Rachel Olsen

Finding a New Kind of Resolution

2012-01-27T05:00:00.000-05:00

I've always loved New Year's Day, the annual fresh start. Followed by January - the month of potential.

I recall sitting down one January years ago with a yellow legal pad, pencil in hand, ready to determine my New Year's resolutions.

I thought through each major area of my life: my career, relationships, finances and faith. I wrote down all the things I wanted to stop doing, and all the things I wanted to start doing. I looked over my list. And immediately felt overwhelmed.

I clearly had much to work on. Much to do. Much to fix. Much to establish. And much to kick.

I was going to need more coffee.

It was that same familiar urge rising up that I talked about in my devotion published today with P31: to try to make myself both more and less of me. Am I the only girl repeatedly plagued by such thoughts?

I assumed tackling all these flaws and developing all these good practices would make my life great - and that's a hard belief to shake.

Then I cracked open my Bible, with its message of grace and of Spirit-fueled transformation. Looking through the lens of the Gospels, I saw a different story than the one scribbled on my notepad. And I got a much needed injection of direction.

"Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me." ~ Jesus in John 15:4

I realized that life in Christ is not intended to be an exercise in willpower for behaviormodification. It’s intended to be an exercise in yielding for heart transformation.

Once again Jesus shushed my endless listing of all the things I want to change or improve about myself. Once again He afforded me humble contentment with who I am and who I'm made to be, along with the promise of coming fruit. Really, what could be better?

I do New Year's resolutions quite differently now, but you can read about that in my previous post.

Welcome if you are new here - take a second to say "hello."

My One Word for 2012

2012-01-25T19:30:00.000-05:00

cre∙ate: cause to come into being, as something unique that would not naturally evolve or that is not made by ordinary processes.

This is my one word for 2012.

Each year for the last six years I've ditched the idea of New Year's resolutions in favor of prayerfully choosing just one word to be my focus for the year. One word that represents what I most hope God will do in and through me over the months to come.

I spend the month of January choosing the word carefully. And often my word doesn't make a lot of sense to others. At least not as much sense as it makes to me. For example, last year my one word was PERPEITY. (See, I told you.) The year before that it was SLOW.

This year I've chosen the verb CREATE. It's the first verb to appear in the Bible. Chapter one, verse one. In fact, it's our first recorded act of God. Not that I'm planning to hover over dark waters and create some earth this year ... unless maybe I paint landscapes on the beach at midnight. Or I get time to write a novel - that could count as creating a world.

Why CREATE?

Actually I chose CREATE because in the last few years my heart has developed a singular mission: to create a life that is pleasing to God. My drive is to fulfill the purpose for which I was created -- for God's great pleasure. (see Revelation 4:11)

I want to create work that proclaims His fame. I want to create a home and relationships that honor Him. I want to produce faith that pleases Him. And I want to realize afresh that I came "into being as something unique that would not naturally evolve or result from ordinary processes" - that I've been made holy and set apart in Christ.

MY ONE WORD Wednesdays

Throughout 2012 I'll be doing My One Word Wednesdays here. Each week, mid-week, I'll be posting on the word CREATE. I'll look at what the Bible says about it. (I love that the dictionary definition hints that there is something supernatural about the process of creating.) I'll teach on verses I'm studying in my quiet time on it. I'll also share others' insights on creating. And I'll reveal any struggles I encounter with my word.

I'll talk about creativity - I'm a writer after all. Yes, creativity and productivity. But also about learning to rest and be the created. Worshipping the Creator. This is ultimately about spiritual formation, which is the process of growing into the new heart Salvation creates within us.

And I'll keep you abreast of my personal creative projects. Do you promise not to laugh if I do paint on the beach at midnight and post a photo of my sloppy masterpiece?

My current creative project is a book I'm co-authoring with my pastor Mike Ashcraft on this My One Word movement. It will release the end of this year with Zondervan, provided I finish creating the manuscript by March. (Now would be a really good time to pause and pray for me if you would be so kind!) Email me if you've got a great story on living with one word - you might make it into the book!

So stay tuned for more to come. And if you aren't familiar with the My One Word movement click on the image above to visit our website and learn more. I'll be posting there some this year as well. Consider prayerfully choosing one word for 2012 and if you've already chosen a word, go post it on the site - I can't wait to read it!

Fundamental Attribution Error

2012-01-20T13:49:00.005-05:00

Ever notice that we have a tendency to attribute other people’s behavior to their disposition or character, but to link our own behavior to our environment or circumstances?

I can’t help it – it’s my upbringing, my situation, my biology, my____.

Psychologists call this the fundamental attribution error.

For example, if we see a stranger trip, they must be clumsy or absentminded. But if we trip, well there must be something on the floor, or stuck to our shoe. We automatically look back at the ground with a wrinkled brow.

(Photo: sandman_kk / CC)

Even if there is nothing there, we'll sometimes pretend there was!

When we ignore the speed limit, it’s because we seriously need to get somewhere quick – like to work on time or we’ll be in trouble. We’re not really “speeders,” it’s just that our circumstances necessitate it today (and every time we’re running late).

But when another car speeds past us, weaving through traffic, it’s because they are irresponsible - and we hope they get pulled over.

I'm not really a speeder, I'm not really a liar, I'm not really lazy, I'm not really a cheater, it's just that ...
It’s always totally “their bad” but it’s never quite fully “our bad.” It doesn’t take much pondering to figure out why this is – we want to excuse our behavior. To not have to examine it, change it or feel bad about it.

Yet we do feel bad about it. Every so often – maybe when a romantic partner leaves us, or at New Year’s, or when convicted by God’s Spirit – we take an honest look at ourselves, and we want to change.

Once we decide to change, we attack our problematic behavior with all the will power we can summons. Because, we assume, that is what it takes to change.

I wonder if this isn't another kind of fundamental attribution error.

Biblically speaking, is it our willpower that changes us? Christ said He can do nothing apart from the Father. And, Christ said, we can do nothing apart from Him. ( see John 15:5)

So, where does our strength come from? Regret-fulled willpower, or Spirit-fueled transformation? Which one do you tend to rely on?

Holidays are for ...

2012-01-16T10:10:00.001-05:00

Congrats, Kari. As commenter #18 you've won a copy of It's No Secret. Shoot me over your address so I can get it in the mail to you.

French pressed decaf coffee - check.

Tangerine Lemongrass candle lit - check.

Quiet time done - check.

Music for Productivity - check.

Now I'm beginning my writing session for the day. To be followed by the gym, some straightening in the master suite, and a movie with the kids.

What's on your agenda this Martin Luther King day? Hope it's a good one.

The Problem of Perfectionism

2012-01-13T01:05:00.006-05:00

Do you feel not quite good enough much of the time?

Avoid starting projects for worry you’ll fail?

Miss deadlines because you’re still working to get it just right?

Fear others seeing less than your best?

Is "average" an ugly word?

If so, it's likely you are plagued by perfectionism. I talked about this some in my devotion today published with Proverbs 31.

PERFECTIONISM = a set of self-defeating thoughts and behaviors driving you to set, and to expect to reach, excessively high or unrealistic goals.

As I pointed out in the devotion, it usually causes us to hyper-focus on our appearance and performance rather than our motives and character. Plus, it often adds emotional instability to our lives.

Sometimes it only manifests in one area of our life like our job, our craft or the cleanliness of our home.

Other times it runs rampant, causing us to be super-controlling. Or, on the flip side, to slack off and procrastinate because if we don't think we can do it perfectly, we don't want to try.

And when perfectionism comes to church, it sets us on a misguided path of achieving righteousness with our works, or earning God's favor. Talk about setting excessively high goals!

Our perfectionistic striving often leaves us feeling like we come up short. Like we just don't fully have what it takes. So 2 Peter 1:3 has some good news for us:

"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness." (NIV)

That's the Bible telling you that you have what it truly takes. You are fully capable - in Christ you have access to everything you need - to live the life that God creates for you.

Maybe not to live the life you want to create for yourself, but for the life He wants to create for you. Which, trust me on this, that is the life you really want.

Leave a comment telling me how perfectionism usually raises its ugly head in your life, and I'll pray for you in this. You can pray for me as well to focus on my character over my performance.

And if you want more on this topic, I elaborate further and give a short Bible study on it in chapter 7 of my book It's No Secret: Revealing Divine Truths Every Woman Should Know. I'll pick a random winner from today's comments to receive a copy.

Have a terrific day - without sweating the small stuff. (wink)

Writing like Mad (Men)

2012-01-10T09:34:00.002-05:00

Do you ever go to costume parties? Last fall I was invited by some friends from the university - no, not students - to attend a "Man Men" themed party. Everyone was to dress up like a character from the show (or at least that general era).

I was familiar with the award-winning TV show about advertising execs in 1960's but hadn't watched as much as a full episode, so I decided to tune in for one. The show is a little randy, to use their vernacular. And I had a hard time getting use to all the smoking and drinking they do at work. But it's also smartly written, and their style is fabulous.

See what I mean? This was a great excuse to buy a retro-chic southern-looking dress.

So maybe that's why I loved this post on writing by Jonathan Morrow at Copyblogger called "The Mad Men Guide to Changing the World With Your Words." You have to admit, that's a creative angle for a post.

If you're a writer, check it out and see if you agree with Jonathan and the fictional Don Draper. By the way, the show's writers are mostly females in their 20's to 50's.

Now I'm off to do some more of what looks like nothing in hopes of uncovering the next great idea and changing the world. Then I'll put on a fabulous dress and write like mad.

You watch this show? If you decide to tune in now, just know that I warned you, it's randy!

The Gift that is January

2012-01-04T09:14:00.003-05:00

It seems fitting that each year concludes with reveling. With time off from work and routine to celebrate family and blessings - and the One we have to thank for both.

With Christmas, New Year's Eve, and both my children's birthdays in a two week period of time, I did plenty of celebrating. I also did quite a bit of indulging in the process.

I was staying up later than usual, followed by sleeping in later than usual. I kept the downstairs clean but let my office and bedroom get cluttered. My girlfriend Kati brought me a tin of cookies, and I ate as many as I wanted. Plus Chex Mix.

I did a pretty good job of exercising up until Christmas, but after that notsomuch - unless you count shopping as exercise, or playing drums with the band on New Year's Eve.

Letting things slide while I indulge a little is fun. It feels good, decadent and worth it. And I think at the time I could sooo live this way every day - I'd never tire of it!

But then I do. And I begin craving structure, order, growth and discipline.

I start wanting the feeling of accomplishment more than the feeling of indulgence.

So it seems fitting that the end of the year with all it's revelry is followed by New Year's with all it's emphasis on renewal and self-improvement.

And that is the great gift of the cold, quiet month of January.

It's a time for reordering. For reestablishing. For recommitting. In the slow pace of winter.

"Indolence is a delightful but distressing state: we must be doing something to be happy."

~ William Hazlitt

There is purpose in the rhythms and seasons of life. There is a need to break routine and to reestablish it throughout the year. I very much go with the flow that way. How about you, are you ready for the purposeful push of January or are you still hanging on to the indulgent mindset of December?

Clean Start

2012-01-01T09:49:00.002-05:00

Fresh Possibility.

A Finish Line, followed by a Start Line.

A season of revelry, followed by a season of renewed focus and discipline.

A Clean Slate.

This is what appeals to us about a new year.

Today I have an uber healthy, cleansing soup in the crock pot. I'm making my to-read list for the next three months. I'm changing all the sheets on the beds, airing out the duvets and straightening up my closet.

I'm praying over my next MY ONE WORD. I think I know what it will be. One came to me two weeks ago, but I always take several weeks to let it fully arise. More on that later.

Today I'm working on my inspiration notebooks. In the last chapter of It's No Secret I talked about keeping notebooks - full of images, articles, hand-written notes, quotes and verses - that remind me what is important to me, what my priorities are. I look through them regularly to motivate me to keep my priorities a priority.

Because we often forget our priorities, don't we? Or at least we fail to keep to them.

That's why we like a new year - it's a fresh chance to realign and begin again. It's a time pregnant with possibility. It's a call to renew our vows to God and self.

So here's to 2012. What are you doing in this first day of the year?

Happy New Year!

Foodie Friday - Yonanas!

2011-12-30T10:56:00.003-05:00

Our family had a very Yonana's Christmas. You've seen the incredibly cheesy yet intriguing infomercial for Yonanas, right? It's the machine that turns frozen bananas into an all-natural ice cream-like treat.

You've wondered if it's any good, haven't you?

My mother-in-law bought every one in the family a Yonanas machine for Christmas. My kids - especially my middle school daughter - couldn't wait to try ours out. So we made a batch on Christmas ... and every day since then.

So yes, it's actually good.

Start with very ripe bananas: the brown-spotted ones you can find super cheap at the grocery store. (Or, the kind you can find in your fruit bowl if you don't much like them plain and aren't addicted to PB&B sandwiches like I am.)

Peel them, then freeze them in a zip lock. Preferably overnight. Once frozen, break them in half.

To make a serving of the super creamy treat, I push half to 3/4 a banana through the machine, followed by any additional ingredients like frozen berries, then the other half of the banana. So far I've mixed banana with blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries. I've also done it with pineapple and mango.

It comes with a recipe book with flavors like Mint Chocolate Chip and Blackberry Vanilla Bean. I'm looking forward to trying some fresh frozen peach in this in the summer. In fact, I bet it will taste amazing when fruit is in season. Right now you may want to sprinkle on a little sweetener as you push them through the chute.

The machine is simple and very easy to clean. The only drawback is that it's pretty loud when it's on. You don't want to run this when the toddler is napping. Or when the teenager is still sleeping. Although I've found it gets mine happily out of bed.

Bottom line: The machine can be a little pricey ($50) if it's not given to you or found on sale. But it does make good stuff with past-prime bananas. It feels and tastes like a creamy frozen dessert. Perhaps you could accomplish something similar with your blender or food processor but we are bananas for Yonanas here in the Olsen house.

I linked up today over at Ann Kroeker's Friday food tour.

Mirth is of Heaven's Making

2011-12-25T14:07:00.001-05:00

"Fail not to call to mind, in the course of the twenty-fifth of this month, that the Divinest Heart that ever walked the earth was born on that day; and then smile and enjoy yourselves for the rest of it; for mirth is also of Heaven's making."

~ Leigh Hunt

Today I am enjoying mirth with my family. We're playing games from under the tree, like Blokus and Just Dance for the Wii. We are feasting on the breakfast casserole I made, as well as the cool creamy deliciousness (banana, mango, strawberry) from the Yonanas maker my mother-in-law gave us.

And I'm giving thanks to the Divinest Heart born this day. Merry Christmas!

The Eve of it All

2011-12-24T09:03:00.001-05:00

Christmas is the single day that holds all of time together. That makes today the eve of the greatest peripety the world has ever known. A seismic spiritual shift. A permanent trading of destinies.

A glorious light has come that can never be extinguished, not even on the darkest night.

Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace and goodwill towards men!

You Won't Miss Christmas

2011-12-20T00:21:00.002-05:00

I have a devotion publishing today at Encouragement for Today about the man who almost missed Christmas. Can you figure out who that was? Pop over and read it if you haven't yet.

My hope is that it will bring you some hope this Christmas, no matter how things are shaping up at this point in the week.

I always have an idyllic notion of Christmas in my head. Maybe it's because I was raised in family that owned a chain of Hallmark stores. Or maybe it's because I've seen too many holiday movies on the Hallmark channel. (Anybody but me have a slight addiction to sappy, sweet holiday stories?)

I don't expect my actual holidays to match the idyllic ones I dream up in my head. Nonetheless I also never consider that I might spend Christmas sick with the flu. Or having a car accident that nearly totaled my car days before Christmas. Or getting stuck in a snow storm. Yet each of those have happened to me and gave me the distinct feeling that I might miss Christmas that year.

Of course it's impossible to miss Christmas when He is in your midst. That's the beauty of Emmanuel.

Leave a prayer request for whatever issues you are facing, or whatever Christmas plans you are making and I'll pray for you today. As you leave your comment, read the one posted ahead of yours and pray for them too. Because where three or more gather in His Name, He has promised to be in their midst. Merry Christmas!

PS. For a little Christmas gift to you, your figure and your health, see my last post. Just had to share the bargain!

Need to Exercise More?

2011-12-20T00:10:00.004-05:00

I finally found something I've been searching for years for - I love it when that happens. Only thing better is being able to share it - at a bargain price - with someone else.

I've owned a treadmill forever. I've walked on it with books. I've jogged on it while watching movies. I've run on it with my iPod. But what I've longed for is a video that would simulate being outside running some trail in a beautiful place. I found Virtual Active's 35 minute videos that take you running, or hiking or cycling in stunning locales. Here, see what I mean.

Northern Italy Run Preview from Virtual Active on Vimeo.

That one is at running pace. This next one is a little slower at a walk/hike pace. This next one also shows the two options you have between guided workouts (which means a "coach" will periodically give you tips and suggestions) and basic (which means just the scenery). I've only bought the basic since I just wanted it for the scenery.

Pacific Northwest Hike - Preview from Virtual Active on Vimeo.

I've downloaded six of them so far. To my surprise, my favorite of the six is the American Northeast run. I also enjoy the otherworldly feel of the American Southwest 2 run.

As you can tell, the videos have a techno music with them. Many also have some nature sounds mixed in. So when you run past Niagara falls or on the shore of Lake Tahoe, you hear the water in addition to the music. I like that. While I'm not a big techno music fan, I generally haven't minded the music in these. It keeps you going.

The other thing that keeps you going is the fact the the scenery changes about every 5 1/2 minutes. That's a perfect switch-it-up frequency to keep it interesting. It makes me want to press on to see where this next trail will lead to - they always lead to gorgeous vistas.

Wild California Run - Preview from Virtual Active on Vimeo.

The only downside I've found so far is that a couple of the videos (the Swiss Alps run I recall) have a song on the soundtrack I dislike. It's mostly instrumental but the beat is a little edgier than I want it to be and there is a line that is mumbled in the song about "the devil's playground." It ruins the moment for me as I feel it's the exact opposite of the stunning scenery. So I'm going to create my own soundtrack to play on my iPod while I do those videos. (The DVDs let you turn the music off if you wish and just hear location sounds.)

I talked with the company recently to suggest a Hawaii run, which they said they already have in the works. And they offered to give my readers a discount. If you purchase anything from their site before the end of the year, just enter the code rachelolsen and you'll get 10% off the entire order. That means you can try one of these downloads for about $7 or a DVD for about $18.

If you have a piece of stationary exercise equipment, this is a fun tool for getting or staying in shape this winter. (Can't you use that after all this holiday eating?!) Or take these to the gym on your iPad. Oh, and if you happen to try their California Wine Tour videos, let me know how you like it because I want to try that next.

A Source of Beauty

2011-12-16T10:37:00.000-05:00

I'm thinking about beauty today. For no other reason that it is a beautiful day out, and the world is awash in the celebration of the coming of Christ. I think that's beautiful.

I think He is beautiful. Perhaps no more so than when he hung - beaten, bloody, suffering - on the cross. When I hear myself say that, my rational mind says eww, but my heart says "yes."

Pondering this, 2 Corinthians 1:4-5 comes to mind:

"[God] comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When others are troubled, we will be able to give the the same comfort God has given us. You can be sure that the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ."

And I think of what Elisabeth Kubler-Ross once said:

"The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.”

Beautiful people are created by the trials they live through, the way they live through them, and how they use those experiences to love and comfort others. Our trails can either harden us or purify us.

In It's No Secret I wrote: "So it is with our trails. They're intense, and often last longer than we think we can endure. It hurts when God uses His shaping and buffing tools on our lives via our trials. Yet we can emerge stronger, more beautiful, more Christ-reflecting and more valuable to God and others as a result."

So that's what I'm thinking about beauty today.

The Baker's Wife review

2011-12-08T11:00:00.000-05:00

As an ameture foodie and a serious bibliophile, I love when these two passions come together. In other words, I love foodie novels. I just finished one and started another.

The one I recently finished is The Baker's Wife by Erin Healy. It's an enjoyable Christian suspense/mystery with a supernatural element to it. Supernatural elements appear to be a gathering trend in Christian novels.

But it does not dominate the story in this one.

In this one, the paranormal element is that the main character, the baker's wife, has the ability to physically feel other people's pain. Not everyone's pain, just the people that God intends her to help or serve in some way. So it functions as a means of God speaking to her and directing her to people who need His help.

It elevates the notion that pain is a gift (see Phillip Yancy and Dr. Paul Brand) to a whole new level.

Here's the story's set-up:

Before Audrey was the baker's wife, she was the pastor's wife. Then a scandalous lie cost her husband a pastoral career. Now the two work side-by-side running a bakery, serving coffee, and baking fresh bread. But the hurt still pulls at Audrey.

Early one morning on her way to the bakery, Audrey's car strikes something at a fog-shrouded intersection. She finds a crumpled motor scooter belonging to a local teacher. Blood is everywhere, but there's no trace of a body. As the story unfolds, Audrey has no choice but to work with a soul-damaged ex-con and a cynical teen to solve the mystery of the missing body and clear her name. But she'll never manage that unless she taps into something she would rather leave behind - her excruciating ability to feel other's pain.

Naturally, my favorite parts of this novel were the descriptions of the couple baking all kinds of bread at home on their days off. No bread machines here - all from scratch and by hand. They did, however, use their dishwasher as a steam bath for the loaves! I also adored the description of the large, wood-fired brick oven they later used in their retail bakery kitchen.

See some of what I'm referring to in this section of the novel on Google books.

Just so happened I read the description of their wood-fired oven while on the way to visit my brother up north. And he'd just had a brick oven built in his backyard. Yes, I know - how very Gwyneth Paltrow of him. I tried to keep my jealousy to a minimum as we ate homemade pizzas from his oven, poolside.

Also while reading this one, I visited the region of California that makes this novel's setting. An area famous for thick car-accident-causing fog, which figures prominently in this suspense.

Healy handles each element of this story just as deftly as she does the bread description. She weaves her characters and plot lines together intricately and well.

At times the antagonist (aka the bad guy) in the story felt a little one dimensional, but then bad guys usually are. At least in stories. The rest of the main characters are well developed - complete with hurts, hopes, dreams and fears. Together they manage to find their way out of a horrific experience and teach us some lessons about judgement, grace, and trusting God.

If you like inspirational mystery/suspense, I bet you'll like this one. And if you like foodie novels, this one will make you want to bake some bread. Adding to the power of the book, last week I was on the phone with my agent who is learning to make french loaves from scratch. So I can feel a major bread baking obsession coming on.

Before you go, see my last post - Gift Ideas from the Bookstore - for an idea on turning this novel into a great Christmas gift for a book-lover or bread-lover you know. And if you read The Baker's Wife, let us know what you thought of it.

Gift ideas from the bookstore

2011-12-06T01:59:00.006-05:00

Thanks for stopping by today. A quick look around here and you'll know at least two things about me: I'm a word lover, and a lover of the Word Made Flesh. So with this post I'm offering a few holiday gift ideas that mix the two.

First off, let me say a great place to discover Christian fiction is over at She Reads. You'll find my review of the new Melody Carlson novel The Christmas Shoppe posted over there today. Pop over, check it out, and comment there to win a copy of the novel.

You'll also find my review of Dan Walsh's holiday novel Remembering Christmas posted here on my blog. Either of these novels would make a sweet present tucked into a gift bag with a festive tin of hot cocoa - something like this one from Williams & Sonoma. Maybe add some peppermint candy stirring sticks - like these from Dillards. Or a faux fur throw to read underneath - I love these which are currently at half price at Macy's (but a snuggie would work too).

Got a girlfriend who loves football? I have a couple! Create the same gift above but use the novel The Great Christmas Bowl by Susan May Warren. Better yet, replace the cocoa with red and green tortilla chips and some salsa for game day. And find a throw with her favorite team's logo.

Got a girlfriend who loves mystery or suspense? Grab a basket, fill it with a couple of fresh loaves of bread - maybe one sweet and one savory - and a copy of The Baker's Wife by Erin Healy. You can put a little jar of local honey in the basket too. I'll post my review of this novel later this week.

Have a young boy on your gift list? I highly recommend The Action Bible. It's a Bible done in comic book style with terrific color illustrations. My elementary-school son loves his.

It's hard to pick out a Bible for someone else, but one that I've given as a gift to both men and women is the C.S. Lewis Bible. I have one that lives on my treadmill where I sometimes do my quiet time - admittedly it's not all that quiet on those days. But if you know someone is a Lewis fan or a Narnia fan, package this Bible with the DVD set of the movies. This could even be a gift for a pastor.

Got a foodie on your list? Get some butcher paper and wrap up a new cookbook (such as The New Best Recipe, or one specialized to her tastes ... Italian cooking, Farm-to-Table, Gluten-free, etc.). Include a devotional book too (like this one or this one) and a card with the "man does not live by bread alone but by every word that come out of the mouth of God" quote from Deut. 8:3 or Matthew 4:4. Oh, and tell her she has to have you over when she makes one of the recipes!

Finally, if your girlfriend is more of a non-fiction fan, may I suggest a copy of It's No Secret: Revealing Divine Truths Every Woman Should Know wrapped up with a pretty journal and some Starbucks' Christmas blend coffee? This cover is ready made in Christmas colors.

Got any books you like to give as gifts, or one you're hoping to receive this Christmas? ... do tell.

My Christmas Tree 2011

2011-12-02T07:48:00.012-05:00

Over on Facebook (are you and I friends on FB?) a few people asked to see photos of my Christmas tree. Hence, today's post.

I put my tree up this year the Sunday before Thanksgiving. What, too soon you think? I've been quite pleased with that decision so far. So here is this year's rendition of the tree:

Every year my tree is a little different. Ok, some years it is a lot different - I have a husband that is patient with my Christmas tree love. I'm also a logophile (word lover), so that played into this year's theme.

The whole thing started from a spool of ribbon I found on sale. I knew my kids would love this ribbon, and they do. It set the tone for a slightly more whimsical tree than recent years. It also dictated the green, red and gold color scheme - not surprising colors for a Christmas tree.

(whimsy)

I made the bow - googled how to do it, watched a couple videos and voila. It was easy.

I added the red spikey branch things for drama. My tree always has to have a little drama. Just to be clear, I like drama in my tree and novels, but notsomuch in my relationships.

OK, your turn. What's your tree style? I'd love to see pics of your tree. If you've posted photos online please tell me how to get there!

Remembering Christmas review

2011-12-01T00:25:00.004-05:00

Today I’m featured at Karen Ehman’s blog in her 12 Days of Christmas … which is really twelve days of giveaways. I’ll be giving away a copy of my book It’s No Secret, a $10 Starbucks gift card, and a copy of the new Christmas novel Remembering Christmas.

I recently finished reading Remembering Christmas by Dan Walsh – here’s my review.

Rick Denton is climbing the corporate ladder as an accountant and enjoying his bachelorhood. It’s Thanksgiving and he is thankful to have left his childhood home in Florida years ago – he has little interest in going back to visit his mother and step-dad now. That’s exactly what he must do, however, when his mom calls with news of her husband’s aneurysm. She needs his help managing their small Christian bookstore while she keeps vigil in the hospital.

Rick is out of his element in Seabreeze, FL. He doesn’t do small town. And he doesn’t do Christian. He hardly does compassion. What he thought would be a few days has stretched into weeks. And his heart – towards God and family – is being stretched in the process.

Remember the age of cassette tapes and pay phones? Set in the 1980s, Remembering Christmas is a heart-warming story by best-selling author Dan Walsh. It takes place during the holidays but this novel could really be read any time of the year. In fact, the cover photo and title led me to expect more "Christmasness" in this story than was actually there – but it is there.

And maybe that’s the strength of this novel. It’s not a mittens-and-kittens holiday novel. Remembering Christmas is a story about broken relationships – complete with misconceptions, unresolved feelings and distorted memories. But it's also a sweet story about reconciliation and slowing down to experience the true treasures of life. I can’t think of a better time of the year for that.

The main character in the book is a male – that’s a switch from most of the fiction we read over at She Reads. But his tale is told through a narrator, so we don’t spend the whole novel in Rick’s head. (Not that I would mind that.) Rick seems an accurate portrayal – a well drawn character.

Also, I will tell you this story has a twist. But I won’t tell you what it is. You’ll just have to read it. I will say that it stays with me.

Former pastor turned author Dan Walsh said, "I wanted to bring an inspirational, entertaining Christmas story to life. One that, hopefully, will stir hearts and minds to consider what matters most during the holiday season." He has done that in this tale.

I can confidently recommend Dan’s book if you want a holiday read, and mine if you want something to embolden your walk with God. So be sure and pop over to Karen’s blog and comment to win. And if you win, tell me what you order with your Starbuck’s card – I love hearing what people order at the coffee counter. Currently I'm all into their crème brulee latte.

What Writers Snack On

2011-11-30T10:10:00.001-05:00

Today is a writing day for me. Yesterday was a teaching day at the university. Not yet sure what tomorrow holds - likely more writing. But here's the thing, I'm having trouble staying on it today because I'm so hungry. I keep wandering into the kitchen and staring into the fridge. Ever have days like that?

In an effort to find the perfect fuel for writing, I sought to learn what famous writers ate.

Created by illustrator Wendy MacNaughton

Help me out, what do you think would make a good snack on a writing day? What's your favorite snack?

Cook eBook for you

2011-11-26T11:23:00.005-05:00

I hope you are having terrific Thanksgiving weekend. I've eaten turkey, potatoes and pie, and then I worked it all off playing Just Dance on the Wii. I've got the M.C. Hammer routine to "U Can't Touch This" totally down.

Today I'll be cooking Thanksgiving dinner part two for some more relatives that will come over tonight. Then we'll head to Enchanted Airlie Gardens to see the lights and watch the flotilla parade. (I realize that makes no sense if you are not from 'round here - sorry!)

But I have an eBook deal to offer you if you are looking to make something other than turkey sandwiches tonight. For instance, you could make my Narnia meatloaf and Olsen house salad - my recipes are contained in this eBook.

Nicole O'Dell and I -- along with 65 other authors -- have cooked up a eBook just for you, our readers, called Novel Morsels. It's made up of recipes mentioned in various published Christian novels or books.

We planned to set the price at zero for this weekend at Amazon. But Amazon won't let us set it below .99 cents. (Apparently they are all about earning a profit or something.) So, we've lowered it to 99 cents for you. Come Monday it will be $2.99 again.

Here's the Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006BJWKR0

OR, you can get a PDF of the eBook this weekend at Nicole O'Dell's website. And if you don't like to cook, maybe you'll get some ideas for some great reads inside.

PS. The book my recipes were based from is called It's No Secret if you are interested.

Grateful

2011-11-23T00:07:00.000-05:00

It's Thanksgiving week - a time to celebrate God's goodness, and a time to eat God's bounty like it has no calories.

I'm thankful for both the goodness and the bounty. (The calories I could probably do without.)

This has been a year of ups and downs for me. Of both bitter and sweet. Through it all I am grateful for God's steadfast presence. I am thankful He works all things out for good for those who follow Him.

from Country Living

What are you grateful for this week?

Stop by here this holiday weekend at some point between your football watching and Christmas shopping and I'll have a little something fun to offer each and every one of you. For free. :) - Happy Thanksgiving.

Can't or Don't?

2011-11-18T12:35:00.003-05:00

Women frequently confide, "Rachel, I know God wants me to spend time reading the Bible but I just can't seem to make that happen regularly. Do you have any advice for me?"

My response is usually to smile knowingly, because I 've been there.

And then to ask, "Can't or don't?"

It's a good question to ask yourself anytime you are not making progress in an area you need or want to excel in.

There is usually a long pause ... followed by a knowing smile on their end. Or else, a list of reasons/excuses.

The reality is we make time for stuff all the time. It's a priority thing.

Next I suggest the Nike slogan - you know the one.

Sometimes I give them ideas to help with motivation and commitment. For instance, "Pick out a big jar candle you think smells good and burn it each time you do your quiet time. It will become a visual reminder to do it, and a visual indicator of how much time you are spending in the Word."

Often I tell them to pray for insight before they begin reading. Or to journal their favorite verses, record their questions for God, or write out their prayers. Writing really helps the wandering mind. And those prone to fall asleep. Not that that's you or me, of course.

But really, the first step is just to start showing up for it. You can't learn or experience anything if you don't show up for class. You can't deepen a relationship if you rarely get together.

In my life, the more I show up to spend between the Bible's pages, the more desire I have to do so. And the more I get out of it. No, I don't get mind-bending insights each and every time, but that's why my first suggestion is to adopt the Nike slogan.

Just do it. Do it anyways, trusting that at some future point it will tie in and make sense. Because God has said His Word is living, active and not void. His Word can and does.

Stirring up the Gift

2011-11-14T12:42:00.001-05:00

In Friday's post I asserted that creativity is as much the artist's responsibility to stir up as it is God's divine gift to impart.

"You received a gift from God when I placed my hands on you [to ordain you]. Now I'm reminding you to fan that gift into flames." ~ 2 Timothy 1:6 (GWT)

I think the impartation can sit there unused. Uninspired, not on His part but ours.

One of my favorite female wordsmiths Shauna Neiquist agrees. She said: "I believe that inspiration is something that we create, something that we’re responsible for. I don’t believe in waiting for it to show up. I believe that being an artist means you live a life of imagination and inspiration, instead of sitting down at your laptop expecting it to show up at just the moment you need it."

Do you agree with Shauna?

What are you doing to nurture your gifts?

What does your creativity need now?

2011-11-11T09:02:00.003-05:00

I've said many times that my driving aim when I swing my feet out from underneath the covers each morning is to craft a life that is pleasing to me and to God. (Well, and to my family along the way.) And I don't believe those are mutually exclusive goals.

For me at least, perhaps for everyone, I think a piece of that is creativity. We are made in the image of the Creative One. The One who thought up and spoke all things into being. The One whose breath makes my own.

At my center there is a creative life that presses to birth within me.

While this impulse is a gift of God, evidence of His image sparked by His indwelling, it is up to me to nurture and shepherd it. To behave as if inspiration is as much the artist's responsibility as it is a divine impulse.

Creativity, like spirituality, can run dry sometimes. But when that happens, it is never due to any lack on the divine side of the equation. Rather, it indicates a break down of some sort on our end. A failure to nurture the gift, or to connect with its Giver.

Part of nurturing and shepherding your creativity is exercising it often. Daily even. Another part of it is providing it fuel. Seeking inspiration, ample but not overwhelming input, and new experiences or ways of seeing.

Connecting with the Author of creativity is also a daily thing, just so you know. Which I'm certain you did.

Else, running dry indicates a simple need for rest and fallow ground before the next growing season. While we carry the divine spark, we carry it in jars of clay. Regular rest is a requirement for every jar of clay.

So what is your creativity in need of right now? Some nurturing? Some disciplined shepherding? Or some rest before inspiration and production resumes?

Bring on the Holidays

2011-11-09T08:51:00.003-05:00

I'm back from California where I reveleld in snow just a couple days ago. Even hiked through it on a trial through the redwoods at Nelder Grove. Very cool.

And I am now officially ready for the holidays to arrive.

Case in Point:

Last night I bought gingerbread-scented hand soap at Bath & Body Works.

This morning I made hot chocolate and tuned my digital radio to the Christmas music channel.

All the Christmassy commercials are making me smile.

I'm collecting recipes to try this Thanksgiving.

I'm having to resist the urge to skip decorating for Thanksgiving in favor of going straight to Christmas decor. I will probably have my tree up by Thanksgiving.

I'm also jonsing to paint my toenails holiday red rather than the iridescent brown that says fall.

Already read the Christmas story in the gospels - in prep for an upcoming message.

Finally, I'm ready to Christmas shop. What? you say. Well, I have to get an early start - both my children have December birthdays, and I'm sticking to a strict budget. So you see my need to get on this present thing.

Armed with my binder from Untangling Christmas from my girlfriends Karen and LeAnn, I'm ready to take on the holidays. How about you?

What do writers and their characters eat?

2011-11-02T22:20:00.001-04:00

I'm heading out for the beautiful southern tip of the Yosemite valley. To get there I will walk through no less that four airports tomorrow, and again on Monday. That means I'll be eating a lot of airport food. Or rather, I'll be stopping at a lot of Starbucks!

But, I'm looking forward to meeting the women of Trinity Presbyterian. And talking community with them.

For those of you able to walk into your kitchen and cook up something good, I've got something good my friend Nicole O'Dell and I, along with about 60 other authors, cooked up just for you, our readers.

It's a $2.99 eBook cookbook made up of recipes mentioned in various published Christian novels or books. It's called Novel Morsels. How fun is that?

Not fun you say?

Well, I have a recipe in there called "The Lion, The Witch and the Meatloaf."

See, I told you it's fun.

You'll find several of my P31 sisters' books and recipies included in the eBook as well.

Now that your interest is surely piqued and your taste buds watering, go check it out. And I promise I'll tell you some more about it soon. After my five-day trip to the west coast I'll probably be itching to come home and try some new recipe from the eBook.

Have a great weekend.

Time to Pray

2011-10-31T06:32:00.018-04:00

Ever feel like you are too busy to pray? Ever feel like a failure at prayer? Yeah, I know.

Welcome, if you've stopped by after reading my devotion on this published today. Follow that link to read it if you missed it. Then feel free to leave a prayer request in the comments on this post. You know that I will pray for you. In fact, I already have prayed for each person that pauses here today.

In the devotion I talked about one of the realizations that makes the Christan's call to prayer less guilt-producing for me - less like a chore I forget to do or don't do well enough. It's the fact that I don't have to set aside large blocks of time to pray to be effective in prayer.

I can pray without ceasing as the biblical phrase goes.

What does that mean? I can pray as I go.

Here's my take on it, heavily influenced by John Piper.

What does it mean to pray without ceasing?

1) It means that there is a spirit of dependence that should permeate all we do. So, even when we are not speaking consciously to God, there is a deep, abiding dependence on him that is woven into the heart of faith. In that sense, we "pray" or have the spirit of prayer continuously.

2) Praying without ceasing means praying often. The word for "without ceasing" is "adialeiptos" and it is used other places like like Romans 1:9 when Paul said he prays for the Romans unceasingly. Surely Paul did not mention the Romans every minute of his prayers. Surely he prayed about other things. So "without ceasing" doesn't mean that verbally or mentally we have to be speaking prayers every minute of the day, but that we should pray often.

Again, not necessarily for a singular long period of time, but often throughout the day.

3) I also think praying without ceasing means not giving up on prayer. We should persevere in our prayers. Don't get to a point in your life where you cease to pray at all. Don't abandon the God of hope for whom anything is possible!

One of the fascinating things author John Piper has said is, "The key to delight is prayer. Or, more accurately, the key to delight is God's omnipotent, transforming grace laid hold on by prayer."

So, I'd be delighted to pray for you today.

Why Not Write?

2011-10-28T08:55:00.000-04:00

Do you write? If not, do you want to?

I'm working now on a book project. My friend Ariel is furiously typing away on her novel. And starting next week tens of thousands of people will begin writing a novel during National Novel Writing Month.

There comes a time in every would-be novelist’s life when most everything else gets ignored while the writer within is finally allowed to flourish. It's called November, or "NatNoWriMo." OK, “allowed" to flourish is probably not the most accurate description. You are pretty much forced to write daily to stay on top of your goal of completing a 50,000 word story in thirty days and nights.

But there will be lots of others forcing themselves to do the same crazy thing. Some every day at 5:00 AM. Others every night after dinner. Others all weekend. Some even meet up locally throughout the month in their cities. And all that fosters camaraderie on the journey.

I would so jump in on the combination of camaraderie, accountability and motivation at NatNoWriMo and start on my first novel if I didn't have a non-fiction project I'm already in the middle of, with a looming deadline. Not to mention a lengthy trip to the west coast coming up for a speaking engagement.

But none of that is stopping you. Is it?

If you've dreamed of writing a book consider joining in the NatNoWriMo fun. It's free. And who knows, you might just change the world with what you create.

"You write in order to change the world, knowing perfectly well that you probably can’t, but also knowing that literature is indispensable to the world. ...The world changes according to the way people see it, and if you alter, even by a millimeter, the way …people look at reality, then you can change it."

~James Baldwin

Importance

2011-10-26T10:52:00.001-04:00

Ever feel like you are unimportant?

Or unremarkable?

"On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor." (1 Corinthians 12:22)

It's common to assume if you don't hold a prominent position or have an obvious-to-everyone talent that you're lacking somehow and unimportant. That you're overlooked by everyone - even God.

Not so. You are created for God's glory according to His good pleasure.

"Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth—everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made." (Isaiah 43:6-7).

My friend Amy Carroll is with a team ministering to women in India right now. She just sent me a quick update to say:

We finished our first 3-day conference in Siliguri, and it was absolutely glorious--so much more amazing than I even imagined. One woman approached my friend Peggy at the end and said, "Thank you for making us important."

Peggy replied with a smile, "God had already made you important, sweetheart."

The woman said, "Yes, but we didn't know."

Supersize Dreams

2011-10-20T22:10:00.002-04:00

One evening this week at the university I listened to Morgan Spurlock talk about the making of his last documentary "The Greatest Movie Ever Sold." Morgan is fascinating and a sharp thinker.

He's witty too, which I love.

(This is the same guy that made the movie "Super Size Me" - perhaps you've heard of it?)

Besides the fact that companies actually paid money to place their product in a documentary that exposes the practice of placing products in films - it's more extensive than you realize. And besides the fact that no company was willing to do that in Morgan's latest film until some company agreed to do it first. (Ban deodorant got the ball rolling - no pun intended.) Besides all of that, it was a personal story of his that fascinated me most.

When Morgan was trying to get his NY-based film company off the ground he was going in the hole financially month after month. He knew he had some brilliant ideas. And he got nibbles on his projects and pilots but nothing had gone to contract.

He had great credit, so he just started charging everything on credit cards. Business stuff. Personal stuff. Then he started paying his employees with advances on his credit cards. He racked up $250,000 in debit. Creditors were calling.

That's enough debit to make anyone without the last name Trump a bit nervous.

With new sources of credit drying up and Morgan on the verge of financial collapse, he made "Super Size Me." The film was a huge success - followed by additional successes.

His is a satisfying story because it turns out well. Rather than giving up on his dreams, he was willing to do whatever it took to see them through. What dedication. What guts. What a success story.

But what if he'd failed? What if he hadn't gotten the idea and/or funding for "Super Size Me." Or what if that film flopped? What would we say about him then? A broke guy with nothing to show for those years. What stupidity. What an idiot. What a ridiculous story.

We tend to judge decisions - the merit of someone's choices - on the outcome of those decisions. Good outcome, good idea. Bad outcome, bad idea.

Even his big success generator, "Super Size Me," was an exercise in rather extreme risk. Morgan ate himself sick on fast food just to prove a point and make a movie about it.

What point am I trying to make here? It's not clear. I just know I'm fascinated by Morgan's story. And though it fits the satisfying rags-to-riches genre, I don't really think the wisdom of one's decisions can be judged solely on the outcome.

I'm really glad, however, that Morgan is making films. Have you seen any of them?

(Besides the two mentioned here, he made another documentary called "What Would Jesus Buy?" about consumerism and Christmas.)

Do You Take the Risk?

2011-10-17T10:05:00.011-04:00

The bride was gorgeous.

The lodge was gorgeous.

And we had a great time with family and friends this weekend in Pennsylvania.

On the long drive back home to NC, I had a conversation with my dad that explained a lot about me. For the first several hours of the nearly 12 hour drive home, my dad was feeling talkative. We'd pass something and he'd launch into a story. "St. Davids, PA ... I used to live there. Right across from the ball fields at Villanova..." "Good ole' Baltimore. Lived here too. Looks like the Baltimore Ravens are playing over in that stadium. They were named the Ravens after a famous author who lived here and wrote a famous poem about a raven ..."

Then, as we passed the Delaware Memorial Bridge he casually remarked, "There's the memorial bridge. I once flew a plane under that bridge."

Knowing my dad was a pilot - private, not commercical - this statement sort of slid past me at first. He kept chatting.

Delaware Memorial Bridge

"Wait. Did you say you flew under the bridge?"

Suddenly I saw Kenny Logins' "Danger Zone" video play in my head as I pictured my dad flying like Maverick in Top Gun.

"Yep, under the bridge," he replied. "I saw them do that in that in the movie 30 Minutes over Tokyo. And I knew I'd have to try it myself one day."

I have an internal drive that pushes me to take risks. Not ridiculous risks, mind you. Calculated risks. It's not there all the time - thank goodness! There are plenty of days I'm content to be in my recliner, under a blanket, surfing the web. Other days I want to kite surf and see how much air I can grab.

Do you ever feel an internal drive that pushes you out of your comfort zone? Maybe it's a personality type thing.

I didn't ask dad if flying under that bridge was illegal, mainly because I'm afraid of the answer. (Note: I do not condone reckless, illegal activity. And no animals were harmed in the filming of this blog post.) Plus my kids were in the car.

I did ask my husband Rick, "See where I get my crazy streak from?"

"I do, honey. At least you come by it honestly."

How about you, are you a risk-taker or risk-avoider?

Do you think there is a certain amount of risk-taking involved in living a life of faith? Can you recall the last time you took what you felt was a sizable risk?

The winner of this weekend's giveaway of "It's No Secret" is Tracy G. Send me your addy, Tracy!

Did You Hear?

2011-10-13T20:15:00.005-04:00

Did you hear I have a devotion published this weekend with Proverbs 31 Ministries? About gossip.

Gossiping has left us all the side of wrong at some time or another.

If you stop by here often you might know I read academic journals - I teach communication at a university. One published study on the topic of gossip reported that up to 65% of people's daily conversation could be labeled as gossip. The researchers arrived at this conclusion after much eavesdropping on people's conversations in public places like trains, bars, restaurants and a university cafeteria.

You might be thinking that percentage is lower among Christians. Perhaps so. I hope so! But even cut by a quarter percent, that would make 40% of our conversations gossipy.

The Bible speaks to gossiping or slander quite a few times - like over 100. Apparently this popular modern habit - with entire magazines and websites dedicated to celebrity gossip - has been prevalent since the beginning of time.

Fired for Whispering

A few years ago 4 female employees that worked for the town of Hooksett, NH actually got fired for gossiping. People were outraged over that. Good Morning America covered the story. Between them the women had served the town for 46 years prior to this.

Then they were fired for discussing rumors of an improper relationship between another employee and the town administrator.

The administrator complained to the town council. After an investigation, the town council fired the women, saying, "Gossip, whispering, and an unfriendly environment are causing poor morale and interfering with the efficient performance of town business."

These women were shocked to be fired for this. Probably because it seemed to them a harmless act, or at least a common thing to do. But I'm sure the objects of their gossip didn't think it was harmless. I'm sure they didn't care how common gossiping is.

Turns out the rumors of the improper relationship were false. (Can you imagine trying to convince your spouse that the rumors are not true when the majority of the town is talking about the affair you are supposedly having?)

So the women were discussing something about other people that turned out to be false. Just rumors and suspicions. But what if the accusations were true? What if there was an affair going on?

How would that change things? Would that change whether or not they should be fired for discussing it?

Nailing Down a Slippery Subject

What makes gossip gossip? Is it whether the topic at hand is true or untrue? Or the whether it is known fact or presumed true? Or is it just the fact that the topic at hand is not really any of your personal business?

And when it's your boss, as in these people's case, is it then your business to some degree? What about when your boss is not just your manager but his job means he is also leading the whole town. Does that change anything?

I'd love to know what you're thinking. How do we know when we're being discerning and when we're just serving dirt?

I'm sure the boss was thinking, Just come ask me if you suspect something wrong is going on. And I'm sure the employees would say in response, "Yeah right, and you'd tell me the truth if you were having an affair? And I'd not be in trouble for asking you that?"

Sometimes I think people want to check and compare their assumptions with others before going straight to the source to ask if it is true. That is if they ever do go to the source, which takes courage. And perhaps risk. And should be motivated by a desire for truth in love.

Way too often gossiping is just a form of recreation. Dangerous recreation that seems safe and serves as a bonding point, but is so much more sinister than it seems. So where's the line between reasonable communication and reckless talk?

I'm at a wedding in the Pocono Mountains this weekend, but I really do want to hear what you think about gossip. Do you struggle to tame your tongue? Have you been burned by gossip? What makes gossip gossip? And do you think those women should've been fired?

Comment and you may win a copy of the book It's No Secret. Here's my promised favorite fall cheesecake.

Getting SOAPY in my Quiet Time

2011-10-13T10:00:00.001-04:00

I'm using the SOAP method as I read and journal my way through the book of 1st John. The method is simple but effective.

Ever notice how the simple approaches to Bible reading or Christian growth can often be the most effective? I think sometimes we make it too complicated - and then we avoid doing it, assuming it too trying or too time-consuming. It doesn't have to be.

Here's how this method works:

Write out the Scripture.
Write down 2 or more Observations from the passage.
Write down 2 or more Applications from the passage.
Then Pray in response to what you read or learned.

That's it. Take a verse or two from whatever passage you are currently studying and try it. If you're not currently studying anything in the Bible, join me and these girls in the book of 1 John.

Wondering what I took away from my journaling time through the first four verses in 1st John? Here are a couple of "bottom lines" I wrote:

Life is Jesus. Jesus is the Word of Life. If I want life, I want Jesus. And if I want Jesus, I want the Word of God. So if I'm thirsting for life, I'm thirsting for the Word of God. (1 John 1:1-2)

Christ is the Good Life. (1 John 1:1-4)

God has been impressing that last one on my heart - over and over for a couple years now.

What has the Bible been teaching you lately?

Help me fix this please.

2011-10-12T09:10:00.003-04:00

My to-do list is kind of long today. I have work to complete. A cake to bake. Writing to do. Nails to paint. Pants to try to save. A grocery store run to make. Packing to begin. A Bible study lesson to complete for tonight. Emails from my college students to respond to. A retreat I'll lead next weekend to prepare for. And several errands to run as I get ready to leave town at the crack of Friday morning for a family wedding this weekend.

Oh, and I still don't know what shoes I'll wear to the wedding. And I need to wrap the wedding gifts.

I like to be productive, but when my daily must-do list grows larger than about 4 things, I can get a little uneasy. I usually head for the kitchen to swallow a Stress B-Complex vitamin.

I forgot to take my vitamin today so I found myself a few minutes ago just staring at the website of the resort we're heading to on Friday. I wanted to crawl through the screen it felt so peaceful. And nice music plays. The kind of piano playing that grabs you by the soul and whispers relax. Not quite as lovely and soothing as the sounds that play at Ann's blog, but almost.

So I'm hoping maybe you can help me with one of the items on my to-do list today: Pants to save. Rick has a great black suit with a really subtle micro-stripe to it. Perfect for the wedding. (Plus I hate the color of his other suit - shhh don't tell him that.) But he wore the black suit a couple weeks ago and then threw the pants in the wash.

The dry clean only pants.

They aren't totally ruined. Even though they are 100% wool, they didn't shrink. And they aren't puckered much at all. But they do now look a little less less shiny and smooth. Not majorly so, but enough to notice if you are really looking at him with the jacket on too. So ladies, is there anything I can do to these suit pants to make them look more smooth like the jacket? Any laundry product I can use? Spray starch? A cool iron? Should I take them to the dry cleaners and have them pressed?

Will vinegar and baking soda work? Every household cleaning, Real Simple type article claims you can fix anything with either white vinegar or baking soda. :)

Clearly I need to hear your best advice.

October Reading List

2011-10-10T11:26:00.000-04:00

I'm in the middle of a busy season. Lots of speaking events, lots of writing assignments and lots on the family calendar. So my reading time is somewhat limited at the moment. But here are my current selections:

Fiction: The Baker’s Wife

Non-Fiction: Do More Great Work

eBooks: Simple Blogging, and Untangling Christmas

(I'd like to buy the Evernote Essentials eBook but the steep $25 price is stopping me. Anyone read it?)

Magazine: Southern Writers Magazine

Bible: the book of 1st John

What are you reading? Is there something I should make room for on this list? Do you think me crazy for reading a Christmas ebook in October? If so, you might just need this ebook! :)

How I Learned (to Like) to Cook

2011-10-01T12:08:00.008-04:00

In my devotion published this week, I mentioned that I had learned to cook and to like cooking.
If you wish you could experience that same transformation, read on. Maybe I can help. Or at least give you hope.

Growing up, both my parents worked. I'm told my mother went through a gourmet cooking phase before I was born. I never saw it. Or tasted it. And since my mom died early, I never learned it either. Mom's dinners usually consisted of supermarket fried chicken, or maybe Stouffeurs' lasagna and salad.

I married young, and went straight to grad school where I had classes many nights until 10 PM. Dinner usually consisted of jars of Ragu or Old El Paso dinner kits. Cooking seemed like a chore - a chore often solved by restaurant dining - and honestly, I wasn't all that good at it.

The cooking, I mean, not the dining. I've always excelled at dining.

I had very little cooking knowledge or intuition. My knife skills were dismal (still not great). And I burned myself multiple times a month. I couldn't figure out how people thought this was fun. I assumed I just didn't have the domestic cooking gene.

Then I met a couple friends who checked cookbooks out from the library and read them for fun like novels. Whaatt?? They planned days in advance what they'd make for dinner. I reluctantly gave it thought each day around 5:00 PM.

One night I spent the night with my girlfriend Christy - author Charles Martin's wife and a great cook - while our husbands were out of town together. The next morning she wanted to watch Martha Stewart's show. Martha was cooking with cranberries. I'd never seen a whole episode before, or a whole cranberry.

I decided there MUST be something to this cooking thing that I'm missing. And then I started reading in Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastes talks a lot about food and drink and pleasure. It warns us not to base our life on such things, but it also advises us to learn to enjoy them in light of God who grants enjoyment.

So I made that my goal for a year.

I read about the Slow Food Movement. And that year I chose the word SLOW as my one word.

Here's what I did that year:

I watched the Food Network, often.
I started looking at cooking books, though I still don't enjoy them as much as novels.
I went to cooking demonstrations at Williams & Sonoma.
I found that a few cooking classes can make a big difference.
I read foodie novels and foodie memoirs such as A Homemade Life.
I began following the local foodie scene in Wilmington.
I gave myself permission to try and fail, and try again.
I remodeled my kitchen a little bit.
I bought a good sharp knife, and a new cutting board.
I starting playing music when I cook. Sometimes in the room, sometimes on my iPod.
I stopped at Farmers' Markets and roadside fruit stands.
I chose to be adventurous in tasting new things.
I decided that my goal was no longer to get meals made as quickly and efficiently as possible, but to enjoy the process of making them.

And somewhere in that year cooking became a form of relaxation, creativity and pleasure at the end of my day. I first realized this shift had happened while watching the employee at Williams & Sonoma demonstrate a new chopper/dicer gadget. I turned to the stranger standing beside me and said, "I think I'd rather just chop my own vegetables by hand." She nodded. We bonded over the fact that, for us, chopping is a zen-like experience we don't wish to forfeit.

When I chose SLOW as my one word, I labeled it as the thing I most wanted God to do in me that year. And He did it.

Now by late afternoon I am jonsing to get into the kitchen and start on dinner. To create it, smell it, taste it. And it tastes good, thanks to me and fresh ingredients rather than some large food company. There is something really satisfying about that.

So I'm living proof that a woman who didn't like to cook, didn't want to cook and wasn't good at it, can change.

How about you ... do you like to cook? Could you learn to?

Netflix for Books?

2011-09-29T11:03:00.001-04:00

In addition to being an ardent follower of Christ and an amateur foodie, I'm a major bibliophile. I'm an author, writer, avid reader, and general student of the publishing industry. So today I'm talking book stuff, and this bit of news could become a game changer for readers, authors and the publishing industry.

You're familiar with Netflix, right? You pay a monthly fee and get movies mailed to you for free. You return them for free when you're done with them, and they send you another movie from the list of movies you want to see. You can also stream the movies right to your TV or computer.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Amazon is planning to launch a similar lending service that would offer customers access to a large library of e-books. It would be like having access to the largest public library in the nation, on your Kindle, for an annual fee of $79. That annual fee also gets you into the Amazon Prime program, affording you free shipping on all your Amazon purchases.

For readers, this could be incredible. We now live in the information age. The number of new titles published grows each year. In 2005, 172,000 new books were published. By 2009, that number grew to 288,000.

Most readers find themselves with more titles they want to read than time to read them, space to store them, and money to buy them. This Amazon service could solve two of those three problems. At least for Kindle owners who currently spend more than $80 on books each year. I fall in that category.

The obvious worry, however, is that this kind of service would eat into the market that public libraries serve since they also lend out books. So lovers of local libraries like myself find themselves torn.

As anyone with publishing industry connections could imagine, many publishers aren’t thrilled with the idea. They fear the program would cut into their sales figures, devalue their books, and hurt their relationships with stores carrying the actual books at traditional prices.

Because publishers control what can be done with the electronic versions of their books, this is not a done deal yet. Publishers want the same kind of control they have over their printed books — and in the case of lending, they are trying to assert more control than they have with printed books. When you buy a physical book, you are free to sell it or lend it to whomever you wish, but e-books don’t carry those same rights.

Many bibliophiles still like to own books. They like to hold them, turn the pages, write in them, and share them with others. So an Amazon e-book lending library isn't the end-all-be-all. Nonetheless, it's a attractive option.

The bottom line is that the nature of the book and the book industry is changing, just as virtually every other form of physical content is being affected by the move to digital formats. Amazon has been at the forefront of those changes with its Kindle and its current library-lending program. This rumored Netflix-for-books program is an indication that Amazon plans to continue pushing that transition forward.

What do you think about this idea? Would you be likely to sign up for Amazon's "Netbookx"?

"Safe in His Arms," you are the winner of this week's giveaway. I cannot find your contact info so please email me your mailing address. Truth be told, when I couldn't find any contact info for you, I did the drawing again. Your comment came up the second time, so clearly you are meant to get this book. :)

Making Enjoyment Meaningful

2011-09-27T06:20:00.004-04:00

_{I have a devotion publishing today with Proverbs 31 Ministries called Why It’s Not Meaningless. In that piece I said that a driving force behind why I get out of bed each morning – besides to take care of my family of course – is to craft a life that is pleasing to both me and God. Towards that end, I try to enjoy my life.}

_{What gets you out of bed in the morning? If it’s nothing more than the delicious smell of fresh-brewed coffee, I think that’s fine reason to get up. Especially if you enjoy the brew in your cup – and thank God for it.}

_{I wrote today’s devotion from Ecclesiastes 2:24-25:}

“A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?”

_{As Christians, I think sometimes we can get so focused on pleasing God – on following the rules and sacrificing for the cause – that we forget or miss the fact that walking through this life with Christ should be a joy. Should be enjoyed.}

_{Yes, difficult times will come, no doubt. (He can be trusted in those times!) And I know the periodic, necessary dying-to-self required is not exactly our favorite way to spend an afternoon. But still. Ever still, I fully believe God intends us to enjoy this life, this breath, this earth, this time we’ve been given. And to thank Him for the gift of it.}

_{So let me hear from you today: What will you do to intentionally enjoy your life today? And can you see it as a gracious gift from God?}

_{Tell me your thoughts on this verse, the devotion, or your plans to enjoy today and you’ll be entered to win a copy of my book It’s No Secret: Revealing Divine Truths Every Woman Should Know. I'll also slip one of my favorite things into the package before mailing it. Have a really great day!}

What do you read on planes?

2011-09-25T23:03:00.001-04:00

It's 10:47 PM Pacific Coast time. That would be 1:47 AM my time back home on the Atlantic Coast. I've already slept two-and-a half hours tonight. I couldn't help it. I was so tired I was stumbling around my hotel room as if I'd just spent the day north of here in the Napa Valley rather than South of here on the Monterrey Peninsula.

Monterrey Peninsula, California

The combination of a three hour time zone difference, leading a four session weekend retreat, and that large bowl of fettuccine pesto I had for lunch at the FishWife caught up with me. Big time.

My lunch was so filling, I didn't even eat dinner. Didn't want any. Which is good because now I'm in a hotel by the airport and food is scare. There's a free hotel breakfast tomorrow, but it starts at 6:00 and I leave for the airport at 5:10. I really hope there's something good for breakfast in the Oakland airport.

I need to go back to sleep, wake up at 4:30 AM and be on an eastbound plane by 6:30. I will spend all day flying and changing planes. I leave here at 6:30 AM and get home at 8:30 PM. But that's OK because I do some of my best reading on planes. I can read novels for hours completely guilt-free on a plane! Well, it's not like I could do much else during that time.

The problem is, I forgot to pack a novel this time. I only have non-fiction with me. So I hope the Oakland airport also has a good bookstore.

What do you read on planes? If you are a novel reader too, I'd love for you to do me a favor. Pop over to the She Reads site and answer as many of the questions as you can in the poll on the current post.

At the very least please comment there to say if you prefer "Parlor fiction" or "Attic fiction." I kind of like those terms. Well, off to sleep my way through my last few hours here on the West Coast. I'll be back here on Tuesday with another post.

Dinner easy as ABC

2011-09-21T10:47:00.001-04:00

Do you follow Ree Drummond over at her insanely popular blog The Pioneer Woman?

Well did you see her Food Network debut? She now has her own TV show by the same name. So the other Saturday morning I had to tune in for her premiere. Once I watched it, I had to make one of the recipes that very night.

Of course, it required a trip to the liquor store.

What's that you say? ... Oh, for the food, silly, not for the cook.

You mean your meals don't require trips to an ABC store?

my final product

I made Ree's Pasta Vodka Sauce. Follow the link for the recipe and I'll tell you my experience with it here in case you want to stop by the liquor store today and pick up dinner for tonight.

Having made quite a few tomato-based Italian style sauces from scratch, I was surprised at the short cooking time on hers. So I made mine that Saturday evening shortly before my husband, son and I had to be at the show my daughter was singing and dancing in.

Well, the short cooking times apparently weren't long enough to fully cook off the Vodka because it tasted Very Vodka-ie. Want to know how I know that taste? Read the RSVP chapter of my book here.

Tasting it before serving it, I was slightly nervous about feeding this to my 10 year-old. It was strong I tell ya, and I didn't even use the full cup of Vodka she said you could use. The onions I used were really strong too. That plus the red pepper flakes made for one zesty bowl of pasta! But I liked it and figured I could tweak it next go round.

I was relieved, however, that my daughter wasn't home for the dinner because I was certain she'd hate it. She doesn't do spicy and I knew she wouldn't like the idea of Vodka in her food, even with the alcohol cooked off. She'd take one bite of this and resist eating another.

On Monday I came downstairs and found her gobbling up the leftovers reheated in the microwave after school. "Mom, this pasta is awesome," she said while I stared at her in disbelief. "Give me a bite of that," I demanded as I wondered if she was destined for a life in an alley drinking Vodka from a paper bag - GOD FORBID.

It tasted so smooth. So creamy. So mellow. It was awesome. None of the sharp flavors from the first night remained after a day or two in the fridge.

So this is my kind of dish - tastes one way (but good) the first night, and tastes different (but good) as left-overs a few days later with no additional effort on my part.

I've since made Ree's Vodka sauce again - I have a whole bottle of Vodka to use after all. I cooked things longer the second time and decreased the Vodka by about a 1/4 a cup. It was much less zesty. It was good but I kinda missed some of the zestyiness. So I'll go back to Ree's way next time.

Oh, and the only deviation I made from Ree's recipe (the first time) was to add a couple pinches of sugar to the sauce when I added the tomatoes. Sugar cuts the acidity of canned tomatoes. Then I covered the top with shredded Parmesan cheese before serving, Mmmm.

Let me or Ree know if you try it and like it.

Fall Bible Study Plans

2011-09-14T10:45:00.002-04:00

Since Ecclesiastes is my current favorite book of the Bible I was excited to learn that Pastor Tullian Tchividjian is preaching a series on the book this fall, and the videos are available online. If I've got you pondering Ecclesiastes, watch this one today or the next time you're spending some time in the book.

MY FALL 2011 BIBLE STUDY PLANS:

Tonight I begin a Bible study with a great group of women in my local area. We're using one of Priscilla Shirer's video studies - Discerning the Voice of God. I'm looking forward to it as I've not done one of hers before and I hear they are fabulous.

And tomorrow my new online quiet time/Bible study accountability group begins. I'm joining my friend Karen Ehman and a couple of other women who live in other states in this cyber accountability group through the Good Morning Girls program.

If you're looking for an online Bible study and some accountability to do it, head straight over to Good Morning Girls (then page down for enrollment info) and see if you can get set up in time to begin with everyone tomorrow. The 12 week study is on the book of 1st John.

What are your Bible study plans for this fall?

Hilda - as comment #2 you won the giveaway of A Confident Heart by Renee Swope. Congrats!

Is there sarcasm in the Bible? And other questions. Plus a giveaway!

2011-09-09T13:57:00.002-04:00

I just finished writing a devotion for a special project P31 is doing in conjunction with Zondervan. The devo is on some verses in the book of Ecclesiastes - my most recent favorite book of the Bible. (First it was Proverbs, then it was Colossians, then Matthew, then Galatians ... my husband is probably hoping Song of Solomon becomes my next favorite. But I digress.)

I'm guessing not many people would name Ecclesiastes as their favorite book. Probably because the writer of the book sounds like he's in serious need of some Prozac. Lines like these make his serotonin seem in short supply:

~ "And I declared that the dead, who had already died, are happier than the living, who are still alive." Ecc 4:2

~ "I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind." Ecc 1:14

~ "What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labor under the sun? All their days their work is grief and pain; even at night their minds do not rest. This too is meaningless." Ecc 2:22-23

~ "Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; humans have no advantage over animals." Ecc 3:19

~ "And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another." Ecc 4:4

~ "For who knows what is good for a person in life, during the few and meaningless days they pass through like a shadow?" Ecc 6:12

Seriously? First time I read it I thought, can somebody please prescribe this guy some Zoloft? Or maybe sit him in front of one of those light therapy boxes? Throughout the whole book he keeps saying everything is vanity; it's meaningless. He says it 38 times in 12 chapters. I hear Zoloft is suppose to help get rid of bothersome thoughts.

Is he just another manic-depressive writer in his depressive phase? Did he suffer insomnia, then run out of coffee before he met the morning's word count and nothing else was in his fridge but he had a strong craving for chocolate cake even though it would go straight to his thighs? Wait, I think I digressed again. Or is there more in this guy's book than meets the eye?

It's like the rest of the Bible is cruising along saying God is good. He can be trusted. He will help those who follow Him. His plans will not fail. Listen to Him. Become wise. Put your trust in Him. He is redeeming His people and eventually the earth. And then the writer of Ecclesiastes comes along and says, "Everything is meaningless and we're better off dead."

Makes you wonder how this book ever made it into the Bible. I mean besides the fact that Ecc. 3:1-8 made for great lyrics for that hit song by The Byrds. The rest of the verses could pretty much be any angst-filled teen anthem of today.

I spent a year focusing on the book of Ecclesiastes, asking God to help me understand it. Was the author a pessimist with a wicked sense of sarcasm? Is there sarcasm in the Bible? Is God sarcastic? Or does this book have some sort of deep meaning that's relevant to you and me today?

Tell me in a comment what you make of Ecclesiastes - or if that's too daunting, what's your favorite book of the Bible - and you'll be entered to win Monday's giveaway of Renee Swope's terrific new book A Confident Heart. This book will help you deal with your doubts and insecurities. I recently read it and it's better than Prozac. Not that I've ever had Prozac; I haven't. Not that I'm saying there's something wrong with prescribed anti-depressants. Wait, I digressed again. Sorry. You were about to say? ...

Why I Use Twitter

2011-09-06T11:13:00.007-04:00

Are you on Twitter?

I'm not sure how long I've been on Twitter, but I do know it didn't take long for Twitter to become my favorite form of social media.

When I first joined the ranks of those who speak in 140 characters or less, lots of people asked me the same question: Why? In fact, they often phrased it in the same way, "Why do you care to hear what people had for lunch?"

They were making a huge assumption that all anyone ever did on Twitter was say, "I just had a chicken-salad sandwich." Or, "Running carpool to the baseball field now."

I'd answer their question by explaining, "The people I follow don't tell me what they had for lunch."

The people I choose to follow on Twitter give me helpful information.

They tell me which products or technologies have worked best for them.
They tell me what they've read recently that's worth seeing, and give the link.
They tell me what's going on in their industries. And in my industry.
They tweet Bible verses or share their insight into the gospel.
They answer my questions when I ask.
They keep me abreast on breaking news.
They tweet inspiring quotes.
They make me laugh.
They alert me when there's a new post on their blog - giving the topic and link should I be interested.

All this in a short, digestible, easy to skim format. I use TweetDeck to organize the tweets of those I follow. I sort people into lists with a separate column for each list: Publishing industry folks, P31 girlfriends, Insightful pastors, etc.

Twitter and TweekDeck have pretty much replaced blog subscriptions, Google Reader, and RSS feeds for me. And I waste less time Internet browsing now that I'm on Twitter.

Still don't believe Twitter is helpful? Check this:

By the way, I really want to know what book that guy is reading - it must be compelling!

So that's why I use Twitter. Because it's helpful, useful, entertaining and very doable for me.

I do have to confess that a couple months ago I started following some fellow foodies on Twitter. These are serious food industry types. And they sometimes do tweet what they had for lunch. Believe me their lunches are interesting! So now I have to revise my answer to the "Why do you care what people had for lunch" question.

My new answer is, "That's the beauty of Twitter. It gives you instant access to the people and information that YOU would like to have access to."

Twitter is like the world's coffee shop. Day or night there's community and conversation going on. And all you need is a twitter handle - and maybe a hashtag - to find the people you'd like to chat with and jump into the conversation. Stay awhile and sip a latte, or just get your coffee to go.

So are you on Twitter? If so, who are some of your favorite people to follow?

You can follow me at @RachelOlsen.

How I Read a Book

2011-09-01T10:43:00.003-04:00

I am a word aficionado. Not a word-snob, but a lover of words and language.

There's power in words. Beauty in words. Grace in words.

Words create movement. They craft nations. They seal a marriage. They cast vision. They make us laugh. They expand our horizons. They script our possibilities.

Few things fascinate me like the power of words. So it's no wonder I read a lot. Recently I asked readers here to tell me if they tend to be book finishers or book abandoners. And I promised to tell how I read, so here it goes.

I'm fairly picky on the front end about what I'll buy or bring home. There's too many options and too little reading time for me not to be discriminate. If I have access to the Internet, I often check reader reviews before deciding on a title. But a book doesn't have to get 5 stars for me to read it.

With any book I pick up, I see the title, note the author, read the back cover, and then note the publisher. Before entering the publishing arena myself I didn't pay much attention to the publisher, now that info tells me something about the book, particularly in the case of Christian books. Different publishers can have different bents, or theological leanings.

Next I open the book and scan the table of contents. I want the chapter titles to intrigue me but also to give me some sense of what the chapter contains. Next I flip through and spot read on various pages throughout. This is often the biggest determinate for me. I have to be intrigued, pulled in. I have to find at least two places during spot reading that make me want to keep reading.

It might be compelling content, brillant analysis, the author's voice, or the beauty of the wording that pulls me in. But it's got to pull me.

Once I officially begin reading a non-fiction book, I read with a pencil in hand. It must be a pencil, not a pen and not a highlighter - strong color visually divides and messes up the pages for me. It tends to prevent me from engaging with the non-highlighted stuff on a second or third read through. That's a problem because at different times in my life different things will speak to me.

I underline sentences often. I sometimes write the topic of a great passage at the top of the page. And I occasionally make short notes in the margin. If a question gets raised in my mind, I'll put a question mark in the margin beside it. If an action is suggested that I want to do, I'll draw a to-do style check box in the margin. If something is a key point, I draw a key shape to the side.

Being a busy woman and a lover of words with many interests, I'm sometimes tempted to stop reading a book before the end, even if I've been enjoying it. I might get restless, or distracted by another title I want to read.

On a case by case basis I decide if I will push myself to finish it or let myself move on to another book. If I decide to move on, I also decide not to feel guilty about that. It was an intentional decision.

Some books make their argument for me or teach me their premise well enough in the first several chapters. And sometimes the author runs out of new things to say before they meet their mandatory word count (shhh, don't tell them I told you that). And once in a while, a book just fails to deliever or resonate with me. If that's the case, I put it down and move on.

Life is not college, (beyond the Bible) there is no manditory reading list. Still, I can't imagine life without books. My life is better for having read a great many of them. And for having finished most of those I started, and consciously abdanonded a few to move on to what will move me.

Chances are you are a book lover too. Feel free to share your reading tips and tendencies. And if you're looking for a Christian non-fiction book to read, or even half-read, you can try mine here.

Hello Irene

2011-08-26T22:21:00.004-04:00

We interrupt our normally scheduled blog post to bring you this update:

Hurricane Irene has arrived in Wilmington.

Thankfully, she has weakened - noted evidence of answered prayer.

I last left my house around 4:00 pm today for a quick ride over to Wrightsville Beach in between squalls. I wanted to peak at the surf. They are not evacuating the barrier island this time, though they do have a curfew tonight.

The skies looked menacing and the surf was definitely kicking up. The pictures below don't do the sight justice. But they were the best I could get in the rain and wind gusts - the wind blew my tightly Velcro'd Nike visor off!

First, here's the status of bread in Wilmington grocery stores right now:

A favorite ocean-front restaurant all boarded up.

We passed some guys riding the wind on skateboards with umbrellas and bed sheets for sails. Yes, they were going the wrong way on a one-way street but Irene was only blowing one direction.

Some shots of the beach. It was hard to keep my lens dry. You can't see it but rain is falling.

This black dot is my visor that blew off while I was on the pier and landed by the dunes.

Rick went after my hat for me, proving chivalry is not dead. The wind is pelting him with rain drops and sand coming off the beach.

Here's the Intercoastal waterway, already looking pretty full. I wondered if it was high tide.

Here's the marsh that backs up to my neighborhood - it was also looking quite full at 5:oo pm.

The rain is picking up outside now and it's dark out. I understand half of Wrightsville Beach has already lost power tonight.

Hopefully we will sleep peacefully through much of the storm. I'm just happy I'm not sleeping there -this particular yacht decided to drop anchor in the middle of the waterway and ride out the storm there.

I'm normally all for southern hospitality but I'm hoping Irene doesn't overstay her welcome. And I sure hope she plays nice while here.

Praying for the Northeast!

Are you a Book Finisher?

2011-08-25T07:52:00.002-04:00

"After all, tomorrow is another day."

That's the closing line from what famous novel?

Ms. Scarlet could tell you.

Here's what I'm wondering today: Do you tend to read your books all the way through to the end?

Or do you tend to stop part way and never finish?

If you tend to stop--why? You get bored, busy or distracted? Does it bother you not to finish?

And does your answer to the question change depending on whether you're reading fiction or non-fiction?

A Teletext survey of 4,000 Britons found that almost half of the books they bought remained unfinished. I'm guessing their American counterparts aren't much different. But you tell me, are you typically a book finisher or a book abandoner.

I'll tell you in my next post if I'm a book finisher or not. (What do you think?)

Meanwhile, if you are a book finisher, you'll probably recognize some of these Best 100 Closing Lines from well-known books. If you're not a book finisher, pop over and see what you've been missing. :)

And thanks for answering my nosey questions about your reading habits.

The Need to Learn

2011-08-22T12:04:00.000-04:00

It's one of my favorite times of the year - Back to School.

I love this time mainly because I have a big crush on books, learning and cute professors with leather patches on the elbows of their sweaters. Well, really just one certain professor with said sweater.

But I digress.

The prospect of a new semester holds promise. It's that promise of expansion and growth that excites me. Each January and August (the two "new year" times in my life) I look for some way that I can intentionally grow or expand.

Last Spring I went to college not as the teacher but as a student for a change. I took a fascinating course on the Psychology of Religion. I'd take that class again in a heartbeat. And the experience has me thinking I might audit some more courses at the university. I'm even thinking of teaching a new course myself next fall - a course on food.

I'm also planning to try a new hobby. I do this every few years. A couple years ago it was cooking. I'm not sure yet but this year it might be Zumba. Anyone tried it?

Did you know it is fabulously good for you to keep learning new things? Sudoku. Ball Room Dancing. Knitting. Writing Poetry. Indoor Gardening. Anything.

So tell me, what do you plan to learn this year?

Here's a video to inspire you.

LEARN from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

Is there a class you will attend, or a hobby you might take up? Will you delve into a new Bible study or maybe extreme couponing? ... What might you try this school year?

What Blocks Your View?

2011-08-17T08:47:00.002-04:00

Are you living with the cross of Christ in view as Paul encourages?

That's a profoundly challenging question. As a believer, my knee-jerk response is, "Of course!" But
I've been reading C. J. Mahaney lately and thinking about the cross (the Gospel of Christ). I've realized while I go through my days with God firmly planted in my mind, that's not quite the same thing as living with a view of the cross.

Mahaney outlines three things he believes pulls our focus away from the gospel: subjectivism, legalism and condemnation. You can read about those in Mahaney's words in his book Living the Cross-Centered Life. I'm going to walk through them here in my words.

1) Subjectivism = basing our view of the unchanging God on our fluctuating feelings.

Our feelings will always fluctuate. Let's face it, they rise and fall with our circumstances, our moods, our hormones, our health, our hair-cut ... they aren't stable.

Our feelings about God can easily rise and fall too. We see a prayer answered - we get warm feelings about God and increased faith results. Then we get sick and can't seem to get well again despite praying - negative feelings ensue and our faith decreases.

We wonder if God hears us, or if He cares. And we decide He must not.

I believe a marker of spiritual maturity is the ability to pull our faith out of the hands of our feelings. To preach the truth about God, from the Bible, to ourselves no matter how low we feel when the preaching begins.

2) Legalism - basing our relationship with God on our personal performance.

This is a shift from experiencing grace to seeking to earn it. We slip into legalism when we want to deserve God's forgiveness - when we try hard to be worthy of it. Or maybe, when we try so hard not to need it that we fall into perfectionism.

I wrote about this in one of the chapters in my book It's No Secret - it's been the most popular chapter based on reader feedback. Apparently a lot of women have a tiny little issue with perfectionism. I know a thing or two about that.

As we grow in our faith, we come to dislike sin. That's great! But we must be careful not to come to dislike grace in the process. I believe a marker of spiritual maturity is a lavish welcoming of God's grace.

Mahaney writes, "Legalism is essentially self-atonement for the purpose of self-glorification and ultimately for self-worship." When you put it that way, C.J., ouch.

3) Condemnation - focusing on our sins more than on God's grace.

You've heard the saying, "You can't see the forest for the trees." Meaning you are too close to the thing to see it in proper perspective. This happens when we fixate on our sin. We obsess about our inability to live up to Jesus' standards, rather than turning cartwheels over the fact that in all the ways we fall short, God's grace covers.

God isn't interested in our punishing ourselves over our sins. He is interested in our turning away from sin towards His grace and love. His love towards us abounds!

Not just in an "Aww bless her heart, she's such a mess" kind of way but in a "I'll go to the ends of the earth - to the cross even - to redeem you because you are my prized possession" kind of way.

If God holds nothing against me, why would I hold it against myself?

I believe a marker of spiritual maturity is staring less at my faults and more at the cross. Forgiveness is constantly there for the believer. We don't have to atone for our sins - Christ already has. Somebody wave a white hanky and shout hallelujah at that!

What is blocking your view of the cross?

Responsiveness

2011-08-10T07:25:00.001-04:00

Today my toes will stride across the sand of Sunset Beach, NC. (Home of The Mailbox). My family and I are meeting my friend Zoe Elmore and her husband there for a little late-summer get-away.

I love to walk the beach, but only on the part close to the water -- on the sand that's been hard-packed by the surf. Running on the loose shifting sand gave me the worse ankle injury of my life!

Are you looking for some solid, stable ground on which to place your foot? Or your marriage, or your home, or your career?

Me too. This morning I found it. Or rather I found directions to it. Actually, I found it and it was pointing back at itself. Take a look:

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.

But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” ~ Matthew 7:24-27

The Hebrew understanding of the word "hear" isn't just the physical act of hearing. It's not even the more intentional effort of listening. No, the Hebrew conception embodied within the word "hear" is to hear and respond.

The biblical act of hearing isn't complete until we've responded to it.

If we have "ears to hear" as the biblical idiom goes, we don't just perceive what God is saying. We don't just listen to the sermon. We don't just cognitively understand what the Bible teaches, we hear it, believe it and endeavor to live it. We respond to the truth.

We build our house on it.

We bank on it.

We source our lives there.

And when we fail to do that, we risk a crash according to this passage.

This has me thinking, how much Bible knowledge or scripture understanding do you and I have, but do not respond to?

How quick is our responsiveness?

Looking back, the greatest times of growth in my life as a Christian correspond with the times I've been the most responsive to God's truth.

Scripture study and Bible memorization are terrific disciplines. They're critical to growing in Christ. But they're of little good unless we allow them to transform us. We have to respond.

If you're feeling spiritually sluggish or stuck, consider: How responsive have I been to God or scripture lately? Have I yielded to what He's asked of me?

Let's be responsive today.

I know that's easy for me to say ... I'll have my toes in the surf.

Story Lovers Alert

2011-08-06T09:27:00.004-04:00

If you follow me here or on social media, I'm guessing you are a non-fiction reader. As heretofore I've been solely a non-fiction writer. (Did you like my casual use of that fancy word?) What you may not know is that I love reading fiction as well. Right now I'm reading 3 different novels.

Do you read fiction too? I'd love to know what types? Romance? Historical? Contemporary Women's Fiction? Suspense? ...

One day I just might write a novel. You'd read it, right?

Well, for all my fellow fiction readers out there, I know a survey you won't want to miss. Sound off on what fiction you like to read in this quick survey for Thomas Nelson and get a free eBook download in return, plus the possibility to win $10,000.

Count the zeros, girls - there are four of them there!

So pop over and take this survey for Thomas Nelson. I did and I'm about to go figure out which novel to get as my free download.

Meanwhile, do you know about She Reads? It's P31's fiction division and I've just joined the ranks of the fabulous women that run it. Every month we feature a new novel & author and do a fun giveaway. If you love Christian fiction - or you'd like to wade into the fictional waters with a well-recommended novel - check us out. You can even discuss the novels with other women in our new discussion forum.

Happy Reading!

Aging brings a Gift

2011-08-04T08:07:00.002-04:00

Here’s the thing. (When a post opens like that, you know I’m letting you into my thoughts mid-stream. So just try to track with me here.) Two weeks ago I marked another birthday. I don’t feel as old as I seem to inevitably be growing.

Aside from that little exercise in cognitive dissonance, I’m OK with it.

A couple years ago I made a new friend. She is ahead of me in life. She moved to my town having just retired (from some really cool jobs like being head honcho at a little television station called the Food Network. Oh and also the one that starts with an H and ends with a V). I must say, God gives me spectacular friends.

wish my nails looked this good

When I told her 40 was approaching on my horizon, she insisted my 40’s would be my absolute best decade. I had my reasons for doubting her – my hips and thighs namely. But I decided to listen and trust what she had to say. Because I’ve discovered that wisdom truly does come with age.

Let me pause here and be clear, you can age without gaining much wisdom. It happens to some, and I think that’s a bona fide shame. It’s equally true you don’t have to live through a multitude of decades to gain wisdom. It’s there for the asking. Free for the seeking according to the Bible.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” James 1:5

“Come and listen to my counsel. I’ll share my heart with you, and make you wise.” Prov. 1:23

But age – or more accurately, TIME and EXPERIENCE – affords us perspective we don’t have when we’re young. And perspective lives right next door to wisdom.

A few months ago, Sarah Martin at She Seeks asked me to share a piece of advice with the twenty-something set that frequents their blog. In writing that post, I realized how time and experience brings perspective, and perspective, wisdom. Hop over there if you want to read what I wrote.

Back to my wise friend who worked in TV. (I warned you this post would be rather stream of consciousness.) She told me that in your 40’s you shed a lot of the self-consciousness and doubt that tends to plague us in our 30s. She said our careers hit full stride in our 40’s. And we become more comfortable in our bodies – even though they don’t look like they did in our 20’s – and with our decisions. We embrace our strengths more and worry less about our supposed weaknesses (those things God or life didn’t afford us).

That sounds really good to me. So I’m choosing to embrace my age. I will welcome my 40’s. And my 50’s. And my 60’s. And my 70’s. And my 80’s should God allow me to live that long.

I don’t know where on the timeline you are, but I encourage you to embrace it, whatever number it is. Celebrate your years of life and the wisdom they bring. And share your wisdom with others.

It’s a gift.

“Gray hair is likea crown of glory;it is attainedin the path of righteousness.” Prov 16:31

Are you dreading or embracing aging?

Being Memorable

2011-08-02T11:23:00.006-04:00

A stranger recently remarked, “You look like Rachel Olsen!” I wasn’t sure what to say in response. It wasn’t a question. I didn't know how to categorize and file that comment.

Was I being recognized? Or mistaken?

There is some small thrill in being recognized – in being remembered, being memorable. Plus, there is satisfaction in possessing a strong sense of self – in knowing who you are to the extent that others know it too.

“I am Rachel Olsen … I think,” I replied, wondering if there was some other Rachel Olsen that I happen to look a lot like. After all, people constantly tell me I look familiar to them.

I’m not sure why this is. I have a feeling that means I’m mostly average. Not exactly forgettable, but not specifically memorable either. Or maybe there are just a lot of 5’3” pale-skinned brunettes walking about.

Turns out she had heard me speak at a church in town but hadn’t had a chance to see me up close. Charlie Chaplin once entered a Charlie Chaplin look-alike contest. He came in third place. Knowing that, I smiled at her and struck up a conversation.

******

Women often go to great lengths trying to make themselves look, well, memorable. I suspect we all do that to some extent. And I reckon we always will.

But today I realize it’s much easier to be remembered for what you said.

“She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.” Prov. 31:26

Or, to be memorable for what you do.

“She is energetic and strong, a hard worker. She makes sure her dealings are profitable.” Prov. 31:17-18b

“She extends a helping hand to the poor and opens her arms to the needy.” Prov. 31:20

“She carefully watches everything in her household and suffers nothing from laziness.” Prov. 31:27

"Let her deeds publicly declare her praise." Prov. 31:31b

It's not only easier, it's pleasing to God.

So, go be memorable today.

Craving God

2011-07-28T16:49:00.001-04:00

I sit and I stare at this picture.

It reminds me that I'm hungry. Not physically, but spiritually. Not hungry for the simple but satisfying taste of fresh bread, but for a simple yet transforming bite of the Bread of Life.

A fresh piece, just pulled from the loaf. Still warm. With the yeasty smell discernible and the ability to melt what it comes into contact with.

That's what I crave today. To be melted by God. Into God. To become infused.

I spend so much time resisting my cravings - cravings for too much of this, forbidden that, or a brand new one of those. I have to be careful not to automatically resist this craving too. Not to decide that I'll indulge it later. Or satisfy it tomorrow.

So as I stare at this picture I drop what I'm doing and reach for the scriptures. The book weighs in my hand like a dense loaf of sweet bread. I open and tear off a bite.

"Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered."

I tend to think blessed are those who do not sin. And yet, this verse says blessed are those whose sins are covered. Who are forgiven.

Blessedness is never something I achieve but something I'm given. Something I'm privy to in Christ. Something I'm gifted with by Him.

Something I'm thankful for.

Something that calls forth in me a desire to please God.

I chew. I swallow, allowing the truth of the gospel to make its way into my bones.

I invite God to come in and cover me.

And I look back at the picture of the bread, hoping it will incite in me tomorrow the same craving it did today.

She Speaks 2011

2011-07-26T22:22:00.004-04:00

I'm back from the 2011 She Speaks conference where I spent most of last week. Thought I'd share some of my memories, lessons and experiences from the week.

1. Upon arrival at the hotel Tuesday, I ironed my white pants and managed to burn my left hand on the iron. I sat through dinner with Lysa TerKeurst, Holly Good, Marybeth Whalen and Ariel Lawhon with my fingers in a cup of ice. When all my ice melted, Holly gave me her ice water. That's a good friend.

2. Wednesday was my birthday. I spent all day in She Speaks meetings. My girlfriends, however, lavished me with gifts. Scented soy candles. A cute teal leather purse. Beautiful stationary gifts from Rose Lane Cottage. The coolest travel kit ever. Books, dinner and more. I turned 29 in case you were wondering. I turn 29 every year - it's tradition.

3. I picked up a copy of Logos Bible software. Now I just have to carve out the time to learn to use it. I may get my pastor to help me with that. I showed him around TweetDeck this year, so maybe he'll show me around Logos. Do you use a Bible software program?

4. Led an intermediate-level speakers evaluation group. I loved my group this year! I'm thinking I say that every year. PS. Between you and me, it's not exactly fun to have to critique someone's presentation skills when they've just poured out their heart in a message, or taught passionately from the Bible. I wanted to give them all A's.

5. I discovered it's possible to get by on 6 or less hours of sleep for several nights in a row, but it does nothing for your complexion.

6. I loved meeting women at the P31 authors book signing. Note to Self: It is hard to sign 50 books in a row while wearing a chunky bracelet on your writing arm. You can't get your arm on the table to hold the pen normal. And then your writing looks sloppy.

7. The prayer room. It's the best place in the whole conference center. I should have gone in there earlier than I did this year.

8. Met Ann Voscamp and heard her speak. If you've ever read Ann, 'nough said.

9. I want a breakfast buffet like that every morning. Today at home I had just a protein shake.

10. I came down to the conference center on Sunday morning all chirpy-happy. I was chatting with Zoe Elmore and Carol Davis. Life was good. AND, I was going home in just a few hours. Couldn't wait to see my husband and kids.

Then Wendy Pope came over and said she noticed in the parking lot that my back tire was flat. My mood went flat too. (Did I mention I'd already spent $1600 on car repairs this summer?). But the two bell hops took off their white button downs and went to work putting the spare tire on my car. Embassy Suites Concord has excellent customer service.

Which is good, because I'll be spending my birthday with them again next year at She Speaks 2012.

Maybe you can join me - bring a chocolate cake that says, "Happy 29th, Rachel." And some Downy Wrinkle Releaser, please.

Rescue Your Time Management

2011-07-14T09:26:00.002-04:00

Today my friend P31 teammate extraordinaire Micca Campbell is spotlighting me on her blog in her series about the team leading up to next week's She Speaks conference. Scoot over there to find out how I came to do what I do, and random facts like my current favorite TV show.

Read below for more about me and something that might help you. Because as much a it sounds all about me today, my blogging really is more about you. I want us both to craft a happy, productive life that honors Christ.

So here goes more about me first. I am a highly extroverted, fun-loving, creative non-conformist. I'm also the sociable baby-of-the-family who got used to everyone else taking care of life's responsibilities while I played.

But alongside my fun-loving free-spirit, I have a drive to create, to teach, to inspire and to succeed. I have a strong impulse to live intentionally and to hear God say, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."

So that means I have to work at developing efficiency, punctuality, responsibility and productivity. After all, time is money they say.

Oh, I should also mention that I love to learn. I'm continually reading and studying.

Given my personality and info-junkie nature, I can easily spend all day online conversing, socializing, and reading here, there and everywhere about this and that. That's enjoyable - and there are way worse ways I could spend my time - but there's got to be a balance. I've also got to write, teach, work, cook and create. I need to produce, manage, maintain, parent and steward.

I recently found a tool that can help me see and achieve that balance. It's called RescueTime. It monitors how long I spend doing tasks on the computer like emailing, or writing in my word processor. It marks how long I spend on FaceBook or other social sites. It monitors how much time I spend shopping online. And it will even track for me, to a degree, how I'm spending my time off the computer.

It sends me reminders and shows me daily reports of how I've spent my time. And the best part is all of this is, it's done with little to no tacking effort on my part!

This free little tool has upped my efficiency nearly as much as learning to make daily to-do lists. But the difference between RescueTime and simply making a to-do list is it helps me see how all my hours were spent. Some days I get to everything on my to-do list but still waste a lot of time without realizing it. Other days I might not complete my to-do list, yet I worked productively all day on things that matter so I need not feel guilty about the unfinished list.

RescueTime helps me see this.

I'm loving using it. Even knowing that it's there "watching me" prompts me to be a little more productive. If you'd like to try it, follow this link to RescueTime. That's my referral link. The basic program is free to download. And the upgraded program isn't very expensive. I've been using the upgrade.

Give it a try and see what it does for your productivity.

Think about it, what have you got to lose?

A Sound Night's Sleep

2011-07-13T09:47:00.001-04:00

I loved reading all the comments yesterday! There are some good tips in there.
Yesterday's winner of It's no Secret is Denise J. Congrats, Densise, please send me your address.
Here's two more tips to help us get quality sleep. These are well-known, but often ignored.

Control the lighting. Our bodies are designed to respond to the setting of the sun by slowing down and resting. Instead we turn on bright lights and stare into lit screens for hours after dark.

As the evening wears on, dim the lighting. Put the computer away an hour before bedtime. Turn off overhead lights and the TV. And if you read before bed, use a small lamp or book light. I've got many of the lights in my home on dimmer switches.

Need help waking up gently? Do the reverse, let it grow gradually brighter in your room. If your windows have closed curtains at night, look into an alarm clock like this one. I have something similar and it lets me set it to gradually dim until it goes out at night, then it gets gradually brighter before hitting full-on at my set wake time. I like that much better than a jolting buzzing alarm. (bare windows have the same affect)

Relaxing Sounds. Play relaxing music in your bedroom. I have a small stereo in mine that holds 2 CDs. It will play one, the other, or both back to back and then cut off. I switch out the CDs every few weeks but most of my favorites have ocean sounds. The sound of water and waves is research-proven to induce relaxation.

Lots of people sleep with a fan on for white noise to quiet their mind. I have a ceiling fan that's on all but the coldest of nights.

Note, sleeping with the TV on is not quite the same. Unlike the constant rythmic sound of a fan whirrling or waves rolling, the sound levels on TV shows and commericals rise and fall. So do the light levels in the room when your TV is on. While you may remain asleep through that, your body is often registering those changes and your rest may not be as deep.

There are places online to find soothing sounds. Need to generate some white noise? Try simplynoise.com. Need help falling asleep? Pzizz is an interesting concept to check out.

Bottom line: Unless we have very young children in the home waking us, it's probably in our power to get better rest. We’ve just got to make it a priority and stop giving it last place on our list. It really comes first as the beginning of the day.

It helps to recognize that rest is God’s gift to us – one through which we can give honor back to Him.
Need more convincing? Want to develop of theology of sleep? Try this article.

Sweet dreams tonight.

Getting Rest

2011-07-12T08:04:00.007-04:00

Welcome if you’ve come over from my devotion published at P31 today. Pause and go read it if you missed it. As promised, here’s six practical tips for better rest.

1) Declutter your bedroom. Begin this today – finish it as soon as possible. Work on it section by section this week until you’re done.

What you’re thinking when you nod off affects your sleep, and your mood when you wake up. If you are surrounded by stuff, projects, things that need sewing, things that need cleaning, things that need putting away, things that need giving away, things that belong downstairs, when you lay down you are going to feel like there is so much you still need to do. When you wake you will feel already behind. (Translation: you will feel self-defeated and guilty about resting.) Get that stuff out of your resting space!

2) Strictly limit what comes into your room. This is how you hold the line once you’ve decluttered. Let your bedroom serve a few main purposes: relaxing or sleeping, dressing, and intimacy with your spouse. You may be surprised at how much decluttering can help with that last one. It’s not that you can’t read in bed or wrap a present on the bed sometimes but don’t make your home office in your bedroom. Or set up your crafting business in your bedroom. If you have no place else in your home to do such things, figure out how to put it all away or out of sight at night. That will signal your brain that creative/work time is over.

3) Pray. Spend sometime unwinding with God. Pray through stressful issues from your day – turning your troubles over to Him. Give Him thanks for blessings from your day – reminding yourself He is good, powerful and trustworthy. This is how you turn laying down to sleep (or a warm bath before bed) into a spiritual discipline. Drift off with your worries released and your mind centered on Him.

4) Keep a notebook by your bed. If to-do type thoughts come to you while you are trying to fall asleep, or trying to pray, jot them down and then let them fall from your mind. The paper will remind you tomorrow. You can also jot down things that come to you as you pray. Or write down a few things you are thankful for from that day to jumpstart your prayer time.

5) Give yourself permission to invest in your rest. Do you like it dark? Get lined curtains. Put your bedside lamp on a dimmer switch. Sleep better when cool? Invest in a programmable thermostat that automatically makes it cooler at night but brings the temp back up in time to wake. Is it time for a new pillow or mattress? We spend 1/3 of our lives asleep. Think about how quick you are to go buy something you will wear once to a special event!

6) Exercise. As a small little shoe company would say, just do it. What ever time of day works for you. Whatever exercise works for you – even a 15-20 minute brisk walk around the neighborhood works wonders. Just do it several times a week. You will rest better.

So, which of these do you need to do? Got any strategies that help you unwind for rest? Post a comment and be entered to win a copy of my new book It’s No Secret: Revealing Divine Truths Every Woman Should Know. Tomorrow I’ll announce the winner, post more tips, link to some articles, and share some specific products that help me rest.

Home Gym Workout Spaces

2011-07-07T14:45:00.008-04:00

Yesterday I mentioned creating an inspiring space to workout at home. I realize not everyone has the space or budget to do what most of these people have done, but we can draw some inspiration from their rooms. And I've included a few simple set-ups here.

Even if you have no extra space or exercise machines, you could create a small spot like the one above. Or a cute workout basket to set in the corner where it will serve as a motivator and reminder. It could include:

a favorite aluminum water bottle
a soft hand towel for wiping off your face
a pack of gum or mints
a pedometer
a water spritzer bottle for cooling off
a yoga mat
a pair of 3 or 5 lb. hand weights or some exercise bands
a favorite workout DVD
a {chocolate} protein bar
some fitness magazines

Looking for a book to read on the exercise bike? Try mine: It's No Secret: Revealing Divine Truths Every Woman Should Know.

Do you workout at home? Any of these home gyms catch your eye?

5 Ways to Enjoy Exercise

2011-07-06T09:14:00.007-04:00

The winner of four SPF 50 copies of It's No Secret is SueBE. Congrats! (and send me your addy)

When I asked y'all on July 4th to name something you'd change about the way you live your life, more than a couple of you said, "I'd learn to like exercise more."

I have a few suggestions to help you with that. But first, let me state for the record that I understand your plight. I'm not one to like exercise for exercise's sake. So here's what helps me.

1) DO WHAT MOVES YOU. Find a type of exercise you enjoy - or at least that you don't hate. Hate push ups, weight lifting and crunches, but like to dance? Forget Jillian Micheals and sign up for Zumba.

What did you used to love? Ice Skating? Riding your bike? Bowling? Badminton? Swimming? Try that again. Who says you can't do tap or gymnastics past age 21? I do. You can too. And try new things. Experiment boldly. You might discover you enjoy pilates or kickboxing, water aerobics or surfing. Many studios and gyms will let you take a trial class for free.

2) LISTEN TO THE MUSIC. Music is a main way I motivate myself to work out. I look forward to listening to music I love, and moving to the beat. If I put on my iPod I will work out harder and faster without feeling like I'm working any harder. Plus, I enjoy the time once I get going.

If you don't have an iPod or MP3 player, get one now. If the technology intimidates you, have a friend or teen help you learn to use it. And load it with fantastic fast music you love - great Christian music and favorite songs from the decade you came of age. Those songs will get you moving.

3) PAIR UP. A walk around the track or park goes much faster when chatting with a friend. Find someone at roughly your fitness level and make a pact to meet twice a week. Walk, jog, bike, rollerblade, hit a tennis ball. Or plan to take a fitness class together. Your friend not only serves as diversion from the exercise but also as an accountability partner.

Personal trainers work as well. You don't have to be buff or want to get buff to use a personal trainer. You do have to pay, though. Friends are free, and usually offer better conversation.

4) DISTRACT YOURSELF. While I tend to work out harder and faster with great music on, I work out longer without noticing if I watch TV while on my treadmill or on my gym's elliptical machines. My gym has TVs and I have one in front of my treadmill at home.

I also frequently read books, novels, magazines or the Bible while on a cardio machine. I can only go but so fast while reading, but I'm always amazed at how much time has passed when I look up. I've even taken my laptop to the treadmill to read blogs while walking. And I sometimes do my quiet time on my treadmill. Two birds, one stone.

5) UTILIZE BEAUTY. Set up an inspiring workout space in your home or yard. Go someplace beautiful to walk or hike like a park, or a wooded trail. Drink in the views while you warm up your muscles. Pray while you're at it. I like to walk the beach and jump the waves. It's hard on my toenail polish but easy on the eyes and great for everything between my heels and waist.

And don't underestimate the power of a cute new workout top either.

What exercise do you love, or what helps you to love exercise?

Giving away 4 on the 4th - do I smell coconut?

2011-07-04T10:14:00.000-04:00

Happy Independence Day. Around here the 4th is a day that involves lots of watermelon, sunscreen, lemonade, time at the beach or pool, and dinner on the grill.

Only, I'm running a little low on the sunscreen this year ...

Earlier this week I put a box of my books in the car to take to the post office. Then my daughter climbed in and set the beach bag on top of the box. Unbeknownst to us, her can of sunscreen spray leaked in her bag, and into the box, and onto the books. Ugh.

But my mess is your opportunity!

I now have four copies of It's No Secret that are able to stay out in the sun 50 times longer without burning! I've wiped them off and all is fine except that the liquid sunscreen caused the ink to smear a little on some of the pages inside. Everything is still entirely readable, and not all pages are affected.

So if you have a small group or book club looking for a late summer or early fall read - here's your chance to get 4 copies of It's No Secret free. If you're not in a group, here's your chance to get yourself a copy of the book free and give away the other three copies to friends.

And if you love the idea of reading at the park, beach or pool but never do it because you worry about your books getting messed up - these come guilt-free and outdoors ready!

To enter to win all 4 Coppertone-graced, autographed-for-you copies of It's No Secret just post your answer to this:

If you could change one or two things about the way you live your life, what would they be?

That ought to get you thinking. I'll announce the winner on Wednesday - please make sure I can contact you if you win. And let me know if you answer but do not wish to be entered to win. Happy 4th!

Listening in Prayer

2011-06-29T11:25:00.001-04:00

I'm about to watch The Princess Bride with my kids. Love that movie - great casting.

I once heard actor Mandy Patinkin (from the movie) talk about the time he met Princess Diana. He and the others invited to visit the royal palace that day were told what to do and say as they came through the receiving line. Wait your turn in line. Do not extend your hand to shake until she offers you hers. Let her guide the conversation and then move along quickly for the next person in line to meet her.

While waiting in line, Patinkin thought through what he’d like to say to the Princess. He wanted to mention a cause near and dear to this heart that he thought she would appreciate. When his turn came, the princess smiled warmly, extended her hand to him and said something like, “I love your work in film.” And Patinkin replied, “That’s not really what I wanted to talk to you about.”

He proceeded to say what he’d planned. Only later did he realize his guffaw and feel embarrassed. The princess responded to Patinkin’s violation of protocol good-naturedly.

Patinkin tells the story well – making you feel sympathetic for him. Of course, we naturally feel for him. Who wouldn’t feel nervous and rushed under such circumstances? Who doesn’t spend time in conversations thinking of what they plan to say next?

I think his story sticks with me because it reminds me of myself in prayer. How often I come before the throne of God, with the opportunity to hear what His Highness would say. And instead, I want to move straight to my pre-determined agenda. I want to pull out my list of requests – rattle them off – and tell Him how He could address each one.

And then let Him move on to the next person. As if this were a receiving line rather than a relationship.

I’m sure Patinkin was happy to have chance to share his cause with the Princess – a woman with the heart and ability to do something about it. But I wonder if he doesn’t also long to know what she might have said to him that day had he let her guide the conversation.

Radiant notes

2011-06-25T10:25:00.005-04:00

Last week I stumbled across this video and fell in love with spirited, young Jessica who is an excellent self pep-talk giver.

Sometimes a gal needs a little pep talk, because we slide so easily into insecurity and self-condemnation. We get self-concious about our house, our shoes, or our hair. And we get so tired of feeling less-than over such things.

Truth be told, we long to be great. Jessica gets that. Jesus gets that too. But as I discussed last night at Port City Community Church's Radiant event, Jesus defines greatness a little differently than we tend to. Jesus essentially tells us - in Mark 10:35-44, Mark 9:33-35, and Matthew 20:20-28 - that if you want to be great, serve.

Serve God and the needs of others. Rather than serving our self and the opinions of others. For the first results in greatness in the eyes of God, and brings spiritual rewards. The latter results in insecurity (public opinion is a fickle master!) and brings regrets.

I don't think Jesus minds if we want to wear cute shoes or color our hair, or clean up the house before company's arrival. This is more of an allegiance thing. Who is on the throne in the seat of your soul? Is it us, is it our company, or is it God?

Last night I shared a list of four things that helps me to keep God on that throne in my heart, and keep insecurity at bay.

1) Soak up Scripture. Soak it up like your life depends on it ... because our self-assurance, our ability to obey God, and our eternal reward often does. When I'm soaked full of scripture, I'm less swayed by superficial, temporary things. In soaking up eternal truths, my faith grows larger than my insecurities.

2) Reach out to those in need. When I encounter people who are truly suffering in this world, fine lines, a dent in my car, that new recliner I want, or the fact that I frequently forget to return library books on time just doesn't matter much. When Jesus and others' needs come to the forefront, I gain needed perspective. Serving does a world of good, for all involved.

3) Understand who you are as made by God. Knowing how God made me helps me understand what He's designed me to do and what He probably hasn't designed me to do. Unlike Jessica, I know I can't do everything good. I wasn't made to. I'm not gifted for everything. This realization helps keep me from spinning my wheels, and from feeling like a failure at life. But in Christ I can do all that I'm made and called to do.

Take some personality inventories and spiritual gifts questionnaires. Ask God to reveal His designs for you. And don't put unrealistic pressure on yourself to do everything well - that describes God alone.

4) Ask, "Will this matter later?" This one question frequently pulls me out of an insecurity tailspin. When you find yourself obsessively worrying over something, ask yourself: Will this matter much to me a year from now? Will anyone else even remember this a year from now? And will this matter eternally - does it matter to God? Often the answer is "no," and then I can relax.

I heard we had something close to 900 women there last night, and a whole slew of them afterward told me this was a topic they could relate to. That's because the longing to be great in some significant way is universal. Jesus doesn't condemn that desire, He just redirects it for us so that we'll know how to truly become great. And in the process, He lovingly rescues us from the tyranny of insecurity.

One Good Egg

2011-06-21T10:10:00.003-04:00

Last weekend my elementary school son climbed onto my lap and asked, "Mom, have you eaten breakfast yet?"

"Nope, have you?" I replied. He is always the first one up on weekends in our house.

"No, do you want to have breakfast with me?"

"I sure do. What should we have?"

"Pancakes!"

A sideways look from me. Rick is the only one who makes pancakes in our house. Rick and the kids are the only ones who eat them. I'm not a pancake person. I can, however, eat a waffle on occasion. And yes, there is a big difference.

"I want hard boiled eggs," he said with that smile that makes me feel all is right in my world. I might have made him pancakes if he kept smiling at me like that. Fortunately, hard boiled eggs are super easy to make. Bring eggs in water to a boil, then cover and remove from the heat for 20 minutes - this keeps the yolks from getting that freaky greenish tint that comes with long rapid boiling.

I'm not a nutritionist so I have no official basis to say this. (But I am a researcher and a foodie passionate about good nutrition!) I think a significant part of what keeps the third world the third world is the lack of nutrition and protein in their diets. Yes, I know they also need clean water, medicines, stable governments, education, a reliable economy, etc. But good nutrition from birth could make a tangible impact.

Enter the One Egg project.

Tom Phillips, CEO of Diversified Conveyors, Inc., says he noticed in his trips abroad a great need for protein in the diet of the children in Rwanda. Protein is essential for proper brain development in children. Yet protein is in short supply there. Beef is too expensive, and if there is a chicken available, the custom is that the man gets to eat it—all of it—leaving nothing for the women and children. Uh, yeah.

So Tom put his engineering background to work and came up with a profitable, sustainable way to get protein to African children. They unite sponsors, local businesses, various churches and non-governmental organizations to create jobs, empower African nationals and provide protein to their malnourished children.

Here's how ...

They build hen houses. This creates jobs for the locals in construction, business, farming, transportation and animal care. They also provide skill training for each of these jobs. Once the egg production begins, approximately half of the eggs are sent to local markets to provide affordable sources of protein for the community. Which, in turn, provides income for the locals operating the hen house.

The remaining eggs are designated to be purchased by OneEgg sponsors (that could be you) to be distributed at OneEgg sites. Official OneEgg sites include schools, orphanages, hospital wards, and daycare centers.

For one gift of $60 (or $5 per month) to the project, you can supply a child with eggs for an entire year.
This project combines three of my passions: food, good nutrition and serving others because Christ has served me. So I'm pretty jazzed about it.

I'm also inspired by how one guy, Tom, saw a need in the world and set out to meet it. What a good egg he is. What could you do from where you are at today?

Want to be great and love your life?

2011-06-17T15:27:00.002-04:00

Just between you and me, I want to be great. Peferably at everything, but at least at a few things. I'd like to own some great things too.

So how does one attain greatness? Is it earned, achieved or developed? Or is it just something you embrace. Like something you already have and just need to acknowledge?

Jessica is pretty sure it's the latter. And this video of her cracks me up.

I'm pretty sure Jessica and I aren't alone in this desire. That's what I'll be talking about a week from today at the Radiant event at Port City Community Church. This team has some fun things planned for this event and the "after party" so if you are near the Southeastern NC coast, come join us. Register here.

It's gonna be great! Yeah ..yeah...yeah

Wise Choices, Romantic Reads (and Shaunti Feldhahn)

2011-06-14T13:49:00.003-04:00

Popular Christian author Shaunti Feldhahn weighs in today on our recent discussion on reading romance novels. Shaunti is the author of numerous books on sexuality and gender. Here's her views:

"I enjoy an escapist beach read like anyone else. I’ve got no literary pretensions. That said, however, I was concerned to learn that many romance novels are not as harmless as they look. In fact, some marriage therapists caution that women can become as dangerously unbalanced by these books’ entrancing but distorted messages as men can by distorted messages of pornography.

In fact, many of today’s romance novels actually have a huge soft porn influence, as nearly all major publishers are rushing to put out mainstream “erotica” titles to meet exploding demand. At what point should we admit that there is little difference between graphic images to men and seductive, graphic words and feelings to women? Erotica romances provide the porn-laced story with no worry about a spouse catching you online.

Erotica aside, even traditional romance novels promote - almost by definition - an unattainable romantic ideal. The male heroes are all strong, rugged and breathtakingly handsome, yet sensitive, patient listeners and utterly unselfish. Is it any wonder that if we read two or three of those romances in a row, we’d start to be irritated by our real-life husbands with all their wonderful yet exasperating idiosyncrasies?

Dr. Julianna Slattery, psychologist and author of the excellent book Finding the Hero in Your Husband, explained in an interview that “For many women, these novels really do promote dissatisfaction with their relationships. There is a neurochemical element with men and porn, but an emotional element with women and these novels. I have met women that are addicted to these novels.”

Although I wish “erotica” would disappear, I’m not suggesting women ditch other books that also happen to be romance stories. But this summer, those of us who like a good beach read would do well to remember, as we fold up our towel and head home, that it’s our choice to find the hero in our husband and not in the pages of a fiction book."

I think Shaunti draws an important distinction between romance literature (love-driven stories) and erotica literature (lust or sex-driven stories). I'm pretty sure, in our God-dwelling spirits, we can tell the difference between the two. Especially if we pray to be able to discern that difference.

Christian publishers make this distinction for you and do not publish erotica or anything near it.

I also think Shaunti hits upon something key when she mentions the frequency with which we read romantic stories. Particularly the ones where the leading men seem perfect. Most the writers I know and read create well-rounded characters, not fantasy characters. And most have additional plot lines in the book besides the will-they-fall-in-love one.

But, like so many things in life, where a little bit can be fine or even beneficial, a steady diet of it can bring unwanted results. If reading certain novels - or a lot of them - makes you unhappy with your spouse, choose different reading material. Don't lust after a fictional character, or make your husband live up to one.

If reading them makes you uncomfortable or distracted from life in Christ, avoid them. And if you feel any God-given conviction, put down the book and pick up something else - such as the Bible or It's No Secret. :)

My bottom line: I'll continue to read some romantic novels but I'll do so cognizant of the fact that there is a line I don't want to cross here. And I suspect, the placement of that line could vary somewhat among us or even within myself at different times in my life, marriage or walk with God.

What's your bottom line on reading romantic novels?

Do You Read Romance?

2011-06-10T15:17:00.008-04:00

I decided to let this week's post on emotional infidelity run a few days because the comments there (as well as here at P31) are quite powerful. I think every woman - married or single - should read them. At the P31 blog I responded directly to a lot of the comments, so follow the link to read those. PS. I'm working on getting that comment capability here in a new blog design. PSS. AIMZ is the book winner!

I have lots of questions for you today and I'm hoping you'll jump into the discussion with your thoughts. I'm wondering if you ever read romance novels? And if so, how they impact you?

This topic has been on my mind for a number of reasons. One is I just finished a couple of secular novels and a few of the scenes were a bit steamy. Nothing major. Seriously, this was nothing major compared to what I know is out there in print. I'm no prude, but it was enough to get me thinking about what it means, or takes, or costs, or impacts to read (or write) such scenes.

Do you view books where sexual tension builds, kisses deepen and hands wander as mostly harmless, mostly dangerous, or somewhere in between?

Interestingly, I've seen movies with "love scenes" in them and they usually don't impact me quite like the novels. I've long had a theory that men are more stimulated by what they see and women by what is said. I came across this article published last week that indicates my theory may hold water. That news site is managed by the Church of Latter Day Saints by the way.

Recently, in a comment on my emotional infidelity post this week, a woman said: "I am a reader and I used to read anything that I could get my hands on. I used to read the romance novels and realized that they put thoughts in your head that shouldn't be there. You start comparing your husband to the characters and usually find him wanting. I stopped reading anything but Christian fiction, my Bible and books from proven resources."

Has reading romance made you less satisfied in your marriage?

Anyone want to argue the other side and say it hasn't bothered their marriage, or has actually made them a more affectionate spouse?

So many of the "classics" are love stories: Wuthering Heights, Dr. Zhivago, Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Gone with the Wind, Hope Floats. Ok, so maybe that last one isn't a classic love story but the point is so much of our entertainment throughout the ages -- from poetry to plays, novels to movies --has centered on falling in love (and problems with that).

Should romance writing definitely have a place in Christian fiction? (It seems to in the Bible in the Song of Solomon.)

Where do you draw the proverbial line on what is or isn't appropriate?Is it a matter of degree or taste, careful wording? Is important that the characters are married?

Another woman, commenting on my devotional at P31, revealed: "I had been molested by family members and one of my mom’s boyfriends so early on that I don’t really have recollections of not being hypersexual. I found ways for validation in public when possible, and by sex any time I could. But we serve a Loving God who wanted to pull me out of the pit I was in. So He told stories of women like Ruth, like Rahab, like the adulterous woman, like the Samaritan Woman at the Well, to show me that He even loved “ME.”

Let me warn you of something that scared the stuffing out of me. About a year ago, I found a really juicy book and started to read. It was a romance novel, you know the kind that come every 4-6 weeks, or that you buy by the sackload at garage sales? I got to a particularly explicit section of the book and as I read, I felt my eyes dilate, my stomach started churning and I actually had to run to make it to the bathroom where I emptied my lunch back out of my mouth into the toilet.

As I spasmed, I could hear God’s Words saying He would never let me be tempted beyond what I could bear, and that He would always give me a way out. I GOT THE MESSAGE!!! Romance Novels for me are just like a joint to a drug addict; wine to a drunk. Then I studied and realized the only difference between those and the sex stories in a porn magazine was the vocabulary. I immediately called my mentor, told her my entire history, and begged her to keep me accountable. Now when I see “Harlequin” or one of those books, I know to steer clear."

Do you think romance novels are only problematic for a certain segment of people, those who already have sexual or addiction issues? And does that mean the romance writer holds no responsibility for how her writing affects them? Or can the novels themselves create the addiction?

This blogger, Niki, seems to say they can create the addiction in her experience, or at least open the door to it. Although I get the impression she was reading more of the secular, dime store bodice-ripper type novels than a love story you might find in a Christian bookstore.

I don't know that I have all the answers to these questions. So as a reader, and a writer, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this topic.

Emotional Affairs

2011-06-07T09:39:00.008-04:00

Welcome if you've come over from my P31 devotion "Soul Mates."

On this blog we've talked before about lust, affairs, and why men cheat (according to research). Today we're tackling the sensitive topic of emotional affairs.

Here's why I ask. A sweet friend contacted me to confess that she is teetering on the edge of one ... perhaps even crossing the line. She wants to resist it, but he is filling needs for her that have not been filled in a long time with his words and attention. She doesn't want to do anything wrong; she is a believer. Yet she is finding the feelings he evokes and satisfies so hard to walk away from.

Have you ever found yourself in this situation - or close to it - with someone that is not your husband? If so, how did you get to that place - and how did you get back out of it?

What advice or prayers can you offer my friend?

PS. I promised to give away a copy of my book It's No Secret to a randomly drawn commenter on this post, but I'm going to offer the winner a choice between It's No Secret and Avoiding the Greener Grass Syndrome: How to Grow Affair Proof Hedges Around Your Marriage. I'll announce the winner on Wednesday afternoon.

What it's Worth

2011-06-06T11:36:00.001-04:00

I came to a knowledge of Christ when I was in college. My college years were quite possibly the most difficult of my life. I lost a significant loved one. My inheritance from that loved one went missing. My family took several major hits. We nearly fell apart. Our chain of Hallmark stores were closed or sold. Our house was sold and we moved in with my aunt. A customer was shot outside of our restaurant. I had a stalker, with a history of violence and molestation, and a suspected murder on his record. The list goes on.

But between my junior and senior year of college, I found Christ. That single event changed me. And changed everything for me.

I can remember sleeping with my Bible some nights. Occasionally I would fall asleep reading it. Other nights I'd turn out the light and clutch it to my chest. As if I could absorb its contents into my heart as I slept. As if my ability to wake and live another day depended on it. I was just so thankful to have that book, and its Author, guiding my life.

The portion of Proverbs I read this morning reminded me of those days and nights.

"Follow my advice, my son; always treasure my commands. Obey my commands and live!

Guard my instructions as you guard your own eyes. Tie them on your fingers as a reminder.

Write them deep within your heart.

Love wisdom like a sister; make insight a beloved member of your family."

~ Proverbs 7:1-4

Once again, I am so thankful for this book. It is treasure to me - worth more than the large inheritance(s) I've lost. It is life to me. It affords me sight. It helps me see what is real and what is lasting. And it folds me into the best possible family.

When was the last time you felt really grateful for your Bible? I'd sort of forgotten for a while just how much this book means. But, thankfully, I've remembered today. And in remembering, I find I'm filled with hope. And my faith is strengthened.

Is it any wonder that the Bible so often ecourages us simply to remember?

June 2011 Reading List

2011-06-01T16:40:00.002-04:00

My June reading list:

1. The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister
2. The Confident Woman by Anabel Gillhan
3. She Makes it Look Easy by Marybeth Whalen
4. Georgia's Kitchen by Jenny Nelson
5. I'll Never Be French by Mark Greenside
6. Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo

I'm three chapters away from finishing #1, which is leftover from my May reading list. Pretty good writing in this one. I was several chapters in before I even noticed the writing - that's when it's really good. Writers, you know what I'm taking about. Warning, this isn't Christian fiction.

I've also already started #2, while walking on my treadmill over the holiday weekend. It's an older book, but kind of a Christian classic. So far I'm appreciating the truths inside but honestly, I'm not really liking the book all that much.

I also started already on #3, my friend Marybeth's new novel. So excited to finally read this after talking with her about it for months. I called her right away to tell her that just a few pages in I could tell her writing is even better than in The Mailbox.

I got #4 today from the library. It's large print edition which means I can read it easily while walking fast on my treadmill - love that. It's not a Christian book either but I'm reading a lot of novels like this right now. And secretly planning a trip to Tuscany. Only now I guess it's not a secret anymore. I really should think before I type.

I also got #5 from the library today. It's a memoir I had on request. This, along with Marybeth's book, will be my poolside reading this month. Again, not a Christian book. Right now I'm into travel memoirs and books that cook.

Finally, #6. I have a weird thing about not reading "best sellers" while they are hot. I usually wait a few years before I read them. Don't know why, except that a recent personality test told me I'm pretty highly non-conformist. Maybe that's it. Maybe I don't want to read what everybody else is reading. But my daughter saw this in Target and begged for it. She read it in one sitting and liked it. She told me about it. Now I have to read it so we can talk about it!

As always, let me know if you've read any of these, or if you've got any good recs for me!

Making a Morning

2011-05-28T08:25:00.003-04:00

bam, bam ... bam, bam, bam, bam, bam ... bam ... bam, bam, bam

The noise slowly fills my consciousness -- it's already filled my room. What is that?

I rub my eyes and look at the clock - 5:51 AM. Sounds like ... hammering. Who is hammering something outside at 6 o'clock in the morning? On Saturday?

Rick is usually a lighter sleeper than me, but he's still sleeping. I go look through the closed windows for the source of the sound. I stand on my tiptoes trying to see the neighbor's backyard through the branches of the trees that sit between us. And I wonder, should I see someone hammering, will I walk out there and say something about poor timing? I'm not very confrontational that way.

bam, bam, bam bam, bam ... bam ... bam, bam

I wake Rick with my movement at the window that lets in some light. "What's that noise, Rick? It sounds like someone is hammering -- at 6 o'clock in the morning! I hope it doesn't wake the kids." Rick listens then announces confidently, "It's a woodpecker." Anticipating my response he adds, "You can't stop him." With that Rick goes back to sleep.

I'm already out of bed. So I decide to watch the sun fill the sky.

Glorious.

As it did, the woodpecker left for a far away tree. And I opened my Streams in the Desert devotional. The first part of today's entry:

May 28

The Lord's Times

"Thou makest the outgoing of the morning and evening to rejoice" (Psalm 65:8).

Get up early and go to the mountain and watch God make a morning. The dull gray will give way as God pushes the sun towards the horizon, and there will be tints and hues of every shade, that will blend into one perfect light as the full-orbed sun bursts into view. As the King of day moves forth majestically, flooding the earth and every lowly vale, listen to the music of heaven's choir as it sings of the majesty of God and the glory of the morning."

In the holy hush of the early dawn
I hear a Voice
"I am with you all the day,
Rejoice! Rejoice!"

I'm suddenly thankful for the woodpecker that called me out of bed to watch God make a morning.
And feeing certain it's going to be a good day.

PS. The WINNER of this week's giveaway of His Revolutionary Love is Christina Mathis.

A Revolution of Love

2011-05-25T13:35:00.002-04:00

This is me with my daughter Alaina.

In the dedication of my book It's No Secret I wrote: "For my daughter Alaina. My love for you fuels my pursuit of these "secrets" to godly womanhood. Don't reject them just because Mom wrote them."

It's no small challenge to guide a daughter into the truths she needs to know. Every day when I look at her, I feel the weight of that responsibility. Therefore, I'm thankful for my friend Lynn Cowell - her blogs and her new book His Revolutionary Love are helping me to raise a confident teen. I asked Lynn to guest post and share from her heart about this topic and she agreed. She even agreed to give away a copy of her new book - so read on and then comment by midnight Thursday to enter!

So, take it away, Lynn! ...

How would your life have been different if you had been a confident teen? Would it have empowered you to make wise choices?

I was blessed enough to have a mother, youth pastor and older sister who all poured into me the truth of my identity: that I was a daughter of the King of the Universe. After high school, God blessed me with some women just a few years older than me, but light years ahead of me in their faith. The consistently taught me that Jesus was crazy about me and could fill every love gap I had in my heart. The confidence that this truth instilled in me gave me the confidence to say no to drinking, drugs and guys. It gave me the confidence to purpose God’s purpose for my life and begin to walk in His calling for me right out of high school.

Confidence is a major factor in young people when it comes to the paths they choose. Those craving acceptance, approval and affirmation to an unhealthy degree find themselves trapped. Caught between what they know is right and what they believe will win friends, they find themselves confused. They are uncomfortable, miserable even, but they don’t know how to navigate themselves back to what they were made for.

The amazing women in my life revealed to me some passages in God’s word that I needed at just the right time. I had never seen some of these truths before, it were as though I was slipped hidden love notes from Jesus. The truth that Jesus was wild for me (Psalm 45:11), that He saw no flaw in me (Song of Songs 4:7) and that He actually enjoyed me (Zephaniah 3:17) transformed the way I saw myself.

Lynn

Do you want your daughters, nieces and granddaughters to be filled with a confidence that is true and can stand the pressure of this world? “Girl power” just doesn’t hold up; it can only take our daughters (and us) so far. True confidence only comes from one source: knowing who we are. Only a foundation built on unconditional love will provide that.

Do you see a girl struggling with low self-image? Can you read in her eyes, “Won’t someone love me the way I am?” She needs to know when Jesus looks at her, He is not disappointed in her. She needs to know that love from a guy, be it a dad or a boyfriend, can never fill the love gap in our hearts…but He can.

Maybe you’ve thought about investing in a young girl, but you don’t know how. On my website I am offering a free leadership guide for my book “His Revolutionary Love”, a study for girls ages 13 - 17. Filled with practical how-to’s and thought provoking questions, this guide provides every step you need to do just that.

What young woman can you begin to pour truth into? Ask Jesus to show you one girl that you can make a difference in; one girl that you can begin to change the world through.

Let’s start a love revolution! A radical movement to spread the truth of real love!

I am happy today to give away a signed copy of “His Revolutionary Love.” To enter simply share what truth - divine or practical - you wish someone had told you when you were a teen.

~ Lynn Cowell

Hedges, Heat and a Winner

2011-05-23T14:14:00.004-04:00

This weekend Rick and I celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary on Saturday. Actually, Rick wound up M.C.ing multiple dance recitals that day for a friend who owns a studio. And I spent much of the afternoon at another friend's birthday party. But we went out together for a romantic candlelit dinner. And he gave me an electric hedge trimmer.

Yes, you read that right. From Home Depot. Apparently year 18 is lawn and garden power tools.

Now before you get upset for me, this is actually something I asked for. The azalea bushes in my yard were past the point of threatening to take over; they were in charge. I was more than ready to reclaim my dominion.

A couple summers ago I borrowed a neighbor's power hedger and loved using it. With a wave of this electric wand I can bring a shrub to its knees. OH the power! (Insert a Tim the Tool Man Taylor-like grunt here.) So I was happy with my hubby and my hedge trimmer gift. Besides, I can always bedazzle it.

I'd show you before & after pics of the azaleas, only I'm not at home to take any. Our A/C picked the week it's going to hit the 90s to run out of freon. In the words of Jane Austin, "What dreadful hot weather we have! It keeps me in a continual state of inelegance."

So I'm hanging out in the air conditioned cafe of a bookstore today. Which is a dangerous place for me to be hopped up on caffeine with a debit card and hours to kill. Somebody come talk me out of buying these books.

I was suppose to make a new fritatta recipe tonight to post tomorrow but I don't think that is going to happen in this heat. Instead I'll make my favorite thing for dinner - reservations. It can be anniversary part two ... maybe I'll get some flowers this time around. And when they die I'll mow them down with my shiny new orange and black hedge trimmer.

THE WINNER of this weekend's giveaway is commenter #36 - Julie Spearing. Congrats Julie. I'll mail the book to you, and I apologize in advance if it smells a little "inelegant."

Will I Conform?

2011-05-20T02:30:00.003-04:00

I may have been complaining just a little in today's devotion, "Because He Said So," about my daughter's tendency to question things. Particularly the things I tell her to do. Truth is, she's a lot like me. That's probably why she pushes my buttons.

I imagine there will be a point in her future when she turns to her best friend or husband and declares, "OH NO, I'm turning into my mother!" Heaven help her, she's close already. But I don't tell her that - it would crush her. Instead I hug her and tell her, "You belong to me."

In recent weeks I've been given a personality profile, and a learning style assessment. It confirms that I lean heavily towards extroversion, and towards non-conformity. No wonder "blind" submission just because God says so doesn't always come easily to me. But, my desire to please God is strong. So my mission is to obey the biblical commands, whether I understand them or not.

And I've never regretted a time that I did.

If you have a few minutes, go take this online personality assessment. Then report back in the comments here which one it says you are. You can read the explantions of temperment and tell me if you think that is accurate, or if submission to authority or protocol comes easy to you. (I know it's not exactly easy for anyone - just relatively speaking.)

Then, you'll be entered to win a signed copy of It's No Secret.

And if you're wondering, I'm an ENFP based on this test.

Potato & Zukes Fritatta

2011-05-19T19:06:00.005-04:00

You say "po-tay-to," I say "pot-ahh-to." Actually, I say "po-tay-to freet-TAH-da."
(Note: to get on the same page with me here, see this post.)

So here's the fritatta recipe I made up this week. I loved this one! I knew I wanted to use potato but I didn't know what I'd put with it. As soon as I saw these onions at the food co-op, inspiration struck. It's crazy how exited I was over these onions, y'all. The checkout girl and I even had a conversation about how beautiful they were. I think she and I could be friends.

I bought the onions, a small zucchini, and some eggs. I already had a bag of Simply Potatoes and the cheeses in the fridge. I pulled out my How to Cook Without a Book book and used their fritatta base recipe as a guide. (Has anyone told them that technically this is not cooking without a book?) Here's what I did:

Add a couple tablespoons of olive oil to a warm skillet. Add a 1/2 cup or so of the diced potatoes. Add a 1/4 a cup or so of chopped onion. Add a tablespoon of water. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder.

Cover and let "steam" a few minutes. Lift lid and stir, adding an entire small zucchini sliced into thin rounds. Cover again for a few minutes. Then lift lid and saute until the potatoes and onions are golden-browned and the zucchini is cooked through.

Meanwhile, whisk 8 eggs together in a bowl.

That's the reflection of my pendant lights, not shell.

Add 1/2 a container of Philly Cooking Creme. Add a handful of grated Parmesan cheese (maybe 3 T). Add 1 medium garlic clove, well crushed. Sprinkle with black pepper and a tad of salt (note: there is already salt in the cooking creme). Add a few fresh basil leaves, chopped. I grow basil in my kitchen window.

Pour the egg mixture into the skillet. Reduce the heat and cook until the edges are set. *If you cook it at too high a temperature the bottom will get overdone and tough before the sides have set. Ideally the bottom will turn out something like this when you're done - set and golden but not brown.

I know that's not the most appetizing view but, trust me, if you let the bottom get too browned the texture and taste is negatively affected.

Once the sides have set, cover it with 1/2 cup shredded cheese - I used mozzarella this time - and sprinkle a little more grated Parmesan on top. Then pop it in the oven under the broiler for 2 or 3 minutes. Until lightly browned and slightly puffed up.

I served this with crescent rolls, a fresh sliced tomato and an apple salad on the back patio. I really liked the combination of onion, garlic, potato and zucchini. It definitely had a savory flavor. I could serve it for breakfast or brunch, but I think this one makes a nice light dinner fritatta.

I decided with this one that I'm getting pretty good at making (up) fritattas. To my surprise, my daughter said "Yay, fritatta and crescent rolls" when she walked in the kitchen. I wondered if my family would get sick of fritattas this month but so far so good - she's my most demanding customer in the kitchen. The boys around here will eat most anything. Lucky for me - especially all those years I had no clue how to cook. With or without a book.

(linked with AnnKroeker.com)

The fate of the library

2011-05-16T10:26:00.006-04:00

I grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Until I was ten, my house sat in the middle of a small neighborhood atop a large hill. We called it a hill, but the people here in my beach town might just call it a small mountain. There was one road up it - the kind that makes you feel you might not make it as you lean heavy on the gas to power the car up.

On the other side of that hill, down below it, sat our public library. As mentioned there was no road down the other side to get to that library, only a mildly worn dirt path with a wall of trees on one side and about a 30 foot drop on the other side. The path was 2 feet wide. I never saw anyone travel it but me, my friend Trisha, or my brother.

On Saturdays I'd watch cartoons, eat a bowl of cereal, then hop on my white bike with the white basket and the flower-print banana seat and sail down that dirt path like a Kamikaze. Riding the path made me nervous, but the lure of books inside that building was enough to make me shove my fear aside.

I had my very own library card. It was second only to my Barbie townhouse and my bike in terms of possessions I was most proud of. I felt so grown up going to the library by myself, with my own card, at the ripe age of seven -- never mind that I spent all my time there in the children's section. Sitting in that library reading those books gave me the feeling I could do or become anything.

I could only check out as many books as would fit in my bike basket, and I'd have to push the bike back up the steep, narrow path. So I'd spend an hour or so in the library reading, then choose which books were worthy of the push.

I remember thinking I was the luckiest kid because I could bike to a library whenever I wanted. Is it any wonder I became an author? It was either that or a librarian, but I knew I couldn't be quiet for that long every day!

Today I'm longing for a chance to hop on that banana seat and ride down that path once again. I wonder what inside that library branch has changed, and what looks the same. The thing that got me nostalgically remembering my weekly treks to the library as a kid is this post by Seth Godin on the future of the public library. And the librarian.

These days I read a lot on the Internet; I frequently browse bookstores; I own a Kindle; I buy paper books; and I still borrow books from my public library. No longer do I ask which books are worth the push. Now I ask, which books are worth the price. What about you - do you utilize your public library? Or do you just use the Internet or book stores? Do you use an e-reader like the Kindle?

Broccoli & Cheddar Fritatta

2011-05-14T08:48:00.002-04:00

Blogger was down yesterday but now that Blogger is back up, I can finally post my latest frittata: Broccoli, Cheddar & Ham. I'm enjoying these fritattas for breakfast, lunch or an easy dinner. This one turned out good.

8 eggs
2 T olive oil
3 T water
1/2 small red onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups cooked broccoli florettes (frozen or fresh)
1 small garlic clove, minced (or 1/4 tsp. of garlic powder)
1/2 cup ham, cooked and diced
1/4 tsp. sea salt
ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Put oil in skillet and saute the onion, 3-5 minutes. Add water and broccoli to the skillet, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over med-high heat a few minutes until steamed soft. Remove the lid, add the garlic, and allow the liquid to cook off while the broccoli and garlic begins to lightly brown.

Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs. Add in the chopped ham, then pour mixture over the broccoli in the skillet. Reduce heat, cover, and cook several minutes until the edges start to firm and set, about 5-7 minutes. Sprinkle with cheddar. Then place the skillet in oven under broiler for 1-2 minutes.

(edges starting to set)

Serve with a toss salad or a fruit salad, and cheddar-garlic biscuits or crescent rolls.

I'm off this morning to two soccer games, followed by graduation at the university. My husband is giving the faculty speech and one of my former public speaking students is giving the student speech. Happily, I don't have to speak at all.

God Helps Those Who Help Themselves

2011-05-11T15:10:00.004-04:00

I'm working from a desk inside my public library today. Directly in front of me is the "Self Help" section. It sits next to the "Spirituality" section. Starting at this has me pondering, does God help those who help themselves?

That quote is often attributed to the Bible. It sounds like something you might find in the book of Proverbs, or maybe in a paragraph of rebuke in a letter from Paul. "Those who don't work, don't eat. And God helps those who help themselves." But it's not in there.

Many will tell you Ben Franklin uttered the famous "God helps those who help themselves" line, although some claim he was quoting another writer from much earlier. I'm not interested so much in who said it - for truth can come from any number of sources - I wonder if it is accurate or not.

I imagine it can go either way depending on how you qualify or define things. I know that God helps people. The availability of His help is not in dispute in my mind. That part of the quote I'm good with. It's the "those who help themselves," I'm pondering.

My first response is to say, FALSE. God helps the weak. The defenseless. The broken and brokenhearted. He helps the widow and the orphan. That's what I think of when I focus on the word "those." When I google this question, I find this is where most Christians land in their response to this quote.

My next thought is to say, wait, God will help any follower who places their faith in Christ. He will help me - regardless of my physical, marital or economic status - if I trust Him to do so. And if I'm not asking for help with something that would be outside His will. I'm quite sure God won't help me rob a bank or seduce my boss, no matter how much I ask Him to. Or how carefully I plan it out. Or how hard I work at it.

(Then again, my husband is my boss at the university so ... hold on, I'm going to pause and pray a minute.)

And that's where I arrive at the phrase "help themselves" in this quote. Faith certainly helps me - and I've just said God helps those who have faith in Him. And in the Bible, faith leads to action. Faith leads to works. God's biblical heroes sometimes "wait" on Him to move, instruct or direct, but they are not idle players in the ancient stories.

But most of the books I see lining the shelves in the Self Help section, like little soldiers ready to be put to work, make little to no mention of God. I don't think Ben would be down with that. Here's an interesting fact about Franklin. He tried, at the Constitutional Convention, to mandate the practice of daily common prayer. It never came to vote but read this part of what he said towards that:

"I have lived, Sir, a long time and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth -- that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings that "except the Lord build they labor in vain that build it." I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the Builders of Babel: ...I therefore beg leave to move -- that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessings on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business..."

Clearly, Ben wasn't being dismissive of the absolute overarching role of God when he said that He helps those who help themselves.

Funny that I sit here in this public library today, thinking of Mr. Franklin. Ben began the very first lending library in America. Franklin - the man who trusted God to help him in his work - brought many good things to this nation. Maybe his quote isn't fully on the money, yet I don't think it it's off base either.

But, what do you think?

Black Bean Fritatta

2011-05-10T09:16:00.002-04:00

Last week, as part of my master-the-fritatta-month, I made a Cinco de Mayo frittata. I didn't use a recipe; I made it up. That's part of my goal - learning to cook without a book.

Basing it on the fritatta recipe I gave you last week, I used 7 eggs, a few spoonfuls of Philly Cooking Creme Santa Fe flavor, a handful of black beans, a handful of chopped green pepper, a handful of chopped spring onion, and about 3/4 a cup of Mexican blend and taco blend cheeses.

I didn't think to saute the peppers in the pan first the way the other recipe instructs. I realized this once it was in the oven. I worried that would make the green pepper too crunchy in there, but it wasn't at all. I guess I diced them small enough to cook well through. Sauteing them, however, might have brought out their flavor more.

This fritatta turned out pretty good, but I wanted a little more kick to it. I don't like super spicy Mexican but I do like lots of flavor, bordering on threatening. I've never been the gal that totally falls for the bad boy, but I don't mind getting burned from time to time by a jalapeno - so long as I have plenty of sour cream near by.

You do know that dairy is the only thing that can "wash" the burn off your tongue, right? Water won't help and soda will make it worse. But sour cream or milk will neutralize it. The dairy proteins bind with your taste bud receptors, knocking the hot molecules off and down your throat. That's a free fact brought to you today by the letter D and the American Dairy Counsel. (Actually, I learned it from Alton Brown.)

So, next time I make this fritatta I will use more of the Santa Fe creme to up the flavor - I only used about 1/4 of the container this time. I'll use 3/4 next time. I also think that will give the fritatta more "lift." I may also add a 1/4 tsp. of ground cumin, or throw in some diced jalapeno and black olives.

I rescued this one's good but relatively mild flavor by spooning some salsa over top our slices and served it with some guacamole and chips on the side. Then I followed with the real show stopper - Dulce de Leche cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory. OH MY that was good.

Over all, not bad for a first attempt at a new fritatta made up by yours truely. I think for my next one I'll use potato in it somehow, or maybe asparagus ...

To my readers

2011-05-07T11:08:00.001-04:00

This week Melissa Taylor is wrapping up her online study of It's No Secret. I recognize it's no small thing to purchase a book and then spend hours of of your free time reading it - so I'm honored that you've done that with us. I consider it a privilege to be able to share some of my life and some of the Word of God with you through these pages this spring.

Did you take Melissa's INS Super Challenge? I pray God fuels your efforts as you focus in on your chosen areas. Remember, your main task is just staying plugged into Him. Spiritual maturity isn't something we manage to produce for God, it's something He produces in us as we yield to Him. As Andy Stanley says, "God takes full responsibility for the life fully devoted to him."

As a writer who spills her guts, shares her stories and teaches scripture into a blinking black cursor on a white screen day after day - knowing it will be a year before any readers see it - it's been so rewarding to hear your responses to the book. On your blogs, on Facebook, over email, and here in comments.

I'll let you in on a little secret. Writers - even "professional writers" - don't always know if what they've written is any good. If it will connect with anyone. If it will help anyone. Some days you are sure it will. Other days, well, you spend a lot of time pressing delete. It can be nerve-wracking to write something book-length with those questions bouncing around your head for months.

So I have a favor to ask of you. I'm working on another book right now, with those same questions and fears bouncing around in my head. I'd love to be able to cover a bulletin board in my office with photos of smiling readers holding It''s No Secret, so that when I start to waiver or doubt, I'll remember you. And pray for us both.

If you're willing, email me a photo of you with the book - it can be you in your favorite reading spot or coffee shop, or you standing by a famous landmark in your hometown. Send to rachel@proverbs31(dot)org. If you'd rather, mail to the Proverbs 31 office. I can't wait to see your faces!

I just wanted to take this time to say "thank you" to my readers. And Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there.

Cinco books to read in May

2011-05-05T09:55:00.000-04:00

Today is Cinco De Mayo - the 5th of May. On the fifth day of this the 5th month, the U.S. celebrates Mexican culture and pride. Mainly by eating chalupas and downing margaritas.

I'll be making a Mexican fritatta.

Yesterday's post revealed my plan to make well over 5 fritattas this month in my mad experiment to master a new dish. Yes, I know, my life is that exciting. Just wait until I drop some hot sauce or some pablano peppers in this eggy bad boy - then we'll be living on the edge! It's all in how you look at it.

That last statement was profoud, if I do say so myself.

Another post will cover my Cinco De Mayo South of the Border fritatta. This post outlines the 5 books I'm aiming to read this 5th month of May. Yes, I know, my life is that exciting. But I might just read one of them on the beach now that the weather is warming. See, now you're jealous.

My May Reading List:

Jane Austin Ruined My Life by Beth Pattillo
The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister
The Peach Keeper by Sarah Allen
A Meal with Jesus by Tim Chester
How to Cook Without a Book by Pam Anderson

Do you sense a theme here? #1 is an e-book I started but didn't finish yet. I began #3 on the plane last weekend to Atlanta - a friend gave it to me thinking I'd like it. So far so good. And I got #5 from the library. I tend to read more than one book at a time.

What you are reading now? Got any plans for Cinco De Mayo?