| Right before your very eyes! |
October 2007 | |
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Dear TwinkleGrammers,
My book tour is winding down (if you're near Harrisburg PA, come see me!) and the trees are shedding their dress clothes. The results of our first ever TwinkleGram Survey Says are in (see below), our next survey is already LIVE, and the holidays are barreling straight at us. (Gasp! -- but there's an offer at the Very End of this TwinkleGram that can help you get started with that!)
But for the next few moments, do nothing but take time to ponder what is right before your very eyes: some thoughts on what's right before your very "eyes."
If you find today's message one you think some of your friends might enjoy or need, feel free to use the FORWARD EMAIL link at the end.
Peace and grins,
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| Today's Message
RECENT THINGS I'VE SEEN--RIGHT BEFORE MY VERY EYES:
*The color marker I'd been looking for mysteriously showed up right in the place I'd already looked--twice. HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN?!
*A sunrise so blazingly beautiful that I stopped to stare at it--even though I was on my way to the bathroom. (Something has to be really something to stop that early morning bathroom jog.)
*Two e-mails from different people, one inviting me to breakfast and the other for a pizza dinner. Both e-mails went unread until it was too late to accept, which I would have certainly done had I known about the invites in a timely timeframe.
After I discovered the breakfast e-mail, I e-mailed my friend back and said something like, "NEXT TIME CALL!" Do people really expect we're just sitting in front of our computers 24/7? WHAT'S WRONG WITH THEM?! Then, in case he was still interested in getting together, I added a PS lunch invitation. Which he didn't read until long after lunch was over.
WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME?!
*While I was working, Kornflake, our big red dog, sauntered up to me, then stood staring at me with adoring eyes, his enthusiastic tail swishingly beautiful, reminding me--yet again--why I adore him. (If you participate in this month's survey you'll get a couple look-sees.)
*I went to the kitchen to turn the burner on under the pot of soup only to discover I'd already long ago (obviously) turned it on, and it was nearly half boiled away. Is this how "We've got to do something about Mom!" begins?
(TO MY SONS: You are only dreaming you're reading this. You will wake up after you log off.)
*I received an envelope in my snail mail containing a beautiful new picture of our granddaughters, and a Halloween greeting from Bridget Ann, the oldest, who is 2.5. She colored the page and mom helped with the greeting. Thank You, Lord, for the sum total of all these rich and grace-filled blessings.
The picture is in my wallet and the drawing is on the fridge where they can appear, again and again, right before my very eyes.
*A flag flying half-mast--in the front yard of home. Lord, hear our prayers!
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THINGS I DID NOT SEE--RIGHT BEFORE MY VERY EYES:
*The dog poop in our yard (and not MY dog's poop)--before I stepped in it.
*The bird that left purple "droppings" all over my car.
*The radiation machine used on my dear friend's brain. Lord, hear our prayers!
*That "missing" color marker the first two times I looked for it. SERIOUSLY, how DOES this happen? (It's not a first.) Do we have invisible gremlins playing tricks on us? Do they live in your house, too?
*The eyes of the readers who send me wonderful, encouraging e-mail notes about my books, including those who've let me know that the prayers of my heroine, Dearest Dorothy, have helped change their prayer lives. SUCH A BLESSING! Oh, how I long to see their eyes, to kiss their cheeks, to hug them for their refreshing breezes of cheerleading grace.
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Ephesians 1:18, 19 - I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.
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My question for you, Dear TwinkleGrammers: What do the eyes of your heart see today? STOP, pray and think about it. |
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TwinkleGram Survey Says
ANNOUNCING: Our first -- ta-dah -- "TWINKLEGRAM SURVEY SAYS" RESULTS! And let me just say that this survey section was POP-U-LAR, which DELIGHTED ME! Let me also just say that my theory--that our favorite season is the one in which we were born--proved not to be true. And that my theory that perhaps if not THE season we were born in, but the one next to it was our fav., turned out to be DUMB, since that only leaves ONE season that wouldn't be our favorite. So, forgive my flawed numerology, or whatever that was. Blame it on estrogen,or lack thereof.
But now, here are the results! And THANK YOU to everyone who participated. I read every single word you wrote, and they either made me laugh, smile, tear up or say RIGHT ON! Bless you. And don't forget, the new survey is launched. This week I'm curious about How We Sleep.- - - - - - - -
FAVORITE SEASON: FALL!
LANDSLIDE of 64 percent! (160 people participated)
Vote recap and a few reasons why:
Fall - 64%
"color, warmth, brisk, clear, frosty, misty, crisp, crunchy, sweet, leaves, slow down, soups, sweaters, long walks, snow on the peaks, guilt free sleeping in, tea, backpacking on quiet trails, observable change, "getting ready", bluebird days, corduroys, football games, back to school, hairy legs, secret dark mornings"
"Mine is fall because up north it is beautiful. I was born and raised in Baton Rouge, La., but spent 10 years up in Charlotte, NC. I saw a lot of the northeast, and it was just so pretty. When we moved back down to Denham Springs (just east of Baton Rouge)I got real depressed when we didn't have the change in leaves. But we do get it, I realize: in mid December. But not nearly as pretty. *sigh* If it wasn't for family and boiled crawfish, I'd move back!!!"
"Fall is when the air feels so cool and crisp.. at least it did in Oklahoma where i was born. Now in Florida I still wait for those cooler temperatures...also, as a teacher I love school...and meeting new friends, the excitement of learning and teaching. To me January and New Year's is a "do over," but fall is when you begin again by learning!"
"Spring was a time we could throw off our shoes and start running outside with out all the coats, overshoes etc that were needed in Iowa! Spring is when the baby lambs were born and we would get to feed the orphans or triplets with pop bottles with nipples on them.Time for the tadpoles to show up in the creek, we captured some just to watch them "Sprout" their legs and then let them go again. Baby Chicks and all the fun things on the farm that I no longer get to experience as a cityslicker!"
"I love the fresh, clean scent of the air and seeing the trees "wake up" after their long winter naps. That first tinge of green as one looks at a woods in the distance brings a thrill to my heart. I look forward to "our" hummingbirds return and knowing that if we don't get the feeder out when we should, the birds will come looking in the sliding door asking, "Where's our nectar?" The temperature always feels good - even when it's in the 60s, it feels warm after the cold of winter. Renewal."
"Mine is summer cuz "some like it hot" and that's me! I like shorts, skirts, and cute little tops with spaghetti straps, sandals and pedicures!"
"I love to swim, and we have a swimming pool at home. I love to float in the sun and read, read, read (and sometimes nap). I also enjoy sitting on the deck in the evening reading the paper and doing the crossword."
"My husband and I do Santa and Mrs. Claus. We call this our Little Old Elf Ministry. When we visit a child in their home or they come to visit us downtown, we never fail to tell them what Christmas is really about. We tell them Santa is Love and that is a symbol of the Love Christ has for all of us. We also tell them Santa is not always with them, but Jesus is with them wherever they are all the time. I love the beautiful decorations and celebrations of the Christmas season."
"Winter is my favorite season because it's so simple. You can listen and hear nothing, it's quiet! And cold is much better than heat, as the old saying goes you can always put more clothes on but you can only take so many off."
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Now, since it's time to start cozying in AND I'm looking to buy a new bed and bedding, this month's survey regards How We Sleep. Jump in and HAVE FUN! |
 BUNCO PLAYERS
UNITE
Did you know there's a bunco club in Partonville, my fictional town in the Dearest Dorothy series? Or that there's an official site where YOUR club can start it's own Bunco blog, and that you can read the blogs of other Bunco clubs?
Did you know Bunco is now an officially registered trademarked word? Curious about the history of Bunco? Then click your way through all the links in this section! | |
| Start Your Christmas Shopping EARLY!
or buy for yourself and a friend.  
 How exciting! I recently received a copy of my book "365 Ways to Connect With Your Kids" ... which was translated into Vietnamese! Receiving the book was the first I knew about such a remarkable joy.
So, to celebrate, I've decided to offer the ENGLISH version (to the right--duh!) as a two-for-one. The book originally sold for $15, but I'm herewith offering autographed copies TWO for $15 plus $3 S&H (+ tax if you live in Illinois).
TWINKLEGRAMMERS ONLY: $15.00 (for TWO books) plus $3.00 S&H (+ tax if you live in Illinois), direct to your DOOR!
365 Ways to Connect With Your Kids is a book of exactly that: 365 moments of "connection" (rather than simply "communicating" or "carpooling" etc.), and, in a few cases, disconnected look-sees. You can read the table of contents, excerpts and more by going to this Amazon site . But to order this special, click on the above BUY NOW button.
***ALL ORDERS WILL BE SHIPPED BEFORE THANKSGIVING and all orders must be placed by November 15th.***
TO ORDER the 365 Two-for-one: Just click the "BUY NOW" button near the English cover. If you are a registered PayPal member, you'll know what to do from there. If not, you simply register with PayPal (simple, quick process) and you'll be offered a choice as to how to pay--which includes all credit cards.
Click the "BUY NOW" icon to place your order for two autographed books, direct to your mailbox! If you'd like more than two (say you want six), change the quantity (remember, though, each (1)=two) and "Update Totals" before continuing.
[NOTE: If you receive the TwinkleGram as "text only," the "BUY NOW" either a) does not appear, or b) does not appear where you think it might. Please e-mail me for further instruction if you're lost. And by the way, if you'd LIKE to receive the TG in its full living color, click on the "update profile" link below and switch that option to html.
SUBLIMINAL MESSAGE - 365 Ways was previously translated into Arabic, Turkish and Japanese, too. How can you resist?! | |
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