Category Archives: Holidays

Independence Day Celebration

We decided to start Independence Day right, sharing the community breakfast of pancakes, scrambled eggs, and sausage. It tasted … good, considering it had to be cooked earlier and kept as warm as possible outside. After that, we sat next to the street on folding chairs to watch the small-town parade. The horses were beautiful. The floats were mostly advertisements, but they threw candy to the children. We enjoyed watching the children scrambling to gather the candy into their bags. The little ones were cute.

After a rest and some card games with my family, we walked to the end of the street and watched the fireworks. Everything else was small town. Not the fireworks. They were great, flinging them into the sky in ones, twos, and sometimes sevens or eights, for nearly 20 minutes. We didn’t hear the “Ohs and Ahs” because we stood far away from where they shot them off. We didn’t need them to enjoy the display.

On the 6th, we climbed into the air conditioned car and drove to Zions National Park. We boarded the tram that takes visitors through the most popular part of the canyon, where private autos aren’t allowed. The tram was not air conditioned, and it was close to 105! As always, we still loved the rugged mountains, the clear streams, and the green trees. We drank all the water we brought with us, and still felt over-heated.

Even with the excessive heat, the views were amazing, as always. We decided to wait to go there again until … maybe October, or next March, when it’s cooler.

 

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And on another note, Finding Peace: Rebecca, Wife of Enos is available for your reading pleasure Friday, July 7—tomorrow. I think you will enjoy it!

What did you do to celebrate this summer?

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Memorial Day—The first day of summer, a day to play with our families, a day to hike in the mountains or a National Park, a day for our first barbeque of the year. All fun activities, great ways to spend with our families.

But do you remember why we celebrate Memorial Day?

No, it is not a day to remember our Veterans, not a day to honor their service.

Memorial IS a day to remember those who gave their lives for our country, from the days of the American Revolution. These men and women cared enough for our country that they were willing to step forward and serve us, placing their lives in danger.

I have family who fought in many of the wars our country participated in. Some lost their lives during the battles, some died because of their wounds, and others came home and lived out their lives, often suffering from the effects of battle. We had to be careful when we woke up my father-in-law, for his PTSD would make itself known. He, along with many others who came home, have now passed on.

I honor those men and women who lost their lives, whether in the battle, as a result of injuries, or those who returned home and struggled to live a normal life as they remembered the horrors of war.

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I Give Thanks for You

img_1661Thanksgiving is almost here. I can almost smell the turkey and the pumpkin pie. I’m looking forward to gathering with my family to eat good food and thank our God for all our wondrous blessings this year. We have been abundantly blessed.
For the last few years, I participated in National Novel Writers Month (NaNoWriMo). In those years I wrote the rough drafts (or most of them) for three books. This year, however, I’ve spent my November working on editing and polishing the draft for my second book and getting those things done that are required for my first book. It has been just as busy as working to write 50,000 words toward a new one.
Book 1 in my first series, Ancient Matriarch, is almost ready. I plan to publish Eve: First Matriarch in January. I am grateful to have it this close. Only a few, very important things, left to be done. Book 2, Ganet: Wife of Seth, was sent to my editor this week, and my short story is almost ready to be sent to the valuable readers of my newsletter. (If you would like to read it, or know someone who would like a free short story, sign up for my newsletter—found on the upper right corner of this page.) Keep an eye on your email for it. It should be soon!
I hope you enjoy your turkey sits well with you and you don’t gain lots of weight. As you meet with family and friends, remember your blessings. I am grateful for you. What are you grateful for?

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Just Another Sales Day to Shop?

Do you plan to barbecue this weekend? Picnic? Go shopping? (Stores hope you do.) Swim? It’s a holiday weekend, isn’t it? Why do we really participate in this holiday?

Wikipedia states that Memorial Day is a day to remember the people who died in service to our country as members of the Armed Forces. It originated as Decoration Day in 1868, after the Civil War. In the 20th century, competing Union and Confederate traditions were combined, creating our current day Memorial Day.

In the Memorial Days of my youth. School ended the Friday before. We remembered family members who passed on, decorating their graves with flowers. Even then, the point was not to remember those members of the military who gave their lives for us, though many of the graves we decorated were of service members. It was a day to remember our loved ones—and then go on a picnic and celebrate summer. But, I live in the west.

As the wife of a retired sailor, I think of it differently, now. I try to Memorial Day Flagsconsider those in my family’s past who gave their lives for our country. This goes back to the beginning of our country. There were family members in every conflict the United States participated in. No, not all died in the wars. But each gave a portion of their life to the battlefields. I honor them.

I challenge you to look to your personal family history. Find one, or more, who fought to maintain freedom. Next Monday, among all the other long weekend activities, spend a moment to remember that family member. Offer them a word of thanks.

I will.

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Remembering Our Mothers

IMG_0679 (1)Mother’s Day is Sunday. I hope you plan to do something special for your mom. Not necessarily something expensive. I love it when my children remember to call me. For me, that is enough.

Mothers love to be remembered. It is nice that children remember the woman who spent 9 months carrying them withing their bodies. As the child grows, love grows. We moms spend those 9 months waiting to meet the baby. We knew you will be that amazing child we hoped for, regardless of any challenges you bring with you. I have yet to meet a mom of a disabled or challenged child who is not in love with that child.

When I think of mothers, after my own, I think of our first mother, Eve. She gave up Eden, a true paradise, to have a family. We know of two commandments given to her and her sweet husband—1) to multiply and replenish the earth and 2) to avoid eating the fruit on the tree of knowledge of good and evil. These seemed to be competing commands, as she could not have children in Eden, nor could she leave Eden to have children without eating that fruit and receiving the change brought about it. I don’t believe she understood this problem, as she and Adam were innocent.

No one knows how long they were in Eden. It doesn’t matter. Ultimately, she made the choice to eat the fruit, which allowed her body to make the necessary changes to have children and multiply. It was their decision to leave, to be ejected, so they could have children.

Children were important to this world, and they still are. We, as a people who love our earth, must stand for our children. We want them to be happy, to have good educations, to have a good life. These have been desired and hoped for through all of time, since Eve. We have to do all we can to help them achieve these things.

Unseen forces fight to destroy our children. They are evidenced by abortions, same sex marriages, loss of educator ability to meet the needs of our children in the classroom, addictions, and our depressed economy. We as parents and grandparents should do all we can to support our children against these challenges. Support your teachers as they try to teach your children in a way that will best meet their needs. Hope for, and do all you can, to help our country get out of the financial and employment depression. Be watchful for addictive behaviors. Help our children.

Things today are bad, and have been throughout the history of this earth. All those problems seem to be multiplying and compounding. Each year is like an earthquake in its scale of intensity where each decimal point doubles the intensity. Challenges and problems our children face, including addictions, intensify in a similar manner.

What can we do? Is there a way you can support the children and others in your life? Hold them close, love them, and remember your mothers.

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Looking Back and Forward

New Year!Happy New Year!

This is a time many look back on last year and make plans for next year. I’m in the same mode—thinking about my writing last year and making plans for next year. I didn’t get everything done that I planned for last year, but I did some things I hadn’t planned on.

Last year my goal was to get my first book, Eve, First Matriarch, published. It isn’t there yet, but I’ve learned so much in the process. I plan to have it ready for publishing, along with at least two more, so they can be published soon after the first one. That sets me up for lots of work.

Along with that, I need to find a professional editor to help me make the books the best they can be. I’m hoping my artist friend has time to create my covers, she is so awesome she is kept incredibly busy. Great book covers help readers choose great books to read, so I’m hoping she has the time to help me.

I managed to write the rough draft for three more books. I now have at least a rough idea of what all but one of my first series will be, and most of the first book in my second series. I hoped to have that one done by today, but time in the hospital and a wrong turn in the story has put that goal off a month. I think I’m on track again, now, and can finish before the end of January.

So, get a book or two rough drafts written, and three or more published. Should be a happy, busy year.

What do you plan for the upcoming year? Anything fun? I’d love to hear.

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Merry Christmas!

Holiday_6Merry Christmas to all my friends around the world.

I’ve been busy this week finishing Christmas presents for my grandchildren. I’ve sewn 6 pair of pajamas and 3 nightgowns, plus I’ve crocheted 3 little animals and a huge play-mat road for the little ones. Some took longer than expected. I haven’t even opened my computer much for days.

I hope your life is busy and happy, filled with the joys that Christmas brings, as you celebrate with your family.

Eve could not have celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ, for it had not happened in her time, but I believe she looked forward to that day. She knew it was coming.

I’ll be back with more next week. Busy, busy, busy until then.

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Is Your Gratitude Thoughtful?

Happy Thanksgiving!20151124_141035 (1)

This is the beginning of the holidays, regardless of your worship beliefs. I hope you have a lovely, happy season. As this is the time of gratitude, I extend my gratitude to you, my readers. It has been a joy sharing my thoughts and opinions with you.

We live in a time of turmoil and fear. We fear strangers and those “others.” I suggest we turn our thoughts to trust in God, love of family, and gratitude for our multitude of blessings. Most of us in the United States have more than those who have fled from war and violence. We have homes to protect us from the weather, clothing to keep us warm, a bed and bedding to sleep in, some form of transportation besides our feet, access to technology, and food to eat—probably much more than we should on holidays like Thanksgiving.

As you join with loved ones for your Thanksgiving meal, bow in gratitude to God for all you have and think of, or share, at least one thing you are grateful for. I am grateful for family, my God, a warm home, the desert southwest where I live, (with no or little snow), a reliable car, plenty of food, and technology.

I am also happy to have completed my novel for this National Novel Writing Month. I have the basics for four books in my series, Ancient Matriarchs. The first is closer every week. I appreciate my awesome artist who should be painting my cover sometime soon. I can’t wait to see it, and share it with you, my readers.

Eve remembered gratitude during her life. Together with Adam, I believe a major part of their weekly Sabbath service was spent in offering thanks to Jehovah for their current blessings. I work to follow this example.

What are you especially grateful for? I’d love to see a long list of gratitudes on this page. Will you join me?

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In Honor of Our Brave Veterans

20150914_185748This Veteran’s Day, 2015, I offer my gratitude to all who gave their lives in service to our great nation over the years. Some died, like my great-great uncle who died on the steps of Lexington. My uncles and father-in-law returned from World War II, alive, seemingly well. However, along with thousands of others, they were left with lingering fears and PTSD. You did not want to touch my father-in-law to wake him, you may have been welcomed by a fist in the face. Others, like my husband and brother, put their lives on the line every day, not behind a gun but providing support, always facing the possibility of attack.

Millions died in the wars. Those who lived lost a part of themselves, more than just their youth. Young families gave up hopes of a home for up to twenty years, living on near slave wages to serve. Improvements in medical care saves lives; but many return from the latest wars with body parts missing, requiring medical care and support for the rest of their lives. Young soldiers return broken in both body and spirit.

Almost everyday someone posts pictures of these brave veterans with missing arms and legs. Worse is the damage to their souls. I cannot imagine the things they have seen and done that would cause so many to cower in fear, or even worse, take their own lives. Suicide has become the way “out” for too many of our valiant young people who volunteered, or who joined one of the local Reserve units, and found themselves in the war zone.

War is not pretty. It is an “adventure” that should be offered to the politicians and generals who call for it. Our young men and women need to know war is ugly, evil, and damaging. Even those, like my brother and husband, who never fired a shot, had their lives damaged by their service. Long hours, constant danger, and stress took a toll on them, aging them early.

I honor all who gave all their lives, for a time or forever, in service to our country. In a very real way, they have protected our borders and kept us safe. It is sad that the government has not yet honored these men in an honest way.

Eve knew that war was wicked and evil. The Destroyer spurned men to hatred, fighting, and war. It is the women, mothers and wives, who watch their sons, and now daughters, leave to protect their borders or fight in enemy lands.

Eve would have argued against wars. Women through the ages argued against the violence causing death and maiming of their beloved sons, husbands, and fathers. I am glad my sons are now old enough to avoid military service. Their dad spent enough of his life for all of them. I fear for my grandsons. I will beg them to wait to be drafted, rather than placing their lives in the hands of immoral politicians.

Do you agree? Share your thoughts and stories.

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Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

It’s funny how you work so hard on a project, get up every morning, until it’s done. Then you wonder just what you will do with your time.

This has happened to me again today. I finished my Christmas sewing yesterday, got up early to sew the last nightgown, packed everything into boxes and wrapped in lovely wrapping paper, and sent off to grandchildren to open for Christmas.

Today, I woke up and wandered through the house, wondering what I would do with myself in the quiet of the morning. Yes, the Christmas paper litter needs to be picked up, in case we have visitors, and I could bake or make candies, for the same reason. But here I sit. I think I’d rather get back into the writing habit.

I think I’ll start by picking up with my blog and get back into the habit of blogging regularly, once a week. Look for me on Thursday. Then, back to working on my books, yes I have more than one in process. With any luck, next year I can wish you a Merry Christmas as I suggest you buy my books.

But that is next year.

This year, I will simply promise a more regular writing of this blog, and wish you a Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays. I hope your celebrations are filled with family and joy.

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