The Fuss Before Christmas

By Shirley Bahlmann
After Thanksgiving, I got right on track
Joining the troops for a shopping attack.
I started out happy, it was a fine day.
I had a long list, I was ready to pay.
But others were out with their shopping lists, too.
It was hard to find parking, the place was a zoo.
I managed to grab a nice Christmas ham,
But for vegetables there was just one shriveled yam.
The eggnog was missing, so prune juice instead,
With crackers and cheese to get the family fed.
With still lots of presents I needed to buy,
My feet started hurting. I wanted to cry.
The crowds were horrific, the tug of wars nasty.
They sweaters they fought over stretched out like taffy.
Toy shelves were sparse, with things that were broken
Or cheap knock off copies shipped in from Hoboken.
The clerks were all surly, the sizes all wrong.
The holiday music was sung from Hong Kong.
I finally gave up and dragged myself home.
I sat in a chair, tired clear to the bone.
I started to count all the things that I had.
If they weren’t all equal, someone might feel bad.
Well, Bradley had more things than dear little Sally.
I was short for my mother. I re-checked the talley.
I was all out of money, my credit was low.
But giving for Christmas was expected, so…
I heaved myself upward, I wasn’t yet free.
I stumbled outside past the Nativity.
Then I stopped and I turned. I stared at the child
The baby Jesus on hay that was piled
Inside a manger, the crudest of beds.
It was His birthday, yet where was my head?
Filled with the shopping, the giving, the getting,
The food I’d be feeding, the fussing and fretting.
It was His birthday. The gifts he received
Were just three in number on that Christmas Eve.
Three gifts for the Christ child, that’s all that he got.
His Christmas was simple, mine certainly was not.
I turned right around and marched back in my house.
I picked out three gifts for my children and spouse.
Three for my mother, three for my cousin.
Three was the number, not 3 or 4 dozen.
Then I made cookies from something called “scratch.”
When I taste-tested one, it was the best batch
I’d tasted since the Christmas party.
My fatigue was gone, my laughter was hearty.
To simplify Christmas was the best thing thought of.
To simplify Christmas was to emphasize love.

"Santa's Secret" Stole My Heart

by Shirley Bahlmann
REVIEW
After reading this book, I no longer feel the need to make excuses for signing “Shirley Claus” on Christmas cards because “Santa’s Secret” tastefully binds the kindness of Santa Claus with the teachings of the Savior to align the two caring men on the same side of goodness and love.
I was crying by page 16. They were happy tears.
This book is so full of delightful passages that pop up like toffee in a candy bar that the whole thing is a delight to read. Well, okay, if you want to get picky, there are a half a dozen grammar challenged sentences, such as “I knew right away I’d forgot my glasses.” (It should be …forgotten my glasses…) but Christy told me this is to keep it true to the voice of the man who inspired this book.
Yes, this book is an even greater Christmas treasure because it’s based on true experiences of long-time Santa’s helper Phil Porter. It covers the reasons we shouldn’t judge another’s circumstance by what we see, and it aptly demonstrates how giving of yourself without asking for anything in return can be magical. I dare you to read it without needing a tissue. This book comes alive with instances of faith where tough, next-to-impossible situations work themselves out in realistic ways that still come across as blessings from heaven. It’s positively heart-warming to see how the spirit and love of Christmas flowed through so many hands, showing how we can all be part of the magic, even by small means. It’s amazing how little things can end up counting for so very much.
This book is a gift you can hold in your hands as well as your heart. My copy is bristling with notes for passages I wanted to share with you, but on second thought, you’ll like them better when you read this enchanting book yourself.

INTERVIEW
Shirley: Hey, Christy, it’s a little hard to tell by starlight, but those look like nice sandals you’re wearing.
Christy: Sh! Somebody might hear you.
Shirley: (looking around, then whispers) Who?
Christy: A highway robber.
Shirley: I don't see anyone. All I see is a wall.
Christy: Ancient Bethlehem’s city wall, to be exact.
Shirley: What are we doing outside? How do we get in?
Christy: Through the eye of a needle.
Shirley: Come again?
Christy: It’s a little opening by the city gate. Camels have to crawl through, but I can make it standing up. (Looks me up and down) You, oh freakishly tall one, might have to duck.
Shirley: So, we couldn’t have met here during daylight?
Christy: No. Tonight’s a special night. (Christy grins, her teeth shining white in the subdued light.)
Shirley: Okay, lead the way. Ooo, low ceiling, you weren’t kidding. Hey, I notice your book, “Santa’s Secret,” was written with Phil Porter. Who is he?
Christy: Phil is just a bus driver from Salem, Utah. But he has a special connection to this place.
Shirley: How did you meet him?
Christy: I work for a newspaper, the Spanish Fork News, and a few years ago I was assigned to interview him for a story in the Christmas Special Section. You see, Phil has been Santa Claus for 27 years now, and he has a unique perspective on the Christmas holiday.
Shirley: Ah, we’ve reached the city. Argh! A spotlight!
Christy: No, Shirley, that’s an exceedingly bright star.
Shirley: Oh. Now what do we do?
Christy: Come this way.
Shirley: Okay, I’ll follow along. What made you think of writing this book?
Christy: When I interviewed Phil, I was so touched and overwhelmed by the spirit of his stories, I approached him about coming together to write a novel. He said he'd been approached several times before--his stories are that good--but this time, the pieces just fell right. He is not a writer, but he is a story-teller, so he came to my house several times and I recorded his stories as he told them. I took those, and wove them together with a fictional "season" of Christmastime, to create a setting where his stories can take place. Some of what happens between him and his family in the book is fictional, and though he wanted to keep the names of his immediate family the same, all of the other names are changed. Almost everything else in the book is based on actual events. You really feel that when you read it, too. The stories ring with truth, and go right to the heart because they really happened.
Phil believes in Santa Claus in a different way than I've ever seen before. When he dresses in his Santa suit, he really "becomes" Santa. And because he takes his role so seriously, he has had many opportunities to offer help, comfort and love to people who are struggling during the holiday season. He's a true giver of real gifts.
Shirley: Oh, I must agree, I sensed that when I read it. Hey, what’s that up ahead?
Christy: A stable. I told you tonight was special. I wanted to meet you here on this night to see the real reason for Christmas.
Shirley: You don’t mean…
Christy: Yes. In that stable is born the Savior of the world.
Shirley: Wow. (Looking up) What’s that? I hear bells.
Christy: (Smiling) It’s Santa Claus.
Shirley: Here? Now? (Christy and Shirley watch as Santa lands his sleigh, takes off his hat, then walks into the stable and kneels beside the manger.) That is so awesome. Hey, doesn’t Santa Claus look a little like…?
Christy: Phil.
Shirley: Yeah. I love how they’re both on the same team. Thanks so much for bringing me here. You and Phil… and the Savior.
Christy: You’re welcome.
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Stay in Love - Make Money

by Shirley Bahlmann
I was in church when I found out that staying in love is not only good for your body and soul, but also for your pocket book. I'm not even talking about the old axim, "Two can live as cheaply as one." No, I'm talking about cold, hard cash.
How can this be?
It's simple, and I even got it from the horse's mouth. (Sorry, Shirley Ann, you're not really a horse, that's just what they say! No, they don't SAY you're a horse... ahem.) Shirley Ann is the almost-octogenarian who reported that showing affection for her equally age-advanced husband brought some green into her pocket.
"We were walking down the street in the city," she said, "and this man walked up to us. We thought he might be asking directions or something, but instead he held out a dollar bill. 'What's that for?' I asked, immediately suspicious.
"Pressing it into my free hand, he said, 'I always give a dollar to older couples who hold hands.'" Shirley Ann smiled when she said it.
So there you have it.
One 88-year-old widower was watching people walk by at a craft fair. After awhile, he commented, "You can tell what stage people are in by the way they walk. When they're young and in love, they have their arms around each other. When they're first married, they're holding hands. Then they might have a small child or two and walk beside each other. Then a little later on, one is walking a few steps ahead while the other is a few steps behind." He stopped a moment, then said, "I sure miss my wife. If I had it to do over again, I'd sure do it different."
So there you have it. Now you know. So grab the hand of your loved one, live with no regrets, and maybe you'll even get a dollar for your pocket.

The Santa Letters - by Stacy Gooch Anderson

by Shirley Bahlmann
REVIEW:
Think, “P.S. I Love You,” condensed to twelve days, with snow, and four kids thrown in.
In a style reminiscent of “The Christmas Box,” Anderson tells a tale of recovery from the loss of a beloved family member. Through a mysterious series of letters and gifts, a widow and her children experience hope where before there was loneliness.
Although this book could have benefited from another edit, it is a Christmas story with a valid message. Even though I found the Santa letters longer than my children would ever sit and listen to, my eyes prickled when I read the tender part about Trevor’s mother.
Too many of the characters had a similar “voice,” with the notable exception of Walter, yet I felt my heart thump with satisfaction when the final gift was opened.
My favorite line is: “…regular old super hero with extra skinny legs.”
This book has a beautiful cover and an overall good message to remind people what is really important all year long.

INTERVIEW:
Shirley: Stacy, thank you for meeting me at the North Pole. What's
that on your feet? Galoshes? What were you thinking, girl? Go skin a
polar bear and make some real boots! Are you sure you're warm enough?
Stacy: Oh Shirley,....have you seen these thighs? There is plenty of insulation for the two of us!...;-)
Shirley: Ho, ho, ho! What is your favorite holiday?
Stacy: Christmas by far. Tinsel, twinkle lights, family, gingerbread, happiness everywhere,.....it's all just so delicious! A close second would be the 4th of July though since the neighbors don't rat us out when we use the water balloon launcher on a few of the more cranky ones down the street.
Shirley: Whew, that was close. I was scared you might say the 4th of July FIRST, then it would be so ironic that your book is about Christmas. Was getting your first book published like, well, Christmas?
Stacy: Don't know how to answer that one. I'm still kind of uncomfortable with the notoriety that has come with it since I don't really feel it is my story. It's about the Savior and the important gifts He brings into each of our lives. It's a good story but it's just one I was blessed enough to be a part of.
Shirley: That's a very touching outlook. What gave you the idea for writing the Santa Letters?
Stacy: A few years back, I found out that two of my sons had been in a sexually abusive situation. And since some of the perpetrators had been wards of the state, there was a lot of pressure for us to back off. At one point, I had so much anger for what DCFS had put us through that I almost let it destroy me. But this wonderful little voice reminded me of all the things my parents had taught me and insisted that if I wanted to raise sons with integrity, love, compassion and forgiving hearts, I had to learn to do that myself and be an example. Since there was no money for Christmas - it all had gone to legal and counseling bills - I came upon the idea of the Santa Letters as a way to help our family heal and remember all the gifts we had been given throughout the years. I never intended our experience to become a book but I had a friend who when she found out what we'd been doing, she encouraged and challenged me to share it with others.
Shirley: Wow, Stacy. What a great example of making lemonade out of exceptionally bitter lemons. Um. Not to change the subject, but there's a reindeer behind you. He's not smiling.
Stacy: (Looks over her shoulder and then back to Shirley) Oh yeah, that would be Blitzen. He's still mad at me for eating the last bowl of Cheerios - it's heart healthy you know....He loves his oats in any form!
Shirley: (To Blitzen) No Cheerios here! Go look in your feed box! Oh, good, there he goes. (To Stacy) Do you have any other book ideas, say, with reindeer? Or maybe tropical islands? Yes, reindeer can wear hula skirts. I don't
know if they can actually hula, but they can wear grass skirts... for a little while... before they eat them.
Stacy: I was thinking more penguins in puka shells.....And reindeer do hula dance. I saw them swishin' and swayin' once while Santa was playing Blue Hawaii on his ukulele. Oh, and there is the companion book to The Santa Letters that I am currently working on. No animals (other than the thugs in jail) but this one picks up with Guillermo's story.
Shirley: That sounds great! I thought they way you worked Guillermo in was a great twist in reader perspective. Hey, look at that guy over there. That's not the big guy, is it? (Eyes growing wider) It is, it is! Awww, how sweet, he's carrying a pot of hot chocolate toward us! Do you like hot chocolate?
Stacy: Love it! Especially with a hint of mint or amaretto and whipped cream on top. If he's going anywhere near the reindeer though, we may have to settle for a bowl of chicken soup....
Shirley: That's strange. I thought he had a white beard. Oh, I see.
He's moonlighting as a hot chocolate taste tester. Well, looky there.
I never knew reindeer liked hot chocolate. Now they're all smiling. I
guess it's snow cones for you and me, Stace. What do you say? It's been fun talking to you, but now that it's time to go, I'll race you home on a sled!

· Hardcover: 190 pages
· Publisher: Sweetwater Books (July 8, 2008)
· Language: English
· ISBN-10: 1599551454
· ISBN-13: 978-1599551456
· Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 6 x 0.9 inches
· Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
· Average Customer Review:

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ROOM FOR TWO - a very unusual love story

By Shirley Bahlmann
Review: (Readers, I'm sorry I couldn't upload the cover, but please see it at www.abelkeogh.com)
“Room for Two” by Abel Keogh is an unusual love story. Keogh has put his heart on the page in detailing his experience in dealing with his first wife’s suicide when she was pregnant with their first child.
In sharing his honest emotions of hurt, loss, anger, and love, he speaks to the soul of anyone touched by tragic loss. Walking readers through the deep grieving process and an uncertain search for someone new to love who will fit in his heart, Keogh gives readers hope for recovery.
Through his story, Keogh weaves in advice that applies toward almost every heartfelt relationship. His insights to eternal forgiveness and love will leave a deep impression on any seeking soul’s heart.

Interview:
Shirley: Abel, thank you for meeting me at this quiet café in Paris. I think sometimes that removing yourself from the setting where a difficult event took place can make it easier to talk about.
Abel: Thanks for taking the time to interview me, Shirley. It’s great to be back in Europe.
Shirley: If you lean just so, you can even see the Eiffel Tower pointing toward Heaven. Do you mind sharing with us which of your beliefs has had the most power to carry you through the difficult time you went through during the time portrayed in your book?
Abel: Knowing that I still could see my late wife and infant daughter again was of great comfort during that time and still is to some extent. So many people lose a loved one and think they’ll never see that person again and spend the rest of their lives mourning. It’s great to know that if we live right, we can be together again in the next life.
Shirley: One thing you mentioned in your book is the feeling that if you’d followed certain promptings, you may have headed off the suicide. Has this affected your response to promptings you receive now?
Abel: I try to live my life in such a way that I’ll be more open and receptive to the promptings. I’m still not perfect and occasionally fail to heed one but I do much better now than I did seven years ago.
Shirley: I know it’s not the same relationship as yours, but when my uncle killed himself, I was heartbroken because he didn’t know how much I loved him. If he had, he would never have done it. What advice do you have for people who feel guilty over the death of a loved one?
Abel: Learn from the experience, move on, and don’t make the same mistake again. In your example, Shirley, if you have people that don’t know how much you love them, find a way to let them know how much they mean to you. Do it today if at all possible.
Shirley: That’s a very good idea. Oh, here comes the garcon with fresh, warm croissants. Merci. Mmmm, so warm, so simple, yet satisfying. Like good relationships. Pass the butter, please. Do you have any words of advice for those who live with a depressed person?
Abel: Give them the love and support they need. Help them see the problem and make positive changes in their life. If necessary, encourage and help them seek professional help.
Shirley: What would you say to someone who is currently contemplating suicide?
Abel: Reach out to someone and get help. Suicide doesn’t solve anything.
Shirley: What made you decide to write this book? Here, let me pour you some grape juice. It’s fresh squeezed… or stomped, whatever the case may be.
Abel: There were two motivations to write the book. The first was a lack of any compelling memoir about losing a spouse. I read, or tried to read, a lot of books about people who went through similar experiences and found them to be completely worthless. The second was that a lot of people who were reading my old blog – most of whom had not lost a spouse -- told me I had a story that could help and inspire a lot of people.
Shirley: Thank you, Abel. Your story certainly inspired me. This world is such a beautiful place when you can see beyond the hurt. Your book reached a part of me still sore from my uncle’s death, and helped me feel better.
Pardonnez moi, it’s time to catch my plane. Thanks to you and your wife for your willingness to share your story.
Abel: Au revoir.

Room for Two
Trade Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Cedar Fort (August 2007)
ISBN-10: 1599550628
ISBN-13: 978-1599550626
Amazon.com Sales Rank: #208,955

Spontaneous Acts of Service

By Sidne O'Reilly - The Twelve Week Challenge

Spontaneous Acts of Service are part of the 12 Week Challenge. Saturday I had a lovely demonstration of that in my own family.

I am blessed to have 4 of my 6 children living in the same city I live in. We all moved to Utah within a year of each other. Some of us moved from Arizona and Nevada. One daughter joined us from New Mexico. What a delight to have so many loved ones nearby. Since we all moved here we started a tradition of gathering to celebrate birthdays once a month. We thought for sure that by this time of year we could easily meet in the park and it would be fine. (There are 30+ of us altogether which makes quit a houseful.) The sun was shining overhead. It looked like it might be a perfect day. I had worn a long-sleeved sweatshirt, (my favorite with an embroidered message of “Grand kids, pieces of the heart.”), thinking that it turned a little cool I would be fine. What I didn’t factor in was the wind-chill. It was freezing! Even as I sat there cuddled up with a sweet Grandbaby swaddled in blankets, I froze. One of my daughters in law, Denise, saw my predicament and despite my protests had her daughter get another baby blanket out of the car to put around my shoulders. How grateful I was. The blanket didn’t just warm me on the outside, but warmed my heart as well. She is such a great example of spontaneous service.

Young mothers are sometimes a little overwhelmed with family responsibilities. Lessons at church on serving others can seem overwhelming it’s true. But what we don’t want to loose sight of are the small opportunities to serve another. They are all around us. A spontaneous act of service can be as small as a smile. All we have to do is be conscious of those around us as Denise was. The funny thing about service is that I’ll bet in some way Denise’s consideration for me warmed her too.
What small act of service can you do today? I’m cheering for you, Sidne

I Bought My Wife Flowers With a Smile!

I am not one to buy flowers, because they just die. Today at lunch I went to the store by work and had some flowers sent to my wife’s work. After spending a lot of money on them, I left the store with a smile on my face. Usually when I spend a lot of money on anything I am not smiling.

Three days before Christmas a pipe broke on our top floor and we now have a huge hole where the ceiling used to be. To date, we have still not had this repaired, which makes my wife insane. Our water softener has also not worked since late December, one more thing on my honey-do list.

We have had a tough few months. Since the new year, Tawna has had her tonsils out, and didn’t recover well. I started my new job at Cedar Fort Inc. two days after her surgery and was unable to care for her postoperatively. In November, I had bought her 5th row tickets to see Brad Paisley for her birthday, which was the week after her tonsillectomy. She had assured me she would be fine to go to the concert. The day of the concert, my wife spent the day in the hospital having IV's to rehydrate her. She had been unable to eat or drink anything since the surgery eight days prior. We gave the tickets to our daughter and son-in-law and they reported back that it was the best show they had ever seen. Not such good news for my lovely wife!

I had been kind enough to take her car in and have it inspected so we could get the registration done on it. On the way out of the driveway I backed out and crashed it into my son's friend's car, leaving the rear fender and tail light smashed. No damage was done to my son's friend's truck.

Since my wife's surgery had left us unable to celebrate either her birthday or our first wedding anniversary, for my birthday last week, she planned a secret surprise relaxation getaway weekend. We left Saturday morning and enjoyed a one and a half hour massage together. Her choice, believe me! We went to lunch, shopped, went to a couple of movies and spent the night at a charming bed and breakfast (which was a little freaky for me, but I indulged her). The next morning, we had a leisurely brunch and then returned home to change clothes and get ready for the "surprise" birthday dinner that she had planned for me with all of my children. When we returned home, we were met with a "not so pleasant" odor filling our home. After further investigation, we discovered that our refrigerator and freezer (which is only 13 months old) had ceased working, most likely since late the previous week. Our entire fresh food supply was ruined. My wife had gone to the butcher shop just the weekend before and purchased nearly $200 in meat which was now oozing over all of the rest of the frozen food. Note--Ice cream does not stay in the carton when not frozen! We then went downstairs to check on my mother who lives in our basement. When I walked in I found her talking on her remote control, completely incoherant. She couldn’t get anyone to answer it. Needless to say, my surprise birthday dinner ended up being an even more surprising trip to the emergency room until 2:00 a.m. Happy Birthday to me!!

My mother was diagnosed with pneumonia and spent eight fun-filled days in the local hospital, most of which not knowing who or where she was. We picked her up Monday night after work and returned her to her home (after spending the weekend cleaning her house and laundering every piece of linen in the house). We fed her dinner and got her settled and ready for bed in her clean sheets and blankets. We prepared her oxygen and her CPAP machine and laid out her bed clothes. We went upstairs for the last time about 10:00 p.m. At about 10:30 we heard her up letting her dogs out. In the morning when my wife leaves for work, she lets our dogs downstairs to play for the day. I called my mom to see if she was ready for the dogs and got no answer. My wife went downstairs and found my mom on the floor where she had spend most of the night apparently. My wife got her cleaned up and moved into her bed, fed her and gave her the daily prescribed medications and left for work, making sure she had both the cell phone and the house phone within reach. I tried calling her throughout the day, but got no answer. I assumed the worst. When I returned home from work, it was apparent that she was still not well. She was too weak to stand and had been unable to get up all day. As I called the paramedics for assistance, my wife cheerfully cleaned my mom up, changed her clothes and got her ready to return to the hospital.
We again spent the evening in the emergency room waiting for them to re-admit her with unresolved pneumonia.

On Monday morning, before my mom's release from the hospital, my 15 year old decided that he would rather move back to his mother's house than get up for school in the morning. As you may guess this was quite upsetting to me. He has lived with my wife and me since we were married a year ago. I can honestly say, I have never been that upset or angry with any of my children.

As if that tale of woe was not sufficient enough, our garage door is malfunctioning and the check engine light is bright yellow on both of our cars. Good times!!

I thank my lucky stars I have a wonderful wife to buy flowers for!!!