Recovery-how long does it take?

In the beginning...I unpacked in the first hotel room getting ready to compete for Mrs. International. Little did I know how much energy it would take to get through the week!

We had early mornings and some late nights. Lots of rehearsing a dance number and meeting new people. We had personal appearances, interviews and a constant sense of stretching. I had a wonderful week in Chicago even though, no, I didn't win.


Behind the scenes: my feet hurt like crazy! Living on someone else's schedule is hard. I had to switch rooms mid-week when my hubby came. Learning new things outside of my experience kept me in constant fascination but also in constant awareness. That in itself draws on energy supplies.

Back at home, I thought it would take a day or two to reacclimatize to my regular schedule. Oh was I wrong!

Although playing with my grandson brought my head and heart right back to reality and how much my family means to me! His smile is so sunny, his joy chasing my exercise ball and just hugging him infuses me with energy.

Today, almost a week later, I'm feeling a bit more back to normal. I started thinking about why it took almost as long to recover as it did to compete. It was the lack of private recovery time. I'm a huge people-person. But one thing I do back at home is take private time to recharge. So home is a very quiet, peaceful place.

Ah, the energy. One week of constant, non-stop "up" energy. It's totally me, no problem, to visit and enjoy all the people I love meeting. The normal daily life allows time away, time to think, time to sleep! But it also allows down time away from people. No matter how much we love others, we still need our time to refuel and refresh. One week of solid drawing on those reserves depletes them completely. Not because it isn't fun or exciting, but because anytime you deal in non-stop people-it takes a different kind of mental energy.

When you are feeling drained, I'd like to suggest getting away by yourself and refilling your energy reserves with quiet, private time.

Angie
PS Please come visit www.MyGemofWisdom.com and see the jewelry that helps support the Sanctuary of Hope orphan homes in Kenya.

Sleeplessness

Have you ever stared at the ceiling even though you are exhausted?

Oh yes, that happens to me. I have too many things spinning around in my head. I think that's a standard issue insomnia for most folks, lol.

I've begun to get up and work during those sleepless hours. I've found I am extremely productive. Go figure. The least I can do is download my brain and the best thing that has ever happened is finishing a book.

Sometimes rest is getting up and giving yourself permission to finish what is on your mind. The next night comes and I'm zonked!

Does that work for you?

I posted on dealing with nightmares on my personal blog on March 27th. Come and visit. Please add your ideas too.

(Or you could just have a pillow fight like we did at the last ACFW conference!)
Angie
GodUsesBrokenVessels.blogspot.com

Top 10 Ways to A Peaceful Mind

Have you had those days when you are rushing so fast and go to bed with your mind still racing? All those thoughts of what didn't get done. It's never about the things you did get done, is it?

Some things that help the overly busy thinker to get some rest:

Is your mind still racing? Maybe you have unfinished business you are afraid will not get done.
1. Write down notes on what needs to be finished.
2. Keep a notepad and pen by your bed to unload your brain when you can't sleep.
3. Journal emotions that haven't settled.
4. Jot a bullet point list of the things running in your brain.
5. Double check your daytimer for any appointments that worry you.
6. Load your cell phone with appointments you are afraid to miss.
7. Set out your things for morning the night before so that you feel much more in control.
8. Read something you really enjoy.
9. Put on relaxing music.
10. Give yourself 15 minutes to think out loud about anything that is bothersome. Take it one step further and speak out loud to God asking for His help in handling the issue.


An hour before bedtime . . .
1. Shut off the TV, radio and computer.
2. Turn off the cell phone.
3. Turn down all the bright lighting.
4. Take a warm bath.
5. Drink some cocoa or warm decalf tea.
6. Pet your dog or cat while cuddled up comfortably.
7. Don't work in your bedroom.
8. Follow a ritual for getting ready for bed.
9. Thank God for all the things that were accomplished today by naming them.
10. Stop cleaning house, doing chores, or talking business.

Oh yes, I'll be taking my own advice tonight :-)
Angie

Come visit me over at God Uses Broken Vessels

Healing Rest

I think God does have a funny sense of humor. I keep learning things about rest because I need it. He used a little bug I didn't even see to capture my wandering attention.

Does that kind of thing happen to you?

I forget to allow my body to rest so I think God reminds me through little things that force me to take the time out of a day's rush and rest.

A couple of days ago, I received a bug bite. Not a big deal. I didn't even see what bit me on the neck and swelled up the muscle.

The next day, it had gone down and I thought I was easily on the mend.

Nope.

There was a message waiting. My lymph nodes hadn't decided quite what to do with all the poison. While we were out to a fun double date on Valentine's day, my throat started to swell on that one side. By 11 p.m. I was so sick that I knew I couldn't go to church the next morning. I went to bed planning to sleep it off. And I did.

This morning, I woke up feeling great except for the sore throat had gone to mild and all the way across both sides and a bit of muscle soreness on the side of my neck and into my jaw.

I purposefully laid in bed, read a book for a little while and then got up to eat.

Oh my goodness. I felt really good other than that stupid scratchy throat. So I took some cold medicine and went to work on our plans for the day. We have one kiddo moving home for a few months to pay off a car and get ready to move out permanently. So we needed to shuttle rooms around again.

I worked all afternoon. Then I sat down to sort out some books-and it hit. I was burning eye tired. I needed, um, rest.

So here I sit on the sofa regrouping from a couple of hours of steady cleaning and rearranging furniture between three bedrooms. And I realize it was too much.

It wasn't hard to recognize I was tired. I couldn't hardly climb the stairs again. The fatigue signal wasn't just whispering, it was shouting at me. I think it's a very important to recognize your body signals whether it's from fatigue, illness or hunger signals. But we all get too busy and then ignore them, don't we?

What's the body signal you've been igoring lately?

Do you think it could be shouting at you?

It took a silly little bug to catch my attention. What will it take to get your attention?

Angie
Come visit over at God Uses Broken Vessels for thoughtful tidbits, book reviews and even some posts about Montana!

Wit's End?

Sometimes we just get to our wit's end with people. Maybe it happens in long meetings or when we get tired of the discouraging nay-sayer. Sometimes we just get to our wit's end.

Thank God that He provides friends who listen.

I've found a wonderful resting place in friends who are willing to let me release my feelings. An ear to hear and an understanding heart works wonders on a worn out stressed brain. I feel so blessed to realize that God created friendship for just this purpose.

Friends are a resting place for our weariness. They are also the gift of comfort, the voice of reason and a superb celebration station!

But today, I celebrate that when I'm at my wit's end God has given me friends to rest my burdens and to help carry theirs.

Have you ever thought of your friends as a resting place?

Angie
Please visit with me over at God Uses Broken Vessels too.

On the Road again

I bet you wonder if I ever stay home, lol. I really do. But today we are returning from one of our kid's college graduation.

I can tell you one thing for darn sure, I can't wait to rest in my own bed. I never sleep as well as on my own pillow.

In this last year, we have had 2 kids get married, 2 kids graduate high school, 2 daughters-in-law graduate college, 1 daughter graduate college, 1 relative fighting severe cancer, one grandson born, and various business trips.

I think about rest a lot :-D Then I pick on myself for not getting enough done each day. 

Now when I look back on all those changes, they are tiring even though full of joy. Then throw in the day job, the drive to achieve a goal and all the unexpected happenings like out of town company or cars breaking down or regular grocery shopping--of course I'm tired!

How about you? Have you thought about all you've done in the past year or do you constantly berate yourself for not getting enough done?

How can you be kinder to yourself?

What if we simply acknowledge how much we really do and allow ourselves a little bit more time for our bodies to catch up to our lives?

Going to get some rest soon,

Angie

Letting Go of Worry

This weekend, I had a massage. Now I may have mentioned this before as an excellent form of rest. But one of the most potent things massage can do for you is release muscle tension.

Where do you suppose muscle tension comes from?

One cause is worry. Another may be injury or illness.

Honestly I think muscle tension is a great tool. Consider it a warning sign that you are spinning too fast and need to slow down.

The therapist barely brushed her hands down my back. Not only could I feel all the little bumps and lumps, but she could.

Jessie was pretty funny. She exclaimed, "My goodness you are all knotted up."

And I was. And I still am, just not as much.

What? You thought massage would take care of all that tension?

It sure does. BUT...(I couldn't resist a BIG but here.)

Massage is like physical therapy. That is exactly what massage should be considered. When you have injured your body, the doctor often prescribes physical therapy. It's one of the main things I've been prescribed to manage arthritis in my lower back. Basically that means you need a series of visits for the full treatment to work.

Often I can go months in between massage therapy visits now. However, not this time.

Massage can be used for a relaxing rest or it can be used to restore rest to your life by reducing pain that is interfering in your rest.

So if I could suggest one thing to you today that would make a difference in your life, it would be massage. Find out if you are in need of relaxation or therapy to release triggers that radiate into headaches or locked muscles. Then explore the various types of massage. Personally I love deep tissue and trigger release. I go for the therapeutic value.

I do feel sore for a few days afterwards. Very much like after a tough workout. The most amazing thing happens. My headaches go away and I sleep deeply.

Nope, you do not have to get deep tissue or trigger release to feel excellent benefits. You only need those if you have knots like I get :-) I do challenge you to get massage to overcome headaches or tension. There are several pleasant styles that work very well.

So how do you find a good massage therapist?

If you aren't going to someone you trust, ask for referrals. Look for a massage school in your area. That way you can try several styles of massage at less cost. If you find a favorite therapist, you can continue with them after their graduation.

Sometimes a school will offer short half day seminars for the community to learn massage techniques for use at home. A very nice touch if you have strong hands and an endurance longer than 5 minutes. Lol, that's about how long any massage I give can last. sigh. I'll never be able to do that for a living. I'm in awe of people who can. I believe it is as much a calling to bring physical therapy to someone as it is to minister or serve in any other calling.

Angie
Please visit me over at God uses broken vessels too.

Running to the arms of God

Tuesdays with Tiffany
by Tiffany Colter

Sometimes I get scared.

Do you ever feel that way? Learning all the different parts of living the writer's life can be VERY scary. You're putting yourself out there daily to rejection and pain, with splatterings of victory.

Not trying to sound negative; it's just part of the writer's life.

A few nights ago I was in bed, sound asleep, when our 5 year old came in. She was scared. She'd had a bad dream and something bothered her in her room. She was on my husband's side of the bed and I heard her say, "Daddy, can I sleep with you?"

He made room for her, hugged her, kissed her, and brought her in to bed. For some reason I instantly thought of all of you blog readers. I saw something in that moment, that one mundane act...

When we are going through our lives there are moments when we become afraid. We feel lonely. We need reassurance. During those times God brings us beside Him and comforts us. We stay warm and close to him for a season. But we can't stay there forever. Just like happened with my 5 year old, after a bit God takes us back to where we were and let's us try again. Our daughter stayed in bed with us for an hour or two and then we carried her safely back to her bed. She needed to try doing it again, but she knew we were right down the hall if she needed us.

The same is true with God. He is there waiting for us if we need Him, but He knows it is safe for us to return...

Even when we're unsure of ourselves.

So if in your writing or marketing you feel unsure, you're scared...get close to God. Find your place of comfort...then trust Him when He carries you back to "your bed" and tells you to try again.

Your Coach for the Journey, Tiffany Colter

Sometimes we give up rest for a bigger plan...

Today, I'll be nodding off on an early flight to Denver. It's 2 a.m. and I've been finishing online training for the speaker and leadership training I'm going to for the next 3 days.

I believe that rest is crucial, but I understand that sometimes we need to sacrifice to achieve something greater. My dream is to be a speaker and writer full time. That means, on occasion, I have to choose to put achievement over rest. I plan for as much as possible. I even plan for downtime now just to get some rest from my busy schedule. If I didn't, my daytimer would plan me.

It's very important though that I do not overdo like that every day. I get tense and irritable if it goes on too long, just like anyone else would.

The take away from this? Push through what you need to do now and again. Then make time to rest! Do not make a habit of being sleep deprived or you will be imagination and peace deprived.

So I'll nap on the plane, then sit through 8 hours of training and go to sleep with a very satisfied feeling ready to get up for 2 more days of training. :-)

Are you planning your schedule or is your schedule planning you? What do you have to do to be in control of your daily schedule? Do you need to schedule downtime? Would you honor it if you did?

Angie

Whew! A needed day of rest!

After months of planning, my oldest son was the second wedding this year...after the 3 graduations and the December wedding of my second son.

Our family is kicked back this afternoon- resting a much needed down day!

I'm so glad we don't have celebrations, holidays, and ceremonies every day- like the little kids who wish every day was Christmas. It really helps to have the hills and the valleys. I don't think people can appreciate the days of rest more than when they've been rushing through the busy preparations. And as weird as it sounds, I can look back on this crazy year and understand that watching the joy on my son's face was worth the rough patches we had to live through over the years.

Those high moments are worth the hard times I watched him go through on his way to adulthood. Every mother knows that she cannot do for her child all those moments when they have to learn the hard way. But she wishes she could. Every mother knows her time is limited and that one day, she must let go.

It's an awesome bittersweet moment to hand a son over to his wife. It's an awesome moment to gain a daughter.

It's an intense split-second when a mother realizes she is looking at the future mother of her grandchildren-and that the next breath is a breath of that closer future. That this new young woman will experience the enormity of how I felt as she bears my lineage and nurtures the next generation.

All that wonder and amazement. All that emotion for so many years of nurture. All tied up in a ceremony celebrating the culmination of childhood and the beginning of a new branch in the family tree.

Yes, today is a day to rest. It's a day to lay down that emotion and absorb the anticipation of the future.

How long has it been since you've allowed yourself to simply absorb your busy life changes?

Angie
Please visit me over at God uses broken vessels

Rest Anywhere

While we visited Cha 'Am, Thailand recently, we passed this restaurant. No one was eating. The family was sleeping at the table. It was hot, muggy, and raining hard outside.

At this beachside resort, people literally rest when they are tired. (As you see above.)

We even found vendors asleep at their little booths of magazines or trinkets.

These people aren't lazy! In fact, we observed the wee hours and late nights of these workers.

But in Thailand, they eat and sleep as they have need. A completely foreign concept to Americans.

What would happen if we really followed the needs of our bodies? Would our economy come to a standstill? Or might we be more productive?

I'm beginning to listen to my body more. I eat 5-6 times a day (lol, small servings) and I've actually taken a few naps!

Hmm,
What's your opinion?

Could you take a baby step into a little more awareness in meeting your physical needs?

How would that work?

Angie
PS For more Thailand photos and travel tips, please visit me over at God Uses Broken Vessels

Taking it to the Limit

My husband and I just spent the last 10 days traveling to and through Thailand with my daughter. We call it our sampler platter. We had the chance to sample a little of several different places and many different foods.

The whirlwind tour was worth it! However, I was intensely dizzy with exhaustion. Travel there-2 hours early in Spokane, 1 hour flight, 3 hour layover in Seattle (then delayed almost 2 hours), 10 and 1/2 hour flight to Tokyo, race to the next plane so as not to miss it. The next leg was 7 and 1/2 hours to Bangkok, an 8 hour layover, then the final one hour flight to Chiang Mai. All in all, 35 hours of travel.

We arrived in the early morning. So to avoid jet lag to the best of our ability, we stayed up. (It helps you acclimate faster.)

Then we toured and toured with short cat naps in the car (driven by Thai Rotary members) or the rented van (often hired by the Rotary.) We saw Chiang Mai, Kamp Phaeng Phet, Cha'am, and much of Bangkok. We climbed to visit Karen Hill Tribes, rode elephants, and shopped in a floating market.

Then we traveled home. We stayed up again because we had to be at the Bangkok airport at 3 a.m. Our flight took less time because we had tail winds to Tokyo, only 6 and 1/2 hours. Then the 2 hour layover and another 10 hour flight to Spokane. A three hour layover there until the last flight-just one more hour. And then the 3 hour drive home. Ufta! (That means something like Oh My Goodness in Swedish.)

I actually fell from side to side on the last leg of the journey in our car. Dizzy with fatigue, sick to my stomach, and completely disoriented.

But it was worth it. I had the opportunity to experience just a sampler platter of my daughter's exchange in Thailand. I had the opportunity to fall in love with a people in another country. I had the joy of understanding the Thai Rotary's theme: Bringing peace to the world one exchange student at a time.

We stayed up with almost no sleep throughout the week. No cell phone. No Lila (my laptop for writing.) A forced vacation from my regular technology. Tough on me. Sometimes my fingers itched to type. Some ideas that flitted through never to be recalled.

But it was worth it.

I saw and ate things I loved. I went places and met people I never foresaw. And learned through finding crabs on mountains that things are not always as I think they are. Sometimes, they are very different. Sometimes I reaffirm what I've already learned.

I love adventure, new things, new foods, and my nap today...it was so satisfying!

I'd charge you to explore to the point of exhaustion, push past it, maintain your graciousness (not so easy when you are over tired) and then sleep in satisfied peace.

Angie
PS For more on adventures in Thailand, keep up with me this week over at my personal blog:
God Uses Broken Vessels

Coffee, Tea, & Me

You know, there's a lovely prayer I once read. It's the Tea Cup Prayer. I lent the book out years ago and don't remember where it went. Sad really. But the good writing that stuck with me over all this time still influences my thoughts.

The gist of the Tea Cup Prayer is that you put your thoughts visually into the steam that rises up toward heaven.

I love that idea because it meshes really well with one of my favorite verses, Romans 8:26.

How?

So glad you asked ;-)

Sometimes we mistakenly believe that our prayers can only be heard if they are spoken. But Romans 8:26 says that the Holy Spirit searches our hearts and minds and takes our needs directly to God. (Angie's paraphrased version.)

One day, 16 or 17 years ago, I hit bottom. I couldn't even voice the pain in my soul. I didn't think God could hear me anymore. Then I read that verse. I was surprised, but I needed so badly to be able to pray in images rather than words. The grief, pain, need was too great for words.

Then later, I read the Tea Cup Prayer and more fully understood the concept of silent prayer. I'm sure there are many ways to pray silently. It just so happened that this idea struck a chord.

Now whenever I can take a moment with that first hot drink, I watch the steam rise and curl toward heaven. I picture the faces of people I want to pray for, I place my fears and needs into the aroma, and I release the pent up feelings as the aroma lifts to the nostrils of God.

I ask him to see, hear, and accept my prayers. I ask him to breathe them in. I picture the curling mist streaming into the throne room. Then I imagine God's eyes closing as he inhales. His chest lifts with the breath. And his eyes open.

They glow love and compassion.

They look directly into my soul.

He lifts his hand toward me.

The answer is already on the way.

I thank him.

I rest, waiting for the answer to arrive.

Enjoy your coffee or tea in a new way today,
Angie
PS Please visit me over at God Uses Broken Vessels for my daily posts :-D

Naps!

I know, I know. Unusual title ;-) But this week I did something very unusual. I took a really long nap. In fact, it lasted 2 or 3 hours. The kitty, Ted E. Cat, snuggled with me. Ah, it was so comfortable.

I'd been to a physical training session that was INTENSE! Afterward, my body shook from the work out. My trainer told me to get some food in my body quickly to replenish the energy stores.

I did that. And then I worked the rest of the afternoon in my home office.

About 4:30p.m. I absolutely couldn't keep my eyes open any more. Plopped on the couch, my feet managed to migrate up onto the cushions.

I woke up around 7p.m.! I felt great, hungry, and totally surprised!

I guess sometimes we need to listen to our bodies and sleep for restoration.

When you are just too tired, nap!

Angie
PS Please visit me over at God Uses Broken Vessels for my daily posts and a tour of Montana.

Resting in Fellowship

Some days just feel like we've been swamped, snowed in, or overwhelmed by things outside of our control. Definitely, it can affect our writing and our sense of inner peace.




Then in comes the calvary to help plow you out and make a way for you to keep going forward.

Sometimes the most important thing we can do, when our hearts are buried under a ton of snow, is call in the snow plows. Friends that listen and help us find our way back. People that meet us where we are and lead us to where we need to be.



It might still be cloudy out...but you start to see the beauty in them and the beauty of the road before you.

That's what resting in fellowship is and why we need to connect with other friends who understand.

Just sharing a deep heartfelt need, stress, or pain helps us to find a little bit of hope. Hope that can help us get a little further down off the frozen mountain of aloneness.

Are you deluged?

Call in the snow plows to start digging out.

Angie
PS Come visit me often over at God Uses Broken Vessels.

Ye Old Familiar

Every Sunday we have a family dinner. Sometimes we have up to 14 people. Our six kids bring their girlfriends, wife, or boyfriends and some long time family friends. Tonight, we had all sorts of familiar foods, just not to everyone.

Our Japanese exchange son made rice cakes on the grill. So interesting! They puff as they heat. Then you wrap sushi seaweed around it and dip it in soy sauce. It's a traditional food in Japan to celebrate the New Year.

I made Scotch Eggs, lefsa, ambrosia, and my hubby made grilled potatoes. So actually, we had an international menu from Japan, Scandinavia, Scotland, Ireland, and America.

Why?

I think it was just for fun and to share the feeling of comfort. The foods take you to a place of memories and joy. A place where you rest in the comfort of the familiar.

Scents, flavors, songs--they all have a way of taking you somewhere in your memory.

What strikes a happy memory for you?

Do you realize that is a way of resting your emotions and refueling?

Happy memories to you.

Angie
PS Please visit me over at my daily blog too!

Forced Rest

Ugh! I caught a cold. And you know, it isn't so bad. Okay, the cold is miserable, but I actually laid down for 2 1/2 hours today. My body needed time to replenish and heal.

I don't often let myself rest when I'm sick. Silly me. I felt much more refreshed (still icky) than before. It blew me away that it really helped clear my foggy brain amidst the stuffiness and stinging eyes.

Sometimes I think we go, go, go so fast that our bodies can't fight all those bugs out there. Then we find out that we should have rested earlier. sigh. So here I sit, resting. I'm letting my body recover.

What will it take for you to allow yourself a little rest? Do you have to get sick? Maybe you could preempt illness with a little bit of self-care. The Bible even says to love others AS yourself. If we keep pushing ourselves to the limit, is that really how you want to treat others? How loved would they feel?

So as I sniffle, I'm working out in my mind a schedule that will allow me to do what I need to do and take time to love myself AS I love others too.

Angie
PS Come visit over at God Uses Broken Vessels.

I took a break today

Did you?

Today is the day for rest. Yes, there are things to do all day, every day. But did you carve out a little time to rest today? Rest your mind, your body, your emotions?

I made myself a latte with sugar-free peppermint/chocolate syrups. Sat down and finished a really cute book called, Hollywood Nobody. I'm reviewing it. (Loved it.)

What I loved? Sitting down to thoroughly enjoy a hot drink on a cold day with a good book. I think you should try it too sometimes. When it's all cloudy and wet or snowing out, it's the perfect day for a hot drink and a good book! (That photo above is my hometown on a rainy day.)

What other ideas would you like to share about resting your mind, body, and emotions?

Post away:-D

Angie
Visit me daily over at God Uses Broken Vessels

or you can always contact me through www.angelabreidenbach.com

Rest Is Play

I love the idea that rest is play. Laughter is playful rest. It relaxes you, rejuvinates you, and lowers all the stress triggers.

I watch funny movies, go hiking, play games with my family. I'll also go to live theater, read a book, or do synchronized swimming. Okay, I have to admit that blogging is play for me too, lol. Recently, my kids taught me how to folf. (Up in Montana, there are several mountain frisbie golf courses. We call it folfing.)



Have you tried archery? It's amazing for creating a single-minded focus. It's me and the bullseye. I can't think of anything else. I kid you not, after archery, I feel like I've had a good night's sleep. Like my son says when he rock climbs, "All my worries fall away because it is me and the rock." (As long as it's his worries and not him falling.)

Some play is active and some is passive. There's purpose in both.

How do you play? What refreshes you? (Sometime I'll post about the benefits of getting a therapeutic massage.)

If you don't play regularly (not talking about being lazy here) what could you do today to experience rest through joyful release of tension? How will you let your cares fall away?

Wishing you a wonderful playday,
Angie

Writing wish list

There’s been talk this week over on the ACFW email loop about ways we can use our writing and creativity to make gifts for people on our Christmas lists. For today’s Friday Free for All, why don’t we turn the question around? Now let’s think about …

What kind of writing-related gift would you like someone to give you this year? A laptop? Alphasmart? Stock in Mead because of all those little notebooks you carry everywhere? Some people – like my mom – are industrious enough to already be asking for wish-list ideas. What are you going to tell them?

My answer will have to be the same as last year: a weekend away to write. Now I’m not talking about any ordinary weekend when I also pack for my husband and kids. I’m talking about a weekend when I go away by myself to write. The “by myself” part is the key for me – time alone, away from the everyday distractions of laundry, cooking, chauffeuring, phone calls, “real” work, and everything else that fills my days. No matter how well-intentioned my family might be when I set aside time to write, something always comes up that needs Mama’s attention. That would be why so much of my writing happens in the middle of the night, when everyone else is asleep and I can finally have some uninterrupted time … until my daughter begins sleepwalking. Sigh.

So last Christmas I asked for a weekend away. I didn’t get it until February, but that was OK – I knew it was coming, and I planned for and prayed about it for weeks! I left on Friday after taking our daughter from preschool to my parents’ house. Then I headed to a bed and breakfast about an hour away. I worked on my WIP, wrote copy for a new website I wanted to launch for girls, planned out talks for a half-day women’s retreat I was leading later that month. I spent time on Bible study homework, I prayed, I relaxed, I talked to and listened for God. It was one of the most rewarding and refreshing times I’ve ever had. I returned home Sunday afternoon with a real sense of accomplishment and with joy.

Now it’s your turn. Whether you want to share something realistic or shoot beyond the stars, what would you love to find at Christmas that would help your writing? Dream on, and enjoy this beautiful day God has blessed you with!