Today as we enter wind-down mode, I wanted to share three not-to-miss thoughts. Thoughts worth considering as we seek downtime and restoration. The first is a brief synopsis of the newly released movie Hacksaw Ridge. This movie is based on the true story of World War II hero Desmond Doss, a man of courage and faith who shunned the limelight, …
When You Must Go Through the Forest to See Daylight
As a little girl, I was afraid of the dark. It’s still not one of my favorite things, but over the years, I’ve learned to adjust. (Aren’t nightlights wonderful?) I was thinking about “the dark” again recently and how fear, tension, and negativity affect our mindset and self-esteem. People who live in the dark sometimes do so willingly. Maybe it’s a subconscious …
Fall Blog Break ~ October 21st Through November 2nd
The weather turned sharply cooler in the Ozarks and it finally feels like fall. It’s time for quilts, sweaters, and chili. Maybe even some hot chocolate with flavored marshmallows. Mmm… As we move farther into the season, I find it’s also time for a fall blog break. I’ll hop on social media for brief spurts, but I’ll step away from …
Rise Above the Pettiness
A few years ago I told you about Jody.* Jody was a sweet girl. She had beautiful blue eyes, a kind smile, and a warm heart. She liked sugar cookies and the color green. We weren’t particularly close friends, though we often shared the same lunch table. One day, just as I set my tray down, another classmate tapped me …
10 Friday “Feel Goods” to Encourage You
Friday. Ahh. Just the word puts a smile on my face. In light of this week’s controversy, upheaval, and pot-stirring, I’ve pulled out all stops. I’ve combed my blog archives to bring you some of my favorite posts—splashes of sunshine to kick-start your day. Snag a donut (*passes you a chocolate, cream-filled treat*) and grab a cuppa (’cause what’s a …
Should Writers Blog?
I started blogging in 2011, and to date, have written 700+ blog posts. Whew. That’s a lot of blogging! While I’ve repurposed some of those posts, much of my content is new, fresh, and relevant. As I’ve evolved and grown as a writer, so have my blogging skills. Since this isn’t a writing blog (it’s a creative outlet to uplift …
How to Remain Encouraged in a Discouraging World
Without venturing (too much) into politics, religion, or taboo territory, I think most of us would agree today’s morale is low. We’re tired of self-serving memes, pot-stirrers, and rants. We’re fed up with harsh, closed mindsets. We’re saddened by negativity and misguided judgment. *slugs back coffee* Heck—we’re just burned out. From apathy, anger, and arrogance. Blatant attacks on our honor have left us battle-worn …
The Very Best Thing About This Writing Gig
The writing life is hard, my friend. There are highs and lows and in-betweens. There are good things. Bad things. God-ordained things (blessings in disguise). For a moment, let’s revisit the not so good things. A writer’s world is a solitary one…and most often, silent (unless there are littles still at home). We lose ourselves in our story worlds, and …
A Bird’s-Eye View from the Ozarks
Last week I talked about the importance of stepping away from social media for a time. (You can read more here.) For writers, it’s somewhat of a catch-22. We know we must write. We know, too, we must stay connected to a degree. However, the tendency to check in throughout the day (when we’ve promised ourselves a respite) can be …
Pausing to Press Reset
Fall. In our little corner of the world, the official start to the new season arrived this week without much fanfare. While it marked the beginning of change, we still have yet to see colors shift or temperatures drop. In fact, the mercury’s hovered around the 90 degree mark for the past several days, and most of our trees (except our …