2011 December

Challenges for 2012

December 27, 2011 by Mocha Girl Alysia 8 Comments

As the year ends most of us are getting our New Year’s Resolutions together. We make plans for 2012 and start making promises to do things with and for family and friends. A lot of us (self included) are going to start exercising more, diets, and start working on to do list we have been stating at for years.

What about your reading? Are you planning on reading more in 2012? Are you interested in expanding your reading list but have no idea where to start? Mocha Girl Sidne from Reading Rendezvous Reviewz is hosting THE VERSATILE READING CHALLENGE 2012.

The reading challenge offers you the chance to diversify your reading throughout the year.

Novels will be selected by various ethnic authors,genres, topics or subject matters.

The challenge is divided into Quarters.

Jan. – March

April – Jun

July – Sept.

Oct. – Dec.

Participates must read one book for each month in the quarter.

Your books must match the selected theme for the month

You can challenge yourself to complete

One, Two, Three or Four quarters which will conclude the year.

You are free to skip a quarter and join another quarter,

Its up to you!!

I will make recommend reads for each month

but you are free to choose your own novels

Each month participates will link using the linky

The linky will be opened after the 10th of each month.
If possible please designate a page for the challenge.
Post only the page with your review not your blog home page.

Grab the challenge button for your blog if you wish.

(designed by Regina of Hott Book blog)

If you do not have a blog or website to link your review, no problem just email me your review provided in the Quarter One Challenge tab or post on Goodreads, Shelfari or others and provide the link.

PRIZES, PRIZES PRIZES

yes, I’m spiking the challenge with fun and mystery!
How to Win???
collect birthstones worth points for each book you read and
mysteriously gain points throughout the challenge each month.

So you must
Stay tuned to the blog for details

This challenge is going to be full of fun and excitement!!!

♥Mocha Girl Sidne

Versatile Reading Challenge Web Site

Other Reading Challenges Web Site

Mocha Girl Tia from Falling from Books is joining the 2012 Debut Author Challenge. Mocha Girl Jade from Sort of Beautiful is joining 5 Reading Challenges for 2012. Click here it see her list. Mocha Girl Alexis from Reflections of a Bookaholic is also joining several reading challenges. 6 in all! Here is her list.

Are you joining a reading challenge for 2012? Which one?

Filed Under: Home Tagged With: 2012, Books, Debut Authors, New Years Resolutions, reading challenges, Versatile Reading Challenge

A Book Celebrating: Kujichagulia

December 27, 2011 by Mocha Girl Alysia 4 Comments

Yesterday was the first day of Kwanzaa, Umoja (Unity). Today is the second day, Kujichagulia (Self-Determination). Kujichagulia (Self-Determination): To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves, and speak for ourselves stand up.

Kwanzaa is a week-long celebration held in the United States honoring universal African-American heritage and culture, observed from December 26 to January 1 each year. It features activities such as lighting a candle holder with seven candlesand culminates in a feast and gift-giving. It was created by Maulana Karenga and was first celebrated in 1966–67.

Kwanzaa

There is one book that comes to mind and yes it was made into a movie like yesterday’s book. PUSH by Sapphire is about a young girl going from illiterate teenager to a single mother who learned to read and seeks help to help herself and her child. PUSH is one book that I think celebrates Kujichagulia!

Precious Movie Still

Relentless, remorseless, and inspirational, this “horrific, hope-filled story” (Newsday) is certain to haunt a generation of readers. Precious Jones, 16 years old and pregnant by her father with her second child, meets a determined and highly radical teacher who takes her on a journey of transformation and redemption.

What book have you read that celebrates “defining ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves, and speak for ourselves stand up”?

Happy Kwanzaa!

Filed Under: Home Tagged With: Books, Kujichagulia, Kwanzaa, PUSH

Monday’s Memory for December 26, 2011

December 26, 2011 by Mocha Girl Alysia 8 Comments

Happy Day After Christmas! And happy first day of Kwanzaa!! Today is Umoja (Unity): To strive for and to maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race. Today we are going to talk about books we have read that celebrate the meaning of Umoja.

Kwanzaa family

When I put umoja with a book title, the one that sticks out the most is The Help by Kathryn Stockett. The young journalist, Skeeter would not have had the story for the book without the help of the other women. One womans voice could not tell the full and complete story. She needed the unity of a community of black women agreeing to tell their stories to make the book complete.

The Help Movie

Aibileen is a black maid in 1962 Jackson, Mississippi, who’s always taken orders quietly, but lately she’s unable to hold her bitterness back. Her friend Minny has never held her tongue but now must somehow keep secrets about her employer that leave her speechless. White socialite Skeeter just graduated college. She’s full of ambition, but without a husband, she’s considered a failure. Together, these seemingly different women join together to write a tell-all book about work as a black maid in the South, that could forever alter their destinies and the life of a small town…

That is umoja!!

For this Monday tell me…What book have you read that celebrates maintaining unity in the family, community, nation or the race?

Happy Kwanzaa!

Filed Under: Home Tagged With: black women, Books, community, Kwanzaa, Read, the help, Umoja

Day 12: The 12 Pearls of Christmas

December 25, 2011 by Mocha Girl Alysia Leave a Comment

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas!

Merry Christmas from all of us at Pearl Girls™! We hope you enjoyed these Christmas “Pearls of Wisdom” from the authors who were so kind to donate their time and talents! If you missed a few posts, I hope you’ll be able go back through and read them on this blog over the next few days. If you’d like to keep up with Pearl Girls and our new book project, Mother of Pearl, coming this spring, just click this link and sign up for our newsletter (lower left sidebar).

Also, just a reminder that today is the last day for the pearl necklace and earrings giveaway! Enter now by filling out this {form}. The winner will on 1/1 at the Pearl Girls blog.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we’re all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls products (all GREAT gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

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Jesus — The Reason For the Season

By: Rachel Hauck

Through the narrow scope of 2000 years, Mary, the mother of Jesus, appears to be one lucky woman. Chosen by God to give birth to His son, the Savior of the world? All right, Mary, way to go.

“Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you,” Gabriel said.

How many of us would like a declaration like that? Highly favored. The Lord is with you. But Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.

The angel told her, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Mary’s seems confident and resolved when she responds, “I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.”

She’d just been told the Holy Spirit will come upon her, that God’s power will overshadow her, that she’d become with child even though she wasn’t married, and she said, “I’m the Lord’s servant. Let your words be true.”

I find this amazing! A young woman. Ancient Bethlehem. Unwed mother. They stoned women for such things in her day. But Mary believed in God. And submitted to His will. He gave her the Holy Spirit – the same Holy Spirit given to us. If He gave her confidence, He will give us confidence. Even though, like Mary, our situation seems impossible.

Listen to Mary’s song later on in the first chapter of Luke.

“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me Holy is his name…”

Conceiving a child out of wedlock, by Divine intervention. Not a girl’s every day existence. Yet she had a Yes in her heart to God. She rejoiced. She boldly said, “Generations will remember me!”

How we struggle to trust God with our children. Our finances. Our emotional well-being. We worry. We fret. And wonder why we have no peace.

Christmas is the season where words like joy, peace and love are bantered around like Christmas candy. Let’s not take them as just words, but as truth. Let’s be like Mary and embrace God’s favor on our lives. Boldly declare “He’s done great things for me!”

Out of the grit of our own souls, we can reach His heart, and feel Him reaching for ours. No matter the pain of our past, present or future, God is there for us. He is able. Best of all, He is willing. “My soul glorifies the Lord this Christmas!”

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Rachel Hauck is an award winning, best selling author who believes God has done great things for her. She lives in Central Florida with her husband and ornery pets. Her next release is Love Lifted Me with multi-platinum country artist Sara Evans, January 2012. Then in April, look for The Wedding Dress. www.rachelhauck.com.

Filed Under: Giveaways, Home Tagged With: Books, Christians, Christmas, holiday, Jesus