Top Ten Ways to Know You Have Become a Writer | by Linda Brendle

It wasn’t my goal in life to become a writer. I enjoyed writing when I was younger, and I toyed with the idea briefly until I received my first negative review from an English teacher. I don’t take criticism very well, and I took her comments very personally, so my pen lay idle for several decades.

Then, when I became a caregiver, I was advised to keep a journal. One thing led to another, and before I knew it, I was a writer. With all the media outlets, being a writer can creep up on you. Sometimes you don’t recognize when you’ve crossed that line – when you’ve reached that place where you can realistically call yourself a writer.

If you’re somewhere in the process of becoming, and are not sure if you’ve crossed that magic line, you’re in luck. I have developed a top ten list of symptoms characteristics of being a writer.

You might be a writer if…

Losing My Identity | by Linda Brendle

This is what I wrote for my City Girl column in the Rains County Leader this week:

I may be in danger of losing my identity as a city girl. Last week David and I drove into the city, and I didn’t like it very much – at least the city part of it.

In February, the winter weather prevented some of our friends from the Dallas area from coming to Emory for my first book signing. Two absentees were Peggy and James, the former neighbors and motorcycle buddies who play several pivotal roles in my book. Even though we hadn’t seen each other since 2007 when we came through the Metroplex in our RV, Peggy and I have kept in touch by email and Facebook. Disappointed by the lost opportunity to reconnect at the signing, we devised another plan – she invited me to speak at an upcoming Sunday school dinner. As the time drew closer, James suggested that we spend the night so we could have more time to catch up.

Book Signing next week in Alba, Texas | by Linda Brendle

Blessings,

Linda

A LONG AND WINDING ROAD: A Caregiver’s Tale of Life, Love, and Chaos

Available in paperback .

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Available in ebook.

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Bearing the Pain of Others | by Linda Brendle

In April of last year, I posted a three day series featuring Pamela Thorson, author of Out from the Shadows: 31 Devotions for the Weary Caregiver. The series included a book review and a two-part interview (Part 1 and Part 2). I was thrilled when she asked me to write a guest post for her blog, Prisms Caregiving: Inspirations and Resources. Following is an excerpt from that post titled “Bearing the Pain of Others.”

My goal in life was not to become a caregiver. However, when my loved ones had a need, I stepped in to help.

Whether by small increments as the need progresses, or suddenly because of a catastrophic event, many of us become caregivers regardless of our intentions. Those of us who have been drafted into such a role, in searching for some meaning, often lean on Romans 8:28:

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

 There is comfort in Paul’s words, but when you find yourself in the middle of hardship, it’s difficult to see how even God can find any good in your circumstances. As I watched Mom and Dad slip away into the abyss of dementia, I knew there was nothing good about Alzheimer’s. Still, through my experiences, God worked for my good and His purposes.

To read the complete post, CLICK HERE

Blessings,

Linda

A LONG AND WINDING ROAD: A Caregiver’s Tale of Life, Love, and Chaos

Available in paperback .

B&N // Amazon 

Available in ebook.

B&N // Kobo // iTunes // Amazon // Smashwords // Google Play

Nightwalk for Hope Rained Out | by Linda Brendle

Slavery was abolished in the United States in 1865, but did you know that, according to a story released by KLTV on August 24, 2013, that a form of slavery called human trafficking is a growing problem – not in Africa or Asia or New York, but in East Texas. Human trafficking is defined as “the illegal movement of people, typically for the purposes of forced labor or commercial sexual exploitation.” Traffickers often target at risk young people, sometimes twelve-years-old and younger, in order to sell their bodies for cash. A Tyler expert was quoted by KLTV as saying that, in Smith County, 33% of girls and 17% of boys will be sexually abused, some of them at the hand of traffickers, before the age of eighteen.

Wheat Belly Success | by Linda Brendle

A little over a year ago, I wrote several posts about the Wheat Belly Diet. I had seen the doctor for my annual check-up, and he suggested I adjust my eating habits by cutting out wheat and other processed grains. He said it might help me lose a few pounds, but mostly he hoped it would lower my triglyceride level which had been on the high side for several years. Since he was diplomatic about the weight issue, I decided to go along with his suggestion and see what happened. My husband David, who isn’t a picky eater as long as there’s black pepper and hot sauce on the table, agreed to join me in the adventure.