One Lovely Blog Award

Thanks to my new "eternal friend" Jean, I have been the lucky recepient of the Lovely Blog Award! God bless you, Mizz Jean!


Now it is my honor to present this award to five other blogs.

The Lovely Blogs Award goes to:

Rachel at www.thenoltfamily.blogspot.com Thank you, Rachel, for you authenticity and transparency! You are truly a breath of fresh air.

Kristi at http://www.kristibutler.blogspot.com/ God bless you, Kristi, for your words of grace. The best is yet to come.

Amy at http://thevirginiascribe.blogspot.com/ Amy, you have the gift of encouragement. Thank you for letting your light shine for JESUS!


Beka at http://bekafox.blogspot.com/ Thank you, Beka, for helping us realize that life's simple pleasures are the best. You make me smile.

and last but not least...

Cari at http://adayinthelifeofcari.blogspot.com/ Cari, thanks for being authentic in your faith. It is refreshing!

Intense applause to each one for you!

Dixie

Happy Mother's Day!

My mom turned 77 last month. In my mind's eye, she's still just 36. **grin** I feel very blessed to still have my mother. Many of my friends have already bid a final farewell to their mothers in this life. I guess I feel especially blessed to have my mother because for many years depression tried to steal my mom from my two older brothers and me. But when I was 16, JESUS passed by our house. My mom gave her broken heart to Him. He did just as He promised - He mended her shattered heart. People who meet my mom cannot believe she was ever suicidal or severely depressed. She's always spreading SONshine to others and telling JESUS the rest. Yes, I am blessed and I know it. Thank you, Lord, for giving me the best mother in the whole world.

Story Wins Honorable Mention in The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Storytime Writers' Contest

I am pleased to announce that my story about homeschooling was given an "Honorable Mention" in The Old Schoolhouse Storytime Writer's Contest. My new friend - Samantha Bell's story was chosen, too. Samantha and I will be joining hearts and hands for our book - The Furry Godmother, available through Guardian Angel Publishing later this year.

I've cut and pasted the announcement on The Old Schoolhouse webpage below.

I'm gonna keep on singing,
Dixie


The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Storytime Writers Contest

The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine is very pleased to announce the winners of our Storytime Writing Contest!

Grand Prize Winner Adult Division
Emma Spoon

Congratulations also to our Runners-Up and Honorable Mentions!
Adult Division
Second Place - Gayle Peterson
Third Place - Martha McLean
Fourth Place - Gail Kappenman
Fifth Place - Tom Rountree

Honorable Mentions
Adult Division
Lisa Coburn
Lisa M. Jefferies
Samantha Bell
Rebecca Gutschow
Julie Baron
Dixie Phillips
Liane Clark

You'll be able to read the winning stories in our Summer Issue. Also be watching for them to combine with our eleven honorable mentions in an e-book that will be published and available for sale in the Schoolhouse Store. Thank you to everyone who participated and many thanks to our distinguished panel of judges who selected the winners. We received many excellent entries this year!

Animated Stubby

For those of you who have fallen in love with the characters you have created, I think you will know the excitement when you see your "baby" come to life on the big screen. :-)

My new friend - Leferna from The Character Studio Dot Com has created the cutest little clip with an animated Stubby for Give Your Author a Kiss Month.
It's guaranteed to transplant a smile on your face.

Soul Business

Those of us who were raised in church can probably remember this little song.

I will make you fishers of men, fishers of men, fishers of men.
I will make you fishers of men if you follow me.

I can remember performing the motions while singing it - casting the line with my imaginary fishing pole. It was my beloved grandmother who taught me that song, and it was my grandmother who gave me a sample, a living example of loving souls for Jesus. One of her favorite verses is found in Proverbs 11:30.

He that winneth souls is wise!

Grandma only had a fifth grade formal education, but Grandma's wealth of experience made her the wise matriarch of our family. She loved broken people and had a desire to help struggling souls. In the eyes of the world, her education was inferior, but through the eyes of eternity - Grandma was one of the wisest women I've ever known.

The "soul business" is a tough business to be in - lots of ups and downs, defeats and triumphs! My friend sent me a piece from Oswald Chambers today. It ministered to me. I thought it might give some weary traveler a refreshing drink for their parched soul. Here it is:

If you are going to live for the service of your fellowmen, you will certainly be pierced through with many sorrows. If your motive is love for your fellowmen, you will be exhausted in the battle of life. But if the mainspring of your service is LOVE FOR GOD, no ingratitude, no sin, no devil, no angel, can hinder you from serving your fellowmen, no matter the consequences. You can love your neighbor as yourself, not from pity, but from the true centering of yourself in GOD. -- Oswald Chambers

It reminds me of a beautiful promise in the Bible.

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9

Now let's go fishing,
Dixie

Empty Tomb

The resurrection story never grows old. Today I woke with a sense of gratitude of all our Lord has done for us. I thought of the night He was born in Bethlehem and how there was no room at the inn. How different Jesus' response is. He always makes room. "Whosoever will may come."

My grandmother and mother used to sing an old hymn of the Church that sums the thought up best.

There's room at the Cross for you.
There's room at the Cross for you.
Though millions have come.
There's still room for one.
Yes, there's room at the Cross for you.

My godly grandmother believed when love reigned in a home... the walls of that home were made of elastic. Everyone was welcome. Many times she added more water to her kettle full of soup so it would stretch to feed a few more.

We rejoice today because the tomb is empty... our hearts are full!

Stories for Children Book Review

Just had "Stubby's Destiny" reviewed by Mr. Wayne Walker at Stories for Children Magazine. I thought some of you might enjoy reading it.
Enjoy,
Dixie

BOOK REVIEW
STORIES FOR CHILDREN

BOOK: Stubby's Destiny
AUTHOR: Dixie Phillips
ILLUSTRATOR: Kim Sponaugle
PUBLISHER: Guardian Angel Publishing Inc. (2008)
ISBN-13: 978-1-933090-23-3 (print)
ISBN-13: 978-1-935137-18-4 (eBook)
READING LEVEL: Ages 3-7
RATING: 5 stars
REVIEWED BY: Wayne S. Walker, reviewer with Stories for Children Magazine

Could a boring donkey ever be chosen for something great? Stubby is an orphaned donkey colt who wants to be like the horses whose steady hoof beats go "Clippety-clop" down the cobblestone street. His friend, Sly the stallion, tells him to change his posture and tries to give him some lessons to help him reach his divine destiny, but Stubby continues to have trouble and wonders if he will ever be used in the royal service of the king. However, one morning, when he goes to get a drink, he is grabbed by two men who say, "The Lord has need of him." Someone lays a cloak across his back, and a strange man with the kindest eyes gets on him while people shout, "Hosanna! Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord." Can you guess what important event in history this is?
What a wonderful way for children to hear or read about the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, by looking at it from the animal's viewpoint! This kind of approach helps to make Bible stories more personal for youngsters. Author Dixie Phillips and illustrator Kim Sponaugle, whose Angel Eyes was previously reviewed in the December, 2008, issue of Stories for Children and is still available on our website under "Past Reviews," combine their talents to tell an irresistable story about a defeated donkey who feels that he was born wrong and is just about to give up but finds that he is at the right place at the right time. Children will find it delightful. Also, it can bring hope to youngsters who are hurting and might feel that their situation is hopeless. I give it five stars.

Related website: www.floydslighthouse.com (author), www.writing4littleones.blogspot.com (author's blog), www.GuardianAngelPublishing.com (publisher),