It is hard to meet a challenge head on.
I find this every year that I join NaNoWriMo. If you want to know how hard writing a novel can be, join that once. You will also find out how easy writing a novel can be as well.
Contradictory? Perhaps. But isn't that so like life? We think our challenges are too difficult, but really are they or is that difficulty a deception?
This is not my first year joining the challenge to write a book draft in 30 days. now realize this is not a complete draft, so we're talking sixty days of mind numbing slosh. Then a heap of edits afterwards. Challenged enough yet?
Having done this before did not make this challenge any easier than it would be had i never attempted it. Every new book brings challenges of its own. This book decided it was going to pull author's teeth out.
The words eeked out one thousand by one thousand, string tug by string tug. This reminds me of that scripture that says, a thousand shall be a mighty army. Who knows what these thousand words will create? Even though the goal seemed far off, the words did come. In for the win!
Never give up on a dream because it seems hard to accomplish. Never give up on a goal that you think is unreachable. Many things look like they stand off at a distance. Many goals seem too hard, too much time taking. I know. I've been there. I've seen those kind of goals.
The good news is nothing is as it seems.
Even while taking care of my house I come across things that seem beyond my ability to do, but then I am amazed when it is finished how fast it got done. How fast. How complete.
See, the trick I have learned is to not think about the task before doing it. Just roll up the sleeves and get to it. That is what gets me past the goal-killer, mister procrastination.
If I stop and think, then I stop myself from ever achieving that goal before I start trying! When I don't think, when i roll up the sleeves and get on the mat, put up the salt, hup to it, then before I know it, I have reached the goal, accomplished the task and beyond.
You will never know how much you can do until you push yourself to try. Those words ring dear and true to me every time I try to do something new.
So try that, pull up your sleeves and tackle that goal. Get some goal doing done!
HUP TO IT!
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Sunday, November 14, 2010
A Shimmer of Hope
I woke up yesterday morning and the air was crisp, the sky bright. It made me feel ten years younger just to be able to breathe deep. God is gracious in allowing us these moments to worship Him.
He is also gracious for giving me word count. lol Of course the story is important, but I mention word count because I am doing Nano, and this week was especially hard for me. I could not get into the writing, I could not find the purpose, I had no idea where the plot was going, or who these characters were. Then all of a sudden, God showed me. A dear friend wrote me with such visual imagery, I could see the purpose why I write in the first place! That word encouraged me and opened up my writer brain so i could write. Even though I only wrote a thousand words, they were powerful words. Thank you Sweet friend for those images!
Never underestimate the power of a word.
Words can heal.
Think happy thoughts, people.
He is also gracious for giving me word count. lol Of course the story is important, but I mention word count because I am doing Nano, and this week was especially hard for me. I could not get into the writing, I could not find the purpose, I had no idea where the plot was going, or who these characters were. Then all of a sudden, God showed me. A dear friend wrote me with such visual imagery, I could see the purpose why I write in the first place! That word encouraged me and opened up my writer brain so i could write. Even though I only wrote a thousand words, they were powerful words. Thank you Sweet friend for those images!
Never underestimate the power of a word.
Words can heal.
Think happy thoughts, people.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Shining on the Rise
I was reading a blog by Joel and Victoria Osteen today, titled Arise, Shine, and it had to do with the scripture Is 60:1 KJV that says, "Arise, Shine for the light has come and the glory of the Lord has risen upon thee." The blog used another translation version of scripture, but it means the same.
While reading this blog, i was uplifted about the promises found in it. That God meets our needs and has great things in store for us, and especially how he does not forget even our smallest dreams, that message is a wonderful way to uplift a heart. This scripture itself is a beautiful way to start any morning. I like to put up a note card with this scripture wherever I can see it.
I was reminded of a ladies retreat I went to some years ago (how many I won't say, lol), in which this very scripture was the heart of the message, and theme for the retreat. The lady at the retreat who spoke of this word spoke of peace. The two messages blend together.
When we think of the promises of God for our lives, and the comfort that comes from living in his will, we have peace. Joy is a result of peace. There is no other way to find that kind of peace or joy, except through accepting Christ. Once we have it, we will not want to let go of it.
This type of security is incomprehensible to the secular world. The bible says the carnal man cannot perceive the things of God. They do not have the ability. They are blinded to what God's word means, separated from God, just like Christians were before they were Christians, and see only contradictions. Unless someone lets them know about it, how can they smile with that sort of confidence? They cannot. They can't feel what we feel.
When we see God as our provider, healer, comfort, best friend, confidant, we have a confidence we cannot match by trying to do things alone. We have a big brother, so we are not scared of the bully! When we have confidence, we no longer feel need--we feel like we have what we need or can get it. Once we feel like what we need is on the way, then we can rest, and when we rest, we can think about pleasant things. When we think about pleasant things, we feel joy, time moves fast because we are having a good time, work is finished, we can rest. We see the fruits or rewards of it, and rest more in confidence, and since we were able to do all of that, we have confidence we can do it all again.
See the pattern here?
Our focus point gives us a choice. Our choice, gives us results.
Which choice will you make today?
While reading this blog, i was uplifted about the promises found in it. That God meets our needs and has great things in store for us, and especially how he does not forget even our smallest dreams, that message is a wonderful way to uplift a heart. This scripture itself is a beautiful way to start any morning. I like to put up a note card with this scripture wherever I can see it.
I was reminded of a ladies retreat I went to some years ago (how many I won't say, lol), in which this very scripture was the heart of the message, and theme for the retreat. The lady at the retreat who spoke of this word spoke of peace. The two messages blend together.
When we think of the promises of God for our lives, and the comfort that comes from living in his will, we have peace. Joy is a result of peace. There is no other way to find that kind of peace or joy, except through accepting Christ. Once we have it, we will not want to let go of it.
This type of security is incomprehensible to the secular world. The bible says the carnal man cannot perceive the things of God. They do not have the ability. They are blinded to what God's word means, separated from God, just like Christians were before they were Christians, and see only contradictions. Unless someone lets them know about it, how can they smile with that sort of confidence? They cannot. They can't feel what we feel.
When we see God as our provider, healer, comfort, best friend, confidant, we have a confidence we cannot match by trying to do things alone. We have a big brother, so we are not scared of the bully! When we have confidence, we no longer feel need--we feel like we have what we need or can get it. Once we feel like what we need is on the way, then we can rest, and when we rest, we can think about pleasant things. When we think about pleasant things, we feel joy, time moves fast because we are having a good time, work is finished, we can rest. We see the fruits or rewards of it, and rest more in confidence, and since we were able to do all of that, we have confidence we can do it all again.
See the pattern here?
Our focus point gives us a choice. Our choice, gives us results.
Which choice will you make today?
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Simple Moments
Life can be taxing with all of our human obligations, so my husband I like to take a moment once in a while to just breathe and take in what's around us.
My husband and I are growing a garden. We just met our first artichoke. Its a baby still, tucked inside a small plant. I have learned the artichoke plant can get to be 5' tall and that wide. We are quite amazed.
I had a similar amazement last week, a one inch tall okra plant had a two inch long okra pod on top. Now that's a busy O-pod! :-)
When I walk out to the yard and look up. I am always fascinated by the placement of the stars. Same goes for cloud shapes during the day, or the way God brushes the heavens as if using pastels, or watercolors, or bright paint. The other day I was driving and my husband pointed out to me a line of mini funnel shaped clouds, but not active, just sitting up high, and beside them a long streak. Very odd. We both tease God about playing in his paints again and showing off, and tell him how beautiful his scenery is. We laugh about the oddities, ooh and ahh at the spectacular.. He always comes back with bigger, bolder, prettier, more color, and the more we tell him, the bolder he gets. He is showing off again, and again for our pleasure. After all, that is why we were made to begin with, for His good pleasure.
Finding small treasures like that in a day make me smile. These "moments" provide sweet memories.
Think on things that are lovely,...things of good report...
This week let us fill our hearts and minds of things that are beautiful and thank God for them.
What are some moments in your life that you treasure?
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
A Whisper of Sunrise
Today marks one year ago on the day that my mother went home to be with Jesus. I still grieve and miss her, but I also know that she is in Heaven with God and I have hope that I will see her one day. Every day I remember something about her, what she said, things she would do, and I regret that I could not make every one of her wishes come true. Remembering the pebbles she gave me makes me smile. I feel her close.
She was my muse, my friend.
I thought about this moment, and what I might feel. What I feel is a kinship. I feel loved. I know she left pebbles for my pocket, and a sunset to enjoy. And on that whisper of a sunrise, I can get up and go forward because I know she is where she most wanted to be, and I will be also some day. For now, she would want me to live and to use those pebbles to the best of my ability. Not only for myself, but for others. So I share them.
The pebbles she gave me were what she taught me:
Learn God's Word so no man can take that away from you.
Trust God no matter what the circumstances look like.
Always know God is in you, with you and everywhere.
Be yourself, and don't let anyone tell you to change, except God and let God do the changing.
Stand strong, and when you have tried everything else, just stand, have faith.
She taught me to cook, type, sew and keep a budget, most of all to survive.
She taught me to smile, no matter what i feel like. Sometimes I don't and I regret that. She said people are watching, and yes they do. People hear what you say and what you do all of the time, whether you are aware of it or not. She taught me to be diligent.
She taught me to improve my writing, by studying the way others' write, but to keep my writing the way I want to. She taught me world building, and was always there to listen to my gab about the next book.
During her final hours, she told me to not weep, but to rejoice for she is where she longs to be. Don't stop watching the sunrise or sunset. Though I do weep, I realize my mother is home. She no longer suffers. I feel peace in that fact..
We used to sit outside on the patio and watch the sunset together. For a long time I could not do that alone, but last night, I did.
As I watched the blue sky turn dark, I thought how much I had missed, not sitting there. Not seeing again, the glow on the horizon. Not sitting in the cool of the night, listening to the quiet. I realized then that Mom left another pebble for me even now. She knew I would need the quiet. She knew that I would need that moment to remember. She said to celebrate life.
As I wonder what I will do today, I want to do the last thing she asked me to, to celebrate life. I will put the pebbles in the sand, to take hold of the tide, smile at my husband and go through the day being a blessing to others. That is the best tribute I can give my mother. To worship God, live, love and smile.
People do not always see the impact they make on others' lives. I hope my mother knew the impact she made on mine.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
From Pebble to Dune
When you look at the beaches, you often see the flat crescent of sand leading to the water's edge. Behind that flat curve is a pile of sand dunes, often obscured by vegetation, rocks, beach blankets, trash, etc. . . .
Looking closer at the beach you will find individual grains of sand, packed together. These attach themselves to you when you walk to the water, to be transported somewhere else, and when you return, others hitchhike to the ascending crescent. When the tide comes in, tectonic plates shift, or rains pour, sand moves, and over time through hitchhiking on somebody's pants, sand piles up in dunes.
A person's life can sometimes seem insignificant. You may think what you are doing doesn't matter, a job that seems to go nowhere, witnessing to someone doesn't seem to have an effect, no ears seem to listen, you may think that no one is paying attention or that you cannot affect any change, any ascension. Life goes on and on flat. Cast those thoughts aside, right now. You have been hoodwinked.
Let's look at the beach again. That tiny grain of sand in itself may seem insignificant. However, it has a job to do, somewhere to go. It has to add to the pile, so to speak to keep back the water. It controls that water flow and keeps flood out. Now that tiny piece of sand may not look like it can do that, but with other pieces it can. It travels to the dune.
If sand is that important, then how important are you?
You may think your day to day life is insignificant, or that what you do does not matter to the whole of the world, but God sees you. He notices where you are, and knows what you are capable of. God designed you, just as he designed that grain of sand. Although your imprint in life may seem small, it is great.
During times when you feel like you are not making much affect, in fact that is when you have the most affect. People are watching you, listening to you and what you do influences them. During the steady parts of your life, you are merely hitchhiking up to the dunes. Every step you take, song you sing, breath you breathe, every word you say and every job you do, that is significant to God. He is carrying you along up the crescent of life to make a life-changing impact on someone else, and that person adds someone else, and the building goes on, until there is an unbreachable dune. You can't shake a dune. You cannot destroy it. It is heavy. Ever try to flatten one? Good luck with that.
God has a purpose for your life, and every step of your life, if you are dedicated to God, you are on your way to fulfilling that purpose.You are of great value. Sand becomes pearls in an oyster. Sand becomes strong dunes on the beach. It becomes rocks, it never stops building.
At a low time in my life, I was dying with pneumonia, and cried out to God for help. I didn't feel worthy to enter Heaven. I asked God to forgive me and asked him to send someone to smile at me if he forgave me. We stopped at a gas station and a woman got out of her car. She had a cross necklace on. She looked over at me, seemingly at random, and smiled. That changed my life. God not only forgave me, he saved me and healed me so i can tell you this today. Her action may have seemed insignificant all on its own, but it was a life changing answer of faith to me.
The next time you are out somewhere give a smile, say hello, lend a hand, be the sand. Know that whatever your hands and thoughts find to do, you do all in the name of Jesus. You are important. You might be the grain that clings, and hitchhikes people to Heaven.
.
Looking closer at the beach you will find individual grains of sand, packed together. These attach themselves to you when you walk to the water, to be transported somewhere else, and when you return, others hitchhike to the ascending crescent. When the tide comes in, tectonic plates shift, or rains pour, sand moves, and over time through hitchhiking on somebody's pants, sand piles up in dunes.
A person's life can sometimes seem insignificant. You may think what you are doing doesn't matter, a job that seems to go nowhere, witnessing to someone doesn't seem to have an effect, no ears seem to listen, you may think that no one is paying attention or that you cannot affect any change, any ascension. Life goes on and on flat. Cast those thoughts aside, right now. You have been hoodwinked.
Let's look at the beach again. That tiny grain of sand in itself may seem insignificant. However, it has a job to do, somewhere to go. It has to add to the pile, so to speak to keep back the water. It controls that water flow and keeps flood out. Now that tiny piece of sand may not look like it can do that, but with other pieces it can. It travels to the dune.
If sand is that important, then how important are you?
You may think your day to day life is insignificant, or that what you do does not matter to the whole of the world, but God sees you. He notices where you are, and knows what you are capable of. God designed you, just as he designed that grain of sand. Although your imprint in life may seem small, it is great.
During times when you feel like you are not making much affect, in fact that is when you have the most affect. People are watching you, listening to you and what you do influences them. During the steady parts of your life, you are merely hitchhiking up to the dunes. Every step you take, song you sing, breath you breathe, every word you say and every job you do, that is significant to God. He is carrying you along up the crescent of life to make a life-changing impact on someone else, and that person adds someone else, and the building goes on, until there is an unbreachable dune. You can't shake a dune. You cannot destroy it. It is heavy. Ever try to flatten one? Good luck with that.
God has a purpose for your life, and every step of your life, if you are dedicated to God, you are on your way to fulfilling that purpose.You are of great value. Sand becomes pearls in an oyster. Sand becomes strong dunes on the beach. It becomes rocks, it never stops building.
At a low time in my life, I was dying with pneumonia, and cried out to God for help. I didn't feel worthy to enter Heaven. I asked God to forgive me and asked him to send someone to smile at me if he forgave me. We stopped at a gas station and a woman got out of her car. She had a cross necklace on. She looked over at me, seemingly at random, and smiled. That changed my life. God not only forgave me, he saved me and healed me so i can tell you this today. Her action may have seemed insignificant all on its own, but it was a life changing answer of faith to me.
The next time you are out somewhere give a smile, say hello, lend a hand, be the sand. Know that whatever your hands and thoughts find to do, you do all in the name of Jesus. You are important. You might be the grain that clings, and hitchhikes people to Heaven.
.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Rocks in the Sand
I have been off from posting for a while, due to life interruption.
Life always interrupts when it can, does it not? And that is a good thing to let happen. It is only by crossing the crags in the rocks and stepping on a few sharp pebbles or toe tripping across the hot sands that we get to see what the nice ocean looks like up close. I love to dip my feet into the water and run above the waves as if challenging them to catch me. Breathtaking fun!
That said, I have learned (albeit stubbornly) to respect life's challenges, even though they do not seem as pleasant as dancing in water or running from waves. Life challenges us to be faster, stronger, better and more alert to who we are and what we are capable of. They make us more alert to our surroundings. Most importantly, they make us aware of who God is, and what power God holds.
I find it exhilarating to think of all the tiny details that God has to keep up with. I could never do it. Can you imagine how God knows how many pebbles of sand are on that beach, how many pebbles of sand it will take for that water to stay put, or how much life is in that rocky tidepool, or species of life in the ocean or clouds in the sky, even the hairs on everyone's head?
I love to rest between challenges and view the ocean of life too, the good things, peace, joy and love, and good food and fellowship. I love that more than the taxing rough crags of the world. Who doesn't, after all?
Without the challenges, however, we would never know what joy is. We could never experience that sigh of relief or, without risk, that feeling of rejuvenation.
In Science Fiction the word Rejuve is used a lot. Rejuvination is a means toward a goal to extend life, even to the point of reaching immortality. What a nice thought to live a long healthy life, feeling young and full of joy.
There are days i do not feel young. Days i wish the pain would end quick, so i can stop suffering. Days when I'm angry, sad and want to vent just to vent. Yet past those days, after the sun comes out and God shows me the beauty of what he's created and his love has been felt, well...I go back to wanting to feel alive and full of joy. I then despise the days that i did vent. Why? Because, by not focusing on what the world isnt, or the pain that is in it, but rather for what it is, and the God who made it so, God's manifesto of beauty and grace makes the pain seem moot, and my view of life downright stupid.
That is why I am not here to share about my or someone else's troubles, or how to face challenges. My view is simply that, my view of life with all of its imperfections and perfections, and being that i am an imperfect species myself, what i view has no merit.
No, what i like to focus on is the beauty I find along the way after I get past those sharp rocks and hot sands. Now, that does have merit, because i have nothing to do with that but to look at it and feel it. The result is the joy that i find in the view, and hopefully you will find that joy too.
When God's creation lets him be the focus instead of trying to be the gods, our view of the world takes on a new perspective. Then we reach rejuve stage. The trees clap for him, the birds sing, and flowers shake off their caps and bloom. We can feel we can accomplish anything, feel high, young, free and floating above in our own utopia. We can do our own hippie dance at the edge of the ocean waters.
God Bless!
Life always interrupts when it can, does it not? And that is a good thing to let happen. It is only by crossing the crags in the rocks and stepping on a few sharp pebbles or toe tripping across the hot sands that we get to see what the nice ocean looks like up close. I love to dip my feet into the water and run above the waves as if challenging them to catch me. Breathtaking fun!
That said, I have learned (albeit stubbornly) to respect life's challenges, even though they do not seem as pleasant as dancing in water or running from waves. Life challenges us to be faster, stronger, better and more alert to who we are and what we are capable of. They make us more alert to our surroundings. Most importantly, they make us aware of who God is, and what power God holds.
I find it exhilarating to think of all the tiny details that God has to keep up with. I could never do it. Can you imagine how God knows how many pebbles of sand are on that beach, how many pebbles of sand it will take for that water to stay put, or how much life is in that rocky tidepool, or species of life in the ocean or clouds in the sky, even the hairs on everyone's head?
I love to rest between challenges and view the ocean of life too, the good things, peace, joy and love, and good food and fellowship. I love that more than the taxing rough crags of the world. Who doesn't, after all?
Without the challenges, however, we would never know what joy is. We could never experience that sigh of relief or, without risk, that feeling of rejuvenation.
In Science Fiction the word Rejuve is used a lot. Rejuvination is a means toward a goal to extend life, even to the point of reaching immortality. What a nice thought to live a long healthy life, feeling young and full of joy.
Every day i struggle with faith, every other day I pray and feel stupid for sturggling with faith. :-)
There are days i do not feel young. Days i wish the pain would end quick, so i can stop suffering. Days when I'm angry, sad and want to vent just to vent. Yet past those days, after the sun comes out and God shows me the beauty of what he's created and his love has been felt, well...I go back to wanting to feel alive and full of joy. I then despise the days that i did vent. Why? Because, by not focusing on what the world isnt, or the pain that is in it, but rather for what it is, and the God who made it so, God's manifesto of beauty and grace makes the pain seem moot, and my view of life downright stupid.
That is why I am not here to share about my or someone else's troubles, or how to face challenges. My view is simply that, my view of life with all of its imperfections and perfections, and being that i am an imperfect species myself, what i view has no merit.
No, what i like to focus on is the beauty I find along the way after I get past those sharp rocks and hot sands. Now, that does have merit, because i have nothing to do with that but to look at it and feel it. The result is the joy that i find in the view, and hopefully you will find that joy too.
When God's creation lets him be the focus instead of trying to be the gods, our view of the world takes on a new perspective. Then we reach rejuve stage. The trees clap for him, the birds sing, and flowers shake off their caps and bloom. We can feel we can accomplish anything, feel high, young, free and floating above in our own utopia. We can do our own hippie dance at the edge of the ocean waters.
God Bless!
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