HAPPY SPRING EVERYONE!

 Isn't it wonderful to see all the signs of Spring popping out all over?  It is so encouraging after a long, very cold winter, and I for one am enjoying all the sights, sounds and smells of Spring.  Have been very busy lately, and THAT is a good thing....I think;-)  Not enough hours in the day, with spring planting, spring cleaning, and work that I have been doing on my book's platform.  Yes, I'm still out there doing everything I can.

Recently I was contacted by Monty Meyer of Take12Radio out of Albany, OR, to do a radio interview.  The broadcast aired last Saturday the 6th, and was a really pleasant experience.  Monty makes all of his guests feel very welcome and comfortable, and before I knew it, the hour was up.  I had thought I would not have enough to say, but as my Son, Scott, said, "Mom, you never run out of things to say."  Monty had a lot of good questions for me, as well as personal input with a wealth of knowledge, and made the whole interview experience very interesting.  Thanks again Monty for the opportunity, I really appreciate it.  For any of you who missed the interview and would like to listen to it or refer it to someone you know who needs to heal their scars from abuse, you can still find it.  Go to www.Take12Radio.com, and go to their ARCHIVES...and click on FRIDAY INTERVIEWS.  There you will find mine that was on Friday, April 5th, spotlighting my book "Father, Forgive My Father".

Now, my next step is to further shine the spotlight on this month of April which is "National Child Abuse Prevention Month".  In doing that, I have scheduled an Open House for a book reading at our local library.  For any of you in the Spokane area, please feel free to attend, and please bring a friend; especially if you know they have been abused and need help to heal.  See the notice below:

COME & MEET THE AUTHOR at an Open House @ the Airway Heights Library
​​​ADDRESS:  1213 S. Lundstrom, Airway Heights, WA 99001
​DATE:  April 25th, from 2-4 p.m.  "Epidemic of Sexual Child Abuse To Be Revealed"
​ 
Don't miss this timely and informative book reading and signing in recognition of April, "National Child Abuse Prevention Month"

You will also be able to meet the author of the book's Foreword, Dana Gamble.   We're looking forward to meeting you and hope you will join us and bring a friend.  This promises to be an interesting & informative time of sharing.  Coffee and cookies will be served.

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In the meantime I have been really busy getting my brochures, business cards and bookmarks redone and reprinted.  My neighbor has offered to introduce me over at our airbase across the street, so I'm sure that is opening a huge door...lots of need in the military unfortunately.  Also have been in contact with people out of state who have asked to handle my books in their book stores, and have asked me to give book readings or my workshop.  I see a trip to Alaska in my near future to achieve these goals.  Of course I never mind that, because I can see my son and his family...which are most of my grandchildren and now my GREATS...8 of them up there;-)  

 So, that's how my Spring is going so far...not to mention the rose garden that I have scheduled for replanting...someday it will be pretty again.  Plans are to move to our summer ranch home May 15th, and then begins our summer gardening.  This year I've invited our Spokane Compass Club Gardening Group to visit for a tour of our garden and a patio lunch...they have assured me that it will be potluck, so I guess I will get lots of help with that.  Looking forward to a very exciting Spring and Summer.  God is moving, and moving fast...and I'm just along for the ride...to go where He directs.  Thank you for your love and prayers, and please be praying that He continues to open doors where this message is needed.  I also have a new personal URL web site for noting scheduled events and easy book purchase at www.fffpublishinghelps.com.  God is good...God bless you all.  Let me hear from you!


"The only people who are truly free are the ones who walk in a spirit of continual forgiveness."

We're So Thankful For What We Have

 WE'RE SO THANKFUL FOR WHAT WE HAVE


This Thanksgiving Day was so enjoyable, spending it with family, and having our Mom with us.  Mom at 93 years of age has moved in with us recently, and we praise God that she is in fairly good health and can get around by herself with the aid of a walker.  She occupies 2 rooms of our home and has the use of our guest bathroom, and says she is very happy living here with us.  A lot of her own furniture and personal pictures and "things" moved here with her, so she has familiar treasures around her.


When Mom came to live with us, it is because living expenses in an assisted living facility had gotten so expensive (this is the case with many of our elderly). We know of quite a few people our ages who are now inviting their parents to live with them because of this reason.  As long as my Step Dad (age 101) was living with her, they were able to afford the unit, but since he went into a nursing home last winter, it has become increasingly hard on her financially.  So, we invited her to come live with us, knowing that it would enrich all of our lives...which it has.  Mom is enjoying our pets, too, just as she knew she would.  She's finally learned all their names, and that was a real accomplishments.  Try keeping 3 black cats straight when they all sort of look alike!  Then there's the grumpy old lady cat who we've had for over 10 years, given to us by my daughter who had had her for 3 years & didn't know how old she was when SHE got her.  So she (Peaches) is just trying to lay claim to her territory that she had long before the 3 black cats came along.  Mom knows them now as Mama Mitsy, Daddy Tommy, and "baby" Owey (who tops out at about 22 lbs.).  Then there's the dog Bosco, who is over 9 years old now.  He's quite a character and understands everything we say (especially when we don't want him to).  All of this has added much to Mom's life.

Mom has also taken up the piano again, and even with her bent finger, she can play pretty well.  Right now she is practicing some Christmas carols so she can accompany me on the flute over the holidays.  We may even invite some family and friends over as time allows.  We marvel at what she remembers of the piano, and she can play so many songs and even jazzes them up a bit.  She still plays from her mother's set of music books, and song books she has collected over the years.  Here is a picture of Mom playing her old piano (which is in our house now), and her captive audience of "baby" Owey.  They love to hear her play, and at first couldn't understand what she was doing...because they rarely hear ME on the piano.  So, we are thankful that Mom can still play the piano so well, and we all enjoy hearing her improve with each passing day. 

 Yes, we have so many things to be thankful for.  Our families who are scattered from Texas all the way to Alaska and includes 4 children, 14 grandchildren + 1 in heaven, 4 GREAT grandchildren, and ONE ON THE WAY that we just found out about and is due in July sometime.  We miss those members who haven't been around much, more than we can say, and hope that they are doing well this holiday season, too.  We are so thankful for those family members who include us in their lives...ALL are precious to us & we thank God for every one.  We continue to pray for our family, & that God will heal parts of our family and our nation.  Please join us in praying for our troops, our nation and our leaders, and that in these trying times that they will make the right and Godly decisions for our country.  We wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving, and hope you will have a wonderful holiday season.  God bless you all and keep you safe.

"The only people who are truly free are the ones who walk in a continual spirit of forgiveness."

When God Closes A Door...He Opens Another

One Door Closes...

Another Opens

Revelations 3:8

When God leads you to the edge of the cliff, trust Him fully and let go, only 1 of 2 things will happen - either He'll catch you when you fall, or He'll teach you how to fly! The power of one sentence! God is going to shift things around for you today and let things work in your favor. If you believe, send it. If you don't believe, delete it. God closes doors no man can open & God opens doors no man can close. Have a blessed day and remember to be a blessing...

I remember when I was growing up that my Grandmother would always tell me this. And...as I reached my young adult years, and had disappointments, she would remind me. I thank God for a loving Grandmother who always prayed for me and is the reason I am where I am spiritually today. Even though I could not see her often during my growing up years, I did get to enjoy knowing her better in my young adult years. She let me stay with her for awhile during the time I worked my first real job and needed a helping hand. I thank God for a loving, listening, Grandmother, who always let me feel her love. Now, in my sunset years, I love my own grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren, and even though they live far away and I don't get the time I'd like with them, I hope they feel my love, as I felt my grandmother's love. I thank God that I was allowed to have a wonderful son and daughter, and that I lived long enough to enjoy having 14 grandkids & 10 greats. You ALL are GREATs in my book, and you will always be loved more than I can ever tell you in words. I want you to all remember that, when you have disappointments in life, you will always remember that "God never closes a door...but what He opens one far better." Just lean on him and ask Him, as I have many times: God, please close doors to impossible situations, and open ones you want me to walk through. He will guide you, and you will be a better man or woman...and ALL that you can be.

"The only people who are truly free are the ones who live in a continual spirit of forgiveness."

"THE 1ST HUNDRED YEARS ARE THE HARDEST"

As my new "Dad" has always said, "The first hundred years are the hardest...then you just don't give a rip."
However, when he turns 100 years old on March 27th, I'm going to write on his card: "....and YOU'RE on your SECOND hundred years, so just relax and enjoy it!"

As a part of "Becoming God's Woman" I have learned to really respect and admire my parents, and am actually enjoying them in their sunset years. I have learned in raising my own children, and now having grandchildren and GREAT grandchildren, that we parents don't always make the right decisions for our offspring; nor do we always set a good example. So I've opted to cut mine some slack.

Seeing my parents reach the ages of 92 and 100, I find that I am enjoying them more as the years fly by; because I KNOW what they went through to GET here. I can respect that they have gone through good years and hard years; fruitful years and lean years; been in good health, and experienced illnesses; have met personal challenges and not always seen all their dreams come true, and dealt with their children lovingly through it all. No matter whether or not they always made the right decisions for us, or protected us from all of life's hurts and disappointments, they meant the best for us, and always tried (within the best of their ability and power) to do the right thing by us.

However, the more I talk with other people, I have come to the conclusion that some of our younger generation do not feel as I do. They criticize and cast blame on their parents for every short coming and disappointment they experience. Now, don't they ever think to themselves: my parents are human, and as such they are going to make mistakes. And, as I've said before, there is no such thing as a "perfect" parent. We don't need to cast stones unless we have walked in our parent's shoes. Have a little respect and be thankful for the good things they did do, and for the things they did that got you as far as you are today. My parents were not "perfect" either, and, as many of you know, I suffered abuse at the hands of my natural Dad. But, I chose a long time ago to forgive them; didn't make any difference if THEY changed or not...I forgave them right where we were. Therefore, today, in my parents sunset years, I am able to be with them, do things for them that they aren't able to do for themselves at this age, and just enjoy the time we have together. And, at the same time, unforgiveness has not been allowed to make me sick...did you KNOW that holding grudges, resentments, and not forgiving can make you physically ill? It most certainly can; it can cut your life short.

So, to sum it all up, treat your parents as you'd like your children to treat YOU in your later years. Don't waste your years and their years by fussing and fuming about things that happened long ago. Put them behind you and get on with the business AND the FUN of life and loving. Because it IS true, the first hundred years are the hardest, and we need to help our loved ones enjoy them. Another bit of advice for you parents: Be nice to your kids...because they may be the ones who pick out your retirement location or take care of you. And remember, all of you, it's true what they say: "What goes around, comes around." The world would be a better place if we all just forgave and loved each other for the very human beings that we are...NOT perfect.
Dad: A VERY HAPPY 100th BIRTHDAY TO YOU, and thanks for treating me every bit like your daughter.

Note: Mom and "Dad" met 8 years ago when my husband and I were going together. We introduced them because we thought Dad would be a good influence on my mother. He had his own pickup truck, cell phone, and computer, and was a real go-getter. They met on his 92nd birthday when she was 83, and he proposed 4 months later on HER birthday. We were planning our wedding for in the fall, and for a time we thought we might have a double wedding. But, being the age they were, they didn't want to waste any time, so they beat us to the alter by just one month and married October 6th of 2001. So...you might say that Dad said "I do" at 92. They have had 8 years together now, and both of them help each other so much. We are very glad that they have found each other and happiness.