The world can wait

Something I wrote last year. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20HoJZecNqM This is Christmas - Kutless The tall carpenter stood in the stable, looking down at the tiny newborn baby in his arms. Mary, his wife, lay exhausted on the pile of straw beside him. He loved her so much, didn’t think they’d have make it. Especially with everywhere full and Mary in labour. He’d never tell anyone how scared he was the last few hours. And as for delivering the baby himself... He shuddered. He’d done it, but never again. He sat down slowly, the babe still sleeping peacefully in his arms. The angel said this babe was the son of God. It wasn’t his flesh and blood he knew that. He’d known for months. He’d been ready to divorce Mary, furious that she’d cheated on him, but the angel had set him right on that score. His faith and love for the woman nest to him wasn’t misplaced or in vain. He stroked the babe’s cheek. “I will protect you, love you, raise you as much as any children I may have in the...

Twas The Night Before Jesus Came Anonymous Twas the night before Jesus came and all through the house not a creature was praying, not one in the house. Their bibles were lain on the shelf without care, in hopes that Jesus would not come there. The children were dressing to crawl into bed, not once ever kneeling or bowing a head; And mom in her rocker with baby on her lap, was watching the late show while I took a nap; When out of the East there arose such a clatter, I sprang to my feet to see what was the matter; Away to the window I flew like a flash, threw open the shutters and threw up the sash. The light of His face made me cover my head, it was Jesus returning, just like He said. And though I possessed worldly wisdom and wealth, I cried when I saw Him in spite of myself. In the book of life, which He held in His hand, was written the name of every saved man. He spoke not a word as He searched for my name, when He said, "It's not here!" my ...

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree © 2011 Delia Latham Part 1 if you missed it Part 2  if you missed it Part 3 Raising her gaze to his, not even bothering to bemoan what she knew must be a swollen, splotchy, make-up stained face, Jo shook her head. "You're here now . What has changed?" "Monty Colafax was killed yesterday in a shoot-out with police and FBI. He won't be bothering me or anyone I love, ever again." "Oh." Jo digested this information slowly. "What about his people?" Dean shrugged. "FBI says with him out of the picture, the operation will almost certainly dissolve. Immediately. However…" He lifted her chin and met her gaze. "If you'll have me back, Jo—and you can't possibly know how much I hope you will—I'd feel much safer somewhere else. Some other town, even another state." "Another state?" Jo's mind whirled. It was too much, too fast. "Just…...

There is just something about the smell of gingerbread at Christmastime. There is also something about the taste of gingerbread at Christmastime. There are a billion different recipes out there featuring combinations of ginger and molasses. Some are for functional gingerbread, such as for building a house. Others are cookies, either dropped or made into men or other shapes. Others make actual bread in loaf form or as bars. I've tried a number of recipes over the years. When it comes down to TASTE, this is the best by far. It also helps that they are super-easy to make and also travel well; when my husband was in the Navy, I even mailed these to him during deployments! The sealed-up bars remained soft and delicious, even after a week of abuse in transit. EASY GINGERBREAD BARS 1 1/4 cups sugar 1 cup butter, softened 1 egg 3 tablespoons molasses 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons ground ginger For the top: 2 tab...

Christmas Eve Vigil                            by Robin Bayne “Mom-Mom, I hear him,” I whispered, sitting up slightly in bed. With the covers sliding off, I leaned toward the other twin bed where my grandmother slept, or tried to, during my all night vigil watching for Santa. Cool air touched my skin, but my excitement warmed me. “I hear something on the roof.” I still recall the sweet scent of her beauty-salon hair-do, as she shook her head and whispered for me to go to sleep, or Santa couldn’t come visit our house. Mom-Mom stayed overnight every Christmas Eve, it was a family tradition. I was no more than five at the time, but the memories of that dark night have never faded.  I knew Santa was out there, somewhere, nearby, and likely to sweep in close when I wasn’t looking. I had been good all year, and had faith that Santa knew th...

Christmas is a busy time with lots of wrapping and decorating...and baking. As standard now I make my own bread sauce and cranberry sauce. And today I'm going to share the recipes with you. Bread Sauce Dad makes the most amazing bread sauce ever. I asked him how to make it, as I'd forgotten to buy any. 3 slices bread, including crusts. Tear into small pieces then make into breadcrumbs. (I use a tiny food mixer - it's actually hubby's coffee grinder. He had to buy a new one lol.) Place into a saucepan with some onion salt. Add mik. Bring to boil. Simmer gently for 2-3 minutes. I looked at him. "How much milk?" He grinned. "You'll know." Funnily enough yeah, you do know. Cranberry sauce 300g pack fresh cranberries Juice and finely grated zest of 2 clementines 110g light brown muscovado sugar 2 tbsp orange juice or port Method Place the cranberries and the juice and zest of the clementines into a small pan with 150ml cold ...

Today I bring you part two of Delia's story. If you missed part one - where were you? LOL - it's HERE Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree  Part Two © 2011 Delia Latham "Wait!" Jo grabbed a handful of Dean's jacket and jerked him backward. "You're leaving? Just like that? Without explaining yourself?" She fisted both hands and planted them on her hips, only to lift one and dash away a hot tear that dared to escape. Dean sighed, but one corner of his firm, precisely curved lips quirked upward in that familiar, I'm-trying-not-to-laugh semi-grin that haunted her every time she closed her eyes. Right now she narrowed them in a threatening glare. "Well now, darlin', I don't rightly know what to do here. Am I stayin' or goin'?" Jo crossed her arms, partly reacting to the chill from the open door, and partly to keep from wrapping them around him. "You're staying, just long enough to tell me whe...

Today we have author Tanya Hanson and her new book - Right to Bragg. Blurb : Disowned by her family, Tiffany Vickers faces a lonely Christmas and takes great comfort in the baby boy in her care. Her faith is in tatters, and she guards her heart against the baby's uncle, handsome cowboy, Bragg Martin. It's the season for forgiveness, and while Bragg longs to open his heart and family to the lovely nanny, he doesn't understand her interest in his arch enemy. Saving a man's life and saving Tiffany's faith bring the couple together...and home to Hearts Crossing Ranch. Excerpt: “Shhhhhh. Matty’s asleep.” She was already twisting a long scarf around her neck. “John’s getting me at seven. Everybody’s home from college. We have our first mini-reunion out at the Double D…” Mini-reunion? What was that about? She’d been out of high school, what, six months? “…and I’m heading toward the Bumble Bee for a manicure and highlights in my hair.” “What’s ...

Today we have author JoAnn Carter and her new release Hidden Paths. Well, here we are at the close of another story... Hidden Paths. I have to chuckle a bit at the irony of the situation. You see, that's the perfect title for my own personal journey that the Lord has been guiding me through. Although I have other books in circulation, this was the very first story I ever drafted fifteen years ago. I started writing on a whim. Don't ask me why. In fact, have you ever watched Night at the Museum? The first time we saw that movie I cracked up. I am so like that museum director. Some days it seems as if I can't put a complete thought -- let alone sentence -- together to save my life. Couple that with dyslexia and grammar and spelling that would make any English major cringe and... yup, that's me. Yet, here I find myself, walking down the path that once seemed so elusive and hidden to me. Quite a few years after I wrote this book, I went to a writer's retreat. I prayed ...

Today we have Merry Stahel. Her new novel is releasing on Dec 19th BLURB : Dea Lacey is on the run. Scared and alone, she has to protect her endangered nephew. If she can find Garrett's father, perhaps he'll keep the boy safe and learn to love the child she'd trade her life to keep. Jesse McTavish has lost his family. Abandoning his faith, the seeds of destruction are sown. As he struggles with grief, the last thing he needs is a woman showing up with a child who's the mirror image of his dead son. But he can neither ignore nor reject the woman and child who threaten to break through the protective shield he's built around his heart. Through the ensuing storm of pain and loss, Christmas teaches Dea and Jesse about faith and forgiveness. Sanctuary may be what we ask for, but God gives us so much more. EXCERPT : A second chance. Aunt Amelia was aware of Dea’s life crumbling away. How had the woman known they weren’t safe? How many people had seen and known and fel...

From the Heart by Tara Manderino © 2009 Shoving his hands deeper into his coat pockets, and hunching his shoulders to pull his coat collar closer to his neck, Steven stared at the animated display in the store window. Nearly life-sized penguins wearing brightly colored toboggan hats rode up the escalator, and slid down the plastic slope, waddled across the silver pond to start all over again. Smaller home sets of the display were stacked strategically in the display area. The wind ruffled his hair, and he took it as a cue to move to the displays on the side of the building where nearby buildings made a windbreak. He stopped to watch the animated figures decorating the Christmas trees. Steven had always enjoyed this time of the year, looking at the displays, sharing the warmth of the season and the people he would meet. The glow of the light from the department store window was usually enough to send a warmth through him, but not this year. He shov...

SAME STORY, DIFFERENT QUESTION By Kathryn J. Bain First having appeared in The New York Sun in 1897, “Yes Virginia, There is as Santa Claus,” by Frank P. Church has become one of the most famous editorials ever written. But what if Virginia O’Hanlon sent that letter into a conservative newspaper today, and instead of asking about Santa had asked a different question? Dear Editor, I am 8 years old. Some of my friends say there was no Christ child. My dad says, “Whether you feel Him in your heart or not, He was so.” Please tell me the truth. Is Jesus real, and was he born in a manger? Virginia, Your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe something unless they see it. Unless they can comprehend it with their small minds, they do not believe. All minds, whether they be men’s or children’s, are little. In this great universe, man is a mere insect, in his intellect as compared with the boundless world about him. Yes, Vi...

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree © 2011 Delia Latham If she never heard "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" again, it would be too soon. Jo Callihan eased her car into the narrow garage under her apartment and heaved a weary sigh. Christmas music had completely taken over the sound system at the department store where she worked. She'd lost track of the number of times she'd been subjected to Brenda Lee's slightly raspy version of that one song in the past eight hours. Thank God for a quiet place to come in the evenings, and a reprieve from the frenzied rush of shoppers, each one determined to outshine, outsmile, and outspend the last. She slid her key into the lock, eager to get inside, to a break from the constant assault of seasonal festivities. Pine trees loaded with hundreds of costly ornaments. Twinkling lights of every imaginable color, strung in the most unexpected places. Angels. Stars. Nativities. Santas and elves and reindeer galor...