I Love You The Most

Happy Monday, my friends and welcome to my Blog!

Today, I’m sharing  an excerpt from my novel, That Melvin Bray:

Chapter 29— I LOVE YOU THE MOST

“As we rode out to the Jennings property, the three of us were all about the what-ifs. We couldn’t help ourselves. We arrived at the property and took the long road up to the house, passing the old well on our right. It looked so different. Todd parked under the even older and more mature pear trees in the side yard—the same old pear trees that Mother had walked under each night at about eleven fifteen, when her ride would drop her off from work. As we got out of the car, I could feel her presence, and for a moment, I noticed a wonderfully familiar, powdery fragrance floating around my head.”

This chapter is probably one of my favorites. It’s the next to the last chapter and it’s when we finally realize the depths of the incredible love a Mommy and Daddy have for their little boy. While it’s heartbreaking, it’s also a time of unmistakable joy and peace for a young family who had lost all hope.

“HOPE for a great sea-change, on the far side of revenge. Believe that a further shore, is reachable from here. Believe in miracles , and cures and healing wells.”  – Seamus Heaney, Iris poet

My book has an awful lot going on in just thirty chapters, but it was worth the five years it took to write it…that is if you don’t count the sixty years it took for the research. True.

While I’ve been blessed with many wonderful Amazon reviews, here’s one that is not on Amazon, but one I’m proud to share with you, from the parent company of my publisher, Abbott Press:

“Author Margaret McBride treads some familiar ground with her Christian inspirational That Melvin Bray. There is a lot going on in this book; a lot that the Christian fiction reader will find of value here. Regular readers of Christion fiction will find a like-minded soul here, telling a story of faith and one’s ability to help rise us up from less than ideal beginnings. In a world where the dysfunctional family seems to be the new normal, this is a timely message and one that could be of significant service to many people.” -Writer’s Digest Annual Author Book Reviews

This week, my prayer for us all is that we’ll be aware of those we may meet for the first time and whether they’re happy, sad, outgoing, reserved, loud, obnoxious, whatever…try not to judge them too harshly if they don’t measure-up to  your standards. I say this from personal experience and we all know that old saying, “Don’t judge the book by the cover”. I for one, know that’s not very kind, and let’s all think about how we treat folks, period.

“We met for a reason, either you’re a blessing or a lesson. Be obsessively grateful. We don’t have to be perfect to be amazing!”  – Several Wise Guys

God is Good! God is Great!! Always!!!

I love you,

Margaret

PS Today’s “Pear Photo”  was taken by yours truly at the old farm where I grew up.

https://www.amazon.com/That-Melvin-Bray-Margaret-McBride/product-reviews/1458212122

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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United We Stand, Divided We Fall

America, America, God Shed His Grace On Thee!

It’s Monday Blog—Welcome, Everyone!!

WOW, what a weekend! It started on Friday, with the Inauguration and all the festivities which followed! It’s the changing of the guard, so to speak, and as we all move forward, we’re going to need prayers for an abundance of blessings for our beloved USA!!

Obviously, it’s irrational for one to think “Oh why can’t we all just get along?” Truth is, we could, but we won’t. It’s a thing called “human nature.”

Basically our beloved United States is far from “united”; however, this is nothing new because there’s always two sides to every situation, and politics is no different—Far from it.  It does seem to me, one who does follow politics, that this election was over-the-top awful, with both sides out-of-control and I thank the good Lord it’s finally over… well not really, but at least the focus can now be on achieving some positive goals from our new administration. I don’t believe anyone is ALL bad, however, ALL of us have the potential for bad IN us. It’s a fact that none of us is right all of the time, some of us are right some of the time, and all of us would benefit if we were kind to each other all of the time.

This week, let’s all pray for a United States of America, because we all know that united we stand, divided we fall. Each one of us will benefit if we watch our tongues — think before  we speak, accept others’ differences and just be kind to one another. Again, simply remember and honor the Golden Rule.

“America! America! God shed His grace on thee. And crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea!”

God is Good! God is Great!! Always!!!

I love you,

Margaret

“Some wish blessings, others pray for them. Some send blessings and they become one.”               – Joyce C. Locke

“That Melvin Bray”, by Author Margaret McBride:

https://www.amazon.com/That-Melvin-Bray-Margaret-McBride/product-reviews/1458212122

And Sometimes I Write…

Monday, January 16, 2017

Hello, Everyone!

Welcome to my Monday Blog…I Love it!!  I’m still wishing you a Happy New Year! May you all be blessed with incredible new beginnings and awesome and exciting new challenges!! In case you’re just visiting me here on my Blog for the first time,  here are a few things about me…

I am a child of God,  Christian and serious God-Lover.

I am a proud American.

I am a daughter, sister, aunt, wife, mother, grand-mother. I am a friend…

and sometimes I write.

My first novel, That Melvin Bray, a spiritual thriller, is still climbing the charts…thankfully! I’ve been all over the country signing books and meeting some great folks! I’m what you call, very blessed! As I continue on that path and the message I’m sharing with That Melvin Bray, my second novel is also in the works—Only the good Lord knows how that one’s going to turn out!

Today, though, I’ll focus on That Melvin Bray,  because there’s a message in this story that truly affects all of us and I’m dedicated to sharing this message—not because I wrote it, rather because it needed to be faced and dealt with (by yours truly),  and ultimately shared. It’s about Life, in general…and if you’re reading this, YOU have a Life. It’s about a family with little hope and the paths they suffered as they traveled through their own lives—”vividly reveals characters whose hearts range from the dark, cold and cruel…”,  “tragedy and sorrow, anger and rage…”.

Okay, that’s enough of that—What a downer—That’s just too morbid this early on a Monday morning!! The other side of morbid is merry...YES!! Let’s all be merry! Acatually though, in essence, That Melvin Bray is a story about playing the cards you were dealt, facing Life as it is…regardless of how unfair it may seem, or actually be. This story is why the word PERSERVENCE is in the dictionary. Maybe. What’s really good about this story though, is that it’s also about FAITH and the little mustard seed…

“Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”  – Matthew 17:20

That Melvin Bray: “Author Margaret McBride treads some familiar ground with her Christian inspirational, That Melvin Bray. There is a lot going on in this book; a lot that the Christian fiction reader will find of value here. Regular readers of Christian fiction will find a like-minded soul here, telling a story of faith and one’s ability to help rise up from less than ideal beginnings. In a world where the dysfunctional family seems to be the new normal, this is a timely message and one that could be of significant service to many people. ”  —Writer’s Digest

May you be blessed this week in the wondrous ways of our sweet Lord, Jesus Christ. May your heart be light and loving, may you smile and know YOU are a very special person, because YOU are a Child of God. Amen!

God is Good! God is Great!! Always!!!

I love you,

Margaret

“If you want to give light to others, YOU have to GLOW yourself!” – T. S. Monson

https://www.amazon.com/That-Melvin-Bray-Margaret-McBride/product-reviews/1458212122

Do We Really Care?

Monday, January 9, 2017

Welcome to my Monday Blog, my friends!

Well, we’re now nine days into our New Year—How are your New Year’s Resolutions coming along? As for me, I have indeed made a few and I’m working my plan. Every morning now, when I first realize that I’m awake and alive, I say “Thank You God for another day and the opportunity to show my love for You and others.” Seriously, that’s what I’m doing. It starts me off each day with a conscious awareness of God’s presence and His great love for me—For ALL of us!

When I say the “and others” part, it reminds me when we are caring for others, we’re pleasing God. He has told us over and over that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. Jesus gave the word “neighbor” a new meaning: anyone in need. When we help others, we help Christ.  (Matthew 25:40)

*Jesus Christ’s parable of the Good Samaritan was prompted by a question from a lawyer:

And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

Jesus asked him what was written in the law, and the man responded: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”  (Luke 10:27)

Pressing further, the lawyer asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?”

In parable form, Jesus told of a man going down from Jerusalem to Jericho . Robbers attacked him, took his possessions and clothes, beat him, and left him for dead. Then a priest came down the road, saw the injured man, and passed him on the other side. A Levite passing by did the same thing. A Samaritan, from a race hated by the Jews, saw the hurt man and had compassion on him. He poured oil and wine on his wounds, bound them up, then put the man on his donkey. The Samaritan took him to an inn and cared for him. The next morning, the Samaritan gave two denarii to the innkeeper for the man’s care and promised to repay him on his way back for any other expenses.

Jesus asked the lawyer which of the three men had been a neighbor. The lawyer answered that the man who showed mercy was a neighbor. Then Jesus told him, “You go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:37)

One interpretation of the parable identifies the Samaritan with Christ, scorned and rejected by others, and the injured traveler as every person, unable to rescue himself or herself but for the love and grace of a Savior—Jesus Christ, the ultimate “good neighbor”.*

This Bible parable of the good Samaritan is timeless. Oh…if only we all loved each other so… in our hearts, our minds and our actions. To me it exemplifies the heart of The Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” – Matthew 7:12

May we all be blessed in the ways only He can and may we show mercy to others, honoring our blessings in Jesus’ name. Amen.

God is Good! God is Great!! Always!!!

I love you,

Margaret

*Note: a special Thank You to Christian Host, Jack Zavado for his Bible parable today.

https://www.amazon.com/That-Melvin-Bray-Margaret-McBride/product-reveiws/1458212122