Pondering . . .

Take time for the little things in life that often pass us by. We're too busy, too blinded by duties and bigger stuff we don't see the beauty in tiny things like little yellow blossoms. They are outshone when placed by beautiful bigger flowers, but by themselves have a darling radiance of their own.

Take time to play. The old saying, "All work and no play makes Jack a dull fellow" could very well be true. Don't forget to do some fun things too! Sit on the floor. Make a tent under the table. Play hide and seek.

Take time to trust. Sometimes we forget to lean on Jesus' strength when we're overwhelmed and weak. Sometimes we forget who's holding our hand. He'll never let go. Hold on.

Take time to be adventurous. Explore the possibilites. Trust your intuition and God. Believe you can do it!

Take time to reflect on life and God. Relax. Think soothing thoughts. Read. Watch the fish. Study the clouds. Listen.


Blessings!

Monday Morning Gratitudes

campfires
roasted hotdogs
toasted marshmallows
stories told by hubby
a hint of freshly mown hay
fresh garden veggies
blueberries
the sound of a baby laughing
bullfrogs croaking
evening shadows

Blessings

Sunday Morning Peace

Selfishness makes serving Christ a burden

love makes it a delight.

Blessings



Beautiful!

We never get what we want,
We never want what we get,
We never have what we like,
We never like what we have.
And still we live & love.
That's life...

The best kind of friend,
Is the kind you can sit on a porch and swing with,
Never say a word,

And then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you've ever had.

It's true that we don't know

What we've got until it's gone,
But it's also true that we don't know
What we've been missing until it arrives..

　

Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they'll love you back!

Don't expect love in return;
Just wait for it to grow in their heart,
But if it doesn't, be content it grew in yours.

It takes only a minute to get a crush on someone,

 An hour to like someone,
And a day to love someone,
But it takes a lifetime to forget someone.

Don't go for looks; they can deceive.
Don't go for wealth; even that fades away.
Go for someone who makes you smile,
Because it takes only a smile to
Make a dark day seem bright.
Find the one that makes your heart smile!

May you have

 Enough happiness to make you sweet,
Enough trials to make you strong,
Enough sorrow to keep you human,
And enough hope to make you happy

Always put yourself in others' shoes.

 If you feel that it hurts you,

It probably hurts the other person, too.

The happiest of people
Don't necessarily have the best of everything;
They just make the most of everything that comes along their way.
Happiness lies for
Those who cry,
Those who hurt,
Those who have searched,
And those who have tried,
For only they can appreciate the importance of people
Who have touched their lives.

When you were born, you were crying
And everyone around you was smiling.
Live your life so that when you die,
You're the one who is smiling
And everyone around you is crying.

Many Blessings

Guest Blogger, Linda Rondeau, writes on Floundering

Life is hard . . . sometimes. Living the life of a writer is too . . . sometimes. Read on for a take on being too busy from my dear friend, Linda Rondeau, author of America II, just released, and her suspense book, The Other Side of Darkness.



Do You Ever Feel Like You're Floundering?

I have come into the deep waters; the
floods engulf me...Psalm 69:2b

Ever feel as though you are drowning in a to-do list that keeps getting longer and the time left to complete the tasks, shorter?

I am currently going through one of those times. When the waters close around my neck, I’m well aware I’ve gone too deep; and I panic, making error upon error.

Mistakes have babies. In my case, they often have litters. And I ask the Lord, how
can I get all these things done (and it takes longer when I have to keep undoing those
oops) without looking like an idiot from all the mistakes I’m making?

He gently reminds me that it’s not about the to-do list. It’s about a surrendered life
to Him. He will prioritize my days according to His knowledge of what is best
for me.

It may be the waters continue to deepen so I have to swim for awhile before they
abate. That is when I remember, God is my life jacket.



A graduate of Houghton College, Rondeau has spent a previous career in the field of human services, often engaged with families in crisis. She credits these experiences in human drama as the edge in creating unforgettable characters. Furthermore, her prior work has shaped her vision of a future world should current sociological issues remain unchecked over the next several decades.

After more than thirty years in the Adirondack region of Northern New York, Rondeau now resides in Jacksonville, Florida with her husband Steve and their cat Duffer. When not writing, she enjoys theater, golf, and hiking.

She is a member of the Florida Writers Association, American Christian Fiction Writers, and several on-line writing groups. She is the owner and founder of Pentalk, a community of writers that features networking pages and a blog. Rondeau contributes a monthly column to her former community newspaper entitled, This Daily Grind and maintains a blog of the same name. Other blogs include Back in the Daze.

Also writing under the name of Linda Wood Rondeau, other books by this author include The Other Side of Darkness.

You may contact the author on Facebook, Linked In, Goodreads, or Twitter or visit her on the web.

The Amazon Kindle for the novel is : http://www.amazon.com/America-II-The-Reformation-ebook/dp/B008CGFVUI/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1340191492&sr=1-1&keywords=l.w.+rondeau
 

kids in pools
men cooking
fathers & sons talking
clean washed vehicles
deodorizers
washers & dryers!
unique camera shots
son Jon who's a great father
hubby who was a great example of a father
grills

Blessings!

Sunday Morning Peace

In honor of fathers everywhere . . .

My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard.

Mother would come out and say, "You're tearing up the grass."

"We're not raising grass," Dad would reply. "We're raising boys."

--Harmon Killebrew

He didn't tell me how to live, he lived, and let me watch him do it.

--Clarence Budington Kelland

A truly rich man is one whose children run into his arms

when his hands are empty.

--Author unknown

One father is worth more than a hundred Schoolmasters.

--George Herbert

Blessings

Special Dads

Unique Gifts for Dad:

* Gourmet cheese

* Gift certificates for a day/weekend of fishing (golf, etc) at a special place (paylake, etc.) or even private memberships to club houses

* A day alone

Or . . .

* a wallet made of baseball leather (really!)

* a book about his special interests

* if bird watching or walking is his thing, try a nice pair of binoculars. He'll love them.

Or he might even enjoy . . .

* An IPad keyboard case (if he doesn't already have one)

* Some REALLY good preshaving oils and/or razors

And if he loves to cook:

* A super great, interesting and easy cookbook!

* A do-it-all Expresso Maker

* An all-in-one barbeque tool (goes from tongs to fork to spatula)

And for the journalist or storyteller or yarnmaker . . .

* a soft, beautiful leather journal. (Not only a gift for him, but memories for you to read too!)

* a casual summer hat. Walking hats, fedoras and flat caps are nostalgic for the older gents and fun for the younger! Great for sitting in the sun (or shade) while writing in his journal, or reading his new book or drinking a cup of expresso coffee or watching a bird or . . .



Love the fathers!
Blessings

Monday Morning Gratitudes

field trips with friends and family
critiques that make me work
critiques that make me smile
honesty
my hubby's sermon Sunday morning, recently
close relationships
distance and space
accomplishing dreaded cleaning chores
children's spontaneous ways
beautiful skies

Blessings!

Sunday Morning Peace

Most of us go to our graves

with our music still inside of us.

--PCom Pete

So Your Book's Not Doing So Well . . .

Every writer's dream is to be published.
Then to be successful.
Add a secret desire for making it to the bestseller's list.

Sometimes, none of those happen.

Instead we get one and two star reviews.

Glance through these one star reviews:

The Phantom Tollbooth - 804
A Little Princess - 288
Twelfth Night - 409
All Creatures Great and Small - 118
A Room with a View - 525
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - 1008
Anne of Green Gables - 2074
Pride and Prejudice - 15993

 
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban has 2,843 one-star reviews.

A Wrinkle in TimeA science fiction title for teens and young people, has 4,359 one-star reviews.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy touted as funny and insightful and a classic, has 11,212 one-star reviews. Eleven thousand, two hundred, and twelve.

Hamlet written by Shakespeare, arguably the most popular work by the most influential writer in the English language, has 2,198 one-star reviews.

King Lear, a Shakespearean play, has nearly a thousand one-stars.

Where the Wild Things Are, the most popular children's book in America, perhaps? And it has over 2,000 one-star reviews.

Curious George? Nearly 1,000 one-stars.

The Cat in the Hat? Over twelve-hundred

　
　
Check out your own favorite (how could anyone NOT love this book?) books' reviews and see how many received one star reviews. Not every one is going to love the same book. Remember that, and be glad for the one who does love your book and gives it a five star review.

Happy reading.
　
　
　

　

　

　

Monday Morning Gratitudes

Spring rain
breezes
boat rides w/family and friends
breakfast out with hubby
grilled foods
fresh cut flowers
mother and babe asleep
baby's recognition of family
happy babies
excited children

Blessings

Sunday Morning Peace

Always do right.

This will gratify some and

astonish the rest. --Mark Twain

Blessings

Fun Times at Writing Conference

Banquet Time!

Doesn't it look grand?

Rosanna, Sharon, Carole, Linda

Writing buddies

Linda Wood Rondeau,

Winner of the coveted Selah Award for best first novel!

The Other Side of Darkness

My roomie and friend

Torry Martin, comedian and one of the featured speakers,

telling one of his Torry's stories,

about Alaska, pepper spray, and the BEAR!

Hilarious.

Ohio writing buddies:

Sharon, Mary, Rosanna, 

Carole, Sandy, and another friend.

Blessings.