It's the Little Things that Remind Me...



As we get deeper into the holiday season, around the same time every year I tend to find myself becoming more stressed.

Why?

Because there seems to be an endless amount of things to do and so very little time to get them done, such as: Christmas gift buying; shopping for the perfect outfits for the holiday parties; attend several holiday parties; decorate the house, inside and out; attend festivities such as Christmas concerts and outdoor holiday church functions with the kids; get pictures taken with Santa (although I am envisioning the same screaming fest I witnessed last year when my then one year old was forced to sit on the lap of a white haired old guy in a flashy red suit); more shopping, more decorating, more holiday gatherings; and of course holiday cooking and eating, eating, eating!

This evening, as I was placing decorations around the house with my kids, my mind couldn't stop racing about all the things needing my attention and all the events happening this week (i.e. this weekend alone there are two holiday parties and a Christmas concert my husband and I are suppose to attend. Not to mention my teenage son was invited to attend three parties of his own). One of the last decorating items I pulled from the storage box was my nativity scene I usually place on the center of my coffee table each year. As I arranged the Wise Men figurines, then Mary, Joseph, the Angel, and lastly the figurine of the baby Jesus...I was suddenly reminded of what the holiday season is all about!

Being a Christian, of course I am consciously aware of what Christmas is all about. However, sometimes during the hustle and bustle of things, my mind tends to slip and drift into what Christmas has become (i.e. endless sea of commercialism). And sometimes the Lord will send me a little reminder telling me that, "Jesus is the reason for the season!"

So through a simple nativity figurine set, I was reminded tonight that the season is not about shopping and gifts, attending holiday functions, or decorating. But it is about the Messiah, Christ...God's gift to us! I thank God for His little reminders!

Do you find yourself sometimes having to be reminded of what the season is all about?

Let's celebrate, but not forget why we are celebrating...Jesus Christ was born! 


God Bless!
T Denise Clary

New Bible Verse ~ Monday, Dec 5th

My apologies, I didn't get an opportunity to post the Bible verse  yesterday (Sunday), so this is a little late...

New Bible verse posted as of Monday, December 5th...Have a great week!

Psalm 5:11-12 (NIV)

11 But let all who take refuge in You be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread Your protection over them, that those who love Your name may rejoice in You.  12 Surely, Lord, You bless the righteous; You surround them with Your favor as with a shield.  


God Bless!
T Denise Clary

Best Books of 2011 ~ School Library Journal

The School Library Journal recently announced its 65 choices for Best Books of 2011. The selections include books in the following categories: Picture Books, Fiction, Non Fiction, and Adult Books for Teens.

You can check them out at the following link, http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/slj/printissue/currentissue/892764-427/best_books_2011.html.csp


God Bless!
T Denise Clary

The 90 Top Secrets of Best Selling Authors

I found a great article I thought I'd share, "The 90 Top Secrets of Bestselling Authors" by Jessica Strawser for Writers Digest. Originally I had posted the entire article to my blog, however, to keep from committing copyright infringement, I will just post a few favorite quotes; one quote from each category referenced. You can find the remaining quotes from famous authors, ninety in total, on Writers Digest at the link provided below.

I encourage you to read ALL 90 quotes on Writers Digest...very inspiring! Enjoy!!

God Bless!

T Denise Clary

"The 90 Top Secrets of Bestselling Authors"

By Jessica Strawser for WritersDigest.com

at link http://www.writersdigest.com/author/jessica-strawser

"Here, some of the most successful writers in recent (and not-so-recent) memory share their take on everything from how they get ideas (or go find them), to the best way to start a manuscript (or why the only important thing is that you start at all), to their most methodical writing habits (and quirkiest rituals), to writing with the readers in mind (or ignoring them entirely). The quotes were pulled from 90 years’ worth of Writer’s Digest magazines (as fascinating as it is to observe what’s changed since 1920, it’s equally refreshing to realize how much good, sound writing wisdom remains the same)." Jessica Strawer

INSPIRATION & IDEAS

—No. 7—
“Sit and quiet yourself. Luxuriate in a certain memory and the details will come. Let the images flow. You’ll be amazed at what will come out on paper. I’m still learning what it is about the past that I want to write. I don’t worry about it. It will emerge. It will insist on being told.”
—Frank McCourt

GETTING STARTED

—No. 13—
“Beginning a novel is always hard. It feels like going nowhere. I always have to write at least 100 pages that go into the trash can before it finally begins to work. It’s discouraging, but necessary to write those pages. I try to consider them pages -100 to zero of the novel.”
—Barbara Kingsolver

  

STYLE & CRAFT

—No. 21—
“You have to follow your own voice. You have to be yourself when you write. In effect, you have to announce, ‘This is me, this is what I stand for, this is what you get when you read me. I’m doing the best I can—buy me or not—but this is who I am as a writer.”
—David Morrell

 

PURPOSE

—No. 30—
“You need that pride in yourself, as well as a sense, when you are sitting on Page 297 of a book, that the book is going to be read, that somebody is going to care. You can’t ever be sure about that, but you need the sense that it’s important, that it’s not typing; it’s writing.”
—Roger Kahn

 

CHARACTERS 

—No. 39—
“Writers shouldn’t fall in love with characters so much that they lose sight of what they’re trying to accomplish. The idea is to write a whole story, a whole book. A writer has to be able to look at that story and see whether or not a character works, whether or not a character needs further definition.”
—Stephen Coonts

PLOT & STRUCTURE

—No. 52—
“Too many writers think that all you need to do is write well—but that’s only part of what a good book is. Above all, a good book tells a good story. Focus on the story first. Ask yourself, ‘Will other people find this story so interesting that they will tell others about it?’ Remember: A bestselling book usually follows a simple rule, ‘It’s a wonderful story, wonderfully told’; not, ‘It’s a wonderfully told story.’”
—Nicholas Sparks

RITUALS & METHODS

—No. 54—
“Write. Rewrite. When not writing or rewriting, read. I know of no shortcuts.”
—Larry L. King

REVISION & EDITING

—No. 66—
“… Falsely straining yourself to put something into a book where it doesn’t really belong, it’s not doing anybody any favors. And the reader can tell.”
—Margaret Atwood

PUBLISHING

—No. 75—
“I would advise anyone who aspires to a writing career that before developing his talent he would be wise to develop a thick hide.”
—Harper Lee

READERS

—No. 83—
“Always remember the reader. Always level with him and never talk down to him. You may think you’re some kind of smart guy because you’re the great writer. Well, if you’re such a smart guy, how come the reader is paying you? Remember the reader’s the boss. He’s hired you to do a job. So do it.”
—Jay Anson