An Open Book

Remembering

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Sher) — Mon, 28 May 2012 10:00:00 +0000

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." George Santayana

"A forgetful heart soon becomes a foolish heart." Rev. Karl Pike (the senior pastor at Good News Baptist Church)

Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘Throughout the generations to come you are to make tassels on the corners of your garments, with a blue cord on each tassel. You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember all the commands of the Lord, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by chasing after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes. Then you will remember to obey all my commands and will be consecrated to your God. Numbers 15:38-40 NIV

You can find the word "remember" in God's Word more than 300 times. Usually, that kind of repetition means it's important. And I have to believe that is the case for this particular sentiment.

There's lots of different kinds of remembering mentioned in the Bible, but today I want to talk about just one. I'll save my thoughts on what God remembers - and doesn't remember - for another time. Today, I'm pondering His people's need to remember.

Today is Memorial Day here in the United States. It's a day to remember those who fought for our freedom. Those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the well-being of those not yet born - for our country.

I have friends who take this holiday extremely personally. They have lost someone near and dear to them in war. They do not need to be reminded to set time aside to honor the fallen. To them, I'd venture to say that every day is Memorial Day. But still, I am sure it warms their hearts to see others set the time aside to remember - even if it is only one day a year.

It seems that we, as humans, need reminders like these - physical "hints" can bring important things to mind that we might otherwise forget. The Israelites wore tassels on the corners of their garments to help them remember God's law. They celebrated Passover to remember their deliverance from Egypt. We have countless holidays to help us remember everything from administrative professionals to fathers to our first president.

But there is Someone even more deserving of our remembrance. And everything around us and in us can be a cue to recall the sacrifice He made. He created the heavens and the earth. He gave us everything we have. He hand-crafted us - physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. And, when He wanted us to come close, and our sin repelled Him, He gave all that blackness to His Son, who took it upon Himself, and died on the cross to set us free from it.

I don't need a holiday to remember He who made the ultimate sacrifice so I could be free in Christ. At least not all the time. (admit it - you act like He didn't sometimes, dontcha?) But I'm glad there are plenty of them anyhow.
**

What are some ways you help yourself remember what is important? What speaks most meaningfully to you about God's sacrifice? How do you help your children remember Christ's sacrifice on the cross? How do you stop them from repeating the mistakes of the past?

Comment below, and/ or stop by Living by Grace and we can chat a bit!

Traveling Rough Roads With God's Strength

Finds for Fridays: May 25

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Sher) — Fri, 25 May 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Finds for Fridays is my way of sharing some of the wonderful blogs posts I read each week. I am currently following close to 100 blogs and at least scan them as much as I can. Each week, I'll note and "set aside" some posts that especially speak to me for whatever reason. And each Friday that I am able, I'll share them with you. I hope you'll stop by and read the posts, and maybe even follow the blogs if you aren't already. A win-win, right?

And here they are!

Dr. Quinn Time: What I'm Learning About Dedication by Mona Hodgson at Seekerville (about dedication to writing and finding time)

Johannes Gutenberg/Laughing at Us by Linda Glaz at her blog (about the changing face of publishing)

The Broken Places by Laura Lee Groves at Outnumbered Mom (about pride and letting our imperfections shine)

How Input Affects Output by Anita Agers-Brooks at WordServe Water Cooler (about re-energizing and/or avoiding afternoon fatigue)

Hope these posts bless you. I know they did me :) Have a great holiday weekend!

Traveling Rough Roads With God's Strength

His Heavy Hand of Opportunity - Guest Tracy Nunes - God Is So Good

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Sher) — Wed, 23 May 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Welcome to my Wednesday feature God is So Good. Here I will share stories - true and fiction, mine and others' - of the Lord's presence in the midst of trials, struggles, and difficulties.

In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. John 16:33b

I was looking through FaithWriters Free Reprints (a GREAT place to find Christian content, by the way), looking for a post for my "guest slot" in God is So Good, and this one grabbed my attention. We like to think that suffering is only bad - that it is something to be endured. But Tracy reminded me that there is no time like suffering to draw us closer to Him. I pray this post blesses you.

His Heavy Hand of Opportunity
By Tracy Nunes

Once in a Blue Moon, you feel the press of His Hands; the weight and power of them crumble your proud strength and your backside falls into a horizontal position. It is there that you find out what "Be still and know that I am God" really means (Psalm 46:10a).

Throughout our lives as Christians He'll often move pebbles - repeatedly -to get our attention. A little stone here and a little one there, until we gradually start to get a vision for the mountain He is building.

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Or, He will speak in a gentle whisper just strong enough to float a feather. If we're paying attention we'll feel the slight brush of the plume as it glides over our cheek and follow it wherever it leads.

But, once in a Blue Moon, He will allow the full force of His presence to bear down on our circumstances and we can't help but be knocked off our feet. Choice is removed from the equation; He will have His way.

He will have His way and we can only choose how bad our struggle is going to get; the internal and eternal struggle, that is. He has ordained our state of affairs and there is no budging. Like a wild animal who has been caught for relocation to a safer place, but who perceives that it's been fixed in a trap engineered for its doom, we can beat against the cage and rage.

These last couple of years of my life have been a wild ride of highs and lows; higher highs than ever and lower lows by far. It culminated in the neurosurgery department at Kaiser Hospital where a disk in my neck was removed to make way for a Bioplastic doughnut and bone pulp with the hopes that it would eventually resolve long term pain.

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They cut open my throat and moved aside everything that was in the way: esophagus, arteries, and ligaments in efforts to fix my ravaged spine. Surgery went well but weeks of post-op recovery forced me to sit still for prolonged periods of time. And, that was where I had a choice; to rage against it and feel sorry for myself (which I did do at times) or turn and embrace that Hand, heavy though it was.

And when I chose to grasp the Hand instead of slap it, I learned to be still and let Him do His handiwork. I learned that He can do things best when I stop trying to help Him. I found out that, as much as I thought I had learned in my walk with my Savior these 25 years, I'd yet come to complete surrender. It was a surrender that only could have happened when His heavy hand made me sit.

He made me sit and be completely unproductive, unhelpful, and unworthy so that I could find out that His love for me is not measured by how much I do for Him or for anyone else. It isn't measured by what treasures I gather to lay at His feet. It's measured by His willingness to step down out of heaven and into this world for my sake.

While He is present everyday and in all ways, He will occasionally give us a unique opportunity to see a glimpse of Heaven, a unique opportunity to hear His voice without distraction. Sometimes this gift will come wrapped up in pain and suffering and it will be tied with the bow of discouragement. But, it is a gift well worth opening.

Tracy lives in Hawaii with Richard, her husband of 25 years. She has 2 daughters and 2 grandsons. Writing ministry came after homeschooling her girls and a career in real estate management. Read her blog at: http://tracynunes.blogspot.com and find out why she is a self-described "Mess for Jesus."

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITER-MAKE A WEBSITE
**

When there is nowhere else to lean, He is there. The clearest glimpses of Him often come in the midst of the worst of human circumstances. He is good!

Do you have a story you'd like to share about God's goodness in your struggles? Drop me an email and we can talk!

Traveling Rough Roads With God's Strength

God's Public Relations Staff

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Sher) — Mon, 21 May 2012 13:12:00 +0000

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works,

and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16 KJV)

There is a restaurant not far from my close friend's house where I will never again have a meal. I don't think it would matter if it was the last restaurant standing on earth. I'd just find somewhere else to eat.

Why? Well, the food was good and the prices were reasonable. The problem was our waiter.

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He basically ignored us. The last time (emphasis on "last") we were there, we waited a good twenty minutes for our menus. He probably didn't return to take our order for at least that long, and the wait for the food might have been double that. He never came by to see if we needed anything, and we even had to demand our check after a long delay. Also, not once did he sincerely apologize for the service. This one person made what could have been a lovely meal into a very poor one - an experience that has soured me to ever eating at that restaurant again.

In the business world, the "front counter" person represents the company he works for to the customer. If the checker is rude, inattentive, or just plain wrong, the consumer will assume the company is that way as well. If the perceived offense is grievous enough, the customer may never shop there again, and may advise friends and acquaintances to avoid the business as well. If he is treated well, however, he can become a repeat customer, along with providing free advertising to his circle of friends.

While God is certainly not a company, or a CEO for that matter, it is probably not a huge stretch to say that His children - those who follow Him - are, in essence, in the business of Holy public relations for Him.

When unbelievers discover Who we belong to, they will take our actions and words as a sign of what we value and, ultimately, what our God is like. Even if our primary "job" in the Body of Christ isn't evangelism/recruitment, our actions have the potential to win (or lose) people for the Kingdom.

Remember the waiter? I am certain that recruiting new customers, or maintaining old ones, wasn't in his official job description. Yet, his behavior influenced our patronage of that restaurant more than any coupon, billboard, or commercial ever could.

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What kind of "press" are you giving to your Father? Each time you lose control, ignore someone in need, or go back on your word, you give credence to those who say Christians are hypocrites. Each time you show jealousy, get even, or badmouth someone, you provide unbelievers with one more reason not to investigate Christ's claims. Is it any surprise that unbelievers want nothing to do with Christians who don't walk the talk?

Of course, this principle works the other way as well. If our waiter had been prompt, polite and friendly (or at least apologized when he wasn't), the restaurant likely would not have lost customers, and in fact may have gained some through word of mouth.

Similarly, exhibiting Christlike characteristics or apologizing when you don't can certainly draw unbelievers to us and, ultimately, to our God. Many people's salvation testimonies start with scenarios such as this one.

No one expects perfection, but behavior in front of others, especially unbelievers, can make a huge difference in your witness and testimony to God's work in your life. With God's help, we can all bring a true vision of our Lord to an unsaved world without causing too much "bad press."
**

What kind of "press" are you giving the Lord? Do you make an effort to provide positive public relations for your Savior? How have you made it harder for someone to follow Christ? Easier?

Comment below, and/ or stop by Living by Grace and we can chat a bit!

Traveling Rough Roads With God's Strength

All The Yet We Need

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Sher) — Sat, 19 May 2012 10:00:00 +0000

I'm over at Jewels of Encouragement today, talking about God's faithfulness in struggles. Hope you'll stop by and learn how He is All The Yet We Need.

And have a great weekend. Mine's pretty busy. Headless chicken busy.

Traveling Rough Roads With God's Strength

Finds for Fridays - May 18

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Sher) — Fri, 18 May 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Finds for Fridays is my way of sharing some of the wonderful blogs posts I read each week. I am currently following close to 100 blogs and at least scan them as much as I can. Each week, I'll note and "set aside" some posts that especially speak to me for whatever reason. And each Friday that I am able, I'll share them with you. I hope you'll stop by and read the posts, and maybe even follow the blogs if you aren't already. A win-win, right?

And here they are!

Know What You're Entitled to as a Writer by Cynthia Ruchti at the ACFW blog (about privileges vs rights in our writing journey)

The Dangers of Being an Out-Of-Work Blogger by Lisa Mikitarian at Connecting Now (just read it. TOO hilarious)

Quality vs Quantity of Life by Dee Yoder at Jewels of Encouragement (about life as a gift and
acceptance as worship)

S is for Simplify by Nikki Turner at In Truer Ink (about lots and lots of stuff)

Hope these posts bless you. I know they did me :)

Traveling Rough Roads With God's Strength

In Old Testament Black and White - God Is So Good

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Sher) — Wed, 16 May 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Welcome to my Wednesday feature God is So Good. Here I will share stories - true and fiction, mine and others' - of the Lord's presence in the midst of trials, struggles, and difficulties.

In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. John 16:33b

I believe many of you are familiar with my salvation testimony - at least a basic understanding. But I realized just the other day that I had never actually posted it here on my blog (though I referenced it here a few years ago.). And what better time, or place, to put it here than for God is so Good. So here it is :)

I didn’t know much about Christianity as a kid.

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Why should I? I was Jewish, Bat Mitzvahed at 13, born and raised in the San Fernando Valley near Los Angeles. Though my high school wasn’t closed for Jewish holidays, a quarter of the students were absent for the High Holy Days. My father was raised as an orthodox Jew; my maternal grandfather was a former cantor; my great aunt still kept kosher.

My Jewish roots ran deep.

I do remember my first church service, however. I was nine or so, and we were visiting my aunt and her family. I recall the pastor saying something disparaging about Jews during his sermon. I ran out. I still don’t remember what he said, but I did not enter a church again for ten years.

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The next one was Catholic. I was in college, dating a Catholic who brought me to Mass. I remember looking up at the front of the church, seeing the crucifix, and feeling more uncomfortable than I ever had before. I kept my eyes down for the rest of the service. That cross haunted me for quite a while.

I had other minor "encounters" with Christianity, but it wasn’t until I was married and living in the Midwest twelve years later that that cross grabbed my attention again.

My husband was nominally Jewish and we both followed our faith for a while. We soon stopped attending synagogue, however, neither of the local ones being to our liking. We still celebrated the major holidays, but nothing more.

I was working as a freelance writer for the local daily paper, and the religion editor had taken a liking to me, so I was writing for him. One day, he called and asked if I would cover a Christian women’s conference the following Saturday. I agreed skeptically, assuming it would be a bunch of fake, mushy women screaming "Hallelujah" and praising God for their wonderful lives.

Was I ever wrong.

The moment I walked into the arena, I felt a camaraderie among the women there, and a peace I simply couldn’t explain. The speakers, who I normally would have dismissed as hokey, resonated with me, and I felt myself filled with the same camaraderie and peace as those around me. I didn’t want to leave.

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Unfortunately, I had no choice - I had a deadline to meet! And, as I left the building to walk the three blocks to the newspaper office, I felt that peace leave me just as suddenly as it arrived.

A myriad of questions ran through my mind.

What did those women have that I didn’t?

Could I find that kind of peace in Judaism if I was more devout, or was this a Christian phenomenon?

I decided I needed to start this quest of mine with my own faith. I found my English copy of the Hebrew Bible and read the entire Old Testament from beginning to end in two weeks. I also typed out about 20 pages of notes.

That fortnight brought several things to light, including my lack of obedience to God’s laws, and the emphasis throughout the Old Testament on vengeance and justice.

I knew what I had to do next. I began reading the New Testament. And there, it seemed, were answers to all my questions, comfort from all my fears. I finished the NT in another week, and added another dozen pages of notes to my collection.

Yet, I had some serious misgivings. I saw Jesus as a wonderful man, someone to emulate, but as God? As Messiah? My Jewish background and teachings were digging at me - "God is One," "Christ was a Jew-hater," and other mantras reverberated in my mind. I MIGHT be able to accept Jesus as Lord, but Savior?

Still, I started attending a bible-believing church, and began reading the bible through again. I got many new revelations on the Old Testament the second time through, but none as monumental as the one I received about 5 months after the women’s conference, from Isaiah.

But he was wounded because of our sins,
Crushed because of our iniquities.
He bore the chastisement that made us whole,
And by his bruises we were healed.
Isaiah 53:5 JPS

There it was, in black and while - in the Hebrew Scriptures: Christ’s death on the cross as payment for my sins. At this point, I had no choice. I embraced the cross, and have never turned back.

*
I didn't know I was in difficulties - but I was. I was destined for hell. And then God found me, and saved me. He is SO good!

Do you have a story you'd like to share about God's goodness in your struggles? Drop me an email and we can talk!

Traveling Rough Roads With God's Strength

Legacy

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Sher) — Mon, 14 May 2012 10:00:00 +0000

I'm over at the Internet Cafe today, talking about something ELSE I learned at the Frederick Meijer Gardens last month. Especially in this time of busyness as the school year ends, learn what I learned about ceasing striving - and Being a Human Being.

I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and

in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. 1 Timothy 1:5 NIV

Yesterday, our pastor's sermon title was "Godly Mothers." I'm guessing his wasn't the only one with that, or a similar title, on Mother's Day. ;). He preached from 2 Timothy 5, which talks about the influence Timothy's mother and grandmother had on his faith.

And, it got me to thinking. About legacy. Christian legacy in particular.

Since I became a Christian thirteen years ago, I've felt like I was missing something that a LOT of my Christian friends had. You see, many folks I know were raised in Christian homes. Their parents were believers, and their grandparents, and great-grandparents, and so on. They had traditions and examples of how believers act - from BIRTH. To me, it was all new. And a little bit scary.

Sure, I had my own legacy of Judaism. It was pretty cool - and I loved having such an in-depth knowledge of the Old Testament that many of my "gentile" friends did not have.

But still, I wished, for a long time, that I had grown up in a Christian home, and hadn't had to wait until I was in my 30's to find Christ. I didn't have a Eunice, or a Lois, growing up. I wasn't raised on Christian principles.

And I was feeling that again during church, as Pastor Pike talked about folks with that kind of legacy, who often didn't realize how blessed they were. My my head nearly detached from my neck, I was nodding so vigorously.

But then a thought entered my head that changed my perspective.

You may not have a Christian legacy, but you can be part of one.

No, I may not have a Eunice or Lois in my background, but I can BE one - to my children, and my children's children (eventually). My sincere faith can be witnessed, and exhibited, through me, which just might live in my own offspring, and then in theirs.

And that's some serious motivation to live for Him, isn't it?

And, because the ENTIRE time I wrote this post, I had a certain song going through my head, I HAD to share it. :)

**

Do you have a legacy of Christianity in your family? In what ways have you benefited from it? Have you thought about the blessings of it? If you don't, have you envied people who did? What can YOU do to become a Lois or Eunice to your family - or the younger generation in general?

Comment below, and/ or stop by Living by Grace and we can chat a bit!

Traveling Rough Roads With God's Strength

Finds for Fridays: May 11

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Sher) — Fri, 11 May 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Finds for Fridays is my way of sharing some of the wonderful blogs posts I read each week. I am currently following close to 100 blogs and at least scan them as much as I can. Each week, I'll note and "set aside" some posts that especially speak to me for whatever reason. And each Friday that I am able, I'll share them with you. I hope you'll stop by and read the posts, and maybe even follow the blogs if you aren't already. A win-win, right?

And here they are!

How To Be Friends With An Introvert by Kristen Schiffmann at Biblical Friendship (an INCREDIBLY enlightening post for this extrovert!)

One Hit Wonders, Revisited by Kenn Allan at his blog (about garage bands, one-book authors, and quality)

Time Management - God Style by Lynda Schultz at Grains of Sand (about what we can get done)

Creating the Lie by Sherrinda Ketchersid at The Writers Alley (about the basis for a character's journey)

The Invisible Mother by Joy Bach at Life Moments (about mothers and accolades and pleasing)

Hope you'll stop by - and enjoy - these posts. I know I did :)

Traveling Rough Roads With God's Strength

In Love...and Desperation - God is So Good

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Sher) — Wed, 09 May 2012 10:00:00 +0000

I'm at the Midwest blog The Barn Door today, talking about a lovely visit I had to one of the many attractions here in the Grand Rapids. Come join me for my retreat to the Frederick Meijer Gardens - a garden retreat.

Welcome to my Wednesday feature God is So Good. Here I will share stories - true and fiction, mine and others' - of the Lord's presence in the midst of trials, struggles, and difficulties.

In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. John 16:33bW

Well, it's almost Mother's Day. And partly for that reason, I thought I'd share this piece which I originally wrote for the FaithWriters writing challenge (with names changed for anonymity - though I have NO idea if it worked LOL). I've "fixed" the names - and a few other details. It's 100% true. And still, I am 100% grateful.

"I'm so glad you're here." Those were the only words I could force from my mouth as I held her tight.

"Me too. It's going to be all right, dear." Neither of our voices was above a whisper.

We both needed the embrace, the encouragement to hang on, the hope for the future. We were desperate for the strength to work through--to think through--the events of the past few days. I certainly can't speak for Sharon, but I know I was glad to see her walk through the hospital room door at that moment. Her hug was precious, as were her words.

It made no difference to me that we were not blood relatives, or that she wasn't even related to my husband by blood. It didn't matter that she was "just" his step-mother. Sharon loved him with a maternal love, and she treated me like the daughter she'd never had.

My own mother, the one I'd turned to for every scary, frightening situation in my first half-dozen years, was no longer living. My step-mother, who had taken her place (to an extent, anyway) in those matters for the next dozen or two years, was three thousand miles away.

For the past decade or so, I'd had someone else to turn to with my fears--someone new with which to share them. My husband, Marc, became my protector: the one who scared away the boogie man and comforted me in my troubles. But today, when I needed someone to do just that, not only was he unavailable, but he was what was scaring me.

Then, of course, there was God. Was he there? Undoubtedly. And, yes, he comforted me. But sometimes having a physical person you can actually touch and talk to can make a difficult situation a bit easier to handle.

It was my husband in that hospital bed, and we really had no answers. When hospital personnel were mentioning "mass" and "brain" in the same sentence, however, best-case scenarios were not the first things to come to mind. Sure, God was in control, but how would this affect me, my family, my husband, my LIFE?

It was comforting, somehow, to have another woman there with me. Females really do seem to react to situations like this differently than men do. I needed someone who could share in my concern and fear: someone who would understand. We could certainly empathize with each other. She and I were both afraid of losing someone we loved dearly: she, her step-son of nineteen years, and me, my husband of nine.

Sharon and I, unlike the mother-in-law stereotype, had gotten along since we'd met. Yet, something about that desperate situation, and the love we both had for Marc, created a special bond--a bond of desperation and love, if you will--between us. We were truly drawn together by this trial. This is a bond we still have, 9 years later. The trial is not gone either, though it is different: less immediate, more controlled, if you will. And through it all, Sharon was, and is, there.

I had other ladies in my life during this time, and they were certainly a blessing. Yet, God knew what I needed at that moment in the hospital room (and several others over the next few years): a woman who loved me, and Marc, in a way only a maternal figure could--and could do it in person. God gave us that woman in Sharon.

**

There are a small handful of people who I KNOW were huge in getting us through this trial. My mother-in-law was one of them. And God provided each one. He is SO good!

Do you have a story you'd like to share about God's goodness in your struggles? Drop me an email and we can talk!

Traveling Rough Roads With God's Strength

Who To Root For

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Sher) — Mon, 07 May 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all

your soul and with all your strength. Deuteronomy 6:5 NIV

On Saturday afternoon, our family had a bit of a dilemma - a conundrum, if you will.

I mentioned a few weeks ago that my son is playing soccer this spring - his first time (at age 11, kinda unusual to be just starting, but he's enjoying himself, and he's played plenty at recess). We're halfway through the season, and the Neon Thunder (formerly the Neon Chipmunks - but that's another story) haven't lost a game yet.

Our last game was an away game, and the home team, it seemed, was short a player. There needs to be nine on the field for U12 soccer, and only eight of their players showed up. It could have been a forfeit (which, of course, is no fun for either side). Fortunately, there was another solution.

Our team, you see, had 13 members present. So, we lent them a player. And hence my dilemma.

You see, for the first quarter of the game, my son was on the opposing team.

So, the natural question for Hubby, Daughter and me was - who do we root for? If we cheered for the Neon Thunder, wouldn't it be rooting AGAINST our son? Yet, rooting for the orange team (never found out their team name) would be rooting against his team, and, ultimately, him as well.

I actually texted a couple of my friends to ask - and they both gave me the answer I should have come up with on my own: ROOT FOR YOUR SON.

Sometimes life can be like this too. Even Christianity. There might be factions, disagreements, among your friends, church family, biological family. Your cause (AWANA, perhaps) might be getting less appreciation/funding/attention than your friend's junior high ministry. Or God's favor may seem to be falling on someone else's ministry, while yours is floundering.

Who should you root for?

The answer, it seems, is almost identical. Only one word different: Root for The Son.

It is Christ - not programs, ministries, or individual efforts - we should be supporting. Wherever Jesus is, support it - even if he seems to be on "the opposing team."

**

How attached do you get to your "pet projects?" Do you find yourself devoted to a ministry, rather than the Lord? How can we be sure we aren't so caught up in what we're doing for the Lord that we're leaving Him behind - or, worse, on the opposing team?

Comment below, and/ or stop by Living by Grace and we can chat a bit!

Traveling Rough Roads With God's Strength

Finds for Fridays: May 4

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Sher) — Fri, 04 May 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Finds for Fridays is my way of sharing some of the wonderful blogs posts I read each week. I am currently following close to 100 blogs and at least scan them as much as I can. Each week, I'll note and "set aside" some posts that especially speak to me for whatever reason. And each Friday that I am able, I'll share them with you. I hope you'll stop by and read the posts, and maybe even follow the blogs if you aren't already. A win-win, right?

And here they are!

This Post Is For The Ones You Love by Rachelle Gardner at her blog (about helping unsupportive spouses to writers understand)

Does The Critique Have Merit? II by Linda Yezak at 777 Peppermint Place (about critiques, and listening to them (or not))

When God Says Wait by Jennifer Slattery at Jennifer Slattery Lives Out Loud (about waiting on Him)

Much to learn and ponder here. Hope you'll take the time to read these - and comment if the situation warrants.

Traveling Rough Roads With God's Strength

Writing Craft Recap for April

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Sher) — Thu, 03 May 2012 10:00:00 +0000

2012 is my "learning the writing craft" year. And once a month, generally on the first Thursday of the month, I will share some highlights of what I learned. And here I go.

This was my month, mostly, to apply what I learned the first three months - but I did pick up some knowledge along the way. I'm sharing it below.

From editing the first three chapters of Handmaiden to a Princess:

Description is generally more effective when it's short and to the point.
Finding JUST the right word is incredibly difficult.
My default writing is overly descriptive - but I know how to fix it!
Varying sentence structure and length can make a HUGE difference in how well your writing flows.

From the last two-thirds of Characters, Emotion and Viewpoint by Nancy Kress (check last month's post for what I learned from the first third!):

The basic techniques for creating humorous characters are exaggeration, ridicule, and reversal of expectations.
Keep ethnicity, family background, region, gender, education, and circumstances in mind as you develop your character's dialogue/dialect.
Real dialogue and fictional dialogue are NOT the same.
The most important thing to remember about love, sex, fight, and death scenes is that the characters should perform them in keeping with the personality you have given them so far.
The most important emotion in fiction is frustration, because without it, there is no plot.
The main expression of your character's frustration should be action that moves the story forward.
Though dialogue may lie, the body doesn't.
If you use more than one POV character, it's important that the reader knows this fairly early in the story.
When writing in third person, use the fewest points of view you can get away with and still tell the story you want to tell.
Omniscient point of view isn't just head-hopping. It must include authorial presence.
The single largest aid you can give yourself as a writer is to regard your fiction as your characters' story - not your own.

From the May issue of The Writer and the May/June issue of Writer's Digest:

Your theme should be intrinsic to the story.
Your fiction should contain an abundance of places where your description of the setting calls the reader's attention to whatever theme you are striving to convey.
One of the richest veins to mine for story subject is where two contradictory statements are equally true.
A quote by Tawni O'Dell: "You don't decide to become a writer and then start writing. You write and write and then accept one day - with a mix of immense pride and mild horror - that you are a writer."

Hope you learned something as well. Watch this spot next month, where I'll share what I learn in May - including from Devon Ellington's class Setting as Character (which is ALREADY amazingly helpful!), and possibly Janice Thompson's Humor in Writing class on the ACFW course loop.

Questions? Comments? Observations? What was most interesting or helpful to you?

Traveling Rough Roads With God's Strength

Just The Other Day - God Is So Good

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Sher) — Wed, 02 May 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Welcome to my Wednesday feature God is So Good. Here I will share stories - true and fiction, mine and others' - of the Lord's presence in the midst of trials, struggles, and difficulties.

In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. John 16:33b

Generally, I don't write poetry, but when I do, folks often say I do a pretty good job of it. I wrote this poem more than five years ago for the FaithWriters Writing Challenge , and it touches me each time I read it. It is NOT based on a true story, but it certainly could have been. I hope you can see the hope in this piece - and God's provision.

Just The Other Day

by Joanne Sher

Just the other day
I saw innocence speed by
in 3T overalls
a bright yellow shirt
Bob the Builder tennis shoes
and a fireman's helmet.

His blue and white tricycle
(with superhero trading cards
stuck in the spokes)
raced down the block,
bicycle bell ringing,
to come to the rescue
of cats stuck in trees
(do firemen still do that?)
and damsels in distress.

His fire hose twig
and boymade sound effects
triumphed over the flames
in grandiose fashion.

He was the hero
to his little sister
his stuffed dalmatian
and his imaginary friend Bud.

He was my hero too
for his reckless abandon
for his innocence
for his love of a pursuit
that had robbed him of a father.

As he napped on my chest
two years ago
(seems like yesterday)
his dada entered the flames
and entered heaven.

He wants to be like
the daddy he doesn't remember
to save the damsel in distress
to protect the world from the flames.

My little firefighter
showed me how to love
how to embrace a memory
how to honor a legacy
just the other day.

**

God may have "taken" his father, but this child, and his mother, still have hope. Could it be that that little boy in 3T overalls IS her provision? God is SO good!

Do you have a story you'd like to share about God's goodness in your struggles? Drop me an email and we can talk!

Traveling Rough Roads With God's Strength

Where'd That Month Go?? A Goals/Progress update

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Sher) — Tue, 01 May 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Since this is the first Tuesday of the month, I'm on my monthly "tech fast" - no computer, no texting (and my cell phone is NOT smart, just fyi). Looking forward to it (yeah, I wrote this post early). My son has a morning dentist appointment, and my daughter's guinea pig gets to go to the vet around lunch. Otherwise, hoping for some longhand writing, reading, cleaning, and basic chilling.

Of course, that's NOT stopping me from sharing how last month went, and what my plans are for May - which arrived ENTIRELY too fast for me. Sheeeesh.

ANYhow - my goals for April, straight from last month's post, were:

Review the classes I've taken since the beginning of 2012 (Mistakes that Scream Novice, Six Stages of Change - The Character Arc, Empowering Characters' Emotions, and Deep Editing) and work on applying what I've learned to Handmaiden to a Princess, starting with page one and working through til the month,or what I've written so far, is done - whichever comes first.
Finish reading and learning from Characters, Emotion, and Viewpoint by Nancy Kress (I'm about 1/3 of the way through currently. Learning tons here too!).
Write another short story, likely for the FaithWriters Writing Challenge, applying what I've learned thusfar.

Well, I didn't exactly review the lessons per se, but I did review what I learned in my head, and began applying it to my MS. And BOY did I have a lot to apply! I'm slowly working my way through the 90 or so pages (30k words approximately) that I have written so far - have made it through 24 pages (aka the first three chapters) so far.

I did finish Characters, Emotion, and Viewpoint (great book!) - watch my blog on Thursday for what I learned from it, and a few other writing-related publications I made it through this past month. I didn't write another short story, but that's okay. Was busy with "life" stuff.

So, I did all right. How about May, you ask? Well, here I go.

Keep up and learn from the month-long online Setting as Description class I'm signed up for in May (actually started yesterday) at Savvy Authors. This one sounds GOOD, especially for a biblical fiction writer like me. And I'll bet it's not too late to sign up, since it's only been going for 24 hours. Join me? (though I SHOULD mention there's already an assignment due at the end of today - which I've finished so I can ENJOY my tech-free day!)
Work on what I've learned in my classes this year to Handmaiden to A Princess, "fixing" another 30 pages of the manuscript.
Learn from Janice Thompson's FREE class on the ACFW course loop - Adding Humor to Your Writing (this one sounds FUN!). (this is a "want to" - will let this one slide if I get too overwhelmed - can always go back and look at it later)

So, there you go! Thanks for reading, and cheering me on. Onward I go!

Traveling Rough Roads With God's Strength

Slow Going

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Sher) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:00:00 +0000

We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through

faith and patience inherit what has been promised. Hebrews 6:12 NIV

We live in a society of instant gratification. Twenty-four hour news. Microwave ovens. Instant messages. Smart phones. Email. Wireless transmission of everything from money to books. If you want it now, there's a pretty good chance that, somehow, you can have it.

Our kids especially, I think, expect things to happen right away. They're not used to waiting for much of anything. And, to be honest, I'm finding myself becoming more and more this way. I get impatient as I'm waiting for the traffic light to change. I twiddle my thumbs when I sit in a restaurant and wait for the waitress to bring me my food. I check my watch as I anticipate my microwave popcorn. And I get frustrated when my writing and/or editing doesn't flow quickly out my fingers.

But there is great value in taking the time to do something thoroughly. I spent much of this month trying to improve the 30,000 words of a novel I wrote for NaNoWriMo last year. It took me 30 days to write those words (not QUITE instant gratification, but closer than I usually am!). As of today, I've made it through about 7,000 of those words, in basically the same amount of time.

I'll be honest. I've gotten pretty frustrated a couple times with how slow this process is. I have A LOT of work to do to make this manuscript shine. And in this world of instant gratification, maybe I wish I could snap my fingers and make all the fixes I'd need to make it a bestseller (or at least get the attention of an agent).

But if I did, I wouldn't learn. It wouldn't be my journey - my book. That's the problem with instant gratification. We may get what we want - but not necessarily the knowledge we need for improvement - to do better the next time. For when we don't want to put the effort into making something right, we're being lazy - and settling for second best.

There is great value in working hard, taking it slow, and struggling for the things we get. Not that I'm planning to give up my computer and write my novel on a stone tablet or go back to drawing my water from the local river - but I do know that ease isn't always easy in the long run, and instant gratification can just as easily be instant disappointment. And the Lord's timing is always best (and rarely is it "right this moment!").

**

Do you consider yourself a patient person? How do you, in this modern world of fast food, instant messaging, and constant connectivity, slow down and wait on God's timing? Are you often tempted to take the easy way out, even if you know it's not best - or worse is against His will?

Comment below, and/ or stop by Living by Grace and we can chat a bit!

Traveling Rough Roads With God's Strength

Finds for Fridays: April 27

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Sher) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Finds for Fridays is my way of sharing some of the wonderful blogs posts I read each week. I am currently following close to 100 blogs and at least scan them as much as I can. Each week, I'll note and "set aside" some posts that especially speak to me for whatever reason. And each Friday that I am able, I'll share them with you. I hope you'll stop by and read the posts, and maybe even follow the blogs if you aren't already. A win-win, right?

And here they are!

I Want Off This Plane! By Elaine Cooper at Reflections in Hindsight (about scary situations and feeling compelled to pray)

Retreat, Rest, and Restoration by Karlene Jacobsen at The Barn Door (about getting away)

Friendships by Verna Mitchell at Jewels of Encouragement (about the best Friend you can have)

Why Writers Should Read II by Mary Vee at The Writers Alley (about the need for flat characters - really!)

Hope you enjoy these posts. Some good stuff up there :)

Traveling Rough Roads With God's Strength

Vincent's Slow Miracle - Guest Anthony Weber - God Is So Good

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Sher) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Welcome to my Wednesday feature God is So Good. Here I will share stories - true and fiction, mine and others' - of the Lord's presence in the midst of trials, struggles, and difficulties.

In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. John 16:33b

I was (almost) desperate for a guest post for today. Had been praying about it for a couple days. Then, a name (and blog!) I'd recently discovered (like this past weekend) came to mind. Found him in FaithWriters Free Reprints, and went to his blog, and found this amazingly encouraging post. Asked if I could use it. He said yes. Praying it blesses you as it did me - AND that it reminds you to look for those slow miracles.

Vincent's Slow Miracle

By Anthony Weber

(reprinted from his blog, with permission)

On Saturday, Sheila brought six-year-old Vincent home from a party and said to me, "Do you realize it was just a year ago we weren't sure this would ever happen?" I had forgotten; she was right.

From as far back as I can remember, Vince always struggled with any kind of boundary. When he was one and two years old, he could not sit in his car seat for more than 10 minutes without screaming. Trips to Meijers were too long for all of us. We seldom traveled.

We took the chance when he was almost two, and we flew South for Christmas to see family. He screamed there and back. I was physically ill for a week after our "vacation." That summer, he began to run onto the road outside our house and stand on it, I guess just waiting for cars. We fenced in the rest of the backyard and locked the doors of the house, but he still snuck out. A policeman brought him to our door once; we had no idea he was gone. How many times over the years did I say to people, "My goal is to get him through this next year alive"? I wasn't joking.

He wouldn't go outside during the winter until he was five, because hats and gloves were too restrictive (he still sheds his socks and shoes at a moment's notice). He refused to color inside lines (not a joke).

He had no concept of why boundaries existed.

He had no idea that they were meant to protect him.

Two years ago, we had Vincent tested for autism. At the time, both his teacher and I saw enough symptoms that we decided a test was in order (he was watching trains for hours; standing in a corner and flapping his hands when upset, etc). The initial test suggested he had Fragile X Syndrome. I should have known better than to look that up online. It was not a diagnosis full of hope.

The second test showed he was not on the autism spectrum, but was instead "developmentally delayed." I could have told them that. (My favorite moment in this whole process was reading how Vincent got tired of all the tests and crawled under the table, so two adults went under the table with him to finish the test).

This diagnosis was actually good news. One well meaning person said she was "praying against the spirit of diagnosis." I had not been aware there was one, and I appreciated her concern, but the reality was that I was relieved. Sheila and I knew something was wrong; we just didn't know what. Now we did. With the right diagnosis comes the proper cure.

A year ago, Vincent was splitting time at two schools because he was "Developmentally Delayed." In the mornings, he went to class with about 20 other kids with a similar diagnosis. When he would go to the Christian school where I teach in the afternoons... it didn't go as well. About the time he completed the DD class and was declared "normal," we had to pull him out of school all together and put him into daycare.

How quickly I have forgotten how sobered we were.

Just 5 months ago, at a crowded museum in Gatlinburg, I dedicated my entire museum-going experience to watching him. I lost him three times. The third time I utterly, completely lost track of him, and in a panic started looking in the closest room. He was sitting there watching TV, with no idea how disastrous the results could have been.

This "unboundaried" existence has not always translated into "plays well with others." He could not comprehend social boundaries any better than physical ones. He would just take stuff from kids, and sometimes hit them, and didn't seem to really care what they thought of him.

On the other hand, he was amazingly energetic and outgoing, constantly laughing and talking. Most adults who experienced him in small doses thought he was a hoot, but his peers, his parents, his brothers, and his teacher got both barrels.

This has not been a life without joy. Vincent is hilarious on his good days, and he loves people and activity. I have a collection of things he has said that crack me up no matter how many times I read it.

This year, he started real school. We spent the first couple weeks on pins and needles, but nothing major blew up. Then, he won an award for something in chapel - I don't remember what, but frankly, it doesn't matter.

HE WON AN AWARD.

Then, he started talking about his friends - they were peers, and they liked him. One classmate told his mom, "Vincent drives me crazy. But he's my best friend."

Vince started actually doing homework without having a meltdown.
He tried some foods he never tried before.
He told real jokes.
He played Monopoly and did not make up his own rules.
He fished our goldfish out of the pond (wait..that's a different list...)

He sat through a whole movie at the theater, unlike the time I literally chased him around the perimeter of the State Theater in Traverse City one unforgettable Saturday morning while Braden calmly watched "The Secret of Nimh."
He colors recognizable pictures.
He gets invited to parties by genuine friends.
He goes; he does not try to open the birthday kid's present.
He does not get into a fight or disappear into the backyard.
He keeps his fingers out of the cake until the appropriate time.

I know a lot of people face tremendous challenges with their kids that make our experience pale in comparison. My point is only to note something that may be common to all of us: after so many years of praying for a change, how easy it is to overlook the slow miracles that God provides.

**

Anthony Weber is a pastor, high school and college teacher, coach, husband, and father of three boys. He has been a teacher for 14 years (Traverse City Christian School, and recently as an adjunct for Spring Arbor University), a pastor for 9 years, and an occasional construction worker almost all his life. He has published a book on the journey through grief entitled Learning To Jump Again (http://www.learningtojumpagain.com).

Anthony and his wife, Sheila, currently live in Traverse City, Michigan with their three boys, two cats, and a dog named Trixie. In his spare time, he promotes good athletic programs by prominently displaying Ohio State's logo and trying to keep up with the local Cross Fit maniacs at the gym.

**

Don't you love the idea/concept of slow miracles? I know it grabbed me. And Vincent certainly is one. I can think of several others in my own life too. Bet you can as well. God is SO good!

Do you have a story you'd like to share about God's goodness in your struggles? Drop me an email and we can talk!

Traveling Rough Roads With God's Strength

Missing It

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Sher) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 10:00:00 +0000

I'm over at the Internet Cafe today, talking about similarities between me and my kids - and between our Heavenly Father and us. Hope you'll stop by and find out how they're Just Like Me.

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing,

but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18 NIV

A few weeks ago, my family entered, for the first time, the wild and wonderful world of AYSO soccer. Several people told us our son was very good at it (from observing him at recess), so we decided to sign him up. So far, he's enjoying it. (and he looks AWFUL cute in his uniform. Don't you think?)

This past Saturday, we had our first away game, maybe 15 minutes from our home. I did a mapquest and then knew just where to go - simple directions, really. So I left the driving directions at home and hopped in the car with the family. We gave ourselves about twice as much time to get there as we needed - just in case, you know?

I mean, how hard could it be to find a bunch of soccer fields? It's not like they're small. We were on field nine, so there had to be AT LEAST that many, right? Not something you could miss.

And we turned the corner, just beyond where I thought the field was supposed to be, and we saw soccer fields. See? I didn't need the map. We all got out of the car and started heading toward them.

"Excuse me. Where is field nine?" I asked the gentleman standing by a group of young girls in soccer jerseys.

"These soccer fields are lettered. You're at the wrong place."

Long story short, after talking to three different people, we were told the fields WE were looking for were around the corner and across the street. "You can't miss it," one person said.

But we did - and almost missed it once more when we went back with the more specific directions. The fields, it ends up, were a few hundred yards back from the road. And the sign? NOT huge by any stretch of the imagination.

How could anyone say "you can't miss it," we wondered, when the only indication of its existence was an inobtrusive sign? They must have been familiar with the area.

And then I was reminded of Isaiah 53. Why, you ask?

Because I wonder the same thing myself just about every time I read that chapter.

How could anyone read about the suffering servant and NOT see that it referred to Jesus? How could they miss it?

And then I remember that I did the same thing. You see, the answer is simple. If they aren't familiar with the area, i.e. Jesus, no matter how many times they drive past the passage, they won't see Him.

Most of you know I was raised Jewish, and didn't come to Christ until I was in my 30s. I had read Isaiah 53 before I accepted Christ (granted, not many times, but I had), but it didn't have any significance to me. It was only AFTER I learned about Jesus in the New Testament that this amazing prophecy became clear to me. Along with so many other OT passages that point to my Savior.

We wonder sometimes why folks don't "get" what Jesus is saying: what Christianity is about. How can they miss God's work in nature? In our lives? In world events?

Maybe it's because they don't know about Him - really know. And maybe we need to be the ones to share, so they can stop "missing it."

**
Do you sometimes get frustrated when people don't see and/or acknowledge the Lord in places you so clearly see Him? How can you make those "God things" clearer to others? Do they need to know Him? Know Him better? Is it easier for you to understand some of the evil in the world when you look at it from this perspective/ What can we do about it?

Comment below, and/ or stop by Living by Grace and we can chat a bit!

Traveling Rough Roads With God's Strength

Finds for Fridays: April 20

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Sher) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Finds for Fridays is my way of sharing some of the wonderful blogs posts I read each week. I am currently following close to 100 blogs and at least scan them as much as I can. Each week, I'll note and "set aside" some posts that especially speak to me for whatever reason. And each Friday that I am able, I'll share them with you. I hope you'll stop by and read the posts, and maybe even follow the blogs if you aren't already. A win-win, right?

And here they are!

"Hey! I can write a book!" by Linda Glaz at From The Heart (about perseverance and "how easy" it is to write a book)

Weeding Our Manuscripts Part II: Weed Whacking to Increase Pace By Julia Reffner at The Writers Alley (some EXCELLENT tips)

The Showdown by Billy Coffey at What I Learned Today (about baseball and dads and sons)

The Gift of No by Jennifer Slattery at Jennifer Slattery Lives Out Loud (about God's direction)

Enjoy these reads - a bit of something for everyone, I think :) Thanks for stopping by :)

Traveling Rough Roads With God's Strength

I'm at JoE today...

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Sher) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 12:47:00 +0000

Forgot until I saw the post LOL, or I would have put the notice at the top of my Progressive Interview post. Anyway, I'm over at JoE today, talking about praising the Lord. Stop by and find out When To Worship Him. (and scroll down HERE and check out the progressive interview!)
Traveling Rough Roads With God's Strength

Your Bucket List- A Progressive Interview

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Sher) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 10:00:00 +0000

My dear friend Patty Wysong has a ministry she calls "Take Flight" on her blog and Facebook, where she helps bloggers with ideas for blog posts and blogging in general. I've participated once or twice before (I think!). If you need blog post fodder, it's a GREAT place to hang out.

Last Thursday, she put out a challenge that I'm taking up today: a progressive interview. A whole bunch of folks put a single interview question at the Take Flight Facebook page, and we went about answering them. And each person posted the answers to THEIR question on their blog, along with a link to the people who answered.

SO - if you go to the links attached to each quote, you can see A DIFFERENT question, and other folks' (including my!) answer to their questions. Fun, eh? Or, just and check out the folks who have linked up at the bottom of each post.

And without further ado (that was A LOT of ado, eh?), here is my contribution. Please read and enjoy my question (and answers) - and click on the folks' pictures below and check out OTHER interviews!

QUESTION: What's on your bucket list? Name at least two things you'd like to do before you leave earth, and why.

Photo credit (I added the text)

Sharon Clements Srock: A trip to the opal mines in Australia. Opals are my birthstone and I've always been fascinated with their color. Scuba dive. I love to snorkel, but I'd love to take it to the next level.

Yvonne Blake: I'd like to have my Phoebe novel published (I've been working on it, off and on, for 30 years. It would be nice to see it come to completion.) and I'd like to go to France. (I love the French language, and I'd like to experience some of the culture that I've read so much about.)

Diane Lesire Brandmeyer: Take a train trip to Alaska with my husband. He's been there and wants to go back and share it with me.

Go to New York City to the button store. I don't know why this is such a big deal to me. I just want to see all of those buttons! I love to sew and buttons that are unique are a bit hard to find where I live.

Valerie Friesen Comer: Hmm. Two items on my bucket list? I'd love to travel to England sometime and steep myself in some history. Where I live in rural BC, Canada, we're still celebrating centennials of when towns were established, etc. I think we don't even have a concept of the many layers history can provide in places where civilization has been in place for thousands of years.

As an author, I'd like to hit the NYT bestseller list someday. Hey, why not dream big? Yes, I'll need to sell more than the novella that's about to be published, but God, my agent, and I are working on that!

Linda McQuinn Carlblom: 1. I want to get my three already written books for kids published because I think they'd be a great read for kids and would draw them closer to God. 2. I'd like to go on an overseas mission trip partly for the adventure, but mostly to spread the love of Jesus.

Donna Winters: Go to Alaska. Go to Hawaii. I'll probably get to those places as a widow since my husband doesn't like to fly. Maybe we could strike it rich and take a boat. He does like boating. Good thing. We're surrounded by lakes here in Michigan.

Sharon Hoover: I want to live in a geodesic dome on a mountain lake; and I want to publish a novel. :-) P.S. Diana's train trip to Alaska is now on my bucket list, too!

Janet Sketchley: Go on a river cruise. Probably Europe. Because rivers are cool and the scenery would be amazing. Skydive. I think. Because if I didn't die of fright it'd be awesome.

Patty Wysong: I think my bucket list is constantly changing. Does that make me fickle? LoL. oh well. One thing that's been on my list for a few years is to go scuba diving somewhere with colorful fish and maybe even some coral. Snorkeling is a suicide mission for me (I end up almost drowning myself *eye roll*) but if I have my air tank I can relax and enjoy it. The colors are stunning, the quiet is soothing, and things are so different down there that I want to just sit and watch. This week's revolving item on my bucket list is either sky diving, or, if I chicken out, going in a wind tunnel. It looks like so much fun, not to mention how it ignites my imagination. And if that doesn't work out out, I'll settle for a few days on a lake somewhere. ;-) Calm, peaceful, safe. =]

Kristi Peifer: I would like to travel to Europe and Australia. I've never been off the continent of North America! I'd also really love to play the parts of Dolly Levi in Hello, Dolly! and Maria VonTrapp in The Sound of Music.

Christine Rich: Two things on my bucket list are visiting Israel and Ireland/Scotland.

And MY answer? I really, REALLY want to go to the Grand Canyon some day, and to Israel. Grand Canyon just because it sounds so beautiful and awesome - and Israel because of my Jewish background AND coming to Christ - would so love to see the place where the patriarchs - AND my Savior - walked.

Hope you'll check out the linky gadget at Patty's blog, or click through the links on this page to see the other interview topics and questions. Fun stuff, eh??

So, what's on YOUR bucket list?

Traveling Rough Roads With God's Strength

A Broken Dryer... - God is so Good

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Sher) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Welcome to my Wednesday feature God is So Good. Here I will share stories - true and fiction, mine and others' - of the Lord's presence in the midst of trials, struggles, and difficulties.

In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. John 16:33b

Okay - for whatever reason, my brain is on vacation and I am having QUITE a problem writing something new for this series today. SO, I'm gonna share a "little thing" God did for me about a year and a half ago (aka - I'm reposting an old blog post). And I needed this reminder.

Reposted from 8/30/10

A few days ago, our dryer stopped working.

Oh, it still spins, but it doesn't warm up. Not even a little bit. So the clothes, naturally, don't get dry.

Unfortunately, I didn't discover this for sure (yeah, I'm slow) until I had three loads of laundry washed and wet.

So I needed another solution. Now I could have used the clothesline for some of it, but there was some pretty heavy stuff in there that needed more than just air - unless I wanted to wait a week. So I figured I had one other option.

THE LAUNDROMAT

So I checked google, and found out there is one just about two miles from our house (have I mentioned lately how much I LOVE that everything is relatively close to our home?). So I went.

I've been back twice since that day. Besides the regular laundry, that next night our cat puked on our comforter (sorry if that's TMI) - and we were running out of clothes again today.

Each time I got a bit more frustrated and tired of going.

But then I realized something.

For the past several days, my wonderful, loving, sweet adorable children have been....well...less so. And the noise has been driving me crazy (PLEASE tell me I'm not the only family who goes through this in those weeks right before school starts! Love em, but I'm READY for them to go back). I had just been complaining (yeah - I know I'm not supposed to ::roll::) about my need for peace and quiet with a friend. And she reminded me that in just a few days I'd have it - once the kids were in school.

But God gave it to me early - inside that laundromat. I never would have left the kids home with the hubby unless I had to. And God knew that. So maybe, just maybe, He orchestrated a situation where I needed to do just that. And He gave me some time to recharge.

And those laundromat dryers are amazing. Got three loads of laundry dry in 25 minutes, for less than a dollar. And who won't pay 75 cents for some recharge time - and dry clothes to boot?

So He works EVERY situation for His good. Even a broken dryer.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 (and yeah, I know this verse is a lot more profound than what I've shared, but hey - it fits!)

My husband's gonna call someone tomorrow to come fix the dryer. And someone will come - in God's timing. In the meantime, that laundromat isn't so bad. ;)

**
Even when things break (whether it's a dryer or my ability to write something new), God is in it. He is SO good!

Do you have a story you'd like to share about God's goodness in your struggles? Drop me an email and we can talk!

Traveling Rough Roads With God's Strength

The Source of the Sound

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Sher) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Last Friday, I spent about 100 minutes walking, praying, thinking, looking, seeing, and smelling the outdoors alone. My wonderful Prayer Sisters and I met at the Frederick Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park in the late morning, sat in the cafe and chatted an hour and a half or so, then went off on our own.

Beautiful, isn't it?

And did I ever need it.The noises and activities around me for the past...oh, I dunno...44 years (!!) were piling up a bit, and I needed some time with just me, my brain, and God's creation (and just a bit of man's too).

As I walked along the park's boardwalk and nature trails, I was able to truly relax, look, listen and smell the flora and fauna that surrounded me (the sculptures too - but in all honesty, that was the least intriguing in my opinion).

One thing I heard A LOT of was chirping. And some quacking. And perhaps a bit of cooing. I was clearly surrounded, on most every side sometimes, by birds.

But just because I could hear them didn't mean I could see them.

In fact, most of the time it was the exact opposite. Sure, my gaze caught the occasional bird on a branch, eating off the ground, or flying through the air. For the most part, however, those flying singers were hidden from my view.

And I tried to find them. I looked up into the trees, glancing from every possible direction. I stood for several minutes, trying to follow the sound to its location. But, nine times out of ten (and that's probably generous!), I saw nothing.

THESE I saw

But still, I knew they were there. I never assumed I was hearing things, or that the folks at the gardens had strategically placed speakers with recorded bird noises throughout the gardens, playing them to create the illusion of actual birds. They may have been out of sight, but they were still there.

God's like that sometimes too, isn't He? We don't often see Him with our two eyes, but we know He's there. We can hear Him - through His Word, His voice in our heads, sermons from His ministers. He acts in our lives whether we see (or acknowledge) Him or not.

So remember - even if you don't see Him, He's still around. The evidence is all around us - and it's not a recording.
**
Do you remember to give God the credit for His work in your life, even when you don't see it as such? How often do you "miss" that the Lord is acting just because you don't see Him physically?

Comment below, and/ or stop by Living by Grace and we can chat a bit!

Traveling Rough Roads With God's Strength

Finds for Fridays: April 13

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne Sher) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Finds for Fridays is my way of sharing some of the wonderful blogs posts I read each week. I am currently following close to 100 blogs and at least scan them as much as I can. Each week, I'll note and "set aside" some posts that especially speak to me for whatever reason. And each Friday that I am able, I'll share them with you. I hope you'll stop by and read the posts, and maybe even follow the blogs if you aren't already. A win-win, right?

And here they are!

Can You Ever Lie To Tell The Truth? By Chip MacGregor at his blog (about memoir, truth, and theater)

Five Ways to Turn Your Trials to Treasures by Janet Eckles at Reflections in Hindsight (about helping others in ways you weren't)

I WAS WRONG! - When Life Gets in the Way of Writing by Lillian Duncan at the ACFW blog (about rethinking "write every day no matter what.")

Not Going Back... by Kristi Huseby at Broken and Redeemed (about "burning" your past)

Don't Give Up (you're on the right track) by Seth Godin at his blog (about knowing it can be done)

A good variety of posts this week. Hope you enjoy them!

Traveling Rough Roads With God's Strength