The Christmas Box Miracle

If there is one author that I truly like and admire the most, it’s Richard Paul Evans. Haha, we are online friends at Facebook. I have been reading his books since I discovered one during a sale at National Bookstore years ago. It was still pricey at P600.00 pesos but I just loved the first few lines in the book. Unfortunately though, I lost that book and four more of his hardbound ones back in 2009 during typhoon Ondoy. I was able to replace most of them through gifts from generous friends. I even have a first edition copy of one of his books sent by a friend. An online friend I met at our Catholic page on Facebook is also so fond of reading and she was thrilled that I recommended RPE’s books to her. From then on, every  time she comes home, she brings me copies of those books I lost in the flood and newly published ones that I haven’t read yet. I have lots of quotes here (a hundred of them) that RPE generously shared on his wall. I am afraid some of them ate up my available space because they were in high resolution format.

I am presently reading a lovely one published last October 2001 entitled The Christmas Box Miracle: My Spiritual Journey of Destiny, Healing and Hope. This book is included in my wish list for so many years until I finally found a copy. Finally reading it. It’s his personal story of how he wrote The Christmas Box, self-published it in 1994  and it became a best-seller. It’s a holiday classic that was  an expression of love for his two daughters never intending for it to be published.  I think this is the best summary of the books he wrote because in each page, there were quotes from those books he published earlier. Faith and determination usually overcome adversity in life. Persistence in believing in a dream helps a lot. This is more like his autobiography written from the time he was a small kid  sharing everything with his sister and six brothers.

Here is one of his previous quotes which I compiled into an album at Facebook.

Here’ what he wrote on his Facebook wall years ago about how he views books.

Books can be such powerful things–they can console us, motivate us, they can unite us with the rest of humanity, to help us understand that we are not so alone in our thoughts, our dreams and our deepest hopes. To read something that feels so peaceful and familiar, as if it was plucked from our own mind and soul, is a powerful experience. I am grateful for the books that have affected me throughout my life. I am pleased that here and there my books reach my readers in this way. God bless.

By the way, I am on my 72nd book at Goodreads Reading Challenge 2020.

 

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My Fave Authors

Did I say I finished two books in three days?  And yes, blogging was relegated to the back seat again.

The Brave

Waited for this book for almost a decade since it was published back in 2009. I love Nicholas Evans. Read all of his five books now. I wonder why he is no longer writing. I haven’t seen a new one since The Brave. The last time I heard of the guy was back in 2010 when he and his family members got sick because of eating poisonous mushrooms.   The Brave is his last publication so far. Alternating between the main character Tommy Bedford’s fast and present, but you are never lost in the story. A lonely childhood, as heartwarming as his other books.

Lost December

Richard Paul Evans, you rock!

Just finished reading this in a day. I love the twist and turns of the story. Evan’s stories have that arresting themes that grips you, some warm tales of family life, triumphs, friendship. They are feel-good stories that make you go on reading till you reach the last page.

Lost December is one of those. I like the relationship between father and son, how they survived the brief alienation from each other and how the son learned how important family is in the end.

We make bad choices at times but the lessons they teach us are priceless. I have this lovely quote from the book:

” In life we all take different paths, some more difficult than others, but in the end, all that matters is whether or not they lead us home.”

Except for his Michael Vey series which are more YA books in character, I read almost all of his books. We are friends at Facebook…haha 🙂 His books  I have are hardbounds and all have lovely covers to boot. I love the quotes written in each chapter of every book. Aside from Mary Oliver, he is one of my favorite authors.

Oh my, and I found two more books by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Half of the Yellow Sun and Americanah. I Am David by Anne Holm has been on my wish list for a number of years now and what do you know, I’ll be reading it soon too.

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Today’s Quote

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Blessings Abound

Wow, what a blessed day!

I spent a lovely few hours with Odette, a close friend who came over this morning to give me these lovely birthday gifts, the Devotions book of poems by Mary Oliver and my fave author Richard Paul Evans’ book called The Noel Diary. 

She called me up yesterday and she said that she is coming today to visit me. We haven’t seen each other for more than a year  now although we get in touch regularly through Facebook.  We had  lunch here at home and a bit of “kuwentuhan”.

This is the fourth book of Mary Oliver that she gave me. I have several books by Richard Paul Evans but I don’t have this one yet….well, until today. Gosh, what a joy to see her again.

This thick hardbound book of Mary Oliver contains so many of her poems taken from  several of her previously published books.  Can’t wait to read it. It is not that kind of book that you read though just once, it is meant to be savored  and admired. Her words are just so lovely.

It is indeed a blessing to have friends who love the same things that you do.

 

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Today’s Quotes

I still miss those uplifting words. Now and then, I would reread her poems in the three lovely books I have here in my shelf.  They are a joy to read in this otherwise bleak morning. The sun is slowly coming out though. Mary Oliver is a favorite.

One other author whose works I always look forward to is Richard Paul Evans. We are friends  in Facebook and I  also follow his blog. I have a whole collection of quotes taken from his various books which he freely shares with friends.

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Two Films In A Row

For so long a time, I haven’t watched any movie – not on cinemas, television nor on YouTube. Last night though  was a bit different. I watched two movie adaptations successively. Not long ago, I read the lovely book Tuesdays With Morrie.  That was long before I underwent surgery back in 2009.  I gifted my two doctors with copies of the book after I left the hospital. They saw me reading it in bed while recuperating and my oncologist even commented that he wanted to read it but he had no time.  I made a short review about it here somewhere but I forgot what blog post title I made of it. Last night was a lucky one though because I found a television film  adaptation of the book. I love Jack Lemmon as Morrie Schwartz in the film and so with Hank Azaria as Mitch Albom. Have you heard  of “Lou Gehrig’s disease”? It was also called Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.  This was the premise of the story, Morrie suffering from ALS and Mitch was his student. Back in the year 2000, the television series won for Jack Lemmon Best  Performance by a Male Actor In A Television Movie,  Hank Azaria as Outstanding Supporting Actor.

I sometimes catch Richard Paul Evans’ tv movies too.  Most of his television films are featured there.  Sometimes, I am not even familiar with the actors but they always turn out well. The Mistletoe Promise was one of the books I read more than three years ago.  I remember those quotes I wrote  on this particular blog post.. Watched it in full complete with the son’s headset which made it all the more lovely. I saw more adaptations there but I am reserving them for some other days. I am trying to finish my book challenge hopefully this month.

Two films in a row….happiness 🙂

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Friendship And Blessings

Out of the blue, a friend who arrived home from San Antonio about a month ago called me up and said she is coming over for a chat.  Of course,I was elated.  Who wouldn’t be? The last time we saw each other was sometime in October 2014. she said her package has arrived and she brought all these gifts for the family. She even gave some cash to Mommy when she found out that Mom is having her birthday on Wednesday.

Two hours of updating on each other’s lives although we always chat on  Messenger in between.  She brought with her a dozen pocketbooks, baking chocolates, Spam, Skittles and M & M for Nate, a box of Pringles and two hardbound copies of two of my favorite authors Mary Oliver and Richard Paul Evans. Upstream is Mary Oliver’s latest book while The Mistletoe Secret was published last November.  To own such copies, priceless. This is my third book  of Mary Oliver, the first two are books of poems while this one are essays she wrote.  I’ve collected several books  of Richard Evans.  His latest will be out in the market in May.

Celebrating friendship – the smiles, the laughter, the serious talk about life itself, the many, many things that make friendship beautiful. This is the only time that she is free because she has come home for good and has many things to do.  Who says online friends are not real?  We used to be online friends at the Catholic site on Facebook where I am one of the admins. it started with just a few chats in  a group which my priest friend, our chief administrator created. We saw each other several times in the past. Every time she comes home, we make it a point to see each other. This is one of those blessed days to renew friendship. Just so happy.

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Today’s Quote

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Today’s Quote

..the uncanny similarity of words/messages I’ve read today…

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Why Do Things Go Wrong When You’re Trying To Do What Is Right?

I just have to share this. Another lovely blog post from my favorite author Richard Paul Evans and since he is an online friend at Facebook, I have the privilege of being updated with all his writings. It is a true story about his Christmas Box Foundation which helps abused and neglected children. The Christmas Box is the first novel that he wrote, rejected several times but when he self-published it, that was the start of his being noticed by readers. It is his personal story. He wrote it as a private expression of love for his two young daughters. It was not the first book I read though because I only found a copy years later. I guess that when you have something to say, say it and never mind if nobody listens or nobody reads it.

Sometimes,I ask myself the same questions and oftentimes too, there is no answer and the easiest way is to give up. There will always be another option than the latter though, that of trying again and never losing faith that eventually, each will fall into place.  I believe that nothing is impossible with God, one kneels down in prayer and if we listen enough, He has the answer. He puts life back into proper perspective and we should not be blind to His call.

More than four years ago, I wrote about how it seems that when we move forward, there would always be something that hinders us but we have to go on making another step. Here’s the full texts of my earlier post:

TWO STEPS FORWARD, ONE STEP BACK

Life is a dance. Sometimes, it is a harmonious fluid movement. We are in sync with the music, utterly attuned to the dance steps, well synchronized with the motion – two steps forward, one step back. Others may lead and others may follow. It is a mad dash to a world of perfect twists and turns, but the journey is not one long road to success and happiness. One wrong move, one wrong turn, one missed step would spell disaster.

We are constantly seeking perfection and excellence in everything we do but there is really nothing perfect in this world that we live in. Life is a meaningless pursuit without challenge. They say that the journeys walked in solitude are always the most remembered. There is something we always learn along the uneven pathways and the most profound events in our lives do not end with the six o-clock news and the setting sun.

Sometimes, I am amused by other people’s reaction upon learning that I have colon cancer and their usual question is “Are you really undergoing chemotherapy? You are looking good“. “Thank you“, I say. My big question is, how should one act and how should one look if you are diagnosed with this kind of ailment? True, it is a life-changing situation but I never think of it as a major setback. I believe that God won’t give us problems that we can’t bear. The agonizing moments that I have endured during the last few months have drawn me closer to God. God has been profoundly real to me, opening my eyes to the realization that not everyone  is privileged to endure even just a tiny prick from what He suffered on the cross. Martin Luther King aptly put it this way, “beneath and above the shifting sands of time, the uncertainties that darken our days, and the vicissitudes that cloud our nights is a wise and loving God“.

Life is a dance, and when we falter in our steps, God is there to do the rest.

(Just clink the link if you want to read RPE’s blog post).

 

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