Cultivating Sweet Memories

My first encounter with the zesty zinnia was on a rather steep incline (at least from an eight-year old's perspective) behind my great-grandmother's house. Uncle Walter grew a multitude of zinnias and chrysanthemums, taking every opportunity to lead visitors up his rustic steps to the beautiful sight above where an array of colors, textures, and shapes awaited them.

When we moved into our circa 1911 home, I wanted to introduce some of those same flowers into my own garden. A few years ago I showed my grandmother and her sister, Helen, my Old House Gardens catalog to ask what flowers most reminded them of their mother's and brother's (Uncle Walter) garden.

While I hope to plant more in the future, the one deep red zinnia I have is a real beauty--and it comes back bigger and better every year.

The green flower is one of my favorites and sets the red off perfectly! It is White Flower Farm's first ever double cone flower, Coconut Lime.

So what childhood flower would you like to see growing in your garden? I encourage you find the perfect spot and cultivate sweet memories for years to come.

If you've never been thrilled to the very edges of your soul by a flower in spring bloom, maybe your soul has never been in bloom. ~Terri Guillemets

I Want to Follow How Close?

This close.

My first memory of receiving a flat tire? Getting in line for the cafeteria in elementary school. The person following me must have skipped breakfast because he couldn't get there fast enough and apparently thought he could catch a ride on the heel of my shoe. Ouch!

Recently, in trying to explain to the Lord how closely I want to follow Him, the image of my flattened heel (i.e., flat tire) came to mind. That's it! I want to be close enough to hear every whisper intended for my ear, to see every sight intended for my eyes, and to sense His protection against every deception.

I want to follow Christ so closely that I give Him a "flat tire."

That's how close.

"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me."



John 10:27

Call of a Coward

Congratulations, Marcia Moston! Her new book, Call of a Coward, is now released and available through WestBow Press. (Read a great review from Keiki Hendrix here.)

I've had the pleasure of getting to know Marcia through the Upstate Fellowship of Christian Writers as well as our online writer's group The Light Brigade. Her humble and gracious spirit is sure to translate beautifully through the written word.

"The problem with promising God you’ll follow Him wherever He leads is that you just might have to go. I suspect it would be easier if you were certain of His calling—like stepping out the door and seeing the lilac bush on fire and hearing a voice commanding you. But when it’s your husband who is delivering the message—well, that leaves a little room for wonder.

At least that’s how I felt when my husband rocked my comfortable middle-class afternoon with his belief God was calling us to pack up and move to a Mayan village in Guatemala." - Call of a Coward

I look forward to receiving my own copy very soon -- hope you'll consider ordering one as well.

We're cheering you on, Marcia! Now, where did I put my pom-poms from yesterday? With this group I need to keep them in a handy spot. Yea, God!

We're in Your Corner, Carolyn!

Carolyn Knefley, a dear friend and fellow "Corner" (our writer's accountability group) will be on WGGS 16 tonight at 8:00 p.m. You can also watch it here online.

Carolyn is a speaker, etiquette specialist, and career coach. Woven within each of her gifts is the ability to shine for Christ in unique and glorious ways. Her testimony will leave you speechless.

While always quick to give God the glory, her "Four Corners" thinks she's amazing and we can't wait to cheer her on tonight.

The pom-poms are ready to go, Carolyn! Sis-boom-bah! To God be the glory!

Goren, Goren, Gone...

The old adage is true: All good things must come to an end.

When Det. "Bobby Goren" turns in badge #4376 tonight on Law & Order:Criminal Intent, I know of at least two people who will be in mourning (hint: they'll be the ones eating peanut M & M's).

Vincent D'Onofrio has played this role brilliantly over the past ten years, perfecting the close-talker-head-tilt, while probing the psyche of weekly perpetrators. His unique blend of intelligence, strength, and sensitivity will be greatly missed.

Ken Tucker from EW.com says it best:
“D’Onofrio does some of the most flamboyant detective work since David Suchet twirled mustache wax as PBS’ Hercule Poirot. As a ‘special case squad’ solver, his Goren reveals the workings of his character’s mind by physicalizing everything. He doesn’t just interrogate someone, he bends his long, wide, Gumby body around a suspect, who becomes additionally unnerved when D’Onofrio waggles a frankfurter-long finger in his face and asks cutting yet smiley-faced questions.”

A modern day Poirot. Does it get any better than that?

Farewell, Det. "Bobby" Goren. Your character will be missed.

My Friday Fave

My (least) favorite reality:

Wisdom and experience are not the only things gained with age.
Sigh.

Until I discover a favorite exercise like Beth's rowing, I'm switching it up by rotating the elliptical, the stationary bike, my purple cruiser, walking, and perhaps a little running into my weekly schedule.

If variety is the spice of life, I see a lot of Tums in my future.

Our Vacation Destination

Garden City, SC has been the vacation destination for my family since I was a little girl. Back then, we stayed in beach houses only steps away from the ocean. The family favorite, Whirlwind, lived up to its name in 1989 when Hurricane Hugo whirled it across the street immediately changing its rental status from oceanfront to second row.

Since that time, we've stayed in condos for the most part. I hope to one day rent another house on the beach with all the g-babies in tow. Until then, I have much to look forward to as we plan this year's family beach trip:

• spending quality time with our kids
• trying out the anti-glare screen on my Kindle
  
• burning 2.5 calories while chasing down a 250 calorie frozen lemonade
• Sarah J's seafood
• Yum-Yum ice cream shoppe
• cards and board games at night
• searching for seashells - pure inspiration!
  
• salty sea breezes
• sitting on the beach with melodic tunes playing in my ears
• car conversations with Brian

Needless to say, our family beach trip can't come soon enough!

A Classic Photo Op

Brian knew it was true love the moment I started spotting vintage cars stowed away under tarps on our Sunday afternoon drives through the country.

Fast forward twenty-one years, and you'll still find us getting a kick out of discovering the classics. Recently, on a whim we decided to trek over to the car retirement home for a fun photo op.

Enjoy.

(My favorite - Pontiac Safari station wagon- minus the drape!)

The older I get, the more thankful I become of Brian's appreciation for the classics.

A Writer's Space

Where do you most enjoy writing, journaling, or sitting quietly with the Lord?

Below are a few pearls from the sea of Eric Maisel, PH.D. in his book "A Writer's Space...Make Room to Dream, to Work, to Write", which I'm currently reading:

• "Once you internally agree to get your work done you can write almost anywhere, but that doesn't mean that you can vanish into your writing as easily in one environment as in another. Find your best spot; or create it, if it doesn't exist, by pushing furniture around, by reclaiming the junk room, by doing whatever is necessary."
• Protect your writing space: lock the door, skip emails, move to an area where you don't normally write. You are the only one who can protect your writing space.
  
• Honor your space. Just sitting in your space isn't enough; it matters what you do there. Do what needs to be done so that you can enter your space clear-headed and unencumbered.

I thought I had my space all figured out (as shared in a previous post)... until summer approached. Trust me, 95 dripping degrees and an air conditioner that refuses to climb to the top of our stairs doesn't make for an honorable space.

So, until autumn breezes begin a-flowing, this writer is in search of a cooler, kinder, and more conducive writer's space. I'm certain that by the time I finish reading this book, I'll know exactly where that space is...

And then, of course, it will be October.

Happy Father's Day!

On this Father's Day it seems only appropriate to turn down one more childhood corridor to recall some favorite memories of my dad, who:

• taught me how to ride my purple banana seat, high-handled, flowered white "wicker" basket bicycle. At least twice.
  
• taught me how to drive—allowing me to practice in the pine-tree-filled lot next to our house while blaring "The Carpenters" on their 8 track tape player. (Hey, it was either that or the Statler Bros. Need I say more?)
  
• taught me how to quietly serve others. Many times he would take me with him to deliver little goodies or ready-to-use kindling on cold winter mornings to nearby elderly neighbors.
• taught me silly alternative lyrics to favorite Christmas songs just to annoy (and amuse) his mother, MaMa.
• taught me how to fish...and bait a hook. eek.
  
• provided a lot of fun: built a tree house (seriously) on nearby mountain property we enjoyed every other weekend, constructed a raft Tom Sawyer would've envied to row across the little lake that sat on the property, played hide-n'-seek, swatted at ping-pong balls (in our dining room), and churned homemade ice cream while pitching softballs out back on hot summer afternoons.
  
• took us on family beach trips to Garden City, SC every year, building memories that our children still enjoy to this day (especially the Yum-yum shoppe!)
  
• woke me up at the crack of dawn to go in search of shark's teeth scattered in the sand.
  
• taught by example how to respect one's mother and father. He served and loved both, especially in their latter years.

Because of these reasons—and so many more—I find myself especially thankful to my heavenly Father for giving me such a wonderful earthly one.

Happy Father's Day, Dad.

My Friday Fave

For my Friday Fave, I'm closing out my trip down memory lane with one of my favorite subjects...candy.

When I spotted the fake-o cigarettes and Mallo Cups in Saluda's old-timey general store I knew this posting was a must. My grandmother (Mom's mother) once found me "puffing" a candy cigarette. Let's just say I kicked the habit that day. The candy weakness that she and I did share, however, was that of a marshmallow-filled chocolate cup known as a Mallo Cup. The candy was yummy (I think I'm still working off the calories forty years later) but what drove us to buy multiple packs was the prize inside—fake money. After saving up a certain dollar amount, it would be mailed to the manufacturer for coupons.

The wooden lollipop candy holder hung just inside MaMa's (Dad's mother) walk-in pantry my entire childhood. Inside, were Jolly Ranchers and of course, lollipops. After finishing my homework or something else impressive (ha!) Mama would give me permission to reach up and stick my hand in the candy box. Talk about being reward driven! MaMa gave me the candy box several years ago and now I look forward to sharing the "rewards" with my own grandchildren.

Our past may not dictate our future, but it certainly can sweeten it—especially with memories such as these.

Thanks for sharing the journey through the corridors of my childhood memories this week.

Corridors of Childhood Memories, Part 4

A little girl attends Vacation Bible School at Fairforest Baptist Church in Fairforest, SC, her grandparent's church. Years later, after a painful divorce, she was determined to give church another try, both for herself and especially for her two young sons, so she loaded up the boys one Sunday morning and returned to the only church she ever really knew, not sure of what to expect. It was a very traditional Baptist church that her grandparents had helped to build decades ago. Divorce was obviously frowned upon, especially in situations like hers.

Her grandmother had suggested she try the "New Beginnings" class. She assumed it would be a room full of people much like herself, in their 20's, and perhaps still feeling the sting of divorce in their own lives.

When she walked through the doors, however, the group that greeted her looked nothing like her. They were much older, except for a a few. Most were senior citizens who'd been widowed. For a moment she wondered if she was in the wrong class—but God had her exactly where He wanted her. Over the months, they surrounded her with unconditional love, fellowship, and much laughter. They never condemned her for the poor choices she'd obviously made, but loved her due to the choice Christ had made so many years ago.

That woman was me and I will always look back with much gratitude, and especially love, for this group of men and women who didn't just tell me about the love of Christ, but showed me.

An eternal difference.

Corridors of Childhood Memories, Part 3

Both places above, located in Fairforest, SC, bring a smile to my face as they remind me of "PaPa", my dad's father.

For years, the building now known as "Leo's TV" served as the country store. I was very young when PaPa managed the store, so I don't have many memories here—but I do remember him taking a break just outside the door (check out the original and very cool double front doors above) with a cold bottle of Coke in hand. He loved his Coke and Snicker bars.

Later, he would become the Postmaster in the post-card size building above. He was always a hard worker, and even after retiring, he found ways to stay busy in his wood shop behind their house.

But my favorite memory of PaPa has nothing to do with a building. Although he had a wonderful dry sense of humor and a dedicated heart to Christ, he wasn't known so much for playing with the kids or acting goofy with the grand kids--which is why this memory still floats about in the corridors of my memory.

At ten-years old, I was busy planning a wedding for Barbie and Ken while vacationing at Garden City, SC. (What Barbie doesn't want to get married at the beach?) My Uncle Randy stood in as the pastor while dad, MaMa, aunts, and uncles lined up to form an aisle for my Barbie bride-to-be.

And the father of the bride? It was PaPa. Yes, he actually walked my Barbie down the aisle.

Priceless.

Corridors of Childhood Memories, Part 2

The location has changed, but the glaze-filled calories have not.

As a little girl, I would often join my grandparents out for Friday night dinners, and almost always we'd end up here, at Krispy Kreme Doughnuts. They liked to eat in instead of taking it home, and it's easy to understand why. The coffee was hot and the sea-green 60's stools were fun to sit on. As long as I could reach my "tart" doughnut that sat atop the matching Formica table, I was good to go.

I realize doughnuts may not have been the healthiest treat, but isn't that what grandparents are for? I hope so because Brian and I are already coming up with ideas as to where we'll take our g-babies and you'd best believe Krispy Kreme is on the list!

Now that's what I call making sweet memories.

Corridors of Childhood Memories, Part 1

In their book, "Writing Life Stories", Bill Roorbach and Kristen Keckler, PhD, encourage readers to take a stroll through the corridors of their childhood memories.

I continue to work through the book, but to say it's been an eye opening experience is an understatement.

In an attempt to document some of my memories, Brian and I recently took the opportunity to visit my hometown, Spartanburg, SC. You're invited to stroll along with us over the next few days. Perhaps you'll be encouraged to begin journaling your own childhood memories?


We drove straight past the first house I lived in as a child. It was unrecognizable to me. Although the front door is original, the now dirt-covered driveway was once a cool shade of green filled with sour grass.

Memories created here on Oakleaf Drive include:

• My purple bedroom in the back corner of the house with two corner windows overlooking the backyard.
• The Easter egg I hid in my room...and forgot about until summer.
• Spilling fingernail polish remover on my mom's once beautiful dresser. My first encounter with grace. (Thanks, Mom.)
  
• The place where my parents parted ways.
• Wild pink roses sprawled along the back fence (the same type rose now sprawls in my own yard)
  
• Playing with my first dog, Tracks, in the backyard.
  
• My favorite "secret" place, located in a small area tucked between our house, a low retaining wall, and the neighbor's shrubbery. Occasionally the neighbor's wife would poke her head out the side door to say hello, but more often than not she allowed the little girl to play alone with her imagination.
  
• Splashing in the basement water. (You mean every child didn't have their own "pool" in the basement?)
• Our single, lonely, and very quiet neighbor across the street who came home from lunch one day and committed suicide. Little did she know that her choice would linger in my corridors for forty years.
  

What childhood memories rattle within your corridors?

I encourage you to join in the journey.

My Friday Fave

Flea market finds from a few weeks ago... antique wire baskets with weathered leather and wood-worn handles. All for 2.00.

A favorite verse comes to mind
as I plant lovely flowers
in my flea market find...

"God has made everything beautiful in its time." Eccl. 3:11

It Takes A Group to Raise a Writer

This became especially evident to me while putting the finishing touches on my first submission for the Chicken Soup series. Why?

• During today's Upstate Fellowship of Christian Writer's group, I received beneficial feedback that moved me one step closer to the "submit" button.
• Prior to today's larger group meeting, my "Four Corners" group had already critiqued it... at least twice.
  
• After today's meeting, two of my Corners critiqued it again and one called to share a new title idea that was spot on.
  

Regardless if Chicken Soup accepts my submission or not, I'm blessed simply because of the phenomenal people God has placed around me. As a result...

I hit the "submit" button!

Do you have a group cheering you on? If not, have you considered starting one? There's no better way to be encouraged than to become an encourager ourselves.

-photo courtesy of writeforyourlife.net

A Love Better Than Life

I recall the night clearly.

Brian and I were driving home from our oldest son's first CD release party. The Holy Spirit's mark on Brandon's life was obvious to us as we watched him lead a group of people in prayer and worship. It was evident because he is much like me in that he's always been a bit of an introvert, so to see him not only sing, but to also lead, worship, and take others with him? It was a special moment.

Brandon has been in the studio working on a full-length CD for several months, which will come out this Fall. For those who are new to his music, he released his NEW EP just last night and it can be downloaded here.

Yes, I'm a proud—and a very thankful—Mom.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17

I Wonder

Do you?


Wonder, I mean.

Many are familiar with gratitude journals but what about a 'Book of Wonder'? Author Melonie Rae Thon shared how she's kept a small moleskin journal in her purse for twenty years, jotting down things that prompt wonder and awe—from the obvious to the seemingly insignificant.

As a Christ-follower, the idea of jotting down wonder-prompts is an exciting one as it can't help but heighten my awareness of God's presence. As a writer, the idea simply makes me giddy.

Care to join me on the journey?

"Stop and wonder..." Isaiah 29:9 Amplified

Sunday's Surprise!

What a nice surprise to find "A Feather Crusted Cuisine" posted on Christian Devotions this morning!

Oreo was the perfect garden cat. She hasn't been seen since giving birth to her litter of kittens in February 2010. She is missed.

Yummy News

The good news? This yummy station is within walking distance of our house.

The bad news? This yummy station is within walking distance of our house.

The worst news? I'm not walking. :(

My Friday Fave

• Are you organizationally challenged?

• Do you DVR "Hoarders" because you're too busy shopping?

• Do you feel something is missing from your budget... say, money?

• Do you enjoy practicality at its best?
  

If you answered "yes" to one or more of the above questions, this blog is sure to become a favorite of yours as well.

I'm honored to call CC Owens a friend -- and I thank her for sharing her God-given gifts via the new blog, Practical Light Living.

A Simple Observation

This is what the LORD says:

Stand at the crossroads and look;
ask for the ancient paths,
ask where the good way is,
and walk in it,
and you will find rest for your souls.

Jeremiah 6:16 (italics mine)

Stand (stop running!)
Look (slowing down allows for gazing -- running prompts a mere glance)
Ask (not once, but twice)
Walk (meditation induces obedience)
Find (obedience yields rest)

Stillness + seeking + obedience = a rested soul