Tomorrow is Day 1 of Camp NaNoWriMo

Tomorrow is the first day of Camp NaNoWriMo (Camp National Novel Writing Month)

No. I am not writing a work of fiction or a novel. Rather, I am writing a nonfiction book. It's called,

Prayer Protection: My journey of learning about intercessory prayer, spiritual warfare prayer, watchman prayer, and powerful prayer

I have 15,000 words written already, so my goal is to write a total of 65,000 words at least for that book. Then, if I finish that earlier, I will start another project of the "Learning the who, what, where, when, why, and how of the Bible today series." However, the truth is, I imagine I will make Prayer Protection book a more lengthy one than 65,000 words... Or, I will add a second book to that one. We shall see. It's anyone's guess right now. 

If you want to keep track of my writing progress with Prayer Protection and Camp NaNoWriMo in April 2016, check out this link:

http://campnanowrimo.org/campers/momentswithkara/novels/learning-the-who-what-where-when-why-and-how-of-the-holy-bible-today-a-series

I am looking forward to seeing how much I am able to write. It's my goal to write as much as possible and as long as possible each day. I also cannot wait to get a book written. 

Have a blessed day. 

My Personal Journaling and a Journaling Prompt (#2)

JOURNALING IS WHO I AM, WHAT I DO, AND IS A WAY OF LIFE FOR ME
I became a journal keeper at the ripe old age of eight and haven't stopped since. Sure, there might be seasons in the past that I skipped journaling in the past, but I haven't skipped one week of journaling in over seven years. In the last sixteen years, I may have missed up to ten days of journaling, but no more. For the last seven years, I have journaled at least five days per week.
I say none of this to brag, but to let you know how serious I am about journaling and how it is my passion. Actually, journaling is more than that to me and it is far deeper. Journaling is a way of life. Ask me who I am and what I do and I will say: I am a full-time writer, where I journal and count my blessings.
The truth is, I have no idea how to live life without journaling. It is so meaningful to me. It has helped me live a far better, deeper, more grateful life where I do my best to take no one and nothing for granted as I live as purposefully and intentionally as possible.

STARTING OVER
You can find all of my previous writings about journaling {journaling introduction, how-to, tips, and prompts, along with my personal journaling} here at this blog:
http://rypstories.blogspot.com/
That blog will give you a great deal of information and insight about journaling.
However, I will start over here in this blog.
I am in a very different place in my life and want to start afresh.

HOUSEKEEPING
Every now and then, I will share a section I call "housekeeping." It's just a note of explanation of how to get the most out of this blog, an explanation, and/or what to expect. The next two sections are housekeeping sections.

"A JOURNALING ODYSSEY HANDBOOK: A JOURNALING HOW-TO OF JOURNALING TIPS AND PROMPTS"
With that being said, I will take all of the information from my old blog, and all of the new information from this blog on how to journal and share tips and prompts in a book I will compile from both starting at the beginning of the year. I will compile a handbook under that title and publish it in March or April 2016. Then, I will publish an additional supplement every six months. This will be an everything you ever wanted to know about journaling compilation at handbook. Also, in March or April of every year thereafter, I will publish several of these books (the handbook us the supplements) in one volume or book. This will also include how to write your memoir, autobiography, and life story. So, if you want to be inspired to capture your life on the page, stay tuned and keep reading this blog.

MY MEMOIRS AND SPECIFIC TOPICS
I will also publish once a year or more my personal stories (my memoir and life story) and also a book or more of specific topics (for instance: how to grieve the loss of your pet).
Phew. There. The housekeeping sections are done for now.

NANOWRIMO
Every November is a contest or competition where people all around the world write 50,000 words of a novel in 30 days. It's called National Novel Writing Month, but you can do the same and write a work of nonfiction, which is what I am doing.
My goal is to write 14,000 words per week between now and the end of November. Therefore, my goal is to journal 84,000 words for this competition, which I will start today.

JOURNALING PROMPT: MIND WANDERING, S.O.C., AND STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS JOURNALING
Mind Wandering Journaling is what I recommend the most to do with your journaling. As a matter of fact, I recommend doing this every day and every time you sit down to journal. Begin with this prompt each time.
WHAT TO DO: Write whatever comes to mind in your journal. Spend about ten minutes jotting down anything you think of. You may want to do this in list form at first.
Then from there see if there is anything you want to journal more about and go deeper.
Then, do precisely that. Keep re-reading what you wrote and expand upon any of the things you wrote as you have an additional thought about what you journal.
Review this throughout your day and keep expanding on your thoughts and going deeper and more expansive with each.
As new thoughts, memories, and ideas come to mind, add them as well.
Keep writing more and more about one to three items you shared.
EXPLANATION: This is called S.O.C. Writing or Stream of Consciousness Writing. I also call if Mind Wandering Journaling. This is how to get everything, everyone, every experience, every idea, every thought, every question, every emotion, and lesson learned captured on the page.
A PERSONAL NOTE ABOUT MIND WANDERING JOURNALING: I have personally found this the best way for me to capture everything on the page with just a sentence at first. Then, I expand one to three of those ideas into a paragraph. Then, I expand those into a page or more. Then, just add more thoughts as they come to mind and start this all over again. I, then, once a week look at each day's Mind Wandering and expand on it more and go deeper. Then, I do this once a month, once every three months, and once a year for a decade. Then, once a decade.
Also, if I don't know what to journal, and am blank, I review previous Mind Wanderings.
No journaling prompt brings me more material to capture on the page than this one.
This is the diamond in the rough and is the most important journaling I do.

{Written October 19, 2015, Monday morning}

NaNoWriMo and Writing Kara's Story

NANOWRIMO

I'm sure you are wondering what NaNoWriMo is... and if you know what it is, you probably wonder why I'm participating, after all, this looks like it is a work of nonfiction. I will answer both questions.

NaNoWriMo is National Novel Writing Month and is a competition where people all around the world have gathered together to write a novel of 50,000 words in one month--and that month is November. I am taking part in this challenge in November, but in truth am starting to write the book now. Whatever my word count is at the end of October, I will add 50,000 words to that as my goal.

It isn't necessary to write fiction for NaNoWriMo; needless to say, I am using NaNoWriMo to write Kara's story. Consequently, between now and the end of November, I will be writing multiple blog posts per day. I will, however, spread them out and publish them for you to see once per day after today (10/12/2015).

"Moments with Kara" is Kara's story and is our story about her.

This is a temporary "book cover" of sorts. I will in time create a real one.

BLOG TO BOOK

Also, it is my goal to turn the blog posts of this blog into a book or two in time. Therefore, this blog will not be the final polished version of this material. Nor will this blog include as much material as the book(s). I just wanted to give you fair warning.

The blog to book posts will be geared for a few different books: a memoir or two, pet journaling (how to pet journal), how to turn your pet journal into a memoir, and pet loss and grief. The posts of this blog will turn into multiple books in time, but right now my main focus is a memoir and inspirational story about our rescued cancer cat, Little Bit. Kara Beara. Lady Kara. Baby Girl. Feisty One.

Over the next month, I will count the blessings of Kara and the faith and life lessons she taught me. So, stay tuned. This is actually the whole purpose of this blog. However, with Thanksgiving coming up, counting the blessings on Kara seems a fitting and appropriate tribute to the black and white purrbox.

The Title and Cover for My NaNoWriMo 2015 Book and Planning Progress Update

TITLE AND COVER ART

This is the temporary front cover and book title for my #NaNoWriMo book:

Earthbound Adoption
The Kharis Tales, Book 1

{Picture on this book cover is by: Image courtesy of Idea go atFreeDigitalPhotos.net}

CURRENT WRITING PROJECT STATUS

Yesterday I began planning for my NaNoWriMo 2015 novel and I spent several hours working on it. Wouldn't it figure that I spent all that time--only to realize it was for book two of the series? 

Well, the good news is that I have the skeleton of an outline for Book 2, which will save me some time and it helps me to know where I am going in the story so I can stay on track. I did, however, get a quite rough skeleton put together for Book 1 as well. Therefore, it was quite the productive day all in all, even though things didn't quite work out the way I expected. (But, when do they?)

 I'm using this resource to help me plan for NaNo and all of the future books of "The Kharis Tales" Series:

http://smile.amazon.com/Outlining-Novel-Workbook-Step---Step-ebook/dp/B00P72KQI2/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1444236910&sr=1-3&keywords=km+weiland

It's about time for me to start my day of planning for book one and getting the outline more detailed. I cannot wait to see what I accomplish today on the project. It's rather captivated me already and it's only day two. In fact, I only slept about three hours last night since I kept planning Book 1 in my head. Now, I just need to get it down on the page and hope I didn't forget anything.

National Novel Writing Month is 24 days away and I hope to be ready to write at least 50,000 words. Truthfully, I hope to get more than that accomplished, but we shall see.

NaNoWriMo 2015 and THE KHARIS TALES

I will write Book 1 of THE KHARIS TALES for NaNoWriMo 2015. It's the start of a fantasy series about a very special cat..

That's National Novel Writing Month {aka NaNo and NaNoWriMo} and is where people from all across the globe are writing 50,000 words of a novel in the month of November.

WINNER OF NANOWRIMO 2014

WINNER OF NANOWRIMO 2014

Well... I did it!

What a blessing.

It was for this book:

STORIES OF BLESSINGS ON NOVEMBER 30, 2014, PART 3

STORIES OF BLESSINGS ON NOVEMBER 30, 2014, PART 3

TOPICS IN THIS BLOG POST:

1 BLESSINGS THOUGHTS AND TIPS

2 MY NANOWRIMO WRITING PROGRESS

3  ANOTHER PERSONAL REFLECTION OF 2014 AND MY LIFE OF BLESSING

4 THE BLESSING OF NOW

5 SOME OF MY 2014 BLESSINGS COUNTED LIST

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1 BLESSINGS THOUGHTS AND TIPS

Beware of busyness. It will blind you to your blessings. It gets your focus off of what really matters, your blessings.

Slow down at least, but even better, be still. It increases your chances of seeing your blessings so you can count them. 

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2 MY NANOWRIMO WRITING PROGRESS

Written 2014-11-30 15:08:10, Sunday

So far, I have 48,552 words of 50,000 due today by eleven o'clock this evening. 

I have a Denver Broncos versus the Kansas City Chiefs Game to watch tonight, but it is the late game and I hope to get this writing goal accomplished well before that time. Then, during the game, I plan on counting my blessings and writing them on my Blessings Counted List in my Penzu online journal. 

I still cannot believe I have written 10,552 words or so since yesterday morning for the National Novel Writing Month of November 2014. Granted, I am not writing a novel, but am writing a non-fiction, but it is still a writing challenge and I have accomplished more than I imagined. I thought it was a long shot, but now realize that I can do this. 

I can and will win NaNoWriMo for the first time since 2010. (Yay! High five.)

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3 ANOTHER PERSONAL REFLECTION OF 2014 AND MY LIFE OF BLESSING

Written 2014-11-30 15:12:58, Sunday

I have come to realize this year how much I have taken for granted and have overlooked.

BUSYNESS 

Busyness tends to drown out everything in its path and it sure diminishes our reception of blessings. We are far more likely to miss our blessings if we are busy than when we are still. 

Nothing good has ever come from busyness. 

Few things in this life require our immediate response. So, quite being so busy and stop rushing. You will live a better quality of life, and one with more meaning, because you will slow down enough to see the blessings in your life and then you can count them. 

I tend to fall into the busyness trap. The year of 2014 is more proof of this. Ugh. I should know better. This was a lesson I learned long ago. How many times am I going to have to learn it? And, how many times am I going to have to learn it the hard way? 

Busyness is like traveling in a car and looking out the window. the faster we travel, the less we are able to see. Everything grows fuzzy. It is the same with busyness and blessings (and counting our blessings). The busier we are, the more fuzzy our blessings become and are easy to overlook.

GETTING SIDETRACKED

The year 2014, much like the previous six years, were years which marked one quality in my life, one habit, I must break. It is getting sidetracked for the next exciting thing. Getting sidetracked keeps my eyes and focus off of my blessings and puts them on other things. 

Getting sidetracked shows inability to finish something.

It shows a lack of commitment. 

It shows a lack of discipline. 

This keeps happening with working out, the way I eat, my writing, and my counting my blessings. It is a cycle I keep repeating. It is a lesson I keep learning, but it hasn't stuck.

How many books have I written?

How many blogs have I had?

What I keep forgetting is how if I am not satisfied with what I have now, I will never be satisfied with anything. Because what I have now is already mine. If I don't claim them, I can lose them. If I don't find satisfaction in what I have now, I will not, and should not, be trusted with anything more. It si the same with the blessings in my life. 

What I keep forgetting is this:

Counting my blessings will keep me from getting busy and from getting sidetracked. It will give me discipline and will show my commitment. It will help me to be content with what I have now. Counting my blessings is the answer to all of these problems and dilemmas. Counting my blessings is the answer--period. 

Counting my blessings helps me to focus on what really matters--not on the superfluous stuff. It helps me to appreciate what I have now. 

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4 THE BLESSING OF NOW

Written 2014-11-30 15:33:33, Sunday

Now. 

Now is what I have.

I do not have anything more or anything less.

Now is what I have.

Now is what I possess. It is mine. 

Everything and everyone I have now are part of my life today. They are now. And, now is a blessing. 

How is now a blessing? Re-read everything I just read. That is the answer. 

If I do not see now as a blessing, then I do not have the capacity to appreciate anything else. For, the now is in my possession and is mine--now and int he present. 

What do we teach children? They are to value and take care of their possessions. This is a lesson taught early. 

So, why is it that we do not value and take care of our possession of now? 

Why do we overlook the now?

Why do we take it for granted?

Why do we fill the now with so many meaningless and shallow things? 

How is it we have gotten this so wrong?

How is it we want more? We think more is the answer. We do not stop and see how if we do not appreciate the now, then we cannot appreciate the more or the future. The now is what we already possess and if we do not have the skill to appreciate the now, we also do not have the skill set to appreciate the more or the future. 

The now is how we can build our skill set of living a life of gratitude versus a life of ingratitude. The now is when we can learn to slow down and not be so busy. The now is where we can learn the discipline to not get sidetracked and finish what we start. The now is our greatest advantage. 

In the now, we should survey all of the abundant blessings we have in our lives. This alone should be our priority. Counting our blessings forces us to live in the now and appreciate what brought us to this point and what we have in our lives and possession today. 

Let us face it. Life can change as fast as a snap of our fingers. If we do not appreciate the now, and haven't fully lived in the now, then we are not fully equipped to handle what is to come. We do not have the skill set to do so. 

So, develop your skill set of counting your blessings now so you can appreciate what you have now. 

Count your blessings today. Appreciate your life as it is. Develop this skill. And, review your blessings from time to time so your blessings can multiply. and, count someone else's blessings and the blessings they bring your life. 

Counting our blessings of the now prepares us to receive a multiplication of blessings in the future. if we do not collect the blessings of the now, our blessings will not multiply because we overlook them or take them for granted. 

Count your blessings of the now. It is sacred. 

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5 SOME OF MY 2014 BLESSINGS COUNTED LIST

Written 2014-11-30 15:46:24, Sunday

Every year is a year of blessing. I may have missed the blessings or may have overlooked them, but it still does not change the fact that every year is a year of blessing. The year 2014 is no exception. 

While it has been a tough year, it has been one of blessing. 

I cannot believe all of the lessons I have learned this year. Many have been through the storms and challenges of life, but many have also been because I kept my eyes open at times and searched for the blessings to count. 

I am thankful for answers.

I am thankful for events that have stretched me, challenged me, and forced me to look at things differently and make choices I never in my life would have thought I would have to make. 

I am grateful for the feral cat who adopted my husband and I. Lady Kara has been a true blessing.

I am thankful, or so grateful, for my deeper commitment to journal (prayer journal) and keep every journaling entry in my online journal.

I am grateful for direction. What was once so foggy and murky has started to clear and my husband and I can see the journey we are to take. 

I am grateful for learning, though it was the hard way, how critical it is to count my blessings, be a Blessings Counter, and live a life of gratitude instead a life of ingratitude. 

I am blessed to learn that counting my blessings is a lifestyle and is a way of life. 

I am blessed to count as many blessings as I have in November.

I am also blessed because I think I just wrote over 50,000 words and think I just won NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) for my blog turned book: "STORIES OF BLESSING: A BOOK OF GRATITUDE AND THANKSGIVING." 

Above all, I am blessed to have grown so much in my faith this year.

To the Blessings Giver be all glory, honor, and praise. 

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STORIES OF BLESSINGS ON NOVEMBER 30, 2014, PART 3

TOPICS IN THIS BLOG POST:

1 MY NANWRIMO WRITING PROGRESS

2 END OF YEAR BLESSINGS COUNTED CHALLENGE

3 A BLESSINGS COUNTED LIST REVIEW

4 LEAVING A LEGACY

5 A GIFT OF BLESSING

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1 MY NANOWRIMO WRITING PROGRESS

Written 2014-11-30 14:25:34, Sunday

I am getting a little more written minute by minute and am sharing more thoughts on counting our blessings with you with every word I type. I have a total of 47,637 words out of 50,000 words (minimum) which are due today.  (Phew.)

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Which life will you choose-- a life of gratitude or ingratitude?

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2 END OF YEAR BLESSINGS CHALLENGE

Written 2014-11-30 14:29:22, Sunday

AN END OF YEAR BLESSINGS CHALLENGE PROMPT

Today is November Thirtieth, which means we have thirty-one days to make sure we finish this year with a bang and finish 2014 well. Consequently, here is a question to ponder: How can you live the next month the best you can? 

What can you do to live the best you can for the next month and make sure that you close the year of 2014 in the best way possible? 

Counting as many blessings as possible over the next thirty-one days would be a grand endeavor and would ensure you live mindfully and search for your blessings, which you would then count, and would remember and recount. 

The goal of the END OF YEAR BLESSINGS CHALLENGE is to count a minimum of thirty-four blessings per day, so we count one thousand blessings per month. Ideally, we would count a forty or more blessings per day. However, what about counting fifty instead? (Just a thought.)

Make sure to count today your blessings from 2014. 

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How would you describe the year 2014? Be specific.List as many words to describe it as possible. From each word, you can find blessings to count. Do so. Count your blessings from 2014. 

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3 A BLESSINGS COUNTED LIST REVIEW

Written 2014-11-30 14:38:54, Sunday

Every morning.

Every evening.

Every week. 

Every month. 

Every quarter.

Every year.

Every other year.

Every half decade.

Every decade. 

That is how often we should review our Blessings Counted List and remember the blessings the Blessings Giver has given us. At least. 

There is something very special and sacred about time, experience, and maturity. We tend to develop a deeper hindsight. As this happens, we learn how much more special our blessings were at the time, but we did not realize it or know it yet. We start to see a pattern of how the Blessings Giver has worked and is working in our lives. This is why it is so important to review out Blessings Counted List. 

The more we count a blessing, the more it comes to mean to us and the more special it becomes. As we do so, it brings us closer to the Blessings Giver. 

Also, as we review our Blessings Counted List, we then realize there were blessings at the time which we did not count and we are able to add it to our latest Blessings Counted List. 

Then, the blessings we repeat bring forth even more blessing.

I cannot explain it, but it always happens. A blessing multiplies. It is not an one-time only preposition. A blessing continues to give for the rest of our lives.

So, let us remember what the Blessings Giver has done.

Psalm 77:11-12 New Living Translation (NLT)

11 But then I recall all you have done, O Lord;
    I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago.
12 They are constantly in my thoughts.
    I cannot stop thinking about your mighty works.

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Let us remember and review our blessings constantly and continually. Let us think on them and appreciate them for the rest of our lives--not just once.

Again, blessings multiply.

So, do not miss a blessing. Do not overlook one. And, do not forget one. Review your blessings over and over. Then, you will have blessing on top of blessing. 

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Blessings multiply.

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4 LEAVING A LEGACY

There is no greater legacy you could ever leave than counting your blessings. 

Share your Blessings Counted List with those closest to you. 

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5 A GIFT OF BLESSING

Make a list of every person in your life.

What are the five or so of the people closest to you? 

Can you imagine the following?

For the next year, keep a Blessings Counted List for them, even if they keep one already. Write down every blessing they are given. 

Also, write down every way they bless you over the next year in the same Blessings Counted List.

Then, for their birthday, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or anniversary, give them the Blessings Counted List you kept for them. 

The truth of the matter is, I cannot think of any gift that would be more special and meaningful than that. Can you?

So, count your blessings. But, also count the blessings of others. I call this stealing a blessing, and I mean that in the best way possible. every time you see and count someone else's blessings, you will be blessed. for, what do blessings do? They multiply. 

Give each of the people their Blessings Counted List and I guarantee they have never received a gift with more meaning. 

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STORIES OF BLESSINGS ON NOVEMBER 30, 2014, PART 2

STORIES OF BLESSINGS ON NOVEMBER 30, 2014, PART 2

TOPICS IN THIS BLOG POST:

1 NANOWRIMO AND MY WRITING PROGRESS

2 I AM BACK

3 WHERE DO BLESSINGS COME FROM?

4 BLESSINGS AND THE BIBLE: COLOSSIANS 4:2 (NLT) 

5 A LIFE OF GRATITUDE OR INGRATITUDE

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1 NANOWRIMO AND MY WRITING PROGRESS

Written 2014-11-30 09:23:20, Sunday

I am participating in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month of November 2014) this year and am trying to write a portion of my "STORIES OF BLESSING: A BOOK OF GRATITUDE AND THANKSGIVING, VOL. 1" as part of the writing challenge. Hence, the writing challenge for me has become a blessings challenge.

In order to  win NaNoWriMo, I have to write 50,000 words.

I started this yesterday with 38,000 words and as of now, I have 46,315 words written. (Yay!) 

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2 I AM BACK

Written 2014-11-30 13:08:41, Sunday

Okay. I am back. I just got back from lunch with a friend. Now, I need to get focused all the more on blessings. (It was a huge blessing seeing my friend and their little one.) 

So, here we go. 

Blessing... Stories of Blessing... Counting our blessings... 

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3 WHERE DO BLESSINGS COME FROM?

Written 2014-11-30 13:24:05, Sunday

QUESTION

So, where do blessings come from?

I sit and let the question roll around in my head for a bit. And, as I think things through, I will write them and share them with you. So, these are just the thoughts of a fool.

THINKING THINGS THROUGH

Everything has an origination. Blessings do not come from thing, by chance. Blessings have an origination. They come from something. 

Wait. Blessings cannot come from a thing. A thing cannot offer gifts of favor. Only a someone can. Hence, there is a Blessings Giver. 

I believe logic is a device used to think something through. Emotions cannot think anything through. Emotions are fickle and blow with the wind. They come and go. Logic is based on discovering fact and acknowledging the fact. Fact is fact. It is not what we hope would be, could be, or should be. Logic is based on fact; therefore, is truth. 

Blessings have to come from somewhere. Again, somewhere does not have the ability to give or show favor. So, it only stands to reason that there is a Blessings Giver. 

This is just my little humble opinion. Based on reason, logic, and fact. 

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4 BLESSINGS AND THE BIBLE: COLOSSIANS 4:2 (NLT)

Written 2014-11-30 13:25:34, Sunday

THE BLESSINGS GIVER

I am a Christian and am a woman of prayer and blessings counting. I know the Blessings Giver. He is God. He is my Lord and Savior, Friend, Way, Truth, Life, Teacher, Father, and Rock. He is my sure foundation and strength.

I know blessings come from Him and from Him alone, not from self, not from things, not from activities, not from anyone but from Him. He is the Blessings Giver. He is the only who can show me true favor. He is the only one who can offer me heaven and eternal life and forgiveness for all of my mistakes and boneheaded moves. 

I DO NOT DESERVE ONE BLESSING

Blessings are that much more special because I do not deserve one of them. Not one. As a matter of fact, I deserve death (Romans 3:23 and Romans 6:23)--not blessing.

I have done absolutely nothing to deserve them, but He loves me enough, and is full of grace, so He shows me His favor, gives me mercy and grace, and shows me His glory with every blessing. With each blessing, He allows me to see Him. 

BLESSING IS GRACE

Every blessing is grace given to me by God.

Every blessing is God speaking to me and showing Himself to me.

This is why I do not want to ever forget a blessing.

This is why I do not want to ever fail to see a blessing and miss a blessing. 

This is why I do not want to ever take one blessing for granted or overlook one. 

A BLESSING IS SACRED

A blessing is something given to me by the Blessings Giver, by God, not by sheer will or determination, not by accident, not from chaos, not because I deserve it (since I do not).

A blessing is given by God.

God is holy, holy, holy. So, a blessing is holy. It is set apart and is sacred. 

To ever look at a blessing as something small, something not good enough, something not deserving of acknowledgment is show my absolute foolishness and ignorance. And, I do not want to be a fool or ignorant. A blessing is given to me by a sacred God. So, a blessing is sacred and deserves respect.

How do I show a blessing respect? It is by giving respect to the Blessing Giver. How this is done is through looking for each and every blessing, acknowledging them and counting them, putting them on my Blessings Counted List, remembering them, reviewing them, sharing them with others, and thanking the Blessings Giver for them. This is how a blessing is best lived. It is through acknowledging how important and sacred each blessing is.

A blessing is sacred. It is walking on sacred ground every time I receive a blessing and acknowledge where it comes from, giving thanks, and remembering it. This is a sacred act. It is a sacred act of worship of the Blessings Giver. 

A blessing must be taken as sacred and treated as sacred--nothing less. 

THE BIBLE AND THANKFULNESS

I have studied the Bible and what it says about blessings, thanks, thanksgiving, gratitude, etc. And, I have noticed how interrelated blessings (thanksgiving and gratitude), prayer, and praise are. Most verses that talk about one talk about the other. 

For example:

Colossians 4:2 New Living Translation (NLT)

2 Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Prayer, focus, and thanksgiving go hand-in-hand and are commands give to us by God in His Word, the Holy Bible. 

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5 A LIFE OF GRATITUDE OR INGRATITUDE

Written 2014-11-30 14:11:03, Sunday

There are only two ways to live: a life of gratitude or a life of ingratitude.

Seriously. If you are not thankful for what and who you have, then what are you? If you are not living with a heart of gratitude, then how are you living? You are then living a life of ingratitude.

It really is this simple.

I will not hesitate to admit that living a life of ingratitude is sure easy to do. It does not require any additional effort on my part. All I have to do is live. 

Living a life of gratitude, counting my blessings, and being thankful requires work on my part. It requires discipline, focus, intentionality, and writing each blessing on the page. It is not something that comes easy. It also requires time. It requires all of me in order to live a life of gratitude. 

Ingratitude is far easier to do and live. At face value. What we tend to forget or overlook is how the cost of ingratitude is steep. It costs us a great deal to not be grateful. 

When we live a life of ingratitude, we always want more. What we have now is enver enough. So, we continually seek for more and are never satisfied when we get the more. We get the more and we only want more from there. 

Livign a life of ingratitude means we are miserable and are always busy seeking more, wanting more, only to be left unsatisfied. 

What kind of life do you want to live? You are living one or the other. So, are you living a life of gratitude or ingratitude?

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NOVEMBER 11, 2014 STORIES OF BLESSING

NOVEMBER 11, 2014 STORIES OF BLESSING

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HAPPY VETERAN'S DAY

Happy Veteran's Day to all who serve and have served.

Thank you, and your family, for your service.

We would not have the quality of life we do here in the United States of America if not for you. Thank you for protecting the freedoms most of us take for granted.

God bless you and the United States of America.

(Image credit: Stacy Duplease and Remembering Your Present 2008-2014.)

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THANKSGIVING AND END OF YEAR BLESSINGS COUNTED CHALLENGES

Are you taking part in either one of these challenges--where we are essentially trying to count 20 to 25 blessings each day between now and Thanksgiving and 10 per day between now and the end of the year? 

If so, let me know. Attach a comment at the end of any blog post. Let's hold each other accountable to this and talk about it--and share our stories of blessing. 

Now, I want to do a writing prompt for these challenges today:

BLESSINGS COUNTED PROMPT

Count at least five additional blessings today.

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THANKSGIVING AND END OF YEAR BLESSINGS COUNTED CHALLENGES

NOTE: This is in addition to the blessings you are counting already.

1. List 10 things you are grateful for in 2014. List whatever comes to mind, as it comes to mind, no matter how silly it may seem.

2. List 10 things you are grateful for in your life. List anything that comes to mind, when it comes to mind, no matter how silly or trivial it may seem. 

3. Wait 15 minutes or less, and repeat #1 then #2. It's okay if you repeat blessings in your blessings counted lists. Just make sure if it is a repeated blessing, to add one more to your total due and extend your list so you have at least ten new blessings listed. 

4. Do #3 as many times as you want between now and the end of the year. Preferably do this at least  couple times each day. 

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10 THINGS I'M GRATEFUL FOR IN 2014

Written 2014-11-08 14:25:06, Saturday

(Not necessarily in the correct order. Just listed whatever came to mind first.) 

1 Kara

2 An expanded vision of the future.

3 Dedicating myself once and for all to be a Blessings Counter.

4 Learning how much my faith has grown. 

5 Norfolk Botanical Gardens

6 How I've been using Penzu daily since July 12.

7 How B and I got rid of some furniture and downsized some.

8 Getting rid of books and being able to re-do my study. New organization. New look. Simplicity. Less cluttered.

9 Getting our blue dresser, which we use as a stand for Harry and his turtle tank. 

10 Driving to Roanoke with B. 

11 Seeing the Fall leaves along the Blue Ridge Parkway--roadtrip. with B.

12 Growing my hair out. 

13 Visit home to Colorado in February.

14 Trips to Historic Jamestowne. 

15 Stories of Blessing Blog.

16 Future outlook of Stories of Blessing.

17 Becoming a Blessings Counting Coach.

18 Getting new vehicle.

19 Realizing everything I have, and everyone I have, is more than enough.

20 Choosing not to have children. 

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2014 BLESSINGS COUNTED JOURNALING PROMPT

When I say 2014, and you think 2014, what do you think about? What blessings pop into your mind? List as many as you can, as fast as you can. 

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NANOWRIMO WRITING PROGRESS UPDATE

Written 2014-11-10 09:52:05, Monday

As far as NANOWRIMO (National Novel Writing Month of November of every year), my writing progress has been behind schedule each and every day. After all, the first four days, I wrote two different books (or was it three)? Then, I switched to the BLESSINGS COUNTED: A BOOK OF GRATITUDE AND THANKSGIVING. It's not a novel at all and is a nonfictin book, It's these blog posts copied and pasted into a book. I will then edit it and add new material later. 

The word count due today is 16,670.  

I have 14,731 words written so far. This means I need to write 1,939 more words today. 

I am rather satisfied with what I've written overall.

But, I know it's rather disjointed, needs editing, and the writing can be smoothed and tightened up in order to make it the best read. However, this is a rough draft... a first draft. For what it is, I'm quite pleased--and blessed. 

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WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO WITH YOUR BLESSINGS COUNTED LIST?

Written 2014-11-10 09:48:46, Monday

Other than the obvious (of re-counting your blessings), what else can you do with your Blessings Counted List?

Let's stop for a moment. Looking back at the entirety of your Blessings Counted List, and particularly over the last thirty days, is one of the most beneficial things you can do. It reminds us of where we've come from and been blessed with, which we can forget over time. Also, as we count those blessings again, new blessings may come to mind we want to count and it might be a reminder of some old blessings we want to count again, and do so periodically, because they have made a difference in our lives. Therefore, re-reading our Blessings Counted List is really important. 

On bad days, challenging days, days we feel blah--or someone else does, it's important to pull out our Blessings Counted List and share some without ourselves or others. It's a reminder of what to be grateful for and how to appreciate what we have now. 

Another reason to count our blessings is because the Blessings Counted List becomes a Blessings Journal--or a form of a journal. It's where we can see our life in motion, where we have come from (where we were), where we are), where we are headed, and where we hope to go.

There is another reason to keep our Blessings Counted List, and what to use them for besides this, and that is to leave a legacy. It's a blessings legacy. It's a blessings legacy of our lives and of the lives of those around us. Can you imagine each year sharing with your loved ones the blessings you've counted of their lives and how they've been a blessing for you over the past year--and throughout their and your lives? Needless to say, make sure to count the blessings in their lives, not just in your own. This is particularly with those you don't think would ever keep a Blessings Counted List. Giving them the blessings you counted for them might be the biggest blessing they ever receive and get them to become a Blessings Counter as well. 

Also, another way to use your Blessings Counted List is for this... With every single blessing you ever write, you can expand it into a longer writing. You can share why it's a blessing today, how it's been a blessing in the past, and memories you have associated with such a blessing. This then becomes a Story of Blessing. 

Furthermore, it's really easy to write your memoir from your Blessings Counted List. 

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BLESSINGS QUOTES

A blessing is not something you wish for.

Rather, it is a gift given to you by the Blessings Giver that you don't deserve.

And, it's something you most often have to search for or you might miss it altogether. 

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