New Mormon Ads Make me HAPPY!!!

By Christine Thackeray



This morning I opened my computer and this video was playing. One of my kids had watched it and left it running. So I'm cracking eggs and listening with half an ear to this woman talk about her art and then she says that for a while she thought that being a mother meant she couldn't do it, but then she realized, "Hey, this is what God gave me and wants me to be." So she is BOTH a mom and an artist.

At this point I'm nodding my head, thinking 'smart lady' and wondering why my children are listening to some random artist talk about herself. Then she ends with "I'm an artist and a Mormon." I had no idea this is where it was going. Wow, was I HAPPY!!!

For some women, their project in life is their house, decorating, scrapbooking and shopping. I DETEST all those things because to me they are temporary and BORING. I love to create, to study and learn something that's been hidden for years. I love to challenge my mind, and I love to write something that feels genuine. I so believe that my gifts are part of who I am, and I hope to teach my children that motherhood is an artform. We aren't stapled to one particular cookie cutter and part of me wonders with strong women like Emma and Eliza Snow at the beginnings of our church whoever thought we were.

Anyway, next time you're feeling guilty, weird or off center about writing or being who you are, listen to a few of these (there are at least eight or nine) and know it's great to be YOU.

The Writing Season.

By Christine Thackeray

I know there are authors of many different shapes, sizes and interests, but for writers who are mothers, a special season is upon us. It is the writing season. Where others may appreciate the cooler nights and loaded fruit trees, as signs of the impending season, those of us who are mother writers find our fingers tingling as we finish up the school shopping and clean out closets in anticipation of the first day of school.

In my mind I think I'll wait for at least a week after school begins before diving in but the reality is that as soon as I wave good-bye to my elementary schooler, I make a mad dash to the computer and begin typing away at the plot that's been stewing in my brain all summer while I've taken children to the beach and entertained relatives.

The beauty of it is that for all of September and most of October, each day I can bathe in creative expression. I have to admit it's hard to put it away when they get home. But I try to still focus on go through back packs, encouragin homework and at least having an idea of what I'm going to cook for dinner. After Halloween costumes are taken care of, I'm free for another month to type away. The goal is to finish the rough draft by the end of NaNoWriMo so that you can let your rough draft steep during the Christmas holidays. With the end of Christmas vacation, that's when editing starts (always a bummer) and as the older kids finals come around, I'm ready to submit.

That's the goal anyway. Well see how I do this year. Last year a move sidetracked me, along with editing another project, but this year I'm determined to finish and submit my new WIP by next spring.

Hallelujah, the writing season is almost here. One more week.

Happy Mother's Day!

By Trina Boice

 http://www.boicebox.com/

The first word my 4th son learned when he was about one year old was "Mama".   He didn't say another word until he was two.  I felt like the most important person in the world to be given such an honor.  Moms are usually the ones who teach us to speak and to read.  While I hope my children will remember the many times I read books to them when they were little, the reality is that what they do remember are the many times I fell asleep trying to read to them because I was utterly exhausted!  Not until then did I fully appreciate my own mother.

So what gift could we possibly give to our mothers who have sacrificed and given so much?  One of the most luxurious treats a mom can receive is a hot bubble bath with soft music playing in the background, candle light, a piece of decadent chocolate, and a good book to read while soaking in the tub. It's even more relaxing if she knows the kids are being taken care of and the dishes are done. (Hint, Hint)  Oh yeah, and flowers!

What a mom REALLY wants for Mother's Day is to know that her children are good and that they're going to contribute to making the world a better place. All mothers want to leave a legacy of love. You can show your mom that her love will continue long after she's gone by the way you treat other people and the earth. 

Words are powerful things.  The words that leave your mouth reveal your character and values.  Make sure they include "I love you" and "Thank you" today.  For a little inspiration as you write your Mother's Day card, check out the following web sites:
http://www.mothersdaypoems.info/
www.dayformothers.com/mothers-day-poems/index.html
http://www.mothersdaycelebration.com/
www.poemsforfree.com/mothersdaypoems.html

Have a wonderful day!

My, My, How Time Does Fly

by Tristi Pinkston

Our valiant and brave blog moderator, Rebecca, set up a reminder system for us so we'd all know when it was our turn to post here at Writing Fortress. I blog every other Wednesday, after a rather funny incident in which I stole Jillayne's spot and ... oh, wait, that was an un-funny. Sort of a thoughtless, rather. Anyway, I blog every other Wednesday, and I get my reminder on Sunday night.

This week, when my reminder hit my inbox, I blinked. Had it really been two weeks since I last posted? Where on earth did the time go? Between sickness and housework and children's birthdays and work, it all just zipped by, becoming somewhat of a Technicolor whirl. It blends into a mish-mash of chaos, with dirty dishes flying by (look out!) and laundry and the never-ending need for love and attention. Some nights, I crawl into bed knowing full well that absolutely nothing I did that day will still be done in the morning. It was all the never-done stuff - the cooking, the cleaning ... sigh.

But there are two things in my life that I can use as a ticker to show me if I'm making progress - if my children feel loved, and my word count.

Some days, I can only eek out a half sentence. Other days, I have more time and I get in over a thousand words. But regardless of the day's total, (and yes, I have days upon days where I write nothing) any increase is a sign of success. If I can open up my document and see that my word count has gone up by even one, I am a success as a writer. I have written.

Time does fly by, so fast. There's never enough of it to go around. Never enough to keep everything clean, everyone in matched socks (just don't take off their shoes) and to keep all the balls in the air, all the time. But if everyone got hugged, I'm a step ahead as a mother, and every single word written adds up to my success as a writer. No, I didn't write an entire novel today, but I don't have to. I wrote enough. I am a success.