Will I Always Be a Step Behind Schedule?

by Marsha Ward @MarshaWard

I'm running as fast as I can, but I feel like I'm always a step behind where I should be. Perhaps I'm judging myself harshly, but I lost precious writing days earlier in the year due to bad weather and power outages, which put me behind schedule for producing new work. That caused me to give in to anxiety, which of course put me further behind in my production schedule. I'm trying to catch back up, but the days have been lost, and putting more pressure on myself could cause another period of anxiety-driven down time, which can't be good. Unless I'm supposed to stop being so busy and be still.

Maybe I need to explore that concept?

I haven't worked out how being still will aid my publishing schedule, except in the realm of being still and knowing that God is, and that He loves me and is mindful of me. That is always a great comfort.

Two weeks ago I revealed the cover of my new book, From Julia's Kitchen: Owen Family Cookery, which was published last Friday. I'm now working to finish and format the manuscript of another book, a nonfiction Indie Publishing guide, so I can release it soon. I've been agonizing over a cover for that book. I just couldn't find anything that suited it. Then I decided to throw off fear and make the cover myself.

Perhaps that will work. I hope so! Yes, I'm fluffier than the chick on the cover, but that's how I'd like readers to think I look. I can dream, right?

I won't give you a date for the release, but if God be willing and the creek don't rise any higher (literally), it will be soon.

I have more story ideas than I have time to write them, so wish me luck, good weather, and lots of energy so I can get them all written and published.

So Much Pain Going Around

by Marsha Ward @MarshaWard

I woke up to the news that a writer acquaintance's missing hunter husband had taken a fall in desolate country and died.

We in the United States are going through the most bitterly contentious and divisive presidential election since 1860.

The daughter of "The Piano Guys'" Jon Schmidt is missing near the Columbia River Gorge in northern Oregon, and official search efforts have been called off, while family and friends soldier on.

So much sadness and despair. So many prayers being offered. What can we do?

I recently posted a meme with an image of Dr. Ben Carson, that tells us what we can do. In his words:

"When we have done our best, we also have to learn that we must rely on God. Our best - no matter how good - is incomplete if we leave God out of the picture."

Vice Presidential candidate Mike Pence has asked us to pray to God to heal America.

That's profound, and echoed by many other wise men and women of our day. Many people will be participating in a "fast" on November 6, with accompanying prayers and with repentant hearts to ask God to do just that.

I agree. It's time for the people of the United States to fall on their knees daily, not just on one special day, to give our hearts to God in supplication, not only for optimal results in a pivotal election, but to ask for comfort and healing for those who mourn.

I know God works in our lives. He has a plan for each of us.

We sing a little song in my church's children's program, in which I am privileged to play the piano. It's called, "I Will Follow God's Plan," written by Vanja Y. Watkins.

My life is a gift; my life has a plan.
My life has a purpose; in heaven it began.
My choice was to come to this lovely home on earth
And seek for God's light to direct me from birth.
I will follow God's plan for me,
Holding fast to his word and his love.
I will work, and I will pray;
I will always walk in his way.
Then I will be happy on earth
And in my home above.

Here's a version from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir:



What are your thoughts?

Big-People Teeth

“Grandma, will you teach me how to make a big-people tooth? My baby tooth fell out last night, and the Tooth Fairy came, but I have a hole in my mouth and I need a big-people tooth. Tell me how to make one. Please?”

My five and half year old granddaughter confidently waited for my reply. Sure enough, her sticky smile had a gaping hole where the pearl-sized tooth had been. I grappled for an answer, settling on the truth.

“Honey, I can’t teach you how to make a new tooth.”

Squirming impatiently, she encouraged, “Oh, sure you can, Grandma! You teached me lots of things. You teached me how to make cinnamon rolls, and how to sew a blanket for the baby, and you teached me how to read, even big words.  And you teached me how to catch a ball, and now I can catch them all the time, if they’re thrown not too fast. You’re the one who teached me how to open eggshells, too. I need a new big-people tooth. Will it take long?”

True, I had nurtured this little girl through an assortment of experiences that year while her young father finished his last college semester, usually involving her in whatever household tasks I needed to do. Clearly,  I’d neglected grammar. Trusting brown eyes fixed upon me, she waited for me to go retrieve whatever tool was required to make a new tooth. Hot glue gun, crochet hook, stew pot, trowel?

I sat her down, put my arm around her, and explained that the tooth she’d need for the rest of her days was already inside her, waiting to sprout. Indeed, it was in such a hurry, it had pushed the baby tooth out of its way. That led to a conversation about her perfect little self-contained body. She already had everything she’d ever need to grow, to be a teen, to be a woman, to be “as old as me, someday,” built in.  There would never be a special-delivery influx of whatever she needed for the next stage of her life. Like the tooth she wanted, the power was already within her.

Satisfied, my precious grandchild stood up, hands on slim hips, head cocked, obviously thinking hard. At last, she spoke slowly. “Okay, I can wait for the big-people tooth. But can you teach me about pie? I like pie.”

“That, I can do.” Hand in hand, off to the kitchen we went.

Like my little granddaughter, all we need is already within us. The power to learn, the skills to develop any talent we’re willing to work for, all the God-given goodness required lies dormant, pushing its way out when the time is right. 

Are You Afraid to Write?

by Marsha Ward @MarshaWard
This blog post is adapted from one originally published on this blog on March 11, 2007.

It's amazing how much fear can paralyze a writer right from the start. Let's take a look at some of the fearful reasons people don't write, even when they long to do so.

• I'm afraid to write because I'll have to cut back on spending time with my friends, and they won't like me anymore.
• I'm afraid to let anyone read my work because they might steal it.
• I'm afraid to share in a writer's group because people might criticize my work.
• I'm afraid to submit my work because it might be rejected.
• I'm afraid to revise because I might get my work published.
• I'm afraid to get published because I might be successful and have to change my life.

How interesting it is that a writer's fears begin and end with making life changes.

Frequently self-doubt, a scurrilous fear, attacks a writer--even a published one--and causes him or her great anxiety, even to the extent of threatening a promising career. I know of a writer who was so convinced that he/she could not write his/her way out of a paper bag that he/she got rid of every vestige of the writing life, including the latest manuscript from the computer. Fortunately, calmer heads overruled the faulty self-assessment, and he/she has gone on to much success.

How does a writer overcome these fears?

That's a big question, because every writer faces it. Writers are notorious for mood swings from the heights of arrogance to the depths of despair. How can he or she keep on a more even keel?

Here's a list of things that help other writers:

• Listening to inspiring music
• Reading affirmations each day
• Hanging quotes above the computer monitor or in the writing space
• Praying before writing
• Lighting scented candles in the room

Probably the best suggestion for overcoming writer's fear is to face it head on and WRITE EVERY DAY*, even if it's only 100 words. This method of facing fear has the added plus of helping a writer overcome writer's block!

*I'm amending the suggestion above to "write every day" to include the phrase "when you are in writing mode." I've discovered over the years that I need breaks from writing constantly on a project. I don't mean taking breaks in the midst of writing on a project, but taking breaks between projects.

What do you do to conquer your writer's fear?

All The World Is A Stage

by Deb Graham

 What was a shy, middle-aged Mormon mother doing, standing in a spotlight in a legendary comedy club in downtown Seattle, in front of a packed house of half-drunk critics, confidently wielding a microphone? In the vernacular, Killing It Dead.

A few years back, I hit a rough patch. In a fit of I’d-Better-Do-Something-Drastic-ism, I rashly signed up for a stand-up comedy class at the local community college. A couple of evenings a week spent laughing would be a healthy way to push back the walls, to do something just for me, right? Imagine my shock in the first class to learn that it was a participation course, not the spectator variety. Class members were expected to take turns on stage! For a set period of time!  No Stage Left until the light flashed!

Husband encouraged me, reminding me Mom didn’t raise a quitter.  “What have you got to lose?” 

I spent the week desperately seeking something– anything – funny. I came up with a few “bits” (the technical term; after all, this was a college course). My inner child shrieked in terror. What was I thinking? Who was I to even attempt standing on a real live stage before strangers, let alone say something giggle-worthy?

Tuesday arrived. The heavy microphone shook in my sweaty hands.  Forgetting all I had tediously rehearsed, I blurted, “I’m scared. I was talking to my husband at dinner. I knew it’d be my turn first tonight. I said, ‘What if I can’t do this? What if I faint on stage? What if they laugh at me?’” 

The outburst of sincere laughter startled me. Taking a breath, I reached into my blouse front for my note cards. They weren’t where I’d tucked them, minutes before!  In a panic, I dug deeper, muttering, “I know I had two in here a minute ago...”

As the laughter rang out, I felt an unexpected wave of the Holy Ghost's influence wash over me. Incongruous, at best; was a usually dignified Mormon woman supposed to be cracking jokes in a room full of “Gentiles” instead of at home, tackling the three page To Do list? For that moment, this one was. The Spirit testified that this was exactly what I needed to push back the walls, to regain my sense of Self that threatened to wash away under grief and loads of laundry, Cub Scouts and Girl Scout leadering, Primary Presidenting, supporting a husband who worked ten hour days and raising a boy so accident-prone the ER staff knew us by name, and a mentally ill son who made every day an adventure and the garden and... all of it.

 

 I made it through the rest of my time until the bright light flashed. Shaken by the performance, I stumbled to my seat.  Applause filled the small theatre. I heard a man behind me exclaim, “I’ve been to a lot of comedy clubs, and I’d pay $20 to see her again!”

  Me?

To wrap up the story: That class, and the three subsequent ones, changed my life. I was invited to perform at Comedy Central in Seattle, a couple of scouts demanded interviews, I performed on television, I was clearly on the rise as a stand-up comedian. The Circuit beckoned.

But wait...was that my goal? Not really. After a year, I stepped off the stage. Oh, I still emcee the ward talent show, but that’s about it.  However, that experience changed me. It drew out a confidence I lacked, from somewhere deep inside me. I learned I can make people laugh, be it a crowd of two hundred drunks  or a twelve-year-old on the verge of a come-apart. I’m lighter, myself.  I can see the funny side of just about every situation, sometimes even in the middle of it. I’m no longer intimidated by microphones or spotlights. I can improvise a talk or lesson easily. I found my voice: I can handle rejection.  I felt the Spirit encourage me as I developed this peculiar talent.

This is a writing blog, and I didn’t forget that. It just looks like I did. A few years ago, my husband encouraged me to write a book. “Just do it. You have the skills and the knowledge. Just write.” 

As I shook my head, I again felt the Holy Ghost nudging me forward, onto a stage where strangers would look at me,  my thoughts, my ideas, my concepts. They might turn away, they might laugh, they might reject me or love me, but I had to try. So my first book was birthed. I’m currently working on Books #11, #12, and #13.

Yes, three at once. What have I got to lose?

What steps have you taken to develop a talent you didn’t know existed? When daily life threatens to crush the light out of you, how do you push back? I’d really love to hear from you, and I promise not to laugh. Probably. 

Overcoming Fear

by Kari Diane Pike

When I submitted my post two weeks ago, I had no way of knowing that in a few short hours eleven police officers, on duty during a peaceful protest, would be gunned down in the street. I never imagined that something like that would happen in this country in this day and age. Oh, how my heart aches for those officers and their families and friends. And for our country.

The Savior's words in Luke 2,1 where He tells of the signs that will precede His Second Coming, come to my mind:

And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. (Luke 21:25-26)

One of the primary emotions, fear can create an uncomfortable sense of vulnerability. That discomfort often leads to anger. Anger triggers a surge of energy and creates a sense of control and power. People often see anger as the quickest and easiest way to regain control.

Part of the law of thermodynamics is the law of entropy which states that "a system will always move from a state of order toward a state of disorder." Everything falls down unless one makes the effort to keep it together. It takes work to keep a house clean, a garden weed-free, or a relationship healthy. Anger comes naturally, but since natural law tends toward entropy, when we give in to anger, we find ourselves on a slippery slope, moving from bad to worse. We have to overcome the "natural man/woman" and remember who we are and why we are here.

Elder Russell M. Nelson expressed his thoughts on this topic far better than I ever could.

I know that I am a daughter of a loving Heavenly Father who designed me to be a creator. It's part of my divine heritage. When I find myself in a difficult or uncomfortable situation, instead of letting myself give in to anger, I can look for the lesson to be learned and create joy from the experience. I can't always control the things that happen around or to me, but I can choose how I react to the situation. There have been times when I've felt wholly inadequate to face the task. It's a really scary world. But when I remember what the Savior did for me, I am reminded that even the smallest effort on my part is enough. He will make up for what I lack. Because He loves me. And because He loves me, I can show that love to others. 

Life is magnificent. 

Hugs~

I came across this article by Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley after writing this post. I find it very applicable to our needs today:https://www.lds.org/ensign/1991/06/of-you-it-is-required-to-forgive?lang=eng

Facing My Own Lion's Den

by Kari Diane Pike

Eight months ago I never dreamed that I would say this: I love teaching early morning seminary. I spent the first six months scared out of my mind. I fretted over every little detail in the lesson manual and spent countless hours trying to "memorize" the content. Every now and then I felt somewhat successful, but the energy in the classroom more often than not could only be described as "ennui." I told myself at the end of each lesson, that at least I wasn't being ripped into pieces!

Discouragement set in and I was ready to give up. But quiet inspiration came to me during an early morning seminary inservice meeting. I realized that I spent too much energy worrying about how the students perceived my teaching abilities and not enough time asking Heavenly Father about what the students most needed to hear and learn. There is not enough time each morning to discuss every single principle presented in the lesson manual. I have the responsibility to discern the best use of that time to strengthen testimonies and help prepare these amazing youth for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

Last week we studied Daniel 6-12. I knew the student's were familiar with the story of Daniel and the lions' den and I prayed about how to help them apply it to their lives today. I studied the material in the lesson manual. I read the passages in the Bible. The night before class though, nothing stood out to me. When I entered the classroom that morning I still struggled to know how I could make the lesson more meaningful to the class. Minutes before class was to begin, I decided to test the projector and play a video clip suggested in the manual. The story tells about an experience that Joseph F. Smith had on his way home from his first mission to Hawaii.

 One evening a group of "drunken men rode into the camp threatening to kill any 'Mormons' that came within their path." Instead of running and hiding [as others had done] Joseph thought, "Why should I run from these fellows?" He boldly marched up to the campfire where one of the men angrily demanded,  'Are you a Mormon?' Joseph looked the man in the eye and said, 'Yes, siree; dyed in the wool; true blue, through and through.' Joseph's response completely disarmed the belligerent man who then shook Joseph's hand and said: 'Well, you are the [blankety-blank] pleasantest man I ever met! Shake hands, young fellow, I am glad to see a man that stands up for his convictions," (Life of Joseph F. Smith comp. Joseph Fielding Smith, [1938], 187-89)."

I turned to Daniel 6:3 and reread the words there that describe Daniel as being preferred above the presidents and princes, because "an excellent spirit was in him." While these passages have always taught me about being faithful in all circumstances, that morning I learned another principle - one that I knew the students could identify with and apply to their own circumstances as well. Being faithful includes choosing to be happy and developing a cheerful countenance - responding to people in such a way that they feel the Spirit and Heavenly Father's love for them when they are around me.

I asked the class, "Think of someone in your life who you really enjoy being around. Why do you like being with them? What do they do or say that makes you want to be around them?" All of the students could think of at least one person like that. Then I asked, "What made Daniel so special? And what would have happened if Joseph F. Smith had chosen to respond to the ruffian rudely?"

We had a great discussion about the pressure the students get from friends to do things that would break the commandments and go against the standards the Lord wants them to keep. They have a choice to respond with patience and kindness or to be rude and aggressive. What kind of person did they want to become?

We also talked about how this didn't mean we had to put on a happy face every minute of every day. Everyone has times when we feel sad or discouraged. That's part of life. But Heavenly Father wants us to know we can be happy and set a good example even when we face our own metaphorical lions or drunken ruffians. By not being afraid to show our obedience to the Lord, we can help others develop a desire to know more about Him so that they too can experience peace and joy.

Did I mention how much I love teaching early morning seminary?

Life is magnificent.

hugs~