At last, I have something significant to post for a writing update! I've struggled, ever since the last story I wrote, to get those creative juices flowing again and to be consistent at it. Now, I think I've figured out the reason why. Some of you may remember the poll I put up on Instagram about which story I should pursue. This one (see pic below) got the most votes and it is along the lines of this premise that I am shaping my new story. There are so many unknowns with this story. This particular tale feels bigger than any of my previous projects over the years, since I'll be juggling a handful of viewpoints and trying to weave TWO stories into one specific plotline. Yikes!
Despite the "impossible-ness" of this project looming over me, at the same time it excites me because published authors I've followed have claimed feeling the same way. Overwhelmed by all there is to tell and how to bring the pictures we see in our heads out onto paper, forming them into word-pictures that tell a story. There is currently no title to this one, and unlike I've done in the past, there isn't really a strict outline of "this is how it is going to happen" but rather, I'm going to take this opportunity to lean into my Savior, the Author of my story, the Author of this world, the Author of words. . . and seek His help in bringing this story to life. Recently, during some sporadic writing sessions, I've paused beforehand and simply prayed, "Lord, give me the words." When I take the time to pause and to hand it all over to God, my writing comes more naturally, sometimes from a deeper level. He gives me the words. And if words are what I need to make this story come alive, then I need His help. =) Want a sneak peek? ;) I'm debating about adding this to the story as a prologue, just in case it would give readers too many clues right from the start. . . but we'll see if it ends up in there. Without further ado. . . the prologue. *** Once upon a time. . . I sighed and crossed out the sentence. It was so cliched, yet what phrase could begin to describe memories that felt like they were from a lifetime ago? Could mere words sweep me back to those days—without sounding like a washed up, romantic fairytale? My story was anything but a fairytale. Somehow, I had to convince my words of the same idea. I held my breath as a gust of wind rattled the windows, reminding me of the storm outside that closely resembled the one inside me. Again, I wondered how I could get this story written accurately. How could I capture every sparkling moment; the ones that stole my breath, made my heart ache with longing, and brought the familiar tingle to my lips? Then there were the ones I wished he was in, the bittersweet memories that came after that night. I wielded my pen, poising it over the partially charred sheet in my leather-bound notebook. Yet another testament of what I once had before everything came crashing down. At last, I dove into the heart of the story. The words that flowed from my pen—from my heart—didn’t stop, as if I’d turned on a spicket, freeing the memories clogged in my soul. I wrote for three hours what it took half a year to work through. A major part of my life recorded in a matter of 180 minutes, here and gone, just like that. It wasn’t perfect. Some of my memories from that time blended with ones more recent, but it didn’t matter. No one would ever read it anyway. No matter how much I dreamed of the moments I had that summer, I couldn’t go back. The truth speared me and threatened to blow away the last of the hope I harbored deep in my heart. The hope that I might see him again. . . someday.
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So, it's my birthday. . .and while I'd love to write a yearly "reflection" over this past year of my life, I don't have the patience to do so. Instead, I thought I'd give you a snapshot into my 21st year by sharing 21 memories with you. (Hopefully brief! Bear with me here.) 1. God's Love I can't start without mentioning the big thing I've learned from this year. After reading Phillip Keller's book and other scriptures, I came away with a new definition of God's love and I was blown away. His love is really unique, and oh-so full of His grace and mercy. Think about it. . . would you go so far as to die for your enemy? It seems impossible to love them, but to die for them. . . thinking of them long before they ever thought of Him. . . it's incredible! 2. My new sister This is definitely a big blessing from the past year. A new little sister, Molly Rose. We adore her! 3. Taylor's bridal shower & wedding My cousin, Taylor, was the first out of all the cousins on my mom's side to get engaged and we were SO incredibly excited for her and Nate. This bridal shower happened about a year ago and it was definitely one of the highlights of my year! Breakfast, sugary donuts, tears, and a whole lot of love surrounded this day. And I can't forget the Sheetz run we had the night before with our cousin Ben and the walking tour we took around the hotel. ;) April 30, 2021 is a date for the books! The WHOLE day was so fun and unmatched in excitement. Nate and Taylor married and it was such a blessing to be able to see their love for God and each other on display throughout the entire day. You couldn't help but walk away with precious memories to carry with you always. 4. Aunt Cindy & Uncle Ernie's 50th Anniversary Party This was a really fun day. The weather was warm and sunny, perfect for this celebration. We got to see a lot of relatives we hadn't seen in a long time, and it was fun catching up and hanging out together. Some of my siblings would argue that the best part of the party was zipping around in Cousin Mark's Corvette. :) 5. Airport Day Every year at our local airport they have an airport day, open to the public with lots of food, vendors, antique cars, open-vehicle tours, and most of all, airplane and helicopter rides! Our cousins from North Carolina were visiting town that weekend, so we took them over to the airport Saturday morning and began a day full of adventures. My cousin Matthew rode on an airplane, while my brother Luke took a ride in a helicopter. So cool! What is most memorable is the fun we had afterwards when a group of us went to McDonald's and Chick-fil-A for a really late afternoon lunch! There was a lot of laughter and teasing over the walkie-talkies in our cars. 6. Swearing In My dad was sworn in as a re-elected councilman for Wyoming Borough. He is also the council president and it was fun celebrating this night with pizza and dinner before the meeting and the swearing in of new and old members. :) 7. Gabbie and Aiden's wedding This was the year for attending weddings! It was a blessing to be able to celebrate Gabbie and Aiden's love at this beautiful venue. The weather was perfect and the whole day was full of memories, touching gestures, and speeches celebrating this wonderful couple. :) 8. The Montrose Christian Writer's Conference I've attended this writer's conference for the last three years and have gained so much information and made many friends. It's a close-knit community of writers here, and I enjoy coming back and seeing old and new friends. :) This was also my first year staying on the campus so that was a fun experience! 9. Visiting World's End The week after the writers' conference a few of my siblings and one of our cousins headed to World's End Park to visit Aunt Cindy, Uncle Ernie, and their gang camping out! It was warm, perfect for a walk down by the river and sitting around the campfire, doing some more catching up and snacking on treats. As you can see, my sister enjoyed seeing Cousin Mark's Corvette again. ;) 10. Family vacation to Myrtle Beach, SC The ocean, as always, was wild and beautiful. It's always so peaceful walking down the beach and we did that quite a few times during this trip. Sitting on the ocean-front balcony was picturesque and offered a lot of story inspiration just staring out over the Atlantic Ocean as far as my eyes could see. :) 11. Fun with my younger sisters Summer was full of icy treats, evenings on the front porch just to watch the sunset, and lots of giggles with these girls. Aren't they the cutest? ;) 12. God's Creation I spend a lot of time sitting on the front porch last summer, beholding the sunset or any other display of God's handiwork that unfolded. :) I don't know why I didn't realize it before, but I learned then that no sunset looks the same. Each one has its own unique beauty and no two are alike. Seeing the sunset always reminds me of Psalm 113:3. 13. Stories I got to write As much as I would have loved to write more, I did manage to complete a couple short stories and one, full-length novel, temporarily titled, "Where Life and Memories Bloom." It was a memorable story, where multiple times I felt as if I'd just spilled my heart out onto the page, through the characters and the struggles they were going through. It's always fun to finally see the ideas in your head, often sitting in your heart for a long time, come to fruition through your fingertips. :) But all the glory goes to God for giving me the words and calling me to this writing journey. 14. Taylor and Nate's announcement During one of the Dymond's trips to town, they got a video call from Taylor and Nate and they told us the happy news: they were going to have a baby! I can still remember that late afternoon, and how my heart started racing when Uncle James said who was on the phone. I knew immediately what this was going to be! Fast forward to last month, and the update: they're having a baby GIRL! We can hardly wait to meet her in a few more months. :) 15. Attending the Dymond's New Years Eve Party This is an annual event that happens every year and it was fun to be able to attend with some of my siblings. We got up super early to drive the five hours out to their house, then we spent the afternoon relaxing before the big party. It was complete with fellowship, lots of different games, corn hole, ping pong tournaments, group devotions (that was a highlight of my night) and getting to know new friends. I had a really fun time getting to know Esther Hartman, my cousin Ben's girlfriend. We're both writers so that was definitely a subject we enjoyed talking about, as well as impactful books and big memories from the past year. It was surely one of the most memorable ways to start of 2022! 16. Some of the great reads See that book over on the far left? THAT was a very impactful read for me this year, bringing to my attention the struggles of soldiers in the Great War, the sacrifices some of them made, and the significance of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. I cried, I laughed, and my heart ached with the characters and how very real their situations appeared to be. If you haven't read anything by Amanda Dykes, go do it now! She was one of the new-to-me authors from last year, as well as Kimberly Duffy and Sarah Sundin. :) 17. Clark Summit University's Lady Defenders basketball game
This was a more recent highlight of my 21st year, watching two of my former team-mates from the River of Life Christian Academy basketball team, represent their college team in the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) Championship. As you can see, they WON! The whole place was screaming and on their feet every time they made a basket. It was their first time going to the NCAA in a long time. :) 18. Laura's recital and choir concert My sister, Laura, attends Clark Summit University and is majoring in music education. This past fall and winter she had a junior recital, playing her violin. She did a great job, and the pieces were beautiful! Closer to Christmas, she participated in a choir concert and the sound! It was like a taste of heaven here on earth. They are planning on having another choir concert later in the Spring and I'm really looking forward to seeing her perform again! 19. Working at Bath & Body Works This was the longest job I stayed with, when they kept me on after the holidays. I learned many lessons there, customer service being one of them, and the ladies I worked with were fun and they kept things entertaining, even on the busiest shopping days of the season. :) The employee perks and discounts, were a plus, too. ;) 20. Impactful songs I discovered some new favorites recently: "Wild and Precious Life" by JJ Heller, "You Already Know" by JJ Heller, "Yes, He Can" by CAIN, "Walking Free" by Micah Tyler, and "Sound of the Saints" by Audio Adrenaline. 21. Writing encouragement There were many instances where I was feeling discouraged about my writing or the impact it could have on others and then the Lord would send people, with words of encouragement about a blog post or touching messages about my short stories that boosted my confidence and lifted my heart in praise to Him. He really does know what we need and sends it at the perfect time--in His time, friends. So grateful to the Lord for blessing me with these and countless other memories from my twenty-first year. Can't wait to see what 22 holds! And if you made it this far, thank you. Thank you so much for taking the time to read not only this post but all my other blog posts. It means so much to me! Hope*writers sent out a list of writing prompts for the month of March and if any of you are writers, I encourage you to check them out! Some of these prompts range from "describe such and such an experience you had" to questions that will get the words flowing. I mean, the goal for these "prompts" is to get us writers writing. ;)
Today's writing prompt is: What makes you feel refreshed as a writer? (The answer and the depths that I went into surprised me!) Without further ado, this is for all you writer-friends out there! Several things can be factored into the answer to this question, one physical and one that has more to do with the words themselves. So, let's move on to number one. (1) Clear Thoughts Has your mind ever been so full of stuff that it felt cluttered? Welcome to a writer's mind. This is how mine gets, usually when I'm daydreaming about characters and different situations in the story I'm crafting, or when I'm brainstorming about which ideas could be combined into one logical story. I have found that, in the morning, my thoughts are less "muddled" and more likely to form logical ideas and words to put onto paper. For example, I'm writing my answer to this question, and it is mid-morning. Write at a time that works best for you. If your clearest thoughts are more towards the end of the day, write then. Do what works for you. What also goes well with clarity of thought is word flow. As a writer, do you find that your words are staggering along, looking for all the support they can get or are they flowing out like a strong current, so strong that you can't stop it? There have probably been times where you have experienced both of these struggles. Word flow that is like a current brings those word counts up faster and brings a sense of confidence as well. At times like these, you know you are called to be a writer. But how do you feel when the words are limp, lifeless, and so terribly dull? Not so good, right? Those "voices" of doubt, fear, and insecurity pop up to whisper in those moments. When I have to search and grapple with words to fill in that white space, I have realized that I may not be reading a lot. Writers--all writers--should read. Because when you read, the words build up in your head, descriptions and transitions come more naturally, and your own words will begin to sound more like a story again. Whew! That probably should've been a whole point in itself! Haha! ;) In summary, write at a time when your thoughts are clear and when your words are struggling, read, read, read! (2) Deep, spiritual impact. What are some of the most memorable reads from the past year that have stayed with you? It's likely you remember them because they had some sort of impact on you (and/or) your life. One such book for me was Amanda Dykes' latest one, "Yours is the Night." It gave me a deeper understanding of the Great War, the struggles soldiers have/could have gone through in that era, and an appreciation for the men who went to the front lines willingly. It impacted me in a deeply spiritual way through the symbolism of light (hope, good, love, etc.) in the midst of darkness (war, evil, sin, etc.) and how we all can fight for the light and bring light into our darkest days. What deep thoughts have captivated you and moved you to the very depths of your heart--your very being? Whatever it is that moves you, that hits you in the chest and leaves you breathless, write about it. I get excited when deep thoughts and life lessons seep through my writing. This way, I know it will have an impact on people--or even just one person. We all have these deep longings and yearnings of the soul and heart that are common with others we know. . . and maybe even those we don't know. So, how do you possess or get a hold of these "deep thoughts"? Think about your beliefs, your convictions, why you do what you do, and why you believe what you believe. Take a moment and sift through your reasons. An example of a common longing we all experience is this: we all want to be loved, known, seen, and heard. Yet, in this imperfect, sinful world we struggle to show these feelings to others. Others also struggle about how they can express these emotions toward us. . . and that results in some friction. And not only friction, but struggles, misunderstandings, fears, and frustration because no one seems to understand your desires. Write about a character that has struggles similar to the one I mentioned above. People will be impacted by that character because they relate to his/her struggle. With a lot of prayer and faith in our Almighty Author, I believe we can touch hearts and changes lives with our words. I hope this post has encouraged all you writers (and readers) out there! I'd love to hear what refreshes you as a writer. Feel free to message me or comment below! March is upon us. I like to think that this is the season where we put the winter behind us and face the sunshine and warmth of the coming Spring and Summer. It's a month of anticipation, a shedding of the earth's "winter coat" and an annual resurrection of life that points us ever towards our Creator. Now, living in Pennsylvania, March weather is pretty much a wild rollercoaster ride. You never know when the temps will soar higher and higher, stretching into the 60s before plummeting to below freezing, all in the same day. (Yep, welcome to Pennsylvania! Lol!) Five years ago, I remember hoping that the weather would be warm and sunny for my birthday. Guess what happened? The week of my birthday we got a storm that dumped almost two feet of snow in the valley. . . The big storm of 2017 that buried our yard. Needless to say, that was the last time I hoped for warm weather as early as March. ;) But, I'm not here to ramble (aka: complain) about March's colder spells. Instead, I pray that this post warms your hearts no matter what the weather is in your neck of the woods. :) There is a writing organization that offered writing prompts for this month and the first question was: If March were a color, what color would it be? What color do you think is perfect for this month? This was my answer in a nutshell, after some contemplation (and editing, lol). Note: If any of you are writers, I encourage you to ponder this and let the words flow from your pen or keys.
If March were a color, it would be blue green. Blue represents how the skies look on a clear day, promising the warmth and the long-awaited return of Spring. Green represents the new growth that springs from the thawing ground, turning the brown, crusty grass into a vibrant carpet of emeralds; the stalks that stretch toward the surface, higher and higher, till they break through the soil and soak in the light of the sunshine; and the way the limbs stretch themselves heavenward, singing silent praises to their Creator. Even in their silence, they testify of the truth that God is the Maker of heaven and earth. Writing that last part reminded me of the verse in Luke 19. "And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out." (v. 40) May this month--and the seasons to come--be a time for us to lift our eyes and our hearts heavenward and sing praises to our Creator. Above all, may we always have an eye toward the magnificent resurrection that brought us life and salvation. Blessings, Carolyn |
AuthorHi! I'm Carolyn, a writer seeking to glorify God with my words. Archives
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