Editing for Tarnished Knight...

A few more pictures from the Chihuly glass show:

Wordless

Sharing links on Saturday...

This is from (in)courage, a site connected with DaySpring cards:
http://www.incourage.me/2014/10/when-fear-chases-me.html?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=DaySpring%20Devotions&utm_campaign=20141012%20Don%27t%20Live%20Afraid&ref=EMAIL20140817DEVO

Writers In The Storm shared advice for NaNoWriMo preparation:
http://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/10/nanowrimo-prep-get-the-set-pieces-down/
I think I'll use it for the next novel.

Genesis 5020 shared an interview with Liz Tolsma. Her books sounds fascinating:
http://5020genesis.wordpress.com/2014/10/15/write-to-the-point-with-liz-tolsma/

Holley Gerth shares a good reminder:
http://holleygerth.com/thing-making-difference/

Writers In The Storm offers advice for writers on hiring a personal assistant:
http://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/10/authors-assistant-do-you-need-one/

May you be blessed.

Bursts of Color...

God provides a feast for the eyes, the scent of heaven, and the brush of an angel's wing:

The problem with memes...

The other day was Mental Health Awareness Day, I want to share something I believe is important.

I love quotes, little sayings that cheer me, lift me, inspire me. I've seen some wonderful memes. I've also seen some I believe to be disturbing. "Cleanliness is next to Godliness" is an early meme, and not what we used to call those short, in-a-nutshell sayings.

I've never forgotten a quote I saw in the newspaper, decades ago: "A philosophy that fits in a nutshell should probably stay there."

By the way, the "Cleanliness" meme is quoted like it's from the Bible. It isn't. Bible study isn't simply about learning what's there. It's also about learning what isn't there.

I've seen a new meme going around on FB and Pinterest lately. It makes me cringe.

"Happy girls are pretty girls."

First glance, my reaction was 'great!' Close on the heels of that reaction was recognizing all the damage done by saying something so insensitive.

I've worked with three different counselors, over the years. None of them wanted to diagnose me with anything. They didn't want me to be labeled and limited. However, reading through a list of someone with C-PTSD, Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, I fit every item on the list. I believe the powers that be in the world of psychiatry are changing the name. No matter. I state this not to brag or to say I'm an expert in anything but dealing with my own upside down world.

On the heels of 'great' came the thought "Unhappy girls are ugly girls."

Followed by: JRR Tolkien wrote, in Return of the King, "Not all tears are an evil."

Dealing with depression isn't about choosing happy or unhappy. Dealing with depression is about choosing depression over anger, rage at the helplessness of being abused and having no power to protect myself and no one to protect me. Depression isn't a healthy choice, but it is a healthier choice than uncontrolled fury. Depression is about suppression of emotions. It can be a healthy choice on a short-term basis. It allows for processing time. It is not a healthy choice for the long-term, but it is healthier than allowing emotions to run rampant. The difference between turning inward and turning outward. There's time to work on helping yourself. Once you've lashed out at someone else, you have no control over how they respond.

The danger lies in assigning labels of good, bad, positive, or negative to any emotion. Emotions are neither good nor bad, positive or negative. Emotions simply are. They happen, to everyone, unless a person disassociates, which is not healthy.

The epitome of beauty is Jesus Christ. Jesus wept. He was also angry. He was passionate about His mission on earth. He felt deeply. He mourned, and He rejoiced.

It isn't the emotion that determines whether it is good or bad, it is what you do with the emotion.

One of the ugliest things I've ever seen is a person who is happy when someone else fails. I want to clarify that I'm not talking about competition where you cheer for your team and wish the other team to lose. I'm also not talking about being happy when evil fails, which is healthy. I'm talking about the Roman citizens cheering the Christians being fed to the lions. Laughing when someone stumbles in their life. Cheering someone's downfall, not because they are evil but because they're too happy, too wealthy, too successful.

One of the most beautiful things I've ever seen is a dying patient's last video, recorded for the purpose of comforting those left behind when they depart this mortal sphere.

Ugly: People happily making fun of someone who's fat or slow or somehow less than the world's definition of acceptable.

Beautiful: A firefighter attempting to save a dog rescued from a fire, even if it's hopeless.

I've seen numerous examples of both posted all over the internet.

There is skin-deep beauty and soul-deep beauty.

There is nothing wrong with skin-deep beauty. The trick is remembering that skin-deep is not an indicator of soul-deep. I don't appreciate roses any less because they have thorns. I accept that they have thorns and protect myself accordingly.

Soul-deep beauty comes from a light within. Babies are born with it. Somewhere along the journey of life, many bury it or allow it to wither away. It requires work and effort to maintain it. However, if it's lost, for whatever reason, it is possible to reclaim. Being able to see and appreciate it sometimes is easy, but most of the time it also requires work and effort.

Some people possess both. This isn't a point of envy.

Know this: What you see and how you respond says absolutely nothing about the other person and everything about you.

Seeing the word envy reminds me that some emotions are more desirable than others. However, rejecting an emotions is rejecting a part of yourself. An emotion like jealousy is an opportunity to look into your heart and explore why you feel "less than." It certainly isn't about what the other person has and you don't. Every single person in the world has something you don't.

Emotions are all about you. How you perceive yourself and your world.

I keep stumbling over the need to be happy. Happy is not a constant state. Emotions come and go and come again.

I want to be beautiful, which is why those "pretty" memes grab me. I want to be pretty. Skin-deep is not a possibility, but I can be beautiful soul-deep. It isn't something someone can define for me because beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder. How do I see myself? How do I want to see myself?

I've been working on trusting God. This is not easy, especially for an abuse survivor. Trust is shattered in every possible way and used as a weapon.

Honor and trust are intertwined.

God's greatest power is His honor. He is unchanging, immovable, everlasting. He is who He says He is and He will do what He says He will do.

Maybe it will fit and maybe it won't, but I want to try this definition of beautiful:

Beautiful is trusting God enough to know no matter what happens He is in control and aware of me.

Wordless

Editing "Tarnished Knight"

Round one of edits has commenced. I shared this yesterday, on FB, from DaySpring, a Christian card company. I signed up for their Devotionals, and this showed up this week. I need the encouragement.

It's October!

One way I celebrate is using my pumpkin dishes and fall leaves goblet.

I collect place settings. It's another way to celebrate the blessing of food.

Sharing links on Saturday...

The Writer's Refuge advises writing about what matters to you:
http://thewritersrefuge.wordpress.com/2014/09/27/write-about-what-matters-most-to-you/

Patricia Johns shares Christmas shopping in September:
http://patriciajohnsromance.com/2014/09/30/christmas-shopping-in-september/

Patricia also had a great one titled 20 seconds for a touch of romance:
http://patriciajohnsromance.com/2014/10/03/20-seconds/

Genesis 5020 was the reminder I needed, and I love listening to K-Love radio:
http://5020genesis.wordpress.com/2014/10/03/how-can-it-be/

May you be blessed.

Wings to Fly...

...is in, by the grace of God. I pray it pleases Him.

A friend posted this on FB, and it definitely applies.

Wordless

Fanciful...

Sometimes life offers us unexpected fanciful moments.

This toadstool popped up in the backyard.

This is my size 10 shoe and my size 10 foot in said shoe, to give you an idea of the size.

I don't know why, but toadstools have always conjured up fanciful images in my head. Maybe it's the result of Mr. Jeremy Fisher all slippy sloppy in the larder. Thank you, Beatrix Potter.

Sharing links on Saturday...

When I'm in deadline mode I tend to only glance over other blogs. My mind is too preoccupied to enjoy them properly. I almost skipped sharing links, this week. However, Genesis 5020 shared Part 6 and the last part of her Mackinac Island series. I needed to read it and share it.

http://5020genesis.wordpress.com/2014/09/26/how-mackinac-island-is-like-our-spiritual-lives-part-6/

Hope for the Broken Hearted also had several lovely prayers, with beautiful accompanying pictures, this week. They calmed my soul. This is the most recent:

http://hopeforthebrokenhearted.wordpress.com/2014/09/26/prayer-for-september-26th-2/

May you be blessed.

Deadline frustrations...

Wings to Fly is due on 1 October. I think it's the most challenging of any of the books I've written. It was mostly written when I was offered the contract. As I completed the other four books in the series, I made significant discoveries in my life. I hope my writing reflects what I've learned.

When it came time to finally prepare Wings to Fly for publishing it no longer fit. I was stuck in some circular thinking I'd outgrown. I scrapped most of the book and started over. I a week to finish recreating the story that will finish The Silver Locket Sisterhood series.

I've made so many amazing discoveries about Samantha and Jordan. Their battles are more subtle than those of the heroes and heroines of the other books. They tackle the more painful walk of the follower of Christ, the everyday difficulties that trip up a Believer.

It isn't the huge things that crush but the myriad little things building up over time.

This story starts in 1987 and ends in 2001 or 2002. Yes, I'm not sure yet. I'm in rewrites and things tend to change a lot during the process as I learn more and more about the characters and their stories.

Adding to all of it, my allergies have kicked in as the weather cools. My allergy medicine makes me a bit fuzzy in my thinking. Not helpful.

I've reached the point where all I can do is turn it all over to God and pray He sees me through. I fear disappointing Him and not fulfilling my part adequately.

May your day be blessed.

The dog in most of my books...

...is based on my own dog. She passed away several years ago, but she left an everlasting influence.

Miss B was one of many nicknames. She was a rescue mutt. A local pet store made a deal with the vet across the street. Whenever the vet ended up with unwanted puppies, the pet store would sell the pups for a minimal fee that included a first vet visit.

After the passing of my brother's dog, an animal I'd helped care for, I decided I needed a dog of my own. I planned to search the pound and shelters. I would make sure I explored all the possibilities before making a decision. The excursion was planned for a Saturday. On Thursday, I stopped in at the pet shop on my way to grocery shop. It couldn't hurt.

They had a raised enclosure with a bunch of puppies, balls of fur in gold and black. The gold critters were purebreds and appropriately priced. The black fur balls were cheap. I was only looking. What could it hurt?

That night, I dreamed about one of the black balls of fur and even named her. In the dream, I saw her from puppy to close to the end of her life. I denied the meaning of the dream. I was determined to carry out my plan to explore every possibility.

Best laid plans of mice and men... God's ways are not man's ways.

I returned Saturday morning, with the plan to start the day making sure she was still there. She was on the list. We'd see where she was by the end of my excursions.

You guessed it. I never it made it out of the pet shop. I've never been sorry.

Wordless

Sharing Links...

DaySpring, a card company, shared a link to Roy Lessin's blog, in one of their devotional emails:
http://www.meetmeinthemeadow.com/2014/08/the-storm/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=DaySpring%20Devotions&utm_campaign=20140914%20Devo%20Roy&ref=EMAIL20140817DEVO

Patricia Johns shares a bit of her research adventure:
http://patriciajohnsromance.com/2014/09/17/955/

Stephanie Burkhart shares her favorite breakfast:
http://sgcardin.blogspot.com/2014/09/whats-for-breakfast-sept-is-national.html

Donna Hatch is having a TBR Read-a-thon:
http://donnahatch.com/tbr-read-a-thon-answers-and-drawing/

Genesis 5020 shares Part 5 of her series on Mackinac Island:
http://5020genesis.wordpress.com/2014/09/19/how-mackinac-island-is-like-our-spiritual-lives-part-5/

May your day be blessed.

Arizona Dreamin' Event...

One of the features is a Speed-Meet. Attendees enjoy the opportunity to socialize with each other and meet the authors. Tables are set up, and all 27 authors spend 5 minutes at each table giving their pitch. The attendees don't change tables, the authors do.

If you don't know which Book Clubs you want to attend, this is a great opportunity to learn more about each author. I'm a plan ahead sort of person. I look over the list of authors and choose whose Book Club I want to attend before the conference. The Speed-Meet is still a lot of fun.

Once every author has visited every table, you have the opportunity to sign up for 8 book clubs. Some clubs fill up faster than others. Juggling can be a bit of trick, but everyone is helpful. I have enjoyed every club I've attended.

Tickets are still available for the "Early Bird" price of $89. Please add my name in the comments section, so they know I sent you. :-)

 http://arizonadreaminevent.com/

May you be blessed.

Comfort...

I recently bought a new blanket for my bed. It isn't fancy or expensive. It is warm and soft. I love soft. My sensitive skin loves soft.

On the other end of the spectrum, I love crunchy foods like crusty bread, toast, potato crisps, popcorn.

Chocolate was made for comfort. It even includes a natural ingredient that induces a sense of well being. My favorite books create the same feeling.

Milk, tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich, hot chocolate, warm chocolate chip cookies, cake in milk, petting a dog, watching a horse graze, my favorite Christian music artists, certain scents...

God created a world of things to provide comfort.

The paradox: God doesn't want us to be comfortable.

If God wanted us to be comfortable all the time, He would deliver us from evil before it tainted our lives. If He delivered us before we sinned, we wouldn't need a Savior.

Jesus Christ is the Savior, and His sacrifice saves me, providing the grace I need.

God wants us to become our best selves, by our own choice. Not because we are forced to do so, but because we choose to do so. By becoming our best selves, we bring added glory to Him. We can't diminish His glory, but we can add to it, as a child adds to a parent's joy. This whole life process isn't about Him. It's about us.

It's the Abraham and Isaac principle. Isaac was in his 30s when God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his son on the altar. Isaac could have overpowered Abraham to save himself. Both men agreed to follow God's command. Was it possible God didn't know what would happen? The all-knowing Heavenly Father?

Abraham sacrificing Isaac wasn't about Abraham and Isaac proving to God they would obey. Abraham agreeing to sacrifice Isaac and Isaac agreeing to being sacrificed was about Abraham and Isaac proving to themselves they would obey God no matter how difficult the task placed before them.

When I am in uncomfortable and difficult situations what is the lesson I'm being taught?

Did I stumble and fall and need my Savior's saving grace? Or is God giving me the opportunity to prove to myself I will do what He asks of me? I pray I choose God's side.

Sharing links...

Beth Trissel shares a charming post on boxes:
http://bethtrissel.wordpress.com/2014/09/09/whats-in-the-box/

Genesis 5020 is continuing her series on Mackinac Island:
http://5020genesis.wordpress.com/2014/09/12/how-mackinac-island-is-like-our-spiritual-lives-part-4/

Donna Hatch is having a giveaway of her book The Stranger She Married. I loved it.
http://donnahatch.com/tbr-to-be-read-read-a-thon-giveaway-the-stranger-she-married/

May your day be blessed.