Shepherd's Abiding

We started the morning at the library
for the Symphony Talk to hear the
Baritone from the Opera , one of the Wise
Men in the production of Amahl and the Night
Visitors. I picked up several new books
and the audio of Shepherd's Abiding.
Jan Karon's book (Christmas story) came
out 4 years ago. I read it out loud to my
mother, who was out of the hospital
with 24 hour care! We started just about
when the story does ~~ October 1st. She loved
Mitford and Father Tim. She fell asleep with
the lull of my voice reading
about Father Tims' surprise for Cynthia.
She only heard half the book, for God
took her on the 22nd to be HOME for
Christmas. How she longed to see her
parents and she had healed down to the
bottom of her soul with any bitterness
towards my father. ( divorce) I saw
the Gospel ringing true to Jesus' words.
"Forgive those who trespass against you..."
He healed a deep wound in her.
We sang Hallelujah as my dear sister
in tears said "We have to sing!" She
was Home for the Holidays!

We're listening to the audio in the car and
the rest of the day was a "Mitford" one.
Heard from a good young mom this morning.
That blessed me! Saw my neighbor at the
grocery store. Then a quilter friend of a friend
right after that. Two at the Harris Teeter!!

Here's what we need ~~ from the first
chapter, the first paragraph:

"The rain began punctually at five o'clock,
though few were awake to hear it. It was
a gentle rain,rather like a summer shower
that had escaped the grip of time or season
and wandered into Mitford several months
late."

Jan Karon's site has the first chapters
online. You turn the pages of the books
on the bottom corners of the page JUST
like you would with a real book. Amazing
technology!