The Puzzling Parts of Life

Hi Friends,

Well, crazy week around here. Besides Jayna's broken arm and my substantive edits that are coming due, the whole family came down with some kind of awful flu bug. Being cooped up in the house with five sick kids with edits due hasn't been so much fun. But this morning as the twins were coughing and putting together a puzzle on the living room floor, I was reminded of a story when Joelle was putting together the same puzzle a few years ago. And that story reminded me that this piece of my life's puzzle (the one full of whiny kids and tissues and bottles of medicine) may not look so great, but even it fits into God's plan for the whole.

Anyway, I found the story encouraging and hope you will too. It went goes like this:

“No, Sweetie, that doesn’t go there.” I pointed my finger at the puzzle piece in my two-year-old daughter’s hand.

Joelle studied the bright piece and frowned. Vivid reds and pinks splashed over the cardboard surface. “Flower. Go dere.” She again pushed it into the open space along one side of the puzzle.

“It won’t fit. You’re not ready for that piece yet.”

“Fit. Go dere.” Her brows furrowed as she turned the piece sideways and tried again. Push, turn, shove, turn, stare, frown. And still the piece wouldn’t slide into place.

I tapped my fingers on the table and reached for the puzzle piece.

Joelle hid it against her chest.

I had to admit, it was a beautiful piece. Rose petals shone against the deep green background and created an enticing image of color. But no matter how hard Joelle tried, it wouldn’t fit into spot she had chosen for it.

I watched her struggle for a few more minutes, then searched through the pile for the right piece. I finally found it – a piece covered in shades of ugly brown with dark knobs for the tree trunk. “Here, love, try this one.” I handed her the picture of the brown trunk.

She looked at the piece in my hand, then at the pretty flowers in hers. She pushed my hand away. “No.”

I wiggled my fingers. “This is the one you need.”

“No.” She pointed at my hand. “Yucky.”

I looked down at the piece. She was right. It was yucky compared to the flowers. But it was the piece she needed at this time. The only one that would fit in order to make the picture complete.
The difference was that I had the whole picture in mind, the whole puzzle. She, only the piece in her hand. It took Joelle five full minutes to finally put down the flowered piece and try the one I was holding out to her.

Not that I blamed her. I prefer flowered pieces too. In the picture of my life, I’ve often tried to shove in the pretty piece – something that looks good, seems appealing. I want success in my career now. I want my relationships to be easy and comfortable. I want my children to always choose what’s right, and my health to be excellent.

But sometimes God holds out a piece that isn’t nearly so attractive. He calls me to a difficult task, to face failure or fear, to endure a painful situation, or to invest in a relationship that seems to bring only heartache. At those times, the piece He’s giving me looks brown, gnarled, and ugly when I want bright and beautiful.

And sometimes, I, too, want to hang on to my idea of how my life should be right now. Sometimes I want to force a pretty piece, one I like better, when God’s giving me the less attractive piece because in the end that’s the one that will make the picture of my life right.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” God tells the people of Israel in Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV), “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” And the same holds true for me. He knows the plans He has for me. His plans, not mine. Plans that take into account the whole picture of my life, the picture He is creating especially for me.

So today, as I watched my girls put puzzle pieces together, I was reminded that God knows all the pieces of my life, where they fit, and in what order they must be placed.

And when he hands me a piece that isn’t all flowers, I need to trust that He sees the whole picture, and one day that picture will be beautiful.

Joelle's Baptism - Yay!

Hi Friends,

In happier news, our 6-year-old daughter, Joelle, was baptized yesterday at church. She was soooo excited about. She's been bugging me for months to be baptized, so she was very pleased to finally be able to do it, to make her commit to Christ public and to tell everybody how much she loves Jesus. She was so sweet! We got her a blank journal with scripture quotes in it so that she can start writing down her thoughts about God, her prayers, her questions, and her spiritual musings. She's already filled three pages.

And here's what Bryan said before baptizing her:

Joelle’s mom and I have shared the Gospel message with her dozens of times from before she could even talk.

When she was 2 ½ years old she invited Jesus into her heart. I don’t think she really understood what that meant at the time. But I believe God honored her little prayer. He gave her a desire to know Jesus.

Over the next four years Joelle learned much more about God at home, at Sunday School, and Awana. We counted that she has memorized about 200 different Bible verses while she was a Cubbie and Sparkie.

When Joelle was 4 she started asking really interesting questions about God. Daddy had to get some wisdom to answer some of those questions.

In the last year I believe that Joelle began to claim her faith for her own. She really began to take ownership of her faith. It wasn’t just the faith of Mom and Dad anymore. It was Joelle’s faith. It wasn’t just Mom & Dad’s love for Jesus—it was Joelle’s love.

Over the last couple of months Joelle has been very excited about being baptized. She really wants to be able to share with all of you her love for Jesus and her commitment to follow him.

Questions he asked her, to which she answered with a resounding "YES!":

Do you love Jesus?

Do you believe he died for your sins and rose from the grave?

Are you going to love and serve him for the rest of your life?

Jayna's Arm

Hi Friends,

For those who haven't heard, one of my four-year-old twins, Jayna, broke her arm up near the shoulder on Friday night (by falling off a chair - not a very interesting way to break an arm, huh?). Here she is with it in a sling, and wrapped. She's feeling fairly good in the daytime, though nights are tough.

We were hoping to see the orthopedic doc today, but he's in surgery all day so we have to wait until tomorrow. We'll know a lot more, we hope, after we get in to the doc.

Yes, this is the same kid who cut her own hair ... twice, fell down the steps, splatted into a coat rack and got a black tooth, fell off her bike, and probably about ten other things just this year. Not the most careful pea in the pod! Very good natured little girl, though.

Anyway, all prayers welcome! I'll have to get another magazine article out of this experience, somehow (one good thing about being a writer - nothing's wasted!).

Meanwhile, I'm supposed to be doing my substantive edits on my next novel - ack!

Fit to Be Tied by Robin Lee Hatcher

Hi Friends,

Here's the new novel I have to tell you about this week. It's FIT TO BE TIED by Robin Lee Hatcher.

Here's a bit about it:

Who says a woman can’t do a man’s job?

Cleo Arlington dresses like a cowboy, is fearless and fun-loving, and can ride, rope, and wrangle a horse as well as any man. In 1916, however, those talents aren’t what most young women aspire to. But Cleo isn’t most women. Twenty-nine years old and single, Cleo loves life on her father’s Idaho ranch. Still, she hopes someday to marry and have children.

Enter Sherwood Statham, an English aristocrat whose father has sentenced him to a year of work in America to “straighten him out.” Sherwood, who expected a desk job at a posh spa, isn’t happy to be stuck on an Idaho ranch. And he has no idea how to handle Cleo, who’s been challenged with transforming this uptight playboy into a down-home cowboy.

Just about everything either of them says or does leaves the other, well, fit to be tied. And though Cleo believes God’s plan for her includes a husband, it couldn’t possibly be Sherwood Statham. Could it?

BIO

Best-selling novelist Robin Lee Hatcher is known for her heartwarming and emotionally charged stories of faith, courage, and love. She makes her home in Idaho where she enjoys spending time with her family and her high-maintenance Papillon, Poppet.

About FIT TO BE TIED, the Library Journal said: "A master of lively historical romances, Hatcher demonstrates an expert ability to craft spunky, unlikely heroines who go against the tide of the times in which they live, making for fun, exciting stories. She also pays close attention to historical detail. This second series entry (after A Vote of Confidence) is highly recommended for readers of inspirational and historical romances and women's fiction."

A Note from Robin

The Sisters of Bethlehem Springs series sprang from the question: Who says a woman can't do a man's job? And I can't fully express just how much fun I've had looking for the answer through the eyes of my heroines in this series. Although I have no favorites among the novels I've written (each were special to me at the time I wrote them), I do have some favorite characters. Cleo Arlington is one of them. I love her for her strong faith, for her quirky turns of phrase, for her confidence with horses and her lack of confidence with men, even for her impatience with Sherwood, the English aristocrat that she's supposed to turn into a cowboy. I've been so delighted that readers have taken her into their hearts the way they have. I hope you'll feel the same way about her.

*****************************

Here is the trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1VLeF15hr4

Here is the Amazon link:
http://is.gd/4P2qJ

Here is the Christianbook link:
http://is.gd/4P2pG

And here is a link to an excerpt of FIT TO BE TIED:
http://is.gd/4P46c

Noel with the Novelists -- Coming Dec. 15th!

Hi Friends,

Ever wonder how your favorite novelist lives? Well, maybe you can find out this Christmas. I'm participating in a fun blog event where you can visit the homes of different novelists through short videos. Get a Christmas greeting, see how their homes are decorated, get an inside glimpse into the life of authors whose books you read (and discover some new authors). My house and video will be included. It all starts December 15th, right here on my blog. I can't wait - this will be lots of fun!

Here's a promo video which will tell you a bit about it:



And in the meantime, may God bless your week with His breathtaking wonder!

:-) Marlo

Responding to Criticism & Check out my new cover!

Hi Friends!

Well, I'm waiting for my substantive edits (those are the "big picture" comments and suggested changes) to come from my editor today for my next novel, SHADES OF MORNING (Check out the cool new cover!!). So, I should be getting a letter soon that outlines all the things that aren't right about the book, things that need improvement, places where the story falters.

So, as I'm preparing for the "big letter," I was thinking about some tips for facing criticism in general. Of course, it's my editor's job to show me how my story can be improved, so I'm happy for her comments. And she'll be tactful, helpful, courteous, and professional in her comments.

But often that's not how we receive criticism in life. Often in life criticism doesn't come from people are supposed to give it. It comes unexpectedly. It's done awkwardly, rudely, and may not seem helpful at all. And even if people are well-intentioned (and something they aren't!), their criticism hurts. So, how can we respond in a Christ-like manner to criticism that isn't professional, helpful, and kind like my editor's?

Here are some tips:

DO

1. Do keep a cool head. Anger will cloud your reasoning.

2. Do say a quick prayer, asking God keep you from being defensive and to show you any truth in the person's words.

3. Do hear the criticism without allowing it to affect your self worth. God can use criticism to point out flaws that He hopes to change.

4. Do hear the feelings behind the complaints. Sometimes criticism is the way people say, "I need help. I feel bad, and I want you to fix it." Watch for an opportunity to show that you care. A sensitive, rather than argumentative, response will make the other person feel valued, not demeaned.

5. Do be ready to admit any fault of your own, no matter how small.

6. Do ask the person to be part of the solution. Perhaps they can fill in where they think you're falling short.

7. Do thank the person for their concern (whether their words show concern or not).

DON'T

1. Don't immediately jump to your own defense. In time, you may need to present your side of the story, but to do so initially will only make your critic try harder to convince you of your fault.

2. Don't tell the person they're wrong. Being adversarial only causes resentment.

3. Don't answer immediately, especially if you find your emotions starting to flare. Instead ask for time to think and pray about what was said. Tell your critic you'll get back with him later. (Then do so.)

4. Don't worry about being right. It's better to be accused falsely than to lambaste the other person. Remember that your relationship with the criticizer is more important than who is right. Differences should be honestly and healthily confronted, but they won’t always be resolved.
Finally, remember that Jesus, too, was criticized and condemned. But, "when they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead he entrusted himself to him who judges justly" (1 Peter 2:23 NIV). Criticism, and even injustice, are an opportunity to reflect the character of Christ.

Sound of Sleigh Bells by Cindy Woodsmall

Hi Friends,

Here's the new novel I have to tell you about this week -- The Sound of Sleigh Bells by Cindy Woodsmall.

About Cindy:

Cindy Woodsmall is a New York Times best-selling author whose connection with the Amish has been featured on ABC Nightline and the front page of the Wall Street Journal. Her ability to authentically capture the heart of her characters comes from her real-life connections with Plain Mennonite and Old Order Amish families. Cindy is the mother of three sons and two daughters-in-law, and she and her husband reside in Georgia. Visit her Web site at http://www.cindywoodsmall.com/

Synopsis for The Sound of Sleigh Bells:
Beth Hertzler works alongside her beloved Aunt Lizzy in their dry goods store, and serving as contact of sorts between Amish craftsmen and Englischers who want to sell the Plain people’s wares. But remorse and loneliness still echo in her heart everyday as she still wears the dark garb, indicating mourning of her fiancé. When she discovers a large, intricately carved scene of Amish children playing in the snow, something deep inside Beth’s soul responds and she wants to help the unknown artist find homes for his work–including Lizzy’s dry goods store. But she doesn’t know if her bishop will approve of the gorgeous carving or deem it idolatry. Lizzy sees the changes in her niece when Beth shows her the woodworking, and after Lizzy hunts down Jonah, the artist, she is all the more determined that Beth meets this man with the hands that create healing art. But it’s not that simple–will Lizzy’s elaborate plan to reintroduce her niece to love work? Will Jonah be able to offer Beth the sleigh ride she’s always dreamed of and a second chance at real love–or just more heartbreak?

The Sound of Sleigh Bells is a heartwarming Christmas novella where lack and abundance inside an Amish community has power for good when it’s tucked inside love. Romantic Times gave The Sound of Sleigh Bells 4 ½ stars, saying ~ This is a wonderfully written, transformative story of two Amish families at Christmastime. It will bring sleigh-riding memories to life as readers vicariously join in this jolly and exciting holiday tradition.

To read the first chapter of The Sound of Sleigh Bells, go to: http://www.cindywoodsmall.com/books/sound-of-sleigh-bells_excerpt.php

To purchase through Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sound-Sleigh-Bells-Cindy-Woodsmall/dp/0307446530/ref=pd_ts_b_5?ie=UTF8&s=books

To purchase through CBD.com: http://www.christianbook.com/sound-sleigh-bells-cindy-woodsmall/9780307446534/pd/446534?event=HPF2