TBR 2026

6.  Honor's Love Song (Hobby Run series Book 4) by Arlene James Christian romance. In this series, Arlene tackles one of the most serious sins, breaking the law of chastity. God doesn't measure one sin better or worse than another. Sin is sin. However, the reason sins of a sexual nature are more grievous is because we are demeaning, degrading, trivializing, mocking God's gift of the power of creation to His children. It is meant to make a husband and wife one flesh and to bring children into the world. Anything else is reducing creation to a nothing moment of pleasure or a way to control, humiliate, reduce someone else. The adversary encourages making common the power and beauty God created. It breaks God's heart. It is for this and every other sin that Jesus Christ suffered and died for us. It is because of Jesus Christ, His Atonement, that it is possible to place all sin in the passed and start over new and clean.

Point of clarification: Abuse survivors do not need to repent of what was done to them. The Atonement is for them as much as anyone but through grieving and forgiving - not giving the abuser absolution but the abused giving the anger and bitterness and hurt and humiliation to Jesus. Let Jesus carry the load; it's too heavy for us.

7. Fidelity's Love Song (Hobby Run series Book 5) by Arlene James Christian romance. Unfaithful Matt is quite a change from honorable Charlie. Arlene doesn't sanitize the sin but creates stories that reflect the variations people spin on sin and how Jesus covers it all if we give ourselves to Him. 

8. A Courageous Love Song (Hobby Run series Book 6) by Arlene James Christian romance. More of the wonder and power of repentance. 

9. A Love Song in Quarantine (Hobby Run series Book 7) by Arlene James Christian romance. Most of the romance novels avoided the quarantine of 2020. I thought Arlene managed to depict the situations without diving into politics. 

10. The Liar's Love Song (Hobby Run series Book 8) by Arlene James Christian romance. Includes a brief description of an assault, for those who are sensitive to those topics. Again, I love how the Christians are imperfect and trying their best, and the precious journey of unbeliever to believer. 

REAL 19 Jan 2026

Short walks. Physical therapy. Eating okay, not great, but it's been worse. Sleep is all over the place. Finally stepped on the scale again (been a few months), a starting point, right back where I was five years ago. No surprise, really. I'm making changes, which is stressful and often leads to stuffing until I feel more in control. 

Thank Goodness It's Sunday

~ Dear friends

~ Gospel study

~ Lovely weather

~ Good books 

~ God's grace       

Brain Dump

I live in a desert. Living in a desert means a lack of water. So, we're starting at a deficit. Keep that in mind. One of our cities recently voted down building an AI data center. Now, the main reason cited was the noise, a constant hum from the data centers already present. The community's citizens hate it. Glad they stopped it. Will another community make the mistake of volunteering to take the place? Reminder: We live in a desert that is in a 30-year drought. AI data centers require copious amounts of water. Where are they going to acquire the needed water? Will they deprive people for the sake of AI? They - the ones who want to build said facilities - have said they would. To even consider building such a center in a place already struggling with the water supply is insane and maybe even disturbing and possibly nefarious. God have mercy. 

A friend shared this on Social Media

The Woman at the Well

It was not the water that he came for. 

It was me.

REAL 12 Jan 2026

Started the week with a couple short walks, and then it rained. PT is being done. Eating and sleeping are okay - room for improvement. Self-talk isn't great - needs work.

Thank Goodness It's Sunday

~ God takes care of all the things I cannot.

~ Blessed rain

~ Visiting a dear friend

~ Favorite books

~ God's grace      

Brain Dump

I finally broke down and listened to a male social media influencer everyone is claiming is the new right. Nick F. No, not sharing the last name only because I don't want to somehow accidentally end up in the algorithm. (Not to be confused [which I did at first because of the slight variation in the name but worlds apart in maturity, honor, and wisdom and pretty much everything else] with Nick Freitas, who is admirable and a fine example of a real man.) This Nick is young and crude. For the record, he isn't right leaning. He isn't left leaning. He reminds me of a shock jock like Howard Stern, whom I never considered worth my time and energy either. I saw an arrogant, angry, frightened little boy who is in serious need of a whole lot of Jesus and counseling. How and why anyone takes him seriously is beyond me. I know five-year-olds more mature than he is. He reminds me of the kid who's been bullied all his life who instead of growing up to be a good, honorable, inspiring man in spite of it decides that if he's a bigger, badder bully he's somehow better. He isn't. I'm praying for him, a poor, lost soul. 

TBR 2026

1.  Not Until Christmas Morning (Hope Springs series Book 5) by Valerie M. Bodden Inspirational romance.  

2. Love Starts Here (Morgan's Grove series Book 1) by Traci Borum contemporary romance.  

3. A Familiar Love Song (Hobby Run series Book 1) by Arlene James Christian romance. I was given the books available in paperback for Christmas. Of course, I have to re-read the whole series. 

4. A Hero's Love Song (Hobby Run series Book 2) by Arlene James Christian romance. Surviving abuse and trauma is courageous. Learning to love and embrace life, with God's help, is powerful.

5. The Healer's Love Song (Hobby Run series Book 3) by Arlene James Christian romance. What a blessing that Jesus offers repentance to everyone, and we can start clean.

REAL 5 Jan 2026

A new year. A new opportunity to start over, right where I am. You only fail if you fail to get up after you fall. Let's see what this year brings.  

Thank Goodness It's Sunday

~ Gorgeous days

~ Leaving the door open

~ Cozy fireplace when it isn't. 

~ Visit with my sister

~ God's grace      

Brain Dump

Silly observation. I was watching an old western flick, in color, so not as far back as black and white. The "hero" decided to ride a horse that doesn't want to be ridden. I know that some rodeo horses are natural buckers and love it. The scene used at least 2 different horses and possibly 3 or 4. The horse was required to do some dangerous stunts, like going over a rail and running into walls and bucking through a china shop. Then I noticed the one thing that made my eyes roll almost out of my head. Hey! Cowboy! The horse will stop bucking if you take off the bucking strap. Couldn't bring myself to watch any of the rest of the movie.