The Gift of Love

The Best Gift
Betty Wirth

On Christmas Eve, a young boy with light in his eyes
Looked deep into Santa’s, to Santa’s surprise
And said as he sat on Santa’s broad knee,
"I want your secret. Tell it to me."

He leaned up and whispered in Santa’s good ear
"How do you do it, year after year?"
"I want to know how, as you travel about,
Giving gifts here and there, you never run out.

How is it, dear Santa, that in your pack of toys
You have plenty for all of the world’s girls and boys?
Stays so full, never empties, as you make your way
From rooftop to rooftop, to homes large and small,
From nation to nation, reaching them all?"

And Santa smiled kindly and said to the boy,
"Don’t ask me hard questions. Don’t you want a toy?"
But the child shook his head, and Santa could see
That he needed the answer. "Now listen to me,"

He told that small boy with the light in his eyes,
"My secret will make you sadder and wise.
"The truth is that my sack is magic inside
It holds millions of toys for my Christmas Eve ride.

But although I do visit each girl and each boy
I don’t always leave them a gaily wrapped toy.
Some homes are hungry, some homes are sad,
Some homes are desperate, some homes are bad.

Some homes are broken, and the children there grieve.
Those homes I visit, but what should I leave?
"My sleigh is filled with the happiest stuff,
But for homes where despair lives toys aren’t enough.

So I tiptoe in, kiss each girl and boy,
And I pray with them that they’ll be given the joy
Of the spirit of Christmas, the spirit that lives
In the heart of the dear child who gets not, but gives.

"If only God hears me and answers my prayer,
When I visit next year, what I will find there
Are homes filled with peace, and with giving, and love
And boys and girls gifted with light from above.

It’s a very hard task, my smart little brother,
To give toys to some, and to give prayers to others.
But the prayers are the best gifts, the best gifts indeed,
For God has a way of meeting each person’s need.

"That’s part of the answer. The rest, my dear youth,
Is that my sack is magic. And that is the truth.
In my sack I carry on Christmas Eve day
More love than a Santa could ever give away.

The sack never empties of love, or of joys
`Cause inside it are prayers, and hope. Not just toys.
The more that I give, the fuller it seems,
Because giving is my way of fulfilling dreams.

"And do you know something? You’ve got a sack, too.
It’s as magic as mine, and it’s inside of you.
It never gets empty, it’s full from the start.
It’s the center of light, and love. It’s your heart.

And if on this Christmas you want to help me,
Don’t be so concerned with the gifts `neath your tree.
Open that sack called your heart, and share
Your joy, your friendship, your wealth, your care."

The light in the small boy’s eyes was glowing.
"Thanks for your secret. I’ve got to be going."
"Wait, little boy," said Santa, "don’t go.
Will you share? Will you help? Will you use what you know?"
And just for a moment the small boy stood still,
Touched his heart with his small hand and whispered, "I will."

The Gift of Peace

I heard the bells on
Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth,
good-will to men!

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow




Whatever else be lost among the years,
Let us keep Christmas still a shining thing:
Whatever doubts assail us, or what fears,
Let us hold close one day, remembering
Its poignant meaning for the hearts of men.
Let us get back our childlike faith again.

Grace Noll Crowell



I am not alone at all, I thought.
I was never alone at all. And that, of course, is the message of Christmas. We are never alone. Not when the night is darkest, the wind coldest, the world seemingly most indifferent. For this is still the time God chooses.

Taylor Caldwell

Sharon Tregenza - Author Interview

I am happy to post my Email interview with Kelpies Award winning Author Sharon Tregenza. Her latest book, Tarantula Tide, can be found on Amazon. and here

Hello Sharon,
Thank you for your time with this interview. You are one busy lady. I loved the way you plotted the suspense in Tarantula Tide.

Hi Carma, yes it’s been an exciting end to the year. Lets hope it continues through 2009 and 2010 and . . . . I’m glad you mentioned the suspense in Tarantula Tide it was probably the toughest thing to get right. I knew I needed highs and lows to keep the action bubbling along and I made a lot of changes before I was happy.

What came first? The title or the story?

Usually, for me, it’s the title first. I love titles and have a huge list of them. This time it didn’t come so easily, though. I knew I wanted TARANTULA for its dramatic imagery and it’s importance to the plot, but I couldn’t come up with a satisfactory second word. It was a friend who suggested “Tide”. I knew immediately it was perfect.


How long did you work on Tarantula before you submitted to a publisher?

Hmmm, there’s a story to this answer. I was halfway through Tarantula Tide when I spotted an announcement for the Kelpies Award for a contemporary children’s fiction. I already knew of the Kelpies, of course, but further reading showed I already had the makings of a very suitable contestant in my book. But, and it was a big but, I had to complete it in a month to meet the deadline. I worked like crazy and more frantically as the deadline grew closer. It was touch and go and, for the last chapter and final edit, I worked for thirty-six hours straight. I posted the manuscript with only half an hour to spare - came home flopped into bed and slept and slept. Bliss.


Who did you pattern your characters Jack and Izzie after?

Because it was written in first person I have to admit that there were elements of myself in both Jack and Izzie. Mostly thought they are truly fictitious. You know when some writers say that their characters take over? Well it’s true – it really happens. I’d wake up with fragments of their conversation going through my head.

Who or what has influenced you the most in your career?

I had that all important special English teacher many years ago and then favorite writers. I still get that real “stomach kick” feeling when I read an author who excites me.

When did you decide to become a writer?

I think the dream was always there floating around in my subconscious. I come from a very small seaside town though, and the only options, when I was a teenager, seemed to be teaching or the local shoe factory. I didn’t fancy either. Life with marriage, children, and travel intervened and it wasn’t until about fifteen years ago I sent off my first (very amateurish) story. But the monster was unleashed.

What are your future goals for your writing?

Lots more children’s books. I’ve got a wealth of ideas for picture books, children’s poetry and at least two follow up novels to Tarantula Tide.

Have you ever suffered from writer’s block? If so, what seems to work for unleashing your creativity?

Nope. Writers block has never been a problem for me. Occasionally, I wish it was when the constant stream of ideas, characters and dialogue keeps me awake at night.

What makes up a typical writing day for you?

There isn’t a typical day. I just get to my computer as often as I can. I’m passionate about what I do and would quite happily spend all day, everyday, writing. There is life outside fiction though and there are other things that have to be done and people to consider.

Tell us where to find more information on you? Website? Blog?

Happily. My website is www.sharontregenza.com there’s a special site for Tarantula Tide too at www.tarantulatide.com. I’d love people to contact me. I’m on facebook and myspace as well.

Are you working on any new titles now?

Yes. I’m busy with the next adventure for Jack and Izzie. This time the mystery is set in Jack’s city of Edinburgh in Scotland - a fascinating place with a dark and bloody history. This book is called “Scorpion Sky”. Hope you like the title.

What advice would you give to aspiring children’s writers who are trying to break into the field?

Do it! Do it! Do it! And more importantly KEEP doing it. It’s hard and sometimes demoralizing sending manuscripts out to publishers. But if the writing itself is fun what have you got to loose? And then one fine day . . .

Is there anything you would like to add?

Just a big thank you, Carma for setting up this interview. Oh, and the warmest of wishes to you and all the readers of your website. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday and a happy and successful New Year. Bye.

Bye Sharon, and thanks again.

The Gift of Family

Christmas reminds us we are not alone. We are not unrelated atoms, jouncing and ricocheting amid aliens, but are a part of something, which holds and sustains us.

As we struggle with shopping lists and invitations, compounded by December's bad weather, it is good to be reminded that there are people in our lives who are worth this aggravation, and people to whom we are worth the same. Christmas shows us the ties that bind us together, threads of love and caring, woven in the simplest and strongest way within the family.

Donald E. Westlake

Donald E. Westlake is a three-time Edgar winner and the recipient of the Grandmaster award. He is the author of more than 40 novels, including The Hook. He lives in New York City.



For me, the spirit of Christmas is about letting the loving but messy little rituals become just as important as the solemn
and graceful ones. It's about making
room for everyone.

Ann Michael


My gift to you will be uplifting and motivational quotes by famous and not-so-famous authors over the next two weeks. I hope you enjoy them and I invite any comments on what any passage may mean to you. Christmas is the time of sharing.

Write it down,

Carma

The Gift of Christmas Day

The Gift of Christmas Day

I sometimes think we expect too
much of Christmas Day. We try
to crowd into it the long arrears
of kindliness and humanity of
the whole year. As for me, I like
to take my Christmas a little
at a time, all through the year.
And thus I drift along into the
holidays--let them overtake me unexpectedly--waking up some
fine morning and suddenly saying
to myself: "Why this is Christmas Day!"

David Grayson
(1870 – 1946)
American Journalist and Writer



My gift to you will be uplifting and motivational quotes by famous and not-so-famous authors over the next two weeks. I hope you enjoy them and I invite any comments on what any passage may mean to you. Christmas is the time of sharing.

Write it down,
Carma

The Gift of The Honest Scrap Award

Writing Coach and Award winning Author, Suzanne Lieurance, has awarded me with the Honest Scrap Award. Challenging me to reveal ten honest to goodness deep dark secrets about myself. Thank you Suzanne. I am not sure the world is ready for this but here are the rules.

1. List 10 honest things about yourself (make it interesting, even if you have to dig deep!)
2. Pass the award on to 7 bloggers.

1. I am a licensed Plumber and my husband works for me.
2. I went back to college at age 55 and graduated with a GPA 4.0. I was always older than my teachers.
3. I lost 104 pounds in 1998 by following Weight Watchers guidelines. For the first time in my adult life I wore a size 14.
4. I gained back 60 pounds by 2007. What happened? Behavior Modification fall out.
5. My weight loss/gain experience has taught me that one can never, never, stop practicing the principles of success in any venture in life.
6. I am lousy at journaling but I love to write.
7. I wrote a play when I was in the 6th grade. I got an A.
8. I never drank store bought milk until I was 16 years old.
9. I am thankful that I was born in America.
10. I love this award because it is all about me, me, me.

OK you guys let's all fess up. I believe you all have the gutz to tell it all.

Lisa Holdren
Yvonne Perry
Phil Gerbyshack
Judy Ferril
Theresa Schultz
Karen Cioffi
Dawn Phillips




Thanks for participating.

Carma

The Gift of Humbleness

Think about it, the good news was proclaimed first to ordinary working people.


And so the good news was told to shepherds, to working men who were toiling in the fields. The coming King would hallow the common work of man, and in His love and grace all the problems of labour would find a solution.

The Lord of the Christmas-tide throws a halo over common toil. Even Christian people have not all learnt the significance of the angels' visit to the lonely shepherds. Some of us can see the light resting upon a bishop's crosier, but we cannot see the radiance on the ordinary shepherd's staff. We can discern the hallowedness of a priest's vocation, but we see no sanctity in the calling of the grocer, or of the scavenger in the street. We can see the nimbus on the few, but not on the crowd; on the unusual, but not on the commonplace. But the very birth-hour of Christianity irradiated the humble doings of humble people. When the angels went to the shepherds, common work was encircled with an immortal crown.

(John Henry Jowett)
(1864 – 1923)

Jowett was born in Halifax, England in 1864. "I was blessed with the priceless privilege of a Christian home," he later remarked.

His love for reading manifested itself early as he spent his evenings in the town's Mechanics' Institute, devouring volumes from their library. Jowett's father had arranged for him to begin working as a clerk for a lawyer in Halifax, but the encouragement of his Sunday school teacher, Mr. Dewhirst, turned Jowett's heart toward the ministry.


Over the next two weeks, my gift to you will be daily uplifting and motivational passages by famous and not-so-famous authors. I hope you enjoy them. If any passage moves you, please comment and share. Christmas is the time of sharing.

Write it down,
Carma