Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Wring in the New Year

~ One set of Footprints ~
Kapalua Bay, Maui Hawaii 
(c) @ngie Shaw 2013
2013 has absolutely, positively, without a shadow of a doubt been the most faith-testing,  faith stretching, faith wringing, faith strengthening  year of my life. To say that it's been ''a little messy" would be an understatement.
To say that after crashing into every physically draining pothole on the washboard road of 2013, I emerged stronger, healthier, wiser, & better able to tackle tall-buildings-in-a-single-bound... would be a big.fat. lie.
Here's the truth:
It seriously kicked my butt. 
Tossed me to the curb and left me there, lying in a heap.
Absolute BEAUTY... in the gutter, Front Street, Maui, Hawaii
(c) @ngie Shaw 2013
It kicked my confidence. 
Drained my energy. Wrang the joy right out of the wet washrag of my soggy self. It absolutely caused me to reach up and hold onto dear life to The One who saves me from myself. 

Beauty where you least expect it ~ Front Street, Maui, Hawaii
(c) @ngie Shaw 2013

Ooo. that word... "wrang"... well, chyeah... I bet your' right, that's not really a word. 

WORDSMITH PONDER: So why is "wrang" not a word in dictionary.com.? Seriously. You can wring out a washcloth, but that's present tense. Allow me to take a detour for a sec so I can examine this analogy: Ring, rang, rung... wring, wrang, wrung. Wright? There's "wring" and "wrung"... but no "wrang"? That's just wrong!

I can't help but make a u-turn and go back to revisit that word... washrag. Eeew. What a yukky smelling word. Have you ever smelled a word?? Like, the instant your automated word-identifier in your brain puts those letters together and your subconscious phonics-skills kick in (and the little semi-automatic egg-timer in your head goes *ding*) you. can. smell it... (blech)
**Stay with me here... there is a method to my mad-museness...cross-my-heart!**

My husband would tell you that in my kitchen sink, this is a regular occurrence. But truthfully, this is a regular occurrence, not only in my kitchen, but in my life. Y'see, I have good intentions, but I seldom get to accomplish that which really needs to be accomplished. I start with a sink-full of hot, sudsy, water of intentions and then it sits.... there.... for days. The water gets murky but the washrag reeks! (or is it wreak?) 
((insert big obnoxious grin here!))
Welcome to my world~ that's me... all.the.time.
I have so many things that get started, but never finished. So many things I'd like to do, but never have time. Or never make time to take time. So many soggy dreams, that I've intentionally left "soaking" in the sink of my soul. And they've been left there to marinate for far.too.long...
A good marinate allows for a raw something to be infused with something flavorful... soaking it all in... infusing added flavor. But letting something sit for an extended time to marinate causes almost an acidic, strong, undesirable flavor that has no resemblance to the original intent. 
(I did that once. With chicken... and Italian dressing and eeewwwww... nothin-but-yukky!)

Interestingly enough, the Urban dictionary's defines marinate as: 
1. Letting something soak in, leave time for reflection
2. Thinking deeply about a subject or situation; allowing and idea to "settle in".
*DISCLAIMER: don't go to Urban Dictionary and read the supplemental definitions of marinate... there are some pretty wrank definitions of marinate there that made me blush. and cringe. 
**and just go "Eewwwww!**

So here are the hard cold soggy facts:

1. I am tired of just going from one day to the next, never adding any value to my own passion.
2. I am weak.
3. I am stuck.
4. Doing nothing... stinks.
5. I am ready to move out of this sink-hole of 2013.
6. I am disheartened with the current condition of my marinated dreams.
7. It's time to put the plug back in on my sedentary muse and ask God to breathe fresh breath back into my dreams!
8. It's time to drain the icky smelling remains of what hasn't been and fill it up fresh with new iridescent bubbles of possibility & joy!

9. Every time I look at a sink full of dishes, I will remember that the only way to wring out the smelly dishrag of doubt & release the muse is to just let it spill out!
10. I'm ready to WRING in the New Year!
GOD, I ASK YOU TO WRING ME OUT AND INFUSE MY SOUL WITH JOY as 2014 WRINGS IN! 
And God's promise to me this day:

Romans 8:26

The Message (MSG)
"Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good."


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Monday, December 30, 2013


Finally here. Not even knowing where to begin... just.write. don't.stop. My dream was unearthed because of two green rocks. Green Malachite, to be precise. Several weeks ago, my kindred-heart writing partner and longtime friend Sharon and I both ironically chose the green malachite from a list of six differently colored stones on this random "Pick a Crystal!" Facebook challenge. Even though the said FB post called them "crystals", in all seriousness... they're green rocks... awkward gemstones at best. This wasn't any sort of disguised New~Agery... it's just a what-rock-attracts-your-eye first kind of thing. Anyway, here's what the green malachite description that she and I were both immediately drawn to said:
     "If you are attracted to this stone, you are (or are about) to go through a major life transformation. This transformation may be practical, changing the way you live and work, but it also goes much deeper. It is about spiritual evolution, energy blockages in your mind and body from past experiences being untangled and released. You are becoming wiser and int he process learning to truly value yourself. You may find the process unsettling, initially you become more aware of what you don't want, rather than what you do. That's fine. First we must acknowledge the need for change, only then can we start to look for alternatives. Malachite is the stone of prosperity and abundance, when you start to look up, luck and fortune are waiting. By picking this stone you are unconsciously telling the Universe, "I am ready for success. I am ready to lose the negativity. I am ready to be passionate about my life."

Let me first say that this description struck me so smack-dab-in-the-middle-of-my-forehead and almost demanded that I get one of these rocks, just as a touch-point reminder that I am entering a new solid-rock foundational time in my life. And so, I chose one uniquely colored green malachite necklace for Sharon and two tandem stones for myself. Which, strangely enough, my 2 rocks came clear from India! They arrived in the mail today and it seemed fitting that today should very well be the inaugural day that I take that next important step and make a fresh footprint on the beach of my writing journey. 
   Today is the day that I take that pivotal first step.



Here are 20 truths that I feel I should speak life into regarding my dream of publishing my first book:
1. I am a writer. A darn good writer. I'm not embarrassed to say that out loud.
2. God has equipped me with the life experiences, and gifted me with the creativity, talent, and inner voice to write in such a way that others are blessed.
3. I have a unique story to tell. Several, in fact.
4. I have been holding on to a dream of publishing my first, second, third, and fourth books for a very long time.
5. It's been 17 years since I last submitted a query letter and copies of my published works to a publisher.
 6. It's been almost that long since I received my last rejection letter(s) from publishers and magazines.
7. DUHH! I must "write", in order to write a book.
8. The writer in me, that dreams of her first book being published, has been on sabbatical for nearly 12 years. 
9. I have not written for pleasure since I went back to college to pursue my dream of becoming a teacher.
10. My dream of becoming a writer was postponed, due to the requirements of my education and vocation.
11. It's high time that I get busy and breathe breath into my story so it can come to life. 
12. There is a ministry of opportunity waiting to be revealed in and through my writing.
13. It is time. The time is now. 
14. This is my time. There here and now is right where God has brought me to.
15. My deepest passion is to write, speak, and minister to others in such a way that my words, Your word Lord, would bring light into people's hearts.
16. I have what it takes to be a published author.
17. I have a desire to have a speaking ministry springboard off of my written works.
18. I have hid behind the excuse that I'm "too busy" for far too long.
19. While I am 100% trustworthy and dependable when others assign a task for me to do for them, I suck at making & keeping commitments that are solely for myself and my own well-being.
20. My heart's desire is to be able to devote all of my time and energy to getting my book written and published, speaking opportunities, women's and children's ministry, & missions at home and abroad. 

There. I said it... every truth that's yearning to be taken seriously. Everything that's been hidden inside my heart... for way.too.long.

There's this humongous place in my heart that desires to dig deep and discover how my words coincide with God's word, leave behind the comfortable and safe, and go wherever God's hand leads & directs me.

God has placed pivotal people in my life who have continually spurred me on, towards my dream of "writing that book". Lately, even more people have been drawn to my speaking ability. I believe with all my heart that those two "gifts" were given to me to use for God's glory! By not sharing these gifts, in the way that I know God wants me to share them, I'm cheating God... and myself.

Although At the Crossroads of Grief and Grace has been sitting at the forefront of that which needs to be transformed into book form, some of my unfinished/unpublished works in progress that also need to be revisited and dusted off so that fresh new life can be breathed back into them are:
  • Apron Strings from the Heart
  •  Sundays at Granny Nell's
  •  The Luke 18:27 Chronicles
                              Here is where I begin...


Now, here are 20 promises from 
God's own heart to mine that I am claiming:

1. Luke 18:27 ~ "What is impossible with man, is possible with God."
2. Ephesians 3:20 ~ "God is able to do immeasurable more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us."
3. Philippians 4:13 ~ "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength."
4. Ephesians 2:7-10 ~ "Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing."
5. Luke 12:34 ~ "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
6. Luke 1:45 ~ "Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
7. Psalm 20:4 ~ "May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed."
8.  Jeremiah 29:11 ~ "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
9. Matthew 9:28 ~  “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”
“Yes, Lord,” they replied.
10. Psalm 199:133 ~ "Direct my footsteps according to your word."
11. Luke 1:37 ~  "Nothing is impossible with God.”
12. Psalm 37:4 ~ " Take delight in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart.
 13. James 4:10 ~ "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
14. Luke 1:45 ~ "Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!" 
15. Joshua 1:9 ~ "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
16. Proverbs 3:5-6 ~ "Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding; 
     in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight."
17. Psalm 51:10 ~ "Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me."
18. Proverbs 16:3 ~ " Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established."
19. Philippians 1:6 ~ "being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion."
20.  Galatians 5:22-23 ~ "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."

*Stepping from my comfort zone
 into the land of the unknown...
And the Voice of Truth says, 
"This is for my glory!"
I will choose to listen and believe 
the Voice of Truth*
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