i'm baaaaack

I had a marvelous time at the conference! I learned a lot, gleaned a lot, gained a lot. I have better direction and clarity for my book and for my life. It was most excellent!

The downside was that there was some kind of crazy firewall or something on their wireless and so I could get online to look at blogs, but I could not post or comment. But here I am.

I an very tired, so for now I will just show you some pictures.

The beautiful Angela Hunt and Nancy Rue. Sometimes known as Nangie.

Kathryn Mackel, Angela Hunt, Nancy Rue and Alton Gansky

If you have not read their books, you should. Kathy writes Chillers and supernatural stuff. Angie writes concept fiction, (I think that's what they call it). You never know what you're going to get, but it's always great! Nancy writes a lot of books for Tween girls, but also some wonderful adult books. Al writes speculative fiction with a sci-fi kind of shading to it.

Here I am surrounded by great talent and genuinely kind and beautiful people.

Being in a conference with these people anywhere would be a blessing, but it was all the better for the beautiful location.

i'll be seein ya

Tomorrow I am going to a writer's summit/conference/convention/workshop so I probably won't have time for my usual deep, thoughtful and intelligent posts.  You know, like the one below.  Well, actually I may have time for some like the one below.  

But if they have wifi, I will try to post something!  I could write some today that are ready to post, but don't count on it.

Hopefully, I won't use the time set aside for writing.  That would be BAD.  Really bad.  Don't let me do that.  I need to actually write!

So, I may not be visiting your bogs for a few days.  Please, don't have too much fun until I get back!

look what i can do

cursed

Have you noticed how hard people have worked to undo the curse?  

I'm talking about The Curse.  The one God put on us and the whole earth when Adam and Eve first sinned.

For the woman the curse was painful childbirth, her desire would be for her husband and her husband would rule over her.

For the man it was that he would have to painfully toil in order to eat.  There would be thorns and thistles and he would eat by the sweat of his brow.  

And of course, death.  We would die.

So what do we have?  Epidurals and all kinds of interventions to provide almost a painless childbirth.  The Women's Liberation Movement telling women they don't need to submit to their husbands.  And I don't know what the desire for her husband means.  That doesn't sound like a bad thing.  But I have heard that it has to do with women wanting to control their husbands.  I also think it could be that so many women think that their husband can meet all of their needs and look to him for more than they should.

Anyway, so then for the men we have air conditioned John Deer tractors with DVD players and who knows what all.  The men who actually work the soil are doing so in grand style. And there is genetic alteration of produce to make it easier to grow and to decrease the labor needed.

And constant attempts to cure death.  People spend their lives fighting death.  But as soon as a cure is found for one thing, something new comes along.  Ever notice that?  

We are cursed.  And there is nothing we can do about it.  The only one who can lift the curse is the one who placed it.  God.  He has overcome death through the resurrection of His Son, but we won't taste fully of that resurrection in these bodies.  Truth is, we still must die.  But there is coming a day when no one will die.  When there will be no more weeds, or sweat, or pain.  The curse is temporary.  But not because of our efforts.

This is just something I think about whenever I hear about scientific attempts to find a cure for something.  I am not against that, by any means.  But it is, in the long run, futile.  There will always be something around that is killing people.  

Rev 22:2-4 says: "On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads."

But until then, all of creation groans, awaiting the day.  Rom. 8:22

thursday thirteen

Thirteen people, songs, or shows that I have been a fan of in my time.

Pause my music for the videos coming up.

Wonder woman!  I wanted to be just like her.

Dick Van Dyke.  Mostly, I think because I loved the movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Cookie Monster speaks for himself.  What's not to love?

Emergency 51.  Six isn't too young to have a crush.

Used to listen to him for hours.

Again, what's not to love?  Ok, don't answer.

It is nearly impossible to find a picture of this man smiling!

Yes, I was a very cool teenager.

Ahhh, Ponch...

When I was about eight, this was my favorite song.

This was my favorite song before that.



Tom Jones' TV show!!  When I dance like this, people laugh!


What child of the seventies didn't love Land of the Lost?

hair

It hasn't been this short in a LOOONG time!

ack and blarg!

I am surrounded by germs!!  

Why do kids not cover their mouths when they cough and sneeze even though they've been taught to do so for 12 years?

I have a wonderful writers' conference coming up this Sunday and I CAN'T. BE. SICK!

After I return from that I will be attending classes to become a counselor at the pregnancy center.  I already missed that training once because I was sick.  Ican'tbesick!

seasons

I'm going to get my hair cut in a few minutes.  Possibly short.  Well, it will be by some people's standards as it is already not long.

 I like to change things up.  I don't like to have the same hairstyle more than about twice in a row.  I change the decor in my house from season to season.  I wear different clothes in different seasons, as do most people.  I wear different perfume, when I wear any at all.  Spicy, woodsy for fall/winter and floral, fruity for spring/summer.

But what occurred to me yesterday is that I even change my gum, mints and toothpaste.  I do cinnamon in the cold months and spearmint in the warm months!

growing up in colorado

We haven't been to the mountains in a few years.  Every summer I want to go and we don't seem to get around to it.

First photo is a church in a small town I lived in beneath the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.  I loved living beneath The Blood of Christ.

The next photo is of my favorite mountain pass.

My parents and I on a fishing trip.  Going up to a mountain lake is one of my favorite things to do!

One time my mom took my sister and me up to a little lake and stream area with our sketchbooks and we all sat around and drew.  Drawed?  Made drawings.  

A photo of the Sangre de Cristos.

There is a photo of me standing above my hometown.  I'm not pregnant, the wind is blowing up my shirt.  Love the acid-wash jeans!

This is why I love Colorado!

drink coffee do good

I drink this coffee. At the rate I go through it, I'm not making much of an impact, though.  You can read more or make an order here.

 I am interested in Rwanda because the Anglican church we attended for awhile was actually a mission church from Rwanda.  They are missionizing us!  For an old post on Rwanda and reconciliation click here.

go look

New post over on Books and Starbucks.

prison

A man commits a terrible crime.  Maybe he was a thief who ruined many people's lives.  Maybe he murdered someone.  Anyway, whatever it is, he comes to a place of turn-around.  Maybe not spiritually, but he starts living a different way.  He gets a job that contributes to society.  He has a family and lives a normal "good life" for, lets say, twenty years. 

If he gets caught all this time later, do you think he should have to go to prison?  (Let's not get into legal stuff, I don't know legal stuff)

If yes, then why?  What is the purpose of prison?  Is it to "make him pay"?  Is it to make the victims feel vindicated?  Is it to rehabilitate the criminal?  

I was watching an old James Cagney movie and he had been a thief, but after eluding the police, he gave up crime and became a famous actor.  And it just got me thinking that it seems it would be  waste of time and resources to put him in prison at that point.  He had turned from his evil ways.  What would be the point?

What do you think?

question

Why don't dogs have belly buttons?

thursday thirteen

Movies that I find funny.  I didn't include romantic comedy - that's another post.

A double feature because I couldn't choose just 13.  I made them all into links so you can learn more.

You can tell a lot about a person based on their sense of humor. 

Don't judge me.

1. Dr. Strangelove: or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

2. City Slickers

3. Throw Mama From the Train

4. Harvey

5. Ferris Bueller's Day Off

6. Arsenic and Old Lace

7. The Gods Must be Crazy

8. Tootsie

9. Pee Wee's Big Adventure

10. Napoleon Dynamite

11. The Burbs

12. The Pink Panther movies with Peter Sellers

13. O Brother Where Art Thou

1. Back to the Future

2. What About Bob?

3. The Frisco Kid

4. Young Frankenstein

5. Wayne's World

6. Waking Ned Divine

7. Fun With Dick and Jane

8. Little Big Man

9. Stranger Than Fiction

10. Wild Hogs

11. Mars Attacks

12. The Trouble with Angels and Where Angels Go, Trouble Follows

13. Austin Powers 

two answers

Ok, Julie asked if my face still itches.  That's kinda a goofy question, isn't it?  Of course my face still itches.

But the reason she asked is because when I was about 10 or so I had a terrible facial tic.  I would squinch my lips up and poke them out then stretch my mouth wide open.  I can't even think about it, much less write about it without having a very strong urge to do it!  It feels so good!  But once it starts, it takes over and it very hard to get under control.

I could make a spiritual correlation, but I think you can get it for yourself.

My mom asked me to talk about my trip to Haiti and my white leg.  

Well, I am very white.  Not just caucasian, but a caucasian who shows all of her British heritage and absolutely none of whatever heritage we have that makes some of us look like we are from south of the border.  I am just plain white.

So I was in Haiti for a couple of weeks and those people are very dark.  Beautiful people.

We went on a horse ride up a hill and we had to wear dresses because proper ladies don't wear pants.  I wore a dress that did not have enough freedom of movement and the only way I could get on my horse was to hike that skirt up a ways.  At least I was proper...

Anyway, my thighs just don't see the sun much and are nearly the color of paste.  This cute little guy (a young man of 18 or so) was my horse "wrangler" and as I sat there on the horse blinding everyone, he stared at my leg and before he could help himself he ran his finger over the skin.  He was shocked at himself and looked at me very apologetically and a bit mortified at what he had done.  I just grinned and that was it.  It wasn't a sexual thing, he just was fascinated by that whiter than white skin.    

Anyway, I think it is funny because there have been times that I have barely been able to restrain myself from doing something similar!

submission to husbands

Alrighty then.  My friend Sue asked for me to blog about submission.  Well, okay.

As with all of my opinions, this is a work in progress.  I may not think this same way in six months.  I am not the final authority on anything.  I know you know that, I just wanted to get that disclaimer in.

This topic is one that I have been praying about and learning about for quite some time.  And over time, my opinion tends to lean more strongly toward the opinion I am about to share.

I believe that wives are to be submissive to their husbands.  I do not believe that men are superior or more capable in general.  I do believe that men are superior in certain areas and more capable of certain things.  I also believe that women are superior in certain areas and are more capable of certain things.  I believe we are equal, but different.

Along with the differences come different roles.  The man is the leader.  The head of the wife and of the home.  In the same way that Christ is the head of the church.  Meaning,  a man and wife are one body as Christ's church is one body.  A body can only have one head.  

The woman was created to be man's helper.  This isn't a demeaning role.  This doesn't mean slave.  This means supporter, helper.  The word in Genesis 2:18 that is translated helper or helpmeet, is the word Ezer.  It mean helper and every other time it is used in the Old Testament it is in reference to God.  When someone is in dire straits, a life or death type of situation and God comes to help - the word Ezer is used.  So we aren't talking about finding our husbands socks, although we do that, too.  We're talking about life and death.  The word helpmeet can be translated "sustainer beside him".  Our role is essential.  We possess qualities that men do not.  Fierce loyalty, determination, long suffering, nurture, etc.

The concept of submission is one of order.  It isn't one of value.  We are equal in God's eyes spiritually and as far as our value goes.  But we do have "physical, positional and functional differences" according to Zodhiates dictionary.  We each have a designated function ordained by God.

Submission (hupotasso) means to obey - yep, like it or not- to put under, subdue unto, subject to.  To place under in an orderly fashion.

We don't like it.  We fight against it.  I know men who don't like it.  They don't want that kind of responsibility.  And it goes against our nature.  It is natural for women to want to control people.  We like to be in charge.  And for many men it is natural to let us.  But since when is our nature right?

This is God's design and everything He does is perfect.  

Now, in no way is God saying that we have to submit to anything illegal, immoral or dangerous.  We do not have to obey our husbands if he wants us to rob a bank to send our kids to college.  We do not have to submit to abuse.

So, how does this work?  What does it look like?  Marriage is full of decisions, big and small.  Do I think you should ask your husband about each purchase at the grocery store?  Goodness, no.  And if he expects you to, then you both need to get some help ASAP.

But when an important decision comes along, I think both need to pray about it and seek God's direction.  If you come to different conclusions, the husbands is the one you go with.  I think the wife has a right and an obligation to lovingly share her opinions and concerns, but in the end, the husband's decision is the one you go with.

What if he's wrong?  Well, that's between him and God and as for you/me?  We trust God.  If our husbands make a bad choice for us and our families, God can take care of it.  He will honor us for being obedient to Him in our submission.

Husbands are accountable to God for the decisions they make and for the way they lead.  We are accountable to God for our response to those decisions.

Now, I will tell you, in case you didn't know.  That I do not practice this well.  It is very difficult, but it is something that I strive to do.  A crucial part of this is to first learn to properly respect your husband.  You cannot submit if you don't respect.  You will only feel resentment.  

A wonderful resource for you on the topic of respect, is Laura Schlessinger's book called The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands.

In researching for this post I used The Complete Word Study Dictionary, both old and New Testament by Spiros Zodhiates.  I also read a little bit in Captivating by Stasi and John Eldredge.

The scripture passage is Ephesians 5:22-23.

a lesson from the Shire

My favorite scene from Lord of the Rings (the movie) is at the very beginning before they've even left the Shire.

Bilbo(a hobbit)  is getting ready to leave but finds himself not wanting to leave behind the ring (evil, bad thing).  

So Bilbo is arguing about this when Gandalf (the wizard) seems to increase in size.  He becomes large, imposing and fierce.  He says in a loud, booming voice something like, "Have you forgotten who I am?  I am no conjurer of cheap tricks!"

Bilbo is against the wall, eyes wide, full of fear.  

Then Gandalf comes back to normal size, his face softens and his eyes are tender as he says, "I am not here to steal from you.  I am here to help you."

Then Bilbo sobs and runs into his arms.

I LOVE that scene. 

That scene makes me think of us and God.  We so often forget who He is.  We forget that He isn't just some performer.  He is GOD.  He created all things with His words.  Life came from His breath.  

But sometimes we take Him lightly.  We diminish Him in our eyes.  We box Him up and label Him and expect Him to behave the way we like.  

And we argue with Him.  We fight Him because we have things that we are holding on to.  Things that are precious to us.  We want them.  But He knows that those things are harmful to us.  They are evil.  They will consume us.  

He isn't here to steal from us.  He's here to help us.  Always.  Only.  He loves us and only wants our good.  But to quote a different movie/book (The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe), "He isn't a tame lion."  He isn't tame at all and we best remember that.

The Old Testament refers to it as the Fear of the Lord.  And it is highly recommended.

what do you want from me?

Do you have any questions you've been dying to ask me?

Would you like to know my opinion about something?  Have you always wondered what I think about the coyote situation or the Mars probe, Spirit?

Do you have a problem that needs solved?  Are you in need of advice about something?

Do you have suggestions for posts?

What would you like to see here on this blog?

I have a list of post ideas right here next to my computer.  So if you don't have any questions, problems, ideas or suggestions I will just continue with the regular scheduled programming.

But now is your chance to be heard!  Speak up!

what color is YOUR brain?

Your Mind is Green

Of all the mind types, yours has the most balance. You are able to see all sides to most problems and are a good problem solver. You need time to work out your thoughts, but you don't get stuck in bad thinking patterns. You tend to spend a lot of time thinking about the future, philosophy, and relationships (both personal and intellectual).

What Color Is Your Mind?

books

There are a couple of new book recommendations over at Books and Starbucks.  Melanie posted one earlier this week and I posted one today.  Go take a look!

yesterday

You have seen, if you looked two posts down, what the weather was like yesterday morning.  What the pictures don't reveal accurately is the terrible wind!  It was a nasty cold day.  The kind of day I just LOVE -- as long as I am staying in my house.

But I had big plans and they weren't to stay home all day.  In spite of being unable to get out of my driveway, I was able to do what I had been looking forward to for at least a week!

My friend Robbie and I rode the light rail train downtown, (by this time the snow and wind had stopped!!) and went to

 tea at the beautiful historic Brown 

Palace Hotel.

  It was absolutely lovely.  Really.  Just wonderful!  

Then we walked around just a bit and then we went to our friend Megan DiMaria's Book launch party!  You know for her newly published book, Searching for Spice.  I am so happy for her!  It is so exciting

 to have a long-time dream come true!  There was a very nice turn out and it was in a very cool location.  Its called the D&F Tower.  It is Denver's first sky 

scraper and was the tallest building west of the Mississippi when it was built.

Our party was right above the clock.  The elevator went to just bellow the clock and then we climbed stairs behind the clock to get to the floor above.  That kind of thing is extremely difficult for me as I get vertigo in those situations.  But my friends were so understanding and helpful.

It was very nice and fun.  I even went out on the balcony that

 you can see there above the clock.  For some reason, that didn't cause 

any dizzy, wooziness.  Weird.  But anyway.  It was a great time!

After that Robbie and I stopped at the Cheesecake factory for something with some protein in it to counteract all the sugar and caffeine we had consumed earlier.  Yummy.  

It was a very, very nice day.  

Got to Jan's blog for some great photos of the event!

thursday thirteen

A few months ago my daughter said to me, "Mom it isn't fair that you had so many pets and we haven't had any!"  And I agreed with her.  That isn't right.  We had tried hampsters and we had a fish for a while, but the hampsters didn't work out and the fish wasn't very fun.  So that's when we got our dog that we have now.

Here are 13 pets I have had - in the order that I think of them.

1. My cat Smokey

2. a duck named Henry - then Henrietta

3. a rat - stupid thing bit me - didn't deserve a name

4. a rabbit name Peanuts

5. a chicken.  I can't remember her name, but she had one.

6. a dog named Rags

7. a pony named Creampuff

8. a cat named Shoney

9. a dog named Dolly

10.  a dog named Wog

11. a cat named Tubby

12. a cat named Fluffy

13. and now we have a dog named Skittles

You could add several more cats to that list.  And a dog that I don't really remember.

There's a picture of Smokey and me and just for fun, one of my sister and her dog, Sugar.

april showers

my life in photos

Twas a Saturday - the day before Easter - around lunchtime that I slithered into the world.   From the picture I've seen, I looked suspiciously like an alien.

But I got pretty cute pretty quickly.  I have pictures of that, too.  Sorry, but I don't have any baby pictures in my computer.  I know... I know... Maybe sometime.

Here I am in my blissful youth.  Unfettered childhood.  Those were the days.

Then I had to go to school.  Life would never be the same.  

This hairdo, by the way, was reserved for school pictures and stints as a flower-girl.

I made it through school.  I went to a Christian school from 3rd grade through 12th.

Class of '84 ROCKS!

I even made it through college.  Six years of college.  It took six years because I had a difficult time deciding what I wanted to do.  This is actually my first senior picture.  I had a second one done two years later when I graduated.  I got a degree in nursing.  Had a minor in World Missions and took a lot of other cool classes along the way.  I love school!

A couple years after graduation I met my hubby.  Five months later we were married.

Then we had two precious kids.  Basically I've just lived a life.  42 years of life.  A lot of it has gone as expected.  A lot of it has not.  That's what keeps it interesting.  And it has been interesting.

more of me in pictures

I know you may not want to see any more of this stuff.  But its fun, and its my birthday week, so I get to do whatever I want.  That's my rule.

I found these questions somewhere else, but the rules were the same as in the last post.  I had to find the answers on Photobucket and only use the first page.  I cheated on Beryl, though.  I clicked through a couple of pages.  But its my birthday week, so I can if I want.

What is your nickname?

What is your favorite smell?

What is your favorite drink?

What is your favorite animal?

What is your favorite dessert?

What is your bad habit?

What is your grandmother's name?

What is your favorite book?

What is your favorite color? (it's a toss-up)

What is your favorite food? (but not raw!)

What is your last name? (one of these)

What was your first job?

How old will you be on your next birthday? (tomorrow)

Where would you like to travel?

What is your favorite place?

What are your favorite objects?