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.