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Easter in Autumn
T his past Easter, I bought an Easter lily. I love Easter lilies. Love the sweet aroma , the strong stem and glossy, symmetrical leaves.
Every year at Easter our church gives the opportunity to buy a lily plant in honor of someone who has "gone before" as witness to the resurrection. I bought mine in memory of my dad, who two years before he died "became one of those born-agains" he used to scorn (including, of course, me).
I had prayed for him for some 30 years before he came to the Lord.
So, my Easter lily was special. Once a year, that sweet aroma that spills out of the trumpet-shaped flower would remind me of hope. The hope of Easter--life triumphing over death, fully and finally. The thing about these plants, though, is Read more
________________________________________ Welcome to ABUNDANT GIFTS a newsletter to help you develop the habit of seeing every day gifts from a lavish God ________________________________________ Published by Diane Eble author of ABUNDANT GIFTS A Daybook of Grace-Filled Devotions ( New Hope, 2004) ________________________________________
October
In This Issue: * A Timely Reminder * Don’t worry—Pray! * Name of God of the Month: Good Shepherd * Images of God as Shepherd * Perspectives * Abundant Gifts to Relish in October * On the blog * Pass It On * Subscribe/Unsubscribe Information ________________________________________
A TIMELY REMINDER
Gene and I were discussing the upcoming bills and the timing of some checks we expected. We had just prayed, and I was trying not to worry.
Gene asked me to sign a copy of ABUNDANT GIFTS he wanted to send to a relative. I randomly opened it up to the story, “The Hidden Gifts of Paying Bills.” I read it aloud to Gene. We both knew it was God’s word to us at that moment.
The story is too long to repeat here, but if you have the book, I recommend turning to it again when you pay your bills. (If you don’t have the book, you don’t know what you’re missing!)
I will include the prayer I quoted by Gunilla Norris: “Guard me against the arrogance of privilege, against the indulgence of feeling that I don’t have enough, and the poverty of spirit that refuses to acknowledge what is daily given me.” Amen! ________________________________________
DON’T WORRY--PRAY!
Another gift came when I was in the car and “happened” to turn on the radio to a Christian station, and Dr. David Jeremiah was preaching on the topic of worry. It was so timely! I pass on the scriptures that are surely worth meditating upon, if not memorizing:
“Trust me in your times of trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory.” –Psalm 50:15 (NLT)
“Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.” —Psalm 55:22
“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you.”—1 Peter 5:7
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” —Philippians 4:6-7 ________________________________________
NAME OF GOD OF THE MONTH: GOOD SHEPHERD
I have been pondering the names and images of God for a while, and over the past few weeks God keeps bringing one in particular to my attention: God as our Shepherd.
In the Young Children and Worship session with which I’ve been involved, I was deeply moved by the stories of God as Shepherd. How he cares for the sheep, leading them through the dark, scary places, how he knows them by name, how he leads them to the lush green meadows and the quiet, still waters.
Then I heard a call-in show on the radio where the guest talked about Psalm 23. A modern-day shepherdess called in and mentioned that sheep are so helpless, if they fall down, they can’t get up by themselves. They need the shepherd to get them up again.
I had recently “fallen down.” Several times in fact. What a comfort to realize that the Shepherd doesn’t expect me to get on my feet myself; that’s what his rod and staff are for.
Sheep, I’ve heard, are very dumb animals. That comforts me, too. The Shepherd doesn’t ask us to be smart, or capable, or beautiful. Sheep are seldom any of these things. The Shepherd loves them anyway.
________________________________________
IMAGES OF GOD AS SHEPHERD:
“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want . . .” and the rest of Psalm 23
“He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.” --Isaiah 40:11
“I myself will tend my sheep and have them life down, declares the Sovereign Lord. I will serach for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice.” --Ezekiel 34:15:16
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.” --John 10:14, 15
“The Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” --Revelation 7:17 ________________________________________
PERSPECTIVES
"Follow the path of the unsafe, independent thinker. Expose your ideas to the dangers of controversy. Speak your mind and fear less the label of 'crackpot' than the stigma of conformity. And on issues that seem important to you, stand up and be counted at any cost." --Thomas J. Watson
"Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay, not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end. Failure is something we can avoid only by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing." --Denis Waitley
“The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. He who knows it not and can no longer wonder, no longer feels amazement, is as good as dead, a snuffed-out candle.” --Albert Einstein
“Prayer strikes the winning blow; service is simply picking up the results.” --S. D. Gordon
"Continuous effort--not strength or intelligence--is the key to unlocking our potential." --Winston Churchill
"If you're never scared or embarrassed or hurt, it means you never take any chances." -- Julia Sorel ________________________________________
ABUNDANT GIFTS TO RELISH IN OCTOBER
* The glorious display of autumn colors (at least in the northern areas) * The last vine-ripened garden tomoatoes * The color of mums * The smile of a loved one * The affection of a child * The routine of school or work * Those “boring” days when nothing [bad] happens * A good night’s sleep * Fresh apples ________________________________________
ON THE BLOG: “Room for All Kinds”
I hope you didn’t miss the story I wrote and published on the Abundant Gifts blog. It was called, “Room for All Kinds,” and it’s one of the most profound things God has ever revealed to me.
Whenever I feel impatient with or superior to someone, God reminds me that “in my kingdom, there is room for all kinds.”
Stop by the blog at and read it: http://wordstoprofit.com/Abundant-Gifts-blog/ .
While you’re there, please fill out the subscribe box. That way you won’t miss any of the articles I will be posting. ________________________________________
PASS IT ON!
If you like this newsletter, forward it to a friend! (In its entirety, please.) Your recommendations are how this newsletter grows. ________________________________________
SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE INFORMATION
To SUBSCRIBE, go to http://www.abundant-gifts.com/subscribe_to_newsletter.html
I Value Your Privacy! I will NEVER sell or trade your email address to anyone else. ________________________________________
Copyright © 2006 by Diane Eble. All rights reserved.
* Copyright Notice/Reprint Policy
All material in this ezine is protected by U.S. Federal Copyright law. It may not be reprinted in any form, or hosted on any Web site without explicit permission from Diane Eble.
ALL comments welcome and reprint permission available through e-mail request. No reasonable request denied. ________________________________________ Room for All Kinds
I was frustrated, not for the first time, by a particular person. Someone who does things very differently than me—in my opinion, too slowly, or without enough regard for reality. This person was unconcerned, in my mind, about what was important, and focused only on the negative. I did not want to deal with the person or the situation, but circumstances being what they were, I had to.
I knew it was I who probably had the wrong perspective. So I took the matter to God in prayer. And this time, I think I heard a clear word in my spirit. A clear message.
I had recently been to a church retreat called “The Kingdom and the Poor.” One of the most powerful moments of the retreat was when the leader had various people simply read the scriptures that mentioned “the kingdom of God” and another set that mentioned “the poor.” No comments, just the scriptures, one right after another, cascading over us, word by word constructing a picture of God’s vision and God’s heart.
When I went to prayer about my attitude toward this particular “difficult” person, the words that imprinted on my soul were, “In my kingdom there is room for all kinds.” And the sense was that, not only is there room, but “all kinds” were welcome, honored, cherished.
How different from the world, that dictates membership into The Accepted: you must be successful, productive, rich, beautiful, powerful, productive, useful. The whole advertising industry, to mention only one, is built upon reinforcing this. Why do people strive so hard to look as young as possible, to acquire as many possessions as possible, to become as successful as possible? Not really to get or become the thing itself—beautiful, rich, or successful—but, I think anyway, to become Accepted.
God’s way is different. God says “You’re accepted” just because he made us. I think he actually likes people who are “different” in some way, who have some sort of handicap or difficulty. His compassion is activated by our need, and his nature is to be compassionate, kind, loving, gracious.
“In my kingdom there is room for all kinds.” The words changed my attitude toward my Difficult Person. Knowing God loves that person, welcomes that person without asking for any change at all, humbled me, challenged me to do the same.
It also made me look at myself, at my own lacks and faults, and feel very, very glad that “in my kingdom, there is room for all kinds.”
Copyright (c) 2006 by Diane Eble. All rights reserved. To be sent an e-mail every time a story like this is posted on the blog, sign up now:
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The Amazing God Story that Can't be Written The story I have to share with you today is not the story I thought God would write in my life.
You haven't heard from me in a while, mainly because I've been super busy launching a book (MotherStyles: Using Personality Type to Discover Your Parenting Strengths) and a business (helping people get their books written and published).
Concerning the latter, I thought it would be very useful to go to the annual Christian Booksellers convention this week in Denver to renew my publishing contacts. Gene goes because he works for a publisher. I would have been able to stay with him, no extra charge. Time away from the children, together!)As an author, my publisher could get me in. The kids had friends they could stay with for a week. My only expenses would be for transportation. Surely God would provide that.
I prayed about it. I tried to earn extra. I even asked a couple of people to help me out. The money did not seem to be forthcoming, and I felt strongly that this was not something to put on the credit card, even if it was a business expense.
The day before Gene left for the convention, a friend called. After she told me about how God provided for her at the 11th hour, I mentioned my situation.
She said, "My husband has a voucher he got when he was bumped a year ago, and I think it expires this week. Let's see if I can find it, and if it's transferrable."
She did find something. We each called the airline company, described the vouther in details, and were reassured that it was usable and transferrable.
I checked flights to Denver, thinking this was God's amazing way of providing for me to go to the convention after all.
No flights to Denver available under that voucher.
I hung up, very disappointed. Then it hit me: I have a free ticket to go anywhere! Where did I want to go?
Portland, I decided. As in Portland, Oregon. I have two sets of dear friends out there I'd love to visit.
Called the friends. They'd love to have me! Portland is so beautiful now! We'd have so much fun!
But then I checked the airline again. No flights to Portland on that voucher. No flights to Seattle, either. At least, not through Nov. 8, when she stopped checking.
But there were flights to Miami. I have a cousin in Florida I'd love to see. Called her. Debbie said it would be a fine time to visit. We'd have so much fun.... "We'll do whatever you want to do," she said.
The Amazing God Story I thought I'd be writing was how God knew I needed a vacation even more than I needed to be at the convention.
But it was not to be....
When my friend, who had the plane ticket, went to the airport to transfer it over to me--a trip he did not relish taking--the airline told him it was not a valid travel voucher. Despite us having called the airline at least 7 times, describing every inch of the paper and being told it was indeed a voucher and transferrable, US Air told Bill it was not valid.
Case closed.
No vacation for Diane.
Did something wonderful come up for me this week anyway? Not yet. I stayed home, got a lot done. Today I'm taking a retreat of sorts. I will try to get something done that I've been trying to find time for for months. (Something that will benefit my Abundant Gifts readers.)
But here's what God did, that I can recognize. The morning my friend called about the plane ticket, right before she called in fact, I talked to a neighbor. The neighbor was having a garage sale, and I stopped by on my walk.
We got to chatting, and she told me that in April, she lost her future son-in-law. He dropped dead of a heart attack one day. Her daughter, who is 49, was devastated. She'd finally found the love of her life, and was all set for a wonderful future. Jane and her fiance had bought a house. They were to be married this summer.
Within a week of that tragedy, my neighbor, Genevieve, also lost her 33-year-old mentally handicapped son, who lived with her. She lost a son and son-in-law, her daughter Jane lost a fiance and beloved brother. All within a week.
Genevieve told me that she and Jane have a strong faith in God, and that is what is getting them through. Her faith lingered with me. I returned later that afternoon and gave her a copy of Abundant Gifts.
Genevieve's story framed my own disppointment with a new perspective. What was my diappointment in a missed vacation compared to the crushing disappointment of losing one's love and a future that seemed a dream come true? Of losing the son one has cared for and lived with for more than 30 years?
In a strange way, God used their story to help me. Even though I felt very disappointed in not being able to take the vacation I thought I'd take, I felt an underlying peace and sense that God is in control.
He has provided miraculously for me in the past. This time he chose not to. I may never know why, or he may reveal it. Either way, I know he's with me.
Life is full of disappointment. But it tends to evaporate when the presence of God is trusted. copyright (c) 2006 Diane Eble. All rights reserved.
The Amazing God Story that Can't be Written The story I have to share with you today is not the story I thought God would write in my life.
You haven't heard from me in a while, mainly because I've been super busy launching a book (MotherStyles: Using Personality Type to Discover Your Parenting Strengths) and a business (helping people get their books written and published).
Concerning the latter, I thought it would be very useful to go to the annual Christian Booksellers convention this week in Denver to renew my publishing contacts. Gene goes because he works for a publisher. I would have been able to stay with him, no extra charge. Time away from the children, together!)As an author, my publisher could get me in. The kids had friends they could stay with for a week. My only expenses would be for transportation. Surely God would provide that.
I prayed about it. I tried to earn extra. I even asked a couple of people to help me out. The money did not seem to be forthcoming, and I felt strongly that this was not something to put on the credit card, even if it was a business expense.
The day before Gene left for the convention, a friend called. After she told me about how God provided for her at the 11th hour, I mentioned my situation.
She said, "My husband has a voucher he got when he was bumped a year ago, and I think it expires this week. Let's see if I can find it, and if it's transferrable."
She did find something. We each called the airline company, described the vouther in details, and were reassured that it was usable and transferrable.
I checked flights to Denver, thinking this was God's amazing way of providing for me to go to the convention after all.
No flights to Denver available under that voucher.
I hung up, very disappointed. Then it hit me: I have a free ticket to go anywhere! Where did I want to go?
Portland, I decided. As in Portland, Oregon. I have two sets of dear friends out there I'd love to visit.
Called the friends. They'd love to have me! Portland is so beautiful now! We'd have so much fun!
But then I checked the airline again. No flights to Portland on that voucher. No flights to Seattle, either. At least, not through Nov. 8, when she stopped checking.
But there were flights to Miami. I have a cousin in Florida I'd love to see. Called her. Debbie said it would be a fine time to visit. We'd have so much fun.... "We'll do whatever you want to do," she said.
The Amazing God Story I thought I'd be writing was how God knew I needed a vacation even more than I needed to be at the convention.
But it was not to be....
When my friend, who had the plane ticket, went to the airport to transfer it over to me--a trip he did not relish taking--the airline told him it was not a valid travel voucher. Despite us having called the airline at least 7 times, describing every inch of the paper and being told it was indeed a voucher and transferrable, US Air told Bill it was not valid.
Case closed.
No vacation for Diane.
Did something wonderful come up for me this week anyway? Not yet. I stayed home, got a lot done. Today I'm taking a retreat of sorts. I will try to get something done that I've been trying to find time for for months. (Something that will benefit my Abundant Gifts readers.)
But here's what God did, that I can recognize. The morning my friend called about the plane ticket, right before she called in fact, I talked to a neighbor. The neighbor was having a garage sale, and I stopped by on my walk.
We got to chatting, and she told me that in April, she lost her future son-in-law. He dropped dead of a heart attack one day. Her daughter, who is 49, was devastated. She'd finally found the love of her life, and was all set for a wonderful future. Jane and her fiance had bought a house. They were to be married this summer.
Within a week of that tragedy, my neighbor, Genevieve, also lost her 33-year-old mentally handicapped son, who lived with her. She lost a son and son-in-law, her daughter Jane lost a fiance and beloved brother. All within a week.
Genevieve told me that she and Jane have a strong faith in God, and that is what is getting them through. Her faith lingered with me. I returned later that afternoon and gave her a copy of Abundant Gifts.
Genevieve's story framed my own disppointment with a new perspective. What was my diappointment in a missed vacation compared to the crushing disappointment of losing one's love and a future that seemed a dream come true? Of losing the son one has cared for and lived with for more than 30 years?
In a strange way, God used their story to help me. Even though I felt very disappointed in not being able to take the vacation I thought I'd take, I felt an underlying peace and sense that God is in control.
He has provided miraculously for me in the past. This time he chose not to. I may never know why, or he may reveal it. Either way, I know he's with me.
Life is full of disappointment. But it tends to evaporate when the presence of God is trusted. copyright (c) 2006 Diane Eble. All rights reserved. Here are some past issues:
************************************************ Welcome to ABUNDANT GIFTS a newsletter to help you develop the habit of seeing every day gifts from a lavish God _______________________________________________________
Published by Diane Eble author ofABUNDANT GIFTS: A Daybook of Grace-Filled Devotions (New Hope Publishers, 2004)
March 24, 2006
In This Issue: * New story posted: “The Gift of Creative Vision” * Perspectives on ... Gifts * You can still hear Diane on Midday Connection * Pass it On * Gifts from my web site * Coming soon ... * Copyright/reprint information __________________________________________________________
NEW STORY POSTED: “THE GIFT OF CREATIVE VISION”
I had so many things to write about that I promised you … Something on miracles, an article on keeping a gifts Journal … but …
Something rather exciting, to me anyway, sort of side-tracked me.
You see, I’ve been working for more than two years on a book With Janet P. Penley, called MotherStyles: Using Personality Type to Discover Your Parenting Strengths and …
THE BOOK ARRIVED THE OTHER DAY!
So, I sat down with it, and reflected on what it all meant to me. And I wrote it all up and put it on my blog and on my web site.
If creativity interests you at all, if you’ve ever had the spark Of a dream you wanted to do something about … you might enjoy this reflection.
So go here to view the blog: http://WordsToProfit.com/Abundant-Gifts-blog/
or here: www.abundant-gifts.com/current_newsletter.html
If you go on the blog, please post any comments. Or just send me an email: diane@abundant-gifts.com .
__________________________________________________________
PERSPECTIVES ON … GIFTS
"I hate the giving of the hand unless the whole man accompanies it." --Ralph Waldo Emerson opening our mind to the unexplained worlds occupied by the needs of others." --Barbara Bush
“The Lord loveth a cheerful giver. He also accepteth from a grouch." --Catherine Hall
"No one has ever become poor by giving." --Anne Frank
"For it is in giving that we receive." --Saint Francis of Assisi
"Think of giving not as a duty but as a privilege." --John D. Rockefeller Jr
"People are marvelous in their generosity, if they just know the cause is there." --Will Rogers
"No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave." --Calvin Coolidge
"There is a wonderful mythical law of nature that the three things we crave most in life -- happiness, freedom, and peace of mind -- are always attained by giving them to someone else." -- Peyton Conway March "You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them." --Desmond Tutu
__________________________________________________________ IF YOU MISSED DIANE ON MIDDAY CONNECTION ... On February 2, Diane was the featured radio guest on Midday Connection, talking about gratitude and her book,ABUNDANT GIFTS.
If you missed the show, want to hear it again, or if you would like to tell a friend where to listen, click here.
Several callers shared their testimonies of God's grace during some tough times. I think you'll be encouraged by listening. ___________________________________________________________
PASS IT ON!
If this newsletter has encouraged you, please feel free to pass it on to a friend who would also enjoy it.
To subscribe, send an email to subscribe@abundant-gifts.com
To unsusbcribe, simply click the link at the bottom of this message.
__________________________________________________________
DID YOU GET THE GIFTS FROM MY WEB SITE?
If you haven't sampled the five stories from the Abundant Gifts Digital Web Book, go to: http://www.abundant-gifts.com/DigitalWebBook.html
To download the Digital Personal Journal to keep track of your abundant gifts on your own computer, go to www.abundant-gifts.com. There are several places to sign up, in the popup box, the web page itself (look in the box con- taining the story, "When the Gift is the Giver"), or at the bottom of the page.
All God's abundance to you,
Diane Eble
Copyright (c) 2006 by Diane Eble. All rights reserved.
* Copyright Notice/Reprint Policy
All material in this ezine is protected by U.S. Federal Copyright law. It may not be reprinted in any form, or hosted on any Web site without explicit permission from Diane Eble.
ALL comments welcome and reprint permission available through e-mail request. No reasonable request denied. Contact Diane at diane@abundant-gifts.com.
(Posted March 23, 2006)
The Gift of Creative Vision
"Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul; the blue prints of your ultimate achievements." -- Napoleon Hill I’m holding in my hands a copy of a book. The title is MotherStyles: Using Personality Type to Discover Your Parenting Strengths. The authors are listed as “Janet P. Penley with Diane Eble.” It is my tenth book (eleventh, if you count the compilation called The Happy BirthdayBook , as amazon does). It is Janet’s first. As I page through this book, so familiar yet new now that I hold the designed, actual book in my hands, I think about vision. About the power of a dream, of even passing desires. Somehow, they all have power. Energy to create reality. I think about what a gift it is to create. We co-create our lives, in tandem with God. And as we create other things as well--a book, a meal, a dress, a wreath, a new marketing plan, a baby--we express our essential nature: "made in the image of God," the original Creator. We can create alone, but more often, we create with other people. In this case, MotherStyles was born of two women's vision, and one woman's major life work. Although Janet Penley began her work with mothers in 1988, the book MotherStyles was conceived, you might say, in 1993, when I heard Janet speak at a mothering group, then called F.E.M.A.L.E. (Formerly Employed Mothers At the Leading Edge), now called Mothers & More. Janet spoke about 16 different mothering styles, based on personality theory developed by Carl Jung and popularized by Katherine Briggs and Isabel Myers in the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI). I had just gotten certified for giving the MBTI myself, and was writing a book at the time that also talked about personality type. I stood in line to meet Janet after her talk was over. Told her how excellent her presentation was, how I’d just become certified to give the MBTI myself, how all this personality type stuff had been like a huge light bulb of self-understanding for me. I also bought her self-published M.O.M.S. Handbook. In the days that followed, I devoured Janet’s Handbook. I called her, asked if I could interview her for my book, A Life You Can Love. Thus began our friendship as she graciously offered her insights for my book. I told her she should consider writing a “regular book” about Mothers of Many Styles. The Handbook was fine, as far as it went, but I knew there was a great book here. Something nobody had done before, something millions of mothers needed. I knew how much personality type theory had helped me. I knew how to get published. I’d help her write the thing even, if she wanted. I just wanted to see her material “out there,” enlightening other mothers on a grander scale. Well, she wasn’t ready. We kept in touch, off and on. I sent her books I’d written as they came out. She was especially supportive of Abundant Gifts. Every so often, I’d ask if she had any more thoughts of writing the Mothers of Many Styles book. She always had very good reasons for “not yet.” Then, in November 2003, she called me and said, “I think I’m ready to write the book. Can we talk about it?” And so we met and dreamed over lobster bisque and salad about what this book might be, and what my role might be. We solidified an agreement a few months later, and spent the rest of 2004 trying to get a handle on the book. Did a lot of market research, a lot of talking. Too much talking, perhaps. It seemed like we were going around in circles, and sometimes frustration surfaced. Yet I’ve come to trust the creative process. Sometimes dreams take a while to gather enough energy to manifest into a tangible product. Even though it felt like we were going nowhere, what was really happening was, the vision was gathering both shape and momentum. This was a necessary step in the creative process, called “assimilation.” The book was incubating, growing unseen and hidden from our consciousness, within both of us. Finally, by December 2004, we both felt the impatience of The Next Creative Step. Incubation was over, it was time for action! Reality cooperated. We found an agent. We pulled together a proposal, outline, sample chapters. Within three months, the book had a publisher. (Interesting side note: Years ago, I registered a conscious desire to be published someday by Addison-Wesley. That publisher no longer exists … it was bought out by The Perseus Group, of which Da Capo Lifelong Books is a division ... and Da Capo “happens” to be the publisher of MotherStyles .) With a contract in hand, we continued writing the book. The Action phase, from when we started the proposal until when we finished the manuscript, took nine months, January through September of 2005. (Another interesting side note: All my books have taken me nine months to actually write. No matter what else was or was not going on in my life, no matter how long the book—it always seems to take me nine months.) So now, here it is, finally. MotherStyles, complete and finished, going out into the world 13 years after the spark of “conception,” that first connection Janet and I made. Conceived, birthed and launched in its own time, not according to the timetable of the “parents” but according to a deeper sense of timing. I decide on a quiet celebration: I make myself a cup of peppermint cocoa. I stir flavored chocolate shavings into steaming milk, then pour it into a mug with “Texas” on it in quiet acknowledgment of Janet, who now lives in Texas. I savor the sweetness of the drink, the moment. Like a child, each book is unique, special, loved for its own sake. Each is launched into the world with high hopes of fulfilling its purpose, a purpose that somehow seems divine. I hope this book will outlive us both, but one never knows. So now, a blessing: Go, MotherStyles , go and fulfill your destiny. Be an inspiration, a gift, to many, many mothers. As it blessed Janet and me to write you, go and bless others with these truths. Set them free to mother with their best selves, in enlightened energy. And you, dear reader, if you have a creative project you dream of bringing to life, take heart. Feed your dream, don’t let it starve. Patiently let it gather energy in its own time. Pay attention to the sparks, trust the process. Someday you’ll hold in your hands the tangible form of your original vision, and marvel at the miracle of the creative process. And as Janet says when she looks at the published book hot off the presses, “In a strange way, it feels like it’s always been there sitting on my desk; as familiar to me as my child’s face.”
(Posted March 6, 2006) “Mom, You Just Discovered the Meaning of Life!”(But Will It Lead to Riches?)
It was bedtime one Monday night, and my 10-year-old daughter, Christine, and I were chatting as we often do while she gets ready for bed.
As she brushed her long brown hair, she suddenly said, “Mom, what is the meaning of life? I mean, like, why are we even here?”
Dumfounded, I just stared at her for a second.
I don’t know about you, but I wasn’t asking those kinds of questions until at least age 12—and I thought I was precocious….
Fortunately, my pastor had just happened to mention the answer to the first question to the Westminster Confession in his sermon the day before. (Gift!) Also fortunately, I had been listening—and I remembered now.
“The purpose of life,” I said, “is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.”
She looked at me, big blue eyes round in amazement. Then she shouted joyfully, “Mom, that’s it! Yes! That is the answer! Of course. What else could it be?”
We talked about that some. I emphasized the “enjoy him forever,” since this is something it seems to me so many Christians miss. Living a life of faith is not about going through the motions of dry duty. It’s about life, true life, abundant life, life because we’re connected to the very Source of True Life.
“Mom,” Christine said excitedly, “you’re going to make us rich. You know the answer everyone is looking for!”
(Note here our failure as Christian parents. She obviously did not know the Westminster Confession, had no clue that I was not the initiator of this profound answer. )
I gently told her this was not my own brilliant idea, but that it comes from the Bible and early church leaders who distilled the biblical truths into some very good questions and answers, and that this was one of the most basic because, as she said, this is the question everyone wants answered.
I also told her this answer has been around for a couple of thousand years, and that in a way, sharing this answer with other people, in life and word, is what every Christian is asked to do. It’s what my own books all boil down to.
“You mean, then, it won’t make us rich?” she asked in disappointment.
“That’s doubtful,” I said.
It’s actually not a bad question. If we Christians supposedly have The Answer that everyone is dying to know, why aren’t people paying us to learn it?
More pointedly, why aren’t Christians acting as if this is the Answer to Life?
To me, it’s an astounding idea that the Creator of this vast and amazing universe, from the farthest flung planet to the mysterious force that holds all cells together (a quark, perhaps?)—this Creator God says (if you believe the Bible, as I do) that he actually desires a personal relationship with each and every individual, and that he made a way for that to happen.
A way that cost him the most precious thing he had—the life of his only Son, who somehow, in some unfathomable energy of Relationship, is fully God but became fully human, too, and died a human death and rose a divine conqueror—all so that these human beings, made in his very own image, could know him in their daily life, and then join him in some unimaginable paradise that we all unconsciously pine for every day of our lives … and live there forever.
See, that truth just floors me. To experience it daily, as I do whenever I open my heart (and I’m aware of it even when I don’t, there’s no escaping it)—that is something I never quite get over.
Not too long ago I attended a retreat at my church on “The Kingdom of God and the Poor.” One of the most powerful things done there was a reading of all the scriptures that included a reference to “the kingdom of God.”
One thing that struck me: how many times it was mentioned that one must become like a little child to enter, or receive, the kingdom of God.
I’ll leave you to ponder what all that means, as I will do. But … might not Christine’s response to my words about the meaning of life be a good example of what Jesus meant?
She didn’t debate it, doubt it, dissect it. She recognized the truth instantly and received it joyfully.
Jesus himself once prayed, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.”
Interesting also that a few verses down, Jesus also made his famous invitation, “Come to me, all you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy ad my burden is light.”
A child does not carry the weight of the world on her shoulders.
Neither, Jesus says, must I.
In that there is much needed rest.
(Scriptures above come from Matthew 11: 25-26, 28-30, New International Version)
copyright (c) 2006 Diane Eble All rights reserved.
Welcome to ABUNDANT GIFTS a newsletter to help you develop the habit of seeing every day gifts from a lavish God ________________________________________________ Published by Diane Eble author ofABUNDANT GIFTS: A Daybook of Grace-Filled Devotions (New Hope Publishers, 2004) March 24, 2006 In This Issue: *New story posted: “The Gift of Creative Vision” * Perspectives on ... Gifts * You can still hear Diane on Midday Connection * Pass it On * Gifts from my web site * Coming soon ... * Copyright/reprint information __________________________________________________________ NEW STORY POSTED: “THE GIFT OF CREATIVE VISION” I had so many things to write about that I promised you … Something on miracles, an article on keeping a gifts Journal … but … Something rather exciting, to me anyway, sort of side-tracked me. You see, I’ve been working for more than two years on a book With Janet P. Penley, called MotherStyles: Using Personality Type to Discover Your Parenting Strengths and …
THE BOOK ARRIVED THE OTHER DAY!
So, I sat down with it, and reflected on what it all meant to me. And I wrote it all up and put it on my blog and on my web site.
If creativity interests you at all, if you’ve ever had the spark Of a dream you wanted to do something about … you might enjoy this reflection.
So go here to view the blog: http://WordsToProfit.com/Abundant-Gifts-blog/
or here: www.abundant-gifts.com/current_newsletter.html
If you go on the blog, please post any comments. Or just send me an email: diane@abundant-gifts.com .
__________________________________________________________
PERSPECTIVES ON … GIFTS
"I hate the giving of the hand unless the whole man accompanies it." --Ralph Waldo Emerson opening our mind to the unexplained worlds occupied by the needs of others." --Barbara Bush
“The Lord loveth a cheerful giver. He also accepteth from a grouch." --Catherine Hall
"No one has ever become poor by giving." --Anne Frank
"For it is in giving that we receive." --Saint Francis of Assisi
"Think of giving not as a duty but as a privilege." --John D. Rockefeller Jr
"People are marvelous in their generosity, if they just know the cause is there." --Will Rogers
"No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave." --Calvin Coolidge
"There is a wonderful mythical law of nature that the three things we crave most in life -- happiness, freedom, and peace of mind -- are always attained by giving them to someone else." -- Peyton Conway March "You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them." --Desmond Tutu
__________________________________________________________
IF YOU MISSED DIANE ON MIDDAY CONNECTION ...
On February 2, Diane was the featured radio guest on Midday Connection, talking about gratitude and her book,ABUNDANT GIFTS.
If you missed the show, want to hear it again, or if you would like to tell a friend where to listen, click here.
Several callers shared their testimonies of God's grace during some tough times. I think you'll be encouraged by listening. ______________________________________________
PASS IT ON!
If this newsletter has encouraged you, please feel free to pass it on to a friend who would also enjoy it.
To subscribe, send an email to subscribe@abundant-gifts.com
To unsusbcribe, simply click the link at the bottom of this message.
___________________________________________________
DID YOU GET THE GIFTS FROM MY WEB SITE?
If you haven't sampled the five stories from the Abundant Gifts Digital Web Book, go to: http://www.abundant-gifts.com/DigitalWebBook.html
To download the Digital Personal Journal to keep track of your abundant gifts on your own computer, go to www.abundant-gifts.com. There are several places to sign up, in the popup box, the web page itself (look in the box con- taining the story, "When the Gift is the Giver"), or at the bottom of the page.
All God's abundance to you,
Diane Eble
Copyright (c) 2006 by Diane Eble. All rights reserved.
* Copyright Notice/Reprint Policy
All material in this ezine is protected by U.S. Federal Copyright law. It may not be reprinted in any form, or hosted on any Web site without explicit permission from Diane Eble.
ALL comments welcome and reprint permission available through e-mail request. No reasonable request denied. Contact Diane at diane@abundant-gifts.com.
(Posted March 23, 2006)
The Gift of Creative Vision
"Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul; the blue prints of your ultimate achievements." -- Napoleon Hill I’m holding in my hands a copy of a book. The title is MotherStyles: Using Personality Type to Discover Your Parenting Strengths. The authors are listed as “Janet P. Penley with Diane Eble.” It is my tenth book (eleventh, if you count the compilation called The Happy BirthdayBook, as amazon does). It is Janet’s first. As I page through this book, so familiar yet new now that I hold the designed, actual book in my hands, I think about vision. About the power of a dream, of even passing desires. Somehow, they all have power. Energy to create reality. I think about what a gift it is to create. We co-create our lives, in tandem with God. And as we create other things as well--a book, a meal, a dress, a wreath, a new marketing plan, a baby--we express our essential nature: "made in the image of God," the original Creator. We can create alone, but more often, we create with other people. In this case, MotherStyles was born of two women's vision, and one woman's major life work. Although Janet Penley began her work with mothers in 1988, the book MotherStyles was conceived, you might say, in 1993, when I heard Janet speak at a mothering group, then called F.E.M.A.L.E. (Formerly Employed Mothers At the Leading Edge), now called Mothers & More. Janet spoke about 16 different mothering styles, based on personality theory developed by Carl Jung and popularized by Katherine Briggs and Isabel Myers in the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI). I had just gotten certified for giving the MBTI myself, and was writing a book at the time that also talked about personality type. I stood in line to meet Janet after her talk was over. Told her how excellent her presentation was, how I’d just become certified to give the MBTI myself, how all this personality type stuff had been like a huge light bulb of self-understanding for me. I also bought her self-published M.O.M.S. Handbook. In the days that followed, I devoured Janet’s Handbook . I called her, asked if I could interview her for my book, A Life You Can Love. Thus began our friendship as she graciously offered her insights for my book. I told her she should consider writing a “regular book” about Mothers of Many Styles. The Handbook was fine, as far as it went, but I knew there was a great book here. Something nobody had done before, something millions of mothers needed. I knew how much personality type theory had helped me. I knew how to get published. I’d help her write the thing even, if she wanted. I just wanted to see her material “out there,” enlightening other mothers on a grander scale. Well, she wasn’t ready. We kept in touch, off and on. I sent her books I’d written as they came out. She was especially supportive of Abundant Gifts. Every so often, I’d ask if she had any more thoughts of writing the Mothers of Many Styles book. She always had very good reasons for “not yet.” Then, in November 2003, she called me and said, “I think I’m ready to write the book. Can we talk about it?” And so we met and dreamed over lobster bisque and salad about what this book might be, and what my role might be. We solidified an agreement a few months later, and spent the rest of 2004 trying to get a handle on the book. Did a lot of market research, a lot of talking. Too much talking, perhaps. It seemed like we were going around in circles, and sometimes frustration surfaced. Yet I’ve come to trust the creative process. Sometimes dreams take a while to gather enough energy to manifest into a tangible product. Even though it felt like we were going nowhere, what was really happening was, the vision was gathering both shape and momentum. This was a necessary step in the creative process, called “assimilation.” The book was incubating, growing unseen and hidden from our consciousness, within both of us. Finally, by December 2004, we both felt the impatience of The Next Creative Step. Incubation was over, it was time for action! Reality cooperated. We found an agent. We pulled together a proposal, outline, sample chapters. Within three months, the book had a publisher. (Interesting side note: Years ago, I registered a conscious desire to be published someday by Addison-Wesley. That publisher no longer exists … it was bought out by The Perseus Group, of which Da Capo Lifelong Books is a division ... and Da Capo “happens” to be the publisher of MotherStyles .) With a contract in hand, we continued writing the book. The Action phase, from when we started the proposal until when we finished the manuscript, took nine months, January through September of 2005. (Another interesting side note: All my books have taken me nine months to actually write. No matter what else was or was not going on in my life, no matter how long the book—it always seems to take me nine months.) So now, here it is, finally. MotherStyles, complete and finished, going out into the world 13 years after the spark of “conception,” that first connection Janet and I made. Conceived, birthed and launched in its own time, not according to the timetable of the “parents” but according to a deeper sense of timing. I decide on a quiet celebration: I make myself a cup of peppermint cocoa. I stir flavored chocolate shavings into steaming milk, then pour it into a mug with “Texas” on it in quiet acknowledgment of Janet, who now lives in Texas. I savor the sweetness of the drink, the moment. Like a child, each book is unique, special, loved for its own sake. Each is launched into the world with high hopes of fulfilling its purpose, a purpose that somehow seems divine. I hope this book will outlive us both, but one never knows. So now, a blessing: Go, MotherStyles , go and fulfill your destiny. Be an inspiration, a gift, to many, many mothers. As it blessed Janet and me to write you, go and bless others with these truths. Set them free to mother with their best selves, in enlightened energy. And you, dear reader, if you have a creative project you dream of bringing to life, take heart. Feed your dream, don’t let it starve. Patiently let it gather energy in its own time. Pay attention to the sparks, trust the process. Someday you’ll hold in your hands the tangible form of your original vision, and marvel at the miracle of the creative process. And as Janet says when she looks at the published book hot off the presses, “In a strange way, it feels like it’s always been there sitting on my desk; as familiar to me as my child’s face.”
(Posted March 6, 2006) “Mom, You Just Discovered the Meaning of Life!”(But Will It Lead to Riches?)
It was bedtime one Monday night, and my 10-year-old daughter, Christine, and I were chatting as we often do while she gets ready for bed.
As she brushed her long brown hair, she suddenly said, “Mom, what is the meaning of life? I mean, like, why are we even here?”
Dumfounded, I just stared at her for a second.
I don’t know about you, but I wasn’t asking those kinds of questions until at least age 12—and I thought I was precocious….
Fortunately, my pastor had just happened to mention the answer to the first question to the Westminster Confession in his sermon the day before. (Gift!) Also fortunately, I had been listening—and I remembered now.
“The purpose of life,” I said, “is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.”
She looked at me, big blue eyes round in amazement. Then she shouted joyfully, “Mom, that’s it! Yes! That is the answer! Of course. What else could it be?”
We talked about that some. I emphasized the “enjoy him forever,” since this is something it seems to me so many Christians miss. Living a life of faith is not about going through the motions of dry duty. It’s about life, true life, abundant life, life because we’re connected to the very Source of True Life.
“Mom,” Christine said excitedly, “you’re going to make us rich. You know the answer everyone is looking for!”
(Note here our failure as Christian parents. She obviously did not know the Westminster Confession, had no clue that I was not the initiator of this profound answer. )
I gently told her this was not my own brilliant idea, but that it comes from the Bible and early church leaders who distilled the biblical truths into some very good questions and answers, and that this was one of the most basic because, as she said, this is the question everyone wants answered.
I also told her this answer has been around for a couple of thousand years, and that in a way, sharing this answer with other people, in life and word, is what every Christian is asked to do. It’s what my own books all boil down to.
“You mean, then, it won’t make us rich?” she asked in disappointment.
“That’s doubtful,” I said.
It’s actually not a bad question. If we Christians supposedly have The Answer that everyone is dying to know, why aren’t people paying us to learn it?
More pointedly, why aren’t Christians acting as if this is the Answer to Life?
To me, it’s an astounding idea that the Creator of this vast and amazing universe, from the farthest flung planet to the mysterious force that holds all cells together (a quark, perhaps?)—this Creator God says (if you believe the Bible, as I do) that he actually desires a personal relationship with each and every individual, and that he made a way for that to happen.
A way that cost him the most precious thing he had—the life of his only Son, who somehow, in some unfathomable energy of Relationship, is fully God but became fully human, too, and died a human death and rose a divine conqueror—all so that these human beings, made in his very own image, could know him in their daily life, and then join him in some unimaginable paradise that we all unconsciously pine for every day of our lives … and live there forever.
See, that truth just floors me. To experience it daily, as I do whenever I open my heart (and I’m aware of it even when I don’t, there’s no escaping it)—that is something I never quite get over.
Not too long ago I attended a retreat at my church on “The Kingdom of God and the Poor.” One of the most powerful things done there was a reading of all the scriptures that included a reference to “the kingdom of God.”
One thing that struck me: how many times it was mentioned that one must become like a little child to enter, or receive, the kingdom of God.
I’ll leave you to ponder what all that means, as I will do. But … might not Christine’s response to my words about the meaning of life be a good example of what Jesus meant?
She didn’t debate it, doubt it, dissect it. She recognized the truth instantly and received it joyfully.
Jesus himself once prayed, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.”
Interesting also that a few verses down, Jesus also made his famous invitation, “Come to me, all you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy ad my burden is light.”
A child does not carry the weight of the world on her shoulders.
Neither, Jesus says, must I.
In that there is much needed rest.
(Scriptures above come from Matthew 11: 25-26, 28-30, New International Version)
copyright (c) 2006 Diane Eble All rights reserved. ********************************************************************************* Below is a sample of the newsletter sent February 14, 2006 Welcome
to Published by Diane Eble February 14, 2006 In This Issue: ______________________________________________________ WELCOME TO ALL NEW SUBSCRIBERS! More than 150 people signed up for this newsletter as a
result I will pass on the gifts God gives to me, large and small,
in As always, my hope is that you will be blessed not only by
the _________________________________________________ WHO LOVES
CHOCOLATE? Okay, this may seem trivial, but it's connected to a great
gift-- Do you remember one of the quotes
from Abundant Gifts by Sandra Well, I'm one of the 14 (or is it the 10?). For years I
was On this day when chocolate is a part of celebrating love, I
thought Note that since I don't count calories, I can't tell you
exactly 1/3-1/2 cup of nonfat dry milk In a glass jar with tight-fitting lid, mix a couple
tablespoons *Stevia is a natural sweetener taken from a small shrub that
grows What I know about Stevia is that it's much healthier than
sugar Anyway, I like this, and find it curbs my appetite for
around __________________________________________________ PERSPECTIVES ON ... LOVE Since this is Valentine's Day, I thought I'd pass on some
thought-
'Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak
kindly. "Everything is, is freely given by the God of love.
All "Where there is great love there are always
miracles." “The supreme happiness of life is the conviction
“There's a whole lot of people who are so freaking
busy, "The best portion of a good man's life is his
little, ""Why love if losing hurts so much? We love to
know "Love is an act of endless forgiveness, a tender ________________________________________________ IF YOU MISSED DIANE ON MIDDAY CONNECTION ... On February 2, Diane was the featured radio guest
on If you missed the show, want to hear it again, or if
you Several callers shares their testimonies of God's
grace _____________________________________________ PASS IT ON! If this newsletter has encouraged you, please feel free to
pass To subscribe, send an email to subscribe@abundant-gifts.com To unsusbcribe, simply click the link at the bottom of this message. ________________________________________________ DID YOU GET THE GIFTS FROM MY WEB SITE? If you haven't sampled the five stories from the Abundant
Gifts To download the Digital Personal Journal to keep track of
your _______________________________________________ COMING SOON ... My next messages will contain stories of recent miracles
I've All God's abundance to you, Diane Eble
* Copyright Notice/Reprint Policy All material in this ezine is protected by U.S. Federal
Copyright ALL comments welcome and reprint permission available
through
Welcome to ABUNDANT GIFTS/o:p> a newsletter to help you develop the habit of seeing every day gifts from a lavish God ________________________________________
Published by Diane Eble author of ABUNDANT GIFTS: A Daybook of Grace-Filled Devotions (second edition, New Hope Publishers, 2004)
PREMIER ISSUE, September 2000
In This Issue:
1. Why this newsletter 2. Gift-Giving and the Language of Love 3. How I Discovered a Gift-Giving God 4. Perspectives 5 Abundant Gifts to Relish in September. 6. Pass This On to a Friend 7. Subscribe/Unsubscribe information 8. More Abundant Gifts 9. Web sites to check out/o:p> 10. Copyright information ________________________________________
1. WHY THIS NEWSLETTER?
Welcome to the ABUNDANT GIFTS Newsletter! I am writing this because, quite frankly, I had such a wonderful time writing my book ABUNDANT GIFTS that I wanted to keep up the momentum! The stories of God’s goodness and grace, in my life and the lives of those I know, have continued to flow, and I wanted a venue for sharing them. If you want to know what inspired and continues to inspire me to share these stories, read Psalm 145. It’s too long to quote here, but it’s all about “proclaiming the greatness, celebrating the mighty power, telling of the mighty deeds” of the One who “satisfies the hunger and thirst of every living thing.”
That’s what I will attempt to do in this newsletter. You’ll read true stories of God’s goodness and grace in /o:p> the lives of real people. You’ll hear about things that /o:p> have been gifts to me—people, insights, experiences, books, quotes, recipes that will, I hope, enhance your life as they had mine. I’ll suggest different kinds of gifts to savor each month—those universal gifts that are too often overlooked. But I hope you will be on the lookout for the personalized gifts that come like packages selected and wrapped specially for you. My hope and prayer is that these things will encourage you as much as they have me, and that they will open your eyes and heart to the God who is “gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love … good to all, having compassion on all he has made” (Psalm 145:8, 9).
________________________________________
2. GIFT-GIVING AND THE LANGUAGE OF LOVE
One day I received a large box in the mail. Who could be sending me presents, and why? I hurriedly opened the box. Inside were several small, individually wrapped gifts. I opened the little card. My friend who sent the gifts wrote that she could tell I was a little “down” from my last letter, so here were a few little things to cheer me up.
I opened each gift with delight. An address book. Padded clothes hangers. A flannel nightgown, sewn by the giver. A sachet. Nothing terribly expensive, but each gift was sent with thought and love. I’m not sure I ever felt quite so loved. Those gifts were pure grace— unexpected, sent with love, “just because” the gift giver wanted to show she cared.
Gift giving, says Dr. Gary Chapman, is one of the “languages of love” that we all understand. But it’s also a language of divine love, I’m discovering. “God so loved the world that he GAVE His only begotten Son,” John 3:16 tells us. God is always giving his good gifts to us, because He is love, and it is the nature of love to give. ________________________________________
3. HOW I DISCOVERED A GIFT-GIVING GOD
I first discovered God as a generous, good God in the /o:p> process of writing a previous book, KNOWING THE VOICE OF GOD. It seemed that every day God was doing something very special in my life. Every day I saw his hand in my life in big ways, small ways, all kinds of ways. Every time I needed something, whether an idea, <> began to keep track of what I felt God was doing in my life. At night I would jot down in a spiral notebook “gifts” given for that day. I saw them as not just generic “blessings,” but as love gifts from a personal and generous God.
The more I wrote down, the more I saw. The more I looked, the more I noticed. Everyday gifts suddenly didn’t seem so ordinary. I began to see them as expressions of God’s love for me given by a lavish God who simply loves, and loves to give.
I continued to keep track, to take ten minutes or so every night (or sometimes the next morning) to jot down the gifts for the day. I didn’t expect it to revolutionize my life, but it did.
I went through a rocky time shortly after I began my gifts journal: insomnia and post-partum depression, friends moving out of state. I often felt irritable, spacey, trapped, weepy or just plain sleepy. I was concerned about certain health problems, worried about finances and my work productivity. Keeping the gifts journal in /o:p> the midst of all these struggles realigned my focus and my perspective. I discovered that God was right her, /o:p> showing me he loves me, every day.
What I was developing was the habit of SEEING. Jesus said the Spirit is like the wind; we see the effects of wind, though we cannot see the wind itself. My gifts journal showed me the effects of the Spirit’s activity in my life. Before keeping the journal, I sometimes felt poor, forgotten, lonely, depressed. Since then, I have felt rich, remembered, loved, excited. As I give God each day and look for the signs of his goodness, life becomes an adventure.
Try it yourself: Look for the good things that come your /o:p> way. But instead of just acknowledging them in a generic way, try saying “thank you” to the personal God /o:p> who sent them as a gift. Then, let me know the /o:p> difference it’s made in your life!
Adapted from Abundant Giflts by Diane Eble, Tyndale House Publishers. Copyright (c) 2000, all rights reserved.
________________________________________
4. PERSPECTIVES
“Those who have abandoned themselves to God always lead mysterious lives and receive from him exceptional and miraculous gifts by means of the most ordinary, natural and chance experiences….” --Jean-Pierre de Caussade
“We have all benefitted from the rich blessings [Christ] brought to us—one gracious blessing after another.” --John 1:16, New Living Translation
________________________________________
5. ABUNDANT GIFTS TO RELISH IN SEPTEMBER
* The music of insects at night * Produce from the garden * The color of mums * The smile of a loved one * The affection of a child * The routine of school or work * Those “boring” days when nothing [bad] happens * Labor Day weekend * A good night’s sleep * Fresh apples ________________________________________
6. PASS THIS ON TO A FRIEND
If you liked this ezine, forward it to a friend! Your recommendations are how this newsletter grows.
________________________________________
7. SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE INFORMATION
To subscribe, reply to this message with SUBSCRIBE in the subject line. To unsubscribe, reply to this message with UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line.
I Value Your Privacy! I will NEVER sell or trade your email address to anyone else. ________________________________________
8. MORE ABUNDANT GIFTS
If you like the contents of this newsletter, you’ll love the book—ABUNDANT GIFTS: A Daybook of Grace- Filled Devotions (New Hope). It’s got a beautiful hard cover, a gorgeous inside design (thanks to the publisher), and 260 true stories of God’s goodness and grace. The book is designed so that you can read one story a day (in about three minutes), five days a week throughout the year. But people tell me they can’t put it down.
Michelle Rapkin Collings, Editorial Director for the Crossings Book Club, said, “Now the discipline for me of regular devotions is limiting myself to ONE of Diane Eble’s devotions per day!” Crossings also called it “delightful … an extraordinary book … honest and gripping, each vignette speaks straight to the heart.”
For more information the book, click on http://www.abundant-gifts.com , where you can find out more about the author, read an excerpt, and more. To buy, click here.
________________________________________ 9. WEB SITES TO CHECK OUT
* For a wonderful, restful web site full of many gifts:
* For some inspiration on faith, try: http://www.good4asmile.com/heartsoul/faith_isp.htm
________________________________________
10. Copyright (c) 2000 by Diane Eble. All rights reserved.
* Copyright Notice/Reprint Policy
All material in this ezine is protected by U.S. Federal Copyright law. It may not be reprinted in any form, or hosted on any Web site without explicit permission from Diane Eble.
ALL comments welcome and reprint permission available through e-mail request. No reasonable request denied. ____________________________________ December, 2004
Dear Abundant Gifts friend:
I hope you had a bountiful, blessed Thanksgiving.
It is one of my favorite holidays. A day centered around thankfulness and food, what can beat?
To help you keep the spirit of gratitude, I thought I’d include some quotes to inspire you.
And then, a bit of news and that’s it! We’re all so busy these days, who needs one more thing to read?
Perspectives on Gratitude "You simply will not be the same person two months from now after consciously giving thanks each day for the abundance that exists in your life. And you will have set in motion an ancient spiritual law: the more you have and are grateful for, the more will be given you.-- Sarah Ban Breathnach
"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow." --Melody Beattie
"We ought to give thanks for all fortune: if it is good, because it is good, if bad, because it works in us patience, humility and the contempt of this world and the hope of our eternal country" --C.S. Lewis
“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."--John Fitzgerald Kennedy
"True thanksgiving means that we need to thank God for what He has done for us, and not to tell Him what we have done for Him." --George R. Hendrick
"When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the morning light, for your life and strength. Give thanks for your food, and the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies with yourself." –Tecumseh The above quotes come from Carmen Leal’s AllAboutQuotes.com. To subscribe to get a daily dose of inspiration, visit http://www.allaboutquotes.com/Daily.asp.
Three Fresh Stories in New Edition Here’s a gentle reminder that the latest edition of Abundant Gifts: A Daybook of Grace-Filled Devotions is now available online and in bookstores and makes a great gift. You can see the new cover by clicking here. This edition contains three different (n*e*w) stories! One is one of my all-time favorites (miraculous gift), one about my dad…. So this edition is also a keeper. _____________________________________________ Something Special for My Special Friends If you prefer the older edition, I still have some copies left. For a limited time (until December 10) I can personalize, sign and send your copy of the older edition (click hereto see the cover), gift-wrapped, to the recipient of your choice ifyou like. You must do all of the following for me to dothis: 1. Send an email with the recipient’s name and a bit about them (especially whether currently a believer or not) so I can personalize it. Email me at: diane@abundant-gifts.com , please. Also include where you want it sent—full name and address. 2. Specify whether you want it gift wrapped. 3. Send me a check for $19.95 (to cover postage and handling). My address: Diane Eble, 0S430 Jefferson, Winfield, IL 60190. I’ll prepare your order when I get your email, and send it out as soon as I receive your check. I offer this with a bit of fear and trembling—what if I’m inundated with orders?--but you are my special friends and I want to give you this opportunity of receiving something a bit special from me. So please, if this will ease your Christmas shopping and give someone a gift that can potentially change their lives, take me up on it! Just do it soon, okay?
That’s all for now. Next time I will tell you what God has been teaching me from my experience with surgery and the long aftermath of recovery. Abundantly yours, Diane Eble author of ABUNDANT GIFTS Sharing stories of God's goodness and grace "Taste and see that the Lord is good." Psalm 34:8 P.S. Feel free to pass this on to your friends … because they too may need a little bit of inspiration. ________________________________________
Copyright (c) 2004 by Diane Eble. All rights reserved
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