If Interested…

Our Real Home is now available at Amazon in Kindle format and paperback.

This is fictional story of real life characters as they explain how they see Heaven. I made these book marks for a few of my friends.

The main purpose of this book is encouragement. Encouragement with how the Bible explains to us what Heaven is like and encouragement of just how much we are all loved by God. While the story may make you smile as these characters learn of the beauty that they were made for, it is a testament, according to scripture, of just how much God loves each of us and that he created each of us for a purpose, man and beast alike…so that he could spend eternity with those who love Him. My opening comments of the book…

Encouragement in God’s Love

The sole purpose of this book is showing the encouragement we all need by giving a visual perspective of God’s love for everything He creates. God has a special love and purpose for man, who is made in His image, and for animals who possess a special connection with God’s love. This story is written from the perspective of how I believe a dog is created and how a dog thinks. At the base of any dog’s heart, there is an inherent form of love and devotion, given as a gift from God. This gift is then given freely from the dog to his owner, even when that love or devotion is not deserved. The dog knows no different way to be. Hopefully, to anyone who is an animal lover, the love and devotion you have received from your past pet(s) can now be shared with people. Then in time, you may acquire another pet companion – not to replace one you have lost, but to strengthen you further still, and to expand that love you have been shown with others – animals and people. Life on this earth is hard on a good day and can be worse on hard days. It is my sincere hope that this book will be an encouragement for anyone reading it to realize the love, beauty, and patience of God for everything He creates. God’s identity never changes, but how we see Him changes as we follow His Word and grow closer to Him.

Do you believe in angels…real angels. I do. Scripture speaks of angels as messengers of God. I believe God uses all of creation to speak to our hearts non-verbally….and occasionally verbally of needed. This book takes on the light side of the “what ifs”. There have been many stories about angels…and we have all heard them. What if…

Regardless of your interest in this book, may you always be encouraged knowing God loves you more than you could ever imagine. Have a blessed day and don’t forget about the beauty of all of creation.

And remember to always be kind.

Dittims

For the last two months, I have been among the missing in the blogging world but I have been very busy. September through December is always a busy time with college football. Go Dawgs!

Then November we add more busy as we put up Christmas…and there is a lot of Christmas – 5 big trees, 3 small trees and décor everywhere…

Then two weeks ago was the college football playoffs between four teams…we won our match – Go Dawgs!

Monday night of this week was the National Championship for College Football…again we won…back to back championships…

Go Dawgs…super year.

Then today, after two weeks of intense editing, I was ready to create the cover for my new book. This book has been in the works for seven months and I hope to get it released next month. No, its not about football or Christmas, but it is about a very special dog – Dittims.

Dittims was a very large Great Dane, 189 pounds, mostly white and as some white dogs can be – he was mostly deaf. And later in life, his beautiful blue eyes began to lose sight. Even though I lost him close to nine years ago, I will always remember the lessons he taught me. Regardless of the issues you may have, you can still find joy and the love of life if you allow it to come in. This book was written as an encouragement for those who may be hurting, have lost loved ones or loveable pets, or just need the hope of Heaven to hang on to. Our Real Home is Dittims’ perspective, along with all the other dogs I have had in my life, to share the beauty of Heaven as they see it with biblical scriptures throughout to help back up some of what they are seeing. Yes, it is still fiction, but it brings about the encouraging hope of what is to come for all of us. It’s a compilation of silly stories the dogs share with each other, stories of aching loss on earth replaced with the joys of Heaven and the hopeful chance of a reunion of loved ones in heaven, man and animal alike.

The sample market I have given it to seems to have enjoyed it and if you are an animal lover, I hope you will give it a try. I will announce its release as soon as it is done. And if you are not much of a reader, that is fine, just make sure you love on your pets while you still have them. They have wonderful gifts to share with us if we will only listen and watch.

And as always, I remind you to be kind in all that you do. You never know what angel you may be tending to.

Tuesday Writing Prompt Challenge

Devereaux Frazier and Beth Amanda are currently hosting the Tuesday Writing Prompt Challenge which was started by our star writer Christine Ray. We hope to offer all of you something that will spark your creativity and willingness to participate.

I thought I would accept this challenge as I needed something to do but as I finished it…it was an 8 page short story instead of a poem…so we are backing up and punting. Hope you enjoy.

Beauty Within

The beauty concealed that is within

A reflection of what has always been

It is not a hopeful of what could be

But a timeless picture of what we see

A yellow rose concealed in joy

Is a timeless flower for us to enjoy

And in closing, I remind us as always to be kind. Kindness shows a beauty beyond time.

April 6 #1minFiction Challenge

Cranny’s #1 Minute Fiction Challenge this week made me laugh as my mind went in a whole different direction. Come join in to share you thoughts.

The Glass Box

“Hey George, come look. Those weird creatures are coming up out of the ground again. Hurry, come look before they leave.”

“Ignore them Martha,” said George as he moved away out of sight. “The more attention you give them the longer they stay.”

“But George they are fascinating to watch. Come look.”

“No.”

“One of them has that light box thingy that gets bright when he puts it close to his face. I wonder what it does?”

“George, are you listening to me? Don’t you even care?”

“No.”

Have you ever wondered what goes through the minds of animals at the zoo? I bet they think we are the weirdest creatures of all.

Regardless of the creature you come in contact with, always be kind…but if you need to run first, then run and be safe, then be kind from a distance.

Tuesday Writing Prompt Challenge April 5

Devereaux Frazier and Beth Amanda are currently hosting the Tuesday Writing Prompt Challenge. The prompts are designed to be quick challenges that can be written in 10 to 15 minutes, inspire you creatively, are fun, and get everyone interacting.

For today’s prompt, use the theme of unraveling in a piece of writing.

Life

Life should be filled in purity

Instead it shows prematurity

Unraveling itself in immaturity

Firmly bound in obscurity

Remember to always share kindness with those who feel lost in this world. It will help them find heir feet of security.

Encouragement for Myself

After blogging now for several years I started doing encouragements for my church, then I started occasionally posting them here. Then came along Susi Bocks’ encouragement of my writing and many of you who have appreciated my encouraging thoughts and have been very kind to me. Thank you for giving me a small voice. Twice now, The Short of It/I Write Her has featured my writing which has encouraged me to the point that I wanted to share some of the short stories I have written that are TOOOO long to post. So I took Susi’s advice and created an anthology featuring my short stories and some of my poetry. A couple of these poems, Susi featured this February.

If you are interested, you can go to Amazon and purchase either the Kindle version or the paperback version of Hope (An Anthology of Christian Perspective) and I hope you will be encouraged.

I thank you in advance if you do but my hope is that even here I can encourage one person who needs a hug. We all need hugs. Below is one of the poems of the book that I also had posted on my blog last year. This kind of sets the theme of the book.

Raindrops of the Heart

Raindrops of the heart can be a sad place to start

As life of those loved around us do inevitably depart

But Raindrops of the heart can also come from joy

As we remember the fun things we both did enjoy

Raindrops of the heart do not always come from grief

As laughter of the heart shows raindrops of relief

Raindrops of the heart are moments to be shared

As raindrops from the heart show moments that we cared.

Thank you for reading today. Remember the power and beauty of Kindness and share it often.

Tuesday Writing Prompt, Bitten

Today’s prompt: Write a poem that starts with bitten

Bitten

Bitten as I was on the celebrated day of hearts

Smitten as I was, now gone before it starts

Written on the hearts of many a love song

Mittens would be better and not felt wrong

Kittens are much warmer with love that lasts

Sittin’ and smiling’ and remembering our past

Thanks Go Dog Go Café for giving us a fun chance to play with words. And in closing I remind all the comfort, power and value of kindness. It can bring light to any dark room.

Never Lose Hope

As I was reading my devotion this evening, I was reminded of the hope for Israel as Micah explained the guilt, misery and punishment the Lord had against Israel some 750 years before Christ. The Bible is filled with story after story of Israel following, then falling away, following again, then falling again…a cycle we still see today. Not just with Israel but with the entire world. But scripture also reminds us of His infinite love for us, a love we will never understand on this earth but a love that is always there for each person willing to accept it. May the words of my story this evening, bring you hope if you find yourself in a dark place. HIS light is always there for you.

Never Lose Hope

I sit in the darkness and gloom. My head hangs low in shame. It’s my own fault that I am in this mess. Though I sit here lost and scared, deep within me a hope burns. There is still a light out there beyond this darkness, a love beyond compare than beckons me to not give up.

“Do not gloat over me,” I shout into the dark. “I may have fallen but I am not forgotten. I am loved. I may be bearing the guilt of my shame but I know…HE…loves…me. He will come for me, He always does. He always does…”

A day is coming when Mother Earth will twist in the torment of her desolation caused by the greed and waste of mankind. Nations will be stripped of their power and thrown down in the dust of their inequities.

“It will be my turn to gloat,” I shout, yet I understand now, more than ever, the silliness and waste of that attitude as I am reminded of my error. We are all part of the great creation. He will not forget us forever. HE delights in showing mercy…even when we don’t deserve it.

Who is a God like you?

Anita Neal, 2/10/22

As we ponder the age old question of God’s existence, I can assure you God is there and His love for you is profound and very real. May you feel that love surround you and bring you peace.

And as always, I remind you of the power and the beauty of Kindness. Kindness can light a candle in the darkest corner.

January 26th & 1Minute Fiction

Bruster stared down from the top of the towering building. How could a creature have done this on purpose. All the beautiful forest, its majestic trees…gone. And the loss of so much life. All done in what they call growth…or something called progress.

“Humph,” said Bruster shaking his head, ruffling his feathers and stretching out his massive eagle wings.

He thought on memories of before. The beauty of the land, the sounds of life from those who lived in and around the trees…all gone, replaced by unimaginable noise. He raised his head and took flight in hopes of finding another forest he could call home.

Come join in with Cranny’s Cove of #1MinFiction and share your thoughts. And as you play with your writing and pictures remember the beauty of kindness and be kind to all of creation.

Thoughts Behind Encouragement

Good evening friends. I had someone ask “why I do this” the other day and after thinking seriously about it, I did come up with an answer that I always thought was it – Because I was asked to. But lets back that up a bit and unpack it. While I am a Christian and I do go to church, that is fully not the reason.

“The church is the only institution that exist primarily for the benefit of those who are not its members.” William Temple, Arch Bishop of Canterbury

Think about that statement that was made several decades ago that still rings true today. This past Sunday, pastor Rob spoke on this statement and what it really means for the church to be reaching out. And we are not talking about the church as a building but the church as an entity, its people. We are told to go and invite others to come see what Christ is about. All through the New Testament, Jesus tells us to go and tell His story. His story of how much He loves us and how much He cares about everything we are going through, good and bad. He cheers with us when its good, He carries us when its bad. And he wants everyone to know this so He tells us to go tell others. Plant the seed of curiosity and see if it will grow.

I am in no way any type of preacher or evangelistic leader. I am a tiny light in this dark world who has experienced dark times and the bright light of Christ. So, I choose to share it here with those who care to read. Because I am a visual person, I incorporate pictures with scriptures because to me they are easier to read.

When we can share His stories of hope, with the love, kindness and goodness of what Christ is all about, then it intrigues others to want to hear more, so you tell them more. And all through God’s word are stories of how much He loves us.

And nothing can break that bond of love once it is established.

***From Genesis through to Revelation, His Love for you is ALWAYS there.***

Therefore, I write encouragements to help others who may need to have a moment of kindness, a handful of hope and a direction of where to go find other assurances of love that is there for all who want it. ALL! If I can encourage 1 person with each note that I write, then I feel my note was a good one. And I read more inspiring works from people(and the Bible) to find new ways to encourage others of how special they are because God never makes a mistake in creating.

Always remember we are all wonderfully made for His purposes. Yes, we do get off track time to time, but He is always right there to help guide us right back where we need to be. And He does it gently and with kindness which is why I always close with a picture showing the beauty and power of kindness.