by Cathy Baker | Faith |
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.
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
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
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
“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?
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
“I have not failed 10,000 times. I have successfully found 10,000 ways that will not work.” -Thomas A. Edison
Lessons learned over the weekend:
- The Weather Channel’s roving reporters add nothing to the drama level by standing sideways against 80 mph winds. They look ridiculous and put not only themselves in harm’s way, but the camera men as well.
- Never substitute napkins propped by the popcorn for Puffs tissues—something Beth and I learned the hard way Sunday afternoon while watching “The Help.” (By the way, LOVED the movie!)
- Exercising is always more fun (and I believe efficient 🙂 when accompanied by 70’s music.
- Based on Chip Ingram’s Good to Great in God’s Eyes series (which I taught as my last class yesterday), our “to-be’s” need to be jotted down in our calendars prior to our “to-do’s”. I want to be healthier, so guess what’s already in my calendar this week? Exercising. Chip shares how he wanted to be a better husband so he marked in his calendar a date night with his wife every Friday. That was 26 years ago and he’s become a better hubby as a result. What “to-be’s” do you need to jot down before your week gets away from you?
- Our identity is not to be based on any spiritual gift or talent we possess. It is to be grounded in Christ.
- We made a lot of mistakes as parents but we also created some pretty cool Christmas traditions (I worked on the Christmas e-book this weekend!)
- As important as it is to budget our money, it’s even more vital that we budget our time.
–image courtesy of US Coastguard
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
I call them “God glimpses”—those instances when we catch sight of God moving in our life, or in the lives of those around us, in very specific ways.
On Monday morning, I got a call from God inviting me to a “come to Jesus” meeting. His tone was firm, yet full of tender mercies. We conversed, I repented, and began anew with a fresh awareness of His presence.
As a result, this week was unlike many others in recent months, thankfully. I walked with a greater dependence on God and in doing so, my spiritual eyes were open to “God glimpses” at every turn.
God began my week by calling out my sin, including my lack of dependence on Him, and He ended my week by reminding me that I’m in training—never arriving.
“I am intimately involved in all your moments, and I am training you to be aware of Me at all times. Your assignment is to collaborate with Me in this training process.” – Jesus Calling, Sarah Young
A glimpse of God to begin my day. Only a sweet Savior would bookend my week with grace and mercy.
