Merry Christmas!

Greetings!
Tomorrow is Christmas EVe and our traditional Candlelight Service has been canceled because of the snow. I can't remember the last time I have missed church on Christmas Eve. NOt to be this year...weather won!

The snow is beautiful, but everything comes to a standstill. My son hasn't been able to get to his apartment since Saturday. Guess he'll be home for Christmas...a week!

Tried to get out of my driveway today to go to work...and got stuck. I wasn't in the driveway, I wasn't in the street! Had to call my husband to rescue me in his 4-wheel pickup. So off to work I go....and stay until 6pm...got a whole lot done, because no one was out and about. Brought work home, so I could stay home the rest of the week! Yahooo. Is there any football on?

EVeryone...have a blessed Christmas...
and to all...a goodnight!

Catching up

Ok, so today I was reminded that I haven't posted in a month. sigh sigh sigh.
Last time I posted I was at Hood Canal, just beginning my week away ALONE. It was wonderful! There were days I didn't even get dressed! I read four novels. Haven't read a novel in ages. It was truly a week of NOT THINKING! The woodpecker drove me nuts all week. I ended up writing a story about it. The rain just poured down the entire week I was there...and it was fine with me. Lost power one night..and that was fine too! My cell phone guided me to the candles!

Since then, I made a trip to Sacramento to speak at a dinner event. Great fun. Ladies were wonderful.

Today I had a booksigning at a local mall..and then went SHOPPING!

My speaking schedule for next year is amazing. I still shake my head (and thank God) when someone calls me to speak. I keep wondering, what do I have to share? Thank You Jesus, for giving me Your words to share.

OUr choir is gearing up for the Christmas Program...which I narrate. I've revamped the narration...and it appears I'm also going to run the media system...so the narration will be a "voice" from the speakers. I think it will be cool. They won't see me...so hopefully the emphasis will be on the spoken words and not the person speaking them.

Ok..Groooooooooooooovyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy girl...we are updated!

In case I get spacey again....everyone...have a blessed Christmas!

All by myself!

Here I am!!! At my favorite get-a-way spot..Hood Canal. If you've read my books, you know this is where I take my week away ALONE! It has been pouring down rain,which is fine with me. I didn't even get dressed today! A woodpecker woke me up with a rat tat tat on the side of the house. I had to shoo him away several times! I've been here one day...and have done nothing!!! It's great!

What a Fall!

I wish you all could see what I see. The Fall leaves are in full color...yellows, oranges, reds. VIBRANT colors. Just beautiful. The skies are clear, the air is crisp. Reminds me of why I live in the Pacific Northwest.

This has been a busy month, gearing up to our community women's conference, which I pretty much oversee. My friend Carol takes care of all the music...and the admin stuff is my baby. Did my "song" this year. Oh yeh! Then Carol and Ruth surprised me with a song... "please don't sing," to the tune of "hello mudder, hello fadder.."
funny!

I'm gearing up for my week away alone. If you've read my books, you know I take a week off and head to Hood Canal...all by myself. I need it!

Catching Up

So, what have I been doing since last we spoke?
Went to California to speak at a retreat with Lutheran ladies from Fresno. Great time, except with plane delays coming home. My luggage was 30 minutes behind me.

Next up...another retreat with Presbyterian ladies. Again fun time. Oh yeah...and I'll have fun fun fun till my daddy takes my Mazda away.

Now I'm gearing up at my own church, for our annual community-wide women's conference. It's always a fun time to gather ladies from other churches together to worship our Father.

THEN...and I am SO excited...I'll be off to Hood Canal for my week away ALONE! I am sooooo ready to sleep, sleep, sleep and sleep....and not get dressed if I don't want to!

I live in the Pacific NW and the leaves are changing colors. What a sight!

Happy Birthday to me

Ok, so I'm a few days late.
Had a great birthday celebration on the 20th with husband, son, mom and good friends,Rod and Carol, at one of my favorite places...McMennimen's Edgefield, in Troutdale,OR.

My back is killing me...so I sit.I should be packing for a weekend retreat! I have a flight to catch at 6 A.M. in Friday morning. How many of you know that I am NOT a morning person? I may as well just STAY UP all night!

Girls Weekend

So, I just spent 6 days with the girls at Cannon Beach Oregon. We had a wonderful house right on the beach...beautiful weather. I walked up and down the beach, singing.."who told the ocean it could only come this far..." from Nicole C. Mullins, "Redeemer." Here's a picture of the famous "Haystack Rock." This was taken from the front yard of the house we were staying at. (Thanks Marie for the pic)

Preach it my son!

My 25 year old son preached in my church yesterday. He will be starting his third year of seminary next month. It is amazing to watch you little boy stand up there with Bible open and preach the word of God, with boldness and confidence. Amazing.

I did the "front end" of the first service so I got to introduce him. During second service which is more casual, I stood up and also introduced him, "this is my son, in whom I am well pleased." Great kid.

He just got back from two months in South America. He went down on a grant, to study the growth of Christianity in South America. I asked him in a sentence, why is it growing? He said, the churches are looking outward, instead of inward. Boy, do we have a lot of work to do!

Here we are (before he shaved!_

Godtube

Ok, so I am really pumped. I had an interview with Godtube while at booksellers convention. Just got word it was loaded.

You can view it at


http://godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=2a07f22e4b09edd675e5&page=1&viewty
pe=&category=


and they said I was one of their FAVORITES! SWEETIEDEE!

Orlando and Booksellers Convention

WOW! Nothing like heat, humidity, thunder, lightning and rain. Ok, so that was the downside.
How about this? DisneyWorld, Cracker Barrel Restaurant, Outlet Mall AND, the International Christian Retail Show at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL.

Along with all of that, my dear friend Carol went along with me. THAT all added up to a GREAT TIME! Carol wears many "unoffical" titles for me...business manager, publicist, encourager, rooster (she crows if I get out of line) and a new title of bag lady. You will have to ask HER about that one. I helped her, by building her self-esteem. I LET her win at gin rummy! Ok, so it was like Oscar and Felix do Orlando!

Purpose of the trip was to attend the convention where bookbuyers from all over the world were in attendance. I signed and gave away 150 books at the new book release party.

Here is a picture of me with Rachel Eggum-Cinadar.















Signing books. You better talk to me, cause I'll climb out of the booth after you!

















Sunday morning, Anne Graham Lotz spoke at the worship service. Oh man! She packs a powerful punch!

I had interviews with radio stations, TV and two internet programs. Soon, you will see one of those interview on godtube.com. Click "ministry" and "ICRS." When the interview is loaded, I'll put the link here.

I even got "makeup" for one of the TV interviews. I mean, someone, sat me down in front of a mirror with those HOLLYWOOD lights and applied makeup! That was UNREAL!

Get this, I even ran into a woman who I used to babysit! She works for a west coast publisher. Her dad was my track coach. (It's a small world after all! X 50 million.)

Carol is from the south, so we had to hit the Cracker Barrel Restaurant, for some "southern cooking." Yum!

We spent one day in DisneyWorld, dodging kids, and riding the rides. Loved the the lazer gun in the Buzz Lightyear adventure. (Carol kept trying to make me miss. Payback for rummy I guess!)

Can you pick out the real Goofy?














All of that being said, we had a great time. And..we are still speaking to each other! I pray you have someone in your life who you can laugh and cry with. Who will pray for and with you, and hold you accountable...and encourage you to be all God wants you to be. If you don't, pray He will send someone your way.

2008 Relay

Oh man! Am I tired.
Relay was great. EVeryone should get involved in this fun event, to raise money for cancer research. You can find a Relay event near you by checking www.cancer.org.

I raised over $1000 this year, so was treated to a breakfast this morning. That meant I had to get up at 6:30 a.m. and drive 20 back to the Relay. I was there until almost midnight last night. Back in my "younger days" I would have spent the night...but my bed is much more comfy than a lawn chair or the ground.

Here's a picture of my luminaria bag for this year. Yes, I have unashamedly advertised!

I'm a Survivor!

Celebrating 8 years of being cancer free! I will be participating in the Vancouver WA. Relay for Life July 25-26

In the beginning...

...my publicist, business manager, part-time editor, baglady, and best buddy...helped me create this blob, I mean blog. Where is the editor when I need her. Oh wait, she's sitting right by me, with a ruler, smacking my fingers when I make a typo. My fingers are bleeding.

And so we begin the blob, I mean blog. Onward and upward...and I will quit now to go get bandaids for my bloody fingers.

More later