Erica Vetsch's Blog, page 98

Onward and Upward!

 WE NOW RETURN YOU TO YOUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED SEEKERVILLE!

 

Writers and readers, as we move into this new year, it's one of those times that's filled with hope, with expectation and a new year, new decade with a washed-clean slate. So much to do! So many choices!

So as we return to regular scheduling in Seekerville, the best advice we have for our aspiring writers/authors is to write.

And not necessarily to write like you've got all the time in the world, because who knows that?

None of us!

So set your goals... pick your one word if that works for you (this is Ruthy and it keeps me focused at times in my search/quest to be a better person) or set a resolution (no harm, no foul if it doesn't work) and go for it.

Go for the goal.

Go for your dreams.

Do what it takes.

And if you have a bad day (and who doesn't, darling???) take a few hours, drink some coffee or tea, grab a Coke and get back on the horse who threw you.

Writing's a tough gig. There's no sugar-coating that, but you're also at a time when there are more opportunities than ever before, so do it.

Go for it.

Grab your self-discipline, wrap yourself up in it and set your path. Then walk it.

Happy New Year and New Decade to all of you!

Let's do this!

A Peaceful New Year!

For years we've invited you to join us as we "Rocked in" the New Year with Seekerville. We wanted a carnival-styled atmosphere, lots of food, laughter, a few site shut-downs because of the amount of traffic and it KILLED our embedded comments. Fried them. Totally. We had to switch to straight comments to keep from repeatedly crashing the blog.

This year is different, and it's different for a lot of reasons.
Peace is good.
Kindness is wonderful.
Faith is our cornerstone. 


So while we all (every one of us!) love to party and celebrate good times, sometimes it's good to quietly contemplate the beauty of Auld Lang Syne. The blessing of friendships old and new.


And that's what we decided to do this year. We want to share our stories with you, the kind that touch your heart and ours. And we welcome your stories in return. 

You can share them in the comments. 

Or send them to Ruthy's email:  loganherne@gmail.com  and if Ruthy remembers to check her email (eye-roll here) then she'll post it for you. That way it can be anonymous if you would prefer that. 

We've got several lovely prizes to give away today.

We have delicious foods. Wonderful beverages. Cozy corners. So come on. Sit a while. Think about how we can work together to make 2020 the beautiful year God would like it to be. Maybe writer by writer and reader by reader we can truly make a difference.

Here's a story to get us started, from Seeker Pam Hillman:

On a cold night in Mississippi, my small church family gathered for Wednesday night services. We still enjoy testimony services. My niece shared something about her day and dovetailed it with a spiritual thought. Then my sister-in-law did the same thing. I’d dealt with a shady business issue that day and a short analogy came to mind, so I was about to stand and share more than my usual “I’m thankful for…” spiel.

Before I could, a visitor stood. Not a stranger to me, this young man has been in drug rehab more than once and is currently trying to hold on to his sobriety by a thread. He testified that his wife had told him just that morning that she wanted a divorce. With tears in his eyes, he said that God had been with him all day and he felt peace. He hadn’t turned to drugs or alcohol or anger. He'd turned to God and came to be with people who loved him and prayed for him and his family.

My little “tempest in a teapot” was nothing—nothing— to what he was/is going through. And, I daresay, his wife is going through a trial of her own. It hit me that I need to focus more on that peace in the small trials and the big trials instead of trying to fix things my own way, spinning and churning and letting my mind run wild.

Peace on earth, and good will to men. It’s not just a buzz phrase; it’s a life-giving phrase that will help and heal if we grab hold of Jesus and don’t let go.


And here's a story from Ruthy:

A year and a half ago I was in New York City. I loved traveling down to the city to see my boys, but Lower Manhattan and the Financial District weren't as pretty, as nice as they used to be. I happened to be there on the first nice day the city had seen since Christmas. It was April, and hotels were planting bloomed tulips in their planters, the city was filling planters with gorgeous blooms and pulling out all the flowers that rabbits or rodents had eaten that week. As a farmer, I empathized!

I started walking down Williams St. I saw smoke in front of me. On the sidewalk. Not billowing, but leaving a definite presence, puffing in cartoon-style clouds along a wrought iron fence, and people were sending dark...

VERY DARK....

looks in that direction. Disgusted looks. Looks of annoyance. And as I drew closer, I saw the problem. An elderly homeless man was on fire.

Not him, per se, but his nylon jacket. Clouds of smoke poured from his left-hand pocket and he seemed disconcerted. He stared down, not knowing what to do and my heart broke for him. I stopped in front of him. I said, "Hey, would you like a little help, sir?"

He wasn't real tall. Neither am I, but he was slouched down, the way homeless do, you know. So maybe you won't notice that their lives are dreadful and sad. He looked up at me with the prettiest blue eyes I've ever seen. "You're not from around here, are you?"

I shook my head and smiled. "I am not. I live on a farm in Western New York, actually. Let's figure out what's going on here. What's your name?"

"Mike."

"So, Mike, can we take the jacket off?"

He looked like that was a good idea and peeled off the jacket.

The pocket was on fire. He looked at it when I flipped it over and sighed. "I tried to save a butt. Must not have been out."

"It happens," I told him. (Did it? I thought. Really? I didn't know, because I've never encountered this situation before, but maybe when there's no money and no place to sleep or shower or do anything to keep yourself up, saving an almost gone cigarette butt is probably not that unusual.)

It took a couple of minutes but we got the fire out and I trimmed the burned edges from his coat with my fingers.

"You don't happen to have a needle and thread, do you?" he asked.

I didn't so I shook my head again. "I don't. So Mike, what brought you to Manhattan?"

Those eyes lit up. "Well, there was this woman..."

That struck a chord because I'm a romance author and a woman. "Isn't there always?"

He smiled. "She came here and I followed and when I get myself put back together, I'm going to find her. See if she'll have me. You never know."

He was right. Life's a constant turn of events and times and changes. "True words." I bought him some fruit from a nearby vendor. And I may have broken all those silly rules you hear and slipped him some cash because there but for the grace of God go I...

And he smiled again. A really nice smile. And then we said goodbye.

But as I walked down to the Seaport, all I could see were those nasty looks. The disparagement. The annoyance. And I realized that Mike wasn't the lucky one that day.

I was.

Because God put me at the right place and time to show another human being some tender loving care. And maybe make a tiny bit of difference in a difficult life.




Faithfulness is a great way to kick off a new decade... and we'd like to reward your faithfulness (new or old to Seekerville) with some lovely prizes today. Leave a comment below about something in your life, your choice... and your name will automatically go into the prize bucket! 

We have a copy of Ruthy's latest Love Inspired "A Hopeful Harvest"!



A copy of Mindy Obenhaus's upcoming new release "Her Rocky Mountain Hope"!



A copy of "Jesus Calling" by Sara Young...



A brand new edition of Janette Oke's "Love Comes Softly" that was supposed to have her signature in it but ... oddly... it does not! But it's still a wonderful story that inspired a new genre of TV and movies, so we'll celebrate that!



And Anne Bogel's book about characters and how to define them, from Baker Books.


From all of us here in Seekerville, we love spending time with you as we welcome a new year and a new decade into being. And may God bless us... Every one!

A Seekerville Christmas Romance

(Posted with Permission ;) )
Once upon a time, there were a pair of authors (We'll call them Jan and Erica) who were friends. These two authors were invited to join the best-est group of bloggers in the known universe, and each one eagerly accepted. (Erica wasn't sure about Jan's feelings on the matter, but Erica had always had a secret longing to be in the group we'll now call "The Seekers." Dream-come-true moment for Erica!)

In the early days of January, 2018, as the newbies tried to navigate the new group, Jan made a passing comment on something she and Erica had joked about awhile before. "Do you still have a marriageable daughter? My son is struggling to meet a nice Christian young lady, and he asked if I knew anyone among my writer friends who might have a daughter his age who loved Jesus."


At the time, Erica's daughter, Heather, was coming out of her first serious relationship, and wasn't ready for that. But Erica tucked it away in the back of her mind for future reference. When Heather mentioned a few months later she might be ready to consider a new relationships, Erica (who is not a Jewish mama-matchmaker, but she could certainly play the part on TV) messaged Jan. "Hey, is your son still looking for a girl?"
Consternation. Son is in a relationship now. Shrug of shoulders from Heather. Guess it wasn't meant to be.
Fast forward a bit. Jan and Erica have been Seekers for several months, and Jan is headed for Minnesota to a retreat. Turns out, Son (Let's call him Benjamin) is no longer in the relationship  and might be interested in chatting with Heather via the wonders of The Internet.
All weekend at the retreat, where Heather is the cook and Jan and Erica are writing like their hair is on fire, Heather's phone pings and warbles as Benjamin and she chat. (No food got burnt, and all of it got on the table at the appointed time. But Heather's mind was definitely distracted.) 
Jan and Erica wait to see how things develop. Neither Benjamin nor Heather are teenagers, and they agree that they should just be friends for awhile, get to know one another slowly, and see where the Lord might be taking this. Jan and Erica approve of this approach.
Benjamin and Heather's texting and FB chatting turn to the occasional Skype convo, which turns into a scheduled Skype convo weekly...which turns into two times a week. Benjamin becomes dedicated to finishing his degree in the spring of 2019, and he and Heather schedule (Their now many) chats around his studies, his job, her job, and church activities.
Jan and Erica are trying to be cool, too. They rarely speak of the relationship with one another, since it isn't really their story to tell just yet. Though they do comment that their hearts are happy when the pair are chatting, because peals of laughter come from Benjamin and Heather's rooms when they are Skyping. 
Then, in February, Benjamin drives the almost TEN hours from the Black Hills to the wilds of Rochester, MN to meet Heather (and her parents) in person for the first time. Also to watch the Super Bowl, which got a bit comical, since Benjamin knows pretty much nothing about sports or football, though Erica was quite proud that when Benjamin asked Heather "What does second-and-ten mean?" Heather was able to instruct him. Since Erica is a rabid sports fan, she asked Benjamin what football team he rooted for, because he lives in what might be considered Denver Broncos territory, and as a born and raised Kansas City Chiefs fan, the Broncos are mortal enemies...to which Benjamin astutely replied, "I am a fan of whatever team I need to be." He ain't no dummy, that's for sure...
Heather is very happy (and so are her parents.) Benjamin is a very nice young man, and they enjoy one another's company that weekend. Benjamin attends church with Heather while he is in Rochester, and now all the old ladies at Heather's church are hanging over the back fences speculating. Benjamin survives the gauntlet of old ladies with questions. 

Here is proof...watching the Super Bowl together, February 2019. Don't they look pleased with one another?
Then comes a prodigiously brave move.
Benjamin and Heather make it official. Really official. They change their relationship status on Facebook to IN A RELATIONSHIP! 
Fast forward to May 2019. Plans were made and laid, and Heather ventured west on I-90 the nearly ten hours from Rochester MN to Rapid City, SD to celebrate the graduation of Benjamin from college. (She is on her way home now as of the writing of this super-long story-mail.) She was overjoyed to learn that the Drexler family has friends who own an ice cream shop, and that Benjamin's sister, Carrie, works there. Because for Heather, the answer to ice-cream is always YES. This is, of course, not the only reason she was heading to South Dakota, but it certainly didn't hurt. 
Proof that the sheepskin was earned and awarded. Congratulations to Benjamin!
From brief and periodic reports over the weekend, it appears that a good time was had by all, however Erica hasn't gotten the details downloaded from Heather just yet.
Plans were made for Benjamin to leave his beloved Black Hills and move to SE Minnesota to pursue post-graduate work and pursue Heather in earnest. :) He has been working and courting Heather quite well.
Though Jan misses Benjamin, she is happy for the young couple. Erica is remembering the words Jan shared with Benjamin when he first began chatting with Heather. {Paraphrasing here} "Mom, do you think she will want to live in the Black Hills, because I never want to leave here." to which Jan replied like the wise woman she is, "First, you're putting the cart before the horse. You just began texting one another, so it's early days. Second, if she is the one the Lord has for you, and you fall in love, you won't care where you live. You'll just want to be together.") 
See, I told you she was wise.

Heather and Benjamin hiking in the Black Hills this weekend. Again looking rather pleased with themselves.
Fast forward to Christmas morning. Benjamin and Heather disappeared for a few minutes, then came bouncing back into the room. Turns out, Benjamin had been proposing, and Heather had been busy saying yes!

Benjamin and Heather on Christmas morning with her brand new ring!

Benjamin and Heather in front of the Christmas tree at church.
All in all, it has been a wonderful journey, and we are praying they have a long and happy life together.
I can't help but wonder what would have happened if Jan and Erica hadn't been invited to join the lovely Seekerville ladies? 
The wedding date has been set, and now the adventure of wedding planning begins! :) In the words of the bride-to-be...SQUEE! 

Weekend Edition

  



If you are not familiar with our giveaway rules, take a minute to read them here. It keeps us all happy! All winners should send their name, address, and phone number to claim prizes.  Note our new email address and please send your emails to Seekerville2@gmail.com







Monday: Everybody was a winner! Janyre Tromp stopped by and she included in her post a FREE download of coloring art for everyone who wanted one!
Wednesday: We hope you and yours had a very, very merry Christmas, and that you were able to make wonderful memories! Check below to see if you won the "Come Home for Christmas Advent Celebration" Kindle Fire Tablet!!!
Friday: Pam Hillman reflected on the Joy of Christmas. Thanks, Pam!





Monday:  Surprise!
Tuesday: Ringing in a Peaceful New Year with the Seekers!
Wednesday:  New Year's Day - Seekerville Closed  Friday: Mindy Obenhaus will be here to start off 2020 with a few words of encouragement.





JOIN US ON NEW YEAR'S EVE FOR A WONDERFUL JOYOUS CELEBRATION! 
We're ringing in the New Year a little more peacefully this year. In the past we have crashed servers...
Had to dismantle embedded comments...
Had to GUARD THE MIMOSA STATION!!!!
And limit chocolate martinis.  (Big grin here...)
But this year we wanted to celebrate differently, in a spirit of peace and harmony and joy, so if you've got time to stop by on New Year's Eve, we'd love to see you! 
We've got some lovely prizes throughout the day,  including "Jesus Calling", books, and whatever cool, cozy things we come up with. 

Stop by. 

Laugh a little.

Love a lot. 

This old world could stand with a little more love, couldn't it? And one of the best places to find love is a group of romance lovers! 










APODS = Support , The Final Installment Of The Series by Amanda Cabot at Thyme For Writers

Merry Christmas, Wordplayers! by KM Weiland at Helping Writers Become Authors

Reflections On A Decade of Self-Publishing with Joanna Penn and Orna Ross at The Creative Penn

Plotting With Michael Hague's Six Stage Plot Structure by Janice Hardy at Fiction University

6 Steps To Get Your Self-Published Book Into Libraries by Ilham Alam at Jane Friedman

How Do You Plan For The Coming Year? By Hallee Bridgeman at Learn How To Write A Novel

Reflecting on the Joy of Christmas

I love the week between Christmas and New Years Day.

Now, don't get me wrong. I enjoy the days leading up to Christmas and being with family and friends, singing "Oh Holy Night" and "Away in the Manger", and reflecting on Jesus, the reason for the season. But the ticking clock leading up to the 25th can get the best of us, sometimes.

When all the presents are opened and everyone has gone home, I enjoy just tidying up and getting things back to normal. I'm sitting here typing this out with my tree half undecorated, a cup of coffee at my fingertips as the sun goes down and the sky turns blue gray.

It's nice. Quiet. Relaxing. Peaceful.

But you know what makes this week so special? Reflecting on all the wonderful moments from the last few days. Sure, I've had my share of working long hours at a day job where I got Christmas Day off and then was back at the grind bright and early on the 26th. I did it for nearly thirty years. These days, one of my most appreciated "presents" is working from home so that I don't have to hit the road the day after Christmas.

And I've also had my share of Christmases where our family has lost loved ones or spent the holidays in the hospital or on the roads to and from ICU. I understand that it's not always smiles and laughter. Years when it is are to be treasured.


My week started with Christmas at my house on Monday night, and I had the joy of babysitting two of my grands all day while cooking for the family. (Everybody should have to do that every so often in order to appreciate what young moms and dads go through every single day.) What a gift! To be able to enjoy my precious grand babies while cooking a meal for their parents. The little one falling asleep on my shoulder while I tossed the last of the potatoes in the crock pot for soup. The 3 1/2 year old wanting to help and mopping floors for me. She did an amazing job! Then her thanking me so sweetly when I brought out some new soft play dough.


Then watching all three of my grands running around my den squealing with joy and opening presents. Yes, thinking back on Monday night makes me smile.

Tuesday morning, my little group gathered at my in-laws for an extended family get-together and there were more children, more laughter, more squeals, presents and food, along with more pictures.

Wednesday, Christmas Day, My Cowboy and I spent the day at home alone. Well, he actually spent part of the day working cows and I "puttered" around the house, as my mother would say. It was nice just to get caught on emails and look at pictures of my grand babies as they and their parents enjoyed opening gifts in their own homes.

Thursday was more of the same with me eyeing the tree and finally deciding to take it down. Even this can be fun when you have the time to do it.



You know, I had planned to tell y'all about the material gifts I received this year, and then y'all could chime in with your own list, much like children used to call in to radio stations and tell the DJ what they got for Christmas. At least our local station did that and my husband loved listening to it on Christmas morning. But I just realized that I haven't mentioned not ONE gift I received. Not that I'm unappreciative.

But these days for me, Christmas is less about receiving material gifts than it is being with my children and grandchildren and watching the little ones. My granddaughter carried this doll with her all week from one set of grandparents to the next. She'd asked for a pink baby doll (to go with the other 500 she has!), and every time she talked to Santa, she'd only say a pink baby doll. She received much more and gifts that cost more than this little doll, but this is the one she fell in love with. A simple little doll that will give her hours of enjoyment as she uses her imagination to play "mommy".

That's gift enough for me. :)

Click Here to Purchase Your Copy

Seekerville Is Closed for Christmas

Silent Night, Holy Night Son of God, love's pure light. Radiant beams from Thy holy face, With the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus, Lord at thy birth, Jesus, Lord at thy birth.

Seekerville is closed as we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Please join us again Friday!

Come Home for Christmas ~ Advent with Janyre Tromp

Erica here. I am SO very excited to have my friend, fellow author, and editor as a guest on Seekerville today! Janyre Tromp is a multi-talented lady, writing historical fiction, AND acquiring fiction and non-fiction for Kregel Publications.

You're in for a treat today!



Hi there, Seekerville. It’s an honor to join you all for Christmas memories! Despite the frigid temperatures here in Michigan, December has always been one of my favorite times of the year.

I’m fairly certain loving Christmas is in my DNA. It’s a fact proven by how much my kids love Christmas. Every year we host cookie decorating parties, wear matching Christmas pajamas (even my teen!), sled the hill on the side of our house, drink gallons of hot chocolate, and laugh at all the wonderful (and terrible) Christmas movies.



When my daughter was a blonde-haired, two-year-old cherub (who hit the terrible at three), her favorite December activity was to touch the “magic” snowflake and turn on the Christmas tree. Every morning she’d wake up, toddle down the steps, and light the world with wonder. And every night she’d touch the snowflake and “tuck” the tree in before she’d snuggle into her own bed. It was as adorable as it sounds.

That Christmas Eve, my husband and I pulled out all the presents I’d wrapped, and we stacked them carefully around the tree. It would be the first Christmas our daughter would remember. I think we were as excited for Christmas as any kid on the street. We were sure our girl would love the presents sparkling under the lights.

The next morning, I was around the corner from the tree, making traditional Christmas donuts when I heard my girl toddle down the steps.

I couldn’t wait to see her face light up when she saw the presents, so I turned, fingers dripping in icing.

Instead of excitement, my girl burst into tears, wailing, “All those things are in my way!”

I couldn’t help laughing, and my husband said, “That’ll be the last time she ever says that.”

He was right of course, but one fact from that day stands out for me:

All the presents were in the way of her Christmas.

And boy does that ever hit home . . . this year especially. A few months ago, my hubby started his own consulting company, and I have to admit that, while it’s nice to have him home more, the Christmas budget has me nervous. I have a list and I’m checking it twice. And it doesn’t matter who’s naughty or nice, there’s just not the same amount to go around.

 

And I’m struggling with that. Part of the Christmastime fun is finding the perfect present and seeing the laughter and joy it brings. But Christmas isn’t about me giving gifts. It’s about the one true gift. The gift of a holy God stretching down to us and extending his forgiveness and inviting us into his family. And somehow all the sparkly holiday things tend to get in the way of the real Christmas.

I’m not sure how we’ll celebrate Christmas this year. Things are still a little up in the air. But I’ve already pulled out the nativity scene my mom painted on a simple rock and it’s sitting on my mantle as a reminder of the one real gift of Christmas.



I think we’ll keep the cookie decorating and game playing and I’ll still make the traditional Christmas morning donuts, but maybe there will be a little less of everything else. And who knows? Maybe without all the presents we’ll find the best Christmas we’ve ever had.

“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift.” ~2 Corinthians 9:15




And since I’m thinking about the real meaning of Christmas, I might need some new traditions that help keep my family focused. What are some of the things you do every year that help you remember what Christmas is all about?

Janyre Tromp is a traditionally published author/photographer and book editor who has worked in the book industry for more than twenty years. She writes about the beauty of people and the world—past and present—even when it isn’t pretty. You can sign up for her quarterly newsletter here for updates, freebies, tips and more; or join her writing and editing discussions on Twitter and Facebook.



And just for reading this far, you can pop over here and download an original Christmas coloring page designed and drawn by Janyre herself.



Enter To Win a Kindle Fire from Seekerville!



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Weekend Edition

  



If you are not familiar with our giveaway rules, take a minute to read them here. It keeps us all happy! All winners should send their name, address, and phone number to claim prizes.  Note our new email address and please send your emails to Seekerville2@gmail.com







Monday: Jan Drexler shared about how Christmas traditions keep our memories alive. The winner of a copy of "The Sound of Distant Thunder" is Vince!
Tuesday: Laurel Blount stopped by to share a Christmas Eve memory. The winner of her Georgia Christmas Memory prize package is... Kathy Bailey, aka kaybee! Congratulations, Kathy!
Wednesday: Debby Giusti provided a reflection on "Christmas Stories" and shared memories of a very special Christmas for her family. The winner of Debby's latest release, HER FORGOTTEN AMISH PAST, is Connie Porter Saunders! Congrats, Connie!
Thursday: Myra Johnson brought us a sweet post on less-than-perfect Christmases. The winner of a copy of Their Christmas Prayer is Lucy Reynolds. Winner of the Tree of Life Cross is Patricia.
Friday: Winnie Griggs shared a special Christmas from 1985. Winners of a copy of a book of choice by Winnie are: Linda Marie Finn, Lee-Ann B., and Kaybee.
Saturday: Carrie Schmidt brought us a sweet post about one memorable Christmas that was snowed out! The winner of An Endless Christmas by Cynthia Ruchti is Perrianne Askew!




Monday: We'll be welcoming Erica Vetsch's Kregal Publications editor, Janyre Tromp!
Tuesday: Seekerville Closed - Blessed Christmas Eve!
Wednesday:  Seekerville Closed - Merry Christmas!
Friday: Pam Hillman will be bringing our post-holiday post!







Jan Drexler is pleased to share that An Amish Christmas Kitchen made the EPCA bestseller list!













Recovery from a Book Launch Disaster by Terry Whalin posting at The Write Conversation

20 Christmas Gifts for Writers by Joe Bunting at The Write Practice

Supporting Chracters and Theme by KM Weiland at Helping Writers Become Authors

Email Marketing: Your Secret Weapon  by David Gaughran

Gifts For Writers: 50 Ideas That Are Better Than A Boring Old Notebook by The Write Life Team at The Write Life

Use Comparison For Power by Laura Drake at Writers In The Storm

Advent Day 21 - When Christmas Takes A Snow Day

When Christmas Takes a Snow Day - by Carrie Schmidt

Happy Saturday before Christmas, dear Seekerville! 
I hope you're enjoying our Coming Home For Christmas advent posts this month. I've loved the memories, the recipes, the photos, the traditions, and just seeing a bit more into the hearts of such cherished friends.
Grab a mug of hot chocolate or a Caramel Apple Spice from Starbucks (the only thing I get there since I don't like coffee or tea... i know, i know) and settle in for a harrowing tale of Christmas past. 
My brother & I, probably Christmas 1984
(no idea what i'm doing lol)When I was growing up, we lived in Northern Illinois (almost in Wisconsin) and my paternal grandparents lived in East Tennessee (in a secret city... but that's for another post). Christmas 1983 had us packing up the car one evening after my dad got home from work & hitting the interstate for a much-anticipated holiday at Mamaw & Papaw's house! What we didn't anticipate was being caught in a history-making weather event instead. The amateur weather buffs & people with great memories may remember exactly what I'm talking about in Christmas 1983, but for the rest of us....
We intended to drive to a hotel in Indiana for the night and tackle the rest of the 14 hour trip the next day. However, when my dad opened the hotel room door the next morning, instead of gazing out on the parking lot where we'd innocently left our car the night before, he was met with a wall of snow. Car? What car? No idea where it is. No idea where the parking lot is. Everything was buried in snow upon snow upon snow. Interstates were closed north and south. No snow plows were coming through. There would be no rescue.
What was only meant to be an overnight hotel stay became several days long. Wind chill was 100 below zero. Yes, you read that right. In fact, that Christmas has the auspicious title of coldest Christmas in North America - a title it still holds to this day. Of course we ran out of food fairly quickly. My dad would battle the treacherous elements to walk across the road and grab burgers from the truck stop, wrap them in motel room towels and my book bag (because of course I had one, even at age six lol), zip them up in his coat, and cross the road again ... only for them to already be stone cold. 
My 18-month-old brother was on meds for an ear infection and spiked a fever of 103 at some point during our stay. I read all my books. So what else is there to do? Well you act out the Christmas story from Luke 2, of course. Over and over and over again. I was in my element (always a bit of the dramatic in me, i'm sure this is shocking to all of you LOL) but needless to say my baby brother did NOT want to be swaddled over and over and over again. And my mom was trying to keep his fever down so swaddling him wasn't really the best choice. But he was the only baby Jesus we had, so I swaddled. My poor parents. 
As I think back now on this particular Christmas, with the eyes and the cognition of an adult, I realize how scary it must have been for my mom and dad. In their early 30s with two small children, no certain supply of food, no way for an ambulance to reach us if my brother had gotten sicker, separated from deathly frigid temperatures only by a thin-walled motel room and its please-keep-working heater unit. No way to really celebrate Christmas in the traditional sense that children consider Christmas - all our presents were in Tennessee. Running out of money (a several day hotel stay was not in the budget). I know they trusted God, that is one of the greatest legacies they've given me. But in their humanity, how could they not have been even just a little bit afraid?
One of my favorite Nativity setsYet, in the next thought, my heart unpacks a whispered reminder of that "first Christmas" that I reenacted so many times that stranded week. Mary and Joseph were even younger than my parents, most likely. Stranded away from home. IN LABOR IN A STABLE. So many unknowns. Strange visitors. A baby who may not have wanted to be swaddled any more than my brother did. I don't know what they had planned for when they got to Bethlehem, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't any of that. It's clear Mary & Joseph trusted God too, but how could they also not have been even just a little bit afraid?
Into all of the uncertainty that accompanied that pivotal night in history, into all of the uncertainty that accompanied that long ago Christmas for my own family, into all of the uncertainty that may accompany you this Christmas, the angel's message to the shepherds still resonates... 
“Don’t be afraid!” he said.
“I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.
The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!
And you will recognize him by this sign:
You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”
God. Come to earth. Meeting us where we are. It's easy to gloss over it in the familiarity of the story. And sometimes it takes an unexpected change of plans to remind us of its profound impact. Emmanuel. God with us. God with you. 
One of my favorite Christmas songs from recent years is "Christmas Changes Everything" by Josh Wilson. These lyrics (below) in particular hit my soul every time. 
 Hallelujah, love has found usHope in a manger our Savior is setting us free
This is rescue, Christ has come to make us new
Oh, Christmas changes everything
The snow changed all of our plans that Christmas of 1983. We ran out of money & days off work for my dad and had to go back home as soon as the roads were clear (and we could find our car). But all of that was so minor. Many people lost their lives from the extreme cold and snow that Christmas, but we had shelter, safety, warmth and each other.

What really mattered had already been eternally altered when the birth of a Baby defeated death forever.

Do you need rescue this Christmas? In your heart, in your family, in your health or your bank account? You may feel stranded even in a room full of people who love you. May I leave you with the tender reminder today of that Hope in a manger, of our Savior who is setting us free?

This is rescue. Christ has come to make us new.

And, my Seekerville friends, that changes everything! 

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Today, I'm giving away one of my favorite Christmas re-reads. AND it includes an adorable scene with kids reenacting the Christmas story that will leave you laughing and teary-eyed. For a chance to win An Endless Christmas by Cynthia Ruchti tell me about any memorable Christmas trips you've taken. (Or anything else you'd like to share - I just like chatting!)

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Carrie Schmidt is an avid reader, book reviewer, story addict, KissingBooks fan, book boyfriend collector, and cool aunt. She also loves Jesus and THE Story a whole lot. Co-founder of the Christian Fiction Readers' Retreat and JustRead Publicity Tours, Carrie lives in Kentucky with her husband Eric. 

She can be found lurking at various blogs and websites (because she can't stop talking about books) but her main home is the blog she started in 2015 - ReadingIsMySuperPower.org.
And don't forget to enter the advent Seekerville giveaway for a Kindle fire! 
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Advent Day 20 - One Memorable Christmas (and what it taught me)

Hi, Winnie Griggs here. Today I want to tell you about one very memorable Christmas.

I've lived well over half a century (wow, just writing that is surreal) and I have spent every single one of those Christmases (if not the day itself then the day chosen for our family Christmas gathering) with my mother and extended family, every one, that is, with one very memorable exception – Christmas 1985. 
The summer of 1985 I discovered my then current pregnancy involved twins. To say my hubby and I were caught by surprise is an understatement. At the time we had a daughter who was almost four and a son who was almost two. But we were also excited – twin blessings!

However, my doctor prescribed complete bedrest for my last six months. So by mid- August I was on medical leave from work and stuck in bed and only allowed up for absolute necessities – not easy to pull off when you have two little ones under age 4!  But my husband was a real trooper and really stepped up to handle the childcare challenges. I figured I’d make the best of it by taking it easy and catching up on my reading. But those next six months proved to be a true testing for me.
Almost immediately after the start of my "confinement" my mom was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The out-of-the-blue diagnosis threw the whole family for a loop. Since I lived over three hundred miles away from her there was no way I could slip away for a quick visit. Fortunately my Dad was still alive at the time and my other four siblings all lived close by so she had lots of support. Still, it was difficult to not be with her and only get second hand reports.
Then there was a second shattering event – in early December my grandmother passed away. Again, I couldn’t be there for the funeral or to grieve with the rest of my family, and had to do it from afar.
When Christmas Day rolled around, I thought I’d prepared myself – after all I’d known from the outset I wouldn’t be able to go down to spend it with my folks and siblings. But it hit me unexpectedly hard. I did my best to hide it, for the kids’ sake if nothing else. I escaped my bed for a few hours that day when we went to visit my husband’s mother who lived nearby – all-in-all a nice quiet Christmas day with many sweet moments to cherish. Lovely and enjoyable but not the crowded, boisterous, extended family gathering I was used to.
The rest of my period of bedrest was uneventful and on January 12th we welcomed two beautiful baby girls into the family.
Later, looking back on that period, I realized that God was honing me, teaching me patience and reliance on Him, helping me to see that He is enough and is with me even when I can’t be with loved ones through life's trials and festivities. And that the season is not about family and celebration, though there is nothing wrong with family celebrations,  but it is about His birth, His grace and His love and those must have priority.

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. 

Psalm 73:26 

And this year we will again be spend time with my large, exuberant family. There will be about 33 of us gathered at my mom's with lots of food, stories and joy at being together. But I hope I never lose sight of the lesson that was driven home to me that long ago year by a loving God.



This year I wish you peace and blessings however you spend your Christmas.

And as a special Christmas gift to you, I’d like to offer  to three of our commenters a copy of any book of their choice from my backlist. (You can find the complete list on my website at www.winniegriggs.com/books.php) Just leave a comment about what your favorite part of the Christmas festivities are.

And don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway below!


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