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Encouragement from my Friend Mike

I have been wrestling with the idea of trying to write a book again.  I have a couple of unfinished novels in my room and easily enough poetry that I could assemble a volume of poetry.  I have newspaper articles littering the landscape of my life.  Working on a book and actually finishing it is a challenge.

This time I want to write a non-fiction book, my blogging having gone so well.  I feel this call from God to write a book on Christmas. There are many arguments about the nature and origin of Christmas, and the idea of Christmas has a long and varied history.

My friend Mike called tonight to say hi and that he has been reading my blog a lot, so I said that's nice.  Then I told him my idea for this book, detailing how I intend to cover Advent, Christmas Day and the subsequent Christmas season leading to the Baptism of our Lord in chronological order. I discussed how I felt I could answer some of the disputes about Christmas and weave in some of the history while going through the Catholic liturgical calendar for the season.

Mike was very encouraging about my blog and the idea for the book.  He said he would try to leave comments more often. Remember readers, writer need encouragement. C.S. Lewis once said that we read so that we know we are not alone.  I have been known to say, we write so that others know they are not alone.  Readers who write comments help me know that I am not alone. 

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