Blog Tour ~ Sweat, Blood & Tears

"Blood, Sweat & Tears" by Xan Hood

Publisher's Summary:

Trapped somewhere between boyhood and manhood are some 20 million young men between the ages of 22 and 35 who are seeking direction. These young men lack the skills to successfully leave boyhood behind and enter fully into the role of manhood and the responsibilities that belong to that mantle. Xan Hood, author of Untamed and director of Training Ground in Colorado, has written Sweat, Blood, & Tears: What God Uses to Make a Man out of his own experience related to this difficult transition period in his own life. He wants to encourage other young men that they can and will make this transition into becoming the man God wants them to be, but that along the journey God uses three intentional elements to make a man—sweat, blood, and tears.

Xan Hood has lived through the uncertainty of moving beyond boyhood into manhood. He has recognized that young men who are raised in homes of both economic privilege and economic adversity often grow up in the absence of a father who is willing and able to teach them the skills they will need to enter into manhood successfully. Oftentimes, a father’s willingness to supply his son’s every need is done without teaching him the true cost of obtaining a particular goal. While the role of provider is vital in a man’s life, provision without teaching responsibility creates a void of understanding and skill that leaves the boy ill equipped to become a man in his own right. Hood feels compelled to address this void and reassure young men that they are not alone in this awkward place of transition. He wants them to know that God can equip them to enter into adulthood with confidence and the assurance that they can understand and become men of God who have much to offer those around them.

Written from the narrative perspective of a young man, Sweat, Blood, & Tears shares Hood’s own process of leaving boyhood behind and embracing his role as an adult. With searing honesty, Hood shares his experiences with God and men and paint and trout and fashion and hunting. He examines critical issues common to many young men, and then outlines the journey that must be traversed in order for them to become the men God created them to be. Through the pain of physical labor, emotional trials, and rewarding adventures, Hood carries the reader to a place of understanding that will equip young men to confidently enter adulthood and leave boyhood behind once and for all.

About the Author:

Xan Hood is an author and speaker ministering to young men between the ages of 18 and 25. He is the co-founder and co-director of Training Ground in Colorado Springs where he disciples young men through their program in work, wilderness and worship. (www.trainingground.com). He has also written for New Man magazine and Discipleship Journal. Xan began working with young men in Tennessee and in youth groups in Nashville and Knoxville. He and his wife live in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with their first child.

My Thoughts:

I said yes to this book on two counts: First, my son was interested in reading it and true stories/testimonies are his preferred genre of read and second, there is not a whole lot of testimony type books out there written by young contemporary fellas.

The author takes us through his life being raised in a privileged family having everything he wanted. Come his early adulthood he noticed that the easy access to stuff was not fulfilling his heart. This is his story of how God lead him to understanding what He wanted his life to be, what constitutes a Godly man and the path his life took to work towards it.

From taking the author from an expensive neighborhood and an expensive education to showing him how to really work hard, to connecting with the land through hunting and fishing, this is definitely a guy's book. LOL. I have to admit I did get a tad bit bogged down in the hunting & fishing stuff and the male psyche involved but in the end I get what he was saying. The chapter that really stood out to me was the one on learning and how the author shared how he had to learn that education and knowledge was not the same as experience. I also liked his strong belief in mentorship. Throughout the book it was enjoyable and encouraging as the he revealed his "aha moments". I know my son will enjoy reading this young man's story.

Thanks to B&B Media Group for providing the book for me to read.

Sweat, Blood & Tears is available for purchase at David C. Cook here.

Monday Mish Mash

Ahhh. Back to School. The words kids never want to hear. But it has arrived. And our weekend and my bank account proves it. It was the last days rush of finding those things they just have to have to go back to the grind beloved classes. Things like the perfect pair of jeans, shoes that don't look like they've walked to Mexico and back, last minute forgotten off the list that we went shopping for last week school supplies, and the bag. The all important bag. A back pack won't do now that we're in grade 11. But neither will just any old "messenger bag". It has to be just the right one. It needs to hold papers and the lunch and possible gym strip. Not necessarily books though, because now that we're in grade 11 we carry those in our arms. And it has to look great. And we actually found one that fit the requirements. For a steal of a deal. Regular 50 bucks. On sale for $15. And it was the only one buried beneath the way more expensive messenger "ugly" bags. Sold.

Here she is giving me the "must you take a back to school picture, I'm late, my ride is waiting" look. (Isn't she gorgeous? Not that I'm biased or anything.) Notice the bag. Notice the lunch in her hand and not in the bag. What's in the bag then?? Notice the dog in the background with the confused look. He can't figure out why there is so much action going on with the Younger Girl so early in the morning. And he's wondering where the dayhome kids are. Day off on the first day of school for me. Yay me.

We actually got away with some really great deals this year so that was really helpful as was having only one child left in school. I can't believe I actually wrote that. Only one? How did that ever happen? And how did it happen so fast?

So off the youngest girl went this morning with her new school bag, still in shock at having to get up before the crack of noon.

Photo Hunter ~ Framed

Today's Photo Hunter theme is "framed". There was so many different directions this could go. But I chose this one.


These three were framed by me on holidays a couple of years ago. We were in a cherry and peach orchard and found this ladder sitting on it's side on the ground. Made a perfect shot to frame their silly mugs.

For more takes of the theme or to join in, visit Photo Hunt.

Friday's Fave Five #103

Hi everyone! Welcome to another week of looking at our blessings! The first order of business is to name the winner of the FFF 100th Post Party! Drumroll please! And the winner of a Starbucks gift card is.....

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

2

Timestamp: 2010-08-27 00:42:30 UTC

E-Mom

Congratulations! Please respond by next Friday, September 3 by clicking on my email link in my profile and let me know where to send that card and enjoy your favorite drink on me. Thanks to everyone for joining me to celebrate and thanks for keeping this meme going for 2 years now!

And now onto this week's favorites.

1. Enjoying this cool website.

2. "I am Hutterite". This one I actually finished a few weeks ago, but I thought it was still worth the mention. What a wonderful true story. Full review here. Scroll down to #27.

3. Homegrown cherry tomatoes. Picked daily. Eaten right off the plant. Yummy. My first attempt at growing these babies has yielded many delicious bites of tomato goodness and the plant is still going strong.

4. Weddings. It's been quite a while since we were invited to a wedding, but we attended a beautiful one last weekend. I just love them. The beautiful bride, the gorgeous dress, the nervous. handsome groom, the vows, the spiritual significance, the dinner. I love it all.

5. My bed. After sleeping in other beds during vacation I am always so thankful for my own bed when I get home.

And what the heck, it was a 100th post party. I'm going to give away a couple more cards.


Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

16 20

Timestamp: 2010-08-27 00:50:44 UTC

Heidi and Islandsparrow (Kathie)

Enjoy ladies! Don't forget to email me with where you'd like the card sent by next Friday!

What has been your favorites from the week? Do a post and please link up so that we can come and visit.

Rambling Thoughts

It's 10*C (57*F) here right now as I type this in the morning. By this afternoon it's going to be a smokin' 33*C (91*F). Now that might not seem like much to some of you but in my part of the Canadian country, that is sweltering. We just are not used to that kind of heat. So the kid's pool is coming out and I'm finding me some shade while the dayhome kids swim. I have to think of something fast for supper that will not heat up the house. We have had such a weird summer for weather. Hasn't been that nice at all. Lots of rain and thunderstorms. Cooler weather for sure, except for the odd hot day. We've hardly run the AC. I'm thinking we're going to pay for it by a really hot Indian Summer. Which is a pain, cause it's cold in the morning so you dress for that and then by afternoon it's hot! I end up changing clothes twice a day at least.

Last night I went school supply shopping with the youngest girl. I can't remember the last time I got away with a $60 bill. With her being the only one left in school, the bill was considerably smaller. I'm not looking forward to the textbook bill that my son will be bringing home sometime in September for his post secondary studies. Scary.

I'm still enjoying my summer reading. I haven't slowed down one bit this year which really surprises me. I must just be getting some really good reads or something. There is a few books I'm trying to get finished so that I can get my list together for the Fall into Reading challenge coming up September 21st. Is that pathetic obsessed organized or what? I'm already planning my books for that when I have books I still need to read and get back to the library. LOL. This year I find I've branched out a bit with authors, trying some I've never heard of or read, moving out of the Christian genre a bit. Which I haven't done for a long, long time. Right now I'm reading one by Lisa Scottoline (in the sidebar). I've never read her before but I saw it on someone else's blog and it looked really interesting. So far, it's a real page turner for me, grabbed my attention right from the beginning. On holidays, last week I decided I was going to go totally with a fun, easy read so I chose Erma Bombeck. You can never go wrong with Erma in my opinion. And it just so happens the one I chose was about vacations called "When you look like your passport photo, it's time to go home". It was just what I needed. Easy reading, not heavy, didn't have to focus my whole being onto it while reading, and funny. I needed funny. I finished it in four days which was good seeing as we were busy during holidays.

Hmmm, let's see what else. My life is just so exciting. The wasps are starting to come out. Man I hate them things. I've got three catchers in my trees and they are still tons of them. We seem to have an invasion of flies this week too. Blech. And they're all trying to get in because it's getting cooler at night. Fun times.

Back to school starts on Monday around here. I think I'm looking forward to getting back to a routine in dayhome. In lots of ways summer is fun because it is more laid back even in dayhome but at the same time all the crazy coming and going with dayhome kids on holidays and sleeping in, etc. just starts to wear on me after a while. I'm already starting to think of all the fall projects and learning we can do. It feels good to plan.

Now I'm totally out of things to tell ya about me. What about you guys? Are you ready for the fall yet? Or do you want summer to last forever?

Random Dozen

It's Wednesday so that means it's time for Linda's Random Dozen. Join in with us Random folk over here.


1. What is your favorite Mexican dish? I've only been to a Mexican restaurant a few times in my life so I don't have a huge repetoire of Mexican dishes in my experience but I love, love, love refried beans, guacamole, salsa and carnitas. I'll never turn down a quesadilla. I love my homemade burritos but who knows how authentic those are.

2. When you were a kid, did you get started on your homework right away after school, or did you procrastinate? When I was a kid I don't remember but I know in high school and college I was a huge procrastinator. Huge. It seemed I worked better under pressure and there was many a night where I was pulling almost all nighters trying to finish papers that were due in a couple of days.

3. What is your favorite store for home furnishings? For actual furniture I don't have a favorite but for decorating stuff, gotta love Home Sense.

4. When you were young, did you like school lunches? They didn't serve school lunches at my elementary or junior high. Elementary I always went with a lunch kit and thermos. I don't especially remember weather I liked them or not but I do remember many a broken thermos. Junior High I always went home for lunch and high school I remember the cafeteria but don't remember the food so much as the wonderful lady who ran it.

5. Is religion a crutch? I suppose religion and religious acts without a relationship with God is a crutch but relationship with Jesus is something that depends on recognizing one's need for the Savior and moving past that point into an actual ongoing, growing, thriving relationship with Him. A relationship with Jesus is never a crutch but life giving.

6. In your region, what is the "big" (most popular in the community or state) high school sport? High school sport? I would say basketball or football though rugby is gaining popularity both with girls and guys.

7. Do you consider yourself rich? Rich in family, rich in friendships. Rich monetarily compared to a lot of others in this world, absolutely. We've never gone hungry or missed a meal, never not had our home or a bed to sleep in. Rich compared to CEO's, Hollywood, or highpaying professions, no. But money never buys true happiness.

8. Which of these would you have the best chance for success in administering:
A) CPR
B) Heimlich Maneuver
C) Changing a flat tire

Definitely CPR and Heimlich Maneuver. Know how to do both? Change a flat. That's what car clubs are for.

9. Which dance would you prefer to learn & why:
A) Salsa
B) Hip Hop
C) Waltz
D) Swing

Probably at my age and fitness level the waltz would be the one to go for. My hips would definitely seize if I tried the salsa and I would probably kill myself in the Swing. Hip Hop? I would just get laughed at.

10. What's the worst news you've ever delivered to someone? I had to tell a family who had gone for a bite to eat in the hospital cafeteria that they had to get back to their father's room because their father would be passing in the next few minutes. That was hard, awkward and heartbreaking even though they knew it was going to be happening.

11. Name something you learned in college that had nothing to do with classes or academics. I learned that getting addicted to and eating at Taco Time everyday will soon show up on one's hips.

12. New variation on an old question: If there's a song in your head that just won't get out, what is your favorite (or most repeated) line in that song? I usually don't have songs running to my head. There is too much other "stuff" that I need to get through the day in there crowding it out. I tend to more run conversations over and over in my head. Which is weird. But that's me.

Monday Mish Mash the Day After Vacation

And a very sleepy Mish Mash it is. Holidays are wonderful things. Until that first day back to work. And then it hits you. All the late nights. All the food you don't usually eat. All the sleeping in way past your normal wake up time. All the out of routine activities one tries to cram into a week away from home.

And then comes Monday. Baam. Reality hits right between the eyes. No more lazing around. Have to be up by 6:30. Bed by 11:00. Kids arriving, diapers need changing, hungry tummies need feeding, hugs need to be given, playing needs to be done and fights need to be refferee'd. It's almost like culture shock from one's very lazy week before. But would I give up that holiday time just to stay in routine? Not on your life. Because then I couldn't have memories like this:
or like this:


And where else do you get a shot of your kid like this except on vacation:



As you can tell with this being posted halfway through the afternoon, though it was quite the introduction back into work this morning, I'd say it is so worth the week of family fun!

Friday's Fave Five #102

Yes, I know I put #102 in the title. But I thought it would just be so much fun to confuse everyone. For all who noticed that, last week was the "official" 100th post of FFF. But the week before that was the real, technical one. But I was really and technically out of action that week for several different reasons and well, I couldn't very well party with a 100th post and not be there for my own party! That would just have been lame, or awful, or sad. Or all of the above. So technically, for real, this is "officially" the 102nd post. There are you sufficiently confused so that we may move on? :v)

So today I am officially Missing in Action also. I've taken the kids and split this joint and we've gone and took a holiday. Though hubby had to stay home and tend to a sick doggy, we went on without him. So I'm borrowing a laptop to do a very quick fave five and I figure I'll get all detailed on you next week. And I will also announce the winner of the FFF party prize next Friday. So without further ado, here we go! By the way, if you are new, you can get your details here.

Susanne's Quick Vacation Related Five:

1. Getting away. So nice to just leave work, bills, housework and the same old, same old behind. If only for less than a week.

2. No cooking. Love to cook but it's oh so nice not to have to once in awhile.

3. Seeing something different. It's nice to just see some stuff I've never seen before even if it is touristy kinds of things.

4. Shopping! Yes, I do love to shop when on holidays. And for those of you who know me oh so well over the last few years: "Why yes, I did buy a new purse. A real nice one. Thank for asking." I'll post a pic next week when I download the camera.

5. Being with the teen and young adults. It has been fun. Though I must be honest and say I did let them go on without me a couple of nights later in the evening to do "their thing". This girl just cannot go late every night anymore.

So that's a quick wrap for me. How was your week and what are your five from this last week. Link on up if you've done a post of favorites for the week.

Friday's Fave Five #100

Party time! It's the 100th post of Friday's Fave Five. Well, if you really want to get technical last week was but I wasn't able to be here so officially I'm calling it as party day today. If you do a post today I'm going to enter you into a little giveaway to help celebrate 100 weeks of looking for God's blessings in our lives. How about a little gift certificate to Starbuck's so that you can have a nice drink on me and maybe raise it in a toast of celebrating? Sounds good to me.

So because we are celebrating FFF I'm going to break the rules, just for this week though, because goodness, the earth will stand still for this rule follower if I break too many rules. Instead of looking back over this last week for blessings, I, personally, for my post, am going to name 5 reasons why Friday's Fave Five has been a blessing to me over these last 100 posts. Please join in and celebrate with me whether you have been with me from the beginning or this will be your first time participating. If you need the details, just go here first. And then let's grab you favorite beverage, a snack and mill a bit and visit and party!

So in no particular order:

1. FFF has helped me to focus on the good things in life. Since starting FFF I find I am more aware of blessings, great and small, as they happen throughout my day. As I go through my day I find myself thinking "Oh that would be a good one for FFF". Some weeks are great and it is hard to narrow the good things down to only five, other weeks are downright tough and I have to look hard. But as I do I can always find some blessings woven in there somewhere. FFF forces me to look for them even in the hard times.

2. FFF makes me aware of God in my life and in the lives of those who participate. As I've done my lists over the 100 posts, I've become more aware of God being a Good God and desiring to bless us and uphold us.

3. Doing FFF posts has made me look at life more positively. How can I not be more positive when I teach myself to see blessings even in the rough spots. Don't get me wrong. When the times are tough, sometimes it is very hard to look back over the week and my attitude stinks and I don't feel like searching for anything good, but I believe it's become a bit easier now that I've been doing FFF. I realize how blessed I really am.

4. Meeting new friends who also desire to see the blessings in their lives. It's been so much fun to have old friends from Blogworld join in and get to meet many more people. I look forward to seeing your names each and every week come up on Mr. Linky and I miss you when you are not there.

5. Reading about your blessings. As I read and see how you've been blessed and how God has touched your lives, it uplifts me too. Sometimes I have real moments of revelation where I think "Oh, I never thought of that. Yes, that is a blessing!" I can't always get around to everyone on Friday's but one thing I really look forward to is a nice quiet Saturday morning, with my housecoat and cup of coffee and settling in and reading FFF posts. It's almost become a tradition. Saturday's are not the same without it.

I want to thank all of you for being a blessing in my weeks! Now go ahead and party away! Don't forget to sign your FFF post onto Mr. Linky!

Mouth Watering Deliciousness

Did I ever find a good recipe yesterday that I just have to share with you. It was so easy and so delicious it makes my mouth water just thinking about it. I found the original here. But as usual, I had to do some adaptations, 'cause I live on last minute decisions. And I'm also trying to cook more from fresh ingredients as much as I can rather than canned or frozen. So here is my version. Yum!

CHICKEN FLORENTINE CASSEROLE (serves 4 - 5 people)

-4 to 5 boneless chicken breasts
-seasoning salt
-fresh ground pepper

-fresh spinach enough to fill a 9x9 inch baking dish to the top
-8 oz. fresh mushrooms, thickly sliced
-6 slices bacon
-1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

-1/4 cup butter
-2 to 3 cloves of garlic crushed
-1 Tbsp. lemon juice
-1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
-1 Tbsp. Italian Seasoning
-1/2 cup half and half
-1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

-cooked rice or noodles

Place chicken breast on baking sheet. Sprinkle with small amount of seasoning salt and lots of fresh ground pepper. Broil in oven 5 minutes per side. Set aside. Turn oven to 400*F.

While chicken in cooking, wash spinach thoroughly, and drain well. Spin dry or use paper towels to get as much moisture off as is possible. Fill the 9x9 or approximately the same size dish to the top with spinach. Place sliced mushroom generously over the top of the bed of spinach.

Slice bacon in half length wise and then into small slices. Cook in small fry pan until crispy. Drain on paper towel.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add garlic and sautee stirring constantly for 1 minute. Add lemon juice, Italian seasoning, mushroom soup, half and half, and parmesan cheese. Stir to blend. Pour half of the mixture over the spinach and mushrooms.

Butterfly cut the chicken breasts in half and place over the spinach mixture. Pour remaining sauce over the top. Sprinkle with bacon and shredded cheese. Bake in oven for 20 minutes until hot and bubbly and cheese is melted. Serve with rice or noodles.

Voila, your family will love you and might even offer to clean the kitchen after dinner.

Monday Mish Mash

Well, we put the older girl onto the bus and sent her back yesterday. Heavy sigh. It's always really hard to watch that Greyhound pulling away with her on it. It was a wonderful two weeks of having her home again. Having that third bedroom occupied, having "Leave it to Beaver" running constantly on the T.V., having her to grill talk to about her life and justing having her around to give hugs to. I really miss that kid. Well, she's 20 now, but she'll always be my kid.

While she was here we went to the big city and took in some sights and sounds. We went to our favorite restaurant where we conducted ourselves with proper restaurant etiquette:


We met new friends:

We took in the Science Centre and made sure we left some money at the big new mall.

Older girl leads a very, very busy life so at home we made sure she had lots of down time. We ate, watched a gazillion an episode or two of Leave it to Beaver, ate, read, ate, and generally hung out. Knowing she doesn't get her favorite foods until she comes home, I had asked her to make a list of dinners she wanted me to make her. So we feasted on bbq steaks, bbq chicken, whipped potatoes, creamed garlic spinach, sausages from our favorite sausage shop, yellow wax bean stew (a Hungarian dish), cream of wheat pancakes and others too numerous to mention or remember. And that was just in one day. Just kidding. I am now on a restricted diet as my hips are remembering only too well.

Yesterday we drove her to the city where she catches the bus back home. We made sure we got there with plenty of time to spare because you just never know what construction or delays you'll meet up with. And then we find out her bus is over an hour late. Ugh. So we went to the tiny little garden park across the street, thank you little city for that lovely garden park, and killed some time.To kill our boredom we thought to take some fun pictures. We took a few jump shots:

Which led to Brother's suggestion to "let me jump over top of you" shot:

I don't think Younger Girl enjoyed that one so much. Then one of the girls thought of the infamous "let's run at each other and collide in the middle shot".

Thank goodness there were no hospital visits on that one. Then someone had the brainy idea of "Let's put grass on Dad while he's snoozing and laugh at him" shot.

I am happy to report there were no injuries sustained on that shot either. Although that one could have been quite risky.

Finally her bus arrived and we bid a teary goodbye tempered only by the fact that we will go visit her on her turf before the summer is out.

Due to circumstances of my week, my FFF post has gone AWOL this week. But if you all want to do a post, well, Party On People! I'll put up the Mr. Linky for ya! Have a great week and we'll be back to normal next week!