Helena Smrcek's Blog, page 5

Label It

[image error]This gardening season I committed to labeling. I took a roll of white plastic gardening tags out of a storage cupboard and armed myself with a Sharpie. There would be no guessing if I should push a tomato cage around the thriving little plants or opt for tall poles. Same went for peppers. No more predictions if the fruit would be sweet or spicy. During my past gardening endeavours, even simple peas presented an enigma. Once the first leaves showed up, they all looked the same, and gone was any memory of which row was Sugar Snap and which would need shelling. As I diligently scribbled the correct names carefully copied of the seed packets I thought of my sister-in-law. Not only she has the chutzpa to run a business, be an awesome wife to my brother, and a hockey mom to two skating fanatics, but she also possesses a certain brand of rationale that I often lack. Over the years I have been carefully observing her no-nonsense approach to life, business, and family. Where I would ponder, discuss and sometimes explode, overwhelmed with emotions, she labels things. Calmly. Don’t misunderstand me. When our kids reach an important milestone, her eyes tear up, as she truly feels the moment, and appreciates the blessings in our lives. I watched her many times, at the edge of an arena bench, as her boys played for gold; she lived every second of the game. But even though we have known each other for over two decades she still astonishes me from time to time by uttering the simplest truths. This one time we talked about something my daughter did for a friend, and my sister-in-law simply stated. “But that’s her. She cares for everyone.” Although I knew that, I never bothered to put a label on it, and somehow that short declaration gave the situation the validity it deserved. Once she simply stunned me with, “he adores you, and would do anything for you,” statement pertaining to my husband. It stuck with me, and I think of it often, realizing that for the trees, I sometimes miss the forest. me to accept the reality. A truly freeing experience. As I pressed the tags into the soil, my mind wondered to God. He too labels things, to make our lives simpler. He calls things by their true name, things like love, forgiveness, and even sin, regardless of our rationale, current political correctness or social trend. I find great freedom in that, for often, things are not what they seem, but a correct label helps us see them for what they truly are.

Choose Joy

Over the years I have developed a survival strategy. As soon as the glitter of Christmas finds it’s spot back in our basement, I drag up our suitcases and pack for a getaway. Unfortunately, one week in the sun puts only a slight dent in the winter drab, and the older I get, the harder the seemingly endless days of winter are. So, when one of our neighbors invited me to an annual meeting of her horticultural society I jumped at the opportunity. That is, I upped my daily dose of Advil, and gingerly walked to my car, trying to ignore the yet another bad back episode. Greeted by vivid potted plants, and a room full of gardeners, my spirit perked up. The first speaker shared her vast knowledge of soil. My heart swelled. During the coffee break I loaded my plate with home baked goodies, and reminiscent about our long-ago church get togethers. Then I chatted up everyone at my table and silently thanked God for pulling me out of my despair. These were kindred souls. Finding my neighbor just before lunch wasn’t an easy task, but we did connect and had a great talk. She was kind enough not to ask about my sock-knitting project she helped me to start in early January but mentioned that she had a special daylily that I need to see later in the year. The rest of the afternoon was hallmarked by perennial advice and raised bed presentation. As I listened, I suddenly found myself unwinding. The accumulated stress of the dreaded winter, combined with the absurdities of current news, the worries about our business, retirement, kids’ future, the cold weather pains and aches, and the simple daily stresses, collectively drained me. I needed to get better. As retail therapy has been hailed as an instant cure for the blues, I purchased a hand-crafted bird house, and a giant hydrangea, before I left the event. On the way home, I realized I must get my joy back, find the lost creative spark, and reclaim the missing positive outlook on life. Enough of this defeatist attitude. It took another week, a few visits to my chiropractor, and a good chat with a friend, but I took out my Easter decorations, and finally made it to church. Standing next to my daughter, who continually keeps conquering the stereotypes of the lost millennials, we sang the new, and the old; then listened to the pastor walk us thru the history of The Book. I realized God protected His Word through time, kings and regimes, disasters and plagues, through wars and revolutions, so that we can read the Bible during these turbulent times of the 21st century. His Word is filled with timeless truth, eternal principals and ever-lasting blessings. Gratitude and quiet joy filled my heart. He is on His throne, His eyes upon us, only a prayer away. Therefore, I choose joy, regardless of the newsfeed, the rain, and my dog-chewed gardening gloves.

Life is a Fight

The word had spread. Everyone knows we’ve a garden. I don’t mind our friends stopping by for a zucchini or two, what irks me are the uninvited guests sneaking in when nobody's watching. During our spring clean-up, our dog found a baby rabbit. When it squeaked, I made my husband to call him off. Little did I know. Last year we lost all our berries. I blamed our chickens and netted everything I could. Unfortunately, this failed to deter Japanese beetles. I did read up about their four-week window of attack, after which they supposed to die. Perhaps I misunderstood, because they stayed with me till October. Potatoes? This year the potato bugs showed up. Burning the entire plants was a radical, yet sure method of elimination. Yeh, right. Red color on the peach trees? Google suggested cutting off all the infected leaves. I sprayed the branches with an oil of oregano mixture. After four such interventions the trees seemed healthy. Two weeks later, the apple trees got mildew. Midsummer, I noticed I had no corn. One lonely stalk verified, that indeed I have sown the kernels. I suspect some rodent had them for dinner, before they had a chance to sprout. The list of missing plants and produce kept growing all season. I couldn't blame all these losses on one animal, but when I spotted a chewed hole in my netting, and an empty spot where my kale used to flourish, I called over my husband and demanded action. “Look at this,” I pointed to the mocking hole. “The chickens did it,” he said so seriously I almost considered his suggestion. “It’s the rabbit,” I said. “You have to catch it.” Powered by the promise of a stew, my husband is still looking for the furry creature. I swear the thing knows. On occasion our dog goes crazy as the bunny hops nonchalantly in front of our windows. I spotted it near the chicken coop, and among the chewed up hostas. It’s the little foxes that spoil the wine. As the blight, bugs, and bunnies attacked my handiwork, I thought back to our days of struggle. We worked hard, yet we never seemed to get ahead. Then a friend prayed for us, asking God for a hedge of protection. At first, I didn’t understand, but then an image came to my mind; our family standing in the midst of a tall cedar hedge. I continued to pray, and things slowly improved. Gone are the days I shopped for groceries with a calculator in hand, and winter coats and boots were an overwhelming expense. Yet, we’re faced with new challenges each day. Therefore, I ask our Father to place a hedge of protection around you and your loved ones. I pray that He’d protect us from the thief that comes to steal and destroy. The one who’d kill our hope. For our God is an awesome God, and we find strength to stand in the midst of storms because we’re surrounded by His love and grace.

A Bee-sy Summer

I need to apologize for the break in my posts. Did you know I live on a farm? This is my busy season. There is so much happening that I struggle to keep up with all the social media and blog post. Thank you for your understating.To break the silence, here is a link  to one of my recent stories. Hope you enjoy it.

10 Greatest Novels That Will Tug on Your Heartstrings Long After You Finish Them - Part 6

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.Partly set in Afghanistan, this bestseller by Khaled Hosseini chronicles the friendship of two young boys who fly kites together as children despite vast differences in their social status. The story follows the devastating betrayal of one boy by the other and how they age and grow apart over time. The Kite Runner shows that while you cannot change your past, you may be able to atone for it. But that atonement is rarely easy or complete. This beautiful novel follows themes of family and friendship within a tragic international context that shows the pain of those swept up by larger political forces and those who escape.

Free E-book Giveaway

Please share: Next 12 hours only! Holiday weekend giveway to get your free copy of this great romantic suspensecopy/past this link into your browser.http://helena_smrcek_1.gr8.com

What Do You Want to Write? (Part 5 of 5)

Posted: 11 Apr 2017 04:00 AM PDTLet your genre choose you. That probably sounds strange, but I believe that each serious writer has potential to do well in at least one area. And there are any number of ways you let the genre choose you. I’ve previously mentioned your passion and asking writer friends.I’m a serious Christian and I pray daily for my writing. I began to write when I was a pastor and wrote and sold about 100 articles before I wrote my first book. For the first six or seven years, I rewrote my sermons. From there I branched out into other areas. In an earlier blog, I mentioned choosing your rut. But that’s after you’ve begun to establish yourself.I became a ghostwriter because I wrote a novel and, at the recommendation of a successful author, sent it to her editor. He read it, rejected it, and said, “Too slow for today’s market, but . . .” And that’s where the door opened for me. “But you have the ability to get inside other people,” he said.“I’d like you to become a ghostwriter for our publishing house.”Even though I’d never tried it, I agreed and did 35 books for that publishing house. That’s why I say, let the genre choose you.Because I’m a Christian, I could say that God intervened (and I believe that) or as my Buddhist friend said to me, “You were open to the universe.” My agnostic neighbor likes to refer to circumstances. Regardless of how you phrase it, my advice remains.Be open to possibilities;let your genre choose you.

10 Greatest Novels That Will Tug on Your Heartstrings Long After You Finish Them

John Steinbeck's classic novella follows two migrant workers, George and Lennie, as they struggle to subsist during the Great Depression. They're driven by the American Dream to own their land, but as the title foretells, best laid plans often go awry. And that becomes part of the devastating journey readers take with characters who you can't help but care for. The novel exposes the social justice issues of its time period, which remain relevant for contemporary readers. The shattering, but inevitable, turn of events speak to the universal desire for dreams and justice and the ways they are so easily thwarted for those who are oppressed. These are the books that will completely change your life.

Reader's Digest

This best-selling novel by Audrey Niffenegger tells the love story of Clare and Henry—which would be so perfect if only Henry didn't have a pesky genetic illness that causes him to travel through time without warning. This causes his wife Clare all kinds of hassles and heartache. The out-of-order love story captures the loss inherent to love as it constantly moves in and out of moments. This sweeping story covers the lives and tragic turns for both characters. It pulls on your heartstrings even as it inspires through romantic notions about feeling like you know someone when you've only just met. (If you love time travel stories, here are the best movies featuring time travel and twists.)

Reader's Digest

Katherine Paterson's cherished classic Bridge to Terabithia, published in 1977, will stir your soul as well as inspire sobbing. Paterson's lovable characters Jesse and Leslie are two youngsters who connect as friends despite their contrasting home lives. After they face a bully at school, they cope by creating a magical haven, Terabithia, in the woods near their homes. The elaborate fantasy locale provides a safe space beyond the challenges and conflicts of regular life. This beautiful novel treats tragedy with unflinching honesty as you follow the kids through a journey that includes unbearable grief. These are the books you really should have read by now.