Sunday Morning Sunshine: What kind of fella is March?

 

Rambling Friday: Winds Terrify Me

 I love AND hate the wind. Contradiction? Sort of.

High winds that damage, destruct and kill are frightening to me. I'd just as soon take a pass. Which, of course, we can't do. 

But the wind coming in from an ocean that cools hot bodies, soft evening winds that lure us to take a slow walk, winds that dry out much-too-soggy grounds--all of these are the "good winds" that I enjoy. 

We don't get a choice, of course. Bad comes with the good. That's life... But we can take precautions, hang on when the worst comes, say our prayers, and get through it the best we can. Recover. And celebrate that once more, we've been given another day to enjoy the soft winds in our lives. 

Embrace the soft winds--always! 

A happy windy March day to you! 

Sunday Sunshine: In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb...Or Not!

Which was it for you?

OR

However your month started may it always be a good one! 

My Comfort Zone...and a Contest Question

The Wikipedia encyclopedia says a comfort zone is:

a term used to denote a type of mental conditioning 
resulting in artificially created mental boundaries, 
within which an individual derives a sense of security.

Yikes. Setting up a fence to keep out anything that disturbs me? Is that what the encyclo is saying?

• Like going to a special writing meeting, and keeping quiet because, well, the speaker is what? Younger? A better speaker? Well known? Unknown to me?

• Like cringing when a professional pianist strides into the church sanctuary, and it's my allotment to play that day?

• Like doing what I think of as a special "gift" to someone, and they either ignore my gesture or show how little they like it by action, look, or voice.

How do you overcome these feelings of in-superiority? 

Pray. Submit yourself and your talents to God. He has blessed you with the abilities that suit your personality. Give them to God and allow God to use you and them as He will. None of us travel the same life journey. We must use what we have and learn to rejoice in his gifts to us. Only then will the feelings of inadequacy lessen. 

Question for you:

Do you struggle with feelings of in-superiority? 

***

Don't forget to answer EVERY question this month.

The FIRST question is:

What is one thing you'd like to 

change about your life--if you could--this spring?

The second March Question of the week:

Do you celebrate St. Patrick's Day?

Why or why not?

Prizes?
A $5.00 gift card from AMAZON
and 
a kindle copy of any of my books: your choice
and a lovely bookmark with an inspiring quote on it. 

Top of the Week to you!

Sunday Morning Peace: Prayerful Spring

A Prayer in Spring

Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers to-day; 
And give us not to think so far away 
As the uncertain harvest; keep us here 
All simply in the springing of the year. 

Oh, give us pleasure in the orchard white,
Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night; 
And make us happy in the happy bees, 
The swarm dilating round the perfect trees. 

And make us happy in the darting bird 
That suddenly above the bees is heard,
The meteor that thrusts in with needle bill, 
And off a blossom in mid air stands still. 

For this is love and nothing else is love, 
The which it is reserved for God above 
To sanctify to what far ends He will,
But which it only needs that we fulfil. 

--Robert Frost

Spring Blessings!

Tidbits of My Life: Facts, Playing the Game of "Dogs," and March Contest Question

Facts:

I've been accused of being "Stuck-Up," abrupt, and unclear...

but actually, though my actions may point to these as truth...

I'm a person who loves to be with others--within limits. 

I do so enjoy my alone times too.

In a hurry, too excited or worried, I tend to be abrupt, 

but that's not my intention to ever hurt. 

Unclear? surely not! But sometimes in my explaining or telling of an event, story, and/or experience, I try to keep it simple and tell it in my words and end up not including enough details. 

But...

one of my greatest traits is my caring. 

I truly do love to show others I care. 

**

I spent the day with Grandson Jonathan recently.

Of course that meant imaginative games and other fun things. 

One of his suggestions was to play "dogs."

He gave me clear instructions:

"Gwandma, pretend I'm a dog and I get up on the sofa. Tell me I shouldn't do that and to get down."

One thing about him, he's a perfectionist 

when it comes to getting it right. 

Don't deviate. Don't change the wording. Don't mess up.

I'll just say this: one thing we always do:

Have fun and enjoy the time. 

Isn't that what it's all about?

***

Writing Life Tidbits:

I'm working on Book Four of the Appleton WV Romantic Mysteries.

I've titled it:  Toby's Troubles

The main protagonist is a brother to Caroline Gibson 

(from book Three: Undiscovered Treasures). 

He's smart and ambitious but also a flirt and tease. 

He's definitely not ready to settle down 

even when the cutest and sweetest girl he's ever dated 

has that look in her eyes.

What's a man to do with a "ghost" to find 

and a girl who's determined to be noticed...and loved?

***

March is such a moody, lively, fun month! 
Spring is coming.
The earth is stirring.
Easter is approaching.
St. Patrick's day is this month.

So, my question this week is:

What is one thing you'd like to 
change about your life--if you could--this spring?

Too hard?
Let me give you my answer:
I'd like to be just a bit younger--not that I want to relive some experiences!--
but just to give me time to do all I want to do!
Silly?
Maybe.
Now share what you'd like to change, if you could.
And don't forget to share this site!

Prizes?
A $5.00 gift card from AMAZON
and 
a kindle copy of any of my books: your choice
and a lovely bookmark with an inspiring quote on it. 



***

Are you ready for March? 

Blessings!

Sunday Morning Blessings: Thoughts for the Week

Happiness is made to share with another.

You can't be happy long before you want someone else to know it.

When God made the trees, animals and birds, 

he said they were very good.

The vine is for grapes,

the wheat for bread,

the bee to give us honey,

and the sheep for wool.

Even the cat is good to catch mice.

All God's things are good!

"Go break to the needy sweet charity's bread

For giving is living," the angel said.

"And must I be giving and giving again?"

my peevish and pitiless answer ran.

"Oh, no!" said the angel, piercing me through,

"Just give till the Lord stops giving to you."

In the Bible, there is more that finds me

than I have experienced in all other books together.

--S.T. Coleridge

Have a blessed week!

Sunday Morning Peace

It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord

and to sing his praises . . .

to shew forth thy loving kindnesses in the morning

and thy faithfulness every night.

Psalm 92: 1 & 2

Blessings!

Name the Green Contest . . .

In honor of the upcoming release of my book, The Redemption of Caralynne Hayman, I'm holding at least one contest a month until the book publishes!

Answer one of these or all five to enter March's contest. The more you answer, the more times your name will be entered into the contest:

1. Give me the name of your fav green food.

2. Name something about St. Patrick's day that is interesting to you.

3. Why did God make green grass?

4. Tell me why you'd love to win a trip to Ireland.

5. Tell me the name of a book, a picture, or a song with the name of green in it.


Hard?
You've got until March 17th midnight to answer. I'll draw a name on the 18th.
You can answer one question to be entered into the random drawing. OR answer all five to have your name entered FIVE times.

No right or wrong answers, but you must answer at least one to enter.

Prize?
Five books with green in their covers. Some are romance. Some suspense. Some with a little mystery. These are books from my shelves--not new--but still good. I'll give you titles and you're welcome to choose or I can send you a selection.

What? You want more? Easter's coming this month too! Check back later to hear what I've got planned.

Enjoy! and spread the word about my book. I'll thank you!

Blessings!

Sunday Morning Peace

May the road rise up to meet you,

May the wind be always at your back,

May the sun hine warm upon your face,

And the rains fall soft upon your fields,

Ad unti we meet again,

May God hold you in the hollow of his hand.

  --an Irish blessing

The Day Before April

May Carolyn Davis

The day before April,

Alone, alone,

I walked in the woods

and sat on a stone.

I sat on a broad stone

and sang to the birds.

The tune was God's making,

But I made the words.

Quote:
I don't believe the muse visits you. I believe that you visit the muse. --Michael Lewis


Blessings

March

Emily Dickinson

Dear March, come in!

How glad I am!

I looked for you before.

Put down your hat-

You must have walked-

How out of breath you are!

Dear March, how are you?

And the rest?

Did you leave Nature well?

Oh, March,

Come right upstairs with me,

I have so much to tell.

Quote:
I'm not a very good writer, but an excellent rewriter. --James Michener

Blessings