MSI Press Blog

  \ LIFE’S JOY “What can separate us from the love of Christ?” --Paul of Tarsus   “I’ve never been happy. I don’t believe I’ll ever escape my misery,” my elderly patient lamented. She had suffered from anxiety her whole life. She was its prisoner. “I’m always worrying about something. If it’s not one thing, it’s another. Anything can cause me to panic,” she explained.  I asked her, “Who would you be if you didn’t worry?” She responded honestly, “I don’t know. I wouldn’t know myself. That would be even scarier!” My patient had constructed an identity around her illness. She could not imagine living without it and the misery it caused her.  Another patient of mine was terrified of leaving the house. She insisted she wanted to feel free to go out and socialize, but still stayed home to feel safe. I asked her, “You say you want to go out, but still stay home. Which is true, what you say you want or what you do?” Both, in fact, may have been true. She felt hopelessly conflicted, not knowin

photo by Stacey Gentry: Sula, parish cat at Old Mission/MSI Press "author" in the creche Shared by Dr. Dennis Ortman , author of a number of award-winning books -  CHRISTMAS STORY “ And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory. ” --John 1: 14   Even as a child, I knew that Christmas was about more than Santa Claus coming and getting gifts. The baby Jesus was born. In addition to the Christmas tree and outdoor lights, we set up a Nativity scene in our home. Our parents told us the story and introduced the characters. At school, we re-enacted the Christmas story. We all vied to play Mary or Joseph, but I ended up being a sheep. The nuns explained that the story was about the birth of Jesus, the Son of God, who came to save us from our sins. I wasn ’ t sure what that meant, but I knew it was a very happy occasion. We sang joyous Christmas carols at church and in the neighborhood. At home the family gathered to share a meal and exchange

  The following post, appearing last year on Nanette Hucknall's blog, is timeless. The topic is joy -- as an antidote to a world filled with fear. Nanette writes: Joy is often portrayed as a grandiose and euphoric emotion, but a touch of joy can be uncovered in many simple, small encounters of our daily lives. Being enchanted by a piece of music, glimpsing a shifting sunset or catching the sound of children laughing as you pass them playing on the sidewalk –  to name a few. It is felt in any relationship where love, or even a gentle, respectful kinship is present. Joy abounds in nature – the hearty resilience of a stretching flower, a chilly breeze on your warm face or the scent of a nearby body of water and all its brisk beauty.  Read the rest of the post HERE . Nanette co-authored The Rose and the Sword . She also wrote How to Live from Your Heart . Book of the Year Award 2016 finalist Kops-Fetherling Legacy Award in Self-Help Pinnacle Book Achievement Award Book Excellence Award

  From A Woman's Guide to Self-Nurturing The Road to Self-Esteem What brings you happiness? Is it love? Is it meaningful work? Does a passionate interest meet that yearning that just has to be fulfilled? Chances are all of these needs are important, but there may be one hidden desire that never gets the attention it deserves. That need is self-esteem, the quiet, undemanding hankering to feel good about oneself. Certainly doing well in a job can bring self-esteem, but it may not be the kind we need, or it doesn’t last long enough before the next goal is put into place and we’re off again. Love comes closer, but again it has to be the right kind of love. Women’s love, as we know, is often focused outward, and that’s good—but for a true gain in self-esteem, women need to give love to themselves. This is not being selfish, it’s just being fair. We need to cherish ourselves in every way we can, if only so that our cup will be full enough to continue helping others. The Parable of the Te

  This week's book back story features How to Get Happy and Stay That Way by Joanna Romer -- a perfect Christmas theme! from the editor -- I will have to tell this story since Joanna, alas, is no longer with us. She passed away suddenly from a heart attack a few years ago. Still, her books are loved and still sell.  This particular book proposal caught my attention immediately. Happy is the name of my cat, and here was an author wanting to tell the world how to get him. Oh, right, she meant joy, happiness, peace -- not my cat! At the time, Joanna was exploring some of the happier, kinder, and kind-to-self themes, writing several books in that vein. Maybe she was looking for joy. Maybe she had found it and wanted to share it. In either event, the book is certain to help others find the joy in their lives. Purchase the paperback 25% discount with coupon code FF25 at the  MSI Press webstore . For more posts about Joanna and her books, several of which have won awards, click HERE . Si

  You cannot write a blog day in and day out without once in a while becoming personal. Last week was personal. CB (my Charge Syndrome son who makes me a septaguanarian single mom) and I took off for Sacramento, about a three-hour drive last week to watch my grandson, Nicholas (had to have that name - he was born December 25), graduate from UC Davis in electrical engineering. Not sure how the "baby" became the "engineer" overnight! Neko, though, went through the covid years in high school -- and did not get a high school graduation -- and spent the first year in college learning long-distance before things settled down out here in California. Still finished in four years, though, which apparently is an accomplishment for science degrees.  Oh, yes! That hair is real. Like his father's before him (before his dad, my older son, had to crop it when CHP hired him). Neko is taking a few months off to figure out his next steps (working, probably). Clearly, he is as st