Real Life is Better Than Fiction

On this TBT, I’m throwing it all the way back...to last week. It’s only Christmas Eve, but I’m pretty sure I’ve already received my most memorable gift of the year. Several fellow homeschooling moms and I enjoy an evening out once in a while. We have been trying to get together for a couple of months with no success. With classes at our homeschool co-op on Christmas vacation, we thought we could use that time that’s normally already scheduled to get together at my house for lunch and a cookie exchange. We were all sitting around the table cramming our faces with food, talking about the problem one of us, I’ll call her Renee, has with ADD. She chose that moment to hand out her gifts to us. They were journals. That alone makes it a perfect gift for me, but then I opened the journal to read the inscription. “Ruth, Merry…” I burst out laughing as I learned over to another friend to see what Renee friend had written in her journal. She got, “Tiffany, Merry Christmas. Love y...

The song of the week this week was my mom’s favorite.  As I sit here to write, I seem to be at a loss for words. Maybe that’s how it should be these few days before Christmas. Maybe we need to do a little less talking and a little more reflecting on what a holy night it was. 

This is the sappy song of the Christmas season for me. When I first heard it, I was driving down the road. I had to pull over until the tears stopped because I couldn’t see to drive. I heard this after my mom had passed away and my feelings were still raw. I am always jealous of those who still have all their loved ones with them. I know I shouldn’t be, but I can’t seem to help it. I have had to rethink things and envision what Christmas is like in heaven, wonder how those who have gone before us celebrate, wonder if they celebrate. I know there is worship both in heaven and on earth. The song this week is in honor of all of those who have gone on to heaven before us. While they may not be with us physically, they still live on in our hearts. 

I know that according to the calendar, the season of Thanksgiving has already passed. But should it ever really pass? Shouldn’t we be thankful all year, for all of God’s blessings? It’s so easy to get caught up in all the “things” (and I use that word in the truest sense) we don’t have, that we miss all that is sitting right before us. Finding contentment is such an issue in our society. This year, as I was putting up our Christmas tree, I could not help but think of all the blessing in my life, and many of those blessings are represented by ornaments I’ve been given over the years. All of these are treasures to me, just like the ones they remind me of. My husband is one of the greatest blessings in my life. It was God who brought us together –there’s no other explanation. Maybe that’s a story I’ll share on some other TBT post. He gave me this little writing mouse. The first Christmas we were married, my mom sent me all these homemade, stuffed ornaments. You...

When I first heard this song years ago, I didn’t like it. I think it was a combination of the arrangement and the singer that I didn’t like. However, when I heard this arrangement, my mind was forever changed. This is now one of my favorite Christmas songs. I can listen to it over and over again without getting tired of it. This is one of those songs that really lends itself for private worship, at least for me. It stirs me in ways that other songs can’t. As you listen to the song this week, focus on the Baby in a manger who came to give you life. 

As the Christmas season approaches I am going to be featuring Christmas songs as the Song of the Week. There are so many songs I could choose from and not enough space to share them all. I hope you enjoy the ones I do share through December. The first thing I want to encourage everyone to do is to make sure that your life doesn’t get so busy that you can’t enjoy the reason we are celebrating. Don’t get so busy that you don’t spend time with your family. Slow down and reflect. One of the things that I really enjoy doing during the holidays is just sitting in the living room with the Christmas tree, all the lights turned off except for the tree lights, and just soak it all in. I pray for those that come to mind and worship quietly, thankful for my Salvation that was born on Christmas Day. Try it for yourself.

I’ve mentioned before that certain songs bring certain people to mind. This is one of them. I heard my friend Sherry sing this years ago, and when I hear it now, I never fail to see her face. Sherry is just one of the many friends I appreciate. She is the epitome of those beautiful hands and feet as she is a missionary. I am blessed to have so many friends who follow the example of Christ and work to serve, whether here at home or abroad. The service of some is a little more visible than others, but those behind the scenes, the prayer warriors, are no less important. This song is in honor of all of those friends. I would name them all, but there’s not enough room. As you listen to the song this week, close your eyes and think of those God has put in your life that have served you in some way or another. Then think of Christ who is the ultimate example of service, the One who gave up His life for yours. How beautiful!

In general, today’s attitude of worship seems to be more about us and putting on a show than focusing on God. When my daughter was young, she once went to church with some friends. When she came home she was gushing about it. “They have so much to offer people. It’s such an entertaining church!” Now she was young enough that she didn’t realize what she was saying. Her statement has continued to make me think over the years since then. When I go worship, I want it to be all about God. I want the rest of the world and all the worries it contains, to fade into the background. I want to focus on God and all that He has done for me. What about you?

There are two lines in this week's song that speak to me, well, there's more than two, but two especially The first is "I fall flat on my face." I fall flat on my face often, daily even. Every time I'm trying to do something good, it seems that I fail. Perhaps that's because I put what I want done over what God wants done. I need God's grace every single day. The second line is "Hallelujah!" That one word says it all when it comes to how I fee about the grace that God grants me every day. How about you? Do you feel as if you need an extra dose of God's grace today? Don't worry, it's there for you as well as for me. Listen and join in on the "Hallelujah" parts. God's grace is sufficient for us all.

Our finite minds cannot understand the ways of God all the time, or at any time for that matter. We may not feel as if He listens to our pleas or cares what we are going through. When we pray for answers we may not get the answer we wanted. But God's ways are higher than our ways. Most importantly, He is able to work all things together for good. As you listen to this song, close your eyes and lay your requests before God and KNOW that He is able to do all things.

It seems as if there is a lot of confusion on who people think they are. And I'm not talking about people who are confused about their sexuality.Young people on their way to college don't know what they want to do or who they want to be when they grow up. There are plenty of older people who don't know what they want to be when they grow up, either. Many people feel unworthy because of life experiences and choices, and let's face it...we are all unworthy of Christ's love. The good news is that God knows exactly who we are, and He loves us in spite of all our faults. If you need to know who you are today, go to God, accept His grace and you will know that you are His child.

Here’s a newsflash: I’m flawed. Well, it may not be that much of a newsflash even if you met me only one time before. The truth is we are all flawed. Every day I have struggles. Every day I need grace. Thankfully, God’s grace never runs out. It never runs out for me, and it will never run out for you, either. God’s grace amazes me!

So often we look for help in every place but the obvious. I know this from first hand experience. I like to do things myself. If something needs to be done, I try to do it myself. However, sometimes circumstances are beyond my control. I have to find the Ultimate Help and to find that, I have to look when I'm on my knees.

I love it when friends share songs with me. I am often introduced to something new. This is just one of them. And the words are true...God is beautiful.

As I watch the news I am constantly aware of the mixed messages that are sent out on a daily basis, especially through the media. Teens are encouraged to have intimate relationships outside of marriage, but then one goes to jail because of that very thing. We can’t kill animals, but we can kill babies because that’s our right. Drugs are legalized, but then we feel so bad when someone needs rehab. Do you see where I’m going with this? As Christians, we need to be the light of the world. People need to see us as different. If they don’t, then maybe we aren’t doing something right. This week, be the light in one person’s life who is desperately searching for what is right.

For all of you fighting battles today…

As summer officially comes to a close, I want to hold on for just a moment longer in my memories. The Song of the Week this week takes me back to the days of summer camp. A friend of mine and I sang a duet one night during Bible time. I messed up, but she sounded great. Even after all the years have passed, this song still means a lot to mean, probably more as I have become more spiritually mature. There are many names of God. El Shaddai is only one. God is all we ever need, no matter what is going on around us. God is sufficient. We should fall on our faces as Abraham did when we know we are in the presence of the Lord Almighty. Adonai is another. I was fortunate enough to be born into a Christian household. My parents had me in church as soon as I was born. They taught me about God on a daily basis. But it wasn’t till I made the choice that He became Lord of my life.  That was when God became my Adonai. As you listen, think about some of the names of God that mean a...

Hope is an emotion that we all experience at some point or another in our lives. We hope for little things that are truly insignificant. We also hope for big things that could really change our lives. Often times we get disappointed because what we had hoped for didn’t happen. However, it wasn’t the act of hoping that upset us, it’s the fact that we didn’t get what we had hoped for. God is not only epitome of hopefulness; He is faithful to those of us who hope in Him. Rahab is one of the most famous women of the Bible and she absolutely fascinates me. Her predicament was literally hopeless. She knew that something terrible was about to happen to her city. This was probably the only place she had ever lived. Yet she found a reason to hope. She chose to believe in the God that was not her own to find that hope. This hope found her a place in Hebrews chapter eleven among many true faithful of the Bible. Rahab lived in Jericho. She was a sinful woman, living in a sinful city. ...

The Song of the Week this week is for all my friends who seem to be going through one difficulty after another. Many have lost loved ones. Many have had one health issue after another. Both the issues and the friends are too numerous to mention. When we go through difficult times it’s hard to see through to the other side, yet we must. If we open up ourselves to the Lord’s leading, He may break us, but that in the end it will only be for the better.  We will be better people. We will have experiences that we can use to help others through later. So, for all of you going through a trial right now, give your heart to the Lord and allow Him to work through the trial and make you like the "Flower in the Rain." 

I am a firm believer of using our past experiences to help others. There are many times in life we are going through something terrible and we can’t see beyond the moment. However, once the dust settles and life gets back to the new normal, that is when we can help others. I believe that God put us through those situations just so that later in life we can help someone and be an understanding heart in their time of need. Look back on your life. Is there any time you went through a tragedy? Do you know anyone else who has gone through something similar? Pray and ask God to open your eyes to where you can be a help and an encouragement. You are just what someone needs. If you like this post, please be sure to click on the "Follow by email" link at the top. That way you'll never miss a thing! Thanks for visiting.

As believers we are called to work. I know, “work” is not always a nice word. Once we accept Christ, we could stay where it’s always safe. We could stay were we are familiar with our surroundings. We could stay where there are no surprises. But then again, when you actually think about it, what’s the fun in that? God has a mission for each of us. We need to fulfill that mission. If we ignore Him, our lives could be miserable. I could have ignored the call of God on my life to write. It was hard trying to work with little kids running around the house. It was even harder while I was homeschooling all three of them. But I persisted, and God has blessed. Every time someone lets me know how something I’ve written has touched their life in a positive way, it gives me confirmation that I’m doing what He wants me to do. Those moments of confirmation are few and far between, but always when I need it. What has God called you to do today? Are you doing it? If you like thi...

Not too long ago I received one of the strangest and saddest phone calls ever. It was an older gentleman with whom I used to work. We started our employment at just about the same time and after the business shut down we kept in touch somewhat, seeing each other around town on occasion. He was a widower and found his second wife who also worked with us. They shared several years together as a married couple, but then she passed away. That was the reason for the phone call. John called to thank me for the sympathy card I had sent. “You are the only one who sent a card.” I was flabbergasted. Even after retiring from the pulpit he still did some preaching, sometimes fairly regularly in churches. I found it extremely sad that no one else bothered to send condolences. It was a good thing he asked me a questions after he made his statement, because I had no words. I didn’t know what to say. I almost felt like sending him another sympathy card, this time being sorry for people ...

There are times when I am in awe of the feeling of the presence of the Holy Spirit in my life. I am amazed at His protection and provision for my family and me. I honestly don’t know what I would do if a day went by when I couldn’t feel His presence in my life. Today, call on the Lord and ask Him to fill your home, your life, your work, your family, you.

Because some weeks are crazy, hectic, frustrating, stressful, and (feel free to insert an appropriate adjective here) like my last couple of weeks have been, sometimes you just need to listen to a song that makes you smile.  As you listen this week, know that I am praying for your week ahead to go smoothly and be filled with fun and laughter and love.  

Every day I see and hear statements like these: “You deserve it!” “You can have it all!” “Buy now, pay later!” There isn’t necessarily anything wrong with these statements per se, however, the idea has gone too far. We don’t deserve everything. Sometimes you have to work a little harder for something you want so you don’t have to “buy now and pay later.” Paying later usually comes with consequences – and I’m not just talking about financial consequences. The one thing we really don’t deserve is God’s love, yet it is there for us every moment of our lives. We can have it all in Christ. We don’t have to buy or pay for anything. The price has already been paid for us. Maybe once we realize that deep down in our hearts, we truly will not want what this world has to offer.

Wait. That’s not one of my favorite words. When I first began writing, I would send something to a publisher and…wait. I would just about pounce on the mailman when he came. “(Yes, this was before the Internet and email!) Even after I began sending things out by email, there was a lot of impatient waiting, checking my inbox several times a day. I wish I could say I had conquered this issue 100%, but not really. The key to writing is to not spend time waiting. I need to e working on the next thing in the meantime. The same is true of our Christian lives. Many days we send p a request to God and spend (waste) our time waiting. That’s not how it should be. We should be moving on to something else. While we are waiting for God’s answers we need to be worshiping and serving. That’s what the Song of the Week is about. Give a listen… 

You can download a free copy of this  to-do list at Misfit Isle I don’t know about you, but I sometimes feel like I struggle with laziness. I’m not sure if it’s that I am in fact lazy, or that I’m disappointed at the end of the day when I haven’t been able to cross everything off my list.(I’m definitely a list maker!) I don’t know if it’s because I work at home, that sometimes it’s easy to get distracted from work. I’m a writer, editor, and book reviewer. All of those cause me to sit. Either way, it’s something I’ve taken to God. Over the last several months I’ve prayed each morning for productive day, free of laziness. God has helped me by nudging me to do “one more thing.” Each day, when I attempt to sit and do nothing, I tell myself, “one more thing” and I find one more thing to accomplish. Then there is that afternoon slump. There are many afternoons I feel like I could simply lay down and take a nap. Because I work at home it would be so easily done. The one good thing a...

There seems to be an awful lot of word slinging lately, sometimes in surprising places. Everyone has an opinion about everything and they aren’t afraid to share it not matter how they sound or who they hurt. Yes, I have definite opinions about everything that’s happening in the news; however, I don’t scream my opinion to everyone on the Internet. I think most people who know me, know exactly where I stand on many of these issues. If someone wants to sit down and have a discussion (without bashing and hollering) I would be glad to. When you scream your opinion at everyone, soon everyone stops listening. Words are something we use on a daily basis. I use mine for work. I want my words to be carefully chosen. I know that sometimes the words that come out of my mouth are not the ones that should. I think that’s why I enjoy writing…I can go back and scribble out the words that shouldn’t be there. Unfortunately, I can’t do that with my mouth. This week, listen to the song, and then...

I haven’t done a Real Life post in a while and thought it was time. I had actually forgotten about it until one of my son’s friends reminded me. I usually have stories about people stopping by my house to use the bathroom, but not this time. Last summer, I was busy working when my husband came home for lunch. After he left, he sat in his truck outside the house for a few minutes. I didn’t really think anything of it as this is normal for him. When the phone rang, I answered. “Lock the door, quick!” It was him. I saw a woman just standing in front of our house looking at it. For those of you who have never been to our house, it’s pretty much all open, especially during the summer. The curtains are open, the windows are open. I quickly went to do as my husband requested. I barely made it. The woman was at my front door trying to open it. I didn’t even have time to lock it, so I just held the lock so she couldn’t enter without knocking. I scrunched down on the floor by t...

My heart is heavy for so many of my friends and family members. Many are going through any number of difficulties whether physical, emotional, or mental. This song is for all of you this week. I don’t want to name anyone as some of the difficulties are private. I just want you to know that someone is praying for you and that there is Someone you can call out to in your time of need.

My guest author today is Kelli Hughett. Kelli was raised in Colorado where she and her husband are now raising and homeschooling their three kids. Kelli writes suspense with His fingerprints all over it when she isn’t tending the chickens and the garden or speaking to women’s groups. Faith and Family are the most common notes in the soundtrack of her life. You can catch up with Kelli, read devotionals and random thoughts, or book a speaking engagement at http://www.kellihughett.com . Thanks for visiting with us today, Kelli! For anyone who is interested, simply click on the cover to purchase a copy of her book. Tell us a little about yourself and share something about your day-to-day life that might help a reader to feel as though they know you a little better. I’m married to the minister and have three exuberant kids! I live in rural northern Colorado in full view of the Rocky Mountains. My friends call me an urban farm-girl, but’s that isn’t indicative of my success in t...

My guest author today is Lori Stanley Roeleveld. She is the author of the devotional book Running from a Crazy Man. I think Jerry Jenkins explains it best with: So you were hoping for a cheery devotional that would warm your heart, put a grin on your face, and remind you to count your blessings as you climb, climb up sunshine mountain as heavenly breezes blow? Guess what? You picked up the wrong book. On the other hand, I’ll bet you can’t read just one of Lori’s bite-sized reflections. There’s plenty of sugar to help the medicine go down. As soon as you peek ahead and think, I’m not sure I want to face this particular truth, you remember that the last time you thought that, Lori made it palatable with the right dash of humor, pathos or ah-ha. Then you’ll find yourself saying, as I said: “All right, just one more. And one more. And one more.” Jerry B. Jenkins Here is an excerpt from her book. Click on the cover to purchase a copy. Following J...

My guest author today is Jayme H. Mansfield. Keep reading to find out more about her, her writing, and her book, Chasing the Butterfly.  When you're done, show Jayme a little love and leave her a comment. You can also grab a copy of her book by clicking on the cover below. When did you first discover that you were a writer?  The first time I found myself in “the zone” was when I knew I had found my passion to write. Hours and hours went unnoticed and turned into full days in front of the computer. Ironically, for being an extravert, I discovered a wonderful place—to be by myself, creating new stories. What inspired Chasing the Butterfly? The initial seeds for the story grew out of writing assignments for the Christian Writers Guild and my personal passions for painting and traveling to France numerous times. But after that, I was inspired to persevere and complete the novel as a personal journey and challenge. At some (often many) junctures of our lives, we ...

I can’t tell you how many times in my life where I had been at a loss for words in prayer. It might be a difficult situation I am going through myself. It might be something a loved one is dealing with. It may be a situation where I was asked to pray one way, but I’m not sure what God wants. In all of these situations, I go to one of my favorite passages of Scripture, Romans 8:26, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.” I find that verse a comfort. I can just close my eyes and open up my heart to God. I don’t have to say a word. He knows what I’m feeling. He knows the conflict within my soul. He knows how my heart is breaking. The song this week fits this perfectly. Whatever you are going through, whenever you don’t have the words to say, all you have to say is, “Jesus!”

My guest author today is Debra Coleman Jeter. She is a Vanderbilt University professor who has published fiction and nonfiction in popular magazines, including Working Woman, New Woman, Self, Home Life, Savvy, Christian Woman , and American Baby . Her story, “Recovery,” won first prize in a Christian Woman short story competition, and her nonfiction book Pshaw, It’s Me Grandson: Tales of a Young Actor was a finalist in the 2007 USA Book News Awards. She is a co-writer of the screenplay for Jess + Moss, a feature film which premiered in 2011 at the Sundance Film Festival, screened at nearly forty film festivals around the world, and captured several international awards. She lives in Clarksville, Tennessee, with her husband. Tell us about The Ticket: Tray Dunaway longs to be part of the popular set at school, but she's growing too fast and her clothes no longer fit right. When she wears Gram's hand-sewn clothes to school, the kids make fun of her tall, boney appe...

I am pleased to be able to have a guest author on my blog today. Nan Jones is an author/speaker who uses the words of her heart to assist fellow Christians in discovering the Presence of God in their darkest hour. Her devotional blog, Morning Glory, has become a place of community for Christians to find encouragement in God’s Word and comfort in His Presence. She has been published in several anthologies as well as the online inspirational sites Christian Devotions, and Inspire a Fire. Nan has also had the honor of being featured as a guest blogger on several sites. She is thrilled to announce her debut book, The Perils of a Pastor's Wife released June 30, 2015 by Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. When Nan is not writing, she enjoys leading prayer retreats, bible studies or sharing God’s love as keynote speaker for special events. She is becoming known by her brand: "Even so, I walk in the Presence of the Lord" as she teaches her audience to go beyond the veil to ...