Slow down.
Don't we all need a gentle reminder every now and then?
We work so hard at all these things we believe we're supposed to be doing. We stress and we strive to do our best until we're no longer sure what our best is. Sooner or later, we find out we're running on empty. And, then, well...we're just empty.
I wouldn't classify myself as a type A personality, but I do like to get a job done.
When I put my hand to something, I like to look at the finished product and know I've done my best.
Sometimes that's not easy.
Let's take my book for instance. I laugh now at those early years when I believed I could become a successful writer. I wrote a book, done, fini, come on, where's the contract? I had no concept of how to do what I wanted to do, I just thought I'd done my best, so of course I deserved some reward.
Sometimes your best, if it's not God's best, is just not good enough.
I'm very mindful of this as I sit here this morning. I've been plowing through my book, ideas just whirling in my head. I'm so anxious to get it done that I'm in danger of spinning out of control. I need to put on the brakes.
I need to pray. I need to know where God is taking me with this.
Yes, it's easy to focus on the good things that might happen once the book is finished. But those things are not guaranteed.
If I don't slow down, take a breath and actually enjoy what I'm doing...it's not going to be my best.
If I don't stop and pray, and listen for God to speak, it's not going to be His best.
And I'll end up sick and heartbroken, and wondering why I ever got myself into this writing thing in the first place!
So, whatever you're working on this week, take a moment to stop and take stock of your spiritual tank. Are you full? Or do you need a few days to refuel, like I do?
Days...weeks...
We were saddened this past week here in Bermuda to hear of the death of a young man who attended my son's school, a year above Chris. A very tragic event, but we know God had a purpose and a plan, even though we don't understand it.
But it really made me stop and think about my life and how I'm living it.
I'm in this for God and God alone.
He deserves my best. Nothing less.
I'm not quite there yet, but I'm working on it.
And I know that when I submit to Him, really and truly, and don't write one word without taking it before Him first,
things will go much easier. My frustration level with decrease, and my confidence will increase. That's where I need to be.
In the passenger seat. This is God's ride. I just need to enjoy it.
Who are you in it for?
Monday, January 28, 2008
Friday, January 25, 2008
Some Days Just Aren't Fun
I'm happy to report our dog is much better! She's on a special diet now, and a truckload of pills, but it seems to be working.
I know she won't be around forever, but it's good to know her demise isn't imminent.
And now, spoiler warning, the rest of this post is a rant. You have been warned.
I've been working away on my book this week. And I'm frustrated. Already.
I know. It was bound to happen, but I didn't think I'd hit a roadblock this soon.
To make matters worse, at the moment I'm feeling like a complete idiot because something I wrote
to an email loop was misconstrued. Now I've got a bunch of people thinking I've written a book the size
of The Bible, when EVERYBODY (except me apparently), knows that a full-length novel is supposed to be 100,000 words!
I KNOW THAT!!!!
Note to self: Don't ever send anything out to a general public loop before nine a.m.
I was only trying to be funny, but I guess it didn't quite hit the mark the way I intended.
I've been given the dunce cap. At least that's how it feels. If I get one more email gently instructing me to publishers guidelines I am going to scream.
But it just goes to show, again, how very, very careful you have to be when communicating on the Internet.
So I'm not having a fun day.
I hope I can get past these changes I have to make.
Maybe I just need to take a break and think about it some more. ]
Maybe I need chocolate. Red wine and roses would be nice too.
Valentine's Day is coming.
Ha. I made another joke.
Ok. I'm going to go find some way to turn my frown upside down.
Have a great weekend!
I know she won't be around forever, but it's good to know her demise isn't imminent.
And now, spoiler warning, the rest of this post is a rant. You have been warned.
I've been working away on my book this week. And I'm frustrated. Already.
I know. It was bound to happen, but I didn't think I'd hit a roadblock this soon.
To make matters worse, at the moment I'm feeling like a complete idiot because something I wrote
to an email loop was misconstrued. Now I've got a bunch of people thinking I've written a book the size
of The Bible, when EVERYBODY (except me apparently), knows that a full-length novel is supposed to be 100,000 words!
I KNOW THAT!!!!
Note to self: Don't ever send anything out to a general public loop before nine a.m.
I was only trying to be funny, but I guess it didn't quite hit the mark the way I intended.
I've been given the dunce cap. At least that's how it feels. If I get one more email gently instructing me to publishers guidelines I am going to scream.
But it just goes to show, again, how very, very careful you have to be when communicating on the Internet.
So I'm not having a fun day.
I hope I can get past these changes I have to make.
Maybe I just need to take a break and think about it some more. ]
Maybe I need chocolate. Red wine and roses would be nice too.
Valentine's Day is coming.
Ha. I made another joke.
Ok. I'm going to go find some way to turn my frown upside down.
Have a great weekend!
Saturday, January 19, 2008
When the Going Gets Tough...
I have been watching our family dog Allie go through seizures since Wednesday. She is almost thirteen. We all knew
she was getting old, but this just came on so suddenly. I'm a wreck. We're waiting on test results to see what the cause might be.
We have her on medication to see whether we can get these under control. If not, then we will know it is probably a tumor
or something that's causing the seizures. I just have a feeling that this is the end.
And no, I'm not dealing very well.
It's very hard to lose an animal. She's been so sweet and so wonderful. I do not want her to suffer.
I just pray that we will know very soon what we should do.
So if this page remains empty for a while, you'll know why.
I'm trying to cope as best I can and I'm mindful that for some people, this is what they deal with on a daily
basis with their children. Allie really has had a good life and we need to make a decision based on her comfort level
and well-being, not on our emotions.
Keep us in prayer.
she was getting old, but this just came on so suddenly. I'm a wreck. We're waiting on test results to see what the cause might be.
We have her on medication to see whether we can get these under control. If not, then we will know it is probably a tumor
or something that's causing the seizures. I just have a feeling that this is the end.
And no, I'm not dealing very well.
It's very hard to lose an animal. She's been so sweet and so wonderful. I do not want her to suffer.
I just pray that we will know very soon what we should do.
So if this page remains empty for a while, you'll know why.
I'm trying to cope as best I can and I'm mindful that for some people, this is what they deal with on a daily
basis with their children. Allie really has had a good life and we need to make a decision based on her comfort level
and well-being, not on our emotions.
Keep us in prayer.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Pro's and Con's of today's technology
I love the Internet. Confession - I spend WAAAY too much time on the Internet.
I read a lot of blogs and writing-related websites. Some of these are for fun, but some are actually teaching and helping me
improve my craft. So I figure they don't count so much as wasted time.
If it weren't for the Internet, I can tell you I wouldn't be where I am with my writing today. It still astounds me how much
is available, and I'm so blessed to have found some wonderful friends and authors in the writing world that I connect with
on a daily basis. That's all good.
Email - yes, another of my great loves. I love the sound of that little bing telling me I've got mail. I really enjoy the fact that if I want to touch base with somebody, all I have to do is fire off a quick email and I know they'll get it, and either respond right away or within a few hours, depending on the person. Some of my friends are not so good with this. In my opinion, if you have email, and you really want to keep in touch, you have no excuse.
What I don't like is the uncertainty that sometimes happens when you send something off and don't get a reply. Did it get there? Are they just ignoring me? Should I write to see if they got it and they're ignoring me? Ah, the joys of mind games.
It's also really easy to misinterpret something written in an email. I've learned to always rely on my instincts when I read something, and if I'm really not sure what the person meant, I'll write back and ask them. Sadly, I had to learn this the hard way.
But all in all, I say we are greatly blessed to have all this technology at our fingertips. I love the fact that if I need to do some research for a book idea, all it takes is a few clicks and I have more than enough information to get started.
I love that I can chat with my daughter in Canada whenever she's available, through MSN or Skype. We still feel connected even though she's far away. I do the same with my sister, and friends across the globe. For an introvert, the Internet is a miracle! You can still be social, you just don't have to do it in person. Okay, shoot me. I know that sounds sad. But hey, it's working for me. Of course if you ever do show up on my doorstep, I won't slam the door on you.
As in all things in this world, there are pro's and con's. There is a lot of really nasty stuff on the Internet. There are ways to protect yourself from it, and I would suggest you do so, especially if you have children. There's also a lot of really cool stuff out there too, enlightening, enriching and educational. But, a word of caution, everything in moderation. Hours can fly by without you even knowing. The Internet CAN be a great time waster. It can also be a valuable tool. It's your choice how you use it.
That said, I'm off to write.
Viva La Internet!
I read a lot of blogs and writing-related websites. Some of these are for fun, but some are actually teaching and helping me
improve my craft. So I figure they don't count so much as wasted time.
If it weren't for the Internet, I can tell you I wouldn't be where I am with my writing today. It still astounds me how much
is available, and I'm so blessed to have found some wonderful friends and authors in the writing world that I connect with
on a daily basis. That's all good.
Email - yes, another of my great loves. I love the sound of that little bing telling me I've got mail. I really enjoy the fact that if I want to touch base with somebody, all I have to do is fire off a quick email and I know they'll get it, and either respond right away or within a few hours, depending on the person. Some of my friends are not so good with this. In my opinion, if you have email, and you really want to keep in touch, you have no excuse.
What I don't like is the uncertainty that sometimes happens when you send something off and don't get a reply. Did it get there? Are they just ignoring me? Should I write to see if they got it and they're ignoring me? Ah, the joys of mind games.
It's also really easy to misinterpret something written in an email. I've learned to always rely on my instincts when I read something, and if I'm really not sure what the person meant, I'll write back and ask them. Sadly, I had to learn this the hard way.
But all in all, I say we are greatly blessed to have all this technology at our fingertips. I love the fact that if I need to do some research for a book idea, all it takes is a few clicks and I have more than enough information to get started.
I love that I can chat with my daughter in Canada whenever she's available, through MSN or Skype. We still feel connected even though she's far away. I do the same with my sister, and friends across the globe. For an introvert, the Internet is a miracle! You can still be social, you just don't have to do it in person. Okay, shoot me. I know that sounds sad. But hey, it's working for me. Of course if you ever do show up on my doorstep, I won't slam the door on you.
As in all things in this world, there are pro's and con's. There is a lot of really nasty stuff on the Internet. There are ways to protect yourself from it, and I would suggest you do so, especially if you have children. There's also a lot of really cool stuff out there too, enlightening, enriching and educational. But, a word of caution, everything in moderation. Hours can fly by without you even knowing. The Internet CAN be a great time waster. It can also be a valuable tool. It's your choice how you use it.
That said, I'm off to write.
Viva La Internet!
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
The New Year Begins!
I really couldn't be happier.
I'm going to try to blog more frequently, both here and over at Writers' Rest. That's been hard to get going. All the contributors have busy schedules and many commitments, but we're going to try.
We've been doing a lot of things with the new house, which is exciting. We have a new contractor and we're expecting
to begin building again on Feb.1st. I cannot believe it's taken this long, but everything happens for a reason.
Sarah went back to Canada on Sunday, and yes, I cried. I think this business of children leaving home should be outlawed.
Then again, I take that back. I know it's part of life. She is growing up and in a few years may even be married and have
a career and a life of her own, possibly not even in Bermuda. I need to get used to the separation, but it's very hard.
However, 2008 is the year I will attempt to become a grown-up.
Writing wise, things are getting busier. I'm re-writing a manuscript and I'm expecting feedback on another next week,
which I will need to begin work on. I don't find I'm terribly successful when it comes to multi-tasking in the area of writing, but we shall see. I'd like to try to finish both manuscripts within a few months. I'm trying to set goals, but I can't realistically do that until I get this other story back. Then I'll know just what needs to be done and how long I think it might take me.
Of course life cannot get put on hold for writing or vice versa, so somewhere in all this LIFE, I need to strike a balance.
And I also MUST make time to exercise. I started the Slim Fast diet today, but I know my body won't look much better unless I exercise it along with eating healthy.
So that's my game plan for the coming year. Be the best wife, mom, writer and servant for God that I can be.
A tall order perhaps, but with God ALL things are possible!
I'm going to try to blog more frequently, both here and over at Writers' Rest. That's been hard to get going. All the contributors have busy schedules and many commitments, but we're going to try.
We've been doing a lot of things with the new house, which is exciting. We have a new contractor and we're expecting
to begin building again on Feb.1st. I cannot believe it's taken this long, but everything happens for a reason.
Sarah went back to Canada on Sunday, and yes, I cried. I think this business of children leaving home should be outlawed.
Then again, I take that back. I know it's part of life. She is growing up and in a few years may even be married and have
a career and a life of her own, possibly not even in Bermuda. I need to get used to the separation, but it's very hard.
However, 2008 is the year I will attempt to become a grown-up.
Writing wise, things are getting busier. I'm re-writing a manuscript and I'm expecting feedback on another next week,
which I will need to begin work on. I don't find I'm terribly successful when it comes to multi-tasking in the area of writing, but we shall see. I'd like to try to finish both manuscripts within a few months. I'm trying to set goals, but I can't realistically do that until I get this other story back. Then I'll know just what needs to be done and how long I think it might take me.
Of course life cannot get put on hold for writing or vice versa, so somewhere in all this LIFE, I need to strike a balance.
And I also MUST make time to exercise. I started the Slim Fast diet today, but I know my body won't look much better unless I exercise it along with eating healthy.
So that's my game plan for the coming year. Be the best wife, mom, writer and servant for God that I can be.
A tall order perhaps, but with God ALL things are possible!
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