Last night’s reading at the River’s End Bookstore in Oswego was wonderful. I am thankful for this opportunity to share my writing with the community. Thursday evening when I heard my answering machine I started to think, “What do I read?” In one sense I want to share a snip-it of the book yet don’t want to disclose the book too much until I have a publishing contract and a book to share.

BUT I do want to share my story and the way God has worked in my life and this is best illustrated through the words in my manuscript. So in less than twenty-four hours I copy and pasted a synopsis of the book together for the reading. I skimmed it briefly to make sure the pasting together from the prologue to chapter fifteen meshed and would share my book without giving it all away.

I read it aloud to one of my biggest fans and she said, “Sounds great Mom. You’re a great writer.” I think there was shock in her voice, which brought a smile to my face. I invited her to join me and we were off.

Julie greeted us as soon as we walked through the door and thanked us for coming. Oh my gosh, thank you for having me. Thankfully I read near the end so my friends who came after dance were able to hear me read too. I read my synopsis but half way through I started to become choked up myself.

This is good. Wow! Thank you Jesus. As I read aloud, I was overwhelmed by my own writing. Each time I sit down to write I pray for God to guide my fingers and thoughts. Listening to my own story and hearing the thoughts spoken and making eye contact around the room as I read…powerful.

Please don’t misinterpret this as arrogance but instead…shock! It isn’t that I’ve thought my writing isn’t good or worthy yet I have underestimated God’s blessing, power, and flow in the words. I write from my heart and with my heart. God is organizing and orchestrating the details. As if this realization wasn’t enough, the conversations that followed warmed my heart and I drove home on emotional overload with an elevation of praise and thanksgiving for all God had and is doing.

I read a bit about the searchers. One gentleman came up and said, “I was one of those searchers…my faith has wavered over the years but yours is solid. You are an encouragement.” I was able to thank him in person for all he did seventeen years ago and hear his memories and thoughts of those first days. A true blessing, I have always written to glorify God and help others ~ this gentleman’s words are priceless and appreciated. This is why I write and speak…

I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart;
   I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.  
I will be glad and rejoice in you;
   I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High.
Psalm 9:1-2

Today’s Youtube video is of me and my friend, Amy Quonce following the public reading. The camera froze during our readings so we put this together afterwards for your enjoyment and viewing pleasure. Hope it brings a smile to your face

Isn’t life about taking chances and trying new things? Some will try out for a sport’s team, a theater performance, or even a new job. The expectation and hope following the tryouts is to hear “You’ve made the team!” or “You’ve secured the spot or position.” But with a limited number of positions and spots ~ someone or many will hear, “Sorry, not this time!” and others might hear “Sorry, This may not be your calling.” Regardless of the outcome, at least they tried.

My daughter tried out for the junior high volleyball team this week. Although the tryouts were a lot of work and her skills were in the “learning” stage, she worked hard and did her best. In preparation for tryouts she used the money she saved to purchase a volleyball and spent hours outside bumping, setting, and learning to serve in the my parent’s backyard. As I watched her practice with both her father and grandpa I was blessed with memories of my sister’s volleyball years.

My parents found Heidi’s volleyballs from her Bishop Cunningham days. Elation transitioned to despair as we noticed the volleyballs had dry rotted from being in storage and unused for so many years. Even though my daughter couldn’t use her aunt’s volleyballs, the conversations and memories flooded the Allen kitchen once again. Heidi was known as the “Tower of Power” in the early 90’s for her exceptional skills and kills on the volleyball court.  

The balls couldn’t be played with yet the writing brought both smiles and tears. “The Final Chapter” in black ink with the starters’ names listed below it. The girls were robbed of their Senior Year at BCHS due to a failing budget yet they didn’t let this ruin their spirit and spunk on the court. With the Hokey-Pokey playing as a warm-up song ~ the girls enjoyed each other and the game.

I am so proud of my daughter for trying out for the volleyball team this year. Although she didn’t make it past the first round of cuts, she did try. She endured the running and training with a positive attitude and hope. As she approached the van after the cut I watched her face. She wasn’t crying or distraught yet she was skipping with a joyful ear to ear grin. Hmmm? Once in the van, “I didn’t make it to the next round but God must have something else in mind for me.” I could have cried ~ first for her loss and second, for her trust in God for her future. We are super proud of her and I know her Aunt Heidi would be too…a great kid!

Colossians 3:23
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human master…

Talk about the ups and downs of a roller coaster – this is my writing life in the past twenty-four hours. Yesterday’s peer review left me frustrated and full of doubt but this evening’s speaking opportunity brought be home full of inspiration to write and for the future of our college bound high school graduates. I had the pleasure to speak to one of Cayuga Community College’s writing classes at their Fulton extension this evening.

With a Power Point to guide us through our time together we set sail for an hour and half of discussion, teaching and learning. I pray they each learned something new that helps them improve their writing and their outlook towards writing. While the purpose of my presentation was to teach them ways to write “outside the box”, their participation taught me some new things. I love to learn new things.

I learned a student’s IEP is honored at college through a conversation about talk to text software. This inspired me ~ the same software we start teaching fourth graders to use for state testing purposes will be accepted (and provided) at the collegiate level! Wow! I know an IEP follows the child yet to know they are followed and are tools to support student learning, I am so very thankful. I will share this tidbit with students for years to come – one student’s willingness to share will be an inspiration too many of the students I work with at school ~ it is possible to go to college and be successful with an IEP. This young woman is proof positive.

As we talked about things we can do to help writer’s block or the environment we write in ~ students shared their personal favorites and accepted challenges from me on ways to mix things up a bit. Their hunger to learn was motivating ~ they choose to attend college and they are giving it their all. Kudos!

At the conclusion my presentation I shared a bit from my book, “Where’s Heidi? The Search Begins”. I read my original opening and then the final revision sent to publishers. Their response warmed my heart and brought tears to my eyes. I’ve been blessed with the help of editorial friends and critiques group yet to share my story with a potential reader can take my breath away…their response humbled me and inspired me to keep writing. (And I’m revising the final chapter in the near future, lol)

Thank you Ruth and CCC for a wonderful evening of learning, inspiration, and motivation! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.