Journal Jots – Blog

For unto us a Child is born,
      Unto us a Son is given;
      And the government will be upon His shoulder.
      And His name will be called
      Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
      Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

 —Isaiah 9:6-7

At this time of year when we exchange cards and cookies and presents, let us never forget that Jesus Christ is the greatest gift of all, and without Him, there would be nothing to celebrate. With Him, there is the celebration of lives changed, love kindled and the flame of hope eternal.

AND one thing for darn sure—without Him—I would be one sad and sorry broad! So in honor of the true spirit of Christmas, I thought it would be fitting to leave you with a CBD.com (christianbooks.com) video interview with Diane Burnett (a wonderful lady and now dear friend!!) recorded at the American Christian Fiction Writers Conference in September of this year. In it, I talk about just how much God has changed my life for the better, and I gotta tell you, ever since, I thank Him every single day for the gift of His Son.

So … after the holidays and you have some time, you might want to check it out by clicking on the link below, then simply scroll down to the video link that appears right above the “Product Description” caption. If you have ever doubted that I fit the true definition of a CDQ (caffeinated drama queen), THIS video interview will put those doubts to rest because I am SO expressive and intense that I even got on my own nerves! YIKES!! Hope you enjoy it.

JULIE LESSMAN CBD.COM INTERVIEW

MEGA THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO ATTENDED MY ROMCON CHAT MONDAY NIGHT!! I am happy to announce that the winner of that chat—who wins her choice of a 5-page critique, one of my signed books or top CBA book from my personal library—is:

Kelli

Kelli, please contact me through my website as I do not have your e-mail address, okay?

STILL TIME FOR FINAL GIVEAWAYS OF 2011!!

DECEMBER 8-27, 2011 

Just a few more days to get a comment in to win a signed copy of one of my books including my new release, A Heart Revealed AND a copy of the very detailed handout from Ruth Axtell Morren’s and my ACFW Workshop, “A Kiss is NOT Just a Kiss.”

 http://hcprojectjournal.blogspot.com/2011/12/wonderful-winter-smiles-stories-and-fun.html

DECEMBER 20-31, 2011

Then join me at Austenitis blog for my FINAL INTERVIEW/GIVEAWAY OF THE YEAR to win a signed copy of one of my books including my new release, A Heart Revealed at:

http://austenitis.blogspot.com/2011/12/christmas-giveaway-week-julie-lessman.html

Have a BLESSED weekend, and I wish each and every one of you the happiest, healthiest and holiest of holiday seasons.

Hugs,

Julie

“Joy and pain, they are but two arteries of the one heart

that pumps through all those who don’t

numb themselves to really living.”

 —Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts

Salt and pepper, sweet and sour, comedy and drama—polar opposites that complement each other, enhancing the whole. Let’s face it—too much salt and not enough pepper prunes the tongue and scrunches the nose, ruining the taste. Too much sweet sickens the stomach, diminishing its appeal, diluting the wonder of favorite things like peach cobbler, red velvet cake or Reeses Cups. And I’m sorry, but those things are TOO wonderful to not enjoy fully.

And just when does one enjoy favorite things more fully? Well, how ‘bout that first burst of sweetness from a Hershey bar after a diet? That low moan when you sample a favorite dessert you haven’t had in a long, long time? Or even that first savor of chunky chicken noodle soup that you can finally taste when you’re appetite returns after the flu? The truth is NOTHING in life would look, taste, feel, smell or sound as good if there wasn’t a polar opposite to heighten the joy of things we love, an absence makes the heart grow fonder, if you will.

And actually, it’s the same thing with drama and comedy, as I point out in my Seeker blog this week entitled “Ho-Ho-Ho! Funny You should Say That … Or Putting Humor in our Writing (http://seekerville.blogspot.com/2011/12/ho-ho-ho-funny-you-should-say-that-or.html). Which, by the way, has a giveaway going on until tonight, Friday evening at 5:00 PM, for winner’s choice of a signed copy of any of my books or a top CBA book from my personal library and the detailed handout from Ruth Axtell Morren’s and my ACFW Workshop, “A Kiss is NOT Just a Kiss.” So do drop by if you get a chance, okay, because I hope it will give you a chuckle or two during this hectic holiday season.

You see, this blog on humor points out all too well how humor helps to enhance a dramatic scene as well as provide comic relief from anything too heavy. And quite frankly, too much humor makes my jaws ache from laughing and my stomach hurt because the bottom line is, we need the one to really enjoy the other.

Unfortunately, this is a fact I learned all too well this week. You see, I got some pretty distressing news that pulled the plug on my Christmas joy, popped my bubble of enthusiasm and yes—passion—to leave me flat, dull and without the slightest desire to open my laptop. The fire and fervor that usually flows through my veins sludged to a cold stop, robbing me of the ability to work on things with deadlines looming. I moped, I cried, I got mad. And then I got on my knees.

Oh the highs of lows of being a human being! That roller-coaster of laughter and tears, success and failure that zooms us to the heights, only to careen us into the valleys below. And yet, without the lows, the highs would never be fully appreciated and would, in fact, become commonplace and dull, grossly unappreciated, evoking little or no gratitude.

And gratitude, my dear friends, is everything. It’s the path to joy as Ann Voskamp so beautifully points out in one of the most AMAZING non-fiction books I have EVER read, the New York Times bestseller, One Thousand Gifts (A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are).

Soooo … how can the negatives of a being a human being—sickness, financial difficulties, conflict, etc.—possibly enhance our lives, you ask? Oh, honey, by drawing us closer to HIM, because when push comes to shove, hurt comes to tears, hope comes to despair, the God who loves us with “an everlasting love,” Who guards us as the “apple of His eye” is waiting to scoop us up, dry our tears and adjust our perspective. Gently, lovingly whispering in our ear that that awful thing that so disappointed us never did or ever could contain the joy we so desperately seek. No amount of success, money or even blessing from the hand of God such as a wonderful marriage and life, can EVER fulfill like the love of God. To teach the ongoing lesson that it’s only the lows, the valleys, the pain … that will set us free from focus on self, which like too much “sweet,” sickens the soul.

Today, the laptop is open and the hearth fire burning again, both in my cozy, twinkle-light hearth room and in my heart. Passion runs high once again because I know I have a God who loves me SO much, He takes great pains to keep my focus on Him—the true source of all joy, hope and peace. Like a loving parent who insists a child wear seatbelts no matter the tantrum, He knows our journey is SO much more enjoyable and safe when we rest in His arms and are girded by His precepts. It’s not about the pretty sights we pass as we look out the window, it’s about the destination and the journey home … where hearth fires burn and His love warms our souls. Home to Him … the God who has a plan and a purpose for each of us if only we focus on God instead of our circumstances, praising Him, thanking Him in the midst of good and bad, sweet or sour, laughter or tears. Because He is the God of all, the Light to our dark, the Hope to our despair and the true Path for our souls.

FINAL GIVEAWAYS OF THE YEAR!!!

DECEMBER 8-27, 2011

Join me at Project Journal blog for my SECOND final interview giveaway of 2011 to win a signed copy of one of my books including my new release, A Heart Revealed AND a copy of the very detailed handout from Ruth Axtell Morren’s and my ACFW Workshop, “A Kiss is NOT Just a Kiss.”

http://hcprojectjournal.blogspot.com/2011/12/wonderful-winter-smiles-stories-and-fun.html

Have a GREAT weekend and s-l-o-w- down to enjoy the season!

Hugs,

Julie

She opened her eyes, and like a lens to a blind eye,

it all came into true focus.

—Julie Lessman, A Hope Undaunted

True Focus. Seeing things God’s way, through the eyes of a grateful heart. All too often I find I rush through life without really and truly seeing (i.e. appreciating) the blessings God has provided for me.

For instance, when I was a new mother nursing my first child, I had a heck of a time because my infant son wanted to nurse every two hours throughout the night. And then, the little stinkpot would take his time, dawdling for an hour or longer, which meant by the time I finally got back to bed, I only had an hour or so to sleep before the next feeding. Needless to say, I did not enjoy nursing at night and almost dreaded it.

Until I adjusted the “lens” to see more clearly. “Lord,” I said one day, “I feel like a rotten mother because nursing is such a chore at night. Can you please help me to like it?” Focus, the thought came, as if every time is your last … because one day it will be. Do you know that single thought, that shift of perspective, that “true focus,” changed my whole attitude on nursing? After that I would rock that little boy in the dead of night, softly singing “Amazing Grace” while precious memories embedded in my brain—that of his soft baby scent or the curl of tiny fingers grasping my thumb or those tiny, little grunts he’d make, assuring me he was all boy! From that point on, I treasured each and every moment with a heart of gratitude for that fussy, little guy in my arms, day or night, and when the “final” nursing came and went, I had no regrets, only wonderful memories.

Or there was that time when I was 26 years old and the only single person in my family of 13 kids. “Lord,” I’d say with a whine in my voice, “I am so sick of being single, and I long for a love of my own.” Your single life is short term, Julie, the thought came into my head, why are you throwing it away? Why, indeed? Here I was, exactly where God wanted me for the moment and instead of focusing on it, enjoying it, I was wishing it away, complaining instead of thanking God for the gift of single life. So, you know what? I made up my mind then and there that I was going to “enjoy” my single life by focusing on the men I dated instead of myself—you know, really listening to them, praying for them, trying my best to give them the best date they could possibly have without physical intimacies. How’d that work out? Well, for one solid year, I had a blast and the best time of my single life, which ended up being very “short term,” indeed. Almost one year to the day, the guy all the girls went ga-ga over in the company where I worked asked me out, and my single life came to a screeching halt. Like the nursing incident above, I had seized the opportunity to really “focus” on where God had me at the moment and give it my all with a heart of gratitude. Oh my, what a difference that makes in the joy factor of one’s life!

A few weeks ago, I received an incredibly touching message from a dear reader friend, Doretha Campbell Stroud, who I didn’t know had lost her husband. She wrote a very short message that stirred my heart and brought tears to my eyes, not only because of her loss, but because of the message she brings to each one of us. Focus on where God has you at the moment and revel in the joy before you, which is a true gift from God. See each situation—be it a belligerent child, a sink full of dishes or work deadlines to meet—for the gift that it truly is. Not a belligerent child, but a gift from God that millions of infertile women would give anything to have. Not a sink full of dirty dishes, but the food and family they represent. Not stressful work deadlines to meet, but a job in an economy where too many people are unemployed. There’s always a flip side to every situation, and all it takes is a little “focus” to gain the right perspective and glean the joy in what is ultimately a blessing from God.

I’d like to end this Journal Jot with Doretha’s very touching note, and may it remind us all that we need to focus and “get lost” in the moments of our lives that God has given us, cherishing each and every one with a heart of gratitude. Because “gratitude” is merely perspective … and a true key to joy. Thank you, Doretha, for sharing the following beautiful story with each of us.

Been wanting to post this for some time now, hope it doesn’t sound preachy, I just want to share. This time of year is always hard for me as I really miss Coy during the Christmas season. So what I really want to say to all my married friends, or those with significant others….. Take time to get lost. I know this is a busy season and we think we have to do everything perfect, but its not the …things you miss when someone is gone, it’s the person. What I mean by taking time to get lost is……Many mornings as Coy and I sat drinking our morning coffee he would look at me and say, let’s get lost today. What that meant was, please leave the dishes and the house work and lets find some back roads and see where we wind up. We had some of our best days doing this. Driving slowly, taking time to just talk and LISTEN to one another. I would love the chance to have one more day to “get lost” with him. So during this busy season, leave the dishes in the sink, go for a ride with your spouse, I promise the benefit is well worth the messy kitchen once in a while. Take advantage of every moment you can grab with your love, what if it is your last?

What if, indeed?

FINAL GIVEAWAYS OF THE YEAR!!!

DECEMBER 8-27, 2011

Join me at Project Journal blog for my final interview giveaway of 2011 to win a signed copy of one of my books including my new release, A Heart Revealed AND a copy of the very detailed handout from Ruth Axtell Morren’s and my ACFW Workshop, “A Kiss is NOT Just a Kiss.”

http://hcprojectjournal.blogspot.com/2011/12/wonderful-winter-smiles-stories-and-fun.html

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14-16, 2011

Join me in Seekerville when my topic will be “HO-HO-HO, FUNNY YOU SHOULD SAY THAT … Laughter and Fun in our Stories.” This is your FINAL CHANCE to win your choice of any of my books PLUS a copy of the very detailed handout from Ruth Axtell Morren’s and my ACFW workshop, “A Kiss is NOT Just a Kiss.” Hope to see you there! Here’s the link:

http://www.seekerville.blogspot.com/

WHOO-HOO!!! COME “CHAT” WITH ME AT A LAST-MINUTE CHAT/GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY!!

Come chat with me for a full hour at a great romance website called ROMCON that has an Inspirational section!! Get all the scoop on The Cousins McClare, ask all the questions you’ve been dying to ask — this is your chance! When the chat is over, I will award one chatter their choice of my books PLUS a top CBA book from my library, so hope to see you there!! Here’s what you do:

MONDAY, DECEMBER 19th — 9 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central, 7 p.m. Mountain and 6 p.m. Pacific:

Go to www.romconinc.com and click on the “enter chat room” selection under the book club menu.  You will be asked to log in or if you are not a member, you can become one by “creating a free account” with simply your name and e-mail. Then log in and click on “enter chat room.” I’ll be there to chat up a storm and pick a winner, so put the date down on your calendar, and hope to see you there!

Happy Weekend, Happy Shopping and Happy “Focusing”!!

Hugs,

Julie