Living in the Light

Welcome to my guest blogger today, Bonnie Thomson.

Amazing how two people can have the same experience and perceive it differently.

I recently read a short article based on the biblical passage found in1 John 1:5-10. The focus of this piece was that sin may be hidden from others but never from God. Other scriptures were used to remind the reader that God sees every failure. I came away unsettled, dogged by an image of an angry, vengeful God.

Tonight I read those verses myself and came away exuberant, with a sense of God who is light, who has  no darkness at all. I was reminded of the way He has so often taken “bad” circumstances and worked good from them. He doesn’t have to shout and threaten the darkness when it comes; He dispels it by His very presence. I was filled with desire to draw closer to this God of strong light, to bask in the beauty of Him and to luxuriate in the security of His goodness.

As I read further, I saw this light operating beyond my own life. Living in the light of God’s presence means fellowship with others who also live there. And it means the freedom of being released from all sin because God is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse. What freedom! His love draws me like a warm fire on a cold, damp night.

There’s a moral to my story. If you read or hear words about God that don’t resonate with your experience of Him, don’t assume they are  right.  Find other opinions. Best of all, prayerfully read the primary source yourself. And God, who gave his Word for our good, will speak in your heart what He wants you to hear.

Note: Lectio Divina is an ancient Christian practice of praying the Scriptures. A classic on the subject has been writeen by M. Basil Pennington. It’s called Lectio Divina: Renewing the Ancient Practice of Praying the Scriptures.

Bonnie Beldan-Thomson is a teacher, musician, and writer who lives near Toronto, ON. Her work reflects the ways in which she sees God in her world. Bonnie blogs at http://www.bonniebeldanthomson.wordpress

Fairy May by Jo Linsdell

Welcome, Jo Linsdell. Congrats on your new children’s picture book, Jo.

Fairy May

Written and illustrated by Jo Linsdell

 

Fairy May dreams of one day becoming a tooth fairy, but she struggles at school and always seems to get things wrong. With hard work and determination, she prepares for her test. Will she realize her dream and become a tooth fairy?

Release Date: 1st February 2013

Product details:

Paperback: 32 pages

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1481951424

ISBN-13: 978-1481951425

Product Dimensions: 10 x 8 x 0.1 inches

You can purchase Fairy May at Amazon.

About the author:

Jo Linsdell is a best selling author and illustrator, award winning blogger and freelance writer. Originally from the UK, she now lives in Rome, Italy, with her husband and their two young sons.

Jo Linsdell

Author website: www.JoLinsdell.com

Contact details:

Email: webmaster@jolinsdell.com

Also find Jo on the following social media sites: Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, YouTube, Goodreads, and Amazon.

And now for a little about Jo’s new book.

Please tell us a bit about Fairy May.   

Fairy May is a rhyming children’s picture story book about a fairy called May who dreams of one day becoming a tooth fairy. She struggles at school and always seems to get things wrong, but with hard work and determination, she prepares for her tooth fairy exam.

2) What lessons does this book carry for the reader?

The story carries two main lessons:

A. To follow your dreams. Just because it isn’t easy doesn’t mean it can’t be achieved.

“ But Fairy May tried and tried for she had a special dream;

one day she’d be a tooth fairy, the best you’ve ever seen.”

B. The importance of dental hygiene. The text subtly introduces the reader to how to take care of their teeth correctly.

“She learnt how to brush and keep teeth clean

and how to floss right in between.”

What was your inspiration for this book?

This book is dedicated to my niece who, after seeing that my last book Out and About at the Zoo was dedicated to my two sons, asked if I’d write a book for her too.

It needed to have fairies in it and so I brainstormed on ideas and came up with Fairy May. I wanted her to be a little girl fairy and to show that it’s okay to not be perfect. I wanted young children to be able to relate to her and to encourage them to go after their dreams.

The tooth fairy part came about because several of my five-year-old’s friends have recently lost their first tooth, and he has been full of questions on the subject. My seventeen-month-old is also teething at the moment, and so the topic of dental hygiene comes up a lot in our house at the moment.

What did you learn while writing Fairy May?

The importance of having the right direction for my story, not just a good text. In the original version, the text worked fine as a story and rhymed nicely, but the overall message wasn’t as strong. After rewriting the last part, I was much happier with the focus of the story. Simple changes can make a big difference.

What projects are you working on now?

I’m busy with several projects at the moment: The Bedtime Book, another rhyming children’s picture book; The Writers and Authors Guide to Social Media and Virtual Book Tours, two non-fiction books. Twenty-thirteen is going to be a busy year for me as I have lots of other ideas too.

Thanks for joining us today, Jo. I wish you all the best with Fairy May and your upcoming projects.

Guest Poet – Heather Joyes

I was thrilled to get two more of Heather’s poems to share. I love her writing! (I hope she doesn’t mind; I gave the second piece a title.)

A Gift to Share

Words expressed in love

Touch my soul.

With tender strokes

They caress my heart.

Healing.

Strengthening.

Dispelling fears.

Igniting possibilities.

 

Melodic Reassurances

The music rises

To a crescendo

And strikes a chord

Deep within.

Exhilarating.

Jubilant.

No longer staccato notes,

The angelic timbre

Resounds and reassures

He is ever-present.

Sheltered by R. Appel

I’ve been cleaning up my inbox and came across this guest post written by my friend, Rita Appel. She wrote it as part of her “Who Am I in Christ” series. Thank you for again sharing your heart with us, my friend.

I long to dwell in your tent forever

and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.

                                      Psalm 61.4 NIV

Have you ever watched a hen with her chicks? Whenever danger looms, she calls to them, bidding them to come to her. As they come close to her, she opens her wings, enfolds her young keeping them sheltered. There the chicks cuddle together safely until the peril passes.

This is an image of our relationship with our Heavenly Father. Whenever the storms of life loom in the distance, He calls to us, bidding us to enter into His Presence, into the circle of His protecting arms, His wings. There He will hold us close until the tempest passes. He does not take us to a place of safety away from the storm, but rather, shelters us in the midst of it. Just as the chicks trust the hen to protect them, so we must trust our Abba Father.

Are you facing a storm today? Abba Father is calling you. “Come to Me and I will shelter you. Trust Me my child. I will keep you safe in the tempest. Come close to Me, into My encircling arms.’

Will you allow your Heavenly Father to shelter you today?

Father, the storm is raging about me and I am so afraid. Please calm my fears as you shelter me, O Lord. Help me to know your peace as I rest quietly, secure under your wings. This I ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Security” by Guest Blogger Lori Freeland

I want security. I crave it.

Security, synonymous with safety, brings me peace, quiet, calm. Who doesn’t desire those things?

But what if living a safe, pain-free, invulnerable life is not what’s best for me? What if I’m actually a better person when I’m insecure?

Consider this.

When I’m insecure, I shadow Jesus. Closely. When He moves, I follow, because I know that where He walks is the right way.

When I’m secure, I run ahead of Him, sometimes taking the path to the right without realizing He’s veered left.

When I’m insecure, I am careful of others’ feelings. Before I tread over their emotions, I consider my words, my actions, my motivations.

When I’m secure, I don’t always remember to think before I speak because my heart has switched off its empathy mode.

When I’m insecure, I pray without ceasing, needing to hear His direction in every step of every day. I beg to be used by Him – in His way and in His time.

When I’m secure, I pray out of duty, when I remember I should, and go my own way. My prayers are me-centered, rather than God-centered. I ask, “What can You do for me” instead of “What can I do to serve You?”

When I’m insecure, I trust the Lord to draw my life map, understanding He sees things I can’t possibly imagine. His plan is perfect because He is perfect.

When I’m secure, I scribble out my own life plan, taking what limited knowledge I have and filling in the rest with sketchy, incomplete information.

When I’m insecure, I push myself to be stronger, faster, nicer, kinder, more loving. I strive to be a better wife, mother, daughter, friend.

When I’m secure, I coast, not worried about pushing toward growth and change because I don’t feel the drive to let the Lord work in me.

Now that I think about it, security may be the best place for me to live – as long as I find my security in Jesus.

What do you think?

Lori Freeland is addicted to her husband, her kids, and flavored coffee (three reasons why I like this lady). She coaches writing for the North Texas Christian Writers, edits for The Christian Pulse, blogs for Crosswalk.com, and writes articles for various inspirational publications. On the side, she explores her passion for young adult fiction and is busy at work on her first novel.

You can get in touch with Lori at lafreeland.com

 

Meet Writer Mum Jo Linsdell

Jo Linsdell is the author and illustrator of the rhyming children’s picture book OUT AND ABOUT AT THE ZOO. Find out more about her at www.JoLinsdell.com

As most writers will tell you, finding the time to write is one of the big obstacles we face. If you’re a mum and a writer, this problem is even greater.

I’m a mum of two. My eldest is four-years-old and my youngest is 10 months. Needless to say, my days are pretty jam-packed. So when do I write? The short answer is when I can. Unfortunately for me, neither of them sleep very much, day or night. On the upside, both are usually very well-behaved and will play quite happily either together or individually. This tends to give me a good twenty to thirty minutes here and there to get some work done.

I’m a big list maker. At the weekend, I make a list of all the things I need to do during the week and mark them in order of importance. This makes it easy to know what needs to be done and saves me time.

During the morning, I try to get through as much of my to-do list as possible. My husband will often take the boys to the park for an hour to let me concentrate on the bigger jobs that need doing. You’d be amazed at how much you can get done in just a short amount of time with no distractions.

Part of being a writer is promoting your work. I’m a self confessed social media junky and so manage to get quite a lot of marketing done in just a few minutes. I try to program my blog posts and some Twitter updates in advance so I’m covered for the days when I can’t get on the computer. Now that Facebook has introduced scheduled posts, I sometimes program a few posts for my pages there too. An hour of programming gives me a solid online presence for weeks, meaning I just need to check in occasionally. It’s easy to find a five-minute break here and there to monitor action across the board. This also means my ‘work’ posts are all set and I can concentrate on the social, relationship-building side of things when I pop in.

I try to involve my eldest as much as possible with my work. I wrote my children’s picture book, Out and About at the Zoo, after taking him to the zoo for the first time. Having my target audience on hand throughout the creation process was definitely a plus. He was always an eager listener when I needed to read through the text and wasn’t shy about giving feedback either. As with most kids his age, he asks a lot of questions too, which actually really helped me as it made me think about the project from a different angle.

I got him to help me with the illustration part too. He loves drawing and so was excited at the idea of helping me create the animals for the book. We researched together to find pictures of the animals I needed, using our own photos from our trip to the zoo and pictures we found in books and on the Internet. Every illustration included in the book was given his seal of approval . . . and trust me, he was very demanding. If it didn’t look right to him, it was redrawn.

Another upside to involving him in the project was that he was fantastic at motivating me to work on it. He would often ask, “Mummy, did you finish that picture yet?” or “Is the book ready now?” It made everything all the more fun. This book definitely holds a very special place in my heart.

Being a writer mum isn’t easy but it doesn’t have to be that hard either.

Disabled People Want to Work Too

Here is the third post in the series by guest blogger Pamela Lynne Murray. You can read Higher Ground here and Born to Write here. (Please note: Some of this information is more relevant to my American readers, especially as it pertains to government programs. Most, however, is applicable across the board.)

I come from a home where one spouse is disabled and in a wheelchair and the other is not. I was originally going to share 10 tips for finding your dream career, but quickly realized this factor is intertwined into one’s entire life. I, therefore, changed it to 10 tips for a disabled person or spouse to find their dream career. Ready? If you’re not disabled, you’re going to get an education. If you are, you are probably going to be nodding your head.

Tip #1 – Credit Cards

You will be targeted by credit card companies. Do not use them unless you have the means to pay them off every month. If you contact me, I will be glad to tell you a horror story or two to change your mind about overuse.

Tip #2 – Babysitting

If you’re going to babysit from home so that you can be with your disabled husband or wife, please take heed to this advice: Make sure the arrangement is right for your situation. Let’s face it, you already have a lot on your plate. Don’t overload it with extra stress. Take your time deciding. It could save you time, money, and needless suffering.

Tip #3 – Housecleaning

Housecleaning is a wonderful option for the able-bodied. Find out ahead of time if the homeowners are willing to let you report your income to the government. Some are. Some aren’t. Also, try to find out if you can do a trial run to see how long it will take. If it’s a long drive and it takes longer than you expect, it may not be a good fit. You know what works best for your situation.

Tip #4 – Craigslist

There are many great opportunities on Craigslist, but there are many scams as well. Do your research. If  requested, my husband can give you a long list of scammers. There are some  with upfront and hidden costs. They may require more money than you have just to advertise, therefore, making credit cards a temptation.

Tip #5 – Home-Based Businesses

This is another area that many people opt to get involved with. Make sure you love the product, can learn, and are willing to do all of paperwork involved. For some, this is a great avenue. Others are not cut out to do this kind of work. However, like the opportunities on Craigslist, it is readily available. Check the pay plan and know what you are getting into.

Tip #6 – Telemarketing

This is another targeted area for disabled couples. You must love to be on the phone. It is a numbers game. It is almost always commission based. Some weeks will be good. Others will be not so good – unless you are really good at selling. Many of the companies use automated dialers. For people with a neurological problem, these are no-no. I am not disabled, but I cannot use these machines. They make me dizzy and nauseated.

Tip  #7 – Nine to Five

This is a tough one. It’s very hard to work nine to five or even split shifts. Personally I recommend an early morning three-hour shift. These positions, however, are very hard to find.  If you’re on SSI, the spouse must report all income that will cause the SSI check to go down or food stamps to be cut back. If you’re on Disability, then you’re smooth sailing. The spouse can make as much as he/she can or wants to make. Something we never considered until this year was working in the same place. It might just be the answer for you. Things get more complicated when and if children are involved, but they are so worth it.

Tip #8 – Time

If you do find a job you can do at home, be prepared to spend a good chunk of your time indoors in front of the computer. I highly suggest that you get a laptop so you can work wherever you are. We spent a whole summer from sun-up to sundown doing a project together online: not something I would do again. It was not worth the summer we missed and the $1,000 we made at the end. It is also physically taxing on the disabled individual. Make sure you want to make the sacrifice and are up to the task.

Tip #9 – Break Free

I know this is not an easy thing to do or hear, but it is something we have been trying to do for years. We should have done it long ago. Break free from government aid you are used to as much as you are able. There are discount dental plans and vision plans. You can live without food stamps. Just make sure you are being wise about it and are really able to survive.You have to report all of the money you make. Just think of what you could do if you could actually work whenever you wanted to without having to report it. You will have to report your income to the IRS; I don’t mean that. This is a touchy and frightening subject. But just consider the freedom.

Tip #10 – Dream

I always feel we need to follow the dreams God has put in our hearts. When you’re disabled, it means you’re limited. You may never be able to pursue your dream job, but you could do something that involves your dream job in some way. God will make a way. Life is hard. I understand that completely. Don’t give up. Your tears, your despair, and your biggest enemy: your feelings of envy will try to take over. Don’t give in. Keep going. Look up! Be a role model. Someone is watching you. Stay strong. Jesus loves you and has a great plan for your life.

Writing With Heart ~ <3 ~

Born to Write

Welcome back to Pamela Lynne Murray. You can read her introductory blog Higher Ground here.

It was like my heart jumped out of me as the words jumped off the screen. Then my heart and the words joined hands and both jumped into a big pool, making a splash. I was expecting an answer to my prayer, but could it be real this time or was this just another possibility? Time will tell!

I was an extrovert as a child. I wrote a song and performed it before I could even read. I was always singing or performing in some way. Julie Andrews was my best friend, her and that “Favorite Things” song. We spent many hours in a dreamland in my roomy backyard, singing her song and ending it by getting on the swing set and timing the ending to make the jump off the swing on “so bad.”

I also found great pleasure rhyming words and writing poems. I loved reading, especially the books by great authors, books with plenty of dialog to capture my attention and let me enter into a imaginary surrounding. I was also able to solve a cryptoquote puzzle in less than five minutes at times. Words. Words. Words.

I wrote for the school newspaper. I was on the yearbook staff. I promptly spilled my heart on paper when my heart was broken by a guy I really liked. I was loyal to my diary, which would later become stacks of journals. I’ve written plays, scripts, even speeches.

Since high school I’ve taken countless quizzes, worked with a life coach, and read many books. I still have a stack of books on my bed as I just recently I revisited this chapter of my life again. I just wanted to see if there was anything I’d missed. This quest: finding the right career.

To others, this will probably seem very obvious. For me, lets just say it has taken me almost 35 years to find out that I was born to write. Ding! As you can see, this has always been an ongoing hobby for me, but I only considered it a few times as a means to make an income.

I’ve read the books. There are great books, and I’ve probably read most of them. I’ve taken all of the important quizzes. So, after massive amounts of soul searching, reading, hours of praying, and years of trying out different jobs, many of them stay-at-home jobs. Please let me save you some time.

What did you start out doing as a child? What did you do naturally? What did you spend hours doing in school, at home? What are you still doing now–even in your spare time? What are you doing when you look at the clock and think, “Wow! Where did the time go?” Make a list if you have to. If everything points in the same direction, I’m going to tell you that you’re probably off to a good start finding your career. I’m not saying to quit your job. Find ways to work it into what you are already doing.

There are plenty of people out here who know how to put ideas together. I think that’s where a coach comes into play. Just think of what it would be like to do. What makes you feel the most useful, energized, and blessed? Imagine getting paid to do it!

Happy Splashing!

Check out Pamela’s blog, Writing with Heart.

Higher Thoughts

I met Pamela Lynne Murray online this week. She is a stay-at-home mom who has, at times, worked out of the home to help keep her family afloat. Welcome, Pamela. We look forward to hearing more. (Check out my Guest Blogger Guidelines.)

I have been on this quest for about 10 years: to find the perfect job and a bigger house. Can any of you relate? I check books out of the library about career personality matches, finding out how to find the work I love, etc. So far all roads led me right back to where I am now: communications, specifically writing, although I love to present as well.

I drive my family crazy, always quizzing them. Would you rather do this or that? Would you rather be inside or outside? Would you rather talk or listen? Not only am I on my own quest, I am my own family’s job coach. My son will go along and answer all of my questions. My daughter just ignores me. And my husband is tired of me telling him he needs to find a job researching for people because he does it all day long and loves it. But  must say I have never really thought about being a career specialist. I just love the quizzes and coming up with the answers. They do so fascinate me.

The other quest is for a third bedroom. Honestly, how hard is it to find a house that is equipped with the standard rooms, plus a third bedroom? It’s not like it’s a bedroom with a pool in it or a seventh bedroom, just one more. If I didn’t know better I would think that God may just want us to stay here at least a little while longer. Personally, I think 24 years in a two-bedroom is long enough. That is a
whole different story.

So, there you know a little bit about me. Oh, the reason we need a third bedroom is that we never thought the Lord would bless us with two children. My husband at 57 and in a wheelchair
and is not even supposed to be alive and we should have never met or married, let alone beeen blessed with a girl and a boy. Now, if we could only turn back time and repurchase a trailer with three bedrooms.

My advice to anyone starting out. Always buy a three-bedroom home. Even if you don’t plan on staying there, you never know what the future has in store. His thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways are not our ways. Believe it or not they are higher than ours. So, he must have a skyscraper of an idea.

Writing With Heart ~ <3 ~

Who am I in Christ?

My dear friend Rita Appel’s poetry has been featured here before. Today, I am honoured to share one of her heartfelt works of prose. Thanks so much, Rita.

In Christ, I am . . . SHELTERED.

“I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings” (Psalm 61:4 NIV).

Have you ever watched a hen with her chicks?  Whenever danger looms, she calls to them, bidding them to come to her.  As they come close, she opens her wings and enfolds her young within, keeping them sheltered.  There the chicks cuddle together safely until the peril passes.

This is an image of our relationship with our Heavenly Father.  Whenever the storms of life loom in the distance, He calls to us, bidding us enter into His Presence, into the circle of His protecting arms, His wings.  There He will hold us close until the tempest passes.  He does not take us to a place of safety, away from the storm but rather, shelters us in the midst of it.  Just as the chicks trust the hen to protect them, so we must trust our Abba Father.

Are you facing a storm today?  Abba Father is calling you,  “Come to Me and I will shelter you.  Trust Me my child; I will keep you safe in the tempest.  Come close to Me, into My encircling arms.”

Will you allow your Heavenly Father to shelter you today?

Father, the storm is raging about me and I am so afraid. Please calm my fears as you shelter me, O Lord.  Help me know your peace as I rest quietly, secure under your wings.  This I ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.