Blog
The Self-Importance of Love
writing is like parenting, then writing well is first not about the writing so much as it is about you, yourself and the changes it will bring to you. It was raining. The misty kind so common in spring in Seattle. What I remember most are the flowers. Orange, red, and white setting the broad,…
Renewing your Mind and Spirit
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:10 I’ve been struggling with negative thoughts lately, and I know the only way to combat the ugliness is to fill my mind with God’s thoughts. It’s not easy, but the alternative will never bring about desired change. In fact,…
The Big Picture Perspective in Running a Household
My husband and I enjoy putting together jigsaw puzzles, but it’s been a while since we’ve done one. To remedy this, I picked out a grand thousand piece puzzle depicting a classic scene from Beauty and the Beast. (Hubby took this selection as commentary, but it wasn’t meant as such – honest!) Right now, we’ve…
Big Dreams Walking?
From the archives March 18, 2010: Are you holding on to your BIG dreams! So am I. I wrote this two years ago and my big dream back then was to get published. Nine months after writing this I was offered a contract for a novella. Not my ideal publishing scenario, but I’ve learned not…
Re-creating missing receipts
Have you ever lost an important tax receipt? I accidentally deleted a folder in my inbox one day. You know the one… the one where I file all of my receipts from Amazon. Not a great move, considering I need all of those receipts for my taxes. Or how about the day when my lovely…
Writing is Editing
Writing is editing. You accept that. But do you love it? Well, do you? You’re staring. Am I serious? Love editing? How can I love that? If you want to continue as an author, it’s time you learned. It surprises me how many people only think of editing as a career. Editing isn’t merely grammar and…
Do I Really Have to Fit In?
“Fitting in is killing me,” Halley wailed. It was obvious she was frustrated. Halley was a twenty-something, single registered nurse who had given her life to Christ during her college years. She was smart, well spoken, and stylish. “What do you mean by ‘fitting in’?” I asked, certain that I knew exactly what she meant.…
St. Patrick: The Man Behind the Holiday!
I don’t think I really started to think about St. Patrick, the man until I got married to an Irish/German/American, and had kids. Growing up, St. Patrick’s Day was all about wearing green and drinking beer. Yet, if St. Patrick was alive today, I think he’d be heartbroken over what his name has come to…
Teen Fiction Online Writing Course Next Week!
I’m excited about the teen fiction online writing course I’m offering next week. I’ve wanted to offer online writing courses and webinars for a while, but time, lack of tech-know how, and my personal perfectionism has prevented me from doing so. Last summer I offered THIS writing course in my home to four eager…
Peace in the Waiting
“I’m confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in me will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Phil. 1:6) Sometimes waiting is not about being denied what we want, it’s about molding, and shaping us into who God wants us to be. Doesn’t make it an easier,…