LeBlog--The Blog about life…writing, raising kids, chasing dogs, handling life and all its bit parts.

April 25, 2011

 

Sap rises and falls


It's been an interesting week or so. My father in law had a heart attack a week ago and was scheduled for bypass surgery last week. My husband went to Kansas City to spend time with his dad before the surgery but then there were complications. Finally, after a long week in ICU, they are heading to surgery today. And we are praying.

All of these events have brought to mind several Easters past. What is it about this time of year? My mom has always said 'Old folks die when the sap rises and falls." That means spring and autumn. My grandfather died in April. A friend's father died in April. And yet, a dear friend who was not old at all died Easter weekend. And my own father's funeral was on Good Friday just two years ago. So instead of Easter bunnies and Easter eggs, I tend to think of funeral flowers and losing loved ones at this time of year. Makes me feel a little like Bryn, my character in Once in a Blue Moon.

This week, of course, we were very concerned that we would lose my husband's father. And I ultimately don't know what God's plan is and how the rest of this week will turn out. Quintuple bypass surgery is difficult and the recovery is not easy, so we are praying for Glenn. Surprisingly or maybe not surprisingly at all, I find peace in Easter. Because it doesn't all end here. I don't have to grieve for those who have gone on and who knew Jesus as their savior. Because in Jesus, who died for our sins and was resurrected, we find victory over all the grief and sorrow. In Jesus, we find life. In Jesus, we find resurrection. Because HE is the way, the truth and the life. Because He is the resurrection and the life. Because he holds the keys to heaven. He is the door through which we must go to receive eternal life. And for that, I am grateful. No matter if it's April or some other time of year, no matter what circumstances we find ourselves, whether the sap is rising or falling or somewhere in between, Easter holds the answer: the cross is the key. Through the cross, through Jesus' sacrifice and resurrection, we can find hope.

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April 5, 2011

 

The Story Jar


In time for Mother's Day giving...

THE STORY JAR
by Robin Lee Hatcher and Deborah Bedford

ABOUT THE BOOK:

A lovely novel of three women, their stories threaded together through the concept of

The Story Jar…

The jar itself is most unusual —not utilized in the ordinary way for canning or storing food, but as a collection point for memories. Some mementos in the jar: —hair ribbons, a ring, a medallion--are sorrowful, others tender, some bittersweet. But all those memories eventually bring their owners to a place of hope and redemption in spite of circumstances that seemingly have no solution.

Fresh, insightful, yet courageous in the face of difficult life issues, this collaboration by two talented writers first profiles a pastor’s wife with two young daughters who faces cancer just as her own mother did before her; and then a remarried mother working through a difficult relationship with a rebellious runaway daughter. The third woman, alone with two teenaged boys who no longer pay much attention to her and seem headed for trouble, discovers the long-lost “story jar” and its significance. She comes to realize she can bring her own sorrows and frustrations to the feet of the Good Shepherd, the Great Physician, the Healer of the brokenhearted. She too will have memories for her own story jar.

"…It captures with surprising sensitivity …communion with God, and some excruciatingly exquisite moments of parental love.…” Publishers Weekly

Included in the book are heart-warming tributes on motherhood from novelists such as Jerry Jenkins, Francine Rivers, Karen Ball, and Debbie Macomber.

************************

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Robin Lee Hatcher is known for her heartwarming and emotionally charged stories of faith, courage, and love. She makes her home in Idaho where she enjoys spending time with her family, her high-maintenance Papillon, Poppet, and Princess Pinky, the kitten who currently terrorizes the household.

When Deborah Bedford isn't writing, she spends her time fly-fishing, cheering at American Legion baseball games, shopping with her daughter, singing praise songs while she walks along the banks of Flat Creek, and taking her dachshund Annie for hikes in the Tetons where they live.

********************

THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY JAR
by Robin Lee Hatcher

In September 1998, I received a story jar as a thank you gift after speaking at a writers’ conference in Nebraska. The small mason jar, the lid covered with a pretty handkerchief, was filled with many odds and ends – a Gerber baby spoon, an empty thread spindle, a colorful pen, several buttons, a tiny American flag, an earring, and more.

The idea behind this gift was a simple one. When a writer can’t think of anything to write, she stares at one of the objects in the jar and lets her imagination play. Who did that belong to? How hold was he? What sort of person was he? What does the object represent in his life?

Writers love to play the “what if” game. It’s how most stories come into being. Something piques their interest, they start asking questions, and a book is born.

A week after receiving my story jar, I attended a retreat with several writer friends of mine, Deborah Bedford included. On the flight home, I told Deborah about the jar. The next thing you know (after all, what better thing is there for writers to do on a plane than play “what if”?), we began brainstorming what would ultimately become The Story Jar. We decided very quickly that we wanted this to be a book that celebrates motherhood, that encourages mothers, that recognizes how much they should be loved and honored.

The Story Jar was first published by Multnomah in 2000, but eventually went out of print. Thus Deborah and I are delighted that Hendrickson wanted to bring it out in a new, revised version because we believe these stories can inspire others, just as it did this reader back in 2001:

"I am an avid book reader and have read thousands of books ––maybe more–– since the age of 5. I can honestly say that [The Story Jar] has touched me more than any other I have read. I cried, I laughed, and I relearned things that I had forgotten long ago as well as realizing things I never knew. Thank you for sharing your stories with your readers. They are truly inspiring. I plan on giving it to all the ‘mothers’ in my life for Mother's Day."

You don’t have to be a writer to want a story jar. It can be a family’s way of preserving memories. Consider having a family get-together where everybody brings an item to go into the jar, and as it drops in, they tell what it means to them, what it symbolizes. We can learn something new about our loved ones when we hear their memories in their own words. Or do what my church did a number of years ago to create a memory for a retiring pastor. Inspired by The Story Jar, members of the congregation brought items to the retirement dinner to put into a story jar or they simply wrote their memories on a piece of paper to go into the jar. It was our way of saying thanks to a man and wife for all of the years they’d given in God’s service.

A story jar can be a tool for remembering all the wonderful things God has done in our own lives. As Mrs. Halley said, not all of God’s miracles are in the Bible. He is still performing them today in countless ways, changing lives, healing hearts.

In the grip of His grace,
Robin Lee Hatcher

The Story Jar on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1598566652/novelistrobinlee

The Story Jar on ChristianBook:
http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?event=AFF&p=1138486&item_no=566659

Robin Lee Hatcher
http://www.robinleehatcher.com

Deborah Bedford
http://www.deborahbedfordbooks.com/

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April 3, 2011

 

Tower Bridge and Cheese





The day we went to the Tower of London, we took a little side trip to follow one of our favorite travel guides, Samantha Brown, and find the ultimate cheese sandwich in Burrough Market. It wasn't far from the Tower and we found it fairly easily. Noon, the popular local market was very crowded, and we had to que up for a sandwich, which is made with sourdough bread, leeks and onions. We had mixed reviews. My son and I really enjoyed the sandwich, which was VERY rich, but my husband and daughter didn't so much. However, daughter doesn't even like cheese so that was no surprise. We sat on the curb and enjoyed our sandwiches while a street performer played a song about Jesus.

After our quick lunch, my daughter kept seeing signs for The London Dungeon. She wanted to go so badly, so we did. Well, again, mixed reviews. My husband got claustrophobic in the mirror maze. It was crowded and dark. None of us particularly like to be scared. Still, my daughter enjoyed it.

From there, with lots of views of Tower Bridge, we made our way to the London Eye. I'll post pictures about that excursion tomorrow!

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