Poetry and Pictures...by Adolfo...

Memorial Day, 2011

Adolph Caso

Rhododendrons abounding

In full bloom along the graveyard

With stones going back:

from the Revolution

to the Civil War

and from World War II

to the present conflict:

Our emotions registering

Over the names of each fallen brave

Kept close to our hearts

By our right hands

In sync with the rhythm

Of the Star Spangled Banner,

Pondering:

How the Revolution

Created the nation,

How its Civil War

Preserved it,

And how the second war

saved the world

From threats

By Communists and Nazi.

With the mention

of the fallen from Iraq,

The metaphor of the madras

Ripped my heart apart

Envisioning the next conflict

To save and preserve the human soul,

confident,

in view of the gatherers,

that America will,

once again

come through

to fulfill the incipient principles

on which this country was founded.

Wingless Flight

Adolph Caso

If you had wings

I could not teach you

How to fly,

Even if one loves

And the other does not.

or better,

if both are in love.

Birds soaring toward heaven

On wings spread wide

Never reach it

No matter how hard they try.

But,

When two people fall in love

Heaven

Mysteriously

Comes down to them

And teaching how to love

All but becomes un-necessary.

Not possible to birds,

Wingless flights

Will abound,

Each time,

We truly fall in love!

I Keep Revising and Revising; God is Patiently Waiting...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus

Revise Us Again:


Living From A 
Renewed Christian Script


By Frank Viola


Mike Morrell: “Perhaps you know Frank Viola as a prophetic voice lifting up Jesus Christ and God’s eternal purpose; perhaps you know him for his iconoclastic writings on church reform. Maybe you’re encountering his work for the first time. In any case, you’re in for a compelling treat with Revise Us Again. In ten easy-to-read chapters, Frank gently—but directly—invites us to revise our long-held ‘scripted’ assumptions about how God communicates to us, how Christians speak to one another, the work of the Holy Spirit in our midst today, and the content of the good news we proclaim to our friends and neighbors. The result is vintage Viola—a sacred-cow barbecue with little aftertaste. Highly recommended!”


http://youtu.be/gntAKRXfFeo (Book Trailer)



I've spent all of my adult life in some form of work that included working on writing and revising--letters, policies, pamphlets, reports, and books. So I thoroughly enjoyed the title and cover selected for Frank Viola's latest teaching text.

Perhaps it is my age, but I couldn't find one thing to which I didn't totally agree. What that means is that, at my age, it is somewhat easier to look back and recognize where and when you've not done what you would have wanted to do in a given situation. You've also had the time to stop and analyze what it is you truly believe about your Christian life. If you have not already done so, I highly recommend you take the opportunity to read Revise Us Again. Even if you have taken the time to "know thyself," this is still a wonderful, easy-to-read review--because we all need continuous renewal!

Viola begins by suggesting a revision of the Lord's Voice. Now, you will immediately realize as I did that what this is really saying is that we must consider how it is we "listen" for and then "share" the Lord's voice...

Here's where we fit...our background has provided a "lens" through which we have traditionally responded to the Lord's Voice. For example, here are a few examples for those who observe a stop sign.

A fundamentalist stops at the stop sign and waits for it to tell him to go. A Christian who follows the tradition of her denomination does not bother to read the sign, but she will stop if the car in front of her does. A Southern Baptist believes that God wants him to stop at the sign, but he will still be saved if he does not.

Of course, I picked out the ones that more closely reflected my own experiences; however, you will enjoy reading the other "silly" examples he uses to make us sit up and take notice.

Somewhere along in your life, if you've been a Christian for many years, you will have met one or more individuals who have said something like, "The Lord told me that your (whatever action that has caused the statement). The last time somebody said that to me, I responded, "I am hurt that you would say that my action is not from God..." (and then went on to discuss from there) Of course, it could be true that we do do things that offend God. But something that we do which offends an associate may be exactly what needed to be said in that circumstance. "The Lord helps us to revise our ears so that we may learn to hear the voice of the Shepherd through each one of His sheep." (p. 25)

Sometimes religion is used to hide behind. For instance, if you are asked to contribute extra toward a special activity your church or organization is planning. If your normal response is "I'll pray about it," most people will soon catch on that you don't intend to affirmatively respond. Are we using "Christian code language" for our own purposes?

I think the most important reminder for me was that we have an indwelling Christ. "Not I, but Christ" living in me. Can each of us truly say that our actions reflect Christ's spirit in me? I know I can't...If you also cannot, then this little gem will help! And how do we "deliberately [be] conscious of God's presence? By simply placing your attention upon Him." Using one of my favorite self-reminders, "be still and know..." (p. 77)

When I first started working on a college campus, I had an experience when "the dark night" arrived--when I could no longer sense His presence. Fortunately, I was able to talk with friends and realize that this was meant to show how others felt without the Holy Spirit. This is one of the important times about which you will learn! (p. 81)

Viola speaks on jealousy, envy, restoring God's spirit, the gifts of the spirit and challenges us by pointing out that "our" Christ may be toooooo small! (p. 129) If you were to ask me, and I hope you would, I would say Revise Us Again is a must-read! Highly recommended for new Christians as well as those of us who may have gotten set in our ways and need--revised!

Book Received Via
SpeakEasy Bloggers
Mike Morrell

GABixlerReviews

Latest in Reincarnationist Series Leaves Me Hungry For More...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Chryselephantine_sculpture

The 
Hypnotist


By M. J. Rose




Rose (www.mjrose.com) has been featured in Oprah Magazine, the New York Times, Newsweek, Time, USA Today, The Boston Globe, the Today Show, and NPR radio. She has published eleven novels, and since 2005 has run the first marketing company for authors: Authorbuzz.com.  She is the Keynote speaker for the upcoming South Carolina Writers Conference in the fall, and a founding board member of International Thriller Writers.  She lives in CT. 




I love book series. Sometimes I wonder whether the author purposefully works to have each new book be "the best" or whether, as a reader, we just become so involved in the story line and characters, that we more easily are enthralled. Two things happened in the third book of The Reincarnationist series that totally blew me away! At least for me, I am now hoping that the series continues; I'm not ready for this to end!

The great thing that happened was that the FBI agent who had been only one of the two characters continued in all books, became the lead in The Hypnotist--in practically every way possible, including romantically. At the same time, the man known as The Reincarnationist took a back seat to most of the action and was even discredited within The Phoenix Foundation. This latter action caused my thirst for more--surely we will see the end of his long sought after obsessive goal. In short I want to see his story concluded...

We had learned that Lucian Glass was an art student when the love of his life was murdered. After that he had dropped out of school  and moved into law enforcement. With his background, however, he was now a major investigator on the FBI's Art Crime Team.

Earlier case activities that involved items related to the possibility of reincarnation had brought about a somewhat obsessive need to convict The Reincarnationist of at least instigating theft and murder even if he had not personally been involved. Glass' trip to Vienna, in The Memorist, had an unexpected outcome for him however. Glass had received a head injury that had forced some time off.

Though now back at work, Lucian has been having headaches and terrible nightmares. The dreams are so disturbing they wake him and he must get up. The vision of a woman is so demanding that he found he needed to start drawing her. Page after page is completed, trying to create a perfect image of the woman in his dream.

But there is more than one woman...

And each one reveals their terror, pain and fear...

At the same time, word is received that the head of The Memorist society in Vienna has been murdered. The investigation revolves around an apparent list of "memory tools." Glass is convinced that Malachai is once again involved. But he has a new and different plan by which he wants to approach this latest theft. Glass wants to seek the services of a new member of The Phoenix Foundation--one who works with adults who believe they are experiencing past-life activities. Glass plans to pretend to be willing to be hypnotized, while he  works with his doctor within the Foundation's building, thus gaining him an inside position which might lead to learning more.

However, Glass is unable to resist the hypnotic trances!

And he soon finds two of the women about whom he has been dreaming and identifies his past role in each of their lives!

Two different events bring Lucian's investigations to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Ultimately, both involved a very old chryselephantine sculpture that had been at the Museum for years. However, a new display was being worked on and publicity had resulted in a demand from Iran that the sculpture, which had been stolen from them, should be returned. Thus far, the paperwork presented had not been authentic proof of that claim.

At the same time, another demand was made to the Museum. It came with a famous painting that had been destroyed. The painting had been originally donated and belonged to the Museum but had been stolen. This individual offered to return four other stolen items in exchange for the sculpture, called Hypnos, the personification of sleep from Greek mythology. Why would somebody willingly exchange paintings worth millions of dollars for a sculpture that was worth much less?

If our lives through reincarnation were so closely woven that past histories would lead to, and affect, what was happening in today's world, it would truly be a fascinating world, don't you think? M. J. Rose has merged the past so intricately into the present, to solve today's crimes, that you might almost believe The Hypnotist is indeed just the journal of the lives lived by Lucian Glass and how knowledge of his earlier lives led to his being the man who became the hero in solving today's crimes! Rose's challenge was to make us feel the potential--she's done a magnificent job, especially in her latest book in this series! Highly recommended!

Book Received Via
JessicaKeener.com




GABixlerReviews

Read My Review for First in Series!
Follow on With Second in this Wonderful Series!

Bitten Twice Blog Tour Back For Review of Marked! Welcome!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092319/

Marked


By Bitten Twice


Start by reading First Stop of Tour to BRH if you missed it and Meet Bitten Twice!








If I were a writer, Marked would be something like I would write...I love cats, cat shape-shifter movies have been favorites, and, of course, I loved the TV show "Beauty and the Beast." Most importantly, the main character is the King of the Cats! How cool!

Let me start by sharing this beautifully written opening paragraph of the Prologue:

Since the beginning of time, the invitation for dusk was pre-empted by a glorious display of the sun’s magnificence. The light, in a breathtaking array of reds, oranges, and yellows, kissed the mountains, rocks, trees and grasses, in a promise of tomorrow’s possibilities before being consumed by darkness.

It is there in Africa that King Zor met the human woman he had marked. And later, she bore him three cubs but died during their birth. King Zor took them to the Queen of his pride and there Zan, Ari, and Ova lived until Zan was old enough. Zan was now King of the Cats!

 In New York City, the head of the Knights of Templar had called a special meeting. The future held even more dangers than the past and a council of agencies had been formed to provide safety and security. The United Nations, Interpol, FBI, CIA, et.al., were joined with representatives from those animals who could change into human form--the cats and wolves.

It was on his way to this meeting that Zan met Catherine... Catherine was the administrative assistant to the Council's chairman.(my own imagination led me to believe that this Catherine is the great-great-great granddaughter of Catherine, who bore Vincent his child, in the television show...LOL You'll see why when you see some of the things that the younger Catherine does. Actually, since they weren't explained, I'm hoping that there is going to be at least one sequel to Marked.)

Mutual attraction which quickly drew Catherine and Zan into a hot and heavy interlude led to the beginning of Catherine's being marked as Zan's...

However, just as the meeting was to begin, Ari, Zan's sister notified him that his palace was being surrounded leading to an attack--by Templar Knights! It was soon realized that what surrounded them was not even human and Ari led a defensive fight that soon defeated the invaders.

But the Council realized that this was probably just the beginning and immediately assignments were made to the various groups attending.

Preparing to leave, Zan first made sure that Catherine was safe. But the guards were unsuccessful and she was abducted, only to be quietly whisked away by Ova, Zan's sister. Ova is a character you will enjoy getting to know and, especially, watch as she comes into her own magical powers.

Thinking she was taking Catherine to safety, she took her to their home where large cats roamed, guarding the palace. Finally she went to sleep--to wake up next to Zan--As King of the Cats! Can't you just imagine her face as she awakens to long golden fur surrounding her...

It was an underlord of Hell who had found portals into our world and was stirring up trouble this time in a classic good versus evil action adventure. This is an exciting complement to the instinctive "mating" of Catherine and Zan. To add even more spice, Ari becomes interested in none other than the leader of the wolves...

If you love fantasy, this book is definitely for you. It is fun to imagine the catacombs that run under New York City, to see what sophisticated computer and electronic tools are used along with ancient magical swords, and to see the writer's creative shape shifts in the middle of life-threatening activities. Bitten Twice certainly knows fantasy and is able to provide a flawlessly created world into which readers willingly tumble. Highly recommended for your enjoyment.

Book Received Via
Mystical Events

GABixlerReviews

M. J. Rose's 2nd in Series Shares Wonderful Past Life with Beethoven...

http://thebuzzinbox.com/blog/tag/beethoven/

The Memorist


By M. J. Rose



Rose (www.mjrose.com) has been featured in Oprah Magazine, the New York Times, Newsweek, Time, USA Today, The Boston Globe, the Today Show, and NPR radio. She has published eleven novels, and since 2005 has run the first marketing company for authors: Authorbuzz.com.  She is the Keynote speaker for the upcoming South Carolina Writers Conference in the fall, and a founding board member of International Thriller Writers.  She lives in CT. 



As a classical music enthusiast,  I was excited to read the "past life" of a character that included a relationship with Beethoven. It was intriguing to read about the lifestyle that was portrayed for him. Others may have read biographical material for him, but for me it was new and very realistic as part of Rose' story...

In the 1800s Margaux had met Beethoven when she became his student. To learn from him was not the main reason she had come. It was said he had the flute and she was there to get it back. The flute had been found by Margaux's husband and, while his partner had come back from the trip where it had been discovered, he had not. Margaux had learned that he was still ill but alive and she needed the flute to sell so that she could have the money to arrange his return home. The flute was said to have magical properties, which, when played correctly, would allow the listener to know all of his past lives. Beethoven had been asked to try to interpret the many engravings on the flute and possibly figure out what music must be played to allow the magic to work. Beethoven had then asked Margaux to help him hide the flute once he had figured out and listened to the music. He knew that it could be very dangerous in the wrong hands.

The flute had been carved out of human bone thousands of years ago. The bone had been stolen by the man's lover after his cremation and was then carved by his lover's brother to try to help his grieving sister.

Both of these past lives had been lived by Meer, who had finally accepted that what she was experiencing was not just stories she made up in her imagination. In the present time, she had once again learned of news about the flute. Meer's father had, since her childhood, tried to help her understand his belief in reincarnation. Often he was asked to investigate and find relics that had been lost or stolen from his Jewish clients. When he had visited a home to inspect a document, he happened to see a gaming box openly displayed in the home. The box cover was very similar to what his daughter had dreamed about for so many years.

In it a secret compartment was found which revealed a personal letter from Beethoven to a woman who had been very close to him. The box had been a gift to her, but it also contained instructions and information on how to find the flute.

But right at the time Meer was to see it for the first time, it was stolen!

Much of the novel follows the search for the lost box, the letter, and the flute, taking evertbody involved to Vienna. However, an interesting parallel plot carried the story of arrangements for a large symposium of companies involved in security. Part of that event was to have a major concert for the participants as well as outside individuals. The security agencies attending had also had the opportunity to bid on providing security for the group's events. And the major security risk was where the concert was to be held.

Although there was a reason that a major security problem was planned for that building, Rose integrated a fantastic past-life experience for the terrorist! The switch from the explosion that could have culminated at the concert was instead so amazingly ingenuous that readers must just...experience it!

Only two characters are brought forward from the first book and then carried into the final book, The Hypnotist. Malachai Samuels, known as The Reincarnationist who works at The Phoenix Foundation, has helped thousands of children through their past-life experiences. Because of his constant obsession about finding tangible proof of reincarnation, he always travels to wherever there is a potential that a "tool" has been found. And that's why FBI agent Lucien Glass who is convinced he is behind everything that happens...has become just as obsessive as Malachai and is now involved with the present investigation, insofar as the local police are willing to allow him...

M. J. Rose creates complex life stories for a variety of characters and easily maintains ongoing stories at various time periods to ultimately move the story forward while one life story may have been completed while others are left hanging...waiting... I loved the way, for instance, that Meer, the main character, was able to finally resolve the problem for a small boy even though his father had put many lives in danger when he assumed he could handle the problem.

Whether you believe in reincarnation or not, the fascination of how each life could potentially move from one life to another is intriguing and mysteriously magical in its potential. The complexity and intertwined story-lines are brilliantly created and presented by M. J. Rose. For myself, I enjoyed this one even more than the first in the series; however, lovers of suspense, mystery and intrigue will find everything they could want to enjoy...and more!

Book Purchased

GABixlerReviews



Review coming next!

First in Reincarnationist Series Burns Hot and Fast!

Phoenix depicted in the book of mythological creatures
by F.J. Bertuch (1747-1822).

        The
Reincarnationist


By M. J. Rose


Rose (www.mjrose.com) has been featured in Oprah Magazine, the New York Times, Newsweek, Time, USA Today, The Boston Globe, the Today Show, and NPR radio. She has published eleven novels, and since 2005 has run the first marketing company for authors: Authorbuzz.com.  She is the Keynote speaker for the upcoming South Carolina Writers Conference in the fall, and a founding board member of International Thriller Writers.  She lives in CT.




M. J. Rose has a winning series, starting with The Reincarnationist. Watch for my reviews of The Memorist and The Hypnotist, the latest. I loved the mysticism, the "potential," as well as the exploration of architectural sites from our past and the suspenseful, intriguing mysteries that this first novel provided. I just knew I would, especially when Douglas Preston said, "I'm sick with envy I didn't think of it myself." To me that ensured I would be a fan!

Josh Ryder was hurt when a bomb exploded. At first he thought that injury had led to hallucinations. But his emotions were totally involved and it seemed that what he was experiencing were actually memories. The memories seem to be ancient and much of what he recalled was about gods that existed prior to the time of Christianity.


When he could no longer deal with what was happening to him on his own, he sought out representatives of The Phoenix Foundation, a group dedicated to the study and support of individuals who seem to be experiencing past-life activities.

Although the group only served children, Josh had explained his interest in learning more about their activities. As a photojournalist he was allowed to enter into discussions and had been working along side with the professional leaders and even with some of the children. It was through this group that Josh learned of a new archaeological dig in Rome.

When he arrived in Italy, although scheduled to meet with the Professor in charge of the dig, he became so agitated that he left his hotel,  and without knowing where the dig was, soon found that he had walked there! Meeting the Professor, he shared what was happening to him and was invited to enter down into what the Professor believed to have been an underground room, a gravesite. He believed it had been a tomb where a vestal virgin for a pagan religion had been buried alive there in that cell.

As soon as Josh had entered, he saw her there in a corner where she must have been digging, trying to escape. Sabina! Josh was moving back and forth between ancient times and the present. One thing he knew, he had been in this space before. He knew the woman that had been buried here. He also knew that he had loved her and that they had shared a secret love affair. She had been buried because he had made love to the head vestal virgin. She was going to have a baby and that was punishable by death!

Then something very strange happened to Josh. He saw that she appeared to have been digging in a certain wall and before the Professor could stop him, Josh went to that corner and using his own hands dug deep, so deep that he couldn't turn or barely move, but he had found what he was apparently supposed to find, a skeleton was buried there.

Suddenly Josh heard two voices arguing. The Professor was in trouble, but Josh couldn't get out to help him. Finally he calmed enough to realize he would have to crawl backwards to get out. By the time he was coming to the opening, he saw the men fighting, one grabbed a box that was held by Sabina (The Professor had called her Bella...) and stole what was inside, destroying the box. Still trying to stop the man from taking anything from the tomb, the Professor was shot. Josh had not been able to reach him fast enough to save his being hurt, but he did reach him to call for help and minister to him, saving his life. Unfortunately he later died from complications...

But that was already the second to die, for the man had already killed the guard who was supposed to be there and had posed in his place in order to steal what was believed to be in that box... Do you believe in reincarnation? Then you might want what was in that box too! The novel moves on to another murder, break-ins, kidnapping and more...to find the treasure that would allow the owner...

Read this exciting novel and watch for the next two reviews in this series coming soon! This author added to my must-read list...

Book Received Via
JessicaKeener.com


GABixlerReviews

Reviews Coming Soon!