Remember when your kids were toddlers? (Or they might still be toddlers now) And that's all you heard? "Mommommommommommommommommommom" etc. (Okay, so those of us with teenagers might hear that all the time too!)
It's a beautiful sound. To be called "Mom."
I've been thinking about it a lot lately. Mother's Day this year was a little crazy as we were in California for a TV taping, so I've been doing my reminiscing over the past week or so since we returned.
I love being a mom
I love hearing my kids call me "mom"
I love cooking and yes, even cleaning for my family
I love being the mom of teenagers
I love driving them to swim team day after day after day after day...
I love sitting on "deck" and writing and working, and taking peeks at their skills in the water
I love traveling with my kids
I love singing at the top of my lungs with my kids in the car
I love watching movies with my kids
I love home schooling my kids
I love riding bikes with my kids
I love spending every day with them
I love being a mom
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Tag Line Anyone?
There was a discussion today taking place on the ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) loop about taglines. Someone initiated the discussion by asking the questions - "what is your tagline" and "how did you come up with it?"
One of my dearest friends in the world, Ronie Kendig, writes "Rapid-Fire Fiction" - her tagline says it all. And she's AMAZING at it. (If you haven't read them already, you need to pick up her books: Dead Reckoning, Nightshade, Digitalis, Wolfsbane - about to release, and Firethorn releasing next January.
I must admit that it took me only a few minutes to find my tagline - but that was after a lot of input over several weeks. From agent, editor, and lots of other author friends.
The reason I needed so much help? Well, I always need help. That's beside the point. LOL. But seriously, I write fiction and non-fiction. I wasn't quite sure how to encompass them both.
Then I realized my tagline could say it all. So here it is:
Faith, Perseverance, JOY
Faith - my faith is everything because God is the story, no matter what I write.
Perseverance - James 1:2-4 tells me that the testing of my faith develops perseverance. And perseverance must finish its work.
JOY - you can have joy through trials, because God's joy cannot be taken away.
So there you have it. What's your tagline?
One of my dearest friends in the world, Ronie Kendig, writes "Rapid-Fire Fiction" - her tagline says it all. And she's AMAZING at it. (If you haven't read them already, you need to pick up her books: Dead Reckoning, Nightshade, Digitalis, Wolfsbane - about to release, and Firethorn releasing next January.
I must admit that it took me only a few minutes to find my tagline - but that was after a lot of input over several weeks. From agent, editor, and lots of other author friends.
The reason I needed so much help? Well, I always need help. That's beside the point. LOL. But seriously, I write fiction and non-fiction. I wasn't quite sure how to encompass them both.
Then I realized my tagline could say it all. So here it is:
Faith, Perseverance, JOY
Faith - my faith is everything because God is the story, no matter what I write.
Perseverance - James 1:2-4 tells me that the testing of my faith develops perseverance. And perseverance must finish its work.
JOY - you can have joy through trials, because God's joy cannot be taken away.
So there you have it. What's your tagline?
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
The Heart of America
Over the past twelve years, I've driven over 100,000 miles on my tours in this great country of ours. And there are several things that have "hit" me.
-Way too many people lose out because they choose to fly.
-Most people are in a hurry.
-We don't stop and "smell the roses" enough.
-We've let life "run" us.
The first one is a biggie. The second one causes the first one a lot of the time. This in turn, enables the third point. And the fourth point? Well, it seems to be the root problem.
Last weekend, we were invited to be on the Hour of Power and we filmed at the Crystal Cathedral. A beautiful, beautiful place in the LA vicinity. So, we took off from Colorado and headed west.
Let me tell you, if you haven't driven across Utah on Interstate 70 - you need to do it. It's amazing. National Parks like the Arches National Park - beg you to stop and take the time to look, wonder, and soak in the glory of God's handiwork. There's not a lot of towns or places - in fact, there's one stretch of 100 miles with "no services" - and another stretch of more than 60 miles with "no services" - but if you're worried about that, you're missing the point. Completely.
Driving across parts of Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Illinois, Iowa (you get the point) can be quite "dull" to most people. But have you ever stopped to see what's growing? Instead of flying past all the farms and ranches, take a gander at the livestock - the different breeds, and all the varieties of corn, soybeans, and other crops. We're fed because of those farms. And that's someone's livelihood.
The reason I'm bringing all this up is because it's the heart of America. Her people, her land, her crops, her beauty.
Take a minute to soak up the beauty around you. Whether it's the ocean, the mountains, the desert, or farmlands... Remember how wonderful it is to live in a free country. To see the majesty and glory of the Rockies, to smell the salty air of the ocean, and to feel the wind and cold of an icy snow storm.
And maybe next time, you'll take a road trip and thank God for the work of His hands.
-Way too many people lose out because they choose to fly.
-Most people are in a hurry.
-We don't stop and "smell the roses" enough.
-We've let life "run" us.
The first one is a biggie. The second one causes the first one a lot of the time. This in turn, enables the third point. And the fourth point? Well, it seems to be the root problem.
Last weekend, we were invited to be on the Hour of Power and we filmed at the Crystal Cathedral. A beautiful, beautiful place in the LA vicinity. So, we took off from Colorado and headed west.
Let me tell you, if you haven't driven across Utah on Interstate 70 - you need to do it. It's amazing. National Parks like the Arches National Park - beg you to stop and take the time to look, wonder, and soak in the glory of God's handiwork. There's not a lot of towns or places - in fact, there's one stretch of 100 miles with "no services" - and another stretch of more than 60 miles with "no services" - but if you're worried about that, you're missing the point. Completely.
Driving across parts of Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Illinois, Iowa (you get the point) can be quite "dull" to most people. But have you ever stopped to see what's growing? Instead of flying past all the farms and ranches, take a gander at the livestock - the different breeds, and all the varieties of corn, soybeans, and other crops. We're fed because of those farms. And that's someone's livelihood.
The reason I'm bringing all this up is because it's the heart of America. Her people, her land, her crops, her beauty.
Take a minute to soak up the beauty around you. Whether it's the ocean, the mountains, the desert, or farmlands... Remember how wonderful it is to live in a free country. To see the majesty and glory of the Rockies, to smell the salty air of the ocean, and to feel the wind and cold of an icy snow storm.
And maybe next time, you'll take a road trip and thank God for the work of His hands.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Ironman? Conclusion :)
It's been fun seeing all your responses via Facebook, email, and comments on my Ironman post.
Originally, I just wanted to post the story to make you laugh, I mean, who would ever think that I was an Ironman participant?
But, after sleep and much thought, I realized there was a lesson or two to be learned.
First? Clearly, the clerk was a very positive person. I didn't question him to know for sure, but I'm assuming he thought something along the lines of, "well, anyone could participate..." right?
Which brings me to my first thoughts. John 3:16 is clear. For God so loved the WORLD. That means everyone. Whether skinny, chubby, short, tall, wealthy, poor, good-looking, homely, smelly, or ... You get the picture. :) Anyone and everyone is included. We are not to judge who should be a participant, or in better terms who should be a "recipient" of the greatest gift of all: salvation. Free for all who believe.
Secondly, once we've accepted that gift, we ARE participants. We are running a race. Our Ironman, if you will. Hebrews 12:1-3 is a wonderful passage to look at for this. So... Wouldn't it be fitting that we actually prepare for the race?
In fact, we can all participate - just like the clerk thought, "sure-she could do it"- wouldn't it have been even greater had I arrived actually PREPARED to participate?
You see, once we are believers, we shouldn't just stay on the "milk" and go through the motions. We're supposed to be learning and growing and studying and sharing.
In short, what are you doing? Are you a participant? If not, send me a note and I'll tell you all about the greatest gift of all. If you ARE a participant, what are you doing to prepare? To run the race set before you?
Who knows, one day you may hear me say that I really AM participating in an Ironman. Nothing is impossible with God. :) amen.
Originally, I just wanted to post the story to make you laugh, I mean, who would ever think that I was an Ironman participant?
But, after sleep and much thought, I realized there was a lesson or two to be learned.
First? Clearly, the clerk was a very positive person. I didn't question him to know for sure, but I'm assuming he thought something along the lines of, "well, anyone could participate..." right?
Which brings me to my first thoughts. John 3:16 is clear. For God so loved the WORLD. That means everyone. Whether skinny, chubby, short, tall, wealthy, poor, good-looking, homely, smelly, or ... You get the picture. :) Anyone and everyone is included. We are not to judge who should be a participant, or in better terms who should be a "recipient" of the greatest gift of all: salvation. Free for all who believe.
Secondly, once we've accepted that gift, we ARE participants. We are running a race. Our Ironman, if you will. Hebrews 12:1-3 is a wonderful passage to look at for this. So... Wouldn't it be fitting that we actually prepare for the race?
In fact, we can all participate - just like the clerk thought, "sure-she could do it"- wouldn't it have been even greater had I arrived actually PREPARED to participate?
You see, once we are believers, we shouldn't just stay on the "milk" and go through the motions. We're supposed to be learning and growing and studying and sharing.
In short, what are you doing? Are you a participant? If not, send me a note and I'll tell you all about the greatest gift of all. If you ARE a participant, what are you doing to prepare? To run the race set before you?
Who knows, one day you may hear me say that I really AM participating in an Ironman. Nothing is impossible with God. :) amen.
Ironman?
We are traveling to the LA area to be guests on The Hour of Power at the Crystal Cathedral this weekend.
A funny thing happened to me last night as we checked into our hotel.
Let me paint the picture for you:
It's one a.m. We'd had a radio interview, packed, and I'd driven 700 miles. Across the Rockies. And across Utah. On a side note, there are several places in Utah where there is NOTHING for 100 miles or so. We got excited to see an overpass. Seriously. Okay, back to painting the picture: did I mention it was 1:00 A.M??
The night clerk finishes the check-in process and looks at me, "so you're participating in the Ironman?"
Me: "What!?"
Clerk: "Breakfast is at 3 a.m."
Me: "What!?"
Clerk: "3 a.m."
Me: "Uh... It's 1 a.m. Right now."
Clerk: "well, you'll want a good breakfast before you start."
Me (still shocked and confused): "Do I LOOK like I'm about to participate in the Ironman?"
Clerk: "Sure."
I looked down. I'm not a tiny person. At all. And the thought of running, biking, swimming until my heart stops didn't really appeal to me at 1:00 in the morning. Especially on two hours of sleep. Full breakfast at 3:00 a.m. Or not.
I decided to be nice. "I'm an author. I'm not here for the Ironman. But thank you."
He shrugged. Gave me a nice smile and a map to my room.
I threw over my shoulder, "Maybe next time."
Now... You're probably wondering if there is a moral to this story. Other than the fact that it made me laugh. :)
Ah... There is. It didn't strike me until after a full-night's sleep though... And since I have to check out of the hotel now and finish driving to California, I will post my conclusions tonight :)
[chuckle] me... In the Ironman...
A funny thing happened to me last night as we checked into our hotel.
Let me paint the picture for you:
It's one a.m. We'd had a radio interview, packed, and I'd driven 700 miles. Across the Rockies. And across Utah. On a side note, there are several places in Utah where there is NOTHING for 100 miles or so. We got excited to see an overpass. Seriously. Okay, back to painting the picture: did I mention it was 1:00 A.M??
The night clerk finishes the check-in process and looks at me, "so you're participating in the Ironman?"
Me: "What!?"
Clerk: "Breakfast is at 3 a.m."
Me: "What!?"
Clerk: "3 a.m."
Me: "Uh... It's 1 a.m. Right now."
Clerk: "well, you'll want a good breakfast before you start."
Me (still shocked and confused): "Do I LOOK like I'm about to participate in the Ironman?"
Clerk: "Sure."
I looked down. I'm not a tiny person. At all. And the thought of running, biking, swimming until my heart stops didn't really appeal to me at 1:00 in the morning. Especially on two hours of sleep. Full breakfast at 3:00 a.m. Or not.
I decided to be nice. "I'm an author. I'm not here for the Ironman. But thank you."
He shrugged. Gave me a nice smile and a map to my room.
I threw over my shoulder, "Maybe next time."
Now... You're probably wondering if there is a moral to this story. Other than the fact that it made me laugh. :)
Ah... There is. It didn't strike me until after a full-night's sleep though... And since I have to check out of the hotel now and finish driving to California, I will post my conclusions tonight :)
[chuckle] me... In the Ironman...
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