Nanowrimo

In four days I will begin a challenge that both thrills and terrifies me. I will be writing a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. Yup. I’ve officially gone crazy.

I found Nanowrimo several months ago and haven’t been able to get it out of my mind since. I’ve never written a novel. I’ve never even written a short story. And I do not yet have a plot. But, I do love to write. And I have officially signed up, so write I will.

I have been wanting to write professionally for quite some time now, but life and doubts and fears have continually distracted me. With Nanowrimo, I will be writing on a crazy short schedule, but, I am giving myself permission to throw all perfection out the window. My goal with this is not to write some brilliant story. Far from it. I simply want to jump start my creativity. To practice putting words to paper…or at least to computer screen. And I want to see if I can actually write 50,000 coherent words in story form.

So, what do you think? Have I totally lost my mind? Any good plot ideas?

Morning Snow

My son has been praying that it will snow for weeks now. I’m not sure why, but the boy loves snow! (Maybe he gets it from me.) He has really been praying that it would snow by his birthday, which we have been gently reminding him is still pretty early in the season for snow.

This morning, I woke up to a very excited little boy bouncing around our room and singing “It snowed! It snowed! Look outside, it snowed!” Sure enough, there wasn’t much, but we had a light dusting of snow covering the ground. And the weather forecast is apparently showing a good chance for heavy snow later in the week. Just in time for his birthday.

So, while the kids played outside this morning, I made Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins (my kids favorite muffins) and Pumpkin Spice coffee…in honor of the snow.

It’s been a great morning for our family. How about for you?

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Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins
(Tweaked from this recipe.)

2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 Tbs cinnamon
1/2 Tbs nutmeg
ginger and allspice to taste

Mix above ingredients in bowl. (Note: We like spice and I usually add more than normal, so feel free to cut back on the spices above.)

In another bowl, mix following wet ingredients:

3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tbs vanilla (see note above re: spices)
3 tbs butter, melted
10 ozs canned pumpkin (I usually use about 3/4 can of canned pumpkin and freeze whatever is left. This way, I can make about 3 batches of muffins out of 2 cans of pumpkin.)

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix. Stir in approximately 1 cup of chocolate chips. Spoon into greased muffin tins and bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes.

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Peace and Joy

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.

And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.

And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Romans 5:1-11 , NIV, under the heading “Peace and Joy”

Molting

Did you know that Dragonflies lay their eggs in water? And once the eggs hatch, they become ugly little water creatures that move by shooting water out of their behind — my kids find that little fact to be hilarious. And then, as these water bugs grow, they molt four to five times. Each time they molt, their body changes until their final molt when they crawl onto a branch and emerge from their shell as an adult dragonfly.

Amazing.

Last Sunday, our pastor gave what was probably the most unique sermon I have heard on the subject of stewardship/tithing. He began upfront by telling the congregation that the church is beginning its annual stewardship drive. Then, he began talking about how we, as humans, are often our own worst critics. We consistently dwell on how we want to be better, but fail to acknowledge and take joy in the accomplishments and good that we do. (I am so guilty of that. I find it extremely difficult to ever pat myself on the back. Instead, I remind myself of what I can do better.) So he challenged us to take this week and not think about our stewardship pledge, but instead to dwell all week on our blessings and the things that are good in our life. And then next week, we’ll pray about our pledge.

While lying in bed last night, I began talking with God and going back through the past couple days, not even thinking about science or this sermon. And as I lay there, I began repenting for my bad attitude and for areas where I feel like I constantly fail. I was mentally trapped in my past and I was feeling like an ugly little water bug. Then I remembered II Corinthians 3:18 that says, And we, who…are being transformed into His likeness.

Being transformed…

Yes, my nature still longs to be selfish, controlling, bitter. And I need to repent when I sin in thought or deed. But I repent not because I have no hope of being better, but because I have a Savior. And he is transforming me. Constantly. My mistakes today do not negate all the molting that God has done in my life. I have been transformed. And I continue to be transformed. I can gratefully acknowledge and take joy in that fact.