I’m not a huge environmental activist. You won’t find me hugging any trees, but I believe if we all did a little to help our environment if can go a long way and make our children’s future a better place to live.

Check out these Green and Eco-Friendly sites and add your own to the comment section!

http://1greenproduct.com/

http://recycline.com

http://www.biobagusa.com/

Wednesday, July 30 – Sunday, August 3rd

I know I should have gotten this up a lot sooner, but I’ve been on the road with shoddy internet connection that brought me back to the dial up days! UGH!But it’s not too late to sign up. It starts tomorrow, and what a deal!There are some awesome speakers, and I’ll be speaking on “How to Follow Your Dream and Homeschool” on Friday at 11:45!

I’ve figured out how to log in and talk, and I’m polishing up my speech.

I’m actually getting excited! This is my first teleseminar, and I hope it’s not my last!So sign up and tell them I sent ya! Hope to see you there!

 

5 Minutes For Books wants to know what’s on my nightstand this month. And boy, has this been a busy month of reading as I got ready for ICRS. My reading has been quite eclectic this month from chillers and thrillers to Chick lit! So I’m sure you’ll find something that interests you!

James E. Robinson’s The Flower of Grass, had the feel of walking through the country on a cool morning. Not that I’ve actually done that, but it was a slow, poetic read with heart wrenching challenges in which you weren’t sure how it would end up and I wasn’t quite sure how I wanted it to end up. I’ll have an interview with the author up at Writer…Interrupted soon, and maybe give away a book!

Tosca Lee’s Demon: A Memoir was an intriguing, mind gripping story. I lost myself in the story which is credit to the author since I rarely get enraptured by stories nowadays unless they’re really good! And to top it off, Tosca Lee was nominated for a Christy for this FIRST novel.

Mike Dellosso’s, The Hunted, was also a incredible first novel. You can read my interview with Mike here. Talk about a Writer…Interrupted. Read all about his battle with cancer and my review of The Hunted! But if you want to be taken for an exciting, and sometimes chilling ride, then don’t miss this one!

I’m currently reading Sigmund Brouwer’s Broken Angel. Heart wrenching, thrilling and insightful and I’m only on the fifth chapter! I thoroughly enjoyed my interview with him and his wife, Christian music singer and writer and hearing their awe filled tail of how Cindy’s new song and Sigmund’s new book intertwined though neither of them shared what they were working on. Look for their interview on how they balance two kids and their own successful careers!

Michael Snyder’s My Name is Russel Fink was a fun, neurotic and touching read. You have to read it to know what I mean, but another first novel gets my thumbs up! Read his interview and look for the follow up ICRS interview to come!

Table for One by Georgiana Daniels is another delightful, chicklitish, read by a new author. I thoroughly enjoyed Lucy and her love life mishaps! You can read my review here and her interview here!

Brandilyn Collins always delivers, especially with her Kanner Lake series. I just finished Crimon Eve and stood in a loooong line at ICRS just to get her latest book, Amber Morn! Each one takes you on  roller coaster ride of suspense and who dunnit. Her tight writing and plots are what I aspire to achieve one day! You can read my interview with her here and look for my newest interview with Brandilyn to come!

I’ve been pretty lax in advertising my own carnival these last several months, but it’s a good one! You won’t want to miss it! Just click on the button!

Okay so this little meme column isn’t catching on like I thought it might. You people must be made of money. Where are your tips on saving money? I’m not even going to mess with Mr. Linky tis week. Just put your suggestions in the comment section… Come on, I know you have them!

I don’t know about you, but I’m appalled at how quickly gas is rising, so I’m on a mission to think of ways for my family (and yours) to save money. If you have some fabulous ideas to save money this summer, then join me in posting one idea every Saturday.

Here are the official rules:

Write a summer money saving post and copy the logo and link back here to the Mr. Linky post

Invite others back here to view more tips on how to save money this summer

Sign Mr. Linky with the url of your Money Saving Post

Do NOT add a Mr. Linky to your blog, but encourage those who want to participate to visit here!

More on what to post:

You can share your ideas or some things you did the previous week to save (or make money.) I can’t wait to hear all the wonderful money saving tips you have. Don’t forget to share your money saving ideas! Here’s mine!

Coast more: My husband is really good at this. He coasts up to two miles sometimes without pressing on the gas. That means $$$ in our pocket. I need to get better at this because during the school year I’m just so busy rushing around I don’t pay attention to how much I press on that gas.

When we go to Orlando, which seems to be every other year, we do all things Disney. We heard Universal was for older kids and since our kids were young, we passed on Universal. Now that my two oldest are 13 and 11, we thought it was time for Universal and since we had done Disney LAST year (really wasn’t planning on coming back so soon…) we thought everyone would had fun.

So we checked the weather, we packed the rain ponchos, and headed out with my dad and brother (16.) We started at Islands of Adventure since it was supposed to rain in the afternoon and most of Universal is inside. I went with my dad and Grace to Dr. Seuss Land while my hubby, popping Dramamine, took the boys on the rollercoasters. Thanks to fairly short lines, we did Dr. Seuss Land in an hour. Unfortunately, there were only four rides. The carosell, One Fish, Two Fish ride strangely familiar to Dumbo in the Magic Kindgom, an over head train trolley (which had the longest line and we passed on,) and the Cat and the Hat ride.

When we were done, we met the boys at the Sinbad show. It was a little loud and scary for Grace, but she huddled close to her daddy. The boys told us about the Deuling Dragons and how Timmy was too small to ride. I really wanted to ride, but knew we would be back another day and everyone was hungry.

We ate pizza at the Fantastic Four Cafe and shared our refill cup between us. By then my dad had gone home and we headed to Universal as the rain started to fall.

We pulled out our rain ponchos and made our way to Shrek 4-D. It was something the entire family could do. Then Grace and I went to Jimmy Neutron and the boys went to The Mummy. Waiting for the boys, Grace spied a rock climbing brick wall and begged me to let her climb. For $5 she got to climb three times (it was only supposed to be two, but she later told me she asked the lady if she could climb again) and I got one happy little girl. The boys found us and tried their spiderman skills as well.

Next was Jaws. It wasn’t too scary for the kids! Then off to Fievel’s play ground and water slide and Woody Woodpecker’s rollercoaster. It was pretty fun for a kiddie rollercoaster. We somehow made it out of the park without buying a souvenir. Probably because I told them we could look on the last day.

By the time we left the park, half of us had sore feet, and all of us were exhausted. But we had fun and got to scope out the good rides for when we’d return the next day.

I woke at the crack of dawn, showered, dressed and started waking everyone up only to hear the familiar groans of kiddos complaining about being too tired and wanting to stay home! I almost didn’t believe my ears. Kids NOT wanting to go to an amusement park and me, mom, begging, for them to go so I could ride the rollercoasters. But in the end the majority ruled and we decided to go back our last day.

I was a little leery of the plan. What if something came up? And it did! My husband woke and informed me he wouldn’t be able to go with me. He had spent the entire night battling vertigo. I would have to take my four kids, two cousins and one brother to the park. By. My. Self.

But I’ll save that story for another day!

One of our sons is incredibly mean and horrible to the other. We’ve tried everything, but this son picks at and says awful things to the other one. His attitude and hatred in his heart at times is wrenching to me and those who here this verbal abuse.

We’ve tried it all. No Ps2, no friends, etc. Sometimes it works…for a while, then he goes back. The root of the problem is selfishness and we’ve even had him memorize scripture. It’s encouraging when I see his heart soften, but it can harden up so quickly.

Well, we’ve committed to getting tougher with him. In fact, while on line at Universal for the Pteradon Flyer ride ( a 60 minute wait) his attitude became unbearable. After several warnings and nearing the end of the line (which was more like a 30 minute wait) I said he was NOT going on the ride. At first he was shocked and I looked to my husband for support. I felt myself waver, but my husband agreed! My son flared his nostril and gave the evil eye to me and his brother, but we all boarded the ride without him.

His attitude seemed to settle down for a while, but days later he’s back to picking at people (not just his brother, but sister also.) It’s so difficult to know what to do. Most of it is selfishness and it’s NOT just the age. He’s been like this for a looong time. If anyone has any suggestions I’m open to it. Something really needs to happen in his heart (and I’ve seen it soften so I know it’s not hopeless,) but I’m at a loss what to do!

Before I blog about my personal experience at Universal/Islands of Adventure (which was great by the way,) I need to get some things off my chest. If each park would tithe I really believe they could feed the WORLD! It’s incredible how much money they rake it. Mind you, I have no idea what it takes to keep the place clean and running, but come on, $12 for parking??? I could feed a kid for a month on $12!

But it’s not all their fault, is it? We’re the ones raking out the cash!

What is it about these establishments that make people pay $80 or more to stand in hour long lines to ride a 60 second ride. On paper it’s insane. The money people spend is insane. A hot dog meal for $7.50 is insane.

So why do we do it?

I have no clue, but if you’re going to do it, you might as well do it smart. Since my dad is a Florida resident we were able to get the resident rate and a two park two day deal for $71 for adults and a little less for kids. Yet, I think kids should be more close to $20 a ticket at Universal/Islands of Adventure since there are hardly any rides for them to ride!

I love the idea of the refill cups. Even at $6.99 a cup with 74 cent refills it’s a bargain since drinks cost $2.50 a pop. We’d refill our cup and share it between 6 or more people. To the park’s credit, they always gave us cups of ice (for free) when we asked for it, and each refill kept us satisfied until the next drink stop. By the end of day two, and sick of sugary drinks and pop, I decided to ask for water. They filled it up for FREE! So we stuck to the water refills and felt hydrated and refreshed.

We found buying a whole pizza or two was the best meal for us, though the Meal Deals were pretty tempting. For $10.99 (kids) and $ 20ish (for adults) you could eat as much as you want at designated locations. I seriously considered this, but since we only ate one meal a day and brought our own snacks, it wasn’t cost efficient for us.

Well, I guess that’s all I have to say for now on the subject. What’s your take on our entertainment crazed culture?

No, not in that order, but I thought it might catch your attention! Did it?

I’m talking about online registries. I remember when the registry at Babies R Us was the neatest thing. Got to the store, zap what you want, and pray someone buys it. Though buying something on someone’s registry was a nightmare. I could never find the exact item they wanted!

Nowadays, it’s all done online. Click, click, click and I’m done. I have a little sister who’s having her first baby and a cousin who’s getting married. They’re both out of state and I won’t be attending their showers, but the internet and gift registries has made it so simple to send gifts!

And have you noticed everyone has a gift registry! Pampered Chef, Macy’s, Bed, Bath & Beyond…Any place that has an online store, probably has a gift registry.

Many years ago I made a gift registry for each of my kids from Toys R Us. I thought it would be easier for parents and family to find gifts for my child and avoid getting duplicate gifts. Though I haven’t used it in years, I’m considering it again, at least for family!

What do you think about gift registries? I think they’re great for baby showers, weddings, and 50th anniversaries, but I’m on the fence about birthdays and Christmas. What do you think?

Tell us a little about your family and your call to write.

My husband is the most fantastic, supportive guy I can imagine. I also have three kids (a teen and two tots) who light up my world. God knew exactly what He was doing when he arranged our family. The call to write came when I was a kid. I remember staying at my grandma’s house for a few weeks and praying about it, and God answering in a very specific way that I, as a twelve-year-old, could understand. My parents encouraged me all along, and probably wonder what took me so long to get serious. And now my husband gives me an incredible amount of freedom to pursue my dream.

How did you get your first “writing break?”

Finding a home for Table for One seemed much harder than writing the book itself. When I first started trying to place TFO, I was told repeatedly that the chick lit train had left the station. When I queried The Wild Rose Press, they were enthusiastic about the book, and they weren’t as concerned about the genre label as they were about publishing a fun story that worked within their guidelines.

What do you write and why this genre?

Chick lit is the genre of my heart. It’s a natural extension of my voice and a great outlet for my whacky sense of humor. That said, these days I’ve modified my writing to fit more into the humorous women’s fiction/romantic comedy mode because it still allows me to retain my voice.

Do you have any recent contracts and up coming releases?

If only! But since I’m a glass-half-full kind of girl, I believe that my time is coming. Plus I now have a hard-working agent who is shopping my 2^nd novel, Honey Do Inc.

What do you hope to accomplish through your novels?

I could say that I want people to take away a deep, spiritual message, but honestly I want people to laugh and be entertained, maybe even refreshed. (Most likely they’re relieved they aren’t living the life of my heroines.) While my stories have some spiritual takeaway value, I always keep in mind that a merry heart does good, like medicine.

And now for the tough questions…

How do you balance being a mom, wife, and writer?

If I knew the secret, I’d write a how-to book and makes lots of money! I live by to-do lists. There’s something so satisfying about crossing items off, and moving on to the next task. Thankfully I have a family who is ultra-supportive, and doesn’t mind nearly as much as I do when our home looks windswept. For a while I tried writing during the day, but now that I’ve figured out how much that doesn’t work I’ve adjusted my schedule and write at night, so that’s helped some.

Do you think it’s possible to give yourself fully to raising children, writing, and keeping in shape? If not, which one for you has to take a back seat?

Uh, if you could see my incredible shrinking wardrobe you’d know which one takes a back seat. At this point, I’m not under deadline, though I wish I was, so in theory the writing could easily sit on the backburner. Since I have a great support system, both at home and in the writing community, not writing is not a viable option. Back to your original question: the answer is, maybe. If you discover the secret before I do, please send me a memo.

When do you find the time to write, and do you ever feel like you’re neglecting your children when you write?

All the time! That’s why I’ve recently gone back to writing at night after the babies go to bed. Even though my teen is still awake when I write, she has no problem settling down to do her own thing, then we reconnect at the end of the night when my husband gets home.

How do you handle interruptions in your writing life?

Not very well, I’m afraid. I’d like to say I’m like Mary Poppins (practically perfect in every way!) but that’s not even close to the truth. My writing time is valuable, so when things don’t go as planned—well, let’s just say I’m a Type A and I try to make things go as planned. ((insert huge grin)) The more I try to balance, the more I learn that knots in the line eventually do work themselves out, so I don’t get as stressed as I used to when my schedule is interrupted.

How do you get back into the flow of writing after you’ve been interrupted?

Mostly by rereading what I was working on when I stopped. It’s not as hard as it used to be, and my story is percolating in my mind even when I’m not at the keyboard. Plus, I try not to lose momentum unless it’s absolutely necessary. Momentum is crucial for me.

What do you do to encourage yourself during those stormy days every writing mom has?

I try to let the stormy days pass as quickly as them come. Thankfully God prepared me for certain aspects of the writing life that sometimes just flat out stink. For example, rejections hurt, but not like they would if my last job hadn’t involved going door-to-door and calling people on the phone (yes, I was one of those annoying sales people!) I learned that rejections really aren’t personal, and more often than not they aren’t about me. From that job I also learned the importance of keeping something in the pipeline, staying consistent, and that practicing and polishing will eventually turn no’s into yes’s.

How do you position yourself to HEAR God’s voice when all the noises of life are swirling around you?

Sometimes you just have to drop everything. I believe He really wants to talk to His people and give us the gentle nudges and loving that good relationships are made of. Then there are the times He speaks louder, as in Psalm 29:3-4, and those times are amazing too.

If you do feel your priorities slipping, what do you do to get back on track?

As a stay-home mom/housewife, it’s super easy to know when I’ve let my priorities slip. People run out of clothes to wear, flies start buzzing around the trash cans, and the kids start begging for take-out. LOL! Just kidding—I don’t let it get that out of control, but I can always tell when it’s time to refocus. On a spiritual level, the slip of priorities is more subtle, and therefore more dangerous because the consequences are less obvious at first. Sometimes you just know in your spirit when it’s time to soak in more Word, and it’s best to respond. In fact, last night I was doing some online Bible study in the back room when my family thought I was writing. Shhh!!!

Has there ever been a time God told you to set aside your writing to focus on other areas of your life? If so, how did you handle that?

Most of my adult life has been focused on areas other than writing. Come to think of it, I believe there were times God was specifically calling me to write and I put the call on hold. Since I took up writing (again) I haven’t felt led to slow down.

Did you ever feel like you’ve “missed” God in regards to writing, that maybe you should be doing something else?

Only when I get a rejection. Then I pout a little, eat a lot, and shake it off. The only area I really feel like I missed God in regards to writing was by putting off the call for so long. I do NOT want to let that happen again!

What advice would you give to writing moms who have their hearts set on publication?

Ouch. Look to the journey instead of the prize! Of course, that’s easier for me to say now than it was before. But something I recently noticed is that the process of writing is God’s way of developing our character. The whole process churns up issues that sometimes it’d be easier to ignore (like longsuffering, jealousy, etc.) and if we were to skip the journey then we’d miss what God has for us to learn. Besides, there’s always going to be another level to achieve.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

Thank you for interviewing me, and for showcasing Table for One!

Thank you, Georgiana! I look forward to reading more from you! For more info on Table For One read my review here. 

As I turned, stated my final good byes, and watched the departure of my ride, I felt an eerie chill run down my spine, not so much of fear, but also of excitement. I inhaled a deep breath, trying to rid my brain of the prodding bombardments of this fearful nature. I entered a room filled with the load clamor of old friends reunited and retelling the summer’s events. Even though some faces were familiar, I was a wandering sheep who came upon a distant flock. Yet this sheep was accepted by some, others respect, he had to earn. It wasn’t easy, at first, I just sat in a lonely corner, waiting for the warning bell to ring, praying this day would pass without any conflict.

After 1st hour’s seating arrangements were made, I presented myself to my neighbors, trying to make friends. From some I was given the (I’m saying hi because I don’t want to be rude) reply, and others the ignoration of a “cold-shoulder.” But later I was reunited with those familiar faces and introduced to future friends.

That day, turned out to be not as bad as I had feared, but I probably wouldn’t be where I am now if it wasn’t for those first accepting sheep.

If you’re here for the Blog Hop, welcome! I’m a soon to be homeschooling again mom of four, though I’ll only be homeschooling my youngest two this year. Plus I’m an aspiring fiction writer, published in nonfiction, Christian, wife, who needs to pack up her house for a possible move, trying to figure out how to balance it all! On Mondays I interview successful moms who seem to do it all, and I give away books on my blog, plus I have a blog called Writer…Interrupted which speaks for itself!

Since I’m still technically on vacation in Orlando, I thought I’d join the Blog Hop sponsored by Pensieve! And boy do I have some fun, FAMOUS party guest to introduce you to (photos and everything) and door prizes to share with you!

So make sure you visit and play the party game to win some books! If you leave a comment, I’ll be sure to stop by your place!

To make this fun I thought I’d play a little game and see if you can name the people in these photos. The person who gets the most answers right wins…books. I’ll probably keep the contest going until I get home! Please email the answers to Portraitwriter (at) gmail (dot) com

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6. Please ignore the REALLY bad picture of me and concentrate on the person in the middle!

7.

Well, this will have to do for now. Internet connection is very slow! Please email the answers to Portraitwriter (at) gmail (dot) com

Really I do! Lucy Brocklehurst is a quirky, lovable character with zany dating mishaps that make you really feel for her. She’s trying to make a living and pave a way in a male dominated field. As a Stockbroker she’s pretty good. In love and relationships, she needs some help!

Then she meets the hot new youth pastor, but her plans for love are foiled and the geeky guy in the pew across from her comes to her aid more than once.

Wrought with trouble in her personal and professional life,  will Lucy find true love before her thirtieth birthday, or be single and homeless?

If you’re looking for a quick summer read that really isn’t heavy on the romance, but just enough to satisfy, then Table for One  is my recommendation!

You can pick up a copy here at the Wild Rose Press or at Amazon! 

Here’s What The Back Cover Says: Successful stockbroker Lucy Brocklehurst hasn’t had a date in four years. In a town where the ratio of single women to men is 7:1, she’s determined to wait on God for the perfect mate–as long as it’s the hot new youth pastor at her church.

Lucy will do anything to get his attention, including volunteering for the youth group. Through a series of misadventures on the teen outings, Lucy finds herself falling in love with a kindhearted chaperone named Edgar Flowers. But when their relationship grows serious, Lucy discovers the lengths his recently widowed mother will go to in order to keep them apart. What starts out as harmless interference turns into an all out tug of war, with Edgar as the prize!

Will Lucy crumble under the scrutiny of her would-be mother-in-law? Or can Lucy and Edgar’s budding romance survive the schemes of his meddling mom?

Georgiana Daniels is the wife of a super-generous husband, and the mother of a teen and two tots. After graduating with a degree in public relations, she spent several years in the business world, but now has the privilege of staying home and working on the stories she loves. Table for One is her first book. When not writing, she spends her time burning up miles on the treadmill, blogging, and participating in ACFW and RWA.

You can visit Georgiana at her blog http://georgianad.blogspot.com and come back Monday for my interview with this up and coming writer!

I can hardly recall what happened Tuesday, but I’ll try! I showed up early so I could get out on the floor and check out all the booths. But the floor didn’t open until 9:30 and I had a 10:00. Yesterday I was only out on the floor for 45 minutes, but at least got a couple of books signed. Then I headed to the Fantasy Fiction press conference and met up with Eric Reinhold who missed the interview yesterday because we got our days mixed up. I did his interview and then hurried to my 10:00. My appointment didn’t show, but later learned he was there, just in a different room. I still need to email him for an interview.

So I had a little time before Terri Blackstock showed up! Wow! What a gracious wonderful woman. Not only do I love her suspense, but I love her heart. Luckily I snagged someone to take our picture. I also met with Nancy Rue who was just as wonderful and gracious. These woman truly have mastered the art of balancing writing and life. In fact, one theme I’ve learned through these multiple interviews, the one constant that successful writers have is they have a supportive family and they put that family first. The ones who do this walk in such a peace, the kind of peace I wish to have some day.

Some of my other interviews included Mark Mynheir, copwriter.com, who has generously given his time and police knowledge to help make my WIP the best it could be. I’ve only emailed him back and forth, but if felt like I was meeting with an old friend. I met some new authors like Carole Lewis, Thomas Phillips, and JoAnna Ward, the Hallelujah lady from Survivor the Amazon. I also talked with Don Levine, the guy who created GI Joe and now the Almighty Heroes and gave him some marketing advice. In fact, I need to email him with my ideas!

My memory is fading about now, but I also met Bryan Davis and James E. Robinson. I even got to walk the floor for over an hour. Of course, I had to skip lunch to do it, but I didn’t mind.

What wonderful memories, though even days later I’m still exhausted. I made so many great new friends and PR contacts! We’ll see what becomes of it all and I’ll be getting the interviews up on Writer…Interrupted just as soon as I get home and figure out how to do it!

I survived all my interviews and only missed meeting with a couple of writers! Everything is blurring together but I’ll try to get as much down as I can.

Saturday I had a great meeting with one of the agents interested in my WIP. You can read all about it here. Later that night I attended the Christys. And got my first taste of multiple interviews.

Sunday I went down to the Orlando Convention Center to register and paid $10 to park for 15 minutes! Sheesh! Then I called my writing pal, Cara Putman and we met for dinner to talk about writing stuff. I got to hold her precious two month old. It was a nice, relaxing time before ICRS and the work really began.

Monday I arrived early for my 9 o’clock interview, but my videographer wasn’t going to be there until 11am. So I pulled out my notes for James Scott Bell and waited. Sigmund Brouwer’s publicist showed up at 8:45 and asked if I could do the interview sooner. I had a little time and quickly found my notes, and new digital recorder. It took me a few moments to get into the interviewing groove, hopefully the recording with confirm my hopes. Sigmund brought his wife, recording artist Cindy Morgan and we had a great talk about their careers and balancing families.

James Scott Bell showed up next. Talking to him is always a pleasure. Then I got to hang with Claudia Mair Burney and the time was TOO short! I’ll have to do a following up interview. The rest of the morning escapes me, but by the time my videographer (VG) showed up I was shaking hands with the president! And I have photos to prove it. Well, technically it was John Morgan, President Bush impersonator, but you’ll have to wait to see the photos and the wonderful, inspiring interview.

The rest of the day was filled with interviewing new friends and old. Then me and my vidoe guy were off to the FireProof dinner and screening. I fell into my wall flower mode and being so exhausted from the endless interviews, I wasn’t up to asserting myself. But my reserved VG saw Kirk Cameron, made a bee line for him and sat down at his table for dinner. Of course I took my seat next to my friend who sat next to Kirk. In fact, I was happy for him to get to talk with him since the reason I invited this VG was because he was an alumni of my boys’ school and head to film school in Orlando on the exact day we were leaving. I wanted him to hook up with some of the people of FireProof and he did! He met a guy who was attending the same film school who had actually worked on Facing the Giants and FireProof.

If you haven’t heard of FireProof before, it is produced, written, acted… by the makers of Facing the Giants, the Sherwood Church at Albany, Georgia. There story is amazing, but not as amazing as what God is doing through their films. After eating dinner, talking with Kirk, the Executive Pastor/movie producer, and several others we snapped some photos and headed over to the screening. There’s so much I want to say about FireProof, but for now all I’ll say is that it’ll be worth your $8 or so. Be sure and see it on opening weekend, September 26th and tell a friend! The acting and emotions from the lead actors portraying a married couple of the brink of divorce is so real. But instead of taking the world’s easy out, the fight. Well, you’ll have to go see it. Let’s just say it’s filled with suspense (I held my breath at the firefighter scenes,) humor and real, raw emotions! Bravo to Kirk Cameron and Erin Bethea and the entire cast and crew who DONATED their time to make this movie that will help change the way we deal with marriage and divorce!

That’s all I have energy for today. I’ll recap Tuesday another day!

One of the perks, I’m finding, of being media at ICRS is that publishers send me books out of the blue, wanting me to interview their authors. Unfortunately I’m all booked up with over two dozen interviews, but I wanted to mention New Hope Publishers and the many books they sent me. Sorry, I don’t have time to supply links, but if the title catches your eye, do check them out.

Stronger Still: A woman’s guide to turning your hurt into healing for others by Edna Ellison

A Car Seat in My Convertible: Giving your grandkids the spiritual ride of their lives by Sharon Hoffman

A Mother of Miracles: 30 stories of the unmistakable presence of God

Beyond Me: Living a You-First Life in a Me-First World by Kathi Macias

Certain Women Called by Christ by Paige Lanier Chargois

Wonderlust: A spiritual travelogue for the adventurous soul

Here are some other titles by other publishers:

The Attentive Life: Discerning God’s Presence in All Things by Leighton Ford

Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling by Andy Crouch

Be Last: Descending to Greatness by Jeremy Kingsley

Fun Fact: I met Dr. Gary Chapman at ICRS! It’s amazing how much confidence I have when I’m wearing a badge that says MEDIA. I saw Dr. Gary Chapman walking down the hall and went up to him, stuck out my hand, and introduced myself. I told him I was giving away his book on my blog, and he thanked me and then asked me about Writer…Interrupted. Really nice man! Then the next day he walked by me and said hello! Pretty cool, huh! And surprising at how outgoing I can be at times!

As a newly married, I remember watching to a Gary Chapman video series with my community group. It was a wonderful series, and one we should probably watch again. In fact, I think we still have it some where. Gary’s new book Love as a Way of Life looks just as promising.

Love As A Way Of Life

The Five Love Languages examines how a lifestyle of love can lead to deeper satisfaction in relationships and life goals. Eye-opening self tests, practical ideas for building daily habits of love, and inspiring examples guide readers in putting love to work in their daily interactions.

Gary Chapman is the author of twenty-five books, including the New York Times bestseller The Five Love Languages, with more than 4 million copies in print. His daily radio program, A Love Language Minute, is broadcast on more than 100 stations nationwide. Chapman, a graduate of Moody Bible Institute, Wheaton College, Wake-Forest University, and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, serves on the pastoral staff at Calvary Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Get your copy here!

1. Describe some of the everyday situations that can be changed if a person has a foundation of love.

When love becomes the focus of ones life it will change every encounter we have with people. In the family, the husband is thinking, “what can I do before I leave for work that would be helpful for my wife?” Such thinking may lead him to take the trash out, put his breakfast plates in the dishwasher or feed the baby while his wife takes a shower.

In the workplace, employees are asking, “on my break, what might I do that would help someone else?” They will also make time to listen to a co-worker who seems to be having a hard time with a personal issue.

At the bank, post office, or cafeteria, the lover will look people in the eye and smile, perhaps opening the door to a conversation. They will express interest in what is going on in the lives of those they encounter.

The focus is not on “it’s all about me.” But, rather on “It is all about others.”

2. What is the take-away message of Love as a Way of Life?

Love as a Way of Life is designed to help the person who sincerely wants to make a positive impact in the world. I believe that is ‘most of us.’ Our biggest problem is that we don’t know how and we keep getting tripped up by our own selfish ambitions. The purpose of the book is to help us break free from the prison of selfishness and come to experience the satisfaction of truly loving others as a way of life. It is little acts of love that build up to a lifestyle of service.

3. Why do you need a foundation of love before you start figuring out our love languages?

The five love languages give information on the most effective way to express love in a meaningful way to a particular person. But, if you are not a loving person – don’t have the heart or will to focus on others – the information is of little value. Most of us must make a conscious change of focus from self to others if we are going to genuinely, and consistently enrich the lives of others. Love as a Way of Life is designed to help people make that change.

4. When did you realize the need for this book?

I first recognized the need for Love as a Way of Life when in a counseling session a husband said to me, “I’ll tell you right now, if it is going to take my washing dishes, and doing the laundry for my wife to feel loved, you can forget that.” I had just explained to him the concept of the five love languages and that his wife’s primary love language was ‘acts of service’ and that these acts would deeply communicate his love to her. I realized that he lacked the will to meet his wife’s need for love. He was locked into his own perception of what his role was to be and it did not include washing dishes and doing laundry. I knew at that moment that there was something more foundational than simply knowing a person’s love language.

5. What are the seven characteristics of lasting love?

I view love not as a single entity, but as a cluster of traits, which if developed will enhance all of life. These traits are:

Kindness: discovering the joy of helping others
Patience: accepting the imperfections of others
Forgiveness: finding freedom from the grip of anger
Courtesy: treating others as friends
Humility: stepping down so someone else can step up
Generosity: giving your time, money, and abilities to others
Honesty: caring enough to tell the truth

6. Why do you think it’s so hard for people to embrace these characteristics?

All of us have some of these characteristics to some degree. Most people see love as being better than hate. But most of us are comfortable to live somewhere between love and hate in a lifestyle that is fundamentally focused on self. We feel good when we are making money, accumulating things, gaining status, but in time these things do not ultimately satisfy what I call the ‘true self’. The true self longs to make the world a better place to live. To do something to help those less fortunate than we.

However, we all suffer from the malady of being ego-centric. I call this the ‘false self’. It is that part of man that pulls him to focus on self-preservation and a self-centered lifestyle. This is not all bad. Indeed we must meet our own physical and emotional needs in order to continue life. It is when we never get beyond this self focus, that life becomes a ‘dog eat dog’ world where everyone is out for self even at the expense of others. Such a life never brings long-term satisfaction. However it is often later in life that people discover the emptiness of selfish living. I’m hoping that Love as a Way of Life will help people discover the satisfaction of developing the ‘true self’ earlier in life.

Can you relate!?!

http://www.fborfw.com/strip_fix/archives/003117.php

Found this written somewhere in my journal. Thought someone might be able to relate.

You see it all the time in books and movies, two kindred spirits. The deep intimate relationships between close friends that have seen each other at their best and worse, yet love and forgive each other anyway.

Subconciously, I think I’ve been searching all my life for this type of friendship. At times, I’ve tasted a little of what this relationship looks like, but inevitably things fall apart, close friends move away, or something happens in the friendship to put distance between us.

Looking back on my life and my lack of really close intimate friends, I’m beginning to wonder whether this type of relationship really exists, or if I’m just chasing a fairytale.

I’m beginning to wonder if it’s me who keeps driving these friends away.

It seems whenever I feel close enough to someone to really expose my heart, or safe enough in a relationship to bring up something that is standing between us (aka. bugging me) , it back fires. Instead of bringing us closer as friends, I somehow drive a wedge between us which is not my intention at all.

I’m starting to figure out that maybe I’m just too intense a person. Maybe even too needy. I’d rather deal with things that are bothering me in a relationship than just constantly gloss over them. I’m big on Grace and forgiveness in my relationships, but I don’t denying my feelings. I feel, forgive and go on. Once in a while I feel secure enough in a relationship to expose my heart and my true feelings. But maybe I’ve taken it a bit too far this time. Maybe some things aren’t meant to be shared or maybe my relationships are not as close as I thought them to be. At this point in my life, I’m clueless.

Whatever the case, the result is always the same. I seem to push people away instead of bringing us closer. I seem to bring hurt with my honest feelings, instead of healing. I seem to be harsh, when all I want to do is clear the air. I’ve been confronted on my “stuff” enough over the years. It hurts, but I get over it, learn, and move on. Should I expect others to do the same?

So what do you think? Do these relationships really exist? Should I just forget it and continue in the easy surfacy friendships that are fun and rewarding in their own ways?

If something is bothering me, should I just forgive and forget, even if it happens over and over again? Should I ignore my feelings, even if they get hurt and cause damage on my side of the relationship, and spare my friend’s feelings?

And last, do you desire this type of friendship and have you found it?

Sages of the internet, let your advice flow!