I am thankful for a lot of things this Thanksgiving, but it came and went so fast that my head spun. It's the Sunday afterward, heading into Dec, and Christmas. I've been so glad that I made it and could enjoy another holiday with my family. I was sick most of the year and in the hospital five different times.
I learned a lesson as a writer. PACE YOURSELF, I had become over-baked in my writing and I burnt up early in 2013. I had to stop and make some clear choices about where I was headed.
Was getting a book close to my heart published, worth the risk of continued personal verbal abuse in the editing process? I think not and when I reflect, I realize what happened. I was so eager that I overlooked some vital elements to book publishing and communication.
If you are with someone who isn't an encourager and you begin to second guess yourself as a writer then it's time to change direction, even if it means that you need to wipe your feet and find another home for your project. I want to make it clear that I'm not a person who needs constant attention and hand holding but neither do I need to be raked over burning coals and line up for the whipping post or even roll over for others. We as writers have plenty of that from the world.Yes, I am thick skinned but not to the point of being skinned. That's where I put my foot down and that's where we all need to make better choices.
The experience hurt deeply, I trusted this person, but attack on a personal level is never right. I did learn and I am praising the Lord for this experience. It was painful and humbling. I had to backtrack and the stress did land me in the hospital. I took it hard and personally but I'm a better writer and person for it now so I'm full of Joy going into the Christmas Season. I feel free to write again and I feel free to stick my tongue out to catch snowflakes. Oh...did I mention I wrote another novel in July? It's called The Christmas Needle. I had a blast doing the research for it, a historical romance.
I have a great schedule for book signing in December. They will be on Military Bases and a Coffee Shop in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. Look for the schedule on my website and Facebook. www.pauletteharris.com
May the Magic and Love of Christ be with each of you wonderful writers this Christmas and may you be richly blessed. Take the time with Jesus at the waterfalls of life and be refreshed as you move into the most wonderful time of the year. Hugs in Christ.
Thanks
What are we thankful for this Thanksgiving? Can we make a personal list of the different things that have challenged us to grow? Can we get up and dust ourselves off of all the disappointment and negative things that have happened or remember and embrace the positive things?
Lord help us to continue to look onward and upward to that mark of high calling that’s in our hearts. Thank you for the mental, emotional, can spiritual help that you give us to help us to grow.
Thank you for the valleys and mountain peaks in our lives, they bring us closer to you and help us to walk deeper in our faith.
What?
What? Christmastime, but we’re not ready! The season came too fast for some of us.
God help us to not only climb but to stop and seek your face. Use us for your Glory and minister to our fellow man, especially this time of year when some of us get so busy. Help us to use our time wisely remembering that creating love memories is important to your heart as we carry our beliefs to the next generation.
Thank you Lord for the parents you gave to us. They gave us their best gifts they had by introducing us to Jesus and teaching us about faith and some of the fruits offered to us. Now we understand our parents were not perfect. They are being perfected in Jesus Christ, just as we are. They are human too Lord so we learn to forgive them and ourselves for mistakes past, present, and future. Especially our shortcomings. Help us to remember that our time on earth is full of love and forgiveness. Give us the gift of mercy and patience this special season. Thank you too Father for the examples of love you give to each of us.
Christmas Trees
When we lived in California there was a Christmas Tree Farm down the winding road from our home. Everyday we drove past it on our way to work. We noticed all different sizes, colors, and species of evergreen trees. They were in various stages of growth as well because the farmer kept replacing those cut trees with seedlings that grew fast. We enjoyed the different intoxicating smells as we past. Christmas grew closer and the snap of colder fog often left a reminder to visit the farm to choose our trees.
Sometimes, I see all of us like seedlings. We are all either ahead or behind each other. Some have matured and are ready to be harvested while some of us need a little more water, fertilizer, sawdust, or sunshine. All year long the farmer takes care of each seedling whether it’s small, medium, or large until they grow back to the Father for His glory. It seems such a long time ago, but the seedlings were protected by the middle sized ones and the larger mature trees in turn protected the middle.
Lord use us to offer a hand up for one another behind to take the next step onward and upward . For those ahead, use us to offer words of encouragement or a drink of water.
Happy Birthday
Happy Birthday Jesus.
May we all be blessed in the lovely name of Jesus Christ. May we think about the past year and all the miracles that have happened. Remind us of all the good things and praise Him. Let’s take a few moments and list them.
God, would you hold fast these faith thoughts in our hearts so we can re-call them in tough moments and when we fall. You promised you’d always be with us and help if we would only come to you. Fill our hearts with love and forgiveness. Help us to get back up and continue to travel with you.
Happy New Year
Happy New Year! Praise God for all of His work in each of us.
It hardly seems that it’s just been a week since Christmas Eve and here we are running headlong into a new year and a new fresh start.
We are thankful for the lessons learned. We climbed mountains to their very peaks and we’ve gone through soothing restful valleys. We’ve even stopped and received refreshing cups of comfort from the quiet streams nearby.
We’ve walked through places where we could never imagine onward and upward toward the mark of the high calling in our lives. You’ve kept us close to your heart and provided us everything we’ve needed and then some. We are a grateful people, even when we whine and complain at times. We thank you too for providing us your body of brothers and sisters to help and support us along the way. Often times being the difficult sheep that we are, you still offer us hope, love, and encouragement through them to keep going.
This New Year, 2019, is a time to work together on being the children You have called us to be.
Many blessings to all of us as we travel the path toward home.
Hope
Lord, show us how we can pray for and encourage one another. Help us to always remember we are not alone. We are made to be social humans and to enjoy each other’s unique abilities in Christ. Forgive us when we are impatient with other people’s growth or maturity. Remind us that we are all “babies” in Jesus many times. We need arms of love, like blankets covering us as we muddle along. Sometimes wondering who and what we are. Where we’ve been and where we are headed.
Help us to draw near to you not only for ourselves, but also fellow travelers. Help us to listen to needs better and replace the coldness in our hearts for the warmth and love you offer all of us. Fill our lamps with oil so we are able to support others and guide them to the foot of the cross and protect ourselves from becoming lost in the process. You said in us is the hope of Christ for a hurting world. Help us to be more sensitive than ever before in the coming New Year.
Holes and Gaps-Life Continues.
The last few years have run together like mixing up a batch of Lasangna. Layers of tears, new life, birth, death, bitter-sweet moments in-between, have all come together. I’ve slipped and fallen a number of times, but I know perserveance is the key to life and Jim, my beloved husband would want me to continue.
He was suffering and so ill that after much prayers, we decided for him to be in Hospice in our home this past year and a half. It was hard but we were so blessed to spend this time together. He went home January 4, 2023, just shy of his 77th birthday which was the 10th of that month. We would have been married 54 years on February 14, 2023. I miss him……..
In between the layers of his illness, I had a knee replaced, covid had come and gone, we were blessed with a great-grandson named Leo and our grand-daughters surprised us with a visit to bring Leo to meet his great-grandpa. We also met our new grandson-in -law. What great joy we experienced between our sad moments.
I’ve struggled to find my way without my husband but the only way to do this was to run to Jesus to bandage my wounds each time I took off on my own. I can’t do it without the help of my best friend and savior, Jesus.
I’m here to continue to encourage and help any of you in any way that I can and with the help of Jesus and who He choses to help you, (and He will), you too will be able make it. Don’t be surprised to find many miracles of help along your path as you continue onward and upward. Don’t be afraid to grab ahold of the hands that reach out to push or pull you up if you are bound and determined to climb to the top. I promise, I’ll meet you there.
In Christ Jesus,
Paulette L. Harris.
Thankful, Thrills, Thanksgiving, The List Goes On as Family Moves to Tennessee
September Praises-God is a Miracle Maker
Are you walking into the beautiful season of fall? How do you feel? Are you tired and depressed or invigorated and react to the beauty around you? Do you go back to your childhood and shuffle through colorful fallen leaves? Is there a “nip” in the air as you begin a new season in your life?
Sometimes, changes feel scary and we are afraid to move forward like a deer in the headlights, we stop and freeze. Our feet feel stuck in cement as we know we have to push through some feelings and thoughts of desperation; but move we must. God wants to create Miracles in our lives.
Fall often brings Praise bubbling up within our spirits and hearts. We can hardly contain them as we admire the bright autumn colors.
However we can become so busy getting ready for upcoming events and a new school year, we become tired and dried out. We feel like some of the old rustling dried leaves as we shuffle through monotonous routines. Sad events and memories are triggered by depression and some people find fall a depressing time as the season will move into the winter months. Time seems to speed up with age and one day, we are older and notice. We want to command time to stop or at least slow down.
We want to avoid pain too. That’s human. As Christians, we aren’t promised a rose garden. Those sweet smelling roses do have thorns. If we want to seriously walk with Jesus and embrace Him, we will have to choose to walk through the garden with Him. But guess what? He’s walking through that garden with us and as we hit a thorn, Jesus is there to take it out and “heal”. Thorny life lessons hurt but that’s exactly when we need to Praise Him for the good and bad experiences in our lives. He loves to create great out of bad! He loves to give us the best of the best. Answers we can’t solve, many times above and beyond our imaginations. He loves to do things for his kids.
A friend once offered the gift of sharing that I needed to pick up my mat and follow Him. I didn’t need to worry about all the what if’s in my life. I needed to “trust and obey” Him. A powerful message of love and care through her.
I love Jesus so much and I love God’s Word. I love that she obeyed with scripture and felt she could share her heart with me. I’m passing this on to you dear friends.
Praise Him at all times, in and out of season.