Grateful Despite Spring's Tease - Tracy Krauss

Spring has been taking it's sweet time around these parts! While it's sunny out today, we got snow just the last week! While flowers are blooming elsewhere, that ain't happenin' here in northern BC!

However, spring can still bloom in our hearts. I am so thankful for the warmth and care of family and friends. I have two more grandbabies on the way (we'll be up to seven by the end of 2020!) and I am blessed to have all four of my children live within a short driving distance. (Not that that is doing me much good these days, with physical distancing!) 

I am grateful for a job. With so many out of work, I am basically carrying on as usual since I already worked from home as an online teacher consultant. As well, my husband has been working non-stop these past several weeks. He normally is away for two weeks at a time and lives in a camp, but he will be gone for a record nine weeks by the time he returns home in May. His employer made the decision to keep its employees in one place for an extended period rather than have them coming and going. Although living as a single person is not my favourite thing, we are grateful that he has been able to work and that we can talk or video call each other every night. 

I am grateful for health and relative freedom from pain. As many of you know, I was hospitalized in January for two weeks with recurring heart issues. I was pretty much home bound afterwards even before Covid 19 hit, but I have learned to listen to my body and have been able to get out walking and carrying on in a fairly normal fashion thanks to modern pharmaceuticals and a bit of stubbornness. I'm grateful that I was able to get all of that sorted out before restrictions on medications came into effect. 

I am also grateful for all this wonderful time I have on my hands to pursue my varied interests. Writing, sewing, painting, playing the piano... and I've even started learning a second language through Rosetta Stone! I decided it was time to quit procrastinating or using my age as an excuse. As my 87 year old friend Jacqueline used to say, "Age is irrelevant!" She climbed mountains, travelled, and tried new things - all while looking very stylish I might add - never frumpy - right up until the day she died. 

Yes, there is much to be thankful for, even if spring is teasing us here. I thank the Lord everyday for another day to worship Him!

Tracy Krauss is currently serving as InScribe's president and writes from her home in Northern BC. https://tracykrauss.com  -fiction on the edge without crossing the line-

Bloom Where You Are Planted by Lynn Dove

The sidewalks were pink with cherry blossom snow.  I could smell the fragrance of newly mowed grass, mingled with the sweet aroma of springtime blossoms.  The seagulls screeched their welcome to me as I walked towards the shoreline and embraced the full view of the ocean, the waves lapping in rhythmic cadence to the beating of my heart.  I was home.  Well, the home of my childhood at least. 

Several weeks before the travel bans and the Covid_19 season of isolation hit us all, I had left my wintry “home” in Alberta, to come to Vancouver Island for a week-long stay.  Had I known what we would be facing when we returned home from the Island, I likely would have fretted and not enjoyed this brief sojourn.  Thankfully, we were blissfully unaware of the growing pandemic looming just over the horizon so we thoroughly enjoyed our trip, drinking in the beauty and familiarity all around us.  Truth be told, I have been a prairie girl far longer than an island girl, having lived in the Calgary area most of my adult life.  Still, whenever I have had opportunity to visit Victoria and travel up and down the Island, I always feel like I am experiencing a homecoming of sorts.  The Island is where I spent my childhood, my teen years, and two years of university before I married the love of my life and returned to Calgary to settle permanently.  I have been a landlubber in Alberta since 1979, raising my family, and enduring the long, harsh winters there.  The getaway to visit parents, friends and family on Vancouver Island has become an almost yearly trek.  It is our annual reprieve from the cold of February and March in Alberta, to embrace Spring in all its glory there on the Island.  I drink in all the green, the budding trees, the crocuses and daffodils that grow like weeds everywhere I look.  I want the sights and smells to imprint themselves on my psyche, so I can recall them vividly when I again return to my Albertan home still in the throes of winter.

Last year, we did not go to the Island.  In April last year I was experiencing a myriad of strange aches and pains that was eventually diagnosed as endometrial cancer.  Spring was all but forgotten as I fought and battled up to Christmas.  During the darkest of those days, when the battle seemed almost overwhelming, I wasn’t sure I would ever experience another spring.  I felt the icy fingers of winter engulf me, even in the heat of summer.  I tried to remain positive, leaning on God for strength through the ordeal of chemo.  Always looking towards the finish line, when I could declare the battle over, I found comfort thinking about how I would embrace life after cancer.  The first item on my “to do” list, was to plan a trip to the Island. 

Wonderment.

 It’s the best way to describe how I felt throughout that week on Vancouver Island.  Wonderment at experiencing Spring in all its glory there, but also wonderment at being fully alive, fully in the moment, battle-weary, but overwhelmingly thankful to be thriving, not just surviving once again!
 

That feeling persists. 

Coming home to wintry Alberta, I didn’t complain about leaving the green of Spring there on the Island even when I saw the white drifts of snow piled up in our driveway.  I was home.  The break from winter had been refreshing, but the familiarity and peacefulness I feel here, even being in the last grips of winter chill, warms my heart like nothing else.  I remind myself that I must bloom where I am planted.  I must bloom, survive, thrive, and embrace life for as many days, weeks, and years that God gives me.  

I can't forget that.

Even in the midst of this Covid isolation, forced quarantine, and my inability to venture out because of my compromised immunity, I remind myself that this season will pass eventually.  I long to hug on my loved ones, and my arms ache to cuddle my grandbabies once again.  Still, I continue to stay positive.  I must enjoy each day as a gift from God no matter what circumstances lay before me.  I must continue to bloom, to look to the future, and be thankful.

After all, I praise God every day that I can bloom at all!

Lynn Dove is the award-winning author, of the YA “Wounded Trilogy”- a contemporary Christian fiction series with coming-of-age themes.  A wife, mom, grandmother, and free-lance writer with articles published in several magazines and anthologies including Chicken Soup for the Soul books, her blog, “Journey Thoughts” is a Canadian Christian Writing Award winner.  Readers may connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and at lynndove.com   

A New Thing by Susan Barclay

New life, from the ashes

This is certainly a very different spring than any we have experienced in our lifetimes. Don't you agree? Has there ever been a more apt moment to recall the words of Charles Dickens as he writes the opening to A Tale of Two Cities?:

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”

Coronavirus, Covid-19, pandemic, plague. Call it what you want, it has certainly brought us to the threshold of a brand new world. I hesitate to call it brave, though there are certainly shining examples of bravery from our front-line workers, those who seek to bring health and wholeness to the sick, weak and vulnerable, those who are doing their part to maintain essential services, and those who are being called upon to lead and govern at such a time. 

There are among us those who declare we are at the beginning of the end, that these are the last days, that it won't be long now before we have a cashless society, a one-world government. While we don't know the day or the hour - and can't - God tells us in His Word to look at what is going on and recognize the seasons (see Luke 21:5-36). Even though we're not to set dates (we only look, and are, foolish when we try), we're not to be ignorant or stick our heads in the sand. We're to be ready when Jesus comes for His bride, at all times watching, waiting, and eager (see Luke 12).

I'll be honest. I don't know if we're on the cusp of the seven-year Tribulation or not. Psalm 90:4 and Peter 3:8 both say that a day is like a thousand years to the Lord. From personal experience and Bible stories we know that our God is patient and long-suffering. We also know that at some point the end of the world will come. God is faithful to His Word and He has said that things will not go on as they have forever. His plans will be accomplished; He will bring His original creation to a conclusion and make a new heaven and a new earth. All will be righteously judged.

Regardless of whether or not this world will continue for a short time or a long time, I believe there is little doubt among believers that God is doing a new thing. Some would say He is shaking the earth, trying to get people's attention. I wouldn't disagree with this assessment though there are people in my own household who still resist the good news and persist in rebellion. Thank God for those  whose eyes and hearts are turning toward Jesus. And may God continue the hidden work He is doing in my children, the evidence of which I cannot yet see... 

It's also possible that God is demonstrating His patience with us, that He is using this crisis not just to get our attention but to bring renewal to our planet. I have read, for example, that pollution and greenhouse gas emissions have decreased as a direct result of efforts to control the spread of the virus, and I imagine that wildlife populations are having a chance to return from the brink of extinction or endangerment, and that habitats are being restored. Perhaps God isn't bringing the world to an end just yet, but revitalizing it so there is more time for prodigals and unbelievers to be saved. After all, He doesn't desire that anyone should perish (2 Peter 3:9). He made us in His image; He loves and cares for us.

Father, thank You for keeping us safe under Your wings. Thank You for Your love for us. You never leave us nor forsake us. Since You are for us, who, or what, can be against us? Thank You for the new thing You are doing in the world even through this pandemic. We all want it to end and many of us are praying for that, but I can't help feeling that if it ends too soon, we may all just go back to our old untenable and unsustainable habits. So Your timing, Lord. Your perfect timing. Help us to change in the ways that we need to. Help us to follow Your ways.

We ask also, God, that You would be with those who are particularly vulnerable, those who have immune deficiencies, diabetes, asthma. Give them special protection. Be with those who are in quarantine or in places like nursing homes where they can't receive precious visits from family. Comfort them with Your presence and reassure them of Your love. Be with those on the front lines, those working to bring health and wholeness to the sick, those racing to find an antidote or a vaccine. Strengthen them, give them wisdom and insight, keep them in health and peace. Be with those who know You and soften the hearts of those who don't.

May Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven, Lord. Thank You that You are doing a new thing, whatever it is. Thank You that You are God and we are not. You are sovereign over all things, and all-wise. Thank You that we can trust You. Amen.
______________________

You can find out more about Susan Barclay's writing at www.susan-barclay.blogspot.com

Ruminating about Roots: Why I Write - Ruth L. Snyder

According to the calendar, it's Spring. In Alberta, that means it could be warm enough outside for the snow to melt into puddles, but also cold enough for fresh snow and freezing wind, still making it feel like Winter. When I was younger, we used to joke that Alberta is the only place you can slip on ice, fall into a mud puddle, and get up and dust yourself off—because the weather changes so quickly in the Spring.

We do know that warmer weather will come to stay sooner or later (Genesis 8:22). Then we will see shoots of green pushing through the sod, pussy willows, and fragile crocus blooms. Everything that grows has roots.

"Roots have two main roles—anchoring street trees in the ground and collecting minerals, oxygen and moisture to supply the tree." (citygreen.com/solutions/managing-tree-roots/)

In other words, roots provide a strong base from which a plant can grow and roots also enable the plant to gather what it needs to grow. As I thought about it, the reasons we write are like roots. Having a clear defined reason to write provides a strong base for our writing. Knowing why we are writing also enables us to sort through material that comes our way and select only those facts, anecdotes, and explanations that will help our story or article grow, blossom, and bless. If we are unclear about why we are writing, we end up with writing that is rambling and ineffective.

This week my husband and I had the opportunity to watch I Can Only Imagine, the story behind the popular song by MercyMe.

The quote that jumped out at me was, "Write about it—Let that pain become your inspiration." 

My first published piece, Gifts From a Loving God, shared how God led my husband and me through infertility and a miscarriage to the place where we adopted our children. My book, Twitter Decoded: Tips and Tools for Authors, shows writers how to use social media and do it without using up precious time they need for writing.

God has been showing me that lately I have been hiding my pain. I choose not to be authentic, because it hurts too much. The problem is, when I hide my pain, my writing comes across as trite and phoney. People around me are hurting. They are hungry for authentic words. The reason I write is to give hope. God wants to use my pain to minister to others:

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ" (2 Corinthians 1:3-5).

I'm working on sharing and being more authentic in my relationships and my writing.

What is God teaching you? Why do you write? Please share in the comments below.

FYI: I wrote this post in a hotel room with four kids around me. Frequent interruptions, a pillow fight, and kids asking me when I would be done.

Ruth and her husband are enjoying the transition to grandparenthood, are working through the struggles of transitioning their twins, who have developmental delays, into the adult world, and are continuing to encourage all five of their kids to grow in grace.

Spring Miracles by Marnie Pohlmann

A tiny seed breaks open, reaching tentatively yet tenaciously through soil and around rocks. Pushing, stretching, seeking sunshine and warmth.  Once it was small, insignificant, buried by the weight of life, but in spring, it grows – transformed.

A small butterfly flits about, seemingly uncertain of her flight path or where to land – or perhaps dancing a winged ballet, celebrating new life.  Once she was crawling and plain, then hiding in the dark, but now she is beautiful – transformed.

A little black tadpole struggles to survive in a stagnant pool, just one of many, but he sprouts legs and learns to leap into new adventures, perhaps to be kissed – transformed.

Reflecting on how writers can keep our writing fresh makes me think of frogs and other miracles of spring.  Not just in our writing do we need to seek freshness, but also in life.  When concerns weigh us down until we are buried in circumstance like a seed beneath the dirt; when restraints in health, finances, or time bind us in darkness like a caterpillar in its pupa; or when fear of danger lurking all about keeps us drowning in sorrow, like a tadpole in a stagnant pool - in those times, God gives us strength to struggle through the heaviness, the darkness, and the mud, by His power bringing transformation.

When we are feeling stale or need a new viewpoint in life, we can use our God-given natural gifts of creativity to make changes that will refresh. The surest way to change from stagnation to new life is to stretch toward God, allowing His Spirit to free us and lead us to new heights.  Bury yourself in God’s Word.  Cocoon yourself in prayer.  Grow new legs as He teaches you and transforms you.  It may be a struggle, but fresh words can blossom, giving flight to new ideas and leading us into new adventures. I believe growth in God always leads to freshness in writing.

Other practical writing ways we can creatively change include breaking out of our norm to stretch our gifts beyond circumstances that weigh us down.  Write for someone else - tell a child’s imaginative story, especially if it makes no logical sense.  Help a senior write a letter.  Provide a press release for a non-profit organization’s fundraising event.

Or we can leave our regular audience, not changing our message, but changing with whom we share our message as we flit about.  Write a children’s version of your non-fiction essay, or a blog for single professionals rather than your usual followers.

We can even leap into a new style or genre.  Write a poem, even if just an acrostic to celebrate a new baby’s name.  Write a devotional based on a scene from your fiction novel.

We don’t have to be good at what we try; we just need to be willing to experiment with creative change, to rediscover the joy of playing with words. Our writers’ groups or contests may be safe places to share the results, or we can keep them private. It is the effort that is sure to bring new growth that will revitalize our writing, and our life.

No matter the genre of our writing lives, we need to be growing.  While here on earth, we are to become more Christ-like, and together become the beautiful Bride of Christ.

So be like a seed, or a caterpillar, or a tadpole.  Struggle through the dry, dark, dangerous times and be transformed by God’s miracle in you.

Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech … being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2 Corinthians 3:12, 18b NKJ)


Photos – a few frogs from my collection - someday I will share the story of how I came to collect frogs – it’s all about transformation :)

Spring - by Loretta Bouillon

Spring is time for new beginnings and is an opportunity to start fresh. That all sounds good in theory, however, how can I apply this to my writing?

Let me be very honest with you. For lack of a better term, I have been experiencing a type of writer’s block. Normally, I tend to write about what’s happening around me with my family. If I do actually sit down to work on my novel (which is forever in process), life must be running relatively smoothly so I can focus. For the past few months, there have been some challenges in my life.  Other than  journaling, I am not motivated or inspired to write about those things. This is partly because it is too personal and partly because I think, “who wants to read about my struggles?”  Through this season, I have been learning that it’s okay to lay down the “important” writing projects with the perspective that writing is sometimes just between me and God. For my eyes only, and for His. I journal the process as a sort of therapy and prayer.

Although I will continue doing this, I have made a decision. I am going to try a new kind of therapy. I am still going to write about the world around me but I am also going to try something new. I have made a list of things I am going to write about “just because” and for no particular reason. Happy things. Intentional things. Meaningful to me things. My list goes something like this:

• My garden
• My greenhouse
• My most favourite places on my property to enjoy my afternoon coffee
• Outdoor aquafit
• My dogs
• My horses
• A new recipe
• A road trip alone
• Sitting by the river
• A walk through a meadow

I might blog about these things, write them as a devotion to God or maybe even try my hand at poetry; but I have a list! A random list of seasonal topics that I will just have fun with. I am actually getting excited thinking about the challenge as I type this post J.  Hmmn….it  might even be an idea to do this at the beginning of every season?

https://lorettabouillon.wordpress.com/

Something Fresh and Beautiful -- Eunice Matchett

 



Thank you, Eunice, for joining InScribe Writers Online as our Guest Blogger today.   


As I jogged along the trail today only one thought came to mind. Spring is here. Yes, snow still covered the landscape but beneath it, water poured into ponds and low lying areas. Naked trees still shivered in the breeze, but the breeze no longer bit. I slowed down as I jogged passed the willows, noticing tiny buds on their stems. A promise of pussy willows. A bright yellow sun shone from a cloudless sky turning my hoodie into a sauna. I removed it, tied it around my waist, and without the extra weight on my shoulders, my speed picked up.

Thoughts zoomed through my mind as if on steroids. The Easter story rose above the rest. What Jesus did for me all those years ago. Sure, I was a good girl. Going to church on Sunday was what we did. Do for others what you want them to do for you was not an option. Yet, my life wasn’t much different from the snow banks hugging the trail I jogged upon. On the outside I was like the clean white top layer of snow that glistened in the sunlight. Those millions of snowflakes huddled together, suggesting softness and purity. They begged me to lie down in the midst of them and make a snow angel. But the wisdom I’d gained from living through many springs dismissed the invitation. These snow banks, like many other things in life were not what they appeared to be.

Beneath that pure white surface, skulked layers of deteriorating snow and filthy water. As the water flowed across gentle inclines in search of a place to pool, debris of all descriptions hitch hiked a ride, changing its course, slowing its progress, making it filthier. A far cry from the sheet of driven snow it started out to be.

My heart ached. Tears blurred my vision. I had been born pure and clean as a fresh snowfall, but years of disobedience and wrong choices made my life personify a March landscape. Until I met Jesus for whom He really is. The Savior of my soul. The forgiver of my life-threatening sins. The healer of my aging body.

I stopped jogging, my gaze sweeping my surroundings. It came to a rest on a small knoll rising above its frozen surroundings. Brown grass and dead leaves covered it, making it appear drab against the snow. Almost unsightly. Picking my way through the snow, I walked toward it, and squatted. Beneath the rotting foliage tiny, green blades of grass reached for the sun.

A small discovery as seen through my human eyes. But my spiritual eyes saw so much more. It reminded me of how often Christ had brought something fresh and beautiful out of situations I had written off as wasted.

For me a walk/jog is not just an exercise to keep my physical body in shape. It is a time I meet with God. Sometimes, through earnest prayer, but more often, small things like new grass, dandelions and melting snow whisper to me How Great is my God.



Eunice, a longtime InScribe member, is a storyteller and is InScribe's current exchequer.
 

Alive Again - Linda Aleta Tame

  Alive Again 

To rise up at dawn

hear meadow lark

emerge from shadow

recall a song

recover the lost

To see the sunrise

& spring grasses

the smell of fresh rain

early blossoms

trees verdant budding

To breathe the Spirit

expand the heart

be embraced in love

quickened with life

A Living Saviour

 

 
 "My beloved spoke and said to me, 'Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, come with me. See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone.'" Song of Songs 2:10-11 (NIV)