Sunday Brunch - Is It Wrong For Christians To Wear Tattoos?

Photo courtesy of Free Digital Photos


Mock brunch menu:
Moist banana bread with walnuts
Cold, creamy milk
Soft scrambled eggs seasoned with salt and pepper
Scrapple
Hot coffee with cream and sugar

Do you think it's wrong for Christians to wear tattoos?

I came up with the subject for today's Sunday Brunch while I was out on Friday evening. I passed a tattoo shop and this scripture came to my mind:

Leviticus 19:28 28“ ‘Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD.

This scripture is taken from the Old Testament, and far as I know, the New Testament does not mention this rule. I've seen some cool tattoos on folks, but, I've never been of the mind-set to get one. The thought of being pricked by that painful needle...and making that permanent mark on my skin has never appealed to me. Plus, as you get older, the tattoos don't look as fresh and vibrant, they fade. I definitely wouldn't want my skin crowded with faded tattoos!

However, I honestly don't think that getting a tattoo is necessarily "wrong". I tend to think more of daily-life Christian laws as being taken from the New Testament, moreso than the Old Testament. However, people may disagree with me about tattoos and I'd like to get a discussion going about this subject. I know I was raised to believe that tattoos were wrong and this scripture was used to back up that "rule." However, as I got older and more exposed to the world, my thinking has changed.

Although I don't think getting a tattoo is wrong, it's not something that I would encourage someone to do. Why? Well, like I've already said, the idea has just never appealed to me, and if my son were older (like a teenager) and wanted my permission to get a tattoo, I'd tell him NO!

So, do you think it's wrong for Christians to get tattoos? Leave your response in the comments!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

The Heart's Song - A Sweet Romance

Here's a brief summary of a nice, sweet, inspirational romance that I read recently.

Widow Reeny Landry has suddenly received money to use as a memorial to her deceased husband. Amidst some strong objections from town members and from her mother-in-law, Reeny decides to start a handbell choir in honor of her late spouse. Reeny is attracted to people who need love and attention, and her handbell choir is used to help others who need this activity as an outlet.

Widower and math teacher Graham Lockwood is new in town and he's Reeny's next door neighbor. Graham is suffering from a recent loss and he's pushed God out of his life. He is somewhat irritated by Reeny's breezy, God-inspired attitude. When Reeny needs someone to help her lead the handbell choir, Graham is a natural choice since he's a musician, and she can't find anybody else to fill the position.

I enjoy reading stories with disabled characters. I thought this book was kind of interesting and I learned something new by reading it! Reeny has a daughter who is mute. Her mute child becomes a member of the handbell choir and it gives the child a vocal-like outlet since she can't speak. I rarely hear of this type of handicap - I usually hear of it associated with deafness, trauma, throat cancer, or mental issues. Rarely have I heard of someone being born without the ability to speak (unless associated with the issues I mentioned in the previous sentence).

Reeny also has another child, a son, who gently objects to his mother's growing feelings towards his math teacher.

This story was light and entertaining and it showed how we need to embrace God, even when we suffer from tragedy and hardship.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Earthquake!!!

Have you ever experienced an earthquake or a tremor? What did it feel like?

It was a scary day. I live in Maryland and we don't really get earthquakes. But, I was sitting at my desk and I felt a slight tremor in the floor. The tremor got louder and louder and the building started to shake. I screamed and my coworkers and I wondered what was going on. We figured it was an earthquake and the building was evacuated. I'm still thinking about it. This scripture came to my mind when I was standing outside of the evacuated building:

Luke 21:10-11
10Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.



Today's earthquake made me wonder if Maryland would be seeing more earthquakes. So, have you ever experienced and earthquake or a tremor? What did it feel like?

~Cecelia Dowdy~

From The Blog Archives

I've reposted old blog posts about African-American fiction on Writers' Rest. Stop by and leave a comment!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Someone To Blame By C.S. Lakin

Someone To Blame by C.S. Lakin

This book reminded me of Terri Blackstock's novels. The chapters were short, suspenseful, and moved quickly. Irene, Matt, and Casey (The Moore Family) is suffering from a recent double tragedy. To help deal with their grief, they relocate to a small beach town called Breakers. Each member of the Moore family deals with their recent grief in their own way. Casey wears her deceased brothers' clothing, wanting to keep their memory alive. Matt can't stop thinking about the past, and what he could've done to prevent the senseless deaths.

When a new young guy comes to town named Billy Thurber, life in the quiet beach town becomes unsettled. A rash of robberies occur and there are several instances of vandalism. Meanwhile, young, vulnerable Casey Moore finds herself drawn to Billy. Could Billy be responsible for the recent ruckus in the small town?

Someone To Blame depicts a realistic journey to faith as we seek answers to our never-ending questions about life and death. I enjoyed this book immensely because it realistically shows how a family deals with grief and forgiveness. The fast-moving suspenseful threads made this book a page turner. I recommend it as a good read. Many thanks to the author for giving me a free review copy of this novel.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Sunday Brunch - Did Jesus Die On A Tree?

Today's mock menu - let's pretend like we've just finished this meal before discussing today's scriptures:

Grilled ham
Fluffy omelets stuffed with fragrant herbs, cheese and mushrooms
Fried potatoes seasoned with salt and herbs
Tuna fish sandwiches on whole wheat toast
Buttered toast
Iced latte
Coke

Did Jesus die on a tree?


You know I've been reading a lot about the early Christians lately, especially in the book of Acts. I've often wondered about the scriptures in Acts which reference that Jesus died on a tree. There are several references about Jesus dying on the cross throughout the Bible, but I was wondering if the tree reference was used simply because the cross was made of wood?


Here are the scriptures that refer to Jesus dying on a tree:

Acts 13:28-30
28Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed. 29When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. 30But God raised him from the dead,


Acts 10:39
39“We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree,


This is one of the many references about Jesus dying on a cross:
Acts 2:23
23This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.


So, why do you think Acts mentions Jesus dying on a tree? Personally, I think He died on a cross, but I've often wondered about the tree reference. Leave a comment.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

A Season Of Miracles By Rusty Whitener

A Season Of Miracles by Rusty Whitener


Did you ever play Little League Baseball? If so, what do you remember about it?

This book is about a twelve-year-old boy named Zack who plays little league. His team is not very great, but things change when they recruit a new kid named Rafer. Rafer is "touched" or mentally challenged. The Little Leaguers initially mistakenly believe that Rafer can't hit the ball since he can barely speak. However, Rafer can hit almost as good as a professional baseball player.

The team learns about working together - team work - to improve their season. They also learn about faith. Zack finds himself interested in the subject of God and salvation, so he starts going to church with his fellow player, Donnie, since Donnie's father is a preacher. Zack's father is not too keen on his son learning more about the gospel since his dad doesn't appear to have much respect for spiritual matters.

I think this book would be appealing to young boys who are really into the sport of baseball. It shows a heartwarming warmth between a group of young men who are determined to learn about baseball and Christianity. God's role really comes into play when the team suffers through an extremely traumatic experience.

Many thanks to Kregel for providing me with a free review copy.

So, did you ever play Little League Baseball? If so, what do you remember about it? Leave a comment!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

The Next Food Network Star Is....

I'm taking a break from my regular blog topics today to talk about the Next Food Network Star TV show.

I must say that I was a bit disappointed that Jeff won! :-(
I was kinda rooting for Susie. I thought she was more warm and personable than Jeff. Anyway, he won, so congrats to Jeff!

Have you been watching the Next Food Network Star competition? If so, who were you rooting for?


~Cecelia Dowdy~

Sunday Brunch - Cherubim!

Mock Brunch Menu:
Creamy vanilla rice pudding with raisins and sprinkled with cinnamon
Fluffy blueberry pancakes slathered with real butter and homemade maple syrup
Crispy salty bacon
Tender link sausages
Hot coffee laced with cream and sugar
Cold, fresh-squeezed orange juice
Sweet apple juice

As usual, let's pretend like we've just finished the tasty meal that I've outlined above and we're ready to talk about some scriptures!

Today, I wanted to talk about the cherubim. For some reason, thoughts of the cherubim have been going through my mind over the last few weeks! I’ll talk about seraphim another week.

NOTE: I’M TALKING ABOUT CHERUBIM IN THE BIBLICAL SENSE. I’M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE TERM CHERUB/CHERUBIM AS IT PERTAINS TO INFANTS/BABIES.

When you think about cherubim, what image comes to your mind?


The cherubim are mentioned in the Bible a number of times. After Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden, the cherubim guarded the Garden so that Adam and Eve could not return:

Genesis 3:24
24After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.


Cherubim were also used numerous times in the design of the Ark of the Covenant as well as the temple built by Solomon. This leads me to believe that these are extremely holy and important creatures.

We also know that God is enthroned between the cherubim:
2 Kings 19:15
15And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD: “O LORD, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth.


However, the Biblical image that I find most striking about the cherubim occurs in Ezekiel 10:12-14
12Their entire bodies, including their backs, their hands and their wings, were completely full of eyes, as were their four wheels. 13I heard the wheels being called “the whirling wheels.” 14Each of the cherubim had four faces: One face was that of a cherub, the second the face of a man, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.


When I think of these Biblical creatures, I think about how amazing they are, and how scary they must look! God sits between these winged creatures and they appear to be of some importance in the Old Testament. I wonder what it would’ve been like to see these creatures? Just reading about them brings images to my mind, images that are really hard to grasp.


What do you think about when you read the scriptures about the cherubim?

As always, comments and questions are appreciated!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Milk Money! :-)

I just found out about the following comment today left on a book review blog for my novel, Milk Money. Milk Money is book #2 in the Chesapeake Weddings collection. Here's the comment:
Great Book!
by: Anonymous

I've been reading Heartsong Presents books lately, and I just started reading Milk Money. I love the story. These books remind me that there is always a loving God who cares about you and will never leave you.

Thankyou, Cecelia Dowdy for writing this book!
-16 years old, NH =)



I love hearing from teenagers! It's great to see that people are still reading my books and I'm humbled and pleased by the praise.

It's just so sad that Heartsong Presents no longer exists! :-(

The Chesapeake Weddings collection is still available at Christianbook.com for only $2.79 if you'd still like to purchase a copy. If you order 3 or more copies, the price drops to $1.79! They make great gifts for friends, family, church members and women's groups! You can even do some early Christmas shopping and use them as stocking stuffers! :-)

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Daughter Of The Loom - Book 1 - Bells Of Lowell Series

Daughter Of The Loom by Tracie Peterson and Judith Miller

This is book #1 in the Bells Of Lowell series.

Forced to work in the mill as her only means of survival, Lilly Armbruster is deeply resentful of the powerful mill owners she believes forced her father's premature death. Lily is torn, however, when she discovers her one-time betrothed is one with the "lords of the loom." With her heart conflicted, Lilly's faith will be put to the test.


Lilly's life has taken an unexpected turn. Her father is dead and her farm has been sold to a group of people. This group of people, the Boston Associates, want to expand the mills, therefore getting rid of most of the farms. Lilly loved her farm and her ex-beau, Matthew, has joined the Associates, stating that the mills will bring prosperity to Lowell.

Lilly's brother, Lewis, has gambled away the money that they've received from the sale of the farm, so Lilly is left penniless. She must now work to survive and the only job she can find is at the mills, working in the factory making fabric. She's determined to bring justice into Lowell by putting a stop to the mill operations. However, Lilly needs to learn that vengeance is not something she should take into her own hands.

I thought this book was a good read. The story shows that we need to forgive others for their transgressions. There were so many issues that were dealt with in this book that it's hard to name them all. Sibling rivalry is one issue that the characters needed to work out. Lilly and her brother Lewis have never gotten along. Lilly finds it hard to forgive Lewis for his gambling, drinking and lewd behavior. Lewis tortured her when they were children, and Lilly finds it hard to understand why her brother hates her so much.

There's also a set of spinster sisters who run boarding houses for the mill workers. These sisters must learn to overcome their differences to restore their sisterly relationship. And there's also the issue of lost love. Lilly has broken her engagement to Matthew because she holds him responsible for her father's death as well as the loss of her farm. Lilly needs to learn that she should listen to God's voice and really assess the value of the mills instead of taking matters into her own hands.

I thought this book was interesting because it showed the young women working in the mills in the 1800's. Seeing them turning thread into fabric and seeing spindles, threads, looms, etc. was interesting. Working in the mills is hard on Lilly since she wanted to stay on her farm. Plus there's a great deal of turmoil at work due to a lewd foreman who threatens the female workers. I thought the work situation was very realistic. The women worked long days with only a half hour for lunch and breakfast. The female workers would have only 30 minutes to rush back to their boarding houses, wolf down their food, and then return to the mills.

Overall a good read. I look forward to reading the other two books in the series.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Food In The Church

I'm blogging over at Writers' Rest Blog about food in the church. Stop by and leave a comment!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

No Sunday Brunch Today! :-(

Time just got away from me and I didn't get a chance to do a Sunday Brunch post today. I'll do one next week. I thought my next Sunday Brunch post would focus on the cherubim and seraphim.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

The Changing World Of Publishing

I've been feeling a bit melancholy of late. Reason why? I'm still kind of bummed that the Heartsong Presents line is being cancelled. I was working on a proposal to send to them, and then I heard about that.

Top it off with Borders shutting down a few weeks ago.

The publishing world is changing drastically. Since Borders is now closed, I've wondered about the fate of printed books? I just received my Kindle e-reader as a birthday gift and I love it. Do you think we're moving toward the time where printed books will be history and will no longer exist?

I've also heard in various writers' circles that other publishers will eventually get rid of their trade paperback books. Just makes me stop and wonder.

Also, I've noticed that a slew of commercially-published authors have started releasing self-pubbed e-books. I've heard some make great money and others have not had that much success in sales and money. Will the book world change so much that commercial publishers will cease to exist and everybody self-publishes e-books? Those who are deemed to be successful are the ones who make lots of $$$?


Or, I also wonder if commercial publishers will get even more picky about the authors that they want to publish. Do you think that commercial publishers might reach the point where they choose new authors from the selection of successfully published e-authors?


What's the point of this blog post? I'm not sure! I'm just thinking about the vast changes being made in the world of publishing and trying to digest everything. I know it's gonna be hard to figure this all out. I just think it'll be weird and a bit sad if we ever reach the point where... there are NO MORE BOOKSTORES!!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

The Help - A Book Review

NOTE - THIS IS A SECULAR TITLE

My sister loaned me her copy of this book, and I just finished it a couple of days ago. The movie is going to be released in about a week, so, I'll probably go and see it when it comes out.

In spite of the controversy for some, I felt this book painted a realistic view for what it was like for SOME African-American maids to work for white families in the sixties. I enjoyed reading this book, but there were parts of it that rankled me, made me angry. But, I felt the author did a great job with the story.

Skeeter is 22 years old and she has graduated from college. Unmarried, she hangs out with her friends who are married with children. Skeeter's mother is always "on her case" about her height (she's very tall) and her unruly hair. Can't she fix herself up so that she can snag a husband? Skeeter is sick of her mother and she's got goals, goals that are not shared by her upper-class friends. Skeeter wants to be a writer and when she reaches out to a big-time New York editor, she comes up with an idea for a book - a book about what it's really like to be a Black maid in the deep South.

Skeeter's family maid suddenly disappears and her mother lies about the maid's wherabouts. Skeeter wants to know what happened to the African-American woman who raised her. She's stunned that the maid that they've employed for decades is now gone - it's almost like losing her second mother.

Skeeter's family as well as Skeeter's friends all employ African-American domestic help. Aibileen, one of the maids, has been a domestic worker her entire life. I think, when you read this story, it'll make you stop and make you think about what the life of a maid is really like. They cook, clean, and they also raise the children of their White employers. They're not really appreciated for all that they do.

You'll meet a cast of interesting characters who struggle with bigotry and fear. Minny, another maid, has problems that she's dealing with at home - her homelife is sad and she has trouble keeping domestic jobs because of her sassy attitude. She finally finds a job with Ms. Celia, a white woman who is the social outcast of Jackson Misssissippi since she is little more than "poor white trash" who "stole" the boyfriend of one of the town's elite.

Skeeter and the maids are fearful, but feel that changes need to be made, so she sets out to write the stories about the maids in her town. Skeeter wants others to know about what the maids have to go through each day doing their jobs. Most times, their White employers are unsympathetic, demeaning, and they treat their help with no respect.

One particular thing comes to mind to illustrate how the maids are disrespected - many of their employers get a separate bathroom contructed onto their homes because they feel that Blacks have diseases to which whites are not accostomed to. I found the views of many of the Whites in the book to be downright stupid. How are you going to have a Black maid fixing your food, raising your children, and then worry about catching a disease from using the same toilet?

The Help takes place during the sixties in Jackson Mississippi and there is an extreme amount of racial unrest during this time in history. Martin Luther King is about to lead the March in Washington. People are getting lynched and shot just for standing up for their civil rights.

I could go on and on talking about this book, but I don't want to give spoilers. My only pet peeve about this novel is that Skeeter hangs out with her best friends - apparantly, they used to be extremely close. However, now that closeness is being shattered. I had a hard time believing that these Skeeter and her friends had been close at one point? Why? Not sure. Once the story opens, that closeness has faded, so, since I never "experienced" the closeness amidst the pages in the book, it could be why I'm having a hard time accepting that Skeeter was close to her friends?

Overall, the book was a quick, good, engaging read and I highly recommend this controversial book.

~Cecelia Dowdy~
From the back cover:
Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.
Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.
Minny, Aibileen’s best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody’s business, but she can’t mind her tongue, so she’s lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.
Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.
In pitch-perfect voices, Kathryn Stockett creates three extraordinary women whose determination to start a movement of their own forever changes a town, and the way women—mothers, daughters, caregivers, friends—view one another. A deeply moving novel filled with poignancy, humor, and hope, The Help is a timeless and universal story about the lines we abide by, and the ones we don’t.