Where did she go...

I am sure some of you wondered what happened to the woman who writes this blog! I can tell you this...I clearly knew nothing about the process of writing a book. Writing the book was the easy part...the marketing, and selling is so much more intense. It looked so much easier when I watched the Hallmark movie about the book author!

My head is above water and I have come up for air. I'm sure you can recall times in your life when everything was crazy busy to a point that you might have put the milk in the pantry and the ice cream in the refrigerator. I haven't done that yet. I typically head to a cabinet forgetting why I even opened the door. Everyone gets overwhelmed at some point. It can happen for many different reasons. Maybe it is due to work, a relationship, or simply living through a pandemic.

Last week, I had my first book speaking event for "The Nodders What! You Don't Want to Nap?". I had not been on a work roadtrip in over eight years. I thought it would be like water rolling off a duck's back and I could easily get back into a travel routine. I started several days ahead gathering all the technology that I would need for travel, I packed my bag and had everything together, being like Santa and checking my list twice. I was ready to rock and roll....or so I thought.

We arrived at a wonderful home in Monteagle and I began to unpack....where were my charging cords for my phone and watch? Not with me, they were back home along with several other items that I had forgotten. Thank goodness, my precious husband had all his cables and was happy to share with me. The book event was lovely and we made it back home safe and sound, but I did need to make some adjustments in my travel routine for future book events moving forward!

Lately, I have been asked to write articles for several online and news outlets about the importance of routines for toddlers and it occurred to me that I needed to adjust my own routine and expectations of what I could get accomplished. When life changes, we have to make adjustments too.

Mark sometimes calls me head-strong. I am a perfectionist, a list maker, very determined to do a great job at whatever I do. Thus, I can become overwhelmed, feeling buried beneath the lists of to-do's and expectations. Once, I can see myself going down into the to-do list abyss I am reminded of who is in charge of my life.

So what do I do when I can see myself becoming overwhelmed?

I have to step-back and focus on God.

2. Be still is a great way to start. Psalm 46:10 says Be still and know that I am God.

3. Remember God is my source of strength. Matthew 19:26 says "With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible."

4. Resting in God makes the list look lighter and easier to accomplish. Jeremiah 31:25 "I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint."

5. Stay focused on God to accomplish all I need to do. I find this helps me get more done! Isaiah 40:31 "But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint."

6. I pray Psalm 55:22 "Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you."

If you are overwhelmed, discouraged, or depressed pull out your Bible or purchase Jesus Calling by Sarah Young so you can begin to learn how to let go and trust God. Have a blessed week and cast your cares on Him...that's what I plan to do.

What was I thinking?

We all have different times in our lives when life is simply crazy...too fast paced and often overwhelming. As I began to write, I decided to look up other words for"crazy". The Thesaurus has a robust list of synonyms...nutty as a fruitcake, off one's rocker, up the pole, not all there, off the wall, out to lunch, unbalanced, unhinged, unstable, disturbed, distracted...maybe I should choose a better word for how I feel! Maybe I should say my life is full right now...overflowing with exciting things that are keeping me busy.

How can that be...we are in the midst of a pandemic...Covid-19 is here alive and well! Just because it is lurking around doesn't mean life can't be busy or overwhelming. (Now overwhelming is a much better word...similar to swamped, deluged, overloaded!)

We all have daily decisions to make...which type of mask should I wear today? If you are like me... you have one for the gym that lets you breath more easily when you are huffing and puffing during pilates, a cute one for going out to eat because you can take it off once you sit down. Finally, you must have a sturdy one for the GROCERY....that will protect you from everyone else in the store.

When I started my blog, for some reason I thought it would be easy to write 3 times a week. Why not...I was sitting around and needed something to do...it seemed like a good idea at the time. What I learned was...it is much easier to write when you are out and about doing stuff, hanging out with friends and living your life. Something funny or exciting inspires one to write about their life experiences. My most read blogs are about my life and what I cook...technology not so much. That one may fade into the sunset and I will focus on the ones you seem to like the most.

There is also another reason for fewer posts at this time and you are the first to know because you are reading this post! I have wanted to write a special Children's Book for the last 20 years. Five years ago, I shared the story with a friend who works in the publishing world. She liked my story concept and that was the end of the story. Fast forward to March of this year. My friend called and said, "Have you written the book?" I said, "No, but I will!" I hung up the phone and thought...you are bored out of your mind so try to write this story!

That story had wings! It will be released March 20, 2021! It is a precious book, gloriously illustrated for children the age of two to five. The Nodders What! You Don't Want to Nap?

Thus...my crazy, busy life is swirling around this new book. I am hoping that you will help push my book out to your world of friends and family. It is a whimsical story about The Nodders, magical creatures who leave special treats for children while they are napping. A great holiday or baby gift for any family. Enjoy this brief video about The Nodders and why I wrote this children's book. Be sure to go our website simply thenodders.com (no www) to pre-oder your book! Click below: