Window Over The Sink

What if the key to abundance isn’t giving more—but giving in balance? We’ve been taught that it’s more blessed to give than to receive. But what if receiving is just as sacred as giving? And what if the two were never meant to exist apart? The Giving on Purpose journal invites you to explore the powerful, often misunderstood connection between giving and receiving. If you’ve ever felt like you give endlessly—your time, love, energy, or resources—yet struggle to receive in ret

...the days that were 'wasted’ are the ones to regret the most.

by Sherri Easley I recently learned there is an actual word for something I’ve been doing my entire life. It’s called pebbling.  Apparently, penguins will offer small stones to one another as a sign of affection. It’s their way of saying I choose you, I like you, you matter, and possibly, let’s build a life together and raise little penguin babies who waddle dramatically into the sunset. And when I read about this, I had one immediate thought: Oh, no. I’m a penguin. Not the c

by Jana Richards I’ve populated the three books of the Twice in a Lifetime series with a bevy of secondary characters. But even though they’re labeled as secondary, I like to believe they are interesting, fully formed individuals who have important contributions to make to the stories being told. Take, for instance, Ellen Arnason. She’s the mother of Gabriel Daniels, the series’ main character. Ellen is vibrant, creative and a little eccentric. She’s also bipolar, and though

I'd been in a bit of writer quicksand. Several books that are works in progress got stuck in the messy middle. I needed a palette cleanser. What to do?

My long-gone, full-service Nana had given me all the tools I needed. I re-packed the letters, started to write, and thanks to Nana, I never stopped.

Nan and Me Friend and Tule author extraordinaire Nan Reinhardt and I have visited each other's blogs so often, we've kind of run out of ways to say, "Hey, over here! Look at me!" every time we fill in for a no-show guest or release a new book. This time, we decided to go with an interview. I think her answers are fun. And, after the interview, check out her new book!   1.   What is your favorite thing about yourself? And your least favorite? Hmmm… I think my favorite thing ab

by Darlene Fredette   Some readers may remember Secret Recipe’s earlier incarnations: Nothing to Lose  and A Recipe for Forever . Both versions were heartfelt romances about a girl down on her luck, searching for love and a fresh start. I adored the core of that story, but something in my gut kept whispering that Jess deserved more. More depth. More secrets simmering beneath the surface. So, when I regained the rights to the book, I finally had the freedom to explore that ins

An interview with Author Karina Bartow 1.   What is your favorite thing about yourself? And your least favorite? My favorite thing is that I can usually have a genuine laugh once a day, at least, through thick and thin. It makes life a lot more pleasant to find humor in various matters. My least favorite thing is I don't have a poker face, which makes it difficult to—obviously—play poker, pull off a surprise, or handle conflict well. I’d much rather laugh, if the circumstance

by Darlene Fredette Why we fall in love with book series…and why we never want them to end. A standalone novel can sweep you away for a few hours, but a series gives you a deeper connection. There’s something magical about opening the first book in a series. You think you’re stepping into a story, but before long, you realize you’ve stepped into a world. A well-crafted series doesn’t just entertain. It invites you to stay awhile. Welcome to Redford Falls My own series, Redfor

by Debra Jo Myers Winter. Many people love the beauty of snow falling, while others dread it thinking about shoveling or driving in it. We’ve had measurable snow already this winter, I thought it was a good time to talk about the wonder of snowflakes. Snowflakes are intricate and unique displaying stunning geometric patterns creating delicate works of art. You can find them in a variety of shapes, depending on the temperature they encounter falling through the atmosphere. No

by Cathy Shouse Since it’s the day after Christmas, I thought it would be fun to talk about toys, both the ones we were given and those we have given. I got the idea from a blog post I read recently. It made me think about toys in a new way. My family always made Christmas morning fun, and toys were a huge part of the excitement. We got “Santa” toys that were not wrapped every year. I’m thinking now the sacrifices they might have made to do that for three kids. I researched

by M. J. Schiller Hi! Reading all the posts from Liz’s Christmas guests has made me nostalgic for my days of Christmas Past. Usually, the day after Thanksgiving I’d begin decorating the house. We had a party every year in the first or second week of December, so everything needed to be in its proper place. Next would come the baking. I could never decide on what cookies to bake, so I’d end up with anywhere from 10-15 different kinds. This year, without the kids at home, I’ve

by Tanya Agler Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! I remember my grandmother’s house at Christmastime. The tree had silver garland with an angel on top, the nut rolls were fresh out of the oven and sprinkled with powdered sugar, and the train layout took up almost the entire Florida room. My grandmother loved model trains and every year, she’d set up her model HO scale railroad on a layout with houses and businesses set up as a small town. There was a church, city hall, and a

by Margie Senechal I have come to the conclusion that baking is my love language--which is why I was late getting this post to Liz in time to get it posted. Okay, back to me and baking. Just for the record, I'm not a happy cook and consider it my nemesis that I have to conquer a few times a week in order to feed my family.  But, baking--   As the daughter of a professional cook and baker, you'd think I would've garnered many a tip. And you'd be wrong. My dad was an instinctua

by Debra Jo Myers Having just wrapped up a fabulous theater run at Ole Olsen Memorial Theatre portraying Sue in Heck the Dolls with Chardonnay , my own holiday memories have been on overload. For those who didn’t see the play, it centered around a character, Grandma Sue, sharing memories of holidays gone by with her granddaughter. Each one is portrayed in a flashback featuring a younger Sue. That’s the part I played. Reliving Sue’s memories sent me into my own holiday reminis

by Corinna Lawson Christmas is bittersweet. It’s a time for reflection of how the year has gone. It’s also a time for traditions that tend to remind us of times past, not always for the good.   That’s why It’s a Wonderful Life  is my favorite Christmas movie.   George Bailey is hanging on by his figurative fingertips. Nothing has gone as planned for his life. Twice he’s pulled back by responsibilities from his plans to escape the confines of Bedford Falls while others move on

by Jennifer Wilck As Hanukkah rolls around this year, I find that I’m focusing on the idea of light. Specifically, lighting up a world that seems increasingly dark. For eight nights, my family and I will light our nine-branched candelabra, the menorah, increasing the candles by one each night until all eight (and the helper candle) are lit on the last night. That last night is my favorite night of all. In a darkened room with only the glow of the menorah, we are bathed in lig

by Jan Scarbrough   Why do we run ourselves ragged before the Christmas holidays? Why do we shop until we drop? Decorate the house inside and out? Fret over new Elf on the Shelf locations? Because we have wonderful Christmas memories of our own childhood—family gatherings at grandmother’s house, toys from Santa under the tree, church pageants and choir concerts, and volunteers at red kettles ringing bells in the cold. My cousin recently posted an old home video on Facebook an

by Susie Black While almost everyone is familiar with the story of Christmas, Hanukkah, or the Jewish Festival of Lights, is a much lesser-known holiday whose history goes back to well before the birth of Christ. Like most holidays, Hanukkah is steeped in tradition and is celebrated with special foods and events. Hanukkah commemorates a successful rebellion and is a joyous celebration of bravery, miracles, fighting for one’s beliefs, and overcoming the challenges of overwhelm