Peering Through Life's Window

A Warm Welcome to Anita Klumpers To enter to win the eBook of  Christmas Past  leave a comment and an email address below.  Anita shares a Bible verse to nourish our souls and a recipe to whet our appetites. One of Anita's favorite Bible verses Like everyone else who loves God’s Word, I have too many mercies to count! But the verse I found highlighted in my dad’s Bible as God prepared to take him home is a joy to me: Through the LORD’S mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. The LORD is my portion,” says my soul. Therefore I hope in Him!” Lamentations 3:22-24 (NKJV) One of Anita's favorite recipes: Adele’s Apple Donuts In the early 1960s, we lived in Denver. My mom, Adele, heard this recipe on the radio and jotted it down. It’s been a family favorite ever since. Not sure why they are called donuts when they are baked in a muffin tin. But who am I to question

"Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2: 10 - 11) Some say Christ wasn’t born on December 25 th . They claim Christians took the date from a Roman holiday to rival the pagan feasts that took place during the Winter Solstice. This occasion honored a new age brought by the sun. Depending on location, the Winter Solstice occurs on or around December 25 th . However, it’s not the date we celebrate. It’s Christ’s life, His Gospel of love and sacrifice.  “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3: 16 – 17) “…They will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he wil

A Warm Welcome to Michelle Griep Michelle will give away  EITHER a print copy (U.S. residents) OR an ebook. To enter to win leave a comment and an email address below. Victorian Christmas Traditions by Michelle Griep It’s Christmas—practically. If you stroll in to any Michaels or Hobby Lobby or even swing by a Hallmark store, you can’t help but miss that the Christmas decorations are out in full bloom. Wrapping. Bows. Lit Christmas trees. Christmas music playing in the background. What’s up with all this Christmas craziness? Personally, I blame Queen Victoria and Charles Dickens. Believe it or not, before the Victorian era, the holidays really weren’t much of a wingding. Here are some traditions that you might still be enjoying all thanks to merry ole England. . . A Lighted Christmas Tree While Christmas trees had been around as a German tradition since the 17th century, it was Prince Albert, the German husband of Queen Victoria, who introduced the custom to t

A peek into Christmas in the lives of Matt and Suzie from Barely Above Water. Originally published in the December issue of  Good Stuff from Gail’s Book Nook . See sidebar to sign up for future copies. Earlier at the shower Suzie hadn’t seen Aunt Frieda since Matt and Suzie’s wedding, but Suzie intended to become part of Matt’s remaining family, and she wanted Aunt Frieda to know that. She couldn’t believe she’d forgotten the one thing Aunt Frieda asked Matt and her to bring. But she had it now from the local grocery in Hart’s Mountain, North Carolina, and she was headed back to Aunt Frieda’s house. Her mouth gaped in awe at the landscape. Icicles hung like crystal tendrils on the barren trees on a precipice to her left. The sun glinted off of them in silver tones. An ice sculpture of cascading water that had frozen in its tracks sparkled on a rock embankment on her right. She couldn’t let this magical wonderland distract her for long, but she’d never seen anything

On December 25th, Christians celebrate the birth of Christ . Some believe Jesus was born on a different day, but they gather to remember his arrival on earth on December 25th. Jesus came into the world to die for mine and all man’s sins and preached a Gospel of love. He was tortured and put to death, but he rose from the dead. And His spirit lives today in the hearts and souls of Christians from the moment we accept Him. From then on, He is with us always from the darkest valley to the brightest hilltop. “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ, the Lord.” (Luke 2: 8 – 11). Christ is born! “Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sa

Thanks to all who stopped by to read about Anita and Irene's wonderful new book! The winner is...drum roll...Miss Kallie!

The heat indexes may be soaring, but before we know it the temperatures will fall and Christmas will be right around the corner. Irene Brand and Anita Higman give us a great opportunity to get an early start on our gifts or purchase a treasure for ourselves. They each have a Christmas novella in the new compilation, Love Finds You Under the Mistletoe. The book releases on September 1, but they'll be giving away a free copy to one visitor. To enter to win leave your email address with a comment. I'll put the names on pieces of paper and draw one on Sunday, August 29th. Both novellas are interconnected. And, Anita and Irene are here to tell us how they did it. Was it difficult to connect your two stories? Anita: Not at all. We had a brainstorming session by phone and by email and figured it out. Irene’s historical novella, An Appalachian Christmas is tied to my contemporary novella, Once Upon a Christmas Eve . They are connected through the passing of a mistletoe ball through