Deborah: an example of Godly leadership

Two hundred years after the fall of Jericho and after the death of Joshua, the Israelites began to lose its hold on the land. Canaanite rulers held the Israelites oppressed for twenty years. Sisera was the chief warrior among the Canaanites and his force of 900 iron plated chariots terrified the people and kept them in line for many years. Sisera was so assured that no one could challenge him and he felt even more smugly secure as Israel had a new leader: a woman. Deborah was an extraordinary woman. A wife, a mother and a leader of the Israelites. Judges in Israel were unelected and uninherited. They were chosen by God to serve as military leaders when the people needed to be rescued from their enemies and establish justice. Deborah was the only woman to serve as judge. 

Deborah was a prophetess who held court under a palm tree. She refused to lose heart as Israel became more and more divided and dispirited. The people had sunk deeper into idolatry and forgot God’s promises and the faith of their ancestors. Her vision of the world was not shaped by the political situation but her relationship with God. Even though it was uncommon for a woman to be a leader in the ancient world, Deborah was the leader Israel needed. She heard God and believed in Him. By her example, courage began to arise in the people which enabled them to throw off their oppressors. Sisera thought he was invincible but he failed to take into account Deborah’s strong faith. Deborah summoned Barak, a Jew from the North, and told him that God would deliver Sisera’s army into his hands. But Barak was terrified and only agreed to go if Deborah also went into battle. She tells him the honor of defeating Sisera would not be his but hers. When Sisera heard of the plan to defeat his army, he felt so confident that he went ahead to the Kishon River. Unfortunately, his chariots became stuck and became easy targets for Barak’s troops. After the battle, there would be peace in Israel for 40 years (Judges 5:31). 

Deborah’s story speaks volumes for us today. Deborah is an example of strong leadership. She was not power hungry. She only wanted to serve God and when praise came her way, she gave credit to God. She is a person who demonstrated what can be done when God is in control. First, we need to be available to God and others. Deborah was known as a mediator, advisor and counselor (Judges 4:5). She led Israel peacefully for 40 years. Second, how to be a wise leader. Wise leaders are rare. Leaders who know how to work with and through others. They are good mediators, advisors, planners and delegators. When God revealed his plans for Sisera’s defeat, Deborah didn’t try to do it all herself. She called Barak to help. And when Barak’s faith was shaken at the prospect of facing Sisera, he asked Deborah to be at his side (Judges 4:8). She was the type of person who understood the spiritual needs of the people she led. While she believed that God would lead them to victory, her presence helped build the confidence of the troops. She understood the needs of the people and not just worried about success. She didn’t downplay Barak’s role in the victory, despite his reluctance to go into battle without her (Judges 5:12). 

Imagery is important in Deborah’s story. The palm trees are often heralds of peace and hope. Deborah meeting with people under the palm tree. The palm branch is a symbol of victory, triumph, peace and eternal life. Jesus’s entrance into Jerusalem before his crucifixion and death (Matthew 21:8, Mark 11:8, John 12:13) is another example of the palm inclusion bringing a deeper meaning. Deborah’s name means “bee” (Devorah or D’vorah in Hebrew). The imagery of the bee is interesting as the Midrash, a collection of teachings on the Torah, explain that the Hebrew people were like bees (Nelson, 2019). First, bees follow their leader in a swarm. The Jewish people would follow prophets to teach them. Judges 4:5 says Deborah held court where the Israelites came to her to settle their disputes. Second, the bee demonstrates the consequences of not following God’s commands, as a bee sting is quite painful. But as the bee’s honey is sweet, those who follow His commands will be blessed with a sweet life. Third, bees are a lowly insect and serve as a reminder to be humble. Colossians 3:12 says “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” 

In conclusion, judges in Israel were unelected and uninherited, chosen by God to serve as military leaders when the people needed to be rescued from their enemies and establish justice. Deborah was a humble leader who used wisdom and God’s guidance to usher in forty years of peace. At a time when the Israelites desperately needed a strong leader, God gave them Deborah. With her faith, she was able to be an example of strength and confidence in God. At a time when women leaders were uncommon, Deborah was an example to all who sought her. Through Deborah’s example, we can be wide leaders who seek God’s guidance. We can be leaders in our homes, our families, our workplaces, and our schools. Men, women, boys, girls, young and old, we all can be wise leaders for God. 

References

Nelson, Susan J. (July 10, 2019). Who Was Deborah in the Bible? Christianity.com. www.https://www.christianity.com/wiki/people/who-was-deborah-in-the-bible.html. Retrieved January 21, 2021. 

National Daisy Day: a simple but beautiful and meaningful flower

January 28th is National Daisy Day. A simple flower with deeper meanings and history. Daisies grow naturally in the wild as part of the weed family and can be considered a nuisance to some. However, as a perennial flower, it doesn’t need much attention and they make a great addition to flower bouquets or gardens. The birth flower for the month of April and commonly used in the “She/He loves Me Not” game. Daisy is a common girl’s name and is the name of Daisy Duck, a popular Disney character. What is the history behind this simple but beautiful flower? What is the symbolism through the centuries and different cultures? What are a few fun facts about daisies? 

Daisies are native to Northern Europe but are currently found all around the world. The word, “daisy” comes from the Old English language meaning “day’s eye” because its petals blossom at dawn and shut at dusk. In 2200 BC, Ancient Egyptians grew daisies in the temple gardens and used them for herbal and medicinal purposes. In 1792, botanist Paul Dietrich Giseke recorded daisies as part of the Composite Family. The Composite family includes asters and sunflowers for their dense heads surrounded by involucral bracts. On September 7, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson uses the daisy in the iconic ad that helps him win the election. The ad begins with a three year old girl picking daisies in an open field and ends with a nuclear explosion. The daisy gained popularity after actress Drew Barrymore began wearing them in her hair. Today, daisies are seen as a beautiful but cheaper alternative to roses. 

Daisies have come to symbolize youth, innocence, purity and associated with children. In an old Celtic Legend, whenever an infant died, God sprinkled daisies over the earth to cheer the parents up. Daisies were often planted or given to parents after a child has died. In Norse Mythology, the daisy is Freya’s sacred flower. As Freya is the goddess of love, beauty and fertility, the daisy came to symbolize childbirth, motherhood, and new beginnings. In Roman Mythology, daisies represents chastity and transformation. According to the story, Vertumnus, the god of the seasons and gardens, became enamored with Belides, a nymph, and perused her relentlessly. She would transform herself into a daisy in order to escape his affections. Even though daisies come in a variety of colors, the iconic white petals with a yellow center is the most common. According to various floral sites, the white petals represent goodness, faith, virtue and clarity with the yellow center representing the spirit of joy, honesty and loyalty. In the Victorian Age, it was taboo to send a romantic partner roses as it sent a strong message. Daisies would be sent as a more subtle message of love to someone without serious implications.  

During my research, I found many fun facts about daisies that I didn’t know. I would like to share a few I found the most interesting. First, daisies attract bees easily due to their shape and are easily pollinated unlike orchids whose shape make pollination difficult.. Second, daisies can survive almost anywhere. As tough as they are beautiful, daisies bloom most of the year and can adapt to almost any environment. They are also resistant to pesticides and insects. Third, they are known for their many medicinal properties, Daisies are thought to slow bleeding, relieve indigestion and ease coughs. In homeopathy, the garden daisy is known as the gardener’s friend for its ability to ease an aching back. Related to the artichoke, the leaves of the daisy are high in Vitamin C and can be added to salads. Fourth, daisies have made their way into various phrases. In the 1800s, the phrase “ups-a-daisy” was commonly used to encourage children to get up when they fell. Today we would say, “oopsy daisy” or “whoops-a-daisy,” after a stumble or a mistake. Lastly, daisies are said to encourage dreams. By placing its petals under your pillow, you can bring dreams of love. Also dreams of daisies are said to be a sign of coming good fortune. 

\Daisies are a simple but beautiful flower. I have always loved simple flowers as my birth flower is the aster, a relative to the daisy. After researching the daisy, I have a new love for the daisy. With symbolism associated with youth, purity, and innocence, it is a flower with great meaning and history. A flower with medicinal properties too, it’s not just a flower that sits and looks pretty. Next time you see the humble daisy, remember its deeper meaning and appreciate its simple beauty. For today, on National Daisy Day, let’s celebrate the simple but beautiful and meaningful flower. 

The Moonlight Child: a story filled with mystery and suspense

The Moonlight Child by Karen McQuestion begins on a cold January night when Sharon Lemke heads outside to see a lunar eclipse, she notices something odd at the house behind hers. Through her neighbor’s kitchen window, she sees what appears to be a little girl washing dishes. From what she knows the Fleming family who lives there, they don’t have a little girl and even if they did, why would she be doing housework so late at night? While her curiosity was intrigued, Sharon seemed to just let it go, but when 18-year old Niki, a former foster child, comes to live with Sharon, and notices suspicious activity at the Flemings’ house as well. When a call to social services doesn’t seem to go anywhere, the two decide to investigate on their own. Who is the little girl? Is she in trouble? Can Sharon and Niki find out the truth before it’s too late? 

The Moonlight Child is a book which pulls you in and holds tight until the very end. Filled with suspense and a guessing game that keeps up the twists and turns until the shocking truth is revealed and it is a race against time to save the little girl. I enjoyed all the characters, even the crazy Suzette Fleming as she tries to undo what she’s done. It was fun to try and figure out what kind of person would behave the way she does. I felt bad for her teenage son, Jacob. As the story unfolds with Sharon, Niki and the Flemings, the story of Wendy and Edwin Duran is weaved in. How are the Durans connected with the events of the little girl? It only adds to the mystery around the little girl. I highly recommend The Moonlight Child. 

The Moonlight Child is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook. 

The Journey: a story of determination and survival on the Oregon Trail

The Journey is another book in Melanie Dobson’s Legacy of Love series. This story is just one of the many people who took the trip from Missouri to the Willamette Valley known as the Oregon Trail. Samantha Waldron is only 18 but she already suffered so much loss. After her mother’s death after a long illness, her father, Hiriam, decided to take the family on the planned trek across the plains. Along with her brother, 7 year old Micah, Samantha and her family join the wagon train and set out on an uncertain journey in the hopes for new opportunities. After much tragedy and heartache, Samantha makes it to Fort Vancouver where she must stay for the winter before continuing on to the valley. There she meets British Alexander Clarke. Alexander was raised with a great sense of duty but at the same time yearns for something else. He knows once spring comes he is to return to England, take his place in the family business and marry the woman he has promised to marry. As many men vie for Samantha’s attention and affection, only Alex has intrigued her but she cannot have him. Will Samantha make it to the valley? Will Alex find the belonging he has been looking for? 

The people who gathered all they had and left all they knew behind to travel across the plains in hopes of a new and better life has always intrigued me. Would I have the same courage and determination as Samantha and her wagon train to make it to the valley? Would I even survive? I enjoyed Samantha’s tenacity and spunk from the very beginning. A young woman who has been taught to stand up for herself and yet finds resistance from those who don’t care to hear her thoughts and opinions. Alex is a character I had to grow to love. From the beginning, he was a bit of an ass with a poor opinion of Americans. However, as he sees Samantha and all she went through, he realizes that Americans are built of stronger stuff than he realized. One of my favorite scenes is when Samantha is at the dinner table and the men are questioning her journey and after she details all she went through, they ask how did she accomplish all that? I love her answer. She says “We had no choice but to keep walking. We simply put one foot in front of the other for two thousand miles.” The Journey is a great inspirational story that will leave you in awe of what people went through to seek a better life. I highly recommend The Journey. 

The Journey is available in eBook. 

What's Worth Keeping: a story of healing, renewal and falling in love again

What’s Worth Keeping by Kaya McLaren is an emotional journey following Amy, a breast cancer survivor, her husband, Paul, an Oklahoma City police officer who is still haunted by the Oklahoma City Bombing and their teenage daughter, Carly, a recent high school graduate who has lost her way. On the day she hears the word no one wants to hear, Amy discovers a secret that Paul has been keeping from her. As summer begins and the months of chemo treatments are over and her recovery from surgeries is complete, she escapes her claustrophobic life. She seeks to find healing, peace and clarity in the one place which she felt whole: the ancient forests in Washington State. After dropping Carly off at Amy’s Aunt Rae’s horse ranch in the mountains of New Mexico, Paul visits the house he bought many years ago with the hopes to fix it up and retire. What he finds mirrors his life and marriage, everything looks fine on the outside, but inside is a disaster. When he finds himself with more time off than he expected, he begins the painstaking but loving repairs to the house and maybe even his future. After witnessing her mother’s treatments and recoveries, Carly is terrified when she learns that the cause was genetic, leaving her with a sense of impending doom and all her hopes and dreams seem like a waste of time. With the help of Aunt Rae and a Clydesdale horse named T Rex, can Carly discover she can have hope for the future again? Will Amy find the healing and peace she seeks? Can Paul repair his marriage and find the love they used to share? 

Right off the bat, the story of Amy, Paul and Carly hits you in the face. It pulls you in and tells you to put yourself in the shoes of these characters. Like life, What’s Worth Keeping has its ups and downs. At times it was sweet and these people obviously loved each other at one time and others, the heartbreaking moments when their world has been rocked to its core. At times I wanted to shake some sense into the characters and tell them not to be such an idiot! At other times, I wanted to hug each one and cry with them. I have not had the experiences that Amy has but her reactions and fight to gain her life back felt very real and very raw. I don’t know how I would react if I were in Amy’s shoes but her fears are very real. Paul is definitely a first responder who was just going through the motions as he is constantly reminded of the horrible events after the bombing and how it shaped his life since. He must battle the demons of survivor’s guilt if he wants to regain the life he once again and to love and be loved as he did before. Carly’s reaction to her mother’s illness was the most heartbreaking as she became angry in general as she saw her future in her mother’s pain and suffering. What’s Worth Keeping is a book that will break your heart, shed tears as Amy, Paul and Carly come to terms with the events of their lives and decide whether to fight or give up their futures. I highly recommend What’s Worth Keeping. 

What’s Worth Keeping is available in paperback and eBook

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Meet Me in Bombay: a beautiful love story set in WWI era India

Meet Me in Bombay by Jenny Ashcroft is the story of love, war and the promise to see each other again. The story opens on New Year’s Eve, 1913 and Madeline “Maddy” Bright has returned to colonial India after years in England. While at a stifling party, she heads outside for fresh air and sees a man who takes her breath away. She is unable to meet him but a surprising package arrives, introducing her to Luke Devereaux. Through his letter and his guidebook, Maddy begins to explore Bombay in ways she has never seen before. Soon they meet face to face and fall in love so easily. While the bold and charismatic is new and refreshing among the British elite that she’s used to, Maddy captives his heart with her beauty and vivacity. Everyone around Maddy enjoys seeing the two together, everyone except her mother, who prefers the devoted Guy Bowen for her daughter. Only the outbreak of World War I could bring to a halt their lives together, Luke has no choice but to join the fight and while they are continents apart, separated by the horrors of war, they find themselves bound by Luke’s promise that they will meet again in Bombay. 

Meet Me in Bombay is beautifully written and breathtakingly romantic. Ms. Ashcroft’s descriptions of India are so vivid that you can almost hear the sounds of the bazaar and smell the spices from the local cuisine. The encounters between Luke and Maddy are so touching and romantic, you can’t help but smile and sigh as they fall in love. The horrors of war are devastating and heartbreaking. You will cry with Maddy and her family and friends as they learn of their loved ones who are injured and will never be the same or won’t be coming home at all. The story has a The Notebook feel but oh so better. I couldn’t put it down. I stayed up late into the night and read a good three-quarters of it before I forced myself to go to sleep. But first thing in the morning, I grabbed the book to finish. From the opening paragraph to the closing epilogue, Meet Me in Bombay will pull you in and you will not want to put it down. It is full of love, family expectations, and hope against all hope, set in the beautiful country of India.  I highly recommend Meet Me in Bombay. 

Meet Me in Bombay is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

Red Skies: an emotional end to the Tales of the Scavenger's Daughters series

Red Skies is the fourth and final book in the Tales of the Scavenger’s Daughters series by Kay Bratt. It is the story of the three people who are brought together in amazing ways and their journey together will forever change them all. Marigold “Mari” grew up knowing struggles and hardships. She struggles to support herself and her husband, Bolin, after he has injured himself and can no longer work. One day, as she returns home on a rainy day, she sees a young girl begging on the street corner. Moved to kindness, she stops to talk to the young girl, An Ni, and offers her her jacket, only to be shooed away from a young man, a gang member. Mari walks away but she never forgets the young girl. Mari soon meets Max, an American photojournalist, who claims to be in China on assignment but seems to have a deeper mission, a personal mission. An Ni finds a way to escape the gang she has been forced to beg for. Along with a young girl, Mei, they run from the gang and hide. Soon Mari and Max will cross paths with An Ni and Mei and they will discover a peace and fulfillment that can only be described as miraculous. 

Red Skies is a beautiful ending to an amazing series. I loved the character of Mari as she struggles to support her husband, who is in pain and depressed. Her determination and drive to keep going, to love and honor her husband and survive on her own.I enjoyed Max as he was a bit of a mystery, wanting to see places that weren’t on the usual tourist list. It was easy to see that Max was a man tortured by something but what?, we don’t find out until the end. It was a beautiful moment which had me in tears. The convergence of An Ni and Mei’s story with Mari and Max’s is an example of how our paths are connected by no effort of ours but by divine providence or supernatural guidance. Ms. Bratt’s descriptions of China and the Chinese culture are beautiful and detailed. I could easily imagine the sights and sounds of the city, its marketplace and its residents. Red Skies is a beautifully, emotional story to end a great series. I was sad to say goodbye to Benfu, Calli and their amazing daughters but they will forever live and thrive in my imagination.I highly recommend Red Skies. 

Red Skies is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Read about the Zheng family

The Palest Ink (prequel)

The Scavenger’s Daughters (book 1)

Tangled Vines (book 2)

Bitter Winds (book 3)

The Children's Blizzard: a story of survival and life and death decisions

The Children’s Blizzard by Melanie Benjamin is the story of the sudden and devastating blizzard which swept through the Great Plains. The morning of January 12, 1888 was warm enough that the homesteaders of the Dakota Territory ventured outside and sent their kids to school without their heavy winter coats. As the school day was finishing, a sudden and fast moving blizzard blew in, leaving many unprepared and without many options. Based on the stories of survivors, Split into two parts, The Children’s Blizzard is the story of two school teachers, sisters, Gerda and Raina Olsen, in different parts of the territory. One becomes a hero who saves her students and the other finds herself ostracized and living with the guilt that she sent her students to their deaths. It is also the story of Anette Pedersen, a servant girl whose survival touches the heart of journalist Gavin Woodson and the nation as the newspaper stories spread far and wide. 

I have read about The Children’s Blizzard and its horrifying aftermath in many books before and I was eager to read Ms. Benjamin’s story. Part One was great, suspenseful and nail biting as the sudden storm swept in and the life and death decisions were made. Part Two is where the book faltered for me. It was not as emotionally gripping for me. It had long winded paragraphs, although beautifully written, didn’t move the story along. I also didn’t like that Ms. Benjamin took great steps to introduce all people who were affected by the blizzard including a black man named Ollie Tennant but I read Part Two, I was waiting and waiting and waiting to see what happened to Ollie and his children as they were trapped in the schoolhouse when they were last seen in the story. Unfortunately, there is a brief mention in Part Two as if you say “Here is what happens to Ollie and his children.” And it was a let down. Why introduce a character and then mention him in passing? I don’t know if the author knew what kind of story she wanted to write. Is it a story of how the embellishments that lured so many immigrants to a country they weren’t prepared for? Is it a story of the displacement of the Indians from their lands? Or was it a story of the blizzard itself? She wanted to write about the “ferocious storm that is little remembered today” but even the storm got lost in the political commentary. Overall, I did enjoy the book as the author’s descriptions of the storm in Part One, so vivid that you could almost feel the cold and the force of the winds. However, Part Two is where I feel the author strayed. I feel the ending of the story was rushed and didn’t do the characters or the events justice. 

The Children’s Blizzard is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

Bitter Winds: a story of family and sacrifice

Bitter Winds is the third book in The Scavenger’s Daughters series by Kay Bratt. Ever since the night her blind twin sister, Lily, almost burned alive in a fire and they were taken from their mother, Ivy appointed herself protector and guide for her. When Lily is snatched away and locked away in a mental hospital, Ivy will do whatever it takes to get Lily home, safe and sound. What lengths will she go to get her sister home? At the same time, Benfu and Calli’s long-lost daughter, Li Jin, has reunited with her birth parents and embraced her adopted sisters with joy. She opens a shelter for displaced people and pours herself into helping others who desperately need it. But when her friend Sami is consumed by bitterness and doesn't seem to understand that she is a welcome part of the family too, Li Jin must make a difficult choice between her friend and her new family. What choice will she make?

I think Bitter Winds is my favorite book in this series. Filled with drama, suspense, hope and love, the story kept me on the edge of my seat and waiting for what would happen next. I went through all the emotions while reading it. I was angry at certain characters’ behaviors and cried with the characters cried as they suffered and grieved. I was scared with the events in the mental hospital and held my breath in anticipation of what might happen next. And I smiled through my tears at the ending. I loved seeing the growth in the characters especially Li Jin as she works through the events of her past and her new hope for her future. I like the description of holding grudges as “eating bitterness” as grudges eat away at you. I also love to read how the title works itself in the story and that’s true for all the books in this family saga. I highly recommend Bitter Winds.

Bitter Winds is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Other books in the Zheng Family Saga

The Palest Ink (prequel)

The Scavenger’s Daughters (book 1)

Tangled Vines (book 2)

Red Skies (book 4, review coming soon)

Lana's War: a WWII French Resistance story on the Riviera

Lana’s War by Anita Abriel is a story of loss, courage and strength in uncertain times. Paris, 1943, Lana Hartmann is a happy woman. Despite the Nazi occupation of Paris, she is on cloud nine. She is happily married to Frederic and she has learned that they are now expecting a baby. Her happy world ends in a heartbeat. While on her way to tell Frederic her happy news, she witnesses a SS officer shoot and kill Frederic because he dared hide a Jewish child he was teaching. Later that day, it becomes evident that she loses the baby as well. Fast forward three months, Lana is going through the motions of life when she gets the offer that will change her life. A man offers her the chance to stop the man who killed her husband. The French Resistance needs her help on the Riviera. As the daughter of a Russian countess, she has the perfect background to socialize with the community of Russian aristocrats who socialize and sympathize with the German officers who occupy the area. Together with Guy Pascal, she gathers information and finds ways to bring the Jewish people to safety. She doesn’t expect to become attached to a young Jewish girl left on her own. Will she succeed in her mission? Or will her attachments lead to her capture?

Lana’s War is the second book I’ve read by Anita Abriel and she writes a story that pulls you in and keeps you intrigued until the end. I enjoyed reading Lana’s journey as she deals with the sudden loss of her husband and their baby. At the beginning of the story, she is a woman without a care in the world, despite the growing Nazi presence in Paris. As long as she has Frederic, she doesn't care about anything else. She learns quickly that the war will touch you and everything you care about eventually. She’s prepared to do what she can to avenge her husband and their baby. I loved that intrigue and the uncertainty of who Lana could trust and who she shouldn’t. Even as a member of the Resistance, is Guy a man she can trust with her life? The relationship between Guy and Lana was also great as they treated each other with cold indifference before they slowly learned to trust each other. The story was wonderful, filled with suspense and drama. I eagerly devoured the pages as I wanted to see if Lana completes her mission and survives. Unfortunately, I felt the ending was rushed but it doesn’t take away from the story. Overall, I enjoyed Lana’s War and highly recommended it. If you love World War II stories and stories about the French Resistance, you will enjoy Lana’s War. 

Lana’s War is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Tangled Vines: the continued story of the Zheng family

Tangled Vines by Kay Bratt is the second book in The Scavenger’s Daughters series. The story opens with Li Jin and her 10 year old son, Jojo, at the mercy of Erik, an abusive South African man. At first, Erik was charming and swept her off her feet but soon his true nature reared its ugly head and after 30 years of living with cruel foster families, a bleak orphanage and life on the streets, Li Jin feels she has nowhere else to go. Meanwhile in Benfu and Calli are content to watch their six adopted daughters blossom into young women. But when information about the whereabouts of their biological daughter, who was stolen from them so many years ago, comes to them, the frantic search to find their beloved Dahlia begins. Will Li Jin finally find the strength and courage to leave behind the abusive situation? Will Benfu and Calli finally find their beloved daughter? 

Tangled Vines is a beautifully haunting story about the lost girls of China. It is a journey of heartbreak and hope against all odds as one young woman decides to make a fresh start and a family’s race to reunite with their lost daughter and untangle the lies of the past. It is heartbreaking to imagine young women living the life described for Li Jin and the other women introduced in the story. Tangled Vines is darker than The Scavenger’s Daughters; however, the situations Ms Bratt writes about are dark and terrifying. While reading, I wanted to reach through the pages and hug Benfu, to comfort Calli and rescue Li Jin. I don’t want to give away certain plot points but at one point, I cheered and I cried as I closed the final chapter. I recommend reading Tangled Vines after reading the first book. I will be reading the rest of the series and reviewing it soon. 

Tangled Vines is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Today in History: The Battle of New Orleans 1815

 Today in history is the Battle of New Orleans victory of US Major General Andrew Jackson’s army against overwhelming odds of the British army under Major General Sir Thomas Pakenham on January 8, 1815. The battle took place 18 days after the signing of the Treaty of Ghent which formally ended the War of 1812 on December 24, 1814 as news of the treaty had not yet reached the armies in the US. Despite a large British army with advantages in numbers, training and experience, the American forces defeated a poorly executed assault in a little more than two hours. What events led to the battle? What occurred during the battle for the Americans to win overwhelming odds? How was the battle remembered and memorialized? 

Major General Pakenham was ordered to continue the war even if he heard rumors of peace. This order was given under the impression that the US would never ratify a treaty and the war would continue. The British hoped to take New Orleans in order to separate Louisiana from the US. The British would send 11,000-14,450 troops to the area (State of Louisiana). Pirate Jean Lafitte warned the Americans of this plan (Editors, 2019) as 60 British ships anchored in the Gulf of Mexico, east of Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Borgne by December 14, 1814. The much smaller American force, appropriately 3,500-5,000 men (State of Louisiana), set up a fortilla of five gunboats which prevented the British access to the lakes as Jackson hastened to the city and set up defenses by December 1, 1814 (Lohnes, 2021). After a brief attack, British soldiers were able to establish a garrison east of New Orleans. General John Keane decided to camp at the Villere Plantation and wait for reinforcements. Major Gabriel Villere escaped his home and warned Jackson of the British army's positions. Due to this information, the American forces were able to fortify the Rodriguez Canal which came to be known as Line Jackson. 

The American forces were Tennessee and Kentucky frontiersmen, Louisiana militia, New Orleans businessmen, Free Men of Color, Choctaw Indians, pirates, sailors and US Marines (American Battlefield Trust). They were able to create three lines of defenses, firmly entrenching themselves at the canal. The British battle plan was to attack against the 20-gun west bank, then use the guns for their frontal assault. Early morning on the 8th, Pakenham gave the orders for the attack.The main attack began in darkness and heavy fog. When the fog lifted, British neared the American mainline. However, Lt. Colonel Thomas Mullions, the British commander of the 44th (East Essex) Regiment of Foot, forgot the ladders and facines needed to cross the 8 foot deep and 15 foot wide canal and scale the fortifications. The British forces soon fell into confusion and the American forces were able to push back the British forces until they retreated. The Battle Of New Orleans would be over in approximately two hours. The final causality numbers have been up for debate for many years since the numbers. The official numbers state that the Americans suffered approximately 60 casualties while the British suffered over 2,000. 

The Battle of New Orleans had no influence on the outcome of the war as the treaty was signed weeks before and the British turned their attention to Europe as a renewed war with France brewed when Napoleon escaped Elba and was restored to power in February 1815. However, it had historical significance in the years to come. The victory helped elevate national pride which suffered during the war (Editors, 2019). Jackson’s political reputation would be built on the victorious battle and glorified his heroic image. The Battle of New Orleans would also be the last armed engagement between the United States and Great Britain (Editors, 2019). When I was in high school, my US history teacher played Johnny Horton’s 1959 song The Battle of New Orleans as part of his lesson. Written by Jimmy Driftwood, a principal in Arkansas, wrote the song with the hopes to engage the students in history. The song was set to the melody of a well-known American fiddle tune, “The 8th of January,” it told the story of the battle in a light and comical tone. It has been recorded and performed by many artists, the most famous is Johnny Horton’s version which would be a number hit in 1959. 

In conclusion, the Battle of New Orleans had no effect on the outcome of the War of 1812; however, it helped elevate national pride at a time when Americans had suffered losses at the hands of the British. News of the victory in New Orleans and the treaty ended the war would reach the American people around the same time leading to a greater sense of national identity. It would also help build the reputation of Andrew Jackson, leading him to the presidency in 1828. It is also another example of when sheer numbers do not always lead to victory. Poor planning, poor communication and a costly frontal assault led to the defeat of the British Army. 

References

American Battlefield Trust (no date). New Orleans

Chalmette Plantation. American Battlefield Trust. https://www.battlefields.org/learn/war-1812/battles/new-orleans. Retrieved January 7, 2021. 

Editors (July 28, 2019). The Battle of New Orleans. History. A&E Television Networks. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-battle-of-new-orleans. Retrieved January 7, 2021. 

Lohnes, Kate (January 1, 2021). Battle of New Orleans United States-United Kingdom [1815]. Britannica. www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-New-Orleans-United-States-United-Kingdom-1815. Retrieved January 7, 2021. 

State of Louisiana (no date). The Battle of New Orleans. Louisiana State Museum. https://www.crt.state.la.us/louisiana-state-museum/online-exhibits/the-cabildo/the-battle-of-new-orleans/index. Retrieved January 7, 2021. 

The Scavenger's Daughters: a story of family and bonds stronger than blood

The Scavenger’s Daughters is the first book in Kay Bratt’s Tales of the Scavenger’s Daughters series. After surviving torture and imprisonment during China’s Cultural Revolution (read all about it in the series’ prequel, The Palest Ink), Benfu finds love and a life with the compassionate and beautiful Calla Lily. Together they build a life around the most menial jobs, Benfu’s work as a scavenger or trash collector. As he sorts through the trash left behind by others, he regularly discovers abandoned children. With unwavering determination, Benfu and Calli create a family of these children. When a crisis threatens to tear their family apart, Benfu, Calli and their headstrong daughters must find a way to overcome their greatest hardship yet. 

The Scavenger’s Daughters was inspired by a true story and Ms. Bratt weaves a tale of triumph in the face of hardship and the unbreakable bonds of family against all odds. I fell in love with Benfu and Calli in The Palest Ink and looked forward to reading about the family they create together. From the very beginning, it is made clear that Benfu and Calli make it their life’s mission to “care for the castaways that fate brought into their lives.” Each daughter has her own past, strengths and struggles and Benfu and Calli find ways to help each girl focus on their strengths and overcome their struggles. It is a beautiful story and I highly recommend The Scavenger’s Daughters!

The Scavenger’s Daughters is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Jeremiah G Hamilton: a mystery lost in time

Jeremiah G. Hamilton is an enigma, a mystery lost in time. He would break all the rules of the day. Even marrying a white woman, Eliza Jane Morris, said to be the daughter of the Honorable Robert Morris of Philadelphia, and was half his age. He was a Wall Street broker who was noted as the only black millionaire in New York City by James McCune Smith in the 19th century. Known as a shrewd financial agent, he amassed a fortune of approximately $200 million ($250 million in 2018) by the time of his death. Although he was the subject of a lot of newspaper coverage in his lifetime, he is virtually absent from the historical literature. Who was Jeremiah G. Hamilton? Where did he come from? Why is he such a mystery?

Everything about Hamilton is a  mystery. Even the place and date of his birth, a story he would change often. According to the surviving census records, he stated he was born in Haiti or in Virginia in 1806 or 1807. He first came to prominence in 1828 after hiding out in a fishing boat in Port-au-Prince harbor while escaping Haitian authorities. After the Great Fire of New York in 1835, he accrued approximately $5 million by “taking pitiless advantage of several of the fire victims’ misfortunes” (White, 2013). His business practices were controversial even by today’s standards, earning him the nickname, “The Prince of Darkness.” He would buy a substantial amount of land and property in modern day Astoria and Poughkeepsie. Despite his wealth, he would be the victim of racism which was prevalent for the time. During the New York City Draft Riots, white men broke into his house, seeking to lynch him but his wife, Eliza Jane Hamilton, told them he was not at home. They would make off with liquor, cigars and an old suit (Bernstein, 1990). 

Hamilton wasn’t afraid to get personal or physical with his enemies. He left a “hefty footprint on the historical record” (White, 2013) as there are about tens of thousands of words written about him and 500 cases involving him either as a plaintiff or a defendant. There is a well documented physical altercation between Hamilton and a Justice Merrit after a courtroom encounter. The altercation occurred on the street as the judge would strike Hamilton with his cane. “Yet for all of their disdain, newspapermen and financiers conceded time and again that Jeremiah Hamilton was sharp as a razor and a formidable opponent” (White, 2013). He would even tangle with Cornelius “The Commodore” Vanderbilt, the richest and most famous man in New York City at the time. They would tangle over control of the Accessory Transit Company. After Vanderbilt’s death in 1877, one obituary article would mention his entanglements with Hamilton. Although Vanderbilt “did not fear him” because he feared no one, however “without a shadow of doubt” the Commodore respected him (White, 2013).

According to biographer Shane White, no one will erect a statue honoring Jeremiah G. Hamilton as he was no saint. He was more aggressive, ruthless toward his competitors than most. As Wall Street is not for the faint of heart, Hamilton seemed to be made of stone as he conducted business, not caring who he stepped on to achieve his goals. Hamilton accumulated money, not caring about who he upset. Even when his clients suffered losses, he reaped profits. There is so much about the man that remains a mystery despite the historical record. There is no known picture of him. One that is often used is actually a Jeremiah J. Hamilton of Texas. Hamilton left behind very little personal information, no diaries, no letters or memories. He and his wife would have nine children. It seems his family seemed unconcerned or uninterested in preserving his memory. Hamilton was not viewed as a hero nor did he want to be (White, 2013). 

In conclusion, Jeremiah G. Hamilton died on May 19, 1875 at the age of 67/69 and provides a unique perspective on race in the 19th century. Despite his unique rise to wealth and power in New York City at a time when most black men and women still suffered under slavery, Hamilton is a mystery. I wonder if he wanted it that way. I wonder if he instructed his wife and children to destroy his remaining papers and ignore his place in history. It would not be unheard of but it is interesting that a man who had what most black men did not in his lifetime, would simply disappear. If it were not for the court and newspaper record, he would have completely disappeared from all knowledge. 

References

Bernstein, Iver (4 January 1990). The New York City Draft Riots: Their Significance for American Society and Politics in the Age of the Civil War. Oxford University Press. p. 35. Retrieved December 30, 2020. 

White, Shane (July 25, 2013). Gotham’s Only Black Millionaire. New York Times, https://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/07/25/gothams-only-black-millionaire/. Retrieved December 30, 2020. 

Whispers from Yesterday: a story of healing through the past

Whispers from Yesterday by Robin Lee Hatcher is a story of the stories of the past healing the present. As the story opens, Karen Butler opens her eyes in a hospital after a failed suicide attempt. She had lost everything when her father’s business ventures failed and he killed himself to hide from the fall out. She is urged to go to her estranged grandmother’s ranch in Idaho. There Sophia Taylor runs a youth summer camp for at risk boys. With the help of Dusty Stoddard, she hopes to help these young men from turning down the wrong path. The sudden appearance of Karen lifts Sophia’s hopes that she can redeem herself from her life’s regrets. At Sophia’s urging, Karen begins to read her great-aunt Esther’s diaries. Inside holds the secrets long buried. As Karen begins to learn the truth, can she finally find a purpose and a place to belong? Or will the truth chase her away once again? 

Whispers from Yesterday is a story of the present mixed with the diary entries from the past. It is a story of salvation as Karen, who resists the calling of Jesus, as she sees herself as unworthy and unlovable, finds herself drawn to the one who loved her first. It is a heartbreaking story as well as a story of hope that we are not alone even in our darkest hours. Karen’s questions and resistances to salvation are the same that many of us face as we cannot conceive that Jesus loves them as they are and is ready to help them. I enjoyed each character as they are fully flawed and related. My only complement is that the ending was much too abrupt for me. There were a few plot lines that were left hanging as the story ends. Overall, I enjoyed the story and I recommend Whispers from Yesterday. 

Whispers from Yesterday is available in paperback and eBook