Getting Over Myself

I want to write a series of books called If I can Get over Myself, You Can TOO (Someone already did It’s not all about you, I think). Seriously, don’t you just get sick of yourself sometimes? For instance, this year I have been through Weight Loss Surgery and the subsequent weight loss—and still melting—female surgery that I won’t go into, MEGA deadlines and it just feels like all year has been about ME, ME, ME. And yet during all that, God began to deal with me about selfishness and making it NOT about me all the time. It’s been a real challenge to back away from myself, MY accomplishments, MY weight loss, MY hair color change (Oh, yeah…) when there are so many changes happening in my life in such a short amount of time. I’m thinking, couldn’t God have given me ONE year to make it all about me without that prickly conviction? I will say, that being AWARE of others has been a sweet fragrance in my life. Giving of time and attention when my tendency is to back away from people—especially other women—has been a positive. I’m still moving toward that place God is taking me. Every new experience is a chance to move up a level in my walk with God, a chance to take another step toward that ultimate Goal of KNOWING Him. Another chance to minister to his precious daughters… I can think of several opportunities to share His heart that would not have happened without me opening my eyes and letting him make me aware of others.

Today I read Phil. 2:3 (New Living Translation because KJV makes my eyes cross) Don’t be selfish; don’t live to make a good impression on others.(OH OUCH. In this business…???? Are you kidding me, God? Okay, Lord, I only want to impress you. Really. ) Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourself. (Again….In THIS business???) Don’t only think about your own affairs, but be interested in others, too, and what they are doing.

Here’s what I love about my pastors. They live this scripture. They aren’t a bit impressed with me. Know why I love that about them? Because my value hasn’t changed as my tithe went up, my visibility in publishing went up, my confidence went up. To them, I am who I am. I always felt important to them and it never has had ONE thing to do with my career, even with a growing congregation of 400 members (go visit the website and meet my pastor, he’s awesome www.lebanonfamilychurch.org) I know they love me individually and care about my soul prospering. Okay, enough pastor gush. I have to go work. Can I encourage you today to seek out someone who needs to be noticed? Set aside your own desperate needs—and I know they are valid—and let God use you to love someone else.

Peace out

My arms hurt

Sorry to whine, but sheesh. So much writing... ouch.

Power to Women

Okay, I've been thinking a lot about womanhood lately. I have my reasons, but let me just say that being a woman for me has always been a confusing contradiction. My mom wasn't treated well by my dad, but we knew she was the boss in the family--confusing. I've always had this mixed up idea of gender issues. But over the years God has been training me personally what pleases Him and what doesn't. For instance. He likes it when I'm strong, and don't let fear control me, (I used to couldn't leave my house, now I fly all over the place--Go me!) but hates it when I boss Rusty around. :) Hmmm. Seems like a no brainer, but still not always easy to carry out. Rusty's a great guy with a lot of patience. He likes to tell me he lets me do anything I want but if he puts his foot down, I do tend to submit. Not sure what I'd do if he were a control freak, though. we'd likely fight all the time. Like I said, he's a really easy-going guy. I watch my seventeen year old daughter and just marvel at her confidence and her ability to say no. When I was her age I was such a chameleon. I took on the characteristics of whoever I was with. I'm so glad she's strong. But I pray that she has the ability to surrender too. She's the firstborn and the only girl in our family, so she's sort of used to being the big cheese. I suppose it remains to be seen. Oh well, I'm in a reflective kind of mood today. My mind is sort of going from topic to topic. Just got back from a three and a half mile walk. Sweaty. When I lose another twenty pounds I'm goign to start running again. I really want to run a marathon before I'm forty. Three more years. I figure if Oprah can do it so can I. OF course, by that thinking, if Oprah can have a hit talk show... Naw. Well, maybe. Naw. who needs it? Well, kids are split between Rusty's mom and my mom for the next couple of days, so I'm off to write a million and a half words. Do you believe me? Peace Out

Googled me

Okay, I know it's deadline heck when I'm procrastinating. I've read every entry in my guestbook, Read everyone's blog, and googled my name. Have you ever done that? It's really fun. Like I found out that I'm actually in an ADVERTISEMENT for an editor who claims she proofed or edited my stuff at Warner. Never heard of her (I was tempted to use her name here since she used mine without asking but I don't think that would have been nice) and besides more power to her. I just hope she's a good editor since she's asking for money to do it. The cool thing about it is that my name is apparently supposed to be a draw. :) Poor woman. I almost felt bad that mine was the name she had to use. Now if she had been lying she would have said Francine Rivers or something. Okay honestly, I was a little flattered by it. She mentioned TD Jakes, Joyce Meyer and me--Tracey Bateman. Whatever. I really don't know where I'm going with this...pretty much just need to procrastinate because I'm really resisting this new scene. All right. I'm totally going to turn off the internet connection AND the TV and concentrate. And for the record TIPton, Rusty and I went to different services yesterday morning, and by the time he got home from church I had already changed into my slob clothes. But I promise I'll eventually get the picture taken and post it here. :) Pray for the peace Jerusalem.

Stargate!!

Tonight is the season premiere of Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis. Ahhhh life is good! I've been working my tail off all day so I can take the time off to get my walk in and watch both shows. :) On another note, I got my bound galleys today of I Love Claire my third and final CLAIRE book. The ad for the first book(Catch a Rising Star) in the next series (Drama QUeens) is in the back of the book. Cool huh? I get so excited about stuff like that. Let's see...Haven't talked about weight in awhile. I've officially lost 77 lbs. A lot of weight. An average 7 year old. that;s how much I've lost. In Denver, several people didn't recognize me at all. Some did after a doubletake. I don't feel any different so it's crazy to me that people don't recognize me. :) But it's a good thing I guess. Still have 60ish lbs to lose. Keep your fingers crossed for me! Okay back to work for the next hour Peace!

Home and loving it

Good Morning friends in Blogland. I stepped off the plane from Denver to Springfield, Mo on Tuesday, and blessed the Lord for Wonderful, lovely 100% humidity. Ahhhh home. Amazing how we get used to a certain climate. In Denver I felt like my face was going to crack off. My throat was constantly dry and I just wanted to splash water all over me all the time. However, I loved downtown. Monday night a couple of friends and I walked from the convention center to Ruth Chris steakhouse and being a country girl (with city girl longings), I loved it!! the walk, the company, the big honking buildings that stretched so high I about broke my neck trying to see the top. On the way back I saw my first homeless person. I won't soon forget the look in his eyes as we made contact. I couldn't look away. I couldn't smile, I knew better than to slip him a fiver. Then further down, we passed a bar with outside tables and this young girl was resting her chin on her arm along the back of her chair and staring sadly. Alone, buzzing a little, but not drunk, she was just unhappy. I wanted to go to her. To tell her about Jesus. But I didn't. Why didn't I? Missed opportunities. Jesus knows her. I'm praying. Her face is imprinted on my heart. BOOK SIGNING... I was with Wanda Brunstetter, DiAnn Mills, and new author Mary Tyndall (no relation to the publisher :) ). The lines went on for two and a half hours. But that's the way it is at CBA. Everyone gets to feel like a super star. So I had a shining moment to salve my ego after my last booksigning of a whopping four people. Okay, I'm SOOO procrastinating. I'm going to work.

Hello from Denver

well, CBA is in full swing today. It gets chaotic and busy and I have to remember that it's not all about me. what a concept, huh?
Last night I attended the Christy Awards and was just blown away by the wonderful gracious winning speeches. We truly are in a God-centered community and it's great to see the best in people. I've already been blessed with divine appointments that have spoken to my heart. I've prayed for opportunities to encourage anyone who needs a good word or gentle hug. My own soul is being restored after three years of constant motion I can honestly say this morning during a devotional, I felt myself being led beside still waters.
I have resigned from ACFW as president. I felt the Lord release me after much prayer and agonizing. I'm excited about the next phase of my life--as a servant of god, wife, mother, writer.
Recently God has been speaking to me about what I truly need. And right now all I need is to be true to what HE is telling me to do. If that means I sit in the back and don't get noticed, that's ok. I hope. :)

Until next time....
Peace out

Happy Fourth!!

I love this holiday. Freedom speaks to my soul. Some people say that we are losing our freedoms in this country. But I disagree. I don't know...maybe I have blinders on and choose to see the glass half full. We live in a WONDERFUL country. And the more I travel around it, the more amazed I am at the people, the landforms, the wonderful airports (Yeah, I like 'em, sue me). I love this country. We got big boomy fireworks to set off tonight. My mil and a neice are coming to eat BBQ hamburgers and hotdogs. Speaking of Freedom. I am finishing up the second book in the PEnbrook Diaries. The Freedom of the Soul will be released by Barbour as a sequel to The Color of the Soul. The book has been the most challenging of my career, not because of the book itself, but because of life happenings this year. I have strong faith that God has a plan for this book. That it will speak to readers the way The Color of the Soul did. The heroine is strong and searching and vulnerable, but smart. My favorite kind. I am also writing The first book in Drama Queens, my new chicklit series with Warner. It's fun and going well. Until Next time.... Let Freedom Ring.

Home!

Hey all, I got home last Saturday. Hard to believe it's been a whole week! I jumped right back into the grind, and will be headed for Denver to a retreat with some friends and a couple of days of CBA. Then home again and hopefully no more travelling this year. I'm going to try to get some photos uploaded soon. I'm not really great at that. Might have to beg Misty, my web lady to do it for me. :) The tour was amazing. We were on TV twice, an hour-long radio show once, and in a couple of newspapers. The readers who came out were so sweet and a lot of fun. Oh! And then there's the BEACH. We played in the sun (got burnt--still peeling on my back, thank you very much, Florida sun), LOVED the beautiful aqua blue water and wonderful muscle relaxing waves. Ate so much seafood while we were gone that I truly believe they are now experiencing a shortage of the stuff. BIG BIG thanks to Warner Faith(now FaithWords) for putting this tour together. I had the time of my LIFE!