What Are You Unpacking?

Where has the time gone?  It is nothing but a blur...

I have sat down several times to write a new post - but I had to put it on the slow-burner.  Life kept getting in the way!

Do you ever feel like that?  You have good intentions and it's all planned out in your head - but then you are forced to re-prioritize, or just nix it altogether...

I once heard a wise saying that I have never forgotten:  "People take precedence over plans!"

Much has happened in the past 3 months since I last wrote to you.  We sold our home and moved into a smaller one --- much smaller.  Downsizing is NOT for the faint-of-heart.  Then we spent a couple of weeks doing some minor renovations including flooring.  That is not an easy task when you are still living in the home!  I am now in the process of unpacking and re-evaluating the necessity of many items as I go through them one by one.  There will undoubtedly be more sold at garage sales, more given away to charity, and more taken to the dump.  My husband and I are settling into our retirement abode - ever so slowly.

In addition to the move, I have also dealt with my Dad having major surgery and the discovery of cancer.  I am the eldest of two daughters and the only one living in close proximity to my parents.  Many family responsibilities and duties have kept me busy over the past several weeks.  As is the case with most aging parents, their adult children are more involved in their day to day care giving and assistance.  I am also still employed part time and have a retired spouse at home.

So - now you know why I haven't been writing lately!  So sorry for the lapse ---

As I take a DEEP BREATH to relieve the stress, I am also giving myself permission to rest and take my time with the whole "unpacking thing".  Moving can stretch any marriage and bring out the worst in your relationship.  God has gently urged me to extend more grace and use more patience while we are settling into our new home.

Unpacking can be exhilarating and exhausting.  Each box opened is a reminder of a memory, an accomplishment, a failure, a dream, a regret... a whole gamut of emotions. One box dredges up memories from when our son was a toddler.  Another box reveals treasures from past travels. Others house rarely used serving pieces and cooking utensils.  How did I acquire so much in 30+ years of marriage?

Oh well... day by day I'm beginning to see the fruits of my labors.  Room by room I'm making progress.  Little by little things are being put away.

So - in the meantime I have given myself permission to post on the Blog as I have time and not stress about it.  My sanity and well-being at home takes priority right now, along with my precious family.

Our son came into town for a week and my granddaughter celebrated her 4th birthday.  Life lived fully is life lived well...

Halloween  is here -  so I am posting this link to a piece I did last year  Trick or Treat

Deborah is the author of a Christian non-fiction book titled “Mission Possible”. It is written for women who love the Lord Jesus, but their spouse doesn’t share their passion.  It will encourage and challenge the reader to embrace God’s promises for their spouse and future together. 

Visit  http://www.spirituallyunevenmarriage.com

What Are You Unpacking?

We're Moving...

No - not the Blog...

My husband and I are finally down-sizing.  After nearly 32 years of marriage we are selling our current home and moving into a Condo. 

So - this will be my last Blog post until after the move (sometime in early August).

While we are not changing zip codes, we are moving nonetheless...

I grew up in a military family, so relocating every 2-3 years was the norm.  I spent my elementary school years overseas and eventually attended three different high schools.  Moving forced my sister and I to make friends quickly and we learned to adjust to our new surroundings with ease..

Let me now introduce you to author Carol Stratton.  Carol wrote a book titled Changing Zip Codes.  She answers some great questions about writing and her book in her Author Interview below:

1.      Please tell us a little background about yourself and how you became a writer.

I’ve always loved writing and started to send articles to magazines while in high school. I have found myself constructing imaginary conversations in my head and re telling incidents I’d been through but I didn’t get published until I submitted an essay for our local paper after 9/11.

2.      Can you please give us some background on this book and what led you to write it?

I’ve moved about 22 times (but who’s counting) and wanted to encourage anyone who found themselves following a moving van to a strange house. I am a cheerleader for any family relocating.

3.      Is this your first published book?  If yes, what were your thoughts when you first held a copy in your hands? 

      This is my first published book and after twelve years of pitching books to editors I could not contain my joy. The years of sending and getting rejected made that little book all the more special.

4.      What authors inspire you most and why?

Jan Karon, C.S.Lewis, and Catherine Marshall. I lapped up anything Catherine wrote. She wrote with such transparency in a time when the Christian writing world seemed to be stiff and more theological then personal.  When I first became a Christian I didn’t have a lot of Christians around so I learned from her writings.

5.      What has been the most challenging thing you’ve encountered while writing this book?

Telling people we’ve moved a lot. I married an adventurous entrepreneur and we’ve had a lot of fun but some people wouldn’t understand relocating so much. Also, sharing personal stories. Even though I knew some of my stories might reach a reader, it’s always hard to lift back the tent flap and show what’s going on. I didn’t always find warm fellowship and friendship in churches and I got discouraged with some moves.

6.      When you write, what do you do to motivate yourself and/or keep your focus?

 I think of what a reader needs. As a mover, you find yourself lonely and out of sorts with your schedule, your house and community. My goal is to encourage that young mom who has lost her support group and “Mama” who lives across the country. God is our faithful friend when everyone else around is new and possibly even unapproachable.

7.      Do you offer your book in the electronic book formats for various e-readers?

Yes, the book is available in Kindle on Amazon.com  http://tinyurl.com/crf2yko

8.      How have you used this book as a ministry tool to further the Kingdom of God?

It has opened doors for me to talk to others about how practical the Bible is in our everyday life. People give me quizzical looks when they know I’ve moved a lot but I hope my joy in everyday life shows that I love adventure! I’ve had a lot of interest from military ministries. Part of the proceeds of the book goes to helping give scholarships to military couples for Family Life’s “A Weekend to Remember”.

9.      What is your next project?

I have a novel coming out next year called Lake Surrender with Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. It’s about a single mom who has lost her job and house and moves from city to country hauling two kids, one an autistic 6–year old. She finds the only job available, a cook at a Christian camp. The problem: she hates cooking and has no interest in spiritual things. But she rediscovers her true identity at the bottom of a twenty gallon soup pot. I’ve had a lot of fun writing this one.

Carol writes for such publications as The Grand Rapids Press, Zionsville Times Sentinel Newspaper, the In Touch Magazine, as well as several others. She also teaches at The Write-To-Publish Conference and the CLASS Christian Writers Conference.  She and her husband live in North Carolina.  She is currently working on her new upcoming novel called Lake Surrender.

You can visit Carol at her website and blog at Changing Zip Codes .  To purchase her book as a paperback or an ebook, please visit AMAZON .

Thanks Carol for giving us a great resource to check-out prior to a move - whether it is due to a job relocation, family commitments, or just the need to be in a different size house! 

Changing Zip Codes has everything you need to be a moving EXPERT...

Deborah is the author of a Christian non-fiction book titled “Mission Possible”. It is written for women who love the Lord Jesus, but their spouse doesn’t share their passion.  It will encourage and challenge the reader to embrace God’s promises for their spouse and future together. 

Visit  http://www.spirituallyunevenmarriage.com

If you have been encouraged by this post - please take time to share it with others.

We're Moving...