June 2008

Today is my mom’s birthday, and I spent time with her, taking her first to see my dad who has talked about her birthday for a month – making sure nobody would forget – then took her shopping and enjoyed lunch out at one of our favorite restaurants. We talked about one of my favorite topics – history – only not history of the country or the world, but rather history of my family. I asked her about her childhood and learned some things I didn’t know before. I love gathering insight into the people in my lineage. My mom is the last in her family, and her memories deserve to be remembered.

As a child my mom celebrated her birthdays on Bob-Lo Island at her church’s annual Sunday School picnic, which happened to land at the end of June each year. The picnics were held on a weekday so her dad would take off work to attend. The men of the church would sit near the front of the Bob-Lo Boat and guard the games that were carted to the island to enjoy during the warm, summer afternoons. My mom was given a dime or two during the course of the day and spent her money on the carnival rides on the island, her favorite being the merry-go-round, which remains her favorite to this day.

The island was a fun place to explore, a great place for picnics, games, or lazing away an afternoon. My mom mentioned dancing, but didn’t explain where the dancing took place. But some research showed a dance hall, which I assume is what she meant.

My mom’s Baptist upbringing taught her not to drink, smoke, or dance, though some of the men in the church didn’t follow those first two rules so well. I suspect dancing was easier for them to ignore since many of the German men were used to their stein of beer and figured a pipe or cigar weren’t so bad. Maybe dancing didn’t appeal to them? Still, where did those rules come from? Though I do understand some of the thinking behind such legalism, I suspect my ancestors and their peers were like all the rest of mankind in trying to do what’s right to please God without necessarily knowing Him or what He truly required. Legalism doesn’t save, but that’s another subject…

So, instead of dancing at the pavilion on the island, my mom recalls watching other people participate in the activity. I asked her if she and my dad ever danced. Apparently, my uncle (my dad’s brother) tried to teach them, but they both had two left feet and couldn’t seem to master the art. I’m not so great at dancing myself, but Randy and I do manage to move around a dance floor without stepping on each other’s toes. :) We should take lessons someday!

Bob-Lo Island used to be a fun place back in the day. I recall my grandmother’s stories and pictures of the place as well, when she was young and in love with my grandfather. They took a lot of goofy pictures of themselves at the time, and I used to love to hear her tell of it. Sometimes in our youth, we look at older people and think they have been old forever, but everyone was once young with hopes and dreams and goals for their lives, caught up in relationships that are good and bad, dealing with stresses and trials of life, loving and hating, healing and forgiving.

As I celebrated my mom’s birthday, I was glad we had time to reminisce about days gone by, to get her perspective on her parents and grandparents, people I knew little of or not at all, most of whom died before I was born. Places like Bob-Lo Island were part of their history (you can read about the island’s history here,) and will remain long after the people who traversed there are gone. Bob-Lo Island is not as it was then and may never regain the glory days it once saw. But as with many things of the earth, we can preserve the images and retrace the memories, and perhaps, in the process, gain a little insight into who we are and where we come from.

Today, I did just that, at least in part. Happy birthday, Mom!

When we are young, we don’t expect to one day wake up and be old. (Not that I consider myself old!) As the title of a little gift book I have declares Old Age is Always 15 Years Older Than I Am. :) I’m hanging onto that idea! And 15 years is a long way off…!

I’m also not a fan of death, that is, my hope for myself and my family – parents included – was to live to see Jesus’ return – to be caught up together with Him in the clouds. It’s a dream and a hope I’ve clung to since childhood. But life has a way of making us realize that our dreams don’t always come true. Not that they can’t, because there is always hope that they will, but there is also the chance that they won’t. Everyone dies, after all. Barring the Rapture, everyone I love will see that same fate – including me.

In the meantime, though, it’s hard to watch people age. As a culture who loves its young and one way or another is forever pursuing that elusive “fountain of youth,” we don’t embrace aging or respect those who have outlived their obvious potential. We find little purpose for people who are shut up in nursing homes, who sleep their days away, waiting to die. I was also one who didn’t give those people much thought. Until now. Now that my dad is living among them and much like them.

I never wanted to have to put either one of my parents in a nursing home. It’s a depressing place where I would never want to live, and I wish God had granted this request. But I must say, despite the sad nature of places where people cannot care for themselves any more, I have a new respect for nursing homes, particularly the one where my dad is staying, and the compassion of the people who work there.

Psalm 37:23-25 & 28 says:
If the LORD delights in a man’s way,
he makes his steps firm;
though he stumble, he will not fall,
for the LORD upholds him with his hand.
I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread…
For the LORD loves the just
and will not forsake his faithful ones.

While my dad did fall in a literal sense, he has not fallen in a spiritual one. God has upheld him, has provided a safe place for him, and has not forsaken him. My dad has been faithful in his walk with the Lord for as long as I’ve known him. (Which would be my whole life!) :) And despite this difficult trial, despite the sadness of watching his body fail him to where he is one of those people who wants to sleep a lot, I know my God is faithful and will sustain him until He takes my dad to glory.

Aging isn’t quite so scary anymore, and if my dad dies before the Rapture, I will only regret that he gets to see Jesus before I do. In the meantime, for my part, I will delight in the Lord and trust that though I may stumble, the Lord will not let me fall. I was young and someday (15 years older than I am at any given age!) I will be old. But my God will not forsake me, and my children will not beg bread. God is faithful through life’s changes – my constant in an often disorderly and confusing world.

I love the life of King David – which comes as no surprise to those of you who know me at all! Why else would I devote so much time to the study of his life, to writing three novels based around his life and the lives of his wives? Write what you love is good advice – it makes the writing much more enjoyable – hopefully, it makes for better storytelling as well. :)

Any storyteller will tell you that part of the process of crafting a believable tale involves immersing yourself in the time period and filling your thoughts with things that will help you get to know your characters better. For Biblical fiction, that involves the study of Scripture, as well as, anything that might reveal life as it happened 3000 years ago. I’ve spent hours reading “life and times” type books, studying artifacts (usually in picture form), even going so far as to visit Israel this year. But until recently, except for a few popular church choruses involving the Psalms, I had neglected to saturate my mind with the music of David and his peers.

Then one day last week, I decided to do a bit of fun shopping and discovered a Family Christian Stores right next to one of my favorite clothing stores. I didn’t know they had opened a store so close to me! And of course, I couldn’t pass up the chance to check out their fiction aisles or purchase a book I’d been longing to read. At the checkout, they were offering a promotional CD at a low cost, so I bought it. The group sang only the Psalms, which intrigued me.

I popped the CD into the car’s player to listen and was immediately hooked! A Google search told me this group had several full length CDs to offer, so the following week I found an excuse to be back in the area to purchase one, to hear more of David’s words put to song – the way the Psalms were intended to be heard. They were songs, after all, meant to be sung rather than read.

The group is the Sons of Korah. Below is a video of one of their songs to give you a hint of what they offer. I’ve posted the words to this Psalm below.

As I listen to the Psalms put to music, I can easily imagine how David might have sounded, and in a sense, his voice becomes clearer to me, enhancing what I know of his character. Hopefully, I will be able to capture that essence in the Wives of King David series. (Michal is up on Amazon for pre-order already!) They haven’t put the book cover up yet, but hopefully, soon! (I’m adding it here again, just as a reminder of what’s coming.) :)

Mainly, I wanted to share with you the Sons of Korah, so you can get a feel for how the Psalms might have sounded when they were sung in David’s day. Obviously, they didn’t have electric guitars, but David was a gifted musician who crafted some of his own instruments and made use of a variety of them in public worship. When he brought the ark to Jerusalem, he appointed skilled musicians to lead the people in singing and making melody to the Lord. So while the instruments today are more modern, some of the sounds may have been as full and perhaps slightly similar. In any case, the group is worth listening to! Enjoy! :)

Psalm 148 (NIV)

1 Praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD from the heavens,
praise him in the heights above.

2 Praise him, all his angels,
praise him, all his heavenly hosts.

3 Praise him, sun and moon,
praise him, all you shining stars.

4 Praise him, you highest heavens
and you waters above the skies.

5 Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for he commanded and they were created.

6 He set them in place for ever and ever;
he gave a decree that will never pass away.

7 Praise the LORD from the earth,
you great sea creatures and all ocean depths,

8 lightning and hail, snow and clouds,
stormy winds that do his bidding,

9 you mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars,

10 wild animals and all cattle,
small creatures and flying birds,

11 kings of the earth and all nations,
you princes and all rulers on earth,

12 young men and maidens,
old men and children.

13 Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for his name alone is exalted;
his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.

14 He has raised up for his people a horn,
the praise of all his saints,
of Israel, the people close to his heart.
Praise the LORD.

I should have posted this sooner, but to say my life is crazy busy this week is an understatement! But I’m also happy to report that God is good – as He always is – and I am seeing a distant light at the end of this long tunnel. But that’s another story…

The fun news is – BOOKS!!! And better yet, they are all historical fiction – fast becoming my favorite genre!

Over at the blog I participate in with other lovers of historical fiction – Favorite PASTimes – we’re having a HUGE book giveaway contest THIS WEEK ONLY!

Our featured interview is with Bethany House editor Charlene Patterson, and since she’s an editor, she has access to several new releases that Bethany House has offered for our contest. They are:

From a Distance by Tamera Alexander (As my blog readers know, I just read this – it’s terrific!)

Deep in the Heart of Trouble by Deeanne Gist (I’ve read the others in the series and wish I could win this one!)

Unbridled Dreams by Stephanie Grace Whitson (I want to read a Stephanie Whitson novel soon!)

The Jewel of Gresham Green by Lawanna Blackwell (Love the cover!)

Washington’s Lady by Nancy Moser (I just bought this – it looks great!)

Be sure to check out the websites to read more about the books – they look wonderful!

So…how do you win a copy of one of these books? Easy – click on the link to Favorite PASTimes and leave a comment any day this week. TEN winners will be drawn – because Bethany House is giving away TWO copies of each of the above titles.

So click on over and check out the interview with Charlene Patterson. If you win, let me know! And let me know what you think of the story! :)

A few days ago I mentioned how much I looked forward to reading some new releases by some of my favorite Christian fiction authors. These books couldn’t have come at a better time, not only because they are great at transporting me to different worlds and are wonderful stress relievers, but because summer is almost here, and well, summer is a time to read great fiction! :) Of course, I could say that about any season. But I must say, these authors are doing a terrific job of keeping me enthralled.

Award-winning author and friend, Tamera Alexander is one of those authors, and I am absolutely thrilled to announce her latest release From A Distance, another fabulous historical novel from this author – book one of the Timber Ridge Reflections series from Bethany House. This story is every bit as good as Tamera’s first three award-winning novels, The Fountain Creek Chronicles. Her characters are true-to-life, believable, and the kind of people you’d love to meet. LOVED her hero, and actually, I have a sneaking suspicion we’ll be seeing more of these characters in the next two books in the series. I’d love to see a story featuring more of the sheriff and one about his sister. Maybe Tammy will give me a hint…? :)

Here’s a bit about the book from Tamera’s website:

Determined to become one of the country’s premier newspaper photographers, Elizabeth Westbrook travels to the Colorado Territory to capture the grandeur of the mountains surrounding the remote town of Timber Ridge. She hopes, too, that the cool, dry air of Colorado, and its renowned hot springs, will cure the mysterious illness that threatens her career, and her life.

Daniel Ranslett, a former Confederate sharpshooter, is a man shackled by his past, and he’ll do anything to protect his land and his solitude. When an outspoken Yankee photographer captures an image that appears key to solving a murder, putting herself in danger, Daniel is called upon to repay a debt. He’s a man of his word, but repaying that debt will bring secrets from his past to light.

Forced on a perilous journey together, Daniel and Elizabeth’s lives intertwine in ways neither could have imagined when first they met . . . from a distance.

I’ve often said I can put any book down, and it takes a really good story to keep me glued to the page. From A Distance is such a story. Tamera Alexander has proven from her debut novel until now that she knows how to create a story that weaves an impassioned, poignant, moving tale around your heart. She has become an author I trust to deliver, and I have never been disappointed!

Can’t wait to read the next two in the series.

You can purchase From A Distance at these three online bookstores:

Amazon
CBD
Barnes & Noble

Happy reading!

God has given me many gifts, blessings, if you will. If I were to count them, the list would include first and foremost my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and after that my husband, sons, family, friends, church, and so much more. One small gift, but one I treasure – actually there are two: (1) the gift and ability to create stories with words and (2) the ability to enjoy the stories of other authors. I believe God gave me these things in part, to help me cope through some of life’s tougher trials.

Today has been another one of those tough days. I’ve been wanting to post some devotional thoughts on this blog soon, but lately it seems like I’m pouring my creativity into Abigail and reading good books. The stress release has been a much-needed escape.

I had to deal with some issues surrounding my dad again today. We are hoping to resolve some of these things soon. Of course, when we are dealing with people, we inevitably run up against someone who does not take kindly to our points of view. I dealt with such a woman today who appeared to have a chip on her shoulder. I’m sure she sensed my unhappiness about the situation in question, but in all honesty, I tried to be kind in handling it all. Still, she got defensive and seemed offended that I would question things they had done. Funny how we all get like that sometimes. I’d say she was just having a rough day, but if that were true, given her overall attitude, then she’s been having a rough time since we met two months ago – it just wasn’t as evident then.

Some people come across a bit intimidating, even patronizing. And my human instinct is to react in anger the wrong way. But there is a right way to show displeasure, even anger, without sinning. The Bible does say, “In your anger, do not sin.” Today was one of those days, when I prayed for grace to do just that!

I know the people helping my dad, for the most part, are caring and kind and treat him well. I know he is struggling, which is understandable. But God also teaches us to help the helpless, care for the weak. So the roles have reversed, and we’re doing what we can to help my dad who cannot care for himself right now. I just have to be careful not to feel like mother bear protecting her cubs. As a mom, I know that protective feeling, and on days like this am learning to keep the claws tucked away and just stand tall and protective without the threatening roar. Not that I find such a thing easy! :)

At the end of a day like this – that’s when I thank God for those gifts I mentioned above. I can come home and lose myself in Abigail’s world or dive into a novel that sweeps me away. I’m also very grateful that God saw fit to have four of my favorite authors release books in the past few months. Two I already mentioned in the past few days, Song of Erin and Leaving November and right now I’m reading another that I just know is going to keep me up late or drag me away from everything else I ought to be doing because I’m so enthralled in the world she has created. I can’t wait to tell you about this one!

But mostly, I’m just glad that through all of life’s trials, God knows how much we can handle and He truly does make a way out, to escape the temptations to worry and fret or lose ourselves in grief or anxiety or frustration. Humbly accepting that He is in control, and thank Him for the gifts that offer release – makes “one of those days” a lot easier to bear.

Shalom ~