Mar 26, 2014 |
Thanksgiving Table
This is a photo of the first Thanksgiving dinner I ever hosted. It was my first “on my own” holiday. After not completing college and living at home until Dot was nearly four years old, it was time to move out.
It was tough. I was working full-time and being a single parent of a young child had its moments. I often felt like I was failing. The budget rarely balanced. The apartment wasn’t always clean.
But we had love.
Isn’t that what people say? “We may be poor, but we’re rich in love.” That was, and continues to be, true.
I wanted to show off my home skills. And since my brothers couldn’t make it to town for the Big Feast, I let Mom know I wanted to host it.
I didn’t know how I’d manage to afford all this food. I wasn’t sure my time management skills were up to the task. But I prayed. A lot. Alot-alot-alot. And through His blessings and the generosity of others, not to mention several found pennies (and then some!), this entire feast cost me only $0.76.
That’s not a typo. Mom provided two side dishes and dessert. I managed to barter, coupon shop, and was gifted nearly everything else.
But I wanted a candle. Hence the seventy-six cents.
I keep a copy of this photo on my refrigerator. Every time I go into my kitchen and wonder what I will eat, or what I’ll feed Dot, I see this photo. And I’m reminded that He feeds even the smallest sparrows. Sometimes I don’t feel like cooking. Sometimes I don’t think I have enough to cook. You know what? It doesn’t matter. We’ve never gone hungry.
The reason I’m writing this post in March instead of November, is because I recently turned from mourning to dancing. I began to write again. I began to pray differently. I began to trust again. I began to trust Him again. And I began to thank Him.
This past month I started to reorganize my writing. The To-Do’s, the location, the means, the ends. I have a game plan and outlines.
Can you imagine my surprise when I found the feast photo amidst my notes? Especially since the refrigerator copy is still on the refrigerator! How did this extra copy find its way from some unknown storage into the few papers that are held in my new desk drawer?
Writing Sanctuary
I don’t know. I honestly don’t know. I vaguely remember having a second copy tucked into an unused older Bible. But that Bible has been boxed away for years.
And this photo reappeared just when I rediscovered my Writing Muse.
So there’s an intimidating sense of obligation to keep writing. A sense of, “Atta girl!” and “I’m pullin’ for ya!” A definite sense of “Yes, you can do it!” And a huge sense that I’m doing the right thing.
I don’t think Thanksgiving should be relegated to one day or even one month. Thanksgiving isn’t an event. It’s a way of life. It’s the chance to stand up and let the world know you’re glad to be alive.
And I’m definitely glad to be alive. Glad to have the life I have. Glad to be encouraged as a Mom. A daughter. A cook. A writer. And yes, a Christian.
Glad to know I’m not as alone as I sometimes feel.
There’s sense of security when you know your Daddy is there, taking care of you. You might not see Him behind you, but He’s there. You might not hear Him whispering to those around you, but He’s speaking through you. You might not even realize His presence. That’s okay. He’s still there.
And because He is, I am.
And I’m just so very thankful.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
You may also enjoy reading:
Apologetic
A Good Name
Dear God, Did You Forget About Me?!
“Be Not Afraid”. Yes, I’m talking to YOU.
Mar 25, 2014 |
Amazon is synonymous with sales, especially books. The great part is, Amazon makes it easy for authors of all sorts to share their stories. In particular, I’m in love with their Author’s Pages. A person can share as little or as much as they like, and link to their most important social media networks.
Publishing eBooks for Kindle download is just as easy. Once you have the finished draft, a quick upload is all it takes to get started.
You can check out my Amazon Author’s Page here. It contains all the aforementioned goodies, and more.
Now that I’m back in the swing of writing and blogging, I thought this would be a good time to promote my Kindle eBooks. You’ve read my posts as I started these writings, and you celebrated with me as I published.
It’s time to be rewarded for your cheerleading.
THE PENNY PARABLE will be free Wednesday and Thursday of this week.
The Penny Parable
A STUDY ON THE TEN COMMANDMENTS will be price-reduced as well.
A Study on the Ten Commandments
It’s my way of giving back and saying thanks. Thanks for reading, thanks for cheering.
Just . . . thanks.
And Frankly, My Dear . . . that’s all she wrote!
You may also enjoy reading:
“Life is Rough. I’m still a diamond.”
2014: BETTER.
The Friday Five – STORIES
Feb 9, 2014 |
I’m single. Does that make February a hard month for me? Not at all. Being single doesn’t mean I’m lonely. I have a full time job that I absolutely love. I have family that lives nearby and an adult daughter who lives at home while navigating through her own busy albeit single life. We have our individual and collective social lives.
Don’t feel sorry for me, for us.
We’re not that lonely.
We play games together. I write. She bowls. We cook, clean, run errands together. We spend time apart. She bowls. I do coffee. We’re very busy.
So we’re not that lonely.
Mind you, I often think it would be nice to have someone taller and stronger around to handle things like cutting down the trees that are still standing or bagging up the endless piles of leaves they leave. Someone to pay the dinner bill once in a while. Someone to replace the light bulb. Carry the grocery bags. Someone to share life with. But I don’t go to bed alone and cry about it. I just don’t.
A few weeks ago, I found myself in a local store. Not finding what I needed, a worker offered to search storage for me. Sure enough, he returned with the goods. We chatted a bit. It was nice. He was nice.
A few days later and I returned to the store. We struck up another conversation. He was very easy to speak with. Attractive. And that second most important factor: age appropriate.
The conversation went well, but I had a nudging feeling. Something not quite right. I called him on it. He’d said he was divorced but his finger was shaped as if a ring had just been removed. Then he said he was living with someone.
I asked him why. I was curious why someone would be in a relationship and think it’s okay to ask someone else out. He said he’s with her “because it’s comfortable”. Because it’s a place to go home to. But that he really liked me.
I’m sorry. But I’m not that lonely.
I was a little discouraged, and yet encouraged. I can be just friends with him. I was upfront with him. I’m a Christian, I’m a single mom, and I don’t play games. The only thing he would get from me is conversation in the store. Not even a phone number? No, sir.
I have to admit, those first few non-dates were exciting. I liked the attention he gave me. The compliments. The conversation. In short periods of time we discussed faith, family, jobs and relationships. At first I thought he was on the verge of leaving her, and I thought I could wait. We talked of going out: Where would he take me? What would I wear?
It was new. It was nice.
And then I came home and looked at myself in the mirror.
~Molly Jo~
I am nobody’s Other Woman. I never have been, and I never will be.
And so to him, and to anyone else who wants to know me enough to date me, here it is:
You don’t get me.
In this household, I live by example. I show my daughter what’s acceptable and what’s not. I live out my ministry in my world by trying to be the person I want to be for others. And I don’t want anyone to think it’s okay to cheat. To cut corners. To not care about the ones you’re supposed to care about. Yes, it’s hard. Yes, sometimes, I do get bouts of loneliness. But these rewards are worth more than a fleeting dinner or a stolen kiss.
So you don’t get me.
In this household, we do deep. We do real. We do honest. And we do love.
Not the way you want it – not the fast, replacement, lonely-filler kind of love that you think you have to offer. Not the selfish its-all-about-my-needs-and-I’m-tired kind of love that you’re demonstrating.
We do love-your-neighbor love. We do get-in-the-trash-if-that’s-where-the-treasure-is love. We do the hard crying when words fail. We do the laughing so hard people think we’re crazy. We do the public hugs and the private conversations and the dinner at the table and the leave-me-alone times.
We do it all.
And you know nothing of that.
Because you’ve never asked. Because you saw a single woman and called her “beautiful” and expected me to open up to you.
You so don’t get me.
I’m so much more than a conversation in a store or a cross around my neck. I am complicated and sweet and smart and confident. I live for God and I live for other people. I love coffee and Italy and Disneyland and cats and everything there possibly is to love about life. And I love people who can’t love themselves. I share stories and I hold things in. I am oxymoronic every day. I am strong and secure and scared and shy all at once.
But I know who I am. I love me the way I am. I love sharing my life with people. I want to feed the world and save the homeless and cure cancer and shout everything from the highest mountain and be still under the stars.
I want much out of life. But I don’t want you. I don’t know you.
Except you’re willing to compromise. You’re willing to rush into something you have no business rushing into, and people will get hurt in your wake.
I will not be one of them. Nor will I be the cause for one of them.
So you don’t get me.
Because I’m not that lonely.
And all I can say now is, I hope someday, you’re not that lonely either.
I may be rough, but I’m still a diamond!
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
You may also enjoy reading:
Who I Am
Nail Polish: If You’re a Guy, You Just Don’t Get It
“As Long As You Love Me”
Dec 17, 2013 |
It’s been a month since I’ve posted. I’ve never gone this long before; and I apologize. I hope you didn’t think I’d forgotten you. No, far from it. But I really have been Just.That.Busy.
I turned my focus to amplifying my Amazon Author’s Page as well as finishing The Penny Parable for eBook publication. I’ve been attending my monthly Writer’s Club meetings, and I’ve joined a critique group. Every other week, nine of us gather to review our works. We email them out a week before each meeting and go over notes and suggestions in the group. It’s quite a great experience, and if you are a serious writer I strongly suggest you find such a group.
Last weekend, the High Desert chapter of the California Writer’s Club was honored to hear Aura Imbarus speak. I was lucky enough to meet with her during the break. She is someone I want to know: She is inspirational, comical, truthful, adventurous, enduring and most of all, a writer.
Aura and MJ
Her story is captivating and thrilling. And she’s nice. She’s one of those people who make you feel you’ve been friends forever, even if you’ve just met. Her energy is just so positive! Yeah. I want to know her.
And yes, that’s me on crutches. I have no dramatic story to tell. I got into my car. I got out of my car. I couldn’t walk. Okay, it’s not quite that simple. But it is. You’ll remember I’ve been in ten car accidents and hit once as a pedestrian? Never my fault, honest. But still. A knee can only stand so much trauma before it starts to fail. And every once in a while, my knee likes to remind me. Which it did last week. Normally I can just ice it and kick back in the recliner for the weekend, but there was no way I was going to miss my Writer’s Club meeting and subsequent Christmas party. So I did the only logical thing. I hobbled into CVS and bought a pair of crutches!
You would think with my prior injury history I’d have a pair around here somewhere. Well I did for a while. But then I got cocky and figured I wouldn’t need them again, so out they went. That’ll teach me.
As each day passes, I find myself wanting more. More time. More energy. More money to do/fix/buy/go. My wish list is getting greater, yet simpler. I want to be a writer. A well accepted, published, known, respected author. I want to have a beautiful yard. A healthy, colorful, desert-enduring yard. I want to fix my house. Bedford Manor is lovely, but in need of some repairs. I want better health for me and those around me. Too many people are suffering with so much. My heart aches every day to see it.
I’m not sure what the New Year will bring. But I already have my word picked out, and I can’t wait to share it with you!
Just today a dear friend reminded me that whatever comes, whether it’s in my plans or not, it’s going to be okay. All I can do, is all I can do. She reminded me to hold firm to what I already know, which is my Faith. It was one of those Kismet things, thrown in my face from many angles. I was reminded of what I have often reminded others. That God is in control and it’s okay that I’m not. As long as I still have Faith, Hope, and Love.
Jeremiah 29:11
And someone else gave me this tidbit of wisdom a week or so ago. I asked if I could share it, and he said yes. So here’s a great thought to get you through those times that we’re all going through:
Sitting Around
And it hurts. And it feels like failure. And it doesn’t work.
So I try again. To make ends meet. To write something blockbustery. To breathe.
And it still hurts. And it looks like failure. And it doesn’t always work.
But sometimes it does.
So I keep moving. And working. And writing. And breathing.
And living.
And smiling.
Because I’m alive. And breathing. And working. And writing. And feeling.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
You may also enjoy reading:
More or Less: 29 Words
What’s Your Writing Style? Creatively Overcoming Writer’s Block
Why I Write. Every Day.
Doing Something. Good.
Poverty: My Story
TGIF
Nov 17, 2013 |
I’m starting a new project. Of course I am. I always have projects in the works, in the back of my mind, on the pages of my notebook.
But this one, I’ve actually started.
If all goes well, at the beginning of the New Year (or perhaps sooner), I’ll be broadcasting a weekly podcast called “Five Minute Faith”.
Five Minute Faith
I’m learning so much about what makes a podcast: How to format a recording. When to edit sound.
I’m also learning about Faith.
Because a person can’t seriously start a project like this and not be thrown to the wolves now and then for a bit of training, right?!
I’m not yet well-versed in behind-the-scenes editing. So I beg your forgiveness if the first few episodes aren’t perfect. What’s that saying?
Please be patient.
God isn’t finished with me yet.
Yeah. That’s it.
Most of the time, the podcast will be around five minutes. I’m not perfect. I’m not a theologian or a Pastor. But I definitely have a heart for God and desire to share Him with you, one moment at a time.
Now and then the podcast will run longer as special guests share their stories of Faith.
This isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, either. There are hard questions about Faith. I’m not here to tell you if you believe in God all your problems will go away. I’m here to tell you that He is here, even when it doesn’t seem like it. And He is here, shining through as you example Him to the world around you.
Shortly after the podcast begins broadcasting, BROKEN GIRL should be available as well.
Broken Girl and Other Tales of Redemption: A Collection of Parables, Poetry & Prose
Both of these projects have been in the works for a long time and it’s nice to see the finish line.
This is what I’ve been working on. These are the first steps. These are the Somethings I’ve been doing.
Do Something
Why am I doing these? Because we all need encouragement. We all need to know we’re not alone. We’re individual, but we’re not unique. We’re together. In this life, on this planet, we’re together. And I need you.
This is just another way for me to tell you how important you are.
I hope you’ll stick around and share your own stories and questions about Faith.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
You may also enjoy reading:
TGIF: One
The Penny Parable – Part I
“Be Not Afraid”. Yes, I’m talking to YOU.
What I Learned on Women’s Retreat [The Big Whammy!]
