Introducing...

(Click on picture above to go right to our new website!)
My dear friend Shannon and I have been working on this website for quite some time; prayerfully compiling and comparing ideas, designing it, and finally....getting it to where we want it to be!
We hope this website will be a restful retreat for all who "enter."Within, we will be sharing our heart thoughts, lessons learned, stories, anecdotes, and encouragement as we walk through life with unique sufferings and trials. So fetch a cup of tea, coffee or whatever your pleasure, and come visit us!We'd love to have you!!

We interrupt this humble blog...

For a 2-3 week break. From writing on this blog, and reading blogs.

I've felt the Lord impress it upon my heart to just step back for a bit, re-evaluate my writing from all angles, and strictly focus on my novel. Maybe even finish it?

I dare hope! 

Anyway, just wanted to let you all know that, so expect me to be back into the blogging world at the beginning of October with a hodge-podge life update and some writing musings, for starters.

There may be a surprise post here or there about a special project I've been working on.

Stay tuned!

I'll see you all back in the blog-world soon!

I Remember...

Ten years ago was a day of my generation that will "live in infamy".

9/11/01

Two hijacked planes crashed into the Twin Towers of New York City--the tallest buildings in the United States--while yet another hijacked plane hit a section of the Pentagon in Washington D.C. A fourth hijacked plane crashed in my own state of Pennsylvania, just a few hours from where we lived...probably heading towards the White House. 

The word "terrorism" suddenly became a hot-button topic after that day, and President George W. Bush launched a war on terror shortly after the attacks on September 11th, 2001. Our country was in a state of shock, and fear. National security levels went into red, airports and planes were shut down and grounded...and piles of rubble and ashes were all that was left of the Twin Towers that had so beautifully graced the New York City skyline.

The number of lives lost was not as steep as the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863, nor the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941. Nevertheless, countless lives were lost. Families were ripped apart at the seams having lost fathers, daughters, sons, mothers, cousins, grandparents, and even some children who would never have a chance to grow up. Countless firefighters and policeman were lost as they sought to save lives without being asked. I shudder to imagine the agonizing pain the huge loss families of America felt on 9/11 and the days afterward when their loved ones were never found...as well as the thousands of servicemen and women who sacrificed their lives to fight this "war on terror" in the Middle East these long, ten years.

I was eight years old on that warm, muggy September morning. My sister was six, Mum was expecting our little brother, and my Dad was putting windows in our room. Sara and I were playing up in the alley behind our now "old house" in Overbrook, Pittsburgh, on Walton Avenue. Our neighbor across the street and our unofficial "foster Mommy", Jamie, called Mum and told her to turn on the TV. It was a blur after that; Mum called us to come inside, and she yelled for Dad to come see whatever was on the television. Sara and I continued to play, and at one point, going from one room of the house to another, I glimpsed our TV in our living room and Mum quickly shooed me away.

Dad initially thought that a pilot of a plane had a heart attack and crashed into the first tower; but then as he watched the second plane hit the other tower, his firefighter-wannabe instincts asked, "How the heck are they gonna put that out?" Dad--still working for the Post Gazette--was due in at work at noon that day, and Mum was frightened that he had to go into town to deliver a special-edition afternoon paper announcing the attacks. Downtown Pittsburgh was being evacuated; a plane crash-landed that day in Shanksville, PA. after it was turned around from heading west towards Cleveland. 

The above paragraph was all Dad's words...I was fairly oblivious and unaware of the happenings that day and could not attempt to grasp the magnitude of such attacks. The details of that day are sketchy; I wrote a statement summing up my thoughts about 9/11 a few weeks later and it was published in our newspaper. Sara and I wore our, "Proud to be an American Girl" t-shirts on the stage of our church and sang, "Proud to be an American" with our children's choir. For a while, six year old Sara was afraid to go anywhere without Mum or Dad for fear of terrorists bombs. 

Those are my childhood memories of that day...though what really sticks out in my mind about that day, that event that changed the course of our nation...was how America did not crumble, but rather they rallied together in churches, flagpoles and in Washington. Many lives were lost on 9/11...but because of these horrific events, many souls were saved, and faith was reclaimed, when lives were rocked with the frailty of life and they  wanted assurance of eternal life. 

Like everything else in life, history...since time began...God has a plan and purpose for every season, tragedy, loss, pain and grief in this fallen world. He is painting a master portrait that one day, will bring every knee to bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. The events of September 11th, 2001, will be painted with red, white, and blue, by the all Sovereign Creator.

(Scroll to bottom of the page to pause/mute music player)

Where were you on September 11th, 2001?

How old were you?

What were you doing?

What do you remember in the days following 9/11?

Take a moment or two to pray for every man and woman enlisted in our Armed Forces, the Police Forces across the country, and our leaders in Washington D.C. That God may grant them wisdom, that they may listen, and God's will be done in our country.

God bless the United States of America.

A Surprising Curveball

On vacation two weeks ago, I purposed to really spend the majority of my time with the Lord, writing...and making memories with my family, of course!. With no daily duties, phone calls, internet or familial craziness to distract--it was truly a lovely vacation. Well...there was familial craziness, but the fun, rolling-on-the-floor-laughing, all-together kind.

We found a lovely shore of Lake Erie just a half hour away from our cottage, and we fondly remember that small, cliff-lined shore, as our private beach. It was near a local marina that did not see much busyness...and on that beach there might have been only a dozen more people at best between the two times we visited it! We felt like Swiss Family Robinson! The waves, rocky sand, springs, and rocks to skip across the lake...it was heavenly. I brought books to read on the quilt on the sand (and I got a bright red sunburn on my back) while my little siblings frolicked in the sand and surf, Sara perfected her goddess-like golden tan, and our parents just sat back and enjoyed each other and their children.

Mum's cell phone rings, and it is one of our dear friends calling. Now, pretty much everybody understands that, unless they really, really need to get in touch with Mum, they leave a message at home, and she'll get back to them. Allison called Mum's cell, to tell her some news. It turns out, that one of Allison's friends works at a local E.N.T doctor's office, and they were in need of part time office help; her friend asked if Allison was interested.

Allison is a wonderful wife and mother to three adorable tow-heads, and is very involved in their school, so she had to decline. Apparently, she told her friend that she knew of the perfect girl for the job: me. Allison had given the office our home phone number, and they left numerous messages while we were on vacation. Allison's friend calls her back and says they'd really like to get in touch with me, so Allison calls Mum's cell, and asks if she could give her friend at the office, Mum's cell number.
*Whew* Long story, short--right?

Not five minutes later--after I was quickly informed of all this--Mum's phone rings, and a kind lady named Barb asks for me. Five minutes later--I have an interview scheduled! I sat back on the sand a myriad of emotions.
Dazed
Freaked
Hardly daring to hope that such a great job had just been pretty much dropped in my lap...
It's part time, office-y work; phones, filing, computers, etc. The office is a mile from our home...and they got in contact with me! I had never even heard of this before Barb called and asked for an interview!

I was so freaked out; that this was too good to be true; I didn't have any experience with office help, computer systems or phones...all this and more played before my mind almost every moment of every day leading up to the interview. I quietly asked that God's will be done...but to please give me peace! Every little detail of this, seemed to have God's fingerprints all over that. Regretfully, I was too freaked with my own insecurities and low-confidence in myself to truly see and embrace this God-appointed interview.

My long-distance-sister, often tells me that God loves to knock our socks off...and after the interview this past Friday...He certainly did just that! I am still dazed, humbled and overwhelmed at how God brought all of this together, His amazing plans and how good He is! I can look back over my entire life, and see God-fingerprints over every day, even through the curveballs! Everything leading up to this interview was part of the ongoing lesson of trusting in God, remembering His faithfulness, and having confidence for the future that He has had planned since the beginning of time.

So, yesterday, I embarked on a new chapter in this new season...and I do not know what this job will hold, or teach me. It'll certainly be a kick in the pants out of my comfort zone...listening to the sweet gal who trained me talk on the phones threw me for a loop! That will take a lot of training I'm sure! I have a peace that I am in God's will with this job. So how can I question this surprising curveball? I'm still happily dazed, excited and, yes, more than a bit nervous. When I look over the God-fingerprints on every, little, detail of the interview and receiving this job...I know I have no reason to be afraid.

Below is a passage from a recent Streams in the Desert devotional...that sums all of this up better than I ever could!

Straining and striving does not accomplish the work God gives us to do. 


When we restfully trust Him to do it, the work will be completed and will be done well. And the way to let Him do His work through us is to so fully abide in Christ by faith that He fills us to overflowing...


There is no straining effort in an overflowing life, and it is quietly irresistible. It is the normal life of omnipotent and ceaseless accomplishment into which Christ invites each of us to enter--today and always.

An Impromptu Tea

This post is sadly overdue, but I figured posting about these memories was better late than never! A few weeks ago, on a busy summer's day, with Mum running errands and Ronnie going to a friend's--leaving me in charge--I tried to think of something to do with Anna Banana Peony Lucy Love that day....

A tea party fit the bill...a simple one, only her closest "friends" invited. Anna happily streaked up the stairs to her room when I told her to ready her "friends" in their best dresses, while I made lunch and sent Ronnie off on his way.

Let me tell you...I don't know what was more fun! Getting ready for this impromptu sister tea, or actually having it! Anna was the sweetest helper, and we danced and sung our way around the kitchen and dining room all afternoon. I made her a playlist of all her favorite songs to listen to while we baked and readied the table, while she carted her dolls down from her room dressed in all their finery.

My big helper!

 Our assistant, Chloe...who made her presence known by perching on the table like so, and meowing to the songs we played.

 Mother Hubbert's Cupboard was very bare...but I quickly remedied our lack of treats dilemma and whipped out these cute cut out cookies, to be later filled with jam Aunt Patti sent home with me from Idaho. 

 Considering Anna's favorite flavors, I spiced these cute little cookies up with Chai spice, adding a pleasant aroma to the whole house as they baked.

 She loved them! I let her snitch more than one cookie before we set them on the plate.

 Photo credit: Anna

Our colors turned out to be pink and green for the party and everything matched beautifully! Even the doll sized dishes and tea cups.

 Anna's smile says, "Finally!" She was ever so patient and helpful as I prepared everything...which took a tad longer than expected. 

To Anna's right, are three out of the five of her friends, dolls Josephina, Rapunzel and Laura 

 On the other side of the table sat Elsie...and Molly. Please don't ask about the latter!

Bless Anna's heart, she loves Molly a lot...in spite of her hand-me-down, one arm, bobbed hair look.

 (Sorry for the bad quality...afternoon lighting 'n all!)

Ready to rest and have our tea!

 Anna picked this book to read while we all sipped tea and munched on cookies. She is quite the gifted little reader. Although why she chose "The Nutcracker Ballet" book is a little beyond me...Christmas isn't for a few more months!

Anna's bone-china teacup...luckily I had stashed this lone tea cup away in my hopechest, instead of up in a box in the attic, and Anna was pleased as punch to use this delicate teacup and saucer.

This teacup was my souvenir from Idaho, and the only teacup displayed in mine and Sara's redecorated room--since it isn't pink.

Our impromptu sister tea was loads of fun, and I hope to have another tea sometime soon with not just my sister, but friends as well. 

Quips on Writing or...a profound question

Am I a writer who blogs...or a blogger who writes? That is a question that often haunts me...they are not one in the same, and each defines a type of writer--neither of which is higher than the other. Below are just a few tongue-in-cheek or profound quips on the art of writing.

I'm not a very good writer, but I'm an excellent rewriter.  

~James Michener

The pages are still blank, but there is a miraculous feeling of the words being there, written in invisible ink and clamoring to become visible.  

~Vladimir Nabakov

Words - so innocent and powerless as they are, as standing in a dictionary, how potent for good and evil they become in the hands of one who knows how to combine them.  

~Nathaniel Hawthorne

What would there be in a story of happiness? Only what prepares it, only what destroys it can be told.  ~André Gide

I write when and what God wants me to use His gift of stringing words together to create something for Him. My chief end is to glorify Him...and obedience can be hard, especially when I cannot see the road in front of me, doubt, overthink and fret about details only God can take care of...when I have to make myself vulnerable...stepping out of comfort zones...and then I remember who I am by God's grace. 

A writer? *Smile* Yes

A good one? Yet to be determined

Articles or fiction? Both...fiction being my first love.

                                   Fearful of what man may say about me/my writing? Too often  

Does my Lord guide my eyes gently back to His glory and off of myself? 

Humbly, I answer....

Yes and amen.

Beautiful People: Margaret Bryant

Who to write about?! I am so swept up with overhauling, expanding and polishing my 1930's historical fiction, God's Will...but I have so many other dearly loved characters that I am mentally gearing up to write about!

Elliot would be an interesting character to continue profiling....as would Kathy....but perhaps I may expound upon my very. first. character. I. created. EVER.
Originally (eight years ago when I began to pen my first, good-for-a-young-girl-but-bad-to-look-at-now draft)--she was Margaret O'Brien. Now, in my re-write I am in the process of preparing, I changed her surname from the 1940's child star of the same name, to Margaret Bryant.
Just sayin'...don't ask about that first draft. *Shudder* It. is. bad.

Margaret Jane Bryant lives in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania--a place I still have yet to visit & explore--and her story, Amongst the Roses, opens in April, 1861.

August's Beautiful People Questions:

1. What is their biggest accomplishment?

Margaret's biggest accomplishment is simply being accomplished in all the things a young lady should be accomplished in. She feels she is exceptionally prepared for married life--the highest aspiration a young lady should have--by being learned in the domestic arts, genteel and humble alike. But why does she still feel so unfulfilled?

2. What is her strongest childhood memories?

One of Margaret's favorite childhood memories is planting roses for her mother with her father at her side, then going inside for a cozy snack and story on her father's knee. 

3. What is their favorite food?

Margaret's "one weakness" is berries and cream. Any berries but gooseberries. She shudders at the thought of those tart little fruits.

4. Do they believe in love at first sight?

Though Margaret enjoys a good novel every now and again, she does not believe in love at first sight, and calls even the thought silly...but deep down she truly wonders...

5. What kind of home do they live in?

Margaret, her three sisters and their parents live in a modestly large home--appropriate for such a lawyer as her father is--just east of downtown Chambersburg. 

6. What do they like to wear?

Margaret always likes to dress femininely and prettily--especially for the occasional party. Though she often laments her lack of a small waist like her older sister.

7. What would they do if they discovered they were dying?

If Margaret discovered she was dying, the news would throw her. At the outset, she would be highly emotional, weepy and grief stricken before she let anyone near to comfort her.

8. What kind of holidays, or traditions do they celebrate?

Margaret and her family do a Christmas cookie party in their home, and bake Christmas sweet bread every Christmas Eve to celebrate their Savior's birth the next morning.

9. What do your other characters have to say about them?

One hoity-toity young redheaded man, Connor O'Brian--having known Margaret since childhood--has always known her to be timid with rare moments of spirited fun, and somewhat of a prig in later years. Did he mention that he used to think Margaret--who he calls, 'Maggie' to her annoyance--quite pretty when they were children?

*Smile* 

10. If they could change one thing in their world, what would it be?

The one thing Margaret wishes with all her heart to change in her world is the war. The war that tore their family apart by whisking away their rock and provider, father Henry Bryant; that would throw the entire city into a great upheaval not once but three times during the duration of the war.

The war that would change everything for Margaret Bryant--starting with her heart.