CLR - by Tracy Krauss

Celebrating, Leading, Remembering. 

This month's prompt asked us to remember and celebrate how God has lead us. “You shall remember all the ways which Yahweh your God has led you.” (Deuteronomy 8:2) God spoke these words to the Israelites at the end of their 40 years in the wilderness.  Like the Israelites, at times it's felt like I've come through the wilderness during my writing journey. (I've also felt like I've had a good 'decalcifying', thus the nod to the cleaning product in my title!)

Celebrate:

A toast to my first book in 2009!

When I look back at my thirty-five years of writing, there is much to celebrate. One of the sweetest moments was signing my first book deal back in 2008. After years of submitting and subsequent rejection, it felt like I had finally broken into the 'inner circle'. (I think I was a bit naive back then!) Since then, my writing skills have definitely improved and I've gained a lot of knowledge about the publishing business, but no matter how much I learn, I realize there is more that I need to learn! There have been occasions to celebrate since, but I think this 'first' one was the most memorable. 

Leading:

Throughout my writing career, I have genuinely felt God's leading. I've written before about this sense of 'calling', especially when it comes to writing fiction. For some, fiction may seem unimportant or even expendable. Even those who like reading fiction may not like my stories and that's okay. I understand that different people have different preferences when it comes to reading material. My goal is to write the stories that I feel led to write, no matter how popular. The ultimate reward will be to hear my Lord say, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

Remember:

Recently I've felt somewhat discouraged about not getting my current WIP ready for publication. I have had at least one book or play published each year since 2009. (Usually more than one, leading to a grand total of 21, not including anthologies or magazine articles.) Will 2019 be the first year in ten years that I don't have something published? Even after I had heart surgery and was often fatigued, I managed to finish and publish the book I was working on. 

Then I stop and remember... I remember how far I have come and how gracious God has been through this journey. I remember that it's not about me or a self imposed success barometer. It's about God's will, God's timing, and God's grace. Period. 

I try not to compare myself to others when it comes to my writing journey. It is my own unique story orchestrated by God and I am thankful as I remember and celebrate both the successes and the difficulties. In the end, I know God has been leading me all the way.

Tracy Krauss writes from her home in Tumbler Ridge, BC. She is privileged and humbled to be serving as InScribe's current president. http://tracykrauss.com

A Room to Remember -- Jocelyn Faire

The work to forget, can be as difficult as the trying to remember.

“The time is ripe for looking back over the day, the week, the year, and trying to figure out where we have come from and where we are going to, for sifting through the things we have done and the things we have left undone for a clue to who we are and who, for better or worse, we are becoming. But again and again we avoid the long thoughts….We cling to the present out of wariness of the past. And why not, after all? We get confused. We need such escape as we can find. But there is a deeper need yet, I think, and that is the need—not all the time, surely, but from time to time—to enter that still room within us all where the past lives on as a part of the present, where the dead are alive again, where we are most alive ourselves to turnings and to where our journeys have brought us. The name of the room is Remember—the room where with patience, with charity, with quietness of heart, we remember consciously to remember the lives we have lived.”

― Frederick Buechner, A Room Called Remember: Uncollected Pieces

My mother of ninety-one lives in the room to remember. She may not remember what she had for lunch, but, start her on a memory lane conversation and she can tell you how the fly ball felt as it smacked into her bare hands to clinch the game. She was the heroine of her country school ball tournament that day! Of the days of her drinking husband, she says: Those were hard times, but we got through them.

She has a selective memory. Memory can be revisited with rose coloured glasses.

We write things down so we will remember them. As I re-read my journals I am taken back to some powerful aha moments, when God answered my doubting heart with scripture, song a quotable word or visit from a friend. When I read these raw accounts of grief's darkness I feel both the pain and the hope. I relive the assurance that He has been there in those difficult days, surely He will be here today. When I read the joy filled words, my heart marvels in the memory.

The past and future collide into this moment of today, this present, which is exactly that - a present moment, a gift to be opened and deeply appreciated. I want to live my life in such a way, that when I am my mother's age, my room to remember will be positively full. These journals bear witness to His encouragement.

It seems easier to remember the negative, mulling it over and over, than to remember the positive. There is a daily battle for joy going on here, and one of my renewable resources is to have positive words of encouragement posted in all rooms to remind me that life is beautiful, and I am part of that beauty. 
I used to joke that I needed to wear a name tag, so I would not forget who I was. That is closer to the truth than I admit—too often I forget who I am, and who my true Father is. Today I want each of us to remember that we are loved, our lives and our writing has been purposed, and there is much beauty in this world.
Remember who you are serving!!

Daily we choose the room we spend our time in, and we choose to let the Son-shine in.

Ps 103:14 He remembers that we are made of dust. This reminds me, as does Buechner in his quote, that we should enter these rooms of remembrance with kindness (for ourselves) and with quietness of heart and mind.

Image from Global leadership quotes- quotesgram.com

Jocelyn is the Author of Who is Talking out Of My Head, Grief as an out of Body Experience.  She blogs at:http://whoistalking.wordpress.com

 

Remembering Mr. Meginbir - Tracy Krauss

I remember writing a short story in my Grade Twelve English class about a man who lost everything in the 1929 economic crash known as 'Black Monday'. I have no clue what inspired me to write that story - perhaps we were learning about it in Social Studies, but I do recall how frustrated I felt during the writing process.

I recognized the need for more research but didn't have the time (or the inclination...) to dig into the history beyond what I already knew. I was also frustrated with the chore of editing and moving various parts around to better say what I wanted to say. In those days there were no computers, so it was a matter of scratching and scribbling with pen until the pages were riddled with arrows and big bold instructions to INSERT HERE. Typing the final draft wasn't much better, since whiteout could only go so far before one was forced to start over.

The story was good, but the real version in my mind was so much better. Despite my lack of personal satisfaction, my teacher, Mr. Meginbir, praised the story and asked my permission to read it aloud. I grudgingly agreed, feeling embarrassed to have my thoughts on display. Later that year he gave me a brochure for a writing camp. He thought my writing had potential and suggested I check it out. I remember looking at that brochure and wishing... 

I did not go, but the pull was strong. The voice inside my head that said, "You're not good enough," was probably the thing that kept me home. 

However, I think Mr. Meginbir's encouragement was the first inkling that writing was actually a possibility for me. I went on to university that next fall and majored in visual arts, which remained my primary creative outlet for several years. Still, the writing seed had been planted. When I finally gave in and started clacking away, the soil was already ready. It was many more years before I felt brave enough to share my writing with anyone and even more before I saw my words in print. But I see that time in Grade Twelve English as a turning point in how I viewed myself. 

Passing On the Legacy - Tracy Krauss

My mother was a very vibrant and eccentric individual. She was known for her whimsical ways and inspired a family phrase that perfectly described the way she lived her life. ‘The Doreen Method’ is our way of saying ‘make it up as you go along’. This applied to recipes, sewing, carpentry… just about anything. Mom wasn’t afraid to tackle tasks if she had no previous experience or skill, but the outcome might not be the norm. As an artist she loved to paint on any surface from canvas to rocks to whole buildings. When my sister and her husband moved into Mom’s old house they were faced with a dilemma.  There were lots of funny little murals she had painted in obscure nooks and crannies. How could one paint over them?

Mom was also a storyteller, and some of my favourite childhood memories include listening to bedtime stories and songs. We were well acquainted with Thornton W. Burgess’ Adventures of Reddy Fox, for instance. In fact, foxes and mice were the favourite characters in her repertoire of stories and songs. She shared them with her children and nieces and nephews, and the tradition was carried forward to her grandchildren and even her great-grandchildren.

Mom passed away in 2007 at the age of 80. Unfortunately, we lost her seven years earlier to dementia. It was so difficult to see such a formerly vibrant individual reduced to the shell that she became. I had the privilege of sitting with her during the hours before she passed away. Somewhere around four o’clock in the morning on January 17, 2007, she slipped away to be with Jesus, free from the mental constraints that had kept her trapped for those seven years.

While I sat with her, holding her hand, I sang some of those old songs. One particularly special song was an old Haven Gillespie tune written in the 1930s called ‘The Sleepytown Express’. (listen here!) This is the song that ushered her into the presence of the Lord.  Strangely, my sisters and my two female cousins all woke at around four o’clock, dreaming about the Sleepytown Express...

I decided soon afterward that I would like to publish a book illustrating the song as a tribute to my mother. It took several years to do the paintings and quite a bit of  research to obtain permission to use the lyrics, but finally, in February of 2014, seven years after Mom passed, The Sleepytown Express was published.

Evangeline and Oma (me)

For me this project was so much more than another book under my belt. It was about sharing Mom’s legacy with the extended family and passing it on to the next generation. Here is a picture of my own granddaughter reading her favourite book. As you can see from the shape of the cover, it is well used. This is not a book to be kept in pristine or precious condition; it is a book to be sung and celebrated as we pass the memorial torch on to the next generation.

Tracy Krauss comes from a long line of creative people - artists, musicians, writers, and teachers go back generations. She currently teaches Art, Drama, and English - all things she is passionate about, while living in Tumbler Ridge with her husband. She also writes books and plays in her 'spare' time. Here is a link to an article called 'Artistic Generations'. You can also visit her website to see all of her published work: 7 novels, 7 stage plays, 3 anthologies, one devotional, and one illustrated children's book... and counting!

10 Things I Choose to Remember - Ruth L. Snyder

As I started writing this post I listed a few things I choose to remember. Considering the time of year, Remembrance Day and Christmas were at the top of my list. My friends and family were there too. Then I began to wonder if the things I choose to remember match with God's priorities. In the process I found Online Bible Study Tools and used the concordance to look up the word remember. Here's my revised list of 10 things I will choose to remember.

Mountains, one of God's majestic creations

1. The Sabbath - Exodus 20:8 In our fast-paced world, it's easy to treat every day the same. God set the pattern of remembering the Sabbath way back when He created the world. Even though He is never tired, He rested on the seventh day. There are many benefits of rest, and we would all do well to follow God's example.
2. The Commandments of the Lord - Numbers 15:39 Obviously to remember the commandments, we first need to know them. Spending time reading and studying God's Word consistently will enable us to learn and remember God's commandments so that we can obey them.
3. God's Deliverance - Deuteronomy 7:18 It is easy to forget what God has done for us. Many times in the Old Testament God instructed people to do things (like make a pile of rocks) which would prompt conversations about God and His past deliverance. Remembering gives us hope when we face intimidating circumstances.
4. To Trust in God - Psalm 20:7 This verse references some of the things people place their trust in like horses and chariots. Perhaps in our day and age we trust in education or wealth. In Jeremiah 2:13 God compares the temporal things we trust in to broken cisterns or wells which cannot hold water because they are full of holes. 
5. Our Creator - Eccl. 12:1 Although this verse specifically references remembering our Creator in the days of our "youth", it's important to remember God no matter what our age. Today many deny not only God's existence, but also the fact that He created the world. 
6. Lot's Wife - Luke 17:32 This may seem a very strange thing to remember. However, there are many stories and events we should remember and learn from so that we don't make the same mistakes. God is merciful and forgives, but sin has consequences. We can avoid these unwanted results by remembering.
7. The Poor - Gal. 2:10 In Galatians instruction is given to remember the poor. James 1:27 adds that pure religion is demonstrated by caring for the fatherless and widows. Jesus stated many times that the defining mark of His people should be their love for one another and for others. When people look at me, do they see someone who remembers the poor and loves unconditionally?
8. The Resurrection - 2 Tim 2:8 Without the resurrection, our faith would be worthless - without hope. The resurrection is the anchor of our faith.
9. The Prisoners - Heb. 13:3 In chapter thirteen of Hebrews, the author mentions many actions which are pleasing to God. Remembering those "in bonds" is among them. In Matthew 25:36 Jesus references visiting those in prison and goes on to say, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." We serve Jesus by serving others, even those in prison.
10. Our Leaders Heb. 13:7 This passage instructs us to submit to spiritual leaders. Verse 17 explains that these individuals, who watch over our souls, will have to give an account. Romans 13:1-7 and Ephesians 6:5-8 expound on this instruction and the reasons behind it. We are reminded that we are to obey as if we were serving the Lord Himself.

What about you? What have you been learning in your spiritual walk and remembering lately?

www.trusteesnyder.blogspot.com (Education information)
www.ruthlsnyder.com (Ruth's writing and family life) 
www.earlyyearssuccess.com (Information for caregivers of children ages 0-5)
Follow Ruth on Twitter:www.twitter.com/@wwjdr

Remembering Rembrance Day - Tracy Krauss

Remembrance Day has just passed and many of us are still reflecting on what that means on a personal level. There is something about the day that brings up strong emotions, even though I have never suffered personal loss because of war. Attending a service of some kind has become an important ritual for me and my family. I should not have been surprised, therefore, when my 22 year old daughter explained to her boss that she wouldn't be able to work on Nov. 11 until later in the afternoon. (She works at a restaurant.) Finding a service she could attend, no matter what the city, had become an important ritual for her, too.

I remember sitting through two services each year as a child. The first usually took place on Nov. 10 at my school. Hundreds of students would cram in the gym and sit quietly through the familiar reading of 'In Flanders Fields' and the 23rd Psalm. Amazingly, everyone was able to remain still - even the normally fidgety ones, during the minute of silence. Somehow, the sense that this was something REVERENT had gotten through.

The second service took place at the Elks Hall. For some reason, this service had even more impact. It followed much the same program with the reading of 'thee' poem and 'thee' psalm, but there was something more. All the aging soldiers were there, medals jangling on their breasts as they marched in as best they could and sat in a place of honor. After the playing of 'Reveille' by our local trumpet player came what was - and still is - perhaps the most moving aspect of all: Reading the roll call.

There is something very poignant about hearing name after name being called; all young men and women who fell defending democracy. The other thing that made my heart flutter was the fact that I recognized most of the surnames. Many of these last names were repeated during my morning attendance at school. You see, I come from a small prairie town where everyone knows everyone. These were relatives of people I knew; fallen soldiers that claimed Mossbank as their home.

Added to this was the fact that my hometown of Mossbank used to be home to an airbase during World War Two. A lot of air force veterans trained there during the war years, so anything military was kind of a big deal. After the war, most of the activity was moved to nearby Moose Jaw, a much larger and better equipped air base. (And currently still the home of the famous Canadian 'Snow Birds'.) When I was a child we could watch for free as the Snow Birds did much of their flight training over our town, and you could still go exploring many of the abandoned hangers. They have since all been removed and the former base is now the home of the golf course.

 

When I moved away from Mossbank I continued to make attending a Remembrance Day service a part of my life. We moved a lot, so I've been at many different types of services. Most contain the same basis elements, but some seem more reverent than others. Still, I find it one of the most touching ceremonies, despite the sense of 'ritual' that it most often contains. I inevitably shed a tear or two, and usually go home to spend the rest of the day in reflection. One year I was able to take my children back to Mossbank for Remembrance Day. They were all a lot younger then, but I think it may have helped them understand the deep meaning that the day continues to hold for me. As we listened to the 'Roll Call', I think they may have recognized a name or two, as well.

May we never forget that these are not just story book heroes that we read about years later. They were real men and women who sacrificed themselves for our freedoms. No words can really express the gratitude that we owe. Thank you.