Planner or SOTP'er?

Next week is Thanksgiving. I'm hosting. This is a good thing. My kids "get" the hospitality thing. They know when we're going to have a bunch of people over that it takes us all working together to make it happen. And we do and it does. So I'm not at all stressed about hosting. But I am thinking about it, a little bit each day, wondering how much I should start doing now to prepare.

I guess it's probably not too early to plan out the menu and let my mom and mother-in-law and aunt know what parts they can bring. And after I've done that it would also be a good idea to map out what things I need to make when and which pieces can be done ahead of time. A wise friend (and kitchen whiz) already gave me some great tips for make-ahead stuff. The day before: cut the onions for the stuffing, peel and cut the potatoes, make the turkey stock. (Btw, I'm half listing all these things so I don't forget them myself).

And here I was thinking I was so on top of things to already have made a pumpkin pie and put it in the freezer. Hmm...maybe not so much.

I suppose once I've mapped out my Thanksgiving dinner prep plan, I might as well dig out my Christmas binder and start updating the Christmas card list and begin planning out the gift buying and so forth. Because, you know, I'm so organized and all (ahem!).

I do know that any of this that I do will make DH a very happy man. He is a planner to the nth degree. I think he's constantly annoyed at my "lack of organization" (which really and truly isn't that lacking, but when you are hyper organized like he is, anything short of that seems disorganized). He is the consummate planner. Me? Well, I'm not a "seat-of-the-pantser", but probably somewhere in between. All the planning I've mentioned here is kind of pushing it for me, but I get that it works and try to work it when I can.

How about you? Are you a planner or a SOTP'er? How do you approach things like hosting Thanksgiving dinner?

Book Week Day 5: Christmas Miracles Book Blog Tour

I'd like to introduce you to another new book today co-authored by a man (Cec Murphey) who has been an immense help to me as a writer. And I'm interested to learn more about Marley Gibson, who partnered with him on this project. Anyway, Christmas Miracles promises to be a good holiday read, so check out the description and interview that follow to learn more. Also, please note that this tour again offers a chance to win a great prize - this time a wonderful gift basket (see a photo at the end of this post). So leave a comment (drawing will take place after Nov. 23rd, so you have until then to comment)!

Christmas Miracles

Cecil Murphey/Marley Gibson

Foreword: Don Piper

St. Martin’s Press, Oct. 2009

Hardcover, 256 pages

ISBN: 978-0312589837

Retail: $14.99

(Atlanta, GA) Many ordinary people experience Christmas miracles—those special moments during the season of giving and receiving when Christmas becomes more than just a holiday. In Christmas Miracles (St. Martin’s Press, October 2009), Cecil Murphey and Marley Gibson share the stories of those who have recognized the special moments that transcend daily experience and transform their lives.

In these stories, people overcome desperate situations through a miraculous twist of fate—all during the most wonderful time of the year. A young boy sits down to read a Christmas book and discovers that his learning disability has vanished. A woman stranded in a blizzard is rescued by a mysterious stranger who she suspects is an angel. And a woman living far from home gets an answer to her prayer in the form of an unexpected gift.

Bestselling author Cecil Murphey says, “We all face discouraging times, whether it's the lack of money, being stuck on a road in a snowstorm, feeling stress, or being hungry and homeless. But God's help is available. I want readers to see that miracles do happen—sometimes simple, unexpected blessings or those that involve the supernatural. We start by asking, and in strange and wonderful ways God tiptoes into our dark nights; we experience renewed joy in life and witness God in action through people and unexpected events.”

Award-winning writer Cecil Murphey is the author or co-author of 114 published books, including the NY Times bestseller 90 Minutes in Heaven (with Don Piper) and Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story (with Dr. Ben Carson). He’s also the author of When Someone You Love Has Cancer and When God Turned Off the Lights, both 2009 releases. Murphey’s books have sold millions and have given hope and encouragement to countless readers around the world. For more information, visit www.cecilmurphey.com.

Marley Gibson is a young adult author whose first published books in the Sorority 101 series were released by Penguin Group in 2008 under the pen name of Kate Harmon. She has a new Ghost Huntress series with Houghton Mifflin written under her own name. She can be found online at www.marleygibson.com.

Interview with Cecil “Cec” Murphey by Marley Gibson Co-authors of Christmas Miracles, from St. Martin’s Press I am extremely privileged to have the opportunity today to talk to my friend and co-author, Cecil “Cec” Murphey, and to chat about our upcoming book, Christmas Miracles. Marley: Cec, thanks for spending some time with me today. Cec: Marley, it's great that you could take time away from important things like making a living to spend a little time with me. Marley: I’m so jazzed about our Christmas Miracles book that’s coming out soon. I’ve had a lot of questions from folks wanting to know how we met, what brought us together, etc. So, I thought we’d do a back and forth on how it all came to be. Of course, I have to give props to our amazing agent and friend, Deidre Knight, for bringing us together. For those of you who don’t know, Cec co-authored the runaway New York Times bestselling hit 90 Minutes in Heaven with Don Piper. Cec: I have to say thanks to Deidre Knight as well. Between Deidre and my assistant, Twila Belk, I've been able to sell quite a few books. 90 Minutes in Heaven has been my big book. I'm also proud of a book I wrote in 1990 called Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story. The book has never been out of print and has hit close to four million in sales. Early this year, Cuba Gooding Jr. starred in the made-for-TV film version. Marley: That’s amazing! You are truly prophetic and definitely “the man behind the words.” Now, people ask how we teamed up. Sadly, there was a personal tragedy that brought Cec and me together as friends. Cec: True. In early 2007, our house burned and our son-in-law died. Aside from the grief over Alan, we lost everything. Deidre and Jan, my-then-assistant, sent the word out of our tragedy without telling me. I'm immensely grateful for every gift people sent, but I probably wouldn't have admitted I needed help and wouldn't have asked. They taught me how much we need other people. Marley: Deidre put out a call to other clients of The Knight Agency, to help Cec and his family out in any way in their time of need. At the time, my company was moving and we were cleaning house. We had a ton of office supplies that we were either going to throw away or give to some of the charities the company worked with. I got my boss’ permission to send a large care package to Cec…full of office supplies for him to re-stock his writer’s office. You name it…post-its, staples, paper clips, pens, pencils, markers, white out, ruler, scissors, paper, notebooks, notepads, envelopes, a laptop case, tape, glue, folders, binder clips…etc. A veritable potpourri of office delights. I was hoping that it would help Cec have a sense of getting his office back so he could keep working. Cec: Marley's gift was the most unexpected I received. We hadn't met, although Deidre Knight had spoken of her many times and kept telling me she was wonderful. I wonder if you can imagine what it was like for me to open that box from someone I didn't know. I saw all those practical things for my office and yelled for my wife. I felt as if I were reading a first-grade book. "Look! Look and see! Oh, look!" I was overwhelmed by the gift and even more to receive it from a stranger. Those supplies were the most practical gift anyone could have given me. I'm still using black paper clips and red folders from Marley. Marley: Awww…thanks, Cec! I didn’t have to think twice about doing it. Writing is such a solitary “sport,” but the writing community always astounds me with how they help their own. Not long after that, over plates of spinach and Gouda omelets, Deidre introduced me to Cec in person and I was thrilled to finally meet the man behind the words. Deidre knew we needed to work on a project together and thus began our brainstorming. What did you think of that first meeting, Cec, and cooking up the idea to work together? Cec: Deidre and I had already spoken about a Christmas book and I had some idea about what it should contain, but nothing had come together. One day Deidre told me that Marley was coming to visit her and she wanted us to work together on a Christmas project. Marley and I talked before we ate and again during the meal. Everything felt right to me. I knew my strengths and Marley knew hers (and Deidre knew both of us). Everything clicked. Marley, a far better networker than I am, immediately sent out the word for submissions. Within days she had almost four times more than we could use. (She read every one of them!) Marley: I was truly impressed with the submissions we received and it was hard narrowing it down to the ones we chose for the book. We’re fortunate to have such a go-getter agent in Deidre Knight. Cec, can you share how the whole idea of Christmas Miracles came about and what you thought of the project originally? Cec: For me, it actually started while I was on the rapid-rail train from the Atlanta airport when I listened to teens talk about Christmas and it was mostly about gifts. I had the idea then, but nothing really came together. Months later when Deidre I and had a meeting, she brought up the idea of a compilation and mentioned my working with Marley. I've been Deidre Knight's client since 1997 and I've learned to listen carefully when she comes up with an idea. I said yes before she gave me all the information. Marley: That’s the truth about Deidre! Getting back to those submissions, I want to say we got more than two hundred submissions for Christmas Miracles. So many wonderful stories to read through and select for the book. It was a challenge to pick and choose which ones were right for the book, but I loved every minute of it. After I chose the entries that would go into the book, Cec toiled long hours editing the works for a unified voice. What was the biggest challenge you found in the editing process, Cec? Cec: I've been a ghostwriter and collaborator for twenty-plus years and this was a switch to give the book a unified voice—which was mine. It would have been easier to stay with each writer's voice, but the book—like many compilations—would have been uneven in tone and quality. When I discussed this via email with our delightful editor, Rose Hilliard, she was (to my surprise) familiar with my work. She told me she liked the warm tone of my writing and that I don't waste words. "That's the voice we want," she said. It still wasn't easy, but it was an exciting challenge. After Marley and I agreed on the stories and gave them that unified voice, our editor pulled six contributions. Although different, Rose felt they were too similar to other stories. Marley: Can you give our readers a preview of the book? A favorite story perhaps…or one that moved you to tears? (I have to say the little boy who wished for nothing but to be able to read a book all the way through because of his stutter had me bawling when I read the submission.) Cec: That's not fair! I liked them all. The one that touched me most, however, is the last story in the book, "Sean's Question." We had almost finished the book and I was teaching at a conference in Florida. I felt we needed one strong story at the end. Despite all the good ones, I didn't feel fully satisfied to conclude the book. On the last day of the conference, I met a conferee named Sara Zinn for a consultation. As we talked, I mentioned Christmas Miracles and that I still needed one more story. "I have a Christmas story," she said and told me about Sean. As I listened, tears filled my eyes—but, being the macho type I am, I was sure it was an allergy. Sara wrote the story, and it became the one I sought. Marley: Oh yes…that one is an emotional one all right. It was meant to be in the book because of how you met at the conference. Now, you and I have both had challenges in our lives that others might have found too much to take, but we are both very strong in our faith and our relationship with God. How do you think Christmas Miracles is going to help others feel closer to God and experience His miracles in their own lives? Cec: Awareness and appreciation are the two things I want readers to grasp. Awareness means for them to realize that they're never totally alone in life. Those unexpected, out-of-the-ordinary events remind us of that. Appreciation means to be thankful for what we already have. Too often, and especially at Christmas, we focus on what we'd like or what is supposed to make us happy. Christmas Miracles gently reminds readers of both. Marley: In this day and age when our country is fighting two wars, unemployment is high, and a lot of people have a lack of hope and faith for their future, what do you want readers of the book to take away from Christmas Miracles and how can the stories in our book help provide comfort to those struggling? Cec: I want readers to see that miracles do happen—sometimes simple, unexpected blessings or those that involve the supernatural (as in one of Marley's stories). I call myself a serious Christian. For me, the world's greatest miracle began with the birth of Jesus. Regardless of a person's religion, this book encourages readers to think about life during the Christmas season and see that life as more than gifts and celebrations. It's also a reminder that God loves us and hears our needy cries. Marley: Beautifully put, Cec, and I couldn’t agree with you more. Can we share what’s next after Christmas Miracles? J Cec: Why it's the Cec and Marley show, of course. Because of our go-getter agent and our enthusiastic editor, we've already received thumbs up for The Christmas Spirit. This will be stories of people who express the true spirit of Christmas by acts of love and kindness, for release in the fall of 2011. Marley: And I can’t wait to start working on that project! Thank you so much for your time, Cec, and answering my questions. It was a privilege and honor to work with you and I look forward to our future projects together. You’ve helped me along during a trying time and I appreciate your friendship and support. Cec: I liked this project because Marley had to send out the word, collect submissions, read them, and discard the weaker ones. I get to see only the better-written stories. (Don't tell her that I have the better job.) Although I mentioned only one story, all of those in the book touched me because of the poignancy of their situations and the miraculous answers. I won't say the stories increased my faith, but they increased my appreciation for the delightful mix of human need and divine intervention. Marley: Thanks again, Cec! God Bless! And to our readers, please be sure to pick up a copy of CHRISTMAS MIRACLES, out October 13, 2009 from St. Martin’s Press. It’s a great stocking stuffer or gift basket filler. We hope you, too, will discover your own Christmas Miracles in your life.

Leave a comment for a chance to win the Christmas Miracles gift basket.

Wouldn’t you love to take home this amazing basket filled with Christmas goodies galore? This amazing gift basket contains everything you’ll need to make your Christmas holiday a success. Inside you’ll find a stocking stuffed with hard candies, kitchen towels and oven mitts, seasonal potpourri, holiday-colored candles, stuffed animals that talk, snowman candle, nutcrackers, Christmas ornaments, gift bags, gift tags, gift bows, ornament hangers, Christmas cookie cutters, a Merry Christmas doorstopper, a picture frame, Christmas cards, Santa ear muffs, and not just one, but two copies of Cecil Murphey and Marley Gibson’s Christmas Miracles – one to keep and one to give away to someone special.

Blog Tour: Set Apart, Day 2

This is the second installment on the new Bible study guide by Jennifer Kennedy Dean, called Set Apart. Today features an interview with the author about the book, along with a few extras.

An Interview with Jennifer Kennedy Dean

You are known for your extensive research and your fresh insights. Do you have a method for gleaning new concepts?

Of course, the truths are not new, but I think I sometimes am able to frame old truths in new ways. I always find that when I put the words of Jesus into their original Hebraic setting and experience the scene through the viewpoint of His real-time audience, some new little fragment of truth finds its way into my thinking. I like to let the Scripture breathe. To let it sit in my heart until its full aroma has time to emerge. There's the hard-core research, and then there's the marinating. Turn your imagination loose and unfurl your curiosity, and listen to the living Word.

You have a series of Bible studies in the format of Set Apart, designed to be interactive. This series of studies has video series and leader's kits available. What is the advantage to this kind of format?

I try to produce a new Bible study with video series every year. I like the interactive format because I like to pull the reader into the Scripture to experience the Word. I like to challenge the reader to interact with the thoughts and ideas and to take the time to absorb them and apply them, rather than just to read. The other thing I like about this format is that it can be done by an individual, or as a group. In the video series, I like to be able to teach the main points of the material and set the learners' up for a productive week of personal study. I love feeling like I get to be part of your Bible study group! The kits have lots of other resources for leading a small group in the study.

Several of your studies have theme songs that go with them, as Set Apart does. How do these songs come about?

I have developed a song-writing relationship with a talented musician named Roxanne Lingle. I write poems, we turn them into lyrics, Roxanne composes and arranges the music, and Roxanne records the songs. For Set Apart, we have the theme song in the form of a music video, which is a new addition. In the leader's kit you have the audio track, accompaniment track, lead sheet, and the music video. The theme song becomes an important and worshipful part of the study experience.

You'll be encouraged by the music video produced especially for Set Apart. You can check it out here:

http://www.tangle.com/view_video.php?viewkey=d155726c8c57d0b6f7a8

Jennifer Kennedy Dean also provides a video commentary to introduce Set Apart content.

http://www.tangle.com/view_video.php?viewkey=7a2a32c15229df5a5359

Jennifer Kennedy Dean is Executive director of The Praying Life Foundation and a respected author and speaker. She is the author of numerous books, studies, and magazine articles specializing in prayer and spiritual formation. Her book Heart’s Cry has been named National Day of Prayer’s signature book. You’ll find articles and daily quotes from Jennifer at the National Day of Prayer website. Her book, Live a Praying Life, has been called a flagship work on prayer.

Jennifer was widowed in 2005 after 26 years of marriage to Wayne Dean, her partner both in life and ministry. They are the parents of three grown sons. Jennifer makes her home in Marion, KY.

THIS BLOG TOUR COORDINATED BY KATHY CARLTON WILLIS COMMUNICATIONS. A COMPLIMENTARY COPY OF THE BOOK, SET APART, WAS GIFTED TO ME IN EXCHANGE FOR RUNNING THIS TOUR ON MY BLOG.

Blog Tour: Set Apart by Jennifer Kennedy Dean

For Day 2 of A Musing Mom's "Unofficial Book Week", I'm pleased to take part in a blog tour introducing you to a new study guide on the Beatitudes. Note that this tour features a special drawing for those who leave comments on this post (hint, hint). Tomorrow I'll share an interview with the author and some links to a video commentary and a theme song designed to accompany the study. Check it out:

New Hope Publishers

ISBN: 10-1596692634

ISBN: 13-978-1596692633

Release Date: 9/1/09

Retail: $14.99

About the Book:
(Marion, Kentucky) - In a world of self-love and materialism it's reassuring to know that God's Word has a better plan for living. Renowned author and speaker, Jennifer Kennedy Dean, provides insight to the life of Christ, specifically the Sermon on the Mount, in her new book, Set Apart: A 6 Week Study of the Beatitudes.

Through careful study of the Hebrew traditions of biblical times, Dean leads participants into a deeper awareness of this early ministry sermon series by Christ.

Jennifer guides readers to a heightened understanding of each beatitude, correlating the Ten Commandments with the Sermon on the Mount to tie these Old and New Testament principles together. Dean shares how living the Set Apart Life is an exciting and life-changing spiritual journey. Participants surrendered to Christ will see a total transformation: outward actions of holiness as well as inward attitudes of joy. Believers following along in this workbook will experience the life God intends. This blessedness comes from seeking and knowing God. Anything outside the realm of Jesus Christ results in emptiness--the ultimate opposite of blessing.

Each chapter includes interactive questions for readers to answer, emphasizing God's desire to reproduce the character and attitudes of Jesus in each Christian's life. Along with the Bible study book, there is a Leader Kit that includes six DVD sessions and a CD with bonus material for small-group leaders. Jennifer's website, www.prayinglife.org, provides opportunities for previewing the Set Apart materials and extra resources for pastors and leaders.


Adapted from Set Apart by Jennifer Kennedy Dean
"I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Cor 12:9-10).

My weakness is my greatest asset in the Kingdom. My weakness is where God meets me. My weakness is where Christ's power is most clearly displayed in me. Only when I am confronted with my own helplessness can I experience the power of Christ in me.

"Your helplessness is your best prayer. It calls from your heart to the heart of God with greater effect than all your uttered pleas. He hears it from the very moment that you are seized with helplessness, and He becomes actively engaged at once in hearing and answering the prayer of your helplessness." (O. Hallesby, Prayer)

I recently had the tiniest glimpse of how powerfully helplessness speaks. A few years ago, I lost my husband to brain cancer. During the final months of his illness, he became utterly helpless. The man I had leaned on for 26 years, whose strength I counted on, was now dependent upon me for his every need. During those weeks, my ear was tuned to his every sigh, his every restless movement, every change in his breathing pattern. If I had to be out of his room for even a few minutes, I had a monitor with me so I could hear him if he needed me. When he was strong, I was not so attentive. His needs did not fill my waking moments, when he could meet them himself. His helplessness spoke louder than any word he might have spoken. Because of his helplessness--because I knew he could do nothing on his own--I was on watch day and night.

My experience is but a pale shadow of the reality of the Kingdom, but still it helps me understand how my weakness is the opening for His strength. The fact of my helplessness is the only prayer I need. It speaks louder than eloquence.

Let your helplessness and your weakness be the offering you bring to Him. He is not waiting for you to be strong. He is waiting for you to recognize that you are weak.

GRAND PRIZE DRAWING

Please leave a comment to be entered in a drawing to win the following items from Jennifer. If you are a leader (small groups, book club, Bible Study, Women's Ministry), please note that you are--you will automatically be entered in the contest. If you are a member of one of these groups at your church or community, mention that you are a group member.

You will be entered to win:
A Set Apart Leader's Kit (video and leader resources and a student book) retail $79.99
A copy of Fueled by Faith (retail $19.99)
Jennifer will have a live web event just for your group.

Jennifer Kennedy Dean is Executive director of The Praying Life Foundation and a respected author and speaker. She is the author of numerous books, studies, and magazine articles specializing in prayer and spiritual formation. Her book Heart’s Cry has been named National Day of Prayer’s signature book. You’ll find articles and daily quotes from Jennifer at the National Day of Prayer website. Her book, Live a Praying Life, has been called a flagship work on prayer.

Jennifer was widowed in 2005 after 26 years of marriage to Wayne Dean, her partner both in life and ministry. They are the parents of three grown sons. Jennifer makes her home in Marion, KY.

THIS BLOG TOUR COORDINATED BY KATHY CARLTON WILLIS COMMUNICATIONS. A COMPLIMENTARY COPY OF THE BOOK, SET APART, WAS GIFTED TO ME IN EXCHANGE FOR RUNNING THIS TOUR ON MY BLOG.

Books, Books & More Books

I'm unofficially declaring this "Book Week" here at A Musing Mom Speaks. Later in the week you'll get the scoop on two books just released. But for today, I'm going to get personal and share with you the contents of my bedside reading pile. It has maintained a good height for the past few months and I have often lost track of where I am in which book (thank goodness for bookmarks, huh). That means that I'm trying to absorb more than my usual dose of daily reading. And that comes from getting many recommendations and reading many glowing book reviews. I should probably just keep a list. But instead I click over to my library's website and place a hold on books as I hear about them or borrow books from those who recommend them. Hence the pile. Here are the current occupants (with commentary):

1. The Great Christmas Bowl by Susan May Warren - recently released and a fun read, especially for this time of year. I'm anxious to see how it ends, but not anxious for it to end. Know the feeling? Guess I'm stuck since it's only a novella. May have to get more Susan May Warren books after this.
2. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell - because everyone is talking about this book and his "10,000 hours" premise. Picked it up today from the library. My thoughts after an initial scan: interesting to a point, but not entirely useful information for a writer mom. Probably an excellent read for those in the business world. However, I expect/hope I'll revise my opinion after further reading, with all the praise it's getting from people in a variety of circles (including moms).
3. Writer Mama by Christina Katz - aha! a book for people just. like. me. Highly useful information, so much that I think I need a copy of my own. I've just used up the last of my 5 renewals on it, so back it goes soon. Love this book!
4. Writer's Digest Handbook of Magazine Article Writing edited by Michelle Ruberg - yeah, another writing book. What can I say? I'm a writer, working on magazine articles. I can use all the help I can get. Which would be why DH gave me this for my birthday...not! He got it because it was on my Amazon wish list. Right, dear?
5. Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss - a book on punctuation punctuated by lots of great British humor. A must read for everyone. We could all do better at knowing how and when to use things like a semicolon; it's use has diminished greatly because of a lack of this knowledge. And as you can see, I have not yet commenced a proper reading of this tome. I've only skimmed it enough to know that I need, need, need to read it.
6. The World in Half by Cristina Henriquez - borrowed from my mom. Written by her friend's daughter-in-law. From what I can tell, it's literary fiction, which means it's good to read, as in good for you in a literary way. And since I'm a writer, I need extra doses of literary stuff. After The Christmas Bowl, this moves to the top of the pile, fiction-wise.

Ah, see there? It's an even half-dozen. And since I returned A Life That Says Welcome by Karen Ehman when I picked up Outliers today, I'm keeping a steady pace. Although there is that bag of books a friend handed to me at church yesterday...

Any good books on your bedside? I'm always open for more recommendations. I'm pretty sure the pile could handle a few more without toppling.

Inbox at 6!

Puts a Smile on My Face

There are certain things from childhood that stick with you, for better or ill. Like the time a boy (the only person in my childhood to share my birthday) gave me a black eye during kindergarten recess. Or playing Breyer horses in my best friend's basement. Or in first grade when my eighth-grade buddy insisted on carrying me around during our school Halloween parade because he thought I was so adorable. He was dressed as a doctor. I don't remember my costume.

And then there were the smiley-face cookies. Back in the age when children could bring in treats for their birthday (before food allergies posed such a threat), some kids would bring the yellow-frosted smiley face cookies from the local bakery. These were my absolute favorite birthday treat. Only the rich kids would bring them in. Thankfully enough, there were plenty of rich kids at my school. The rest of us brought homemade treats. I always wished I could be one of the ones to bring smiley-face cookies. But they were too pricey and besides, I think my mother enjoyed making birthday treats.

I relived that memory the other day when picking my daughter up from a friend's house. This family owns a bakery and they had given the Uber-Princess a cool pumpkin-face cookie to take home. It reminded me of those smiley-face cookies, so I recounted my story to the friend's mom. Several days later she showed up at school with a little green gift bag. Inside were two smiley-face cookies from their bakery. "My husband sent these for you," she said.

I grinned like those cookie faces the rest of the day. Too bad my kids can't bring treats to school. I would definitely be sending smiley-face cookies from my friend's bakery. I may just have to find another occasion to get some again.

Inbox is at 22.

A Season of "Finally!" and "At Last!"

This Fall has been filled with a series of much-anticipated firsts for the Uber-Princess. It began with the start of kindergarten in August, which came at last for this little girl whose birthday misses the age requirement cutoff for our school district by NINE DAYS. Last year when a bunch of her neighborhood friends started kindergarten, Uber-Princess watched them go--without her. With her good-natured disposition, she seemed to let it go easily. But inside she was cataloguing that and all the other events that had to be put off for the year.

Now this year she has welcomed those things with gusto: her first day at our elementary school, the first day of soccer, the first day of Awana, her first field trip. At long last she gets to do all these things that she has been watching her sisters do for years. And she is loving every minute of it.

On our way home from her last soccer game this weekend (played in cold temps, drizzle and even some hail), she proudly wore her soccer medal. "I got my very first medal," she proclaimed to her sister, who had taken shelter in our minivan during the final minutes of the game. Blessedly her sister (Timid Daughter) congratulated her on it. I think TD gets it - this whole waiting thing. After all, she watches Little Miss History going before her and continues to wait for her turn to come for things like Outdoor Ed (fifth grade) and Safety Patrol (4th/5th grade).

And now today the Uber-Princess hovered around Amusing Dad and I as we sat chatting on our couch after dinner. She couldn't wait to get started on making her car for the Awana pinecar derby. Once Amusing Dad was free, she proudly marched down the stairs behind him to his workshop. Pretty soon the sound of power tools buzzing and humming issued from our basement. About a half hour later the Uber-Princess emerged, a satisfied grin on her face, muttering about having all the 60's and 150's and 200's lined up for tomorrow. Huh? A moment later Amusing Dad showed up to explain that he had things all set for her to start sanding the next day and she knew just what to do to go through the grits. Yep, she'd been waiting for years to have a car to work on with Dad. She knew plenty already from watching her sisters. She was ready. Finally. At last. It was her turn.

Inbox Influx

I'm still on my quest to whittle the contents of my electronic inbox. It's been an up and down battle - not much different than before. Whittle the number of messages down during the work week, what the number soar over the weekend. Rinse and repeat.

I've tired of the time involved in attempting to taim the virtual and real influx of communications. As it is, my counter is almost always littered with school papers and snail mail, in spite of my best efforts. I even complete and return all school forms the next day after they come home. And I immediately pitch the junk mail. Yet it still piles up, on my counter and in my inbox.

Then last night it occurred to me how email filters could work for me. When I read how Michael Hyatt uses them, it didn't sound like something I wanted to try. But as I dumped yet one more retail coupon from my inbox to the "coupons" folder, I saw the use for filters. They are perfect for reducing the repetitive task of filing. So I've begun today testing out filters. Now all of the retail ads/coupons I get will automatically go into the "coupon" file where I can read them at my leisure. My email program will flag that there are new messages there so that I know to look in the folder. But no more glancing at each one and then dragging the file over. Now I can read through a bunch at once and be done.

Of course, this has necessitated some rethinking of my inbox folders. I'm trying to simplify my system to better see at a glance what needs attention. But how much time to spend on that? I've worked at it a little this morning. And I think I'll give the filters a few days to do their stuff and see how that effects things before doing more. But now I have hope. That zero inbox just became a little less illusive.

Current inbox status: 35 messages

It's Heeerrrree

H1N1 has arrived in our little city. Who knows when exactly, maybe the county health department. They have been active in keeping the community informed, and the school community in particular, due to the unusual threat the disease poses to younger people. So we know it's "here"-- meaning out there in the far reaches of our city. It's "here" in terms of being the subject of reports in the local newspaper. It's "here", but not where I live. My family is safe from the threat, I think to myself.

Monday a missive arrived by email telling us that the regular updates on the disease's progress would cease. It explained that cases had been reported from every school in our district and at every grade level. I guess we were to consider ourselves notified and were to take every precaution against acquiring/spreading the disease. That means H1N1 is at our school. It is "here", as in sharing the same building with my children.

The arrival of this disease has mostly done little to effect our neighborhood. Sure the topic of playground conversation has switched to the flu vaccine and whether or not it's a good idea to get the live vaccine or not or whether to even get a vaccine at all. Even in the conversation the tone is one of guarded optimism. H1N1 is "here" in a still sort of "out there" kind of way. We go about our business, keep to our usual routines. Nothing changes.

Until this afternoon. Another email arrives, this time from our grade school. 24 children were absent today, 18 with flu symptoms, 10 of them from one classroom. In fact, that particular classroom had a total of 14 absent children - half of the class. A fifth grade class. The fifth graders just took an overnight trip together earlier this week. My daughter is in fifth grade. The flu is "here", as in affecting her classmates and friends. The flu is no longer a report in the newspaper or a statistic from the health department.

I'm worried. Yes, more than likely most, if not all, of these children (and any others who catch it) will weather the flu unharmed. But...the threat is now here, not out "there". I find it chilling. It's chilling to hear my daughter report that they are required to wash their hands every time they leave their classroom*. It's chilling to think of so many children sick at the same time. It's chilling to think of even the remotest possiblity that our school might have to close for a brief time like one area high school has.

Forget the skeletons and ghouls and spiders. This Halloween season, the scariest thing here in our city is the dreaded flu virus. People just might start wearing masks a little bit early this year.

*This is not at all a commentary on our school's efforts to keep the kids healthy. That they are making the kids wash so frequently isn't chilling. That they have to do so is.

ArachnoFAUXbia

The decorating this time of year can sometimes bug me. Some of it creeps me out. It makes my skin crawl. It scares me. Why? Because I can't stand spiders. And we all know that the spider ranks up there in freak factor for Halloween decorations, particularly very large, very hairy spiders. Ugh! Just typing that wigs me out.

Spiders, living or dead, fake or real, drive me nuts. Something about the way they move and the idea that they can live in my house and walk across my body while I'm sleeping gets to me. Now, I'm not so squeamish that I actually scream when I see one. But I do jump and run or I jump and grab the nearest large implement-of-squashing and then half close my eyes to do the deed.

My daughters, thankfully, do not share in my fear. Most bugs and critters fascinate them. They'd rather get up close and inspect them than run or squash them. And they find my fear amusing. They enjoy teasing me about it - as in putting fake spiders and bugs under my pillow for laughs.

It must be all the exposure I've had to their fake spiders that has me particularly weirded-out this year. My tolerance for spiders of any kind has dipped to an all-time low. The pipe-cleaner spider the Uber-Princess has makes my skin crawl - I can't stand to see it. Yes, that's how bad it's gotten.

So I'm having a bit of a challenge this month in navigating the retail scene. Too much creep factor for me. In fact, the other day I encountered a rather large, black and orange long-legged spider poised above the bags of potatoes in the supermarket. I needed potatoes. I did not have in my possession any rather large shoes or implements-of-squashing. But I needed those potatoes. After a few shudders and a quick mental pep-talk, I squinched my eyes, scurried toward the bag farthest from the arachnid monster, grabbed and ran. It took a few minutes before my racing heart settled. Thankfully the rest of the store was bug free or my family might be going hungry.

I can't wait for November. Leaves and corn and Pilgrims sound so soothing. And hopefully by then my kids will have stopped leaving their critters on top of my things. I'm getting tired of cringing and flinging.

A Slow Burn Reviewed

I first learned of writer Mary DeMuth (author of parenting books: Authentic Parenting in a Postmodern Culture, Building the Christian Family You Never Had, and Ordinary Mom, Extraordinary God and novels:Watching the Tree Limbs, Wishing on Dandelions and Daisy Chain) online through her Relevant Blog. Then I began learning from her on her So You Want to Be Published blog. As if that weren't blessing enough, I had the opportunity to meet her and learn from her in person this summer at the Write to Publish Conference. So you can imagine when Mary asked for bloggers to review her latest book, I jumped at the chance. Perhaps I could bless her back in a small way, I thought. Think again! In reading this book I received a blessing from Mary instead. Here's what I found between the pages:


“Worry had its way with Emory, enticing her to stay up late after her night shift, hoping against hope that her missing daughter, Daisy, would walk through the front door laughing and shouting and singing all at once.” So begins Mary DeMuth’s second book in her Defiance Texas Triology, A Slow Burn, a book that had its way with this reader, enticing me to stay up late after my kids were in bed, hoping against hope that things would turn out okay for Emory Chance.

DeMuth artfully draws us into the story of Daisy’s pot-head waitress, single mother (who we met in book one) as she learns that her teenaged daughter has been murdered and in that learning faces mountains of guilt, regret and self-condemnation. As bleak and hopeless as Emory’s story would seem, it becomes infused with light and hope through the character of Hixon, a black handyman prophet whose mission from God is to woo and marry “Missy”, as he nicknames Emory, even against his own wishes.

We watch Emory navigate through a dual series of mysterious happenings, both chilling and affirming – one her stalking, presumably by Daisy’s murderer; the other, the delivery of type-written prayers that send Emory on a pilgrimage of her daughter’s last days. Between the suspense of these activities, the struggles of faith we see in Hixon’s pursuit of Emory, and the deep emotions evoked as she wields her awkward, potentially lethal grief among her loose web of small-town friendships, we become engaged in this story on all fronts.

DeMuth’s skillful writing not only provides a rich storyline and believable characters, but also a delight for the ears through the subtly of her descriptions. Consider this paragraph from early in the book:

“But when Missy death-marched across the graveyard barefooted in the cold, Hixon’s heart thrummed his ribcage. Frail, whispery, she seemed to haunt the space around her, though he felt for sure if a stiff Defiance wind kicked up its heels, it’d blow her clear to Louisiana. Maybe that’s what she wanted. That being the case, he’d have to follow her on that wind, watch a spindly armed tree tangle her up like an out-of-control kite, and gently woo her back to the grass below. And to him.”

Yes, the subject matter is dark. To be certain, DeMuth avoids any trite telling and clichéd happy endings. But the strong themes of redemption, forgiveness and unconditional love leave the reader overwhelmed by a sense of God’s goodness in the midst of chaos. I absolutely loved this book and would recommend it to anyone who isn’t afraid to look with DeMuth at what can occur when the worst that can happen meets the best in God's people.

A Slow Burn releases this Thursday! You can buy it here. Or check out more reviews at A Slow Burn's blog tour. Visit Mary DeMuth's website here.

Rolling in the dough - or maybe not

I bought 50 pounds of bread flour last weekend. Not ten 5-pound bags. I bought one 50-pound bag. The price on bread flour has really gotten to me lately. Buying the 50-pound bag at Costco cost less than half the price at the grocery store. That can really make a difference for us, especially since we go through a bag about every two to three weeks. I use it for weekly pizza night and for dinner rolls and foccacia. You see, I have one of those fancy bread machines. For the past five or six years I've used it as a dough machine. Not any more.

With that big bag of flour staring me down, things had to change. I scoured my pantry and cabinets and unearthed any and every container I could find to fill with flour. I passed some along to my mom. Then my enterprising husband stopped at Menards Home Depot to get me one of those huge plastic paint type buckets. That left me with only about, oh, say ten pounds of bread flour to use. What's a mom to do? And what's a mom who's run out of bread for her kids' lunches to do? Bake!

Before I went to bed Sunday night I read the bread machine manual. Then I poured in the ingredients, pressed all the right buttons and went to bed. Would you believe it that my family was greeted by the smell of fresh baked bread when we woke up the next day? That machine worked! It actually baked a nice loaf of bread.

My kids were thrilled for fresh bread. The first loaf was devoured in a little more than a day. So Tuesday night I repeated the process. Now that loaf is nearly gone. And I've been told by my children that they would prefer I not buy bread at the store any more. They'd just rather have homemade. I can see their point. I'm pretty sure it's costing me less than buying bread at the store too. I'm only wondering why I hadn't done this before.

I still have about 40 pounds of bread flour. At this rate it won't last me nearly so long. But I'll still ask:
anyone have a use for some bread flour? I'm happy to share!

Epilogue: Just learned that a great deal on flour at Jewel (a Chicagoland grocery store) starts tomorrow! Would have been even cheaper. But then again, I wouldn't have bought 50 pounds of it and have all the stories to tell and probably wouldn't be baking nearly as much fresh bread.

Sabbatical: Day 4

My plate is nearly empty. I am now officially on sabbatical. And it feels so incredibly good!

What is this about? It's about rest and recharging. It's about taking time to breathe and be. It's about margin.Taking a sabbatical means that I have intentionally dropped all (well, nearly all) volunteer activities that I have been involved in. It means my personal schedule has been trimmed as much as I feel would be wise for right now. It means I've worked hard at practicing saying the word, "No".

Can I tell you that it's been hard to get here? There are so many opportunities for me to give my time. At church, in my moms' group, in my community, at school. And those are all things that I love. Many of the opportunities have been fun. And cutting back hasn't been without a feeling of sadness. I miss the Task Team meetings for GEMS - they are always a great time of encouragement and it doesn't necessarily feel like work. I miss the time with those women. Last week I walked out of my Toastmaster's meeting, knowing I wouldn't return for three months (and Home CFO, come the end of December, you can badger me about coming back). I felt like crying. I love my time at Toastmasters.

But I also know that I've been jumping from one big project to another, from one deadline to another, from one event to another. For years I've lived this way. It's easy to get there. Many people around me are in the same boat. How many of us have actively chosen a busy lifestyle? And how many have simply slowly succumbed to it?

As it is, I will be busy enough shepherding my children from place to place and event to event. Three children and their activities can be pretty time consuming. I get that. Yet those aren't necessarily the stressors of life. It's those activities on top of the ones we have ourselves in that work together to put a heavy burden of stress on us.

So I've gotten out of that for the moment. I will be helping at school on a limited basis. I'll still be going to things like small group and church and work (for the whole 2 hours that I have to spend there each week). Otherwise I'm free. Free to think and explore new things. Free to do that spur-of-the moment activity or opportunity that comes up. Hopefully free to lend a hand more often, but also free to say "no" to that too.

And I plan to do a lot more writing. Certainly here on the blog. But also for wider publication. It's always been my dream. I've given it a little time and attention before now. Just now, it gets to be center stage for a bit. And that feels very good.

How about you? When was the last time you took time off from the busyness of life? How did it feel to take a break? Do you need to give yourself a break right now?

Nothing Gold Can Stay

Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

 -- Robert Frost

Last night as we reassembled our room, my husband went through some poster tubes that had been languishing in a corner by his dresser.

"Hey, I think some of these are yours," he said. He carefully unrolled a stack of old posters. Immediately I recognized them: my old Top Gun movie poster, a library poster that said "READ" with a photo of Michael J. Fox holding a book, and one of Patrick Swayze. I didn't see any in that pile, but I recall a number of pin-ups I had of Michael Jackson too. All these guys that I thought were so cool (or maybe "hot") when I was young.

Then it struck me - life has had its way with many former teen idols. And it hasn't been pretty. Michael J. Fox struggles with the devastating effects of Parkinson's disease, Michael Jackson is gone and as of yesterday, so is Patrick Swayze. Going, gone. When I was a teen these guys all seemed so vibrant, so full of life, even larger than life. But I'm no longer a teen and they no longer have that same hold on life. Frost summed it up well: "Nothing gold can stay".

Chaos Before Comeliness

My house is a wreck today. All of the rooms upstairs have been nearly gutted, except for the one room packed floor-to-ceiling with furniture (through which I had to crawl spelunker-like to get to my printer this morning. With all the contorting and twisting I had to do, I was sure I was going to get stuck and they'd have to send a rescue crew. Thankfully it wasn't dark in there like a real cave or I would have freaked). My living and dining rooms could double as a resale shop - table crammed with knick-knacks and clocks and lamps, floor strewn with the contents of five closets and beds. Even the family room got into the act and absorbed all of our laundry baskets and piles of sheets and mattress covers. Yep, it's utter chaos here.

But there's a purpose for all of it: we're getting new carpet in all but one of our upstairs rooms. Considering the carpet looked worn and stained when we moved in six years ago, it's long overdue. We're pretty excited. Tonight we'll be walking on soft plush carpet instead of the matted down berber we're used to. And in due time the chaos will disappear and order will be restored. That makes all of the clutter and mess today worth it. It doesn't make it any less messy. It doesn't negate all the hard work it took to tear things apart and all the effort it's going to take to restore things. But knowing the end in mind, this woman-who-hates-clutter can tolerate the current state of our house.

I need to remember this. So often when life gets messy I throw a fit. I don't like relationships that are full of junk, where I'm constantly navigating a minefield and often getting stuck in tight places. I don't care for situations where everything I had so neatly planned out gets pitched into a pile somewhere else for a while. But in life, if we're patient enough to leave those piles be, if we're gutsy enough to try new ways of contorting ourselves through tight spots, if we can trust that there's a purpose to the messiness - we just might find something beautiful at the end. All too often though, we'd just rather live with the old issues that we've known were there for years, than to go through the work of ripping things apart to get to an unstained, soft heart. But, my friends, it just might be worth it.

I'll be glad when we're through with the carpet installation and all the rooms are put back. It's going to look so nice. If you happen to come by before we're done, don't be afraid to come in. Our door is still open. And in the meantime, if I seem angry at times or too pushy about getting my way, or somehow or another just don't live up to what they say a Christian should be like...I'm in the midst of a bit of construction work myself. Sorry if you see the mess, but I'm keeping the door open anyway. I'm hoping when it's all done I'll have a pretty great looking heart. It happens to be taking a little chaos inside to get there.

A Book Review: Havah

I have so many thoughts rattling around in my head these days. Five or more posts are waiting to get written down to share with you. But in light of the long weekend, and perhaps everyone's last chance to sit beside the pool with a good book, I'd like to share a book review with you. So here it is:

I recently read a book that altered my perception of the earth’s first woman in startling ways. If you haven’t heard of Tosca Lee’s new book, Havah, then you’ve been missing out.

Lee brings to life Eden and Eve’s life in it starting from the moment of Eve’s first breath. Her skill with descriptive language places us in Eve’s skin and has us experiencing this new life with her. We get the otherworldly-yet-not feel from how Lee portrays this paradise and we marvel with Eve at “the adam” who is with her. We also marvel the complete knowledge they have of each other, how they read each other’s thoughts and sense each other’s whereabouts. This man and woman are perfect for each other. They never argue. There’s no misunderstanding. Ah yes, this is what paradise would be!

The funny thing is, even though as readers familiar with the Biblical story of Adam and Eve, we know how it’s going to turn out, Lee manages to keep us turning pages. She deftly draws us into the story. She shows keen insight into human nature. And she captures the devastation of The Fall in ways I had not ever considered.

Much of what takes place in the story comes in the time after Eden. Lee fills in the gaps of years between the lines of Scripture and gets us out of our preconceived stereotypes of the characters in the familiar stories. Her use of the Hebrew names (“Havah” for Eve, “Kayin” for Cain and “Hevel” for Abel) not only aid that shift but also add to the ancient feel of the narrative. All throughout the story her use of unusual terms and surprising descriptions add depth and emotion to the story.

Lee is an incredibly gifted writer. And as a former Mrs. United States, she obviously has talent to spare. I cannot recommend this book enough. It is a book about being a woman, about relationships, and ultimately, about hope. Get yourself a copy today!

It Goes So Fast

Several weeks ago my children found newly hatched caterpillars on the underside of a milkweed leaf at a friend's house. They were tiny mites, one barely visible. The friend kindly tucked the leaves with the caterpillar nibs into a Panera cup for the girls to bring home.

Over the next few days and weeks we would watch them grow as they nibbled their way through those leaves. They and their Panera cup home took up residence on our kitchen counter where we could watch their progress. The tiny specks became little wormy caterpillars, became big striped caterpillars. We laughed to see them double in size in a day as they munched heartily on the milkweek leaves we fed them. And we gagged as the bottom of the cup filled with their droppings and had to be carefully dumped. Always, always, the younger one was just a bit smaller, just a day behind the other. And so as one went, we knew the other would also.

A week and a half ago, I came down in the morning to find a chrysalis where there once had been a caterpillar. And a few hours later his brother took up the hanging "J" form in the Panera cup. Pretty soon, he too had become a small greenish blob with a band of golden beads draped along the top like a necklace. We've held our breaths since then, carefully trying not to jostle the cup, as if doing so could break the hold of the chrysalis on the lid of the cup. Bah! How we doubted the tenacity of this things. They appeared so fragile. We'd watched one chrysalis die before in this stage. We wondered what would happen this time.

By Sunday evening one of them had become clear, so clear that we could see the orangish wings of the monarch butterfly inside. And then, yesterday morning, it became black. Certainly this is the end, I thought. And it was an end of sorts. By lunchtime it had become dried looking. I took the Uber-Princess to get groceries.

When we returned home, I carefully set the groceries on the counter so as not to disturb the Panera cup. What I saw made me gasp, first in horror. Then...in delight! That tiny dried black chrysalis had been replaced by a large, beautiful orange and black butterfly!! I watched as the splindly black legs curled and uncurled, grasping to hold onto the lid so that the butterfly could suspend itself to let its wings dry.

After school my children and I took the cup outside. I carefully held the lid aloft, now aware that the still-green chrysalis could handle some shifting and movement. The butterfly began to flutter in the cup. Carefully, I shook it out onto the ground. Immediately it felt the wind under its wings and began to fly. First slowly, near the ground, with a few shakey dips. And then quickly, oh too quickly, it soared up, up, up. My heart rose and then sank as our butterfly took off up over the roof of our house. So soon it was gone.

It's like that for us moms, isn't it? We hold these tiny things in our arms and watch them grow and change. We feed them and dispose of their waste. We marvel at how much they eat. And then one day while we're out for groceries, they emerge, beautiful and stunning. And we set them free to fly, thrilled and devastated at the same time.

Julie, Julia and Me

In an odd confluence of events that occurs, oh, about once every 3-5 years, a friend wanted to see a first-run movie that interested me on a night where I had nothing going on. So we went, along with two other friends. And can I say that it felt an awful lot like coming out of a cave after a long hibernation? We all blanched at the ticket price and gagged at the outrageous cost for popcorn and drinks. I'm a cheapie theatre buff who goes back for the free refills on my small popcorn that I'm sharing with my three children. This truly was a splurge. But it was worth it.

We saw Julie & Julia. I had read reviews of the book when it came out. Since I'm not a foodie, I had no desire to read it. But seeing the movie, I really related to Julie Powell. True story: she was a wanna-be writer, working as a secretary for the government resolving post 9-11 settlements. Cooking was her source of comfort. So her husband encouraged her to start a blog and she came up with the idea of cooking her way through Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Hence The Julie/Julia Project is born.

It was so funny to watch them set up her blog and then her early days of wondering whether anyone is actually reading. All of us bloggers can relate, no? Then our paths diverge. She gets fan mail from readers who send her food for her recipes (okay, so c'mon y'all - where's my fan mail? How about some craft supplies? JK!). Soon she's featured in the New York Times and gets dozens of phone calls from agents and publishers begging to sign her on for a book and later on that book becomes a movie (can you guess which one?). I'm sure that will all happen for me once everyone gets the clue that it's all about the fan mail and if you never send it, I'll never get that interview and all those contracts.

Then there were the shifts over to Julia Child's story. One word: fascinating. Meryl Streep gave a great performance. I mean, to hear her was to hear Julia Child all over again. And I found myself nodding and laughing through the interactions with publishers and editors. Particularly the scene where she furtively opens a letter from the publisher, wondering whether it will be good news or bad. Yes! That's how it goes! No one ever opens those letters or emails without a bit of hesitation and trepidation. What if it's a rejection? Is it too much to hope it's not? I'm pretty sure I was the only one in the theater that sat there shaking their head at how totally true that scene was. I've been there. Hopefully I'll be there again someday. That is how it is! Oh, except I'm not sure if my husband would jump up and down and shout for joy with me if I ever actually get one of those good letters again. He usually just gives me a "that's nice" and let's me do the jumping up and down by myself. But I do jump. And I think most writers do.

So the evening really was one of those once-in-a-long-time events (except for an eventful attempt to go to Starbucks, which you can read about here). A fun time out with friends, no child on my lap for a movie that I actually wanted to see and wasn't watching for the sake of my children or husband. A nice way to end "Back to School Week".

School is Back, Back, Back!

Maybe that's why I'm feeling like things are all scattered and needing to be put back. So first things first, I'm getting the kids put back. Back on schedule. And back in school. The Uber-Princess is still here with me for another day, so I'm not actually alone until the other two get back. But once kindergarten starts, then it's really time to get back on track. Hopefully in the meantime, somebody's got my back. Because it just feels like I've got back to back chores to complete around here. Between supplying the children for school and getting some room occupants swapped, I've been breaking my back to get stuff done. But let me back up a moment: this is "Back to School" week for us. So hopefully this whole scheduling thing will come back to me soon.

In the spirit of the whole back to school thing, check out what Christina Katz is doing on her Writer Mama blog next month:
"For the third year in a row, The Writer Mama, Christina Katz, is giving away thirty books in thirty days. All you have to do to participate is answer the question that Christina will pose daily. One lucky winner will win each day. There is no limit to how many times you can enter. The drawing is for U.S. residents. You don’t have to be a mom, but of course, the event is created with moms in mind, so please tell all the writer mamas you know! See ya in September at http://thewritermama.wordpress.com."

She's even posted a list of books for week one here. So if you're a writer, check it out. Or even if you're just a mama, that's reason enough too.

Setting Up Shop

This week teachers in our town have begun setting up the classrooms for the new school year that starts next week. But they're not the only ones getting space ready. I've been at work on my space too, getting ready for the school year.

I own my own business. It's small, very small. Just big enough to fit into the life of a mom of young kids. But it's primed to grow. The Uber-Princess starts kindergarten this year. That frees up a few more hours for business. It also means that next year she'll be in school full time. That will free up a bunch more hours for business. And I want to be ready for that.

Getting serious about an at-home business can seem like an oxymoron. I mean, what other kind of work has you switching between taking calls from clients to supervising a sibling squabble within moments? It's tempting to call the business a hobby and just leave it at that. But it's not and I won't. I'm calling it a great arrangement for an at-home mom.

That still leaves the issue of work space. I have an "office". And when I'm in there with the door shut (and a cute door hanger dangling from the knob at my children's insistence), I'm "at work". My children know not to bother me except under extreme circumstances when I'm there. Yet my office is also my husband's den. It's filled with bookshelves and more books than can fit them. His guitars fill nearly half the closet and boxes of old "stuff" litter the floor. The five drawer filing cabinet has been stuffed so full over the past few years that it can take no more.

This is my office. In the interest of getting serious about work, I've been seriously setting up shop. We cleared out space in the file cabinet for my business files (I now have a whole twelve inches of the five drawers to call my own). I'm evicting clutter from my desktop (slowly, oh so slowly it goes). And I hope that we can clear the floor too. Thankfully I don't have visitors to my office over the age of ten. But I think I deserve a presentable space. That's why I'm starting early. Hopefully by the time school starts next year I'll actually have it.

When it comes to having space for business though, what really matters is the mental and emotional space that you give it. Up until now I've made do with a portable file box and a laptop. This year I'm upgrading to the file cabinet and perhaps some desk space. Neither is what makes me a successful at-home business owner. It's more about how I view and approach my business. And that's what works for me. For more Works for Me Wednesday goodness, check out other posts here.

If you're a work-at-home mom, you should check out a great book I've been reading. It's called Making Work at Home Work by Mary Byers. It's a very practical book written by a successful author and speaker who also has been extremely influential in my own career.