Happy Thanksgiving to all!  May you enjoy the blessings of health, good food, family and friends.

Enjoy your day!

Highlights Fiction Contest

I just read of the 2013 Highlights Fiction Contest for beginning readers.  Find all the information here:  http://www.highlights.com/highlights-fiction-contest.

Happy Writing!

God Bless All on Vetern's Day

Dear Heavenly Father,

Today we honor those who have defended our country and other people of good will for over four centuries. We also honor those soldiers who are continuing to defend our freedom. Thank You Lord, for the selfless sacrifices our veterans have made to serve the cause of freedom, truth, and peace.

Dear Father, united as one nation we ask that You impart Your heavenly strength and courage into the hearts of each one of our brave men and women who serve in the Armed Forces. We lift up their spouses, their homes, and their families before You and ask that You fill them with your unending and everlasting love. Watch over them while they are defending the freedom that we as Americans are able to enjoy each and everyday. We all know that freedom isn't free, and these men and women make such selfless sacrifices to cover that cost.

Please bring all our departed veterans into Your Kingdom, and console their families with Your undying love. We can never thank You enough for the privilege of living in America, where we are able to enjoy the gifts of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Have mercy on us, help us to return to You, and please continue to be with us wherever we go. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

 

 

Hurricane Sandy

My thoughts and prayers are with all of you living with the threat of Hurricane Sandy.  Whether evacuating or staying put, please use caution and care. 

I do not know where I first saw this, but it has helped me greatly in many difficult times.

God hath not promised
     skies always blue,
flower-strewn pathways
     all our lives through;
God hath not promised
     sun without rain,
day without sorrow,
     peace without pain.

But God hath promised
     strength for the day,
rest for the labor,
     light for the way,
Grace for the trials,
     help from above,
unfailing sympathy,
     undying love...

Be safe.  Be well.  God Bless!

Contest Change

Just a heads up for those of you interested in submitting an entry for the Children's Writer YA Short Story Writing Contest.  I just logged on to read the fine print on submission details and noticed a change.  Entries now must be received by November 16, 2012, rather than October 31. 

So, press on if you are still writing and wanting to submit.

Overcoming Fear

Jon Bard, Managing Editor for Children's Book Insider, has a guest post on the Write to Done blog about writers overcoming their doubt and fear.  It is a great read and very informative.  You can find it here: 

https://app.getresponse.com/click.html?x=a62b&lc=BJUBE&mc=Be&s=SfpWt&y=5&

 

Happy reading!

Overload

I was getting back to MARGIN by Richard A. Swenson this morning as it was a beautiful morning, and I wanted to sit on my deck a bit before getting to work on my current WIP.  The chapter I was reading dealt with overload and exceeding our limits or "threshold."  Swenson states that overload occurs whenever "the requirements upon us exceed that which we are able to bear."

He talked of all the burdens placed upon us in this day and age such as, "one more option, one more commitment, one more expectation, one more purchase, one more debt, one more change, one more job, one more decision."

The more things we add lead us to exceed our threshold and, thereby, result in "disorganization and frustration."  This is certainly obvious in my life--one need only note the length of time since my last post.  Swenson argues that it is not the "details" which are the problem but rather the "exceeding" which results in overload.

This certainly seems to be true.  Any one thing, or few things, can be manageable in and of themselves but, all thrown together, can result in the overwhelming feeling of "Calgon, take me away!"

What I read this morning coupled with the lovely Fall weather today helped me put it all in perspective and take one thing at a time.  We'll see what tomorrow brings, but for today, at least, I was successful at editing my ms and preparing it for submission which is what I wanted to accomplish.

Are you managing the "details" or becoming overwhelmed by "overload?"  Please share your story and what works for you.