When All You Need is Family…

by Heidi Kreider

We stood together, just the six of us. On a day when we buried one, we huddled... holding and upholding. When others said...we'll be there. I said... no. All I wanted, all I needed was my family. I gathered them around me... my parents, my man, and my kids together. It was enough.

Family... that group of people who are defined by blood lines, and maybe more. Sometimes those closest to our hearts do not share the same family tree. We cannot chose our relations but we can choose to redefine the term family to include those who are closest to us. Those we live life with... the ones to whom we cling when the storms of life roar and the winds threaten to overflow us.

I am blessed with an amazing family. As I grow older and slightly wiser, I have learned to count that amazing family as a gift. I now recognize it's rarity. I also know that I have friends who are as close to me as my sisters. I've learned to count them as family and as gifts. They are equal but different treasures to my heart.

Recently, I wrote a novel about family and friendship, life and loss... The Secret of Counting Gifts and an accompanying journal, The Secret of Counting Gifts Gratitude Journal. Both volumes have been released and are now available through Amazon.com

The Secret of Counting Gifts is the story of Kris McClintock and Liz Bower and their friendship that spans twenty-eight years. Through marriage, babies, and infidelity they stand by each other and hold one another up... until breast cancer delivers the final blow. As she sits by Liz, Kris recounts the trials and blessings that made them who they are. She tells their story and recalls the many "gifts" they have been blessed with throughout the years. She shares of how Liz taught her to notice the gifts in each day and to live with a grateful heart. It is through the telling of their story that the secret of counting gifts is discovered....

Throughout this month, I'm on a virtual book tour, meeting up with bloggers and talking about friends and family, life and loss. You can see the stops along the way at www.heidikreider.com. Come on over and say "Hey!" and register for my giveaway... autographed copies of The Secret of Counting Gifts and The Secret of Counting Gifts Gratitude Journal in a hand-made basket, made my lovely friend, Anne.

All those years ago, my family stood with me as we buried our stillborn son. Who do you have stand with you when you face loss? Do you have friends who are as close to you as family?

Heidi Kreider

About the Author:
Heidi Kreider is a wife, mother, author, and friend. She blogs about life, grace, and gratitude at www.heidikreider.com

Book Review: The Secret of Counting Gifts by Heidi Kreider

The Secret of Counting Gifts by Heidi Kreider
Ebook
ASIN: B007306CNO
Retail: $2.99
Can be purchased through Smashwords or Amazon.

Eighteen years-old and ready to take on the world, the friendship of a lifetime begins. Kristen Murphy and Elizabeth Ashley begin as college roommates and live life as friends closer than sisters. Kris, is artistic and thrives off of her time drawing and painting. She is tall and rather plain, but smart and kind. Liz is musical, outgoing, beautiful, and captures the heart of every person she meets. In their eighteen year-old wisdom, they thought they had forever to be friends.
Kris and Liz rented their first apartment together, stood up at each other's weddings and held each other's babies. Liz held Kris' hand when her father was buried. Kris stood with Liz when her husband walked out. The boundaries of thei lives blurred long ago. They have been friends for twenty-eight years and the friendship withstands the test of time and the trials of life. Until cancer deals the final blow. Twenty-eight years together will be all they will get.
Through Liz’s battle with breast cancer they learn how important each part of their life is and how grateful they are for everything that God sends their way. This is the story of their lives. As she sits by Liz's death bed, Kris recounts the trails and blessings that made them who they are. With their melded family gathered around, Kris tells their story and recalls the many "gifts" they have been blessed without throughout the years. She shares of how Liz taught her to notice the gifts in each day and to live with a grateful heart. It is through the telling of their story that the secret of counting gifts is discovered....

My thoughts:

I was privileged to read this debut novel by fellow homeschooling mom, Heidi Kreider. Admittedly, I was a little slow to get started (because I knew how it would end). Generally books like this don’t make it to my ‘book shelf’ because I don’t like to cry.

Reading this book will make you tear up- just a warning! With that said, this is a great book. The characters become like friends as we read; their trials we get upset about; their joys we smile and praise God for. The underlying message, which really isn’t very ‘under’ lying, is to count each and every blessing that comes our way. Thank God for all that He has given us- every circumstance and every person that has come into our lives. Life is entirely too short to not count our gifts.

Heidi does a wonderful job of telling this emotional story of two women’s lives and how they were so connected. All the while making us remember to count our own blessings and gifts. I give this book 4.75 stars. It loses 1/4 star because –and call me a baby if you want –it made me cry too much.

***Disclaimer: I received this ebook free from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. See Disclosure/Policies.***