Be thankful!

Today is warm and sunny and almost the end of the year 2010! Christmas is always over before you have time to really contemplate its true meaning. My 2 year old grandson that lives in Alaska got up really early Christmas morning and went into his parents bedroom. He shook his daddy awake and said "Baby Jesus"! He knew it was the day to open his presents and he also knew the true meaning of Christmas! We have a saying "Out of the mouth of babes" and it is so true. How many of us adults got up Christmas morning and thought: "Today is the day baby Jesus was born" Hopefully alot of us! Anyway, I am very thankful for all the blessings God gave me and my family this past year and also for a wonderful, blessed Christmas. The following is a message from chapter two in my book "Living Waters:Writings from the Heart of a Christian" It is titled - Be Thankful

"Put aside all hurts of the past. Do not dwell on them, but be thankful for them, for they have helped you to become the loving, caring person you are today. Be thankful in all things. Forgive as your Heavenly Father has forgiven you."

Rain

It was wonderful to have it rain this morning. So unusual this time of year! Have you allowed the Lord to rain down blessings from Heaven upon you and your family? I believe we can stifle those blessings by continuing to live in sin, or we can repent and follow Jesus. Giving to worthy causes will bring down the blessings of God. Being obedient to whatever He is asking of you will also rain down the blessings. I am not advocating that we do these things just for blessings, but do them out of the goodness of your heart with nothing expected in return. It states in the Gospel of Luke 6:38 "Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down and overflowing will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you."

How is your shopping coming? Mine is all finished, mainly because this is the year we are cutting back at the request of our family. I sent the little grandchildren their gifts early and the other few gifts are wrapped and under the tree! It is very freeing to not be out each day trying to choose a special gift for that special someone and not have a clue what to buy. Don't get me wrong, I do love to be generous and have always loved to give many gifts, but there comes a time when we all have too many things! We are going to enjoy being together and celebrate the true meaning of Christmas, which is Jesus birth and why he came to earth. Jesus is our special friend and in John 15:13-15 Jesus tells us"No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father." How blessed I am to have Jesus as my friend. However, I also believe he wants us to have special friends to visit with and enjoy sitting and having a cup of tea or coffee with, for a true friend can be more loyal than a brother. So nurture your friendships and don't neglect them this Christmas Season!

During the season of Advent we often hear songs about peace on earth goodwill toward men. Today I wish to share with you a paragraph from my book. This is from a message titled Name of Jesus. "My children, speak the name of Jesus with reverence. There is power in the name of Jesus. Call upon His name in moments of meditation, in times of praise, in times of trouble, and in times of thanksgiving. Have His name written in your heart and on your lips at all times. Let every breath you breathe pump the name of Jesus from your heart. Become so Christ-centered that you begin to have His peace, His joy, His love." I believe these are words to take to heart so that the peace of Christ will reign in your heart. Happy Advent!

Busy week!

This has been a busy week! Family came to our house for Thanksgiving dinner and that was very special. Lots of food and conversation, not to mention playing with our 2 month old grandbaby. Something so special about having a baby in the home - holding her, singing to her, playing baby toys with her and watching her give me that baby smile that says: I love you Grandma!
The book signing at Barnes and Noble went really well and the local TV station showed up, much to my surprise, to film some of it for the evening news! This weekend the Wyoming Tribune Eagle featured a story/picture of myself and my book in the Sunday paper. The reporter came to my home and interviewed me in a very relaxed, conversational way and I feel did a great job of writing the story. The photographer came two days later and took a number of photos of myself holding the book. He was very professional and yet took all the time he needed to get just the shot that would depict the story. The response from the publicity has been heartwarming and people are buying the book for themselves as well as for gifts for that someone special they feel will just love my book.
I am very thankful for the people in my life and the path that God has chosen for me to follow.
I can't imagine my life without God in it as He is my Life, my Truth and my Way!

Book signing at Barnes and Noble

Today, Saturday, November 20th, I will be signing my book at Barnes and Noble at 1:00 p.m. I have been looking forward to this opportunity to be able to talk with readers about my book and answer any questions they may have. I very much appreciate Linda at the store for setting the signing up and her willingness to do it. Tomorrow, Sunday, I will be signing my book at St. Mary's Cathedral after all the morning Masses. After this weekend I will take a break and enjoy my new grandbaby who is coming to visit for a week. My husband and I are hosting Thanksgiving at our home this year, so need some time to prepare for eighteen of us. I look forward to having family come and give thanks together for all of God's goodness and love. We all are so blessed and have more than we ever need. We live in a country that gave thanks to God in its formation and I am thankful that we still have a day set aside to do what the pilgrims did so many years ago. I am thankful for our forefathers that drew up the Declaration of Independence and for our Constitution. May we never take it for granted, but continue to thank and praise our Lord for being able to live in the land of the free! Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

JAX Author's Day

Had a great day yesterday at JAX in Ft. Collins, Co. There were one hundred area authors signing their books. Jax has two stores, so the authors were divided between the stores. It was fun to go around and meet other authors and see what they had to offer. The Lord answered our prayers and the roads were clear both going and coming home. It snowed after we got home! Next Saturday the 21st at 1 p.m. I will be at Barnes and Noble here in Cheyenne signing my new book. This is a busy time for me and I am enjoying it. Books make a great Christmas gift and many people look for just the right book to give to a loved one. New authors are eager to get their book out there and into the hands of someone that will really love it and tell others about it. So if you have recently been given a new book or purchased one of a new author and you are really happy with it, please tell someone else about it. Or better yet, purchase one as a gift for that special person you know would love it too.

Blessings

My husband and I journeyed to Laramie on Saturday for the Hastings book signing. First we went to my sister's home to celebrate her birthday and then on to see if anyone would show up and buy my book. I was pleasantly surprised! It was a fun two hours and I enjoyed talking to everyone that stopped by the table. I signed twelve books and was given great praise from the book store for selling that many! (I had no idea what to expect) They invited me to come back in January. My granddaughter. who is going to school at the University, came with cookies and her encouragement and support for the signing. All in all it was a warm, beautiful day and I was most happy to see "Living Waters" go home with such nice friendly people. Life is full of surprises and after staying home to raise a large family, God has blessed me beyond measure with this new journey in life. His love is beyond anything we can ever imagine and as we follow him we get a glimpse of it pouring out to us.

I am excited about my upcoming book signing at Hastings in Laramie. I also now have books available at St.Marys Gift Shop. I am finding out that you don't just write a book, have it published and then your finished. That is when some work begins! Marketing is definitely a part of the process. I also know this is the Lord's work and I am his handmaiden, which makes it all easier. He will never give you more than you can handle and He is always by my side to see me through whatever I am doing with the book. He does that for each and everyone of us as we walk through life. He desires us to know His tremendous love and peace in every situation, so turn to Him and let Him help you today in whatever you are going through.

Book signing on Nov. 20th

Book signing at Barnes N Noble is scheduled for November 20th from 1p.m. to 3 p.m. in Cheyenne. Please come browse the book aisles and pick up a copy of my book.

Book signing

My publisher has arranged for a book signing at Hastings Book Store in Laramie, Wy Saturday, November 6th from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. I now have audio books available and will have them on hand as well as my book. If you are in the area please stop by! May the blessings of the Lord be with you.

My new website

My new website is up and running: Check it out! http://dorothylansing.tateauthor.com

Another beautiful day in Cheyenne! 85 degrees out right now and no wind! I love this time of year when the trees are changing their color to the beautiful hues of yellow, gold and reds. It makes me ponder how often do we humans change our coat that we wear as Christians. Are we staying the same year in and year out, or do we let God bring a brilliant hue to our coat as we pray and praise him? Do we continue to draw closer to the well of living waters and drink the pure refreshing water that Jesus brings us? Or are we content to draw water from the same old well that is stagnant and unhealthy to drink? Just a few things to ponder as we watch nature change and show off the beauty God has placed in it. Have a peaceful Sunday and week.

Restful Sunday

Today has been a beautiful Sunday. My husband and I were the Lectors this morning at Mass and that is always a special way to serve our Lord. We went to Hartmann Hall afterwards for coffee and doughnuts and enjoy the opportunity to visit with fellow parishoner. A special part of the day was talking to my daughter who is ready to have her first baby and to see if there is any hint if it could be today. I am so excited to see and hold this little one. Such a beautiful gift for our family. I spent time reading a book and falling asleep between chapters. (Its not that it isn't a good read, its just that I woke up too early and needed a little shuteye.) I was able to skype my family that doesn't live here and that is a great way to see and talk to my grandchildren! If you don't use Skype, I highly reccommend it. Isn't it great what modern technology does so we can keep in touch with loved ones! However, to keep in touch with our God, we don't need anything modern. We only need the discipline of taking time to pray. He waits longingly and patiently for us to come to Him.
Dear Lord, I thank you for the blessings of this restful day! Thank you for my husband and I ask you to bless his birthday tomorrow. Thank you that I can come to you so simply and you hear me. Bless all who read my posts on this blog!

Good morning! My son from Oregon is home for a few days visit and so I have been cooking his favorite foods. When I used to go visit my mom and dad I loved the smells coming from my mom's kitchen and I felt like I was home. We would sit around the kitchen table and visit about this and that and just enjoy being together. I miss that, as my parents went home to be with the Lord many years ago, but now it is so heartwarming to have my family come home and do the same thing. Families are to be treasured and nurtured, for that protective cocoon around us helps us when we are battling the world that surrounds us. Enjoy all of your family members and do whatever you can for them, even if the only thing you can do is just pray for them. Have a great day and God Bless you!

My Prayer to the Lord

O Lord, my heart is full and bubbling over with joy of you. The sharp pain I feel is my love for you bursting forth. It is hard for me to express my love for you in words, for words cannot explain what I feel inside.

Trust Me

Trust me and do not worry for I am with you. I have called you out of darkness into my glorious light! (From Ch II)

Living Water

Out of the depths of one's innermost being will flow rivers of living water, as you turn to me and let me fill you. This spring within will never cease or run dry if you keep your heart centered on me. Only when you let other concerns and cares take my place a drying up begins. This wellspring continually flows as long as I am the very center and core of your being.

If you are interested in purchasing my book you can e-mail me at livingwatersauthor@gmail.com or you can go online and order from Tate Publishing.Com

Do you ever wonder why some people are more joyful than others? The following is a passage from my book: The joy within the heart of my believers is a joy the Holy Spirit gives. It is a bubbling up of happiness and contentment, an inner peace that springs forth and gently falls as a fresh spring rain. When others smell this fragrance of joy they realize something is missing in their lives.

The following is from Chapter 2 on prayer: Put aside all hurts of the past. Do not dwell on them, but be thankful for them, for they have helped you to become the loving, caring person you are today. Be thankful in all things. Forgive as your heavenly Father has forgiven you.

The following is from a message in the chapter on Family and is titled "Children are a Blessing"
Children truly are a blessing from me. Delight in them and learn from them. Watch their simple ways, their friendly smile, and their love. They can be so giving, giving freely without anything expected in return. They are very trusting, knowing they will be provided for. They never worry if there is enough to eat or where they will sleep. Take a lesson from these little ones and become as a little child. This is what pleases me, for then your faith is pure and simple. It is when you are as a little child that your prayers are most readily answered!

As I observe my little grandchildren, the above message is so true! Lord, help me to become like a little child in my faith!

audio book

I have been listening to my audio book while I am working around the house. I downloaded it to my i-pod so that makes it easy to listen to. My husband Ray worked as a radio announcer when we first met and of course I fell in love with that golden voice (as well as him) He later worked in television, so he has had alot of experience with voice work. He is the narrator of the audio book and does an outstanding job. So check it out as I know you will enjoy listening to the book. It is a free download when you purchase the book. The last page of the book gives instructions how to download it from Tate Publishing.Com.

I am really pleased with the look of my new book, but its the content inside that I know will help you the reader draw closer to God. The tremendous love He has for each one of us is revealed in Chapter 1 titled Love. We all need to have that assurance that God knows everything about us and cares about every detail of our lives. Do you know that He has favorite names that He calls you and they are most endearing? You will feel His love pouring out to you as you let Him speak to you in the stillness of your heart.

My book is printed!

My book is printed and I received my first shipment today! Now I can begin some pre-sales before the official public release date of October 5th. I will be setting up book signings and letting everyone I know that the book is now available. You can find it on line by typing in my name dorothylansing on Google. Or you can go directly to Tate Publishing.Com The Audio is available at Audible Books by Amazon and you can listen to a sample. It is also available as an e-book. If you purchase the book there is a free download of the audio book. My husband Ray did a great job narrating the book. Hope you check it out and thank you so much if you read or listen to it! My publisher, Tate Publishing, did a fabulous job and they were superb to work with!

The book is finished and ready for printing! The audio book has been recorded and will be distributed when the book comes out. As I reflect back, all of this involved time and a willingness to keep on schedule. The Lord God has a perfect time for everything and I am full of gratitude for all of the open doors for this all to come about. I am most pleased how it all has turned out and excited to have it read and listened to. Thank you for reading my posts!

My husband, Ray and I finished the audio cd's for the audio book and I sent it to the publisher. It should be available the same time my book comes out. Ray did a superb job narrating it. Thank you Ray.

Final Proof

Today I received the final proof for my book "Living Waters; Writings from the Heart of a Christian" I can't begin to tell you how exciting this is that I am at this stage of publication. My book should be available to the public by late Fall of 2010. I have waited many years for this all to come together and thank God for his faithfulness in leading me to have this work published.