Janetta Fudge-Messmer's Blog, page 9

HOW TO ALWAYS ENJOY THE JOURNEY

Most of you know my hubby, pooch and I live in an RV for a good part of the year. And we’ve done it now for almost four years.
I’m certain some of you are saying, “How have you done it without inflicting bodily harm on the person who occupies the teeny tiny square footage with you? I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have lasted a week.”
Yes, living in close quarters can be difficult. But I think I’ve found a solution. One day I had a thought. Was I looking at this all wrong? Was there a solution to our size-challenged abode? Could it be as simple as changing my attitude in my place of residence?
I believe a change in attitude IS the answer - wherever you live. In an RV, an apartment or ginormous mansion. For me, I asked the Lord for an ample supply of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and an extra measure of self-control.
Adding these attributes made our journey much more joyful. And as you can see – this advice will work for whatever size home you live in.  

Blessings!
Janetta
PS: Always enjoy the journey. Yep, I think I’ll adopt this as our new motto. What do you think???
PSS: My new book, Early Birds, is available at: https://goo.gl/qCkT45 

I'M SEEING THINGS!

At first, I didn’t think much about the strange sightings I’d seen on TV. Or the date they occurred. But a few days later, I began to think the weird happenings might be tied to me spending too much time on technology.
Let me tell you what happened. Last week, while watching Jeopardy, I saw a couple of odd things popping up on the screen. I wouldn’t call them apparitions, but they were most peculiar.
The first one was when Alex Trebek walked out on stage. Instead of seeing him donned in the well-tailored suit he normally wore, he came out wearing only the top half of his ensemble. His PANTS were missing.
What?
I’m certain the laugh track would sound and Alex would chime in and tell us why he was pantless. He didn’t and it appeared business as usual. The cameraman (or woman) panned the contestants then came back to Alex and he was fully clothed.
I blinked a couple of times and realized I had imagined Mr. Trebek’s missing pantaloons. But strangeness happened again. One of the brainiacs rung in to answer, but Ken Jennings (Jeopardy’s contestant who won lots of money years ago) stood in his place.
This time I rubbed my eyes to get them to focus. When I took a gander at the screen again, that day’s contestant stood there. Ken, he's long gone. Since I’m all alone in my living room when the two marvels took place, I do what any normal person would do. I shout, “Yes, I’m officially NUTS.”
I finished watching Jeopardy and no more oddities appeared. But I did wonder what the sightings meant. In the end I could only come up with one answer to my seeing things. I’m spending way too much time on my computer and phone.
Yes, it’s time to take a break and go take a walk. Meet my neighbors. Tell them about my book (couldn’t resist getting a plug in). After a half hour or so, I’ll come back and be ready to sit down and write again. Eyes and mind rested once again.
However, I still have one problem: How do I erase the image of Alex’s bare legs from my psyche?  Blessings!Janetta
PS: I had this blog already written and when I read it to Ray, he Googled “Alex Trebek without pants”. There on the screen were all the shenanigans they’d pulled off on the April 1st show. I thought, Thank You, Lord, I’m NOT nuts after all. I have to admit I was a tad worried. :)

COPING WITH CHANGE

            My homework for my Florida writing class told me to write about coping with change. I said, “Nary a problem. I like change. Those new adventures. Look at me, I live in an RV for most of the year. In the wintertime – I’m in a park model in the Sunshine State.

Doesn’t get any better than that, does it?
Change. I’m coping just fine. Or so I thought…
January 2016 changed my thinking on how well I cope with change. And the GREAT news I received ripped me out of my comfort zone. Limb, by limb, by ever-loving limb.
I’m hearing the words I’ve longed to hear that a publisher wanted my manuscript, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to let it go and told my hubby, “Ray, I can’t send it yet. I have to go through it one more time. Do that Find and Replace thing with those extra words I’m not supposed to use. Example: was, that, think—”
“Hon, I get the idea. As Moses said, “Let my people go. In your case it’s ‘let your manuscript go.’”
As most of you know I did ‘let my book go’. But the whirlwind since Early Birds came out has made me realize I’m not as outgoing as I once thought. Hocking my wares (books) in front of people at craft fairs and stepping out to do the ‘Publishdom’ Party at the park we live in Florida has almost sent me over the edge.
But through all of fear of putting myself out in front of people and telling them about my book I’ve realized three things:
1)      It hasn’t killed me.2)      I haven’t lost any limbs.3)      I’m having the time of my life.
Guess you can say I’m coping with change and loving the journey the Lord has put me (us) on.
Blessings!
Janetta

See Links for my website and my book!    
PS: And if any of you have marketing ideas on ways to sell books, let me know – I’ll consider everything.

FYI: Not sure how this post from a few years ago appeared...

FYI: Not sure how this post from a few years ago appeared again. Maybe the Lord wanted to remind me how important friends are. Enjoy!!!

The Lord never ceases to amaze me. I’m in awe of the dear friends He’s given me. Through each of them I’m taught important lessons. Some are so small, almost minute –but miracles nonetheless.

Take last Tuesday; I’m invited to a birthday lunch for a friend who turned the Big 50that day. The funny thing was, I received the email for the party and the sender stated it was a surprise party for me, too (my b-day being 3 days before). Seems she forgot to take my name off the sendee list. (love it, love it, love it). Anyway, I attended the party, had a blast and received lots of wonderful gifts. One being a daily devotional for writers.

For the next three mornings, I read the devotional and each touched my heart, but on January 10th the verse the writer used in her entry stopped me dead in my tracks. “Complete the work you have received in the Lord.” (Colossians 4:17)

WELL, let me see. There’s the novel I keep saying I’m going to get back to. And, there are the stories I want to send to a contest that are still sitting on my desk. If truth be told, I’m not sure what I’ve completed over the past year, but I’ve sure complained along the road of not getting anything done. Do I hear an AMEN!!

Then to drive the point home - another friend sends me an email. At the end of it she tells me her “word from the Lord” which she said was inspired by the ACFW loop Topic of the Week. The word was FINISH. She went on to say she wrote a one line resolution and taped it beside her desk – Purpose to finish well, but above all else FINISH.

Okay, Lord, I get it. I’m going to take both of my friends’ advice and finish the work I’ve received from You. Hey, does anyone want to come along? There’s plenty of room for all of us to finish what we’ve started.
nettie

TIME...

To get my novel, Early Birds written I had to manage my time, but as we all know:

Time…is something we waste. Time…it gets away from us if we’re not careful. Time…we must get some control of it to make the most of each of our days.
The one thing I’ve found that works for me: Writing out on a piece of paper what I need to do that particular day.  
I know it sounds like I’ve got this thing figured out. Hardly! I’m a procrastinator, but I've found out I'm good at making a list. The reason: I LOVE to cross things off of them when I finish the task.
When I make my To Do List, I’m less likely to spend time playing computer games (Panda Pop and Witch Saga 2). I can’t imagine the hours I’ve wasted trying to save the ‘babies’.
When I make my To Do List, I’m less likely to spend hours on one project. My hubby says I can get lost for days. He used to ask me when he got home from work if I ate all day. Sometimes I’d have to admit I hadn’t.
When I make my To Do List, I’m less likely to overlook my quiet time. Yes, I write it on the sheet of paper too. I don’t know about you, but it’s the most important thing to add to your everyday.
Time…we don’t know the number of our days. But with the hours we’re given, let’s make the best use of them.
Now I’m off to market my book!!! Time is of the essence…
Blessings,Janetta

DON'T GIVE UP

 
Did you know you have to get permission to use song lyrics in your novel? You do and trust me, while you’re writing the first draft of your Great American Novel, you better start the process. It takes time. In my case, six months.
           Yes, half a year to wonder if or when I’d hear the good news (or bad). When I typed the words to On the Road Again by Willie Nelson in my novel, I had no idea getting permission would take so long. But now that I have my novel in hand, the process seems worth jumping through all the hoops.Writing is similar to getting the okay I needed to use the song. I had to do SOMETHING. And as writers, we need to sit down at our desk or easy chair to begin writing. If we don’t, nothing will happen. We can hope, hope, hope that words will appear on the page, but until we take the time to write them, they'll stay in our head.What if I hadn’t taken the time to contact Willie Nelson or Sony ATV? What if I’d given up when Sony sent me to another division and I had to fax in countless forms? What if I’d thrown in the towel when Sony sent me to the Hal Leonard Corporation right before Thanksgiving?Again, nothing would have happened. I’d be sitting here, manuscript in hand, unable to send it out because I didn’t get permission. Or worse, I would have decided it wasn’t worth the trouble and taken the words out of my novel. I would have settled for mediocre instead of being able to say, “Glory Hallelujah” when I received the email with permission to use the song.My advice: Don’t give up. Do the ‘something’ you need to do. In the end the Lord will bless you beyond measure. 
Love ya!
Janetta
PS: If interested in ordering my book, click on link: https://goo.gl/qCkT45 

2015 - More "On The Road" Adventures

            Ray, Maggie and I have returned to Ft. Myers, Florida again this year. As we told our family and friends when we visited Colorado in mid-September, “First sign of 40 degrees and we’re out of here.”
October 4th, the temperature dropped to 43 and as promised we left the next morning. We hit the road to the Sunshine State, stopping to see more family along the way.
But before all of that occurred, let me tell you what else happened in 2015. It has been a fun-filled year and one which broke our hearts.
I spent May in Herington, Kansas. My mom went into a nursing home after a serious fall. She could no longer get around by herself. While there, we chatted about anything we could think of. And watched the Kansas City Royals on TV. Mom loved her boys in blue. Especially Lorenzo Cain.
In June I traveled to meet up with Ray and we took our RV up to see the Pacific Northwest. If you’ve never been—GO! Another of God’s masterpieces. (Mt. Hood, outside of Hood River, Oregon. Only 18 miles from KOA)
 Ray found us a workkamping job in Cascade Locks, Oregon. For 2 ½ months we worked at a KOA – four days on, three days off. A fun gig and we met lots of wonderful people (ones we worked with, as well as guests).While employed with KOA, I received the call that Mom passes away on July 9. Expected, but still heartbreaking. She will be missed. Ray stayed behind and continued to work at the campground. After Mom's funeral, I flew back to Oregon and we finished our job the end of August. We left Cascade Locks and traveled to the far reaches of Washington state and beyond (Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia).Here’s where more fun began. Ray’s license expired the end of August (not enough room to explain the reason why. Take my word for it—I wasn’t a happy camper). Since his license wasn’t valid, I had to DRIVE to Canada if we were going to see it. I'm sure the border guards are still talking about the lunatic behind the wheel who, when asked, doesn’t even know her name or where she and the other occupants in the car are staying while in Washington.Not to worry, they didn’t haul me in, but I almost got out and kissed the ground when I drove back into the United States. Ray sat over in the passenger seat, enjoying every moment of my out-of-the-box experience.OH HA! HA!After our visit to Canada, we headed south. A dear friend of ours, who lies in Texas, told us to drive down Hwy. 101 from Washington to California. We did and we witnessed spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean.Along the way we hiked to see the redwoods, drove over a bridge I don’t ever want to go over again (see attached photo) and looked at quaint shops near the beach. If I picked up something to buy, Ray reminded me that we lived in a tiny abode now. "Nowhere to put it, honey."  (Here is a picture of the bridge. Scary!)We hit the road again and arrived in Colorado. Always a joy to catch up with family and friends. Yes, 2015 was filled with lots of fun, but also bittersweet. But as always the year was filled with love for each other, our families and our friends. MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone and we hope you have a BLESSED 2016.
Love ya!Ray, Janetta and Maggie
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 

BEES, BINGO and BLESSINGS

Who knew…
A sound you hear, coming from the back of your truck, is telling you something is all abuzz.An invitation to play Bingo could save people's souls.An army of God's children and some curb appeal can bless lives.
Let me explain:
As we travel on the highways and byways, we’ve met interesting folks along the way. But the other day we met one of God’s creations from the animal kingdom neither one of us wants to encounter again.
We parked and are setting up the RV. Ray leans into the back of his truck and motioned me to come over. He told me he heard something, but couldn’t figure out what it was. Since I have sonar ears I listened and heard the humming sound.
Without much thought I started moving things around in hopes of finding the cause of the noise. At one point Ray said it was probably a tool that got turned on and the battery was whining. I agreed and dug a little deeper to find the culprit.
All of us have heard the saying, “Bee in your bonnet.” Well our bee wasn’t in a hat—ours was stuck inside a gallon-size baggie. And from the incessant buzzing he was making he was none too happy in his circumstance.  My hero (Ray) took the freezer bag from my outstretched hand, opened the “double zipper seal” and released the angry bee. Thankfully he flew off to freedom and didn’t return to take revenge on us.The question we still have—how did he get inside the bag? A mystery!!!
Yes, our bee might be (no pun intended) a mystery, but what isn’t is the importance of sharing our faith with those around us. In the case of my second “Who knew…” sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ can happen in the most unlikely place—a Bingo hall.
That exactly what happened to David and Kathy, a couple we met while we’ve been parked at The Passion Play in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. David and his wife (who were unbelievers at the time) invited his brother and sister-in-law (also non-believers) to Bingo. David’s sister-in-law sparked up a conversation with a woman sitting next to her. They became fast friends.
Over the next two years their friendship grew and she asked David’s brother & wife to go to church. Within a short time they accepted the Lord. Later on so did David and Kathy. Oh, and did I mention they were Jewish too?
So, the next time you have the opportunity to share the gospel. DO!!! Four lives are now written in the Book of Life because they went to play Bingo. Location doesn’t MATTER. All that DOES is we’re faithful in sharing the Lord’s message of love to those around us.
Isn’t that what the Lord called us to do over 2000 years ago?
And that brings me to my last “Who knew…”. Blessings. At almost every stop we’ve made in our journey from Florida to Arkansas, we’ve found blessings in one form or another.
Volunteering at The Passion Play has been a true blessing. We’ve met a great group of people who are out working for the Lord. While here we’ve gotten our hands dirty and our hearts filled. Funny what a little teamwork and curb appeal can do for your soul. Bees, Bingo and Blessings – who knew those three things went hand in hand.
Love ya!jm

TIME FLIES WHEN YOU'RE HAVING A BLAST

Has it been almost four months? Doesn’t seem possible. No, I’m not talking about the laps of time between my blogs (oh, it has been since December – oops). Anyway, let’s get on with the subject at hand. :)
In less than two weeks we’ll be on the road again. Our time at Indian Creek RV Park in Ft. Myers Beach, Florida is coming to a close. But we’ll be back next January (maybe earlier-we’ve made our reservations) for more fun in the sun.
Let me recap some of the excitement we’ve experienced in this 55+ community and beyond its gates:
Ray and I have tripped the light fantastic a number of times (danced our little feeties right off and loved every minute of it – some more than others (me)).Visited the beach any chance we got. One early morning trip we spied a school of dolphins frolicking in the water. A treat for all.Friends invited us to the dog track. Who knew we could pick a winner just because we liked their name. Loads of fun to watch.Trips to visit Ray’s cousins on the Atlantic side of Florida. Family, food and fun (including a baseball game) – who could ask for anything more.Miles and miles of trails to walk or ride your bike on. I’d forgotten how much I enjoyed riding my bicycle. We even figured out a way to take Maggie along.
  
And so much more…
Are you ready to pack your bags yet?
I’m sure you are. But before you do, I need to let you know there are a few extra items you’ll need to put in your suitcases. Along with your swimming suit – don’t forget to pack: 
Broad Shoulders: If one thinks they are going to come into an established park and make friends the minute their feet hit the pavement. Reel that crazy idea back in and wake up to reality. We found out the snowbirds have been making this winter trek for a very long time (some up to 30 year). In their mind they’ve got all the friends they need.
But we didn’t let this deter us. We smiled and charmed our way into their hearts. And if that technique didn’t work, we’d sit on their laps at the get togethers to become part of their group (clique).
Not really, but I had you going for a minute. Didn’t I? 
A Sense of humor – This is another vitally important item to pack. And we found wittiness would have come in handy when someone honked at us while crossing one of the parking lots in Indian Creek. I thought, oh it’s one of our new friends being cute.
Not so much!!!
Instead I believe Satan sat behind the wheel, yelling at us for being in their way. WOW! We didn’t respond, but later that evening I came up with the perfect comeback. What I should have said to the older gentleman, while I’m whipping out my phone, “Sir, can you repeat what you just screamed at us. This time please get as angry as you did a few minutes ago so all the viewers on YouTube can see the bulging veins in your head. I want this one to go viral.”
Last, but not least…
Patience – Be sure to carry a boatload of this with you when you come. We forgot ours, but found out very quickly we needed an extra dose of patience to do anything (driving, bicycling and/or taking a trek to the beach).
And speaking of a trip to the beach - because of the large influx of people to Florida a trip to the beach can take close to an hour to get there (and we are only three miles away). But take it from us, once you’re there the sea breezes seep into your soul and you forget the hassle of getting there.

Yes, next year when we come back to Indian Creek RV Park we’ll remember to pack our broad shoulders, sense of humor and patience. But we’ll also bring our smiles because we will remember why we’ve returned. We discovered how much fun life is when you learn to RELAX. 

And what better place than on a sunny beach in south Florida.
Love ya,nettie