NEW RELEASE 2020

From Jo Elizabeth Pinto

APPLES OF GOLD

Timely Advice When the World Doesn’t Seem Lovely

“Timely advice is lovely, like golden apples in a silver basket.” (Proverbs 25:11, NLT) The turbulent times we live in require us to look at our changing world in new ways if we hope to find the blessings that will sustain us. The short, easy-to-read vignettes in this book focus on sifting the true and positive out of the grit and grime of daily life. Like the abundance of apples we can choose from to satisfy our varying tastes, there are different kinds of stories in this book. A few are specifically about the Coronavirus; most are not. Some mention God; most are as practical as they are spiritual. There are even some poems sprinkled in for good measure. All of the pieces are intended to help readers seek strength and joy in the challenging days that have come upon us. Delve into the silver basket and find the golden apples that await you.

Excerpt

Guide dog Diplomacy

If I had a doubt in my mind before about the ability of my guide dog to open doors for me, it’s been erased. While on my way to pick up my daughter from her elementary school one afternoon, I came upon four teenagers lounging on a quiet street corner. Two young men and two young women blocked off the entire sidewalk. As I crossed the street toward them, I heard them conversing, dropping f-bombs like commas between their raucous guffaws.

I felt a little nervous as I approached the group, but I smiled anyway and said, "Excuse me."

I’m not sure why the teenagers didn’t move out of my way. Maybe they were asserting their right to take up space. Maybe they were demanding control in a world where they often felt they had none. Maybe they were being stubborn or defiant. Or maybe they were just oblivious.

In any case, I had to decide if I should ask the teens to move again, more forcefully, or try to go around them through someone’s yard and possibly get mixed up among bushes and driveways, which could be tricky. I could step out into traffic, or head down the block into an unfamiliar neighborhood, which might have winding residential streets that could take me into unfamiliar territory and make me late picking up my daughter.

As the choices clicked through my mind in those few seconds while I crossed the street, my guide dog acted. She finished the crossing, and in her good-natured way, began to lick the faces of the teenagers, one by one. First the girls started giggling. The young men tried to hold out, but it didn’t take long before they were laughing, too. As they parted to avoid her copious kisses, my dog took the opportunity to lead me through the space they made on the sidewalk.

"She’s sweet," one of the boys said as I walked away. I told them all to have a nice day. I made it to the elementary school with a few minutes to spare.

Now there’s a great example of Mohandas Gandhi’s "soul force" in action.

To buy Jo’s books please visit: http://www.amazon.com/author/jepinto

For interviews and more visit Jo’s Author Website: www.brightsideauthor.com.