Friday, July 30, 2010

SUMMER + THEME PARKS = PURE JOY!

Ahhhh . . . theme parks in the summer are pure joy for children.  Here are our two granddaughters at Carowinds waiting to ride the big swings.
And here they are enjoying another ride!


This smile says it all!

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Waiting . . .PBPWMBGINFWMY!



Waiting for something or someone has never been my strong suit.  One learns patience through waiting, albeit by kicking and screaming at times.  Moi?  I detest waiting for someone who is late to a meeting, a lunch date, or an appointment.  To me, it is like the "latee" has absolutely no regard for the precious time which others have invested.  Oh, sometimes lateness is unavoidable, and for that, I also plead guilty.  A flat tire, a last-minute phone call as one is poised to go out the door, or a sudden downpour all excuse lateness in my mind.

The publishing business also has its share in the waiting game.  When I first embarked on writing my second novel, I was told by insiders that a one- or two-year wait was the norm for a book to be released.  I scoffed, pointing out that my first novel came out in less than a year!  Here I am, however, two years and one month later, still waiting for that second novel to be released.

Some family members as well as friends are quizzical--they are wondering if I really DO have a book waiting to see the light of day!  Yes, of course.  As the manuscript sits in cyberspace somewhere, it is getting seasoned and aged, becoming all the better with the wait time . . . NOT.  I am merely attempting a bit of humor in this humdrum waiting stance.  My publisher has gone through a couple of difficulties during this wait, so blame is not assigned there.  That is not to say that the wait has been any easier, as fellow authors in the same boat are also straining at the gates, wanting their books released.

What to do?  Well, in a word, WAIT.  The books by my publisher are good, and they are released regularly--my turn will eventually come.  The Lord knows my situation, He is in control, and oftentimes, He also requires me to wait for answers to prayers.  Waiting is part of the human condition.  Do I like it?  No.  Do I welcome it?  No.  Do I always understand why I must wait, when others seemingly truck right along?  No. 

However, I have learned over the years that MY timing is not always God's timing.  Knowing the entire situation from beginning to end, God's timing is based upon His love for me, His wisdom, and His grace.  Therefore, in waiting, I lean on Him, trust Him, and realize that He has never yet let me down. 

Still a work in progress when it comes to waiting, and although I truly believe Isaiah 40:31, this writer has had to "learn that lesson" several times over the years. 

I espouse "PBPWMBGIFWMY.*"  Have you ever seen this button worn by someone? 


*Please be patient with me because God isn't finished with me yet."

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Dabblers of the Faith?

As a Christian, I don't put God in a box to be trotted out for Sunday services.  He is an integral part of my life, not "something" to be put away, compartmentalized, and categorized until I want to bring Him out for my wants/needs.  He is not a celestial bellboy or a heavenly vending machine.  I believe Joni Earickson uttered that last sentence many years ago, so I don't take credit for it.  Today, the mission of Christianity and the Church is running on autopilot rather than having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ . . . and sharing it with the world.

What brought this on, you ask?  There are those who would have Christians put up, shut up, and give up.  I'm not going to do that!  I must stand fast on His promises, stand up for what is right, and stand strong in the face of evil in this world.

Fellow Christians, we must pray, serve, witness, and study with renewed energy!  We cannot  be mere dabblers of faith . . . but committed soldiers going forth to all the world to spread the Gospel in His name. 

Join me!

Monday, July 5, 2010

The SICK and TIRED of DIETING Rant*

*Disclaimer: If poking fun at dieting offends the reader, stop at the title :). This post is merely a tongue-in-cheek commiseration at attempts for healthy eating in today's society.


Are you SICK and TIRED of dieting?  Are you also sick and tired of everything associated with dieting:  DIET cookbooks, DIET menus, exercise equipment, designer sweat bands, well-meaning “friends” who drop not-so-subtle hints about DIETING . . . even talk show hosts  slobbering over some nauseatingly thin, reject-from-a-refugee-camp-looking celebrity and her recent workout video, fat grams, counting calories, and. . .(shudder). . .aerobics?  If any of these things make you gag, then this post is for you!


On one hand, our contemporary society dictates that we are all supposed to fit into a size two dress (and I look askance at anyone whose dress size is smaller than my size 11 shoe)--the famous Mona Lisa would even be jeered to scorn in today's skeletal climate.  On the other hand, most of our societal gatherings involve food, and plenty of it!  Club meetings?  Food!  Church socials?  Food!  Family reunions?  Food!  Bridal showers?  Food!  And I don't mean "tofu surprise" or "watercress a la cardboard," either.  Gravies, sauces, butter by the pound, gooey desserts with  mounds of frosting--all beckon the unsuspecting.


When one is on the wagon with any other unhealthy habit, that individual is applauded for making the right choice.  When dieting, however, we get "Oh, just one piece of cake (or brownie, or cookie, or whatever) won't hurt you!"  Do we tell smokers trying to quit: "Oh, one itsy-bitsy cigarette won't hurt you"??  NOPE.

As a fellow sufferer on the treadmill (oops, sorry!) of this diet-crazed country, I’ve lost at least 1,000 pounds in my life (and gained back 1,100). I've wondered what would happen if I just decided to eat and enjoy it for a change. You know what I mean—gobble up chocolate chip cookies simply because they smell heavenly, taste even better, feel good going down, and provide a wonderful sense of well-being? (I'm told that chocolate produces endorphins.)  That sort of thing is usually not permitted unless a hefty serving of guilt is included as the entree:


“My dear, are you sure that you want another serving? That dress is getting a bit snug, you know.”

“Do you have a tapeworm?”

“Eating again? We just had lunch!”

“I can’t believe you ate the whole pizza!”

The meals I'm talking about have no “guilt garnishes” slipped in beside the desserts. Eat up on my pre-diet if you are one of those who hates to diet (for now, anyway). We know we need to eat right, lose weight, exercise, and ingest all sorts of healthy roughage--all the while, craving those luscious, but forbidden goodies!  

Remember the golden rule of dieting:  a calorie is a unit of flavor—the better the food tastes, the more calories it contains.  Celery, therefore, must be in the plywood family.

So relax. Have a few good meals before you go on that inevitable DIET.  Live it up this week by going to those all-you-can-eat buffets, family reunions, church pot luck dinners--get my drift?  If you follow this pre-diet idea, you’ll finally enjoy your food, secure in the knowledge that you plan to DIET afterwards. 

Save the plywood and rabbit food for next week--when you embark upon THE DREADED HEALTHY DIET!

Thursday, July 1, 2010

I'M A BIG BOY!

Grandson Asher, who will be four months old in a few days, is thrilled to be sitting in the high chair for the first time . . . he's not quite ready for solid foods yet, but enjoys being a part of family meals.

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