Waiting for Lightning

I have six chapters of Book 5 written. A few weeks ago I suddenly got inspired to start writing the last book in my series. I knew how it would begin.

Now I’m stuck.

I know what needs to happen in this book, I know how it needs to end, and how to tie up the series. I’m just not sure how to get there.

I’m waiting for that lightning bolt of an idea to strike. I’m waiting for that Ah-Ha!-Moment. I’m waiting for God’s divine intervention.

I know it will come.

It better. Writer’s block is the worse.

Well, that and your kid getting Roseola. I’ve got both right now.

Too Much November

Is it just me, or is it strange this year to have a whole week of November left after Thanksgiving? Usually we start December sometime during that week following Turkey day. This year is different, and it’s kind of odd to me.

Mainly because once Thanksgiving is over, I can’t help but want to embrace the Christmas season. And starting December justifies my eager fa-fa-la mood somehow!

No matter, the Shaw Manor is already bedecked for the holidays. Our tradition is that Thanksgiving weekend we decorate for Christmas. The years when we’re gone with the Drazins, we either decorate the day we get home, or the day before we leave, which is usually the day before Thanksgiving. That’s what we did this year. It was magical to come home to Christmas.

Still it’s not December yet. I’m thinking I’ll at least restrain myself from buying Christmas gifts until December 1.

Take-Out Turkey

I had a big mommy decision to make this Thanksgiving. If you've been reading my blog, you know it was my family's year to host Thankgiving and we were planning to go down for the weekend and celebrate with them.

Things didn't turn out quite that way. West ended up getting really sick. He had a high fever for almost 48 hours, and wasn't doing well. So Wednesday night I called my mom and had to tell her we were staying home. In that moment, I really felt like a parent. I was canceling plans because my kid got sick.

Of course it was very disappointing for everyone. But it was the best thing to do for our little boy. So our holiday turned out to be the strangest of all. Michael's side of the family wasn't getting together because all his siblings were with inlaws this year (we're all on the same rotating holiday schedule with our families). And we couldn't invite ourselves over to anyone's house because Westly was sick. A dear friend brought us Thanksgiving dinner, so we got out turkey, etc. But it was still a little sad to think about everyone meeting with family and sitting at a huge table to partake in the meal together....

...and there we were....West napping, Michael and I watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade.

Oh well. Just another circumstance to remind me I am a Mom. And I'm thankful for that above all else.

I Dose of Deuteronomy

I thought I would share my Bible verse I chose for reflection time this year. I also wrote a little poem to go along with it.

“…therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may  love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days…” Deuteronomy 30:20

You set the beat in my heart,

A heart built to love You.

You blew the breath in my lungs,

Lungs filled to praise You.

You drew the prints on my hands,

Hands formed to cling to You.

You wrote the prose of my days,

Days meant to be with You.

You are my life!

Who's Year Is It Anyway?

This year it’s my family’s turn to have us for Thanksgiving. Being that my family lives 4 hours away, we swap the holidays with the Shaws and Drazins every year. This year is Drazin Thanksgiving and Shaw Christmas, and next year will be the other way around. I always look forward to Drazin Thanksgiving for a few reasons:

1.      Great homemade meal—whether it’s my mom or my Mimi cooking the meal, it’s always a yummy spread made from scratch. No boxed Stove Top stuffing on this table!

2.      Time of reflection—my dad always leads the family in a time of reflection on God’s blessings. We each take a turn sharing a Bible verse that was key to us this year, and saying what we are most thankful for.

3.      All my siblings in one place—it’s hard to get all my siblings together at once, especially since three of them are brothers with more exciting things to do. But for the holiday they all come, and I get extra time with my sweet sister-in-law. West and his cousin Mina will get to spend time together. Sadly this year my sister will not be with us, as she is in Belize and is saving her plane ticket money for a Christmas visit.

I hope your Thanksgiving is marked by good food, good conversations, and the goodness of God.

Blessings!

My Budding Author

The Book Release for Book 4 this weekend was a fun success, especially since my little Westly was a part of it. You never know, someday he may be signing books for a living!

Mama's Books

The other evening Westly was playing with a bookshelf in our family room. He rarely messes with things around the house that are not for him. But sometimes when he’s bored he gets mischievous. I keep my Sherlock Academy books, and copies of a devotion I wrote/published (more on that later) on this book shelf. When West picked up my books, I said, “Those are Mama’s books. I wrote those.”

Then later that evening I was in the dining room organizing the big shipment of books for the book release tomorrow. West recognized my books I was sorting through. He scuttled out of the dining room and was gone for a few minutes. He came scampering back holding a Sherlock Academy book and a Tokens of Grace book (my devotion). He held them up to me and said, “Mama.”

My first thought was, “Wow, he’s a little smartie-pants! And he has a killer memory.” Next my heart welled with love and pride for him. It made me feel so special to see my son holding my work, and affirming that these books were “Mama.”

He’s right. Every word in those books are a little part of me. And I can’t wait to share that part of ‘Mama’ with him.