R.S.C. 2018

  This past week, I had the opportunity to attend the Upper Midwest Regional A.C.E. Student Convention. Dad brought a few boys from our church as students, and I was blessed to get to help with the food at the convention, as well as some judging.

Hosanna also came and helped with judging and meals. The boys did GREAT, and we had a LOT of fun! I was also really challenged and encouraged by the speaker. In his last message, he used a phrase a few times, and it really stuck with me. "Satan is working, BECAUSE God is working." When you feel discouraged, and depressed, and Satan seems to be gaining ground, don't be discouraged! The reason Satan is working, is because God IS working. And God has already won the victory!

We ended up at a McDonalds and they had a Ronald McDonald! Since I hadn't had my picture with him since I was two or three, I wanted my picture with him!

I tried getting one like my first one but . . . either he's shrunk or I've grown!

So I pulled out the old picture. :)

One of the things I helped judge, was the puppet category. It was VERY entertaining and it was neat to see these young people using their talents to glorify God.

It was really awesome to see God working throughout the convention. Through all the problems, trials, and unexpected events, we were all able to see God working, and be encouraged that He is always good! Everything He does, is good!

We sang Victory In Jesus, and when we finished, Pastor C. commented on how amazing it is that we can sing about the victory, while still in the battle. It was encouraging to remember that no matter how long or difficult the battle may seem, it's ALREADY been won! We can have confidence in Christ! We can KNOW that HE has conquered death!

And this last picture . . . I saw it the other day couldn't help but laugh. If you're a writer, or if you live near a writer, you probably understand! I've researched some REALLY strange things with my writing. From bone cancer, while writing Never Without Hope, to studying cocaine, while writing Mission of a Lifetime, to researching the effects of shooting cars tires out while the car is in motion in Traffic at Graveyard Bend, and many other strange things about Pomeranian dogs, poisons, ransom notes, and other weird things, I'm sure I need this mug! What's the weirdest thing you've ever re-searched?

TRF Re-cap

  This last weekend, I was in Thief River Falls, MN at the Home, Sport, and Family show. It went pretty well, and I'm VERY thankful for all the friends and family who stopped by!

As you can see from the picture, my book table was right by a car dealership booth. In all, there was around 150 different companies represented, so it was to date, the biggest show I'd ever attended with my own vendor. A HUGE THANK YOU to the AMAZING friends who helped me set up and run my booth! I wanted to get a picture of us together, but I forgot. After setting up, we had a great time shopping in TRF, and visiting some stores I'd never been in.

So, my next vendor booth is coming up May 11-12 in Sioux Falls, SD, at the SECHE Homeschool convention. If you're planning on attending, make sure you sign up before April 27th, because after that, the registration fee goes up.

   A note on the SD Homeschool Convention - Israel Wayne and Patrick Nurre will be the key note speakers.

On another note, we had a great winter of skating and ice hockey, and although I didn't get to go as much as I would have liked, I'm still very thankful for all the people who lined up days to get a group together.

I found a few pictures from our family get-away in March that I thought I'd share as well. This is at the home of a missionary that we had the opportunity to fellowship with. Mom actually traveled with this missionary to France for a summer when she was younger, so she enjoyed catching up again. It was REALLY neat hearing his stories. If you ever get a chance to listen to older people sharing the things God has done in their lives, make sure you take advantage of that! It's amazing how encouraging it can be to listen to them share of God's goodness in their lives.

On our trip, we also did a fair amount of shopping and when we girls were done shopping, but Mom and Dad weren't, we did what we always do! Try out the cool chairs and couches! :) 

And on another note yet, I'm in grave remorse over the fact that I FORGOT my cousin/brother's birthday! :( :( :( :(  So, here is my "Happy Birthday!" to Josh, WAY late. :( Sorry, Bro! Thanks for being so understanding! :) :) :)

Camp Nano

So, I've never actually done any of the Nano write things, but this April, after some encouragement from a friend, I decided to do the 2018 Camp Nano. For those of you who aren't familiar with it, basically, I'm trying to write a 50,000 word novel in one month.

In some ways, I feel totally CRAZY doing this because of my schedule, but during a recent webinar I watched with Michael Hyatt, he reminded me that I'm no more busy than anyone else. We all have the same length of days, and the same length of weeks. So I'm giving it a try.

Currently, I'm at 6,221 words so . . . yeah, I have a LONG way to go.

You're probably wondering which book I'm writing? Well, it's one that I'll probably not be publishing anytime soon, but I'll be putting the rough draft somewhere and I do plan on going back to it someday. The book? 

The Secret in the Steeple.

Synopsis - Detectives solve crimes. Preacher kids pray. When the two worlds mix, life gets interesting for the Mancefield family. When a spark ignites, and the church is gone, Pastor Mancefield is the main suspect. Can his kids clear his name? The police say it's an open and shut case, but for the five Mancefield children, things are just heating up. Does the stranger on their doorstep know something? Can they get to the bottom of things before the town fires them? Or is the family not cut out to solve mysteries?

Also, this weekend, I'll be at the Thief River Falls Home, Sport, and Family show with a vendor of my books. If you're in the area, I'd love for you to stop by!

Green Pastures Farm: Mini Vacation

 Mom got a few more pictures of our family trip that she posted on our family blog. Green Pastures Farm: Mini Vacation: Sometimes you just need to get away! For the last couple of years we've been going on a short trip between Priscilla and Hosanna's...

Spontaneous Campfire

I'm not the most spontaneous person in the world, but the other day, when I looked out the window and saw that Dad had lit the pile of branches we'd been stacking on the camp fire pit over the winter, I told Miriam, "We should go roast marshmallows!"

          For those of you who know me, you know that I'm always suggesting random things, but I don't usually think we're actually going to do them. Well, this time, I guess everyone else liked my idea.

So, when I roast marshmallows, (you'll probably all hate me for this,) I DELIBERATELY burn them. That's right. I catch them on fire, and burn them all around, until they have the "delicate taste of charcoal," (As Marty would say.) Then, I pull off the outer burnt layer and eat it, before repeating the process to the next layer. Contrary to popular belief, this is NOT because I CAN'T roast a marshmallow perfectly toasty brown, because I can. I just like them this way. And, by eating it in layers like this, it lasts way longer! :) 

How do you like your marshmallows?