Category Archives: Random Discussions
Why I Should Win The Freelance Writer’s Den Contest!
I have been watching the Writer’s Den grow over the last year, just as I have watched my blog grow. I have debated several times over buying a membership but just couldn’t afford it. I would love to earn a free 1 year membership!
There are so many resources; e-books, webinars, classes, etc. that come included and I definitely can use the guidance they would provide me to go from a non-professional to a professional status.
Of course, many of my long time followers know, I have been writing as long as I can remember. It is my truest passion. I love my jewelry making too but writing is definitely number one!
Several people have been encouraging me over the last year to pursue publication of my poems, which is something that I DEFINITELY desire to do but haven’t the faintest idea of how to go about it. I believe the Den will provide me with the tools I need to be more confident in myself and gain me some experience as well.
My greatest goal in life has always been to write! Up until the last year, it was a dream. Over this past year, with the growth of this blog, I have been blessed with the knowledge that I just might be a better writer than I ever thought I was.
The only thing that stops me is this; as many of you know, I am disabled with MS. I draw on the Social Security Disability Benefits that I have paid into since I was 15 years old. I don’t feel bad about doing that, since I’m not scamming the system, but I fear losing those benefits since that is my sole contribution to our household income. If I’m not good enough of a writer to make a regular income and I lose my benefits over a fluke, one time publication, I will play heck trying to get them back.
So, that is what has stopped me up until this point in time. Now with the new laws and S.S. cuts they are trying to pass, I may need to step out in faith and see what my future holds, writing professionally?
And, to sum it up, that is the reason I think that I should win the contest for a 1 yr free membership!
Thank you for the opportunity to enter, Carol!
Good luck to all of the other contestants!
Hugs,
Terri
http://www.makealivingwriting.com/2012/07/20/win-free-year-in-freelance-writers-den/
I Have a Thought/Question; Need Your Advice
Remember when I showed you some of my creations, like this example? Well, I have a whole lot more than just this and the time has come to start selling some of them. So I was thinking about doing it online but I’m not sure how I should approach it.
I was thinking about starting a new blog that is specifically for “my creations” and doing everything through PayPal.
I need some advice, anybody got some knowledge in this area? Do you think they would sell?
I have them reasonably priced, I think, and would just do free shipping beings that they aren’t all that heavy and wouldn’t cost that much to ship.
Help!
Thanks!!
Love and hugs,
Terri
Scary Times, But It’s Okay!
Well, I don’t ever want to go through that again!!!!!! After much anxiety and prayers (thank you everyone who added theirs to mine), Christopher is doing better. They have decided that he has Croup. They gave him steroids and several breathing treatments, x-rays of the chest also . Kept him for a while for observation and then sent him home last night.
I’m not sure my poor daughter could have taken a longer process than what they had to go through. It’s always so frightening when something happens to your baby! (or grandchild for that matter).
You all were quick to respond to my prayer request and Shawna & Christopher appreciate you ever so much!! Thank you from all three of us!
God is good. All glory and praise be His!!
Love and hugs to you, my friends,
Terri
I Have An Emergency! Request Your Prayers, PLEASE!
Shawna just called me about 20 minutes ago crying and was a nervous wreck. She was just making her way to the Urgent Care Center with Christopher. He woke up this morning and couldn’t breath. He was panicking and asking her if he was going to die.
Then she text me back and said they were sending him to the hospital for observation after they gave him a drink with some steroids in it. They were going to send them by ambulance in case he had another attack because they didn’t want her to be driving if he did.
She freaking out and I’m praying!! Will you join me please?
I will let you know as soon as I find anything out. I will probably be taking off for the hospital if she needs me to come. Just waiting impatiently for another text message 
Love and blessings,
Terri
A Few Things Via My Nephew’s FB Page For The 4th
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Have a safe and happy Fourth of July everyone!!
God bless America!
“Facing Your Giants” by Max Lucado Continued
Chapter 3:
Saul’s anger puzzles David. What has he done but good? He has brought musical healing to Saul’s tortured spirit, hope to the enfeebled nation. He is the Abraham Lincoln of the Hebrew calamity, saving the republic and doing so modestly and honestly. He behaves “wisely in all his ways” (18:114) ”all Israel and Judah loved David” (18:16) David behaves “more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name became highly esteemed.” (18:30)
Yet, Mount Saul keeps erupting, rewarding David’s deeds with flying spears and murder plots. We understand David’s question to Jonathan: “What have I done? What is my iniquity, and what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?” (20:1)
Jonathan has no answer to give, for no answer exists. Who can justify the rage of a Saul?
Who knows why a father torments a child, a wife belittles her husband, a boss pits employees against each other? But they do. Sauls still rage on our planet. dictators torture, employers seduce, ministers abuse, priests molest, the strong and mighty control and cajole the vulnerable and innocent. Sauls still stalk Davids.
How does God respond to such cases? Nuke the nemesis? We may want him to. He’s been known to extract a few Herods and Pharaohs. How he will treat yours, I can’t say. But how he will treat you, I can. He will send you a Jonathan.
God counters Saul’s cruelty with Jonathan’s loyalty. Jonathan could have been as jealous as Saul. As Saul’s son, he stood to inherit the throne. A noble soldier himself, he was fighting Philistines while David was still feeding sheep.
Jonathan had reason to despise David, but he didn’t. He was gracious. Gracious because the hand of the Master Weaver took his and David’s hearts and stitched a seam between them. ”The soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.” (18:1)…
Oh, to have a friend like Jonathan. A soul mate who protects you, who seeks nothing but your interests, wants nothing but your happiness. An ally who lets you be you. You feel safe with that person. No need to weigh thoughts or measure words. You know his or her faithful hand will sift the chaff from the grain, kep what matters and with a breath of kindness, blow the rest away. God gave David such a friend.
He gave you one as well. David found a companion in a prince of Israel; you can find a friend in the King of Israel, Jesus Christ. Has he not made a covenant with you? Among his final words were these: “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matt. 28:20)
Has he not clothed you? He offers you “white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of you nakedness may not be revealed” (Rev. 3:18). Christ cloaks you with clothing suitable for heaven.
In fact, he outdoes Jonathan. He not only gives you his robe; he dons your rages. ”God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Cor. 5:21 NIV).
Jesus dresses you. And, like Jonathan, he equips you. You are invited to “put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firn against all strategies and tricks of the Devil” (Eph. 6:11 NIV).
From his armory he hands you the belt of truth, the body armor of righteousness, the shield of faith, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (vv. 13-17)
Just as Jonathan protected David, Jesus vows to protect you. ”I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them away from me” (John 10:28 NLT)
You long for one true friend? You have one. And because you do, you have a choice. You can focus on your Saul or your Jonathan, ponder the malic of your monster or the kindness of your Christ.
Beverly chooses to maximize Christ. Isn’t easy. How can you shift your focus away from the man who raped you? He entered Beverly’s home under the guise of official business. She had every reason to trust him; personal acquaintance and professional associate. He worked for the state and requested an audience with Beverly. But he took more than her time.
He denied and successfully covered up the deed. As he continues to move up the political ladder, Beverly spots him on the evening news, encounters him at parties. While he feigns innocence, she churns within.
But not like she used to. Two years after the rape she met her Jonathan. A friend told her about Christ – his protection, his provision, and his invitation. She accepted it. Memories of the rape still dog her, but they don’t control her. She isn’t left alone with her Saul any more. she seeks Christ rather than revenge; she measures choices against his mercy, not her violator’s cruelty. Beverly ponders and praises the living presence of Jesus. Doing so heals her soul.
Major in your evil emperor, if you choose. Paint horns on his picture. Throw darts at her portrait. Make and memorize a list of everything the Spam-brain took; you childhood, career, marriage, health. Live a Saul saturated life. Wallow in the sludge of pain. You’ll feel better, won’t you?
Or will you?
…to be continued.
He makes his point very well, doesn’t he?! I think it all boils down to something I thought of quite a while ago, we can be bitter or we can be better! Just my thought.
Love and hugs,
Terri
Related articles
- Some Excerpts From “Facing Your Giants” by Max Lucado; Food For Thought (terri0729.wordpress.com)
- More From Max Lucado’s “Facing Your Giants” (terri0729.wordpress.com)
The Ten Commandments Award
I want to thank Terry for nominating me for this award. You can find her at http://terry1954.wordpress.com/2012/07/01/the-ten-commandments-award.
Terry has become a good friend to me since she started following my blog. Please take a moment to stop by and visit her. She is a wonderful writer, a caregiver to her brother who has Parkinson’s, and an inspiration to all.
The Ten Commandments are from GOD, and are the standards to which we are to hold ourselves. The 10 commands can easily be grouped into two groups — love for God and love for others. These commandments where given to Moses and the Children of Israel in the wilderness after their escape from slavery in Egypt.
Can you imagine how much better our world would be IF all people lived and followed these commandments?
Ten Commandments from the Bible
Exodus 20:3-17. :
1. You shall have no other gods before Me.
2. You shall not make unto thee any graven image.
3. You shall not take the name of the Lord God in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.
5. Honor your father and your mother.
6. You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not bear false witness.
10. You shall not covet.
RULES: The rules for this award are that you must answer the following ten questions and nominate ten blogs that you think deserve the award.
1. Describe yourself in seven words.- mother hen, loving, silly, lighthearted, serious minded when needed, gentle, leprechaun.
2. What keeps you up at night?- not much – I sleep pretty soundly
3. Whom would you like to be? - I would not change a thing. I am me!
4. What are you wearing now? - a sports bra and shorts (it’s hot in here)
5. What scares you? - losing my parents
6. What are the best and worst things about blogging? - I love all of the wonder people that I have “met” through blogging and I hate letting people down when I’m sick and don’t respond to their comments.
7. What was the last website you looked at? - Terry’s blog for this award.
8. If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be? - As I said earlier, not a thing.
9. Slankets, yes or no? - Since I don’t know what that is, I’ll say no.
10. Tell us something about the person who nominated you. - I find Terry to be a warm hearted and caring individual who selflessly took on the task of caring for her brother after he became I’ll. She is a good friend to me and a true inspiration, as well as a testimony to the strength of love.
Bonus Question: What is your testimony for Jesus Christ? – Well, most of you already know my story and for those who don’t, I’ll put it in a short synopsis: I have survived; MS, physical/emotional/mental abuse, I am a recovered alcoholic (I can say recovered because it’s been over 20 years now) and a recovering drug addict (meth, cocaine and crack – not long enough yet for me to say “recovered”). God has brought me through it all, even when I purposely ignored Him and thought my life was worthless, He stood right beside me every step of the way. If you’d like more than that, check out my “About Me” page for the details.
Okay, now for my nominations to pass this award on to. In light of the type of award this is, I chose some people that I think of as “people of faith” and who would appreciate this award as much as I did.
Nominations:
1- PrayerPoints by liz
http://prayerpointsbyliz.wordpress.com
2- Jackie Paulson
http://postadaychallenge2011.wordpress.com
3- abichica
http://chicpress.wordpress.com
4- beautifullystated
http://realwalk.wordpress.com
5- tsizzles
http://writersfield.wordpress.com
6- jesusmyjoy
https://jesusmyjoy.wordpress.com/
7- Maria Tatham
http://www.christianfantasyforwomen.com/
8- Autumn Sunshine
http://autumn-sunshine.net/blogs
9- poeticjourney
http://poeticjourney251.wordpress.com
10- Eric Alagan
http://ericalaganfanclub.wordpress.com
That should do it! Thanks again Terry for thinking of me for this one!
Family Update About Court Today
*image source: google.com
Well, we were jumping for joy this morning because our court hearings are over!!!! Hallelujah and praise God!!!!!
Sara is officially now in our custody for good. It was a quick hearing this morning at 8:30 am. Although I have custody of Sara from now on, I was a little perturbed when we left because her dad had done absolutely nothing that he was ordered to the last time and she said nothing to him about it! If it had been me, she probably would have thrown me in jail – since she has already done it to me twice before and that was just for failing to appear. He directly violated her court order!
But, I’m not going to moan and groan about it. I’m just happy to have it all done and over with! Sara was happy, the Judge actually applauded us and said it was the best case she had had all week and she thanked us for “coming so far for Sara’s sake”.
I’ll take it without any more complaint! Thank you Jesus! And thank you to all of you who have been praying for us during the past year of turmoil! God bless every one of you!
Love and hugs,
Terri
National Bullying Story – Have You Seen This?
Bullied bus monitor thankful for support, pleads for threats to stop
By Jason Sickles | The Lookout – Fri, Jun 22, 2012
[Updated at 12:30 p.m. ET]
All bullied bus monitor Karen Klein wanted was an apology. Now she’s getting that … and then some.
Police say the four boys who tormented the 68-year-old on a school bus in upstate New York earlier this week have taken responsibility for their actions. The students are also saying they’re sorry.
“I feel really bad about what I did,” one said in a statement to CNN. “I wish I had never done those things. If that had happened to someone in my family, like my mother or grandmother, I would be really mad at the people who did that to them.”
Another said, “When I saw the video I was disgusted and could not believe I did that. I am sorry for being so mean, and I will never treat anyone this way again.”
The video of the seventh-graders cursing, taunting and physically threatening a crying Klein has become a rallying point against bullying. It has also prompted an overwhelming outpouring of support for the longtime school bus worker.
An online campaign to fund a vacation for Klein had grown to more than $500,000 by Friday afternoon, far surpassing the initial $5,000 goal. Max Sidorov, the Toronto man who started the fund two days ago, said he did so partly because he was bullied himself as a child.
“Maybe we can send her on a great, early retirement,” Sidorov told The Associated Press.
Then Anderson Cooper surprised the grandmother of eight on CNN Thursday night with an all-expenses paid trip for nine people to Disneyland from Southwest Airlines. The Walt Disney Co. made the same offer for Disney World.
“I want to thank everybody for so much kindness,” Klein told the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.
But not all of the reaction has been positive. School officials in Greece, N.Y., and the boys who bullied Klein have received a barrage of threatening messages. Police stepped up patrols near the teens’ homes.
“We have a cellphone of one of the boys, and he’s received more than 1,000 missed calls and more than 1,000 text messages threatening him,” Capt. Steve Chatteron said. “Threats to overcome threats do no good.”
Klein, who asked police not to charge the boys, issued a plea for the madness to end.
“I feel kinda bad for them and their families because of what’s going on,” she said. “They’re being harassed terribly, and I don’t like that. I don’t want any harm to come to them.”
Humbling words given the week she’s had.
On That Note:
I don’t know what this world is coming to when this type of behavior is so rampant among our younger generation, but I do know what would have happened to the kids of my generation if we had done something like this!! We would have been lucky if we could sit down for a week or two.
Having been abused for many years, I am against violence. Having said that, I must add that I am NOT against parents spanking their children. Since the government has gotten involved with how we discipline our children, this type of behavior has grown in leaps and bounds.
I do not agree with BEATING our children with belts or switches off trees, that is too extreme in my opinion. I do agree with my mother’s philosophy however; she kept broken yardsticks, paddle-ball paddles that the ball had come off of or paint stirrer on top of the refrigerator. If you were smart enough, like me, you would start running as soon as her hand was going toward them rather than after she started swinging!
When I got older, she explained to me her thinking on this: using those type of things for paddles made sense because, no matter how angry you were, they would break in half before you really could hurt the child too much.
I always laugh when I think of it because it reminds me of the old Bill Cosby bit where he’s talking about his mother wielding the yardstick like a “samurai warrior”. My brothers used to complain that I never got spanked (which wasn’t exactly true), but I wonder why? lol!
As parents, we need to make sure that our children learn to respect other human beings, especially those who are different, handicapped, elderly, etc.!! This behavior, as with any other, begins at home. It’s either taught or tolerated – either way, that’s unacceptable in “civilized” society!
Love and blessings to all,
Terri
More Family Pictures to Share and a Quick Update:
More from the 60th Anniversary Party:
Keith, Kevin, Hugh, me
Dad, Mom, and Kate
Mark, me and Shawna
Keith’s Family
Kate and Cullen
Hugh
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My children, grandchildren and step-children:
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Blaine and Trenton
Emily and Christopher
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Krista and Kayla (Mark’s daughters)-
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Ashlyn (Sara’s sister)
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And this is my Aunt Marge who recently passed away, with my cousin Nini:
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Update:
Due to the fact that I am sitting here light headed because of the heat index rising and no air-conditioning at the moment (not to mention the risk to my computer); I will be posting late at night for the next few days until Mark gets our window units put in. During the cooler hours, I will be able to sit here and do this without exposing the computer to undue stress and my body.
Sorry if this causes any confusion but we do what we have to at times like this 
Love and blessings to all,
Terri
