Guest: Elizabeth Seckman and Mainstream Fiction

Thanks for having me over Tyrean!

Thanks for visiting, Elizabeth! It's great to have you!

I had a conversation with some writers last week over whether or not good decent grace-saved, messed-up Christians should be writing mainstream fiction, or should we be writing Christian fiction? Or in the very least, concentrating on sweet fiction devoid of adult language, situations, and alcohol? When I first started writing, I tried to stay in these parameters, but I came up with nothing. Not a single story thread. Zero. Zip. Nada. Not even an idea.

So, I ran with my broken characters with their less than perfect lives and the stories returned.

Then, a friend of mine dedicated her first book to God. We published about the same time, so I considered doing the same. But then I wondered if God would want a book with premarital sex, lies, and drinking dedicated to Him. So, I didn't.

But the more I write. The more I get out to conventions and meet readers, the more certain I am that I am doing what I am called to do.  Broken people are reality and their lives are messy and sometimes even jaded, but they are just as loved. They are just as important.

And this broken believer will happily write their stories. And if someone in real life wants to know how I make it through life with joy, I'll share.

Am I on a holy mission? No. I just don't see the point in hiding who I am.

So, this time...I dedicated this ornery book to the One I owe everything.

*Now, to be clear- when I say ornery, if this book were a movie, it would rate a PG-13. There are adult situations and content, but no F bombs or super steamy scenes. I don't want to get my poor mother-in-law worried that I am acting like her rotten son. Hehe.

The Blurb:

Jo Leigh Harper comes from a long line of trouble-making, white trash stock.

Tanner Coulter comes from a longer line of wealth-creating, blue blood stock.

Jo graduated college top of her class, moving toward a future full of possibilities.

Tanner dropped out of college, trading a law degree for drinking games and one night stands.

A family crisis throws the rich party boy and the poor genius girl together. The attraction is immediate, though neither one is a heart-in-the-sand-drawing believer in true love. But as the summer sun heats up along the shores of the Outer Banks, so does the connection between them. Maybe, just maybe, they can win at love by defying reason.

 

Author Bio:

Elizabeth is a multi-published author of books for people who are believers in happily-ever- after, true love, and stories with a bit of fun and twists with their plots. The mother of four young men, she tackles laundry daily and is the keeper of the kitchen. She lives along the shores of the Ohio River in West Virginia, but dreams daily of the beach. 

Facebook/ Blog/ Website/ Buy Link

Standing Out!

In the last week I've come across three posts that reverberated with my own tug-of-war with

visibility vs. invisibility, camouflage vs. standing out.

Susan Roebuck wrote of her dislike of promotion here

 Jemi Fraser wrote about feeling invisible in her post Invisibility

Jennifer, a faith-filled missionary in South Africa, wrote a post about Camouflage


We each struggle with the opposite twin hopes: to be visible, and yet to be invisible, to be heard and yet to be safe, to stand out and yet protected by camouflage.

It depends on the day, doesn't it?  Or is that me?

When I was teen, I had moment when I wanted to fit in, when I wanted no one to notice me, when I wished I could be invisible. But those moments would only last for a moment, or a day, or maybe a few months . . .and then I would realize that I just stuck out like a sore thumb no matter how hard I tried to fit in with others. Then I would embrace my oddness and stand out on purpose. Then something would happen and I would wish for invisibility again.

Now I'm an adult, and a writer, and I still go through that same pendulum swing of wishing to be visible and then wishing to be camouflaged.

When I went to a writers' conference recently, I tried to dress comfortably, but also to dress in a way that didn't stand out. I just wanted to lay low.

Of course, when I got there, I realized that I didn't want to do that really, so I walked around, shook hands, and made conversation.

For years, and years, and years, I only told writing classmates, close friends and immediate family members that I wanted to be a writer. I wanted to camouflage my writing until it became amazing, awesome and famous.

Then about six years ago I decided that I wanted to get my writing out there, even if it wasn't awesome sauce. I started pursuing publication. I kept myself on a writing schedule, and kept myself accountable. Three years ago I started a blog - more accountability, more schedule, more standing out. A few years ago, I started talking about it with friends and acquaintances. (NaNoWriMo kind of forced that issue with that tough writing schedule).

It's true that I've been slammed a few times (like literally two times).

But the biggest truth about standing out and standing up for my dream of being a writer is that I have found:
tons of support,

amazing encouragement,

people who cheer me on,

and people who tell me to keep writing and keep dreaming.

So for all of you writers out there who feel like doing this:

I suggest you put down the camouflage and stand out instead like this:

It's worth it!

Be bold!

"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline." 2 Timothy 1:7



Remember to check out those links I mentioned up above for Susan, Jemi, and Jennnifer!

Are you ready to stand out and stand up as a writer?


100 Days of Revision, Day 41
Had a few slow days over the weekend (part of June dance mom madness and knowing 5 grads this year), but I'm making slow but steady progress and am keeping up with weekly goals for revision.

A to Z Challenge: X

Theme: Creativity Toolbox
The Source of this Image
X = Xylem

What?

Xylem: plant tissue consisting of thick walled cells that provide support and through which water and dissolved minerals are conducted to the various plant parts.

Years ago, my kids and I did an awesome science experiment with a stalk of celery and colored water. The xylem in the celery brought the colored water from the bottom of the stalk to the top. This experiement is pretty cool with carnations, daffodils and other plants too, but you can see the xylem in the celery stalk and watch the process take place over a few hours.

So what in the world do xylem have to do with writing and creativity?

I think we need to root ourselves in creativity, and let that creativity be conducted to the various parts of our lives.

However, I'm going to take a little step further because of something I truly believe, and know.

To truly be creative, I think we need to root ourselves in God, the Creator and Redeemer of our world. When we soak up creativity and life-giving goodness from our Creator, our souls are going to conduct all of that into every part of our lives.


“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness” (Colossians 2:6,7).


Where have you planted your roots?

Creativity Challenge: Try a science experiment, or write about what conducts life to your system.

A to Z Challenge: Faithfulness

A to Z Challenge

Theme: Creativity Toolbox

F = Faithfulness

Faithfulness in faith, relationships, crafting, and writing pushes us to creativity as we find ways to make the every day stuff meaningful and fun.


Faithfulness to me means that "I'm in" every day. It's beyond just a statement of belief and into a practice of that belief.

Faithfulness is important in the creativity toolbox, because I believe that faithfulness forces us to grow creatively. Writing daily sometimes gets a little boring. So, faithful daily practice can force us to find ways to make it more exciting . . . which ultimately leads to more creativity.

I'll share an example from when my kids were little. They wanted my husband or I to tell them the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears every single night. If you've ever read or told the same story every night, you know that it can get a little stale after a while. So we started to get creative.

We told: Goldilocks and the Three Goldfish who lived in an enchanted stream; Goldilocks and the Stolen Skateboard, Goldilocks meets Sleepy "Beautypants" (pronounced Bootypants by our youngest), and many other variations that made us laugh.

Faithfulness in Writing Exercise:
Write Every Day. When you get bored and start making excuses, change something about the way you write. Write a different genre. Write a scene you've already written with just dialogue or just action. Write a letter to your character. Write at a different time of day. Draw something first and then write over your drawing. Just keep writing.


Faithfulness in faith: God is faithful even when we fail. Turn to him, and find out that he's been there all along. "God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

The Versatile Blogger Award

Many thanks to Yadin Bromberg for giving me the Versatile Blogger Award!!! This is sweet! I just met Yadin, and if you don't know him yet, I highly encourage you to check out his blog!

The rules/instructions that go with The Versatile Blogger Award:
1. Thank the blogger who gave the award and provide a link to their blog.
2. Select 15 bloggers you've newly discovered or follow regularly and give them the award. (I expanded this to include some bloggers that I've followed for a long while, but have lost touch with recently so I'm rediscovering them)
3. Finally, tell 7 things about yourself.

So, again, many thanks to Yadin!

There are so many awesome bloggers out there, but I have to choose 15 . . .so the award goes to:

Joanne at 10minutes2breathe
Pam at  2encourage
Taryn at A Fool's Golden Paradise
Ali Cross
Susan J. Reinhardt
Christine at Christine's Journey
Luana at Emerald City
Jennie at Garden Full of Lily
Allison at GeekBanter
Laurel at Laurel's Leaves
Ellen at Pink Tea and Paper
Julie at Silver Lining
Tricia at Talespinning
Tara at TaraTylerTalks
Kathleen at Writing, Reading, and Life

Wait, I just noticed I awarded all ladies . . .I'm not sure how that happened. Sorry guys . . .but I guess it's ladies award day!

Now, seven things about me:

1. I love tea, but recently started liking coffee. It's part of the reason I stopped drinking caffeine. To join the legions of coffee drinkers in the Northwest seemed too lemming like for me. LOL - actually I stopped drinking caffeine because it was messing with my sleep and my diet. Mint tea, and Vanilla Chai Decaf are my favs right  now.

2. I love to dance, but my left foot keeps me from dancing all that often. I love watching tap videos . . . like of Fred Astaire, Gene Kelley, my daughters, and Greg Russell. Who's Greg Russell? He's an awesome tapper and tap teacher who taught at a dance convention my daughters went to a few years ago. I'm not really into the Lord of the Dance type tapping . . .too stiff, no humor.

3. I love to laugh. Tonight I'm going to see Tim Hawkins and I'm looking forward to laughing until I roll around on the floor.

4. I love being a writer. I love writing, editing, and even revising although that part feels like work sometimes.

5. I love teaching. I love teaching my kids (we homeschool). I love teaching writing and literature classes at our homeschool co-op.

6. My name, Tyrean, is a name that my parents thought was unique. They made it up based on a character from a John Wayne movie that had two lines (I counted). His name was Tyre and he was a scout. They wanted my name to be more feminine (which to them meant it had to have an "n" at the end), and they didn't want it to have two "e"s in it. Hence, "Tyrean" pronounced with a "een" sound at the end but not spelled that way. Turns out there are many "Tyreans" out there - some from America and some from Ireland. I could tell many tales of mispronunciations and even arguments I had with subsitute teachers about the correct way to say my name. I even had an English teacher who told me that "ea" doesn't make a hard "e" sound. Hmm, really, what about "read, leak, teak, squeak, mean, lean"? I think in many ways my love of language came from the defense of my name.  

7. I love the Lord with all my heart, soul,  mind and strength. My faith is part of all that I do, even when I make mistakes.

Worldview and Writing

Worldview intertwines itself in our writing because it is a part of us. Even if we try to keep our beliefs out of our writing, they show up in the development of our stories because our stories come from the wellspring of imagination within us. The core of our imagination is closely linked with the way we see the world and how we believe everything works. This goes for Christians, Buddhists, Atheists, and all worldviews. A worldview shapes what we see, how we act, and the way we write.

However, I often wonder in my own writing just how much I should share overtly? How much is enough? and how much is over the top?

Check out this passage from Frankenstein (I've been catching up on my classic fiction on my Kindle):
"A human being in perfection ought always to preserve a calm and peaceful mind and never allow passion or a transitory desire to disturb his tranquility. I do not think that the pursuit of knowledge is an exception to this rule." Yes, this is written in a character's voice, but it also stems from the worldview of the author.

So, what do you think, is it a good idea to overtly include our worldview in our writing? How much is enough? How much is too much?

And, have you ever read Frankenstein? This is my third time reading it, and the first time in a decade, but I still find it intriguing.

Turning the Page

New Year's Eve feels like the turn of a new page in an open book. I know, from my faith, that the pages have already been written by the Author of life, but I haven't seen them yet. It's like they are in invisible ink and will only appear as life enfolds, as I turn the page.

New Year's Eve invites me to look back on the story so far, and look forward to the adventures to come, knowing with confidence that the end of the book is a happy one, even if there are trials on the way.

One way that I look forward is to create goals . . . you know, New Year resolutions.

For 2012, I have some goals to improve my blog.

1. Keep my posts shorter - hovering around 250 words. (splurging maybe to 500 once in a while)

2. Post pictures or video with every post.

3. Keep a steady schedule. Unless a blogfest beckons, I will post M, W, F.

4. Pre-write my posts. No more seat-of-pants rambling.

5. Get to each of these themes once a month:

Encouragement
Blessings/Gratitude
Writing
Reading/Books
Parenting/Homeschooling/Teaching
Worship
Poetry/Humming like Pooh
Social Causes/Needs
Movie/Book/Storytelling Reviews
Interview/author highlight/guest post
Blog/website highlight day
Random Day (only once a month)

6. Visit more blogs, and encourage fellow bloggers.


Do you have any goals this year? Feel ready for 2012?
Have a metaphor for New Year's Eve?

Happy New Year!!!!

Words of Wisdom

"To soar or to rest, the daily adventure is soul to soul, not of flesh. And to dwell is to fully live in the adventure of the moment with those we love.
Imagine that!" - Grace Nichols

Today's quote comes from The Daily Adventure at A Grace Story

Grace Nichols is a real world friend of mine, and she has a beautiful blog called A Grace Story where she shares the wisdom that the Lord grants her and her family. She is a precious, and wonderful sister in Christ, and I highly recommend reading all her posts.

Running Uphill with Baggage and a Bag of Open Chips

Running Uphill with Baggage and a Bag of Open Chips

On any given day, in the rain, sunshine, fog, flood, or dry cold, I love to walk my walk uphill and downhill and back again.

This week I felt every single extra pound of fatty baggage weighing me down. Little tiny hills bothered me. My feet hurt. My legs hurt. My shoulders felt heavy. My walk encompasses up, down and flat, but it all felt uphill this week – like it was uphill both ways.

Is it even possible for me to get in shape for a half marathon by mid September?

Last week I would have said yes. This week, I felt like saying no.

Instead, I went out the door, and down the street. I bought new shoes for my feet. I walked and jogged, and walked again, even though I felt heaviness weighing me down.

My usual exhilaration at the end of the walk was muted. It was there, but it felt far, far away like my fitness goals.

When I came home, I faced another temptation – a bag of open chips, leftover from my mom’s birthday party. I wanted to eat them, and I wanted to eat them all. On Monday, I had a small cereal bowl full of chips for an afternoon snack. On Tuesday, I grazed my fingers over the top of the bag, and then I walked away.

I walked away.

I walk every day.

And, I will walk today.

And maybe I will run, even if it means running uphill with pounds of fatty baggage, as long as I’m running away from that bag of open chips.

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; be we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

365 Days of Blessings, Day 286

Today I'm giving thanks for these blessings:

Writing Life Blessings:

1. Waking up to write a poetic prose piece that might have a kernel of something usable/publishable in it, and having fun while writing it.

2. Revision planning, and revision for The Crystal Sword that I think will make it readable. I hope.

3. Looking for places to submit my poetry and short fiction, and stumbling across this list at Strange Horizons Stories We've Seen Too Often and laughing my way through most of it. I have to admit, yes, I have a tendency to use some overused plots, but for the most part, this list made me a feel more confident about my writing.

4. My husband, who claims not to be creative (ha!), woke up this morning thinking about a fantasy story involving dragons, half dragon-half lion creatures, and a new fantasy creature altogether that turns into a ball of rock when flamed by a dragon, but then is able to come of its protective shell several months later. Maybe it was just his fever making his mind creative, but it's good to know that we can talk about our wild imaginations together now and then.

General Life Blessings:

5. The rain is soft, fast and light at the moment - a kind of tickling sound on the roof versus the pelunking and drumming sounds that woke me this morning.

6. Finishing a batch of e-mails that had to be written.

7. Sticky notes.

8. Fasting during Lent had me daydreaming about different types of dessert I like with chocolate this morning. Chocolate haystacks, chocolate melted over salty cashews and a banana - my own version of Chunky Monkey, and chocolate cashew butter cups, homemade. MMM. And now, I have to find my Bible if I'm going to resist.

9. Books from my college days that I actually kept like Making the Journey, and Seeking Diversity: Language Arts with Adolescents. I'm not sure that either of these books make my top 100 list, and I don't agree with all the methodology or thinking in either of them, but they are a great jumping off point for teaching workshop type writing classes.

10. My oldest daughter is reading the newspaper these days, and today she brought me an article to read about faith.

11. Christ calls us for His glory, not our own.

Scripture Blessings:

"For from him and through him and for him are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen."
Romans 11:35

365 Days of Blessings, Days 280, 281, 282, and 283

Sunday Blessings, Day 280:
1. Confession

2. Forgiveness

3. Awesome God Music

4. Word of God Speak Music

5. The Lord's Prayer

6. Communion

7. Sharing the Peace

8. A message from Elizabeth Chocrane, a missionary to Nepal.

9. Fellowship

10. Hope takes risks.

Monday Blessings, Day 281:

1. Free Verse Poetry

2. List poetry

3. Acrostic poetry

4. ABC poetry

5. Students writing for a half hour in 10 minute chunks.

6. Students excited about sharing their work with partners, and then with the whole class.

7. The end of Taming of the Shrew.

8. My Shakespeare class had complete consensus on this opinion: Katherine is not tamed at the end of the Taming of the Shrew, she's just learned to say what she needs to say to get what she wants.

9. Finishing my outline/summaries for the three classes I'll be teaching next year.

10. Hope peseveres.

Tuesday Blessings, Day 282:

1. No cavities at the dentist office for my daughters!

2. My old dog finally had her stitches taken out, and is free from the cone of shame.

3. My daughters finished their math lessons with ease . . . I'm not sure this will ever happen with joy, but ease is good.

4. Fat Tuesday is fun.

5. Chocolate melted in the microwave, and then mixed with cocounut to make a large homemade haystack. Yum.

6. Chips.

7. Caffeinated soda.

8. A hamburger, dripping with goodness.

9. A clean car.

10. Hope never fails.

Wednesday Blessings, Day 283:

1. Ash Wednesday: a time for repentence, discipline, reliance on the Lord, undeserved grace and faith.

2. Fasting

3. Prayer

4. The book of Acts in the Bible

5. Psalm 51

6. Ashes, and olive oil

7. A friend of mine started a new blog, check it out: Faithfully Frugal

8. The Ash Wednesday devotion from Upper Room

9. Today's daily devotion from Luther Hour Ministries Lenten Devotion

10. Hope in Christ

Scripture Blessings:

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Romans 5:1-8

365 Days of Blessings, Days 250 and 251

1. Planning and preparing side by side with my husband.

2. Printers.

3. Media slides.

4. CCLI licensing!

5. My oldest daughter's humor: "Julius Ceasar may have said, 'Vini, Vidi, Vici,' which means, 'I came, I saw, I conqured," but our Beagle Jumper says, 'Vini, Vidi, Edo,' which means, 'I came, I saw, I eat.'"

6. Fridays rock!

7. Family game bag night - pull a slip of paper from a bag, and find out what game we play next . . . or what movie we watch to end the evening.

8. Big, super hugs from my daughters.

9. All of my husband's hard work.

10. Encouragement and support from awesome people. You know who you are!

11. Saturday mornings!!!

12. C.S. Lewis' Surprised By Joy.

13. Finished hand outs.

14. Finished children's message.

15. Mostly finished message . . . I'll be tweaking it until I give it, it's the just the way it goes.

16. Wheelies - the only way to travel for kids like my daughters.

17. My oldest daughter's foot feels so much better that it is taking all her self-control to keep from dancing. (we had a 10 second dance while shoe shopping, but she stopped herself)

18. The gospel of John.

19. God's amazing glory!

20. Red hearts.


Scripture Blessings:
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John 1:1

365 Days of Blessings, Day 241

I struggled with thankfulness today, but I realized over and over that giving thanks and praise in the tough moments is just as important, if not more important than giving thanks and praise in the good moments.

So today, I'm giving thanks and praise for these blessings:

1. The Fruits of the Spirit in Sign Language - my youngest daughter is teaching them to me this way.

2. Music stands that keep music at just the right angle for a guitar player. (Not me, my oldest daughter and my mom)

3. Veggies with hummus dip. Yum.

4. Crafts.

5. A wonderful friend who called my daughter when she was feeling blue.

6. A younger sister helping her older sister.

7. My oldest daughter's ingenuity and engineering skills. After realizing that she couldn't carry things well on crutches, she improvised with a bag and a scarf, attaching the small bag to her crutches with the scarf. Pretty, and practical.

8. Easy access to quick medical care.

9. Well wishes and prayers from friends and family.

10. Whenever we need to borrow an adjustable pair of crutches, we can call my Dad. Plus, due to my Dad's experience with crutches, and my mom's experience as a nurse, we will never (or at least not often) walk on crutches the wrong way.

11. The Lord provides.


Scripture Blessings:

"Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, 'On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.'" Genesis 12:13-14

365 Days of Blessings, Day 240

Giving Thanks and Praise for:

1. My oldest daughter's 12th birthday!

2. The sweet memory of seeing and holding my daughter for the first time the day she was born.

3. My oldest daughter is 12, but she still likes to sit on my lap and cuddle.

4. My oldest daughter liked her birthday pancakes, even though they fell apart from griddle to plate so that each letter was halved.

5. Hearing my daughter tell Grandma and Grandpa about how wonderful her birthday party was last weekend, and watching her show Grandma and Grandpa all her gifts, and the amazing handmade cards her friends made for her.

6. Being able to take most of the day to celebrate.


7. Giving my daughter a fun gift, and a serious one too, trying to celebrate this time when she is in the crossover between young girl and young woman.

8. The laughter over a messed up birthday dine out dinner with family between a dance photo shoot and a dance class. Our timing was off, our favorite restaurant is out of business, and we ate at Wendy's and had burgers. However, we sang Happy Birthday anyway, ate happily, and talked, and my daughter opened presents with joy and thankfulness.

9. My youngest daughter's comment, "Wow, I guess God doesn't want us to eat at Ruby Tuesday's tonight! He must want us to eat square burgers (Wendy's)."

10. Seeing my daughters enjoying a little time with two Grandmas, two Grandpas, and a cousin.

11. Enjoying a little extra studio friend time . . . unexpectedly and the humor that comes only at the end of a long day . . . when we are all too tired to say words without turning them into something midly hilarious (to us).

12. Jesus is the way. He is the direction for our family, and everything else is a dilapidated roadside attraction.

Scripture Blessings:

"Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" John 14:6

365 Days of Blessings, Days 238 and 239

Sunday Blessings:

1. Farworld: Water Keep by J. Scott Savage swept me into an adventure for three days, even when I shouldn't have been reading it. Yesterday, on a wonderful, relaxing afternoon (after a whirlwind sleepover birthday party from my oldest) I finished it. I am recommending it to friends, and family as a great fantasy adventure read. True, it's meant for middle grade readers, and I am a "grown up" but I love younger books. I think if a book is as well-written as this one, it is for everyone.

2. Thanks to Shannon at Book Dreaming for reviewing and recommending Farworld on her blog!

3. The website for Farworld is fun!

4. More time to read blogs. I had twenty extra minutes this morning, and used it for catching up on some reading. I have been missing the wonderful, inspiring, and sometimes quirky stuff I get to read in everyone's posts. I am so thankful for blogs, and bloggers.

5. A wonderful worship that felt like a retreat into peace and hope.

6. Fun on a rope sing!

7. The way the Lord's Spirit moves us, even when we least expect it.

8. Making a commitment to a task that only God's strength will allow me to do. I feel suspended in a moment of free fall, like the moment when I grabbed the rope swing rope, looked out to the horizon and jumped.

9. Awesome people.

10. When I uttered doubt about taking on this task, my youngest daughter said, "Mom, you know the Holy Spirit called you, because there is no way you would have taken that otherwise." And then my oldest daughter and my husband chimed in with encouragement, support, and a faith in the one who guides in all things.

Monday Blessings:

1. Still taking this moment to the Lord in prayer, and getting support from friends and family.

2. Mystery skit writing with my writer's workshop adventure class. We had fun today.

3. A few funny videos to close our our Macbeth unit in Shakespeare Class. Most notably BBC's Bitesized Macbeth which made me laugh.

4. Flocabulary's Macbeth Rap actually summarizes the play in a semi-serious way.

5. Starting in on The Taming of the Shrew - one of Shakespeare's most controversial plays. Is it serious, light-hearted, a sad look at abusive spousal behavior? Did Shakespeare really mean for Kate to be taken seriously in her last speech? We'll be debating that.

6. Writing is awesome.

7. Co-op friends are fun!

8. Chemistry class starts in 20 minutes . . . I get to facilitate, set up science experiments, have fun, and be impressed by mom who teaches the class. I should be taking notes on teaching in that class. She speaks quietly to get their attention, and they are riveted in their seats for an hour.

9. Dance class tonight - preparing for the show on Friday!

10. God is in charge!!!! Yay! Not me!

Scripture Blessings:

"After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, 'Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’'
Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, 'Why are you untying the colt?'

They replied, 'The Lord needs it.'

They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.

When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:

'Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!'

'Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!'

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, 'Teacher, rebuke your disciples!'

'I tell you,' he replied, 'if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.'"
Luke 19:28-40

365 Days of Blessings, Day 237

Giving Thanks and Praise for these awesome, but every day blessings:

1. Conversations about dogs.

2. The cuteness of our beagle. It works for him when we have company. We've become immune due to his acts of sabotaging garbage cans.

3. The sweetness and happiness of our rhodesian ridgeback. She's shy, but happy nearly all the time.

4. Having a dog clever enough to open a lower kitchen drawer to climb onto the counter top and knock food down. It's funny 48 hours afterwards. If only we had the time, energy, and ability to use his cleverness for something good.

5. Having an 11 year old dog with bad joints and a messed up spine, who still wags her whole body with her tail, smiles for us, and brings us her toys. She wants to play, all the time. (well, when she's not taking in her beauty sleep)

6. Waking up 8 girls for breakfast, and seeing them all be pretty good company even after little sleep.

7. Having my husband back me up, when I asked the girls for the second time to go to sleep at 4:40 a.m. 4:40!!! We thought they were asleep way before then!

8. My oldest daughter is very close to twelve. Just 3 days left of being 11.

9. Birthday cake for dessert the day after a party.

10. Sunshine after many days of grey rain.

11. God has us in his hands, all the time.

Scripture Blessings:
"Into your hands I commit my spirit;
deliver me, LORD, my faithful God."
Psalm 31:5

365 Days of Blessings, Days 235 and 236

Today I'm giving thanks and praise for 2 days worth of blessings:

Thursday Blessings:

1. Discovered the problem in our walls may only be "kind of" bad instead of "rip off the whole wall" kind of bad.

2. Finished homeschool lessons.

3. My husband took the girls to dance class.

4. I had a break, and decided to dance all over my living room . . . trying to remember some of those tap steps I used to know, and then tried to remember some of my fencing footwork.

5. Went to the library, and picked up 6 books to read . . . even if I don't read them all, I will still skim them with love.

6. Watching an old show that makes us laugh on Netflix.

7. Reading the rough draft of my novel of bedtime storytime, on request from my kids.

8. Talking to a friend at just the right moment.

9. Starting in on one of my library books, a book recommended to me by a fellow blogger. Farworld is even better than I expected it to be, and I am recommending it to my daughters based on the third that I've read so far.

10. Spending a few minutes with my husband each day.


Friday Blessings:

1. Getting the house cleaner that it has been in months, despite the vacuum cleaner breaking. I'm so thankful that I vacuumed those few carpeted areas yesterday, and today I was able to broom and mop the hard stuff.

2. A new shower curtain.

3. A last minute present purchased by my younger daughter for her older sister.

4. Birthday party excitement.

5. Laser tag.

6. Video arcades.

7. Girls playing their version of "We are the Raisins!"

8. Girls making their own pizza, and decorating their own cake.

9. Girls who eat fruit and veggies first.

10. Presents are fun, but the friends are the best part of a party.

11. Art projects, and video game fun.

12. Girls getting quieter without a parent having to ask . . . I think all the running play tired them out.

13. Sleeping bags, pillows, and rest.


Scripture Blessings:
"Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’
“For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”

And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
Luke 18:1-8

365 Days of Blessings, Day 234

Today, I'm giving thanks and praise for:

1. A cleaning house kind of morning when I was able to clean and say "thanks God" for blessing me with the stuff I'm cleaning instead of saying, "dishes, again?" I'm thankful for the food we eat on the dishes, and the soap, and the water, and the dishes themselves.

2. Folded laundry - done!

3. All ski gear put away!

4. We did almost all of our home school lessons today, and went to our Family and Friends Co-op for Science, Writing, and Latin.

5. The sliding glass door/window in my daughter's room has been "popped" since we moved in over nine years ago - today a nice man came and replaced it.

6. It isn't just us . . . when anyone opens up a part of our house they find . . . more to work on. Living in an antique is an interesting adventure in house ownership. And maybe, maybe, it could be a Biblical allegory for the way that God uncovers the sin in our lives, tears it out, and replaces it with newness in Christ.

7. Holding a sweet baby with burps, hiccups, and smiles. (not mine, but a friends)

8. Reading my daughter's home school books for historical literature: Little Britches, and The Bronze Bow.

9. Reading Radical by David Platt - a very thought-provoking look at American church life.

10. God is good, all the time, and all the time, God is good.

Scripture Blessings:
"Remember the former things, those of long ago;
I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me.
I make known the end from the beginning,
from ancient times, what is still to come.
I say, ‘My purpose will stand,
and I will do all that I please.’
From the east I summon a bird of prey;
from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose.
What I have said, that I will bring about;
what I have planned, that I will do."
Isaiah 46:9-11

365 Days of Blessings - Five Days in A Row! 229 thru 233

Five Days . . . many thanks . . . a tiny notebook with white polka dots on a field of blue with a fingerprint flower smiling up at me . . . a place to capture all the blessings, poems and story ideas for five days . . .


Friday Blessings
1. Cocoa muffins - made and packed.

2. Cinnamon bake - made and packed.

3. Pizza, chili, and bread - made and packed.

4. Breakfast.

5. 1 mile walk.

6. Prayed for a miracle, and husband came home just in time to help me.

7. Reservations for the dogs and cat at Bayside Animal Lodge, where they get loved as well as kenneled.

8. Youth Snow Trip!!!

9. Car ride with a friend.

10. Getting there - driving into camp in the dark, walking into a bright, big chapel filled with teens and adults from four different churches.

11. Singing a fun version of "Be Still, and Know that I am God."

12. Warm cabins to sleep in.


Saturday Blessings:
1. Taking beginner level skiers from the bunny hill to the chair lift successfully!

2. Teaching wedge turns, and seeing skiers gain more control and confidence.

3. Riding on the chair lift - I am so thankful I don't have to walk up the hill.

4. Taking a short black diamond side trip through powder with my youngest daughter.

5. Taking a boarder with three days of experience on intermediate runs, and being impressed by her tenacity and ability.

6. Watching my husband teach boarders with joy.

7. Watching my husband teach our youth director how to ride in the park.

8. The confidence of youth.

9. My oldest daughter (almost 12) taking charge of a group of level 1 skiers, and leading them on various easy runs.

10. Worship at camp.

11. A room full of different definitions of adventure - awesome definitions!

12. God calls us to the greatest adventure of all.

13. The Rainsin Sketch . . . "We are the raisins that make, the cereal taste great. Oh Yeah!" and "Spoon! Spoon! Spoon! Spoon!"

Sunday Blessings:
1. More sleep!

2. Tasty breakfast!

3. Sleepy bus ride to the mountain.

4. Skiing in the rain with enthusiastic kids.

5. Dry clothes.

6. Warm heaters.

7. The Mt. Baker lodge cat let me pet him.

8. Time to relax.

9. The "Do Run Run" rhyme game on the way home from the mountain.

10. The story game on the way home from the mountain . . . kids outside my writing class like this game!

11. Playing "Freeze!" - the improv game.

12. Awesome worship at chapel at the end of the day.

Monday Blessings:
1. Time to sleep in!

2. Chapel worship with three youth groups as a way to start the day.

3. Creative worship with sculpting, drawing, praising, praying, reading, singing, and hugging!

4. Breakfast and packing up on the last day of camp.

5. A quick car drive - traffic actually flowed, and it was a great trip back.

6. Talking on the phone with a friend about new hope in Christ!

7. Writing poetry in my head while driving.

8. My awesome students from both my Shakespeare Class and my Writing class who made my presentation table so cool for our home school cooperative open house! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

9. My youngest daughter helped me put together my tri-fold poster boards for my classes. She has a great eye for visual flow and detail!

10. The wonderful help of a parent-teacher who gave me sticky letters to use on my writing poster board! Thank you!

11. Watching my youngest daughter sing "Jesus Loves Me" in Spanish, and then watching her sign with her sign language class. She is so talented! (and I know I'm biased)

12. My oldest daughter performed with her guitar class, even though she didn't feel prepared and she didn't want to. She did a really good job, and I am proud of her for getting up there and playing.

13. My amazing and wonderful husband went the extra mile yesterday with all his hard work helping with packing up with the youth, unpacking at our house, and picking up our dogs and cat from their kennel time.

14. Our dogs looked happy and well fed! They were calm, and happy to be home. (our last kennel experience left their ribs showing, and they acted like they were panicked)

15. God sees us safely home.


Tuesday Blessings:
1. Sleeping in for a long, long time.

2. Ice, and heat make for a better day when you wake up with a sore neck.

3. Clean laundry.

4. Washers and dryers.

5. Conversations about facebook conversations . . . appropriate or inappropriate content.

6. Mint Tea.

7. My kids are dance, dance, dancing.

8. Loving up the dogs and cat after days away.

9. Just being home.

10. New hope in God's direction for life.

11. Testimony shared in a dance studio lobby!

Scripture Blessings:

"With the help of Silas, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it." 1 Peter 5:12

365 Days of Blessings, Day 228

Giving Thanks and Praise for:

1. Super soft, 8 week old puppies.

2. A super cuddly puppy that climbed into my lap earlier and put her nose in my sweatshirt.

3. Friends who lean on each other, encourage one another, and pray for one another.

4. Science with home school buddies.

5. Storytelling Games.

6. On sale ski pants for my oldest daughter for $30 - an amazing deal at a Big 5.

7. Daughters in jazz class.

8. New dance costumes in today.

9. Birthday invitations.

10. Jesus is an approachable teacher.

Scripture Blessings:
"One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, 'Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.'” Luke 11:1