Lights in My Windows

So I didn't get my windows washed before Christmas.  They're looking a bit bleary.  It seems the candle lights in my windows don't sparkle as they might, had I cleaned them.  I've been wanting to try a new cleaning method my cousin Pauline used on her windows: crumpled newspapers and a spray bottle filled with half water and half vinegar mixture. 

Ever wonder how the inside of windows get that icky film on them?  I did some research and learned that the air in a house contains things we can't see: molecules of cosmetic-laced steam from repeated showers, spray wax and furniture polish, rug shampoo, and cleaners that are oil, wax, and plastic-based.  Soot from candles or a frequently-used fireplace are culprits too.  Stove-top frying, oven broiling, and steam from cooking plus dust particles add a grimy layer. 

Did you ever have lasagna or an apple pie run over in the oven, and then forget to clean it before the next use?  You just cranked that puppy up to 375 degrees and went about your business until you saw smoke billow out of the vents at the back of the stove.  You frantically opened windows and doors to keep the smoke alarm from getting excited. 

Or how about a pot that boiled over and made a mess on the stove top?  Steam hissed everywhere until you found a hot pad to grab the lid, placed it at an angle and lowered the heat.  All these interesting things have a profound effect on our windows. 

I like my windows to shine, especially at Christmas time, so the candelabra lights will dance happy sparkles on them and on my senses, too.  I like to think of windows as the eyes of the house.  It's also been said that the eyes are the window to a person's soul.

I like my eyes to shine, too, reflecting a clean soul.  Do you feel "smudged over", weary and bleary, unable to see clearly?  Perhaps your soul is clouded with "pollutants".  Perhaps you have neglected baked-on soul grime that begins to smoke when you encounter heat.  Perhaps you boiled over or spouted off steam during an argument.  I read that to help keep windows cleaner, one should use the vent fan above the stove when cooking.  I like to think that we Christian believers each have a Holy Spirit "personal vent fan" too.

To use it, you need the Holy Spirit's help.  Ask Him to help you change your thoughts and choose to pray.  Forgive your offenders and bless them in Jesus' Name.  He'll even remind you of that baked-on grime you haven't dealt with.  The Holy Spirit is the Wind that will blow away all those pollutants and clean you till you shine.  

Blessing those who offended you will keep those hurtful words or actions from sticking.  And your "windows" will stay clean as you use that "vent fan".  Your eyes can sparkle as you look people in the eye and let them see your soul at peace. 

"Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven."  (Matthew 5:16)

Copyright © 2011 Elaine Beachy 

The Gift of Laughter

Wife:  "When I start singing, why do you go outside?"
Husband:  "So the neighbors won't think I'm beating you."

Come again? -  "An egotist is a person more interested in himself than in me."

Every family needs a member with the gift of a quick wit and good humor.  In our own family, I think of our oldest son, Doug, who has a quick wit and points out the idiosycrasies and the ridiculous in life.  More than once, I've held my sides in laughter or almost choked on a drink of water at his numerous contributions to the family coffers of humor.

In my family of origin, my brother Sanford takes the cake for rib-tickling one-liners.  I remember times at Christmas and Thanksgiving when I have been wheezing with laughter, barely able to catch my breath at his ridiculously funny comments slid between two slices of perfectly sane conversation.

My auntie Fannie (my mom's sister who was an LPN for many years and has a funny bone of her own), often said that laughter provides "internal jogging" for your body.  Laughter indeed does good like a medicine. Proverbs 17:22 says, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.  And science agrees with the Bible. 

I read somewhere that a person without a sense of humor is like a car without shock absorbers. :o)  In doing some research, I found ten benefits of laughter:

• It's contagious.
• It triggers a sense of well-being because of endorphins that are released in the body.
• It boosts the immune system
• It helps prevent heart disease
• It massages all the internal organs of the body
• It builds relationships by restoring a positive emotional climate between people
• It disarms tension and stress
• It brings balance to life
• It is to life what cinnamon is to apple pie.
• He who laughs, lasts.  He is able to weather the storms of life much better than one who is always so serious.

Wholesome laughter is of great value to the family unit.  Children and spouses thrive where there is love and laughter.  Laughter provides a warm bond of emotional ties in a family.  Recently we have begun the tradition of playing Scattergories when our children and grandchildren get together.  Our son Doug is a great player and "judge", much to the delight of all.  Even our grandkids are good at playing the game and enjoy the hilarity.  I believe a family that laughs together stays together! 

I wish the gift of laughter for all of us.

Copyright © 2011 Elaine Beachy

Book Update December 22, 2011

Two days ago I approved the typesetter's work of implementing the changes I wanted, and this morning I heard from Mike Owens, my project manager. I've copied and pasted his message to me.  I need to be patient a little bit longer, but I think it will come out at the right time to be a "springtime" book as we look forward to Spring in February after the Christmas and New Year's celebrations, and the colder weather.  Here is Mike's message:

Thank you for letting me know your typeset text is approved. Now it's time to move on the next stage in the process--the proofread. The proofreads is a milestone in the process. It marks the nearing of the end, as well as the final edit of your book.

During this step, the proofreader will:

Systematically checking for misspellings, typos, omissions and formatting errors, our proficient proofreaders seek to ensure an accurate final manuscript. Proofreading is performed after copy editing and typesetting, to catch any detail out of place before your book is sent to print.

The proofreading process takes about a month to complete. Here're the stages:

1. The proofreader edits the book
2. The typesetters enter the proofreaders changes
3. The Quality Control Department reviews the changes
4. I send the text back to you for review.

Copyright © 2011 Elaine Beachy

Good Gifts

"Hi Mom!  Have you been watching the news on TV today?"  Our son Darren's voice sounded happy.

Glad to hear from him, but wondering what TV news could possibly make anyone happy, I smiled into the phone and answered, "No, I haven't. What's up?"

"Someone's going around to K-Mart stores and paying off people's lay-away charges", he replied.  Then he added in his teasing, fun-loving way, "Ask me how I know."

"Okay," I said, humoring him, "How do you know?"

"Because someone just paid off our lay-away charges at K-Mart!"  Darren was jubilant.

I gasped. "What? Now that's something new; what a wonderful thing for someone to do especially at Christmas time!"

"You know, Mom," Darren said, "I just feel so blessed by God through the actions of this person, whoever he/she was. I pray God will bless them a  hundred-fold for their generosity!  And even though our lay-away was not a huge sum of money, just that act of kindness blessed us so much!"

I rejoiced with our son as we praised God together over the phone.

This morning as I was doing my hair, I thought again about the good news Darren brought to me yesterday.  Suddenly a scripture came to mind from Matthew 7, and I thought about the Christmas gifts I was buying for our children and grandchildren.

I thanked God for being the wonderful Father He is and for the wonderful words of Jesus.  He promised, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.  Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?  If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!  So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."  (Matthew 7: 7-12, NIV)

God is not a scrooge, or a grinch, nor does He give grudgingly.  How do I know?  Because He told us not to be that way!  God is extravagantly generous. He gave His only begotten Son for us, to die in our place, after He came to earth as a tiny baby so many years ago.  He came as the Son of Man, one of us, but without sin.  He lived a perfect life, and never once gave in to Satan's temptations.  In taking our place, He kept the Law perfectly, meeting God's standard of perfection.  Then God put all our sin on Him on the cross, and He became sin for us and paid the penalty for transgressing God's holiness.  He died, was buried, but then on the third day, God raised Him back to life again!  Alleluia!  He ascended back into heaven where He prays for us.  What extravagant love!  And all who believe in what Jesus did for them personally, and declare Him to be their Savior and Lord, are promised eternal life.  What a GIFT!  Have you received yours yet?  If not, today is the day: just ask Him.  He's waiting to give you the gift of the assurance of eternal life with Him forever.  What more could anyone want for Christmas?

Copyright © 2011 Elaine Beachy

It's Party Time!

I love Christmas time, don't you? It's good for us to celebrate and party together with friends and family, to do something out of our ordinary routine. As we decorate the outside of our homes with lights and turn them on at night, it speaks a message that Jesus is the light shining in a dark world. As we give gifts to one another, we are reminded of the gift God gave us when He sent Jesus to earth as a new-born baby to grow up and die for our sins. As people who have been made right with God, we have much to celebrate!

If you're like me and hosting a party, maybe you could use some ideas.

Have a progressive party.  Plan for party guests to meet at host number one's house for appetizers, then travel to host number two's house for soup or salad, then on to the third host's house for the main course, and finally to a fourth host's home for coffee and dessert. You may even want to end up at a fifth host's home to play games. As they say, variety is the spice of life! :o)

If you're hosting a party in your home, have each guest/couple bring a dish or finger food to share. You provide drinks, dinnerware and some fun activities.

As guests arrive, give each a name tag you've prepared that says, "Hello, my name is ________." Then below that write the words, "Ask me about...." and have them write down an interest they have. It's a good mixer and conversation starter especially in a group where guests don't know each other that well.

During dinner, ask guests to share a personal testimony, or how God has used them to help someone else. Encourage one another to love and good deeds, as Scripture says.

After dinner, play some party games together. Friends that play together stay together, I say. One fun game is the "Right-Left Game", and can be found here: http://www.santalady.com/xmasgame/leftright.html. You will need a wrapped gift to pass around for this one.

Another party game idea is give each guest a pencil and a sheet of paper with the words "Merry Christmas" printed at the top. Set a timer for 3 minutes and have each guest see who can make the most words from the letters in those words. Use each letter only as many times as they occur in "Merry Christmas". (For example, you can only use 2 "m's" in a word, because there are only 2 "m's" in the title words.) You can decide whether you want to allow proper names. The guest with the most words gets a small wrapped gift.

You may also want to put each guest's name in a hat and have random drawings to win small prizes too.

After reading this post, how many times does the word "party" appear? If you said "9", you're just fine!

Copyright © 2011 Elaine Beachy

Book Update December 14, 2011

Over this past weekend I completed the first stage of typesetting changes with my publisher, Wine Press.  The cost for the typesetting changes was $29, plus $1 for each change I wanted to make.  Every author has to undergo this process with them.  If  I have more changes in round two, it will cost me $2 per change.  So obviously, it was imperative that I get it right this time!  It was a tedious task, requiring hours of work.  Wine Press typesetters require the author to fill out an "Action Required" spread sheet, in a very specific way.  To make changes in the text, I had to type in the page number of my galley sheet, the line on that sheet, then type in which line of which paragraph the change will occur.  Then I had to be specific and word changes correctly so they are clear. 

For example, one change I wanted to make was in this sentence: "They twitched their noses at the wonderful smell of dandelion pancakes and warm honey coming from Mother's rabbit kitchen."  I wanted to change it to say "Mother rabbit's kitchen".  So on the spread sheet, I had to type: " Page #21, line 5, 5th line of 1st paragraph: Delete the apostrophe and letter "s" after the word "Mother"; place an apostrophe and letter "s" after the word "rabbit".  I had 34 changes I wanted to make, even after all the months of work, writing, reading, re-reading, and editing.  There are just things you miss.  I had been to my writer's conference in August since I first submitted this manuscript, and I received permission to make changes then, too. I had learned a lot, and my eye caught more mistakes.  But I saw over the weekend I still had missed some.  An author's eyes can easily miss things in a familiar text.  That's why professional editors are needed; they provide a new set of eyes. :o)

Even though it was nerve-racking, I am grateful for the opportunity to correct errors along the way so my book will be a high-quality book, reflecting the message of the book itself.

I am now at step #12 in the publishing process that I listed on my post of November 25.  After the second stage of typesetting and author reviews, there will be a proofread edit by another professional, followed by a font (lettering style) upgrade.  When I approve that, I will have a printer-ready file with I must again read and approve.  Then the book goes to print!  Yay!

Yesterday I received my web page design from Wine Press for approval, which I gave.  They are now making the web page operational.  I will get 30 minutes of training from them in the operation of the site.

One of these days, you'll see an update that my book is ready for purchase on my website and elsewhere!

Copyright © 2011 Elaine Beachy

Low Battery Signals

It always happens at night.  Don't ask me why--I can't explain it.  Just when you're in deep sleep, a shrieking be- ee-ee-ep rudely awakens you.  This is followed by shorter beeps at persistent regular intervals.  I'm talking, of course, about your smoke detector's low battery signal. 

It wouldn't be so bad if you could find the offender that is emitting the shrill, nerve-jarring sound.  By the time you finish your detective work, you are disgusted that smoke detectors don't come with a specially colored flashing light on them so you can easily spot and arrest the culprit.

My husband and I lived this scenario last night at 3:30 a.m.  I was awakened before he was, and I thought maybe I could just try to go back to sleep.  No dice.  He soon awoke too, and we had to get up and take care of business.  When we finally got back to bed at 4:00 a.m., I began to think about the words, "low battery signals".

I believe we can have personal low battery signals in our spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical lives.  Maybe the beep isn't very loud at first, and maybe others hear the sound before we're even aware of it.  We may have a short temper, be irritable or depressed, carry a chip on our shoulder, etc, and others hear it loud and clear.  Since our whole being is interrelated as spirit, soul, and body, what are some ways we can guard against personal low battery signals?  Here are some of my thoughts:

• Spiritual batteries:  Stay in intimate daily fellowship with God.
• Emotional batteries:  Forgive those who have hurt us; let peace rule our heart.
• Mental batteries:  Feed our mind on good things (Philippians 4:8).  Check what is coming out of our mouth.  "Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks", Scripture says in Matthew 12:34-37.
• Physical batteries:  Don't do too much; slow down and don't "sweat the small stuff".  Love ourselves in a healthy way so we can love our neighbor properly.  God's Word says we are to "love our neighbor as ourselves". When the body is too tired, it affects how we think and relate to people and even God.  Learn to say "no" to some things others may desire us to do; take care of God's temple that houses our spirit.

Especially at this time of year when we think of all we want to do: the cleaning, the baking, the gift-buying, etc, it's important to perhaps choose a few things and do them with joy and gladness.  The Word says that whatever we do, we should do it heartily, as unto the Lord, and not out of compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Are you running low on well-being?  Do you need to change your batteries?  God will help you find which one needs changing. 

Don't ask me why -- I can't explain it.  He may even tell you at night when you're sleeping.

Copyright © 2011 Elaine Beachy

The Joy of Music

Who has not been touched in the deepest recesses of the soul by the joy and power of music?  Whether at a wedding, funeral, party, or worshipping the Lord our God, music plays a huge part of our lives.  A composer writes musical notes that give expression to the feelings of the soul as an author gives expression to thoughts and feelings by writing words on a page. 

You can use music to create an atmosphere you want in the home, and even influence the behavior of your children.  Right now I'm listening to Handel's Messiah with the London Phiharmonic Orchestra and choir as I sit here writing this post.  I love to play it every Christmas because it exalts Jesus, the Savior of the world, and offers praise to Him, the Great Conquering King.  Who doesn't  just love the "Hallelujah Chorus"?

Good music plays such an important part in the conditioning of the soul.  It can soothe when distressed and lift up when depressed.  I love the joyful feelings of celebration lively music brings.  The Bible has a lot to say about music:  Psalm 33:2-3 says "Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.  Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy." (NIV)  God loves music, and we are made in His image; so it just stands to reason we would like it, too.  God loves it when we celebrate His goodness.

Yesterday morning my husband and I enjoyed our church's Christmas concert, and in the evening we attended Westfield High's Christmas musical to hear our granddaughter Alissa, 14, play the bassoon in the High School band.  (She was awesome, by the way!)  :o)  I enjoyed hearing all those instruments blend together to make a symphony.  Did you ever wonder when musical instruments first appeared on earth?  I am intrigued by Genesis 4:20 that says, "His brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play the harp and flute." (NIV)  I wonder if we get the word "jubilation" from Jubal's name.  (He was from Cain's family line, by the way.)

Saturday I went shopping in the Manssas Mall.  I made a quick purchase in Penneys, then headed for Bath and Body Works.  On my return trip, I intended to hurry to my car and run some more errands.  Suddenly, I was stopped by the most beautiful sound coming from the middle of a crowd that had gathered in the middle of the mall outside Penneys.  I walked over to see the attraction, and what I saw totally delighted my senses.  I just had to stop, listen, and watch for awhile.  I want to share with you a YouTube video of Jamie Turner playing glass music, and hope you experience the same delight I did.  Click on this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4mX6C_qlDc&feature=related

Copyright © 2011 Elaine Beachy

The Gift of Friendship

Sometimes you just need something out of the ordinary, something different from the sameness of day-to-day living, if you know what I mean.  You know what a blessing the joy of celebrating together with friends can be.  I had the privilege of such an event this week, and I'd like to share that part of my day with you.

On Friday, my former Bible study group met by invitation at the home of my friend Sahar.  The Lord has blessed her and her husband with this gorgeous, spacious house in a gated community in the quiet countryside.  Her home is beautiful!

We shared good-natured teasing, lots of laughter, good food, fellowship and prayer.  Miss Patty shared her enthusiasm for her business in Zumba exercise and fitness classes.  I gave an update on my book being published.  Others shared needs and concerns about their mates, children and grandchildren. During our time of sharing prayer requests and testimonies, my daughter Deb told of meeting a mom at Westfield High School during a meeting for the school's gymnastics team.

Deb noticed this mom sitting across the room kind of by herself, and their eyes met. Deb's heart felt quickened, so she motioned for her to come over. They sat together during the meeting and discovered they don't live far from each other, and made plans to take turns driving their daughters to practice.

Shortly afterward, when Deb was driving the girls to practice, she had her radio tuned to the usual Christian station.  The new girl asked, "Are you people Christians too?"

Deb was so excited, and after she got home, she called the girl's mother and they had a good chat.  My daugther said how she was so blessed by the new Christian friend the Lord brought into her life, and looks forward to other "divine connections" God has for her.

After we prayed together, we did what is termed a "Chinese gift exchange" that was loads of fun.  Everyone had brought a wrapped gift, up to $10 in value.  Somebody made numbered slips of paper equal to the number of guests, folded them in half, and each guest took one.  The person with  #1 chose a gift first, opened it, and set it on her lap.  The person with #2 went next, and could either choose #1's gift, or choose a new one from the pile.  If  #1 lost her gift to #2, she could go back and choose another gift, and so on.  For more on how the game is played, here is a link: http://www.zianet.com/ebear/chinese.html .

Next,we pulled up extra chairs and crowded around a table in the kitchen area and snacked on veggies and all sorts of goodies while we talked and laughed some more.  We parceled out food to send home with one another. The Lord's blessing was very evident by the spirit of loving unity that was present.

Yes, godly friendship is refreshing and uplifting and must be nurtured and encouraged. "Someone who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."  (Proverbs 18:24)  A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity, says Proverbs 17:17.  We all need friends to believe in us, encourage us, pray for us, and help us along the rough spots in our earthly journey.  Even Jesus needed friends.  Of the twelve disciples, only three were His close friends; and even those three, along with all the rest, fled from Him in His hour of trial because they were afraid.  He knows what it feels like to be despised, rejected, misunderstood, and forsaken.  He is the best Friend one could ever have.  He will never leave us or forsake us.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."  John 3:16-17 (New King James version of the Bible)

Friendship is a wonderful gift we can both give and receive at the same time!  How's that for an ideal, out-of-this-world Christmas gift?

Copyright © 2011 Elaine Beachy

The Shoe Box (part 4)

                               The Shoe Box, by Elaine Beachy
                                     continued from part 3


Biff felt a lump come to his throat. He looked down at his plate full of good food and slowly pushed the rice around with his fork.

"You have no toys to play with, or books to read," Mother added. There are no churches. You have never even heard about God, or about Jesus coming to earth to die for our sins so we could be forgiven and live with God forever."

Father continued, "But then one day a truck comes into your village, and someone hands each of you a booklet and a shoe box gift-wrapped in pretty paper. He tells you the booklet says God loves you and has a good plan for your life. You tear the package open. Inside there is a coloring book, crayons, a toy, a washcloth and bar of soap, a toothbrush, comb and some clothes."

"Wow," Biff said, "I like that part."

"That's some of what Samaritan's Purse does," Mother explained. "This catalog is full of ways to help others have clean water, food, clothes, schools, churches, and many other things that will make their lives better."

"God tells us it's more blesed to give than to receive," Father said. "The shoe box gift idea is part of Operation Christmas Child."

"Can we make a shoe box?" Biff asked. "I can give some of my money from my savings bank upstairs." For a moment he wished he hadn't said it, but he knew Dad was right. He'd be more blessed to give than receive.

"I'll give some of my money too," Becka said.

"I was hoping you'd want to. It'll be fun," Mother replied with a smile.

"What do we do first?" Biff wondered.

"I'll go online to http://www.samaritanspurse.org/ and see how to prepare a shoe box gift and where to drop it off," Father said. "I'll print out the list of suggested items, then we'll all go to Mart World to shop for them."

Mother stood up from the table and gave Biff and Becka a  hug. "Your father and I are so glad you want to share with those who have almost nothing."

"Put some pretty Christmas wrapping paper on our list for Mart World too," Becka said.

"I'll get the shoe box my new tennis shoes came in." Biff ran to his room to get it. His thoughts were filled with wondering what some child would do when he got the shoe box gift they'd be sending. Somehow having a new bike didn't seem so important anymore. His old one would still do just fine.

Copyright © 2011 Elaine Beachy

The Shoe Box (part 3)

                                  The Shoe Box, by Elaine Beachy
                                        continued from part 2                                 

Father rabbit came home from work and hung his hard hat on a hook. "Did I hear someone mention me?"

Biff and Becka ran to their dad and hugged him. "We're getting our Christmas list ready, Dad," Becka spoke up quickly.

"Yeah, we're going to have a really good Christmas this year, huh, Dad?" Maybe we'll even each get four presents." Biff gave his father a big smile. "I really, really need a new bike, Dad. My old one looks ugly; it's scratched up and the fender's bent. The seat is ripped, too."

Father saw the catalog in Mother's hand. "Oh, it's Samaritan's Purse. What a great idea for gift-giving," Father said, as he reached for the catalog.

Becka frowned. "What would we want from that catalog?" she asked.

Samaritan's Purse. It sounded to Biff like somebody who had a purse wanted something from them. He hurried to show Dad the bike in the Christmas catalog. "Clancy next door got a new bike for his birthday, Dad, and I really want this one for Christmas," Biff urged.

As the family ate dinner together, they discussed Christmas. Father looked at Biff and Becka. "Let's play a pretend game, okay?"

"Oh goody, I love games!" Becka took a big bite of orange-glazed carrots.

"Let's pretend you live in Cambodia," Father said. "You never had Christmas because you didn't know there was a Christmas. No presents. The water you have to drink is muddy and filthy. There's no place to take a shower, and food is hard to find or pay for. You have  no shoes and only a ragged cloth to cover part of your body. I have no job. Mother is sick, and there are no hospitals or doctors, except for a witch doctor."

A look of alarm spread across Becka's face. "I don't like this game, Dad," she said.

                                  to be continued . . .

Copyright © 2011 Elaine Beachy

The Shoe Box (part 2)

                                    The Shoe Box, by Elaine Beachy,
                                          continued from part 1
   

Nine year old Biff, and Becka, age eight, were young rabbits who lived with their mother and father in a small house under a row of tall oak trees at 86 Oak Tree Lane on Mr. Fletcher's farm in Catlett, Virginia. What an adventurous year they'd had. They also had more than their share of trouble and didn't always see eye to eye. Like today. They'd argued over who had done the most work raking leaves, and who should get extra allowance that week.

"You don't need a new doll, Becka." Biff used his elbow to push Becka away. "You just want a big doll because Cousin Alice has one. You can wait until I'm done with the catalog. I'm the oldest, so I should get it first."

"Give me that catalog, Biff," Mother commanded.

Biff handed her the catalog.

"If you two don't stop arguing, I'll put it away and neither of you will see it today." Mother looked them in the eye. "Sit at the kitchen table and you can both look at it together."

When they obeyed, Mother handed the catalog to them.

"I just love Christmas; I can't wait to see what I will get on Christmas morning," Becka said. "I'm the happiest rabbit in our neighborhood."

"I hope I get a new bike for Christmas. Now there's a beaut. It's my favorite color, too -- red with silver stripes." Biff pointed to the picture in the catalog.

Mother sorted the mail. "Junk pile, keep pile; junk pile, keep . . .  Look at this, children." She showed them a Samaritan's Purse Gift Catalog.

"Wow, two catalogs at once. Yippee!" Becka quickly reached for it, then frowned and looked closer. What kind of catalog is this? And why is there a picture on the cover of a kid holding a bowl of rice?"

"This is a special catalog that shows how we can help people in many different ways in other countries," explained Mother. "Your dad will be glad to see it."

                                     to be continued . . .

Copyright © 2011 Elaine Beachy

The Shoe Box (part 1)

Johnese Burtram, Director of our Northern Virginia Christian Writer's Fellowship, asked group members to submit some material for an "Advent Reflections" booklet she's putting together. I thought it would be fun to post on my blog a short story I wrote and submitted. The characters are the same ones from my books I am writing. 

I plan to post the story here in four installments.  Maybe you'll want your children to read it too, or read it to the younger ones. 

                                                         The Shoe Box

                                                      by Elaine Beachy

"Give it to me -- I saw it first." Becka pulled on one of Biff's long ears and made a grab for the Christmas catalog in his hand.

 Biff wondered if his sister Becka couldn't see.  Clearly he had it first.  He was not about to give up the prized Wish Book he held in his hand.  He stuck out his tongue at her and made a grab for her fluffy tail.

"Ha, missed me."  Becka tried to grab the catalog again.

Biff spun away.  He slammed the mailbox shut and took off running to the house, with Becka right on his heels.

"Mom, Biff is being mean to me . . ."
    
Biff and Becka ran into the kitchen.

"Watch where you're going."  Mother rabbit frowned and held up both hands as the two adventurers almost ran into her.  Mother gave a big sigh and looked at them.  "What are you two arguing about now?"  She reached over the kitchen sink, dusted flour off her hands and took the rest of the mail from Biff.

"The new Christmas catalog came in the mail, and I had it first," Biff stated.  "I want to look for a new bike for Christmas.  My old one is scratched and bent."

Becka tried to reach for the catalog.  "I want a big doll with lots of clothes and her own bed.  Let me look!"  Becka let out a wail.  "Mom, he's not giving it to me. . ."

                                                                       to be continued

Copyright © 2011 Elaine Beachy

Book Update November 25

This is the cover design of my first book in the trilogy The Biff and Becka Chronicles.  Book two, which I am editing and polishing at the momemt, is titled "Biff and Becka's Stupendous Vacation".  Book Three will be "Biff and Becka's Splendiferous Christmas". 

Springtime Adventures probably won't be out until sometime in January 2012; it doesn't look as if it'll make it in time for Christmas.  Sorry.  I know many of you are anxiously waiting for it -- so am I!  I want to let you know the Wine Press publishing process schedule and where my book presently is in that process.

1.  Submission of manuscript
2.  Editing
3.  Author reviews/changes
4.  Second edit
5.  Author reviews/changes
6.  Illustrations
7.  Author input/changes
8.  Final illustrations
9.  Author approval
10.  Typesetting
11.  Author reviews
12.  Author changes back and forth
13.  Proofread edit
14.  Font upgrade
15.  Author review
16.  Printer-ready file
17.  Author review
18.  To Print

The first 9 steps took quite a long time with all the back and forth discussions/ changes/ approval, etc.  The next step is no. 10, typesetting, which should begin on Monday.  The process will speed up now, since the hardest part is done. 

Next week, I hope to begin work with Kevin Cochran, my Solutions Advisor at Wine Press, to get my website up and running. 

I intend my books to be for readers ages 8-12, but any child who reads well can read them.  They are also designed for parents/grandparents to read to younger children, with discussion questions at the back of the book.  Questions such as, "What would you have done in this situation?"  or "How did it make you feel when Alice did that?" or "Talk about a scary experience you had", and "What did you do to help you not be afraid?" for example.

I believe parents will also glean knowledge about parenting, and my books contain educational facts about nature, etc.  I also teach life lessons for children as they learn how to make good choices. 

There are 15 black and white illustrations throughout the book; 5 full page and 10 spot (3x4). The retail price will likely be $10.99 or $11.99, depending on the final page count.  I expect about 100 pages.

I plan to do some book signings when the book is released for sale.  If you'd like to host a book signing for me, please let me know early on so I can schedule you in.  At these events, I plan to give away a free 4x6, 50-sheet note pad with a spot illustration watermark on each sheet, with each book purchased.

You will also be able to purchase books directly from Wine Press, or on Amazon, Barnes & Nobel and other places.  It will also be available as an e-book on Nook, Kindle, Apple iBookstore, and will include Look-Inside-The-Book via Amazon, Google, etc.  Info for ordering will be on my website when ready.

I'll keep you posted. :o)

Copyright © 2011 Elaine Beachy

Mama's House

Years ago, Mom had everyone at her house for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners.  We'd all bring something, and Dad would eagerly help Mom set the table the night before and help in other ways.  And even though we no longer meet at Mama's house like we used to, she joins us at my brother's house as the matriarch of the family.  So in a way my brother's house is still Mama's house. 

We have kept our holiday menu the same for years and have other traditions just as you probably do.  The other week I wrote a poem while reflecting on our family get-togethers, and I'd like to share it with you.

          Mama's House

Apple pies, pumpkin pies,
Turkey, stuffing, more;
Smells so warm and comforting
Greet me at the door.

Mama's arms are open wide,
The table's all prepared.
Daddy comes with greeting too.
Smiles and hugs are shared.

Our family forms a circle,
Hold hands and then we sing
"I thank the Lord my Maker",
Who gives us everything.

That special day at Mama's house
Is long remembered still.
Dad's missing from our circle now--
A space that none can fill.

                Elaine Beachy
                November 12, 2011

Copyright © 2011 Elaine Beachy

Filling or Stuffing?

One phenomenon associated with holidays seems to be more prevalent than others: overeating.  As sure as the sun will rise tomorrow, diet plans that promise swift absolution of those sinful extra pounds will abound come January 1, 2012. :o)  For years I was on the merry-go-round with the rest of society.  You probably know the cycle: overeating, feeling miserable, vowing to begin that new diet tomorrow, only to overeat again, feel miserable, vowing. . .  This holiday season will be different for me.  Let me give you some background.

In the Upper Room Life Group my husband and I lead at our church, we're currently doing a study titled Boundaries by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend, Zondervan Publishers, 2007.  This particular boundaries study is subtitled, "When to say yes, how to say no, to take control of your life." 

No doubt you've heard it said that "Good fences make good neighbors".  That's true.  Boundaries are like fences in our lives that help us know where our property, or responsibility, ends and someone else's begins.  You know where your property line is around your home, right?  You mow your yard, your neighbor mows his.  Our boundary lines, or fences, do need to have gates so we can let the good in and the bad out.  (In case your neighbor's dog jumps your fence). :o) You are not responsible for people any more than you are responsible to mow your neighbor's lawn.  You are responsible to your neighbor.  You treat him right, but you don't do his work for him unless he asks you to and you agree of your own free will.

I need to take responsiblity for my own feelings, attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, choices and thoughts.  I can't blame anybody else for making me feel a certain way; how I choose to feel and react is up to me.

When it came to overeating, I couldn't blame anybody but myself for my choices.  In doing this study, the Holy Spirit gave me a personal revelation in my spirit that I didn't have healthy boundaries in the area of eating.  Now when I feel satisfied during a meal and if I should encounter a thought that says, "go ahead; one more serving won't hurt," I see that thought as an enemy trying to crash my boundaries.  Something (or should I say, Someone)  rises up in me and I say "NO!"  I protect my boundaries because I am a valuable piece of property in God's sight.  I am protecting the temple of God, for His Spirit lives in me.  I've noticed that I just automatically take smaller portions than I used to.  I've noticed I have a desire to eat more vegetables and salads.  I didn't plan it that way, although I know all the "diet rules".  Diets are bondage to me.  I live in freedom -- freedom to be led by the Holy Spirit.  I give all the praise to God and the precious Holy Spirit for changing me.  Lasting change has to come from within -- not a set of diet plans in my head.

Proverbs 25:28 tells us "A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls".  (No boundaries).  Wow, there it is in the Bible.  I used to live with broken-down walls.

I've been on my new journey of protecting my boundaries in the area of eating since the first week in September of this year.  I daily ask the Holy Spirit to help me eat right, look good, feel good, and weigh my goal weight.  I declare He is my Helper, and I thank Him for His help daily.  I have learned He is my best Friend because He loves me unconditionally.  And the excess weight is slowly coming off -- ten and one half pounds to date since the middle of September (about 2 months) when I started keeping record of my weight. 

I felt I should write about this subject today because so many people struggle with the crazy cycle I mentioned earlier.  I am a work in progress, but I am not following  a "diet".  I depend on the Holy Spirit to give me the right desires, and He does if I ask Him.  I still have a long way to go, but I'm not afraid I'll fall back into the old patterns.  It is a journey of joy and fellowship with the Lord.

Perhaps this holiday season I can encourage you to let the Holy Spirit give you healthy boundaries and be pleasantly filled instead of stuffed. :o)  I wrote a teeny humorous poem on this subject about two weeks ago; I hope you enjoy it.

          Talkin' Turkey

I'm thankful for the turkey,
Potatoes, gravy, stuffing;
I'm thankful for the oyster stew.
But if thankfulness means stuffin'
My belly till I'm puffin',
I'd rather do without -- thank you!

             Elaine Beachy
             November 11, 2011

Copyright © 2011 Elaine Beachy

Teaching Gratitude to Children

I am a member of several writer's groups on LinkedIn, and the other day, a question for discussion on Writer's Cafe was this:  "As parents, how do you instill gratitude in children?  Do you face any problems while instilling gratitude in your kids?"  I think it's an important question to raise and answer, especially since I'm writing books for children (and their parents as well).  I responded with my input, and want to discuss this issue in today's posting.

Several things come to mind.

1.)  Be a good example to your children; let them hear you thank God for your blessings.  Let them hear you thank people for kindnesses.  Let them see you write thank-you notes of appreciation; talk about the good things people do for you and others, and how much you appreciate that.

2.)  Don't give them all the "stuff" they want just because other kids have it.  Discuss with them the reasons for not buying that expensive popular brand name of tennis shoes or jeans, etc.  I don't think it's a good idea to just say, "Because I said so!"

3.) Plan, shop for and package a shoe box gift with your children for kids through Samaritan's Purse at http://www.samaritanspurse.org/.  The site will tell you what items to package for kids overseas, and where to drop off your Christmas gift.

4.)  Let them hear stories of kids who have no running water, no toys, no Christmas; kids who wear rags, go barefoot, are cold and hungry, have no doctors, etc.  You get the idea. 

5.)  When your kids gripe, kindly say something positive, something to be thankful for.  This Thanksgiving season is a good time to begin building gratitude as a family.

6.)  Here's a fun one:  give each of your kids a sheet of paper and pencil, set the timer for 5  minutes, and have them list all the things they are thankful for.  The child with the most items on the list gets to choose a game to play together, choose a craft to make together as a family, etc.

7.)  Show your kids what God's Word says about being thankful, what God says about being ungrateful. The Scripture warns us in 2 Timothy 3:2 in the last days, there will be terrible times.  Amid the list of terrible things is the word "ungrateful".  In Colossians 3:15 (NIV) tells us ". . . And be thankful."  Ungratefulness is akin to having a root of bitterness, which, God says, springs up to defile many.  Being ungrateful fills our heart with an invisible poison.  God commands us to be thankful, even if we don't feel like finding something to be thankful for.
 
Kids don't have the corner on being ungrateful.  Far too many parents are ungrateful, too; we have taught our children by wrong example.  When they hear us talk about so-and-so's house that is just what we'd like, how we want to take a vacation like our neighbor did, how we don't like the preacher in our church, how high prices are in the grocery store, etc, we are teaching them to complain, be ungrateful, and dissatisfied.

We adults and parents need to live with a thankful, prayerful heart as well.  What I've shared as tips for children applies equally to us, don't you think?

Copyright © 2011 Elaine Beachy

Family Time

I love to hear how our son-in-law Keith takes his wife, Deb, and their daughters hiking through various wooded and mountainous areas.  I love to hear how they explore nature and how he instills interest and wonder in his children about that salamander they found; that special spider and web; the Praying Mantis; the turtle and black snake; that special flower or plant; the hawk, deer, the lichen on rocks, and many woodland creatures.

Keith works many long, stressful hours; Deb, our daughter, works part time.  Between music lessons, track meets, soccer practice, gymnastics and school band concerts, their lives are full.  In spite of that, they make time for family activities.

I love to hear how our son Darren and his wife Melanie have family night every Friday night.  How awesome is that?  Last night they went to watch "Happy "Feet".  Sometimes they watch a movie at home, or play games.  They bought a trampoline for their back yard and bikes to provide physical exercise.  Darren and his family do some hiking, too. 

Darren works many long hours, half of them night shift, so he sometimes misses seeing his children before they go to school.  I love to hear how he goes with less sleep in the morning in order to be at their schools to eat lunch with them.  He sacrifices for his family.

Every family has their own set of circumstances and challenges to overcome in carving out family time.  Remember the saying, "Where there's a will, there's a way"?  If you wish to improve your family time, ask God to help you make the necessary changes.  Your most important investment is in the lives of your family members.

         Family Time

Making time, taking time,
Busy dads and  moms
Reap rewards in children's eyes
For many years to come!

              Elaine Beachy
             November 19, 2011

Copyright © 2011 Elaine Beachy

Old Photos

I picked up the brown envelopes that held the old pictures.  Pictures that used to be in frames.  Pictures left over from portrait studios, and others.  What should I do with these?  I sure wasn't going to throw them away.  Hmm.  I remembered a suggestion my niece, Sherri, made several years ago as our Yoder family made plans for Thanksgiving dinner.  "Let's bring old photo albums and look at them!", she said.  I don't recall that anybody took her up on it -- we all probably just forgot about it.

So when I went to WalMart this week, I bought a large 3-ring photo album with the "sticky" pages covered with cellophane, and set about storing those old photos in a format for easy viewing.  I plan to take the album along to my brother's house next Thursday on Thanksgiving Day along with my butter horn rolls and stuffing.  It's good to laugh together, to visit "yesteryear", see how people have changed their hair styles and their looks. 

One thing leads to another.  I've unearthed my scrapbooking materials I purchased quite a number of years ago.  My guest room is a mess.  Beneath piles of extra pillows, a bathroom rug set, a lamp, three extra lamp shades, and a bag of old wooden blocks from my childhood, I opened a large suitcase.  It was filled with scrapbooks and numerous small photo albums whose pictures had begun to find their way into a Creative Memories decorative album.  A project that was put away and never finished is now resurfacing.

Ties to our past are important; they show us where we came from, and give us a sense of belonging, of inclusion, in a family.  History captured in photos and documents is indeed a thing of value.  I found a good article on the internet I want to share with you: http://familychronicle.com/LeavingLegacy.html  I've had a desire for some time to write and publish my memoirs, and will begin very soon.  Leaving a written legacy to my children and grandchildren is very important to me.  Now I really have to set about finishing that scrapbooking project!  Don't worry -- first I'll clean up the mess in my guest room; I'm moving that big suitcase full of scrapbooking materials out of the closet for easy access, and putting the pile of pillows, lamp, extra lamp shades, bathroom bath set and bag of blocks back in. :o)  Do you see what finding some old photos can lead to?

Copyright © 2011 Elaine Beachy

Old Christmas Cards

I opened the cedar chest to look for a gift I had stashed away for my friend Jane.  The gift was lying on top, but before I knew it, I found myself engrossed in examining all the items I had stashed away.  Piles began accumulating on the bed as I found a bag of old Christmas cards, Shirley Temple paper dolls, Victorian paper ladies with dress-up outfits, a new blue Snuggie wrap, a pair of baby shoes, 2 pair of small moccasins my mother had made as a hobby years ago, a round red velvet box of cast-off jewelry my granddaughters played with sometimes, lots of picture frames, old vacation catalogs for Nags Head, books, old family photos in big brown envelopes, and in the very bottom, two boxes of our love letters.

My betrothed made that cedar chest for me as an engagement gift in 1966, and someday I will take the time to read those old love letters.  But this day, my intention was to rearrange the items neatly and throw away what I didn't want to keep.  I put the paper dolls in the toy closet for the grandchildren, and threw out the old vacation catalogs.  I picked up the bag of old Christmas cards.  I hesitated.  Do I throw these away?  Do I keep them?  They were so pretty -- but of what use were they?

I remembered my grandmother Olive saved old Christmas cards, covered each card with plastic, cut it in a slight fan shape, punched holes around the edges, and crocheted them together to make pretty baskets.  She used them to display new Christmas cards she received, and made some baskets to give away.  I remember we had one in our house on the farm.

I decided to go online to see what to do with old Christmas cards.  I found lots of ideas!  I even found instructions for making Grandma Olive's crocheted baskets!  One idea was to make placemats and coasters with self-adhesive shelf papers for the back side, and a clear piece of Mac Tak for the top so the pretty Christmas cards can be seen.  Another was to make gift tags, using a hole punch and a bit of ribbon.  Some people cut the card in half and use the pretty side as a post card at Christmastime.  Cheaper postage.  Use them to decorate plain brown paper bags for gift-giving.  Other ideas were table place cards, tree ornaments, jewelry, donate them to schools for craft projects, use them in scrapbooking, make small gift boxes to fill with treats, or make book marks.

Perhaps I'll get even more mileage out of those old cards:  have a craft day with my daughter Deb and granddaughters Alissa and Nicole and make some of those items.  We have a tradition of making a gingerbread house from a kit before Christmas, and that's always a highlight.  Maybe this year we'll use something old to make something new, too!

Copyright © 2011 Elaine Beachy

Punctuation Marks

Life can get in a rut; don't you agree?  Someone once defined a rut as "a grave with both ends open".  : 0)  The sameness of each day that yawns in repeated fashion.  Much of life is a necessary routine; indeed, without it we would lack structure and meaning.  But sometimes that sameness can seem like we're on a treadmill, plodding along, focusing straight ahead and missing things along the way.  In the morning, you get up, go to work, come home, go to bed.  In the morning, you get up. . . You get the idea.  Each day is like shampooing your hair:  lather, rinse, repeat.  It occurs to me we could all do with a bit of punctuation in a life that threatens to become one long, run-on sentence.

Families can get in a rut. Wouldn't it be great to have some fun and lively ideas to break out of boredom and sameness?  You know it. Like bread that turns dry, hard, and stale if not properly stored, so couples and families that aren't wrapped in fun and joy get stale, hard and dry, too.  Surprise your mate; make plans for a romantic dinner or get-away, even a short one.  For ideas on spicing up family life, I recommend the small book, "199 Fun Family Activities", by Barbour Publishing, Inc., 2009.  You'll find oodles of wholesome ideas there. 

I love the scripture in John 10:10 where Jesus says, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full!" (NIV) 

I like to think of a full life as having punctuation marks.  The exclamation point can symbolize "party time!"  A period says "stop here".  I like to think of it as meaning ,"stop, get off the treadmill, and do something different".  Perhaps for you, that means stopping to make time for others, like keeping your promise to visit that neighbor you befriended.  A question mark may symbolize learning something new, like taking painting or piano lessons.  Carving out an afternoon or an evening for something fun for yourself can be symbolized by brackets or parentheses.  The apostrophe shows your ownership and responsiblity to break out of your rut.  Punctuation marks that may seldom be used, such as the ellipsis and dash, can symbolize the surprising, the unusual and interesting things in life.

I wrote a poem today that I hope will bring a smile to your face and help you think of the importance of punctuating your life instead of living it in one long, "run-on sentence" that loses meaning.

      Punctuation of Life

Exclamation points are "Wow!"
Fun times make good glue.
Stop the run-on sentence now;
Put a period, too.

Semi-colon, hyphen, dash --
Parentheses and comma,
Apostrophes and question marks
Will add a punch of drama.

Brackets and quotation marks
Make merry out of life.
The colon and ellipsis too
Will help to sound the fife.

So on the treadmill of the same,
Don't forget to party.
As you step from day to day,
Please live hale and hearty!

Copyright © 2011 Elaine Beachy

Bring Back Family Dinnertime

The importance of eating one meal together as a family each day cannot be overstated.  It takes extra effort and scheduling to pull it off, but the rewards are great.  I'm reminded of the Scripture Galatians 6:7 in the Bible that says, "Whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap."  This applies to the positive as well as the negative sowing and reaping.

Do you remember the wonderful TV series "The Waltons"?  Olivia and John, the parents, set great store by having all their children seated around the table at suppertime.  I love to see how the family prays before the meal, and even the children take turns praying.  Blessing the food and praying together is an extremely vital part of eating together.  Children are greatly influenced for good when they hear parents pray for them by name.

In my family of origin, my parents set an excellent example of eating together, and praying before mealtime. Many familes today may desire to implement this pattern, but face the daunting challenge of eating together in the evening.  Parents may even wonder if it's worth the effort.  I've put together an acrostic with the word S E A T E D to help identify the benefits of eating together.

• S ave money!  It's much cheaper and more nutritious to prepare and serve family style meals. 
• E tiquette and manners can be taught when eating together.
• A tmosphere:  keep the mood light, pleasant and loving.  Lead by example; try not to be critical. 
• T alk to each other; share the days' news.  Give extra attention to children and teenagers.
• E motional security is formed by eating in a pleasant atmosphere.  Stability and structure are created.
• D estructive behaviors such as smoking, drinking, and illegal drugs are curbed.

Even if you say you aren't a very good cook, the important thing is that you give your children and teens the important elements of eating dinner together.  Opening a can of soup and making grilled cheese sandwiches is fine fare when you show your children you love them and value their company.  Obviously, the earlier a family initiates this practice in the home, the easier it is to solicit the cooperation of everybody.  As you communicate with one another, you bond, plan, learn and connect as a family.  Value the opinions of every family member, really listen to what is said and insist on politeness.

Eating together also helps teach your children to become self-sufficient.  They can learn to help plan, shop, and prepare meals with you, the parent.  Some Dads are very good cooks, too.  Studies have shown that children do better in school and have better grades when they eat with their families once a day.  Sharing dinner together gives everyone a sense of identity, of belonging, of being cared for.  It helps ease the day to day stresses for everybody, especially for your kids because of the many challenges they face in school.

It may seem that the family dinner hour has slipped from American society, but I say it's time to bring it back. You will establish traditions and make memories that last a lifetime.  Families that eat together and pray together stay together.

Copyright © 2011 Elaine Beachy

Nature's Cue

"As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, will never cease".  Genesis 8:22 (NIV)

            Nature's Cue

Rustling leaves beneath the feet
Of squirrels that scamper to the beat
Of urgent winter storage plans,
Blow about by wind's commands.

Withered now the flower's head,
Naked trees with leaves now shed,
Indian Summer skies of blue,
Geese that follow nature's cue --

These all signal summer's end;
Winter's just around the bend.
Nature sleeps in white array
To burst awake on distant day.

           By Elaine Beachy
           November 11, 2011

Copyright © 2011 Elaine Beachy

Those Shoes

Yesterday I returned a pair of unsatisfactory tennis shoes to Foot Locker and searched diligently to find a pair I hoped wouldn't cause pain in my legs, knees and ankles.  I call myself "the Queen of Returns", but honestly, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do! :)  (Ever have buyer's remorse?)  I couldn't wear those useless tennies more than half a day, so they sat in my closet most of the summer.   

I came home from the mall and put those new puppies on my feet.  Woo-hoo!  I wore them the rest of the day and now today too.  I am so happy with my new tennies; they put a spring in my step, and I actually enjoy walking!  No pain.  Want to know what they are?  Sure you do.  They're Sketchers Tone-Ups.  Gray and hot pink, with 2 sets of laces to match.  Woah, Mama!  Can you tell I'm happy with my find?

This morning I put my new shoes on again and thought, "How peaceful to be able to enjoy walking!"  The words "shoes of peace" from Ephesians 6:15 came to mind:  ". . . your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace." (NIV)  Those shoes are part of the Christian's spiritual armor to stand firm against the attacks of the devil, the enemy of our soul.

How painful when we don't walk in shoes of peace!  Some wear old shoes of anger, unforgiveness, bitterness, covetousness, pride, resentment or guilt.  Those shoes have painful pebbles or bits of broken glass in them.  Instead of making the humble effort to bend down, take off those shoes, and exchange them for peaceful shoes, pride keeps those old shoes on our feet.  We can't stand and resist the enemy.  It's a crippling and painful existence.  Those shoes pinch the joy out of life.  Those shoes keep us from living a life of victory.

Do you have shoes you need to exchange for peaceful ones?  (And it's okay if you're the Queen of Returns!)


P.S.  If you have lower back, hip or knee problems, I wouldn't recommend Sketchers Tone-Ups.

Copyright © 2011 Elaine Beachy

44th Anniversary

Forty-four years ago today, Dave and I became husband and wife.  Our lives have been seasoned and preserved by the love, grace and mercy of God.  We have a great marriage; Dave is my best friend on this earth.  I know I can share my feelings and thoughts with him without being judged or made to feel insignificant.  I am so comfortable with him.   But I never want to get "sloppy comfortable" so that I fail to see him with new eyes and appreciate the gifts and leadership in him, or disrespect him. 

When he tells me about his job as a Superintendent of Commercial Construction with Caliber Construction, I get glimpses of how others view him as the leader and authority on the job, and his role in handling difficult people and situations.  And my estimation of him rises even more.  Dave is a wonderful man, husband, father, and grandfather.  I am firmly convinced that when a husband and wife keep their relationship with the Lord Jesus fresh and meaningful, they will draw ever closer to each other with love and respect.

Speaking of love and respect, Dave and I highly recommend a DVD seminar on marriage by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs who wrote a book titled "Love and Respect".  His website is http://loveandrespect.com/ .  Our life group at church did a small group study with his materials, which include a workbook and DVD.  Dave and I have taken advantage of attending several marriage seminars over the years just to keep a fresh perspective on our marriage.  We have not been disappointed.

I am reminded of a poem I wrote shortly after Dave's father passed away. In honor of Irvin, and as a celebration of our marriage today, I offer this poem publicly.

             Legacy of Love

Patiently, he waits as Mother arranges us
Around the table; and when we're seated
He asks that we sing together.
Eyes closed, hands clasped together,
He begins to sing: "God is so good,
God is so good, God is so good,
He's so good to me.
Then he prays a blessing
On his children, grandchildren,
And on the food,
Praying in hushed tones
To the Savior he loves so much.

He slowly reaches for another piece of celery
As we still sit around the table
Busily chattering like magpies.
Mother has finally seated herself
To enjoy her piece of pie
After serving the rest of us.
His blue plaid flannel shirt
Faintly echoes the softness of his smile
As he reaches over to stroke Mother's arm.
His heart, too, is warm and soft
Like that flannel shirt.

At the door, his tender "good-bye"
And warm hug is coupled with
"God bless you, my daughter;"
I feel as loved and accepted by him
As if I were his own daughter.
Little do I know it is the last time
I will look into his "Jesus eyes",
The tender-hearted eyes of a soul
We called Irvin.
I am richer for having known him,
And I am doubly blessed to have his son
As my husband. 

                By Elaine Beachy
                November 29, 1994

Copyright © 2011 Elaine Beachy

A Bump In The Road

The early morning light teases my senses awake.  "Holy Spirit, I give myself to You anew today.  Work through me in all I do and say." 

I roll onto my back and stretch, feeling the joy down to my toes.  The day stretches before me too, like a road of smooth, satiny candy at a taffy pull. I know that with each step I take, I shall not walk this way again. 

As I lie in cozy comfort between flannel sheets and a blanket, thoughts begin coming to me about that devotional book I am to write.  I brave the chilly room to throw back the covers, turn on my lamp and pick up the notebook and pen I keep at my bedside.  I write down a few ideas, turn off the light, and go back to bed.  More fertile thoughts spring to the surface of my mind; the light comes on again, and I write some more words.  This happens a third time, and I decide to stay up.  I rejoice at what the Lord has put into my heart.

I make the bed, do my exercises, shower and get dressed.  I take a load of laundry along with me and put it in the washing machine before I go to the kitchen and eat breakfast.  After breakfast, I mix a batch of bread dough and set it to rise.  I put the wet clean clothes into the dryer and set about cleaning the sink, stove, microwave, breadbox and countertops.  I shake out bathroom rugs, answer more e-mails, then hang up the now-dry, clean clothes in the closet.  I eat lunch.

My bread has risen, so I punch it down, shape it into loaves, place them into glass loaf pans, and prick the tops with a fork.  I set them aside to rise for baking.  I reply to a comment addressed to me from a woman in my poet's group on LinkedIn who believes all paths lead to God, no matter by what name we call Him.  She has written in response to correspondence related to a poem I submitted titled "Reunion", which tells the story of creation, the fall of man, and his redemption.  I spend a lot of time crafting my reply.

The microwave timer beeps, signifying it's time to heat the oven.   Soon the satisfying smell of baking bread fills my senses and the house.  I am feeling very gratified by the smoothness of the road I'm walking, that road that stretches on like a pull of taffy.

I sit back down to my computer at 1:15 and my eyes fall on an e-mail from my friend Jane who lives an hour away in Stephens City. "I must have written the date down wrong," she writes.  "I thought we were to meet at my place at 11:30 to have lunch today".

Oh no!  I can't believe I have forgotten such an important date as lunch with my friend and prayer partner, Jane!  I reach for the phone to apologize, to ask her forgiveness.  The answering machine is the only contact with her.  I send an e-mail to connect with her, knowing she probably has gone out somewhere.  I realize I had forgotten to transfer the anticpated appointment from my calendar to a sticky note on the fridge. 

I am surprised by the calm I feel -- I don't wallow in self-incrimination or guilt.  And I realize how much I have changed from a year ago -- maybe even less than a year ago.  It feels good, and my road once again is smooth beneath my feet.  It was just a bump of forgetfulness in the road.

Jane e-mails me back and says she's not upset, for which I am thankful.  We make plans to meet next Monday.  Jane is a real friend; we have confidence in each other, believe the best of each other -- bumps and all. Thank you, Jane.

Copyright © 2011 Elaine Beachy

Territory for God

Thanks to Johnese Burtram, Director of the Northern Virginia Christian Writers Fellowship, of which I am a member, I joined the professional network of LinkedIn several months ago.  Just a few days ago, I joined six groups on LinkedIn which are proving to be tremendously helpful and enjoyable for me.  I joined Books and Writers, Creative Designers and Writers, Poets Group, Writer's Cafe, Women's Memoirs, and Self-Published Authors. 

I've had a lot of interaction with the Poets Group.  I submitted two poems of mine to the forum:  "Paradise Lost" and "Reunion", which express what happened after the creation, the fall of man, and what God did to remedy the situation.  A contributor named Robert commented on both of them.  I sat here at my computer and cried as I read his words.  I'll copy one of his comments here:

LinkedIn Groups

Group: Poets Discussion: Would you please share one of your poems with us? Dear Elaine: Thank you for your preciuos comment on my work. You have a real job ahead as your work is very much needed. Have you given a thought to devotions, or poems that when published help others to be strengthened by your words. There are publishers waitng for you. Posted by Robert

I felt like I had received a word from the Lord through Him.  So I am prayerfully considering writing a devotional book which includes a number of my poems.

I feel like God is answering the prayer He reminded me to pray a few months ago -- the prayer of Jabez in the Bible.  I Chronicles 4:10, NKJV, records this prayer:  "And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, 'Oh that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain.'  So God  granted him what he requested."

My territory is expanding even as a result of joining the various writer's groups.  Next week I will be involved in the design of my website through Wine Press, as the illustrations are finished now. The cover, done in color, is just beautiful.  The chapter illustrations are beautiful too in black and white.  The book is now in the typesetting department.  I am so eager to have the book completed; so many of you have been patiently waiting. 

Please pray for me that I will be able to do all that is required of me to have my website.  It feels a bit intimidating, because it will be a new step for me.  Would you agree with me in prayer for God to enlarge my territory even more for His glory? 

Love and hugs -- I appreciate you!

Copyright © 2011 Elaine Beachy

Making Memories

Last evening my granddaughters Alissa, age 14,  and Nicole, 10, had a sleepover at Grandma's house.  When my daughter Deb came to pick them up around 11:30, she brought with her some muffins she'd made and said, "I think it's tea time".  Between my comments and hers, a cup of tea turned into a simply delightful, impromptu tea party for the four of us! 

As Deb found the small, shiny royal blue cellophane bag that held her favorite Cherry Rose loose tea, she asked, "Do you have a tea pot big enough to hold our tea?"  I filled my tea kettle with water, set it to boil, and thought for a moment.

I opened a kitchen cabinet door and pointed to the topmost shelf that held my porcelain tea service.  "Let's use my white porcelain tea set with the pink and yellow roses and gold edging."  It was Wawel fine porcelain with the Rose Bouquet pattern made in Poland.

Alissa and Nicole squealed with delight, and my daughter and I found ourselves delighted with our impromptu plans.  We clapped our hands and laughed like we'd found a treasure.

"Grandma, do you have a white tablecloth?" Alissa asked.  She clasped her hands as though she hoped I did.

"I do indeed," I answered, and scurried off to pull my heavy white restaurant-quality square tablecloth from a closet shelf.  Alissa and I made the kitchen table small and covered it with the tablecloth.

Using a chair, Deb climbed up and carefully lifted down the porcelain tea pot with warmer, serving tray, cups, saucers, plates, tiny gold spoons, sugar cubes, gold tongs, sugar bowl and jelly dish.  Deb gently wiped each piece, in case any dust had collected., and Alissa helped set the table.  I went to find some pretty napkins and a tea light candle to put in the warmer under the teapot. After Deb filled the tea ball with the loose tea, closed it, then lowered it into the teapot, I poured in the hot water. 

Her mother instructed Alissa to place the muffins on the serving tray, then added a few slices of my homemade wheat bread.  Seedless raspberry jelly was found in my fridge and Deb filled the crystal jelly dish.  Soon butter found its way to the table, and we were ready for our "high tea".   Alissa ran to raid my scarf drawer to dress up a bit, then decided against it.

After I blessed our tea time, we engaged in conversation in British brogue as Deb served the rich amber- colored, delicate tea.  The sugar bowl was passed, and we helped ourselves to cubes of sugar using the golden tongs, then stirred the tea with our tiny golden spoons.

We held our tea cups between thumb and forfinger and sipped tea most daintily without elbows on the table.  We dabbed our mouths with the tea napkin between sips, broke off bites of cranberry or chocolate chip muffins, and savored tiny bites of homemade bread with butter and raspberry jam.  Alissa fetched a lacy Victorian folding fan I had stashed in a drawer, and we all took turns using it.  And took turns photographing one another with said fan held in proper position. 

We talked of sophisticated subjects, such as the Red Wall series of books Nicole is reading, and the accompanying cookbook.  We engaged in high brow topics of interest such as the squirrels that continuously managed to empty Deb's suet feeder in a tree outside her kitchen window.  We spoke of when my husband should next be deer hunting.  We ventured into the topic of fox hunting on horses, and Alissa informed us she would love to go on such a hunt herself.  Her grandmother was properly shocked!  We talked of our eldest son who would love to have a horse and go riding.  With delightful British tongue, Deb replied that she, too, had always wanted a horse, and perhaps one could pursue the option of boarding a horse at a riding stable in the area, or some such thing.  "Yes, dahling, that would be just loovley!" Deb cooed.

Speaking normally again, Deb looked at Alissa and quoted a beautiful phrase to her from the book Gentle Passages -- guiding your daughter into womanhood by Robin Jones Gunn.  I had given Deb the book when Alissa was about ten years old.  As suggested in the book, Deb presented Alissa with a single fine china tea cup and saucer that was given special meaning.  Today she reminded us of those words she spoke to her daughter as she discussed sexual purity with her that day. "You're God's fine china, set apart for God's special purpose."  (from the Living Bible, 2 Timothy 2:21)

We truly had a treasure today -- a treasure of making memories!

Copyright © 2011 Elaine Beachy

Decorating Tips

Home Interiors & Gifts.  How many of you remember that wonderful comany started by Mary Crowley?  She made training and business opportunities available through home parties for women who needed extra income. Home Interiors brought us beautiful artwork, florals, greenery, figurines, candles, even small furniture.

Many women became decorating consultants, overcame shyness, and blossomed into personal and spiritual growth as a result of Mary Crowley.  Today, that company is no longer with us, but has been bought out by Celebrating Home.

I used to be a Decorating Consultant with Home Interiors & Gifts for about 10 years before they were bought out about 8 years or so ago.  I was in many homes, giving women decorating tips.  I talked about the value of a clean, orderly home, and how making the home beautiful greatly influences the atmosphere that is felt by husbands, children and guests.  You as a homemaker have more serenity if at least one room in the home is tastefully decorated. 

I showed women how to use what they already had and rearrange it so it looks better.  I also helped them find new things to add to their decorating.  I'd like to offer you some tips to perhaps give you some ideas.

The outside entrance to your home should be decorated with a wreath on the door, year 'round, or something on the porch next to the door.  I used to teach women how to make wreaths with the florals I sold.  Perhaps you can take a class on making them, or just buy them ready-made.  It doesn't have to be elaborate; even some grapevine coiled together with a big colorful bow added would suit your taste.  Your decorating style may be country, shabby chic, romantic (Victorian), or contemporary.  Decorate according to who you are.

Every room should have a focal point, such as a piece of artwork or mirror above the fireplace or on a wall.  Such a focal point is called a "grouping", and included sconces, swags of florals or greenery, candles or figurines arranged symmetrically or asymmetrically.  Symmetrical just means you equally space a sconce on either side of the artwork or mirror.  You can also place sconces asymmetricaly by placing them on one side of the artwork, one above the other, slightly to the right or left.  A good rule of thumb is to space the sconces not more than a generous hand-width away from the frame.  Floral swags/greenery above the artwork should touch the frame.  Choose accessories such as candles, that bring out a color you like in the artwork;  use a figurine or display a coordinating item that is in the artwork.

One important thing to remember is not to hang your artwork or mirror too high on the wall.  This is a common mistake.  The best height is for the bottom of the frame to be 8-10 inches above the back of a couch or chair.  If the artwork doesn't have furniture below it, hang the center of the picture at your eye level and put a shelf a hand-width below it to "anchor" the piece visually.  Decorate the shelf by laying a floral swag on it, or with greenery, a candle and/or figurine.  Place the candle/figurine to the left side of the shelf.  Elevate one of the accent pieces on a decorative box to create visual interest.

When decorating seasonally, it's not necessary to decorate every room in the home.  It's enough to do the front door, foyer, dining room table, and main bathroom. 

Greenery brings the freshness of the outdoors inside.  Candles add ambience and scent to the home.  Smells can trigger good memories and give feelings of warmth and romance.  Using accent lighting such as lamps and candles at night creates a warm, enjoyable atmosphere.  If you have allergies, burn unscented or soy candles.

There are many stores from which to purchase decorating items.  But like I always told the women at home shows I held, "Where are you going to find someone who'll tell you how to use the piece in your home, or decorate properly?"  That's why women loved Home Interiors so much.  They gained help and confidence in their decorating.  I've heard stories of lives being changed for the better because the wife began to take an interest in how her home looked.  Some women became very successful and made Home Interiors their career.

If you wish to have the advantage of such help, I'm sure you can find a consultant to come to your home, even on a personal appointment (I did those, too), at http://www.celebratinghome.com/ .  This is not intended to be an ad for Celebrating Home, and I don't hold parties anymore.  (I quit the business in June of 2009). You may also wish to have a "party" at your home and invite your friends. Attending decorating parties with other women builds community and is good for our society.  It's part of hospitality, too, and can be a lot of fun.

Happy decorating!

Copyright © 2011 Elaine Beachy