Update Day April 2016 Do You Have Goals? Blog Hop

Many thanks to the founders of this hop: Misha and Beth

If you would like to join this encouraging group, go here. 

The sun is shining, flowers are blooming, and I'm restless to do more, write more, and exercise more. As usual, it's hard to find a balance. Family life is always full and I wouldn't want it any other way.

Goal Updates (slightly different than the last few months, but a similar idea):

1. I'm into my new novel with full gusto after weeks of half-commitment. It's going good some days and bad on others, but I just keep writing one word at a time.

The picture that sparked my W.I.P. Patience can be found here: National Geographic. However, my story isn't set in Kosovo.

2. I've written several short stories this month - some hint fiction length and some at a comfortable short story length. I've submitted seven of them and have had some responses already - some positive and some negative.

3. My health goals are all over the place with a different dose of thyroid medicine, less caffeine, more walking, some biking, a tiny amount of skiing. The weight remains the same and it's not a number that's healthy so I'm finally, really-for-sure-this-time, starting a diet/health daily diary.

4. My spiritual life has had its ups and downs, but is mostly on a good note these days. I've had some days where prayer was a necessity and asking for prayer from friends and my pastor was necessary, too, and yet, I'm fully on board with praise team again, which I love.

"Prayer and Praise is the double-barrel shotgun against the enemy, the father of lies."
 - Nicholas Kraft, Go Missions International.
BTW, Kraft is a non-violent missionary who underwent a brutal, physical attack in his home in the mission field. He was beaten unconscious as his family was forced to submit at gunpoint to an armed burglary. If he can come out of that, and go straight to prayer and praise, I think I can rely on those two for my every day life.

5. The Guest Series part of 5 Reasons to Write is will kick off next week with Karen Lange!
Upcoming 5 Reasons to Write posts will be by: Tara Tyler, Lori Machlaughlin, Sean Maclachlan, Milo James Fowler, Madeline Mora-Summonte, Randi Lee, Alex J. Cavanaugh, Misha Gerrick, Elizabeth Seckman, and Mark Noce, although the series will have a brief hiatus in August.

6. The Thing That Turned Me: An Anthology is coming out at the end of May!


I haven't conquered new worlds, but I'm still writing one word at a time, and that seems to work.

Total Word Count for April: 21,174 (slightly under monthly goal of 25,000)

Total Miles Walked in April: 36.5 miles (slightly under goal)

Total Miles Biked: 30 miles (way under goal, but still going)

Vacation (I met my goal of rest!) Images:

Math-Nerds on Vacation OR Daddy-Daughter Homework for Dessert

My handsome husband on Blackcomb Mt, Whistler, B.C.

Biking at Whistler, B.C. (approx. 12k)

John (my husband) and his older sister Lynn at Lost Lake

(We hiked to it and around it.)

If you couldn't tell, it was late spring "off-season" at Whistler for us this year. 

17 family members went.

We talked long, laughed hard, stayed up late, woke up early, and enjoyed every moment.

It was one of the best weeks of the year so far!

Do you have goals?

And, how do you tackle them?

If you would like to write a 5 Reasons post, please look at the list and consider e-mailing me about September or October.