Pammer's Notepad

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T19:14:00.000-08:00

2011 was a strange year.

We traveled more than we have in previous years, yet the year went by so fast it seems easy to forget all the fun places we went. Such as Topeka, Atchison, Thayer, Mammoth Springs, Hardy, and for me, a trip to St. Charles and St. Louis.

It was the third year in a trio that was hard to get through, however fast it went. Many things changed, mostly me.

The last few months brought about relief on several levels as things within me changed to bring me back to the person I have always been that got buried under the cynical and untrusting person I became. I won't say that I trust people any easier but I have learned to trust God more.

Somewhere around October I decided this is the life God has given me, I should be so in love with Him that I wake up and embrace every day as a gift from someone who loves me. Yeah, it's not the same life that someone else gets, but this is what God wants for me and I am to be a good steward with it because I LOVE Him.

On December 30, 2011 as I thought about the year to come, it was not with the usual dread I face. I realized that I was excited for the new year and a chance to do new things and yes, make a few changes. I had a gut feeling (I'm an intuitive and I get those gut feelings) that it was going to be a good year. And that is when my word came to me. I have hugged it to my chest for a couple days and now I am going to share with you the word God gave me for 2012.

HOPE.

And my verse is one that Jim Peterson gave me in St. Louis after praying for me late one night in the prayer room-and I cried in front of him, not many people can say they've seen me cry. (He is such a wonderful man of God.)

The verse was Romans 8:31 ...If God is for us who can be against us?

Not only that I am claiming a whole chunk of Romans 8 as my verse this year:

²⁸ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who^[i] have been called according to his purpose. ²⁹ For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. ³⁰ And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

³¹ What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? ³³ Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. ³⁵Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶ As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”^[j]

³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[k] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This is taken from Biblegateway.com NIV version.

I have many things I want to accomplish this year, just as always. I have always loved the feeling of a clean slate. I know I will mess up occassionally, but I am focused on living for God, doing everything as if doing unto the Lord not unto man.

And I feel so much peace, joy, and hope for the year that were absent in other years. And all that these last three hard years have taught me, I will use as I dive into 2012.

Now, to tackle time management. :D

I Was "Altared" This Week

2011-08-29T10:52:00.000-07:00

I was offered a chilled water as I signed in.

The lights in auditorium were turned very low with candles burning at the four corners. A sense of peace immediately overcame me, although I'd felt harried just moments before entering.

The candles burned at the four areas for Encounters. Encounter God, Encounter Family, Encounter Community and Encounter World.

I went around first reading the plaques set up at each place first. At the first (Encounter God) there was a cross, not set up, but laying on the ground as of ready for the next person to be put there. On top there were a lot of loose nails. Old flat looking nails.

Encounter Family was a living room setting and commitment cards to be filled out.

Encounter Community was a center with two coffee shop looking tables and cups (also coffee with different cups for your refreshment).

Encounter World (or maybe it was Globe) didn't get much attention from me as I felt a desire to sit and pray. I'd asked God to lead me when I got in there.

So I sat in the pew and prayed. I let my mind wander over the four different areas and I opened my heart. I realized that in the last few years, I've struggled. I've struggled with rejection, abandonment, disappointment, bitterness, and hurt so deep I thought my heart would never heal. And I built a lot of walls. Walls to keep people out. Once it became apparent to me that I needed to let people in or I would be ineffective, I moved the walls around my heart and only let people in so far.

I don't want to be hurt again and I figured if I didn't let anyone see the real me, then they can't really hurt me. And trust? You have to prove to me first that you are trustworthy or you won't get my trust. If you say you will do something, I won't believe it or expect it until you do it. But you won't know that. Because with that offer, I'll respond appropriately and appreciatively. But when you don't follow through (and sadly a LOT of people don't) I am not disappointed or hurt because I didn't have expect or have hope.

The word I keep hearing in my heart and have all year is TRUST and I thought that was God wanting me to trust others. I gave it a try and they still just didn't come through. So the walls go back up and I push people away. And I ask God why (the ever famous question, huh?) did He want for me to go through pain like that again?

I felt a need to go to the Encounter God station and I knelt on one of the pillows there. I knew that the breakdown and "lost" feeling I was experiencing in my life had to do with a breakdown of faith. And that all roads started with God.

As I prayed there many things popped up. The walls I thought I'd built just for people, I'd tried to keep God out too, because of all that had happened in such a short amount of time and the things that kept assailing me, I no longer trusted Him to take care of me. I'm notorious for being extremely self-sufficient. I'm guessing God gets as frustrated as my husband and kids do over this trait. (I'm thinking it goes back to my lifehood "lie" that I will be abandoned so I guess instead of depending on someone, I will just do it myself to prove I don't need anyone. It's not true. EVERYONE needs God. And someone with skin on helps too. I helps to have someone to talk to. It's very lonely when you are self-sufficient all the time.)

As a result of putting up walls and not even trusting God to come through for me, I'd done some other things. The calling God put in my heart was suffering. I couldn't understand why God would call me to do something that is so time consuming then not protect my time to get it done. I tried in various ways to set aside at the very least 30 minutes a day to pursue my writing. I don't have support in this endeavor from my family (they see it as a hobby at best and as a waste of time at worst). But this is where God has been leading me for years. So my time to write is whatever little bit of time I can sneak in without anyone knowing I'm writing. It's not conducive to a great flow, at least for the first draft.

But I was not using those little snippets of time because I wanted a stretch where I could loose myself in the story and maybe it would come a little easier.

But as I knelt there I realized that since I couldn't get the time I thought I needed for the task, I had set my calling aside as well.

It felt like God was asking, "Why should I give you stretches of time when you fritter away the time you DO have?" I realized I had wanted my way (and the way of others who have family support) or no way.

I'm such a Martha it sometimes takes quite a smack upside the head to see what God is patiently trying to show me.

For now, my books are to be written with the stolen bits of time I can wrangle out of my busy life. I am to MAKE those stolen bits of time work.

And another admonishment. With my diminishing trust in the One who never fails us....I also let my daily communication with Him slide away into oblivion. So it's His turn to ask Why? There is really no excuse or reason for this. None.

All these realizations were staggering to me. Changes HAD to be made. The one I fear the most is letting down the walls ALL the way because I really do not want to be hurt again. But I am not supposed to be isolated in my heart alone. And that is exactly where I have been for the last several months. Hiding.

God never gave up on me. He kept putting me out there. Pulling me out of my comfort zone (or my hiding place). Getting me where He needed me to open my eyes to the real truth.

So I took a nail and kept it until Sunday.

Yesterday morning during the altar call, I took my nail and went to the cross and hammered it into the wood as a sign of my commitment.

For me, I realize that I can't affect the world until I affect the community, and that is not going to happen until I have my family relationships straight, but none of that can happen until I get back in intimate communion with God.

Have you given up your time with your Father? Why not make a commitment to regain that time? It will be the best thing you've done since becoming a part of the Body of Christ.

APOLOGY: I know it seemed like I fell off the face of the earth, and I thought I had too except I was so busy I knew I was still on there somewhere. :) I will endeavor to keep a better schedule with this blog.

Concerning Uz

2011-07-24T22:51:00.000-07:00

I keep thinking about Uz. He's been the topic of many conversations this week (in our household), not to mention in our sermon last Sunday morning.

Some time ago, my husband and I were discussing that particular unfortunate event in the Bible. My husband was horrified by the incident although clearly not wanting to say that he had a problem with the way God handled it. (This seems to be the consensus of many people.)

Greg: I don't understand why God killed him.

Me: God said Don't touch the ark.

Greg: But it was going to fall, Uz was only trying to steady it.

Me: There are no extenuating circumstances, God said Don't touch it.

Greg: He was only helping, surely God didn't have a problem with that.

Me: Do you think God can't take care of His own ark and keep it from falling?

As our preacher said last week, Uz should have been minding his own business, and instead he was trying to mind God's business. The ark was God's business.

How often do we do that in our own lives? Try to help God out. (Abraham and Sarah tried to do that and the world is still paying for it.) Do we forget He is in charge? Do we doubt He can keep ALL the plates turning without even ONE falling? Or maybe we are afraid He won't do in a way that we want or wish and we think our way is better than His way. (Though just for the record, God has never been wrong and though the human fallacy rate varies from person to person, there is at least one "wrong" in everyones' past.)

What I also found is that people like to try to justify a wrong done. Some because they hate to take the blame for wrongs done, even if they are at fault. It's like if they can justify it, then there is no fault. Some do it to protect others from consequences.

I get a lot of flack because I see things in black and white. There aren't many shades of gray in my world. If it is untrue, it's a lie. If you share something that is not yours to share, it's betrayal.

And as my oldest son pointed out the other day, Jesus came on the scene and while he completed the old law, He also turned it on its head. No longer was it just wrong to commit adultery, it was wrong to even think of it in your heart. No longer was it just wrong to murder, it was wrong to get so angry as to hate someone. So what is in your heart when you act is one thing God takes into account.

And God can take what is meant for evil and turn it for the good. (Joseph being sold into slavery is one example of that.) But just because God is able to do that does not mean we are justified our sins against others. There is always damage done when there is a sin committed. And there is always a consequence to at least one party.

So maybe this week we should examine what is in our hearts before we act (this will be a wonderful exercise for me because the sensor between my thinking center and my speaking center is a little messed up and communication is sometimes malfunctioning, but that is no excuse, it can be tamed with some self-discipline.).

And instead of trying to justify what we've done, perhaps we should fess up. Besides it's good practice. God WILL ask us about it on Judgement Day. And He isn't much in the business of negotiating. No extenuating circumstances that he didn't know about or didn't think of (God is so much bigger than much people give him credit for).

If God says Don't, He means....don't. End of story.

But my experience is...if you concentrate on the do's in the Bible, the don't kindof fall into place on their own or you just don't have time for them. :D

Have a great week.

Tomorrow I will post on Writing and we are going to explore some ACFW Conference Memories and what I learned. I'd love it if some of you would share your conference memories also.

Win a Romantic Night on the Town from Miss Foolish Hearts

2011-06-08T00:00:00.000-07:00

Susan May Warren is thrilled to announce the release of her latest Deep Haven book, My Foolish Heart!

Read what the reviewers are saying here.

To celebrate this charming novel about a dating expert who's never had a date, Susan has put together a romantic night on the town for one lucky couple. One grand prize winner will receive a Miss Foolish Heart prize package worth over $200!

The winner of the Romantic Night on the Town Prize Pack will receive:

* A $100 Visa Gift Card (For Dinner)

* A $100 Gift Certificate to a Hyatt/Marriott Hotel

* The entire Deep Haven series

To enter just click one of the icons below. But, hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on June 16th. The winner will be announced that evening during Susan’s Miss Foolish Heart Party on Facebook! Susan will be chatting with guests, hosting a book club chat about My Foolish Heart, testing your Deep Haven trivia skills, and giving away tons of great stuff! (Gift certificates, books, donuts, and more!) Don't miss the fun and BRING YOUR FRIENDS!

My Foolish Heart by Susan May Warren

2011-06-07T14:53:00.000-07:00

My Foolish heart

Unknown to her tiny town of Deep Haven , Isadora Presley spends her nights as Miss Foolish Heart, the star host of a syndicated talk radio show. Millions tune in to hear her advice on dating and falling in love, unaware that she’s never really done either. Issy’s ratings soar when it seems she’s falling in love on-air with a caller. A caller she doesn’t realize lives right next door.

Caleb Knight served a tour of duty in Iraq and paid a steep price. The last thing he wants is pity, so he hides his disability and moves to Deep Haven to land his dream job as the high school football coach. When his beautiful neighbor catches his eye, in a moment of desperation he seeks advice from My Foolish Heart, the show that airs before his favorite sports broadcast.

Before he knows it, Caleb finds himself drawn to the host—and more confused than ever. Is his perfect love the woman on the radio . . . or the one next door?

Read an excerpt here: http://www.susanmaywarren.com/novels/contemporary-romance/

Susan May Warren is an award-winning, best-selling author of over twenty-five novels, many of which have won the Inspirational Readers Choice Award, the ACFW Book of the Year award, the Rita Award, and have been Christy finalists. After serving as a missionary for eight years in Russia , Susan returned home to a small town on Minnesota ’s beautiful Lake Superior shore where she, her four children, and her husband are active in their local church.

Susan's larger than life characters and layered plots have won her acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. A seasoned women’s events and retreats speaker, she’s a popular writing teacher at conferences around the nation and the author of the beginning writer’s workbook: From the Inside-Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you!. She is also the founder ofwww.MyBookTherapy.com, a story-crafting service that helps authors discover their voice.

Susan makes her home in northern Minnesota , where she is busy cheering on her two sons in football, and her daughter in local theater productions (and desperately missing her college-age son!)

A full listing of her titles, reviews and awards can be found at:www.susanmaywarren.com.

Sound good and want to buy it?

Go here: http://www.amazon.com/My-Foolish-Heart-Deep-Haven/dp/1414334826/ref=sprightly-20

PAMMER'S THOUGHTS: This is a cute and lighthearted book that still tackles some deep issues. Susan is so talented at doing this! You will not want to put this book down and you will finish it (even if it is three in the morning) with a satisfied sigh.

Here's the blog tour schedule:

http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/text/13297362)

What are you reading this week?

2011-03-16T00:00:00.000-07:00

I've not had many new books of late. Haven't had much time for reviewing, and haven't had much money to be able to use on books.

BUT I have discovered something wonderful. Even if you cannot afford a Kindle, you can download a program to be able to use it on your computer. Every so often current books will be available for a limited time for free! I have several awesome books that I got this way.

I recently got an upgrade on my phone (my husband actually got the upgrade but since he dunked my phone in a glass of water we decided I should get his upgrade) and it's a smart phone. I downloaded (for free) a Kindle app and it syncs up with the one I have one my computer. Same books, and when I bookmark on either, then I can always pick up where I left off on either computer or phone.

So I have been enjoying the book called Deceit by Brandilyn Collins.

This book is well written and engaging. It's wet-your-pants exciting! :D This is the first book I have actually looked forward to finishing in quite a while. It lives up to her Don't Forget to Breathe. It's worth the time to read it. I'm only 15 chapters in, but the plot has kept me riveted.

Lies!

2011-03-15T00:01:00.000-07:00

It's amazing what you can learn just by watching TV. I mean about the human mind and reasoning. One of my favorite shows to watch to see the inside of someone's heart and how it affects their decisions and the choices they make is....TLC's What Not to Wear. I love getting fashion tips but these people are all struggling with demons, whether self-made or not, and it manifests through how they treat and dress themselves. Watching them work through these problems with a caring Clinton Kelly and Stacy London is beyond eye opening.

Another one is Hoarders: Buried Alive. Wow, talk about some serious psychological land-mines, WOW.

That's when I realized the one thing that makes us all act the way we do. It is related to a LIE that we believe.

If you want to create believable characters you have to ask them what lie they believe. Then you have an epic center for major conflict and amazing growth. This is where the character's arc comes in. They have to leave the story a different person than they were when the story began. You can give this growth by showing them one universal truth. God loves you! All of you!

But what do I mean about the lies? What kinds of lies? I mean a life lie that got tucked in your head most likely when you were young as a result of some sort of event that was meaningful in your life.

I'll use myself as an example since I was recently brought face to face with one of my lies. I believe that everyone I come in contact will either sooner or later abandon or betray me. And every single instance in my life that I can use to say, "Yep, see? I knew they would leave. Or See, everyone betrays me." So my life is a sorting process and I capture every example to confirm my lie.

I'm not saying I am the one that perpetuated the lie, we know who put the lie there. I know where my lie stems from. My biological parents. Less than seven weeks after I entered their lives, they both managed to get me out of their lives. My mother, by shooting herself, and my father by immediately putting me up for adoption. Now, I know God was working and gave me the most perfect set of parents for me. I was so incredibly blessed. So why would an intelligent woman, who was raised in a modest, but safe and sheltered, middle-class American life believe such an awful thing? That part I don't understand, but what I do understand and what will help you with your character is how I will react on given situations. And sometimes how I will subtly sabotage efforts so they WILL support my lie.

So given your characters life, is there a trauma or a memorable event (at least memorable to him/her) that would give birth to the lie they believe? What is their lie? Now, how will that make them act (you know when someone acts in a manner that shocks you) in any situations they are exposed to during the course of the novel.

Their goal, motivations and conflicts are going to be hinged on or around this lie.

The goal is to have the story show them the lie and give them the truth of the love of God.

So let's get cracking on those lies, shall we? :D I mean that in the best way possible of course.

The Issue of Trust

2011-03-13T23:51:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of the year I mentioned feeling that this is the year to focus on trust. A trouble spot in my life of late.

I knew it was others I was supposed to learn to trust because I already trusted God. Right?

Not to long ago while talking to someone, to protect the guilty and the innocent, let's call this person Pat. In the past, Pat had hurt me and I'd forgiven them. However, as I talked to Pat, I realized that though I really had forgiven the hurt, I didn't trust Pat anymore. Up until then it didn't really faze me because I don't really trust anyone anymore. (It lessens the pain when you expect nothing of people, so when they do fail you, at least you were prepared.) But in that moment, I also realized that I had erected my wall of protection from being hurt, and while trying to hold that wall in place I had let go of the trust I had in God. In a sense I had quit believing that He had my back. I dropped my faith to hold up my self-made protection because I didn't trust God to protect me.

As you know God doesn't always protect us in ways we consider protecting. My idea of protecting me would have been to protect me from all the hurt, pain, and frustrations I'd endured the last few years.

God is looking at the bigger picture. I had some things to learn. Still do.

This put me in a pickle because I had to let go of my shields to be able to take what God is handing me. And that was a scary thought. That would leave me completely open to any hurts that were flung at me.

I didn't want to do this.

But I realized that in distrusting everyone I had lost my faith in my fellow man, and it trailed into my faith in God. (Which explains why I didn't feel as close to God as I had before all this started.) My husband says I tend to push people away and apparently it isn't restricted to people. I push God away too.

And not only that, I was angry as well. At most everybody. . .including (gasp!) God. The negativity of these feelings I'd shoved down inside, was seeping all through my life in every way imaginable. Making me more suspicious and angry, keeping the vicious little cycle going and growing.

One thing Daddy taught me well, and he made sure this lesson hit home, was when you have to do something that scares you, or is distasteful, or insert your own excuse here, what you do is just suck it up and muscle through it.

So even though the last thing I want to do is put my poor raw heart out in the line of fire....that is exactly what I have to do. Not only that I have to trust my fellow man not to take aim. And if they do I have to trust God's will and acknowledge that His way is the best way no matter what.

So what have I learned through all this?

God loves me no matter what. And no matter what....He is sufficient.

I also learned that it's okay to open your mouth and ask for a little help sometimes. It doesn't make you weak. In fact knowing when to quit struggling is a wisdom. I'm still working on the timing.

Are there any hidden areas in your life that maybe God is nudging you on? Pray about it. Don't be as thick headed as me. :)

Have a wonderful day!

Taking the Plunge...in a writing sense

2011-01-11T00:00:00.000-08:00

I have been writing this most recent book for two years. Or more. I actually started it back in 2003, and wrote others in between. So I haven't really been writing it that long, but I keep coming back to it. God asked me to step away from the computer (in the writing sense) two years ago so that I could focus on family. Last January I was allowed to come back to writing. I was so glad. I sent in to a contest and they told me my heroine was weak and shallow. And you know what? They were right!

So I set about changing her. I got way more than I bargained for. She changed occupations and it changed her personality so she is stronger. But that sent the conflict between hero and heroine into a tailspin. I'm digging deeper into her character and background so she is fully three dimensional. And the story is unfolding and I see so many God things abounding in the creation of this book and my life. Including an awesome replacement conflict for the story characters-my life has enough drama as it is, thank you very much.

And yet, when I sit at the computer to write, I am drawn to do anything else but write. And it is more than just the usual procrastination of a creative mind (you know the options are endless, lol). It's much more than that.

I am paralyzed by fear. Fear of failing, fear of succeeding, fear of getting it wrong, I don't know what fear. I have (through a series of events) lost confidence in my writing. And I think I even lost confidence in God's faithfulness to pull me through. He called me to writing and He wants me to write, and write THIS story. (Another goal for my new year to get this story done and shop for an agent.)

I have realized that the enemy is happy to toss ALL kinds of stuff in my way to keep me too busy to write, too overwhelmed to write, too anything to write. This has been one of the biggest challenges I've had in the last year. (Keeping working transportation is the biggest. Which incidentally means I am looking for dependable work from home since I wouldn't be able to get to a physical job-if you know of anything, let me know.) My brain just can't seem to focus sometimes and when it can focus, I'm no where near a computer. Even my Just Do It mind set hasn't helped. If the enemy can't win you to his side, he'll just be happy to make you ineffective.

But lately God has surrounded me with people who boost my confidence. He's given me an accountability partner who is undergoing much the same thing. I feel so much hope and determination for this year. (I am soliciting prayers for myself and my friend, though. Grin.)

Are any of you out there going through this same thing? Or maybe you went through it and overcame it and can give some tips to those of us suffering?

Or maybe you have another struggle that I can pray about or maybe even know a couple tips to help you out.

Share here!

Have a wonderful day! Happy writing!

Two Sides to Every Story

2011-01-10T00:00:00.000-08:00

New Year means new resolutions and promises to do better this year than we did last year, right? Well, I stopped lying to myself a long time ago. :) I now make goals and a plan to accomplish those goals (because goals without a plan is the same thing as a resolution, lol).

This year I got the distinct impression that I am supposed to work on TRUSTING people. I thought that I already trusted God, but I'm thinking maybe that could use some work too. You can never trust God too much.

But I keep getting hit with this verse: Matthew 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

God has separated his people and to the ones on His right He is telling them they are to inherit the Kingdom prepared for them. And He explains that when He was hungry they fed him, when He was thirsty they gave Him drink, and when He was naked they clothed Him, took Him in as a stranger, visited Him when He was sick and when He was in prison. The righteous wondered when they had seen Him in such undesirable straights and helped Him. But they had done so for others and that is what Christ is telling them.

So when we help anyone we are helping Christ!

There is a song by Matthew West called In My Own Little World. He talks about how nice it usually is in his own little world population: Me. Then he sees a lady in need and wondered how many times he'd passed her by and not seen her. He gives her some money to help her and then he sings In my own little world, population 2. There is another in his world now because he SAW her and helped her.

There is another song by Brandon Heath, Give Me Your Eyes. This is imploring God to give him eyes like Him so he can see those in need. Because let's face it sometimes we get so involved with our own problems and lives that we don't really SEE others. SEE their needs. Nothing better to get your mind off your own trouble than to focus on someone else's. It's like in Avatar when the Nav'ii say, "I see you." they don't mean visually see you, they mean see who you truly are. Like God sees into our hearts. When we look past the visual image, we can see the hurt in someone's eyes, the desperation in their face and actions, and looking from loving eyes, like the Father's we want to do something, should do what we can to help.

That brings me to the other side of the story....receiving help. Now when this verse kept appearing in my devotions, our sermons, and even a friend asking me a verse to help her write a thank you note to a church that adopted her and her three kids for Christmas....I wondered Why me? I don't have much. Now I don't mind sharing what I AM blessed with. My Daddy taught me that. Not with words but with actions. You ask anyone who knew him, he would literally give you the shirt off his back if he thought it would help you out. I saw him many times help me even when he knew it meant he would have to sacrifice something. (Naturally I didn't know it at the time, or I wouldn't have taken it from him.) He literally gave until it hurt. And he died poor in earthly wealth (not even a life insurance policy), but rich in all the way it counts.

What I have trouble with is the receiving part. I do NOT like to ask for help. I'm stubborn and prideful. I have asked for help. And I hated it each and every time. But if there wasn't someone in need, how would the righteous help the least of these like Jesus commanded? Maybe if I let go of my pride and TRUST God, then someday I will graduate to the giving category! Perhaps my lessons are to be learned in receiving when someone else's lessons are to be learned in giving as one of my dear and godly friends once put it.

But don't despair if you are in the season of receiving. There are plenty of things that you can do. Shut-ins would appreciate time and visits if you have a car. You can go through your clothes and see if you have more than you actually need and you can donate (and get clutter free at the same time). You can serve at a soup kitchen or a shelter in addition to listening for the still quiet voice of God so that you may become closer to Him.

So one of my goals for 2010 is to lose the pride! Trust God and let Him use me as He needs. He will provide for me. He always has.

AND I need God to open my eyes more to those in need. Not all help is monetary. There are many ways to give. I need to see into others (just in case someone is as proud and stubborn as me) to see their needs that I can meet. I have no doubt that God will send them my way, I just need His eyes and heart to notice.

What about you? What kinds of goals do you have for this new year? Did God give you a word? Share it with us here. I love to hear those words and verses for the start of a new year and how it relates to your life or how you hope it will relate.

Pearl Winner!

2011-01-09T17:00:00.000-08:00

And the winner is:

Here are your random numbers:

Timestamp: 2010-12-31 22:31:07 UTC

Number 226 is Karen Medin!

Congrats Karen.

12 Pearls of Christmas DAY 13 :) Lauraine Snelling

2010-12-25T00:00:00.000-08:00

Title: Love

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas! Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom"! Please follow along through Christmas day as each post shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year. AND BEST OF ALL ... there's also a giveaway!!!! Fill out the quick form at the link located at the bottom of this post to be entered to win a PEARL NECKLACE, BRACELET AND EARRINGS! Pearls - a tangible reminder of God's grace to us all.

~~~

Love
by Lauraine Snelling

When asked to write a Christmas message, one of my first thoughts was Do I climb up on my soapbox regarding changing the words in Christmas songs, using only holiday, etc. I thought about it and decided no. After all, they’re only words and what difference does a word make---really make after all?

Then I kept on thinking. If they’re only words… But we as writers know the power of words, as do readers. When the wrong word is used, it jars, while the right word can be most powerful. Take one highly overused and under practiced word---Love. Four letters is all. We toss it around so glibly, saying love ya and luv and love. But think about the power in I love you. Three of the most precious words in our language when put together. Those of us who write romances or books with romance in them, understand the power when one of our characters tells another, I love you. As humans we can never hear that enough or too much.

Christmas is about love. The greatest love story ever told, that of God for us humans, and it never changes. Customs change, politics change, the years change but God’s love never, ever does. At Christmas we are invited to share that love, to give it away, to pass it around. To find wonder again and joy in simple acts of love. We make contact with people we might never see or talk with through the year. That says I love you. We buy and make gifts to give, we reach out to strangers in need, we try to make sure everyone has a special dinner and every child a present. By giving, we receive.

So, let’s use the power words, but more so, put feet on those words and pass the love around. Let’s look for and find the wonder, the joy and the peace, maybe in small bits and pieces and perhaps in an avalanche of blessings. Make your days brighter with the simple gift of a smile, a kind word, a touch, for every single one that you give away, will come back to you multiplied. As you give, so shall you receive. Merry Christmas my friends. May we all recognize our blessings----and let an attitude of gratitude permeate this holiday and every day. With love and joy on this day, Lauraine!

~~~

About Lauraine: Lauraine Snelling is the award-winning author of more than sixty books, with sales of over 2 million copies. She also writes for a wide range of magazines, and helps others reach their writing dreams by teaching at writer’s conferences across the country. Lauraine and her husband, Wayne, have two grown sons, and live in the Tehachapi Mountains with a cockatiel named Bidley, and a watchdog Basset named Chewy.

For more information please visit Lauraine's website: www.laurainesnelling.com.

~~~

A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year's Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is {FILL OUT THIS QUICK ENTRY FORM}. The winner will be announced on the Pearl Girls Blog (http://margaretmcsweeney.blogspot.com) on New Years Day!

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit www.pearlgirls.info

12 Pearls of Christmas DAY 12: Karen O'Conner

2010-12-24T00:00:00.000-08:00

Title: An Unforgettable Gift

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas! Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom"! Please follow along through Christmas day as each post shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year. AND BEST OF ALL ... there's also a giveaway!!!! Fill out the quick form at the link located at the bottom of this post to be entered to win a PEARL NECKLACE, BRACELET AND EARRINGS! Pearls - a tangible reminder of God's grace to us all.

~~~

An Unforgettable Gift
by Karen O'Connor

On Christmas morning, 1912, in Paducah, Kentucky, fourteen-year-old Charlie Flowers and his three brothers and two sisters huddled in their beds, fully dressed, trying to keep warm as the wind howled outside their small frame house.

It was a desperate time for the family. Earlier that year the children's father had died. And their mother had not found work. The coal had run out and there was little money––none for gifts. Their scrawny tree with decorations made from scraps of colored paper had been given to them the night before by a local merchant.

"Can't sell this one," the man said with a nod of his head before handing it over to the eager children.

To pass the time, the siblings joked and shouted stories from their bedrooms across the hallway from one another. Then suddenly a racket from the alley at the rear of the house broke into their games.

"Charlie," his mother called, "would you see what's going on out there?"

Charlie pulled on his shoes, grabbed a thick overcoat from the hook by the door, and ran out back.

There stood a man in a wagon bent over a load of coal, shoveling it into the shed as fast as he could.

"Hey Mister, we didn't order any coal," Charlie shouted. "You're delivering it to the wrong house."

"Your name's Flowers, isn't it?" the man asked, still shoveling.

Charlie nodded yes.

"Well then, there's no mistake. I've been asked to deliver this to your family on Christmas morning." He looked the awe-struck boy square in the eye. "And I'm under strict orders not to tell who sent it," he teased.

Charlie ran into the house, his coattail flapping in the cold morning wind. He could hardly wait to tell his mother and brothers and sisters. God had provided––just as he had on that first Christmas morning so long ago when He sent his only son to a needy world.

Charlie Flowers died in 1994 at age 96. And right up to the last year of his life, not a Christmas went by that he didn't tell the story of that sub-zero Christmas morning of his boyhood when two men gave his family an unforgettable gift.

It wasn't the coal that was remembered or cherished, Charlie often said––welcome as it was––but rather what two men brought to his desperate family. One, for his gift of recognizing their great need and taking the time to do something about it. And the other, for being willing to give up part of his own Christmas morning to deliver it.

That gift of so long ago has continued to warm the Flowers family from one generation to another, as Charlie's son––my husband, Charles––calls to mind these two unknown men each Christmas morning and whispers a prayer of thanks.

~~~

About Karen: Karen O'Connor is an award-winning author and writing mentor living in Watsonville, California with her husband, Charles Flowers. Karen’s latest book is 365 Reasons Why Gettin’ Old Ain’t So Bad (Harvest House 2010).

For more information, please visit Karen on the web at www.karenoconnor.com.

~~~

12 Pearls of Christmas DAY 11: Melissa Mashburn

2010-12-23T00:00:00.000-08:00

Title: Just give me Christmas this year!

~~~

All I Want for Christmas…
Is to be able to have Christmas this Year
by Melissa Mashburn

This is a simple request, isn’t it? In the previous years, we had great big bountiful Christmases with our family. Gifts, goodies and general Christmas cheer but this year it was different. The year before has been chock full of disappointments, failing businesses and severe cutbacks for our family.

Sitting with my husband one night we hammered out the bare minimum that we could spend that year for Christmas and even still the total was four hundred dollars. It does not sound like a whole lot compared to what we’ve spent on Christmas before, but this year it could have been four thousand dollars because we just did not have it.

We prayed, I cried, we prayed some more and decided that we would cut back anything else that we could that year so we could have Christmas for our kids. We did not know how we would make this happen, but we knew that we needed to step forward in faith that it would happen.

Answer this question: Does the God who lavishly provides you with his own presence, his Holy Spirit, working things in your lives you could never do for yourselves, does he do these things because of your strenuous moral striving or because you trust him to do them in you? Don't these things happen among you just as they happened with Abraham? He believed God, and that act of belief was turned into a life that was right with God. Galatians 3:5 the Message

Not even two days later, we hear a knock on our front door. We open the door to see some friends of ours from church. With tears in their eyes, they handed us an envelope and said that the felt they needed to give us this. We opened the envelope and inside there was four hundred dollars cash.

Shocked, stunned and with tears flowing down our face we just sat there in a state of crying and laughing at what God had done. We never shared with anyone that year what we needed, how bad it was, what was going on or what that number was for us to have Christmas for the kids, but God knew.

“And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.” 2 Corinthians 9:8 NLT

He took a willing servant, led them to our front door and changed Christmas for us that year. After many years of being in full time ministry we knew that God would provide, but when He shows up just at the right moment, you know that it was all a part of His plan to show how much He loves, provides and cares for His people.

Father God, thank you that after all the years of serving and loving you in ministry that you continue to teach, guide, love, shepherd and care for us. You, Father, are abundantly gracious and kind, thank you for showing up for us at just the right moment every time, forgive us when we forget that. In Jesus name, Amen.

~~~

About Melissa: Melissa is the founder of the blog Mel’s World Ministry, co-founder of the Praise and Coffee Nights Ministry with Sue Cramer, Kids Ministry Director at her church. Just last year she launched a new weekly series called Godly Gals ~ Real Women, Real Life, Real Faith where we meet new women each week who are “Taking their everyday, ordinary lives and placing it as their offering to God.” Romans 12:1 the Message. You can find her on twitter and at her blog. She loves encouraging women to live with an authentic faith by being transparent, renewed and transformed. ~ Romans 12:2.

~~~

12 Pearls of Christmas DAY 10: Maureen Lang

2010-12-22T00:00:00.000-08:00

Title: What’s the best thing about Christmas?

~~~

What’s the best thing about Christmas?
by Maureen Lang

The answer to that question will undoubtedly be different depending on the age and the faith of the person being asked. Most children will say it’s all about the gifts. Adults, even if they secretly still enjoy the gifts, will probably strive to sound more mature and say the holiday is all about friends and family. Still others might say it’s about tradition, or memories or the music or even the special food we connect to this time of year. The scrooges among us might say this season is just another marketing gimmick, or materialism gone awry. The faithful will say it’s all about Jesus, a reminder of why He shed the glory of Heaven to step into human skin and frailty.

I’m not here to defend or attack any answer to this question, but rather to ponder those possible answers.

Gifts: They touch us in personal ways, as tangible evidence of someone else’s thought and affection. Even if we don’t get exactly what we hoped, there’s something to be said about the thought behind a gift being the important part. Why wouldn’t gifts be an important and valid part of this holiday in which we celebrate God’s gift of salvation?

Holiday Gatherings: Parties might be a lot of work, forcing some out of their comfort zone, but at the core they’re all about human connection. Isn’t that what most people want?

Traditions and memories: They remind us of the past, of who we are, with the hope that even as we look forward to an unknown future we still hold some things worthy enough to repeat every year. We might find ourselves letting go of some traditions, or we might want to start some new ones.

The music: This is the only time of the year when even secular radio stations welcome songs about a baby born in Bethlehem. As a nation we may be getting stringent about separation of church as state, but the lines blur just a bit with old favorites that reflect this season.

Scrooges: The holiday season is probably a time to endure rather than enjoy, but even the scroogiest-scrooge might admit the lights of the season are pretty to behold. They’re free to look at, after all.

As for the food, the busyness, the expense and all the other things that make up this season: keep in mind that it’s all temporary. This, too, shall pass. Until next year, of course.

I’ll leave you with this thought: we are all made in God’s image, whether we believe that or not. Part of that image is the ability to give—and to receive. So here’s my thought for the day: stop a moment and dwell on all the gifts of the season. From the little mementos that say we haven’t forgotten someone or been forgotten by others, to the costliest gift of all: what God did for us in the form of Christ. As you enjoy the sounds, the sights, the scents and the tastes of this season, may your only trouble be in choosing just one thing among so many best things about Christmas.

~~~

About Maureen: Maureen Lang is the author of ten books, her most recent from Tyndale House is The Great War Series which are full of romance, adventure and spiritual journeys. She lives in the Midwest with her husband, two sons and their lovable Labrador Retriever.

For more information please visit Maureen at her website, www.maureenlang.com.

~~~

12 Pearls of Christmas DAY 9: Deb Kalmbach

2010-12-21T00:00:00.000-08:00

Title: Good News

~~~

Good News!
by Deb Kalmbach

The first Christmas card of the season arrived in my mailbox way back in August. How could anyone be that organized? Then I noticed my friend, Nita, had sent me a card I had written to her more than 20 years ago!

Memories rushed back as I read the words penned in my familiar handwriting. It was Christmas, 1991, and my world had unraveled. I could almost pretend everything was all right at this most wonderful time of the year—but not that year.

My husband Randy’s drinking problem had escalated to the point where his job and career were on the line. He had already been through two alcohol treatment programs and managed to stay sober for short periods of time. Then he slipped back into old, familiar patterns. His ongoing relapses were a crushing disappointment for our family.

I had looked forward to Christmas Eve and our family traditions; making homemade lasagna, singing carols around the piano, attending the candlelight service at church, and then coming home to open one token Christmas Eve present.

“Randy, are you ready to crank out the pasta?” I called to him over the Christmas music I was playing to lift my spirits.

I peered into the living room to see what was keeping him. My heart froze. Randy sat on the couch, trance-like, watching a basketball game while sipping a drink.

No, not on Christmas Eve, I screamed inwardly. I felt like I was suffocating. Usually Randy pulled himself together but it didn’t happen that night. He drank vodka all evening while I finished holiday preparations on autopilot. None of us felt like eating lasagna or celebrating.

Only a few days earlier, I had written these words on the Christmas card to my friend, Nita. I don’t know God’s plans, his timing or his ways in accomplishing his purposes, but I am learning to trust him. He is faithful!

I suspect Nita kept my card all those years because she saw a small seed of faith and it encouraged her heart. I didn’t know it at the time, but it would be eight more Christmas seasons before Randy experienced the miraculous breakthrough of finding freedom from alcoholism.

As I read the card I had written so long ago, I felt awed by God’s faithfulness to us—even when our situation looked completely hopeless.

You may be facing great difficulty as the holidays approach. The last thing you feel like is celebrating. And that’s O.K. The Good News of Christmas isn’t about picture perfect holidays where our homes are decorated a la Martha Stewart and tables are laden with holiday delicacies. Your days may not be merry and bright. You may be grieving the loss of a loved one or the loss of a relationship through divorce or estrangement. Your world has unraveled.

That’s exactly why the message of Christmas is Good News. The Savior is born! The One who came to set you free, to give you peace and hope and help beyond anything you could ever imagine is as near as your next breath. Today you might not be able to see how God’s purposes are unfolding for your future, but you can be assured that He is working all things for good in your life. A twenty year-old Christmas card came on a summer day as an unexpected gift and gentle reminder of God’s presence—especially in the worst of times.

~~~

About Deb: Deb Kalmbach is the coauthor of Because I Said Forever: Embracing Hope in a Not-So- Perfect Marriage and the author of a book for children, Corey’s Dad Drinks Too Much. She has contributed to The New Women’s Devotional Bible, Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace, and other anthologies. She is a vibrant and engaging speaker who gives hope and practical solutions to those who struggle with difficult relationships. Deb and her husband, Randy, live in a tiny town in Eastern Washington. Visit Deb at: www.debkalmbach.com, or on Facebook and Twitter.

~~~

12 Pearls of Christmas DAY 8: Tricia Goyer

2010-12-20T00:00:00.000-08:00

Title: Gift List

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Gift List
by Tricia Goyer

I've been thinking lately how hard it must be for Oprah to Christmas shop. I mean if you were on her "gift list" wouldn't you expect something really, really good? The woman gives away cars and trips to Australia on her television show for goodness sake! It seems by the end of Christmas Day her friends and family would look at the pile of presents and think, "Is that it?" I mean if you knew there was billions of dollars she could spend on you, would you ever feel satisfied?

Sometimes I think we approach God the same way. We look around at our home, our family, our job, our free time and we still aren't satisfied. We wish our body looked better, our clothes were more in style, our husband was more considerate and our kids were more ... well, like the perfect little people we picture in our mind. Our careers don't excel as quickly as we think they should and people don't give us the attention we feel we deserve. We're tired and anxious and the to-do list seems to be tacked to our hearts for all the pain it causes.

Often, we look around and don't speak the words out loud, but think them just the same. "Is that it?" I mean, You're the God of the universe and You have all things in Your hands and under Your control. Couldn't you provide a little more money to help those bills disappear or make me a bit more content with the man I've chosen to spend my life with? And I thought Oprah had it tough.

Is there ever a time when God doesn't hear the murmurs? Again, not with our mouths but in our heart.

I've been guilty of this--of not being satisfied with the gifts I've been given. Yes, there will always be more to want, but today--at this moment--I'm satisfied. And I look to Him with a grateful heart and whisper, "Thank you, it is enough. More than enough."

~~~

About Tricia: Tricia Goyer is the author of twenty-six books including Songbird Under a German Moon, The Swiss Courier, and the mommy memoir, Blue Like Play Dough. She won Historical Novel of the Year in 2005 and 2006 from ACFW, and was honored with the Writer of the Year award from Mt. Hermon Writer's Conference in 2003. Tricia's book Life Interrupted was a finalist for the Gold Medallion in 2005. In addition to her novels, Tricia writes non-fiction books and magazine articles for publications like MomSense and Thriving Family. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences, and has been a workshop presenter at the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International Conventions. She and her family make their home in Little Rock, Arkansas where they are part of the ministry of FamilyLife. For more information, please visit www.triciagoyer.com

~~~

12 Pearls of Christmas DAY 7: Stacie Ruth Stoelting

2010-12-19T00:00:00.000-08:00

Title: Hurting Near Christmas? 10 Tips to Hope Again

~~~

Hurting Near Christmas? 10 Tips to Hope Again
by Stacie Ruth Stoelting

Feel sad this Christmas? Hey, I know the feeling. In fact, many programs have interviewed me to share about it! Last year, I tried particularly hard to share stories and tips on how to cope with grief during the holidays: I wrote a feature for CBN.com, Coping with Grief at Christmas, visited and counseled grieving people, etc.

Then irony hit: Near Christmas, two people I loved died within two days (December 15-16, 2009).

Are you or a loved one hurting during the holidays? I relate. But let me encourage you: Jesus remains faithful! As real as my pain, He met my needs and comforted me with peace unexplainable. I’m serious. He’s real.

Before I continue with tips, let me share this: If you feel suicidal, contact an emergency counseling service like the New Life Call Center at 1-800-NEW-LIFE(639-5433).

10 Tips for Hurting Hearts to Hope and Cope at Christmastime

1. Realize and internalize it: God still loves you and wants to hear from you. He wants you to know that there is a Way out of your pit of despair. The Way is Jesus.

2. Sometimes, our suffering causes us to forget His. Understand He understands you. He suffered more than any of us when we bore the weight of every sin and pain on the cross! In fact, Is. 53:3 describes Jesus: “He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.” Think of it: He took your punishment and pain on the cross. He was your capital punishment Substitute! And your Deliverer -your Rescuer- wants to hear from you. His heart hurts with yours. Will you pour your heart out to Him now? He’ll pour His love in where the fear previously resided. Let Jesus inside. Do you know Jesus on a personal, one-to-One basis? Visit here to learn why Jesus was born to die and how to be born again. (Hey, Jesus said it: "You must be born again.")

3. Rather than mere gifts, make a Christmas prayer list of other hurting people. Then pray for them and request prayer for yourself, too. Contact your church. Tap into ministries (including CBN.com) that offer extra prayer support. And feel free to join my prayer e-group at www.PrayingPals.org or on Facebook by clicking here.

4. End the Christmas comparison game. Don't compare your Christmas to your neighbor's. Don't compare your Christmas to past celebrations.

5. Center on the Savior! This year, trade a superficial Christmas for a real one. Deepen your appreciation for the true Christmas: the arrival of Jesus Christ to banish the effects of sin and death!

6. Whatever your loss or pain, open up and let God be your Gain. Maybe your pain comes from another cause: a divorce, a devastating diagnosis, a job loss...the list extends. God offers to be your Counselor, your Father, your Healer, your Provider. Let Him answer your heart’s cry.

7. Love on people. Even if you don’t “feel” like it, prayerfully do something for someone else who is hurting.

8. Remember: Feelings change. God doesn't. Loved ones' deaths never kill His love for you. God's immeasurable, unconditional love still flows to you! When you know Jesus, you know eternal love and security. Nothing separates you from His love! “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39, ESV).

9. Realize the reality of the sudden reunion. Holidays exacerbate the feeling of long separation from our loved ones in Heaven. Does it feel like it will take forever for you to see your loved one in Heaven? Be encouraged: Jesus IS coming again and it will be a time you don't expect! So the fact that you feel like it won't happen soon is a good thing! Once reunited, it will feel like no time transpired. All sadness will be entirely removed!

10. When Jesus comes back to earth, it will be a celebration greater than any previous Christmas you've ever experienced!

For believers, losses hurt but never win. We will celebrate Jesus together -and it will be glorious "for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith" (I John 5:4, NIV). In that Day, all believers will be able to jubilantly say, “Merry Christmas to all and to all the true Light!”

Additional Help: Ready for some practical tips for coping with grief at Christmastime? Here’s one: Rearrange furniture to reduce absence reminders. To read this tip and others found in another of my CBN.com’s articles: “Coping with Grief at Christmas", visit www.CBN.com.

Going thru a rough time? Join Stacie Ruth’s prayer group at www.PrayingPals.org.

~~~

About Stacie: Stacie Ruth knows pain, but she also knows Jesus! After Stacie Ruth met Jesus, her life blossomed with true joy and purpose. Life’s blows hurt her, but Jesus heals and strengthens her. Now an author, actress, and recording artist, she laughs at the irony and praises God, who uses unlikely people...like herself. Discover why she's written a book at age 15, sung/spoken for the 43rd President, been pictured in major media (i.e. The New York Times, USA Today), and keynoted conferences since she was a teenager. To watch video clips, worship Jesus with music from her album, or get in touch with her ministry for women, visit www.brightlightministries.com.

~~~

12 Pearls of Christmas DAY 6: Rebecca Ondov

2010-12-18T00:00:00.000-08:00

Title: Wrapped in His Love

~~~

Wrapped in His Love
by Rebecca Ondov

The temperature is below zero and dropping quickly—probably to -15 or lower. Old Man Winter gusted in a couple days ago, leaving cold temperatures and a foot of snow behind. Moments ago I bundled up in my long johns and Carhartts to go out and feed. Of course I had a warm horse blanket draped over my arm. When it’s below zero I wrap Czar in two horse blankets.

Czar nickered as soon as he saw me coming. When I buckled up the blankets, it was as if I was wrapping him in my love. He buried his head in my chest. I snuggled him and stroked his long red winter hair. I pulled a couple icicles out of his black mane as my mind drifted through memories. I’d bought Czar when he was a month old; it was love at first sight. After he was weaned from his mother, I brought him home.

Czar leaned into me, almost as if he was hugging me. I patted his neck, “That was thirty years ago, Czar. Can you believe it?” Czar had been my main saddle horse when I worked in the Bob Marshall Wilderness of Montana. I’d ridden him over 20,000 miles. Together we’d faced grizzly bears, mudslides, forest fires, and even fallen off a cliff. He’d saved my life more than once. With my finger, I traced a couple gray hairs that dotted his forehead. “You’ve earned your blankets, buddy.”

The icy breeze nipped at my cheeks and I thought how much his blankets resemble God’s love for us. God was there when we were born—and He loved us at first sight. He’s faithfully been with us through every step of our lives—through every joy and sorrow. He’s cried with us and laughed with us. He cheered when we’ve overcome. Most of all, when I’ve gone through tough times, it’s been God’s love which wrapped itself around me like a shield and pulled me through.

I glanced around me. The snowflakes glistened in the sun. His love surrounded me: the wind whispering in the pines, the chickadee that serenaded me this morning, the gurgling creek that flowed through the pasture. And His greatest love is manifested in the prize of His creation –you and me, the ones created in His image.

This Christmas season, I’m praying that you feel the God of the universe—the one who hung the stars in place—wrapping His loving arms around you and holding you tight (two horse blankets worth). And I pray that all of us experience the love He’s given us in Jesus.

~~~

About Rebecca: Rebecca Ondov is the author of Horse Tales from Heaven: Reflections along the Trail with God and Horse Tales from Heaven: Gift Edition. She was a contributing author in several books including Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace. She lives in Western Montana with her family, horses, mules, barn cat, and golden retriever. By day she works for Fox Lumber, brokering lumber throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. By night she forges ahead with her mission, writing stories which equip Christians to lead extraordinary lives. Join her on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn by going to her Website: www.RebeccaOndov.com

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12 Pearls of Christmas DAY 5: Melody Carlson

2010-12-17T00:00:00.000-08:00

Title: Home

~~~

There’s No Place Like….
by Melody Carlson

I grew up spending Christmases at my grandparents’ quaint Victorian home, surrounded by lots of relatives, laughter and love and really good food. For a little girl growing up in a single parent home, harried working mother, no church family, and TV dinners, these extended family holidays spent at my grandparents were like a real gift from God. But as a young adult, my grandfather passed on, the old house was sold, I grew up and eventually had a small family of my own.

Still I longed for those familiar kinds of “big” Christmases—I wanted that house full of relatives and fun times to go home to—I think the “child” in me thought I deserved it somehow. But my grandmother had gotten older and lived in a tiny apartment, and my mother and my husband’s parents were not comfortable hosting Christmas in their homes. For a while we went to my cousin’s, but I soon had to come to grips with reality. The days of going to Grandma’s for the perfect Christmas were a thing of the past.

In other words, it was time for me to grow up—time for me to start hosting our own Christmas celebrations. So biting the holiday bullet, I decided to just do it. With two very small children underfoot, I cooked my first turkey, made my first stuffing, invited some family, neighbors, and friends over, and we all crammed ourselves into our little house, balanced our plates on our knees, and had a very good time. Oh, I’m sure the turkey was dry and the gravy lumpy, but what I remember most is that everyone seemed truly happy to be there. And I realized that I wasn’t the only one longing for that sense of warmth and community—that longing to “go home again”—and I finally grasped that I could (with God’s grace) help to provide that for my family and others.

So for the next three decades we continued to host Christmas in our home. I got better at decorating, cooking, gifting…the works. Some years the place would be packed and crazy. A few years were thinner and quieter. But family, friends and neighbors could always count on the fact that the Carlson’s would be “doing something for Christmas.” It was a no-brainer.

Until this year. This year, for the first time in more than thirty years, my husband and I decided we’re going to take a pass on hosting Christmas—we are going to the beach. At first I felt terribly guilty, and even right now I’m a bit unsure—and wonder if I’ll end up changing my mind at the last minute. And yet, I believe it’s the right thing for us to do—for a lot of reasons. One being that my husband’s birthday is Christmas and he never gets to do what he wants on his birthday—this year will be different. But more than that, I hope that our stepping aside will encourage the younger members of our family to find and embrace some of their own traditions—to grow up and look for opportunities to stretch themselves a bit. Because, similar to how and oyster creates a pearl—or how a young mom learns to be a hostess—with some discomfort and distress a burnt turkeys, the end results are truly valuable.

~~~

About Melody: Melody Carlson lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and yellow Labrador Retriever. She’s the author of around 200 books including this year’s Christmas novella, Christmas at Harrington’s.Visit her website for more information, www.melodycarlson.com.

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12 Pearls of Christmas DAY 4: Lori Kasbeer

2010-12-16T00:00:00.000-08:00

Title The Joy of Unexpected Circumstances

~~~

The Joy of Unexpected Circumstances
by Lori Kasbeer

The Christmas season is upon us again. Starbucks is selling their Christmas blend; stores are posting their holiday hours; and moms everywhere are making a list and checking it twice, planning for a special Christmas day. It has been our family’s tradition to spend Christmas with relatives. Last year money was tight and we were unable to travel, this is not how we had planned to spend Christmas day but circumstances were beyond our control. Realizing my three boys--who are now teenagers--will not be under our roof for much longer, I wanted to have a special Christmas with just the five of us.

Leading up to Christmas morning we all made mouth-watering, cinnamon cut-out cookies, spent time together sticking tape everywhere while trying to wrap presents, and enjoyed spending time together. We did not have much money, but were having fun making memories. When Christmas morning arrived and we sat around to open gifts my eyes welled up with overwhelming joy. This mother was trying to absorb all the activity that was going on all around her: the smiles from each of my teenage boys, the sounds of laughter, and the smell of cinnamon rolls cooking in the oven. If I could freeze a moment in time, this would be it. I don’t know what the future holds for each of my boys, but that Christmas morning I wanted to soak it all in so I could recall this special day for years to come. Despite struggling financially, unexpected circumstances turned into immense joy and a lifetime of memories.

Mothers treasuring special moments is not something new. Mary, mother of Jesus Christ, was one who tried to soak in everything that first Christmas morning. Even after Christ’s birth she was still trying to absorb what the angel had said to her when he delivered the news that she was going to be the mother of the coming Savior. She reflected on the time she had with her cousin Elizabeth while they were both pregnant. Along with comprehending the unusual way her son came into this world.

While very pregnant with child, Mary and Joseph traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem to register Mary for the census. Never did she image she would deliver her baby in a barn with a manger being the only thing to lay him down in. These were not the circumstances she had envisioned. Before she had time to catch her breath, suddenly all around her there was excitement when shepherds showed up reporting what they had seen and heard. There were angels—a multitude of angels—who were singing and declaring the Savior was born and a bright star led them to her and Joseph. So much has happened in a short amount of time and Mary did not want to forget any of it. Instead she stepped back and “treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.” (Luke 2:19)

Mary did not exactly know what the plans were for her son, but she knew it was going to change the lives of everyone on earth. She was preparing her heart to obey God concerning her son Jesus, without the full knowledge of what was going to come while at the same time quietly reflecting and capturing this one special moment in time.

May this Christmas be filled with joy and a lifetime of memories, even if you find yourself in unexpected circumstances. Merry Christmas!

~~~

About Lori: Lori Kasbeer lives with her husband Tadd and three teenage sons in Florida. She's a contributor for Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace and a Christian book reviewer. Please visit Lori’s Book Reviews for more info. You can also find Lori on Facebook and Twitter.

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Apologies!!

2010-12-15T01:43:00.000-08:00

It has been brought to my attention that the links in my previous posts for the 12 Pearls of Christmas were not working. I sincerely apologize.

I believe they have all been fixed now, however.

So please feel free to enter the contest and enjoy the posts.

12 Pearls of Christmas DAY 3: Pat Ennis

2010-12-15T00:00:00.000-08:00

Title: The First Christmas

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas! Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom"! Please follow along through Christmas day as Melody Carlson, Lauraine Snelling, Rachel Hauck, Tricia Goyer, Maureen Lang, and more share their heartfelt stories of how God has touched their life during this most wonderful time of the year.

AND BEST OF ALL ... there's also a giveaway!!!! Fill out the quick form at the link located at the bottom of this post to be entered to win a PEARL NECKLACE, BRACELET AND EARRINGS! You may enter once a day. The winner will be announced on New Year's Day at the Pearl Girls Blog! Pearls - a tangible reminder of God's grace to us all.

~~~

The First Christmas
by Pat Ennis

It was October of my eighteenth year of life when my Dad stepped into eternity. As a college freshman I not only had to deal with my own grief, I also was faced with the responsibility of helping my mother adjust to a new lifestyle. You see, when Dad died, she not only lost her husband of thirty years, she also lost her circle of friends. Suddenly the married couples (my Dad was the first of their group to die) didn’t know what to do about Mother—so they did nothing. Her grieving process was actually extended because of the withdrawal of her friends, many with whom she and Dad had enjoyed fellowship for years.

Our plight was magnified by the reality that we did not have extended family and I was an only child. Quite frankly, the outlook for the holiday season appeared pretty dismal!

As the holidays approached our neighbors, who embraced a different faith than we, graciously invited us to share their Christmas celebration with them. The sincere invitation, their effort to fold us into their family, inclusion in the gift exchange, and intentional conversation that focused on recounting the blessings of the year as well as looking forward to the next turned what could have been a miserable day into one of joy. Of course we missed our husband and Dad but the focus on the Lord’s provision for us through the hospitality of our neighbors (Philippians 4:8-9, 19) soothed our grieving spirits.

I have a happy ending to my Mother’s loss of her circle of friends that I described at the beginning of this story! Ever the gracious southern hostess, she did not cease to extend hospitality because of the change in her marital status—in the five years that she lived beyond Dad’s death, we entertained frequently, and eventually our guest list included widows from the group that had earlier excluded my Mother. Though her arthritic condition precluded her engaging in as much of the food preparation as she was accustomed to doing, she continued to help me hone the skills that were second nature to her.

The loving hospitality extended to us on that first lonely Christmas served as a catalyst for Mom and me to open our home throughout the year—especially during the holiday season! Will you consider displaying biblical compassion by including some of the “others”—singles, widows, and the grieving in your holiday celebrations? Who, knows, you might be entertaining an angel incognito (Hebrews 13:2)!

~~~

About Pat: Dr. Patricia Ennis, author of Precious in His Sight, the Fine Art of Becoming a Godly Woman, co-author of Practicing Hospitality, the Joy of Serving Others, and contributor to Pearl Girls, Experiencing Grit, Experiencing Grace as well as professor and establishing chairperson of the Department of Home Economics at The Master’s College. Visit Pat's blog, Unfading Beauty for more information.

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12 Pearls of Christmas DAY 2: Rachel Hauck

2010-12-14T00:00:00.000-08:00

Title: Wear Joy

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Wear Joy
by Rachel Hauck

Thanksgiving day in central Florida broke warm and sunny under a blue sky. The thin fall breeze beckoned me. Taking my bike out, I rode the neighborhood feeling so grateful for all my blessings.

Joy bubbled up in my spirit. I’d been feeling it for a day, these waves of joy, but as I rode my bike and talked to God, the waves strengthened and splashed my heart the entire ride.

I’d laugh. Then tear up. And laugh again. As one who’s battled and won the war on anxiety and fear attacks, the onslaught of joy was welcomed, and actually sparked a new prayer in my heart. I’ve endured attacks of panic, time for attacks of joy.

The journey of joy began earlier in the year while writing a book coincidentally named, “Dining with Joy.”

Sitting at my table one day, revelation hit me. “The joy of the Lord is my strength.” Nehemiah 8:10. The more I meditated on it, the more I wanted His joy. I don’t want my strength. I want His.

Not long after, I went to Nashville for a girl’s weekend. One of my friends handed me a coffee cup inscribed with “The joy of the Lord is my strength.”

Ever just know? God is calling.

During the holiday season, I turn 50. Yep, the big 5-0. Can’t stop it, I might as well embrace it.

Fifty is often associated with jubilee, a time of restoration, and healing, even release from debt and slavery. It’s a time of returning to property, and inheritance.

A time of rest.

A time of JOY!

This past week, a friend gifted me with a beautiful Christmas ornament. Inscribed on it? You guessed it.

JOY!

To me, the world doesn’t look very joyful. There are social and economic woas. But God is speaking and offering joy.

As you go into this holiday season, ask God for a pearl of joy. Like pearls, crafted through abrasion, God’s true joy is often formed in us during difficult seasons.

Here’s the thing, His strength isn’t doled out based on our goodness, our success or failure, or the fact the holiday season is hard or sad for you. He is ready, willing and able to overcome all your weaknesses, fears and anxiety, sadness with the power of His very own joy.

His joy. Your strength.

I’ve been walking into rooms, houses, outdoors, raising my arms and shouting, “Joy!” People look at me funny, but I want to spread the joy of the Lord. To spread the very essence of His strength.

How about you? Can you find the pearl of joy in your life, in the essence of God’s heart toward you?

Wear joy this season.

~~~

About Rachel: RITA-finalist Rachel Hauck lives in Florida with her husband, Tony. She is the author of Dining with Joy; Sweet Caroline; Love Starts with Elle; and The Sweet By and By, co-authored with Sara Evans. For more information please visit www.rachelhauck.com.

Oh, and be sure to enter Rachel's Dining With Joy NOOK eReader giveaway!

~~~

12 Pearls of Christmas DAY 1: Margaret McSweeney

2010-12-13T14:42:00.000-08:00

Hello - I'm thrilled to announce the 2nd Annual 12 Pearls of Christmas! We've lined up several authors to share their Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom"! Please follow along beginning today (Monday the 13th) through Christmas day as Melody Carlson, Lauraine Snelling, Rachel Hauck, Tricia Goyer, Maureen Lang, and more share their heartfelt stories of how God has touched their life during this most wonderful time of the year.

We are also providing this series as free content for your own blogs (as 12 html posts) - if you'd like to share the 12 Pearls of Christmas with your blog readers email ( amy@litfusegroup.com ) and she'll send you the content.

AND BEST OF ALL ... there's also a giveaway!!!! Fill out the quick form at the link located at the bottom of this post or any of the following 12 Pearls of Christmas posts (on any of the participating posts) to be entered to win a PEARL NECKLACE, BRACELET AND EARRINGS! You may enter once a day. The winner will be announced on New Year's Day! Pearls - a tangible reminder of God's grace to us all.

~~~

Pearls of Patience
by Margaret Mcsweeney

As I write by the light of my Christmas tree on a late winter’s night, I reflect upon the poignancy and purpose of this season. The tiny white lights look like strands of pearls draped gracefully (perhaps haphazardly is a more honest description) across the evergreen boughs. Tomorrow I will hang the ornaments and at last place the angel atop the tree

Angels carry a special meaning this Christmas. My brother, Randy passed away on December 2nd from a heart attack at age 53. He was feeding a stray cat on his side porch. Randy was always like St. Francis of Asissi – animals would find him, sensing a kind soul. And my brother was a gentle and patient soul. He loved to fish. He tried to teach me, but I immediately lost interest when I realized worms were involved. And I could never sit still on the banks of a river and just wait. However, Randy could do that. He could wait, and waiting is a true gift. He put into practice the Scriptures. “Wait upon the Lord.” “Be still and know that He is God.” Patience doesn’t have to be passive. Wait is still an action verb. Part of the waiting process for fishing is seeking. Elaine (Randy’s wife of 31 years) told me that Randy said he could see the fish deep beneath the waters. He actively waited for the right time to catch them.

During Randy’s last fishing trip on earth – just a week before his death, he felt an urgency to take a picture of the clouds with his cell phone. When he returned home, he showed the picture to Elaine. They realized that a face of an angel was looking at Randy from the sky – perhaps waiting for God’s timing to bring Randy home to heaven. In my heart I like to think that this “angel in the sky” was part of the heavenly host that appeared to the shepherds over two thousand years ago. A Christmas Angel.

The Christmas Angels brought tidings of great joy that Jesus, our Lord and Savior was born. And because of that incredible gift from God that these angels announced, we all have the promise of eternity. Let us actively wait for His return by sharing our faith, offering hope and acting with love in everything we do.

May each of you be blessed this Christmas as you celebrate the purposeful promises of the Season: Faith, hope and love. And may the 12 Pearls of Christmas be a blessing to you, too.

~~~

About Margaret: Margaret McSweeney lives with her husband, David and two teenage daughters in the Chicago suburbs. After earning a master's degree in international business from the University of South Carolina , Margaret moved to New York City to work at a large bank where she met David. Charity and community involvement are very important to Margaret. She is the founder and director of Pearl Girls. For more information please visit www.pearlgirls.info. Margaret is fast at work on several fiction manuscripts and her book Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace was written to help fund the Pearl Girl Charities. Connect with Margaret on Facebook or Twitter.

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12 Pearls of Christmas Bonus: Anna Joujan

2010-12-13T14:40:00.000-08:00

Title: Did She Know?

Here's a sneak peak post of the 12 Pearls of Christmas series that I'll be hosting at my blog for the next few weeks! Please follow along through Christmas day as each post shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year. AND BEST OF ALL ... there's also a giveaway!!!! Fill out the quick form at the link located at the bottom of this post to be entered to win a PEARL NECKLACE, BRACELET AND EARRINGS! Pearls - a tangible reminder of God's grace to us all.

~~~

Did She Know?

by Anna Joujan

Mary, did you know . . . that your baby boy is Heaven’s perfect Lamb? And the sleeping child you’re holding is the great I AM

I am in the middle of a revival of my used-to-be-annual project of a Christmas card sketch. For several years, with a few years missed, I have done a sketch of some image of Mary the Mother of Jesus, something that came to my mind without complete awareness of why that particular picture was needing to be put to paper. It was originally a simple pencil sketch that, once completed, I would have printed out into a set of cards that would go out to all my friends and family. Along with the sketch, however, I have always had a verse that came to mind to signify the meaning of the drawing in my mind. And so I have had images such as “Be it unto me according to your word,” as well as a more enigmatic one that went with “Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me . . .” But each one was important for that year of my life. And so I would spend the necessary costs in order to produce and mail in relatively large scales, for my general penny-pinching tendencies.

This year I did not expect to produce a card. The fact of my life lately as a boarding school librarian/teacher in Zambia, Africa, has made such projects feel rather far-removed from the realm of possibility.

And yet, I have had an image in my head for several months now. I started to put it to paper, and I abandoned it for a bit, figuring it was a bit frivolous with all the practical work I had to do. But then I picked it up again, and it is now nearing the stage of completion, hopefully to be completed with printing and mailing once I arrive in the U.S. for a holiday visit with family.

What I realized is that, frivolous though it may seem, it is actually quite important. For women [especially Western women of faith], the holidays carry with them great amounts of expectation and stresses. So much so that we often get swallowed up with the hectic pace and forget to soak in the meaning. What is important for each of us, I believe, is to “pick and choose.” We must resist the pressure to do what doesn’t not bring meaning for us. And we must cling to those traditions and activities that promote an aura of true, Christ-centered celebration for ourselves and for our loved ones.

So this year, Lord willing, I will be sending out my cards—and enjoying every bit of it; and in case you wondered, Mary did you know . . .? will be the theme

~~~

About Anna: Anna G. Joujan was born in South Dakota, as a Canadian citizen, and was raised in Zambia, the child of missionary teachers. Since her family’s move to the U.S., Anna spent her childhood and early adulthood traveling throughout the world thanks to various educational and work opportunities . . . France, China, Peru, and Jamaica being some of the stops in her journeys. Her undergraduate degree in French Literature led to a Masters in Information Sciences, and to work as a college and high school librarian, and a cross country coach. She has also returned to Zambia multiple times to teach for individual families and for local schools. All the while continuing pursuing her passions of writing, artwork, photography . . . and card-production. You can find her online at http://annajouj.wordpress.com

~~~

A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year's Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is {FILL OUT THIS QUICK ENTRY FORM}. One entry per person, per day. The winner will be announced on the Pearl Girls Blog (http://margaretmcsweeney.blogspot.com) on New Years Day!

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit www.pearlgirls.info

Indpendence

2010-12-06T00:15:00.000-08:00

When is it too much?

My youngest son is extremely independent. Always has been. As a child he would push my hands away and say, "No! Me do! Me do!"

As a baby and toddler this trait frustrated me, though it also amused me. As he got older it amused me less. Now as an "adult" it really drives me nuts. I turned to my husband once, after a phone call to my son and said, "He's so independent. Where did he get that trait? UGH!" My husband looked at me and said, "You're kidding, right?"

Shadow came by his independence honestly. I didn't see my stubbornness as the same thing. But it is. My husband said one thing he loved about me is that I'm a go getter. But sometimes I am so stubborn and persistent I don't know when to stop.

Ask for help? It's so hard for me to ask for help from anyone. I think this is a pride issue and I really need to work on it. It does carry over into my spiritual life.

I also tend to shut people out when they disappoint me or hurt me. I give lots of chances but with each hurt or "slap" I shut the gates a little more. Soon it is just me closing down all the gates and locking them down. This also carries over into my spiritual life as well.

How often do we ask God for help and then go ahead and do what we think needs to be done. How often do we NOT ask God for help because we are afraid He will give us what we NEED not what we WANT. How often do we question God's motives and wisdom when a decision comes in that we do not understand or want.

Why is it we are so unwilling to give it ALL to God. God and His infinite wisdom? Do we ever doubt His wisdom or His willingness to do what is best for us? If we look with an eye on treasure on earth, we very well may wonder where He is going. But if we look with an eye on treasure in heaven, some things will become clear while some will not. Some things are meant to remain a mystery.

I think we need to humble ourselves and give it all, all of ourselves and every facet of our lives, over to God and trust His grace and mercy and unfailing love for us. Believe Him as well as believing IN Him. We need to take His hand and let Him lead us and there is where we find true freedom.

Many of you have already found salvation and handed your life over. I invite you to now rededicate your life to God. ALL of your life. See what a wondrous team you and your Father can make. But you have to let Him do the leading. He's tall enough to see the road and you are not.

Go ahead step out in faith and see where the path takes you.

Have a blessed week!

If I could just find the time....

2010-11-23T00:00:00.000-08:00

Do you have a famous list sitting around? Things you want to do when you have the time.

Let me ask you a question, how much extra time do you have? And has your free time increased as years go by or decreased? Me? During those crazy years of raising my babies and homeschooling, I thought once they got older, I'd have more time for my dream.

Um, yeah. But surely when they moved out and I was an empty nester, I'd have it made and have all KINDS of free time to do what I wanted to.

Uh. Nope. Didn't happen.

Now like I mentioned in yesterday's post the enemy of our souls loves to steal our time. He especially loves to take great measures to keep us from being effective Christians. If we have a ministry (mine is writing and I suspect yours is too), he will do whatever he can do to help us mismanage our time, throw seemingly important things in our path to keep us from reaching goals that God has asked us to complete.

So to write the first rule is BICHOK. Butt In Chair, Hands On Keyboard. The only thing is when you assume this position, you will be overcome with an insatiable hunger and/or thirst. While you stand in front of the fridge shopping for whatever it is that you want (and you really don't know because you really don't want anything), you will remember the friend you needed to call, and the mail that needs to be checked, and my goodness look at those three cereal bowls sitting in the sink, tsk, tsk, that will NEVER do, and oh yeah, didn't you need to throw a load of towels in?

And if you get up and manage to make it back to your chair before your writing time is over....you will click on your email to quickly check it, just five minutes and you'll be right into writing. Someone important might have emailed in the last two hours! Not that you were expecting an important email or anything, but you never know....

Suggestions...and I am going to implement these as well...to get a good productive day of writing. Or chunk of time. (We are in the middle of renovations and winterizing so I can't dedicate an entire day to writing.)

First, when you open the document, shut down your internet. No email, no facebook, although back in the day, I found a friendly challenge with a couple friends like a much needed incentive. But issue the challenge, shut it off, and check back in your appointed time. Post your word count.

Now ahead of time you will have to try to get as many distractions out of your visual sight as you can. But be reasonable. I mean you can't tie your toddler to a pole, and if he/she won't take a nap this may be a write after they go to bed or before anyone gets up type of day for you.

If you do not have a set time for writing, get it done as early in the day as possible or it won't happen. Remember the enemy and his subtle and not so subtle tactics to keep us from our God-given tasks.

I also suggest you turn your phone to silent. Not vibrate, the buzzing sound will have the same effect as a ringing phone.

Now the first twenty minutes will be the hardest. Once you get into your world you will be okay.

Set reasonable goals. Word count, hours, pages, whatever works for you. And that will be as changing as we are. What works for one book may not work for the next. What worked for me once was going to work an hour early and sitting there with my Alpha Smart.

But now I am homebound and I have access to a delightful array of distractions (most of them with their own feeding timers that go off "Meow!" :) I have to totally ignore that I can get on the internet.

Week before last, I rode in with my husband so I could go to chorale practice. His boss is really awesome and didn't mind me being there. He told me to go sit down, so I lugged my computer into my husband's office and plugged in. His boss walked past the door, and then suddenly popped back in the door and walked up behind me. (I was nervous he was reading my rough draft, lol!) He said, "Do you need internet? I can get you hooked up if you do." (I had never been able to get on the wireless there although I knew they had it. It's in a safe place and you have to know what you are doing to get to it.) I thought about that for a second. It was so tempting because I hadn't been able to get online all day. But I said, "Tempting. But no. If I get internet, I won't get any writing done." He laughed and said he knew just what I meant. I got nearly 1500 words done in an hour! That's almost a chapter.

All I'm saying is if you are not writing regularly, I challenge you this week to try BICHOK with me. Be sure to report back and let me know how it goes.

Next week we'll go back to the nuts and bolts of writing.

Happy plotting and writing!

Devotional: Goalie

2010-11-21T23:28:00.000-08:00

Psalm 141:4

Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil
so that I take part in wicked deeds
along with those who are evildoers;
do not let me eat their delicacies.

Every morning I indulge in a simple pampering ritual. I exfoliate my face with plain white sugar.

I'd like to explain that I do not eat or ingest refined sugar except in very limited amounts.

So I wet my face, pour about a Tablespoon of sugar into my hand and scrub my hands together and pull my hands forward to apply the sugar to my face. It won't fall off your hands since your hands are slightly wet. This particular morning I apparently picked up a clot of it and my mouth was slightly open as I brought my hands forward. The clump jumped out of my hands, bypassed my taste buds and shot down my throat! My reflexive swallow sent it down without a sound, just a look of shock. It made unlawful entry into my system!

While this story amuses me and the others I've told, it also reminds me that there are a lot of things that shoot past our "goalies" and can eventually change our "baseline".

You're just sitting there, enjoying TV with your husband and suddenly there is a bevy of barely dressed beauties bouncing all over the screen usually with suggestive gestures....and even if your hubby looks away immediately, being the visible creature he is, that flash is enough to go into his mental file that will pop up and bother him unbidden. He didn't go looking for that, but it's there all the same.

Or because you get busy, you let your daily time with the Lord slip once. Then maybe a few weeks later, you have to let more than one of those little get-together's with God go. Then something big happens and you miss a whole week. Suddenly you are so busy you have no time and have lost your alone time with God and you are wide open to an attack. He doesn't even have to be subtle. You suddenly start believing lies that he whispers, and find that you are reacting differently to trials, like trying to figure your own way out instead of going to God. And when you do go to God, it's more like a kidnapper's demand list rather than a talk with someone you love.

Then you get angry because he's not "granting" your "wishes". And you are acting like the Children of Isreal when God brought Moses to release them from slavery. They complained about everything, even though God showed His hand mightily, they still whined and wished themselves back in slavery. Trust Him? Never. That's why they ended up out there for forty years! I don't want my trials to last 40 years, do you?

It just shows that we have to keep on guard at all times so that we don't get any of these seemingly innocent attacks because they are within the ranks so to speak, they are so difficult to detect. Just like that sugar shot down my throat without even the benefit of the sweet taste, satan will rush things past you before you even have the time to analyze it. Keep you busy so you can't think it through.

This week, join me in praying that God will guard our hearts, minds, and souls to make this type of sly deception obvious to us so we can protect ourselves. And if you're, like me, have lost your daily devo time with God due to business, sacrifice something else this week to get it back.

Quit telling God you love Him and SHOW Him. Make Him smile.

Hope you have a wonderful God-kissed day!

Nanowrimo

2010-11-01T21:28:00.001-07:00

After much thought and prayer, I have decided to again try to participate in the craziness known as Nanowrimo.

National Novel Writing Month. During the month of November you are to write 50,000 words which roughly relates to a novel. Now this month is not for writing pretty, it about getting the story down. Research and editing and even spell check is going to wait for later. (I know a number of authors who do this with their first drafts and if it works for them, it must be worth a try, right?)

Every time I sign up for something like this, things start to happen. Crazy stuff. Keeps me from writing. But this year....I am going to trust God that He will provide me the time if I use it wisely. It's like being a good steward of your money. Anybody wanting to pray in agreement with me on this, I appreciate it. :D

Anyway, I'm tired of playing around with this novel and beings that I just reworked the plot it is the perfect time as I need to rewrite it anyway. Completely. GMCs are changed, characters are different....plot is different. The whole novel is different.

So I'm in. I better get writing. Don't want to get behind the very first day, now do I?

Hope you have a lovely evening!

Heart of Worship

2010-10-04T00:19:00.000-07:00

Hi all!

I don't really have a verse to go with my topic thought there are several throughout the New Testament (and Old) that cover aspects of worship, from singing and making melody in your heart to being a cheerful giver.

Tonight I went to Overland Park and they hosted the Heartland service. They do this service every fifth Sunday and different churches throughout the Heartland. The singing is always top-notch. The songs were very moving and I sat there with goosebumps (that had nothing to do with the temperature) throughout starting with an old spiritual I don't even know the name of but we sang Amen, while the leader filled in the rest. My heart took flight. Then we sang one about the holiness of Christ and the song director (the one who leads us in our Christmas and Easter chorus) asked us to sing the song, and then take a moment to consider the holiness of Christ then sing the chorus again. Wow. It brought tears to my eyes.

And I realized that was what true worships should be like. True worship is awash with an unidentifiable emotion, passion and righteousness that we can only attain through such communications with the Lord.

Yes there is LOVE involved. But love is not an emotion. It is a choice. Sometimes it's not the easy choice. But when talking about loving our Lord, it is always the right one.

And that leads to HOPE. Hope of an eternity to sing His praises, to bask in the Light of His presence. What could be better?

To have that we must have TRUST. Trusting Him to keep His promises. Trusting His direction in our lives. Trusting that He will never fail us, even when we don't understand. Even when we can only see the step we are on and sometimes not that clearly, that when we take that next step He will be there to steady us.

All this brings about JOY! Such joy that we shout it out on the rooftops. Spreading the good news! Sharing the secret hope that gives us joy. But again, joy is not an emotion but a state of being for the Christian whose eyes are fastened on the Savior.

All of these mingle and combine in an amazing mix during the worship service.

Then the preacher got up and started preaching and could this man preach! Such PASSION in him as he delivered a message from God's Word. He took a story that we all know well about the Israelites in captivity and God's deliverance. He took that story and shook it up and poured it out and shined light on it from a totally different angle and suddenly the parallel was so relevant to our lives today. I'm still amazed by the insight.

It was so refreshing to leave energized, renewed, restored. Every worship service should be like that. To know that God is there and enjoying our joy and love being poured out at His feet.

Have a wonderful week and let's keep the worship going. I believe worshipping God should be 24/7/365. Every second of every minute of every hour of every day should belong to God. And when it does, we want to share it. And that is as it should be.

Monday Devotional

2010-09-13T13:55:00.001-07:00

I'm running late, but here is todays' devo, written by Hayley Finch.

"A voice says, 'Cry out.' And I said, 'What shall I cry?' All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass. the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever."

There are so many good things to enjoy and see every day. So many great people, fun movies, meaningful interactions, beautiful sunrises and sunsets..But it is important to remember that everything in this world will fade. Everything is 'meaningless' in terms of what the Lord has in store for those who love Him. So I pray you look at things a little differently today. Think to yourself-what will make what I do today help in God's plan? Live life a little lighter today. Knowing you have a Lord and Savior you can trust in because 'the word of our God stands forever.' (Isaiah 40:6-8)

The James Factor

2010-09-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

I'm going to spend this week's James Factor posting to explain this strange phenomenon. It's a lot like Murphy's Law.

As my father-in-law put it, "You set up twelve and take a shot, you'll hit Greg every time." (Greg is my husband.)

Now this strange thing occurs to all those in our family bearing the name of James (last name) and those carrying the bloodline. Meaning my nieces and nephew are not exempt simply because they carry their father's last name. :D

And those of us that married those James men, we are not exempt either, are we Jamie and Katie? We usually get what amounts to a crash course right after the I do's are said. And thankfully we all have senses of humor so these tales of woe can actually be quite amusing.

Now it's not so much as anything that can go wrong will because that's a no-brainer in the James Factor. And every time one of us attempts something simple we will remember that in the backs of our minds....and think that just this one time it won't happen. But it always does and HOW! (It seems to be a stronger inclination in "The Gregs" as we non-Gregs call them.) They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Well, all the James roads are paved with those and some wonderful family members actually understand this and "get" us. Love you guys...you know who you are.

It is my intention to try to embarrass....no, that's not what I mean, to entertain you all with our foibles because by Friday everyone wants a reason to laugh so they can kick their weekend off on a happy note.

And to all the James Gang, you can email me your experiences for me to post here. (And just so you know, NEVER use that term in a bank. They get real nervous if you do. :D I wouldn't advise it in the police station either. You get really weird looks.)

First Encounter of the many before I was a James.

I should have known way before I married into this lovable family that there was this thing I named The James Factor.

When I met my husband I had just had a terrible dating experience and wanted nothing to do with dating at that time. Greg was content to be my friend. He'd come over and we'd watch TV, listen to music, record tapes, he could play my guitars which I couldn't do. :D Things that friends do.

He came over one day to borrow my cassette to cassette recorder which was upstairs in my room. My dad had no problem with a guy being in my room as long as I left the door open and he could wander in from time to time to see what was going on. So we recorder this tape and I believe it was for me. So we head down the stairs at my house (the house we now live in). Here I have to interject that I am about 5'3". Greg is about six foot. I sail down the stairs with my usual jaunt and Greg follows with his usual energy. Suddenly I hear a loud smacking sound and turn to find Greg on his back on the stairs! Holding his forehead!

Just past the landing there is a weird lowering of the ceiling level. With me being short enough to never encounter it (and not bothering to look up there...how boring) I didn't think of it being low enough to take him out. Now he bobs his head without even thinking about it to avoid the painful experience.

It has taken out both of our kids when they passed the height it requires to hit them just right. They now bob their heads too. I still, happily, have no problem cause I'm sure I'm the one that makes the most trips up and down those stairs. :D

Have a wonderful weekend! God bless you all.

Book Review

2010-09-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

Most of my reviews will be of fiction books because that is what I like to read most, but occasionally I'll make an exception for a very good non-fiction book. Also most of the books I review are from my own library and not sent to me to review. But upon occasion I will do that too.

This is a non-fiction book written by a friend. She married a man that had been a friend of mine and my husband for many years. Over 20 years to be exact. And it's through that friendship that I met Ana and began to fall in love with her. Once you read this book and get a glimpse of her sweetness and her strength, you too will fall in love with her.

Cut in Half

How God mended me with 23 miracles

by Ana Le Roux

Do you believe miracles happen today?

Prepare to be amazed...

In 2003, Ana le Roux was an average thirty something mother. But three weeks after giving birth to her second child tragedy struck-the unimaginable-a violent head on collision. The force of impact thrust her forward with such intensity that it literally cut her in half!

Ana le Roux would tell you she was set to die that day, but instead, after seemingly endless dialogue with God, she relinquished her freedom of choice to Him. Cut in Half tells how in that instant Ana opened her eyes and began to experience the most amazing gift--healing.

In her awe inspiring testament of God's love, Ana's proves that miracles are not just an archaic phenomenon found in scripture; they really do happen every day in a variety of ways.

Pammer here: I like the way Ana set this up. She tells a verse, part of the story with the miracles listed, a food for thought section and a soul searching section. In such an intense story these breaks are important for the reader so they can fully digest and learn from her experience.

I love her spirit and her transparency in this book. I'd recommend it to anyone including those struggling with their faith and those wondering about miracles.

What a Character!

2010-08-30T21:25:00.001-07:00

After you got a juicy story idea, the next thing you need is characters. (I know some people get the characters first and then the story idea.) But today we want to talk a bit about characters.

One of the most important things is to make your characters likable. If they aren't likable people will not read your book. That's why making them real is so important. I like messy people. No, I'm not talking about slobs, though I love them too, I mean as far as characters go I like them to have problems, and misconceptions, and all those things that we have. Their situation has to be on the edge of change or there's no story.

But there is a reason why they are called the hero and heroine. We want to see someone who is flawed like us rise above the odds, their circumstances and the lies they believe about themselves and life in general. (And in a Christian novel, sometimes the lies they believe about God.)

How do you make a likable character? In must be in the opening pages. You have to make the reader care. The reader has to root for the characters. To do that they have to relate to them in some way. (Even the so-called villians. No evil just for the sake of being evil.) Sometimes it's their circumstances that we relate to and we see them respond in a way we want to.

Go ahead and imbue heroic qualities into your main characters. It's risky making the characters unlikable even for the sake of the story and some writers can pull it off. Look at Gone with the Wind. The heroine is never a perfectly likable character, she's selfish and full of her own ambitions rarely caring what happens to others. But we root for her anyway, don't we? Because in some form or fashion we relate to her.

In his book The Breakout Novel Workbook, Donald Maas says: More to the point, what is it that YOU find likable about htis character at this precise moment? Figure that out, and you will be most of the way toward making us, your readers, care as much about your protagonist as you do.

To find heroic qualities to give your characters, you may take a look at those people you find heroic. What quality is is that you find heroic? Give that quality to your protag and figure out a way to have her show something of that quality in the first scene. Then your readers will care about those characters if they like them.

That's not all there is to character creation. It's an ongoing and complex job, to create characters that are as real as you and I. There are their goals, motivations and conflicts.....but this is enough for now. I am learning right along with you.

If you'd like to, tell us about your character and how you've made them likable.

Happy writing...and reading.

Organization

2010-08-30T00:07:00.000-07:00

By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Genesis 2:2

As I sat in church this morning, our preacher mentioned God creating the vast universe and I got to thinking (I know, I should have been paying attention and believe me my mind didn't wander far before I got back to taking notes for the sermon.) about the absolute humongous, vastness of the job of creating the universe.

For someone with ADHD, cleaning house can be staggering, but can you imagine being responsible for the whole universe and everything in it working in perfect tandem?

There is a lot we can learn from how God did it. Most of it's common sense, but I think sometimes we try to make the Bible more convoluted and difficult than it needs to be.

First He broke the big job into smaller more manageable jobs. Now, I couldn't create a fly even on my best day, but let's say I have a basement that is full of assorted sized boxes and stuff from family members over the past 80 years, including my own junk. So to me, that is overwhelming because my mind sees only the big job. Not the little steps along the way.

That is the first thing God did. On the first day He only focused on the firmament and the light and darkness. He didn't dabble with cattle designs and colors for pebbles on this day, He focused on the one area and only it.

With cleaning out my closet recently I had to break it into sections. Shirts one week, pants and skirts the next, and then dresses.

After He finished His goal for the day, he quit. He didn't try to get a head start on the next day's work. He didn't try to make up for what He didn't get done the day before (not that God has that problem, only we do). One day at a time.

And once He finished, He didn't sit back and mock His efforts or moan about how He could have done better or apologize to anyone for how it turned out. He looked for the good and since He is God, it was all good and said it was good. Gave Himself permission to relax for the rest of the day.

So what can we learn from God and His Creation?

Break big jobs into small ones. Make goals and set up small steps to reach that goal, other wise that goal will be unrealized. God has called you for a purpose, it's your job to please Him and "Gettr done". So make a plan. If your brain doesn't break big jobs up easily, like mine, ask for help from a trusted friend.

Focus on one thing at a time. The more you try to multi-task, the more diluted your efforts become as you add more jobs. Then your attention isn't really on what you should be doing. If you set aside two hours for writing (as per your goals), then WRITE for those two hours, not pick the lint off your favorite black jacket you just found crammed under the couch cushion when you chased your pen down there.

When you finish that step, or check it off your to-do list, let it go and move on.

And look for the good in everything. It's always there. And a positive outlook will erase years from your face and mind and make you a more appealing person to be around. It will also be easier to tell others about Christ because people will want to be around you, to know the secret of your peace and happiness.

Hope you guys have a great week and as always, if you have a prayer request please post it in the comments and I will be happy to pray for you. If it is of a personal nature and you'd rather contact me privately, please send the request to joyinhim (at) gmail (dot) com.

About Writing

2010-08-23T00:00:00.000-07:00

When someone wants to write a book, novel, or a masterpiece...it all starts with an idea. A seed, a kernel that catches in your mind and hangs there like blackberry seeds under dentures (or so I've heard, I still have my real teeth :D).

One question we writers hear a lot is, "Where do you get your ideas? And to get the answer I asked a bunch of writers....the lovely writers in ACFW that exact question.

The answer is....everywhere.

Some come from local mysteries and interesting stories of travels.

The "what if" questions are pretty popular. One writer wondered what happened to the people left behind when someone goes missing. (Thank you Lisa!)

Darlene answered with her own question, "Where cant you find ideas?"

April find them in history books, her imagination, and brainstorming with a friend. (I find brainstorming helpful too, especially with my husband.)

Michelle and Jeannie get ideas from real life people.

Kym got an idea from being forced to go to a Laundromat!

Stephanie got an idea from a newspaper article (historical) she ran across while researching another book. After reading the article I would have had to write a story about it too!

Cheri gets her ideas from dreams and real stories in the media that can be applied to people everyday and she likes to bring attention to today's needs.

Patty (who just got a contract, woohoo!) finds inspiration for her stories in insignificant events in history for character development.

Sandy and her husband go on a lot of adventures so with that and her imagination, story plots abound.

My ideas come from all over. From news stories, to little things that happen in real life. I can watch a movie and wonder what happened with the other people. I see people interacting and wonder what their story is....so I make one up for them. One of my sons likes street racing (not actually doing it, just the stories) and thinks that drummer chicks are hot. So there are two ideas for my overactive imagination right there.

But just because the original idea was one nugget, doesn't mean it stays that. The current story I am working on has undergone major changes. But I do believe that every step was important and necessary to make my story what it needs to be.

The most important ingredient to ideas is to pray. God will lead you to the story you need to tell, you just have to listen.

Have a good week and get a few good ideas and brainstorm them.

Monday Devotional

2010-08-22T22:40:00.000-07:00

Watch out brothers, so that there won't be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart that departs from the living God. Hebrews 3:12

Do you believe God? No, I'm not asking if you believe IN God, I am asking if you believe God. What He says, what He promises?

I'm always amazed at the amount of people that say they are Christians or they believe in God. They will even tell you they believe Him, but in actions, when put to the test, they show that they trust more in their own instincts than in God's plan for their lives.

God loves us to much He sent His only Son, His Beloved One. The One He cares most about. He sent Him to die on the cross for the remission of our sins. Why? Because He loves us that much. We mean that much to Him.

Still a little hard to wrap your brain around? Yeah, I can't imagine why He loves us so, even when we are so unlovable at times.

He has our names written in the palm of His hand! Not the names we give ourselves, but our real name. The one we will hear when we get to Heaven. I think that somewhere deep within our souls, we know that name.

And yet there are many promises God gives us that people just can't seem to believe.

One of my favorites is in my life verse. Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (NKJV)

To me, this says it all. ALL things work together for good. That means, He's got my back. His plan is perfect and His will has my best interest at heart. Some times, times of chastisement, times of pruning, times of trial...all these things may not be fun or comfortable, but I am never alone, it is for the best, and I am being trained for His purpose if I just lay my life at the foot of the cross for Him. That's what we promise as Christians. It is no longer us living, but Christ living in us. So every day should find us praising Him because He is with us, and is working on us.

Some people seem to think that their way of doing things is the only way. Some people are impatient with God's time. Some people want the ten-year plan laid out before them. I believe that God only gives us the knowledge we need. Only enough light for the step we are on. If we are trusting God and holding His hand, we don't need any more light than that.

So this week, let's look for the ways God has worked in our lives. How he's taken something bad and turned it to good.

We can look for the good because God loves us and wants the best for us. Focus on the good so that He can work more fully in us. Negativity is a tool for satan to use to torment us. Trusting God, believing Him is a way to fight this.

If you have any prayer requests, please feel free to leave them in the comments and I'll be happy to pray for you. If your request is of a more personal nature, feel free to email me at joyinhim (at) gmail (dot) com

Have a blessed week.

Cha-cha-cha-changes....

2010-08-17T12:51:00.000-07:00

Hi! Been a while since I posted anything. Life got real busy and very interesting.

However, I am ready to get back in the saddle. :)

I plan to change this blog to make it more useful and helpful. I'm not sure of the exact schedule, but I do want to post at least three times a week, if not four. I'd like to do one article a week about the craft of writing, one review a week, a devotional, and one I'd like to call The James Factor which is funny stories about the unusual but typical things that happen to anyone in our bloodline or who marries in. (Just ask me, my sil, and my dil. :D)

So expect these changes coming next week.

If there is anything you'd like to see in particular, just comment and let me know.

Have a blessed day.

Deliver Us From Evil

2010-02-13T10:38:00.000-08:00

by Robin Caroll

Brannon Callahan, a search-and-rescue helicopter pilot working for the Great Smokey Mountains National Park, is as beautiful and tough as the terrain surrounding her. When a blizzard crashes the small helicopter carrying US Marshal Roark Holland, she must save him and the donor heart he is transporting to a comatose government witness whose mind holds a crucial piece of information. Without it, the largest child trafficking ring in history-closer than Brannon or Roark can imagine-will slip further into darkness somewhere along the Appalachian Trail.

Pammer here:

I haven't gotten to read all of this yet, but I'm hooked. I'm familiar with Robin's work and know that she is a top-notch writer who only gets better, and better. The characters will grab you right from the first and as the tension builds, the faster you turn the pages.

Great job Robin! I'm really proud of you.

Readers, don't delay. Get your copy of Deliver Us From Evil. You will not regret it.

Interview to follow.

The Male Factor

2010-01-15T12:59:00.000-08:00

by Shaunti Feldhahn

Millions of women gained eye-opening insights about the inner lives of men through Shaunti Feldhahn's best-selling book For Women Only. Now with The Male Factor, Feldhahn brings her innovative research approach to the workplace to help women understand their male collegues. Based on a nationwide survey and confidential interviews with thousands of men whose anonymity was guaranteed, her book reveals the private thoughts and attitudes that men rarely disclose but every woman needs to know.

Never before has an author gotten inside the hearts and minds of men in the workplace--from CEOs to non-profit managers, from lawyers to factory workers--to discover what they commonly think about women on the job, what their expected "rules" of the workplace are, what "managing emotion" means and what factors improve or harm a man's respect for the female co-worker.

Among the little-known but critical insights The Male Factor reveals are:

how men, with rare exception, view almost any emotional display as a sign that the person can no longer think clearly (as well as what men perceive as emotion in the first place)

why certain types of trendy attire may actually sabotage a woman's career

which little-known signals ensure that a man's perception of a strong female colleague is positive ("asssertive and competent") instead of negative ("difficult")

Even women who have navigated male-dominated work environments for years have expressed surprise as these and other revelations in the book. Some readers may find them challenging. Yet The Male Factor delivers a one-of-a-kind opportunity for women to understand how male bosses, colleagues, subordinates, and customers privately think, and why they react the way they do. These vital insights enable each woman to make informed decisions in her unique workplace situation.

Pammer here: I found the truths in the is book to be exceptional! Shaunti has again delivered and led us right into the minds of men. I found myself shaking my head as I realized several mistakes I made in business. (There are also a few things I did right. :D)

I consider this book a MUST READ for any woman in business, or anyone who is in any kind of business where you will have to deal with men. Unless you don't plan to suceed. I might even go so far to say that every woman could benefit from reading it. Especially if their husbands are in business, because as the book explains this may explain why he reacts the way he does while he is at work.

Also written in an interesting and interactive manner. So it's not a hard read.

Inward thinking)

2009-12-29T19:22:00.000-08:00

I had an epiphany last night. Just listening to my husband talking to me. He has a sweet spirit and sometimes he'll say something that just opens a door for me.

I realized that for that last couple of months I've been listening to the enemy and having a pity party for myself. My positive attitude went into hiding. The more I wanted contact with others the more I seemed to run people off. (Not intentionally mind you.)

And then I realized that I've been having that pity party ALL year! Instead of seeing all the positive things that have happened, I focused on the bad. Somehow I tricked myself into thinking I was moving forward but I really wasn't.

See, when you keep your focus inward (selfish) you essentially close yourself off. You can't give anything good, nor can you get anything good. It puts you in a warp shell. :) Last night my warp shell collapsed. And I think I might get back to normal. A better normal of course. :)

I'm so looking forward to see what God has in store for me and my family in the next year.

So, my husband asked me a good question last night. I want to share his thoughts with you and let you reap from it as well. (I still learn so much from my hubby, a very intelligent man.)

His question to me was: What are your two biggest praises for 2009. And what are your two top weaknesses that you need prayers for.

If you'd like to share here, I'd be happy to pray for you. If not, just leave a little comment and I"ll pray a general prayer for you.

Here's to a wonderful and God-filled 2010!

Christmas Eve Memories

2009-12-24T16:57:00.000-08:00

As usual on Christmas Eve, there are a million last minute details to see to. The business end of Christmas. Wonderful memories can be the result of some thoughtful person's planning. My kids are older so we don't get the same feeling of anticipation that we got when we were younger, or when the kids were little.

I just opened my door and the sleet and ice switched over to snow. Blizzard conditions. I mean, some of those snowflakes are as big as snowballs. Thankfully they're also soft. :) No concussions.

Have you ever noticed when it snows, it's always so quiet? I love to watch it snow. Especially that beautiful sparkling snow that looks like God tossed a handful of glitter into the snow mix. I think the snow should cause us to stop and listen for God's voice. Time for us to take stock and thank God for all blessings.

When I was a child, we usually had a white Christmas. In my early years, I remember many Christmases at Aunt Ann's house. The more aunts, uncles, and cousins who joined us the better! The house would be packed to the rafters and the adults sure seemed to enjoy themselves, but not near as much as us kids. Those are some of my fondest Christmas memories as a child.

When we moved to Thayer, we didn't do as much traveling. But Aunt Lorene lived just down the street and we'd go over there for a day of celebration. You know, I can't remember presents, but I do remember the family time, wonderful dinners, delightful conversation (Aunt Lorene had a special knack of understanding that my mind ran as fast as a freight train with no brakes). I felt warm, loved, and cherished this time.

For us, our finances have never been to die for, lol, so Christmas has never been about presents. It's a focus on families and those in need. The gift that God gave us and sharing the beauty of that gift with the hurting and lonely in the world.

I desperately wanted a white Christmas this year. And here it is. Every white Christmas reminds me of home. Both in the physical sense of what my parents represented, and my eternal home with God.

So on this busy day, dealing with the last minute must-do's, take just a few moments to focus on what this time of year really means.

Have a safe, wonderful, and blessed Christmas!

Merry Christmas!!!

2009-12-19T11:32:00.000-08:00

Sorry this is so late in coming. I have been SLAMMED! But it's a good kind of slammed. Family stuff (I have a great family) and writing, time with hubby, and time with friends.

This Christmas season has been different than any other, I guess that's the way they all are, huh? But there's even a change in the way people act. I guess people are spending money. I don't' have much to spend, but I've negotiated with my kids for their gifts after Christmas. We don't focus much on gift giving although we do like to give each other a few things. We focus on helping others as we can.

There doesn't seem to be much joy in the stores. One store I visited recently (can't remember which one) already has Valentines stuff out! Christmas isn't even over for crying out loud. Let me get Christmas under my belt before you give me a coronary over the next holiday, please!

Our usual family gathering will be smaller than usual. But Mema will be with us (unless the Lord takes her before then) and my father-in-law, and with all that happened this past year, those are two blessings I thank God for every day.

I don't believe Christ was actually born in December. But I think it's good that people in general take time to reflect on that. I know it should be every day, but for some people this may be just the reminder they need to know that someone is there to help them along.
I also don't participate in the pagan rituals. Don't even put up a tree. And unless someone bought it for me, you'll be hard pressed to find a Santa Clause figurine of any sort in my house (except the antique one that was a gift and is special because of who owned it).

My husband worked nights and didn't like to get up early for the boys to open gifts so after an awful Christmas morning of having my children sit and stare at gifts that I wouldn't let them open until Daddy was awake, I knew we weren't going to do that again. My husband did get home around midnight though, so it was technically Christmas morning when he walked in the door.
That is where our family tradition began. When my husband gets home from work, there are no relatives wanting our presence, there are no phone calls, no one knocking on the door, it's just us. I try to make a snack (muffins and my homemade peppermint mocha's are a favorite) and we read from the Bible and sing songs (we LOVE to sing). Then if there are gifts, we open them. We don't have much money, ever (in fact sometimes we don't even make it paycheck to paycheck), but we try to focus on others because we believe that if God gives you ten dollars, and you see a man that needs five (truly in need), God blessed you so you could bless others. And if you don't have money, like us most of the time, time given is just as important to God. Shovel some elderly person's walk, or rake their leaves, carry in groceries for them. Random acts of kindness. Take that shopping cart that is sitting dangerously close to a nice Corvette and put it in the bin with the other carts or better yet, take it all the way into the store and use it. Pick up someone else's trash (just be sure to use sanitizer afterwards). Things like that take so little time and it's kind of fun to know someone is going to appreciate the kindness and not know who did it. :D

So that's what I'd like for you to focus on this week. How can you bless others even if you have no money.

Have a very Merry Christmas. May God's love shine on you and through you this season.

NaNoWriMo

2009-10-20T18:47:00.001-07:00

November is just around the corner!

Are you raring to go for the madness known as NaNoWriMo? Stands for National Novel Writing Month. You sign up, and for a month you write a 60,000 word novel with your internal editor bound and gagged, on a ship bound for the Bahamas or somewhere nice. (Guess I should clarify that you are NOT on the ship with her? The point is to get her out of your head so you can write freely, and badly if necessary.)

That's 1,667 words a day!

I am pondering joining in because I joined two years and things started happening and I never got past 30,000 words. BUT this year I would be more determined to get that nifty web badge and the pride of saying "I did it!".

I have a TON of ideas, plenty of stories that I have a loose framework for, but not a real idea of where it is going. Course I'll still need to get writing done on my current novel so I can get that puppy sent off to an agent.

Still I'm wavering because I've been called for Jury Duty and wonder if signing up is going to get me embroiled in a long drawn out case and get me sequestered for the month, LOL! That happens to us Jameses. Just ask any of our family members. :D

What do you guys think. Should I sign up or not?

Have a lovely evening.

A year of changes

2009-10-12T18:32:00.000-07:00

It is the 10th month of the year.
Just one question...

WHERE did the year go? I mean just yesterday it was January and I was beginning with a new slate. Now it's October and I'm freezing and have I accomplished anything this year?

I have. Not so much on my book, but I've learned more craft to be better at what I do write. Not so much time editing.

I've changed physcially. I've lost about 10 pounds since last fall. Doesn't sound like much but it amounts to about 5 pants sizes! But not everyone notices that. My husband and kids notice. They've seen me work hard. Everyone else just assumes I'm the same.

My focus this year has changed. I have been focusing on family and writing. My writing, not everyone elses. No board issues to deal with (thank you Lord) since life here has kept me hopping. I'd have hated to miss out on all the blessings this year has brought. We have gone through some really rough trials. But we remember that when his gold is in the fire, the Goldsmith is never far away. And we can't even complain about it because through all this trial we have recieved most abundant blessings.

Spiritually we have changed, grown and learned what it's like to only have each other and God to lean on. Many truths have been laid bare and once exposed could be cleansed by God's wonderful mercy and grace.

And now I am concentrating on my writing. I think I am ready to tackle that hurdle now. I feel that God is ready to bless us. Not sure how.

Hope you all have a wonderful day!

Lighter Side of Life

2009-09-10T16:42:00.000-07:00

Need Glasses Much?

It was one of those Sundays where the alarm didn't go off (because you had it set on PM instead of AM) and we were running in all directions, all four of us. I got ready before my darling husband and so I caught a ride with Shadow. Gregory had already left to fetch Jamie.

I sat down and right as we started to sing the song for communion I hear someone enter the doors to the auditorium. I turned slightly just in time to see my handsome husband slide into the seat behind me and sit in between a father and daughter. I turned my head more to look at him, arching my eyebrow because I couldn't imagine why he was sitting back there. He looked up at me and his mouth dropped open. He then shot a look at the girl he was sitting next to as she shot a look at him.

Then my husband slid into the pew next to me and honestly in the 26 years I've known him, I've NEVER seen his face that red.

Right before the lesson began I told him, "I"m flattered that you think I look so young!"

He thought, from the back, that the teenaged daughter was me! Since we had fellowship, the ladies of the church took great joy in teasing him unmercifully about that. LOL.

He's a good sport though. One of the many reasons I love him so.

So have you all had any cases of mistaken identity lately? Please feel free to share them.

Have a wonderful evening.

Wedding Blues

2009-09-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

Well, that trip down memory lane just became clearer!

My son announced his engagement to his long time girlfriend. They plan to marry in June 2010! I wasn't surprised. I have been expecting it.

While I'm happy for him to be happy, I also feel a great sense of peace over it. I KNOW they will face challenges and times of trial that will grow them. But I feel God's presence here as well, keeping His loving time over all of us during this time.

I just hope that Mema will be there to enjoy this wedding of her first great-grandson from her first grandson. That's what she told me on the day Gregory was born. Oh, there never was a grandma so proud. (I know, I know, but she was nearly busting buttons over his handsome face and both grandma and great grandma were so amazed at his perfectly round head and the fact that he could hold his own head up even being a month premature--your house burning in a fire tends to put ya into early labor, ya know?)

The other day I was scrubbing Mema's kitchen carpet for her. On my hands and knees and I realized something.

I am SO blessed with the family I married into. Really blessed.

I don't have a Monster-in-law. I have a loving, sweet, and helpful (even though sometimes we don't see eye to eye, I do know she loves me and we get along great) mother-in-law that I'm finally comfortable calling Mom. Now the reticence was not hers. She claimed me as a daughter a long time ago. I was slow to catch on.

My father-in-law is-to steal a phrase from a friend of mine- my father-in-love. Wonderful man. I cannot begin to explain how much I respect him. He stepped up after my father's death (he lost his mother the month prior) and lent the loving guiding hand that I still needed. He still does. Sometimes I just talk and he just listens. And that works for us. On rare occasions, he will even be the one doing the talking. :D

My precious niece and nephew, how they enrich my life!

I thank God for them most humbly and do so on a daily basis.

And today, I just wanted to focus on some of my multitude of blessings. :D

Welcome Home!

2009-09-01T22:35:00.000-07:00

Woodhouse Family

Our Family's Journey to Extreme Joy

Kimberley Woodhouse is a wife, mother, author, and musician with a quick wit and positive outlook despite difficult circumstances. A popular speaker, she’s shared at more than 600 venues across the country. Kimberley and her family's story have garnered national media attention for many years, but most recently her family was chosen for ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, The Montel Williams Show, and Discovery Health channel’s Mystery ER. Welcome Home: Our Family’s Journey to Extreme Joy, releases from Tyndale House Publishers September first. In addition to her non-fiction, she also writes romantic suspense and children’s books. Kimberley lives, writes, and homeschools in Colorado with her husband and two children in their truly “extreme” home. http://www.kimberleywoodhouse.com/

Overwhelming trials . . . met with overcoming joy.

Kayla Woodhouse is not your typical twelve-year-old. Due to a rare medical disorder, she feels no pain, doesn’t sweat, and needs protective cooling gear just to go outside. With her restrictive lifestyle; countless hospitalizations, including brain surgery; and the resulting mountain of hospital bills, what’s a family to do?

How the Woodhouse family has faced seemingly impossible challenges is a story that has captured the hearts of America. Millions of people have experienced glimpses of their lives on Discovery’s Mystery ER, The Montel Williams Show, and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (recently voted one of the show’s all-time best episodes!).

Now Kayla’s mom, Kimberley, takes readers behind the cameras to reveal their family’s journey as never before told. From medical sleuthing to cross-country moves, from freak fires to battles with insurance companies, Welcome Home proves that truth really is stranger than fiction. This candid life story reveals both success and failure and demonstrates how, even during tough circumstances, to shift your life from heartbreak to extreme joy.

Peek inside the Woodhouse family’s life (and their famous house) with a 16-page photo insert.

Pammer here: I'm so happy to be able to help promote this book and this family. The Woodhouse family is an inspiration for all of us!

Here are a few thoughts from Kimberly.

Weeds by Kimberley Woodhouse

I've been doing a lot of weeding lately. Both in the yard - and in my life. :)

It's a funny thing about weeds. They grow without you putting any effort forth whatsoever. And as soon as you pull them up, they start all over again. They don't need watering. Or pruning. Or just the right amount of sunshine. They just grow and grow and grow and grow...

But to have something truly beautiful, (which here in Colorado could simply be plain ol' green grass,) you have to work at it. Sprinklers and drip systems have to be set for just the right time of day, the proper soil has to be in place, and those terrible weeds have to be pulled.

The same goes with our lives and our spiritual growth. It takes work and effort and time and energy to grow something beautiful spiritually. But it doesn't take work to let the weeds sprout up and take over.

We must be diligent. Hardworking. Willing to take the painful pruning and weeding. And always on guard - lest those nasty weeds take over and spread their roots throughout our lives.

Are you willing? Are you ready? It's not for the faint of heart. Some of our weeds could be our favorite things. Things that are easy to let in, or things that we are lazy about.

How much TV do you watch? How much time do you spend sitting around doing absolutely nothing? Do you spend that same amount of time with your spouse? Or your children? What about studying God's Word? What things are you doing that are of eternal value? Are you doing things to please man rather than God? These are all good and tough questions.

I don't know about you, but I'm ready to go pull some weeds.

Pruning or in the fire?

2009-08-21T14:37:00.000-07:00

It's always painful to be in a pruning stage of life. No one really wants to be there, but if we hang in there, we usually are beyond thankful for the results.
The most painful pruning is when you need to go back. Way, way, way back because there is some poison that needs to be gotten out so you can be whole and totally usable by the Lord.

That's where my husband and I found ourselves. Our kids are old enough to move out (though we aren't in any hurry for that to happen, we know it will eventually). I had to take a close look at our relationship and wonder where the lovable man that I married went. :) And suddenly everything seemed to point us back in our relationship. We understood that to make our marriage more rock-solid (we've been married for 21 years) we were going to have to take a trip to the past, tear it up, compare notes, and heal because the scar tissue was getting out of hand and strangling our relationship.

We have a LONG history. I moved here in October of 1983 with my parents. Two weeks after our move, we found a nearby church. Mom was anxious to start trying to find a church. Dad wasn't much of one to shop around. This church was close, it was our denomination and he liked the people he met our first Sunday. (Mom and I didn't fare so well for totally different reasons that I just won't go into, but Dad was sure all that would get ironed out with time. It never really did, but again, I won't go into the whys and wherefores. Let's just say since Dad liked the church, Mom and I did our best to find a niche there. These people were SO different than we ever encountered in our hometown of Thayer.)

So the Sunday after Thanksgiving, me and two girls I'd made friends with (at least I thought I had, but looking back now, and knowing what happened, I think they had a very different idea of friendship than my little loyal heart did, the naive little country girl was beginning to get an education of citification). Anyway. . .we went into the dining hall were one of the Brother's Keepers (I think that was the name of the groups since the church was so big we didn't try to fit everyone in the fellowship hall at the same time, so we were divided into four groups) groups were having a dinner. My family didn't have a group YET, but we were invited to join them for the Thanksgiving meal. I liked this group because it contained the two girls that I'd made the best friends with.

We walked in and I, noticing details, see a guy I'd never seen at church before. He turned and our eyes connected. His were the clearest most beautiful blue I'd ever seen. I fell head over heels in and instant. (Don't laugh, it's totally true, God was at work.) I grabbed Julie's arm and said, "Oh wow! WHO is that guy over there?" Our eyes were still connected. She looked up and wrinkled her nose. "Oh GROSS! That's my brother!" I didn't say anymore about him. We both went about our own business.
But I found myself at the same table with him. I really didn't mind. He was so sensitive and understanding that I found myself telling him about the bad relationship I'd just come out of. (Yeah, remember what I said about naive country girl getting her city education? I found out that some guys take you out just for one reason and they get really mad when you won't "put out". I ended up slapping said date and insisting he take me home. I sat on my side of the car the whole ride home, angry and glaring. Shows that I wasn't the important agenda, something else was. The nerve!) I can smile about it now, but then it really hurt. And Greg was so wonderful. He and I became friends. And we spent quite a bit of time together. We'd go out and get a Coke or sometimes he'd come over to use my double cassette player on my new stereo (since my old one gave out, Dad bought me a real nice one he found on sale. This stereo was the STUFF! At least it was back then.)

I found out recently that was all a ruse, he was interested in me, once he realized I was older than his sister (one year older) but much more mature in some actions (farm girls have to be ya know?).

The pruning I was talking about took us all the way back to here. Over the years there has been a trail of connect the dots. There were ALOT of hurtful things that happened. And there are things that I still need to work through (apparently, just from writing this post, I find debris from all that happened back then even in the early days) and the people I thought I could trust-some of them adults-were the ones that hurt me the most and a couple of them were only interested in getting their way. Trust me, there was drama in Thayer, but nothing like what I experienced here. In Thayer lots of the kids in school acting with more morals and maturity than some of the adults I encountered here, but that's another thing. Country life is just vastly different.

Just last night, someone stated something that made me realize that she still believes the lies that were told to her way back then. I thought when Greg and I hashed that out recently that I was done with it. I feel God prodding me to face this too (yes it's hard, I'd rather just let her believe what she wants to and go on, BUT God has other plans). I've faced harder tasks than this in the last eight months, believe me. I'm going to have to explain to her what the truth is, even though I'm quite sure she won't believe it (unless the one who started the lie is willing to come forward and admit it), regardless, I have to put it out there for her so she can have it if she wants. But I also have to forgive because I was crushed by the lie and the actions that pursued it and the ending result, which have just been clear as Greg and I have thrashed through the jungle of our past. I've had to do plenty of forgiving, ask for it too. It should get easier and I guess it does, but you really have to take the past out and study it from every angle to be able to forgive and let go. Stuffing it doesn't work. I tried that for 25 years.

However, I don't believe I was mature enough to handle the truth until now. God has been growing me for a long time. Once I started listening to Him and trying to do His will, things have moved along pretty quick. Kind of like a roller coaster. I don't mind so much the going up, and up, and up part. It the thundering downward to the ground part that intimidates me.

Sometimes forgiving is hard. Forgetting? That's one of the hardest things I've tried. We are a sum of our past experiences. Though some of those experiences are hurtful, do we really want to toss them on the wayside or should we take what we've learned and pack it for future use. Kind of like making a purse out of a pair of jeans that no longer fit, so that we have the good part of the jeans (memory) as well as some hardware (what we learned). We just have to be careful to throw out the rest so we don't end up carrying our new snazzy purse full of sludge of regrets and unforgiving attitudes.

God is also pushing me to be more transparent (that's why I'm sharing this journey with you). Not easy for me. I pull things inside and cover it with funny jokes and laughter. I don't like to cry. Especially if someone can see me. Even Greg or the kids. I usually hide in the bathroom or bedroom with my journal or on my knees. I feel that others can learn from the mistakes I've made for myself, the reaping I got from the sins of others and how I learned to overcome most of it. I'm still a Work In Progress. No where near perfect. But if I can save anyone person some of the pain I endured, I will share.

With hindsight I see He prepared me for this year by taking me away from duties and my friends. Where all I had was Him and my husband. I was to focus on family and my writing this year. I didnt' know what all that entailed.

I do want you to know, that through all the pruning, I did find the Prince that I married. He was still there, waiting for me. :)

Okay, that's enough for today, I'm going to attack Chapter Eight. Gotta get the timeline straightened out. Don't know what I was thinking when I was originally writing it. Got interrupted too many times, but I do have a clear path to fix it. And move along. I'll just see how much I can get done with the time I have.

You have a good evening and weekend.

Deadly Intent-Camy Tang

2009-08-06T00:00:00.000-07:00

Today I have the special honor of hosting a very special lady. She and I have been friends for five years, and we met on the Steeple Hill chat boards.

This is her first suspense novel published with Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense and I'm excited to share this with you, as well as her help with plotting for all you wanna-be authors out there (like me!).

Her novel is called Deadly Intent. It is a great story, told with Camy's trademark sass and humor. It grabs you by the throat and don't let go. For someone with OCD tendencies such as myself, it's always nice to read a book that is so well written that you can relax into the story. You forget your reading.

Run out and buy this book NOW! Before they run out. Really, it's that good.

And here is from Camy:

My Five Best Plotting Tips for Novelists

Thanks to Pammer for letting me guest blog today!

Now, just to warn you, not all of these will resonate with you because every writer is different and works differently in how he/she crafts the story. For me, sometimes every story writes itself differently! Oy! But hopefully these tips will help you if you get stuck.

1) Starting the story too early: Most well-paced stories start at the Inciting Incident, or the one event that really propels (notice the visual associated with that word) on the story journey. However, I'm not saying not to write all the stuff that comes before the Inciting Incident. A lot of times, novelists NEED to write a few chapters of the story before they reach that Inciting Incident. However, once you write those pages, consider chucking them and starting the reader when the Inciting Incident happens, to thrust them into the story world and story problem right away. Avoid backstory until later in the story when the reader absolutely needs to know the information in order to understand what's going on in the current scene.

2) The vague external goal: Ideally, your character's external goal should be something concrete, something he can physically touch in his hands. For example, if Carrie wants to become a rock star, that's too vague to be her external goal. Instead, that's her desire, not her external goal. Her concrete external goal will be to hold a copy of Rolling Stones magazine in her hands and see her picture on the cover. So for the entire story, she's pursuing a goal of getting her picture on Rolling Stones, because that one thing signifies in her mind that she's "made it" as a rock star.

3) Not enough conflict: In real life, we want to avoid conflict. I know that I do as much as the next person. Conflict gives me heartburn. But in fiction, you have to throw the absolute WORST conflict you can think of at your characters. DO NOT SPARE THEIR FEELINGS. They are simply characters. They are not your children. Delve into the darkest, evilest place in your soul and throw all that ugly conflict at your characters. Why? Because conflict is what makes the book and pacing compelling and keeps the reader reading. Books without conflict—or without ENOUGH conflict—has too slow a pace and is boring reading. So don't be boring—add terrible, horrible conflict to your story.

4) The disappearing external goal: Check to make sure your character's external goal didn't resolve itself or somehow "go away" by the middle of the story. Make sure he's pursuing the goal for the entire book, up until the climax.

5) Not boxing the character in: The best way to heighten tension and ramp up the stakes is to slowly box the character in, taking away her options up until the climax. If you have just "bad things that happen" to the character, you're not boxing her in. Look at the conflict you have and make sure it's actually taking away her choices and making things more difficult for her to reach her external goal.

I hope those things will help people fix any problems they might have with their plotting! Thanks for having me here today, Pammer!
Camy

DEADLY INTENT

SCENE OF THE CRIME

The Grant family’s exclusive Sonoma spa is a place for rest and relaxation—not murder! Then Naomi Grant finds her client Jessica Ortiz bleeding to death in her massage room, and everything falls apart. The salon’s reputation is at stake...and so is Naomi’s freedom when she discovers that she is one of the main suspects! Her only solace is found with the other suspect—Dr. Devon Knightley, the victim’s ex-husband. But Devon is hiding secrets of his own. When they come to light, where can Naomi turn...and whom can she trust?

About Camy:

Camy Tang writes romance with a kick of wasabi. She used to be a biologist, but now she is a staff worker for her church youth group and leads a worship team for Sunday service. She also runs the Story Sensei fiction critique service.

On her blog, she gives away Christian novels every week, and she ponders frivolous things like dumb dogs (namely, hers), coffee-geek husbands (no resemblance to her own...), the writing journey, Asiana, and anything else that comes to mind.

Visit her website at http://www.camytang.com/ for a huge website contest going on right now, giving away fourteen boxes of books and 24 copies of her latest release, DEADLY INTENT.

Lighter Side of Life

2009-07-29T15:26:00.000-07:00

We are a family that likes to laugh. We are loud, chaotic, loving, and happy. I love Sunday dinner at my in-laws house. All four kids are quick witted and they love each other deeply. But silence is not something we know how to do.

This past Sunday, in addition to eating dinner, we were also packing sack lunches to take when we took the two high school aged children to camp. They each had friends. So we set the stuff up around the dining room table. Seven teens (including my son who is now twenty and my nephew who is 12) and four adults trying to put together sandwiches, and chips, and fruit, etc. As usual we were loud, boistrous and having way too much fun.

One of the kids, my niece's friend, had been to a concert the night before and was so tired she could barely keep her eyes open. Many of you may have met my older son, Gregory. He speaks in such a way that nothing is ever simple. He's highly logical and scientific (and slightly Asperg-ic, not a word, but you know what I mean). We fondly call him Data. :)

So the tired kid looks up at me and says, "You guys are too happy."

Gregory says, "Does the excessive amount of endorphines distress you?"

Miss Foggy Brain looked up at him fluttered her eyelashes and said, "What?" (I really wish I'd captured her tone of voice and look on her face...priceless.)

I told her, "You have been punked by Data!"

Hope you all have something in your life to make you smile today.

Who do you rely on?

2009-07-25T11:40:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since I've posted. I'll try not to do that again.

It's just been such a tumultuous year, that it's hard to put words on, er, "paper".

In December when I lost the election for President of ACFW, I found out who my real friends were and who were friends because of my VP title. Sad, I know, but true. But the verse I kept 'stumbling' across was Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

This verse made me realize that I needed to buckle in for the ride. Things were about to get rough. (I had NO idea how hard.) And well meaning people kept telling me that God had something BETTER in mind for me. I responded with different yes, better, not necessarily. Not with that verse hanging over my head like a life line I was going to need to grab.

This year has been so incredibly intense. One thing after another. And on top of the usual stuff (we call it the James bad luck, but we know luck has nothing to do with it), every single person that is close to me hurt me in some way. Some hurt me more than others, but they all did their part. I was unsure which way to go. Every step was painful and I wasn't anxious to get more darts hurled at me.

Now most of these dear to me people didn't continue to hurt me. Some do.

I learned a very important lesson about myself. I have faith in abundance (or so I thought) but I realized that I tend to rely on people. One by one I was shown that the only one I can truly depend on is God. And with the worst of the pain I went through, that is who I ended up leaning on on. I literally ended up on my face in my bedroom floor praying for God to take control of all of it because I just didn't know where else to turn.

The enemy has been busy to try to get me to let go of God. Grab my problems back and try my hand at being Sarah and work out my own blessings or force God's hand or better yet, do God's job for Him.

I learned something else at this point. I can pray outrageous prayers. Just because I'm afraid that God will say no, doesn't mean I can't ask for it. Besides, I never know what God is going to answer. He may say yes! I serve a big God so I can pray big. (My husband finds my sometimes outrageous and unexpected comments delightful-usually. Why wouldn't God find my requests just as delightful, showing that I have faith in His answers and outcomes.)

Last year I read through the book Streams in the Dessert (I think that is the name, I don't have it sitting nearby). Awesome stuff. And it helped me through those last few turmoil filled months of the year and the even more emotionally charged first few months of this year.
For this year, I am working through a devotional by Beth Moore called Believing God, Day by Day. It has opened my eyes on so many levels! It's exciting! I mean I believed IN God, but now I'm learning to BELIEVE Him. His Word, His promises. He never lies. He never fails us. And He never, ever, forsakes or betrays us. And He knows how it feels when this happens to us.

I keep praying that this terrible turmoil is over, but I will just keep leaning on the unshakable tower, my Lord God.

Next effort, tame this wild thing called schedule. Mine is just overgrown and unruly. I need more than 24 hours in a day to get all this done!

I'll also try to update more often.

Making Work at Home Work

2009-05-09T00:00:00.000-07:00

by Mary M. Byers

About the book:
Making Work at Home Work shows moms how to develop an entrepreneurial mind-set without sacrificing their families. It covers important topics such as developing a successful business philosophy, balancing time between work and family, setting realistic goals, and handling the challenges of being both "Mommy" and "CEO" while running a profitable home-based business.

In addition to including her own experiences, author Mary Byers profiles real moms with home-based businesses who offer their hard-won advice.

About Mary:
Mary M. Byers successfully juggles both a freelance corporate writing and speaking business and her responsibilities as a wife and mother of two school-aged children. She is the author of The Mother Load: How to Meet Your Own Needs While Caring for Your Family and How to Say No . . . And Live to Tell about It. Visit her website to learn more: www.marybyers.com or her blog www.makingworkathomework.com

Contest:
Contest! Win a copy of Making Work at Home Work (or another one of Mary’s books--your choice) AND a $25 Amazon gift certificate (for some WAHM essentials – Day Planner, bubble bath, funky file-folders, toddler DVDs)!

There are three ways to win:

Leave a comment on this post

Sign up for Mary’s quarterly newsletter where she offer tips and advice about all facets of a women's life: WAHM, mothering, women's issues. More info here! (http://www.marybyers.com/index.cfm?pID=569)

Join the Work at Home Blog Ring. More info here. (http://www.makingworkathomework.com/2009/04/new-making-work-at-home-work-blog-ring.html)

Link to buy the book:
http://www.amazon.com/Making-Work-Home-Successfully-Business/dp/0800732758?&camp=sprightly-20

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5/4
Christa at Christa Allan
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Martha at Our Family's Adventures
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5/5
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Angie at God Uses Broken Vessels
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5/6
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5/8
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5/9
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Michelle at Miss. Mouthy
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5/11
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5/12
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Janice at The Nearsighted Bookworm
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5/13
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http://www.audrasilva.com/blog/

Virginia at Ginny Smith
http://www.virginiasmith.org/index.html

Lynetta at Open Book
http://www.lynetta.blogspot.com

Lauren at Reading Grounds
http://readinggrounds.blogspot.com

5/14
Revka at Our Family Porch
http://ourfamilyporch.blogspot.com

Christa at Life…One word at a time
http://christasterken.wordpress.com

Susan at His Morning Glory
http://hismorningglory.blogspot.com/

Patty at Girlfriends in God
http://patty-girlfriendsingod.blogspot.com

Go Green!

2009-04-25T13:16:00.001-07:00

Gardening Eden by Michael Abbate

Before the snake, the apple, and the Ten Commandments, God created a garden, placed humans in it, and told them to take care of it.

“Spiritual environmentalism” did not start out as an oxymoron—it was an invitation. Yet today, many believe God’s original job description for humankind has been replaced by other worthier pursuits. So when did this simple instruction become so controversial? How does one sort through all the mixed messages? Is making the world a healthier place for the next generation really a responsibility—or even possible?

Gardening Eden is a new understanding of how the spiritual dimensions of life can find expression and renewal through caring for our incredible planet. Empowering, simple, and never polemical, Michael Abbaté outlines the Bible’s clear spiritual benefits of caring for creation, exploring new motivations and inspired ideas, and revealing the power of our basic connection to all people and living things through the growing interest in spiritual environmentalism.

Green living is no longer a fad—simple lifestyle solutions are now available to everyone. Gardening Eden shows readers how this shift transforms not only our world, but their very souls as they’re drawn into deeper harmony with the Creator. This book invites them to discover the powerful spiritual satisfaction of heeding the call to save our world.

Author Bio:
A nationally recognized expert in “green” development strategies, Mike Abbaté is a founder of GreenWorks, an award-winning landscape architecture design firm. He frequently speaks to students and leaders about practical ways to minimize the impact of building and landscape design on natural resources. Abbaté’s work has been featured in national magazines such as Metropolis and Landscape Architecture and in many local newspapers and trade publications. He and his wife, Vicki, have two adult daughters and live near Portland , Oregon .

http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780307444998&ref=externallink_wbm_gardeningeden_sec_0309_01

Kathy Macias

2009-04-25T12:58:00.000-07:00

How Can I Run A Tight Ship When I'm Surrounded By Loose Cannons?

Proverbs 31 Discoveries For Yielding To The Master Of The Seas

About the Book:
(Homeland, CA) - For all the Christian women in the world who dread reading Proverbs 31 and wonder who on earth could ever live up to that woman - this book is for you. Between dirty diapers, complaining children, housework, husbands and a multitude of other attention-grabbing detours women face, award-winning author and speaker, Kathi Macias finds a way to encourage and biblically instruct women of all ages and phases. Women everywhere are the glue that holds their families together. Keeping everything under control challenges even the most organized household CEO. Kathi uses humor, God's Word, as well as practical insight and instruction to lovingly encourage women to grow in this progression of grace. Readers will find How Can I Run a Tight Ship When I'm Surrounded by Loose Cannons?: Proverbs 31 Discoveries for Yielding to the Master of the Seas, filled with scriptural explanations and journaling pages to process and write their personal feelings and prayers. With sections of the book focused on each step of the learning process to guide our ships to safe harbor, readers will be happily surprised to find the funny without the fluff. Kathi's words are the "spoonful of sugar that makes the medicine go down." Her vulnerable approach facilitates the teachings of Proverbs 31, making it easier for women to swallow. The truth of the scriptures is very much alive and well throughout the pages, yet the ease and charm of the author's words entice readers to press forward and embrace the plan for God's woman today.

About the Author:

Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored 26 books and ghostwritten several others. A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi has taught creative and business writing in various venues and has been a guest on many radio and television programs. Kathi is a popular speaker at churches, women's clubs and retreats, and writers' conferences. She recently won the prestigious 2008 member of the year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) at the annual Golden Scrolls award banquet. Kathi "Easy Writer" Macias lives in Homeland, CA, with her husband, Al, where the two of them spend free time riding their Harley.

Blog Tour Interview:

I understand you sometimes refer to this book as "discipleship with a grin." What do you mean by that, and why did you choose a humor format for a discipleship book?

Actually, I chose a discipleship theme for a humor title. As much as I hate to admit it, the title came to me one day and I knew I had to do something with it--just too good to pass up! So the more I thought/prayed about it, the more I realized it described my life, both naturally and spiritually. I began to try to lay out my spiritual growth via humorous life stories, and found they produced a natural pattern. From there I developed the five stages of spiritual growth into five sections for the book, and I was off and running! Besides, I learned from a friend/mentor years ago that you can "shove a lot of truth down people's throat when their mouth is open laughing," so I figured, why not???

What are some of the funniest "loose cannons" stories included in your book?

One of my favorites is the story of my very first women's retreat as a brand new Christian back in the "Jesus freak" days of baptisms at the beach and praise-ins at the park. I shared a room with three ladies I had never met, one of whom ended up being my "bunk mate." She snored, she was quite a bit overweight (taking up much more than her side of the bed!), and she "leaked" because she was still weaning her youngest child. You'll have to read the story to see how that experience taught me a lot about "spiritual face plants."
Another favorite story is about the time I took my three sons (two pre-teens and one elementary school age at the time) to the community swimming pool. The older boys decided to use their younger brother as a human beach ball, and when they ignored my cries from the side of the pool to stop, I actually had the nerve to jump into the water and swim right up to them and order them to stop. Their level of humiliation at being seen in the pool with their mother was as close to social suicide as it gets. But we all survived and learned a lot in the process.

Your book is divided into five sections. Can you briefly explain what they are and what they have to do with discipleship and humor?

As I mentioned earlier, the five sections correspond with what I consider the five stages of spiritual growth: crawling (infants or "rugrats") on our knees; walking (toddlers who are still a bit shaky but exploring and learning); running (stronger, more mature believers who are beginning to make a difference in their world); flying or soaring (eagles with a solid foundation and maturity to share with others); resting (back on our knees and realizing that place of utter dependence on Him is really the best place to be after all). The discipleship correlation is, I believe, evident in these stages; the humor comes in simply because I'm one of those slow learners who needs God to "hit me upside the head" at times, and I haven't been bashful about explaining those times in the book.

What advice can you give to the young mom out there who is juggling two kids, a fulltime job outside the home, a husband, housework, pets and church?

Life happens in seasons! You CAN'T be all things to all people at all times. It simply doesn't work. And if you don't believe it, read about my many crash-and-burn episodes as I tried! The Proverbs 31 woman is a composite picture of many women from different walks and stages of life; when we get a grip on that, it releases us to enjoy the season we're in right now, even as we prepare for the next one.

How did raising your own children help prepare you for the parenting side of the proverbial woman? Any tips you'd like to share?

Relax and enjoy them! Yes, even the rugrats and teenagers, because "this too shall pass." There were times I thought I'd go bald from pulling out my own hair over the frustrations and failures of that season of my life, but now it's my grandchildren who are passing through those rugrat-to-teen stages, and hey, I still have my hair! You'll make it--and so will your kids--in spite of your frustrations and failures. And yes, I know there are too many of those to mention (or admit to). I'm the queen of mom-failures, and yet my kids never cease to bless me with words of love and praise. Do I deserve it? Probably not. But I love every minute of it!

Do you have a favorite part of the book or a favorite chapter?

Several, in fact, but one in particular: Chapter 26, "Back Home Again," contains the story of my precious father, a man who lived for 88 years denying God's existence and then finally turning to him in his last week of life. It's one of the more serious stories in the book, but even that one ends on a humorous note.

If the Proverbs 31 woman is alive today, what does she look like?

She looks like me--and you--and every woman whose heart longs to please God and to raise her children according to the Scriptures, even though she knows she's doing well just to make sure they all have their sack lunches before they leave for school in the morning. She's thin, overweight, short, tall, black, white, brown, red, yellow, and polka dot when she catches her kids' chicken pox. And she's absolutely beautiful!!!

Are there some specific lessons you hope readers will learn and apply to their lives after reading your book?

I want them to learn to relax and laugh and enjoy this voyage called "life," and to trust the Captain of our souls to take us home safely when our trip is over, rather than struggling to "man the oars" ourselves.

What makes your book different than other books similar to yours that are in circulation today?

There are countless books written for "control freak" women who want to do it all and be it all--perfectly and completely at all times. This one, however, is not only written with a humorous tone, but it also takes the reader through what I call the five steps of spiritual growth: crawling, walking, running, flying--and back on our knees, totally dependent once again. I do this by exposing many of the sometimes humorous--and sometimes not so humorous--events in my own life as I progressed through the five stages.

Are there any authors that either influenced you personally or influenced your style of writing? Who are they and how did they influence you?

Brennan Manning, Henri J. M. Nouwen, and Max Lucado have to be right at the top of my favorite nonfiction authors list, simply because they call me back to the heart of worship, to a fresh appreciation of grace and a clarion call to rely totally upon God and not myself. I need those reminders on a regular basis. In addition, I love their writing styles. Their words "sing," and it is my goal to do the same with the words I write.

When you are not writing, what do you like to do? Do you have any hobbies?

Okay, now I have to 'fess up to how nearly one-dimensional I am. If I'm not writing, I'm...well, reading someone else's writing. That's at the top of my "what I like to do" list. However, I also spend time riding on the back of my husband's 2003 Harley Davidson Road King motorcycle. He's been riding HD's since 1970 and says he will never outgrow that youthful passion. On the road we are known as "Big Al" and "Easy Writer..."

Pammer here: I have to admit the humor Kathy weaves throughout makes this such a fun book to read. I think many women could benefit from this book. Because even though the SuperMom from the 80's is no longer a goal, we all still try to be everything to everybody. This book shows us to let go of that goal and let God be our everything. Then you quit seeing the world in a skewed way us women tend to look at the world. I recommend it to anyone who feels like they have too many irons in the fire, or too many plats spinning, or their head is spinning. :D

Where Did the Month Go

2009-04-25T12:34:00.001-07:00

Now I know the NBA calls March the madness month, but for my family and I, April has been pretty hairy!

I have one sick kid, my youngest. We still don't know what's wrong with him, but he's taken anti-biotics and had x-rays of his lungs and still, something is wrong. Prayers would be appreciated. Typically teen, he tries to go about his regular schedule like nothing is different.

My oldest son graduated! Yay! I'm really proud of him. He starts college classes this fall (and has already been accepted). He's going to take a Vocational classes rather than a regular classroom setting (he's always been a hands-on type learner-to teach him to tell time I finally resorted to making him lay on the floor and use his arms as the arms of a clock. Then it stuck.)

And the merry-go-round spins faster and faster. . .but I'm attempting some kind of Time Management so I can get stuff done.

Hope everyone is having a great spring. The weather finally got warm here and has stayed warm. Yay! My tulips are beautiful and we are putting out our plants (my oldest planted them from seeds weeks ago) to help with our food bill this summer at least. Even when it's cloudy, like today, I love the feel of the weather right now. I could just sit on the front porch and soak it in. Except we all know I can't sit still that long, LOL!

I entered two contests and should know some results before too awful long. So I better get back to editing the rest of the book, huh?

Have a lovely weekend.

April Releases!

2009-04-01T14:05:00.000-07:00

Here's a list composed by Lynette Eason:

1. A Claim of Her Own, by Stephanie Whitson from Bethany House. Newly arrived in Deadwood, South Dakota, Mattie O'Keefe must soon decide where true riches lie--and what's worth dying for.

2. A Gift of Grace, Kauffman Amish Bakery Series by Amy Clipston from Zondervan. When Rebecca Kaufman’s older sister, who left the Amish community when she was a teenager, dies in an automobile accident, Rebecca is left custody of her two modern non-Amish teenage nieces, Jessica and Lindsay.

3. Baby Baby, Book One of the Family Heirloom Series by Karen Weisner from Samhain Publishing. A Proverbs 31 wife wonders, does “submissive” mean giving up having anything of her own?

4. By Darkness Hid, book one in The Blood of Kings by Jill Williamson from Marcher Lord Press. Two people discover their ability to speak to, and hear, the minds of others: a squire serving an evil prince, and a maiden masquerading as a boy to avoid marriage.

5. Chef's Deadly Dish, Book three in the Cozy Crumb Series by Lisa Harris from Heartsong Presents: Mysteries. Determined to discover the truth, Pricilla Crumb, an unconventional busybody, follows one lead after another, dishing up laughter and surprises along the way.

6. Copper and Candles, Michigan Brides Book One by Amber Stockton from Heartsong Presents. Charity work brings them together, but their positions in society might drive them apart.

7. Homecoming Blessings, by Merrillee Whren from Steeple Hill. When businessman Peter Dalton has to work with the boss's missionary daughter Ashley Hiatt, he finds a new focus in life as well as love.

8. Peachtree Dreams , by Debby Mayne from Barbour Publishing. Three Georgia women face the challenge to believe in happily-ever-after endings.

9. Shepherd's Fall, Prodigal Recovery Series Book One by Wanda Dyson from Random House/Waterbrook. Nick Shepherd faces the hardest decision of his life--to save his daughter from a convicted killer, he may have to compromise his beliefs.

10. Stealing Home, by Allison Pittman from Multnomah. Four people, each harboring a secret passion, are brought together through providence, tragedy and love.

11. Texas Ra nger Dad, Mule Hollow Series by Debra Clopton from Steeple Hill Love Inspired. Rose Vincent has made a life for herself and her son in Mule Hollow Texas but when Texas Ranger, Zane Cantrell comes to town bring her past with him everything she holds dear in life is threatened.

12. The Reluctant Cowgirl, McCord Sisters - Book 1 by Christine Lynxwiler from Barbour Publishing. When Crystal McCord’s New York dream crumbles, she thinks her parents’ Arkansas ranch might be a safe place to hide her heart. . .until she meets the cowboy next door.

Happy Reading!

Lynette

Clutter Free Christianity

2009-04-01T13:39:00.001-07:00

When did the Christian life become so complicated?
Your greatest desire is to please God, but with each passing week, your spiritual to-do list grows longer. As you strive to fulfill a never-ending inventory of requirements for being a godly parent, spouse, voter, employee, and more, you feel increasingly disconnected from the God you’re trying to serve.
It’s time to cut through the clutter and get to the heart of what it means to please God. In this liberating look at the core principles of faith, Dr. Robert Jeffress reveals the truth about what God really wants from you–and what He wants to do for you.
Through solid biblical teaching and practical insights, Dr. Jeffress points you toward a revitalized faith centered on becoming more like Jesus in action, attitude, and affection. You’ll learn how to partner with God in the process of spiritual transformation as you choose to follow Christ in forgiveness, obedience, trust, contentment, service, and prayer.
Through a renewed focus on experiencing the kingdom of God right now, you’ll find your to-do list shrinking and your spiritual life deepening. It all comes with embracing Clutter-Free Christianity.Includes a Bible study guide for personal growth and group discussion.

Dr. Robert Jeffress is the senior pastor of First Baptist Dallas, one of the most historic churches in the Southern Baptist Convention. The author of sixteen books, he is a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary and Southwest Baptist Theological Seminary. In addition, live broadcasts of Dr. Jeffress’ weekly messages reach millions of listeners and viewers each week, while his daily sermon series airs on 1,100 television stations and cable systems nationwide. Dr. Jeffress and his wife, Amy, are the parents of two adult daughters.

Pammer here:

I enjoyed this book (I haven't quite finished it yet.) Dr. Jeffress has a way of putting things that makes you smile. I like the way he looks at things. I think if you want to get to the heart of your "calling" or if you have a "calling", this book is for you.

Curling Up With a Good Book

2009-03-09T20:33:00.000-07:00

Hannah Grace

by Sharlene MacLaren

I wish I had the back cover copy, but I loaned the book to my oldest son's girlfriend was waiting to read it next. :)

This is the first of a new series called The Daughters of Jacob Kane. This one is about the oldest daughter. She works at the family mercantile and has her life all mapped out, including a impending proposal from her beau Dr. Ralston Van Huff (whom her youngest sister Abbie Ann calls Huffy).

Then Gabriel Devlin comes to town as the new sheriff. Only Hannah first met him in the mercantile with a shabby and bruised up kid (an orphan that had hidden in his wagon and stowed away from the last town he'd stopped in). She didn't know he was the sheriff and took him for an abusive father. When she went first thing the next morning to report this awful man to the new sheriff, was she ever surprised to see who the new sheriff was!

But then they joined forces to take care of the orphan whose name turned out to be Jesse.

The characters are wonderfully three dimensional, the whole town, I wonder how people can populate a town and a large cast and do it so well you feel like you know them when the book ends. The spritual journey was so real, it could have been any one of us. It wasn't overdone. The growth of both characters was woven into the plot seamlessly. The plot was fresh and unique and had some unexpected twists. The humor was great!

The only problem I had with this book was the fact that I couldn't get anything else done! All I wanted to do was read. (Okay, I carried the book around with me, reading in my spare moments, and inadvertantly lost it for a couple days! Panic ensued and I tore the house apart before I finally found it in my newly rearranged bedroom.)

Now I am more than ready to make another journey to Sandy Shores to see the Kane girls again. Now will the next story be about beautiful Maggie Rose or the irrepressible little sister Abbie Ann?

Foot on the Gas

2009-03-02T02:08:00.000-08:00

The other night my husband and I were on our way back from his work.

On Wednesday nights I attend church close to his work (they have a large youth group that my younger son enjoys and a singing group that the older kids and myself enjoy). After church is over, my husband will take his lunch break (if he can) and have half priced hamburgers with a group from church. (We can't always afford ths but it's fun when we can.) After this, I ride home with Greg when he gets off work instead of the boys. It gives us a little extra time together and I get some quiet time (while he is working) to get some writing or critiquing done.

So I was driving the truck. I have a little trouble with my short legs and the gas pedal but usually do okay. My husband notices my struggle and reached over to set the cruise control.
ACK! I smacked at his hand. No, I hate cruise control.
He wanted to know why.

That was a good question. I think it's because I feel out of control. I have to trust the truck to d what I feel I should be in control of. If I control it, I can go faster or stop when I feel like it. When the cruise control is on I feel like I am careening down the street with absolutely no steering or . . .control.

I wonder if that is the reason I have trouble handing stuff to God? I feel out of control and actually have to trust something else to do what I feel I should be doing. (I am a doer. It's my nature.) What I need to do is learn to relax and realize that by not trusting God to run my cruise control, I'm actually limiting Him in the ways He can and wants to bless me AND I am not able to enjoy those blessings as much because my attention is split between control and enjoying. (Does that make any sense?) But if I let God set the cruise control and I busy myself with what He needs me to do, I will be able to experience life to its fullest the way He wants me to.

BTW, I do like cruise control now. The next hurdle? Learning to set it myself instead of hubby having to do it. :D

My Book Therapy

2009-03-01T21:12:00.000-08:00

For you writerly types. Have you visited Susan May Warren, Sarah Sumpolec and Rachel Hauck's blog called My Book Therapy? You are missing out.

At the moment we are writing a book.

Here are a couple of links so you can see each "therapist".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGwA3Nwqkw8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5WAZJHCGl0

And that's not all!

1. From the Inside…Out: Discover, Create and Publish the Novel in You

Blurb: Have you always wanted to write a novel, but didn’t know where to start? This book is for you. With proven techniques, easy to understand explanations and practical steps, From The Inside...Out will teach you how a story is structured then take you through the process of creating and marketing your novel. Topics include: Character-driven plotting, How to HOOK your reader, The elements and flow of SCENES, How to build STORYWORLD, Secrets to Sizzling Dialogue, Proven Self-Editing techniques, Synopsis and Query letter writing, How to manage your writing career ...and everything in between!

Link to buy the book: http://stores.lulu.com/mybooktherapy

2. Blog-A-Book!

Blurb: Write a book with My Book Therapy Voices in 2009!

Remember those games you used to play where your friend started the story, and you finished it? Or the “Choose your own ending” books? Ever wanted to be a part of the story process, giving input on the character’s decisions, learning how to write a book as you go? Me too!

Here at My Book Therapy, we love to write, and we love to teach writers how to find their voice. So, in 2009 we’ll be writing a book together! Starting in January, we’ll create characters, a plot, develop conflict, the black moment, the epiphany and finally…the happy ending. Then, week by week, you’ll be a part of the creation process, voting on the next step of our hero’s journey, watching the book take life, and learning the nuances of crafting a story. You’ll Blog-A-Book with the My Book Therapy authors and get tools to help you how to write your own novel.

And, at the end of the year, we’ll have a book we’ve all created, something that we’ll publish! And, best of all, the proceeds will go to support IJM, an organization that fights human trafficking around the world.

I’m really excited about our new project, and can’t wait to see what the collective mind put together.
So, Come and Blog-A-Book. Learn. Fellowship. Bless.

My Book Therapy…Discover the writer in you.

3. My Book Therapy Therapists and Services:

The site is: My Book Therapy www.mybooktherapy.com
The Therapists are: Susan May Warren, Rachel Hauck and Sarah Sumpolec

March Releases

2009-03-01T14:03:00.000-08:00

1. A Hundred Years of Happiness, 2nd in the Summer Meadows Mysteries by Nicole Seitz from Thomas Nelson. A generous story of family, war, loss and longing . . . of the ways we hide from those we love, and the ways that love finds us anyway.

2. A Silent Terror by Lynette Eason from Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense. Someone wants Marianna Santino dead. Ethan O'Hara is willing to risk everything, including his heart, to keep her alive.

3. A Test of Faith, Mystery and the Minister's Wife #3 by Carol Cox from Guideposts. When everything falls apart, can faith hold them together?

4. Breach of Trust Call of Duty #1 by DiAnn Mills from Tyndale. Paige Rogers, former CIA agent, must choose between protecting the lives of loved ones or bringing a ruthless killer to justice.

5. Candy-Coated Secrets, 2nd in the Summer Meadows Mysteries by Cynthia Hickey from Barbour. Who would have thought escorting an elephant down Highway 64 could lead to murder?

6. Daisy Chain, Defiance, TX series, book one by Mary DeMuth from Zondervan. The abrupt disappearance of young Daisy Chance haunts the small town of Defiance, Texas. Fourteen-year-old Jed Pepper searches for answers in this gritty and compelling story of love and sorrow, revealing God’s hand of redemption in impossible situations.

7. Daniel's Den by Brandt Dodson from Harvest House Publishers. Daniel and Laura become the objects in a game of cat and mouse where they learn just how big the cat can be - and that it's no game.

8. Fatal Illusions by Adam Blumer from Kregel Publications. An obsessive woman, a serial killer, and a sudden winter storm turn a sabbatical in the North Woods into a nightmare that the Thayer family may not escape alive.

9. If Tomorrow Never Comes by Marlo Schalesky from Waterbrook-Multnomah Publishers/Random House. Kinna and Jimmy Henley never planned on infertility stealing their dreams, crushing their love. But it did. Now, their last hope lies with a mysterious woman rescued from the sea.

10. Love Finds You in Humble Texas by Anita Higman from Summerside Press. Two sisters fall in love with the same man.

11. Michal: A Novel, The Wives of King David series Book 1 by Jill Eileen Smith from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. A princess falls in love with her father's worst enemy - will it cost her everything?

12. Poisoned Secrets by Margaret Daley from Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense. Maggie spent years searching for her birth mother, but when the past is revealed, the shocking disclosures could tear her life apart.

13.The Hand-Me-Down Family by Winnie Griggs from Steeple Hill Love Inspired Historicals. For the sake of three orphaned children, two scarred individuals - one physically, one emotionally - try to work together to forge a new family.

14. The List by Sherri Lewis from Urban Christian. Four women on a quest to find Godly men based on a list.

15. Wind of the Spirit, The American Patriot Series, Book 3 by J. M. Hochstetler from Sheaf House Publishers. As the patriot cause falters, can her love bridge the miles that separate them--and the savage bonds that threaten to tear him forever from her arms?

16. Yesterday's Embers, The Clayburn Novels by Deborah Raney from Howard Books/Simon & Schuster. Newlyweds Doug and Mickey must find a way to untangle their knot of hasty choices without breaking the hearts of five precious children or their own in the process.

Happy reading ~
~ Jill ~
Jill Eileen Smith

Sir Bentley

2009-03-01T13:52:00.000-08:00

This second installment in Chuck Black’s Knights of Arrethtrae series tells the tale of Sir Bentley, an honorable knight who abandons all to seek the truth of the Prince. Eirwyn, a mysterious young woman who brings food to the poor, teaches Bentley the power of compassion to overcome evil. Together, they save the people of Holbrook from poverty and despair.
Sir Bentley’s quest for the truth of the Prince finds him battling Shadow Warriors, a powerful lord, and a terrifying creature. Will greed destroy Holbrook? Or can Bentley and the mysterious Eirwyn restore prosperity to the kingdom through the compassion of the Prince? Intended for family read-alouds and Christian teens, this fantastic story will entertain and edify parents and kids alike.

Pammer here: I let my nephew read this book and he loved it! I too was drawn into the action and adventures of the people in Holbrook. I'd recommend this book to any young readers and even older readers with a quest for fantasy worlds. I'm definately placing my copy in the church library so that others can enjoy the story.

About the author:
Chuck Black, a former F-16 fighter pilot and tactical communications engineer, is the author of eight novels, including the popular Kingdom series. He has received praise from parents across the country for his unique approach to telling biblical truths. His passion in life is to serve the Lord Jesus Christ and to love his wife, Andrea, and their six children. He lives with his family in North Dakota.

Book purchase link:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1601421257

and Holbrook Court Book 2

by Chuck Black

The Echo Within

2009-03-01T13:37:00.000-08:00

by Robert Benson

The Echo Within is a profoundly affecting, honest look at the myriad ways we are drawn into our life’s best work.
Written out of his own lifelong search for and response to the calling voice of God, Robert Benson recounts his discovery of the meaning of vocation, work, and purpose through the ups and downs inherent in family life, professional choice, and spiritual experience. With clarity and insight, and in the elegant prose for which he is known, he gently invites and encourages readers to find such deep truths for their lives as well. In particular, he illuminates the way for readers to explore:

· ways to sense the Holy in our pursuits, both in the pursuits themselves and within ourselves.
· how to fall into our vocation and chart a course toward it at the same time.
· how to love the work we do, and the process of doing it.

For anyone beginning a new career or sensing a needed change in their life or wrestling with a transition suddenly thrust upon them, Robert Benson delivers wisdom, humor, and heart in what he’s learned about listening for The Echo Within—and how it can help us discover our calling.

Pammer here: I haven't finished this book completely yet, but so far it's really been helpful in how God calls us and the questions we tend to ask when we are uncertain of whether it is God's will or our desire that is calling.

You can purchase it at any of these links:

- www.Amazon.com
- www.ChristianBook.com
- www.FamilyChristian.com

What is Love?

2009-03-01T13:23:00.000-08:00

I've been reviewing four books. And since my husband and I have watched Fireproof and are doing the Love Dare, these books were right on time. This year we have been focusing on making our marriage better. The books don't save marriages, God does. And as long as He's invited to the marriage, yours can be happy like ours. However, you both have to be willing to make some sacrifices and be willing to admit that your attitude may be wrong, and be willing to adjust it more in line with God's unconditional love.

Book: Love as a Way of Life Devotional
Author: Dr. Gary Chapman
Summary: In his book Love As a Way of Life, best-selling author Gary Chapman shows readers how to cultivate a new lifestyle built around the seven characteristics of authentic love. Now in a companion devotional, he provides ninety inspirational readings to help Christians consistently live out the characteristics of love in every relationship.
Each devotional entry showcases biblical truths that guide a life of love, offering fresh insight and practical guidance in how to make love a lasting habit. Over the course of three months, readers will learn to follow God’s lead as they practice the characteristics of a loving person: kindness, patience, forgiveness, courtesy, humility, generosity, and honesty.
The Love As a Way of Life Devotional makes an ideal gift for the holidays or for any special occasion. Couples, parents, new graduates, and anyone celebrating a milestone in life will welcome this inspiring daily guide to richer, more satisfying relationships.

Pammer here: I love this book. This takes you in little steps and opens your mind and heart to the truth of the unconditional and sacrificial nature of God's love. We are to love others as Christ did and this book breaks that command down into small manageable chunks. My kids are reading through it as well.

Book: I Do Again
Author: Cheryl and Jeff Scruggs
Summary: With their professional success and adorable twin daughters, Jeff and Cheryl Scruggs looked like the perfect couple. But their polished facade concealed a widening chasm between two people unable to connect on an intimate, soul-deep level.
After years of frustration, Cheryl’s desire for emotional fulfillment led to an affair and, finally, divorce. Yet, incredibly, seven years later, Jeff and Cheryl once again stood at the altar, promising to “love, honor, and cherish” one another. A new and vibrant love had risen out of the ashes of this family’s pain.
I Do Again details the fascinating real-life story of a couple whose relationship seemed shattered beyond all hope until a spiritual awakening led them to reconsider their definitions of “happily ever after.” A riveting account of the power of prayer and redemption, this remarkable book offers renewed hope for even the most troubled marriages—and reveals why the rewards of restoration are well worth the wait.

Pammer here: This was phenominal! This shows how the love of God can heal any wound that man can inflict. And how real love keeps loving even when it's rejected. I am still wowed by the power of their story and love their willingness to share to help other couples in trouble.

Book: For Couples Only Box Set
Author: Shaunti and Jeff Feldhahn
Summary: Since their debut, these revolutionary guides have sold well over a million copies, been translated into fifteen languages, and sparked much fascinating water-cooler conversation around the country. Now together in the For Couples Only boxed set, these books provide the perfect resource to help you understand what you never knew about the woman or man in your life.
Each volume is based on input from more than a thousand members of the opposite sex—including an unprecedented nationwide survey and hundreds of personal interviews. This innovative approach yields candid and surprising answers about everything you don’t “get” about your significant other—even what that person deeply wishes you knew. It also produces simple but groundbreaking awareness of how you can best love and support the one who is most important to you. [Part of me wanted to make this paragraph past tense—yielded and produced—because of the first paragraph, but that took away some of the immediacy of what the books offer. I’ll leave that up to you.]
So whether you are newly dating or have been married fifty years, get ready to know each other in a whole new way. The adventure is just beginning!

Pammer here: Get these books! They are beyond awsome and wonderful. The insight I gleaned from this little book opened a whole new world. I never knew how my husband thought and why some thing made him so mad or hurt him. I didn't realize how badly I'd hurt him through the years of our marriage. And in return he's been telling me what an eye-opener the book about women is for him. We highlighted the books for each other so our mate would know what was most important to us, but I loved most the response from my husband when I started changing how I did things to work better with how he is internally wired.

I have a set for the kids and their girlfriends reading the woman's books. I would recommend this to any couple.

Here are the links to purchase:

I Do Again: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1400074452
Love As A Way Of Life Devo: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0307444694
For Couples Only: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1601422482

Red Siren

2009-02-12T20:20:00.001-08:00

by M. L. Tyndall

World's collide when a lady pirate meets a godly naval captain.

Faith Westcott abandoned her shallow faith when a series of tragedies struck her family. To save herself and her sisters from forced marriages, this fiery, born-to-the-manner redhead is a lady by day and a pirate by night. How long can she maintain this dual identity before she's caught red-handed?

God-fearing Dajon Waite, who scours the Carolina coast, expunging it of pirates, is a more-than-capable captain in the British Royal Navy. But when he is asked to take on the guardianship of Faith and her sisters, he's headed for deep water. Having vowed to avoid women, what will he do when he finds himself falling for Faith?

Sir Wilhelm Carteret has always gotten everything he desired, but Faith seems to be unaffected by his charms. When he devises a plot to rid himself of his competition, more than Captain Waite's reputation is at stake as alarming secrets are revealed.

Will Faith regain her trust in God only to find herself headed for the gallows? Will Dajon scuttle his good name-and neck-to save her?

Pammer here: Very intriguing book! I love this story (what I've read so far, not quite finished yet, but it wont' be long, lol.) I adore the conflict, how it is set up and the tangles these characters get caught up in. Not to mention the characters. What wonderfully well rounded people. I felt like I've made new friends. Faith and Dajon for all their faults, or maybe because of them are absolutely wonderful characters.

This is book one in the Charles Towne Belles.

Definately a must-read.

Relationships

2009-02-06T19:12:00.000-08:00

Even though it's February and it's the month to capatilize on the relationships of romantic love. . .I find this whole year has been focused on my own personal relationships. The one of romantic variety and all the others.

Being ADHD (and udiagnosed until recent years) I have struggled with relationships. I'm not jealous, greedy, uncaring, or any of those things. I seem more impatient than I am. Not that I mean to come across that way. It's hard for me to explain how fast my mind runs. I can process a conversation faster than I can actually have one and by the time a person finishes speaking, I'm already on the next subject in my brain.

It takes a very special person to love me.

Four the last four years God has been showing me about relationships. (Actually longer than that I think, but I'm not sure I was paying attention all those years, lol.) I've learned about who are my friends and who aren't. Who is willing to use you to get what they want and there are those who abuse. There are also those precious few that really do care about you. And those that are like me. Don't show their affection well.

Our preacher had a lesson recently about how we try to force God into our own preconcieved notions and miss the splendor of who God actually is. I carried it a step further and realized that not only had I done that, I had done is with all the relationships in my life. My husband, my friends, my family members. I tend to be judgemental. Now I never considered myself judgemental, but I do follow my intuitive side and I will make a split decision based on what I "feel" at the moment I meet a person. Apparently I can also decide in a split second where to compartmentalize a person in my life.

Now that I've figured this out, I've set my husband free (no, we're still married, I just set him free of my expectations and have learned to let him be himself, he's really a pretty kewl guy, which I knew when I married him), my family members (as for my kids they still have rules to follow, but same thing, I let them be theirselves), and my friends. I lifted my expectations of my friends and a veil fell away. It's amazing what you learn when you let people be themselves. I will admit that all these lessons I've learned have NOT been easy. I have changed a lot along the way (for the better I hope. . .still working on the impulsive thing though) and lots of the lessons came at a high price. But it's all been well worth it.

I realized that my strongest relationships, the ones I can trust the most, the ones who would rather die than hurt me, the ones who understand, are the ones close to home. I have God and he blessed me with a wonderful husband. What else can a girl ask for?

I hope that you will take a good look at your relationships this month. I'd like to touch on them some more this coming week. But I won't make any promises. This year God has called me to put my family before all else. And I'm trying to plan a very special week for the whole week preceeding Valentines Day for my sweetie. I just hope he'll be surprised. :D (Giving presents based on HIS love language, not mine.)

Have a great evening and hold those dear ones close to your hearts. Now is the time to make memories because now be the only time you have.

Thomas Nelson's Chronological Study Bible

2009-02-02T15:48:00.000-08:00

Wow! That's the first word that comes to mind. I got this Bible and didn't really know what to expect. My husband had a book called the Fourfold Gospel and that was the four gospels in chronological order. I loved that book because with it in chronological order it laid it out for me to see better.

This Bible is beyond that. It puts the entire Bible in chronological order and put some issues to rest. There are also little inserts throughout that explain the time and the ideals that societies and cultures were working under. Really puts you "there"! I loved those little history lessons throughout.

I read a Psalms a day and reading them from this Bible is unbelievably refreshing. Those little inserts and instructions give you a real feel for the Psalmist (usually David) and where he was in his life at the time when he wrote that Psalm.

When someone in my family has a question, this is the resource we turn to.

I would recommend this to anyone wanting to learn from a serious Bible scholar to a person who just wants to learn more about God's Word.

I give this a five star review.

January Releases

2009-01-01T13:01:00.000-08:00

1. Bayou Betrayal, Book 5 of the Bayou series by Robin Caroll from Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense. When a woman arrives in town to meet her relatives, an arsonist doesn't want her to stay!

2. Be Strong and Curvaceous, All About Us #3 by Shelley Adina from Hachette FaithWords. Carly Aragon's faith is tested when she takes on a crush crasher who comes accessorized with a stalker.

3. Before the Season Ends, Lights of London, Book One by Linore Rose Burkard from Harvest House. A Christian young woman must make her way through the treacherous waters of a Regency Season in London; while her worldly, wealthy aunt tries to marry her off for money.

4. Cursebreaker, Book One of The Order of the Scrolls Series by Nancy Wentz from Whitaker House. Author Nancy Wentz's drama unfolds in both the physical and spiritual realms, treating the reader to a thrilling tale of mystery, passion, and historical intrigue.

5. Fireflies In December by Jennifer Erin Valent from Tyndale House. A young girl comes of age amidst the racial prejudice of Depression-era Virginia.

6. Hannah Grace, The Daughters of Jacob Kane by Sharlene MacLaren from Whitaker House. A new century, a new sheriff, a new love...many things are about to change in the town of Sandy Shores.

7. Kiriath's Quest by Rick Barry from JourneyForth Books (a division of BJU Press). A YA Christian fantasy adventure that reaffirms the value of faith, family, love and loyalty.

8. Milk Money, Shadowside Series - Book 2 by Cecelia Dowdy from Barbour Publishing (Heartsong Presents). Can Frank find faith in Jesus, while battling alcoholism, as he seeks the love of Emily Cooper?

9. Mommy's Hometown Hero, Dalton Brothers Book 2 by Merrillee Whren from Steeple Hill. Ex-soldier Matt Dalton wants to bring his friend Rachel Charbonneau back to the Lord and win her heart as well.

10. No Place For A Lady, Heart Of The West Book One by Maggie Brendan from Revell. Can a Southern belle tame the heart of a rugged cowboy?

11. Sweetwater Gap, (Women of Faith Fiction) by Denise Hunter from Thomas Nelson. A woman returns home to help save her family's apple orchard and must face the ghosts that chased her away so many years ago.

12. The Edge of Light, Book One in the At Home in Beldon Grove Series by Ann Shorey from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. It's 1838 on the Missouri frontier--how will Molly McGarvie keep her young family together after her husband's sudden death?

Happy reading ~
-- ~ Jill ~
Jill Eileen Smith
ACFW New Releases Coordinator

Hey Dad, lookeee

2008-12-31T17:52:00.000-08:00

I'm updating! LOL!

My wonderful fil checks my blog everyday. He's such fine man that I just drop the in-law and claim as my own. He hasn't objected yet, though I may have thoroughly embarrassed him by now. :D

As I embark on my new life sans board duties, I'm going to be revamping this blog. Or how I post at any rate.

I'd like to do giveaways, writing tips, reviews, and personal updates. I'm not sure what order I plan to put these in but here's what I might do:

Mondays-devos and thoughts on scripture or life lessons (hey not everyone has to learn the hard way)
Tuesday-writing advice or discussion
Wednesday-Reviews or interviews if I have any
Thursdays-giveaways. I have a load of gently used books that my husband would love me to get rid of.
Fridays-personal updates on my life and writing journey

I hope you all have a wonderful New Year's Eve Celebration. Stay safe.

And have a wonderful New Year! 2009 here we come.

Living Rich for Less

2008-12-29T18:16:00.000-08:00

by Ellie Kay

Cha Ching!
With lively humor, proven know-how, and practical principles for financial health, Living Rich for Less helps you stretch your dollars to realize the lifestyle of your dreams. Ellie Kay's entertaining and enlightening examples show you simple steps to give, save, and spend smart. Her three main principles are under-girded by dozens of effective rules and hundreds of Cha Ching Factor tips that keep or put money in your pocket.
Ellie knows what it's like to be financially-strapped or struggling. She went, within two and a half years, from being $40,000 in consumer debt to being completely debt-free; within fifteen years she shares how she was able to pay cash for eleven different cars, give away three of those cars, buy two five-bedroom houses, take wonderful vacations, and support more than thirty non-profit organizations, giving away more than $100,000.

Isn't that the rich life you want?
Living Rich for Less helps anyone get there in our taxed-out, maxed-out times. Because financial security doesn't mean just genuine prosperity, but being able to live luxuriously, give generously, and care for yourself as well as those around you.

Why keep up with the Joneses when you can be them?

Pammer here: This book is fabulous. It's non-fiction, self-help, but it sucked me in like a fiction book would. She gives wonderful tips in an engaging manner. I'm already putting things into action and can't wait to see the results. I'm also sharing these tips with my oldest son since he is holding down a job while attending school and helping with his girlfriend's cost when needed.

I have one extra book and if anyone is interested, leave a comment and I'll send you the book. Leave me your email address written like name at ispprovider dot com so I can get in touch with you. If I get more than one comment, I'll draw names.

Have a great evening.

And I thank God for you daily. . .

2008-11-26T18:42:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. It's one of my favorite holidays. One year our homeschool group had a Thanksgiving get together and we dressed up as Pilgrims and Indians. I made a pilgrim's outfit for me and my oldest son and my youngest wanted to go as a Brave. (My sewing machine gave out right before we added sleeves, but he still looked good, lol. Of the two kids, my youngest got more of my Native American coloring.) The kids got to go to the podium in this group of friends they'd grown up with and state what they were most thankful for. There were some great answers. Every year, at our family dinner with my husband's family I always ask all the kids what they are most thankful for.

That's what I'd like to post here. But I can't even begin to count all the marvelous blessings that God has rained down on me. My health, my kids, my sweet and handsome prince of a husband, my family, my family, myfamily!, warm water to wash with, heat throughout my house (go without those for a while and you'll begin to appreciate them too), my stove to make cooking easier, food to cook on said stove, my friends, a roof over my head, a car to get around in, money to buy gas for that car-actually it's a van, my animals, my computers, the stories that God gives me in my head that entertain me as well as frustrate me when I try to get them on paper, ACFW, . . .

I don't want to be like the nine lepers that our Lord cured that didn't even thank Him, I want to be like the one who returned to thank Him. I want to sing His praises until the day I go to be with Him, then I want to sing them until eternity is through-which is never.

So share something you are thankful for.

A God of Hope

2008-11-05T10:29:00.000-08:00

I prayed about the situation last night. I know tough times are ahead. Especially for us Christians.

But as I prayed, I realized that I trust in God's will even when it isn't what I wanted. His will is perfect. AND I know this is God's will and fits into His perfect plan.

AND I got the distinct impression that He is telling me not to loose hope. Buck up for a hard and difficult road, but never loose faith and never loose our hope that is in Christ Jesus.

Let all God's people begin to pray without ceasing. Can I get an amen?

America the Beautiful

2008-11-04T20:47:00.001-08:00

I give you the first president elected by dead people and cartoon characters.

I just watched as the better man gave a concession speech. And though he sounded hopeful, I believe this is the end of the America I know and love.

I really hate when an honest man fights an honest fight against someone who doesn't even know what honor is.

I am beyond disappointed. But I DO trust God and know His will is perfect. So I will believe in Him.

Election Day

2008-11-04T16:44:00.000-08:00

I voted today! Did you?

I wore my shirt that says: Don't whine. Vote.

I took my oldest son to vote with me before he went to work. It was his first major election and he was excited. (when he was 16 he didn't want to drive, he wanted to vote).

Just heard our polls have closed.

There are other elections going on as well. ACFW has 5 offices up. I am currently the Vice President but am running for President. My prayer is that God chooses who is what ACFW needs at this point and time.

Prayers are appreciated.

Praying Boldly

2008-11-03T10:45:00.000-08:00

In my devotionals yesterday (both from different sources) the theme was prayer. One talked about how to talk to my Father as a friend. One told me to pray boldly.

I am praying for our nation on this eve of the election. Every election is a time when things are going to change. But this election, we know is going to change our lives forever. If we swing one way it will not only change the America we love, and my family has spilled blood for, to an America that will no longer be free.

The abortion issue alone is enough to scare me spitless.

What about our 2nd ammendment rights that are in danger. Why is our right to bear arms in danger? What part of "shall not be infringed" do they not understand? Ever heard of a communist country that allowed their people to keep guns? Do you know why Thomas Jefferson and all those wise people who wrote the constitution were thinking when they wrote in that right? The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is. . .to protect themselves against tyranny in government. Thomas Jefferson

Our flag, our anthem they mean something to us who love our country. They are a part of our heritage who we will ALWAYS be. They want to erase our heritage, change our values, change our America.

I read today that this election is in the hands of God's people. So let go let your voice count tomorrow.

And all God's people said:

AMEN!!

Not a spirit of fear

2008-10-30T08:35:00.000-07:00

I remember in 2006 I joined the Songbirds, directed by the wonderful Cynthia Ruchti. The last day of conference the Songbirds sing a song during worship.
So we get on stage, and I was so scared. I covered my face with my music book and prayed it would be over soon. Some stage presence eh?

2007 I was elected as Vice President and at the conference I introduced the Operating Board, then Robin and I introduced the Faculty together. I made a few mistakes since I couldn't read my own writing. :D And then spoke at the banquet handing out certificates to the Past Officers. I didn't faint or choke on my own tongue. I had notes and I did well.

2008 I talked to the faculty (even made a joke that people in the front laughed at). Alas, my voice didn't carry so they handed me a microphone so the people in the back of the room could here me. I skipped the joke that time. LOL. But then I introduced the faculty (with printed out notes, see I do learn from my mistakes). Then came time for the banquet where I needed to speak twice. Only problem? My notes were sitting at home with my camera. Sigh. So I got up in front of approximately 600 people and spoke without notes.

I got up on the platform without mishap (a miracle in and of itself) and looked out over the crowd. Made eye contact with several people and spoke.

Guess what? I was not even nervous. I liked it! Isn't amazing the change God can make in us in just a few short years. Several people came up to me afterward to tell me how poised and gracious I had been on stage. That meant so much to me to know that I seemed as comfortable as I felt. I know God knew I needed to hear that I'd done okay.

Mentors

2008-10-29T08:07:00.000-07:00

How many of you have mentors? I've had mentors all my life, now that I sit back and look at it.

In writing, I have some people that really stands out as mentors.

One of them is Kelly Mortimer. She is a fabulous agent, fantastic writer, and fun to be with. (We roomed together at conference and found ourselves to be the best roomates. Our quirks worked well together. Although I'll admit the floor of her side of the closet looked way cleaner than mine, LOL.)

As a mentor, she has taught me more than I could ever list here. Now my rough drafts make more sense and I don't have to cut as much, but I do still give them a good polish before I send anything to Kelly. I so appreciate the things she catches. The first chapters I sent to her came back with so much red, I had trouble figuring it all out, lol. But I learned from that and the chapters come back with less red now. I still have a LOT to learn though. Writing is like life in that manner. If ya quit learning you're dead.

In the picture above, my lovely friend and mentor is being awarded the 2008 ACFW Agent of the Year Award! Woohoo! And it's so richly deserved.

Do you love America?

2008-10-28T10:08:00.000-07:00

We're an extremely patriotic family. My father served in the Army as have many back in my family including my Great-grandfather, Moses Freeman, in the Civil War. My husband was prior Naval Air.

We love America. Land of the Free Home of the Brave.

And this coming election is going to require bravery. A spirit that won't give up. Because if you listen to any news, newspaper, television, newsletters. . .whatever, a great majority are in bed with the Democrats. (NOTE: Not all of the newspapers and journalist are. There are several brave journalist and newspaper owners out there that will not spout the rhetoric, they speak truth. And many papers have endorsed McCain. Those I applaud.) Part of their propaganda is to make all the Republican voters to believe that Obama has won already. They want people to believe that and not go vote.

My niece asked me the other day, "Auntie, did Obama win the election?"
"No, the election hasn't been held yet. It's the 4th of November."
"But the news says he's won."
"How can he win when the election hasn't even been held. The election isn't over until that last vote is counted."

People need to quit listening to the media and learn to think for themselves. They need to quit watching the news and do some research on the candidates. Things that Obama does that are shocking and appalling are covered up. If somehow the news gets out anyway, they think of another lie to tell about McCain and Palin to shift the attention. It's diversion. And then they blame the Republicans for their own faults. Isn't that rich? (Granted I didn't vote for McCain in the caucus, I voted for Mike Huckabee, but McCain's values run closer to mine than Obama's.) The Republicans have been blamed with the most ridiculous things. But let McCain or Palin slip up and it's worth three days full page full color spreads. Breaking news and all that. Anything to hide the fact that the candidate in whose pocket they sit does not have America's or American's best interest at heart. My family has heard a little bit about a birth certificate scandal, but of course the media will hush that up. I don't know if it's true, but if it is, then he isn't even qualified to run for President.
To this mega patriotic family, NOT saluting our flag-he doesn't like the design, and NOT singing our national anthem-it's too violent with all the bombs bursting in air-yeah it was a bloody mess winning our independence so people like you could run for President, is the ULTIMATE insult from any person on the street. Much less a person running for the PRESIDENT?! Why, if he doesn't like our country would he be wanting to lead it? Change is what he's pushing. You better believe it. He'd change things alright.

But I'm not going to worry over it. My God is bigger than Obama. My God is bigger than the media. And my God has a sense of humor. It's a very dry and ironic sense of humor. His will is perfect and nothing the candidates can do that will change that.

I told my husband the other day that I prayed for our nation. I pray for the sake of TEN souls that God will spare the United States. (Yes, I know there are more than ten souls, but it's an example of God's extreme mercy from the Old Testament.)

I guess the point of this post is to stand up for what I believe. Ask you all to pray for our nation. And do your duty and VOTE. Don't believe that someone has won, you go vote anyway. Then when the polls are closed and all the counts are in, then believe who has won.

To be a responsible American I suggest you go do some research. Especially if you are undecided. Don't research the candidates websites, they have a spin. You can look into the Republican and Democratic websites, but they will probably have spin as well. But you never know you may learn something you didn't know. I have a wonderful friend who has done massive amounts of research and on her blog, she posts her opinions and welcomes all other opinions. I suggest you go check it out. Her name is Kelly Mortimer and her blog addy is: http://www.kellymortimer.com

I'd like to address the current economic crisis. As a middle class American my economic stability has been GREATLY improved since Bush has taken office. Yes, there is a problem right now, but I think the opposition has worked for eight years to bring us this low. They used the media to push a lie and our reactions to that lie have brought about the very problem they were predicting. Then they point their fingers at our Commander and Chief screaming, "It's his fault." Times are tight right now and I know people are losing their jobs (I was one of them), but we are still blessed.

In my devotional the other day I read that the enemy, if not able to win us away from God, is just as happy making us ineffective in God's Kingdom. He whispers lies to keep us so focused on what we are NOT, that we miss all that God IS.

Don't let that happen in your lives. Focus on the HAVES and not the HAVE NOTS. Your perception just may change.

Okay, who needs the soapbox next? I'm stepping off it now. :D

And another thing. . .

2008-10-27T21:34:00.000-07:00

I'd like to introduce you to another friend of mine. Another fabulous writer. Sushi for One? won first place in the Debut Author catagory in the ACFW's Book of the Year contest.

We both had oriental themed gowns (hers was authentic) and somewhere someone has a picture of us posing together. But she looks just lovely, as always. Very energetic.

She wrote Sushi for One?, Only Uni, and Single Sashimi. She also has a Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense coming out. . .I don't know when but this girl writes awesome suspense. Then she has three more coming out, so keep your eyes peeled, she's going to be rocking the shelves!

Back from the fiction

2008-10-26T11:28:00.000-07:00

I've spent the last week working hard on two chapters to get sent to my mentor. I wanted to make sure they were my best work. :)

But I thought I'd let you guys know I'm still alive. And kicking.

Some pictures from the conference went up on the ACFW website and I "stole" a few, with permission. I'd thought I'd share some of those with you over the course of the next few days.

The first one is my lovely friend, Cheryl Wyatt and the Mall of America Book Signing this year. It's such a pretty picture of her (and if you look around her neck you will see one of the guitar pick necklaces that my husband makes and sells, the one she has, has a crucifix on the pick).

I was so excited for Cheryl to be at that booksigning, signing her Steeple Hill books. Her dream is coming true and it makes me so happy. She writes the Wings of Refuge series for Steeple Hill Love Inspired. They are stories about a United States Air Force Pararescue Jumpers (or PJ's which I like cause that's my initials :D).

Cheryl is a gifted writer and her stories are so wonderful, they will pull your emotions through all stages from laughter to tears, all woven with a Christian worldview that's not pushy or preachy, but real and wonderful. I don't know how she does it, but I'm so glad she does.

If you haven't read any of her books, do yourself a favor and buy both of them, and pre-order the one getting ready to come out. As one of her crit buddies, let me tell you, I loved the story and her way with words.

Love ya Sis!

In Memory of Mooch

2008-10-18T18:53:00.001-07:00

This is not a great picture, he wasn't feeling too good at this point. He was usually so active we couldn't get a good picture of him. We have lots of blurry ones, lol.

Anyway this old fella was born 24 years ago and today he passed away.

He belonged to a couple named Norma and Gene. Gene passed away a couple years ago and Norma passed away late last year. My oldest son had done yard work for Norma (and we went to church with her and are friends with her nephew-the soldier I asked you all to pray for, he was in Iraq when Norma got so bad last year). He loved old Mooch and offered to take him in. We had nearly a year of joy from this old guy. Loving, kind, and sometimes funny (especially when he yelled at the dog, lol), he added to our lives.

Many tears have been shed today and our hearts are broken at his passing. He is already being missed.

So if you're a praying type, pray for my son as he is really taking this hard.

Mooch, ole fella, this one is for you!

What is a sugarglider?

2008-10-17T15:00:00.000-07:00

I get asked that a lot when I mention my little pals. I have two, Will and Elizabeth. This picture is Will, he gets on my hand and climbs up my arm and will eat anything I give him. Elizabeth didn't feel like making a public appearance today so she stayed in the pouch and crabbed at me, although she did take the little marshmallow I offered her. :)

I don't recommend these as pets, though. I don't have to buy any extra food since we eat a lot of fruits, vegetable, natural and whole foods, which they enjoy. But they really are better off in their own habitat. These were given to me by someone who could no longer care for them and knew that I had a soft spot for animals.

I've been writing up a storm and now have some mopping up to do before I proceed. So back to work for me.

Have a blessed evening.

(PS my kids call these adorable creatures sugar rats. Which if my cat caught it, she wouldn't care that they cost about two hundred dollars.)

Whooops!

2008-10-13T19:54:00.000-07:00

As a teacher of teenage girls I'm sometimes awed by the innocent wisdom of my young charges. Sometimes I am appalled, lol.

And upon occassion, I'm shocked at what comes out of my own mouth.

This last Sunday was no exception. I was reading from the book Bad Girls of the Bible, by Liz Curtis Higgs. We were talking bout Potipher's wife. I was picking up where they left off last Sunday (since I was out with a sore eye).

So I'm reading along and said something along the lines of, "she sent the servants out while she pinched her woo."
There was a long pause as I glanced back over what I'd just read. One of the kids asked, "What is a woo?" My co-teacher turned as red as her jacket!
I quickly scanned to see if I missed something and realized it said pitching her woo, not pinching. Sounds ever so much better, doesn't it?

I've done a Bostonian accent (giving birth) and something with a definate Scottish lilt. This one was the girls' favorite and since they were at the same birthday party as I was later in the day (and one of them is my niece) we got a lot of milage out of it.

Later in the evening, when we were singing some camp songs, my husband let us know his opinion of the song. "I like it better without the WOO." (He hadn't been present for the earlier ribbing so he was confused when all of us crumpled in laughter.) :D

Okay, now share with me any slips of the tongue you've had recently and let me know I'm not the only one.

Have a blessed day.

Shar

2008-10-11T15:15:00.000-07:00

Hey gang!

I had the honor of meeting one of my favorite authors while I was at conference this year. Her name is Sharlene MacLaren (isn't she beautiful?). This is a picture someone took of us at the awards banquet on Saturday night.

This woman writes the most amazing stories. I'm addicted to them. I love her Hickman Creek Series (published by Whitaker House). Wonderful characters, beautiful setting, soul-stirring realistic stories. She just came out with a contemporary called Long Journey Home and although I haven't finished it yet, it promises to demand a spot on my keeper shelf as well.

Hope you all have a great weekend.

Tagged on Tuesday

2008-10-07T19:21:00.000-07:00

I think this is the second or third time I've been tagged. Once by Cheryl Wyatt and once by Margaret Daley.

I am supposed to tell you five random things about myself that you may not know. And then I get to tag five other people.

1. I graduated from high school before I turned 18 and STILL HAD A CURFEW!!

2. I love to take apart car engines and rebuild them. (Looking with envy at my son's classic Corvair's dual carb, air-cooled, rear mounted horizontal (spider) six cylinder.)

3. Being a farm girl I've had more calves sucking on my knees (they do that when your trying to milk their momma) and more cow patties on my shoes than I care to count.

4. Still have the baby doll I got for my sixth birthday. And I still brush her hair.

5. I talk to my many animals. And they understand me. (Except Bagel, he's not the brightest bulb in the chandelier. He's just happy I talk to him.)

Let's see I'm tagging Pam Hillman, Pam Meyers, Ane Mulligan, Cara Putman, Becky Yauger (I hope I spelled that right!) and to round it off, Michelle Sutton.

Have a wonderful evening. (Even if you're watching the debates like I am. Giving me indigestion.)

Monday Musing

2008-10-06T19:26:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking (no comments on that) lately.

A friend of mine was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. This is breast cancer awareness month. I've even had a lumpectomy myself and understand the fear of waiting to hear if it was cancer. God was gracious in my case and it wasn't. This time.

Two more friends of mine are now waiting for the "results" on suspicious lumps or tumors.

I wonder if there is anyone on this earth that has had heart cancer. Is there such a thing? I believe there is in the spiritual world.

I admit I have little patience for people that hold a grudge. I mean, everyone makes mistakes. What's with people who can't let it go. Children have so much to learn sometimes go through a phase where they want to get people back. Some grow out of that phase. Some don't. Personally I hate confrontations (doesn't mean I run from them if their necessary, but I still don't like them, LOL) so I don't have the grudge cross to bear. My cross is something else. God gives us chance after chance after chance after chance. . .you get the picture. Who are we to do any less?
In my opinion life is way too short to waste on grudges. I mean, forgive and move on. What does that cost a person?

Think about the purpose of our lives. To glorify God, our Father and Creator. To worship Him. To proclaim Him, to show the world who He is by living like Him. Being the Light to a lost and dying world.
How can we be a pure light if we have ugly sludge of grudge and hate in our hearts?

Yeah, I have people I don't like. There are people I've learned not to trust. There are red flags I heed when I'm unsure of someone or something, but I'm willing to forgive and move on. There are people I will probably never befriend, but I feel that I should treat them like Christ would.

So. Do you have heart cancer? Is there anger or bitterness in your heart? Is there someone you might need to offer an apology to? If you can't bear to apologize can you at least admit to yourself that you've been wrong in your treatment of them, your thoughts of them and forgive them for whatever slight you suffered and let it go?

Even the man that was perfect was willing to forgive the men who took His life of their imperfections and their mistakes. He set a high standard for us.

Forgiveness. It does the heart (and soul) good! Try it. Or as Nike used to say. Just do it.

Have a blessed Monday evening.

New Releases for October

2008-10-01T09:59:00.000-07:00

Where is the year going? It's gone by so fast it seems like a blur. Fall is upon us and our weather is getting colder. Brrr. But here are a few books to read while you are curled up under a comfy throw and drinking hot chocolate.

1. A Constant Heart by Siri Mitchell from Bethany House Publishers. In Queen Elizabeth’s court…beauty is a curse, friendship is bought and sold, and true love is the unpardonable sin.

2. A Little Bit of Faith, The Precious Girl's Club Book One by Cindy Kenney from Precious Moments Inc. Girls will discover how having a little bit of faith can help them overcome big challenges in this first book of a new series that encourages girls to celebrate the unique ways God made each one of them special and "precious in His sight."

3. A Taste of Murder, The Classical Trio Series Book 1 by Virginia Smith from Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense. When a young woman attends a small town's Bar-B-Q Festival, she stumbles across the path of a ruthless killer who's had a taste of murder... and is hungry for more.

4. Buffalo Gal, South Dakota Weddings series Book 1 by Mary Connealy from Heartsong Presents. A vegetarian and a cattle rancher go to war and fall in love.

5. Engaging Father Christmas (a novella) Sequel to Finding Father Christmas by Robin Jones Gunn from FaithWords. Miranda Carson returns to England to spend Christmas with Ian, now her boyfriend and her recently located family; unforeseen circumstances stand in the way of a happy Christmas.

6. Longings of the Heart Sydney Cover Series Book 2 by Bonnie Leon from Revell Publishing. John and Hannah Bradshaw survived betrayal and imprisonment. Now as they reach for a new beginning one evil heart lies waiting to tear their lives apart.

7. Love Finds You in Snowball, Arkansas, Launch book for Love Finds You series by Sandra D. Bricker from Summerside Press. Full-on, laugh-out-loud romantic comedy for the inspirational romance market.

8. My Sister Dilly by Maureen Lang from Tyndale House. Two sisters; one committed the unthinkable, one will never forgive herself.

9. On A Whim, The Katie Weldon Series Book 3 by Robin Jones Gunn from Zondervan. Katie and Rick are ready to move their relationship forward but as they make that step Katie’s life comes unglued leading her to rely on God’s plans for her.

10. Out of Her Hands, Sequel to Searching for Spice by Megan DiMaria from Tyndale House Publishers. Her children are making questionable choices, her father-in-law’s is coping with loss, and her best friend’s moving away. How can Linda manage when it’s really all out of her hands?

11. Snowbound Colorado Christmas by Susan Page Davis, Tamela Hancock Murray, Darlene Franklin, and Lena Nelson Dooley from Barbour. Love snowballs in four couples’ lives during the Blizzard of 1913. If they live through the storm, will love be there to greet each young woman on Christmas morn?

12. The Case of the Bouncing Grandma, Bouncing Grandma Mysteries Book 1 by A.K. Arenz from Sheaf House. Has Glory hit her head one too many times or was there really a foot dangling from the back of that carpet?

13. The Christmas Kite by Gail Gaymer Martin from Steeple Hill. An eight year old disabled boy provides the catalyst for his mother's and a reclusive kite builder's healing, as he opens their eyes to God's promises and love beyond understanding.

14. The Face of Deceit, Jackson's Retreat Series Book 2 by Ramona Richards from Steeple Hill/Love Inspired Suspense. When Karen O'Neill's "face vases" spark murder, art crime investigator Mason DuBroc knows a long-hidden secret is appearing in her art . . . a secret someone will kill for.

15. The Shape of Mercy by Susan Meissner from WaterBrook Press. The 300-year-old diary of a victim of the Salem Witch Trials challenges a young English major's worldview.

16. Waiting for Daybreak by Kathryn Cushman from Bethany House. A young pharmacist must choose between exposing negligence or keeping the job that's paying her dying mother's medical bills.

17. Walk with Me, Contemporary Minnesota series Book 1 by Becky Melby and Cathy Wienke from Barbour Publishing. When the first parolee in the Sanctuary program run by Sydney Jennet’s church turns out to be a handsome blue-eyed believer, her small town, and her heart, are no longer safe.

Happy reading!

List composed by:
Jill Eileen Smith
ACFW New Releases Coordinator

Now to dig out my sweatshirts and long sleeved shirts. Fall is one of my favorite times of year!

Back from Conference

2008-09-26T10:24:00.000-07:00

WOW! What a week!
I got back on Monday evening and have been recuperating and already working on 2009! I love conference!

This year felt different that other years and I still don't know why. Instead of clustering with my friends I went out and met more people. Loved spending time with those I'd talked to and hadn't me yet. And it was wonderful talking with old friends too. Not that they're old, but we've been friends for a while. :D

On our writer's loop we're talking about gems we got during the conference. I got so many I can't begin to list them all. But I can list a few.

Angie Hunt said that we're all in the middle. There are always those who are better writers and those who are less experienced. This was HUGE to me. I always compare myself to others. I need to be content where I am and continue to learn the craft so that I can be a tool for God.

Another thing I realized is I am the only one in God's way and His plans for my career. Anything else is just an excuse. There were two real good examples in the prayer room with me. Robin Miller w/a Robin Caroll. She has had the most unbelievably hard year and yet she has written and sold at least seven books! Her writing was good enough to capture Karen Ball with B&H and she has a three book contract with them.

Another example that inspires me is my dear friend Cheryl Wyatt. She had a wreck early in the year. In the ensuing months she's had three major surgeries and her hands were terribly injured and yet she still wrote and sold three or four books (I'm starting to loose count!).

I can learn from them. Their persistence and obedience, even in the face of trials, blows all my excuses away. So I've decided, no more excuses and no apologies for doing what God has called me to do. Even if I never sell a single book, God does expect my best. And my best is what I plan to give.

I forgot to take my camera so I am dependant on people who took pics of me to send them to me. If you have any, I'd love to have them. I'll post them when I can.

Have a lovely weekend. I have some writing to do. :)

The Road of Lost Innocence

2008-09-15T00:00:00.000-07:00

by Somaly Mam

Book: The Road to Lost Innocence

Summary: Born in Cambodia and orphaned at an early age, Somaly Mam, a Buddhist sex trade survivor, grew up never knowing her real name or birthday.

As a teenager, Somaly Mam was sold into prostitution and spent years in the brothels of Cambodia where she witnessed and experienced the full-blown horrors of the human sex trade – rape, torture, and nearly unfathomable abuse. After her eventual escape, she could not forget the young girls (some as young as 5) left behind in the brothels, and so she returned to serve them. Her new book, "The Road of Lost Innocence," is her newest means of advocacy. It tells her personal story, ultimately inviting people of conscious, such as our Christian community, to become involved (or to continue involvement) in this war against an epic evil, a modern battle for "the least of these." Truly, not only is this book worth reading, it's worth sharing.

Pammer here: I just got this book and I have a box of tissues ready. I think people need to be aware of what is going on. Not all of us can rush to the aide of these poor unfortunate children, but we can all pray for them and the ones who work with them.