GPCWC Series Part IV – Peppers, Pepsi, Practice and Prayers

Three of these go together and one doesn’t belong – can you guess which one?

And your question for me – “What does this have to do with the preparations for my writer’s conference in Philadelphia?”  I promise there is an answer for both of these questions, to learn the answer you will have to read today’s blog.

First and foremost – which of the four doesn’t belong?
A)   Peppers
B)   Pepsi
C)   Practice
D)   Prayers

Write your answer down on a scrap piece of paper so you don’t cheat when I give you the correct answer. Are you ready, answer written down? When you’re done, continue reading.

For starters, a tidbit of information about each:

A)   Peppers: common vegetable for Upstate New York gardens, delicious by themselves as a snack, chopped for a salad or used while cooking
B)   Pepsi: for some this is a soft drink yet when an avid gardener sees an extraordinary pepper – the cool refreshing drink while weeding becomes the nearest form of measurement
C)   Practice: something we all need to do, regardless of our gifts and talents; “Practice makes permanent!” (Not perfect – if you practice it wrong, it only makes the error more difficult to correct. A pet peeve of mine – Practice makes Permanent!)
D)   Prayer: a requirement in all aspects of life and applies to everything

Do you know which doesn’t belong yet? Drum roll please….

They all belong and relate to the last forty-eight hours before leaving for the conference.

Each day I enjoy time with my Dad and daughter picking vegetables from their garden. A joint venture that starts in the spring as they look through countless seed magazines to select this year’s crop. Then they team together to prepare the soil, to plant, water and weed. Finally it is time for the harvest – this is when I join in the fun.

After enjoying time with my family in the garden we retreat to the coolness of the house for a refreshing drink – (not always Pepsi but for this blog it is) as we gather around the table and discuss the day’s harvest and the stand’s profits. (LOL – They haven’t had a financial profit as of yet with their stand. In one sense Dad would break even if he kept the money but he blesses his granddaughter with it to use for whatever she needs. Last year she bought herself an IPod Touch!)

I hear you, “But how does this apply to the writer’s conference?” Patience…

Practice is required to establish the routines and flourishing garden each year. Both practice harvesting, washing, and delivering on a daily basis. They also practice driving the buggy and teasing me upon their return.

As we start our day and close our eyes each day we pray for safety and God’s blessing and provision on our lives. God is always listening, thankfully we are talking. God is also answering…we need to practice our listening though, at times.

So I believe all four are directly related to each other but you might not see my connection to the conference as of yet. My parents, daughter and husband are my life. I’m thankful for each moment spent with them. I enjoy working alongside them and praying for and with them.

As I prepare for Philly ~ I continue to cherish and set aside the time with my family. Of course there is always a revision to be done, a blog to write, or an elevator pitch to practice yet the moments we have with our family are precious grains of salt in life’s timer. The conference is important to me and I pray for a fun and successful time of learning and sharing yet I won’t sacrifice my family time picking peppers, drinking a Pepsi, practicing a new or old skill each day while praying for God’s blessing. So there isn’t one that doesn’t belong – they all important and make me who I am…as I write for God and pack for Philly!