February 8, 2010
My Next 30 Years
I have no idea what to write about today…but shouldn’t I write something about turning 30?
Suggestions?
February 6, 2010
Just in Case You’ve Been Wanting…
One of these (don’t you just love teaching your daughters history while they play with modest paperdolls?!)…
or any of these (so many designs!)…
or one of these (perfect to adorn curtains, door knobs, bed posts, etc.)…
Go ahead and get yourself some now while there is FREE shipping!
February 4, 2010
Ya’ll, I’m going to Blissdom – FLAT style!!!
WOOT!
(My humble thanks to the flat Sarah creator, Jessica Heights!)
February 3, 2010
The Favorite Writing Tips of Author Serena Woods
Serena offers up her favorite writing tips from ten famous writers. These are not her words, but the words of those she admires.
1. Cut the boring parts
I try to leave out the parts that people skip. ~Elmore Leonard
Unless you’re writing for personal reasons alone, you need to consider the attention of your readers. There’s no point
is publishing content that isn’t useful, interesting, or both.
2. Eliminate unnecessary words
Substitute “damn” every time you’re inclined to write “very;” your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it
should be. ~Mark Twain
I used to feel that using words like “really”, “actually”, or “extremely” made writing more forceful. It doesn’t. They
only get in the way. Cut them and never look back.
3. Write with passion
Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart. ~William Wordsworth
It’s not hard to realize that unless you’re excited about your writing no one else will be.
4. Paint a picture
Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass. ~Anton Chekhov
Simply stating something is fine, but when you need to capture attention, using similes, metaphors, and vivid imagery
to paint a picture creates a powerful emotional response.
5. Keep it simple
Vigorous writing is concise. ~William Strunk Jr.
Maybe it was all those late nights, struggling to fill out mandatory 10 page papers, but many people seem to think
that worthwhile writing is long and drawn out. It’s more difficult (and effective) to express yourself in the simplest
possible manner.
6. Do it for love
Write without pay until somebody offers to pay. ~Mark Twain
When you’re just starting out it’s hard to decide where to begin. So don’t. Just start writing. A blog is a good place to
start. The most valuable benefit is the feedback.
7. Learn to thrive on criticism
You have to know how to accept rejection and reject acceptance. ~Ray Bradbury
Writing means putting yourself at the mercy of anonymous hecklers and shameless sycophants. Learn to make the
most of the insults and distrust the praise.
8. Write all the time
Quantity produces quality. If you only write a few things, you’re doomed. ~Ray Bradbury
The way you define yourself as a writer is that you write every time you have a free minute. If you didn’t behave that
way you would never do anything. ~John Irving
9. Write what you know … or what you want to know
If any man wish to write in a clear style, let him be first clear in his thoughts; and if any would write in a noble style,
let him first possess a noble soul. ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Learn as much by writing as by reading. ~Lord Acton
Successful writing is all about trust and authority. It makes sense to write about your area of expertise. If you don’t
have an expertise, reading and writing is the best way to develop one and put it on display.
10. Be unique and unpredictable
I owe my success to having listened respectfully to the very best advice, and then going away and doing the exact
opposite. ~G.K. Chesterton
Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative. ~Oscar Wilde
Zest. Gusto. How rarely one hears these words used. How rarely do we see people living, or for that matter, creating
by them. Yet if I were asked to name the most important items in a writer’s make-up, the things that shape his material
and rush him along the road to where he wants to go, I could only warn him to look to his zest, see to his gusto.
~Ray Bradbury
Following what works will only get you so far. Experiment with new styles, even if it means taking criticism. Without
moving forward, you’ll be left behind.
You can find Serena blogging at Grace is For Sinners, a place where you can go to remember the truth of the Gospel when it’s hardest to feel worthy of it. Serena is also a Relevant speaker.
February 2, 2010
Top 10 Writing Tips
Today’s post is from Bonita, writer, publisher, and Relevant speaker.
1. Write from the heart. Tell your head to be quiet and let your heart bleed on paper.
2. Write your passion. What excites you, ignites you, and makes you want to shout from the rooftops? That’s your topic.
3. Write what you like. If you don’t like it, your readers won’t either. Write the article you want to read or the novel you can’t put down.
4. Write what you know. Everyone is an expert on something. Use your writing to teach others.
5. Write regularly. Practice makes progress. The more you write, the better you’ll write.
6. Write for enjoyment. You don’t need an audience or a publisher. It’s okay to simply enjoy the art of stringing words together.
7. Write with a purpose. Are you trying to inform, persuade, encourage, confront, or vent? Decide your purpose for each project and stick with it.
8. Write tight. Less is more. Avoid wordy clutter and write with clarity and precision.
9. Write well. Anything worth doing is worth doing well. Read a book, take a class, find a mentor. Do whatever it takes to master the craft.
10. Write now. Don’t wait. As soon as inspiration hits, jot it down before it sprouts wings and flies away.
Most importantly, just write. How, where, when, why, and for whom doesn’t matter as much as the fact that you’re writing. Just do it!
Bonita bleeds ink. She believes she was put on this earth to write for the Lord and to equip, encourage, and inspire others to do the same. She fulfills this mission through her blog, Encouraging Words for Writers, through a weekly email of the same name, and by teaching writing classes and developing curriculums for kids.
Though Bonita adores writing, her greatest joy is being John’s wife, David and Breanne’s mom, and God’s child. Most days you’ll find her at home hidden among piles of dirty laundry and homeschooling books. Most nights you’ll find her sneaking to the computer to type just a few more words.
Bonita is the featured speaker on the Relevant site today – stop by for some Q & A!
Make sure to check back tomorrow as Serena Woods from Grace is for Sinners offers up her best writing tips!
What’s your best writing tip?
February 1, 2010
Unhealthy Addiction: Celebrity Media
Today’s post is from Katherine, from Beloved and So are You. It is excellent…and challenging. May we take up the challenge and be set apart.
“Finally, {sisters}, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right,whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.” Philippians 4:8
We are living in a new day. Our generation is the first to be surrounded by, steeped in, and wholly influenced by the media. From television to the internet and print media, we have unlimited access to information.
In the midst of the media barrage, there is an increasing fascination with, curiosity about, and attraction to the lives of others. Especially famous others.
We are addicted to the lives of celebrities. We live off of their relationship failures, their fashion, their conceptions and adoptions. We follow their break-ups, custody battles, eating disorders, and materialistic pursuits. Their sexual exploits don’t escape us; their fad diets and cellulite, our concern.
There is a reason US Weekly, People, TMZ, and Entertainment Tonight are red hot.
Gossip is juicy.
Solomon even noted this when he said, “The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man’s inmost parts.” (Proverbs 18:8)
These stories catch our eye because they appeal to the cravings of the flesh.
“For the world offers only the lust for physical pleasure,
the lust for everything we see, and pride in our possessions.
These are not from the Father. They are from this evil world.”
(I John 2:16 NLT)
However, we now belong to the Father and no longer live according to the ways of the world.
“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions-it is by grace you have been saved.” (Eph. 2:1-5)
Gossip may be delicious. It may even seem harmless enough. But by enticing our flesh, it takes us back to our life before Christ. And ultimately, it is a roadblock to our spiritual development. How so?
1. It is spiritually unhealthy. When we consume the tabloid culture, it is like eating a plate of junk food for dinner. It is not only non-nutritional, it detracts from our spiritual health. If you could look on the ‘ingredient list’ of the entertainment stories you are ingesting, you would see: promiscuity, sensuality, marital unfaithfulness, arrogance, vanity, greed, lust, homosexuality, bisexuality, rebellion, drug abuse, perversion, eating disorders, and enslavement to materialism.
Now, I am sure you wouldn’t allow your child to consume such a ‘diet’. You, my friend, are God’s child. It isn’t good for you, either.
2. It is a distraction. As believers, we have been called to glorify God in our lives. To surrender everything to Him so He can express his life through us to the world. To be His agents of healing and change in the world. If we are consumed by its worldliness, how can we rise up and bring Christ to it? What will we really have to offer?
We must not become distracted from our main goal as Christians. We have one short life in which to glorify Him on earth. He has given us a high calling, and we must put the tabloid magazines down and rise up to it. “I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” Ephesians 4:1
Setting our minds on higher things is absolutely necessary if we are to live out this calling.
“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ,
set your hearts on things above,
where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.”
Colossians 3:1-3
Katherine writes at Beloved and So Are You about discovering the joys of married life and the unfailing love of Christ. She has a heart for women to know how deeply they are loved and to live lives set apart for His glory! You can read more at her blog here.
On another note, I’m the Monday Maven over at I Never Grew Up! After you visit Katherine, come on over and visit Vanessa and I! Oh, and why you’re at this clicking business, how about clicking here and subscribing to Like a Warm Cup of Coffee. :)
January 29, 2010
My New Store Is Live (Come check it out)!
The winner of a flirty apron of choice is…
JAMI, of My Faith, My Love, My Life! Congrats! :)
If you didn’t win, hop on over here and grab one of these lovely aprons for yourself (you will adore it – and there are many designs to choose from!)! And don’t worry if you didn’t win, I have some more fabulous giveaways coming up!
Now onto my new little thing…
OpenSky rocks my socks.
Oh wait, back up the train…or in this case, the shoes.
What is OpenSky you ask?
OpenSky is relationship driven shopping – a place where you can go to find the people you trust and the products they like, use, and recommend.
You’re basically buying products from those you trust.
It’s a pretty sweet place, and I’m pretty stinkin’ excited to be a part of it.
In my store, you’re going to find all of the things I recommend (and am always yapping about) all in one place…of all of things I think are the bees knees. So, without further adieu, please take a moment and check out my new OpenSky store!
Oh, and yes I realize it is quite sparse as of today, but that will change, so keep checkin’ back as more of my favorite things are added!
And while you’re there, don’t forget to grab yourself one of those most magnificent aprons!
January 27, 2010
Pain’s Purpose, Part 2
This article is by Serena Woods – you can read part 1 here.
….Not ‘giving up on your faith’, but giving up on your right to ‘self’. God needs empty vessels to fill, not self-propelled motors to watch. Christ’s death on the cross was to complete the ‘abc’ existence and set you free to ‘get it right’ through faith. You couldn’t do this for yourself, so He did it for you. Going back on that is blotting out the cross with unbelief.
“I am emphatic about this. The moment any one of you submits to circumcision or any other rule-keeping system, at that same moment Christ’s hard-won gift of freedom is squandered. I repeat my warning: The person who accepts the ways of circumcision trades all the advantages of the free life in Christ for the obligations of the slave life of the law.” -Galatians 5:2-3
Sometimes He allows bad things to happen so that He can illuminate Himself. He let Lazarus die and said He was ‘glad’ (John 11:14), He instigated Job’s attack (Job 1:8), He let Satan sift Peter (Luke 22:32), He let men crucify Him, He lets you fall and He lets you hurt all for the sake of illuminating Himself. It’s not glory for you, it’s glory for Him. If you think that it should be all roses and sunshine, then you’ll miss Him. You’ll be resentful and frustrated and tighten the reigns on yourself even more.
When you give your life to God, He makes a clean sweep, throwing the trash out to be burned.
“The real action comes next: The main character in this drama…will ignite the kingdom life within you, a fire within you, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out. He’s going to clean house—make a clean sweep of your lives. He’ll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he’ll put out with the trash to be burned.” –Matthew 3:11-12
Is your life in shambles right now? Face it full on. Don’t ask questions. Don’t scramble to try to fix it. Wait for God with faith and hope. He may have had to destroy what was built in order to give you a new foundation, a foundation with Him as the cornerstone.
“When life is heavy and hard to take, go off by yourself. Enter the silence. Bow in prayer. Don’t ask questions: Wait for hope to appear. Don’t run from trouble. Take it full-face. The “worst” is never the worst. Why? Because the Master won’t ever walk out and fail to return. If he works severely, he also works tenderly. His stockpiles of loyal love are immense.” -Lamentations 3:28-32
January 26, 2010
Pain’s Purpose
Today’s article is by Serena Woods.
“This sickness is not fatal. It will become an occasion to show God’s glory by glorifying God’s Son.” -John 11:4
I think the church has committed the crime of ‘bait and switch.’ We’re told that our lives will be easier, happier and more profitable if we live for God.
When things go wrong or get tough, they tell you it’s because something is wrong with your ‘walk.’ You’re not doing something right. You spend all your time trying to get the perfect ratio of prayer, devotions, giving, doing, thinking… Only, you still end up on the short end of the stick. Your loved one still died even though you prayed your best for their healing. You can’t control your addictions even though you’ve begged God to deliver you. You can’t grow a child in your belly even though you’ve done everything right.
It’s easier to have a rulebook in front of you so that you can follow the guideline and get the reward. It feels more secure to know that if you do ‘a’, ‘b’ and ‘c’, then everything will work. We know that God is not a faulty product so we turn our attention to ourselves when things don’t work out. We think of ourselves as gas tanks, banks, or electronics. We need to ‘put gas in our tank’, make a deposit in our ‘bank’, refresh our ‘batteries’ or get ‘plugged back in.’
It’s a never-ending cycle of examining spans of time where it was good and trying to recreate our formulas to make it good again.
In all of the time you’ve had your head down, studying yourself, where is God? In all of this stubborn ’self-control’ and ‘perseverance’ how is it possible to let your ’self’ go? I’m not saying that self-control and perseverance are bad, I’m saying that when they become your focus, then your focus is not on God. It would be better to be an absolute mess who relies on grace than a squeak-free, surge-protected, name-brand, self-sufficient appliance that relies on strength and ability. In the effort to ’save your life’ so that you don’t lose it, you’re losing everything. It’s only when you lose your life that you save it.
“…whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.” -Luke 9:24 ESV
So far, in my own journey, I’ve come to believe that giving up is the best course of action…
Continued tomorrow…
You can find Serena blogging at Grace is For Sinners, a place where you can go to remember the truth of the Gospel when it’s hardest to feel worthy of it. Serena is also a Relevant speaker.
