Picket Fences

I've had the pleasure of talking to lots of fun people while at book signings or at speaking events. Many people have expressed their own desire to write a book. I get so excited for them because, well, it's obvious, I love to write stories. The big question I get, is always, "How?" Just do a little at a time and it grows and grows and soon, there before you is a book. But often times it can be very hard to be standing at the beginning of something, without thinking, how on earth am I ever going to do that? It can be so overwhelming in many different situations such as... I remember the first day I was alone after I had experienced a miscarriage. I laid in bed wondering, how on earth am I going to even get out of bed, let alone go through the entire day? I remember when I had some very loud mysterious blaring noises in my head and couldn't find a doctor to help me. The day ahead would seem so long, how on earth was I going to make it? When another miscarriage happ...

Once upon a time, there was a Mapmaker. He had a little shop that sat way up high on a hill with an incredible view. The Mapmaker knew where every single path, anyone could take, led. He carefully marked all of his maps with the straight way to any destination. If followed, it would guarantee a person would experience the most enjoyable things along the way, no matter how difficult the journey. And to top it off, he offered a guide, for free, to escort the travelers. Each map not only showed the straight path, but also roads which appeared shorter and offered more fun.  They ended up being dangerous and not enjoyable routes. The Mapmaker faithfully put up warning signs on these particular routes. Usually, a person who took these paths would wind up at the end of their journey very battered and bruised. There was one particular day the Mapmaker was busy cleaning up around his shop when the bell attached to his front door rang. Someone is here ! He was quick to dust himself o...

My great niece lives across the country from her dad. She gets to see him a few months during the summer, a couple weeks during the winter and a week during the spring. Not much time for a little girl who adores her daddy and a daddy who adores his little girl. Recently right after she returned home from Christmas break, she called her nana from a box. “You’re calling from a box?” Yes, she had put her daddy’s address on it and crawled inside so she could be shipped back to him. The time they spend together is very valuable. During the interim there are many phone calls to one another and gift packages. What a wonderful relationship the two have between them. Although, they don’t see each other often they keep in contact and share things of their life with one another. They take the time to truly get to know one another. My niece could know her dad from what the people around her say but, she goes right to the source and values her time with him. When I was very young I was taught to re...