Book Review: Thank You, God, for Blessing Me

Thank You, God, for Blessing Me, by Max Lucado is a delightful children’s book.  With adorable pictures and sweet words, the author has created an enjoyable book based on Christian values.

According to the back cover, “Little Hermie is thankful for many things in his garden home, like plenty of food, beautiful flowers, and good friends.  Seeing the blessings around us isn’t always easy, but Little Hermie shows preschool age children to remember to say ‘Thank you God!’ in a way that is irresistible for parents and kids.”

As a hardback book with cardboard pages, Thank You, God, for Blessing Me is a quick read.  This children’s book is geared towards preschoolers and toddlers.

In addition, there are additional books in series, Read 2 Me: Little Hermie, as well as Little Hermie and Friends.

Please note: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as a part of Book Sneeze, which is a program designed for book reviews by bloggers.  The opinions that I have expressed in this review are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review.  For more details about Book Sneeze, please view their website: www.booksneeze.com.

Easter Weekend in Limassol

We celebrated Easter twice this year, since Cyprus celebrated Easter Sunday on April 15, while the States celebrated Easter Sunday on April 8.  During one of the Easter weekends, we attended a Good Friday church service at the Greek Evangelical Christian Church, as well as enjoyed a picnic with friends at the Polemidia Park, which is one of my favorite parks in Cyprus. 

The Polemidia National Forest Park is a lovely area with various pathways and trails, picnic sites, recreational activities, etc.  It's located only about 6 km north of Limassol's city center.  Near the main picnic site, there is a 150-year-old carob tree and even a church (called Panagia Gligiotissa Church).  Polemidia Park is also sometimes called Zipline Park.  For more photos of Polemidia Park, please click HERE.

During the picnic with friends, we playing Kubb, which is a Swedish lawn game.  With players divided into two teams, the object of the game is to knock over wooden blocks by throwing wooden sticks at the blocks.  There are more rules, which I somewhat organized and typed out (during my first year in Cyprus) for our Kubb game...since it was missing directions.  It's described as a combination of horseshoes and bowling, yet still quite unique.  It's an enjoyable game, particularly for outdoor group gatherings or events.

 Photo slideshow of our Easter weekend in Limassol.

In regards to one of the photos included in this blog post:  On Saturday evening, the Greek Orthodox churches host an open air Resurrection Mass in every church's courtyard...late in the evening.  During this time, one of the Greek Orthodox traditions is to burn a representation (also referred to as an effigy) of Judas--the disciple who betrayed Jesus--in a bonfire.  The photo is of one of the bonfire preparations, which appears to be built a couple stories high.  At midnight, the Greek Orthodox church bells ring and set off plenty of fireworks to announce that Jesus Christ has risen from the dead.

For more details regarding the Easter celebrations in Cyprus, please click HERE and HERE.

Καλό Πάσχα (Happy Easter)

Χριστός Ανέστη! Καλό Πάσχα!  These Greek phrases translate to Christ is Risen and Happy Easter!

Since it's Easter weekend in Cyprus, let's take a few minutes to read and reflect on some scripture verses, which outline the events surrounding the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  The books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John provide various details and insights into the events surrounding the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, so the scripture verses included in the following links include passages from all four books.

The Easter Story:

• Part #1 (Triumphal Entry, Anointing, and Plotting and Betrayal)
• Part #2 (The Last Supper)
• Part #3 (Garden of Gethsemane)
• Part #4 (Arrest, Trials Led by Annas and Caiaphas, and Peter's Denial)
• Part #5 (Judas' death and Trials Led by Pilate and Herod)
• Part #6 (Jesus on the Cross, His Death, and Burial)
• Part #7 (Empty Tomb and Jesus' Resurrection)
• Part #8 (Disciples with Jesus and Jesus' Accession into Heaven)

Hope you all have a happy Easter weekend!

Updates for Life in Cyprus, 2011

Cyprus is a little island in the Mediterranean Sea, and it's even smaller in size than the American state of Connecticut.  Yet, it's the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.  Geographically, Cyprus is located in the Middle East; however, it's now a part of the EU (European Union) and Europe. 

While Cyprus is sometimes confused as a part of Greece, it's actually a separate country.  Currently, it's a divided country with the northern part of Cyprus occupied by Turkey.  I live in the southern part of Cyprus, and I've not actually visited the northern part of the country.

Cyprus has five districts, which are Famagusta (Ammochostos), Larnaca (Larnaka), Limassol (Lemesos), Nicosia (Lefkosia), and Paphos (Pafos).  The main cities in Cyprus are Ayia Napa (Agia Napa), Larnaca (Larnaka), Limassol (Lemesos), Nicosia (Lefkosia), and Paphos (Pafos).

For the past few years, I've been living in Cyprus with my husband.  As I continue to explore the island, I typically post photos and write about my travels and experiences, as well as my daily life in Cyprus.  Hope you enjoy reading about my life in Cyprus, 2011.

One of my favorite aspects of Cyprus involves the various archaeological sites and ruins, and here are my blog posts from 2011:  Agios Georgios Pegeias Archaeological Site, Agios Lamprianos Rock-Cut Chamber, Agios Lazaros Tomb, Agios Mamas Church Ruins, Agios Solomonis Catacomb, Agios Sozomenos Abandoned Village, Part #1, Agios Sozomenos Abandoned Village, Part #2, Alassa Archaeological Site, Amathus Archaeological Site, Amathus Ruins and Pathway, Part #1, Amathus Ruins and Pathway, Part #2, Amathus Ruins and Pathway, Part #3, Ancient Fort Ruins, Part #1, Ancient Fort Ruins, Part #2, Ancient Settlement Ruins, Ancient Theater Ruins, Ayia Napa Aqueducts, Early Christian Basilica of Panagia Chrysopolitissa Ruins, Fabrica Hill, Famagusta Viewpoint, Frankish Baths, Gothic Church Ruins, Idalion Archaeological Site, Kalavasos-Tenta Archaeological Site, Kamares Aqueducts, Kition Acropolis Ruins, Kolossi Castle, Kourion Amphitheater, Kourion Archaeological Site, Larnaca Fort, Loutra, Lusignan Palace Ruins, Maa Paleokastro Archaeological Site, Makarios' Tomb and Statue, Makronisos Archaeological Site, Paphos Archaeological Site, Paphos Fort, Part #1, Paphos Fort, Part #2,  Paphos Fort, Part #3, Saint Paul's Pillar, and Venetian Bridge.

Here are some museums, educational centers, and monuments in Cyprus that we experienced in 2011: Agios Neofytos Ecclesiastical Museum, Agrotospito, Akhyronas Barn, Balkan War Memorial, Ecclesiastical Monument, Eliomylos Museum, Fatsa Wax Museum, Hero Square Monument, Lace and Silverware Museum, Lanitis Museum, Larnaca District Archaeological Museum, Linos Wine Press, Local Museum of Ancient Idalion, Mazotos Camel Park, Minthis Hills Golf Course, Moufflon Enclosure, Museum of Byzantine Art, Museum of the Holy Monastery of Kykkos, Mycenaean Colonization Museum, Old Watermill and Museum, Omodos Wine Press, Paphos Byzantine Museum, Paphos Ethnographic Museum, Paphos Town Hall, Socrates Traditional House, Stavros tis Psokas Forest Station, and Troodos Visitor Center.

Throughout Cyprus, there are many ancient churches and monasteries, including the following that we visited in 2011: Agia Faneromeni Church, Agia Kyriaki Church, Agia Marina Church, Agia Triada Church, Agia Varvara Church, Agii Anargyri Monastery, Agioi Apostolio Church, Agios Akindynon Church, Agios Andronikos Church, Agios Demetrios Church, Agios Dimitrianos Church, Agios Dimitrios Church, Part #1, Agios Dimitrios Church, Part #2, Agios Georgios Church, Part #1, Agios Georgios Church, Part #2, Agios Georgios Monastery, Agios Ioannis Lampadistis Monastery, Agios Irakleidios Church, Agios Lazaros Church, Agios Mama Church, Agios Minas Monastery, Agios Neofytos Encleistra, Agios Neofytos Monastery, Agios Nikolaou Church, Agios Panteleimonas Church, Agios Savvas tis Karonos Church, Agios Savvas tis Karonos Monastery, Agia Sofia Mosque, Archangel Michael Church, Archangelos Michael Monastery, Ayia Napa Monastery, Ayia Thekla Cave Church, Church of Saint George, Hala Sultan Tekke Mosque, Holy Church of Ioannis Lampadistis, Holy Cross Chapel, Holy Cross Church, Part #1, Holy Cross Church, Part #2, Holy Cross Church, Part #3, Kykkos Bell Tower, Kykkos Monastery, Latin Chapel, Monastery of the Holy Cross, Panagia Angeloktisti Church, Panagia Chryseleoussa Church, Panagia Chrysolantissa Church, Panagia Chrysopiliotissa Church, Panagia Diakinousa Church, Panagia Diakinousa Monastery Ruins, Panagia Perachoritissa Fotolampousa Church, Part #1, Panagia Perachoritissa Fotolampousa Church, Part #2, Panagia tis Amasgous Monastery, Panagia tou Kykkou Monastery, Panagia tou Moutoulla Church, Panagia Valana Church, Panagiatorteni Church, Saint George Church, Salamiotissis Monastery, Timios Stavros Church, Part #1, Timios Stavros Church, Part #2, Timiou Stavrou Monastery, and Trooditissa Monastery.

The Cypriot landscape is quite vast, and here are blog posts about various parks, beaches, and other nature areas that we explored in 2011: Agia Triada Beach, Agioi Anargyroi Sulfur Springs, Agios Andronikos Park, Akrotiri Salt Lake, Aphrodite's Rock, Aplostra Beach, Asprokremos Dam, Ayia Napa Park, Ayia Thekla Beach, Cape Chrysochous, Cape Drepano, Carob Tree, Cedar Valley, Coral Bay, Curium Beach, Part #1, Curium Beach, Part #2, Curium Beach, Part #3, Cypriot Countryside, Part #1, Cypriot Countryside, Part #2, Cypriot Countryside, Part #3, Cypriot Countryside, Part #4, Dasoudi Tourist Beach, Diarizos Valley, Part #1, Diarizos Valley, Part #2, Diarizos Valley, Part #3, Diarizos Valley, Part #4, Diarizos Valley, Part #5, Diarizos Valley, Part #6, Diarizos Valley, Part #7, Fig Tree Bay, Geronisos Island, Governor's Beach, Part #1, Governor's Beach, Part #2, Kalavasos Dam, Kalavasos Mines, Kalavasos Train Park, Kouris Dam, Ladies Mile Beach, Larnaca Municipal Gardens, Larnaca Salt Lake, Limassol Forest, Limassol Salt Lake, Limanaki, Makronisos Beach, Maramenos Picnic Area, Myllomeris Waterfall,

Paphos Forest, Paphos Municipal Garden, Petra Tou Romiou, Platania Picnic Site, Polemidia National Forest Park, Polemidia Park, Polis Chrysochous Beach, Polis Chrysochous Camping Site, Potamos tou Linopetri Beach, Potamos tou Linopetri Marina, Rock of the Greek, Snow in Cyprus, Throni Hill, Trooditissa Picnic Site, Troodos Mountain Range, Yermasoyia Dam, Part #1, Yermasoyia Dam, Part #2, and Yeronisos Island.

The major Cypriot cities are Ayia Napa (Agia Napa), Larnaca (Larnaka), Limassol (Lemesos), Nicosia (Lefkosia), and Paphos (Pafos).  Here are blog posts from 2011, regarding some of the major cities and districts in Cyprus: Anexartesisas Street, Ayia Napa, Part #1, Ayia Napa, Part #2, Ayia Napa, Part #3, Famagusta (Ammochostos) District, Foinikoudes Promenade, Kato Paphos, Part #1, Kato Paphos, Part #2, Kato Paphos, Part #3, Kato Paphos, Part #4, Ktima, Laiki Gonia, Larnaca (Larnaka) District, Limassol City, Part #1, Limassol City, Part #2, Limassol Molos, Limassol New Port, Limassol Promenade, Limassol Roundabout, Limassol (Lemesos) District, Moutallos, Paphos Harbor, Paphos Municipal Market, Paphos Tourist Area, and Paphos (Pafos) District.

There are numerous villages scattered throughout the island of Cyprus, and here are blog posts from 2011, regarding various Cypriot villages: Agios Amvrosios Village, Agios Georgios Village, Agios Ioannis Malountas Village, Agios Thomas Village, Agios Tychonas Village, Alassa Village, Alektora Village, Armenochori Village, Arminou Village, Asgata Village, Avdimou Village, Part #1, Avdimou Village, Part #2, Choirokoitia Village, Choletria Village, Chrysochou Village, Cypriot Villages, Part #1, Cypriot Villages, Part #2, Cypriot Villages, Part #3, Cypriot Villages, Part #4, Dali Village, Part #1, Dali Village, Part #2, Deryneia Village, Dhekelia Village, Empa Village, Fasoula Village, Filousa Village, Foini Village, Frenaros Village, Gerakies Village, Giolou Village, Goudi Village, Kalavasos Village, Kalopanagiotis Village, Kantou Village, Karamoulides Village, Kato Akourdaleia Village, Kato Deftera Village, Kato Drys Village, Kato Lakatamia Village, Kato Lefkara Village, Kedares Village, Kidasi Village, Kissousa Village, Kiti Village, Kivides Village, Part #1, Kivides Village, Part #2, Kolossi Village, Kouka Village, Lageia Village, Lania Village, Lemithou Village, Liopetri Village, Malia Village, Mandria Village, Mesana Village, Mesogi Village, Miliou Village, Monagri Village, Monagroulli Village, Moni Village, Moniatis Village, Moutoullas Village, Nikokleia Village, Oikos Village, Omodos Village, Part #1, Omodos Village, Part #2, Ormideia Village, Palaiomylos Village, Pano Akourdaleia Village, Pano Deftera Village, Pano Lakatamia Village, Pano Lefkara Village, Paralimni Village, Parekklisia Village, Pedoulas Village, Part #1, Pedoulas Village, Part #2, Pentakomo Village, Pera Chorio Village, Pera Pedi Village, Platanisteia Village, Part #1, Platanisteia Village, Part #2,  Platres Village, Polis Village, Part #1, Polis Village, Part #2, Potamia Village, Potamiou Village, Potamos tou Linopetri Village, Prastio Village, Part #1, Prastio Village, Part #2, Prodromos Village, Part #1, Prodromos Village, Part #2, Protaras Village, Pyrgos Village, Salamiou Village, Silikou Village, Skarinou Village, Skoulli Village, Sotira Village, Part #1, Sotira Village, Part #2, Souni-Zanakia Village, Stravrokonnou Village, Stroumpi Village, Tala Village, Theletra Village, Tochni Village, Trimiklini Village, Trimithousa Village, Troodos Village, Part #1, Troodos Village, Part #2, Troodos Village, Part #3, Tsada Village, Tseri Village, Vasa Village, Vavla Village, Xylofagou Village, and Yermasoyia Village.

With many holidays and festivals in Cyprus, here are blog posts from 2011: Anthestiria (Cypriot Flower Festival), Apokreo, Assumption Day, Carnival, Carnival Decorations, Part #1, Carnival Decorations, Part #2, Carnival Decorations, Part #3, Carnival Parade, Part #1, Carnival Parade, Part #2, Carnival Parade Video Clips, Clean Monday, Cyprus Independence Day, Easter Celebrations Summary, Easter Decorations in Cyprus, Easter in Cyprus, part #1, titled Xristos Anesti, Easter in Cyprus, part #2, titled Alithos Anesti, Flood Festival, Fourth of July in Cyprus, Greek Cypriot National Day, Greek Independence Day, Greek National Day (also known as Ohi Day), Greek Orthodox Annunciation Day, Green Monday, Kataklysmos, Kite-Flying on Green Monday, Limassol Wine Festival, Part #1, Limassol Wine Festival, Part #2, Limassol Wine Festival, Part #3, Limassol Wine Festival, Part #4, May Day (also known as Labor Day), Pentecost, Public Holidays in Cyprus, Part #1, Public Holidays in Cyprus, Part #2, and Public Holidays in Cyprus, Part #3.

In Cyprus (as well as most of Europe), the Eurovision Song Contest is quite popular.  It is a yearly national song contest for various countries connected to the European Broadcast Union.  The 2011 Eurovision Song Contest was hosted by Germany (the previous year's Eurovision winner) on May 10, 12, and 14, and there were fourth-three participating countries, including Cyprus.  In 2011, Cyprus was represented by Christos Mylordos with the song, San Aggelos S'Agapisa.  Unfortunately, Cyprus didn't advance to the finals.  Here are my blog posts, regarding 2011 Eurovision competition: Eurovision Overview, First Semi-Finals, Switzerland's Song, Second Semi-Finals, FYR Macedonia's Song, Cyprus' Song, Eurovision Finals, Denmark's Song, and Greece's Song.

There are plenty of restaurants and wineries in Cyprus.  Here are blog posts, regarding a few places we visited in 2011:  Bedrock Inn, Friends Cafe, Hadjiantonas Winery, Part #1, Hadjiantonas Winery, Part #2, and Hadjiantonas Winery, Part #3.

In July 2011, there was a major explosion in Cyprus.  Here are blog posts regarding this major event, as well as other Cypriot news in 2011: Cyprus Explosion, Part #1, Cyprus Explosion, Part #2, Cyprus Explosion, Part #3, Cyprus Explosion, Part #4, Cyprus Explosion, Part #5, Cyprus Explosion, Part #6, Dusty Weather, and Earthquake in Cyprus.

And here are random blog posts from 2011 about life in Cyprus: Amerigo Vespucci, Part #1, Amerigo Vespucci, Part #2, Fasouri Waterpark, Flaounes (Cypriot Easter Cheese Bread),  Shakespeare at Kourion, Part #1, Shakespeare at Kourion, Part #2, Shakespeare at Kourion, Part #3, Shakespeare at Kourion, Part #4, Tsoureki (Greek-Cypriot Easter Bread), and Wedding Anniversary in Cyprus. 

NOTE:  For details about Exploring Cyprus, please click HERE.

Book Review: The Accidental Bride

Currently, Shay Brandenberger and her daughter live near a pleasant, yet small, town in Montana.  Unfortunately, bills are piling up and the bank is threatening to foreclose on their family's ranch and home.

Due to a series of accidents, Shay's monetary problems will be solved, but providing her with an even dire problem...marriage to her first love and ex-fiancé, Travis McCoy.  Fourteen years earlier, Shay was left standing on the courthouse steps on her wedding day, while her fiance, Travis, drove away without giving her a reason why he refused to marry her.

With the daunting decision to trying to save the family ranch, Shay is forced to face the past, her broken heart, and her ex-fiancé...now her new husband, when Shay discovers that she is the accidental bride.

The Accidental Bride, by Denise Hunter is an unusual modern-day love story that expresses underlying faith-based values.  As the story unfolds, more of Travis and Shay's past relationship, as well as current situation, is revealed.

This book is geared more towards women readers, particularly those who enjoy reading modern chick-lit with a clean romantic storyline.  The Accidental Bride is a captivating and intriguing book...definitely worth reading. 

Please note: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as a part of Book Sneeze, which is a program designed for book reviews by bloggers.  The opinions that I have expressed in this review are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review.  For more details about Book Sneeze, please view their website: www.booksneeze.com.