The Christmas Sweater by Glenn Beck

And Another Winner: Find Out Who Won December’s First Friday Freebie!

~ Midwest Storyteller

December has gone by in a blur around here.  I hear it hasn’t been so for some of you who’ve had pretty much everything cancelled.  I didn’t get in much blogging and writing time due to my small daily companion even though he tried to be such a help with his new skills at grabbing and throwing, paper tearing and high-speed floor cruising.  Evenings and naptimes seemed to be the only slots available for this gal who normally suffers from Martha Stewart/June Cleaver/Mary Poppins/Emily Post-itis to decorate, create, bake, wrap and deliver.  But, hear me loud and clear – I’m not complaining!  This Grandma Life – there’s nothing like it!

I didn’t really know what to ask for this Christmas because I’ve learned from experience that no matter how many times you proclaim that all you want is a nap, you never open a box or bag and find one. 

My First Friday Freebie did, however, find a new home and if you’ve been keeping up with Midwest Storyteller for a while, you may recognize the winner –

Kathy from Prairie Home, Missouri!

 Congratulations, Kathy! I hope you’ve had time to enjoy your gift!

Kathy is such a creative spirit.  She’s been a guest here on the blog to share some of her creations. Hopefully, she’ll reappear here at Midwest Storyteller again in 2021 and show us how to do more creative projects.  If you’d like to take a peek into her talents and see the Freebie she helped me create, click here. Other creative ideas are found on my Create! page.

Kathy received this copy of Glenn Beck’s novel, “The Christmas Sweater”.  I offered this book after reading it myself and giving it five stars.  I recommend it for ages pre-teen and up. 

If you’d like to see the original freebie offer, check it out along with my thoughts on the book here.

You can see past First Friday Freebies and their winners on my Freebies! page here.  If you’re not yet a subscriber to Midwest Storyteller they might entice you to become one – First Friday Freebies are for email subscribers only.

Kathy entered her email in the subscription area here on the blog and then confirmed her subscription when the confirmation email arrived in her inbox.  If you’ve done that and not received a confirmation email, please email me at barb@midweststoryteller.com and let me know as I am trying to work out a few bugs with that. 

Subscribing is the best way to avoid missing what’s new here on the blog because you’ll get an email reminder each time there’s something new – like when there’s a FREEBIE on the First Friday of every month.

Comment as directed on the post that offers the Freebie and you’ll be entered to win. 

Freebies are my way of reaching more people with the stories, recipes and more.  When you share with all your friends via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, you’ll give them the opportunity to subscribe and win also.  Subscribing is free.  Freebies are free.  Get the idea?

Coming up:  The First First Friday Freebie of 2021!  That takes place on Friday, January 1st.   I’ll surprise you that morning with a “Happy New Year” and a photo of January’s free gift, so don’t forget to check it out.

A winner is chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight on the day of the drawing. 

REMEMBER:  Should your name be drawn as the winner, you will be notified via the email you used to subscribe.  That means you’ll need to check your email often in the week following the drawing so that you can respond and keep the prize from being offered to someone else.

Take a moment make yourself familiar with the complete Freebie Rules by clicking HERE.

These four simple steps will have you ready to enter to win on Friday, January 1st, 2021.

Preparing to say “goodbye” to 2020?  It’s been quite an experience!  Blessings on your life as we enter a bright and happy new year!    

Cozy Up With December’s Freebie!

~ Midwest Storyteller ~ 7 Comments

This month’s First Friday Freebie is one that you’ll really enjoy and I hope you’ll share it with someone else. 

I’d heard about this for years and had put it on my mental list under “Someday When I Have Time, I’m Going to Get This Book Because I’m Curious”.

From what I’d heard, it seemed to be about a boy and a sweater he’d received one Christmas.  As a novel with such a plot, I couldn’t fathom why the author, Glenn Beck, would put out such a book.  There must be some driving purpose, right?  Some political point?  Some analogy to the times in which we live?

Well, there is a driving purpose and it’s not what you think. 

The Christmas Sweater by Glenn Beck

It takes a while for things to move to the top of my slush pile and when I tell you that this book came out in 2008 and that I just read it a few months ago, you get the idea.  I discovered the purpose of the book at last and I believe that Glenn’s intent was to tell his own story in a unique, entertaining and heartfelt way and, most importantly, to heal your soul.

The copy I am sharing with you today is in large print, making it easy to read for you, young readers or anyone else who needs that feature. 

Yes, it is about a boy and a sweater he received one Christmas just as he entered his trying teen years.  It’s about his loss, his heaving emotions, his relationships with his parents, grandparents and everyone else.  As I read it, I found myself wanting all boys and girls in this stage of life to read it and find that they are not alone and that God cares.  You’ll fly through the pages and won’t be able to put it down. Glenn gets an A+ rating from me on “keeping it clean”.

To enter to win this copy of “The Christmas Sweater”, all you need to do is “Leave a Comment” on this post, saying, “Send me The Christmas Sweater!”  You’ll need to do that before midnight TONIGHT, December 4th, 2020!

NOTE:  There seems to be a problem here on the blog with people trying to subscribe and not receiving their confirmation email.  If this has happened to you, please email me at barb@midweststoryteller.com and let me know so that I can report all these instances and have the issue solved.

First Friday Freebies are for email SUBSCRIBERS ONLY, so hop on over to the right sidebar or use the drop-down menu on your device to navigate to the “Contact” page and subscribe to Midwest Storyteller if you haven’t done so.

Your friends will enjoy the stories, recipes, laughter and, of course, the FREEBIES here on the blog, too, so share with all your friends and family through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest.

Subscribers win every single month!  On the “Freebies” page, you’ll be able to see what they’ve been winning.

Once again, a winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight tonight by leaving a comment which says, “Send me The Christmas Sweater!”

Be sure to read the complete Freebie Rules here.

Those four steps will take you no time at all!

Don’t let the day slip away!  Subscribe now if you haven’t already, and confirm in your email before you forget!  (See note above concerning subscription problems.)

Christmas will be here before you know it!  My apologies for moving straight from “Freebie-to-Freebie” this month.  There has been much to distract me as you will see in upcoming posts.

Comments or questions?  I’d love to hear from you!  If you’ve by chance already read “The Christmas Sweater”, please leave a comment and let me know how you liked it!