Lillie Ammann's Blog, page 50

Five Long Years

[image error][image error]Today I’ll thumb through Jack Stories[image error]to remind me of stories about Jack told by family and friends. I’ll think of some of my own fondest memories. I’ll thank God that I was blessed to spend forty-five wonderful years with this amazing man.

I will visit Jack’s grave on the fifth anniversary of his death, as I have on this date for the past four years, as well as on birthdays, wedding anniversaries, and holidays. But I still talk to Jack and feel close to him here in the home we shared for our entire marriage. Although I’ve turned our den/TV room into my writing office, the house is essentially the same as it was when I cared for him during the course of his Alzheimer’s, the same as it was on the day he peacefully breathed his last breath on earth.

Today I know he is with the Lord and filled with joy. As I described in the last story in the book:

I dreamed that I was standing at the kitchen sink. Something caught my attention and caused me to look over my shoulder. There stood Jack—young, healthy, and strong with a huge smile. He radiated pure joy. Suddenly I was in bed and Jack was standing over me, smiling and handsome and oh-so-happy.He never moved or said a word, but his smile and radiant joy said it all.

How can I be sad when he is so filled with joy!

Thank You, Lord, that I was blessed to share my life with this remarkable man. Thank You that today my life is filled with precious memories, beloved family, wonderful friends, a blessed and blessing church family, a delightful job, and Your peace and joy. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

May Light Perpetual shine upon Jack as he dwells with You in joy. Amen.

World Alzheimer’s Day

[image error][image error]Today is World Alzheimer’s Day, a day to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s and dementia.

When my father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in the late 1980s, no one in my family had ever heard of the disease. Later, as we saw the progression of my father’s disease, we realized that was what my grandfather had when he had to be confined to a mental institution. In the mid-1950s, the medical profession wasn’t knowledgeable about dementia.

After being one of my father’s caregivers, I might be expected to immediately recognize the symptoms of the disease in my husband two decades later. However, the beginning is subtle and the symptoms varied among different patients and even day to day in the same patient. So it took some time for me to suspect the problem.

You can read more about my personal experience with Alzheimer’s in my post for World Alzheimer’s Day 2016. In that same post, you can also watch a video that gives you the experience of dementia through the Virtual Dementia Tour.

My sister was so impacted by her experience helping care for my father that she returned to school to become a social worker. A Certified Dementia Practitioner, she has worked with dementia patients in nursing homes, taught medical professionals and families about Alzheimer’s and dementia, and led dementia support groups. A few years ago, she wrote a short, easy-to-read guide for those beginning the caregiving journey: Help! What Do I Do Now?: Caring for Your Loved One with Alzheimer’s[image error]. If you or someone you know is living with or caring for a person with Alzheimer’s or other dementia, you will find the book very helpful.

Bible Artifact from 9/11

This video shows an amazing piece of debris from 9/11.

National Day of Remembrance for Aborted Children

Most aborted babies are discarded or sold for body parts. But prolife activists have gathered the remains of thousands of aborted babies and buried them in gravesites around the nation. On the National Day of Remembrance for Abortion Children, those who believe in the sanctity of life are encouraged to visit one of these gravesites or a memorial dedicated to aborted babies. I will be praying for aborted babies, their families, and babies at risk of abortion today, as I do every day.

Lord God, You are the creator of all life, and every life You create is precious to You from the moment of conception. We mourn the loss of every child whose life has ended in the womb as a result of abortion. They are in Your hands and loving care, experiencing the peace they didn’t have on earth. We pray for the mothers and fathers. Open their eyes to what they have done, and give them repentance and forgiveness. We pray for children in the womb at risk of abortion. Give wisdom and courage to their mothers, fathers, and anyone else involved in making a decision about abortion. Lead them to choose life, Lord, and provide the resources they need to raise the child or to find a loving adoptive family for their precious baby. Raise up prolife champions, Father God, who will provide guidance and assistance to women facing unintended pregnancies. Put into power leaders who will protect innocent life in the womb and beyond. Bring an end to the evil of abortion, Lord God. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

International Literacy Day

The theme for the 2017 International Literacy Day is Literacy in a Digital World.

I grew up in a world where literacy meant being able to read and write on paper. Young people today grow up in a world where literacy means being able to communicate in digital formats.

UNESCO, the agency behind International Literacy Day, states on its website:

At record speed, digital technologies are fundamentally changing the way people live, work, learn and socialise everywhere. They are giving new possibilities to people to improve all areas of their lives including access to information; knowledge management; networking; social services; industrial production, and mode of work. However, those who lack access to digital technologies and the knowledge, skills and competencies required to navigate them, can end up marginalised in increasingly digitally driven societies. Literacy is one such essential skill.

Too often we take our blessings for granted. It’s hard to imagine life without literacy, yet millions of people around the world can’t read and write. International Literacy Day is a time to advocate for opportunities for everyone to become literate in today’s digital world.

5 Military Tips to Be a More Efficient Freelancer: Guest Post from Michael Denton

You’ve done it! You’re finally a freelancer, in charge of your own projects and time! No boss to tell you what to do, no nasty colleagues, and more importantly, no more waking up at 6 a.m. each morning! It sounds like an ideal career move, right?

Well, once the initial excitement passes, you’ll learn that life as a freelancer comes with a lot more challenges than life as an employee. Besides having to deal with multiple clients and projects on your own, you have to adjust to a new work schedule and learn how to discipline yourself. Sadly, the battle with yourself will be one of the toughest you’ll ever have. But you don’t have to do it alone! There are tricks you can use and other freelancers you can ask for advice.

Right now I want to share my experience and how I managed to gather my strength with the help of a few military rules. Sounds odd, I know (military rules and freelancing?), but bear with me, and you will learn something useful.

#1: The Early Bird Gets the Worm

No, I’m not a morning person, but I am most creative in the first part of the day and, it has been proven that there are benefits to this habit. So, make a schedule for yourself and wake up at 7 a.m. every day. Also, make your bed as soon as you get up. This way, you won’t be tempted to crawl back under covers.

#2: You Need Discipline

When you say you want to do something, do it! Avoid procrastination as much as possible and organize your time by activities. I also recommend writing down a schedule and hanging it on your wall (it’s a lot easier to follow it this way).

The hardest part in disciplining yourself is the fact that there won’t be anyone yelling at you to do your job.

#3: Keep Fit and Exercise

Exercise is an important part of a healthy life, and it’s important to follow a daily routine. It may be difficult at first, but if you find an activity you like, it will be easier. I started with gym exercises, but my true passion is airsoft.

So, besides exercise, I also get to socialize, learn new tricks, and develop my tactical and organizational skills (very useful for a freelancer). If you feel like giving airsoft a shot, take a look on Goog Gun—they have weapon reviews and useful information for both beginner and experts.

#4: Follow Your Routine

In the military, everything has a routine—wake up, train, eat, train some more, and so on. While you may not like the word, it’s healthy to have a work routine. Once you get used to doing things a certain way, it’s easier to keep on track.

#5: Know How to Make Great Coffee

Yes, military men and women appreciate a good cup of coffee. But more importantly, they know how to make it regardless of the surrounding conditions. Coffee is important for both employees and freelancers, and you need your energy in the morning.

As you can see, being a freelancer is no picnic, but with a bit of determination and a few well-established rules it may work out for the best. So, don’t give up if the first obstacle seems too difficult. Do your best and get amazing results!

Comma Abuse

I’ve heard a story about a bestselling author who isn’t confident about using commas. When she sends her manuscripts to her editor, she includes a page typed full of commas with a note, “I know these need to go somewhere, but you can figure out where.”

From my experience as an editor, a lot of writers—whether successful, struggling, aspiring, or amateur—feel the same way. I spend a lot of time removing unnecessary commas and adding needed commas.

The following guidelines regarding commas are the ones I find most commonly abused in work I edit and in publications I read.

Use a comma and a conjunction (and, but, or …) to join two complete clauses into a compound sentence: We went to the store, and we bought bread.
Do not use a comma to separate two verbs that are the predicate of a single subject: We went to the store and bought bread, NOT We went to the store, and bought bread.
Do not insert a comma between the subject and the predicate of a sentence: The lady of the house answered the door, NOT The lady of the house, answered the door.
Be consistent in the use of the serial (also known as the Oxford) comma. I prefer using the serial comma, both because it is recommended by the Chicago Manual of Style and other style guides I use most often and because it avoids confusion. However, some styles do not use the Oxford comma, and if you are following such a style, do not use it at all (unless it is absolutely necessary to make the meaning clear): She served steak, peas, and macaroni and cheese, NOT She served steak, peas and macaroni and cheese. Since macaroni and cheese is one food, the serial comma goes after peas. Otherwise, the reader might think the peas were part of the macaroni and cheese dish.
Use a comma to set off introductory elements at the beginning of the sentence: Arriving at the church late for the service, she entered the building quietly. 
Set off parenthetical expressions (added information that can be eliminated without changing the meaning of the sentence) with commas: The teacher, who wore a purple dress, wrote the formula on the blackboard.

Using commas correctly in the six instances described above would go a long way toward eliminating comma abuse. For more information about the correct use of commas, visit the Guide to Grammar and Writing.

10 Reasons Why Organized Home Space Can Boost Your Writing Creativity: Guest Post from Helen Bradford

Writing is more than just sitting at your computer and typing; that much is clear to all. But what many people don’t know and is hard for writers to explain is that it requires special conditions just like any other creative job. Even though creative mess is a term we all use when trying to explain the clutter around our house or desk, sooner or later it eats our ideas and spreads to our minds. Let’s try to change that with these ten reasons why organizing your space will help your writing.

1. Fix what’s broken

Imagine you are locked in the idea. You’ve been going over it in your mind, figuring out the best way to approach it, and every time you start writing, the desk wobbles. It’s been doing that for a while and you’ve been planning to fix it but just never got the time. And there, at that moment, you start being annoyed with the desk and yourself, and that thought you wanted to write down is either lost or clouded by your annoyance. So don’t wait any longer to call a repairman. There’s writing to be done!

2. Clothes belong in closets

You look around and notice that your home is hijacked by your clothes. Clean or dirty, they are everywhere, and you start feeling suffocated, as though all those clothes are covering your ideas. So get up, take that laundry basket in one hand and start shoving in dirty clothes with the other. Every piece you clear out is one idea set free in your mind.

3. Gather your notes

Writers often scribble something. Of course computers replace that writing process, but some habits die hard and writing down on paper what pops into your head, at least for most, remains. After a while, your notes are all over your desk, and you can’t even tell which one is which. Searching through stacks of paper for the idea you need is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Take some time to review and organize those notes—it will be like reviewing and organizing your thoughts.

4. Dust and vacuum

Dust and dirt are on this list because they’re just bad. Crumbs here, a handprint there—those are all the signs that your living conditions have turned from messy to unhealthy. So, the minute you hit a wall, start vacuuming and dusting. Soon enough that wall is going to crumble one writer’s block at a time, and it’ll be as if you’ve just dusted your mind.

5. Change the curtains and covers

One of the perfect ways to refresh a space is by changing the curtains and covers on the sitting furniture. Choose bright colours, but not too vivacious or in a shade you’re not that fond of. Reviving the appearance of your writing space will broaden your perception and it will be as though your brain has taken a breath of fresh, mountain air.

6. Let the sunshine in

Sunlight is considered to be the cure for many troubles of the mind, and it’s the same when it comes to writing. It will certainly broaden the space and set a brighter mood, not only for writing but also for just sitting there and thinking.

7. Take a look at your furniture

After a while, your home is overpacked with furniture, and you only really notice it when lost in thought about something you’re writing and you start stumbling on your furniture just like in silent black and white comedies. One of the solutions for decluttering your furniture is by placing it in storage until you finish your writing. If you have more time on your hands, select the ones you need and the rest either donate or sell. Walking around the room and thinking is proven to be good for creativity, and now you’ll have enough space to stretch out your back and thoughts.

8. Replace the light bulbs

Just like working on the computer is not good in the complete dark, neither is working in a bright room. That is easily solvable by replacing the light bulbs with full spectrum ones that emulate sunlight. If you can’t change the bulbs, consider turning the bright lights off and using lamps instead. It will not only reduce eyestrain but also provide a relaxing writing environment.

9. Open the windows

Letting the fresh air in from time to time will boost your energy and revive your spirit. Stale air inside your home can make you sleepy and tired due to the pollutants, like carbon dioxide that we all exhale while breathing.

10. Limit the distractions

Not all writers work at their desk; some feel more comfortable in the kitchen or living room, for example. Every space has its own distractions that can prevent you from thinking clearly when you look up from your computer. Whatever the obstacle may be, take care of it. If the dishes are dirty, wash them; if there are cup stains on the coffee table, clean them. Don’t let anything that can be taken care of in a few minutes be a distraction. Remember that you control your writing conditions, not the other way around.

Conclusion

Writing, like any other job, requires focus and dedication. If your mind wanders to the stack of magazines on the table, smiley faces  you left to yourself in the dust, rain stains on your windows—sooner or later you’ll notice that you’re wasting time reminding yourself to declutter the mess. Until science comes up with a machine that writes our thoughts down directly into the word processor program, you’ll have to organize your home in order to clear the way for your writing.

Author Bio:

Helen Bradford is a business and interior design enthusiast who currently works part-time as a consultant for Supercheap Self Storage Solutions in Newcastle. She spends her spare time doing fitness, traveling, and writing.

Gambling with God

Gambling with God is the Book of the Month at KSLR-Radio for August 2017. You can listen to an interview with author Tom Covino.

Visit the Gambling with God Facebook page and click on “Shop Now” to buy the book.

I’m excited that I had a part in bringing this book to fruition. It’s a great story with a life-changing message. I’ve posted my review before, but here it is again for those who haven’t already read it.

Gambling with God: From Gambling Bartender to Born Again Christian by Tom Covino

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The first time I met Tom Covino, he came to my office to discuss his book. He read the first few pages to me, and I was mesmerized. I told him he had to publish this book, and I wanted to be part of it. I also told him he had to publish an audiobook, with him as the narrator. Working on the book with Tom was a blessing, and I’m looking forward to the audiobook, which is forthcoming. Obviously, since I worked on the book, I believe it deserves a 5-star rating, but I believed that from the moment I heard Tom read a little bit of his story—long before I had any input into the project.

In the first part of the book, Tom tells his own story. He was raised in a Catholic home, turned from God and lived life as a gambling bartender in New York City, then was born again as a Christian. His story is deeply honest and powerfully compelling.

In the second part of the book, Tom shares the Gospel with readers. He wants to introduce everyone he comes in contact with to Jesus—he wants all to be saved and go to Heaven.

Tom and I don’t agree completely on theology; we differ on infant baptism, for example. We had some fascinating discussions during the process of preparing the book for publication, each of us respectful of each other’s interpretation of Scripture while ensuring that we were confident of our own interpretations.

However, in spite of minor differences, Tom and I both believe strongly that everyone needs to follow Jesus Christ. Repent and be baptized, then share the Gospel wherever and whenever we can.

I recommend Gambling with God for both believers and nonbelievers. It will inspire Christians and encourage nonbelievers to examine themselves and Scripture to find the truth.

View all my reviews

Happy Fourth of July

May God continue to bless our country and its people.