A Shelter in the Time of Storm by Pamela Mytroen

 A Shelter in the Time of Storm 

My phone vibrated in my pocket and whoop, whooped. "Tornado Watch. Funnel Clouds are in the area and could develop into tornadoes. Stay alert and take cover as danger escalates." I swivelled my shopping cart back to the entry of the store and parked it. Bursting out into the open area of the mall I searched for my husband. Where would we go? Where could we take cover? We were in a mall in Branson, Missouri and there was no basement. I paced back and forth in the corridor looking for him, going over my options. We could go down into the theatre, I reasoned, since it was a few steps below ground level, but still not far enough below ground to be protected from a tornado.

Finally I spotted my husband in a store across the way and I zoomed over to him. He chatted with a salesman. They had their backs to a huge window. Wind whipped the trees into arches that touched the ground, but they seemed oblivious to it all. I tugged on my husband's coat sleeve and mentioned the tornado warning that had blared through my phone. The salesman chuckled. "Oh we don't pay much attention to those warnings. They are non-stop at this time of year."

I looked at the trees bending beneath the fury of the wind, and then I glanced across to the store I had just stormed out of. People chatted, picked up merchandise, set it down, and strolled around like they were enjoying a walk in the park, even though their phones were also spewing warnings like popping corn in a theatre.

"But where would we go if there was a tornado?" I ventured, always the cautious one.

"Well, we would just crouch down, I suppose," he said in his slow drawl. He returned to his sales pitch.

I relaxed a little, seeing everybody go about their business like they were at the fair. But the next day we learned of several tornadoes, one that had left fatalities in its wake and of another one close by that had devastated a city.

It's true that when you live in Tornado Ally, you don't heed the warnings until it's too late. They are too common, too everyday to stop and take notice. On one hand people do not pay attention to warnings of imminent danger, and on the other hand, I seem to create imaginary situations to worry about as I think about my family, my job, and my health.  My pendulum swings to the worry extreme while other's pendulums swing to the careless and carefree side. While some people die of a tornado by not heeding the dire warnings, I might die of high blood pressure by worrying about situations that are barely a fist-sized cloud in the sky.  


The stress from my job and family situations had been building like black angry clouds, and swirling into tornadoes of anxiety. After much prayer, the Lord showed me that I was trying to meet everyone's expectations, which was impossible. He showed me that I needed a new mind-set. He whispered that it was okay to fail, to do my best and to stop striving. While I still tend to shoulder people's troubles, I'm learning to push my computer chair away from the desk, and take a break from the never-ending lesson planning. I'm learning to stop thinking about what could happen to my job with a new manager coming on board; I am learning to let go of the sky-high expectations my students place on me; I'm learning to fail and accept that I can't be perfect and I can't please everyone. I'm learning to stop worrying about my family, and their health, and be thankful instead. Switching one set of thoughts for another takes  self-discipline. I am amazed at the freedom and the space in my mind that was once taken up by stress and anxiety.

My daughter texted me as I was writing my blog and said that her two-year old dropped a can of Pepsi on his bare foot. She thinks his toe might be broken. Off she goes with her children into town on unplowed gravel roads while the snow is coming down. I could worry but I'm letting it go. I can't take on the burden. Instead, I find myself saying, "Thank you Lord for my daughter being a good mother. Thank you for doctors being available and for the wisdom they have. Thank you for watching over them."

As much as it takes concentration and hard work as I pour myself into my jobs and ministries, I find it takes far more focus and strength to shut down my OCD brain, to back away, take a break, call my friends, take time for coffee, and to intentionally focus on beautiful and praise-worthy things.

So today, in the midst of storms because there is always a storm brewing somewhere, I choose to be thankful. To be balanced. To hunker down and "take cover" when need be  - whether my grandson's toe is throbbing or my job is in jeopardy - and then to continue on my way, with His peace and joy. He is my shelter in the time of storm.


"Be transformed by the renewing of your mind," Romans 12:2b.

Pamela Mytroen

   

Great Expectations for 2018 - Tracy Krauss

Many people choose a 'word' for the year to help keep them on track or provide inspiration. Yesterday you may have read about Ruth Snyder's word 'TRUST' or Karma Pratt's word "INTENTION". I also like to choose a word each year. In the past I've chosen such words or phrases as, ACCOUNTABILITY, PURPOSE, and JUST WRITE. 

This year I feel God has led me to the word EXPECTATION. I like how it fits so well with the month's theme for this blog. On January 1, the question was asked, "How is God speaking to you about your faith and writing? How are you anticipating God’s presence? How does He want you to step forward in faith?"

For me, all of these questions can be summed up in the word EXPECTATION. Psalm 62:5 says, "My soul, wait thou upon God; for my EXPECTATION is from Him." (KJV)

Expectation is, at its core, the act of anticipation. God has birthed in me many expectations for my family, my spiritual growth, and my writing - and I'm expecting Him to deliver! Although this may sound selfish at first glance, it's really about having faith - believing God's promises even when I don't see their fulfillment. It's about trusting God with the timing and the outcome, and intentionally surrendering each area of my life to God. Perhaps you've heard the saying, "God said it, i believe it, that settles it." I think this sums up what the word 'expectation' means to me. 

I am expecting God to speak to me through His Word. I am expecting Him to lead me, despite any bumps along the way. I am expecting my children to make good life choices and wayward loved ones to be saved. And certainly not the least, I am expecting to succeed in my writing this year.

2017 was a rough year for me in many respects, but through various trials, God has been teaching me about the importance of letting Him be in charge. The groundwork was laid and like Joshua, I sense God's call to move forward in 2018 with confidence. I believe He has great things in store for me and for InScribe as an organization. That is my expectation! Let's advance into the promised land and claim our inheritance this year. 

 Tracy Krauss writes from her home in northern BC. For more about the year of EXPECTATION, visit her blog: http;//tracykrauss.com/blog

How To Live in Breathless Expectation by Janis Cox

Spiritual life is the life of a child ~ Oswald Chambers.

 

Where am I in my writing? 

I am mid-month of a blogging Sabbath rest. I realized or should I say, God pointed out, that I spent too much of my time blogging. Since I started seven years ago, it is fitting that in this seventh year I take a break. I have had projects on the back burner for far too long because each blog post requires thinking, typing, formatting, picture, Tweetable and then social media shout outs.

What have I learned?

1. Listen to the Holy Spirit
2. Slow down to feel His Presence
3. Follow Jesus by making Him my priority.

Last year I wrote on Sunday Stillness about living a leisurely pace.  Then I forgot to do what I wrote.

When we are rightly related to God, life is full of

 spontaneous, joyful uncertainty and expectancy.

Where do I go from here?

Since I am only 1/2 way through this process of seeking His Presence I can only say that Jesus IS leading me.

What is my progress so far?

1. I moved my blog #UTCOP - Under the Cover of Prayer, to my website - He Cares for You - streamlining my life.
2. I am having my new children's story edited.
3. I am working on the illustrations for that story.
4. I am learning to control social media so it doesn't control me.
5. Whatever I "plan" for the day I leave open to the Holy Spirit changing that plan.

As I do these things I know that I work better, and calmer but with the spontaneity that Oswald Chambers talks about.

To be certain of God means that we are uncertain in all our ways, we do not know what a day may bring forth. This is generally said with a sigh of sadness. It should be rather an expression of breathless expectation ~ Oswald Chambers (emphasis mine).

I can only answer a few questions about my work in progress.

I can tell you that the story is more involved than Tadeo Turtle. It is still a picture book with watercolour illustrations but it is not written in rhyme.

Here is a short excerpt from the middle of the story:

So the years went by and the news of his tremendous gift spread outside the kingdom of Thrim. One day a man named Duff entered his shop. He admired the dolls that Yoj had created. He told him that he could make him the most famous doll maker in the world. He filled Yoj’s head with plans of expansion and lots of money.

Yoj was intrigued. Could life be even better than this? He listened intently to all that Duff told him. He didn’t take the time to ask his friends. He didn’t even ask God what He thought of his plan.

Before anyone knew what had happened, Yoj had closed his shop in Hearts Delight and moved out of the Kingdom of Thrim.

Yoj and Duff traveled for many months through different lands before they arrived in the city of Grimness in Shadow Land. The city was full of people, houses and businesses. Smokestacks dotted the sky. A light grey haze covered the sun.

Immediately after their arrival, Duff took Yoj to a large, grey, four-storey building. He put him into a small office that had a tiny window overlooking another larger grey building. There were no trees or plants anywhere. No one had the time to plant or care for them. ...

Sharing one of the watercolours I might use.

You can find me on Twitter @authorjaniscox ; on Facebook AuthorJanisCox; and Pinterest AuthorJanisCox

Tweetables:

Are you uncertain in all your ways - and happy about it? (tweet this)

Do you live in breathless expectation to see what God will do today? (tweet this)

Janis Cox

Janis, a former school teacher and small business owner, found a new passion in writing in her retirement. A writer since 2003, Janis co-ordinates a group blog called Under the Cover of Prayer. She is also a contributor to a group blog called Family and Faith Matters.

Janis is the author of the award winning children's book, Tadeo Turtle, published by Word Alive Press. She is the author and watercolour illustrator. For more information visit Janis on her website He Cares for You. She is a member of The Word Guild and Inscribe Writers Fellowship.

How to Date Your Editor by Pamela Mytroen

Remember your first dates? Do they make you cringe at all? I remember my very first date. We were going to an evening event. I dressed casually in dress pants and a pink sweater. He picked me up in a three piece pin-stripe suit and tie. Awkwaaaaaard! It was too late to go back and change and he said it was okay, but I felt a little funny all evening by his side. The next time we went out we communicated about what to wear and we both felt more comfortable.

The first article you publish in a magazine or a newspaper is a little like a first date with your Editor. You really don’t know fully what he expects of you and he doesn’t understand your style yet. It’s like being picked up in a truck with hay sticking out the tailgate when you were hoping for a Delorean. You read the article you’ve been looking forward to and you turn red and bite your lip.

I look back on some of my first articles and they made me a little disappointed or even upset. One of the Editors took out my last two paragraphs, put her own ending in, and changed the whole style of my article. Another first article came out with several spelling mistakes, and yet another one included a poem that I had not written and it endorsed a false theology. Wow, I felt the heat in my face.

Now sometimes there are unforgivable characters that we must ditch after that first date, but in most cases, it just takes some time and a few fumbled dance steps until we get to know which way the guy is leading. It’s the same with Editors. If we quit writing because of that first bumbling article, we are missing out on what might have turned into a wonderful and profitable relationship.

In looking back on the above mentioned articles I wrote, it wasn’t entirely the Editor’s fault. The blame needed to be shared between both of us. If I had continued writing for these Editors I would have become more aware of their expectations and they may have come to appreciate my style and input as well.

As I consider the newspaper that I’ve written for for several years, I realize that we had some rough moments at first too. We both had misunderstandings of each other. But as I continued ‘courting’ my Editor and sending her more articles, I became more aware of the way she thought about things, and what she valued and wanted from me. I grew to have enough confidence to make suggestions, and we began to trust each other.

Think of your first articles. Were you disappointed and quit writing for that Editor? Maybe it just needed a little more time to work out some of your differences. Have you ever considered going back to write for those markets again? Send the Editor another piece or two. Maybe there’s still a spark there. Just don’t give up after that first date!

Strengthened Purpose Through Fellowship - Tracy Krauss

I have the privilege, on occasion, to hang out with a wonderful group of writers from my area. The "Peace Region Writers' are an Inscribe satellite group, and we met this past Friday to share some writing, chat, and encourage one another. Even though I can't make it to every meeting, (it's a two hour drive for me) I take every opportunity that presents itself. It just happened that I was doing a book signing the next day in Fort St. John, BC. which is very near where the group meets, so I made the necessary arrangements.

What is it about meeting with other writers that is so invigorating? It's not as if we accomplished a lot, in practical terms, but I don't think that is the point. Writing can be a solitary experience at times. We get very caught up in our own thoughts and sometimes those thoughts need to be shared in order for us to see them from a fresh perspective. As well, 'fellow-shipping' with people of like mind and interests reminds us that we're not alone in our compulsion to write. As Christians, we may get lots of fellowship from our church family, but not everyone within that circle will understand our love of the written word or our need to put thoughts on 'paper', metaphorically speaking.

As part of our evening, one of our members shared a devotional she had written on 'unmet expectations'. One line in particular stood out as she talked about the disciples and how they also had to grapple with unmet expectations. She said something to the effect that they "watched as their expectations dripped into a pool of blood at Jesus feet." Wow. That's a profound thought with all kinds of layers of meaning, especially as we just celebrated the death and resurrection of our Lord. It proved that what might have seemed like failure to the human mind was actually the greatest triumph in history.

I came away with a renewed sense of my own purpose as a writer. He has called each one of us to use the gifts He had provided, no matter how 'successful' we might appear to the world's standards. God can indeed, use ink, even if it is only shared among a circle of amateurs.

(Thanks to Gwen Koop, part of the "Peace Region Writers', for her wonderful devotional series, which I referred to above.)