What Are 11 Things My Life Doesn't Need in 2011?

Prompt: 11 Things. What are 11 things your life doesn't need in 2011? How will you go about eliminating them? How will getting rid of these 11 things change your life?

1. Stuff and clutter--I learned this lesson from FlyLady about seven or eight years ago, but I need to get back in the habit of spending 10-15 minutes a day decluttering. If I don't use it, if I have duplicates, if it brings me down, if it doesn't make me smile--these are my main guidelines, again, thanks to FlyLady. I especially need this mantra after moving things back this week, smack in the middle of the holiday season, from my husband's place after his two and a half years of working out of town. The less stuff I have to take care of, the better I feel. Nothing like a trip to Goodwill or McKay to make me feel lighter in every way.

2. Regrets--Why didn't I start writing sooner? Why didn't I parent better in certain areas? Why didn't I save more and spend less? I need to make a clean break. Every day is a do-over.

3. Stress--I need to walk, to take care of the things I can, and to leave the rest to God. Most of the things I worry about never become a real threat. And it could almost always be worse.

4. Activities that are meaningless, to me anyway--at least in comparison to the ones I love most. When will I catch on to the fact that I can't do everything, give everything, and be everything? Why not follow my calling, my gifts, my passions, instead of thinking I need to seize every opportunity that drifts into sight? The world will be better off for me doing a few things I love well, rather than spreading myself into mediocrity.

5. Other people's guilt trips--see #4. They don't usually know what the Lord is leading ME to do. They don't do everything. And if they try to, why should I? I answer to Him, my family, and whatever my other current commitments may be.

6. Other people's drama--Sure, I can listen, offer advice, but no need to be swept into anger or self-pity while empathizing. In fact, I may need to be more honest with them, in a gentle way, of course.

7. Time-wasters--Too much time on Facebook, too much TV, too much time taking care of possessions that aren't even important enough to keep. See #1.

8. Items on the Bucket List that don't matter--I'll concentrate, instead, on a few that I've kept putting off, saying there isn't time or money. Life is short. I should make the time or money available if what I want to do is important enough.

9. Anything that keeps me from reading my Bible and praying each day--Doing this creates such a life-transforming difference in my attitude and actions each day. Often I let tasks take precedence before I start my day with this all-important communication with the Lord.

10. Anything that cuts into or distracts from precious time with family and friends--As Jim Croce sang in "Time in a Bottle," "There never seems to be enough time to do the things we wanna do, once we find them." The temptation to put a phone or computer between me and loved ones is great, but couldn't that wait while we eat, talk, watch a movie, or play a game together? If I need to maximize time, wouldn't it be better to do something mindless, like folding laundry, while we visit?

11. Whatever I need to leave in the past, meaning to accept change and transition as a fact and not necessarily an evil--In other words, if something special gets broken or a family member dies, I need to look for what's good and new afterwards. Often I find broken or lost items needed to be purged. And those who pass from us into the presence of the Lord are happy. We are grieving for their presence, not for them. We need to take comfort in our special memories and to form new memories and traditions, as well as stronger relationships with the loved ones we still have with us. We can learn the preciousness of life and love even as we still feel the pain of loss.

Looks like 2011 will be a great year in which to let go.

Baby Steps on a Cold Winter's Day

It didn't snow today, but it's not getting past twenty-something, so a frosty pic seemed appropro. For the South, this is hibernating weather. What does that have to do with resolutions and keeping them?

It would be easy to vegetate near our new radiant heater and play on the computer. I could polish off the Christmas cookies or make a big dent in the dark chocolate I received as gifts. And I admit, I didn't blog yesterday, we ate unhealthy holiday food for dinner, and I slept in this morning.

However, making changes in my life is not about punishing myself when I don't strictly stick to my goals. It's about baby steps. Making one little change at a time.

One thing I like about today is going through some memorabilia my hubby found during our Saturday purge. I started a box (leftover from gifts) for each of the kids and told our son he might try sifting through and picking out one to three items he treasures most. Then when we come to another container of oldies but goodies, he can do the same with that. I read somewhere long ago to keep only one receptacle for memories. Then sort it each year, saving only a few items and discarding the rest. You keep the most meaningful objects and don't take up valuable real estate in your home. And it's easy to find and get out from time to time and remember what's important to you.

Samples of what we found: a letter, full of funny misspellings. our daughter wrote in second grade to our son; our son's drawings based on the movie, The Mask; tickets to Knott's Berry Farm and postcards of Hollywood.

This reminds me we need to get a scanner so we can lose the numerous boxes of photos that I will never get into scrapbooks. If I put these on CDs or DVDs, think what space we'll gain. I can do it one picture, one box at a time.

Do you have a place to store a few special memories?

A Fresh Page

Don't you love a clean piece of paper or reading the first page of a compelling book? I breathe the fresh air today of the first day of 2010, just as clean, every bit as original and inspiring.

I reread my list of resolutions, knowing as I pull the last of the sugar cookies from the last batch of dough out of the oven, the healthy eating won't begin until the weekend ends and we have eaten or tossed the last of the holiday food. But my mind mulls the possibilities of Monday morning, when all the bad stuff hopefully cruises down the street in the garbage truck, and I pull an apple from the refrigerator bin and climb on the elliptical trainer first thing.

New routines. Instead of jumping into email and Facebook, I exercise and pray and read Scripture. No email till I've done those things, plus a healthy breakfast and my beginning 10 minutes of writing.

See, I'm picturing the changes that will begin and snowball and make me better, happier, healthier, and more productive. Changes that will affect not only my life, but the lives of others.

Ready to turn to the first page with me? I've already done my 10 minutes of writing!

EUNA LEE AND LAURA LING ARE FREE: BUT WHAT ABOUT NORTH KOREANS WHO ARE NOT?

As I witnessed Euna Lee and Laura Ling's tearful reunions with their families today, I couldn't help but think of those left behind--the North Koreans who are persecuted, imprisoned, tortured, and executed for their political and religious beliefs and actions. Lee and Ling and their families are a mini-portrait of the heartbreak that occurs daily in countries where freedoms, including religious freedom, are restricted by the government.

North Korea remains Number 1 on Open Doors' World Watch List for countries where religious persecution threatens the native peoples. Open Doors seeks to aid Christian believers in countries where they are severely oppressed for their beliefs. Here is the page on their website where

http://www.opendoorsusa.org/content/view/961 .

Voice of the Martyrs, another organization dedicated to serving persecuted Christians, also lists North Korea among many nations where worship of God is restricted or even forbidden.

http://www.persecution.com/public/restrictednations.aspx?clickfrom=bWFpbl9tZW51

Browse these websites and learn about the countries where people are suffering, sacrificing, and even dying for what they believe.

It's not enough that we feel sympathy toward these people--we need to pray, to educate ourselves about what's happening in North Korea and other restrictive nations, and to pepper our legislators and other influential people with emails and phone calls to seek relief for the suffering on the basis of their human rights.

What can I do about this today?

GIVE JOY WITH HANDS OF HOPE

Give the gift of life this Christmas.

Hands of Hope, a charity of Women Helping Women A World Away, is announcing that their Holiday Gift Cards are available for purchase. These cards provide food, income and water for impoverished women and children in Zambia, Uganda, and Southern Sudan. They can be purchased on the Hands of Hope website http://www.handsofhopeonline.org/ for $15.00, $30.00 and $50.00. Purchasing these cards will provide goats, chickens or wells to help change lives. What could be a more meaningful gift for holiday giving for family, friends, and customer appreciation?

Hands of Hope helps mobilize communities to respond to the needs of women and children
around the world. With an ever-expanding support base in the Chicago area, Hands of Hope
works to raise community awareness regarding poverty and HIV/AIDS in Africa and its relevance globally. We are confident in the integrity of the channels we have established so that
contributions provide the highest possible impact for the most critical needs.

A Chicken Card will purchase a gift of twelve chicks and be given to an impoverished family in
Africa. As the flock multiplies, a struggling family will be given the hope to survive. Your gift will
help those in need for generations to come.

A Goat Card represents an actual goat being purchased for a needy family. Beyond providing
much needed milk, a few goats can quickly become a herd, providing sustenance and additional
income that can make the difference between whether a child goes to school or not.

A Well Card will go toward funding a well in the Western Province of Zambia. Statistics show that nearly half of all people in developing countries suffer from health related problems caused by unsafe water. In addition, African women and children spend several hours every day collecting water.

Links: http://www.handsofhopeonline.org/
The cards: http://www.handsofhopeonline.org/goat.asp
Purchase cards: http://www.handsofhopeonline.org/goat.asp#purchase
How HOH got their start: http://www.handsofhopeonline.org/history.asp
Current Projects: http://www.handsofhopeonline.org/ourwork.asp

Contact at Hands of Hope:

VickyWauterlek, Hands of Hope
VWAU@aol.com, 847-381-7367

THE POWER OF ONE--YOUR VOTE

Does one person really matter? Can one person bring change? Watch this video,
and see what you think:


http://www.onenewsnow.com/valuesvoters.aspx

BOOK TOUR: JESUS TAKE THE WHEEL by Stuart Migdon

Here's a devotional from an author who understands the meaning of giving up the right to drive our lives, in order to put the wheel in the hands of the One Who cares most whether we travel well and arrive safely.

The practical biblical instruction found in Stuart Migdon's book, Jesus Take the Wheel takes readers on a two-month journey that will literally transform the way they live their lives. Rich insights from the author's own life mix with wisdom gleaned from the pages of Scripture to make reading this book an adventure that will be looked forward to each day. In the face of life's many uncertainties and struggles, the message of real hope that Jesus Take the Wheel brings, is one that will benefit everyone.

Jesus Take the Wheel is a valuable resource for spiritual growth and discipleship. Through applying the biblical principles and truths contained throughout its pages, readers will begin to discover that what has been impossible alone, is very possible with God at the wheel of their lives. Each day's reading is followed by an application aimed at applying the day's biblical truths and principles to the real circumstances of life.

While many in our world today know that they need and want change, they often fail to allow Jesus to have His rightful place in their lives simply because they don't know where to start. In Jesus Take the Wheel, readers are given an easy and practical plan to follow each day that will teach them what they need to do in order to begin letting Jesus be the One in the driver's seat.

About the Author: Stuart Migdon

Stuart Migdon was raised in Reformed Judaism. He married and became a father at the age of 18. With no money and no one to help, he quickly determined he had to take control of his own life. He developed a "don't quit" attitude and set out to beat the odds that were already stacking up against him. While working a full time job to support his family, he also managed to graduate college in four years, and to do it with high honors. That same stubborn persistence propelled him to become a CPA and later a successful insurance agent. With a commitment to hard work and excellence, Stuart continued to achieve every goal that he set for his life. However, all the success in the world could not fill the emptiness that was growing within him.

In 1991, things began to change. He came to know Jesus as His Messiah and felt a strong desire to live a life that would really be pleasing to God--a life he somehow knew was radically different than the one he had been living. With every ounce of his being, he was now determined to live that life.

Since then, Stuart has become an avid student of the Bible. Over the last five years, his thirst for more has led him into a detailed study of God's Word, and specifically the lives of the Bible's two central figures, Jesus and Moses. During this time he also began to realize that what had been driving him in his own study was more than just a personal quest for knowledge, it was actually a calling from the Lord. As a result, he began a new adventure as an author, and in 2008 published his first book,Jesus Take the Wheel: 7 Keys to a Transformed Life with God.

Today, Stuart is a successful Christian businessman and serves as an elder and biblical counselor at Calvary Chapel Old Bridge in New Jersey. Stuart's growing understanding of his own need to let Jesus take the wheel of his life has equipped him for the many situations he faces in ministry today. In every area, he challenges those he encounters to begin living a transformed life by letting Jesus have His rightful place behind the wheel of their lives.

Stuart and his wife Jeanne have two adult children, Jennifer and Jason, and one grandson.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Jesus+Take+the+Wheel+by+Stuart+Migdon&x=12&y=4

Jesus Take the Wheel by Stuart Migdon

Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: WinePress Publishing Group (July 1, 2008)
$24.99
ISBN-10: 1579219322
ISBN-13: 978-1579219321

FRAUD--PROPAGATED BY BELIEVERS? Continuing my rant from the last post...

Today I received a political forward. The tone spoke against Obama, implying McCain stood opposite on all accounts. As has become my habit, I Goodsearched it (which earns money for our local writers' guild) to determine whether the contents were true and accurate.

Snopes did not yet have information up, but FactCheck did.

http://www.factcheck.org/askfactcheck/did_a_billy_graham_team_member_say.html

First, the claimed origin was fraudulent. Supposedly it came from Bill Brown, a man retired from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association's team. According to the information at the above site, both Brown and the Billy Graham Association deny this, reiterating their past position of not endorsing political candidates. I have also contacted BGEA to learn how they will respond to these claims. I intend to contact the McCain campaign also, as my search led to some McCain sites.

Second, not all the assertions about stands Obama took were true, which seems more dangerous than if all of them were false. For example, I learned in my research Obama and McCain both voted to retain the so-called Death Tax. The email I received indicated nothing about McCain's vote.

Anyone who claims to be a Christian and knowingly sends others false information should be ashamed. Any Christian who doesn't investigate email forwards before sending them on to others is guilty by omission.

God makes clear He doesn't put up with false witnesses, i.e., liars. Doesn't the Bible admonish us, through Paul, to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves? Telling the truth, all of it, is wise. Propagating fraud, lies, and half-truths is harmful. After all, the truth will eventually out itself and perhaps bite us upon the comfortable place where we sit. The end does not justify the means. Ever.

MY NEW PET PEEVE--Email Forwards

I love an encouraging or humorous email forward as much as you do. YouTube videos inspire me, make me laugh. But it's the email forwards with a message, especially political or religious, that often annoy me. And this is why.

I used to be guilty of this myself, so bear with me. People send out emails they have received, thinking they are helping a cause, such as promoting someone for public office or preventing higher taxes. But because senders, like the rest of us, are busy, they don't read carefully and don't check for facts.

Please. Especially if we're people who believe in the truth, we shouldn't be passing on something in print that isn't the truth. Or maybe is only half the truth.

If there are links, click on them. Read or at least skim the contents. Then, if you feel comfortable that this is accurate information, paste the link into an email and briefly describe why the reader should act on the information or pass it on. They can read. They can click on a link. It may be faster, and it will certainly lead to more accurate communication.

If you can't verify the truth of a forward someone sends your way, such as at snopes.com, don't send it. If you don't have time to track down the information, just delete the email. Isn't that better than participating in something potentially deceptive, just to make a point someone wants to get across?

We've all been guilty of passing on forwards that should never have started in the first place. Let's stop it now.

Are We Really Surprised? China's Latest Rights Violation

I just ran across a blog post from the Guardian in the U.K. (See article by clicking on this post's title. If not working, here is the url: http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/greenslade/2008/07/olympics_journalists_face_hara.html) Seems China can't keep from showing its true colors, despite promises of freedom for journalists.

Are we astonished that a nation who fails to allow freedom for its own citizens to worship (see my most recent blog post) as they choose or even to make decisions regarding their own families or even bodies (limiting children to one per couple, forced abortions for those who have one child already)?

I don't understand why the Olympic Committee chose to reward a country whose policies are so opposed to human rights. What's their next choice, North Korea? Darfur?

Good thing I'm not posting this on the internet in China. It would be blocked and I'd have the police at my door, asking to escort me to the airport to go home. (If I'm lucky.)

Hope for the Journey through Cancer

Yvonne Ortega,

Cancer Survivor

I pick up the book and flip the pages. With titles such as "The News I Didn't Want to Hear" or "Riding the Roller Coaster Backward," it engages me even as I browse through. I haven't yet experienced cancer myself, but like everyone else, I know people who have had that close encounter--my grandmother; my husband's cousin and her mother, his aunt; my husband's mom; close friends; a girl in the neighborhood who was diagnosed as an infant. Cancer, any life-threatening illness, for that matter, touches a wide circle of people beyond the immediate family and the person diagnosed.

I "met" Yvonne Ortega online, through a Christian writers' group and immediately sensed her warmth and genuineness. Those traits she probably owes most to two things: her faith in Jesus Christ and her toughing out a cancer diagnosis. Yvonne found it's one thing to be qualified to counsel others through life's difficulties, but it's another to face them yourself. As a licensed professional counselor, she had to apply her own advice. She had to trust God and meet her cancer head-on.

The subtitle describes the format of the book: Inspiration for Each Day. Sixty separate devotions are divided into four crucial sections based on a patient's fight against her cancer: Diagnosis, Surgery, Treatment, and Recovery. Yvonne describes the Scriptures she's chosen to begin each devotional as Hope Builders. Writing with honesty, she depicts the various scenarios of the phases of her journey, gives practical suggestions for facing the difficulties, and ends each devotional with a brief heartfelt prayer.

I know if I ever receive that diagnosis, I'll want this book close to me. And the words printed on these pages will be used to minister to the hurting people in my life. Because He is our hope, and He travels the painful journey by our side, every step we take.

**************************************************************************************

Visit Yvonne Ortega's website and buy this book:

http://www.yvonneortega.com/

*************************************************************************************

Comment on this blog post by Monday, June 30, midnight Eastern Daylight Time and be entered in a drawing for a free copy of the book.

Here's an article to encourage anyone who needs to refresh herself or himself, whether it be in writing, other work, parenting, or life in general:

How To Stay Motivated - Easy Tips for Sustaining Your Passion by Sheri McConnell
(Free Articles )

1) Find a Natural Sanctuary - Stimulate the Senses

By far one of the best ways to stay motivated and to sustain your passion (no matter what it is) is to get outside and walk or jog or run. Our bodies and our brains need to be stimulated and nothing does this better than nature. Nature is vivid. The sounds and textures and smells will help you come alive. And by physically moving in nature, you will stimulate your body even more. Once your senses become stimulated, your brain will start to give you answers to personal and/or business questions. Your body will also become programmed to generate new creative ideas when you stimulate your senses.

Clearing the Clutter and Chaos

One reason we lose our motivation and can’t find our passion in life is that we are too busy experiencing chaos. Chaos comes in many forms–people, events, TV, radio and so on. You must experience nature to find and sustain your passion. Just 30 minutes a day will clear the clutter from your brain and reprogram you to breathe and think more instead of being so reactionary to all the numbing stimulants in your life!

2) Create a Fun System

Journaling

Once you clear your mind each day, you will need a FUN system to keep track of all the stimulating ideas you will get! I have a notebook that I carry with me where I jot down affirmations, goals, and problems (personal and professional) that I need to solve! And I find that every few months or so I like to rip it all out and throw it way and start over. For me, I seem to solve all those problems and reach all the goals and this physically lets me have a clean slate and move on. Be open to the process of journaling and do what your gut tells you to do.

Mindmapping

I also love mindmapping because I am drawn to the creative visuals! There are some great software resources out there like http://www.mindjet.com/. For me the process of mindmapping stimulates the creative side of my brain.

Visioning

The other fun way that I stay motivated and connected to my passion is by using a graphic coach. My coach, Christina Merkley at http://www.shift-it-coach.com/ took me through her Shift It Program. Not only was this fun, it was eye opening! And she even has maps and instructions so you can use this graphic coaching process yourself at home.

3) Pay Attention

The wonderful thing about creating a fun system in your daily life and getting back to nature more is that it allows you the time and space to “Ask Yourself Questions.” This step is the key to sustaining your passion. You will change and the world around you keeps changing so it is important (now-more than ever!) that you keep asking yourself questions so you can stay centered. What types of questions should you ask yourself in order to sustain your passion?- What makes me happy?- What do I enjoy?- What excites me?- What makes me cry?- What can I do to learn more about my passions?- How can I use my passion to improve the world around me?- Am I doing anything creative in my life?- If not, what can I do?

*************************************************************************************

Want To Use This Article In Your Ezine or Website? You have my permission, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Sheri McConnell is the President of the National Association of Women Writers (http://www.NAWW.org). She helps women writers and entrepreneurs discover, create, and profit from their intellectual knowledge! Free reports for writers available with subscription to NAWW Weekly. Sheri lives in San Antonio, Texas with her husband Seth and their four children. Contact her at naww@onebox.comor her toll free number at 866-821-5829.

Technorati Tags: Sheri McConnell, NAWW, how to stay motivated, tips for sustaining your passion

Resolved: to post 2x a week!

I've let some minor setbacks to my writing stop it dead in its tracks, so it's time to set goals--and stick to them. And there's nothing like a new year to fire me up with better-than-resolutions.

So, readers, hold me accountable. I'm going to try posting every Tuesday and Friday--Tuesdays, say for spiritual posts, and Fridays for writing-related posts. If I receive a blog tour date for another day of the week, I'll let you know.

Here's praying I stick with the plan!

During the holidays, our longing to connect with family and escape from the pressures of modern life intensifies. One of the questions author Mary DeMuth (Authentic Parenting in a Postmodern Culture) gets asked in radio interviews is this: What can a parent do to help kids filter their media intake? Her answer: Strategically engage. The following is five ways to help re-engage your kids in a media-saturated culture.


Five Ways to Engage Disengaged Kids
By Mary E. DeMuth

In a world of Halo, iphones, and IM, how do parents strategically engage their tuned-out kids? How can we create the kinds of homes that are irresistible to our children, enticing enough to make them tune out from games, media and texting and tune in to the rhythms of family life?

Five ways.

One: Offer ‘em Something Better

The most enticing thing to a kid is community—real, authentic, God-breathed community. To create this, learn to do the following:

- Say you’re sorry when you’re wrong and ask forgiveness.
- Strive to become the person you want your child to become. Practice reconciliation, open communication, and serving each other.
- Listen, really listen to your kids. Give them eye-time. Don’t uh-huh their concerns, but strive to ask great questions to draw them out. Be willing to share your own struggles with your kids.
- Plan meal times together. And when you do, talk! One way to foster great communication is to have questions already prepared. Click here for sample questions: http://www.marydemuth.com/files/Qsample.pdf. To purchase all 150, click here: http://www.marydemuth.com/store.php. To win them, click here: http://relevantblog.blogspot.com/2008/01/win-150-conversation-starters.html
- Have an unplug day—no phones, TV, gaming systems, and return to old fashioned board games, taking walks outside, and reading together.
- Resist DVDs in the minivan. Try books on tape instead—a wonderful way to engage your child’s mind. Discuss the book afterward.
- Welcome others into your home. Be the house all the kids want to congregate in.

Two: If You Can’t Beat ‘em, Join ‘em

Our kids will see movies; they will watch TV shows. Instead of always pushing against that, sit down next to your child and watch shows and movies together. Then use the time afterwards to discuss these questions:

1. What is the worldview of this movie?
2. What kind of person is the main character? Is she someone you want to be like?
3. What lies does this movie perpetuate?
4. What does this show say about materialism?
5. What part of this movie showed God’s love?

Strategically engaging alongside our kids in the very thing we’re leery of does two things: It shows our kids we are willing to sacrifice our own desires to spend time with them. And it helps prepare them to better discern the movies and media they watch.

Three: Explore Different Ways to Celebrate Sabbath

Taking time away from the crazy rush-rush of a media saturated world is a counter-cultural move your family can take. Choose a day or afternoon for rest. Limit media that day. Choose to engage in artistic, creative endeavors together:

- If a child loves music, encourage him to write a song or create an unusual soundtrack.
- Supply kids with all sorts of visual arts tools: paint, brushes, magazines, pens, glue, and let them create. If you need focus, think of five families or friends who need to be encouraged, then create cards for each one.
- Let your kids have free reign of the video camera. Encourage them to make a movie. Then watch it together as a family, complete with popcorn.
- Pull out that karaoke machine.
- Read together.
- Do a puzzle or play board games.

Four: Go Outside

We are a disconnected culture, defining ourselves by the great indoors and cyberworlds. To combat that in your family, dare to open the front door and walk on out. Take strolls with your kids. Find a local park or wilderness preserve to poke around in. Hike together. Feed the ducks. Launch rockets. Play Frisbee. Kick the ball around. Ride bikes. Pick up garbage along the road. Skateboard. Make going outside as much of a habit as going outside.

Five: Focus Outward

Computers and movies and TV and phones focus us inward. Instead, seek to find ways to focus your family outward toward the needs of the world. Sponsor a child in a third world country. Go on a mission trip as a family and take a year together to plan it. Find a cause to support—like digging wells in Africa or alleviating AIDS. Volunteer at a nursing home. Muddying our feet and hands in the real needs of the world gives kids a greater picture of the world and pulls them away from the artificial, often narcissistic world they live in.

It is possible to re-engage your disengaged child. It takes effort, creativity and pluck, but it can be done. The reward? A rejuvenated, connected relationship with your child that no gadget can compare to.

Mary E. DeMuth loves to help folks turn their trials into triumphs. Her books include Ordinary Mom, Extraordinary God (Harvest House, 2005), Building the Christian Family You Never Had (WaterBrook, 2006), Watching the Tree Limbs, Wishing on Dandelions (NavPress, 2006), and Authentic Parenting in a Postmodern Culture (Harvest House 2007). A mother of three, Mary lives with her husband Patrick and their three children in Texas. They recently returned from Southern France where they planted a church.

Learn more at www.marydemuth.com

COMING OCT. 20 THE OTHER DAUGHTER BLOG TOUR

The girl standing at the door took a deep breath, pulling her suitcase a little closer to her trembling legs. "My mama's dead. He's my daddy." Susanne Carson knew that she could trust the love of her life—her husband, David—until she discovered a strange, unkempt young girl on their doorstep, claiming to be David's daughter. Not that their marriage had ever been perfect—David's decision to embrace the Christian faith had strained their relationship. Susanne may not have agreed with his beliefs, but at least she trusted him. Had David been hiding this not-so-little secret from his past? He wanted Susanne to believe in his God, but believing hadn't done much to keep David out of another woman's arms.

As David confronts the truth of his past, Susanne must face her own moment of truth as her marriage is taken to the breaking point, and the life of one young girl is left in her hands.


Read the entire opening scene at Miralee's web site:
http://www.miraleeferrell.com/

The Other Daughter, releasing November 5th, will be available in stores near you, or you can order from http://www.amazon.com/ or http://www.christianbook.com/


The Other Daughter by Miralee Ferrell Blog Tour

New participants:

Oct. 20th, Karen Phillips--Sky-High View
http://sky-highview.blogspot.com/

And

LaShaunda Hoffman—See Ya On The Net
http://lashaunda.blogspot.com/
http://sormagtours.blogspot.com/


Oct. 21st Angie Arndt---The Road I'm Traveling
http://psmcmanus.blogspot.com/


Oct. 22nd Deena Peterson---Deena's Books
http://deenasbooks.blogspot.com/

Teresa Morgan---Teresa Morgan's Blog
http://www.teresamorgan.blogspot.com/

Oct. 23rd Rose McCauley---Stories of Faith, Hope and Love
http://www.rosemccauley.blogspot.com/

Pattie Reitz----Fresh Brewed Writer
www.xanga.com/pattierwrandhttp://freshbrewedwriter.blogspot.com/

Oct. 24th Cecelia Dowdy---New Christian Fiction Reviews
http://www.ceceliadowdy.blogspot.com/

Tiffany Amber Stockton--A Fiction-Filled Life
http://www.ambermiller.com/

Oct. 25th Bonnie Way---The Koala Bear Writer
http://thekoalabearwriter.blogspot.com/

Stormi Johnson---Write Thoughts
http://writesthoughts.blogspot.com/

Oct. 26th Robin Grant---Queen Of Perseverance
http://queenofperseverance.blogspot.com/

Oct. 27th Delia Latham---The Melody Within
http://themelodywithin.blogspot.com/

Oct. 28th Jennie McGhan---Jen's Life Journey
http://www.shoutlife.com/cmpctjen
and http://jenslifejourney.blogspot.com/

Oct. 29th Susan Lohrer ---Inspirational Editor
http://www.inspirationaleditor.blogspot.com/

Oct. 30th Carla Stewart---Carla’s Writing Café
http://www.carlastewart.blogspot.com/

Oct. 31st Christina Berry--- Posting with Purpose
http://www.authorchristinaberry.blogspot.com/

Nov. 1st Bonnie Leon---Bonnie's Blog
http://www.bonnieleon.blogspot.com/

Nov. 2nd Jan Parrish---Care Giver's Corner
http://www.caregiverscorner.blogspot.com/

Nov. 3rd Tina Helmuth---The Ink's Not Dry
http://tinahelmuth.blogspot.com/

Nov. 4th Teresa Slack---ShoutLife Blog
http://www.shoutlife.com/teresaslack

Nov. 5th Pam Meyers---Pammy Meyers Writes
http://pammeyerswrites.blogspot.com/

Nov. 6th Betsy St. Amant---Betsy Ann's Blog
http://www.betsy-ann.blogspot.com/

Nov. 7th Megan DiMaria---A Prisoner of Hope
http://www.megandimaria.blogspot.com/

Nov. 8th Christa Allan---CBAllan WordPress
http://www.cballan.wordpress.com/

Nov. 9th Susan Marlow---Suzy Scribbles---Homeschool Blogger
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/SuzyScribbles/

Nov. 10th Jamie Driggers---Surviving the Chaos
http://www.survivingthechaos.blogspot.com/

Nov. 11th Cindy Bauer----Christian Fiction Author & Speaker
http://www.cindybauer.blogspot.com/

Nov. 12th Angie Breidenbach---God Uses Broken Vessels
http://godusesbrokenvessels.blogspot.com/

Nov. 13th Patricia Carroll---Patricia PacJac Carroll
http://patriciapacjaccarroll.blogspot.com/

Nov. 14th Toni V. Lee---Spreading Truth Through Fiction
http://tonivlee.blogspot.com/

Nov. 15th Camille Eide---Faith Inspiring Fiction
http://camillecannon.blogspot.com/



  

REVIEW--Tricia Goyer's New Book

for Teens: MY LIFE UNSCRIPTED

Post a comment by Thursday, October 11,

11 p.m. Eastern, to enter drawing for book!

Less than a year ago, I was still mother to one teen, less than three years ago, mother to two. Too bad in those days I couldn't refer to My Life Unscripted. Tricia Goyer has written a nonfiction book a teen daughter and her mother could relish together.

The TV/movie script format gives a novel approach to guiding teens as they navigate the minor but not insignificant and the major choices of their everyday lives. Tricia has chosen bravely, revealing mistakes she made as a teen--these are some of the book's scripted scenes--and the life-changing consequences her decisions caused.

Quotes from real teens pepper the purple-print pages. Ashley, age 17, from Pennsylvania says,"

I find it hard to root for myself. There are so many people that expect different things of me and I feel like I can't please everyone, and that makes me frustrated."

Tricia doesn't shy from tough topics, but addresses them--The Hottie (boyfriends), Admission (what does beauty cost?), Inner Conflict (battling insecurity) are three of twenty. Questions and action points for each topic provoke thought and discussion. The author speaks from her heart to young women, producing a practical study guide an individual teen can read in devotional fashion or a Sunday School or Bible study group can work through together.

In My Life Unscripted, Tricia Goyer opens up and becomes vulnerable in speaking to teen readers. The delightful result? Honesty a young woman can respect and trust and a compass for making decisions in the days and years to come.

Click here to read Chapter 1:

http://triciagoyer.blogspot.com/2007/06/my-life-unscripted.html

Buy the book:

http://www.amazon.com/My-Life-Unscripted-Whos-Writing/dp/1400310520/ref=sr_1_1/102-7449010-4236950?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1185990173&sr=1-1

Tricia's blogs:

http://www.triciagoyer.blogspot.com/

www.shoutlife.com/triciagoyer

Tricia's website:

http://www.triciagoyer.com/

A COMFORTABLE EVENING WITH FRIENDS

Tonight we have reservations for four. Our good friends will join us for dinner in a rustic but attractive setting on a mountain road at a restaurant where the food is elegant, the accommodations small, and the ambiance perfect. The best part of the evening? The company and the conversation.

We love being with this couple. Our kids have grown up together. Their son was our daughter's seventh grade boyfriend, and both, now in college, are good friends still. We even traveled together with a group of families from our kids' school to Germany. We belong to the same church, and the wife and I have sung in the choir together. In fact, she's the one who urged me to join the choir. My husband and hers meet with some other guys from church on Friday mornings (6:00 a.m, to be exact) at the local country cookery just to hang out over breakfast. We spent a rainy Labor Day cruising the river in their pontoon boat and struggled to take the boat out of the rushing water. Our relationship with this couple is comforting and comfortable.

All our times together haven't bubbled with happiness. The four of us bemoan the roller coaster ride of parenting, as we try to figure out when to speak, when to shut up, where to hold on, and where to let go. We cried with them when, without warning, they lost their young daughter. They cried with us when my husband lost each of his parents within a few years. A big part of the comfortableness in a friendship lies in the seasons of life we've weathered together.

Relationships drift in and out of our lives, depending on the phase we're in at the time, the convenience of that relationship, and the effort we're willing to put into it. This couple and my husband and I, now with at least partially-empty nests, have less responsibility regarding our children. But we still have to work at getting together, because we're all busy with our careers, families, and lives. To us, it's worth the effort of picking up the phone, getting off the couch on Friday or Saturday night, and putting aside all the obligations calling our names to spend a comfortable evening with friends.

WHAT CAN I DO?

Gazing upward at the jelly-bean-colored assortment of balloons, a group of fifteen to twenty of us watched them soar into the crystal blue. We stood entranced for twenty minutes, until the bright orbs became specks of confetti high above us. The 292 balloons--black, red, yellow, blue, white--represented families in our North Georgia county whose lives felt the impact of abuse or neglect during 2006. On that flawless spring evening, April 30, 2007, something so heinous seemed impossible.

Kim, the organizer of this event, directs our county's Family and Children's Services. The statistics she shared startled us from our complacency. More children, Kim told us, die from neglect than from abuse. Eighty-five children from our county affected by abuse or neglect last year were under the age of one. Statewide, this number leaped to 8,461 infants. One hundred six children of various ages were investigated last year in our county for an alleged repeat episode of maltreatment.

Just as the participants released those commemorative balloons, we often want to let go of an issue too painful to comprehend. We think, "I'm one person; what can I do to change what's happening here?" Paul and Silas were only two men, yet the religious leaders of Thessalonica accused them of turning the world upside down. Did these two followers of Christ hesitate to speak truth and right wrongs?

May we take that one small but bold step today to "right-side up" the world.

Make a difference; pray for our nation, Thursday, May 3, and every day!
National Day of Prayer Task Force Home Home Page

WITHDRAWAL

My last post joked about how I was in "Mount Hermon" conference recovery. I wasn't joking when it came to getting back into my routines, both as a writer and as the manager of our small but lively household. Today seemed to propel me over the last hurdle to catch me up to my goals, as I finally met a deadline that I'd set for myself.

Why do some of us have such difficulty with to-do's, goals, and deadlines? Then there are others who thrive on following the list and checking things off all day long. I seem to go through phases where I live each of these experiences, but not at the same time.

Some would call it ADD, while others might say it's just lack of discipline. Whatever it is that makes me procrastinate or devote chunks of my day to useless tasks, I seriously dislike it. The Lord knows I have wrestled with this dark angel often enough that I feel guilty chastising our son for showing similar traits in his college work. At least God has given me some empathy for the struggles he faces, though I never hesitated when handling academic work.

An unstructured soul such as mine doesn't fare so well with a writer/homemaker's schedule. I need to put that timer back into my day and be more stringent with my routines. The structure I adhered to before I began writing would give me more time to write. So many things I want to write about and accomplish through my writing, the words and ideas God has placed on my heart and mind, yet at this moment I can't seem to find enough time. May the Lord grant me the guts to follow through on this plan that I've boldly committed to in this public place today.

Lord, guide me as I set my writing and personal goals. Empower me to act, so that I may accomplish the goals you've led me to set.

FROM THE MOUNTAINTOP

I'm in recovery. No, not rehab or anything that scandalous. I'm recovering from a mountaintop experience at Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference.

First, the privilege of attending overwhelmed me. One of eight winners of a Cecil Murphey scholarship through TWV2 (The Writers View Two online discussion/panelists' group for beginning or intermediate Christian writers), I only needed to pay for my transportation and the early arrival night. Six delicious months of anticipation and preparation, and on March 29, hours before dawn, I began my journey.

After minor delays, I arrived at the perfect setting, Mount Hermon Christian Conference Center, just a few miles from Santa Cruz, California. The Lord granted us picturesque cherry and dogwood trees in bloom, set before a backdrop of majestic sequoias and a flawless blue sky and surrounded by crisp cool mornings and evenings with sunny afternoons. The food we ate was plentiful and scrumptious: lots of fresh vegetables and fruit, abundant salads, and healthy snacks at our breaks.

I embraced the adventure of meeting my roommate and online buddy, Donna. We melded like jelly beans in an Easter basket. God gave me a new friend for life. I loved how we cheered each other on through our experiences: She wanted to skip a meeting with an editor; I was nervous about my appointments also. The encouragement concerning conference-related issues, as well as our commonality in our current life-stages, drew us close.

Nothing else I know can compare to the hectic, emotional blur of the conference itself. The schedule of major morning-tracks, workshops, panels, worship services, and socials, interspersed with meals, snacks, appointments and chats with faculty, conversing with fellow writers, and a sprinkle of sleep kept everyone hopping. We heard and wrote down more than anyone could absorb in a week, but it was fun to try. Once I decided to order the entire set of conference messages, some of the pressure was off, and I could enjoy listening without fear of missing anything. Trading business cards as I met other writers and shared our common bonds of Christ and our craft made connections that I will cherish.

We can’t attend every Christian writers’ conference, and we may not all be able to afford Mount Hermon every year; but if any similar opportunity arises anywhere in your vicinity, I highly recommend you go. Whatever your level of expertise or experience, you will make friends for a lifetime and learn more in one weekend than you ever dreamed possible. Who knows? Your investment of time, energy, and money could launch your writing life in a new direction as God unfolds His plan to use your gifts for His glory.