Tag Archives: Writing

Share Four Somethings

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I’m excited to be trying something new today.  As I scrolled through my Twitter feed, I happened upon #ShareFourSomethings at http://www.heathergerwing.com The idea is to share the four somethings: something loved, something said, something learned, and something read you’ve experienced within the past month.  I don’t know about you but June flew by for me.  The calendar page was full of appointments, meetings, special events, trips, you name it; but within the busyness were some very special “somethings” that I’ll always hold dear. So, here we go….

SOMETHING LOVED

 

June brought a double celebration of love! Two birthday parties in one day!  Not a feat for the timid! Our morning celebration, in honor of grandson, Owen’s first birthday was a delicious breakfast buffet that included Cinnamon Roll Cake no less!  How can he possibly be one already?  Owen’s smile is infectious, his curls adorable, and he’s the spitting image of his momma!

Later that afternoon we went “Up, Up, and Away” for Carson’s third birthday! Airplanes and toddlers everywhere!  The energy level was higher than this MiMi is used to! I can’t believe I’ve actually been a MiMi for three years!  Carson has changed so much!  He’s learning new things all the time, loves to cook, and looks just like his daddy did at his age!

I thought I knew all about love until these two precious blessings came into my life!  All the sayings about how wonderful being a grandparent is are true!  Carson and Owen are my something loved in June AND all year round, too!

SOMETHING SAID

It’s funny how what we perceive as reality often isn’t.  I love to write and my kids know about “mom’s little blog”, however, I’ve believed that at best, they think I’m silly and at worst I’m wasting time.  That all changed with the most meaningful words said in a belated Mother’s Day Card, one by the way, I’ll treasure forever! Accompanying a journal, these were the words said:

“This journal is for you to write down all your ideas so that everything is in one place and you can write many books and blogs from the ideas. We can’t wait to call our Mom/MiMi a published author because we know you can do it!”

As you might guess, the tears flowed as I hugged that card to my chest.  To know my family believes in me are some of the sweetest words ever said!

SOMETHING LEARNED

The end of June found me atop a mountain at a cabin retreat with some of my closest and dearest friends.  Now, whenever we are all together there’s laughter that rattles the rafters, food that satisfies every tastebud, stories that go on through the night, and gatherings around a campfire.  This trip was no different except…….the wind!  It was so windy that the fire queen couldn’t safely do her thing.  Did that stop us? No!  I learned that though the howling winds may blow, S’mores will be made and that an electric stove comes in pretty handy when there are six women craving roasted marshmallows and chocolate!

SOMETHING READ

As I wrestle with this desire I have to write, I’m trying to soak in as much knowledge as I can from those who ARE writers.  I belong to a writing group called Hope*Writers and I’m going through all the varied trainings they offer.  One of their recommended readings is “Bird by Bird” by Anne Lamott, so of course I put it right on my Amazon wish list and low and behold it was given to me as an anniversary gift. (After 35 years he’s starting to know me HaHa) As I read it, a myriad of emotions come with each chapter.  I haven’t finished the whole book yet, but this I know from my something read so far……I have A LOT to learn about being a writer!

This was fun! Want to give it a try?  Share Four Somethings of your own in the comments! I can’t wait to read them!  I hope to share with you again in a month! Who knows what wonderments July might bring?

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Rest ~ 31/31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes

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This is the last post for 31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes at http://www.fiveminutefriday.com

It’s been a challenge and I’m amazed I made it to day 31 and only missed 3 days! Those were spent with family so I don’t regret them at all! All 28 posts are here. Just click on the “Five Minute Fridays” tab above if you’ve missed any or are just joining in. So, for the last time this month, here we go…..

Time Starts Now!

“Be still and know that I am God!” Psalm 46:10a (NLT) / Pixabay

I know this may sound a little crazy, but I have fond memories of a rest stop!  Traveling from WV to Michigan by myself with two small children could at times be, shall we say….stressful! After driving for a few hours, jittery feet, touchy-feely hands, and cranky mouths began appearing in the backseat. Thankfully, it was at about that same time we arrived at the “Welcome to Ohio” rest stop.  It became our tradition to pull off and “rest”  on every trip.  We’d use the facilities and then with the promise of stopping at the vending area on the other side of the parking lot, I’d send both kids marching (literally marching) on the path: up the hill, across the top, down again, and straight to me to get their quarters for the machines. Was there whining at times? Sure. Complaining? You bet, but we were all better off after the break from the long car trip.

This month of writing has given me at times my own share of pacing feet, wringing hands, and a negative Nellie mouth. Just about the time I was ready to give up, the Holy Spirit would send me  welcomed words and my fingers would begin to march across the keyboard. Sometimes those words took me up, down, and all around to get my point across.  Using a donkey, my gallstones, growing grass, and now a rest stop all seem to be unlikely vehicles for a blog post. I love that though! It’s a confirmation to me that the message is God’s and not mine.

Driving to Michigan, I still smile as I pass that rest stop.  I’m alone in the car now but at times I can still hear little voices in the back seat telling me when to turn off to stop. Like those car breaks of old, I’m ready for a break from this month of writing.  I truly enjoyed this challenge and  I  cannot express my gratitude to each of you who’ve read my wanderings of words. You’ll never know what it has meant to me.

Time’s Done…..But I’m Not

It’s my prayer that somewhere in the midst of these 28 days of quick writes you’ve found something to encourage you. While my intentions were always to share my writing with you, the reality is that each and every post has taught me a lesson I’ve needed!  As my friend, LaVonne always says, “The Big Guy sends you what you need when you need it!”

I’m not sure what’s coming next, but for now I’m ready to stop for a bit and with fond memories, rest.

 

 

 

Refine ~ 30/31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes

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“Bless our God, O peoples, and sound His praise abroad, Who keeps us in life and does not allow our feet to slip. For You have tried us, O God; You have refined us as silver is refined. Psalm 66:8-10 (NASV) / Pixabay

I’ve discovered that editing is something I enjoy. I have an author friend who recently trusted me to fine-tune her latest book.  Looking closely at writing to find just the right place to pause, adding the perfect words to produce the greatest impact, and yes, to eliminate what’s unnecessary are jobs I like to do……for others, that is!

Having my own writing corrected is another story.  It can be difficult to receive feedback about the places that need improvement, to see lines crossed out that when written, seemed so right, and to find characters dear to my heart noted to be underdeveloped.  Each red mark feels as if it’s written directly on my heart. Every author knows that editing is vital if you’re going to improve as a writer.  As painful as it may be, the process results in a much better finished product.

That brings me to today’s prompt: “refine”.  It’s not a word we want to think about because like editing words on a page, we need refining to progress. Refinement evokes thoughts of intense heat to remove impurities, fervent cleansing to get rid of stains, and the smoothing and shaping of any rough edges.  Every Christian knows that those often are the result of going through difficult circumstances. Painful as it may be, we also understand that refinement is vital if we’re going to become the “much better” person God designed us to be.

I don’t know about you but when I’m in the fire, I often find myself bargaining with God, making promises of change if He will just remove the heat.  Refining is aimed at our heart and its fine-tuning isn’t something we can accomplish on our own. It takes trust in God’s process. He may show us where we should pause and rest, teach us how to develop our character, or identify those things we need to eliminate so that we’ll have a greater impact on others; whatever it is, we are assured that the Author will continue to write our story until we are refined like silver, His pure and precious finished product.

Create ~ 3/31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes

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I’ve had a bit of writing anxiety lately which has caused me to literally avoid looking at my lap top. (Out of sight. Out of mind. Or so I thought.)  I’ve found though, that writing is a part of who I am and I really miss it, so…. I have decided to join in on the 31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes at http://www.fiveminutefriday.com

Each day in October I’ll write for five minutes on a given prompt.  This is mostly an unedited style of writing  that I’m sure will challenge this “recovering perfectionist”; but hopefully in a good way! Please pray that I won’t quit, I’ll have fun, and that I’ll learn more about myself, writing, and my relationship with God. I’d love for you to follow along with me on this journey! Better yet, join in!

Time starts now!

“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” Revelation 4:11 (NIV)

Today is the first day I’m joining my dear friend, Robin in leading an after school Author’s Club at our local Elementary School!  We hope to create an enthusiasm for writing through literature, art, and well…..writing!  It’s exciting and inspiring to watch young students discover their own creative side!

With this on my mind, I happened to look out my window and in that small rectangular opening to the outside world I was amazed at all that God had created!  Within the parameters of my view I saw plants, bees, spider webs, birds, the breeze, and a sliver of blue sky.  All these creations working together just as God designed them to be and do!

You and I were also created to be and do.  It’s my prayer that just as our students will put together skills they’ve been given and nature works in harmony to accomplish what it has been created to do; you and I will pursue the purposes we have.  If we can do that, just think of all the ways God can use us to create a better world!

Times up!

 

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