You May Not See Me, But I'm Still Here
I'll be cutting back on blog posts until I finish my book. It's a Christian contemporary romance with the working title,When Stones Fly.
If you like small town America and happy endings, let me know. I'll notify you as soon as it hits the shelves!
Count Your Blessings
by V.V. Denman | @vvdenman
Do you ever get so bogged down with living that you forget your blessings?
I do that.
I tend to get caught up in being a good mother-wife-friend-writer-teacher, yet fail to appreciate the miracles around me.
Being BUSY isn’t the same as being blessed.
Then there’s FEAR which prevents me from seeing my blessings.
What if I fail my children? What if I never get published? What if the economy worsens? What if our government falls?
Yeah . . . well . . . so what if those things happen?
Regardless of calamity, my God is in control.
And God has been so very good to me. Besides His Son and His Word, He’s given me COUNTLESS things for which to be thankful.
Here’s a few:
Don, Jessica & Colton, Drew, Dene, Jillian, Janae, good health, my house, cars, food, food, food, clothing, sunshine, clean water, family members, employment, joy, homeschooling, love, green bean casserole, Mom & Dad, Gene & Jackie, Lyndi’s engagement, ball point pens, my grandmother’s quilts, fireplace, chocolaty peanut butter crackers, knockout roses, D’arci & Lance, Marci & Richard, Michelle & Vic, audio books, public library, ball point pens, Windex, care group, good friends, elders, home congregation, Christmas ornaments, gifts, family gatherings, graduation, marriage, forgiveness, counselors, writing, ACFW, NTCW, accountability, critique group, communion, prayer, praise, ministers, textbooks, college, sugar-free chocolate syrup, coffee, internet, my laptop, blogging, pictures, youtube, sleepovers, old blue jeans, baggy sweatshirts, Kathy, Connie, Sudona, toothpaste, TCHE, hugs, curly hair, perfume, exercise, strength, singing, humor, movies, books, books, books, music, David & Sandy, Jill & Russell, Judy & Mark, Dan & Missy, nieces, nephews, cousins, Mitty, carpet, online shopping, bargains, electricity, comedians, chicken fried steak, piano, basketball, football, baptism, education, intelligence, lawn mowers, trash bags, pumpkin pie, construction paper, doctors, hospitals, communication, healthcare, massage, chapstick, mascara, eye glasses, hearing aids, Ibuprofen, cough drops, Mavanee, smiles, laughter, twinkle lights, boots, pansies, pear trees, lakes, lawn chairs, trumpet vines, morning glories, furniture, antiques, mirrors, microwaves, refrigerator, washer & dryer, freedom, free enterprise, pencil sharpeners, curriculum, tutors, grace & mercy, Bible studies, mirrors, pillows, toilet paper, hair gel, radio, public servants, immunizations, antibiotics, mixed nuts, furniture polish, crafts, fine arts . . .
What are some of your blessings this Thanksgiving?
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his faithful love endures forever. Psalm 107:1
Thanksgiving Menu Flowchart
by V.V. Denman | @vvdenman
This is a repost from last year. I get hungry every time I read it.
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Finally . . .
A handy flowchart to help you decide
what to bring for Thanksgiving Dinner
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Are you Pinterested in this flowchart? Then 
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Super Short Sermon on Election Day 2012
by V.V. Denman | @vvdenman
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Romans 13:1
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Election Day in Philadelphia, 1815, by John Lewis Krimmel
Click to enlarge.
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Photo credit: Wikimedia, Innotata, public domain.
Twenty-two Halloweens vs. Guilty Mother Syndrome
by V.V. Denman | @vvdenman
For Halloween 1991, I spent two weeks handcrafting a ballerina costume for my five-month-old daughter. Mind you, that was back when infant tutus were unusual. As luck would have it, a norther blew in on Halloween night, and I was forced to bundle her up. No matter. I stubbornly stuck the tutu on over her snowsuit before trick-or-treating at the homes of my family members.
Thinking back on that frosty evening, I’m perplexed. Not only did I take my baby outdoors in freezing weather for candy she couldn’t eat, but I also spent tons of energy on a costume she wouldn’t remember. (Back when I thought I was busy.)
This year my youngest children are in 6th and 7th grades and will be trick-or-treating with a group of friends. In preparation for the big event, I spent a whopping ten minutes helping them search costume ideas online. They deliberated a few days, then requested I take them to Goodwill for necessities. Other than that, they were on their own.
What a difference twenty-two Halloweens have made. For the first Halloween, I spent weeks in preparation. For the twenty-second, less than an hour. And honestly, I felt a little put-out at having to forfeit that much of my time.
So of course, Guilty-Mother-Syndrome corrupted my thoughts. This is what it sounded like:
Your children need you to be more involved.
You spend too much time on yourself.
You’re not the loving mother you used to be.
Fortunately, common sense speaks louder than Guilty-Mother-Syndrome. For example:
You ARE TOO a good mother.
You love your children immensely, and they know it.
You’re there for them in ways that mean more than a Halloween costume.
After my internal pep talk, I realized I survived approximately SIXTY-EIGHT Halloween costumes in the last twenty-two years. No wonder I’m tired of it. It should be no surprise that the sixty-eighth costume (80′s girl with big hair) isn’t as exciting as that first ballerina tutu. I really should give myself a break.
However . . . Halloween 2012 could possibly be my last guilty-mother costume event. Next year the youngest will be in junior high. (Not that I’m against junior high kids trick-or-treating.) I just get the feeling my two youngest daughters will be ready to move on.
Is that wishful thinking?
10 Things To Do Instead of Facebook
Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+
Why not take a break from social media for a day or a week or an hour?
Think of all the things you could do instead! Stuff like this . . .
1. Talk to a human.
2. Exercise.
3. Hug a kid.
4. Watch a movie.
5. Take a nap.
6. Eat chocolate.
7. Ignore politics.
8. Read a book.
9. Write a book.
10. Cuddle.
What might you do instead of Facebook?
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Our Book Give-Away Winner is Monica!
I’ll be in touch soon, with your copy of
Nothing but Trouble, by Susan May Warren
A big thank you to all subscribers!
Singing the Dave Ramsey Blues
by V.V. Denman | @vvdenman
Due to a series of unfortunate events, our family is subsisting on a fraction of the income we’re accustomed to, (from what I hear, we’re not the only ones), but we’re doing just fine.
Thanks to Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. While I sing Dave’s praises because we’re paying our bills, I’m also singing the blues because it’s just. no. fun.
However, that’s not fair, is it? After all, Dave Ramsey is helping me, and it’s not his fault I’m a glass-is-half-empty kind of girl. So I’ve decided to make the best of an uncomfortable situation and twist my difficulties into happy, happy thoughts.
Stanzas 1-5 of the Dave Ramsey Blues:
- We have more at-home family time because our new fuel budget is so low we can’t actually drive our cars.
- Hunky Hubby no longer has trouble sleeping . . . now that he’s working three jobs.
- On our current grocery budget, we have more than enough food . . . as long as we buy Ramen noodles and pinto beans.
- We no longer get annoying phone calls from telemarketers and politicians since we cancelled our land-line. (All teasing aside, EVERYONE should do this, financial problems or not.)
- Our kids like us better because we can now blame our financial worries on someone else. “I’m sorry, honey. Dave Ramsey said we can’t go to the movies.”
Chorus (to be sung between each stanza):
The best thing about Dave is his sense of humor which enables us to LAUGH at ourselves.
– (Note: I have grossly exaggerated this post.) –
What do your financial blues sound like?
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Related Posts:
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Enter for a chance to win Nothing but Trouble, by Susan May Warren
To enter: subscribe to this blog. The subscription widget is at the top of the page, beneath my picture. If you’re already a subscriber, then you’re already entered to win.
Want to enter more than once? Post a link to this contest on facebook or twitter. Be sure to tag me so I’ll see it.
I’ll announce a winner one week from today, October 16.
Good luck!
(Photo credit: Dollar Sign, FreeDigitalPhotos.net)
Why Read Romance? – Plus a book giveaway
by V.V. Denman | @vvdenman
Stock Exchange – Jose Fernando Carli
When I was five years old, I watched Disney’s Cinderella, and I’ve been a fan of romance ever since. The fairy tale ending hooked me, and now that I’m grown, I enjoy the same feel-good endings in wholesome romance novels.
What makes those predictable, sappy plot-lines so compelling?
Hope.
Reading a well written romance reminds me that no matter what’s happening in my world, things could be a lot worse. My problems pale in comparison to Cinderella’s, yet she lived happily ever after with her charming prince.
But I’ve heard the grumbling from the back pew:
Romance novels cause wives to be discontented with their husbands!
That makes sense. After all, the typical romance hunk outshines my belching husband nine times in ten. However, I have no reason to compare my hubby to his fictional counterpart.
On the contrary, the stories remind me of the infatuation I felt when I first fell in love. They retell of the hope my husband and I had for our future. The plans we made. The dreams we shared.
Twenty-five years later, I recognize our love has grown past infatuation into deep, unconditional love. In other words,
I’m living the happily ever after.
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Why do YOU read (or not read) romance?
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Enter for a chance to win a romance novel
Nothing but Trouble, by Susan May Warren
To enter: subscribe to this blog. The subscription widget is to the right of the frog picture. If you’re already a subscriber, then you’re already entered to win.
Want to enter more than once? Post a link to this contest on facebook or twitter. Be sure to tag me so I’ll see it.
I’ll announce a winner two weeks from today, October 16.
Good luck!
