SOL 5/31 & SJT: Strength from Songs and Scripture

 

With thanks to Leigh Anne Eck for hosting this month on the theme of strength. Check out Leigh Anne's post here where you can find links to posts from other members of our Spiritual Journey Thursday community.

 

This post is doing double duty with Slice of Life and Spiritual Journey Thursday. I think I was inspired to make this collection by Kim Johnson who is writing cento poems this month. 

As I pondered on our theme of strength for this month, I collected scriptures that emphasized strength. I'll share some of those with you. I also looked to the words of hymns which always strengthen my soul. I found a YouTube collection of Hymns for Peace, Strength, and Hope by Rosemary Siemens. Many of the words from Rosemary's collection of hymns found their way into my collection. I've put the song segments in blue. I am grateful for the strength provided through scripture and song from my Savior, as well as the strength provided by the members of our Spiritual Journey Thursday community.

"The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace." (Psalm 29:11) 

"When sorrows like sea billows roll

Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say

It is well, it is well with my soul." (It Is Well with My Soul)

"Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest."(Joshua 1:9)

"The Lord is my light; then why should I fear?

By day and by night his presence is near." (The Lord is My Light)

"Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually." (1 Chronicles 16:11) 

"I need thee every hour, In joy or pain. 

Come quickly and abide, Or life is vain." (I Need Thee Every Hour)

"The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped. (Psalm 28:7) 

"I'm so glad I learned to trust Him,
Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;
And I know that He is with me,
Will be with me to the end." ('Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus)

"Wait on the Lord; be of good courage and he shall strengthen thine heart." (Psalm 27:14)

"This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long;
this is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long."  (Blessed Assurance)

"The Lord is my strength and my song." (Exodus 15:12) 

This is my fifteenth year participating in the March Slice of Life Challenge, writing every day during the month of March. Thank you, Two Writing Teachers, for creating this challenge and providing the space and support for us year after year. And thanks to this magnificent community for sharing stories with me and encouraging my writing life. 

SOL 4/31: What I Missed

RootsTech in Salt Lake City Utah has become a yearly tradition. No, I'm not a genealogist, but I am intensely interested in family stories. I attend a few sessions on genealogical research, but mostly I'm there for the stories. There's sure to be another slice or two in the next few days about RootsTech, but I digress.

I came here to share what I'm missing while I'm in Utah:

This event, held last night, was available by livestream (if only I had read further instead of being so disappointed that Joy Harjo would be in my neck of the woods while I was traveling).

Ross Gay spoke at Bookmarks in Winston Salem this week. My daughter and a group of friends attended this remarkable evening. 

I love live author events. My daughter, the three grandsons, and I were spellbound at a recent event with Mac Barnett, National Ambassador for Children's Literature. Jack (8) and Robby (6) both got in line to ask him a question. 

RootsTech starts tomorrow. I hope it merits missing these two stellar author events. Stay tuned for future posts from the Salt Palace. 

This is my fifteenth year participating in the March Slice of Life Challenge, writing every day during the month of March. Thank you, Two Writing Teachers, for creating this challenge and providing the space and support for us year after year. And thanks to this magnificent community for sharing stories with me and encouraging my writing life. 

SOL 3/31: Celebrating the Number Three

I'm in Utah visiting three grands who had a Valentine surprise when a new member joined their family.

For this third day of March, I've chosen to introduce her with a tricube: three stanzas, three lines per stanza, three syllables per line.

Filled with glee

Spirited

Ball of fur

 

Outside romp

Wild frolics

Canine tease

 

Doted on

Beloved

Dottie girl

 

And because I know you'll ask, three pics! 

 

This is my fifteenth year participating in the March Slice of Life Challenge, writing every day during the month of March. Thank you, Two Writing Teachers, for creating this challenge and providing the space and support for us year after year. And thanks to this magnificent community for sharing stories with me and encouraging my writing life. 

SOL 2/31: Eggs in the City with the Grands

They pick me up at 7:50 on the dot. I hop in the car, notepad and pencil in hand. I am a reporter interviewing them for for why they love this particular restaurant:  

Grandson (9 3/4):  "Because their pancakes are really good and there's a very good view!"

Granddaughter (turning six next month):  "I like the eggs on the motorcycle."

Granddaughter (4 1/2):  "I really like the eggs on the motorcycle and the pancakes and that's it!"

Son (41):  "I like being together on Saturday morning." 

We leave their mom home to enjoy some extra rest, but their new puppy prevented that.

We drive to our destination, somewhere the grands wanted to take me the last time I visited, but it was a forty-five minute wait. We sit in the parking lot with other early risers waiting for the doors to open. 

I peruse the extensive menu and finally settle on the Goldie Locks (egg, bacon, and pancake), Blake orders the Fried Chicken-n-Waffle, and all three grands choose the Chocolate Chip  Pancakes.  The Mickey Mouse pancakes arrive with blueberry eyes, strawberry eyebrows, a blackberry smile, and a dollop of whipped cream. The breakfast banter slows as everyone digs in.

As our table is cleared, an employee arrives with a huge basket of candy. As they waffle about which treat to choose, the employee tells them they can select two. I wonder why no one mentioned this basket of treats when I interviewed them!

We wander outside Eggs in the City for a photo opp with the eggs on the motorcycle. 

Meet Gerald and Bob (named by the grands)! 

This is my fifteenth year participating in the March Slice of Life Challenge, writing every day during the month of March. Thank you, Two Writing Teachers, for creating this challenge and providing the space and support for us year after year. And thanks to this magnificent community for sharing stories with me and encouraging my writing life. 

SOL 1/31: Back for Year 15!

A Cheer for Day One 

Every year I wonder

if I can possibly do it again 

and then I show up!

No particular plan in mind.

No posts written ahead of time. 

I'm here to reassure the pantsers

(those who fly by the seat of their pants)

that this elephant of a month of writing

can be tackled one day at time,

one slice of life at a time. 

Life provides the stories.

Slicers provide the inspiration. 

Your stories are waiting.

Show up every day and write. 

You can do this! 

This is my fifteenth year participating in the March Slice of Life Challenge, writing every day during the month of March. Thank you, Two Writing Teachers, for creating this challenge and providing the space and support for us year after year. And thanks to this magnificent community for sharing stories with me and encouraging my writing life. 

Slice of Life: Celebrating the Little Things

Yesterday was a day for finding the lost. 

It all started with a lost file filled with ideas for when I do my writing stories workshop. I had checked all the logical places - my one drawer file, the boxes of files stacked beside the bookshelves and behind my recliner. I was in my closet yesterday morning when I reached for a file box stored under my jeans. I pulled it out so I could use some of the empty file folders stashed in it. To my complete surprise there was my family history file! I think it's time to make space for a filing cabinet in my bedroom so I can eliminate all the sundry places a file can hide.

Last night after returning home from the evening workshop, I started looking for the list of names from the workshop I gave on February 12. I always offer the chance to get on an email list for monthly nudges and ideas to keep writing. So I thought I could enter names from both workshops and bring my group email up-to-date. Trouble was, I had no idea where that piece of paper was. I rifled through the pages from my presentation, not there! And then I picked up a blank book I've been using. My new strategy is to use those books instead of putting them in a box for sometime special. I casually flipped it open and there were the three people who wanted to be added to my monthly inspiration email. 

The third item appeared when I wasn't even looking for it (although I have spent plenty of time the past few days searching for it). I picked up the laundry basket and there between the tub and the laundry basket was my missing sock. And I had been positive that  both socks were in the laundry, so I had been looking inside pants, blouses, shirts, thinking it had found a hiding place.

All in all, it was a very satisfying day! 

Slice of Life: Late Night Discovery!

It was definitely past my bedtime, but we all know how easy it is to keep scrolling. And then I struck gold with a delightful play advertised on Instagram, to be performed by the North Carolina Theater for Young People at the University of North Carolina Greensboro. I love theater for young people and have fond memories of taking my own children to summer children's theater at the University of Houston. And this production is the world premiere of this particular play. And this particular play features the Lincoln sisters who live on Deckawoo Drive and a certain "porcine wonder" who loves hot buttered toast!

If my clues led you to guess the Mercy Watson series by Kate DiCamillo, you are well versed in early chapter books. Our grandsons also love the Tales from Deckawoo Drive series by the same author. These short chapter books with their joyful laugh out loud humor have been favorites of our boys for some time. 

The play did not disappoint. We giggled, we encouraged characters with our applause, and we met the performers after the show. A perfect introduction to children's theater for our three North Carolina grands, ages 4, 6, and 9! We look forward to a long association with the North Carolina Theater for Young People at UNCG, all thanks to my late night scrolling.

Program

 

Mercy Watson and the boys 

 

The Lincoln sisters, Eugenia and Baby