TUESDAY EVENING SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT

This last Tuesday evening, I had a book signing at the local library where I work! It went very well and I wish there had been a better picture of me alongside this table, but alas, they were all very "interesting." Seems I was always caught with my mouth open! Well, it was a speaking engagement after all!

I talked about my two books and then a bit about the third in the series that I hope will be out later this spring. I used the example of my grandma's diaries to encourage people to journal down everyday events and family history for the sake of the future generations. I also spoke a bit about the traditional values in my books and how I think we need a return to good moral stability and the values that made us a great nation.

I had a great time, though I felt a bit nervous speaking on a topic as opposed to teaching Sunday School or giving a sermon. This was a little different and it's been a while since I did this kind of speaking. But once I got started, it went quite well. People asked lots of questions, which made it easier and I guess I'm a born talker! Wish you all could have joined me! Blessings, LORI

BITS OF NEWS

Just a quick little update since I didn't post for a week! We are in Grandville, Michigan at the RLCI Leadership Conference and having a great time.

We are experiencing wonderful spring weather here in Michigan. Hope you are too! Decided to change the picture on my profile. This one appears on my new book, just released, "A Sturdy Fence." I made this dress for JT's wedding several years ago and never used it for that. Just a little hint--since I'm holding a black straw hat, the picture is so appropriate for book three, that I hope to have out yet this year. A large part of the story revolves around two straw hats! Blessings, LORI

COUNTRY COMFORTS

The house and barns had been completely painted now and their fresh, clean colors offered a stark contrast to the fading landscape all around.
from "The Fields of May"


I wanted to share a few pictures with you today to show you what I've been up to. I recently finished these two embroidered miniature pictures after someone gave me the kits years ago. They always appealed to me, but I thought they would be a big project. Turns out they were relatively easy to do and very pretty when done. I was thrilled to hang them upstairs in my "country farm corner," in the big open hall area. Couldn't get everything in this last picture, but the large framed painting is a rooster and red barn. The black framed picture between the new embroideries is a couple of chickens looking out through the wire in their barn window. This was taken on one of our trips to Tennessee! Sitting right below the weather vane is a rusty iron chicken planter on wheels that sits in a transferware bowl and pitcher. I have baby's breath in the chicken planter! Sorry I couldn't get that in the picture!

How about a little recipe suggestion for this wintry, day in the country? Yesterday I made something new. Actually I made it up and thought you might enjoy it as well. Here's what I did. I took about three-four frozen boneless, skinless, chicken breasts and put them in the crock pot on low early in the day, turning it up to high later. After they were cooked and bubbling I added a can of cream of chicken soup, some pepper, and about half a can of tomato sauce. I stirred it up and let it cook for a while longer on low. The chicken tended to flake apart easily after awhile. I turned the crock pot down (I have a 'keep warm" feature) and added about a cup of sour cream (only because I didn't have cream cheese, which I would have preferred!). Before supper I cooked up some fancy pasta and served the chicken mixture over the top! Easy meal. Everyone said it was good. I was thinking that I could now take the pasta and chicken, add milk and Italian seasoning, cook on low in the crock pot and have soup for a second meal! It was a great combination of flavors with an elegant twist for very little effort. Try it and let me know if you liked it!

What else am I doing lately? Well, writing, enjoying my new book that is now in print--hurray! and lots of needlework. Started a very unique pair of gloves for JT and am working on dedication dresses (heirloom style) for the little granddaughters.

I might be speaking or "tag team speaking" with Clint this Sunday as he preaches on the gifts of the Holy Spirit from 1 Corinthians. Pray for me if you think of it--I haven't exactly consented and given him a 'yes' answer yet, so the details and studying are not worked out yet. However, this subject is very close to my heart and intriguing to me. I am looking forward to studying the examples that are in the Bible--there are many--where even in the Old Testament, the prophets were obviously functioning by the Holy Spirit and doing ministry enabled by His power. As well as that, you can read through the book of Acts after reading and studying the list in 1 Corinthians and see the obvious--that the people in the early church and the miracles we read about were manifestations of the Holy Spirit--the gifts in operation! It is really a cool study. Blessings, LORI

"FIRST LOVE" AND FEEDING MY FEATHERED FRIENDS

It sure is good to be back posting something after a whole week! I just had nothing to say for a change! Imagine that?! I really did though, because meanwhile I was writing up a storm on my series!

Here are some pictures of me making homemade bird food. I ventured out today and went to one of our local stores that specialize in bird feeding supplies. I purchased some cracked corn and a suet holder, a finch-feeding sock and some thistle seed. We are in the midst of a huge snowfall here in southern Michigan. I knew the birds would be hungry and having a hard time finding food once it really hits. I've been meaning to make up my special recipe suet all fall and winter and never did it. Today I finally go to it. Our church has a sausage sale each year for our bazaar. The by product of that is lard. I buy a few tubs of that each year and mix with cheap peanut butter. I add to that whole wheat flour, wheat bran, cornmeal; whatever grain-based stuff I have like that. Then I usually add old jelly and freezer burned fruit. The birds love it! I freeze the stuff in hamburger-patty style molds on a wax-papered cookie sheet. Today's recipe included strawberry jam, pear jam, sour cherry jelly, sweet cherries, strawberries and dried cranberries! It's kind of like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for birds!

I taught a friend how to make the suet and since she has been doing that her birds have become very choosy. They much prefer the homemade to any other kind. She rations it out to them because they are so eager for the stuff that they go through a cake a day! The last picture is right after I put out the food. A few little birds came immediately to indulge! However, I must tell you, they went to the store bought cake first. I'm not sure if they don't like my cooking this year or what. I suspect it had something to do with the fact that the cake was not yet hardened and I placed it on wax paper that was rustling with the wind. It usually takes a few days for them to get used to something new, I've noticed. Aren't we people even a little like that?

A few thoughts on first love......Since we are nearing Valentine's Day, I thought it appropriate to comment on "first love." This phrase was going through my mind today as I prayed and pondered. Of course, immediately the Bible verse from 1John 4:19 came to mind. "We love Him because He first loved us."

Jesus was the perfect example of love. He first loved us even when we were unlovable. Isn't that a great thought? It's a rare person that doesn't want to experience the excitement of finding out that someone is "in love" with them. I kept thinking about the kind of love we term "first love"--a romantic sort of love that most everyone has experienced at one time or another in their lives. Of course, since I write courtship fiction, I do try to encourage believers to wait for God's choice of "first love." Still, we most all can identify with that in one way or another. It's a really wonderful feeling to find out that someone is attracted to you. Remember?

Well, as I pondered this scripture, I thought about how very wonderful it is that Christ has a type of "first love" for us. He is pursuing us. He longs for us to give Him our heart. It is His initiative that draws us to seek Him. Even when I feel rejected by others, (and believe me, it does happen!) I can remember that I am wanted and loved by Christ who is the most perfect example of love.

As you think of Valentine's Day, think of love and dwell on Christ's love to you. The Bible speaks so much about all kinds of love. God is love.

Hey, just a little note--one of the exciting things of late is that I recently read my new copy of "A Sturdy Fence." How exciting for me! There's alot about love in that book! Blessings, LORI

VACATIONING PRODUCTIVELY

Hi, everyone! I hear we are in for a big storm here in southeast Iowa tomorrow afternoon/evening. I want to meet with another friend tomorrow and hope it holds off until we can have lunch together and do a little shopping.

We are still having such fun here! I wish I could share pictures. I will certainly try to post them as soon as I get home. My old high school friend came to see me today and we shopped for a long while in a thrift store. I got a nice sweater and she got a real bargain on jelly jars for Christmas gift giving. I was kind of aggravated after finding a sack of rubber stamps at the thrift store--one of which had hollyhocks on it. I looked diligently for a stamp with hollyhocks back home in one of the biggest stamp stores around for use in making cards, labels, etc. for "A Sturdy Fence," which has hollyhocks on the cover and hollyhocks figure into the story. Well, too bad the stamp had a saying on it that didn't match the book at all, rendering it useless to me! Oh, well, my friend and I visited the whole afternoon, taking the once/year opportunity to really catch up on news.

So nice to be able to relax and get away from the daily routine. I am getting lots of needlework done and that is a great feeling. Trying to spend time with the Lord as well. I got to listen to some great teaching tapes today while walking. So I'm using my vacation time productively!

EMMA'S SOCKS AND SCRIPTURAL ENCOURAGEMENTS

Matthew 11:2-6 (Please read this selection)

Jesus answered and said to them, "Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. (Vs. 4-5)

Here's a picture of Emma's new socks! I just finished them last night. This picture is taken on my grandma's old ironing board. It sits up in what I call my "living room" in the upstairs dormer. I have little china doll dishes, a toy iron, Grandma's real old iron, lots of antique shirt collars and various other antique items displayed there. Do you like the little socks? I was really pleased with them. The pattern was from a really old book.

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I hope you took time to read the entire Bible selection that I noted today. I was reading in Matthew this morning when this passage really struck me. I was contemplating and praying about some pretty big things this morning and asking for direction. In this passage I found some interesting encouragement. John was imprisoned and facing death for his righteous stance. I'm sure he was wanting to make sure that he had perceived and discerned the Lord's commission correctly. He sent some of his disciples to ask Jesus if He was the promised one. It is surprising that Jesus did not give him a direct "yes" or "no" answer. Did you notice that? Instead Jesus listed the things that were going on in His ministry. He told the disciples to report that back to John.

I understood this to be an encouragement for John to look at the evidence and not just a report of what someone answered. I wonder if we sometimes are waiting for God to give us a sign or a word when we really need to look at the circumstances surrounding a situation. I have studied for years in the Bible and love the topic of "hearing God." I once taught a very extensive series of Sunday school lessons on the subject. One of the ways we hear and discern God's will for decisions is by the circumstances. This is not the only way or always the case, but it is one way that often happens to move us in a certain direction. It's as if Jesus was urging John to see the evidences, the results and let them speak for themselves. Also John was very much in tune with the Holy Spirit in a way that most others of his day were not. His ministry was incredible and unusual for his time. (Matthew 11:11) Jesus knew that there was coming a time for His followers when being led by the Spirit and not His personal physical presence and voice would be the norm. I believe He knew that John could already be trusted to discern the signs of the times and the deity of Jesus by the evidences and the Holy Spirit's prompting. After all John would have known from what Jesus pointed to (healings, etc.,) that this lined up with prophetic scriptures. I am sure John was well-versed in the word.

These are great thoughts to ponder as you think about how you personally make decisions and how you hear from God.

Yesterday I took "A Sturdy Fence" to the publishers! This book is a bit different than the first. The theme is similar, but with much more conflict. It still has the country flavor and simple innocence of "The Fields of May," though. Hooray! In only a short bit of time we should have a finished book to make available to readers! I started the polishing on book 3 last evening. I am feeling really good about all that!

Today is a really pretty day here and I plan to go do some winterizing on my garden before we lose this sunshine. Have a great weekend, Blessings, LORI

A MICHIGAN NOVEMBER

GIRLS DRESSED TO KILL (Deer, that is)!


Welcome to November in Michigan! The opening day of the deer hunting season (gun season) fell on a Sunday this year. Instead of having the annual deer camp yesterday, our cousins hosted the event today. This is a picture of my husband's cousin, Gloria, on the left, our daughter, Rhiannon in the middle, and Abby, another cousin on the right. Don't they look cute? I am the only girl in our immediate family that doesn't hunt. Even my daughter in law got a license last year. But since she's 8 months pregnant, she is not hunting this year. We all gathered for the Deer Camp festivities in Gloria and Charlie's very comfortable pole building, complete with woodstove and bulletin boards of former hunting successes. We had a huge carry-in meal of delicious foods and lots of fun and fellowship around the table. Someone brought a venison noodle casserole that was scrumptious! I am not a venison fan, but this was enough to make me want to can some if we get a deer. Venison will be welcome to many Michigan families, especially this year. Our state is hard hit with the economic downturn, more so than many other places and this year's hunt will help many families stretch an already strained food budget.

Instead of hunting, I prefer to stay home and knit the warm items that the hunters need. Clint talked me into knitting and felting a sweater for him a few years ago. It was designed specifically for hunting. I chose a green/black wool and made a huge oversized sweater. It has a front placket with antler horn buttons. I felted it to a perfect fit for him and am still amazed that it turned out right! Felted wool is virtually element-proof! He says it's one of his best hunting garments for the very cold days.

I was thinking today about November as I took my walk. I used to really love this time of year, but for the past couple of years we have had kind of "trying" Novembers. There's been sickness and other things to deal with. I began to dread the early darkness of the time change and the increased indoor time that I used to love so much. I was reminded to try to enjoy the particular beauty of the season for what it is instead of complaining and dreading the soon-coming winter.

November in Michigan is pretty in a unique way. The sight of a faded red barn against the deep blue-gray, cloudy skies is like something from a painting. Scenes like that are abundant in my home area. Rustling cornfields and brown leaves add to the picture. The colors of nature this time of year always remind me of hand-dyed wool! The whole landscape reminds me of my favorite hobbies! It makes me want to knit. By the way, I started a pair of self-striping socks for Emma last night and they are going together rapidly. So cute and so tiny!

I got the privilege of hanging out a freshly washed load of sheets today. The cold air and stiff breeze will make them smell wonderful! This is a blessing of country life.

I received a phone call today from a friend who just finished reading "The Fields of May." She was urging me to let her know as soon as "A Sturdy Fence," and it's sequel are out. Another cousin mentioned to me today that she finished the book as well and loved it. I was thrilled. Especially since I plan to get the manuscript for "A Sturdy Fence" over to the publishers before this week is out! That was a real boost!

Today I am thanking God for the little November blessings that we enjoy. More spiritual insights and thoughts coming soon! Blessings, LORI

A LITTLE REPORT

I'm taking time to give you a little update and explanation! I wanted to post pics of Tennessee, but Rhiannon tells me we must go use a different computer in order to do so since her mega pixels (do I have that right?) are set much higher and etc., You get the idea! So for a few days, bear with me, please.

If you can, please pray for us in the next few days. I took my mom to the e-room this morning at 6. She thinks she had a gall bladder attack. She had one a year ago and was scheduled for surgery when other complications set in preventing it. She's been fine ever since and so did no more about it. It's been a long, ongoing problem that crops up only occasionally. Kind of an annoyance and not a real big emergency. Still it's very hard on her and I have had a tendency in the past not to handle sickness in the family real well. I rarely ever get sick myself and the thought of visiting the hospitals and dr.'s offices is uncomfortable to me. I have fought worry alot in my life and this challenges me, though I have grown greatly over the years by feeding on the Word. I believe worry is a sin since Jesus warned us against it. I have tried diligently not to allow it to have a place in my life. This situation of a family member under the weather is one of things that will attempt to set worry off in my life. I would therefore, appreciate your prayers for our wisdom and discernment as a family and my ability to live in peace and confidence. I believe according to scripture we have been given all we need for life and godliness--that includes peace and wisdom. Therefore, I am just needing to learn to draw that out from the riches of Christ in me. (Read the first 3 chapters of Ephesians for an explanation of the great power that resides in the Christian!) That's where my friends who pray come in! If you pray for me, pray that I will walk in the will of the Lord and not in fear and worry through this and any other challenges.

I also would appreciate your prayers for the last few bits of work on the publishing of the sequel to "The Fields of May," which is "A Sturdy Fence." I have a few things to do that should have been done two weeks ago. It involves computer stuff that I don't completely understand. I am therefore, behind schedule. This new development of mom's possible surgery threatens to shove that further back. Please pray for things to fall into place with the speedy release of this book.

Our church bazaar yesterday went so well. Our total proceeds were up to nearly $4000. We are thrilled in such an economic downturn to have generated that much. It's all going to missions and that is a big blessing! I helped with the baked goods. We had more than we've ever had donated. We were absolutely flooded with homemade goodies! Also we had quilts, woven rugs, and many other handmade items to sell. Some of the food included, raised doughnuts, pies, fried pies, soups, biscuits and gravy, whole hog sausage, etc. Wonderful! This morning a teen ministry group was with us and church was followed with a fellowship dinner and a pastor appreciation session! We were presented with a cake and several folks brought cards and gifts. How lovely!

I appreciate so much that you take time to ready my posts. Til, I can tell more wonderful and interesting Tennessee news.....Blessings, LORI