It’s Friday night, and I’m remembering my dad. He died five years ago, early on the morning of May 17, 2014.
Less than a month earlier, we had held a big birthday party for my mother. That was the last time I saw my dad.
His death came unexpectedly in the early hours of the morning. I had just spoken with Mom and Dad the night before, and everything seemed fine. We had a good talk and ended the call, as we always did, saying, “I love you.”
To this day, when I hear a story my dad would enjoy, I think, “I need to call Dad and tell him—” And then I remember . . .
But I also remember so many good times, and so many things he taught me.
Dad at age two. Ride ’em, cowboy!
I remember being five years old when he convinced me I was ready to ride a bike. I had my doubts, but I climbed onto that red Schwinn bike and made him promise he’d hold on. He said he’d hold on for as long as I needed.
I felt him steadying the bike as I peddled. Then, from a distance behind me, I heard his voice — “You’re doing it, son! You’re riding the bike!”
I looked behind me and saw him standing a good twenty feet behind me. I panicked. The bike wobbled and veered off the sidewalk toward a tree. I fell off onto the grass — and was amazed I wasn’t hurt.
I look up and saw Dad grinning at me. “You did it, son! Good job!”
“You said you’d hold on as long as I needed you.”
“And you were riding by yourself. You didn’t need my help anymore.”
I picked up my bike, climbed aboard, and took off, solo. My dad was right.
Mom, Dad, and me in 1953.
Some of my earliest memories are of him teaching me to memorize Scripture. There was John 3:16, of course, and Ephesians 2:8-9, Proverbs 3:5-6, and all of the 23rd Psalm.
I later learned that he had read the entire Bible, from Genesis to Revelation — not once, but at least forty times during his life.
He was the most Christlike man I’ve ever personally known. He worked for one employer, a bank, for his entire career. In the 1960s, his branch manager embezzled tens of thousands of dollars, and was in the process of framing my dad for the crime when the auditors caught him. My dad forgave him.
As Dad approached retirement, the higher-ups in the bank tried to force him out. They transferred him multiple times, and tried to make him miserable. Their plan was to get him to quit early and forfeit his pension. He continued doing his job well and refused to let anything get to him. And he forgave them.
Mom and Dad visiting missionary friends in Guadalupe, 1993
There are very few people of whom you can say, “He had no enemies, not one.” But I can honestly say that about my dad.
In 2014, Dad was looking forward to meeting his first great-grandchild, Benjamin, who was in the process of being adopted. Mom and Dad prayed for Benjamin every day. Benjamin arrived in July, and Dad missed meeting him by about two months. But Benjamin knows that his Great Grandpa Denney was praying for him.
At Dad’s funeral, my daughter described his passing this way: “He went to bed that night, and he woke up the next morning in heaven.” Five years later, I still miss him every day, and I still find comfort in that thought.
BOOK COVER: Embracing the future means remembering the past . . .
When Beck Holiday lost her father in the North Tower on 9/11, she also lost her memories of him. Eighteen years later, she’s a tough New York City cop burdened with a damaging secret, suspended for misconduct, and struggling to get her life in order. Meanwhile a mysterious letter arrives informing her she’s inherited a house along Florida’s northern coast, and what she discovers there will change her life forever. Matters of the heart only become more complicated when she runs into handsome Bruno Endicott, a driven sports agent who fondly recalls the connection they shared as teenagers. But Beck doesn’t remember that either.
Decades earlier, widow Everleigh Applegate lives a steady, uneventful life with her widowed mother after a tornado ripped through Waco, Texas, and destroyed her new, young married life. When she runs into old high school friend Don Callahan, she begins to yearn for change. Yet no matter how much she longs to love again, she is hindered by a secret she can never share.
Fifty years separate the women but through the power of love and miracle of faith, they each find healing in a beautiful Victorian known affectionately as The Memory House.
“Accomplished Hauck demonstrates genre finesse as she blends inspirational romance with a cinematic style of storytelling, bringing empathic characters to life as they cope with grief in marriage and faithfulness, parenthood and adoption, death and tragedy. Challenging decisions, the blessing of finding love again, and the solace of a beautiful Victorian home all come together in this spellbinding, lovely novel.” —Booklist
REVIEW: This time slip story hooked me from the first as current timeline character police officer Beck Holiday bursts on the scene, “She was never afraid of the dark. But the light! Now that terrified her. So when the perp ran down shadowed, dark Avenue D, she followed without hesitation…”NYPD. Stop!”
I felt as if I were running down the avenue with Beck and her partner Hogan. I felt compassion for Beck, her situation and sensed her hard exterior helped her deal with life. I enjoyed this author well-timed humor in the middle of it all.
Everleigh’s heartbreaking story takes place in a peaceful quieter time in Waco, Texas, May 1958. Readers experience life and love through Everleigh’s newlywed eyes, filled with wonderful plans for the future. Her faith is tested, through horrific circumstances. At times she was weak, but ends up doing what she does best by keeping her head up and doing what needed to be done. In the end it ends up being her enduring legacy.
Everleigh and Beck, hit their bottom and can no longer go on living life as usual. It’s through the power of forgiveness and faith their lives are changed. They get a sense of hope from the prayers and encouragement of others. Bruno’s life also illustrates this when he reaches out to a young man in need of a hand up in the sports arena.
Bruno Endicott (Beck’s love interest) carved a niche for himself in the sports world despite the fact he felt people saw him as nothing. His faith journey was strengthened when he helped a downtrodden man be the best he could be. Don Callahan (Everleigh’s love interest) struggled with pleasing his parents or following his heart. He didn’t want to let anyone down but couldn’t live a lie either. I admired his determination to win Everleigh’s heart and love her unconditionally as she went through the grieving process. It was refreshing to read as the author put it, “Funny thing about love, real love – it filled every soul with courage.”
The story is mainly told through Beck and Everleigh’s eyes, but the author also has readers see things through Bruno Edinott and Dan Callagan’s eyes too. There were times I couldn’t read the book fast enough because of suspenseful moments in both time lines. I enjoyed the natural spiritual growth in the main characters. The theme of forgiveness and unconditional love were naturally woven in. Loved that. I liked Gaynor’s testimony, her display of grace and forgiveness. Her willingness to face the tough situations in her marriage and the things God calls her to walk through. Its mind boggling what forgiveness can allow you to do.
This book was a great read and one that would work well for book club with its rich characters, I enjoyed hanging out with and their fun story.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”
I believe gratitude should play an important role in our lives. I think it’s essential to thank God for all the blessings in our lives. Each day we have so much in front of us that we often take for granted – a new day on the earth, a roof over our heads, food to eat, and even the air that we breathe. There are many people in the world who did not wake up this morning, who do not have a home to call their own, who cannot afford to buy groceries, or who cannot even breathe on their own.
It’s also vital to say “thank you” to the people around us. We should thank our spouse for making coffee in the morning, thank our child for helping clean up the house, thank the coworker who helped with a project, and thank the stranger who held the door when entering a building. Those two words can express so much. They can tell someone that they matter. They can brighten someone’s day. And they ultimately can send a bit a God’s love out into a hurting world.
Another key aspect of gratitude is keeping a gratitude journal. Every night I write down at least five things that I am thankful for. After a hectic day, I find this to be a very peaceful process. Looking back on my day, no matter what happened, even if I had a bad day, I can always find things that went right. I can always find things to be thankful for. If I wasn’t intentional about gratitude, I would miss many blessings in my life.
Obviously gratitude is very meaningful to me. In fact, I even wrote a book on it! (Every Day is a Gift.)
However, I recently discovered that not everyone has this same opinion. I suppose I can understand someone being neutral to gratitude, if they never attempted to practice it before. But I recently heard someone say something against gratitude which shocked me. The person said that when we say “thank you” too much, we appear to be insincere! This statement was not directed towards me specifically. She said it in general to a room full of people. Yet even though it was not meant for me, in a way, it still hurt.
I disagree with what this person said. I truly believe we should thank the people around us for the kind gestures they do, no matter how small. And we should thank God for all the things He does for us, each and every day.
I’m curious, what is your opinion? Do you agree with the lady who said that saying “thank you” too much makes us seem insincere? Or do you believe expressing gratitude to God and our loved ones is important?
I don’t know about you, but I tend to take holidays as a moment to reflect. Mother’s Day was no exception. There are so many amazing memories from our wedding prayer that included my husband’s children, to playing Rock Band with the youngest two. Over twenty years of recollections.
Like it or not, there’s also a look back at the mistakes. Meals no one would eat, frustrating times where I yelled. And recently, the realization I handed our daughter an ugly habit.
She called me out for shying away from the camera because I lamented I wasn’t attractive enough to be captured for memory.
Ouch.
Apparently I’ve been so vain about it over the years that when our church set up a Mother’s Day photo booth it wasn’t me that complained, it was her. She was against her picture, repeating the same words I didn’t realize I’d projected on her.
I hate that I’ve done this. After all, the two of us are writing a series for tweens, teens, and women of all ages about surrendering negative thoughts. Our first message was about believing we’re ugly and letting go of that lie. Yet anytime a camera comes around, I tend to disappear, believing every Arduini is photogenic but me. I look at an image and I find the flaws—the extra pounds, pale skin, glasses, bags under my eyes, bad hair day. Yet if anyone says that about themselves, I hurt because I see the truth. I find the kind smile and bright eyes. The hair I wish I could pull off. The cute clothes. Ugh. Why do we do this to ourselves?
I didn’t realize how deep my issue was until a friend called me out on it even before my daughter did. I started paying attention to my self-talk and couldn’t believe where I’ve found myself. My husband and I were videotaped as part of a testimony to accompany the “Breakthrough” series our pastor is leading at church. On the day they scheduled the taping, the only day that would work, I drove 300 miles from my mom’s straight to church. As a “CurlyGirl,” I had been co-washing, but was due for a shampoo. Turns out there was none in the bathroom I was using, and I had not packed any. All through taping I said I needed a disclaimer. I was obsessed with how I would appear on camera.
The reality? The story we shared was emotional and full of God’s glory. The last thing people were paying attention to was my hair. But I spent so much time worrying and apologizing for it.
I mentor girls and my message is the last thing I want to pass on to them. They are God’s crowning achievement. Beautiful. Beloved. He crafted freckles. The gray I’m letting come in to see how it looks is precious in His sight.
One of my mentors told me years ago that looking like Barbie might have advantages, but there are disadvantages as well. When they speak, few take them seriously. I’ve seen it. I’ve done it. I even shared the same message that a perky, blonde with blue eyes shared, and the audience reaction differed. The audience didn’t trust her, they didn’t find her relatable because of her looks. The audience received my message, the same one, because I looked more like them. They trusted me.
I knew as soon as I heard about that photo booth that I needed to get in line. When our daughter protested, I spent time sharing all the traits she has inside and out that set her apart. How captivating I find her. How God created her and when we complain about our looks, we’re telling Him He makes junk.
So if you struggle with your outer beauty, if you hide when a camera comes out, I hope my learning experience helps you. I need to embrace the truth about who I truly am and stop letting fear of rejection keep me from capturing beautiful moments.
We all need to.
***
If you know a female of any age, Hannah and I hope you’ll join our movement to surrender the “stinkin’ thinkin’.” We are beautiful, amazing, and brilliant. Please consider You’re Beautiful and You’re Amazing for your reading pleasure.
Today I got a request from a total stranger to help him out with a surprise for the love of his life and one of my loyal readers. I can’t tell you what an honor it is to meet up with book people. I didn’t even have to be published for this to occur. The best part of writing is the people you’ll meet.
I met some of my best friends when I was learning to write — when — gasp — the internet was barely a thing. Now most of them are bestselling authors, but we went through all the rejections together and that forges a bond that is so strong. Only another writer can understand the sheer joy of getting a manuscript accepted and the utter despair when working on something for years only to hear, “No.” And often, not a very nice “no.” Some of them really stung. But we always had each other and we felt each others’ pain.
We’ve had huge highs like Denise Hunter having three Hallmark movies made. We’ve had really horrible times like the loss of many we loved. One of them like a sister to us. (Diann Hunt) To this day, I write with our group picture on my desk. It reminds me of our bond and of all we went through together — and that it’s not over. We will reunite in heaven. My point is, there is no better way to go through life than with your people. The people who understand who you are — with all your talents — and your faults. It’s what makes anything you do matter.
Diann Hunt, Kristin Billerbeck, Colleen Coble, Denise Hunter — eventually we added Hannah Alexander to our group too!
Every time I want to give up writing because there’s too much going on and I have nothing left to give the page, something happens that defies explanation. Someone will call me out of the blue and want me to ghostwrite a book. Or someone will write me a letter out of the blue telling me how one of my books changed their lives. That is so incredibly humbling and I know without a doubt, it is 100% God and He gives me a little nudge when I get whiny.
A few years ago, I had readers meet up here in San Francisco. Two of them were all the way from Australia and then, there was a family from Wisconsin. They had all met and befriended each other on my personal blog. This week, one of them is returning to San Francisco and I’ll get to hang out with her and catch up on life in Oz. Before I met her, she met up with another reader in Australia and they held my picture between them and sent it to me.
The thing is, I’m really honored to have been a writer. It’s the best job in the world. There are ups and there are downs, but one thing is constant — book lovers — whether writers or readers — share a bond that connects us in the most magical way.
So many American folk sayings are attributed to Benjamin Franklin or Abraham Lincoln. “Never swap a horse in mid-stream” is credited to Honest Abe, though it’s actually from an old joke that made its rounds in the 1840s.
Here’s how the joke goes: A poor fellow was crossing a stream on a mare, with a colt in tow. Falling off the mare, he grabbed the colt’s tail as it swam toward the bank. Onlookers yelled that he should take the mare’s tail instead as she was the stronger swimmer. But the man held fast to the colt, shouting in reply that this was not a good time for him to change horses.
Personally, I’m impressed this poor fellow had the wherewithal to shout something wise and profound in the midst of a very personal crisis. But set that aside, and let’s ponder the point.
Is it ever wise to swap a horse mid-stream? I just did so.
After more than thirty novels about the Old Order Amish, all set in the same little fictitious town of Stoney Ridge, Pennsylvania, my editor called and asked if I would be interested in writing a contemporary women’s series. “Pick a spot on either coast,” she said. “And think of summer. Think of a place that calls to a woman’s heart.”
Well, that wasn’t hard to do. The coast of Maine, during long summer days, calls to us all. Even those who haven’t been to Maine have a sense of it in their minds. Early sunrises, the smell of balsam pine, crashing waves on rocky shores, sounds of seagulls and loons, big bowls of plump blueberries for breakfast, bright red lobster for dinner.
Ah, but I digress. Back to my main point: is it wise to switch genres? After all, it wasn’t like I’d fallen off the horse in that rushing stream.
Bottom line, a writer is a writer. But that doesn’t mean that I would agree to write in any genre. I avoid reading thrillers, for example, and if I had to write one, it would be more of a “calmer.”
Although a writer is a writer, she still needs to true to herself. On a Summer Tide is a story about a family in a small town community full of quirky characters. So far, sounds a little like my Amish novels, doesn’t it? Nature plays a big part of the story, too. Hmmm, sounds very Amish.
But the tangles in this story are more like those in our everyday world. A demanding career causes our main character, Camden Grayson, to drift off track, resulting in anxiety issues for her little seven-year-old boy, Cooper. When Cam’s dad buys a bankrupt island off the coast of Maine, she’s convinced that dear old Dad has lost his mind. Until she gets there, catches her breath, and finds herself drifting back on course. There’s just something about an island…
I won’t spoil the ending for you, but I do hope you enjoy this summer read as much as I enjoyed writing it.
So is it ever wise to swap horses in mid-stream? It has been for me. I might just switch again, in fact. Stay tuned. 😉
About Our Guest Author: Christy award nominee Suzanne Woods Fisher writes stories that take you to places you’ve never visited—one with characters that seem like old friends. But most of all, her books give you something to think about long after you’ve finished reading it. With over one million copies of her books sold worldwide, Suzanne is the best-selling author of more than thirty books, ranging from non-fiction books, to children’s books, to novels and lives with her very big family in northern California.
Here are a few of my favorite insights from children’s authors about the books they write and the readers they write for . . .
Illustration from Five Children and It by E. Nesbit
“You must write the book that wants to be written. If the book will be too difficult for grownups, you write it for children.” —Madeleine L’Engle
“When I was young I longed to write a great novel that should win me fame. Now that I am getting old my first book is written to amuse children. For aside from my evident inability to do anything ‘great,’ I have learned to regard fame as a will-o-the-wisp which, when caught, is not worth the possession; but to please a child is a sweet and lovely thing that warms one’s heart and brings its own reward.” —L. Frank Baum
“There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island.” —Walt Disney
“It is usual to speak in a playfully apologetic tone about one’s adult enjoyment of what are called ‘children’s books.’ I think the convention a silly one. No book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally (and often far more) worth reading at the age of fifty—except, of course, books of information. The only imaginative works we ought to grow out of are those which it would have been better not to have read at all. A mature palate will probably not much care for crème de menthe: but it ought still to enjoy bread and butter and honey.” —C. S. Lewis
“I love letters from little kids. Adults never proclaim themselves ‘your number one fan!’” —Lauren Baratz-Logsted
“The only lastingly important form of writing is writing for children. It is writing that is carried in the reader’s heart for a lifetime; it is writing that speaks to the future.” —Sonya Hartnett
“Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.” —G. K. Chesterton
“You must write for children the same way you write for adults, only better.” —Maxim Gorky
“I believe that good questions are more important than answers, and the best children’s books ask questions, and make the readers ask questions. And every new question is going to disturb someone’s universe.” —Madeleine L’Engle
“In our time, when the literature for adults is deteriorating, good books for children are the only hope, the only refuge.” —Isaac Bashevis Singer
Illustration from Five Children and It by E. Nesbit
“Reading should not be presented to children as a chore or a duty. It should be offered to them as a precious gift.” —Kate DiCamillo
“Most children won’t remember an author’s name, but they remember a good story.”
—Amy Timberlake
“Good writing is difficult no matter what the reader’s age—and children deserve the best.” —Aaron Shepard
“It is not enough to simply teach children to read; we have to give them something worth reading. Something that will stretch their imaginations—something that will help them make sense of their own lives and encourage them to reach out toward people whose lives are quite different from their own.”
—Katherine Patterson
“Don’t you think it’s rather nice to think that we’re in a book that God’s writing? If I were writing the book, I might make mistakes. But God knows how to make the story end just right—in the way that’s best for us.” —E. Nesbit
“I’ve never written for kids. I’m just trying to tap into the kid in myself and just go with my taste.” ―Andrew Stanton (screenwriter, Finding Nemo and WALL-E)
“The world is dark, and light is precious. Come closer, dear reader. You must trust me. I am telling you a story.” —Kate DiCamillo
Hello, friends! I recently read a fabulous book that I wanted to tell you about – Drawing Ever Closer: 365 Days of Transforming Truth by Jennifer Hayes Yates. This book is a yearlong devotional, directed towards women specifically. Many of us have read devotionals in the past, but this book is unlike any devotional I have read before. It walks the reader through the books of Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, and Job. Each day focuses on one verse within a given chapter. I think this book would also make a great Bible study tool, if you want to dig deeper into any of the above mentioned books.
By reading through this book, I think it will help the reader to immerse themselves more in the Word. Sometimes our daily Bible reading can seem a bit routine, but this book is a beautiful instrument that will help you feel more engaged in your studies. Also at the end of each day there are additional Bible verses that the reader can look up on their own for further study. I like this idea because some days we have more time than others, or some days we just need more time with the Lord. So this gives the reader an option to absorb more of the Bible, if they would like to.
One particular thing that really hit home was what a treasure the books of Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, and Job are. I have read them before, but now I am seeing them in a different light and I have new appreciation for them. The above mentioned books run the gamut of emotions and topics – praise, worship, wisdom, revelation, pain, and much more. This devotional helps the reader to process each of these things in a godly way. I feel this book will also aid the reader in seeing God’s heart. Whatever it is that we are going through in our lives, He wants to be there for us. He wants us to come running to Him with all of our emotions, thoughts, trials, and joys. He is always there, waiting for us to come to Him.
Reading this book has been an amazing journey for me. I think it will be for you as well. No matter where you are in your Christian walk, I believe you will get some valuable insight out of this book. Here is the link where you can find it on Amazon. Happy Reading!
Many women don’t need Mother’s Day. This is because they are treated like royalty all year long. When a woman is treated like a queen, it means that:
She is expected to be present at an endless round of athletic events, concerts, award ceremonies, and other occasions in which she has very little interest.
She is given an endless array of useless knickknacks and handmade gifts she is expected to cherish and display in a place of honor.
She is expected to do her duty, smile graciously, and receive no thanks, just having her position being considered reward enough.
She is expected to set a perfect example while enduring in silence the embarrassing indiscretions of her children.
She is constantly being criticized for her frumpy clothes and outdated ideas.
She is constantly being told that her position is an outdated anachronism.
She is constantly bombarded with requests when all she really wants to do is to be left alone in peace.
I told Mel this weekend that I had agreed to go walking with a friend of ours in the mornings after water aerobics. The above was his response.
“Sweetheart, are you sure about this?” he asked. “That’s two straight hours of exercise.”
“Oh, it’ll be fine. I’m good for it. I love walking, you know that.”
He just raised his brows a little higher.
So today was my second day of walking with Connie. I didn’t mention that she’s younger than me and so filled with energy that she never sits still. And that sometimes she’s that type of glass-completely-full woman who thinks more and faster is always better. Oh, yeah. And she doesn’t do aerobic swimming in the mornings, so she isn’t already half worn out by that hour of constant motion–our instructors are in their twenties. I’m not twenty anymore. This morning, after two hours of all-out exercise yesterday, the girls in my water aerobics class were afraid I would fall asleep and drown. They kept a special eye on me.
Yesterday I went walking with my water bottle. I got so weak I kept dropping it. So today I walked with my oxygen bottle. It’s lighter. Walmart sells oxygen bottles this close to the mountains. We’ve used them on our hikes as we’ve become accustomed to the higher elevation. Today I thought I might use up all the oxygen in that bottle. We have more bottles, however, and I plan to keep it up. I love walking and gasping…er…I mean talking with Connie.
Do you recall that blog I wrote a few months ago about the wonderful woman who rescues feral cats and cares for sick animals? Well, she agreed to be president of the organization that supports that service. She doesn’t know how to say “No.” A couple of days ago she explained to me that the secretary of that group is quitting. She asked if I’d step in and take that position.
Have I mentioned that I’m not very good at saying that word, either? So I’m the new secretary of a cat rescue mission group. Mel and I have rescued feral cats for fifteen years in three different states, and though I swore off ever adopting another cat, I still have a soft spot for those starving, struggling, constantly breeding animals.
One of our Rescued Cats and Her Little Surprises
But that’s it. I’m done. Tonight when Mel gets home I’m going to ask him to teach me how to say “no” effectively.
No, wait, what am I saying? What about the many times I’ve had to help HIM practice saying that word? It’s a perfectly good word. We’ve agreed on that. It can be softened with a smile and an apology, or a very good reason. And folks around here will take the word at face value. They are hardy folk who don’t get their knickers in a wad when someone says “No.”
Sitting here in agony with my muscles screaming every time I make a move, I’m thinking that’s a word I need to explore in a little more depth.
This Cat Says No a Lot
Here’s my buddy, Data. He is also a rescue cat. He took over the house when we brought him home, and he still knows how to say “No” without hurting my feelings. He does it with much affection but with firmness. I think perhaps Mel and I can both learn from our laid-back cat. Sometimes the word “No” can be a life saver.
If you have any helpful advice to give to a pushover, feel free!
Commit to the Lord whatever you do and your plans will succeed. Prov 16:3
I just handed in the final book in a series. While it feels good to finish the project, it’s sad to say goodbye to characters I’ve lived with for two years. They became a part of my life and I visit them every day, so letting go is bittersweet. But once I finish, it means my readers then get to meet these wonderful characters and the story lives on.
I will now be getting ready to work on another project. It’s always exciting to get started on a new book, while at the same time, daunting. I primarily write romance and mystery, but the next three books will be women’s fiction. Learning curves are scary and satisfying. Will I be able to bring my ideas into fruition? Will readers enjoy my characters? It’s never easy to start those first pages, but thankfully once I get in the flow, things start to make sense.
The end of my current Harlequin series also brings with it another task, coming up with new story ideas for a future series. I know a few things so far; like the location where I’m going to set these stories and the overall premise, but I still must come up with compelling characters and plot lines. I have a notebook with ideas already laid out, but the process is slow going. That’s a good thing, because I want to get it right.
After handing in my last book, I needed a few days off to clear my mind. I was out on my deck the other morning and noticed some of the potted plants blooming.
My daughter got me this plant a few years ago for my birthday and to be honest, I don’t have much of a green thumb. It never bloomed so I stuck it outside and forgot about it until spring rolled around and these beautiful, colorful petals took me by surprise. Now, each year, more buds blossom and I have a delightful surprise after winter turns to spring.
Writing is like this. You have ideas, and after nurturing them and working hard to make the best story line possible, they blossom into a book. I love being a writer, including the different stages of the writing process, from the vague kernel of a story idea to the finished product and every part in between. I’m amazed at the outcome when I finish a book, just like I am every time I see these beautiful flowers on my deck. They’re a reminder of the work I love and the promise of beautiful stories to come.
Tara Randel is an award-winning, USA Today bestselling author. Family values, a bit of mystery and of course, love and romance, are her favorite themes, because she believes love is the greatest gift of all. Look for her next Harlequin Heartwarming romance, TRUSTING HER HEART, available August 2019. Visit Tara at www.tararandel.com.Like her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TaraRandelBooks. Sign up for Tara’s Newsletter and receive a link to download a free digital book.
I have terrible handwriting. And I have no excuse. When I was ten years old, my teacher tried to teach me good penmanship, but I didn’t care and I didn’t make the effort. To this day, I can’t write anything in cursive. My “handwriting” is a second-grade-level block-letter printing so illegible I often can’t read it myself.
Last week, I heard about ten-year-old Sara Hinesley, a student at St. John’s Regional Catholic School in Frederick, Maryland. She entered the 2019 Zaner-Bloser National Handwriting Contest and won the Nicholas Maxim Award.
Now here’s the important part of the story: Sara has no hands.
Her arms end at the wrists, She holds the pencil between the ends of her arms. She writes beautifully.
I have to ask myself: Why can a ten-year-old girl without hands do something I can’t do with two perfectly functional hands? The answer is: I can’t because I never made the effort.
If a girl without hands can win a handwriting contest, what is my excuse for not achieving my goals in life? Obviously, I have no excuse. Little Sara Hinesley took all my excuses away.
ABC News story about Sara Hinesley
These days, I do all my writing with a laptop computer, so learning to write with beautiful cursive pen strokes is not a top priority for me. But I do have other goals I want to reach. And yes, sometimes I’ve had excuses for not achieving them yet.
But I’m done with excuses.
Legendary Alabama football coach Bear Bryant kept a plaque on his office wall that read, “What have you traded for what God has given you today?” Lately, I’ve been asking myself that question at the end of every day.
I remind myself that God has given me the gift of 86,400 seconds, each and every day. Once I’ve spent that allotment of time, it’s gone and I can never get it back.
What did I get in return for those 86,400 seconds? Did I invest them in the pursuits that matter? Am I doing the work God gave me to do? Am I fulfilling the purpose God has for my life?
Or am I just making excuses because I didn’t make the effort?
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Note: Don’t miss my interviews with Christian romance writer Robin Lee Hatcher (author of Who I Am With You and An Idaho Christmas: Past and Present), and Christian science fiction writer Kerry Nietz (author of Amish Vampires in Space and Fraught). Visit my website at Writing in Overdrive. See you there!
A new service for writers is what Cindy Sproles and I came up with at a recent writers conference in Florida. We’re aware of how we were taught and encouraged through the years and want to pass on that helpful information to others wanting to enter the writing profession or improve what they’re already writing. This service is almost ready to be launched and we’ll be putting out a newsletter periodically. We look forward to this with great enthusiasm. If you have any questions, email me: yvonnelehman3@gmail.com.
Several years ago, the company where I worked was changing software systems. As part of the IT department, there was a lot of stress during that time. In a nutshell, we had to get all the data from the old system into the new system. Sounds simple, but it wasn’t. There were many bumps in the road. I am sure at times I did not have the best attitude.
In addition to long hours Monday through Friday, I also worked from home most Saturdays. On one particular Saturday I was having trouble getting into my work computer from home, so I drove all the way to work, about an hour away. I was feeling sorry for myself and asked God “Why?” Why did everything keep going wrong? Why couldn’t just one thing go right? Why did we have so much trouble and stress?
“This is only a test!”
That was God’s answer. I felt God telling me that this was all a test. Every bump in the road was a test. Every setback was a test. Every brick wall was a test. Every time something went wrong, it was a test.
This realization completely changed my attitude. From then on, I tried my best to stay positive and cheerful. I also tried to help keep my coworkers in good spirits. When my husband asked how work was going, I would tell him, “I love it!” On one occasion, his reply was, “So they let you drink now?” 😉
When life gets stressful or when things don’t go as planned, if we could keep the idea that this might be a test, wouldn’t that help us to handle it differently?
I do believe some tests come from God, as He is always trying to build our character. As long as we are on this earth, He will try to mold us to be more like Jesus. He will try to scrape away the things in our lives that don’t belong.
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” – Psalm 139:23-24
However, some tests also come from the enemy. He likes to tear us down, especially when we are doing something for the Kingdom of God. I have a friend who has been trying to write a Christian book for two years. Every time she tries to work on it, she winds up in the hospital. The enemy uses physical battles against her. With me, he uses emotional battles. If I take a step in the right direction, or step out of my comfort zone, he uses other people in my life to attack my feelings. I think since I am an introvert, he knows this is an easy way to get me to keep to myself.
“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.” – 1 Peter 5:8-9
What battles are you facing today? What mountains are in front of you? What roadblocks are in your way? Could it be that some of the things that you are dealing with are only a test?
Words have always meant something to me, long before I decided to make it my full-time focus. I was always reading, and many say, always talking. Lame confession, but lyrics are just as important to me. Maybe it was PMS, but as a teen my sister walked into my room to find me crying.
Why?
There is a line in Poison’s Every Rose Has a Thorn that gets me every time. The words just get me. I know. Poison. Hair band. It’s the line about meeting someone new, and what they had never meant anything. Not the real lyrics, but gah, getting me even now as I paraphrase them.
As I walked a new life of faith in Christ, words became that much more holy to me. God’s word. It’s not archaic history to collect dust on a shelf to me. It is life. The Psalms are artistry and counseling at once. Song of Songs? Hello? If you don’t think God loves love, then you’ve missed those passages that make me blush. (Please understand the love reserved in those pages are about married love, and it’s hot, people!)
Anyway, back to lyrics. As I’ve clawed out of emotional pits and rejoiced on mountaintop experiences, music and lyrics have been my anthems for those moments. This Easter season, actually all year, it has been My Living Hope by Phil Wickham and Brian Mark Johnson. The words leap off the page and crush my soul. I will never do it justice to say that this song so perfectly displays who Jesus is and what His mission was, is, and will be.
It got me thinking. When we enjoyed our Easter service, our pastor made a comment that started a thread for me to follow. What if? What if Jesus rejected the plan? Where would we be?
I had to follow that thread. And I’m a terrible evangelist, but those who have known me, I mean knew me in high school and college and know me today, they know there has been a change that no human could get credit for. When people say prayer doesn’t work or God isn’t real, my heart hurts. Hurts. Because I am living proof that prayer changes everything, even if and especially when it doesn’t go the way I wanted. And God, through Christ accepting the plan for His life, death, and resurrection, has been so real in my life.
I want to share that thread because maybe you’re without hope. I’m nobody special. But maybe through my words you will see you have Living Hope. And you will chase that thread down. I promise you, Jesus will meet you there.
Where I’d Be Without Living Hope:
–I’d be an alcoholic. How do I know? I used alcohol to numb my anger and rejection. I used it to give myself false confidence that in reality, made me a verbal bully. I was drinking double sloe gin fizzes and not getting buzzed after. It wasn’t immediate, but as I slowly trusted that God wasn’t a tyrant shaking His head at me, I realized His arms were open and His love, unconditional. When I hear the words “He set me free,” I know that’s true.
–I’d be divorced. I wouldn’t have even met my husband, I’m sure, because that entire coming together was woven in heaven and executed in a fashion no man or woman could put together. Even if I had, and we had married I assure you, my brokenness I entered marriage in would have sent me packing pretty early. My mindset was to leave a relationship before I got rejected. When things got tough, I was gone. If not physically, emotionally. I also would have acted on what Dr. Gary Chapman called “the tinglies.” It’s often an innocent thing someone else does that gives you positive affirmation years after marriage has settled in. I am certain I would have followed that thread to destruction. Saying a prayer to allow Christ to be a daily part of my life didn’t get me a get out of crisis card for marriage, but my leaning HARD on Him when things were tough and I was selfish, I KNOW that is why I remain married at all.
-I wouldn’t be a mom. For one, that was not something I wanted. I didn’t grow up like my friends dreaming of raising children. I was career oriented. Even after that slow yes to trading my angry life for one of hope, I discovered I had severe PCOS and most likely could not have kids. The pain I had led to a surgery where half my ovaries were removed. They were 5x the size of normal. The pain was so great I literally laid down my desire to be a mom and told God I trusted Him. That is not a prayer I throw out easily or often. Our children are 20 and 15. God also spared the 20 year old in the womb when I had a terrible car accident. I had bowling balls that should have flown forward when my van flipped. They fell out the back window like a couple of dice. The medics said it defied logic that I walked away without a scratch. Years later, our daughter was at death’s door because of a doctor error. It was the second time I surrendered my desire to be a mom to Him and said if He had to take her, I’d need everything He had to survive, but I trusted His ways. I know not all prayers are answered the ways ours was, and trust me, I plan to spend most of eternity asking Jesus these questions. And He will be okay with that.
–I wouldn’t be an author. I’d most likely be writing fan fiction living out jealous and bitter of people like EL James. Sure, I get jealous at times of people who write trash and earn millions, but I can’t put a pricetag on lives changed when I write what He tells me to write, when He directs. Those words give someone Living Hope.
In short, He has transformed my deep pain into a positive daily walk where I live to encourage others. He has healed my body and my mind. He has given me tools to enjoy marriage and parenthood, even when my prayers were not answered in ways I wanted. He gave me courage to let go of fear of rejection and write so readers could surrender their issues and find freedom in Christ. He has given me HIs strength to overcome anger, grief, bitterness, betrayal and so much more not just from my old life, but even these days where I consider Him the beginning of my day, my middle, my end, my every part of my day. It is not an easy life. The tears I have shed.
But. But. He did not become our Living Hope for nothing. All of His sacrifice has eternal purpose and in my limited understanding, I want nothing more than to cling to HIs robe and follow.
I have a new release, a Christian romance novella that shares a little of my own faith story fictionalized called Match Made in Heaven. Check it out! Free Kindle Unlimited. Softcover also available.
