Tag: Life

Have I gotten too comfortable with my life?

Do you ever sit back and look at your life? I’ve been doing that a lot lately. I know that my life is way too busy most of the time. I’m a wife, mother, accountant, children’s minister, and now a published author. Sometimes I don’t have time to think straight, well that’s if I could think straight 🙂

Last night was Valentine’s and here is a rundown of my night. I worked in my office which is beside my home, until 5:30. I finally walked across the driveway to the house and gave my hubby his card and chocolate covered caramels. I gave my son a reese heart and box of m & m’s, plus a card. Then I made bacon, egg and cheese toasted sandwiches. I know really fancy for Valentines dinner, but it was scrumptious. Then I grabbed my laptop and worked on tax returns while we watched Duck Dynasty. (Our new favorite show.)

I know this sounds really unromantic, but it was actually nice. We sat as a family together, even though I was working, our son was on youtube, and my hubby was playing with his new I-phone. To me this is a great night. 

But when I turned my laptop off and gathered all the paperwork back into the carry box, I thought about my life. I realized something that I’ve known for a while, I’m set in my ways. I’m happy just sitting home instead of going out to dinner with friends. I don’t care to go out, going to the store has gotten to be a chore. I work, I write, and I do my ministry, but I don’t do much of anything else. My husband says he feels the same way. Have we lost touch with the world. I don’t know if we’re just in a rut or what.

I’ve been struggling with a decision, which I won’t say what just yet, don’t want to jinx it. I’m feeling somewhat lead to make a change in my business that will surprise some people and some will say it’s about time. If I do this it will open up a lot of opportunities to further my writing.

So, as my friends, pray, cross fingers and I promise I’ll let you in on the secret really soon. I’m waiting a little bit longer to make the decision. I’ve discussed this with my husband and my assistant. They’re both very supportive. I’ve also let a couple of personal friends in on it for their input. I really think it will be a positive step in my life. So in the coming weeks I will let you in on some of the changes to come. 

As always, good writing, and May God Bless You…

 

Monday, Monday, Monday.

Well it’s Monday again. Wasn’t it just Monday yesterday? Time really flies when you’re busy as little bee. Well that’s me, busy little bee. It’s tax time again and my desk is piling up with returns just staring at me waiting to be sent, but since the IRS has decided to put us off the returns just sit and wait.

As for my writing, I’m doing as much as I can at night. My manuscript that I’ve been trying to finish is almost ready. The editing has been fun. I love reading over my work. It gives me a chance to change and expand on different areas. Amazing how one change can turn into an extra paragraph.

Hope everyone is well. My son is home sick today with an ulcer on his throat so I’m back and forth from the office to the house. Good thing my office is beside my house. Have a great Monday and remember Monday is just another day in this to love one another, read another book and enjoy what God has given us.

As always good writing and May God Bless you…

If you feel old does that make you old?

I’ve always heard people say you’re only as old as you feel. Well that can hold true in a lot of instances. Sometimes I marvel at the energy I have and other times I’m sitting there thinking where did it all go 🙂 

I sit over a computer for a good part of the day doing accounting, then I sit in a chair with a laptop in my lap at night writing. It takes a toll on your neck, shoulders, and back. Don’t get me wrong, it’s definitely worth it. My husband tells me constantly to put the laptop down at night and rest, but when the story is running around in your head, you’ve just got to get it out there.

I’m only 44 and to me that’s still young. To my son it’s old and I remember being the same way when I was a kid. I thought when you hit 50 that was it. You were a goner. Funny how age seems different as you near that mark. To me now 80 or 100 is getting older. 

Do you think we grow better with age? Well, I definitely do. I know I’ve learned to enjoy life. When I was younger I just lived by the seat of my pants and never stopped to enjoy anything. Now I do stop and smell the proverbial rose from time to time. To me my writing is a time to stop and enjoy the moment. 

My mom is always saying that I need to write less and rest more. Not happening. I enjoy writing. It’s a way to express myself. Sometimes I get my daily frustrations out in my writing.  It’s crazy how calming it is to sit in front of my laptop and just pour my heart out until I’m emotionally exhausted. 

Don’t give up on life. Live it and enjoy every moment. Life is too short to just go through it with blinders on. Watching life from the rear view mirror is not healthy. Live for today not yesterday. That day is done and today is here and now. You can’t take back yesterday, but you can make today and tomorrow better. Give it a try. It’s my new philosophy in life. I put the past in my writing and leave it there for everyone else to live.

As always, good writing and May God bless you.

Life: You’re the Author

In life we write our own stories. We determine how our life goes. God created us, but he gave us life choices. How do we choose? Which road do we go down? Is grass and dirt starting to take over your road?

In life we make the decisions that take us to the next part. Decisions we make mark the future for us. If you decide to drink and drive you’re deciding your life book could end on the drive home. If you decide not to take the job offer and then find out there’s nothing else available, then you made that decision to stay unemployed. (Sometimes that’s the best road to take.)

As an author I’ve thought about the life I’m writing for myself. Do I want to get to the end of my life and look back only to wonder what I accomplished? No, I believe in taking the bull by the horns and stepping out on faith. It’s just like a review on a book. Do you give your life a 5 star rating or does it fall flat at 1 or less?

Think of your life as a book you’re going to sell. Would you want to read about your life? Have you done anything remotely special? We all have moments in our life that are spectacular. Those moments can include marriage, the birth of your child, and vacations. But what about the in between moments. 

My challenge to you is to live life. Experience the moment. Don’t let life come to a close without enjoying what God has given you. Go ahead, write the great american novel, or try to. At least you can say I tried. Don’t come to the end and say I wish I would have…

As always good writing and May God bless you in all you decide to do in life. Remember to keep Him in your life and all will go well. 🙂

Where your writing takes you…

As I start this post I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. Mine was wonderful. Now on to the clean up and take down and enjoying time with my son. My husband says it looks like Christmas threw up in our house. So I like to decorate. What? On to the post…

Where does your writing take you? It can take you to different countries, different lives and let your dreams come true at your fingertips. When you are writing open up your heart and experience it.

As I write I usually try to throw in a fantasy or something I love. That way I get to live the fantasy and make it come true for my characters. I get to do the things I wouldn’t dare do in real life.

Through my characters and lots of research, I get to go to places that I have dreamed of going. It’s so much fun to experience the places through my characters. If you put enough descriptions you can carry your reader off to places beyond their Kindle, Nook or paperback. You can take them to exotic destinations with the sun dancing on the clear blue water or even take them to snow covered chalets with crackling romantic fires.

The sky’s the limit when writing.  Give your reader and yourself an adventure, you both deserve it. So get writing and live your dream through your writing. Go to that place, or do that thing you want to do, live the dream.

As always, good writing and May God Bless You!

It’s Monday and I turn 44 today!

Yeah I know, most women don’t reveal their age, but I’m just happy to have another birthday every year. It’s crazy that I’m over 40. Me! I don’t feel 44. Most people say I don’t act 44 either. Well, last week while I had sickness, I felt over 40, but now after all the antibiotics and steroids I’m back to feeling young again.

Age to me is a frame of mind. If you constantly act your age, you will end up feeling your age. I try to enjoy every aspect of life. I try not to let everything get to me. My friends are constantly saying how do you stay so calm all the time. Well, letting things drag me down and keep me in depression doesn’t accomplish anything but developing an ulcer. Don’t get me wrong, I have regrets in my life. I have those moments of what if… I put a lot of those what if’s in my writing and go on with my life.

So, if you are in the dumps because you’re over 40, well get up off the ground you have threw yourself on and dust yourself off. Start living life to the fullest. You’re not promised tomorrow and the Good Lord gave you this time to live as He would have you live. Enjoy your family, play with your kids, decorate a tree, hug a friend, kiss your lover, tell someone you love them and live, by goodness live. Start today, right now. It will change your life.

That’s why I finally decided to publish my books and continue writing. It gives me immense pleasure. I get to live the life of my characters and enjoy what they enjoy. If only for a moment.

 

As always, good writing and May God Bless You!

Good Wednesday Morning!

It is a beautiful Georgia morning. The air has a slight crispness to it. As I sit here with the windows open, the cool breeze comes softly across me. I sip my coffee and have my laptop in my lap, just enjoying the morning. I can hear the birds chirping in the trees as if agreeing with me.

Of course I know that I need to get up and get ready for my day, but I just put it to the back of my mind. Life is so short and we run around all willy nilly not stopping to smell the roses or feel the breeze on our face. Why? If we miss life’s precious moments what have we accomplished?

I made a decision the first of the year to start stopping and smelling the roses. Sometimes it gets me behind on projects but I know the fact is I am getting older and missing out on many things. I have spent the last twenty odd years building my accounting practice and working constantly. I have missed out on so much that the sweet side of life has to offer. Well I have been doing more for myself.

One of the main things is publishing my books and writing in my spare time. It has been so refreshing and revealing to me. I did not realize how much I had missed. I actually feel better physically and mentally. It is as if a weight has been lifted from my shoulders.

Well, try it yourself. Just stop and take a deep, cleansing breath. See if you don’t feel a little better. As always good writing and May God Bless You!

Crazy things that happen to Accountants!

Well Paula Acton one of my wonderful blog friends suggested it would be funny to list the top 10 funniest deduction requests. So I decided to tell some of the funny things that have happened over the years.

1: I had a lady put down as a dependent a child named “Fluffy Ball” complete with a birthdate but no Social. I just sat and looked at her like “Are you kidding me?”

2: I had a woman ask me if they could claim her husband’s mistress as a dependent. (He was sitting beside her at the time)

3: I have had so many marriage proposals I have quit counting. (Usually these come after I get them a huge refund or straighten out their messes) I always laugh and tell them to get a grip!

4: I had a guy that handed me his list of deductions for his Lawn Care business. It included his ski boat, new pistol and his new hunting rifle. I politely handed it back to him and told him to start over…

5: I had one guy ask me to move into his office because the phone calls and visits were not helping. He had a mess!

6: I am listed in several of my clients wills as the person to find out where everything is.

7: I had one wife that did not like me because her husband kept telling me he loved me. He got nice returns every year and he didn’t realize I was just doing my job.

8: I have one client that calls me his second wife and she agrees with him. I asked him one day if I was on the insurance policy and he just laughed and winked. (Yikes)

9: One client got angry when he owed tax and stormed out of the office. He returned ten minutes later when his wife brought him back to apologize and pay me a big tip for being an idiot. (Her words not mine, but I was thinking it!)

10: I had a lady ask if I could tell from the tax papers if her husband was having an affair. (No!)

11: For some reason most of my clients think I have a degree in Psychology. I did take it in college, but not my major or minor. They will call and want to get advice. I guess I am just too easy to talk to.

12: The best one was when this lady called and asked if I would handle their tax return. I said no problem, we still had a couple of weeks left in the season. When she arrived she asked me to hold the door for her. I was curious so I held the door as she proceeded to bring in ten large plastic bins full of paperwork. I turned to my assistant and smiled. I charge by the hour to separate tax paperwork over the normal stuff. She then proceeded to tell me they had not filed in 8 years. I had to sit down. The bins had everything from birth certificates, prom pictures and bullets!!!

So how many of you are rushing out now to get that Accounting degree. It is totally hilarious how crazy these people can be. I love it. The marriage proposals bother my husband as some of these men are wealthy, handsome men. I just smile and tell him it keeps him on his toes.

Now you know why I have to lose myself in writing. I have to get it off my brain. Some of it can cause nightmares!!!

SO as always, good writing and God Bless!

When Love is Rekindled…

Have you ever had a love in your life that you gave up? Did you always wonder what would have happened if you would have given that love a chance? What if there was more to the story? What if you had a good reason to step away from that love? Well, your heart will never be the same….

Check out an excerpt from the 2nd book in the “Flames of Love” Series, my current writing project, “Rekindled Flames”, it may have you thinking about that love that you gave up.

“As we lay our dear friend to rest, let’s reflect on his life for a moment.” As Lydia listened to the pastor start on her father’s great life, she lowered her head. It was hard to believe he was actually gone. As she tried to get her head straight, she felt as if someone was burning a hole in her from their stare. She’d been getting a lot of weird looks since she had come home for the funeral.

She finally decided to look up and as she gazed across the top of the grave, she locked eyes with the man that had haunted her dreams for the last two years. She knew she must have gasped because her mother reached over and grasped her hand. She looked quickly around at her mother. She was looking at Randy too. Her mother and father were the only two people on earth who knew her secret. They were well aware how fragile it was to her.

She decided that she needed to face the reality of the fact that he was at her father’s funeral. Didn’t she halfway expected it? He had gotten to know her father as their friendship blossomed. Her mind drifted back about four years and she had to close her eyes to hold back the pain. It still hurt badly.

What? Did you think I was going to tell all? Can’t do that, not yet. For one reason it is not yet finished and another reason is that it would give away the story. I am excited to continue this series. It was a special one for me. I hope you enjoyed the small excerpt. If things work out well, it will be finished soon, that is if I don’t have writers block.

As always, have a wonderful Tuesday and good writing. May God bless and keep you.