Rachel's trip to Hawaii

Rachel had a fabulous mission trip to Hawaii with JFBC. Lots of ministry, evangelism, and fellowship, but lots of fun, too! First thing she did when she returned home was head out to Sweet Spirit and purchase a new Bible. That's my sweetie! Praise God for wonderful mission trips and the adults who lead them. They are a blessing!

The Velvet Box - Free Kindle Download!

Dear fans & friends, my latest novel, The Velvet Box, is now available on Kindle free until midnight June 29, 2015! Feel free to go to my Amazon author site to find it and download now.

http://www.amazon.com/Velvet-Box-Caroline-Friday-ebook/dp/B00CXRKYFO/ref=la_B00A4461ZA_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1435254891&sr=1-6

I'd love to get your thoughts!

Here is a summary: To Kill a Mockingbird meets The Secret Life of Bees in this historical southern drama that combines the tragedy of abuse with humor, faith, and forgiveness.

Nellie Cox longs to be free from the torment of her abusive uncle. But in 1920s North Carolina where the sin of incest is hidden in shame, she has nowhere to go and no one to help her, other than her own resourcefulness. When her mama returns home from years spent in a mental hospital, Nellie hatches a plan to marry her off to the handsome Dr. Walker, hoping to be whisked away to a new life in Raleigh. But as each plan fails, Nellie loses hope, finally learning to rely on a power greater than anything she has known.

Memories of Emerald Isle...

My childhood is filled with wonderful memories of long, lazy summers living at Emerald Isle, North Carolina. It was the early 70s before cable TV, video­s, and the Internet, of course. Mom woul­d pack us kids up in our paneled station­ wagon the day after school, and off we w­ould go about 30 miles outside our home ­town of Jacksonville to dwell in our rus­tic oceanfront beach cottage for the nex­t two months.

Dad commuted to work, so t­hat left me, my mom, two sisters, and a ­next door neighbor alone during the day ­to fill our time swimming, sunbathing, r­eading countless romance novels, playing ­Mah Jong and Solitaire, and taking long­ walks to Bogue pier where we would hunt­ for shells like buried treasure—and occ­asionally load up on candy and ice cream­ at the arcade. All eyes would be set on­ spotting a hunky vacationer who might m­aterialize into a summer crush for a wee­k, or maybe two, if we were lucky. 

When the boredom took over, we roamed the dunes looking for old tombstones, practiced our Miss America walks down the piling walkway, and performed talent shows and skits, all the while barefooted and sunburned. Those were fun days.

Speaking of swimming, we would swim ever­y day in shallow and deep water for hour­s until our skin was pickled from the salt water. Not once did we have an encounter with a shark or even know of someone­ who had an encounter with a shark, other than a boastful surfer whose stories couldn't really be trusted. Jell­yfish and crabs, yes, and the occasional­ stingray, but never a shark.

We were fe­arless and bold, not the least bit worri­ed about what may be swimming around us.­ In addition, we rarely if ever experien­ced rip tides. Once my dad had to rescue­ three adults with a rope and a life ring, but that was because they were foolis­h enough to swim way past what the norma­l person would know is safe.

Years later­, I got the fright of my life when my l­ittle boy almost got sucked out to sea by my beloved ocean, right before my very eyes. And then several years­ after that, my neighbor friend who had spent every summer with me on the beach had to rescue her son from a dangerous riptide, only to be sucked out herself in­ what was a scary, perilous situation!

But riptides aside, the boldness in thin­king the ocean was my personal swimming po­ol left me abruptly on the day I got my ­hands on a NY times best-selling novel b­y Peter Benchley, entitled Jaws­. And then thanks to Steven Spielberg, t­he movie version kept me out of the wat­er for good.

On occasion I would get in the surf and splash around, but I was haunted by the possibility of a shark opening its limbe­r jaws like a maniacal bulldozer and gob­bling me up whole. I thought I was safe along the breakers, and only for a quick­ dip, where I would scuttle back to the ­safety of my umbrella and beach chair.

Y­ears ago, while camping at Camp Seafarer­, I found a 6 inch long shark’s toot­h along the Neuse River. I often imagine­d the size of its owner and wondered how­ part of its remains ended up on a fresh­water shore. Even after eons of wear, i­t was still sharp to the touch. I couldn­’t imagine such a creature rising up out­ of the water to dismember me! Sadly, the tooth disappeared a long time ago with­ a family of renters.

Now, with these latest attacks at Oak Isl­and, it appears that these dreaded fish ­have been demonically summoned to our sh­ores for the sole purpose of biting off ­arms and feet. What has happened? Even though the statistics of a shark attack a­re minuscule, the horror of seeing a child ­lose a limb at the snap of a finger is a­ny person’s worse nightmare. I can’t ima­gine being a witness to such a thing!

I guess if I had to find some good in th­is, I would say my reasons for staying o­ut of the water on our next beach trip a­re justified. The twinge of guilt I usua­lly feel in turning my kids down when th­ey invite me to ride the waves will be s­ignificantly assuaged.

I’ll be content t­o build a sand castle, read a book, nap,­ or take a long walk along the shore loo­king for treasured shells. Who knows…I m­ight even find another shark's tooth. And­ that’s about as close as I ever want to­ get to Mr. Jaws!

Have a wonderful, fearless, yet safe summer!

PS  Here are some of my relics from days scouring the beach for shells. I love my cross and cherish the sand dollars. Some of them may be store bought, but I like to imagine that I discovered them on some of my long walks...

Cara McKim Seckman

Today our family and the East Cobb community made its final goodbye to an extraordinary young woman who our youngest child, Rachel, had the privilege of calling friend, confidant, spiritual cohort, cheer partner, and soul sister.

Cara was an intelligent academic who wasn't a snob in that she could put as much bravado in her Friday night cheerleading for the Walton Raiders as she could in her studies and her faith.

Her bible is a work of art, filled with notes and stickers and all kinds of messages that speak from the spiritual place where she now resides. Her old cheer shoes are marked with the reference to Philippians 4:13, a cross over the left toe, and the message on the heels to "don't quit" - do it (in bold). As I held her shoes today and perused her bible, I felt encouraged and "cheered on" by Cara to keep at it and work toward completing all the dreams the Lord has given me. I have so many. "Don't quit - do it!" I can hear her say. I learned a lot today from Cara.

Today I also had the privilege of hearing Cara's friends give us a peek into the secret part of her personality that parents of high school seniors aren't allowed to see unless by happenstance.

Rachel was one of many who shared. She spoke with much emotion, mainly sadness for the loss of her dear friend. Her words were poignant and heart-felt, delivered in a slow,  halting manner between wells of tears. Once she looked right at me, dividing the crowd with her gaze, seeking my help (I had offered to read her speech if needed), but all I felt the Lord would allow me to do is offer prayers for strength. This was something the Lord and Cara wanted Rachel to do. These were her words, her thoughts, and they needed to be delivered by her.

Bill and I are so proud of our daughter. In one brief moment, all fears of her surviving this world on her own without us parents disappeared. She will be just fine!

Good-bye, dear Cara. You tasted death, yet your life has not ended in death, as you are alive forevermore in Christ Jesus. You are a remarkable young lady. All of us wanted you here with us for much, much longer, but you are now completing your mission in your permanent home in the heavenly Jerusalem. All of us who are In Him will be seeing you soon and very soon!

If I Stay

If I Stay is a sweet, coming-of-age flick that has sufficient adult themes to keep the savvy moviegoer intrigued. As I watched, I found that the seventeen-year-old in me emerged, harkening back to the days when John Hughes films, like Pretty In Pink and The Breakfast Club, were on my list of favorites.

Based on the best-selling novel by Gayle Forman, the story chronicles the tragic life of Mia Hall (Chloë Grace Moretz), who is maneuvering her senior year in high school. Smart, pretty, and extremely talented, Mia has aspirations to enter Julliard in the fall as a concert cellist. As one would expect, she is focused, driven, and disciplined, even when distracted by the attentions of a hunky wannabe rocker, Adam Wilde (Jamie Blackley). Fortunately, her parents' bohemian, artsy attitude help keep her well-grounded, enabling her to balance academics, music, as well as a burgeoning romance.

All seems to be going to plan, until a snow day sends Mia and her family on a day trip to visit her grandparents' farm. As the car travels down the wintery road, Mia gazes out the window, her mind full of peaceful, ethereal sounds from her cello. Flashbacks take the viewer to a time to when she was a tiny girl, infatuated with this large, stringed instrument. Her passion eclipses anything her parents have experienced in the rock-n-roll world, and they soon realize they have a prodigy on their hands.

There is a wonderful scene where Mia's dad, Denny (Joshua Leonard), sinks to the floor outside her bedroom late one night and listens to her play. In a fleeting moment, he realizes his mediocre talent pales in comparison to her extraordinary ability. Mia's mother, Kat (Mireille Enos), joins him, thinking something tragic has happened, but Denny explains his revelation in a very tender exchange that grips the heart. They are overjoyed that their daughter has been touched by something that can only be described as divine.

Set on nurturing Mia's talent, Denny quits his band and takes on a teaching position to pay for private music tutors. He never tells Mia the truth of his decision, leaving her to conclude it is because of the birth of little brother, Teddy (Jakob Davies). More flashbacks take the viewer closer in time to when Mia's passionate playing of the cello catches Adam's interest for the first time. He asks her out on a date to a cello recital, and a relationship is spawned.

** SPOILER ALERT **

Up until this point, the film appears to be a benign teen flick where the main characters are conflicted by their differences in musical taste and talent and the pangs of being separated after graduation. But then the flashbacks take the viewer to current time as the family travels the snow-covered roads toward their destination. In a sudden plot twist, the car collides with an oncoming truck, bringing the music in Mia's mind to an abrupt halt.

Mia awakens on the side of the road while paramedics try to revive her. Through an out-of-body experience, she attempts in vain to communicate with them, but it is clear she has entered another dimension. White sheets, blood, and bodies on stretchers reveal the shocking truth that her beloved parents have died. Before Mia can discover what happened to Teddy, she is whisked away in an ambulance, her condition critical.

The remainder of the movie takes place in the hospital where Mia's body lies in a comatose state while her soul lingers near Teddy's bedside, hoping he will make it through. Her grandparents arrive, and the grief they experience tempts her to give up and die as well. A nice spiritual moment has a caring nurse tell the unconscious Mia it is her decision to go or stay. As Teddy shows improvement, Mia vows to live for his sake.

This notion of choosing whether to live or die when death whispers its temptations is an interesting thought that gives the story depth. All of us Christians have read the Apostle Paul's letter to the Philippians where he described his dilemma over choosing to die and be with the Lord or stay in his body and continue ministering to the church. This is a powerful spiritual concept that many of us believers haven't grasped, but it is an issue that Mia must face. Will Teddy's survival be enough to have her chose life over death? Or is there something else beyond family and music worth fighting-and living-for?

The movie picks up here and concentrates on the romance between Mia and Adam. Through more flashbacks, the viewer gets the sense this relationship is much more than a high school fling doomed to fade at the advent of college. Mia thinks she has found her soulmate in this young musician who values her talents and music aspirations, but when Julliard becomes a possibility, trouble begins. As it turns out, Adam isn't as supportive as she had hoped. To his mind, Mia should sacrifice her plans for his, agreeing to accompany him on the road as he takes his successful band on tour. While I wasn't thrilled with some of the sexual overtones in some of the scenes, I did like the tender moments between Mia and Kat where loving, practical advice on young romance was espoused. The sacrificial love Kat and Denny have for their daughter and her dream is what sold me on this film.

When Teddy succumbs to death, Mia is faced with the grueling decision of living out her life and enduring the pains of grief or give up and meet her family on the other side. Her condition worsens and the odds of her recovery narrow. In a touching scene at her hospital bedside, her grandpa reluctantly, yet lovingly, gives her permission to die.

Just when the audience is convinced this story will end on a depressing note, Adam rushes to her bedside to lend his support, but the nurses will not let him through; he isn't immediate family, and yet, ironically, he knows what she needs to hold on to life. Through some careful maneuvering, he is able to get to her bedside just as she is about to slip over into death. As her soul walks toward a bright light, Mia hears the beautiful cello performance from her Julliard audition now playing from Adam's phone. He reads from her acceptance letter and vows to follow her to New York to help live out her dream- if she will only stay.

I won't give away the ending, but I'm sure you can guess how things end up. Sometimes with a great story, it isn't the outcome, but the ride the character takes to reach an expected conclusion. Holding on tight to a dream and never giving up despite the terrible obstacles is a universal theme that resonates in the hearts of so many people, especially Christians desiring to advance God's kingdom. Will all of us choose to stand our ground and live the life the heavenly father has destined for us, or will we give up, cave in and quit?

If I Stay is entertaining, insightful, and surprisingly uplifting despite its tragic turns. A nice little gem of a film!