Mid-Week Motivation

Starting Your Day Out Right

 

Scripture, devotion

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works,

which God prepared in advance for us to do.

 

~Ephesians 2:10

Did you catch that? Read it again and soak it in for a moment. I love the first phrase, “For we are God’s workmanship.” We are God’s workmanship. The Webster’s Dictionary defines workmanship as “the skill shown in a finished craft product or work of art.” Another dictionary defines it as “the product or result of labor and skill.”

Just as we strive to make our stories the best they can be, God is working on us. We are His craft, His work of art. Think of how excited we get when we make progress on our books. Our Lord is excited when He makes progress with us!

Isaiah 64:8 says that we are the clay, and He is the potter, and that we are the work of His hand. How precious that we have the opportunity to please the Lord by allowing Him to shape us the way He desires—even if it takes a little squeezing.

Submit yourself to the Master Workman today, and watch what He does with you.

Is Your House In Order?

Cleaning, parenting, marriage, organization

I’m a self-confessed Type A. No day is complete without lists, charts, and routines. But even if you’re not someone who loves to strike a line through an accomplished task, establishing a routine can still be beneficial.

*Print a blank calendar—Gmail has a good one, I’m sure other email programs do too

*Make a list of tasks you do daily/weekly/monthly (writing, cleaning, napping—if you’re lucky!)

*Add in special events (recitals, lessons, appointments, etc.)

*In the margin, make a list of tasks you SHOULD DO daily/weekly/monthly (exercise, etc.)

*Look for gaps of time where the SHOULD DO’s can be inserted

The hardest part is sitting down and doing it. Once your schedule is complete, post it where you can see it. Give yourself the satisfaction of crossing items off when you’ve completed them because it’s fun to see progress.

Afternoon Pick Me Up

Writing Inspiration

Is reading a good craft book on your list? If not, quick, grab a pen! Not only will a book on writing teach you some basics, it’ll inspire you to get more words on the page. (I will admit that at one point in my writing journey, I spent more time reading about writing than actually writing. Don’t let this happen to you! Nothing replaces time spent at the keyboard.)

Ask almost any writer, and they’ll have a favorite craft book—Writing the Breakout Novel, Stein on Writing, On Writing. But there’s one out there that’s often overlooked and under-appreciated, which happens to top my list: Write Away, by Elizabeth George. The chapter on dialogue is fabulous, and her information on prewriting is the best I’ve come across.

Do yourself a favor and read this book!

What’s for Dinner?

Quick Dinners

Hamburger/Tater Tot Hot Dish

Brown 1 lb ground beef and drain fat, lay in 9×13 pan

Add:

1 can green beans

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 c shredded cheese

Top with tater tots

Bake @ 350 for 1 hour

A Restful Night’s Sleep

Scripture for a Restful Sleep

Sleep doesn’t always come easy, no matter how exhausted you are—especially if you’re a parent. When my oldest daughter was a baby, she’d wake up screaming—not crying, screaming—two or three times a night. For three years. I know sleep deprivation. Clinging to God’s Word was the only thing that gave me hope that eventually we’d sleep through the night.

If you, or anyone in your home, has trouble sleeping, here’s a scripture to take to heart:

My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.

~Isaiah 32:18