Taking Chances and Making Changes

Posted by donnao on May 1, 2013 in Uncategorized | 11 comments

Taking chances and making changes is a struggle for most people. I am no exception.

Seems I have been lacking in motivation around here. It is not that I do not LOVE my blogging world, I am just not in LOVE with how I have been going about this blogging thing.

So many of us “bloggers” have put a word out there for our year. Mine has been “VISION”. I have been getting glimpses here and there, but nothing 100% clear.

I think I am looking at this the wrong way.

I think I need to STOP waiting for an entire answer to fall out of the sky at once! I need to just take that ONE next step. Ready, set, action!

But action is taking a risk!

I am NOT a risk taker.

I used to be.

When I was a little child, my mother had to go up to the top of a very tall, very unstable, 1960′s ALL metal slide in the park. I was maybe two years old and the tiniest two at that. That did not stop me! I saw big kids going up and so *I* was going up!

Once, when I was about 6 or 7 , our neighbor had just had a baby. I “told” my mother I was going over to the house to see it. It was about 5 AM and she was sound asleep so when she woke up and I was gone…let’s just say the police were involved.

If there was a tire swing, I swung from it.

If there was a challenge I was put in charge.

Then, life happened and as I grew, I turned inward and did not like taking chances because some chances I took, hurt me…a lot. Trusts were broken and I realized if I could not trust those around me that were supposed to have my best interests at heart, then how could I trust anyone…or anything.

From the time I was 12 until I was 16, I became so introverted, it was difficult for me to even go into a store, look people in the eye, or even attend school regularly.

Imagine me! Unable to speak??? Crazy, but true :0).

Then…Jesus. I heart Jesus! I heart Him because He healed my boo-boo’s and gave me a voice.

Even though He gave me my voice back, I still struggle with taking risks. I like safe. I like secure. Secure was being a stay at wife/home mother {which I L-O-V-E and which I have no regrets!}, but some of the motivation was it’s safety. My “role” was clearly defined.

Now on the cusp of shedding my comfy cloak of parenting, I need to jump off the tire swing and into a world of risks.

Risks are worth it. Even if there is potential failure…risks are worth it.

My identity is no longer found hidden among frumpy jumpers, historical fiction, and Saxon math…you
home-schoolers KNOW of which I speak….I am speaking to you Chloe Jeffreys! {I heart Chloe}. Of course my identity never SHOULD have been found in anything or anyone other than Christ. But THAT is another post…or another blog entirely!

What can I say. Jesus was{is} safe. He is my safe hiding place. But He is showing me that I need to take risks if I am EVER going to get to that next step.

You know the one….the one without children and all their cuteness to hide behind. The one where it is just me….that Chick from Brooklyn…the one with the accent. The one that sees that vision God has for her…but is too paralyzed by the fear of failure that nothing is really getting accomplished.

So……I have my next baby step to take. Thanks to my darling friend and her amazing tech savvy ways, I am going to be revamping City Chick to accommodate this vision I *think* I have been given.

I only have the BIG picture at moment. I am trusting that the details will work themselves out one step at a time.

After all…who wants the know the END of the book first.

Stay tuned…I will be updating as I go along.

iChoose2: Get To Week 15!

Posted by donnao on Apr 17, 2013 in Uncategorized | 2 comments

Welcome to this weeks installment of the year-long study “iChoose2 Love my Life” by the iBloom team. Should you care to read all the posts in this series, click {HERE}.

My iChoose2 offering for today! I am just about caught up with posting. I am DETERMINED to remain consistent with this for the ENTIRE year. If that means I make it up, then so be it!

Chapter 12: iChoose2 Identify My Spiritual Gift

One of the greatest workshops my husband and I participated in was one that helped us discern what our spiritual gifts are.

For years I thought my gift was that of teacher, when really it is the gift of service. My husband thought he had the gift of leadership, when really, it is the gift of prophecy {as in proclaiming God’s word in an intuitive way, NOT as in telling the future!}.

We have other strengths, but these are our primary gifts. Once we had a grasp of this, our offering to the church body increased in opportunity as well as effectiveness. 

These days I know I am not using my gift within the body. I am finding it challenging to give of myself because of past hurts and traumatic experiences. It is getting better though and so I stand on His promises that He will guide me and give me that VISION I am asking for!

In the meantime I am serving my family and community in a tangible way. 

Perfect as always, God’s Word is the best and FIRST place to go to understand your spiritual gift. I found this great lay out of spiritual gifts and the accompanying scripture. 

{From D Koop-Pastor of The Ridge Church in Leander, TX}

Understanding your “role” within the body of Christ is pivotal to your finding your place in His family. <Tweet

It is difficult, to say the least, if one is assigned a “job” if one is not equipped with the gift to accomplish the task. Quite possibly, the task would get accomplished, but not with much joy or efficiency. It is important to keep in mind that within the body of Christ, no one job is more important that the other {see 1 Cor 12}.We are all viable “parts” to the body. No one should feel “bad” if they have zero interest in teaching a children’s Sunday school class, but look forward to setting up tables at banquets.  It’s all in the gift. Unless of course, there is a heart issue that prevents you from serving. But THAT is for another post :0). There is only ONE gift…ONE action that supersedes ALL gifts. In His perfect way, God follows up 1 Corinthians 12 with the quintessential chapter on LOVE! 

Our gifts will be ineffective if they are not founded on self-sacrificing, “others” focused LOVE! Even the “best” of gifts can be used for selfish reason. Everything done in a spirit of unity and love will produce good fruit!

Everyone HAS a spiritual gift. We need to identify those qualities and work with the gift/skill that God has blessed us with.<Tweet

If you would like a great print out that gives a biblical definition of each gift, click {HERE}. If you would like to visit a site that offers a questionnaire/test to help you discern what your spiritual gift is, try this site suggested by iBloom “Gifted to Serve“. I also found Spiritual Gift Test. I plan on having my kids take these tests to help give them direction. Just keep in mind that NO test is 100% accurate. This is just a stepping board to understanding so be SURE you ALWAYS go to The Word of God as THE first source!

Chapter 13: iChoose2 Operate in My Strengths

Tying into our gifts will be our strengths. It would come as no shock to see a teacher doing research at a library, an evangelist making movies with a gospel message, or a servant organizing a community food drive. Our strengths will work with out spiritual gifts…and vice-versa.

Have you ever taken the time to write out what your strengths are? It can be quite illuminating. If you are not used to evaluating yourself like this, it might feel a bit uncomfortable. I have to admit, years ago I would have had a hard time listing positive things about myself. It felt “vain”. 

Truth is, this is an incredible exercise is self discovery. iChoose2 challenged us to list 5 strengths we see in ourselves. I came up with the following:

• compassionate
• creative/resourceful
• organized
• not afraid to speak in front of crowds
• willingness to serve 

These are strengths God has given me and I hope that I use these and all my strengths to honor Him and further His kingdom.

Be brave! Listing your strengths is not vain or self absorbed. If you want to REALLY be brave, ask your family members and closest friends what THEY think your strengths are. You may be pleasantly surprised.

**Before You Move Forward**

Focus on a plan for accomplishing tasks this month.

At the end of each month, we are encouraged to make a few plans in order to act upon what we may have learned through the study {pg 48}. 

Evaluate: What went well this month? What didn’t you do that you intended? What three things would you like to continue to implement?

Today I am linking up with the following blogs. Consider stopping by!

“I Will NEVER Leave You…”

Posted by donnao on Apr 16, 2013 in Uncategorized | 0 comments

Once again, we mourn as a nation. Praying for healing, comfort, and speedy justice. Some days it is just plain hard to trust that God has all things under control. Words seem meaningless. Prayers feel unanswered. The real truth is, if we hold onto our faith through these times, in some miraculous way, it deepens.

I am humbled in His presence and acknowledge my weakness and arrogance that some how *I* would know better. That *I* would never let such horrible things happen. Such pride.

Father, please help us to trust You in the face of tragedy. Please allow those that have lost to feel Your ever comforting Spirit and allow them to hold onto You as they face today. We ask for a speedy act of justice. We also need Your Love and Your Grace to work on our own hearts that we would pray for those that were a part of this destruction. I find it so difficult to do this because it seems they do not deserve my prayers. Help me to see the World through Your eyes even if it is just for a moment of clarity to ask You to somehow draw all involved to You.

iChoose2: Catch Up With iChoose2!

Posted by donnao on Apr 15, 2013 in Uncategorized | 1 comment

Welcome to this weeks installment of the year-long study “iChoose2 Love my Life” by the iBloom team. Should you care to read all the posts in this series, click {HERE}.

Over the past few weeks, I have not kept up my posts from the iChoose2 Love My Life book study. I HAVE been reading, learning, and applying mind you…just not posting. Maybe I need to go back and re-read chapter 5 {Procrastination}. To recap: In the first several chapters, we were laying a foundation. Readers were encouraged to evaluate motives and set healthy, attainable goals. Now, just because you read a few chapters in a book, does not automatically mean you have conquered such undertakings as living intentionally {Ch. 5} or permanent optimism {Ch. 8}!  ~*~*~Wouldn’t that be great though??? Simply READ the topic at hand…forgiveness, healthy living, gratefulness…then BAM! Mission accomplished…please pass the book on weight loss next, thanks!~*~*~ Sad to say, we actually need to WORK at LIFE. Since beginning this back in January, I have certainly NOT reached all of my goals set forth in chapters 1-9. But in all honesty, I AM thinking {journaling} about the subject matter regularly. I find myself going BACK to the chapters and reviewing what steps am I actually taking {if any} and evaluating progress. Positive steps indeed.

Thomas Edison said:

The three great essentials to achieve anything worth while are:

• Hard work
• Stick-to-itiveness
• Common sense.

If you need some motivation, consider joining this study! It’s never too late and you get neat videos in your mailbox each week. You can also print up that little Edison ditty and plaster it all over the house!

NOTHING changes if NOTHING changes!

On to the next chapters!

Chapter 10: iChoose2 Embrace My Personality

Are you “personality challenged”?

That is not to say “do you have a challenging personality?”!

It is meant to ask if you have ACCEPTED who you ARE as God has made you to be? Funny…serious…out-going…introverted. Whatever your personality, embrace who you are!

I struggled with this for MANY years…and still do under certain circumstances. What I have seen over the course of this study though, is how far I have come. I am not as self critical as I have been in years past.

I would think that this has something to do with aging :0). The big 5-0 is just around the corner!

I have way less to prove these days…and I tend to not really care much about what people think of me :0). I try to live a life that is generated by His love and motivated to draw people to Christ. I KNOW I do not accomplish that perfectly…but I am a work in progress and I have ZERO issue apologizing for my flaws. He uses with broken people despite themselves :0).

Accept your personality and embrace how God has made you and how you are”WIRED”to work! <tweet

We need to see that not ALL of our personality traits are going to be positive.

While I am outgoing, creative, fun, and organized, I also talk too much, often speak withOUT thinking, and procrastinate.

The key is to either work at improving those “not so hot” traits….or figure out a way to use them in a positive way.

iChoose suggests you take a look at what Hippocrates had to say:

“The Four Temperaments”

I wouldn’t put 100% faith in this evaluation, but it does give something to think about. I highlighted which I thought pertained to me and figured mine would be where the most highlights were. I fell into “Popular Sanguine”. For all intents and purposes, I agree.

From the book {pg 37}:

• Popular Sanguine- “Let’s do it the fun way!”
• Perfect Melancholy- “Let’s do it the right way.”
• Powerful Choleric- ”Let’s do it MY way.”
• Peaceful Phlegmatic-”Let’s do it the easy way.”

SPOT on target. FUN is my middle name!

The strengths are listed as:

• enjoys life
• makes friends easily
• optimistic
• expressive
• inspiring

The “weaknesses” listed are:

• dislike of routine
• calendar too full
• gets distracted
• can talk too much
• interrupts others

I like that you can see both the strengths and weaknesses within each temperament.

Notice, I said “weaknesses” and not “flaws/faults”.

Don’t view your less palpable qualities as flaws. Rather as traits to be embraced to prepare you for life.  <tweet

Where do you “see” yourself? Can you see your “weaker” areas in a positive way? What ways can you serve God with your amazing personality!?

Chapter 11: iChoose2 Discover My Passions

THIS chapter, so far, has been my favorite AND the most frustrating!

Following the suggestions on pgs. 42-43, I thought back from childhood to adulthood and listed things I LOVED to do then AND now.

Turning to my past to frame my future was an interesting task.

Now that I have a nice list of what my passions are, I am at a LOSS as to HOW to implement them “post” child raising and home educating!!!  My ONE WORD this year is VISION and I am waiting on Him to show me my own “next steps”!

Some “passions” from my list are {not in any order of importance or priority}:

• creating {in just about any medium}
• teaching in particular young children
• meeting the needs of others by offering time and talent
• encouraging the elderly 
• bringing awareness to the needs of those less fortunate and unable to speak for themselves{the unborn child, the hungry, the poor, oppressed of women and children, the mentally ill,etc.}

Consider the following. Generate a list from the answers to those questions and THEN prayerfully consider WHAT you are going to DO with that passion.

What do you LOVE to do for others? What is the one thing you would do all day long even if you did not get paid for it? What is the one thing that breaks your heart and places in it a desire for change?

Tomorrow we continue this reflective journey as we consider Spiritual Gifts and working in our Strengths! Joining in at the following today! Stop by and give a holler of encouragement!

Scripture for A Sunday Afternoon

Posted by donnao on Apr 14, 2013 in Uncategorized | 0 comments

{{This photo was taken near the entry path to Skinners Falls, Pennsylvania using a Kodak DX 6490 Zoom Digital camera. It was editing using Picasa Photo Editing.

Our family returns here many times throughout the year. In the warmer months, you can picnic and wade along the banks. The drive is quite scenic and MANY of my nature photos have been taken in this area.

This Week in Pictures…

Posted by donnao on Apr 13, 2013 in Uncategorized | 2 comments

It has been VERY quiet on City Chick this past month or so. Life, illnesses, distractions, and all around lack of inspiration has won out. In the hopes of getting my focus back, I am attempting to get ahead (gasp) and have several posts completed and ready to go.

I do have several things “lined up” this month and beyond and I hope they will bless your socks off, invite conversation, inspire you to create, and maybe you may even feel led to share with someone you know.

{click above for instructions on how to MAKE a sock money pal!!}

In the meantime, Here’s just a few random “shots” from life here in NEPA.

Discover JOY in the simple routine of

everyday life! <Tweet

My DEAR friend Katharine Barrett inspired me to create a small basket that would contain a variety of elements that reminded me of the true meaning behind Resurrection Day. I did not want to add too much at a time, but rather looked for small items that stood out to me. So fat I have found:

• A small brass cup…tarnished and old to remind me of the cup that Christ drank from on the cross
• A small porcelain replica on Christ on the cross to remind of of His ultimate sacrifice
• A stone FANTASTICALLY found in the shape of a heart! Such love was bound behind that stone!

I hope to add things as life goes on <3.

So…have you been up to anything interesting

these past few weeks??? 

“Seasons of A Life” by D.H. Barbara—A Review

Posted by donnao on Mar 18, 2013 in Uncategorized | 11 comments

I have discovered that I LOVE doing book/item reviews so if you have anything you would like to submit for review, please do so! Here I give you a review of a book written by a dear “IRL” friend! Please take a moment to visit her website and be sure to leave a comment below to be entered into a drawing for a free signed and bound hard copy of

“Seasons of A Life” 

by D.H. Barbara

{{{Today and tomorrow (Monday March 18, 2013 and Tuesday March 19, 2013) you can get a FREE copy of “Seasons of Life”  JUST CLICK ABOVE}}}

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Let me begin with an honest statement: I am not a huge fan of fiction-Christian or not.

I think it is mostly a time factor thing. I find my reading time is limited, so I am drawn to real-life stuff. I do have several beloved classics under my belt mind you. But in the past several years, my reading has been almost exclusively non-fiction.

If I had stood my “non-fiction ground”, I risked missing out on a lovely book written by a friend of mine–D.H. Barbara. She is known to me as Barbara or “Babs” when I am feeling silly :0).

Since we first met maybe 12 years ago 0_0, I have known her to always have a book—or three—in her hands!  We met and instantly became friends. I remember when our boys would run amok in her house and she would put up with my neurotic ways! She had her youngest son at the ripe age of…..never mind. Let’s just say she was a tad past 25 and he was a wonderful surprise and addition to the clan!

She was born and raised in New Jersey and I suspect it was our accents that first dew us to one another.

Now she lives all the way out in Denver, CO. {insert a sad face here}. I was so happy to hear she wrote and published a book.

When asked if she had always wanted to be a writer and she replied “YES” and shared that her writing back in high school consisted of “very horrible rock lyrics and probably what today would be considered “emo” poetry.” It will not surprise those that know her in real life to hear her say she would like to also write science fiction. Of the books she always had with her….at least ONE was of the sci-fi variety.

I knew I wanted review of her work, and I put it off for far too long. Now that I have completed “Seasons of A Life” I am thrilled to report it is a pleasant read!

In it, we are introduced to Sammie, a young-ish widow {early 40’s is young to be a widow I think!} with five, nearly grown children—2 of whom are teen boys that she home educates. She is trying to make ends meet and is doing “okay” daily working on her faith and trust in God, but struggling to get past the loss f her husband. She is blessed with loving help from her “more than well-off” best friend Victoria and her husband.

From the start, there is something vaguely familiar wafting from the pages.

Have you ever met someone you felt as if you had met before, but could not quite place where and when?

THAT is how I felt while reading “Seasons of A Life”.

Barbara manages to strike a balance between the comfort of predictability and the wonder of surprise that keeps the reader engaged.

Capturing the essence of human character, we read of the joys and triumphs–as well as the “ups and downs” of life. Life is not always “charming” and neat. There are real losses and viable struggles all met with reality and the clear identifying presence of God’s grace.

The relationship between Sammie and her sons is captured brilliantly. Maybe it is because I have sons this age that I felt the realism. The love and respect between them is refreshing. The boys are a wonderful representation that you CAN raise young men that are home educated, love their mothers, and are not….weird! REAL guys that LOVE the ’68 Camaro of Sammie’s would be suitor and have zero issue leaving tire marks on the road as they go off for a “spin”; and just a few pages later these same young men are genuinely concerned for their mother’s well being and handle life like the adults they are expected to be. There is a nice balance.

I don’t want to give too much of the story line away, but one character was put in a “tender” situation with a person of the opposite sex and self-control won out. AND it was not overly “cheesy”! I mean really….there is NOTHING I despise more in a book that houses relationships is for them to be “cheesy”, corny, overly Christianized or even WORSE….overly sexualized. Well done my friend! Well done.

Finally, we see friendships exemplified in REAL ways. In conversations that include laughter, tears, and loving rebukes with enough “get over yourself’s” to make the conversations down to earth; relatable.

Only one character {Victoria} is taken directly from life. I have heard Barbara speak of the dear friend she had years ago that used her plethora of resources to make a difference in their lives when times were tough. I felt honored to say I knew this person was real!

With a “cuppa cawfee”, the radio playing encouraging Christian songs, Babs takes pen in hand {okay laptop to couch} and writes off warm, inviting stories that leave you wanting to find out more…more about the characters’ past {Sammie’s mother-WHY is she SO hard…Jackie-WHAT led him down the path of destruction…Victoria-WHO influenced her to be so kind and giving}.

While she doesn’t have a favorite character really, I am partial to one of Sammie’s daughters and hope to read more of Sunnie in the next installment of the “Lakeville” series!

“Sunnie’s Rainbow”.

{{{For a short time, “Sunnie’s Rainbow” is just $1.99!! This is sort of like getting TWO books for TWO bucks!}}}

To top this off, Barbara will send a FREE, PERSONALLY SIGNED, PAPER COPY OF “SEASONS OF LIFE” to a winner chosen randomly from those that comment below!  <—CLICK TO SHARE THIS GIVE AWAY ON TWITTER AND FEEL FREE TO SHARE ON FACEBOOK OR YOUR OWN WEBSITE! A great way to encourage a new author!

{{{Entry closes midnight Friday March 22, 2013}}}

I am very much looking forward to further offerings from Barbara {including a Christmas tale!}, all of which are will be announced on the Lakeville website:

You can connect with Barbara via any of the links within this post or on  Facebook, D.H. Barbara, or Vintage Chyck. 

From the authors page:

Born and raised in Bergen County, New Jersey, I am now enjoying the Wild Wild West in the Denver Metro area with my Beloved of over 25 years and two of the five children the Lord blessed us with. The three older ones are fairly well adjusted adults making their own lives. We’ve added a grandson into the mix, who we affectionately refer to as Gizmo.

I always loved to write, and read, along with cooking, some crafting and most importantly studying God’s Word. I enjoy edgy, well written works, be they Christian or not. I hope that I bring that same mix of edgy, real life situations and the ways to work through them with faith.

 Joining up with the following! Stop by for a visit…..and don’t forget to post a comment here for your chance to win a free book…with actual PAGES to turn!