We're hooked!

We are always trying to find ways to connect with our kids. We feel it is important to spend as much time with them as possible. We learned with our first son that 18 years can FLY by! I mentioned before that we do civil war re-enacting. Our oldest boy got us into that.   We don't necessarily do it because it is fun. It is actually a lot of hard work, and can be a very hot and uncomfortable weekend. We do it because it was quality time we could spend with not only our kids but other kids whose lives we wanted to impact.  We do have fun with it and have built a lot of great memories through it.

Football games, wrestling tournaments, and baseball games fill up our fall, winter and spring. Movies are great fun but super expensive if you have more than one child.   Going to the movie theater is a treat in our house. There is a new activity we look forward to in the summer now.  

A couple of years ago, we let our second to youngest boy stay in Wyoming for the summer. We headed back with only our youngest in tow.  He had developed a love for baseball and even though our hometown in Wyoming had a minor league team, our timing of going there was always wrong as far as home games.  As we headed into Montana, we discovered that Billings had a team and lo and behold they were having a home game the very night we were passing through.  Since it was just the three of us we figured we could possibly afford to attend. Can you imagine our excitement when we got up to the ticket gate and was told the tickets were only $7.00 a piece?!

We stayed for the game and we were hooked!  The first thing we did when we got home was look up the Boise Hawks baseball schedule for the summer. So this has become an activity we can afford, one we can enjoy with our boys, and one with which we can entertain other kids and company.

I am going to tattle on my husband here. We took my husband's truck to the game one night, the kids were in the extended cab. My husband was giving them a lesson on how you are allowed a few miles over the speed limit. I don't think he even got the last word out of his mouth when the red and blue lights started flashing behind us.  Priceless. The officer shows up at the window with the typical, "Do you know why you are being pulled over?" My husband explained that we were coming back from a Boise Hawks game and that he was just giving the kids a lesson on the rules of the road. To our surprise, the five-mile-over rule does not apply to the back roads.   The officer politely asks, "Have you had anything to drink tonight?" My husband proudly stated his last drink had been 15 years earlier and not a drop since.  Completing his thorough line of questioning, "Do you have any illegal drugs in the car?"  My husband pointed to the back seat and said, "Nah, I have teenagers. The Boise Hawks IS our drug." The officer chatted with the kids for a few minutes and let us off with a warning.

Yes, baseball is our drug now. We get antsy as spring approaches and we get to get a gradual start with high school ball and just as the "ball gets rolling" the Hawks start their games and the calendar fills up. We put money aside for when the home games start and down the road we go!

Find out what your family is interested in and get involved. Spend time with each other hanging out outside of the house.  Not everything has to cost an arm and a leg. There are some very inexpensive, family friendly activities available.  Have fun and make the most of the those opportunities!

Building Relationships!

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Refrigerator of Memories

I LOVE the person who created the refrigerator! Oh, yes, those of you who know me know that I love to eat. However, that is not the reason I adore my fridge. I think the person who invented the refrigerator was a mom and/or a grandma. They intentionally made it magnetic so that all sorts of nonperishable items could be attached on the outside of it. These items are not things that will make your belly full, but things that will make your heart full!

My piles of papers tend to get completely out of control. I know if I put certain things in a pile, we will never see them again. I like to have them right under my nose,so I hang them on the refrigerator. I approach that appliance several times a day so it only makes sense to have that as my reminder zone. The youth group schedule  is hung there so that every week we can quickly see what the boys will be doing. Our sports schedule is definitely to be posted there since we have several events a week involving that with practice and games and meetings.

We add the fun little magnets with special sayings, but they serve an even more important purpose: holding our memories in place.   They secure the pictures of our children, our grandbabies, our church "kids", and of course the masterpieces that our grandchildren make for us.  We have a 9 year old granddaughter and when she is turned loose with the magnetic letters, we always have a special message in place to surprise us.

Every time I go to the refrigerator I am met with smiling faces, beautiful memories, and works of art that touch my soul!

Building Memories!

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May I have your autograph?

People love to meet the authors of books. Not everybody has the gift to organize words, sentences and chapters into a logical format. As authors, this is a task that is fairly easy so it seems strange that others would admire the accomplishment.  It is even stranger that someone would ask for our autograph.  There is a sentimental value that goes with knowing you own a book with a personal autograph.  Here are a few tips when signing your books:

-          Have a couple of pens on hand.  Experiment beforehand as to which type you like best. Some prefer the fine tips, others use gel pens, it is up to you. 

-          Brush up on your cursive and practice your FIRST name only. Using your first name and  unique touches to your signature is a safeguard to plagiarism.

-          Come up with a phrase that is pertinent to the book that you will use with your signature. It is nice to have an idea of what you want to say to your readers beforehand.  Signings can become rather hectic and it can be hard to come up with something on the spur of the moment. Have a notepad handy. If someone wants something specific written to themselves or to someone they are purchasing the book for, you can quickly write down the message then transfer it to the book.

-          If you are at a signing, take time to visit briefly with the customer who is purchasing your book.  Practice listening for details that you could include in a personal message to them.

-          ALWAYS ask how to spell the name of the person to whom you are addressing the autographed  copy.  Have them write it down for you on your handy notepad if you are not clear on the spelling. 

-          Some people do not want their newly purchased book written in and some people may feel awkward about asking for your autograph. If they don’t say anything, you can ask them if they would like to have it signed. 

-          I usually put my messages on the title page of the book as there is usually a space between the title and the author’s name.

Get creative, have fun with it, and create a memory in the reader! 

I heard her say "Grandma"!

Oh, that I could have all of my grandchildren gathered around me all the time!  What a happy grandma I would be!  I have the privilege  of seeing some of my grandchildren every weekend and I cherish those times. I know we are building memories!  We get to be involved in their sports, we get to teach them about God, and we get to be silly together  The other grands don't live as close, but I will do what I can to let them know who we are.  

We were able to meet two of our grandchildren for the first time last summer. Our granddaughter was the older of the two and was a bit reserved at first although she quickly fell in love with her uncles. She had a sweetness about her as she sported her freckles and shoulder-length braids.  Our grandson had been waiting patiently on the sidewalk for our van to pull up. He had the curliest blonde hair that I had ever seen!  I opened my door and got out. He took one look at me and said "Hi, Grandma!" My heart was his.  We spent a beautiful time with them that weekend.

Another granddaughter lives in another state as well. I was thrilled to be able to watch this little one be born, but then they moved away.  We have gotten to see her once a year. I have sent her a story book in which I was able to record myself reading so she would know Grandma's voice.   The other night, I was able to talk to her and she is starting to say real words...like Grandma!  She would say "Grandma!" then jabber and jabber.  I heard her Daddy tell her to say goodbye and that she loved me. As plain as day she said, "But I talking to my grandma!"  I did not want to get off the phone with her . I wanted to call back the next morning and at lunch and at dinnertime just to hear her say that again!

With one of my grandsons, it depends on what setting I am in as to which name he calls me.  At his house, he calls me JoEllen, but as soon as he gets in the car, he calls me Grandma. At Awana, he calls me Teacher, He makes me laugh.  I wasn't sure what my grandkids would call me as I have heard so many nicknames: G-ma, Nona, Baboo.  My boys have called their grandma, JoJo. My older boy called her Josie (her nickname) but the little ones had a hard time with that so called her JoJo.

I may not be able to see them every day. I know we will be blessed with many special moments. I may only be able to call them or send gifts so that they know who grandpa and grandma are, but we will make the most of those opportunities!

Book Signing Tips

I have said it before: If I had ever known how much public speaking was involved from writing a book, I would have never written a word.  I write because I don't speak well! Because I love writing so much, I am glad I was ignorant to that concept. There I was, at the point of no return so I figured I might as well understand how this machine worked and get it rolling.

My first published work was with a group of authors from the Pixie Chicks Writer's Group. We compiled a book of short stories and poems. It was a great opportunity on many levels. One that I benefited from the most was the experience of the book signing. Being a part of the Idaho Authors Community, we chose to do a group signing in a local coffee shop. Of course I had never done one and had no idea what it would look like, especially as a group. I did not want to make a fool out of myself so I decided to do a couple of smaller signings with couple of women from the group.

We set up a table at a farmer's market. I watched how the other women interacted with the public and how they set up the table. It gave me a chance to practice my elevator speech, the one to two minute tag for your book. Finally the day came for the big signing. The coffee shop was full of authors and tables filled with books of every genre. It was a thrill to visit with public about our own books, but we were also able to find out what they were looking for and direct them to the other authors to fill those needs.

I have done several book signings since and it is a simple formula now.  I would like to share some tips with you.

PLACE - Although you can hold a signing in a bookstore or a library, it is not recommended unless you are doing a reading from one of your books that will gather people specifically for that. The reasoning is because otherwise you are in competition with all of the other books on the shelves.
Coffee shops offer a cozy environment, farmer's markets or holiday bazaars have a lot of foot traffic. Look for places that are highly visible and that you  know gets a lot of business.

COST  - Set up a day and time with the person in charge. Make sure and ask if there will be a fee to do it. Many times, if it is in a little shop, the owner will be happy with the extra business but you always want to make sure so you are not caught off guard.

ADVERTISE - Before the signing date, put ads in the local newspapers, hang fliers around town, distribute postcards in local businesses, mail notices to friends, create a facebook event and use other social media, anything that will bring awareness to your event. The week of your event, send out personal reminders to people that you hope to see them on that specific date and remind them of the time and place.

HELP  - If at all possible, visit with a friend who would be willing to come to the signing with you as a secretary. They would check people out and write receipts. Instruct them to write the name and address of the customer on the receipt so that you can personally contact them when your next book comes out or for future events. By having a helper, that will free you up to mingle with the customers.

SET UP:  On the day of the event, give yourself plenty of time (at least an hour) to set up and get comfortable. Bring a card table in case the facility does not have one to use. Bring a couple of folding chairs, although you may be standing most of the time. Have a nice table cloth to place on the table. Set your business cards or post cards out  and a couple stacks of your book(s). It is nice to have a little stand to set one book upright. If you have pictures or gimmicks, put those in place. For example: In my book, A Realist's Guide to Being a Pastor's Wife, I talk about using lipstick to write Bible verses on my bathroom mirror. I ordered some sample lipsticks from Avon and I spread those out on my signing table. I also have done a youtube video called The Real Faces of a Pastor's Wife so I compiled some pictures from that video and made an 8X10 of it and framed it to set up on the table. Also, a little dish of candy is always appealing to people.  Make sure you have brought your cash box, your receipt book,  and plenty of petty cash.

ENJOY  - Relax and have fun with the customers!

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Spring Writer's Symposium

The Idaho Creative Authors Network is getting ready to host another writing event at the Cloverdale Reception Center in Boise, Idaho on March 19 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and we are so excited!  The Spring Writers' Symposium and Writing Contest will be unique in that there will be more opportunity to network with illustrators, book coaches, and editors. We have great speakers that will be there including Lance and Pamela Thompson speaking on writing (Show, Don't Tell) and on networking. Joanna Tucker will there to speak on editing. We will have fun activities and a catered lunch along with the awards time for the writing contest.

This type of event may overwhelm some people, but you would be amazed at the encouragement you are able to get from a room full of people that all have the same interest as you: writing! It doesn't matter if you write fiction, nonfiction, music, poetry, short stories, novels,  or children's books, there is always something for everyone at an event such as this.

It has been nice to visit with people about their goals.  There are those who get overwhelmed with the thought of writing a whole book, but when they see that there is a writing contest that only has to consist of 1,200 words, that seems achievable.  It is not only fun for them, but it is fun for the judges, although can prove to be difficult as well. There is so much talent that people possess, so many stories that need to be heard!

These events are a great place to meet those who have gone before us. We can glean from their knowledge and everyone is so willing to sit down, one on one, with you and answer any questions. People are always concerned about asking a silly question, but honestly I don't think there would be a single question we have not heard yet.

If you have ever wanted to write but do not know what steps to take, let us help you! If you want to grab some information to put into your writing toolbox to be used later, come to this event! You will not be disappointed.   The whole goal of ICAN is to promote, educate, and encourage authors with a heart for writing. We reach out to the unpublished as well as the published author. Write On Write Now!

See more details at our Eventbrite site!

Learn more information about the Idaho Creative Authors Network and on our speakers for this event.

The World is a Classroom!

 As a homeschooling family, we have learned to use everything as a teachable moment. There have been days we have done a full day of school without my boys even realizing it. When I would take them to the zoo, we would bring a chart with us that we had made at home. We would graph how many of the animals had four legs, how many had two, how many had wings, and how many had fur. We would compare their natural habitats. We would discuss which animals were our favorite and why. The next day we would draw pictures and write about our favorite part of our day at the zoo.  One made the comment one day, “Mom, we didn’t do school yesterday.” Then I pointed out all of the things we had learned.  I took them again and they were in the middle school years. Their first question to me was “Why didn’t we make a chart?” I always carry a notebook with me so we each made a chart of something we wanted to compare.  I was surprised that as old as they were, they still wanted to do that. That was a fun memory for them that they wanted to recreate.

When we have gone on vacation, we try to hit some educational places, not letting them know that they are actually doing school. If they knew that, they probably would not enjoy it as much.  We have gone to museums and toured coal mines. He have gone to the ocean. Something always intrigues us enough to google more information on it.   The world is a classroom!

I was pleased to find out that some of our activities can count as speech or drama hours in high school if there are a certain number of hours spent doing it.  Every year my boys have participated in speaking parts in the Last Days of Jesus pageant that our little town performs. My boys have played various roles and have been in it since they were able to walk. The last few years they have both been the thieves on the cross. My youngest has his whole Last Days acting career planned out stating that when he is done being the thief, he will play the role of Peter and then will play the role of Jesus. My son helped one of the actors who played Jesus in the past with his lines so already has an advantage.

Another activity we are involved in is civil war re-enacting. Yes, we are nerds like that, but you know, my kids have learned so much history doing that! Our specific unit has been a ministry geared towards youth. Last year we had 35 people in our unit; only about 10 of them were adults. We join 400 to 600 other re-enactors to perform battles for the public and then stay in character as people wander through our camps to hear about the history of that war. The kids in our unit learn discipline as they are in charge of certain tasks. They are each in charge of cleaning their own guns after a battle. They chop wood, start the fire, do their own dishes. They learn manners and etiquette such as standing when a lady walks into camp and learning how to properly escort a young lady to the ball. We usually get up to the site on Friday night and they are in charge of setting up all the tents and getting a fire pit dug and hauling water. For the next two to three days, they are living in the 1860s. We usually come home on Mondays after they have torn all the tents down and repacked the trailer. Going up, the van full of kids are usually pretty noisy and rambunctious. Coming back is much more subdued…and stinky. 

Build memories with you children! Make school fun! Find out what they want to learn about and then have a blast studying with them!

A Day in the Life of a Pastor's Family

We have the most blessed Sundays! We start out in the mornings with the privilege of getting our grandchildren ready for church as they get to stay Saturday nights with us. Having mostly boys, I have not had much practice on doing hair on little girls so I take great pleasure in putting pony tails in or braids. Our oldest granddaughter is such a huge help for us and takes care of the little ones as people first begin arriving at church so that I can meet and greet.

We get to sing praises to our Lord. After announcements, the children from babies to teens are all dismissed to class and I get the opportunity to teach the elementary kids. We have great discussions. Their minds are sponges and they are retaining everything from the lessons! I enjoy witnessing how their brains process the information that is given to them.

After church, we get to have more chatting time with our brothers and sisters in Christ. As people filter out, then the lunch comes on the table for the handful of people that stay for the leadership class where we really get to chew on the meat of the Word of God.  Iron sharpening iron helps the adults to dig through the truths of the  Old Testament. My teenage boys are such troopers (and many times one of the girlfriends). They hang out after church to watch the grandkids for a couple of hours during this time.  They never complain about it and they know it helps us so much.

After class, we spend a bit more time with our babies before having to take them home. It is not always easy leaving them even though we will see them again in a few more days.   As soon as we drop them off, we head for a friend's church for a time of prayer or back out to our own church when we offer prayer groups. We get to end our busy day in a sweet hour of prayer and it rejuvenates our exhausted souls.

It is the day in the life of a pastor's family. We love each smiling face we see during the day. We cherish each hug that offers encouragement. We trust when God says His Word does not return void and no matter what age of person we come into contact with on this day, we pray that God's love shines through us.  We try to stay energetic as we minister to others this day, but once we get home we know that no matter what time it is, dropping into bed is completely acceptable. My husband is completely wiped out but knows this is his time to now relax as he looks forward to Monday being his day off to recuperate.

We love our "job"!

Jesus loves me this I know!

"Jesus loves me this I know 

for the Bible tells me so.

Little ones to Him belong.

They are weak but He is strong.

Yes! Jesus loves me!

Yes! Jesus loves me! 

Yes! Jesus loves me!

The Bible tells me so!"

How can one simple truth also be so profound.   Jesus loves ME! I know me and there are many times that I am not very lovable. Yet Jesus LOVES me!  It is almost too big to wrap my mind around at times.   I have many friends and family members that love me, but to think that JESUS loves me is overwhelming.  A man, a brother, my Savior, my King who chose to die for me says that He loves me. 

Isn't it funny that everything we are told in the Bible all stems back to something that we learned when we were probably three years old.   Why should we go into all the world to make disciples of all nations? Because Jesus loves me.  Why should I love my neighbor as myself? Because Jesus loves me.  Why should I love God with all my heart, soul, mind, strength? Because Jesus loves me. 

If we truly understood all that Jesus has loved us through, we would not hesitate to love others through everything they are going through.   Forgiveness becomes easier when we realize the things from which we have been forgiven. 

Go out today and show the love of Jesus to others. Show them what true love looks like. Introduce them to the One who loves them!