"Hello, Anyone there?"

Have you ever had that feeling that someone was following you, that you need to look over your shoulders every-now-and-then? I've had that feeling for several weeks now. But it was more like a whisper in my ear or a tap on my shoulder. I've been so preoccupied with life that I haven't had time to sit and do the important things that matter in my life....reviewing our spending plan, reorganizing stuff, finishing my assignment...which is a month overdue. It's so funny how my own needs get so shoved way back, that getting to them is much of a task.

As I open myself up to hearing the Lord speak to me, I hear His voice whisper in my ear about all the things I am neglecting that REALLY need to be taken care of. And what do I do? Look over my shoulder and keep on going. What's that all about? Why do I do things like that?

It's an awesome feeling to know what God wants me to do. But my problem is not knowing, it's doing. Is it my control? Could it be a lack of faith? Whatever it is, it's my struggle. I'm just glad He continues to speak to me even at times I fail to do it. I know I can lean on Him to keep my priorities straight.

The Awakening

Okay, so it's been a few months since my last post. I was even beginning to think if I should continue this blog. But then one morning driving back from dropping my kids at school, I heard the radio host read her blog out loud. "It was the day after Labor Day Weekend. The day of starting over. " Starting over? I thought to myself, then she began to mention how summer was a time for us to enjoy family with vacations and breaks, but Labor Day weekend marked the end of summer. And on the other end, the mark of new beginnings...so I thought hmmm. Maybe I should continue this blog. I took my summer break and now marks a new start. So to new beginnings....

Submit My Submissions

Submitting manuscripts to children's magazines sounds like such a thrill....well, it is, but not you're first one. I'm about to send one of my manuscripts to Spider magazine, but putting all the stuff together; getting the manuscript in the proper format, looking at their specific guidlines, SASE and typing up a cover letter, a cover letter, isn't as thrilling as it seems!!! I haven't even started it...no, I take it back, I have a blank page saved as "Superhero (Part of my story title) Cover letter - Spider". This cover letter is like a cover letter to a resume. It has to catch the editor's eyes even in the first few words he reads. So I need to do that....but I'm not quite sure how I can "sell" my story to them. So that is what is preventing me from sending it. A cover letter.

How can something as little as a cover letter prevent me from continuing on in my writing career? Keep me from possibly being published? I think I'm taking too much control. I need to submit and let things happen the way they were meant to be. Pray about it. Write the letter. Pray again and send it. I need to submit, and let God take it from here.

"Welcome to the Writer's Life!"

I've earned my first writer's disappointment today. I received my copy of the Children's Writer today. It was the issue announcing the winner and runner-ups for the poetry contest I had entered into a few months back. I ruffled the paper to the end of the issue where the announcement was located. I read down, down the list and then it ended. My name wasn't on it nor the title of my poem. Bummer! "Welcome to the writer's life." My initiation into the writer's world. It feels kindof cool. Like I'm in. I'm a writer who felt her first rejection. Well after some revisions, I will be sending the poem out this time to editors....this is a great learning experience for me. It teaches me to have tough skin and not give up. Step back, restrategize and go for it again!

Obedient & Disciplined

This morning I decided I'm going to make some changes in how I handle my day. These past few days have been very difficult for me in all areas of my life including my life as a writer. Life has gotten so busy, I have been pushing off or rushing my time with His Word. So today was the first day of getting up a little earlier than the children in order to have some "me time". Time for writing projects, writing assignments and time with Jesus. I opened up the Bible and decided to add a chapter from Proverbs and Psalms on top of my regular reading. In Proverbs 1-2 and Psalms 1, they speak of listening to God and obeying His instructions. Just what I needed to read....listening and obeying. A revelation, that's why I've had such a difficult time. I haven't been listening and obeying Him.
Well taking that into my writing, I know I have to be more disciplined in setting aside time to write and focus on what I need to do as a writer. I am listening Lord, thanks for the reminder!

Praying in Our Own Way

So everytime we sit down for a meal, our family gives praise and thanks for the food that is provided for us. My daughter, who is now 23 months old, now acknowledges prayer time by either pausing before she eats while someone leads the prayer or closing her hands together and bowing her head. This morning we had our prayer before breakfast. This time I decided to watch her as we prayed. As we all concluded with an "Amen"....she responded "Mermaid" (Amen in her talk) and proceeded to eat.

LOVED it!!!!

Writing from Our Past

I'm now on Assignment 3. This lesson focuses on detailed writing; showing instead of telling. We are to describe a place we remember from our childhood past. I had to think about a place...all I could think of is our "clubhouse" we built on the slope of the canyon we lived on. We didn't have anything special just a few little toys and hand carved steps to get in and out of our clubhouse which comprised of tree trunks and branches as walls and the treetops as our roof. Nothing special, but boy did we have a view. It overlooked the canyon below and the hills of houses in the background. Anyone passing by would've never known it was a clubhouse, but we did. We used our imagination. We were constantly "protecting" our ground. We assigned a watch guard and everything.

Thinking back made me reminisce on the good ol' care-free days of childhood. I need to remind myself of that when I think of my relationship with God. Think like a child. Jesus even refers to that in the NT. He tells us to approach learning about God like a child, open and taking things for what it is....I tend to over analyze a lot. Sometimes I need to take myself back into the past and embrace things with open arms and an open heart.