Magic of Snow in California Christmas 2021 and a New Year Is Here

 Happy New Year to you all.

One event was a highlight to my Christmas of 2021. Actually all of Christmas for my family was upbeat. The highlight was that my adult sons asked to go to our church Christmas Eve candlelight service, and my younger son's girlfriend wanted to come too, so that made it even more fun.

 

 

We got there early and talked to my friends and introduced people all around. About 200 people came to church, all masked per regulation. Young and old, lots of songs sung, a meaningful message from the lead pastor. It just elevates the spirits to gather with like minded loving people, united to worship and strengthen friendships. We collected money that night for two local charities. The lights in church were turned out and each person was given a candle to light. After singing a hymn in the dark lit by our 200 candles we all raised our candles up high, illuminating the darkness. Light always wins against the dark.

A magical moment came when the minister talked about snow ball fights after church. I didn't know what he was talking about; where we live in California it does not snow. Lo and behold as we walked out after the service big snowflakes drifted down from on high right outside the church. I played in the snowflakes and felt like a child again. 

Hidden up high on a balcony was one of our ministers hand cranking a snow machine. It was such fun, especially for the little kids. And the adults got to play too.

 

Below is a photo I found online that I couldn't resist sharing: reindeer, little fur friends, a lantern and snow.

 

 

Happy New Year friends.

Merry Christmas 2021, magnolia bloom, our tree and Bounce

 

John 3:16 is often quoted around Christmas time, and for the best reasons. In it we read that the birth of Jesus signals to us that the gift of eternal life is available to all those who believe in Jesus,  "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, That whosoever believeth in Him shall have eternal life." This promise makes me happy, knowing that Jesus is preparing a home in heaven for me. I know many of you love that promise too.

Another promise is that when we ask truly for forgiveness of sins our sins will be forgiven and we can start anew with a clean slate in life. "If anyone belongs to Christ, there is a new creation. The old things are gone, everything is new." 2 Corinthians 5:17. 

 

Bounce adds his greetings of hope and joy to all his friends and fans! Merry Christmas to All.

My Christmas tree this year was brought to me by my sons who drove a truck to a Christmas tree farm with Bounce to help pick out a tree. They met friendly goats and big dogs on the farm which was a treat for Mr. B. The tree is 7 feet tall.

 

And a surprise in my yard, my purple magnolia is in bloom, here in California. It is actually called Black Tulip magnolia. I recall reading that it is the darkest red, closest to purple or black, of all the magnolias.

Wishing you all the joys of the season and a Merry Christmas to you both near and far.

Christmas book I wrote, shameless self promotion

 Hi all.Tis that time of the year when some of you may want some Christmas inspiration, recipes, ideas, and more. I have new blog followers so this book "A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts: Stories to Warm Your Heart and Tips to Simplify Your Holiday" may be new to you. Some of you know I co-authored a colorful hard cover book about how to celebrate Christmas easily and inexpensively, while putting Christ at the center of the holiday. This involves helping others, and how to make inexpensive gifts, fun family activities, and more.

 Below is one of the pages in the book I wrote, with its warm illustrations.

Below is the cover of A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts and an Amazon link. I hope the link works!

 Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts

How did this book get written and published? 

I was friends online with five other Christian writers and one of the ladies proposed this book to her publisher and they said yes. Two of us live in Texas, three in Ohio and me way out here on the west coast, in California. We each wrote many short sections and tips. I wrote about green ideas for the holidays and my first Christmas camping in the Everglades as a child. One of us wrote about her first Christmas with her two adopted children who are siblings. It was a joy to write. We also decided to pay a few writer friends to write short one page true stories about Christmas firsts they experienced. One had a reunion with a prodigal son, for example. We paid them from the advance the publisher paid us. The publisher gets my thanks for the beautiful art on every page of our book. 

If you read and enjoy my book, I would love if you post a review online, on Amazon, Good Reads, etc. Christianbook.com also sells our book. Merry Christmas to All.

Matthew McConaughey's Greenlights, Anne Lamott, Tom Ryan and a happy old dog

 Books. Reading. Reading. Books. Two of my favorite things.

"Greenlights", a memoir by Matthew McConaughey turned out to be even greater than I had hoped. Plus Mr. M. is such a handsome man, isn't he? One of my favorite movies of his is Mud, not his most acclaimed movie, but excellent. Mr. M is a man of honorable character as is revealed in his memoir. It is easy to read, fun, has family photos, and lots of his words of wisdom on helping us find our own greenlights. Some of the tips are duct taped to the page in photos. Very clever format. Below is a photo of one of the tips on a page of his book. The note says "Knowin the truth, seein the truth, and tellin the truth are all different experiences." (he drops the "g" in those words for a reason).

Here are three books I recently purchased and read, all written by authors I think are honorable people. Thus their books resonate with me, and I am happy when reading them and thinking about them afterward.

"Dusk, Night, Dawn" by Anne Lamott. I buy all of her memoir/Christian ideas books. She is a free spirit. In this one we learn that she married for the first time in her life at age 60 or so. She never thought she would marry. Her essays are always interesting.

"Will's Red Coat: The Story of One Old Dog Who Chose To Live Again" by Tom Ryan. Why did I only recently discover this author, who obviously has a great heart? His earlier book "Following Atticus" is a best seller and is also about a dog Ryan loves. I aim to read that one soon. These are nonfiction. Will is an old dog who was adopted when quite deaf and almost blind and he sure grows to enjoy life.  Ryan is so attentive to Will, one clever way he helped him was by playing classical music and setting Will's bed so Will rests his head against the table leg so that even though deaf, he enjoys the vibrations of the music.

I see that all three of these are memoirs. What book treasures have you found to share?