Saturday, December 28, 2013

Gifts for the Road will be published soon.


Gifts for the Road has been accepted by PublishAmerica – and this is not self published. They do not charge anything. However I will need to do some marketing, so you may hear from me more often than usual.   Here is a brief description of what the story is about, which I hope many will be edified by if not curious.
It is a story based on the journey taken by the Holy Family fleeing Bethlehem to Egypt under the threat of Herod’s soldiers looking to kill Jesus. The family is also pursued by two thieves seeking to steal the Magi gifts. Joseph, Mary, and Jesus travel with Mary’s maidservant, Joseph’s friend and borrowed servants. The wayfarers visit family, sleep in caves and are hosted by Jewish families living in Egypt. They face wild animals, ride camels and sail the Mediterranean. Answering questions along the way of why they are so far from home, Mary and Joseph share prophecy and the birth of Jesus. Some believe them, some do not. Joseph takes his family one hundred and fifty miles south along the Nile, where they spend six months in a cave and one thief comes to them asking forgiveness. Before heading home on a Roman vessel, Joseph and those with him help a destitute family in Alexandria get back on their feet.
Gifts for the Road incorporates prophecy and truth, as well as traditions and myths established by the Coptic Orthodox Church and folklore recorded in Eastern and Western apocryphal literature.


Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Knowing God


WHO IS THE GOD OF LOVE?
As we who do not belong to this world, our perception of God differs from those who do. Many opinions are figments of an imagination, and no figment or fancy ever saved one’s soul. So how do you measure your beliefs about the Lord? Hold them up to the revelations in His Word – the Bible. Isaiah 5:8 – and learn His ways.

It is impossible to have a personal relationship with Him based on reason or ideas, or rational thoughts. It simply doesn’t work that way – the answer is Faith, You can learn to live by faith by getting close to Him through his Word. However, God never imposes on us. He must be discovered and joyfully received for He is a loving and just God – loving all of humanity, even those who reject Him. Those who come to Him in repentance – turning their back on sin – will have life everlasting in His kingdom, because God is love.

Sunday, July 28, 2013

TEA TIME


When was the last time you went to a tea party? Well, I hosted one for 28 people the other day – the proceeds are going to the wives of 5 African missionaries. After all, isn’t it the men who always get the funds?  A tea seemed the appropriate way to raise the $600 we ended up making.  $150 of that was from the sale of handmade jewelry – ‘fair-trade’ beads hand polished and painted by African women.

Do you know the difference between high tea and low tea? I assure you it is the opposite of what it sounds like. Low tea is held in the afternoon and supports all the elegant things you may think go with high tea, i.e. china tea cups, silver serving dishes and ceramic tea pots, and hopes for white gloves and wide brim hats.
The dining room table set for 6, baby carnations shared space with the ceramic tea pot


Angel fountain in living room, background sound to dining room
Entry hall where people signed in
2nd outdoor table set for 6
Outdoor table for 4, pond behind for background sound
Butlers pantry, decorated with children and sea shells
 
High tea is held at night and is referred to high tea because it is served off a high table! It is the last meal of the night and generally consists of a heartier fare than small decorative cakes and colored mint candies and dress is casual.

I have included a few pictures of tables – we had 2 outside decorated in red and four inside decorated in yellows, pinks, blues and white. Enjoy.

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Traveling Again, Still Writing


I just returned from a Flair and Dare trip. First to Los Osos (means the bears) by Moro Bay where I rearranged pictures for my sister and her husband (he is an artist) after they remodeled. They like to cover the walls with his art work. I only made changes to the living room and dining room but did not photograph the rest. See below. 
Living area
Dining Room
 
The next stop was to my other sister’s in Alameda. I did some minor rearrangements there. So there are only a couple of pictures. The living area is long and narrow with the kitchen at the far end.See below.

Got the plant stand at Big Lots and the new rug from Sally's for $29.00 (Yeah)
Looking from the entry. Palm from Home Depot special $20, Cool lamp from Sally's for $5.00 (Yea!)

Looking from the kitchen toward the entry. Throw pillose on sofa from Sally's.
I took my writing with me to do some editing and to my surprise (though I should know better than to be surprised) my allegorical fantasy needed lots of reworking. I really like writing this stuff, it is fun. I have not completed the story yet, and have no idea when it will be done.

I also took my Crystal Pines Trilogy with me. I combined the published work of Morningside (#1 in the trilogy, published separately) with the middle story, Winter’s Inn, which was never completed and Crystal Pines, published first but is last in the trilogy. I am enjoying this project because since publication of Crystal Pines, I have wanted to make a lot of changes – true editing was never done.
The reason I am completing the trilogy is that a publisher called me and wanted to do a second edition of Crystal Pines, but I did not feel that it was worthy of one. This inspired me to make the changes necessary and complete the entire work. Don’t know when it will be finished, as it stands now it is over 550 words on 8 ½ by 11 paper with 1 inch margin.
I sent my Gifts for the Road story, about Jesus, Joseph & Mary’s travels to Egypt, out to another publisher but have heard nothing. I am going to send it to several all at one time. God Willing, it may someday get published –I don’t plan on self-publishing. That is it for now.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Spring Roses

Once again, I want to share more spring roses from our garden, thought I would also throw in a picture of the new me, though I am not nearly done with the Nutrisytem plan.
Pink & yellow roses on coffee table, small bird is $1 store special

My favorite the long stem pink roses with silver bell in front,

And who could go wrong with yellow, on the dining table, candle holders were salvaged from a give away location where I play bridge.

Couldn't resist showing this on my butler's pantry, basket is from sister, birds are from Mexico City, Gesha doll is from Japanese factory here in town, and the little Sumo man, love him, was $.49 at Goodies. 


Lost 20 pounds on Nutrisystem 6/02/2013

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Update, New photos, new decorating


My beautiful red camilias match the red furniture in the family room
It has been awhile since I entered anything new here, my apologies. I went through a bit of writers block, but have recovered sufficiently. First, though, I took to redecorating our living room, well not really redecorating, but rearranging. I went through the house and gathered pictures and tables that I was tired of seeing in other rooms and switched them out. Also, I have included a picture of the beautiful camellias from the garden, since the roses are not in bloom yet. 

THe entry - this picture was in my Bible study Room and the stand was in the dining room

A combination of the elite and the salvage, Figurine is Armini,  the fern is from Safeway, an the blak pot is from the thrift store. THe table wads in some corner, and it is neat beause under the glass are tiny elephants and Japanese goodies.


My Yardrow elephant with my $5.00 bouquet of red roses from Wal-Mart. The coffee table is an end table that stands tall and makes a fine coffee table between the love seat and sofa.


The mirror was too heavy to move, it was over the stand in the entry. The tea cart was in a corner and it fit just right between two dining room chairs.
 

 THe table behind the loveseat was in the entry

 my office, turn your head sidewise, don't know how to fix it. Pictue in the background was in the entry.

   I went through a bit of writers block, but have recovered sufficiently. I had entered a partial story, an allegorical fantasy, but was I really stuck on an ending. I finally decided the story should just be set aside for another time.
   Finally afterthe holidays, I became inspired with a really wonderful allegorical fantasy – inspired by God. I have to give him credit, of course. And how do I know He inspires me, because during my Bible study time every morning, I always come up with ideas of what to add to the tale.  Anyway, I am having fun – what is the story about? I don’t want to give anything away, but I can say that there is a variety of characters. Some are celestial, some regular humans, and of course the bad guys.
   I have joined a critique group, Sunrise Christian writers, http://sunrisechristianwriters.blogspot.com/ and the critiques’ I’ve had from the group are good, and they love my allegory. That is encouraging, so much so, that I have written daily for the first time since the summer. This will be a long novel, so I will not be putting it on the blog, like I did the short stories.
         I am still waiting to hear from Waterbrook Press, Random House’s evangelical division about my story of Jesus, Joseph and Mary’s trip to Egypt, ‘Gifts for the Road’. It has been almost a year, and there’s been not a word.  April 3, I will email the editor and give her a week to respond. If she doesn’t, I will start sending the story out. Thank you Lord, for I am rarely discouraged, just persistent.