It's just a week until Christmas and many of us are saying, "Huh? Can't be!"

But it is.

We should have seen it coming whenTha nksgiving was a little later than usual. 

I don't know about you but I've been doing the usual things: I got the tree up last night, I'm trying to clean up the house a little for Christmas visiting, I'm watching all my old favorite Christmas movies, and I'm making my lists and checking them twice. The gifts are mostly bought and I've promised myself that I'll do the hated grocery shopping a little early so I won't be rushed at the end of the week.

And I'm doing my favorite thing no matter the time of year: I'm starting a new book, the first of my second series for Abingdon Press. Part of the series is set in Pinecraft, a little town near Sorest, Fla., where some northern Amish and Mennonite families take a vacation from the chill of the North each winter. I'm riding across state in the next week or two for a visit to do more research and to eat at Yoder's Amish Restaurant and visit with my friends there.

In the meantime, I hope you'll try to slow down and enjoy the week leading up to this holy time of the year. And I hope you'll find a little time and money to do something for the less fortunate. Even if things are tough for you and your family right now it may be that you're still doing better than them. My favorite "good deed" last week was to drop off a check in memory of Gino, my quirky, wonderful little dog whose health failed recently ... and leave a few days later with a needy little Chihuahua. I put quotes around good deed because I didn't do anything praiseworthy by bringing home that little dog. Giving money or time or saying a prayer for someone always makes us feel better than the recipient. I know each time I bring a dog home from the shelter they become such amazing companions who offer me so much love on a daily basis. Whether you donate to an organization to help people or animals, it'll be a wonderful gift in memory of a special child born this time so many years ago.

Blessings,

Barbara