Wow, is it really the second week of October already? We have been so busy, I sometimes wonder what on earth we would do if we both worked full time and how people do it when they DO work full time. It is so easy to get caught up in the day to day and not stop and think about what it is we can do minute by minute to change our lives, to change the lives of our children for the better.
One thing I try to do is to be the best person I can be, which I fully believe is one of the best things we can do for our kids. Granted, I fail miserably at this most days, but I am still forever trying. In September this involved trying to do the most I could do with my writing. Just knowing that I am doing some type of work toward obtaining a major life goal hopefully sets a good example for our kids. That being said, "Auntie Silly and the Crazy Cousins Day Parade" is now in pre-production at a publishing house in Maryland....YAHOO! And, I finished my first novel EVER! There is no promise that it will be published, only a lot of prayers, but still, I proved that I could do it, and have now started another one.
At the end of September, beginning of October, we went to South Carolina to watch our dear nephew graduate from boot camp. He is like a son to us, and there have been many times where I wished he was ours. I know boot camp must be so tough, and he has had a very difficult life. I was so afraid he wouldn't make it. Not only did he make it...he went to church. Yes, big deal right? He doesn't believe in God. But he went to church, and he wrote me a letter to tell me all about it. I don't know what kind of seeds were planted, but he told me more about it when we saw him. I am so proud of our nephew, I can't imagine how proud I will be of our own children as they go through life and accomplish major things like that. And I wonder what advantages our children will have by already believing in God?
This was on my mind so much these past weeks as I thought of our lives and the example Rich and I set for the kids. I know we try, but do we try hard enough? As God would have it, last month, a friend of mine from high school, Jason O. sent me a message on Facebook saying he thought I should read a book called Visionary Parenting Capture a God Sized Vision For Your Family by Dr. Rob Rienow. I bought it right away, but have had little time to read since the pipes burst last month on the kids side of the barn and they have had to sleep in our room while we wait for the floors and bathroom to be redone (a whole other blog! but even headaches like that can be fun if you look at it the right way!). I had some extra time at the dentist yesterday, so I sat in the waiting room and opened to the new chapter I was beginning.
The chapter is called "A Thousand Generations" and I couldn't believe it when I started reading. There on the page in front of me lay the biblical foundation for all those thoughts I have been having this past month about our little family. What we do today can bless our children, their children, and so on. WOW!!!! As a parent, do we need anything more than that to want to be the best parent possible? It also works in the opposite way. As Dr. Rienow states on page 23, this works both ways. "We do not like to think about it, but there are times when we sow sinful choices into our lives and the results appear a generation later. OUR CHILDREN AND OUR GRANDCHILDREN ARE THE ONES WHO MAY EAT THE FRUIT." I don't know about you, but this both scares me too death and gives me unlimited hope and inspiration to be the best person I can be.
Dr. Rienow says, "Will you catch a vision for the fact that God has created you not just so you will impact your children, not just so you will impact your grandchildren, but so that your faith and your legacy will result in God showing love to a thousand generations of your descendants?" So, maybe no matter how busy we are today, this week, or this month, we can spend some time each day taking our minds off of ourselves and instead, thinking of how our actions this very minute will impact our family for generations to come, thinking about how our children see every single decision we make, good or bad, and more importantly, every decision we make gets planted somewhere for them to reap later......I don't know about anyone else, but this makes me want to seriously contemplate what kind of seeds I want to plant!
Friday, October 9, 2009
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Faith in Dairy Queen
This past Saturday, after a rousing 36 -12 win by our little Raiders, Rich told Richy we could go anywhere he wanted to go after supper. Well, that is pretty much a running joke in our house, because we all know that after dinner, there is only one place to go...Dairy Queen!!! Or as this military family secretly refers to it...Delta Quebec (okay, we are officially goofy now).
When we got inside, I noticed this really large family all deciding what to order. They allowed us to go ahead of them since they were all trying to decide what to get. That was my first signal that there was something different about this family. There were so many children, that four of them were already sitting down waiting patiently at the table, while three of them stood in line with their parents to place the order.
We purchased our ice cream and went and sat at our table. People watching is one of my favorite past times. Sometimes I think I could write a story about every person I meet in any given day. But as I watched this family, I was struck by how well behaved all of these kids were. They ranged in age from about two through 13 I would say. The oldest, a boy, was actually in line, giving his dad a hug. I thought to myself, "Now THERE is a secure child, willing, at that age to stand in the middle of a DQ and give his DAD a hug." It was a wonderful site to see.
Meanwhile, all the other children were taking up two tables, waiting patiently for their food to arrive. No one was arguing, no one was fighting, the older kids were playing with the two toddlers, keeping them occupied and calling them pet names like "Sissy". Half of the food was delivered. No one touched a bite.
It took some time for the rest of the food to be delivered. Still, no one in this quiet, loving, large family took a bite. Everyone smiled and chatted and just waited. As soon as the girl from DQ brought them the rest of their food, they all just looked at their parents and one of them spoke up...
"Who's night is it to pray tonight Dad?"
I thought I had seen it coming from a mile away. The love, the kindness, the smiles, the peacefulness that surrounded that family. I could tell they were grounded and it was with a warm heart that I left DQ knowing that family was grounded by faith.
I pray that my family can be like that family, even though there are only four of us. I pray that when we are at Delta Quebec or...well, actually that is about the only place we could be because we don't eat fast food so DQ is our one treat...well, anyway, when we are at where ever, I pray God's light can shine through us in that same manner. What a compliment to have strangers leave a restaurant and say to themselves, "Now THERE is a family of faith!".
When we got inside, I noticed this really large family all deciding what to order. They allowed us to go ahead of them since they were all trying to decide what to get. That was my first signal that there was something different about this family. There were so many children, that four of them were already sitting down waiting patiently at the table, while three of them stood in line with their parents to place the order.
We purchased our ice cream and went and sat at our table. People watching is one of my favorite past times. Sometimes I think I could write a story about every person I meet in any given day. But as I watched this family, I was struck by how well behaved all of these kids were. They ranged in age from about two through 13 I would say. The oldest, a boy, was actually in line, giving his dad a hug. I thought to myself, "Now THERE is a secure child, willing, at that age to stand in the middle of a DQ and give his DAD a hug." It was a wonderful site to see.
Meanwhile, all the other children were taking up two tables, waiting patiently for their food to arrive. No one was arguing, no one was fighting, the older kids were playing with the two toddlers, keeping them occupied and calling them pet names like "Sissy". Half of the food was delivered. No one touched a bite.
It took some time for the rest of the food to be delivered. Still, no one in this quiet, loving, large family took a bite. Everyone smiled and chatted and just waited. As soon as the girl from DQ brought them the rest of their food, they all just looked at their parents and one of them spoke up...
"Who's night is it to pray tonight Dad?"
I thought I had seen it coming from a mile away. The love, the kindness, the smiles, the peacefulness that surrounded that family. I could tell they were grounded and it was with a warm heart that I left DQ knowing that family was grounded by faith.
I pray that my family can be like that family, even though there are only four of us. I pray that when we are at Delta Quebec or...well, actually that is about the only place we could be because we don't eat fast food so DQ is our one treat...well, anyway, when we are at where ever, I pray God's light can shine through us in that same manner. What a compliment to have strangers leave a restaurant and say to themselves, "Now THERE is a family of faith!".
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
I am a Writer Again!!!!
School began today with many, many mixed feelings for me. Part of me wishes they would want to home school again and we could do so many different things, not be stuck in the rut of someone else's idea of what they should learn. Part of me misses just having them here, with us, where they are supposed to be. Then, there is the other part!
I have been able to write today. It has been forever since I have been able to say that! I sent Auntie Silly off to yet another publisher (hey, the man who created Chicken Soup for the Soul was turned down 212 times before someone picked up his idea)....I followed the many leads I have found through Facebook friends (see Chuck, Facebook really does serve a purpose!). I found a novel writing contest for a publisher I had been wanting to write a novel for anyway, so we will see how that goes. Mr. Andersons novel will have to wait, but I will eventually work my way up to the level of writing he expects from me. I just want to test the waters right now. I have to submit this first novel by Sept 30th! Yikes! I already have an idea for another one though. Hopefully the wheels will keep turning far beyond day one.
That whole paragraph is about "I, I, I". So that is what I am saying about wishing I was still home schooling. At this age, my life is pretty much about my kids, and I really do feel guilty for shipping them off to public school, even though it is what they chose to do. I feel selfish, but let me remind myself again, it is what they wanted to do! I can't say that enough I guess to try and justify the fact that they are not here. All I can do is pray they have a beautiful year, pray that, if it is the Lord's will, my writing career will take off, at least to the point where I don't have to substitute the entire school year, but can stay home and write most of the time.
Well, I guess I should put my blog aside for now, I have a novel to write, and at three o'clock I become a mom again with my fabulous carpool duties (dropping one of at football practice), then getting to take my wonderful daughter grocery shopping with me! Maybe if I look at it in the right light & stop feeling guilty, I have the best of both worlds!
I have been able to write today. It has been forever since I have been able to say that! I sent Auntie Silly off to yet another publisher (hey, the man who created Chicken Soup for the Soul was turned down 212 times before someone picked up his idea)....I followed the many leads I have found through Facebook friends (see Chuck, Facebook really does serve a purpose!). I found a novel writing contest for a publisher I had been wanting to write a novel for anyway, so we will see how that goes. Mr. Andersons novel will have to wait, but I will eventually work my way up to the level of writing he expects from me. I just want to test the waters right now. I have to submit this first novel by Sept 30th! Yikes! I already have an idea for another one though. Hopefully the wheels will keep turning far beyond day one.
That whole paragraph is about "I, I, I". So that is what I am saying about wishing I was still home schooling. At this age, my life is pretty much about my kids, and I really do feel guilty for shipping them off to public school, even though it is what they chose to do. I feel selfish, but let me remind myself again, it is what they wanted to do! I can't say that enough I guess to try and justify the fact that they are not here. All I can do is pray they have a beautiful year, pray that, if it is the Lord's will, my writing career will take off, at least to the point where I don't have to substitute the entire school year, but can stay home and write most of the time.
Well, I guess I should put my blog aside for now, I have a novel to write, and at three o'clock I become a mom again with my fabulous carpool duties (dropping one of at football practice), then getting to take my wonderful daughter grocery shopping with me! Maybe if I look at it in the right light & stop feeling guilty, I have the best of both worlds!
Thursday, July 30, 2009
A Soldier's Wife
Only one man has asked me to marry him in my life...and it was NOT my husband! Bet you didn't see that coming! Rich and I just sort of evolved, and as we begin our 18th year together, it is easy to see how the marriage just happened. I did not need a big proposal from a mountain top (we were married on a mountain top if that counts!). Although he did hide a rather elegant engagement ring in a piece of chocolate cake at a restaurant in the South End of Boston one time. Of course, we were already married. If you know us, you know we do EVERYTHING backwards, and "by the book" is not a phrase we use too often (unless you are talking about the Bible, then we do at least TRY to be "by the book").
My thoughts were all over the board yesterday, but I noticed they kept coming back to Rich no matter what. It began with hearing someone talk about a proposal, which of course led me to the thought that began this blog. Then, I was reading about Jamey Johnson, who, in case you do not know, is the most fabulous country singer on the face of the earth. Rich was sweet enough to buy us tickets so we can go see him in a couple of weeks, not too much of a sacrifice for him, seeing as how he thinks the man is incredible as well, and Rich isn't even a huge country music fan like I am. I caught myself thinking, "How exciting it would be to be the wife of someone who could sing and travel like that." I did not mean an ounce of disrespect to my husband when I thought that, yet God quickly and clearly me showed me something.
He confirmed what I had always known deep down, but never really admitted to myself. Though Rich and I appear to be somewhat normal, everyday folks...bedtime for the kids...us following not long after...church on Sunday...dinner around the table EVERY night, no exceptions, kind of people, we are excitement freaks. Adrenaline freaks maybe, I am not sure. I guess I always thought it was just him (bungee jumping fool that he is), but yesterday, when I had that thought, it was as though God said, "You are married to a SOLDIER, you don't get any more exciting than that." And it is so true!
Should you hear in the near future that Rich is being deployed, (and I am not saying for sure that you will, I am just saying SHOULD you hear it), please don't ever feel bad for us. I know you have heard horror stories about deployments. People who are miserable left home alone with the kids. People who want to complain about their husbands, sons, boyfriends being taken away from them. I will let you in on a little secret. We are weird (okay, so that is no secret), and we like the whole process. It is exciting, it is honorable, it is what WE MAKE IT TO BE. I, for one, will NEVER complain about him being gone because it makes my heart swell with pride that he would sacrifice for the sake of this country. He actually does it for us, and so many people don't get that about soldiers. It is a fabulous roller coaster of an adventure for an excellent cause, and, when handled with just enough faith, it can be just that, not a horrible, bitter experience to spend 12 months complaining about. So God said to me, "Look how exciting your husbands job is!"
I know, I know, I know, as sure as I know Jesus himself, that I was just meant to be a military wife. There was a guy in junior high/high school that I was crazy about for years. Never would you have pictured him in the military, but apparently he has made it his career. The guy I mentioned in the beginning of this blog was an insurance appraiser. In all the time we were together, I never heard the word "military" come out of his mouth, yet he has served several tours of duty as a Marine. My husband did not re-enlist until he was 42 years old. He had never been in the military the entire time I had been with him. So, no matter who I had ended up with, I would have been a military wife, and I think it is beyond cool, it is EXCITING, fun, honorable, and it is what Rich and I make of it. We will make the best of it! So, if Afghanistan comes calling, don't feel bad for us. Be proud of Rich with me, know it takes a special kind of person to go fight in a war, and enjoy the ride with us instead!
My thoughts were all over the board yesterday, but I noticed they kept coming back to Rich no matter what. It began with hearing someone talk about a proposal, which of course led me to the thought that began this blog. Then, I was reading about Jamey Johnson, who, in case you do not know, is the most fabulous country singer on the face of the earth. Rich was sweet enough to buy us tickets so we can go see him in a couple of weeks, not too much of a sacrifice for him, seeing as how he thinks the man is incredible as well, and Rich isn't even a huge country music fan like I am. I caught myself thinking, "How exciting it would be to be the wife of someone who could sing and travel like that." I did not mean an ounce of disrespect to my husband when I thought that, yet God quickly and clearly me showed me something.
He confirmed what I had always known deep down, but never really admitted to myself. Though Rich and I appear to be somewhat normal, everyday folks...bedtime for the kids...us following not long after...church on Sunday...dinner around the table EVERY night, no exceptions, kind of people, we are excitement freaks. Adrenaline freaks maybe, I am not sure. I guess I always thought it was just him (bungee jumping fool that he is), but yesterday, when I had that thought, it was as though God said, "You are married to a SOLDIER, you don't get any more exciting than that." And it is so true!
Should you hear in the near future that Rich is being deployed, (and I am not saying for sure that you will, I am just saying SHOULD you hear it), please don't ever feel bad for us. I know you have heard horror stories about deployments. People who are miserable left home alone with the kids. People who want to complain about their husbands, sons, boyfriends being taken away from them. I will let you in on a little secret. We are weird (okay, so that is no secret), and we like the whole process. It is exciting, it is honorable, it is what WE MAKE IT TO BE. I, for one, will NEVER complain about him being gone because it makes my heart swell with pride that he would sacrifice for the sake of this country. He actually does it for us, and so many people don't get that about soldiers. It is a fabulous roller coaster of an adventure for an excellent cause, and, when handled with just enough faith, it can be just that, not a horrible, bitter experience to spend 12 months complaining about. So God said to me, "Look how exciting your husbands job is!"
I know, I know, I know, as sure as I know Jesus himself, that I was just meant to be a military wife. There was a guy in junior high/high school that I was crazy about for years. Never would you have pictured him in the military, but apparently he has made it his career. The guy I mentioned in the beginning of this blog was an insurance appraiser. In all the time we were together, I never heard the word "military" come out of his mouth, yet he has served several tours of duty as a Marine. My husband did not re-enlist until he was 42 years old. He had never been in the military the entire time I had been with him. So, no matter who I had ended up with, I would have been a military wife, and I think it is beyond cool, it is EXCITING, fun, honorable, and it is what Rich and I make of it. We will make the best of it! So, if Afghanistan comes calling, don't feel bad for us. Be proud of Rich with me, know it takes a special kind of person to go fight in a war, and enjoy the ride with us instead!
Saturday, July 11, 2009
The Rock and the Battering Wave
Sometimes there are things we have to deal with that just go on and on. Several people I love dearly and am at least fairly close to are going through a lot right now. People go through things all of the time, so really, it is no big deal. What strikes me is, everyone I know right now who is going through something is dealing with something they have been battling for, not years, but decades.
My heart is to help. When I look at it, I stand back in amazement and try not to judge. These things that have been going on for decades are the same behavior patterns over and over and over again. When I first heard that phrase "The definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over again and expect different results", it really hit home. And that is what I see all around...a "weakness" for lack of a better word that keeps people doing the same thing over and over.
Then I begin to wonder how CAN I help? Can you help people who don't want a solution? Can you help even when you don't see any type of results at all? Reminds me a little of praying and seeing no results. You could pray for something for what seems like forever and not see any results. Does that mean you should not keep praying? I look around and just sigh and all of the repeated behaviors and think, maybe I SHOULD just give up trying to help in any way.
Sensing my frustration today, a dear friend led me to 1 Corinthians 15:58, "Therefore my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." My application study bible explains this by saying, "Paul says that because of the resurrection, nothing we do is in vain. Sometimes we hesitate to do good because we don't see any results. But if we can maintain a heavenly perspective, we will understand that often we will not see the good that results from our efforts. If we truly believe that Christ has won the ultimate victory, that fact MUST affect the way we live right now. Don't let discouragement over an apparent lack of results keep you from working. Do the good that you have opportunity to do, knowing that your work will have eternal results."
Before I read this, my sense was to feel smothered by people who needed help, even though they were not asking for my help. To be tough and pick them up by their ears and shake them and say, "WAKE UP ALREADY!!! Why are you allowing Satan into your life to fill your head with such garbage after all these decades???" (Just so happens I am dealing with amazingly eerily situations between certain people right at this moment.) There is a line in one of my favorite movies "Legends of the Fall" that says, "Tristan was the rock that people crashed themselves against." And that is how I was starting to feel. I am not doing a very good job of explaining, lest this be taken as my saying I do not like to be there for people. It isn't that, because I DO love to be there for anyone and everyone. It is just that, after a while, if you are that rock, you really start to wear down from all the crashing waves after a while. That being said, I look back at all the "rocks" I have had in my life. People who were there to listen to me and pray for me over and over again. Wow! Talk about grateful!
Then you read something like 1 Corinthians 15:58 and you know that if, at this point in time in your life, you are blessed enough to be the rock, you have a little something in common with Jesus and you can't give up, because people could use your help, even if it seems like they do not hear you when you speak.
If anyone is out there reading, I want to challenge you this very day to be someones rock. Whether it be listening to someone with a problem, helping someone who is clearly in need, or my favorite, putting someones own emotional needs ahead of whatever it is we would like to do for ourselves. Is it possible to spend one entire day thinking of how our actions are affecting the lives of people around us? And if we do try that, are we putting others first, or always out for the quick, selfish fix that will make us happy? An example of this happened to me today..while talking to two "friends" about how to help a mutual acquaintance of ours. These two "friends" say they are Christians. When I proposed that we make a sacrifice to better serve our mutual friend, they said, "Oh no, we can't do that." Whether you believe in God or not, you truly do reap what you sow in this world and I, for one, would rather reap a garden of putting other people first and helping, then making sure my own needs are met, especially when they are frivilous.
We won't get to Heaven by the good work we do here on this Earth, but maybe, just maybe, if we don't give up on the people around us, even when their behavior patterns seem so insane you can't even fathom and it seems like all of your praying and all of your actions mean nothing...just maybe we can all learn from one another how to spend more time being rocks (hopefully without feeling battered) and less time being the waves doing the battering.
My heart is to help. When I look at it, I stand back in amazement and try not to judge. These things that have been going on for decades are the same behavior patterns over and over and over again. When I first heard that phrase "The definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over again and expect different results", it really hit home. And that is what I see all around...a "weakness" for lack of a better word that keeps people doing the same thing over and over.
Then I begin to wonder how CAN I help? Can you help people who don't want a solution? Can you help even when you don't see any type of results at all? Reminds me a little of praying and seeing no results. You could pray for something for what seems like forever and not see any results. Does that mean you should not keep praying? I look around and just sigh and all of the repeated behaviors and think, maybe I SHOULD just give up trying to help in any way.
Sensing my frustration today, a dear friend led me to 1 Corinthians 15:58, "Therefore my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." My application study bible explains this by saying, "Paul says that because of the resurrection, nothing we do is in vain. Sometimes we hesitate to do good because we don't see any results. But if we can maintain a heavenly perspective, we will understand that often we will not see the good that results from our efforts. If we truly believe that Christ has won the ultimate victory, that fact MUST affect the way we live right now. Don't let discouragement over an apparent lack of results keep you from working. Do the good that you have opportunity to do, knowing that your work will have eternal results."
Before I read this, my sense was to feel smothered by people who needed help, even though they were not asking for my help. To be tough and pick them up by their ears and shake them and say, "WAKE UP ALREADY!!! Why are you allowing Satan into your life to fill your head with such garbage after all these decades???" (Just so happens I am dealing with amazingly eerily situations between certain people right at this moment.) There is a line in one of my favorite movies "Legends of the Fall" that says, "Tristan was the rock that people crashed themselves against." And that is how I was starting to feel. I am not doing a very good job of explaining, lest this be taken as my saying I do not like to be there for people. It isn't that, because I DO love to be there for anyone and everyone. It is just that, after a while, if you are that rock, you really start to wear down from all the crashing waves after a while. That being said, I look back at all the "rocks" I have had in my life. People who were there to listen to me and pray for me over and over again. Wow! Talk about grateful!
Then you read something like 1 Corinthians 15:58 and you know that if, at this point in time in your life, you are blessed enough to be the rock, you have a little something in common with Jesus and you can't give up, because people could use your help, even if it seems like they do not hear you when you speak.
If anyone is out there reading, I want to challenge you this very day to be someones rock. Whether it be listening to someone with a problem, helping someone who is clearly in need, or my favorite, putting someones own emotional needs ahead of whatever it is we would like to do for ourselves. Is it possible to spend one entire day thinking of how our actions are affecting the lives of people around us? And if we do try that, are we putting others first, or always out for the quick, selfish fix that will make us happy? An example of this happened to me today..while talking to two "friends" about how to help a mutual acquaintance of ours. These two "friends" say they are Christians. When I proposed that we make a sacrifice to better serve our mutual friend, they said, "Oh no, we can't do that." Whether you believe in God or not, you truly do reap what you sow in this world and I, for one, would rather reap a garden of putting other people first and helping, then making sure my own needs are met, especially when they are frivilous.
We won't get to Heaven by the good work we do here on this Earth, but maybe, just maybe, if we don't give up on the people around us, even when their behavior patterns seem so insane you can't even fathom and it seems like all of your praying and all of your actions mean nothing...just maybe we can all learn from one another how to spend more time being rocks (hopefully without feeling battered) and less time being the waves doing the battering.
Monday, June 22, 2009
There's No Place Like Home
As I sit at my computer and watch two tractors mowing hay outside my window, a really awesome breeze blows through all of the open doors and windows. We have been home from Orlando for one hour. It was around 102 when we left Orlando and, like the majority of Orlando people I know, my parents NEVER have their doors and windows open. The air conditioner is usually on and even when it isn't, crime is getting so bad down there, they just never open their windows.
I remember the first time we pulled up to the barn with my real estate agent (& now friend) Kathy. After everyone showed us around & left, I cried so hard and thanked God for this beautiful place He had brought us to. I feel the same way now, as though viewing it again for the first time. We have been gone for ten days. I don't know if it was all the activity I crammed into those ten days, the fact that I am missing my husband so much, or just that I dislike Florida so much, but it seemed like ten weeks!
The activity part was awesome really. Not only did I get to spend some wonderful quality time with my mom and dad, but I got to briefly see one of my many sisters-in-law, spend an entire day with my newest Florida friend Virginia and her precious baby Katie, spend tons of time with my best friend Vicki, attend my 20 year reunion (a blog unto its own), and get reacquainted with one of my best friends from jr. high, Tammy. Okay, so there was no reacquainting involved. Since we are now sisters in Christ, it was as though we hadn't missed a day since 8th grade. So it was all really fun..did you hear a "but" in that sentence? Because I think I feel a "but" coming on....
BUT.......... I AM SOOOO GLAD TO BE HOME! There truly is no place like home. I could write all day. I am dying to put down my thought son the reunion, but since we ARE home, I guess the bags won't unpack themselves. Besides, I want to get started cleaning this place from top to bottom this week so that it looks TERRIFIC when my husband comes home. I can't wait to see him!
I remember the first time we pulled up to the barn with my real estate agent (& now friend) Kathy. After everyone showed us around & left, I cried so hard and thanked God for this beautiful place He had brought us to. I feel the same way now, as though viewing it again for the first time. We have been gone for ten days. I don't know if it was all the activity I crammed into those ten days, the fact that I am missing my husband so much, or just that I dislike Florida so much, but it seemed like ten weeks!
The activity part was awesome really. Not only did I get to spend some wonderful quality time with my mom and dad, but I got to briefly see one of my many sisters-in-law, spend an entire day with my newest Florida friend Virginia and her precious baby Katie, spend tons of time with my best friend Vicki, attend my 20 year reunion (a blog unto its own), and get reacquainted with one of my best friends from jr. high, Tammy. Okay, so there was no reacquainting involved. Since we are now sisters in Christ, it was as though we hadn't missed a day since 8th grade. So it was all really fun..did you hear a "but" in that sentence? Because I think I feel a "but" coming on....
BUT.......... I AM SOOOO GLAD TO BE HOME! There truly is no place like home. I could write all day. I am dying to put down my thought son the reunion, but since we ARE home, I guess the bags won't unpack themselves. Besides, I want to get started cleaning this place from top to bottom this week so that it looks TERRIFIC when my husband comes home. I can't wait to see him!
Friday, May 15, 2009
Mr. Anderson Says "Write a Novel"
I know I have mentioned my next door neighbor, Mr. Anderson, before. About three weeks ago, after he and my husband returned home from Bible study, he handed me an old French novel circa 1860 I believe. He said, "I want you to read this." Okay, I thought, here is this 85 year old man asking me to read a novel. I will say yes, even if is a form of mild torture like Shakespeare (as an English Lit major, I can call Shakespeare torture!). "Sure Bob", I replied, "I will read it."
"Wonderful," he smiled, "Then I want you to write your own novel with all the same characteristics."
"Huh?" Now I am quite certain I didn't say that out loud, however, I am certain that my look must have said the exact same thing. Instead I said, "What exactly do you mean?"
"Read the novel, study the theme. I want to see a novel set in contemporary America with the same themes as this book. I have read everything you have written to this point. I know you can do this." Wow, pretty confident of him considering none, not one piece, of my work has been fiction.
Though I still wanted to say "Huh?", my brain finally kicked in enough to realize that right in front of me sat a highly respected man in our community of great talent. An artist, a writer, and a beloved friend to my husband and I. I have already spoke of how I know God placed him five steps away from our barn for a purpose. Now I see even more of that purpose. He means to push me. Lord knows I need pushed.
Naturally he doesn't want me to use the same storyline. But this week I will go to his house and spend a great deal of time discussing what themes he wants to see in my novel. I finished the book and it was quite good, not even a mild form of torture. I know what themes I saw, I just want his take on it as well. I am thrilled to see that one of the main themes was hope and another kindness..two of my favorite topics!
I am a little out of sorts because I am going to have to get a job that fits around the kids school schedule. I guess I will have to turn into one of those writers who wants it so badly that she stays up to write all hours of the night after hubby and I put the kids to bed. (You are laughing right now if you know I am usually in bed by 8:30 with very little exception..in my defense I did find out today I am extremely anemic, like one step away from blood transfusion anemic, so that explains a lot, now maybe I won't be so tired since I will be taking 650 mg of iron per day) I thought God was going to provide a way for me to stay home and write full time. I guess I was wrong, but let me not go down that road or this post will turn into a big ol' pity party and a bit of my bitterness may shine through. I have not worked in 8 years..8 years this month actually. Wow! I can't even believe that as I type it. I just spent the last seven weeks daydreaming of how happy we would be as hubby worked his dream job and I stayed home and wrote full time! Time for plan B, which includes my working. "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 3:13,14 / KJV
At any rate, I won't let Mr. Anderson down..I think too much of him and so appreciate the faith he has in my "talent" (his words, not mine).
So, anyone have any clues on how to begin a novel? :) :) :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PS..On a completely different note, I am praying about teaching a ladies Bible study, so my dear sisters out there who always pray so faithfully for me, let me know what you think of ME teaching a Bible study and know, by both the novel and the Bible study leader thing, I am TOTALLY stepping out in faith in both areas. Maybe next hubby will start teaching his monthly Bible study as well! For now, all those guys want from us is for me to make the next men's bible study breakfast for 12 men. Yikes! I ADORE cooking, but breakfast is not my high point..any good casserole type breakfast recipes would be appreciated!
"Wonderful," he smiled, "Then I want you to write your own novel with all the same characteristics."
"Huh?" Now I am quite certain I didn't say that out loud, however, I am certain that my look must have said the exact same thing. Instead I said, "What exactly do you mean?"
"Read the novel, study the theme. I want to see a novel set in contemporary America with the same themes as this book. I have read everything you have written to this point. I know you can do this." Wow, pretty confident of him considering none, not one piece, of my work has been fiction.
Though I still wanted to say "Huh?", my brain finally kicked in enough to realize that right in front of me sat a highly respected man in our community of great talent. An artist, a writer, and a beloved friend to my husband and I. I have already spoke of how I know God placed him five steps away from our barn for a purpose. Now I see even more of that purpose. He means to push me. Lord knows I need pushed.
Naturally he doesn't want me to use the same storyline. But this week I will go to his house and spend a great deal of time discussing what themes he wants to see in my novel. I finished the book and it was quite good, not even a mild form of torture. I know what themes I saw, I just want his take on it as well. I am thrilled to see that one of the main themes was hope and another kindness..two of my favorite topics!
I am a little out of sorts because I am going to have to get a job that fits around the kids school schedule. I guess I will have to turn into one of those writers who wants it so badly that she stays up to write all hours of the night after hubby and I put the kids to bed. (You are laughing right now if you know I am usually in bed by 8:30 with very little exception..in my defense I did find out today I am extremely anemic, like one step away from blood transfusion anemic, so that explains a lot, now maybe I won't be so tired since I will be taking 650 mg of iron per day) I thought God was going to provide a way for me to stay home and write full time. I guess I was wrong, but let me not go down that road or this post will turn into a big ol' pity party and a bit of my bitterness may shine through. I have not worked in 8 years..8 years this month actually. Wow! I can't even believe that as I type it. I just spent the last seven weeks daydreaming of how happy we would be as hubby worked his dream job and I stayed home and wrote full time! Time for plan B, which includes my working. "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 3:13,14 / KJV
At any rate, I won't let Mr. Anderson down..I think too much of him and so appreciate the faith he has in my "talent" (his words, not mine).
So, anyone have any clues on how to begin a novel? :) :) :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PS..On a completely different note, I am praying about teaching a ladies Bible study, so my dear sisters out there who always pray so faithfully for me, let me know what you think of ME teaching a Bible study and know, by both the novel and the Bible study leader thing, I am TOTALLY stepping out in faith in both areas. Maybe next hubby will start teaching his monthly Bible study as well! For now, all those guys want from us is for me to make the next men's bible study breakfast for 12 men. Yikes! I ADORE cooking, but breakfast is not my high point..any good casserole type breakfast recipes would be appreciated!
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Quotes that Made Me Feel Better Today
" I discovered an astonishing truth: God is attracted to weakness. He can't resist those who humbly and honestly admit how desperately they need him. Our weakness, in fact, makes room for his power." ~ Jim Cymbala Pastor of Brooklyn Tabernacle Church
" It is not enough to begin to pray, nor to pray aright: nor is it enough to continue for a time to pray; but we must patiently, believingly continue in prayer, until we obtain an answer; and further, we have not only to continue in prayer unto the end, but we have also to believe that God does hear us and will answer our prayers. Most frequently we fail in not continuing in prayer until the blessing is obtained, and in not expecting the blessing." ~ George Muller
PS..Since I just finished changing the layout of my blog a bit, I thought I would fill you in. My husband took this picture. This is what we see when we step out of our front door and walk to the car every morning. Though, to be honest, usually there is a horse standing there and his name is...wait for it.....HAPPY :) How could we ever wake up sad with a view like this and a horse named Happy to look at? Somehow it hasn't helped much this weekend, but oh well, tomorrow is another day right? Love everyone & thank you for your prayers!
" It is not enough to begin to pray, nor to pray aright: nor is it enough to continue for a time to pray; but we must patiently, believingly continue in prayer, until we obtain an answer; and further, we have not only to continue in prayer unto the end, but we have also to believe that God does hear us and will answer our prayers. Most frequently we fail in not continuing in prayer until the blessing is obtained, and in not expecting the blessing." ~ George Muller
PS..Since I just finished changing the layout of my blog a bit, I thought I would fill you in. My husband took this picture. This is what we see when we step out of our front door and walk to the car every morning. Though, to be honest, usually there is a horse standing there and his name is...wait for it.....HAPPY :) How could we ever wake up sad with a view like this and a horse named Happy to look at? Somehow it hasn't helped much this weekend, but oh well, tomorrow is another day right? Love everyone & thank you for your prayers!
Monday, March 9, 2009
Nutrition for My Heart and Soul
I am taking a free nutrition class at the kids school once a week. Mainly, I liked that it was FREE (one of my favorite words) and because I soak up nutrition information like a sponge. I love to read and learn about new ways to eat healthy and improve, so I thought I would just join the class and see if I could learn anything new. The teacher is very sweet and kind and I have been able to get several very delicious recipes from the class, so it has been worth it for sure.
Last Thursday, she hit the exercise portion of the class. We exercise here in our house all of the time. Some days, my husband works out three times a day at the gym. Our kids have exercise class three times a week, outside of what they may be doing in gym class at school. And I make it a point to work out a minimum of twice a week, but usually I can get three or four good workouts in there. But the nutrition instructor wants us to wear pedometers all week long to see how many steps we walk each day.
For the year that my husband was in Iraq, and I was in FL where I could walk every single day, I DID wear a pedometer each day to make sure I walked a minimum of 16,000 steps per day. Once he came home and we moved here, I sort of fell out of the habit of it. Now, due to this project the nutrition teacher has us doing, I am back to wearing one again. I realized that, on average, my steps have dropped to 6,000 per day! That is about four miles per day less than I was walking while I was in FL. My goal was to have the best heart health possible. A side benefit was how peaceful and calm all that walking was for my soul.
I got to thinking about how that pedometer on my hip not only makes me constantly aware of how much I walk, but makes me want to walk even more, simply because I know it is there. That made me think of how much more I should be reading and studying Gods word. (Stick with me here, I will tie it all together :) Seriously though, if I became a better student of Gods word than I am now, and it was always in my heart, wouldn't I be more aware of it and more apt to use it on a regular basis? In turn, I would have an even healthier spiritual life than I do now, and what a wonderful thing that would be!
So, this morning, I clipped my walking pedometer to my hip and can't wait to watch how high that number goes today. Today will be the day I hit 16,000 again. But today I will also clip on my spiritual pedometer and spend a good amount of time in Gods word so that those words can be used as nutrition for my heart and soul as well!
Last Thursday, she hit the exercise portion of the class. We exercise here in our house all of the time. Some days, my husband works out three times a day at the gym. Our kids have exercise class three times a week, outside of what they may be doing in gym class at school. And I make it a point to work out a minimum of twice a week, but usually I can get three or four good workouts in there. But the nutrition instructor wants us to wear pedometers all week long to see how many steps we walk each day.
For the year that my husband was in Iraq, and I was in FL where I could walk every single day, I DID wear a pedometer each day to make sure I walked a minimum of 16,000 steps per day. Once he came home and we moved here, I sort of fell out of the habit of it. Now, due to this project the nutrition teacher has us doing, I am back to wearing one again. I realized that, on average, my steps have dropped to 6,000 per day! That is about four miles per day less than I was walking while I was in FL. My goal was to have the best heart health possible. A side benefit was how peaceful and calm all that walking was for my soul.
I got to thinking about how that pedometer on my hip not only makes me constantly aware of how much I walk, but makes me want to walk even more, simply because I know it is there. That made me think of how much more I should be reading and studying Gods word. (Stick with me here, I will tie it all together :) Seriously though, if I became a better student of Gods word than I am now, and it was always in my heart, wouldn't I be more aware of it and more apt to use it on a regular basis? In turn, I would have an even healthier spiritual life than I do now, and what a wonderful thing that would be!
So, this morning, I clipped my walking pedometer to my hip and can't wait to watch how high that number goes today. Today will be the day I hit 16,000 again. But today I will also clip on my spiritual pedometer and spend a good amount of time in Gods word so that those words can be used as nutrition for my heart and soul as well!
Monday, March 2, 2009
The Gift of Super Heroes
The latest writing project I have is titled "Little Superhero" and it is supposed to be a story about how my little boy thinks he is a super hero. The funny thing is, I just found out about this project late last week, around the same time we found out that his health condition could be a little worse than just "Something he will grow out of.", as the doctor had originally told us.
So I got to thinking about so many angles for this story, and have yet to come up with one. Is he a super hero? Oh my! Have you ever met him? He is like the Super Hero of sweetness, kindness, intelligence and comedy rolled into one! When I say that everyone that meets him FALLS IN LOVE with him, that is not said from a mothers prideful standpoint, but is merely a fact that can be backed up by just about anyone!
As I thought about my story, I thought about how I must have just assumed that, having a boy and a girl, like my parents did, they would both naturally always be as healthy as my brother and I were. There didn't seem to be any genetic diseases in our family. There aren't any that we know of in my husbands family. He is one of nine children, and though two did pass away either as an infant, or as a young child, neither of those causes were disease related.
I look at my little super hero, and he is always smiling, always laughing. Yesterday, when he put his money in the plate at church, he was so proud of himself! He just looked at me with that big goofy grin that involves his eyebrows getting raised all up just like his Daddy's do. He understands everything, even things you think would be too young for his six year old little mind. Last night, we watched National Treasure as a family and he was able to follow the whole story.
But I say all of that to say, how I pray he isn't really sick. How I pray that Alport Syndrome is just something that HAPPENS to match what he has going on, but in reality, he will grow out of his symptoms. I know that my little super hero is a gift from God and that he is really God's child to begin with. I pray that God knows exactly how grateful I am for the joy that my little super hero brings us every minute we are with him!
So I got to thinking about so many angles for this story, and have yet to come up with one. Is he a super hero? Oh my! Have you ever met him? He is like the Super Hero of sweetness, kindness, intelligence and comedy rolled into one! When I say that everyone that meets him FALLS IN LOVE with him, that is not said from a mothers prideful standpoint, but is merely a fact that can be backed up by just about anyone!
As I thought about my story, I thought about how I must have just assumed that, having a boy and a girl, like my parents did, they would both naturally always be as healthy as my brother and I were. There didn't seem to be any genetic diseases in our family. There aren't any that we know of in my husbands family. He is one of nine children, and though two did pass away either as an infant, or as a young child, neither of those causes were disease related.
I look at my little super hero, and he is always smiling, always laughing. Yesterday, when he put his money in the plate at church, he was so proud of himself! He just looked at me with that big goofy grin that involves his eyebrows getting raised all up just like his Daddy's do. He understands everything, even things you think would be too young for his six year old little mind. Last night, we watched National Treasure as a family and he was able to follow the whole story.
But I say all of that to say, how I pray he isn't really sick. How I pray that Alport Syndrome is just something that HAPPENS to match what he has going on, but in reality, he will grow out of his symptoms. I know that my little super hero is a gift from God and that he is really God's child to begin with. I pray that God knows exactly how grateful I am for the joy that my little super hero brings us every minute we are with him!
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Holding On
One thing I know for certain is that God allows us all to go through trials. Never have I understood why He allows us to go through them, but I DO know that I have a strong desire to use any and all of my trials to help other people.
I have heard a lot about divorce lately. It seems to pop up a lot on Facebook. You hear people talk about how complicated marriage is, how they are fighting to get someone back, or how many times they have been married. I can't speak in generalities because every single situation is so different that you just do not know WHAT led a person to get divorced.
I have heard that getting divorced is a feeling worse than someone dying because they are "gone" but they are still there, just inaccessible in most cases. And I haven't BEEN there, so I don't know how to speak of it without sounding "preachy".
Any of you reading this that know me well enough, know the story of how my then 38 year old completely healthy husband almost died in 2000. You know about the weeks he spent on life support, and you know that there was never an explanation. Only the endless meetings with teams of doctors who knew not what to tell us, only to tell us to prepare for his death. And if you know me well enough, you know the hell that ensued, when , taken off life support he did indeed begin breathing on his own after all, even though the doctors thought that he couldn't. It was a miracle, no doubt about it. But what followed was a series of events I have been told numerous times I should write a book about.
We grappled with so much during those times. He continued to ask God why He had allowed him to go through that..what was the purpose and what was the major purpose for allowing him to live and not taking him right then and there? I had to learn to be his memory as we realized the loss of oxygen to his brain had caused him to forget things here and there from before. I spent weeks, probably months writing down events so that I could assure myself that at least I would remember them. To this day, I bet he doesn't even remember my doing that, his memory about the time is so clouded. And I began to deal with the anger that slowly crept up, week after week, month after month. It seemed he was mad at God, but there was no explanation as to why. And it took years to overcome. During those years, there were just as many people praying for our marriage as there had been praying for his life in 2000. During those years, we actually lost friends for not getting a divorce. But we knew we shouldn't. For me, it was not because someone told me I shouldn't. Not because I was afraid of how guilty I would feel if I did it. I simply knew I should not give up. It was as though the Holy Spirit continued to tell me of the abundance that was at the other end, if only I would just hold on and be faithful to all God had promised me.
And wouldn't you know it, He kept every single one of those promises! But it is even better than I imagined when I "heard" those promises from Him. I never thought that I could love this man even MORE than I did in 2000, but I do. I never thought I could respect him more, but he has earned even more respect in ways I never even saw coming. God took this marriage, this THING we could have given up on, and would not allow either of us to give up.
So I told someone recently, one of the things I look forward to about growing old is growing old with my husband. It is teaching my kids that, even when their Daddy and I were not the people we wanted the other one to be, we held on, we prayed, and we worked it out until God allowed us to be more like-minded with one another. We held on in faith..and by the grace of God, it worked!
I have heard a lot about divorce lately. It seems to pop up a lot on Facebook. You hear people talk about how complicated marriage is, how they are fighting to get someone back, or how many times they have been married. I can't speak in generalities because every single situation is so different that you just do not know WHAT led a person to get divorced.
I have heard that getting divorced is a feeling worse than someone dying because they are "gone" but they are still there, just inaccessible in most cases. And I haven't BEEN there, so I don't know how to speak of it without sounding "preachy".
Any of you reading this that know me well enough, know the story of how my then 38 year old completely healthy husband almost died in 2000. You know about the weeks he spent on life support, and you know that there was never an explanation. Only the endless meetings with teams of doctors who knew not what to tell us, only to tell us to prepare for his death. And if you know me well enough, you know the hell that ensued, when , taken off life support he did indeed begin breathing on his own after all, even though the doctors thought that he couldn't. It was a miracle, no doubt about it. But what followed was a series of events I have been told numerous times I should write a book about.
We grappled with so much during those times. He continued to ask God why He had allowed him to go through that..what was the purpose and what was the major purpose for allowing him to live and not taking him right then and there? I had to learn to be his memory as we realized the loss of oxygen to his brain had caused him to forget things here and there from before. I spent weeks, probably months writing down events so that I could assure myself that at least I would remember them. To this day, I bet he doesn't even remember my doing that, his memory about the time is so clouded. And I began to deal with the anger that slowly crept up, week after week, month after month. It seemed he was mad at God, but there was no explanation as to why. And it took years to overcome. During those years, there were just as many people praying for our marriage as there had been praying for his life in 2000. During those years, we actually lost friends for not getting a divorce. But we knew we shouldn't. For me, it was not because someone told me I shouldn't. Not because I was afraid of how guilty I would feel if I did it. I simply knew I should not give up. It was as though the Holy Spirit continued to tell me of the abundance that was at the other end, if only I would just hold on and be faithful to all God had promised me.
And wouldn't you know it, He kept every single one of those promises! But it is even better than I imagined when I "heard" those promises from Him. I never thought that I could love this man even MORE than I did in 2000, but I do. I never thought I could respect him more, but he has earned even more respect in ways I never even saw coming. God took this marriage, this THING we could have given up on, and would not allow either of us to give up.
So I told someone recently, one of the things I look forward to about growing old is growing old with my husband. It is teaching my kids that, even when their Daddy and I were not the people we wanted the other one to be, we held on, we prayed, and we worked it out until God allowed us to be more like-minded with one another. We held on in faith..and by the grace of God, it worked!
Monday, February 16, 2009
Gratitude for His kindness
I never cease to be amazed at God's kindness, even when I am slacking. Well, maybe I shouldn't be so hard on myself. This is still sort of a "new" life for us. We have only been here for seven months. I am only just now getting used to the fact that I am no longer a homeschool mom, but a mom with some time on her hands..(with a husband who happens to be home 24/7, but that is a whole other blog!). So, the kids have been in school for five months and I have actually gotten some writing done.
Yet, I suddenly hit the brakes a few months ago, for no apparent reason, other than the fact that I allowed little things to get in my way. Yet still, even as I slacked, God sent approvals for writing jobs I had already sent in. I am going to be published again and hope and pray I never lose the excitement of waiting to see the books come in the mail..(March 10th, in case any of you are following that kind of stuff..A Cup of Comfort Devotional for Mothers and Daughters and it will include two devotions by yours truly about the beautiful lessons God uses my wonderful daughter to teach me everyday.)
He also sent Motivation to complete an article as a surprise for my dad. Dad retired a few months ago after 43 years with the same company. I decided to write an article for his hometown newspaper which he still reads every week, even though he has been gone for 28 years. That article had me puzzled! Do I write Dad's memories? I don't want to leave Mom out, do I include her memories? And what about MY memories? Then, a huge gift from God, I awoke one night to a voice in my head telling me exactly how to write the story! I wrote it the next day, and now, "Walton From a '63 Chevy" will appear in this weeks Times Record of Roane County, WV. WOOOOHOOOOO! I have hit the big time now!
Seriously, it isn't about hitting the big time. It used to be. I used to want to be an actress and a singer so bad I could taste it..because I wanted to hit the "big time". But now, it is only about doing something I love that I feel the Lord has put on my heart to do. I wouldn't last a day in the liberal world of "big time" anyway! I would probably end up not acting very Christ-like and telling someone off.
So anyway, maybe I haven't gotten into a productive writing "groove" just yet, but would you look at that? With just the smallest of efforts, the Lord has still shown me a bit of reward and I am so grateful!
Yet, I suddenly hit the brakes a few months ago, for no apparent reason, other than the fact that I allowed little things to get in my way. Yet still, even as I slacked, God sent approvals for writing jobs I had already sent in. I am going to be published again and hope and pray I never lose the excitement of waiting to see the books come in the mail..(March 10th, in case any of you are following that kind of stuff..A Cup of Comfort Devotional for Mothers and Daughters and it will include two devotions by yours truly about the beautiful lessons God uses my wonderful daughter to teach me everyday.)
He also sent Motivation to complete an article as a surprise for my dad. Dad retired a few months ago after 43 years with the same company. I decided to write an article for his hometown newspaper which he still reads every week, even though he has been gone for 28 years. That article had me puzzled! Do I write Dad's memories? I don't want to leave Mom out, do I include her memories? And what about MY memories? Then, a huge gift from God, I awoke one night to a voice in my head telling me exactly how to write the story! I wrote it the next day, and now, "Walton From a '63 Chevy" will appear in this weeks Times Record of Roane County, WV. WOOOOHOOOOO! I have hit the big time now!
Seriously, it isn't about hitting the big time. It used to be. I used to want to be an actress and a singer so bad I could taste it..because I wanted to hit the "big time". But now, it is only about doing something I love that I feel the Lord has put on my heart to do. I wouldn't last a day in the liberal world of "big time" anyway! I would probably end up not acting very Christ-like and telling someone off.
So anyway, maybe I haven't gotten into a productive writing "groove" just yet, but would you look at that? With just the smallest of efforts, the Lord has still shown me a bit of reward and I am so grateful!
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