By Kari Pike
I need to practice finding more humor in the challenges life throws out there. I realized the other day that my blog posts of late have been pretty heavy. So, I started taking "gratitude walks." (Inspired by my friend Jenny Christensen and the book she has written about her battle with cancer.) Each morning, after my bike ride, I walk around the block a few times and ponder on the abundance with which I have been blessed. I try to hold a conversation with Heavenly Father and thank Him for everything He has blessed me with - praying with gratitude and asking for nothing. The first couple of days, I found myself slipping into the asking mode within the first couple of minutes. Being grateful and not asking for anything turned out to be hard work!
But, you know that scripture that teaches us that what we sow, we reap? Well, it applies to the power of gratitude. By day three, I made my bike ride part of the gratitude journey. I had such a sweet experience. With the cooler temperatures in the morning, I started my ride later than usual. The sun was higher in the sky, adding light where before I had only seen shadows. I expressed gratitude for a new perspective. I saw the same houses, the same bridges, the same trees and canal. But they were different. I noticed architectural details I had missed before. The grass and the trees looked greener. Instead of just a ribbon of murky, dark water, I could see life in the canal: carp, turtles, ducks, and insects. I came across a school of carp (they are fish..so I assume you call a large group of carp a school) sunning themselves just under the surface of the water. They took turns rising just high enough that their dorsal fin stuck out of the water and made them look like they were pretending to be sharks. I could just imagine the "teacher" fish instructing the rest of the school on how to act as fierce as their large salt-water cousins so they could intimidate the local fishermen.
I have been immensely blessed by the power of gratitude. My daily challenges remain, but now I see them in a different light. I have the same twenty-four hours in the day, but I can see more clearly how to use my time. Focusing on the resources and blessings available to me gives me hope. Hope motivates me to try harder to be better, to do the best I can with what I have, and to trust in the Lord.
I am grateful for wise friends who teach me how to be and do better. I am grateful for this magnificent world that the Lord created for us. I am grateful for life and knowing that someday I can return to live with my Heavenly Father and thank Him in person. Now how cool is that going to be!
just for smiles:
2-year-old at lunch: "Gimme more!"
Dad: "Can you say a nice word?"
2-year-old: "Nice word!"
Dad: [face palm]
oh..and I'm super grateful for two-year-olds and sticky hugs and yes, even scorpions...but that's a story for another day.
hugs~
Oct 3, 2013
Oct 2, 2013
Leveraging the Cat
by H. Linn Murphy
It's taken me years to get up the guts to query agents and tout my book. Mostly it's because I generally polish my manuscripts exhaustively for stupid mistakes so I don't look like the authors of a couple of books I just read.
When you as an author birth a book out into the cold hard world, you are not only offering a product for sale, but you represent yourself as an author. Why send your baby from your literary womb half-formed, especially if you know better?
Some time ago I acquired a book from an acquaintance. The author was a stellar person and had worked hard on his book. The back of it proclaimed that it had been edited. I could find no evidence to support such a claim. The manuscript was so riddled with errors that I stopped reading it somewhere in the first chapter. I'm normally a forgiving reader if the story line is good enough, but I simply couldn't finish it.
The problem isn't usually spelling errors, although some people seem not to own a spell check program. It's more of a usage thing. The other day I read this phrase: "She leveraged the cat out the window." I nearly expired, laughing.
True, the word 'leverage' means literally to use a lever. But the character in question wasn't using a lever to launch the cat. It sounded like the cat was the victim of a hostile buy-out. Much better if the author had said: "She catapulted the cat out the window." That would have been something I'd have brought popcorn to watch.
Phrases which don't match up are like continuity errors in movies. (My family likes to spot those. Some of our favorites are in the movie RETURN TO ME.) They launch the reader out of the story and cause them to think about the phrase instead of the story.
Another snippet I read recently is: (She) pulled the splayed dress from around her neck. I don't know about another reader, but the word splayed shoves me into a whole other visual.
Try this one out: Smoke flumed around the spatula.
I'm gone.
It's taken me years to get up the guts to query agents and tout my book. Mostly it's because I generally polish my manuscripts exhaustively for stupid mistakes so I don't look like the authors of a couple of books I just read.
When you as an author birth a book out into the cold hard world, you are not only offering a product for sale, but you represent yourself as an author. Why send your baby from your literary womb half-formed, especially if you know better?
Some time ago I acquired a book from an acquaintance. The author was a stellar person and had worked hard on his book. The back of it proclaimed that it had been edited. I could find no evidence to support such a claim. The manuscript was so riddled with errors that I stopped reading it somewhere in the first chapter. I'm normally a forgiving reader if the story line is good enough, but I simply couldn't finish it.
The problem isn't usually spelling errors, although some people seem not to own a spell check program. It's more of a usage thing. The other day I read this phrase: "She leveraged the cat out the window." I nearly expired, laughing.
True, the word 'leverage' means literally to use a lever. But the character in question wasn't using a lever to launch the cat. It sounded like the cat was the victim of a hostile buy-out. Much better if the author had said: "She catapulted the cat out the window." That would have been something I'd have brought popcorn to watch.
Phrases which don't match up are like continuity errors in movies. (My family likes to spot those. Some of our favorites are in the movie RETURN TO ME.) They launch the reader out of the story and cause them to think about the phrase instead of the story.
Another snippet I read recently is: (She) pulled the splayed dress from around her neck. I don't know about another reader, but the word splayed shoves me into a whole other visual.
Try this one out: Smoke flumed around the spatula.
I'm gone.
Sep 28, 2013
Make Pudding With Puzzle Pieces
By Cindy R. Williams
I get a kick out of "talk radio." While driving the other day to play the piano for the baptism of a dear little 8 year-old friend, I heard a boxer talk about his upcoming bout. He mixed two different analogies, but it made total sense. While in the Church, I pondered what he said. I realized it totally works for writing.
Let me paraphrase the interview with the boxer.
Talk Host: Usually you have at least three months to prepare for a bout. This one, you only have 30 days. What are you going to do?
Boxer: I have been boxing for a long time. I'm in good shape and ready.
Talk Host: Yes, but how will you train specifically for this bout. You don't really have the time to hone your skills to take advantage of your opponent.
Boxer: Yes, each opponent has different strengths, and it does help to prepare for each fight, but, no worries. The things I do well are like puzzle pieces. I take all the things I know how to do and then I make a pudding out of them. I have a good pudding. I will be ready.
Hummmmm . . . . the boxer takes his best skills and makes the best pudding that he can. Can't we do this with our writing. We may not know everything about grammar and writing, but we each have some writing skills and strengths. These are our ingredients/puzzle pieces.
How about if we don't worry that we aren't as great a writer as ____ or ____. Let's not think, "Surely this or that agent or publisher wouldn't want my meager story."
How about if we take all that we know and do and then make our best pudding? How about if we take the leap and believe in ourselves enough to submit our puddings?
If not now . . . when?
I love a good pudding. I can do this. Can you? Will you?
I get a kick out of "talk radio." While driving the other day to play the piano for the baptism of a dear little 8 year-old friend, I heard a boxer talk about his upcoming bout. He mixed two different analogies, but it made total sense. While in the Church, I pondered what he said. I realized it totally works for writing.
Let me paraphrase the interview with the boxer.
Talk Host: Usually you have at least three months to prepare for a bout. This one, you only have 30 days. What are you going to do?
Boxer: I have been boxing for a long time. I'm in good shape and ready.
Talk Host: Yes, but how will you train specifically for this bout. You don't really have the time to hone your skills to take advantage of your opponent.
Boxer: Yes, each opponent has different strengths, and it does help to prepare for each fight, but, no worries. The things I do well are like puzzle pieces. I take all the things I know how to do and then I make a pudding out of them. I have a good pudding. I will be ready.
Hummmmm . . . . the boxer takes his best skills and makes the best pudding that he can. Can't we do this with our writing. We may not know everything about grammar and writing, but we each have some writing skills and strengths. These are our ingredients/puzzle pieces.
How about if we don't worry that we aren't as great a writer as ____ or ____. Let's not think, "Surely this or that agent or publisher wouldn't want my meager story."
How about if we take all that we know and do and then make our best pudding? How about if we take the leap and believe in ourselves enough to submit our puddings?
If not now . . . when?
I love a good pudding. I can do this. Can you? Will you?
Sep 27, 2013
Un Veiled
By Beckie Carlson
I've seen a lot of comic-strips and humorous books that make fun of women. Or rather, they make fun of men who are trying to understand women. These books or movies or what have you imply that women are just too complicated to be understood. It almost seems like there is some underhanded man mojo agenda at work here to give men an excuse not to try. Think about it. Every woman knows that men (in general) purposely do things wrong so they won't be asked to do them again. I think I read an article back in the nineties that said 70% of men actually admitted to that being the case for them. That was back in the nineties so I am sure with all the technology and brain growth the world has experienced...the percentage has gone up. Guys are sneaky...But, today I am here to burst your bubble. I'm gonna tell you our secret.
Yes, women, we have a secret. I know many of you are probably thinking frantically to yourself..."what is my secret??" That's because our secret is SO secret, we don't even know what it is. We are the Queens of keeping things hidden from everyone, even ourselves. I myself have a virtual warehouse full of things in my head that I completely ignore the existence of. It's a gift that comes with girl parts. We can't explain it, nor do we want to.
Anyway, back to our secret. Men are always wondering what women want. Mel Gibson thought he had it figured out but, he's a weirdo. Some men may think it is jewelry or candy (seriously?!), or flowers, or sappy poems. Yes, these things are all nice and I will gladly take them all, (minus the candy cuz I'm on a diet....), but those things really aren't the point.
As far as I can figure it out, this is what we women want.
We want a man that takes care of himself as much as we take care of ourselves, without being a vain jerk. (why would we want a sloppy Jo?)
We want a man that is big and strong, without being in love with his own body. (or having boobs bigger than ours)
We want a man that will laugh at our jokes but NEVER at us. (so not cool...)
We want a man that is smart and educated but simple enough to let us tell him how things work.
In a nutshell, we want a man that makes us feel like we are the queen of Sheeba while still looking like a prince themselves.
Tell us we look nice, compliment our hair and make up and nails and all, but don't show up in your cutoffs and a dirty shirt. Put some effort into it guys. Would you want us to look like we just rolled off the back of a prize pig? If you do....there are certain women out there for you. I just don't know them.
It comes down to giving what you want back. If you want someone that looks good and acts like a civilized person, do the same for them.
(This post was inspired by my friend that is on a single's website and is always getting hit on by guys that look like they are sons of their cousins mothers' brothers. If you know what I mean. Bearded hobbits that have grass in their teeth and all that. It isn't attractive. Take a shower.)
Cause I said so.
Photo credit: jimsulliv3.blogspot.com
I've seen a lot of comic-strips and humorous books that make fun of women. Or rather, they make fun of men who are trying to understand women. These books or movies or what have you imply that women are just too complicated to be understood. It almost seems like there is some underhanded man mojo agenda at work here to give men an excuse not to try. Think about it. Every woman knows that men (in general) purposely do things wrong so they won't be asked to do them again. I think I read an article back in the nineties that said 70% of men actually admitted to that being the case for them. That was back in the nineties so I am sure with all the technology and brain growth the world has experienced...the percentage has gone up. Guys are sneaky...But, today I am here to burst your bubble. I'm gonna tell you our secret.
Yes, women, we have a secret. I know many of you are probably thinking frantically to yourself..."what is my secret??" That's because our secret is SO secret, we don't even know what it is. We are the Queens of keeping things hidden from everyone, even ourselves. I myself have a virtual warehouse full of things in my head that I completely ignore the existence of. It's a gift that comes with girl parts. We can't explain it, nor do we want to.
Anyway, back to our secret. Men are always wondering what women want. Mel Gibson thought he had it figured out but, he's a weirdo. Some men may think it is jewelry or candy (seriously?!), or flowers, or sappy poems. Yes, these things are all nice and I will gladly take them all, (minus the candy cuz I'm on a diet....), but those things really aren't the point.
As far as I can figure it out, this is what we women want.
We want a man that takes care of himself as much as we take care of ourselves, without being a vain jerk. (why would we want a sloppy Jo?)
We want a man that is big and strong, without being in love with his own body. (or having boobs bigger than ours)
We want a man that will laugh at our jokes but NEVER at us. (so not cool...)
We want a man that is smart and educated but simple enough to let us tell him how things work.
In a nutshell, we want a man that makes us feel like we are the queen of Sheeba while still looking like a prince themselves.
Tell us we look nice, compliment our hair and make up and nails and all, but don't show up in your cutoffs and a dirty shirt. Put some effort into it guys. Would you want us to look like we just rolled off the back of a prize pig? If you do....there are certain women out there for you. I just don't know them.
It comes down to giving what you want back. If you want someone that looks good and acts like a civilized person, do the same for them.
(This post was inspired by my friend that is on a single's website and is always getting hit on by guys that look like they are sons of their cousins mothers' brothers. If you know what I mean. Bearded hobbits that have grass in their teeth and all that. It isn't attractive. Take a shower.)
Cause I said so.
Photo credit: jimsulliv3.blogspot.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)