Here it is, a whole new year. What happened to the last one? I never realized as a child how much faster each year seems to go by than the one before. I look back and wonder where all those years went. When did our children grow up? One of our grandchildren will begin kindergarten next fall. Is that possible? It sure doesn't seem possible my husband and I have been married for so many years. It doesn't seem that long. Aren't I still young?

What I do realize is that the passing of time isn't near as important as how I spend that time. I do know I want what I do to count.

Starting in December AUTHOR'S CHOICES REVIEWS added a review section for software games http://pages.ivillage.com/crscheidies/bookreviews/id11.html. Check out the article on violent games as well as game reviews. Want to know about the games your kids want or are playing? Check out these reviews each month.

Wishing God's best for you this year.

Blessings,

CRS

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AUTHOR: Books

New Review: Help! I'm A New Mother by Carolyn R. Scheidies

http://www.christian-mommies.com

"Help! I'm A New Mother," written by Carolyn R. Scheidies, is an informative book that would be a nice addition to any new mom's reading list. Becoming a new mom can be extremely overwhelming at times. While breastfeeding and taking care of your baby's emotional needs are covered in the book, most of the book discusses taking care of yourself, the new mom.

After establishing how important a mother's role is, much of the remainder of the book covers the emotions and physical wear and tear mothers experience. Proper sleep, diet and exercise is important, although with a new baby and/or young children, either, if not all, are difficult to obtain. There is no perfect mom. We all make mistakes, but it all goes back to seeking God, praying and reading scripture, to help us be the best moms we can be.

Motherhood is a God given responsibility and much more than a full-time job. We must stay focused on our Lord and give our children all the guidance, love and attention we can. We only have them for a short 18 years and even less than that before their morals, values and beliefs are set for their lifetime. One of my favorite quotes from the book is "Ah, motherhood. A special mix of love, devotion and sacrifice blended with time, laughter and tears." Now, isn't that the truth!

You can find more details about Help! I'm A New Mother by Carolyn R. Scheidies, here: By Amy B

http://www.trebleheartbooks.com/MVScheidiesPg3.html

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Articles/Poems/etc.

NEW YEAR'S RENEWAL

A brand new morn

of a brand new year,

fresh,

unused.

Time laid out

unbroken like new fallen

snow;

Opportunity to be

renewed

in mind

and Spirit,

That I might add

to the footprints

of time,

Not just a maze of

jumbled frenzied

steps,

But purposeful footprints,

following

the red stained sacrifice

of Christ...

to death,

to life,

to joy.

Check out New Year's puzzle on site.

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SPEAKER

I am looking to expand both my review columns and my issues columns to other forums. We'll see what happens. Meanwhile, I am booking signings and speaking engagements for next year.

Schedule 2005 (So far, others pending)

April 30--Hastings Entertainment, GI,

April 16Waldenbooks (With Stephanie Whitson) Kearney

March 7--Doulos Leadtime, Branson, MO

January 20Zion Lutheran Mary Martha Guild--Kearney

Speaker brochure with all topics available as a free download at the web site.

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BLOG:

Christmas is over and usually there is a let down, but not this year. I can look back and be thankful we spent Christmas with family. Our son and family spent Christmas Eve with us, and for us, that IS Christmas! (We're thankful Jen's family's big day is Christmas Day and live less than an hour away from us so it works for the kids to come here than go on to her folks.) Also thankful Cassie was able to come for several days before Christmas. We did lots of shopping. She was here for our big night, and returned to Doulos Ministries (Branson) Christmas Day. It's a long drive, but we prayer her through.

Seeing Christmas through the fresh new eyes of our grandkids resurrects the awe and wonder. Everyone should have children around at Christmas, even if you have to borrow them. J The wonder of God come to earth amazes me. He came for you, for me because He loves us so much. No wonder joy reverberates during this season.

We can hang onto this joy as we launch into the New Year if we let God live in and through us. Joy to the World then becomes more than words, it becomes a way of looking at the world.

Luk 24:52 And worshiping Him, they returned to Jerusalem with great joy.

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CYBER SERIAL:

WHO ARE YOU, MR. SMITH

(Romantic mystery)

CHAPTER THREE

Ann wasn't sure how long she slept, hours... days? But when she awoke the white-coated doctor stood beside the bed. She groaned as he probed her injuries, muttering under his breath as he did so. Umm. Looks better. Less bruising than before. Umm. Good. Then. Umm. Not good.

When he offered something for pain, Ann was more than willing to accept.

"Have you seen my Mr. Smith?" The name still felt awkward on her tongue. She supposed she'd get used to it with time.

Shaking his head, the doctor told her he hadn't been around for sometime. Said something about taking care of the car.

Ann nodded. "I see. Do you know how badly damaged it was?"

The doctor again shook his head, saying his job was to see to her, not her vehicle. His gruff manner belied the concern on his face for his patient.

"Is there something wrong, Doctor?"

"I don't like the way this head wound looks." Ann winced as he poked and prodded, grumbling the whole time. Finally, he told her he was going to prescribe another antibiotic to, hopefully, "take care of it." Taking out a syringe, he explained it was but a painkiller that would relax her and probably make her sleep. She caught her breath at the prick of the needle and the sting as the medicine entered her body. "There," said the doctor, "that should do it. You'll feel better soon."

Ann thanked him with a smile. To her surprise, he patted her arm. "Take care of yourself, Ann... Mrs. Smith. Take care of yourself."

She pondered his enigmatic words as the doctor left the room. Not that it mattered, for not long thereafter she fell asleep.

***

Down a long tunnel of dark menacing evergreens she ran. Wind whipped her hair in front of her face, causing her to stumble on a root she could have sworn had not been there a moment earlier.

Sucking in a deep breath of cold midnight air, (she wasn't sure how she knew it was midnight, but she knew) Ann turned and tried to run another direction only to find the trees around her turning and twisting and marching along side, their roots like giant legs churning up dark rich soil as the trees raised and lowered them in time to Ann's pumping legs.

"Run. Run as fast as you can," the great trees chanted in unison. "Run. Run. Our little lamb."

Smaller trees picked up the refrain. "Run. Run as fast as you can." The rhyme became more and more garbled and nonsensical, until even in her panic, Ann found herself laughing and dancing in a circle of moonlight dressed in a diaphanous gown sprinkled with silvery sparkles. She almost expected fairies to appear around her as she danced in rhythm to the clapping branches, her bare feet, wet with dew, scarcely touching the ground.

Around a huge trunk she spotted Daryl, running toward her, his hands out, his face tender with love. Throwing back her head, Ann held out her hands to him. "Come dance with me," she cried, swinging around so her hair and gown eddied around her like silken moonlight.

Daryl reached for her, his feet tapping in time to the rhythm of her dance. Suddenly he cocked his head, staring into the darkness. Releasing her, he stopped, muttering, "No. Its not real."

"Of course not." She laughed. "Nothing is as it seems."

Suddenly the trees froze in place, and Daryl's face twisted into an ugly, menacing leer. Grabbing her arm, he dragged her toward the trees and a great yawning tunnel of darkness beyond. "Where is it?" he growled. "Where?"

Even as she turned to run, a great black figure darted toward him. Ann opened her mouth to scream a warning, but heard no sound as the darkness swept over Daryl.

"Nooooo!" Waking up with a start, Ann stared into the narrowed eyes of none other than her husband, Mr. Smith. Dressed in a smart crisp, obviously new shirt and slacks, Daryl surveyed her with a disconcerting mixture of barely concealed contempt and concern.

The man was, if nothing else, confusing, but nothing was as confusing as the situation Ann found herself in. Her nightmare felt too real to dismiss out of hand. At least the feelings it evoked felt real.

Not for the first time she wondered if indeed she'd fallen into a nightmare. Something in Daryl's face chilled her. The suspicion flickered. Was Mr. Daryl Smith really her husband?

Next Month: Chapter Four

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RESOURCES AND LINKS:

Mothers check out http://www.christian-mommies.com and sign up for their very informative Ezine.

Hosting/web help

http://www.hostforweb.net

http://www.christianwebhost.com

http://www.coolpage.com/cpg.html

http://www.kiwisgraphics.com/free.html

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http://pages.ivillage.com/crscheidies/author/id12.html

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CLASSIFIEDS

Have something to sell or advertise? Space available here. For information email crscheidies@mail2faith.com Subject line: Hope classifieds

AUTHORS: Are you frustrated with rejections and don't know why? Are you too unsure of your writing to even submit? Then you may be interested in a manuscript critique to help you know if your manuscript is ready for publication. The critique is not a line edit, but an over all assessment of your manuscript with lots of tips and information to bring it up to par. For rates or more information email crscheidies@mail2faith.com Subject line: Critique

CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE PRETEEN SOUL 2 has been released. Cassandra L. Scheidies, who has a piece in the book, is offering autographed copies for $10 plus $4.00 postage--as long as the copies last. The money will go to help support her work with Doulos Ministries in Branson with at-risk teens. http://www.douloscorp.com/leadtime/index.html For more information email crscheidies@mail2faith.com Subject line: Cassie's book.

For more information on what I'm up to for downloads, information and books check out my web site I DEAL IN HOPE http://welcome.to/crscheidies

Contact Scheidies at crscheidies@mail2faith.com Subject line: Hope

A weekly devotional update. Crscheidies@hotmail.com

Subject line: Subscribe Weekly Devotional.

Monthly update I Deal in Hope with Cyber Serial, crscheidies@hotmail.com

Subject line: Subscribe I Deal in Hope

Monthly book review update AUTHOR'S CHOICE REVIEWS crscheidies@hotmail.com Subject line: Subscribe ACR

To unsubscribe to any of the updates, same subject line except include Unsubscribe instead of subscribe. (Note: You can only be unsubscribed if you are subscribed individually, not if you receive this in a web loop.)

FINAL NOTE

Make the New Year count.

http://welcome.to/crscheidies

http://come.to/bookreviews

415 E 15^th, Kearney, NE 68847

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