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 |    I will be adding stories & reflections as time marches on. Take a gander today! |
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Contest Entries: "The Contest Challenge"  Participant"I Write in 2018" Participant"I Write in 2019" Participant"I Write in 2020" Participant2021: Independent Writing 2122: "I Write: Enter the Second Decade" Participant2123: "Twenty-three in Eleven " ParticipantThis mixed collection contains fiction, non-fiction, prose, and poetry. Entries vary in length from very short to one that is over 3000 words. 53 entries written in 2018: ▼ 53 entries written in 2019: ▼ 43 entries written in 2020 ▼ 2 entries written in 2021 ▼ Entries written in 2022 ▼ NOTE: All Titles with ~ ~ are either non-fiction or based on a true story. |
  This is my personal photo of a burning candle displayed in a Trinket on Writing.Com. Let your light shine, too! ~ ~ ~ JESUS is LORD! ~ ~ ~ Written for: "The Prompt Me Contest" 184 Have Been Collected. |
| "Blog Week Birthday Bastion 2024" Prompt 6. Sept 6. Nothing makes us so lonely as our secrets. Paul Tournier Can you share a secret? Small or big, tell us. No? Tell us why not. Who is Paul Tournier? I don't know and a quick google search didn't help me. It kept giving me the Paul Tournier quote in our prompt for today. It also caused me to think of another quote I know: "We are only as sick as our secrets." I first heard that statement around 12-step tables. As I walked the walk, I found it to be true. I often say the 12-steps saved my life—because they surely did. I was ableto embrace myself warts and all. It started when I officially worked the first three steps: 1. I admitted Iwas powerless over food and my life had become unmanageable. 2. I came to believe God could and would restore me to sanity. 3. I made a decision to turn my life and my will over to the care of God as I understood Him. Then I was at the fourth step and I did my best to take a fearless and thorough moral inventory of myself. It was not an easy task. I cried my way through reams of paper. With my inventory in hand, I was ready to share the secrets of my failings with God and with another human being. Prior to working my firsr fifth step, I was certain that if anyone really knew me, they would reject me but, ya know what—they didn't. As I shared openly and honestly about my failings, I discovered that being real and authentic was the best way to go. I was blessed to have learned that lesson. It serves me well to this day. Being real and authentic is very high on my list of values and I am glad—relieved and glad... ~ ~ ~ JESUS is LORD! ~ ~ ~ |
| "Blog Week Birthday Bastion 2024" Prompt 2. Sept 2. Tell us about an earthshaking Life-or-Death situation in your life. What happened, how did it change you, if at all? Day 2 Blog Week Birthday Bastion 2024 I am late.  it is 1 minute after midnight as I start this entry...Being late is not earth-shattering. Life is taking a toll on me right now. I am going to write an entry anyways. How many words do I need? 300 Word Minimum.. 79 down 221 more to go... The first thing I thought of when I read the prompt was the first earthquake I ever experienced. It was August 2011. I was in Annapolis, Maryland—actually Arnold, Maryland. My dad's address was sometimes Arnold and sometimes Annapolis for some reason I don't remember and never understood... 133 Words—I am so exhausted—I am struggling to reach the minimum word count. Day 2 and I am already a failure!!!  My father died on July 29th, 2011. That was an earth-shattering event for me. My youngest sister and my con-man brother-in-law had tried to keep the news of his death from my other sister and I. That was VERY EARTH-SHATTERING. It made my dad's death even harder to bear. They tried to steal my dad's estate. They wanted my dad's money—I wanted my dad...  I need 79 more words... Well, actually the needed words become fewer as I note them, eh? Not only was that August 2011 earthquake the first for me, it is the only earthquake I have experienced. I was talking on the phone to my "good" when it happened. The strangest part of it was that the kitchen cabinets suddenly no longer seemed solid. They appeared to be waving as though the were a piece of cloth. Oh good, I am going to reach that 300 Word minimum!!! As I think back to that sad summer, memories come flooding back. The tears are gentler this time... ~ ~ ~ JESUS is LORD! ~ ~ ~ I am late. it was 1 minute after midnight when I started this entry...~ ~ ~ JESUS is LORD! ~ ~ ~ |
| "Blog Week Birthday Bastion 2024" Prompt 1. Sept 1. It's the site's 24th Anniversary. Tell us about your love or fondness of Writing.com. What makes this a wonderful place for writers? Why are you (still) here? What do I love about Writing.Com? I have mentioned this before: There is a song we sing in church that has a chorus that reminds me of The ScaryMaster (no disrespect to God intended): Even when I don't see it, You're working Even when I don't feel it, You're working You never stop, You never stop working You never stop, You never stop working StoryMaster is always working behind the scenes. The best thing about this site is the couple who started it. The self-taught coder, The ScaryMaster and the artist/photographer he loves, The StoryWitchress My only regret is that I did not find this site sooner! From the beginning, I got to have open communication with the OWNER of Writing.Com. Our interactions started on "Technical Support Forum" back in 2009. He was kind, patient, informative and occasionally a bit cheeky.How was he cheeky? Well, there was this one time I thought I noticed changes in heading font sizes and such. I posted on "Technical Support Forum" asking, "Am I crazy or have some of the font sizes changed today. He responded, "Well, I can't say whether or not you are crazy but the font sizes did change.  "Cheeky, eh? Another place we have interacted is "Suggestion Box" . Something that has made this site super special to me has been his responsiveness to my suggestions. He has implemented several of my ideas over the years which totally blesses my heart.Another thing is the man is a good businessman! First of all, he understands the baker's dozen philosophy: when you order something from the WdC store, you ALWAYS get little extras along with your order. That's just one of his business strategies—there are others—some are done anonymously and show the same business savvy. Truthfully, I love the man and I love WdC.   And, The StoryWitchress is a sweetheart, too. Years ago, I told her I would like a custom made merit badge. I wanted it to have blue daisies and be titled "Just Because". Back then, they did not offer this feature but the day came that she started using her creative talents to do just that: ![Merit Badge in Just Because
[Click For More Info]
Thank you for creating this BEAUTIFUL BADGE! *^*Heart*^*](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/general-Just_Because.gif) You can see the image I sent her here:
The StoryWitchress has also made some of the most beautiful trinkets I have in my collection! You can see them here: There is much more I could say about these two but I will conclude with another thing I love about Writing.Com" YOU! StoryMaster did not just create a site, he created a community and if you are reading this, it includes you! Reading, Writing, Reviewing. and interacting with each other definitely makes Writing.Com a wonderful place for us to gather, eh? 24 Years and counting! ~ ~ ~ JESUS is LORD! ~ ~ ~ |
| Lilli's QOTD: You find yourself on a 14-hour flight, which fictional character would you like to sit beside? This question reminded me of the hours I have spent in Simon's livingroom listening to Simon and Og Mandino discuss life and Hand-of-God books. I have an item in my port about "Meeting Simon . . ." ...As I write my response here, I find myself thinking it is time to dig out a copy of Greatest Miracle in the World and visit that fascinating man again... Maybe it is destined for me to become a rag-picker—a good way for me to spend the final chapter of my life... The Greatest Miracle in the World? ▼ See: Re: QOTD: Tuesday, August 6th from Question of the Day! ~ ~ ~ JESUS is LORD! ~ ~ ~ |
| ~ Life Goes On ~ On Tuesday, my daughter and I worked in my yard. By that evening, I realized the heat had been too much for me. I went to bed—for a few days. On Friday, I had still not recovered but had a commitment to keep. I had promised my son I would care for his animals while he and his family went to the lake for a few days. I was feeling so bad, I used Google Maps to find the shortest route and prayed I would make it. My plan? Straight to his house in the country—no stops along the way. My friend's husband was not well. Actually, he was dying. He was 94 and had fluid building up in his lungs. He had been in and out of the hospital for the last couple months. His doctors had sent him home on hospice. They were draining about 400 ml of blood-tinged fluid from his lungs every other day. I had stayed with him for a few nights so his wife could get some sleep. He spent a few hours in the middle of the night telling me tales from his life and even preached a mini-sermon just for me. I had called and checked my friend and gotten updates from her each day on how he was doing. She said hospice had told her they only expected him to live a month or so. She was still hoping for a miracle but gradually coming to terms with that news. I did not intend to see them again until after my son and his family got home from vacation. Their home was not on my way—and remember, I had said no stops along the way. I called my friend to visit with her as I drove... I heard myself asking, "May I stop by for a minute?" Of course, she said yes. I turned off my planned path and headed to their home... As she opened the door to me when I arrived, I could sense the Presence of God. I hugged her and then made my way to the next room and greeted her husband. We exchanged our normal greeting, him asking, "How are you, young lady?" and me asking, "How are you, old man?". For the first time since I'd known him, he responded, "Not so good." Tears filled my eyes as I held his hand and silently prayed for him. I said some words to him letting him know how glad I was to have had him in my life. I squeezed his hand, said my good-byes and headed to my son's. The next day, he lapsed into a coma. He died two days later. I am so glad I made that detour and saw him one last time. It had not been my plan but I believe I was led by the One whose plans are above mine. He knew I needed to say good-bye and blessed me with those last precious moments. I cherish that time and can add it to the memories I have of this very special man. I am glad to have known him... Written for "SENIOR CENTER FORUM" Word Count: 535 Words ~ ~ ~ JESUS is LORD! ~ ~ ~ |
The other day I was driving from my daughter's home to my home. When I am driving by myself, I like to talk on the phone. No one I would usually talk to was available. It was as if God said, "You could talk to me." At that moment, I really wanted a back and forth conversation and verbalized that to God. Lately my interactions with God had seemed pretty one-sided. I expressed that and asked why. An answer came quickly: "Because you have failed to be grateful." I immediately saw the truth in that statement and confessed it as sin asking God to forgive me and, as it says in I John 1:9, cleanse me from all unrighteousness. As the conversation continued, I asked, "What happened that has caused our relationship to seem so distant these days?" The answer: "You have allowed your life to revolve around something other than me (for example: WdC and a WdC friend)" At church last Sunday, the pastor used his potter's wheel in his message. He talked about the importance of the clay being centered on the wheel. I prayed for God to center me on His wheel. He is the potter and I am the clay... Word Count: 233 Words Written for: "Making Dreams Come True!" Prompt: Share a tidbit from your life... ~ ~ ~ JESUS is LORD! ~ ~ ~ |
~ Looking In My Port For FOOD ~ Today, I want to once again write an entry based on my Habit Heroes experience. " Building Better Habits 5/24" is where I keep track of the progress I make this month. For May I added two new habits:  Watch Only Bible-Based Videos No SugarFor some reason, adding these two much needed habits has completely thrown me off. 🌸 princess bride pwheeler is always there as a support person as we work to build new habits so she and I have exchanged a couple emails about this. She also put a post on the forum briefly addressing my current struggle. Today, I searched through my port looking for things I have written about me and food. Here is a list of the entries I have found: "God, Please change my relationship with food." "My OA Story" "The History Of My Personal Relationship With Food..." "My Personal Relationship With Food -- A History Revisited" "~Me and Food~" "~Me, My Prayer, and Food~" Most of these entries are found in An Ordinary Life . One is found in ruwth is writing... .The "No Sugar" habit may need to be modified. Although I have had extended periods of sugar abstinence in my life and due to diabetes should strive to reduce my sugar intake, "No Sugar" might not be the ideal plan for me. As I contemplate this and continue to discuss things with Phyllis, I want to reread these entries and decide what might work for me in this area of my life. I hope to come back and share my progress at the end of May. See you then! Word Count: 223 Words ~ ~ ~ JESUS is LORD! ~ ~ ~ |
| Hook of the Book Prompt:  The tide came in while I was sitting here thinking about you. I didn't notice until just now—when your chair began to shift in the sand. I miss you. Word Count: 30 Words ~ ~ ~ JESUS is LORD! ~ ~ ~ |
Have you heard the poem about one set of footprints in the sand? Right now I pray, "Jesus, please carry me today." For more info: https://footprintssandpoem.com/footprints-in-the-sand-prayer/ Written for "The Prompt Me Contest" Prompt: Footprints Word Count: 22 Words ~ ~ ~ JESUS is LORD! ~ ~ ~ |
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