May 14, 2024

Making Life Better

Traci Dowe/Kenworth

Right now, in the world, I see a lot of scary things going on. I’m sure we all do. It’s not enough to say these things have always been going on. Or that chaos is a constant. It shouldn’t be. We shouldn’t let it. Our voices need to lift and call out danger and wrongs. There are those who would like to take the world backwards. To destroy and condemn. Honestly, sometimes, I’m not sure humanity is worth saving.

We’ve done this to ourselves. We had plenty of opportunities to change the world, to overcome but still, we return to fighting and tearing down. We’re like rats in a maze who don’t know any better. Except, we do. The trouble is, will the good people remaining stand against what is to come?

This is beyond politics. Beyond feuds with neighbors or families. There is a growing horror in the world that would diminish man to being savaged by another man, pinned to the ground without an ability to fight back or defend oneself. Make no mistake, this violence doesn’t target the lone wolf in the crowd but all of us.

It wants us to join in, to take up arms against one another. That’s how it wins. That’s it’s whole goal: destroy from within. Remember how united we were on 9/11? How quickly did that fade. Today, we are quick to point the finger at this person or that. We want someone in power who tried to destroy the country. Who would pin us to the ground if he could and slit our throats without remorse.

Someone who aspires to be a dictator but who is more than meets the eye. All his lies, all his manipulations. The way he uses people. Are we blind to what he represents? There are those who think he’s Jesus but let me tell you: he’s no Jesus. Jesus didn’t kill others. He wasn’t the father of lies. He didn’t bludgeon others to get ahead. He wasn’t a slumlord from New York.

He was good and kind. He helped people. Do we even try to do that anywhere in the world today? Or do we turn aside in fear for ourselves or our families? Speaking out has instilled an old fear in us. Jesus stood for love, peace, and forgiveness. He didn’t get up in front of a crowd and preach how he didn’t need forgiveness. He was baptized by John in the wilderness lake. He knew all sins so that he could become our savior. That man standing on the court room steps bemoaning the fact that he can’t take the stand to defend himself because of a gag order is fooling a lot of people. I hope you’re not one of them.

We need people like you to stand up. To challenge evil when it comes. And let me tell you, it’s here. If this man gets elected again, it is doomsday for all of us. There won’t be a turn of the clock back. So fight now so that you won’t be alone in this tomorrow.

Some links around the web you might enjoy! All opinions above are mine and not associated with anyone below.

1, Jodi Meadows: MY LADY JANE show and other updates! – by Jodi Meadows (substack.com) Hello and happy May!!

The last few weeks have been packed with cool things, from stills from the MY LADY JANE show being released (holy crap!!) and the NIGHTRENDER paperback coming out. I also got ARCs of my next solo book!

No cats this newsletter because it’s already so image heavy. Anyway . . .

Jodi is a young adult author that I have long admired. Check out her great substack posts!

2. Regular Girl Devos Retro-Edition: Gathering: Regular Girl Devos Retro-edition: Gather – Regular Girl Devos Welcome to a Retro-edition of Regular Girl Devos: Gather!

This month marks the 4 year anniversary of Regular Girl Devos. To celebrate, each month I will share one of my favorite past posts, adding thoughts on where my head was then and now.

I hope my recollections bring back memories of your journey over the last 4 years. I pray, as each year passes, you continue to grow more confident in God’s endless love and grace.

In my darkest times, he was the voice that called to me over many others that would’ve had me destroy myself. I will always be grateful for his comfort and the amazing change and peace he brought into my life through my kids and my writing.

3. Stephanie Land: Finding Inspiration in a Plush Monkey – by Stephanie Land (substack.com) For the past few months, I’ve been thinking a lot about plush monkeys. Maybe that requires a bit of explanation. My therapist is attachment-based, and asked a couple of weeks ago if I had ever heard of the wire monkey. I don’t remember why. Probably because I brought up my mom in some way, which is a likely and safe assumption given that it would make her think of a monkey comprised of spikes made out of steel.

Although my childhood was not always great: we lived in poverty though we had a house and car but often, little food after my dad was laid off due to an injury. Looking back, my parents did the best they could. When I was older and got a job, I helped put food on the table and times were better. I regret that I walked away with my abusive husband but one thing I will never regret as a result of that is my two children. My son and daughter are everything to me. My other family, minus my dad who died after the birth of my daughter, are a lot closer now. I try to be a better person everyday then I have been over life. I’m at peace with who I am now.

4. K.M. Wieland Writers Helping Writers: Enneagram Types for Writers: Types 5-9 – Helping Writers Become Authors Welcome back to our journey through the Enneagram types for writers. Last week, we talked about how the complexities of the Enneagram provide valuable insights that can enhance self-awareness and

I found myself identifying with the Loyalist type the most in this segment. Because of my abusive ex and damaged past, I do prefer isolation and have a hard time trusting others with the exception of my children, family, and friends. I tend to like to research where I stand and how to do things “right” which does aggravate me at times. I would prefer to push ahead but worry that I’m making mistakes.

5. Nathan Bransford Helping Authors Achieve Their Dreams: Your mind needs time to wander – Nathan Bransford | Writing, Book Editing, Publishing Boredom ended for much of the world in the mid-2010s. Once we all possessed a tiny portal in our pocket that could transport us into immediate contact with friends, enemies, the worst news the world has to offer that day, arguments, vacation ideas, and charming videos of various cute animals, boredom as we knew it ceased to exist. All we had to do was open our phones.

Even when I lay down in the afternoon to rest and don’t fall asleep usually, I’m thinking through things. My stories, the past as he says in this blog post, little every day things I have to do, just generally a wealth of ideas. It’s good to consider where you’re going, where you’ve been, and where you want to go. Examining helps us make better decisions, I think.

Sorry for the short links list, I have a cold.