Category Archives: Mankind’s Faults

Spring – God’s Therapy

Posted on by under Encouragement, Herbs, Love, Mankind's Faults, nature, Plant uses, renewal

Someone recently told me I needed to go to therapy to work through some issues in my life. And no doubt, they are right. But, having a degree in counseling psychology, I’ve conducted therapy and I’ve participated in therapy and it is an exhausting process. If one can survive the initial stages where the baggage starts to fall off, and the weight begins to lift, it can be quite renewing, however. 

But, if someone cannot get past this initial stage, it can bring on depression and other physical and mental maladies. That is where they must continue with the process, even when it gets painful, and it can be very painful at times.

I recently told someone, who suggested I needed some therapy, that I knew all about it and didn’t have the time or mental energy for it at that moment. It was then I realized that springtime is my therapy. I love the warm days and sun hitting my back as I bend over my garden and admire the renewal of things, from baby birds to insects, to the lush green of my strawberry plants coming into bloom, or the loads of white blooms on my blueberry plants. Surrounding all this, the birds are swooping and flying back and forth as they build their nests to raise their babies. The bluebirds have returned to our bluebird house and already have a flock of babies they work non-stop to feed all day. Others, like the goldfinches, titmice, wrens, and others are working on getting their new nests set up and bringing nuts and other goodies to their new hatchlings. 

Even the flowers take on a new life of amazement. All of it fascinates me. It is so intricately detailed and unique, that each and every species is created differently and to God’s specifications. I gaze at the beauty of it all and know there is a God who is watching over all, there is not a bird that hits the ground that He doesn’t know about. If He cares for the birds and other animals, how much more does He care for me? And, that is my therapy, reveling in God’s creation, its beauty, its preciseness, its uniqueness and all made with His design. And, if creation in this fallen world which is full of sin and bad things can be so wonderful, how much better will it be when we get to the ultimate, perfect creation, spending eternity with God in His perfect world. What a joy that will be!

Against Their Will – Will the Pressure Ever Stop?

Posted on by under authors, Book outlines, Book pitch, character development, Choices, editing, Encouragement, hooking readers, Independent Publishing, Mankind's Faults, marketing, publishing, Self Publishing, Uncategorized, writing, Writing success

As I rush to conform to the demands on my shoulders, two traits, perfect and quick, are holding me back! I feel the need to be perfect in my words and ideas so maybe, just maybe readers will get hooked and keep reading, or even better recommend the book to a friend who buys a copy and so on. You work every spare moment of every day (and night in my case), and just when you think you’ve got it right, something else causes you to stumble and question everything you’ve ever considered in trying to write, promote, and sell your work. Most any writer can relate to this unless he or she has superpowers and can bypass this obstacle!

Pushing forward to produce work worthy of selling, I keep desiring quick; quick results, quick rewards, and quick everything related to my goal of creating work worthy of being read. Yet, unexpected bumps come along, as they do for any writer working to get their work seen and appreciated. There seems to be some detail or issue about your book you never thought in a million years would be a problem. Deadlines get changed without warning, and new demands, insisting you “market yourself and your work” get added to the mix of stomach-churning, acid-burning stress that clinches your insides with anxiety and keeps you awake at night.

The person who can develop, find, or produce a cure for this will be worth millions to those who benefit from their cure! But, one cannot let his or her guard down once your work starts to get noticed. That’s just the beginning of deadlines, pressure, and stress. And, when it looks promising that it will be picked up by a publisher, don’t think you’re home-free just yet!

“Oh, we need a revised and edited manuscript by next week. You can do that, can’t you?” I groan just thinking of this. Then there is the other applecart upset of the week, “We can’t publish your book, this year. The budget isn’t big enough”, or “We need to see more interest in your book”. The clincher for me is, “We need someone who can invest more time and money in their project.”

Okay, this is just a glimpse of what it is like to try to make it in the world of publishing. Not all aspiring authors face this. Some are truly blessed to be noticed and acquired without jumping through a world of hoops and other obstacles. So, how do those of us not so blessed; those who feel as if they’re constantly vibrating from stress constantly streaming through their veins survive?

Survive, that is the word. And, it is one I’m still working to achieve. Somedays, I’m on a cloud, so elated that something promising happened that pushed me one step nearer my goal, that I can’t stop grinning. Then a day or so later, I’m as low in the dumps as one can be because that promise of publishing, or getting an agent, or a contract for a movie script all fell apart with little more than one big sneeze.

Ah, so is life. If one is not stressed through one aspect of their work, there is certainly another job that can produce even more stress. And when that wave washes over me I’m just as destroyed as I would be if it had been a giant tsunami.

Stress is not limited to aspiring authors. It happens to all of us at one time or another. It’s a fact of life. How we survive it, is by our perspective on the big picture. Sometimes we have to give ourselves permission to fail, learn from it, and move forward with revisions made to our game plan. If we want something bad enough we won’t give up. If we do throw the towel in, then we believe we aren’t worthy of the reward of what we were chasing.

For me, all this is true. But, I do have one person who’s on my side, who truly cares for me and wants only the best for me in all things. And, in my love for Him, I am grateful that He sees a much bigger picture than I do. The fight is all in His ability to get me to see, hear, and listen to what He wants. For, He alone knows what works best, both in the plot and in life.

Who is He? Jesus Christ, my Lord and my Savior. In the end, it will all work out according to plan and it will be good.

One Step at a Time

Posted on by under Choices, distortion, family, freedom of choice, Love, Mankind's Faults, relationships, religious conviction, right to practice religious convictions, Truth

Life’s waves of turmoil and despair are crashing over me non-stop, with one knocking me over and another on top of it before the prior one subsides. So, what else is new? We all go through periods of strife and pain. But, why so much, God? Why now?

As life flies by, faster each day, I find it harder to digest all that happens. First, it’s a lack of a job. Then, the loss of connection with long time friends, followed by children that move away, both physically and mentally. The hardest of all is the mental loss.

What did I do wrong? Why is my child avoiding me? My first reaction is to blame myself. I did something to alienate him. My opinions on politics, the country and the world don’t match my child’s. Okay, so that’s not the worst thing that could happen. I am thankful that he is living and well; successful in his work, happy (seemingly) with lots of friends.

There is a change, however. A gradual movement to fewer visits; visits for big events such as Christmas or Thanksgiving, or a birthday being the ones worthy of the effort of traveling. They are short affairs, with the exit at the end of the visit quick and early. It’s like, if there is too much time spent together, something might be said or done that is disagreeable.

Are there issues hiding behind the smiling facade? Secrets that would be uncomfortable if shared? Has something happened that is too painful, or objectionable to speak of? Doesn’t my grown child know how much I love him? How much I would do for him; even if I don’t like things now central in his life?  That’s what unconditional love is all about. But, the same unconditional love also means doing the hard things; saying what needs to be said only because it is for the good of the receiver and it is said in love.

My husband loves to tell me (too often I think!) that truth hurts. We can know in our hearts that what is said is for our well-being, but in our heads, it hurts and we want to shun it. It comes down to the fact do we trust the person who tells us these things in love, or do we trust what the world tells us that is not necessarily the best for us or even the truth.

This is my real fear; that my child will believe the world’s lies before listening to, or even considering that what I say is the truth spoken in love. I fear he will be misled, lured down a road of lies, deceit and even betrayal. I fear that it is a road that could end in spiritual death.

When gazing upon the world’s current stage of events, it is easy to see how so many are affected by the emotion of the masses. Little to no consideration is given to the truth of matters discussed (more like shouted and screamed and threatened). Too few stop to consider the true consequences of their actions, both on themselves and on others. The pleasure of the moment, or what seems to be the politically correct thing to do, often outweighs the rationale or sanity on any given issue.

I look at these things and want to wrap my arms around my child and whisper in his ear to be wary, to watch out for the handsome devil, the cleaver deceiver. I want to beg him to stear clear of the lies that tickle one’s ears; ones that are used to coerce and manipulate.

As I take this unwelcome and uninvited journey, I realize I must give up control over the situation and plead with God for His mercy and justice. Daily, I beg Him to intervene and do what He knows is best and to help me let go of what I think is better.  I pray to Him to intervene in the life of my child and his eternal fate. As my knees get calloused, I slowly acknowledge it is out of my hands. It is only His hands, which are bigger and stronger, that can hold onto my child, and me at the same time.  And, through it all, faith is the only lamp I have to light the pathway in front of me, one step at a time.

Are Your Bad Guys Bad Enough?

Posted on by under authors, Book structure, books, character development, empathy for characters, hooking readers, Mankind's Faults, readers, Uncategorized, writing, Writing success

Most people don’t like bad guys. After all, they spend their real or fictional lives antagonizing others or themselves!

The epitome of a "bad guy" stage!

The epitome of a “bad guy” stage!

Bad guys make us sit on the edges of our seats, get sweaty palms, or even raise our heart rates. But are they really necessary for a good story?

YES! It’s been stated many times that conflict makes a story engaging or engrossing. What better way to create conflict than to have a bad guy antagonizing our hero. The greatest thrillers use this model and even dramatic stories successfully incorporate the bad guys into the plot line.

I’m a fan of Diana Galbadon (The Outlander Series and Starz Network Show). She has successfully created a number of bad guys that really set my teeth on edge and make my fingernails grow a couple of inches; all the better to claw their eyes out with! I hate the bad guys. I want them dead, gone, kaput! But, if they left the scene right away, what consequences would ensue? Sure, the protagonist would be “okay” but, would the story be as interesting if there was nothing to fear or be angry about? Would the reader really want to continue reading?

Not all stories use human characters to facilitate the bad guy persona. While many do, many authors are quite adept at using events and inanimate objects to antagonize the protagonists. A hurricane, health scare or disease outbreak, or financial crisis are just a few situations that are “bad” and can do much to facilitate character development and story interest. Situations a reader can relate to also help to grow interest and empathy from a reader. An author is not limited to human, breathing bad guys, but objects and events can be drafted to do the job.

I must admit I love “pulling the chains” of my “bad” characters. It is fulfilling, at times, to inflict emotional and/or physical distress on them. No, I’m not a sadist! But, writing in this manner is a great release of frustrations in my own life. I find it very cathartic and liberating. However, it is also rewarding to let some bad guys find redemption and become someone who is forgiven, loved, or even a savior of the protagonist. Either scenario, letting the bad guy stay bad and resolve the issues encountered with tragedy or letting him or her change and resolve the story in a more positive note make for writing that is captivating.

And if it makes for a best seller, all the better!

Until next time . . .

We have so much right at our fingers. Do we know or care?

Posted on by under Healthy Living, Herbs, Mankind's Faults, medical research, medicine, Natural Cures, Natural Healing, Plant uses, Research, Uncategorized

What some call weeds, others call medicine.

What some call weeds, others call medicine.We have been blessed with so much, not just the material things in our lives, but the things Nature has given us.

We have been blessed with so much, not just the material things in our lives, but the things Nature has given us.

Those in past generations knew about some of the naturally occurring medicines provided by nature; things such as berries, roots, bark, leaves, etc. But as humankind advanced and began to make our own medicines, it became very convenient to forget about what was given to us by Nature.

Today, there seems to be a rising awareness as to the bounty of natural substances that are ready and waiting to be discovered and used. New interest is growing in the use of herbs, nuts, various plants, trees, and shrubs to cure, heal and even enhance our lives. Books are proliferating on shelves that discuss and dissect the entire topic of herbal and natural healing.

When our world was created, we were given all we would ever need to survive. But, we were challenged to discover and perfect our knowledge on our own. All the medicines to overcome the frailties inherent in our species were provided, but cloaked or hidden in various plants or in nature itself. This is a great thing to realize we have it all, but mankind is too often blinded by his or her overblown sense of self.

Those with determination, the will and the ability can study and learn how to use these medicines and how best to harness their power. Win-win, right? Not necessarily. Humans aren’t perfect and our inner core screams out to take care of self first. From there it is a slippery slope into outright deviation from doing good, to just doing what is best for the self. I think we all have a point of corruption. Given enough rope, (some need more than others) we would all hang ourselves. Given no boundaries to stop us, we would all eventually self-destruct, all in the pursuit of self pleasure.

In Against Their Will, scientists have discovered a natural substance in pine rosin that shows promise to cure many diseases and even enhance the human life. They develop a series of compounds that can cure multiple dreaded diseases, change personality traits and even give extraordinary longevity to humans. Sounds great, right? Sadly, these wondrous discoveries fall into greedy hands and are manipulated to serve selfish interests, not the greater good.

Should the abuse by some cancel the good that is done by others? That is the question, both in my book and in life. If seeing how this dilemma is played out in one scenario, read the book Against Their Will. If you’re interested in learning about some of the valuable plants that can benefit your life, read more at the following Healthy Holistic Living