My first post with Christian Children's Authors --Example of Verse Journaling

I'm starting to blog with www.chrisianchildrensauthors.com

I will do a post every other month on the third Thursday.  So this Thursday was my first post!

So honored to be included in their blog. Click on the link below to see what I posted about verse journaling.

Link to my post with CCA

Two Creativity Challenges in One Month!

Let the brainstorming and creativity begin to roll!

I am happy to announce that I am a proud Storystorm participant. This means I am committed to brainstorming at least one picture book idea per day during the month of January. (I can do more than one if I want) :) This is put on by Tara Lazar. She gathers many "experts" in the field of picture book writing and offers advice and give-aways all month long. I highly recommend this experience.

I also joined a creativity challenge put on through Accent Interactive. Each day during the month of January participants are challenged to do something "creative" to make it a habit. I am committing to make at least one Pinterest pin that will link with my blog to help me grow my "tribe."  I am happy to announce that today I made 13 new pins, all linking back to a previous post on this blog. It was fun and felt great to "create!" 

So thankful for the people at Accent who are joining together to BE CREATIVE!  

If you would like to join in the creativity fun, email ken@accentinteractive.net and tell him your commitment. 

Also, check out their services at http://www.accentinteractive.com They are a very talented group of experts!

Shout out to students! (And one in particular who helped me with this blog design)

A big shout out to one of the students in my S.M.A.R.T period --you know who you are-- :) who helped me attach my banner to this Blogger template. I have been wanting to get my banner the same over all of my social media outlets. Twitter, Blog, Facebook, and Instagram. But I lacked the know-how.

Each Monday I have a group of students that gathers for what is called S.M.A.R.T period. Essentially a study hall/ or homeroom where we may take care of essential announcements, standardized testing, and the like. One day, as we were talking about school scheduling, he showed the class something that he had created for the school catalog. A brilliant web design. To put it mildly, this student has a bright future in anything/everying tech related!

So over the next few weeks I worked up my courage to ask him for help. He not only knew what to do, he had the issue solved it within a matter of minutes.

I am forever grateful!

Students.  Technology is their thing.

What I learned:  Don't be afraid to ask them for help!

Story Storm -- How did I do?

I loved participating in Story Storm.

It was very motivating to receive tips in my inbox each day from published authors and illustrators. They had some unique suggestions on where to get ideas for stories!

Here's what happened to me this month:

I brainstormed 40 ideas.  (I was hoping for more, but it was great to have a push to get some new ideas cooking.)

I began developing two of the ideas because I am so excited about them.

I also joined a critique group through SCBWI and went to my first meeting.  It was fun! I look forward to receiving feedback about some of my writing pieces.

Finally, I even edited and worked on a few proposals for manuscripts that have been on the back burner for awhile.

Thanks STORY STORM, for helping me be productive and push forward with my writing!

I'm a STORY STORM participant!

Each day of January I am pledging to brainstorm ideas for new stories.  All participants of STORY STORM are on the honor system (meaning we don't actually share our ideas publically), but each day on Tara Lazar's blog, she hosts an "expert" who gives exercises and techniques for authors to use.  The first few days of January were a little rough for me, but I have now officially started and am ready to CREATE!  Maybe one day I'll be able to say..."that book you hold in your hand was an idea that came from STORY STORM 2018!"


Tara's blog/website

Thanks, @Tara Lazar for this inspirational experience.
You can also follow the Twitter hashtag #STORYSTORM to see what we are up to.

5 Minute Friday (or Saturday) -- ONLY

If only...   two sneaky words that can rob each day of joy!!

Recently I read and studied author Shannon Popkin's Bible Study Control Girl.  In it, she reminded me that "Transformation begins in our thought patterns."

She continued, "When you reflect on truth, you wear new grooves in your mind."

"Thoughts are powerful.  What we believe shapes the direction we take in life.  So to change direction, we must change our thought patterns."

She tied it in with Romans 12:2 which says, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."

So how does that apply to the key word "ONLY" for 5 minute Friday?

Lately I have gotten into a bad habit of thinking "if only"

If only _______, then I could really have joy and/or be happy.

If only _______, then life would be fair and/or better.

If only _______, then I would really have it all together like "insert name of person I can't quite be as perfect as." 

You get the picture.  But the problem with "if only" is that I am wallowing around in the darkness and missing out on so many current experiences of JOY!  Time to stop that, and start being transformed by the renewing of my mind!

My "if onlys" may never happen.  (and probably won't).  So what is it in my present situation that I can give thanks for?  Many, many things!  There's the big stuff like...

• my salvation
• my husband
• my kids
• my job
• my fantastic students
• my friends
• God's provision for my needs

Then there is all the beautiful extra blessings that happen along each day...

Such as... (I love details, don't you?)

• Doug (my husband) putting up the Christmas light this year--they make me smile.

• Going to the movie Coco with my daughter and loving all the great Día de los Muertos tie-ins for class.

• Facetiming my daughter who is in college.

• Getting to analyze an Agatha Christie novel with my son as an assignment for his class.

• Coffee with a student from our former youth group where I had the privilege of hearing about her trip to Africa and all of her adventures.

• A light sprinkling of snow this morning.

• My students--I love our conversations in Spanish and English...they make my day brighter EVERY day!

• God's voice to me through his Word as in the Control Girl study.

In conclusion:

I need to spend time reflecting on truth.

I need to stop saying if only and start living in the joy-filled NOW.  What about you?