IN MY WORDS – Yes, we all have them. You may fear spiders. Speaking before an audience. Fear of small spaces. Heights. Bridges. Elevators. (don’t read Angela Hunt’s book, “The Elevator.”)

Fear of dogs. Cats. Clowns. The list goes on…I confess one of my unreasonable fears is a Car Wash. Uh huh. I will not drive through a car wash by myself.

Dirty car? It can wait till I have brave hubby with me. For some odd reason, I just don’t trust driving through one by myself. My active “what-if” trained mentality of a writer kicks in. What if I run off track and crash into the walls? What if the water never stops spraying and the exit door won’t open? What if I’m locked in there for the night without a cell phone?

Silly I know, but that is why it is an unreasonable fear. It didn’t help that my husband took our dog through one before.

The small helpless pet trembled and shook and took weeks to recover from all the noise and battering on the car. I totally get it, my poor pet.

What is one of your unreasonable fears?

We are all interesting characters and our fears create amazing story ideas : )

A Word: Bug – to annoy, pester

Oh no, here they come again.

You contemplate turning the corner to run and hide but too late…they’ve spotted you.

It’s the person you silently term “Buggy” because they always leave that impression whenever they come around. They ask questions persistently that you are unable to answer. They talk endlessly with no regard to your time or what work you are involved in at the moment. They take twenty minutes to explain something that could have been summed up in 3 sentences. Completely oblivious to hints that you need to get going. You don’t want to be mean but they don’t understand kindness. They turn downright rude if you try to interrupt or excuse yourself.

Bringing you to the image of picking up a fly swatter and just….SWAT! Not that you want to destroy them, just to silence the incessant buzzing.

Do you know a “Buggy?” It could be a relative, co-worker or even a church member.

How would you handle them?

WRITER QUESTION: If this was a character in your WIP, what would be in their past that brought them to this place?

THE WORD – Come.

I love how Jesus always bids us – Come.

To all my New Yorker friends, weary of winter weather and chilled to the bone by negative temps.

Come feel the warmth of His presence and bask in the sunlight of His love and grace.

Come to Jesus for a renewing and refreshing that only the God of the Universe can give.

Come forget for the moment the swift decline of our society and the evil that surrounds us.

Come, cast all your burdens on the Lord for He cares for you!