“That’s A Positive”

If you know me at all, or have read any of my pieces you know that I love grandparents. I especially loved mine, but I’m not afraid to adopt some if the need or opportunity arises.

Now that mine are all in heaven I especially am thankful for some of those I have picked up along the way! One of those is Grammy Clark.

Grammy Clark is the grandmother of my best friend from college days. I first met her when I went home with Dana for spring break one year. Since that time—over twenty years ago now—I’ve had many more opportunities to spend time with Grammy. Every time I am amazed and inspired!

On one visit to Pennsylvania Dana and I went on a day trip with Grammy to tour the Crayola Factory where I got my first ever box of 64 crayons. A life-time dream come true! Other times, our visits involved an evening at Grammy’s playing Sorry. She is quite competitive!

Grammy is 96, almost 97 now. She is spunky and independent. I could tell you stories about those two characteristics but just let me offer these. It wasn’t too many years ago that she was up on her roof clearing the snow. After all, she still could! And my favorite. Not more than five years ago, maybe less she went on a tubing adventure in the river near where she lives. Yes, Grammy is spunky and independent.

Grammy is also a positive person. She raised a houseful of boys, some her own and some foster sons. She hasn’t always had an easy life, but she won’t let it get her down. That’s Grammy Clark for you.

So, when Dana sent me this photo of Grammy reading pieces from my book out loud to the family, and then called and told how Grammy Clark gave her “thanksgiving testimony” at their Christmas dinner and focused on the good parts by repeatedly saying, “That’s a positive!”, I knew I had to share this with all of you.

Maybe we need to have the focus Grammy Clark has and look on the positives, not the negatives! I know I am. I’m going to start using her words more often and right out loud in front of God and everybody state, “that’s a positive” whenever I can!

I’m thankful for the grandparents God gave me! I’m thankful too for the extra ones he blessed me with. After all, that’s definitely a positive!

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A Letter From Max and Carly!

Dear Fans,

We were looking through some old photos at Grandpa Johnson’s house this Christmas and look what we found! As you will see it’s us in Grandpa’s barn a couple of years ago. It was chilly that day!

We were getting ready to go riding and Dorie came around with Grandma’s camera. Boy, was that a fun day.

 

Here’s another picture. This one is of the front cover of our latest adventure!

Click to Pre-order!

We are so excited that you can pre-order now on Amazon! Click the photo if you want to get your copy as soon as possible!

Happy New Year!

Love,

Max and Carly

P.S. I told Carly it’s ok she gets the cover. Next time it will be MY turn!  BYE,  MAX

Messiah – Forever and Ever!

Last night we went to hear Messiah sung by a community group in our small town. My mind flew back to the first time I ever remember hearing it.

 

I must have been about eight or nine. Two of the college girls from our church in Nebraska were attending Denver Baptist Bible College and were singing in the choir. I think one of them had a solo part. So, my parents and siblings and I drove the four hours from North Platte to Denver for the concert.

 

I remember a large choir, maybe 100 members! I remember a lot of beautiful music. Breathtaking.  I remember the feeling of awe when everyone stood up for the last number. Awe and relief that it was finally over. I was eight or nine, after all.

 

I’m not a big fan of opera. I’ve heard reports that my mother and Grandpa  McKnight used to listen to opera together on the radio when she was just a baby. I don’t get a lot from opera, especially the foreign language pieces. And, I’m sorry to admit most of the female voices are way too warbly for my ears to enjoy.

 

But the Messiah, that’s a different story. Now that I’m a little older, I have come to appreciate having a taste of the operatic sound. And then of course, there are the words.

 

Last night, there in that small-town church I listened as the small choir sang the familiar pieces. They weren’t professional vocalists. They weren’t opera stars. They were local business people, students, retirees, moms, and dads with one thing in common. They love music and they wanted to sing these pieces to the best of their ability, and I believe—to the glory of God.

 

As I listened to them sing, the words jumped out and grabbed me.

 

“For unto us a child is born.”

 

“Wonderful.”

 

“Counselor”

 

“The mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.”

 

“For, the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.”

 

“Forever, and ever.”

 

“Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Halle-lu-jah!”

 

I cried as I stood there and imagined all of us in heaven singing these words to our Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, and Prince of Peace. Forever. And ever. Hallelujah!

 

And this time, when it was over. . . I was sorry.

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Holiday Memories, Holiday Stories

For some reason I’m not a huge fan of the Christmas movies. I don’t know why. They are usually fun, sentimental, and wholesome. I’m just not usually motivated to stop on a channel if it is one of those movies.

But, last night I surprised myself. I was flipping channels and came across one and decided to watch. It was called Christmas Lodge and it was special. It was the story of a young woman who helps rescue the lodge where her family spent Christmas every year when she was little. It was all about God, family, and legacy. Of course I liked it. At the end when she not only got the guy, but her ailing Grandpa managed to make it to the newly restored lodge for Christmas, I shut off the TV and I sighed. That. Was. Great!

I started thinking about family and the places we build traditions. That reminded me of a blog I’ve been itching to write.

Back in the late 70’s and early 80’s we lived in Gillette, Wyoming. I was in my last two years of high school and early adult years. For several years, every Thanksgiving we would travel to Morrill, Nebraska to have Thanksgiving with my Uncle Tom, Aunt Twyla and their family. Grandpa and Grandma Jones would drive over from central Nebraska and meet us there. One year they all came to Gillette, but only once. It was easier for us to travel since we didn’t have animals to take care of, like Uncle Tom.

This picture is one that was taken on one such Thanksgiving. This is my Grandpa Jones, my sister, and one of our cousins. Grandpa is in heaven now and Tony and Vonda are all grown up. But, when I look at this picture I have a flood of memories. Memories of the cinnamon buns and pumpkin pies Mom would make to take with us.  Memories of Uncle Tom cutting the turkey and waving the knife when I tried to snitch some. Memories of watching the football game on TV. Memories of watching the boys playing football out in the yard. Memories of looking through all of Aunt Twyla’s cake decorating books. Memories of sleeping on blankets on the floor. And, memories of Grandpa telling stories.

Now, we all live in different places and we have different holiday traditions. But, for a few years we had that special time. It is one I’ll remember forever! What holiday traditions do you have? Do they involve listening to your grandparents tell stories. I’d recommend it! They have some interesting things to tell.

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The Double Cousins Strike Again!

I am delighted to announce that the third in the Double Cousins Mystery Series has gained final approval and is being sent to press! I do not believe the books will be available for Christmas, as hoped, but they certainly will be available soon online for pre-orders on Amazon etc. They should be in your hand in about one month.

This time the Double Cousins are solving mysteries and learning lessons about the value of helping others in Max’s hometown of Rapid City, SD! With Mount Rushmore, Storybook Island, and the Flood of ’72 there is plenty of historical interest in this new mystery!

Stay tune! In the meantime. . . have you read the first two books in the series?

Click here to buy!

 

 

Who, What, When, Where, How, and Why?

             Who? YOU!

What?

Social Media Sale!  Buy one of each of my three books for only $25.00 plus shipping!

(Bonus: I’m happy to sign and personalize each book!)

When?

Now until December 31^st

Where?

www.Doublecousins.net or doublecousins.net@gmail.com

How?

Simply email me your order and I’ll take care of the rest! I’ll contact you for payment options.

Why?

Because it’s a great deal! A gift for children and/or adults!

As always, all three books are available on Amazon and other online bookstores. They are also available in Kindle!

 

Growing Pains Bring Good Deals!

Every once in a while one of my siblings will mention that a niece or nephew is suffering from growing pains. Their legs hurt and Mom knows it is probably related to the fact that her son or daughter has just grown an inch in the past week. No kidding.

 

Growing is great, isn’t it? But it can cause difficulty, even pain.

 

The third in my Double Cousins Mystery series is in the final stages of design. Within a few days we hope to have it off to the printer and while I don’t expect to have it out in time for Christmas it will be available shortly thereafter.

 

In addition, my first book for adults was released this summer. All I Have Needed-A Legacy for Life has been a delight to produce and share with others. It is opening up new opportunities for speaking. My writing and speaking ministry is growing.

 

However, with that come some growing pains. The main one at this point is the website. My wonderful husband built my website himself back when I had one book. When the second book was added he revised the site. He has worked hard to maintain an up-to-date site but it is now getting more time-consuming than he can handle.

 

For one thing, it needs to switch focus to encompass the entire scope of the ministry, not just the Double Cousins Mysteries. So, we are in the process of finding a web designer to help us build a new, long-term solution to the web-page need!

 

Now, Christmas is right around the corner and I have books to sell. I have the perfect gift, whether you are buying for a child, a teen, or an adult. The two Double Cousins Mysteries are written for ages 7-13. The Legacy book is written in such a way that pre-teens and up would enjoy the short pieces.

 

But, all of the books are not listed on my website for sale! What should we do?

 

I have decided to run a Social Media Sale this year. If you are connected to me through social media YOU will be made aware of the sale. So, here goes.

 

For the rest of the year I am offering a copy of each of my three books for a total of $25.00 plus shipping. That is a value of $35.89 for only $25.00 plus shipping. You will save over ten dollars for the three books! Of course, if you want bulk numbers of any of the books they are available at $10.00 per book plus shipping.

 

So, if you wish to order you can send a message via facebook or email to doublecousins.net@gmail.com and I’ll be happy to mail you the books and send an invoice with it which you can then pay. If you live close to me I would be happy to deliver and avoid the shipping charges.

 

Please include in your information the names you want inscribed in the books and I’ll be happy to personalize them and sign the copies for you!

 

As always, the books are also available on Amazon and through your local bookstore. They just need the name of the book and the author and they should be able to order them for you!

 

Read on!

Learn more about Miriam Jones Bradley’s books

Power of an Unchanging God!

This morning I woke up to sunshine! I turned on the TV to see the parade. As I flipped through the channels I saw Kristyn Getty singing “In Christ Alone.”

“No power of Hell, no scheme of man, Can ever pluck me from His hand.
Till he returns or calls me home, Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand.”

I am thankful for many things, but the truth that God never changes and His power holds me till eternity is what I’m most thankful for today. Without that, well. . . none of that other stuff would mean much would it?

My favorite reason to go to the beach is to see the ocean. There is something about watching the waves come in, go out, come in, go out that reminds me of the unchanging character of God.

Enjoy this picture of the ocean! Let the unchanging character of God change you!

Click to buy this book!

Imperfect People doing what a Perfect God asked!

At church today I heard two messages. One was about the holiness of God. When we see Him for who He is and ourselves for who we are, it changes us. The second spoke to the fact that God was pleased with Solomon because he simply wanted wisdom. He loved God. I was reminded of some friends. What we need to do is ask God what it is He wants us to do, then do it. Simple, right? It reminds me of some friends. . .

Little did I know when I offered to make an airport run for a conference that I was going to receive such an amazing blessing. In my car was Sue Badeau. As I heard just a bit of her story my heart jumped into my throat. This woman had a keen understanding of the needs of children, specifically the need for a home. She reminded me of a lady who wrote a book years ago titled, “The Family Nobody Wanted.” When I discovered she and her husband, Hector were writing a book about their experiences adopting and raising 22 children I simply couldn’t wait. So, I offered to read a pre-release copy.

I wasn’t disappointed! First, she referenced the very book I mentioned above. No Kidding. Secondly, I found myself drawn into the book in such a way that I could not put it down. I wanted to know what happened to each child. I rejoiced with them in their accomplishments. My heart broke for them in their trials and disappointments. I felt like I knew this family.

I was challenged in my thinking regarding the need for homes for older children and young people. As an adult whose mother died when I was young, I am very aware of the importance of extended family in the life of a child, especially those experiencing trauma. However, I had never transferred that knowledge to the reality of foster and adoptive children.

I was thankful for the honest, humble way that Hector and Sue share their failures as well as their successes. These aren’t perfect people. They are simply imperfect people doing what a perfect God has asked them to do. Love the children.

No, God hasn’t asked each of us to do what Hector and Sue have been asked to do. But, it can be a challenge to each of us to see people living out their calling!

If you love children, if you believe in family, if you like biographies or stories about real people. . . this book is for you!

Are We There Yet? The Ultimate Road Trip: Adopting and Raising 22 Kids! by

Hector and Sue Badeau

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Growing and Going

I’ve had a wonderful month. It has been busy, but awesome.

For years I dreamed of having my nieces and nephews come visit. But, due to the distance and finances it hasn’t happened. However, in the past sixteen months my three oldest nieces all made the trip down South. The twins were the last and they stayed three weeks, flying home last week.

My house feels empty.

Shortly before they arrived I found a picture from their eight-year-old trip. That’s another story but I’ll tell you that it is a trip my sister and I take them on when they are eight. It’s not a very original name, but the kids were the first to call it that and it stuck.

The three girls—now all eighteen—reenacted the photo a couple of years ago. When I found the original picture I searched my computer files and found the second one. In this one picture is a description of how I’ve felt with their recent visits.

Do you remember the commercial on TV about the dad letting his sixteen year old daughter drive away for the first time? As he looks into the car what he sees is a four-year-old sitting behind the wheel. The reality is that there is a capable young lady ready to take on the world.

This has been my reality. Oh, the little girls were here. I saw them fleetingly in the giggles, mannerisms, and personality traits that stay with us through our lifetime. But, in the place of the little eight-year old girls were capable eighteen-year old women. Adults.

So, these were “getting to know you” visits. I’m hoping that they will lay the foundation for a new kind of relationship. One in which I have three new “best friends”—once babies I snuggled with, children with whom I experienced adventure, and now adults with whom I can share.

Growing up isn’t so bad after all, is it?