Journey’s Edge

SURFING ROUGH SEAS by Sandra Ardoin

/ Dora Hiers / 8 Comments

I’m no Gidget. I’ve never surfed and never had a notion to do so. But life can be like surfing—you catch the wave, ride the tube, and your amped. Dude! Then, the wave collapses and you’re locked in, eating it.

For two months, we had illness and hospitalization in our extended family. Thankfully, surgery took away the immediate danger, but a complication left my father-in-law to recuperate in the hospital for many more days than any of us (including the doctor) had planned. It has been a hectic and worrisome time. He came home the day before Thanksgiving and we were stoked. Until…

My daughter and I got out on Black Friday—no, not in the wee hours of the morning. I’m past the age of finding midnight shopping an adventure to be experienced—but we were gone all day and into the evening. We had a great time looking for the right clothing that would “class-up” her wardrobe. We ate a nice lunch and she got her Starbucks fix. We bought various items, including the gorgeous dress that pleased her—at a price that pleased me. We talked and laughed. Cowabunga! Until…

She lost her cell phone—her only-owned-for-four-months cell phone. I won’t go into the details other than to say it was our last stop and we wiped out.

Have you experienced times like these? The waves are cranking and so are you. Then, BAM! You take a pounding and ding your board—or worse.

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (NIV)

Great words to remember at all times, but especially when life gets gnarly. Right now, I’m in the lull, waiting for the next wave. Where are you?

Sandra Ardoin loves history and fiction, so how could she help but put the two together? Her work has been published in various forms, but fiction allows her to share the stories that run through her imagination. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. Contact Sandra through her website at www.sandraardoin.com. Follow her on Twitter, Google+, and Goodreads.

(Thanks to the website http://www.surfing-waves.com/surf_talk.htm for the surfing terms.)

Gotta love Goodreads…

/ Dora Hiers / 2 Comments

The winner of the Goodreads Giveaway is…

Morag Buchan
Congratulations, Morag!
Your copy of Journey’s End is on its way. 




A giant thank you to the 639 people who entered the giveaway. I appreciate your interest and hope that you’ll consider purchasing Journey’s End. 


Stay tuned for a release date for Journey’s Edge. Coming soon with White Rose Publishing.

Happy Thanksgiving Day!

/ Dora Hiers

Here’s a fun quiz to see if you know your Thanksgiving history. Answers

Fact or Fiction: Thanksgiving is held on the last Thursday of November each year.
Answer: Fiction. The date designated for Thanksgiving celebration is the fourth Thursday of November, never the occasional fifth Thursday.

What was the name of the ship that brought the Pilgrims?
Answer: The Mayflower

How many passengers were on board? 
Answer: 102

What were they seeking?
Answer: Religious freedom

What was the name of the Indian who taught the Pilgrims important tasks and what were they?

Answer: Squanto taught the malnourished Pilgrims how to plant corn, the best locations to fish and hunt beaver, extract syrup from maple trees, and which poisonous plants to avoid. He also introduced the settlers to the Wampanoag tribe.
When was the first Thanksgiving feast? 
Answer: In the fall of 1621, after the first successful corn harvest. Although earlier thanksgiving ceremonies have been documented, this feast is celebrated as the first.
Was turkey on the menu?

We don’t know. Edward Winslow, one of the original colonists, journaled that the Indians provided deer. They celebrated their first successful corn harvest, so most likely the menu featured corn. Also goose, codfish and lobster were probably on the menu. Unlike our custom now, because of a dwindling sugar supply, they didn’t enjoy pies that day. Awww…

That was fun. How did you do?
The Pilgrims honored God whether they were fasting during difficult times or celebrating in times of plenty.
What about you?
Do you honor God during your difficult times? 
What about when times are good? 
What are you thankful for today?
God, thank You for being my Rock in all the seasons of my life. Thank You for the Pilgrims who went in search of a land where they could enjoy religious freedom, and that I enjoy that privilege today. Thank You for the men and women who have fought, and died, defending our religious freedom.
Help me to honor You today and all days. Amen.