NEW HORIZONS

It is with a heavy heart that I must announce an end to my contract with Desert Breeze Publishing. The staff at Desert Breeze is the best and I learned a great deal from this company, but it is time to move on.  After a brief period, my trilogy will soon be available again, but in a different form.  I may be publishing the books independently.  I am not sure.

If you have been putting off purchasing my trilogy, A New Season, Red, White &True, or An Unexpected Gift, you have until the end of the month.  After that, it will no longer be available on Amazon or other book shops.

As soon as my books are again available, I will let you know

The Author as a Small Business Person

Saturday is Small Business Saturday in the U.S.  As an author, I am considered a small business.  Yes, writing is the creative process.  Branding and publishing is the business end.  Let me try my hand.

Friends of Scrapbook, Etc. is a trilogy about a small town craft store, Scrapbook, Etc. and the people that frequent the shop. Below is preview about each of the three books.

A New Season:  

Karla and Karen opened their craft shop, Scrapbook, Etc., to give Millwood an artistic outlet. When Wendy's son disappears on the way to summer camp, she and motorcycle cop, Jerrod Hill, search the Tennessee mountains for the teen. Their best clue comes from child who claims to have seen a UFO.

Red, White, & True:

Sammy thought surviving the battlefields of Afghanistan would be his greatest challenge, but returning home provided new struggles. He is disabled, struggles with PTSD, and must convince Karla he isn't the same man she promised to marry, that she will be better off without him.

An Unexpected Gift:

Kimberly knew things would get rough when she saw the blue sign on her pregnancy test. She and Jack had been so careful—most of the time. When he learns the news, Jack acted distant. She might be forced to face parenthood alone.

When Grams offers to help, Kimberly soon becomes more concerned about her grandmother's eccentricities than her own college studies. Grams collects stray dogs and talks about seeing an angel. Perhaps she is losing her senses. Kimberly doesn't realize a quirky old woman can teach her about love and parenthood.

For further information you can visit my web site:  http://chanceencounterstlm.wixsite.com/toni-lamparter-mabry

BE KIND

It has been a busy few months. We have had family adjustments and illness, but life goes on. That is what I want to blog about today.

I have a job where I have to be happy all the time or at least sound happy, no matter how I feel. This pressure hit me hard about a month ago when I got some bad news. While at work, I receive a text letting me know my son would have to go through surgery.  You see, no matter how old her child becomes, a mother always worries.

My son underwent this same surgery about 10 years before and did not do well. To hear that he would undergo it again was crushing. He and his new wife would have to cancel their honeymoon trip, too. I was so sad for them and worried, too.

But life had to go on and I had to answer phones at work and sound cheery. Then I got a call from a hateful customer who yelled at me because our product couldn't fit his time line. I continued to talk calmly and professionally. He continued to be rude as if his rage could change the laws of physics and make the product assemble itself faster. I was worried about my son and he wanted to bully me into making the impossible happen.

When I hung up the phone, I took a minute to wipe away the tears before answering the next call. That hateful man taught me a great lesson.

You see, we interact with people everyday, They have lives we don't know about, lives full of complications. It is easy to speak roughly to others--because of our own hardships. Kindness is a better option. It isn't that hard; a smile, a gentle phrase, just showing good manners.

I don't want to be the bully on the phone. I hope to choose kindness.

AFTER THE HOLIDAY

It hits me right after New Years, every single year. I drive home from work. The days are so short that it is still dark. As I pull into my subdivision, it is dark. All the Christmas lights are off. The cheery lights are gone. The drive is bleak and I am sad.

I know. It is common to feel depression during winter months. Even though the days are getting longer, it doesn't seem to be enough.

The Christmas lights amuse me, but now the are gone. Like all humans, I long for light.

I am thankful the days are getting longer.

SINGING IN 2016

I was listening to one of my favorite local ministers on TV this morning. The service ended with a few Christmas carols. It caused me to think. For some reason I didn't hear many carols on Christmas 2015. Oh, sure, there was the church musical and a local radio station playing 24 hours of music, but I didn't hear music in the neighborhood as I have in the past. Maybe the difference is because, for the first time in over 25 years, I didn't spend Christmas in a classroom.

Maybe, I didn't notice the singing because many close to me are going through hardships.

I've been through my own share of hardships and have had a string of about 7 difficult years in a row, hopping from one job to the next. I've also had my share of medical issues.  It definitely strengthened my faith.

2015 brought many positive changes. I started the year in such severe pain that, for awhile, it affected my ability to work. Even after I was able to work, my home was in disarray because housework was out of the question. Bills were piling up, too.

Now, things have improved.  The house is slowly returning to normal and I have a new, full time job with benefits. My book trilogy, Friends of Scrapbook, Etc. had gone from an eBook trilogy to paperback. Now, that was unexpected.

There was also a wedding in the mix. My son, Adam, married his sweetheart, Ariel.  The downstairs is renovated into their own apartment and my household is full of energy.

As for 2016? I am facing it with more confidence than I have had in awhile and am claiming Jeremiah 29:11 as my verse for this year.

I am happy.

I wish good fortune on those around me that are going through their own struggles. May God bless us all with a Happy New Year.

CHRISTMAS, A MOTHER'S PERSPECTIVE

As a child I saw Christmas as magic, visions of sugarplums--or candy canes--and celebrations. Back in those days, school parties were common. We exchanged gifts, decorated trees, and some years Santa visited the classroom. It was a glorious time.

I also belonged to various clubs.  In Girl Scouts we made Christmas gifts, went caroling, and had parties. In some clubs we went caroling in nursing homes, had hot chocolate, and more parties.

Then there was pageant at church. There was the beauty of the white lights and the nativity scene, dressing like an angel and singing "Glory to God in the highest."

  As I enter my teens and twenties. Christmas seemed to be about nostalgia, feeling a little lonely and wishing I could be a child again, reliving the magic. Christmas seemed stressful. Commitments were complicated.

Then I became a mother. My child was 3 months old on his first Christmas. I held him in my arms and wondered what his future held. What did God have planned for my child? I held my son and thought about all those Christmas carols, silent night, mother and child. The feelings and emotions of Christmas were more real than I had ever before imagined.

Christmas was no longer about parties, or pageants, or dolls in mangers. It is about flesh and blood, God stepping down in the form of a human child.

I think about that first Christmas  with my son, that Christmas when i really began to understand, every time I hear this song Mary, Did You Know:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifCWN5pJGIE

GHOSTS OF CHRISTMAS PAST

I had some errands to run last Saturday and scheduled them after the local Christmas parade.  I remembered the old days, when going to a Christmas parade was a real event. I loved seeing the streets decorated and children were so excited to see Santa.

This year was different. The decorations along the street were minimal, but even stores and shops didn't appear interested in decorating for the holiday. In fact, the only decorations I saw on Navy Road were in front of a florist shop, the YMCA, and the string of lights around the outside of a tavern.

When I was little, I remember the excitement of walking into a restaurant or store at Christmas and seeing a beautifully decorated tree or holiday display. It makes me sad that future grandchildren will have a lot less to be excited about.

Do I think there is a war on Christmas or that the holiday will someday cease? Of course it won't. There is always a war on all that is spiritual and holy, but those who believe will still celebrate, perhaps in a more private, more meaningful manner.

We can learn lessons from the way the Jews celebrate Hanukkah among family and friends.

Others will still shop and exchange gifts.

THE TRANSITIONAL CHARACTER

It has been a busy few weeks. My son was married on Nov, 14th. Everything has been a whirlwind and I feel emotionally drained, still.

Lately, I have spent time thinking about my place in life. It hasn't been a dramatic journey. When I was young, I kind of thought I would make a bigger splash in the world. That hasn't--happened thus far.

In Sunday school class we are studying Genesis.  Abraham, Issac, and Jacob were the biblical patriarchs. There are many stories about Abraham and Jacob, but very little is written about Issac. One of my college professors used to refer to him as a transitional figure. Still, Jacob knew about God and his promise to Abraham. It is likely that his father, Isaac, handed down those stories. Because of this faithfulness, Isaac is remembered.

I sometimes see myself like that. My claim to fame won't be any great act that the world will be aware of, but the manner in which I taught my family about God and his promises. Perhaps future generations will go where I only dreamed.

Halloween 2015

                     
Halloween is often seen as a controversial holiday, filled with evil and demons.It is seen as a fearful time of Satan worship.

Maybe the holiday had questionable origins. Maybe it was shrouded in superstition, but that was a long time ago.

Now-a-days Halloween is about playing dress-up, community parties, and general fun.  Yes, there is still a hint of the macabre, but for the Christian, celebrating the defeat of death should be common practice.

On Halloween, scary things are out in the open for all to see -- and to avoid if you choose. It is the other 364 days that I worry about. On those days, evil is more hidden and can often blindside the unaware.

ONE TINY PART

A few weeks ago, I hopped into my car to head to church. I turned the key in the ignition and nothing happened--NOTHING! Perhaps I left the door ajar or the lights on and the battery was drained.

My son jumped the car, hoping that would solve the problem, but it didn't. I'd recently replaced the battery and the alternator and that completely ended my knowledge of electrical things that make the car stop working.

We eventually realized that the brake lights were remaining on,even after the ignition was off. That was what was draining the new battery.  After Ariel, Adam's fiance, did an Internet search, we found that a little plastic piece, connected to the brake, had broken. That was what permitted the lights in the car to shine, even after the ignition was turned off.

It was only a $10 piece of plastic that popped right onto the back of the brake, but when broken, it ultimately caused the same result as the expensive alternator. It didn't matter that the piece wasn't shiny or interesting looking, it was still necessary to keep the car working.

The same is true when a team forms for a social purpose, whether it is in a sport, employment, or a place of worship.  When each member finds his purpose and does his work well, the group thrives. When that person fails to do that job and no one is brought in to replace him, the group becomes dysfunctional.

We see it all the time, schools that are no longer reaching academic success, churches that are no longer impacting their communities, business that are going bankrupt, and charities that aren't serving the purposes they once served.  We have the talent but the talented no longer have the drive. That one little piece is missing.

The Apostle Paul wrote about such a thing happening to the early church. 1 Corinthians 12 gives an example of the human body and how it works. No one part of the body is better than the other, because all the parts are necessary for the body to work most efficiently.

It's not about education or beauty or age or money. It's about everyone doing his part and doing it well.

What Does Your Behavior Say About Your Past?

My grandmothers didn't talk much about The Depression, at least not that I remember. They didn't have to. I knew it must have been a difficult time, because of the habits both my grandparents developed.

My grandparents were members of the Empty Plate Club. If you put food on your plate, you ate it. There were hungry people in the world and to waste food was disrespectful. Leftovers were never thrown away. They were warmed over or recycled into tasty stews and soups.

Both my grandparents knew how to can and preserve foods. The even made nourishing meals out of odd foods. One grandmother made watermelon rine preserves. My brothers loved them. The other once pointed to a weed growing in the yard and called it Polk Salad. I asked her to make some for me and she replied that she hoped she would never have to eat it again. That sentence spoke volumes.

They were the real recyclers, too. Clean aluminum foil was reused. Paper bags were save and reused--no plastic in those days. Coffee cans were painted and used as flower pots. Everything was used until it was used up.

They knew how to survive.

I knew The Depression must have shaped their thinking, their way of behaving.

It makes me think. What will my grandchildren see in my behavior? How will the assess me? What will my behavior tell them about my past and what I've learned?

SPECIAL PLACES

Most of us have a special place, a room, a workshop, a place to call our own. I used to claim my Grandmother's house. It was a place I could visit, year after year. There was a second place, a state park near about an hour away from her home. Now that my grandmother's place no longer exists, Natchez Trace State Park is the place I call my special place.

When I was a child, I went on school field trips to Natchez Trace. I remember one year during our annual school picnic, a group of hippies in brightly painted school buses were camping in the park. They eventually bought property in Nashville and The Farm, their settlement, exists to this day.

I remember how exciting these people in their bright buses and unusual clothes were to me. That sunny day, swinging on the swings, listening to pop music trailing from the camp store was one of the happiest I had that summer.

 When I had a family, 2 foster children stayed with us and I wondered what kind of vacation I could manage with 3 hyperactive children. I remembered the fun I'd had at Natchez Trace. A cabin by the lake made a nice family trip.

My son, Adam, spent many summer trips at Natchez Trace.  Over the years, when finances were tight, the park was an affordable weekend get away. It was nice to see him enjoy the place I loved.

Last year Adam surprised me. On a family retreat, he proposed to his fiance on the dock overlooking the lake at Natchez Trace. Now, the park has sentimental value for another generation. This weekend, as we packed to leave the park, he suggested that next year we should make the trip a little longer.

The 12 year old girl, swinging on the swings, listening to pop music, and watching the hippies walk past, could have never foreseen that in her future.

FLYING HIGH

An air show came to town this weekend. I love air shows, watching the sleek jets perform feats that seem impossible, stunt pilots perform sky acrobatics. 

At work, people sat outside on benches during lunch for a glimpse of the pilots practicing. After work, I made a stop at my local library. Outside, a group of teens stood in the parking lot. I watched the boys while they looked at the plane. Instead of marveling at the pilot's talent, the boys each shot vulgar gestures toward the streaking planes. The boys laughed with delight, each trying to outdo the other.

Though the gestures were vulgar and unimaginative, I found the scene amusing. The pilot they were trying to insult, was total unaware of them. That pilot was flying so high, those boys were merely a speck. There insults meant nothing to him.

This scene was especially powerful since I have occasionally felt the insults of others. Like the pilot, I have not deliberately provoked the one throwing out insults. Perhaps, it is just natural for such things to happen, from time to time. 

It seems to me, the best revenge is to be like that pilot. Stay on course and keep on flying. Fly so high and so well, that the insults of others become inconsequential.

BOOK LAUNCH

You are invited to a book launch for my trilogy, Friends of Scrapbook, Etc.; 1) A New Season, 2) Red, White  & And True, 3) An Unexpected Gift. The trilogy tells the stories of a group of friends who work at or visit the craft store, Scrapbook, Ect.

The book launch will be Saturday, Sept. 26, from 10:30 till 11:30 a.m. at the public library in Millington, TN. There will be a meet & and greet. Refreshments will be served.

Everyone is invited.

THOUGHTS ABOUT WAR ROOM

I'm always the one late to the party so I just went to see War Room Saturday. I found the movie well written, the acting was good, and the characters seemed true to their personalities. I say that because many religious movies lack those qualities. I laughed and I cried. On one occasion I was laughing while I cried.

While I watched the movie I thought back to my own marriage. Yes, I spent a lot of time trying to fix my husband, but I did also pray for him. I do believe in free will so I know my prayers do not have the power to make someone do my will. Prayers are not about making God give me what I want, either.War Room was all about prayer and how prayer is important in relationships.

Not every marriage can be saved by prayer, but prayer will make the praying person stronger, so that he/she might more easily survive the inevitable. Prayer is always the best choice.

My son will soon marry and I suggested that he and his fiance watch the movie, War Room so they can start the marriage right. I guess that is the best possible recommendation I can give the movie.

9-11, 14 YEARS LATER

I thought I could make it through this anniversary without a tear, especially since I am no longer a teacher and won't be teaching a 9-11 lesson. Today I passed a flag flying at half-staff, then a second, and a third. Then all the memories rushed past.

Life was a little different those days. Cell phones weren't so common. Teachers weren't allowed to have them in the classroom back then. The Internet wasn't the same, either. Social media wasn't quite as -- organized. Information was limited.

I was isolated with a classroom full of 2nd graders. There was a whisper in a hallway about an explosion at one of the Twin Towers. It wasn't till lunch in the teacher's lounge that I saw the first video. I felt sick, numb when I returned to teach.

But things got worse as time went on. Later we learned the horrible incident were worse than we first imagined. It wasn't 1 plane, but 4 that were hijacked and crashed that day. That night, I crossed a darkened Hernando Desoto Bridge from Arkansas into Memphis,Tennessee.The bridge was considered a target and lights remained darkened for many months.

The next day, you could feel the fear in the classroom. School was closed after a half day, due to other threats called into the radio station and the widespread panic that caused.

The attack was on certain specific locations, but all of the US felt the pain. Fourteen years have passed and most children don't know about 9-11. If you don't believe me, stop a child and ask him/her. It is amazing how little they know.

Maybe some people think it is a good thing that the horrors of 9-11 should be forgotten. I don't. I remember people cheering at our pain, chanting "Death to America."

Evil attacked that day, but heroes fought back and that should never be forgotten.

DIRTY HANDS

I used to post a lot of opinions on Facebook, a lot of political stuff. I used to find articles to correct people when their sources were inaccurate. I don't do that so much anymore. Most people aren't interested in an exchange of ideas and only a few have interest in accuracy.

So why do people post about causes and political ideas on Facebook? There are probably a multitude of reasons, but the one I want to explore is this--that it is easy. It is much easier to talk about an idea or view on the Internet than to actually get one's hands dirty and doing something.

I first became aware of this fact during Hurricane Katrina. I used to frequent a message board in those days. People were all upset because "no one" was doing anything to help with the refugees. I finally posted the question, "What are you doing?"

"What are you doing," they replied, defensively.

I shared that I was a volunteer at my church. We were filling an 18 wheeler truck with supplies: water, diapers, and toiletries. I spent my Labor Day weekend trying to be a part of the solution.
 
Needless to say, a lot of people ganged up on me, after that, as people on the Internet are prone to do. It was the first time I began to examine the motives of people who say, "Someone should do something." It is sometimes a code for, "I want to be on the politically right side, but I don't want to get my hands dirty."

Here's the thing, posting an opinion is nice. It is also easy.  If you want to improve the world, you have to get off your behind, turn off the computer, and go out and do something.

Maybe you can't do something dramatic, but you can do something. Maybe you can volunteer at a senior center, a crisis center, or at one of your church's benevolence groups.

Talk is cheap--even Internet talk--work lasts. Get your hands dirty.

AN UNEXPECTED GIFT

An Unexpected Gift is the final book in The Friends of Scrapbook, Etc trilogy. In this book I break a few of the rules when it comes to inspirational romance. I think readers will enjoy the difference.

Kimberly is a college student and works part-time at the craft shop, Scrapbook, Etc. The story covers the holidays from Thanksgiving to Christmas. Here's a little teaser:


Kimberly knows things will get rough when she sees the blue sign on the pregnancy test. She and Jack had been careful—most of the time. When he learns the news, Jack becomes distant and she might be forced to face parenthood alone. 

When Grams offers her a place to stay, Kimberly soon becomes more concerned about the old woman's eccentricities than her own studies. Grams collects stray dogs, talks about seeing an angel, and might be losing her senses. Kimberly doesn't realize a quirky old woman can teach her about love and parenthood. 


http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=toni+lamparter+mabry&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3Atoni+lamparter+mabry

RED, WHITE & TRUE--OVERVIEW

Today I wanted to focus on the second book in our series, Red, White and True. This story focuses on the relationship between the owner of Scrapbook, Etc. and her fiance, Sammy.

When he was in Afghanistan, Sammy Walker dreamed of life back home. After returning to Millwood, he sees that life is gone, forever. Sammy is disabled, struggling with PTSD, and there is no escaping his guilt. 

Karla once promised to be his wife but Sammy can't hold her to that vow. He would never know if she loves or pities him. 

Karla's devotion is strong. Though she finds his mixed messages exasperating, she isn't ready to give up on him. 

How can Karla help Sammy when he keeps pushing her away? Can she love the new Sammy as much as the old one?


http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=toni+lamparter+mabry&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3Atoni+lamparter+mabry

ANNOUNCEMENT

The last of my trilogy was published as an eBook about 6 months ago. My publisher recently contacted me with the news that my books are now available in paperback. They can be ordered through Amazon.

Friends of Scrapbook, Etc. is a trilogy that centers around craft shop called Scrapbook, Etc. The shop is in a small town outside of Memphis, TN.

For the next few posts I am going to leave blurbs about each book.

The first book,  A New Season:

School teacher, Wendy Sims', peaceful life with her son is interrupted by a troublesome dream and feeling of foreboding. She senses major changes are coming. To add to her anxiety, motorcycle officer, Jerrod Hill, appears at every turn. The last thing she wants in her life is another man who lives—or dies—taking risks. 

Her worst fears come true when Wendy's son disappears on the way to summer camp. Now she might have to trust Jerrod to help find her missing boy. How can they manage when the only clue comes from an eccentric child who claims he's seen a U.F.O.?

Follow the link (cut and paste) to the Amazon site to see the trilogy:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=toni+lamparter+mabry&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3Atoni+lamparter+mabry