Book Review: Marrying His Best Friend

Today's the 3rd Friday of thew month,so  I'm posting a book review on Favorite Friday Fiction on  Jennifer Hallmark's site. Read more here.

Worship Music Brightened My Day

It was over a decade ago, but I still remember it well. I’d been in the hospital for a few months, recovering from complications of a surgery. I was getting better, but the hospital isn’t a good place to spend your days—especially for so long. I was surrounded by white walls, sterile air, and machines that beeped constantly every day. The environment only worsened how bad I already felt.

I’d been in the acute care for several weeks after surgery and had finally been transferred to rehab, where I was re-learning how to sit up, stand, and walk in physical therapy. Read the rest of the story here.

Mothers' Day

Since today's Mothers’ Day, I want to take a moment to publicly thank my mom, Jean Andersen, for all she means to me.   

We’ve always been close and to this day I consider her to be one of my most trustworthy friends. She gives me her time and makes me laugh.   

Mom’s an encourager too and sometimes says just what I need to hear. Sometimes I need a different perspective about something and other times I just want to unload on someone.  Her shoulders are broad enough for that too. 

So thanks for all you do and everything you mean to me.  You’re the best!

Birthday Surprise

I've been blessed with the opportunity to travel quite a bit in my life.  When I was in high school, I was a foreign exchange student

An Opportunity to Help Someone In Need

The weather’s been a bit dreary lately here in SC, with lots of rain. Even when it’s not raining, there’s lots of clouds overhead. Not exactly uplifting, in my opinion although it is good for the gardens. 

A few weeks ago though, the sun was out and I took advantage of it, taking Tommy for a walk. We headed down the street and I unexpectedly met up with a neighbor of mine. She needed some help and I was there to provide it.  Read the rest of the story here.

Suspense-Filled Story by Lynette Eason

It's the third Friday of the month, so  I'm posting on Jennifer Hallmark's blog, Small Acts of Kindness Favorite Fiction Friday.  Lynette Eason has written over 20 books over many years. Today's post is a review of one of them, Don't Look Back. Learn more about it at  here.

Even Little Things Can Make A Difference

Sometimes I feel insignificant. As if  the things I say or do don't matter because they only affect one or two people.  But what if I'm wrong?  What if those things, even small things, DO matter?  Perhaps making a difference in one person's life reaches more than just him or her?  Could it be that those people can bless others  because of what we've said or done?  We may never know, but it's possible.  Read more here to see an example of what I mean.

Christmas

Celebrate! Christ Was Born Today!

Luke 2:10-20

[An angel said to the shepherds] “I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” ¹³ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” ¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” ¹⁶ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷ When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Christmas 2017

Merry Christmas Everyone!  Have a wonderful celebration.

Birthday Celebrations

Tomorrow is my neighbor’s birthday. She’ll be 75, so we threw her a surprise

birthday party today.  Her daughter, Kerry, set it up a couple weeks ago, inviting Mary Carol’s friends from her church and her neighborhood.  We met a local coffee café where Kerry had a table set up with a cake and two balloons blown up like a 7 and a 5. Mary Carol thought she was going to "meet a friend” at the café. She was blown away when she walked in the door and saw all of us, which made it all the more fun.  

A little more than 2,000 years ago, Someone else had a birthday, but it was nothing like today’s celebration for Mary Carol. Jesus was born in a stable in Bethlehem, Israel.

No one on earth knew about it except 

God and Jesus' earthly parents, Mary and Joseph. There was no celebration with a cake, balloons, or gifts.  In fact, Jesus was God’s gift to the world. And he was born in a stable because there wasn’t any room at an inn where Mary and Joseph hoped to at least find a warm night’s sleep after traveling on a donkey for days. Instead, they  found themselves in the middle of a field, surrounded by cows and sheep, hardly a sterile environment like we take for granted these days. Still, God’s plan to bring us back to Him was unfolding.  

Even though we don’t know the exact day Jesus was born, since our calendar isn’t the same as it was then and there, we celebrate it on December 25^th  every year. And we set up manger scenes like the one above in my home to replicate what we think the environment would have been like, although I’m sure they’re much cleaner and more orderly today than it was back then. 

Many churches and schools put on Christmas concerts and plays to remind us of the meaning of Christmas. We go Christmas caroling, have parties, and go on shopping sprees to give gifts to those we love. It’s one of my favorite times of the year. 

I’m not sure what part of Christmas I enjoy the most. Caroling and listening to Christmas music definitely rank up toward the top of the list.  So does enjoying hot chocolate in front of a fire.  Some Christmas concerts like the one at Azusa Pacific University get me in the spirit of the year too.  Even though I live on the opposite end of the country now, I still have the music on CD, so I can have it with me in my home or my car. In the midst of it all, I have to remember that Christ's coming to earth for us was the center of it all a little more than 2,000 years ago.

There are more than 7 billion people in the world and we’re all different. What does Christmas mean to you?  How do you celebrate it?  What are some traditions you enjoy? 

photo courtesy of amazon.com