Mary Ellen Tippin

December 5, 2011

A Monday morning—a strange time for me to write on my blog. Usually I am full of plans and things I want to accomplish on Mondays, and truly I will soon be in the thick of things, especially since Christmas is only about 3 weeks away! I want to keep in touch, however, with my “faithful readership!”

The Monday before Thanksgiving I came down with a cold. When I get colds they usually last a long time and are pretty “bad” by my standards. My husband, who is with lots of different people everyday seems to avoid almost every kind of illness and almost never has a cold!

My guest list for Thanksgiving was at 18 people although most were family. Everyone was bringing food so I didn’t have to work too hard. The day went well and I didn’t start to feel REALLY lousy until that evening. My cold was in full “stuffing” mode you might say, and I laid pretty low for about the next 5-7 days. TG weekend I had planned to have my son record me reading my Christmas book along with two little songs I’d written and another story. I literally couldn’t talk, let alone record anything. (I still can’t sing much and I so LOVE singing along to my Christmas CD’s!) My son, Eric, was a forensics pro in high school. He also had written a clever little Christmas song a couple years ago and recorded it. I asked him if he would do the recording for me and he agreed. I knew he would do a great job, but I didn’t know it would be that good. It was super, duper!! So on the CD we put the two stories and his little song and it is the best CD ever. (I am his MOTHER so I might be a tiny bit biased!) He did voices for the little birds, and listening to it made me love my story all over again. It also encouraged me to think that this story could be used to touch others also with the simple yet profound message of Christmas. That is certainly my prayer.

Does God use, not so pleasant experiences in our lives for good? He sure does. I just knew this is what God had in mind when Eric did my CD—God orchestrating good in the midst of our fallen world. Rom. 8:28 “All thing work together for good to those who love God and are called to fulfill his purposes…”

If any of you besides my friends read this you can get a CD my contacting me at metippin@hotmail.com

Have a blessed day! 

ME

November 22, 2011

I thought I SHOULD write on my blog even though I am not feeling anything very profound to say. Normally I wouldn’t admit this, but since this is “the blog that almost no one reads” it is okay.

I am in the midst of Thanksgiving preparations at my house with the guest list at around eighteen. This may sound like a large group to some of you, but with in a family with five children this is closer to “normal.” Only two of our five children will be there as the in-laws are beckoning for a little time also. Want to know the menu? It is very traditional:

turkey (smoked by one of my husband’s employees—simply delicious!

ham

mashed potatoes

sweet potatoes (hold the marshmallows please!)

green bean cassarole

spinach

cranberry salad

relishes

rolls

pie-pumpkin, pecan and whatever else my sister-in-law brings

Everyone contributes so I am not over worked.

I am hoping that sometime this weekend I can do a little recording with my son of my Christmas book and songs. I woke up with a cold so it may have a little nasally (how do you spell that?) sound to it. I’ve heard some recording artists that are pretty bad so guess it will be alright. A good friend’s daughter has a famous blog and she put my books on it. ( The Macs) They had a precious baby daughter die and she is chronicling her journey. They are a wonderful Christian couple and God has since blessed them with two darling little boys. This has produced some orders and I hope Amazon is getting flooded with orders!!!

I’m anxious to start my next book. I need to do a bit more editing. I would like to have it in hand before next summer. It is the third in my birdie trilogy.

Thanks for taking the time to read this! As I think about the season and Thanksgiving to be exact, I am so very thankful to God for the many gifts He has given me because I have chosen to follow Him: family, friends, purpose, joy, strength in sorrow, contentment, creativity, music.

I’ll end with a song quote:

“Count your blessings; name them one by one.

Count your blessings; see what God has done.

Count your blessings; name them one by one.

Count your many blessings; see what God has done!”

November 15, 2011

Are you very curious as to what is happening in my “author world?” I knew you were so I thought I’d fill you in. 

Sat. there was a Christmas craft fair in my little town and I sold my books as well as some “birdie” crafts I had made. If you were to have asked me 10 years ago if I would EVER be a vendor at a craft fair I would have laughed and told you how ridiculous that idea was—“Never, never, never!!!!” would have been my response. And yet there I was with my books and my little homemade crafts and enjoying myself immensely! It was a successful day in terms of book sales. I feel as though I am just getting my wheels turning, so to speak. I have just sent out around 200 postcards to friends and family about my book and I have another couple events before Christmas at my church and also at the local Christian bookstore. I love the manager there. She is so sweet, helpful and just great to work with. She is about the age of my oldest daughter and has young children of her own. When I was in yesterday she asked me if I was going to make an audio CD of my Christmas book like I’d done for TWITTY, FLITTY, AND ITTY BITTY. I told her I was if I could get my son to do the recording. I’m sure he will—evenually! I’m excited about that as I’ve written a couple children’s Christmas songs to include on the CD. My favorite is a lullaby that goes like this:

“Sleep now, Baby Jesus, on your mommy’s knee.

Joseph, too, is watching, kneeling down on bended knee.

Sleep now, Baby Jesus. God smiles on His son.

Soon the day is coming for the work that must be done.

Chorus:

The king yet just a baby. Oh, how can it be?

Sleep a little longer. Dream your dreams so peacefully.

Sleep now, Baby Jesus. We know you came to die,

To bear our sin and sorrow. Heavy load! Now don’t you cry!

Chorus:

The king yet just a baby. Oh, how can it be?

Sleep a little longer. Dream you dreams so peacefully.

Sleep now…..Go to sleep now…….

When my husband and I were practicing this last night, figuring out the chords on the

guitar, he kept getting sleepier and sleepier so I think it is very effective as a lullaby!!!

Hope you get to HEAR it sometime. Sweet, sweet!

November 2, 2011

My, time flies and its been two weeks since I’ve written. I’ve been doing some work on book stuff. I don’t know if I should tell you this but I’m realizing that without some connection, interesting life story, famous name, or something that really stands out, the chances of getting published for the merit of your work is very unlikely. This is a hard reality for me and I keep hoping for my own little “miracle” to happen and someone to say, “Yes!!!! We would love to publish and market your books.”  So I’ve been racking my brain to think of ways to be famous. I can ride on the coat tales of some very famous bloggers in our area—that might work. I could contract a rare tropical disease that turns my toes orange with purple spots. This would create enough curiosity that someone may want to read my stories. I thought about putting advertising on our car so that my stories would get exposure where ever I went…the list is endless!!! 

There has arisen an interesting twist that I will briefly share with you. Long ago, probably twenty-five years ago at least, we had a friend who had an idea for a Christian game. Being the optimist that he is, my husband said he would help our friend get the game produced. Long story-short it was produced after getting swindled out of many thousands of dollars. When I say swindled I mean robbed in the true sense of the word. The reason for this is multifaceted, but the bottomline is we should have produced it in the US rather than overseas. It had some success like appearing in the Penney’s Catalog one Christmas as well as being a promotional gift for Focus on the Family. Even now we will hear something occasionally from someone who owns the game. Recently we have had a person and a company inquire about producing it again. My daughter’s husband who is a bit like his father-in-law suggested that we should look into producing it ourselves since it is in “high demand!” So who knows? Maybe we will be running a book and toy company in the future!!! Actually our friend who thought up the game has a very interesting and rather heartbreaking story: his wife has Huntington’s disease and he has Parkinson’s disease. He is still interested in being involved. He also made up a pre-school game called “Tears and Smiles” so maybe that will also be part of our product line. Does this all sound wild? Maybe it is and maybe not. We don’t know exactly what God has in mind for these creative ideas that are meant to honor Him.  Just keep your eyes open. You never know where Flitty, Twitty, and Itty Bitty will turn up!

October 15, 2011

Okay, I said I would only write about things related to my “authorship.” Well, I’m going to deviate  today because it was something sweet and precious I wanted to remember.

Our 23 year old newly-married son had the flu two nights ago. He was up from about 4:30 on doing what people do when they have the flu. His poor little, sweet wife ran to the store for 7-up, saltine crackers, and chicken noodle soup which is very much the same ingredients we would have purchase if Eric had been sick at home. She had to leave for school the next morning so the very sick young man was left home alone. He called his dad who was off of work and said he just wanted some sympathy. His father, who has a very tender heart, bought a few remedies of his own and rushed over to check on Eric. He stayed and “shoot the breeze” just to help him take his mind off how he felt. 

I was doing other things that morning but my husband suggested I stop by and check on Eric before I started my 15 min. journey home. I didn’t feel like taking the time, but as I processed it in my mind I knew it was the right thing to do and that life is full of doing things you don’t feel like doing. For me that is a huge part of parenting. (A little note about me: I am a  pessimist and a bit self-centered. Still getting over my status as the youngest child in a family of five children and my sin nature. This may take a lifetime! My first reaction to things is often, “No!” till I let it brew a while and then think, “That wouldn’t be so bad.” This is also a lifelong struggle as my husband can attest to who’s first reaction is, “Yes, yes, yes!”)

So I drove to their little apartment and let myself in. Eric was lying on the bed looking pretty miserable. I came over, sat down on the bed, and felt his forehead. It was really hot. I asked him what he needed, got him some water, and just began talking about what was going on with me. He was so appreciative and thankful for my visit. I gave him some medicine which he had been afraid to take before for fear of throwing it up. He was so achy I knew this would help. We talked about how it would take 30 minutes to kick in. To pass the time he asked if I would read to him. He had a George McDonald book on his i pad. He is one of my favorites, and so I read to him from that for about 20 minutes. You must know that reading to my children has been one of my greatest delights as a parent. By the time I had finished he was sleeping. I kissed him good-bye and he told me, “Thanks, so much!” again and I left.

It was all so sweet and I was so glad I went which is often the case with things you don’t feel like doing. “Why was that so special?” I asked myself. Several things came to mind: He was so helpless and couldn’t serve me back. Isn’t that so much like God’s unconditional love for us? Eric was so appreciative. It makes a parent’s heart overflow when children love you, need you, and appreciate you. Isn’t that what our Heavenly Father wants from us? It was a reminder of another time for me: when my sister was sick and dying. Serving her by rubbing her back, getting her a drink, turning her over were not tasks but privileges because they were motivated by my love. These things are all a picture of God and His love for us. It is so beautiful, holy, and pure-a little taste of heaven on earth!

Eric spent the evening with us and was feeling better although not completely, of course. He was again so sweet and it was our delight to serve him. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to share these thoughts. Heaven in the small things, you might say!

October 13, 2011

I thought I would just write a little to let my vast readership know I am still alive. The truth is my husband and I just returned from a trip to Spain for our thirty-fifth wedding anniversary. In a word it was “GREAT!” If people could be happy from seeing and experiencing interesting, beautiful, unique places and things, then I should be happy. That is NOT the source of happiness, but since I KNOW  the source of happiness (God) I think it enables me to enjoy all these things all the more. Spain was much more beautiful than I realized with its rocky mountains and rows of olive trees EVERYWHERE. The Mediterranean was azure blue, the weather was perfect, the narrow-streeted towns quaint!  Lest you think it was perfect, I wasn’t wild about the food and it was vastly helpful that my husband could speak Spanish as English isn’t common in the rural areas. That is one reason we chose Spain—so my diligent husband, who has been studying Spanish for over two years, could “practice.” He had a ball! He couldn’t get enough opportunities to ask directions, etc. so you know he really wanted to speak Spanish!!!! He probably understood 75-80 percent of what people were saying to him which was great also.

I’ll share just one more thing before I begin more catch up around here. We stayed in a bed and breakfast near Malaga where our missionary friends live. We thought we were staying in town but it was really about 45 min. out which turned out to be a blessing. We were in front of an olive grove with views of mountains from our private balcony. The couple we stayed with were from Scotland and were delightful. We had so much fun sharing together as they were just a little older than we were. Jim, the husband had fixed up this home over the last 10 years to perfection. It was very Spanish with whitewash everywhere and wooden beams in the ceiling. There are no screens on the windows and very few bugs so you just “let the sun shine in.” Jim and Anne were true servants and did whatever they could to make us comfortable; guiding our paths with maps and suggestions and listening as we shared our adventures at the end of the day. I gave them a copy of FLITTY, TWITTY, AND ITTY BITTY which Anne thoroughly enjoyed as she had been a preschool teacher. She was anxious that it should make an appearance in the UK. Lord willing that may happen someday. I could go on and on but then my home would remain messy and dirty and my laundry unattended.

Here is my PS. While in Spain our daughter sent us a video of our two year old grandson. When asked where his grandma was he replyed, “Grandma is insane!” He never could say Spain so I was always “insane.” Maybe he knows more than we realize! Have a great day!

September 28, 2011

One day before my birthday, September 29, 1955. (Just thought I would do a little math test for you!) We’re leavin’ on a little trip and our newlywed son and wife will be enjoying our home while were gone. I think their little apartment will look pretty good when we return. It sure is easier to keep clean! I’ll be out of the book mode for a short while and be all ready to hit it up big time when I return as my book, THE CHRISTMAS BIRDIE, will be here by then!

I have had a few thoughts about children’s books that I wanted to write about on this blog. I had a friend stop through the other day on the way to her son’s home in Texas. I had given her a book earlier and she bought a couple more for her grandkids. I also gave her a CD to listen to on the way of me reading the story, singing a song and reading another of my stories. As we visited she shared about one of her children who is deeply troubled. I prayed that as she thought about her little birdie who had fallen out of the nest, she would be reminded through my story of the way God is aware in ways that we never could be of the needs and problems of our children.

Then at my Bible study someone shared how, after reading about FLITTY, TWITTY, AND ITTY BITTY  she realized that her child was just like Itty Bitty and how God sees and cares for each “birdie” and is not unaware of their plight.

I have often felt the encouragement children’s books have been to me personally and it is thrilling to see that my little book can be that for someone else.

That got me thinking about children’s books that have been special to me. There was a book about the lost lamb I used to read to my kids when they were quite small that always invoked a sense of God’s love and concern for me. Another was a book that began…”A home is a house with a smile on its face. There’s laughter inside. It’s the cheeriest place…” I loved that phrase. Another book called, COME OVER TO MY HOUSE, COME OVER AND PLAY”, teaches children that it doesn’t matter what a house is like ….”they’re all alike when a friend asks you in….” Many of my favorite children’s book are for a little older child and I’ll share some of those on another day.

I’ve shared with young mothers that reading Bible storybooks, moral tales, and just books for fun are not just for kids but for mom’s, too. Especially when moms are so busy and have so little time to themselves, Christian books, children’s songs, and stories can speak to their hearts, also.

So some thoughts for today. Thanks for reading!

September 22, 2011

Today was my book-signing at the bookstore near the “willage” (that is German-American for village. You see, we had a German student live with us for a year!) in which I live. I was nervous and excited, too. The people that live in this area are the people closest to my heart and I wanted it to be a success for me and for them!

The bookstore had everything set up so nicely for a storytime with little refreshments and an area for coloring pages. With about 6-8 children and multi-aged adults as my audience, I read my story, “FLITTY, TWITTY, AND ITTY BITTY” using by birdie pillow with the nest pocket to put eggs and baby birds in. The children and adults seemed to enjoy it along with my over enthusiastic grandson who got carried away by the word “thunder” and had to go by his mommy.

It was a wonderful morning and I really “felt the love” all around from the people that came. I have to say that my husband was also so supportive and my oldest daughter from Dallas prayed for me and then called to see how it went. That was so special!

I’ll look forward, now, to more events like that in the future.

September 19, 2011

Today I thought I would tell you about something that happened to us about a month ago. I live in a tiny little town of 250 people where everyone knows everyone or at least about everyone and who lives where, etc. It was a Sun. evening and my husband and I went for a walk around town about 9 PM. We were going through “downtown” which really consists of one street with the grain elevators and related items on one side and a city building and post office on the other. It was almost dark but, of course, there are steet lights “downtown.” There was a little kitten chasing bugs under the street light and following us off and on. The kitten meowed like a kitten would. We walked about another half block and both my husband and I heard a cry. We both thought it was just the kitten at first and kept walking until we heard it again and it sounded very much like a child crying. As I said before, we know who lives where in our town and because of that we knew no small children lived nearby. We both immediately turned around and started walking. Not a block away was a pick-up parked. We had walked right by it and I hadn’t even notice it. Inside, though it was dark and we couldn’t see, we knew a child was crying. We went up to the driver’s window and there was a little boy about eight years old crying his eyes out. It is a long and complicated story but the short version is he was left there by his uncle with a lot of uncertainty as to when he would be back, etc. He was not from our town and had not ever been there before although his uncle lived in a nearby town. We were able to get a hold of his father by cell. He lived at least thirty minutes away so we left a note for the uncle and took “Derek” home with us. He was so sweet and so clever and thankful! He told us he had been praying and praying and we told him God must have sent us! When he got to our house I immediately thought of “FLITTY, TWITTY, AND ITTY BITTY with it’s lesson about God seeing a little birdie fall and His greater concern for our welfare. We sat down and read it together. As I said he was so sweet and could identify with Itty Bitty. After that he played until his father, the police, and his uncle arrived. It was quite a night. I gave him a book when we sent him on his way. To be fair to the father, he was appalled at his brother’s (the uncle) actions. God certainly was watching over “Derek” that night.

“Not one little bird falls to the ground without your Heavenly Father knowing all about it. So why should you be afraid? You are even more valuable to God than birdies.” Matthew 10:29,31

September 12, 2011

It is confirmed! This is the blog that almost no one reads. I found a square that is marked “following” and the number is 0. Actually in some morbid kind of way I have this strange sense of pride about having a zero following. I guess that reflects my non- conformist attitude about many things!

My Christmas book is on to publishing!!! It should arrive in 2-3 weeks and then I can order more. Just in time. Thank you, Lord.

This weekend I was in Dallas visiting my daughter and husband and 2 year old Aubrie. I got to read her FLITTY, TWITTY, AND ITTY BITTY. Great fun for a grandma. Her friends that I mentioned in an earlier post came over and brought me a picture of Flitty, Twitty, and Itty Bitty. It will definitely be part of my “scrapbook” and part of my proudest memorabilia to date. 

I am trying to do little book things every day. Today I signed off the approval form for my Christmas book and am writing this. I also called a possible publisher. I would do more but I am babysitting my 2 year old grandson and getting some real life inspiration, you could say. That is about as exciting as it gets today. Good things are in store, I’m sure and I will definitely keep “all you followers out there” informed!