Book Review : Motive Games

Motive Games is written for young adults who play video/computer games and, although I don’t fit either of these criteria, I still enjoyed the book. I was unfamiliar with all the jargon, but I understood enough about computers to connect with the story. There is a glossary of these terms at the back of the book.

The story concerns Phil whose father was a computer game designer. He died in an apparent accident when he fell down a flight of stairs. Phil, however, believes he was pushed and seeks to discover who is responsible. It is an engaging story with all the usual twists and hidden clues that you would expect in a murder mystery.

Along the way we gain insights into the world of computer gaming and the big business that this high-tech industry provides. It also provides many possible motives for Phil’s father’s death. Phil takes huge risks to find the evidence he needs to convict his father’s killer and in the process learns and grows as a person.

L.D. Taylor is a Christian author and this subtle influence ensures the book promotes the value of completing schooling as well as encouraging gamers not to spend all their free time playing online games.

Overall a great read.

On giving up caffeine

I started drinking tea as a kid and by the time I was 20 I was drinking 6-7 cups a day. At the time this didn’t seem unusual and I suffered no ill effects. Over the years I have cut back and replaced some cups with water and some with decaffeinated tea which apparently reduces the caffeine content by about 90%. I’ve never drank coffee which has a higher caffeine content per cup.

The reason I cut back my caffeine intake is not because it is causing me any problems – it is only a problem when I stop, and often I unintentionally stop when I go on holidays. When I am at home I drink tea regularly throughout the day but when I’m away I forget. I’m out and about and don’t consider the fact that if I don’t have a cup of tea I’m going to end up with a headache. I dislike the idea of planning my holidays around my tea drinking habits. Furthermore I really only like plain, ordinary tea. I’m not even a fan of English Breakfast and I’m finding these days some cafés don’t sell plain, ordinary tea. So I’m faced with the further dilemma of buying a favoured tea that I don’t really like just to prevent myself getting a headache when I’d really prefer to have a hot chocolate.

Prior to my last holiday I had cut back to one cup of ordinary tea and one cup of decaffeinated tea a day. Then whilst on holidays I decided to only drink three cups of decaf tea a day.

The first week wasn’t ok. I had a few headaches but it wasn’t too bad but the second week was worse. I was having headaches every day and sometimes they were quite severe. Things were better the third week and now it’s been a month I’m fine. However I’m still having some caffeine.

At this stage I’m going to stick to my three cups of decaf tea a day and see what happens next holiday.

Does anyone else have a story about their caffeine habits?

Devotional Thought : Mark 6:51-52

They were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened. Mark 6:51-52

The disciples did not always understand God’s ways, some days neither do we. Yet Jesus did not give up on them, nor does he give up on us. The explanation for their lack of understanding was that their hearts were hardened. How did their hearts become hard?

The disciples had seen Jesus doing miraculous things – healing the sick, feeding the five thousand, calming a storm and now Jesus walks on water. The disciples were familiar with the prophesises concerning the Messiah and, as Jesus told John, he was doing those things which were consistent with being the Messiah: “The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor” (Matthew 11:5).

There was some expectation that the Messiah might feed his people like Moses had, but it was not prophesied that the Messiah would multiply food, calm a storm or walk on water. The disciples had not understood Jesus’ complete power over nature.

Yet Jesus expected them to have learnt from his teaching and his miracles. He expected them to apply the truth they had seen and heard to grow in their understanding of the Messiah. But often the disciples were stuck in their preconceived ideas and often we are too. If we have not seen Jesus do miracles in our lives, we may not expect him to do miracles for others. Nevertheless as the day of his second coming approaches it is foretold that we will see more of the miraculous.

The disciples didn't have heartened hearts forever. God was able to soften their hearts and he will soften ours too, if we let him.

Book Review : The Magician’s Daughter

The Magician’s Daughter by Justyn Walker is a delightful children’s story about two misfit children, Georgie and Thomas, who fall through a puddle into another world. In this other world they are given a task to complete which requires courage and a sense of adventure. There is also a degree of mystery as you are never quite sure who is a friend and who is an enemy.

The story is told with a sense of fun which makes it a very enjoyable read. There is enough similarity with the real world to make it easy to relate to and enough difference to make it intriguing.

Through the completing of the task, Georgie and Thomas also learn a lot about themselves and their place in the world. In this there is a covert Christian message about our value as people.

Overall a fun read for primary school children.

Devotional Thought : Mark 5:19, 43

“Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you” …He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this. Mark 5:19 & 43

The previously demon possessed man is encouraged to tell everyone about his healing yet Jesus gives strict orders that no one speak of the healing of the girl.

Of course geographically these were two very different places. The demon possessed man lived in a Gentile area but the young girl lived in Jewish Galilee. The Gentiles had few preconceived ideas about the Messiah so Jesus was able to tell the man to share his miraculous healing with others. However in Galilee Jesus had to be careful that the people didn’t respond by prematurely claiming him as their king. Or alternatively being so disillusioned because he didn’t match their preconceived ideas that they prematurely kill him.

Different contexts required a different directive from Jesus.

It is important lesson for us. We cannot assume God wants us to react in the same way even when it appears to us that God is doing something similar to what we have seen before. God treats us as individuals and does not respond in a one size fits all fashion.

It is an easy trap for us to fall into. We think we know what people need to hear. We think we know what others should do. We freely give out advice without taking the time to listen and being sensitive to where people are at spiritually.

God knows people’s contexts far better than we do. He knows what they need to hear at a particular point of time. If we are going to minister effectively to others we must first listen to his Spirit.

Blog Tour : Ellenvale Gold

This month's blog tour organized by Australian Christian Readers Blog Alliance is for the fictional book: Ellenvale Gold by Amanda Deed.

Read my book review here.

6 - 10 May

Australian Christian Readers Blog Alliance

is introducing

Ellenvale Gold

(Even Before Publishing November 2012)

by
Amanda Deed

Available from Amazon
&
Light the Dark

About the Author:
Amanda Deed grew up in the South Eastern suburbs of Melbourne in a Christian home, and found faith at an early age. She has followed her passion to serve the Lord through music and literature since her teen years. Now married, with three children, Amanda enjoys the variety of being a mother, finance administrator, musician and historical romance writer. Her debut novel, The Game, won the 2010 CALEB Prize for fiction, and Ellenvale Gold was a finalist for the same prize in 2012.

For more information go to www.amandadeed.com.au.

About the Book:
It is the time of Australia’s harsh rogue-filled goldrush of the 1850’s when Miss Penelope Worthington suddenly finds herself orphaned, isolated and alone. With a large sheep station to run single-handedly, she has little option but to enlist the aid of a mysterious, but sinister stranger. But who is the more treacherous? Gus—the scruffy, trespassing, ex-convict who co-incidentally shows up looking for work just when she desperately needs a farmhand or Rupert—the handsome, wealthy neighbour who would willingly marry her at the drop of a hat and solve her apparent dilemma? Repeatedly, her faith is tested as she faces the unforgiving elements, deceit, lies and uncertainty. But where and how will it all end? But…is it the end? Will vengeance return or will Penny’s faith prevail?

Book Review : Ellenvale Gold

Ellenvale Gold is currently being featured on the Australian Christian Readers Blog Alliance. Information about the author and more details about the book can be found here.

Ellenvale Gold is an enjoyable story, set during the gold rush days in Victoria. The story revolves around the developing romantic relationship between two unlikely people. Amanda Deed does a great job in creating a believable characters and a realistic context.

Penelope Worthington, the main character, faces a number of trials trying to run a property after her father’s death – the most dangerous of these being a flood and her dubious neighbours. She is offered help from an ex-convict which severely challenges her principles. Through these incidents Penelope finds faith but doubts also plague her as she faces difficult choices.

One of the reasons I enjoyed this book is because Amanda has handled the Christian aspects of this story particularly well. Through the characters we are given insights into some of the less obvious issues confronting some people when they convert to Christianity. Prejudices and preconceived ideas can cause some to stumble in their faith and it was interesting to see this fleshed out in the story.

A good read.

Thanks to Even Before Publishing for providing a free book for review.