A Collection of Hopes by Brenda Leyland

 

Image by Gizelle Kei from Pixabay

With summer gone by in a blur and September nearing the end of its allotted 30 days, this last quarter certainly has arrived in a hurry. And, in keeping with the pace, I am writing this post on the fly, as I don't have much spare time these days to ponder or plan more thoughtfully. Still, there is just enough room to squeeze in a '90-day project space' before Christmas (Sep 23 to Dec 21). It's long enough to achieve something, yet short enough to see the end in sight with a good chance of not losing all momentum.

So what do I still hope to accomplish before the year's end? My list is a loose, slightly incoherent, collection of hopes for tiny steps forward.

1. Help Mom settle into her new home where she won't have to cook for herself ever again—which makes my almost-91 year old mom (and all our family) relieved... and happy. Continue to tie up loose ends from the move and sort out unexpected glitches (of which there has been a pile to deal with). Continue to support and lend a hand and ear when and where needed.

2. Walk every day with my hubby. Being sure to enjoy the beauty of Nature around me as the season changes: watching the leaves flutter down like butterflies; crunching through the murmuration of leaves skittering across the road in shifting gusts of wind, spying glimmering vees of geese or a harvest moon on a clear night.

3. Make earnest strides to slow the alarming loss of muscle mass happening in my aging body. I do cardio every day but now I'm definitely adding resistance, core, and strengthening to my routine.

4. Clear the clobber. From my desk; from my online files and social media; from the corners, cupboards, and rooms of my house (not to forget the basement and garage). I first stumbled across the word "clobber" in British novelist Rosamunde Pilcher's book, Winter Solstice. The person using the word had been referring to the collection of someone's life stuff left after they'd passed on. That word "clobber" tickled my funny bone. Although it wasn't quite so funny after having helped dear friends and my 90-year-old mom dismantle their homes this year as they prepared to move into small suites in assisted living facilities. The pressure and the stress of decision making for them, as well as those who came alongside to help, make me eager to get on with my own clobber decluttering.

5. Read. For relaxation, comfort, and calming of my mind from all frets, worries, and to-do lists. I enjoy seasonal and historical novels. Nature anthologies. Poetry. Mysteries. Memoirs. Plus, I wouldn't mind focusing more on my ever increasing collection of  books 'Yet Unread'.

6. Begin the dismantling of 50 years of journaling stored in over 200 notebooks. I saw someone recommending that people should, instead of endless scrolling on social media, dip into their own journals and notebooks for encouragement and ideas on what to write about. I like the idea of researching my own journals for writing fodder.  

7. Continue to write for my It's A Beautiful Life blog with the idea of perhaps transferring to writing on Substack at some point (still need to research that out). Continue to guest post here on the InScribe blog.

8. Think about how I could repurpose many of my blog posts (the number hovers now around 1500) to curate into a 'body of work'. Blogging has been my favourite place to share my writing—my blog has been home for my writer's soul for close to 20 years now.

9. Rest. I can't help anyone else if I don't take care of myself first. And listen for the word I need for each day: "Step here... and here... and here." Take things one day at a time when things get overwhelming. Not everything needs looking at, thinking about, or dealing with today. 

10. Remember to laugh. For the joy of the Lord is my strength. I remember years ago at work, when my office was piled high with photocopy boxes filled with incoming correspondence to deal with, I felt the Lord willing me, cajoling me to laugh at the piles. I also remember it was an effort but I felt Him smiling at me... willing me to try. And I felt a lifting of my overwhelmed heart. I knew He was going to be there to help me through it all. And He was.

Note: The memoir I was determined to finish this year is on hold. There are no plans to pick it up in the near future. Other needful things presently take up my time and energy.

Brenda writes from her desk by the window that overlooks her garden, the sky, and the birds. You can find her 'slice of life' writing on her It's A Beautiful Life blog. She is also on Facebook and Instagram (under Bren Leyland).

 

 

Finish 2026 Strong! by Mary Folkerts

 

When I think of what the next four months of 2026 might bring, I have many mixed emotions. I'm excited for good things to come, like seeing my poetry book be released into the world and my daughter Reegan swimming at the World Down Syndrome Swimming Championships in Portugal. There is also a cloud of grief that hangs over it all as we see my mom’s health deteriorate. Will these big life-and-death events collide, and if so, how would we deal with it? The verse Proverbs 16: 9 comes to mind: “ In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”

With this verse as my guide, I will plan and pray for grace to hold everything with an open hand. God knows all the details, and I can trust Him with the outcome. So if I could plan out my course for the next few months, here are a few goals I have.

Goal One: My first goal is to finish editing my poetry book and get the final touches and endorsements done so it can move on to the next step in completion! Writing this book has been a journey of healing and revelation for myself, and I pray God will use it to draw readers along on their own healing journeys.

Goal Two: I started a writing course by Hannah Brencher, and have never finished it. I would like to complete it and also look into the writing courses available through Proverbs 31 Women's Ministries Compel Pro. (Side note! If you want more teaching and accountability for your writing, I highly recommend becoming a member of Compel Pro!)

Goal Three: I began sewing a quilt for my daughter and her husband shortly after they were married. She and I picked out the fabric together, and I started creating it. But life and summertime gardening have kept me from finishing, so I really want to finish it and gift it to them. (This listing has become a confession of all my unfinished projects, hasn’t it?)

Goal Four: My life and goals match those that I have for my daughter Reegan. She has Down syndrome, so I actually have to plan and organize for not only me but her as well! For a highly organized person, this might be a simple undertaking, but for me, it is a real challenge. I struggle to organize myself, let alone others. (Pray for me!) My goal is to keep her organized so she feels confident about her days, as she loves schedules. We plan to have her train in the swimming pool for her big swim meet, along with dryland training so she is fit and ready come the end of October. (Lord willing).

Goal Five: I have painting, organization/purging, and gardening projects I want to tackle, and sometimes the to-do list feels overwhelming. My goal is to create lists that help me break the jobs into bite-sized pieces so I can actually accomplish some of them. (I’m always open to tips and tricks!)

Goal Six: This year, my husband and I have been reading through the Bible with The Bible Recap. It's been a rewarding challenge and has created a better rhythm for my daily devotion time. My goal is to keep this daily Bible-reading rhythm and add books and devotionals that strengthen my faith. I also want to read a poem a day to inspire my poetic mind, starting with authors Wendell Berry and Mary Oliver.

This list isn't exhaustive, as it just scratches the surface of my overextended brain. It's been a helpful exercise, though, to write out some of my hopes and plans for the coming months. Part of the struggle for me is putting it all on paper, so this was a good start to the last four months of 2026. Let’s finish strong and see what God will do through us!

Mary Folkerts is mom to four kids and wife to a farmer, living on the southern prairies of Alberta, where the skies are large and the sunsets stunning. She is a member of Proverbs 31 Ministries' COMPEL Writers Training, involved in church ministries and music. Mary’s blog aims to encourage and inspire women and advocate for those with Down Syndrome, as their youngest child introduced them to this extraordinary new world. For more inspiration, check out Joy in the Small Things https://maryfolkerts.com/ or connect on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/maryfolkerts/

Goals and Gleanings by Sharon Heagy

 

A friend of mine always looks great. She pays attention to the details, co-ordinating clothing, jewellery, shoes etc. It takes time and effort. It’s important to her. We are very different in that regard. The other morning I began rushing about to get some things done. My mind was unfocused and a-flutter with a myriad of thoughts. Suddenly, in the middle of making a meal, I found myself lacking a few ingredients and I needed to run down to THE store. I say THE store because we only have one grocery store in our small town. Just like we have THE gas station, THE school, THE post office, well, you get the idea. Before I left my husband called and asked if I could stop by his wood working shop on my way as he needed help to do some measuring. I grabbed my car keys from the bowl, opened the back door and shut it again. Looking down at my oil and flour-stained shirt I decided I had better change before I left. While changing my shirt I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and realized I had forgotten to brush my hair during my rushed morning routine. It looked like ‘straws in a muck cart.’ I stopped and brushed my hair. It’s not like this happens all the time but since I had to write this blog post with ten goals for the next three to four months, I decided remembering to brush my hair every morning would start things off as number one. Only nine to go.

This post should be a piece of cake for list makers like me. I love writing down lists of things I need to do and then stroking items off the list as they get completed. Sometimes though, the to-do list becomes long and unmanageable. It grows like a noxious weed and turns unrealistic and overwhelming to the point where I don’t know where to start or I start 3 things at once and don’t finish even one. When a person is able to complete tasks, it yields a feeling of accomplishment which leads to completion of other projects. Goal number 2 is to give myself realistic goals which can be accomplished and to prioritize what needs to be done and when. This won’t shorten the list but it will put the chaos under control and make the jobs easier to achieve.

Goal number 3 – eat less, exercise more. Enough said.

As a writer who wants to inspire and give hope, I would like to submit a story to Chicken Soup for the Soul. Their publications are filled with stories that touch people’s hearts and give them the encouragement I too would like to give. In addition, I need to post more often on my own blog page and learn all the ins and outs or change my platform. Writing for the InScribe blog will remain a priority in my word weaving world, and I would also like to begin a major project before the end of the year. Combined, these objectives comprise goal number 4.

Wednesday I will travel to our neighbouring province, Manitoba, to attend Fall Conference. There I will immerse myself in the knowledge and faith of other writers, gleaning all I can and not sitting there like a lump. When it comes to events like these, I believe you get much more out of them if you choose to be a willing sponge. Halfway there! Number 5.

Down at THE post office there are a few hundred boxes, each one with its own little key. One thing that can brighten any day is to approach your own little box, put the key in the lock, pull back the tiny door and find an actual letter inside! But if you really want to get an actual, handwritten bonafide letter, sometimes you have to write one. Goal 6 is to be increase writing letters and to make intentional connections with family and friends across the miles. This includes phone calls too. For some reason the advent of cell phones has me calling people less. I miss my landline and the landlines of others. You could call a household and be surprised by talking to 3 or 4 loved ones. Those were good surprises.

Fall brings me back to indoor activities, one of which is quilting. We have a group that meets once a month in the basement of a local business. It’s important to me for both the creativity and the social outing. I am not the most social creature so I need to force myself to go and be with other people. It’s a healthy thing to do. As a person who dislikes sewing to the point where I gave my machine away, I am delightfully surprised that I like quilting. Seriously. When I told one of my sons that I was taking up quilting there was a long pause and then he said, “You know that involves sewing, right?” Goal number 7 will find me in that basement on the first Saturday of each month and Sunday afternoon as well.

This November will mark 2 years since we moved to town. It is time to paint. The interior of our house is a medium to dark gray and I need to brighten it up. Though it was the choice of the former owner and popular at the time, I find it depressing and dark, especially after the bright sunny exposures in the farmhouse. We need to change the lighting in the kitchen and cut off the breakfast nook from the wonderful island too. These will be the first renos since we moved. We wanted to think about what we would change before we began. It’s time to begin. Number 8

Palliative Care is one thing that I care about deeply, not wanting anyone to die alone. A few of us have started the process to create a Community Care Volunteer group in order to support things like Palliative Care in our little town and surrounding area. During this journey I have learned it’s important to celebrate the small things. A sunrise, a bird’s song, the smell of newly cut hay, a child’s handful of dandelions. The noise of the kids in the park near our backyard and the laughter that drifts to our deck as we sit in chairs and bask in the evening glow. Take nothing for granted. Number 9

The number ten is a significant number Biblically. Ten commandments, ten plagues, ten generations from Adam to Noah and again from Noah to Abraham. It is said to represent divine order and completeness. It points to humanity’s accountability to God. If I am serious about the goals above, I need to gather them up in my arms then let them tumble to the foot of the cross under the authority of the Risen Christ. He may honour the goals I have written or He may change them as He wills and for His purposes. Oh, that I may surrender each and every one to Him. Yes, even brushing my hair. Goal 10. To God be the glory.

Thanks for taking the time to visit today. God bless.

Sharon Heagy writes from the wonderful town of Rockglen, Saskatchewan, where she lives with her husband, a big dog and furry cats. She writes to bring hope and humour to a world that needs both. She can be reached at sharonheagy@gmail.com

What 10 Things Will You Be Doing September to December? by Dana-Lyn Phillips

Graphic produced with AI in Canva

Fall has always been my favourite season. Crisp nights and warm days. The beauty created by the changing of the leaves. The return of everything pumpkin-spiced. What’s not to love?

My children are older now, so the first day of school doesn't look the same as it did a few years ago, but I have fond memories of getting my kids settled into their new classrooms and then returning home to enjoy a hot cup of coffee. It was the best cup of coffee all year.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my kids dearly, but there is something magical about fresh starts and a return to routine. It was definitely worth celebrating.

Although I now find myself in a different season of life, the final four months of the year continue to feel familiar. This is how I will be spending them…

1. Shutterfly Photo Book Creation

Always a huge undertaking, this involves sorting, deleting, saving, downloading and uploading. It requires design decisions and page layouts. Once it’s ready for print, it requires emptying the bank account to pay for it. So why do I do it, year after year? Well, it guarantees the preservation of memories. Capturing adventures, celebrations, and candids, and compiling them in one place, ends up being one of my most treasured projects.

2. Purging the House

I’ve yet to figure out how the items in our home continue to multiply. I’m convinced that my parents missed telling me about the ‘birds and the bees’ of inanimate objects because every year, without fail, I need to clear out to create space.

3. Best Friend Get-Away

Treasured, and protected, is this 36-hour window when my best friend and I hightail it out of town to an undisclosed location. (Just kidding - our families always know where we are…although my husband never remembers what I’ve told him). Our adventure involves sit-down meals (that someone else prepares for us), shopping, facials, hikes, Scrabble and some sugar indulging. This activity breathes enough life into me to carry me to the end of the year.

4. Birthday Celebrations

Every member of our family, including the dog, celebrates a birthday between September 3rd and January 2nd so the end of the year is jam packed with balloons, presents and more cake than I could ever want.

5. Ladies Ministry Conference

Last year began an annual Ladies conference hosted at my church. It was a wonderful day of meeting new people, and drawing close to God, so I am looking forward to another day of spiritual refreshing this year.

6. House Maintenance

Not the fun part, by any means, but necessary. There are always things to be tightened, straightened, hammered down, cut up, planted, scrubbed, caulked and cleaned.

7. Christmas Shopping

I shop early. I blame it on my Type A personality, but it also ensures that presents are paid for before they are being unwrapped Christmas morning.

8. University Tours

New to the list this Fall is the scheduling, and attending, of numerous university tours. We’re a year ahead of schedule but we’re hoping it will help with decision making. We don’t have long before our youngest will be filling out university applications. Where does the time go?

9. Meal Planning

Is there a woman in the world who enjoys making meals? (If you exist, I would like to meet you as you’re somewhat of a unicorn). I used to love cooking, but now I hate it. Dinners seem to roll around faster than pigs in mud, and my recipe book has become downright boring.

I recently started something new in an effort to inject some fresh enthusiasm into meal time. I randomly choose a different country, around the globe, and then research and prepare a native dish. It’s helped to get me out of a slump with meal ideas, and it’s also been nice to try some dishes we would never normally eat. Plus, it’s likely the closest I’ll ever come to travelling so I’m trying to enjoy it.

10. Christmas Decorating

This is the final of my ten items, however, it likely shouldn’t be last on the list because I decorate very early. The rule in our house (imposed by my husband) is that the tree doesn’t go up until after Remembrance Day so, you guessed it…our tree goes up November 12th.

I love absolutely everything about Christmas so I am sure to savour it as long as I can. There’s nothing better than curling up on the sofa, under a blanket, and watching a Christmas movie by the light of the Christmas tree.

So, there it is friends, my Fall list of To Do’s. If I’m being honest, it’s overwhelming seeing it all in print. I’m not worried though, if I don’t have enough time for everything, I’ll cross the house maintenance off the list because there’s no fun in that anyway.

I better grab a cup of coffee, and get started.

 

Dana-Lyn is a wife, and mother to teenage boys as well as a 14-year-old cava-poo named Hockley. She is passionate about encouraging Christian women in their faith and is stepping into her mid-life "calling" as a writer. Her happy place consists of a comfy chair, a great book, a hot cup of coffee and a chocolate…or three! You can read more of her work at https://plansfargreater.substack.com