An Experiment in Photoshop

Photo Prompt Challenge

1st Writes Photo Prompt Blogging Challenge! 

Appearing every Monday!

All are welcome to participate in this fun prompt! Let's see how many unique stories we can come up with for each Monday's photo!

Writing Our Testimonies: Why We Share

I love hearing a person's testimony! For many years my husband and I taught Confirmation and Membership classes at our churches. As part of the process for joining the church, we asked that each participant share with the class how they came to know Jesus as their Savior. The accounts of their unique encounters with Jesus always warmed my heart and thrilled my soul. We serve an awesome God who loves us beyond measure and will go to any lengths to bring us into a right relationship with Him. Hearing those testimonies truly has taken top billing in our ministry.

While we may know the story of our spiritual journey, putting it into words can be quite daunting. To help our class members gather and organize their thoughts, I shared some guidelines for writing their testimony. Often writing out their story clarified thoughts and warded off rambling. Over the next few weeks I will be posting those tips and suggestions here at 1st Writes.

John White, medical missionary, said, “A good witness isn't like a salesman—the emphasis is on a person rather than a product. A good witness is like a signpost. It doesn't matter whether it is old, young, pretty, ugly; it has to point the right direction and be able to be understood. We are witnesses to Christ; we point to Him.”

Each person who has encountered Jesus as Savior has a witness for Christ--a story of their faith journey. Our story is uniquely our own; no two are alike.  And as long as our testimony points to Jesus, the Holy Spirit can use it to bring others into a right relationship with God.

God's Word gives us many reasons for sharing our testimony:

• Psalm 105:1 So others can know what God has done.
• 1 Peter 3:15 So we can explain the hope we have.
• Romans 10:13-14 So others can hear about salvation through Jesus.
• Hebrews 10:32-37 So our faith will be renewed.
• Matthew 28:19 Jesus commanded us to make disciples.

Next Sunday we'll be looking at an example of a testimony found multiple times in the New Testament. Can you guess whose story that might be?

1st Mentions: Our Favorite Blog Posts of The Week

Here are our favorite posts of the week:

• One of my favorite editors is Jim Watkins. Check out his chapter from  Writers on Writing: Top Christian Authors Share Their Secrets for Getting Published called "Seven habits of the purpose-driven writer".

• Critiquing: How To Give And Receive Critiques Well @ Notes From The Writing Chair and Part 2 It's Better To Give Than To Receive

• Stacy Post's If Writer's Earned Merit Badges

Skit Writing for Church

My post today is a short skit that I wrote this week. My goal is to write 4-5 skits that will be lead-ins for church sermons. Here is the first one. I'd love any feedback.

Blessings, 

Dawn

 

“Questions” Skit Series

Question #1:  

Why does God love me?

Sara: (walking to the front holding or wearing a sign and picking petals off a daisy) He loves me, he loves me not. He loves me, he loves me not. He loves me, he loves me not, he loves me. (last petal falls) 

(addresses audience) Why does God love me? Do you ever wonder that? I do. I’m  a sinner and I keep sinning. I mean to keep promises, but I fail. One thing I do that I’m like addicted to is looking at people automatically judging them.  She’s fat, why can’t she just lose the weight? Doesn’t she have any self-control? She’s got tattoos all over her, why would she put them all over her body like that? What kind of woman would do that? Oh, did you see the color of that girl’s hair? Someone should have stopped her! It is soooo wrong! And that woman, she’s got like 5 kids, what was she thinking! Bet they are each from a different father. 

Then I look at my own self and I’m just disgusted. My life is a mess. In fact, my life might be more of a mess than any person I see on the street, so what right do I have to judge? I’m on husband number three and child number  two, both to different fathers. I can’t keep a job. I have anger issues. That’s what my last boss said. And that probably goes back to my childhood. I won’t even go there!

Well,  I’m here at church, but that doesn’t mean I’m believing it all. I mean, the preacher keeps saying God loves me, but...I’m broken. Why would he want something so broken? I sing some of those songs with the praise band and the tears just pour out of my eyes. Like the song that they just played about how much God loves me. 

Why does God love me so much? Why? I want it to be true, but I just can’t figure it out. (sets question on the box and leaves. Pastor enters and gives sermon on God's love.)

Hair

Hair

by

Sandy James

Hair! Hair! Oh my hair!! It is the nemesis of my existence!  It’s my control issue; will I control it or will it control me.  I wouldn’t dare “let my hair down” - down flat, flat on my head, showing its thinness, its balding spots, its total lack of character.

Surely I qualify as the #1 model for hair products!  I use “Blondglam” shampoo to” retain the luster and color”, conditioner,  # 10 Guts for some body,  blow dryer to poof and shape a bit, curling iron, #8 Rewind (sticky goo) for more body and poof,  and tornado proof “Freeze and Shine” hair spray.  My hair is immoveable.

I’m in captivity to my hair!!  I want to be free! – “free to be me”, as they say!  I escaped to some degree in the 70’s with long straight hair.  In the 80’s I had a short-lived bout with freedom but for an unremembered reason I was captured again as I sprayed and sprayed my hair to “do not touch” perfection.

I want to be free!  I fantasize about letting my hair grow long and wearing it pulled back in a bun, but the fear of “not looking good” is stronger at this point than my desire for freedom.

Jesus came to set the captives free! The Bible says, “It was for freedom that Christ set me free, therefore I will not be in bondage to slavery again.”  (Galatians 5:1) Obviously, I’m allowing myself to be in bondage to my hair. Now, that’s ridiculous!   Help me, Jesus, to walk in the Truth!

The VBS Experience

I apologize for missing my scheduled post here @ 1st Writes yesterday. This week at FUMC is Vacation Bible School and I've been having trouble finding time to blog.

The little time I do find for blogging I use to recap the event on my blog Pocketful of Playdough. For updates and observations on this year's VBS, please click on over for a visit!

Photo Prompt Blogging Challenge - House

This officially starts the weekly 1st Writes 

Photo Prompt Blogging Challenge!

We girls (and two ducklings) got together and decided we all wanted in on this, SO each of us at 1st Writes will rotate Mondays, picking a photo. Anyone who wants to participate, can share their stories in the Comments Section for now (Coming soon will be a linky so folks can link their responses to their blogs!). Let's see how many unique stories from the photo we can get!

Photo by Toby Hamsher, 2011 (Hagerstown, MD)

10 Devotional Writing Tips

When writing a devotional for The Upper Room, The Secret Place, or any other of the magazines that publish these short, pointed, inspirational articles, we can strengthen our piece by keeping the following tips in mind:

1.     Start with an attention-grabbing hook. Eva Shaw says all great writing starts with a great hook. If a fisherman expects to catch fish, he baits his hook. If we want the reader to finish our story, we need a “baited hook" at the beginning. Without giving away the whole story, we can place the reader in the middle of the action and pique their curiosity about what follows that intriguing first sentence. For more on hooks see my archived article on this blog, “"By Hook and By Crook".

2.    Use verbs in passive voice only when they will convey the meaning more precisely. In the active voice, the agent of the action is the subject of the sentence. In the passive voice, the receiver of the action is the subject of the sentence.

3.    Be honest. Though we are reticent to show others the cracks and dings in our armor, Christian writing is not the place to put on a good front. People will be unconvinced by phoniness and our writing will be meaningless.

4.  Be descriptive. Over and over writers are encouraged to place the reader at the scene by describing what was seen, heard, touched, smelled and tasted. By including these details in our devotions, we connect God to the everyday aspects of life.

5.    Connect Scripture to a life lesson. Readers of devotionals seek a closer relationship with God. God’s Word speaks His heart and repeatedly proves applicable for today. Make that connection crystal clear for the reader—give them a “doggy bag” to take home and apply to their own lives.

6.    Avoid “preaching”.  Especially in Christian writing, we tend to lapse into phrases like "you should . . .”, “you need to . . .”, “you must . . ." Using “we” and “us” will help.

7.    Stick to the point. Devotionals are expected to be short, making just one point. A word count of 200-300 means every sentence must relate to the main idea.

8.    Read the piece aloud.  This will help to eliminate redundancies and overused words and will also make us aware of awkward sentences and choppy paragraphs.

9.    Always proofread. Use the computer spell check, but also proofread all manuscripts. If we accidentally use the wrong word but spell it correctly, spell check won’t catch it.

10. Follow the submission guidelines. Editors often set out strict guidelines about the formatting, word count, themes, and timeframes for submitting. For instance, when they specify that submissions are to be included in the body of an email, we do not want to send it as an attachment. We want our manuscripts read, so the first step is following the guidelines exactly.




©2011 Pamela D. Williams

1st Mentions: Our Favorite Blog Posts of The Week

Every week we find some great posts, so we've decided to share our favorites (along with other great info) every Saturday. 

Here are this week's:

Lyubomir Bukov's Photos -- Shadows of Past
(Would be great for a writing prompt! Also see his other photos along the bottom)

Check out Lynda Young's great advice in Lamp to My Feet

Wordplay: Helping Writers Become Authors has so many great articles for writers.

Upcoming Blogfests -

Lovin The Language

A River of Stones

Readers, Share your comments about these posts or leave some of your finds in the Comments Section!

See Photo Write: Snail

Photo by Toby Hamsher, 2011

Writing Exercise: Write a drabble about this photo. 


Drabble -- an extremely short work of fiction of exactly one hundred words in length.

My response is below.

 

On The Edge

I look over the massive chasm that separates me from my destination, a shaded spot among tasty leafy morsels. How will I cross? The task seems impossible and the day is becoming hotter.   

As I ponder my best route, two huge dogs come barreling by, narrowly missing me. I pull inside my shell for safety. After they pass, I quickly decide to go down the rough cliff. 

I am on the edge ready to descend when I am picked up by a man and deposited in exactly the place I wanted to go! 

Thank you God for your help.

Matt 19:26 says "And looking upon them Jesus said to them, 'With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'"

Three Bloggers And Two Ducklings

Tonight the 1st Writes Bloggers got together on the campus of Wilson College.

Sitting along the stream, sipping tea, and discussing goals for this blog, we were delightfully surprised when two little ducklings waddled up to us. They were so friendly! They stayed throughout our meeting squeaking and nestling against our feet.

But those aren't the ducklings in the picture. Those two darlings are my husband's Easter present to our little girl. She named them 'Duck' and 'Geese.'

The little ducklings at Wilson reminded me so much of Duck and Geese, who are now full grown. They are two peas in a pod. Ever since my husband Dan brought them home, they've been inseparable, always snuggling together and rarely leaving each other's side.

They are a lot of fun to watch waddling around the yard or chasing our cocker spaniel. But they are definitely my husband's babies. They eat out of his hand and follow him around the yard.

Oh yes, they're cute and entertaining, but they are messy and constantly leave little piles of mess all over my walkway. I don't appreciate it and all attempts to keep them in the back of the yard have failed.

Oh who am I kidding? I haven't gone so far as to put up a fence. How can I? They want to be close to us (at least that is the human emotion I'm projecting on them). I would rather spend all day hosing down the sidewalk than make the ducks feel abandoned. I'm not heartless.

Which is also why those lost little ducklings are occupying my thoughts now, hours after we ended our meeting and went our separate ways. Before we left we prayed God would look after the ducklings and reunite them with their family. I trust that he will.

As for Duck and Geese, we are learning to live together, (although it isn't easy when they eat an entire flat of flowers I just planted). Dan is busy building a pond, and in the meantime, I think I've found a good location for their swimming pool. Dan replaced the devoured flowers and I replanted them out of a duck's reach unless she's terribly clever, which would surprise me with these two. Since I have to water the flowers anyway, hosing down the sidewalk isn't really that big of a deal, or so I'm trying to convince myself.

Just don't ask me what we are going to do when winter arrives!

***

I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you—every living creature on earth (Genesis 9:9-11 NIV).

A Little Pencil in the Hand of God

“I am a little pencil
in the hand of a writing God
who is sending a love letter
to the world.”
Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Scripture Readings: Ephesians 4:7 and 12, 1 Corinthians 12:11-20

In a 1989 interview with Edward Desmond of TIME, Mother Teresa said, “I am like a little pencil in [God’s] hand. That is all. He does the thinking. He does the writing. The pencil has nothing to do with it. The pencil has only to be allowed to be used.”

Have you ever felt like that—like a little pencil in the hand of God? That what you were writing wasn’t coming from you but from another, wiser source?

I love it when God does that! The words pour so quickly from heart to fingers to page that the writer is as amazed as those who will one day read those words. We have no choice but to acknowledge that it is God who is guiding the ”pencil”.

According to Ephesians 4: 7 and 12, God gives each person a special gift to be used for the work of Christian service. For writers, our craft is a tool God uses to inspire, encourage, challenge, and inform.

Like the variety of spiritual gifts mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12, there are many different kinds of writing. Each writer has a much-needed voice. God has given some people the imagination to spin a fictitious yarn. Others are gifted poets. Some have the ability to research and write magazine articles, while others excel in crafting stories for children.

Do you see your writing as a gift? How has God called you to be the “little pencil” in His hand? My prayer is that you will feel the wonder and thrill of allowing Him to use you to jot down His message of saving grace for searching souls who will read your work.

Pam 

©2011 Pamela D. Williams

Writing Comes First Comic -- Prompt

A writing cartoon for Friday.

And the moral of the story is...Keep your eyes focused on God, no matter what you are writing. If you need inspiration, turn to the Bible!

Series for New Bloggers: Part 2

At long last, an update to the New Bloggers Series!

In the first part of the series, we discussed what blogging is and reasons to blog. Have you had enough time to think about it? Are you ready to start a blog?

If so, then the first step is to choose a blogging service. There are several choices:

Wordpress

Blogger

Livejournal

Typepad

Let's take a closer look at each service starting at the bottom of the list.

I have no experience with Typepad. All I can tell you is that it charges a monthly fee ranging from $8 for the plus package to $29.95 for the Premium package. However, it does offer a free trial.

Livejournal offers a free account (with ads), but you can upgrade (ad free) for a fee of $19.95 a year. Of the four, Livejournal is the most different. It’s more like a community within the blogging community.

Unlike Wordpress, Blogger and Typepad, Livejournal has limited customization options and if you have a free account, there are ads on your blog that you don’t have very much control over. And you don’t make any profit off of them either, at least not with a free account.

However, Livejournal has one thing going for it - it has a far superior commenting system than either Blogger or Wordpress. When someone leaves a comment on your journal, you are notified via email. You can reply directly from that email or on your journal, and your reply is then automatically emailed to the commenter. Within that email are relevant links, including a link to reply. So through email, conversations can continue, while simultaneously being posted on your journal.

Overall, Livejournal is affordable, easy to use and lends itself to easy and continued discussion, but in the end, you don’t have much control over your journal, even with a paid account.

Blogger is free, and next to Wordpress, the most popular. Google owns Blogger, so you have to have a Google account to start a blog, but setting it up is easy. When Pam, Dawn and I first started our blogs, we each considered whether Wordpress or Blogger would be best. For a long time, we couldn’t list any reasons why one was better than the other. There are subtle differences between them, and a couple reasons why Wordpress might be better.

But before I can compare Blogger and Wordpress, I have to compare Wordpress.com to Wordpress.org. Like Blogger, Wordpress.com is free, and like Blogger, Livejournal and Typepad, the blogging service hosts your blog. What this means is that the folder containing your entire blog, including your content, is located on the computers of the blogging service, not your personal computer. With Wordpress.org the folder containing your entire blog, including your content, is on your personal computer. All you have to do is upload it to your own server, which costs a yearly fee.

This is the point at which people start freaking out, so I won't go into the details of web hosting, servers, ftp etc. However, I recommend Wordpress.org because I like having complete control of my blog. It's all mine. I own it lock, stock and barrel. If you decide that Wordpress.org is the way you want to go, let me know and I’ll be happy to help you set it up.

Besides ownership, the major difference between Blogger and Wordpress is the number of options. With more options on Wordpress, you can do more with your blog, but that also makes it a bit more difficult to get the hang of, especially if you are brand-new to blogging.

In conclusion, I suggest starting off with a blog on Blogger. If at any time, you decide you want to try Wordpress.com or Wordpress.org, you can easily import your posts from Blogger. It's not as easy the other way around.

For even more information on blog services, I encourage you to check out Sommer Leigh's College of Blogging Series: Choosing a Blog Service for an in-depth analysis of Livejournal, Blogger and Wordpress.

ETA: Here's another blogger's take on why Wordpress.org is preferable to Blogger: Idiotproofblogging

For our members who still feel overwhelmed, I'd be happy to set a blog up for you. Just leave me a comment and I'll contact you to discuss what information I will need. Please don't be shy! I'm happy to do it for you! Blogging has been a very positive experience for me and I would love to share that experience with you. Just let me know before VBS starts! I'm going to be crazy busy that week.

For our readers, are you familiar with Typepad or Livejournal? What differences do you notice between Blogger and Wordpress? Your thoughts on this subject are greatly appreciated and will be a big help to our non-blogging members!

PREPARING OURSELVES TO WRITE FOR GOD

Eva Shaw, in her course, Writeriffic 2, recommends writing in the genre we like to read. “If you’re hooked on romance novels, then try your hand at that genre. If it’s a pithy essay that really makes your day, head in that direction.”

When Shaw asked one of her students (an accountant) “What do you like to read?” the student answered “Cookbooks and mysteries.” She then suggested he try writing a mystery where the protagonist is a chef at night and an accountant by day—the student could then incorporate his own expertise and experiences.

What are some areas where you have “expertise” or special interest, keeping in mind that formal education is only part of the knowledge we absorb in our lifetime? A well-known writers’ tip recommends as a starting point that we write from our own experiences.

Why is it good advice to write out of our own experiences? We can draw on our feelings and senses. Our writing will be genuine.

In 1 Corinthians 10:13 we find an additional reason for writing about what we know. Others have experienced the same kinds of tests and temptations. We may be reluctant to let the world read that we struggle with doubts and temptations—that we don’t always handle problems or challenges in a Christ-like way. However, when we write honestly about what God has taught us—how he has worked in our lives—we can help someone else.

According to Jeremiah 29:11-13 God has a plan for us. Our writing can be a tool God uses--a ministry with eternal importance. In Write His Answer, Marlene Bagnull calls us “literature missionaries" and points out that our writing will go where we cannot go and will touch people whom we will never meet. Like all ministries, in order to minister to others, we need to stay connected to Jesus.

If we want our writing to help others come to know Christ and grow in their faith, we need to take steps to prepare ourselves.

1. PRAY: We read in Ephesians 6:18-20 that Paul needed prayer to share the gospel. So do we. Freelance writer, Virginia Jelinek shares, “From my own experience, I’ve learned that as a writer, my life has to be saturated with prayer. It is the foundation from which I write, creating in me a clean heart and renewing a right spirit within me. I also find prayer indispensable when it comes to getting free of writer’s block. I pray as if ‘priming a pump’—persistently asking God to let the creative juices flow again.”

2. READ AND STUDY THE BIBLE: 2 Timothy 3:14-17 teaches us that God’s Word gives wisdom and can teach, correct, rebuke, and instruct. We need to read and study the Bible to further our understanding of it. God’s Word can speak to our hearts and inspire our writing.

3. FELLOWSHIP WITH OTHER CHRISTIANS: If taken too far, the solitude that many of us crave can actually hinder our writing. We need to stay in touch with our fellow Christians just as Hebrews 10:24-25 recommends.

©2011 Pamela D. Williams

Eternity Tea

Eternity Tea
by Dawn M. Hamsher

China Blue cloth
With white lace on top
Painted pink roses
Adorn each tea cup

French Crème Brulee
Apple Harvest Crunch
Turtle Delight and
Chocolate Macadamia Nut

These four friends meet
Loving writing and God
Here they share a moment
But one day, eternity above 

A Real Tea Party

When I was a girl at the magical age of six, new and fabulous worlds of exquisite detail could be created easily within my imagination. My grandmother’s functional kitchen could easily become an old-fashioned English parlor with a hanging crystal chandelier and ornately-carved, wooden furniture polished to a gleaming shine and upholstered with rich brocade fabrics where I would host many ‘tea parties’.

I dressed to the nines in a big straw hat, feather boa, and a pair of Grandma’s softest, daintiest gloves she pulled from a dresser drawer where she also kept her delicate, softly patterned handkerchiefs that smelled like sunshine and cedar. I slipped on a pair of ruby red high heels (stilettos that used to be Grandma’s) and wobbled to a grand entrance. The tips of the gloves pressed into the pads of my fingertips radiating a message of sophistication and elegance, of times gone by, making me feel like Jackie ‘O’, Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly.

I rarely bothered to put a stuffed animal or doll in the chairs around the table; nor did I worry about serving tea. My tea parties were about showing off. I sat primly in my chair and sipped tea from my cup like a proper lady. For me, these parties were a way to showcase what a stunning and beautiful ‘woman’ I was.

My daughter, on the other hand, at the tender age of three when everything is brand new and each day holds miraculous discoveries hosts ‘tea parties’ for her guests. She painstakingly arranges as many dolls and stuffed animals as she can around our dining room table. She carefully sets out a tea cup and cupcake for each guest. When she runs out, she gives her guests whatever food she has available, a potato, an onion, sometimes an eggplant. For her, the joy of having a tea party comes in serving.

Until this past Saturday afternoon when 1st Writes traveled to the Everett Tea Room for lunch, the only tea parties I’d ever attended were pretend. This was my first ‘real tea party’. As one would imagine, the real thing was quite different. No big hats, feather boas or gloves. It’s a safe bet I was not mistaken for Jackie ‘O’ at any point that afternoon. While The Everett Tea Room is located in the parlor of a lovely old house next door to the church parsonage, it was much lighter, airier and sweeter than the stuffy and dark parlor I imagined so many years ago. It was romantic, frilly, and completely feminine. My husband would have hated it! I loved it.

What truly separated this tea party from the parties I held in my Grandmother’s kitchen were the guests. Four real women I have experienced a true connection with. We’re fellow writers and friends in faith, kindred spirits as Pam, our facilitator has said on many occasions. Our conversation over four delectable pots of tea ranged from the stormy weather to God’s presence in the lives of those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

On the glass-topped table in front of us sat four uniquely beautiful teapots filled with different decadent concoctions: Apple Orchard, Crème Brule, Turtle and Chocolate Macadamia Nut, flavors as uniquely different as we ourselves. Joining the various teapots was a three-tiered serving tray showcasing cucumber sandwiches, scones and chocolate covered strawberries.

With thin, white-cloth napkins draped delicately on our laps, in between sips of tea from fragile china cups of mismatching patterns, passing the sugar and cream, munching on the most scrumptious scones, we discussed organizing a Christian Writer’s event for our area, where to send rejected manuscripts, blogging, and our latest works-in-progress. We shared the ways God has worked in our lives, decisions he has led us to and the mysterious ways in which he works.

His presence was all around us that afternoon. I could see him in the beautiful cross on the wall in front of me and the Bible behind me. I heard him in the quiet tinker of laughter from the other side of the room. I felt him in the fellowship of other writers passionate about their craft.

The Proverb, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17 NIV), proved true that afternoon. I returned home filled with renewed excitement and motivation to write using the most of my God-given talent.

As much as I enjoyed that afternoon with my friends and as much as I want to do it again, I’m really looking forward to the day when Monkey is a little older and I can take her for an official tea party. We’ll dress like we’re attending a royal wedding! We’ll pour tea, sip from rosy tea cups, nibble on tasty treats, and talk about whatever is on her mind. It’ll be a special mother/daughter outing to remember always and forever. I can’t wait to write about it!

A Taste of Eternity

On Main Street in Everett, Pennsylvania you can listen for the still, small voice of God and experience a delicious taste of heaven.  Eternity Tea Room offers a tranquil oasis to nourish your soul as well as tantalize your taste buds.

Four of us, writers from two counties, met at Eternity Tea Room the last Saturday of May to get to know each other better. We couldn’t have chosen a place any more conducive to developing friendships.

The beautiful blue and white Victorian décor warmly invited us to pause and refresh our spirits, cherish new found relationships, glean encouragement and generate inspiration for our craft.

As we looked around the lovely room, everything that met our view exuded serenity. Stylish antique hats, English teapots, delicate linens and fine china adorned the tastefully appointed dining area. Soft instrumental background music added to the peaceful ambiance.

With her warm, welcoming smile, Debbie Blankley, owner of the tea room, helped us chose our pots of tea to share. She encouraged us to linger, not rush, over our light afternoon refreshments.

Audible oohs and ahhs escaped our lips when Debbie brought in the three tiers of beautiful savories and sweets. Delicate tea sandwiches, hearty scones, and delicious mini desserts temptingly awaited us.

We paused to take hands and pray before eating. Prayer is at home in Eternity Tea Room. It was obvious why when Debbie shared, “I don’t see this as a business but as a ministry God has blessed me with.”

Eternity Tea Room certainly ministered to each one of my friends and me. God drew us together via our common passion for writing and used our time at the tea room to bond our kindred spirits together. After two hours we reluctantly parted company with promises of “till next time.”

©2011 Pamela D. Williams