February #Giveaway
I’m going to be hosting a giveaway each month this year. They will start on a Monday at 10 am EST and end that Friday at 10 am. Winner will be announced the following Monday at 10 am. This month I’m giving away a signed copy of my book Prize of War. Prize has been on Amazon’s list of bestsellers …
Veni, Vidi, Vici
“Veni, vidi, vici.” I came, I saw, I conquered. These words, reportedly spoken by Julius Caesar, exemplify Rome and its army. At its height, Rome ruled most of the then-known world, stretching from Britain to Egypt and covering almost 2 million square miles. One of the main reasons the Empire became powerful enough to control such enormous swaths of land was its army. Very …
Of Mice and Sand
The Negev is a desert covering over half of Israel’s total land area. Rocky mountain ranges are broken by wadis (dry riverbeds that fill after a rain), and three enormous, craterlike makhteshim (box canyons). It is an inverted triangle bordered on the west by the desert of the Sinai Peninsula, and on the east by the Arabah valley. The word negev comes from the Hebrew root denoting “dry.” In the …
The Second Day of Christmas
I have always wondered what the song “The Twelve days of Christmas” meant. I looked it up this year. It refers to Christmastide, the days between Christmas Day and Epiphany. In the more liturgical churches, there is a feast on each of those days—on every day, actually. I am not Catholic or Orthodox, but I thought I’d share with you …
It Doesn’t Matter Who Wins
In a little over two weeks, election day will be upon us. Many of us dread it. Some are still unsure of our vote. We have an awful choice next month. One one side we have an arrogant pig of a man who may or may not protect my rights as a Christian while disrespecting me as a woman, and …
Do You Remember the Cookie Monster?
With all due respect to the cookie monster, C is not for cookie. I do love a good cookie, but C is for chocolate. Chocolate is the food of the gods—literally. Theobroma cacao, the scientific name for the cocoa bean, translates as “food of the gods.” The ancient Incas, Mayans, and Aztecs believed it was a source of power, …
When God Paints the Sky
is for bed. I love my bed. It’s soft and comfortable and warm. I hate to admit that I am getting to that age where I don’t sleep well if I am not in my own bed. Or maybe that’s just me, no matter my age. I usually sleep cold, and even most hotel beds are not warm enough for …
A is for Apple
Like a lot of people, I love fall. New school year, new things to study, new things to write about. Thanksgiving—that’s always been one of my favorite days of the year. So this year I’m going to go through the alphabet and think of things I am grateful for. And while I am obviously most thankful for my family and …
The Face of True Courage
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know all about Caitlyn (Bruce) Jenner. You probably know Wednesday night she received ESPN’s Arthur Ashe Courage Award. Caitlyn spent some of her considerable fame and fortune to make an admittedly substantial change in her life. But she did not swim against the tide of public opinion by any stretch of the …