AWOL

Did I ever mention that October is one of my busiest months? ay yi yi! It is! And this last weekend always takes the prize for the busiest weekend of the busiest month. That translates into no Esther post on Friday. *blush* I'll get it up for this coming Friday and just move on.

Thanks to several church kids, here's how October started out:

Let me tell you, these kids are expert TP'ers! And they've had a lot of practice! This was just part of our yard. Oh the joys of having a huge yard in the country. LoL.

This weekend we went to one of our favorite events of our year: Encampment. It's a reenactment of the French and Indian War days and we love it. This is our 9th year going and we've gotten to know the Peacocks, a musical group that plays period music. We spend a lot of time in the music tent enjoying them and visiting. The group is full of personality and we them. This year they brought along two of their friends, and they were great additions. My girls love harassing the man playing the fiddle, if that tells you anything about them. ;-)

So, there's my excuse for no Esther post, and a taste of what I've been doing. I did get two ideas for posts, which you'll be seeing later, so it was a productive time in a couple of different ways. ;-)

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Are You Glowing?

Fall has hit southern Illinois and the leaves are all changing color. It made me wonder how my leaves look when they turn. Am I a joyless brown? A mediocre mustard? I hope not! I want to be like the Sugar Maples--glowing with God in my life. It's made me stop and make some adjustments in what I'm doing so that I can have beautiful color in the season changes of my life.

~*~*~*~

In other news:
I'm posting today At the Well and I'd love to have you join me there for Beauty and the Beast!

And we have 3 book winners!
Carole is the winner of Trish Perry's book, The Perfect Blend.
Sunny has won DeAnna Dodson's book, Letters in the Attic, and
Joanne is the winner of Lena Nelson Dooley's book, Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico.

~*~*~*~

Hey, there's a word I like in the fall... Golden. Golden is good in the fall. So are red and orange! Makes me want to drive down South Main and check out the Sugar Maples...


How about you? 
Are you doing what you need to so you glow beautifully when seasons in your life change?

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Tuesday, Tuesday

Well, it's Tuesday, which is usually an author spotlight...but since I was so buried in my projects last week, I failed to check my files so I failed to see I hadn't heard back from this week's author. But that's okay! If it works out, I'll just post the spotlight later this week. =] Until then, I'm leaving open last week's spotlight. If you haven't left a comment to be entered in the book drawing, you can still do that!

Here's an interview with Louise M. Gouge and
here's about Louise and her new release The Captain's Lady.
Leave a comment on each of those posts to have your name thrown in the hat twice for the book drawing. =]

My husband had me load a cool program on my computer yesterday so now I can record in mp3 format. I've resisted this program for months because I do NOT like talking on the telephone (ask my mom and sisters, they'll tell you it's true!) but I gave in yesterday for one reason: I need to. Ha! Isn't that profound? Sooooo, maybe someday soon I'll upload a short mp3. Maybe. =] (But this does NOT mean I have to start liking the telephone!) LoL I've got to draw the line somewhere!

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I Saw One!

Earlier this week, as I was running my weekly errands, I looked for turtles as I crossed a river that is studded with them in warm weather. I'm so ready for spring that I've moved on from just watching the robins in my yard. This isn't the first time I looked for turtles this month. Other times I've looked, really hoping that I wouldn't see any because it was so cold out and I didn't want them to come out too early and die in the cold. But this week it was warmer. I really didn't think I'd see any, but I did! I saw one brave turtle out sunning himself. I wanted to do a happy dance right then, but I was zooming down the state highway in a 15 passenger van, so I restrained myself. *grin*

Late last fall I brought out some compost one morning and I was so sad. A pair of little blue birds lay in the leaves, dead. They had waited too long to head south and the bitter cold of the night had killed them. They missed their opportunity because they waited too long.

If I had seen turtles two weeks ago, they could easily have died for coming out too soon...and missed their opportunity because they jumped too soon. (Do you see what I'm getting at?)

How do you know when it's time to jump into something and when it's time wait a little longer?

This is something I've been mulling over recently and I'm really interested in your thoughts on this.


Blogging workshop and
Blog Make-over workshop now available--one starts March 1st.

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WoW!

I just NEED to stop and say, again, our God is so awesome! It's been an incredible week for me! Not only am I on track with our Jiffy writing challenge for the month of February, even after writing only 218 words yesterday, but I've been working on the blog class/course and making progress with that, too. I. am. astounded.

I tried working on a post today--another -ness one to go with Shallowness and Smoothness, but the words weren't flowing. It might have been tiredness hindering them and it might have been brain fuzziness, but whatever it was, I got the point of the post that's not here (yet), even if I couldn't get it on paper. It's on Freshness... and priests. hehe. They really do go together. At least in my mind. But that post will come later. I'm still mulling over these -ness things and God is blessing me tremendously through them.

ANYway, I just wanted to tell you I'm bouncing off the walls this week. God is amazing. Absolutely, truly amazing.

Don't forget the Bookworms have a giveaway going on with Janice Thompson and I have one here too, with Jill Eileen Smith.

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Swirling

Do you ever feel like you have soooo much you have to do that you feel like you're going nowhere (because you aren't!)? That's how I've been for two weeks now. I have about a hundred things I HAVE to do, another hundred that I WANT to do, and yet another hundred that I SHOULD do...and none of them are getting done.

As time has allowed, I've been reading Through Gates of Splendor by Elisabeth Elliot. Five minutes here and ten minutes there adds up...eventually. I'm soaking it all in, not rushing, but mulling things over and even making notes. Earlier this week I received Jungle Pilot in the mail. It's Nate Saint's story and I have to tell you, I'm dying to jump into it, but I'm being really, really firm with myself and finishing Through Gates of Splendor first. I DID flip through the picture section, and had to go for tissues. There's just something about missions and Ecuador that gets me every single time.

I've come across some good quotes that I want to share with you, and I will, but right now my thoughts are swirling. I'm wrestling with doubt and fear over this writing project, but God is holding me to it. I WANT to write fiction about missions, and I have a story line in mind. I don't know if it's one book or two or three, but I do know I need to obey and write it. I'll write it to the very best of my ability and leave it up to God to do with it as He wishes. My duty is obedience. Joyful obedience. It's something I keep seeing as I study and research missions. I'm so blessed to have such a 'job.'

Anyway. I just wanted to let you guys know I haven't forgotten my blog. My mind is like a whirlpool these days and soon my fingers will catch up to a thought and you'll hear about it.

So tell me, what's your week been like? Any surprises? How about blessings and unexpected joys?

Don't forget to enter the drawing for the book that was in the spotlight Monday by Shirley Kiger Connolly. Also in this week's spotlight is A Stray Drop of Blood by Roseanna White. Both book giveaways are open until Saturday night and the winners will be posted on Sunday.

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To Run Smooth

These last two weeks I've rediscovered just how essential my daytimer is to my life--at least if I want my life to run smoothly. Without my daytimer open, filled in and close at hand I tend to wander aimlessly and forget more things than I remember. Little things, big things. My brain turns into a sieve and only holds whatever is right in front of me at the moment. It's not a good way to live. It leaves me feeling harried, stressed and scatterbrained. All of which are not things I like feeling!

So today I've pulled out my handy-dandy daytimer and I'll be filling in the things that need writing down and holding on to it, making sure it's close at hand. That's today's goal.

There's something even more important than my daytimer, though. It's my time spent in God's Word. Without that continual refreshment I become dry and dusty enough to rival the Sahara Desert. Without my time spent with God, I fall apart even more.

Summer schedules tend to trick us and make us think we can coast—and we can, for a short time. If we let ourselves coast for too long life goes downhill fast. My short time of coasting has come to an end. I may run a lighter schedule for another week or so, but I'm making sure the framework stays firm and that the essential things get done.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~

This week's winner of Margaret Daley's book is Linda. In her comment Linda said, “Margaret is the lady who introduced me to the world of this genre of books by contacting me about being at the MOA in 2008. If not for her, I'd never have opened my horizon of books. She is one neat lady inside and out. Thank you, Margaret!” I've heard similar stories from others, also. What a great example and help she is to us! Thanks so much, Margaret. And congratulations, Linda!

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Surprises!

Today has been full of surprises!

Wonderful surprises, including reconnecting with an old friend.

Just now I saw that I'm guest blogging at the Internet Cafe about this favorite house plant of mine and why you need More Than A Splash. I'd love to have you join me there!

***Remember the book giveaway that's still going on with Ruth Axtell Morren! It's a wonderful book! The drawing is open until Saturday evening and I'll post the winner on Sunday.***

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If a Shoe Fits...

Not too long ago, I lost the notebook that goes everywhere with me—the notebook that I jot down all my ideas in when I'm not able to get to my computer. That little notebook has seen lots of miles! Well, when I couldn't find it I went into super-sleuth searching mode because it had some ideas in it that I really wanted to use. It was a Sunday afternoon, so rather than panicking, I decided I'd check at church, which happened to be the last place I remembered seeing it. Sure enough, it was there.

After hugging it (yup, I really and truly hugged it.) I flipped open the front cover to see if my name and number were in it—like they were supposed to be—so if I happened to leave it laying around again there would be hope of finding it, again.

Guess what's inside the front cover?

I would've gladly crawled under the pew in embarrassment...if it hadn't been so true!

It says:

Lessons from the
Everyday Life of a Looney

Right there on the front page, right where my name was supposed to be!

The Birdie on my shoulder fell off her perch, laughing hysterically. Between gasps she said, “Cupcake, if the shoe fits, wear it!”

After blushing and looking around to see if anyone had seen or heard that annoying little Birdie, I laughed all the way out to the parking lot.

This is one shoe that definitely fits me. Most of the time I feel like I'm living the life of a Looney. There are days when I think I'm one step from the Funny Farm, and there are days I'm convinced that I'm already there! But you know, that's okay! As long as I know I'm where God wants me, doing what God wants me to do, then I will gladly be a Looney.

But by the grace of God I am what I am,
and His grace toward me did not prove vain;
but I labored even more than all of them,
yet not I, but the grace of God with me.
~I Corinthians 15:10

Patterings is a collection of the lessons I'm learning. In fact, since started blogging, I've learned to look for these lessons and I'm being blessed time and time again. If I weren't writing, if I weren't a mother and wife, if I weren't living the life of a Looney, I would miss out on the blessings! I would miss out on having God in my life.

For me, being a Looney in the world's eyes has resulted in tremendous blessings for me. It has more than surpassed anything the world might have to offer me. I don't regret being a Looney, not even the teeniest bit. Why?

For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. ~Philippians 2:13

That explains it all to me in a nutshell.
God is working in me.
For HIS pleasure. Not mine, HIS.

So, what shoes are you wearing?


Green and pink sneakers Originally uploaded by EyeTwoEye
Red shoes originally uploaded by Daemys

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Paying it Forward Challenge

First, before I forget (and trust me, I forget a lot of things when I get excited, and I'm excited!!) Today I'm at Exemplify Online's Blog talking about white knuckles and praying. I'd love to have you join me there! (And feel free to leave a comment over there! Those are as good as tossing chocolate!)

Okay, now for the Paying it Forward Challenge!
I was visiting Larie at My Heart Speaks and I saw this challenge that she saw at one of her friends. I immediately had a gift idea come to mind (surprising, I know!), and I'm excited. I know how wonderful it was being on the receiving end of gifts (see my Blessings posts) and I cannot wait to participate in this and give a handmade gift (that I made) to others!

Here are the 'Paying it Forward Challenge' rules as posted on Larie's blog:

1. The first 3 bloggers to leave a comment letting me know they want to participate, will receive a hand-made gift from me.

2. Those 3 bloggers promise to post this challenge on their blog (meaning they too will ‘pay-it-forward’, creating a handmade gift for the first 3 bloggers that leave a comment on their blog!!)

The gift can be any price range--though I'm thinking that keeping it small will be sufficient--and you have 365 days to make/ship your gift!! (But I'm planning to get you your gift to you way before a year from now!)

If you want to participate, just leave a comment telling me so and then repost this on your blog so that you can pay it forward to 3 others, and so on, and so on, and so on.......You can still leave a comment on what you think about this even if you don't want to participate!!

And YES, I will send a handmade gift overseas.

This is one that I especially love—'Paying it forward' is something Jesus modeled for us and something He calls us to do. Because HE first loved us, we can love others. Isn't that just amazing? He first loved us!

So, there ya have it. I'll be making something for you, and mailing it to you as a gift, just cuz I love you! Let me know if you want to participate.

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Three Cheers...

I never was a cheerleader, and I'm not a football fan, but there's something to be said for each of those. Join me at Exemplify Online's Blog and find out what in 'Super Bowl Perspective'. I promise, you don't have to like football for this one!

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