Book Review - The Art of Work by Jeff Goins

Life happens, but along the way we can find purpose out of the connections we make and the experiences we have on the journey. This is the essential message of  The Art of Work by Jeff Goins. Similar to the concept of the hero’s journey in literature, Goins directs the reader to see the possibility of open doors, accidental apprenticeships, and opportunities that may change the direction of your life.

Goins’ goal is to instill in anyone willing to take the chance, a desire to find their life’s calling. To quote from his back cover copy: “A calling is not some special opportunity reserved for an elite class of people. Meaningful work is available to anyone who dares to find it. The path before you is a perilous one, full of difficulty and challenges, but it leads to a legacy the world will not soon forget.” 

This book seeks to motivate you to find and better understand your passion, something that may not be immediately obvious, but with time and guidance can be discovered. He encourages you to learn and grow from your failures and other life experiences. The Art of Work will challenge you to do more than just go through the motions of a job by helping you identify your calling and gain a fresh view of your life. The journey is as individual as each person and that’s what makes it exciting!

Easy to read and inspiring from start to finish, Lilybits and I give The Art of Work four paws up! 

Seven Ways to Have a Happier Week . . . Day by Day

Maybe the weather is gray and rainy or your child isn't feeling well today. You aren't able to complete a project at work, because the items you needed aren't there on time. Or this has been a boring week and you don't feel like doing much of anything. Whatever is holding you down, make each day better by trying even one suggestion a day, and before you know it, the days will add up into a better week. Here they are:

1) Set achievable goals for the day ahead. Checking the most important items off your to-do list at the end of the day can give you a sense of accomplishment. Check out Lisa Betz’s article, “Is This Habit Stealing Your Happiness?” which is essentially about how procrastination and lack of direction can rob us of a sense of fulfillment. I know I feel better when I have direction and make better use of my time! Even Moses asked God to help him number his days, so he could apply his heart to wisdom. (Ps. 90:12)

2) Thank someone today. Research has shown that being grateful helps you focus on the positive. If you’re busy thinking about what you have to be thankful for, some of life’s little annoyances seem less important. Take a few minutes to call someone or write them a note to say “thanks.” Take a minute to give God thanks for your blessings.

3) Enhance your mood with color. As far as making you feel happier, the yellows have it! Wearing soft yellows or painting a room with the warm, muted hues of sunshine may possibly perk you up. Greens and blues infused with green are also happy enhancing colors. Besides, what makes you happier than being outside in the spring, with green grass and trees, along with warm golden sunshine.

If anxiety is bringing you down, soft, caressing blues in the environment will help you relax. Wear light blue clothing, or bring the sky inside by adding an inexpensive decorative blue pillow and a comfy throw to your family room furniture to help bring calm.

4) Boost Endorphins with Exercise! Get out there and swing your arms a bit on a walk. This will release chemicals called endorphins in your brain, which give a natural sense of euphoria. Best of all, endorphins are non-addictive, though you may find you enjoy how exercise makes you feel. Warning—you may want to try it again.

Something as easy as walking, yard work, playing with the kids or dog, can be an enjoyable form of exercise. (In my case, it could be playing hide and seek with the cat for 10 minutes—indoors.)

5) Do unto others . . . Think about what you can do today or yet this week, which would be an encouragement to someone else. Take cookies or flowers to a neighbor, wash their car, or hold the door open at the department or grocery store for a young mom coming through with a stroller. Let the elderly person with two items, in the grocery line, go ahead of you and your filled to the brim basket. Then watch them smile! Which brings me to . . .

This made you smile, didn't it?

6) Just smile. Proverbs 15:13 talks about the relationship between smiling and heart attitude:
A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. An article on the science of smiling shares that a genuine smile can make you feel better than eating chocolate or receiving a large amount of cash! Your brain knows when you have a genuine smile, which reaches your eyes. This kind of smile will immediately help you feel happy and relaxed, instead of the quick socially polite smile, which is just an upturned mouth. Even better, you can retrain yourself to have a genuine smile. Think about a good memory, those you love, and well . . . we’re back to counting our blessings! Read this article about “Top Reasons to Make You Smile” if you need more encouragement in that area. Some days I do.

7) Get More Rest. Turn off the television and computer, curl up with a favorite book or take a warm bath before bed. Getting to bed earlier, so you get more sleep will help you feel recharged. It’s just common sense . . . and something I need to work on myself! 

I had fun researching how to help you have a better week, knowing this is advice I can use as well. What helps you have a better day or week?

Tweet this: Did you know that a genuine smile can make you feel better than eating chocolate?

Seeing Through a Lens Darkly, and Someday, Clearly

But I’m too young for cataract surgery! My parents hadn’t had theirs done until they were well into their seventies. I’ve also had glaucoma. I’m not sure why my eyes seem to insist on aging faster than the rest of me. However, when it became evident even a new prescription for my glasses didn’t make it any easier for me to read, the ophthalmologist started coaxing me to think about cataract surgery.

In theory, the likely results sounded great. Since I’m used to mono-vision with my contact lenses, my doctor suggested that I have one intraocular lens placed for close up and one for distance. This sounded all well and good, except for one thing: This would be PERMANENT! And what if I wouldn’t be happy with the results? Besides, who likes pointy things near their eyes while under light sedation? I was wondering just how light the sedation would be and what if it hurt like the laser trabeculoplasty I’d had done for glaucoma in the same eye?

Not many people my age, fifty-mumble years old, have gone through cataract surgery, though I did find a couple of people I knew, some who were older and some who were younger when they had it done. Besides, I kind of liked the idea of keeping the things God made rather than replacing them.

I had prayed that the Lord would close the door if I wasn’t supposed to have the procedure done. A couple of days before my surgery was originally scheduled, I became ill. So I switched my first eye surgery to be done the day my second eye was supposed to be. The Lord knew I wasn’t mentally or emotionally ready.

Come May 6, I was ready, though still a bit nervous, and embarrassed to be having the procedure done at my age. There was no pain during the procedure and I was only slightly aware of people talking and different colored lights from the microscope they used to perform the surgery. Two days later my eye is feeling a little scratchy and is still blurry, but healing a little more each day. I’m not nearly as apprehensive about having the surgery on the other eye in a few weeks.

Image by Frank C. Muller
This is one example of an intraocular lens (IOL).

What has amazed me is although my right eye is still blurry, colors look more vibrant and the light seemed brighter. Of course, that could also be the experience of spring coming to Michigan after emerging from a harshly cold winter. However, I’m looking forward to the crystal clear sight which is coming soon and especially after both eyes are done. This reminds me of I Corinthians 13:12: For now we see through a glass, darkly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; but then shall I know, even as also I am known. In ancient times, Paul was referring to a mirror. Back then a mirror was often made of polished metal, not as clear at the mirrors of today. However, we could look at the imperfect lenses in our bodies the same way. Usually, with exceptions of those who are born with cataracts or develop them at an early age, the lenses within our eyes become cloudy and can cause blindness as we age.

In the same way, we can’t see heaven, the future or God’s face. For we walk by faith, not by sight as it says in 2 Cor. 5:7, but some day we shall truly see Him face to face. All His promises will come to fruition and we will see the place He prepared for us. As we were finishing a study of Revelation in Community Bible Study this week, verses three through five of Chapter 22 were so precious for me to read:

And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign forever and ever.

Eventually my eye will heal completely and I will read without trouble. Once my left eye is done and healed I’ll be able to drive without glasses or a contact lens. How wonderful having crystal clear vision will be. However, nothing will compare to seeing my Lord Jesus clearly, face to face! All our suffering will make sense, we’ll be given an eternal reward, and have forever to enjoy being with our God. Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus!

@kathleenrouser Looking forward to seeing His face.

Three Reasons Your Cat Can Tell It's Spring--According to Lilybits

Being groomed against my will.

1) It’s shedding time! The trees and flowers may be budding, but I am getting new fur and shedding my winter coat like crazy. Mom and Dad are constantly interrupting my busy day by proposing grooming sessions. Getting brushed is all right and actually feels pretty good, but I’m not going to let them know that. He he! 

Far superior self-grooming. 

2) The screen is in the front door. And now I’m practicing fast starts as well as dashes around furniture and human feet. Since the weather is turning warm and sunny, I am waiting for that moment when Mom or Dad least expect me to sneak out onto the patio to catch some rays. Or to eat grass, so I can throw up when I come back in. Very seldom do I escape this terrible imprisonment. I can’t even get out on parole for good behavior, but I need to be ready for my five glorious minutes of freedom!

3) Spring rains are here! I won’t try to escape when the rain is pouring down. Nope. All those gloppy wet droplets coating my fur remind me of the evil squirt bottle Mom and Dad use to curtail any naughty behavior. I keep threatening to call ASPCA, but they don’t seem to understand what I’m saying.

I guess I will be forced to stay inside all summer, sleep in my sunny spot, be fed two canned food meals a day, along with free access to my kibble and cold water to drink—yes—I do like to drink water, especially if it’s in Mom’s glass. Spring is here, but I am forced to observe all the birds and chipmunks through a screen.

Such a rough life! But you should see Simon’s Cat romping in the rain, below. And that kitten is so difficult to deal with. Maybe I could teach him a few lessons.

ANNOUNCING OUR WINNER!

Ta da! The winner of an ebook copy of The Captive Imposter by Dawn Crandall is Jen Colson! Congratulations and happy reading, Jen! I will contact you shortly. 

THE CAPTIVE IMPOSTER

Dawn, I'm so glad to have you here back at my blog this week! Welcome! Please give us an update—tell us about your latest release, The Captive Imposter.

Sent away for protection, hotel heiress Estella Everstone finds herself living undercover as a lady’s companion named Elle Stoneburner at one of her father’s opulent hotels in the mountains of Maine—the one she'd always loved best and always hoped to one day own, Everston. The one thing she doesn't like about the situation is that her ex-fiancé is in the area and is set on marrying someone else. Reeling from her feelings of being unwanted and unworthy, Estella reluctantly forms a friendship with the gruff manager of Everston, Dexter Blakeley, who seems to have something against wealthy young socialites with too much money, although they are just the kind of people Everston caters to.

When Estella finds herself in need of help, Dexter comes to the rescue with an offer she can't refuse. She sees no other choice aside from going back home to her family and accepts the position as companion to his sister. Throughout her interactions with Dexter, she can't deny the pull that's evidenced between them every time he comes near. Estella realizes that while she's been hiding behind a false name and identity, she’s never been freer to be herself than when she's with Dexter Blakeley. But will he still love her when he finds out she's Estella Everstone? She's not entirely sure.

You’ve done a marvelous job in your novels of transporting your reader into upper class Boston society and life at their summer resort. How did you go about your research?

I don’t really feel that I do a lot of “work” researching my novels… I just come across things from history that get my imagination going and then my characters show up! I attribute much of this ability to easily day-dreams things up to my ADD. I can get lost in my imagination so quickly, and so deeply! I love finding photographs online—even way before Pinterest was a thing! A photograph can transport me so quickly! 

Has being a busy mom of a little toddler had an effect on your writing? How do you find time to write and handle marketing in your busy day?

It’s been crazy and rough! I wasn’t getting much writing done while launching The Hesitant Heiress and The Bound Heart within three months of each other! By the time I had time to catch my breath, it was December and The Captive Imposter was set to release on February 1^st! Fortunately Whitaker House understood my predicament and valued the time and energy I put in on launching those first two books. I rewrote the last half of The Captive Imposter in December and January and turned it in on the day it was originally set to release. Honestly, I don’t even remember how I did it! It’s all a blur to me now! God got me through it though—there’s no doubt about that! I’ve been planning and outlining my next book, and I plan to begin writing it in May.

Do you have a life verse or a guiding principle from scripture that has affected your writing?

I like to include the theme that God works all things together to bless those who love Him. He knows what is best for us through every day and phase of our lives, and even though it may not seem that things are going the way we want, or even that some difficult things happen to us… He uses EVERYTHING to eventually bring out ways to bless us in ways we could have never imagined. 

I agree, Dawn! He cares so deeply for His children and has a plan for each of us.

Would you care to share about what you will be working on next?

Yes! I’m not sure of the name yet, but Book 4 is definitely in the works! I really look forward to writing Vance Everstone and Violet Hawthorne’s story! It’s not technically part of The Everstone Chronicles, but a new yet-to-be-named three book series about some minor characters readers will have met while reading this first series. I’ve never written an “anti-hero” like Vance before, but I’m super excited! The story will start out at Everston, but will then move back to the Boston setting. Readers will visit some of the settings from the first two books again, plus some new, not so ritzy places too.  

Very exciting! I look forward to hearing more about your next book series! Thank you so much for joining me this week, Dawn.

Dawn Crandall didn't begin writing until her husband found out about her long-buried dream of writing a book. Without a doubt about someday becoming traditionally published, he encouraged her to quit her job in 2010 in order to focus on writing The Hesitant Heiress. Dawn is represented by Joyce Hart of Hartline Literary.

The Everstone Chronicles is Dawn's first series with Whitaker House. All three books composing the series were semifinalists in ACFW's prestigious Genesis Writing Contest, the third book going on to become a finalist in 2013.

Other places to find Dawn and her generous book giveaways:


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To be entered in a drawing for an ebook copy of Dawn's latest
release, The Captive Imposter, please leave a comment or become a member of this site. Thank you! The drawing will
be next Saturday, April 25.

M-FADD?

Lilybits, not large, but in charge.

Unfortunately, there is no special association for this crippling disorder, though it affects productivity the world over. Tasks are left undone, people go to work or school without lunch and there are unpaid library late fees everywhere! Keys and eye glasses are misplaced--and it's hard to find one without the other.

What disorder causes so much trouble in the fabric of life? M-Fadd is Menopausal Female Attention Deficit Disorder. And Mom has a really bad case. It becomes obvious when something like this happens: I gently remind Mom to scoop my princess potty by standing in the hallway near the laundry room and staring at her. “All right,” she says, “one more bon-bon and I will peel my lazy carcass off the couch to take care of you.” Well, maybe I’m exaggerating here. She’s not that lazy.

Anyway, when she finally jumps up to obey my wishes, Mom remembers that the clothes in the washing machine need to go in the dryer, but the items in the dryer need to be folded and put away. If the items in the dryer happen to be kitchen towels, then she takes them to put away in the drawer in the kitchen island. She notices that the island is cluttered and there are dishes in the sink. But before she does the dishes, she puts away a book that was sitting on the island and another one from the table. Pretty soon Mom is sitting down, reading, and leaving several tasks undone.

Two hours later . . . I am still waiting for her to scoop my princess potty, but now I’m also hungry! Since then, Mom has put down the book and is feeling inspired to write. She has the laptop on her lap, so I jump up to perch on her knee and stare at her. Okay, it’s more of a glare. She should realize by now, I am doing the kitty mind meld thing with her and sending important mental messages that I would like my dinner now! By the time she realizes it’s time to feed me, she also sees that it’s time to make dinner for her and Dad!

This slowness to read my telepathic messages is mostly likely another symptom of M-FADD.  And believe me, Mom is already slow enough. I have come to understand that I must occasionally exercise understanding and patience. While you would think this would come easily to a sensitive, intelligent creature like myself, my imperious nature doesn’t usually make such allowances. Sigh. Mom has told me patience is a virtue.

Mom has shared there isn’t a cure for this M-FADD, unfortunately, except for endlessly making lists and trying to remember to check them. Coffee helps with Mom’s alertness and a little chocolate never hurts.

Do you know anyone with M-FADD? Or do you have any suggestions to help curb its disastrous effects?