8So many ordinary events in life, our thoughts and feelings, our actions and reactions, the things we see and hear have a spiritual parallel or a spiritual lesson to be learned. And there are questions we ask whose answers are common and yet spiritual, such as what makes the difference between the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea? Or why do woodpeckers always tap on the wood before going after bugs? And then, what difference does the wood make in manufacturing violins? Also, there are other questions to consider. How do we find the secret of inner peace? Are things really new by giving them a new cover? How pure is pure? The first part of this compilation of present day short stories could be termed parables, which basically are "brief stories to convey a moral truth or lesson." The second part is original poems and additional events from the author's life that have brought blessing and inspiration to her. Joyce Winters has been writing stories and poems since childhood. Many of the stories in this book have been published in magazines, including the Christian Readers Digest. She was born and raised in Racine, Wisconsin. Her adult life was spent with her husband, Wally, in Christian service with The Salvation Army in the Upper Midwest. She is now retired and living in Northern Illinois. This is her fifth book published by Xulon Press, the others being inspirational novels. They are Let Your Light So Shine, My Refuge and Strength, A New Creation, and Forgetting What is Behind.