Christmas is Coming!

I love this time of year!  The Christmas tree, the lights, shopping for that special thing you think that someone will really enjoy.  Unfortunately, it is always accompanied by the worry about money, of course, but I know that things will always work out okay.

Believe it or not, I'm actually a bit ahead of the game.  I have my Christmas cards all ready to write (that’s today’s job!) and even my newsletter written.  Yes, I do a newsletter.  I must confess that for some years, when I was younger, I thought of them as annual brag notes, detailing all the great things folks were doing, but then I came to look forward to them every year to catch up with everything.

Life is just too busy!  If we can’t take the time to get together, at least we can hear about what a great year folks have had and enjoy reading of the achievements of everyone.  It’s kind of sad, and yet enjoyable at the same time.  Unfortunately, we sometimes only hear of the passing of someone we cared about, but never seemed to find the time to visit through the year.  Where does the time go?

On a lighter note, we begin to make plans for the coming year.  Can you believe that 2015 is just around the corner?  It seems crazy, but it seems like every year goes by faster than the last.  Or does it just seem that way, as you get older?

I remember the worry about the whole year 2000 thing.  I was on a big project at work for it.  And yet, here we are 15 years later and it was a mere memory of a year at work.

Before I finish my blog for this week, I have to comment on the passing years and the pride I have in my children.  They have accomplished a lot with their own challenges and I couldn't be prouder of them as young adults, contributing members of society, living on their own.  I can’t imagine anything more satisfying than the pride one has in their children. 

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow...

Okay enough already!  It’s only November and I’m tired of winter already, so the folks in Buffalo must be even beyond tired of it.  My goodness! We live along the lake as well, but didn’t get hit with lake effect snow like they did. We thank the good Lord for that.

This week and for even the next week, it looks like temperatures will stay above freezing, so hopefully, the next snowfall won’t happen for a while.

It’s interesting how the weather is such a topic of conversation.  Pretty much every call I’m on with my colleagues in Edmonton, Calgary and Houston, we have to compare notes on how the weather is.  

My boss’s boss loves to ski in Calgary, so he is delighted when it snows out there.  I keep telling them to keep that weather out there, of course.  His boss is often in Houston, so I always tell him to bring the warm weather!  Like that is even possible!

Of course, for anyone who likes to have some control in their lives, that is one of the things we have no control over.  We have to be adaptable. We need to be prepared for almost anything within the season. 

I am getting more and more afraid of driving in the snow in the dark, so I expect that I will be working from home a lot this winter!  I should also pack a bag and keep it in the office, just in case I get unexpectedly stranded in the city!

Driving home this past week in the snow was frightening and it wasn’t even white outs.  I now drive in the right lane, white knuckled, just trying to get home, while the transports fly by me.  Fortunately, the highway is three lanes, all the way to Cobourg.  And, I expect to be working one more winter yet!

My God and my guardian angel drive with me, always. Amen

Book Fair

I have to blog about the last few days I spent at the inaugural Toronto International Book Fair.  For two reasons, one, I had a great time and two, that’s why I’m two days late getting my blog done!

On the one hand, I did not sell many of my books, but on the other hand, I met some really great people, saw some great authors and had a blast.  I was afraid the days were going to be long and boring, but I was quite wrong. I took my dear friend and favorite bibliophile Viv with me and since she is 88 years young, I figured by the end of Saturday she would have had enough, but she and I were there every day from open to close and had such a great time.

We were very organized.  Everything I had to take to the table they had set up for me was either on my walker, or in my backpack.  We only needed one trip from the car each day and picked up a coffee for Viv and a tea for me on our way to the elevator.  We would say our ‘good mornings’ to those who were at their booths or tables already, on our way to the table, and set up and settle for the day.

That, by no means, meant we didn’t move.  There were other booths to visit, authors to hear and sign books and snacks to be had.  We loved the smoothie stall that wasn’t far from our table. We chatted with people who came to visit and, of course, bought several books!

We were thrilled to get books signed by some great authors:  Debbie Macomber, Jeff Kinney, Margaret Atwood, Claire Cameron and Neil Pasricha.  Our only regret was that we didn’t stand in line to get books signed by Commander Chris Hadfield.  He was there and the line was really long.  We should have persevered anyway.

So, would I go again next year?  I probably would.  It was a little disappointing in terms of selling my own books, but I think that the exposure was worthwhile.  Besides, it was fun!

Let the Children Come to Me

People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them.  When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.  I tell you the truth; anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."  And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.  Mark 10 13-16  NIV

I believe that it is with the little children that we must start.  Children are not born with prejudice or bias or hatred.  It is because of this that I wrote my stories to tell children of God and Jesus.

I will be the first to say that there are passages in the Bible that are not all unicorns and rainbows as my daughter likes to say.  But the message is clear.  Treat others as you would like to be treated. Love and serve God, because it is in doing that, that we love each other and treat each other as we should.

In my prayers, I ask for world peace, no pain and no hunger.  It is through loving each other that we can attain world peace and no hunger.  No pain can be partially attained the same way, but there still remains pain through disease, unfortunately.

Can we not all, like Jesus, reach out to the children of the world that they may be raised by kind and compassionate people that their world might be better than ours?

It does not matter if we feel we resonate best with Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Shinto or any of the other many religions of our diversified world.  The basis of all major religions speaks of the kindness, compassion and love of our Creator.  Let us all honor that Creator with our own kindness, compassion and love and pass it on to the little children.

The stories that I wrote show the kindness, compassion and love of our Creator’s creatures.  The stories are based on stories from the Old and New Testaments.  These documents are the basis that my own teachings rely on and I believe that we can reach the children beginning with these stories.

Please begin here:  AnimalsoftheBible.com to reach your own children.

Family Life

I was looking for a great quote to start my blog with today.  Something profound that might touch folks and inspire them to inspire others.  I guess I would like to help make the world a better place one soul at a time really.  But I came across a whole list of quotes on family life.

Why does this strike a chord with me?  Mostly because family life means so much to me.  So, let me tell you my story of family life, parts of which you will likely have read, if you follow my blogs.  But let’s begin at the beginning.

When I was born, I was given up for adoption.  I was adopted into a family and eventually became the oldest daughter of eight kids.  Six of us are adopted and as we like to tease our two siblings that were not adopted, we were chosen and they were mistakes.  Trust me; this always draws a laugh, because we are that kind of family.

Eventually, I grew up, going through the usual family stuff, the teenage challenges and the finding my way in the adult world.  I married as people often do, but that’s where things became a bit different than in most people’s lives.

My husband did not love me. This I was unaware of and I certainly did not suspect because he told me all the time that he loved me.  It became quite apparent, when he convinced me to have kids.  I wasn't opposed to the idea of having kids, but since I was quite a bit older than my youngest siblings, I always felt like I had my kids,

So, flash forward to my first pregnancy, where I discovered at eight months along that my husband was seeing someone else.  I gave a lot of thought to giving up my child for adoption, because I really believed that a child was best raised by two parents.  But my husband said that he and this other woman would raise her.  Over my dead body!

So, I gave birth to a beautiful baby daughter. I should point out that my husband was dumped by that woman who felt guilty about the situation.  Imagine that!

He talked me into another child and sure enough, he and this woman got back together and when my second child was a week and a half old, left me for this woman, telling me that he had never loved me.

They are, of course married and I raised my two lovely daughters on my own.  This challenge was compounded by the fact that a year after my husband left, I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

My beautiful girls are grown and on their own now.  My oldest a very talented hairstylist, is in demand for weddings and photo shoots.  My youngest still has a few more months of post secondary school, studying to be a buyer.  She is already working for Holt Renfrew and has already been approached by Tiffany’s.

So, back to the topic at hand:  Family Life.  My family is not typical, but we love each other and have a great time when we are together.  My kids grew up knowing that they were, and still are, deeply loved and supported by me and the rest of my adopted family and that nothing in insurmountable.