THEMES OF MY TRIBE - Sheila Webster

I have a tribe it is actually called The Tribal Unit and they affectionately call me “Leader of the Pack.” (At least I’ve never questioned that the title is an affectionate one!) I asked the tribe recently what themes overarched my life.  I was surprised at the robust response.

Some of the categories made me ruefully question the legacy I am leaving, sunburns from rebellious acts being one!

Sunsets and car rides,

Sunburns from rebellious acts;

Campfires and burn barrels;

Grace and redemption;

Searching for my tribe;

Empowering others through poetry and prose;

Characteristic and predictable spontaniety;

Painting as coping;

Loving the unloved

and trusting for provision.

Life, I have found, is to be lived and that would explain the diversity of themes in my life, and I would add one – perseverance through trials. What should we as writers do with the lives we have lived except write and share the triumph in the tragedy, or just the sheer volume of sadness a tragedy dictates? Whether it is in the prose or poetry it is the artists and writers, as well as the inventors that leave a lasting legacy.

Inventions however seem static in comparison to the poetry and prose. In high school I remember the flat statistics about inventions but still mull over things read or said in Social or English classes. The verses to songs from grade ten English float through my mind on occasion and I wonder if we were right about their meaning. 

The joy and horror of having Shakespeare explained and then wondering again if any of us would ever write something that would still be read hundreds of years later.

With the resurgence of music from my high school era amongst my younger children I watch bemused as they tell me I don’t know what it means or see them roll their eyes as they patiently explain what is so great about the beats. Their experience of something so entwined with my graduate year is mind blowing. Do the songs I lived have any connection to them and the culture they exist in?

Recently I read a horrible history fact on a writer and inventor I previously admired. What I read so sickened me I cannot imagine ever reading anything by them again. Should I feel that way? I am not sure as I know we all as humans have a seemlier side whether we admit or not, moments that we perhaps we would prefer not to be identified as a personal life theme.

I remember one sunburn, maybe not rebellious, but on the day of my grade 12 graduation. My best friend was not attending the celebrations and though it both angered and puzzled me I wanted to do something with her. We decided to tube down the river, without any real idea how long it would take. There were no cell phones and I don’t even know if waterproof watches existed except for divers. It was risky perhaps but off we set.

The river was slow; the day was hot as we meandered our way to some rapids just before the last bridge. I suppose no one was more shocked than my date when he arrived spiffy and dressed a couple minutes after I dragged myself out of the river. I opened the door bedraggled, sunburnt, weeds in my hair and obviously in cutoffs and a tank top. Being a handsome and kind pastor’s son, he coughed and said he was sorry he must have the wrong time or day.

"Not!" I said, and informed him I would be a minute and literally was about seven…showered, blow-dried, curled, makeup and dressed. We had a wonderful time and I didn’t regret any of it.

Those moments are as important and life giving to me as grace and redemption. Maybe there should always be diversity in the themes of our life so that we can live life abundantly! What do you think Tribe?

The Themes They Are A-Changin' by Lynn Dove

It started during the night as a tightening, then a squeezing pain in my right calf.  I knew right away I had another blood clot, a DVT.  I hobbled down the stairs and broke the news to my husband that he'd better take me to the emergency room. 

He groaned, "Are you sure?"

"Quite sure," I winced while struggling to put on my shoes. 

Having a family history of DVT's, cancer, and diagnosed with another clotting disorder, the odds were in my favour to get blood clots at some time in my life, and sure enough, I have experienced deep vein thrombosis three times before this one.  As we drove in silence to the hospital, I could feel the anxiety well up in me.  Times had changed in our world.  We were still in the middle of a pandemic, and I wondered what new protocols might be in place to address my current situation and also to keep me safe from contracting the virus.  I wore a mask, as has been my new normal while I've been out and about the last several weeks, but I was given a new one the instant I walked into the emergency department.  The nurses were in full PPE (personal protective equipment), but their eyes seemed friendly enough.  Both my husband and I were told to sanitize our hands, and wait, keeping socially distant from anyone else in the waiting room.  At least the waiting part was very familiar to us.  It was a full day spent at the hospital, waiting on medical tests to confirm what I already knew, I had a DVT in my right leg.  I was sent home with my prescription for blood thinner pills and a new referral to the Thrombosis Clinic. 

All last year, I had documented my battle with endometrial cancer on my blog, Journey Thoughts.  I certainly had not intended at the start of 2019, that the theme of my writing for most of that year, would be focused on my personal journey with cancer, but life events have a way of determining what I write about.  When my kids were teenagers, I wrote about bullying, based on what they were experiencing at school.  When I was teaching, I wrote about my classroom experiences.  As a grandmother now, I write about my growing family.  My personal walk of faith with God has always been a part of my writing, interwoven throughout like a reoccurring colourful thread.  As life has its ebb and flow, or in my case giant U-turns, my writing gives account to all the highs and lows of daily living and walking with God through it all.

It is no wonder that the last several months, my writing has documented some of the challenges I've faced living through a global pandemic.  Three months ago I never used the terms, social distancing, cohort family, or global pandemic.  I never wore a mask, nor imagined a time when people would be forced to stand two metres apart, or unable to hug loved ones, or discover no toilet paper on grocery store shelves.  I thought I faced a "new normal" after my battle with cancer?  I'm still trying to figure out how to follow arrows in supermarkets to ensure we can pick up milk in a safe and orderly manner!

In the last two weeks, I have seen demonstrations held world-wide, to bring awareness to the systemic racism that pervades our society.  It has sensitized me on how I can write in such a way that shows my empathy without offending anyone.  It hasn't been easy.  I want to stay relevant in my writing, but admittedly, there are just some themes and topics I am uncomfortable in tackling.  So I pray instead, and hope my Saviour groans and intercedes on my behalf, hearing my heart when words fail me.

I've spent the past week with my leg elevated, waiting for the blood thinners to cut in.  Only today have I been able to sit at length in front of my computer to blog.  As I reflect on all the events that have occurred world wide, as well as process my own personal experiences over these past few years, I know my writing is in perpetual metamorphosis.  What I write about today, will not be what I write about a year from now,... maybe not even a week from now.  I'm okay with that.  I do pray I will be writing less and less about my ongoing medical issues, because it's a pain.  Literally.  All I can say with great certainty going forward is, "The Themes They are A-Changin'".

  
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   

Strong leadership - Mid Month Moment (by Connie Inglis)

Here is a gem from the 'Mid-Week Moments' archives that seemed appropriate during this time when we need strong leadership in our world. Thank you once again, Connie, for your inspired words.

Where do leaders come from? I mean true leaders? And what makes a good leader? Are they born that way, as the old catchphrase says?

Last week I focused on Joshua 1:3-9--words for us to begin 2018. But of course, these verses were originally for Joshua, the man called by God to lead the Israelites into the promised land. But why Joshua?

The first mention of Joshua is in Exodus 17, after the Amalekites attack the Israelites (soon after crossing the Red Sea). Moses commands Joshua to lead a battle against these Amalekites and he is victorious. So, we know from this chapter, that Joshua crossed the Red Sea with the rest of the Israelites as an already-trained warrior--training that will serve him well in leading the people into the promised land.

But wait--the crossing of the Jordan that occurs in the book of Joshua doesn't happen for another 40+ years, after years of wandering in the wilderness. So, what does Joshua do during that time? He serves. What? He serves? Yes. He becomes Moses' servant.

In Exodus 24:12,13 we read:

"The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and stay here, and I will give you the tablets of stone with the law and commandments I have written for their instruction.” Then Moses set out with Joshua his aide, and Moses went up on the mountain of God."

And in Exodus 33:9-11 we read:

"As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke with Moses. ¹⁰ Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to their tent. ¹¹ The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent."

Joshua, the physical warrior, is now going through a different kind of training: spiritual training as Moses' servant. Probably not the training a warrior would request, but not once do we read that Joshua complained about this new role. Rather, Joshua watches the deepening relationship between God and Moses--a relationship in which God calls Moses His friend. Joshua pays attention and learns about this God of Moses. He learns through Moses who God is in his own life.

Through this time of servanthood, Joshua learns that the Almighty God can be trusted. Then when he, along with eleven others, go to spy out the land in Numbers 13 & 14, he and Caleb return with this report (Num. 14:6-9):

Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes ⁷ and said to the entire Israelite assembly, “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. ⁸ If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. ⁹ Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them.”

In his back-row role as a servant, Joshua learned what God wanted him to learn i.e. that the LORD would be with them as they entered the land the LORD promised them. Unfortunately, Joshua had to wait another 40 years for that to happen. But when the time was right (the LORD's timing), Joshua could take up his warrior role once again.

The Joshua that we meet in Joshua 1 was ready to lead. He had walked faithfully through the valley of the shadow of death to come out the other end ready to take on his leadership role. And lead he does.

Life never happens the way we think it will. I'm sure that when Joshua defeated the Amalekites in Exodus 17, he didn't know that the next 40+ years of his life would be spent serving. He was a trained warrior after all. BUT GOD knew--and God had a plan. And Joshua faithfully and obediently did what he was asked to do, no matter what the task.

My prayer for each one of us is that we will be like Joshua--faithful and obedient to the tasks God calls us to do--no matter how menial or elevated they may be. And may we be always paying attention to God's presence, no matter what the situation, always looking to learn and understand more and more of who God is! And like Joshua, may we always, be teachable.

Ever seeking to learn,

Connie

January 10, 2018

My Writing Theme: Finding Hope and Beauty in a Broken World - Ruth L. Snyder

I found it challenging to define my writing theme. However, "Finding Hope and Beauty in a Broken World," sums it up well. I find myself sharing messages of hope and beauty. In this blog post I will share some of my journey, along with some recent beauty I've captured with my camera.

The first bloom opening on my new rose bush

The Meaning of My Name

When I think about God's calling on my life and writing, it starts with definitions of my name I found as a teenager. Ruth means "compassionate friend," and Lucile means "one who brings light". Since then, I have made it my goal to be a compassionate friend who brings light.

Geese along Jessie Lake, my favorite walking path

An Attitude of Gratitude

One thing I used to struggle with was having a positive attitude. Over the years I have learned that attitude is a choice. I cannot necessarily choose what happens to me, but I can choose how I respond. Writing in a gratitude journal has helped me develop an attitude of gratitude. I have discovered that no matter how bleak a day looks, I can always find at least three things for which to be grateful.

Charles Swindoll puts it this way:
"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what others think or say or do.  

It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company, a church, a home.The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day.  

We cannot change our past, we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable.The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude.  

I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you—we are in charge of our attitudes."

I grew up hearing and singing hymns and enjoy playing them

The Joy of Music

I'm grateful that my parents shared the gift of music with me. My Dad played an E-flat alto horn and my Mom played accordion. They also sang. I have many memories of singing as a family—during family devotions, as we traveled hundreds of miles across Canada and the United States to visit those who supported our family's mission work in Africa, in church, and in nursing homes. I didn't realize what a gift this was until I started Bible college. One day I was singing alto along with a CD that was playing in my dorm room. My roommate gaped and asked, "How do you do that?" Singing parts became second nature, thanks to my parents. 

My parents also invested time and money into allowing me to take music lessons. I remember wanting to learn to play the piano from the time I was very young. Pianos were rare in Africa, but the year my siblings and I attended school in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), I had access to both a piano and a piano teacher. I started piano lessons at age nine and now I enjoy sharing music with others by teaching Music for Young Children and piano lessons. 

Music also became a unique doorway to share special times with my Dad after he developed dementia. Even when he no longer remembered who I was, he remembered the lyrics to hymns. We spent many hours together—my Dad singing bass and me playing piano and singing soprano.

NOTE: On Wednesday, June 17th, two pianist friends and I will be launching a virtual hymn sing, streaming to Facebook. Our goal is to provide joy, especially for those who live in senior residences. If you'd like to join in, go to https://www.facebook.com/HymnSingTime/ from 9-9:45 am MST on Wednesday mornings.

One of my flowerbeds

My First Published Piece

Although reading and writing were an important (and enjoyable) part of my life, I didn't think of myself as a writer or dream of publishing my first book. I did take some writing courses through the Institute of Children's Literature, and entered the Fresh Ink Contest in 2009, hosted by The Word Guild. I was shocked to hear I won first place and the award of a free Write!Canada conference registration. At that time our five children (ages 1-11) and work on our local school board kept me busy. However, several months later, Gifts From a Loving God, our journey through the grief of infertility and into adoption, was published in Testimony. I also joined InScribe, happy to find other Christian writers closer to where I live. I kept entering contests, learning, and getting short stories and articles published. 

My peaceful place to relax

I'm an Author!

It took me a while to call myself a writer. I knew I enjoyed writing, but a writer? An author??? Little by little I added to my writing repertoire and wrote longer and longer pieces. Books still scared me...until I figured out books were made of chapters, and I was capable of writing chapters. I thought my first book would be a devotional, but people kept asking me about Twitter and how to use it effectively. Twitter Decoded was born—giving hope to those who thought they would never understand or be able to use Twitter. I also enjoyed some collaborative projects—Kathi Macias wanted to publish a Christmas book and asked if I would be interested in writing a 10,000-word story. She included my story, Cecile's Christmas Miracle, in her 12 Days of Christmas book. Then I joined four other writers to work on The San Francisco Wedding Planner Series and Uplifting Devotionals (which also includes devotionals by Tracy Krauss, Marcia Laycock, Janice Dyck, and Murray Pura).

Pansies are one of my favorite flowers

Self-Publishing?

During this time, I also began exploring the world of self-publishing. I eased in by learning how to publish a Kindle book. Then I joined Author Audience Academy with Shelley Hitz and learned how to publish a paperback as well. (Her program is now called Christian Book Academy.) I enjoyed the challenge and decided to self-publish both an ebook and paperback copy of Equipped: Ephesians 6 Devotionals to Empower and Make You Victorious in Everyday Struggles.

A recent sunset

Coaching

Last year I enjoyed taking training through Beautiful You Coaching Academy. After I graduated, I started working with a business coach to put together a book coaching business. God has really pushed me out of my comfort zone, but after months of work, I'm starting to reap the results. I help Christian entrepreneurs write, publish, and profit from their books. I am aiming to help 20 people publish a book this year. (Check out my updated website.) God has been bringing opportunities for speaking and coaching to me, and I'm stepping out in faith. One of my clients thanked me last week for "providing a safe place and giving me hope."

Thanks for allowing me to share my writing journey and my theme of finding hope and beauty in a broken world. I look forward to hearing about your journey and theme!