Thankful and grateful and blessed...Oh, my!

I have so much to be thankful for this year! In pondering my blessings, I've listed my top 7. They may seem cliche' or predictable, but that's okay! There are many more I could have added, but these are the things I thank God for every day.

1. MY HUSBAND. Honesty time. My husband and I haven't had an easy go of it for the past several years. I won't get into it, but let's just say there have been moments we've been "this close" to calling it quits. Only by God's amazing grace and the power of the Holy Spirit, things are getting better. Not perfect, by any means, but my husband is one of those guys who is willing to do whatever it takes to make it work. And guys like that are few and far between these days. I am so glad we've stuck it out and I look forward to many more years together.

2. MY KIDS. Yes, they are to blame for my gray hair, but I wouldn't trade them for anything in the world. I am so blessed to be the mother of two awesome teenagers who make me laugh, warm my heart, and keep me young (along with the Garnier Nutrisse).

3. MY FAMILY. My husband and kids have already been mentioned, but I'm talking about the rest of my family. My mom...my dad...brothers...in-laws...So if you shook my family tree, a few nuts would fall out, but I happen to be a fan of nuts!


  

4. MY FRIENDS. Diane...Cari...Ginger...Deb...Susan...I seriously have some of the most fabulous friends in the world. Whether it's encouragement, a shoulder to cry on, a hug, a good laugh, or a movie and/or coffee buddy, each one offers something different, yet exactly what I need. 



5. MY CHURCH. Okay, so I know there are a lot of great churches out there, and I may be biased, but my church rocks. Not only literally - as in rockin' praise and worship - but it is filled with the most real, accepting, Christ-like people I've ever met, and Pastor Duane is an awesome teacher and genuinely great guy. Plus, God rocks my socks off by allowing me to do really cool things like co-write our church's Christmas production, How Christmas Saved the Grinch, which will be attended by a projected 20,000 people this year! Is that cool, or what? I am so grateful for the opportunity to use my gifts to minister to people and am so honored to be part of a church that's alive and growing!

6. MY JOB(S). I am so thankful that I am able to stay home and do what I love to do instead of going to a job I dread every day. Not to say it's always a piece of cake, and there are days I feel like tossing my laptop out the window, but God has opened so many doors to the writing world for me (mostly through people I've met along the way) and I never take it (or them) for granted.

  7. YOU! 

 I know I'm not the most faithful blogger, nor am I the most amusing, entertaining or interesting. I probably over-promote myself to the point where you want to gag, and sometimes I'm sure I don't respond to you guys like I should. That's why I am thankful for every single one of you who reads my blog - even if only clicking over for a quick skim - and those of you who take extra time to comment. I appreciate you more than you know!

"Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough." - Oprah Winfrey

What are you most thankful for this year?

Beyond Blessed

I honestly don't think I've ever been as thankful as I am this year. As I look back on the past several months, my heart bursts with thanksgiving to God for all He's done for me. I am way beyond blessed. A few things on my thankful list:

1. My husband. I'll be real. My husband and I have probably experienced more ups and downs than the typical married couple. I won't go into details, but I'll just say that for the past 23 years, we've put in a lot of work to make it work. But this past year he's shown me how hard he wants to fight for us. And for that, I am truly grateful. I'm discovering a new love for my husband. God is still in the heart-changing business!

2. My kids. Okay, so some days I'm not so thankful for my kids. Particularly when they are copping an attitude (which, with teenagers is pretty much every day). But Zach and Lyndsey make me laugh, keep me grounded, and have allowed me to feel a level of love I never knew I was capable of experiencing. They make me a better person. At least during the times I'm not yelling at them.

3. My friends. I can hardly believe how many wonderful people God has brought into my life over the past few years. This year, especially, I have met some of the most precious women ever. Friends who have encouraged me, supported me, and challenged me as a writer, a Christian, and a woman.

4. My church. I am so blessed to be a part of a church that's alive and growing! A church whose focus is on touching others and changing lives. This year, I had the opportunity to co-write the grand Christmas production, How Christmas Saved the Grinch, which will take place on December 10 and 11. My co-writer (Diane Loew) and I started way back in February. It has been nothing short of amazing to see this project come to life. I can't wait to see what God will do!

5. Favor. I feel like I've been living under an umbrella of favor over the past year. Contests won, opportunities offered, and finally that book contract I've been waiting for! So thankful for every door God has opened (and closed) that has brought me to where I am today.


Today I am a guest blogger on my friend Julie Arduini's blog, The Surrendered Scribe. Join me as I talk about thankfulness for my writing journey.

Wishing you heaps of blessings this Thanksgiving!

Writing the Thanksgiving Meal

Last year at Thanksgiving, I blogged about websites I'm thankful for. If you've got some extra time (and you're interested), you can read that post HERE.

This year, I thought I'd do something a little different. As I'm preparing to host Thanksgiving for 12 people this year, plus a few more who may pop in at any given moment, I'm thinking about the Thanksgiving dinner and how it might relate to a writing good book. See if you agree:

THE TURKEY. Really. What would Thanksgiving be without a turkey? I know that some of you might not do the traditional turkey thing. Maybe your choice is ham or chicken. My point is, the meat is the focus of the meal, right? Likewise, we've got our plot - the meat of the story. Everything centers around it. Some plots are juicy, some are dry, some are plump, some are underdone, some overcooked. But one thing is true of the meat. It's probably the most expensive part of the meal AND the part that takes the most work (which is why I pawn off the turkey roasting to my sister-in-law). Your plot will likely cost you the most, too. If you want an exceptional novel, you need to take the time and pay the price required to craft a good story.

Now, if only there were those pop-up timers to let us know when it was ready.

THE POTATOES. At our house, the potatoes are the food item that everyone dives for after that "Amen." There's nothing quite like potatoes to go along with the meat. Have you guessed what the potatoes are? That's right. The characters. Some are lumpy, some half-baked, some cheesy, some fried. And most need to be peeled, just like the skin of our characters, to expose the good stuff. And sometimes, even the most perfect-looking potato can have a really rotten inside. Food for thought...

THE GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE. Not everyone likes it, but come on. Green bean casserole is a must on my Thanksgiving table. In the same way, having a voice is a must - although not everyone will like it. That's where you have to say, "You know? Even though my mother-in-law doesn't like it, it is what it is." Hey, she doesn't have to put any on her plate, but she still has to look at it anyway and acknowledge that I made it.

THE STUFFING. This is the extra stuff. You know, like accessories are to an outfit. Some people put the stuffing inside the turkey, some include it "on the side." But ultimately, it's the padding of the story. All the subplots and aspects that make it more interesting. Again, not everyone will like the texture, but without it, at least at my house, the whole meal just falls flat.

ROLLS. I don't know about you, but for me, rolls are the feel-good food. It's what completes the meal. The bread and butter of the story, so to speak. In novel writing, I would say the rolls compare to the overall flow. The flow is what makes the story come together and seem complete.

THE TABLE SETTINGS. You probably don't even realize there's a table cloth underneath your plate, but it's what makes the meal look so pretty. The candles, maybe good china, pretty wine goblets...that background stuff you don't necessarily need in order to eat the meal but which definitely enhances your dining experience. Exactly the same way the setting of your story brings everything to life and makes it prettier.

PUMPKIN PIE. Hello. What's Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie? OK, so it's not my absolute favorite (my choice is always apple or cherry - or chocolate!) but I can't imagine not having at least one pumpkin pie on the kitchen counter on Thanksgiving Day. So, of course, in relation to writing a story, dessert is the ending. Does it leave you full and satisfied? Regardless, the ending should be tasty! And the more whipped cream, the better!

PRAYER. Of course, a Thanksgiving meal should always start with prayer. And so should your story. Thank God for what He's given you (the food or the talent) and ask Him to bless it. Then get to work, either consuming that meal or writing that novel. And whatever you do, ENJOY the process.

So there's my Thanksgiving meal. Did I miss anything? Just for fun, leave a comment and let me know what foods I'd find on your Thanksgiving table.

HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY. THANK YOU for taking the time to read my blog. I truly appreciate you all.

Feeling Thankful? Check it out...

My good friend Julie Arduini is participating in November's National Blog Posting Month, which means posting 30 blog entries in 30 days. But as she is preparing for and will be recovering from surgery this month, she is featuring other writers on her blog. The theme she's chosen for November is THANKFULNESS and today I have the honor of being the featured writer on her site. If you'd like to check out my post, "Being Thankful is More than Words", click on over to The Surrendered Scribe and check it out.

While you're there, take a second to leave a comment and read the previous posts from other thankful bloggers.

And how about a challenge: post your own blog on this topic! Let's start a new blogfest of THANKFULNESS!

(And don't forget to wish Julie a quick recovery, too!)