A place to share the ways TwinkleGram and book readers, emailers, Twitter and Facebook followers have blessed me, colored my personal Tree of Life with encouragement
by sharing stories of their own, which I have a feeling will bless you too.

In the April 2015 TwinkleGram I asked what unique thing makes you Happy. For me, it's a decorated red balloon my grandgirlie Beaner gave to me. Here's what Linda shared. It gave me goosebumps. Not only did she bless me, but she has inspired me to want to write her Special Gift into a book. I know the "rest of her story" will inspire you, should you be on a rough and lonely road. LIVE!
***

My husband gave me a white whistle with a red heart on it. He had a note that said "If you need me Just whistle." He has been gone now 22 years and when the times get rough I sometimes will take the whistle out of its keepsake box and "whistle" it. Just the sound makes me feel better and not so alone. I enjoy your TwinkleGrams so much and look forward to the next ones.

He was a special guy. He caught the flu and it attacked the muscle of his heart and he just wasted away for a couple of years. It was so difficult watching him die so slowly. I miss him every day. I am an old lady now (70) and always thought we would grow old together but life takes twist and turns we don't expect. I still feel married. This last year was our 50th wedding anniversary. I had a PARTY. I had a CAKE. HE was here in spirit and we all had a good time watching videos of OUR wedding and 25th anniversary.

I have a blessed life. I volunteer at the Rockford Rescue Mission. I teach women who are in recovery from addictions how to make jewelry out of broken jewelry. It is sort of a metaphor for their lives. They feel broken and when they make something beautiful their faces light up and they feel like they can do anything. I LOVE it. I get more out of helping them then they get from me. I could not do this if Vic was still here. God always knows what is best and how He wants to use us if we are willing to step out of our comfort zones and just show up. May God bless you dear sister in Christ and keep you well. Linda
Here's what makes Mary happy:
***
This AM I was busy cleaning a bearskin rug my husband gave me for Valentines day in 1970! Hope your balloon lasts as long.
***
Me too, Mary, ME TOO!
Dear Sandra has heard me speak (retired from that now), reads my books and is a TwinkleGram subscriber. Referring to the timing of a TwinkleGram, she responded with what she referred to as a "God-incidence". And she said this.

"I shared with the group that when you were the featured speaker at our retreat a few years ago, I purchased this wonderful book (signed by the author herself no less!), The 12 Dazes of Christmas. I went on and on about how it really put the season in perspective and offered to share it with anyone who was interested in a delightful read."
From Thom, who first emailed me about 10 years ago after he found a Dearest Dorothy book. He was homeless and trying to draw himself out of a very dark place. We have kept in touch and he just sent me this. If you think what YOU do doesn't matter, you never know how you're touching others. I am so proud of him and so thankful to God.
***

Again I want to thank you for the 'Dearest Dorothy' Series. They came along at just the right time for me. They were a huge part of my coming back to life. They created me a place to escape to, they also reminded me of the small town I grew up in... So many similarities. It gave me a safe place to reside in for a while, with that and my blog on 'Ourstory.com' I was able to create a safe place to heal and grow in. I honesty think God set it all up for me to get me where I am now.  I still love my 'trips' to Partonville. I just down loaded all the ebooks from Amazon and it's about time for my yearly trip back to visit my friends there.
From DIANE, a true Partonville fan. YAY! And THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!
***

Dear Ms. Baumbich,

I happened upon "Dearest Dorothy - Are We There yet" shortly after purchasing my Kindle in February. It was one of the book choices offered my Amazon's Book Bub. When I read the synopsis about a little town in the northern part of Southern Illinois, I knew I just had to read this book. And it didn't disappoint! From the very first introduction of the Happy Hookers, I was hooked! I fell in love with Partonville and all its wonderful, sometimes eccentric, characters. It became a town that I would love to live in! After devouring that first book, I couldn't wait to read the next one, and the next one, and the next one. I just finished book 6 yesterday. I laughed, I cried a little, got angry with some of the townsfolk and was ultimately sad that I had reached the end of the series. I hope they will speak to you soon so we can return to Partonville again.

Thank you for sharing your wonderful gift!
A HUGE fan,
Diane Thill
PS I'm loving Harold's blog!
Regarding my book Don't Miss Your Life Roberta speaks my heart. Thanks, Roberta!
***

I read "Don't Miss Your Life" and thoroughly enjoyed it. Hoping others will give it a try, too.
Myrna is thankful for lots of things. I love her juicy details. Perhaps they will help you dig deeper to rediscover your own Good Stuff. Thanks Myrna for taking the time to bring me right into your moments.
***

What do I appreciate? That's such a loaded question; it's so hard to limit my appreciation to just one thing. So I won't. I will tell you some of my favorite things. Maybe some of them are yours too.

Recently, on vacation at Hilton Head Island, the moon was full. We were on the ocean. Some of the nights were cloudy, but not all. I was getting frustrated because I could not see the moon rise at the time I would see it in Indiana. Finally, one night we looked out the window at 11:15 and guess what? An orange ball was rising over the ocean. At 11:15. Since the moon was waning a bit, it looked like an orange pumpkin wearing a sideways beanie. Pretty cocky and self-assured big orange pumpkin, and my heart was so happy. We stood on the balcony and watched it rise in the sky, ooohhhing and aaahhhing at it's ascent. The ocean water reflected its orange-sherbet glory and we were enthralled. The moral, I guess, is that when we want something badly enough and have almost given up on expecting it, we are sometimes pleasantly surprised and enamored of God's never-late timetable. The moon over the ocean is controlled by the tides (or vice versa!) and came up right on schedule. The next night we watched it from an upstairs balcony and it was just as beautiful, although about 15 minutes later in rising. And the next night, later still. Glorious happenings to this moon-struck gal.

Another of my precious happy makers are my youngest grandchildren. I have 16 grandchildren ranging in age from 31 years to seven months! I have laughed and cried with the oldest and middles and am now watching this miracle of young life develop. Our second-grade granddaughter had surgery for a hole in her heart which went undetected until she was six. When the surgeon operated, he went in the quick way to patch the hole and nicked her mitral valve. Much prayer went up for her and today she is playing soccer and basketball and enjoying life as an eight-year old should. Doctors are still monitoring her, watching her valve and pain levels, but she is our joy and having her fluently read her Scholastic newsletter to me Sunday was my grandma's smile for the day.

And, last, I am so thankful for the changing seasons and all the beauty that is bestowed upon us every year. Do I love the snow and ice and frigid temps? Absolutely not, but the full moon on a white landscape is gorgeous in itself! Color and fragrance and warmth sustain me as I grow old. And, like J. Alfred Prufrock, whose name I did not check for spelling,I now wear my trousers rolled (it's called petite size), but I do dare to eat a peach!
I appreciate the gift and joy of life ... my dear husband ... my five children and their mates and their children ... and the God who made and makes all this possible.
***
Couldn't agree with you more, Myrna, about the full on on a white landscape. I also love the way the sky and snow turn this matching shade of misty  blue when the light is Just So.