IN MY WORDS – No more DIY projects! I make this promise to myself every time I tackle a new project and encounter every difficulty possible for the simple done-in-a-day idea. Liars. False advertising at its strongest level.

It’s never done in a day and its always more complicated than they promise. Yet I still fall for it and find myself paint splattered, tired and worn. Downright cranky. The latest episode was painting a dark wood kitchen hutch. We’re had it for ages but it was always too dark for our bright blue and white kitchen. After looking at countless sales and flea markets for a hutch that would work, I finally decided to dive in and just paint the thing white. “Antique Lace” if you want to be specific. Except it first had to have a grey primer on it to cover the dark wood.

Sure. Never did realize all the nooks and crannies in this piece of furniture. So on to the lacy paint color. Hmm…doesn’t look good. Kinda’ like a really shabby shabby not so chic. Yes, it will take two coats. After two days of hard work and bending and twisting and realizing I’m getting too old to sit Indian-style for any length of time, it is done. Finished. (above photo)  I’m exhausted and I somehow managed to get grey paint in my hair. Grey, really?? Couldn’t it have been a blonde highlight color? I down some Advil, manage to sleep away some of the aches and pains and return to the kitchen several times a day to admire my new finished piece. Yes, I like it much better. But please remind  me next time to just go out and buy a new piece of furniture….

What was your latest DIY project? 

Congrats to the Winner of last week’s giveaway -Sally Davidson!   Please send me your mailing information.

A WORD – “Genre.”

1. Literary genre – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

   A literary genre is a category of literary composition. Genres may be determined by literary technique, tone, content, or even (as in the case of fiction) length.

I am happy to report Christian Fiction now covers a wide range of “genres.” If you check in your local library, Christian Fiction may include any of the following: Mystery, Suspense, Romance, Woman’s Fiction, Speculative, Sci-Fi, Historical, Contemporary, Biblical, Western or Amish.

What style do you prefer to read? Favorite authors? Is there another category you can think of?  I enjoy Contemporary, Woman’s Fiction, and Historicals. But often read from other genres if I like the author enough. My writing is Contemporary or WF, which is one of the hardest genres to break in to as a newbie! WIP is  a romance..what about you?

Enter a comment listing your favorites to be included in a drawing for a signed Amish novel, “The Postcard” by Beverly Lewis.

THE WORD – This scripture offers an amazing promise. It is one I cling to especially when my confidence dips low.

When I returned home this year after attending Blue Ridge conference, I thought about all the emotions involved that week. I met new attendees who reminded me of how I had been several years ago. Terrified, insecure, with a “what-was-I-doing-among-these-talented people” attitude. 

I am happy to say that I have come a long way…but have such a long way to go. The emotions still rise and fall during these times. God is helping me to see that my confidence has to be centered in Him. I look around at others who seem so bold and aggressive and wonder about their background. Maybe they had confidence instilled in them from an early age. Perhaps they lived a golden life where everything went in their favor. I bet they all have a story to tell… and it is not the story we imagine it to be. I am grateful for the faith God is building in me and for the opportunity to encourage other newbies.

Is there some area in your life where you need more confidence?

“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Phil. 1:6 

“For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep they foot from being taken.” Proverbs 3:26