This week has especially brought my dad to mind. He was an Air Force veteran, so I always think about him on Veteran's Day. November 13 would have been his 92nd Birthday. He's been in Heaven now for over 25 years. That is hard for me to imagine. This is one of my favorite photos of the two of us. It was taken on the train in the park in Lawrence, KS, a favorite family picnic spot. He took his Sunday School classes there every year, too. That may be why I still like to count train cars as they go by, or why one of my next writing projects will center around an old train depot.
I was always a Daddy's Girl. It was Daddy who took me to the library and concerts and museums when I was a girl, all things I still enjoy. Planes, trains, and police and ham radios were some of his passions. When we moved this last time, I found his old ham radio. Maybe someday I will crank it up again. He loved to read and when I was young, many hours were spent in his lap reading my favorite books. When I was old enough to read on my own, he was always ready to head to the library with me in tow. I don't ever remember Daddy getting mad when I was discovered with my flashlight reading under the covers after bedtime! He probably smiled. I know he was pleased when I became a library director. More than that, I know he would be proud of the writer I have become. Sometimes I wonder if somehow my books have found their way to Heaven and he gathered the family around the mansion porch to read my books to all my loved ones who are already there, my precious daughter Stacie included. She loved to read, too. Guess it runs in the family. In this season of Thanksgiving, I am so grateful for my heritage of a loving and caring family. I am thankful for the years we had with them. I treasure memories of Thanksgivings past when grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins gathered together to share the day. Make some memories of your own this Thanksgiving Day with your loved ones. And know whether you are part of a huge family gathering, or all alone, that your Heavenly Father loves you and is there with you always. He loves to hear us tell Him how thankful we are for every BLESSING He had given. Happy Thanksgiving!
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Trinity Tales of Tresia, Book III: A Perfectly Magnificent Cane, is available for preorder! Official release date is November 1, in plenty of time for Christmas ordering for all the Young Ones (and Vanguards) in your life. One of my favorite things about this last installment in the Tresia series is that the short allegory, "A Glimpse: The Truly Excellent Scepter," released last year as an ebook only, is included at the beginning of Book III. This short story is the transition between Book II and Book III, so I wanted it in print, especially for those who don't read ebooks.
This is the illustration for that story. My illustrator, Traci Osborn, did a fantastic job on all three of the Tale illustrations. I'll post Tale #1 below, and will be sharing the last two on Facebook as the release date draws near. (Trinity Tales means three tales in each book! Three stories for the price of one.) Go to my website, www.jamcphail.com. The preorder info is on the homepage. Just click! Also, a new edition of our newsletter, MountainView Moments, will be out soon. If you aren't already receiving it, subscribe on the newsletter page on the website and it will be delivered to your inbox. Enjoy God's beautiful fall weather and colors, and make some memories for your scrapbook! Hey, Clan! Great news to share with you. Book III in my Trinity Tales of Tresia series will be released on November 1! This is the final book in the Trinity Tales series, A Perfectly Magnificent Cane. And it includes the print version of the short ebook based on the series that was released last year, The Truly Excellent Scepter. It will be available for pre-order soon. I will keep you posted. In the mean time, check my website Book Page for more info.
Also announcing that this blog now has a new name, though I'm keeping the alliteration theme. Welcome to the first post on Jewels for the Journey. I will continue to post once a month and I hope you will subscribe so we can keep in touch. I will share to Facebook, but you never know when that may slip by you. Subscribe, and every "Jewel" will be delivered to your inbox. Thanks to everyone to who has already subscribed. I appreciate it. I will post again next month with more info on the new book and a new Jewel for the Journey. I just couldn't wait to share the cover of A Perfectly Magnificent Cane. My illustrator, Traci Osborn did a perfectly magnificent job! Have a BLESSED September! This week Dennis and I celebrated our 44th Anniversary. Since we recently moved and most of our "stuff" is packed away in our storage unit, I have no idea where our wedding album is. Thanks to Facebook memories, this photo popped up for my use. We were both 18 that day, high school sweethearts embarking on a new life together. Now we are receiving Social Security. Oh, how far we've come.
Along with such days, comes looking back at the memories, and looking forward to the future. It's good to remember and thank God for all His Blessings on our life together. And his love and mercy through the tough times. But at this point in our lives, rather than dwell on the past, we are excited to look forward to new assignments in our "refirement." We chose to call it that, because it's how we want this time to be. And we are fired up and ready to begin a new season. After almost 40 years of coaching, tonight Dennis is at his first official volleyball game as a referee, and I am home in our camper writing this post. When I'm done, I will get back to editing the final book in my Trinity Tales of Tresia series. Though I've been writing since I retired from my post as a library director almost 18 years ago, I feel a new energy to finish well with this project and begin to plan for the next. Den's world has changed a lot this summer. It was strange to not have to be there for the first day of school. But he will enjoy officiating, at least until he sets up his recording studio. And we have lots of building to do on our land. So far we have a storage barn! We will keep busy. I hope you've had a Blessed summer and are looking forward to God's beautiful fall colors and cooler temps. Take some time to enjoy your family and share memories of how far you've come. Then take a deep breath, jump into the next journey and see how far you'll go. No matter your age, God has so much more for you to do. Embrace it. I'll post again on the Fourth Friday of September. Be Blessed. Hi, Clan! It's been a while since I posted, but for good reason and lots of new pics in the scrapbook. If you want to know why things have changed, click on the Summer Edition of our newsletter on the website! "Mountainview Moments" will fill you in on what's been happening. For those of you on Facebook, you can now sign up to have our newsletters and this blog delivered to your inbox. That way you won't miss out on any posts. Have a great summer and I will post again on the Third Thursday of August. Blessings! www.jamcphail.com
When I was a child, one of my favorite things was to sit on Daddy's lap and have him read to me. It was one of his favorite things, too. At the end of every book, he would close it with a snap, and declare "And that's the end of the story!" To this day, when I read to a child, I do the same thing. This month will begin a new schedule for this blog. For the next five months, I will only post here on my website blog, once a month instead of once a week. Two things brought me to that decision: 1) Dennis retires this month and we are moving to Franklin, NC. 2) I am working on the last chapter of Book III in my Tresia series and it needs to be finished before we leave! Later this month, we will send out (and post on the website,) a new edition of MountainView Moments, our ministry newsletter. If you aren't on our mailing list, please go to that tab and sign up. Then you won't miss it. We are taking loads of furniture to our storage unit in Franklin and I'm figuring out how to go from the smallest home I've ever lived in, to an even smaller camper. It's been a challenge, especially with finishing the book, and this month will be the culmination of all of that. So, the next post will be Second Saturday in July, and I will also update the website with new photos and publishing info. For those of you on Facebook, I will send updates periodically on how things are going. We are still working on our internet logistics, so it won't be on a regular schedule. Have a great summer and keep reading - clear to the end of the story! Psalm 23 was one of the first passages of Scripture that I memorized as a girl. I have always loved it and refer to it often. Right now I am reading through the Psalms in my daily devotions using the Message translation. The language is beautiful for reading for enjoyment and meditating on the meaning. "God, my shepherd. I don't need a thing. You have bedded me down in lush meadows, You find me quiet pools to drink from. True to your Word, You let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction. Even when the way goes through Death Valley, I'm not afraid. Your trusty shepherd's crook makes me feel secure." I can't help but think of this beloved Psalm when we drive by this scene on our way to our land in Cowee Valley, NC. What a blessing God has given us - like He promised in His Word. One of my favorite recitations by the famous bass singer, the late J.D. Sumner, (who backed up Elvis Presley) is about Psalm 23. It tells of a brilliant orator who was speaking in a vast concert hall. His last selection was the 23rd Psalm. He delivered it with eloquence, perfect diction and dynamics, and the audience broke into applause at the conclusion. Then he asked if anyone else wanted to quote the same Psalm. An old preacher agreed. He slowly stood to his feet, bent over with age, and with a raspy voice began. "The LORD...is MY...Shepherd." Filled with awe and emotion he quoted the entire Psalm. At the end, there wasn't a dry eye in the concert hall. The preacher sat to silence. The orator looked at the audience and said, "You reacted to those two renditions in very different ways. The reason is because I know the 23rd Psalm. And he knows the Shepherd. The Amplified Bible is my favorite translation of the last verse: "Surely, only goodness, mercy, and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, and through the length of my days the house of the Lord, and His Presence shall be my dwelling place." I'm so glad that I know the Shepherd and dwell every day in His Presence. Since both my mom and my daughter are in Heaven, I don't do much to celebrate Mother's Day. But I wanted to post this photo again of my "adopted family." I am so blessed to have these kids in my life. They call me Mom, Grandma, Great-Grandma, Aunt JA, and even just Jeannie. I am so grateful for my family, kids and grandkids of dear friends, and these special friends and former students of Stacie's. I love you all. This collage sits in my Kingdom Corner to remind me to pray for you every day. And I do. I also want to say Happy Mother's Day to Den's stepmom, the only mother-in-law I have ever known. Doris McPhail is a precious lady, and she loved taking care of her granddaughter, Stacie. This photo is fuzzy, but one of my favorites. Love on your moms, your daughters, grand-daughters, and nieces today. Celebrate the women and girls God has put in your life. With Mother's Day coming up soon, I wanted to feature some special ladies, and our get-togethers, which I have thoroughly enjoyed the past few years. Bev Entz, a dear friend of my mom's from way back, and her daughter, Kerri Sasnett, both live near Charlotte, NC. Bev and her husband, Jim, were missionaries in New Guinea with Wycliffe Bible Translators. When Kerri married Todd, the son of missionaries to Brazil, followed the same call as their parents and have spent their married lives serving with WBT and the Seed Company, both overseas in Cameroon, and now at headquarters. Several years ago, we began a tradition of meeting in Concord, NC, for lunch at Cracker Barrel. Several times we added antiquing afterward at The Depot. It has been a joy to keep up and spend time with Bev and Kerri while we've lived in Hickory. Mom and Dad were big missionary supporters and they passed that on to me, for which I am grateful. Mom always taught me that being part of getting out the Gospel by sending others, is as much a calling as being a missionary. Bev is retired, but Dennis and I are honored to be on Todd and Kerri's team as partners in prayer and support, just like my parent's were. At our last lunch a few weeks ago, Kerri presented me with a copy of a New Testament in another language that had just been translated for the first time. It amazes and humbles me to think that while I have multiple Bibles at my fingertips, some peoples have never seen or heard God's Word in their heart language. I love being part of making that happen. When we move, we will not stop our lunches and antique shop visits, just change the city where we meet. I know my mom smiles in Heaven every time we get together. Another missionary that I don't see as often is Janet Roudybush McClanahan. My parents supported Janet when she first went to Brazil many years ago. When Dennis and I married, we joined her prayer and support team. We keep in touch by email and Facebook, but it's been several years since I've seen her. That is mostly because Janet, now in her 80's, is still serving the Lord in Brazil! She's been in the US for a few months for medical reasons, but she will be back on her mission field soon. This photo was taken right before Mom moved to NC with us back in 2002 or so. I am thankful to have theses precious ladies in my life. If your mother is in Heaven today, I encourage you this month to reach out to her friends that may still be here, and wish them a Happy Mother's Day. You will both be glad you did. This cake is what greeted Dennis when he walked into the Sports Awards meeting at Challenger Early College High School. Over the past eleven years, he's been the student services provider, counselor, men's varsity basketball, tennis, and baseball coach, plus director of the Firebird Choral, bus driver, substitute teacher, and probably several other jobs. Being a Firebird (and a Shawnee Heights Thunderbird,) has been a joy over the past almost 40 years, and allowed him to fulfill his calling to influence and help his students become the best they could be. (By the way, one of his SH Choraliers is in the top ELEVEN on The Voice right now, Kyla Jade! He's one proud vocal music teacher.)
Thanks for letting me brag on my husband. It's because he has loved and been a success at his teaching job, that I have been able to pursue my dream of writing. We aren't calling it retirement, though. July 1 begins our "Refirement!" And so the fun begins. |
AuthorJ.A. McPhail is the author of five books, has been married to Dennis since 1974, enjoys living in the North Carolina mountains. and is an avid collector of books and book related stuff. Archives
December 2020
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