It has been a while

It has been a while since I wrote specifically on this blog of, http://myjournalinglife.blogspot.com, which is My Journaling Life. 

The truth is, I am not sure why I stopped writing in this blog. I know that I included it in my main writing blog, http://rypstories.blogspot.com, RYP Stories (RYP stands for: Remembering Your Present). Is that why I stopped writing here? 

Well, I have decided to blog here mainly now. I will also put this blog on RYP Stories from time to time, but this will also be my new main blog.

I will journal more and add it here in a bit. Stay tuned. 

The Short Stories of My Family Will Begin Tomorrow (and a Disclaimer)

I am pleased to announce the short stories of my family will begin tomorrow.

This good news is followed by a but, however.

DISCLAIMER

Each blog post will not be perfect. In fact, they will be far from perfect. They will have some errors and will need some work. By the time they make it to this blog, I will be on the third or forth draft at least with each blog post, but they will still need a great deal of polishing.

I do not want to put the final drafts on this blog. Rather, it is meant to be a sampling to peak your curiosity to read the stories in their entirety, once I edit them and add more material to them and publish them in book format. Also, I will not include every story here on this blog, but many.

THE PURPOSE OF THESE SHORT STORIES

The purpose of this blog is to give a sampling of the stories of my family tree stories and to share a more comprehensive history of the United States of America and about the founding fathers and mothers, starting in 1584.

Additionally, I hope they will inspire you to find out about your own family stories and write about them as well.

RESEARCH

I cannot believe how much time it takes to even attempt to thoroughly investigate each piece, each bit, of history. Never mind about my family. I'm talking about just a date or an event that happened in history. This is what is zapping up most of my time right now. That being said though, I cannot even begin to tell you how fascinating it is and how much I am enjoying the research. Now, I hope I can convey the important details in a fascinating way, but still keep things true to the time, people, places, and events.

STAY TUNED

So, stay tuned. Tomorrow will bring the first short story of the Family Trees of the USA and the Lost Colony of Roanoke.

The Stories of the Lost Colony of Roanoke

Last week I went to a writing conference and was able to focus my vision for my writing and this blog. Hence, the book title mentioned in the image above. It is just a working title at this point.

The Stories of the Lost Colony of Roanoke:
The Family Trees of the USA

I have decided to write the history of the United States through the eyes of my family, which had been here since 1607 in Jamestown. I will share the stories first in blog posts, which will be short stories and a combination of American historical fiction and creative nonfiction. Then, in time, I will combine the stories and put them into a book.

It's an unique way to learn American history, which is appealing to me. After all, I hated history in school. It was before I knew about my family tree. Knowing my family's stories changes the way I view this country and the way I view my life today.

The stories could take me a few lifetimes to tell, but I will try to capture the most intriguing stories in this blog and in my writing. They are the stories of the names we all recognize, but also of the commoner, which has the most appeal to me personally.

This will be an epic saga of my family and their plight in the United States from Roanoke Island to today. The stories will be of adventure, drama, love, patriotism, and faith. It will be a sweeping tale and will take us across many lands, events, times, and families.

I am in the research phase and it will be a couple of weeks before I share a short story here. I will share with you my writing process and progress, though, in the meanwhile.

I am researching in order to find out about the people from my family tree I want to share first, along with the events and the state of the families of the individuals I will write about for the first book in this family tree series.

Then, I will start planning how to write the short stories and how to fit them into a novel.

Then, I will write them and do several edits before they are shared on this blog.

Therefore, at first, I imagine I will start here only one short story per week for a while, then two, then three. In time, I hope to build up to at least three per week.

Bear with me as I make sure to get their stories right. They deserve no less, the people and their stories.

My Family

I also write this blog, and share all of this, with the hope it will help my family (anyone on my family tree, direct relation or indirect) to get to know our history and American history.

I hope my family will find these stories, fact and short stories based on fact, helpful to imagine what our family went through in the day.

Therefore, if anyone knows any true stories, I hope you'll share them so I can in turn share them here. Use the contact form on this blog, email me, or add a comment at the end of any blog post.

I also help we can help each learn as much about our family as possible.

Every person lived and should be remembered, along with their stories. This is the goal of this blog and my writing.

What Am I Doing and Who Am I to Do It?

As I sit here this morning, after everything I did yesterday, and after starting this blog five days ago, and I have developed butterflies and nervousness.

What am I doing? And who am I to do it anyway?

I am not a historian. Not in the least. History was my worse subject in school. Then again, twelve years of leaning about the explorers could do that to anyone. Never kind all of the false history I was taught. For instance, I was taught that Plymouth was the first English colony and that Thanksgiving began there. Both are lies. Jamestown was the first permanent English settlement and the first Thanksgiving was at Berkeley Plantation. Both were in Virginia, let me add. Never mind how I was never taught that Virginia was the birthplace of the United States of America. But, the only reason why I know these things is because I lived in Virginia for four years (and visited the historic sits at least once a month) and because of my family tree.

But, no. I am no historian. My degrees are in psychology and chaplaincy, for goodness sake.

So, what am I doing? I am so far out of my league it isn't funny. Who am I to do it? Probably most everyone is far more qualified than I am to write this blog.

Nonetheless, I realize not everyone has a traceable family tree that goes back as far as mine does and they don't have the same ancestry I do. My family tree makes me uniquely qualified to write about my family tree.

But, the historical part... I am scared of erring and of not learning enough, never mind sharing enough. Then, I also am fearful of sharing too much. I sure don't want to bore anyone to pieces.

Then, to complicate things even more, I am attending a writing conference this week and will present this idea and learn more how to write these stories. No pressure. It's all self-imposed pressure, I realize. Am I on track? Am I doing what God really wants me to be doing?

I find sharing the facts a little on the dull side. But, that is what I need to do first. Then, when I write the short stories, there is a background to the story, so it makes even more sense. This is the ultimate goal. I will use short stories of historical fiction to help us go there and see it for ourselves in our minds and imagination. I hope to make history come alive and help us remember the facts, not opinions, of American history.

Yesterday, though, felt great with everything I accomplished. Learning and sharing the facts can be a slight bore, but it wasn't yesterday. In fact, it pumped me up and got me excited for what is to come and my writing short stories of historical fiction based off of my family tree.

I pause.

Yes. This blog is what I am supposed to be doing, regardless of how intimidating and how insecure I feel. This blog is one big homecoming where I learn about my family and the history of the country I love.

Since I leave tomorrow for the writing conference, I pray I am able to get even more done than I did yesterday.

Bear with me dear and precious readers and friends. I will find my way and my rhythm of writing this blog.

Writing this blog is sure stretching me. I am far outside of my comfort zone. However, while it makes me feel horribly uncomfortable and nervous, not wanting to get it wrong, it is not unbearable and I will not try to avoid it. The best things in life come from times of uneasiness and fear. It's what we do with them that counts. I am going to to keep at this no matter what.

Learning history from my family tree will make history come alive and will help me make sense of my nation today and will help me speak out about it. It will also help me pray for my nation.

Leaning, though, is never a fruitless activity. And, I sure love to learn. I cannot wait to see what all I learn. Even though I still wonder... What am I doing and who am I to do it?

A Time of Change and Healing: How hurts and trying to heal have impacted my writing

They say that the Bible is the answer to and for everything. I couldn’t agree more, particularly as I type this. I will get back to this thought in a moment.

What I am about to share is a story I think everyone can understand to some degree and has been at this place in life as well. I cannot wait to share the journey of healing and how it’s changed me enormously already, for the good. More of this will be reflected in the next blog post, by the way.

You see, I am using a new system now with my blogging and writing. I am handwriting my prayer journaling, then typing it up as a blog post. Once I get enough blog posts, I will turn them into a book by editing and adding to them. This is a drastically different approach than I have ever used and I want to make it one I keep using from now on since the truth is I write better on the page by hand and then as I type it up, I am able to edit it and make it all the better. It works well so far. I pray that trend continues.

I stopped blogging and writing for a while so I could pray and see truly where the Lord is leading me with each, never mind my life. I had to. I was desperate. After all, I realized nothing in my life, other than my marriage, was working as it should or could. I am out of sync somehow. What I am about to share is proof of my state of transition.

I am an adult. I have a brain and I know how to use it. This means I can change. I have the ability to change. If I choose to do so. I also realize it takes months of hard work, where it takes a constant deliberate mindset to change. It does not come easily by any stretch of the imagination. I have to change, and so did my blogging and writing because of what I am about to share.

A little over a week ago, I had a wakeup call as I allowed someone to hurt me deeply. It was someone I knew I should not have given the power to do so, since they have bit me before, but I did. I thought, by mistake again, that they had changed. Well, they have. They have the same spots, the spots just moved a little and acted as camouflage so I didn’t see it coming. The truth is, I don’t think they expected it either and it surprised them just as much as it did me. They didn’t do it intentionally, but it still happened. Also, I still have no idea how to pick up with them from here. I love them, but I am no doormat. But, I cannot be a callous individual either. I keep praying God shows me His biblical way and that I do not act merely out of what I desire, which is self-preservation at this point.

I have forgiven, but it’s the forgetting part I am finding a little challenging. (Okay… Maybe a lot challenging. Lord, help me.) However, it says in 1 Corinthians 13 how love keeps no record of wrongs. Ugh. I know that is essential. It’s nonnegotiable. That is why I have pulled away from them for now because they don’t deserve any of my hostility as I try to forget and heal. They don’t need me confused as I try to have a relationship with them. I will say and do something stupid, by accident, and possibly intentionally at the time, if I am completely honest with myself… and they sure don’t deserve that. Two wrongs have never made a right. (Sorry about the cliché, but it conveys so much.) Nor will I put myself in that predicament.

Needless to say, I am in the process of trying to heal, but frankly have no idea where to turn or how to go about that. Or, maybe I should have said that in the past tense. I had no idea where to turn and how no idea to go about the process of healing. I do now, but again, I will get there in a moment.

The fact I allowed myself to be hurt like that, when it is in their nature, gave me a muchly needed wakeup call. That was when I realized how my blogging and writing are proof that something is off with me, and allowing the hurt is more proof. I have not been able to commit to one style of writing. I even started to ask, am I supposed to even be a writer? Have I been spinning my wheels, getting nowhere, for nothing? Have I been fooling myself? Was it wishful thinking? Consequently, I took a step back.

That was when I started to do something I should have done all along. I analyzed my life and where I am and where I will end up if I keep heading in this direction. I’m talking as a person, as well as a Christian, as a blogger, as a writer, and as a journal keeper. I didn’t care for what I saw. I am a scatterbrain who commits to not much but my marriage. I want to commit to my blogging and writing, but nothing ever lasts. I get an idea and the moment the wind shifts, I give up the idea and switch to the latest, greatest, this is it idea. None of this is fair to any of the readers of the blog or my writing.

So, what can I commit to anyway? What is holding me back from making the commitment?

One thing I realized is as much as I try to pray, I really don’t. I hope that makes sense, or will after a few blog posts (or should I say blog post confessionals). I pray, but again, I haven’t really, truly, totally, completely committed. (Yes. I used all of those synonyms to stress how lost I am with my praying life.) Like my blogging and writing life. Like my Bible reading and study as well.

Short of wanting to bury myself in a hole, or at least under the covers of my bed in shame, I realized that it was with my prayer and Word life I needed to start to commit. Really commit. Never give up or stop commit.

If my prayer life and Word life are nothing they should be, wouldn’t it stand to reason that the rest of the facets of my life would be out of kilter as well? After all, nothing is more important than my prayer and Bible life. And, I mean nothing. But, my life sure has been a sorrowful poor example of this, if I were to stop and be honest. Sure, I might do well for a couple of days or weeks, but it wouldn’t last. It never did. And, it never will unless I do something I have never done before.

So, what on earth does that look like? I couldn’t help but wonder.

And, I ever dreamed the answer would be what it is. (I sure do love it when He surprised me like He has the tendency to do.)

I realize now that I look back on things, God has been trying to point me in this direction all along, but I never imagined it would be in this manner.

I realized how I put too many expectations on prayer. Do all of us do this or is it just me? And, in my effort of placing all of these expectations on prayer, it would stop me from praying. It would stifle me and make me not want to pray. Too many expectations on prayer would stop any of us from praying as we should or could.

Now, it starts. (Just wait. You will see what I mean. I just made the switch form narrative to prayer.)

I realize the main thing about prayer is to turn our hearts and minds toward You, Lord… and talk with You, and listen, and pray Your Word. Praying Your Word is the main answer to every question, problem, dilemma, confusion, expectation, etc. with prayer.

No. Scratch that. Praying the Word is the answer for everything… not just prayer.

Literally.

Don’t know what to pray or how, pray what you read in the Bible, which is Your Word, Lord. Think your prayers are silly or immature? Pray the Holy Bible. Want to pray more powerful prayers? Pray the Word. What to pray without ceasing? Pray the Bible. Want to count your blessings and worship God by giving thanks? Pray the Word of God.

Just open the Bible and pray whatever you read. Pray the Bible. It really is that simple.

Thank You, Lord, for simplifying things. I oftentimes make things far more complicated than they need to be. This makes it something I can do, even when I am not thinking straight, and even when I am.

This is what I am focusing my entire life on now, is praying through the Bible. I will also focus all of my blogging and writing on this. And, this will not change. It cannot. There is too much at stake.

Just wait until the next blog post. That’s when things will come together and it will bless your socks off! I guarantee it. God is good that way.

Pray through the Bible. This is the answer. 

My Personal Prayer Journaling on Saturday March 21, 2015

S.O.A.P. of Jeremiah 17:7-8, Part 2
I keep reading this passage and what to commit it to memory and to each moment of my day.
*~*
Jeremiah 17:7-8 New Living Translation (NLT)
7 "But blessed are those who trust in the Lord
and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.
8 They are like trees planted along a riverbank,
with roots that reach deep into the water.
Such trees are not bothered by the heat
or worried by long months of drought.
Their leaves stay green,
and they never stop producing fruit.
-- 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.
*~*
Observation, Application, and Prayer:
I want to trust in God and have complete confidence and hope in Him.
Okay... That is a great sentiment. What does this look like in practice? How do I apply it? And, not only that, but how do I fully apply this to my life?
Lord, show me the way, please. How do I this? How do I live this way and in this manner?
I do not want to ever worry or be in a spiritual drought again. Instead, I want to be blessed by trusting in You fully, Lord, through having total hope and confidence in You. But, I need to know how to do so. Show me the way, God. I want to live a fruitful life in You.
~*~*~*~*~

My writing: My personal prayer journaling
March 21, 2015
I am still trying to figure out what to write, as far as a book. However, that is not my goal right now. Personal prayer journaling is my focus instead, which also means writing a daily devotional in the process as a result.
What do I want to write about? Or more importantly, what do I want to journal about?
1 Life--in Christ
2 Counting my blessings
3 Taking a Stand against terrorism
4 The end times
~*~*~*~*~
Tetrad: Four Blood Moons
316 p.m.
I have been praying about what I should write.
Is this it?
Is this a fiction book?
April is Camp NaNoWriMo. Should I? Do I?
If so, it will have the title: "TETRAD: FOUR BLOOD MOONS."

THE LATEST (NEWS): ALMOST ALL OF MY BLOG POSTS IN ONCE PLACE

Written January 28, 2015, Wednesday

I am sorry to do an extra blog post today, but there is a reason for it.

As I'm in the moving process, and waiting for the stars to align (figure of speech only) so we can put in an offer on a house, and as we are in the process of preparing to move and moving, I realize my writing is going to be in fits and starts--a little here and a little there--about this and that. Needless to say, I am going to do something once and for all. I am only going to write on this blog. It has almost every blog post I have ever written, in one place. 

Last night, I made sure to export and post most of my blog posts since 2009. I am quite excited to have everything here in one place. It simplifies things. Making things simpler is always a huge blessing. (To Him be all the glory.)

I am also in the process of trying to figure out what I really, truly, finally want to write when I grow up. I promise. Once I move, I will have an answer and will actually stick with it. I want to get serious about this once and for all. Therefore, I am working on getting the committed mindset and will make things work and will not switch once I do make the commitment. I might add a few bonus parts to blog posts, and even do an additional blog post series or two, but that is it. I want to write books--or more specifically blog posts to books. 

So welcome to this new and improved blog. I hope you enjoy. {Just a tip: Use the blog archive or labels to search for different topics you might find of use.}

Also, I would love to dialogue with you about any of the blog posts. Let me know if you have any questions, comments, or input--or if you want to read more of something. Just let me know. 

(Image credit: Stacy Duplease and Remembering Your Present, LLC 2008-2015.)

DAILY THOUGHTS ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, 2015

DAILY THOUGHTS ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, 2015
~**~**~
MORNING AND EVENING BY CHARLES SPURGEON
---
Morning
"These have no root."
Luke 8:13
My soul, examine thyself this morning by the light of this text. Thou hast received the word with joy; thy feelings have been stirred and a lively impression has been made; but, remember, that to receive the word in the ear is one thing, and to receive Jesus into thy very soul is quite another; superficial feeling is often joined to inward hardness of heart, and a lively impression of the word is not always a lasting one. In the parable, the seed in one case fell upon ground having a rocky bottom, covered over with a thin layer of earth; when the seed began to take root, its downward growth was hindered by the hard stone and therefore it spent its strength in pushing its green shoot aloft as high as it could, but having no inward moisture derived from root nourishment, it withered away. Is this my case? Have I been making a fair show in the flesh without having a corresponding inner life? Good growth takes place upwards and downwards at the same time. Am I rooted in sincere fidelity and love to Jesus? If my heart remains unsoftened and unfertilized by grace, the good seed may germinate for a season, but it must ultimately wither, for it cannot flourish on a rocky, unbroken, unsanctified heart. Let me dread a godliness as rapid in growth and as wanting in endurance as Jonah's gourd; let me count the cost of being a follower of Jesus, above all let me feel the energy of his Holy Spirit, and then I shall possess an abiding and enduring seed in my soul. If my mind remains as obdurate as it was by nature, the sun of trial will scorch, and my hard heart will help to cast the heat the more terribly upon the ill-covered seed, and my religion will soon die, and my despair will be terrible; therefore, O heavenly Sower, plough me first, and then cast the truth into me, and let me yield thee a bounteous harvest.
-- By Charles Spurgeon (on Public Domain)
---
Evening
"I have prayed for thee."
Luke 22:32
How encouraging is the thought of the Redeemer's never- ceasing intercession for us. When we pray, he pleads for us; and when we are not praying, he is advocating our cause, and by his supplications shielding us from unseen dangers. Notice the word of comfort addressed to Peter--"Simon, Simon, Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat; but"--what? "But go and pray for yourself." That would be good advice, but it is not so written. Neither does he say, "But I will keep you watchful, and so you shall be preserved." That were a great blessing. No, it is, "But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not." We little know what we owe to our Saviour's prayers. When we reach the hill-tops of heaven, and look back upon all the way whereby the Lord our God hath led us, how we shall praise him who, before the eternal throne, undid the mischief which Satan was doing upon earth. How shall we thank him because he never held his peace, but day and night pointed to the wounds upon his hands, and carried our names upon his breastplate! Even before Satan had begun to tempt, Jesus had forestalled him and entered a plea in heaven. Mercy outruns malice. Mark, he does not say, "Satan hath desired to have you." He checks Satan even in his very desire, and nips it in the bud. He does not say, "But I have desired to pray for you." No, but "I have prayed for you: I have done it already; I have gone to court and entered a counterplea even before an accusation is made." O Jesus, what a comfort it is that thou hast pleaded our cause against our unseen enemies; countermined their mines, and unmasked their ambushes. Here is a matter for joy, gratitude, hope, and confidence.
-- By Charles Spurgeon (on Public Domain)
---
MORNING BY SPURGEON AND THE TEXT
Luke 8:4-18 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
4 As a large crowd was gathering, and people were flocking to Him from every town, He said in a parable: 5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. As he was sowing, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the sky ate it up. 6 Other seed fell on the rock; when it sprang up, it withered, since it lacked moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns; the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. 8 Still other seed fell on good ground; when it sprang up, it produced a crop: 100 times what was sown.” As He said this, He called out, “Anyone who has ears to hear should listen!”
9 Then His disciples asked Him, “What does this parable mean?” 10 So He said, “The secrets of the kingdom of God have been given for you to know, but to the rest it is in parables, so that
Looking they may not see,
and hearing they may not understand.
11 “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12 The seed along the path are those who have heard and then the Devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 And the seed on the rock are those who, when they hear, welcome the word with joy. Having no root, these believe for a while and depart in a time of testing. 14 As for the seed that fell among thorns, these are the ones who, when they have heard, go on their way and are choked with worries, riches, and pleasures of life, and produce no mature fruit. 15 But the seed in the good ground—these are the ones who, having heard the word with an honest and good heart, hold on to it and by enduring, bear fruit.
16 “No one, after lighting a lamp, covers it with a basket or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand so that those who come in may see its light. 17 For nothing is concealed that won’t be revealed, and nothing hidden that won’t be made known and come to light. 18 Therefore take care how you listen. For whoever has, more will be given to him; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken away from him.”
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
---
Luke 8:11-15 Expanded Bible (EXB)
11 “This is what the ·story [parable] means: The seed is God’s ·message [word]. 12 The seed that fell ·beside the road [along the footpath] is like the people who hear God’s teaching, but [L then] the devil comes and takes it away from ·them [L their hearts] so they cannot believe it and be saved. 13 The seed that fell on rock is like those who hear God’s teaching and ·accept [receive] it ·gladly [L with joy], but they ·don’t allow the teaching to go deep into their lives [L have no root]. They believe for a while, but when ·trouble [L a time of temptation/testing] comes, they ·give up [fall away; depart]. 14 The seed that fell among the thorny weeds is like those who hear God’s teaching, but they let the ·worries [cares; anxieties], riches, and pleasures of this life ·keep them from growing and producing [L choke/crowd them and they do not produce] ·good [mature; ripe] fruit. 15 And the seed that fell on the good ground is like those who hear ·God’s teaching [the word] with good, honest hearts and ·obey [cling/hold to] it and ·patiently [with perseverance] produce good fruit.
Expanded Bible (EXB)
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
---
Luke 8:11-15 King James Version (KJV)
11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
King James Version (KJV)
by Public Domain
---
​UNITED WE STAND?​
Americans, do we understand what this truly means?
Are we actually living this?
Christians, do we really believe this and live it?
Do we?
Do we know our true enemy?
Do we label our enemy correctly?
Are we fighting and going against the true enemy?
Do we stand against the true enemy?
Please take some time to stop, think, and pray on these questions. Be real.
JOURNALING PROMPT: Use this as a journaling prompt and a prayer point.
Let's get real.
We are not united.
Each and every one of us needs to think and act on these things, not just make it a fancy talking point. If we would, we would then stand united.
Take some time. Think. Act.
JOURNALING PROMPT: How can you stand united with everyone, without worrying about being politically correct and without watering down your beliefs, but allowing others to express their beliefs as well?
---
We live in a day when I am ashamed to be American, for we do not stand united. We are not fighting the true enemy. It isn't ourselves, it's terror. My question for myself is this: What am I going to do to take a stand? I'm not sure. But, I do know how to identify the correct enemy and not get sidetracked by talking points. ​
---
​PASSIONS OF JANUARY 2015​
---
JESUS IS MY ONE WORD
Written January 11. 2015, Sunday
It's rather ironic how I started this year off with the one word of "FOCUS." It is precisely what I need. I need to focus my spirit, heart, mind, and actions (including my writing) so I live a more faithful life.
I realize that my true one word every year, including 2015 should be only one. Only One forevermore.
Jesus.
If I focus on Him, everything especially into its natural place.
Jesus is my one word. He is my life word.
Any others and I live a life and of wrongdoing.
Jesus.
Jesus should be my primary focus and passion. Nothing and no one else.
---
HONESTY ABOUT MY WRITING (AND MY WRITING PASSIONS)
1052 a.m.
The truth of the matter is this: I want to write everything and feel pulled to write several different things.
I have so many passions I want to write that it makes me realize one simple underlining truth:
I have no idea what to really write.
So, I'm sure thinking this:
1 Daily Thoughts (Non-Fiction, including Christian and Journaling Thoughts)
2 Short Stories and Novellas (Fantasy)
Then, I can lengthen things from there, if I feel so inclined.
I'm not sure if this is the answer or not. We shall see. Time will bring answers.
---
 MY CURRENT PASSIONS
1 Daily Bible reading
2 Spurgeon
3 THE LORD OF THE RINGS and Tolkien
4 Jesus... What He offers versus the other world religions and spiritualities.
5 Terrorism
6 The Church
7 Counting my blessings and giving thanks.
8 The U.S.
Not in any order, let me add.
---
#GodAndCountry
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TRYING TO KEEP THINGS SIMPLE

I have decided to keep all of my writing here on this blog. I will post everything here and from time to time will post these posts to my other blogs. You can find everything here in one convenient place, though.

(Image credit: Stacy Duplease and Remembering Your Present, LLC 2014.) 

My Plan for This Writing Blog

My Plan for This Writing Blog

I'm the type of jack-of-all-trades writer. Or, maybe you might say I am an eclectic writer. I write a little of this and that and sometimes a whole lot more this than that.

I write fiction.

I write non-fiction.

I write about times of sunshine and times of storm, sunrises and sunsets, joy and tears.

Of fiction, I write contemporary, fantasy, sci-fi, historical fiction, romance, inspirational, cozy mystery, suspense, drama, saga, etc.

Of non-fiction, I journal and write memoir or life story. I write about how to journal, write memoir or life story. I write devotionals and Bible studies as well. I write inspirational pieces, stuff on prayer and other spiritual disciplines, and about grief and loss. Marriage is another topic I write about and so is dealing with infertility, rape, and divorce. I also write about politics, religion, the military, and freedom. I'll even share my life story with you and my secret family recipes. I also have it as my goal to read 250 (or more) classics in the next several years. I also write about my family tree and how we've been in the USA since 1607--and how I can trace my tree of direct ancestors to Nero, Charlemagne, and Joseph of Arimathea.

This blog is all of this and more. It's meant to be a collection of all of my writing. Period. This and that. Etc. Etc. Etc.

(Image credit: Stacy Duplease 2011-2014.)

My Main Writing Blog

This is my main writing, reading, and journaling blog. Hence, RYP Stories (Remembering Your Present Stories).

Welcome and stay tuned.

(Image credit: Stacy Duplease and Remembering Your Present, LLC 2014.)

Life Story Prompt

Life Story Prompt

How do you want to tell your Life Story?
1 Write it
2 Audio record
3 Video
4 A combination of all of the above

If you are learning some else's Life Story, ask them how they prefer to tell their story and do that.

Camp NaNoWriMo Day #1: Writing "Simplistic"

Today is the first day of Camp NaNoWriMo and the start of my current writing project.

I need to write at least 1,700 words today so I will have at least 50,000 words of "Simplistic" at the end of Camp NaNoWriMo. My heart starts to race at the thought. It's a nervous excitement.

RYPLS AND LAST NIGHT
"Simplistic" and my new focus and business of Remembering Your Present Life Story had me wound up last night, so I'm living on practically no sleep. (Ugh.) This new focus has grabbed my heart and won't let go. I'm sold on it. I cannot help but get emotional just thinking about it.

EVERYONE SHOULD CAPTURE THEIR STORY
I truly believe everyone should capture their life story, whether it's on the page (written), audio recording, or via video. I think this of every individual, every marriage, every family, and your closest friendships. Think about it. Doesn't your marriage have a Life Story? And, so do the others I just mentioned.
Every story matters.
Every story is important.
Every story has a purpose--for the one whose story it is and for the one who is learning their story.
Every story is sacred.

THOSE WHO SHOULD CAPTURE THEIR LIFE STORY (OR HAVE SOMEONE DO IT FOR THEM)
- Those in a hospice or nursing home
- Those who are dying (cancer, tumor, sickness, etc.)
- Those who have learned some life lessons
- If you have dealt with a struggle
- If you have been blessed
- Parents
- Grandparents
- Married
- Single
- Older
- Younger
- If you've lived a day

Now... Wish me luck with Camp NaNoWriMo.

An Introduction

The first book, and blog post series, in this How to Tell or Learn a Life Story Series is called, Remembering Your Present Life Story Simplified Version. 

It is a how-to book to help you write your life story or help you to write another's life story. This book will walk you through step by step. It's the simplified version so it will walk you through the simplest way of learning and telling a life story, step by step. 

Books in the REMEMBERING YOUR PRESENT LIFE STORY BOOK SERIES

Books in the REMEMBERING YOUR PRESENT LIFE STORY BOOK SERIES: 
1 Remembering Your Present Life Story Simplified Version: How to Tell or Learn a Life Story
2 Remembering Your Present Life Story Moderate Version: How to Tell or Learn a Life Story
3 Remembering Your Present Life Story In-Depth Version: How to Tell or Learn a Life Story
4 Remembering Your Present Life Story Christian Version: How to Tell or Learn a Life Story
5 Remembering Your Present Life Story Spiritual Version: How to Tell or Learn a Life Story

(Image credit: Stacy Duplease 2009-2014)

Is this blog for you? Should you write your life story or someone else's?

Remembering Your Present Life Story

This blog is for you if you want to do any of the items that follow:
- Write your life story, someone else's, or your family's.
- Write your memoir.
- Write your autobiography.
- Write someone's biography.
- Interview someone for their story.

I will keep it simple and call all of these "life story."

When is it important to write your life story or someone else's?
- You or they are in a nursing home or hospice.
- You or they want to.
- You or they have a terminal illness.
- You or they are pregnant or are thinking about leaving a legacy.
- You or they want to leave a legacy.
- You or they have a grandchild.
- You or they have had an unique experience.
- You or they are of retirement age.
- You or they are the last generation in your family line.
- You or they have a story, or several, to tell.

(Image credit: Stacy Duplease 2014.)

Welcome

Welcome to a blog to help you write your life story or to help you write the life story of another.

--

Stacy Duplease

agodlyvision@gmail.com

rememberingyourpresent@gmail.com

Blog & Website: http://ryplifestory.blogspot.com/

My Writing Space, The Progress of Book 1, and a 56 Day Writing Marathon

MY WRITING SPACE
Recently, my husband and I ought new furniture for my study/office, where I sped all day doing Bible study and writing. I was in desperate need for some organization and smaller furniture to take up less space in the room, but still be functional. So, Ikea came to the rescue and fulfilled both of those requirements. (This is only part of my work space. I will share more photos later, by the way.)

MY WRITING PROGRESS OF BOOK 1
I still have no idea of a title for Book 1 of Land of Risina Series. Then again, the idea is so new I'm not surprised. I've started to do some of an outline, some planning, and some writing and have 23 pages, 3,496 words so far.

56 DAYS OF A WRITING MARATHON
Starting Saturday, I'm am going on a writing marathon, where I plan on writing at least 3,000 words per day for 56 days, for a total of 168,000 words minimum. Usually, I write about 2,000 words per day.

Also, I plan on writing at least twelve hours a day. So, I may get a great deal more written than I anticipate. We shall see.

EXERCISE 
Also, during those 56 days, I plan on increasing my workout. I am a runner, something I took up just a couple of years ago, after over three decades of only running in order to avoid getting hit by upcoming traffic or if I didn't want to get drenched by rain. Once a week, I run a 10k, but it hasn't been consistent. I do it once to twice a month. I would like to run more than that. Moreover, my minimum run is a 5k and I want to increase that to five miles a day, three days a week and 10 or more miles once a week. Ideally, my long run will be a half marathon, then a marathon. But, I need to get serious about working up to those distances. So, I plan on doing this the next 60 days or so--in order to establish a habit. From there, I will continue it and try to keep increasing my distance.

WRITING IS A SOLITARY ACTIVITY
As a writer, it's easy to get lazy and not keep in shape like we should. That's why I am adding to my writing marathon more physical running. It's my desire to lose weight and get in better shape than I've been in a long time, if not ever.

As a writer, it's essential to have a balanced life. The next 56 days will be part of that. I will also be doing two to three Bible studies at that time as well.

Now, back to writing.

(Top Image Credit: Stacy Duplease 2014. Middle and Bottom Image Credit: Microsoft images online 2009-2014.)

Writing How-To: