Trip to Hocking Hills

This is a photo I took at the top of a crevass in Hocking Hills State Park in Ohio. Can you spot the 2 kids near the water?

Verse for the day:

“He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.” Prov 21:21

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My family loves to travel. One of our newest favorite places to visit is Hocking Hills OH. They have 8 state parks in Hocking County -- if that’s not enough trees for you, something’s wrong!

Here’s some information about the place you may find helpful, should you decide to go:

Ohio does not charge an admittance fee to any of its state parks. Nearly four million people visit the 2,000-acre Hocking Hills State Park annually.

If you’re one of them, be sure to visit Old Man’s Cave, named after a Civil War-era hermit, Richard Howe, who lived in one of the park’s caves. The cave is situated in the middle of tall trees that form a cool canopy above the heads of hikers and researchers (the park has several rare species). The scenery is gorgeous, though in the middle of a dry summer, the much-anticipated waterfalls were down to a disappointing trickle. Rock climbers and birders don’t mind the weather; both rock climbing and birding are popular events in Hocking Hills State Park.

After an afternoon of hiking, head to The Inn at Cedar Falls. Opened in 1987, The Inn at Cedar Falls consists of quality-built cabins, cottages with hot tubs, and a lodge that provides comfortable accommodations.

The cabins are positioned in the midst of trees, though all are within walking distance of the Inn’s restaurant, which offers three daily meals prepared by a sous chef. A handicap accessible cabin and cottage are available with plans to build more.

Go to these websites for more information:

Hocking Hills State Park

19852 St. Rt. 664 South
Logan, Ohio 43138
866.644.6727 for cottage, camping,
and getaway rental reservations

http://www.hockinghillspark.com/

The Inn at Cedar Falls
21190 State Route 374

Logan, Ohio (OH) | 43138
800.65.FALLS

740.385.7489

info@innatcedarfalls.com

www.innatcedarfalls.com

If you do visit these places, let me know what you think. I’m always curious to hear about other people’s travel experiences – what they like and didn’t like about a place.

Take care,

Thunderbirds Demo at Air Force Academy Graduation May 2007

Part of the graduation ceremonies at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs was a demonstration at the end by the Thunderbird Delta Formation. This is a team of amazing pilots who go around the country showing what AF pilots are capable of through performing complicated and death-defying (at least it looks that way to me!) acts with their jets and the others in the group.

The demonstration came after the cadets had received their diplomas. For approximately 20 minutes the 6 demonstration pilots, each in their own aircraft, performed curls, drops, and other maneuvers that made me glad I was not their mother! They would fly straight at each other and then veer off at the last minute. Wow! If you can ever see a demonstration by the AF Thunderbirds, do it! It’s fabulous and will make you very proud of our young people who are willing to undergo the training to do this special skill that translates over into war maneuvers.

I had the privilege of meeting the executive officer of the Thunderbirds in the Denver airport. Capt. Amy Glisson looks far too small and feminine to be in charge of this unit. But she does it and does it well. She was patient as we took this shot and very humble as people complimented her on her job.

Thanks to all of the Thunderbird pilots who staged this performance for the families and friends at the 2007 US Air Force Academy graduation. It was something we’ll never forget!

There are photos of the Thunderbirds at http://www.nellis.af.mil/photos/index.asp?galleryID=1568.

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“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.”- Colossians 2:9-10

Writing Advice from the Proverbs

Here are some of the books my stories have been published in.

Prov 13: 10 Pride only breeds quarrels,
but wisdom is found in those who take advice.

11 Dishonest money dwindles away,
but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.

12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.

Writers are a special breed. It doesn’t take much to keep our hopes up that the mother lode is coming soon – that screenplay I’ve written will find a producer; the book idea falls into the right lap, the magazine article is just what the editor wanted for the next issue.

I’m a full-time freelance writer and love every minute of the process, even staying up until midnight to phone a soldier in Iraq who is 8 hours ahead to get an interview.

It was not always so.

When I was first starting out, I didn’t know the mechanics of submitting a story to a magazine. So when I saw an ad in a Sunday school take-home paper called The Lookout, asking for submissions of 200-word stories about Sunday school teachers that had made an impression on readers’ lives, I decided to send in a story about my daughter’s kindergarten teacher, Betty Nutter. Betty taught the kids scriptures from the Bible and the books of the New Testament in song. She also took them out to McDonalds for their birthdays and had them over to her home for the afternoon, then took them home.

Betty was a widow and one of the long-attending members of our church. It was so exciting when the editor of The Lookout notified me that the article would be published! They even paid me $20!

I’ve published 1,500+ articles in books, magazines and newspapers. Yet, I still remember the excitement and pride of that first tiny story.

These memories cause me to think all 3 of these verses apply to writers. Here’s how I see it:

Verse 12: We need advice at any stage of our career. I’m studying now how to write a book proposal. I’ve never written a book or submitted a book proposal, which is what a publisher wants to see to determine if the idea is one she will want to look at.

I know -- from hearing literary agents and publishers talk – that if a proposal is not done correctly, my book idea will be discarded – no matter how well I might write. Therefore, I’m reading books about how to write a book proposal and asking for advice.

Verse 13: As for gathering money “little by little”, I know what that means too! Yet, I’m not complaining. Even though my freelance checks may come in less frequently than I’d like, at night I can lay my head down and sleep well, knowing I have not created copy about anyone or anything that is less than truthful.

Verse 14: Hope deferred – I have to admit, for years I struggled to be able to get much published. At first it was just a few things a year. Now, it is a couple times each week that something I’ve written is published.

Still, I remember those first years and think how I almost gave up. Then another article would come out and I’d feel so proud. ‘Someone likes to read what I’ve written!’ I’d say to myself, over and over.

Today, I look back and think how far I’ve come. That gives me encouragement to keep pressing on. With God’s help I know I can only get better!

What are you writing today?

Take care,

Dreaming makes life exciting and challenging

Here’s a pic of our family at our son’s Graduation Ball at the US Air Force Academy in May.

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”- Ephesians 3:20-21

This verse from the Bible sums up how my husband and I feel about our kids and their lives. First, they are so much more as young people than we could ever imagine. Sure, we’ve had times when we’ve yelled at them for something they’ve done we didn’t agree with and sometimes they yelled back (rarely).

But we have never hit them or made fun of them or called them names or demeaned them in any way. We have always tried to tell them they can do anything they want to do. Sometimes it’s hard as humans to get around restrictions, either physical (money obligations) or mental (I can’t be a writer! No one in my family has ever written anything!).

But we’ve learned the hard way that you have to believe in yourself before you can convince anyone else of your goals. If you want to be a pilot, go for it. Study hard, work hard, and then put a plan in place to get there.

If you want to be a teacher, get good grades and get your resume out there. Volunteer for local events and network.

If you want to major in international business, be prepared to meet all kinds of people and spend a semester or two overseas.

We also emphasized putting God first in every plan. It will all happen in His timing.

Dreaming makes life exciting and challenging. What is your dream in life?

Happy 4th of July

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance.”- Psalm 33:12

It has been a long time since I’ve posted. That is because our family has been so busy with summer activities, including two graduations, hosting a graduation party in which 120+ people attended, attending a niece’s open house in another city, and 2 reunions. Whew! We were thankful for a quiet weekend at home finally.

Today is our nation’s birthday and it is a good day to begin my posts again, I think, since our family is proud of our nation and what it stands for – freedom, opportunities to make something of yourself, and helping others. We are proud to support our military forces and pray for them regularly.

Here is a photo of our son’s commissioning as a Second Lieutenant into the Air Force this past May in Colorado Springs. His graduation from the US Air Force Academy was the next day. It was a very special time for us and the other family members who attended. We are proud of him and all of the other cadets who are now Second Lieutenants and ready to put their education into practice around the world.

This can be an example to all of us of what can happen when we let our kids dream. His ultimate goal is to be a fighter pilot. Who knows what God has planned? We're saying, Let God Guide your ways and anything can happen.

I hope you have a Happy 4^th of July and never forget those who sacrificed to make it a free one for you.

Take care,