Kaylea Hutson's Blog, page 60

Blog Tour: More Glimpses of Heaven (Review)

Sometimes at death, the real lessons of life can be gained. 

That's the case in the stories Trudy Harris, RN has woven together to form her second book, More Glimpses of Heaven.

In fact, Harris strives to provide insight into what really happens at death and how it is not something to be feared - but rather, something that can literally bring all of us closer to God. 

Pulling on her experience as a hospice nurce for more than 30 years, Harris shows how God has worked in the lives of 46 patients as they neared death. 

Each of the stories serve as a testament to how God is never far from death, and the lengths God will go to help us understand his compassionate love. 

In the book, readers will find a variety of inspiring accounts, including:
    * Donny, a 3-year-old diagnosed with leukemia, who tells of how Jesus visits him and eases his fears about dying. He shares these messages with his friends and family, encouraging them not to be sad or sorry, until Donny is able to depart with Jesus, when he visits for the last time.
    * Evelyn, an elderly woman with no living family, who finds a friend in Harris who, on one visit, has an enlightened realization that today will be the day Evelyn goes to heaven. Harris stays with Evelyn to comfort and encourage her about the afterlife that awaits. Later, a nurse calls and confirms that Evelyn had passed away, saying, "She looked so peaceful, just like an angel."
    * Mr. Winters, who had a terrible nightmare one evening but was unsure of what it meant. A hospice nurse understood that it was a message from God, urging him to make things right between himself, his loved ones and God. For the next week, he wrestled through feelings until finally, the nightmares stopped. With his heart at peace, he passed away serenely in his sleep.

What I Thought
I picked up this book because I wanted to see if I should recommend it to a friend who is a hospice nurse. My friend has shared with me how she sees her job not as "work" but rather as a form of "ministry."

I am impressed with the stories that Harris has pulled together. I found the book oddly comforting. It's amazing to see how God can work at both ends of life's spectrum - and what we can learn about his grace and love at the time of death.

I recommend this book because even though it is about death, it is full of hope and life.

About The Author
Trudy Harris, RN, is the author of Glimpses of Heaven, a former hospice nurse, and former president of the Hospice Foundation for Caring.

Since retirement, Harris remains active in connecting the needs of terminally ill and dying people in her community with the hospice program she knows can best meet their needs.

You can read more about Harris here - At her Glimpses of Heaven website.

On-Line Resources
Read an excerpt of More Glimpses of Heaven
Find it at Amazon.com
Find it at Barnes & Noble
Find it at CBD

About the Publisher
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, offers practical books that bring the Christian faith to everyday life. They publish resources from a variety of well-known brands and authors, including their partnership with MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) and Hungry Planet. For more information, visit www.RevellBooks.com.

Note: As a freelance journalist, I was provided a copy of this book by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. This review was not influenced by a free book - just in case you (or the FTC) were worried about this detail.

It's A Contest!

Love Finds You in Victory Heights, Washington, shares the riveting story of Rosalie Matthews, a brave young woman who worked as a B-17 Bomber riveter during World War II. While Rosalie's story is fictional, US history is bursting with real heroines and heroes whose service and sacrifice gave us the freedom we enjoy today.

(You can read my review of Love Finds You In Victory Heights here!

In honor of Veteran's Day, and to celebrate this dramatic time in our history, authors Tricia Goyer & Ocieanna Fleiss are offering one fortunate reader the chance to GET RIVETED by VICTORY HEIGHTS!

The "Get Riveted" Prize Package:
The Winner of our GET RIVETED by VICTORY HEIGHTS giveaway will receive a fantastic Rosie the Riveter Prize Package, including:


*Rosie the Riveter Puzzle
*Songs that Got Us There CD
*Rosies in B-17 Photo Card
*Retro Rosie box with mints
*Vintage Boeing postcard
*Rosie Metal Water Bottle
*Rosie T-shirt
*B-17 Keychain
*Rosie mini-magnets
*Rosie Tote

How To Enter:
To enter, simply fill out the entry form, then tell five (5) or more friends about the contest! The more people you tell, the higher your chances to win, and this prize would be a great Christmas gift, so be sure to share the fun.

We'll announce the winner Wednesday, Dec. 1, on the contest page @ Tricia Goyer's website.

Enter Now
You can use Facebook, Twitter, or e-mail to enter.  Just click the buttons below!

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Get Creative with Jessica Sprague

Looking for a way to jump start your creative juices?Hop on over to www.jessicasprague.com and check out her "Inspiration Everwhere" class.
It's FREE
Did I mention it's free? 

Every six months or so, Jessica likes to give back to the community which she says "has given me so much," by offering a FREE CLASS.

Inspiration Everywhere is designed for ALL CRAFTERS & CREATIVE SOULS (scrapbookers and non-scrapbookers alike).

The 10-day class covers five different paths to inspiration:
WordsMusicArtToolsPlayWant to know more? Visit http://www.jessicasprague.com for additional details!

Note: This is a shameless plug for my creative friend Jessica Sprague. I received nothing but warm fuzzies and happy thoughts for posting this information - just in case the FTC is watching and would like to know this!

Blog Tour: A Woman & Her Workplace

For most people, the workplace is their home-away-from-home. We spend most of our waking hours with coworkers and employers. No blood relation, but yet we must build healthy relationships with them if we hope to excel at our work and enjoy our careers. Just like families, our work families are disturbed by dysfunctional issues. Interactions at work are often anything but ideal, let alone godly.

We find someone to vent about the grumpy boss, that arrogant team member, the lazy coworker who gets by doing nothing, and the undermining woman who makes our lives miserable. Yes, it's easy to blame them for our workplace woes—but it's better to look inward at what we have control to change.

A Woman and Her Workplace shows how God can perform a deep heart transformation within us so His love flows through us to the people in our workplaces. By delving into the issues that wreak havoc on our workplace relationships, author Rosemary Flaaten provides readers the help they need to develop and apply strong biblical principles of humility, integrity, forgiveness, grace, and celebration in the workplace.

Through discussing relationships such as boss to staff, woman to man, woman to woman, and teamwork, Flaaten guides women to develop healthy interactions in their workplaces. It makes sense to invest some effort into the relationships where we spend the lion's share of our waking hours. This book isn't just for women, though. Men find the book gives them insight into how to make the best of their working relationships with the opposite sex in their offices.

What I Thought
I'll be honest, I'm still reading the book. It arrived late (sometimes things take a bit of time to get to my neck of the woods), and well this isn't a book that I can "speed" read.

Rather, it seems to be a book full of a wealth of information. I'm intrigued that Flaaten uses the story of Esther throughout out her book - drawing from it illustrations of moving from pride to humility, deception to integrity, anger to forgiveness, judgement to grace and envy to celebration.

I'm really interested in seeing if this book translates from the "real world" to well, the church bubble I work in. Sometimes, even though we'd like to say that a church should run like a business, but let's face it - this isn't Donald Trump's world.

But after working in several churches, and talking with friends in the ministry, I know many of the same "real world" issues infiltrate the "bubble."

So, this is a work in progress review. So far, on the surface and in the first two chapters, Flaaten has me hooked. If I get any amazing insights, I'll be back!

About The Author
Rosemary Flaaten's book, A Woman and Her Relationships helps women process their outside-of-work relationships, so now she's delving into these 9-5 relationships.

She writes from a fully equipped life-experience toolkit. In it we find her varied work experience, a counseling and educational background, and a deep love for God as well as a passion to help others. Her Relationships book won The Word Guild Award, which is Canada's top Christian literary honor.

A dynamic speaker—Flaaten challenges women of all professions to view their work as a calling and their workplaces as opportunities to live out Christ's love. Flaaten lives with her husband and three children in Calgary, Canada.


Online Resources
Workplace Gossip by Flaaten
(Note, if the doc reader doesn't appear here, click on the article title (directly above this text). It's a direct link to the online doc reader.

Handling Workplace Gossip

It's A Contest
Post a comment on this post by  Friday, Nov. 19.
You will be entered into the entire blog tour drawing for..........

A desk a facelift
—transform your desk and your relationships!
    * An autographed copy of A Woman and Her Workplace
    * Hard cover journal
    * 40 piece stationary set
    * Handbag styled refillable note dispenser
    * Photo frame
    * Stainless steel travel mug
    * Mini stapler, pen, pencil and highlighter

On Nov. 22, the tour organizes will draw to see who wins this Grand Prize!

Note: As a freelance journalist, I was provided a copy of this book by Kathy Carlton Willis Communications. This review was not influenced by a free book - just in case you (or the FTC) were worried about this detail.

Blog Tour: Devotions for the God Girl (Review)

Looking for a way to either start a journey to become a "God Girl" or maybe a tool to help you "restart" your journey?

Consider picking up Devotions for the God Girl, published by Hayley DiMarco. The book provides you with at least 365 devos to help girls (definitely teen or young adult age), with a way to focus their thoughts each day on God.

"The God Girl is always on a journey to becoming the woman God created her to be. That means that every day, the God Girl needs time with her Creator to reflect on where she's been, where she's at, and where she's going."
What I Thought
I liked this devo book. I thought DiMarco's writing style was easy to read, and I easily passed this book off to one of the teen girls in my ministry. I was pleased with the topics covered, and honestly, just simply pleased with this devo.

About The Author
Hayley DiMarco is chief creative officer and founder of Hungry Planet, where she writes and creates cutting-edge books that connect with the multitasking mind-set.

She has written and co-written numerous bestselling books for both teens and adults, including Dateable, Mean Girls, Sexy Girls, and Technical Virgin. She and her husband, Michael, live in Nashville, Tennessee, with their daughter.

Online Resources
Read an online excerpt
Buy it at Amazon
Buy it at CBD
Buy it at Barnes & Noble

About the Publisher
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, offers practical books that bring the Christian faith to everyday life. They publish resources from a variety of well-known brands and authors, including their partnership with MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) and Hungry Planet. For more information, visit www.RevellBooks.com.

Note: As a freelance journalist, I was provided a copy of this book by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. This review was not influenced by a free book - just in case you (or the FTC) were worried about this detail.

Blog Tour: Emily's Chance (Review)

It may be a small town, but it's a rung on her ladder to success.

That's simply how Emily Rose views her work at the Callahan Crossing Historical Museum.

This job, found in the tiny West Texas town of Callahan Crossing, will help her break into the larger, more prestigious curator's world in a big city museum.

What happens when a cowboy and construction contractor – Chance Callahan – decides that he wants Emily to stay in Callahan Crossing, not only to work in the museum, but also as his wife?

Emily finds herself not only uncovering not only Callahan Crossing's history, but also how she values love.

What I Thought
This is the second novel in Sharon Gillenwater's Callahan Crossing series, which focuses on a family living in a small western town. The tales are simple, direct and to the point.

In this novel – Emily's Chance – Gillenwater unpacks the story of Chase Callahan as he falls in love and courts Emily Rose – even as she chases her dream career.

On a scale of one to five, with five being the highest, I give this novel at least a 3.5 to 4. Gillenwater has created a series of characters that are quite delightful. You may find yourself wishing Callahan's Crossing truly existed. Gillenwater has definitely captured the reality and joy of living in a small town.

More about Jenna's Cowboy
Want to read my review of Gillenwater's first novel, along with an interview? Click here!

More About The Author
Sharon Gillenwater was born and raised in West Texas and loves to write about her native state.

The author of several novels, including Jenna's Cowboy, she is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers.

When she's not writing, she and her husband enjoy spending time with their son, daughter-in-law, and two adorable grandchildren. She lives in Washington.

Online Resources
Read an Excerpt from Emily's Chance
Buy It Amazon
Buy it at CBD
 Find it at Barnes & Noble

About the Publisher
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, offers practical books that bring the Christian faith to everyday life. They publish resources from a variety of well-known brands and authors, including their partnership with MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) and Hungry Planet. For more information, visit www.RevellBooks.com.
 
Note: As a freelance journalist, I was provided a copy of this book by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. This review was not influenced by a free book - just in case you (or the FTC) were worried about this detail.

Blog Tour: Don't Look Back (Review & Interview)

Jamie Cash is stuck between two men – one who wants to see her dead, the other who is fighting for her life.

Cash is at the center of Lynette Eason's newest addition to the Women of Justice series – Don't Look Back.

The story tells how Cash, who survived a brutal kidnapping 12 years earlier, has put her life back together thanks to hours of therapy and prayer. Since graduating from college, she has taken a position as a forensic anthropologist.

But her past – full of brutal and frightening memories – threatens to overtake her new life, as Cash discovers that her attacker is back, with a vengious.

About the Series
Eason crafted the Women of Justice series because of her interest in law enforcement.

"I've always been fascinated with the people who catch the bad guys," Eason said. "I love Kathy Reichs' books. I'm just amazed that anyone can do what she does and not puke.

"Seriously, I can read in detail how to do an autopsy or work with bones, dead people, etc, but I could never do it in real life."

Through that interest, Eason developed Cash's life story – which included a violent past.

"I wondered about the faith journey of someone who'd been traumatized in a really bad way," Eason said. "We live in a violent world. Unfortunately, stuff like what I wrote about in the book happens. It's not pretty.

"But as ugly as the crime was, I wanted to show how much bigger our God is. How someone who suffered such indignities and horrors and lived to tell about it, could turn it into something that could help others. She could move past it and let God be the one to get her through it."

Eason said Cash is her favorite character in the series, for a variety of reasons.

"She fascinated me," she said. "The book required tons of research and I just really got to know my characters well. They became my buddies. I had to fight for them, pray about them, etc.

"Jamie needed the most prayer. I just loved her determination to conquer her fear and the terror of her past."

Eason admits she puts a little bit of herself in each character – specifically characteristics she would like to have or develop more.

Initially, Eason envisioned two novels for the series. However, editors suggested she add a plot twist in book two – which led to the main heroine in an additional novel.

The next novel will focus on Kit, a young woman who discovered through a twist in book two that she is actually Jamie Cash's twin sister.

"Kit is a hostage negotiator who is struggling to come to terms with the fact that she was put up for adoption while her parents kept the other two children," Eason said. " She takes a job in the hometown of her newly discovered birth family and sets out about getting to know them. Unfortunately in doing so, she attracts the attention of a killer."

Eason said the addition of Kit provides a bit of surprise, a lot of conflict and "shows one more way how God can bring through something 'bad.'"

Through it all, Eason said God has taught her a variety lessons while crafting her novels – chiefly perseverance.

"Never give up when you know God wants you to do something for Him," Eason said, adding she has also learned to pray constantly, always staying in God's will.

"While I knew all that before writing the books, the experience of writing them has just brought these facts home to me, over and over," she said.

What I Thought
I liked Don't Look Back. Gritty at times, and very realistic, Eason has captured the story of a woman who is haunted by her past, but resolute in moving toward a brighter future.

Evil exists in the world. Through Jamie Cash's story, Eason is able to tell a story of how God can redeem any situation.

On a scale of one to five, with five being the highest. I give this a four. This novel has strong characters, a convincing back story and a strong story line. It will keep you on the edge of your seat.

More About The Author
Lynette Eason is the author of Too Close to Home and three other romantic suspense novels. She is a member of American Fiction Christian Writers and Romance Writers of America.
A homeschooling mother of two, she has a master's degree in education from Converse College. She lives in South Carolina.

Online Resources
Read an excerpt
Buy it at Amazon 
Find it at Barnes & Noble
Get it at CBD
Read my review of Too Close To Home – click here.

About the Publisher
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, offers practical books that bring the Christian faith to everyday life. They publish resources from a variety of well-known brands and authors, including their partnership with MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) and Hungry Planet. For more information, visit www.RevellBooks.com.

Note: As a freelance journalist, I was provided a copy of this book by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. This review was not influenced by a free book - just in case you (or the FTC) were worried about this detail.

Blog Tour: The Waiting (Review & Interview)

In her newest novel, Suzanne Woods Fisher steps back in time to 1960s to examine life for two Amish families coping with happiness and hardships, all while holding fast to the tie that binds them - their faith.

The Waiting tells the story of Jorie King - who has placed her life on hold waiting for Ben Zook to return to Lancaster County.

It also tells the story of Caleb and Mary Ann, who find themselves waiting for a cure when Mary Ann develops a rare and aggressive form of leukemia.

Delving into The Waiting
The Waiting's plot, grew out of a set of papers that once belonged to Fisher's grandfather, who was once a one-room school teacher in Franklin County, Penn.

"My cousins have collected reminiscences of those years," explained Fisher. "Reading through them gave me an idea about a schoolteacher. Voila…Jorie King!"

The novel's setting - in the midst of 1960s America - came from Fisher's love of history.

"Writing about the Amish creates certain boundaries—the stories are character-driven within limited plot lines," Fisher said. "I think studying the Amish over the last century is particularly interesting. They've weathered so many radical changes in society."

Fisher said under the direction of her editor, she found herself researching Amish life in 1965 - which meant setting the novel in the midst of the Vietnam War and the draft.

"A story evolved from that point about the Amish and conscientious objecting," Fisher said. "I didn't really go too far into the complexities of the Vietnam War - intentionally.

"I wanted to concentrate on how a young man, who was raised with a very sensitive conscience, could cope with the reality of war."

Fisher centers her story around Ben Zook, the Amish man who went off to serve in Vietnam, and the people he left behind including Caleb and Jorie. It shows how they deal with life - especially once they believe he is killed during the war.

Fisher based Caleb Zook on an Old Order Amish bishop whom she admires personally. She deliberately chose to make Caleb a little bit older and wiser, but not too removed from his brothers.She also chose to give him a trial to deal with - Mary Ann's illness - as a way to show his humanity. 

"I wanted Caleb to have a "scar," Fisher said. "He seems almost perfect, but he was grieving deeply and didn't know how to get beyond his grief."

After Mary Ann's death, Caleb and Jorie find themselves first relying on each other as friends - then in a deeper way. This new commitment is threatened when they learn that Ben did not die, but is rather quite mentally ill in a veteran's hospital.

Their lives are challenged again, when Caleb decides to bring his brother back to the family farm, rather than rely solely on medical intervention.

Fisher said Caleb's response of skepticism and discerning - to the type of treatments doctors wanted to use on Ben - electric shock and prescription medication - may have been typical of Amish living in the 1960s.

" I think most of the medical community had the opposite response to these new treatments—they were enthusiastic, convinced they held the cure," Fisher said. "In this story, remember it's a story, Caleb understood that Ben's mental illness had something to do with unresolved guilt. It had a spiritual component to it that treatments would only mask."

Ultimately, Fisher hopes readers discover how the characters of The Waiting cope with unresolved guilt, grief and redemption.

"There's a line that Caleb uses: 'Our memories shape us, good and bad,'" Fisher said. "I think there's much to ponder in that sentence. God is always in the business of redemption. He can use all of our experiences to help us grow more Christ-like."

What's Next
Fisher plans to write two more books in this series.

The first, The Search, (Dec. 2010/Jan. 2011 release) is based upon the same town of Stoney Ridge, but set in 1972 - when a public school crisis for the Amish reaches the US Supreme Court.

Caleb Zook and his daughter, Maggie, appear in the novel, but it focuses on two young women who find themselves in Stoney Ridge - with a secret which bonds them together.

The second, a Christmas novel (Oct. 2011) takes place during a Christmas weekend. It reunites two characters from The Choice (book one) Mattie Zook and Solomon Riehl.

More About Fisher
In addition to "birthing" novels, Fisher has become a grandmother to newborn Blake, who lives with his parents - Fisher's daughter and son-in-law - in Rhode Island. (Which she says, sadly, is quite far from her California home.)

Through her writing for Revell, Fisher said she has become friends with some remarkable Amish families.

"I always hope to honor them with these books," Fisher said. "I really do believe that the Amish, at their best, are seeking the heart of Christ in a way that is an example to us all."

What I Thought
I am continually impressed with the authenticity I find in Fisher's novels, along with the depth of the story lines. Rather than create a "feel good" story, Fisher uses her words to show the good, the bad and the ugly parts of life.

The Amish characters give the novels a different "twist," but Fisher's stories could easily take place using "everyday" people.

Fisher creates realistic characters, who struggle to combine their faith with everyday living. People who strive to not only talk about their faith, but live it - regardless of its consequences.

I think a subplot, in The Waiting, involving Jorie's struggle to help the town's new vet find housing - even while her English neighbors discriminate against him because of the color of his skin - help give the the book's setting a realistic taste.

On the scale of one to five, with five being the highest, I definitely give The Waiting a four. This is a novel you may find yourself reading again, or at least, passing along to a friend.

Want to read my interview with Fisher and the review of book one The Choice? Click here.

More About The Author
Suzanne Woods Fisher is the CBA bestselling author of The Choice, The Waiting, Amish Peace, and Amish Proverbs. Her interest in the Anabaptist cultures can be directly traced to her grandfather, W. D. Benedict, who was raised in the Old Order German Baptist Brethren Church in Franklin County, Penn. Benedict eventually became publisher of Christianity Today magazine.

Fisher is the host of a radio show called Amish Wisdom and her work has appeared in many magazines. She lives in California.

You can read more about her at her website: http://suzannewoodsfisher.com or by finding her on Facebook.

Online Resources
Read an Excerpt
Find it at Amazon

About The Publisher
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, offers practical books that bring the Christian faith to everyday life.  They publish resources from a variety of well-known brands and authors, including their partnership with MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) and Hungry Planet. For more information, visit http://www.revellbooks.com/.

Note: As a freelance journalist, I was provided a copy of this book by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. This review was not influenced by a free book - just in case you (or the FTC) were worried about this detail.

Blog Tour: Always, A Teen Devo (Review)

Does your faith make a difference in your life?

Does what you hear at church on Sunday affect the rest of your week? Maybe you let your beliefs remain at a surface level, never letting them really change who you are. But when you read and study the words of Jesus, you can't help but grow in your faith.


What I Thought
Always, the third installment in Melody Carson's Words from the Rock series, contains 90 devotions (two pages each in length) that cover a variety of topics including pain, joy, love, faith and more.


Each topic starts with a nugget of scripture or Words from the Rock, a brief devo, a prayer and a final word from the scriptures. It also includes a "Stone for the Journey" or a closing thought that wraps everything up.

In fact, I really believe Carson's words help "unpack" Jesus' message in a way that teens can apply it to their life - in the highs and lows of school, family life, relationships and more.

I chose to review this book, because several young women in my church are fans of Carson's TrueColor's series. I wanted to see how she turned her fiction skills towards devos.

I was not disappointed - in fact, I've already decided to immediately pass this devo along to one of my students. This devo book (or the companion volumes: True or Life) is definitely one that girls can use to grow closer to God.

More About The Author
Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of more than two hundred books, several of them Christmas novellas from Revell, including her much-loved and bestselling book, The Christmas Bus.

She also writes many teen books, including Just Another Girl, Anything but Normal, the Diary of a Teenage Girl series, the TrueColors series, and the Carter House Girls series.

Carson  was nominated for a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her books, including the Notes from a Spinning Planet series and Finding Alice, which is in production as a Lifetime Television movie. She and her husband serve on the Young Life adult committee in central Oregon. Visit her website at www.melodycarlson.com.


On-Line Resources
Read an Excerpt From Always
Buy it at Amazon

About The Publisher
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, offers practical books that bring the Christian faith to everyday life.  They publish resources from a variety of well-known brands and authors, including their partnership with MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) and Hungry Planet. For more information, visit http://www.revellbooks.com/.

Note: As a freelance journalist, I was provided a copy of this book by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. This review was not influenced by a free book - just in case you (or the FTC) were worried about this detail.

Letting go

I have a friend, who is serving at Gitmo as a chaplain. For the past nine months (or so) since he started his deployment, I've tried to figure out what to send as a care package. I wanted it to be good - not a cheesy, package.

Let's face it, I was probably over-thinking the package. I'm learning that sometimes you just have to stop thinking about things, and just "do it" (yes, think Nike!)

So this week, thanks to some help from the kids at Timothy Team & the M&M Day at church (Marvelous & Magnificent Day (camp)) I finally pulled together a package to send to my friend.
The gang who made most of the cards....a few of the Timothy Team kids aren't pictured....During the last two weeks, I've had the kids at church color "happy notes" for my friend to hand out.
The cards, as created by First UMC kids!Simple and direct. On the back of the cards, we posted information about the children's ministry and gave the kids a place to write their name on the back.
The back of the card - didn't Henley write his name well!
So Tuesday morning, I went shopping for candy - anything that sounded good and wouldn't melt as it traveled via the military to Cuba - along with a special request from my friend's sweet tooth!
The candy & cards
It took a lot of "packing" (I actually had to get another box) to get all of the candy in a "flat shipping rate" box from the Post Office.
Um, I think I need a new box....So the box is on it's way to Cuba. Hopefully it will arrive before Halloween.

Here's the deal though. I almost didn't send anything, because I was worried that this wasn't enough.

I mean, really, when you get right down to it - it's a box of note cards and candy. Not much "substance" but instead, a gift mailed with a lot of good wishes and prayers sent by the students.

I've wanted to do something for a long time, but I almost let my fear and indecision keep me from doing something.

If  I waited, I would have missed out on being able to bless a friend, who in turn, can pass along the blessings to people he serves with on the army base. I would have also denied the kids @ church a chance to make cards for a group of soldiers.

Sometimes the church in general is like this. We (collective we) talk about doing things, and even make plans - but somehow our follow-through ends up lacking. We let our indecision keep us in a rut - and miss out on the possible joy and excitement found in the unknown.

So, for once, I've set aside the worry and the indecision, and maybe even fear of being "not quite perfect" in order to do something that will hopefully bless others.

What will you do today to bless someone? What is keeping you from being a blessing?