Summary

Love, like chocolate, comes to us in many varieties -- pure and simple, rich and complicated, sweet and bittersweet, and always memorable. Now the creator of the bestsellingChocolate for a Woman's Soulserves up 77 delectable new "chocolate stories," real-life tales that celebrate the many ways we express our love. You'll find strength in stories that honor the power of unconditional love, and learn a lesson in courage as you read about women facing their ultimate moments of truth. You'll take delight in a reflection on the ever-elusive perfect relationship, and find comfort in stories about the generosity of the human spirit. Like the finest chocolate, these inspiring tales will boost your spirits, lift your heart, and soothe your soul.

Author Biography

Kay Allenbaugh is a freelance writer and publicist who lives in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Contributors to this second volume of "chocolate stories" include motivational speakers, newspaper columnists, psychotherapists, bestselling authors, and many other women.

CONTENTS

Introduction 17

I DIVINE INTERVENTION Back-Seat Driver Anamae Elledge 21 A Dream Come True Ursula Bacon 23 Small Miracles Jill and Candis Fancher 26 A Wise Man, a Mentor, or an Angel? Donna Hartley 28 Turning Point Rev. Deborah Olive 32 Divine Assistance Rev. Mary Omwake 34 Earth Angel Ann Albers 36 Our Teachers Come in Many Forms Kay Allenbaugh 39

II GROWTH SPURTS Angel of the Lord Arline Crawford Burton 45 Just a Hair More Love 0.C. O'Connell 47 Soulmating Catherine Lanigan 49 Moving the Moon Sarah Jordan 52 Healing with Love Rev. Mary Manin Morrissey 54 The Miracle of Self-Love Jill Goodwin 57

III FEEDING FEEDING A WOMAN'S HEART HEART Snapshots of the Heart Linda Dunivin 61 The Pajama Connection Ellen Urbani Hiltebrand 64 Pairs and Spares Liz Curtis Higgs 68 The Lucky Photo Lorri Vaughter Allen 71 Mercy Street Holly Fitzhardinge 73 Love Is Not for the Faint of Heart Chassidy A.F. Persons 77 Marriage Encounter Christine D. Marek 80

IV MAXIMUM EXPOSURE Soap Box Derby Marci Madsen Fuller 85 The Miracle Bus Jill Lynne 88 The Power of Love Michelle Cohen 90 The Virtues of Mr. Wrong! Jennifer Brown Banks 94 Ginny's Excellent Adventure Bailey Allard 96 My Trucker Constance Conace 99

V PATHFINDERS Pray to God and Read the Paper Susan LaMaire 105 Flight of Destiny Robin Ryan 107 Fern Cave Sharon Kinder 110 Letter to Tim T.J. Banks 113 And Baby Makes Three Donna Hartley 117 It's About Time Nancy Kiernan 119

VI FREE AT LAST A Walk on the Wild Side Judith Morton Fraser 125 The Warm Fuzzy Hostile Group Jody Stevenson 129 Create Your Own Heaven Today Christine Harvey 132 You Are My Brother Kathi J. Kemper 134 The Journey Home Marie Hegeman 136 Me, Myself, and I Stephanie Lauridsen 140 Modeling for Life Joeann Fossland 142

VII MOMENTS OF TRUTH We Are All Connected Jean Wenzel 147 The "Write" Match Alice Stern Weiser 149 Leading from the Heart Holly Esparza 151 My Sailor Man Linda Ross Swanson 154 Feedback Is a Gift Diane Ripstein 157 Rhymes and Reasons Antionette Vigliaturo Ishmael 160 It's All in the Frijoles Yolanda Nava 162 Something to Chew On Rita Davenport 165

VIII THE ANIMAL CONNECTION One Soul, Two Halves Ellen Urbani Hiltebrand 171 Keeping the High Watch Eileen Davis 176 Dazy Joy Cindy Potter 178 Oscar Cindy Hanson 180 Look-Alike Lucys Susan Miles 182 A Flutter of Butterfly Wings Lon My Lam 184 A Gift of Love Debb Janes 186

IX ACTS OF KINDNESS The Memory Jar Mary Lo Verde 191 Road Warriors Ann Benson 193 For the Love of Students Emory Austin 196 Love Notes Debra Ayers Brown 198 Surrogate Dreamer Marlene L. King 201 Special Delivery Lisa Juscik 204 Rituals That Touch the Heart Kay Allenbaugh 206 Lesson for a Lifetime Sheila S. Hudson 208

X A A DEEPER REFLECTION Four Weddings and a Miracle Kate McKern Verigin 213 Does the Breast Have a Soul? Lynne Massie 217 All That Glitters Mary Carroll-Hackett 220 A New Deal Burky Achilles 222 Entrances and Exits Linda G. Engel 225 For Betty Tammy Kling 228 United States of Motherhood Joanna Slan 230

XI SERIOUSLY FUNNY A Streak of Love Carole Bellacera 235 Venus Rising Carmen D'Amico 237 When Will I Be Thin? Maureen Gorsuch 239 The Great Zucchini Caper Karyn Buxman 240 Warranty X Ann E. Weeks 245 The Purple People Jennifer Howard 246 A Christmas Surprise Indeed! Roberta B. Jacobson 248

More Chocolate Stories? 249 Contributors 251 Acknowledgments 269 Permissions Acknowledgments 270

Supplemental Materials

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Excerpts

A Wise Man, a Mentor, or an Angel?

My hands rushed to my face, and I sobbed with joy. After five attempts, I had finally won the title of Miss Hawaii. Flashbulbs flickered like little lightning bolts, congratulations echoed from the crowd. After the festivities had wound down, I headed to my dressing room, alone. I saw him then. A man in his forties with a quiet, kind face, dressed in bland colors and smoking a pipe. He was portly, with gentle brown eyes framed by eyeglasses and wispy hair combed straight back The aroma of his cherry pipe tobacco was instantly comforting.

"Congratulations! You deserved to win," he said.

How did he know that? "Who are you?"

"My name is George." His smile disappeared, and his eyes turned serious. "We need to talk, Donna. Ten o'clock tomorrow at the coffee shop."

I was tempted to laugh at first, but my curiosity won out. He wasn't menacing, just sure of himself. I nodded yes.

"I sensed your hesitation, and I do intend to justify my actions by passing on a message to you."

"OK -- let's hear it."

"To fulfill your destiny, Donna, you must leave the Hawaiian Islands next year."

This time I couldn't help laughing. "I love it here."

George sighed. "All right, then, you leave me no choice but to predict three incidents that will occur before we have breakfast tomorrow."

Now what? I thought, and opened my mouth to speak, but George put up his hand.

"Your car will be towed, your kitchen's leaky pipes will burst, and the noiseless third step in your apartment will begin to creak."

By the next morning, everything George predicted had happened. My car wouldn't start, my roommate was in tears because the kitchen pipes were leaking badly, and as I climbed the stairs to my room, I heard a creaking sound, which came from the third step. Over breakfast, I asked how he knew so much about me.

I thought I detected a squint in one eye as he smiled. "We rarely listen to our intuition -- our inner voice that tells us what to do. For instance, I know I'm supposed to be in your life, to watch over you and be around when you need me. You must now search for your own truth."

And search I did. I went on to compete in the Miss USA pageant in Miami and lost. The next year I moved to Los Angeles, and I struggled for seven years to become an actress. Meanwhile, George and I talked frequently on the phone or met when he came to L.A. Trying to stay thin and beautiful, I became bulimic and hooked on diet pills. I was alone and miserable, and contemplating suicide, when the phone rang, It was George. He said, "You've got a lot of work to do. Don't you dare think about checking out."

"How did you know?" I asked, dumbfounded.

"I'm leaving Oklahoma. I'll be in L.A. this afternoon, and then we'll talk."

That day, George convinced me to believe in myself again. "Your life will change at thirty. Hang in there for a few more years."

Age thirty sailed in, and I still wanted off this earth. I had hit rock bottom -- emotionally, financially, spiritually, and mentally. On March 1, 1978, 1 boarded a DC-10 from Los Angeles to Hawaii, to emcee a Miss Hawaii pageant. The plane exploded on takeoff, and I was the last to escape the rear section of the flaming aircraft. Transported to a medical triage, I asked where the nearest phone was. This time I called George.

He said, "It has changed, Donna. You can finally see the big picture. It's time to get out of your own way -- time to help others."

I didn't understand completely, but I ended up waiving my right to sue the airline and became an envoy for the dead and burned passengers. I fought for better safety regulations and was grilled in court for hours by the big guns representing the airline. After it was over, I stepped down from the witness stand, drained and again alone. When I reached the courthouse parking lot, George was leaning against my car, smoking his pipe.

"I just got to town," he said. "Let's get an ice cream and walk on the sand."

Watching the sun set over Santa Monica Beach, I babbled countless questions and George patiently answered every one. I felt restored by his philosophy, insight, and truth.

"Understand," he said, "we all have fears, but our destiny is to conquer them." I knew at that moment that I would go on to teach survival skills.

"George, please tell me," I begged, "will I marry, have children, and be happy?"

He looked out over the sea and spoke in measured words. "You'll have a daughter late in life, and oh, yeah, she'll be a pistol. She'll have your energy and will be a leader. The bonding between you and your daughter will be miraculous." A smile fit up his face. "And, Donna, she'll come to you."

"What exactly do you mean by that?" I asked.

"The truth is inside you. Trust yourself. Pursue your destiny with power."

It was later that I learned I was not destined to give birth. I put in for an adoption, only to be overlooked by the birth mothers year after year. I worried that single moms over forty were not on their agenda.

George passed away suddenly, from cancer. I was devastated. I never got to say good-bye. The last time I spoke to him, George had said, "Your daughter is coming -- and I'll be there."

Three more years passed before I got a call from Las Vegas. My prayers had been answered. I was ecstatic. A birth mother and father chose me. I had six short weeks to deal with the mounds of paperwork required for the adoption.

I named my baby Mariah. Seventy-two hours after her birth, the final papers were ready to sign. The birth mother was pushing Mariah in her bassinet down the brightly lit hospital corridor, and she said indignantly, "I smell pipe smoke. Can you imagine that -- and in a baby nursery?" My heart flip-flopped and I was frozen to the spot as I watched her dart from room to room, searching for the offender. When she returned, she said, "That's odd -- there's no one here. I know I smelled cherry tobacco. Did you?"

Tears welled up in my eyes and streamed down my cheeks. "Yes."

"Donna, what's wrong?" she asked.

"I don't know if you believe in the spiritual world, but there was a man named George who was always there for me in my times of great need. He told me years ago, just before he died, I would have a daughter and he'd be here when that happened. George smoked cherry tobacco in his pipe."

My birth mother stared at me wide-eyed and said, "I chose you because I feel this child is going to become a leader and I can't give her what she needs, but you can."

She bent over the bassinet and lifted the baby up to me. I smiled down at Mariah and murmured to her, "What do you think, darling? Was George a wise man, a mentor, or an angel?"

Donna Hartley

Excerpted from Chocolate for a Woman's Heart: 77 Stories of Love, Kindness and Compassion to Nourish Your Soul and Sweeten Your Dreams by Kay Allenbaugh
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.