On Friday, September 26, I will be heading out to New Mexico after work. I will spend the night with my brother and his family and on Saturday hold two book signings. The first one will be at The Art of Beauty Salon and Spa located at 6200 NE BLVD Ste B in Albuquerque from 1-3 p.m. and the next will be at Hastings Booksellers at 12501 Candelaria Rd NE from 4-6 p.m.
On Sunday I will be speaking at the First Assembly of God Church in Estancia, NM and enjoying a ladies luncheon following the services.
I cannot tell you how excited I am about these events. It is great to visit with people and see their "take" on "Nan's Journey". Hopefully some of the issues represented withing the pages have rung true to real life. I am very interested in what the readers have to say.
If you are in the area, please stop by and visit. I would like to meet you.
One note of interest.... the second book in the series already has 82 people signed up for copies as soon as I get them. (about 3 months before the release date) If you have not emailed me or left a comment requesting one or more, please do it. I don't want you to have to wait to see..."What happened to the other baby?"
Smile smile
Monday, September 22, 2008
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Famlies
Last week a cousin of Terry's came over for a visit. Although they have never met they share a greatgrandfather. (Terry's mom's dad - Albert Hoch) Grandfather Hoch died after a car accident in New Mexico when Terry's mom, Viola, was four years old.
We invited Viola and Anna Mae, Terry's sister, over to meet Arthur Hoch, the cousin. I find it sad that families drift apart because of life's circumstances. Grandfather Hoch died about 88 or so years ago. After Grandmother Hoch met and Married her second husband, Grandfather Peters, the family lost touch. Viola and Anna Mae, Terry and his brother Daniel all enjoyed filling in the blanks and getting acquainted.
It makes me think...It takes a lot of effort to stay connected with family. My sons do not know some of their cousins. We have a generation shift thing going on. My cousins are twenty years older than me...so and my brothers and sisters too so... my nieces and nephews are my age so... they are not the typical cousins for my boys. They had already moved to the corners of the world when my kids came along. My sons do know some of their cousin's kids...and time goes on and people move and lose touch. Many times the only times we see extended family is at funerals or the rare family reunion.
I try to keep in contact with nieces and nephews with MySpace and Facebook. It takes time but it is worth it. Of course I love to see them face to face and I try to do that when I can. Christmas cards are still important for me to send. I want family to know that they are important to me. I do not want to lose touch!
We invited Viola and Anna Mae, Terry's sister, over to meet Arthur Hoch, the cousin. I find it sad that families drift apart because of life's circumstances. Grandfather Hoch died about 88 or so years ago. After Grandmother Hoch met and Married her second husband, Grandfather Peters, the family lost touch. Viola and Anna Mae, Terry and his brother Daniel all enjoyed filling in the blanks and getting acquainted.
It makes me think...It takes a lot of effort to stay connected with family. My sons do not know some of their cousins. We have a generation shift thing going on. My cousins are twenty years older than me...so and my brothers and sisters too so... my nieces and nephews are my age so... they are not the typical cousins for my boys. They had already moved to the corners of the world when my kids came along. My sons do know some of their cousin's kids...and time goes on and people move and lose touch. Many times the only times we see extended family is at funerals or the rare family reunion.
I try to keep in contact with nieces and nephews with MySpace and Facebook. It takes time but it is worth it. Of course I love to see them face to face and I try to do that when I can. Christmas cards are still important for me to send. I want family to know that they are important to me. I do not want to lose touch!
Monday, September 15, 2008
Book Signings,Day Off, Dentist Visit, & Hardwood Floor Patching!
This past week has been a doosey for me! First of all...I went to the dentist on Tues and had a long overdue scaling and cleaning (2 hrs in the chair & 6 shots) after that 2 extractions! Upper left back teeth. (1 hr and 2 shots) Can you say..."Whole mouth numb...drooling because I can't tell if my mouth is shut or not."?
anyway... bottles of pain pills and antibiotics later...
Saturday...
2 book signings...one in Amarillo from 2-4 p.m. and one in Canyon from 6-8 p.m....
I have to say this about book signings... People who talk with you are very nice. I truly enjoy the interaction...It is the other folks that make you second guess yourself...
It reminds me of having a bake sale...people who do not want to feel guilty about buying your product try to occupy themselves fumbling with purses etc... or making a quick turn avoiding eye contact. That leaves me there...avoiding eye contact sort of... but checking to see if there is a glimmer of interest. At the very least...it is an interesting dynamic.
Today I am back home with my hubby. My jaw still hurts but it is nice to kick back and drink coffee (ever so carefully) and watch him in the dining room...trying to get everything together business wise. This is his day off and a lot of the things he doesn't have time to do during the two weeks he is not home during business hours have to be caught up with. After those things are nailed down...he will begin literally nailing down the new hardwood we purchased to patch our dining room floor. A few weeks ago he tore out the old stuff across a third of the dining room because through the years there was water damage and shrinkage and cracking. We are both excited to get the process going. The epic continues!!!
anyway... bottles of pain pills and antibiotics later...
Saturday...
2 book signings...one in Amarillo from 2-4 p.m. and one in Canyon from 6-8 p.m....
I have to say this about book signings... People who talk with you are very nice. I truly enjoy the interaction...It is the other folks that make you second guess yourself...
It reminds me of having a bake sale...people who do not want to feel guilty about buying your product try to occupy themselves fumbling with purses etc... or making a quick turn avoiding eye contact. That leaves me there...avoiding eye contact sort of... but checking to see if there is a glimmer of interest. At the very least...it is an interesting dynamic.
Today I am back home with my hubby. My jaw still hurts but it is nice to kick back and drink coffee (ever so carefully) and watch him in the dining room...trying to get everything together business wise. This is his day off and a lot of the things he doesn't have time to do during the two weeks he is not home during business hours have to be caught up with. After those things are nailed down...he will begin literally nailing down the new hardwood we purchased to patch our dining room floor. A few weeks ago he tore out the old stuff across a third of the dining room because through the years there was water damage and shrinkage and cracking. We are both excited to get the process going. The epic continues!!!
Monday, September 8, 2008
I Bought a Monster!
Well...I tried, but I had to get the Mega Steamer Thingy on TV! It is called the Monster 1200 Sanitizing Steam Cleaner Superclean SC20.
I unpacked it. Searched and searched for the instruction manual. I finally found it and it is pretty straightforward on set up. I thought stuff would come up or off a little faster, but I realized that on the commercial they did use a rag to wipe as the dirt was loosened. The steam cleans wonderfully, but be prepared to move VERRRY SLOOOWLLY for hard water deposits! The cleaning solution has very little fragrance if any. I like that.
It did great on my kitchen floor. I have a white stripe of linoleum around the edge of my black linoleum tile. It has texture and is impossible to clean. The back door has only the white stuff back there. Let me tell you... The steamer got it all!!!! That part was as fast as it shows on TV. It did it as fast as damp mopping!!! Yea!!!
I used it on my cream colored area rug that was stained badly. It came pretty clean. I did have to spot clean the worst part. I am pleased with the result. Terry will be working on the grill this evening probably. I'll let you know how it turns out.
Sometimes I think I buy this stuff to make my house look instantly like I have a daily housekeeper. I used to work very hard to make it look that way, but since I started writing on my books consistently, I have to prioritize. The house is clean, but not exactly white glove clean.
If you have looked at this thing and been tempted to buy it, I think it works. BUT...REMEMBER YOU ARE ON THE OTHER END OF THE STEAMER...YOU WILL BE WORKING TOO.
I'll get back to you on this in a few....
Terry's Opinion of the "Moster Steamer"
Terry's Opinion of the "Moster Steamer" Terry tried the steamer on the grill...IT WORKED!!!
I unpacked it. Searched and searched for the instruction manual. I finally found it and it is pretty straightforward on set up. I thought stuff would come up or off a little faster, but I realized that on the commercial they did use a rag to wipe as the dirt was loosened. The steam cleans wonderfully, but be prepared to move VERRRY SLOOOWLLY for hard water deposits! The cleaning solution has very little fragrance if any. I like that.
It did great on my kitchen floor. I have a white stripe of linoleum around the edge of my black linoleum tile. It has texture and is impossible to clean. The back door has only the white stuff back there. Let me tell you... The steamer got it all!!!! That part was as fast as it shows on TV. It did it as fast as damp mopping!!! Yea!!!
I used it on my cream colored area rug that was stained badly. It came pretty clean. I did have to spot clean the worst part. I am pleased with the result. Terry will be working on the grill this evening probably. I'll let you know how it turns out.
Sometimes I think I buy this stuff to make my house look instantly like I have a daily housekeeper. I used to work very hard to make it look that way, but since I started writing on my books consistently, I have to prioritize. The house is clean, but not exactly white glove clean.
If you have looked at this thing and been tempted to buy it, I think it works. BUT...REMEMBER YOU ARE ON THE OTHER END OF THE STEAMER...YOU WILL BE WORKING TOO.
I'll get back to you on this in a few....
Terry's Opinion of the "Moster Steamer"
Terry's Opinion of the "Moster Steamer" Terry tried the steamer on the grill...IT WORKED!!!
Friday, September 5, 2008
Reputation
Thursday at John's funeral there was a time of sharing memories with the 100+ people who were gathered there. I was impressed with everything I heard about him. It was clear that everyone was referring to the same person.
I think it speaks well of John that he was the same person with the same characteristics to everyone who knew him. People he went through school with or who served with him on the police force or in the maintenance department of the city, every niece and nephew (no matter which side of the family) said the same things about him. He was the same teasing, funny, and caring man to everyone.
As I sat there I wondered about the perception people have of me. Am I the same to everyone? Of course, you are closer to some people than others because people have differing degrees of openness, but for those who allow you to know them...I want to be the same person. Does that make sense? In a way I felt sort of possessive of him. He was MY brother-in-law! He joked with me! Upon listening to the eight or so people speak of him in the service, I rejoiced that he did allow everyone the opportunity to know him.
Anna Mae will have challenges living without her dear husband. Please keep her in your prayers. She will make it through with the help of our Lord and her friends and family. One thing is certain, she has no doubt about her husband's reputation. He was a great man.
I think it speaks well of John that he was the same person with the same characteristics to everyone who knew him. People he went through school with or who served with him on the police force or in the maintenance department of the city, every niece and nephew (no matter which side of the family) said the same things about him. He was the same teasing, funny, and caring man to everyone.
As I sat there I wondered about the perception people have of me. Am I the same to everyone? Of course, you are closer to some people than others because people have differing degrees of openness, but for those who allow you to know them...I want to be the same person. Does that make sense? In a way I felt sort of possessive of him. He was MY brother-in-law! He joked with me! Upon listening to the eight or so people speak of him in the service, I rejoiced that he did allow everyone the opportunity to know him.
Anna Mae will have challenges living without her dear husband. Please keep her in your prayers. She will make it through with the help of our Lord and her friends and family. One thing is certain, she has no doubt about her husband's reputation. He was a great man.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Oh Death, Where is Your Sting?
Sunday, August 31st at 5:10 p.m. a dear friend and family member died. John was my brother-in-law. We enjoyed many times of laughter at family gatherings. He was the guy my sons looked for every time we had a family event. Uncle John teased and joked and was never at a loss for a good story to tell. He was the kind of guy that would find where your "goat" was tied and then "get your goat"! If John wasn't at a holiday dinner we all felt the void.
January of 2007 John had a near fatal heart attack. He told about his experience to everyone who came close to him. He was shy in front of people he didn't know, but after his heart attack he had boldness to tell even a church full of people about his experience. It still scared him but he had to declare the mercy of God. The last time we spoke he told me part of it again.
He said that his heart stopped beating. He found himself at a door and walked through it. On the other side of the door was a terrible desolate feeling. "Desolate" was the word and he could barely speak it. Tears sprang to his eyes as he told me. He felt panicked and alone. A force was drawing him deeper into this place and he knew there was more horrors beyond. He screamed, "Help me Jesus!" A hand grabbed him from behind and pulled him through the door. He was back in his hospital room. He began praying in his bed saying, "Lord, I don't deserve another chance."
He saw many things during his hospital stays. He saw an angel in the corner of the room and other things that comforted him. He felt bad because he waited so long to come to God. He probably told more people about Jesus in the last year and a half than many people do in a lifetime. He never forgot the mercy of God.
One of the things he stressed when he spoke publicly and privately was the "levels of prayer". He came to realize that every prayer prayed was not of the same intensity. The first level is surface. That would include prayers by rote. The second is prayers that are a little more personal, and the third level is fervent and urgent. John stressed that we need to be more serious and urgent when we pray. Those prayers are of utmost importance.
The last few months John was in a lot of pain. Now he is not. He is in the Presence of the One he found those months ago. The One who literally rescued him from the pit. He was a wonderful man and an example of all who have made the decision to follow Jesus. I want to fearlessly proclaim the gospel of Jesus like John did. He was an inspiration to me and we will all miss him.
January of 2007 John had a near fatal heart attack. He told about his experience to everyone who came close to him. He was shy in front of people he didn't know, but after his heart attack he had boldness to tell even a church full of people about his experience. It still scared him but he had to declare the mercy of God. The last time we spoke he told me part of it again.
He said that his heart stopped beating. He found himself at a door and walked through it. On the other side of the door was a terrible desolate feeling. "Desolate" was the word and he could barely speak it. Tears sprang to his eyes as he told me. He felt panicked and alone. A force was drawing him deeper into this place and he knew there was more horrors beyond. He screamed, "Help me Jesus!" A hand grabbed him from behind and pulled him through the door. He was back in his hospital room. He began praying in his bed saying, "Lord, I don't deserve another chance."
He saw many things during his hospital stays. He saw an angel in the corner of the room and other things that comforted him. He felt bad because he waited so long to come to God. He probably told more people about Jesus in the last year and a half than many people do in a lifetime. He never forgot the mercy of God.
One of the things he stressed when he spoke publicly and privately was the "levels of prayer". He came to realize that every prayer prayed was not of the same intensity. The first level is surface. That would include prayers by rote. The second is prayers that are a little more personal, and the third level is fervent and urgent. John stressed that we need to be more serious and urgent when we pray. Those prayers are of utmost importance.
The last few months John was in a lot of pain. Now he is not. He is in the Presence of the One he found those months ago. The One who literally rescued him from the pit. He was a wonderful man and an example of all who have made the decision to follow Jesus. I want to fearlessly proclaim the gospel of Jesus like John did. He was an inspiration to me and we will all miss him.
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Today's Wild Card author is:
and the book:
100 Ways to Simplify Your Life
Publisher: FaithWords; Lrg edition (November 12, 2008)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
JOYCE MEYER is one of the world's leading practical Bible teachers. A #1 New York Times bestselling author, she has written more than seventy inspirational books, including The Confident Woman, Look Great, Feel Great, and the entire Battlefield of the Mindfamily of books. She has also released thousands of audio teachings as well as a complete video library. Joyce's Enjoying Everyday Life® radio and television programs are broadcast around the world, and she travels extensively conducting conferences. Joyce and her husband, Dave, are the parents of four grown children and make their home in St. Louis, Missouri.Visit the author's website.
Product Details:
List Price: $16.99
Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: FaithWords; Lrg edition (November 12, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446509396
ISBN-13: 978-0446509398
AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:
Introduction
Everyone has them: those days where nothing seems to get done, except maybe what you’ve added to your already lengthy to-do list. Are you tired most of the time? Are you spent? Do you find yourself wish- ing for a better day—a simpler day? Too many things compete for your limited resources of attention, energy, and time. You may be suffocat- ing and not even know it. If you feel like this, you’re not alone.
Most people today live complicated lives that leave them frustrated and confused, weary and worn out. But I have good news: your life does not have to be that way. You can choose a life of simplicity, fruitfulness, fulfillment, peace, and joy. I want to warn you, however, unless you are determined not to, you will do what everyone else does. You will get sucked up in the system and spend your life wishing things were different, never realizing you are, in fact, the only one who can change things. Unless we are resolute and remain undaunted in our quest for simplicity, we are destined for complication and frustration.
I recall a time when I was complaining to God about my schedule being absolutely insane. How could anyone be expected to do all I had in front of me? Then the realization hit me that I was the one who made my schedule and nobody could change it but me. You can spend your lives wishing things were different, but wishing won’t change anything. Smart decision making and decisive action is what changes things. If you picked up this book looking for change, are you willing to make a decision and follow it up with action?
I wasted many years hoping life would change and things would calm down until I finally realized life itself doesn’t change; in fact, it has the potential to get worse. I understood my only real option was to change my approach to life. I had to say no to another day of rushing around and feeling frustrated. I didn’t want the doctor giving me another pre- scription to mask another symptom of the real problem—stress.
In my search for simplicity, I have come to believe life can never be simple unless I learn to approach all things simply. It is my attitude toward each event in life that determines how easy or complex each situation will be. Perhaps life is complicated because people are compli- cated. Is it possible that life is not complicated, but rather, individuals complicate life in the way they approach it?
I discovered it wasn’t really life or circumstances or other people as much as it was me that needed to change. My problem wasn’t the problem—I was the problem! When you spend your life in frustration trying to change the world and everyone in it, you fail to realize it could be you just need to change your approach to life. It can be very easy for someone to live an entire lifetime and never entertain the notion that the way they do things is the real problem.
Have you ever attempted to have friends over for what you initially intended to be a simple afternoon of food, fellowship, and fun, but somehow, it turned into a complicated nightmare? I remember those days vividly. I’d be at church on Sunday and, without much forethought, invite three couples over for the following Sunday to a barbecue. My initial thought was hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill, baked beans, potato chips, and iced tea. My motive was fellowship and fun, but by the time the guests arrived, I didn’t even want them there. Fun was not going to happen, at least not for me. Why? I turned my simple get- together into a nightmare of preparation, expensive food, and fourteen people instead of the original six. My complicated approach to life and my complicated thought process convinced me hot dogs and hamburg- ers weren’t nice enough so I bought steaks we could not afford. My potato chips turned into a huge bowl of homemade potato salad. The simple baked beans became four side dishes I labored over.
Insecure and wanting to impress everyone, I had to spend the week cleaning and getting everything in the house to the point where I thought it would be impressive. Of course, the lawn chairs were old, so I bought new ones. I got angry at Dave because I thought he wasn’t help- ing me enough, and by the time our friends arrived, I resented them, wished they hadn’t come, and had a miserable day of pretending to be the happy hostess when in reality I was frustrated and miserable.
I could not figure out why I wasn’t able to enjoy much of anything in life until God revealed to me I was killing my joy with complication. For years, I prayed God would change the people and circumstances around me when, in reality, He wanted to change me and my approach to life. He wanted me to simplify so, ultimately, He could be glorified.
Let me share with you 100 ways to approach living that can simplify your life and, in turn, release and increase your joy. I believe they will dramatically improve the quality of your everyday experience if you incorporate them into the way you do things. Jesus said He came so we might have and enjoy our life in abundance (see John 10:10). His prin- ciples are simple. Faith is simple! Trusting God is simple! A childlike approach to Him is simple! The plan of salvation is simple!
Jesus offers us a “new way of living,” and I believe it is a simple, yet powerful way that enables us to enjoy everyday life. Are you ready to simplify your life? Are you ready to say good-bye to the complexities you’ve allowed to take over? Let’s get started.
Do One Thing at a Time
When we do things without truly focusing our minds on them, we immediately decrease our strength to do the work before us and do it well. By putting our hands to one thing and our mind to another, we divide the muscle behind our abilities and we make the task much more difficult. It’s like removing an egg yolk from the egg white—both can be used separately but the result isn’t as effective (or tasty) as it would be if we leave the egg whole. However, by directing all of our faculties to the one thing we are doing on a particular day, at that hour, at that moment, we find it much easier to do. The ability to concentrate and stay focused can only come from discipline.
The apostle Paul tells us in Philippians 4:6 to be anxious for nothing. Anxious people are always trying to live ahead of where they currently are. They spend today trying to figure out tomorrow and the result is the loss of simplicity. God expects us to trust Him with tomorrow just as He instructed the Israelites to do when they crossed the barren wil- derness, pressing toward the Promised Land.
Practice living one day at a time; give yourself—your thoughts, your conversation, your energies, every part of you—to the day at hand.
100 Ways to Simplify Your Life
1. Develop an ability to give yourself to what you are doing. You will sense an awareness enabling you to enjoy the current activity, instead of going through each day in a blur of activity and confusing thoughts which leave you drained and exhausted.
Do you fear you will not accomplish as much if you try to live this way? It’s true you may not do as much, but you will also enjoy what you do a whole lot more. One key to simplicity is realizing that quality is far superior to quantity.
Everyone has them: those days where nothing seems to get done, except maybe what you’ve added to your already lengthy to-do list. Are you tired most of the time? Are you spent? Do you find yourself wish- ing for a better day—a simpler day? Too many things compete for your limited resources of attention, energy, and time. You may be suffocat- ing and not even know it. If you feel like this, you’re not alone.
Most people today live complicated lives that leave them frustrated and confused, weary and worn out. But I have good news: your life does not have to be that way. You can choose a life of simplicity, fruitfulness, fulfillment, peace, and joy. I want to warn you, however, unless you are determined not to, you will do what everyone else does. You will get sucked up in the system and spend your life wishing things were different, never realizing you are, in fact, the only one who can change things. Unless we are resolute and remain undaunted in our quest for simplicity, we are destined for complication and frustration.
I recall a time when I was complaining to God about my schedule being absolutely insane. How could anyone be expected to do all I had in front of me? Then the realization hit me that I was the one who made my schedule and nobody could change it but me. You can spend your lives wishing things were different, but wishing won’t change anything. Smart decision making and decisive action is what changes things. If you picked up this book looking for change, are you willing to make a decision and follow it up with action?
I wasted many years hoping life would change and things would calm down until I finally realized life itself doesn’t change; in fact, it has the potential to get worse. I understood my only real option was to change my approach to life. I had to say no to another day of rushing around and feeling frustrated. I didn’t want the doctor giving me another pre- scription to mask another symptom of the real problem—stress.
In my search for simplicity, I have come to believe life can never be simple unless I learn to approach all things simply. It is my attitude toward each event in life that determines how easy or complex each situation will be. Perhaps life is complicated because people are compli- cated. Is it possible that life is not complicated, but rather, individuals complicate life in the way they approach it?
I discovered it wasn’t really life or circumstances or other people as much as it was me that needed to change. My problem wasn’t the problem—I was the problem! When you spend your life in frustration trying to change the world and everyone in it, you fail to realize it could be you just need to change your approach to life. It can be very easy for someone to live an entire lifetime and never entertain the notion that the way they do things is the real problem.
Have you ever attempted to have friends over for what you initially intended to be a simple afternoon of food, fellowship, and fun, but somehow, it turned into a complicated nightmare? I remember those days vividly. I’d be at church on Sunday and, without much forethought, invite three couples over for the following Sunday to a barbecue. My initial thought was hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill, baked beans, potato chips, and iced tea. My motive was fellowship and fun, but by the time the guests arrived, I didn’t even want them there. Fun was not going to happen, at least not for me. Why? I turned my simple get- together into a nightmare of preparation, expensive food, and fourteen people instead of the original six. My complicated approach to life and my complicated thought process convinced me hot dogs and hamburg- ers weren’t nice enough so I bought steaks we could not afford. My potato chips turned into a huge bowl of homemade potato salad. The simple baked beans became four side dishes I labored over.
Insecure and wanting to impress everyone, I had to spend the week cleaning and getting everything in the house to the point where I thought it would be impressive. Of course, the lawn chairs were old, so I bought new ones. I got angry at Dave because I thought he wasn’t help- ing me enough, and by the time our friends arrived, I resented them, wished they hadn’t come, and had a miserable day of pretending to be the happy hostess when in reality I was frustrated and miserable.
I could not figure out why I wasn’t able to enjoy much of anything in life until God revealed to me I was killing my joy with complication. For years, I prayed God would change the people and circumstances around me when, in reality, He wanted to change me and my approach to life. He wanted me to simplify so, ultimately, He could be glorified.
Let me share with you 100 ways to approach living that can simplify your life and, in turn, release and increase your joy. I believe they will dramatically improve the quality of your everyday experience if you incorporate them into the way you do things. Jesus said He came so we might have and enjoy our life in abundance (see John 10:10). His prin- ciples are simple. Faith is simple! Trusting God is simple! A childlike approach to Him is simple! The plan of salvation is simple!
Jesus offers us a “new way of living,” and I believe it is a simple, yet powerful way that enables us to enjoy everyday life. Are you ready to simplify your life? Are you ready to say good-bye to the complexities you’ve allowed to take over? Let’s get started.
Do One Thing at a Time
The feeling of being hurried is not usually the result of living a full life and having no time. It is, on the contrary, born of a vague fear that we are wasting our life. When we do not do the one thing we ought to do, we have no time for anything elseówe are the busiest people in the world.
ÓERIC HOFFER
Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection].
—Hebrews 12:2
When we do things without truly focusing our minds on them, we immediately decrease our strength to do the work before us and do it well. By putting our hands to one thing and our mind to another, we divide the muscle behind our abilities and we make the task much more difficult. It’s like removing an egg yolk from the egg white—both can be used separately but the result isn’t as effective (or tasty) as it would be if we leave the egg whole. However, by directing all of our faculties to the one thing we are doing on a particular day, at that hour, at that moment, we find it much easier to do. The ability to concentrate and stay focused can only come from discipline.
The apostle Paul tells us in Philippians 4:6 to be anxious for nothing. Anxious people are always trying to live ahead of where they currently are. They spend today trying to figure out tomorrow and the result is the loss of simplicity. God expects us to trust Him with tomorrow just as He instructed the Israelites to do when they crossed the barren wil- derness, pressing toward the Promised Land.
Practice living one day at a time; give yourself—your thoughts, your conversation, your energies, every part of you—to the day at hand.
100 Ways to Simplify Your Life
1. Develop an ability to give yourself to what you are doing. You will sense an awareness enabling you to enjoy the current activity, instead of going through each day in a blur of activity and confusing thoughts which leave you drained and exhausted.
Do you fear you will not accomplish as much if you try to live this way? It’s true you may not do as much, but you will also enjoy what you do a whole lot more. One key to simplicity is realizing that quality is far superior to quantity.
The Blog Tour for "Nan's Journey" Begins July 23
It is time to play a Wild Card! Every now and then, a book that I have chosen to read is going to pop up as a FIRST Wild Card Tour. Get dealt into the game! (Just click the button!) Wild Card Tours feature an author and his/her book's FIRST chapter!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
Today's Wild Card author is:
and his/her book:
Tate Publishing & Enterprises (January 2, 2008)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Littau is a life-long resident of Perryton, TX. She met husband, Terry at the Apostolic Faith Bible College in Baxter Springs, Kansas in 1974. They married March 1, 1975 and reside on a small acreage near Perryton where they enjoy spending time with their family and friends. They raised three sons and now have three daughters-in-law and four grandchildren added to their family. They also enjoy visiting with their extended family located in Perryton, Clear Lake, Laverne, and Amarillo.
Author Elaine Littau is a busy woman who by profession is the church secretary for Harvest Time First Assembly of God Church in Perryton. Among other things she has led women’s groups and taught preschool, and was a mentor for the M.O.P.S. (Mothers of Preschoolers) group in her community. She has been active in Toastmasters and enjoys painting, crafts, and playing piano and organ. She was recently appointed to the Campus Education Improvement Committee for Wright Elementary in Perryton. She belongs to Christian Storytellers and Faith Writers writing groups.
“Nan’s Journey” was written over the course of several years. “A salvation message is at the core of the book.” Littau says. “If it weren’t for the Lord, I wouldn’t have been able to do this. I truly enjoy meeting new people.”
Littau is currently working on two other books that are continuations of “Nan’s Journey.” Book signings and speaking engagements are currently set up for venues in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, and Oregon.
Visit the author's website.
Product Details:
List Price: $12.99
Paperback: 188 pages
Publisher: Tate Publishing & Enterprises (January 2, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1602478325
ISBN-13: 978-1602478329
AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:
Chapter One
It was late. The moon had risen and the night symphony was in full force. Crickets chirped at their rivals, the frogs, and dominated the night chorus. Only one sound in the forest was foreign—a whimper from under the ferns. At the base of the largest pine in the woods was a small form crying, moaning, and whimpering. Black hair, matted and dirty, hung in long ropes down the front of the tiny girl. She had been in this spot for hours. At least that is what it felt like to her. Stretching, she cried out in pain. The blood-covered welts burst open to bleed again. Her back was wet with blood, and her dress was torn and useless.
Why had she dared to speak to the woman that she was obliged to call mother in that way? She knew that talking was not allowed from children before chores were finished. The accusations being made by “Ma” were totally false and she could not let Elmer take the blame for something she herself had forgotten to do. She shut her eyes tight against the memory, but it intruded anyway.
She had just gotten up to take the water off the stove to make up dishwater for the supper dishes. Ma had stepped outside the room to turn down her bed and prepare for sleep. When she reappeared in the kitchen, she realized that the wood supply next to the stove was low. Elmer was standing next to the table gathering the plates for washing. “Elmer, where is the wood you were supposed to bring up to the house?” Before he could answer, a hand had slapped him across his face. Getting back onto his feet and standing as tall as a five year old can stand, he looked her in the eye and said, “Ma, I was sick today, ‘member?”
“So, Elmer, you’re going to play up that headache trick again. Nan, didn’t your good for nothing Mama teach you people how to work, or are you just lazy?”
“Our Mama was good! Don’t you say mean things about her!” Nan yelled as her heart raced at the assault against her real Mama’s character.
“What about it, Elmer, are you like your weakling Mama or what?” Elmer’s eyes became very large and filled with tears. He could barely remember his real Mama, but when he did, he remembered soft kisses and sweet singing and a beautiful face. “I’m sorry; I’ll get the wood now.”
“No, Elmer, don’t. I promised you I’d do it today when your head was hurting, but I forgot. I’ll get it after I do these dishes.”
“Listen here, Nan, I’m the boss around here and Elmer will do what I say, when I say, and you will respect me.”
Nan’s eyes widened.
“Don’t look at me like that, little girl.”
Nan held her breath.
“Well, I guess you will be making a trip to the wood shed…with me!” Ma had grabbed her by the arm and jerked her along behind the shed. The strap was hanging there, waiting. Whippings were becoming more and more frequent. After Ma’s husband left, they had taken on a more cruel form. The last whipping was more like a beating. It took days for the marks to scab over and heal. Little Elmer had come in that night and brought some horse medicine from the barn and applied it to the oozing marks.
The next afternoon when the schoolteacher came over, Ma had already formulated a story. “Mrs. Dewey, we missed Nan and Elmer today at school. Are they sick?” Ma lied the first time in her life and said, “Well Miss Sergeant, since Mr. Dewey is going to be gone for another four weeks, I need more help around here to get things done. I’m holding the kids out until he gets back.” Week after week went by, and Mr. Dewey still hadn’t come home. Everyday Ma grew more and more angry. It became more and more impossible to please her. When she began hitting Elmer, it was too much. Nan had to do something— right or wrong; things couldn’t stay the way they were.
The coolness of the earth had settled into Nan’s bones. She stood silently for a minute and carefully crept up to the farmhouse. As she opened the door, she saw that Elmer was in the pallet at the foot of the stove next to her bedroll. Ma was asleep in her room. The door held open with a rock. Slowly she began peeling off the dress and the dried blood stuck to it. She reached for the old shirt she normally wore over her wounds and under her dress. She had washed it today. It had bloodstains on it, but it would keep her from ruining another dress. She retrieved the old work dress that she wore when chores were messier than usual; it was the only one left. She put it on swiftly and shook Elmer awake with her hand over his mouth. “Baby, we must leave. Do you understand? Stay quiet and I will get some stuff to take with us.”
She found large old handkerchief and began looking for food supplies. There was one sourdough biscuit and about a cup of cold brown beans. She located her tin cup and another rag. She would probably need that. Three matches were in the cup on the stove. She would just take two. Suddenly she heard a sound from Ma’s room. A scampering sound… just a rat. Ma turned over. Her breathing became deep and regular. For once Nan wished that Ma snored. She tied the handkerchief in a knot over the meager food supplies, grabbed their bedrolls, and slowly opened the door.
“Come on, Elmer. Can you carry this food? I’ll get your bedding. That’s a good boy. We must hurry!”
The cold air bit at their faces, but they walked bravely on.
“Elmer, we must go tonight so we can get as far away as we can before Ma wakes up and sees that we are gone.”
For the next half hour the pair walked in silence through the familiar woods past the graves on the hill. In one, a mother dearly loved, in another, an infant who had died the same day as his mother, and the third, a father that only Nan had memory of. Elmer was only two years old when Pa died in the logging accident. Nan snapped out of her reverie and urged Elmer on. Molasses, Pa’s good old workhorse, stood in the pasture. He skidded the logs Pa cut with his axe. His legs hadn’t healed quite right, but Mama hadn’t let Mr. Dewey kill him because he was all she had left of the husband of her youth. Molasses was a faithful friend to Nan and Elmer. He stood there and waited for them to mount him.
“Molasses, take us to…” Nan realized then that they had nowhere to go. Mrs. Dewey had said that they were ungrateful little imps who didn’t realize she and Mr. Dewey were taking care of them out of kindness, and they could easily be put into an orphanage. Nan didn’t know anything about orphanages except what Mrs. Dewey…uh, Ma had told her. “Molasses, just take us out of here.”
Why had she dared to speak to the woman that she was obliged to call mother in that way? She knew that talking was not allowed from children before chores were finished. The accusations being made by “Ma” were totally false and she could not let Elmer take the blame for something she herself had forgotten to do. She shut her eyes tight against the memory, but it intruded anyway.
She had just gotten up to take the water off the stove to make up dishwater for the supper dishes. Ma had stepped outside the room to turn down her bed and prepare for sleep. When she reappeared in the kitchen, she realized that the wood supply next to the stove was low. Elmer was standing next to the table gathering the plates for washing. “Elmer, where is the wood you were supposed to bring up to the house?” Before he could answer, a hand had slapped him across his face. Getting back onto his feet and standing as tall as a five year old can stand, he looked her in the eye and said, “Ma, I was sick today, ‘member?”
“So, Elmer, you’re going to play up that headache trick again. Nan, didn’t your good for nothing Mama teach you people how to work, or are you just lazy?”
“Our Mama was good! Don’t you say mean things about her!” Nan yelled as her heart raced at the assault against her real Mama’s character.
“What about it, Elmer, are you like your weakling Mama or what?” Elmer’s eyes became very large and filled with tears. He could barely remember his real Mama, but when he did, he remembered soft kisses and sweet singing and a beautiful face. “I’m sorry; I’ll get the wood now.”
“No, Elmer, don’t. I promised you I’d do it today when your head was hurting, but I forgot. I’ll get it after I do these dishes.”
“Listen here, Nan, I’m the boss around here and Elmer will do what I say, when I say, and you will respect me.”
Nan’s eyes widened.
“Don’t look at me like that, little girl.”
Nan held her breath.
“Well, I guess you will be making a trip to the wood shed…with me!” Ma had grabbed her by the arm and jerked her along behind the shed. The strap was hanging there, waiting. Whippings were becoming more and more frequent. After Ma’s husband left, they had taken on a more cruel form. The last whipping was more like a beating. It took days for the marks to scab over and heal. Little Elmer had come in that night and brought some horse medicine from the barn and applied it to the oozing marks.
The next afternoon when the schoolteacher came over, Ma had already formulated a story. “Mrs. Dewey, we missed Nan and Elmer today at school. Are they sick?” Ma lied the first time in her life and said, “Well Miss Sergeant, since Mr. Dewey is going to be gone for another four weeks, I need more help around here to get things done. I’m holding the kids out until he gets back.” Week after week went by, and Mr. Dewey still hadn’t come home. Everyday Ma grew more and more angry. It became more and more impossible to please her. When she began hitting Elmer, it was too much. Nan had to do something— right or wrong; things couldn’t stay the way they were.
The coolness of the earth had settled into Nan’s bones. She stood silently for a minute and carefully crept up to the farmhouse. As she opened the door, she saw that Elmer was in the pallet at the foot of the stove next to her bedroll. Ma was asleep in her room. The door held open with a rock. Slowly she began peeling off the dress and the dried blood stuck to it. She reached for the old shirt she normally wore over her wounds and under her dress. She had washed it today. It had bloodstains on it, but it would keep her from ruining another dress. She retrieved the old work dress that she wore when chores were messier than usual; it was the only one left. She put it on swiftly and shook Elmer awake with her hand over his mouth. “Baby, we must leave. Do you understand? Stay quiet and I will get some stuff to take with us.”
She found large old handkerchief and began looking for food supplies. There was one sourdough biscuit and about a cup of cold brown beans. She located her tin cup and another rag. She would probably need that. Three matches were in the cup on the stove. She would just take two. Suddenly she heard a sound from Ma’s room. A scampering sound… just a rat. Ma turned over. Her breathing became deep and regular. For once Nan wished that Ma snored. She tied the handkerchief in a knot over the meager food supplies, grabbed their bedrolls, and slowly opened the door.
“Come on, Elmer. Can you carry this food? I’ll get your bedding. That’s a good boy. We must hurry!”
The cold air bit at their faces, but they walked bravely on.
“Elmer, we must go tonight so we can get as far away as we can before Ma wakes up and sees that we are gone.”
For the next half hour the pair walked in silence through the familiar woods past the graves on the hill. In one, a mother dearly loved, in another, an infant who had died the same day as his mother, and the third, a father that only Nan had memory of. Elmer was only two years old when Pa died in the logging accident. Nan snapped out of her reverie and urged Elmer on. Molasses, Pa’s good old workhorse, stood in the pasture. He skidded the logs Pa cut with his axe. His legs hadn’t healed quite right, but Mama hadn’t let Mr. Dewey kill him because he was all she had left of the husband of her youth. Molasses was a faithful friend to Nan and Elmer. He stood there and waited for them to mount him.
“Molasses, take us to…” Nan realized then that they had nowhere to go. Mrs. Dewey had said that they were ungrateful little imps who didn’t realize she and Mr. Dewey were taking care of them out of kindness, and they could easily be put into an orphanage. Nan didn’t know anything about orphanages except what Mrs. Dewey…uh, Ma had told her. “Molasses, just take us out of here.”
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