Called to Serve... Getting the fateful mission call

Last night, in a much anticipated event in the Mormon culture to which I happily belong, our family gathered to open my son's mission call. Over the next few years, I'm sure I will find occasion to share some experiences from his mission on this blog. Realizing that not all of my awesome readers share my faith, I feel that perhaps a little explanation may be necessary:

What is an LDS missionary? 

LDS Missionaries are young men (18-19 year olds) and women (19-21 year olds) that leave their homes and devote two years (18 months for females) as representatives of Jesus Christ. These young people leave their families, their friends, their internet, and even their cell phones. They postpone their work/schooling, pay their own way, and most often live in very humble circumstances. They do not choose where they will serve, and it is anything but a two-year vacation. So why, you may ask, would they volunteer their service? It's really quite simple: As members of the LDS (Mormon) church, we strive to keep the Savior, Jesus Christ, as the center of our lives. We have faith in Him, love Him, and find joy in His service. Because we have felt His love and know the peace He can bring to our lives, we invite others to learn of Him and accept Him in their lives.  For more information about missionaries and their work, you can visit Mormon.org.

Talk of my son's mission has filled the walls of our home for years. Since he was little, his desire to serve the Lord has been humbling. As his mother, I am so pleased with the young man that he has grown into. I am excited to see him prepare himself to be worthy and willing to dedicate his time, talents, and the fullness of himself in the hopes of bringing others to Christ. I am just beginning to realize the scope of this commitment and the sacrifice it will be for both him as well as for our family and I am honored to be the mother of such an amazing young man.

What does it take to be a missionary?

There is much preparation that must take part before a missionary can serve. One must first learn of the Savior, develop faith in Him, and strive to live His commandments. Missionaries are not perfect; however, just like other faithful Christians, they are striving to live as Heavenly Father would have them live. This is not an overnight process but a life-long journey. There is much learning a missionary must do to prepare to serve. He/she should know and understand the commandments, faithfully read and be familiar with the scriptures (both the Bible and the Book of Mormon), and attend their church meetings to further their learning of the gospel. A missionary also must be clean...clean from drugs, alcohol, sexual relations, unhealthy habits, and unlawful acts. 

Prospective missionaries essentially apply for their mission by submitting their "papers" to LDS Church Headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah. These "papers" include documentation from their doctor and dentist stating their physical eligibility, recommendations from their bishop and stake president (local church leaders) about their worthiness, and a series of personal questions. Upon receipt, members of the First Presidency prayerfully make each mission assignment. 

My son completed his papers and his interview with our bishop and stake president a week and a half ago. Typically it takes two weeks to receive your call (aka: assignment). However, because of the recent age change for prospective missionaries, the influx of submitted papers has spiked, thus slowing the process in some cases to 6 weeks. Imagine our surprise when, after only a week and a half, we got his fate-filled envelope in the mail!!!

We gathered our family together - some via phone - to share in the experience as he opened the envelope... and, essentially the unveiling of where his next two years would be spent. Having no control over where your 18 year old is going to be for two years is a bit nerve wracking for any mother. Honestly, for me, it was a HUGE test of faith. 

As we waited on pins and needles, I could only imagine where he might go. Would he be going foreign or domestic? Familiar or completely new? Tropical or perhaps even arctic? Would he have to learn a new language? What kind of cultural changes were in store?

I know I'm not the only one that was shaking with anticipation as he gently tore into the envelope! 

Though I'm not a crier, I was prepared for tears. What I got instead was an overwhelming confirmation that Heavenly Father does, indeed, know my son! His call wasn't one that I'd even considered, but as I looked at my beaming son, I KNEW it was exactly where he was supposed to go. 

Because of the public nature of this blog, I've chosen not to share the location to which he has been called. He might be legally an adult, but my mama instinct tells me I still need to protect him. To those who know my family personally, I will be glad to share. For the rest of my amazing readers, I will tell you this: he has been called to serve in one of the beautiful countries of his ancestors  He is both excited and qualified for the experience that lies before him. I have no doubt that he will touch the lives of those whose paths he crosses. I also have no doubt that the Lord will always be mindful of him. 

The Jeweler - by Ken Murray

Today I am honored to participate in author Ken Murray's blog tour. 

By way of introduction, Ken Murray lives with his wife Beth in Winter Park and has sons and daughters and three grandchildren. A graduate of the University of Virginia, he served in a top secret cryptographic unit of the U. S. Army in the Pentagon during the Korean war organizing intelligence from codes deciphered by the National Intelligence Agency. He moved to Florida in 1958, retired early, and for the past fifteen years has been writing novels and poetry. You can learn more about Ken by visiting him at www.kennethsmurray.com. 

Now on to our Interview: 

[Stephanie]: Ken, as an author my stories and characters are often influenced by events, experiences, and even people in my life. Is the same true with your writing?

[Ken]: Yes, Stephanie - all three. Rock and Carla Hard, the jewelers I met through our daughter, Jennifer, up in the Florida Panhandle are a prime example. They inspired me to write the novel - his youth and background were just too good not to build that into a story.

[Stephanie]: Is there a character in The Jeweler that shares some of your own personality traits? Which one? And how?

[Ken]: No. There's no one in the novel that touches the cusp of insanity, that walks on the edge of the envelope, a dreamer of tales, who frequents the cosmos and finds himself seeing the world and people through the eyes of new characters that invade my senses - all of whom are conjured by witches I employ.

[Stephanie]: Who was your favorite character to write? Why?

[Ken]: The character I most enjoyed describing and developing was Jacob Turley. The little British recruiter for the CIA. He's introduced on page 115, and as I write the reader slowly gets a vivid picture of the pipe smoking Brit with the English accent and unusual humor that he builds into asking a man to become an assassin.

[Stephanie]: Where did you draw your inspiration for The Jeweler (or any of your writing for that matter)?

[Ken]: Inspiration in most cases comes from imagination - true for several other novels such as 'Fort Knox Heist,' 'The Final Plan,' and my just completed sci-fi, 'The Second Creation,' that will be available at ebook sites quite soon. But all of them involve lots of facts developed by research which is extensive in all of my writing. I believe great fiction should be based upon a lot of fact which gives credibility that leads to acceptance by the reader.

[Stephanie]: What drives you to write? Is it something you've always wanted to do or something you stumbled upon during the course of your life?

[Ken]: Sheer boredom after retiring early lead to my interest in writing. I've been an avid reader all of my life, and then in a muddle a few years ago, I stumbled into poetry. That's a wow. I mostly write romantic poetry, but some spiritual. John Updike said 'poetry is the most intense and the most satisfying.' I know what he meant.
[Stephanie]: Do you have any particular habits or rituals that help you get in "the zone" for writing?

[Ken]: When I'm into writing a novel, like the sci-fi I just finished, I just sit down and it flows from where I left off. I write at different times of the day, lots at night - less disturbance, and I don't write from an outline, that's way too confining. I like the freedom of ideas or new characters that just come to me, then I get inside their heads and they tell me what to write.

[Stephanie]: Thanks, Ken. It's been fun to get to know a little more about you. Creativity is certainly something I think we all can respect and when that creativity comes forth in the form of a book, that's even better.

About Ken Murray's The Jeweler: 

Cole Hanson learned the jewelry trade early in life. Dealing in emeralds in Columbia, Hanson is kidnapped and taken to the mountain jungle lair of the Black Jaguar, a cocaine drug lord. He witnesses a horrible triple murder, executes the killer, and escapes. Hanson is overwhelmed by a euphoric rush and struggles with this discovered Jekyll and Hyde personality. Hanson is recruited to become an assassin for the CIA who learns of his strange predilection for death and uses this alter ego to press The Jeweler ever deeper into espionage and assassinations around the world. Murder occurs in England. Diskettes with top secret information about the Soul Catcher are stolen. Incensed, Hanson seeks the killers, but is on his own without CIA approval as clues take him across Europe and to the Vatican for revenge. After twenty years of service The Jeweler attempts his toughest sanction. Hussein is well guarded moving between palaces and seems an impossible target until fate deals a hand. Hussein flees on his mega-yacht. Hanson battles his way on board for the final action and twists in the Persian Gulf.

Find Ken on  Facebook,  @KenMurrayAuthor on Twitter, and Goodreads

Purchase a copy of  The Jeweler  on Amazon

Enter to win Ken's Rafflecopter giveaway here.

·         First prize: Autographed Copy of The Jeweler; $20 Amazon Gift Card

·         Second prize: Autographed Copy of The Jeweler

·         Third prize: Autographed Copy of The Jeweler

An Unexpected Adventure... Vegas Style

I had quite the eventful week, full of new opportunities and - though I had no idea how profound they might be - new adventures. What started off as a simple writing retreat ended with a little opportunity that involved a touch of laughter, a little bit of welding, and a midnight run to In-and-Out Burger all in the parkinglot of an abandoned warehouse in North Las Vegas.  And, though at times it was a little intense for this control-freak girl, I didn't walk away empty handed...

Here are five of the (very!) precious jewels I collected from my adventure:

1. Smashed Frosted Mini-Wheats look an awful lot like sawdust.  - Don't ask, lets just leave it at that. Haha!

2. Good friends are priceless.

3. Good friends with special skills and a full toolbox are even better.  - Especially when they drive 6 hours to help you out!

4. Don't judge a firearm-brandishing, redneck, vocabulary-challenged stranger by his cover... he just might be a gentleman. And, he might even be the answer to your prayers.

5. You don't need to wait til the 4th of July for fireworks, just fire up the welder at midnight and watch the sparks fly.

Poaching Daisies - by Carole Thayne Warburton

About the Book: 

Who is Trying to Silence Penny?

Penny Thorton's dreams of being a park ranger start to unravel her first
week on the job when she finds a dead bear in Yellowstone's backcountry.
Shots are fired as she runs away, but once she tells the authorities, all
evidence evaporates. Penny's aunt Iris, who is bent on eradicating an
invasive species of daisy from the park, puts that mission on hold when
more bears are killed and she becomes entangled in the mystery. After
several attempts on Penny's life, she and Iris learn to trust no one not
even their friends.

My Review: 

Penny and Iris aren't the only ones who can't trust their friends; with the unfolding of each chapter, I never knew who to trust and to suspect. Every time I thought I had Penny's pursuer figured out, the plot twisted and I found myself having to dig deeper for more clues. And, what better setting to have to unravel a bear poaching mystery than the beautiful Yellowstone Park. From wolf watchers, to hippy campers, to environmental tree huggers and everything in between, Warburton captures the essence of Yellowstone. The author's easy-flowing writing style pulled me in right from the get go. This is a fun, clean, fast paced read for readers of all ages. 

Giveaway: 

To celebrate the release of Poaching Daisies, the talented Carole Thayne Warburton is giving away a $50 gift certificate to her ETSY shop--Paradise Pottery. Her pottery is beautiful, so this is a giveaway you don't want to miss. Want to win?  Follow the easy instructions below.

How to Enter:

1. Leave a comment telling us what you liked about the review and why you are excited to read Poaching Daisies. For each review you comment on, you'll receive a separate entry. Don't forget to include your email address. 

     March 24: Janet Jensen

     March 25: Julie Coulter Bellon

     March 26: Liz Adair

     March 27: Braden Bell

     March 28: ShirleyBalhmann

     March 29:Stephanie Worlton

2.  Tweeting about the review, or posting to your blog or Facebook will earn you additional entries. Just leave us a link in the comments section to your post.

Contest ends April 3, 2013.

Strange Easter Traditions: FRIDAY FIVE

As I walked the holiday aisle at the store in preparation for Easter, I started to wonder about some of the traditions we've adopted to celebrate this religious holiday. Much like almost any holiday, commercialism and secularism have intertwined themselves in the American society and created Easter traditions that, when you really stop to think about them, are quit strange. I decided to embark on a Google journey to try to find out what these strange traditions were all about. Here's a summary of what I found:

1. Easter  Eggs  - The custom of giving eggs at Easter is a celebration of new life. Jesus, after dying on the cross, rose from the dead. This miracle showed that life could win over death. For Christians the egg is a symbol of Jesus' resurrection (when they are cracked open they stand for the empty tomb). Eggs were always thought to be special because although they do not seem alive, they have life within them especially at springtime when chicks hatch out. Eggs were colored by dying them with the new buds of spring flowers and grass, thus the dominance of pastel colors.

2. Candy - Long ago people gave gifts of eggs carved from wood or precious stones. The first sweet eggs that were eaten were made in the last 100 years from sugar or marzipan. Thank goodness we've moved past marzipan, because there is nothing better than a Reese's PEANUT BUTTER Egg except maybe some PEEPS!

3. Easter Bunny - What on Earth does an egg toting bunny have to do with Easter? Well, its a big stretch, but here goes: In the medieval church, the hare was a common symbol used to represent the Virgin Mary. Hares, ancient Christians believed, could reproduce without losing their virginity - thus the connection with the Virgin Mary. How a bunny started hopping around delivering baskets and goodies is still a mystery, but his origins in the U.S. are linked to German traditions brought by 18th century immigrants whose Osterhase (Easter Hare) delivered gifts and colorful eggs to grass lined hats and bonnets of good children on Easter morning, much like the tradition of St. Nick on Christmas (also a representation of Christ.)  

4. Easter Outfits - This one was the most obvious tradition to me, as traditionally many Christians attend church on two specific occasions: Christmas and Easter. These two church services are considered the pinnacle of many Christians, and as such, they choose to dress-up a little fancier for the occasion. Likewise, spring being a re-birth of the seasons, Easter attire often reflects the emerging warmth and the sunnier days.  

5. Easter Food - When I think about Easter I often think of eggs, ham, and potato salad. Eggs, as explained above, make sense. Not being a ham fan, I've often wondered why they grace the table of just about every home on Easter Sunday. Historically, lamb and ham were used at almost every European feast. Lamb, presumably as a symbol of the Lamb of God (the Savior). Ham, apparently was believed to bring good luck. In early America, pork was plentiful, thus it often replaced the more traditional Eastern lamb (thank goodness, because for as I dislike ham, I dislike lamb even more!).  No word on why we eat potato salad, though... maybe its to use some of those extra boiled eggs, but in our family I think its just because my grandpa mastered his "sloppy sauce" recipe and makes the perfect potato salad.

Whatever your traditions are, I wish a very Happy Easter to all of you, my friends.  

Coconut Cream Cupcakes

In the spirit of SPRING and EASTER, I found myself craving a bit of coconut, so yesterday I made a whole batch of these. And, in the spirit of not defaming myself in your eyes, I will not share with you the total number that I consumed. I will, however, offer you a word of caution: THESE ARE ADDICTING!!!  Don't say I didn't warn you! 

Cupcake:

1 white cake mix

1 (3.4 oz) box instant french vanilla pudding mix

1/3 C flour

1/3 C sour cream

1 1/2 C water

1 tea coconut extract

4 eggs

1/3 C canola oil

Topping: 

1/2 C butter flavored shortening

1/2 C butter, softened

2 tea coconut extract

3 - 4 C powder sugar

2 - 3 Tbs milk

3 C shredded coconut

Filling (optional)

1 (3.4 oz) box instant french vanilla pudding mix

2 C half and half 

CUPCAKES

1. Gently mix dry ingredients in a mixing bowl with a fork.

2. Add remaining ingredients and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. 

3. Fill cupcake papers 2/3 of the way full. 

4. Bake for 15-16 min (13 min for mini cupcakes) at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 

5. Remove from pan and allow to cool completely before frosting/filling. 

FILLING

1. Mix pudding mix and cold half and half until thickened (about 3 minutes). 

2. Spoon filling into pastry bag, then using a large pastry tip, and squeeze filling into the top of each cooled cupcake. 

TOPPING

1. Beat the butter and shortening together until smooth. Add coconut extract, milk, and powdered sugar and beat until well combined. You may need to add a little more milk to achieve a workable consistency. (It should be thick enough to hold its shape, but thin enough to pipe through a pastry bag.)

2.Place coconut in a small bowl. 

3. Pipe frosting onto top of cupcake then gently dip into coconut. Don't try to frost all your cupcakes and then dip in coconut - you will end up very frustrated as the frosting will start to harden and the coconut will not stick. Frost one or two cupcakes at a time, coat with coconut, then frost a couple more. You may need to gently use your fingers to push the coconut into the frosting for better stick-age. 

4. Store in an airtight container in fridge. Let sit at room temp for 15 min before serving.     

Balancing - FRIDAY FIVE

In somewhat of an embarrassed stupor, I realized late last night that I neglected to post a FRIDAY FIVE last week. Not wanting to be a repeat offender, I wrote a lovely post in my head as I drifted off to sleep...

THIS IS NOT THAT POST!  :) 

This morning I woke up, took a peak at my TO-DO list, and the first word that came to mind was BALANCE. 

Bal-ance... one word, two syllables, seven letters... yet, probably one of the most important concepts I've had to learn over the last few years.

Therefore, for today's FRIDAY FIVE I am going to share with you the top 5 things I strive to keep in balance:

• Family - I've always said, "I'm a mother first," and I MEAN IT! 

• Fun - Life is too short to not pause to enjoy the view. 

• Service - "When you are in the service of your fellow beings, you are in the service of your God." (Mosiah 2:17, Book of Mormon) 

• Work (writing, reading, marketing)

• Household responsibilities (cooking, shopping, cleaning, money management, etc)  - Somebody's got to do it, right! ;) 

What are you balancing? Do you have strategies that work for you? And, what have you had to bump off your plate to keep things in balance?