A Little Business

We're filling up blogging spots so if you're a member and would like to contribute we really need some posts on family fun.

Also, if you haven't subscribed to bloglines** for updates on this blog, please do. If you use a different service, let me know and I'll add it to this blog!

Thanks! And don't forget to read and comment on your fellow bloggers posts!

**Bloglines is a subscription reminder service that sends you an email everytime one of the blogs you subscribe to updates. It's a HUGE time saver, and I encourage you to set up an account if you don't already have one!

Michelle Sutton

Michelle Sutton is an avid blogger and she has written seven complete
novels. Three are romance, three are women’s fiction, and one is romantic
suspense. All are inspirational fiction.

Michelle has started proposals for several others and is always trying to come up with something unique that will catch an editor’s eye. When she isn’t writing fiction, reading fiction, or writing book reviews for sites, she’s parenting two sons, ages 13 and 14, and working full time as a social worker for Arizona state government.

Her 16th anniversary is quickly approaching, and for the first time since her children were born, she and her husband are taking a mini-vacation without the kids. Michelle is looking forward to blogging about the joys and pains of raising teens in a busy world while trying to do something she enjoys—writing fiction-at the same time, and still honoring her family, her church commitments, and the Lord with her life.

Visit her blog at http://edgyinspirationalauthor.blogspot.com

WFMW: Seven Habits of a Highly Effective School Year

As always, this is what works for me. We have been Homeschooling since our eldest was born. It has become a lifestyle. We have tried lots of things even though the oldest is only 8. I have plenty of friends who have tried lots of other things, some that worked and some that haven't. Some of these things I have learned from veteran Homeschoolers, some I have learned from my college education, others I have learned from my mistakes and from the mistakes of others. In every case, these are things that work for us as a Homeschooling family.

1.

Never stop so you never have to start. We school year round. We then can take small breaks when we feel the need without having to re-teach.

When I was in my senior year of college (I graduated with a major in both Special Education and Elementary Education and was one credit short of an art minor) my professor of Behavior Management put forth a study that had been done over the previous 10 years. The study regarded several school districts which had the same number of students, similar curriculums, and the same amount of time spent in school. Those who took shorter breaks year round learned significantly more over the 10 year period than those who had the summer off. In the school district's case this was bad news since it is much harder to give kids mini- breaks than to have the school open 8 months of the year. On the other hand, for Homeschoolers it is a plus. Who says your trip to the grocery store can't be school, especially if your child is helping by reading the list, checking prices, using coupons. Any trip out can be considered a field trip as long as you look for the educational possibilities within.

2.

Use every moment as a teachable moment. You've heard it before. There is an opportunity to teach lurking around every corner, on every sidewalk, up every tree, and in every situation. Be open to them and use them. If you make it a habit so will your kids. After a while, when you are busy doing something that is distracting you from the opportunity to teach, your child will point it out, and sometimes even run with it. My kids ask questions everywhere we go. We now know that the loud buzz in most stores is a telephone ringing, how to use the cash register at the family owned GNC we frequent, how to organize books at the library, and that the staff at the local Dollar Store loves home-made cookies. None of this was learned at my prompting but because the kids were interested and asked. I attended public school and never would have dreamed of ordering my own food let alone asking what that buzz is.

3.

Homeschool doesn't need to be expensive. Your child DOES NOT need the most expensive curriculum in order to learn. Bottle caps, Legos, blocks, and marbles make great manipulatives. Old fashioned workbooks from the dollar store make for cheap set work that you won't mind picking and choosing from. A copy book is one of the best handwriting tools you can get (have them copy a verse, a quote, a poem, whatever, daily and they will learn to shape their letters and do it consistently and well, not to mention learning what it says, and probably memorizing it.) Board games and flash cards can easily be adapted to teach almost every subject (my kids' favorite game is to make a "race" out of suitable flashcards for each. They line them up in the hall and use a timer from another game to time their turns. Whoever reaches the end first, wins.) Chores are great teachers for doing your best, home economics, civics, and finishing what you start (plus sooner or later your child WILL have to do laundry, dishes, sweep, and dust whether you teach him or not.) Grocery, thrift, and dollar stores are great resources for cheap school books and supplies. And of course, never forget the significance of the local library. Even if a book is not Biblical you can glean the good stuff (if you are reading the Bible daily) and help them learn to be discerning. The plus side of this is that they will already have been exposed to some of the not so great stuff and be able to argue for the Biblical perspective. Your church library also may have a large stock of books or videos that can be useful. Ours has the Moody Bible Institute's Creation series which the kids love and which has been a great bouncing off point for our study of creation science this year.

4.

Yard sales, thrift shops, and back to school sales are a great way, and the best time to stock up. Staples, Office Max, and other office supply store put the basics on sale every week in August. I just picked up five, twenty-four crayon, boxes of Crayolas for $.15 each. (Watch for the sales with limited amounts, they are usually the loss leaders, just like at the grocery store.) We stock up, not only for school, but also for birthdays, Christmas, and other extra treats.

5.

Use the Bible. Character training is the best start and will help them develop a lifestyle of learning. Skip the Bible and focus on the "academics" and you will waste a lot of your time fighting to get them to work. Teach them to read God's Word and pray and the rest will follow, especially if you teach them discernment with it.

6.

Remember why you are teaching them at home. The goal is not to cram as much into them as you can or make them miserable with all the "stuff" you are doing. The goal is to give them the best opportunity to learn in a familiar, Godly environment. If the kid's see that you are focused on stuff and academics, they will be focused on the same. If they see that your focus is on being a Godly person and that academics are a means to develop their Godly character, it will be theirs. Keep your perspective and you will be able to train them in the way they should go.

7.

Remember that just because something works for one child won't make it work for the next. Every child is different. Every child should be trained in the way he or she should go, not in the way you want them to go. God's plan for them may not be yours. Pray for wisdom, pray that you will know and see the way they should go. He will bless you, and bless them through you. If you put them in God's hands He will lead them, even when you don't see it.

Heather Young

I am a 32 year old Christian, Homeschooling mother of 3, and wife of a wonderful, Christian husband. I am currently working once a week as researcher and encourager for an appraiser and antiques dealer (reading all of those historical books has finally come in handy). I have also done numerous commissioned art works and a few photography stints.

I have done a few websites for others as well as many of my own. I have yet to be paid for any of my writing, which is probably remotely related to the fact that I haven't tried. I do however feel the urge to write and have been journaling, designing websites (in order to post my writing), and writing on blogs for over 7 years. (I even had one of the first Blogger accounts way back when:))

In all of these "things" I know that the Lord has called me to write and therefore attempt to write at least something daily, relying on Him to help me learn more about being a better writer. He is faithful and is growing me in this as well as in other things. My real goal is to please Him and be a blessing to others. If my writing can help another to grow closer to Him then it has done it's duty. If it can help her in any other way to be a little more the woman He designed her to be, then I am content.


http://Heather.shamusyoung.com

Webring Member Update

We're up to 22 members! We're really growing and soon this blog will be updated daily with great posts, adivce and encouragement for all Christian writing moms. If you haven't already, be sure to blogline this site to see the updates and keep on top of the webring news.

Ever one who is a member will be entered in the book give-a-way contest and if you refer someone and they join, you get an extra entry. I will be drawing the lucky winner on September 1st. So there's still time to tell all your friends.

Tricia Goyer

Tricia Goyer was named Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference "Writer
of the Year" in 2003. In 2005, her book Life Interrupted was a finalist
for the Gold Medallion and her novel Night Song won ACFW's Book of the
Year for Long Historical Romance. She has written hundreds of articles, Bible Study notes, and both fiction and non-fiction books

Mary, Mary, quite contrary, How does your garden grow?

The other day I was flipping through Real Simple Magazine. I love all their ideas. And I'd love even more to have time to try a few of them! Oh well. At least I have time to flip through a magazine every once in a while.

As a homeschooling mom, published author of eight books (with four more contracted), and constant blogger (www.triciagoyer.blogspot.com,www.genxparents.blogspot.com, www.writerquotes.blogspot.com ) finding time even to read all the great ideas is a blessing!Anyway, I came upon this introductory paragraph in one of the articles:"Gardens often don't grow according to your plans, no matter how carefully you've laid them. Branches break, bushes get out of hand, and roses become unruly."I read that and paused. That's me. That's my life! And I would guess that all of us who minister in God's kingdom can relate. Ministry doesn't go as planned. Expectations are shattered. Organizational plans and goals get out of hand. Even roses--growth and beauty in ourlives--get unruly.

Even so, God has still given me this garden to watch over. A garden that includes a dear husband, kids, and writing projects--all of which require massive amounts of attention. It's a garden I'd like to tend with perfection, but one I'm learning to manage with peace. Peace in tending the plot I've been given. Peace in managing my unique and varied crops. Peace to balance the cultivating (which I'm very good at) with also taking time for quiet and rest (which I'm not so good at). And peace not to glance over at someone else's bigger, brighter, and bolder garden, wishing it were mine.

Of course, this peace only comes one place--in a relationship with Christ. I am a big fan of The Message Bible. In Psalm 65:7, God is described as theEarth-Tamer, Ocean-Pourer, Mountain-Mover, and Hill-Dresser. I love that. I also love Isaiah 49:8: "When the time's ripe, I answer you. When victory's due, I help you. I form you and use you to reconnect the people with me, to put the land in order . . . " That's what our tending is all about, you know. Not to have something to show off. Not to have something that keeps us busy so we'll stay out of trouble. (Although that does help!) But to reconnect people to God, with our words, our service, and our lives. To point them to the Perfector. Because it's only there they'll find Peace.

Dena Dyer

Meet writer mom, Dena Dyer:
As a busy mom, wife, author, and speaker, I adore my life—but there are days when I definitely want my own mommy! Thankfully, I have God, my mom, and a Christian counselor on speed dial. I’ve been married to my soul mate, Carey, for ten years. We have two boys (who are ALL boy), Jordan , 8, and Jackson, 2, and we live in Texas.

Essays I’ve written have appeared in over a dozen anthologies such as Simple Pleasures of Friendship (Conari), The Heart of a Mother (Bethany House), Humor for the Teacher’s Heart (Howard) and Divine Stories of the Yahweh Sisterhood (Legacy).

My book credits include Grace for the Race: Meditations for Busy Moms (Barbour), The Groovy Chicks’ Road Trip to Peace (Cook/Life Journey) and The Groovy Chicks’ Road Trip to Love (Cook/Life Journey), both with Laurie Barker Copeland.

I was utterly exhausted. Our toddler, Jackson, had been waking up at night for weeks, and my system was totally out of whack. I felt weepy, helpless, and cranky.

When we tried to let Jax “cry it out,” even for just two minutes, he got so upset that he actually threw up. Talk about frustrating! I tried putting music in his room, giving him a teddy bear, even sleeping with him--and nothing seemed to work, at least for long. Whatever the reasons, he got into the habit of "night-waking.” And I didn't know what to do! (By the way, my husband Carey was a great help. He was always willing to take turns getting up with Jackson, but even then, I woke up when Jackson cried.)

One night during that period of time, as I was rocking the little guy to sleep, I inserted his name into "Jesus Loves the Little Children" and sang, "Jesus loves the little Jacksons, all the Jacksons of the world." I had done the same with my now-seven year-old. Like all children, they loved hearing their names.

On this particular night, Jackson began asking me to insert other names into the song, like his cousin Molly's, or his brother Jordan's (whom Jax calls "Da- doo"). And then he asked me to put my name in the song. And of course, to him my name is “Mommy.” So, to please him, I sang, "Jesus loves the little mommies, all the mommies of the world..." And I begin to think, "Yes, that's right! Jesus loves all the mommies, like me."

I smiled as I remembered that in my fatigue and discouragement, Jesus loved me the same as He always had. I continued singing, "Every color, every race," and I thought of all the moms across the world rocking their babies and singing to them at that very moment. I realized once again what a privilege it was to be in the mommy-hood, even when it meant getting up at all hours. (At least I knew there were mommies in other time zones that were awake when I was!)

Looking at my baby, I felt a new kinship with my heavenly Father as He reminded me of the verse (Zephaniah 3:17) which says He quiets us with His love and rejoices over us with singing. What an awesome thought! He knows how we love our children and pour ourselves out for them, because He loves us even more—and He poured Himself out for us on the cross.

As I finished the song by singing, "All are covered by His grace,” I prayed, Thank you, Jesus, for loving mommies. Thank you for your love that surrounds us when we are scared, your grace that covers us when we make mistakes, and your strength when we are weak. I put my child to bed, grinning as a final thought crossed my mind: Just like moms, God is always “on call.” Now that’s a comforting thought!

Visit Dena Dyer here for more.

Join Tricia Goyer As She Writes Her New Novel

The Idea
Novel Update 1
Update 2
Update 3
Update 4
Update 5
Update 6
Update 7
Update 8
Updare 9
Update 10

Delia Melton

I'm a Christian wife and mother who loves to write. I don't seem to get as much time as I'd like to spend writing, but then again what writer/mother does?

I think Writer...Interrupted would be a good fit for me because in a sense that sums up my life, lol. I used to write all of the time, but getting married and having children cut the time I could devote to it waayyy down.

I'm not actively seeking publication as of yet, but plan to "someday" lol. My blog posts are mostly about my family life, with writing and other things in there too. I'm not too sure if maybe you're wanting writers who's blogs are mostly about their writing, but when I saw your webring and the post on Cindy's (C.H. Green) blog it struck my interest, and I decided to check it out.


This is a tribute I did recently to a local soldier who lost his life serving in Iraq. (It contains music, just to warn you.)
http://gatorskunkzandmudcats.blogspot.com/2006/08/thank-you-army-specialist-michael-ray.html

And here's my most recent post.
http://gatorskunkzandmudcats.blogspot.com/2006/08/sick-hoola-or-slick-hoola.html

Debby Alten

Debby Alten is a single mom of two teenagers. Her daughter, Sarah, is starting the fall at Biola University and she homeschools her son, Layne-Michael.

Debby was born in New Guinea but she and her parents left when rumors of war surfaced. They lived in the Netherlands for six years then migrated to Australia. Foolishly, she tried to run away from home at age 17 when her parents informed her they were moving once again. This time to the United States where she suddenly found herself living the life of a PK.

Besides self-publishing her family cookbook, she's been published in her local newspaper, has a devotional in The Upper Room magazine coming out in May of 2007 and completed her first novel--a Christian Fantasy based on Genesis 6:4.

The word "mom" and "interupted" seem to go together. It took me seven years to complete my novel simply because life kept interrupting. But I don't regret any of it. I feel like I can learn from the people in this group, get encouragement to stay the course, and hopefully I have something to offer as well.

Visit Debby at her blog

Gina Holmes

Gina Holmes is a freelance writer, whose work has appeared in Woman's Day, The Roanoker and Epiphany's magazine. She also co-runs the popular fiction blogs: Novel Journey and Novel Reviews, where she has interviewed Frank Peretti, Karen Kingsbury, Ted Dekker and more than a hundred others. She makes her home in Roanoke, Virginia, where she types her third novel with one hand, vacuums with the other, and listens to incessant knock-knock jokes from her two boys.


Get Published
Reprinted from Novel Journey Feb. 19, 2005

I chose the title of this post because I knew countless of hopeful authors will type those two words into Google and maybe my site would get a hit or two.

How do I know that? Eight years ago, I ran the same search and what did I come up with? Mostly scams and e-books I could buy. I also came up with many good web-sites that offered free information. But no advice no matter how good, will get you published. The heiney to seat ratio,(time spent actually writing),combined with a bit of talent, lots and lots and lots of stamps and most importantly: teachability--is what will.

If you want to get published to be read--start your own blog. Easy enough to do.

If you want to get published to see your name in print: write for your church newsletter or a letter to the editor. Also easy to do.

If you want to get published for the above reasons AND insist on earning a check for it, not as easy to do,but still doable: Find a couple of local magazines and pitch the editor a story with a local slant.

My first publishing credit came when I pitched an article on Accupuncture in the Roanoke Valley to The Roanoker's kind hearted editor. He suggested I have a tighter angle and write the article on 'spec'.

That means I do the work and he can buy it or not. Gina wasn't happy about writing for free, but with the rejection letters piling up, I didn't have a whole lot of other options. So, away I wrote.

The kind hearted editor wrote back that my story read more like an encyclopedia entry. He suggested I begin the story with a "hook" (A human interest story.) Eg. When Martha could no longer feel her fingers, she knew it was time to try something drastic...

Okay. I called a couple of local accupuncturists who were happy to provide me with a human of interest (and to have their names mentioned in said article). I wrote it and sent it in.

A couple of months later I received a check in the mail for $150.00.
I jumped up and down, made everyone call me "published author" and refused to spend my check. Of course, it needed to be framed.

Ten minutes later, I cashed it, deciding the article itself would be nicer to frame (and cheaper).

Several months after receiving the check, I called editor and asked him when my article would be published. He said it had, didn't I get a copy?

He graciously left two copies of the magazine on the stairs for me.

There was nothing quite like seeing my name in print,knowing I got paid to do it.

I can imagine how overwhelming it will be to see my name on the cover of a book. And since I'm dreaming, let's make it a hard cover.

Book Give Away

I'm so excited about our webring numbers! They're growing, and I'd love for them to grow even more because that means we'll be reaching more Christian writing moms like us. So here's an incentive. A FREE NEW AUTOGRAPHED Book Arms of Deliverance by Tricia Goyer. Maybe we can get her to join as well and start posting here!

Here's what you have to do:

Tell as many people (writing moms) about our webring. If they join, make sure they tell me YOU referred them and I'll put your name and theirs in a drawing. They can leave a comment on this post when they sign up and put YOUR NAME in parenthesis. You will both be in the drawing!

So start telling moms about this webring and blogging opportunity.

Webring and Posting Clarification

Since this question has come up more than once I'd like to clarify that you DO NOT have to contribute to THIS blog to become a member of the webring. The webring is there so we can browse each others blogs and get to know each other better.

Think of THIS blog as home base. You are welcomed to apply to become a regular contributer or guest blogger to this blog, but you don't have to post or contribute to fellowhip with us here! We've all got enough responsibility as it is, right? This should be a place of comfort, not stress. So if'd you'd like to participate in this blog, that's great. If you'd just rather read, super! We'd love to read your comments.

Hope that clarifies things. If you have any questions, just leave them in the comment section and I'll answer them!

Georgiana Daniels

Meet Georgiana Daniels who's working hard to write a novel, be a housewife extraordinaire, and super-mommy to three. Here's what she has to say...

YOU KNOW YOU'RE ADDICTED TO BOOKS WHEN…..

I admit it, I'm an addict, and I don't want to recover. There's something wonderful about opening a fresh book, creasing the first page with anticipation. It's like getting a fix, and as soon as I'm done with one, I'm looking for the next. Maybe you're like me and just haven't admitted it yet. That's why I'm here to tell you, you know you're a book addict when....

1. You burn more calories turning pages than you do during your 30 minute walk.

2. You have to visit the book section everywhere you go, even at the grocery store.

3. The world stops when you're in the middle of a good book. The laundry overflows, the sink is full of crusty dishes, and you don't notice your kids are in PJ's all day eating cold cereal.

4. Every time your husband/wife/significant other sees you with a new book, you pretend it's from the library, because you already spent your book allotment for the entire year in January.

5. You spend more money on books every month than on your phone/electric/Visa bill. You know you've got a problem if you spend more on books than you do on gas.


P.S. My husband knows how much I spend. Really.

Don't forget to visit her blog and tell her Writer...Interrupted sent you.

Webring Introductions

The first round of our webring introductions and posts are coming. I'm excited to get to know some of our fellow writing moms out there! Let's welcome the first one:

Cynthia at Beneath the Ivy Wreath, is a 40 year old mom to Chase who's going on 7 and starting first grade next week. She lives in Paris, Tennessee with husband Charles of 10 years. Writing has been her passion for as long as she can remember.

"I have a strong spiritual background steeped in Pentecostal doctrine and the infallible Word of God. It is my faith in Him that has brought me thus far in life. I owe everything I have and am to Him. 'Whatever it is that I gain from this soul bleeding, let it be worth the price I have to pay. There is no fame locked away in nightstand drawers or on the backs of overdue bills. We are only failures if we do not try.'"


Broken Vessels

The other day as I was putting away the clean dishes, I haphazardly sort of threw them in the cabinet. I was in a hurry to get them put away, not really having my mind on what I was doing. Evidently I had nested one too many bowls, and they were top heavy. Three of them came crashing down to the counter, bounced and hit the floor. They shattered into a gazillion little pieces to the farthest corners of my kitchen. Don't ever let anyone tell you Corelware won't break.

I was disgusted with myself. I was sick. I did not want to clean up the mess, but I knew I had to, or we all would end up with broken bits of glass in our feet. I did not want to leave even the tiniest fragment. I swept and swept. Then I mopped, then went over it with a damp towel. I kept finding pieces glinting in the light streaming through the blinds--pieces that I would not have noticed without the light shining in. It took quite a while to gather up all the broken fragments and assure myself that our feet were safe from their razor edges.

When it was all over, I was minus three bowls. But I had gained some valuable lessons.First of all, you must take greater care with the fragile things in your life. You should not just recklessly throw them to the wind and expect great things. Sometimes you have to put some work into preserving your vessels. Sometimes the vessels do not seem all that valuable to you, but they are all you have, and they are necessary for your daily life. We must be careful to guard even the everyday aspects of our lives, so that no harm befalls us.

Secondly, when something does happen because of our carelessness--or someone else's, or just because, do not despair. God is there to pick up all the broken fragments. He shines the light of His love down upon them. He seeks them out. He wants to remove them from your life, so they can't cause you pain and harm. He wants to clean up the mess you created. He cares that you do not stumble upon a fragment.He sees even the tiniest fragments of our broken hearts. They cannot be hid from Him. He does not want to punish you for the brokenness. He knows that if you are truly sorry, that you will guard your heart more carefully next time. He knows you are pained by the brokenness. But you have to be willing to let Him clean it up.

Thirdly, do not grieve over the broken vessels. They are gone. God will replace them in due time with something purer, finer, sweeter than the broken ones.Do not grieve over three bowls you lost. You might gain three lessons from them. You might save someone else the heartache of the broken vessel. You might find that sometimes the only way God can replace your flaws is to just break them and start over. You might find you can live just fine without those old habits or sins that so easily beset you. You might find that the beautiful vessel He is creating in you is worth all the heartache that you carelessly created in one moment's time.If it brings you to your knees, then thank Him. For without Him to go to in prayer, we would have nowhere to go when trouble strikes. Yep, He's still working on me through it all. Day by day. Step by step.

Don't forget to visit her blog!

Webring Guidelines

Here are the basic webring guidelines for Writer...Interrupted. Currently I'm targeting writing moms like myself who have to balance raising kids and writing.

Members:

Must profess to be a Christian actively pursuing a relationship with Christ as Lord and Savior.

Should be growing in the craft of writing with goals of publication.

Your must have a blog or website and posts should contain something relevant to parenting, writing, and being a follower of Christ, though not limited to those subjects.

If you feel you meet these guidelines and desire encouragement from other Christian writing moms and dads, please join the webring located in the sidebar!

Things Are Moving Along

Okay, so the webring must not have been working right, because now it's letting me do things I couldn't do before. Still I can't seem to figure out how to officially add people. Don't let that discourage you from joining. Hopefully I'll get it figured out soon!