To all my friends, family, and followers,

I have moved my blogs to my new website where you can access my blogs and view my website at the same time. This is more convenient for me and for you too! Please follow me to my new site and we’ll meet again soon.

Blessings to all my readers.

www.ruthellinger.com

~Ruth

The Shepherdess speaks...

No person is an island. We influence and impact someone’s life during our journey. We create our legacy by living our day-to-day life in a way that will inspire and challenge those who follow. Others went before us, leaving their footprints in the sand. Our responsibility is to leave our own mark in the world, to point the way for those who are following behind us, to leave a legacy that will make this world a better place than our own appointed time to live.

Ruth Carmichael Ellinger

Thankfulness...

 MY SIMPLE THANKS

Father, I thank you for the quietness of home

Sweet refuge from the storms of life.

I thank you for good and wholesome work,

For strength to perform what is mine to do.

I thank you for food, for taste and appetite;

For peaceful rest at the close of day

I thank you for your healing touch

To mind and soul and body, too.

I thank you for simple faith to believe

That you will be there; loving, caring for me.

I thank you for bearing all my cares

When we meet each day in the secret place of prayer.

~Ruth Carmichael Ellinger

Lead me to the rock that is higher than I...

Vacationing along the coast of Maine is breathtakingly beautiful. We took so many photos and were inspired by the natural beauty and rugged coastal landscape. I could spend a summer there; walking along the shores and visiting with the many interesting people and their unique culture.The history itself is fascinating

How many times have I been in this spiritual place? If the little boat can make it to this rock, a store of food and water is kept in the tower for any who are lost at sea or for the weary who need to rest

God will bring us safely to the other shore

Unless Thy goodness opens paths for me through the consuming vastness of the sea;

Thy winds, O God, so strong, So slight my meager sail.
How could I pass over the long and salty trail,
Unless Thy love were mightier than the wrath of all the tempests that beset my path?

Thy world, O God, so fierce, And I so frail.
Yet, cities of refuge arise for me and dangers cease,
Sweet peace abounds, and all is calm and rest.

For more of my Maine photos, check this link:

 

http://ruthellinger.blogspot.com/p/around-my-house.html

The Word of God is...

 

This photo of this powerful Bible verse in Hebrews is from my paternal grandmother’s Bible, a book well-worn with time and use. In the Wildrose book series, one theme is woven like a continuous thread throughout the inspirational stories and is the predominant key scripture used in “Sword of the Wild Rose.”   

Elizabeth's Bible is a treasure, very presious to me. It has notes in her own hand and little keepsakes between the pages. I thought once to have it re-bound, but then...part of her story would be lost. This photo tells a story. What could you write about it?

The two swords...both were used by my patriot ancestors. Sword of the Wild Rose is now available in an audio format from AUDIBLE and performed by Mike Ortego. A book trailer will soon be available to readers

 

Audio version of SWORD of the WILD ROSE just released to AUDIBLE.com, iTUNES.com & AMAZON

Leave a review on the above mentioned sites to receive a free text copy signed by the author

When his young wife is murdered in a senseless raid, Derick Davidson, son of a Scottish chieftain seeks revenge. Suspected by English authorities, he flees Scotland, arriving in Boston as the American Patriots rally for independence.

Daniel Morgan, frontiersman and Patriot, befriends Derick and takes him to Virginia where he meets the winsome and beautiful Kearan Mackenzies. He teaches her to sword fight and she learns the secrets of his troubled past.

Inside Derick’s heart, a war rages—a deadly conflict that challenges the very core of his political and spiritual beliefs. He follows one burning desire—to be free.

Filled with danger, intrigue, and unconditional love, Sword of the Wild Rose is the story of one man’s spiritual journey from the depths of heartbreak to the liberating experience of divine forgiveness, a liberty greater than King or country has to offer.

In the search for the perfect voice for this audio production, Mike Ortego auditioned and was the perfect voice, the one I heard in my head. I was so pleased with Mike's ability to portray each character, each with their unique personality traits and Mike used just the right amount of Scottish accent to make the reading palatable to the reader. I highly recommend Mike Ortego Productions for any audio project.

Audio Links:

iTunes link for Sword of the Wild Rose https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sword-of-the-wild-rose/id595467275?mt=11

Audible link for Sword of the Wild Rose http://www.audible.com/pd/ref=sr_1_1?asin=B00DP5F6P6&qid=1373560078&sr=1-1

Summertime...

View from Spyglass Mountain, near Katherine's home

I have taken a hiatus from blogging for some weeks to spend time vacationing and traveling. We visited our daughter Katherine and her family who lives in the northern panhandle of Idaho. The scenery there is breathtakingly beautiful but the winters are long and often dreary to us sun lovers. Katherine’s husband was building her a greenhouse so tomatoes and other vegetables requiring a longer growing season other than what nature provides, could mature and ripen.

Their farm is complete with chickens, horses, cats and dogs, a barn for hay, a chicken house and even an outside privy for when you don’t want to trek to the house. A stream empties into a pond with trails backed up against national forest lands. They make the trip to town about once a week on church days (Wed) to buy groceries and other necessities and on Sundays for worship services. Other than that, life is busy with home schooling, cooking and preparing meals, and caring for the animals.

We took one day to go to the Kootenay Falls area and enjoy the natural scenery and share time with our grandchildren. Time flew by so quickly. I didn't try this. We did hike some distance before it began to rain

 

 The Kootenay River

Chapel in the Woods

 

One of my favorite places is “the chapel in the woods” that secret place of meditation and prayer that Katherine created to meet with the Lord. It seems rather majestic nestled against the drooping branches of the cedars, a quiet and charming forest room that offers natural solitude and peace. You must go...

   

Angel in the chapel

The rustic seats in the chapel

 I took this photo from the deck one early morning in winter

HAPPY BIRTHDAY...

This month is my husband’s birthday and I wanted to do something very special for him…but my plan fell apart and I have nothing even close to adequate to express my love and thankfulness to God for giving me such a wonderful husband. Through the years of his selfless service, I have been by his side as he ministered God’s word, facing every difficulty with courage and hope. Opposition and misunderstanding are part of this work and the journey is fraught with tears, joys and losses, but the gains far outweigh the losses.

I came to realize how much he had sacrificed when I asked him to read aloud a story slated for a July deadline. As he read, I followed on the computer screen until suddenly, the words stopped. I turned to see tears in his eyes and a look of infinite sadness on his features. Tears of empathy rose in my own eyes. In my story, I was describing the fragrant fields of the farm where he grew up, a home he had loved. The story spoke of many things dear to him, but now a bittersweet memory. I am reminded of the song lyrics that relate so personally to his life of service and I know he feels the sacrifice has not been too much and his joy is knowing that through it all, there has been One who has loved him.

Happy Birthday, my love…

Your Shepherdess

"In This Life"

Let the world stop turning,
let the sun stop burning.
Let them tell me love's not worth going through.
If it all falls apart, I will know deep in my heart
the only dream that matters has come true;
in this life, I was loved by you.

For every mountain I have climbed,
every raging river crossed,
You were the treasure that I longed to find.
Without your love, I would be lost.
In this life, I was loved by You.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY DADS...

Things I remember about my Dad

 DAD and ME

* He was always old (I was born when he was about forty)

* He had lots of freckles and green eyes

* He loved my mother with great devotion

* He worked hard

* He made me work hard

* He spanked me a lot, then hugged me

* He told me stories of his life

* He sang Scottish love songs and recited poetry, even in his old age

* He was patriarchal and very moral

* He encouraged me to seek excellence

* He encouraged me to learn

* He told me never to forget important things…like family

* He played checkers

* He liked trucks and ice cream

* He told me not to marry the boy I was dating. I listened. I’m glad I did

* He lived to be 94

* He was always there for me

I miss him…

The Shepherdess Speaks...

 Joy of the journey

 And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Mark 10:13-15

 

Dangerous Journey

 

  Hope and encouragement comes to Honduras

In answer to the Macedonia call, “Come and help us,” my husband, (a pastor) and another minister acting as translator, arrived in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, known as the ‘murder capitol of the world.’ I didn’t realize how dangerous this endeavor was until I began to read about the rival gang crimes and drug related murders that are a daily occurrence in this part of the world. The two ministers had to travel this narrow road in order to minister to the Church of God in that community. This was a precarious journey over hazardous conditions where gang activity and gun fights are a daily occurrence. 

 The community  near San Pedro Sula

Preaching and interpreting

Welcome brothers!

Primitive transportation

The children

Rental car in font of church building. They had to roll the tinted windows down so they wouldn't be suspected as affiliated with a gang. It was quite warm with no air conditioning. The congregation had decorated the church with welcome sing, flowers and backdrop of curtains. We had a warm welcome.

Ministering in a dark land

Two babies

The shower

Here we are... in answer to the call

This little guy sat next to Wright each evening

The cook stove. Everyone thank the Lord for your nice stove!

God bless you and keep you in His love and care!

Pastor Carlos, Ellie, and family

"Abiga"

Alexandria Noel graduates from high school

 

When she was learning to talk, she called herself “Abiga.” As her Grammy, Alexandria (her given name) will always be “Abiga” to me, that darling little girl who brought such comfort and joy into our lives. Now, off to college and a future already given into God’s hands. How blessed we feel to know she has chosen to serve God in her youth. She is just as sweet as she is beautiful. High on the list of Andria’s accomplishments are her musical talent as a pianist and her journalistic contributions for the Osprey Observer, our local newspaper. Our prayers are with you, sweet little Abiga!

If I could, I would freeze my grandchildren in time at about three years and keep them there forever. At three, we have moved past the diapers, nursing, sleepless nights, and have stored all the baby paraphernalia that helped us survive those first few years.

The delight and wonder of a child’s world is marvelous to behold. It makes us feel young again too; just watching our toddlers experience life and all the new and exciting things that have become mundane and ordinary to us grownups. For them, life is simple, joyous, energizing, and carefree. Don’t you think this is how God intended for us to experience the abundant life He offers? Oh Lord… help me to simplify and see the world through child-like eyes!

"Abiga"

The Shepherdess Remembers...

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

LIFE’S PRECIOUS GIFTS

     We feel its warmth, its softening influence....however forgetful we have been, however much we have taken for granted life’s precious gifts, we are conscious of wistful memories that surge out of the past,  the sweet tender poignant fragrances of love. Nothing that has been said, nothing that could be said, would be eloquent enough, expressive enough, or adequate to make articulate that peculiar emotion we feel to our mothers. Peter Marshall

 Springtime

 My mother, Margaret, on the left and grandmother Joanna on the right

So many years have passed since we laid Mom to rest beneath the moss and ferns. I realize now that I will never stop missing her, never stop wishing for one more talk, one more hello and one more glimpse of her her dear face. Someday...we will meet again.

Elizabeth & Arthur on right, Samuel on left

 

What is a lady?

    A great lady is always a lady—no matter where she is or what she is doing. She dresses like a lady; modestly, but with elegance and taste. She behaves like a lady in every circumstance; dignified but never starchy or prudish. She shows compassion, but never compromises her standards.

    A lady is gentle, yet firm, respectful of all, but martyr for none. She is a loving wife, a devoted mother, a loyal friend, and a credit to all who may know her. She is the standard bearer for every woman in every age and of every culture. She is both the embodiment and the true personification of God's plan for womanhood.   

-Ruth Carmichael Ellinger

The Shepherdess Speaks

ABOVE ALL…

Along life’s way, we make friends who we feel are trustworthy and true, then suddenly, we find ourselves dismissed from their lives. Just as Jesus was betrayal by his best friends, it happens to each of us sometime in life. I asked the Lord about friends…real friends. I needed something to drive away the disappointment, to lift my weary spirit. But…I heard no voice, could find no word of comfort, nothing but silence.

Then, last night, an old friend who died too young came to me in a dream. She seemed so real. I could see her every feature, look into her beautiful dark eyes. The loss of my friend had indeed been painful. Her loyalty was unwavering, unselfish and steadfast—truly irreplaceable. And still, I miss her and long for those golden days when we talked things through, good and bad, and were both better for it.

In my dream, she sat next to me and I pored out my heart to her, sharing all that had happened. She comforted me as only she could. To see her again, even in a dream, made me so happy! When I awoke, I felt that God had sent the vision of my friend simply because…because He knew I needed her. Jesus, the betrayed, the crucified, understood my sorrow and sent comfort through a dream. How precious is that? He thought of me…above all.

Crucified…laid behind the stone
You lived to die, rejected and alone
Like a rose…trampled on the ground
You took the fall and thought of me

…above all

♦

The Shepherdess writes...

I am so excited to announce that SWORD of the WILD ROSE will be produced in audio by Mike Ortega Productions and will be available for your listening pleasure sometime this summer. With all the latest techy devices, I'm sure there will be one that will work for you.

Written within the chronicles of the Davidsons of Wildrose, are one family’s amazing stories of tragedy and loss, of redemption and rebirth, and the miraculous provisions in God’s unconditional love.

Pieced together from letters, oral history, and early church records, is the compelling saga of this ancient clan family, exiled from their native Scotland to begin a new life in the American wilderness. 

Filled with danger, intrigue, and unconditional love, the WILDROSE TRILOGY with its unforgettable characters will take you along on the spiritual journey of one family, into the depths of heartbreak and retribution, to discover the liberating experience of divine forgiveness. 

ENDORSEMENTS

When you open the pages of Sword of the Wild Rose, be ready for a tale that tugs at your heartstrings and keeps you on the edge of your seat. In a story as fresh and relevant as today’s headlines, Ellinger explores the meaning of liberty, courage, honor, and patriotism while weaving a mosaic of history that is colorful, complex, and constantly riveting. With an amazing attention to detail, Ellinger creates a fascinating array of characters who are compelling, passionate, richly crafted and as memorable as your first love.

CAROLE GIFT PAGE, award-winning author of 48 books including, Becoming a Woman of Passion (Fleming Revell)

♥

Masterful…Credible…Delightful…

In her latest novel, Sword of the Wild Rose, Ruth Carmichael Ellinger not only tells an endearing story, but also accurately portrays the character and spirit of Daniel Morgan, a real life revolutionary war general who has not always been adequately recognized for his role in America’s War of Independence. The folksy powerfully built Morgan, however, is died in the Winchester/Frederick County Virginia where he lived and always returned after his military exploits and where his body lies today in Mount Hebron Cemetery.

GEORGE R. SCHEMBER is President of the Winchester Frederick County Historical Society and holds an MA in history from the University of Tennessee. He lives with his wife, Jeanne, in the Daniel Morgan House in Winchester where the General died on July 6, 1802.

The protagonist in the upcoming inspirational novel, Sword of the Wild Rose, is an ancestor of the Davidson family in the two previous novels in the Wildrose series by the same author. Book 1, The Wild Rose of Lancaster, and book 2, Wild Rose of Promise. Sword of the Wild Rose is a “prequel” to books 1 & 2.

The story tells of Clan Davidson’s struggle to survive through the heart-wrenching years of exile from Scotland and their effort to gain a foothold in their new homeland—America. One man, Derick Davidson, is determined to try.

This setting is colonial America, 1773, just prior to the American Revolution. The time frame covers Derick’s life in colonial America and his eventual settling in the Ohio Valley on the future Davidson estate, Wildrose.

After his ship arrives in Boston in 1773, Derick meets Daniel Morgan, the colourful and controversial character who later becomes the famed Revolutionary War hero of Saratoga. The Colonies are on the brink of revolution and Derick again finds himself facing his age-old enemy—the English. Morgan teaches Derick the ways of the American frontiersmen and they form a lifelong and loyal friendship.

During his sojourn in the turbulent American Colonies, Derick seeks an answer to the age-old question—why, God? The death of his young wife, his unlawful act of revenge, and the loss of his children continually plague his mind.

Morgan takes him to Virginia and Derick finds a friend in the beautiful and winsome Kearan Mackenzie, and discovers in her youthful honesty, a comfort and diversion for his grief. Kearan’s heart is torn by love for the handsome Scotsman and her knowledge of his dark past. She longs to help him but he is lost in a world of painful memories that shut her out. She determines to find a way to make him love her.

Years after his arrival in America, Derick encounters a young man during an Indian skirmish along the Ohio River and is overcome when he discovers the youth is his youngest son, William, (referenced in books 1 and 2) who has come to America in search of his father. Their poignant and emotional reunion and subsequent relationship are destined to establish the beginnings of a permanent home for this branch of Clan Davidson in America.

The spiritual journey of Derick Davidson is comparable to his literal quest for freedom from his literal oppressors. This ongoing quest expresses the longing of the soul to be free—even though he cannot understand this common heart-felt human need. It is only when Derick comes face to face with himself that he truly understand that God is the Giver of true spiritual freedom—freedom of the soul. The plan that is unfolding in Derick’s life is a plan that only God himself could orchestrate to bring peace to his troubled life. He finds a peace that passes understanding and a freedom greater than any King or country has to offer. ♦