Purple Prose:
movie

Does anyone know where the quote in this post title came from? I'll give you a hint... it's from the best Keanu-Reeves-Bomb-on-a-bus Mega Movie EVER!

That's right... the most awesome movie of the 90s Speed. The scene I'm referring to is the one where 'The Bomber' is taunting Jack after he has killed Harry. (Sorry, spoilers if you haven't seen it, but really... it came out in 1994 so you SHOULD have watched it by now... just saying ;)). Ok, so 'The Bomber' (Howard Payne) is talking to Jack and says...

"A bomb is made to explode. That's it's meaning. It's purpose. Your life is empty because you spend it trying to stop the bomb from becoming. And for who? For what? You know what a bomb is, Jack, that doesn't explode? It's a cheap gold watch, buddy."

Now PLEASE don't call the cops on me because I'm NOT thinking of bombing anyone or anything (just thought I'd get that out there), but for some reason, that quote has been on my mind a LOT lately. And it relates to kids.

Why? And HOW would a quote from Speed relate to kids? Well, here is my take on it. My kids are live wires as all kids are. They are loud. They play. They make messes. They are KIDS. However, *I* feel like my life is spent trying to 'stop the bomb from exploding'. I constantly say, "You can't be so loud. Daddy is sleeping." or "Don't jump on the couch, you could get hurt." or "Ok, time to stop running. Time for the baby to go to bed... "

I mean GAH!

"Stop... " this and "Quit" that... what kind of a life is that for me OR my kids... so maybe MY life is 'empty' (for lack of a much better word) because I'm trying to keep the 'bomb from exploding' aka trying to keep my 'kids from being loud'. Maybe I should just 'let' them be kids and stop worrying about it SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much.

But how do I do that?

I'm terrified of everything. I'm afraid I will do or won't do something and my kids will get hurt (or worse) because of it and it terrifies me. That's why I try so hard to keep them in line... to try not to let them get hurt... to do what's 'right'... but what kind of life is that for my girls?

Am I doing right by trying to protect them or will they grow to resent me when they get older?

Sorry for the downer post. I've just been really thinking about this a lot lately. I keep telling my husband that I'm SOOOOOOO ready for that parenting manual to show up in my mailbox. I'm the type of person who wants to know I'm doing the right thing (at home, at school, in life), but 'in life' that's not really possible.

Anyway, that's today's ramblings. I was going to post my awesome couponing (well awesome to me) deal I got yesterday, but this wouldn't let me... hopefully I'll get to tomorrow or Friday. It was the best haul I've gotten.

Much love,

Kelly

Sunday is Father's Day. To celebrate, I'm going to talk a bit about my husband.

What? What?! You have a husband?

Yes, Dear Reader. *I* have a husband. I don't talk about him much because, well, I kinda told him I wouldn't (long story)... but I DID tell him I was doing this, and he was ok about it. Who doesn't like be bragged on sometimes?

Anyway, I thought I'd get all of my husband's awesomeness out in one post... well... the majority of his awesomeness. I could probably think of more if given the opportunity.

Backstory: The hubs (Brandon) and I have been married for 8 years. We dated a grand total of 2 months before we tied the knot... so, yeah-- we knew so much about each other going into this.

Over the past 8 years, we have had to figure each other out... what makes the other person tick... learn how to live with each other's faults (me more than him... Ok, so *maybe* I had some faults along the way myself... *maybe*).

AND we have 3 little ladies! (2 of which are TOTAL Daddy's girls... Apparently they don't realize that Mama carried and birthed them... but whatever, right... hehe)

We have a nice routine now... well, sometimes it's nice. It's hard. We don't work the same shift so it does get lonely at times... I'm not going to lie. But we try to make it work as best we can. Some days its only a brief kiss and a 5 minute conversation. I truly admire military families who don't even have that daily.

I've thought how best to descrive his awesomeness. I didn't want to get all mushy because we aren't mushy people. So then I decided that ye ole 'Top 5 List' would be the best way to go.

So...

Without further ado...

The Top 5 Reasons My Husband Rocks

1. He cleans out the mouse traps.
Wait!!! Whoa! Stop the train, Nelly-Bell. You mean to tell me 'That's' your number ONE? What about because you love him... or what about how the awesomeness of his being a father? Mouse traps are your number ONE???? (See how cleaverly I can read your mind... )

Well... yes... THAT is my number one and there is a very good reason why... ALL of that other stuff, the love, the awesomeness of being a father... THAT is a given. I wouldn't have married him if Ididn't love him (no shotguns were required... ). I wouldn't have had a baby with him if I hadn't thought he would be a good father...

And I wouldn't have had 2 more if he wasn't one.

All of those things are 'givens'. My top 5 are things he does that make me appreciate him more...

WHICH leads us back to He cleans out mouse traps.
I hate mice... I hate mice with a fiery passion. I'm not entirely sure if I'd rather see a dead mouse or a live mouse. All mice pretty much freak me out... Thankfully, the hubs takes care of those rather nasty creatures (sorry nasty creatures for putting you in the company of mice... I'm sure mice have their purpose.. just not in my house!). So score one for the husband!

2. He holds my hand when I'm scared...
Even when its a scary movie... in which case he might laugh at me while he's doing it, but it's the thought that counts, right???

3. Sometimes he says the right thing--- and I don't even have to tell him what it is.
I feel bad for my husband at times. I'll be upset over something and honestly I won't know why I'm upset and he doesn't either. But he does try to listen. He's not perfect of course--but he does try to make me feel better. Can't ask for much more than that.

4.He loves to cook--- and is much better at it than I am.
I'm not a cook. I've never been able to cook well... I can cook tolerable (ie, it's edible). But my husband is a terrific cook. That man can throw something together that you think would be nasty (or I would), but it's really really good when he's finished. My kids have a treat when Daddy cooks. I know he would more if he had the time. Time is a fleeting thing sometimes.

5. He is really good at decorating.
Ok, that one kinda irks me.. only because I'm SO jealous of it! I wish I could just look at something and 'make it work'.

In preparing this post, I asked my ladies why their daddy rocked.

They said:

The 5 year old: "Because he plays monster with us!"

The 4 year old: "Because he is happy."

The 11 month old can't talk (well she can, but... you know what I mean), but she is a TOTAL Daddy's girl--Never saw a girl's eyes light up so much when she saw her Daddy like E's (thanks kid... )

There are many other reasons why he rocks... like he knows exactly how to kiss me and make me swoon--even after 8 years.
... like how much he loves God--even if his work keeps him from church sometimes.
... like how sometimes he stays awake over 24 hours to do something with us.

You get the idea.

So, that's it. Now you know there is an actual "Mr." in this home, and that he's a pretty special guy.

Much love-- and don't forget Quest #4 is due tomorrow!!! :)

Kelly (aka... 'The Mrs.')

(P.S. I'm entering this into the "My Husband Rocks" writing contest linked above, however, I had already thought about writing something like this for a while. I just needed a bit of... what is that word????? Ah... MOTIVATION

I love a good backstory. Orgin movies are some of my favorites. X-Men: Wolverine and Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith are my favorite origin movies. I quite enjoyed watching Wolverine getting his metal skeleton and Anakin Skywalker FINALLY becoming Darth Vader (Yes... I'm a nerd)

So, I got to thinking. Maybe this blog needed a bit of a backstory. It's not as dramatic as losing ones memory, I assure you.

(Get comfy... grab some popcorn.. and in... 3... 2... 1... )

Dun Dun Dun... Duuuuuuuu dun dun... Dundun dun du... dun dun dun dun duuun dunnnduuuudna

A Long Long Time ago... In a bedroom far far away...

Ok, so it wasn't exactly a long time ago... it was more like 2 months. It was around March 2011 to be exact. My friend, Rachel, who is also a July 10 Mama posted a vlog entitled, "How I organize coupons for EASY in store use." (Here is the link... watch and subscribe to her.. she's awesome! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzpulo11Rvs ).

Anyway, so basically this all started from a coupon post on Youtube. That's right... How random is that? No big revelation (yet)... just watching a youtube video in my messy room... and wanting to save some money.

That video lead me to start couponing. I LOVE it! I'm not an extreme couponer by any means, but I do love to do it. I started looking up Coupon Binders/Notebooks on youtube (because I'm nerdy and boring that way ) and found this... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eQg0AY5eyE&feature=channel_video_title I don't know why I love this video so much... maybe it's her voice, but I do. Its where I first became introduced to term 'Homemaking Binder'.

I'd never heard of one before... but I was intrigued! I should say that I can't remember anything. I used to stress out over bills that I was afraid I'd forget to pay, or something at school for K that I'd forget and she'd be left out. I thought this Binder Idea was all that!

SO, I made myself one...

And have loved it since!

Here is my first post about it... http://ohthatmomagain.blogspot.com/2011/04/home-making-binder-day-1.html

So that binder (which I started for bills and for me to remember) evolved into something that involved a 'cleaning list'.

I didn't clean...

That's a lie..

I DID clean. I didn't live in a pig sty, but I didn't go out of my way to clean.

Here is a backstory to my backstory (A Flashback if you will)... Who was going to clean our house was always a point of argument between me and the hubs. We both work full time so it was hard to figure out who was going to do what. We have had our fair share of spats over who was going to wash the dishes. When I was pregnant with #3, there was a 6 months span when I didn't vacuum (I KNOW!... I'm kinda ashamed about that). So don't get the idea that my house has ever been emaculate. It HASN'T... and don't think that it is now... its MUCH better than it was... like 100x better, but I still have small kids and we still have messes which is ok. I'm not seeking perfection here :) Just tidiness.
The point being... I never put much stalk in cleaning. My sister has already asked "Who are you and what have you done with my sister?" lol and my mother wanted to know what has came over me... because *I* was the kid at home who never dusted under anything because, "No one is going to look under it anyway." (Oh, I'm sure my poor Mama cringed). I'm telling you this to say that I TOTALLY understand not wanting to clean. However, something has changed inside me where I actually LIKE doing it.

Basically after searching and watching numerous youtube videos on homemaking binders, I went to http://www.moneysavingmom.com/ (which is an AWESOME SITE!) and printed off the sheets for the binder. On the sheets, it had chores to do for the day... and I DID like lists so I found myself completing them.

Then I started blogging about it...

And people started commenting...

And that made me want to do more...

And now its just something that I really do enjoy doing. Its part of my routine.

If you are wondering about my husband and what HE does... let me say that since *I've* started cleaning more HE'S started cleaning more. I found him windexing the windows in the laundry room today WITHOUT ME ASKING (*THUD*).

I truly want to inspire you all to do at least one cleaning/organizing thing a day. I hope you join our weekly Quest (Found here... http://ohthatmomagain.blogspot.com/2011/05/heads-up-our-summer-quests.html ). This week's Quest is to organzize your shoes. I'll post about how I did on either Thursday or Friday. (Congratulations to Kathi-Ann for already finishing!!!!)

I guess to sum up... I've always wanted to be more organized, but had no idea how to start. Because of Rachel and her youtube channel (again subcribe!! She has awesome giveaways!), and searching coupon binders, and then homemaking binders, I have found a system that REALLY WORKS for my family and I sincerly SINCERLY hope it does you too.

Much Love

(Let the Credits Roll... )

Kelly

I have lots of favorite words: "Mommy", "I love you", "I'll help", "It's naptime"...

But this morning, I found two more to add to the list: "Daddy, look."

Now, there are a few reasons this caught my attention this morning.

1. It was Daddy look, and not Mommy. Mommy gets asked, ne told, to look all. the. time. Now, you are going to think I'm complaining, and I'm not. I love it-- but-- it gets old the 40th time you see the same cartwheel (I'll admit it). It was nice for Daddy to be singled out if only once in a blue moon.

2. Daddy was here to look. I've mentioned before that my husband hasn't been on first shift long (since October or November). For as long as my girls remember, Daddy wasn't here in the morning because he was either coming home from work (3rd shift) or sleeping (2nd). They didn't get to see him a whole lot.

We were grateful he had a job of course, but it was hard on us. I still salute the single parent families, the military families, and all others who have to do it on their own. It can't be easy.

Anyway, back to the point, my middle daughter (who turned 5 today :)) ran down the hall with her new backpack as I was coming out of the baby's room. I heared her say, "Daddy, look!" He said brightly, "Yeah, I like it." And she giggled and ran off.

My heart melted.

It might seem like a little thing, but it was big to me. After all of these years of being the primary caregiver, the booboo kisser, the cook, the cleaner, the 'look' person-- and now I get to share it with my husband who seems to get a kick out of it as well.

Kids need their daddies (if they are able to be around). Sometimes, a Daddy lives in the same home, but isn't around (and it may not be their fault). I've been there, and it's so So hard!

I mentioned last post that I watched the movie Courageous. I know it really affected my husband (and me as well). I don't want to miss my kids growing up. I don't want to miss an opportunity to look at a cartwheel or a silly little song. My husband told me tonight... (when I looked at him angrily because he was aggrivating the girls as we walked into the store... yes, Walmart. They were being loud, and I wanted them to be not so wound up.)... "Kelly, have some fun."

Hmmmm... What a novel idea!

Proverbs 17:6 "Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers."

Linked with: Winsome Wednesday and Women Living Well Wednesday  

I'm going to admit that I didn't get to see all of this movie.
I missed about the first thirty minutes (I would say I was doing something awesome or important... but I wasn't. I was taking a bath. My bad.)
I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the first 30 minutes were as awesome as the last.
I don't think I've cried so much watching a movie since Titanic (Ok, so it's a bit of a different genre, but still. Tears are tears.)
I'm not going to give spoilers because I think everyone (and especially daddies) should watch it. But I am going to give my thoughts on it.
*It is a movie that really makes you think-- "Am I raising my kids in a godly way? Should I be doing more? etc."
*It was a funny movie (you know, between the tears). I'm so glad it had a lot of humor in it because it got so down at times. Loved the 'Snake King'!
*Every Daddy should watch it. Mamas too, but definitely the men.
*The ending was very action packed.
*I don't say this often (and it probably will make me seem really boring) but I loved the credits. The way they pictures were blued and the music; I think it made me cry all over again lol
*Joy Duggar did such a sweet job in her 'acting' debut. She was an extra at a funeral, but she did a great job!
Without giving too much away, I think that it was one of the best Christian movies I've ever watched. It really upped the game for Christian movies, and that's a really good thing.
Have you seen it? What were your thoughts?
Much Love, Kelly 

Hey, Kelly. Thanks for letting me stop by your blog. So excited to be here!
My recent Astraea Press release Knight of the Dead features a four-year old as one of the main characters; thus I thought I’d share some fun activities for families to enjoy together. First, let me tell you a little bit about the book.
Persephone Richards is in a pinch. With a wrecked car and bills stacking up, the income from her job at the daycare isn’t enough. Mark Lawrence needs a sitter for his little girl and Persephone is perfect for the job. What begins as an employment opportunity leads to romance. However, a secret Persephone hides threatens the happy ever after and puts the three of them in danger.
Mark’s daughter Rose loves spending time with Miss Purr-So-Funny. Here are five activities they like to do together:
1. Go to the park (Rose loves to swing high and to play on the banks of the creek)
2. Visit the zoo (Rose adores animals, especially giraffes)
3. Watch a movie (Sometimes Rose watches the same stories over and over again, acting out scenes)
4. Play with a dog (Beagles are Rose’s favorite—she loves how they bellow in harmonious fashion)
5. Read a good book (Chapter books featuring animals are always top on the list)
Just for fun, let me know your favorite way to spend time as a family.
Now, I’m going to share a passage featuring one of the above events. Persephone is a bit klutzy, and in an earlier scene she cut her finger helping Mark dice potatoes.
From Chapter Thirteen…

Rose grabbed Persephone’s hand, and they skipped to the
other room. Mark followed a minute later.

The three of them watched a cartoon version of a fairy tale.
Rose tapped Persephone on the knee during a scene where the
recently rescued damsel treats the knight’s wounds. “Is that what
Daddy did for you?”

Persephone nodded. “He did.”

Rose clapped when the girl and the hero kissed at the end.
“Miss Purr-So-Funny is like Jewel.” Rose yawned. “But you don’t
like a knight, do you? I want you to like my daddy.”

Persephone blushed. No question she liked Rose’s daddy. She
stood. “I need to go so we all can get some sleep.”

“Let me get my keys and our coats. Rosebud, I’ll carry you
so you don’t need shoes.” He collected the items, and they all made
their way to the car. Rose fell asleep as soon as they pulled out of
the driveway. The low beams cut through the misty rain that fell
across the tenth fairway.

“Thank you for a wonderful dinner and evening,”
Persephone said.

“We’ll do it again tomorrow.” They turned away from the
clubhouse and out onto the main road toward town.

“Let me bring take-out. That way you won’t have a kitchen
to clean. I feel bad about leaving you with the mess tonight.”

“No problem. I’ll clean in the morning.” He yawned. “Lack
of sleep is catching up with me.”

“Me too.” She yawned in response.

They listened to music for the next few miles before pulling
in Jason’s driveway. The drizzle disappeared.

“I’ll call you tomorrow.” He glanced behind her at the
sleeping child in the backseat. “Is your finger okay?” He took her
hand.

Persephone’s heart raced. She smiled as she remembered
what Rose said about the kissing.

“What’s so funny?”

“Rose. She wanted to know if you kissed my boo-boo.”

“I will if it will help.” He brought her finger to his lips.

Persephone caught her breath. “That helps.” She wanted to
feel those soft lips against hers.
“I’m glad,” he whispered and then leaned toward her.
Thanks again, Kelly, for having me visit. J
You can find Knight of the Dead anywhere e-books are sold, including the following locations:
http://www.astraeapress.com/#ecwid:category=999540&mode=product&product=13594241

http://www.amazon.com/Knight-of-the-Dead-ebook/dp/B008M2E65S

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/knight-of-the-dead-jennifer-rae-gravely/1112129652

Thank you so much for visiting my blog today, Jennifer!

You all may or may not know that I'm writing a book...
Now, I have big plans for it (but it will only go as far as God wants it)
It is targeted for Young Adult, but God/religion is a big part of it.
I posted part of it on a message board for writers (one I love and won't bash), and I got a comment that has stuck with me every since. The girl giving the comment said that she really liked the idea for the book, but...
I might want to leave out the 'God' part because Teens now day were 'kind of against God'


I've been thinking about that a lot since (it's been about a month.) It has nothing to do with the person leaving the comment, so please don't think that. She was only reporting what she was seeing.
I admit that I read lots of paranormal Young Adult books: Twilight, Vampire Diaries, The Mortal Instruments (City of... ) books. I love them all (well maybe not Breaking Dawn... ;)) And when my kids get older, I wouldn't care if they read them...

To be honest, the first novel I ever read was 'Interview with the Vampire' when I was in 8th grade (the movie had just came out)
So, I'm all for those types of books. I think they have their place.
BUT...
One of the reasons I wanted to write this book was for teens (and adults like me) to have books on God because there aren't many.
I was wondering what my girls would have to read when they get to be teens.
Will they have Christian books to read or will they only have paranormal books because "Teens are against God."
Honestly, it hurt when I read it.
And it had nothing to do with my book.
It hurt worse that someone thought teens didn't believe in God anymore...
And what's even worse... Lots of them don't.
Like the Israelites in the days of Exodus, what is more appealing? A mystical 'god' that give you powers and you can control (ie magic) OR A God you have to obey and follow His commands: One you have to serve and not control?
As a mother of 3 little girls who will grow up in this world, it scares me.
But it's not their fault, not entirely anyway.
Titus 2:4 These older women must train the younger women...
Titus 2:6 In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely
How will they know, if we don't teach them?
If all a teen has to read is about magic, how will they know about God?
If all a teen has to read about is kids like them drinking, doing drugs, sleeping around, how will they know differently?
God showed me during a trip to the Christian Bookstore that there are so few titles for teens.
There are so few tv shows that show any kind of Christian values (We had to stop watching Victorious because everytime someone said 'stupid' my kids would go "They're not supposed to say that!" lol)

This may seem like I'm harping on 'values' and tv and the like, but I'm not. And I might sound like a hyprcrite (I hope not).
We need more things in the world for teens/young adults and really even adults that focus on God. Honestly, I'm not sure what my kids will watch after they get too big for PBS Kids.
I'm starting to ramble, and I don't mean too.

We have a lot of work to do, friends.
Much Love, Kelly~Who hopes she didn't sound like I'm 'out of touch with the world', but doesn't care if she did ;)
Linked with: Brag on God Friday 

January 1, 2008... 2008! Where did the time go? I was watching Romeo + Juliet tonight and it hit me that that movie is 12 years old! I was 14 when it came out!! I know we will blink and it will be NYE 2009. It's been 8 years since Y2K... and we are all still here LOL.

I'll make resolutions later. Right now I need to be in the bed. It's all of 10:30 pm, but I know my kids will wake me up in the morning. It's my last day off. And the first day where I have to start eating right again. I have 20 pounds I want to lose before summer! (to go with the 50 I've already lost last year).

Happy 2013!!!! Last year went so fast, I have a feeling I'll be writing my 'end of the year' post next week ;)

I've been reading a lot of blog posts about resolutions, and I thought I'd do the same. Maybe 'resolutions' isn't the right word, but my goals for the year.

I'm following Brenda Rodgers from Triple Braided and divided my goals up into 5 parts:

Spiritual

• Keep up with the 365 daily reading and post on my Encourage 365 blog
• Spend at least 15 minutes a day actually studying the Bible
• Have a prayer request notebook to keep beside computer to write down any prayer requests I see throughout the day
• Pray over prayer requests more than once a day
• Pray before writing/editing/promoting. Ask God if I'm going the right direction He has for me.

• Pray for my husband daily
• Watch one movie a week with him (that's a big thing for me because I have a hard time sitting for two hours without writing)
• Pray with him before bed
• Keep the clothes and dishes washed every night (at least one load washed and put up every day), make the bed, deep clean the bathrooms 2x a week, get back on the 'cleaning train' I was on 2 years ago...

• Listen closely to them before I say an automatic 'no'
• Take more pictures as they grow
• Understand that a 'mess' isn't the end of the world even if I am tired
• Nightly prayer requests from them
• Some sort of nightly devotional

• Read at least 10 books this year
• Lose hopefully between 20-50 pounds
• Not be so hard on myself
• Take a deep breath when I feel myself getting upset

• Finish BIG is Beautiful by February
• Work on blog tour for Saint Sloan (coming out soon)
• Write 50,000 words for March deadline submission for Astraea Press
• Write and submit 4 short stories to various places
• Work out a marketing plan
• Work out a blogging schedule
• Work toward a goal I won't name on here but is a big one for me in the next 5 years

The last day of the year. I suppose I should take this time to reflect on the year...

1. I got my "dream" job. I love it... most of the time. I am very thankful for it.

2. I had my second child in January. She is truly a blessing to me. I had alot of problems with her when I was pregnant. She almost came numerous times. But now she is great. Almost a year old and a wonderful girl!

3. My oldest girl is just growing beautifully. She tells me every morning she loves me (I should probably record that for when she gets to be a teenager and says she hates me all the time.)

4. My Dh is a wonderful husband. He is great, most of the time anyway. I love him alot.

5. This year has gone by so quickly. I guess with 2 kids it does. I wish things would slow down some and just be able to take it all in.

6. My health hasn't been the greatest this year. I keep passing out and the doctor doesn't know why. I'd like to figure out why next year.

7. I lost 52 pounds! I am very happy about that. I have 20 more to go before I think I'll be happy. But for the first time EVER I feel pretty and sexy and quite frankly hot :)

8. All in all, it's been a great year. I hope next year is as good... without have another baby though. No more any time soon. We would like to have a son someday, but that is years away if ever. I need some "me" time without sharing my body with someone else.

9. I am thankful for the internet. Strange as it may seem. I have message board buddies and friends on here that I wouldn't have ever met in real life so I am thankful to have them. It is also a place where I can get my thoughts and feelings out without having to "hide" who I really am and in the process maybe find out who I really am.

10. I should probably round this off at 10... I am happy that the movie Stardust was made so I had something to watch... I am happy whoever invented Noggin did so my kids have something to watch, and I am happy that my MIL made chocolate covered cherries because they have been a wonderful treat since I've been off.

Have a safe and happy New Year's Eve and a great and blessed New Year!

Lisa at A Moment With God linked to 2 blogs today that really hit home. I want to thank her so much for following God and posting these today (even though she hadn't planned on it).
The Scenic Route
and
UpLIFTING Words
I'm not trying to steal her posts, but I wanted to share what I learned from her/them.
The Scenic Route dealt with throwing away a label that you use on yourself. It's a new year... a new you... time to toss out something you don't like. I prayed about this and my word I want to throw away to never see the night of day in 2012 is...
 FEAR
I have a lot of fear; more than I ever really thought I had. When God let me see this, I was kinda confused. I didn't *think* I feared a lot of things. It hit me that *FEAR* doesn't have to mean horror movie. Fear is anything you worry about/are concerned about/ don't fully trust God with... to me, fear is anything beyond my control...
*Rejection
*Not having approvial from friends/peers
*The health of my kids
*How my kids feel about me
*What will happen 10 years from now
*What others think of me/my family
*Being unimportant
... to name a few (yeah, that's a few lol).
For 2012, I'm tossing fear in the trash and trusting in God. It's not like I 'really' have control anyway. God does!
The second part of this (From UpLIFTING Words) was to pray about and have 'My ONE Word' for the year. A word that you can look back on and focus on through out the year.
Oh, *I* had ideas of what I wanted it to be: persistant, motivated, driven...
God had a different idea (and I've decided it best to go with his... since He's GOD after all!)
My one word to focus on for 2012 is...

LOVE
Love covers a lot, and it is definitely a word I need to focus on more.
*If I show love to others, I'll do my best to help them.
*If I show love to myself, I won't have to worry about what other's think.
*If I show love for God, it could change other lives.
Do you have a word you'd like to toss, and one to hang on to for the year? If not, pray about it. Deciding you aren't going to worry about your 'label' any more is such a freeing feeling!
And praying about, and receiving your "My One Word" is such a blessing.
Good bye 'fear'... you are SOOO last year!
Hello 'LOVE'... I plan to use you often :)

Linked with: Brag on God Friday

Today, we are talking about movies made out of books. I'd love for Crossing the Deep to be a movie someday. IMO, it would make a good one :)

A few days ago, I bought Beastly because it was on sale (I know) and started reading it. I'd seen the movie, never read the book. The book starts out a bit... differently from the movie. So far, though, I'm liking it a lot. (It's kinda ironic to me, though that the 'fat witch' in the book is played by a rail thin Olsen sister in the movie).

But this isn't a review of Beastly or Twilight or Harry Potter or The Green Mile or Shutter Island or anything like that. It's strictly book vs. movie. Which do you generally like better?

Here are my thoughts: (The bold titles link to where you can buy the books on Amazon :) )

Twilight: Book better
New Moon: Book better
Eclipse: Book better (I sense a theme)
Breaking Dawn pt 1-2: Movie better (but saying that, I was team Jacob, it's hard to really get into Breaking Dawn if you're Team Jacob lol. Not a bad book, though.)

Shutter Island: Probably liked the book better. To me, it was easier reading about it than actually seeing it on screen. Leonardo Dicaprio and Michelle Williams did a great job, though.

The Green Mile: Never watched the movie nor read the book.

It and The Stand: (Can I just say the Kindle cover of IT makes my hair stand on end... Pennywise... EEK!) I like the movies better. I tried to read the books, but couldn't get into them I think I just have a block with Stephen King, though. Nothing against him or his writing. My sister loves his books. I love the ideas behind them.

So there you have my very limited assessment of Movie vs. Book. I've never read Harry Potter and have only seen 1 of the movies, so I'm not the best to determine which I like better.

You're turn. Book vs. Movie. Of the ones you've seen/read, which did you enjoy more?

Okay, this is a tad bit embarrassing. I'm not sure why, but it is. For a long time, I wrote fan fiction. I LOVED fan fiction (okay, I still do). What did I write fan fiction over? Well... Twilight (I know!), The Mentalist (seriously!), and The O.C.

And where did I put these gems?

At www.fanfiction.net.

(I can't believe I'm telling you all this... )

I met a great friend there, though, Kathi-Ann who still writes awesome fan fic! I'm not embarrassed of fan fic... just some of the stories *I* wrote ;) Head-hopping... OH the head-hopping.

BUT, I believe that those stories got me where I needed to be to write novels. Were they perfect? (oh... suuuuuuuure they were ;) ), but did I learn from them? ABSOLUTELY!

I learned:

• Negative reviews are par for the course
• Did I mention head-hopping?
• They didn't call me the 'Queen of Cliffhangers' for nothing..
• Trust your Beta
• USE a Beta
• Rough drafts are your friends, as long as you don't publish them
• Not to be afraid to let others read my stories... because it's very scary the first few (hundred) times you do it.

Enjoy (BTW, this was originally published in 2009... and I edited it a bit for this blog... I had to do it ;) )

Flight Plan Kimball Cho leaned back in his cushioned seat and closed his eyes tightly. He was trying to hide the fact that he was terrified of flying, but it wasn't seeming to work. Normally before trips, he would take a pill to help him calm his nerves. Unfortunately, that morning he had grabbed the wrong bag, and as an effect was without his little helpful aides.
It was annoying. He was Kimball Cho. Serious. Calm. Not afraid of anything Kimball Cho... so he had gotten on the plane, his insides screaming for him to run like a little school girl, and had found his seat.
Now all he had to do was keep it together on the short flight between Sacramento and an airport in Northern California. There had been a murder (wasn't there always) and the CBI team had been assigned to it. They could have driven, but Minelli said they had to arrive within the day. So there he sat, eyes clinched, hands gripping the seat, praying that the flight would be over soon. Hoping that no one would...
"Cho, looks like we're seat buddies."
Oh for the love of... "Jane. I'm a little busy here."
"Yes, I can see. It's hard work being terrified." Cho heard Jane sit down in the seat next to him and settled himself in.
"I'm not terrified."
"No. No, of course not. But you can see how I would make such a grievous error. Your eyes are shut tightly, or they were before I pointed it out. Your hands are clammy. There is a bead of sweat trickling down your forehead--"
As Jane prattled on, Cho hoped that if he ignored him, he would leave him alone. He knew that would never happen, but still.. it was worth a shot. "I can help you, you know?" Jane's voice said, still invading his preferred darkness.
"No thanks."
"I can."
"No."
"You're be ing unreasonable, Cho."
"I am not. I'm being very reasonable. If I were unreasonable, I would elbow you in the stomach right now." Cho deadpanned, making Jane wonder if he was kidding. "I'm not kidding." he said as if reading the 'mindreaders' mind.
"Ok, fine. Don't accept my help. Have a fear of flying for the rest of your life." Cho felt Jane's elbow so he knew he'd crossed his arms and he heard him whistling a happy little song softly. He opened one eye to him, just to see what he was doing. Jane was sitting arms crossed, like he had suspected, eyes scanning the plane with a joyful expression on his face. "What can you possibly like about flying?"
Jane looked at him, amused. "All these people. Stuck together. They can't get out. They can't leave. They can't hide. If you are on the same flight long enough, you can figure them out. Learn their entire life story."
Cho raised a brow. "You're lying."
Jane shrugged nonchalantly. "You'll never know. You just sit back and shut your eyes like a scared kitten again. It's ok. Go ahead."
"I am not a scared kitten."
"Could have fooled me."
Cho huffed agitated and leaned his head back against the seat. He had been afraid of flying as long as he could remember. Even when he was in the army, it took lots of medication to get him onto the plane. His comrades nicknamed him Mr. T in reference to the mohawked man's character, B.A. Barakus, on the A-Team and his fear of flying.
"You don't want to be Mr. T forever do you?" Jane asked, causing a reaction from Cho. "How do you do that?" All he got in response was a chuckle. "Come on, let me help you."
He knew what that meant. What 'help' it would be. Hypnosis. He cringed at the word. He also cringed at the thought of being on the plane without any medication. Cho sighed and nodded defeated. It would be a long flight if he had to deal with Jane pestering him, and actually, he did want his help... or thought he did. He did until he saw Jane's childlike glee at the prospect of 'helping' him. Then his stomach just knotted in dread. "Fine." he rolled his eyes. "But don't make me do anything stupid."
"Like what?"
"Like you did Rigsby and have me kiss Grace."
Jane's brow raised. "Do you want to kiss Grace?"
"What? No."
"Then it won't be a problem." Jane shifted in his seat so that he was facing Cho. "Just close your eyes and relax." he said in his most soothing voice. "The others are at the front of the plane. We are back here. They won't see you. They won't know what we are doing. So just sit back, relax, take deep breaths."
Cho tried to comply. It was harder than he imagined, though, to relax in the fuselage of a crowded plane shooting through the sky.
"Now, imagine you are at a fair. It is nearing sunset. You can see the sky changing from a light blue into a mix of reds and oranges. There is a slight breeze blowing around you. There are people, but you aren't crowded. No one is in your personal space. You are walking up through the entrance. You see the Ferris wheel. To the left is the Cleopatra boat swinging up and down. Up and down. Underneath is a line of people that snakes all the way through the midway. In the midway are games. Shooting games. Throwing games. Dart games. People selling cotton candy. Walk through the midway now."
Cho imagined the place Jane described and walked through the midway. To his left he saw a woman breathing fire and to his right a man throwing baseballs at little milk jugs.
"Good." Jane's voice was hypnotic. "At the end of the midway is a tent. The tent is tall and red. There is a man outside like a ringmaster beckoning you to come in. You go inside. The tent is empty except for a few gray folding chairs and a large movie screen in front of you. Once you sit down, the screen starts to play. There is a spinning picture like an old flight control monitor. In the middle is a countdown starting with five. Then four... three... two... one. The screen changes and you see yourself. You are on roller skates and going down a long road---"
"I can't picture that, man." Cho's eyes flickered open and he sat up. "I would never be on roller skates."
"Well, would you ever be in the midway of a small town carnival either?"
Cho thought a minute. "No."
"Well---"
"Fine." he leaned back against the seat and closed his eyes.
"No need." Jane said. "You're already hypnotized."
Cho's eyes opened and he looked at Jane confused. "Am not."
"Are too."
"Am not."
"Are too."
"Am--" Jane held his hand up to stop him. "Do you feel fear? Right now, do you feel fear?"
"Right now I feel frustration." he admitted, agitated that he'd let Jane mess with him.
"Frustration, but not fear." his companion pointed out.
Cho opened his mouth to speak then shut it. Jane was right. He didn't feel fear any more. He must really be hypnotised. "Hm. How long will this last?"
"As long as you want it too. I've embedded a suggestion that every time you see a plane, it will automatically kick in. You won't need medicine any more and you won't be afraid."
"Hm.. Thanks man."
"Anytime." It was Jane's turn to lean back and close his eyes. He couldn't help himself as a wide grin crossed his lips. Sometimes people didn't need to be hypnotized.. they just needed to think they were.

ey were.

Could you use an extra $320 this Christmas? TIME IS RUNNING OUT TO ENTER!! :) CLICK HERE TO ENTER... This is a 12 day series on the STRESSES of Christmas. Day 1 was... MONEY
The second stress of Christmas is...

TIME

Image courtesy of Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
The second stress of Christmas that really gets to me... Time spinning faster.. and not having enough Mon-ey...

2. Time
Gracious... TIME! Folks, it's already the 10th of December... DECEMBER!!! I have no idea when that happened. The last I checked it was January (I'm not entirely kidding about that... ) Rush here... rush there... when all you really want to be is home and watching Christmas movies on TV.

My kids get so tired of me going, "Run, Hurry up! We're gonna be late for school!" If it's not every week morning of this world, it's at least the ones that end with 'Y'.

In short... Time doesn't seem to be a plentiful resource.

And why is that? Sure, this time of year we have lots of things to do, people to see, plays to put on (that's what I should be doing right now instead of blogging... ), etc. I can be on the computer writing, blogging... perusing Amazon... and it can be an hour later in no time.

Maybe the reason time is so fast is because we don't take time to just relax. At my house, normally the tv is on (my oldest thought it was broke once because it was off and thought we should buy another one lol), music from youtube blaring, someone on the computer, phone... something... When you fill your head with all of this, time gets sucked away from you (I'd to see how many hours I've 'wasted' playing games... and checking my Amazon ranking for CROSSING THE DEEP ;))

We can't do anything about the places we have to go, people we have to see, programs we/our kids are in... but we can decide how we spend our 'free time'. If you are rushing here and there, is there a reason? Do you spend too much time on the computer at night and either wake up late or have to do the things you could have done at night in the morning while you are yelling at your kids to hurry up and get ready? (Yeah... I admit... that's me some mornings... sigh.)

What would happen if we slowed down, took a breath, and just enjoyed this time of year? The same 24 hours happen every day, but some feel longer than others. Pray about your time. If there is something you can cut to make things easier on yourself (and it's not a calling God wants you to do)? Are there things you can cut to make your mornings run more smoothly?

Why do you feel like time flies by so quickly during this season? Do you feel like you don't have enough time to get everything done? If not, how can you change it? (I'm asking myself these questions as well... ) ~Kelly Lord, please show us how to use our time more wisely. Let us enjoy the time of the season and not overwhelmed by it. Make sure we know that it's okay to take a breath and reflect, meditate, or even not be on the move 24/7. In Jesus's name I pray, Amen.

Care to enter to win over $300 before Christmas? CLICK HERE
Today is December the 9th... THE NINTH! Folks, I'm not ready for Christmas. Not by a long shot. Are you? I found myself the other night wishing December was over because of all the stresses... for real? I wished the birth month of Jesus to go quicker? Ugh. Kelly needs to take a chill pill ;)
So, I thought I'd blog about the 12 Stresses of Christmas. Can you relate to any of them?

(There will be one posted each day for the next 12 days :) )

The first stress of Christmas that really gets to me... not having enough Mon-ey...

Image courtesy of ponsulak / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
1. Money Money is my biggest stress around the holidays. I have 3 small kids (7,5, and 2). I want them to have a good Christmas so I, of course, spend too much on them. I don't know why... they would be just as happy with a box than the $200 thing that goes in it (I should be taking advantage of that right now ;) )

Money is a big issues normally anyway. I believe I've read that most marriages end because of fights over money. I can understand that. Even with both of us working (my husband and I), it's hard during Christmas. Wouldn't it be nice if the banks/collection agencies/utilities would let us have December off?

December (and January) has always been a tight month for us. We aren't the best budget-ers (hence why we both work and still have trouble with money... sigh. I applaud all of you who can make it work on one income!). It's enough to make you want the month to hurry up and get over with...

That's not the way to think about this time of the year. Christmas (as all the movies like to tell us) is a magical time. And it is. It's the time when we remember/celebrate Jesus's birthday and let's us remember that he was just a tiny baby-- a baby born to die so we can go to Heaven.

How do you deal with money stress this time of the year? Are you a budget-er or a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants-er? Do you have any great money saving tips for Christmas?
How about talking about the true meaning of Christmas and not the presents? Like someone told me yesterday, God had his son born in a barn-- He didn't go all out and buy him $1000 of Bethlehem's best toys-- and HE was JESUS.
Do you have any stresses for Christmas? List them in comments and see if they make the top 12 list :)
~Kelly
Lord, help us please be diligent, responsible, and careful with our money this holiday season. Not stingy where we don't want to spend any or give to charity, but careful that we only spend what you've given us. In Jesus's name I pray, Amen.

This time of year can be very stressful, I know it is for me. I have three kids, my husbands work shuts down for 13 days, and there are places to go, things to buy, and people to see.
In short, it's stressful.
In fact, our Christmas play at church deals with the stresses of the season and how much we forget that it's not about the 'perfect' Christmas... it's about the baby boy born that morning.
So, how can we make Christmas less stressful this year?

• Don't worry if everything's not perfect. It'll be what it is :)
• Take time to laugh
• Have small kids and a not so clean house, don't stress. At least your kids are happy and playing (I have to remind myself of this a lot lol)
• Take time for yourself! I have a hard time with this one, but everyone needs time to recharge their batteries.
• Find fun. When I get stressed, I snap at people. If I was having fun, I wouldn't snap lol. Play games with your kids, even if it's silly ones.
• Pray. Giving your stresses to God and knowing it's going to be okay is a great way to deal with stress. Also, praying lets you know that He's right there with you... even in that long line at Target...
• Find time to read your Bible every day. Don't have the TV or loud music on. Just spend time with your Bible and God. It is relaxing and lets you know He's right there with you.

Christmas time, one of the most joyous times of year, can quickly turn into a pull-out-my-hair, if- someone-gives-me-one-more-fruitcake-I’m-going-to-throw-it, when-will-this-holiday-finally-be-overseason. When we should be celebrating the birth of the One who came to save us, we are stressing over piles of wrapping paper, baked goods and party invitations. The busyness steals our peace and robs us of joy. So how can this holiday season peaceful? How can we remain joyful?

Woman to Woman Ministries presents the Christmas Blessing Giveaway! Join thirty-two bloggers for ideas and advice on how to remain peaceful in a stressful season.
In addition to sweet encouragement on keeping the peace in your home and heart, we are giving away a blessing of $320 in PayPal cash. The winner will have the money transferred to their PayPal account where they can use it for Christmas celebrations, groceries, bills, whatever they need. To enter to win simply complete all of the tasks in the rafflecopter below.
a Rafflecopter giveaway Christmas Blessing Giveaway Rules: No purchase necessary. Must be 18 to enter. Void where prohibited by law. This giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed, or associated by Facebook. By entering this giveaway, you agree to release Facebook, Woman to Woman Ministries and all participating blogs of all liability. Contest ends at 12:01am EST on Tuesday, December 11, 2012. Winner is randomly chosen by Rafflecopter and will be emailed on December 11, 2012, then funds will be transferred to winner's PayPal account. Participating Blogs…Please help support these wonderful bloggers! 1. Woman to Woman Ministries http://www.w2wministries.org/ 2. Sweet Blessings http://www.jenifermetzger.org/ 3. Treasures Found in Him http://www.debibaker.org/ 4. Leaving a Legacy http://www.leavingalegacyblog.net/ 5. Kelly Martin Stories http://www.kellymartinstories.com/ 6. Happy Little Homemaker http://www.happylittlehomemaker.com/ 7. The Encouraging Home http://www.theencouraginghome.com/ 8. Christian Women's Voice http://christianwomensvoice.org/ 9. Beautiful in Him http://www.allisonjonmorrison.blogspot.com/ 10. A Simple Life, Really?! http://asimplelifereally.blogspot.com/ 11. Managing Your Blessings http://www.managingyourblessings.com/ 12. Thankful Homemaker http://thankful-homemaker.blogspot.com/ 13. For Unmarried Christian Women http://www.for-unmarried-christian-women.com/ 14. The Chuppies http://thechuppies.com/ 15. Homemaker by Choice http://www.homemakerbychoice.net/ 16. Leaving a Legacy http://angietolpin.com/ 17. Love, Friendship, & All Things Girly http://www.bethanyjett.com/ 18. Simply Audra Marie http://www.audrasilva.com/ 19. Young Wife's Guide http://youngwifesguide.com/ 20. A Biblical Marriage http://abiblicalmarriage.com/ 21. Becoming a Strong Woman of God http://www.becomingastrongwomanofgod.com/ 22. Unmarried http://www.unmarriedmovie.com/ 23. CSAHM http://csahm.com/ 24. Renewing Housewives http://www.renewinghousewives.com/ 25. Mothers on Mission http://mothersonmission.org/ 26. Awakened Anew http://awakenedanew.com/ 27. The Father Knows Best http://www.thefatherknowsbest.com/ 28. Our Simple Farm http://www.oursimplefarm.com/ 29. So You Call Yourself a Homeschooler http://www.soyoucallyourselfahomeschooler.com/ 30. Getting It Right - Occasionally http://www.gettingitright-occasionally.blogspot.com/ 31. Only A Breath http://www.onlyabreath.com/ 32. Kove's Blog http://www.kovesblog.blogspot.com/

Here is a little blog hop, fun thingy where you get to learn a little bit more about some of your favorite authors...

1. What is the working title of your book?
• The one I'm editing now is called SAINT SLOAN.
2. Where did the idea for the book come from?
• It came from thinking about how things change once you become saved and you aren't the same person any more (well, you are, and your not.)
3. What genre does your book fall under?
• YA/Inspirational Romance/Suspense
4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
• Sloan-- Candice Accola
• Ray-- Ben MacKenzie (in his O.C. days)
• Aaron-- Brandon Barash (General Hospital)
5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
• On the night before her eighteenth birthday, Sloan's world falls apart by an intruder she can't place, but who knows everything about her.
6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
• It is already signed with Astraea Press! :) As is a third book I'm working on called B.I.G. is Beautiful-- A Love Story.
7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
• 1 month. It was a June Camp Nano
8. Who or what inspired you to write this book?
• My kids. I want them to have YA books that aren't just about vampire to read about when they get older (though I do love a good vampire book)
9. What else about your book might pique your reader's interest?
• I call it 'The O.C. meets the Vampire Diaries without the vampires." ;)
10. What other books does your book compare to in your genre?
• No idea. I'll have to think on it

M.J. Wille

K. Victoria Chase

Lindsay Downs

Thankful Tuesday This week, I am thankful for...
*A 2 day work week.
*My kids not having fevers (though the youngest two still don't feel 100%)
*My husband feeling better.
*Being able to go to the church community supper and getting to help lots of people in need.
*Having a terrific church family!
*Thanksgiving... and all that it means.
*An awesome play practice at church Sunday
*Finishing Nanowrimo!!! (Well, the story isn't finished, but I reached my 50,000 word goal! Yeee!)
*The Music to the Inception movie trailer ("Mind Heist")
*Youtube... for pumping music through my earphone so I could type my nanowrimo.
*Microsoft Word... for knowing what word I'm trying to type and typing it correctly for me... wish blogger had it.

I've had an AWESOME week! Awesomely tiring... and awesomely stressful (sick kids, sick husband, lots of church things), but as I sit here resting and reflecting, I can see so much how God had taken care of us this week. I am so Thankful for it :)
Now it's your turn. If you have posted any blog post about being Thankful, I invite you to link up below.


Lots of 'S's in that title.
Today, I wanted to give ya'll a snippet from my new book, coming out in late winter 2013 from Astraea Press. This is an unedited snippet, so don't judge too harshly :)

Want more sweet samples? Click here and read snippets from other clean/sweet/awesome fiction :)

SAINT SLOAN
Chapter 1:

The cold November air burned Sloan’s lungs as she ran down the secluded dirt driveway. Looking over her shoulder at the brightly lit farm house swarming with people, she wished she had grabbed her coat from the living room before escaping. Her legs protested with each additional step she forced them to take, and, in retrospect, she felt like an idiot. In four days, she would be eighteen, an adult; why should she care what others thought of her? Or, more specifically, what Darcy Perry thought of her?

After nearly a quarter of a mile, the driveway slopped down at a steep angle and met Brown Hollow Road. Sloan stopped at the bottom, doubled over, and put her hands on her knees to catch her breath. The harder her lungs extended, the sillier she felt for running away like that. Sure, Darcy was mean, exceptionally so when she drank, but she shouldn’t have let her words hurt her like they did. And that’s all they were, words. Words and cold beer thrown in her face. Sloan felt her damp hair and wondered how she would explain it to her mother.

When her breathing came easier, she stood up and looked back toward the house. From her vantage point behind the short hill, she could see all of the lights burning in the second story windows and hear the music blasting throughout the isolated farmland. The glow from the floodlights surrounding the house made it appear to float in the sky. No doubt about it, Boyd knew how to throw a party. Sloan couldn’t help feeling a little satisfied thinking of how Mr. Lawrence, Boyd’s father, would react when he found out his Biology students were getting drunk at his house without his knowledge.

She leaned on the standard-issue black mailbox and frowned. It wouldn’t be fun to walk all the way back to get her coat and beg Mackenzie to take her home. Everyone would stare at her, mock her, and call her ‘Saint Sloan’, Darcy’s “pet” name for her. The thought of Darcy’s smug face rising inevitably from Boyd’s muscular neck made Sloan’s stomach knot harder, and she slumped farther down against the mailbox, causing the metal to creak. Times like that made Sloan wonder why she ever went anywhere. She didn’t drink or do drugs, and she wasn’t into sex anymore. She was the “reformed bad girl”; and everyone loved to taunt her about it, especially her former best friend, Darcy.

Blinding lights coming toward her right side caught her attention. Turning toward it, she put her hand over her eyes to block the brightness of the passing car. Instead of speeding by, the car slowed down and stopped across the yellow line from her. Goosebumps, not from the cold, formed under her long sleeves. Meeting a strange person in a strange car at night in the middle of an old country road didn’t appeal to her. Bloody flashes from every horror movie she’d ever watched invaded her mind. Suddenly, being made fun of and harassed at the party didn’t seem so bad. She wished she had been able to control her temper better and never have run out of that house. Automatically, she grabbed the little golden cross that had fallen under her dark teal shirt collar and prayed for whoever it was in the car to not be a homicidal manic.

The driver’s side window rolled down, and Sloan squinted through the dark to see inside. “You OK?” an unfamiliar male voice said. Whoever it was didn’t sound much older than her.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” she stammered, rocking on the balls of her feet and preparing to run if the situation escalated beyond friendly chatter. “Just out for a walk.”

“In the dark?”

“Seemed like a good idea at the time,” she said truthfully.

Sloan heard a hint of a laugh coming from the car. At least, it didn’t sound menacing. “Like I said, are you OK?”

“Fine,” she said with an undercurrent of defiance. She wished he’d just go on his merry way.

“In my experience, people don’t go for walks in the dark when everything is fine.”

“I’m… I will be fine. Thanks for stopping. You must be in a hurry.” She tucked her hands under her elbows and walked back up the little hill. Seeing the lights and hearing the annoying music coming from the farmhouse filled her with dread. Between the house and conversing with a stranger alone in the dark, she figured the house would be safer, but not by much.

“I don’t have to be at work until eleven,” he yelled. “I can take you home if you want.”

Sloan spun around, half expecting him to be standing behind her with a rag full of chloroform. “Thanks. That’s sweet, but it’s OK. I can go get my friend to take me home.” Lord, please don’t let her be drunk.
She started to turn back around when he yelled again. “You don’t know who I am, do you?”

Of course she didn’t. It wasn’t like she could see in the dark. “Should I?”

“Guess not. I’ve not been back in town very long. You’re Sloan Bridges. You used to date, and I use that term loosely, my brother back in the day.”

That didn’t help much. “Could you be more specific?”

I have been slacking so much in the 'Brag on God Friday' department. I think it's been about a month since I've done one! (I KNOW!). I have no excuses really.

This week, I wanted to write one, but I wasn't sure what to say. Today, I figured it out-- at Wal-mart.

If you have read a lot of blog posts of mine (both her and at www.encourage365.com ), you've probably figured out that I'd love to do some type of 'something' where I can help lead people to Jesus. I'm not entirely sure what it is yet. I keep praying about it. It doesn't entirely help that I'm one of the more shy people in the world lol.

So, today, my girls and I went to Wal-mart, and I prayed before we went...

1. I always pray before we go (3 kids and just me and all... )
2. That the Lord would lose my lips and give me opportunities.
He didn't disappoint.

If this was an inspirational movie, the main character (ie me... played by Candace Cameron Bure) would have gone into the store. Be met by a stranger who told all about her grandkids. The main character would then use that opportunity to tell the lady how blessed she was and how God was good and seemlessly gone into asking if she knew Jesus.

*That* would be the movie version. The credits would have rolled and people would have been inspired...

Today's real life version was a bit--- different.

God didn't disappoint in the sending people to talk too. I had at least 2 people start conversations with me-- that NEVER happens. Ever. Usually they will talk to my kids and me in passing, but these were full on conversations-- to me!

The first lady was so sweet. She showed me a picture of her new grand daughter (who has red hair like 2 of my daughters). It was the perfect opportunity. I knew it was. My mind kept racing "Ok, here is my shot. What should I say? What should I say?... "

And...

That was it.

Moment over.

The lady smiled and walked off.

Sigh.

I knew it was a missed opportunity (and an hour later in the parking lot I FINALLY figured out a good response to her lol). But I didn't give up... I trudged on.

Went in the chips aisle.

There was a man who said, "Do you know this Wal-mart well enough to tell me where the Little Debbie Snack Cakes are located?"

I laughed and told him I did-- and where they were. He smiled and I told him to have a good day. How much harder would "God Bless You" have been?

Again... missed opportunity... sigh #2. I talked to may other people there-- all were ones I knew.

I got to the car and reflected on my trip. I probably talked to 15 people at Wal-mart today... and I mentioned God zero times.

Zero.

However, instead of seeing today as a failure, I see it as learning. Talking to people does NOT come easily for me. Even people that I know. I'm more of a writer. I can write until my fingers fall off, but speaking is harder. I get all tongue tied-- it's not pretty.

I am getting better. At least this trip I SAW opportunities to talk about God. No, I didn't take them, but it's baby steps... baby steps.

Some people just have the gift of talking naturally.

My husband has never met a stranger. He can talk to anyone about God. He says he's nervous about it, but you could never tell by how he conducts himself.

Me... not so much.

So my brag on God is that He shows us things to make us learn. He gives us time to adjust. He gives us gifts to get His message across (My husband can't write very well, but he is a great conversationalist).

Before, I would have been upset over today's trip thinking that I let God down. But I know in my heart that it is a learning process. And it might take 10 years, but I'll get the hang of it. I'm not getting down and I'm not getting discouraged.

Much Love,

Kelly
Linked with: Brag on God Friday @ Behold Glory