There is Nothing that is Going to Happen to You Today, that God Doesn't Already Know About

Do you ever wonder why some people get bombarded with trials in their life, and others don't?
I thought about this today and wonder how certain people can handle things better than others.

Let's think about people who run marathons for a minute.They have to train for years to prepare for that one marathon day. The training ... exercise ... stretches, etc .... they have to equip themselves or they won't be able to handle it.

 Kind of like a rubber band. As long as you keep stretching it out, it will continue to work fine.
But once you leave it in the draw for a few years &  then take it out to use, it breaks because it lost all its elasticity.

This seems to be the same theory as the trials we face in our lives, and the timing of them. All of our life we are given little crumbs of trials that prepares us for a bigger one (like exercises I guess you would say) but the people that can't handle their trials are people who don't look at the trial  as a learning experience or  an exercise and grow from it. This is how God works. He equips certain people in their life's for the trials that He already knows about. It is up to us to learn or grow from them to prepare us for the next one ... and there will be a next one!

With Gods grace, we can get through them.
Here is a song for you   http://youtu.be/uHdcyue0bSw

up and Running

I have been working overtime on my greeting cards and I am excited to let you know I have been accepted! There are a few for now, but more are being reviewed, so check back often.

I also wanted to let you know that I will personally design a card just for your special needs. Just email me the image you like and what you would like written on the outside image and I will take care of it for you. You can personalize the inside of the card yourself at no extra cost. The quality is the best I have seen out there. The prices are running under $2.00 each! Better than what is out there in the stores... that's for sure.

While your there, make sure you copy and paste my home page to your favorites and stock up on your cards while the sale is still going on. http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/visualinspirations

There are some incredible artist on there. Here is one for example. Her work is so amazing. Come check it out.
<a href="http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/lighting-the-way-534182?pid=534182&gcu=57774468429"><img src="http://images.greetingcarduniverse.com/images/csphoto/1107/00/00/13/33/63/534182_shadow.jpg" border="0"></a>

When your shopping this Christmas, remember to support the little guys!

Peace

Im Back!

Sorry... had writers mental block for about three months but I'm back now!

Been very busy lately with starting new projects and juggling old projects that I have had in the works for a while now. One project I started is a putting up and designing a new site for my greeting cards. You can find the link here. <a href="http://artist.greetingcarduniverse.com/visualinspirations">
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It's new so check back often. The cards have to go through a screening process and they take a little while, but I should have more very soon, but for now, please feel free to stop by and check it out. Let me know your thoughts.

My other project that has been in the works is my picture book. I just sent off to the senior editor of "Random House." I went to a conference in Oakland and had the unique opportunity to spend time asking questions about my story, along with other great speakers who gave some wonderful advice. We'll just have to see how it pans out. I am hopeful that it is the right hands and they take it on, but if not, I will go on looking for the next prospect.

We're getting into the busy holiday season now, but keep in mind, do what you love to do, stay focused on what is important in your life, and don't get caught up in the "Hustle and Bustle" of Christmas. Remember what we are celebrating and let the joy fill your your hearts and your homes.

God bless,
Rhonda

For Every Calm in Your Life, There Has to be a Storm

I personally like when a storm comes before the calm; I can appreciate the calm abundantly. In a storm I am also complaisant knowing there is a calm coming.

Storms aren't a bad thing when you look at the reasoning behind them. They are like my cracked theory. When you are cracked, or in a storm, you are being formed. When you aren't being formed, you aren't growing. When you aren't growing, you are basically useless. When you are useless, you get depressed.

What would you rather be?

ARE YOU CRACKED??

I was definitely where I was meant to be today! I woke remembering that I thought of a blog to write  and forgot what it was about.I had a a great breakfast, followed by church still thinking.. "I wish I remembered what I wanted to write about because it was good!"

At church someone told me I would be a great person to take over an area of church  activity that involved painting backdrops of the church plays every year for Vacation Bible School because she just couldn't do it any more. I thought she must be out of my mind because I could never do that. I could help someone do it, but I couldn't take on the responsibility.

When the pastor starts his sermon, it's about but how we need to break out of the clay pots we are covered in  to be molded into what God had originally designed us to be. As he is speaking, I remembered about what I wanted to post this week. It was about how we are clay pots being cracked and chipped until we are finally molded into the design our Creator designed us to be. We weren't designed to be anything for our self, but He designed us to be something wonderful for Him. Then I was convicted. Thinking how someone was asking for my help in an area that was no sweat off of my back, but would help relieve her some responsibility. Boy was God talking to me!
I know I was created with many gifts for Him, but this is just a little one I needed to see and be obedient to, to reap the rewards of joy He has for me.

I think if we sit in our comfort zone, we will never see what we are designed to be and feel the joy in our life as we were intended to. He will only crack us to where He wants us to be. It is up to us to want to be molded down to find the gem inside of us.

Being molded isn't easy but it is rewarding... I hope you find yourself too so you can feel the joy!

First Rejection Under My Belt

Well, it came. My first rejection letter for my manuscript from the first agency I sent it to. It was actually very pleasant!
Here is what they wrote:

Thank you for sending Ness' story my way, which I enjoyed very much. I can understand your passion for the little one, and I appreciate your loving approach to life. Unfortunately, though, because the picture book market is as tight as it is, I'm taking on very few new picture book authors, so this is a pass for me. I'm sorry not to have better news.
But I do thank you for thinking of me, and I wish you all the best in finding the perfect home for Ness' heartwarming story.
Looking onward~

Smile and Leave Your Mark

Ever wonder where all your wrinkles came from? I bet if you think back on time of your life where something substantial or significant happened you can bet that it left a mark, literally on your face. I truly believe that every wrinkle tells a story not meant to be erased.

~ :-) Smile. Make more wrinkles!

 

Picture Books Are Not just A Book

 Picture books are not just a book; they are a vessel that holds a special bond between parent and child. I am just starting off in the writing world.. picture book to be exact, and I am very optimistic that we will not see the last of picture books in our life time.

I'm On My Way!!

Had my manuscript critiqued this week by Margot at http://www.margotfinke.com/
I'm telling you, if you are looking for someone to critique your work, I HIGHLY recommend Margot. She brought my story to a whole new level! Her creative mind works on overtime. What a hoot! I can't wait to submit it to a publisher. I was nervous about it before, but I know I am ready now. It may take a while, but here we go...
Wish me luck!!

What Was I Thinking???

As we get older, memories come to our minds at the oddest times. I could be walking down the street, and thought of the Ice cream truck would pop up! What does that mean?? I don’t want an ice cream… I just liked the way I felt when he was coming.

I had pretty funny thoughts today. I walked outside and smelled the crisp cool air and memories of skiing down a double black diamond trail in Steamboat, Colorado came to my mind. Now mind you, we’re talking about a California summer breeze here… where did that come from??

I wonder what a young person thought if they felt that same crisp cool air? What would they think if they didn’t have a memory to put with the feeling?

I guess before they were memories, our thoughts were just “wonders”

What triggered your thoughts today?

What If ??

This has to be the best lyrics in a song.
Words by Laura Story

We pray for blessings, we pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering

All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?

What if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise?

We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough

And all the while You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?

And what if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise

When friends betray us, when darkness seems to win
We know the pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home
It's not our home

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?

What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst
This world can’t satisfy?

And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise?

"Regrets.. I've had A Few"

Our 135th and final  shuttle launch for USA July 8th 2011.

I'm sitting here watching the greatest engineering achievement of all times  on TV with emotions running through my head, good and bad. Good was 30 years ago when the first launch went up and thinking I wished I were there seeing history develop right before my eyes.... now here I am July 8th 2011 and 135 opportunities later, never fulfilling my dream. This is a perfect example of not letting your life go by without doing thing you want to do, because just like the launches, your life will be gone before you know it.

In conclusion, don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today, because the opportunities may never be there again.

Lifes Obstacles

All life faces obstacles and the paths chosen will ultimately define its existence, but choosing the right path challenges it to persevere.

Change Will do you Good!

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.--Mark Twain

It is finished!

Well, I took an 8 week course on writing a picture book and completed it in a little over 2 weeks! It was such a detailed course that took me step by step on the way to finishing my manuscript.

Before I took the course I thought I had it completed at 1700 words.. NOT! I had to cut... and cut.. and cut. Then when I thought I  was done, I had to cut some more! Now it is under 535 words and almost ready for submitting. I feel lost not working on it any more. It was such a process.. a joyous process at that! I had to have read it over 500 times and probably revised it 50 times.

Now research really begins on finding just the right hands to land it in. I have 3 possibilities but I have to work on my query letter and that should be even better than my manuscript or they won't even look at it. I guess you could say "now is the hard work".. not that writing a picture book was a piece of cake or anything. You would think! Right?? NOT! Try it some time. See what's involved. You would be surprised.
Wish me luck!

Acceptance

Accepting yourself is what it is all about;
When you accept yourself, others will accept you also;
It doesn't matter what people say or think about you;
What matters is what you think about yourself;
The insecurities of oneself is what causes one to judge;
There is only one juddge, and that judge was the one who created you.
If you don't love yourself, you are telling God he made a mistake.
God doesn't make mistakes... ever! You are exactly what He
wanted when He created you.

Starting class this weekend...

Here we go...  The difference now is I am excited about it! Learning to write is very challenging after all these years, but so rewarding. I am looking forward to see what this mind of mine can create.

My book I am in the process of perfecting, is a non-fiction. I have the main plot down pretty good, for what the books are saying to do. My challenge will be my phrasing and grammar. Well see how this goes!

Lord, be my guide... <><

New Beginnings... New Desire!

June 15th 2011

The last time I took an English course was 1977.. and that was only because I had to. It was never a favorite subject of mine and I was horrible at it, to boot...  but I am hoping that my free will will make all the difference in the world.

I'm officially starting a new chapter in my life with the hopes of being a successful children's book writer. If nothing else, I will learn how to write children's books.

I look forward to the day when can look back and say.. "Thank God for putting the desire in my heart and  to do something that is out of my comfort zone."

signed... optimism.