Looking forward to Thanksgiving and beyond-

Jenna Mindel here excited about a couple of  things.....

My November release of  His Montana Homecoming

Book #5 of the Big Sky Centennial series...

Faith Shaw can't wait for another hometown Thanksgiving with the good people of Jasper Gulch. Turkey, mashed potatoes, apple pie—and this year's centennial celebration. Yet there's one person who isn't happy to be there: Dale Massey, the Shaw family's reluctant houseguest. When a winter storm strands the big-city millionaire in Montana, he is far from pleased. But the mayor's daughter suspects Dale's all-business attitude is masking a deeper hurt. Faith can't help but feel he was sent to Jasper Gulch for a reason. Can an old-fashioned girl and some holiday tradition help bring  his weary heart home? 


 www.jennamindel.com



I'm excited about this book for many reasons.  It's my first, and hopefully not my last, invitation to be part of a Harlequin continuity.  I loved working with five fabulous authors on this series- Valerie Hansen, Ruth Logan Herne, Carolyne Aarsen, Brenda Minton & Arlene James!  They are an awesome group of faith-filled women who were always willing to share their knowledge and encouragement.

Another reason for excitement is this book is set during the holiday of Thanksgiving but I was able to pull in a lot of Christmas stuff too.  I love this time of year.  I love the blurring of Thanksgiving into Christmas.  I think the gratitude focus of Thanksgiving is a good precursor of the blessing of Christmas and Christ's birth.  Right before Thanksgiving, I break out the Christmas music - starting with my favorite instrumentals that transition the two holidays so well.  Anyone ever listen to George Winston's "December" ?
 

So what do you think?  Do you prefer to keep Thanksgiving and Christmas strictly separate or sort of jumble them together as a month long (or so) celebration?



Happy Thanksgiving into Christmas !
Jenna

Trust - Carolyne Aarsen

Everyone says that trust is an important part of any relationship. Usually, in the stories I write, it's the point where the hero or heroine finally dares to trust the other that a huge shift occurs in the relationship. Barriers are broken down and secrets are laid bare and the one person becomes vulnerable to the other. In my own, ongoing relationship with my husband, trust is integral. I trust him with my deepest secrets and fears. He does the same with me. But in spite of being married for many, many years, there are times that I still have to learn to trust him for different things.

We went on a hike this summer in the mountains and after hiking up and up for about four hours came to, what I thought, was an impassable creek - a raging, boiling mass of water tumbling over rocks down the mountain for hundreds of feet. One slip and I would have gone down, down, down. That was the point of the hike where I stopped. I'm afraid of heights and not real impressed with water so I was done. Finished. My husband and son had their eyes on the next hill that they wanted to check out. I said go ahead. But they wanted me along because they didn't know how long they would be gone. Besides, the blood we saw on the trail meant there was probably a grizzly somewhere in the vicinity. I was adamant. So were they.

Then my husband crossed the creek and came back. "I can carry you," he said. That sounded even worse than braving the creek myself. We argued back and forth a bit. Then he laid it out. "Don't you trust me?" That was a kicker. I looked at him, then at the creek and said, with great reluctance, "Okay." And I got on his back, closed my eyes and began praying while he began walking. (this has often been our deal - he works, I pray). And next thing I knew we were on the other side.

Even after all the years we've been married, I'm still learning to trust him and he's still showing me I can.