tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90094597272122627102024-03-13T14:44:04.568-07:00Writing In A Cordwood CabinMary L. Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295245391337869803noreply@blogger.comBlogger96125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9009459727212262710.post-48000355367336932092014-07-30T12:40:00.002-07:002014-07-30T12:41:13.954-07:00New Western Blog<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U_9SUQrh7UQ/U9lJ_8UadwI/AAAAAAAACVI/yExF7iAkF_c/s1600/file000180279163.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U_9SUQrh7UQ/U9lJ_8UadwI/AAAAAAAACVI/yExF7iAkF_c/s1600/file000180279163.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">If you have the time, come on over to follow, and check out my new <span style="color: #990000;"><a href="http://happytraildusttoyou.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Happy (Dusty) Trails</a></span> blog. There will be posts about country life, western life, history, cowboys, and cowgirls, crafts, and recipes, as well as a contest or two every once in a while. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I hope you're having a great day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Happy Dusty Trails to you!</span>Mary L. Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295245391337869803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9009459727212262710.post-67254201645335968392014-07-22T06:24:00.001-07:002014-07-22T06:24:52.106-07:00Chance Creek Brides<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; position: relative;">
<a href="http://happytraildusttoyou.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-chance-creek-brides-series-is_22.html" style="color: #6699cc; text-decoration: none;">Chance Creek Brides</a></h3>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LdQJ4eJWjWg/U85iIJxCRaI/AAAAAAAACT8/XB35mqFk6Eo/s1600/Bride+in+the+Storm+finish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; color: #6699cc; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LdQJ4eJWjWg/U85iIJxCRaI/AAAAAAAACT8/XB35mqFk6Eo/s1600/Bride+in+the+Storm+finish.jpg" height="200" style="border: none; position: relative;" width="121" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JA68RAw_pUo/U85iXlJaM5I/AAAAAAAACUI/DLgjEC_UWR0/s1600/bridesweet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; color: #6699cc; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 20.790000915527344px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JA68RAw_pUo/U85iXlJaM5I/AAAAAAAACUI/DLgjEC_UWR0/s1600/bridesweet.jpg" height="200" style="border: none; position: relative;" width="112" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">The Chance Creek Brides series is available on both Amazon and Barnes and Noble. If you're looking for good, clean, old-fashioned adventure, come ride down the dusty trails of the past with the ladies from Chance Creek Texas!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><i></i></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;" />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><i><i><i><i>Caleb's Choice: His Rain Lily Bride</i>, is the first in the new series <i>Chance Creek Brides, The Early Years</i></i></i></i></span></div>
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<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F-5gGsVx3-XYU%2FU85h38ZEzzI%2FAAAAAAAACT4%2FSj64jBZ7FZ8%2Fs1600%2Fbbbook.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5gGsVx3-XYU/U85h38ZEzzI/AAAAAAAACT4/Sj64jBZ7FZ8/s1600/bbbook.jpg" --><!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5gGsVx3-XYU/U85h38ZEzzI/AAAAAAAACT4/Sj64jBZ7FZ8/s1600/bbbook.jpg" with "https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5gGsVx3-XYU/U85h38ZEzzI/AAAAAAAACT4/Sj64jBZ7FZ8/s1600/bbbook.jpg" -->Mary L. Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295245391337869803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9009459727212262710.post-3828718559329262042014-07-22T05:59:00.001-07:002014-07-22T06:00:04.095-07:00Caleb<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y6zMR_u5LBA/U85f_GjDQlI/AAAAAAAACTg/a6Ns9rhwNNY/s1600/MF13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y6zMR_u5LBA/U85f_GjDQlI/AAAAAAAACTg/a6Ns9rhwNNY/s1600/MF13.jpg" height="210" width="320" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Caleb is a man that loves God. But the fact that he is strong, independent, and enjoys taking matters into his own hands tends to complicate things. But maybe that is about to change. Does God have something more for his life than the plans Caleb</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">has formed on his own? </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Read <i>Caleb's Choice: His Rain Lily Bride,</i> and find the answer!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Calebs-Choice-Bride-Chance-Brides-ebook/dp/B00KA12CLY/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_d_1" style="color: #6699cc; text-decoration: none;">http://www.amazon.com/Calebs-Choice-Bride-Chance-Brides-ebook/dp/B00KA12CLY/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_d_1</a></span>Mary L. Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295245391337869803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9009459727212262710.post-70551270033028742882014-05-18T15:07:00.002-07:002014-05-18T17:00:14.047-07:00Caleb's Choice<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Calebs-Choice-Chance-Creek-Brides-ebook/dp/B00KA12CLY/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_d_1" target="_blank">Caleb's Choice</a></b> is now available on Amazon. It is the first in a new series: Chance Creek Brides, The Early Years.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"> </span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7lT9v5PLi-U/U3ku_z-3ozI/AAAAAAAACQM/qdedaSMj2Fc/s1600/rainlilygreen2-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7lT9v5PLi-U/U3ku_z-3ozI/AAAAAAAACQM/qdedaSMj2Fc/s1600/rainlilygreen2-3.jpg" height="320" width="186" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;"></span><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Chance Creek, Texas, 1875. When Maggie and her husband, Ian Price, led a group of displaced southerners to Texas just after the Civil War, she never imagined that she would be the one left in charge of them. After the murder of her husband, she inherited the job of town sheriff. The town is all but held hostage by the Sayer brothers, one of them the killer of Maggie's husband. Ignoring the brewing disappointment and bitterness within, she does her best to keep the town going, settling minor disputes, and generally encouraging the citizens to have hope that the future will be better. But the job is too much for a woman alone. Maggie knows she should trust God to handle the problem, but she feels He has let her down in the past. How can she trust Him for the future?</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i><br />
<i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Widowed Caleb Hatcher is a man doing his best to leave the past behind. Anxious to start a new life, he heads for Texas, with ranching on his mind. Greeted with a bullet in his side, Caleb soon learns that there is more to the town of Chance than he could have imagined. And more to Maggie Price, the beautiful and sometimes hard to understand woman that rescued him from certain death.<br /><br />Will Maggie learn that God has His own way of working things out? Or will she allow her own stubborn will to lead her down the wrong path? </span></i>Mary L. Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295245391337869803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9009459727212262710.post-85193684319097730812014-01-31T19:06:00.000-08:002014-01-31T19:06:03.147-08:00Happy National Inspire Your Heart With Art Day<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mcctqo7hVDo/UuxkPpBq2_I/AAAAAAAACGw/mib3sStHobk/s1600/Needlecraft1930-04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mcctqo7hVDo/UuxkPpBq2_I/AAAAAAAACGw/mib3sStHobk/s1600/Needlecraft1930-04.jpg" height="320" width="241" /></a>Whew! That's a mouthful for a national day, isn't it, LOL! But art is such an important part of our lives. Celebrate today with the types of art that make you happy. Photography, painting, quilting, needlework. . .the list goes on and on. And don't forget God's creation that is there for us to see every day. No human art can compare to His artistry!<br />
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Have a wonderful weekend!Mary L. Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295245391337869803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9009459727212262710.post-36084292634298956952014-01-25T20:46:00.000-08:002014-01-26T04:31:36.966-08:00Sunday <div class="heading passage-class-0">
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<span class="text Prov-3-5" id="en-KJV-16461"><sup class="versenum">5 </sup>Trust in the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.</span><span class="text Prov-3-6" id="en-KJV-16462"><sup class="versenum">6 </sup>In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.</span></h3>
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Mary L. Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295245391337869803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9009459727212262710.post-23480835579784018462014-01-22T16:16:00.001-08:002014-01-22T16:19:32.786-08:00Ryan's Father Book TrailerThis is the book trailer to <em>Ryan's Father</em>, by June Foster. If you haven't read my review of the book, scroll down!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/_ThTBny-D9Q" width="459"></iframe><br />Mary L. Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295245391337869803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9009459727212262710.post-82093967922561553842014-01-16T20:49:00.000-08:002014-01-16T20:49:10.574-08:00Ryan's Father Book Review<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7Adj4Xj5snE/Uti0P3RjNOI/AAAAAAAACFY/jtqiMy68DC8/s1600/Ryan's+Father.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7Adj4Xj5snE/Uti0P3RjNOI/AAAAAAAACFY/jtqiMy68DC8/s1600/Ryan's+Father.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a><span lang="EN"> <br />
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June Foster is an author known for tackling complicated problems, and this book does not disappoint. In <i>Ryan’s Father</i>, June tells the story of a young Christian man struggling with his own feelings of homosexuality. <br />
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Raised by a single, alcoholic mother, and no father for guidance, Ryan Reid spent his childhood struggling with feelings of loneliness and abandonment. As a teen, he met a local pastor and trusted his heart to God. The newfound relationship with the Lord brought an element of love and peace to his life. But there was one issue that didn’t change. Though he never acted on his feelings, Ryan still felt an attraction to men.<br />
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When an earthquake strikes while Ryan is purchasing a cup of coffee, he ends up under a Starbuck’s table with Sandy Arrington, a beautiful young nurse that works at the local hospital. Soon Ryan and Sandy are seeing a lot of each other. And when Sandy attends church with Ryan and surrenders her life to Christ, she begins to see Ryan in a new light. The relationship that develops between the two of them forces Ryan to confront the secret he has been hiding.<br />
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After spending so many years living a lie, can Ryan find it in himself to finally give the problem to God? And when he does face reality, can he trust the truth to Sandy? Or will he lose her forever?<br />
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You will enjoy the fact that June tells this story from a strong Christian point of view. When God is in control, he can change anything in our lives. Ryan must learn that total surrender to God, in every issue of his life, is the only way to defeat sin.<br />
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I give this book 5 stars. Thank you for sharing such an excellent story with us, June!<br />
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<br />This book was given to me in exchange for a fair and honest review.</span><br />
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<strong>About the author</strong><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yf-a0Ap4ogw/Uti1ZAKoqmI/AAAAAAAACFk/zlM1ONQ9Xxk/s1600/June.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yf-a0Ap4ogw/Uti1ZAKoqmI/AAAAAAAACFk/zlM1ONQ9Xxk/s1600/June.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a>June Foster is a retired teacher with a BA in Education and a MA in counseling. June has written four novels for Desert Breeze Publishing. The Bellewood Series, <i>Give Us This Day </i>– February 1, 2012,<i> As We Forgive</i> – September 1, 2012, and <i>Deliver Us </i>– April 1, 2013, and <i>Hometown Fourth of July</i> – July 1, 2012. June's book, <i>Ryan's Father</i>, is available from WhiteFire Publishing January 2014. <i>For All Eternity</i>, <i>Red and the Wolf</i>, and <i>Misty Hollow</i>, God willing, will be published in the near future. June loves to write stories about characters who overcome the issues in their lives by the power of God and His Word. June uses her training in counseling and her Christian beliefs in creating characters who find freedom to live godly lives.<br />
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Mary L. Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295245391337869803noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9009459727212262710.post-16296726225059344732014-01-11T13:40:00.000-08:002014-01-11T13:41:09.201-08:00The Shepherd of the Hills<br />
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<textarea cols="75" id="twitter_status" maxlength="100" name="status" rows="3" style="width: 340px;">Likes the quote "Here and there among men, there are those who pause in the hurried rush to listen to the call of a life that is more real… He who sees and hears too much is cursed for a dreamer, a fanatic, or a fool, by the mad mob who, having eyes, see not, ears and hear not, and refuse to understand… "</textarea> <br />
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<a class="inlineblock twitter_account" href="https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/987389-the-shepherd-of-the-hills#"> </a> </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8d0txjX8SJE/UGSDICLo7DI/AAAAAAAAB9c/JcYmHmzBDOg/s1600/file000180279163.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8d0txjX8SJE/UGSDICLo7DI/AAAAAAAAB9c/JcYmHmzBDOg/s1600/file000180279163.jpg" /></a><em>“…I never understood until the past months why the Master so often withdrew alone into the wilderness. There is not only food and medicine for one’s body; there is also healing for the heart and strength for the soul in nature. One gets very close to God…in these temples of God’s own building.”</em> <br />
― <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/135841.Harold_Bell_Wright"><span style="color: black;"><em>Harold Bell Wright</em></span></a><span style="color: black;"><em>, </em></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/987389"><span style="color: black;"><em>The Shepherd of the Hills</em></span></a><em> </em></div>
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For a great read that will take you away from this hurried and frantic pace our culture promotes these days, you might consider reading Harold Bell Wright's, <em>The Shepherd of the Hills</em>. It is written in an old-fashioned style that may be hard to get used to at first, but give it a chance, and enjoy the sweet, inspirational story that Mr. Wright wrote in the Arkansas Ozarks, published in 1907. </div>
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<em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shepherd-Hills-Harold-Bell-Wright-ebook/dp/B00849Y1HC/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1389475696&sr=1-1&keywords=the+shepherd+of+the+hills" target="_blank">The Shepherd of the Hills</a></em> is free on Amazon Kindle </div>
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Mary L. Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295245391337869803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9009459727212262710.post-17023401416676136212014-01-05T09:12:00.002-08:002014-01-05T09:12:56.108-08:00<div class="heading passage-class-0">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bhmK0Wqr500/T_hf9vgY8pI/AAAAAAAAB7Q/MzWXrpD8apU/s1600/file000180279163.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bhmK0Wqr500/T_hf9vgY8pI/AAAAAAAAB7Q/MzWXrpD8apU/s1600/file000180279163.jpg" /></a><h3>
Our Struggle With Sin</h3>
Although it is a fight we cannot win by ourselves, we are not alone.<br />
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1 John 3:2</h3>
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King James Version (KJV)</div>
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<span class="text 1John-3-2" id="en-KJV-30582"><sup class="versenum">2 </sup>Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.</span><br />
<span class="text 1John-3-2"></span><br />
<span class="text 1John-3-2">Think about that verse. When He returns we will be rescued from our continual war with sin and <em>'we shall be like him'!</em> So what do we do in this earthly life until He comes?</span><br />
<span class="text 1John-3-2"></span><br />
<span class="text 1John-3-2">Always remember that we are not alone in this struggle. The indwelling power of the Holy Spirit gives us strength to fight our battles each day.</span><br />
<span class="text 1John-3-2"></span><br />
<span class="text 1John-3-2">Another thing we must do is surrender our habits to God--the ones that break His heart. The ones that steal our time from Him and prevent us from giving ourselves wholly to Him and obeying His word.</span><br />
<span class="text 1John-3-2"></span><br />
<span class="text 1John-3-2">We must not become weary in our day to day battle. Though it is a daily struggle, by putting our trust in Him, we will win!</span><br />
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<span class="text 1John-3-2">Have a wonderful Sunday!</span></div>
Mary L. Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295245391337869803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9009459727212262710.post-21857550030611223772013-11-18T18:35:00.000-08:002013-11-18T18:35:03.522-08:00<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bride-Storm-Chance-Creek-Brides-ebook/dp/B00GOL3WAO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1384828245&sr=8-1&keywords=bride+in+the+storm" target="_blank"><em>Bride In The Storm</em></a>, Book 3 in the <em>Chance Creek Bride</em> series, is now available on Amazon! Almost twice as long as<em> </em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bride-Choice-Chance-Creek-Brides-ebook/dp/B009PVI732/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1384828334&sr=8-2&keywords=bride+by+chance" target="_blank"><em>Bride By Choice</em></a> and <span id="goog_1492189033"></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"><em>The Sweetgrass Bride<span id="goog_1492189034"></span></em></a>, I hope my fans enjoy this story. Thank you all so much for your support.<br />
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Mary L. Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295245391337869803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9009459727212262710.post-64538266240299295392013-08-14T08:33:00.001-07:002013-08-14T08:33:54.260-07:00<div class="yiv9969429615null" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376492253581_3722" style="color: #202020; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 26px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 100%; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: left;">
<span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376492253581_3721" style="color: #3b3b3a;"> <span style="font-size: small;">Good morning to all my author friends. Are you feeling a bit rushed? Overwhelmed? Some days I am certainly that way when I'm working on a deadline. This is an article from Randy Ingermanson's latest E-zine (reproduced with permission, of course). Some great ideas that might help you out on those frustrating days when nothing seems to get done. If you don't already subscribe to his E-zine, it's free and always packed with good advice for writers.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3b3b3a;">2) Organization: Dealing With Overwhelm</span></h3>
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<strong>Once</strong> in a while life feels overwhelming. It feels like everything is crashing in on you at once.</div>
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<strong>Like</strong> you're spinning your wheels. Going nowhere.</div>
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<strong>I learned</strong> a neat trick a few years ago from Eben Pagan on how to deal with this. Eben teaches productivity techniques, and he's good at it.</div>
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<strong id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376492253581_3583">Today</strong>, I desperately needed Eben's trick. When I logged onto my computer this morning, it told me that my external hard drive (the one that contains all my backups) was having problems. I ran some diagnostics and concluded that the hard drive really couldn't be saved.</div>
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<strong>This meant </strong>a trip to town to get a new one. Since I live quite far away from civilization, this meant taking hours out of my day. Hours I didn't have.</div>
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<strong>By the time</strong> I got home, I was feeling pretty depressed. I'd burnt a lot of time on an emergency and now I was way behind. And I had already been feeling stressed when I woke up, because there are a ton of things on my plate for this week.</div>
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<strong id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376492253581_3661">I felt</strong> horribly overwhelmed.</div>
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<strong>So I tried </strong>Eben's trick. Here it is, and it might work for you on a day when you feel like you won't ever get caught up:</div>
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<li style="line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><strong>Open</strong> a new text file and start spilling your guts. Write down EVERYTHING on your plate right now. All the things that are stressing you because they need to be done today or tomorrow or yesterday. Don't get fancy here. You don't need an outline. Just dump it all on the page in whatever order things come to you. You can also write how you feel about each thing on your plate. If you're dreading it, say why. If you're mad at somebody for pushing this task onto you, say so. Get it out.</li>
<li style="line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><strong>Stop</strong> when you run out of things that are overwhelming you. This will typically run a page or two. You might be surprised that your feelings of being overwhelmed tend to decrease with each item you write down. Mine do. It's a nice feeling to move the anxiety from your mind to the document. When you finish, your mind should be clear and you'll have a document that contains all the things that are making you crazy. Yes, it's a big horrible plate. Admire just how horrible it is for just a minute. Be astounded at what a tough life you live, you brute, you.</li>
<li style="line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><strong>Find</strong> all the tasks in your document that you can reasonably knock off the list TODAY and put each one on a new line and mark it with one asterisk. You might want to pick out all the crappy little tasks that you've been putting off that really don't take much time. Knocking off a bunch of those all in one day really feels good, especially if they're things on your Dread List or your Hate List.</li>
<li style="line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><strong>Find</strong> all the things you can reasonably get done this week and put them on their own line, marking them with two asterisks. Don't get too optimistic here. If you KNOW they have to be done this week or you're certain that you can work them in, then mark them. Otherwise, don't.</li>
<li style="line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><strong>Everything else</strong> is stuff you aren't going to do this week. Either it's not important or it's not urgent or it just can't be done this week. Put each of these items on its own line and mark it with three asterisks. Now give yourself permission to forget about all the three-asterisk tasks for this week. Don't worry about losing them. You've got them all written down. Next week, when you look at this document, a LOT of things will be crossed off. Your plate will seem a lot more manageable.</li>
<li style="line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><strong>Now collect </strong>all the one-asterisk items together into a single list and promise yourself that you'll do every single one of them today. This should be a much shorter list than the original big horrible plate that you started with.</li>
<li style="line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><strong>Do</strong> everything on the short list today. It's a short list. You constructed it to be precisely the things you can reasonably get done today. So it's doable. Go do it. When you finish the list, you're done for the day, even if you finish early. Reward yourself with something nice — a walk or some reading time or the magic beverage of your choice.</li>
<li style="line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><strong>Tomorrow</strong>, look at all the items with two asterisks and choose a few that you can reasonably get done in one day. Then do them. You know the drill here. Don't overbook yourself. Keep the list reasonable. Do it all. Reward yourself. Keep doing this every day for a week.</li>
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<strong>By next week</strong>, your dark and dreary world will look a little brighter. You'll have knocked off a lot of the riff-raff stuff. You'll be ready to tackle some of the longer-term items. You'll feel like you're finally getting some traction in your life.</div>
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<strong>If you're still</strong> feeling overwhelmed next week, repeat the process. But I would bet that you'll feel LESS overwhelmed next week than this. After a few weeks of this, you may actually start feeling human again. And your plate will start looking less ridiculous.</div>
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<strong>Remember</strong> that you aren't ever going to get it all done. Modern life is too crazy for that.</div>
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<strong id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376492253581_3699">You may find</strong> that some tasks keep getting three asterisks week after week, forever. If they aren't really important to you, then why keep lugging them along? At some point you might want to cut their vile throats. When the time is right for this, you'll know it. Keep your knife sharp.</div>
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<strong>If you're wondering</strong> whether this actually works, all I can say is that it works for me. This article was one of the things that got one asterisk today.</div>
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<strong>Now</strong> it's done.</div>
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<strong id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376492253581_3690">It feels</strong> good.</div>
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<strong id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376492253581_3696">I'm going</strong> for a walk.</div>
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<span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376492253581_3764" style="font-size: 18px;"><span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376492253581_3763" style="font-family: times new roman, times, baskerville, georgia, serif;"><span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376492253581_3762" style="color: #3b3b3a;">This article is reprinted by permission of the author.</span></span></span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376492253581_3679" style="font-size: 18px;"><span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376492253581_3678" style="font-family: times new roman, times, baskerville, georgia, serif;"><span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376492253581_3677" style="color: #3b3b3a;">Award-winning novelist Randy Ingermanson, "the Snowflake Guy," publishes the free monthly Advanced Fiction Writing E-zine, with over 5,000 readers. If you want to learn the craft and marketing of fiction, AND make your writing more valuable to editors, AND have FUN doing it, visit <a href="http://advancedfictionwriting.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=bd398af5e14b804a37b7f273a&id=95fca31784&e=27502a3f7d" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376492253581_3769" rel="nofollow" style="color: #336699; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">www.AdvancedFictionWriting.com</a>.</span></span></span></div>
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Mary L. Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295245391337869803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9009459727212262710.post-48617227241757649102013-06-12T09:48:00.001-07:002013-06-12T09:48:47.014-07:00Skillet Cooking<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rZDMCla1RZw/UbilFcdNXpI/AAAAAAAACC8/Rcbe4EMXJrs/s1600/skillet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rZDMCla1RZw/UbilFcdNXpI/AAAAAAAACC8/Rcbe4EMXJrs/s200/skillet.jpg" width="200" /></a>Think about being the 'woman of the house' in 1875 and getting ready to move west, whether to Texas or even on out to California. There are no fast food joints along the way. All the cooking will be done on the trail. Trail fare will mostly be bacon, beans, biscuits, cornbread, and possibly pancakes, or gruel. <br />
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If she was taking no other cooking implement with her, the woman would take her skillet, or, as some might called it, frying pan. She would use it to fry her bacon and make her cornbread over an open campfire, with smoke in her eyes and children running through the camp. I love to read, and write, about those adventures, but I am thankful for my own kitchen.<br />
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I think of those women every time I use my old cast iron skillet. It is a staple in my country kitchen. My favorite skillet is fairly old, though not old enough to have been 'on the trail' with anyone. My grandmother bought it about 45 years ago at a yard sale in California . She passed it on to me when I married 31 years ago. Maybe someday I will pass it on to one of my daughters, or maybe a granddaughter. <br />
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Do you have an old skillet that you love to use?<br />
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I'd like to share the recipe for our favorite skillet cake. Hope you enjoy it! To clarify, there is no baking powder or baking soda in this recipe.<br />
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Grease your skillet very well, or line it with aluminum foil and grease that. The foil can be used to life the cake out of the skillet.<br />
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Pecan Skillet Cake<br />
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1 1/2 cups of sugar<br />
1 1/2 sticks of butter, melted<br />
2 eggs<br />
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour<br />
1/2 teaspoon of salt<br />
2 teaspoons of vanilla flavoring<br />
1 cup of chopped pecans, divided<br />
2 tablespoons of sugar<br />
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Preheat oven to 350 and grease skillet. <br />
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Stir sugar into melted butter. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well. Add flour and salt to batter, mixing well. Stir in vanilla and a half cup of chopped pecans. Spread in skillet. Top batter with the rest of the pecans and 2 tablespoons of sugar. <br />
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Bake for approximately 30-40 minutes, until top is slightly browned. Cool in skillet. Remove and enjoy! Do not overbake to point of dryness--this is a heavy cake and should be slightly doughy and moist inside.<br />
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Mary L. Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295245391337869803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9009459727212262710.post-58652147117245363392013-06-06T07:42:00.000-07:002013-06-06T07:44:21.593-07:00Summer Reading<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Summer weather is almost here! Our weatherman says that we will reach 100 degrees by the end of next week. Whew! I'm not sure I'm ready for that, just yet. Still, the warmth is welcome after such a long winter for us.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DSHqAfPwNpk/SnnxfvISkjI/AAAAAAAABNE/4Ozbgs0oCAs/s1600/100_0823.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="153" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DSHqAfPwNpk/SnnxfvISkjI/AAAAAAAABNE/4Ozbgs0oCAs/s200/100_0823.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Have you made your summer reading list, yet? It's such a perfect time of year to sit in the shade in a comfy lounge chair, or, my favorite, sit on the porch swing and enjoy the cool morning air before the heat takes hold for the day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I usually re-read a few books every summer. One of them is <em>Shepherd of the Hills</em>, by Harold Bell Wright. It is such an old-fashioned book and I love reading the old style of writing. The Branson area is one of my favorite summer destinations and this book always brings the beautiful area to mind.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I hope you are having a wonderful to start to summer:)</span><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This is the day which the <span class="small-caps">Lord</span> hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. <br /><span class="keywordresultextras">Psalm 118:24</span></span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></em><br />Mary L. Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295245391337869803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9009459727212262710.post-91479753712336155542013-06-02T12:34:00.002-07:002013-06-02T12:34:43.070-07:00Happy Sunday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><em>For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God</em></span> <strong>I Corinthians 1:18 KJV</strong></div>
Mary L. Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295245391337869803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9009459727212262710.post-24697702817177332932013-05-29T08:05:00.000-07:002013-05-29T16:53:53.737-07:00Homemade<span style="font-size: large;">Do you enjoy reading about the day to day activities of our fore mothers? I've always liked to read about pioneer women. In fact, <em>Pioneer Women, Voices From The Kansas Frontier</em>, by Joanna L. Stratton, is one of my favorite books. Can you imagine living in a dugout house with a dirt ceiling, dirt walls, and a dirt floor? No wonder they covered the ceiling with sheeting and papered the walls.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">After reading about those brave women, I have a lot of sympathy for Ma Ingalls and her dislike of that dugout they were in for a while, despite Laura Ingalls Wilder's enthusiasm for the little home. The thought of snakes dropping through the ceiling is a little too much for me!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">There are some aspects of their lives that I enjoy--making bread, soap, and cooking on a woodstove. Although my woodstove is really a stove for heating the house, I can cook on it in the winter. A Dutch oven filled with a roast, potatoes, onions, and carrots makes a wonderful supper!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">What is your favorite pioneer woman book? And what aspects of their lives do you enjoy reading about and maybe like to 'copy' today?</span><br />
<br />Mary L. Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295245391337869803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9009459727212262710.post-69641181015438025032013-05-28T12:13:00.001-07:002013-05-28T12:13:54.095-07:00Thank You!<span style="font-size: large;">A big thank you to all my fans on the enthusiastic comments about my new e-book, <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sweetgrass-Bride-Chance-Brides-ebook/dp/B00C9QQ6DS/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_t_1_1FHA" target="_blank">The Sweetgrass Bride</a></em>! It is a joy getting to 'meet' all of you through cyberspace. And I love hearing from each and everyone of you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">In the coming weeks, I will be telling you more about the third book in the series--title pending, as yet, that will be out later this summer. Now that the older Murphy brothers are married, it is time for younger brother, Mark, to have his story told. This e-book will be a tad longer than the other two due to so many of your requests for a story with more detail.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I hope you are all having a great week.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Happy reading!</span><br />
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Mary L. Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295245391337869803noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9009459727212262710.post-7035944149045976392013-04-05T16:07:00.003-07:002013-04-05T16:08:20.590-07:00Book Release for June Foster<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">June Foster's third book is finally out! Enjoy, everyone!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Join us in celebrating the launch and release of June Foster's book, <strong>Deliver Us</strong>, Book Three in the Bellewood Series. Releasing April 1st from </span><a href="http://desertbreezepublishing.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Desert Breeze Publishing</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">About the book:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The young fraternity man who coaxed Jillian Coleman upstairs that night is only a blur in her memory. Now she lives with the unrelenting guilt that she aborted her baby. God might forgive her, but she can't forgive herself. As Bellewood's premier gynecologist, she hopes to open the Jeremiah House to offer teen girls an abortion alternative. Though the handsome and successful Dr. Jett Camp wants to marry Jillian, he believes her plan is a waste of her skills.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KzoIS1xexNQ/UV9YO7hanuI/AAAAAAAACBQ/y7qVFVIEa_s/s1600/june+foster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" mta="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KzoIS1xexNQ/UV9YO7hanuI/AAAAAAAACBQ/y7qVFVIEa_s/s200/june+foster.jpg" width="134" /></a>Riley Mathis spent ten years in jail for dealing drugs. Now as a Christian, he's trying to put his life back together. Working as a janitor at night, he attends college by day. When he meets Dr. Coleman, he recognizes her from the sapphire necklace she wore the night he stole something precious from her. When she confesses the choice she made to abort her baby, Riley can't tell her he's the father of her child.</div>
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About the author:</div>
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June Foster is a retired school teacher, who until recently traveled full time with her husband, living in their RV. Now settled in Alabama, they are enjoying their new home, and being close to family.<br />
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<br />Mary L. Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295245391337869803noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9009459727212262710.post-39949215795380915562013-02-28T06:34:00.002-08:002013-02-28T06:34:22.078-08:00Free Read<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Today on Amazon, </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kates-Kisses-Treats-Bakery-ebook/dp/B0056OBYK0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1362061666&sr=8-1&keywords=kate%27s+kisses" target="_blank"><em><span style="font-size: large;">Kate's Kisses (Sweet Treats Bakery</span></em></a><span style="font-size: large;">, is free on kindle books! Click that Buy Now button and enjoy one of Mary Manner's sweet romance novellas!</span>Mary L. Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295245391337869803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9009459727212262710.post-17341388683635903172013-01-04T18:12:00.001-08:002013-01-04T18:12:31.634-08:00Happy 2013!!!<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Hello friends! Hope all of you are doing well. We had a white Christmas here in the Ouachitas. At least seven inches of snow fell by midnight Christmas Day. I've loved seeing all the pretty white, but there are still remnants of it sticking around, and this warm-blooded Southern gal will be glad when it is all gone!</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KmH6LXjvlKQ/SV09sBT5HiI/AAAAAAAABCU/Zu6IYgp8rn0/s1600/120px-Black-eyed-pea-close.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" eea="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KmH6LXjvlKQ/SV09sBT5HiI/AAAAAAAABCU/Zu6IYgp8rn0/s1600/120px-Black-eyed-pea-close.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">Do you make New Year's resolutions? (And do you have black-eyed peas on New Year's Day?--it is a definite tradition at our house!). I have made resolutions in the past, but these days I tend to work more on what I call 'eventual' goals for the year. In 2013, I want to eat better, read more, garden--flowers and vegetables, and, of course, I want to spend more time writing. I'm not sure how I'm going to make all of that work together, but I'm going to try, LOL!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I am still writing book two of the Chance Creek Bride series. It should be out by the end of February. I hope all of you that read <em>Bride By Choice</em> are looking forward to the second in the series. Several have asked if there will be another book to go with <em>The Stagecoach Bride</em>. For now, there is no plan for making that book part of a series, but I'll keep it in mind. And thank you for your interest.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I am now on Goodreads, so I hope all of you will join me over there, as well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A Happy New Year to all of you:)</span></div>
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Mary L. Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295245391337869803noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9009459727212262710.post-91488011835008509512012-11-13T01:00:00.000-08:002012-11-13T05:11:54.889-08:00Healing Love<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Welcome to the Blog Tour for Healing Love, the first in the new series, The Amish of Webster County, by Laura V. Hilton. To celebrate this tour, Laura is giving away a basket of goodies, on her blog, all comments left on this blog or on her blog during the blog tour (November 1 -22nd) will be entered for the drawing of the Grate-Fall Basket. <strong>Click on the link below the picture</strong> to go to Laura's blog to learn more about the participants and to enter the giveaway. Don't forget a comment here also will give you an entry. This book was provided by Whitaker House for review purposes, Blog Tour promoted by</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1352776670_1"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/LovenGodPromotions" target="_blank">LovenGod Promotions</a></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://lauravhilton.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"> <strong><span style="font-size: large;">Laura V. Hilton's Blog</span></strong></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Kristi Lapp loves her Amish life. She enjoys her job as a midwife, helping women through their pregnancies and assisting with the birth of their <em>boppli</em> (babies) into the world. But her life is changed forever when a speeding car sends her buggy over the edge of the highway and down a steep embankment, leaving her seriously injured. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Her recovery is slow and she is left with a painful leg and bad limp. The only bright spot she can see in her life is the fact that she was rescued by local veterinarian, Shane Zimmerman. A man that just happens to be her next door neighbor. Kristi finds herself falling for the handsome vet from the moment she sees him. But the fact that he is <em>Englisch</em> and she is Amish is a hurdle she sees no way to overcome. She <em>must</em> marry an Amish man. Her family will accept nothing less. But how will she ever reconcile herself to another relationship when her heart is lost to Shane? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Shane Zimmerman, still grieving from the tragic death of his pregnant wife, moves to Webster county to begin life anew. No woman has turned his head since his wife's passing. . .until he rescues Kristi Lapp. The beautiful Amish woman captures his every thought from the first. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">He realizes that the time has come for him to acknowledge that his heart is ready to move on. But a warning from Kristi's father to stay away from her leaves him torn between his respect for her father and the longing in his heart to love Kristi. He knows that he must trust God to find a way if the two of them are meant to be. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">His own father left the Amish life many years ago to marry. It would take a leap of faith on Shane's part to leave behind his <em>Englisch</em> life. Will his prayers reveal that God is calling him back to his Amish roots? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">You will love Kristi and Shane from the start as they deal with the love that they have for each other, and their struggle to trust God to show them the path He has for them to take. </span></div>
Mary L. Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295245391337869803noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9009459727212262710.post-57490472182068546592012-11-10T11:53:00.001-08:002012-11-10T14:23:23.840-08:00Pumpkins<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Nothing says fall like pumpkins! I love their bright orangey colors and their sometimes quirky shapes. The mini pumpkins make fantastic table decorations and the bigger ones give the porch a cheery look on a cool, cloudy afternoon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">For all their decorating potential, the thing we love most about pumpkins, around here. . .is eating them:) Below is our favorite pumpkin muffin recipe. Enjoy!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Pumpkin Muffins</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">2 cups all purpose flour 1/4 cup softened butter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 cup granulated sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 egg</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup canned pumpkin</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 cup of milk</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4 cup of coconut oil or corn oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">1/8 teaspoon of cloves</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Heat oven to 350. Sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. In another bowl, beat together butter and sugar until creamy. Add egg, pumpkin, milk, and oil. Beat on high speed until mixture is light and fluffy. Stir in flour mixture just until moistened. Put in greased muffin tins and bake 24-30 minutes. Watch carefully if your oven cooks hot. Makes one dozen muffins.</span>Mary L. Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295245391337869803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9009459727212262710.post-17211162085002116112012-10-16T11:13:00.002-07:002012-10-16T11:13:31.399-07:00Free on Amazon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_zOqRyCQRMs/UH2jkp5fZkI/AAAAAAAAB98/Vs4rhrmyTKs/s1600/Hilton+book1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" nea="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_zOqRyCQRMs/UH2jkp5fZkI/AAAAAAAAB98/Vs4rhrmyTKs/s320/Hilton+book1.jpg" width="205" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">If you're looking for a good read by a wonderful author, Laura V. Hilton's book, <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Patchwork-Dreams-Amish-Seymour-The/dp/1603742557/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350411007&sr=8-1&keywords=laura+v+hilton">Patchwork Dreams</a></em>, (<em>The</em> <em>Amish of Seymour)</em>, is now free on Amazon for a short time. Enjoy!</span>Mary L. Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295245391337869803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9009459727212262710.post-12487073520897864152012-09-28T17:38:00.006-07:002012-09-28T17:38:58.601-07:00Friday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jgO1BJ1OJAc/UGZC5rhvb7I/AAAAAAAAB9s/fULGqIJzY_8/s1600/fall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" kea="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jgO1BJ1OJAc/UGZC5rhvb7I/AAAAAAAAB9s/fULGqIJzY_8/s320/fall.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><em>Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer</em>. Psalm 19:14 (KJV)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Have a wonderful weekend!</span><br />
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Mary L. Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295245391337869803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9009459727212262710.post-51859967665195542332012-09-27T09:49:00.003-07:002012-09-27T09:49:58.689-07:00Cooking On The Trail<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8d0txjX8SJE/UGSDICLo7DI/AAAAAAAAB9c/JcYmHmzBDOg/s1600/file000180279163.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kea="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8d0txjX8SJE/UGSDICLo7DI/AAAAAAAAB9c/JcYmHmzBDOg/s1600/file000180279163.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Men on the trail heading west had to make sure their wagons stayed in good condition, keep the livestock healthy, and watch for dangers along the trail. Women had many responsibilities. They assisted their husbands with the wagon and livestock, took care of their children, assisted other women that they were traveling in the wagon train, did laundry when there was a day available--for 'rest', and most importantly, keep everyone fed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">There were many food items to 'experiment' with along the way; sage hens, badgers, prairie dogs, rattlesnakes, etc. The main staples packed and brought along from the beginning of the journey included bacon, coffee, flour, cornmeal, soda, beans, and salt. They usually made make-shift biscuits or pancakes with bacon for breakfast in the mornings before starting back on the journey. There was usually a mid-day break so the livestock could rest. Most ate leftovers from breakfast at this time. The evening meal usually consisted of beans, some type of bread, and bacon. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">After getting her fire started with buffalo chips, sagebrush, weeds, or wood, if it was available, a pioneer woman could have a meal made within an hour or two. Just in time to curl up under the wagon and rest before it was time to start all over the next morning. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Here is a variation of Irish Soda Bread that was popular on the trail:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Mix one teaspoon of baking soda with one cup of warm water. Stir thoroughly. Add 2 1/4 cups of flour and 1 teaspoon of salt. Knead well. You may cook at once, (in a covered, well greased Dutch oven or spider skillet over the coals if you are on the trail), or let rise overnight. Press down to one inch thick and bake on greased cookie sheet at 4oo degrees for about 25 minutes</span>.</div>
Mary L. Briggshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295245391337869803noreply@blogger.com0