Lillie Ammann's Blog, page 143

Religious Freedom Day 2012

[image error]Religious Freedom Day is observed on January 16th, which is the anniversary of the passage of the Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom in 1786. That statute, drafted by Thomas Jefferson, was the basis for the First Amendment to the Constitution.

We are so blessed to have freedom of religion in this country. In many parts of the world, people do not have the right to worship as they choose. Christian pastor Youcef Nedarkhani is facing execution in Iran because he was raised in a Muslim home and converted to Christianity. In the United States, we can be raised in a Muslim home and convert to Christianity or raised in a Christian home and convert to Islam. In matters of faith, we answer only to our God, not to our country or to anyone else.

MOST gracious God who gives us more than we deserve, we yield thee unfeigned thanks and praise for the freedom to worship thee without fear and for all the other blessings of thy merciful providence bestowed upon this nation and people. And, we beseech thee, show thy mercy upon thy servants who live where they lack the same freedom; give them strength to stand fast in their faith in the face of adversity; protect them and give them thy peace that passes understanding; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all glory and honour, world without end. Amen.

Related Posts:National Religious Freedom Day 2011Religious Freedom Day 2010Religious Freedom DayReligious Freedom DayThanksgiving BlessingsPowered by Contextual Related PostsReligious Freedom Day 2012 was first posted on January 16, 2012 at 2:28 am.
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Thanks to December 2011 Commenters

Thank you to the 63 commenters who left 116 comments in December. Your comments extended the conversation and added value and interest, and I enjoyed replying to every one of them.

Every month when I post thanks to commenters, I get questions about how I compile this list. I have explained my system in detail in Compiling Thanks to Commenters.

Top Contributor (12 comments)


Jane Araguel
Jane Araguel Re/Max


Major Contributors (6-7 comments)


Matt
Edit Me F.A.S.T.


Azhar
Inteleso


Jane
Recover Deleted Files Easily


Matt Keegan
Matt's Musings


Stella
Mykonos Gold


Outstanding Contributors (3-5 comments)


Christopher Roberts
Christopher Roberts


Ella
Water Bottle Labels


Silko
Dovlenka Tipy


Significant Contributors (2 comments)


Barney
PakOwn Study Skills and Education


Christoph
Fitness Reporter


Dawn Colclasure
Dawn Colclasure Blog


Deb Sistrunk
Kimchi, One Day at a Time


Hm Adnan
Help Me Online


Mollybe
Molly Noble Bull


Nicole Langan
Tribute Books


Valerie
Small Business Domain


Important Contributors


Alberta Key
Privacy Issues for Website


Alberto
Low Carb Low Fat


Andy
Custom Party Invitations


Angela
In His Name


Anne Taylor
Legacy Builders


Bertie Mosley
n/a


cark viktor
Houses Room


Chas
Post Boxes UK


Cherrill
Inc.com/Cherrill Farnsworth


Christie
Online Geld Verdienen


cj
Web Marketing Lifestyle


Darren
Woodlands Ad  Agency


David
Sell Textbooks


David
Steamatic


David B
Gear One


Debra Chapoton
Edge of Escape


Dhimaas
ASIC Blog


Edward
Swift Capital


Elizabeth Adams
National Transport LLC


Emilia
Cervirite


Hilywatson
Cloakroombasin


Jack
Border Patrol Jobs


Jack
Dante Stainless


Jack Sanders
HowTo Specialist


James
Parental Baby Stroller Reviews


Jay Perry
Get Your Ex Back


Jeff
X Studios


Joe
TPLO Guide


Joel
The Book Designer


Johnson
Westland Insurance


Jon
Build Your Self-Confidence


Jozy
Improving Eyesight Center


Keith
Greatest Love Quotes


kyle
ELS


Lauren Bailey
n/a


Len
Hire Auckland


Lopez
Gutter Medic


Mark
Fake Word


Mark
Verhoog & Warmerdam


Oliver
Taylor Fencing


Patty Apostolides
Greek Novels


Ronnie
Jeffrey Alan Aenlle, Esq.


Susan
Access Antelope Valley Homes


Tom
Nutrition Guide from Dr. Corson


Will
Greeneville Living


Zara
Athena's Blog



Related Posts:Thanks to November 2011 CommentersThanks to October 2011 CommentersThanks to September 2011 CommentersThanks to August 2011 CommentersThanks to April 2011 CommentersPowered by Contextual Related PostsThanks to December 2011 Commenters was first posted on January 13, 2012 at 12:21 am.
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National Human Trafficking Awareness Day

[image error]Didn't Abraham Lincoln end slavery 149 years ago with the Emancipation Proclamation?

Fortunately for slaves on Southern plantations, yes. Unfortunately for many other slaves around the world, no.

According to the Alliance to End Slavery and Trafficking (ATEST):

There are more slaves in the world today than at any point in history. Slavery is more affordable, more wide-spread, and more entrenched in 2011 than it was in ancient Rome or the antebellum South of America. Modern-day slaves, also called human trafficking victims, can be male or female, from any country, or representing any ethnicity. They can be enslaved in any industry, although common industries include domestic servitude, agriculture, the commercial sex industry, factories, and the service industry. Human trafficking is truly a global crime.

Today, January 11th, is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. Most of us believe that if we had lived during the days of slavery before the Civil War that we would have stood against it. Now there are more slaves than ever in history, and we all need to realize the magnitude of this problem and make our voices heard to bring an end to it.

Love 146, an organization to end sex slavery and exploitation, has posted quotes from the nineteenth century regarding slavery for the past several days. I recommend you begin with the first post and read them all. Then ask yourself if you feel compelled to help the cause of ending slavery of all kinds around the world.

Related Posts:O Come, O Come, EmmanuelLucky MeHave Thine Own Way, LordWhere's the Line to See Jesus?Tempest Milky Way: The Power and Majesty of GodPowered by Contextual Related PostsNational Human Trafficking Awareness Day was first posted on January 11, 2012 at 12:19 am.
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Interview: Christian Author Molly Noble Bull

My guest today is multi-published author Molly Noble Bull. Although I have not seen Molly in quite a while, we got to know each other through the San Antonio chapter of the Romance Writers of America. Later, Molly started an email loop of Christian women authors and invited me to join. The fellowship with other Christian authors was a real blessing for years.

Lillie: Welcome to A Writer's Words, An Editor's Eye, Molly. Let's begin with a little about you, including how your Christian faith has impacted your writing.

Molly: I have commitment to marriage and family, and I love children. Before I wrote articles, stories and books to sell, I was an elementary and early childhood teacher. Therefore, my Christian faith inspired everything I have written since the nineteen eighties. The following words are written on the dedication page of every one of my novels—"But to God give the glory." These words are also posted on the dedication of my first non-fiction book—The Overcomers: Christian Authors Who Conquered Learning Disabilities by Ginny Aiken, Margaret Daley, Jane Myers Perrine, Ruth Scofield and me, Molly Noble Bull.

Lillie: Please tell us about the books you have written before this latest collaboration with other authors.

Molly: I first published two novels with Zondervan way back in the late nineteen eighties. These titles were For Always and The Rogue's Daughter. The novels were reprinted and came out from the book division of Guide Posts as Promise Romances.

More recently, I published with Love Inspired. The titles are Brides and Blessings and The Winter Pearl, and both are now available as e-books.

Tsaba House published Sanctuary, and it won two awards in the inspirational category for published authors in 2008—the Gayle Wilson award and the Winter Rose contest. Tsaba House purchased five more of my books. However, the company went out of business before any of them came out.

Lillie: Where can readers learn more about you and your books?

Molly: Go to Amazon and write Molly Noble Bull in the search slot. This will take you to my page at Amazon where all my books are listed. The Overcomers: Christian Authors Who Conquered Learning Disabilities is my newest book, and you can't miss it. It's the book with the yellow cover.

Lillie: The Overcomers: Christian Authors Who Conquered Learning Disabilities was recently released. You wrote the book along with several other Christian authors. Share with my readers something about your collaborators.

Molly: I am dyslexic, and I met the other four ladies who authored The Overcomers on a loop for Love Inspired authors. All five of us suffer/suffered with learning disabilities, and it was such a blessing to get to know them and realize that I was not the only published author in the world who had a hard time learning to read and spell.

Lillie: How did this book come about—who had the original idea, what writing process did you use, how did you find a publisher?

Molly: After we discovered that we all suffered from similar problems, we decided to write a book together to encourage others. Back in 2007, a small Christian book publisher bought the book, but it never came out because the publisher went out of business. We sat on it for a while. Then in 2011, we decided to self-publish the book via Westbow Press. It came out in paperback and as an e-book in December 2011.

Lillie: What is the main thing you want readers to take away from reading The Overcomers?

Molly: Learning Disabilities don't go away—at least at this point in time. One simply learns to go around them. Cope. Triumphing over learning problems like the ones mentioned in The Overcomers: Christian Authors Who Conquered Learning Disabilities is not easy. It takes determination, work, and a lot of patience, but it can be done.

I want my readers to know that according to Ron Davis, who wrote The Gift of Dyslexia, talents and abilities of all kinds are often hidden behind labels like dyslexia and learning disabilities. The only real danger is giving up. All five of us overcame and are now published novelists. Others can do the same.

Lillie: Is there anything I've failed to ask that you would like to share with my readers?

Molly: I would like to invite readers to visit my website and blog.

Click here to go to the author page for Molly Noble Bull at Amazon.com right now.

Also, to find my books online or in a walk-in bookstores, ask for books by Molly Noble Bull. My title, The Overcomers, is not unique. Other books written by others authors share that title. So ask for the book's complete title—The Overcomers: Christian Authors Who Conquered Learning Disabilities.

Lillie: Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing about your books and the new book, The Overcomers. Readers will probably have more questions for you. Will you check in during the day to respond to comments and answer questions?

Molly: You bet. And thanks again, Lillie, for inviting me here.

Lillie: If you have questions for Molly, leave a comment below.

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[image error]I was born in Kingsville, Texas, and since I talked early, my parents expected great things from me. It must have been a huge disappointment to discover that I couldn't learn to read and spell as other children my age did. But with God's help, I learned.

I am still married to my college sweetheart, and we have three grown sons and six grandchildren. God is good.

Related Posts:Review: Call Me Kate: Meeting the Molly MaguiresInterview with Christian Author Donita K. PaulInterview: Author Janet KaderliInterview: Nicole Langan of Tribute BooksNothing Binding: Making a Connection between Readers and WritersPowered by Contextual Related PostsInterview: Christian Author Molly Noble Bull was first posted on January 10, 2012 at 12:50 am.
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The Epiphany of Our Lord

The Epiphany, or the Manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles, comes at the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas. Although people sometimes think the Twelve Days of Christmas come before Christmas Day, they really occur after Christmas and lead up to Epiphany, which commemorates the visit of the Magi  from the East to the Christ Child. These Wise Men followed a star that led them to Jesus. They were the first Gentiles (non-Jews) to worship Christ.

O GOD, who by the leading of a star didst manifest thy only-begotten Son to the Gentiles; Mercifully grant that we, who know thee now by faith, may after this life have the fruition of thy glorious Godhead; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ~ Collect for Epiphany, 1928 Book of Common Prayer

photo credit: Wonderlane

Related Posts:Devotion for Christmas EveMerry ChristmasNational Bible Week 2010Advent 2011National Bible Week 2011Powered by Contextual Related PostsThe Epiphany of Our Lord was first posted on January 6, 2012 at 12:41 am.
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Happy 79th Birthday to Jack

Jack Established 1933

Today is my husband Jack's 79th birthday. This picture was taken at his 76th birthday party, and he still looks the same. He has a few health problems and has slowed down some, but he's still just as fun-loving as ever with a fantastic sense of humor.

Sometimes he remembers things from the distant past more readily than current events. We spend a lot of time just sitting on the front porch talking. He enjoys telling stories of favorite things that have happened in his life.

He was the highest paid engineer in his graduating class from Texas A&M—by $1.67 a month. In 1960, he made a whopping $551.67 per month! He had interviewed with three companies and been offered a job by all of them. He chose Frigidaire Division of General Motors in Dayton, Ohio.

On one occasion, his crew was supposed to make the sides and backs of a particular model of refrigerator. After the whole job was finished, the quality control engineer, who had approved the line setup, discovered that they made the wrong model. Jack's boss told him to discard the wrong ones since all the refrigerators for that model year had been made. However, Jack couldn't stand to throw something away when it might be used. (He's still that way, making him something of a hoarder.) He had his forklift operator move a bunch of material in the storage area out, put the sides and backs at the very back of the storage area, then put the other material in front of them. A couple of weeks later, an order came through to make sides and backs for the Canadian manufacturing plant—the same model that had been made in error! Jack had the forklift operator move the parts from the storage area to the train siding, then called his boss and said, "We've finished that order. What do you want us to do for the rest of the shift?" That fast turnaround gave his department the highest efficiency rating in all of General Motors—all because he couldn't stand to let something go to waste!

Jack also earned another distinction at General Motors—he was responsible for the firing of the only union employee to be fired in a long period of time. The employee accosted Jack one day complaining about something, and in their encounter, the employee grabbed Jack's tie and pulled Jack toward him. Although management was hesitant to take on the union to fire one of its members, everyone agreed that was an assault that couldn't be tolerated. Jack went through the lengthy process, until finally one day, three burly armed security guards showed up at the assembly line and escorted the employee outside the plant with orders never to return.

Although he really liked his job and his bosses really liked him, Jack finally decided that "you can take the boy out of Texas, but you can't the Texas out of the boy." He took a job at Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonio and moved back to Texas.

A couple of years after Jack went to work at Kelly, I got a summer job in his office. Jack often says—and I agree completely—that divine intervention led him to move from Ohio to Texas!

Another fond memory Jack loves to talk about is his proposal, if you can call it that. We were sitting on the couch in his living room (in the house we still live in today), and I was telling him of my future plans for my last year of college and after graduation. He looked at me and said, "When are you going to marry me?" I responded, "When are you going to ask me?" He said, "I'm asking," and, obviously, I answered, "Yes!"

At first, my father didn't approve. Jack was nearly fourteen years older than I was, and he had been divorced. Worst of all, he was a city slicker, and my father was convinced he was going to take advantage of this little country hick. However,  it didn't take long for Daddy to come to love Jack like a son. Mama had loved him from the first time she met him.

I returned to Georgetown, Texas for my final year at Southwestern University. Because of advanced placement in several courses and taking 20 hours per semester, I lacked only one course to graduate after three years. We were married on May 31, 1967, a few days after I finished school. That summer I attended a local community college and took the first and second semesters of American history simultaneously,  but I had to wait until the following spring to graduate as Southwestern had only one graduation each year.

We've been married for more than 44 years and are more in love than ever.

Happy birthday, Jack!

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Do You Plan to Read the Bible in 2012?

Do you have a plan to read the Bible during 2012? I try to read the Bible every day, following a plan for the year. Usually I try to read the entire Bible in one year, though sometimes I follow a different plan and read the New Testament in a year or read the entire Bible over more than one year.

In 2011, I read the Chronological Bible in the English Standard Version. I like to read the Chronological Bible periodically to read the Bible in the order events occurred, rather than in the order they appear in the Bible. I find it especially interesting to read the Psalms in the sequence of when they were written in relation to events that happened. Psalm 51 becomes even more meaningful when read immediately following the story of David's adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah.

In 2010, I followed a devotional, For the Love of God, that included daily readings of several chapters each from the Old and New Testaments.

This year I plan to read the Bible from beginning to end in the American Standard Version. I've never read the entire Bible in this version, so I'm looking forward to it. I find I make new discoveries and come to new understandings every time I read the Bible, and varying the reading plan and version gives me new perspectives.

If you haven't already decided on a Bible reading plan for the year, you will find a variety of plans at Bible Gateway, Bible Reading Plans, YouVersion, and Back to the Bible.

And if you are new to regular Bible reading and the thought of reading the entire Bible in one year seems overwhelming, you can read a chapter a day. Or read for ten minutes a day—however much you can read in that time.

Whatever plan you choose, I encourage you to read the Bible regularly in the coming year.

photo credit: Jemimus

Related Posts:National Bible Week 2011Reading the Bible: Part 1 – Bible Reading PlansReading the Bible: Part 2 – Reading to Learn and UnderstandBook Review: Halley's Bible HandbookNational Bible Week 2010Powered by Contextual Related PostsDo You Plan to Read the Bible in 2012? was first posted on January 1, 2012 at 11:02 pm.
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Happy New Year 2012!

Happy New Year!

May 2012 bring joy, peace, love, health, and happiness to you and your loved ones.

May God bless all those who love and serve Him throughout the coming year.

ALMIGHTY God, who alone gavest us the breath of life, and alone canst keep alive in us the holy desires thou dost impart; We come to You at the beginning of this year to beseech thee, for thy compassion's sake, to sanctify all our thoughts and endeavours; that we may neither begin an action without a pure intention nor continue it without thy blessing. And grant that, having the eyes of the mind opened to behold things invisible and unseen, we may in heart be inspired by thy wisdom, and in work be upheld by thy strength, and in the end be accepted of thee as thy faithful servants; through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen. (adapted from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer)

photo credit: aaron_anderer

Related Posts:Wishing You a Blessed New YearWishing You a Blessed 2009Happy New YearMerry Christmas!Thanksgiving 2011Powered by Contextual Related PostsHappy New Year 2012! was first posted on January 1, 2012 at 3:40 pm.
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Looking Ahead

[image error]This time of year, many bloggers and freelancers are posting goals for the coming year. Often the goals are ambitious, ranging from weight loss to income gain.

However, my plans for the coming year are simpler. As I age and have increased family caregiving responsibilities, I am slowing down.

I'm blessed to have an associate, Jan McClintock, who is taking over some of my freelance workload.  I'm not totally retiring. I love what I do too much to quit, but by this summer, I will be working only part-time.

I'll spend more time with my husband Jack. I'll read more and continue to rate and review books on Goodreads. I'll comment and occasionally post on Facebook and Google+.

And, of course, I'll be right here on my blog, posting at least twice a week about books and authors, writing and publishing, Christian and patriotic themes, and whatever else captures my interest. I hope you continue to read and comment—it would get pretty lonesome and boring here without you!

Related Posts:Interview: Nicole Langan of Tribute BooksMy Reviews at GoodreadsRead an E-Book Week Coming to an EndBook Review: Halley's Bible HandbookBook Review: The Yellow Rose by Dawn ColclasurePowered by Contextual Related PostsLooking Ahead was first posted on December 30, 2011 at 12:01 am.
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Did You Get an E-Reader for Christmas?

My pre-teenage nephew got a Kindle Fire for Christmas. I told him about the many years that ebook authors told people about ebooks and ebook readers (pre-Kindle types). Of course, he couldn't relate to people not knowing—or caring—about ebooks and ebook readers. Back when the Kindle was first introduced, I predicted that it would have a positive impact on the future of e-publishing. That prediction has been realized more dramatically than I could have imagined. I heard that Amazon has been selling a million Kindle Fires a week during the holiday shopping season—and I don't know how many of the other Kindle models.

If you're one of lucky recipients of a Kindle, Nook, or other e-reading device, you'll need lots of ebooks to read. People tend to read more when they read on an e-reader than when they read print books, so you may need more books than you realize.

All of my books are available as e-books. You can find everything I've written on Smashwords, where you can download books in a variety of formats to read on various e-readers, tablets, smartphones, or computers.

Fiction:

Trapped by Love, a Novelette —a FREE read
Dream or Destiny —romantic mystery
Stroke of Luck —contemporary romance
Fern's Fancies —contemporary romance (humorous)

Nonfiction:

Creating Fictional Characters
Preserving Memories: Writing a Family History
The Secrets of Fantastic Houseplants
Finding the Information You Need

All the ebooks are $1.99 except Dream or Destiny ($5.99) and Stroke of Luck ($3.99).

Dream or Destiny is also available from Amazon for the Kindle.

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