Wisdom, Whimsey, and a Whistle.
Helping Moms Live JOY! No matter the challenges you face, or will face, as a mom, you have been divinely equipped to face them and grow through them. God is the Potter and you are the clay. He is molding and fashioning you and, through you, your children. That truth holds great beauty and divine security.

About Tracey

On a good day you’ll find me outdoors hiking and squeezing in some writing. I love my man and my children, [read more]

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Book Title Decided

Oct
17

Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!

I always knew the working title I had for my book would not remain the title as it didn’t really reveal what the book was truly about.

Well – Tyndale and Focus on the Family who are working together on my book project have agreed to the Title I suggested…with a bit of an add on in their subtitle.

Drum roll please…

The title of my book to be released in August of 2012 is…

Be The Mom

Subtitle:  Overcome Attitude Traps and Enjoy Your Kids

Woo hoo!!!

How could this even be happening – God is a BIG God!

Excuse me while I go dance in the kitchen like a crazy person!

And if you are reading this then I need a ginormous favor…would you head on over to Facebook and search “Be The Mom” and “Like” the page for me so I can have it as my very own – I need 25 peeps to do that!

This will ultimately be the place for moms who read the book {gasp} to congregate and ask questions, visit and all around encourage each other!

Filed Under: Be The Mom, Writing Tagged With: , , , 2 Comments

I Vacuum At Writing

Aug
24

Because we don’t use the “s” word for that in my home – though I did come dangerously close to using it anyway just now.

Woe is me.

I am fighting through the first edits on my book and I would like to scream and yell – lucky you, you get to read it.

Pity party.

In my pit.

With Big O puddles.

Splash.  Splash.

It truly is maddening – I am screaming at the page.  But it’s screaming back.

I could be doing so many other things right now, instead of torturing myself by writing.

But not writing is worse torture.

{heavy sigh}

Rant over?

Deep breath.

Music calms the savage beast – I’m headed over to You Tube.

Please disregard the past several lines of scribbles – at times I doth reveal too much!

Filed Under: Writing Tagged With: , , 3 Comments

Loneliness Lie

Aug
17

 

Loneliness whispers…”unloved” and takes an otherwise hope filled day and tramples the joy out of it.

Why must the nagging shrieks “you don’t measure up” wash over my heart?

Pride reveals itself in so many nasty ways.

Look at me.

No one sees me.

I don’t matter anyway.

The ever present “me” thoughts are the counterfeit that robs Gods glory.

The enemy skillfully annihilates my countenance and slithers in to invade my thoughts…mocking the truth that gets pushed to the recesses of my mind.

I grasp for the truth that dances wistfully on the edge of consciousness “no weapon formed against me shall prosper.”

Gratitude swells as the power of God’s word is once again revealed through the daily battle against my sinful nature.

Jesus should be the ebb and flow of my every thought, though I recognize that He and I are so far separated, but for his rushing towards me.

His selfless desire to take the ugliest of me and drape it over himself as it gets smeared with his red liquid love.

Peace…gentle sighs of triumph.

My loneliness is self-taught…for He desires that I never be alone.

I am only when I push Him away and choose separation.

Father…save me from myself by losing me in Him.

Loneliness is a lie.

Filed Under: Faith, Writing Tagged With: , , , , , , 2 Comments

Biggest Fan- Ted Dekker

Aug
16

So…I just got back from the Ragged Edge writers conference with none other than THE Ted Dekker as well as Tosca Lee, Eric Wilson, Robert Liparulo and Steven James. The time with these writers was invaluable as it wasn’t your typical writers conference…it was more like being at a dinner party with the aforementioned and the entire dinner party was all about encouraging me to do what God designed me to do.

The thing is … there were dozens of “me’s” in the room! The event was small  (around 120 I would guess) and each person had been drawn there by the ever present need…desire…compulsion to write. We received many, many tips – but more than anything we received permission to follow our dream as well as a charge to do so. I met some pretty amazing people.

I used to think my need to write was selfish or self-centered…not anymore. God created me to write. God has provided me with life experience to write about – not to mention a vivid imagination. And man does He give me some interesting dreams to work with as well.  I have a computer full of stuff I have written but never pursued!

What this does mean is that my primary focus will be to write and my blog will be to “dump” thoughts on the page…what you can continue to count on is that I will always be real with you!

Today’s real is that I think I already know who my biggest fan is…yesterday I said to my 18 year old daughter, “I need your opinion on something, I went to this writer’s conference…and met all these great people…so now I’ve been thinking about what I should do…do you think I could…”

Before I got another word out of my mouth she all but yelled, “Yes! Mom you can do anything!”

I have heard it said that children learn by observing – doesn’t matter what you say, it’s what you do that teaches them life’s lessons.

She has seen the years of volunteer work I have done. She was watching back in 2007 when I had a dream to start a blog of moms to speak into the lives of other moms. She watched as I worked to get MomLife Today set up in 2008, and as I have asked other moms to get involved, and as I have been given the opportunity to interview amazing women.  She has seen my dream and that a lot of hard work with other talented people has led to a dream come true.

It blesses me to know that as she heads off to college this Friday she is taking with her the knowledge that her mom was once a kick-butt career woman, who retired to become a devoted mom who fully poured her life into her family and as time allowed successfully followed her dreams.

I honestly believe God honored my sacrifice by blessing my current successes and hope that my daughter too will learn to follow her dreams, but in the process hear God’s voice the loudest in how she goes about it.

The world will tell her it’s all about her…it is so not, it’s all about what He can do through her and her willingness to bend to His will through the process.

Filed Under: People & Places, Writing Tagged With: , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

I Am A Blue Monkey

Aug
15

At this weekend’s Ragged Edge Conference Ted Dekker explained to some 100 conference attendees that those of us born to write are artists who see the world through a different lens. And that God created us that way.  He referred to us as Blue Monkey’s in a Brown Monkey world.

I so resonated with all the wisdom and advice he and the other award winning authors in attendance shared. And I recognized that at times I have compromised and tried to be what people expected me to be instead of who I am.

As I continue to process and pray I am going to strive to shed the world’s expectations and concentrate on how God wants to use me as an artist…and give myself over fully to His desires for the gifting He has given me.

Ted Dekker is proof positive that being a fully alive Blue Monkey is much better than being a stifled Brown one.

Interestingly yesterday’s sermon in church was all about the gift of the Holy Spirit and how being infused with that spirit allows the guidance in life that so many people crave.

So, for the record, I am very happy to be a Holy Spirit guided Blue Monkey…and I’m in good company!

Filed Under: People & Places, Writing Tagged With: , , , 2 Comments

Ted Dekker…Here I Come

Aug
10

Busting with excitement here!

Tomorrow I am heading to The Ragged Edge Writers’ Symposium with Ted Dekker! Oh heck yes I am!

This is supposed to be an intensive that will leave us dripping and oozing with ideas, techniques and writing oh-rah excitement x 1,000!!!

I can hardly contain myself.

My daughter has her final goodbye plans with her High School friends while I’m away so she’s getting that out of her system so we can spend all next week together before she goes off to college.

So we will each be enjoying an amazing weekend…which should help us both deal with the transition of her leaving.

Hubby said tonight – “What a blessing…this is coming at a really good time for you.”

I couldn’t agree more and all I have to say is…watch out Ted Dekker…here I come!

Filed Under: Writing 2 Comments

Head Down Deadline Approach-eth

Jul
7

I am so enjoying my summer – just yesterday I went on a date with my teenage son! The second one in the last month and I must admit this is helping the angst I am feeling as I am staring at my daughter leaving in August for her freshman year of college.

Here’s the “don’t it just figure” part of the equation – my first set of rewrites for my book are due September 1st! I really am enjoying diving in and going deeper and it is proving to be a challenging and rewarding experience. But, talk about things that matter colliding in an epic way!

I am writing this book around regular momlife and that makes things interesting! Which translates to the cold hard fact that over the next few weeks my posts here at Mom Life Out Loud may be few and far between!

I do enjoy visiting other mom blog sites and will continue to do so, but when you visit me, things may seem to be quiet…but it’s all good!

I tell mom’s all the time that …every MOMent counts …I will be living that statement out loud myself!

BTU!

Filed Under: Writing Tagged With: , 1 Comment

I Have An Editor!!!

Jan
18

I spent an hour on the phone today meeting and discussing my first book project with my Editor.

Hey who just hijacked my blog and wrote that?

Wait a minute…I wrote that!

Rejoice with me in the goodness of the Lord. It is only because He wants this book to happen that it is happening – there is no other logical explanation!

Isn’t that just like God

to do the amazing in the life of someone ordinary?

Thank you Father God.

And the adventure begins…

Filed Under: Writing 1 Comment

The Unseen Teen

Nov
23

 

Her alarm goes off, she hits snooze and snuggles in a little deeper, the bed is safe and warm and away from eyes and opinions never uttered, but understood through the silence.

Come back illusive dream…for that is the only time she experiences that spark of joy and acceptance from another’s eyes.

Buzz.  Buzz.  Buzz.

Heavy sigh… she realizes she has to get up – no matter her desire to remain hermit like safe.  She moves silently through the rooms one enters to ready themselves for the day and then out the door – all the while in silence.

No words of encouragement, no looks of adoration and love, no feeling safe, or even seen, in this world.

The pressure begins to creep its way into her thoughts and take on the physical manifestations that are so apparent but discreetly disregarded.  Her daily prison awaits her and she walks through the school hallways with her head down, her shoulders slumped, conveniently and unduly overlooked.  For to look would require involvement, involvement sometimes gets messy and messy takes precious time.  Time is a commodity too few are willing to give.

The sound of laughter and raucous activity fill the hallways, but bounce around her form without penetration, for such revelry is discarded like trash by her.  To see it as unneeded and unwanted is much safer than longing to have that which is never offered.

There are many other young voices skilled and adept at vying for attention and for one who is hiding under a slender bent neck, untrimmed bangs and over sized clothing it is comfortable to remain unnoticed.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but beauty trapped behind antipathy for oneself can never be found because the beholder’s eyes opportunely scan over one who works so very hard to remain unseen.

She feels alone, because she is alone and you are partly to blame if you do not take the time to expose her to her own beauty.

(Thoughts from an observant substitute teacher.)

Filed Under: Teen Children, Writing Tagged With: , Leave a Comment

New Header Time?

Oct
14

OK – I am so excited…my very creative and artistic daughter is going to make me a new header for my blog!

She has always been my biggest supporter when it comes to me following my dreams! (Well, her and my hubby!) I think she has a keen appreciation for the fact that I had a boomin career, but set it aside and “retired” upon becoming a mother so I could concentrate on momlife.

She has always tagged along and been quite helpful as I did my volunteer work at church and in the community.  Her ”you can do it” voice during my entrepreneurial endeavors has also boosted my moral on many occasions. She also cheers loudly and has supported my speaking and writing opportunities from the very beginning! 

It is extra fun that she has now gotten involved in my blogging and is going to use her gifting to give me a new “look” – very exciting! The big question is…how will she fit this in around all her “Senior Year” activities?

Stay tuned.

The little photo in this post – she did that!

Filed Under: Random, Writing Tagged With: 1 Comment