Tag Archives: writing

January 4, 2015 · 9:00 am

1st Resolution of 2015: Be A Failure

I envy the people who fail with grace.

They try. They fail. They look at their failure with a “better luck next time” sort of attitude, and let it roll off them like it’s no big thing.

That’s so not me. I’m no good at failure.

I’m a type-A, 4.0 GPA, “if you want the job done better do it yourself” kind of girl, so failure and I don’t exactly get along.

But not in 2015.

I’m not really down with making resolutions, mostly because, as mentioned above, I believe in action more than intention. So while resolutions might not be my thing, I really like making goals and even more making a plan, then working the plan to achieve the goal.

So you might be surprised to find out that my first goal of 2015 is to be a failure.

2014 brought changes to my life. The biggest change was that I went back to work full time, which was both a blessing and a challenge. Even though I work from home, my job is pretty demanding, so while I’m “here,” I’m not always “here,” if you know what I mean. 90% of the time my brain is on work-mode, and the time-suck of that has been a real challenge.

Mostly because my plate was pretty full when the job came along. Suddenly: overflowing plate. Like overflowing-and-making-a-mess-on-the-floor plate. Suddenly I found myself wondering how I could balance it all.

First I looked at it as a challenge that I could overcome by making a plan. Making a schedule. Working toward a goal, like I tend to do. So I set out to do just that.

Plan for 2014:

Be a devoted follower of Jesus by spending regular, quality time with Him.

Try to be a great mom. Have plenty of quality time with my boys.

Try to be a great wife. Have plenty of quality time with my husband.

Keep the house clean and orderly, and do all the cutesy Pinterest stuff that shows the world I’m cutesy and Pinterest-y.

Exercise regularly.

Write. Write write write write write. Spit out at least 2 more books during the year.

Try to be an awesome teacher and leader. Work hard at my job, achieve career goals. Plan brilliant lessons for my students that show them that history is awesome, develop great plans that help my team achieve and becoming stronger teachers for their students and the school.

Grow the women’s ministry at church. Be a focused leader with plans, goals, and show progress toward growing the ministry. Plan and execute women’s ministry events.

Teach Sunday school. Lead Bible study. Use my gift of teaching for the good of the church and the community to glorify Him.

Continue to be active member of music ministry at church.

Get boys to and from all of their activities. Be involved mom in all of their activities so that they can be more well-rounded.

Be involved at boys’ schools. Room mom. Cutesy Pinterest stuff again.

Whew. Just reading that list makes me tired. It makes me sad. And it makes me embarrassed because there are several things on that list that just didn’t happen in 2014.

So my first goal of 2015: Be okay with being a failure.

Sometimes when our plates are too full we have to let something go and learn to say no. We (I) have to take a hard look at our priorities and figure out what’s really most important.

The difficult thing for me is that all of the stuff on my list for 2014 is pretty important (okay, not the Pinterest stuff so much).

So when I look at the list of responsibilities I have and realize that I have to let something go, all I see is a giant red F.

F for failure.

I haven’t been able to balance it all. I haven’t been able to pull it all off. I’m not “woman who can do it all.”

And I wonder, will the world judge me? Will they think I’m weak, or lazy, or disorganized, or heaven forbid, not good enough? Just because I can’t do it all?

Stupid, right? I know.

I know. And yet I feel like a failure because I have to realize that in order to do the most important things in my life, I’ve got to let some of the other stuff go.

And I have to be okay with that.

So I pray, I prioritize, and I decide that my first goal of 2015 is to be okay with looking someone in the eye and saying, “I can’t.” I’m going to be comfortable saying, “I’m doing my best and I can’t take on anything else.” I will say, “I tried and I failed. I’m sorry.”

I will remember that God has never asked for me to be perfect. He’s never asked me to do it all. He’s never expected me to be SuperWoman or SuperMom or SuperWife. In fact, he’s provided mercy and grace through the perfection of his son so that when I do fail, I know that I’m still loved by the One who matters.

Who cares what the world thinks? I’m loved even when I fail.

It’s beautifully liberating to know that God loves me no matter what, even when I don’t live up to my own standards. It’s stress-releasing and hope-giving and smile-producing.

So let something go in 2015. Be okay with looking back at 2014 and saying, “I tried and I failed.” Be okay with prioritizing, learning to say no, and trying again.

God’s mercies are new every morning. His strength is renewing, and his hope is unending.

2015 is going to be a beautiful year. My plan for this year is to revel in that beauty. Instead of focusing on trying to do it all, I’m going to focus on doing it all to the glory of the One who loves me.

Share with me: What are your goals for 2015?

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Filed under The Christian Walk

Tagged as failure, goals, God, Jesus, priorities, resolutions, teaching, writing

April 14, 2014 · 12:02 pm

A Blog Post About Why I Don’t Really Like Blog Posts

Isn’t blogging a bit pretentious? For me to assume that anything I have to say is of any importance to you?

Isn’t it a bit pretentious for any of us to assume that our words–thrown out there into the great, vast cyber-world–matter at all?

Honest moment: I’m a blogger who doesn’t have much time to read blogs. I read them when I can, I follow my favorites, and I do what I can to support my fellow writers by sharing their brilliance (and some of them really are brilliant–always share brilliance when you find it!), but I don’t have daily time to sit and read blogs. It seems that everyone these days has a blog– there’s so much information and opinion and life out there to share and learn from. But I don’t know how most blog-junkies do it. I envy them.

And here I am, adding to the chaos of social media with my own little Hale and Hearty Words. And what does my little corner of the blogosphere say about me? Should it matter?

Perhaps it stems from some sort of insecurity. Perhaps I want to avoid confrontation, so really opinionated posts aren’t good. (Although if you look through my past posts you’ll see that I really don’t shy away from opinionated. Opinionated is one of my many middle names.)

Perhaps it stems from the fact that I read incredible blogs and then I’m worried that my posts don’t carry as much wonder and awesomeness.

Perhaps it stems from the fact that I’ve gone from regular blogging to being an on-and-off blogger, blaming everything from having a new baby to taking on a new job– the severe lack of time that keeps me from blogging.

Perhaps I’m just suffering from a lack of inspiration.

So I turn a wary eye to my blog, concerned that pretentiousness exists in the very fact that I have a blog.

But then I remember that God called me to writing.

I remember how much I love words– how much they inspire me.

The words of others have impacted me in such a way that I believe God himself was speaking through them.

And I recall how God has opened so many doors for me to write and I need to take advantage of them.

So I blog. And I ask you to forgive any pretentiousness. I don’t mean to imply any or show it.

I only mean to inspire, laugh, give my opinion, and encourage readers with these posts. What this blog says about me, I hope, is that I love my Savior and I want you to love Him, too. I want you to be inspired and encouraged, and I want you to know that words are powerful.

So if you are reading this, please know that I appreciate you. And there is no pretentiousness in that.

Share with me: On average, how many hours per week do you spend reading blogs?

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Filed under Writing

Tagged as blogging, blogs, Jesus, not writing, writing

January 10, 2014 · 2:58 pm

Why It’s Okay to Be A Writer Who Isn’t Writing

You have to write to be a writer. Practice the craft. Put words to the page, even if they aren’t good words.

These are the mantras of the writing world.

And I understand them. I agree with them, even. If you want to get better at something—anything—you have to practice. That’s just a given.

But this writer, who loves the process and is dedicated to growing in the craft and writes stories in my brain all. the. time, is a writer who isn’t writing.

And that’s okay.

It’s okay because I find myself in a season of life that requires that my priorities shift away from finding daily time to hone my writing skills. And I know that there is a time for everything under the sun.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens… Ecclesiastes 3:1

Perhaps you find yourself in a similar place.

You know, when the characters in your head are so vivid that you start to worry that if you don’t get them onto the page they’ll take over and you’ll be committed and medicated.

Perhaps you should be committed for even enjoying the conversations you have with imaginary people. We can share a padded cell.

Whatever. All that aside, writing is a gift. It’s a talent. And if you want to be published, it’s a full-time job.

And I’m a writer who isn’t writing.

Shouldn’t I feel guilty?

Shouldn’t I worry that I’ll lose my “place” in the writing world if I’m not publishing at least three to five blog posts a week and adding 10 scenes a day to the 5 manuscripts I’ve got open on my desktop? Shouldn’t I feel bad that I’m not willing to give up my time with God, my husband, or my children in order to squeak in a few hours a day to write? Should I give up the precious little sleep I get? Shouldn’t I be laying aside everything else in my life to focus on this career because a) I believe it’s something God has called me to and b) because I love it and want to get my stories into the hands of readers all over the world?

No. No, I shouldn’t be laying aside everything else. It isn’t possible right now.

I’m a wife. I’m a mom. And those things cannot be set aside.

I’m also a sister, a daughter, a volunteer, a singer, a friend. I’m a chauffeur, teacher and researcher, a crafter and an organizer. I’m a cleaner, chef, and “life coach”. I’m a full-calendar-looking-for-time-to-breathe-most-days kind of person.

That’s life.

And it’s all this living that I’m doing that’s got me looking for writing time, wishing for it, and warring with myself over the feelings that come when I don’t get it.

Life is getting in the way of writing.

But it’s the living that I want to write about.

Everyday living supplies the fuel for the fires of creativity.

Daily living is the thread that weaves together the soul of the writer with the heart of the reader.

Day-to-day tasks are what make us all human and create characters that touch lives and identify universally.

So you’ll please excuse me if I’m not writing full-time and not beating myself up about it.

A day will come when my children are grown and need me less, when my calendar clears and I find that my time isn’t already committed to the requirements of daily living. In that time I’ll be able to sit and give time and energy to my writing—the way I truly wish to.

And I’ll have so much life to write about.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 1 Peter 5:6

If you find yourself stuck between your passion and daily living, enjoy the moments of life that present the nuggets of genius that fuel your passion. Look for them. Seek them out in the day-to-day, identifying God’s touches everywhere.

Your ability to recognize those glistening moments from God’s fingertips is proof that you’re called to use them to His glory. He will lift you up, but enjoy the “due time.”

Share with me: What’s the one thing that takes up most of your waking hours? Job? Family? Volunteer work?