My writing friend, Jennifer Slattery, nominated me for the Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award.
Now for the blog award. Having accepted, here are the rules I now must follow:
The Rules:
1. Thank the blogger who nominated you.
2. Put the award logo on your blog.
3. Answer the 10 questions they’ve sent you.
4. Make up 10 new questions for your nominees to answer.
So here are the 10 questions from Jennifer:
1. What is the best thing that happened to you in 2014?
Wow. It was a long year–365 days. 🙂 I guess getting my debut novel, One Choice, published would be pretty high in the ranks of the best thing. However, I also got to go on my first cruise with my daughter for her sixteenth birthday. We went down to Mexico and swam with dolphins. That was awesome, too.
2. What is one thing you’d like to do differently in 2015?
I’d like to focus more on my relationships–with God, my family, and my friends. In the last year or so, I have lived with chronic back pain that has kept me self-focused. While I still have the pain, I’d like to move my sights back to those around me and build or renew personal relationships. I’m especially going to tend to my time with God. As a busy mom, it’s sometimes hard to get quiet time, but it is going to be one of my priorities this year.
3. What is one thing you learned in 2014?
There is not just one right way to do things. *GASP* Some things can only be done one way to be done properly, but others can and are done in multiple ways and all turns out well. In one part of my life, I tried one way to do something. It was marginally successful, but I realized that it wasn’t the right way for me. Is that vague enough. I don’t want to cause a rift between me and the others involved, thus my lack of specifics.
4. In what ways do you grow your most important relationships?
Time. I have learned there is really no such thing as quality time without quantity time. Fifteen minutes here and there does not constitute quality time. Quantity time spent playing turns into quality time spent talking.
5. What one verse has stood out to you most in the past year?
I could tell you the verse for 2013, which was Is. 43:18-19, “But forget all that—it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.” I’m pretty sure I carried it through 2014.
6. In what ways did you see Christ this past year?
I see Christ daily in the love of my children, the provisions of my home, family, and church, and in nature. He has been a part of my life for a LONG time now, so… it’s hard not to see Him. He’s everywhere I look, in everything I do (or I try to make it so anyway), in all that I read, and well, He’s a part of me. I see Him working in those around me.
7. In what ways did you try to reveal Christ this past year?
In kindness, love, graciousness. As in writing, I prefer to show versus tell. There’s a saying, though I don’t know where it originated. People won’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care. I strive to show others love, even when they are getting on my last nerve. 🙂
8. Has God given you a word to focus on for 2015?
Confidence. I posted about it here just the other day. I hadn’t planned on choosing one, but God had other plans. 🙂
9. How has your view of grace changed this past year and why?
I’m not sure it has. I haven’t really given it much thought.
10. If you could be known for one thing, what would that be?
Bringing glory to God in all I do.
Now you know more about me than you probably wanted. I nominate Tina Hunt at Pot of Manna. Here are your questions, Tina, if you choose to accept.
1. What does it mean to you to be a living sacrifice?
2. What are your writing plans for 2015?
3. What are your long-term writing goals?
4. What would you do with a million dollars?
5. Was 2014 what you expected it to be?
6. What would you change about 2014, if you could?
7. Your word for 2015 is habit. Name a good habit, besides exercise (it’s on your site), that you plan to implement in the new year.
8. What one book do you plan to read in 2015, besides the Bible?
9. What is your favorite season? Why?
10. What is your favorite food? Why?
So there it is.
Blessings,
This was fun! Thanks.
I thought you might like it. 🙂