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Gone South, by Meg Moseley: A Review

When I heard that Meg Moseley’s second book, Gone South, was coming out, I jumped at the chance to review it. I’d read her previous novel, When Sparrow’s Fall, and loved it, so I knew this one would be great as well. I was not disappointed.

Gone South is about a young woman named Tish who, on a whim, buys the house once owned by her great-great-great grandparents. She dreams of making a new life for herself, filling it with friends and putting down roots, something she never had growing up in Michigan. Tish’s life hasn’t gone the way she’d planned, and this impulsive move might be just what she needs to start over. It isn’t long before she discovers that her family name isn’t exactly welcome in this southern town and she feels completely out of place. Old grudges die hard, and there is a long-remembered family story that surfaces upon her arrival. The only person who seems willing to take a chance on friendship with her is George, a local antiques dealer, who just happens to be single and attractive. This is my kind of story, people. Give me a romantic interest and I’m into it.

Arriving right into the middle of the mix is the town outcast, a girl named Melanie. Tish takes her in, which doesn’t help Tish’s chances of being accepted by the community. Melanie has problems of her own and must sort them out with the help of Tish and George. Will the two young women find acceptance in a town that has so firmly rejected them? And will Tish deal with her past so that she can open her heart to George? Well, I won’t give any spoilers. You’ll have to find out for yourself.

I truly enjoyed reading Gone South. I made pots of tea, propped myself up on pillows and made my little self comfortable as I slipped into this story. It has a sweet, southern pace, which caused me to slow down and savor. I loved “getting off the fast track” and letting the story unfold. This town could make a whole cast of characters in a series, if the author wanted to build on what is started here. The characters are delightful.

Meg Moseley is a gifted writer who can tell a great story. I appreciate that she brings an element of faith to the characters, but uses restraint so that it feels believable. You never have the sense that the story is there to prop up a virtuous lesson, and I like that in Christian fiction. Gone South has a theme of grace and second chances that is both satisfying and refreshing. I finished it with a smile on my face. 

I believe Gone South will be available May 7 (you can preorder it now) - I recommend you go get a copy for yourself, and then make a pot of tea. Put your feet up and enjoy.

 

Disclosure: I received a free copy of Gone South, but was under no obligation to give a favorable review in return. The opinion is my own. 

Welcome, Joy.

Finding God's Extraordinary Purpose in our Ordinary Events

God uses ordinary events to reveal His extraordinary purposes. Just when you think you're going in circles in your everyday life, He can intercept your plans and make His ways known to you.

 

From my desk today...

 

In 1 Samuel 9, a story is told of a young man who is engaged in ordinary family affairs. His father's donkeys have gone missing, and he is given the task (along with a helper) to go and find them.

The young man's name was Saul...and he had no idea that his search for a band of renegade donkeys would start a chain of events that would eventually make him king of Israel.

The mission takes the pair of young men all over the countryside. I'm sure they were thinking, "where on earth could these pranksters be?" They would have been familiar with the inquisitive nature of the animals, and probably realized just how much ground the sure-footed creatures could cover.

After three days of looking high and low, they finally give up and decide to head back home. Without cell phones to use to check in, Saul knows his father will be worried. In one last-ditch effort to find the donkeys they seek out the prophet Samuel, who just so happens to be in the area, in order for him to inquire of the Lord of the their whereabouts.

Unbeknownst to Saul, God had spoken to Samuel the day before, preparing him for their encounter. He told Samuel exactly what would happen and how the young man would come looking for him, and that this tall teenager was the one He'd chosen to be king. The scene unfolds just as God described it. Samuel invites Saul to feast with him and then just before they part ways, he anoints Saul's head with oil. This sacred action marks Saul for God's purpose in a tangible way. Saul, however, is still concerned about his father's donkeys, to which Samuel reassures him.

"Those donkeys? Pssh, don't worry about them. They've already made it safely home on their own."

The donkeys didn't even really need to be found. Because God had had something else in mind.

You see, the real purpose of Saul's journey was not to find a group of runaway animals. It was to get him to a place of encounter with God. The task he was doing for his father was simply a means to move him into the right place at the right time. It was when he was out of his comfort zone, his familiar surroundings, that God brought him face to face with what would be his true mission in life. He was anointed for kingship right then and there.

I wonder if you, too, are on a seemingly insignificant journey?

Maybe your job is one that feels like it is going nowhere. You're wandering in circles, looking for your purpose, and yet somehow you know this is where God wants you. It all seems like such a waste of time and you're tempted to give up.

 

Perhaps God is moving you to place of encounter.

 

Perhaps, like Saul, God is moving you to place of encounter. A place where your vision and purpose will suddenly come into full view. Let me encourage you. Watch and see: His purpose WILL unfold. People and events will cross your path through divine appointments as you journey onward....things that would never happen unless you just keep going. Keep taking that next step.

God uses ordinary events in extraordinary ways. He is able to take a "seemingly insignificant" job and boom! use it to put you right where you need to be. Proverbs 16:9 tells us that a person can think he's planned his ways, but God is working behind the scenes to direct each step.

I love that.

Thank you for your notes of encouragement this last week as I embark on a journey of my own. I'm believing that my "chance" devotional reading of 1 Sam. 9 is a confirmation that God can use renegade donkeys for a greater purpose - and that my simple "Flash" stories will come together in a book that He can use for His glory. I love and appreciate you all so much.

Tell me: have you ever encountered God's purpose in the midst of the regular affairs of your life? Have you ever said, "so THIS is why I've been on this journey!" ? I'd love to hear about it.

Do you feel like you're going in circles today, trying to follow God's leading but can't figure out what His purpose is? Let me pray for you, that you'd encounter Him in a way that will clearly show His care and design for you.

My Plans for April

{Deep breath}

OK.

I haven't really said anything about this to anyone, so I'm a little nervous about bringing this up.

Oh boy. Here goes: Girls, I am in the process of writing a book.

Well, actually I'm writing a book proposal, which is not quite the same thing but hopefully it will be the precursor to a book.

I've wanted to do this for a long time, but y'all know how I am about multi-tasking. I can barely focus on one thing at a time, let alone several. Needless to say, progress on my manuscript has been slow. By the time I put in a day of work and add activities like grocery shopping, cleaning and "life" stuff, PLUS blogging in the evenings, I've been plum out of energy and inspiration to work on my writing project.

I started looking ahead to the coming months and have come to the realization that I really need to carve out dedicated time to accomplish this - and the sooner the better. I feel like I need to get my first chapters and proposal polished and perfected before summer rolls around, so I can then focus on finding a publisher and/or an agent. This is all new territory for me and I am honestly very unsure of the process.

SO.....

What I'm going to do is take a break from posting daily Small Things for the month of April. This will free up 1-2 hours a day that I will put toward my book goal, and give me some freedom to let my imagination run. Now, I LOVE LOVE LOVE writing blog posts each day so it kills me to step back for a few weeks....but I need to get some creative control and this is the only way I can see to do it well. sigh.

I have two favors to ask of you.

1. Will you pray for me? This is new territory for me and frankly I don't know what I'm doing. I need divine intervention.

2. Will you stick with me? I need some cheerleaders and encouragers that will tell me it's ok and that I can do this. And I don't like feeling needy and insecure...but that's the truth. I need you. The end.

I can't tell you how much I would appreciate you doing these two things for me!

Now, I guess you might like to know what my book is about since I'm asking YOU to sacrifice for it?

Well first off, it is non-fiction, taken right out of my own experience.

My book is about motherhood and life and survival...and a stray donkey named Flash who interrupted everything and became a catalyst for life-changing discoveries that rocked my world. Right when I was in the middle of a big fat failure, this stubborn, buck-toothed character landed in my driveway and showed me that God speaks in unexpected ways and is infinitely mindful of His children...you and me. Oh, Flash has charmed me with his two-inch eyelashes and soft brown eyes, but more than that, he's reminded me that God uses ordinary things in extraordinary ways, and that when we open our eyes to the simple truths in front of us, He can do something spectacular in our lives.

Even as I write this, I am listening to Flash bray obnoxiously in the pasture. Please remind me to tell you about his latest girlfriend/baby mama...a very cute little pony who showed up last week and fell in love with my shabby guy. Yes, if nature holds true, there will be a mini-mule arriving next spring. But that story is for another day.

Please pray for me and stick with me? At the end of this month I want to have the first three chapters done and a sparkling proposal to show for it. Then will be up to God to do the rest.

I'll post some updates here throughout April, and as always, you can follow me on Twitter and Facebook.

Love you, Rachel

PS Is there something YOU are working on that has a high possibility of failure, just like mine has? I'd love to walk the high-wire with you....let me know how you are working through your fears and what gives you courage! {shameless plea for hand-holding}

 

Spring Break

Hi Company Girls!

I had a fun weekend, hosting a baby shower for my daughter Lauren, and welcoming my son home from college for Spring Break. I got my "mommy cup" filled up, getting to spend time with all three kids and celebrating this new chapter that's about to begin.

I'm so excited, ya'll! I'm going to get a grand baby - Ivy Grace! I still can't believe it.

The Ridge Girls - Lauren Penn and Meghan Miller

Last night around midnight, when we were wrapping up a movie (college kids stay up soooo late!) I realized that I really just want to PLAY this week. So I'm going to take a few days off from blogging here, and enjoy my time with Grayson. We don't have big plans, but I know anything we do will involve late nights and groggy mornings....and I don't have too many "spring breaks" left to celebrate with him. I've got to take advantage while I can. :)

So, enjoy your week - I know many of you have breaks with your school children as well - and I'll pop in when I can to say hello.

Love, Rachel

PS You can always follow me on Twitter, Instagram (@RachelRidge) and Facebook. Find me there and let's connect!

Company Girl Coffee, and Schedules

Whew! What a week of Small Things! It's not often we have to do so much thinking around here...most of the time it's pure silliness. I guess every now and then we have to get serious and do a few things that are important - like implementing a simple housekeeping schedule.

Remember, a schedule is simply a tool - a guideline - that will keep you from getting overwhelmed when you think you have to get everything done all at once. Simply do a little at a time, get back on the wagon when you fall off, and keep on going - you really WILL see a miracle happen.

Today's Small Thing is to pull out your shiny new schedule and do what's on Friday's task list.

That's all there is to it! Is Friday your day "off?" Well, then you just got lucky. Is it an errand day? Wash-Sheets-and-Towel-Day? Make it your goal to DO Friday's jobs as quickly as you can, and earn points for doing it!

POINTS: 60 for sticking to your new schedule today!

 

Now it's time for my Friday feature: Company Girl Coffee. It has been weeks since I last hosted and I'm excited to get back to it. It is an easy meme that allows you, my dear Company Girls, to link up and invite people over to your blogs. You don't have to have a theme - it's just a chance for us to get to know each other better. When you fill in the form below, enter your blog POST URL (not just your blog title) so we can go directly to the post you want to share. We have a fantastic group of ladies, and I hope you'll take the opportunity to visit!

In the spirit of sharing, for those of you who follow me on Instagram (rachelridge) and Facebook , I had lamented my need for sprucing up my living room after taking down my Christmas tree. Pillows, I needed colorful pillows!

Before: The Big BrownOut

After: Color! My soul sings for joy!


 

A trip to HomeGoods and Hobby Lobby served up some inexpensive pillows and a few small pretties that did the trick. My soul is happy.

Now, what's going on in YOUR life? I hope you'll link up below and let us know! If you're not a blogger, use the comment section to yakk it up with us! We want to get to know you better.

Colorado!

Hey there, Company Girls!

I'm writing today from a local Starbucks, the only spot with wifi around here. Internet access has been such a challenge over the last couple of weeks that I quit trying. I thought I'd better check in this morning and let you know that I'm still alive and kicking. :)

Photo proof:

Me, in Frisco CO.

We finished our project at Andrew Wommack Ministries.....well, at least enough for them to do their first taping last Friday. I am dying to show pics but since the first programs don't air until November, I don't want to spill their beans for them. It was a ton of work, with the last couple of days being 16 hour days...needless to say we were tired - but happy - by the end. The set looks incredible and I think everyone was excited about how it turned out!

You can see a little bit of the set behind us...ssshhhh! Tom and I got to meet Andrew in person and we were so impressed with him! Genuine, kind, personable...and a great Bible teacher.

From Colorado Springs, we made our way up to the Vail area on Saturday, and are now enjoying our first "real" vacation in a long, long time. I'm not proud of this, but Tom and I figured out that the last time the two of us went away together was before our (now college age) son was born - about 20 years ago! Now, that's just WRONG. What were we thinking??

We will be here for the rest of this week, just enjoying our time and taking in the scenery. The aspens are turning and the weather is gorgeous....it is the perfect way to kick off our "empty nest" season! We've bought notebooks for scribbling our thoughts and dreams for the future and are loving each moment.

I am savoring. I'm lingering, meditating and soaking in the beauty of the changing season. Maybe it's the leaves that are turning golden and firey before my eyes, but my heart is filled with gratitude for God's faithfulness and steady hand in the midst of change. There is wonder and hope for the future, and thankfulness for our history.

It's incredible to be here - in this moment - with the guy I started out with...and feel the goodness of it all. Wow.

 

 

Last Day of School and Coffee 5.25

Today is Grayson's last day of high school! Wow....I can't believe it.

Here he is on his very first day of kindergarten:

 

And here he is now. Awwwww:

I'll write more about him later, but today I'll be making our traditional "last day of school" chocolate chip cookies to dip into cold milk for our last-day celebration. We've been doing that on every first day and last day of school and this is OUR FINAL COOKIE PARTY!

So before I start shedding a tear, let's link up for our weekly coffee time. Simply add your blog post into the linky tool below to participate. It's a great way to meet new bloggers and invite others to your own blog. Even if you don't link up, I hope you'll grab a cup of coffee and stop in and visit the awesome ladies here. (If you're reading this in an email, just click on the blog post title to go to Home Sanctuary to see the links.)

Have a wonderful weekend....and enjoy the holiday. I will be back on Tuesday, and there is no Small Thing Today to kick off Memorial Day weekend. :)

 

Merry Christmas from the Ridge Family

Christmas is here! What an incredible time of year....a time to treasure loved ones both near and far, and a time to ponder the mystery of a baby in a manger and the breathless hope he brought to the world. Wrapped in a rough woven cloth and nestled in straw lay the King of the Universe - the Word made flesh to dwell among us....."and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14)

This Christmas, may God's grace find you, fill you and sustain you. May his glory shine all around you - no matter what your circumstances - and may you be warmed by his presence and the hope of eternal life.

From my family to yours - Merry Christmas!

Christmas Cutout Cookies Video

I thought ya'll might like to see how our Cookie Decorating Night went. We've decorated cookies now for over twenty years - we started when the kids were toddlers - and we still have fun. Back when we first started, the decorating parties were little more than complete chaos: sprinkles and frosting EVERYWHERE, cookies that looked like monkeys decorated them, and little people licking their fingers while working, blech. Today you'll see that this has evolved into a very classy affair, if you don't count the plastic plates, knives and tablecloths.

Special thanks to my daughter, Lauren, who captured some scenes on her phone and put them to some music! 

 

Cookie Night 

Just in case you missed the recipe, here it is again:

 

Christmas Cutout Cookies

1 1/2 c butter, soft

3/4 c sugar

3 1/3 c flour

Mix in large mixing bowl at low speed.  Roll out 3/8 inches thick, cut into desired shapes Bake at 300 for 20-25 min (ours never go that long, so watch for browning).  If dough doesn't stick together, add drops of evap. milk or half and half.

Icing:  Mix about a bag a powdered sugar with 1 stick of soft butter (or less)  Add small amounts of milk until it is a smooth (not too thick) consistency.  Add 1-2 tsp. almond flavoring, the secret of cutout cookie deliciousness.  Divide up into bowls and stir in food coloring (red, green, blue, yellow, leave one bowl with white).  Have colorful sprinkles on hand, along with toothpicks and small plastic knives for swirling designs around.  Give each person a paper plate to work over, to keep the sprinkles from going EVERYWHERE.

Hint:  Toothpicks make great decorating tools: you can dip one in frosting, then touch a sprinkle and it sticks to it!  Then you can place those itty bitty sprinkles in perfect places to make stunningly perfect patterns.  Your friends will be wowed.  When you get sick of such attention to detail, then just sprinkle away.  It's all good.