Have you had a season of life where you felt bogged down, burdened by too many options and commitments? Look for that tinge of hidden happiness, and keep following it. There is a hidden joy that surprised me recently. It reminds me of watching a thorn-bearing rose bush come to life as the fragrant flowers suddenly unfold. I’ve been feeling nudges of creativity wanting to come to life, even in the midst of getting over a sprained ankle, and had been pushing it aside. Finally last week I started research for the next novel and I could instantly tell the…
That Secret Corner
Do you have a special place where the best of today’s life intersects with new possibilities? I drafted this after visiting my parents recently at the home where I grew up. They have a wonderful, huge picture window that looks out over a waterway. As a child I used to press my cheek against the cool glass so I could peer high up to bright stars or see a full moon shining on the waves outside. I felt like I could practically walk out on the water and reach up to the moon itself, while being nestled comfortably inside near…
The First Step In Air
I watched as one teenager after another climbed the high platform, hooked into the harness, and jumped with a whoosh into the trees. This was the last course at T Bar M camp, where I volunteered with a youth ministry and mentored a group of girls. All mine had been through it and survived, so had the boys. My feet were very happy planted firmly on the ground. “It’s called the Screamer or the Breath-Taker. You see, people either scream their lungs out or not make a sound at all. Which one do you think you are?” The camp supervisor…
Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award
I’ve been nominated for the Sisterhood of World Bloggers Award by a writing friend, Jodie Wolfe. Jodie and I met through the Craftsman’s courses with the Christian Writer’s Guild. I was pleasantly surprised to find an email in my inbox this morning saying she had nominated me. I love the way Jodie encourages readers with her true-life stories and book reviews. You should check out her blog at Digging For Pearls (http://diggingforpearls.blogspot.com/) and her updates and features here (http://www.jodiewolfe.com/). There are some rules with this nomination. The Rules: 1. Thank the blogger who nominated you, linking back to their…
Goodbye, Mr. Leonard Nimoy
When I found out about Mr. Leonard Nimoy’s passing this week, I had to pause our series to say goodbye. Although we never met, his iconic scenes in the original Star Trek, and especially the recent Star Trek films, have left such a warm and lasting impression on me. I appreciate his contribution to pushing the boundaries of fiction and creating new avenues for expressing ideas. Soon after I heard the news, I reached out to my father, a serious Trekkie, and had a nice conversation. It might not have seemed like anything earth-shattering, but somehow the Vulcan has always…
Grace Bombs
I was stacking plastic bowls where the kids have easy access. At the back of the drawer, sat a wad of old pretzels. How did they get there? And this after two drives to school with forgotten items this morning. It’s definitely looking like we need some grace bombs around our home today. I have two tween-aged boys, and so everything around here is very boy-friendly. Especially when we need to learn a lesson. So we developed the question, ”Does this need a grace bomb?” to apply to the little mistakes. Grace fills me with forgiveness and hope, a readiness…
The Green Song
Finding green lights for your dreams. Part of the Hawaiian Insights series. “Mom, sing the green song.” My young son would get us all to sing in the car when we were stuck at a long red light. It seemed to work, lessening the time stopped in traffic or at least getting us to laugh and giggle while we waited. As my sons have grown, now I ask them to sing the “green” song if we’re in a hurry. It’s made me more sensitive to the color green, especially since we live in a semi-arid climate without much of a…
Your Invitation To Seekerville This Friday
Returning from the ACFW conference this year, I got to sit next to Tina Radcliffe on the plane and learn about Seekerville, a great place for authors to congregate, be encouraged in the writing journey, and get tips for advancing your career. She asked me to write a blog and “The Power of the Right Turn,” When life throws you a major hurdle, how do you survive, not give up, and create a memorable moment in the midst of difficulties? will appear this Friday, January 23, 2015. Please join me for the active discussion on their blog, located here: http://seekerville.blogspot.com/…
Climb In The Zodiac, Ma’am!
I stared in disbelief as the safe-looking large white boat pulled out of the slip. Behind it, hidden from view, sat our black and gray zodiac inflatable boat. You know, the sleek one, like the military uses on secret operations. Not the kind a writer takes. Definitely not the writer who thought we were on the safe white boat with railings that just left. “Ma’am. I’ll help you in. Here’s your dry bag.” The Captain smiles his wide grin, a tooth missing on the right. I’m handed a bright red bag that locks for all my valuables. So, no cell…
Happy New Year!
Find a way to make the cleaning out more fun by bringing in your favorite inspiritions. Here’s some of mine. Favorite English movies ready to roll, check! Hot coffee from Kauai, check! Mug with resilient saying, check! Bins and collection areas ready, check! End-of-the-world picture from vacation, check! I’m ready to dig in and make plans for new chapters in life this year. Are you? I have 85 plus kids in my Silvers readers group finishing my first novel as beta readers. No nail biting allowed here, but I’m very tempted. So while I’m waiting, I’m cleaning out the old…
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