The Spirit of Texas: The Astonishing Story of a Pioneer Rancher's Family and Their Mighty State (Creative Publishing Company) is the story of William Menzies and his family as chronicled by his great-grandson, Winston Menzies, a pastor and writer now living in Georgia. Crafted from his own memories as well as those of friends and relatives, Menzies does not hesitate to weave local and state history, politics and culture into his family's story. In so doing, he exposes the bones of Texas' romance and lore, revealing the raw passion and determination of the men and women who went there seeking independence and reminding the reader of the indelible mark they left behind.

In this excerpt from the book, talks of the family's faith:

LETHA ANN WAS WISE because of her faith in God and her knowledge of His Word. My dad, Perry Menzies, was semiadopted by William and Letha Ann. When he was three years old, he lost his father, so he and his older brother, G. C., lived with their grandparents from time to time, especially during the summers. He often talked about her, recalling, "Grandmother was always quoting Proverbs and had so many wise sayings." She was a sage and a rock of faith for the whole family as well as a cornerstone of the church. The whole family was a major part and support of their church. They originally attended what was called Kitchens Baptist Church, which was organized on October 12, 1879, and had Z. M. Wells as the first pastor. They held their meetings at the Kitchens School just east of Five Mile Crossing for many years. FULL POST

NASHVILLE, TN – The completion of the new Common English Bible (http://CommonEnglishBible.com) translation is among the top 10 religion stories of 2011 as decided by leading religion journalists in the 30th annual Religion Newswriters Association survey. The Common English Bible (Twitter @CommonEngBible – http://twitter.com/CommonEngBible) is newsworthy for several reasons:

· Its objective: the Common English Bible uses a natural English vocabulary to clearly and freshly communicate the ancient sacred text in a world where 9,000 new words & meaning revisions are added yearly to the English lexicon.

· Its speed: the Common English Bible took only four years to accomplish – a phenomenal feat when compared with other recent modern English Bible translations that took 10-17 years to complete.

· Its efficiency: the Common English Bible was able to be completed so rapidly due to the translation process using an online project management database that permitted more than 200 collaborators (translators, editors, and field testers) to communicate immediately. The project was constructed in a workflow matrix with more than 400 overlapping parts. FULL POST

The Christmas holiday season can be an especially difficult time for members of the military and their families. Army Veteran B.C. Fleming offers the following ideas for giving encouragement for those who may be separated from their family and friends during this time of year.

· If you live in an area with a military base nearby, reach out to see if there are any supplies that deployed soldiers have requested that you could give.

· Check with your church about members of the military that attend or who have family at your congregation. Write thank you cards and letters of encouragement.

· Call your local VA hospital to see items they are in need of and schedule a time to deliver goodies and visit with veterans.

· If you are a family member of an active member of the military, connect with the Family Readiness Group for support. It's important to lean on others who are experiencing the same situation as you are as well as offer support.

· If you are retired military or were a military wife/husband, reach out to other military families in your community.

· Contact your local airport to find out when troops are scheduled to arrive. There is often a day or two a week when large numbers of military members arrive home. Plan to go out and welcome soldiers home. FULL POST

By Roxanne Hughes Packham

Have you ever just been at a standstill when trying to do a unique Christmas tabletop for your family and friends at Christmas time? Here are some tips from Roxanne Hughes Packham, co-author of Inspired Design that should make it much easier! Check out her blog if you'd like to see coordinating pictures to go with the ideas. www.InspiredDesignPublications.blogspot.com

Before you get started remember: Do not underestimate the power of your home, nor its ability to change lives. Do not underestimate the power of one tiny, seemingly insignificant, act of kindness. A welcoming smile, a cup of hot tea and an hour in a cozy nook spent listening to a friend can be life-altering. Your home is a significant part of the way people will be touched, by God, through you this Christmas season. God uses us as his hands! Your table is the means through which you can touch others by setting the stage for memories to be made. FULL POST

Author Richard Simmons encourages men to discover their true worth.

What do people think of me as a man? Do I measure up in their eyes as they see the choices I am making? What will happen to me if I fail at what I do? These are the questions with which men struggle. "Men so often define themselves by what they do, who they know or what they own. And when they do so, they unwittingly set themselves up for great confusion and failure in their personal lives, particularly when a major economic storm arises," says businessman Richard E. Simmons III. In his book The True Measure of a Man: How Perceptions of Success, Achievement & Recognition Fail Men in Difficult Times, Simmons identifies these fears and seeks to help men find their true worth.

Of all the suicides in the United States, 80 percent are committed by men. These statistics point to the fact that, unlike any other culture, America has placed a man's worth on his performance and possessions. Men feel good about themselves when they are performing in the workplace and achieving new goals. But what happens after a layoff or a foreclosure? Where is their value then? Simmons helps men to realize that they are worth more than an amount on their paycheck. He deals with their innermost fears, namely the fear of not measuring up. He realizes that every man wants to get to the end of his life and believe that his earthly existence made a difference. FULL POST

Marty Machowski's new offering for families transforms hearts one story at a time

The Gospel Story Bible

Sometimes it's easy to forget Jesus in the midst of frantic schedules, family squabbles and conflicting priorities. For many Christians, God often becomes little more than an afterthought after days absorbed and depleted by the busyness of life. But the truth is that he is the hero of every story—including the mundane, ordinary ones we experience on a regular basis. That is why Marty Machowski beckons families to take time out from the daily grind to be transformed by the message of the Good News in his latest release, The Gospel Story Bible: Discovering Jesus in the Old and New Testaments (New Growth Press, November 2011).

Based on the ESV Bible, this uniquely illustrated Bible storybook uses 156 stories to present God's plan of salvation in Christ from its opening narrative in Genesis to its finale in Revelation. This easy-to-read storybook written for children from preschool to high school introduces readers to many captivating people, places and events from the Bible's Old and New Testaments. At the same time, Machowski skillfully connects the individual stories to the overall gospel narrative of how God redeemed a broken world through sending his son Jesus to save his people. Each story ends by connecting to Jesus and his gospel of grace. By sharing these Bible stories with each other, young and old will learn together the life-changing habit of recognizing the presence and workings of Christ in every moment of their day. FULL POST

Associate publisher of latest Bible translation, Common English Bible, explains why

In terms of sales and distribution, the Bible is the most-widely distributed and largest-selling book in history. Between all the translations currently available, the Bible is a perennial bestseller, so why do we need another translation? Is it just a sales gimmick in a bad economy? Is it an appeal to pull on the heartstrings of those who are seeking some kind of spiritual enlightenment during a time of financial and political upheaval?

Paul Franklyn, associate publisher of the Common English Bible, the latest Bible translation on the market (released in July), explains why this version is important. "The Common English Bible is not a revision of any version. It's a bold, new translation (not a paraphrase) for the 21st century, balancing academic rigor with modern understandability; ecumenical biblical scholarly thoroughness with a natural reading experience," says Franklyn. The Common English Bible is written in contemporary idiom at the same reading level as USA TODAY—using language that's comfortable and accessible for American readers. FULL POST

By Roxanne Hughes Packham, Co-Author of the Hospitality Book: Inspired Design

For Photographs of these ideas and more for Holiday design, visit www.InspiredDesignPublications.blogspot.com.

I can remember back thirty years ago, as a little girl, getting dressed up with my sister
in our matching Christmas plaid dresses, getting ready for Christmas Eve dinner, and
posing for pictures in front of our brick fireplace in our first house. I can still remember how excited we were for Santa Claus to come and leave presents, how much fun it was to have our crazy, loud family all together for Christmas. There are so many memories of Christmases past, but mostly the beautifully set tables and decorated trees and presents are the forefront of my memories. Our family is so much fun, and there was always so much laughter, loud and often hysterical storytelling, great food, and mostly an appreciation for our blessings, not material, but the blessing of our family. FULL POST

Dallas/Fort Worth, TX–In June of 1876, a young carpenter arrived in Galveston with nothing more than a chest of tools and a desire to find work in the burgeoning seaport city. His name was William Menzies.
He was 21 years old, fiercely independent and determined to make his way in the world. Galveston was clearly not where his future would lie, however, and a combination of storms, floods, a fire and a lack of work soon drove him inland. A decade later, having broken countless horses as a horse trader to earn his keep in the interim, the young man finally found himself on the banks of the San Saba River in Menard County. It was here he decided to buy a couple of sections of land to set roots and stay.
And there on the banks of the San Saba those roots reached deep and took hold. So deep, in fact, that in 1957, some 80 years after he'd first arrived in Galveston, the Texas State Legislature recognized William as one of the state's pioneer ranchers and a leader in the area of progressive agriculture.
The Spirit of Texas: The Astonishing Story of a Pioneer Rancher's Family and Their Mighty State (Creative Publishing Company) is William's story as chronicled by his great-grandson, Winston Menzies, a pastor and writer now living in Georgia. Crafted from his own memories as well as those of friends and relatives, Menzies does not hesitate to weave local and state history, politics and culture into his family's story. In so doing, he exposes the bones of Texas' romance and lore, revealing the raw passion and determination of the men and women who went there seeking independence and reminding the reader of the indelible mark they left behind. "The Spirit of Texas is more than just the story of William Menzies; it's the story of the pioneers who first settled the land and made Texas what it is today," Winston says. "In researching for this book, I found no other book that tells the story of Texas through the stories of its people."
In telling his great-grandfather's story, the author throws open the door to the Menzies' family home and welcomes us in. It is here we meet Letha Ann, the woman who became William's wife and the matriarch of the Menzies clan. With love and care, the author introduces us to this remarkable woman who devoted her life to being William's helpmate, bearing his eight children and instilling in each the same pioneering spirit and unshakeable faith that was the hallmark of the Menzies name. A living complement to her husband, Letha Ann's own story is one of courage, faith and unflinching dedication.
Along with the Menzies' sons and daughters, neighbors and friends, we are also introduced to a host of other ordinary folk who persisted in living extraordinary lives in order to forge a place for themselves in the raw Texas landscape. Folks like Willie Roberts, the first white child born in Menard County who, even though stricken with polio while still a toddler, managed to defy unimaginable odds to live a rich, full life on his own terms. Folks like Dr. Ed Knipling who grew up on his father's Port Lavaca farm and experienced firsthand the devastation to livestock wrought by a deadly pest: the screwworm fly. It was Knipling who determined that through the release of sterilized male flies the problem might be eradicated. His ability to look past the problem to see the solution brought a successful end to the damage done by the screwworm fly and was, at the time, labeled the "greatest entomological achievement of the 20th century" by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture.
While The Spirit of Texas is clearly the story of William Menzies and his legacy, it is also the story of all the pioneers who settled throughout Texas, carving out their own legacies in an unforgiving land. It is a story that should be read by anyone wanting to know Texas and Texans better. It is also a story that those who already know and love the state and its people may thoroughly embrace and enjoy.

Article by Stephen G. Post, Author of The Hidden Gifts of Helping, a Wall Street Journal bestseller(www.StephenGPost.com/HiddenGifts)

Part 2: In my most recent book, The Hidden Gifts of Helping: How the Power of Giving, Compassion, and Hope Can Get Us Through Hard Times (Jossey-Bass, A Wiley Imprint), I describe a bit of an upheaval in my own life, and how helping others got me and my family through the inevitable tough times that come everyone's way.

After all was said and done, this move worked out. My wife found a grade school where she could continue her work as a teaching assistant for especially needy children, my son Drew volunteered at the hospital and I started working with families of individuals with autism. We eventually realized that wherever we are, we are at home when we can contribute to the lives of others. We got back in touch with the things that matter most, and maybe that is what hard times are for. We helped others in ways that we felt called to, we used our strengths so as to feel effective and we shared our experiences with family, faith community and like-minded others.

Eventually, of course, everyone stumbles on hard times, and no one gets out of life alive. Today, even those who had considered themselves protected from hardship are being touched and their lives changed by volatile economic markets, job uncertainty and the increasing isolation and loneliness of modern life. FULL POST