Fruit from the Tree

I’m a klutz-a big one! That’s probably no surprise to any of you who have seen me fall, trip and walk into doors and walls. But, I come by it naturally. You know the old saying; “Fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree.” So who did I take this wonderful ability from? My late Papaw.

Papaw was doing something klutzy all the time. One day he was driving through his fields to check on his cows when he drove his old farm truck into a trench. The trench was so deep that his truck was almost straight up and the back wheels were high off the ground.

Papaw had a pin in his femur from another accident he had a few years earlier and he couldn’t walk as well as he used to. He still had to climb out of his truck and walk across the fields to get back to the road to get back home. It was a long walk and he didn’t have his cane.

My mother had come by to check on my grandparents and Mamaw was worried that Papaw hadn’t got back yet. So my mother got in her car and drove down the road. She found Papaw struggling as he walked up the road. Mom picked him up and drove him home. He was visibly shaken and didn’t know how he had gotten out of his truck or walked as far as he did without his cane. My mother’s answer was elegant and simple, “Daddy, you didn’t walk alone.”

“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, [a] I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4 (NIV).
Papaw made it without his cane since God was walking with him and He had his rod and staff. Whether we realize it or not, God is always with us and ready to give us comfort. There is no need for us to fear, even if we drive our vehicles in a trench.

Dream A Little Dream

     I'm doing something a little different with my blog.  I write an on line article for The Christian On-Line Magazine, and I have just finished a series on sleeping and dreaming.  We have learned many interesting things about these two processes.
  
I'm going to review my dream that started all of this.  I love to watch the movie, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian.  In my dream, I was in the Kroger produce section and I  battled the Pharaoh Kahmunrah there.  I threw heads of lettuce at him.  In case you've never seen the movie, Pharaoh Kahmunrah was a bad guy who wanted to take over the world.

Did watching the movie alone make me dream this? Yes and no.  My subconscious used the Pharaoh as a representation of a something I deem as problem. My weapons of choice, heads of lettuce, were useless against him.  Why?  Whatever problem I am facing, my subconscious knows I am not handling it as I need to. For the rest of my dream, the Pharaoh and his henchmen chased me.  Which also represents my denial of the problem.

God gave us dreams for a reason.  We can use them to help figure out what is bothering us.  To do so, keep a dream journal handy and write your dreams down as soon as you wake up.  Look them over and see if you see a common theme running through them.  Your finding may be surprising!

Please feel free to share some of your dreams or your thoughts on dreaming in the comment section.  If you are comfortable with me sharing on my blog, just let me know.

Sitting on the Bench

I’m sure many of you know by now I’m an old tomboy.   I played softball for years and I still have some battle scars to prove it. What battle scars?  There’s a few, but the biggest are my knees.  They are shot, or as my doctor said, “Traumatized.”  Over the years, I’ve had people say to me, “I bet you would have done things differently if you had realized the damage you were doing to yourself.”  To which I respond, “No way!”

I love how people are so surprised by my response.  Their eyes get big or their mouths drop open.  Then I get a “But why?”  My answer, “Because I played to win and I put my all, my best into a game.  Otherwise, I might as well have been sitting on the bench!”

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” Colossians 3:23(NIV)

What difference are you going to make for the kingdom of God if you don’t pour your heart and soul into what you are doing? What impression are you making on others?  Do you whine and fuss as you work to or do you praise God and do your best?  You might be surprised at who is watching you as you go about your work.

Bella's Back!

Enjoy this fun interview with author Janice Thompson, where she shares the story-behind-the-story regarding Bella’s return.

Janice, welcome! I’m really enjoyed the Weddings by Bella series and am excited to read the spin-off series.
1. Can you tell us more about why you decided to write it? Sure! (Thanks for hosting me, by the way!) When I wrote
Fools Rush In (book one in the Weddings by Bella series) I knew I had something special on my hands. The characters really resonated with me, but there was more. I felt as if I’d created a world of real, wonderful, wacky people. Sure, I’d breathed life into them on the page, but they seemed to take it from there, springing to life and moving the story forward as they willed. I wrapped up the series with Swinging on a Star and It Had to be You, but my readers weren’t satisfied! At least once a week I got a letter from a fan saying, “Are there more? Please keep this story going!” I sent several of those letters to my editor, and before long she agreed that we should, indeed, keep the story going! That’s how the Weddings by Design story began. I’m so relieved to have more to offer. Since Fools Rush In went free on kindle, it has been downloaded nearly 300,000 times. Crazy! So, I have many, many new readers, aching for more!
2. How are these stories similar to the novels in the Weddings by Bella series? This is a wedding-themed series, just like the first, and loaded with fun, quirky mishaps on the way to the altar! Readers will experience the same “feel” of Galveston Island and my ever-present humor, which drives the stories forward. I truly hope that readers pick up the first book in this new series and sigh with relief as they catch up with their favorite characters from the last series: Bella, D.J., Aunt Rosa, Uncle Laz, the three ladies from Splendora, Brock Benson, and so on. Here’s what the publisher had to say about the new series: “With her contagious humor and cast of quirky characters, Janice Thompson gives readers more of the bridal business drama they want in a brand-new series all about those long-suffering people who make beautiful weddings happen. Readers are desperately waiting for more of Bella and this new series brings her back in a big way, while introducing new characters fans will love. Fans will laugh out loud as they experience this breezy and entertaining novel from a great storyteller.”
　
3. What sets this new series apart from the last one?The
Weddings by Design novels are told from the point of view of new characters. Book one, Picture Perfect, is about a wedding photographer named Hannah. Book two, The Icing on the Cake, is about a wedding cake designer named Scarlet. Book three, The Dream Dress, is about a dress designer named Gabi. Book four (yet unpublished) is about a wedding florist named Gina. Each of these ladies longs to work with the most fabulous wedding coordinator on the island—Bella (Rossi) Neeley, so everything loops back to Club Wed, just like the first series.
4. When does the new series release? Book one,
Picture Perfect, is already available on amazon. The kindle version will be ready for download on February 15^th. (Happy Valentine’s Day, y’all!) I received my author copies last week, so autographed copies are available for purchase ($12) if readers are interested in that. They can email me at booksbyjanice@aol.com for more information.
5. Can you tell us about Picture Perfect, the first book in the series? Ooo, I’d love to! The synopsis should answer any questions:
She’s trying to focus on her future. How can one man make everything feel so . . . fuzzy?
Hannah McDermott has a successful photography studio. She’ll soon be featured in Texas Bride magazine. And she has a celebrity client whose Galveston ceremony will be her ticket to the top spot on wedding coordinator Bella Neeley’s list of recommended photographers. But it could all come crashing down around her because of one man: archrival and photographer extraordinaire Drew Kincaid.
As the competition between Hannah and Drew heats up, Hannah is surprised to find that it’s not the only thing getting more intense. She can’t get the handsome man out of her thoughts-or even out of her line of sight-and the job of her dreams is turning into a nightmare. Will everything she’s worked for slip out of her hands? And can she see past her pride to find a picture-perfect love?
6. How is the new series doing with readers so far? Great! Folks who’ve read the book have already contacted me to say they love it! I’m also thrilled that Picture Perfect got a great Romantic Times review. . .four stars! Here’s what the reviewer had to say:
"Fans of romantic comedies are in for a treat just in time for Valentine’s Day. Book one in the Weddings by Design series does not disappoint! Funny one-liners and absolutely lovable characters combine with just enough romantic tension to keep the pages turning at a brisk pace — but readers will want to slow down to savor this one."
7. How are you kicking off the new series? I’m hosting an online party! I’m calling this my “Bing & Bob” party and it will be held on the night of February 18^th at 7:00 p.m. central time. These two funny fellas hold a special place in the heart of my characters and they will provide the entertainment at our gathering! This fun, interactive party will take place inside the “Bella’s Back” group on facebook. Join me for an interactive chat, video teasers, Bing Crosby music and giveaways! Some lucky reader/participant will win a free kindle fire! To be entered, you must join the Bella’s Back facebook group and attend the party. (i.e. “Must be present when your named is called.”) For more information about the party, check out this
video invitation.
8. Can you share a little bit from the novel?

Prologue

Going My Way

May your troubles be as few and as far apart as my grandmother’s teeth.

Irish proverb

My life has been a series of almosts.
Take, for instance, the time I almost made the cheerleading squad in high school but lost out to my archnemesis, Jacquie Practically-Perfect-in-Every-Way Goldfarb. Then there was the time Matt Hudson, the hunkiest football player at my high school, almost asked me to the prom but ended up going with Jacquie instead. Oh, and we can’t forget the time I almost got a photographer’s dream job, shooting superstar Brock Benson’s wedding. Yep. Another almost. That time, the opportunity of a lifetime slipped through my fingers and into the open palms of my chief competitor, Drew Kincaid of Kincaid Photography.
Some people are haunted by memories of things they’ve done. Me? I’m haunted by all of the things I nearly accomplished but missed by a quarter of an inch. That’s why, when faced with yet another unbelievable opportunity—a profile piece in Texas Bride magazine to promote my new Galveston-based photography business—I couldn’t blow it. No more almosts for me. This time I would hit the finish line a winner. My meeting with the Texas Bride reporter would transform my career and propel me into the limelight, winning me the favor of the island’s top wedding planner, Bella Neeley. If I could just keep from messing it up.
Oh, but this time I wouldn’t! In fact, I could almost hear my Grandpa Aengus cheering me on from the great beyond: “Hannah Grace, if you’re lucky enough to be Irish, then you’re lucky enough.”
I didn’t happen to believe in luck, but if being Irish meant I stood a better chance at succeeding in business, I would embrace my heritage as never before. I would bathe with Irish Spring soap, dress in the vibrant colors of the family crest, skip through fields of shamrocks, and listen to my father’s nightly tales of Clan McDermott’s glory days. And I would do it all with a smile on my face and confidence in my stride.
From his mansion up in heaven, Grandpa Aengus smiled down on me, his gold-capped front tooth gleaming like the precious stones in the pearly gate. I could sense his pleasure as I made up my mind to do the McDermotts proud. Like my warring ancestors of yesteryear, I would fight to the finish, wielding my bloody sword—er, my two-thousand-dollar digital camera with stellar resolution and optical zoom—until I took the prize. I would come out a victor in the end, or make a fool of myself trying.
Either way, I wouldn’t go down without a fight. A true McDermott never did.
Thanks for visiting with us, Janice! Looking forward to the new series!STAY CONNECTED WITH THE AUTHOR: Visit Janice’s WebsiteConnect with Janice on FacebookJoin the “Bella’s Back” Facebook groupWatch the Bing & Bob party
video invitationCheck out the Bella’s Back Video on youtubeRead Fools Rush In (the first Bella book) for free on your kindle

Birthday Blog!

Today (Feb 6) is my birthday. I wasn’t going to say anything about it, but I changed my mind. I thought I would have some fun with it.

Take it from me, getting closer to 50 is no easy feat.
But I refuse to be stuck in my seat.
                                                                               
Even though I have more aches and pains than ever before 
I’m so thankful for things I don’t have to worry about anymore

Whether somebody likes me or not, over this I will no longer lose sleep 
I know who my true friends are and those dear ones I will keep.

No longer do I cry over my complexion as when I used to break out 
And over me, my monthly visitor has lost all of his clout!

I no longer get as cold and shiver as I used to
This new heat is wonderful through and through

I no longer worry about every hair being in place. 
All I need is the approval on my loving husband’s face

So take it from me, there are many advantages to my age 
I was around when good rock music was still the rage



Have a fun and blessed day you all!!

This is a picture of me and my future husband Tim on my 18th birthday!

Cannon Ball

I don’t know about you, but I love to jump in the pool!  Headfirst or cannon ball, it doesn’t matter as long as I get wet!  Whoo-Hoo!!!  But my mother is a different story.

Like many, many other people, my mother has a fear of the water. She is so terrified of it that she doesn’t’ like to get water too deep in her bath tub.  I’m not joking.  When we go to the pool, she stands in the shallow end and splashes herself with one hand while she clings to the side of the pool for dear life with the other.  And small children are swimming and playing around her.

“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7(NIV)

We all have fears.  It’s a part of being human, but it doesn’t have to a part of being a Christian. As Christians, God empowers us with the Holy Spirit to do His work.  It’s ours to claim.  Don’t let your earthly fears and doubts stop you or hold you back.  Instead, jump in with all you’ve got.  “CANNON BALL!”

Fried Chicken

I don’t know about other places, but here in the southeast, fried chicken is a staple.  Of course with all the health conscious people around nowadays, baked and grilled chicken are coming on strong.  And I love those as well, but when I was growing up, there was one occasion where we always had fried chicken.  Birthdays? Nope.  Anniversaries? Nope. Weddings? Nope.  When the preacher came over to eat? YES!!!

When the preacher and his family came over to my grandparent’s house to eat, nothing was held back.  Their table was covered in food, which included a couple of platters loaded with fried chicken!!  Great memories!  Great fried chicken!  We all couldn’t wait for the preacher to say, “Amen” so we could dig in.  But I realized something as I grew older.  The only time we prayed over our food was when the preacher was visiting.

       “Pray without ceasing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NKJV)

It’s a short verse that is packed with so much. We are to be in continuous prayer.  Easier said than done?  Maybe, maybe not.  Praying should be a joyous habit and not a task that we do just when we’re around other Christians or we are in church.  The more we do it, the more it will become like a second nature.  I’m going to do one right now for each one of you.  “Dear Lord, please bless each person reading this blog with the peace and joy only you can give.  And, please bless them with a piece of southern fried chicken. Amen.”