They’re the people who take time to help you learn new things—you have the desire, and maybe even a general idea, but they stick with you until you really “get it.” Maybe you must tackle a task so foreign that your confidence is nil—no matter. These folks aren’t going to leave until “the end.”

“That which is always within our reach is always the last thing we take; and the chances are, that what we can do every day, we never do at all.” This statement by L.E. Landon, British writer and poet, says it well. The issue isn’t laziness, though. It’s about believing we can.

A true friend sits with you until you do what you can, and you feel good about it.Someone else might say, “google it—there are instructions online for everything.” But those instructions read like an unknown language, and you cave before you even begin.

It just struck me that this is what I do in teaching English to second language learners—they want to learn, they try, but sometimes, their affective filter gets in the way. But does that make me give up? Hardly—it only motivates me to spend even more time and effort on that student’s behalf.

Today, a friend guided me through the ins and outs of editing my new website—definitely not my area of expertise. But he saw me through to success, and I’m full of gratitude. Hopefully, I can pay his favor forward—isn’t that why we’re all here—to help each other and to learn?

“Blooming is risky business-just ask any flower.” Anonymous

When the temperature crawled to two degrees, I happened upon a blossoming Kalanchoe brought in the night before October’s first hard frost. The plant bloomed faithfully all summer. My best hope was for her to survive the winter inside the house and reinvent herself next season.
But a golden yellow blossom caught my eye—in March, she’s blooming away like nobody’s business. I couldn’t find the source of the risky business quote, but whoever said it shared succinct wisdom. Putting ourselves out there is risky business at any age, but re-inventing ourselves in a second or third stab at using our gifts can be daunting.
Blooming takes energy—common knowledge among gardeners. That’s why we nip off flowers when we transplant, to allow the roots more chance to thrive. And roots are the foundation of everything good that comes from growing things.
My Grandma’s rosebush, delicate pink, thrived well into old age, though I doubt she took much time to nurture it. But I heard lately that burying fat in whatever form—bacon grease, throw-aways from a cut of beef—near a rose helps it flourish. Maybe the leavings of Grandma’s frying pan reached that bush. But I digress.
Late blooming—seemingly out of season—can be so meaningful. Those Kalanchoe flowers, hidden away in a neglected corner, brought me hope for spring. Some of us tucked away our deepest passion years ago—we thought we didn’t have what it took to carry through with our dreams, thought no one would read what we wrote, or listened to naysayers who shortchanged our art.
That’s not everyone’s story, but it is mine, and I’m finding that everything in my background has led me to this moment. Now I know what I felt deep-down all along. We’re born to tell our stories, no matter what anyone says, and everyone deserves a hearing.
Recently I read another fitting quotation: “This Is Your Time.” Four simple, straightforward words, but they stood out to me. For late bloomers, they’re zapped with empowerment. We may have thought our blossoming time was past, but we were wrong.
Something inside my wintering kalanchoe plant must have whispered, as March blizzards beat against a nearby window, “It’s still your time, old girl.” And so she bloomed, which is my intention for my writing, too.

GEEZER GUYS AND GALS: What Is Your Legacy?

Christmas Blog Hop – December 10, 2012

Greetings, one and all. My mind hangs out in the 40’s a lot because of what I’m writing, so it went there again today.

Christmas must have taken a back seat in 1941 with Pearl Harbor so fresh, and so many families missing loved ones. Two of my mom’s three brothers joined the infantry to fight in Europe.
I doubt they had been exposed to George MacDonald’s Uncle Peter, but this enigmatic character captured my imagination the first time I read his story to our children (The Christmas Stories of George MacDonald/David C. Cook, 1981). The author brings to life a man not everyone would find delightful. Born on Christmas Day, Uncle Peter set out to make every Christmas special, regardless of his financial capacity.
Like Uncle Billy in It’s A Wonderful Life, someone could easily take advantage of him. But Uncle Peter lived above the fray. He paid particular attention to children, especially the disadvantaged who roamed the streets.
Generous to a fault, this bachelor surprised his kin with trips to toy and candy stores, going overboard in his gift giving. He also made sure no house on his street with little children was forgotten, employing his nephew in delivering munificent Yuletide packages.
Maybe you recall such a family member who took time to dress in a Santa suit just for the joy of it, or created look-alike cousin outfits. Mom’s brother became Santa for us one Christmas, and on a summer weekend, he brought a box kite for us to fly. With every visit, he made it clear we mattered to him.
George McDonald thought the world of Uncle Peter, but Peter didn’t necessarily think much of himself. One Christmas day, he wandered about dispensing three-penny pieces to needy London children, feeling of little good to anyone.
A particularly ragged child caught his eye. He gave her a double portion and discovered her name—Little Christmas. She stole his heart, so he gave her a shilling. Still, he felt he must do more, especially upon discovering her “aunt” sent her out to make money each day but whipped her for meager earnings. Uncle Peter took her in and provided for her from then on.
The story continues . . . I hope you’re intrigued. Uncle Peter’s connection with Christmas meant everything—it changed his life.
He even wished to die on Christmas Day. MacDonald leaves that detail to our imaginations, but provides us with one powerful concept: “ . . . Christmas Day makes all the days of the year as sacred as itself.”
Taking an hour out of our busy schedules to let Uncle Peter ignite the best in us might not be a bad idea. Then I’ll bake a batch of my husband’s favorite treat—Mexican wedding cookies. They put a light in our grandchildren’s eyes, too—isn’t that what Christmas is all about?

Such an easy recipe–Mix 1 c of each: butter, flour, powdered sugar, chopped pecans. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and refrigerate for an hour or so. Roll into balls or shape crescents. Bake on ungreased sheet for 15 mins/350 degrees. Remove to newspaper for 5 mins. Roll in powdered sugar–enjoy.

Be sure to visit these blogs for more inspiration and some Christmas cheer:

Linda Maran – 11th http://lindamaran.blogspot.com
Karen Wingate-14th – www.graceonparade.com/blog
Karla Akins-15th http://envisionpublishing.tumblr.com
Patty Wysong — 18th www.pattywysong.com
Davalynn Spencer – 19th www.davalynnspencer.blogspot.com
Tamara Kraft – 20th http://tameralynnkraft.com

A lot of summer and fall lies between now and my first post. With an icy northwest wind, we stoked up our corn stove for the first time last night, but good news has warmed my heart the past couple of days.

On December 10, 2012, OakTara Publishing is releasing an anthology of courtship stories called I Choose You, and my short story (A Star Spangled Courtship) will be included. Pretty excited here.

The anthology will be sold in paperback at www.oaktara.com store, www.facebook.com/oaktara store (you may link to it from your own FB account), and other distributors, including amazon.com, barnesand noble.com, and christianbook.com. It will also be available in ebook.

A happy Monday to one and all.

And stay warm!!