National Raisin Day

April 30th is National Raisin Day, a day that has been celebrated since 1909. Then, the day was recognized with special advertisements and events. Restaurants, even those in hotels and on steamships, served foods that included the dried fruit. Schools and other government agencies presented educational programs showing the health benefits of raisins.

There's a legend about how the raisin came to be: There was once a California man who started a vineyard just after the Civil War. One year a severe drought hit, and it didn’t rain for a long time. His grapes dried up on the vine. Worrying about what he could do to survive, he decided to take the dried-up grapes to the marketplace and see if they would sell as a Peruvian delicacy. We’ve enjoyed raisins ever since. 

Although several good lessons can come from this story, it can't be true, for the raisin is much older than this would indicate. Even the Bible mentions them. In fact, they were probably around as early as 2,000 B.C. Dried grapes have been enjoyed around the world for many years. Today, nutritionists tell us that raisins are heart-healthy and can lower blood pressure. So eat up to celebrate National Raisin Day.

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You'll Live Forever

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom (Psalm 90:12).

On Mondays, I write a general blog about history, foods, arts and crafts, or trivia. In a recent one, I wrote about Ponce de Leon who is rumored to have been searching for the fountain of youth when he explored Florida. Throughout history, people have been interested in remaining young or living forever.

That whosoever believeth in him should not perish; but have eternal life (John 3:15).

But we will live forever! (Just not all on earth.) It's not only Christians who have an eternal life; everyone does. The difference is where you will live it. By accepting Christ as your Savior and living for Him, you're promised a place in heaven with unimaginable joys forever. If you don't, you'll spend eternity in a place of incredible torment and despair. Satan is hoping you'll commit to following him, do nothing so he'll have you, or only give lip service to following Christ.

For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21).

For the life of me, I can't understand why someone would not want to belong to Christ - not only because of what it means in eternity but also how much better and richer life is right now. As Paul pointed out, whatever we need to give up to follow Christ is so minuscule in comparison to what we gain. And Christians aren't to selfishly keep this information to themselves. We are to be disciples and share His glory with others. Somehow, I don't think we've done a very good job of telling others how marvelous the Christian life is.

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Learning What Not to Do

I enjoy going to both writers' conferences and book festivals. I've never gone to one that I haven't learned from it. Some things I've heard and seen have been good, but others have not. However, the bad can also provide learning opportunities. I recently attended a Christian event where two things stood out to me from among the authors there.

First of all, I talked with some authors who were discouraged and couldn't understand why their book(s) weren't on the bestseller list or at least selling thousands of copies. In my opinion, they went into writing for the wrong reason. As a Christian writer, I write because I want to glorify God and follow his call on my life, I have stories begging to be told, and I would write even if I'd never be published. It's a part of who I am, and I'm passionate about it.

Then, I heard a number of writers say they wrote, but they weren't readers. I don't understand this, either. In my opinion, you can't be an accomplished writer if you aren't an avid reader, and you need to read widely in the genre where you want to publish. Although I've published eleven books in four years, I've also read over a thousand books during that time. Reading teaches what works and what doesn't work when writing.

I love both writing and reading, and that keeps me positive. When you do what you love, it isn't work at all. I fall in love with my characters and literally laugh and cry with them. Hopefully, I write in such a way, my readers will, too. Touching lives is what writing is all about for me - not just being successful in the world's eyes. Writing is my calling, my passion.

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National Earth Day

Each year, April 22 is celebrated as National Earth Day. It is a day to bring awareness to environmental issues and encourage people to be good stewards of this planet we live on. Although some controversial issues can arise, if we don't take care of Earth to some degree, life on it will not survive. There are Earth Day activities in more than 173 countries.

The idea for Earth Day was introduced in 1969, and on March 21, 1970, Secretary-General U Thant of the United Nations signed the proclamation. In the United States, Senator Gaylord Nelson is credited with establishing the day. Although it's not a national holiday, the day is widely celebrated.

Here are some Earth Day activities you might want to consider and let them carry over into other days as well:

• Join Earth Day cleanup activities in your area
• Use litterbags in all your vehicles; don't throw trash out the windows
• Join or start a community garden
• Hold a recycling drive
• Enjoy nature: picnic, go to a park, hike, camp, etc.
• Buy disposable produces that are biodegradable 
• Conserve energy: carpool, group errands into one trip, wash full loads of clothes, take shorter showers, repair dripping faucets, walk where you can, etc.
• Buy green cleaning products when you can and limit herbicides and pesticides

ENJOY THE DAY!

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Complaining Isn't Godly

... and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee (Hebrews 13:5b).

Christians are supposed to be content in Christ, but are we? Do we have our eyes fixed on Him instead of our own situations or worldly pursuits? When we focus on ourselves and getting our needs and desires met, we are never satisfied. We'll never have enough to be content. Selfishness causes many of the world's problems, including stubbornness, pride, greed, conflict, and divorce.

And when the people complained, it displeased the Lord: and the Lord heard it; and his anger was kindled (Numbers 11:1a).

Look at the Israelites when Moses led them from slavery in Egypt. All they did was complain. Even manna from heaven wasn't good enough for them. As a result, they got within eleven miles of the Promised Land and God, fed up with their grumbling, turned them to wander in the wilderness for forty years until the only two of that generation left to enter into the Promised Land were Joshua and Caleb who trusted God and believed His promises. Complainers and grumblers are out of God's will.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God and are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

Do we really believe this verse? Do we truly believe God wants only the very best for us? Then why would we ever grumble or complain? If we have Christ in our lives, we should be content. In the larger picture, this life is so fleeting and temporary, and we have such a glorious eternity to look forward to. With thankful hearts full of worship and praise, we can live blessed lives filled with peace and contentment beyond anything the world can offer.

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Rejections

I've yet to meet an author that didn't have any rejections. Although the first article I ever wrote and sent to a magazine was accepted, I've had my share of rejections to follow, both for articles and books. However, don't despair. If your work is rejected, you're in good company. Just look at some of them:

• A publisher told Rudyard Kipling he didn't know how to use the English language.
• When George Orwell tried to place Animal Farm, he was told that animal stories wouldn't sell in the United States.
• William Faulkner's book, Sanctuary, was called "unpublishable."
• Louisa May Alcott was told to "stick with teaching."
• Beatrix Potter finally had to publish The Tale of Peter Rabbit herself.

• Harry Potter was rejected 12 times, and series has now made over a billion dollars.
• The Diary of Anne Frank was rejected 15 times.
• The Lord of the Flies by William Golding was rejected 2o times.
• Dr. Seuss's first book was rejected 27 times.
• Mash by Richard Hooker was rejected 21 times, but 4 years after it was eventually published, it became a hit T.V. series.
• Dune by Frank Herbert was refused 23 times.
• A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle was rejected 26 times.
• Some report that John Grisham's A Time to Kill was rejected 28 times.
• Stephen King received 30 rejection notices before Carrie was published.

• Gone with the Wind was rejected 38 times.
• James Patterson's first book, The Thomas Berryman Number was rejected 31 times.
• The Help was turned down 60 times.
• And topping my list, Chicken Soup for the Soul was rejected 144 times. But the authors didn't give up.

That's the lesson in all of this. A rejection just means that, for any number of possible reasons, one person on one day decided not to use your manuscript. It has no reflection on how good your writing is, how publishable your work might be, or how popular it could be if published. Believe in yourself and don't give up.

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Complaining Isn't Godly

... and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee (Hebrews 13:5b).

Christians are supposed to be content in Christ, but are we? Do we have our eyes fixed on Him instead of our own situations or worldly pursuits? When we focus on ourselves and getting our needs and desires met, we are never satisfied. We'll never have enough to be content. Selfishness causes many of the world's problems, including stubbornness, pride, greed, conflict, and divorce.

And when the people complained, it displeased the Lord: and the Lord heard it; and his anger was kindled (Numbers 11:1a).

Look at the Israelites when Moses led them from slavery in Egypt. All they did was complain. Even manna from heaven wasn't good enough for them. As a result, they got within eleven miles of the Promised Land and God, fed up with their grumbling, turned them to wander in the wilderness for forty years until the only two of that generation left to enter into the Promised Land were Joshua and Caleb who trusted God and believed His promises. Complainers and grumblers are out of God's will.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God and are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

Do we really believe this verse? Do we truly believe God wants only the very best for us? Then why would we ever grumble or complain? If we have Christ in our lives, we should be content. In the larger picture, this life is so fleeting and temporary, and we have such a glorious eternity to look forward to. With thankful hearts full of worship and praise, we can live blessed lives filled with peace and contentment beyond anything the world can offer.

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