WELCOME..... that says it all don't you think?

I was almost off to bed when I realized there's a party on twitter that I simply didn't want to miss. If you've never been a party of the waiting for #FiveMinuteFriday then you must post a reminder for next week and hop on twitter on Thursday nights and join the #FMFParty. So many sweet people just waiting to greet you and encourage. They chat all the way until 12 am EST when Lisa-Jo Baker posts the prompt for the Five Minute Friday. Drop by her blog and read about what Five Minute Friday means. It's great fun and it's pulling me out of the blogging mire I've been stuck in for too long. Get ready... this is the post written with 5 minutes on the timer.

Our prompt for this week is...... WELCOME

Have you ever been to a place where you feel unwelcome? Sure you have. Lots of times. Most houses, most churches (it's true and you know it's true), family events... sure, everyone feels on the outside looking in sometime. Well, I want my home to be a place where all feel welcome. You can show up and there will be laundry needing folding... join in.. I don't mind. There will always be toys in the floor or on the couch. I love it though because one day those toys will be gone and so will my  kids. There will always be coffee.. I drink it, I'll share it, and there's plenty more if we run out. There will always be music. We dance in our kitchen and we sing loud because we ARE loud.. most of the time There will always be chocolate. This I can promise. Chocolate is the one thing I indulge in... so hey, aren't you glad we're friends?

I want my home to be a place other kids feel welcome and have the freedom to play and be little. I've told my fabulous four to be little as long as you can because being big lasts forever.

So if you're ever out and about. Know you can always stop by here. Here is silly, here we pretend, here we laugh, here we love, here... you are WELCOME.

The Countdown Begins

That's right... October 1 is here and it's just one more month until NaNoWrMo. If you have no idea what this is you have to check it out! My daughter and I will be participating. Have you decided what YOU'RE doing for NaNoWriMo? Do you outline? Do you just jump in and allow creativity to take over? Have you ever finished? Tell me about your experience with NaNoWriMo, and what plans you are making to tackle November!

I think this year I'll make a page for my NaNo friends. I'll post a link to you if you're participating, Looking forward to a great month of preparation and an amazing November.

GRASP..... Five Minute Friday

It's time again for #FiveMinuteFriday.... and you won't want to miss it! What great fun to take five minutes, write freely with a one word prompt, post and start visiting! Come along and join this blogging flash mob of creativity. Visit Lisa-Jo Baker's site to find out more!

Our prompt this week is..... GRASP

When my 12 year old was two, or close to two, we were hanging out in the bookstore as a family. Just one of the places we would venture on our family fun days. There we were enjoying the quiet, the fun of the store when my little one climbed up on the little black stepping stool in the floor. It flipped. She landed one it. WHAM she landed on it with her chin and split it wide open! Blood was dripping from her little face. We soaked just about everything we had in that diaper bag with blood. Next we took off her shorts and held them under her little face. Soaked. We had to put a diaper under her chin. I was freaking out, but had to play super mom and sing to her on the way to the children's hospital while my husband drove.

Once in the room and her chin was numb from medication, she had to have stitches. Well, being so little they had to confine her. She was terrified. I told them let me hold her hand and buckle me in the straps with her. I grasped her hand..... they buckled us up and began to sew up her chin. I sang every introduction to every cartoon she loved, every Disney song, every church song, every nursery rhyme and in the end....when they set us free, she hugged me. I put her in her car seat and told her what a big girl she was. She was so sleepy. I closed the van door and sat down in the parking deck and cried. Grasp... I needed someone to take hold of me. :)  

WIDE.... as the African sky....

It's time again for #FiveMinuteFriday, and this time I stayed up for the #FMFParty on twitter. I must say, it's such fun that everyone should stay awake until 11 pm EST and be a part of the fun.

The Five Minute Friday comes from our host Lisa-Jo Baker. She posts a prompt and we write for 5 minutes and post the results. Great fun! Check out her site. Lots of great things going on over there.

Be sure to check out others participating in the flash mob fun and sign up.... there's always room for more fun in your Friday!

The prompt this week is WIDE.....

This is an easy one for me. Wide... wide open spaces. I've always longed for the feel of space around me. Growing up in the country, I've enjoyed being young and running in the fields when the ground was freshly turned by my Papa on his tractor. The joy of that feeling sticks and stays with you forever.

That's why when I lived in Nigeria for two years, and we would go out greeting and preaching, I would stand at the edge of the village and look out over the wide spaces and enjoy the feeling of free.

One of the greatest feelings of WIDE came when we traveled north in the country and preached in a village. There wasn't electricity at night and the night sky was thick with a blanket of stars. Want to feel what it means to exist... want to feel like you belong in the universe... spend one moment under an African sky and you'll know what it's like to experience a little bit of heaven.

Six Sentence Sunday

      Micah stepped forward taking her hand and kissing it gently. “How could I ever forget someone as beautiful as Queen Eliana.”

     Eliana snatched her hand away, “You would do good to stand your ground, sir. You did not ask permission to kiss my hand, nor do I need your flattery. Societal formalities have no place in my life you overgrown pompous brat.”   

Six Sentence Sunday. My first time to participate, and my post comes from a work in progress. It's 18.000 words in and I'm hoping to finish by October. Looking forward to sharing the rest of the story with everyone,  so keep watching! 

FOCUS... a lost art

#FiveMinuteFriday

Come join the fun with Lisa-Jo Baker. It's a Friday Flash Mob and there's always room for more. The prompt this week is....

FOCUS.....

Perhaps a lost art in this house. I'm the queen of random thoughts, the diva of daydreaming.... as a writer it's required in the secret handbook that daydreaming is mandatory. However... I am in great need of focus today and this morning I was shown what it means to pause, collect myself and focus for just a moment on the bigger picture. I had my “to do” list for the day. Kids were dropped off at school and I was full speed ahead.... phone is ringing as I write... FOCUS..... that's what the answering machine is for. :P

I was moving right along in my day and I felt the need to stop and pray. REALLY with all I had to do? I prayed already this morning. Couldn't he let me off the hook... just this once?

So I stopped. I walked out to the edge of the mountain and stood there. The fog had settled on the Tennessee river and I watched it's ghostly movement along the water. Peaceful. 

I was not quite that peaceful inside. I needed to slow down. I breathed deep. Breathing in Peace, and then I realized... it's Friday.. full of possibility and full of promise. Time to see the world through peace and get as much out of this day as I possibly can with joy before me.. … and FOCUS.

Share If You Dare Over There With Some Flair!

Today .... it begins.

I'm going to be plastering the link for the eBook of FRIDAY LUNCH all over the place, so friends don't let friends promote alone. Here's what's going on, so you can be a part of the fun!

My fabulously talented cousin, Kelleybrooke Brown is starring in Always...Patsy Cline at The Whole Backstage Theatre in Guntersville, AL beginning the 13th. With the selling of the eBook FRIDAY LUNCH during the performance dates, half the royalties will be donated to The Whole Backstage Children's  Theatre.  This theatre has not only blessed my family with friends and fun, but it has become a place so many go to be a part of something bigger, something special, something uniquely theirs. The stage awaits.....

Always...Patsy Cline performance dates are
  Sept 13, 14, 15, 16
  Sept 20, 21, 22, 23
You can call  (256) 582-7469 to purchase your tickets. These seats are going quick, so all you local family and friends need to make sure you have tickets soon! 


My goal is 1000 books sold in 8 days! I've got people lined up ready to run with this, and if you'd like to help you can share this blog post everywhere! 

This is the link to share. The eBook for FRIDAY LUNCH is at the bottom of that page. Download and enjoy! 

One thing I've discovered about the theatre, it's not that you chose to be a part of a show, it's that the show lives on as a part of you. 


Share! Share! Share! Comment if you share or if you purchase FRIDAY LUNCH, and I'll include you and your link in the post at the end of the promotion. That's about 2000 people seeing your name... so what are you waiting for? 

Thanks to those who are helping. You make this great fun!