Ethereal Queen

Prayer

Pray for me, please.

posted by Sallie @ 4:03 AM 0 comments

Children's Church

They needed help in Children's Church yesterday, so I volunteered. I think it's been about 15 years since I've done something like that. Let's just say it is not my "gift!" My talents evidently are elsewhere. I can maintain crowd control, but that's about it. I guess every event needs a bouncer, eh?
www.committedtofreedom.org

posted by Sallie @ 5:05 AM 0 comments

Money

I'm so frustrated about the finances of Committed to Freedom. Everyone who experiences our retreats, seminars, and what we do online feels transformed, inspired, and recognizes the value of what we do. And yet . . . we keep hemorrhaging. We're so low in funds right now, I'm not sure that we'll have many options left in another month of two but to shut this down. I go to the Post Office everyday looking for that $million check. So far, it hasn't arrived. I really don't have time to do any REAL fund raising and evidently, I really don't know what works and what doesn't work. It's just shocking to me that people who feel so transformed don't or can't invest something into the ministry. I don't feel in a panic. I just wonder what's going to happen. We're backed into a corner and the paint doesn't seem to be drying on the floor.
www.committedtofreedom.org

posted by Sallie @ 6:27 AM 0 comments

Reflections on Stress

I just finished a brief visit with my son. He is a university senior taking 19 hours this semester and working full time in a very intense job. He is also in the Guard so he has weekend drills every few weeks. We had very little time together, as I anticipated, because this is the first week of classes. I reflected back on my college days - working full time, going to school full time. It was incredibly stressful, lonely, and overwhelming at times. I'm not sure if this is a preparation for life, or just a set up to keep us living at this kind of full throttle pace that eventually consumes us. I believe in hard work, having goals, being focused, but I just wonder from time to time if this is really what God built us for. My energy was spent long ago. I'm looking for peace and serenity now, which I value as much as I do hard work. These are just my reflections on stress.
www.committedtofreedom.org

posted by Sallie @ 8:54 AM 0 comments

Lego's

I am reflecting on something I saw my grandson do recently. He is three and has a set of Lego's building blocks - the kind that interlock. He was building a tower and it kept falling over. He would rebuild it, it would fall over. Finally, he said in frustration to the Lego's, "Stop falling! I made you!" I could almost here God saying, "I know just how your feel!"
www.committedtofreedom.org

posted by Sallie @ 8:10 AM 1 comments

Brilliant!!

My days feel very "uneventful" right now. I'm sitting in a church basement, re-working The Uncaged Project for translation into Spanish (and hopefully other languages eventually!). This is vitally important, but it dulls me a bit. "How was your day?" is a question hardly worth asking me. The response would sound something like, "I had a real breakthrough today!! I figured out how to communicate the metaphor 'double-edged sword' to a broader understanding! Wow! That was tense!!" I know, I know! It's really exciting to hear, eh?

In all seriousness, I know this is important, but my hands hurt like crazy, my elbows ache, and I am really sick of sitting for hours and hours to re-write something I've written! Such are the burdens I bear. Not much of a martyr and not too inspired right now!

By the way, my solution to "double-edged sword?" A sword that is sharp on both sides of the blade! As the Guinness guys say: "Brilliant!"
www.committedtofreedom.org

posted by Sallie @ 8:11 AM 0 comments

Writing Space

I am working hard to get The Uncaged Project ready to be translated into Spanish. This is a tough project because I'm compressing it a bit and taking a lot of "American-eze" out of it so that it connects in a more universal way. I've been able to get a lot done because of the solitary work place I've been given to write at a local Methodist church. It's a tremendous gift to me - no phones, email, or interruptions! A writer's dream come true. Every once in a while, I come up for air and have stimulating conversations with the Pastor. She has become a good friend who challenges me intellectually and spiritually. Once my heart and brain fill up, I can go back to write and find there's something to draw from!
www.committedtofreedom.org

posted by Sallie @ 8:19 AM 0 comments

Husband's Birthday

Today, my husband Tim is 54 years old! How is he celebrating? He's riding his bicycle 55 miles. Every year, he rides his bike one more mile than his age. And yes, it's going to be 95 degrees today. I guess when he's 99, he should do this in Canada rather than Arkansas! Happy Birthday Tim!
www.committedtofreedom.org

posted by Sallie @ 5:10 AM 0 comments