It's summertime...anyone ready for a nap?

Ok, so I am drawing a pretty big blank as to what to post on this week. My heart just isn't into blogging right now.

Anyone ever felt this way?

I am noticing quite a few gals taking much longer in between posts. Is this how it is in the summer for bloggers?

The South vs. The North...er, uh the West

I thought you might enjoy the post that my sweet Southern friend Teresa at Livin' the Wood Life recently posted about my desires to be a Southern girl. She made a point to rub my California nose in the fact that I have no chance whatsoever of being from the South, period.


As a born and bred California girl, there are a few myths that need to be broken:


For the record, I have never ridden a surfboard in my life.

I don't know any movie stars.

I am not a size 2.

And...Arnold Schwarzenneger will always be the Terminator to me.


I do admit that this California girl needs me some soy milk with my Starbuck's and enjoys a sweetened green tea every once in awhile. My favorite grocery store is Trader Joe's where they have no preservatives in anything. I do try and keep my skin out of the sun and make it a point to exercise at least yearly.


Looks like I'm destined to be a Yankee no matter how hard I try.


Well Teresa, maybe I don't want to be a part of your us four and no more, Southern girls club!

(Ok, but I admit, I do want to be invited to ALL of your gatherings where food is involved.)


Ok blog friends...am I the only wannabe Southern gal out here?

Anyone dare to admit they want to live in California...anyone....Bueller...Bueller?

She Speaks - My Peeps

If you aren't already sick of hearing why you need to attend the She Speaks conference next year, let me give you reasons number 4, 289 thru 4, 295.

You get to hang out with your peeps.

Girls that have been gifted by God in much the same way you have been.

To write/speak for Him.

Your people.

The girls who understand your neurosis.

The women who have the same hang ups you do.

When I would sit down and speak to new friends, I felt like I wasn't crazy anymore. They too have kept journals since they were little, written or blogged about the mundane, woken up in the middle of the night with an idea or sentence they just HAD to write down or they would just die.

I now know what the little people from the TLC show Little People Big World think when they get to attend a little persons convention.

"There really are people out there just like me!"

He Speaks - She Believes

"Why am I here?" "I don't belong here Lord." "What is it that you need to tell me in North Carolina that you couldn't have told me in California?" "Did I mention yet that I don't belong here?"

These questions were my constant dialogue between the Lord and me while I was at She Speaks.

At least all day Friday.

I was scheduled for two publishers appointments on Saturday. So many gals weren't able to get one at all, let alone two. After speaking with one of the teachers on a class I took on pitching your book idea to a publisher, she encouraged me that I didn't have a book, but rather an article and not to pitch my book at all. I was so discouraged. I felt guilty taking the spots from other women who did have a chance at a book. I tried to offload my meeting times with two different gals I met there who shared their disappointment in not getting time with a publisher. They said they'd get back to me, so I told them which room I was staying in just in case they wanted to contact me later.

Before bed I called my husband Paul and told him that I really didn't have a book idea after all, just an article. I told him what the teacher had told me earlier. He asked me, "Did God tell you not to pitch your book?" "Well, no." I replied. "Joanne, it's not an accident that you are there. Take advantage of what God has put before you and pitch your book idea." His words encouraged me. After listening to Lysa Terkeurst share how her first book was rejected fifteen times, well, I was scared to death. I surely wasn't looking forward to being rejected for the first and second time in my short lived writing career.

I prayed in my hotel room alone that morning, surrendering my goals and desires for His. I told the Lord that if today was a day that I would be rejected, then I would do it with joy for Him.

At 9:00am and 6:00pm I walked up the grand staircase above, in obedience to whatever He had already planned for my life, for the first time I went in and spoke with publishers, women from Howard Publishing and Harvest House Publishing.

When each publisher reached across the table to hand me their personal business card, I ran back down those stairs, and out the hotel doors to call my family and friends. (Not easy to do in backless heels). Just like Charlie in the chocolate factory when he runs back home to show Grandpa Joe his prized golden ticket, I was thrilled.

They both want me to send in a book proposal at the end of the summer.

Just like Renee Swope shared with her message about shadows of doubt...they are already starting to creep in.

But I have to remind myself of what Lysa said on Friday evening.

Where God calls, God equips.


"Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished." Luke 1:45

She Speaks- She Eats

Oh North Carolina I miss you so....my first taste of the South and I am grieving my return to California. The precious ladies, the laughter that kept us up late at night, and the food, Oh Lord what delicious food.

I ate my first grits in the company of Fanny, a beautiful black woman from the area. She made sure to show me how to eat them, never with sugar, ALWAYS with butter.


My first taste of sweet tea. I think I have died and gone to Heaven. Why in the world hasn't anyone in California thought of this sweet nectar?!?!



My dinner choice the first night I arrived, a red velvet cupcake. Does it get any better than this?!?



Our dessert after dinner on Friday. I looked mentally unbalanced, giggling over this delicious, delightful creation. I couldn't even hold my camera steady.



But hands down, without a doubt, my joy was overflowing when I received what I now call "manna rolls" from Heaven. In California we have lots of bread with dinner, sour dough, french bread, but this pretty little roll that I held in my hands stopped time for me. I am convinced that the angels in Heaven eat these and the good Lord himself knows the secret recipe.

I just know that I have Southern blood running through my veins. I am sure of it. After this past weekend, now convinced that I must have been adopted, it is now my duty to go out and find my real birth mother, sipping sweet tea, red velvet cupcakes in the oven, just waiting to share her manna rolls with me.

Oh North Carolina, I miss you so.

My heart is ready to burst!

It's times like these that I wish I were one of those amazingly descriptive fiction writers....I want to share every moment of this weekend at the She Speaks conference with all of you. It was one of the most transforming trips of my life. So get ready, I plan on talking about it ALL week long! So forgive the high school type content, capitals and smooches. I am flying on a cloud and don't want to come down just yet.

So...In the Beginning...

Our hearts full from worship to the Lord, Lysa TerKeurst's teaching on Developing a Dynamic Women's Ministry, Friday morning encouraged us in ministry. As an author now of eleven books, it was comforting to hear her speak of her first time pitching a book idea with publishers at a book convention years ago. Fifteen rejections later...did you read that ladies...FIFTEEN in one day...she encouraged us that this weekend if we were to meet with publishers, no matter what the outcome, when the Lord puts something on your heart to do, you do it.

My sister often makes fun of me for saying that I have blog friends in other states. Let me just tell you all that if and when you are able to meet any of your online friends in person it is such a joyous reunion. I would have never imagined....Getting to throw my arms around two of the most precious southern ladies ever, Angie from Laced with Grace/The Knightly News and her precious sister Aimee just tickled me pink. Those two are characters I tell ya! Are you working on your manuscript yet Angie?!?

At the bloggin reception it sounded like a gaggle of hens, laughing, hugging and clucking, running from one person to the next. This is where I found Lynn from Laced with Grace/ Spiritually Unequal Marriage....what a beautiful lady...congrats Lynn on your proposals being accepted! I met a new special friend and southern beauty...Starr from Threshold Moments and Kelly from Chatty Kelly was a darling and petite sweetheart, look for her article being published in Proverbs 31 magazine soon! I ran into Amy from Signs Miracles and Wonders, she is just a doll, plain and simple. Thanks for including my song on your site last night!

My new friend Susan from New Jersey, well what can I say, I am so proud of her, she stepped out in faith and the publishers want to see her work..Praise the Lord. She is a beauty, inside and out. (thanks for praying with me before my publisher meeting...it meant so much...do you have your blog up yet? Call me if you need a hand, I mean it!)

Last but never least..Teresa at Livin the wood life...my roommate and southern galpal. Thanks for letting me keep you up talking your ear off every night. I know you tried to convince me that you were sleeping, but I knew better. You are beautiful and kind with a sweet and gentle spirit....I can't wait to see what the Lord does with your life. I thank God for letting me share a room with you this weekend. It was a blessing...not to mention now I am two degrees from Beth Moore! Oh...and you still can't convince me that I'm a Yankee. I sure hope you've gotten me a backstage pass to have dinner with your groupies, oops, I mean group of friends from church. Would you please try and make the menu fried chicken or meatloaf the next time I swing by Nashville?

I did get to sit under blogging classes with some of the big names like Sophie with Boomama and Melanie from Big Mama...and last but not least Melanie with Rocks in your dryer. It was so strange seeing a blog walk around with two arms and two legs. They were so sweet, but a bit uncomfortable with all of the attention they received from their bloggin fans. And yes, they were entertaining. As much fun as it was to see them, they paled in comparison to the girls above.

So, I am already praying for you ladies out there that weren't able to make it this year. I am praying for financial provision and creative ideas. Angie sold furniture to help pay for her trip. It's lemonade stand season..get your kids out there working for ya...



I want to throw my arms around you next year!




****Click on Angie's link above to see her slide show.I'll post pictures later this week.****

Children for sale!

My four little chickadees are now home for the summer. I used to think that with my children out of diapers, not needing to be put down for naps, and with the added blessing of not worrying about leaving chokable items in their reach, my tough parenting days were behind me.



Not a chance.



I have included for your reading enjoyment, a quick dialogue between myself and my youngest two children. To set the scene you must know that I was in the middle of trying to prepare query letters for my trip to the She Speaks conference. Before I had come into the office the children had wanted nothing to do with me.

But the moment I am needing a teensy weensy bit of time to accomplish something....

Just know that they walked into the office every single time that they asked a new question!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------



Samuel : Mom, can we go outside?



Me: Sure.



Grace: Mom, can we get our soccer uniforms on?



Me: Sure.



Grace: Mom, can we get our soccer uniforms on and then walk down to the end of the court with the ball?



Me: Sure.



Samuel: Mom, can I play video games?



Me: No.



Grace: Mom, can we have a snack?



Me: No, you can go outside and play.



Samuel: Can I go over to Eric's house to play?



Me: Are you going over to play video games?



Samuel: Yes.



Me: No.



Grace: Mom, can I watch TV?



Me: No.



Grace and Samuel: Can we make a sandwich for lunch?



Me: Sure.



Grace: Can we go swimming?



Me: Yes.



Samuel: Marcel Marceau walks in without saying a word, as our eyes meet, with a questioning look, and a tiny crooked grin, he begins silently motioning with his two thumbs as if he were playing a video game...



Me: NO VIDEO GAMES!





Anyone needing a mime for their next birthday party...let me know...

Sings My Soul Saturday

If you had any idea how many times I played this song before I left on my trip this weekend you would have me committed. I could have written these words myself. Well, not really, I don't have a musical note in my body...but if I did these words would be my hearts cry.

Hillsong United is one of the most gifted Christian musical talents around in my book. I thank God for them and for this song, written especially for a forty year old unorganized mother of four while preparing to leave her family and board a plane to a conference in North Carolina.

I pray that I return changed, From the Inside Out!

A little perspective...

My friend Gina at Chats with an Old Lady had me in tears on Wednesday morning. I had to share with you. Just click on her name in the above sentence.



You will be blessed...

Laced With Grace

I'm over here today.

A little kiss from God...

At church on Sunday, my friend Kim's daughter pushed a lovely little gift bag into my hands. As my friend walked up she told me, "Happy belated birthday." Actually, Kim didn't forget my birthday in February, but she is one of those friends who has a generous and thoughtful heart. We each have four children and haven't had a moment to hang out together in way too long. I just love her.

When I opened the bag I saw the most beautiful silver bracelet. "Read what it says." She told me. There inscribed on the sides were the words to Proverbs 31:10"Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is above rubies."

I was thrilled. "Oh wow...this is so perfect Kim! I'll wear this at the conference next week." I excitedly said while putting it on my wrist. "What conference?" She asked. I looked up,"I thought I told you that I am going to the Proverbs 31 She Speaks conference in North Carolina next week." "No, you didn't tell me." She said, wanting to know more...and of course I just had to give her the 4-1-1.

Isn't God so good that He would put on my friends heart to give me a bracelet with a verse from Proverbs 31 on it? Just another reminder of His love for me, a gentle little kiss from Father to daughter before I board my plane tomorrow. Not to mention that He accessorizes quite nicely too.

So, if you are at the conference this week please come up and say hello. I will be the forty year old woman without the southern accent, sucking in her stomach and more than likely lost...but sporting the most adorable silver bracelet ever!

When Man Said No...God Said YES.

Is there a burning passion, a calling on your life that you can’t express in words? Is there something that you enjoy doing that never feels like work?

One of the gifts the Lord has blessed my husband with is the gift of teaching, so it was no surprise that even after his law degree he still desired to teach. Not the words I really wanted to hear after four years of law school and a year spent on his master’s degree. Yet, this is one of the things that the Lord has created him for, teaching others to understand the difficult. He has such a gift for that.

This year he decided to send out applications to a community college in our area. Unfortunately the only site campus that had open positions was an hour away, round trip. They had ten openings that he was more than qualified for, so he sent applications to all ten. The closest campus to us is less than fifteen minutes away but sadly, there were no teaching positions open there. For many nights he spent his time filling out computer applications. My prayers were for him to get hired. My heart desired this to happen almost as much as his own.

Three months later, almost too slowly, the replies started coming in. Rejection after rejection came in through his email. Thanks but no thanks, was pretty much the unwritten majority. It was so heartbreaking to see my husband watch his dream to teach slip farther out of his reach, becoming an almost unreachable, unattainable dream.

While at a coffee house meeting with a new acquaintance, my usually closed-lipped husband shared with this man how his dream was to teach. The man told my husband that he could put him in contact with the President of the junior college, that she was a friend of his. Once again full of hope, Paul jumped at the opportunity and sent off his resume and application. After getting no response, he made a phone call and spoke with her secretary. “Yes, she received your application, but I’m sorry because of budget cuts we're not filling any positions right now.” Paul was not ready to give up just yet, “Can I call you back in a few weeks to check again?” “You are going to get the same answer in two weeks that I gave you just now.” She said matter of factly. That same week his tenth and last application was rejected.

Two weeks later Paul called excitedly to share some good news with me. The dean of the school, who oversees the criminal justice department wanted to meet with him. Paul spoke with this man and set up a meeting. The meeting turned into an oral board interview and the interview has turned into an adjunct position at the junior college next Spring.

Our faith has grown quite a bit from this experience. We have learned that our disappointment is God’s appointment. He was with us through each discouraging moment and never once let us down. We can now only give God the glory here. It was not Paul's credentials that opened the door, it was God's hand that brought about this miraculous opportunity.

Oh, and did I mention that the college Paul will be working at next Spring is at the new campus less than fifteen minutes from our house, the one that didn’t have an open teaching position?

This trial is over but I know in our lifetime there are still a fewmore ahead. I pray that we have learned much from this. I know we have learned that there are no happen chances, no coincidences. We have learned (again) that often times we are told no because there is something even better for us still ahead. But most importantly we have learned that when man says no, God can still say YES.


Friends, what is it that you are seeing as an impossibility? Stop looking at it with human eyes and see a God who can make the impossible possible!

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or discouraged for the Lord your God is with ou wherever you go." Joshua 1:9

Laced With Grace

I'm over here today.

Happy Fathers Day

In honor of Father's Day, I would love to share a couple of reasons why I think my husband is one of the best fathers around.



1. He loves his children.



2. He teaches his children about Jesus and makes a point to not leave for work until we have had our family devotion time together.



3. He has the patience of Job when it comes to homework.



4. He's a great jokester and the children just love that.



5. He knows more teachers and parents than I do at our kids schools, since he's the one who always helps in their classes and loves going on their field trips.



6. He has taught our children to respect others.



7. He has taught our children that we live in the greatest country in the world.



8. He loves their mother.



9. Oh, and if you didn't notice already, he is secure enough in his manhood to have played Barbies with his daughters when they were little.



On this special day cutie, I am so grateful for the father that you are with our children. I know that you aren't perfect but thankfully we are walking this very difficult parenting road together.



And with God leading the way, we will be just fine.


I Love You....

Sings My Soul Saturday

While at our couples retreat last weekend, I listened to this song on my MP3 player. The words truly pierced my heart.


Speaking words I never thought I'd say...

There can be miracles, when you believe.

Though hope is frail, its hard to kill.

Who knows what miracles you can achieve.

When you believe, somehow you will.

You will when you believe.


Friends, this song reminded me that the only part we have to play with God is to believe in Him, to have faith. He has plans for our lives that He made before we ever were skilled enough to perform them.

What is it that you have been called to do for Him? When God calls, He enables. Don't wait for the power to step out of your comfort zone. Obedience is the first step.

Take that step of faith today.

Believe!

"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10

Life Began In a Garden...

There is a garden tour happening over at The Preachers Wife today! For all of you gals who have a green thumb and for all of you gals who's thumbs have never planted a seed, head on over today and check out some beautiful gardens and yards.

I don't know about you, but I can't pass up a beautiful garden tour. So come on inside and I will show you around...


When you don't have room in your yard for fruit trees, you plant dwarf trees in your pots. The blood orange is on the left and the clementine tree is in the pot on the right.



Out on our back deck. The lemon tree in there is finally going to give us some lemons this year...yippee!


We gather under our deck here in the summertime. My girlfriends and I will sit and visit protected from the sun while the children swim. My Japanese Maple and my Hydrangeas love it best here too.




Our little corner area where my Butterfly Bush is very very happy. Our propane tank will be covered with blue/pink Morning Glories in the next month. There is a sun loving Hydrangea vine there now, hopefully covering it permanently for the next few years.




My raised beds were planted a bit late. They are behind for our California season. There are onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, bush beans, pole beans and that big bush in the middle is mint. I planted my mint in a container and stuck the container in the ground to keep it from taking over my garden.


Do any of you green thumbs out there know what this might be...
It's about 6-8 feet tall and has lots of purplish teeny weeny flowers on it. If I cut it and bring in the house, it sheds all over the place. It just came up on its own. Here is another picture...

Thanks so much for stopping by. I can't wait to take a stroll through your garden this week.

"Plant smiles, grow giggles, harvest love."

Trying hard not to freak out...

Next Thursday morning at 6am pacific time, I will be flying cross-country to North Carolina for the Proverbs 31 Minsitries-She Speaks conference. As much as I was looking forward to attending a few weeks ago, like clockwork, days before any long trip away from my husband and children, those seeds of concern are beginning to return a harvest of gentle worry. For starters, I am not fond of being shot into the air at 400mph and dropped off in a state that I have never set foot in. I get lost walking to my own mailbox. And did I mention that I have to change planes in two different airports...TWO! Usual conversations with my husband about what I will be making for dinner or what the kids have surprised me with that day have turned into conversations about what I want him to know if my plane went down. Not to mention that I am having a very hard time remembering just exactly where I have secretly hidden all of my candy stash. I wouldnt' want to have my husband grieving my death and find out that I was a sweets stasher! These are now the tasks that are finding their way into my day to day happenings around here.

But every time I let my mind go back to how this trip has come about, well, that just brings me back to the confidence that I have in knowing that the Lord's fingerprints are all over this and that He is doing a work.

My going to this conference at all has been nothing short of miraculous.

So would you mind doing me a huge favor? When you say your prayers tonight or during your quiet time in the morning, or even right this very moment...will you send up a quick prayer for me and my family?

It would mean so much to me.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY...well, sorta

Am I the only parent in the free world with children still in school?!?

Pushing through!

We’re back home from our couples retreat! Whew, it was a lot of work but so worth it. We had a great time. Of course like all spiritual events, the weeks and days before, leading up to it, were extremely stressful. If there was anything that could have gone wrong it did. By the time my husband and I got in the car on Friday, our hour and a half drive became a three hour drive after many stops and miscommunications between us. Goodness sakes were we irritated with each other by that time! Just ripe for the spiritual pluckin.

Thankfully we pushed through. When we arrived in beautiful Lake Tahoe, it was only a matter of minutes before we felt a peace wash over us both. No doubt like anything that the Lord is doing in our lives for good, there is still an enemy of our souls that takes pleasure in putting potholes in our path to Him.

Have you learned to push through those stressful times? Have you noticed that on the one Sunday when you plan on getting your family to church on time your husband can’t find his socks, the children are arguing over who sits where in the car and your youngest takes the opportunity to paint pretty colors in ink on her church clothes? We have had more than our share of those moments and I have learned that the more attack we receive, the more important it is for us to push through and attend. The hard times have now become confirmation that God has something for me on the other side of the trial. It is up to me to not quit, but instead to dig in, hold fast, hang on and push through.

We had a blessed time this weekend, and for those of you who gave us such wonderful practical joke ideas (Chelle!), you may be disappointed but we decided to give our old friends a few days of peace. We told them that we wanted them to have a good time and not have to be looking over their shoulders or sleeping with one eye open.

Hmmm….maybe we’ve grown up after all.



**I took the picture above yesterday morning before we left. Can you imagine if I had told my husband to turn the car around and head back home on Friday afternoon? I would have missed this.**

PHANTOM

Thought I would share with you what we were up to yesterday.




My daughter just LOVES musicals. So yesterday I took her to see "The Phantom of the Opera". I have seen it twice before in San Francisco. Once with family and once with my husband (who fell asleep). I was so happy to get to take my little girl for the first time.

My sister Jennifer took her daughters and her mother-in-law Geneva too. We had a great time.





Masquerade! Paper faces on parade...Masquerade! Lala la la la la la laaaaaa!

Teenagers and Two-Year-Olds

I am blessed to have held the title of mother for seventeen years. With every passing day I learn something new. I now have answers to questions like, how often through the night can you give Ibuprofen to a child with an ear infection? What are the best gifts NOT to give another child if you'd like to remain friends with their mother? Or, exactly how many times does human nature allow your physical body to repeat itself before blowing up like Mt. St. Helens?

One thing I have recently learned is that teenagers and two-year-olds are a lot alike. They both want their Mommy's close by, yet want their full independence. They want their Mommy's full attention to share their day with but at the same time want lots of play dates with their friends too. As teenagers they once again are eating round the clock and are needing much much much more sleep.

We have two teenagers right now in our home. Our daughter will be a Senior in high school in August and her brother will be joining her as a Freshman. We do not lack around here for moody moments or bubbling hormones. In some families they tell their children, "No B's, no keys." In our home we have added one more element to the mix...attitude. If they have a poor attitude, pick on their siblings or treat each other in a manner that isn't edifying, life can become pretty hard very quickly for them. Very often I have to get out my umbrella and raincoat and remind my darling teens, "I can tread water longer than you can make it rain."

Since I am personally addicted to laughter, I had to share a video below showing a comedian speaking on his own teenager.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

Calling all jokesters and pranksters out there!

Consider this a cry for help to all of my bloggy buddies out there....



My husband Paul and I are coordinating the couple's retreat for our church. There are about forty people signed up to attend so far. Some very dear friends of ours moved away last year. They used to be our partners in crime when it came to pulling jokes on one another while away. We have short sheeted each others beds, tied garbage can lids to the back of vehicles and there has even been a fart machine used at one time I won't mention in print. Last year they redecorated our room in early 1970's fashion with HUGE green mottled lamps and a lovely glass grape chandelier that they hung over our toilet. Sadly, the Lord called them out to another church in New Mexico where Kirk is now the worship pastor and his wife Lara oversees the coffee and bookstore, and I am sure gives a helping hand with the women's Bible studies too.



When they left we were so sad. Surprisingly, as close as they were with so many of us, emails and phone calls ended. They were so very busy in a new church body, getting their three children settled and the likes. I told Lara's brother who attends our church, "If I had known when Kirk and Lara moved that it would be the last time I would talk with them, I would have cried harder!" I told him that I didn't think they really moved to another church...I think they are in the witness protection program.



Well, they are now flying up for our retreat and will be handling our worship. We are really looking forward to seeing them and getting to spend time with them again.



HERE IS WHAT I NEED FROM YOU: Any good natured, fun loving pranks that we can do to their room, or to them would be greatly appreciated.



Paul and I were talked into handling this retreat (thanks again Dana!) with the sole purpose of knowing that being in charge meant that we would have a key to their room!



I would love any feedback you guys may have. Time is drawing near for their arrival and I don't have much ammunition for this retreat. HELP!