Stories of grace for life's unexpected turns
If you think Jesus would have come into your home that day and not issued a strong rebuke to the head of household, you are mistaken. These words of condemnation have been haunting me for days now. They aren’t all that different than the soundtrack I play in my head on an almost-daily basis. It’s…
I am nesting. On Saturday I emptied the refrigerator. Last summer’s homemade pickles in their jars. The bread ends that seem to multiply on every shelf. The eggs. The milk. The fruit and veggies. All of it sat on the floor or the counter as I carefully removed the shelves and wiped them down with…
I’ve heard that life is like a highway. And it definitely seems like that sometimes. The pace of life swirls around me at dizzying speeds. We’re all so busy. In such a hurry. Always somewhere to be, something else to do. I’m a get-to-the-point, get-there-quick kind of girl. I don’t like to waste time on…
My thoughts have turned to Scotland. Privileged to have visited there once, I now long to go back, thanks to Liz Curtis Higgs and Here Burns My Candle. 
Higgs once again shows her mastery of taking a familiar Bible story and transplanting it to a different time and place. Here Burns My Candle is the book of Ruth set in mid-1700s Scotland. Ruth and Naomi become Lady Elisabeth Kerr and Lady Marjory Kerr, daughter-in-law and mother-in-law, respectively, who face widowhood and loss, and who are changed by faith in the Almighty God.
Knowing the Bible story, I knew, in part, where the story was headed, and I wished it different, at times. Fortunately, finishing Here Burns My Candle is not the end of the women’s journey. It’s really just the beginning. Their journey concludes in the sequel, Mine is the Night, which will soon be on my reading list.
With my mind full of Scottish English and my thoughts fixed on Scotland, I half-jokingly told my husband we shouldn’t delay any longer in applying for passports. I long to walk the streets Higgs describes and let my imagination run wild as I picture the Lady Kerrs going about their business.
Two things I know: I have not yet read a Liz Curtis Higgs book I haven’t liked. Here Burns My Candle continues that streak. And even if I can’t travel to Scotland for a few years, Higgs’ command of words and language will take me there again and again. Check out her other books here. (She has another series set in Scotland that tells the story of Jacob, Leah and Rachel. It’s a page-turner, too.)
Read the first chapter of Here Burns My Candle here and tell me you aren’t hooked on this story.
Check out the trailer below for another taste of the story.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGOeKWCS-zs&feature=player_embedded]
In exchange for this review, I received a free copy of the book from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.
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Week 4 down. No change on the weight loss from last week, but that’s actually good news this week. I struggled with low back pain most of the week and only made it to the gym one time. I tried not to be a total couch potato because that made the pain worse sometimes, but I can tell you this was not a particularly active week. Nor was I 100 percent faithful to any sort of eating plan. I made some mistakes. I made some good decisions. This challenge is a long haul, and I’m in it for the duration. My expectations for quick and dramatic results are significantly lower than when I started. Consistency is key.
This week will prove again difficult for dedicated exercise time. Regardless, I hope to make good eating decisions.
I find encouragement in this:
“Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.” (Isaiah 55:2b)
There’s a body-soul connection I’ve been missing. Listen to God. Eat what is good. My soul will be satisfied as with a gourmet meal.
People lose weight all the time whether they acknowledge God or not. I’m not saying He’s going to guarantee me success in this goal, but my focus has changed. It’s not just about losing weight. It’s about honoring God with my choices. What I eat. What I do. How I do it.
With that in mind, I’m looking forward to a good week.