Sarah Price's Blog, page 34

Happy April 1st! While it is typically known as April Fool’s Day, I can assure you that there is no trickery in my posting today.

It’s hard for me to believe that there are only thirteen days until the release of my next book, An Empty Cup. Unlike most Amish romances, this story centers around Rosanna, an Amish woman who is not the typical heroine in this genre. She’s not a young woman going through a rumschpringe, nervously dating for the first time. Instead, she is established with two children and dealing with the same issues that many women face: juggling being a wife, mother, and an active member of the community.

But there is a problem: Rosanna tends to always caring for others but neglects to care for herself.

If I was a gambling person (I’m not), I’d bet that many of you have experienced this. There are times when I experience enormous pressure and I stress over the demands from people. I don’t know how many times I grumble, “ARGH! Every one wants a piece of me and I feel there’s nothing left for me.” Haven’t we all felt that way at some point in our life? Luckily, I have some amazing BFFLs that talk me off my ledge when I go through this. And, believe me, there are times when I have to talk them off the ledge, too.

Still, I was a little nervous about how readers would react to An Empty Cup until I received this comment from a pre-reader:

There are so many books that don’t mean anything…You put them down and say, “This brought me joy.” This book deals with deeper issues – issues most of us women deal with. This book taught me about balance, how we can turn a good thing into something not good and it effects not only ourselves but others. I walked away feeling encouraged.

An Empty Cup is not your typical girl meets boy love story, but rather a thought provoking book dealing with real problems. Let’s face it: Everyone has stress and burdens…even the Amish. No amount of sugarcoating or denial changes that fact. An Empty Cup shows that it’s how we react when we are confronted with them that matters most.

So, with that, I really am looking forward to hearing your reaction to this book. I hope that, like the pre-reader above, you will walk away feeling encouraged and enlightened that there are times when you need to focus on yourself. After all, an empty cup cannot give.

Hugs and Blessings!

Sniff. Sniff.

Achoo!

(Blows nose)

I walk in to my son’s room, “Are you sick?!”

Five days later (and many tissues, body aches, headaches, sore throats–)–

Cough. Cough.

Snort.

(Moans)

I look at my husband, “Now you?”

Oh boy–was it ever his turn. He got sick. Super sick.

Next my boss got it. From her it moved to my co-worker.

And.

Then.

Me.

It was the plague. The. Plague. It was horrible. Miserable. There was liquid literally leaking from every opening in my face.

It was (I was) ugly.

Somehow my oldest son and one of my co-workers avoided it. By some miracle, they remained healthy. I was happy for them and jealous (little j) of them all at the same time.

“I hate this job.”

“My boss knows nothing. I can’t stand her.”

“Look how she dresses. Does she even look in the mirror?”

“He thinks he is so great. I can’t stand him. What is his problem?”

“Why do we have to do this?. How dumb. It makes no sense. I’m not doing it.”

“She thinks she’s all that and more. Look how she walks around…”

Words. Negative words.

They spread just like a virus. Negativity is contagious and it goes from person to person like germs in a sneeze. (gross). It can start with one person’s unhappiness and before you know it, and entire group is infected with bitterness. And, just like a virus, very few escape its reach. It takes constant washing and cleansing of our minds and hearts to avoid being contaminated by other people’s trash.

What are some things we can do to stay positive in a negative environment?

Avoid gossip. If someone is spreading gossip, just remove yourself from the conversation. Gossip is hard to resist–but it is destructive.

Do not dwell on someone else’s negative thoughts. It’s easy to get caught up in someone else’s misery. Don’t own their unhappiness.

Concentrate on the good. Find beauty in others. Look for their positive qualities.

Pray. Pray. Pray. We need God’s help to keep our hearts and minds in line with Him.

Proverbs 26:20 (VOICE)

When there is no wood, the fire goes out; when there is no one to spread gossip, arguing stops.

Philippians 4:8 (VOICE)

Finally, brothers and sisters, fill your minds with beauty and truth. Meditate on whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is good, whatever is virtuous and praiseworthy.

1 Corinthians 15:33 (ESV)

Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV)

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

The first book in my Amish of Lancaster Series, Fields of Corn, is FREE for a limited time! This book is very special to me. Back in the late 1980s, I lived on an Amish farm in Lancaster County, PA. The family had an apartment over a mule shed that they rented out to people. It was one of the most special times in my life. I became a part of their extended family, going to picnics, making applesauce, enjoying dinner, and helping with the chores…all alongside these wonderful, kind people.

Unbeknownst to me, I even courted one of their sons. Being unfamiliar with the courting process, I wasn’t aware at the time that their son, Emanuel, had an interest in me. He hadn’t taken his baptism yet and seemed to like hanging around with me. We’d sit on the front porch of my apartment and talk into the wee hours of the night. He’d take me for buggy rides, even letting me drive the horse. Whenever I arrived at the farm, Emanuel would show up at my doorstep, asking me to go for a walk or just to see how my day was.

At some point, the family rented out the apartment to someone else while I was away. In hindsight, I know why.

This book is about that experience. Of course, it’s fiction and contains the “what if” scenario that I often thought about for many years. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it…and living it.

Get ready! The sun is shining, the skies are blue, and the farmers are harnessing their horses to plows. There’s work to be done on a farm! Men will be working outside in the fields while the women get ready for a deep spring cleaning. And shoes will be tossed aside as the earth warms to the sunshine brought by longer days.

Enjoy your spring. Even better, I hope you enjoy An Amish Spring!

Sarah Price has successfully written another delightful tale, one which encompasses our whole idea of spring, a season of rebirth. Drusilla Riehl, the main character is young Amish lady, ready to embark on new adventures as she matures and grows in her faith. As the eldest of large family, with the youngest yet to be born, she has grown to accept her position and adapted to enjoy her responsibilities and carry them out with grace. Hidden within though, is a hint of rebellion, or so called desire to be able to become more independent and start her own life. This is indeed a story of new life arising….Quiet Quilter’s Blog

Poetic in description, “An Amish Spring” is a breath of fresh air! Characters are strong and believable, and the life of an Amish family is well portrayed. The spiritual message in this novella is a testimony of faith, trust and forgiveness. I thoroughly enjoyed this refreshing story of the life of an Amish family and the joys and strength of family that it represents….Perspectives By Nancee

An Amish Spring is a truly delightful story with real characters. Price’s knowledge of the Amish life shines through and gives the story credibility. Her descriptions of the setting and characters bring the story to life in the mind of the reader.The four part series reminds me of the serials done in the Victorian Age by great authors like Charles Dickens. Best of all, the series celebrates the start of each new season! I am looking forward to watching Dru through each one….simpleharvestreads

A very entertaining read, and I hated it to end, but I know there are more books to come in this series. We also meet Drusilla’s sister Hannah who is ready to sprout her wings; she really gives her mom a hard time, but loved how she pulled back when her dad was near. Also wait until you meet what is probably a new love interest Caleb, and how she ends up owing him. So sweet! Don’t miss this great book, and the start of another amazing series by Sarah Price. You won’t be disappointed!...Maureen’s Musings

I just finished this latest Sarah Price novel today. I haven’t found one of her books yet that I can put down. I finished this one in one day. I can’t wait to see what happens in the “Summer” book coming in June!….Amazon review

Have you read An Amish Spring? Did you like it? If so, let me know!

It’s official! We have survived the winter and it is spring. How excited are you for the budding trees, blooming flowers, and singing birds? Of course, I have to use my imagination today because it’s actually snowing here in New Jersey.

Spring is such a great time of year. It’s a time of rebirth and renewal. And this year, I am more than ready for both.

There are seasons in our life and they seem to keep repeating themselves on so many different levels. In my last Friday Food for Thought, I commented on how people change, especially after traumatic experiences. But change doesn’t have to occur on such a major scale. Change can be triggered by less injurious events in life.

Recently, I participated in a dance competition. Now, this is not something that I did as a little girl, nor is it something I ever wanted to do. In fact, I said “yes” to dancing in the cancer fundraiser only after having a stern talk with myself that included a reminder about the pain of facing the dreaded C word and the knowledge of it hanging over my head for the rest of my life. I knew that it was time to say “no” to bad things and “yes” to new things.

Let’s face it: We only live once. And while the promise of heaven is reassuring and something to look forward to, I’m not about to waste one more day of my earthly life. So I plunged forward and said “yes” to a lot of new things. Dancing is just one of them.

What an amazing experience!

Somehow I believe that God whispered in my ear “Just trust me and do this” on that day when I agreed to start these lessons. There is a whole new world out there, a secret world of happy people with manners and grace, self-esteem and confidence. It’s a beautiful world with men wearing freshly pressed suits and women in gowns that sparkle under the lights of the ballroom.

And the music!

It was almost like falling into a children’s storybook or, even better, one of the ballroom scenes from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice or Northanger Abby. How exceptionally special to have experienced such a weekend. I truly am humbled to have been invited to such an amazing event.

But life is not always a ball filled with beauty, poise, and elegance. We cannot always wear glittering gowns and take the arm of a professional dancer who will forgive your missteps on the dance floor. Sometimes we have to look for those sparkling “ballroom” moments in other places.

Last week, I received a “not-so-lovely” email from an enraged reader who won something that I forgot to ship out. When I say enraged, I mean all out threatening to destroy me. I shared the actual email with two people and, needless to say, they were both horrified and angry. I didn’t even share it with my husband because I know what he would have said (and it would not have been pretty, even if spoken in French).

My reaction was simply “Wow. Someone’s got a lot of time on her hands.”

To be honest, I forgot to send the bracelet.

To be honest, I had other things on my mind since I was in the middle of a six-week recovery from my second to last surgery…and the one that caused me the most agonizing pain that I have ever felt.

Still, I have grown enough to respond with a shrug of the shoulders. I grabbed an envelope, sent the bracelet and a book with an apology note, and mailed it to her anyway. I figured she will have to live with herself for spewing hateful words, words that, undoubtedly, she would never say to a person’s face but merely typed while in a rage and clicked the send button without pausing to think.

And that’s the way I look at things now.

If someone is bothered by something, it usually is more of a reflection on who that person is rather than the person they rage at. Sure, it’s not nice to receive hateful words, whether spoken or written. But I realize that those hateful words probably come from a hateful person. Certainly this person doesn’t have many ballroom moments in her life.

The same can be said about music, art, dance, and literature. We are moved by the cultural arts for a reason: we respond to it because it touches us. Musicians, artists, dancers, and writers produce work that comes from their heart. When someone is moved by it, that means that the artist did a great job. Sometimes we are moved to tears of joy; other times we are moved to tears of rage. Still, it means that artist triggered something in us, an emotion that rises to the surface and, in many cases, can be that ballroom moment.

Maybe that’s why I enjoy writing so much. I pull from my experiences, the good and the bad, to emotionally move people. My goal is to write romances that will touch my readers, set in an accurate Amish setting and full of well-developed characters. Each time I receive a comment or review, I realize that both the reader and I have just shared a ballroom moment. Together. And, just like this past weekend, I am humbled to have the honor of sharing those moments with you.

With the first day of spring just two days away, it’s time to celebrate. So, similar to the launch of the Matchmaker, it’s time for another YouTube.com video to celebrate (and yes, 0mgitscat will be there). Do you have a question about the first part of my Amish Seasons series, An Amish Spring? Leave questions here on this post or on my Facebook page and I will try to answer as many as I can. I will be pre-recording the video which will go live at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday. Click HERE to visit my YouTube page. Be certain to SUBSCRIBE to get notified about new videos as they are released. I look forward to celebrating with you!

PS…. Be sure to visit my Pinterest board dedicated to all things spring! ( CLICK HERE)

I have some good news for you today. It’s actually old news, but news that it seems we all (myself included) seem to forget. So, today God is sending you a little reminder.

Those of us who have told the Lord we are sorry for our mistakes, sins, transgressions, and have asked Him to forgive us are FORGIVEN. As soon as we confess and seek His forgiveness, He forgives. Not only does He forgive; the Bible says he forgets:

Isaiah 43:25 NIV “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.”

Jeremiah 31:34 KJV …”for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

Hebrews 10:17 KJV “And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.”

So, if God forgives our sin and then blots it from HIS memory, shouldn’t we be able to forgive ourselves? It’s hard enough to forgive someone who has hurt us. But, it seems that self-forgiveness is incredibly difficult. We just don’t let go.

About a year ago, I was dealing with this issue. I just could not forgive myself and let go. Someone said to me, “Have you ever considered that the Bible says once God forgives us, He no longer remembers? So, when you keep bringing up this issue before Him, He is saying back to you, “Child, I don’t know what it is you are speaking of, that page has been erased”.

That was the beginning of freedom for me. I pray that you can also enjoy the freedom of giving your mistakes to Him, asking forgiveness, and then letting go.

2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

Lisa Bull sees her life as a journey along God’s divine plan. While considering herself an expert on nothing, she enjoys laughing and has made “choosing joy” her motto. Lisa has experienced God’s unfailing love and grace in her life and wants nothing more than for others to enjoy that same gift in their lives.

Lisa is the daughter and granddaughter of ministers. She has multiple relatives in ministry on both sides of her father’s family including several pastors, pastor’s wives, and missionaries. In fact, ministry in her maternal grandmother’s family can be traced back several generations. She loves being a wife and mother of two terrific young men.

Visit Lisa at mommalisaof2-LISA’S PERCEPTIONS

The first part in my Amish Seasons series, An Amish Spring, is available for preorder and releases on March 21st, the first full day of spring. Today, Drusilla Riehl is visiting and sharing a little about herself. Hope you enjoy getting to know her!

You have a large family, how do you find quiet time?

One of my favorite chores is running errands for Maem. When I can drive the horse and buggy to town, there’s so much time to think about things. I like to listen to the soothing noise of the wheels rolling and horse’s hooves clomping on the road. Now that it’s springtime, I often see rabbits in the fields and birds flying overhead. It really makes me feel at peace with myself.

Of course, when my bruders and schwesters are in school, the house is much more quiet. Maybe too quiet. It’ll be nice when Maem’s new baby arrives. I sure do like the little ones! I remember when Elsie was born. Oh! To hold her in my arms and just watch her little face when she slept! That’s about as close to heaven on earth as a person can get, I reckon. The power of God is reflected in the face of an infant.

Are you an indoors or outdoors kind of girl?

I reckon I’m a both kind of girl! (laughs) It’s sure nice to be outside, especially when the weather changes and it turns nice. But my maem needs me inside to help and I don’t mind that one bit. I do like baking, especially breads and pies. Makes the house just smell right gut, ja?

But I must tell you that I heard there’s a barn raising in Monterey later this week. I’m sure looking forward to that. A Jonathan Lapp? Haven’t met him before, being that they live over eight miles away! As long as the weather is nice, it’s sure to be a great day…time indoors helping to prepare the dinner meal for the men and time outdoors watching the progress on the barn.

Balance. A blending of both. I don’t think God meant for people to be one or the other. He likes us to appreciate nature when we are outdoors but also to spend time with our family when we are indoors.

What do you do for fun?

Mayhaps the real question is what don’t I do for fun? (smiles) Everything is fun, ja? Work is fun, if you put your mind to it. Sometimes when we are sewing, Maem and me, we sing hymns or talk about things we read in The Budget newspaper. I like the updates in that paper. We have some family out in Sugarcreek, Ohio and every so often I see their name in the paper!

Even weeding the garden can be fun. I have races with Hannah and Elsie to see who can pluck the most weeds in thirty minutes! If you met Hannah, you’d know that she sure does take competition seriously. I bet she’ll be an interesting one to watch when she turns sixteen. I doubt she’ll be taking the kneeling vow as soon as I did.

There is one thing, however, that I’d love to have more time to do and that’s crafting. I sure do love my cousin, Miriam’s, weekly letters that she writes me on her hand-stamped stationary. She’s quite creative and very diligent in sending me Scripture each week, even though I see her and Naomi almost two-three times a week!

Favorite food?

Vanilla ice cream with caramel sauce and one chocolate chip cookie to dip in it.

Favorite color?

Blue. Like the sky on a beautiful late spring day. You know, the ones with no clouds. Just a deep, rich blue. It’s comforting to look at a blue sky. I could lay on the grass and stare at it for hours…if I had the time.

Oh! And green! I love green. Like the buds on trees, just before the leaves pop out? That’s a right pretty color, especially after the long winter we just had.

Wait! Purple’s pretty, too! Maem made me a new purple dress over the winter. I can’t wait to wear it to the next youth gathering. I wish more flowers were purple. Wouldn’t that be pretty? During the summer, we have purple iris that grow along the fence line back there near the road. See it? I love cutting them and bringing them inside. Sometimes Maem lets me put one in my room.

What are you most looking forward to in the upcoming months?

I suppose I’m looking forward to spending more time with my cousins. Winter was so drab and dreary. (makes a face) Now, everyone is getting ready to enjoy longer days and warmer weather. Oh! And the summer camping trip with the youth groups. That ought to be fun, too, ja? Bruder Daniel will be coming along, I’m sure. He’s sixteen now so he’ll be invited.

But for right now, I’m just looking forward to the barn raising. I feel awful grown up going without Maem. And poor Hannah wanted to go so much! She has school, though, and Maem said no. I feel bad for Hannah but she has to learn that all good things come to those who wait. She shouldn’t rush her childhood. She should enjoy it, just as I’m planning on enjoying myself over the next few months with my friends.

PREORDER AN AMISH SPRING

Through the cobwebs and grogginess in my head I hear the chime on my phone playing “Good Morning”. While the little song is somewhat cheery, that is the last thing I feel when it goes off. My hand searches for the phone. Finding it, my eyes try to locate the “dismiss” button. The light from the phone is overwhelming so I close my eyes and barely squint through one eye attempting to turn it off.

By this time, my husband is completely frustrated and growls, “You still don’t know how to turn that off?” I wisely ignore the comment, press the button and drop my phone. At this point, the puppy is scratching at the bed ready to go out. I plop my head, face down, into my pillow and wish it was all a dream.

Adulthood. Motherhood. Jobs. Responsibilities. Relationships. Many mornings as I reluctantly pull myself out of bed I wonder, “Is this really all there is to life? I don’t want to be an adult today.”

Been there?

Little girls can’t wait to be teenagers.

Teenagers can’t wait to be adults.

They dream of their perfect job with the perfect salary and the perfect husband and perfect children. They will live in the perfect house in the perfect neighborhood and drive the perfect car.

They will be perfectly happy all the time and life will be—PERFECT.

Nope.

It is highly unlikely any of them will have lives that even come close to resembling perfection. Why? Because LIFE happens. Life—reality. A job with conflict that pays too little. Layoffs. A husband who eats too much or watches too much TV…or maybe he isn’t romantic enough or doesn’t pay enough attention. The kids are constantly sick, they don’t sleep enough, they are sloppy, and always need something. Someone else always has a bigger fancier home. The neighbors are continuously upset about something and the car keeps breaking down.

Ahhhh—This is life—REAL LIFE.

— Back to my morning. It’s at these times…the grumpy groggy times…that I have to remind myself that life isn’t about me. It isn’t about my job and whether or not I like it. It’s not about having to get up when I’d rather sleep. It’s about Christ. What can I do for Him today? Who might need a word of encouragement from me? I need to remember to appreciate the man God gave to me—as a gift. My children are a blessing, not a chore, and I am so lucky to have them.

Our society tells us that we should focus on ourselves—our desires, our wants, our happiness. But, the more I get into the Word, the more I find that kind of thinking is contrary to God’s heart. Frankly, if we’d quit seeking our own happiness, we would likely find ourselves much happier.

So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective. –Colossians 3:1-2 MSG

Lisa Bull sees her life as a journey along God’s divine plan. While considering herself an expert on nothing, she enjoys laughing and has made “choosing joy” her motto. Lisa has experienced God’s unfailing love and grace in her life and wants nothing more than for others to enjoy that same gift in their lives.

Lisa is the daughter and granddaughter of ministers. She has multiple relatives in ministry on both sides of her father’s family including several pastors, pastor’s wives, and missionaries. In fact, ministry in her maternal grandmother’s family can be traced back several generations. She loves being a wife and mother of two terrific young men.

Visit Lisa at mommalisaof2-LISA’S PERCEPTIONS

Change

Change is good.

I’ve always said that. Some people resist change. Others respond to the type of change. Those of you who know me…who really know me…are aware that I embrace change: the good the bad, and the ugly. Change, no matter what kind, helps us grow as individuals and that is why change is good. Who wants to be stagnant? Who wants to remain the same person as they were ten, twenty—even thirty or forty!—years ago?

Two years ago, my husband kept telling me to make an appointment with the doctor because of this horrible pain in my breast. “Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever,” was my typical response. Too much to do, I thought to myself. I’ll get to it when I get to it.

I finally got to it on May 31st. And what a change that was! Cancer. At 44 years old (yes, I fess up to my age).

Cancer puts a new spin on your life. I tried to offset the fear of others and took on their burdens. Fretting and crying about my cancer wasn’t going to make it go away, right? And, in all reality, I embraced all of those changes: being fired from my job, losing my breasts, losing my hair, losing one of my new breasts, getting an infection that almost killed me, needing a blood transaction (yucky), losing my other new breast…you get the picture.

There is a psychological shift that happens to someone who goes through this. People forget what you have gone through and continue with their lives just as they expect you to continue with yours.

But I’m not the same person as I was two years ago.

One of my favorite Greek philosophers, Heraclitus (535BC-475BC) is renowned for stating that “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.”

Think about that.

Life is just like that river, constantly moving so nothing remains the same.

Cancer was a rock in my river and, when I stepped onto it, my foot slipping just a little on the mossy slime that covered it, the river changed. And with it, I did, too.

As a wise person told me, “You operate on a different wave length now. It might be that other people aren’t on the same wave length as you are anymore.”

True. Quite true.

For starters, I live every day with the fear that a new ache in my hip is bone cancer, the pain in my chest wall is a new tumor, a sore throat is cancer from radiation, or my poor breathing is a sign of the progression of my radiation-induced pneumonitis into something worse…and deadly. That’s a lot to hang over anyone’s head and I try to put it into a little box, lock it, and shove it to the far recesses of my mind.

However, that fear has made me look at life with new, fresh eyes.

Opportunities for living, really living and enjoying life, surround us. I have stepped outside of my comfort zone. Never in a million, billion, trillion years would anyone have been able to convince me that I’d not only take dancing lessons and perform at a cancer event, but also I’d COMPETE in Pro-Am competitions. I didn’t even LIKE to dance. Now? I really, really love it. Thank you, Fred Astaire Family in Morristown!

Another change? My writing. Once again, I’ve stepped into fresh water that flows down that proverbial river. With my Amish Classics Series by Realms/Charisma House and my books published by Waterfall Press/Brilliance Publishing, I have truly pushed myself to new levels, from both new storylines and new literary styles of writing. And, of course, my shift into Young Adult books through the voice of my daughter, Cat—she’s the greatest character to write about, let me tell you!

Finally, I have done a lot of self-examination—really analyzing who I am as a person. Cancer changed me, opening my eyes to a lot of things that, previously, I either ignored or simply didn’t see. Some of the things I could accept; others I could not. And that’s the shift in the river. People might not be able to adapt to the change in you. Since the river is constantly changing, we have to accept that, when we change, others change in response.

Next month, An Empty Cup is releasing from Waterfall Press. You will meet Rosanna, a different character than you usually meet in Amish fiction books. She’s middle-aged, not a young, unmarried Amish girl. Rosanna is a pleaser, constantly trying to keep people happy to the point that she becomes undervalued in many aspects of her life. Her interactions with friends, family, and a not so nice neighborhood demonstrate how external influences can simply wear down a person. And with that, she changes. Like me, Rosanna stepped outside of her comfort zone and found herself standing in the middle of a river, the water rushing passed her.

I do believe that readers will relate to Rosanna, whether you identify a small piece of yourself in her character or know someone like her. And I hope that the book will leave you changed.

Because change is good.

PREORDER AN EMPTY CUP BY SARAH PRICE