Category: On Writing

Seeking A Life of Simplicity

What does it mean to simplify? Consuming natural foods? Downsizing your possessions? Saying no to those who make demands on your time? All of these actions can contribute to less stress, better health, and greater happiness.

Throughout history many writers and teachers have voiced the importance of living simply. The ancient Greek philosopher Democritus (460-370 B.C.) wrote “Let your occupations be few, if you would lead a tranquil life.” Jesus taught that we should trust God and not get caught up in the busyness of life. Thoreau believed spending time in nature is the key to a life with less anxiety. By listening to all of these different voices, we can conclude that living simply is the way to find peace, happiness, and a closer relationship with God.

I’m sure we can all remember simpler times in our lives. As children, we occupied ourselves with play and our worries were few. We relied upon our parents to meet most of our needs. Later life became more complicated when we joined the workforce in order to make a living. Even so, the technological advances of the past fifty years made our jobs easier, not more difficult.

Today’s modern conveniences make it possible to spend less time on household chores compared to our parents and grandparents. One would think we would be the most contented people who ever lived. Instead many of us feel frazzled and exhausted from trying to keep up with our busy calendar. Could it be that we have too many choices to make regarding how to spend our free time?

When I retired from teaching I felt unmoored. I needed to do something meaningful to fill my day. Once I expressed my feelings to a friend. He said, “There are many things you could do, but only pursue one thing.” At the time I’m not sure he was aware of the significance of his words. His suggestion opened my eyes to the truth about myself. I wanted to write, and I’ve been writing ever since. Hence, the founding of this blog in 2016.

Now I live in a retirement community and I am surprised at the schedule of activities which are offered. We have fitness classes, trips, chef’s demos, lectures, drop-in-bridge, ice cream socials, and shuffleboard! Yet, here I am— sitting at my laptop, banging on the keys.

But I am as happy as a clam because I’ve said yes to the “one thing.”

If you feel pulled in many directions and can’t seem to find a moment’s peace, stop and ask yourself, “How can I best spend my time in a way that brings purpose to my life and also encourages others?”

Then start doing it!

Be An Overcomer

Don’t allow your obstacles to loom larger than your goals.

Like many writers, my motivation ebbs and flows according to my mood. When I feel a lack of drive to persevere in my craft, I like to read historical fiction novels which include characters who overcame challenges.

I am on my third reading of A Land Remembered by Patrick D. Smith. The main character, Tobias MacIvey, is a failed Georgia sharecropper who moved to the Florida scrub with his wife Emma and their young son Zech in 1858. The family lived in a lean-to made of pine limbs and palmetto thatch for a year until Tobias finished building their cabin.

Since wild animals were plentiful, Tobias managed to feed his family by hunting. When shotgun shells became scarce due to the Civil War, the MacIvey’s were desperate for food and money. Wild cattle freely roamed the state ever since the Spanish brought them to Florida. When Tobias learned of the demand for cattle in Cuba, he became a Florida cowboy, a.k.a. “cracker.” He rode a horse and cracked a whip to direct the cattle into a corral where he branded them. After branding hundreds of cattle, he hired a couple of men to help him drive the herd to Punta Rassa where the animals could be sold and shipped to Cuba.

Tobias lived in the Kissimmee area and didn’t really know how to reach Punta Rassa. Imagine no roads, no maps and no GPS! The location of the sun, rivers, and lakes provided signs of direction. Once he had to backtrack around a swamp filled with hungry alligators. The trip was full of dangers including violent storms and fierce wolves.

My favorite part of the story is the night before Tobias delivers the cattle to be sold. He felt as if all the work he had done was hanging by a thread and suspended in time. He stayed up all night wondering if he would find a buyer. What would happen if he didn’t?

Reading about Tobias reminds me of my own experience trying to overcome the challenges associated with writing and publishing.  Like most writers, my initial experiences with the world of publishing were difficult. My first book, Buddy the Beagle on Blueberry Street, was initially written as a rhyming picture book. The manuscript was rejected because the editors I talked with were looking for children’s chapter books instead. So I wrote a manuscript for a children’s chapter book. When I pitched the chapter book to an agent, I was turned down by someone who said, “Clearly you know how to write, but nobody wants to read about dogs.”

I put the book aside for a year until the next Florida Christian Writer’s Conference came around. This time I had an appointment with Deb Haggerty of Elk Lake Publishing. The morning of the appointment I paced my hotel room dreading the meeting. I honestly couldn’t take one more rejection. Like Tobias I felt suspended in time. I wondered if I could land a contract. What would happen if I didn’t? Should I quit writing?

God met me that morning. The Holy Spirit entered my thoughts with his still small voice. This time he said, “Do you trust me?”

“Yes, Lord. I trust you.”

That blessing was all I needed to give me the courage to meet with Deb. I think you already know the outcome of that meeting. Buddy the Beagle on Blueberry Street came under contract with Elk Lake and I became an author.

Henry Ford once said, “Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.”  As writers, the obstacles standing before us are not life-threatening. But the motivation to continue to work can disappear if we allow our obstacles to loom larger than our goals. The worst thing a writer can ever do is to stop trying. Your break-through might be just around the corner. Remember God’s timing is never too late.

Are You Viewing the Canyon From the Rim?

Several years ago my husband asked me to join him for a two-day guided mule ride to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. At first, I hesitated to give him an answer. I have no riding skills and I’m fearful of heights.

Even so, I began to entertain his suggestion. I’ve always wanted the experience of of being inside the canyon, instead of standing at the rim, so I agreed to go. Once he made our flight arrangements, there was no turning back. In the meantime, I focused on trying to think positive thoughts about what might await us.

Have you ever allowed fear to stop you from experiencing more in life? A few weeks ago one of my friends commented she wants to write more, but is fearful her work will be rejected by others. She avoids writing by busying herself with other activities until she no longer has time available. Her fear has become a source of self-protection. I appreciate her honesty. The first step to overcoming fear is acknowledging it.

I will never forget something I heard author Tosca Lee say at a conference. “Write like no one will see this.” Her advice helped me chase away fear and give myself permission to create. I believe we need to banish the self-critic in order to let our thoughts flow onto paper. Until we engage in our art, we will not move forward.

Maybe what you write will only be read by you. Perhaps it will be shared with close friends or family. Not all of our creative works are worthy of publication. Rejection goes with the territory, whether it be from an editor, a friend, or a spouse. Sometimes my husband proofs my work and says, “I’m not getting this.” Then I know I haven’t made myself clear. Time for another revision. Rejection can make us better writers.

Accept the reality that there are people who can write better than you. Comparing ourselves to others chokes our creativity. Our culture demands instant success. But how do people achieve success? First they decide to start. Then they decide to continue. Most marathon runners begin by competing in a 5K. Slowly, they continue to build their stamina by participating in longer races.

We can receive encouragement from Scripture when facing fearful situations. One of my “go to” verses is Proverbs 29:25. “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.”

Just like a snare traps a small animal, fear traps us from pursuing our dreams. Pray for courage to throw off fear and trust God to take you where He wants you to go.

When I first descended into the Grand Canyon, I was afraid to look to the right or left of the trail. I kept my focus straight ahead on Olga, my mule. I realized she had traveled the path many times before. As Olga continued to steadily plod along, I began to relax and enjoy the beautiful landscape around me.

Ask yourself what really matters in life. Are you content to stay in your comfort zone, or is it time to stop viewing the canyon from the rim?

God’s Timing

“Abraham was 100 years old when his son Isaac was born to him.” (Genesis 21:5)

When specific verses of the Bible seem to jump off the page, I feel like God wants me to pay attention. It’s almost as if He is speaking to me directly. Genesis 21:5 can be taken two ways. On  the surface, Abraham waited a long time for his wife to give birth to their promised child. On a deeper level, Abraham lived long enough to see God’s purpose for his life become reality.

Some people think once we reach our retirement years, our best days are behind us. I retired from teaching at age 60 and published my first book at 66. I’m a firm believer God’s timing is never too late! But sometimes our creative projects remain on the back burner for years.

I’ve had a picture book idea, Manatee School, in various stages of development for ten years. I’d bring the manuscript out—toss around the words, and make more revisions than I can count. In 2015 I pitched Manatee School to several editors, only to be turned down because they were looking for other genres. Eventually I rewrote the rhyming picture book into a Clubhouse Junior Magazine nonfiction article, Counting Manatees. Last year I entered my Manatee School  picture book manuscript in the 2023 Florida Tapestry Awards and won honorable mention.

Since then, the idea of publishing another book filled me with dread. I did not want to experience any more rejections, nor did I want the stress which accompanies launching another book.  That was until God spoke to me through Abraham’s story.

Abraham was 100 years old when his son Isaac was born. Biblical research shares that the “waiting” period was necessary to test Abraham’s and Sarah’s faith. When Abraham was 75, God promised him that his descendants would be a great nation. At that time Sarah was in her sixties and barren. She was well beyond child-bearing age, and laughed at the thought of being a mother.

After ten more years of waiting, Sarah decided to speed up God’s timing by making her own plan. She encouraged Abraham to sleep with her Egyptian servant, Haggai, who conceived Ishmael. But Ishmael was not the child God had promised Abraham.

When Sarah rushed ahead with her own plans, God could see the couple’s faith had not grown enough to warrant His miracle child, the one to be the carrier of the covenant. So He added another fifteen years to Sarah’s barrenness. God did not doubt himself or his promise. He knew His words would come to pass in His timing. “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” Romans 11:29 (NASB)

God had a timeline which involved Abraham and Sarah fully trusting in Him rather than relying on human possibilities. Their faith is noted in Hebrews 11:12, “And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.” God wants everyone to know He is still in the miracle working business!

God sees the big picture of my life, and Manatee School is my promised child.  Like Abraham and Sarah, I have experienced a delay. Perhaps God is waiting for me to be more faithful to the work. Maybe He wants me to add something to the story to make it more relatable to children. The day after I read about Abraham and Sarah, I wrote new characters (a child and her grandfather) into the plot. I have a feeling God has not “closed the book” regarding the publication of Manatee School. Remembering Abraham helps me trust God’s timing.

If you are in the waiting stage of finishing a creative work, don’t lose sight of the finish line. Pray and ask God if you need to make any changes. Trust Him to give you the ideas and discipline you need to bring your project to fulfillment.

It’s All About Location

I’ve wanted to write a post for weeks but felt stuck. Is it because I have no ideas or too many ideas? The woes of a writer. There’s nothing worse than writer’s block. I feel lost when I don’t write… ideas come, but seem pointless.

Today I moved my laptop from the dining room table back to my studio, hoping to separate myself from distractions, and immersing myself in a place where I wrote so many posts before.

My writing space is decorated with nature scenes. Scenes that draw me to the beauty of creation. I’ve been stuck inside for along time. The daily walks which stimulated my creativity stopped. Wonder why?

In October of 2023 I experienced three stress fractures in the metatarsals of my left foot. The treatment plan involved wearing a surgical boot for eight weeks, and limiting my steps as much as possible. (400 steps a day) Elevation is important to the healing process. For those eight weeks I propped up my foot on pillows to keep the injury above my heart. (Twenty minutes every hour during the day.) I learned it takes a long time for tiny bones to heal, especially if you have osteoporosis.

By Ground Hog Day I began transitioning out of the boot and into my sneaker. A process of slowly increasing my steps which took another eight weeks. Now I can walk well enough to do a few chores around the house. I’ve learned to appreciate the ability to move from one room to another in my apartment!

So I’ve been stuck. Maybe writing this will get me unstuck. Maybe I just need to move on now. I’ve never been one to feel sorry for myself. I subscribe to the philosophy of everything happens for a reason. When it comes to illness we humans just need to get over ourselves and accept our limitations. Let’s face it, we are not in control. So, what did I do during he last five months?

Fortunately I’m retired, so hobbling around a place of business was not necessary. I prayed and read scripture to encourage myself. I read several books, and watched a movie almost every night. I made a lot of purchases on Amazon. I learned doing yoga in a chair is possible.

In January I prioritized my goals for the new year. (Isn’t it interesting, my first priority was health and my last priority was writing.) I listened to music and wrote bad poetry. Didn’t Emily Dickinson rarely come of her house?

Suffering is always bittersweet. My husband has been a saint through all of this. If he ever experiences a long term illness, I hope I can be as selfless and as patient. Trials can bring couples closer to one another.

Now that I have said all this, I feel better. Writing is so good for the soul. I’m ready to move out of my chair and feel the warmth of the sun on my face.

“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant.” —Anne Bradstreet

Have a blessed Easter!

Time to Write

In my day to day life I am frequently bombarded with distractions which stop me from writing. One day I scheduled all of my “important” errands in the morning so I could write in the afternoon. My errands took longer than expected. After spending a painful two hours at the dentist office, dropping off unwanted clothes at Goodwill, going to the bank, and shopping for groceries, I felt exhausted. When I finally arrived back home, I couldn’t string one sentence together if my life depended on it. My empty stomach growled, so I warmed a cup of soup and sat down to relax.

That cup of soup was the only good thing about my day. I felt irritated with myself for trying to get everything done at once. Sometimes I’m my own worst enemy. There’s nothing worse than a grumpy writer. Do you feel angry or depressed when you don’t write?

As I sipped my hot soup, I assessed my situation. What possessed me to try to do so much at once? I thought back to some of my childhood experiences and made some interesting discoveries. My parents taught me to work first, then play. This idea spilled over to my adulthood. Since writing is pleasurable to me, it should come second. And if I have a lot of work to do, I never get to play. One day slips into another and before I know it, I haven’t written anything for a month.

As a student, my teachers conducted class using the same philosophy. I had to finish my assignment before I could go to the reading corner. Those were the rules. As a teacher myself, I expected the same from my students. Every progress report included a box— “Student uses free time wisely.” Most students would receive a grade of satisfactory. But honestly, some students never had any free time. How sad.

Now I am seeing the importance of writing in the morning. I can focus better, and get into a creative flow. Ideas come easy to me when I am rested. If you are a writer, I’m sure you’ve discovered what time works for you. We must protect our time to write. This means scheduling appointments, errands, and chores outside of our best time to create.

As I write this blog, I recognize my strong work ethic. I place a high value on productivity. That’s fine as long as I can triage my efforts. When I plan my day I need to prioritize time to write. Writing needs to be first.

The word vocation comes from the Latin, meaning “calling.” A calling is initiated by God for his purpose. Since I feel called to write, my vocation is writing. If I look at writing as my vocation, the adult voice within me gives permission to write first and not feel guilty about it. I believe I am finding my way out of this maze.

How about you? Do you have a habit of checking off your to-do list before you sit down to write? How do you schedule time to pursue your artistic calling? Leave a comment. I’d love to hear from you.

Do You Remember How to Play?

“Children think in the realm of possibility.”

One beautiful spring Saturday I took a bike ride on the Cady Way Trail. I chose the Cady Way because it’s usually less crowded with pedestrians compared to the trail around Lake Baldwin. Seeking solitude, I rode alone. However, I made sure my iPhone was tucked into the small case under my seat. I had no specific time to return and I could go as far as I wanted on the 7.2 trail which links Orlando and Winter Park.

As I pedaled I took in the sights and sounds around me. Birds chirped loudly from high atop live-oak trees. Dingy strings of Spanish moss swayed in the gentle wind. Busy squirrels scampered along in search of their breakfast. One friendly cyclist waved hello as he passed from the opposite direction. I felt myself relax as I pedaled further. I felt free, and I absorbed my new found freedom like a sponge.

Eventually I neared the bridge which crosses Route 436. I powered up by pedaling as fast as I could before reaching the base of the incline. Here the trail becomes very steep. I pushed forward with all my strength in order to reach the top without standing or getting off my bike. Whew! I made it and glanced down at the busy traffic below me. People going here, there, and everywhere. My view shifted to the path ahead, and I let myself coast to the bottom. Elated, I felt like a kid again!

Then I remembered all the times I rode my bike as a child. We had a hill on our street which everyone called “Big Hill.” My brothers and I were only allowed to ride to the top of the hill and back. But what a joyful ride it was. We felt like we ruled everything around us when we looked down. We hooped and hollered as we coasted to the bottom. Today I didn’t scream. I didn’t think that was a very adult thing to do. I also wear a helmet now, which we never did as kids.

Lately, I’ve been trying to reach my inner child. The little girl within me, who somehow got lost when I became an adult. The child who loved to play and imagine. The child who was not afraid to take risks. The child who created.

Ten years ago I met my inner child when I started writing poetry. I had just retired from teaching, and had plenty of free time. I remembered I liked poetry as a teenager. So my inner child inspired me to write verse. It was her voice that helped me put the best words in the best order. I wrote because I loved to write. I had no other reason. My friends told me I had talent. My family was impressed. When my first poem was published in Time of Singing Magazine I let out a hoop just like the little girl who rode her bike down Big Hill.

I continued to write, I continued to be published. I continued to celebrate. I created a blog, I wrote magazine articles, and I authored children’s books. Now I’m editing a quarterly creative writing magazine. But all of these achievements came with a price. With each success I became busier and busier and somehow the voice of my inner-child became drowned out by adult expectations and the pressure to keep achieving. So that’s why I’m out riding my bike in search of my inner child who played all day— who left after breakfast and didn’t come home until dinner.

Julia Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way, refers to our inner child as our artist-child. She believes getting in touch with the artist-child within us releases new levels of creativity. This makes me wonder why are children more creative than adults?

Children think in the realm of possibility. They can imagine they can visit places they have only seen one time. They can pretend they are at an amusement park, and ride all the rides again, or even draw their own imaginary amusement park. Nothing is impossible for them. Is that why Jesus said the kingdom of God belongs to children?

As adults our imagination has been hampered by what we feel unable to do. The world of the adult is based upon compliance with rules and regulations. Adults have experienced rejections and failures. Maybe our creativity was scorned by our boss. Perhaps our manuscript was rejected by an editor. Unless we are Peter Pan, all of these life experiences cause us to doubt ourselves and prevent us from playing.

How can an adult become more creative? Julia Cameron believes we can get in touch with our artist-child by doing some of the things we enjoyed in our childhood. Try it. You might be surprised to see the world through a child’s eyes again. What seems impossible might become possible.

Tell Your Story

I’ve been wondering when I might write again. For the past three months my circumstances have not permitted me to rest long enough to string together a sentence… not to mention a blogpost.

Do you know writers who have quit? Maybe you’re one of them. Scripture teaches us to not neglect the gift God has put within each one of us. Perseverance has its benefits.

Perhaps this is a good time to encourage myself and you. Don’t quit. If you are a writer, do whatever it takes to find a time and a place to express yourself. Tell your story. Tell about the reason for the hope within you. Tell of the ways God has turned your losses into gains… because He always does.

I used to write about camping, but this past spring our jeep continued to break down, so we sold both vehicles. The cash from the sale helped us buy a more reliable vehicle. This fall we drove our new car to meet our first grandchild! Seasons change, our needs shift, and life is in a continual state of flux.

What is constant? Only God and his will for us. If you feel my words stirring something within your heart, and you’ve strayed from his purpose for you, it’s time to get back to your first love.

If you are sensing a shift in your interest, it doesn’t mean you should quit writing. Our goals can change over time because we change. This year I felt led to organize a writing group of seniors to meet monthly for critique and fellowship. Together we launched a quarterly creative writing magazine for the residents of our retirement community. Writing is a great tool which can be adapted to the skills and interests of the reader. Whether you write for children or seniors, you can touch readers in all seasons of life.

Sometimes when I finish a project, I feel like I will never write again. It’s a very fearful feeling. For me, starting is the hardest, most challenging part of writing.

Are you stuck for ideas? It might be that you are too busy. Recently, a family member put her house on the market. A realtor advised her to declutter every room because creating space gives a potential buyer the opportunity to envision how they will use the area. In the same way, we as writers need to empty our minds of all the to-do-lists of our day in order to envision a story.

Creativity requires space. A gardener removes the debris from last years flowerbed to prepare the soil for seed. Empty your mind of toxic thoughts which stress your emotions before you write.

“Close the door. Write with no one looking over your shoulder. Don’t try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say. It’s the one and only thing you have to offer.” ~ Barbara Kingsolver

Too often writers stress about how their work will be received. Relax and have fun. Play with words. Let your imagination roam. Free-write in a notebook for ten minutes about anything. Write like no one will ever see it. After several days, look back at what you have written that week. Eventually you might discover a new plot for your next book.

Thank you for reading my post. I appreciate your interest and comments.