francine's blog

There are all kinds of ways books can be used.  Some people use them to gain knowledge and understanding.  Some use them to escape.  Others line shelves with leather-bound volumes to impress.  Some use them as a door stops or stack them up to reach a high shelf.  Some use them as a sleeping pill.  Some use them to hurl at a yowling cat, or spend a few minutes, hours, or days to be transported into another body, time and place.  Some toss them in the recycling bin or cash them in at the used book store and bring home another bagful. 

This blog is in response to numerous questions I have received on one particular character.  If you haven’t read Leota’s Garden, please don’t read beyond this sentence.  If you have read the book and have questions regarding the medical assistant, keep reading.  This is an explanation why I wrote him into the story, and why he disappeared, leaving only the reader aware of his role in Leota’s life. 

I always find it interesting what people collect.  One friend collects perfume bottles, another ceramic pigs, another china and tea services.  One mom passed along an antique button collection to her daughter, another handkerchiefs with handmade lace.

I love everything about Christmas.  Jesus is the reason for the season!  I love reading the story of Jesus’ birth.  I love setting up the tree and pulling out the decorations, each of which remind me of friends and family and places Rick and I have seen together.  I love decorating the house, planning the meal for the gathering clan members.  I love driving around town and seeing the lights.  I love the scent of pine and glowing candles. 

Every year about this time I begin to think about my goals for the upcoming year.  Exercise is always high on the list.  I joined the 24-Hour club ten years ago and have yet to see the renovations done on the gym just down the hill from me.  (I paid three years up front and now only have to pay $49 a year for full membership.  How can I give that up?  I may actually go someday.) The 24 Hour Club took over a furniture store next door and doubled in size.

Dear Friends,

I send each of you this greeting with my heart full of thanksgiving for God’s indescribable gift of His only begotten Son Jesus, the Messiah, our Redeemer and Lord.

This Christmas, as we think about all the wonderful things that have come to us through Jesus, God’s perfect gift, let us remember we shall one day see Him face to face.  What a day that will be!  The joy and blessings we experience now in Him are but a hint of all the awesome things yet to come. 

Rejoice in the Lord always.  Again, I say, Rejoice! 

I’ve made -- and eaten -- all kinds of cookies over the years, but my personal favorites, as many of you may already know, are chocolate chip cookies.  My mom baked them on a regular basis when I was growing up.  Later, when I had children of my own and we all went north to visit my folks in Oregon, Mom made sure the cookie jar was full.  As soon as the car was in park, we’d stampede into the house and head for the kitchen.

There are so many people living on the streets these days; young, old, vets, people who have lost their homes.  Each has a story, a family, hopes and dreams.  The needs seem overwhelming, but we each can do something to brighten the lives of those around us. 

Rick and I make Christmas boxes each year.  We had no idea what to put in them when we started, and so we asked a few with first-hand experience of being homeless.  Here are the suggestions offered:

When I saw the ad, I couldn’t resist going to a bug fair.  How many times do you get to handle creepy-crawlies?  My daughter, Shannon, was game and so were her two children.  So off we went to the local college campus to get up close and person with insects.  Unfortunately, most turned out to be in specimen jars or photographs, but we did meet an Australia praying mantid.  I couldn’t wait to get my hand on, or rather under, it.   It was BIG, too; the full length of my hand, and beautiful in a bizarre alien sort of way.  I’m sure Aussie Mantid wondered

If you haven’t seen this movie, I hope you will jump to www.180movie.com and watch it right now.  It is one of the most powerful films I have ever seen, and only 30 minutes long.  Ray Comfort interviews eight people adamantly pro-abortion, and changes their minds.  The questions Ray Comfort asks change hearts and minds.  Over 200,000 copies have been given away to 100 universities across the nation, and this film is going viral.  I hope you’ll be the next person to watch it and let other people know about it.