Wordy Karen

February in Santa Cruz, California

2012-02-02T11:25:00.000-08:00

Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park--the perfect place for a winter walk near the Central Coast of California. This is a great getaway for exercise, contemplation, prayer, and quiet--experiences I need often. I'm grateful for the opportunities to hang out in this forest of ancient redwoods, moss, and fields of clover. Nature is the best antidote to stress. Thank you, God, for this gift.

Jesus -- The Reason For the Season By: Rachel Hauck

2011-12-25T08:52:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas!

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

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

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

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Jesus -- The Reason For the Season

By: Rachel Hauck

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

***

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

The Panhandler's Breath By Robin Dance

2011-12-24T13:09:00.001-08:00

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas!

Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom" from some of today's most beloved writer's (Tricia Goyer, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, Sibella Giorello and more)! Please follow the series through Christmas day as each contributor shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year.

AND just for fun ... there's also a giveaway! Fill out this simple {form} and enter for a chance to win a beautiful pearl necklace and earring set ($450 value). Contest runs 12/14 - 12/25 and the winner will on 1/1. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents. You may enter once per day.

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

***

The Panhandler's Breath

By Robin Dance

He slipped in sideways between the closing elevator doors, as if he were late to a meeting; he pressed the "5" without looking. Instead of suit and tie, though, baggy pants and faded navy hung on his tall, slim frame...and his stealth entry stiffened the hairs on the back of my neck.

I had noticed him a few seconds earlier, just after we had parted a sea of clamorous teens. He was smiling, grandfatherly, standing maybe 30 feet away where the electric shuttle picks up.

I had no idea he had been watching us, studying us, predator patiently awaiting his next prey.

The four of us were sealed in a four- by six-foot metal tomb. Tomb--that thought really scampered across my mind. I wondered if he had a knife in his pocket. I wanted to protect my son. Fight or flight pumped adrenaline but there was no where to run.

Extreme and ridiculous, these thoughts - and more - flashed through my mind. The Stranger began speaking.

"Yessir, I see you're a family man with your wife and your son here..." and he nodded in my and my son’s direction.

"...you see I'm homeless and all I've got..." and on queue, he reached into his left pocket and pulled out two old pennies blackened with age. Two cents to his name?! It was all too contrived, too practiced, and I didn't believe a word he was saying.

It was then I smelled it ~ the small space lent itself to that ~ and I doubted my doubt.

His breath.

It wasn't the scent of alcohol. His eyes weren't red, his voice didn't waver; his wizened face matched his graying hair.

His breath was morning's, zoo breath, the pet name I'd given to the scent inhaled when kissing my children awake when they were little.

He needed to brush his teeth. I wondered how long it had been since he brushed his teeth.

The elevator door opened and I handed him my leftover pizza as my son and I brushed past him. My husband handed him a bill and the Stranger thanked and God blessed him.

The elevator door closed behind us. Conflicted, I was relieved.

We got in the car and blurted first reaction--

"I didn't believe a word he said."

"That made me nervous."

"I wonder if he'll really eat the pizza."

In the quiet, we were left to our own thoughts, contemplating the right thing to do. At the end of the day, this is what I decided: It doesn't matter whether or not his story is true; for an old man to resort to begging, he has to be desperate. The money my husband gave him will never be missed. It was a reminder we've been entrusted with much and given much. Materially, yes, but more so spiritually. Loved, chosen, forgiven, redeemed, graced, lavished--every spiritual blessing. E v e r y.

There's a part of me that wishes I would have been brave enough to ask the man his story, made sure he knew he was loved...and bought him a tooth brush.

Later, it occurred to me he could have been an angel. Doesn’t that mean generosity, kindness and hospitality is always the right response? Then it's not about you or the stranger or the circumstance, it's about a simple, God-glorifying response.

Had we entertained an angel unaware? We'll never know.

But it wouldn't be the first time the Breath of Heaven smelled like a zoo.

***

In a decades-old, scandalous affair with her husband, Robin also confesses mad crushes on her three teens. As Southern as sugar-shocked tea, she’s a recovering people pleaser who advocates talking to strangers. A memoirist, Compassion International Blogger, and Maker-upper of words, Robin writes for her own site, PENSIEVE, and also for (in)courage by DaySpring (a subsidiary of Hallmark) and Simple Mom. She loves to get to know readers through their blog comments and on Twitter and Pinterest. www.pensieve.me

Inside Out Christmas by Debora M. Coty

2011-12-23T09:15:00.000-08:00

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Inside Out Christmas

by Debora M. Coty

My veterinarian friend, Dr. Katie, tells the story about the December when a woman brought a very sick black lab into her clinic. The dog was only ten months old, so she was really just a big puppy, but she’d been vomiting incessantly and her worried owner didn’t know what was wrong.

“Why don’t you go on home?” Dr. Katie told the owner. “I’ll need to run tests for about four hours. We’ll give you a call when we’re finished.”

Dr. Katie’s assistant took x-rays and hung them on the light panel for Dr. Katie to examine. Hmm. Something looked a little peculiar. Dr. Katie called her assistant over.

“Is it just me, or does that look like a … a camel to you?” she asked incredulously.

“Matter of fact, it does,” replied the astute assistant. “And look, there’s an angel here, a shepherd there, and down there in the colon, it’s Baby Jesus!”

At that moment the phone rang. It was the dog’s distraught owner. “I can’t believe this! I just got home and glanced at the coffee table where I put my manger scene yesterday. There’s nothing there but an empty stable!”

As I thought about this quite literal technique for internalizing the true meaning of Christmas, it occurred to me that sometimes I have the opposite problem. With all the bustling busyness, my inner joy in celebration of my savior’s birth never really makes it to the outside.

Oh, I have plenty of glittery, festive evidences of the holiday in decorations, baking galore, and gifts under my tree. But those things are for show. They’re merely the pretty wrappings, not the gift itself.

Can people really see the core-deep joy that radiates within me when I think of the true gift that Papa God sent the world in his son, Jesus? Is my immeasurable gratitude for eternal life evident as I dash through this hectic season?

I’m afraid all too often, the answer is no.

I’m just too preoccupied to allow my outside to reflect my inside so that nonbelievers recognize that I rejoice because of the hope that is within me. My joy is obscured by the mounds of clutter. Gratefulness is sucked out of my soul by the vacuum called urgency.

“But let the godly rejoice. Let them be glad in God’s presence. Let them be filled with joy” (Psalm 68:3, NLT).

This verse has become my prayer this Christmas season – that I would make the time to give priority to rejoicing, being glad in God’s presence, and letting my inner joy show for those who may be silently desperate to know the giver of true joy.

Yep, there’s a better way to internalize the gift of Christmas than the black lab technique. We can lodge the Little Lord Jesus in our hearts rather than our colons.

***

Debora M. Coty is a humorist, inspirational speaker, and award-winning author of twelve books, including Too Blessed to be Stressed, and coming in March, More Beauty, Less Beast: Transforming Your Inner Ogre. Debora would love to swap Christmas hugs with you at www.DeboraCoty.com.

Simple or Sparkle by Tracey Eyster

2011-12-22T12:43:00.000-08:00

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Simple or Sparkle?

by Tracey Eyster

It’s a simple ornament made of thin cheap metal and it looks quite out of place on our CHRISTmas tree. But each year I lovingly and safely nestle it amongst its expensive and sparkly peers, without a care as to how unglamorous it appears.

Many of our CHRISTmas ornaments have a story and an uncanny way of welling up emotion in me, but this certain one causes an intense stir.

You see the ornament is engraved with the name of my grandmother, Sara, and was given to me by my mother, who ordered it from Hospice, after Grandmama’s death. Yes, the months leading up to her death carry memories of a frail and failing grandmama, but that ornament carries my thoughts to sweet CHRISTmas memories of the past.

CHRISTmas Eve dinners in her home, laughing, singing, gathering and celebrating a year filled with blessings as we remembered the birth of our Savior. CHRISTmas mornings, she was always there participating with glee, in our raucous CHRISTmas happiness. Her gifts were always bank envelopes gently tucked into the pine needles of our CHRISTmas tree, fresh cut from the property she grew up on.

All memories of my Grandmama make my heart swell. You see she was my Jesus with skin on. She lived her life full of joy, serving others and approached life selflessly with an attitude of, “What can I do for you?”

Just months before she left us, even as the Alzheimer’s was robbing her mind she shared her love of Jesus with a sweet little old lady friend, who came to know the Lord – a divine appointment. The very next day that little old lady silently slipped away to meet in person the One Sara introduced her to just the day before.

At the time I wept, realizing that regardless of our own frailties and failings, God can still use those of us who are willing to do His work and are well practiced at hearing His voice...no matter our lack of sparkle in comparison to others.

A simple life lived for Him, a simple ornament in memory of Sara...a simple truth for you to ponder.

***

Tracey Eyster wife, mom, relationship gatherer and Creator/Editor of FamilyLife’s MomLife Today is a media savvy mom making a difference where moms are, on-line. Through speaking, writing and video interviews Tracey is passionate about encouraging, equipping and advising moms on every facet of momlife. Her first book, Be The Mom will be released August 2012. You can connect with Tracey at www.momlifetoday.com, her personal site www.traceyster.com or www.twitter/momblog.com.

Enjoy the Ride by Susan May Warren

2011-12-22T12:41:00.001-08:00

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Enjoy the Ride!

Susan May Warren

We sit poised on the top of a cliff, a near drop off before us, that falls to a rushing river. In the middle, a bridge of snow and ice hints at our destination. My husband guns the snowmobile engine. “Ready?”

Ready? For a face plant into a tree, maybe reconstructive surgery? To feel my stomach ripped from my body as we plummet down the mountain? Let’s do it!

We live on five acres of woods in northern Minnesota that butts up to a national forest. Hence, our backyard is about a hundred thousand acres. Aside from harboring deer, lynx, fox, cougar and bear, it also makes excellent snowmobile terrain. And not long ago, Mrs. Claus gave her Santa a snowmobile for two.

I love snowmobiling. Flying over the snow, catching air over drifts. I love to drive, to be at the helm of the beast as I weave around trees and over hill and dale, my husband sitting behind me. I also love riding behind my husband as he drives, feeling those powerful arms as he’s muscling the snowmobile into the wilds. We follow unknown trails, driven by a Magellan spirit, hoping that we have enough gas to get us back to civilization. I love hanging on, simply trusting him, knowing that wherever he’s taking me, he’s going first.

But there are times, when I see where he’s taking me, and I just have to bury my head in his back. Like straight down a cliff.

However, my heart cheers, despite the terror as we gun it down the hill, over the river, up the opposite side. And, if we hadn’t let ourselves go, we would have never discovered the beauty of a winter river, a hidden jewel buried deep in the forest. Nor the exhilaration of facing the challenge together.

Further on, we find an enchanted forest of towering white pine. Catch a view of Lake Superior, discover an old cabin in the woods.

It occurs to me that snowmobiling is much like my spiritual life. Occasionally, I drive, and it’s me setting our course, weaving through the trees, getting us hopelessly lost. But when God takes the “wheel” and I hang on, trusting Him for the speed and destination, I see the scenery. I trust him to keep me safe. I trust him to bring me home, where there is an eternal supply of hot chocolate.

As Christmas season becomes more hectic, what if I let God drive? Maybe everything doesn’t have to be perfect, and maybe I don’t have to control every tradition, every holiday nuance. What if I just held on for the ride?

I’ll bet I’ll still get there, and I might even enjoy the scenery along the way.

How have you let go, and “enjoyed” the scenery of this hectic, exhilarating Christmas season?

Merry Christmas!

***

Susan May Warren is the RITA award-winning author of thirty novels with Tyndale, Barbour, Steeple Hill and Summerside Press. A four-time Christy award finalist, a two-time RITA Finalist, she’s also a multi-winner of the Inspirational Readers Choice award, and the ACFW Carol Award. A seasoned women’s events 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 of www.MyBookTherapy.com, a story-crafting service that helps authors discover their voice.

A Glimpse Into Christmas Future by Tricia Goyer

2011-12-22T12:40:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas!

Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom" from some of today's most beloved writer's (Tricia Goyer, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, Sibella Giorello and more)! Please follow the series through Christmas day as each contributor shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year.

AND just for fun ... there's also a giveaway! Fill out this simple {form} and enter for a chance to win a beautiful pearl necklace and earring set ($450 value). Contest runs 12/14 - 12/25 and the winner will on 1/1. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents. You may enter once per day.

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

***

Family Traditions: A Glimpse into Christmas Future

by Tricia Goyer

Have you ever thought about family traditions? As I helped my 1-year-old place ornaments on the Christmas tree this year I imagined her doing the same thing with her children—and maybe even grandchildren—one day. Traditions are beliefs and customs handed down through generations. By sharing meaningful moments with your kids you're sending yourself into the future. How amazing is that?

Sharing family traditions cause us to slow down from the busy, adult world for a while. We ignore the laundry to set out the nativity set with our kids. We set aside time in our schedules to drive around and look at Christmas lights.

Holiday traditions aren't only fun, they also help strength family bonds. Through traditions kids trust in the security of family unit. They think, “This is our family and this is what I do.” Of course, the most important thing to share isn't just what we do ... but why. Why do we put out a nativity? To remind us the real meaning of the season—Jesus coming to earth. What do the Christmas lights represent displayed on homes and on trees? They represent the Light of the World, Jesus.

Using traditions to bond our families and share our faith isn't new. I love these two Scriptures that talk about that very thing.

Exodus 12:25 says, “When you enter the land that the LORD will give you as he promised, observe this ceremony.”

Psalm 78:4 says, “We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done.”

What are you're traditions? Here are a few of ours:

Baking a Birthday cake for Jesus

Buying a new ornament every year for each child

Acting out the Christmas story (with props!)

Praying together before opening presents

What are your traditions? Write a list and appreciate them in a new way this year. Then ask, “If I could add one new tradition this holiday season, what would it be?” I'd love to hear what you choose! It also makes me smile to think of your children's grandchildren doing the same.

***

Tricia Goyer is a CBA best-selling author and the winner of two American Christian Fiction Writers’ Book of the Year Awards (Night Song and Dawn of a Thousand Nights). She co-wrote 3:16 Teen Edition with Max Lucado and contributed to the Women of Faith Study Bible. Also a noted marriage and parenting writer, she lives with her husband and children in Arkansas. www.triciagoyer.com

Let the Baby Grow Up This Christmas by Shellie Tomlinson

2011-12-19T15:49:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas!

Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom" from some of today's most beloved writer's (Tricia Goyer, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, Sibella Giorello and more)! Please follow the series through Christmas day as each contributor shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year.

AND just for fun ... there's also a giveaway! Fill out this simple {form} and enter for a chance to win a beautiful pearl necklace and earring set ($450 value). Contest runs 12/14 - 12/25 and the winner will on 1/1. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents. You may enter once per day.

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

***

Let The Baby Grow Up This Christmas

By Shellie Tomlinson

When I was a little girl, Christmas seemed to take forever to make its way back to our little house on the end of a dirt road called Bull Run in northeast Louisiana. We kids started counting down the days before the leaves ever began turning. Sure, the adults said it came once a year but I wasn't so sure. Once Santa Claus left our humble abode it seemed like light years before he found his way back to the Delta.

That was a child's perspective. I imagine it hasn't changed all that much for today's kids. On the other hand, I'm operating under a completely different time frame these days. It seems like it was just yesterday when I pulled the boxes down from the attic and began pulling out the nativity scene, the miniature lights, and the keepsake ornaments. And now, just that fast-- Christmas Day is right around the corner. Soon the tree will be striped naked and the piled up presents will all be distributed. After a few more day it'll be hard to remember who got what from whom, and once again, I'll start packing all the decorations away for another year.

I was thinking about how bare and cold the house always looks after the holidays when I realized that, sadly, this scene would play itself out in many hearts as well. A lot of people will have had expectations that weren't filled and many of those same souls will be left with hurts that don't seem to heal. Unless this year is remarkably different from past seasons, my bet is, the New Year will bring magazines full of articles on combating depression and the talk shows will have experts on offering ways to fill the long days ahead and cure the winter blues.

I'm no expert, dear readers, but I'd like to offer you a suggestion that will go far beyond the creature comforts of a nice warm bath or a delicious bowl of hot soup. Your heart doesn't have to be bare and naked after the holidays. Do you want to know the real secret? It's simple, really. Don't pack up Christ with Christmas! As beautiful and special as the Christmas story is, it's only a part of heaven's miracle. The Christ child grew into a man and the man became a Savior.

This year, may we be determined to let the babe from Bethlehem live on in our hearts. If we'll allow Him to become the Messiah He was born to be, the joy of Christmas can be ours all year long.

***

Shellie Rushing Tomlinson is an author, speaker, and radio host from Louisiana. Her latest release Sue Ellen's Girl Ain't Fat, She Just Weighs Heavy was endorsed by Jeff Foxworthy as "laugh out loud funny!" You can find Shellie's weekly southern features, podcasts, video chats and more at http://www.allthingssouthern.com/ Make sure to get by the blog and read about the Super Christmas Giveaway Shellie is hosting for her readers and secure your chance to win a Mort Kunstler print valued between $700 and $1400. www.allthingssouthern.com

The Snowflake Party by Deborah Raney

2011-12-18T08:12:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas!

Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom" from some of today's most beloved writer's (Tricia Goyer, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, Sibella Giorello and more)! Please follow the series through Christmas day as each contributor shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year.

AND just for fun ... there's also a giveaway! Fill out this simple {form} and enter for a chance to win a beautiful pearl necklace and earring set ($450 value). Contest runs 12/14 - 12/25 and the winner will on 1/1. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents. You may enter once per day.

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

***

The Snowflake Party

By Deborah Raney

The first snow of winter hasn’t fallen yet, but in our kitchen tonight we’re doing a pretty good imitation. The whole family is circled around the huge old oak table. The snip, snip, snip of scissors is background music as tiny scraps of white paper float down, making our floor look like a giant brownie sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Tonight has turned out to be the night for our annual Snowflake Party, a tradition that began when our children were toddlers. There has never been a date blocked out in red on our calendar, but one day we wake up and the brisk autumn air has turned bitter cold. Naked tree branches trace their stark calligraphy on a dull grey sky and we need a taste of the joyful promises of Christmas and snow. It’s the perfect time for a party.

On such a day, one of the kids will fly in the back door, fresh home from school, and declare “Hey, Mom! Tonight would be a good night for the Snowflake Party!” First we round up every pair of scissors in the house. This is one time when sharing is not a virtue. While the kids search for scissors, I cut white paper into squares and fold them caddy-corner multiple times. The resulting triangles are artfully arranged in a basket, awaiting the beginning of the party.

Later, while the supper dishes dry on the counter, I recruit a volunteer to help me stir up a big pot of hot cocoa. For the next hour it will warm on the back burner, tantalizing us with its aroma.

Now the fun begins with careful cutting and snipping, shaping plain white paper into intricate works of art. Each snowflake we create seems as unique and spectacular as the genuine variety created by God himself. As each masterpiece is unfolded, collective oohs and aahs go up.

When the last dregs of our creative juices are drained, Dad oversees the vacuum patrol while I pour cocoa into generous mugs. We spread our handiwork on the floor around us and sit, quietly admiring our work while we dunk marshmallows and sip rich chocolate.

With empty mugs piled up in the sink, it’s time for the judging to begin. There will be awards for ‘prettiest’, ‘most unusual’, and as many other categories as we need for everyone to be a winner. Dad is the judge because he studied art in college. He also usually wins one of the top prizes––because he studied art in college.

Snowflakes deemed runners-up might be pasted in scrapbooks or hung on the refrigerator. A few even “melt” into the trash that very night. But the winners are taped proudly to the picture windows in the living room for passersby to enjoy while they long for the day when genuine snowflakes will color the world clean and white.

Our oldest daughter went away to college last September. She called just after Thanksgiving to tell me that her dorm window was covered with snowflakes. No, not the real thing, but the ones she remembers from her childhood––paper ones that she spent an entire evening cutting and snipping while sipping hot cocoa.

That’s the neat thing about traditions: They go with us no matter how far from home we travel.

***

DEBORAH RANEY's first novel, A Vow to Cherish, inspired the World Wide Pictures film of the same title. Her books have since won the RITA Award, ACFW Carol Award, HOLT Medallion, National Readers' Choice Award, Silver Angel, and have twice been Christy Award finalists. After All, third in her Hanover Falls Novels series will release next spring from Howard/Simon & Schuster. Deb and her husband, Ken Raney, enjoy small-town life in Kansas. Their four children are grown now and having snowflake parties with their own children––and they all live much too far away. Visit Deb on the web at www.deborahraney.com.

Why I Decorate for Christmas by Elizabeth Goldsmith Musser

2011-12-17T08:17:00.001-08:00

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas

Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom" from some of today's most beloved writer's (Tricia Goyer, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, Sibella Giorello and more)! Please follow the series through Christmas day as each contributor shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year.

AND just for fun ... there's also a giveaway! Fill out this simple {form} and enter for a chance to win a beautiful pearl necklace and earring set ($450 value). Contest runs 12/14 - 12/25 and the winner will on 1/1. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents. You may enter once per day.

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

***

Why I Decorate for Christmas

By Elizabeth Goldsmith Musser

An old cassette tape of Christmas carols—received in a package twenty years ago when we had first arrived in France as missionaries—fills our den with delightful piano music as I place one more ornament on the already over-laden Christmas tree. This one is a little white wooden rabbit with pink ears that move back and forth. It actually doesn’t look much like a Christmas ornament, but I bought it for our baby Andrew when my husband Paul was in seminary, and I was working for less than minimum wage in the library. This ornament was literally all I could afford.

As I hang it on the tree today, I get goose bumps and then a rush of warmth. And that’s why I decorate for Christmas. Not to impress but to remember. I remember those lean, lean years, and God’s faithful provision for us.

There are the cross-stitched ornaments I made our first year in Montpellier—for the boys (for by now we had two sons) and Paul and me. How I ever had time to do that, I don’t know. I remember our puny little tree—the kind they sold in France back then—in a pot so that it could be replanted later. We perched that tiny tree on a small table out of baby Christopher’s reach. I guess I watered it too much, because about halfway through December, it started smelling and then stinking, and it rotted there on Christmas Day!

I smile with these memories.

I look at the other ornaments on the tree. Many were purchased—one for each boy—when we attended conferences around Europe, and that makes me smile too. Getting to travel on a missionary’s budget to exotic places! There are the waxed red bear and red baby carriage from Wales, the brightly painted clay sun and moon from Portugal, the blue and white porcelain windmill and wooden shoes from Holland, the hand-blown glass Snoopys sitting on gondolas from Venice, and the delicately decorated eggs from Prague.

Other ornaments include the little pinkish shiny ball ornament with Paul’s name written in glitter—I think he made it when he was about six , and the little red velvet bows, bought at Michael’s after Christmas one year for a dollar. They bring a unifying theme to the tree. I say this, smiling, because our tree is, and has always been throughout the years, a hodge-podge of our life. And I like it that way. I don’t think I could ever have a ‘theme’ tree. Mine is a ‘memory’ tree.

The music plays softly in the background and I smile through tears, remembering God’s incredible faithfulness to call and keep us here in France for so many years. Heart-breakingly hard years, overwhelmingly joyful years—the same years, the same amazing God, our keeper.

Before we left for the mission field, I memorized Psalm 121 in English and in French, and over the years I have held on tight to those last beautiful words of the psalm: The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever. (NASB)

Of course He will. He is God with us.

We decorate to remember Christmases past, our lives, our legacy, and mostly, for those of us who have embraced Christ, we decorate to honor and praise Him for coming to us—Emmanuel! We make our homes ready to receive the Christ Child, with soft music and candles burning and the sweet flickering of angel wings on an over-laden evergreen.

***

ELIZABETH GOLDSMITH MUSSER, an Atlanta native and the bestselling author of The Swan House, is a novelist who writes what she calls ‘entertainment with a soul.’ For over twenty years, Elizabeth and her husband, Paul, have been involved in missions work with International Teams. They presently live near Lyon, France. The Mussers have two sons and a daughter-in-law. The Sweetest Thing (Bethany House, 2011) is Elizabeth’s eighth novel. To learn more about Elizabeth and her books, and to find discussion questions as well as photos of sites mentioned in the stories, please visit www.elizabethmusser.com and her Facebook Fan Page. www.elizabethmusser.com

Where Is Comfort and Joy Found? by Sandy Rayla

2011-12-16T13:37:00.001-08:00

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas!

Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom" from some of today's most beloved writer's (Tricia Goyer, Babbie Suzanne Woods Fisher, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, Sibella Giorello and more)! Please follow the series through Christmas day as each contributor shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year.

AND just for fun ... there's also a giveaway! Fill out this simple {form} and enter for a chance to win a beautiful pearl necklace and earring set ($450 value). Contest runs 12/14 - 12/25 and the winner will on 1/1. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents. You may enter once per day.

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

***

Where is Comfort and Joy Found?

By Sandy Ralya

The year 2006 ushered unwelcome emotions into my life. My husband was unhappy in his job, two of my grown children were making poor choices, my mother-in-law was showing signs of Alzheimer’s, extended-family issues were surfacing, and I was writing a book. Things only got worse. Much worse.

Early in 2007, I was asked to represent the mentoring ministry for wives I founded, Beautiful Womanhood, and lead a women’s conference in Uganda, Africa. My husband wasn’t sure if traveling to Africa was a good idea, so we committed it to prayer. While we were listening for an answer, I sensed God asking me to fast from spending, except for groceries, for thirty days. Sometimes you know that you’ve heard God’s voice because you’d never have come up with those words on your own. This was one of those times. I’d never heard of a fast from spending. Tom needed no convincing that a fast from spending came directly from the mouth of God. He still gets excited just thinking about it!

During the fast, it became clear I had used spending as a way to gain a comfort fix. When I was spending money, I felt carefree and lighthearted. Instead of dwelling on the unpleasantness in my life, I was thinking of my purchases and how they would bring me pleasure. Not until I stopped spending did I realize how short-lived the fix really was. During the fast, when I felt the urge to spend—to anesthetize my pain—I pictured myself running into the arms of Jesus, the Great Comforter. Oh, what comfort I received!

One night, I told good friends my experience of gaining comfort through the power of the Holy Spirit rather than money. I exclaimed that I had never felt so comforted. One friend then told us about a dream he’d had shortly after hearing about the invitation from Uganda. After the dream, he had awoken and recorded the following thoughts:

“. . . this is for Sandy. Christ’s redemption of women is beautiful. Beautiful Womanhood is a result of redemptive wholeness. The visuals the ministry uses on the books, etc., are like a piece of beautifully veneered furniture. There is something going on with the ministry to the brokenness of abused women. In Uganda, there are hurting, abused women, and something is connecting their need and Beautiful Womanhood. Though there is nothing wrong with veneer, it is only the topping—the covering, and without good structure it is shallow and will not hold up. It is time to add a new depth to the ministry.”

Then these verses came to my friend’s mind:

All praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the source of every mercy and the God who comforts us. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When others are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. You can be sure that the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 NL

When my friend was finished sharing, everyone in the room broke down in tears, praising God for His work in my life. I’d learned to listen and God had spoken. I’d obeyed, and He’d acted. When He acted, I was changed.

Needless to say, I packed my bags and experienced some of the best days of my life in Uganda—offering God’s comfort to His troubled women.

***

Sandy and her husband Tom have been married since 1980 and live near Grand Rapids, Michigan. They have three adult children and a growing number of grandchildren. When not writing and speaking, Sandy enjoys shopping at yard sales for vintage clothing, cooking, travelling, and drinking really good coffee (black is best) with her husband. For more information, contact Sandy at sandy@beautifulwomanhood.com. Subscribe to Sandy’s blog at www.beautifulwomanhood.com/blog. Find Sandy on Facebook at Beautiful Womanhood. Follow Sandy on Twitter @MentoringWives.

Advent By Sibella Giorello

2011-12-15T08:01:00.001-08:00

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas!

Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom" from some of today's most beloved writer's (Tricia Goyer, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, Sibella Giorello and more)! Please follow the series through Christmas day as each contributor shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year.

AND just for fun ... there's also a giveaway! Fill out this simple {form} and enter for a chance to win a beautiful pearl necklace and earring set ($450 value). Contest runs 12/14 - 12/25 and the winner will on 1/1. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents. You may enter once per day.

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

***

Advent
By Sibella Giorello

Consider the bride's walk down the aisle. We all know where that woman in the white is going but somehow waiting for her to arrive at the altar is an essential part of the ceremony. In fact, the waiting is so essential that even cheapskate Vegas chapels include wedding marches.

Why?

Because the wait adds meaning to the moment.

At Christmas time, we tend to forget this essential truth about anticipation. We're lost to shopping malls and checklists, rushing toward December 25th so quickly that we forget the quiet joy of the month's other 24 days -- and then we wonder why we feel so empty on the 26th, amid ribbons and wrapping paper and our best intentions.

Because the wait adds meaning to the moment.

And that is why Advent is so important to Christmas.

I'm as guilty as the next harried person. This Advent was particularly tricky because just six hours before it started, I was still trying to finish a 110,000-word novel that was written over the course of the year -- written while homeschooling my kids, keeping my hubby happy, and generally making sure the house didn't fall down around us.

It's an understatement to say my free time is limited. But waiting adds meaning, and Advent is crucial to Christmas, so I've devised several Advent traditions that are simple, powerful and easy to keep even amid the seasonal rush.

When my kids outgrew the simple Advent calendars around age 7, I stole an idea from my writer friend Shelly Ngo (as T.S. Eliot said, "Mediocre writers borrow. Great writers steal." Indulge me.)

Here's how it goes: Find 24 great Christmas books, wrap them individually and place then under the tree. On the first day of Advent, take turns picking which book to open. When we did this, we would cuddle under a blanket and read aloud -- oh, the wonder, the magic! We savored "The Polar Express," howled with "How Murray Saved Christmas," and fell silent at the end of "The Tale of The Three Trees" (note: some of the picture books I chose were not explicitly about Christmas but they always echoed the message that Jesus came to earth to save us from ourselves and to love us beyond our wildest imagination. In that category, Angela Hunt's retelling of The Three Trees definitely hits the Yuletide bull's eye).

This Advent tradition lasted for about five years. It gave us rich daily discussions about the season's real meaning, without being religious or legalistic, and it increased family couch time. But like the lift-the-flap calendars, my kids outgrew the picture books.

Because the wait adds meaning, and Advent is crucial, I prayed for another way to celebrate anticipation of Christmas. By the grace of God, last year I found an enormous Advent calendar on clearance at Pottery Barn. Made of burlap, it has large pockets big enough to hold some serious bounty.

But my husband and I didn't want the kids focusing only on the materialist stuff for Advent -- we already fight that on Christmas day. We decided to fill the daily pockets with simple necessities and small gift cards. We also printed out the nativity story from Luke 2:1-21 in a large-sized font and cut each verse out. From Day 1 to Day 21, there is one verse to read aloud. The kids memorize it, then get to open their present (again, on alternating days for each person). Then we tape the verse to the wall in order. By Day 22, all the verses are on the wall, in order, and the kids now try to recite the entire nativity story from memory. That's not as difficult as it sounds because they've been memorizing one verse each day. Still, the entire recitation -- verbatim -- usually requires Day 23 and Day 24. Whoever does memorize the entire thing -- without mistakes -- earns a bonus gift of $25.

Does that sounds extravagant?

It is.

Because we want our kids to understand that God came down and humbled himself and taught us about love right before He suffered and died on behalf of the undeserving -- which is every one of us.

"That's" extravagant.

And in the waiting, we find even more meaning.

***

Sibella Giorello writes the Raleigh Harmon mystery series which won the Christy Award with its first book "The Stones Cry Out." She lives in Washington state with her husband and children, and often wishes there were 36 hours in a day.

A Christmas of Kindness By Suzanne Woods Fisher

2011-12-14T08:27:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas!

Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom" from some of today's most beloved writer's (Tricia Goyer, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, Sibella Giorello and more)! Please follow the series through Christmas day as each contributor shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year.

AND just for fun ... there's also a giveaway! Fill out this simple {form} and enter for a chance to win a beautiful pearl necklace and earring set ($450 value). Contest runs 12/14 - 12/25 and the winner will on 1/1. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents. You may enter once per day.

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

***

A Christmas of Kindness

By Suzanne Woods Fisher

"You can give without loving, but you can¹t love without giving." Amish proverb

I do it every year.

I plan for a simpler, less stressful Christmas season and, every year, by Christmas Eve I'm exhausted! After our delicious and very-time-consuming-to-make traditional Swedish meal to honor my husband¹s relatives (think: Vikings), it's time to head to church. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but the last few Christmas Eve's, I have sent my husband and kids head off without me. The pull to spend an hour of quiet in the house feels as strong as a magnet.

It's odd. My children are young adults now. Wouldn't you think that Christmas would be simpler? Instead, it's just the opposite. Jugging schedules to share the grandbaby with the in-laws, trying to include our elderly parents at the best time of day for them, dancing carefully around recently divorced family members whose children are impacted by the shards of broken relationships.

The thing is: you can simplify your to-do list, but you can't really simplify people. We are just a complicated bunch.

Here's where I borrow a lesson about simplicity from the Amish. It's easy to get distracted with the buggies and the bonnets and the beards, but there's so much more to learn from these gentle people if you're willing to look a little deeper.

Yes, they live with less "stuff" and that does make for a simpler, less cluttered life. But it's the reason behind it that is so compelling to me: they seek to create margin in their life. Not just empty spacebut space that is available to nourish family, community, and faith. Their Christmas is far less elaborate than yours or mine, but what they do fill it with is oh so right.

Christmas comes quietly on an Amish farmhouse. There is no outward sign of the holiday as we know it: no bright decorations, no big tree in the living room corner. A few modest gifts are waiting for children at their breakfast place settings, covered by a dishtowel. Waiting first for Dad to read the story of Christ's birth from the book of Luke. Waiting until after a special breakfast has been enjoyed. Waiting until Mom and Dad give the signal that the time has come for gifts.

Later, if Christmas doesn't fall on a Sunday, extended family and friends will gather for another big meal. If time and weather permits, the late afternoon will be filled with ice skating or sledding. And more food! Always, always an abundance of good food. Faith, family, and community. That is the focus of an Amish Christmas.

And it's also how the story begins for A Lancaster County Christmas, as a young family prepares for Christmas. A winter storm blows a non-Amish couple, Jaime and C.J. Fitzpatrick, off-course and into the Riehl farmhouse. An unlikely and tentative friendship develops, until the one thing Mattie and Sol hold most dear disappears and then. Ah, but you¹ll just have to read the story to find out what happens next. Without giving anything away, I will say that I want to create a Mattie-inspired margin this Christmas season. Mattie knew inconveniences and interruptions that come in the form of people (big ones and little ones!) are ordained by God. And blessed by God.

Creating margin probably means that I won't get Christmas cards out until the end of January, and my house won't be uber-decorated. After all, something has to give. But it will mean I make time for a leisurely visit with my dad at his Alzheimer's facility. And time to volunteer in the church nursery for a holiday-crowded event. And time to invite a new neighbor over for coffee. Hopefully, it will mean that my energy won't get diverted by a frantic, self-imposed agenda. Only by God's agendathe essence of true simplicity.

And that includes taking time to worship Christ's coming at the Christmas Eve service. You can hold me accountable! This year, I will be there.

***

Suzanne Woods Fisher is the bestselling author of The Choice, The Waiting, The Search, and The Keeper, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace. Her interest in the Anabaptist cultures can be directly traced to her grandfather, W. D. Benedict, who was raised in the Old Order German Baptist Brethren Church in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Suzanne is a Christy Award nominee and is the host of an internet radio show called Amish Wisdom and her work has appeared in many magazines. She lives in California. www.suzannewoodsfisher.com.

The 12 Pearls of Christmas

2011-12-13T09:51:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the 3rd Annual Pearl Girls™ 12 Pearls of Christmas blogging series!

We've gathered several of today's most beloved authors to share their Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom"! Please follow along beginning tomorrow (Wednesday the 14th) through Christmas day as Tricia Goyer, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Rachel Hauck, Sandy Ralya, Sibella Giorello, Susan May Warren and more, share their heartfelt stories of how God has touched their life during this most wonderful time of the year.

If you'd like to share the 12 Pearls of Christmas with your blog readers too, just email Christen and she'll send you the series.

AND of course there is a giveaway! Beginning tomorrow you and all your friends can enter to win a PEARL NECKLACE and EARRINGS valued at $450! The winner will be announced on New Year's Day! Pearls - a tangible reminder of God's grace to us all.

***

Just a quick note before the series begins on the 14th ...

As I write this, I imagine that we are sitting at my kitchen table and chatting over a cup of coffee while familiar Christmas carols celebrate the Season. My twelve year old Chihuahua, Pongo, barks for a pinch of pound cake while my Shih Tzu, Lilly, patiently sits by the chair and waits for a crumb to fall.

My name is not Martha Stewart, and I will never receive a neighborhood beautification award. Just look at my front stoop. Yes, my never-had-time-to-carve-the-pumpkin-that-now-suffers-from-frostbite slouches next to the front door which is decorated with a Christmas wreath. I plan to roll this large orange ornament to the garbage pile tomorrow. For now, however, I will pretend that my front stoop is a contemplative modern art exhibit capturing the essence of contrast.

Actually, I love the concept of juxtaposition – placing things together that don’t seem to belong together, yet somehow ultimately make sense being paired. A personal example for me this season is the phrase: “comfort and joy.” Having just completed my manuscript for New Hope Publishers about the aftermath of grief, I fully understand the contrast of those two words. How can comfort bring joy? How can one find joy in loss?

Perhaps, dear reader, you have experienced loss this year – loss of a loved one, loss of friendship, loss of health, loss of financial security, loss of trust, loss of love, or loss of direction. Even with the best intent, words of encouragement shared by others can somehow seem insufficient to address an inconsolable loss. A spoken word cannot fully restore joy to a broken heart; however the Word can. And that’s the bottom line message of Christmas! God gave us the most amazing gift: His Son - the Word of God, the Holy Comforter.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but shall have everlasting life.” (John 3:16).

You are not alone this Christmas, dear friend. Juxtaposed to the unexpected grit in life is the gift of God’s grace wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. This year I purposely placed a pearl in the Nativity scene as a metaphoric reminder. When we place our grit into the hands of the Lord, His grace transforms our pain into a pearl.

“Joy to the world!”

Thank you so very much for sharing the JOY of the Season with us this year.

God Bless,

Margaret

@mcsweeny

***

Margaret McSweeney lives with her husband, David and two teenage daughters in the Chicago suburbs. 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. Her book Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace was written to help fund the Pearl Girl Charities. She is also the host of weekly radio show, Kitchen Chat. Connect with Margaret on Facebook or Twitter.

Grandkids Say the Cutest Things!

2011-09-21T15:15:00.000-07:00

My latest book will be published officially on Oct. 1, 2011 but you can order it now on amazon.com in paperback or for the Kindle. This little gift-style book makes a nifty gift for new grandparents or veterans. Our 'grands' continue to delight us from toddlerhood to adulthood with their words of wisdom, humor, love, and surprise. It was fun for me to capture and print these sayings from my own grandchildren and from other grandsons and granddaughters, thanks to their proud grandparents. :-)

Comings and goings!

2011-08-07T14:14:00.000-07:00

What a summer! It's been wonderful. Charles and I spent a week in Washington, DC and then I went to June Lake in the Sierra Mountains for five days of camping and hiking with my girlfriends and in a few days I'll fly to Ohio to see my oldest daughter and five grandchildren before the young people return to school. I feel blessed to have enjoyed so many adventures. When I return it will be time to hunker down to write my next book, Amazing Answers to Prayer––in the Nick of Time to be published by Harvest House Publishers. As the author of Ecclesiastes reminds us, "There is a time for everything under the sun."

Sweet on George!

2011-06-26T16:38:00.000-07:00

My husband Charles and I finally made it to Washington, DC after talking for years about going there. We saw many beautiful sites, visited memorials and museums, and sat in Lafayette Park and stared at the majestic White House on several occasions, but the highlight for me was visiting Mount Vernon, actually walking through the house that George and Martha Washington loved so much, and the beautiful grounds on the hill overlooking the Potomac River. I saw the bed they slept in--the very one George died in, as well as favorite chairs and shoes and tables. Such artifacts make people of the past come alive for me in a way that facsimiles never can. President Washington did so much for our country--yet his ardent desire was to be a farmer. He proudly showed his gardens to all visitors. He was also a deeply religious man. I love this quotation. “It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible.”

Change IS Possible

2011-06-01T17:32:00.000-07:00

If author and speaker Jan Coates can survive and thrive after some of the unspeakable events she has endured from childhood on, then so can the rest of us. In her latest book, Attitude-inize: 10 Secrets to a Positive You (Beacon Hill Press, 2011) Jan presents practical, helpful, and inspiring ways to change your life and your attitude so that every day is a blessing, regardless of the circumstances. Activities, Scripture, stories and real-life application fill each chapter of this upbeat, well-written book that will encourage you to live the life you've always wanted.

When You Can't Find Hope and Peace . . .

2011-05-14T13:10:00.000-07:00

Linda Evans Shepherd, author of the new book When You Can't Find God (Baker Publishing Group), is a woman who knows pain and suffering and disappointment first-hand. Yet in all the years I've known her, she continues to choose joy. If you are stuck in the mire of life, I hope you will purchase a copy of her book. Real-life examples, practical prayer, and the word of God will lift you up and help you "ignite the power of His presence" as the subtitle promises. I particularly liked the side-bars throughout the pages, each one offering a tid-bit of hope and inspiration. Here's one I especially liked."Don't let the enemy convince you to pick up the invoice for your past mistakes. You owe nothing. Jesus already paid the bill."

Head Start!

2011-04-28T10:54:00.000-07:00

Here are future published writers who attended my Head Start class at the recent writers conference at Mount Hermon Christian Conference Center. What a pleasure it was to nurture their dreams, encourage their writing, and be part of their path to publication. I remember when I took the leap into my career nearly forty years ago. I wrote an article for Crusader Magazine, a small publication for boys 8-12 years of age. I called it "A Trail of Tips for First Time Campers," and earned $12.50 for my effort. I promptly had the letter of acceptance Perma Plaqued at a local shop and it hangs on my office wall to this day reminding me of the time I turned professional. I've published hundreds of articles since then, in print and on the web, and seventy books as well as a variety of other kinds of writing,

but none has warmed me as much as that first sale, when I dared to dream and then took the steps to turn it into reality--by the grace of God and by my willingness to commit. How grateful I am.

Happy Birthday To ME!

2011-04-08T13:51:00.000-07:00

I'm celebrating another year of life and good health and send my thanks to my family and friends for making it a special day. Couldn't do this without you. And most of all, thanks to God for love, grace, peace and wisdom. Enjoyed a walk and breakfast with my friend Sherry, then visited Starbucks to pick up my FREE birthday latte, worked out at the gym while reading a romance novel and am now catching up a bit before going to my daughter Erin's tonight for dessert. A huge bouquet of the most beautiful tulips arrived just now from my daughter Julie. What more could a woman ask for! :-)

The Gift of Silence

2011-03-30T14:25:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend I had laryngitis. I jumped on the Internet to find out what was the best treatment. Rest (meaning NO talking or whispering), lots of warm liquids and watery foods, gargling with salt water, and keeping the air in my bedroom moist with a vaporizer. A big fruit salad was my reward each day. During this quiet time I learned to appreciate the gift of gab. I had to stop myself from answering the phone or initiating a vocal conversation with my husband or children. Thank heaven for Facebook, Twitter, and telephone texting. But even moreso, for the space and time to be still and know that God is--and to trust that all things (including my voice) would be made new by his grace. And today all things are. I'm speaking again out loud but remembering that silence is also a gift I haven't always appreciated until now.

Secrets to Parenting Your Adult Child

2011-03-20T12:37:00.000-07:00

Do you sometimes wonder how to parent your adult children? I do. They don't need "Mom" in the same way they did when they were kids, but they still need me and I love being there for them. For practical help and encouragement, I recommend this wonderful book, Secrets to Parenting Your Adult Child, by author and counselor, Nancy Williams. I have a free copy to give away to the first person who posts a comment here and then contacts me with name and mailing info so I can send it off.

The Flower Man

2011-03-16T14:19:00.000-07:00

When I agreed to marry Charles Flowers some thirty years ago, he told me he'd keep me in 'flowers' throughout our relationship! (And it didn't cost him a penny--since his name says it all.) Over the years we've been together, he has become the resident gardener, gatherer, and grand man of the manor. Our yard is now ready for Spring with beds of sweet Primroses, climbing Ice Roses, Princess plant blooms and assorted other beauties, thanks to my husband, the flower man. Today I look at my well-planted 'prayer garden,' and then look at Charles and thank him (and God) for the labor of his hands and heart.

Book Giveaway

2011-02-23T09:33:00.000-08:00

My friend Rebecca Barlow Jordan wrote a nice review of my recent book, The Upside of Downsizing. Check it out at http://www.rebeccabarlowjordan.com/blog and perhaps you will win a free copy.

I'm also looking for cute 'senior moments' for another book I am writing. Contact me if you have one to share. Thanks so much.

Two by Two

2011-02-22T10:09:00.000-08:00

I'm sitting across from my husband this morning in our shared home office and giving thanks that we made it this far in life--together. It's a good season. We've downsized (as in the title of my newest book THE UPSIDE OF DOWNSIZING), we're enjoying grandchildren and adult children, we're content with one another (flaws and all) and we are excited about some new adventures on our calendar, including a weekend in Sacramento for our granddaughter Shevawn's choir competition, a week-long vacation in Washington, DC, and a trip to the Midwest to visit extended family. I'm also going to June Lake in the Sierra Mountains for an all-gals' camping and hiking trip in July. Each day is precious and I'm paying extra attention to that truth as I lift my head and hands to God in praise and gratitude.

Following God One YES At A TIme

2011-02-08T16:40:00.000-08:00

Connie Cavanaugh’s latest book, Following God One Yes at a Time, has just been released by Harvest House Publishers. This book tells you how -- one simple, immediate, possible yes at a time – to do what Jesus commanded when He said, “Follow Me.” This is “following God for dummies”; it is a simple way for ordinary Christians to follow Christ through the maze of our complicated lives.

Q: You begin by saying “God has a dream for every believer.” Could you explain that?

God does have a dream for every believer. In fact He has many overlapping, interlocking dreams for us: some big, some small; some lifelong, some seasonal; some manageable, some seemingly impossible. When His dream looks like a mountain we can’t climb, because we lack faith in ourselves and in Him, we think:
• This dream is too big; I don’t have what it takes.
• The process looks so complicated; I don’t even know where to start.
• The finish line is so far away; I don’t think I can go the distance.
• I’ve tried before and dropped out; I must be all out of chances.
• Is this God speaking or my own wishful thinking?
• People like me don’t get to do these things; I’m not worthy of this.

Q: Are these the barriers you refer to in the book’s subtitle Overcoming the Six Barriers that hold you back?

Yes, the biggest barriers to following God are internal, not external. It’s not situations, circumstances, tragedies, crises or even physical limitations but it’s things like fear, guilt, pride, shame, comparison, and doubt that hold us back from pursuing the dreams God has for us. Following God one yes at a time is about how God breaks down His impossible dream into manageable steps and once we begin to follow Him in faith, because He loves us, He sends us proofs that we’re on the right track.

Q: God sends us “proofs” when we follow Him? What do you mean by that?

Even though we talk about a God who is alive and personal, all Christians occasionally feel like He is remote and invisible. Once God gets us to say yes to His dream and begin following Him, He knows that we’re going to be battling doubts and fears so He sends us proofs that we heard Him correctly and we’re on the right track. These proofs are little assurances that we pick up in a number of ways – through our daily Bible reading or hear in a sermon or through music or circumstance or pretty much anything that God chooses to use. He’s not limited in the ways He communicates with us. These “proofs” are His way of encouraging us not to lose heart but to keep following.

Q: Where can people find this book?
You can buy Following God One Yes at a Time at most Christian booksellers and online bookstores. If your local bookstore does not carry it, they can order it for you.

It is available at these links:
Amazon.ca http://www.amazon.ca/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dca-books-english-tree&field-keywords=following+god+one+yes+at+a+time+connie+cavanaugh&x=0&y=0
Amazon.com (also available in Kindle) http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_31?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=following+god+one+yes+at+a+time&sprefix=following+god+one+yes+at+a+time
Barnes and Noble http://productsearch.barnesandnoble.com/search/results.aspx?store=BOOK&WRD=following+god+one+yes+at+a+time&page=&prod=univ&choice=book&query=following+god+one+yes+at+a+time&flag=False&ugrp=1
Chapters and Indigo
http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/search/?keywords=following%20god%20one%20yes%20at%20a%20time&pageSize=12

The Upside of Downsizing

2011-02-02T16:10:00.000-08:00

Ta da! My latest book The Upside of Downsizing was just released on February 1, 2011 from Harvest House. It is now avaailable for sale from amazon.com and other online stores as well as directly from me. Send me an e-mail with your order if you wish. karen@karenoconnor.com. The book is a collection of short essays on the joy of creating a cozy life after the kids grow up and move out! Lots of practical tips as well as personal musings. I hope you like it.

Miles of Smiles

2011-01-17T08:32:00.001-08:00

Here's some tile art by my seven-year-old grandson Miles. He and I usually spend part of a day together each week. Last Friday he came up with this and I'm proud to share it. I love watching my grandkids express their talent--whether in art, dance, acting, surfing, or fashion design. "Real joy," says Sir Wilfred Grenfell, "comes not from ease or riches or from the praise of men, but from doing something worthwhile." What could be more worthwhile than to display and bless others with our unique gifts? And to encourage our children and grandchildren to do the same?

Blooms abound!

2011-01-10T19:58:00.001-08:00

While kicking a bad case of bronchitis this week, these lovely tulips from my daughter Julie bloomed, as if to say, "Hang in there. Better days are ahead." Nothing quite like flowers to brighten any day. Thank you, Julie for sending them and thank you, God, for creating them.

Happy 2011!

2011-01-01T10:25:00.001-08:00

I'm sitting at my desk on a rainy morning in Central Coast California nursing a cold! But I'm not so sick that I can't wish each of you a most happy new year. I have so much to be grateful for, as I imagine you do too! Today I thank God for family, friends, and most of all for my faith. We don't know what's ahead but we can be sure that God does and that He will see us through the good times and the not-so-good. My you be happy and blessed and guided all through 2011.

Love

2010-12-25T08:42:00.001-08:00

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

An Unforgettable Gift

2010-12-24T08:33:00.000-08:00

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.

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Just Give Me Christmas This Year

2010-12-23T06:59:00.000-08:00

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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.

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What's the Best Thing About Christmas?

2010-12-22T08:43:00.000-08:00

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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.

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Good News

2010-12-21T11:18:00.000-08:00

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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.

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Gift List

2010-12-20T08:15:00.001-08:00

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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

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Hurting Near Christmas? 10 Tips to Hope Again

2010-12-19T07:33:00.000-08:00

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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.

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Wrapped In His Love

2010-12-18T07:14:00.001-08:00

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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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Home

2010-12-17T18:53:00.000-08:00

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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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The Joy of Unexpected Circumstances

2010-12-16T09:11:00.000-08:00

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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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The First Christmas

2010-12-15T07:25:00.000-08:00

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.

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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.

~~~

Wear Joy

2010-12-14T09:27:00.000-08:00

Title: Wear Joy

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.

~~~

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!

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Pearls of Patience

2010-12-13T07:18:00.000-08:00

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.

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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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Did She Know?

2010-12-12T16:01:00.001-08:00

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.

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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

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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

Great new book for adolescent girls!

2010-11-22T14:01:00.001-08:00

Here’s a great new book to help your daughter, niece, or young friend age ten to thirteen become the girl God made her to be—inside and out—with chapters on hair, makeup, nails, clothing and accessories. The Christian Girl’s Guide to Style by Sherry Kyle is delightfully written, filled with practical advice, fashion tips, fill-in-the-blanks pages that help girls discover and apply their own unique style. And most important the author shows readers how to explore God’s design for their lives through appropriate scripture verses and thoughtful questions. Each book comes with a cute little change purse, too. Order your copies today through amazon.com or christianbook.com. Published by Legacy Press.

Monterey by Moonlight

2010-11-03T15:51:00.001-07:00

Last week the Books and Such Literary Agency held a retreat in Monterey, California for clients and agents, editors and guests. It was a time of rest, relaxation, learning and living to the hilt! The food and amenities at the Monterey Plaza Hotel and Spa are the finest. It felt so good to be pampered! But more than that I appreciated the opportunity to keep growing as a writer. More than ever I want to share encouragement, appreciation, information, and entertainment with my readers. Life is hard! But a good story, a bit of humor, and some words of comfort can 'make' a person's day. So many writers have done that for me. I'm grateful to be able to give some of the same to others.

Between a Rock and a Grace Place

2010-09-29T06:36:00.000-07:00

Today it's my pleasure to share with you an interview with my friend and fellow writer and speaker, Carol Kent, bestselling author of When I Lay My Isaac Down and A New Kind of Normal where Carol has shared her and her husband's painful yet faith-filled journey with their son J.P., who is serving a life sentence in a maximum-security prison for murder.

Her brand new book Between A Rock and a Grace Place: Divine Surprises in the Tight Spots of Life was just released by Zondervan. Here Carol shares not only more of her story and how God is seeing her through it, but includes the stories of others, as well, encouraging readers to find the 'sweet spot of grace' in the overwhelming obstacles they face.

Carol is an expert on public speaking, writing, and on encouraging people to hold on to hope when life’s circumstances turn out differently from their dreams. She lives in Florida with her husband Gene.

Carol, what are “grace places,” and how can hurting people in need find them?
All of us experience tight spots when life turns out differently from our dream. When we face the overwhelming obstacles of life, we can experience the last thing we ever expect—the sweet spot of grace. Grace places have a variety of forms, but some include:
• Receiving love when we don’t deserve it
• Finding safety in the middle of a fearful and uncertain experience
• Being comforted by friends and family (people who are extensions of God’s love)
• Experiencing the embrace of God when we have run out of strength and courage
“Grace means the free, unmerited, unexpected love of God, and all the benefits, delights, and comforts which flow from it.” (R.P.C. Hanson)

How important are contentment and gratitude in finding grace and peace?
My son, Jason, is teaching me that I need to choose contentment and thanksgiving in all things. As an inmate in a maximum-security prison, all of his personal items must fit in one small one-foot-high and one-and a half-feet-deep and two-and-a half feet long steel lockbox. He has learned to live comfortably with very little, which brings him a surprising sense of peace.

When I was visiting him one weekend I asked how he holds on to hope in the middle of a life-without-the-possibility-of-parole sentence. He said, “Mom, I have a gratitude list. Whenever the clouds of depression try to discouragement, I get out a piece of paper and write down everything I have to be thankful for. I’m thankful I have two parents who will be my advocates for as long as they live. The average number of years a lifer gets visits is five years and then no one comes anymore. I’m also thankful I can be a missionary on a compound that houses up to 1,700 men.” I’m learning from Jason that I find contentment when I choose to be thankful and when I invest my time in helping other people.

What are some unexpected gestures of kindness you’ve received in the past, and how did they help you through difficult times?
A couple of years ago Jason’s appendix ruptured and he was rushed from the prison to a civilian hospital. Gene and I were not allowed to know where he was and I prayed for someone to care for him as a mother would. He had two armed guards in his room at all times. Nurse Betty was assigned to Jason’s care. She treated him with respect and extraordinary care—and I knew she was a direct answer to my prayers.
A group of people who called themselves our “Stretcher Bearers” received an e-mailed monthly update on how to help with our needs. We were blessed with meals, cards, and financial gifts, often just before we needed extra funds for the next legal payment. These amazing people waited with us for two and a half years through seven postponements of the trial.

Between a Rock and a Grace Place releases 10 years after your son, Jason, was sentenced to life in a maximum security prison and includes excerpts from Jason’s letters. Can you tell us how he’s doing now?
He has just taken his 8th group of men through Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University Course and he will be facilitating a biblical counseling class on marriage and family this fall. He has a prayer group of twelve inmates who fast and pray for the needs of each other and their families. Prison is a depressing, dark, and sad place, but Jason is living for things that will outlast him.

When you received news about Jason’s clemency hearing being denied, how did you respond?
I wailed like a baby, sobbed, felt angry, hurt, and disappointed in God. Then we saw Jason a day after this devastating news. He was calm and very much at peace. He hugged me as I wept and said, “Mom, this case isn’t about having the best attorney or about having the favor of Florida’s top executive political leaders. If I am ever allowed to walk in freedom in this lifetime, it will be because God miraculously opened a door that was closed.” My son helps me to develop an eternal perspective and that day he comforted me.

What advice do you have for those who are stuck between a rock and a grace place?
In the middle of your own hurt reach out to someone else who needs help worse than you do. When you involve yourself in meeting the needs of others, you discover an unexpected freedom on the inside. Corrie ten Boom once said, “What did you do today that only a Christian would have done?”

As a result of your journey, you and your husband have founded the nonprofit organization Speak Up for Hope. What are the goals of the organization, and how can people get involved?
Our vision: To help inmates and their families adjust to their new normal.
Our mission: We exist to provide hope to inmates and their families through encouragement and resources.
Please go to www.speakupforhope.org for a list of practical ways individuals, churches, and organizations can help with specific projects. Our goal is to live out the truth of Prov. 31:8-9: “Speak up for the people who have no voice, for the rights of all the down-and-outers. Speak out for justice. Stand up for the poor and destitute!”

Where may we connect with you further or to purchase a copy of Between a Rock and a Grace Place?
I would love for you to visit my web site at www.CarolKent.org, browse through the various events and other resources available. You may also join me on my Facebook page.

Being Real

2010-08-29T20:43:00.000-07:00

My husband and I faced some challenges this weekend--personality clashes, misunderstandings, outbursts over nothing important. We tackled each one, talked it out, apologized, and moved on. But they hurt! I don't like these chapters in our love story. I like the cozy, happy, lovey-dovey ones. However, after 27 years together I'm committed to 'being real.' I sleep better when I'm real. I communicate better when I'm real. I love better when I'm real. I like myself and my partner better when I'm real. I feel closer to God when I'm real. And that's what matters most to me.

A Friend in the Storm

2010-08-20T11:00:00.000-07:00

If you're feeling sad or worried or caught in fear or you know someone who is, consider Cheryl Ricker's new book of comforting poetry, inspiring quotes, and healing Scripture. Read it yourself, then give a copy to a friend. Visit the author at www.afriendinthestorm.com.

It's the Berries!

2010-06-23T17:32:00.000-07:00

'tis the time for strawberry shortcake, strawberries 'n' cream, strawberry shakes--anything strawberry, especially here in Watsonville on the Central Coast of California where I live. When I was in Ohio in May I shopped for groceries with my daughter and sure enough, the basket of strawberries she selected came from my home city. I so enjoy living in this agricultural community. Bless the hard workers who plant and pick month after month so I can enjoy these mouth-watering morsels straight from heaven. I'm humbled by the sight of the land, so faithful to produce its crops year after year, generation after generation. And it will be doing its job long after I'm gone. But while I'm here, I praise God for this bounty.

Working and playing in Colorado Springs!

2010-05-23T20:10:00.001-07:00

Somebody's got to do it! So Julie, Michele, and I (Karen) did. We worked and played while on special assignment for the Christian Writers Guild. Had lunch with Jerry Jenkins and the staff, and enjoyed munching on fruit and chocolate during our breaks. What a great organization. I'm proud to be a mentor for this wonderful writing school.

Friends!

2010-04-28T09:58:00.000-07:00

Here's a photo of my friend Suzan and me after a wind-blown walk along the San Diego Bay during my visit to the city. FRIENDS is not just a television program. It's a living relationship between people who love, admire, respect, and enjoy each other. That's the kind of friend I have in Suzan. Robert Louis Stevenson once said, "A friend is a present you give yourself." Suzan and I have given such a gift to each other.

Day-Votions for Grandmothers

2010-04-01T15:33:00.000-07:00

Here's a great gift book for all the grandmothers you know--yourself included if you have grandkids. This delightful day-votional is filled with inspiring stories, scripture, and chapter endings that include Day-Break, Day-Brief, and Day-votedly Yours--each one offering something to consider, to answer, to pray about. Check out the author's web site for more of her day-votionals. RebeccaBarlowJordan.com--my friend and writing colleague.

Spring is in the Air!

2010-02-15T13:44:00.000-08:00

I haven't blogged in weeks. Spending most of my working hours finishing a book due on March 1 to be published by Harvest House in 2011: The UP Side of Downsizing: 50 Ways to Create a Cozy Life After the Kids Leave Home. Now for a final read-through before sending the manuscript to my publisher. Then I can get outside and welcome my tulips! They are pushing up from the ground and lifting their heads to their Creator. I love this time of year in California. I am blessed to be here and to lift my head, as well, in praise and thanksgiving.

Happy New Year Reading!

2010-01-03T14:43:00.001-08:00

I started my new year by reading a beautiful book on Ireland titled Celtic Wisdom (Kregel Publications) by Cindy Thomson. I am Irish through and through so the stories, lore, biographies of saints, quotations, poems, etc. were a joy to read. And the photos enriched my reading experience. I recommend this book to any reader interested in Irish history and culture. Congratulations,Cindy.

Hearst Castle Christmas Evening Tour

2009-12-21T16:29:00.000-08:00

Son Jim and his wife Michiko joined Charles and me for our Christmas gift to each other--a tour of Hearst Castle in Central Coast California (after we visit the restrooms, it seems). Why didn't someone tell us that sign was above our heads before shooting the photo? Oh well!!

We had a great time. The castle was decorated for the holidays and all the docents were costumed in the fashions of the 1930s when William Randolph Hearst was in his heyday.

Recommend this fascinating experience.

Dancing Feet!

2009-12-09T07:45:00.000-08:00

My eleven-year-old granddaugther Mairin was one of the lead dancers in Once On This Island, opening last weekend in Santa Cruz, California. Here she is with me, her grammy and with our family after the performance. Isn't it wonderful to see the next generation doing their thing? I love being a grandma--maybe partly because I never had a living grandmother of my own. But my mother set the example and I'm following her!

It's A Wonderful (Imperfect) Lfe

2009-11-30T06:45:00.000-08:00

If you're a woman who strives too hard to make it all right, then here's a book for you. It's a Wonderful (Imperfect) Life by Joan C. Webb, who has invited me to be a host for her blog tour. Joan is a 'recovering workaholic and perfectionist' (she is quick to admit) who now speaks nationally and internationally, encouraging women with her message of freedom and renewal.

Following is one of my favorite entries from this book of devotional readings:

Little by Little

The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.
Psalm 119:130

R-r-r-ling! R-r-r-ling! We lunged toward the phone. Grandma Joan (that’s me!) got there first.

“Your seventh grandchild, Calissa Jolie, is here!” exclaimed son-in-law, Adam. In the background I heard Calissa’s three sisters cheer.

Papa and I enjoy taking our three grandsons and four granddaughters on adventures and watching them learn about life, others, themselves, and God. Yet in our exuberance, we don’t force 1-week-old Calissa to stand alone, or 22-month-old Sam to recite the pastor’s Bible text or 9-year-old Annika to drive us to the store. We don’t expect 8-year-old Max to pitch for the Arizona Diamondbacks or kindergartner Luke to graduate from high school next year. Neither would we throw 4-year-old Lesia into a lake and yell, “Swim across, kid!” And even though 5-year-old Kirsten builds great Tinkertoy houses, we’d never insist she renovate our guest room. Obviously, these expectations would all be extremely unreasonable.

Likewise, our heavenly Father—who delights in watching us develop, too—doesn’t push us beyond our capabilities and understanding. He waits until we’re ready. If God told us everything about ourselves, the world and life all at once, we’d be overwhelmed and crushed. Instead, he encourages us based on our spiritual, mental and emotional age-level. God's gentle unfolding plan increases our insight and encourages our consistent growth.

Father, thanks for nurturing my development
little by little. Help me to be as patient as You are with
my imperfect attempts at maturity.

Make It Personal: List the ways you’ve grown during the last few months. Plan a simple celebration. What sounds fun to you?

You can buy your copy through your favorite bookstore OR on amazon.com:
http://tinyurl.com/ycfsqdt

And to learn more about Joan visit her on the web: http://www.joancwebbblog.com

If you'd like to follow Joan's blog tour, catch the next installment at the following site: www.startingfromscratchbooks.com

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T09:40:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for life, love, laughter, family, friends, and neighbors. But most of all for the sweet fellowship of my God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Oh where would I be without you, dear Lord? You have made all things possible now and forever.

To you who are reading, thank you for visiting my blog. May you have a joy-filled season of gratitude and grace.

No Wimps Here!

2009-11-17T20:05:00.000-08:00

Here I am with meeting planner, Carol Hayward, of First Baptist Church of Salinas in Salinas, California last month where I spoke to the I-55ers on the beauty of aging. "Gettin' Old Ain't For Wimps" was the title of my talk based on one of my books of the same title. Every time I speak on this subject I'm reminded of what a blessing it is to grow older, to have made it this far, to have grown, and learned, and matured, and discovered that it's God grace that has brought me to this time and place. And there is much more to anticipate as long as I keep walking with Him.

karen@karenoconnor.com

2009-10-23T09:18:00.001-07:00

My husband Charles and grandaughter Shevawn at Kirby School Grandparents' Day during science class. They look pretty intent on their experiment, don't they? :-) And a photo at lunch of Charles, me, our friend Dorothy and Shevawn's mom Erin (our daughter). It was such fun to walk around the school from class to class. Brought back memories of our own high school days. Were they so long ago? Alas, yes!

Happy Birthday, Charles!

2009-10-14T17:37:00.000-07:00

My husband Charles turned 81 on Sunday. Doesn't he look great? I'm so proud of him. We had a great day at the Monarch Butterfly Festival at Natural Bridges State Park. Then went to our daughter's for a delicious lunch and homemade cake. Life is very sweet right now and we are so grateful.

God Hides in Plain Sight--Great New Book

2009-10-06T13:47:00.000-07:00

Author and journalist Dean Nelson has written a powerful book that is both down-to-earth and profound--showing readers, as the subtitle states, 'how to see the sacred in a chaotic world' by opening our eyes to the presence of God in everyday life so we can see and experience the many sacred moments we might otherwise miss. I particularly like the way he incorporates humor and humanity from his own life as he opens up new ways of looking at and embracing the sacraments. In my opinion, this is a 'must-read.' Pick up two copies--one for yourself and one for a friend.

Beautiful Mendocino!

2009-09-27T19:48:00.001-07:00

Charles and I just returned from a week in this lovely, quaint historical northern California coastal village, where we rested, walked, talked, shopped, saw the sites, attended a local theatre presentation, ate well, slept well, and enjoyed one another's company. We came home refreshed and grateful and happy and grateful and relaxed and grateful!! God is good. And it is well with my soul. More photos on Facebook.

Fall is in the air!

2009-09-13T16:32:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year--when I pull on a jacket or sweater, dust off my boots, knit a scarf or two. Days are shorter and nights are longer. It's a time for movies and good books and cozy meals with friends. I savor the change. Each season offers its own gift. I'm blessed to live near the Pacific Ocean, beautiful foothills, ever-changing farmland and centuries-old redwood trees--each creation reminding me of THE Creator--our loving and always-faithful God.

Scarf's Done!

2009-08-26T17:08:00.001-07:00

I finished knitting this scarf––one of my first completed garments––and I wore it today. What a feeling of accomplishment! Do you suppose God had the same warm feeling when he knit each of us--in our mothers' wombs?

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb" (Psalm 139:13 NIV).

Writing and Friendship

2009-08-10T22:43:00.000-07:00

Here's a photo of me (left/pink blouse), my literary agent Janet,(red jacket) and three writing friends, Georgia, Penny and Nikki. Writing is hard, solitary work. It is so good to know there are other people who understand what it's like to search one's mind and heart for just the right words, to meet deadlines no matter what, and to turn in a manuscript and wait for a verdict! I treasure the company of women friends who are also writers and who share the ups and downs of life as a wordsmith. Thank you, one and all.

Ah, Flowers!

2009-07-27T14:29:00.000-07:00

My honey and I spent Sunday weeding, pruning, picking, and planting. What a lovely way to spend a day together. I love this time of year. We can be outdoors together enjoying nature, each other, God's provision in our garden, and then sleep like babies after a good day in the sunshine. I love flowers so much I even married one––Charles Flowers, that is––my husband of 26 years. Life is sweet and we are grateful. My prayer today is a quote from Stormie Omartian: "Lord, speak to my heart all that You want me to know."

Christian Booksellers Convention Update

2009-07-18T13:08:00.000-07:00

I had a great time in Denver, walking the convention floor to see all the new books being published, including mine! I also attended the Pearl Girls Tea and was a guest speaker. Please check out this worthy ministry at www.pearlgirls.info. The founder is Margaret McSweeney, compiling editor of a new book of touching personal experience stories from a variety of women. All proceeds will go to two nonprofit organizations, one to help dig wells in Africa for people in need of fresh, clean water and for a group in Chicago that houses mothers and children who are fleeing from domestic abuse. More info available on the web site. Pictures here include one of me with my writing student Renetta, author Camy Tang, my friend and romance writer at her book signing, and my friend Jeanne, recipient of the Pearl Girls special prize.

Fight, Love, Live (FILOLI)

2009-07-03T16:09:00.001-07:00

On Wednesday Charles and I and our friends Carol and Don visited the beautiful FILOLI Mansion and Gardens built in 1917 about 30 miles south of San Francisco. The estate has a fascinating history and the grounds are exceptional. So if you're ever out this way, I recommend putting it on your list. The highlight for me was dancing with my honey in the stately ballroom. We didn't have our dancing shoes on but we pretended! We did just as well in our Nikes.

Heaven-bound

2009-06-25T17:03:00.000-07:00

Today, my neighbor Shirley died of brain cancer. I will miss her. She welcomed me to this neighborhood when my husband and I moved here and she was always a source of encouraging words and ready prayers. She will not receive the press that Farah Fawcett and Michael Jackson will, (who also died today). But all of us who loved Shirley will celebrate her life in our hearts and memories.

So today, I thank God for Shirley, her legacy, and the blessing she was in my life--one that made my life beautiful in many ways.

Writing and Baking

2009-06-06T18:02:00.000-07:00

Spent a week in Ohio with my daughter Julie (a writer, speaker, teacher) and her children. Julie and I worked at the kitchen table clicking away while 12-year-old granddaughter Caitrin prepared the dough for vegan cinnamon rolls. Then she and I pounded and rolled and filled and cut and baked and enjoyed them for breakfast the next morning. All that work and they disappeared in seconds. Caitrin and her older sister and one of her brothers are committed vegans. This recipe is to die for, as they say. Check it out for yourself at veganyumyum.com.

How does your garden grow?

2009-05-24T14:41:00.000-07:00

I spent part of this week gardening, tending roses in particular. They are magnificent this year. When I look at them I could weep. They are so pretty, so humble, so who they are. I want to be like them--blooming where I'm planted and giving glory to God by simply being. I also appreciate the wild flowers in the hills above the Pacific Ocean near our home. I went hiking on Friday with my friend Sherry and we enjoyed looking at fields of colorful blooms high above the rocky cliffs. In the water below the seals and their pups frolicked in the waves or sunned themselves on the rocks. Nature is so healing. I want to return to this place often.

A Day in the Garden

2009-04-26T19:38:00.000-07:00

Sunday is a day of worship and rest--and today, gardening, as well. Charles and I are preparing our yard for summer. What a pleasure it is. We both got our hands in the dirt and loved it. We are planting purple, pink, yellow and red flowers, dressing up my prayer garden and speaking encouragement to every little root, leaf, and bloom. Each plant is now a part of our family and we welcome them. As I stood back and admired the colors and textures and shapes I burst into prayer. How great is our God to surround us with such beauty and humility. These little ones have just one job--bloom where they are planted, thereby worshiping the God who made them. Can I do any less?

Signing Books at Mount Hermon

2009-04-15T14:11:00.000-07:00

I look tired, don't I, even though I had a wonderful time over the Palm Sunday weekend mentoring at the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference. The campus, tucked in the redwoods just north of Santa Cruz, California is a beautiful and inspiring haven for rest, learning, and inspiration. On the last night we had an autograph party. Here I am signing books along with friends Brandilyn Collins and Deborah Raney. Brandilyn planted a fake snake in the center of one of Deb's books. You can imagine her surprise when she opened it and the wiggly creature popped up!

Happy Easter! He is Risen.

2009-04-11T11:39:00.000-07:00

Thank you to my author friend, Mary E. DeMuth, for this beautiful photo taken at Mount Hermon Christian Conference Center over the Palm Sunday weekend. As a child Easter was all about clothes and candy and Easter eggs and a new straw hat. Today it is about being clothed in righteousness--not because of anything I did but because of what Jesus did on the Cross and through His resurrection from the dead. I am new--in Him--as is anyone who calls upon His name and receives His forgiveness and the gift of life everlasting. Blessings to each of you and to your families, from our house to yours.

Happy Birthday to Me!

2009-04-08T09:13:00.000-07:00

Another year of life--and gratitude. I look in the mirror and see the physical evidence of age but the changes that really count are internal--and they're good, thanks to the grace of God. So I celebrate my life today with humility and deep appreciation for the gift of 'being here' and for all the beautiful people who love and care about me. But most of all I'm thankful for Jesus Christ and the best gift of all--eternal life because of what He did on the cross for me and for all who call Him Lord.

Off to Mount Hermon!

2009-03-31T23:07:00.000-07:00

I'm heading up to the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference Wednesday morning to teach for a week. I'm excited about what's ahead for my 'students' and for me. It is always a good day/week/year at Mount Hermon. At this time of year lovely flowers will be in bloom all over the campus. What a joy it is to encourage new writers to step out and share their stories with others and to help them find their place in the world of publishing. I remember with gratitude all the people who helped me when I was starting. Now it's time to give back.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2009-03-17T17:41:00.000-07:00

I didn't wear green today--but many of my friends did when we met for our weekly hike at a park in Santa Cruz, California, near where I live. Irish is written all over my face so I don't need the 'green.' All my grandparents were born in Dublin--so a part of the old sod is within me and under me. I hope I get to see it in person before I go to heaven. In the meantime, I'm enjoying the green hills behind our home, reminiscent of the photos I've seen of Ireland.

And today I was also reminded of a sweet experience my daughter Julie and I shared years ago, written up on her blog today, "Irish Rambles." Check it out, if you wish. http://julieunplugged.blogspot.com/2009/03/irish-rambles.html

It's wonderful when a daughter remembers something special about her mother!! The photo to the left is of Julie and me (I'm wearing green there, you'll notice) on my birthday last year.

2009-03-12T17:19:00.000-07:00

Here is a book I am PROUD to recommend. Journey to the Well by my good friend Diana Wallis Taylor is one of the best biblical novels I've read in years. I loved it! Not only does the author explore in detail the life and relationships of the woman at the well we've read about in Scripture, but in so doing she touches the heart and life of every woman and man today, and displays through the story the unfathomable love and grace that is available to each one of us through Jesus Christ. Buy this book today. In fact, buy a second one and give to a friend or relative.

Sleepover at Grammy's!

2009-03-08T13:47:00.000-07:00

Oh to be ten again and to have a sleepover at your grandmother's house with your best friend, where Grammy waits on you hand and foot, you have your own room, tv and computer, and the undivided attention of your grandparents. That was my granddaughter Mairin's experience Friday night. And it was my pleasure to be the grandma doing the serving. I never had a living grandmother when I was a child so I am relishing BEING one. We played card games and dominoes, visited the public library, went to the movies, had waffles for breakfast, and took a neighborhood walk. Such fun. These days will never pass this way again, so I am making the most of them and loving every minute.

Writing for the Soul

2009-02-25T16:20:00.000-08:00

I attended the Writing for the Soul Conference sponsored by the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild February 19-22. I highly recommend it. I went as a 'student' this time--to learn and grow, to be inspired and educated to be a better writer, and to relax and spend time with God alone in prayer and quiet. I received all this and more. Jerry and Diana Jenkins (see them with the little old lady--me--in the photo) were great hosts and have become dear friends. I also spent a few minutes with students Cleveland, Bill, Rene (in photo with me) and Loralee. I loved meeting them in person. I hope you will consider adding this event to your list of things to do in 2010. It will take place in Denver next year. See www.christianwritersguild.com for more details. And if you'd like to order CDs of the various programs, you can do that too--on the CWG web site.

Reflections on Valentine's Day

2009-02-17T11:00:00.000-08:00

I stood in front of the greeting card section at the local variety store, looking for a 'just right' Valentine for my sweetheart husband, Charles. I found one--but it was nearly $6.00. I'm not paying that for a card he'll read and then toss or put away I told myself. I think I'll just bring him to the store, let him read it, and then return it to the display. Sounds a bit tacky and cheap, but hey, we're all living in tough times! I returned home and told Charles what I found and how I felt about it. I told him I loved him and I looked forward to spending the weekend in South San Francisco with him at a Goal Setting workshop. He said he wasn't going to buy me a card either. We decided to 'be' love messages for each other in actions and words. I liked that. So off we went for our getaway. Saturday night after the first half of the workshop, we sat across the table from one another to order dinner. The restaurant was offering a Valentine's Day Special--$50 a person (who'd want to eat alone on such a day?) and $90 a couple--for five courses, including dessert and beverage. "No way," I proclaimed. "Everyone is out to gouge us on this commercial holiday." We decided to SHARE a $23.00 meal, thus keeping the calories and the expenses under control. We had a wonderful evening of dining, talking, and then dropping off to sleep at 8:00 p.m. in our lovely hotel room. Probably doesn't sound very romantic by convention's standards but it suited us perfectly. We did what we wanted to do--not what the world suggests or even expects. What a freeing moment. Charles and I had our own version of a romantic weekend of learning and loving and we came home happy--and with a few unspent dollars in our pockets.

From Lemons to Lemonade!

2009-02-05T14:33:00.000-08:00

My friend, Jim Watkins has written a great new book--which I just read. The title: Squeezing the Good out of Bad. If you need a lift, help with overcoming a challenge, a way to make lemonade out of the lemons that are falling into your life, Jim has some humorous, helpful, and inspiring advice!

Here's more info if you'd like to be among the first to buy this great book.

Author

James N. Watkins is an award-winning author of fifteen books and over two thousand articles including a column each issue for Rev. magazine. He serves as an editor with Wesleyan Publishing House and instructor at Taylor University, as well as popular conference speaker. His most important roles, however, are as child of God, husband, dad, and "papaw." Read more than you’d ever want to know at: www.jameswatkins.com/bio.htm

Publisher

XarisCom
112 pages, softcover, trade size (6 x 9 inches)
$12.99 paperback edition, $5.00 download at http://jameswatkins.com/bookstore

Books will be available nationally through amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, etc. March 1, 2009.

Crossing the Bridge

2009-02-02T10:53:00.001-08:00

My latest and last book in my popular "Wimps" series is now in print! It has been a long, delightful and profitable ride and I'm so thankful to everyone who has made it possible. But now I'm ready to cross the bridge from nonfiction humor to humorous romance. I'm not all the way to the other side yet, but I'm moving. I hope to continue writing nonfiction books but my heart is turning toward fiction. If you'd like to see my other titles in my Wimps series, please visit my web site: www.karenoconnor.com. I'm excited about the possibilities that are open to anyone at any age for anything! All we have to do is cross that bridge from here to there to find out what's on the other side. I'm ready! Let me know where you are in your journey.

On the Road With Karen and Sherry

2009-01-26T12:28:00.001-08:00

My friend Sherry Kyle and I felt like a couple of Nancy Drews as we drove south over the weekend to two small towns along the coast of California––the settings of our novels-in-progress––and did a bit of sleuthing. The rain poured and the wind howled but nothing could stop us from completing our mission! We met people who supplied historical facts about the towns and took photos and long walks to ponder our plots. Our visit included some great eating, sight-seeing, and driving too. We came home refreshed and recharged to get back to the keyboard and put our imaginations into words. What better life can there be than that of a writer?

Welcome, Mr. President

2009-01-20T15:25:00.001-08:00

What a day this has been. I've been in front of CNN on TV since early morning and I'm taking just a moment to note this historical event on my blog. I am so grateful to be alive to see this transformation in our country. I salute you, Mr. President and I look forward to supporting you as you lead our country--and our world. May God bless, keep, and direct you and your family.

Itsy Bitsy Spider!

2009-01-11T21:36:00.000-08:00

A few days ago my husband covered the patio tables and chairs--now under wraps till spring. But before he did so I noticed one of our spider visitors (and they come by the droves) had spun its web between two chairs. It was perfect as near as I could tell. I thought it so beautiful I snapped a photo. What a beautiful work of art, using the tools and natural talent that are part of this creature's being. Later that day I returned to my home/office and thought more about what I had seen. I was inspired to sit down at my desk and create something beautiful with the tools and talent that God has given me. It was a very good day!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T17:45:00.000-08:00

Today is the first day of the new year and I am reminded, thanks to a card I received from my friend Mary-Ellen for my birthday last year, that 'My life is writing itself'--writing in thought, in action at the keyboard, in prayer to God who gave me the gift of writing and in books and articles and e-mails and blogs. Words matter. Because this is true for me, I like to choose a word to focus on each year. For 2009 it is TRUST. In years past I've selected Joy, Praise, Gratitude, etc., but this year Trust feels right.

I wish each of you who read this entry a year of peace and joy and holy trust in the One who can do for us what we cannot do for ourselves.

Early Christmas

2008-12-24T13:25:00.001-08:00

On Sunday, December 21 we celebrated Christmas early with the Torr family (Karen's daughter Erin and her husband Bruce and children) with a yummy lunch, a German chocolate 'castle cake' for dessert, and a story, "The Night Before Christmas," that Granddad Charles read with help from five-year-old Miles. The family will be in Catalina for Christmas and Charles and I will be here alone--enjoying a time of rest and peace and gratitude for a year of blessings. May your day be special too.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-26T19:39:00.001-08:00

My husband Charles and I wish you and your family a joy-filled Thanksgiving Day and holiday weekend. We all have so much to be grateful for. I look forward to a leisurely time with children, grandchildren, siblings and friends, enjoying good food, warm conversation, entertainment, and relaxation. It's a time to cut back, cut down, and be cozy!

Beautiful Morro Bay

2008-11-22T10:47:00.000-08:00

My husband and I had a terrific 'learning vacation' at Morro Bay last weekend, focusing on the work involved in a class called 'A Time For Intentions.' By the end of the three-day session I was clear about my intention for the coming months. I will encourage my imagination to soar, unhindered by fear or apprehension. My best ideas for books and magazine articles come when I allow my mind and heart to take wing! And then turn the ideas over to God for His direction.

President-Elect Barack

2008-11-06T16:20:00.001-08:00

Here I am with our new President, though he was wearing a cardboard suit when I met him!! While in Sonoma last week my husband parked the car on a street full of shops and galleries so we could take a leisurely walk. When we got out I realized we were standing in front of an Obama Campaign Office. Couldn't resist having Charles take my photo with Mr. Pres. I hope I get to shake his real hand one day!

It has been an historic couple of days. How blessed we are to live in such a time as this. I feel very grateful to be an American and to look ahead to what God has for us through our new president and his associates.

I also thank God for President Bush and his family. I hope he and Laura can now enjoy a time of peace and rest after serving our country for eight years.

Retreating in Sonoma

2008-10-30T19:39:00.000-07:00

Just returned from a delightful three days in the wine country--north of San Francisco. I don't drink wine--but I enjoyed looking at all the vineyards from the road, driving across the Golden Gate Bridge to and from Sonoma, visiting the Jack London Museum, various art galleries and quaint shops, and spending time with my husband Charles and my writing friend Sherry Kyle and others who gathered for a writers' retreat sponsored by Books 'n' Such Literary Agency, which my agent, Janet Grant directs. On the way home we had breakfast in San Francisco at Mel's, an old-fashioned diner, complete with a juke box. It was good to get away from the computer and telephone for a bit of rest, relaxation, good food, terrific fellowship and some helpful workshops. Now to put all that into practice . . . :-)

Profiles in Courage--As We Age

2008-10-09T11:51:00.001-07:00

Last Saturday my husband Charles and I went to Roaring Camps (a railroad and station from the 1880s, preserved for current-day visitors) to begin celebrating his 80th birthday--one of many celebrations planned. Charles is from an old railroad family so it was a thrill for him to ride the train, chat with the conductor and sit in the locomotive. We also enjoyed having our artist friend Debbie sketch our profiles! Charles will turn 80 on Oct. 11! I turned 70 in April. Yikes! But life is full and good and we're happy and grateful.

Starting From Scratch

2008-10-02T10:06:00.001-07:00

Here is a book I wish I had had when I was starting from scratch many years ago after my long marriage ended. Authors Sharon M. Knudson and Mary Fran Heitzman have gathered together the true-life experiences of 23 women who started over when it was all they could do. Their stories will inspire and motivate you or someone you know to take up life again and make it even better than it was. They also have included recipes, encouraging scripture verses, and lessons learned. This is a must-read for any woman in need of hope and healing when she finds herself single again.

Starting From Scratch When You're Single Again published by Christian Life, 2008.

It's True What They Say

2008-09-25T16:40:00.001-07:00

I've been in a blue funk the last week or more. So I did want 'they' say to do in such a state. I got out in my garden among my roses and princess flowers and assorted other varieties and I worked the soil and trimmed the plants and talked to my little floral pets. I have a sign sticking up out of the dirt and it says, "Speak to the earth and it will speak back." It did. Another sign says, "The best place to find God is in a garden." That's right. No question there. And then I did something else that 'they' say to do--serve others. I visited my sick neighbor and we went for a stroll together. I'm quite sure she blessed me more than I blessed her. And now I'm happy and content--out of the blue!

Teens!

2008-09-01T10:06:00.001-07:00

Two of my teenaged grandchildren, Jacob and Johannah, visited us in Watsonville last week. It was a true pleasure to have them here. We talked, walked, and ate together, enjoyed visiting Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, and the Monterey Aquarium, and the Shakespeare Festival ("Romeo and Juliet") at the University of California outdoor theater. We also celebrated their cousin Shevawn's (another of our teen grands) 15th birthday while they were here. I was sad to see them leave but grateful they wanted to spend time with us. Johannah will return to the University of Ohio for her sophomore year and Jacob will be a junior in high school. I'm excited about what's ahead for these talented and truly fine young people. I love being their grandmother.

Sisters

2008-08-19T17:58:00.001-07:00

Here's my younger sister, June, standing in my kitchen fixing food during a recent visit. She and her husband Harry just celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary--no small accomplishment in this era of short relationships and quick divorces. Today I'm reflecting on our friendship and all the fun we've had as little sisters, teen-age sisters, and now adult sisters. We've stood by one another trudging up the hill, standing on top of the hill, and sliding down the hill. I love you, June, and am grateful for your presence in my life.