Okay, so today is one of my fave days of the week…it’s TUNES TUESDAY! 
I had the opportunity to chat with Tom Millspaugh, owner/operator of The INN (A unique Christian coffee-house located in Salisbury NC) last weekend. He has graciously agreed to allow me to interview him in the next month.
Tom has also introduced me to some fabulous new local talent. So in the next few weeks, I’ll be posting more on the local indie musicians. There will be a variety of music, musicians and hopefully, some interviews thrown in the mix.
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Today’s TUNES TUESDAY group is out of Tallahassee, FL. Let’s give a warm welcome to… CANOPY RED!
Here is a link to their Indie Heaven tunes — http://www.indieheaven.com/artist_main.php?id=97069
According to their website: “Signed to Creative Soul Records, its self-titled EP is loaded with just at much variety as it is introspection. “Like our name says, we want to show more people, both saved and unsaved, what it means to live under the shelter of Christ’s blood.”
Let me know what you think about their sound and message!
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As for my own music, I am in the mood! I picked up my guitar yesterday and did a little practicing. My fingers are rusty, but I’ve not lost the feel. I didn’t write any new music this past month, even though it was on my nano rebel list. But – I’ve got the bug again. Are any of you songwriters? If so, what kind of songs do you write? Do you sing? play an instrument? How do you express yourselves?
Have you ever wondered why some folks are organized and some folks aren’t? I usually ponder that question as I am sorting through the piles of papers that have accumulated in my car, desk and bedroom.
Thankfully, I am surrounded by folks who are very organized. I’m hoping their skills and gifts will rub off on me.
One of those wonderful folks is my fellow writer, critique partner, and very good friend, Jean Matthew Hall. She always has the emails I’ve somehow lost or deleted. She has notes anywhere and everywhere – in much the same way I keep chocolate handy!
Another organized buddy is my college pal, Susan. She has rubbed off on me more than she’ll ever know. We are the exact opposite in many aspects, including in regards to organization, but that is one of the ways we learn from each other!
A
nd my husband – bless his heart! He is even more organized than Jean or Susan…and that is saying a lot! I drive him crazy with my haphazard filing system and the way I deal with laundry. His gray hairs have my name all over them!
They are all great influences in my struggles with organization. I learn different lessons from each one of them – and they are slowly rubbing off on me. Very slowly. Think SLOTH slow.
Are there folks in your life who have helped shape your organizational habits…or lack thereof? Were you born organized? Are you the influence for someone else?
Here are a few things I’ve learned from my group of organized buddies –
- clean out the car after every trip to the drive through. (now if I’d only follow that advice!)
- don’t bring the junk mail into the house. Throw it away, RIGHT away.
- if you want clean dishes at all times, eat out. (that is one of my hub’s contributions, but he doesn’t want us to use it very often!)
- organize stuff a little at a time everyday so you don’t get overwhelmed.
- find a place for something, and always put it there when you aren’t using it. (again, my hubsters idea. it works beautifully for him.)
What are some of your favorite organizational tips? Who helped influence this aspect of your life?
I’ve been known to say whatever pops into my head. And it usually gets me in BIG trouble.
I am not a fan of the passive-aggressive/candy-coated approach to solving solutions. I’m persuaded more and more that it is not the right way to deal with hard situations. But I am also convinced that we are to handle situations with the same grace God has afforded us.
That is often easier said than done.
Recently, a situation has occurred that caused my heart to hurt and my blood to boil. I’ve struggled with finding the right balance of speaking my mind and still being kind. My hubby has been sweet enough to listen to me vent. But as I write this post, I am reminded of this verse:
The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.
That is a hard pill to swallow. What we say, then, comes from the depths of our heart. So how can we – how can I – speak the truth, yet speak it in love? How can we respond to the things that are bothering us without hurting those around us?
Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift.
Ouch! How are we supposed to live that out? What about when folks say and do things that hurt us? When they do and say things that make us mad? When they are as inconsiderate as a bull in a china shop?
Only Jesus knows how we should handle each situation. Only HE knows the perfect solution to each imperfect problem. Only HE can give the right answers. When faced with similar situations, he walked in Godly wisdom, built relationships and applied generous amounts of love!
My words are not always said in the perfect manner. And my words aren’t always received as I hope they will be. But I have to be responsible for MY end of the situation…even when it’s hard.
In other words, I need to do a better job of seeking wisdom from the Perfect Source of wisdom (ya know, Jesus!) before I open my mouth. I need to pray…then listen to His answers…before I send emails. I have to pray for and speak in calm tones – even when I want to scream to the highest mountains.
And in the midst of all this, have to answer for my own decisions – even when they cause waves among the ranks.
Life is hard. But God is still good.
How about you? Have do you tell the truth – the whole truth – in situations even when you know it’s not going to bring about the perfect solution? Or do you usually keep the peace by NOT saying anything at all and stuff it all down, WAY down, inside? Do you keep peace at all costs?
A friend once told me that being a peacemaker doesn’t mean you don’t speak truth – but it does mean you speak it in love…and thus being a vessel of God’s peace.
Ephesians 4:15 (New International Version – UK)
15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.
I’m going to keep this in mind this week as the situation I’m dealing with is getting worked out. I’m going to focus on the positive and try to speak only that which the Lord directs me to say. After all, I really don’t have to say everything I’m thinking. And obviously, I’ve got a LOT more growing to do…
So, I went shopping last night with my mom and sis. Midnight until almost 8am. Yes, we are special kind of odd.
We had fun searching for just the right gift, standing in line chatting (45 minutes…eeep!) and eating at Chili’s around 3am. It was a blast!
Right now, though, I am too tired to type. I will ask for your help in posting today. As it is Situational Saturday (my day to post random thoughts on life, love and writing), 
I am going to ask you to share your favorite things about the upcoming season of Christmas. Remember that song from the Sound of Music? “These are a few of my favorite things…” (for more flashback pics on the the Sound of Music, click on pic to the right)
You can even share your thoughts in haiku form or some other form of poetry if you so desire. How about a top five list? Whatever floats your boat. I’ll post mine sometime tomorrow. But I want to read your favorites first, as I am too tired to type another thing!
hugs,
Donna
It’s “Free to Rhyme (or not!) Fridays:
If you caught Tuesday’s post, I hope you read all the comments, especially the last comment (besides mine). Author/Illustrator David Slonin was gracious enough to stop by and share some lyrics set to the tune of Greensleeves. If you get a chance, check out his websites. He is amazingly gifted!Since today’s topic is poetry, I thought I’d share some of the online poetry resources I use for all my rhyming and non-rhyming poems.
Rhymezone.com This is a fabulous site. You must bookmark it. Not only can you find rhymes, it breaks them down into syllabic categories. You can also search for synonyms, antonyms, related words and tons more. You can even search to see if the word was used in Shakespeare’s works! If you haven’t done so already, bookmark it as fast as you can!
Rhymer.com I’ve used this site a few times, but it’s not nearly as good as Rhymezone. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
GigglePoetry.com I go here to be inspired! The poems make me laugh everytime. It’s a great site and has the ALA stamp of approval. You AND your kids will love it.
A side note: I subbed a poem to the SCBWI Bulletin today. If it gets accepted, I’ll share the good news next Friday (hopefully!). If I receive a rejection, I’ll post the poem here. Hope you don’t mind.
Today’s poetry challenge: check out a poetry book for kids and get a feel for how the author keeps the reader wanting more. I highly recommend the book, Because I Could Not Stop My Bike by Karen Jo Shapiro. She writes kids poems based on the rhythm of other famous adult poetry. She was interviewed here on NPR.
Do you have any online resources you’d like to share? Or how about a poem? I’ll probably be asking that question a few times a month. So be prepared!
Last night, my hubby got home from band practice (around 10pm) and my kiddos were still up. They are on Fall Break (yes, we get to decide when that happens!) and I allowed them a later bedtime in order to see their Dad before bed.
Once I was sure they’d been able to have some good ”Daddy-time”, I informed them it was time for bed. I thought my hubby would be in complete agreement.
Instead, he shocked me.
“Why do they have to go to bed?” he asked.
“Well, it’s late and…”
“BUT…” he interrupted, “They are on Fall Break, right? They don’t have to go to bed yet.”
So, they didn’t.
And they were extremely happy.
They stayed up another hour, giggling and snuggling with us while watching a TV show.
My hubby is a hardworking man and supports us in our homeschooling endeavors, though he admits he doesn’t always understand why I wanted to homeschool so badly. He is sometimes still unsure about homeschooling versus public school. But last night, during our family snuggle time, he let us all know by his actions AND in words, that he realized homeschool is the right choice for our family.
I don’t know if we will homeschool until graduation. I take it one year at a time. We will listen to the Lord and follow His leading on the subject. But for now, we are enjoying the struggles, the triumphs and the discoveries of being a homeschooling family. And for that…
I am VERY thankful.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
Thanksgiving week 2009 – let’s see…
Jill Roman Lord is our guest blogger. Hop on over to our blog, Fire It Up! to see how God spoke through a squirrel!
We’ve added this info (critiques) and this info (hotels). We will be adding more speakers this weekend, too. I can’t reveal the latest yet…so check back next Wednesday!
Recently, Write2Ignite was listed on the Books & Such Carnival blog! We are listed closer to the end of the post with the corrected address. If you have time, check out all the great blogs listed, too.
If you are interested in following Write2Ignite on Twitter, you can do so here!
My new favorite Indie Artist: Nathan Clark George 
NCG’s soothing and folksy vocal talent, thought provoking lyrics, and his ability to marry the music and lyrics remind me of another of my favorite artists, James Taylor.
Factoid: NCG, his wife and FIVE children travel around the country in an RV while NCG tours. The kids are homeschooled 0n the road. You KNOW that has to be hard on the mom…and a blast for the kids!
Check out a sampling of his fabulous tunes over at Indie Heaven and on his website.
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And now for some old tunes with NEW lyrics! To get the full effect, you must sing them aloud. If anyone looks at you funny, ask them to join you!
Time of Year by me (dwe)
Chorus:
Love and mirth,
Joy and peace
No more talk of fear!
Jesus is our Refuge
He came to draw us nearrrr…
Love and mirth, Joy and peace
No more talk of fear!
This is time to celebrate
a special time of year…
verse:
Sing of heaven’s child
Sleeping in the night
bringing joy to all
bringing love and light
Come to save us all
from our sins so great
He has come to give us life
It’s time to celebrate
OHhhhhh….
Chorus:
Love and mirth,
Joy and peace
No more talk of fear!
Jesus is our Refuge
He came to draw us nearrrrrr…
Love and mirth,
Joy and peace
No more talk of fear!
This is time to celebrate
a special time of year…
LAST MINUTE ANNIE
by Donna Earnhardt (a.k.a. me, dwe, rubble)(Sing to the rhythm of “Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat…”)
Christmas is coming
I’ve shopping left to do!
One day is left?
Please say it isn’t true!
I’ve got my lists all ready
I’m heading out the door
I’ll get it done (while having fun!)
and close out all the stores!
Anyone want to try your hand at it? Pick a Christmas song and put your own words to the melody. Have fun with it! I can hardly wait to “hear”!
My sweet hubby was reading today’s earlier post and found (much to my chagrin) several editing issues.
Terrible proofer that I am, consider this an apology AND a pre-apology for any other editing mistakes you might encounter.
Consider this: “Jon jumped on the couch and got stuck the ceiling.”
I read that and somehow, my eyes fill in the missing words. My brain reads it as, “Jon jumped on the couch and got stuck IN the ceiling.”
Does that happen to anyone else besides me? Grrrr! I think I may have to ask my hubster to proof my posts before I hit “publish”! (that was nice alliteration, wasn’t it?)
Apology and rant over.
Carry on.
Important change: Messy Monday is now Maverick Monday. I needed more freedom. I will still post something about organization, but it might pertain to writing (or other thing) and not just the house.
Also, I might have a guest blogger on Mondays or be completely random and post on interview with an author, illustrator, agent or editor.
The rest of the week’s schedul will stay the same. (for now.)
Now onto the rest of the post!
Today’s tips:
- If you are behind in your laundry, have a folding party. The kids can help. Pop in their fave movie and get to folding! When the stacks of clothes get too high to see the TV, put them away in the appropriate drawer or closet…then start folding again.
- Brush your toilet once a day. It sounds gross, but it really isn’t. The Flylady turned me onto this method. If you keep it brushed, it doesn’t get nasty and is always “guest-friendly”.
- Keep your computer desktop in tip-top shape. Mine is a complete mess right now. Once you get your files all figured out, please come over and fix mine. I’d really appreciate it.
Now for the contest. It’s not my contest this time. It’s a contest by a S.A. Bodeen (YAmom over on Verla’s board). She is giving away an ARC of her new novel, The Gardner. You don’t have to be a blogger to enter. She has two different ways to have your name put in the hat. Check it out!
one more thing: I’m going to start listing one thing I’m thankful for at least once a week. Today, I am thankful for sweet little voices that call out my name early in the morning and say, “I love you, mama!”
