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Writer=Occupation or Hobby

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This is from a post I wrote in July of this year–it describes why I blog and how it is a “work in progress”–then I came across this name on the web–Jeff Goins.  Jeff’s picture kept looking at me in an interesting mix of blogs . . . so finally I clicked on him!  What a blessing on click can be!

(THIS IS FROM JULY 2012)  I have spent most of my life writing.  My earliest memory was in 3rd grade–my teacher let me write and re-write all the Winnie-the-Pooh books and change the endings as I saw fit.  As the other kids filled out pages and pages of worksheets I wrote my stories.  I often sat off by myself and wrote.  I’m not sure why I was allowed this luxury but if I had to guess it was because my Dad died when I was in 2nd grade and I didn’t handle it very well . . .

After reworking most of the children’s books I had read I moved onto my own writing.  I had pen pals, wrote essays, wrote for the school newspapers, wrote, wrote and wrote.  It could have been that we lived out in the middle of nowhere with nothing to do . . .

As an adult I tried to freelance but that is hard to make ends meet, so I kept my day/night jobs and wrote in the off times.  I discovered that the only real way to be a writer would be to use my science/medical background and become a medical writer–I did that by boldly telling people that “I’m a medical writer” and they gave me a job.  And then another job and then I started to freelance again and before I knew it I was writing for real money.  (to read more click here)

(NOW) When I started looking at the goinswriter.com website–I felt at home.  I felt as though Jeff spoke to my heart about my writing–I read his FREE book “A Writer’s Manefestio” and felt empowered.  I knew that I had a message that I wanted to share–not just a recipe or a cool project.  A few weeks after “finding” Jeff–he offered the Tribe Writer’s online course–I didn’t think twice about signing up–and I’m so glad that I did!

The class started and I was slow to participate–I didn’t feel like I belonged.  In my mind I am a writer but to the world I’m not–I’m a Mom with a bunch of kids, who home schools . . . I am all of those things AND I’m a Writer.

The course can take someone from: the idea of being a writer to being a published author in 8 weeks.  If that is what you desire–or it can help you hone your voice, find your tribe, discover your platform, all the while being part of a group of writers who are having the same exact struggles.

Jeff Goins in launching the class again–you can read about it here.  Today is the last day for registration!!  Click here to register!

My fellow tribe writers James, Joan, Bryan, Sundi Jo, Stacey write about how the course has changed their writing–we all came together (a couple 100 of us) for different reasons through the love of writing and wanting to make a difference.

If you want to become a better writer, take it to the next level or make a difference in ways you aren’t sure about . . . this class is for you.

Be Blessed.  I pray that we grow into finding our purpose that serves Him.

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 The Better Mom, Hear it on Sunday, Use it on Monday, Playdates with God, Motivation Monday, Mindful Mothering, monday musings,

A Kid’s Liturgical Year Journal 2012/2013

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In the Catholic church we have a liturgical year.  This year is marked by the special “seasons” of the church–Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, Ordinary Time, as well as other holy days mixed in throughout the year.

The “new year” begins on the first day of Advent, December 2, 2012 this year.  The idea of this calendar is not to show the passage of time but rather to understand more fully the life of Jesus–from his birth to the crucifixion then our waiting in glory for his final coming.

Ok, I’m not gonna lie–it is a lot to understand, process on any level and apply it to our lives.  Then in order for me to teach my kids or write about it I needed to have a way to work through it with them.

So I came up with the idea to have a weekly journal that followed the liturgical year.  I love color so I thought I would coincide the weeks with the colors of the liturgical year.  Thank you God for the gift of colors!  God knows how to brighten our days!

My goal is:

  • a new fun way to keep a gratitude journal
  • incorporate the colors of the liturgical year
  • be able to see Holy Days ahead of time and prepare to celebrate more fully
  • mix up our way of learning religion–I can teach multiple ages and a multitude of subjects!

Colors:

White:  joy and victory

Red:  blood and fire

Green:  life and hope

Purple:  coming of Christ and penance and renewal

Rose:  the joy of anticipation

This how the weeks break down:

4 weeks of Advent (3rd week can be pink)

2 weeks of Christmas

6 weeks of Ordinary Time

Ash Wednesday

6 weeks of Lent

1 day of Red–Good Friday  Tridium

8 weeks of Easter

1 day of Red Pentecost

26 weeks of Ordinary Time

I’m trying to keep it simple and “learn as we go” so I will begin with paper in this order:

2 purple

1 pink

1 purple

2 white or gold

6 green

Ash Wednesday–not sure what color to go with on this day

6 purple (I will use a different shade from Advent)

1 Red–Good Friday

8 white or gold

1 day of Red for Pentecost

26 green

I used what I had in the house! I think it looks pretty cool!  For Christmas I found some white paper with gold stars!

Ideas for study:

  • at the beginning of each week write out the Sunday Psalm and see how that speaks to your heart over the next week
  • Take a message from the gospel and apply it to each day of the week.
  • Be mindful of where the mysteries of the rosary will be throughout the year.
  • keep it simple and create a gratitude journal–counting each one–I think my kids will out do each other in gratefulness
  • write a special prayer for each “season”

I am creating 4 of these journals–one for each child.  I will let them determine what they want the focus of the year to be.  For my youngest son I will have him pick one word (a concept word like-peace, hope, love, change  . . . ) to be his focus for the year.

My intention for this form of study is that it will foster a way for the kids to develop their own walk with the Lord this year–but it has specific boundaries.  I would hope that it will be a wonderful devotional for them to look back on.  For the kids that I’m homeschooling it will fulfill religion, writing, handwriting, math (time, months, weeks, visually represent a year), reading (we will share our stories/prayers), art (either drawing or exploring Christian artwork, putting on plays), computer skills–if they want to type a week or two or print off artwork from the internet), social studies (where in the bible are we?), science (what was the weather like in the areas, were their bodies of water?, mountains, what did people eat, what plants were plentiful in different areas)–hopefully you get the idea.

I’m hoping that this idea takes on a life of its own and is a wonderful experience for everyone–but I have been homeschooling long enough to know that it will grow and change into something else.

Please let me know if you decide to embark on this activity and how it works out!   If doing an entire year seems daunting than try just one season.  Or if you read this half way through the year . . . start then!

Be Blessed.

A merry meaningful Christmas

I am a Writer.

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I’m a writer.  That is was SHOULD have come out of my mouth when the women behind the counter at the doctors’ office asked “what do you do?”.

The question “what do you do?” caught me completely off guard.  My mind had a Secret Life of Walter Mitty, by James Thruber–moment.

Did she mean:

  • what were the 500 things I had to do that morning in order to get everyone out the door at 7:30 am–armed with backpacks, lunches, car schooling supplies, notes for one kid to take the bus home with another kid, making sure I had my previous medical records, the iPad, packing the basketball uniform in the backpack because that kid isn’t coming home before the game, getting dinner in the crock pot . . .
  • did she mean what am I planning on doing?
  • did she mean what do I do on an average day?  (no such thing)
  • the mental list went on and on about what I “do”.

Finally, after several moments of quiet, she asked me again–“what is your job?”, and again my mind couldn’t come up with one word.

Again, several moments went by, she asked “do you stay home” and that really sent me into a mind spin because–no, I’m rarely home.  I’m on the road A LOT or I’m getting everyone ready to be on the road.

I should have just said that I’m a writer.  That would have made her happy–but then she would have asked me “what do your write about?”.

I write about people like you–I would explain.  Then go back into the secret life inside my own mind–where I am free to be and I’m not labeled with just one word.

I’ve written a lot about finding my purpose, my journey, and where I want to go . . . but first I want to experience each moment to the fullest and find joy–

that is what I want to do–then write about it.

After I finished writing this . . . I had a nagging feeling.  It wasn’t what I wanted it to say.  Yes, I’ve very excited to go back and reread and redo the chapter of my life about writing. Writing all those years for other people and now I write for me and you.

But it isn’t really about being a writer–it is about writing about the being.  

Writing is how I share the excitement in my everyday boring/not always exciting, life is hard, different each day, not what I planned, routine–how can it be routine yet unplanned?  That’s what I can’t explain–I start out each day with a plan–and life happens!  The items on the list may not get checked off but “real life” is about the things that AREN’T on the list.

So the next time someones asks about what I do–I will say– “I write about being.”, (thinking of adding a “DUDE” so they have a better sense of the free to be vibe . . . even if I said all of that.  Some people still won’t get it.  (I’m ok with that–now at this season in my life.)

Be Blessed.

I’m linking up to  The Better Mom, Hear it on Sunday, Use it on Monday, Playdates with God, Motivation Monday, Mindful Mothering, monday musings,