Thursday, August 30, 2007

Mi Vida Loca

I keep wondering if my life will ever be normal again. I have one of those personalities that likes order and schedules. There was a time when my life was that way, and I can clearly pinpoint the month and year that it all unraveled.

Unfortunately for me, everyone else in the family has no concept of being orderly and sticking to a routine. I have learned to take control and make order in any way/area I can. It's not always easy, though, when the one person whose schedule I can't control has a lot of influence over my own.

I'm hoping that someday when my children have grown and leave home, *then* I could get back to where I started. Only ten more years to go. (sigh...)

Monday, August 27, 2007

First Day of School

I sent my two youngest off to school today. The older of the two is a junior in high school - know the drill, knows the school. She's totally blase.

My youngest started middle school. Yikes. He wanted to ride the bus. Okay. Good. I hate the traffic jams around the middle school anyway. But he was nervous. He admitted it. He's a pretty cool kid in that regard - not afraid to cry or admit things.

I was nervous as a mom sending my baby into mostly an unknown for him. He went to transition camp a few weeks ago and rode the bus back and forth to that. He got a tour of the school so he's not totally without knowledge of his new surroundings. But that was only about sixty kids - all incoming sixth graders. This morning he had to face all the kids in all the grades.

And I wasn't there to support him. It's tough being a mom sometimes and knowing when to let your babies fly. I know he's fine. I haven't gotten a phone call from the school as of yet, so I'm certain he's where he should be.

But I'm looking forward to seeing him get off the bus, excited about his first day of middle school. He'll be full of chatter about his day and I'll sure be glad to have my baby bird back in the nest. At least until tomorrow morning.

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Happy Birthday, Grandma

My grandma in Denmark turned eighty today. I sent her flowers and she was amazed that I could send flowers from Texas to Denmark. I haven't seen my grandma in over a decade, and at this point, I probably won't see ever see her again. She's too old to travel and I can't afford a trip to Denmark.

This is really nothing more than a public service announcement - honor and cherish your parents and grandparents whether they live close to you or are far away. I don't do near enough for my grandmother, despite the distance. To be honest, I can't remember the last time I sent her a letter. She didn't even get a Christmas card last year - mainly because no one else did either, but I should have made a point of sending one to her with notes from and pictures of my kids - her only great-grandchildren.

Exodus 20: 12 says "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you."

I'd heard that this was the first commandment with a promise, but I couldn't verify it quickly for this post, but I did find this sermon online if you're interested in what it has to say about honoring mother and father. I also think this extends to our grandparents. At least it does for me.

And you can bet that I'm going to make that extra effort to send my eighty-year-old grandma letters and pictures more often. I hope you'll reach out, too.

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

It's all about the discipline...

In anticipating my next blog entry, I've been thinking about what to write. Last week, I had an epiphany: writers actually write. They don't just say they're writers and then play around with it, writing fan fiction instead. And after a workshop by some RWA chapter mates of mine and reading an article, I got that writers write. Everyday. Anything. Something. A journal, a blog, a short story, whatever. Just put the words on paper.
Okay, so I was going to write everyday. The new thing is blogs - so I thought I'd create a blog and post twice a week. And write everyday. But when?
It turns out that the easiest time for me to consistently write would be early mornings. That meant getting up earlier. Now after a summer of rolling out of bed at 7:30 and padding to my office by 8:00, (My husband and I own our business, and our office is in our converted garage.) it was tough to consider getting out of bed any earlier. It was working out for me, this relaxed schedule.
I did start getting up around 7:00 in order to spend time the Lord each morning. But now I wanted to write. How much time would I need to actually get anything accomplished? And how long would take me to wake up enough to see the letters on the keyboard - I am not a touch typist.
Five-forty five. That's what time I roll out these days to write. Fifteen minutes to let the dogs out, get something to drink, let the computer boot up, and hopefully I've woken up enough to be productive. I know some of you are probably snickering, and okay. But it's more about the fact of having to get up an hour and fifteen minutes earlier than about what time that actually happens, right?
But now I'm looking at the beginning of school. I have two school-age children who will be need to be prodded out of bed and gotten to school. So that means another adjustment to my alarm clock.
But I am a writer. And I write. At six o'clock in the morning. Argh...
And it's all about the discipline.

Thursday, August 16, 2007

A Time for Everything, Part II

In my house/office, there's a running joke that all the projects we keep coming up with, whether house or business related, will get done in our spare time. Of which, of course, we have none.

I recently read an article that said: to be a writer, one must write. I'll be honest and admit my writing habit is practically non-existent. There are so many other things that take up my time. Important things like my walk with God, my husband and our children, our business, our home, and my commitment to serve at church. Oh, and sleep. I do enjoy a good night's sleep.

And for awhile I entertained the notion that it just wasn't my 'time' to be a writer. Not that I was writing, but I'm an active member in my local RWA chapter, so I thought I would just contribute to others' success by serving my chapter and thereby freeing them up to write.

But after a couple of conversations this past week or so and some hard thinking, I decided it was time to be a writer. If I want it, then I need to make it a priority and work at it. I've also been suffering from a case of 'I-can't-do-this-itis'. I'd read a book and think, "Oh, I can do this. No problem." But as soon as I sit down with my current work-in-progress, I'd start thinking, "This is too hard. I don't have what it takes to do this."

But I just need to write. Yeah, my first few attempts probably aren't going to be publishable, but I can't learn from my mistakes if I'm not willing to make any. As the saying goes, you can't fix a blank page.

And though (gasp) I'm not looking to become rich or famous from writing, I do have a few stories I'd like to tell. And I *can* picture a book with my name on it on the shelf at Barnes & Noble.

Believe it or not, I watch no live television, so I've decided to give up some sleep. I probably get too much for a 39-year-old woman, anyhow.

It's time for me to be a writer.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

A Time for Everything

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8
A Time for Everything
There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven--
A time to give birth and a time to die;
A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.
A time to kill and a time to heal;
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
A time to weep and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn and a time to dance.
A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.
A time to search and a time to give up as lost;
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
A time to tear apart and a time to sew together;
A time to be silent and a time to speak.
A time to love and a time to hate;
A time for war and a time for peace.