Author Click images for more info on Terri's books!           The anticipation mounted as I awaited my turn to open "the gift". Keeping with the custom that my mom has, my sister and I often hint at our present or we just out and out tell each other what we bought them. The excitement of purchasing the item, then being able to inform the recipient seems delightful to me. My husband Steve, however, does not share in the fun and we have to keep everything secret, except for the presents I purchase, wrap and secretly place beneath the tree for myself. The story has barely begun to unfold and already I have regressed. Oh dear! Let me get back to the story at hand. There I sat with my little pile of gifts wondering which one is the one from my sister. You see, on the phone she had informed me that she had been spending many a night at her print shop working on my gift and she really hoped I would like it. Her husband even came up to me and whispered, "Even if you don't like it, act like you do because Shileen really put a lot of time and effort into it." My first thought was that it must be an afghan that will fall apart after only using it a couple of times. I made one of those once. It took hours. But I apparently didn't know how to tie a knot. When it came my turn to open, my sister took a package from beside her. It was only about six inches high and ten inches wide. "Whew!" I thought, "It's not an afghan!" She told me to guess what was inside. As I felt the package, smelling it, shaking it, and turning it upside down, I was pretty certain it was a book. I told her my thoughts and she asked, "What author?" Then hinted, "She's my favorite author." After guessing a few names, she finally told me to open the gift. I was completely shocked when I beheld a book entitled "In Search of Quality Bathroom Time!" by none other than Terri Camp! In fact I was so shocked I screamed, and cried, and jumped up and down, and screamed again. I glanced over to my mom who had tears streaming down her cheeks. The contents of my gift was more than all the time she spent, it was more than her saving articles I had written for the past couple of years, it was even more than the editing she did. What my sister handed me that day, wrapped in beautiful wrapping paper, was my dream! She later told me the gift was conditional. She wanted me to find a publisher. I had the motivation...now all I needed was to get rid of the fear of rejection. I can't believe four years have come and gone since she handed me my dream. She did inspire me to find a publisher. With some incredible intervention of the Lord that book became "I'm Going to be the Greatest Mom Ever!...Even if it Kills Me!" I've since written two more books for publication and have even begun speaking at home school conventions and for women's church retreats. In one simple gift, my sister changed my world! Thank you Shileen! You are one of the most precious gifts the Lord has ever given to me! ~ For Further Encouragement Wife Cook Links Author Mother My Bio Camper Contact Speaker Calendar Columnist Subscribe Freshen Up Testimonials Home Educator Home Business Home Site owned by Terri Camp. © 2004 All rights reserved.  No material may be copied in any form without the express written permission of Terri Camp or publishers of her material. This site designed and maintained by Designs By Christi © All rights reserved E-Mail: Christi@designsbychristi.com