It must be almost Thanksgiving because I’m seeing Christmas lights everywhere! In my own life it seems like I’ve rushed Christmas in faster than usual. I’ve already been practicing sign language interpreting for my church’s Christmas concert for the past two weeks. Then last Thursday night I exchanged Christmas gifts with my special friend Ed because he left yesterday for Texas and won’t be back until after New Year’s.
Aside from my own life, it seems that the commercial side of Christmas is threatening to squeeze out Thanksgiving. The stores no sooner have the Halloween decorations down before the Christmas ones come out. A local radio station here in the Chicago area has already been playing Christmas music nonstop for two weeks! If it weren’t for the spate of food ads in today’s paper, it would be hard to tell Thanksgiving will be here in four more days. We need to bring Thanksgiving back to the forefront and give the day the attention it deserves.
For me, the past year has been fraught with a lot of losses. I lost my job when asked to take early retirement a year ago this past November 1st. After that, a succession of events occured: I had to put one of my cats down, parted ways with my agent, practically destroyed my computer by dribbling Diet Coke all over it, then fell and aggravated an old fracture in my foot, just to name a few of the struggles I’ve faced the past twelve months. Yet, now as I look back, I can say that God was faithful through it all and remains so today.
He has blessed me with more time to write, and I’ve sold a couple things. I have had time to serve my church and my community as a volunteer. I’ve learned to budget, not because I want to so much as because I have to. And, most of all, I’ve learned how much I need to depend on God each and every day of my life.
As I look forward to the next year, I can honestly say I’m excited to see what God has in store for me. As for writing, I have my goals in place: Finish my rewrite of Murder for Breakfast by January 1 and have a proposal good to go for Shiloh Legacy by February 1.
Job 19:23 says, “Oh that my words were written. Oh that they were inscribed in a book!” (NASV) I have claimed that verse for a couple years now. It occurred to me the other day that God did grant me that desire when His Forever came out. My words are inscribed in a book already! Maybe this coming year will be the year I see them inscribed on all the pages of a book. If God wills it, it will happen. For that I’m eternally thankful! He can be trusted!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Check Out Kristin Billerbeck's Latest -- Good Holiday Reading!
Kristin has a knack for writing chick-lit. In fact, she was one of the pioneers in getting Christian lit books into the marketplace! I've not had a chance to read this one, but knowing Kristin and having read some of her other books, I don't think you'll be disappointed! This book is from her Spa Girls series.Here's a blurb about the book:
The third novel in the Spa Girls Series focuses on Silicon Valley chiropractor Poppy Clayton, who is as calm, cool and adjusted as they come. Or is she? Known for her bad fashion sense, a love for all things natural and the inability to get a second date, Poppy is beginning to wonder if she might be misaligned herself. Her route to self discovery will be an unnatural one - a plastic surgeon, a dilapidated house in Santa Cruz, a flirtatious client, and a blind date from the dark side.
It's all enough to send a girl - and her gal pals - running for the comfort zone of their spa.
So, if you want something to read that's fun with Truth woven in, head out and get yourself a copy of Calm, Cool & Adjusted.
Here's a link for ordering it: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1591453305
You can read more about Kristin at her website:
http://www.kristinbillerbeck.com/
2 comments:
Well, there's not much money in Thanksgiving. That's the bottom line.
Greed taints alot of things.
Well, dreamspinner said it all, the "greed factor" will always win out in a worldly, materialistic society. People are looking for something to fill that emptiness inside them, where Jesus needs to be, and marketing/advertising companies across the country are right there, filling that emptiness with the empty things of the world. I hadn't really thought about how Thanksgiving really does get pushed out of the way and then begins the rush of customers fighting over the latest Elmo or Playstation, and sleeping outside waiting for stores to open. Is there time for Thanksgiving, let alone Jesus amid all this insanity? As Christians, I am glad that we can see beyond that glitz and allure and know why we celebrate. If only the marketing departments could sell the idea of the real meaning of Christmas.
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