It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...finally! After an incredibly mild November and December here in southwest Montana, winter has finally descended. Its bitter cold outside, but inside its toasty warm and I'm loving that. Especially on those windy days this area is famous for!

 

We're celebrating a simpler Christmas this year, light on the decorations and heavy on the memories. Last weekend Josh and I enjoyed a trip back in time. About a hundred and fifty years to be exact! Just down the road lie two towns rich in Montana history. Virginia City used to be Montana's capitol after gold was discovered there in 1863. Over 10,000 people lived on the banks of Alder Gulch, but the boom didn't last and people moved on. The town still remains, however, a "living ghost town" filled with rich history and lore.
           

Our favorite stop was at the Virginia City Artisans. The store is incredibly quaint and their handiwork beautiful, but it was the cookies and hot cocoa outside around a campfire that captured Joshie's heart! The really cute puppy didn't hurt either. J After touring a few of the open gift stores, we drove a mile down the road to where Nevada City has been restored with rescued buildings from around Montana. That is where our Christmas adventure began!
           

Volunteers in costume populated the town, complete with a sheriff and postmistress. The General Store offered a chance to bake sugar cookies in a wood stove and we made ornaments at the jail. But our favorite part was the hayride and caroling as the horses trotted around town.
           

The trail boss - okay, so that is so not his title, but I have no idea what to call him...the hay ride driver??? - told us about the history of the valley and we had fun asking about their lives as the characters they portrayed. We sipped apple cider and tried bannock bread (a pan-fried type of cornbread) and Josh gave his letter to Santa to the postmistress.
           

We aren't into Santa at our house, but last Saturday, he was the highlight of our outing. Coming into town on the "stage" just before dusk, the Nevada City version was a gentle, slimmer Old Nick. A quick hug and a candy cane was all we needed and we were off...back over the mountains to our little town and a cozy night at home stringing cranberries and popcorn for our tree. 
           

Simplicity. I'm really liking it. Not stringing cranberries and popcorn necessarily - that was a lot of work! But the joy that comes with being in a moment rather than spending so much time planning for it or working for hours trying to create it.

 

Sometimes the best stuff just comes to you.

 

 

 

Christmas Blessings!
 

All the best to you and your family.

My spring calendar is wide open this year as I work on my new book. Speaking of which, I'd really appreciate your continued prayers. I need a breakthrough on the writing front. My deadline came and went without a lot of progress on the book because of all the changes in our lives. It was a hard day.

 

I'm not like the famous author who once commented, "I love the sound deadlines make as they go whooshing by." Missing the promised date bummed me out pretty good. But my publisher has been very gracious, so we forge on!

 

My assistant Amy and I have been working with a design firm on my website and hope to launch sometime in the spring. We'll give you a heads up so you can check it out when it arrives at www.joannaweaverbooks.com. Meantime, I'd love to have you come by and visit my blog at www.joannnaweaver.blogspot.com. My assistant, Amy, does her best to keep it active despite her spacey client, namely me! Thank you, Amy!

SPEAKING NEWS
 A special shout out to all the incredible women I had the chance to meet last year at conferences and retreats all around the country and even the world!!
 

February found me in Lethridge, Canada and then in Los Cabos, Mexico with my college roommate and her wonderful church. Then two weeks later, my sister Linda, daughter Jessica and I flew to Hong Kong for a conference at an international school there. What an amazing time! A week later, we were in Shanghai for another conference and more wonderful ex-patriates (English speaking women living abroad).
 

Quite the whirlwind tour for my first foray into international speaking! Three countries in the space of five weeks!

 

But the rest of the year was just as special. Thank you so much to the following churches for the privilege of speaking to their ladies. I am humbled and blessed.

- Bigfork Chapel - Bigfork, MT
- Lethbridge Evangelical Free - Lethbridge, Canada
- Rocky Mountain District Assemblies of God Ministry Women
- Maranatha Summer Breakaway - Muskegon, MI
- Mount Hermon Women's Conference - Mount Hermon, CA
- North Dakota Assemblies of God Women's Conference - Mandan, ND
- Roswell United Methodist - Roswell, GA
- Chapelwood United Methodist - Houston, TX
- Wisconsin Wesleyan Women - Rothschild, WI

SPEAKING SCHEDULE
 
As I mentioned, I've left much of spring 09 open for writing, but here are the dates for the upcoming year. If the Lord brings me to mind, I'd sure appreciate your prayers. I'm convinced nothing of any eternal importance happens that is not birthed in prayer. It is a blessing to have many of you praying for these events.

 

April 17-18  First Baptist - Athens, Alabama
 
September 25-26  United Methodist Church - Shrevesport, LA

October 23-24  Soul Sanctuary - Winnipeg, MB - Canada

November 5-7  New England Assemblies of God - Bartlett, NH

November 12-14 New England Assemblies of God - Bartlett, NH

I love the blank slate a new year brings. A new start, a new chance to become all that God wants us to be. I pray that you have a blessed Christmas, but even more that your New Year be filled with the joy that only comes from the sweet presence of Christ.

Becoming His,

Joanna