Black Friday

Black Friday arrived in shades of gray while I was snuggled in bed with Scamp, Dad's dog. I refuse to do the Black Friday shopping thing!

Today I am thankful for:

• a day to get stuff done
• a tiny kitten to visit and love on
• my amazing family
• words for my novel flowing easily today

Enjoy Black Friday whatever you are doing!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I would like to thank all the readers who participated in my book giveaway. I enjoyed reading about the gifts in your life. I'm sorry I couldn't give all the participants a copy of the book.

Now to congratulate the two winners:

Lisa from That's What She Said

and

Karina from Siestas and Cupcakes

Lisa and Karina, I have sent emails to you both to get your mailing information.

Congratulations and Happy Reading!

1,000 Gifts - Final Day for the Book Giveaway!

Don't forget to get your comments in for the giveaway of Ann Voskamp's 1,000 Gifts! Comment on this post or any of the posts this week and you are entered in the drawing :o)

Today my gifts include:

• sunny, cool fall days
• my heavenly Father's love
• answered prayers
• support and encouragement as I pursue my dreams
• a soft kitty cat purr
• an afternoon off

What gifts are you thankfully for today?

Wordless Wednesday - Grand Teton National Park

1,000 Gifts

One of my readers posted yesterday about a "movement of thankfulness" and I love that idea. I've seen it growing on Facebook and Twitter as more people are publicly proclaiming the gifts in their life! I didn't start the movement, but I'm thrilled to be a part of it because I have been so blessed.

I've lost count of where I am, but today I'm thankful for:

• being a part of the ACFW and getting to meet some great folks on Saturday
• the great seminar I went to on Saturday with fabulous teaching by Angela Elwell Hunt
• the mild fall weather we are having right now
• the forgiveness of my heavenly father even when I'm at my worst....let's just say that when the green-eyed monster and I had a tea party recently God gently brought me to my knees and then forgave me. I am thankful that He doesn't keep count of the times He has to forgive me.
• that my family, friends, and coworkers allow me to be a little wacky occasionally, okay, a lot

What are you thankful for today?

Don't forget to share the giveaway with your friends!

GIVEAWAY! - 1,000 Gifts Continues

Numbering my gifts – my blog readers are definitely a gift for which I am thankful.


When I started thinking about November for my blog I knew I wanted to do another month of Thanksgiving. I have done this in the past and have been blessed by the slowing down of writing posts to focus on the things in my life that I have to be grateful for.

In September this year I began reading a book called 1,000 Gifts by Ann Voskamp. While I haven’t finished yet, I have been thrilled by this little book. Ann writes in Chapter 3 how she came to understand the meaning of the word eucharist.

And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them. ~Luke 22:19 (NIV)

Ann references this verse and the fact that in the original language “he gave thanks” reads eucharisto. Her study of this word showed:

Charis means grace

Eucharisto means thanksgiving

Chara means joy

She writes:

“So then as long as thanks is possible…I this through. As long as thanks is possible, then joy is always possible. Joy is always possible. Whenever, meaning – now; wherever, meaning - here. The holy grail of joy is not in some exotic location or some emotional mountain peak experience. The joy wonder could be here! Here, in the messy, piercing ache of now, joy might be – unbelievably – possible! The only place we need see before we die is this place of seeing God, here and now.”

It was after this revelation in her life that Ann began numbering her gifts. It is because of this beautiful little book that I have begun counting the gifts in my life and this became the theme for my November Thanksgiving posts.

I know I won’t reach 1,000 gifts here on the blog by the end of the month, but I know my life is so full of the little gifts were I to count them all they would number way more than 1,000. I am learning to see God, here and now. My life is full of grace, thanksgiving, and joy.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

 I want to share this book with my readers and was planning to give away a copy to one of my readers, but then Saturday I was blessed with a second copy so now I have TWO copies to give away and I am excited to share this little gift with you, my reader!

Here’s how you can be entered to win a copy of this book:

1. Leave a comment below sharing some of your gifts.

2. If you have a Facebook page, please use the FB button below to post to your profile page abd share with your friends to let them get in on the giveaway. If you do this, come back and leave a comment and you will get another entry into the drawing.

3. If you have a Twitter account, please use the Twitter button below to tweet this to your followers and when you do, come back and leave a comment for another entry into the drawing.



The giveaway will close at midnight (MDT) and I will do a random drawing over the weekend and announce the two winners.

1000 Gifts

One of the things I am very grateful for is the number of fellow writers who have come alongside of me as I pursue using my words for God. In the last year I have become involved with a local critique group and they continue to inspire and encourage me.

We meet a couple times a month to read each other's work and offer suggestions and encouragement. While it's sometimes hard to hear critiques of what Stephen King refers to as our darlings, critiquing is an important aspect of the writing process.

During our meeting one person reads another person's submission aloud while the group makes notes on the manuscript. Then we use the sandwich method - start with something good about it, talk about things that need work or might need to be changed, finish with a second dose of something good.

We move around the table until every one's work has been critiqued.

One aspect that has really appealed to me is hearing someone else read my words. Not because I'm such a spotlight hogger (although sometimes that's the case) but because having someone else read it reveals areas with the wording is awkward or doesn't make sense. As a writer I want to keep my reader immersed in the story and if the wording confuses them and they have to stop and think they get bumped out of it. This isn't a good thing.

The other aspect of reading aloud is hearing other's put voice to my characters. It is enlightening to witness how they perceive the people in my story by the volume and tenor they use to "be the person." Sometimes I listen and think, "They understand this character." Other times I think that's not the way I "heard" them. I actually learn things about my story as the folks who have lived only in my mind thus far come alive in the reader. It's a very cool thing.

Today I am thankful for the peeps in my little critique group. And, if you are a writer without a crit group, I highly recommend one!

Also, don't forget to come back next week for the give way! More details to come.

Wordless Wednesday - Advertising the Old Fashioned Way

1,000 Gifts Week 2

16. 4 years ago today we laid my mother to rest. It was a sad day, but today I am thankful for 42 amazing years with her.

17. pre-lit Christmas trees....yes, I have my tree up...no ornaments yet, but the lights are pretty

18. an interesting and intriguing book that came in the mail unexpected

19. a job that I enjoy going to even on a Monday morning

20. my readers... the mountaineers who return to see the abundance of God in the life of an ordinary girl

Dear Readers, I love to read your comments and invite you to join me on this journey of numbering the gifts in our lives. This theme was inspired by the book 1,000 Gifts by Ann Voskamp. This book has inspired me so much that I want to share it with you all.

So, for the first time EVER I will be doing a Give Away here on the mountain. More details to come this week. The give away will run next week and at the end of the week I will choose one reader to receive a hard back copy of the book!

I've been the lucky recipient of give aways on blogs and am I so excited to be able to bless one of my readers!

1,000 Gifts

10. yesterdays Wordless Wednesday is one of my gifts...that's Mr. Magoo. He's my niece's kitty. It was this sweet little guy that convinced me I needed a kitty boy of my own.

11. a beautiful covering of snow yesterday morning that brings moisture to the earth

12. the amazing scenery of this semi-arid land I live in

13. peaceful evenings at home

14. a wonderful group of women who share my passion to spread encouragement through written words

15. my trusty Sheriff Woody (also known as an SUV) with his all-wheel-drive to handle snowy, icy mornings

"To fully live - to live full of grace and joy and all that is beauty eternal. It is possible, wildly. I now see and testify. So this story - my story. A dare to an emptier, fuller life." ~Ann Voskamp in 1,000 Gifts

Wordless Wednesday - Rub My Belly

Photo Credit Teresa R Via copyright 2010

1,000 Gifts

1. Any list of gifts has to start with being loved by my Sweet Savior

2. Family always ranks top of my list - I grew up with incredible parents and 3 amazing siblings

3. My Wilson - you knew that one was coming, didn't you!?!

4. I am healthy

5. I have a job

6. And a place to call home

7. Incredible friends

8. A brilliant moon in the sky to light the night - last night it was beautiful

9. Today is Election Day - I'm grateful to live in a country where I can vote