Merrillee Whren's Blog, page 7

Book Reviews

During the past month I’ve been working to get reviews for my book, A Place to Call Home.

Here’s a quote from a review from Britt Reads Fiction.

“What a gem of a book! This story grabbed me right from the start and did not let go. In A Place to Call Home, we meet Kurt Jansen, who is newly released from prison for time served for a crime he didn’t commit. Understandably, he has a lot to be upset about, but in this story we watch as he learns to give it all over to God and trust that He will answer Kurt’s prayers.”
You can read the whole review here.

Do reviews influence your book purchases?

 

The Project Is Finished

Some weeks ago I posted a photo of our patio cover project in progress. The project is now complete. I have some photos to share of our patio now that the cover is complete with a ceiling fan.

I believe we will be enjoying a lot of good times on this patio as we gaze at the Catalina Mountains. What kind of view do you have in your back yard?

Happy Valentine’s Day

In previous Valentine blogs I have mentioned that my husband and I were married on Valentine’s Day. We didn’t get married on this day for romantic reasons. We got married on February 14 for practical reasons. I was teaching school at the time, and I had President’s Day off. So we decided to get married the Saturday before President’s Day so I would have that day off during our honeymoon, and that Saturday just happened to be Valentine’s Day. The funny thing about getting married on Valentine’s Day is that we tend not to make a big deal of either our anniversary or Valentine’s Day. It is often too much of a hassle to go out to eat to celebrate because so many other people are going out for Valentine’s Day.

While we were living in Florida, we often took a trip with our friends the Willards. Here is a sunset we enjoyed in Key West, Florida on one of our February vacations together. This year I knew Valentine’s Day was coming soon, but the two weeks since the end of January seemed almost non-existence. Here it is Valentine’s Day, and I didn’t think to get anyone cards. Instead, I’ve been writing about two imaginary people falling in love as I put together my next proposal in my Village of Hope series for Love Inspired. When I realized our anniversary had arrived, I asked my husband whether he cared that I didn’t get him a card. He told me to look in my card drawer. He was sure I still had one in there from the year I bought two because I had forgotten I had already bought one. Sure enough, there was the unused Valentine card. I handed it to him unsigned. I think I can give this card to him every year from now on. This is what is says.

“I love you in so many ways and for so many reasons. Because you know me and understand me like no one else ever could. Because you believe in my dreams and care about my feelings. Because you make me laugh so hard and smile so often. Because you have a way of bringing out the very best in me. I love you in so many ways, and for so many reasons, but mostly because you’re my best friend.”

Here we are as we started out our journey together over a lot of years and and lot of different cities and towns across the United States.

What is the most romantic thing you have done for Valentine’s Day?

Go Red For Women

Are you familiar with the title for the blog? Every year at this time I like to be part of the campaign to make women aware of heart disease. My family has a history of heart disease. Both of my parents had heart attacks. Two of my brothers have suffered with some kind of cardiovascular disease.

We hear a lot about breast cancer killing women, but heart disease is the number ONE killer of women. Take a moment and check out the Go Red for Women website. See if you are at risk for heart disease. See what measures you can take to make your heart more healthy. I know one of the ways is to get enough exercise. As a writer, I spend a lot of time sitting at my desk. So I make an effort to get regular exercise. I walk and play tennis. Pick an exercise you enjoy so you’ll stick with it. 

What is your favorite exercise? I’m wearing red today, are you?

 

More Construction

If you have been reading this blog you know that in 2013 we did a remodel of the inside of our house. If you haven’t seen the results of our remodel, you can check the archives of the blog. Now that the inside is done, we have moved outside. Here is a photo of how our backyard used to look.

Notice how the patio table and chairs don’t fit under the patio cover. The cover comes nowhere near the grill. We deemed this cover almost useless, especially if it rained. We don’t get much rain in the desert, but we do get it. The photo below is the beginning of our new project, which thankfully won’t take nearly as long as the inside.

I believe we will definitely use the patio more with this cover. What do you think?

Happy New Year!

May you have a happy and blessed new year.

Merry Christmas!

“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.’

 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. ‘In Bethlehem in Judea,’ they replied, ‘for this is what the prophet has written:

“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
    are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
    who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, ‘Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.’

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.”

Matthew 2:1-12

Christmas Musical Toys

 

At Christmas time, I put out my musical toys, and I have quite a collection. It all started one year when we lived in Dallas, and I received a musical Santa cowboy, who twirled his rope and sang “Merry Christmas. Ho Ho Ho,” from a party gift exchange. Unfortunately, a few years ago he quit singing, but by that time my collection had grown and grown. Many thanks to Hallmark for making a new singing toy each Christmas for the last ten years. I have one of each. Here are two photos of some of my musical Christmas toys. Even the Santa hanging on the tree is musical.

There are numerous more musical toys, but these are just a sampling. My granddaughters love to press all the buttons and listen to the music. Sometimes, all at the same time.

Do you have any Christmas decorations that play music? What is your favorite?

Christmas Is Coming

Christmas is approaching whether we are ready or not. My decorations are all up, but the shopping isn’t done, the baking isn’t done and neither are the Christmas cards. My excuse? I’ve been sick—really, really sick. I haven’t been this sick in ages. I just hope I am better by the time our company arrives. They certainly don’t want to share in my illness. That is also the reason why my blog has been neglected since Thanksgiving. So just to spread a little Christmas cheer, I’ll share a sampling of the Christmas decorations I managed to put up before I got sick. This year was a challenge because I had to figure out where everything went in a new house. I’ll share some today and in the days to come. Christmas trees come first.

 This first photo is the Christmas tree in our living room. It is the formal tree.

The second photo is the family tree that has ornaments I’ve collected since hubby and I got married. Included among them are the ornaments that my kids made when they were little and ornaments I have bought on our many travels.

Do you have more than one tree at your house?

Happy Thanksgiving

For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer. 1Timothy 4:4-5 (NIV)

May your day be filled with abundant blessings in the Lord.

What are you thankful for?