Anna M. Aquino

On Friday afternoon I got an expected phone call at an unexpected time. The shipping company had my books from the publisher and they needed to set up a time where they could deliver them on Monday. While I have been expecting this phone call, it’s a week early. I confess I had a bit of an emotional moment went the shipping man kept repeating, “That’s a lot of books!” Many people have said to me, “Wow aren’t you excited?” Truthfully it’s hard for me to describe how I’m thinking. It’s true, for once I’m having a hard time vocalizing my inner feelings. I am excited. I’ve spent since I was 16 years old moving forward to write the books God put on my heart and I’ve been actively doing that since I was 21. So yes, I’m excited. I’m a tad overwhelmed. I keep thinking of all the things I have to do, I wonder how on earth everything is going to come together. I’m a bit nervous. I keep wondering how people will receive this message. I feel like this is such a NOW word for the chu...

Greetings my fabulous readers! So sorry my writing schedule has been a little off the last few weeks. I’ve been busy. I’m still working on my post book release schedule with both a Southern and Northern tour (so if any of you have any contacts of churches for me to minister at or bookstores please let me know), I’m currently working on my 16th book, and it’s a long story but I’m also co writing a book with a mighty man of God (will discuss publicly in the future) and the whole thing has been a divine door. Things may get a tad sporadic on my blogging schedule as I start traveling more, but know I love y’all and I’m too persistent to leave you alone that quickly. You will eventually hear from me. ***Smiles, smiles, grin, grin*** My itinerary is now on the website. I changed the events page to the itinerary/events page and those events are being updated as I get them. Please keep us in prayer that Rev 3:8 is tangible in our lives….that God opens the doors He wants opened. As I...

Please share this with everyone you know. I believe this is a message the church needs to hear, and I can't get the word out on my own! I need your help to send this to anyone you think may have interest! Thanks and Super Smiles!

My girls had a “dress like the 80’s” day at school yesterday. I went about finding leggings and a skirt for them both to wear. Then doing side high ponytails that were semi ratted and semi curled that defied gravity, and then I curled their bangs to do the same. To which my oldest kept looking in the mirror going, “Mom are you sure this is what the 80’s look like?” “Yes dear, I’m sure.” “How do you know?” I could hear the fear in her voice. I realized that according to today’s style she was going to stand out at school. “Hun, I was there. In fact, I was your age. You’re going to half to trust me.” I kept working on their look. While they looked good, I instantly regretted I did not have an armful of jelly bracelets to give them, or puffy layered socks, or my husband even suggested a huge boom box they could carry. “But mom, are you sure.” I suppose it was then that it could have occurred to me to Google some pictures online. However, I did not. Later when I picked th...

When I was growing up, my dad would pay us $10 for washing his car. That was a lot of money to me as a kid, so we would jump at the chance to wash it. The problem was my dad was not an easy employer. He is very particular about his windows. I can remember clearly washing the windows, and thinking I was done, only to be marched back in the hot car to do them again, and again, and again. The monotony got tedious and I know I complained. However, I kept doing them, because I was going to earn that $10. Eventually I did. I do not think stubbornness is necessarily a bad trait. It just has to be pointed in the right direction. Perseverance is what will usher people to win their race. I think about that story now and as much as daddy’s perfectionism about his windows annoyed me at the time, today I realize he was giving me a gift much more valuable than the $10. Things like this were preparing me for the life God had for me. I needed to learn to keep plowing forward or I would ha...

Down a small country road deep in the heart of Ohio where I grew up, we had the same next door neighbor for years. I was a young girl when she lived next to us. She had a small house trailer setting on her acre lot. Whenever I hear wind chimes I think of Dorothy because she had them all over her porch. Every year Dorothy would begin making an afghan at around the fall. As the cold nights began to set in the blanket would keep her warm as she worked on it with gusto. The time of the year could be measured by how big the blanket had grown on her lap. Then in the springtime she’d finish the afghan and give it to our family. We collected several blankets. I don’t remember when exactly Dorothy moved out of that little trailer beside us to go to a nursing home. I know she’s been gone for years, but her blankets are something we cherish. Since my sister and I moved out of my parents’ house, the collection of Afghans has gotten broken up. I took two when I moved out, I’m pretty su...

Last week my oldest daughter came running to me for help. I had just bought a new jar of pickles and she could not open them up. Surely, Mom could do it and this was going to be an easy thing. I sometimes wonder how they get those lids so tightly on jars in the factory. I was not going to pull the wimp card but I could not get that lid off. I tried banging the bottom with the palm of my hand. I saw someone do that once. It did not work. I tried twisting it, and it would not budge. I even tried getting a butter knife and breaking the seal by trying to wedge it between the lid and the jar. Nothing was working. Dan was not home and even if he was, I really hate admitting when I cannot do something like this without his help. I was going to get that jar open! Finally I took the opposite end of a butter knife and whacked at the lid. I thought a couple smacks would make the jar open, and it did. Evidently, I do not know my own strength. With the sound of breaking glass crackin...