2013 Book Review #22: Missing Max

Do you like fast-paced novels?

This one is definitely a story that moves along quickly.

STORY SUMMARY

Baby Max, age 6 months, disappears on Mardi Gras in New Orleans, while surrounded by hundreds of parade-goers and his teen-aged step-sister just a few feet away!

Only his tiny sneaker remains behind, with the abandoned stroller.

Max has been kidnapped and the marriage and lives of Jane and her husband Kyle soon fall apart.

And then their teenage daughter, Melanie, does an unthinkable act.  She becomes pregnant.  She wants to give her baby to her dad and her step-mom.  She involves Daniel, the Christian boy next door who is the son of Jane's best friend, Christine.

Soon both families are in turmoil.

Melanie is rebellious and guilty.

Kyle, who is a lawyer, is work-obsessed and struggling with his own grief over the loss of Max.

Jane, also a lawyer, becomes obsessed with Child Search, an organization that aides families dealing with the loss of missing children.  

And...she is starting to search for a spiritual life.

Christine, a Believer, prays for Jane and her family often.  But now that her son is the father of the baby growing inside Melanie, will this friendship sustain through these troubled times?

About 6 months later, an anonymous caller begins to target Jane.

Soon many strange things start to happen......who is stalking Jane??

Then one day, Melanie disappears!! 

Will Jane and Kyle find their children before it is too late?  and more importantly, will they find faith in Christ?

MY THOUGHTS

This book was a good read and full of the message of hope, endurance, prayer, and redemption through the power of forgiveness and love.  It also shows us the depth of emotions that come out in a family coping with the loss of a child and tragedy/difficult events.

However, I thought the ending was just a bit too "neat" and a little predictable and definitely unbelievable.

In real life, the events that occur at the end of the story, would probably NOT happen. But...it IS fiction.  It's just a little too "out there".

But it does make for an exciting read.

I like the author's book discussion questions at the end.  Some of my favorites were:

• Why do bad things happen to good people and what are your beliefs about that question?

• Were Jane and Kyle's reaction to Melanie's pregnancy typical of most parents?

• Do you think a strong faith (spiritually speaking) is essential to coping with tragedy?  What if a person is NOT a believer?  How do THEY cope with tragic events??

In my opinion, this is a book for ages 14 and older.

On a scale of 1- 10, with 10 being the highest, I rate this a 9.

Nearing the End Faves

The end is near.....

the school year's end...........

and with it has come many activities.........moments in my life and in our 8th grader's life.........

I missed last week's FFF due to all these events......but I'm back to share my top five with you along with other FFF friends who link up over at Susanne's.

Come join in and share some faves from your week!

• PERFORMANCES!  Saturday June 1st, Claire had the NYSSMA Solo Competition on violin.  (New York State School Music Association)  She performed Level 4 and earned an OUTSTANDING which is the highest grade. (26/28 points).  Then last Friday, she had the Academy of Dance annual show.  This year she studied Lyrical ballet as well as continuing in her 10th year of classes for ballet and her 2nd year of pointe.  She won the top solo spot and danced to the music of "I Do Believe in Fairies" from the Broadway version of Peter Pan. (she was Tinkerbell).  Her lyrical ballet class danced to the Broadway version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow".  It was beautiful.  The entire show was based on a Broadway theme and the ballets were Ballet for Broadway.  We are very proud of her and her accomplishments and that is always a fave for any parent!

Posing on pointe as Tinkerbell

Dance friends 2013
from l-r: Sami, Alyssa (in Jazz costume), Claire (Lyrical Ballet), and Sarah (Tap)

• TIME WITH FAMILY!  This is always a good thing of course!  Dave's parents (my in-laws), drove out from the south shore MA area to watch Claire perform her ballet.  They then joined us for a day in Saratoga Springs, which is just 20 minutes north of us.  We had so much fun showing them some sights, browsing in the Dance shop and toy store, and eating lunch at this amazing place.  Dave had been there before, but the girls and I had never been. I splurged and got hot corned beef on rye. Oh.my.goondess. Dessert was not needed.  HUGE lunch so I saved half the sandwich for work on Monday.

Courtney (19) and Claire (14) at The Parting Glass Pub
Saratoga Springs 8 June 

Claire with Grammy T admiring the horse sculpture outside near the Dance Shop
Saratoga, NY June 2013

• HERB GROWTH!  My cinnamon basil is finally taking off!  The parsley is more slow-going. Not sure why as I've never tried to grow that herb before so it's kind of an experiment with me.  We'll see what happens. But the basil is lovely!

Container herbs on our deck shelf

• DINNER DATE!  This was totally spontaneous on Wednesday evening.  Dave and I had to attend a wake, so after we said our condolences and chatted a bit with some old friends, we decided to go grab some dinner at this place.  Mmm....it had been a long time since we had eaten there. We did the 2 for $20 special and shared the Spinach Artichoke Dip as an appetizer.  Dave had the small sirloin and Iced Tea.   I had the Oriental Chicken Salad and Raspberry Iced Tea.We were relaxed and happy to have no other obligations for the evening.

• NEAT HOUSE!  I have come home from work every afternoon this past week to a very neat house. Not a perfect house.  But a neat house.  My oldest, due to all the rain, had no work on Monday and Tuesday.  We were not happy about that as she needs the money for college books  and gas in August.  But, she did dishes, emptied the trash, straightened up cupboards, re-organized some things for me in the kitchen......it was all much appreciated!  Now if I can just get her to dust her bedroom.......... :)

That wraps it up for me.

How was your week??  Can you find a few blessings? and.......

Are you as excited as I am for the start of the summer season?? Summer officially begins on June 21st!!

Happy Weekend, everyone!

It's a Little Busy Here!

Oh.my.goodness.

It feels like late fall/early winter what with all the running around and crazy, busy days. 

It tends to get like this at the end of the year (school year).  In one week from today, at noon, I will be done with work for the year, and starting my summer vacation. One day before the actual start of the Summer season!

Here's what's been going on around our house.............

• Oldest girl is enjoying her car, learning her way around the suburban area where we live (it's LARGE..the largest suburb in the entire Capital Region of New York State) and running errands for me....like driving her sister to youth group or picking her up from after school activities.
• Oldest daughter has been home. Alot. Due to all the rain.  The place where she works has to close when it rains as it is an amusement park here in town.
• My husband and I are thankful the oldest girl has a job.  We are not happy that the paycheck is small due to hte rain.
• We are all praying the weather improves for the start of summer.
• Our youngest girl just took her very first New York State Regents Exam.  She is only in 8th grade but took Math 9Regents a year early because she is in the Honors program.  She said it was easy. I cringe. I can't do math.
• I have to finish up a small group study book by Sunday and start a new one for my summer group by Monday.  I am feeling overwhelmed!
• We had to attend the wake for the woman who was married to our first pastor as a married couple. The pastor did our wedding ceremony 23 years ago.  His wife was very special to Dave and I, as are his adult children and their families.  It was good to see everyone even though the reason for meeting was difficult. Thankfully, she is in heaven with her hubby who passed away several years ago. They are both rejoicing at the feet of  Jesus!
• My herbs are getting water- logged.
• My peonies are getting water-logged.
• My tomatoes plants are doing better. but are water-logged.
• We miss the sun.
• We were able to eat dinner on the deck just once last weekend..Sunday. We savored the time.
• My in-laws were in town last Friday-Sunday morning.  
• We went to Claire's ballet show.
• We spent the next afternoon in Saratoga Spring, walking around and eating at an Irish pub. It was cloudy. But at least it didn't rain.
• I actually bought bakery cookies so the family would have some sweets in the house.  I have no time to bake.  Or mop.  Or dust. That will be done on Saturday. Or next Monday afternoon.
• I have 1 more full day of work left and 4 shorter days.
• Claire is done with full days of Junior High as of tomorrow.
• Tomorrow evening is her Awards Ceremony and Formal Dance.
• I will probably get teary-eyed.
• Claire brought home her award for the music and theater department.  She earned a high school letter!!  And a music pin!  
• She informed me she needs 2 packages of cookies for the Music Dept picnic on Tuesday.  Back to the bakery I will go!
• Dave wants ribs on Father's Day.  I did remember the card.  
• Courtney bought a card for him by herself.  It was the same card I saw that I thought would be great for him from her.  We think alike.
• Claire has one more exam (Science 8).  She says it will be easy. Why wasn't junior high and high school easy for me like it is my daughters??
• Courtney informed me she is planning a girls weekend away in September.  On Cape Cod. With 3 other friends. She will drive from the north shore down to the cape.  She has not much highway experience. I'm already obsessing about this. She assures me that they will be fine.
• I need to take Courtney to AAA and add her to our plan. Because of the above.
• My husband wants me to join the gym with him. This is major role reversal. I am secretly thrilled. He has lost 10 lbs!  
• I wanna hike.
• It's still pouring.
• Yesterday was the most exhausting day of the school year:  Purple and White day at the elementary school where i work. (school colors). It was spent outdoors all day long.  The sun actually came out and it was nice. God is good.
• It's still pouring rain.
• I have laundry to dry, laundry to fold and dinner to cook.
• My plans for grilled chops will have to wait.
• It's still pouring.

Included!

meditating on words from the Word.......

.............heart strings tugging.......refreshing Words from Him, my Savior, my Friend, my Redeemer.........

words jumping off the page while the eyes blink awake and the coffee goes down hot while the tears fall down hot.................

.............. and I jump up and shout YES.....I see it now.......

He included us in his last words, His last prayer with his intimate friends.......to point us to intimacy with Him, all these years later..........

"I do not pray for these (disciples) alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, the Father, are in Me, and I in You;  that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me."  John 17:20 & 21

photo courtesy of oursaviorsprineville.org

He.prayed.for.us.

Scripture is alive and there is life in these words He prayed before death........

Life in the meaning:  Jesus directed His prayer toward the future!  He prayed for believers today!!

Isn't it awesome to think about?  Jesus has not stopped praying for us:

"He always lives to make intercession for us"  Hebrews 7:25

We can pray TO God and WITH God.  We are never alone.  Never alone in prayer.  

God will even send His Spirit to make intercession for us....to articulate the words for us when we just don't know how to pray!

"For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us"  Romans 8: 26

As I wrap up the study from the book Live Intimately:  Lessons from the Upper Room, I find myself sharing with the other moms in the group that we are so blessed to know Him.  Even those of us who have unbelieving loved ones....or neighbors, co-workers, acquaintances, friends.......even those unbelieving people have Someone praying for them!!

Oh how this prayer unites us.

Oh how this prayer brings confidence, peace and assurance.

He included us in his final prayer.

We are indeed blessed.

Glory to God.

May you know the heart of our Savior and Redeemer.