I DEAL IN HOPE
Carolyn R. Scheidies
Author/Speaker/Journalist/Reviewer
crscheidies@mail2faith.com
415 E 15th Kearney, NE 68847-6959 (308)
234-3849
http://welcome.to/crscheidies
http://come.to/bookreviews
From hopelessness
and despair to healing and hope.
Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart,
all you who hope in the Lord.
Psalm 31:24 NKJV
February 2005: Vol. 4
This Month: Hearts turn to love
Author: Books Does sending a book to an author for an
autograph sound too hard on the budget? Here's what to do.
Articles/Poems/Etc. Always and Forever, A
Reflection of Him, Dear Lord,
Speaker: Will I be in your area?
Schedule.
Blog: Birthday thoughts.
Cyber Serial: Who are You Mr. Smith? Chapter Four
Resources
& Links: Valentine's Day fun, Free Bible software with Quickverse
Classifieds: Need help with
your manuscript? Autographed Chicken Soup for the Pre-Teen Soul 2? Newsletters?
Final note
THIS MONTH
The month our hearts turn to love. Either we celebrate
those we love or feel the loneliness of loss. But there is a love that is
available every month, every day, every moment. Jesus
offers us unconditional love that is always there to protect, comfort and help.
As He loves us, so we can reach out to love, not just
those who love us, but those who may not have anyone. That's the truest love of
all.
Check out the web site for more links, and article on
Valentine's Day http://pages.ivillage.com/crscheidies/author/id1.html and
more.
Reminder: 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.
Blessings,
CRS
AUTHOR: Books
Recently, I talked about my life story with the topic life
is precious. Each life matters, each of us is precious in God's eyes. How can
we not, then, help preserve life and reach out to others with God's love?
I felt what I had to say was well received. I was also
gratified by the number of books I sold afterward. A big
thank you to my friend, and encourager, Gloria who not only saw that I got to
my talk, but also set up and worked my book table.
For those who'd like a signed book, but the postage of
sending a book to sign seems a bit much, here's what you do. Buy the book from
any vendor, local store, Amazon, publisher, etc. Contact author, in this case
me. Send SASE (Self-addressed stamped envelope) with a request for a signature.
I'll sign a nice bookplate (sticker) and return in your envelope ready for you
to add to your book.
http://www.trebleheartbooks.com/MVScheidiesPg3.html
Articles/Poems/etc.
We think of Valentine's Day as a day of love, but real love
isn't about flowers and candy. It isn't about an emotion called love. It is
about a priest long ago who defied the Roman government and died as a result.
He was a man of integrity who showed what real love was all about. (http://pages.ivillage.com/crscheidies/author/id1.html) Love is
putting the needs of others ahead of our own. It is caring simply because it's
the right thing to do. It is protecting those who cannot protect themselves.
ALWAYS & FOREVER (Seasons of Love gift booklet http://pages.ivillage.com/crscheidies/author/id7.html)
Love is more than roses and candy kisses,
More than good times, romance and
bliss.
Love is forgiving, forgetting and caring,
Love is commitment, the good and bad sharing,
Love is the union of two sweethearts,
Union of emotions, mind, soul and heart.
Love is not perfect...Im not its
true,
But Darling, Ill always and forever love you!
A REFLECTION OF HIM (From JOURNEY OF FAITH http://www.cafepress.com/dealinginhope.8109343)
Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm:
for love is strong as death; ...Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the
floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love,
it would utterly be contemned (despised). Song of Solomon 8:6-7
Love is...Warm, cuddly.
Sentimental, snugly,
Googly eyes Passionate sighs,
Love is all this.
Love is more...Holding tight
Even when all's not right,
When he's got the virulent fluor you.
How can you resist?
Love is Deeper--higher,
A cleansing fire,
Forgiving wrongs, Holding on,
Faithful to the end.
For true love is A reflection
Of Christ's resurrection,
Sacrifice at Calvary, Giving all for love--truly
Sets us free.
Lord, in a culture where vows mean little, help me to stand by mine not only physically, but also
mentally. Help me to screen my thoughts and actions that my love might stand
strong for you and for the one
I vow to love "'til death do we part." Amen
* * * * * * *
The following is by Rob Gwin.
Dear Lord,
Please forgive me for my ways.
I know I desire to SEE Your face,
But don't look for it always.
I desire to HEAR Your voice,
But I don't listen for it everywhere.
I know I desire to FEEL Your
touch,
But I don't let You touch me
enough.
Lord, please shine through me, out of my eyes,
So others might glimpse a part of You--not
me.
Lord, please soften my words, add love to them,
So others might hear You--not me.
Lord, please help me seek You
always,
Search for You continually,
Pursue You with passon.
Amen.
© 2005 Rob Gwin
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.
Speaker Schedule Spring 2005
April 30--Hastings Entertainment, GI (Signing)
April 18--UNK
(Speaking on Feature Articles)
April 16--Waldenbooks,
Kearney (Signing with Stephanie Whitson)
April 9--Hastings
Entertainment, 1041 E 23rd St, Freemont, NE 2-4 pm (Signing)
April 8--Borders,
13105 Birch Dr, Omaha, NE 7 pm (Discussion/signing)
March 7--Doulos
Leadtime, Branson, MO (Speaking/Signing)
March 1--Nebraska
Food & Gift, Hastings (Signing with Laura
Sherwood)
February 12--Friends
of the Library Book Banter Author's Panel,
Speaker brochure with all topics
available as a free download at the web site.
BLOG:
Another month. Just had another birthday.
I can't believe so many years have gone by, a lifetime of hopes and dreams,
memories both good and bad. Most of all, I remain thankful for each new day.
I've made lots of mistakes, and more are coming up, I'm sure, but a new day
means a second chance to live in hope, to ask forgiveness, to extend
graciousness and make amends. What a privilege each day as I rise to be able to
say, "This is the day which the LORD hath made;
we will rejoice and be glad in it." Psa 118:24
More
http://pages.ivillage.com/crscheidies/author/id13.html
CYBER SERIAL:
WHO ARE YOU,
MR. SMITH
(Romantic
mystery)
© 2004 By
Carolyn R. Scheidies
CHAPTER
FOUR
She
whispered, "Who are you?"
For an
instant, exasperation flashed across his handsome face reminding Ann sharply of
her nightmare. "Who are you?" Her voice wavered.
She tensed
as Daryl's palm cupped her face: then relaxed at his feather light touch.
"Shh," he soothed. "You were merely
having a nightmare. It's just me, your...." Again
that ever so slight hesitation, "husband. Everything will be all
right."
Despite
her apprehension, Daryl's gentleness calmed her, and her heart warmed toward
him. Silently, she scolded herself for her suspicions. Why would this man claim
to be her husband if he wasn't?
Then
again. With the
bruising she noted on her arms and legs, she doubted her face was much better.
Absently, she fingered the bandage around her head. At least the elephant herd
no longer thundered through her head.
"Pretty
bad nightmare," she admitted. "You were not what you seemed."
Did something flicker in his eyes? A cold, hard knot formed in her stomach.
Though
part of her mind sent up flags of caution, Ann couldn't deny the man touched
something deep inside her. If only. Her thoughts skittered here and there while
Daryl's low tone soothed, the words he murmured less important than his tone.
He cared; he really cared.
Relaxing,
Ann struggled to keep her eyes open, struggled to stay awake. There were
questions she needed answered. Where did they live? Work?
Where did they come from and where were they headed? How did the accident
happen?
Ann had a
hazy impression of Daryl's rough command, another car hurtling at them from the
darkness.
"Daryl
the car!"
It was all she managed to get out, before she once more fell asleep.
The room
was dark when she awoke. The heavy curtains had been drawn over the long, squat
windows. A pencil-thin beam of light drew a line on the polished floor from the
partially open door. Unable to sleep, Ann repositioned her pillow and tucked
the covers more firmly about herself.
When that
didn't work, she turned over to shut out the light from the hallway, but it
hurt to lie on her side. Lying back, she sighed and closed her eyes in an
attempt to force sleep. It didn't work. She was counting sheep,
"Fifty-six, fifty-seven, fifty-eight," when the minute squeak of the
door alerted her.
She
assumed it was a nurse on her nighttime rounds. Good, she'd ask for something
to help her sleep. To bad she hadn't thought to ask earlier? Opening her eyes,
she expected to see a nurse in the light of the small flashlight each carried
on their rounds at night. She almost blurted out her request before realizing
her visitor was not a nurse. It wasn't even a medic, at least none she'd ever
seen. Not unless they now wore dark turtlenecks, jeans and sneakers.
Ann
clutched her covers to her chest as the shadow sidled furtively around the
room, rifling through her meager belongings and the empty closet made available
for patients. A giggle tickled her throat. Her unwanted visitor knew more of
what she had than she did herself. Had Daryl rescued her suitcase?
A curse
sounded in the darkness as the shadow connected with a chair. The intruder
straightened. Waited, silent in the darkness. Ann
sensed he listened for her. Her breath caught in her throat as she forced air
in and out of her lungs, slowly, deliberately as though she slept.
It seemed
an eternity before her visitor moved again. Systematically, he rummaged through
everything in the room. Within moments, he'd turn on her. Ever so slowly she
inched her hand toward the buzzer. Cradling it in her palm, she fingered the
controls. In the dark, she had a difficult time discerning between the red
button to call the nurses, the blue button to turn on the television set on an
angled platform near the ceiling, and the black button that controlled the bed.
Confused
she pushed. Suddenly the television flicked on, blaring into the darkness.
Drat. She hit the wrong button. Before she jammed another button, the night
visitor jerked around, dark eyes glittering in the flickering light of the
television, eyes that seemed strangely familiar. Sucking in a breath, Ann
pushed another button. This time the foot of the bed zoomed toward her. Another
push and the bed began to rise.
The
visitor lunged toward her. This time her finger touched the button lowering the
bed that trapped the intruder's hand between the frame and the mattress. His
curses sounded loud in the small room.
Ann's
hysterical giggle infuriated him. Jerking himself free, he reached for her. For
an instant, she froze as the dark figure of her fragmented dream snapped
through her mind. It was him! The menace from her nightmare! A menace she knew
she seen before.
A black
figure in a midnight blue car flared into her mind. As though
in slow motion, she watched it hurl toward them out of nowhere; watched in
horror as it deliberately veered toward them, forcing their car into the trees
that lined the narrow highway like sentinels. She heard the crunch as
the car crashed into the bumper of the smaller car and felt the jolt.
Finding
herself in a desperate struggle to keep her car on the road, she sensed the
tension in the man beside her. His fisted hands gave mute evidence to his wish
he, not she, was driving. Time and again, he peered into the twilight at the
car, all the while muttering under his breath.
Ann was
too busy trying too keep on the road to listen, too scared to scream and too
busy for hysterics.
As the
memory returned, Ann screamed. Startled, the man hesitated. Heavy footsteps
sounded in the hallway. Cursing, the intruder shoved by the figure in the
doorway and rushed down the hallway.
A
decidedly male voice, a familiar voice, called for him to halt. Daryl! She
heard scuffling. Heavy footsteps running, followed by other footsteps. A shot
rang out. A cry caught in Ann's throat. Please, not Daryl. Please don't let him
be hurt or, worse, killed.
A nurse
screamed. She heard a string of curses that froze her blood. A security officer
demanded to know what was going on. Ann wondered something else.
What was
Daryl doing at the hospital in the middle of the night?
Next Month:
Chapter Five
RESOURCES AND LINKS: Valentine's Day & more
Valentine's Day
cards, images, backgrounds, borders and more.
http://www.hellasmultimedia.com/webimages/valentine-htm/default.htm
Valentine's Day craft
projects http://www.craftown.com/val.htm
Valentine's Day for
kids--crafts, cards, coloring pages, links and more http://www.dltk-kids.com/crafts/valentines
Friends: http://goldengirls03.org/Special_People.htm
Free Bible Software with Quickverse
http://www.freebiblesoftware.com
More http://pages.ivillage.com/crscheidies/author/id9.html
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
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FINAL NOTE:
LOVE
Love is always patient,
Love is always kind,
Love is never envious
Or vaunted up with pride.
Nor is she conceited,
And never is she rude,
Never does she think of self
Or ever get annoyed.
She never is resentful,
Is never glad with sin,
But always glad to side with truth,
Whene'er the truth should
win.
She bears up under everything,
Believes the best in all,
There is no limit to her hope,
And never will she fall.
Love never fails I Corinthians 13:4-8a ISV
© 2005 By Carolyn R.
Scheidies All rights Reserved
http://welcome.to/crscheidies
http://come.to/bookreviews
415 E 15th,
Kearney, NE 68847
