Fifteen Things by Susan Barclay

From DraCat on Pixabay

This month’s prompt asks us to identify ten things we will be doing in the last four months of 2026. Whether short-term goals, intentional practices, writing tasks, or other, the idea is to put into words our hopes, dreams, or current reality.


As a full-time caregiver to my elderly mom who lives with us, at first I was daunted by the request to come up with ten things. When I thought about it, however, it was actually pretty easy.

1. I will continue to give care for as long as necessary/feasible. Admittedly, because caregiving is difficult and my mom doesn’t seem to be getting any better (or progress is extremely slow), I pray that God will be merciful to her and to us in this season.

2. I’ll continue to participate in two in-person book clubs and read a minimum of two books per month.

3. I’ll continue to participate in the life of my church through our small group and the 55+ ministry.

4. I’ll continue to exercise daily, a practice I began on July 6 this year, after neglecting self-care far too long. I strength train my arms every other day and do some form of cardio as well as focus on core and posture every day.

5. My husband and I have been wanting to take ballroom dance classes for some time now. This fall is the year! I will complete an 8 week session (two classes are already behind us). Before this we were kitchen dancers only! We will see what we become. So far, so-so.

6. I’ll continue to help my daughter and her fiancé plan for their wedding.

7. My husband and I will get away for our 33rd wedding anniversary. Only for 24 hours or so, but any getaway is a blessing.

8. My high school is celebrating its 90th anniversary this fall. Having missed the 75th anniversary and most class reunions, I already have my ticket for the 6-hour event. Looking forward to seeing some “old” and friendly faces from just a “few” years ago.

9. I’ll complete my Christmas shopping on time and on budget.

10. I’ll try to stick to a house cleaning regimen.

11. I’ll try to limit scrolling to 15 minutes a day by setting a timer.

12. I’ll try to drink 16 oz of water a day. I know this is much less than the recommended amount, but it’s a realistic amount for me since I tend not to drink more than 4 oz. Unless you count coffee, tea, and juice!

13. My husband I usually read the Bible and a devotional before bed when we are exhausted and yawning. My plan is to shift this to the morning when we are more alert. Reading the Word early sets the tone for the rest of the day.

14. I’ll continue to pray continuously. And finally,

15. I’ll keep writing monthly posts for Inscribe Writers Online. It’s the one writing activity I can currently manage.

And there you have it – a list of 15 things when I was daunted by the thought of ten. You might say I got carried away. Only time will prove how successful I am, but in writing it all down I feel a certain measure of accountability and resolve. I also feel that there’s room for grace in the things I will try to do. I am just one person. I am only human. I’ll take it one day at a time.

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For more about Susan Barclay and her writing, please visit www.susan-barclay.blogspot.com

Distractions Abound by Carol Harrison

 

Distractions lurk around every twist in the journey or some days they seem to be part of the underbrush that threatens to block my path forward. Other times the trail seems cleared of obstructions and things to distract my attention. 

There are several times when fighting off distractions is the most difficult for me to do. One is when I am uncertain of the project I’m working on. The other is when I’m trying to discern what the next project is supposed to be from my list of ideas.

Dealing with uncertainty in my life makes me very vulnerable to distractions even though not all distractions are bad in themselves. Some allow me to take a break which helps me regroup, recharge, and refresh my thoughts allowing me to notice those God nudges. These include getting lost in the pages of a good book or crafting, Paper crafting like making cards, junk journals or scrapbooking, is a great way of expressing creativity in another form and good for my mental health.

Reading is an activity that all writers should engage in and most find very enjoyable. It
can be a key to improving our writing skills, do market research, and provide enjoyment as well. At times I’ve read something that sparks an idea of my own which can be developed later into a story or book. When that happens, I take a moment to jot it down so I can revisit it later.

Other distractions are just that – something that pulls me away from what I should be doing. These take too much time – often wasted time which leave me feeling guilty about not following through on what I should be doing – writing. How do I combat falling into these distractions?

Deadlines help me focus my time and energy. I hate missing a deadline so it becomes much easier for me to push the distractions, even good ones, aside until I finish the project and hand it in. So I often set self-imposed deadlines to help me accomplish what I think needs to be done.

Lists also help me focus. At the beginning of each month I type up a list of what I know needs to be done that month. Then I add other things I would like to finish. The lists grow in length because I add many small steps to them. When I check them off, I feel like I am moving forward. Occasionally distractions get in the way and I let them push aside things on the list. At other times, events happen that I didn’t expect and the list needs to be reprioritized accordingly. No matter how many plans I make to help me avoid distractions, I’ve come to realize they need to be held loosely for God is the one to ultimately be the one to open doors and guide me to work on what He deems the most important at the moment. I want to be willing and able to obey.

After I make the lists and add in the deadlines, I send the list to my daughter to help keep me accountable. This seems to help as well. Accountability partners are a great resource in fighting distractions if you allow them to be. That can be easier said than done at times.

These ideas seem to work well for me. However, there are still many times I allow the distractions to win, especially those good ones like reading and paper crafting. I need to remember to enjoy each day, take breaks, and spend time in God’s Word so I am hearing His voice and not the distracting negative monkey voices. 

 

Carol Harrison writes, crafts, and finds other distractions from her home in Saskatoon. She

is trying to focus on editing book 4 in the Prairie Hope series and write book 5 as soon as she carves out a chunk of time. https://www.carolscorner.ca