Prayers for Haiti

My prayers are with the country of Haiti after the 7.0 earthquake yesterday.

It's a country of 9 million and 3 million are directly impacted by this earthquake.

God be with you, Haiti, and help you to get through this horrific tragedy.

THE PURPOSE OF LIFE BY STACY DUPLEASE OF STORIES BY STACY

Do you ever feel as though you keep thinking you know your purpose? Then something happens and it makes you re-examine your first premise?

As a child of God, I know my purpose is to bring God the glory. This doesn’t change. It’s all of our purposes. However, how we live that out differs. Our spiritual gifts are what makes this different for each of us.

The question of purpose is a question man’s been asking since the beginning of time and today is no differently.

I guess another question we could ask, rather than ‘What is my purpose in this world,’ is:

‘What is my niche in this world? Where do I fit in?’

As a writer, this question has been forever on my mind for years. I feel in many ways as though I’ve been blowing around in the wind like an old dried up leaf. I’m out of season and am trying to find the right breeze to catch me and make me bloom into a new tree. (Okay, leaves don’t grow trees. Seed do. But, pretend leaves do for the sake of my analogy, please.) I just don’t know what the tree is. I don’t know which breeze will catch me. And I sure don’t know what it will turn into.

The new year brings these questions out even more inside of me, I don’t know about you.

I know you’ve seen it in my writings over the last several months. I’m blowing all over the place.

I keep thinking I’ve found it. Then, no. That’s not it.

So, I’ve decided to go back to my first love and see what happens.

Journaling is my first love.

On this blog of Stories by Stacy 1, I’ll talk about life and writing.

On my other blog at:

http://www.rememberingyourpresentdiary.blogspot.com/.

I will talk about journaling, life, and how to get your life down on paper.

So, I guess I’m stopping fiction writing for a while. I’m going to try non-fiction.

On this blog, I’ll also include my memoir.

Welcome to another new beginning at Stories by Stacy.

Thanks for sticking with this blog and with me.

God bless you.


By Stacy Duplease
of Stories by Stacy

New Year’s Resolutions by Stacy Duplease of Stories by Stacy

I’ve always found New Year’s Resolutions to be a waste of time. We try to do them for a week or two and sometimes even succeed for a month. However, we usually revert back to our old ways that we had the resolution for to begin with and that’s a shame. But, it happens.


Therefore, I don’t do resolutions.

I do something else, instead. It’s far more effective, meaningful, and lasting. I set goals. I give myself milestones which let me know I am achieving the desired results toward the goal. I make sure the milestones are achievable as well and this is a huge benefit. I also try to make sure I give myself enough time to accomplish the goal.

I also try to evaluate and re-evaluate myself and my life at least every four months and always do it at the beginning of the year. I write it down and look at my last evaluation and make sure to look at the one from last January. I see what has changed, what hasn’t, what goals I’ve accomplished, what goals I haven’t, and I spend some time reflecting over the last year.

What do you do?


By Stacy Duplease
of Stories by Stacy

New Blog

Check out my new blog about journaling and Remembering Your Present at:

http://www.rememberingyourpresent.blogspot.com/

By Stacy Duplease
of Stories by Stacy

I'm Back from Vacation & Other News by Stacy Duplease of Stories by Stacy

Hello, everyone! I'm finally back from vacation. I hope to be able to start to write in this at least three days a week, if not five. We shall see.

OMAHA TO LAS VEGAS
My hubby and I, as you know, moved from Denver to Omaha in July. Then, his job moved us to Las Vegas temporarily. We'll be back in Omaha in July. So, greetings to you from Northwest Las Vegas.

Hence, I just moved twice in six months and across statelines. I never lived outside of Colorado until July 2009 and found this latest move much easier than the last. Thank God. But, that's not to say it wasn't stressful. I just adjusted much easier than I imagined and am grateful for that.

I never realized how much living with the mountains in the background was so critical in my life until now. My life is not the same without seeing them. Hence, the temporary move to Las Vegas is actually a huge blessing. (I won't rub it in how wonderful the weather is and how that helps, too.) But, in Omaha, there are no mountains and it impacted me more than I even knew.

HOLIDAYS
I hope your Christmas and New Year's were special and memorable. I sure enjoyed being able to celebrate both back at home in Denver. It was a huge blessing to me to be able to be there for the holidays. I'm ready for the new year and the new decade. How about you?

NEXT VACATION
I just want to give you some heads-up. I'll be going on vacation in May for a writer's conference and will head to Estes Park Colorado for the third year in the row. I can't wait. So, you're stuck with me until then.

NEW BLOG
If you want to learn about the following, check out my new blog. I'm writing a book titled,

"Remembering Your Present:
How to Live Fully & Leave Your Legacy
Through Journaling, Blogging, or Keeping a Diary"

The book goes with the blog. You can check out the blog at:

http://www.rememberingyourpresentdiary.blogspot.com/

It's about claiming the present moment as sacred and leaving your legacy for your family and the world through journaling.

I haven't been this excited about a project in a long time.

I'll write more tomorrow. Have a great day and evening!

Blessings.

By Stacy Duplease
of Stories by Stacy

New Beginnings, New Year's, and the Closing and Opening of a Decade

READ PREVIOUS BLOG POST FIRST, PLEASE.
Please read the blog posting before this one so you know about my vacation time coming up and how if I do any blog posts between now and January 15th or so, it will be a miracle. As a matter of fact, I really don't have the time for this post, but am making the time.

CHRISTMAS
Merry Christmas again. I pray that the next ten days or so help you to remember the real reason we celebrate Christmas. It's not about money (or lack thereof), family, dinner, or anything else of the sort. It's about Jesus Christ's birth and how our lives are forever changed because of it. Period. Nothing else. It's all about HIM.

HAPPY NEW YEAR
January 1, 2010 marks the close of a decade and the opening of a new decade. It's not just a new year. It's an important landmark most of us tend to sail on by without thinking much of and that's a real tragedy and travesty. So, let's not do that this year.

A new year marks a new beginning and the close of a chapter. That's it. It's not about making resolutions we never really intend on bringing to pass.

A new year is the time to close up old stuff that happened long ago and we can't change.

A new year is about starting over and starting anew or afresh where we can learn from our mistakes and our successes.

A new year should be about remembering that which worked and that which didn't.

A new year is about trying new things. It's about making this year better than the last. Or, in this case, the next decade better than the last.

Enjoy the new year. MAKE it whatever you so choose. Just, make sure it holds a time to remember the past and a time to plan for the future to have more joy the next year.

Happy New Year and New Decade, everyone. God bless.

By Stacy Duplease
of Stories by Stacy

Holidays & Moving (Temporarily)

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone!

I'm sorry to be a stranger. I'm in the process of moving with my hubby to Las Vegas for 7 months or so, then we'll move back to Omaha. Needless to say, blogging time, tweeting, Facebook, and the like are not really an option for me. I am sorry to be a stanger.

I am writing a new novel, though, and am quite excited about it. So, hang in there with me, please. More to follow.

I will return in mid-January, from Vegas and will have stories of our antics of taking Zack Beagle and Sinan Orange Tabby (Mainecoon) to Denver for 10 days for Christmas and then to Las Vegas.

God bless you!

By Stacy Duplease
of Stories by Stacy

Pearl Harbor Day: A Day of Remembrance by Stacy Duplease of Stories by Stacy

Misc. Blog Post
Written and Posted on 07 December 2009 Pearl Harbor Day

A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE
How many of us remember how today marks the second worst tragedy to happen on American soil, but was the first declaration of war of the two? Today is Pearl Harbor Day and 9/11 is Patriot’s Day based on 9/11/2001.

We need to remember.

We cannot forget.

We never want these people killed to be forgotten or how it forever changed the United States of America. Their deaths were not in vain and are remembered.

Remember.

You would not be sitting here today if not for the events which transpired because of 07 December 1941.

Don’t forget. Don’t let this day pass you by.

The United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by our enemy at the time (and now friend and ally) Japan. Thousands perished because of the attack in Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.

Speaking of which, why not take out the movie, “Pearl Harbor” with Ben Affleck and Kate Beckinsdale from 2003 ) I believe, but may be wrong about that year)? Watch it and remember.


By Stacy Duplease
of Stories by Stacy

Holidays with Jesus #7 by Stacy Duplease of Stories by Stacy

Blog Post #7 of the Holidays with Jesus Series of Books
Book #1: Thanksgiving to Christmas
Written: 03 December 2009, Thursday
Posted: 04 December 2009, Friday

THE CURSE OF THE HOLIDAYS
Today, we were supposed to start to go through each of the people listed in Matthew 1 of Christ’s lineage. However, I felt led to address another subject before we start that study. It’s about the curse of the holidays and with Thanksgiving and Christmas in particular. You know the one I’m talking about. It’s the expectations we set which aren’t met and we become disappointed by them and we curse our families and swear off the holiday because our expectations weren’t met.

Another curse is that if it’s going to go wrong, it will usually go wrong now. Hence, it’s even more important to take a look at our expectations so that when things go wrong, we’re less disappointed and are more apt to stand strong in spite of the circumstances. (Also, see my extra yesterday’s blog where I talk about the difference between happiness and joy. Knowing the difference can help us to have more appropriate expectations of the holidays.)

EXAMPLES OF THE CURSE IN MY LIFE
First, my husband and I have been in the process of buying a new vehicle. Everything that could go wrong has. We’re going to get the vehicle, and I have it in my possession, but we haven’t actually signed on the dotted line at the dealership because of several stupid technicalities. It’s enough to drive everyone crazy. However, all parties involved between the dealership, the financial institution, and my husband and I have been patient and have had steady emotions. We’ve been working together and not against one another. This is a huge positive in a negative situation. And trust me, I had to look HARD for this silver-lining. But, things are still sketchy and could be quite irritating.

Second, yesterday was a day of bad news, bad situations, and things which threatened to get me down. Between the car-buying stress, taking my dog (Zack Beagle) to the vet and having to watch him be tortured getting bloodwork because his blood refused to go into the vial… And, then getting some scary news about the results… Then, getting bad news that when my husband and I have to temporarily move to Las Vegas because of his work from January to May originally has now been moved to July. We’ll be in temporary living, with a carload of stuff only, and will bring Zack Beagle and our orange Tabby, Sinan. What that means is I’ll see my husband far less for longer now. Not looking forward to that, but it is what it is and I will make the best of the situation.

EXAMINATION OF EXPECTATIONS FOR THE HOLIDAYS
In other words, we set ourselves up to fail on holidays because of inappropriate or unrealistic expectations. We need to examine our holiday expectations. Even if we love the holidays and think they’re perfect in every way, it’s still important for us to take the time to examine them.

Grab your journal/notebook, a pen, and your favorite drink. Then, let’s ask ourselves some questions and answer them in our own hand.

Does Christmas bring pain in your life? Why?

Does just the term ‘Christmas’ make you want to put your hand over your ears and start to run as fast as you can away from it? Why?

Does Christmas remind you of what you don’t have or have lost?

Do you feel angry, sad, stressed, frustrated, disappointed, or any other negative emotion when you think of Christmas? Why? Take some time to answer this question. Ideally, you would write an entire page about this subject. At least, write 8 sentences, please.

What was your worst Christmas ever and why (it can be several)? Take some time with this one as well. Ideally, you would write a page for each occurrence. However, at least do 4 sentences each.

What was your best Christmas ever and why (it can be several)? Take some time with this one as well. Ideally, you would write a page for each occurrence. However, at least do 6 sentences each.

Hang in there.

If the above questions stirred up the negative in you, please, bear with me. I’m going to help you see Christmas differently. However, you’ll need to unfortunately answer more questions below which might add to your pain. Stick it out, please. It will pay off. Go through this and answer the questions in spite of how you want to ignore them because they hurt. Sometimes, we need to go through the pain for a few minutes in order to heal. Furthermore, we need to look and see from time to time why we are hurt by things, even when we think we know why, because the reasons might change.

Also, if you need to set this to the side for a few minutes, do. Take a short break, but finish it in one day. If you wait any longer than that, you might not ever do so and if it takes longer, you won’t get as much out of this exercise.

Please define Christmas.

What does Christmas mean to you, good or bad, and why? Write a minimum of 8 sentences.

How much money do you spend on Christmas?

What traditions do you have?

What do you want out of Christmas?

What do you want out of others for Christmas?
I WANT TO SEE CHRISTMAS THROUGH GOD’S EYES—NOT MINE
Everything from yesterday in my life could make me not want Christmas to come around. Everything could make me a Scrooge. However, I refuse to go there. I’m making an active choice to focus on what really matters and what is really important. Here’s why:

What is Christmas really about? It’s about Jesus. It’s not about family. It’s not about gifts. It’s not about giving. That is what Christmas has become, nonetheless, and is the reason why we have unrealistic and inappropriate expectations of the holiday. The original meaning of Christmas was to celebrate Christ’s birth.

Please don’t hate me for saying what I just did. I’m sorry if it struck a nerve.

However, as Christians, this is a fact. If we let it be anything other than about Jesus, we’ve missed the entire point and His birth, crucifixion, and resurrection were for NOTHING. We will miss that Christmas is about the gift HE gave us—heaven. Living forever with God. No more pain. No more disappointments.

If we don’t celebrate the TRUTH of Christmas, we will be disappointed most Christmases. We will also be stressed most Christmases and might even drive other’s a little crazy because of our lack of realization of the truth of Christmas.

Every day, we need to ACTIVELY, INTENTIONALLY choose to remember the reason of Christmas. We need to see Christmas through God’s eyes and not our own.

Then, we can give gifts—as long as we don’t stress ourselves or our finances. If it comes down to this, or we think we HAVE to give gifts, we’ve missed the point.

If we think we HAVE to give or volunteer, we’ve missed the point.

If we have to force our families to get together, we’ve missed the point.

Can’t Christmas be a time to just be together as a family and enjoy one another? Can’t we just be a family? Isn’t that enough? If you have kids, I understand gifts for them, that’s different. Please don’t misunderstand me. But, we can use it as an opportunity to teach them about the reason for Christmas—every day in December from the first to the thirty-first. Not just a quick one-time read through of the Christmas story.

Can’t we simplify Christmas? Can’t we make it more enjoyable and never stressful in the least? We could choose this approach. Yet, most of us choose not to take this approach--why? (Please answer all those questions.)

Can’t we individually celebrate Jesus’ birth? (Please answer question.)

Choose to make Christmas a time to focus first on Jesus, to enjoy our family, to give to charity rather than on gifts (except for children), and rejuvenate in the knowledge that we’re reborn because of Christ’s birth and our acceptance of Him?

MORE REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS
What does Christ’s birth mean to you?

How do you focus on Jesus?

How do you keep Jesus front and center in your life from Thanksgiving to Christmas?

What can you eliminate in your life to focus on Christ rather than on gifts, spending, giving more than you have to give (emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and financially)?
Christmas is about Jesus. It’s not about us. It’s not about our families. It’s about Jesus.

Let’s see Christmas through God’s eyes and kill the curses of Christmas.

What are your thoughts?
By Stacy Duplease
of Stories by Stacy

Holidays with Jesus #6 by Stacy Duplease of Stories by Stacy

Blog Post #6 of the Holidays with Jesus Series of books

Book #1: Thanksgiving to Christmas
Written: 29 November 2009, Sunday
Posted: 03 December 2009, Thursday

HOW DO WE FOCUS ON JESUS AND NOT ON THE HOLIDAY ALONE?
How do we take the focus off of the holiday and put it onto Jesus? Also, how can we use the foundation of the holidays to remind us of different things to worship Jesus because of and put our focus on during the different holiday seasons?

~ Grab your notebook/journal, a pen, and a mug of your favorite drink and answer the above questions. What do you think? Take several minutes and answer the above questions in a minimum of 8 sentences.
FOCUSING ON AND GETTING TO KNOW JESUS/REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS
The questions below are two-fold. One is for you to take time and answer each as fully as you can today. Take a lot of time and answer each one. Answer each one fully and don’t rush your answer. Ideally, you could answer each in 8-12 sentences (or a lot more). However, try for 4 minimum. Then, the second part of these questions is they will be answered through this book and through the “Holidays with Jesus Series.”

Part of focusing on Jesus is to get to know:

1. Who was Jesus when He lived on earth?

2. Who is Jesus to us today?

3. Who is Jesus in the future?

4. What did Jesus do?

5. What’s important to know about Jesus?

6. What has Jesus done for you?

7. What can you do for Jesus?

8. What did Jesus do?

9. What did Jesus say?

10. What did Jesus feel?

11. What would your life be like without Jesus?

12. What have you been forgiven from because of Jesus?

13. Where did He come from? (Before birth, while alive, when resurrected, and when He comes again)

14. When did He live on earth?

15. When did people first realize He was the Messiah and the Savior of the world?

16. When did you first get to know Jesus as your Savior?

17. When will you focus on Jesus today?

18. Why is it important to know Jesus?

19. Why did Jesus come to earth and was born?

20. Why was Jesus crucified?

21. Why was Jesus resurrected?

22. Why will Jesus come again?

23. Why should you believe in Jesus?

24. Why is Jesus important to you?

25. How did Jesus worship God?

26. How has Jesus changed your life?

27. How can you share Jesus with others?

28. How can you focus on Jesus and on Him alone?


By Stacy Duplease
of Stories by Stacy

Stealer of Joy Attempt by Stacy Duplease of Stories by Stacy

Blog Post: 02 December 2009, Wednesday
Stealer of Joy Attempt

STEALER OF JOY ATTEMPT
Have you noticed how there are forces in this world that actively seek to destroy your joy? We tend to forget that nobody and nothing can steal our joy. Our joy is deeper than emotion and is longer lasting than a situation. Therefore, nothing can really steal it. However, the forces in this world can sure steal our attention/focus, our emotion, and get our eyes off of what is really important and what really matters.

You may wonder what brings this up in my blog today. But, have you noticed about the time life looks up, something or someone has to try to bring you down? It only happens if we let it, however.

I was off the charts in joy and happiness—at about a ten each when I got out of bed this morning. Now, my joy is still at a ten because my joy is determined by my relationship with God. I’m saved, so it doesn’t get any better than that. When I die, I will go be a princess with an eternal King and live in heaven forever. I will be able to spend eternity in the presence of God. It doesn’t get any better than that. Hence, my joy is not diminished because I’m being needled.

However, my happiness has sure dropped a point. It’s at a nine now rather than a ten. My happiness threatened to drop more than that until I realized what happened and I told myself that I will control my emotions and my mind about my circumstances. I will not allow them to control me. I will stand strong because I have full faith in God. He knows what He is doing. I trust in Him in spite of the negative circumstances. The negative circumstances, by the way, on a chart of 1 being low in negativity and ten being high is at about a five, to help you gauge my mind-over-matter and my determined (by me) faith in God. I wills tand firm. I will not waiver. I will trust and believe Him.
HAPPINESS VS. JOY
Let’s look at the two different words.

Happiness is temporary. It is determined by events, circumstances, or situations. It’s emotional. We can choose to be happy, though, in emotion in spite of whatever happens or doesn’t happen. It’s centered on emotion, people, situations, and things/possessions. It can wane when any of the centered on list gives us problems. However, happiness can also wane when we want something, but we do not get it or when we don’t want something and we get it anyway. Happiness is fleeting. Often times, we allow it to control us rather than controlling it. It’s world-centered.

Joy is deeper, long-lasting, not determined by anything other than our relationship and belief in Christ. It’s far deeper than any emotion. It’s more than a state of mind or heart. It is what exists in our soul because we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior. It is not determined by circumstances. It’s also something we can choose to live by or ignore. We always have joy, but it’s our choice to act on it and allow it to outshine the negatives of life. Joy is God and Christ-centered.

EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON
As Christians, we aren’t supposed to believe in Murphy’s Law and we aren’t supposed to believe in coincidence. Everything happens for a reason and the reason is always double-fold.

1. It brings God glory. We may not see it. It may not make sense. In fact, at the time, it can hurt that God allows things to happen because it brings Him glory. But, here’s where faith comes into the picture. We are to trust and to proceed by faith. Later, it will make more sense. At the time, it can hurt.

2. God has a purpose in what has happened. Again, we have to proceed by faith and trust God.

REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS
How’s your happiness?

How’s your joy?

Do you trust God in spite of the appearance of your current circumstances? (I phrased it that way because often times, appearances are deceiving. If you wait a while, you’ll see the situation from a new perspective and will have a new insight.)

What have today’s thoughts given you thoughts to ponder?

Take care and blessings to you,


By Stacy Duplease
of Stories by Stacy

Holidays with Jesus #5 by Stacy Duplease of Stories by Stacy

Blog Post #5 of the Holidays with Jesus Series of books

Book #1: Thanksgiving to Christmas
Written: 29 November 2009, Sunday
Posted: 02 December 2009, Wednesday

TODAY: LET’S GET TO KNOW WHO JESUS CAME FROM AND HIS ANCESTRY
One of the ways to get to know people is to know where they came from and who they came from. Even though Jesus was God, He was born from a woman. He was raised by an earthly father and mother as well. Hence, He was fully man.

Even in cases where we try to deny our family heritage, much of who we are can be directly linked to them and what we learned from. Jesus is no exception. It was even more true back then because in those times, and according to His faith, heritage and remembering the past was essential.

Who God chose as the family line for the Savior of the world is important. Who they were, what they did or didn’t do, what God thought of them, etc. is critical for us to know. After all, everything Jesus said and did was meant to be an example for us and to teach us how to live the best lives possible. He came so that we could learn how to live for and worship God on this earth and how to bring Him glory. Therefore, let’s see what example is set for us in his family line.

Please read Matthew 1 below and then let’s start to break it down and look at person by person and what they did or didn’t do in the name of God.

Matthew 1


The Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah


1 The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham:


2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.


3 Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez was the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram.


4 Ram was the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon.


5 Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab, Boaz was the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse.


6 Jesse was the father of David the king. David was the father of Solomon by Bathsheba who had been the wife of Uriah.


7 Solomon was the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa.


8 Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah.


9 Uzziah was the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah.


10 Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, and Amon the father of Josiah.


11 Josiah became the father of Jeconiah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.


12 After the deportation to Babylon: Jeconiah became the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel.


13 Zerubbabel was the father of Abihud, Abihud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor.


14 Azor was the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud.


15 Eliud was the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob.


16 Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.


17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations.


Conception and Birth of Jesus


18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.


19 And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly.


20 But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.


21 "She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins."


22 Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet:


23 "BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL," which translated means, "GOD WITH US."


24 And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife,


25 but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus, (NASB).



(Author’s Note about the NASB: "Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.")

REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS
~ Grab your journal/notebook, pen, and a mug of your favorite beverage. Sit back and answer these questions.

1. What names do you recognize?

2. Can you remember what names you recognize did, didn’t do, who they were, and why they’re mentioned in the Bible?

3. How many women are listed above? Who are they? (The answer is 5, as a hint.)

4. Why were the women listed? Any idea? If not, it’s okay. This will be studied later in this study.

5. Why is his heritage important? (Also, his heritage is important because they prove He is the Messiah. There are verses which refer to them. We’ll get into this later as well.

6. What is important about Babylon? (We’ll discuss this later as well.)

7. What do you think Mary thought when she found out she was with child—in an unnatural and abnormal fashion?

8. What would you have thought if you were her and in those circumstances?

9. What do you think Joseph thought when he found out Mary was with child?

10. What would you have thought if you were him?

11. What would you have done if an angel appeared to you?

12. What would you have thought if you discovered you were carrying the Son of God?

13. What kind of pressure would you have felt?

14. What responsibilities would this bring?

15. Would you have believed the angel?

16. What would it be like to carry the Son of God?

17. What would it have been like to give birth to the Son of God?

18. What would this have done to your faith?


By Stacy Duplease
of Stories by Stacy

Writing Goals as of 30 November 2009 by Stacy Duplease of Stories by Stacy

MY WRITING GOALS AS OF 30 NOVEMBER 2009 ARE AS FOLLOWS:
1. Add the Bible study portion to the novel I submitted to NaNoWriMo, "John & the Bible Time Travel Machine" between now and 15 December 2009.
2. Write "Vol. 2 Truth from Fiction Anthology" by end of January 2010
3. Write "Vol. 3 Truth from Fiction Anthology" by end of February 2010
4. Write "Vol. 4 Truth from Fiction Anthology" by end of March 2010
5. Write "Vol. 5 Truth from Fiction Anthology" by end of April 2010
6. Publish "John & the Bible Time Travel Machine" between March and April 2010



By Stacy Duplease
of Stories by Stacy

NaNoWriMo Winner 2009

I just checked my NaNoWriMo account and confirmed that I am indeed a winner. What that means is I wrote 50,000 words in a month. Please see the top right of blog. You can see the badge which confirms I am. This is a huge accomplishment and I wanted to thank you for sharing in my joy.

To HIM be all glory.

By Stacy Duplease
of Stories by Stacy

Holidays with Jesus #4 by Stacy Duplease of Stories by Stacy

Blog Post #4 of the Holidays with Jesus Series of books
Book #1: Thanksgiving to Christmas
Written: 29 November 2009, Sunday
Posted: 30 November 2009

THANKSGIVING
I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving.

GREETINGS
Good day to you. I hope all is well with you and if not, I'm grateful you're finding solace with God in this blog and blog posting. May your hearts and minds be comforted. If you are suffering in any way, please let me know so I can pray for you. Send me an email to: stacyduplease@storiesbystacy.com or add a comment at the end of this blog. If you want me to add it to my prayer requests on this blog, tell me to do so.

If this is the first time you've read this blog, I hope you go back and read the other three. You can find them in the ARCHIVES of this blog on the right-hand side of this blog about halfway down the page.

HOLIDAYS WITH JESUS: THANKSGIVING TO CHRISTMAS

INTRODUCTION
Today marks the forth day after Thanksgiving and I pray that you had a blessed day and are still feeling grateful. However, realistically speaking, for a lot of people, the holidays aren't the joyful time of year between Halloween and New Year's Day. Rather, Thanksgiving and Christmas can bring pain. They can be a reminder of what you don't have. Moreover, because of the negative emotions and connotations the holidays can conjure, we may want to try to forget them altogether.

That's why I have written this blog and will turn it into a book on the subject. It's for those who love the holidays and those who would prefer to forget. Additionally, for those who love the holidays, do we love them for the right reasons?

This blog and book is to help us focus on Jesus all year long and to evaluate our faith and where we stand. It's to help us get to know Jesus even more and is meant to help us follow the Lord and the Word. After all, we are nothing, and our lives are nothing without Jesus being in them and without us being in the Word (the Holy Bible).

KEEP READING
All of the blog posts that I do for this series will eventually be put into book form throughout the next two years (preferably over the next year and a half). Therefore, please sign up as a follower for this blog and/or keep checking it because I will try to do a posting on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Some days will comprise of multiple. I will always label it and you can always find it that way, in the blog archives, or use the search engine that I have on this blog on the right-hand side of the page about halfway down the blog page.

BIBLE STUDY, REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS, PRAYER, & LIFE APPLICATION
This is meant to be a Bible study as a whole. It will also offer Reflective Questions, Prayer, and Life Application. I will also include some stories to help make you think and learn how to apply the Bible, an ancient text, to your lives today. Additionally, I hope it helps you to develop a passion for the Word, for Jesus and God, and for prayer.

LET’S GET STARTED
Grab your journal or notebook, along with a pen and a mug of your favorite drink and let’s get started.

THANKSGIVING TO CHRISTMAS
The focus of the first book in the “Holidays with Jesus Series” is on making the shift from Thanksgiving to Christmas. We’re going to look more at Jesus Christ than on Christmas. After all, the reason for the season is He—not presents, not stress, not missing anyone or anything, not wishing things were different, not on the fact that you don’t have money, the should’ve been’s or could’ve been’s. or anything else of the sort.

The Christmas season is supposed to be about JESUS and Him alone. Period. End of sentence, paragraph, and story. If you don’t like Christmas, then maybe this is why. Your focus is on the insignificant.

If you love Christmas, is it because of the parties or the gifts? Both are good. However, is Jesus the first focus and priority you and your family have?

My family, for example, no longer gives gifts on Christmas. We give what we would have spent on one another to charity, instead, and on the people who can’t afford to have Christmas. I’m not saying that for a pat on the back. No, no, no. But, we got tired of the stress it brought and wanted to enjoy one another. This brings true joy. We got rid of the stuff that doesn’t really matter—the stuff. After all, we all have what we need. Why collect more stuff? It clutters.

Jesus is to be the focus. Nothing and nobody else truly matters on this day, but Jesus.

REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS
What can you do to focus on Jesus for the holidays and not on what you wish for but can’t have, or what was and never will be again?

Who is Jesus to you?

How can you celebrate His life?

What can you do to be more Christ-like?

TOMORROW
Tomorrow, we’ll look at the ancestry of Jesus.

By Stacy Duplease
of Stories by Stacy

Holidays with Jesus #3 by Stacy Duplease of Stories by Stacy

Holidays with Jesus Series
Book #1: Thanksgiving to Christmas

Blog Post #3 on
Posted 29 November 2009
Written on 24 November 2009 Wednesday
Was meant for Before Thanksgiving

NOTEBOOK OR JOURNAL
Please note how in this book, there are no lines to use to write your answers to the questions. However, you need to know that's because I personally find lines rather confining. I don't think that in most cases, lines provide adequate space for us to respond to thoroughly not just now but in the future. Furthermore, if you write on the lines, it means you may never return back to this book in the future. The ideal is that you'll return to this book periodically in order to see how much you've grown or where you might need to review and try to relearn the lesson missed or forgotten. Furthermore, I'm a firm believer that every time you re-read something, you get more out of it. Consequently, it's important to re-read things from time to time.

Since this book does not have lines, please purchase a notebook or journal to answer all the questions in this book or answer on your computer and keep a permanent digital copy where it's easy to add comments to at a later date. Just make sure to write the date of each time you answer a question so you can see over time how you grow. Every time I ask a question, please write your answer in a notebook. That is of course unless I put a (x) behind the question. That means it's something you don't need to write. For example: What do you think about this study so far (x)?

Reflective Questions
When was the last time you intentionally spent an entire day in prayer and thanking God for what He's done, is doing, and will be doing in your life? Yes. An entire day.

Have you ever taken the time to do so? If so, when did you take a day to offer God thanksgiving?

How about half a day? Four hours? Two hours? An hour? Ten minutes?

Why has it been so long or not so long?

Why would this be important?

How meaningful is thanking God in your opinion?

Take a few minutes and think about these questions. Evaluate your life and where you are with bringing God the proper respect He deserves through thanking Him for what He has done, is doing, and will do in your life, through your life, and around you.

Do not feel guilty about what you may not have done. Acknowledge it, ask God for forgiveness, repent, and change your course of action today. Don't wait. While you may not be able to take an entire day for thanksgiving, you can give what you can now and for the rest of your day whatever you are able. This is what matters most. It's what you choose to do now. You can't change the past, but you can learn from it and make your every today and tomorrow better than your yesterdays. That's what you can control.

So, start thanking God.
A Sacrifice of Thanksgiving
We just asked ourselves some very difficult questions. I'm sure they were rather weighty. They were meant to get you to think before the big Turkey Day. Take some time to thank God and think about these things.


By Stacy Duplease
of Stories by Stacy

Thanksgiving: Holidays with Jesus by Stacy Duplease of Stories by Stacy

Thanksgiving: Holidays with Jesus

Blog Post #3 on 24 November 2009 Wednesday
Before Thanksgiving

NOTEBOOK OR JOURNAL
Please note how in this book, there are no lines to use to write your answers to the questions. However, you need to know that's because I personally find lines rather confining. I don't think that in most cases, lines provide adequate space for us to respond to thoroughly not just now but in the future. Furthermore, if you write on the lines, it means you may never return back to this book in the future. The ideal is that you'll return to this book periodically in order to see how much you've grown or where you might need to review and try to relearn the lesson missed or forgotten. Furthermore, I'm a firm believer that every time you re-read something, you get more out of it. Consequently, it's important to re-read things from time to time.

Since this book does not have lines, please purchase a notebook or journal to answer all the questions in this book or answer on your computer and keep a permanent digital copy where it's easy to add comments to at a later date. Just make sure to write the date of each time you answer a question so you can see over time how you grow. Every time I ask a question, please write your answer in a notebook. That is of course unless I put a (x) behind the question. That means it's something you don't need to write. For example: What do you think about this study so far (x)?
Reflective Questions
When was the last time you intentionally spent an entire day in prayer and thanking God for what He's done, is doing, and will be doing in your life? Yes. An entire day.

Have you ever taken the time to do so? If so, when did you take a day to offer God thanksgiving?

How about half a day? Four hours? Two hours? An hour? Ten minutes?

Why has it been so long or not so long?

Why would this be important?

How meaningful is thanking God in your opinion?

Take a few minutes and think about these questions. Evaluate your life and where you are with bringing God the proper respect He deserves through thanking Him for what He has done, is doing, and will do in your life, through your life, and around you.

Do not feel guilty about what you may not have done. Acknowledge it, ask God for forgiveness, repent, and change your course of action today. Don't wait. While you may not be able to take an entire day for thanksgiving, you can give what you can now and for the rest of your day whatever you are able. This is what matters most. It's what you choose to do now. You can't change the past, but you can learn from it and make your every today and tomorrow better than your yesterdays. That's what you can control.

So, start thanking God.
A Sacrifice of Thanksgiving
We just asked ourselves some very difficult questions. I'm sure they were rather weighty. They were meant to get you to think before the big Turkey Day. Take some time to thank God and think about these things.


By Stacy Duplease
of Stories by Stacy

NaNoWriMo: I See the Glory of the Lord by Stacy Duplease of Stories by Stacy

BLOG POST: 24 NOVEMBER 2009, TUESDAY

TWO DAYS BEFORE THANKSGIVING
Written at 5:26 p.m.

BLOG POST TITLE: NANOWRIMO: I SEE THE GLORY OF THE LORD and TO GOD BE THE GLORY

May all glory, honor, praise, and glory be given to the One Most High.

NaNoWriMo and My Book: John and the Bible Time Travel Machine:
You may wonder how my NaNoWriMo and the National Novel Writing Month Book is coming along. I think you might have an idea. However, I want to take you down the road I've traveled the last couple of days first before I confirm or deny what you may be thinking.
YESTERDAY
Yesterday marked the final push and the last seven days for me to write my 50,000 word novel in 30 days. You need to understand that when it come to crunch time, I always without fail start to stress and panic. I wonder how on earth I can possibly get it done. I stress and I usually make everyone around me stress. I try not to, but I have to be real and admit to my fatal flaws. This is one of them.

Yet... The reality of the situation is I always work best under pressure. I don't procrastinate by any means because that only multiplies my stress levels a thousand-fold. However, when it comes down to the final push, I give it my all. I grit my teeth and dive head first into it (whatever it might be). I grow determined.

So, here comes yesterday. Monday, 23 November 2009. I was stressed because I realized I lost one more day than I realized this week for wring this novel because I didn't realize my husband had Friday off from work as well as Thursday. This is a very good thing. I love to spend time with my hubby and will move everything to do so. The only problem was this novel hanging over my head.

Sigh. Stress. Freak-out internally was my reaction to the situation.

I HATE having to work if my husband is home because he is my best friend and I like to be with him... But, if I had to, I knew without a doubt he would understand. He's just that type of man.

That meant, I had three days to finish it and then edit next Monday.

Gulp.

Tremble.

Chew on fingernails.

My husband had to work late last night. Hallelujah! That gave me almost five extra hours.
TODAY
My husband also could have had today off from work. Let me start with that fact.

I had Bible study today in the morning. That meant four hours of my day would be lost. I actually debated on not going because the NaNo deadline is so close. But, no. That's not the thing to do. I went. I didn't care for it as I drove there. I did not want to go. But, when I got there, it was well worth it and God sure spoke to me. Well worth every bit of it. Plus, when is giving God time the wrong thing to do?

Bless my husband, he waited for me to come home. We had lunch and then he went into the office, after he made the announcement he would be home late because of a meeting. Hallelujah! That gave me extra time to work on the novel. God bless that man of mine.

I was able to grit my teeth and go for it and guess what?

I FINISHED MY NOVEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Celebrations at the Duplease household!

I called my hubby and told him so he could share in my joy.

Then, I decided to share in my joy with you.

I finished the writing of the novel! Praise and glory be to God. I couldn't have done ANY of it without Him.

Now, I need to edit it a little between now and Monday.

So, you know what my hubby and I will be doing the next four days. We're going to edit that book.

But, it's written! This is HUGE! Yay!

There's nothing like the feeling of finishing a novel. It's the realization of another dream. It's throwing all of my heart, mind, soul, and strength into a project. It's asking God to use my pen in spite of me. It's a very sacred thing. Shame on me for stressing about it and doubting I would get it done.

Now, I can breathe easier and start to edit it. Over the next two and a half months, I'm going to edit it and will have it published in March or April 2010. It will be the first I'm having published.

Thanks for listening to me. Praise the Lord!

God bless you.


By Stacy Duplease
of Stories by Stacy

Holidays with Jesus #2: Thanksgiving to Christmas: Book 1 by Stacy Duplease of Stories by Stacy

Holidays Blog Post #2
22 November 2009 Sunday


Book: Thanksgiving to Christmas:
A Bible Study Journey with Jesus
Book 1 of the Holidays with Jesus Series

Holidays are a mixed period of time. They are both curses and blessings. They are busy and we wish we could take the time to enjoy them more. They tend to make us feel stress and/or anxious. They have the potential to bring our hopes up, only to have them dashed. They make us long for what was or what could be. They hurt. They bring great joy. Never mind how they can cost us a great deal in emotion or in the wallet.

Do you want to know the biggest problem with holidays? We tend to focus more on me and what we wish could be rather than on what really matters. We've lost sight of the real reason to celebrate the holidays.

How can we reshape our thinking about the holidays?

We can learn new ways to look at the holidays be focusing on what is really important and the only thing that really matters.

God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.

He's the only reason why we should ever celebrate.

Jesus lived and died for us. He (God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit) should be the only real thing we focus on and live for in this life. He is the only way we get to heaven. He teaches us how to have eternal life and how to overcome this world.

How do we survive the holidays? By focusing on Him.

We do not live for us, we live for Him. It's not about us at all and is all about Him.

How do we survive the holidays? Focus on Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. This book is to help us accomplish this endeavor.


By Stacy Duplease
of Stories by Stacy

Take Time to Remember What the Lord Has Done by Stacy Duplease of Stories by Stacy

Moments of Sacred Longing Blog Post

22 November 2009, Sunday Afternoon
Theme: The Importance of Remembering

I'm sure you've noticed, but there is an important theme in my life. It's the importance of remembering.

Life is too short. If we don't stop and remember what God has done, we'll see it pass us by and we'll miss the importance of the moment. God was at work. He never had to be at work in our lives, but He loves us so much He decided to work in our lives, through our lives, and around us in the world around us and in others' lives.

May we never take this for granted.

God is at work. Let's thank Him for always being with us. How can we thank Him? By remembering what He has done. When we fail to do so, we miss the glory of God and we miss the opportunity to bring God the glory.

Furthermore, if we take what He has done for granted, and aren't faithful with these small things of remembering, why on earth would He trust us with more? (Author's Note: See Matthew 25:21.)

If we don't make note of the things that God has done in our lives, and write them down, we will forget them. We will not be able to see what God has done in our lives and through our lives. We will miss how we've grown. We will miss what God has done in our lives and we will miss opportunities God gives us to learn.

Scriptural verses which support the importance of remembering what God has done for us.

Deuteronomy 8:2
2 Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands, (NIV).

Deuteronomy 32:7 (New International Version)
7 Remember the days of old;
consider the generations long past.
Ask your father and he will tell you,
your elders, and they will explain to you.

1 Chronicles 16:11-12 (New International Version)
11 Look to the LORD and his strength;
seek his face always.
12 Remember the wonders he has done,
his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced, (NIV).

Nehemiah 9:17
17 They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them. They became stiff-necked and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery. But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore you did not desert them, (NIV).


Start to write down what God has done in your life. Take time right now and make a list of ten things God's done in your life lately. Do it right now. Don't miss the opportunity to get to know God more and see His work in your life and through your life.

By Stacy Duplease
of Stories by Stacy