Sunday, April 20, 2008

One-Sentence Stories

I stumbled across an interesting website recently. The premise for the site is to write a one-sentence story. Many are very interesting. Some are powerful. They are all fun to read, so don't say you haven't been warned. Here's the site, www.onesentence.org, and a few of my ideas. Try it…it's harder than you think.

Torn between two lovers, I found my answer in the forlorn eyes of the one driving by while I sat in the car with the nonchalant man.

One look into your newborn eyes and you became the most important person in my life.

After all the anger and bitterness, the pretense and lies, I did what any teenager would do to get out – I got married.

Healed from her divorce, she loved and laughed again, only to have it all prematurely removed by death.

I would love to hear some of your one-sentence story ideas!

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Free Stranger Danger Class

Please help me get the word out. Rising Sun Karate Academy in Atascocita is offering a FREE Stranger Danger seminar for children ages 3 and above. It is being held today, April 19, at 4-5pm, and they are located at 18411 West Lake Houston Parkway, Suite 500, in Humble, Texas.

Perhaps you've heard about the recent abduction of a 7-year old girl from a school bus stop in the area. Click here to view an article on the recent kidnapping.

Child abduction is something that no parent would ever want to go through. The least we can do as parents is prepare our kids if the worst should happen and teach them how to avoid dangerous situations. That's what I'm hoping this class will reinforce.

Friday, April 18, 2008

Quote for the Day

I don't typically post a "quote for the day," but thought I would offer one - for today anyway.

"Home is where life makes up its mind about everything that matters."

I liked this one! I'm not sure who wrote it or said it, or where I even heard it. But oh, is it true!

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Win An E-Book!

I am proud to be a member of the Humble Fiction Café (HFC). It's with pleasure to announce that two of our writers group members, Dorlana Vann and Theresa Law, have books being published by Tease Publishing as part of their Dark Tarot series. It is also with pleasure that I tell you these two authors have sponsored contests where you can win a free copy of the e-book, Jaclyn's Ghost.

Here's what to do…

Visit Dorlana's blog on Dark Tarot and participate in the discussion on ghosts. But better hurry, because today is the deadline! Do you believe in ghosts?

It's too late to enter Theresa's contest, but she was looking for romantic moments. Do you have one to share?

By the way, I've read Jaclyn's Ghost and highly recommend it! I think it would make a great addition to anyone's summertime reading list.

That's it for now!

Thursday, April 10, 2008

ANNIVERSARY WISHES!


Who would believe this lovely couple has been married 16 years?

16 years feels like a blink of an eye when it refers to...

a child growing up
the anniversary of the death of someone you loved
the celebration of a marriage with a partner you love


Tuesday, April 1, 2008

How Much is Too Much?

My daughters' are collecting change for a school fundraiser. Before you moan and groan, not another school fundraiser, this one is different. They aren't actually raising money for the school, but rather for a charity. All proceeds are going to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and will help people who are sick with blood cancer.

Each day, my husband and I, and anyone else my daughters' feel comfortable asking, are dumping our change into their collection so they can donate it to their respective classes. My youngest recently asked if she could donate some of her own money, from her piggybank. Of course, I responded with a resounding yes and complimented her on her thoughtfulness and unselfishness.

Here's my dilemma. Her next question was could she donate twenty. "Just twenty cents," I asked. To which she responded, "No, twenty dollars."

Wow. That was a big surprise. Twenty dollars may or may not be a lot of money to you, but to most young kids in early elementary school, it's quite a bit.

Immediately I told my daughter no, that twenty dollars was too much for her to donate. I asked her how much she had in her piggybank. She had two twenty's and some change. I explained to her that if she donated a twenty to the charity that would be half of all of her money. She understood, but she wanted to do it anyhow. I left it that we would talk about it later. I secretly hoped the subject would be forgotten, or that she would change her mind.

It wasn't, and she didn't.

Then I got to thinking. How poorly did I handle this whole situation? Exactly how much is too much, and who am I to make that decision? It is, after all, her money.

One of the most precious characteristics I would like to nurture in my kids is a giving spirit. Yet here my daughter comes to me, wanting to give away half of her money, and I respond negatively.

I've rationalized my behavior saying I was protecting her, that she didn't understand she would be giving away half, that she didn't comprehend the value of money. But she did understand, we talked about it.

The bottom line, I think, is this… my daughter has a warm, loving, and giving spirit already. It's not a seed I need to plant in her, and I suspect that is so of most young children. The trick then becomes not so much to cultivate this characteristic, as it is to prevent the weeds of self-centeredness from taking over. And in this society of "me," with advertisements running rampant that claim "you deserve it," this isn't always easy.

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