As an author there is something magical about that moment when one of my favorite people (the UPS man) drops off boxes. Regardless of what's in the box, it feels like Christmas. What did I order and forget about? What new treasure awaits wrapped inside a nest of bubble wrap? Then there's the time when he drops off a couple boxes and I note a label that suggest it's more than just another box. … [Read more...]
Back-to-School Adventures
One of the unique things about me is that I'm a second-generation homeschooling momma. That means I was homeschooled and now homeschool my kiddos. Yesterday morning, my heart was in my throat as I watched my baby girl board the school bus. She may be 13, almost 14, but this was the first time she's stepped outside our homeschool to take classes. Let me tell you, it's a big step. And for this … [Read more...]
A Weekend to Remember
I often talk about how writing is a hard career for an extrovert. So often my writing is done in front of a computer and I wait for electronic feedback from my agent, editors, friends, readers. It can feel solitary because the face to face contact usually comes once a year at ACFW. This past weekend, my daughter and I changed that dynamic. We put over 600 miles on the car as we drove around … [Read more...]
7 Tips for Adding Exercise to a Packed Life
Life is busy. Way too busy for most of us. We know we need to take care of ourselves, but in the shuffle of activities and responsibilities, that can easily fall by the wayside.Yet exercise is a great stress reliever and a good way to insert some balance in our lives. So how can we find the time to squeeze in exercise? Here are a few tips that work for me. 1) Find an activity you can do as a … [Read more...]
A Writing Career: A Journey in Lost Control
Writing is a career that careens out of control. It's a dream that sucks the very marrow from your bones and leaves you spent. I'm firmly convinced God has me in publishing because so much is so far outside of my control. Right when I am my most stressed and worried, He reminds me He's in control of this journey. A couple nights ago my husband and I were talking about how drained I … [Read more...]