My congratulations to the others who made it this far:
The Color of Redemption by Lynn Cornell,
Country Club Hills, Illinois
Connected in Love by Christina Weeks,
Fort Worth, Texas
The Covered Deep by Brandy Vallance,
Colorado Springs, Colorado
A Fall of Sparrows by Paul J. Bennett,
Forest, Virginia
Learning to Live Again by Kimberli Buffaloe,
Pikeville, North Carolina
The Orb of Oriston by Donna Myers,
Nampa, Idaho
Stolen Dreams by Sharon Sheppard,
St. Cloud, Minnesota
Through Every Valley by Rebekah Colburn,
Centreville, Maryland
A Ticket Bought at a Hazard by Debra Jeter,
Clarksville, Tennessee
I hope that we all get published and bring The Word to the world. I thank my wife, Kip, for helping me to get this book done and all her hard work in editing for me.
Sorry for the abbreviated posts lately. It’s Santa Season and I’m a bit swamped. But I promise to do something pithy/funny/special/not too bright in the next 48 hours and post it.
Today’s post is a short one. I’m asking all of my readers who are looking for a unique Christmas tree ornament to head to a site set up by Healing Haiti. Ornaments on the site provide for …. well, they say it way better than I could.
Please go to: Vineworks360.com and grab an ornament. You can also buy them at select Slumberland stores throughout the midwest. But the website is a great place for my friends out of the region to head and purchase online.
Be blessed. And share your Christmas with the people of Haiti. Not just good looking on your tree, but a great gift!
A year ago I wrote extensively about my dog Maisie and her last week with us. She was my girl in so many ways, and a complete sponge for affection. Her place in my heart is secured for eternity. Sickly as a puppy, she had a rough life healthwise for all of her days. In the end, she was skinny, arthritic, and in a lot of pain. But she was the most beloved dog I’d known in my life. She owned me.
I think it’s safe to say that her death kicked me pretty hard. A lot of the joy in my life vanished with her, and it’s been a struggle some days to smile in the wake of that death. People without pets won’t get that part of the emotions, it’s something you have to experience. Those animals are part of your family and they are mourned just like any other death.
Less than a month after Maisie died, and a lot of tears later, Stormy came to live with us. I’ve written often of her previous life and travails. She was twice adopted and very reluctant to interact/love when she came to our house. It’s taken a lot of trust building in the last 11 months to get to where we are today. Still no licks on my face, but she’s comfortable enough with me to sleep on the bed and sit on the couch with me. I’m in love, she’s in love (the wagging tail tells the tale her other actions won’t.)
With that being said, today is an anniversary that I don’t dread. I remember Maisie fondly, still tear up for a moment when I think about her, and feel a clutch at my heart regarding her death. But Stormy is waiting every morning when I get home from work with anticipation. She circles the room and then sits at attention in front of me, quivering with joy as I rub her snout.
God heals our wounds. Stormy is a rescue dog. Yet the question is: who rescued whom? I suspect the answer is the fat guy with the beard was the one who was saved. Thanks, God. She’s a perfect fit for the hole in my heart.
Amish Vampires in Space is kind of an “inside baseball” joke among Christian authors. Jeff Gerke, a man with serious mental issues (he’s brilliant – that’s an issue) came up with the title a few years back in response to the glut/profusion/dominance of the Christian market by Amish inspired stories. The foreword to AVIS (Amish Vampires in Space) talks about it in detail.
One of Jeff’s authors, Kerry Nietz, had already written a few books for Marcher Lord Press. He knew Jeff’s joke about the title and trying to break into the Amish market. One day he contacted Jeff – well, buy the book and read the forward.
So, down to the nub: why would anyone read such a book and why is it the topic of your Thanksgiving Day post? The answer is simple: I am thankful for my fellow Christian authors. I love the prolific ones, the once-in-a-while ones, and the just plain nuts ones (me.) God has blessed me with the ability to travel to different worlds, different eras, and different cultures with the books I’ve read. I have been blessed with an imagination – and now I’m writing and not just reading.
AVIS is extremely well written. Whether you’re looking for an Amish book, a science fiction (speculative fiction) work, or a Christian work with a light touch this book will probably tickle your interest. Kerry takes a very honest look at the problems that confront the Amish in regard to technology and it’s place in their society. He also looks at the need to bring The Word of God to the world as commanded in the Gospels versus the isolated world the Amish inhabit. He’s just set it in outerspace.
But that wasn’t enough for Kerry. Nope, he had to throw vampires into the mix. He pulls it off nicely. If you’ve ever watched a Dracula flick, or read the book Dracula by Bram Stoker, you will get it immediately. For those who have read the book, there are some awesome parallels that will make you glad that you read the original. It’s not a paradoy, more of an homage to the genre. You can keep Twilight – I’ll take Amish Vampires in Space. The reason? AVIS presents vampires as evil – as was Stoker’s intention.
I read it in a few days. It was fun, witty, great characters, great use of technology, and a timeless story of how we have to consider our beliefs in light of change that threatens our lives.
That’s two great books by authors in the Christian field in this past month. Which reminds me: Amy Matayo’s book, The Wedding Game, is getting great reviews and is for sale right now on Amazon.com. Head on over and get her book while you grab Kerry’s work.
The Wedding Game (Photo stolen from amymatayo.com)
Some things you do as Santa are so utterly delightful that you can’t wait to schedule them for the coming year. Some events as Santa are so heart-melting that you have to steel yourself in advance. Some events are the reason you are Santa. Cookies With Santa and my time each year with the Hope Kids is the latter kind of event.
This year was my eighth year with Cookies With Santa. It all started in an attempt to put my highly expensive photographic suite to good use. We had a very simple event with Spare Key where I asked them to pick up the materials cost and I’d provide the photographic printers and all the smiles. They provided the cookies. Thus was born my favorite event of the year: Cookies With Santa.
That event had just a handful of families turn out. The following year we moved it to a bigger venue, more families, and I decided that running my own photo studio was too much work.
Ah, but that third year… We hooked up with Hope Kids and they provided a venue, cookies, the photographer, and so much more.
I won’t do the stories that so often appear at this time of year when it comes to Hope Kids. They are kids. Period. Kids who love Santa, have a good time at the event and have all the needs, wishes, and dreams of every other kid. I love those little ones. And their parents. I go a lot of places and do a lot of things as Santa each year. This event, traditionally my first “people” event of the year, is one that I cherish. I fill up my tank and start the praying at Cookies With Santa.
You see, my goal is to pray over every child and adult who takes a picture with me. And I pray for the people behind the camera, the ones who won’t come on my side of the lens, and the tearful ones standing in the shadows. All of them get a blessing in return for the huge pile of blessings I take away from the event. I am so honored that they let me be a part of their lives. I am humbled by the love and smiles that I get each year.
I truly would love to share all of the photos with you. But I don’t put the child photos up on any of my sites anymore. All of the ones I display had been used with permission but that’s such a hard thing to do anymore. Instead I just show the adults: if you’re over 18 you’re fair game for the blog.
Today’s photos, displayed below in a montage, are of some really fun people. The big guy in the blue shirt is the Manager at Sky Deck at the Mall of America. The young man and young woman are also employees of Sky Deck. The older couple are grandparents who came for the event and gleefully took photos with the lunatic in the red suit. The blonde lady and bearded fellow are two of my photographers – and very good at what they do! My friend Dick is invisible, he won’t let me have his picture – but he masterminds the photographic set with his lovely wife. I wish they’d consent to a photo. Finally, the really silly women in maroon and gold are all from the University of Minnesota – volunteers who helped out with the event.
I cannot say enough nice things about everyone who participated – families and volunteers alike. If you have disposable income burning a hole in your pocket, head over to Sky Deck and patronize them. They’ve hosted us for three years now and are a fine outfit in every respect.
Now, without further ado, the photos. I am so blessed.
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