My Friday Fave

The focus of this publication may be on visually inspiring online journals, i.e. blogs, but this book-a-zine is for anyone who goes a bit gaga at the sight of sufficient white space, quality paper, top-notch photographs, and information that would interest bloggers, writers, crafters, artists, and organizers alike.

An investment of sorts. Enjoy!

Mirror Mirror on the Wall

A mad dash out the door rarely allows for anything but a quick glance in the mirror except to fix the occasional lipstick smudge, hair mishap, or fashion faux pas.

In a culture of quick fixes the glance-by method works well on the go, but not so much for the more important things. Like life.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does. Jas 1:23-25

Intentionality requires concentration. It means to have the mind and will focused on a specific purpose.

James tells us that engaging both the mind and the will in doing that which we know to do will bring freedom. Doing so requires going deeper, staying longer, and listening well to the Spirit. It also calls for a willingness to admit weakness, to be flat-out wrong, and to be teachable.

The past two weeks have been a waiting room of sorts for me as I waited on test results that could've changed my life quite a bit. Funny thing is, it would be the lessons learned while waiting that would prove to be the catalyst for change—not the test results (which turned out good).

I encourage you to look at your mirror differently today. When you pass it by, consider who is staring back at you. The real you. Resist the urgency to look elsewhere. Linger. Stay awhile. Listen. Receive.

Fly!

Wordless Wednesday - Summer Waving Goodbye

Vintage Buttons and a Bonus

Buttons, a farthing a pair!
Come, who will buy them of me?
They're round and sound and pretty,
And fit for girls of the city.
Come, who will buy them of me?
Buttons, a farthing a pair!
-Mother Goose's Nursery Rhymes

This jar, chock full o' buttons from the 1930's (including glass and figural ones!), is my latest find on Craig's List. The bonus? Little did I know they were housed in a blue atlas jar. Life is sweet.

Today's post is in celebration of baby Piper due in November. Tammy (Sarah's mom) and I were able to see our granddaughter move for the first time today via an ultrasound. Her tiny hand reached up towards her face at one point while our knees melted in praise.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139:13, 14

We're looking forward to sharing many a nursery rhyme with Piper—and when she's older, we'll find a nifty craft project for those vintage buttons.

A Kick Out of Typos

Do you spot typos with the same veracity that George Costanza spotted dimes?

Brian and I always get a kick out of typos. Church bulletins, signs, books, etc. (You'd think my writing alone would supply enough kick to last a lifetime.)

To commemorate National Punctuation Day one must visit The Great Typo Hunt.

Enjoy!

My Friday Fave

Favorite Season: Autumn
(Today's the first day of the season!)

Honeycrisp apples
Pumpkins perched on porches
Crispy leaves underfoot
Screened porch door open, breezes blowing
Summer clothes in attic
Fall clothes in closet
Candy corn
Free ticket to God’s greatest dance Shifting Seasons
Bonfires and S'mores
Cool rainy days with nowhere to go
Crock-pots

What's your favorite thing about Autumn?

Liquid Assets

One week ago, my doctor instructed me to double my water intake. Imagine the insights harvested from this experience! (Just typing the word harvested makes it feel more like Fall but I digress.)

I've narrowed them down to three:

1. I needed a nudge. I like water—but doubling up? Not so much. Immersing myself in the water of the Word also requires a nudge at times. Discipline is required for everything of value.

2. What I thought was hunger was actually thirst. When I fill my mind with the water of God's Word, my body hungers less for the empty things of this world.

3. The water must be convenient. Filled bottles await me every morning, afternoon and night. No excuses. Specific verses that refresh my soul are recorded in a mini-notebook and at home in my purse. Soon, they'll be at home in my heart.

...to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word.
Ephesians 5:26

Wordless Wednesday - The Apple of His Eye

Tag reads: You are the apple of My eye. Love, Jesus (Ps 17:8)

52 Bites to Simplify

“How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”
—origin unknown

Want to simplify but not sure where to begin? Tsh Oxenreider breaks down the process in 52 easy bites in her e-book One Bite at a Time.

Don’t let the blog title Simple Mom fool you. The bites are beneficial to anyone desiring to streamline their life and redeem their God-given time.

Where else can you get 52 bites of anything for $5.00?

Visit here to view a FREE chapter sample and to read all the raving reviews from other readers (such as Ann Voskamp!)

Thanking Jesus for Cigarettes

I sat on the comfy pew only to have my head hijacked by a headlock. The culprit wasn’t a person, but an allergen.

Only a couple of handshakes—that’s all it took to identify the problem: cigarette smoke—something I’m highly allergic to and the reason we rarely dine in restaurants that allow it.

Sitting nearby was a large group of men from a local missions home who are picked up every Sunday for Bible study, worship, and much needed encouragement.

So what’s a little smoke, right?

That was the question that attempted to budge its way through the stuffiness of my head but instead, was quickly answered by truth from God’s Word:

Exodus 29:18 Then burn the entire ram on the altar. It is a burnt offering to the LORD, a pleasing aroma, an offering made to the LORD by fire.

Just as burnt offerings were voluntary in the Old Testament, so was the decision made by these men to worship the Lord today. God didn't smell the stench of their cigarettes, only the sweet aroma of their love and obedience to Him.

So, what's a little headache?

Thank You, sweet Jesus.

2 Corinthians 2:15 For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.

--image courtesy of Worship Academy

Blogging Tips by Michael Hyatt

If you blog, check out How to Write a Blog Post in 70 Minutes or Less by Michael Hyatt of Intentional Leadership.

Whether you spend seven or seventy minutes composing your posts, you'll find Michael's pithy advice especially insightful. Each point is elaborated on in the original post:

• Start the night before.
  
• Use downtime to think.
  
• Go offline.
• Turn on some music.
• Set a timer.
• Use a template.
• Create an outline.
• Write without editing.
• Now edit and format.
• Add graphics, links, and metadata.
• Publish a draft.

Which tip(s) do you find most helpful? Beginning the process the night before and learning to write without editing are at the top of my list.

Thanks Michael!

My Friday Fave

My giddy love of gadgets gets the best of me today:

The Pocket Pie Press ($4.99, Target) My favorite part of the pocket press? Once they're filled with refrigerated dough and your favorite fresh fruit, they pop in the oven—not in the deep fryer.

Kiddie Kitchen Gadgets ($3.99, Target) Okay, so Piper (granddaughter due in November) isn’t quite ready for baking, but I’m prepared! I think she’ll love rolling dough with Mr. Alligator and whisking eggs with Mrs. Giraffe on our time-worn enamel table. My fire-engine red Kitchen-Aid mixer is already humming in preparation for Piper time in the kitchen.


Is there a kitchen gadget that makes you giddy on this Friday Fave morning?

In Bed, In the Bath, and On The Bus

Einstein said most of his best ideas came to him in bed, in the bath, and on the bus—places where it was inconvenient or impossible to write anything down.

Okay, so I’m not a theoretical physicist, but I can relate.

Sound asleep, in the shower, surrounded in traffic, strolling through Target, or in my yard—those are my Einstein moments. After losing more ideas than I care to count, however, I devised a battle plan to overcome forgetfulness.

Meet my weapons of choice:

• A recorder in my purse or pocket (surrounded in traffic, yard)
• Mini-notebook that fits in front pocket of purse (Target)
• Mini-notebook by my bedside (Asleep)
• Writer’s journal (general ideas, word pool)
  

Is there such thing as waterproof weaponry? Until then, I’m stuck with jotting down ideas after my shower, but otherwise, I'm without excuse.


So, when do your Einstein moments occur and what are your weapons of choice to battle against losing them?

Wordless Wednesday - Stairway to Heaven

Can I Save You Some Time?

It's a fact. I have a proclivity for discovering newfangled ways of redeeming my time—perhaps to a fault.

It's also a fact that I assume everyone else wants to make the most of their time as well (just ask Brian after I discover a shortcut to our destination...on second thought, don't).

This is one of those times.

Feedburner emails me a detailed account of my blog hits every week. I barely notice. Numbers have never been my focus. Last week, however, my curiosity was piqued—so, I peeked. I noticed the visits per day rate three times higher than the amount of actual "followers" (those who sign up to have each post delivered directly to their email account). Now, I personally don't care for that term, but there is an advantage to becoming a follower.

If you visit often (thank you!), you can simply type in your email address (see Feedburner in side bar) and say Goodbye! to bookmarking, checking back, or typing in the blog address. It's a tremendous time saver. Your email address is not shared with anyone and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Regardless of how you choose to stop by, know that I am delighted and honored to be on this journey with you.

Loveliest Indeed

Autumn...the year's last, loveliest smile.
- John Howard Bryant

Loveliest indeed.

My Friday Fave

My most recent favorite find is this handcrafted birdhouse, picked up at a nearby church rummage sale.

The rim of Robin's Egg blue first caught my attention, but I was taken in by the shabby tin roof, the heaviness of the piece, and a little tag still attached to it's steeple announcing it once sat in a Michigan gallery.

Handcrafted, shabby, and money marked for missions. What more could a girl ask for?

Wordless Wednesday - My Secret Garden

Say "Yes!" to God

Ann Voskamp

Lysa TerKeurst

At 8:00 p.m. tonight I’m saying "no" to:

• T.V

• Facebook

• Fluffing the spoiled dog

• Editing the Christmas e-book

• Reading the latest issue of The Writer's Chronicle

...so that I can say “Yes to God” by joining Lysa TerKeurst and Ann Voskamp (author of One Thousand Gifts!) for their combined Webcast on the subject of what it means to say “Yes!” to God.

Lysa will be speaking on external obedience and the 5 questions to ask yourself when you think God might be speaking to you. Ann’s message will be about internal obedience and positioning your heart to experience God. Then they’ll come together to answer questions sent in through Twitter.

Registration is simple. It’s one hour. And free.

What are you willing to say “no” to tonight—so that you can say "Yes!" to God?

What's All The Hubbub About?

I stumbled upon the Hub City Bookstore in Spartanburg SC several weeks ago while searching for bookstores in the area.

Having been raised in Sparkle City, i.e. Spartanburg, I was intrigued by its downtown location—specifically with it being on the first floor of the Masonic Temple. It's a place I'd seen all my life but never visited.

Hub City offers a variety of writer's workshops in a nearby renovated building called The Showroom. And, oh, did I mention the coffee shop and bakery adjacent to the bookshop? Sigh.

My take-home: For Here or To Go? Spartanburg's Drive-Ins, Drive-Thrus, and Diners by Brandy Lee Lindsey and Baker Maultsby. This nostalgic stroll through the palatable history of my hometown was published by Hub City Writer's Project.

This venture is one I'd love to see repeated in Greenville SC.

My Friday Fave

Move over history magazines—The Writer's Chronicle has arrived!

Six weeks ago, Barnes & Noble tried to convince me they'd never carried The Writer’s Chronicle, even though I’d purchased every issue from them over the past year. I stopped by B & N several times since, only to find history magazines overflowing into the literary section. Don't get me wrong, I love history, but they were in the wrong neighborhood.

The Writer's Chronicle underwent a face-lift of sorts beginning with the September issue. The size and feel of the magazine is the first thing one notices, but the content is most impressive. It touches on different genres throughout, but I feel there’s more emphasis on poetry. No complaints here!

"Now in its forty-fourth year, The Writer's Chronicle, published six times a year, presents essays, articles, news, & information designed to enlighten, inform, & entertain writers, editors, students, & teachers of writing." -AWP

The Problem With Perfection

"When the problems before you seem to loom larger than the Power behind you, the purpose in living can fall right out from underneath of you." - Ann Voskamp

I can't recall one posting of Ann's that has not stirred my conscience—and yesterday's post when perfectionism and to-do lists overwhelm was no exception.


Can you relate?