I've got a LOT to learn!

It was small but mighty. We sat around the table, all four of us. Three-fourths of the group couldn't make it on Saturday morning. I was slightly disoriented coming in myself. I got up feeling a little depressed because I had too much pizza the night before and it showed on the bathroom scale. I was beyond tired. And I was wondering why I hadn't received anyone else's work through e-mail and feared I would be the only one having mine critiqued.

I'm not sure WHY I joined this writer's group. I somewhat know the person who is leading it, but no one else. I trust the leader because she has a sweet spirit and a kindness about her that tempers her intimidating list of credentials. She is a big picture person...a visionary who not only dreams big, but DOES big. And she is dreaming big for us. Actually she accelerates the dreaming process. Where I think "some day I'd like to write a book" she is on to "when we start to get published..."

While basically by personality I am pretty much an open book and wear it all on my sleeves to a fault, it is still intimidating to put your inner thoughts to paper, read it outloud to strangers, then sit quietly while they pick it apart. There is a protocol to doing this, and you are not permitted to to give any kind of explanation or mia culpa before you read what your wrote. You just read it and let the chips fall.

On Saturday I was the one asked to read first. The lady who sat next to me is a professional editor. Out of the corner of my eye I could see her quietly thumping her pen as I read my work. When I finished, she was the first to comment. "This lacks focus. I mean, I'm asking myself, why do I need to KNOW this?".

Just a few short weeks ago had anyone used those particular words, I would have been crushed and melted into a pool of tears. I would have taken it so personally, and probably would have given up altogether. While the words temporarily stung, I listened as the others weighed in. There were a few compliments on some of my detailed descriptions. That was something I had been criticized for at the previous meeting, so I had worked extra hard on that area. It felt good that they noticed.

The more they had to say, the more it was impressed on me why I am doing this. These people are here to help me. We are here to help each other. They gave me some suggestions not only on how to structure what I had to say, but some things I could expand on to make my work stand out and not look like "anyone's" story.

All of this is done in love. This is not a college class where you sink or swim. This is a group of Christian women who come together for the purpose of encouraging one another and for stirring up the gifts that are within us.

I have a long way to go. I'm very challenged, and barely have the room in my life to forge ahead with this. But I need this so much. All this costs me is my time, and a teachable spirit. I'm so thankful for this opportunity. Somehow in my heart I know that when the fog clears, I will see clearly that this was a God thing all along.

"...as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another..." Proverbs 27:17 NIV

Choosing Your Family Motto

I saw this You Tube video on Face Book and I just thought it was a neat idea--a family motto.

I actually just gave my daughter-in-law, Joanna, a plaque with these words on it for her birthday this month. I had seen in her Face Book profile that she "loved" this saying...

What are some of the sayings you have around your home? Just looking around here, I see "God Bless this Home and All Who Enter" and "Prayer Changes Things". Those are mottos with actual "words".

I never really thought about it, but what we surround ourselves with in our homes really DOES make a statement about us, doesn't it? And it doesn't have to be a motto with words. For example:

Our living room walls have a copy of the US Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence, as well as a large print of an 1819 painting by John Trumbull, "The Signing of the Declaration of Independence", a collection of Avon cobalt blue goblets with Martha and George on them from our country's Bicentennial year (1976) as well as several blue & white plates commemorating the same. In my foyer is a large print of George Washington.

Throughout our house, but especially in our dining room and kitchen, we have pineapples. The pineapple has been a symbol of hospitality since early colonial days, when only the wealthy could afford to have them, and they were served to guests as a special treat.

It wouldn't take long for any house guest to figure out that we are Christians. Our end tables and bookshelves are stacked with Bibles and other Christian literature, both classic and contemporary.

My kitchen would never be mistaken for a museum and anyone who visits can tell I like to cook. I call it my "working" kitchen.

We have one spare room with a double bed, and another with a set of twin beds and a crib. Since by definition we are actually "empty nesters," maintaining our (now) spare rooms says "guests are always welcome!"

Last but not least, our backyard has a swing set and a sandbox. A corner in our family room is dedicated to children's toys. Our car has two child seats in the back. Yes, we are involved grandparents.

What do the things in your home say about you?

Be careful little mouth, what you say...

graphic compliments of www.penniwigs.blogspot.com

The two grandkids I babysit regularly and I have been singing the children's Sunday School song, "Be careful little eyes, what you see" this week. In case you don't know it, it goes like this:

O be careful little eyes what you see

O be careful little eyes what you see

There's a Father up above

And He's looking down in love

So, be careful little eyes what you see

Then the other verses are little ears, what you hear, little feet, where you go, little hands, what you do, etc.

The Bible verse that has been on my mind a lot lately ties in. It is this one:

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." Ephesians 4:29

Dictionary definitions of the word "unwholesome" include "detrimental to mental, physical, or moral well-being". When I was growing up, the kids in our neighborhood used to yell these words back and forth, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." Well, we all know what a lie that is, and hopefully we try not to hurt others with our words.

But what about the rest of the verse? We are to say "only" those things that are helpful for building others up according to...what? THEIR NEEDS??? Our words are supposed to be of benefit to others.

I know I have failed many, many times in my life and have both intentionally and unintentionally disobeyed this scriptural admonition. Since I've been teaching the Sunday School song to my grandchildren, I've been thinking about what it would be like if I actually, very intentionally, tried to speak only wholesome words that would seek to build up the listener according to "their" needs.

The times when it becomes especially difficult are those when someone does or says something that I either strongly disagree with, or is hurtful to me. It's so easy to just let something fly out of my mouth (or off my keyboard!) in defense of my position or feelings. But the fact remains that as a bible-believing Christian, I must own that it is not only possible, but necessary that I need to be careful with words. Words are powerful, and they have meaning. Oh be careful little mouth what you say!