writing wednesdays: an excuse to slough off?

What if someone told you to stop exercising? That it's actually bad for your health?

That's sort of what you're going to hear if you visit Peace Garden Writer today. So, only go if you dare.

(I promise, I'm not going to force you...)

mama mondays: finding a soul sister in nyc

Two years ago, I launched my writing blog -- Peace Garden Writer -- as a takeoff to this one. The weekend prior, I'd attended a conference for children's writers in Sioux Falls, S.D. That event formed the basis of my first post (here). It's fun to look back and realize all that life has brought since that time, and how my writing blog has flourished.

But that's not what's amazing about what I want to share. What's amazing is this:

Meet Lindsay, author of the blog Young Married Mom: Musings on Motherhood and Family from a Young Married Mom in NYC.

Lindsay was one of the editors at that conference, and I vividly remember several conversations I had with her. I was so struck by our sharing that I wanted a photo of the two of us at "the falls," where a group of us had gathered the first evening of the conference after dinner.

It wasn't the writing element that stayed with me as much as the fact that during the course of our  discussions, we realized we have something in common besides our love of words. We were fellow Christians -- even more specific, Catholic. Lindsay was newly married and seemed open to the thought of expanding her little family. I'd been married 18 years and had five kids in the fold. But we seemed to value so many of the same things. I was surprised and delighted by this and felt our time together had been far too brief.

What I didn't know then is that Lindsay was expecting her first baby during that conference. She's now a mother to a darling little boy; a boy that I met as well, unknowingly, when I met Lindsay. Though I didn't know whether I'd ever cross paths with Lindsay again, I felt somehow that our time together had been purposeful.

This weekend, everything became clear. Lindsay re-introduced herself through this blog, sharing the story of how she'd found me again. It was through another common experience -- losing a child in miscarriage. Lindsay revealed that an article of mine on CatholicMom.com was the first online resource she read following her loss, and that when she read the same account in a new book by Karen Edmisten -- After Miscarriage -- she made the connection that I was the same Roxane she'd met in person in South Dakota two years ago. She also shared that my words have been an integral part of her healing.

When I read Lindsay's note, tears flowed; tears containing shared grief, as well as joy and gratitude. God knew when we stood before those calming waters that lovely evening in Sioux Falls the spring of April 2010 that our coming-together was about more than writing. It was about bumping into a soul sister.

I'm grateful to have crossed paths with Lindsay again. I look forward to what we might share with one another in the coming months. And I'm in awe all over again at the lengths God goes to help us connect so that we can offer one another encouragement and hope on the journey.

Q4U: When have you last experienced a "coincidence" you knew was really a whisper from God?

faith fridays: my daughter's prolife essay

It's one thing to discover, from experiences over the course of your life, what's really important when it comes right down to it. But another altogether to hear your child stand up for her convictions in public.

I've never been so proud of my firstborn daughter as last week when she verbally presented an essay that had been part of a grouping of finalists in a contest among parochial schools in our area. The contest was sponsored by a local pro-life organization and included several winners from each of the three schools.

My daughter was one of two from her middle-school who made the cut. They presented to a group of peers, including high-school students, along with teachers, parents and some of the folks from the organization.

Two videos were shown to highlight the importance of life; both were beautifully done and evoked my emotion on the subject. But my most powerful feelings came through when our daughter approached the podium and calmly read her essay.

Think of it: you're a teen, you're in front of your peers and you're reading something you consider fairly personal before a microphone on a stage. This is no easy task, and at least one of the gals who read looked like she might faint. Another passed on the opportunity entirely due to nerves.

I don't blame them. Public speaking is among the biggest fears that we have as a society. Which is why it was such a triumph for my daughter. I coached her a little the night before. I told her all the things that helped me when I was in similar situations in the past, and even now when I have to go before a crowd. She wasn't convinced it would work.

So, I can't take the credit. I'd say it was grace more than anything I might have done. Still, I was relieved for her that everything came together at the right moment.

And here's what else I came away with: it felt big. It felt like the beginning of something. We may not know for years just what that thing may be, but I'm fairly certain I will look back on that day at some point in the future and say, "Yep, that's when it all started."

Finalists were honored with a rose...

A figurine of a child in utero...

And a check for $25.

Here's the speech as viewed from my phone's video camera. In case that's too hard to discern, here are the words to the speech:

“America is Becoming More Pro-Life. What are Some Reasons for This?”

“A person’s a person no matter how small.” The famous quote by Dr. Seuss runs through my mind whenever I go to pray at the abortion mill in Fargo. I wonder if he knew how prophetic his words would become on the topic of pro-life versus pro-choice. Luckily, America is becoming more pro-life each day!

I will explain to you the two main reasons why I believe that’s coming true. Firstly, the effect of the testimonies of the post-abortive women, and how they’ve touched the hearts of others. Secondly, thanks to science and new technology like the fetal-monitor, people can observe what really takes place during an abortion.
   
Being told abortion is wrong by someone who has never experienced it isn’t as powerful as hearing it from someone who has gone through the trauma. The leap of faith the women have when they talk about devastating low self-esteem issues, along with the heart break they face when they realize they’ve killed their own child, and anything in between, is so touching that those who hear them often have a conversion.

Science is developing greatly, thanks to inventions like the fetal monitor; mothers are able to hear their baby’s heartbeat, and see their child move before they can even feel it, creating in instant bond between the two. America interprets this as love, and life, realizing that when the baby backs up in the womb, and tries to save its life, it’s for a purpose. In turn, America’s able to see that we need to be defenders of life, no matter how small that life may be.
   
God is using technology and time to reveal the truth of this tragic solution. I’m hopeful I’ll be able to see the day when abortion is no longer legal and desired in America.

Q4U: When did you glimpse the start of something big, and know it?

writing wednesdays: chasing after a birdie

Yep, that's right. It's birdie chasing time today.

Ah, c'mon. You know you wanna!

But you hafta head over to Peace Garden Writer first. Toodles and see ya soon!

mama mondays: there's a new band in town

Before I go on with the rest of my post, I just have to say, boy has it been cold here. You only get sun dogs when it's really, really cold. Here's one from earlier this week:

Yeah, so our nice little winter has turned fierce, but there are plenty of other things warming my heart these days. The least of which was a phone call Friday night. "Is Nick there?" said the woman on the other end. "I have someone here who would like to talk to him about getting together to practice for their band."

Before we let the boys make their plans, we moms chatted a little bit. Turns out this has been in the works a few days now, but I'd missed the mommy memo.

The band already has a name -- Devils Lake. Those of you living in our region know this as the name of a North Dakota city. I learned later that Nick had thought of the name while watching the weather forecast with his father. When he heard "Devils Lake," he said, "That's what I want my band to be named."

Of course, I'm sure Troy was thinking, The Band That He'll Have Someday. But no, Nick had something more immediate in mind. So, the two first-graders plotted and set up their first practice session.

A few minutes after setting it up, I heard a strange sound come from the room near where I was chuckling about Nick's new band. "Are you okay?" I asked, thinking it was a piercing cry. "Yeah, just excited," he said. Apparently in trying to stay calm, he let out a happy squeal; thus the strange sound.

So, here we go. Six years old and already seeking the rock and roll stage. Although...apparently some of the band members won't have their gear until next Christmas, because they don't have any cash of their own so they have to wait to ask for it from Santa. That's how Nick got his electric guitar.

And by the way, from what we've heard, Santa would not have followed through on the request for a Dean Baby ML unless there was a true showing of promise as a future guitarist. We, too, don't think it's just for show; Nick's interest and quick learning has surprised us. For now, we're going with it.

I just hope he's not too disappointed when things don't happen as quickly as he imagines. After all, it's going to be a while before he's going to be able to play Downtown. But why not get a head start on things?

So, Devils Lake, let's see what you can do!

Nick and friend "JackJack" pose for first-ever "Devils Lake" band photo. Watch out world!

Q4U: What talents have your seen and encouraged in your children, or other small people in your care?

faith fridays: an oasis in the desert

Last week I started a new job; the first full-time job away from home I've had in 16 years. Though I've been writing and mothering for years now, my new position as a full-time reporter at our state's largest daily newspaper has meant some obvious change for our family of seven, including a lot of mental and physical adjustments.

My mind is engaged and moving in a positive direction, but my brain is saying, "Information overload!" and "Can't I just sleep an extra 15 minutes? What are you trying to do to me?" Similarly, my body is enjoying the new challenge of dressing in work clothes each business day, but it's also feeling a tad weary from the transition.
 
But this, too, is true: I'm thoroughly enjoying my new environment and co-workers and the continual flow of ideas. I'm loving doing interviews and collecting stories like one collects seashells at the ocean to arrange them nicely for others to enjoy. It's a pretty sweet deal all the way around. 

But I've been needing something...a place to collect myself midday. And this week I finally made the connection.

Our newspaper is kiddy-corner from our state's only abortion facility, and a few steps from that, a relatively new Visitation Chapel has been set up, primarily to pray for those who enter the facility and come out forever changed. It's only open on abortion days and anyone can come throughout the day to pray before the Blessed Sacrament.

Yesterday, after a planning meeting, I had about a half-hour to spare. I'd already eaten lunch so didn't have a need for food consumption, but I did have a great need for decompression.

I couldn't believe how few steps it took to find my way into a small corner of heaven. This is the view from the inside of the office complex where the chapel exists, looking toward my new work place.

Though I wasn't able to snap any photos inside the chapel, at least I was able to track my journey into my midday oasis.

As I sat there, hanging out with the Lord in that sacred space, I felt all of the stress of the past week and a half flow out of me. It felt very similar to the time I spent at Carmel of Mary Monastery this summer for a writing reprieve. Of course, it wasn't nearly as long; I was at the monastery for a blessed week. But it did the trick. It was just what I needed.

I know the chapel was not set up specifically to meet my needs. The Bishop didn't have that in mind when he set about renting the space for people to pray. But it feels personal to me at this juncture -- a gift from God. I feel deeply blessed and wholly gratified that this will become part of my new routine. I look forward to spending time here each week in search of "white spaces," as my friend Mary calls them; moments of rest in the midst of a busy life.

Thank you, Lord, for all of your blessings, including this unexpected treasure!
 
Q4U: Do you have a midday oasis? Do tell!

writing wednesdays: the intersection of bees and my new life

Yep, that's a bee. A solo bee. But what happens when bees get together?

Find out today on Peace Garden Writer! Always love seeing you there - later gator!