It’s almost that time...to set goals and make plans or plan to just wing it again, ever chasing those wandering thoughts and hope-filled ideas.

It seems at the beginning of a new year, some of us, instead of setting goals, we make of list of things to quit...cigarettes, overeating, procrastination...

For me, year after year, it has been giving up procrastination, yet, guess what...I’ve procrastinated giving up procrastination.  But, that’s part of the sin, isn’t it?

I ordered a planner.  A nice planner.  One that, for me, was quite an investment.

I’m printing off my 2016 NaNoWriMo project.  The rough draft is not yet finished.  In fact, there is no clear ending yet.  But, I’m thinking my planner will aid in helping me to put a dent in that procrastination resolution and get my manuscript done by a certain date, which I have not yet set.
So, my friends, are you planning any big changes for 2017?

I’ve got to go chase after those meandering thoughts,
Cindy

Trust in the Lord with all Your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.  Proverbs 3:5-6

Words - Thoughts - Ideas ... Allowing Them to Wander, for the Time Being

Thankful.  

Grace-dependent.  

Trust.

Faith.

Grace extending.

Writing.

Reading.

Praying.

Grateful.

Prayerful.

Forgetful.

Forgiving.

Family.

Bible.

Christmas.

New Year.

Hope.

Goals. 

Friendship.

Coffee.  

Ideas. 

Sewing machine.

T-shirts.

These words are floating around in my thoughts.  

What’s on your mind?

NaNoWriMo

November.  Can't help but translate November into NaNoWriMo month when I hear it.  What?  What is NaNoWriMo you ask?  National Novel Writing Month.  Every November thousands of people all over the world determine to write a novel of 50,000 words.  Does that sound easy?  Crazy?  Stupid?  Exciting?  Ridiculous? Yeah, it's probably all of those things.  Well, maybe not stupid.  😃

I have had many distractions since my last birthday, the big 5-0.  I've had a big loss and big life changes.  My GMG (Good Morning Girls) leadership has been just about anything but leadership.

I started an 8-week fitness program through www.FitnessBlender.com that should have been done last week, but I lost a week during a family member's hospitalization.  And I'm still two days behind due to an illness at the very end of the program.

And I decided to dive into NaNo.  I'm writing a story that I hold dear to my heart and it scares me to write it.  It also scares me that it will be all for naught.  Yet, honing our writing skills by practice is still a good thing, is it not?  :) The fears of "what if someone reads it?" and "what if no one reads it?" hound at me.

Yet, here I am...writing.  Attempting NaNoWriMo 2016.

Here's a "widget" so I can hold myself accountable.  Eek!  Scary! 😟

http://nanowrimo.org/widget/LiveSupporter/cindy-q.png

Prayers appreciated for this grace-dependent girl!

Cyndie (my niece's spelling :) )


Happy NaNo


Oh!  p.s.  I have been wanting to join American Christian Fiction Writers for several years and guess what!  I joined in September.  Eek!  That too scared me.

NaNo November

November 2016 I have been typing away to hit the mark of 50,000 words in 30 days.  Today we watched as the election results came in.  I didn't get any words written for my novel.  But I did get to spend time with my husband and relax.  

Tomorrow...well, later today, after I go to bed, get up and go to work, then come home, then go to my son's football practice, then I will write :)  Oh!  dinner will have to fit in the schedule at some point too.  :)  

Tonight I pray for all of those participating in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and for all of their family and friends who put up with the craziness that is NaNo :) 

Thank you for reading and participating in the chase of my wandering thoughts and ideas.

Ever dependent on His grace,

Cindy

Thoughts on Dismissive Attitudes

Hello Sisters! It's been awhile, I know.

I've been distracted with family health problems.  Glad to be back :)

Just wanted to share some of my wandering thoughts and ideas regarding dismissive attitudes.  Being dismissed can hurt.  Yes, sometimes it is just our pride that is hurt, but sometimes it can be our spirits that get hurt.

How many times have we said to someone or been told by someone that God wouldn't ... ?

• God wouldn't use fiction books to teach truth...
• God wouldn't use exercise to minister to you...
• God wouldn't use a fool to effect change...
• God wouldn't __________ (fill in the blank with another dismissive phrase)

I have been blessed and learned many truths through reading fiction.  I've learned a lot about grace through reading Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers.  I've learned compassion and forgiveness from reading Color the Sidewalk For Me by Brandilyn Collins.  I have learned a great many wonderful things from reading fiction. 

In exercise, I've had some wonderful prayer time and realized truths about myself about giving up or believing that I can do this side-raise through Christ who gives me strength.  I've also had to exercise self-discipline through physical exercise.  

I have even been the fool who God has used in small circumstances and seen Him use others I thought were fools yet they led me to a truth.

I hope I remember this the next time I'm tempted to be dismissive of someone's shared ideas or thoughts.  

Living grace-dependent,

Cyndie (spelling courtesy of my niece :) )

Presence

Exhausted I fell into bed.  A nap.  A glorious nap.  It had been a long, tiring day.  My body was tired.  My energy spent after another day of attempting to hold myself together after a summer of major life events.  It was taking its toll.  

An interruption.  Someone wanted me to take them somewhere.  No greeting.  No concern for me.  Just that someone needed to go somewhere.  

I was irritated and offended.  Before any words escaped my mouth, a single thought penetrated all the swirling self-centered thoughts.  The way I perceived I was being treated was not any different than the way I treat God.  Except, you know, I treat Him even worse.  

It just struck me, I don't greet Him and welcome Him and sit with Him just enjoying the quiet.  Enjoying His presence.  

No, I tell Him what is going on with my friends and family, peppering needs and problems and desires.  

Oh sure, I read Scripture, His written Word.  But not so I can just hang out with Him.  No, I read it so I can grow and learn and find answers and encouragement for myself and others.  Now, I don't think those are bad habits.  But, I do think that I need just some quiet time, some time of being still in His presence.  

Thanks for chasing my wandering thoughts with me.

Cindy

Thoughts, Procrastination, and Life

I had an idea for a blog post the other day.  I was in the shower.  That’s where I do some of my best thinking.  At least it seems that way.  Ha.  

But, as you can see from there not being any posts for the past several days that, well, I didn’t write it.  I thought it was really good and there’s no way I could forget it.  It was so clear.  Well, I procrastinated.  Guess what that means.  It means I didn’t remember it.  I remember some components, but not how I had planned to link all of it together.  

Somehow, thoughts of the effects of a hurting foot and how it affected the rest of one’s body and how a severe case of dermatitis on the thumb at the same time could adversely affect the activities of daily living in ways we don’t often think about.  My brain linked these thoughts to the Scripture that describes how the church is not made up just an eye or just a foot, but of many parts and how we need all of those parts.  If a part of the church is not healthy, it impacts the rest of the church.  

I really wish I could remember how I was going to write it.  Alas, I am writing this post instead.  

Praying that I will work on this “sin” of procrastination.  

That’s a hard one.  

Thanks for being part of my journey of chasing my wandering thoughts.  

-Cindy-

1 Corinthians 12

Proverbs 24:30-34