Is Father’s Day an overlooked holiday?

/ Dora Hiers

That’s what my husband thinks anyway ~ that Father’s Day is not as vastly celebrated as Mother’s Day. Not that our family has ever made him feel that way.

His reasons? Father’s Day occurs in June, so kids don’t make homemade cards or gifts in school like they do for Mother’s Day. And the public “hype” is almost non-existent.

What do you think? Do you agree? Disagree? Do you have any special “fathers” you want to honor? What does Father’s Day mean to you? How do you make the day special for your loved one?

Email your thoughts about Father’s Day to dora@dorahiers.com. Whatever’s on your heart. If I have five entries (under 500 words) to choose from prior to June 12, 2011, I’ll post my favorite entry on this blog on Father’s Day AND the winner will receive a free ebook of Journey’s End, written by ~ you guessed it ~ me! Here’s a tiny tidbit from Journey’s End:

“I suppose I should have been a vet.” Chelsea stroked the dog’s fur from his head all the way down his back, careful not to touch his wounded leg.
“Maybe. But I don’t think you’ve wasted your energy or your talents as a guidance counselor. Teenagers can’t seem to resist you, either.”
That produced a full-fledged smile in his direction. Way to go, Colten!
“Remember that natural charm I warned you about?”
He threw back his head and laughed. “Yes. And after a few days in your presence, I’m inclined to agree with you.”
He pulled into the veterinarian’s parking lot and glanced her way, surprised to see her grinning. “What?”
“Saved by the vet.”
Her words hit him like a piano dropping ten stories. She was flirting with him.
He took his time walking around to her side of the truck. He opened the door and leaned in, planting his hand on the seat next to her shapely legs. His face hovered inches from hers while he savored the way her wavy hair cascaded down her shoulders, the lips that curved in that always graceful way, and the eyes that spoke everything his heart wanted to hear.
Her eyes closed, and her lips parted slightly.
Trey snapped out of it. He couldn’t do this.  He was on the job. She didn’t know the secrets he knew, the truth about her husband. 
Her eyes startled open. As much as he wanted to partake and enjoy, he couldn’t. He touched a silky curl framing her face and ran it through his fingers. “You need to know that right now I’m working. But there will come a time, soon, when I’m not.”

Live? Or die?

/ Dora Hiers / 2 Comments

Cancer. Terminal. Weeks, maybe months to live.

Each one of us has an appointment with death. That’s a fact of life. But, now, not later, much later? What would I do if I heard those words? Would I continue working, attempting to maintain some type of normalcy in my life? Or would I hole up at home, depressed, discouraged, waiting to die? Would I take that trip to the Holy Land, something I’ve only thought about doing until now? Would I read the Bible from front to back, not just concentrate on my favorite parts? Pray more? Would I do anything differently?

What if my beloved husband heard those words? Would he relinquish his demanding, stressful job or continue working? Would I give up my writing to spend precious extra time with him? Would I treat him with more compassion because he’s ill and resist the urge to say “it’s not all about you?” Would I laugh at his sarcastic jokes rather than roll my eyes? Would we turn off the tv and spend that time talking or snuggling? Would I take him on his dream vacation to Antartica (not mine, thank you very much!)? Did I wake up this morning, kiss him, and whisper, “I love you” in his ear?

We cherish sunrises, shooting stars, waves crashing against the sand, beautiful mountains, colorful sunsets, a glorious full moon, hugs, touching a newborn babe’s fingers and toes, every breath we take…they’re all gifts from a loving God. A God who loves you and wants a “forever” relationship. But, He leaves the choice to you. A forever with Him. Or without.

So…which will you choose? To live? Or die?

Cancer. Terminal. Weeks, maybe months to live. I choose a forever with God. What would you choose?

Kylie’s Kiss by Delia Latham

/ Dora Hiers / 4 Comments
On a dare, Kylie Matthews lands smack in the middle of Solomon’s Gate-Castle Creek’s new Christian dating agency-and she finds herself revealing exactly what she’s waiting for in a relationship: “The kiss that steals my breath away.”

What she doesn’t reveal is her lack of self-esteem or her irrational reaction to facial disfigurement. Neither is applicable to her quest to find the perfect match. But that seemingly superficial malady becomes all-important when her first agency-arranged date is Rick Dale-a man who is everything Kylie is searching for. He’s handsome, smart, fun. Rick has it all…including an angelic six-year-old daughter with severe scarring on one side of her face.

Hard at work founding a therapy camp for young female victims of deformity or disfigurement, Rick wants Kylie to be a part of those plans. She’d love to say yes…but how can she, when every contact with the facility’s guests-and Rick’s own daughter-will make her violently ill?

Kylie is ready to admit their relationship doesn’t stand a chance, but she’s forgotten that God makes a way where there seems no way.

About Delia:
Born and raised in a place called Weedpatch, Delia Latham moved from California to Oklahoma in 2008, making her a self-proclaimed California Okie. She loves to read and write in her simple  country home, and gets a kick out of watching her husband play Farmer John. The author enjoys multiple roles as Christian wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend, but especially loves being a princess daughter to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. She loves to hear from her readers. You can contact her through her website or send an e-mail to delia@delialatham.net.