Top Posts of 2013

In my high school yearbook, someone wrote:

"Life is like a roll of toilet paper.  The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes."

The metaphor is scarily accurate.  Everyone tells you that the older you get, the faster time flies. 

And 2013 has flown by.  Way. Too. Fast.  

I hope that doesn't mean I'm nearing the end of my roll.  Haha. 

Thank you for taking the time to read some of my ramblings this past year.  Having decided in 2012 to make a more concentrated effort toward my blog, I have spit out some things this year a number of people have read. Thank you for that.  Its humbling to say the least that people are even taking the time to click on my links, much less read my stuff. 

Blue Christmas

Normally, Christmas is a time of joy, celebration and fun for me.  I get so excited about Christmas shopping that I start in July and finish by November.  I love decorating, putting up lights and baking. 

But this year, I have a heavier heart than normal.

Marla, a woman in my congregation who had been fighting cancer, passed away on Friday, December 13th.  Her daughter is 16.  It was her husband's birthday.

A close family friend, Bill, who was struggling with four brain tumors, had a massive stroke and died on Saturday, December 14th.  He was a grandfather to two of my friends and a close friend of my grandmother.  His death the day after Marla's hit hard.

Christmas is not a happy occasion for everyone.  

Some people are missing loved ones during the holidays.  Some are struggling with the fact that they can't give gifts to their kids.  Others don't know if this will be their last holiday season.

The holidays are dark for many. 

How do you make it okay?

How do you help them to enjoy the season?

How do you help them see the little bits of joy and peace and love in the midst of the tragedy?

This is the God We Serve

I'm not one to toot my own horn.  Well, I used to be, but I'm trying to not do that as much anymore.  (Ironic when I have a personal blog?)  I guess what I'm trying to say is that I don't want this to be about me.  Because its not.  This whole thing.  The blog, the video, my life.  It's not about me.

Because I serve a great God.

The video above is the message that I gave at my church back in October.  If you haven't already, I would be honored if you would watch it.  It's been on Youtube for awhile now, but I haven't had a chance to really develop my thoughts into something tangible.  What I kept coming back to was simply this phrase:

Grace Starts Now

Someone I know well, whom I will call Meryl, has more than once said mean, hurtful things to me.  She's the type of person who, when stressed and under pressure, buckles and starts lashing out because it feels like everything is falling down around her.

Recently, Meryl assumed I had done something to hurt her when it was in fact an oversight.  Well, regardless of what it was, she told me this, and I was angry.  It was an honest mistake.  I wasn't trying to do any harm or disrespect.

So, I got mad. I vented to my husband via text.  I start thinking of all the things I wanted to say but hadn't out of restraint.  I thought of all the ways I was right and all of the ways she was wrong.

The next day, she apologized, saying that she was wrong, that she knew I had just made an honest mistake, and it was poor character for her to say those things.

Ouch.

5 Tips for a Happier Life

Happiness is what everyone wants.  You don't need to be a genius to see that in today's culture.  Humans long, desire, yearn for satisfaction and contentment.  Lasting happiness.

But feelings come and go.  Emotions are more unstable than radioactive atoms.  We're just not happy all the time.  So we search for new methods to attain what we want.
 
I don't know much, but there are a few things I've learned so far that might help us live happier lives. 

How to be Thankful in America

Our 2012 Thanksgiving Table

Holidays are good things.  I love reasons to celebrate, reminders to appreciate blessings in our lives, opportunities to commemorate special events.  Christmas, Valentine's Day, and Thanksgiving are definitely my top three holidays for those reasons.

Remember in elementary school when we made Native American head-dresses and pilgrim collars out of construction paper?  We were taught about that Thanksgiving commemorate a time when two opposing cultures came together to celebrate survival, community and blessings.  We were told to take the opportunity to remember everything we have.

After the turkey and the pumpkin pie, we're told to count our blessings, make lists of what we're thankful for, and to celebrate family.

But is that it?

Everyone Should Work in Retail

You know what the solution is for world peace?  Have everyone work for at least 6 months at a retail or customer service position.

Because there is something powerful that happens when you're paid to serve people.

Oh, the stories I have...

I worked at Mervyn's shoe department for about a year and a half while in college.  I enjoyed my job, but boy, did I encounter some annoying people!  And now I have a bunch of funny stories to tell.

Different Doesn't Mean Success

You may be surprised to know that I'm not out to write the next great American novel.  I don't want to be recognized in the literary community as cutting edge or ground breaking.  That's not what I want.

I just want my novel to tell a story and to tell it well.

I want my book to resonate with readers.  I want them to enjoy reading it.  I want to write something that doesn't necessarily stand the test of time but does connect to readers regardless of time, age, or generation.

“All that I hope to say in books, all that I ever hope to say, is that I love the world.”
E.B. White

In my opinion, that is what a good story does.  My aim is not to create a new genre or style.  I'm going to stick to the basics: a compelling plot, strong characters, and vivid descriptions.