12 Pearls of Christmas with Leslie Gould

Welcome to the12 Pearls of Christmas blog series!

Merry Christmas from Pearl Girls™! We hope you enjoy these Christmas “Pearls of Wisdom” from the authors who were so kind to donate their time and talents! If you miss a few posts, you’ll be able go back through and read them on this blog throughout the next few days.

We’re giving away a pearl necklace in celebration of the holidays, as well as some items (books, a gift pack, music CDs) from the contributors! Enter now on Facebook or at the Pearl Girls blog. The winner will announced on January 2, 2013 at the Pearl Girls blog.

If you are unfamiliar with Pearl Girls™, please visit www.pearlgirls.info and see what we’re all about. In short, we exist to support the work of charities that help women and children in the US and around the globe. Consider purchasing a copy of Mother of Pearl, Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace or one of the Pearl Girls products (all GREAT gifts!) to help support Pearl Girls.

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Year of Adversity Brings Joy
By Leslie Gould

I’ve been writing Amish fiction for nearly three years now—telling stories about non-resistant people who live a simple life. It’s a nice reprieve from my own life.

When my husband, Peter, joined the Army Reserve back in the mid 1980s, I wasn’t thrilled about it. Nor did I believe him when he said he’d probably never see action. Sure, the Cold War was ending and—for a short time—all seemed well in the world, but I had a degree in history. I knew better. I didn’t want to be a controlling wife (as new to the job as I was!) and come out and say he absolutely couldn’t do it. And it did help that he was joining a medical unit. Still I had my reservations.

We’ve been far more fortunate than many military families, but still it’s been quite a ride. The first exciting episode began in 1990 when Peter flew to Germany on Christmas Eve to work in an Army hospital during Desert Storm, leaving me behind with our two young sons. During the next twenty years, Peter went from being a Lt. to being a Col. and commanding a unit. Countless maneuvers and a mobilization occurred during that time, but his Army Reserve career culminated in his deployment to Afghanistan in 2011.

My days throughout last year were an odd combination of hearing the daily news from a war zone via Skype and then writing about the plain life of the Amish. By last December I was working on my third Amish novel of the year while, in contrast, Peter and his field hospital staff had cared for hundreds of NATO soldiers and Afghan nationals, endured ten months of rocket fire, and continued to grieve the killing of one of their own.

Surprisingly, what seemed like it might be our worst Christmas ever, even harder than in 1990, wasn’t. Our four children (one teen and three young adults now) rallied to help make it a memorable day. We counted our blessings—Peter was well, we had all we needed, and God was at work in the life of our family. The result was an underlying joy, deeper than what we’d felt during past Christmases.

In reflection, I wrote: When it started, I thought 2011 might be one of our worst years. But it hasn’t been. Sure, it’s been one of our hardest, but a lot of good has come from it.

That was evident on Christmas morning as we Skyped with Peter. We were so thankful for the good connection and for all of us to be “together” that we hardly noticed we really weren’t.

This December, Peter is back at his civilian job (as a manager for a hospital corporation) and also commanding a nearby Army Reserve unit, which means one weekend a month and plenty of evenings—but no rockets or causalities.

I’m working on a new Amish novel and still enjoying my “time” with those who practice non-resistance, which doesn’t discount the appreciation I have for my husband’s service. I’ve even grown to the place where I’m thankful he joined the military. They’ve served each other well.

Our year of adversity resulted in a deep joy. I’m pretty sure it will carry over to this Christmas as well.

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Leslie Gould is the award-winning author of fifteen novels, including the #1 bestseller and Christy Award winner The Amish Midwife, co-written with Mindy Starns Clark. Her latest release is Courting Cate, a retelling of the “Taming of the Shrew.” Leslie lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband, Peter, and their four children. www.lesliegould.com

Scooby Doo: The Sword And The Scoob

AVAILABLE ON DIGITAL NOW AND DVD MARCH 23! RATED F 72 minutes AMAZON An evil sorceress transports the gang back to the age chivalrous knights, spell-casting wizards, and fire-breathing dragons. While there, Shaggy unwittingly pulls out Excalibur from a nearby stone to cut a block of cheese and now no one is sure who the rightful ruler is. The legendary wizard, Merlin, appears and explains that the throne of Camelot must be determined through TRIAL BY COMBAT. Our heroes pull out all the stops to try and win the tournament, break the witch's hold on King Arthur, and find a way back to the present in this legendary story of Scooby Doo in King Arthur's Court. REVIEW: It was weird starting off with a He-Man lookalike, Thunder the Barabarian), until I realized a character from the film was watching the cartoon in the airplane. Still, it was kind of cool to reminice about two cartoons from my childhood. So many great actors bring the film to life! What a fun story it was too! Although

Great Gift Ideas from the Jennifer Lopez Collection and the Marc Anthony Collection

For your Mom Jennifer Lopez Marilyn Belted Shopper ($129.00) For your Sister Jennifer Lopez Tuxedo Jacket ($84) For your Best Friend Jennifer Lopez Marilyn Heels ($79.99) For your Mother-in-Law Jennifer Lopez Cowl Neck Sweater with Lurex ($84) For your Work Friends Jennifer Lopez Gold Tone Bead Multistrand Necklace ($34.00) Jennifer Lopez Jet Studded Ball Necklace ($38.00) Jennifer Lopez Gold Tone Simulated Crystal Hoop Earrings ($26.00) Jennifer Lopez Jet Studded Dome Stretch Ring ($24.00) Jennifer Lopez Gold Tone Twisted Ring ($18.00) Jennifer Lopez Gold Tone Multistrand Bracelet ($28.00) Jennifer Lopez Silver Tone Chain-Wrapped Bangle Bracelet ($28.00) For your Boyfriend Marc Anthony Fashion Moto Jacket ($150) For your Dad Marc Anthony Tonal Striped Sweater ($65) For your Brother Marc Anthony Boots ($120.00) For high resolution images of items from the Jennifer Lopez Collection and the Marc Anthony Collection, please visit the holiday look book .

365 Days Of Ketogenic Diet Recipes Cookbook - Jamie Stewart (43)

ISBN: ‎ 978-1979135559 AMAZON In this cookbook you will find 365 delicious recipes devided into the following categories: • Vegetables & Side Dishes • Poultry • Pork • Beef • Fish & Seafood • Fast Snacks & Appetizers • Vegan • Eggs & Dairy • Desserts • Other Favorites Doubtless, every person must eat in order to exist. However, eating simply to keep life in the body is not enough for the human race. Our body must be supplied with an adequate amount of essential nutrients that are needed for its growth, cell regeneration, and working power. What kind of food should we eat to supply our cells with the necessary building material? There is a jungle of information out there, so knowing what constitutes a healthy diet can be a tricky part of your food intake. Almost everyone agrees that a well-balanced diet is the key factor that contributes to a healthy and productive lifestyle. In other words, you should eat all major types of nutrients: protein, carbohydrates, and fats.

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