through Amazon.

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