The Magic of Christmas

Over the years I have tried to capture the magic of that long ago Christmas, when against all odds, I received a bike from Santa. Each year, I wait until everyone is in bed and turn off all the lights except for the tree.  I sit in my favorite chair and gaze at the soft lights glowing from the strands, wrapping it from head to toe, and I ponder the angel that sits at its top.  I inhale the fragrance of fresh cut evergreens decorating the mantel and winding up the staircase. I conjure up memories of Christmases past, and they come back to me in bits and pieces – sometimes bringing with them images of those I’ve loved and lost.  My mother is always there because she loved the glitz and glitter and passed it down to me.  My Daddy’s there too, with me riding on his back, trudging through the woods with ax in hand, searching for the perfect tree. I dig deep into the memory shelf and almost grasp it, but I can only hold onto it for a second and then it’s gone. I know I should be happy for that fleeting second, but I long for more and I've always been a little despondent when Christmas is over.

Tonight as I sit in front of the tree, I find myself finally content with the present Christmas. Sure, the tugging of the heart as I search the memory shelf is still there causing me to catch my breath with wonder. And yes, there’s still a bit of longing for the child in me to surface and hear the faint sound of sleigh bells ringing and the sound of reindeer landing on my roof. I still see the excitement in the eyes of my children on Christmas morning after Santa had visited, and had somehow provided all the things they had asked for no matter what our financial situation at the time.

I have always known the Christ side of Christmas and embraced it – the Savior who was born in a stable in Bethlehem. I've reverently observed the holiday as a Holy Day. But I’ve often tried too hard for the glitter to fill me with wonder, rather than the Christ Child. But glitter is only flaky little bits of fluff drifting in and out of your heart without filling it. I realize that what truly fills my heart is the love that I have for my family and friends…and the hope and promises that came with the babe in a manger - and Christmas is no longer a let-down when the day is done.

Sweet Tea and Southern Grace

Exciting things are happening.  The novel I've been working on is finished and it's due out on Amazon and in some bookstores on or about January 3, 2014. You can't believe how incredibly happy I am to have it finished.  This is a  preview of the front cover design - it will be a little more polished in publication, but it's nice to have a sneak peak!

Good conversation and the consumption of many glasses of iced tea took place while rocking on this porch in my story. The building of friendships, a little gossip and a budding romance make this an intriguing place to be in the little village of Park Place, South Carolina.

There's just something about front porches and rocking chairs in charming little Southern towns that creates the perfect setting for whiling away the afternoons sharing large pitchers of iced tea and idle gossip among friends.  The front porch in this photo belongs to a home in my community built in the 1850's. My friends Terry and Genie Graham graciously allowed me to take photos for the cover on the front porch of The Ivy Place, their home and venue for weddings and other events. All the while I was writing my book, it was this porch that I imagined - it overlooks their magnificent period flower gardens.

SWEET TEA AND SOUTHERN GRACE

A little bit about the book:

Park Place, South Carolina is an idyllic, sleepy little town inhabited by folks dripping with Southern charm and hospitality. Then suddenly, an auto accident on the interstate highway thrusts both mystery and intrigue into its midst. The accident leaves a young woman, Holly Spencer, in a coma and her five year old daughter under the guardianship of the Reverend Rockford Williford Clark who’s trying his best to track down Holly's family members to make some medical decisions, but he hits a dead end - they seem to have no family. That doesn’t stop the persistent young preacher from digging deep and covering all bases, even when it gets him into trouble.

Affectionately dubbed Rev Rock by his congregation, this forty-something, almost meddlesome, unmarried Presbyterian preacher runs himself ragged in the day-to-day tending of his flock. He calls himself “unlucky in love”, but his friendship with Liz, the widow next door, is beginning to grow into something deeper which frightens him out of his wits and causes him to do some backpedaling. Patience may be a virtue, but Liz has grown weary of it and retreats to her cabin in the mountains. Will Rock be still long enough to listen for God’s direction? Or will he once again let love slip through his fingers?

Update:  December 28, 2013 - The Kindle version is now available on Amazon. The hardback copy should be available in a few days.  I can't even begin to tell you all the blessings I've received writing this book. I hope that my readers enjoy reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it.
http://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Southern-Grace-Glenda-Manus-ebook/dp/B00HJX0UUQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1388329193&sr=8-1&keywords=Sweet+Tea+and+Southern+Grace