Sunday, December 27, 2009

2010 is coming!



Here we are again--arriving at the dawn of a new year. Do you have any dreams or goals for 2010?

I’ve been thinking quite a bit about this and I’ve come to a conclusion…what I need for 2010 is perspective! It’s so easy for me to slip into the tyranny of the urgent rather than stepping back to see the bigger picture. You know that old saying, "You can’t see the forest through the trees?" Well, that about sums up life some days. My path and way seems hidden.

What would life look like if I saw each and every situation through God’s lens? Nothing is hidden from Him. I can’t help but think that some things that I stress over would seem inconsequential. And what about the challenges, fears, or even pain that I may face in 2010? Would I see these more as opportunities for God to be at work rather than focusing on the heartbreak they may be causing today?

Proverbs 3:5-7 says (New King James Version)
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil."


That's my goal for this new year! Would you pray with me?


Lord, I praise You! You are the giver of all good things. Forgive me for my lack of faith when things don’t go or work out they way that seems right to me at the moment. Forgive me for often putting my own way above Your ways.



Thank you for the opportunity I have to bring in another year here on earth, to know You and love You more. I pray that You would give me (give us) the strength to rise above life’s difficult situations. Grant me the ability to see things from Your perspective. Give me eyes to see where You are at work so that I may join you there. Guide my footsteps this year and in the years to come that I may finish this race here on earth and one day hear you say, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

I’d love to hear what kind of goals you have for 2010. Feel free to leave a comment and share what’s on your heart and/or mind.

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Living Nativity

Somehow, I've managed to go my entire forty-something years without ever being in a Christmas pageant. So, when my son told me he and his girlfriend wanted to participate in our church's Living Nativity scene this year and asked me to join them, I jumped at the chance.

I knew right away I wanted to be an angel. I was arguably too old to be Mary and I wanted something with a bit more glamour than a shepherd. I definitely didn't want to be one of Herod's dancing girls. (That's a bit too much glamour - LOL). So, I was thrilled when I got there and was appointed Head Angel. Woo hoo!

Our church is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. The Living Nativity has been a tradition for over 50 of those years. When our church was in its older building, the head angel had to climb out a Sunday School window and appear on top of the church roof!

My son and his girlfriend scored the roles of Joseph and Mary. They were thrilled. Being Joseph and Mary can be a tough gig - they stay in position thoughout all 6 consecutive performances and never go inside. The rest of us go out to perform, then come back in to feast on pizza and all the other "backstage" treats.

Luckily, the Wise Men hid hot chocolate and pizza slices in the boxes that were supposed to be full of gold, frankincense and mhyrr! So Cameron and Erin got some treats, too.

Here are some photos from last night. We had a great time re-living the greatest Christmas gift of all!



"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 the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.'"





"Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.'"



"So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told to them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart."



Merry Christmas to you and yours! May God bless you richly in 2010.

Blessings, Teri

Teri Wilson ~ Romancing the pet lover's soul

http://www.teriwilson.net/

Cup of Joe by Teri Wilson, A Night Owl Romance Reviewer Top Pick ~ available now at White Rose Publishing


The latest release...




DANIELLA is now available!

White Rose Publishing writes... Secretaries, disappearing contracts and handsome executives draw us into intrigue during these final days before Christmas! This is another great read from veteran author, JoAnn Carter, and just the right length to fit into your hectic holiday schedule.

Blurb:
When Harrison Beckman meets his father’s secretary, Daniella Duncan, she’s shy and self-conscious. Harrison, however, is determined to get to know her better. Before he gets to do that a rival comes along to steal Dani’s heart as quickly and thoroughly as the company’s contracts, which have been disappearing. As the mystery unfolds, Harrison has to fight for the woman he loves, even though this means crossing swords with his father and his determined adversary. Will Harrison be able to find the love that could await them or will it be too late?

Here's a little excerpt which introduces the two main characters...

"Oh, Dani fits me all right. It sounds short and fat." Her hand clamped over her mouth, and her eyes grew even wider. Harrison’s heart nearly broke when she asked, "Did I really say that out loud?"



It had been drilled into his head since he was a boy never to talk to women about two things: their age and their weight. Now, what should he do with this hanging hot potato? Ignore it. "I didn’t hear anything if you didn’t." He tried to continue with the previous introductions.


"Everyone calls my father Mr. Beckman, so I go by Harrison."



"Okay. I’ll try to remember that." Daniella seemed to have reached her limit; she looked like a cat being chased by a mouse, desperate for escape. "Um, I really need to get back now, so..."



"Sure. Thanks again." Harrison didn’t even know if she heard him as she turned and left with quick steps.



He stood quietly by his door and listened to the clickety-clack sound Daniella’s shoes made on the linoleum fade into a soft pitter-patter as she retreated down the hallway. He shut his door while contemplating the strange woman who was just in his office. Pretty but strange...yes, definitely strange. Finally, he shrugged his shoulders and went back to the tasks at hand.

Hope you'll be able to pick up your copy today. ($3.50) Don't forget, if you sign up for the White Rose Newsletter, you will get 10% off your order now through Christmas.

Friday, December 18, 2009

Be Careful What you Wish For

Today I’d like to share a personal story with you about being careful what you wish for. It happened to me back in the eighties. Does anyone remember the home jewelry parties? Well, I do and I’ll never forget my one and only experience. It happened one Christmas. Enjoy!

Diva Queen
“And here’s our show stopper,” the jewelry representative held up a sleek snake necklace with emerald green eyes. “Can’t you just see yourself at all the Christmas parties in this breathtaking piece? And it can be yours in a heartbeat. All you need do is host the next jewelry party at your house, sell enough jewelry to meet the quota—and this hostess gift is yours! Now which of you lovely ladies is gonna be the Diva Queen of all his dreams?”
I couldn’t take my eyes off it. The emerald green snake eyes had me hypnotized. Before I could stop myself, I shot my hand high in the air. Practically panting, I screamed with gusto. “Me! I’ll host the next party. That necklace is mine!”

For the next two weeks before my party, I walked around with my head in the clouds, dreaming of the gorgeous necklace I’d showcase at all the upcoming Christmas parties. I walked around with stars in my eyes. I dreamed of it and counted the days until it was mine. In between decorating the house, trimming the tree and baking cookies, I went shopping for a dress regal enough to complement my show stopper.

Humming a verse or two of All I want for Christmas, I called every friend, relative and co-worker I could think of, making certain I’d sell enough jewelry to win my hostess gift. On the morning of my party, I even went so far as to post signs on telephone poles, bribing the unsuspected with promises of cookies and hot buttered rum. Giddy with delight, I ushered the jewelry representative in on a blast of cold winter wind.
“Come on in. I have a table ready for you in the living room. Go on and set things up. I’ll just check on the refreshments.”
And before long, the house was bustling with excitement as guests chose accessories to jazz up holiday wardrobes. And by the end of the party, I far exceeded the points I needed to claim my hostess gift. The minute all points were tallied, I screamed loud enough to wake the living dead.
“YES!”

But two weeks later, guests began calling me, curious as to the whereabouts of their orders. Puzzled, I called the representative, who assured me the shipment was just running a little late due to the Christmas rush. But when guests began calling me and leaving irate messages on my machine, I got suspicious.
“How dare you try and pull one over on us,” a co-worker screeched. “Of all the people in the world, you’d be the last person I’d suspect of stealing money.”
Something inside me went ice cold. What was she talking about? My left eye began to twitch the way it did when I was upset. Biting my lip, I made a few phone calls, feeling the life being sucked right out of me.
And when I learned the jewelry representative had told my guests she’d delivered the shipment to me over a week ago, my heart sank. I smelled a rat. And after more phone calls to the company, I learned the jewelry order was never turned in. The trusty representative had pocketed my money and was nowhere to be found, leaving me in bad standing with my friends, relatives and co-workers.

After countless calls to the jewelry company, numerous apologies to my guests and more heartache than I’d ever known, I reached rock bottom. But when guilt finally caught up with the jewelry representative, she called with a full confession.
“I’m so sorry,” she choked out in between sobs. “I couldn’t afford to pay the rent. I had all good intentions of turning your order money in next week. Honest. I’m really sorry. I’ve never done this. Can you forgive me?”
Her sobbing disgusted me. Because of her jack-be-nimble fingers, I lost the respect of the people I cared most about. I just shook my head, unable to say the words desperately wanting to roll off my tongue. I simply slammed down the phone, feeling a whole lot older and a whole lot wiser.
And a few days before Christmas, when my jewelry order was at long last delivered, I opened it with a heavy heart. And when I unveiled my hostess gift, something I was ready to sell my soul for, an icy chill washed over me. The sleek gold snake necklace glistened on a bed of blue velvet, its emerald green eyes winking up at me like the eyes of a serpent. Closing the lid, I packed it away. I wanted no parts of it. Because of a piece of glamorous costume jewelry, I’d nearly lost sight of the true meaning of Christmas. Greed had taken hold of me, ensnaring me in its ugly web. I felt ashamed. Nothing was worth the price of that necklace.

The following day, I wrapped up the necklace and placed it under the Angel tree at my church. And the minute I did, I felt the weight of the world lift from my burdened shoulders. Humming along to the beautiful instrumental the choir was playing, the sound of flutes and harps filling me with inner peace, I left with a light heart and a valuable lesson learned. Be careful what you wish for.

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and Holiday Season!

Monday, December 14, 2009

A Nice Collection of Christmas Stories Available...




















I don't know about you, but I love to read Christmas stories this time of year. Did you know that White Rose Publishing has quite a collection of them? (A few of the covers are shown above.) I didn't realize how many until I peeked at Holiday Theme link: http://whiterosepublishing.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=151


If you have read any of the Christmas titles, I'd love to know what you think. What was your favorite? Do you have any recommendations for us who are scouting them out?
*P.S. If you have signed up for the White Rose Publishing Newsletter, there is a 10% off coupon that is good through Christmas! Now would be a great time to pick up a book or two. For those of you who want to sign up for the newsletter--it's not too late. :)
MERRY CHRISTMAS!










Saturday, December 12, 2009

Devotions available for this Friday's Release!


This coming Friday, December 18th, Daniella will be released! You can watch the book trailer here: http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=rExz49PPw_ 4

In the meantime, if you're looking for a little something special to either end the year-- or perhaps a pick-me-up after the holidays, head over to my web-page
http://home.comcast.net/~jo.glenncarter/site/ Click on the link at the top of the page that says Devotions for Daniella. There will be two full weeks of special Bible passages, thoughts, and plenty of room to journal your insights.

I hope you'll enjoy and be able to take advantage of this opportunity. Have a wonderful week!

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Orchard Hill Trivia Contest Starts Tomorrow!


Everyone is invited to visit my blog tomorrow (and the two following days)to join in the Orchard Hill Trivia Contest. To find out more about Orchard Hill please visit my website karalynnrussell.googlepages.com/orchardhill. To find out more about the contest please visit my blog orchardhill.blogspot.com.

Plus, I'll post a few extras on my blog before the end of the year. Cora Applebaum, Orchard Hill's most informed citizen will be reporting on all the weddings that took place after the matchmaking contest. (They sure kept Pastor Isaac busy!)

And I'll give you a little sneak peak of a couple of new Orchard Hill stories. Hope to see you there!

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Holiday Themed Romaces Continue

Hey Friends,

Run over to my blog and check out the Holiday Themed Romances!

This week.....

Susan Lyons, Elaine Cantrell and Kathy Otten!

Hope to see you there.


Pamela S Thibodeaux
"Inspirational with an Edge!"

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Spend a Year in Orchard Hill and Win!

Think you'd like to visit Orchard Hill, a small town with big romance? There are a few ways to get there. You can

Try some short Orchard Hill stories for free!

Buy individual Orchard Hill stories at White Rose Publishing.

Buy the collected stories in print - volumes 1, 2 & 3 - at White Rose Publishing.

Buy the Orchard Hill Gift Set from White Rose Publishing. Includes all three print volumes, a White Rose Publishing Mug and Apple Cider mixes.

OR

You can enter the Spend a Year in Orchard Hill Trivia Contest!

This contest will take place on the Orchard Hill blog. I'll post 3 Trivia questions each day on December 10, 11, and 12. Answers to all questions can be found on my website, in the story blurbs or excerpts. Send me the answers at karalynn_russell@yahoo.com. Please include your email address so I can contact you if you win.



Every correct answer earns you 1 chance in that day's drawing. (3 correct answers means I'll put your name in the hat 3 times.) I will draw the winners' name on the day after I post that set of questions and announce the winner on the blog.

One winner each day will win a "Spend a Year in Orchard Hill" desk calendar and a download of any Orchard Hill story they choose.



The first person to reply each day will win an Orchard Hill magnet set, which includes one small magnet featuring the covers of the print volumes and a larger calendar magnet with the slogan "Spend a Year in Orchard Hill."



So pack your bags and get ready to visit Orchard Hill. Just make sure to lock up your heart if you don't want to lose it. You never know what will happen with Pansy and Misty competing for matches.