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Looking in the Window: Who Are We Thanking?

Thanksgiving gives us the opportunity to think about all of the good things in our lives and be grateful for them. We might also ask ourselves where these blessings come from.  Quite a few years ago when our daughter was in first grade, the school administration put up images illustrating Thanksgiving drawn by the children for an open house.  That night turkeys, Indians and Pilgrims lined the halls. As my husband and I toured the school, we stopped at our daughter’s offering and told her how good it was— of course.  She peered at me with wide brown eyes. “My friend had to take down her picture and do it over.” “Why?” I asked. “Here it is.” Our daughter pointed to a drawing with a boat and some stick people standing around it. “She wrote something on it the first time?” “Did she write over the picture?” I asked. “No, she wrote here.” She pointed underneath the boat. “She said the Pilgrims gave thanks to God, and that’s not allowed.” I wasn’t certain she said what she intended to. “You m

Looking in the Window: A July 4th Spectacular Made in Heaven

  On July 4th, a few years ago, I got up and dressed in blue jeans and a three-quarter-length shirt, attire a bit warm for the day. But perfect for the fireworks display that night, because there was less of me exposed for the bugs to bite.  During the afternoon it rained, but my husband, Rick, said, “It’s supposed to clear up. I don’t think we’ll have a problem going to the show tonight.” We’d been to the fireworks before when it rained, even got caught in a storm there one year and waited an hour or so for the event to start.   The rain stopped. Rick and our daughter, who always comes home to go to the July 4th fireworks, dressed in jeans. At twilight we grabbed a can of bug spray and our stadium seats and started out the door. A loud crack of thunder roared. We slinked back inside like wet puppies to wait until the sky cleared. It grew darker and the thunder louder. Lightning danced around our front yard. Rick turned the television to a weather station. The radar showed red and yell

Looking out the Window: Selah Award Winner and Carol Award Finalist Linda Wood Rondeau Talks about Her New Devotional Book, Lessons Along the Way, Vol. 1. Gives Away a Short Story.

  A Warm Welcome to Linda Wood Rondeau Linda shares an excerpt from her new devotional book, Lessons Along the Way, Vol. 1 . She will give away "Last Gift of An Irish Mother," a free short story on Bookfunnel, to every person who signs up for her newsletter.    Hi Linda, thanks for sharing with us. From Lessons Along the Way, Vol. 1 Success is to be measured  not so much by the position that one has reached in life  as by the obstacles which he has overcome.  – Booker T. Washington Bring Your Slingshot Suggested Supplemental Reading: 1 Samuel 1:20 - 50 And David said, “The LORD who saved me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear, He will save me from the hand of this Philistine.” So Saul said to David, “Go, and may the LORD be with you” (I Samuel 17:37 NASB). In the original movie, "The Karate Kid," Daniel, a teenage boy, finds himself pitted against a bully. Recently located from New Jersey to Southern California, Daniel joins a karate group to gain confi

Looking out the Window: Penny Zeller, Known for Heartfelt Stories of Faith, Talks about Her New Book, Dreams of the Heart. Giveaway.

  A Warm Welcome to Penny Zeller Penny will give away either an e-Book or a print copy (U.S. residents only) of Dreams of the Heart. Winner’s choice.  To enter to win join the Rafflecopter contest below, leave a comment and an email address. Hi Penny, Lots of writers were avid readers as children. How about you? If so, what did you read? I was an avid reader as a child, which I credit to my mom, who read to us and encouraged a love for books. Two of my favorite books were Wacky Wednesday and Harry the Dirty Dog. When I was older, I enjoyed reading Trixie Belden, Nancy Drew, and Little House on the Prairie. Why do you write? Because I can’t not write. It is my ministry and my passion. Tell us about your latest book, Dreams of the Heart   Sometimes the hardest battles take place in the heart. Poverty and abuse at the hands of her drunkard father leaves Hannah Bane trapped and alone. Without hope, she prays for a miracle just on the off-chance God will hear her. Will the handsome new

Looking in the Window: The Greatest Gift

“For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9: 6 (NIV) At Christmas we thank God for the greatest gift the world has ever known. Christians are the luckiest people in the world. Jesus came to earth, suffered and died to save us. Then he rose from the dead and lives with us today. No matter what happens around us, He remains our rock to lean on and the most powerful force the world has ever known. He tells us if we have the faith of a mustard seed, we can move mountains, nothing will be impossible for us. He’s always with us, and there’s neither nothing, nor no one who can defeat Him. He even conquered death! In Matthew 17: 23, Jesus says, ""...I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain,' Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.

Looking in the Window: In Power Struggles God Wins

     While nothing on earth equals God’s power, many people live for power. Powerful governments affect our lives for good or bad, and we notice that, but what about power in our daily lives?      Long ago before the pandemic my husband and I ate at one of our favorite restaurants fairly often, and a cute, young lady with a friendly smile waited on us. I’ll call her Mandy. One day a couple came in and sat in the booth behind us. Mandy walked up to the table with her big grin. “Hi, how are you today?” she asked.      The man, who had salt and pepper colored hair and a pudgy face, spoke in a harsh tone, “I want the steak.”      “Sure, which one would you like?” Mandy asked.      “I don’t want you to put it in the microwave. That will make it tough. Do you understand?”      Mandy’s lips turned down. “Yes sir.”      “I want it medium rare. I don’t want blood oozing out of it. I want it cooked right.”      “Yes sir, which steak did you prefer?”      “Oh, I think I’ll take the rib eye. And,

Looking out the Window: Karen Malley Talks About A Second Chance for Grace. Gives Away an E-book.

A Warm Welcome to Karen Malley To win an e-Book of A Second Chance for Grace leave a comment and an email address below.  Hi Karen, let's talk about your writing. Where do you get ideas for your books? From everywhere! From people I talk with in real life, from news stories, even sometimes from dreams. Anything can become a story. After I finished Following the Sparrows, I knew I wanted to continue the story of some of the secondary characters. Mac’s occupation was defined in the first novel, but I needed to flesh out Susan a little more. At some point I read an article about interesting jobs, and one of them was apartment manager. The article said sometimes folks leave unusual items behind. Suddenly Susan’s job and a creative twist to the story was born. Do you have to juggle writing with a job, family responsibilities or other obligations? How do you balance it? Honestly, juggling is a good word for it. I work full time as a scientist (which was the inspiration for the heroine i

Looking Out the Window: Barbara Britton Enjoys Bringing Little Known Bible Characters to Light. She Introduces Lioness: Mahlah's Journey. Gives Away a Copy.

  A Warm Welcome to Barbara Britton Are you familiar with the daughters of Zelophehad? Let us know and you will be entered into a giveaway of an e-Book or print copy (U.S. residents) of  Lioness: Mahlah’s Journey.  To enter to win leave your answer and an email address below. Thank you for having me on your blog today, Gail. It's my pleasure. Thanks for sharing Bible verses and a yummy recipe with us. My favorite Bible verses have always been Philippians 4:6-7. How can one not like a verse that says “Do not be anxious about anything…”  After I received a breast cancer diagnosis, I added the preceding verses to my favorites. Philippians 4:4-5 says: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all.” How does one rejoice with cancer? I knew no matter the outcome of my diagnosis that I would be with God in Heaven. My eternal life starts on this earth, doing life with Jesus each day. I also had my church family and Christians all over the

Looking in the Window: Wishing Everyone a Blessed, Happy Thanksgiving

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8: 28 I love this verse because to me it says, "God takes care of his people."  Sharing the secret ingredient in my pecan pie! Many who eat it guess bourbon, but it's not bourbon.  Ingredients:  Pastry crust 1/4 c. butter 3/4 c. sugar 1 tsp. vanilla 2 tbsp. flour  3 eggs 1/4 c. Kahlua 1/2 c. dark corn syrup 1 c. evaporated milk pecans (to taste. I use about a cup) Topping: Whipped cream or ice cream Preheat oven to 400. Cream together butter, sugar, flour, vanilla. Mix well. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in Kahlua, corn syrup, evaporated milk, pecans. Mix well and pour into pie pan already lined with the crust. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 and bake until firm (about 40 minutes). Cool. Serves 8 to 10. Happy Thanksgiving!

Looking In The Window: Talking Love

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. I Cor. 13: 13 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. I Cor. 13: 4 - 8 Talking Love At Valentine’s Day we think of romantic love, but there are many kinds of love, and they all enrich our lives. The love of children, Moms, Dads and friends. At first it seemed odd to me that I’d think of an atheist on a day celebrating love, but maybe not. When I was in college I used to run into him in the small cafe where

Looking Out The Window: Andrea Chatelaine Talks About Her New Book, Intentional Holidays: 30 Reflections of Rest and Rejoicing And Shares A New Year's Devotional

A Warm Welcome to Andrea Chatelaine Andrea Brings Us A Book For Holidays And A Devotional for New Year's Intentional Holidays: 30 Days of Rest and Rejoicing This holiday season, God invites us to slow down our hustle, to trade striving and performing for resting and rejoicing. In our Photoshopped, Instagram, hyper-publicized culture, it feels like the bar is always rising. Not only must we create that memorable Thanksgiving meal, but it also must look Pinterest-worthy when we’re done! But Immanuel—God with us—is indeed with us in the middle of our dinner fails and celebrations.This holiday season, each morning, no matter how busy our day or frazzled our heart, God is drawing us near so that we can live filled. We can experience peace in the middle of our crazy through the Prince of Peace, our Savior, Immanuel. Buy on  Amazon Resolutions Vs. Transformation By Andrea Chatelain As we count down to the New Year, our minds rev up with possible resolutions

Looking Out The Window: For Mystery Lovers: Lillian Duncan Talks About Her New Christmas Novella, All I Want For Christmas Is Johnny Rocker Dead

A Warm Welcome to Lillian Duncan, Former Carol Award Finalist Murder, Mayhem and Christmas? Really?  On the surface, it may seem that murder and mayhem doesn’t necessarily go with Christmas, but I love weaving a Christmas story in with suspense and romance. Because of that I have several Christmas stories available— The Christmas Stalking; The Christmas Angel Thief; No Home for the Holidays ; and A Christmas Stolen. My latest Christmas novella is All I Want For Christmas Is Johnny Rocker Dead! How’s that for a title filled with murder, mayhem and Christmas? I won’t tell you the plot but I will tell you the story is about how much God loves each of us—no matter what we’ve done. And isn’t that what Christmas is really all about? Speaking of Christmas, one of the things my husband and I do every Christmas is to clear out our enclosed porch and then we put up Christmas trees. Yes, I said trees as in many trees. Last year, we had 14 or 15 trees up. In all sizes and sh

Looking In The Window: A Thanksgiving Poem

Thank You God, For... The fresh summer breeze That rustles through the trees And wraps our hearts with love The warmth of sun rays That brightens up our days And fills our hearts with cheer The cool, pleasant rain That refreshes earth’s domain And gives us peace The glittering Heaven at night That makes our darkness light And lifts our hearts with hope The young boy, kind and strong Who helps the old lady  Move her grocery cart along The middle-aged man, hurried this day, Taking time to fix the tire For a lady stranded by the way The housewife, tired and weary, Baking cookies for a lonely friend Whose days are long and dreary The young couple, just beginning life, Who think to visit someone ill Hoping to relieve their strife The old man, with dreams that are torn, Who still smiles and says, “Enjoy today. Be happy you were born.” These things that push our problems away An

Looking Out the Window: Just Out From Bonnie Leon, Return to Misty Shore, The Third Book In Her Alaskan Historical Trilogy.

A Warm Welcome to Bonnie Leon Bonnie will give away a print copy of Return to Misty Shore (U.S. residents only). To enter to win leave a comment and an email address Hi Bonnie, tell us a little about yourself. I’m a Southern Oregon country gal who is still married to my first true love. I met my husband, Gregory, when I was only seventeen. We married two years later and will celebrate our 46th wedding anniversary this summer. Though I grew up in Washington State my first visit to Southern Oregon convinced me I needed to move. It felt like home right away. My husband and I, with our three kids moved to the foothills of Douglas County, Oregon in 1980. We designed and built a small home, which has grown through the years and is somewhat sprawling now. We’re still here, and our youngest daughter and her family live right next door. I love that. We share a five acre piece of land that rests in the midst of the Umpqua forest. Were you an avid reader as a child? W

Looking Out the Window: Lillian Duncan Talks about Facing Adversity and Tells Us How in God, Life & Hula Hoops, Her New Book.

A Warm Welcome to Lillian Duncan Lillian will give away EITHER a PDF OR Kindle copy of her new book, God, Life and Hula Hoops. To enter to win leave a comment and an e-mail address below. Even a Hula Hoop! I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase, when the going gets tough, the tough get going or maybe they go shopping. I forget which it is. But what about writers? When the going gets tough, they write! And so I have. God, Life and Hula Hoops is the result. In 2012 I was diagnosed with bilateral brain tumors. Fortunately they were benign, but as I like to say, there are two definitions for benign. One being non- cancerous, the other meaning harmless—which my brain tumors definitely are not! My life took a dramatic turn with the diagnosis and is still topsy-turvy to this day. Life isn’t always easy, but there is always hope because God doesn’t leave us alone in our battles. Even before I needed them, God taught me what I needed to stay in his peace and joy, in spite of all t