Hiatus

Since my last post was in October of 2011, you can see that I've been on a bit of a hiatus blogging-wise.  And it looks like that will continue for the near future.

Writing:  I am trying to finish revisions on a magazine article.  The holidays and some family challenges had brought this to a temporary halt.  Hoping to finish revisions this week so I can send it to get an expert review.  After that, I am taking an online picture book course - and I have revisions for 3 or 4 book manuscripts to work on. I hope to go to a writing conference in April in Iowa, but that's up in the air right now.

Ranching / Farming: Calving will start in about one month.  Until then, our 6 y.o. gets up around 6:30 so she can help Daddy with the chores before school.  I bought a bunch of heirloom seeds for our garden.  They'll get started in a few weeks. I'm not much of a gardener, so I'll leave that to our youngest and my husband!

Family:  Other than the above-mentioned family challenges, we've had some praises, our 6 y.o. has accepted Jesus as her Savior and will be talking to our pastor about getting baptized!

Faith:  Since November I keep getting reminded of Psalm 139. So, I'll post part of that here:

Psalm 139: 23-24 "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

Procrastination or Success

Procrastination is usually the product of fear. If you don't try, you won't get rejected. We try to avoid pain or rejection. Life involves both risk and opportunity!

As with muscles, however, if we don't work them, they won't get stronger. If you have a project you need to start or finish... get to it! In my writing, if I don't submit what I've written, I won't know if it will get published. When I receive a rejection letter, sure it doesn't feel good, but at least I know I've tried. I nurse my wounds for a while, eat some dark chocolate, and then rework the project until it once again shines. After studying another publisher, I can submit it to the new "house".

Although I've only sold one article, I've completed a lot of steps toward publication. I've taken a year-long writer's course, attended conferences, been a part of writer's critique groups and writer's groups, worked draft after draft of the same manuscript, and then researched and submitted the manuscripts. These steps have made me a better writer.

Is there a project you been meaning to get done or even started? Is there a junk drawer, counter, table, room that you've been planning on cleaning up? Commit today to getting even one tiny section of it done. When I break a large project into smaller ones, it seems more attainable to complete.

Ask yourself what the worst thing is that could happen if you either got rejected or didn't complete the project.

I commend my husband for his "stick-to-it-iveness". He is a farmer. He has to research what seeds to plant, work the fields, plant, fertilize, check for weeds, repair/upkeep equipment, harvest, and then either store the grain or sell it. None of it happens overnight or without vigilance. He has to plan - and it's that way with the hay fields and the cattle.

Make a list for the project you need to work on. Get step one done today. Tomorrow, you can work on step two. Don't let the fear of rejection or failure hinder you from trying. There probably won't be a "perfect" time to start - you have to jump in today!

Yesterday, I was reminded of several verses in Ecclesiastes 11: 4-5 that Solomon wrote toward the end of his life: "Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap."