(Martin Luther said that!) I quickly found a word to focus on for 2015: Glorify. Then I realized that I had done that one a few years ago. I even have a beautiful piece of art for my bedroom, made by my daughter-in-law, with that word on it, surrounded by the Bible verse I use for my GloryQuilts business: So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. (God said that!) While I am always committed to glorifying God, I have a new word for this year. Kindness When I was a military wife in my twenties, my husband was stationed at Whiteman AFB, in a rural community in Missouri. There, I was oh-my-goodness-so-incredibly-blessed to be a member of an Extension Homemakers Club. I can never be grateful enough for the fellowship and mentoring of those older women in my life. They were mostly farm wives, borderline southern, and gracious to their fingertips. At the beginning of each meeting, there was a reading of the minutes, a couple songs to sing, maybe a poem or simple devotional, and then we recited the club collect. Keep us, oh God, from pettiness; Let Read More
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Resolutions Everywhere
On every blog, every website, and every facebook page, there are articles about resolutions and goals. Some people want to sell you their latest organizational book or tool, and some people want to sell you fitness advice or diet pills. Webinars, videos, podcasts all over the place, free and fee. Some people just want to talk about setting goals – their own or in general. Okay, so it’s not “everywhere”, but it’s a large percentage. Some people are more retrospective, writing about the past year instead of goals. I have one statement that wraps it all up for me: Last year, I lost my job. That changed everything. No more income of my own, but I have a husband who is encouraging me to follow my own dreams. I would like to keep contributing financially, so I will do some sewing, but what I really want to do is write. I can make pin money by doing some copy writing, but I really want to spend the time writing fiction. Resolution – to figure that out and do it all, without procrastination or distraction. Goal – next year, at this time, I want to be ready for publication of at Read More
NaNo NaNo
I’m feeling good about this year’s NaNoWriMo story. I thought it would be lighthearted and fun, but it’s been surprisingly emotional – even sad – so far. I think I’m all done killing off characters, though, and I only have one more serious emotional scene to get through before I can make it fun again. 17,746 words as of this evening. I wrote 4000 today, because I didn’t write at all yesterday.
Happy NaNo!
NaNoWriMo is an annual challenge activity: Write 50,000 words in one month. Ideally, a complete fictional story, start to finish in 30 days. There are always a few rebels who want to write poetry or nonfiction, but NAtional NOvel WRIting MOnth was intended for fiction. From their website: National Novel Writing Month is also a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (formerly known as the Office of Letters and Light) that believes your story matters. Our mission statement: National Novel Writing Month organizes events where children and adults find the inspiration, encouragement, and structure they need to achieve their creative potential. Our programs are web-enabled challenges with vibrant real-world components, designed to foster self-expression while building community on local and global levels. This is my 5th attempt at a “win”. I have only finished twice before; I was working full-time during the other three Novembers. So if you don’t see me very often, it’s because I am typing away in Scrivener, creating a story that I’m getting really excited about!
I’m a retired homeschool mom. Now what?
The last few years of homeschooling are hard. The junior and senior years of high school are stressful for mother and student. In addition to testing and preparing for college, there is the desperate worry that somehow, in spite of all your work, you have left holes in their education. People continually ask your child, “So what are you going to do now?” and often ask you the same question. Sometimes they assume that you will be heartbroken because your children are all grown up. Some people realize that was your goal all along – to prepare them for life and send them forth into the world. Whether we had two children or ten, that last graduation marks a milestone change in our lives. The homeschooling lifestyle is consuming. When it ends, where does that leave us? How do we redefine our lives and ourselves? 1. First of all, recognize your achievement. Congratulations! You did it! You ran the race marked out for you, finished the fight, got them to adulthood alive! Most of us will add the phrase, “by the grace of God,” because we know we couldn’t have done it in our own strength. Pat yourself on the Read More
Ten Quotations From a Fictional Role Model
Amelia Peabody is a fictional character. Amelia Peabody is a fictional character. Amelia Peabody is a fictional character. That makes me so sad! For many years, she was my role model. I wanted to be Amelia Peabody. It wasn’t just that she had an adventurous life; she was an amazing woman! She inspired me to be brave and tackle my problems, whether they were minor difficulties or seemingly insurmountable. She was a feminist who didn’t make me feel uncomfortable. She truly adored and respected her husband. Her attitude toward her son… well, that was an inspiration to me during my mothering years. I appreciated her honesty – and sometimes her tactful discretion. (oops, right. Fictional character.) I read my first Elizabeth Peters book, Naked Once More, 26 years ago. I remember it clearly – I moved through the entire day with that clunky hardcover book in front of me, propped up on the counter while I made sandwiches for lunch and washed dishes. Okay, that’s a lie. I didn’t wash dishes that day. I read it while nursing the baby, totally ignoring that sweet little face. I turned on the television and let the boys watch cartoons all afternoon so Read More