Good Friday

I read an inspiring reflection this morning.*

Yes, there is much suffering in the Passion of Jesus - repeated beatings, the crowning of thorns, the carrying of the cross, the pounding of the nails in his flesh,  the hanging on the cross. But most of all there is much love. Instead of merely feeling sorry for Jesus, let us accept the challenge to follow his way of loving - a way that inevitably includes the cross. Then we will have yet another reason to call today Good Friday.

Jesus, I thank you for your great love. Help me to imitate your selfless way of loving - even when it includes the cross.

I leave you with these two videos of songs by Matt Maher. His music does things to my heart.







*From Toward Glory - Lent in the light of Easter
Sister Melanie Svoboda, S.N.D

Of Genesis and Joy and Black Beans

A few weeks ago, on March 25th, I vicariously enjoyed the excitement of all the writers receiving calls about the Golden Heart and RITA contest. Even though I hadn't entered a manuscript, I felt the same tingling nerves and jittery anticipation as people awaited calls.  I shared the joy of those who got calls and felt the pain of those whose phone didn't ring. I've been on both sides and know the feelings well.

Fast forward to this week. Or maybe rewind to the end of February. It's been a long time since I entered anything in a contest, but back in February, I made the decision to submit an entry to ACFW's Genesis contest. It was a risk, a leap of faith to seek feedback for a new direction I'm taking in my writing. I didn't have high expectations, just hope.

I was brave enough to hit send, but a total coward about the results so I purposely didn't pay attention to the date when the semi-finalists would be announced. No pressure, no expectations, right?

Wrong!

Two days ago I was reading something on the ACFW website and noticed that semi-finalists were due to be announced this week.

I really didn't want to know that.

Good news - Thursday was so busy that I forgot all about it,

Bad news - I woke up this morning and remembered.

But then a funny thing happened. I was sitting reading a Lenten meditation this morning and the message was all about not needing approval from others. Timely reminder, I told myself. This is my clue not to be disappointed when I don't get a call today.

Um, sure.
I need to pray more for help with that!

Today was another busy day at school, but I have to admit, every once in a while I'd glance at my phone to see if maybe, by some impossibly remote chance, I'd gotten a call.

Nope. Nada. Zilch.
Then it was lunch time. Still no call. Now I resigned myself to not making it and deliberately put it out of my mind. Tried to remind myself about not needing the approval of others.

And there I was, standing at the Smartboard, teaching a lesson on fractions, when all of a sudden the phone in my back pocket started ringing. The display was a number I didn't know. Dare I hope???
The kids must have wondered what it was about fractions that suddenly had their teacher grinning like a fool.

Oh the suspense until I had a break and could actually listen to the message.

"Congratulations!" the voice said.

WOW!!!!!!
What a feeling.
Suddenly I was no longer worried about the state of publishing or the many solitary hours spent staring at a screen.

That thrill, that absolute euphoria that comes from knowing that someone has read your work and liked it enough to give a great score, that is an absolutely indescribable joy.

I'm still smiling.


Oh - the black beans part of the title - today is my day over at Healthy Writer.com and the topic is healthy recipes for black beans

Busy Busy Busy and Eating Healthy Food

My apologies for not being a better blogger. School is very busy at the moment and the children deserve my full attention.

However, it's Saturday so it's a Healthy Writer Blog day. Today - the superfood - Avocados.

Hope it's a great day for you!

Healthy Writer Day Again and Borders

1st Saturday in March and I'm blogging over at Healthy Writer about great recipes and reasons for eating cabbage!

In other news... I just visited the Borders at 100 Wall Street, probably for the last time since that store is closing. So sad. :(

Over break last week I was cleaning out a cabinet and came across an old writing journal. I had this entry -  "June 12, 2003 - Borders opened today."

The entry goes on to wonder about possibly seeing my books on the shelf there. That won't happen now, but that's a minor point. I love the diversity of books at this store; there's such a fabulous selection. I felt very sad shopping there today - such a different feeling from the last time I was there which was the day before the closing was announced.

Whatever you are, be a good one.

Yesterday I walked past a sign posted outside a shop. It said -

"Whatever you are, be a good one."
— Abraham Lincoln

As I walked, I couldn't help but think that finally I had a topic for this blog for today.

Hard on the heels of that thought came questions.

What am I?  And am I a good one?

I'm a wife. I try to be a good one. Sometimes I am, sometimes I could do better.

I'm a mother. My children think I'm a good one. They're adults now - lovely, hard working young women and they're still happy to be at home, so I guess in trying my best to be a good mother, I succeeded (though I'm only too aware of all the ways I could have been better).

I'm a teacher - again I strive to be the best for my students, to meet their needs and infuse into them a love of learning. Their parents consider me to be a good one, but again, I'm all too aware of what I could do better. I keep trying.

As a writer - let's just call me a work in progress.

As a blogger - not so good - more on that to come tomorrow (aaah - another blog topic! YAY!!!)

As a child of God - another work in progress and something I'm better at some days than others.

What about you?

What are you? Are you good at it?


I hope you have a wonderful day!

Another Healthy Writer Blog

This has been one of those busy weeks at school that leaves me crawling home in a state of exhaustion at night. Hence no new blogs here this week though I did meet my writing goal each today.

Since it's Saturday, there's another vegetable blog over on HealthyWriter.com. 
The vegetable du jour is Carrots!

I have to admit, I was stunned to find they had so many health benefits.

I'm also amused by some of the advertising to entice kids to eat carrots.

Healthy Writer Day

Blogging over at HealthyWriter.com today about fabulous kale recipes.
Love Kale, come share your recipes.
Never tried it? Come find out about this delicious superfood!

http://www.healthywriter.com/