Sunday, July 7, 2013

Life Happens

Can you believe it's July 7th already? I sure can't It's been forever since I've been on this blog. I haven’t been Pinterest or Face Book. I even forgot my password to this site! lol Well, so much has happened in the past few months. Gary made it through his surgery! I did have a daily update on my face book during that scary time. He starts back to work tomorrow, and is practically back to normal and getting better by the day. I already have a hard time keeping up with him and he's not even 100% yet!

Our Japan family is back in the states! We enjoyed two weeks with the sweet loving family in our home. Although it was a challenge with a recovering neat freak husband and three active grandbabies 4, 3, and 2, I wouldn't have traded that time for anything in the world! :)

My Dyslexic book did not make it past the top 30 in the self publishing contest. So, now onto figuring out how to finance the publishing. I know God has that all figured out, so I'm leaving it in his hands.

The book I'm working on now is moving along just fine. Gary read some of it and inspired me to go a slightly different direction with it. I'm very excited about how it's coming together. The book is actually all there now. Twelve chapters, over 26,000 words. I'm tweaking it and filling in the conversations to make it come 'alive'.

I'm already organizing my next book in my mind. Gary bought me the book series written by Jane Austen. You know, the classics Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Emma, Northanger Abbey, and Persuasion? Believe it or not, I've not read any of those books. I was not a reader growing up. I think I explained it some on my website, God has used Gary in so many ways! He's used him to open my love of reading and encourage my love of Writing. And God chose to keep Gary on this earth a little longer to be by my side! We have such an awesome God! I'm so glad He's in control!

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Make every second count!


Our lives get out of control sometimes, don't they? We get so wrapped up in our daily lives we forget to enjoy each and every second of each and every day! Time goes so fast, speeding up faster every day! Never to return again...yesterday is gone forever! Recently we found out that Gary (my husband) has a severe leaking heart valve along with a partially blocked artery. God is so amazing! What is life threatening, was caught before irreversible damage could happen. He is scheduled to have open heart surgery on May 13, 2013. Prayers are definitely welcome and encouraged! But, he is healthy and is expected to recover quickly and to feel better than he's felt in a long time. Funny how life sneaks up on you. He didn't even realize he was feeling badly. The initial shock was enough to bring me back to treasuring each moment. I linger with each kiss. Cuddle a little longer. Snuggle closer with each hug. I depend more on God for strength and courage, and look towards the future with a fresh new outlook. I'm thankful to have a wonderful husband and family! God has definitely blessed me! I have no complaints. Many people have gone through, and are going through much worse, this I do know. I'd be deceiving myself if I'd say I wasn't scared. I have to be strong for Gary and my kids and grandkids. But it is scary to think of what could happen. I know God is in control, in charge, and whatever happens HE will hold us and be with us like He always does and has. Again...your prayers are appreciated!

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Twenty Seven Years Ago ...Continued

Another post from March 2013 drafts...
We find a house! Yey! A little far from work, but we love the town and the house has lots of character. Our offer is accepted, we're ready to close...then the owners decide to pull out, not to sell. Another hit below the belt. Within the next week we drive by a house. God says to me, that is the one. I say to God, no way! That's too big! Well...a few weeks later an offer on the house, accepted, and closed! Our new home! Awesome God! Better than the one we lost. Better than we ever asked for or expected! A home we raised our four children in and lived in for 25 + years! Now, still churchless...to be continued...

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

One of my Testimonies...Twenty Seven Years...Continued


Another post from March of 2013 in the unpublished drafts...(Puts perspective on what we are going through today.)
Homeless, Jobless, Churchless...Savings used up, hope used up, faith used up. A simple call from my father, "Enough is enough! Don't beat a dead horse!". That phone call triggered a breakdown on my part. I stayed in my room the rest of the evening bawling! I remember it well. The next day, a new day. The dawn after the storm. A renewal of my faith. My husband is offered a job, starts right away. Awesome God! The search is on for a new home. We want to move close to the office, but we keep coming up empty. The family we're staying with need their house back and we need to move out, home or no home...Still homeless and churchless...To be continued...

Sunday, March 3, 2013

One of my Testimonies...Twenty Seven Years Worth

I love to go back and re-read some of my entries. This one was in my draft file. it was written march of 2013...
Twenty seven years ago, three boys, twin four year olds, and a one year old. Renting, reveiwing our budget to move towards the next step, home ownership. Everything in place but the down payment. The phone rings, a voice on the other end asks if we need a down payment on a home, of course the answers yes. The voice says, God led us to give this downpayment to you. WOW! Awesome God! The next few months are spent looking for homes.   Nothing...God opens a door to move forward, to a new state, new home, new surroundings, new job, new beginnings...two states away. One month later we find ourself homeless, jobless, way out of our confort zone. Our family and friends think we're crazy. We live with family, search for a new job, new church, new home. To be Continued...

Saturday, February 23, 2013

Second Deadline met!


Yes! My second writing deadline is met. Still very rough, but now six chapters have been written for my second book...JVR the Novel. Half way finished. It's so fun! The other day I had fun creating a whole new character, just came to me and I couldn't write fast enough. So, since I met my deadline of February 28, I'll try to determine the next one. How about a month per chapter? Let's make May 30, 2013 the next deadline for the next three chapters. So by May 30 3/4 of this book will be complete.

It's so exciting that the first Novel I wrote is a finalist in the CrossBooks contest! The prize? It'll be published! YES! If that happens the proceeds will be used to publish the book I'm working on now. The ministry God gave me details to over 10 years ago! Not only will it have life, it'll be shared all over the US, possibly the world! God is in control! This is God's ministry and He knows all the details! JVR in communities all over the world! WOW! What a GOD THING! Yes? There's no way I could do any of this myself. Even if The Story of a Teenaged Dyslexic doesn't win, it's crossing many desks, being read by many people. And every book that I write, that God allows me to write, will share the truth of Jesus as Savior! This will share God's truth of salvation with more people than I could even imagine. So cool!

And I have three more books, at least, waiting in my little brain to be written! Cool! My mom asked how I could come up with so many dialogs...so much to write about. Well, when I think about it, it’s almost creepy...lol...I enjoy dreaming up characters and making them come alive! It's like a whole set new friends, family. Yes, I'm a nerd! lol

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Negative people in Your Life


Yes, I know there will always be negative people in our life. I tell my children this all the time. But it doesn't make it any easier to deal with them.
 
When your teeth clench tight, your blood starts to boil, your easy going spirit turns wild with bitterness every time you see this person’s name on the caller id, or their email that graces your inbox…well...that’s just not right!

I attended a class today requested by my work. "Exceptional Customer Service" This was a great class and I learned many great things. I even put together an action plan for my job and a training outline to teach my coworkers. But the most meaningful lesson I learned was how to handle difficult people.

Several things came up. Like stay away from negative people. Avoid angry people. Just don't hang around with somebody who brings you down. Ha! Easier said than done. And I would love to do just that. But what if your circumstances won't allow that? And the concept that 85% of our behavior comes from what we think about our self and only 15% comes from reacting to someone else words or actions, hmmm. And then there’s the saying that anger can harm you physically. Oh, and then there’s the thing that we can't control the other person, but we can control how we react. Yes, I know all that!  What can a person do? UGH!!!

Well, I learned and put into an action plan several good things. Actually it's nothing new, just a new look.
 
First I'll say out loud every morning..."I am a child of God!"

Then I will read at least one scripture, even if I'm not able to do my quiet time.

I also will write what God is saying to me.

Before I go to bed each night I will think over the day and write down two things I'm thankful for. If I start a journal just for that, in a year I'll have 730 things I'm thankful for!

When I get down or frustrated I need to remember to listen to my music. I listen to KLove mostly, or similar music. AHHHH, maybe that will work!

Well, I already feel better. How about you? Do you have a person like this in your life? Or is it just me?

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Pride

Pride... A word that has caused me problems since I accepted Christ. Pride comes before the fall...pride.

How can a parent be proud of their children without teaching them to be proud? Isn't this something we don't want to teach our kids? Words have always caught me off guard. I take words seriously! My downfall is that I haven't taken the time to learn what the words really mean. Telling your child you are proud of them is telling them they made you happy, they made a right choice. It's another way of saying...well done! Balance this with a strong relationship with Christ and our Heavenly Father and you have a balance that is strong without the weakness of Pride.

I've since mellowed with the whole proud word thing. I will now tell my children when they've done something well that I'm proud of them. Laugh if you must, but that's a huge step for me.

Another stumbling block that has to do with pride is my self image. I've tried to walk a fine line between pride and self destruction...my whole life! A child of God should not think badly of self because, well God made us the way we are and if we put ourself down we are putting God down. That's what I've always told my kids. And I really believe it, but I have a war raging in my brain. When I start putting myself down I kick myself and start thinking of the positive. Then when I start thinking highly of myself, becoming full of pride I kick myself and start thinking negative thoughts, and there you go a merry-go-round...round and round you go, where you stop nobody knows.! Lol

Another struggle I have with pride is when God has blessed me with... stuff. I sometimes feel pride and then quickly it's turned to guilt about what I have, for I feel I don't deserve anything good. I think of all God's children who are so much closer to God than I am, who have so much more faith than I do.

Just a few days ago I read Jeremiah 13:11 and 15-27.

It clicked in my mind...I finally realized what God is saying. God has given all things because He wants to. That's what I said, He wants to! It has absolutely nothing to do with anything I've done or haven't done. To be proud says to God that I did it all myself and I deserve what I have. If I ever do get what I deserve I would be in ruins! Thank you God for choosing me! Praise your name!

If I can share anything with anybody I hope it's that God is a Loving God and He loves to bless His children. No, everything is not always wonderful in our world, but if we Choose to have a relationship with Christ we will see how God loves and blesses us even in the worst of times! Praise your Holy Name Lord!

Thursday, January 10, 2013

2013

Wow! I can't believe it's been so long since I've been on this site...any site for that matter. Where did 2012 go? It was a wonderful year! So many changes and blessings. God has moved us across town to a new home, our dream home with every detail personalized just for us. God is so good in spite of ourselves... He knows us better than we do! Our new home is inspirational in both artistic and spiritual ways. I started a new job in 2013 crafted and presented by God Himself! In fact 2012 went out with the last three most amazing weeks of my life! Not only did I enjoy two of our newest grandchildren, I was blessed with a visit with my Aunt and Uncle that we haven't seen in years. We enjoyed simple family time with hot coco and kettle corn, a gift from our daughter-in-laws parents. We were blessed with a beautiful snow fall, not one but two, 18 inches in all, beautiful! Our son, his wife, and two adorable children graced our home, what a joyous time! Grandchildren are the best...just like we've always been told. Hopefully this summer we will be blessed to visit with both families, all five grandchildren together. Oh I know, this world of ours is crazy and in a mess. But because we have an awesome God who Loves us, we can trust and rest in His Strong Arms…no matter what! I'm excited to see what God brings for 2013!