Who doesn't love a sale?

 For those who know, I have an Etsy shop. In it, I keep digital items that can be printed or used on a digital medium. 

Currently, I am featuring some planner pages. They are cute and functional to go along with a notebook or to print out and put on the fridge. There is a monthly page and a weekly page. They are very functional. I would love feedback though.

So, it's the new year. We are all starting new habits and focusing on goals. 

I am running a sale!

*10% of the minimum purchase of $5 is required.

Obligatory Happy New Year Post :D

Happy New Year!

I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year. I pray that each and every one of you find peace and joy. That you learn the truth and follow it passionately. May the way be bright and obvious.

2023 was a year of transition that left many projects on the back burner that doesn't really stay more than lukewarm. ;) 

2024 is a year that I desire to be intentional. I want to set goals and meet them. I want to complete that which I set out to do. I think we all feel that at some point. :)

So... after walking a 5k on Thanksgiving morning I decided I was going to do another one in May and do better. Unfortunately, I got out of the habit of daily exercise. So my first goal is to get back in the habit of consistent exercise.

In the last couple of months, I have felt creative, or artistic, again. I have done a couple
paintings and am still working on a mural sketch that I want to paint. My second goal is to complete one artistic project a quarter.

I miss writing regularly. I have had a terrible block. I have decided I will start journaling daily. Doing that and feeding my soul with consistent exercise should be a plus. The key here is simple to write. It can be diary entries, bible study, poetry, short stories, world-building, whatever... JUST. WRITE.

How are you planning on entering the new year? Do you set goals or resolutions? Does the new year mean anything or is it just another day?

I feel having goals is healthy for me. I have discovered that there has to be something I am working toward in order to push. 

• 5k walk/run - motivates me to work on my health, both activity level and the way I eat.
• Being creative - motivates me to sit down and take a minute to create and be artistic. I often find myself busy being busy.
• Writing - this one is a big one for me. The simple fact of writing every day requires me to use my mind. As long as I am writing, I am able to process thoughts and emotions. Plus I have several notebooks that need to be used. LOL.

One way to help with this is by having a planner. Get one. I highly recommend getting a planner. Find one that works with your brain and have at it.

  

I Can Do All Things ...

 Ahhh... yes. 

Have you ever found yourself in that thought pattern? You know the "I can do ALL the things" or even "the Bible says I can do all things so I can do this".

Both of these scenarios can set you up for failure.

The perception that you can do ALL the things just is not very feasible. I do know a few people that think they can and it usually results in manic episodes where they attempt to do all the things and then they are utterly blasted for some time. It is just not healthy. Balance is needed in order to be consistent, thus in order to do ALL the things. 

The assumption that we have the ability to do all things simply because the bible says so is short-sighted. Let's actually look at scripture.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. - Philippians 4:13 (NKJV)

As the verse states, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. This indicates that we must rely on the strength that comes from Christ himself. One could also make the assumption that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me that brings him glory. Our purpose as Christ's followers is not only to bring in others to the fold but also to reflect the Father. 

Yes, God will give us strength to overcome challenges that will in turn shine back on Him. 

• Had a horrible car wreck in 2011 but EVERYBODY survived. Miraculously, the impact the vehicles had was horrendous, if the impact had shifted mere inches we all could have been killed. Instead, we survived and we give glory to God for His physical strength for maneuvering the vehicle and the mental/emotional strength to handle the aftermath.
• Raising a child with congenital heart defects along with other chronic conditions. Christ's strength is fluid and freely given to face daily challenges.
• the list can continue on and on.

I am not chastizing anybody for having a go-get-them attitude. Hey, sometimes that is the only thing that can get you out of bed in the morning. Just be honest with yourself.

Whew... that was crazy.

I feel like the last three months took on a life of their own. I'm not even sure where to begin.

We've had a lot going on. So I will be upfront, honest, and frank. My plans this year were to get at least the final draft of I Call Him Lord completed, the final draft of As It Comes Together, and a series outline for the Kamana Women. I am not there. I am sad about it, but I am working on them when I can focus.

Right at the beginning of summer, our family was struck with mortality. My mother ended up in the ER with what we thought was dehydration and possibly an infection from poison ivy. While she was dehydrated, there was not a serious issue with poison ivy. It was worse.

My mother was diagnosed with cancer. 

This was not cancer that we were familiar with, it is Acute myeloid leukemia (AML). My family and my brothers' families were shaken. Mom is the rock of our clan. There have been moments of grief, denial, anger, and grace. Not necessarily in that order. She is doing well. The chemo is doing its job and she's doing amazingly well with virtually no side effects.

 Fighting back with her faith and against her diagnosis, she was looking for sunflowers and wanted to combine them with Philippians 4:13, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. So, I made her a logo. The sunflower is a symbol of leukemia and it is also one of her favorite flowers. Her kitchen has a sunflower border and curtains. I was fiddling with a design program I had from back when I taught desktop publishing and came up with something she loved. (It is now available in an Etsy shop.)

Mom fighting AML is enough. But about the same time, our youngest Benj started having new issues beyond the chronic pain and his heart issues. We had some pretty significant tests done to find out that either they are part of long-covid (poor boy has had it twice, if not three times) or he now has an autoimmune issue we will be dealing with. We may struggle, but we believe God. 

As you see, all of this can distract the creating muse. Especially if you include that I have a full-time job outside the home.

But wait... there's more.

Hubby was apparently feeling neglected. He developed a sinus infection that was affecting his ear and after some prodding, went to the doctor. The doctor gave meds for the ear and sent him to a sleep doctor and a cardiologist. Long story shorter... his sleep apnea was not being controlled by his CPAP any longer and needed a new machine. That is since been taken care of. That leaves the cardiologist.

The first step was a calcification test and an echocardiogram because of family history and blood pressure. The echo came back beautiful. The calcification test indicated high plaque in the arteries. The local cardiologist had a stress test and EKG done in the office. The EKG was fairly normal while the stress test indicated a severe abnormality. Our local doctor sent us to Nashville. 

The Nashville doctor agreed that an arteriogram and most likely stents were needed. And, it needed to be done as soon as possible. Thus, we got it scheduled and went forth.

At this stage, I had no choice but to trust God. I KNEW the boys and I would be taken care of if we lost him. I KNEW God would make a way if he had to go on disability or quit his job. The problem I was having is adjusting to change. There is so much other stuff going on and so many changes elsewhere I was/am having a difficult time compartmentalizing. I am an individual that needs things to be controlled or I get anxious.

We prayed. We had our church pray. We had our friends and family pray. We prayed and prayed.

Meanwhile, the chest pains were bothersome, the shortness of breath was a problem, and the heart flutters were annoying. We got to the hospital on the morning of the 20th and prepared. The doctor confirmed that they would go in, take a look with the arteriogram and then put stents in where there were blockages. Hubby was taken back.

15 MINUTES LATER, GUYS... 15 MINUTES!!

The doctor comes out and tells me hubby is fine. No blockages, no abnormalities, no indication of ANY issues. The pressures in his heart and arteries are perfect.

The only issue was his shoulder was slightly wrenched from how his arm had to be for the cath. (They went through his wrist.)

GUYS!!! 

GOD IS SO VERY GOOD!!!

Our prayer now is for good health to continue for ALL of us and that I will be able to get my writing projects done.

Here is to a HEALTHY 2023.

Monday Check-In - October 24, 2022

 So, I'm not doing a video today. Sorry. 

I have been thinking lately. (I know, scary thought.) 

These thoughts I suppose follow a "meaning of life" train of thought. Sort of.

Realizing that there are many different personalities and that not everyone is compatible makes great story fodder. It also can help those that are sensitive to the differences adapt when dealing with the incompatible. Some of us get it, and some of us don't.

Growing up in a house where sarcasm ran wild built a thick skin, but it also makes it difficult to be sensitive when needed. Why is this?

Aside from great story fodder... (as long as there is some sensitivity to what is written.)

TLDR ... if we were all the same where would the fun in life be?

It's not that the thought has not been explored before, I mean it has. A lot.

Every single one of us is a piece of a huge puzzle that becomes whole. Some of us are edge pieces and hang on as things go on. Others are in the center, sort of the glue that holds them together. Some of us have arms to grab our neighbor others have a slot for the arm to fit. We are different.

Then we get into the hard stuff. How we perceive ourselves vs how others perceive us. This perception can be close to or opposite to reality. The individual that has social anxiety and occasionally difficulty in communicating, or the person that has no problem communicating and is an extrovert that makes the first one nervous. The balance of the two personalities can be beneficial and may be why they exist. Or they can clash and be an issue.

My current thought is that every single person/individual that you have an interaction with is there for a reason. Maybe it is the cashier at the grocery store or the postal carrier, perhaps the person on the highway that cut you off. Every single individual has a purpose to make you who you are. 

Some people have the advantage of having an easier life than others, but then they don't learn the same lessons that people with hardship do. What it comes down to is that our personalities are built based on our experiences, not just our genetic makeup. 

Anyhow, I feel I have rambled and may come back to this another day.

Friday Featured Photo - October 21, 2022

 

I didn't take a whole lot of photos this week, so... here we go.

Monday Check-in October 17, 2022

  Make sure to stop by at my Patreon for this week's check in.

Get to know Faith and see what she is up to.

Thank you for supporting my endeavors! You are appreciated.

Friday Featured Photo - October 14, 2022

 

*For more photos and to get some back story on this one, visit my Patreon

Monday Check-in October 10, 2022

  Make sure to stop by at my Patreon for this week's check-in.

Get to know Faith and see what she is up to.

Thank you for supporting my endeavors! You are appreciated.

Friday Feature Photo - October 7, 2022

 

*For more photos and to get some back story on this one, visit my Patreon

Monday Check-In October 3, 2022

 Make sure to stop by at my Patreon for this week's check in.

Get to know Faith and see what she is up to.

Thank you for supporting my endeavors! You are appreciated.

Friday Featured Photo - September 30, 2022

 

Monday Check-In

 Have you ever had something you enjoyed but maybe were not amazing at it? Or maybe there was something that you used to do and because of life stopped doing.

Back at least ten years ago, there was this video blog group that I was connected to. It was fun. Members of the group would submit questions and we would all do a vlog answering the questions. Real people being real with everyone else. 

With that said, I enjoy getting to know those that have started following me for content and those that have read what I have written. I know I do not have a lot published right now, but it is growing. :)

So...

- would you be interested in hearing from me once a week? (most likely posting the vlog on Mondays)

- would you like to submit questions about projects I am working on?

- do you think it would be a waste of internet space?

- what would you like to see?

I'm thinking I just might do this but on my Patreon page.

Friday Featured Photo - September 23, 2022

 

*sneeze* Don't mind the dust

 Do you ever get angry at yourself for lack of follow thru? Just me? eh...

So. I enjoy writing and taking photos. It is a necessary outlet for the creative side of my neurological hub. In the last few months, I have learned a lot about myself and the importance of being true to myself. Sadly, I put a paycheck before that. (Still working though and I'm just going to have to work around that.)

I enjoy sharing my favorite photos of the week on Fridays. 

I enjoy making video podcasts. (It's been a while, but still.)

I LOVE writing. And while I have been working on some projects, they have stalled.

Thus here is to kick things back in gear.

I now have an account on Medium faithtilleyjohnson.medium.com and I will be posting there.

I also have a Patreon www.patreon.com/faithtilleyjohnson and I will be sharing more content there specific to the creative side of my work. This is also where I will develop interactivity with my followers.

I pray you will follow along this journey. And hey, the more interaction I get the more I will produce content. :) 

Friday Featured Photo - January 7, 2022

 

The New Year - 2022

Walking into a new year is exciting. There are so many things I want to accomplish in 2022. The biggest is getting my next book finished and published. There is a lot going on though and I am focusing on consistency this year. 

Consistency is an important thing in all aspects of life. As a parent, we must be consistent with our children so they have stability. As an employee, consistency is vital to our job. As a spouse, consistency is needed in the relationship to maintain it. As a believer, consistency is important in our walk with God so that we grow closer and keep the relationship strong. 

For myself, I have discovered that I need to have an idea of what needs to be going on. This is an explanation for all of the calendars and clocks in my house. (I suppose the reflection of a need to know the day and time for who knows if time blips actually happen.)  Having an agenda or a *to-do* list helps keep my mind straight. 

This leads to what I am excited about. I just got my new planner.

Getting a new planner is *always* exciting for me. Especially now that I know what I am looking for in one. It can be intimidating finding the *right* one, I choose to make it fun. For the last several years I have used a planner focused on the school calendar. I decided this past year that the style of an academic year no longer works for me. (After all, I am no longer *teaching* on campus, and homeschool wise we are hoping we are near the end.)

What do you look for in a planner? I need room for important dates, doctor appointments, and such. I also need room to keep my work schedules in check. Being a writer I strive to have set times to write. I also have work schedules to keep up with. This means I need space to write in on the days. I have learned that I don't use the whole month calendar in past planners regularly. So a daily calendar is what I need. 

The planner I have found is a daily planner. It has the month calendar page but it is only one page and can be used in different ways. It also has a page for the monthly budget, which is something I am trying to work on as well. It also has a scripture reading for every day. One of the things that I really like about it is that there is a column to check off what has been done. I like the visual of marking things as done. It shows me that the day was productive. The last thing that caught my eye about this specific planner is that it zippers shut. So notes, receipts, cards, etc stay put instead of falling out.

I had no intention to make this post an #ad. I had every intention to show something that works for me. I am a wife, a mom, an author, an employee, and probably a couple other things. Having something that keeps me organized is a blessing.

          

What do you use to keep yourself organized? Do you have a specific planner? Do you use an app on your phone? Is there a specific item?

Clicking on the Amazon link above will generate a *small* revenue for me while not charging you anymore for your purchase. Thank you for supporting me and my endeavors.

Christmas Day

 For us, celebrating Christmas is celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, Emmanuel, Son of God  we choose to remember He is the reason for this season. 

Jesus was born so that we could receive the enteral gift.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, good will toward men. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

Luke 2:8‭-‬20 KJV

Featured Friday Photo - December 24, 2021

 

Monday of Monday, what other day would it be?

The last two-ish weeks have been crazy. We had a touch of illness run through the house. Everyone is on the mend. I have returned to work this morning. (Gotta fund the hobby until the breakthrough, right?)

Our prayer is that everybody is at least 90% by Friday. Family time is important to us, so we want to be able to spend time with as many as possible.

If you don't mind, please keep our youngest in prayer. He has been affected the most by this illness and while he is doing better, it is still hanging around. 

On to the best-laid plans. 😂

• A short Jack Frost story is in the works. (short story or novella, I am not sure at this point.)
• I call Him Lord  - My nonfiction book I am working on. I am praying I have the first draft complete by the end of February.
• Wanderer - The first in the series of the Kamama. The nature of the beast is discovering if this book will start with the beginning, middle, or end. 😉
• An undecided project for the Whitestead Anthology set in Summer 1846.
• I'm sure there is more, but this is enough to get me through the winter.

How are you spending your holiday season? What are your plans?