NEWSLETTER

December 2008

Beloved Reader,

What a blessed time of the year we’re in—the Christmas season. It’s a glorious occasion to enjoy traditions, remember family and friends, and share the history of Christ’s birth with our children and grandchildren.

As joyous as this season is and always will be, I know that many are looking at a bleak Christmas this year, one that will have extra stresses and what ifs. Many of us have been hit by the downturn economy.

If you feel the weight of not being all to your family you’d like to be, of not being able to have the usual Christmas or hardly any Christmas at all, I’d like to share something with you that touched my heart long ago. It settled into my soul then, and I’ve called on its truth many times throughout the years.

“If you can be everything to your children . . . if you can give them every need and want . . . they don’t need God.”

Doesn’t that lift your heart to know that in the struggle or lack, He is free to be the Great I Am to His children?

If we add faith daily to that insight by asking God to meet every need our children have, He’ll find ways to fill all the holes—the ones we know about and the ones we don’t. And our children can be blessed more deeply and richly than if we had the power to provide everything for them.

We all want to bask in the spirit of Christmas joy, but sometimes the busyness and stress of the season threaten to fill us with the opposite feelings. Below you’ll find an anecdote that an Amish friend shared with me. It’s titled “A Gift You Can’t Give Away.” This true story encouraged my heart; I hope it will bless yours too.

Because of His light,

Cindy's Itinerary

Amish Connection

Contest & Free Bookplates

Author Spotlight

From my Agent

Amish Recipes

Amish  Tidbits

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Cindy’s Itinerary

WHEN:	Saturday, December 20, 2008 1 to 3 pm
WHERE:	Where: Books-A-Million Discover Mills 5900 Sugarloaf Parkway Lawrenceville, Georgia 30043 678-847-5115

If the woman who came from New York to Hackman’s Bible Book Store in October but had to leave before I arrived is reading this newsletter, please contact me at cindy (at) cindywoodsmall (dot) (com)

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Amazon	Amazon	Amazon

Many have written to me asking for the large-print version of When the Soul Mends. I wish I could direct you to where it can be bought, but I’ve been told the large-print version will not be released until spring. For some, an audio version might be the answer they’re looking for.

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The Gift of Giving

Several years ago an Amish man, Elmer, and his wife spent their days struggling against poverty. They had four children under the age of five, and with both parents working, they were still barely able to keep food on the table and a roof over their children’s heads.

Then Elmer’s wife was diagnosed with cancer. As she grew weaker, she could no longer take care of their youngest child while her husband worked. So they found a suitable Amish family in the community who needed the love of a baby to ease their own loss. With tears of sorrow and sacrifice, they relinquished the baby to the care of this grateful couple who were willing to be foster parents for as long as needed.

A few months later, Elmer’s wife passed away.

He worked hard to keep the three children remaining in the household fed and clothed. One year, as Thanksgiving drew close, the three siblings went to their father and asked if the youngest could return home. Of course he longed to bring the now school-aged girl back into the family. But could they afford to take care of her? His three older children came up with sacrifices each of them could make in order to help provide for the missing member of their family. As they talked, he thought of a few new ideas for how to stretch the budget even further.

After talking it over with the girl’s foster parents, she did come home. Both families rejoiced over the little girl returning to her family. Elmer and his children continued to fight against poverty, but in the midst of it they bonded with one another and found joy in the little things life offered.

A week before Christmas Elmer received a hundred dollars in the mail. Although none of the family knew who sent the money, they each had wonderful dreams of how it could be spent. Surely visions of sugarplums danced in their heads.

When the oldest child reminded them of a man down the road who was poorer than they were, the visions dissipated. This poor man lacked money and he had no family. They all heartily agreed to take the entire hundred dollars to their neighbor. When they passed the old man the gift, his body shook and tears streamed down his face.

He invited them into his home and explained that this winter had been his worst. He’d been injured and couldn’t work. He had no wood for his stove and no food in his pantry. He’d been sitting alone in his wintry cabin, feeling hopeless. He had a cord of wood in his yard, but with his injury, he had no way of splitting the logs and bringing them inside. Elmer’s heart warmed as his children offered to stay and work. The two youngest ones gathered kindling. Elmer chopped wood, and the older ones hauled it into his home. Through their generosity the neighbor was able to warm his home and keep food on his table until he could return to work.

As the family rode home in their horse-drawn buggy, they held hands and sang Old German hymns, basking in the hope of Christmas. 

Truly the spirit of the season is found in sacrifice, respect, and love. And those things can dwell inside all of us—if we choose to welcome them. Merry Christmas to all!

Gott segen eich (God bless you)!
Cindy Woodsmall

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Newsletter Contest

The prize this time is a craft made by an Amish friend of mine. It will be a pair of hames with a quilt patch between each hame. The contest will run until the next newsletter is sent out.

We have one winner from the last newsletter contest. Toni, of Mountain Home, Arkansas, has won autographed copies of all three books from the Sisters of the Quilt series.

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Bookplates are now Available

Bookplates are adhesive-backed stickers that I can sign and mail to you in a regular envelope with current letter-rate postage. Putting the sticker on the title page of your book makes it an autographed copy!

For more information go to: http://www.cindywoodsmall.com/bookplates.php

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Author Spotlight: Lauraine Snelling

I was a Lauraine Snelling fan before I ever thought of writing, so when we were at a publisher-sponsored breakfast together not long after my debut novel hit the shelves, I barely managed a hello. But over the last few months, the topic of Lauraine’s new Christmas novel, One Perfect Day, has caused such a buzz of excitement among readers I dared to track her down (in Hawaii, no less) and ask if she’d share a bit with us about this amazing story. She graciously agreed and then told me she enjoyed my debut series. [Okay, I have received my Christmas present!]

The following is from Lauraine Snelling ~

You’d think by now that after writing sixty novels, I would have a handle on where the stories come from and why. But frequently I am blindsided by a story. One Perfect Day was one of those. Since every book I write draws on various parts of my life, I let myself think back on those years when I struggled for the perfect Christmas. It never happened. A hint here: don’t expect the rest of your family and friends to live up to your expectations. You are always heading for a fall when you do that.

I have had friends with kidney transplants, so I was aware of organ donors and the importance of this gift. I urge everyone to sign up as organ donors; you can help save a life that way.

Enter a woman who works for an organ donor organization, an editor who is looking for the next story, and somehow the ideas all came together in spite of me and One Perfect Christmas took my heart and blood and laid it all out on paper. When I told God one day years ago that He would have to make it clear when I should write about the death of our daughter, Marie, I had no idea He would use our experiences the way He has. One thing I learned during our years of grief is that none of us are taught how to grieve. And that through grieving, we can be drawn closer to the Father’s heart as He travels with us. If we let Him.

While living through the experiences of the two mothers, Nora and Jenna, in this story, I hope readers can learn that we are to comfort others with the comfort with which we have been comforted. What an incredible promise. What a way to live love. I hope you find comfort through their story and realize anew how much God loves you.

Blessings,
Lauraine

To read about or order: Amazon

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Tidbits from my agent, Steve Laube

I am a very eclectic reader. In that light I would like to recommend an unusual variety of books to you.

My first recommendation is McDonald’s: Behind the Arches by John F. Love (Bantam, 1995). While this may be an older book, it is one of the most fascinating “behind the scenes” business books I have ever read. It isn’t just the story of Ray Kroc, who founded the company, but of the dozens of smart people making smart business choices along the way. I know it isn’t much of a “Christmas” title, but at least the cover is red!

 

For the little ones (preschoolers) in your world, grab a copy of God Gave Us Christmas by Lisa Bergren (WaterBrook, 2006). This polar bear family explains the reason for the season to their cub. The illustrations are fabulous. Be prepared to read it about a hundred times.

 

If you haven’t already done so, do yourself a favor and read Gilead by Marilyn Robinson (Picador, 2006). It won the Pulitzer prize for best novel and deserved it. Her craft is exquisite, and both the story and the characters will stay with you for a long time. It is not a page-turner when compared to a thriller, but instead is a book to consume leisurely.

 

The last recommendation is Living Rich for Less: Create the Lifestyle You Want by Giving, Saving and Spending Smart by Ellie Kay (WaterBrook, 2008). This book couldn’t be more timely (released December 16). Ellie is one of our clients and I’ve had the privilege of being the editor who discovered her first book in a “slush pile” of proposals over ten years ago. The message of this book is extraordinarily practical for the everyday person who is struggling to make ends meet in a difficult economic climate. If you understand the publishing business it is even more amazing that this title is releasing right now. No one could have predicted the economic meltdown back when this contract was signed! But in God’s economy the message is just in time for what people need to read.

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Recipes ~From the Esh Family Cookbook

Our family has years of memories from our annual Salt Ornament craft time. The ingredients are inexpensive. You can usually pick up cheap paints that seem to last, clinging to the ornaments as long as the expensive paints do. Each year we make new ornaments and decorate our tree with ornaments from previous years too. Our tree this year will hold a few ornaments from when our now twenty-six-year-old was three years old. 

Salt Ornaments, submitted by Mrs. Annie Esh (Yonie)

2 cups salt
2 cups plain flour
1 tsp. powdered alum (if desired; alum is used for drying and hardening the mixture)
1-2/3 cup water

Mix ingredients. Using a rolling pin, roll to ¼-inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutters. Dry in 200-degree oven, turning to dry on second side after first hour. Press decorations into mixture before drying. Paint ornaments after they cool.

Overnight Blueberry French Toast, submitted by Mrs. Christ (Anna Mary) Lapp

12 slices bread cut in 1-inch cubes
8 oz. cream cheese cut in ¾-inch cubes
1-1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (or canned, drained)
12 eggs
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 cups milk

Place half the bread cubes in a buttered 9x13-inch baking dish. Top with cream cheese cubes, blueberries, and remaining bread. Beat eggs, syrup, and milk and pour evenly over bread. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake covered with foil for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 15–30 minutes until top is golden brown.

Chocolate Mint Snow-Top Cookies, submitted by Mrs. Mel (Sally Ann) Esh (“A great Christmas cookie”)

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour	1 cup granulated sugar
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder	1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt	2 eggs
1-1/2 cups chocolate chip mint morsels	1 cup powdered sugar
6 Tbsp. (3/4 stick) butter, softened

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Melt 1 cup mint morsels in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. In a large bowl, cream butter and granulated sugar. Add melted mint morsels and vanilla. Beat in eggs. Add flour mixture and remaining ½ cup morsels. Wrap dough in Saran Wrap and freeze about 20 minutes. Shape into 1-inch balls. Roll in powdered sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10–12 minutes.

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A tidbit about Amish life

Celebrating Christmas is important to the Amish, but their goal is to do so with simplicity and tradition. Although they don’t include Santa, or decorate their homes with lights, ribbons, or Christmas trees, they have their own ways of honoring the season.

A tradition often enjoyed at Christmastime is creating and sending out Christmas cards. Many families spend the long winter evenings with craft items spread out over a table. Creativity flows as they use paints, colored pencils, fabrics, buttons, ribbons, and other items to make beautiful and practical crafts.

As the garden produces the last of its vegetables in late October, families within the Amish community begin to look forward to making, sending, and receiving cards. The cards received become the source of decoration for the season. This tradition fits in with who the Amish are by connecting them to people they love, people who took time, thought, and effort to design a card for them.

The cards may be set on tables, counters, or mantles, but more often they are placed on a string that’s connected from one wall to another. When the season is over, the cards are packed away and often brought out again the following year—similar to Christmas ornaments children and families make and display on their trees year after year.