Early American Poetry “Beauty in Words” is a splendid introduction to poetry in America from the early colonial period in the 1600s through to the beginning of the twentieth century. Author Stephanie Buckwalter has set each of eleven prominent poets firmly in their historical setting and used their work to track both the development of poetic movements in America, as well as encouraging readers to enter more deeply into their work.

Tackling the greats, Buckwalter examines the life and work of: Anne Bradstreet, Philip Freneau, Phillis Wheatley, William Cullen Bryant, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Edgar Allan Poe, Henry David Thoreau, Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, and Paul Laurence Dunbar – arranged in approximate chronological order.

Buckwalter opens each poet’s chapter with a brief examination of their life and how it influenced their work. In most cases a likeness of the poet, whether engraving, painting, or photograph is also included. Two to three significant works are examined and analyzed with an eye for meter, rhyme, and other notable elements the poet is well known for.

Buckwalter’s inclusion of the opinion of critics in the poet’s day, and the influence their poems held is a charming addition, as are the red letter words and in-poem glossary that are provided for some trickier words and phrases such as “pelf.” Additional resources for discovering more about the poet are also included at the end of each chapter. The book also includes a glossary, index, notes, and even further resources, and I adore the sturdy, library reference style hardcover binding.

My only caveat is that some of the longer poems have been excerpted from. Trying to understand or analyze a poem based on two or three stanzas from a much larger work is futile – I wish that additional pages had been devoted to printing all of Freneau’s “The Prison Ship” and Whitman’s “O Captain! My Captain!”

Written for grades 9 – 12, I definitely recommend Early American Poetry as a supplement to any history program where the development of this art form in America is being explored. However, it makes an excellent introductory title to introduce newcomers to the works of some of America’s greatest, and most well known poets. After being exposed to their work, philosophies, and style, one can then dig in deeper to form a lasting association with the thoughts of these great men and women.

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I’ve written in the past about how much I appreciate my affordable eyeglasses from Zenni Optical.  You may have read Eric’s review in the Brooklyn Liberal Examiner, but I can tell you that it’s just not hearsay, I’m a real person who wears them!  Before I started buying Zenni glasses my toddler-sized children would often snap the arms off my glasses ($50 repair bill each time), but with prices between $8 and $35 per PAIR of prescription glasses, I’m saving money!

My  main pair of glasses just broke a few weeks ago; my helpful 20 month old brought them to me and squished the bridge a bit, they were flexible, but I tried to unbend them too quickly I think and snapped them.  I should have waited for my husband!  Thankfully, I had a second pair (two pairs , $65.00 including shipping – I normally pay $300 per pair locally!)  I probably don’t need to say it again, but I’m a satisfied customer, and I highly recommend their glasses, particularly in such tight economic times such as those we’re currently experiencing.

Now I need to pick up another couple of replacements for…next time!  I’m just so glad they’re cheap!  My other glasses wearing family members have also  started buying with Zenni and have been blown away the value as well.

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Dermajuv Skin Care Products. All opinions are 100% mine.

I don’t know if you’re anything like me, but it seems that I’ve noticed a HUGE growth in the advancement of skin care products.  One of the most exciting developments (in my opinion) is the integration of nutritional ingredients – vitamin C, B vitamins, chamomile in combination with high-tech, ground breaking technology.

I know that traditional skin care involved cold cream like Noxema (my grandmother swore by it for years – she does have very nice skin actually), rose water (my great, great grandmother), and so on.  Thankfully, things have moved forward at an astounding rate.  Obviously the Noxema and nothing else approach to skin care is fading away, in the 80’s we saw a huge press on the 3-part cleanser, toner, moisturizer system which is still going strong for the most part, but aggressive treatments for problem areas are growing.  Thankfully they also seem to be becoming more effective as natural products are synergistically combined with high-tech ingredients in today’s skin care products.

While some are turning to laser technology to achieve skin resurfacing (such as for acne scars and pits), products like Dermajuv’s Acne Scars Reduction System seem very effective without the pain and recovery period of laser surgery.

What are your thoughts?  Where is skin care going in the future?

Since my marriage to my husband eight years ago I’ve been consistently delighted by my mother-in-law.  Like me she doesn’t keep housekeeping at the top of her list, so doesn’t expect our home to be spotless when she visits, she’s never critical, loves to take the children outside to play, and best of all – today she offered to make lunch today while I washed my floor and homeschooled the children.  Of course, most days I make lunch – but today her act of kindness made me reflect once again on how very GOOD God was to give me such a great mom-in-law!  I’m very thankful.

How about you?  Have you told your MIL lately that you love her?

Though Houston, Texas and Central Alberta are nearly as far apart as any two places in North America can be, there are quite a few similarities to be found.

1. A history of oil wealth.

2. A love for raising cattle.

3. People who love to rodeo.

Our big city of choice is Edmonton, Alberta where a huge rodeo takes place each year (the Canadian Finals Rodeo), but I don’t think it compares in showmanship based on Houston Rodeo’s concert line up!

Houston’s Livestock Show and Rodeo boasts a concert after each day’s rodeo events.  A stage is moved to the center of the ring which rotates 360 degrees to let everyone see the performers.  Some big names are performing there this year, many that you’d expect to see at a country-style event, yet others seem out of place.

Alan Jackson, Tim McGraw, Brooks & Dunn – they make sense.  Black Eyed Peas…not so much.  You can find the performace schedule here when you check out the RodeoHouston tickets.

Texas is just too far away for us to travel, but I’m sure the show they’ll be putting on there this March will sure beat the local Canada Day Ghymkhana in both horsemanship and musical talent.

When one reads the story of the founding of The Sojourners one might be tempted to call the formation of their gospel trio luck, serendipity, or a happy coincidence. For the three men who make up the group, their coming together to record back-up vocals for Jim Byrnes and the subsequent forming of the trio could only be seen as providential.

Their sophomore, self-titled album The Sojourners comes three-years after the release of their debut Hold On. This freshly recorded collection of gospel standards and lesser known contemporary covers blends traditional gospel sounds with blues, R & B influences.

Will Sanders, Ron Small, and Marcus Mosely – these three men have paid their dues, cutting their musical teeth in church choirs, and moving on to large-scale stage performances. These experiences shine through in the ease these men perform together with. They truly sound like they’re enjoying the experience of coming together to lift their voices in celebration of the great things the Lord has done (and will do.)

Backed by a talented group of musicians, some tracks seem to transport listeners directly into the heyday of gospel music. The backbone of the Hammond B-3 organ and slide guitar on “Great Day”, “Nobody Can Turn Me Around” result in bang-on upbeat numbers that are impossible not to move to.

Subdued numbers such as “Another Soldier Gone” and “Lead Me Guide Me” are also great classic representations of the more reflective, slower gospel style with laid-back accompaniment by the Hammond and electric guitar. On the other hand, The Sojourners are at their funkiest with their cover of David Hidalgo’s “The Neighborhood” (1990) with a rolling R & B beat while they sketch a thoroughly modern word picture of a troubled and needy neighborhood.

The Sojourners present a balanced CD of songs celebrating hope in Jesus and aching with the struggles of life in a fallen world. When they rejoice I cut loose and dance, when they mourn I longingly look forward to a day when everything will be made new. This well-produced walk down the gospel lane is truly moving, both literally and figuratively.

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Abigail. Though little is known about this widow of Nabal who wed the anointed but not yet crowned warrior so soon after her husband’s death, she has captured the imagination of many readers of the Old Testament. Readers are introduced to Jill Eileen Smith’s fictional re-imagining of Abigal as a young girl, newly a woman and betrothed to the unpredictable Nabal. Her youthful hopes soon dissolve into agitated resignation as she discovers the man she has wed is both unpredictable and abusive.

Abigail’s journey follows David through his times of wilderness wanderings to his eventual rule over Judah. And through the taking of many new wives, Michal’s return to his side, and on to his acceptance as King by all the peoples of Israel. Her story comes to a close before Bathsheba comes upon the scene – Smith’s exploration of David’s partner in adultery will be the final installment in the trilogy and is slated for release in 2011.

The second installment in The Wives of King David trilogy, Smith has chosen to pass over David’s second wife – the even less frequently mentioned Ahinoam – in favor of the woman who clearly possessed a great deal of personal fortitude to move in direct opposition to the wishes of a foolish husband. Told in a tighter time frame, Abigail benefits from richer character development and a fuller ability to understand this woman, than did the series debut Michal which covered a larger span, leaping past decades at a time.

Through Abigail, Smith is able to more deeply explore the struggles women in polygamous marriages may face on a daily basis. Though the third of David’s wives, Abigail was present for the addition of each of his other spouses while Michal was absent for the majority of those marriages. Smith eloquently captures the unquenchable longing of a woman for her husband, resulting in a deeply sympathetic characterization.

Smith’s writing jumps from formal phrasing more in line with historical fiction to surprisingly modern turns of phrase, an irritating inconsistency. Generally true to the biblical narrative, Smith fills in the blanks believably but stretches it once towards the end in a way that I felt was unjustified.

The multi-layered tapestry that Smith is weaving with this series is coming into clearer focus. Characters only briefly mentioned in Michal are seen with additional depth through Abigail’s eyes. When the two novels are read in conjunction with one another multiple points of view on certain events are available for reflection.

Each story in The Wives of King David stands alone, and yet each is linked to the other. It will be great fun to read through the series again once it’s complete – applying the character insights and events of the later novels to those read earlier.

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In a culture that stresses pop-psychology solutions to life’s difficulties as opposed to seeking out scripturally founded advise, it’s common for believers to struggle between the two often-incompatible poles. Thankfully there are publishers and foundations dedicated to equipping believers with accessible, entry-level counseling resources.

The Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation (CCEF) has produced a series of mini-books covering a wide range of vital, relevant topics that individuals face as they move through life’s challenges. Approximately 20 pages in length, each is written by a respected author in the field of biblical counseling and focuses upon introductory approaches to very specific topics.

These little booklets are useful not only to those directly engaged in counseling, but to churches as general outreach. Each of the mini-books is distinctly Christ-focused, never excusing sin, but dealing with it sensitively and offering His forgiveness at every turn. Abortion, single parenting, dealing with guilt, eating disorders, adoptive children, marital preparation, angry children, recovering from adultery, peer pressure, and many more practical subjects are addressed in the series.

Color-coded into broad counseling areas, green shaded titles represent marriage and family resources, red toned covers are for parenting resources, and blue is reserved for resources for personal change. Having read through just over twenty of the titles in the series I can attest to the fact that they leave readers full of hope for their situation – no mater how desperate – in light of the redemption that Christ offers.

Each title opens with a personal anecdote from the author, or a real-life scenario that may be similar to those that the reader (or the reader’s loved ones) may be facing. This is then followed by a scriptural examination of the key principles involved with the topic, and the book then concludes with a section on practical strategies for change. Like any advice that is generally offered without personal knowledge of the situation at hand, there is only so far a 20-page booklet can take you. In-person counseling may be necessary depending upon the complexity and severity of the situation; still these little books make a good jumping-in point.

The attractive contemporary designs and small hand-held sizes lend themselves well to rack distribution in churches and counseling offices where curious visitors can pick them up and make a start towards wholeness by turning to Christ. Now available in over 30 titles, appropriately sized display racks to go along with the mini-books (available singly or in sets of five) are available from New Growth Press at the publisher’s website.

Lay individuals within the body of Christ may also be interested in picking up specific titles related to the counseling needs of those around them. The booklets’ short length and concise style make it easy to quickly absorb the biblical perspective necessary to help individuals through their challenges in a way that honors God.

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!

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!