The Second Chances Book Tag

We all know I love the themes of second chances, redemption, hope... so this was such a fun tag! And I thought it was appropriate to this month. Give yourself & other people second chances, friends. <33 

1. Name a book you expected to dislike but ended up loving because you stuck with it to the end.

“With Roberts to Pretoria” by G.A. Henty. The beginning wasn’t very interesting, & I was pretty sure it would be among Henty’s duller, dragging books. But I chugged on & I was pleasantly surprised!! It was exciting, interesting, & enjoyable. 

2. Admit it--we all judge books by their covers. What is one book you’ve given a try and enjoyed despite a less-than-appealing cover? 

I really don’t love the cover of Livy Jarmusch’s Tales of Tarsurella. They’re just not my type at all. So the covers definitely didn’t move me in favour of them. But I gave them a try and I’m SO glad I did because I really, really enjoyed them!! 

3. Ranting opportunity! Which author are you forever mad at for denying a character their second chance? Talk about it. 😀 

There was this one L.M. Montgomery short story about a scoundrel who was engaged to a girl. He heard people talking about how miserable her life would be with him & because he truly loved her, he decided to pretend to abandon her & leave so she could marry someone else & be happy. I was so happy with his changing but I was SO MAD that he didn’t have a second chance with the girl!!!! 

4. Do you have a favourite book that includes a theme of second chances?

Do I?? Do I!!! Alone in London, Charlie to the Rescue, Beloved, Off Course, A Tale of Two Cities, Until We All Find Home, Johnny Tremain, Enemy Brothers, The Reb & the Redcoats, The Dark House on the Moss.... yes, yes, I do, I do. <33 

 

5. Name a favourite fictional romance that only succeeded because the characters were willing to let go of their first impressions and move on.

Everyone’s thinking Pride & Prejudice here, hm?? XP I’m saying Persuasion. Both Anne & Wentworth had to let go of some impressions & seek the other. I do know several other romances where the characters had to let go of impressions and move on, but I just can't think of them right now....

There ya go! Feel free to steal this tag. and tell me one book you gave a second chance to. ;)

A Message to Anyone Who Feels as if They Failed This Year

Hi, guys. Today I have a really short but hopefully an encouraging post. It was written on this day last year. Of course things have changed since then, but the message still applies. <33

~ * ~

This year, I was really hoping to form good habits. Read my Bible every day. Get up early. Exercise. Eat well. Read books. Write a lot. And so forth. 

Well, I failed most of them. But you know what? It’s not too late to start over again. And that’s what I’m going to do. 

This September, I challenged myself to write 100 words a day. I surpassed that goal most days. And I’m determined to keep on. If I miss one day, I’ll catch up the next and keep on. 

This year, I challenged myself to read 365 books. Next year, I’m not going to set myself a reading goal—I’ll be busier—but I will challenge myself to read at least a chapter a day. 

Starting now, I will strive to read my Bible every day—if I fail, I will pick myself up and go on.

I’m going to take another try at losing weight. If I miss one day, I’ll pick myself up and go on.

I’m going to set 10 minutes a day aside to do some stuff I’ve needed to do but don’t have the time to do. If I miss one day, I'll just get back to it the next day. 

Making good habits take effort, but it also takes forgiveness. Have you failed your resolutions for this year? It’s not too late. Pick yourself up, and start working on them. 💕 The Lord forgives us when we fall—let’s forgive ourselves and move on in His strength.

~ / / ~

The Chocolate Book Tag

Aaaand we're back with another fun bookish tag I picked up I-don't-know-where. Thank you to whoever posted it originally. XD It's about books and chocolate--who can resist??

Instructions: Answer the questions and tag as many people as you want to answer these questions. 

((*pauses to appreciate how easygoing the rules are*))

1. Dark Chocolate (a book that covers a dark topic).

Stay Where You Are & Then Leave by John Boyne deals with shell-shock, enemy aliens, cowardice, conscientious objectors, deceit, war, grief... lots of heavy topics. And though it tears your heart to pieces & almost oppresses you at times, it ends with such a lovely note. It makes you think in so many ways, & it’s so worth it. 

2. White Chocolate (a light-hearted humorous read).

(I love white chocolate FYI. Most people don’t know. Count yourself privileged). Red Rover, Red Rover, & the other Emily Abbott books. They’re very exciting, but also really humorous and light-hearted, the perfect read when you just need to be entertained & cheered up. And I love them so much. 

3. Milk Chocolate (a book with a lot of hype that you really want to read).

Taylor Bennet’s Porch Swing Girl. I’ve seen it around a lot & I snagged a free copy at one point & I’m eager to read it.

4. Caramel-filled Chocolate (a romantic book).

Anne of the Island. It’s a book that deals with true love & knowing your heart. And the last chapter—oh my word. True love at it’s best. So sweet & lovely. <33 

5. Wafer-less Kit-Kat (a book that surprised you).

A wafer-less Kit-Kat sounds like a pathetic disappointment to me rather than a surprise! Is this suppose to be a good or a bad surprise?? If good, then... Yellow Star was not what I expected! It was just so sweet and uplifting and thought-provoking, and flowed so well. For bad, then I have a number of books that disappointed me. Like Pieces of the Past which could just have been so good & was just not. 

6. Snickers (a book you are going nuts about).

Heh heh heh... as of the writing of this post (don't judge meeeee) I'm still going nuts over 5 Star Spy by Perry Elisabeth Kirkpatrick! I really, really love it. ;D 

By the time this goes live I'll probably be going nuts over another Emily Abbott book, so... 

7. Hot chocolate with mini marshmallows (a book you go to for a comfort read).

(I do not like hot chocolate...) Generally I pick an old favourite for this. Like Enemy Brothers or The Reb & the Redcoats or Understood Betsy... pretty much anything that isn’t heartbreaking, just happy. 

8. A Box of Chocolates (A series you feel has something for everyone).

Anne of Green Gables series... Little House series... Little Women Series... The Paddington Series... The Kitten Case Files Series... there are lots, guys! ;D

So there you are! Feel free to steal this tag if you're a book lover and/or a chocolate lover! Comment below and tell me what book you're going nuts about right now. ;D

August 2020 Wrap-Up

Hello, friends!

~ Happenings ~ 

~Reading~

Books Read: 80.

Books Reviewed:90 books.

0 stars: 1 book.

1 star: 4 books.

1.5 stars: 1 book. 

2 stars: 2 books. 

3 stars: 21 books. 

3.5 stars: 4 books.

4 stars: 16 books.

4.5 stars: 7 books.

5 stars: 9 books. 

5+ stars: 7 books. 

~Favourite Blog Posts~

~ // ~ 

Tell me how your February went! :)

Dear Broken

Dear Broken:
You, with the tears on your cheeks and in your heart. You, standing alone in the darkness. You, with bowed head and aching soul. You, with your heart in pieces and your confidence in rags. 

You are not alone. 

You are not beyond repair. 

For every broken heart, there is a balm. For every sin-stained soul, there is a cleansing. For every tear-filled eye, there is a comfort. 

You are not alone. Another heart has been broken for you. Another soul has shuddered in the agony of separation for you. Another eye has wept for you. 

His name is Emmanuel--God with us.

He has paid the price for your redemption. See, He stands before you with hands outstretched. Behold the love in His eyes. Hear His voice as He calls.

"Child, you are not unwanted. I suffered measureless agony for you. You are not unloved. I love you with an everlasting love; I loved you before the earth was formed. I have sustained you every day of your life. I have kept your heart beating; I have filled your lungs with air. Child, I have done the ultimate sacrifice for you. I died, that you might live. I shed My blood, that you might be washed clean and made pure. I came to earth, I took upon Myself the form of man, I suffered the infirmities and trials of mankind--for you."

Dear heart, know this. You are not beyond redemption. The wages of sin is death, but Jesus purchased your freedom. You have only to ask. He is eager and willing to wash your sins away, to fill you with His peace and joy. He is waiting patiently, unwilling that you should perish. 

There is redemption in Jesus. It has been proven by countless souls throughout the ages. You are not excepted. Whosoever wills--that is you. He promises to save you, if you will go to Him, repent, and ask for His salvation. 

Dear broken, there is Light in the darkness. There is a Friend who loveth deeper than a brother. There is an assured Hope. There is plenteous Redemption. There is perfect Peace. There is great Joy.

Dear soul, if you have wandered from Him, know this: He is abundant in mercy and rich in love. He will receive you with open arms if you return to Him. Know that He is all you need to repair you. He is the Great Physician, the only one who can stitch back together the ragged pieces of your heart. Bring the bits and pieces of your messy self to Him. Entrust your bleeding heart in His hands. He will never fail you. Trust His promises. 

Dear broken, in Jesus there is all you need and crave. 

Broken does not mean beyond use. Broken does not mean beyond help. Broken does not mean worthlessness. 

Dear soul, Jesus is the only One for you. He is the only One that can help you. He's the only One that can change you. He's the only One that can heal you. He's the only One to get glory. Come to Him and fall down at His feet. He will raise you, free you, bless you. 

Dear broken, do not despair. Do not give up. There is hope for you. There is light. There is help. Over and over God tells you so in His word. And God does not lie. Take Him at His word and go to Him in faith. I challenge you, go read book of Romans, the book of Galatians, and the book of Ephesians. Over and over you will see, there is redemption. Read the whole Bible; over and over you will see the theme: there is redemption. There is hope. In Jesus Christ. 

Dear Christian, if you are struggling in the darkness, know this: He has not forsaken you. Cling tightly to Him and believe His word. He will see you through this. The light is still there. Soon the morning will break, and you will understand. Until then, hold on to Him and claim His grace. It is enough for you, for His grace is measureless. 

Dear heart, I pray that if you have never turned to Jesus for salvation, that you would do so. I pray that if you have wandered, that you would return. I pray that you claim the redemption and grace in Christ Jesus. There is only one thing that can vanquish your darkness, and it is the Light of the World--Christ. I pray that you know that Light and abide in it. 

God bless you, dear one. My heart aches for you. I pray you turn to Jesus, for He is the only way to have peace. 

Please, stay. Please, seek the Light. Please, do not despair. 

There is hope. There is hope. THERE IS HOPE. 

Do not give up. I promise that Jesus is all you need. I promise that if you hang on to Him, you will find the peace you are looking for. 

I promise, because I know it. I have experienced it. 

"Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost." (Rom. 15:13) This is my prayer for you.

Dear heart, choose hope. 

 

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. --John 14:27.

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. --John 16:33.

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee. --Isaiah 26:3.

This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD. --Lamentations 3:21-26.

For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. --Romans 15:4.

That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; --Hebrews 6:18-19.

It's Okay to Ask for Help

In this world there's a huge pressure to be strong. "You've got this." "You can do it." "Just keep pushing on." "You're strong." And all the other catch-phrases running around.

There's a good side to all this encouragement. But there's also a downside to it. The downside that weakness is made out to be at terrible thing. That everyone expects you to be strong. That you're supposed to do it all on your own. There's a sort of attitude going around that implies that people talking about their problems are just self-centred brats who won't try to help themselves out of their problems.

I struggle a lot with asking for help. I love my friends and I don't want to sadden them. To reach out for sympathy, to admit that I'm hurting and that I need some care, makes me feel guilty. Guilty for bothering them. Guilty for turning the attention to me.

And yet, I need help. That's how I process my pain. I need someone to listen to me pour out my story & my feelings, to sympathize, to let me know they care. I don't need them to fix my problem necessarily--I just need them to listen to me until I've let it all out & processed it all.

I need people to help me.

Is that weakness?

No.

It is strength. It takes strength to pull off the mask and show your mess. It takes strength to admit you can't do it yourself. It takes strength to be real instead of being perfect.

It takes strength to ask for help. 

So reach out and ask for help. I know you wanna be there for your friends and help them through their low points. But you know what? They want to be there for you too. They want to help you too. Friendship works both ways. It's a mutual build-up. To ask each other's help isn't weakness. It's being real and building a real friendship.

There's a fine line between just constantly complaining & being a parasite, and just asking for help because you're struggling, of course. I'm not talking of those false friends who just live off of you. i'm talking of the real people who need help but are afraid to ask for it.

And I'm here to tell you, it's okay to ask for help. 

It's not attention-seeking to admit you're hurting and that you need someone to care for you. It's not unkind to admit you need the kind of help you offered them. It's not weakness to admit you can't do it yourself.

It's okay. It's right. It's wise. Because we weren't made to carry our burdens alone. We were created to help each other. To build each other up. We weren't created to be alone. We were created to be together.

So if your friend is reaching out for help, don't ignore them. Don't walk away on them. Don't duck out of the conversation. Be there and reach your hand out to them. Let them know you care. Let them know you're there for them. Let them know they're doing the right thing in asking for help. Listen to them and try to help. Be there for them. Point them to the Best Friend & Counsellor. Be strong for them. 'Cause someday you'll need to lean on them. And that's how it should be.

And if you are struggling, please, reach out for help. Maybe some folks will shut down the conversation. Maybe some will refuse to notice. But there are people out there who care. It's okay to ask them for help. That's what they're there for. And when they are hurting, it'll be your turn to support them.

And if you feel like you're all alone and no one cares for you, know this. I care. I care for you, whoever you are. You are a person and you ought to live & be loved. I want you to live & be loved. And know this, too: God cares. The One who formed you in the womb, who keeps you breathing every day, who watches over you--He cares. He knows you can't do it alone and He's standing there just waiting for you to kneel at His throne, cast your burdens on Him, and ask for His help. He's waiting with one hand outstretched towards you, waiting for you to take it, pleading with you to accept His help. The Lord Jesus is standing there, with his nail-scarred hands outstretched, saying, "Child, I paid the ultimate price for you. I showed the ultimate love towards you. Will you accept it?"

God is there for you. Because He cares.

It's okay to ask for help.
It's right to ask for help.
It's wise to ask for help.
It's courageous to ask for help.

Please don't try to do it alone. Show true strength and put your hand in the hand of God. Then you will receive all the Help and Strength you need.