K is for Keepsakes by Carol Harrison

 

K is for Keepsakes

Do you have keepsakes, family memorabilia, or special trinkets displayed in your home? Maybe they are tucked away instead of out gathering dust. Do you know the story behind the piece. Many will have a story you think of every time you look at the piece. When someone asks you the significance or why you have the piece, what do you tell them? Other questions you might ask yourself include:

1.     Why was that piece kept?

2.     How did you end up with it?

3.     Why do you keep it?

4.     Does it inspire a story?

 I happen to have a number of these types of pieces displayed in my home and some packed away. I enjoy looking at them but I like the stories associated with them even more. My children remind me that I need to jot the stories down so they will know the significance if I am no longer here to tell them. I plan to do that. Someday.

When we think of old photos in a box, we think of story or research possibilities for a story. After all, a photo gives you a representation of an era, of clothing, of houses, cars, or even family pets. Even if we don’t know who the people are in the photo anymore because no one has written details on the back, we can put it in a research pile.

One photo I have is from the early 1900’s. It is a studio portrait which means the person was significant to someone and had the funds to pay for the professional photo. I found it in my grandmother’s photos after she passed away. I had never seen it before. In fact none of the family could remember seeing it or hearing any details about it. We turned it over and found a faint white marking on the back. It said, “Roy’s fiancé”. Roy was my grandfather but this photo was not my grandmother. Who was this person? When had grandpa been engaged to her? Why did they break up? I longed for more information but then thought about how there could be a story to be told based on one photo. A project for sometime.

But what about those other pieces. It may be an ornament, a teapot, an autograph book, or anything else that you’ve kept and has a story to attach to it. What can you do with those stories?

I have one pair of little ornamental china shoes that sparked a devotional. I called it Broken but Loved.

A little pair of white, ornamental china shoes decorated with pink and blue china roses sat on the shelf to be admired. Years ago they had been a gift from two daughters to their mother. Then one day, Grandpa used them to entertain Lainey, the first grandchild. He decided to dress up her doll in the best finery he could find. He took down those special china shoes and tried to place one on the doll's foot. It did not fit. He kept pressing, trying to make it work. Suddenly, the shoe lay in pieces, totally ruined. He would have to throw it out. But Grandma picked up the broken pieces. Carefully, piece by piece, she restored the shoe to its original shape. She placed the pair of china shoes back on the shelf. One shoe's perfectness sat in stark contrast to the cracks where the pieces had been painstakingly glued together, marring the other little shoe. 

            Years passed. The glue in the cracks turned brown with age. Grandpa passed away. Lainey grew up and had children of her own. Grandma repeated the story many times. More years passed. Grandma became old and planned to move to a small apartment. As she sorted through her things and the lifetime of memories they represented, she took the china shoes from the shelf and offered them to Lainey, at least the good shoe. Grandma thought she should have thrown away the other one years ago but she had never been able to do it. Maybe now was the time.

            Lainey insisted the pair stay together just as she remembered them. Together they represented a story that would not be the same without both shoes. Grandma gave Lainey a huge hug and the pair of little china shoes.

            Many more years have passed. Grandma is no longer here but those china shoes sit on a shelf in Lainey's home. The story is still told of the broken shoe mended in love.

             God wants to mend each of us just as Grandma did that little shoe. We are imperfect, broken vessels, but God doesn't throw us away. He waits patiently for us to bring the broken pieces of our lives to Him. Then He takes those pieces and lovingly mends them with His love, mercy and forgiveness.

            As we look at the mends in our lives, we see the brown of the glue, the imperfections, but God sees us like the first little unbroken shoe, whole and perfect. Every sin, flaw and imperfection are covered by the blood Jesus shed for us on the cross. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."

            In our brokenness we are deeply loved by God.

 

Whatever stories, devotionals, research ideas, or poems might come from the keepsakes you have, need to be written down for future generations or even to encourage someone else. K is for keepsakes and the stories they spark.

Carol Harrison loves to listen to and tell stories from her home in Saskatoon, SK. She's working at recording some of the family stories from the keepsakes that decorate her house. Sometimes they get shared beyond the family.

Creative Ritual by Carol Harrison

My first thought on reading this month's prompt was, "Daily creative ritual, you mean I should have one?"

I've read and heard about carving out a dedicated time to write many times. Mark it on your schedule. Treat your writing like a business. Make appointments for writing, editing, other creativity and treat them as important. Yet I never seem to actually try doing something like that. 

However, there are things that work better for me than others do. 

Writing in the morning feels like the most productive time of day for me to write. However, I realize I need to be ready to jot down ideas whenever they show up so I don't lose them. 

Other creative endeavors, such as scrapbooking, card making, or making junk journals I leave until later afternoon or more often in the early evening. Weekends provide more time to play with paper. These creative endeavors allow a space to journal family stories as well as allow the imagination to take flight. 

Reading for pleasure occupies moments of time or provides a longer escape when I'm tired or lack focus to continue on writing projects, editing, or even continuing with other creative play. 

Do these loosely held time frames constitute daily creative rituals? Not really but they seem to be the way that works best for me. There are a few things I continue to do but they don't fit into what I consider the creative ritual heading. Yet I find them necessary in my writing process. 

The wall in front of my desk space and my desk itself may seem cluttered to some, but to me it provides inspiration. The pictures are done by family and friends and are a reminder of the creativity of others I know. The bits and pieces adorning my work space include things that I like, are gifts, or reminders to believe and pray. 

I like notebooks and journals and the store aisles containing them are dangerous to wander along if I don't want to add to my stash. Yet I like jotting ideas into notebooks. It is a step up from when I would simply grab any piece of paper and write them down, often losing the paper in the clutter on the desk. Yet my notebooks, although they corral the ideas, don't have a system for easy retrieval. Sometimes what I write becomes a reference for a book or story. Other times I simply journal events, thoughts, and feelings as a way to process everyday life. But even journaling is not a daily event. 

Taking the time for other creative endeavors such as playing with paper and especially

making junk journals helps break mental writing blocks and overcome frustration. Of course reading also helps give me a break from obligations, deadlines, or those frustrating parts of life. I've never needed much of a reason to curl up with a good book and get lost in the story someone else has worked hard to bring to life. 

Continuing to learn is another key element of my writing process. I have so much still to learn and others who are further along in their journey share important facts and ideas through posts or books they've written on the craft of writing. Attending workshops, conference, being part of a writing group, and sharing ideas with others helps spur the creativity and improve my writing. 

I can't say I have a daily creative ritual but I have found ways that make the creativity and writing journey work better for me - at least most of the time. It may change over time as I learn and grow but I doubt it will be time I schedule on my calendar. I just know that I need to be obedient in stewarding well the gifts and abilities God has given me no matter how that looks on any given day. 

 

Carol Harrison lives and writes from her home in Saskatoon, SK. Writing and playing with paper go hand in hand as she allows creativity to bloom in her life.

What's My Purpose and Passion? by Carol Harrison

 The question about what my purpose and passion happens to be, can be a loaded question that makes me want to shut down and not bother answering - or at least it has on many occasions. Have I known it for a long time or recently discovered it? Has it changed over time or just grown in depth? 

Recently, I heard someone say that to discover, rediscover, or develop your present day passion and purpose, you need to revisit your younger self and see what captured your interest, made you want to spend endless hours in its pursuit, and enjoy the journey. As a teen, reading, studying, research, and writing school reports, essays, and stories captured my attention to the exclusion of many other pursuits. Some might say I exhibited many nerd-like qualities. Yet my main purpose continued to be finishing school and becoming a teacher. How would this passion for academic type pursuits serve me in the "real-world" of everyday life? 

I observed female role models in my life. All of them demonstrated their love for God and family through serving others. They managed households, could grow much in a small garden plot, sewed with ease, quilted, cooked delicious meals, and baked from scratch. Domestic activities in which they excelled and found their passion - or so it seemed to me- helped them serve others with compassion. How did study, reading, and writing fit into a purpose that would help others? I didn't know and felt it must mean I needed to discover another purpose for my life and pray my passions and interests changed. 

If someone asked me this question of purpose and passion in my twenties, thirties, and even into my forties, I would shake my head because I still struggled to figure out that answer. Or I might have thrown out the answer about raising my children, teaching Sunday School, or helping in our business. Yet throughout these decades of uncertainty and busyness, deep down the passion for more creative endeavors round its way into my life through crafts or jotting down ideas but never really pursuing anything. 

As a young girl, I understood that each one is uniquely created by God and we all, as believers, have to share the good news of the gospel. Later, I learned how God gives gifts and abilities for us to use to build others up and bring glory to God. Somewhere along the way I lost sight of this truth as it related to me. 

It took years of floundering, trying various activities, being busy with everyday aspects of life before I discovered the gifts God intended me to use didn't have to look like anyone else's gifts. I didn't have to be my mother or grandmothers, or aunts with their domestic abilities. I needed to be willing for God to use what he had given me, then pursue them, practice them, and persevere in the journey even when I didn't always understand the direction or the reasons. It is more than okay to be who God made me to be. So what is my passion and purpose? 

I am a storyteller. It means being willing to tell the story of what God has and is doing in whatever format that takes - written or oral. It also means participating in the journey with God and taking the next step when I can't see the one beyond that. 

God brought several scripture passages to mind, multiple times until they embedded deep into my heart and mind. 

Psalm 78:1-4, "O my people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter hidden things, things from of old- what we have heard and known, what our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done."

Psalm 105:1-5, "Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always. Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgements he pronounced."

God used those years of fear, of uncertainty, the busyness of raising a family, and working in our own businesses at times, to teach me many things. He showed me through a variety of experiences that he is still the same God as the God of the Bible. He led people into my life who spoke into my heart with compassion, with affirmations, and sometimes with a kick in the seat of the pants as I needed to be nudged from a comfort zone I was never intended to remain in.

Those passions for creativity, study, and research, as well as the desire to teach or help others never changed. It simply developed as I came to terms with the directions God might lead me and how they might not look the same as I imagined or what others may have expected. That is okay. 

Some days are difficult to keep going. The path ahead remains in the shadows and I long to give up, hide out, and forget about sharing stories and God's love with others. Yet persistence or perseverance means I need to keep going one step at a time, allowing God to guide and direct. I don't have to understand all the complexities but rather be available and obedient. 

As I worked through all those thoughts on purpose and passion and how it showed up in my life, I wrote this mission statement a few years ago that sums it up. "As a speaker, published author and storyteller, Carol Harrison is passionate about mentoring people of all ages and abilities to help them find their voice and reach their fullest potential, helping them find a glimmer of hope in every circumstance of life."

In doing this, I can say with the psalmist in Psalm 71:1-4, "But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more. My mouth will tell of your righteousness, of your salvation all day long, though I know not its measure. I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, O Sovereign Lord; I will proclaim your righteousness, yours alone. Since my youth, O God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds. Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O Go, till I declare you power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come."  

Carol Harrison keeps plodding on the journey one step at a time as she tells stories for her family and others. She hangs out for hours at a time in front of her computer from her home in Saskatoon, longing that others will be encouraged, entertained, or educated. Most of all that God will have all the glory.

Through These Words by Alan Anderson

 

“You shall remember all the way which Yahweh your God has led you” (Deuteronomy 8:2)

My writing has always been a companion for my soul. This is most prevalent in my times of sorrow or loneliness and life-changing upheavals. Writing also witnesses my periods of joy and excitement as life moves on. The words I write help me express what my heart longs to say.

My childhood enveloped me in a cloak of shyness. This took years for me to come out of my shell. Even then I shunned being noticed by other people. I lived my youth like an unheard of book hidden away in a musty corner of a library. 

Now as an almost old guy it seems years have gone by in the speed of light. I look back on decades of trying to find myself, and where I fit into God’s plan. Even today I can blush at mistakes I made in my faith. If it is possible I’m sure I must have been an embarrassment to God.

In the past three years I know of God’s leading and care. He has brought my wife and I to a stage in life we can rest in. No, we don’t have money to burn. We have our children and grandchildren close by. We belong to a caring church family we love to be part of. Besides such blessings, I am in a deeper love with my writing.

This month brought a new chapter in the life of my writing. I am in love with poetry, a beautiful form of storytelling. A serious consideration to write poetry is new to me. From a distance I have always admired poets. Poetry, done well, can have a powerful emotional impact on readers.

In the first week of November I listened to a poet on the internet radio channel, Ancient Faith Radio. Angela Doll Carlson, hosts her program, The Wilderness Journal. Her way of reading poetry drew me in right away. Nothing else in the moment mattered as I listened to the beauty of her poem. She read like she loved every word. Through, Angela Doll Carlson, poetry embraced me. I sensed God’s call for me to enter this beautiful form of writing.

I am unsure where poetry will take me. For now I’m exploring its territory. From my point of view, a storyteller who is a Christian, I pray my poems will give peace to readers and stir their souls. I pray I stay true to the writing God lays on my heart. I trust my poetry presents a sense of suffering and hope. This is what my writing is all about.

Please accept this humble poem written for our InScribe family.

Through These Words

By Alan Anderson

Life’s storms assail,

while waves crash over us.

We reach for the shore,

but the waves are stronger.

Weakness overtakes us,

we are frail,

we cannot do this on our own.

Our Creator, the Author,

gives us words.

Be faithful to these words,

true heart words from God.

Like fresh air,

His truth sets us free.

Our call, to minister with words,

What a way to view life!

To give peace to the world,

comfort to mourners,

strength to the fearful,

and life to the dying,

Through these words!

 

Alan lives in Deroche, B.C. with his wife, Terry. Alan contributed stories to Good Grief People by Angel Hope Publishing, 2017 and Story by Story: The Power Of a Writer, Unstoppable Writers Publishing, 2018. Blog: https://scarredjoy.ca. Alan is BC rep for InScribe.

 

Courage to be Faithful by Carol Harrison

 Many people choose a word for themselves each year or trust God to provide one for them. I am not one of those people. Yet as 2019 began, God impressed the words faithful and courage into my mind and heart. I knew I needed to claim them for my life in a new way this year but had no idea and still do not, where God would lead with this. When I saw this month's blog theme, Faith to Chart a New Territory" and the verse Joshua 1; 6, 9 - "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land.  . .  Do not be terrified, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." I felt the affirmation of these words in a renewed way.

I need to be faithful to do what God calls me to do. Courage to follow where God leads comes not from knowing the task or what lies ahead but from knowing He is always with me and never changes. God gave Joshua his task - lead the people into the land they will inherit. Joshua faced a huge job with many challenges. Yet God told him not once but multiple times be strong and courageous rather than being afraid, terrified or discouraged.

I believe God has called me to the task of being a storyteller, whether in writing or orally. He has added a desire to mentor, coach and help people find their voice, tell their stories and improve their communication skills. I do not know what it all looks like but it has been unfolding for almost a dozen years. Some days there seem to be more questions than answers. God's unchanging presence is the one constant throughout the years.

My journey as a speaker began in 2008 when a group of ladies asked me to be their retreat speaker. I taught a ladies Bible study at church at that time but to venture beyond this comfort zone caused much fear and trepidation. I knew God wanted me to be faithful and courageous and go where He led even though I could not understand why me. I obeyed and learned many lessons as I prepared. God provided affirmations to let me know I had listened correctly to His plans.

I longed to learn more about being a Christian woman speaker. I followed others who were further along the journey and gleaned helpful information. I sat in on workshops, took on line courses and read books to soak up as much knowledge as possible as I prepared for whatever adventure God had planned in the line of speaking.

One common thread in what I read and listened to included finding out your niche market. I should answer questions like, Who was my audience? What was the topic I was an expert on? How should I let others know I was available to speak? The negative, internal voice shouted, "You aren't an expert in anything!" Then it added thoughts like, "Who do you think you are to say you are a speaker? You don't know anything about target audiences or marketing yourself."

I reread the Bible story of Moses at the burning bush in Exodus chapter 3. I could identify with Moses when he argued with God about not being able to speak eloquently and questioning whether the Hebrew people would believe that God sent Moses to lead them out of Egypt. Yet God never asked Moses to do anything on his own strength but rather be obedient and trust God for everything he needed to accomplish the job God called him to do. I needed to remember that and be faithful, trusting God for courage. 

I had always loved teaching children but now God had opened a door with ladies ministry at church and speaking at a ladies retreat. Why the change? I did not know. More speaking engagements have dotted the years between then and now. They have included all ages from children and teens to adults. I have spoken in churches, camps and schools. None of the advice about niche market or ages seemed to apply.

I questioned whether I heard God's direction clearly. God whispered into my heart, "Don't look at the venue or the age. When I open a door just walk through it. I will give you the words to say."

It flew in the face of the advice of those who had traveled further on the journey of being a speaker and yet I must continue to trust God as the ultimate authority.

My writing journey began ten years ago. For years I had stuffed my love of writing so deep I had

convinced myself it never existed even when part of me longed to write more than occasional journal entries. My husband encouraged me to write a book - the story of our youngest daughter who had a stroke at birth. Everything she can do is medically impossible. I resisted. I tried.  I deleted the words and felt like I failed. Yet my family urged me to continue, to trust God to help the story be told for His glory.

With the help of some wonderful Christian writers who offered help, encouragement and critique I finished the book. God has provided affirmations through comments of people who read the story and told me what it meant to them, how God had spoken to them and how it has been shared in more places than I can imagine.

I have continued to write, although for years I called myself a reluctant writer. My grandson told me that sounded negative and I should quit saying it. He encouraged me to branch out into writing fiction and not just non-fiction. I said no but he persisted. My husband, a niece and other family members joined the conspiracy to push me out of my comfort zone and into uncharted territory. A granddaughter told me to learn to write poetry and asked me to go with her to poetry workshops at our local library. I enjoyed the time I spent with her but poetry pushed me even further out of the writing comfort zone.

God has worked in my heart so I quit calling myself a reluctant writer. Some non fiction stories, one short piece of fiction and two poems are now part of my publishing credits. This has helped affirm that I have listened to God's direction even if it is hard and not what I expected.

There are times I feel an urgency to write and help others share their stories too. But there are times the entire process overwhelms me too. However, I know God is faithful. He has a plan even when I do not understand what that might be. He only asks that I am faithful to do what he asks me to do and not be discouraged or fearful. He supplies the words and the courage.

The speaking, writing, coaching others and teaching workshops to such a variety of ages flies in the face of conventional teaching by other speakers and even writers. I wonder how it should all fit

together and where God is leading with these various activities. How do they fit together? What is the plan? How do I let others know that I am available for workshops, speaking, coaching?

The questions still pop into my mind. They still make me wonder and wish for a map of the road ahead. But I know that everything fits under the umbrella of storytelling. God asks that I tell the stories to the next generation of His faithfulness and His love. I know God opens doors and when He does I pray I will be faithful to walk through it and trust God to supply the courage I need for the adventure of a life of telling stories in whatever form they take.

This week, month and year I pray I will be faithful and obey whatever God asks me to do as I remember Joshua 1:9  applies to me to.

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified. Do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."

Carol Harrison, B.Ed. from Saskatoon, has published one book, Amee’s Story, and has short stories in over a dozen anthologies. She has a passion for sharing stories from real-life experiences and God’s Word to help others find a glimmer of hope and a glimpse of joy.