2020: The Year I Read and Read and Read
We’ve been discussing Reader’s Block in the Read Along with Emilie Richards Facebook group that I moderate. (Join us by clicking that link.) Group members admitted that concentrating on a book or even picking one up is much harder than it used to be. Focusing is difficult, and some readers are finding reading a book…
Read MoreSunday Inspiration: The Work of Christmas
The Work of Christmas When the song of the angels is stilled, When the star in the sky is gone, When the kings and princes are home, When the shepherds are back with their flock, The work of Christmas begins: To find the lost, To heal the broken, To feed the hungry, To release the…
Read MoreSunday Inspiration: A Holy Night
For so the children come and so they have been coming. Always the same way they come, born of the seed of a man and a woman. No angels herald their beginnings. No prophets predict their future courses. No wise men see a star to show where to find the babe that will save humankind.…
Read MoreSunday Inspiration: Christmas Gift Suggestions
“Christmas Gift Suggestions: To your enemy, forgiveness.To an opponent, tolerance.To a friend, your heart.To a customer, service.To all, charity.To every child, a good example.To yourself, respect.”— Oren Arnold, author Are you holiday shopping this year? Are you finished? Ours was blessedly easy. Food was at the top of Christmas lists, followed by gift cards for shopping on the…
Read MoreBooklover Carols: What Else Can I Do?
Happy holidays, whichever and however you celebrate. If you’ve been a faithful blog reader, you know that most years I favor (?) you with a Booklover’s Carol at Christmas. The carols are based on the more traditional variety, and I’ve had fun coming up with terrible renditions to delight or horrify you. Either reaction is…
Read MoreSunday Inspiration: The Guest House
“The Guest House” by Jalaluddin Rumi This being human is a guest house. Every morning a new arrival. A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes As an unexpected visitor. Welcome and entertain them all! Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows, who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture, still treat…
Read MoreSunday Inspiration: True Generosity
“That’s what I consider true generosity: You give your all and yet you always feel as if it costs you nothing.” — Simone de Beauvoir, author Did you see this inspiring story about Dolly Parton’s generous gift of one million dollars for Covid research? Dolly is one of my favorite people anyway, because of her…
Read MoreSunday Holiday Inspiration: Happy Thanksgiving!
‘Thank you’ is the best prayer that anyone could say. I say that one a lot. Thank you expresses extreme gratitude, humility, understanding. When you rise in the morning, give thanks for the light, for your life, for your strength. -Alice Walker, author This will be a difficult Thanksgiving for many of us. We may be…
Read MoreOnce in a Blue Moon
At the end of the day faith is a funny thing. It turns up when you don’t really expect it. It’s like one day you realize that the fairy tale may be slightly different than you dreamed. The castle, well, it may not be a castle. And it’s not so important happy ever after, just…
Read MoreSunday Inspiration: Imagination encircles the world
“I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.” ― Albert Einstein As an author, I know how important knowledge is. Without knowledge of everything I’m writing about, without an understanding of the individuals and the time and place,…
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