Merry Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night! I know, it's cheesy. I don't have anything else prepared to write, and I apologize for that. More posts to follow soon! (We hope)

                                  ~Katie Stone~

NaNoWriMo~ Beginning with a Bang!

NaNoWriMo. That one phrase that has the ability to strike fear and terror into the heart of authors everywhere, all while making them jump around and get excited because "I'm gonna write a novel in a month!!!" NaNoWriMo in a word is insanity, but that's okay, we love it! I have just a few words to say to all of you today.

1. Do NOT neglect sleep!

2. Coffee is your frenemy. 

3. Chocolate is amazing, but it will make you fat. Your choice. (I'll be eating it. :P)

4. Yes you're insane, yes that is okay.

5. DON'T. BACK. DOWN!!!!!!! I know, you get discouraged, "50,000 words in a month?!" but you CAN do it!!!

6. Begin with a bang! The main thing your writing will do as the month drags on, is slow down. Right now, you're actually well rested (unless you're me) and full of energy and excitement. So write those extra words NOW! Go above and beyond your daily goal while you still can! Don't. I repeat, do. not. think you can get away with not reaching your goals within those first few days!

Good luck, and I'll see you at the hermit convention! :P

                                      ~Katie~

Look and See

So, I just went to the mall today with my family, and I have a question for you.
              How many times do you look, and not see?
    I know, you think that's a dumb question, "Look but don't see, what does that mean?" you may be thinking. I mean it though. So many people walk through the store, and the mall, whatever. You look at people, you might even smile at them! What I want to know though, is if you really see them? A week or so ago, I went to Dollar Tree. My cashier's name was Amy, and she had red hair, "So what, anyone can remember that!" you say, but I'm not finished. She had tired eyes. She works hard. She has seen hard times, and she's made it through many of them, though not without some remembrance of the struggle staying with her. Do you think my cashier just stood there and spilled her heart our to me? Nope. She didn't say ANY of those things. No, I'm not some super creepy person that gets inside your head. I just see. I looked at that woman, and I didn't see her name tag and her red hair alone. I saw her struggles. I saw her weariness, and I saw her strength. 
    Today, my challenge to you is that next time you go to the store, or the mall, or wherever, notice people. Come back here, and tell me not just what they look like, but something about them you realized by looking and seeing. Obviously you don' know a person, or what they are truly like just by looking, but that may be the start to fixing a society that has simply stopped caring whether other people have or are going through a struggle. This may be the beginning to reminding people of one of the many reasons life is so precious.

                                        ~Katie~

Blessings Aren't Always Objects

   I'm actually writing this post to thank some amazing friends on mine on the UG, you know who you are.
    Oftentimes when we think of blessings, or being blessed we think of finally being able to take that trip, or getting that job so we can pay the bills, or whatever other physical thing. While those are certainly blessings from God (isn't every good thing?) there are more blessings than we could imagine. This was made so clear to me recently. I haven't been going through the easiest time lately. I've been more than a little upset, and needed lots of prayers, and in requesting prayers from the UG members, I received not only their support, but something more. I went to my writing thread, and found that several UGers had posted links. So, I followed the links, and what I read next brought tears to my eyes, and joy to my heart. Lists of things they love most, or admire about me. Uplifting things about my faith, my heart, my words. These words,  which they spoke in what they found to be true were more of a blessing to me than many objects I've been given over the years. That these precious people would go out of their way to show me love when I was struggling. It truly amazes me. I would like to thank every single one of them, for their friendship, their prayers, and everything that they have said. These UGers, over the years have become some of the most important people in my life. They have walked with me through trials, and they have sought my help through trials of their own. We are all connected by Christ, and in our hearts. I love you all! <3

                                                      ~Katie

Cuppa Joe and a Good Book

Ever had one of those Sunday afternoons where it's a bit chilly outside, and you don;t have any plans? One of those days when you make a cup of coffee, and curl up with a good book? That is my afternoon this Sunday. Restful, and without all the worries of rushing off somewhere after church. 
 So here I am, drinking chocolate caramel coffee, and reading Revealed by Margaret Peterson Haddix. :) Peaceful Sunday to you all!

~Katie

Weary and Burdened

 Beloved, we are all burdened. Even today I find my heart heavily burdened. Perhaps you do as well. But we must always remember that God says "Come to Me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28 God knows our every sorrow, and He is the only one who can relieve us of our burdens. He does not wish for us to walk this path alone, He will trade our burdens for His yoke "For My yoke is easy, and My burden light" Matthew 11:30 Did you know that He doesn't care how trivial our problems may seem? He always wants to hear from us. He always wants to help us. "Call to me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know" Jeremiah 33:3 The truth is, we're never going to be perfect. We are never going to have the ability to bear our burdens on our own, and that's okay. God never meant for us to do this alone. It is the desire of His heart that we seek Him, and search out His help. He wants to help us. Also, always remember that he has given us our family, and our brothers and sisters in Christ to help us as well "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity" Proverbs 17:17 Never forget, my loves, that you are not alone. "Never Alone!" (The Door Within~ Wayne Thomas Batson)

                                                 ~Katie~

When the Going Gets Tough...

Ever have one of those days when everything is going wrong, and you're exhausted, and have a headache. You wrote a to-do list for the day, and didn't do a single thing on the list? I'm sure you know the feeling of going to bed thinking "I'm a failure" or "I'm just not good enough" I can't tell you how many times I've cried myself to sleep with those very thoughts ravaging my brain. If you've ever felt like this, listen now and listen close. You are NOT a failure. You're only human, you're going to mess up a lot. But God created you in HIS OWN image! He created you, he designed you, and called you good! Sometimes all the things we are trying to stay on top of are not what God asked us to do. He wants us to seek Him first, to communicate with Him, and praise His name. If we do these things, everything else will fall into place. Not to say life will be easy. Do not think that those days when you've done nothing productive, and have a headache, and it's raining on top of it all will go away forever. Life is never going to be easy. We only need to learn to keep our focus on God. It will rain, but we must learn to dance in the rain. I can just about guarantee that if you count all those little blessings, they'll outweigh your problems. So here's my challenge. Every day, write at least one thing you are thankful for. It can be as simple as "I'm alive today" to "I got a new job" to "My baby cousin was born safe and healthy. And at the end of the year, pull out that jar or bag of papers, read all those blessings of the past year (there should be 365 if you did it right ;) ) and remember that "In the end these three remain; faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:13

                                                                         ~Katie~