Conversations With a Moonflower GIVEAWAY PACK

From Goodreads:  It all begins with a little flower. This tenderly told story is a beautiful reminder to appreciate the simple joys around you. The perfect gift for even the busiest mothers and friends in your life, this book is guaranteed to change chaos to calm and inspire all to look beyond the ordinary and see the extraordinary.

My take:  The author shares her experience of cleaning out the old family homestead, her grandmother's house, which lies right in Amish country.  The Amish neighbors took the time to pay their respects when her grandmother passed away then continued to offer companionship while the grown children (who were also grandparents, themselves), cleaned out the house and said goodbye one last time.  

One neighbor, Marissa, invited Chris and her sister to watch the moonflower bloom.  It sounded silly but they were genuinely delighted to be invited to this woman's home.  It was a unique and wonderful experience and Marissa prepared a moonflower for the sisters to take home and plant.  

The moonflower blooms during the summer at dusk.  The pod quiver and shake and within seconds, the blossom bursts and spreads.  Some nights no flowers bloom.  Other nights, nearly 30 will grace the plant.  The gift of the moonflower is the byproduct.  Friends drop by to sit and wait.  Friendships are renewed.  Family time is extended.  

Some nights, only Chris was present for the show.  What follows is a conversation Chris has within herself as she takes the time to be still.  Alone with the moonflower, her mind wanders and finally settles on certain problem spots in her life.  As she sits and patiently waits for the bloom, answers reveal themselves. The truths she discovers are not earth shattering but, like Chris, they resonate like a remembering.  They are basic principles that I needed reminding.  In near parable form, the truths revealed with the moonflower will be different for everybody.  

For me,  Chris and the moonflower reminded me to:

• Be Still - that's how He teaches us.
• Be Prayerful - Ask for what we need.
• Be Patient - Allow the answers to come without forcing them.  They will come.
• Listen - Resonating with Be Still and Be patient.
• Be True - If I am a moonflower, I will never be a daisy.  Accept what I am and find my own purpose.

For me, Chris brought the balm for my wounds and touched me deeply.

I met Chris at a book signing at my local Costco. She is an amazing woman with an intuitiveness that is clearly a gift. I believed when I read it in March that this book was inspired. After meeting Chris, I know this to be true. Chris said things to me that I needed to hear and I have no doubt my meeting her was not a coincidence.

On top of this, she recognized me! As any blogger will know, blogging is an anonymous fame. I will be the first to admit that I don't blog for fame or fortune (obviously) but to simply give voice to the thoughts in my head. As a lifelong stutterer, I've found blogging to be the perfect platform for my voice.

To clarify, Chris didn't recognize my blog or my blogging name but my Amazon reviewing name, a name I conjured up about 7 or 8 years ago because I wanted to identify with my current past time. Chris asked if I was "Dancing Mom." Naturally I asked her if she wanted to see me do a pirouette.

Surprisingly, she declined. I was secretly disappointed yet relieved. I might have tipped over. I never claimed to be a good dancer.

And so today my ego is artificially inflated and I'm okay with that. I just wanted to share.

Meanwhile, Adam, Chris' publicist from Cedar Fort Books, is letting me host a fun contest. Here's what a lucky winner will receive:



How cool is that! The only thing you need to provide is dirt!

I want to reiterate that the book is short but life changing. The book, in and of itself, is a gift. Prize package will include book, moonflower seeds, gloves, and a mini-shovel. Publicist determines what type of seeds, gloves and shovel. Blogger is simply taking liberties by posting lovely images she found from Amazon.



In the meantime, peruse Cedar Fort books. This is a small publishing house that produces some phenomenal work. Also, drop by Chris Hall's blog. She loves company.