Jul 11, 2017 |
Hey Swarm! I’m super excited today to introduce to one of my newest regular contributors. Remember I said things were hopping here at Frankly, My Dear . . .? Well, Josie Siler stepped up to write how having faith and fun aren’t mutually exclusive. In fact, this girl is having some pretty great moments and she’s going to share them with us!
I met Josie my first day at my first Blue Ridge Conference. We introduced ourselves and I kind of fangirled over her name. We bonded instantly. So when she recently agreed to be a contributor for FMD, I can’t tell you how thrilled I was, and still am.
Ladies and gentlemen, a warm round of applause, please, for Ms. Josie Siler and her Fun Faith Adventures! (raaaahhhhhhh……)
Fun Faith Adventures with Josie Siler: Laughter and a Motorcycle
by Josie Siler
I come from a family who love to laugh, play jokes, and be all-around mischievous. My Grandpa Marlowe was such a character. He had a laugh that would fill the room . . . and the next room too!
I have a photograph in my office of me and my grandpa laughing. We’re sitting at a table in the nursing home where he spent his last years before Alzheimer’s Disease took him home to Jesus.
Josie Siler and her Grandpa
At the bottom of the photograph are three sentences that were spoken more than any others during those last years:
“Well, we gotta have a little bit of fun every now and then. Well, we do, don’t we Josie?!” “Yup, we sure do grandpa!”
I keep this picture to remind myself that life isn’t always easy, but there is always a place for laughter and fun.
Grandpa’s situation was far from ideal. There was so much he didn’t understand, yet God blessed him with a heart of fun. His laughter brought joy to other patients and workers in that nursing home every single day.
I live with chronic illness and there are a lot of days that are far from ideal. Yet, I love to laugh. Recently my best friend and her family were visiting. Her oldest son asked, “Why do you laugh so much?!” After I stopped laughing, I didn’t have a very good answer for him, but I’ve had time to think about it.
I know why I used to laugh: it was a coping mechanism. I would laugh when I was uncomfortable or instead of crying. I would stuff all other emotions down and just laugh. I was living out Proverbs 14:13: “Laughter can conceal a heavy heart, but when the laughter ends, the grief remains.”
In the last few years God has taught me how to cry and feel my emotions. Now laughter is an overflow of the joy and peace I feel in my spirit. I feel like the Proverbs 31 woman who “is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future (verse 25).”
We can always experience joy because we walk with Christ. God holds each of our futures and He’s a good God. We don’t have to fear what may or may not happen because God not only knows what will happen, but how He will help us through it.
Having fun is a way to show God that we trust Him. If we’re so busy being worried about our future or a certain situation, we’re certainly not going to have any fun. We’ll be stressed out, grouchy people! However, if we can take intentional time in the midst of a trial to go and have a little bit of fun, it’s not only a stress reliever; it’s like a slap in the face to the Devil.
It’s as if we’re saying, “Hey God, I know You’ve got this. I’m not going to worry and I’m not going to wallow in a pit of fear. Help me out of this pit and let’s go have some fun together!”
Something fun that I like to do is ride motorcycle. I don’t get to do it often because of my health, but every time I do get to ride I have a sweet time of communion with God. I’ve had many a heart-to-heart with the Lord over the years from the seat of my Harley Davidson Nightster.
With the loud rumble of power echoing in my helmet, I’m in a world of my own. I can sing praise songs at the top of my lungs, pray out loud, or shout with joy and nobody is going to hear me. Driving a motorcycle is fun, a lot of fun.
The feeling of power you get when you roll back the throttle and accelerate down the open road is like none other. But even that can’t compare to the feeling of communicating with the all-powerful Creator of the universe. To know God and be known by Him on the seat of a Harley – frankly, my dear, it is a fun faith adventure!
Laughter and fun don’t happen by accident, and neither does faith. We must choose them, seek them out. Thankfully, they are there to be found, if we’re looking for them.
A Biker Chick’s Guide to Life: Guideline #4
I’d love to hear from you. Share with me in the comments something fun that you love to do and how you meet God in that activity.
TWEET THIS: Frankly, My Dear: Fun Faith Adventures with Josie Siler: #Laughter and a #Motorcycle @RealMojo68 @josie_siler #faith
Josie Siler
Josie Siler loves sharing God’s gifts of beauty, hope, and adventure. She’s an award-winning writer, a published author, and an award-winning photographer. She can’t seem to separate her two loves so she brings them together each week in a #BehindThePhotoFriday story. Josie is also the Vice President of Broken but Priceless Ministries and the Editorial Assistant for “Broken but Priceless: The Magazine.” When she’s not writing or taking pictures, you’ll find this biker chick riding her motorcycle, reading a good book, drinking coffee, eating chocolate, or shooting something at the range. Learn more about Josie at josiesiler.com.
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
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Jul 10, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @RealMojo68
INVITATION: Harbingers, Cycle One
One of the perks of knowing the people I know, is every so often, I get asked to read books. For no other reason than to read them. And, you know, tell others [that would be you] what I think.
So, some time ago I was given a copy of the aforementioned book by podcast cohost, Alton Gansky. Being the ridiculously slow reader that I am, I didn’t pick the book up until a few weeks later. But once I got into it, I really got into it.
I actually pack it in my bag each day.
That’s something I don’t do, folks! I don’t read in public. I get too distracted. Or I have too many errands to do. But lately, I’ve forgone those pesky errands and planted myself during lunch at the local Starbucks just so I can read what happens next.
Now, Harbingers is unique for several reasons, and I’m gonna tell you why.
FIRST It started out with four authors, each writing a section, or “book”, from the perspective of their own character. That is, Book One was written by Bill Myers in the voice of his character, Brenda. Frank Peretti (later Jeff Gerke), Angie Hunt, and Al Gansky each take a spin for the following sections.
SECOND The first twelve books have been picked up to be published in “cycles”. The first four are in INVITATION.
THIRD It is a very quick read. Well, for most folks. I tend to not dive into a book until I can really commit to it, but this one reads so fast even I was pleasantly surprised. Each book was written to be read in just a day or two. That’s great for people like me. It’s also not great, because when I was done with the first book I just wanted to plow right in to the second one but this thing call housework and another thing called job got in the way.
FOURTH What a joy to read a book that doesn’t take the reader out of the story. As an editor, I naturally find myself critical of writing styles and search subconsciously for errors. I can happily say I was disappointed. Or, not disappointed. Or . . . I just mean the book made me forget I was an editor. That’s hard to do, and highly appreciated.
FIFTH I ain’t gonna lie to you here, the draw for me is I know or have at least met each of the authors except Frank Peretti. Now, when you’re a newbie in the Christian writing world, these are some pretty great names to know. But that’s just my little thing to hold on to.
So let me give you the rundown report on Book One: The Call by Bill Myers.
*WHOOT! WHOOT!* Wait a minute, folks. That’s the spoiler alarm going off! If you don’t want to know about the storyline, best to stop reading here and get yourself a copy of the book. But if you’ve already read it and want to see if my review compares to yours, then by all means, please continue.
SYNOPSIS: Brenda is a “street-hustling tattoo artist who sees images of the future.” Her clients think it’s a game when she tattoos what she sees on them. Two guys bring a drunk friend (“Tank”) and leave him there. The same friend she’s been seeing in her visions. After she works her magic, she’s ready to leave for the night but Tank’s friends don’t return. She’s not the kind to leave him passed out on the sidewalk so she gets him into her car.
Before she can start driving, a low-flying plane, on fire, shoots overhead. Brenda drives to follow it and finds the Professor and Andi have survived the crash. Tank recognizes they are all in the new tattoo on his arm. Whether they like it or not, their paths have brought them together. They discover The Institute: A location known for mysterious events and promoting students with quite a bit of, shall we say, psychic activity.
They meet Sridhar, an unwilling student, and Dr. Trenton, the man in charge. But even now things aren’t what they seem. A terrible energy field controls and amplifies the worst fears of those who enter it. Chants and smoke contribute to the graduation induction ceremony for students as they prepare to go into world with the skills they’ve developed, and the spirit guides they’ve received.
It seems our four are the only ones who recognize Sridhar’s apprehension, and understand they must rescue him. And so they try. But how can four unarmed strangers unite in a game plan against security guards and strong, dark energy?
That, my friends, is why you must by this book. Because I won’t tell you the rest.
A well-written, easy to read, fast paced story that has depth of character, backstory, suspense, conflict. All the things you want in a book. With enough realism to gnaw at the back of your neck as you read about spirits and demons, but enough fabrication to let you sleep at night . . . maybe.
Book One: The Call by Bill Myers is just the beginning. Stay tuned for reports on the rest of INVITATION.
TWEET THIS: Frankly, My Dear . . .: The Harbingers, C1B1: The Call by Bill Myers. @realmojo68 #harbingers #amreading
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
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Jul 9, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @RealMojo68
Frankly, On Faith.
There are many Scriptures referencing fish. Portraying Christ as the Fisher of Men was an idea we still understand and relate to today.
The waters swarm with fish. Bread and fish are what fed the masses. The Kingdom of Heaven casts its net and we will be sorted into keepers or trashers. [I hope I’m a keeper.]
But there’s another fish reference. Actually, it’s bigger than a fish. It’s a great fish, and most have interpreted it to be a whale. It’s the one that swallowed Jonah.
See, God had a task for Jonah, but Jonah didn’t want anything to do with it. He waved his hand and walked away. “See ya, God.” Right. Like that’s ever worked in anyone’s life. Here’s a hint: Because you are uniquely made, when God has a task for you, ain’t no one else gonna get it done. And because God is everywhere, ain’t no use trying to escape Him.
God found Jonah on a boat and caused a great storm to arise. The others were terrified, and Jonah told them, “It’s all my fault. Toss me overboard to the sea. You will be safe.” And it worked. The boat and the fishermen were safe. But Jonah . . . Well, this is where the whale comes in. God was keeping an eye on things, and since Jonah hadn’t proven himself too trustworthy to get the job done in a timely manner, God orchestrated a little extra help in getting him to his destination.
“Now the LORD had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights.”
~Jonah 1:17 NLT
Now, I don’t know about you, but I’m thinking if *I* spent three days in the belly of a whale, I might be doing a whole lot of thinking. Like, how if I’d only listened to God in the first place, I wouldn’t be in this stinkin’ whale. [And I can only imagine how stinkin’ it must have been.] Or, how I let God down in the first place.
My point is, I’m betting there wasn’t a lot of singing and dancing and happy-place emotions going on. But there was prayer. A lot of humility and asking forgiveness. And salvation. Not the spiritual kind, because that goes without saying. But the physical kind. The while-I’m-here-on-earth kind. Because God heard Jonah, and ordered the fish to spit Jonah out onto the beach. [Jonah 2:10 NLT].
And you know what happened next? Jonah did as God asked. And His testimony was more powerful than he could imagine.
TWEET THIS: Frankly, On Faith: Don’t Run From the Inevitable. @RealMojo68 #Jonah #faith #franklyonfaith
TWEET THIS: Frankly, On Faith: If God’s chosen you for a task, He’ll make sure you do it. @realmojo68 #franklyonfaith #faith
Frankly, On Faith: Don’t Run From the Inevitable
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
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Jul 8, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy (@RealMojo68)
How many of you are fist-pumpin’ to the beat? C’mon. That song. That go-get-’em, conquering, sports-theme-y, you-got-this song . . . DundundunDUNDUNdunDUN. Yeah. That one.
Yeah, we got this!
Well, anyway, in your head, I want you to imagine the greatest celebratory music you can conjure. Got it? Awesome.
Keep it playing in the background, and read on.
It’s no secret that I have a new website. But I’m not sure all of you know FMD and NIP are undergoing some cosmetic surgery as well. A little NIP, a little tuck. (Ooh. NIP. See what I did there?)
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Nippers and Bruno and Molly Jo Realy
Now, I don’t know how soon y’all can see it, but it’ll be soon. Real soon, I promise.
So here’s the thing. I’m changing the way I do things, too. And one is how I send the email notices whenever there’s a new post. For the foreseeable future, I intend to have posts every day. WHAT?! You ask? Isn’t that a crazy lot of blogging to do? And This Girl would have to agree with you. Here’s the awesome part. I’m bringing on board some really great contributors to help. More about them later.
Right now, I want to make sure you don’t miss a thing. So. First, check back every day. ‘Cause you don’t want to miss this.
Second, if you’ve been a subscriber for any duration, keep an eye on it in the next week or so. I’m changing from an RSS feed to email-only subscription. That doesn’t mean much to you, but what it means to me is I’m transferring my subscription list for easier management. Right now, I’ve got two lists going on and that’s just a little unkempt.
So help This Girl out and if you realize you’re not getting the email feed, resubscribe. If you want to hedge your bets and subscribe now using a different email, just click here: Subscribe to Frankly, My Dear.
I hope you’ll stick around. And, you might want to take a look at some of my very first posts. Those no longer fit with the new scheme, and I’m thinking it’s time to clean out those closets. Translate: Getting rid of the old to make room for the new.
With an air conditioner and delete key,
~Happy reading.
Molly Jo
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
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Jul 7, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @RealMojo68
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Five Things Friday
You know, we’re halfway through the year and I still haven’t reached all my goals. That private jet? In someone else’s name. Book deal? Workin’ on it. Owning a writers’ cafe? Yah. That’s on the back burner for a while longer. [See what I did there? Cafe? Burner? Sigh . . . ]
So, I’m sitting here thinking, egads! [True story. I actually said “Egads!” out loud. To no one except the fur family. Some days I’m glad they can’t talk English.] But back to it. I’m sitting here thinking, egads! I’ve been so busy I forgot to write Friday’s blog post.
And then I thought to myself, “Self! It’s a Five Things Friday post. You’d best come up with something good!” And my self answered, “Oh, Girl. Don’t bother us. We’re working on the budget.” Okay, it wasn’t all as Sybil-esque as all that, but, yes. Yes I did have a conversation with myself about the budget and paydays and where to find extra cash.
In fact, as I was writing this month’s budget, a nagging thought distracted me until I wrote it out:
Five Things Friday: Pocket Change – Money Comes From Unexpected Sources
That photo above is just a little snippet of my Happy Planner budget sheets. Y’all know my affinity for Happy Planning, yes? Well, maybe that will be next week’s FTF post. Today, we’re about saving pennies. And more.
But it got me thinking. I know I’m not the only who could use a few extra greenbacks. Or a means to accomplish that which must be, well, accomplished. Am I right? Oh, come on folks, I ain’t making this up!
So, in keeping with my striving for a better credit rating and a little fun money [or just a better bag of cat food now and then], here are five easy changes you can make to help save a little dough.
- The Penny Jar. It sounds old fashioned, and even I was skeptical about its profitability at first. But when I cashed out my pennies at the end of six months, I was pleasantly surprised to find enough for a trip to the grocery store and gas station. Now, I’m not saying I bought enough for the month with a cross-country drive, but it did get me through the week and with a little sumthin-sumthin to enjoy Friday night. Which, coincidentally, is now my new penny jar.
Southern Roasted Pecan Gelato. Frankly, My Dear . . . Did someone say, “Yummm.”?
- Talk. Chat. Discuss. However you want to word it, word it. Communicate. Got bills you can’t pay? Let the payee know ahead of time. Most times, companies are willing to work with you if you ask. Now, you can’t be all i-just-bought-a-car-and-quit-my-job-but-i’m-keeping-it on them. I mean, you do have to maintain some responsibility. But take it from me. You know. You’ve read about it here. When you’re in a bind, explain it. Late fees get waived, due dates get pushed. It’s worth a little time to save a little money.
- Sort it all out. Take inventory of what you have, materially, and ask yourself if you really need it. Start small: Take one shelf, one drawer, or one cabinet, and sort it into three piles: Keep. Throw Away. Sell. If it’s in good condition but you don’t need it, consider putting it on LetGo or a local Facebook Yard Sale group. Ebay’s a great source, too. There’s tons of them out there. And if after a decent amount of weeks go by and no one’s bought, donate. Sure, it may not put money in your pocket, but your house will be less cluttered. Clean house, clear mind. Isn’t that a thing?
- Explore your talents. Now, I know you’re good at stuff. And some stuff, you’re really good at. And I know it doesn’t always seem like it, but trust me on this: You have something to offer others. So get creative! Whether it’s a service or goods, take time to develop it. Freelance. It doesn’t take much for word to get out if you’re good at what you do. Babysitting, baking, tree trimming, yard care, dog walking. Are you good as socializing? Love to connect with people? Try something like DoTerra or Jamberry nail wraps. You not only get great discounts for yourself on products you love and use, but if you turn it into a business, you’ll get a nice little income, too!
Frankly, My Dear . . . Jam With Mojo
- Give it up. There are just some things y’all don’t need. When the decision is between milk or bread, it’s time to stop the Netflix. Now, treating yourself is a must, so get that Redbox DVD once in a while. Splurge for that Starbucks every three weeks. But when you start cutting corners and realize how easy it is to roll that savings into paying off another bill and that snowball keeps rolling downhill . . . pretty soon you’re king of your mountain and those are wildflowers springing up to make things beautiful.
Hyacinth for the Soul.
BONUS TIP: Pay attention to your spending. Don’t just write it in your checkbook or look at your smart phone now and then. Make a budget journal. Keep your receipts. Figure out where and how things can change. Grab a small drink instead of large, especially when the refills are free.
BONUS BONUS TIP: On the morning of each payday, whatever money you have left in your bank account that’s unallocated, transfer it to your savings or emergency fund.
BONUS BONUS BONUS TIP: Barter. You can’t afford everything you need and want. Neither can everyone else in your world. But you may be able to work out a trade. You can wash a car in exchange for yard cleaning. Tired of your DVDs? Trade them with a friend for some new but free entertainment. Money is a means, not an end. When you remove money from the equation, you may find a different solution.
BONUS BONUS BONUS BONUS TIP: Don’t be afraid to ask when you need help. It’s okay to admit you can’t handle everything on your own all the time. No one can. If we could, we wouldn’t need each other, would be?
BONUS BONUS BONUS BONUS BONUS TIP (So really this should be a Five Things PLUS Five Things Friday): Take it all to the Great Provider. I find that when I earnestly ask God to bless my budget, I’m more aware of my frivolous spending habits, and more attentive to being a good steward of what He has blessed me with.
Frankly, My Dear . . . Happy Planner Budget Dashboard
Remember, the little things really do add up.
TWEET THIS: Frankly, My Dear . . .: Five Things Friday: Pocket Changes. @RealMojo68 #penny #saving
TWEET THIS: Frankly, My Dear . . . Five Things Friday: Pocket Changes. Ways to count pennies without feeling broke. @RealMojo68
With a blingy wallet and a small sweet tea,
~Molly Jo
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
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