A collection of encouraging, entertaining, and enlightening stories. Whether fact or fiction, they present experiences that are true-to-life and rewarding.
Tree Topper by LaWanda Bailey — SCOOP IT UP Summary
Devastated by divorce and overwhelmed by responsibilities of a single parent, Caroline wants peace and quiet so she can recover from her wounds. After sending her young son and daughter to be with their father, will the emptiness of the house be a source of strength or deepen her heartache?
In discovering a bird nest in the real Christmas tree bought home on the roof of her car, Caroline sees how well-built bird nests are not easily shaken and believes she can provide a secure, happy home. But will her change of heart be enough to make this Christmas a day to remember?
To Ana with Love by Lisa Bell — SCOOP / SCOOP IT UP Summary
After his wife dies, Leo wants to improve his relationship with his daughter and spend more time with her children. With his daughter’s grief at the loss of her mother and resentment that he wasn’t there when she needed him, will his special Christmas gifts bring love and acceptance or deepen the rift between them?
On Christmas morning, Ana wants the joy she had when her mother was with them. When Leo shows up with an armload of presents, will Ana be thrilled like the kids or offended that he arrived unannounced and stole what little joy she had left?
A phone call saying Leo has died of a heart attack brings memories of Christmas morning and the realization that her father really did love her. But how can she reach out to him now?
Christmas Homecoming by Jan Brand — SCOOP Summary
After months of preparation for her wedding, Lindsey wanted unforgettable memories of the day when her fiancé came home from the war in Afghanistan. Would the Marines and the community warm her heart, or would apathy and Christmas conflicts leave her alone to shiver in the December cold?
Breakdown by Lori Freeland — SCOOP IT UP Summary
Across the grocery store parking lot, Kelly sees her estranged father trying to get his old truck started and wants to get away before he sees her. Unable to escape ten years of painful memories, will she try to help him and be the kind and understanding person she knows she needs to be, or will she drive away with wounds that will fester for the rest of her life?
In facing her father, Kelly confronts her feelings and realizes that her bitterness has been a self-inflicted pain, but how can she accept his apology when what he did was so wrong?
Wrapping Up by Henry McLaughlin — SCOOP IT UP Summary
When the rest of the family decides to go Christmas shopping, Dad wants to stay home and relax. With the wife’s expectation that he would do something useful at home and the lack of value in reading a book or watching a movie, can Dad enjoy the peace and quiet or feel guilty that he had accomplished nothing?
Dad believes he can relax and do something constructive at the same time, but will that effort be appreciated by his family when they come home?
Coffee and Pecan Pie by Marty Norman — SCOOP Summary
In a small town in the Oklahoma Panhandle, waitress Sarah wants a joy-filled Christmas for her young twin girls. With barely enough tips at the café to make ends meet, how can she pay for the dolls that Santa promised and see tears of joy in their eyes instead of sadness?