Same Kind of Different as Me

I finished reading the amazing true story of a modern-day slave, an international art dealer, and the unlikely woman who bound them together. Same Kind of Different as Me is a heartwarming tale of two men, one rich and another poor, and how their lives intertwine because of a woman called by God to serve in a homeless mission. The story is well-written, humorous, touching, and inspiring. The two men alternate telling their tales, a chapter or two at a time.

We meet a dirt-poor sharecropper named Denver who worked the land by picking cotton for ‘the Man’ but earned no money. In his 20s, Denver hopped a train which led him to Fort Worth, Texas, where he lived on the streets, a step up from where he began.

We also meet Ron, an international art dealer with humble beginnings, married to Deborah, a woman who would lead him to a homeless shelter and encourage him to befriend a homeless man she saw in her dream.

Through its language and imagery, Same Kind of Different as Me has the flavor of To Kill a Mockingbird. This book explores the themes of true friendship, being different, suffering, and homelessness. In fishing terms, some people practice “catch and release.” This term can be applied to friendship as well. While some friendships are “catch and release,” others are forever. This book is a story of faith, courage, fear, and forgiveness.

Deborah was an incredible woman of faith, from the way she handled her husband’s infidelity to her treatment of the homeless. What was Deborah afraid of? Not the homeless, but that she’d miss her calling in life. Are you afraid of missing your calling, of wasting your life? How can we combat this fear, which can keep us from fulfilling our purpose in life? Are we willing to take that risk to reach out to others, to make a difference in their lives, to show them the way of eternal life?

This book had me in tears, as the two men finally meet and as Deborah faced the biggest challenge of her life—cancer. The cancer was not only a physical battle, but a spiritual journey for Deborah and those who prayed for her day and night.

Deborah’s legacy lives on in the lives of those she touched—her family, friends, and the homeless she befriended and served so faithfully. Can we care about people the way Deborah did?

I’m looking forward to reading more of Ron and Denver’s story in their follow-up book, What Difference Do It Make? Let’s make a difference in our world today.

Show & Tell - Lego Tank

For this week's Show & Tell, I'm displaying a Lego tank built by our 12-year-old son. He fashioned the Lego tank after the M109A6 Paladins he read about in a library book. The tank contains two guns: a machine gunner on top and a huge howitzer cannon at the front.
Inside the tank is the cockpit, with the gunner sitting in the back. The mini-figure on the right controls the radar, while the figure on the left fires the cannon.
Below deck, these two mini-figures load the howitzer cannon. Also below deck, two large gray engines power the tank.

For more Show & Tell, please visit Cindy at My Romantic Home.

Word-filled Wednesday - Mother & Son

The purpose of Word-filled Wednesday is to share God’s Word (no famous quotes or other literature—only the beautiful word of our Father) through photos & a Bible verse!

For I was my father's son,

tender and only beloved

in the sight of my mother.

~ Proverbs 4:3

Our 9-year-old son gave me this Lego mini-figure and said it was Mom. I love the words in this verse, how a son is tender and beloved in the sight of his mother. Mine truly are! To find more Word-filled Wednesdays, please visit Penny's blog.

Tackle It Tuesday - Family Christmas Photo

After church on Sunday, we attempted our annual family Christmas photo. We took several shots using our tripod and camera timer, and found one to send to Tracy to edit for a holiday card. I had won a giveaway on Tracy’s blog where I can have this service performed free. We decided on the photo where we looked the happiest, rather than a traditional one as in years past. To see pictures from our self-photo shoot, please visit my family blog.

I’m also writing at Heart of the Matter today about Life Science coming to life.

What are you tackling today?

For more Tackle It Tuesdays, please visit 5 Minutes for Mom.

Word-filled Wednesday - Tower

The purpose of Word-filled Wednesday is to share God’s Word (no famous quotes or other literature—only the beautiful word of our Father) through photos & a Bible verse!

And they said,

Go to, let us build us a city and a tower,

whose top may reach unto heaven;

and let us make us a name,

lest we be scattered abroad

upon the face of the whole earth.

~ Genesis 11:4

This past Sunday, our 9-year-old son built this tower out of Lincoln Logs at my parents' home. He asked me to take pictures and include a verse for Word-filled Wednesday on the tower of Babel. To see more weekend pictures, please visit my family blog. To find more Word-filled Wednesdays, please visit Susan here.