Discipline

I posted this on our ACFWColorado blog this morning and thought I'd share it here:

Writing should be a discipline. How many of you look at it as such?

As I sit here at the pool for another long swim-team practice, I'm struck by that word - discipline. My kids are swimmers. We have practice six days a week, three hours a day. Then, we head to the YMCA and they swim for another hour or two. They are disciplined. Determined. Focused. When I was growing up, it was piano practice that took two to three hours of my day. My point? To excel at anything, you have to practice. It's a discipline.

I've met a lot of other writers since immersing myself in this world of an author. One thing I have noticed is how many "wannabe" writers - and even a few published writers - don't want to work at it. They want to be discovered, get published, become famous, and it all to happen overnight by osmosis. Because they have talent. They shouldn't have to work at it. They should just write and it be gloriously brilliant the first draft. I mean once you're published, you shouldn't need to attend classes at a conference, submit anything to critique partners, or work to polish your masterpiece. It's all about marketing, networking, and sales at that point. Right?

Ummm, that's a big fat NO.

You have to work at writing. You have to constantly be willing to learn. You have to practice the art of writing. It takes discipine. It takes diligence.

Just like one performance of Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody takes hundreds of hours of practice at the piano, or one 100 meter Freestyle sprint in the Olympics takes swimming hundreds of thousands of meters - so one well-written manuscript should take work, practice, edits, and thousands of uses of the delete button.

Are you willing to practice? Are you willing to keep learning? Are you willing to be disciplined about this art and craft?

Don't get caught up in the old adage "practice makes perfect" - it isn't true. As I've told all my students over the years, "Practice doesn't make it perfect. Only perfect practice makes it perfect." If you are continually practicing the wrong way - it will never be perfect.

Be willing to stretch yourself. Be willing to learn. Be willing to grow. Be disciplined. Join a writing group like ACFW and surround yourself with others who will encourage you, hold you accountable, and help you along this writing road.

Write. Write. And write some more. Humble yourself and ask for direction, for help, for another set of eyes. And learn how to take constructive criticism.

Discipline. I'm learning even more about it from my kids. What an awesome way to learn.

The End is Drawing Near - Reading Contest

I've already received some of your lists, and others have asked how much longer they have to read. :) You guys are great!

I will accept entries until the last day of June. So read your little hearts out until then, just make sure I receive your entry by June 30.

Remember, keep track of number of books, pages, and your Bible reading.

It has been a great year - thank you all so much for sticking with me on this challenge! It has been a crazy year for us, and this grew bigger than I expected. I really had no idea how many people would enter, and what an inspiration it would be to so many to read! I may do another one soon (a shorter one since you guys are so incredibly amazing), so be watching!

Send me a note through the contact form on this site and I'll let you know how to turn in your totals.

Happy Reading!
Kim

SwimNetwork Article on Kayla

Visit Swimnetwork.com and click on the story, "More Than Just A Sport" to see a new article on Kayla.

USA Swimming is incredible and we so enjoy being a part.

Welcome Home: Our Family's Journey to Extreme Joy

I'm excited to let you all know that my non-fiction book, Welcome Home: Our Family's Journey to Extreme Joy is now available for pre-order on Amazon.com and Christianbook.com
Click here to order from Amazon

Click here to order from CBD and read the reviews

Reading Contest!!

Okay, folks. We only have a few weeks left in our reading contest. Gather up all the titles and page numbers and keep a tally sheet to send to me. We have incredible, and I do mean, INCREDIBLE prizes.

If you have any questions or comments - post them soon, so that everyone is ready for the contest to end.

I'm so excited about how many people have entered this reading contest. Here is a link to some of the books that will be given away as prizes. With links to all the incredible authors' websites.

So check out the books and keep those pages turning. Time is running short!

Here is another reminder and more info.

Keep track of the title, author, and number of pages for the books that you read.
And ALL books count. If you are a pre-school teacher and read a stack of books each day to your students, they ALL count. Keep track of them! The non-fiction, self-help books that you read, Bible Study books, novels, books you read to your children, AND there will be a special prize for those who read through the entire Bible during our year-long contest!

There will be winners for:
Most Books Read
Most Pages Read
Most Variety of Authors Read
and those who read through the entire Bible AND one of the above.


And another big shout-out THANK YOU to all the amazing authors who donated prizes:
A.K. Arenz
Shirley Kiger Connolly
Mary Davis
Sharon Dunn
Laurie Alice Eakes
Tina Ann Forkner
Cynthia Hickey
Anita Higman
J.M. Hochstetler
Michelle Sutton
Nancy Jo Jenkins
Patti Lacy
Vickie McDonough
S. Dionne Moore
Trish Perry
Stacy Stallings
Camy Tang
Debra Ullrick

Looking forward to hearing about your reading experiences this year!

Words... How Are We Using Them?

All of us "writers" are wordsmiths. We string words together like beautifully made jewelry, attempting to paint a picture that inspires the mind and soul.

But they aren't always used that way. They can be a powerful sword that slices through people's hearts.

When someone wrongs you, do you go bash that person online with your words? Do you spread all the horrible stories you know about them, trying to get everyone to take your side? Do you get on the phone and spew hateful words? Twitter? Facebook? Blogs?

I'm challenging us all today, because words can hurt. In this age of technology, it takes but mere seconds to get our thoughts out there to the masses. The problem is, how many of us pray about those words before we write them? say them?

I just received an email from a reader who had heard an untruth about our family's story on TV. But guess what? This person began to "follow" me online, and noticed a difference in my words from the other party's. It was a powerful example to this reader.

Now, none of us are perfect. We will hurt people, wrong people, sin, and basically just make a mess out of things. But we can always try to do better. We can work on how we use our words. We can remember that spewing negativity will only make us more miserable. We can pray before we speak, or write.

We can follow Christ's example. How did He use His words?

Words. They are powerful. Use them wisely.

***
Kimberley Woodhouse is a wife, mother, author, and musician with a quick wit and positive outlook despite difficult circumstances. A popular speaker, she’s shared at more than 600 venues across the country. Kimberley and her family's story have garnered national media attention for many years, but most recently her family was chosen for ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, The Montel Williams Show, and Discovery Health channel’s Mystery ER which premiered in 2008. Her story, Welcome Home: Our Family’s Journey to Extreme Joy, releases in September 2009 from Focus on the Family/Tyndale Publishers and is available now for pre-order. Kimberley lives, writes, and homeschools in Colorado with her husband and two children in their truly “extreme” home. Pre-order Welcome Home
Kim's Website

Chasing My Tail

Yes, I know, if I were truly chasing my tail - it would be smaller. But seriously, where does the time go?

Between speaking engagements, edits, deadlines, photo inserts, radio interviews, homeschooling, swim team, and just plain ole life - I'm behind. And I'm talking WAY, way, way behind.

Biggest news is that my non-fiction book is available for pre-order now! Woohoo! Please celebrate with me and let everyone know!

Next, I was also asked to contribute to another book that is coming out this summer - please check the books page for more details.

I'd encourage every one of you to get on twitter and follow me - my name is kimwoodhouse on twitter. There are several buttons on the website to make it easy for you - but it will also help to keep everyone informed.

There's much more to come - with pics of the Grand Canyon, news on the kiddos' swimming, dodging tumbleweeds, and news about the reading contest! So, stay tuned!
Off to swim team we go - but I will return, and it won't take as long this time, I promise. :)
In HIS joy!!!

REAL Moms... REAL Jesus - Meet the Friend Who Understands

Do you ever wonder if you're real? Do you ever feel alone? Because nobody could ever feel like you do... no one could ever be your friend... no one could possibly understand.

Oh, my friend, but you are real. You aren't alone. And there's a Friend just waiting for you to share your burdens.

Jill Savage -- founder of Hearts At Home, and author of several books -- recently sent me her new release, REAL Moms... REAL Jesus. And let me tell you, I got sucked in. Read it all in one sitting. Plan on reading it again and again...

This book is for every mom out there. No matter what stage of mothering you are in, this book is for you. Jill shares candidly from her heart. Her love and humor simply ooze out onto the page and make you feel at home -- all while tackling tough, and REAL mom issues.

Issues like - How can God understand? Temptation. Going to the bathroom alone. Uninterrupted sleep. Disobedience, Service, Forgiveness, Truth, Trust, Faith, Prayer, Surrender.

For each instance, she shows us Jesus' example and how to follow in His footsteps.
This book touched me incredibly.

Hearts At Home has always meant a lot to me. I was speaking at a Mom's convention several years ago and afterward, one of the moms stopped and told me, "You bring an entirely new meaning to Stay-At-Home-Mom." We laughed together, because yes, our circumstances aren't quite like most - but it made me appreciate Hearts At Home's ministry more than ever. There are thousands of moms across the country who need that ministry. Moms like me. Moms like you.

I was going to do a giveaway for a copy of this great book, but I have a friend - fellow author, Tiffany Stockton, who is about to (any day!) have her first child. I am going to give it to her. Tiff, I pray the encouragement of Jill's book touches you deeply as it has me.

Jill - thank you for writing this incredible book. I will be purchasing many to give to other moms.

For more information on Jill Savage - please visit: Jill Savage

For more information on Hearts At Home - please visit: Hearts At Home

Pondering

I haven't blogged in a while. Life has been crazy, and I mean C-R-A-Z-Y.

But what am I doing now? I'm sitting in bed, propped up by pillows, surrounded by kleenex, ibuprofen, antibiotics, and every kind of de-snottifying medication I had in the house.

Nothing like a little sickness to MAKE you take a break. Even if you don't have time for one.

This entry will probably take every last bit of energy I have, but I will feel satisfaction that I accomplished... something.

This junk has so knocked me off my feet that I understand now why people die from it. "The Crud" - as I've heard it so aptly named - has taken hold and I eagerly await the time when I can, once again, take a full breath without dire consequences. My eyes are swollen, my nose is swollen, and my whole head feels like it could explode at any moment. I'm sure it would be a nasty mess to clean up, but wow, can you imagine the relief? Sigh.

So as I sit here and dream about breathing freely, I'm also thinking about those things that are of eternal value. I know, you're wondering how those two intersected in my mind. But it's true. I recently finished a book by Randy Alcorn, Deadline, that has had me thinking ever since. It's not an easy read - there are a LOT of words in this novel - but well worth the time. It's thought-provoking, and really put my life here on earth into perspective.

I pondered Deadline a lot as I was reading it - but while I've been laid up, I've thought about it much more. And that's saying a ton, because I haven't been able to focus on much.

So when a book touches my life in such a way, I know I am supposed to share. It took me over a week to get through it (but I read really fast) so it may take you a month or more, but I would definitely recommend it. Randy Alcorn tackles some incredibly hard topics, but he also gives a fascinating idea--possibly even a glimpse--of heaven.

And I don't know about you -- but I am really looking forward to heaven. (No sickness in heaven!) Until then, I am going to do my best with what He's given me.

Don't Judge A Book By Its Cover... Or A Mom

We're all good at judging, aren't we?

I realize that no matter how hard I try, there will always be someone who doesn't understand my parenting, or our situation. And I am, for the most part, a people-pleaser -- so that makes it more difficult. But over the years, I've had situations happen -- like the one I'm about to tell you -- that have helped to teach me, that sometimes, it really doesn't matter. Some people just won't "get it." Ever. And I don't have to feel bad or beat myself up because of it.

My children were recently participants in a two-day swim meet. It was an exciting event, and Josh and Kayla had worked hard to prepare for it. They LOVE swimming and spend several hours each day working out with their team and at the YMCA.

Anyway, this long meet presented new challenges for us because of our need to keep Kayla cool. So, Jeremy stayed with Josh and our other "fans" out on deck, watching the meet -- while Kayla and I hung out in the air-conditioned "hospitality room." The room is a nice retreat for all the coaches and officials to get a drink, a bite to eat, or just a moment of quiet - away from the constant chaos of the fast-paced event.

Kayla participated in five different events, and Josh in three. In between, Kayla would dry off and we'd head for the cool sanctuary. At one point, we'd been in and out for our different events, and there was an official sitting in the corner, going over her paper-work. She frowned at me and watched Kayla sit down with her book. I wasn't quite sure if we'd invaded her space, or if she was unhappy with something else I'd done, but I tried to settle in with Kayla and read.

A few moments later, this woman stood up to leave and she glared in my direction. "Isn't it too cold in here for your swimmer?"

I tried to smile sweetly with my response, "She doesn't sweat."

Before I could explain any further, she pointed at me and scolded, "You should be keeping your swimmer warm." Mumbling under her breath, she left the room.

I felt terrible. She obviously thought I was a horrible mom for freezing my wet child in between swim events. And what made it even worse in my mind is the fact that I didn't have the chance to explain and probably never would. So she had no clue that we were trying to keep Kayla from getting TOO warm in the midst of hundreds upon hundreds of human bodies putting off body heat.

After I sank to the depths of drowning in my own self-deprecation, I had a shocking revelation. It didn't matter. She may have judged me, but it didn't change the fact that I was doing what was best for my child. She didn't have all the facts, so I couldn't expect her to understand.

It made me think about all the times I've judged people in my mind not fully knowing all the facts myself. It's a scary thing. In the grocery store, at church, at swim team. Ouch.

So my thought is this -- maybe we could all work on that this week. One person at a time, one situation at a time, one day at a time.

What do you think?

Valentine's Day Mushiness

Love is in the air. (Or is that the alluring aroma of the pecan pie I made for my husband?)

Since Saturday is Valentine's Day, I'd like this to be an interactive-let's-write-something-ooey-gooey kind of post.

I think everyone should share something mushy. A mushy story of you and your spouse. Or, it could be an almost-coulda-been-mushy-turned-hilarious kind of story. Or even an I-wish-this-would-happen-to-me kind of story.

Who's game?
---
And just to get everyone started, here's mine:
For Valentine's Day eighteen years ago, the man who is now my husband presented me with a teddy bear holding a little box. In that little box was the yummiest piece of chocolate ever. (And I am a chocolate snob! So my man knew his stuff.)

As the morsel melted in my mouth, I hugged my sweet guy. We were in Bible College, and neither of us had much money, so his gift meant even more.

Taking my hand he walked me down the hill toward my dorm. Suddenly, he stopped and proclaimed, "Hold on! I forgot something!"

He reached into his pocket and pulled out another little box. This time, the box contained an engagement ring. And I've worn it ever since.
---

Now, if you'd like to post a little story, just click on the comments button. And if we don't get very many, I'll know that you are all out there creating new romantic moments to share!

Love is in the air...

_______

Kimberley Woodhouse is a wife, mother, author, and musician with a quick wit and positive outlook despite difficult circumstances. A popular speaker, she’s shared at more than 600 venues across the country. Kimberley and her family's story have garnered national media attention for many years, but most recently her family was chosen for ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, The Montel Williams Show, and Discovery Health channel’s Mystery ER which premiered in 2008. Her story, Welcome Home: Our Family’s Journey to Extreme Joy, releases in September 2009 from Focus on the Family. Kimberley lives, writes, and homeschools in Colorado with her husband and two children in their truly “extreme” home.
kimberleywoodhouse.com

Neighbors

We had the experience of being the first home built in our neighborhood. We've been here a year and a half (roughly), and many homes have sprouted since.

A couple of months ago, the kiddos and I made cookies to bring to all the neighbors. Wouldn't you know, not one neighbor was home when we went to deliver them! :) Yes, I know, my life.

Anyway, we will of course, try again - but today, I had a wonderful introduction.

My neighbor who lives behind us stopped by. A beautiful, and incredibly sweet lady - I felt an instant connection. She had stayed away for awhile, like many of our neighbors, because of the whole TV thing. (I have to say that the respect for our privacy has been wonderful and generous.) But I'm so thankful she dropped by today.

We have an odd situation. We don't get out much, so it's hard to get to know most people. The temperature we live in, is also a little too extreme for most people. (I often get cold myself, and I have acclimated to this for years.) LOL

So, my rambling today is just to say how thankful I am for neighbors. I'm thankful for precious people who understand our "weirdness" and love us anyway. And I'm thankful for God bringing new people into our lives.

Hypocrites

Ouch. Just the title hurts, doesn't it?

The definition of hypocrite according to Encarta's Online Dictionary is:
"somebody who pretends to have admirable principles, beliefs, or feelings but behaves otherwise"

We're all hypocrites at one point or another. Did you read that? Did I step on your toes? We're all imperfect. We're all sinners.

So you may be wondering why I am writing about this topic. Well, there's been this little thorn in my flesh for a while. Someone who has a leadership role who portrays themself as a model Christian - slandered against us, lied about us, was jealous of us, and just plain ol' hurt our family. I really had to work on forgiving and forgetting. And I mean WORK. It took a long time. But every time something happens that brings up this person or the unfortunate situation - I have to forgive all over again. And it's not always easy.

Another incident took place recently that riled me up. Bringing up all the wounds, all the hurt, all the ANGER. And what did I call this person?

Hypocrite. As the words left my mouth, I felt a little conviction. But I was still too mad to listen. And I continued to think of this person as a hypocrite. And just to be honest and show you my own imperfection, I had other names as well - coward, chicken, mamby-pamby, evil. Yes, I called this person evil.

I didn't sleep well that night. (And I wondered why? LOL) The next morning, during my Bible Study, I had another one of my 2x4 moments. (Yes, that's when I feel like God has to get my attention - and it literally feels like I've been struck - I'm hard-headed, yes, I know.)

I was convicted because we're all sinners. Sin is sin to God. And as much as it hurt, I had to admit I've often been a hypocrite myself. Every time I sin, every time my behavior doesn't back up my beliefs. Ouch.

My husband and I have stated since this fiasco started that if the world equated Christianity with this one person's example - we really didn't want to be associated with Christians. I know that comes across harsh, doesn't it? But let me explain. We want to be associated with Christ. Christians are often all lumped into one big group - and if the only example the world is seeing is an "ugly" example, then we, as Christians have failed. And there are lots of ugly examples. The enemy loves to tear apart Christian ministries, marriages, homes - all in an attempt to win a battle. The question is this, are we willing to fight in the battle? Or are we unwilling to put ourselves out there? Wanting to stay on the sidelines and watch, stay out of harm's way, not risk anything we've worked so hard to build?

Christians have gotten too caught up in wanting to be "liked" more than others in their church, having more members in their church, having more offerings in their plates, having more programs, having more buildings. And I'm not saying that all of these things are bad. I'm saying that our focus has gotten lost. It's not on Christ anymore if it's on numbers, money, or which pastor is liked better than the other.

So, I'm sitting here thinking about these things because my children are very intelligent. They are almost 12 and 14 years old. They are with me ALL the time. They see everything I do, and hear everything I say. Am I being a good example of a Christian to them? Or am I being an example of a hypocrite? Are YOU willing to ask yourself the same questions?

What about going beyond your home? What about your co-workers? Your church family? Your writer's group?

I'm hoping that this post has made you think a little. I know I've been doing a lot of thinking on the subject. I'm working every day on my behavior matching up with my beliefs. Always asking how Christ would handle the situation.

And always remembering John 13:35 "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (NIV)

...and Romans 12:10 "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves." (NIV)

...and I Peter 1:22 "Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart." (NIV)

...and Matthew 28:19-20 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (NASB)

What is Dad Doing?

Christmas morning was sunny and cold. A beautiful day.

We slept in, had a leisurely breakfast, shared in praise, and opened gifts. We had a lot of fun as we watched each other "ooh" and "aah" over the special presents selected out of love.

Jeremy walked around with a trash bag picking up the wrapping paper as the children studied new items. Pretty soon he disappeared into the garage and came out carrying a few poles. The kiddos looked up and watched him go out the back door. Josh and Kayla glanced at each other and shrugged their shoulders. Sometimes Dad did weird things, right?

He came back inside, heading for the garage. A second time, he traipsed through carrying straps, a net, and a few more poles.

"What is Dad doing?" Josh asked.
Kayla piped up, "Daddy, what are you up to?" (She's a smart kid. And yes, he's usually up to something.)

Jeremy didn't answer, and just smiled as he made another trip.

Kayla grabbed her brother's arm. "Let's go see what he's doing!"

And yet another trip for Jeremy through the house and into the garage, as the kids followed him and spied the box.

Kayla came racing into the house and jumped up and down. "It's a..." She screwed up her face as she tried to find the appropriate word, "It's a jumpy-thingy-majiggy!!!!"

My daughter obviously gets her grasp of English vocabulary from her writer-mother. Because seriously, who named that apparatus a trampoline?

This afternoon, my mother-heart felt warm and fuzzy as I watched my beautiful children jump on their new toy in the thirty-something degree temps. It's so amazing to see Kayla be able to play outside. As she flew into the air, I heard the musical voices of my children's laughter. What a precious sound.

Josh told me later that we needed to use Kayla's name for it. Why? Because according to him, "it's funner." (Yes, I teach my children English in homeschool. That word is totally the result of my friend. Thank you oh so very much, Heather.)

So, if you're headed in this direction, we'd love to have you check out our new, "Jumpy-thingy-majiggy" complete with hours of exercise and fun-- as long as it's under 55 degrees outside.

Out With the Old... And In With the New Year

I can't believe it's 2009. I'm still in shock.

So many amazing things happened in 2008 - and many difficult things happened in 2008 - but I'm thankful to have gone through them. Life is all about learning and growing. If you aren't willing to go through the tough stuff as well as the good stuff, you never truly feel the exuberance of making it to the other side.



I've had a lot of emails lately asking for pictures of our home at Christmas. The kids and I start in mid-November decorating. It's always been a tradition. (And recently, we've had lots more help since I've been writing new books, and have so much contact from the TV appearances. I couldn't do it alone anymore)



Hundreds of people asked me what we do to keep our home a special place. When we found out about Kayla's disorder, a friend took me shopping. She bought some seasonal decorations, and the next holiday or season, she'd take me again. For years, we've added to the collection to make each day, month, season... special. A reason to celebrate. So, I decorate for all the different holidays and seasons because when you spend the majority of your time inside the house, it's nice to change it up.



Think of it like the changing of the seasons, weather-wise. Kayla has to stay in a very controlled environment - so she can't experience all the weather changes of each season. My solution? Change the season inside. And that's what we do.



The Christmas decorations are being packed away, and out will come the Valentine's.
Life is an adventure. No matter what you are going through, or how hard the times may seem.
Live it.
And live it abundantly.

My Grandmother's Example

My Grandmother would be 100 years old today. She was an extraordinary lady, and I learned so much from her. I find as I get older, that I am a lot like her, too. Sometimes, it's like a deja vu sensation will strike me, and I realize that I've said or done something exactly like my Grandmother.

If I close my eyes and listen hard enough, I can hear her voice, and the banging of pots and pans in the wee hours of the morning, as she fixed the family breakfast. Everything was made from scratch, and the table was always set beautifully with a tablecloth, her best dishes, and an array of delectable treats.

For Christmas, she always made pecan pie, chess pie, gingerbread men, and coconut cake for dessert. Her pumpkin bread and butterscotch "scotchies" as she called them were also some of my favorites. All the vegetables were grown in her garden and canned. She made the best blackberry jelly I've ever had, and she was a wonderful seamstress.

As I sit here, typing my little remembrance, I am covered with a quilt made by my Grandmother and Great-Grandmother. And I wonder about the things we leave behind. What do I want to pass on to my children and grandchildren?

I've been quilting for many years now, and I make all my own jams and jellies. I even scrapbook and make homemade bread. My Grandmother passed these things to me, and I want to pass them on to my own children, but more than just the tasks. I hope they have the same memories and fondness and appreciation for these things done with love. For homemade goodness that takes time and effort, and the fun of learning at the side of someone special.

I'd like to think that's how it is with our relationship with the Lord. We're learning as we're on this road called life. And the Master is there beside us. The trials and the triumphs all add to the tapestry as it is woven one day at a time.

But sometimes we don't appreciate the beautiful, handmade creation around us - and so we don't pass that down to our own children. We find ourselves surrounded by cynics, and cheaply made items that fall apart so we just go buy something else to entertain us.

That's when I imagine our Savior sitting beside us waiting and watching. Waiting for us to say we're not looking for the easy way out- we're ready to learn something of eternal value, even though the road may be rough and the training vigorous. Waiting to see if we will turn our hearts completely toward Him.

And as we walk beside Him and learn at His elbow, our lives are enriched and made whole. Filled with Joy.

This quilt over my lap has served several generations. It is warm even though the edges are beginning to show their age. It is still a beautiful creation, all done by hand.

It reminds me of a quote by Erma Bombeck - a quote that is hanging over my desk - a quote that is dear to my heart:

"When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say: 'I used everything You gave me.'"

My Grandmother did that - she used her talent, and passed on her love for things done "right" to me. It might be harder to do. It might take a lot of time, but well worth the wait.

Joy In The New Year

2009. Wow. It's here. (I don't know about you, but I'm feeling a little old.)

How many of you are dreading the coming year? How many of you are worried about this new year? How many of you can truly say that you have joy?

I know, the economy is bad, people are losing their jobs and their homes, the outlook seems bleak on many fronts. So, how can I possibly ask you about joy, right?

Some of you may not know our story - and I won't take the time to explain it all here - but I understand tough times. I know what it's like to consider bankruptcy and have stared foreclosure in the face. I've paid $1500 a week for prescriptions and then wondered how to pay for food and the electric bill. And I've felt the emotions of owing medical bills that seem so monstrous you know you can never earn enough to pay them back. But in the same breath, I can tell you that I've also understood the joy of telling my children that we could live in an air-conditioned cardboard box - but as long as we were together, that's all that mattered. I've felt the intense relief of seeing my child for the first time after brain surgery. And I am well acquainted with the overwhelming feeling of gratefulness when gift-cards were given for food or clothing, or the hospital called and a bill for $75,000 disappeared, or a bus pulled up and with one incredible greeting through a megaphone, a fresh start was given.

But this is all part of the journey. The worst of times. And the best of times. Everyone goes through rough spots. (Some last a minute, some an hour, some a day, some even years or decades.) But it's not about comparing. It's not about saying, "Oh, poor me. My life is so hard." I believe, it's about how we handle those times. How do we react? What kind of example are we being?

Are we willing to reach out to our fellow man? Or are we wanting everything to be handed to us on the proverbial silver platter?

If you've heard me speak, or seen any of my writing, you know that James 1:2-4 are my life verses. The lessons learned have not been easy, and the road has been long, but I wouldn't trade that for an easy way out. No. Those verses tell us to consider it pure joy. The "it" is described as "various trials" of "many" and all kinds. And to paraphrase in my own words: LIFE in general. Are you considering life as joy? Can you face tomorrow - no matter what may come - with joy? And are you willing to say, "Not my will, but Yours, Lord"?

As we enter this new year, I'd like to challenge us all to think about those verses. And rather than thinking about how rough we have it, or how hard the coming year may be, let's focus on thankfulness instead, and reach out to others.

My fellow writer (she's amazing) and prayer warrior friend, Brandilyn Collins, brought a young girl's blog to our attention. Her name is Katy, and she is 16 years old. She and her mom are now homeless. Brandilyn put the word out, and through the first trickle of social networking, it became a stream, then a river, and is now rushing through cyberspace. The local news has picked up the story, and people are reaching out to help. Please go to Brandilyn's website: Brandilyn Collins and click on the link to her blog on the right for more of the story.

My point is that we should be doing more of this. Every day. No 'woe is me' attitude. In its place? Giving, sharing, reaching, loving, laughing... Living life abundantly. With joy.

Life is hard. But God... He is SO good.

Happy New Year!

As we enter 2009 - I'd love you all to read my blog on my website: www.kimberleywoodhouse.com


All the news and updates are on the website and I'd love to have you hop on over.
God Bless You and Happy New Year!
Kim

TV, Computer, Email, Techie Overload - What's Life Really About?

In this day and age, life is nuts. There's not much slow-time, down-time, sittin'-in-the-rocking-chair-outside-the-general-store-chattin' time. Instead, we have TV-time, computer-time, playstation-time, Wii-time, ipod-time, cell-phone-time, facebook-time, shoutlife-time, twitter-time, blog-time.

I've been pondering this quandary for a while. Since we have appeared on TV shows, my email inboxes have overflowed. And I mean o-v-e-r-f-l-o-w-e-d. Social networking and marketing are very important to any author, but how on earth can you possibly keep up? I have 9300+ email in one inbox as I write this. It's overwhelming to say the least.

But my overweight email accounts are not why I'm writing this post. People spend so much time watching TV, or on the internet, or with techie toys. I watched a seven-year-old at swim team the other day - the child had an ipod, which he was listening to in one ear, and was holding a cell phone up to the other ear. I think back to when I was seven, we didn't have personal computers, or internet, or ipods, or cell phones. I don't even remember caring about whether my clothes matched or if my hair was brushed! And that was really NOT that long ago! But I digress...

My point is that we're too caught up in our "techno" world. I'm not saying it's not useful - it definitely has a place in our lives. But, we want to be entertained. We want to be hand-delivered an answer to life's questions by text, twitter, or IM. Is that what life is really all about? How much time do we waste playing games, surfing the net, watching TV, texting, IMing, the list could go on and on? Believe me, I've thought on this a lot as I've had to invest more time into my author relations. I don't watch TV at all, and I don't play video games - but, I do have to spend a good deal of time on email, networking, marketing, etc.

That brings me to a group on Facebook that has caught my attention. It's called, "The Campaign. One Gospel. One Person. Each Week." And it's something of eternal value. Not like a game of Scramble that takes three minutes and makes you use your brain a little. It's about life. And eternity. Are you sharing your testimony? Are you reaching out to others?

I'd like to challenge you to think about that. Think about all the time you spend watching your favorite TV show or sports. Or all the time on the internet that's just wasting time (my famous author friend, Donita K. Paul, and I have come up with a name for it - "Downloafing"). How much time are you spending on something really worthwhile? It's quite the topic to consider.

"The Campaign" is doing something that I love. They are using the social networking outlet to help challenge believers to share their faith. Instead of just another silly group that spends time counting the hairs on our heads (I'm being sarcastic) - it's doing something that IS of eternal value. A challenge to all of us to remember the big picture, to remind ourselves what life is truly all about.

I wrote a song many years ago now, that is entitled "You Are." It's about everything the Lord is to me. We were on the mission field at the time, and I was struggling - no internet, no phones, no mail - I thought I "needed" contact with the outside world. God gently got my attention that day and helped me to realize that I don't really NEED anything. Think about that for a minute. I don't need friends and family. I don't need a roof over my head. I don't need food. I don't need internet. I don't need a car. Why? Without some of those things for extended periods, I may die, yes. But what happens next? What matters?

The answer: My relationship with the Lord. If I die, where am I headed? That's truly our one and only need - a relationship with Jesus Christ.

When you can grasp that, and put it all into perspective - your outlook will completely change.

So, yes, I'm challenging you. Join The Campaign on Facebook. Get out there and be willing to share your faith - which should be the most important part of your life.

We should have more groups like this - that combine our techno world with true purpose. One day at a time.

Picking Up the Pieces

Last night, Kayla was working on a jewelry project. As she carried the boxes of beads back to her room, a small box on the top slid off and tumbled to the ground.

"Oh no!" She was very distraught. Beads bounced from one end of the living room to the other across our hardwood floors and down the stairs. Thousands upon thousands of tiny little seed beads, decorative beads, and glittery beads.

I placed my arm around her shoulders. "It's okay, honey. These things happen. All we have to do is pick up the pieces."

Kayla was really upset with herself, but realized that I wasn't mad at her, I wasn't scolding her, and it just needed to be cleaned up. The task seemed daunting, but Josh, Kayla, Holly, and myself all got on our hands and knees and began to find the scattered beads. We discovered interesting places the beads had flown, and creative ways to pick them up. Pretty soon, our bead-cleanup turned into a laugh-fest.

As we were working, I thought about how it was a beautiful illustration of our lives. Sometimes we are hasty in how we handle things, or make a wrong choice, or simply - accidents happen. And as our lives crash into millions of pieces on the hard ground, we wonder if we can ever put things back together again. How can we possibly go on? There's too many pieces to pick up by ourselves.

And yet - there's the Master - by our side, picking up piece by itty-bitty piece. Helping us to see that it's okay, we just have to clean up the mess and move on. Sometimes we cause our own messes, and sometimes they are caused by other people or outside circumstances. The pieces may take hours, days, months, or even years to pick up. There may be some cracks, chips, and dents. There may be some dirt, dust, and lint clinging to the pieces. But the mess can always be cleaned up.

So next time you drop your box of beads, or life seems to fall apart and shatter into a bazillion pieces - Take a deep breath. Pray about it. And start picking up the pieces. We have a wonderful Savior who is by our side, picking up pieces, wiping them clean, and gluing the cracked and broken ones back together. Don't give up. Keep going. Pick up the pieces.

And if you happen to spill thousands of beads onto the stairs? A pastry brush and paper plate work great.