The Harbinger by Jonathan Cahn

Posted on January 16, 2014 by write4jan

The Harbinger

The Harbinger has been on the New York Times Best Seller list. This prestigious award in and of itself makes it a bit daunting to write a review at times. However, I shall take the plunge.  I was skeptical if I would like reading this book and the prophetic connections to 9/11. I decided to take the challenge – “The Harbinger by Jonathan Cahn fiction or prophecy?” This book is written in such a way that it will continue to make you wonder about the answer to this question long after the last page is turned. I believe our countries founding fathers were men of deep Christian faith. I do believe that America was founded for freedom OF religion and not freedom FROM religion. Given that this is the lens through which I see, I can buy into the overarching premise that America has wandered from God. I believe that this book makes us look at what the impact of that drifting and running from God. What is the impact not only as a nation but as individuals?

As to some of the other messages in the book about the exact nature of the prophecy I will encourage you to read and enjoy thinking them through for yourself.  I did find this book well written and it leads me to some thought provoking ponderings. I think we each have to ponder how are we doing in our personal relationship with God? What are the eternal consequences of our choices on earth? If I call myself a Christian what are my responsibilities in holding true to my faith? Are my beliefs not just responsible for my personal eternity but for my countries destiny?

Sometimes I feel like we are living in a test. Having a Christian perspective in a time that honors the individual and wants to respect all choices can be very grueling. If I choose to say that anything is against my belief as a Christian I am seen as disrespecting other points of view. If someone expresses a non-Christian point of view they are see as condemning and yet they can impact my choices – school prayer rings a bell here. However, if someone expresses a point of view I differ with I am seen as narrow-minded. How can it be? Can we value a difference of opinion without disagreeing on what God’s word says? I am throwing some of these questions out there because that is where this book has led my mind. I invite you to take up the challenge and see where it leads your mind. All in all I come down on the side of both, some fact with some fiction thrown in. Read the book and post a comment so I can consider your point of view about this book.

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On Wings Of The Morning – By Dan Verneer

Posted on December 9, 2013 by write4jan

Dan Verner

Dan Verner’s novel, On Wings Of The Morning, is an exciting tale of a young boy who dreams of becoming a pilot and the epic adventure of that dream becoming a reality.  Otto will get his dream of becoming a pilot in unusual circumstances for a young boy from Wisconsin. This tale goes on to tell of Otto in WW II as a pilot with many successful missions. This wonderfully written book is full of twists and turns; with a lot of adventure and a pinch of romance for good measure. I found it to be an enlightening and captivating read about WWII. I confess generally I steer away from any sort of military tale.  I found this story captivating as I could see the story unfolding like a movie in my minds eye. Verner beckons the reader back to the era of the Greatest Generation and invites you to experience that time through his tale of Otto and his crew. This tale of tragedy and humanness is very believable and that is part of the magic of this well written book. Verner’s book helps us several generations younger to see the courage of their time and recognize why they are, the Greatest Generation.

 

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Crazy Horse – South Dakota

Posted on November 29, 2013 by write4jan

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A trip to the Black Hills to Mount  Rushmore would not be complete without going to see Crazy Horse.  The Crazy Horse Memorial was started June 3, 1948 by Sculptor, Korczak Ziolkowski and Lakota Chief Henry Standing Bear.  The mission of the Crazy Horse memorial is to honor the culture, tradition and living heritage of North American Indians.

The work on the largest stone sculpture continues by the Ziolkowski family.  Korczak and his wife Ruth had ten children many of which have worked on the Crazy Horse Memorial and continue the work there today.

There is a wonderful Indian Museum of North America on the Crazy Horse Memorial Grounds.  Several years ago my grandmother told me we are Choctaw Indian.  Ever since that revelation I have become more interested in the Native American Heritage and the museums.  There are beautiful arts and crafts on display.  The Museum is home to a massive tribal flag collection that is on display.  There are amazing artifacts which bring the history and culture of the Native American Tribes to life.

I encourage you to include this as a destination on a trip to South Dakota. They have events and displays for all ages including children of all ages. It is a full day to see both Crazy Horse and Mount Rushmore in the same day.

For more information see the Crazy Horse website:   http://crazyhorsememorial.org/

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Dakotas – Mt Rushmore

Posted on November 12, 2013 by write4jan

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The Black Hills of South Dakota were beathtakingly beautiful as we meandered around the mountains.  We saw chipmunks, Rocky Mountain Goats and various birds.  Coming around a curve in the road I got the first glimpse of Mount Rushmore.   It is one of those National treasures that I felt I had to see on my trip to the Dakotas.  I had no preconceptions only the occasional photo or post card someone shared with me.  From a distance it was beautiful and easily recognizable.  It was interesting the National Park has no entrance fee but there was an $11 parking fee for cars (more for RVs and buses).

Do not deprive yourself of going into the park itself.   Mount Rushmore is a beautiful symbol for hope, and unity in these United States.  There is an awesome trail around the mountain with plaques detailing the history and the making of Mount Rushmore.  There are places to sit and take it all in as well as on the walking path.

For more information on Mount Rushmore see their website: http://www.nps.gov/moru/index.htm

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A Word on Rental Cars

Posted on October 20, 2013 by write4jan

Rental CarsAs an avid traveler I enjoy traveling both home and abroad.  My first trip outside the US was at age six months to Africa. Recently, I totally enjoyed a two week adventure in North and South Dakota.  I have a list of places I want to go and one personal goal has been to see all fifty states.   I only have ten left to complete that goal.

On this particular trip I had planned to fly into South Dakota and out of North Dakota.  I planned to rent a car at the South Dakota Airport and return it to the North Dakota  Airport.  I was easily able to purchase airline tickets in this manner.  What was impossible for a reasonable fee was the rental car.  Neither of the airports in question would allow rental at one airport and return to the other one.  I thought it might be because I was crossing state lines. So, I tried one rental car on one side of the state and another on the other side of the state.  I tried rental car companies both in and out of  several airports.  I called numerous rental car companies in each combination I chose.  I finally found someone that would do it or an additional $1,000.  Needless to say I flew in and out of the same airport.

I did rent a car from and returned it to the Rapid City Airport.  Unfortunately, this changed my route and travel plans based on the inability to be accommodated by the rental car industry.  So word to the wise call all modes of transportation and be sure you can book what you want to do before you start paying for reservations as there are fees to change reservations.  I did have to change airlines, and pay a fee, as I had booked one airline into Rapid City and another out of Bismarck before I discovered the Rental Car issue.

Remember, if there are to be multiple drivers get them all listed with the rental car company so they will be covered.  You will want to be sure your personal automobile insurance covers the rental car before you decide to decline the insurance coverage from the rental car company.  I have rented cars from various rental car companies in many states within the United States with ease.  I have been pleased with the cars and the customer service by the companies I have used.  In this experience I describe it was a lack of knowledge on my part as it never occurred to me that it would not be possible to rent in one airport and return at another airport as I have done it in the past in more metropolitan area of the country.

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Dingle Peninsula, Ireland

Posted on October 13, 2013 by write4jan

Dingle Peninsula

The drive around the Dingle Peninsula has magnificent views of steep sea cliffs, rolling mountains and sandy beaches. The Slieve Mish Mountain Range runs down the neck of the peninsula and then rolls down to the sea creating lovely vistas.

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The Beach from Ryan’s Daughter

The 1970’s film Ryan’s Daughter was filmed on the Dingle Peninsula and the beach in a scene from Ryan’s Daughter is still wonderful view. The 1992 film Far and Away was partially filmed on the peninsula as well.
Brian de Staic Ogham Jewelry
There is wonderful shopping on the Dingle Peninsula as well. One of my favorites is Brian de Staic and his Ogham jewelry. Ogham is an Early Medieval Alphabet used to write the old Irish Language. Brian de Staic makes lovely pieces with your name on them while you enjoy your drive down the Dingle Peninsula.

DSCN3393The Beauty of the Cliffs
There are over 2,000 monuments preserved on the Dingle Peninsula. There are over 6,000 years representing eight time periods; Mesolithic Period, The Stone Age, The Bronze Age, The Iron Age, The Early Christian Period, The Viking Period, The Medieval Period and the 1600’s through modern Times are all archaeologically represented on the peninsula. See a fort from the Iron Age; standing stones from the Bronze Age; monastic sites form the Early Christian Period; or circle rock art from the Stone Age.
The Dingle Peninsula truly has something for everyone. Photographers and nature lovers will especially enjoy the ocean bluffs and vistas on the drive out Slea Head. There are sheer drops where the rocks meet the Atlantic Ocean. There are sights not to be missed. I enjoyed this drive every bit as much as the drive around The Ring of Kerry.

 

 

 

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Ring of Kerry

Posted on October 7, 2013 by write4jan

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Above: That’s me with a view of some of The Ring of Kerry scenery

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Above: Me in my new hand knitted Irish sweater at Torc Waterfall

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Above: The Muckross house

The Ring of Kerry holds breath taking vistas of mountains fields of green, and views of the beach and ocean. You will see stunning fields of lush green grass that give Ireland the nickname Emerald Isle. There is also a good bit of history to see in the old famine houses, forts and old monasteries. I recommend getting a guide book if you are planning to drive the Ring of Kerry so you will not miss any of the points of interest. There are several churches with interesting cemeteries and statues along the way you might miss without a guide book.

Ring of Kerry is a place to truly cherish the solitude and the grader of nature. There are lots of opportunities for scenic photography. The Torc Waterfall is a short walk through the forest up a slight incline to a beautiful waterfall. The Muckross house completed in 1843 is a wonderful house to take a tour of. It was the home of Henry Arthur Herbert and his wife, Mary, a watercolorist. The rooms are furnished with period décor from the 19th century.

There are some quaint small towns along the way that offer a pub for lunch. All the pubs I visited had soup and wonderful Irish meals. One of my favorites is a toastie. A toastie is made like a grilled cheese sandwich but includes ham, onion, tomato and cheese.

It is recommended due to the narrow roads to drive around the Ring of Kerry clockwise, buses go counterclockwise. That way you do not get stuck behind a tour bus. It takes about four hours to drive the 109 mile Ring of Kerry.

The Ring of Kerry is a relaxing drive around the Iveragh Peninsula and is not to be missed. It is Ireland’s most popular drive in the country. We had a debate on the tour I was on as to which was best Ring of Kerry versus Dingle Peninsula. The results were split almost evenly with a third choice of loved them both. It truly is a personal preference. I voted that I loved them both.

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Bathrooms of Ireland

Posted on October 4, 2013 by write4jan

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To left – is the double button.
Everyone has to use the bathroom at some point in their travels. It is always a bit of an adventure in foreign countries. Every time I leave the US I find something to marvel about in the bathroom. Ireland did not let me down!
I have found that when I enter a bathroom in a foreign country there are two things I have to take note of. First where is the necessary paper – sometimes it is behind you, under the sink, hidden in a cubby, or just hanging on the wall.

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Second is to figure out where the flushing mechanism is. This means you have to look high and low.  (To left – note the paper behind you and the high tank flush.) Sometimes, it is a pedal on the floor, or a button on top of the tank, levers on the front or sides of the tank, pull chains from the ceiling if the tank is high or any manner of other hidden combinations. I have been in some countries that do not flush as continuous flow of water over a trough type contraption. The Irish do provide the necessary paper in the bathroom. I have been in places in Europe where you had to pay for the paper or carry your own. The Irish have two buttons on top of many of their toilets. One button gives you a small flush and the other delivers a full flush to meet your individual needs and conserve water.

In Ireland you do need to carry your own facecloth, washcloth, as very few hotels provided them. During my stay in four hotels, all of which were four and five star hotels, only one had facecloths. I usually buy some cheap white facecloths that I can leave behind when traveling.
As a nurse I am always concerned about hand washing, it is scientifically proven to be the best method to prevention of infection. In Ireland I was impressed with the cleanliness of the bathrooms, availability of soap and individual paper towels to perform proper hand washing. Occasionally, there would be one of those electric hand dryers similar to what we have here, but
the majority of places had individual paper towels. I did see one or two of those old rolls of real towels where you pull out some fresh towel and then it retracts back into the machine. I have not seen them in use in the US for years.
All in all, Ireland gets an A for adventure in the uniqueness of some of their bathroom. To get an A one must be clean first and have something I have not seen before, the double button was the new thing for me!
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Catwalk: Messiah by Nick Kelly

Posted on September 23, 2013 by write4jan

 

 

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What a surprise I loved Catwalk: Messiah by Nick Kelly.  Looking at the cover I thought it was going to be a android robotic tale that I might not like. Surprise, I loved it!  Actually this is a very futuristic book set in the year 2033. It is the exploits of a former cop named Leon “Catwalk” Caliber. Catwalk was anything but your typical cop – he was the cop that chased down rogue machines that needed to be “retired”. Cat left the beat of being a cop but continued to be a “cleaner”.  Now instead of retiring rogue machines he kills and destroys for those that can afford to pay him. Problems arise when Cat becomes the target.  As gun for hire in the City of Angels Cat’s training as a cop is useful in this new life as a hit man that is up for any challenge if the money is right.

The year 2033 is a very violent time and Kelly describes these battles between Catwalk and his foe in great detail that leave me hoping this book will become a movie. Kelly’s ability to draw the reader into the scenes makes this a wonderful read. I do not want to spoil the story but I will tell you it is a page turner till the end. Some will say this is a book for the Young Adult reader. I, however, believe this is a great read for those like myself that are young at heart. This book at times reminded me of Dick Tracey and other heroes of my youth only faced with an apocalyptic challenges. The detail Kelly describes the way that Catwalk is able to function is intriguing and wonderfully detailed. Cat is a human that is technologically enhanced while fully human in his emotions.

Enjoy! I look forward to the next installment in this series and hope for a movie for this one!

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Kilarney, Ireland – Jaunting Carts

Posted on September 18, 2013 by write4jan

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Kilarney, Ireland offered a wonderful way to see the town and countryside.  If you get the opportunity take a Jaunting Cart Ride!  It is a horse drawn cart that goes through town into the countryside.  It is a marvelous way to take in some fresh air and enjoy the Ireland countryside.  We were fortunate to see a herd of deer.

 

 

 

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The thatched roof is a dying art and we saw this beautiful example on our Jaunt.

 

 

 

 

 

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The  Jaunting Cart ride took us out to see Ross Castle circa 1410.  You can just see the ears of our horse at the bottom of this photo. We were able to take a break and explore the castle.

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