Rhonda S. Taylor

Dancing for Joy

2013-08-22T21:32:00.002-07:00

Today, I am HAPPY!

I have been through a lot lately,

but like Psalm 30 verse 5 says,

"Weeping my stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning."

Praise God for new beginnings!!!!

He has "turned my wailing into dancing"!

Psalm 30

I will exalt you, Lord,
    for you lifted me out of the depths
    and did not let my enemies gloat over me.
²Lord my God, I called to you for help,
    and you healed me.
³You, Lord, brought me up from the realm of the dead;
    you spared me from going down to the pit.

⁴Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people;
    praise his holy name.
⁵For his anger lasts only a moment,
    but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may stay for the night,
    but rejoicing comes in the morning.

⁶When I felt secure, I said,
    “I will never be shaken.”
⁷Lord, when you favored me,
    you made my royal mountain^[c] stand firm;
but when you hid your face,
    I was dismayed.

⁸To you, Lord, I called;
    to the Lord I cried for mercy:
⁹“What is gained if I am silenced,
    if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise you?
    Will it proclaim your faithfulness?
¹⁰Hear, Lord, and be merciful to me;
    Lord, be my help.”

11 You turned my wailing into dancing;

    you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,

12 that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.

    Lord my God, I will praise you forever.

Looking back and moving forward

2013-08-19T20:01:00.000-07:00

Two years ago, I wrote a new poem and posted it on my blog. I cry now as I read it and realize that my prayer in the last stanza has come to fruition. I told the Lord to break me if that's what it would take to show me how to serve Him, and I have definitely been broken. I told Him to blur my vision of my future if He had something different planned for me, and He has definitely done so recently.

I'm sharing this poem with you again because it is my prayer today. I see God working in so many aspects of my life right now, and I need to remind myself daily to respond to these changes with a willing heart rather than with sadness, confusion, anger, or despair. He has a perfect plan.

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Lord, Make Me Uncomfortable
Lord, make me uncomfortable with my daily routine
So I'll follow your steps wherever they lead.
Make me uncomfortable as I'm cooking dinner
So I'll remember the sheep you want me to feed.

Make my recliner less comfortable for sitting
So I'll spend more time moving and less as a slouch.
Doing your will and reaching the lost
Can hardly be done with a remote from the couch.

Make me uncomfortable when I'm in the presence
Of ungodly things of which you disapprove.
Make me uncomfortable keeping my mouth shut
When Your Spirit through me is trying to move.

Make my plans hazy and my dreams disappear
If you have different goals planned for me.
Break my heart, my body, and soul,
If that's how I will better serve Thee.

The Big Stick

2013-08-19T19:06:00.003-07:00

Lying in the hospital bed last week, I turned my face away from the nurse and squished my eyelids together as tightly as I possibly could. I braced for that "big stick" she'd warned about a few seconds before.

Then, in a second, the pain from the stick was over. A deep ache remained in my arm with the IV, but it wasn't a pain like that initial stick. Just an ache, which eventually faded to a soreness, which I became accustomed to almost to the point I forgot it was there... almost.

Now several days after that IV was removed, bruises line both my arms and hands reminding me of the many "big sticks" I endured those several days in the hospital. My normal routine is interrupted regularly as those bruises send a twinge of pain through my arm stopping whatever I was trying to do, but I know that pain will cease with time just as the bruises will disappear, leaving only a tiny dot of a scar on each hand where the IVs were.

But these bruises remind me of so much more than my physical pain that is fading away. They are a blessed promise that these "big sticks" I've been enduring for the last several weeks of my life -- these huge life-changing events that I've tried to turn my face away from and squish my eyelids together dreading the hurt -- the pain they are causing me today will, too, fade with time.

I signed my divorce papers today. Although I'm completely ready to move on with this next stage of my life, I have been dreading those papers like a terrible needle. I knew in the hospital that I needed the IV, that it was a necessity for my health to improve; in the same way, I know that I need these papers to be signed for my situation in life to improve.

As my pen scribbled across the paper once, twice, three times, it was over. Much like that "big stick" is over in a second, so was the dreaded signing of those papers. Now all that is left is an ache, a feeling of failure... but along with that feeling of failure is a clear determination not to make the same mistakes again. To do it better the next time. To love harder. To give everything I have and not let failure be an option.

I know that my heart will be bruised for a little while, but the healing ache of moving on is one I embrace! I'd rather be healing than hurting like I have been doing for a long time.

This "big stick" is going to heal. I am going to be better for it. My future is going to be better because of it. One day the pain will be so distant in my memory that I will have to make a real effort to recall it.

I look forward to that day.

But for now, I'm nursing my bruises and giving them time to heal.

Tears of Frustration

2013-08-18T20:55:00.000-07:00

Tonight as I crawl into bed and say my prayers, I feel the tears are going to fall, which is why I'm still up so late. I'm not sad. Really. I'm just tired and frustrated, and I desperately need some fun and laughter injected into my life right now.

I have been in the process of moving for four months. For FOUR MONTHS I have been either packing, moving, or unpacking. Now, I am repacking and moving again after being in this house only a month.

Frustrated.
Tired.
Overwhelmed.
Worn.

I passed all of those feelings weeks ago, and at this point I'm just hanging on.

With less than two weeks to pack and move this time, I have no free time to spare. Plus, I'm not able to lift anything over 10 pounds because of my recent surgery!! So I honestly don't know how I'm going to complete this task of moving. It seems impossible when I actually think about the details, but I know that somehow it will get done. Everything somehow always works itself out in the end.

I'm telling that to myself about my life, too. Everything somehow always works itself out in the end. I've been through a lot of big life changes recently, and I know without any doubts that they are for the better. Yet, that doesn't mean they are easy. I'm so ready to move on from this transition stage and start to live my life again!!

Fulfilled... not frustrated.
Invigorated... not tired.
Hopeful... not overwhelmed.
Wanted... not worn.

I want to feel those things. I look forward to feeling alive again rather than just breathing.

As I lay me down to sleep and pray the Lord my soul to keep, I'll close my eyes and remind myself that everything will work out. He always takes care of me when I can't take care of myself. He will never fail even when I do. His love endures when others cease. He is all I really need, and tonight I will rest in that.

There's No Place Like Home

2013-08-17T19:43:00.000-07:00

I stood in the kitchen staring into my cabinets trying to decide what to cook for lunch. Cooking for one has its challenges. I don't want to make some big fancy meal and be stuck eating leftovers all week, the same meal over and over again (been there, done that, washed those dishes!), but I refuse to eat single serving mac-n-cheese or Lean Cuisine meals!

If I were at Mama's house, I could be having pork chops, peas, mashed potatoes, mac-n-cheese, crescent rolls, sweet tea... I close my eyes and click my barefooted heels together: "There's no place like home. There's no place like home. There's no place like home."

Why should I be here cooking for one when I could be eating with my family?? Why should I look for ways to pass the time when I could be helping my grandmother water her tomato plants, sitting under the tree in the swing with my cousins at my aunt's house, or laying out with Mama by the pool?

So, barefooted in the kitchen of this rental house that will never be home, today I made the decision to move back to my hometown, the community where I grew up, the church where I was raised. Family is the most cherished aspect of my life, and to be able to spend precious moments with them is one wonderful blessing to come out of this mess my life seems to have become. God is going to bless this mess... I can feel it coming!!

Thank you, Lord, for blessing me with such a supportive, loving, faith-filled family and for allowing me this opportunity to draw closer to them and to You.

I'm going home!!! :)

Bugs on the Windshield

2013-08-07T18:01:00.000-07:00

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Prov. 3:5-6

Splat!!

The poor little bug on my windshield hadn't stood a chance.

Just fluttering along minding its own business, then...

BAM!

Blindsided!

That's how I've felt lately. Blindsided. Squished on someone's windshield.

I keep asking myself, Was I flying in the wrong direction? Was I in the way? Was I not supposed to be on that road? I guess I was wrong on all counts. In the wrong place. The wrong time.

BUT LUCKILY I'M NOT A BUG!! So now I get a chance to fly somewhere else! It's hard starting over, but life goes on. Next time, I'm going to do better at following Prov. 3:5-6. Trust in God, not myself, and He will tell me where to fly.

Here's a sneak peak from my novel...

2013-08-07T17:35:00.001-07:00

The stars and stripes hung dauntingly above the squares on the fund-raiser calendar. One more day, one less empty box as she squeaked the crimson sharpie across the half-filled page.

Hesitantly walking toward the kitchen sink with the now-empty glass—syrah drops still visible along the gold band (such a perfect wedding gift), she paused, contemplating the hours that lay ahead. Looking back over her shoulder across the granite countertop to the uncorked bottle, what could it hurt?

Not tonight. She had an early shift in the morning.

As her hand reached to turn the faucet, the street light coming in through the window grazed the silver band on her finger. Such a short time ago, that sight would have been a comforting reassurance.

Not anymore.

The glass clanged against the stainless steel sink, shattering the silence. One day at a time, just one day at a time, Janet reminded herself as she turned to walk away, running a shaking hand through her hair, which was long overdue for a trim. Time just doesn’t seem to matter as much anymore, she thought, turning off the overhead kitchen lights then walking over to the couch. She curled up, wrapping herself tightly in the navy fleece blanket and hugging the pillow she’d brought in from the bedroom earlier, and stared at the popcorn ceiling while hoping desperately for a peaceful night’s sleep.

When Everything Falls Apart

2013-08-02T23:18:00.000-07:00

The story of Job is one of the greatest testimonies in the Bible not because of how Job turned to God during times of blessings, but because of how Job stayed faithful even when he lost everything. His oxen, donkeys, sheep, camels, servants, SONS and DAUGHTERS were all taken from him. I get angry when I lose my keys!! Can you imagine losing everything the way Job did? Just suddenly. Bam. It's all gone. How would you handle it???

Job lost all that he had... except his faith. He didn't understand WHY these terrible things were happening to him, but he never doubted God's control over his situation. His response in verse 21 is astounding under the circumstances, "Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD." When his own body became tortured with boils and his wife and friends told him to "curse God and die," still Job held on to his faith.

"Praise His Name"

By Jeff and Sheri Easter

When you're up against the wall,
And your mountain seems so tall,
And you realize life's not always fair,
You can run away and hide, let the old man decide
Or you can change your circumstances with a prayer.

When everything falls apart, praise His name

When you have a broken heart, raise your hands and say,
"Lord you're all I need. Your everything to me." And He'll take the pain away.
When it seems you're all alone, praise His name When you feel you can't go on,
raise your hands and say, "Greater is He that is within Me."
And you can praise the hurt away, if you'll just praise His name.
Oh you can overcome by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of your testimony
You'll see the darkness go as your faith begins to grow
You're not alone so how can you be lonely?

Things have been a little rough for me lately, but I just keep reminding myself that God is always in control. No matter how bad things seem to be, He will never fail me. I'm learning to be content in all circumstances, and I'll let you in on a little secret - it feels great!! Even when things are falling apart around me, trusting 100% that God has me in the palm of his hand makes every day a good day. I am blessed beyond measure even on my worst days.

Little Changes - Big Impact

2013-06-19T09:33:00.002-07:00

With the stress of the last few weeks - selling our house, starting a new job, the purchase of a new house falling through, and other stuff I don't want to mention - with the stress of it all weighing on my shoulders, I'm feeling a bit run down.

Sleep seems to evade me, and that's without the chickens going berserk at 1:00 a.m. to the point that I get off the couch, put on my blue jeans in the dark, scramble around looking for a flashlight, and go outside to tip toe through the mud with a light in one hand and pistol in the other to sneak up on whatever critter was after them (I didn't see anything, thank goodness. Still don't know why they went nuts!!).

So I have found myself in a viscious cycle fueled by caffeine! I drink coffee all day at work to stay awake because I'm so tired, then I can't sleep at night (likely because of all the caffeine in my system). So, the next day I'm even more tired so I injest even more caffeine, and once again I can't sleep. And so the cycle goes.

Until last night. I went to bed at 6:00 p.m.!!! I woke briefly to answer the phone around 8:00, but went straight back to sleep, slept straight through my alarm at 5:30, and woke up just in time to scramble to work. But I slept!!!! YAY!!

So today I opted for green tea. Maybe that will help break this cycle.

It's amazing how changing one little thing about your daily routine will affect your moods and actions and, in turn, affect all aspects of your life!

What little thing could you change today that would improve your life?

Next, I'm changing my radio station to gospel music.

It's kind of difficult to be discouraged or frustrated when listening to

How Great Thou Art or I Can Only Imagine!

WD-40

2013-06-15T07:31:00.001-07:00

I don't recall what song the pianist was playing, but I was singing with gusto along with the congregation when I felt a tap on my shoulder.

"You need some WD-40 for that squeak?" the young girl on the pew behind me whispered in my ear before she and her best friend erupted in giggles, earning a stern look from her mom.

I can't remember if my mouth instantly closed, if I continued mouthing the words of the hymn, or if I began to simply hum along. All I remember is my chest tightening and stomach aching and counting down the next 45 minutes until the service ended so I could go home and lock myself in my bedroom.

I felt humiliated. As an insecure 13-year-old girl, having a girl I had known all my life and thought was my friend say something so hurtful destroyed part of me. At 13, I had yet to learn that friends are very fickle and few really care about you at all, so I felt as though everyone was laughing at me and making fun of me when I wasn't looking. Around the same time is when another girl from school who visited our church a couple of times turned her nose up in the parking lot after a Wednesday night service and insulted my shirt for being bought at Wal-Mart. (I now think it's ridiculous how much money people like that girl spend on their clothes at designer shops and feel sorry for them for throwing their money away!)

Neither girl probably remembers saying those hurtful comments to me. In fact, she may even read this and wonder who I'm talking about, but it doesn't matter. Those hurtful words changed me. Before that Sunday night service, I loved to sing!! I had been singing solos since I was old enough to talk, and singing ran in my family. My dad was the song leader, for goodness sake!

But after that night, I didn't want to make a sound. It wasn't until more than 10 years later, when I heard a recording of myself singing with my brother (who is an amazing vocalist, by the way - majoring in music in college and already following in Daddy's footsteps as a song director at a local church and planning big things for his musical career) that I began to overcome my insecurities.

She was wrong. I didn't need WD-40. But I let her words stop me from doing something I loved to do for much of the next decade.

She needed to feel better by putting someone down, and that unfortunate someone happened to be me on that particular night. And after the comment about my clothes coming from Wal-Mart, I eventually quit trying to dress cute at school and adorned my plain t-shirt and jeans nearly every day until graduation because I'd rather look like I didn't care about my clothes than to look like I was trying to fit in and fail.

Moral of the story, your words leave a lasting impression on the people around you, so choose them carefully. Don't take your frustrations or insecurities out on someone else, no matter how insignificant your comments may seem to you.

If you can't say something nice, don't say nothin' at all!

By the way, I love to sing now and smile to myself when people tell me how stylish I am! I've even become the go-to person for beauty and fashion advice for so many of my Avon customers!! No matter what someone has said about you in the past, don't let their words stop you from being whoever you want to be. If you want to wear t-shirts and jeans every day, fine; but don't do it for the sake of blending in. Sing to the top of your lungs if singing is what YOU want to do. This is your life!! Don't let someone else's meaningless words dictate your actions.

Desserts in the Desert

2013-06-15T06:17:00.001-07:00

"The desert is only a season in our life. When He has accomplished what He wants in our lives in the desert, He will bring us out. He has given us a mission to fulfill that can only be fulfilled after we have spent adequate time in preparation in the desert. Fear not the desert, for it is there you will hear God's voice like never before."

[Os Hillman, Today God Is First (Pennsylvania: Destiny Image Publishers, Inc., 2000), 24.]

So... this morning I woke up craving chocolate. Now, 7 a.m. after indulging myself in several mini chocolate bars whose names I can't pronounce and flavors I'm not quite sure of other than they were delicious (my brother brought them home from his tour of Europe), here I am contemplating why I don't start EVERY day with chocolate!

As an emotional eater, I'm surprised these chocolate bars escaped the last couple of weeks untouched. Several times recently, I have found myself feeling a little detached. The path my life seemed to be on for so long is shifting so rapidly that I am hustling to stay on track with this new pace, and I feel as though to escape the marathon outside - a marathon I've trained for by sitting on the couch - I've ducked in a small, stifling theater, out of breath to watch a 3D movie of my life in silence sans the glasses.

I've been so stressed lately, but do you know what stressed spelled backwards is??
DESSERTS!

In the midst of my desert, I'm choosing to indulge in dessert! God didn't intend for us to rush through every day just checking things off a to-do list like I seem to do sometimes. Every day is a gift from God, and we need to alter our pace in order to indulge in the simple pleasures with which He has blessed us.

Pause a moment to inhale the smell of fresh brewed coffee, to breathe in the fresh air and watch the clouds drift slowly by, to stand under the steaming shower an extra minute letting your muscles relax, to sit on the porch with your dog's head rested in your lap, to listen to a mockingbird.

Life isn't about to-do lists, wasn't meant to be about gaining possessions,

and shouldn't be centered around computers, I-phones, and TVs.

God didn't create this beautiful world for us to race our way through it, so indulge in the good things, the simple things, and slow down.

Here's to having desserts in your desert :)

Giving God the Eraser

2013-06-12T04:58:00.002-07:00

Have you ever heard the saying "Write your plans in pencil and give God the eraser"?

In a devotional book I discovered as I was packing away one of my many bookshelves (Have I mentioned we sold our house in a week and have found no where to move?? More on that later), I happened upon that simple quote this week and it got me thinking.

I can't stand when things don't go as planned (I'm going nuts knowing I have to move in a few weeks & have no clue where I'm moving!). I push forward with determination to make things end up the way I want them to end, which is great as a writer because it means I get my story finished by my deadline, but not so great as a Christian woman. I'm not good at giving God the eraser.

When I don't like how my life story is going (ex: no place to live starting in July!), I treat it just like my fictional stories. I erase the lines myself and write and rewrite over and over again until my eraser is bare and the page hardly legible from pencil smudges (and my hair is falling out and I'm exhausted), trying to get every piece of the storyline exactly how I think it should be. I try to force the outcome I want, the happy ending we find in books. Sound familiar?? I know I'm not the only one who is a control freak :)

But our lives aren't stories in a book.

How often does God have to jerk the pencil out of your hands or even snatch the paper away because you just refuse to stop trying to fix it yourself?

Give Him the eraser today and let Him be the author of your story.

My Life in a Binder

2013-03-19T08:46:00.005-07:00

I don't know about you, but I waste too much time looking for things. I spend at least 15 minutes every day searching for my grocery list, a piece of mail, a bill that I'm not sure I paid yet, etc. So yesterday, I spent some time searching the internet for ideas to make a binder to organize as much as possible to help simplify my life, and here is what I came up with!

My binder cover with quotes to motivate me to stay organized!

Week at a glance

I jot down reminders and lists on sticky notes all the time, so this page helps me corral them all in one spot.

I have started a grocery budget to really monitor what we spend. Working for myself, my sales are up and down throughout the year, so money gets tight at times and I have to really make the most of it.

We shop at various stores, so I decided to start keeping separate lists for each store. The sticky notes allow me to just grab and go.

I love meal planning!! It gives me a chance to be creative in our meal selection, ensures we don't eat the same thing all the time, and helps cut down on the grocery bill by only buying what we need each week. I also plan by what is on sale or what needs to be used from our freezer (my husband is a hunter so we freeze a lot of deer, turkey, fish, and hogs, plus we raise chickens).

To organize - This page may not be useful to everyone, but it is to me. I want my whole house to be organized, and I work toward that goal when I have time. Keeping a list helps me quickly see which tasks need to be completed and I can choose based on how much time I have.

To help me get back to blogging regularly, I've added a section in my binder for blog ideas that includes a blog calendar so I can schedule my posts in advance. I also have extra pages here to work on my magazine article submissions and my next novel!

Projects, projects, projects! I always have several going on at once, so it helps to keep one master "to do" list to keep me on track and prioritize.

These future projects are things I want to do when I finish what I'm working on now or when I have a little extra money to buy the supplies. Right now, most of my projects are related to my yard because I'm so ready for spring and digging in the dirt!!

I began the year trying to stick to a pre-determined schedule for reading the Bible through in 2013. I've since decided that I don't love that schedule because if I'm off one day, it throws me off completely. So here, I make a list weekly and just try to accomplish that so I'm not overwhelmed by the big picture (there is a copy of my 2013 master calendar in the back fo my binder, though). I also included paper in this section so I can write down notes as I study each day.

Then the business section: Avon. My Avon business is really growing, and I have other binders to keep it organized, but I always need a place to jot down orders when people call me and I'm away from my desk. This gives me a spot to do that.

In the back of the binder, I have several page protectors. One is for bills that need to be paid. Once paid, I throw the bill in the trash or file it away. I sit down and pay bills once a week.

Another page protector is for coupons! I am big on saving money, but I'm not a coupon queen. I'll let you in on my shopping secrets sometime soon to show you how I save on groceries without coupons.

Then the birthday list. I have big families on both sides, so I need a list like this just for all my family members. One side has my mom's family, and the other side has my dad's. I can't afford to buy gifts for them all, but I'd like to start sending birthday cards at least. Got to start somewhere though!

In the very back, I have cleaning lists. Working from home, I've developed a few routines that cut down on cleaning time overall, but I still keep a weekly cleaning list and a monthly list in here just in case I need to catch up. These lists came from Martha Stewart's website. (I also have lists from her website hanging in my closets to help me stay organized there, but that's for another post.)

So, what do you think?

Do you think it will work and help keep me organized??

We'll see...

Great Night!

2013-01-30T20:54:00.002-08:00

We had a fantastic night tonight at church (springhillbc.blogspot.com) with guest quartet Paul's Journey. If any of you in the south Alabama area would like to hear some great music this weekend, head on down to Harmony at the Gulf in Orange Beach tomorrow through Sunday. Paul's Journey, along with many other groups, will be ministering through their musical talents all weekend.

I encourage you to visit their website and check out their music: paulsjourneyonline.com. You will be blessed!

Their message tonight through music was just the energy boost I needed to rejuice my system to make it through the rest of this week. I haven't been feeling well lately, which is why I haven't been blogging much (sorry!). I'll catch up soon, I promise!!

Tonight, I want to leave you with this thought: Are you doing what God wants you to be doing?? I don't just mean overall in the big scheme of life. I'm talking about today, tomorrow, this week- are you doing what God wants you to be doing right now, in this moment, in this situation, under these circumstances??

No matter what is going on in your day to day, God has a purpose and a plan for every aspect of your life, not just the big decisions. He may lead you to go to Hardees instead of McDonalds for breakfast because the cashier there needs you to witness to her - who knows! When you surrender to Him, even the little, seemingly insignificant things can turn into ministry moments that could change someone's life... maybe even your own.

Doing the Happy Dance!!!

2013-01-12T13:17:00.002-08:00

I'm done! I'm done! I'm really really done!!!!!

Whoo-hoo! Hip hip hooray!!! My novel is complete and ready for publication. This is a day I've been working toward my whole life but thought would never happen because I didn't believe in myself enough to go for it in the past. I thank God for putting people in my life who do believe in me and who have pushed me to see this through.

In high school, becoming a writer is all I really wanted to do (other than play in the WNBA, of course), and to have this dream come to fruition a decade later overwhelms me. To be able to walk into my ten-year class reunion as a published novelist... it's more than I thought I'd ever accomplish.

Thank you for your prayers over the last year, and especially the last few months as I've been finishing up my manuscript. My excitement is beyond what my words can express (which is kind of bad since I'm a writer). One of the most exciting aspects of being finished is that I can get back to blogging!! I have stored up so many things I want to put onto paper while I've forced tunnel-vision on myself in order to meet my deadline, and I look forward to sharing all of those thoughts with you here.

2013 is going to be the best year of my life!! I can feel it in my bones!! :-)

Thank you, Lord, for your blessings!

No write...

2013-01-02T13:56:00.001-08:00

Today is one of those days when I feel I can't do anything right... which, in turn, means no writing gets done. You know how those days are. Fortunately, none of my problems are really even big enough to call 'problems'; they're just inconveniences, I guess.

Primary mess up at the moment - my husband is searching high and low for something he swears I've hidden from him (which is likely true since I'm usually to blame for putting things away then forgetting where they are), but I have no idea where it is. I'm sure he'll eventually give up, then I'll have to look for it and probably find it in a matter of minutes, which will then prompt him to believe I knew all along where it was (but I don't - I promise). Editing note- He did give up, and I found it in 5 minutes. To his credit, I was the one to put it away and forget where it was, just as I expected.

Frustrating time-waster number two - I spent a while this morning carefully planning a grocery list with coupons, then the cashier wouldn't accept some of them (which makes absolutely no sense since the coupons came from the same place as others she processed for me with no problem and they clearly were not out of date). So instead of saving $2, I spent an extra $6 because I didn't want to take the additional time to return the items to the shelves. Big deal, I know you're thinking, $6, whoop-dee-whoop.

Lastly, while I'm trying to concentrate on editing my novel (with my husband loudly rummaging through every nook and cranny of my house and yard), my phone keeps ringing with Avon customers looking for their products. My Avon shipment came in a few days behind schedule, so I just got it in this morning instead of last week. I guess I'll be spending this afternoon working on that job instead of writing.

Tomorrow is already booked working a temp job, and I go back to my teaching job next week, so I'm running out of time to edit my novel and, therefore, feeling so frustrated that I'm letting little bity things like $2 in coupons throw me out of my rhythm.

Lord, please help me look past these little things that often get in my way. You know how I struggle with maintaining my stress level and thrive with a steady routine, which gets complicated by even these minor mishaps. Please help me to not get caught up with worrying about these minute details of life that really don't matter at all, and help me to shake off all things - big or small - that would put me in a less than happy mood. Thank you for a house with so many closets that things get lost. Thank you that I have time to clip coupons and for the dollars I did save and that I'm able to buy groceries without pinching pennies. And thank you for my successful Avon business that keeps me busy even on what I consider my off days. Please help me finish editing my book and guide me so the finishing product will glorify You. In Jesus name, Amen.

Links for Reading the Bible through in 2013

2012-12-27T07:11:00.003-08:00

Weekly Bible Reading Chart http://70030.netministry.com/images/WeeklyGenresChart.pdf
(I will be loosely following this chart while incorporating my Sunday School lessons from LifeWords Adults by LifeWay)

Bible Reading Checklist http://raebear.net/faith/readingplans/
I'd like to say THANK YOU to Jessica for posting this checklist and other Bible study tools online for free on her website. I don't know her last name, but take a minute to visit her website and blog if you're interested in other tools for studying the Bible or just want to read her testimony. I searched and searched for a good checklist to use, and the two she posted are the best I found. So, thanks!!

Goals for 2013

2012-12-27T05:49:00.003-08:00

This new year poses new opportunities for me - the publishing of my first novel being at the forefront - and I want to make sure I start this year off right! I'm not making resolutions -- I always need to eat healthy and exercise, why start January 1st? -- but I am taking the time to evaluate my life and make decisions I know will benefit me in many ways.

One of those "resolutions" I plan to share with you and hope you will join me in making this resolution yourself!

I read the Bible through many many years ago, but I feel that knowing my beliefs backwards and forwards is extremely important in today's society where Christianity is being put down and discarded by many. To be honest, the idea of reading the Bible through has often seemed a chore to me. I can make it through Genesis, but I get stuck in Exodus and Leviticus (I cannot get passed the "begots"). I know myself well enough to know that after a two days of "___ begot ____ and ____ begot ____", I'd be less likely to pick up my Bible on the third day, and my whole rhythm and motivation would be messed up.

So, I searched for a plan that would work for me! I like the idea of reading the Bible chronologically, but I'd still end up in Exodus day after day for a while, so that wouldn't work. I also like the plan that involves reading three separate passages from different areas in the Bible each day, but I don't feel that reading about multiple topics all at once will give me the best overall study. I'd rather just focus on one passage each day.

Then I found it! The study I've chosen to use is the One Year Bible Reading Plan on www.christiananswers.net. Each day of the week studies a specific type of writing from the Bible: Monday- The Law, Tuesday- History, Wednesday- Psalms, Thursday- Poetry, Friday- Prophecy, Saturday- Gospels, Sunday- Epistles. I love this plan!! Varying the types of passages from day to day will keep the text feeling fresh, and I like that it is broken down in to weeks rather than starting January 1st.

I will be blogging about the passages I'm studying so you can learn with me as I go, and I'd love to hear your feedback. Send me an email: rhondastaylor.blogspot@gmail.com.

I hope you had a wonderful CHRISTmas -- I sure did! -- and pray you have a happy and healthy 2013!

**My wonderful parents also gave me a new study Bible for Christmas. It's beautiful!! and HEAVY!!! I needed a large print study Bible to use while sitting at my writing desk, and this is perfect! Thank you!

Prayers appreciated this week

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This week, I am editing my manuscript, and I would greatly appreciate your prayers as I try to finish this by the end of December. I have a lot of work to do!!!

Last chapter

2012-12-18T15:06:00.003-08:00

Whoo hoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm on the last chapter, finally, finally, finally!

Did I mention... whoo hoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My 10K Race

2012-12-17T15:48:00.002-08:00

I'm on the last leg of this year-long marathon!! My final 10K ---- 10,000 words, that is. Within the next few days, I will complete the biggest feat of my life thus far!

I pray for strength and will power to get me through the next week. The adrenaline is pumping excitement through my veins, and I will likely be up all night typing away because it's so hard to stop writing when I'm this close!!!

Ahh!!! So excited!!!!!!!!!!
(Maybe I should edit out some of those exclamation points, but I can't help myself!!!)

The little things...

2012-12-15T11:18:00.001-08:00

Opening the refrigerator to figure out what to have for lunch, I shifted the near-empty pizza box, peeked around the untouched yet almost outdated gallon of milk, and was surprised to find a treat hidden behind the ketchup. Two king-sized Kit-Kat bars stacked neatly on a plastic container full of leftover meatloaf.

I smiled. My thoughtful husband must have brought these home from work because he knows I've been having a rough week, endless hours staring at a computer screen and headaches - massive, unrelenting headaches - blocking me from reaching my word counts each day. But I'm almost there!!!!!

The blessing of a supportive, loving spouse is one I can't fully express. My novel wouldn't be anywhere near this close to being ready for publication were it not for my wonderful hubby! Not many husbands would say, "Sure, honey. Quit your job so you can focus on your book. I support you." That's a pretty amazing thing to hear, and my heart swells to know someone loves me and believes in me that deeply.

And he knows me so well... Kit-Kats are my favorite!

Almost there!!

2012-12-13T10:45:00.002-08:00

The time is drawing near! The editor's deadline for my novel is in January, so I am finishing up the last couple of chapters and preparing the manuscript for a group of test readers. I'm planning to have it finished by Christmas so I can relax and enjoy the holiday with my family! This also means that I will start back blogging on a regular basis in January. Yay!!! I'm very excited about getting back to my devotions, and I have so many ideas for stories and study topics to begin the new year. In addition to the blog, I will also be working on preparing my devotional book for publication while my novel is in production over the next six months. Please be in prayer for me over the next month as I put the finishing touches on my manuscript! Being a Christian fiction novel, its purpose is to relay a Biblical message, not just entertaining readers, so I'm asking you to pray that God will guide my words as I complete the text. Thank you!

A Rebellious Nation

2012-11-07T04:17:00.002-08:00

Isaiah 1

New International Version (NIV)

1 The vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah son of Amoz saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

A Rebellious Nation

²Hear me, you heavens! Listen, earth!
For the Lord has spoken:
“I reared children and brought them up,
but they have rebelled against me.
³The ox knows its master,
the donkey its owner’s manger,
but Israel does not know,
my people do not understand.”

⁴Woe to the sinful nation,
a people whose guilt is great,
a brood of evildoers,
children given to corruption!
They have forsaken the Lord;
they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him.

⁵Why should you be beaten anymore?
Why do you persist in rebellion?
Your whole head is injured,
your whole heart afflicted.
⁶From the sole of your foot to the top of your head
there is no soundness—
only wounds and welts
and open sores,
not cleansed or bandaged
or soothed with olive oil.

⁷Your country is desolate,
your cities burned with fire;
your fields are being stripped by foreigners
right before you, laid waste as when overthrown by strangers.
⁸Daughter Zion is left
like a shelter in a vineyard,
like a hut in a cucumber field,
like a city under siege.
⁹Unless the Lord Almighty
had left us some survivors,
we would have become like Sodom,
we would have been like Gomorrah.

¹⁰Hear the word of the Lord,
you rulers of Sodom;
listen to the instruction of our God,
you people of Gomorrah!
¹¹“The multitude of your sacrifices—
what are they to me?” says the Lord.
“I have more than enough of burnt offerings,
of rams and the fat of fattened animals;
I have no pleasure
in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.
¹²When you come to appear before me,
who has asked this of you,
this trampling of my courts?
¹³Stop bringing meaningless offerings!
Your incense is detestable to me.
New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations—
I cannot bear your worthless assemblies.¹⁴Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals
I hate with all my being.
They have become a burden to me;
I am weary of bearing them.
¹⁵When you spread out your hands in prayer,
I hide my eyes from you;
even when you offer many prayers,
I am not listening.

Your hands are full of blood!

¹⁶Wash and make yourselves clean.
Take your evil deeds out of my sight;
stop doing wrong.¹⁷Learn to do right; seek justice.
Defend the oppressed.^[a]
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
plead the case of the widow.

¹⁸“Come now, let us settle the matter,”
says the Lord.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool.
¹⁹If you are willing and obedient,
you will eat the good things of the land;
²⁰but if you resist and rebel,
you will be devoured by the sword.”For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

²¹See how the faithful city
has become a prostitute!
She once was full of justice;
righteousness used to dwell in her—
but now murderers!²²Your silver has become dross,
your choice wine is diluted with water.
²³Your rulers are rebels, partners with thieves;they all love bribes
and chase after gifts.
They do not defend the cause of the fatherless; the widow’s case does not come before them.

24 Therefore the Lord, the Lord Almighty,
the Mighty One of Israel, declares:
“Ah! I will vent my wrath on my foes
and avenge myself on my enemies.
25 I will turn my hand against you;
I will thoroughly purge away your dross
and remove all your impurities.26 I will restore your leaders as in days of old,
your rulers as at the beginning.
Afterward you will be called
the City of Righteousness,
the Faithful City.”

²⁷Zion will be delivered with justice,
her penitent ones with righteousness.
²⁸But rebels and sinners will both be broken,
and those who forsake the Lord will perish.

²⁹“You will be ashamed because of the sacred oaks
in which you have delighted;
you will be disgraced because of the gardens
that you have chosen.
³⁰You will be like an oak with fading leaves,
like a garden without water.
³¹The mighty man will become tinder
and his work a spark;
both will burn together,
with no one to quench the fire.”

Lord, I fear for America. I fear for the future of this nation and for the generations to come. I fear Your wrath, however deserved it may be on this perverse country. Most of all, I fear You have hidden Your eyes from us and will not listen to our prayers just as these verses say. I fear You have turned Your back on the country that in large part turned its back on You. I'm so sorry that America has turned its back on You. Please have mercy on Your faithful servants. Protect us from the terrible leadership and the immoral citizens who elected that leadership, forsaking your teachings blatantly. I pray for mercy and protection today for all of my fellow Christians living in the midst of this corruption. Help us find strength, hope, and direction in You when society shuns us, persecutes us, and strips away our rights to worship. Help us live in peace, not fear. In Your Son's precious and holy name I pray, Amen.

To the work..

2012-09-10T11:59:00.001-07:00

I've been working so much lately that I'm just flat exhausted when I get home and haven't spent any time on the computer in the past month!! I feel bad for not posting during this transition, but I know the Lord understand that when I have 5 minutes of down time, it's better spent on rest and reading my Bible or devotionals. My energy has been drained, and I'm struggling just to keep my strength replenished!

I want to share this song with all of you. It's been great strength for me knowing that I am working towards goals for my family that will give us more opportunities to serve God. In all that I do, I praise His name and give Him the glory. Now, enough of a break. Back to work!! :-)

To the work! To the work! We are servants of God;
Let us follow the path that our Master has trod;
With the balm of His counsel our strength to renew,
Let us do with our might what our hands find to do.

To the work! To the work! Let the hungry be fed;
To the fountain of life let the weary be led;
In the cross and its banner our glory shall be,
While we herald the tidings, “Salvation is free!”

To the work! To the work! There is labor for all;
For the kingdom of darkness and error shall fall;
And the love of our Father exalted shall be,
In the loud swelling chorus, “Salvation is free!”

To the work! To the work! In the strength of the Lord,
And a robe and a crown shall our labor reward,
When the home of the faithful our dwelling shall be,
And we shout with the ransomed, “Salvation is free!”

Toiling on, toiling on
Toiling on, toiling on
Let us hope and trust,
Let us watch and pray,
And labor til the Master comes.