Sunday Morning Sunshine: Happy Easter!

 He Lives

Blest morning! whose first dawning ray

Beheld the Son of God

Arise triumphant from the grave.

Wrapt in the silence of the tomb

The Great Redeemer lay,

Till the revolving skies had brought

The third, the appointed day.

Hell and the grave combined their force

To hold our Lord in vain;

Sudden the Conqueror arose,

And burst their feeble chain.

Salvation and immortal praise

To our victorious King!

Let Heaven and earth, and rocks and seas,

With glad hosannas ring.

To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,

To God whom we adore,

Be glory, as it was, and is,

And shall be evermore. Amen.

Sunday Morning Sunshine: Spring is...

Apple and Cherry Blossoms that eventually produce fruit

Sunshine-y Daffodils give us hope

Baby chicks and ducks that remind us how precious life is

Dandelions that tell us whether we like butter or not 

if we hold a blossom under our chin
and...
the leaves and stems make a nice spring "greens" dish

Easter with the Easter Egg hunts,

the dinners filled with lots of food

and family together

church services 

and remembering why we celebrate Easter

Lots of rain

but always a rainbow somewhere

There is a Season:  Spring! 

Happy Days!

Writing a Book and All that Jazz...and April Contest Question Two!

"I can write a book."
"I have an idea. Can you use it in a book?"
"Anyone can write a book."

Really?

What does it take to write a book? (Now remember, I'm basing this on my own experience. Other authors may have different takes on the subject):

• A knowledge that this is something you are supposed to do. From a child up, I've loved reading and writing. Research (a most valuable tool for writers) is a pleasant "job" for me. After several years of the writing experience, I can sense that it's what I am to do.
• Perseverance. Writing a book is a tough job. You have days with no enthusiasm, with weariness or focusing on the page in front of you. There are times when your mind is blank, when it all seems rubbish. But a "real" writer knows you have to persevere to overcome all. Write, even if it has to be deleted tomorrow. Write when it seems it's all wrong. JUST WRITE!!
• For me, knowing this is what God wants from me. I've learned to worry less about how much money I'm making or whether I should be promoting or advertising more, and try to lean on what I feel God would have me do today, tomorrow and next week. Trusting that my writing labors will prove encouraging and entertaining to someone is worth it all.
• The willingness to do what it takes to produce the best writing I can. That means improving and learning from others, research, study, conferences when possible, and classes as able. All of this helps me grow in my work.
• Determination to never, never, never quit. Some find it easy to give up when the pressure is on, when the book doesn't get published, when life interferes, when people criticise your work. There will always be naysayers and critics. You can't let anyone discourage you if you're totally convinced this is what you're to do. 
• Realize that you must find and travel on YOUR writing journey. Mine is not someone
  
  else's. Yours won't be either. The enemy would have us look at others and envy their journey, but that's not what God wants. Be careful not to fall into that trap. Experience your own wonderful life as a writer, whether it be multiple books published or one, whether you gain tons of money or none and whether you reach thousands of readers or one and two. Be grateful for the talent and bask in the knowledge that you're following on the path our Lord would have you do. 

Be blest as you seek the path you should walk. Remember, never, never, never quit!

Happy writing!

***

Moody April has arrived. 

One day, sunshine and warmth, 

the next, rain or snow and dreary clouds. 

REMEMBER, Two things:

• YOU MUST ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS OF THE MONTH to be considered for the monthly prize. And...
• You MUST check back here on the last Wednesday of the month to see if you've won. I will usually share the blog link on my Facebook author page but it's YOUR obligation to contact me here on the blog with your mailing information (or you can let me know you'll share it with email or private message on FB. 

April's First Question:  
What is your favorite SPRING flower and does it have a significant meaning to you?

April's second Question:

Do you ever read the last page of a book FIRST?

Don't forget to share this site!

Prizes?

A kindle copy of any of my books: your choice

 and 

Your choice of either of these beautiful scarves

OR

Don't forget to share!

Have Fun!

Sunday Morning Peace: He is Risen!

He is Risen!

Monday Morning Gratitudes

Easter . . .

Especially good messages yesterday from hubby that inspired me to be a better christian
Beautiful, sunshiny, warm day
Flowers that enhanced the beauty of the sanctuary
An orchid corsage made by a friend for me that was lovely and made me happy!
God's touch upon my spirit
Appreciation shown for the gifts I gave.
Lovely mints and a sweet, sweet card from hubby.
The price my Savior paid
I serve a risen Savior.


Blessings!

Sunday Morning Peace

Hosana to the son of David:

Blessed is he who cometh in the name of the Lord.

Hosana in the highest.

Blessings!

Sunday Morning Peace

Blessed is he that comes

in the name of the Lord;

Hosanna in the highest.

--multitude who followed Jesus as he rode the donkey into Jerusalem

Matthew 21:9

Blessings!

But I have prayed for you,

that your faith fail not.

--Jesus

Saint Luke 22:32a

Sunday Morning Peace

Calvary and Easter

A song of sunshine through the rain,
Of spring across the snow;
A balm to heal the hurts of pain,
A peace surpassing woe.
Lift up your heads, ye sorrowing ones,
And be ye glad of heart,
For Calvary and Easter Day
Were just three days apart!

With shudder of despair and loss
The world's deep heart is wrung,
As, lifted high upon His cross,
The Lord of Glory hung . . .
When rocks were rent, and ghostly forms
Stole forth in street and and mart:
But Calvary and Easter Day,
Earth's blackest day, and whitest day,
Were just three days apart.

--Susan Coolidge

Alelulia, He is Risen!
Blessings

Sunday Morning Peace

He is Risen.

Indeed!

Blessings



Winners!  

Congratulations
   to some great
      people . . .

for entering my


BIG EASTER GIVEAWAY and following the rules.

Now, the winners . . .

Abi: A Stray Drop of Blood by Roseanna White
Judy Lynn: Before the Season Ends by Linore Rose Burkard
Martha: Out With the In Crowd by Stephanie Morrill
Linda Kish: A mug filled with goodies, courtesy of Michele Levigne

Emails have been sent out and responses received!

*****

AND . . . for the winner of Teresa Slack's books, well, here's the winner!! Whooeee!

Debbie, from Michigan. Email sent, and waiting response.

*****

LOOK FOR:

Next week, Wednesday, May 26th: My friend, Donna Alice Patton will be a guest on my blog with a giveaway.

Wonderful blessings to you all!

You Asked For It

You know what happens when you encourage some people? They don't know when to quit. So . . . for fun (???) (for me, anyhow. Laugh!) here's some thoughts about Easter and life and spring in a sort-of-poem-ish way. . .

Enjoy! (If you can)

Hey . . .

What's it all mean?
It all may seem
Like not much at all
In this world built like a ball.

But . . .

Thinking of spring
And what it will bring
Makes my heart ting
And my voice croak and sing.

So . . .

What about the weather?
And the wild geese and birds of feather?
They know it's soon time
For all creatures to sit and rhyme.

And beware . . .

Spring has crawled in upon us
Moody and fickle, flirty, with lots of fuss
Ushering in peeping toms named flowers
New constructions called flower bowers.

But that's not all . . .

A wonderful, glorious Easter holiday
Full of promise, a day with beginning rays
Of new life and wonder and forgiving
A new way to think, a new way of living.

So . . .

Think bunnies and eggs and colorful new clothes
Think sunrise breakfasts with your brand new beau
Think heavenly cantatas and hams and kids' baskets
Think stones rolled away, never about caskets.

Cause . . .

The flowers and trees and plants and the bees
All scream of a creator much smarter than you and me
He knows what I need: the sunshine, snow, and the tears.
The struggles, the compliments, all thru the years.

And, so . . .

• I'm looking forward to the real spring instead of this teasing, impish female of a month called March.
• I'm dreaming of seeing the renewal of life in my flower beds.
• The new shoots from some of my favorites.
• The fun of choosing different plants.

• I'm thinking of shedding these heavy sweaters and boots.
• (And forgetting about the conditioners and fans and sweat and muggyness of summer)
• I'm thinking of cool breezes and traveling again.

• Of new plots and twists and fun and writing and publishing and beginnings.
• Of the planning of conferences and meeting editors.
• Of traveling to a new place called Minnesota.

Thank you, God, for life and you and the love of doing stuff that's fun. For family and friends and animals and all the necessities and some fun stuff too.

Have a great Easter.





Quote:
Not all those who wander are lost. -- J.R.R. Tolkien


Blessings