How are we doing on our GOALS???

So, we all made goals in January. How are we doing? Were they worthwhile goals to begin with? I set several this year. I wrote about them earlier in this blog, but lets see how we are doing.

Every year I set the goal to lose weight. Good start, but no cigar. I am recommiting to getting it done in 2008. It is almost May and I still have time....so do you! Exercise more, eat right, WE CAN DO IT!

Sell 5000 books! Well, that may not seem like much to a lot of authors, but it IS a lot to many authors. Right now we are sitting close to 600 books sold. Would you consider doing me a favor? If you have a book, would you post a review on Amazon.com. I think those people would freak out if 600 reviews for "Nan's Journey" were posted on their site...an unknown author!!! If you would rather post on Target, Barnes and Noble, Borders, or another site, that is ok too, but I think the impact of people approaching the same site with reviews would be awesome.

What goals did you set in January? Post your progress here. I am very interested in how we are all doing.

Crazy Things Always Seem to Happen to Me

Last week I attended District Council for my denomination. The Superintendent said that I could bring copies of "Nan's Journey" to sell to the pastors, missionaries, and guests during the breaks between the meetings. He is a lovely man and I was very surprised when I arrived and he was the one that opened the door for me and set up the table for my books. He also greeted me warmly each time he passed the table during the meetings and asked if everything was going well. I can't tell you how humbled I was at his kindness.

A woman who spoke during the women's ministry portion of the council came to my table and asked if I would mind if she brought some books to my table that a minister friend of hers wrote and gave to her to sell. The proceeds from the sale of the books were to be given directly into the missions fund at the council. I told her that I would make room at my table and watch over them and also make a small sign telling the price and that the proceeds were designated for missions. The sign marked the donation at $25.00.

After one of the more lengthy meetings an elderly woman came by the table and spotted the $25. books and said, "Look Dear, these books are only 25 cents!" Her elderly husband reached into his billfold and brought out a $1. bill and said, "Keep the rest for the missions."
A pastor's wife was also standing at the table and our eyes locked. I smiled and thanked them for the contribution. I reached into my change bag and put $24. in the missionary envelope because I hadn't had the heart to tell them any different. The pastor's wife smiled and said, "I just couldn't tell her."
I replied, "Neither could I." and we had a good laugh about it.
Later that day another pastor and his wife came by and said, "Is this where the 25 cent books are?"
They were kind and bought a copy of "Nan's Journey" and paid a few dollars extra for it. They wanted to bless me.

When I got home I told my sister about all of the different things that happened while I was gone:

• Waking up at 4:30 a.m. to get to the council and getting to bed at 2:30 a.m. the next day.
• The 25 cent book
• The Superintendent carrying my table
• My eyes being in a permanent squint from lack of sleep...etc, etc.

She laughed until she almost cried. My youngest son doesn't think I will be making money anytime soon the way things seem to go for me, but the experience is worth it all. I feel happy and alive and I know that I am doing the thing I am put on this earth to do....WRITE!

If There Be Any Virtue or Praise ...Think!

I realize that I stopped before the end of the sentence on my title, but lets think about it. So many times we do things without thinking. On these long stretches of Texas panhandle highway where vehicles are sparse, sometimes my mind wanders and I have gone miles without thinking about where I am or looking at the landmarks. (You may not believe there are landmarks, but there are a few!)

It makes me wonder if I sleep-walk through my day, month, years...life. It is easier to do than I like to admit. You know the saying about choosing the path of least resistance. It happens and then, before you realize it, time has gotten away from you.

The points in this verse tell us that if we have virtue or praise we will think on them, things that are true, honest, just , pure, lovely, and of good report. I was stunned to see that one attribute of the word, virtue, is "manly courage or valor". I had never put courage into the mix when I thought of virtue. I thought virtue mostly was about purity. Face it, courage is in play when someone stands for living a virtuous life. A young woman who has just reached a certain level of fame was being scrutinized by one of the entertainment news shows because she is still a virgin. They were cynical and somewhat ugly about it.

In these days of promiscuity it is more difficult to stand for biblical and personal values. It is not the norm anymore. People love to look for "dirt" on others and seem to feel awkward when it comes to boosting their friends or acquaintances. "If there be any praise, think on these things." Praise is something that I crave. I would dare say that you do too. It has to do with approval and admiration. Stand up for your friends even to their own face. How many times do you hear them putting themselves down. They need you to show them the mirror you see them in.

I know that God is the one referred to in this verse that is worthy of our praise. Let us THINK about our praise to Him. Am I just saying something that I always say to Him? Do I approve of Him? Do I admire Him? There is no one like Jesus! I want to applaud Him and worship Him all of my life. He is bigger than my mind can wrap around, but He knows this and understands my feeble attempts to tell Him. When my mid-kid was little, he always said, "Mommy I love you more than the sky is blue!" I knew that he wanted to tell me in a bigger way about his love for me. Sometimes when I praise God I feel that I am saying what is in my heart in the same way. "God, I love You more than the sky is blue!" I think He understands my efforts.

I may not always think the way I ought, but I am going to try to think on purpose from now on! I don't want to sleep through another day.

Webster's definition of :
Virtue- moral excellence and righteousness: goodness, manly courage, valor, pure.
Praise- expression of approval or admiration; commendation, warm approval, admiration, exalt or extol, laud.

And The Winner Is...

Announcing the winner of a free copy of "Nan's Journey" for the April 20th contest..........
Vanessa Flores.

The contest for May will be for dog, cat, cow, and horse names used in the 1800s. Terry will help me choose a winner (again) and the winner will win a copy of "Nan's Journey." We will choose a winner on May 20.

We need your ideas.

Think About What is Pure, Lovely, & of Good Report.

Many times I am tempted to think about the other things: ugly, vile, and backstabbing gossip. I wanted to lump these three together because, face it, this one element per day is really dragging on. Also because I think that these go together like triplets.

Have you ever had an impure thought pop into your mind? We all have. Even the most innocent of people have. I used to think I was a great failure as a Christian because sometimes inapproiate thoughts came into my thinking. I was perplexed and didn't know what to do. One of my friends suggested that the best way to chase these thoughts away was to sing a praise song. IT WORKS!

Whenever I am talking with friends or family, a snide remark about someone is on the tip of my tongue and I have a choice to make. Do I go ahead and say it or do I stop myself. I hate to admit it, but a lot of times, I say it. "Lovely" thoughts are thoughts full of love, affection, & kindness. My first mentor was someone who always lifted people up. She and her husband were an inspiration to the whole community. Funny, whenever I was in conversation with her I never wanted to say anything unkind about anyone. I wanted to be like her because she is so much like Jesus.

"Good Report" thoughts have to do with reporting back something good. I can choose the kind of reporter I am going to be. There are people who seem to enjoy telling bad news. When I was in Jr, High a sweet girl I had just met was killed in a terrible wreck and the same people who were first to tell any snippet of bad news were there to report the information to everyone as they came through the door. Although sometimes it is our responsibility to pass on unpleasant news, we need to balance our communication with good things too.

Depression can rear its ugly head easier when we are thinking on the negative things around us. While it is not good to wear "rose colored glasses", we need to know that realism is not always negative. We live in a real world with some really wonderful people and beautiful sights to see. We all know the negative things. They speak loudly and make themselves well-known. Let us turn up the volume on those things that are pure, lovely, and of good report and think on these things.

Websters definition of :
Pure- Free from impurities or contamination, clean, containing nothing in appropriate.
Lovely- Full of love:loving, inspiring love or affection, attractive, enjoyable, delightful.
Good Report- good reputation, relate a good message, retell, carry back and repeat to another.

Ever Feel Like a Bad Mom?

The phone rang at 12:01 a.m. It was our youngest son. "Dad, how was your day today?"
"Great, what did you do today?"
"I turned twenty-six."
"Oh...man...we forgot to call you on your birthday!"
I was in the room when this exchange took place. I felt lower than a sow's belly. I couldn't believe that I had forgotten to phone our son and tell him "Happy Birthday". The part I don't want to tell you is, the same thing happened last year!

Yep, I guess you could say we get the "pitiful parents" award again! We are on a streak it would seem. Before you start tossing the rocks to stone us I want to inform you that each year cards were sent to be at his residence on time with a nice little check included. (When I contacted our daughter-in-law the following day, they had failed to open their mail and he didn't know that we had not totally forgotten his birthday.) I asked myself over and over how this could have happened, not only once, but twice! I think it has to do with the way I work at my job. I have things that need to be tended to and when I get the bill sent, the call made, or the item placed in the newsletter, I am done with it. I need to remember that it is not always the case. Sometimes things require follow-up! Especially when it is someone you love dearly.

Can I tell you again that I really do love you, son?

Think About What is Just

Whatsoever things are just...Think on these things.
Usually when I read familiar Scriptures they are like old friends that I nod at and am happy to see, but take for granted. Until I look in more detail I don't see the complexity and richness contained in the familiar. When I read the word "just" I usually gloss over it and go on to the next word but it is a rich and textured word.

"Just" in this verse refers to justice & fairness. I always wanted to have just teachers, pastors, bosses, and parents. For the most part I have been blessed in that area. God is referred to as the "Just Judge". He is no pushover, but He is also not a bully. I will forever be thankful for that.

So, I am supposed to think on what ever is just. True, honest, and just are very close cousins aren't they? The flavor of the entire verse is that I can adjust my attitude by thinking on the things that will uplift me and those I come into contact with. If I look at someone trying to see their imperfections, I will see imperfections. I will grow discouraged because I am concentrating on the negative instead of seeing the good in the person.

I am not proposing that we do not discern true evil or things that are dangerous in someone. I am talking about nit-picking people to death. "Just" is where the word justice comes from. If someone is in the wrong, it comes out. "Justice is served." In this verse I think it means to weigh my thoughts to see if what I am thinking has merit. Whatever the outcome, good or bad, act on it accordingly. It also speaks of not rushing to judgement on anything.

Webster's definition of "just" : "fair in dealings and actions, based on fact and sound reason."

Think About What is Honest

Whatsoever things are honest...Think on these things.
When I first began this look at Phil. 4:8 I thought about combining the "whatsoever things are true and whatsoever things are honest". Then I decided that since they were listed separately, there must be at least a little difference between them.

In the Dake Bible notes on "honest" in this verse, it speaks of all that is "grave, decent, honorable, and Christian." I suppose the difference here in true and honest can be sumed up with the fact that sometimes one can convey true facts that can mislead or hurt someone.
I can be angry at someone and state the truth about what they have done, but when I am truely honest about the person, I have to look at their character and the whole of the person to get the correct assesment of the situation.

Look further in Dake's definition..."decent, Christian"? Honestly, sometimes I don't want to look at that side of it! If I am hurt or angry, I don't want to see the decent, honorable, or Christian side. I want God to be on MY side.
"Finally bretheren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest...Think on these things." O.K. Lord, that must mean that I have to see things the way they really are. I get it. I have to look at things in context. I can't fly off the handle and suppose that I know other people's motives when I don't.

Whenever we are thinking on these things that are true and honest, it means while we are hearing things that contradict someone's character from other people; we don't take everything we hear as the gospel truth. Reserve judgement and contibuting to the conversation. Be level-headed and don't jump in with both feet.

One of my friends listened to me while I complained about the mistreatment I received from another friend. When I finished dumping my frustrations at her feet she remarked that the offender had been having a terrible week. Things in her life had been falling apart and she was overwhelmed by all of the obligations she had signed up for before her troubles started. I felt very small and petty. My friend hugged me and assured me that there was no way for me to know what had been going on in the offender's life. I had to learn how to forgive myself for jumping to the wrong conclusions.

That brings up a hang-up I have at times...forgiving myself. I must remember to assess the truth about myself and realize that I have good character qualities. I have to look at myself with honesty and know my motives. If my motives are wrong or undesireable, I need to take the necessary steps to change. Most of all, I must give myself a break.

Webster's definition of honest- "genuine, fair, integrity, sincere, frank, moral excellence

One Of the Many Adventures of Terry- "I May Never Be a Cowboy!"

The average person may think that by the time a man has passed his fiftieth year all childhood dreams would have dissipated. Not so. I have discovered through the thirty-three years of marriage to Terry that old dreams die hard...very hard.

Since we have a few acres of land relatively close to town, a couple of friends asked if they could board their horses on our place. We were happy to do it. Our hopes were to learn a few things about caring for horses along with learning how to ride them. I was a little sceptical when I heard the term "green broke" but the horse seemed docile when he was fed so we grew attached to the beautiful paint. Terry learned how to put the hackamore on him and rode him bareback on several occasions. Tramp is an old horse that really never finished his training but we felt relatively safe on his back. He did not want to go any faster than a walk.

One evening the owner was out to work with Tramp. Her eight-year-old son had finished riding and she worked with Tramp on turns and put him through his paces. The sun was getting low on the West Texas horizon and Tramp was ready to be fed. Our friend asked Terry if he wanted to ride a little and he jumped at the chance to ride with the saddle.

Everything was going well and he waved at us on his third or forth lap around the pasture. Suddenly we heard shouting. We quickly stood and saw Terry going off the back of the horse. He got up on his hands and knees and fell down flat on his belly. Tramp ran wildly to the stable. I ran to Terry and he was up on his knees again looking for his glasses. In his thick southern accent he said, "Where are my glasses? They're my livelihood!"
I grinned as I looked on the ground for his glassed. "Your livelihood?" "I gotta find my glasses, they're my livelihood."
"O.K., I'll help you find them." I said.
He then began asking questions and repeating the phrase about his glasses being his livelihood. "I'm confused. Did I fall off the front or the back?"
"The back." I said continuing to look in the tall dry grass.
"I gotta find my glasses. They're my livelihood!" He said the statement more frantically.
"Well, it's getting too dark to see anything. Go get a flashlight and we will leave it here to mark the spot you fell and we can look for your glasses in the morning." I said.

He went to his eighteen-wheeler that was parked at the edge of our property and retrieved a flashlight. He turned it on and began searching for the lost glasses. "I gotta find my glasses. They're my livelihood!"
"You have the safety glasses we got last month. You can wear those until we find these or get more." I reasoned with him.
"I do not have safety glasses!"
"You do too!" I said finally looking up at him in the dark.
"I'm confused. Did I fall off the front or the back?"
"I told you fifty times! You fell off the back!" I yelled jerking the flashlight from him and putting the beam up to his face.
"My glasses are my livelihood! I gotta find them!" He yelled.

My heart stopped when I saw blood all over his face. His nose was bleeding and I didn't know where the rest of the blood was coming from. My friend came running after she had unsaddled the horse and got him settled into the stable and fed.
"Terry, are you alright?" She asked.
"I'm confused. Did I fall off the front or the back?"
"Would you like to go get a coke in town?" She asked.
He grinned and said with a chuckle, "Sure!" He paused and said, "You are trying to trick me aren't you?"
"We just want you to come to town with us." I said.
"I just want to know if I fell off the front or the back." His bloody face was stern.
"At least let me wash your face and see what the damage is." I pleaded.

He finally went into the bathroom where we managed to get the blood off his face. It came from his nose-bleed. He had smeared it all over his face in his frustration. I asked him to go to the emergency room.
He refused saying."I'm confused...."
I began to cry and didn't know what to do. Terry is a big muscular man and no one could get him to do anything he had his mind set against doing. I asked my friend to phone the pastor to come and help us reason with Terry. Fifty more times he posed the same questions. The eight-year-old was getting alarmed. He didn't understand why Terry wouldn't take the answers provided to him.

Finally the pastor and another man arrived at the door. When Terry saw them he began giggling like a school-girl. After asking them several times if he fell off the front or the back, they persuaded him to go to the E.R. with them. The doctor looked into his eyes with a light and Terry asked, "Did I fall off the front or the back?"
The doctor smiled and said, "You have a concussion. You will be better by morning and you might have a bad headache, but you will be alright."

The next morning we were getting ready for church. He had almost quit asking the question. We went to the pasture and looked for the glasses that were his "livelihood" and after some time, found them perched on a high weed. Terry turned to me and said, "I guess this means that I will never be a cowboy!"
I had to laugh. I thought, "What are you, a five-year old?"

Think About What is True

Whatsoever Things are True

If you have read my writing very long you will know that I peel off my skin and let you see my heart. Maybe I reveal too much, but I want you to know the struggles I face and maybe learn lessons easier than I have had to learn them. This morning I looked at a verse, Philippians 4:8, that I had made the children in my Jr. Church memorize years ago. Of course, in making them memorize, I had to memorize it too. There are very good principles for life stated in this Scripture, whether you are a believer or not. I want to break each of these principles down over the next few days.

The verse begins:
“Finally brethren, whatsoever things are true…Think on these things.”

Most of my life I have struggled with my self-concept. If I felt confident, I thought I was being arrogant. If I had low self-esteem, I fell into deep depression. (That is the place I found myself in more often than not.) I also had a vivid imagination. This is good to have as a writer, only, the imaginings delved into what I thought other people thought of me. I usually imagined that their opinion of me was more toward the negative side.

I finally had to take a long, hard look at myself. Was I arrogant? Was I worthless? Was I somewhere in-between? I had to find out what the truth was. I found out that I am worth knowing. I am a loyal friend and I love my family to a fault. I could go on, but…

Since “Nan’s Journey” was published and released this year I have been up and down with my emotions. I find myself worrying about things like: Are the sales numbers are good enough? Will people accept it? Am I doing the right promotions? The list goes on.
Reading the emails and letters that are sent to me from readers has pulled me out of some of the times when I doubted myself. When I get into these anxious moods or emotions, I have to sit myself down and ask, “What is true?” When I answer that question honestly, I know that everything is going to be alright.

I want you to think for a minute. What is true about you? What is true about your situation or challenge you are facing right now? This time next week, month, year, decade… will it be as threatening to you as it is now? If it will, don’t be afraid to get some help. You need it. If it is like most things, it will dissipate over time. Just hang on. If there are things you need to change, work on it. Trust in God. You will make it.

Join me in journaling the discoveries you make in our look at this verse.

Webster’s definition of “true” or “truth” – “Being consistent with reality or fact. Reality: actuality.”

The Comfort Zone

You KNOW what I am talking about! The comfort zone is a cleverly disguised trap. Some days we know it is a trap and wish we could escape the mundane, day-in-day-out existance. Then on days we are confronted with the idea that something will shake up our routine...we don't like it.
Here are some examples:

I want to make a difference in the world.
Don't ask me to bring food for a person who just got out of the hospital.

I need to get on home, I don't have time to visit the lonely stay-at-home mom. (or elderly person, or person in the hospital)


I want to start a new venture!
Marketing is too hard!
What will people think of me?
I'd rather take a nap.

I want to get in shape.
My muscles are sore from yesterday's workout.
I don't have time.
I'd rather take a nap.

You get the point. I'm right there with you. Life sometimes throws things our way that are not necessarily what we had planned. We then have no choice but to get out of our "comfort zone". What I am proposing for us today is to launch out into the dream we have for life. Don't wait for something to be thrown at us. We can take the first steps, no matter how uncomfortable, and test the water. If we fail at our attempt, it is not complete failure. It is experience. We will at least learn what not to do next time.

Back In The Saddle

Last Saturday I felt compelled to write on the third book in the Nan's Journey series. The series is tentatively called: "The Heritage Series" or something akin to that. Before I go on... Yes, I do have book #2 written but have not submitted it to the publisher yet. I am very anxious to get it to those of you who are waiting, but "Nan's Journey" needs to show significant sales before I submit #2 to them. I have sold many copies since Nov so we are on our way.
It felt good to spend most of the day writing. I was amazed about the turn the story was taking. It was actually more fun than reading a book. I find myself getting too bogged down in the marketing aspect of the book and forget to write. It is like everything else in life. It takes balance. While marketing is vital to the hope of getting other books published, if I don't write them...well, you know how it goes.

Saying Goodbye

The phone call came while Terry and I were eating out Sunday supper. His sister called to say that her husband was in a lot of pain and they were headed to the nearest hospital. Since John, our brother-in-law, has been in the family fifty one years, we cannot imagine our family without him. We got in the car and rushed the eighty miles to the hospital. We didn't know how sick he would be.
When we got there he looked sick, but better than our imaginations of his condition was. He sat up and spoke with us about life and death. We were able to tell him how much we love and appreciate him. We found ourselves being encouraged by him possibly more than we were able to uplift him.
At this writing he has been through a lot of tests. His pace maker has one of those elements in it that shocks his heart when it stops. It went off twice yesterday evening. His heart works in the range of 28% and the oxygen content of his blood is low. He told us that his kidneys are shutting down and all of his bodily functions are failing. With all of these challenges, he is still upbeat. His only regret about dying is leaving his wife of fifty-one years.
I am praying that his health is restored and that we will be able to have many more years with him. I am happy to have known John. Even if he passes away soon he has been well worth knowing and I am so glad we had the chance to voice our love for him and say goodbye.
I will keep you posted. My hope is for a full recovery.

A New Beginning

Yesterday began a new month. Every time I turn the page on my calendar and begin a new month I think about the possibilities that month has. What will happen within those 28-31 days? I try to anticipate good things but am aware that some unexpected bad things could happen. I guess you could say that I am a goal setter in that as I look at all the squares, representing days, on the month I find myself making a list of things I want to accomplish. I jot down the birthdays of family and friends, appointments made, appointments to be made, goals as far as the sales of my book, and advertising ideas and budget.

I strive to go deeper in my goals than the surface of these little jotted down notes. I think of the "birthday and anniversary people". How can I show them that I love them and that they are on my mind? How can I love them better? As far as the appointments go: Am I remembering the important things? (mammograms, dental, eye exams, hair, lunch with friends) Can I somehow force (get) Terry to allow me to make the necessary appointments he needs to have? When it comes to book signing appointments: Am I giving it all I can? (following up on the store managers, thank you notes, advertising, and promotion) Am I spending quality time with my family and friends? Lunch with them is not wasted money.

April is a beautiful month and I plan to be outside more, water my trees, start planning my little vegetable garden, and doing projects around the house and yard. I plan to adore my husband more, (He is a treasure.) and spend more time in prayer. I want to reach my goal of writing a chapter per day on the next book. (#3) Most of all, I want to love more and complain less. Is anyone out there with me on that?