Shining a Light this Christmas

I hope you don't mind, but I'm reposting (sort of) an entry from last Christmas. I found it in my archives, and it moved me. Probably because so far, the holidays this year have been crazy and I've spent more time thinking about everything I have to do than reflecting on others.

Last year I mentioned a few people in my life who were experiencing especially difficult times. Here's a brief update:

My cousin found out a month or so ago that she has Stage 4 ovarian cancer. She has a husband who adores her and a 10-year old son. She's currently undergoing chemo. Praise God she is healed and doing great!

After being extremely fatigued over the summer and being extremely sick and dehydrated for the past few weeks, my uncle (my cousin's father-in-law) discovered he has lung cancer, which has already matastasized to his bone. My uncle died a few months later, followed by my aunt (his wife), who died from heart trouble.

One of my very best friends got divorced this past year from a very emotionally abusive man. She lost her job last month and is quickly running out of money.  I am thrilled to report my friend now has a great job and God is blessing her side photography and writing business, which is her passion!

Yesterday, my Bible Study group prepared a gift basket for a woman with chronic pain and health problems, whose husband virtually abandoned her to move several states away, leaving her to raise two children on barely any income and no support. This woman is now reconciled with her husband, who accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. The family now attends church together. God is good!!

This year, I know a few people who are struggling. My cousins and their kids (the children and grandchildren of the aunt and uncle who died), are still heavily grieving. One of my dear friends just lost her father and is heading out of state for his funeral today. Three other friends have a parent currently in Hospice care.  Other friends are experiencing major financial challenges.

Maybe you know someone in a similar circumstance. Maybe you're the circumstance.

There are people (maybe you) who won't be having the perfect magical Christmas that the television commercials portray. There are people in pain, and those who will spend their holidays in a hospital or alone. I wonder how God feels when I get so caught up in my own little life and the craziness of the holidays that I miss opportunities to be a light to those who are hurting. While I complain about the crowds at the mall or all the baking and wrapping I have to do, there are some who would give anything just to have enough money to buy their child a gift or have someone to bake for.

Shame on me.

Have you ever sat in the dark staring at your Christmas tree lights? Isn't it beautiful? Imagine that the Christmas tree is your world and you're one of those lights. You can add to the beauty of your world. You can shine to those around you.

Oh, my holidays will probably always be filled with shopping, wrapping, baking, planning...craziness...but I will be more aware of those around me. I will be spending more time praying, being a friend, and simply shining a light to those who are hurting. Want to join me? Consider the following ideas:

*Invite a hurting friend for coffee.

*Head to the nursing home and spend time talking to the residents - ask the nurses which ones don't get many visitors and focus on them. Maybe bring a small gift to pass around or bring the kids to sing Christmas carols (if you're kids aren't little anymore, borrow your nieces and nephews).

*Hang lights or decorate the home of a single mother or someone in chronic pain. Offer to take down those lights after the holidays.

*Offer to babysit for a frazzled stay-at-home mom.

*Shovel (or snowblow) the driveway of an elderly neighbor.

*Bake several mini loaves of banana bread and pass them out to the homeless (or your neighbors!)

*Adopt a family for Christmas.

*Hire an out-of-work husband and father to do odd jobs around your house.

*Pay for the car behind you in the drive-thru line. A friend of mine was in the McDonald's drive-thru the other day and when she got up to the window to pay, the cashier told her that someone two cars ahead of her handed her a fifty dollar bill and said to keep paying for drive-thru customers until the money ran out. Is that cool, or what!

*Pray, pray, pray for those you come into contact with every day. You may not know their needs, but God does!

Below is one of my favorite Christmas songs. It's a perfect compliment to this post. I hope you'll take a minute to check it out.

What about you?

How do you keep things in perspective and look outside of yourself during the holidays?

I'm So Spoiled....

Wow. Could I be any more spoiled? Hmmm...let me think about it.

NOPE.


Before I get to my annual Loot List from my husband and kids, I have to mention two other gifts I received. My mom gave me my yearly Franklin Planner pages, which I would totally be lost without. I carry my planner with me wherever I go and I truly appreciate her renewing my pages every year. Mom is such a blessing!

My dad did something cool this year. He had one of our old movie reels transferred onto a DVD. When I popped it in the DVD player, I realized I had never seen those particular clips. They were of me when I was a baby, through about age 5. Talk about priceless. And not to brag or anything, but I was so darn cute! :-) He made a copy for my mom, too, which I think was pretty thoughtful.

Now, on to the spoiling I got from my fam.:

* Those who know me well know that I battle neck issues. I have one of those older model shiatsu massagers that are boxy and difficult to maneuver over problem areas, so I rarely use it. When I saw a new softer version that conforms to your neck with various settings (vibrate, shiatsu and heat) in the Bed, Bath & Beyond circular ad, I put it on my list. And my amazing family came through. Not sure if they wanted to bless me or are just glad to get out of having to rub my neck anymore, but it really doesn't matter to me. My neck thanks them!

* I love Smelly Stuff... especially Dark Kiss and Twilight Woods shower gel and lotion...two amazing scents from Bath & Body. I have enough now to last me a few months. Ah....

* There's not much I like more than shopping, and JC Penney tops my list of places to go. They carry the brands that seem to fit me best and I can't wait to get to the mall.


* OK, there is one thing I like more than shopping and that is going to the movies. Yes, I'm quite the addict and my family knows it. That's why they got me a Celebration Cinema gift card. Woot!


* Another favorite thing to do is meet friends for coffee. And because I now have a Biggby gift card, I won't have to pull out my wallet for a while.

* Have you seen gas prices lately? Ridiculous! Which is why I am geeked about my gas gift card. My family thought it was kind of cheesy, but now that I'm taking in less money because the consignment store where I worked closed down, this gas card will come in handy! I love it!

* More shopping...this time at Bed, Bath & Beyond. I love this store and find the coolest stuff there. Plus, they always have great coupons. Being Dutch and taking in less money every month, this works for me!

* For a while now, I've wanted a book I can use for a portfolio of sorts. Something I can display all of my writing articles, greeting cards, and awards. I got the coolest book just for that. Now I get to have fun putting it all together.  I'll try to post some pics when I'm done.

See? TOLD you I was spoiled!

But the most precious gift my family gave me this year was themselves. We had the best time on Christmas Eve, playing games (we made up some cool new rules for Sorry Sliders), eating subs, and opening gifts. It's not often that we're all together (those with teenagers can surely relate!), so a day like this is to be treasured. Before we know it, the kids will have their own families (hopefully not TOO before-we-know-it), which is even more of a reason to savor the moment.

So what about you? What did "Santa" bring you this year?

Lighting up the dark this Christmas

I'm taking a break today from posting about writing. If you'll indulge me, I feel led to do some reflecting.

My cousin found out a month or so ago that she has Stage 4 ovarian cancer. She has a husband who adores her and a 10-year old son. She's currently undergoing chemo.


After being extremely fatigued over the summer and being extremely sick and dehydrated for the past few weeks, my uncle (my cousin's father-in-law) discovered he has lung cancer, which has already matastasized to his bone.


One of my very best friends got divorced this past year from a very emotionally abusive man. She lost her job last month and is quickly running out of money.


Yesterday, my Bible Study group prepared a gift basket for a woman with chronic pain and health problems, whose husband virtually abandoned her to move several states away, leaving her to raise two children on barely any income and no support.

Maybe you know someone in a similar circumstance. Maybe you're the circumstance.

There are people (maybe you) who won't be having the perfect magical Christmas that the television commercials portray. There are people in pain and grieving and who will spend their holidays in a hospital or alone. I wonder how God feels when I get so caught up in my own little life and the crazyness of the holidays that I miss opportunities to be a light to those who are hurting. While I complain about the crowds at the mall or all the baking and wrapping I have to do, there are some who would give anything just to have enough money to buy their child a gift or have someone to bake for.

Shame on me.

Have you ever sat in the dark staring at your Christmas tree lights? Isn't it beautiful? Imagine that the Christmas tree is your world and you're one of those lights. You can add to the beauty of your world. You can shine to those around you.

Oh, my holidays will probably always be filled with shopping, wrapping, baking, planning...but I will be more aware of those around me. I will be spending more time praying, being a friend, and simply shining a light to those who are hurting. Want to join me? Consider the following ideas:


*Pay for the car behind you in the drive-thru line.

*Invite a hurting friend for coffee.

*Head to the nursing home and spend time talking to the residents - ask the nurses which ones don't get many visitors and focus on them. Maybe bring a small gift to pass around or bring the kids to sing Christmas carols (if you're kids aren't little anymore, borrow your nieces and nephews).

*Hang lights or decorate the home of a single mother or someone in chronic pain. Offer to take down those lights after the holidays.

*Offer to babysit for a frazzled stay-at-home mom.

*Shovel (or snowblow) the driveway of an elderly neighbor.

*Bake several mini loaves of banana bread and pass them out to the homeless (or your neighbors!)

*Adopt a family for Christmas.

*Hire an out-of-work husband and father to do odd jobs around your house.

*Pray, pray, pray for those you come into contact with every day. You may not know their needs, but God does!

Below is one of my favorite Christmas songs. It's a perfect compliment to this post. I hope you'll take a minute to check it out.

What about you?

How do you keep things in perspective and look outside of yourself during the holidays?

The Gift(s) of Writing

Over on the ACFW loop, we're talking about the gifts we've given and received this year. Because I haven't really thought about what I would blog about today, and it's an appropriate and interesting topic, I thought I would steal it.

Shhhh...don't tell.

So I've been thinking about what gifts pertaining to writing I've received over the past year. Here are a few that come to mind:

3. Fabulous critique partners. My critique group came together several months ago and is definitely a gift from God. Each member brings a unique perspective and a sharp eye to different aspects of a story, such as grammar, flow, research issues, etc. So here's a shout out to Val, Nicole, Patricia, and Heidi! Your encouragment and help has been awesome. You ladies rock!

2. A break from writing. This may seem strange, but the one week I spent with extended family at the lake with no Internet access was exactly what I needed. Yes, I snuck into town a couple of times to catch up on some work, but being able to write during those quiet mornings by the lake, without the lure of email and Facebook, was truly a gift. It was wonderful to declutter my brain and focus on what I truly love to do - write.

1. My dad. The biggest writing related gift I received this year came from my dad. Last year (2008), he told me that if I finaled in the Genesis contest in 2009, he would pay my way to the conference in Denver. I finaled, and he paid. It means so much to me NOT because of the large chunk of change that I wouldn't have been able to come up with otherwise, and NOT because I was dying to go, although both of those are good reasons! But the fact that my dad knew how much it would mean to me and wanted to bless me in this way is priceless. His thoughtfulness can't be measured and I can't thank him enough.

As for the gifts I've GIVEN...that's a little tougher. I could mention the books I've given away on my blog, or the Amazon gift card on Black Friday, but I don't consider those as gifts as much as rewards to you guys for taking the time to humor me by reading my blog.

It might be the amount of time I've invested in my critique partners manuscripts, but they do the same for me, so it's not really a gift, but an even exchange.

I did pay the entire hotel bill at the FaithWriters conference for myself and my friend, who might not have been able to attend, otherwise. I guess that would qualify.

I do hope this blog has been a gift to those who read it. I try to include helpful information that aspiring writers can use to improve their craft and hone their skills, and I love to offer book reviews to alert you to great reads. And there are the giveaways, of course.

I have received a couple of emails recently from readers who don't always comment on my posts but wanted to tell me how much my blog has encouraged and blessed them. So I suppose I would count that as the best gift I've given this year.

But, honestly, knowing I've done some small part in encouraging fellow writers is truly humbling.

EACH ONE OF YOU is a gift to me.

SO THANK YOU!

Now I'll pass on the question to you: What have been the best writing-related gifts you've given and received this year?

Should you Write for Free?

I know many writers who have no problem giving their work away. I'm not talking about those who do it because they really truly have no desire to get paid for their work, I'm talking about those who have the misguided belief that God somehow doesn't approve of them getting paid for something they feel He called them to do. And while there certainly is a time to write or edit for free (or pro bono), I don't make a habit of it. In fact, I'll go so far as to say I don't believe God wants me to make a habit of it.

Why?

Glad you asked.

The Bible tells us that God gave us all (and, by the way, in Hebrew, the word "ALL" means ... ALL) gifts and talents. And yes, we should use those gifts and talents to further the Kingdom. Yet, there are many, many writers who believe that because one of their gifts is writing, they should give it away because, you know, it's for God's glory and everything and they just want to "be a blessing."

Hey - it's a noble idea. An honorable idea. But it's no more righteous to give away your writing than it is if you're a plumber and you ... plumb?...for free or if you're a hair dresser and you cut everyone's hair for free or if you're an accountant and you do everyone's taxes at no cost. If you did, you wouldn't be a good steward of the talents and gifts God gave you. You also would probably be living in a cardboard box.

Of course, there are exceptions. If you know a single mom whose three kids have hair the length of Rapunzel because she just can't afford to pay for haircuts, good grief - offer your services for free. Or if someone you know is struggling financially and their sink clogs up and they can't afford to hire a plumber, for Pete's sake, go fix their sink! This is what Christians do.

But...and I insert a huge BUT here ... God gave you gifts and talents to bless you, too. Those gifts were given to you so you can work in order to bless your family. After all, if we ALL gave away our work for free, as stated above, we'd ALL live in cardboard boxes. And I don't know about you, but that just doesn't appeal to me. Plus, you can still bless people with those gifts and talents AND get paid for it (gasp!)

I have to admit, submitting articles and stories to magazines for pay may seem a lot easier than, say, editing an article for a friend. I have definitely had times when I almost feel guilty for charging someone to edit or critique their work. Especially when we get to know our clients, it's difficult to keep business, business. But just as I pay my friend to cut my hair because she's providing me with a service she's skilled in, I should also get paid by a friend to provide a service in which I'm skilled.

You may have never thought about this before, but The Proverbs 31 woman was a working woman. Here's what it says in verse 24: "She makes belted linen garments and sashes to sell to the merchants."

Hmmm. God gave her a gift and she's using it to make garments to SELL. Not give away...SELL. The chapter also tells how wise she is with her money - she buys fields and uses her earnings to plant a vineyard. I'm assuming she SELLS the grapes and wine that comes from that vineyard.

If you're a writer who truly feels called to regularly give away your writing, God bless you. But if you're one who would love to make money for doing something you love to do (and hopefully are good at!) but believe that God wouldn't approve of you getting paid for writing, please prayerfully reconsider.

Don't sell yourself short. If God gave you a gift of writing, and you feel called to write, getting paid might just be how God rewards you for using the talent He gave you.

All I Got for Christmas

So a few days ago, I posted my blog, "All I Want for Christmas." Now that Christmas is over, I'll tell you all I GOT for Christmas (because I'm sure you're dying to know!)

1. A Salad Spinner. Remember how I mentioned this as one of the practical things that was on my wish list? Well, I got it! No more soggy lettuce for me - now I can spin that water right out of those leaves for a nice, crisp salad. This is just what I need to start off my Weight Watchers diet on January 5. The real gift is no more Writer's Butt in 2009!

2. A Coffee Grinder. My old one is a hundred years old and the blades are pretty dull. It was time for a new coffee grinder and Santa delivered! This gift is absolutely perfect for all that caffeine I'll be consuming in the wee morning hours as I create the next great American novel!

3. A Gift Card to JC Penney. Yippee! My favorite clothing store. I will be spending this gift on new work-out clothes (see #1).

4. Japanese Cherry Blossom shower gel and lotion from Bath & Body Works. This stuff rocks! And it also stays with you for at least a couple of days which will benefit my family greatly, especially if I'm on a roll and don't feel like interrupting my writing to shower.

5. A Massage Gift Certificate! I can now look forward to either four 1/2 hour massages or two one-hour massages. My aching back and neck are already screaming with delight! Six to seven hours a day at the computer will do that.

And my very favorite Christmas gift this year...

6. A Reminder. I received a much needed reminder of just how awesome my family is. And that no matter how much "stuff" they give me, it doesn't hold a candle to the love they offer me every day.

Yep, it's confirmed. I'm truly blessed.