First, let me start off with, as I googled “home” and hit images, it quickly dawned on me that I’d typed in “hoe.” After flushing my eyes for several minutes, drinking half the bottle of antacid for a nauseated stomach, and learning how to breathe again, I entered the word “home” correctly and…found nothing I wanted to use. That was for free. 😉
Next, I’m honored to have won the Liebster Award, twice! Thanks Loree and Sheri!
Two Saturdays ago, I had the privilege of going to writer’s group. Yep, I call it a privilege. I get to sit around a few tables of talented men and women, who love God and the pen and paper (ok, keyboard but whatever, it sounded prettier).
From the first moment I stepped inside Byhalia Christian Writers group, I felt… at home. I was welcomed and ushered in as if I’d always been there.
We chat, talk, sometimes eat…we write. And we share a devotion together. Saturday’s devotion was given by William Hill, a really neat guy with a gift for poetry (just one of his many, I’m sure). I stink at poetry.
He talked about an award he won and how one of the best employees there, congratulated him. He said, “He gave me permission to be great.” I loved that. He went on to talk about sharpening each other. “As iron sharpens iron so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.” Proverbs 27:17
“I need to know when my blade is dull, but I also want to know when I’ve made a good cut.”
How incredible is that? I wrote it down. Words of wisdom from a writer, who loves the Lord. What he said, struck me. Do I want to know when I’m dull or do I just want a pat on the back for clean, seamless cuts?
I drove home thinking that day, like all days I visit writer’s group. I never leave wondering why I attend. I learn something new. I feel like I’ve invested my time wisely.
Marylane Koch, our fearless leader, a great encourager, and all around beautiful woman, inside and out, never fails to amaze me and make me feel special. And she does it for everyone. It reminds me of Jesus. When I’m worshipping in the congregation, and He speaks so intimately to me, I think I’m the only one in the room of hundreds. After church, my bff will share how God touched her deeply and I think. How? He was touching me.
That’s Marylane. Making everyone feel like they’re the only one. They matter. They have something to say. And they can make a difference, honoring God.
If you’re a writer, I hope you’re in a group as fabulous as ours. If you’re not in a group, I encourage you to get in a group.
If you’re a reader, pray for us writers. We do it for you. We need the prayers and guidance to make every page something you’ll not only love, but something that will strike a chord deep inside you, something that will make your heart sing, draw you closer to God, and leave you with a glorious melody to be shared with others.
Our 5 minute writing prompt for the day was: This is one thing I cannot throw away.
What is one thing you cannot throw away? Have a great weekend!
I can't stop laughing at your first paragraph. Thanks for not posting the hoe pictures on your blog today.
I love my writing group. It's really a wonderful group, and we're blessed to have several multi-published authors who are always willing to answer questions and lend support.
I'm w/ Julie, your first paragraph cracked me up! Congratulations on the award and I can't throw away my teddy bear I've had since I was three. Sits near my bed.
~ Wendy
Oh my, Google does have fun with our typos!!!
I'm a bit of a hoarder so I have trouble throwing away anything–but I force myself to. I don't through away homemade gifts–love them too much!
Snickering over the typo search…though I don't know why photographs of garden implements would be so terrible (insert innocent whistling here.) 😀
I can't throw away books.
Much appreciation for your not posting the hoe pics. Congrats on the award, and I'm glad you're enjoying your writing group. It makes such a difference when you have someone to bounce ideas off of.
Gotta love typos.
I'm so happy your loving your group. It makes a world of difference.
I love the "iron sharpens iron" Proverb. I've used it in my writing before. Awesome words.
I can't throw away cards – birthday cards, get well cards…etc. I have a shoe box filled with them. I'd make a good Hallmark commercial.
Oh yeah! There's one of those typos now on my comment. That would be you're instead of your…
I also forgot to say…Congrats on the award! ;=D
Right now it's the bag of peanut butter M&M's sitting next to me that I should throw away but just can't!
Love that verse above. Long ago I wrote it down to keep beside me and look at each time I receive a chapter back from crit partners. Learn to love being sharpened:) Read the verse, pop a few M&M's and it's all good.
Hey everyone!
It's Friday! Yay. 🙂
Love that you all have certain "keepers." I throw most everything out! Except M&M's. I'd have a hard time doing that!
Like Julie's comment above, I laughed for awhile about your first paragraph! 🙂 Love this post. I'm going to write down the quote about the cuts & keep it where I can look at it daily.
Yeah, the first paragraph got a snicker out of me as well. Sometimes our quick fingers can get us in trouble! lol…
Thank you for sharing with us. I'm inspired by the words of fellow writers. Man, if I only had time to follow that inspiration today. I'll have to come back and reread this post tomorrow so that I can be reinspired. (Yeah, most inspiration is fleeting around here…I call it mommy brain).
Your paragraph about your typo = me spitting out my Diet Coke with Lime. Hilarious!!!
Something I can't throw away: my favorite tacky messenger bag. Doesn't matter how old it gets, I just love the thing. I also love that I purchased it YEARS ago for $1.97. 🙂
You're so funny! =)
I could never throw away the Precious Moments figurine my cousin gave me back in the second grade. I'm a bit of a hoarder as well so there are many other things I could put on this list, but I won't bore you! =)
Congrats on this cool award-twice.
Thanks for your kind words. We are blessed with your presence and participation in BCW group. Hey, you are one of my favorite writers!
What I could never throw away? The memories that cradle my soul when I read a Mother's Day card my daughter made me years ago…or our sharing time at BCW with cinnamon muffins… or your In-the-Word Wednesday blogs… many other memories God has allowed me to make and keep. God is good all the time.
BOOKS! I have a huge collection of books and have just in the last year realized that I can start to let them go. I rarely read a book more than once, but I keep it for some reason.
You're first paragraph had me rolling! I had a similar experience with Google. I was looking for the number to a local lawn service. Don't ever (and I mean EVER) Google the word "Frenchy's" without the safe search on! Be sure to add LAWN SERVICE at the end.
Anyway, I can't throw away all of my notes (written from friends, not study material) from high school. They are in a box in the attic that my children should NEVER seen, but for some reason I can't bring myself to throw them out.
Argh! Thanks for the warning never to do a search for hoe. Actually, even when doing normal searches, there are STILL these odd images that come up, that make me wish I'd never seen them.
Congrats on your award! and how fun that you've connected with a Christian writer's group. Rah!