Review of Seeds of Deception for Blog for Books

A friend of mine agreed to let me post her review:

Georgiana Preskar has given us a source, Seeds of Deception, that makes some very enlightening information available to parents who care about what their children learn at school. The author uses an easy to read, comfortable format, but the book is not pleasant reading since the facts are so disturbing. For example, Ms. Preskar makes wild claims about connections between homosexuality and Hitler's agenda and then compares that phenomenon with mind control in our schools. However, and much to my chagrin, she has researched these claims very well and provides some very convincing documentation.

I am a Christian and a public school teacher who hesitated to read this book, anticipating accusations against "those humanist teachers who are out to get your kids," which is what I often see and hear in Christian circles. In reality, most teachers are very interested in your child's well-being, and the author respects the integrity of the teacher. However, this book identifies the hidden sources of influence that are capable of destroying every Godly thought that you have lovingly and painstakingly nurtured in your child.

Please read Seeds of Deception. In spite of some distracting editing oversights in the text, the book can educate and inspire parents to counter the deception behind a number of the programs now in place in the public school systems of our nation. We are now without excuse for being ignorant of the agenda. - Reviewed by E. Horton

Important Notice from Donna

My laptop has died. Let's have a moment of silence.....

Okay, I'm back. I did put a bunch of writing on a CD in March, so I have some records, but you know how it is. There's a lot on there that I'd compiled in the last two months - especially stuff to do with Topsy Turvy Land, the children's book. If you've contacted me for a copy or to do a review, contact me again please.

My most current mailing list was on the laptop. If you're on either the Topsy Turvy Land or the Devotionals by Donna list, be sure to email me so I can add you back on! Or even easier - sign up using the form to the right of this post!

If you know of friends and family who were on the list, please forward this on by clicking on the little white envelope in the bottom right-hand corner of this post.

I've checked into getting a professional mailing list, because the Devotional list is getting quite large. I'd already had fifty people sign up for the Topsy Turvy Land list!

As soon as I get it compiled, I'm printing it out. Good old paper and ink. Thanks so much, and once again, I'm so sorry for the inconvenience!

Donna

Green-Eyed Monster

A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones. - Proverbs 14:30

Recently I received a book by snail mail - a gift from an author I met on-line. I took the book downstairs and propped it up on the bookrack on my new treadmill. I opened it up being careful not to break the spine. I love the way a new book feels. I love the way I feel - excited about the treasure hidden between the covers.

And what a treasure it was. The writer included an entire book's worth of information in the first chapter. My thirty-minute workout passed by before I knew it.

While I savored the spiritual morsels in the book, I had to quash an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach - something like literary nausea. Why would I ever try to write another word? Who was I to think I could communicate deep spiritual insights? I'm shallow.

As a first step to rid myself of this illness, I sent an email to the author praising her book. Then I prayed. And prayed some more. If I am to continue to write, I must believe God has a message contained in this container of clay that only I can write. I asked God to replace jealousy with trust. I do trust in His plan, His will, and His purpose for me, and my plea is for strength and wisdom to build on His blueprint for my life.

Admitting my feelings represents a healthy step in overcoming them. James wrote, "But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth" (James 3: 14).

Soon it wasn't difficult to admit I would not have wanted to write the book that induced such envy. Many tears and heartache had been experienced before the author wrote the first word. Deep insight came from passing through deep valleys. Mountaintop highs resulted in magnificent praise.

Paul wrote, "Let us not desire vainglory, provoking one another, envying one another" (Gal. 5:26).

When I read beautiful writing, I desire to give genuine compliments to the author, and praise to God Who inspired the author.

Do you ever find yourself in this same trap? Maybe the ministry isn't writing, but singing or teaching or preaching.

Let us praise God at all times for His goodness and His faithfulness to inspire beauty - whether it comes though us or someone else.

I have green eyes. I don't want them to be green with envy.

Prayer: Lord, I thank You for the burden to work for You, and ask that You anoint me to do the work You have for me. Help me to praise others and encourage them in their ministries. In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.

A Mentor Named Mary

A wonderful woman named Mary Preston was a mentor to me in my early years of singing, and instrumental in my learning to play the piano. She never had children, but she treated me as I were her own. I share this in honor of Mother's Day.

As a teenager I sang in the church choir. I enjoyed watching the pianist, Mary, as her fingers glided across the ivories providing the upbeat and lively accompaniment to our choir specials.

One Sunday Mary stopped me after church. “Donna, you have a good voice. Have you ever thought of singing a solo?”

The idea of singing by myself terrified me, but I went to Mary’s for the fun of it. We practiced for a while. Afterwards she served the most fantastic chocolate cake I’d ever tasted. I’m not sure how she convinced me – maybe it was the caffeine, but I agreed to sing a solo in church the next Sunday.

Then one day she invited me to her home. Two other women showed up. Mary announced, “These are your backup singers.”

Mary continued to mentor me over the next few years. She invited me to her home often, and on special occasions fixed her famous chocolate cake. Written out, the recipe covered an entire page of single-spaced notebook paper, and required a significant amount of time to prepare.

So what was a special occasion? Anytime I came over. Mary always managed to have a freshly baked cake for me, and we celebrated many truly special occasions – my first solo, the first time we sang as a group, the recording of my first album, which Mary and her husband financed, and eventually, my stepping out to sing in a group that traveled our tri-state area.

Shortly after I got married, Mary found out she had cancer and passed away within no time. After her death, I was blessed to bring her piano to my home and learn to play.

When I think of Mary, I recall her dedication to mentor a young woman like me. In Luke 6:40 (NIV), Jesus said, “A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.” Thirty years later, I’m still singing. I’m a pastor’s wife, and I learned to play that piano and now, like Mary was so long ago, I’m the church pianist.

Often I think of Mary and the encouragement and blessing she bestowed upon my life, and I’m reminded of a woman who sacrificed her time and talent to help a floundering young woman find her purpose.

I still eat chocolate every day, but despite my best effort, I’ve never been able to duplicate Mary’s cake. I pray I’ll be able to duplicate her ministry as a mentor to someone else.

And I’m sure to give that recipe another try!

*To make a cake similar to Mary's, click here.

Daily Grace for Women

It was my privilege to be a contributing writer to Daily Grace for Women, Devotional Reflections to Nourish Your Soul, Honor Books, April 2005. For more information, see the sidebar on the right.

Thank you to everyone who sent congrats and shared in my excitement. God bless you.

Training for Life

This month InspiredMoms.com features inspiring daily devotionals written by their team of Inspired Moms writers and guest writers. The title of the series is Mom, You Have Character!

I wrote one for March 31st called Training for Life. Click here to read!

Giving Up the Goal

Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? - Galatians 3:3 niv

This morning when you started your day, did you have an agenda? Many people, at least the more organized ones, begin by consulting a ‘to do’ list. In our society, being goal oriented is viewed as a good attribute.

It seems as if I fight a continual battle to get and stay organized. I make out my list, marking off the more important tasks, dividing them into categories, and putting a checkmark beside each task as I complete it.

Many times, I barely get the list compiled, and I need to crumple it up and throw it out. Each day is an adventure, and some days I have to give up my goals and let God decide.

I love the way David described life in Psalm 139. We are “fearfully and wonderfully made” and “all the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.” Did you know that God ordained your life before you took your first breath? Ordain means to put in order by virtue of superior authority.

When life throws me lemons, I try to squeeze the adversity out of it, and let the sweet Holy Spirit calm me while I sip my ‘spiritual lemonade.’ In my distress, I do my best to remember that God is in control. It’s difficult to surrender. Our nature is to try to control, but when we surrender, we give up the goals, and let God decide.

I’ll continue to write my lists. God is not the author of confusion. I desire to set goals that reflect godly priorities, and depend on God to direct me on this path through life – even when my day doesn’t pattern itself after my ‘to do’ list.

When I think of the book mentioned in Psalm 139:16, I wonder what my book of life looks like. How many chapters does it have? I hope it’s a nice, thick book!

Prayer: Lord, I thank you for the very breath of life. I pray that I will live this day as You direct and guide. Help me to live according to the Spirit, submitting my will to Yours. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.