Yes, We All Make A Difference, No Matter What

Yesterday was a very down day for me. I felt more down than I have in a very long time. It was a day where I very prone to tears and wondered if I have really made a difference in the world. I know, I know, I'm always talking of being positive and recognizing your worth, but even I have moments when I feel down and wonder if I'm contributing anything of value, if I'm being a good enough wife, a good enough mother, and a good enough daughter of God.

It's so easy to feel overwhelmed these days. Mix that with worry and an emotional hormone surge and it's not pretty.

But at the end of the day I began again to remember what's important, why I'm here. And I felt better. I reminded myself that we all have days, and moments. When those times do come, if we could just remember we aren't alone, and the sorrow won't last forever, we will begin to be all right.

Suggested Reading

Book: Leven Thumps and the Ruins of Alder
Author: Obert Skye

The Book
In the fifth and final volume of the epic saga of Leven Thumps, all of Foo is rushing madly to exit the realm of dreams while Leven is headed in the opposite direction. Fate snatches him to the island of Alder, where he is poised to pass or fail the final test.
Meanwhile, in Reality, Ezra and Dennis are welcoming those flowing out of Foo— but only so they can selfishly conquer them and gain control of both realms. Phoebe is loose, and it takes Geth getting ahold of her to begin to balance the emotions and passions of all that is crumbling. And Winter? Well, Winter just might hold the answer to everything. Ride with Leven and Clover as they travel through the ruins of Alder hoping he has what it takes to save all mankind and restore the power of dreams.

As much as I hated to see this series end, it was indeed a great ending and an exciting and enjoyable read. What's even better is the promise of a spin-off series at the end of the book:-)

Download your free copy of The Journey and Place In This World by clicking on the links to the right!

Book Spotlight: The Ball's In her Court

This past month I had the privilege of reading The Ball's In Her Court by Heather Justesen. When I started reading and discovered what the story was about, I wasn't sure I wanted to finish it because some of what the character goes through in the book, I know a lot about from my own childhood, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

The Book
Growing up in the foster care system was no picnic, but after being adopted into a loving LDS family, playing college basketball, and launching her career in the software industry, Denise Dewalt finally feels as though she s left her former life behind her. What she doesn t realize is that she must confront her past if she ever wants to move on to a brighter future. While her search for her biological family isn t an easy one, Denise s biggest fear is that even when she finds her family, she ll have nothing to give Rich, the only man who can see past the tragedies of her childhood. This emotional and inspirational story proves that life is full of unexpected twists and turns especially when it comes to facing your demons, fighting for love, and finding happiness for the future. The Ball s in Her Court will keep you hooked to the very last page.

Heather really tugs at your heart with this story. It left me uplifted and helped renew my knowledge that with the Lord, there is nothing we can't overcome, and we are all special and loved.
To learn more about Heather and her book, log on to Cedarfort.com

Download your free copy of The Journey and Place In This World by clicking on the links to the right!

Thanksgiving Memories

With the great Turkey Day approaching, I've found myself trying to remember the Thanksgivings of my youth. Sadly, there wasn't a whole lot to remember, at least nothing that really sticks out in my mind.
Sure, there was the traditional turkey dinner at my grandparents' house when family would crawl out of the woodwork and eat their fill, then go back to their respective homes. There was no talk of gratitude or remembrance of sacrifices of family members who had passed on. No memories were made . . .

Until I grew up and had a family of my own.

I truly understand what Thanksgiving is all about now, because I have so much to be thankful for, and I strive to recognize the blessings of each new day. I'm making memories and traditions with my own family. So now when I think of holidays as a kid, I no longer feel like I missed out on anything. I have everything and more, and hopefully my children will have good memories of our family holidays to treasure when they are older. I hope they will look back and feel grateful.
Because that's what Thanksgiving is all about:-)

Suggested Reading

Book: Roots
Author: Alex Haley

The Book

Tracing his ancestry through six generations - slaves and freedmen, farmers and blacksmiths, lawyers and architects - back to Africa, Alex Haley discovered a sixteen-year-old youth, Kunta Kinte. It was this young man, who had been torn from his homeland and in torment and anguish brought to the slave markets of the new world, who held the key to Haley's deep and distant past.

This author's story (both the book and the movie) never gets old. And since I've now been bitten by the genealogy bug, I can't help feeling grateful again to Alex Haley for writing this story and sharing his journey, and instilling the desire in blacks to understand where we came from and trace our roots. Because of my own desire to know my ancestors, I feel a renewed appreciation for them and the trials they faced.
You can find Roots at your local bookstore or Amazon.com

Be sure and download your free copy of The Journey and Place In This World by clicking on the links to the right!

To Thine Own Self Be True

I watch young people a lot and it's sad when I see some of them making poor choices and going against everything they have been taught. It's even sadder when we adults do. That's why it's so important to be true to ourselves-more important than we could ever know.

Here is a neat thought I found on staying true to yourself.

"When you are true to yourself, your mind gets all steeled up. Most importantly, it has nothing to fear, no one to bow to. This is because when you are true to yourself, you always do things that are just and right. And when you do everything fair and square, you have nothing to fear. Thus, being true to your own self makes you fearless.

Being true to yourself gives you a good feel. You look at people and things without prejudice, and do unto them what you feel is right and not what they do unto you. These deeds fill you up with contentment, self-confidence and esteem, which in turn make you hold your head high. You are not just the first amongst equals - you are way too far ahead than being just number one.

When you are true to yourself, you automatically start speaking the truth - all the time. That kind of wins you respect from others - they start looking up to you and cling on to every word you say.

Jim Davis once said, "The truth will set you free, but first it will make you miserable." And he is right. The path to truth is strewn with thorns - but after the initial few steps, these thorns cease to matter - in fact, they are gone with the wind. So, go right ahead and be true to yourself, because truth will not hurt you; it will awaken your soul. Just try it."
Kevin Sinclair

Suggested Reading

Book: Santa Maybe
Author: Aubrey Mace

If you're looking for a fun holiday read, this one is for you. Aubrey was kind enough to answer a few questions for us.

Me: Aubrey, tell us a little about yourself.

Aubrey: I like sunshine, gardening, travel, reading, writing, baking, naps, chocolate, fortune cookies, and spending time with my family. I'm a Leo, but I'm kinda shy and introverted, so I'm the worst Leo ever.

Me: What got you into writing?

Aubrey: Reading is probably what got me into writing, I think. For as long as I can remember, I've been a voracious reader. I remember writing a few little stories in elementary school, but I really started writing short stories in college. It's still such a thrill for me to go into a store and see a book one the shelf with my name on it.

Me: I loved Santa Maybe, and so did my 12 year old daughter. I also think there are a lot of single women out there who can relate to Abbie and would love to have Santa leave them a husband under the tree:-) How did you come up with the story?
Aubrey: There's a lot of me in Santa Maybe. I'm single and I started thinking, wouldn't it be so easy if a man just showed up on my doorstep and saved me the trouble of seeking him out? And then I thought, as great as it sounds, I think it would really throw you for a loop. This is exactly what happens to Abbie, the main character. Her younger sister Grace is always pestering her about why she doesn't date more, so when she comes up with this crazy scheme of Abbie asking Santa for a husband for Christmas, Abbie goes along with it more to humor Grace than anything else. Imagine her shock when she finds a handsome stranger with amnesia under her tree! A tiny part of her is intrigued, but mostly she's in a turmoil because now that she has this seemingly great guy, she's not sure what to do with him. Of course, much hilarity ensues-- it's a really fun story. On a side note, I actually asked Santa for a man one year, but I wasn't as lucky as Abbie. Looking back, I think maybe I should have been less specific-- I asked for Daniel Craig. :)

Me: Ha! You and millions of other women:-) Do you have any other projects in the works?

Aubrey: I am working on a novel about heaven, but unfortunately I'm in the midst of a six-month + stretch of writer's block. I've got about half the novel written, I think, and I even know the ending-- I just can't seem to write it. Hopefully, I'll get back on track soon! This is the longest I've gone without writing something every day for years.

To purchase Santa Maybe, log on to Amazon.com or Cedar Fort.com

Get your free copy of The Journey and Place In This World by clicking on the links to the right!
Also, check out the book trailer for Janette Rallison's YA novel My Fair Godmother!