Are You Saving Time?

Daylight savings time always throws me for a loop. I'm waiting this time to see how long it will take my body to adjust to the one hour time change. When the alarm went off this morning my internal clock was so mis-aligned with it that it took me forever to realize it was the alarm and then even longer to get it turned off. To add insult to injury, my daughter was just getting up herself at the time I got to her house to babysit so she could go to work.

As she got ready we began to reminisce about the one and only time we had "daylight savings time" in the Amazon region of Brazil where we lived for almost 30 years. Most of you may not have stopped to think about this, but the sun rises and sets near the equator at almost the same time of day every day of the year. So when all the clocks were moved forward an hour the only thing it accomplished was to make everyone one hour late for everything. People still ran their lives by the sun, not by the clock. I hate to think how many man hours were wasted instead of saved as a result. We were all oh so thankful when the clocks went back to normal and life did, too.

Since I garden, daylight savings time is actually helpful to me as it is to many people who like to get outside work done after they get home from their day job. But it's never an easy transition...

How about you? What unusual or difficult situation has daylight savings time caused in your life? And does it really save you time?

Interview with the Authors

Last week a pastor contacted us through The Book Marketing Network. He asked if he could interview us for his blog. This was the first time we had ever been approached about an interview and the result is on now on Pastor Bobby's blog.

We were very gratified by his comments. I'd like to quote just the final paragraph of his comments after the interview as this expresses our hearts in a way that we ourselves hadn't been able to verbalize quite like he did. And it's so true.

"A friend of mine told me one day, not too long after my mother passed away, that he felt sorry for my losing my mother. I politely thanked him and quickly responded that when you lose someone or something, you do not know where they are. But I know exactly where my mother is. Knowing that she was a very devout Christian believer, she is with Christ (to be absent from the body is to be in the presence  of God.) Knowing where she is and my father is and my brother is reassures me that I have not lost them."

For more of the interview, go to Pastor Bobby's blog.

Writing as a Couple

When my husband and I embarked on the task of writing our first book together, it was a challenge, to say the least. But early on in our marriage of almost 40 years, we had learned some things about each others talents, strengths and weaknesses. Whenever either of us wrote something, and we wrote many letters to supporters, prayer/newsletters and other things like that, during those first years of marriage we would very timidly ask the other to read, critique and edit. I say timidly because each of us still had a strong urge to protect ourselves and our delicate egos. Some of those first attempts were a bit rocky and more than once, I had to swallow my pride and say, "Yes, you're right." Hmm...still have to do that once in awhile!

So when we embarked on writing our book together we thought it would be relatively easy considering the extensive history we had in going over each others work. Wrong!

To begin with, I wanted to write an outline. He doesn't believe in outlines. I wanted to write. He wanted to think about what he was going to write. I wanted to do it quickly and get it over with. He seemed to be the "king of procrastination."

So I began putting my thoughts down on computer and the book began to take shape. Fortunately we had written many emails while we were actually experiencing the story we were writing about and we had also taken extensive notes so the basic facts were indisputable. That could have been even more complicated. Just imagine if we had each remembered the facts differently!

As I wrote, he began to join in and finally about 3 years after we started, we had our book in print. And the book flows as though it had been written by one voice - ours. Often its impossible to even know who did the actual writing of particular sections. Even we don't know. And I guess that's a good thing since we wanted it to be OUR story.

Not wanting to sound too boastful, Aloha is Forever, the story of Hope in the Midst of Despair, is a good read. Many have told us they read it in one sitting because they just couldn't put it down. Above all we have gotten feedback that the story exalts our loving heavenly Father and that was what we wanted most!

Comments from Readers

We have been so encouraged by all of the positive feedback from those who have read our book. Here is what one reader had to say:

"Just finished reading your book - it was very powerful and a tribute to our God. We rejoice that HE is able to make beauty for ashes and give peace through a spirit of heaviness. My heart ached for you as I read your journey and then gave praise as you testified to WHO ...God is and what He has done for us."

And this is what our pastor sent out to the congregation after he read our book:

"Get the Reece's book. You'll be glad you did."

Thank you to all who have taken the time to give us feedback. We'll share more as we get more feedback.

Free Advertising from a Drawing

We recently won free advertising on 10 sites for a year through a drawing at The Authors Page.

Here are the sites where our book is listed:
The Authors Page
Book Promotions
Short Stories, Great Reads
Book Buzz
New Book & Product Releases
Surfin The City Lights
Author Book Marketing
The Everlasting Kingdom
The Pen
River of God Sayings 

Check some of these out for book reviews and other resources for authors.