Thursday, October 20, 2016

An Introduction to "Horizon-Homeless" By Larry Peterson

Have you ever seen a homeless person and thought, Why don’t they just get a damn job? Did you stop and think that maybe they had a job and then, through no fault of their own, they lost it. Is it possible they tried as hard as they could but could not find another job? Did you consider that maybe there was an illness that altered their life? Maybe pain medications prescribed for an unwanted, debilitating injury turned them into a “victim addict”? Maybe they are a vet with a severe case of PTSD? Maybe it is certain type of mental illness? Do you know anything about that person you are looking at? We should remember that before people become homeless, they lived somewhere.

There are millions of people across this great land of ours that are pre-homeless. Please say hello to Bob and Tracey Slider and their son, Jake. They are a composite of so many American families that cover our land from ‘sea to shining sea’. They are among the millions of unnoticed, hardworking, Americans, locked into survival mode while trying their best to do the “right thing” every day. What happens when they are confronted with circumstances which place them on a road heading downward where the horizon up ahead turns homeless? Can they make the turn and begin heading uphill? What choices will they make? What will determine their success or failure?

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” Matt: 11:28


Wednesday, October 19, 2016

@SueBadeau "Book Signing, Coloring, Wine and Chocolate"

Book Signing, Coloring, Wine and Chocolate

Author and Illustrator Sue and Chelsea Badeau celebrated the local launch of their book, "Building Bridges of Hope: A Coloring Book for Adults Caring for Children Who Have Experienced Trauma" with a book-signing event at the Big Blue Marble Bookstore in their home neighborhood of Mt. Airy in Philadelphia on Friday night, October 14th. Joining them will be another local author, Latasha Goodman-Shears, author of: "Dear Wives: Side Chicks Are Winning."

The Big Blue Marble Bookstore, located at 551 Carpenter Lane in Philadelphia, likes to celebrate local authors and artists and has been honored in Philadelphia Magazine as one of the "Best of Philly" - the magazine says, "Like so much of Mount Airy, Big Blue Marble is well thought-out, community-oriented, and full of unexpected delights."

The Badeaus shared sample coloring pages, read excerpts from their book and encouraged participants to use the practical tools in their book as a way to both prevent stress as well as coping with stress or trauma in their lives. Goodman-Shears will lead a lively discussion on marriage. Throughout the evening, participants were offered wine, lemonade and chocolate goodies.

Thursday, October 6, 2016

@TonyHilling "THE GOD WHO FORGIVES"

I have a fairly wide taste in literature, but for the first time that I can remember I have begun to find an interest in biography. One of the books that I have discovered is Tom Segev’s “Simon Wiesenthal”, the life story of the famous Nazi hunter. I must confess though that what attracted me to the book was not only the subject matter but the price on sale of $2. My friends would knowingly say: you can take the Scot out of Scotland…etc. Anyway, I digress. One interesting anecdote in Wiesenthal’s memoirs is the war time story of when he was called to the bedside of a badly wounded SS soldier who had asked to see a Jew before he died. Somewhat puzzled, Wiesenthal listened to the man confess his involvement with the murder of some Ukrainian Jews in August of 1941. Wiesenthal was even more dumbfounded when the man explained that to die in peace he needed a Jew to forgive him. Wiesenthal’s response was to quietly listen to him, then walk away in silence. Later he heard that the soldier had died and bequeathed him his personal effects. The incident troubled Wiesenthal and he agonized over his decision. He even shared it with some acquaintances and celebrities, asking them: what would they have done.

There was a whole gamut of responses ranging from anger and vindictiveness to complete ignorance of how to respond at all to such a request. Some even doubted the veracity of whether the incident happened at all. Others who knew Wiesenthal well, accepted the matter at face value. One interesting response came from fellow Austrian, Franz Cardinal Konig. He explained that Jesus preached that there was no limit to forgiveness. But he deftly remarked that given the horrors that Jews like Wiesenthal had experienced, an explicit pardon would have been “…beyond our concept of the human.” The Cardinal went on to say that the dying soldier clearly believed in God, and Wiesenthal had listened to him and showed him sympathy. The soldier somehow felt accepted or he would never have bequeathed him his personal belongings.

In the “Voice of Aedistamen”, forgiveness is an important theme. In volume 7 of the story, one of characters is introduced who will eventually experience redemption through forgiveness. But the major thrust of the whole book is the faithfulness of the Ghaedesh-Mor, God in the world of Aedistamen, who forgives the unfaithfulness of his people, and brings about their deliverance as they rediscover Him in their time of cruel bondage.

Returning to Wiesenthal’s remorseful soldier, perhaps this young man had some remnant of nobility of spirit that led him to unburden his terrible crimes to a Jew, a representative of the nation he had persecuted. He had the opportunity no doubt to speak to a pastor or priest, but he wanted to do more. I can’t help thinking though, that he spoke to the wrong Jew—no offence intended against Simon Wiesenthal. There is another Jew who is simply beyond the concept of the human. Only He could address the sin done to others Jews; indeed, the sins of the whole world.</b>

Please drop by Tony's Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Tony-Hilling/e/B00Y3UFUFS/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_3?qid=1475780565&sr=8-3

Coming Soon from @SueBadeau and Chelsea Badeau:"Bubbles & Bears: A Calming Coloring Book"

Coming Soon from Sue and Chelsea Badeau:

"Bubbles & Bears: A Calming Coloring Book" (little kids)

and

"I'm in Charge of My Feelings! A Calming Coloring Book" (school age kids)

"Have you ever said "Calm down!" to a child who is spiraling out of control? It doesn't work too well. When a child is sad, scared or angry, these feelings can often lead to challenging behaviors at home or in the classroom. Parents and other adults in their lives need effective tools to help children manage challenging emotions, re-claim a state of calm and tame difficult behaviors. "Building Bridges of Hope: A Coloring Book for Adults Caring for Children Who Have Experienced Trauma" provides a tool kit for adults in these situations. Soon, the author and illustrator, mother and daughter team Sue and Chelsea Badeau will be releasing two more versions of this popular tool, one for very young children (ages 2-6) and one for school-age children (ages 6 - 12) so they, too, will have their own tool kit of calming activities at their fingertips."


Right now you can grab Sue and Chelsea's "Building Bridges of Hope" on Amazon in ebook or paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Building-Bridges-Hope-Chelsea-Badeau/dp/1622085930/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1475779497&sr=8-1