Dearest children,

If I could possible have a few minutes to myself, I would be able to get done more in that time frame than in my entire day!

Love,'

Mom

Meet the Author

The Official Website for Debbie Cluff: Meet the Author:   Once Upon a Cartier Fantasy/ Contemporary YA--60,000 words Complete manuscript available upon request -Where do you write? ...

Click over and Follow There!!!

I just finished my first novel, so if you enjoyed my blog you will LOVE my book. Lol. Can you go to this site

http://debbiecluff.blogspot.com/http://debbiecluff.blogspot.com/

and click follow so I can get as many visitors to that site as well!

BIG HUGS! Here is the summary

 

Meet Laila Simons. A woman over one hundred years old, but otherwise in the prime of her life. The non-stop exercise she still gets through her stressful, human social worker position and the high intensity shopping trips probably contribute to that, or the visits to the local spas for Botox treatments. Laila, of course, is a fairy who signs her death warrant over when an unexpected  and unruly teenage fairy is placed in her care. There was at least one small ray of sunshine in her dreary world, her obsession with a hazel-green, sultry eyes man named Julian. Yet there are powerful forces, who for very different reasons, want to keep Laila and Julian apart.

            A story of love and deceit, secrets and betrayals, that takes us from the mythical attempts of explaining the origins of the world to the backyard of the historical city known as Pasadena. Once upon a Cartier is the love story, a bold inquiry into destiny and Laila’s decision to pursue a path towards everlasting love and unspeakable loss. A true battle of defining what unconditional love is and in doing so, remind us what it means to be human.

Can I hear a AMEN....

A man came home from work and found his 3 children outside, still in their pajamas, playing in the mud, with empty food boxes and wrappers strewn around garden.

The door of his wife's car was open, as was the front door to the house and no sign of the dog, walking in the door, he found ...an even bigger mess. A lamp had been knocked over, the throw rug was against one wall, In the front room the TV was on loudly with the cartoon channel, the family room was strewn with toys and various items of clothing. In the kitchen, dishes filled the sink, breakfast food was spilled on the counter, the fridge door was open wide, dog food was spilled on the floor, a broken glass lay under the table, and a small pile of sand was spread by the back door. 

He quickly headed up the stairs, stepping over toys and more piles of clothes, looking for his wife. He was worried she might be ill, or that something serious had happened. He was met with a small trickle of water as it made its way out the bathroom door. As he peered inside he found wet towels, scummy soap and more toys strewn over the floor. Miles of toilet paper lay in a heap and toothpaste had been smeared over the mirror and walls. 

As he rushed to the bedroom, he found his wife still curled up in the bed in her pyjamas, reading a novel... She looked up at him, smiled and asked how his day went. He looked at her bewildered and asked, 'What happened here today?' She again smiled and answered, 'You know every day when you come home from work and you ask me what in the world do I do all day?...

''Yes," was his incredulous reply..

She answered, 'Well, today I didn't do it.'

A Police Wife's Prayer

Dear God,

Give me COURAGE, for perhaps I lack it more than anything else.
I need COURAGE as I witness my husband's departure for duty each day.
I need COURAGE as I see him put on his uniform because I know the abuse that perhaps he will be subjected to before he returns home.
I need COURAGE in dealing with our children when he is working long hours during calls or on an investigation.
I need COURAGE when tensions buildup on the job and pressures at home to mount and life becomes almost too much to bear.
I need COURAGE to stand firm and not to succumb to the urge to run away from problems.
Help me to have the strength to be a COURAGEOUS and Valiant Woman, when I learn from the media that a "police officer's been hurt."
The next time I waver or grow faint-hearted, Help me, to be COURAGEOUS.
And, having found the source of strength in You, Help me to reach out to others, who may be just as scared as I.

Amen

Prayer given at the DC Police Wives Installation Dinner, on June 15, 1973, by Reverend R. Joseph Dooley.

Sub for Santa

Every year I put together a Sub for Santa. I ask the mother of a family to make a list of 4 things for each of their kids and place this list on Amazon. This year the family I have chosen just lost their father in July to cancer, there are 5 kids and at this time the mother isn't working. With a broken heart and a super amount of followers to my site, I am begging if anybody can afford to get something, please do. Just go to Amazon.com and click wish list, then click Find Someone's Wish List and type in the email address tdcluff@msn.com... the list is under Sub for Santa 2011. Just pick something and send it directly to me 1962 Woodview Drive Lehi, Utah 84043 and I will wrap it up and bring it a week before Christmas.

Teach the Children the True Meaning of Christmas

Just a week before Christmas I had a visitor. This is how it happened...I just finished the household chores for the night and was preparing to go to bed, when I heard a noise in the front of the house. I opened the door to the front room and to my surprise, Santa himself stepped out from behind the Christmas tree.

He placed his finger over his mouth so I would not cry out. "What are you doing?" I started to ask. The words choked up in my throat, and I saw he had tears in his eyes. His usual jolly manner was gone.

Gone was the eager, boisterous soul we all know. He then answered me with a simple statement. "TEACH THE CHILDREN!" I was puzzled; what did he mean?

He anticipated my question, and with one quick movement brought forth a miniature toy bag from behind the tree. As I stood bewildered, Santa said, "Teach the children! Teach them the old meaning of Christmas. The meaning that now-a-days Christmas has forgotten."

Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a FIR TREE and placed it before the mantle. "Teach the children that the pure green color of the stately fir tree remains green all year round, depicting the everlasting hope of mankind, all the needles point heavenward, making it a symbol of man's thoughts turning toward heaven."

He again reached into his bag and pulled out a brilliant STAR. "Teach the children that the star was the heavenly sign of promises long ago. God promised a Savior for the world, and the star was the sign of fulfillment of His promise."

He then reached into his bag and pulled out a CANDLE. "Teach the children that the candle symbolizes that Christ is the light of the world, and when we see this great light we are reminded of He who displaces the darkness."

Once again he reached into his bag and removed a WREATH and placed it on the tree. "Teach the children that the wreath symbolizes the real nature of love. Real love never ceases. Love is one continuous round of affection."

He then pulled from his bag and ornament of HIMSELF. "Teach the children that I, Santa Claus symbolize the generosity and good will we feel during the month of December."

He then brought out a HOLLY LEAF. "Teach the children that the holly plant represents immortality. It represents the crown of thorns worn by our Savior. The red holly represents the blood shed by Him."

Next he pulled from his bag a GIFT and said, "Teach the children that God so loved the world that he gave..." "Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift. Teach the children that the wise men bowed before the holy babe and presented him with gold, frankincense and myrrh. We should always give gifts in the same spirit of the wise men."

Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a CANDY CANE and hung it on the tree. "Teach the children that the candy cane represents the shepherds' crook. The crook on the staff helps to bring back strayed sheep to the flock. The candy cane is the symbol that we are our brother's keeper."

He reached in again and pulled out an ANGEL. "Teach the children that it was the angels that heralded in the glorious news of the Savior's birth. The angels sang Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace and good will toward men."

Suddenly I heard a soft twinkling sound, and from his bag he pulled out a BELL. "Teach the children that as the lost sheep are found by the sound of the bell, it should ring mankind to the fold. The bell symbolizes guidance and return."

Santa looked back and was pleased. He looked back at me and I saw that the twinkle was back in his eyes. He said, "Remember, teach the children the true meaning of Christmas and do not put me in the center, for I am but a humble servant of the One that is, and I bow down to worship Him, our Lord, our God."