HOLIDAY GIFTING

CHRISTMAS IS COMING! And I love to give books as gifts.

In celebration of this Christmas I'm holding a book giveaway. I'll be gifting three of my books. 

All you have to do for a chance to win is share your favorite Christmas tradition or memory or just one word that describes  Christmas to you. You can share here on my page or on my author page on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/BonnieLeonAuthor/ and I'll throw your name in the hat. I'll be drawing on December 6th and will make sure to get the books to you by Christmas.

Can't wait to hear from you. 

Merry Christmas!

Sometimes All We Can See Are The Weeds

I love that God speaks to me when I least expect it, even when I'm not listening.

A few weeks ago, while at my acupuncture appointment, I was lamenting the state of my garden ... it hadn't done as well as I'd hoped and the weeds had gotten away from me. I needed better soil and should have spent more time ... and on and on I went. Quietly Heather, my acupuncturist, interjected, saying she thought my garden had done quite well. The green beans were plentiful and happy, as were the potatoes. There were more tomatoes than we could eat, and there had been enough peas early in the season to add to our salads. The cantaloupe were few, but sweet and we would have pumpkins for Fall carving. Plus my newly planted grapes were doing well with the promise of fruit in seasons to come. We also had young fruit trees that bloomed and produced their first harvest. 

Yes. Heather was right. The garden had done well. 

There was so much more than a profusion of weeds - more than vegetables. My family and I spent many hours creating the garden, planting seeds and watching with excitement as plants reached up through the soil in search of the sun. We cared for the plants together and together we picked the produce while youngsters chatted about bugs and teens whispered about crushes. With the heat of the sun on our backs we talked about life.

Sore muscles complained, and an aching back and hips didn't want to move. Yet my body grew stronger. And breathing in the fragrance of damp soil and feeling it between my fingers while sweat rolled down my neck lifted my spirits.

It felt good to be alive.

Life is messy. Sometimes it's makes us groan and we only see the weeds, but if we look more closely there is more - there is hope and love, and people blooming as they reach for the Son. 

There will always be weeds. They can wind around our feet and try to trip us up. Even so, there is living and loving to be done, and if we look with our hearts and our spirit we will see the beauty our eyes cannot see.

Grace and peace to you from God.

Moving On

What a summer it has been. I decided to not write and went on summer vacation instead. I've been gardening, swimming, camping and traveling. It's been fun. 

This season has also been physically and emotionally painful. 

My body hurts more than I can remember. Beware - gardening can be harmful to joints and muscles.  





I loved getting my hands into the dirt and watching plants grow. And I've enjoyed the fresh vegetables on my table, but I'm not sure the additional pain is worth it all. Likely I will not have a full-blown garden next summer.

I do have a plan B, however. How about a green house where I can grow citrus trees, and an avocado tree along with a few veggies and herbs? I'm thinking about it.

There's been a lot going on in my family - too much to include here. But I feel a need to share a couple of heartbreaking events. 

Early this summer my dear sister-in-law Sally lost her battle with cancer. 

Sally with her daughters and grandson.

She fought hard. It is a great sorrow to all who love her. She was a fine person and the most dedicated mother and grandmother I've ever known.





The other terrible news is that my sister has renal cell carcinoma. Knowing the battle she faces makes my heart ache, but my sister is tough and with the courage and strength of the Lord she's got her dukes up. 

She's recovering from a big surgery and will be starting treatment soon. 





I've spent many days in the swimming pool this summer, good times with my family, and I've worked in my garden, which is nearly done for the season. The potatoes are just about ready to harvest and the tomatoes are ripening. 

It's time to think about returning to work. 

After my diagnosis of MacTel II (Idiopathic Juxtafoveal Telangiectasia, type 2) I decided to retire. My vision had become so poor that the hours spent on my computer were difficult and draining. But, try as I might, I'm not ready to quit yet. I have more stories to tell. I'm learning to use technology more and my eyes less so I can move forward. And I hope to complete another novel in the coming year.

I'm excited. I'm loving the story. 

It's a mid-nineteenth century historical that take place in my own part of the world, here in Southern Oregon. There were Indian wars going on, and brave souls daring to make a new beginning in the wilds of the Oregon Territory. It's a perfect time and place for the story that's rambling through my brain.

My female protagonist, Emmalin Hammond, has only known the life of the affluent in Philadelphia, but after her mother's death she can no longer rely on her uncles's kindness and sets out to find a father she thought had died before her birth. 

She's naive and spoiled, but determined and possesses courage she didn't know she had. Nothing will be the same. There will be sorrows and challenges for Emmalin, but life still holds hope and joy as she treks into the unknown. I'm excited to experience her story and that of the other incredible people who become part of her life.

I will share more in the weeks and months to come as I return to storytelling. 

Grace and peace to you from God.

There Will Be Dancing

Last night I posted, Nothing is too difficult for God, on my Facebook page. The thought stayed with  me through the evening and when I climbed into bed it haunted me. Did I really believe what I'd written, or had I simply jotted it down without conviction?

I know God pretty well. We've been walking together ever since I met Him forty-two years ago. I was only twenty-three. Since then, I've experienced God's deep love, I've been filled with unfathomable joy and peace, and received miraculous answers to prayer. But all of the days have not been easy or uncomplicated. There have been times of confusion, fear, and disappointment, and moments when I've asked, "Why God?" 

Scripture tells me that God is never confused. He is not afraid. He is never double-minded. It also says He is always wise and full of knowledge. He knows the beginning and the end of all things. And He loves me, even when I don't deserve it. 

God listens to my heart. He has answered my every prayer. I have no reason to doubt Him. Yet, I do.

Perhaps it's because I know He will do what is right. His answer to my prayer may be yes, but it could wait or even no. 

I've never been good at waiting and I don't want to hear no. I want things my way. But God's answers to my prayers can't be about me and what I see in front of me. There is so much more ... plans I can't even imagine. And God knows what must be done to accomplish His purposes.  

Why then do I sometimes lie awake at night and imagine the worst and allow sorrow and fear to creep into my soul. I suppose it is because I am  human--imperfect and self-centered.

I don't want life to be painful or difficult for me or those I love. I want to feel cooling breezes that caress me with sweet fragrances. I want to dance through fields of untamed blossoms, wild and free. 

One day I will.

For now, I am tethered to the earth where sometimes life hurts. But I'm not alone. None of us are. The Creator of all things, our protector, our healer, our Father is with us. He reaches for our hand and whispers, I am here.


Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie

It's a Wonderful Life

If you've been following my blog,  you know there have been a lot changes in my life recently. The biggest is that I'm losing my eyesight. That was a shock, and I've been in a quandary - what to do.

When I settled into bed tonight I talked to the Lord and asked Him, "What am I going to do with my life now?" He reminded me of a time when I asked that same question. It was many years ago - 1991. An auto accident left me with injuries that would never heal and chronic pain. Sometimes my pain was debilitating. 

I sank into a depression. I wasn't the person I had been before a log truck barreled around a corner, tipped over and hit my van.

I wasn't the wife or mother I had been. I couldn't take care of my family, they were taking care of me. My body was wounded, but worse than that was my damaged spirit. I asked God what could I do? What kind of life could I have? What use was I?

God lifted me and set me on a new path. He opened doors that led me into the life of an author. I grabbed hold of my feeble courage and stepped through those doors. I spent more than twenty years writing and publishing books. I was a thrilling adventure.

Here I am again asking God to show me what to do, to lead me down an unknown path, and to trust Him. 

A new adventure awaits me. I don't know what it is yet, but I want to share it with you. I will join you here on my blog and let you know what's up with me. And I'd love to hear what's up with you too. 

There is a scene in the movie Secretariat when Penny Chenery Tweedy stands up to people who tell her to sell Secretariat, thinking her foolish to keep the horse. She says, her father's legacy to her is not about money, then says, "You must have the will to win if you can and live with it if you can't. It's about life being ahead of you and you run at it because you never know how far you can go unless you run."

Such powerful words. They inspire me to run the race set out for me because if I don't run how will I know what God set out for me to do. And so I will run (figuratively speaking - I'm a bit gimpy). I will take one step at a time, one day at a time. 

Please cheer me on. I need you. And I will cheer for you too. 

Let's go. We'll do this together.


Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie

A NEW SEASON FOR ME

     "There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven. A time to be  born and a time to die.  A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to rebuild. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away. A time to search and a time to lose. A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak up. A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace."

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8


There is a time for all things. Life is made up of seasons, and seasons change. I've never liked change much, but I see that as a weakness in me. If we all refused to move on through the seasons of our lives, the world would be a mess. Where would be the rest and the renewal?

God has a good plan. Each season brings something new. And God offers us His hand so we can take it and confidently allow Him to lead us. I'm doing my best to do just that. I've had a big decision to make and have been thinking and praying about it for many months. I have decided it is time for me to move on. It is time to retire from writing.

If you've been following my blog you know that I have an eye disease that is stealing my vision. It has been progressing for several years, but I only recently discovered what it is - MacTel II. 

It is similar to macular degeneration in that it destroys a person's central vision. But it is not the same disease. Presently there is no treatment or cure. Without a cure or God's intervention I will loose all of my central vision and will no longer be able to do things like read or drive a car of look at my loved one's faces. In recent months the progression has sped up. Simple things in life are becoming more difficult.

I have decided that spending time with my family and seeing as much of the world as I can while I can is most important. As I move along I will be listening to God. He will tell me what He has in store for me. I can trust Him.

I will be here on my blog as long as I am able. And I will still be spending time with my friends on Facebook.

I will not lie, it hurts to imagine not writing stories and it makes me sad. The whole idea of not being able to see the details of life is frightening and a bit infuriating. I am working through the emotions and I'm confident I will find my way. 

I hope you will remember me in your prayers. 

Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie 

RETURN TO THE MISTY SHORE GIVEAWAY

WE HAVE A WINNER!

Thanks to all of you who took part in the RETURN TO THE MISTY SHORE GIVEAWAY. 

The two winners are ....

1st prize:   M.A. Gustafson
2nd prize:  Bonnie Strappello




I will be contacting you immediately.

Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie

Game Changer

Have you ever had something happen that felt as if someone pulled the rug out from under you?

Yeah. Me too.

I've been having difficulty with my vision for about three years, but never expected my retinal specialist to say, "You're losing your sight, and there's no helpful treatment."

The day I went to see my doctor I anticipated he would suggest surgery for worsening macular puckering. However, additional tests were done and as it turned out, the puckering is only a minor problem. The real trouble is a condition called Macular Telangiectasia, Type 2 (MacTel for short). Without God's intervention, it will steal my central vision, leaving me only with peripheral vision.

That's a game changer.

I was in shock, but reality has set in accompanied by sorrow and outbursts of tears. All the plans I had ... what will become of them? How will I manage if I can't read, watch television, or thread a needle? I won't be able to drive a car or see the faces of my loved ones. My mother always taught me to see the beauty of the world ... what will become of that? 

I'm freaked out. I cry off an on. But I am beginning to sort through the options and to see the possibilities and the beauty of change. I know God was not blindsided by this. He knew ...  before I was even born. This is part of the plan. 

God is my protector, my Father. 

I trust Him.

He will show me another way.

This new journey means I become a student, hopeful that my other senses will become my eyes and continue to show me the beauty that surrounds me. I have a lot to learn from those who have already discovered the tricks of navigating in a seeing world when one's own sight is restricted. 

In the mean time, while I can still see well enough I'm going to have some fun. This summer will be a vacation filled with family and friends, swimming and fishing, and road trips where I can relish the spectacular creation of planet earth. 

I'll stay in touch and will love sharing my adventures with you, plus the lessons I learn as I travel this new path.

I will find a way. I am not giving up. The Lord has my hand firmly in His.

Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie