I'm all about staying in my comfort zone. But every once in a while, I push myself to do something I've never done before and it's good for me--most of the time. Labels: challenge, Last Holiday, Queen Latifah
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Colleen Coble writes romantic suspense with a strong atmospheric element. A lovable animal of some kind--usually a dog--always populates her novels. She can be bribed with DeBrand mocha truffles.
Denise Hunter writes women's fiction and love stories with a strong emotional element. Her husband says he provides her with all her romantic material, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too.
Diann Hunt writes romantic comedy and humorous women's fiction. She has been happily married forever, loves her family, chocolate, her friends, chocolate, her dog, and well, chocolate.
Cheryl Hodde writes romantic medical suspense under the pen name of Hannah Alexander, using all the input she can get from her husband, Mel, for the medical expertise. For fun she hikes and reads. Out of guilt, she rescues discarded cats. She and Mel are presently taking orders from four pampered strays.
20 Comments:
Oh, girl, we absolutely were separated at birth! I had the same experience. I wonder if it was the same bunny slope? I did great in the class, but the trouble all started on the chair lift. I fell and all went downhill form there (pun intended).
Your skiing story made me laugh out loud! I liked your "eat a mega-size Hershey bar at one setting," too! LOL. You always make me smile and laugh. Thank you.
Every year I try to do three things outside of my comfort zone. I've volunteered to help with worship, applied for new jobs (and gotten them, gulp!), tried doing a back flip on the trampoline (age 45) and a back dive (age 50), etc., etc. In 2009 one of my 3 was teaching myself how to paint with acrylics. I'm still working on that one. As to what I'll do for 2010...I don't know yet, but thanks for the new ideas!
P.S. You could cross the ocean and come to Istanbul... a wonderful city!
Diann, I would have loved to see you on that bunny slope. You'd have crashed into me, who would have already been stranded on the side of the little hill.
I'm taking that next challenge this week by trying to write fast, timed writing, without rewrites. It's exhilarating to find I can do it. I know that's probably funny to most, but for me, who edits everything to death, it's a challenge.
I will leave the bungee jumping to you!!! One thing I have a really hard time doing, is reaching out for help. Having always been the 'helper', I have been going through months of health problems, and I find it almost impossible to reach out to others.
I have fallen through the cracks at church and for someone who faithfully attended churches since I was 2 weeks old, this has been a very hard experience (now 60). Yet, I need to let people know just how much I have a need to connect somehow, somewhere. Even a call from a neighbor would be greatly appreciated!!
Does anyone else have trouble reaching out when they need help?
That would be me, Cheri. It would be a lot of us. I can more easily ask for prayer here, because I know it's easier to pray quickly than it is to jump in your car and take an hour, two, three, four hours to take care of a friend in need. I finally did ask, and have had immediate help. Don't be afraid. Call your church and ask for help.
I have always been terrified be on stage or talk in front of a lot of people. One day I saw a woman signing during a worship service and the Holy Spirit really tugged at my heart to do that. I fought, cried and then relented. Learned to sign, well still learning. That was six years ago and now I am the signer on the worship team.
I am not sure what my next challenge will be, but it is definitely not skiing.
Cheryl,
Our church has gotten so large. There were 60 people 15 years ago and now they have 12,000 or more in five services on the weekend. I am not sure where I could fit in or call. I did call once a few weeks ago, but they didn't have any bible studies on line or anyone who really helps those who are 'home-bound'. I guess I just need to try again.
Leticia- Bless you for doing this that God asked of you! My granddaughter is deaf, but with cochlear implants is able to hear about 80%. My daughter went back to college and got her certification in sign language but with working full time can't do the 'student teaching' or the final step.
Unfortunately, living so far from her hasn't made me learn sign language like I should. I see her only 2 or 3 times a year and I guess it is too easy to have her sister help at night when her 'ears' are off. I need to learn! Thanks for your sharing!
I tried to learn to ski at a resort where the slopes were designed by Jean Claude Killy. Are you old enough (I seriously doubt it) to remember him? He was a gold-medal Olympic skier...one of the best ever. So my first time on the chair lift and first attempt at the beginner slope (one step up from the bunny slope) and I couldn't get off the chair! I ended up at the top of the mountain where the expert skiers went and had to have help from the ski patrol to get down. I got really good at drinking hot chocolate in front of the fireplace!
Cheri, I'm praying that someone in the flesh will come and be beside you and give you strength--face time. Meanwhile, you know you have us.
Cheryl,
You have no idea what a blessing this site has been to me. I love the Lord with all my heart and have enjoyed most of the books for many years, written by the authors on this blog.
They take me into a world where friendship is #1 and has helped me so much in my spiritual growth. I know God has a reason for "this season" of my life, even though I don't understand all of it. Having been so faithful in music and my church for so many years, it is hard to be in this 'vacuum'.
Thanks for all the prayers and the kinds words.
I'm sorry you're going through this, Cheri. Is there anyone you can invite over for coffee or anything like that? Are you able? Sometimes we have to take the initiative. Sadly, people are so busy these days they don't often see the needs of others.
Like Cheryl said, you know you can "visit" with us. We appreciate your comments on the blog and enjoy our "chats" with you. :-)
Praying the Lord will send someone your way to encourage you. God bless, friend!
Cheri, if I may ask, where do you live? Perhaps someone who reads this blog lives near enough to help.
Hi Diann ~
Thanks so much for your encouragement. My neighbors are all very busy and I know their families take up lots of time. All my relatives live in MO, and I am in south Texas. Also, all my life most of my closest friends have come from my church and not being able to go now makes it difficult to start friendships.
I am going to reach out to my church once more and see if maybe there are others in my situation I could call and talk to as they are probably just as hungry for someone to talk to as I am.
All of you on this blog have been a wonderful surprise. I was hesitant of posting the first time I 'found' you-afraid of errors, etc., but now feel I can just fit in with each of you. Your blogs and questions have triggered so many memories and also have brought so much fun, laughter, and tears, that I do feel a friendship that only Christians have through God's Spirit He has given each of us.
Thanks so much for sharing your families and everyday joys and challenges! I will continue to stand on His promises and know He will bring friends into my life in His timing.
Cheri
Hmmm. . .so you're looking for a big challenge that will stretch you out of your comfort zone. Oh (this idea just popped into my head)! What about flying with your sweet daughter to St. Thomas and going snorkleing? For a week! Just two girls. ;-)
Not St Thomas! Come to St Croix instead, like the first week of April. . .
I've always wanted to go to Australia. And I will someday! Fiji too!
Cheri it really has been a blessing in my life. I am so glad that I didn't fight God on it, lol! I am seriously considering going to college to sign proficiently. Just to find the extra time is what is stopping me.
Leticia,
This was really hard for my daughter also. She so wanted to be able to do signing as a profession and be able to be with her girls more. With a full time job, she went back to college for 3 years at night and then because she couldn't take off 6 months to 'follow' a person around and do the last semester, she was not able to get the degree. However, I think she did get a certification but not enough to get a job using sign language.
It depends on what you want to do with the rest of your life, or if you just want it to help out where you are at now. She doesn't regret going as she now can help Addi (the one in my picture) and also communicate when her implants are 'off'. It is too bad that places don't pay as much as they should to those who do this type of service.
Addi has an interpreter that is with her at school all day, and although she has tried to "fire her", lol, saying she didn't need one, it is a great help for her to be around signing all day.
I will pray God will give you guidance and peace with the decision you make. This is how I have found I have made the right decision after all these years, is the peace. If I don't have it, it is not the right decision for me.
Cheri
Cheri, I wish I had your peace. I seem to never be peaceful about anything. Always worrying, always second-guessing myself. And you're struggling with so much right now. Don't you ever feel overwhelmed by life?
Cheryl, Absolutely there are times when I feel I simply can't cope. I think since July, when everything hit at once and I have been mostly flat on my back, I have had to look up -- no other place to look! But don't get me wrong, I struggle with everyday situations and wonder if sometimes I have stuffed down some of the frustration, but again God has given me a peace I can't explain.
There is absolutely nothing I can do to change the circumstances I am in and I do struggle with depression from chronic pain and feeling like life is passing me by. I guess this sounds like an oxymoron but in the midst of all of this I do have peace. I think when my daughter died and God let me 'glimpse' her with Him I just knew that He would either come soon or I will see her in heaven when I get there.
There are just some things that are hard to understand but I feel I am not doing a very good job answering with your question. When things overcome me, I ask for Him to hold me tight, and I have a cry in His arms. He is the only One I have had to turn to these past years and He has never let me down.
Don't think I never have down times, I do, but with age I find He has mellowed my 'hyper' part ~ something good comes out of getting older, lol.
I am praying God will surround you with His arms and give you a calmness and peace when the storms hit. I try to remember the verses in which He has promised that He will go with us THROUGH the valleys, which means we will come out the other side. There will be ups and downs, but He is always proven He is "Closer than a Brother".
Thanks so much for being a friend - a gift God has given me through the wonders of technology! I thank Him for all of you here on this blog.
Cheri
Cheri, thank you for that wonderful, open hearted post. When I'm shut in the house with bad weather, I go crazy. Love the cats, but I need some down time every so often. I go hiking to take a break and reconnect with God, but have found lately that I can reconnect without the wild outdoors. Still, when the pain seems never-ending and I see no hope in the future, it does get hard. I so admire your ability to see Him and keep going. You're a special blessing to us.
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