A Cheerleader

The Message says, " Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family." (Proverbs 18:24)

I think there used to be a commercial about having your own personal cheerleader to encourage you when you were feeling down. Some one to say, "You can do it." As I look back over my life there are many friends who have come and gone through the years. I've heard some people are in our lives for a season, but others stay for the long haul.

I've been blessed to have several women in my life who are there for the duration. They help to provide stability when my world feels out of balance. They show love even when I feel unlovable. They encourage me along in my walk with the Lord, even through the dry and weary land. They don't judge, but instead love. They see the potential in me, that I don't always see.

Today I'm thankful for the cheerleaders in my life. I know they are a dim reflection of God's love towards me. I'm humbled and grateful!

Choosing to Take a Break

I admit, I've been stressing ever since we returned from our vacation to Maine. We had a wonderful time away and I was able to obtain a lot of information for the historical fiction book I'm writing. I didn't have any time to write while we were gone, or since we've returned.

We've had a killer schedule, with something going on every day since we came home. I don't do well in that type of situation. All I could think about was all the things that needed to get accomplished, and I wasn't getting anywhere. Each day seemed to have its own minor dilemmas that occurred, putting me further and further behind schedule with my writing and also with Christmas preparations.

Today over lunch with a friend, she suggested I take a break from writing and not stress over it. She said to concentrate on what I need (want) to get accomplished for Christmas. Duh! Why didn't I think of that?! Sometimes I keep beating my head against the wall until someone comes along and shows you a better way of doing things. Go figure!

So I've decided to spend the rest of this month researching and reading all the materials I purchased in Maine about the area I'm writing, in between preparation for Christmas. I choose to give myself permission to relax and not stress so much.

Breaking Through the Bonds of Fear - One Word at a Time

I find that time away from my writing is conducive to fear and insecurity. It's been about two and a half weeks since I've had the opportunity to sit down and work on my novel. We were away on vacation to Maine, so I could further research my book. We had a wonderful time and didn't want to come home. Then the holiday was upon us. It's taken a while to recover from being gone for so long. Unfortunately we hit the ground running as soon as we returned, with our days filled with activities and appointments. It's been overwhelming. I've been exhausted, and in need of a break, so I have time to regroup and think clearly. But up to this point, it hasn't happened. I'm not able to write in circumstances like this.

Then the longer I go without writing, the harder it is to begin again. Those nigglings of fear and doubt begin to creep into my thinking. Do I still have what it takes? Will I be able to get back into the swing of things with my writing? Will the creativity continue to flow or have I lost momentum? Such is the life of a writer. I don't know about all writers, but definitely with this one. :) This is what I've been struggling with and facing the past week or so.

So today, I chose to sit down and write - one word at a time. I've only written 32 words today on my novel, but each word gets me closer to breaking through the bonds that threaten to hold me fast. I choose victory and overcoming the fear....one little word at a time.

Making Progress

It's hard to believe it's been two weeks since I last wrote anything on my novel. The time has been busy with a week long vacation to Maine for research, and celebrating Thanksgiving with family. I would have loved to start right back to it on Monday morning, but deadlines were looming.

Yesterday, I worked on and submitted my 14th lesson for the Christian Writer's Guild. The next deadline will be on December 14th. Every month on the 14th and 30th, I have another lesson due. It keeps me hopping, especially this one as the topic was feature articles. It's never something I tried my hand at before now. We'll see how well I did, when I get my assignment back from my writing mentor. :)

Today was busy with writing and finalizing my unit study article for Home School Enrichment magazine. This time I focused on ships/boats. I was thankful that I had the internet available today to aid in my research. Yesterday we were without internet and phone services.

Tomorrow will be a busy day with a multiple of doctor appointments, funeral, and other commitments. I hope to do some writing in the 'in between' time. We'll see how it goes.