Remembering 9-11

Eight years ago today our country was attacked. Lives lost. Chaos.

Where were you?

I was baby-sitting my oldest daughter's best friend, and my husband interrupted a normal day of play with a shaky phone call.

He said a plane hit one of the Twin Towers.

I said that was crazy.

I meant impossible. But when I turned on the TV, I saw it was possible. It was still crazy.

I sat in front of our TV on a scratchy rug, numb as I watched the second plane hit and both towers crumble.

I stayed there for a week.

Then and now I couldn't comprehend why it happened. Or what would happen next.

I just knew my world had changed forever.

For a short time, the world changed for good. People from all over the globe held vigils by candlelight. Leaders expressed sympathy. Heroes emerged from twisted metal and police cars and fire trucks.

They showed us what the American spirit looked like in the 21st century. Our nation came together and sang God Bless America on the Capitol steps.

It was beautiful.

So where were you? What do you remember?

Magical moments

Monday morning, 1 AM, I was driving my three sleeping children home from a magical week with dear friends and a Disney trip.

Our very first Disney trip.

Let me just say, the fairy dust didn't keep my old feet from screaming at me during the fireworks. ;-)

But it was truly magical to watch my princesses meet their favorite princesses and absorb all the wonder Disney specializes in.

For all five of us Disney was the high point of our trip. Of course, a very close second, maybe even tie for first, was spending time with friends. Oh, and swimming with manatees.

As usual, there's a story with each. And some pictures.

My middle princess is the daredevil of the family, so her and her daddy's fave stop in Disney was the famed Splash Mountain.

I sat that one out.

Hearing both of them scream all the way down the watery drop-off was enough to confirm my wise choice. But when we met them after, all our princess could do was gush about how cool that was.

My oldest princess loved the Swiss Family Treehouse and Aladdin's Magic Carpet Ride. She's a total book-girl and had enjoyed the books so much she couldn't wait to see them in real Disney life. The rides doubled the fun as she recounted story facts and reveled in books coming alive.

Fun fact I added...the love song from Aladdin was the music I walked down the aisle to at my wedding.

Here, David and I pose with the Genie at Mickey's PhilharMagic~ one of my favorite Disney experiences.

And contrary to all the adult moans I heard about It's a Small World, we loved it. My youngest princess even danced to the familiar tune...

Sing with me..."It's a small world after all. It's a small world after all...."

Okay, suffice it to say we too are still singing the catchy ditty because we rode It's a Small World twice.

I liked the air conditioned, calm ride across the water and through the countries of the world, especially Ireland and Germany.

My husband's favorite ride was the Jungle Cruise. He got a big kick out of our guide's corny jokes. David even videoed the entire cruise. So we'll have the pleasure of reliving fifteen minutes of stand up comedy with rushing water, head hunters, and non-ear wiggling hippos, minus the sweat-dripping heat.

But it was worth it. Having David's laughter on tape is priceless.

I've already shared my highlight of Disney magic~ my princesses awed by Cinderella, Belle, and Aurora. Another very high point was part of our lunch celebration.

First, I have to tell you all that I haven't tasted bread in almost two years. I'm allergic to wheat, so most of my fave foods have been big no-nos for me.

Thankfully, Disney's magic isn't just for the tiny tikes. They do their best to make the big kids smile too. And they did with special made rice rolls just for me.

I had to commemorate the moment with a picture. Can't you see my smile?

We capped the day off with shopping~ four girls in the family, remember? ;-)~ and fireworks.

It was amazing! Nobody does fireworks like Disney.

The rest of our vacation was spent at the beach and pool. My three fishes loved every minute.

We found shells~ gorgeous, huge, only on the Atlantic coast shells. Shells David and I risked life and limb to snatch out of a stormy ocean.

But hey, the ocean taught me how to do a full split and live to tell about it.

We also swam with manatees. After wolves, manatees top my list of cool wild life. So when one of my best friends suggested Sebastian Inlet Park, I was there.

David and two of our princesses hung out on the rocks, above the tide pool. My friend and the rest of our kiddos, stayed in chin deep water~ murky, green water~ hoping to spot a manatee.

One, and then two huge manatees popped their noses up to say hi a few times. But then they disappeared.

I made a joke about how they were probably close by, listening to us talk about wanting to pet them and just laughing because we couldn't see them.

So they popped up again, less than two feet away, right after I said that.

Everyone but me got to pet them. My hubby accidentally sat on one and it nudged him back up. Another of the manatees saved my daring daughter when she swam out to where she couldn't touch and got too tired to keep treading water.

The benevolent manatee swam up closer to the surface and gave her a boost my way.

I'm telling you, these creatures are amazing!

But instead of letting me pet them, my manatee friend decided it was going to pet me.

Yep, he swam close, nudged me with his flipper, and then swam off. Probably laughing all the way.

Even so, our swim date with these cool creatures showed us that fairy dust doesn't just make magical moments at Disney.

One of my princesses said it best. "Thank you, God, that You really do make dreams come true!"

And while it's fun to be silly about fairy dust, I know what got sprinkled over my family this past week had nothing to do with fairies.

It was all the Holy Spirit's laughter, inviting us to make memories with Him that we'll smile about for decades to come.

Good From Excruciating Bad

I get a kick out of telling a group of women that my last baby weighed 11 pounds, 8 ounces.

Wide eyes, wows, and even some bowing follows.

I smile.

And now I've joined a different type of group. What I get when I tell my story is deep empathy and tons of advice.

But it's a painful group to belong to~ these folks know excruciating pain: migraines.

I could list all the physically painful things I've experienced, but I won't. I'll just say that birthing a three-month old was at the top along with a ripped rotator cuff injury.

Now migraines bumped both of those out for first place.

My children have only seen me cry in pain twice. Both times were because of migraines this year.

Thankfully~ praise God!~ I have an amazing doctor who listened to my research and together we charted a new medical course for me.

One that I pray puts migraines squarely in my past.

I also need to say that there were MANY wonderful people whose advice regarding migraines got me through those nightmare days.

The one good thing I will take away from my miserable migraine time is how I watched the Body of Christ work beautifully.

So many prayed along with their helpful advice. Others just prayed. Some sent books. Some just got in the trench with me and practiced the ministry of presence.

My incredible family did all of the above.

I'm SOOOO thankful for each and every one.

And I'm curious. When have you seen the Body of Christ work like that? Or what good have you taken out of a bad experience because of the actions of believers?

A deep, dark cave

On Monday, I was praying with a dear friend, and a reoccurring dream from way before I was a writer came back to me. The cool thing was, as I prayed, I started to understand some things I've missed.

But the creepy thing was I could still see the mental pictures as vividly as the first time I woke up in a cold sweat, breathing hard, scared the dream was real.

Any of you dream analysts can go to town on what I'm about to share. I'd love to hear what you think...okay, only if it's along the lines of I'm not crazy. ;-)

The dream starts out with me realizing I'm blindfolded.

I try to tear off the blindfold, but I can't. It's on too tightly. So I start groping for some idea of where I am. And I touch cold.

Rock cold.

Bumpy. Cold. Rough. Hard. Rock.

Pretty soon a frigid wind blows with no noise. No leaves rustling. No animals moving about. Just cold.

I try to step forward, but the ground is pebbly, uneven. Nothing solid.

On one side of me there's just air. Cold air.

On the other side is the rough rock. I cling to the rock and try to scoot my way forward, one foot tapping out in front before I step.

A few times I stumble and the rock under me gives way. There's no one there to catch me.

But somehow I dig into the wall and steady myself, heart hammering, tears falling.

I still can't get the blindfold off.

After miles and miles of stumbling forward, I sense a hand gently tugging me forward. It's large, warm, and smooth. No voice. No comforting arms wrapped around me.

Just some unknown person gently guiding me forward.

As we keep walking forward, I sense more of the world around me. The rock ledge I've been traveling widens and feels more like pavement.

But then, as I explore the area with my hands, I swish into cobwebs and jump back...almost falling into the cold air.

Then the blindfold comes off.

And it's still dark.

I can't see the person guiding me, can't hear anything but the thumping of my heart trying to get out of my rib cage.

So I ask questions.

Why am I hear? What's going on? Who are you?

No answers. Just gentle pressure to keep going.

When I settle into walking one step at a time, pretty soon there's this huge cave opening, but all I can see is light.

Blinding. Painful. Light.

That's when I wake up.

I won't share yet what I've always thought the dream meant. I really do want to hear your thoughts.

What I will share, so as not to leave you anxious and sweating about the dream, is that in praying I finally realized two of the biggest dangers of that cave.

Not the cold abyss I could fall into.

Not the mammoth spiders those webs belong to.

The two biggest dangers were the choices I faced in that cave. The choice to run ahead and try to force my way out. Or to sit down and give up.

So as my friend and I were praying, I asked God to keep us from those two easy choices and show us how to walk the hard walk.

It's soooo not an easy path. It's very rocky.

See... I'm already trying to explain everything. So I'll stop and give you first dibs on unpacking this dream. What do you think it means?

No creepy music sort of ideas either, okay? ;-)

Teen inspiration

Ever since I was in college, I've loved teaching teens. They're open. Honest. And they typically just say it like it is.

Back in April, I had the privilege of visiting South Effingham High School and speaking to the Stomping Stangs book club.

I met some amazing teens that day. It's been my continued blessing to keep in touch with many of them.

A few sent me chapters to books they're writing. They're good! And creative.

Some stay in touch via email and Twitter.

One of the young ladies I connected with sent me some poems she'd written and we talked about.

I know not everyone digs poetry, but I do. Especially gut-level honest poems.

And while Christina said I inspired her, I'm here to tell you all that she's an inspiration to me. She's been through a lot in her years, and yet she was at the book club meeting with a smile. And she stayed after to help clean up and make sure my entire family felt welcomed.

We did. And we left there thankful to have met her.

So with her permission, I'm letting you all have a sneak peek into this young lady's world. And as someone who has listened to teens share similar stories and emotions, I'd strongly suggest we adults listen up.

There's much to be learned from the insights Christina shares in her poetry.




poem 1:





sorry





sorry im not perfect


sorry im not smart


sorry im not nice


sorry i do the things i do


sorry i am who i am


sorry i dont speak my mind


sorry i do the right things


sorry i dont listen to what you say


well youre right im not sorry


sorry im not perfect


sorry im not smart


sorry im not nice


sorry i do the things i do


sorry i am who i am


sorry i dont speak my mind


sorry i do the right things


sorry i dont listen to what you say





poem 2:





undefined





I want to hate you


but i dont hate you


i love you


but its hard to love you


you cheated


you lied


five years was a long time


but now its gone


i miss you


but i dont need you


i have no regrets being with you


but i do regret giving my heart up to you


i cried every night


but now im done with all the tears


i dont need this


i deserve better


we had a future together


i was supposed to be your wife


i was supposed to have your kids


guess now we are over


you have found another


so now i have to move on





poem 3:





my life





I try to put the past in the past

forget about all the hard times

i try to change

but its hard

parents siblings cousins

aunt uncles are just more pressure on me

do this do that

i feel like im doing everything wrong

always messing up

i know im not perfect but i try to be

im going to make mistakes in life

i know im going to have to live with them every day

everyone is different

you make sacrifices

drugs alcohol killing yourself

wont solve anything

getting help will

all you got to do

is keep your head held up high

today is the day my life takes a turn


~Christina, 11th grade South Effingham High School

Winners!

It's so fun giving away books! :-) And especially sweet to give back to you all who have always been such an encouragement to my heart.

The two book winners are:

Edna~ Blue Like Play Dough

Robyn~ The Hope of Refuge

Congratulations ladies!

And for those of you who still haven't read Enduring Justice, book 3 in the Defenders of Hope series.... I'm having too much fun giving away books, so I'll give away one more.

Just leave me a comment and someone will win a signed copy of Enduring Justice for yourself or to give away.

Happy Monday!

The Hope of Refuge

I'm super excited to share with you a book that renewed my love of reading and made me laugh, cry, and cheer for the main character, Cara Moore.

The book is The Hope of Refuge by Cindy Woodsmall.

Cindy is a dear friend, someone I love teaching with, and one of the few authors I will read everything they write and offer to clean their home so they can write faster. :-)

And now Cindy has a fantastic new series that combines the fascinating life of the Amish with a tough and tumble New Yorker, Cara Moore, and her search for answers and a better life.

Treat yourself well and pick up The Hope of Refuge!

And to help you along with that, I'm giving away a copy~ leave a comment and I'll draw a winner next week.

But first... more about Cindy Woodsmall and The Hope of Refuge.

Raised in foster care and now the widowed mother of a little girl, Cara Moore struggles against poverty, fear, and a relentless stalker. When a trail of memories leads Cara and Lori out of New York City toward an Amish community, she follows every lead, eager for answers and a fresh start.

She discovers that long-held secrets about her family history ripple beneath the surface of Dry Lake, Pennsylvania, and it’s no place for an outsider. But one Amish man, Ephraim Mast, dares to fulfill the command he believes that he received from God–“Be me to her”– despite how it threatens his way of life.

Completely opposite of the hard, untrusting Cara, Ephraim’s sister Deborah also finds her dreams crumbling when the man she has pledged to build a life with begins withdrawing from Deborah and his community, including his mother, Ada Stoltzfus.

Can the run-down house that Ada envisions transforming unite them toward a common purpose–or push Mahlon away forever? While Ephraim is trying to do what he believes is right, will he be shunned and lose everything–including the guarded single mother who simply longs for a better life?

Cindy Woodsmall is the author of When the Heart Cries, When the Morning Comes, and The New York Times Best-Seller When the Soul Mends. Her ability to authentically capture the heart of her characters comes from her real-life connections with Amish Mennonite and Old Order Amish families. A mother of three sons and two daughters-in-law, Cindy lives in Georgia with her husband of thirty-one years.

Don't miss Cindy's The Hope of Refuge Tour!

New York Times bestselling author Cindy Woodsmall is on tour, and she may be coming to a city near you! Don’t miss your opportunity to meet Cindy and have her sign her newest title The Hope of Refuge at one of the following events.

Tuesday, August 11 7 – 8:30pm

Barnes & Noble
5141 Peachtree Parkway, The Forum
Norcross, Georgia 30092
(770) 209-4244

Wednesday, August 12 7 – 8pm

Barnes & Noble Opry Mills
515 Opry Mills Drive
Nashville, Tennessee 37214
(615) 514-5000

Thursday, August 13 6 – 8pm

Barnes & Noble
2540 Futura Pkwy. #135
Plainfield, Indiana 46168
(317) 838-7941

Friday, August 14 6 – 8pm

Barnes & Noble
1550 West 75th
Downers Grove, Illinois 60516
(630) 663-0181

Saturday, August 15 1 – 3pm

Baker Books
2768 East Paris Ave SE
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546-6139
(616) 957-3110

Sunday, August 16 2 – 4pm

Barnes & Noble Booksellers
3700 Rivertown Parkway Ste. 2058
Grandville, Michigan 49418
(616) 531-1825

Monday, August 17 7 – 8:00pm

Barnes & Noble Booksellers
1739 Olentangy River Road
Columbus, Ohio 43212
(614) 298-9516

Tuesday, August 18 7– 8:30pm

Joseph Beth Booksellers
2705 E. Carson Street
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15203
(412) 381-3600

Wednesday, August 19 6 – 8pm

Hackman’s Bible Book Store
1341 Mickley Road
Whitehall, Pennsylvania 18052-4610
(610) 264-8600

Thursday, August 20 1 – 3pm

Rachel’s Country Store (Amish dry goods store)
6352 McClays Mill Road
Newburg, Pennsylvania 17240
(717) 530-9452

Just when you thought it was safe

I've finally reached a point in life where...

My children are out of diapers
They can dress and feed themselves
School is a nice routine (okay…only some days)
I'm happy in my career
My home is mostly peaceful

And I'm bored.

So...we're considering the fulfillment of one of our daughters' long-held wishes.

A dog.

And not just any dog, but one that first existed in Enduring Justice. Gotta love it when fiction becomes reality. :-)

So I did what I always do when faced with something new....

I read.

Yesterday, I searched online and read a ton of things, looked at a load of pictures, and even took some doggie and family compatibility quizzes.

Then today, I went to the pet store and bought a bunch of books on Labrador Retrievers.

And now I'm not so bored.... I'm scared.

And tired.

Who knew how much went into finding, buying, and training a canine?!

Not me. At least not before today.

All I can say is, it's a good thing I didn't read a bunch of books on parenting until AFTER I found out I was pregnant.

Or maybe that was God's divine wisdom.

Because had I read about babies like I'm reading about puppies.... well, let's just say I might have waited a while longer.

But I love being a mommy. And I'm praying I'll love welcoming a new canine addition to our family.

Thankfully, we're going into this a bit slow. We're all reading and planning and puppy-proofing and budgeting BEFORE our dear little fella joins us.

And I'm sure, once the big homecoming day arrives... I'll not be bored for a gooooooood looonnngg while.

Maybe never again. :-)

Any tips or lessons learned the hard way would be much appreciated! Leave me some wisdom in the comments. My whole family and family-to-be thanks you!

Blue Like Play Dough

Tricia Goyer has a new and totally rad new book out called Blue Like Play Dough.

I fell in love with the story in the prologue when I read these words: "Donald Miller had blue jazz. I had blue play dough.

"I tried not to be disappointed. In each of our lives, there is molding and shaping to be done. Perhaps I needed more work than most, but as I look back on my life, I realize that if there is one thing that all the stretching and poking and smashing has taught me, it's that I never want to be anywhere but in the grip of God."

Want to learn more? Keep reading... there's a ton of cool things to learn about Blue Like Play Dough before you rush out and get a copy.

Want to win a copy? Keep reading and leave a comment. I'll be picking one special winner.

Want to help others? Check out the GO-GO Campaign



For every copy of Blue Like Play Dough purchased, Tricia will donate a copy of My Life Unscripted or Generation NeXt Parenting to a pregnancy, teen or family support ministry (while supplies last).

All you have to do is buy a copy of Blue Like Play Dough on Christianbook, on Amazon, or at your local bookstore, and then go to Tricia's Go-Go page and fill out the form. EASY!

Now here's more about Blue Like Play Dough and Tricia Goyer...

A note from Tricia:

Are you a mommy who feels squeezed by Motherhood? Could God be shaping something beautiful in you?

In my new spiritual memoir, Blue Like Play Dough I invite women to discover the extraordinary in the ordinary! To learn to see God's hand lovingly at work in every aspect of your life---from laundry-folding to the umpteenth reading of Goodnight Moon.

About Blue Like Play Dough:

In the everyday stretch and squeeze of motherhood, Tricia Goyer often feels smooshed by the demands of life. In Blue Like Play Dough, she shares her unlikely journey from rebellious, pregnant teen to busy wife and mom with big dreams of her own. As her story unfolds, Tricia realizes that God has more in store for her than she has ever imagined possible.

Sure, life is messy and beset by doubts. But God keeps showing up in the most unlikely places–in a bowl of carrot soup, the umpteenth reading of Goodnight Moon, a woe-is-me teen drama, or play dough in the hands of a child.

In Tricia’s transparent account, you’ll find understanding, laughter, and strength for your own story. And in the daily push and pull, you’ll learn to recognize the loving hands of God at work in your life… and know He has something beautiful in mind.

Read an excerpt:

http://triciagoyer.com/cmsdocuments/Blue_Like_Play_Dough_Prologue_CH_1.pdf

About Tricia:

Using her own experiences as a teen mother, and leader of today’s generation, Tricia’s vision is to be a voice of hope and possibility for teenage girls, pregnant teen girls, mothers and wives through her educational and inspirational speaking, workshops and books. Her intention is to serve ordinary women by encouraging extraordinary things with God’s help. Tricia expresses real life, real hope, for real women.

Tricia is the author of 20+ books and has published over 300 articles for national publications such as Guideposts for Kids, Focus on the Family, Christian Parenting Today, Today’s Christian Woman and HomeLife Magazine. She won Historical Novel of the Year in 2005 and 2006 from American Christian Fiction Writers, and was honored with the Writer of the Year award from Mt. Hermon Writer's Conference in 2003. Tricia's book Life Interrupted was a finalist for the Gold Medallion Book Award in 2005.

In her fiction novels, Tricia writes contemporary and historical stories that feature strong women overcoming great challenges. She recreates historic wartime eras with precise detail through perseverant and comprehensive research.

Each of her World War II and Spanish Civil War novels tell the inspiring stories of engaging characters—and a God whose hand is evident in the landscape of history and the obstacles of ordinary lives.

Tricia speaks to groups interested in these eras, with the intention of preserving and honoring the memory of the men and women who served.

She also speaks and conducts workshops for teens around the nation, and offers programs to assist teens and teen moms through Hope Pregnancy Ministries in Northwestern Montana, which she founded. Tricia is a frequent workshop presenter at the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International Convention.

Author website: http://www.triciagoyer.com/ watch a video and read the endorsements

Link to purchase the book: http://triciagoyer.com/store.html

Want to learn more? Check out the Blue Like Play Dough Tour: http://www.litfusegroup.com/latest/what-is-new/87-blue-like-play-dough-blog-tour

Don't forget to leave a comment and a way to contact you! I'll draw a winner this weekend and might be sending a copy of Blue Like Play Dough your way!

Breaking down

Last night I did something I've never done before...

I broke a 1 inch pine board completely in two!!!

Okay, that may not be exciting to you... but it totally was for me! Adrenaline rush and hand slaps and cheers from the class and all.

Here's the play by play: David and I lined up together to break boards. He went first.

First try, he split the board clean in two.

So, of course, I had to do it too. ;-) And I did. Woot!

It was such a cool feeling to know I'd focused on a task and succeeded. So much of writing and mommy-ing doesn't afford that instant gratification.

The coolest part was I did it! My hand went through wood. And I felt just a tad of superhero-ness. ;-)

After our first try went so well, David and I decided to do synchronized board breaking.

I so wish I had pictures... it was a hoot. David counted down, and then on three we slammed through the boards.

But... alas.... I'm still old and my hands are screaming at me today and one is a nice reddish blue color.

Truth be told... old has nothing to do with it. I just got so focused on breaking the board because David did that I forgot to use good form.

My sore hand is teaching me all about focus and good form.

So next time I'll split the boards without taking home a blue and red trophy. :-)

Okay, now it's your turn. What new thing have you tried and found out you could do? Share the excitement. And maybe even the lessons learned.

I'm all ears. And sore hands. Prayers appreciated. :-)

Dinner with a writer

Last Friday, my husband began the descent into craziness.

See, it all started with a fantastic meeting David and I had with my awesome agent, Chip. In the process of discussing book ideas, David and I had a minute to discuss meshing new plot ideas with old, and he was a huge help.

I didn't think anything of this, because David and our kiddos have helped me work out story ideas many times over the past four years.

Then we went out to dinner to celebrate Healing Promise's IRCC win. And, of course, I was talking book ideas the entire drive and scribbling notes like crazy.

I love this part of the writing process, especially when God pours out the ideas and my husband assists in organizing them.

A while later, our elegant dinner at Chateau Élan started normally enough.

Well... normal for us, anyway.

My husband placed a menu back on the table and it slipped into a water vase...

Said vase dumped over onto my lap and streamed down the table. The water kept coming and coming.

We had a good laugh about it though.

Then we went back to discussing books.

That's when it happened.

As you all know, I'm a writer. And writers aren't normals.

I can hear many of you laughing. Other's thinking, "Oh... that's what's wrong."

My husband is a normal, most of the time. So I thought nothing of starting a game I play when I'm out somewhere around people I don't know.

I surreptitiously pointed to an older couple and asked what they did for a living. We discussed this a while and then moved on to another couple.

Pretty soon, David had concocted this story about one of these men doing business deals out on the golf course and being forced into some shady situations, unwilling to share these things with his wife. As happens when we hide things, this man kept turning a blind eye to his downward spiral and was about to fall into...

I forget the rest of the story. See, I was so shocked and bewildered to be sitting next to a once normal man now spouting suspense plot outlines.

Then it hit me. Eureka! I've finally done it!

Insert evil "bwah ha ha ha" and hand wringing here.

I've finally done it.

I've turned my husband into a writer!

So now I'm wondering.... who's wants to take me out to dinner next?! :-)

Praise God for wow moments and loved ones

Many moons ago, I shared the story of when I received "THE CALL" and a was offered a three-book contract by my dream publisher.

If you'll remember, my reaction was not dancing or celebrating.

I got sick.

Really.

But I distinctly remember the reason wasn't so much fear as the overwhelming responsibility to give readers a story that touched their hearts and drew them closer to God.

When I contemplated that...then the fear kicked in.

It didn't last long. Not when I started sharing with friends and they did the dancing and celebrating.

I couldn't help but join in.

What a difference it makes to share the joys with my family and friends who have also shared the teary bumps in the road.

Unlike that "CALL" years ago, today I received another very cool call. This time from a number I vaguely recognized but let go to voice mail because I was working.

My hubby was upstairs, and all the sudden I hear him pick up the phone.

Silence for a few beats.

By now my ears pricked up.

And sure enough his voice rose an octave and he came thundering down the stairs, phone in hand, smile on his face.

"I think you want to take this call."

Okay.

So I took the phone and the delightful Nancy Farrier explained that my second novel, Healing Promises, won first place in the romantic suspense category of the IRCC!

Wow!

This time I wasn't queasy at all. In fact, I nodded and babbled and blinked a few times before it sunk in that I'd won.

Then I danced.

A little while later, at dinner, my hubby called everyone to attention. He then proceeded to announced that a very special, award-winning author was their special guest tonight.

Our children didn't exactly get it, so he continued and explained that I'd won first place in a very amazing contest.

That's when the high fives, way-to-gos and lots of hugs and smiles started.

I didn't have time to get teary since we were all laughing too hard at David's silly introduction in a very exaggerated British butler voice.

A while later I logged on to Facebook where a flurry of congrats hit me and made me smile.

All the kind words in addition to the congrats made me cry.

Really.

That's when it sunk in that today was a day to celebrate.

And I'm still beaming.

So my very special, tear-dropped thanks to you all for praying through the tough times and dancing with me in the good.

Today's a day I celebrate you! Thank you for making this day even more amazing!

And thank you, Daddy, for such a sweet kiss. Not only is Your timing always perfect, but Your gifts are always good.

The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn

I'm so excited to give a shout out to Liz Johnson, my publicist at Multnomah, who is now not only an amazing publicist, but she's also a talented author.

Here's a bit about The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn and about Liz, then a fun interview and how you can get a copy of this great new book...

The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn

Myles Parsons is just another inmate in Kenzie Thorn’s GED course until he kidnaps her, offering only a feeble explanation–that he’s actually FBI Special Agent Myles Borden. Terrified, Kenzie doesn’t want to believe his story of being undercover to protect her. Moreover, she can’t believe that someone might really want her dead.

But just when Myles thinks he has her out of harm’s way, his plans start to fall apart. He attempts to take Kenzie to a safe house—but the stubborn woman won’t go! So together they must uncover the clues that will reveal a most shocking perpetrator. All the while Myles tries to keep his distance from Kenzie … but finds himself falling in love.

About Liz Johnson:

After graduating from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff with a degree in public relations, Liz Johnson set out to work in the Christian publishing industry, which was her lifelong dream. In 2006 she got her wish when she accepted a publicity position at a major trade book publisher. While working as a publicist in the industry, she decided to pursue her other dream-being an author. Along the way to having her novel published, she wrote articles for several magazines and worked as a freelance editorial consultant.

Liz lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where she enjoys theater, ice skating, volunteering in her church’s bookstore and making frequent trips to Arizona to dote on her nephew and three nieces. She loves stories of true love with happy endings. The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn is her first novel. Keep up with Liz's adventures in writing at http://www.lizjohnsonbooks.com/

An Interview with Liz

I love writing and reading about the FBI and enjoyed your FBI guy a lot! What resources did you use to research your suspense novel?

Wow, that’s a great question. I spent a lot of time reading other novels about FBI agents, Navy SEALS, and other elite military men. It helped me get a feel for how Myles, my FBI guy and hero, should feel on the page. I did a lot of research and reading on the official FBI website to learn more about the organizational structure, titles, and things like that. I also did a lot of research online about the Oregon State Prison system. While the Evergreen campus is fictional, it was important to me to find the right titles and phrases in the system. But I have a terrible habit of reading up on these things and then throwing them out the window as I write. After all, it’s fiction, and I love taking a bit of liberty with my writing.

What sparked the idea for The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn?

It’s hard for me to pin down one specific spark for this book. There are a lot of little ones. I think that a big part of developing Kenzie’s story was where I was at in my own life. I had just made two major moves in the span of six months, and I was 1100 miles from my family. I felt like the only one I could lean on was God, so reliance on Him became one of the key themes of Kenzie’s story. I also had a friend from high school who made some really poor choices and ended up in prison for five years. His sister asked me to write to him, and I did. For five years we wrote back and forth, and his letters made me wonder if there was anything that would cause someone to willingly go to prison. It all just developed from there.

How did you decide on the names in your book: Kenzie Thorn and Myles Borden?

Well, with Kenzie, her name was just always there. Before I even started the book, I knew I wanted to title it The Kidnapping of … someone. I’m a big fan of alliteration, so I was looking for a K name. I just tried a bunch of combinations, and when I landed on Kenzie Thorn is was just so perfect. It fit perfectly as I needed her to share her grandfather’s name. Mackenzie was easy to split up so he is called Mac. As for Myles, I’ve just always thought that was a tough-guy’s name. It seems strong, and now I can’t imagine him with another name. Right before I started writing the book, I had seen The Prestige, which has a character named Alfred Borden. It was stuck in my head, and while Myles is nothing like Borden in the movie, I just couldn’t get it out of my mind.

What is the spiritual emphasis for this story that you pray touches readers' hearts?

I really pray that readers will be reminded that the eyes of the Lord are on those that fear Him. I pray that they’ll recognize that God can be relied on in every situation, no matter what.

Share a little about your background and how you started down the writing path.

I’ve always loved reading and writing, so I knew from a young age that I wanted to work in the Christian publishing industry. After college, finding a job—especially one in publishing—was harder than I thought it would be, so I signed up for the Christian Writers Guild apprentice course. I learned a lot about writing over the 2-year correspondence course, and I continued playing around with stories (terribly written stories) until I was hired into the industry in 2006. And then it was a my good friend and fellow publicist Kelly Blewett who told me she couldn’t wait to read the book I had told her I wanted to write. Her accountability got me from the dreaming stage to the sitting down and really working out The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn.

Find The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and CBD. You can include any or all of these links.

Sunset Beach

Summer is the perfect time for a story that whisks you away to a beach setting (minus the sunburn and sand) with characters you'd love to hang out with in real life.

And I have just the story for you all that I've read and loved.

Trish Perry's new novel, Sunset Beach.

I've said before that Trish is one of my all-time favorite authors. I fell in love with her writing as I read her debut novel: The Guy I'm Not Dating. She made me laugh and cry and close the book with a satisfied smile.

Trish is also a dear friend and a very classy lady. In fact, she so impressed my daughters when we caught up with her in DC last year that they still talk about how nice, pretty, and funny she was. All of that translates into her stories.

My thoughts on Sunset Beach:

First off, isn't the cover GORGEOUS?! It makes me smile just looking at it.

Sunset Beach is an upbeat, engaging story with depth that translated into real life for me. One of the main story lines involves Sonny's quest for answers about her family that her mother has kept secret all her life.

Sonny's questions and the consequences of her digging into the past really got me thinking about how I teach my children about their extended family. Even though I've never even thought about acting like Sonny's mother, there are things in everyone's past that are easier left unsaid. But God has kept me open and honest with my children as we talk about life and faith and God's Word.

So while Sunset Beach made me think, it also left me glad for the path I'd chosen to walk with my daughters.

There are some heavy moments and deep themes of forgiveness and brokenness, but they're handled with grace and Trish's uncanny ability to make human nature ring with authenticity and yet still sparkle and make you smile.

Here's more about Sunset Beach and some really cool questions to learn more about Trish.

About Sunset Beach:

Sonny Miller is tired of not knowing who she is. Soon she’ll begin graduate school to earn her masters in Psychology. But how can she counsel future clients about their identities when she isn’t even sure about her own? To that end she has cooked up a little meeting at a certain beach house in San Diego.

Sonny’s mother, classical soprano Teresa Miller, isn’t aware she’s about to be reunited at the beach house with her sister, Melanie Hines, after 25 years of estrangement. And Sonny isn’t aware her mother has invited a surprise guest of her own. Russian adoptee, Irina Petrova, finds herself dragged along on a trip so tumultuous she summons her handsome concert violinist brother for moral support.

The four women converge on the funky little beach house in San Diego, each with her own disappointments and hopes about family, identity, and love. For Sonny, the trip reveals all she expected and more than she ever dreamed.

About Trish:

Award-winning novelist Trish Perry has written Sunset Beach (2009), Beach Dreams (2008), Too Good to Be True (2007), and The Guy I’m Not Dating (2006), all for Harvest House Publishers. She writes a monthly column, “Real Life is Stranger,” for Christian Fiction Online Magazine. She was editor of Ink and the Spirit, the newsletter of Washington D.C.’s Capital Christian Writers organization (CCW), for seven years. Before her novels, Perry published numerous short stories, essays, devotionals, and poetry in Christian and general market media.

Perry holds a B.A. in Psychology, was a 1980s stockbroker, and held positions at the Securities and Exchange Commission and in several Washington law firms. She serves on the Board of Directors of CCW and is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers group and Romance Writers of America. Perry lives in Northern Virginia with her teenaged son.

Interview with Trish:

Tell me a little bit about your background and your family.

I’m the middle child; middle girl. I was raised as one of five kids by my British mum and my WWII Air Force vet dad. I lived in Newfoundland (Canada), California, Colorado, and finally Virginia, which I’ve called home for the greater part of my life. I love it here. Most of my family still resides in Virginia, which is a bonus.

My late sister lived a rough lifetime of medical problems, which had a distinct bearing on our family lifestyle and our sensibilities toward the hardships of others. Her eventual death may have been a blessed relief for her, but it was a huge loss for us. The loss is what brought me to the Lord.

Both of my children are believers, which brings me such peace. I have a 29-year-old daughter, who is one of the coolest, smartest, most intuitive women I know. She’s blessed me with a remarkable grandson, now five. And my 16-year-old son is brilliant and funny, and he tells me daily that I’m weird (but I can hear the “I love you” in there when he says it).

What do you like to do in your spare time? Hobbies?

Novels and films are constants in my life; if I’m home and not working, I’m usually absorbed by one of those. I love good stories. I enjoy varied styles of music. I love to sing and served on my church’s worship team until my writing schedule got so busy. I still serenade the neighbors on occasion, whether they want me to or not. I’m a self-admitted former disco queen, and I still love to dance. And I make sure to get together with girlfriends at least once a week. Socializing, dining, and laughing—it’s like having your batteries charged!

If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

Well, hands down, I’d have to be able to teleport. Frankly, I’d travel a lot more if it weren’t for airports! I would have chosen the superpower of flying, but who wants to carry all that luggage in the air? If I could teleport, I could have my luggage in my circle of teleportability (you have heard of those, yes?), and it would teleport with me, free of luggage searches and additional-baggage fees.

What has God been teaching you lately?

I’ve been blown away by how clearly He forgives my weaknesses. Things have occurred in my life over the past 18 months for which (right or wrong) I carried a burden of guilt. You know, that feeling of “how did I contribute to this mess?” Yet He has blessed me so abundantly in the midst of my feelings of conviction, that He amazes me daily with His obvious love. The blessings keep me humbly aware of how much I need Him. And they instill in me such a strong desire to serve Him and to follow His guidance and will.

What part of the writing process do you enjoy the most?

I love writing dialogue. What a control freak’s dream, to have control over what everyone says, including the antagonist. If only life were that easy, LOL! But truly, sometimes a scene simply shapes itself right before my eyes when the characters are engaged in dialogue. I don’t know quite what will be expressed sometimes, and I love it when it flows even faster than I seem to be able to think it.

When you write do you generally know where you’re headed or are you sometimes as surprised as your characters about the way things end?

There is always surprise, no matter how well I plan out a book’s progress. I was just talking with my editor about that the other day, the fact that the initial summary I write might change a bit as events unfold around my protagonist. I think that’s happened with every book I’ve written. I typically write a summary, which tells me generally where the story will go, and then I write a sentence or two per chapter idea, and then I start hammering away on Chapter One. As I write actual chapters, the events between “Once upon a time” and “The End” evolve in more significant ways than I expected in the first place. It’s an exciting process!

What would you say to someone who wants to become a published author?

Give the endeavor to God first. And daily. When doubts arise (and they will), you must be able to fall back on the knowledge that your efforts are for Him. And know that He will never show you the way by crushing your efforts with rejection and desolation. If He wants you to do something other than writing, He’ll lovingly draw you to that other endeavor.

That said, take all the practical steps to learn the craft and the business. Read (both how-to’s and novels), write, network, and submit. Over and over again.

Where did you get the idea for Sunset Beach?

The setting (the funky little house on Mission Beach) and time frame (one or two weeks’ time) were already established for me by my publisher. All of the books in The Beach House series fall within those parameters. But the characters and their stories formulated over time.

First I dreamed up Sonny—a young woman who had lived her entire life devoid of details about her family background, thanks to her secretive mother. Sonny had reached a point where she wanted to take control of her own life. Her mother was the barrier to that, so Sonny needed to both go around her mother and barrel headlong towards her. The hidden details about Sonny’s past arose as I created each new character. Even though my own family is close and forthcoming about our family history, there have always been fuzzy areas about which I’ve wanted to know more. I imagined how difficult it would be if your entire family history were fuzzy. I know I’d be compelled to act as Sonny did.

What are the major themes of the book?

My books always end up having a broad overall theme of the importance of seeking God’s guidance in everything. That’s never been deliberate—that’s just the way my stories work out. But for Sunset Beach, the most important theme entails our personal identities and how we determine them. Upon whom, or what, do we base our beliefs about who we are, what we’re worth, what our purpose in life is? A subtheme in the book has to do with the struggle to approach romance and passion appropriately. I think that’s a tough one for every single person I know, and it brings us right back to that whole seeking-God’s-guidance-in-everything theme.

What kind of research did you have to do for the book?

For the setting, I had already done quite a bit of research on Mission Beach and Pacific Beach for my previous book, Beach Dreams. And I read both of Sally John’s books in the series, which were the best research material I could ask for. But for Sunset Beach, I wanted to branch out some, so I sought help from friends from the surrounding areas and businesses that operated in San Diego and elsewhere in California. Also I was blessed by coming across a fellow writer who was able to answer my questions about Russian orphanages, which I coupled with online research. Finally, with regard to the psychological aspects of the story, I leaned on my own education, my textbooks, and on research available through various psychological studies and educational sites online. I’m not a fan of research, but those particular searches were fun.

What do you hope readers will take away from your book?

First, I hope they’ll find the book entertaining. I want them to enjoy Sonny’s journey and the way her discoveries uncover secrets and feelings for the people around her. I hope they’ll be amused, but only when I mean them to be! On a grander scale, I hope readers will be touched by the whole issue of personal identity and how God factors into that. I never want to write a preachy book—but I certainly enjoy hearing when my books are inspiring. My prayer before every book I write is that God will give me the story someone somewhere needs to read in order to feel more of what He wants them to feel. Then I leave it up to Him.

Other Blog Tour Spot Bloggers talking about Trish and Sunset Beach:

A Peek at My Bookshelf
A Spacious Place
Blog Tour Spot
Book Junkie Confessions
Book Nook Club
Cindy’s Stamping and Reviews
Cornhusker Academy
Drive Home Productions
Edgy Inspirational Author Blog
Fictionary
Fresh Brewed Writer
Gatorskunz and Mudcats
Giving Up on Picture Perfect
Heart Chocolate
I Don’t Wanna Blog
J’s Spot
Lighthouse Academy
Net’s Book Notes
Our Family’s Adventures
Real Women Scrap
Refresh My Soul
S.A.G.A
Scraps and Snippets
Sherry Kyle
Springs Writers
The Friendly Book Nook
The Sarah Jane Diaries
The Writing Road
This That and The Other
wandering, wonderings of a whacked-out woman
Word Up Studies
Word Vessel

Here's to a Happy Fourth of July!

My family and I are celebrating many things today.

The freedoms we enjoy

The men and women who are serving and have served to keep us free

The history of our nation

Family and friends

Faith and forgiveness

Hotdogs and hamburgers

Slip and slides

Laughter and love

Ice cream

Fireworks

Songs about our heritage

Prayers for our nation

Along with many today, we're celebrating. Because for all that the world might say about our nation, it's still our home.

We're still free. And that's worth singing about and enjoying the day.

I pray you will wherever you are too.

Shepherd's Fall

My husband kidnapped my book for this week's CFBA tour~ that should tell you how good this book is from a male bibliophile's perspective. ;-)

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Shepherd's Fall

WaterBrook Press (April 14, 2009)

by

Wanda Dyson


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Wanda Dyson lives with her severely autistic teenager on a busy farm with horses, chickens, dogs, cats, rabbits, and the occasional fox, deer, groundhog, and snake. She could seriously live without the snakes, but that's life in the country.

After writing three critically acclaimed suspense novels, she was asked to write the true story of Tina Zahn (Why I Jumped), which was featured on Oprah. Readers characterize her books as "riveting" and "Packed with twists and turns."

Wanda serves on the board of several writers conferences across the country including the Colorado Christian Writers Conference, and the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference.

Wanda has finished the second in this series called Shepherd's Run, that will come out in 2010. And she's hard at work on the third and final installment of the Prodigal Recovery Series - Marti's story -- tentatively called Shepherd's Quest.


ABOUT THE BOOK


Bounty hunter Nick Shepherd is fearless when it comes to chasing down criminals. It's his difficult ex-wife, rebellious teenage daughter, and dysfunctional siblings that keep him awake at night. In charge of the family business, the Prodigal Recovery Agency, he thinks of himself as a shepherd of sorts. When his "flock" is out of his control, Nick's well-ordered universe falls into chaos.

Prodigal Recovery's search for Zeena, a prostitute on the run, leads to a faulty arrest, complicating Nick's business. He is thrown together with Zeena's twin, the beautiful Annie, and the two find themselves on a desperate search. The stakes significantly increase when Nick's daughter is kidnapped. Now, to save someone he loves, Nick must risk everything. But will it be enough?

If you would like to read a Prologue excerpt from Shepherd's Fall, go HERE

Something to think about

I'm not much for political debates because debates rarely change what I believe. But I think it's wise as Christians to pay attention to what's happening in our nation.

First to pray.

Then to act as God instructs.

Here's a video worth watching.

A new way of life

Decades~ yes decades~ ago, I took Judo in college. I really enjoyed it too, especially when I sent a football player twice my size to the mat with one flip.

This month, my family and I started Martial Arts classes. We're learning Tao Hsieh Wu Shu - The way of unified martial arts. It's hard work (really hard work~ much harder than it was in college) in a Christian environment and we're loving it!

Earlier tonight we learned some kicks and pounded the daylights out of the mats and the instructors holding them too.

We also celebrated birthdays with games and treats after class. We played the concentration game where everyone~ from age 5 and up~ stood in ready position (feet together, hands in praying position) and could blink, breathe, and swallow. Nothing else.

The instructors tried many ways to get us to do anything else but those three things.

I'm glad to say four out of five of us went the distance and stayed in the game till the end.

Then we played a foot game where the goal was to step on other people's feet without them stepping on yours. If you got stepped on, you were out.

My goal was to get my hubby out. And I did it! Winning the whole game was icing on the cake after that.

But we came home and practiced some and I could feel every old muscle in my legs screaming for mercy. My kids were tired too, but they wanted to keep working on what we'd learned.

That's one reason I'm so very thankful for this family class. My girls are learning discipline and loving it, as well as a whole new experience in respect with bowing and showing respect to higher belts and instructors.

Plus, we're exercising and have a great time doing it.

In many ways it's a whole new way of life for us. Class twice a week. Practice. Conditioning.

But it's amazing. And I'm sure someday my experiences will end up in a book.

After all, life is great fodder for writing!

Father's Day blog tour

I wanted to share two new books that are part of Multnomah's Father's Day blog tour and a bonus review by my oldest princess with her thoughts on Sir Dalton and the Shadow Heart, one of the Knights of Arrethtrae series.

First, my princess on an author she adores and a series that is among her favorites.

Sir Dalton and the Shadow Heart
by Chuck Black

Summary:

Sir Dalton, a knight in training, seems to have everything going for him. Young, well-liked, and a natural leader, he has earned the respect and admiration of his fellow knights, and especially the beautiful Lady Brynn.

But something is amiss at the training camp. Their new trainer is popular but lacks the passion to inspire them to true service to the King and the Prince. Besides this, the knights are too busy enjoying a season of good times to be concerned with a disturbing report that many of their fellow Knights have mysteriously vanished.

When Sir Dalton is sent on a mission, he encounters strange attacks, especially when he is alone. As his commitment wanes, the attacks grow in intensity until he is captured by Lord Drox, a massive Shadow Warrior. Bruised and beaten, Dalton refuses to submit to evil and initiates a daring escape with only one of two outcomes–life or death. But what will become of the hundreds of knights he’ll leave behind? In a kingdom of peril, Dalton thinks he is on his own, but two faithful friends have not abandoned him, and neither has a strange old hermit who seems to know much about the Prince. But can Dalton face the evil Shadow Warrior again and survive?

Review:

I really enjoyed reading Chuck Black's new book, Sir Dalton and the Shadow Heart. My favorite part of the story was when Master Sejus is healing and training Dalton. And I liked the way Chuck Black went from the present time in the story to Dalton's memories and then back.

I admired the passion for the King and His Son that Dalton's true friends had. I also liked the way the vices and virtues were portrayed and especially how the vices were overcome.

However, the death ravens and hounds of despair were a little frightening. The scenes in the box canyon with the death ravens, especially the first time, when Dalton is helpless, are rather scary. It was frightful and probably meant to be that way, with the prisoners staked to the ground in two scenes.

But every good story has its bad parts~ and its scary parts~ and this was definitely a good story.

I consider Sir Dalton and the Shadow Heart a wonderful book, and I can't wait to read it once again!

And now for the theologians among you, a book by Dr. R. Albert Mohler: The Disappearance of God

Summary:

More faulty information about God swirls around us today than ever before. No wonder so many followers of Christ are unsure of what they really believe in the face of the new spiritual openness attempting to alter unchanging truth.

For centuries the church has taught and guarded the core Christian beliefs that make up the essential foundations of the faith. But in our postmodern age, sloppy teaching and outright lies create rampant confusion, and many Christians are free-falling for “feel-good” theology.

We need to know the truth to save ourselves from errors that will derail our faith.

As biblical scholar, author, and president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Dr. Albert Mohler, writes, “The entire structure of Christian truth is now under attack.” With wit and wisdom he tackles the most important aspects of these modern issues:

Is God changing His mind about sin?
Why is hell off limits for many pastors?
What’s good or bad about the “dangerous” emergent movement?
Have Christians stopped seeing God as God?
Is the social justice movement misguided?
Could the role of beauty be critical to our theology?
Is liberal faith any less destructive than atheism?
Are churches pandering to their members to survive?

In the age-old battle to preserve the foundations of faith, it's up to a new generation to confront and disarm the contemporary shams and fight for the truth. Dr. Mohler provides the scriptural answers to show you how.

How do you connect with God?

How do you connect with God?

I’ve found three ways that reach into my soul and draw me closer.

The first is spending time at the beach. It’s where I hear Him loudest in the roar of the water and where I’m still enough to just sit and listen.

But before I share the beach pictures and commentary, I wanted to share about another powerful way I connected with God~ through a book.

And there’s a book we just finished reading as a family that's skyrocketed to the top of my all-time favorites list. That list still has The Restorer by Sharon Hinck at the very tip top. But this new book is a hair's breath away.

It's a children's book.

A Newbery Winner.

About family and love and...

Space travel.

It starts with one of my favorite lines in all literature, "It was a dark and stormy night." And no, it's not from Snoopy like my children guessed. ;-)

It's Madeleine L'Engle's book A Wrinkle in Time.

I've never fallen for a book quite like I did this one. Partly it's a pure love of the author's beautiful language, something that's never been big on my reading list. Madeleine L'Engle used words and the concept of communication in so many varied and fascinating ways that I often stopped reading or stopped my oldest reading and just marveled at the ideas.

I also experienced the quirky characters and the deep realities each grappled with. Some of those pictures of God, our world, and relationships are ideas I'm still dancing with and pondering.

All this in a children's book.

And now we're embarking on a summer adventure with Madeleine L'Engle as our tour guide through four other books in the Time Quintet series. I'm sooooo looking forward to the trip!

Now for some looking back at one of my favorite places in the world...

I love Destin, Florida. I love the waves, the sounds, the time with my girls, the ocean, the seashells, the food, the water.... ;-)

I could do without the sand and bathing suits. But I'll take those if it comes with all the other things I love. ;-)

This year, one of my closest friends and her family joined us in Destin. We went crabbing at night, played in the water, and had a blast playing spoons in the evening too.

Here's a photo tour of our trip...


These are our beach toes... special painted toes just for vacation and a painting party to boot!

Next picture is my hubby with a captured crab.... all I have to say is Wallaces rule. ;-)


I absolutely love this picture of my girls in their beach dresses.

We take a number of these photos each year and it's fun to capture who they are in a shot like this.

Look closely... one is a princess, one a warrior, and the other a tall and graceful scholar.

The next photo is my oldest and I hanging out in the surf. We had such a lovely time just talking and bobbing in the waves.

I have never before been to the beach when it was cold. On Monday, the water was soooo COLD it was hardly bearable.

The first picture is me before drinking my Starbucks. Notice the shivers?

The next is me happily in beach dreamland after warming up with a nice hot cuppa Starbucks!


Last is a photo my hubby snapped while I was otherwise occupied with watching dolphins and being blown away by the creativity and goodness of God.

The beach and books are two of the most powerful ways I connect with God. Music is a close third.

What about you all? How or where do you experience Him the most?