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Archive for the ‘Big Announcements’ Category

March blew in like a lion and out like a…lion. Whew! I’m so glad that month is behind me. It’s been awhile, so I have a lot to share. First up, you may have noticed that I didn’t have a March de-cluttering post. With the tax season looming before me, I decided to de-clutter my many Wal-Mart sacks of papers. White trash. Literally. Come on, I know you’re smiling. 😉 So, I’m still working on it and the countdown to April 18th has begun.  AFTER the 18th, I will post the March/April joint effort that is/was my pile of paper clutter. I’ll be so relieved…

I’ve been reading a few new blogs that I think you should check out when you have a minute.

My Denver friend Don and his wife Ami moved to France a few months ago, and he’s blogging about the experience. He’s a writer, artist, Dr. Pepper enthusiast, and one heck of a Spades partner. Visit his blog, “Expatriatism: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Excellent Cheese” at http://donhillson.wordpress.com/

My college friend, Beckie McCord, has been blogging for a while, I just didn’t know about it until recently. Over the past year, Beckie and I have discovered a bazillion things we have in common, and I like her more every time I read her blog or chat with her on Facebook. She’s a passionate, funny lady, and one of my kindred spirit friends. Visit her blog, “Free To Be Too Much” at http://free2b2much.blogspot.com/

Speaking of blogs, did you know you can subscribe to mine over there in the sidebar? It can even be delivered right to your email inbox. You can also subscribe to the SEVENS blog to receive stories and news about our ministry, and my Sex, Love, and Marriage blog, which I haven’t posted on in over a year, but will be resuming in May. That’s my big announcement for the day. More on that later.

The list of books I’m reading has grown considerably over the past week. Allow me to take a moment and express my appreciation for the Denver Public Library. Never mind. That will be tomorrow’s post for Gratituesday. 😉

What I am reading: The Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare, Cinderella Ate My Daughter: Dispatches from the Front Lines of the New Girlie-Girl Culture by Peggy Orenstein, and God Alone is Enough by Claudia Mair Burney.

What I am reading with the kids: (Max)Ranger’s Apprentice, Book 1: The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan, (Zoe) The Tail of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler, and (Pete) 100 Cupboards by N.D. Wilson.

What I checked out at the library today: Choosing To SEE by Mary Beth Chapman, and Pure Scum:The Left-Out, the Right-Brained, and the Grace of God by Mike Sares, Pastor of Scum of the Earth Church in Denver. (Several of my street friends/former street friends attend that church.)

What the mailman should delivering in the next few days: City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare, and Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived by Rob Bell. (Yeah borders.com!)

That’s  a lot of reading, so I’m starting something new on my blog. It’s called “Niki’s Book Look”. I’ve done book reviews before, but in most cases it was to get a free book from a publisher in exchange for spreading the word about the book/author via my blog. This new thing I’m doing is for books that I am choosing to read on my own and the only thing I’m receiving is a sense of time well spent, relaxation, free entertainment, and the renewing of my mind. With rewards like that, it’s a win-win situation for me.

What are you reading? What books do you think I should add to my 2011 reading list?

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My email account was hacked. grrrrr…

Thankfully I was online at the time and caught the beeping of my email notifier about all of the failed delivery attempts, and quickly changed all of my security info. and passwords for my online accounts. I spent the next 2 hours double checking all of my account settings, running a security scan, and figuring out where the hacker was coming from – not that it does any good. I have an IP address for the hacker but don’t know what to do with it, or if it’s authentic. 😦

I apologize if any of you received spam from me. I believe the problem is fixed THIS time. I’ve had the same passwords for ages, but I believe I’ve learned my lesson on this one.

When is the last time you checked your security settings, changed your password and security questions, etc?

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Sally

Thank you for entering my drawing!

Stop back next week for a chance to win a copy of Boy-sterous Living by Colorado author, Jean Blackmer.

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small headshotJoy. It’s all about J-O-Y with her. I’m talking about my friend Kim Woodhouse. I’ve blogged about meeting her at a writer’s group, asked for prayers on her family’s behalf, celebrated with them when they were chosen by the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition show, and shared pictures from the “reveal day.” For months, I talked about this amazing family to anyone who would listen, and now I have the honor of telling the world (along with several other bloggers) about her new book!

My anticipation of this book release was great, and I was not disappointed. I was thrilled to read Welcome Home! and learn more than I ever knew about Kim, Jeremy, Josh and Kayla. I cried, laughed, and cried some more. I continue to be impressed with Jeremy’s patience and strength, Kim’s perseverance and joy, Josh’s tender and loyal heart, and Kayla’s sweet spirit and hope. 🙂 I am thankful for the thousands of people who have touched their lives, walked through many trials with them, and encouraged them to never give up.

Kim's Book cover

From the back cover:

Overwhelming trials . . . met with overcoming joy.

Kayla Woodhouse is not your typical twelve-year-old. Due to a rare medical disorder, she feels no pain, doesn’t sweat, and needs protective cooling gear just to go outside. With her restrictive lifestyle; countless hospitalizations, including brain surgery; and the resulting mountain of hospital bills, what’s a family to do?

How the Woodhouse family has faced seemingly impossible challenges is a story that has captured the hearts of America. Millions of people have experienced glimpses of their lives on Discovery’s Mystery ER, The Montel Williams Show, and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (recently voted one of the show’s all-time best episodes!).

Now Kayla’s mom, Kimberley, takes readers behind the cameras to reveal their family’s journey as never before told. From medical sleuthing to cross-country moves, from freak fires to battles with insurance companies, Welcome Home proves that truth really is stranger than fiction. This candid life story reveals both success and failure and demonstrates how, even during tough circumstances, to shift your life from heartbreak to extreme joy.

Peek inside the Woodhouse family’s life (and their famous house) with a 16-page photo insert.

I’m going to give you the opportunity to do just that! For a chance to win a signed copy of Welcome Home!, leave a comment at the end of this post. On Monday morning, September 21st, I’ll draw a name using random.org.

This book was the reminder I needed to “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish it’s work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4). Kim lives by this verse, clings to it, and rejoices in it, and her story is a wonderful example of faith for the rest of us!

kimberleywoodhouse.com has it all! Learn more about the Woodhouse family, check out Kim’s other projects, sign up for her monthly newsletter, invite her to speak, shop her store, leave a note of encouragement, and more!

*Don’t forget to leave a comment here for a chance to win Welcome Home!*

It’s available for purchase from Focus on the Family, Barnes and Noble, Borders, Parable Books, and Amazon.

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robby

Congratulations Robby!

Thank you to all who participated in the drawing, and everyone who has encouraged me on my writing journey.  If you’re interested in purchasing the book or submitting your own story for the next project, click here.

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