Road Trip! by Tracey J Lyons

Well this month's post caught me off guard! Why? Because I'm on a road trip with my husband. A road trip that everyone who knows us wasn't too sure would happen. You see we are, finally, after being together for over 40 years, driving from upstate New York to Florida. Now, we know many, many people have done the I-95 corridor before us. And we also know that many, many family and friends think only one of us will be returning in my RAV 4. LOL!

So...the trek began four days ago.

Yes that is my all important tea mug that you see perched precariously on the dashboard. A souvenir from another  road trip to Bisbee, Arizona. 

The car was packed. Okay not to organized, but I know where everything is.

And off we went on our 1,371.4 miles (one way)!! Or 20 hours in the car with my husband! Wait what did I agree to??!! 

Honestly, so far it's been a great trip. My husband, TJ , and I have talked books, kids, grand-kids, parenting, grand-parenting, in-laws and out-laws. We've even managed to solve a few of the world's problems.  But more importantly we've stopped along the way to visit friends we haven't seen in over a decade and friends who moved away from us as few years ago. And... we've set aside our crazy lives to reconnect with each other. This is becoming one of our most memorable trips. Something we can check off of our bucket list. 

I'm glad we decided to take the plunge and do the drive. We've been plotting and planning our trip back. I know I'm stopping at Georgia Peach World, exit 58 off of I-95. 

Special thanks to B & K Weiss, and R & D Spano for hosting us along the way! 

Tell me, have you ever taken a long road trip? I'd love to hear where you went!! 

A Love For Lizzie 

Print June 18, 2019

digital July 1, 2019

TraceyJLyons.com 

Another Side to the Ladies of Love Inspired Romance

Many of the Ladies of Love Inspired Romance write more than their Love Inspired Books. Here are some of this month's other new releases. Just click on the covers or buy links to purchase them. And to learn more about the authors, click on their names.

Exposed

by Mary Alford, Virginia Vaughan, and five other authors

HALLOWED GROUND (Mary)
After a terrorist attack claims the life of her partner, CIA Agent Erin Sandoval would not have survived Blake's death without the help of fellow agent, Jax Murphy. When Erin's unit is deployed to Afghanistan to find the elusive terrorist the CIA believes responsible for taking Blake's life, the mission proves to be a setup, wiping out almost the entire team. As the only survivors of the attack, Erin and Jax must cut through a wealth of lies and misdirections to uncover the killer's identity. Yet nothing prepares them for the truth, and the biggest threat to their survival might prove to be their growing feelings for each other. When you're running for your life, the most dangerous place to fall is in love.

FOR LOVE OR MONEY (Virginia)
Amy Sullivan left everything familiar to meet an aunt she didn't know she had. She's searching for a family connection, yet gets much more when she's named sole heir to her aunt's fortune. But someone in this sleepy, southern town doesn't want Amy to live long enough to collect that inheritance. Deputy Tate Mitchell is determined to discover who wants the money for themselves--and who is willing to kill Amy to get it.

A Christian Romantic Suspense Boxed Set Book Bundle Collection

Buy: Amazon 

Amish Christmas Wishes

by Mary Alford

DANGER IN AMISH COUNTRY
In the shadow of the Mission Mountains of Montana, a nightmare is about to come to life.

Facing her first Christmas since her father’s passing, Hannah Christianson must put aside the desires of her heart to one day have a family of her own in order to take care of her younger brother and sister. Yet when an unexpected stranger comes into her life, he possesses the power to rekindle all those longings.

Mason Lambright is the grown up version of the boy who has haunted Hannah’s dreams since she was a little girl. From the moment Mason stops in at her family’s café, Hannah feels a connection to him.

Banned Amish dairy farmer Mason Lambright is running from allegations that brand him a murderer. Desperate to reclaim his place in the Plain world once again, he ends up at the Mission Valley Community searching for a new beginning. But Mason’s unexpected appearance brings with it a hint of something far darker when another man arrives in the valley shortly after Mason. Everything about the intimidating stranger makes Hannah fearful. Who is this man, and why has he come to her peaceful Mission Valley community? The answer will be far more deadly than anything she could have imagined.

Haunted by a recent the fire that took the life of his mother, Mason recalls a similar one when he was a young boy. The little girl with silver hair that he saved from that fire. The mysterious man running away who warned Mason to keep his mouth shut. The feeling that something evil lurked nearby waiting to pounce.

Mason is struck by how much Hannah reminds him of that young girl from childhood. He is convinced their lives are connected in spite of the impossible. Hannah has never lived anywhere but Mission Valley.

With Christmas just days away, will Hannah and Mason unravel the secrets from their joined past and find the love they’ve both been searching for? Or will their dangerous history take away their chance at happiness…along with their lives?

Buy: Amazon 
 

Faithful Women: Legacies of Grace

by Belle Calhoune, Cate Nolan, Leah Atwood, and Christina Lorenzen

Four Christian romance novellas inspired by legendary Biblical women.
Eve: Eve Douglass has worked hard to recover from opioid addiction. In doing so, she's reinvented her life in Bay Shore, Cape Cod and held fast to her dream of one day opening her own bakery. When she meets handsome veterinarian, Flynn Samuels, Eve finds herself struggling with her attraction to him. Ever since the tragic death of her ex-boyfriend, Adam, Eve has steered clear of relationships. But Eve knows God wouldn't want her to walk through life alone. As she and Flynn begin a relationship, Eve struggles with the knowledge that she still needs to make amends to those she's wronged.

Hannah: Can God bring together what man has torn asunder?

Hannah and Kane Winthrop had it all—until the challenges of infertility drove a wedge between them and threatened their marriage.

Like her biblical namesake, Hannah is a woman of prayer, and she never stopped praying for a child.

Sometimes God answers our prayers in unexpected ways, and for Hannah that means a chance to be the guardian of two young children while their mother is deployed.

Will this opportunity give Hannah and Kane a chance to rebuild their marriage, or will it reinforce their differences and drive them apart forever?

Ruth: Ruth Baker has lost her husband. Unsure of what the future holds, she clings to her faith and her six-year-old daughter, Mara, when she travels to her grandmother’s beachside home in Pebble Shores.

Eli Hamill has felt the pull to put down roots. After years of buying and selling houses, he’s doing something he’s never done before – living temporarily in the beachside house he bought from an elderly widow. The last thing he’s looking for is an instant family.

Can an old house filled with loving memories and a sweet little girl show two lonely people what the future can hold?

Mari: A chance encounter in the aftermath of a storm takes Mari Armfield on a path of discovery that leads to a newfound faith in God. As her faith grows, she realizes that her life can’t stay the same. She has tough decisions to make, including the future of her relationship with her boyfriend Steve.

Steve doesn’t believe in God, but he’ll support Mari in her new walk. As her faith deepens, his concern grows. How can their relationship survive paths that aren't compatible?
Mari is a fictional novella inspired by the biblical woman at the well.

Buy: Amazon

A Match Made in Williamstown
by Jean C. Gordon

Ellie Alexander is In love. And the only thing sweeter would be if Libby, her unmarried, unattached granddaughter, could find the same happiness. Maybe with a little help from her and her beau Blake Parker …

Libby Schuyler has avoided dating since her break-up with college-sweetheart Jack Parker. Out of nowhere, Jack shows up claiming Ellie is swindling his grandfather, Blake, through a travel agency partnership they’ve formed. Libby and Jack team up to protect their grandparents and get to the bottom of Ellie and Blake’s business and romantic relationship. While Libby and Jack fight their reignited attraction, Ellie and Blake conspire to bring the two together.

Inspirational Romance Novella

Buy: Amazon | B&N |  Kobo | iBooks 

To Love
by Laura Scott

Eager for a fresh start, Jazz McNally throws herself into renovating her grandparents’ mansion in time for the grand opening of the McNally Bed and Breakfast. When vandals strike, she accepts help from drifter Dalton O’Brien. Dalton is willing to lend a hand, until it’s time to move on. But when danger escalates, Dalton soon realizes that protecting Jazz is a threat—to his heart.

Inspirational Romantic Suspense
The McNallys Book One 


Buy: Amazon | B&N |  Kobo | iBooks 

Runaway Princess Bride
by Lenora Worth

After making a serious misjudgment about the man she was about to marry, Cara escaped to the one place she always felt safe–her family’s ranch. She wants to evade the paparazzi and hide her near disastrous mistake from her family, while she tries to figure out what’s next.

In need of peace after a tumultuous year supervising the building of Castle’s first technology store, Aidan Castle escapes to the Double L Ranch. When he enters the den, he’s shocked to find a woman sleeping in a wedding dress. Worse, he recognizes her as the beautiful socialite he kissed at Castle’s costume ball. He’d felt that night was special and when Cara left, he’d lost a little piece of his heart.

Cara has no place to go, and Aidan’s not sure he wants to kick her out. When a winter storm traps them in, their attraction and bond become undeniable. Cara opens up and Aidan can’t resist playing white knight and offering to scrub all details of her secret love life to save grace with her powerful brother. But then, he discovers secrets that make him question everything. Can he trust her?

Sweet Romance
Castles of Dallas 

Buy:  Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks | Google Play

 

First Friday Fun and lots to Celebrate--Lenora Worth

July was an interesting month. I decided after much speculation and prayer, to fly to Denver to attend RWA. I wasn't sure all year if I'd be able to go. But I did go--sat side-by-side with my friend and fellow transplanted Floridan, Trish Milburn, as we both tried not to be too antsy about flying after many years of driving (or in her case, taking the train.) Our flights went great and we landed in Denver relieved and ready to have fun. I had the best time ever!

I got to see old friends and get lots of hugs, participated in the Harlequin signing along with Marta Perry, Terri Reed, Jo Ann Brown, Patricia David,  and a whole lot of other LI and Harlequin writers. That was such a treat! Of course,, I forgot to get our pictures together. But I have a few pictures to share. So scroll down for those. I also had nice visits with Patricia, Pamela Tracy, and later, Allie Pleiter and also with Mindy Obenhaus. Good therapy sessions! I got to meet some of the new LI writers, too. Sharee Stover is a sweetheart! Laurel Blount is the nicest person and we'd already had fun at a retreat earlier this year! Lunch with Terri Reed, Debby Giusti, Maggie Black and our editors was great. If I missed anyone, I love you all!

The highlight of the trip was having breakfast Wednesday morning with Marta Perry and Carol Steward. We have been friends since we all started out with LI, along with about five other LI writers. We've kept in touch just about every day on our little online loop, helped each other through plots, rejection, family stuff, life stuff, sickness and health and anything from sharing recipes to showing off new outfits! Love these women!

I also had a great time going to publishing events with LI, Harlequin and Tule. Pictures on some of those, too. Then my friend Judy Christie who now lives in Colorado met me for lunch on Thursday and we enjoyed a good hamburger at the Capital Grille, browsed in an old bookstore across the way and thanked her husband profusely for picking us up so I could get back to the hotel in time for a workshop I wanted to attend. (Not to mention also to avoid the heat and a long walk.)

I roomed with Denise Daniels who I've known since 1996 or so. A long time. We caught up on everything and had such fun visiting and comparing our days. I also spent time with a close group I've known and roomed with off and on for years--the Evelettes who are now the Zombie Belles because each time we group text, I hear bells ringing and think the zombies are finally coming!

Here are some pictures:

Carol Steward and me at the RITA awards

Danica Favorite (one of my favorites) with me at the Harlequin Party!

Me with Allie Pleiter and Terri Reed at Harlequin Party.

Me with my amazing editor Patience.

As you can see, I had made the rounds! 

Came home tired but ready to work.

This week I had a nice surprise, too.

I'm celebrating my 70th book with LI and Harlequin:

And to top that off, my friend Katherine Garbera, one of the infamous Zombie Belles (Tinker Belle) is also celebrating her 70th book with Harlequin, too. How great is that!!!! We've posted all over social media because it was better celebrating with a friend, of course.

Anyway, July was a good month and August is going to be pretty good, too. I'm feeling better about life in spite of my always ornery back and other life challenges. Here are my upcoming books from both LIS and Tule Publishing:

This one is out in August from Tule Publishing. (Tule lets Elnora do the writing but still sweet and PG13. Elnora has some standards!)

This is an LIS out in October! A Texas story!

And finally, if you're still with me--here's a treat for everyone. While at RWA, I attended an author's tea sponsored by Tule Publishing at The Brown Palace:

Enjoy!

It was good!

Next month, my partner in crime Margaret Daley will be here for First Friday Fun!

Have you had great times with friends lately. Tell me all about it!!!

Readers and Writers... A Match Made in Cyberspace

The internet is a pretty amazing place. If I really stop to think about how it's changed my life, it's really kind of mind-blowing.

Some of my longest-standing writing friendships are with people I got to know on the original AOL Series and Contests boards when we were all starting to write.

I sold my first book to LIS through an online pitch contest.

I've built a world of writing relationships with online acquaintances who have become real life friends. Just think how quickly your FB circle of friends responds when you ask for prayers!

Last week I was visiting my mother in Philly and working on a book set in Texas. It's been a few years since I've been to San Antonio and I had some questions about something I wanted to be sure I got right. Thanks to online friendships, the lovely Jolene Navarro was ready and willing to answer all my questions. I can return the favor by telling all my friends about her new release! And I can have it delivered to my Kindle or Nook app instantly when it releases.

I recently had the opportunity to participate in an online launch party for fellow Craftie Lady Rachel Dylan. I always love these parties because the interaction between readers and authors is SO intense and so much fun.


And that's what I really want to talk about today - how cyberspace has changed reader-writer relationships.

I remember being such a fan girl of my favorite authors when I first discovered romance fiction. I might write a letter, sent via the publisher, that the author might receive and maybe would respond to. I cherished several lovely letters from Mary Jo Putney and they made me feel like I mattered as a reader.

Today we can have almost instant communication between readers and writers either through FB parties, email, Twitter, or blogs like this one.

How do you feel about that?

I've helped host several Facebook parties in the past two years and I noticed one recurring theme: the readers are very excited to have the chance to chat with the authors and the authors are equally excited to chat with the lovely people who read their books. I don't know any writers who weren't readers themselves first, so when we can get together and chat about books, well it's just great FUN!

At Rachel's recent party there was so much conversation about how great it was to get to spend time together chatting about books and our lives. And boy can we talk about our pets!


I asked two of the attendees if I could quote them because I loved their comments:

Jennifer Stevenson Tipton: "I think it is neat how we can all get together from all around the world or country."

Caron Tweet: "One of the reasons I love these parties is because the authors go from being a name to a friend!"

I'd love to see some readers come out and join us here today. Let's talk about our favorite books or whatever is going on in your life.

Or we could talk about pets!

And to my fellow writers - what's your favorite part about interacting with readers?

Let's all connect as readers.  

 

It Started With Family

Hi everyone, Janet Lee Barton here.
Over the years I've found all my stories are about families or groups of friends who become family to each other. It's the same with my Boardinghouse Betrothal series for LIH. With Mrs. Heaton's guidance, her boarders become friends and family to each other.

My mother came from a large family. She was the oldest of seven children and the youngest of her siblings is only seven and a half years older than I am, born a year and a half before my older sister. The women in my family can all talk at once and keep track of all the conversations going on around us. I'm sure many of you can relate to that. It's something most women are good at.

So what a joy it was when my ninety-two year old aunt, her two daughters and their husbands, and one of their son's and his wife, came through on their way to a wedding to visit with us going and coming this past month. It reminded me once again why I love writing about families and friends. The closeness that is always there no matter how long we go between visits and the fun of it all. Sweet memories to share are such a blessing.

This is my sweet aunt on her great nephew's lap with five great nieces surrounding them--so  precious.

And we found that downsizing doesn't mean you can't have company. We had 24 over for supper on their last night, back through. All you have to do is let them help themselves, have an expanding dining table, a patio for the men to get away from all the noise of those conversations, and a living room to take the overflow!

What a blessing this family is to me! I love being able to  draw the closeness into my writing!

Look for the 3rd book in the Boardinghouse Betrothal series coming in September.

Elizabeth's story in: A Home for Her Heart

Ask Elnora--About Diamonds??? Lenora Worth

Elnora has diamonds on her mind. And in celebration of my current release "The Diamond Secret" I'm going to give away one book and one very pretty kind-of-diamond-looking necklace. (Since I can't actually afford to give away a real diamond!)All you have to do is tell me about your favorite piece of jewelry. Or what kind of jewelry you'd like to have. I'll draw a name from all the blinging bloggers!

The necklace is lovely. All the talk about diamonds got me to thinking about the real jewels in life. Friends. Some friends are like rubies--they are vibrant, bold and willing to take on the world. Other friends are pretty blue sapphires--dainty, happy and always sparkling. And some friends are emeralds--lush and quiet and strong, earthy. Then there are diamonds--brilliant, shining, multi-faceted, elegant and full of possibilties. What would we do without our friends? Right now, I have a friend who is suffering greatly. She needs our prayers. She is a true gem. It would be good for her to look up and feel the prayers of so many other gems sparkling around her. We can do that, right? We all started out like a lump of coal, but we've been refined by fire, shaped by the Master's hand and formed in His image. Some friends are truly more precious than rubies. Do you have a friend who is a jewel? Let's discuss.

Ask Elnora--About A Good Egg?? Lenora Worth

Hello, my little chicks. Do you like the picture up above? Elnora is in there somewhere. But can you guess what kind of picture this is? Okay, I can't wait to tell you. It's a mini-me inside a sugar egg! My dear friend and Church Lady Extraordinaire Miss Becky made a huge sugar egg and put me inside it. Elnora was so tickled to see myself in there, but she also added bookshelves behind me and a copy of my own book in one corner (Body of Evidence--the one that made the NY Times Bestseller List). She added a pink ribbon because a couple of years ago, I spoke at the group she and several other women started--"The Cancer Girls". They have all survived breast cancer! This egg looks good enough to eat, but then I couldn't stay hidden away in that sparkling sugar shell if someone ate it. It's like being in a tiny cocoon. And it's got major bling and girly flowers all over it.

Isn't that the cutest thing ever. Miss Becky is a big fan and reads a lot of our books. When she dropped by, I looked like death-warmed-over. Elnora had just and I mean JUST finished a Love Inspired that was due TODAY! Finished it yesterday at around 3 PM, thank you very much. I had on no makeup, grimy clothes and stringy lifeless hair. I had settled in to watch Big Daddy pack and to guess all the questions on Jeopardy. But when Miss Becky calls, one gets up and puts some color on. She always brings something wonderful. Even my son used to love her visits because she shows up like Mary Poppins, as if she knows you are having a bad day and she has chocolate brownie muffins and divinity--yes, divinity--even in the middle of summer. And we all flock to that metal tin like birds to a feeder. Sometimes she even throws jelly beans in there! Or little trinkets that remind us that God loves us.

Miss Becky is one of those thoughtful ladies, who, no matter her own pain or fatigue, just knows how to make others feels special. I bet you know someone like Miss Becky. She's a good egg, no doubt. When she brought my egg, she told me to keep it cool since it's made of pure sugar. We don't want it to melt. It will make the trip to Florida with me, if I have to hold it all the way and it will have a place on my office shelf. To show her my appreciation, I handed her a newly minted, fresh from the hunky UPS man to my house, copy of my August release The Diamond Secret. It's no secret that we all need a friend such as Miss Becky. She knows how to make you smile, even inside a luscious sugar egg. She said this one is her masterpiece. I say "Miss Becky, you are the masterpiece." Now ladies, let's hear about the Miss Becky's in your life. Let's discuss all the good eggs out there. Do you have one???

Ask Elnora--About My Office??? Lenora Worth

Hello, beautiful bloggers. I'm sitting in a fold-up chair in what will soon be my new office in what will soon be my new home. I have to admit it seems a bit strange for Elnora to be in an empty room with only an old computer desk and a chair. Oh, and a few books in the closet. Had to bring some books along. I have my book bag full of research sources, flash drives and two spiral notebooks with my scribblings all over them (that's what I call research notes.)But I also have to admit I kind of like the "quietness" of this little room. I love my office back at home, even though it's a mess and needs a major overhaul. I do an overhaul every few months and straighten it between books, but alas, what with all the NEW books I buy, the catalogues I must search and the manuscripts and mailings I receive, it's hard to keep that office tidy. I'm sure once I've decorated this one and settled in, it will become the same way. But this got me to thinking. What do you require in your office? What are some of the must-have things you keep around you. I have research books, how-to books, the books of my favorite writers--some dear friends, some who don't even know I exist, I have quotes and quote books, Bibles, dictionaries and pictures of friends. I have a special card that was sent to me when I first published by my dear friend Suzannah Davis. Suzannah passed away a few years ago, but I've never quite gotten over losing her. She was a mentor and a friend and she helped me to realize my writing dream. I look at that card just about every day and say a little prayer of thanks. I have Bible verses that hold special memories for me. My office is a special place because it's my place. Elnora has to have that room with a view. And I think we all need an Upper Room, where we can go and be close to Christ without any fanfare or attention. Yes, even Elnora needs her quiet time with the Lord. Anyway, my quiet little office has a nice window where I can see the sky and it has enough space to hold me and a few books. It will take some adjusting, being in a different writing space. But luckily, my imagination can travel with me. And from where I'm sitting now, I can see new adventures on the horizon. So, let's discuss our work spaces? Do you love yours? Hate it? Or do we need to encourage you to find your own space and let your imagination run wild there? There is nothing like a blank canvas. It just begs for adventure and embellishment. Elnora so believes in those two things. Tell me about your special place!

With A Little Help from our Friends

This is Merrillee, who is thinking about friendship. Here is a video with a portion of a song about friends made popular by the Beatles and Joe Cocker. Take a quick listen and think about your friends.



We all need friends. As authors we create friends for our heroes and heroines. These friends, secondary characters, serve as sounding boards and advisers for our main characters.

I've been thinking about friends because my mother-in-law recently visited with a friend she has known for over seventy years. In a few days, I'm going to be attending my high school reunion, and I will get to see Marita, my friend from high school. Here is a photo of us taken several years ago.

Proverbs 17:17 "A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for a time of adversity."

Tell us about a special friend or someone you've know for many years.

books

My husband and I decided we aren't getting each other anything for Christmas. We have most everything we need. In fact, I was looking around my house the other day and I thought, I need to get rid of some stuff. I looked at my overflowing bookshelves and decided that might be the best place to start de-cluttering. Some of the bookshelves in my office are double-booked - books are stacked two deep. So I started with my office. I pulled all the books off one shelf and then went through them one by one to decide which ones to keep and which ones to throw away. I looked over each one and sometimes I would open one to a favourite passage and start reading. Needless to say the job wasn't quick. And when I was done the first shelf, I had put almost all of the books back and only thrown out two or about 5%. This was not decluttering. But I couldn't throw so many of them away because they had enlightened me, entertained me, made me grow, made me change. The had done the job they were written for - that's how they ended up on my shelf in the first place. The books that didn't make the cut were thrown away or given away long before. I saw each of the books as a friend that taught me something valuable and in the back of my mind was the idea that I might want to revisit this friend again. I do re-read a lot of my books. That's why I keep them. Or I lend them out so I can share the gift. After Christmas I'm going to give the bookshelves another go. I might have to get my husband to help me. I'm sure he can be a bit more ruthless than I can. I just hope I can let go when the time comes.

Mother's Day is every day

I had an interesting, different kind of Mother's Day. A few days ago, one of my best
friends lost her mother. Miss Hilda Marie was in her eighties. She was such a sweet, delightful woman. The funeral was held on the same day a group of us were headed to Florida to the beach. We left the graveside and changed clothes and headed out,somber about leaving our friend behind but happy to be on the road. At the beach, I visited with my own daughter (Pictured with me here) who lives there and teaches high school. We all had a great time shopping and beaching and just hanging out. But we were still sad about Miss Hilda. (I named a character in my "In the Garden" series after her. The Sunday after she passed away, the choir sang that very song--In the Garden.)

After we made it home through some storms, I was more tired than when I left--probably because we stayed up late, laughing and talking, we played too much in the sand and the pool and the lazy river and we shopped and ate too much. That long drive in unpredictable weather seemed to drag on, but we made it through. Then my son left for Florida to spend the summer with his sister. So I have an empty nest. He left the day before Mother's Day. But he did leave me a little message on the refrigerator. I have lots of refrigerator magnets from places I've traveled andfrom friend--the kind with those cute sayings on them ( a lot of them involving shoes.)I like them arranged all organized and pretty. My son always came along and rearranged them just to aggravate me. On Sunday afternoon, I noticed he'd done it again. He'd taken all my rooster magnets and staggered them down the refrigerator like doorsteps. I had to laugh. His way of getting the last word.

Anyway, Mother's Day this year was different. My mother died when I was in my twenties and my husband's mother died a few years ago. No flowers to send, no phone calls to make. Just a quiet day for the two of us. But my son and daughter did call to wish me a happy day. And it was a bittersweet, happy day. Because I've never been real keen on Mother's Day anyway. When you're a mother, every day is Mother's Day. Every day, you find some joy, some pain, and little reminders that being a mother is a wonderful thing--through the good and the bad of raising children. You're a mother when a child calls crying and upset. You're a mother when a child laughs at your lame jokes or rolls his eyes in disdain. You're a mother when a friend is hurting and needs a listening ear. You're a mother when you hear horrible things on the evening news. And you're still a mother when you stand at your refrigerator and realize your babies are all grown up and marching to the beat of a different drummer.

Mother's Day is never-ending, always challenging, and worth every bit of effort.

We wouldn't have it any other way, would we?


Lenora :)

To Have a Friend, Be a Friend

Missy Tippens here. This photo is of a group of my writer friends/F.A.I.T.H. bloggers. We had a "reunion" at the American Christian Fiction Writers conference last fall. They're like my sisters and all much more adept at being fun and dramatic than I am (don't I look silly, like I'm not quite doing the "ta da" thing quite right?). :)

Since it's our theme for this month, I'm still thinking about friendship. A sweet lady at our previous church used to say, “In order to have a friend, you have to be a friend.” Waunette is with God now, but I still remember what she said.

Sometimes in friendship relationships, we get our feelings hurt, or we feel neglected, or we think we have no true friends. But when is the last time we were good friends to someone else?

I’ve been thinking about things we can do to be a good friend. Here are some of what I came up with:

--Listen. Sure, it’s great to be listened to. But do we listen as often as we speak?
--Be there when things get tough. Don’t be afraid we won’t have the right words to say or afraid we can’t handle the bad stuff. Just be a shoulder. Be an ear. Be a support. Just be there, period.
--Be generous—with our time, energy, and emotional support. Sometimes this might mean giving up time for something else (hey, maybe it can be housework!). :)
--Initiate. Sometimes it’s easy to feel sorry for ourselves if we initiate all contact. But I think it’s important to go ahead and step out there. Sometimes our friend may need that little extra push (the friend may have stuff going on or may just be timid or may think we’re just trying to be nice!). And eventually, that friend may start initiating.

What can you add? I’m sure there’s a lot more we can do. What are some things you’ve tried in keeping a relationship going?

I may not be able to get online today, but I’ll do so as soon as I can and check out your great ideas!

Missy

Long-distance Friends

I often envy people who have lived in a place for many years and have good friends—friends they have known for years—whom they see all the time. I've moved a lot, so many of the friends I have known for years all live some place else. I've lived in South Dakota, Montana, Washington State, Tennessee, Ohio, Georgia, Massachusetts, Texas, Illinois and Florida. I have collected friends from all those states, but I rarely get to see them. That's the sad part and thus my envy of those who get to see friends on a regular basis.

I have a large Christmas card list filled the names of friends we rarely see. I catch up with them this one time of the year. However, because I moved so much, I lost track of some of them over the years. Some of them have moved as well. I often wonder what happened to the couple that we used to play cards with every week when we were first married and living in a small town in Ohio over thirty years ago. She gave me a recipe for pizza dough that I still use to this day, and I get raves on my homemade pizza thanks to that recipe.

We met another couple in that same small town and fortunately, even with all our moves, we have managed to stay in contact. I attribute this to the fact that the men both worked in the healthcare field and had mutual business interests that kept them in touch through the years. We have been on numerous vacations together, and we always have a great time. When we get together, we just pick up where we left off.

When we lived in the Atlanta area, we found some good friends at our church who have a daughter the same age as one of our daughters. Although we don't see each other very often, we have attended the weddings of each others' children and have shared a lot of games of Trivial Pursuit. Last spring they were kind enough to let me stay with them at their place up in the north Georgia mountains so I could do research for my book, Homecoming Blessings, that comes out in April this year.

When we lived in Dallas, we had a group of friends that were in our small group Bible study each week. We had a bond because we were all the parents of teenagers. All of those teenagers are adults, and now we parents share photos of weddings and grandchildren.

I have maintained contact with one of my best friends from high school. Whenever I'm in the Spokane area, we get together. What a treat! She helped me with the research for my book, Love Walked In. I have reconnected with a number of friends who happened to learn about my books. Two of these folks helped me with the research on my January book, Mommy's Hometown Hero. I am amazed at how God worked to bring me in contact with people from my past just when they had the information I needed.

Just a few days ago, I received an e-mail from a fellow teacher, who taught across the hall from me when we were living in Georgia. She just happened to see my book on the shelf at the grocery store and recognized my name. It was wonderful to find out about the things she has been doing since we moved away.

I thank God for all the people he has brought into my life and the friendships I have made in each stop I've made in my life. Whenever I start to envy those who have long-time friends living right where they do, I realize I wouldn't have friends spread across the country if it weren't for the fact that I have moved so many times. Also, He has brought me my many long-distance writing friends.

Tell us about some of your long-distance friends.
Merrillee

A Friends Prayer

My friend Sharon moved to town a few years ago and since she didn't know anyone she prayed that God would give her a Christian friend. I owned my hair salon at that time and she walked in for a haircut--and that was that, we connected instantly. God gave Sharon me :) I think that is really kind of cool--not being a big head or anything but really it was cool. But coolest of all was that I got the better end of that prayer because Sharon has been like a real soul mate to me and is the person I can go to to talk about anything. Yes she prayed for a friend but I needed her friendship and didn't even know it! She has been such a blessing to me and I pray I've been a blessing to her. A few years later she moved away but even that hasn't changed our friendship, we still get together a few times a year to hang out. When my husband died Sharon dropped everything and came to me. She'd been through the same thing and she understood and was able to be there for me in ways that no other friends could be. I hope I've been as good a friend to her as she has been to me. I thank God every day for her prayer for a friend. God knew what I needed when He put Sharon in my life.

Friendships are blessings that God gives us. Have you ever prayed for a good friend or been the answer to a new friend's prayer?