Happy Birthday Deb Raney!

Today is the birthday of one of my VERY favorite Christian authors, Deborah Raney. Happy Birthday Deb! I'm praying the Lord's blessings on you today and everyday, and I hope this coming year will be a wonderful one for you.

Deb is an awesome Christian writer and I LOVE her books. Her first novel, A VOW TO CHERISH, inspired a movie of the same title! Many of her books have won awards, and I'm looking forward to reading ALL of them! So far, my favorite Deborah Raney book is PLAYING BY HEART (and not just because it has a picture of a CAT on the cover!!).

Since Deb lives in Kansas, we've never met "in person," but I'm hoping to meet her this September at a Christian writers conference in Minnesota. (I know I'll like her a lot--she's a "cat person" too!).

If you've never read any of her books, you need to find some at your local bookstore - - you won't be disappointed. (she has NO idea I'm dedicating my blog to her today....hope she'll be surprised!) : )

Movies, Monkeybread, and Monopoly

Please allow me to share a "Mom musing" with you! Anyone who is a mom of "older" kids (teens or college-aged) can certainly relate to this. As our children get older and busier, we find that they are away from home more often, which is part of them gaining their independence. But I just happen to be the kind of mom who LOVES having all my kiddos at home! Okay, maybe I thrive on chaos....but anyway, this mother hen is happiest when her chickadees are all gathered in the nest. These past two weeks my middle child, Becca, was at home before leaving for her summer job at a Christian camp (in another town, living with a host family). Oh, how much I enjoyed spending time with my Becca....we watched old movies, baked yummy "Monkeybread" and played the classic board game, Monopoly....and I LOVED every minute of those simple activities!! ~ I am so very thankful the Lord has blessed me with my three children, and although I have "yearned" at times for the days when they were little, He is showing me just how wonderful EVERY age can be!

COURTING EMMA, An AWESOME Book!

I have just finished reading Courting Emma by Sharlene MacLaren and it was AWESOME! This is the first book I've read by this author, and I can honestly say that I am now a Sharlene MacLaren fan, and can't wait to read more of her books! Although I had not read the previous two books in the Little Hickman Creek series, I had no problem at all learning about the town and the characters. In fact, Sharlene's writing "transported me" back in time to that small Kentucky town, and I felt I was actually meeting the townspeople. As I read Courting Emma I had tears at some parts, laughed out loud(really!) at some parts, and felt a warm, joyous feeling as I read how peoples' lives can be changed when they accept Christ into their hearts. As an avid reader, I highly recommend this book, and now am very eager to read Sharlene's other books!

Marvelous May

Wow! I cannot believe the month of May is here already! Since Mother's Day is in May, hopefully all of you with mothers who are still living will make it a very special day for them. That holiday is a little sad now for me, since my precious Mom is in Heaven. But I still will enjoy the day with my own children, so that's a blessing! ~ The stray cat who "adopted" me is having her first Mother's Day (*grin*)....the precious kittens will be nine weeks old tomorrow, and are cuter than ever! Her children arise up, and call her blessed. Proverbs 31:28