Another Chapter in Ecuador

On By Betty OwensIn Betty Thomason Owens2 Comments

One of your resolutions this year may be to help others. To look beyond yourself and your family’s needs to help meet the needs of others, is not only good for you, but also for your children. You’re training them to care for others — to love their neighbors as themselves. boy-1299084_1280

Just in case you’re looking for ways to help others in 2017, I know somebody. Actually, I know a few somebodies. Of course, you never have to look far to find someone in need. Or, to find a worthy ministry or agency that helps meet those needs. I encourage you to help in your own neighborhood whenever possible.

hiking-1220297_1280But if you’re looking for something a bit more exotic…I definitely know a guy…

There’s a young man in Ecuador who treks into the Amazon jungle loaded down with … bath soap. Yes, you read that right. Seth McDonald has carved a niche for himself. His purpose–to improve the lives of some of the indigenous people living deep in the Amazon regions of Ecuador. He not only provides soap to cleanse their hands and bodies, but also offers hope through the life-cleansing message of Christ.

He calls his ministry Soap4Soap. In his words, “By purchasing 1 bar of our soap, you are giving 4 people the ability to live a cleaner life and the option to hear about the good news.” There’s a short video on his website that tells you all about his work. And of course, he has a Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/soap4soap/?hc_ref=SEARCH&fref=nf

Seth’s sister and brother-in-law also work in the Amazon region of Ecuador. You can find Joil and Leah Marbut here: http://www.junglemissionary.com/

And on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/junglemissionary/?hc_ref=SEARCH&fref=nf

The Marbuts founded Ecuador Hope House, which, “…serves as home to over 40 girls from the Shuar Indigenous group of the Jungles of Ecuador.  It is a place of new dreams, new hopes and new beginnings.”

Follow the links above, and you’ll get an idea of the work they’re doing.

SucuaLiving in the Amazon Jungle isn’t easy–unless you actually enjoy sweltering, humid heat that saps your energy. They do live on the Equator, after all. The pay’s not great either. Good thing they’re not interested in worldly goods.

So these are just a few somebodies you might like to help, if you’re looking for something like that to invest in. And the best part is–you’ll be laying up treasures in Heaven.

Don’t hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or—worse!—stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it’s safe from moth and rust and burglars.–Matthew 6:19-20 The Message

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Another Chapter

On By Betty OwensIn Betty Thomason Owens

oldhouseIn 1954, two women moved into an old house in the middle of a Trenton, Tennessee cotton field. They’d left another life behind in Southern California. This was the story I told in Annabelle’s Ruth.

A few days ago, I finished writing the next chapter of their lives.

Annabelle’s Ruth is a modern-day retelling of the Book of Ruth. I set the story in the 1950s. Instead of working in the grain harvest, Connie Cross–my Ruth character–works in the cotton fields.

alabama-1618299_1280In the sequel, tentatively titled, “Sutter’s Landing”, I welcome a few new characters to the story. The sweet romance between Connie and Alton blossoms into full-blown love. And Connie’s mother-in-law, Annabelle, struggles with something unexpected.

Emotions boil over a couple of times as Connie and Alton prepare for their wedding. Alton’s unpleasant brother Jensen returns, with new ways to irritate them.

But the kinsman redeemer really steps up and shows his mettle. I loved getting to know Alton better, as he responds to life and its situations.

I enjoyed writing this second book in the Kinsman Redeemer series. I hope you’ll love reading it. Look for it later this year. I’ll keep you posted.

Meanwhile, I’m already working on the next chapter in the lives of my characters.

WinterRoadLast week, I promised you “P” words for the new year.

Prayer
Praise
Patience
Presence

Peace.

A very good way to start off the year, don’t you think? Have a blessed week!

Hope for the New Year

On By Betty OwensIn Betty Thomason Owens

Relax

Recover

Refresh

Renew

Rekindle

shutterstock_165919043-SNOWThese are good words for the last few days of 2016. The holidays are over. It’s time to box up the decorations. And of course, there’s one other “r” word–returns. I plan to wait a few days on that, let the lines shorten.

Hope rises with the sun in the morning. Yes, most of winter lies ahead of us. Many changes lie ahead, too. But still, one of the most renewable energy sources remains strong–Hope.

Hope wakes us up in the morning, keeps us going from one day till the next.

My source of hope is my faith in God, and in my Savior, Jesus Christ. You may regard that as false or foolish hope, but it’s real to me. I’ve lost nothing if I continue through life believing in that blessed hope. I’ve gained a life of peace and contentment (even through the difficult, gut-wrenching losses).

Next week is a New Year! Maybe I’ll investigate a few “P” words–productive, possibilities, peace…

Happy New Year!

All I Want for Christmas Part 3

On By Betty OwensIn Betty Thomason Owens

hot-chocolate-1875870_1280It’s Christmas week. Many of you are manically shopping and baking to get ready for the weekend. It’s one of the most stressful weeks of the entire year. To make matters worse, we have less daylight.

Amid all the wrapping of gifts and checking your list to make sure everyone has a present and everything will be perfect, we tend to neglect something very important. Our mental health. 🙂 And along with mental health, our physical health is at risk.

So here’s something to help you, and it only takes a few moments:

  1. Take a deep breath
  2. Hold it for a count of seven
  3. Release the breath
  4. Repeat steps 1-3, two or three times.

Did you try it? It works by supplying extra oxygen to the brain. They say it also helps you fall asleep. I haven’t really tried that. All I need to fall asleep is to sit still for about five minutes. Works every time. But if I lie down, I tend to wake up.

read-1631169_1280What helps you relax? A relaxing bath, a cup of hot tea or other hot beverage, an interesting book, a beloved pet–those are all good ways to take a break during this stressful season.

Take care of yourself. There are a lot of bugs being passed around right now, and when you’re tired and stressed, your immunity runs low.

Okay, enough grandma talk. What’s my final wish before Christmas? I’ve wished for time (to remember, to meditate on what’s happened this year), I’ve wished for togetherness with family and friends.

So my final Christmas wish is for you to have a wonderful holiday. May you be blessed with time to spend with family and friends. May you have time to remember, and be thankful for what you have. May you have moments of peace and relaxation to help you navigate the maze of the holiday season.

Give to others from your heart, not expecting anything in return. Love with all your heart, but don’t hide it–show it. Say the words, “I love you,” often, and with feeling. The Bible says you reap what you sow (Galatians 6:7). That’s a very practical proverb. It’s true, you know. If you plant a tomato seed, you won’t get an apple tree, you’ll get a tomato plant.

So when you do good to others, somewhere along the way, it’ll come back to you.

cropped-merry-christmas.jpg

 

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All I Want for Christmas Part 2

On By Betty OwensIn Betty Thomason Owens2 Comments

There are a number of Christmas stories, books, and movies that begin with the line, “All I Want for Christmas…” — and one very silly song. I won’t mention that one, because I don’t want to get it stuck in my head. Hey, I’m doing you a very great favor here.

Christmas time is here...
Christmas time is here…

So, Hallmark Christmas movies are a genre all their own. The tendency is toward sap and silliness and incredible situations. Even the credible ones tend to be quite predictable. Don’t get me wrong, I love some of those silly offerings. And every once in a while, you stumble across one that is truly delightful.

I have a few favorites. They’re not all made by Hallmark, but definitely in the genre:

  • One Christmas Eve is a total blast! I laughed so hard.
  • A Season for Miracles–angelic!
  • The Christmas Bunny–different, but I liked it.
  • Christmas with Holly–mostly because of the location, and the Basset hound.
  • A Christmas Card–it has everything–an icky fiance, and curly fries.
  • The Road to Christmas–wonderful actors.

Okay, that’s enough. Most of these are romances or contain romance, but not all. The couples meet and fall into forever love in just days! But something in them appeals to me. Laughter, love, warmth…and honestly, by the time Christmas gets here, I’ve watched too many. I feel like a total glutton. I’m ready to move on. But if you like to watch them all year, they are available. Nice to know.

But the time comes when you need to get your head out of the Hallmark movie and face real life.

family-310364_1280Because there are some people out there who need a positive influence in their lives. They need us to share the love passed down from our Heavenly Father and the Savior we celebrate during this season. Hey, if your pocketbook is a little too slim, find other ways to bless your friends and family. Don’t be a Scrooge!

So what’s my Christmas wish this week? Time to watch movies? No. That would be a little shallow, don’t you think? Fun, but frivolous. And besides, I wished for time last week. So this week, I wish for gatherings and fun and fellowship. My holiday house is open to sons and their wives, their families, and carloads of granddaughters (one of my favorite things). The best recipe for fun and laughter is a house filled with those you love.

chip-1And maybe someone will come and bring their dog. I’d love that.

What’s your greatest wish? Is it an impossible dream, or is it a maybe–something within the realm of possibility. Faith is believing, so I’m going to stock the fridge, do some baking, and be ready for that wish to come true.