Sometimes I have to write because there is something inside me that has to come out. Once, however, I had to write because there was something I needed to read, and no one else had written it. Waiting for Jesus is the result.
It’s a book about Advent and how to make your own observance of the season more personal and meaningful. There are reflections, stories from my heart, that focus on the four themes of Advent: hope, peace, joy, and love, along with some “bonus” themes. I’ve also offered lots of ideas about how each of us can become active participants in expanding those themes into our own lives, families, and communities. Here’s a little preview:
Once, while driving the Seward Highway in Alaska, I rounded a bend to see an entire hillside covered in fuschia fireweed blooms. It was the most incredible sight I had ever seen, and I pulled my car over on the side of the road and sat, weeping with joy at such amazing beauty. I have seen many other beautiful, natural wonders in Alaska and elsewhere, but nothing like that fireweed-covered hillside. Luckily, there are other experiences that fill me with great joy on a more frequent basis: the Houston skyline, the “ah-ha” look on a child’s face when he finally understands, the smell of coffee brewing, the cozy comfort of a quilt on a cold night, the sweetness of a South Texas grapefruit, and music of almost any kind. Sometimes I get so busy, so stressed, I overlook these simple joys. I have to remind myself not only to notice, but also to savor these precious moments and to recall them at times when joy seems just out of reach.
If your church doesn’t observe Advent, or if you have never observed it in your home, I hope Waiting for Jesus will be a guide to help you become more familiar with this sacred time of year. For all of us, I hope it will inspire different ways of thinking and acting during those busy, commercialized days between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
The eBook version of Waiting for Jesus is available now at amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, and iBooks for the very reasonable price of 99 cents. It will soon be available on a number of other sites, so if you buy your eBooks elsewhere, please check frequently to see when it is offered. There will be a limited number of hard copies printed. They will be spiral bound, to stay open while you study, reflect, journal, or create. The price will be about $10. If you would like to reserve your printed copy, please email me at countyroadpublishing1@gmail.com.
Stay tuned for more about Waiting for Jesus and to find out how you can join the online community as we share this very special season in anticipation of the arrival of the Christ child.
Blessings…
idabethgeschkedotcom 
I would love a hard copy!!! I remember when the girls were younger we did special things leading up to the holidays!! I will email you my order!!
I am so proud of you!!
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Thanks, Kathryn, for your kind words and your on-going support. It means so much!
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Oh, Glorious IBG!
How fine and welcome is this post. Advent has been a theme for me over the past few months and when I took a moment to breathe before daybreak today, I came across this gem. You see, after an eventful few days with a calendar full and my to-do list ever growing, I poured my second cup of espresso and cooled it down from the tap to make it coffee. I snuggled back into my comfy couch to finish the film I started last night when I seemingly surrendered to my exhaustion and awoke to the comfort of my old cotton quilt, my television buzzing in anticipation. With sweet recollection of my enjoyment of the film I committed to the night before, the taste of my Hershey Kiss revisited as I scooped up the tiny wad of foil from the end table, I sat back down to this visual feast. It was soon after that Pere approached the pulpit unsure what the theme of his homily would be that day. His ensuing sermon: “Do I want to speak of the miracle of our Lord’s divine transformation? Not really, no. I do not want to talk about His divinity. I’d rather talk about His humanity. I mean, you know, how He lived His life here in earth, His kindness, His tolerance. Listen, here’s what I think. We can’t go around measuring our goodness by what we don’t do, by what we deny ourselves, what we resist and who we exclude. I think we’ve got to measure goodness by what we embrace, what we create and who we include.” There I sat, stilled in contentment with the sound of lovely French music framing the beautiful scenic village as the credits rolled by, when I came across this illustrious posting by an old friend anew. IBG’s wondrously depictive writing reminded me of His glory and of His gifts. IBG writes of the joyful simplicity and beauty of God’s creation and announces a must-read time. I write of IBG’s gifts and my appreciation of her spirit and movement, as the winds of change brush us by and the advent of goodness prevails. Thank you, IBG, for your humility and grace, and mostly, for sharing your joy with others, namely me. Congratulations of your book. I look forward to it, with glee. Love, BC
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Thanks for stopping by, Barbara, and for taking the time to create this beautiful comment! “We can’t go around measuring our goodness by what we don’t do…” Oh, how those words speak to my heart! As does your kindness and support. Big love!
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That is really neat. How fun to write a little book about Advent. Christmas is my favorite time of year. I look forward to reading it
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Thanks so much, Kimberley! It really was a fun project, and I hope it helps add meaning to your Advent season. Stay tuned for more!
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Advent always brings to mind my beautiful mom. I just had a bounty of warm memories rush to me… of lighting the candles on our Advent wreath with my brothers and Mom and Dad… Hoping I would be the one who got to light the candles this year…Mom lovingly packing the wreath at the end of each season… And me crying in Mom’s closet when I discovered that Dad had saved only one holiday item-our Advent wreath…so many happy times were spent together at Advent. Thank you for those memories, Ida. I’m proud of you!
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Thank you, Nancy, for stopping by and for sharing your sweet memories. As a newcomer to Advent, I am just discovering its wonders, so I truly appreciate getting a peek into your childhood experiences. Thanks also for your on-going support and kind words. I am truly blessed.
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I’m proud to know you, IdaBeth. Wonderful intro to your book. I’ll be reading it. Love the line about the ‘cozy quilt’. ER out ours on last week and this week the weather got warm. Yup, last night I was kicking everything off, everything. It was ‘hotter than Houston’. 😎
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Thanks for such kind words, Steve! I truly enjoy your work as well as our blog discussions. I can honestly say you inspire me to write more and better. I’m working on something to go along with your post about sharing poetry with your friends. That story is still on my mind. As for your weather, well, I’m sorry. Hotter than Houston is hotter than anyone needs to deal with. Fall will return, I’m sure. We had about three days of it. I’m getting impatient for it to come back and stay! Thanks again. Your encouragement is both needed and appreciated!
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Very nice. By the way, Bar Night #7 tomorrow night. Topic will be Presidential Campaigns & Elections, excluding the current one. Should be interesting fodder for next ‘Bar Chronicles’.
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“…excluding the current one.” Brilliant! Can’t wait to read about it!
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Because I didn’t want peeps to feel uncomfortable. I mowed my choices’ name in our lawn a few days ago but mowed it over shortly thereafter. Someone would have sprayed Roundup on it in anger. Tonight, I’ll talk about my first election experience, Adams and Jefferson in 1800…😜😂🇺🇸
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