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A BOOK THAT HAS STAYED WITH ME FOR WEEKS AND WEEKS I was so happy to be able to review No More Peanut Butter Sandwiches , by Jeff Davidson (currently available at http://www.amazon.com/No-More-Peanut-Butter-Sandwiches/dp/1633570010 ). This book is an honest story from a dad whose son was born with special needs.  Jeff Davidson was expecting a healthy boy with whom he could play basketball and teach to drive a car.  But his precious son, Jon Alex, was born with cerebral palsy and autism.  He is nonverbal and needs help to eat and dress. This book is meant to benefit other parents of special needs children, and especially to encourage dads to care for their wives and participate in their children's lives.  I didn't really know what to expect as I began this book, but I grew so much in my understanding of special needs individuals and their families.  There were so many things that I didn't know or hadn't thought about, and I feel very inspired and ...

Please Click Here to read her inspiring article: How to Stop Being Bored And Start Being Wonderstruck (photo taken with my iPod on the way to work)

Have you ever felt blindsided by life? Have you ever felt blindsided by God? That is the subject of Peter Chin's recently-released book, "Blindsided by God: Disappointment, Suffering, and the Untamable Goodness of God." Can I just say, in short, that I LOVED this book? I did. Peter Chin and his wife moved with their two daughters to an inner-city location where they began a church congregation. He felt certain he was in God's will. They were blessed with health, purpose, each other. . . then they experienced some tremendous suffering in the span of a few short months. Miscarriage, a robbery, breast cancer, termination of health insurance. . . Why was this happening to them? If they were doing God's will, why would he allow them to suffer so much? This is a powerful book. One thing that I especially loved is that he doesn't preach at readers, but just tells his story and what he learned. And, along the way, we see some of God'...

Last night, I dreamed I was back in Bolivia. I dreamed it was the night before a flight to the United States and I was surrounded by the familiar pain of packing, cleaning, exhaustion and saying goodbyes.  It felt real and miserable and I didn't know if I could go through it all again. I trembled on the verge of just staying behind.  Opting out.  Leaving behind commitments, responsibilities, family, whatever and just not saying, "goodbye." Curling up in the empty house and letting whatever would happen, happen. That ripping, that tearing away, was always the most painful part for me of our years with the mission.  The leaving.  The crying. The wondering. I ached for something I couldn't have. I wanted all the people, places and things I loved to be together in one place. But that couldn't be a realistic option.  I had to push through hard goodbyes to get to good hellos. I had to move--12 houses in 13 years--because God was calling us to do thin...

Congratulations to "Jessbecause!" You won the Holly Yashi earrings! Thank you all for playing along. . . I usually have a giveaway every 4-6 weeks, so come back again for another chance to win something. Have a great weekend!

Well, I was thinking about the fact that it has been several weeks (six, to be exact), since I gave something away on my blog.  So, it is time for another one! And this one is very cool. . . these are a relatively new design from Holly Yashi, which I love. . .  the "Abbey Earrings." In the words of the Holly Yashi website, you can dress with "a touch of Renaissance glamour.":) These are made with sterling silver, Swarovski crystals, and the beautifully colored and imaged niobium for which Holly Yashi is famous. They retail for $48.00. Here's another photo to give you a clearer idea of their size. . . Want to win them? They are gorgeous! Leave your name with a comment at the end of this post.  What is something you love about Spring? COMMENTS FOR THIS OFFER CLOSE ON FRIDAY, MIDNIGHT PST. A winner will be picked AT RANDOM after MIDNIGHT ON FRIDAY, MARCH 13. By the way, I should add that you are welcome to enter the giveaway from anywhere it is l...

My mom gave me a phenomenal Christmas present this year.  She registered us for the 2015 West Coast Christian Writers Conference. We weren't first-timers.  She and I had been once before, back in 2006, I think it was.  Back then, Lee Roddy was keynote speaker, Jon Drury was Director, it was held under the name "Christian Writers Seminar" in Castro Valley, and I was working on a contemporary novel.  This past weekend, Kathi Lipp was keynote, Susy Flory was Director, we met in Fremont, and I was a little stuck on the non-fiction project I have poured myself into for the past two years. There are so many things to share about the conference, and maybe in the future I will write more about those.  Today, though, I want to tell you about something very personal that happened to us.  Something that felt, in a sea of strangers, like it was meant just for us. Road trip selfie My mom and I are both working on projects, and had a hard time selecting a con...