Confidence

I love all of my stories.

Not everyone who reads them is going to love them, or even like them for that matter.

That is a hard thing to accept sometimes. As an author, I thrive on feedback, and I desire for people to enjoy the stories that I write. They are very much a part of my heart and soul. I put myself into every story that I write. It so often feels like an attack against my stories is an attack against me. But as an author, I need to learn to have a thicker skin. Yes, my stories are a part of me. But that does not mean that when people dislike a story of mine they dislike me.

I am learning to have the confidence to accept criticism without taking it personally.

On one hand, criticism can, in fact, be useful. I can learn and grow from it. On the other hand, criticism of my stories does not equal criticism of me. And even when there are those people who don't like me any more than they like my stories, they don't define me.

I am not defined by criticism.

I am not defined by those who dislike me.

I am not defined by my stories.

I am defined by my Creator. And I am learning to have confidence because of that and let everything else fall like so much water off of a duck's back.

The Fruits I am Learning

As a nanny, I am learning anew the Fruits of the Spirit, and learning to experience them in a different way than perhaps I have in the past.

LOVE:

The overwhelming and powerful love you feel for the child in your care. The sacrifices that you make for her.

JOY:

The bubbling, never-ending emotion that wells up inside you when you see the little one that you love. An emotion that transcends all the crying fits and dirty diapers.

PEACE:

Complete and perfect peace that envelopes you as you realize God is watching over your little one.

PATIENCE:

Patience to endure the seemingly never-ending cries, the stubborn refusals to take naps, and waiting for her to just roll over already (you're so close! You can do it!)

KINDNESS:

Watching out for her, any chance you can find to bless her sweet life (in however small a way).

GOODNESS:

Striving to be the best example you can be, pursuing the Lord all the more, even though she's yet to young to understand. 

GENTLENESS:

Learning to quiet your voice, and slow your movements so you don't scare her; rocking her to sleep, making her laugh, holding her close.

SELF-CONTROL:

Those moments when she's been crying for an hour and it takes everything inside you to just continue to comfort her and not curl up into a ball with your hands over your ears and have a good cry yourself.

Video Letters/Vlogging?

I have started a new project! Don't worry, writing is still my #1 priority (well...#2. #1 is my niece).

But as to this new project...

My best friend is my younger sister. We have always done everything together and she is my go-to when I need a good laugh or a good cry. So, moving 5 hours away from her has not been easy for either of us. One way we've been working around this is by sending each other video letters. That's my new project. Honestly, the videos aren't that great yet (well mine certainly are not). But it has been fun to send letters via this medium. And it's also been a lot of fun learning how to make proper youtube videos. And it's gotten me thinking.

I'm considering creating a vlog.

Note the word considering. I am not sure that I can juggle novel writing, blogging, nannyhood, and doing a vlog. So it's just a thought right now. But these video letters to my sister have been lots of fun, and I do think a vlog could be a great way to grow my audience and create a further reach for my books.

So, that's what I've been up to.

In the writing corner of my life I've been deep in Sherwood, finishing Dusty. It isn't complete yet, but it is definitely getting there. :)