Sarah Price's Blog, page 27

It’s a funny question that, at some time or another, we have probably asked ourselves or even others: which would you prefer—wealth or fame?

OK, ok, I know the politically correct answer is “health and happiness.”

Unfortunately, Amanda Beiler did not have much of a choice.

For Amanda, fame finds her.

What would you do if you wanted a simple life, just focusing on the kinds of things that God wants us to have—a good life, a righteous life, and happy life that is devoted to honoring him—and then you find yourself thrust into the spotlight?

Today, there are so many fame-oriented reality shows on television (and on YouTube.com) that glamorize fame. Gone are the days when children aspired to be doctors, firemen, teachers, or just “moms”—the noblest of all professions, in my opinion! Today, if you ask young teenagers, the #1 response is “I want to be famous.”

According to a 2012 research study of 10-12 year olds found that the majority of them wanted to be famous just for the sake of being famous. The predominant motivation for this was the desire for a celebrity-lifestyle as well as the child’s perceived talent to actually become famous (think Stage Mom Syndrome—every child should be a superstar, right?).

A follow-up study explored this trend in more detail and found that there is, indeed, a shift among our young children to tend toward narcissism, a desire to get and be noticed as a way to measure their self-worth. High lifestyle status with all of the trappings that go with it (fancy cars, houses, etc.) are the measure by which these young children gauge their future success. It’s not about helping others but helping themselves get ahead of everyone else.

That’s a sad commentary on today’s society.

In Plain Fame, a young Amish woman is faced with such a dilemma. Somehow she finds balance and ways to use her newfound (and unwanted!) fame to help people. The nobility of her values stays true, despite finding herself in a new lifestyle and surrounded by people who want nothing more than what she has.

When I did this research, I thought specifically about Amanda and how she is so different. She doesn’t want the fame or the lifestyle that accompanies it. And the more she shies away from the fame, the more the public loves her.

Think about that.

The public lives vicariously through Amanda because she is a real person and not someone who puts herself on the proverbial pedestal that the rest of the world aspires to be on! What they find so appealing about her is the very innocence that many youth abandon in the quest to achieve fame.

Isn’t that true of so many things in life? We desire what others have; yet, if we were just true to ourselves we might actually achieve more than what we desired in the first place!

Happiness should not be measured by what we get in life. Happiness should be measured by what we give.

Unfortunately, for every person who gives 150%, there are a dozen or more people out there who take 300%.

And, if people learn from example, what message are they sending to their children?

Fortunately, not everyone is like this. I know many of my readers are more aligned with my way of thinking. We recognize the shallowness of living a life focused on impressing others, taking and not giving, and abandoning a true relationship with God.

I’m happy that my own children have modest aspirations. One wants to be a gym teacher and the other a horse trainer. While I’d love to have one of them want to write (how cool would that be to write a book with Cat???), I recognize that they have to choose their own path and I support that.

Sources: Greenwood, D., et al. Fame and the social self: The need to belong, narcissism, and relatedness credit the appeal of fame. Personality and Individual Differences (2013), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2013.04.020

Kauffman, Scott Barry. Why do you want to be famous? Scientific American, September 4, 2013, http://blogs.scientificamerican.com.

The post Plain Fame: Who Wants Fame Anyway? appeared first on Sarah Price.

Think about it. What would a courtship be like for our favorite Austen couple? No waltzes, no awkward conversations, no beating around the bush. Just straight forward conversation.

Via a handheld device.

Elizabeth to Jane:

Elizabeth: Who is that pompous guy standing next to Bingley?

Jane: LOL. The one with the frown?

Elizabeth: Yeah

Jane: idk but u should ask him to dance. 

Elizabeth:

Darcy to Bingley:

Bingley: yo D, I’m asking the blond to dance. Why don’t u go for the brunette?

Darcy: smh

Bingley: What? She’s cute.

Darcy: tbh not my type

Bingley: OMG

Darcy: #true

Darcy to Elizabeth:

Darcy: Why are u walking around the room?

Elizabeth: Caroline asked me.

Darcy: Why?

Elizabeth: idk exercise?

Darcy: HA!

Elizabeth: I’m going to get coffee. brb in a decade.

Darcy: WTH?

Elizabeth: ARGH! sec not decade

Darcy: lol

Elizabeth: darn autocorrect

OK, so maybe that’s just an abbreviated example but you get the picture.

How would they have overcome the hurdles of communication if they lived in the 21st century? Would we still love them so much if their courtship unfolded over the abbreviated language of text messaging, auto correct, and emoticons?

The post What if Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy Dated in 2015 appeared first on Sarah Price.

Driving through the darkness, my little four-year-old eyes refused to close, afraid of missing something important. Mom slept in the front seat beside Dad who was sipping on his coffee, the aroma swirling through the car to where I sat. We were on our way to Grandma’s house. I knew what would be waiting for me there–frozen blueberries and homemade chocolate chip cookies.

We wound through the dark streets finally making it to the driveway. The trip had taken hours, but we had finally arrived. We dragged our tired bodies out of the car, whispering to one another to not wake the neighbors. I looked toward the front door as it inched open, light flooding into the yard. There she stood in her robe and bare feet. She waved at me and then spread her arms out. Pigtails bouncing, I hopped up the steps and into her arms. She took my little hand and led me into the house. The clock on wall chimed its melodic tune, as we went straight to the kitchen. A smile spread across my face as she reached into the freezer and pulled out frozen blueberries. I gleefully took the bag and began to munch on the cold sweetness. Dad stepped into the kitchen and she opened the lid to the cookie box. The smell of chocolate filled the room.

Pure happiness.

Every time we visited it was the same greeting. Hugs, kisses, blueberries, and cookies.

She didn’t spend a lot of money. She didn’t even spend a lot of time. But, she made sure her gifts of love were there every time we came. And–it brought us joy.

After snacking long enough to fill my tummy, sleep weighed on my eye lids. Grandma once again took my hand and led me to the bedroom. We walked past the bed toward the closet. I giggled as she told me that my special bed was waiting for me. That’s right. I slept in the closet. She would put a foam mattress down with pillows and blankets and I thought it was the Best. Thing. Ever.

The post It’s Contagious–Go Ahead and Spread It by Lisa Bull appeared first on Sarah Price.

Ties That Bind – Blessed Be! ~ Review by Susan Scott Ferrell

Oh, dear readers! You are in for a treat! Cindy Woodsmall lured me into the Amish fiction world all those years ago with her Sister of the Quilt trilogy, Since then I have devoured everything she has written, But Woodsmall’s latest release, Ties That Bind (first in her Amish of Summer Grove series) reminds us all why she is one of the forerunners in Amish Literature. It is gripping. It is engaging. Just…wow!

Ties That Bind tells the story of 20-year-old Old Order Amish Ariana. She makes the best of bad situations. She loves her community and is fiercely loyal to her family (parents and all ten siblings, including her twin brother.) She has had to do without, both in money as well as relationships – as Quill, the guy she hoped to be her beau at one time, left her community in the middle of the night, along with many others.

Ariana’s life is turned upside down when she learns the details of the night of her birth at an Amish birthing clinic, where she and her twin were born…a clinic that burned to the ground. The secrets of that night did not burn away with the clinic…

I was given Ties That Bind in exchange for my honest review. Well, you’re going to have to hold me back! I thought it was stupendous. THIS is what Woodsmall does best! She has layered the plot and subplots so deftly…before you know it, you are reading well into the night because there just is no other option! This is yet another Woodsmall must-read. I cannot wait for Book Two in this series. If it is half as good as Ties That Bind, I will gladly be losing more sleep! Blessed be the Ties That Bind!

Susan Ferrell and her husband make their home in the Atlanta Metro area. Although Susan struggles with chronic migraine headaches, she stays very busy as a stay-at-home mom to one very precocious little girl. While catching her breath, she feeds her Amishaholic tendencies by reading vast amounts of Amish literature! Susan is a book reviewer for Destination Amish.

The post Ties That Bind Review by Susan Scott Ferrell appeared first on Sarah Price.

I remember a time in my life when even the smallest things would cause me to brood—fume, stew, mope—I could feel my heart pump faster and faster. My teeth would clench. My jaw would pulse. I would stomp around and slam things. It may have been a word or even a look that I took wrong and I would fly into a rage…brooding over “whatever” had taken place.

Can you imagine how happy my life was? Can you just feel the joy I had? No? No. I was miserable. MISERABLE. And I made everyone around me that way too…I blamed THEM for my feelings/actions/behavior.

Recently I had a conversation. We were discussing someone we both knew. I currently have a relationship this person—they had a relationship with them YEARS ago. I was saying how blessed I am for the relationship that has formed. Their reply was quite a long list of all of the negative things that had occurred years and years ago. After the conversation, my impression of my new friend hadn’t changed. But, I did feel sad for the one speaking with me because they were still harboring hurt and disappointment from decades ago. Brooding.

I bet your thinking this person also has a joyful happy life, right? Probably not.

“Don’t stop and brood. Brooding induces self-pity, which always develops and enlarges the pain. Sorrows have a tendency to breed bitterness and resentment. When we’re hurt, we are tempted to complain, fuss and get angry. But, when we put our faith in God, God’s love and grace begin to flow through our troubled life bringing quiet, ease of mind and peace.”

God has worked on my bitterness and anger. I think that at the root of brooding is unforgiveness. Either we have things in our own life we can’t forgive ourselves for OR we have been unwilling to forgive others.

Some of you have been through some very nasty things. You may feel that it’s your “right” to not forgive. But, who are you hurting in your unforgiveness? Really, you are hurting yourself.

When I think of the ultimate forgiveness (in human form) my mind goes back to woman I learned about as a little girl. Her name was Corrie ten Boom. Corrie and her family helped save nearly 800 Jewish lives. She and her family were captured and imprisoned by the Nazis at the notorious Ravensbruck concentration camp.

The things she endured herself and witnessed were horrific.

Yet, she has written books with many words on forgiveness and healing.

“Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart.” –The Hiding Place, Corrie ten Boom

“Happiness isn’t something that depends on our surroundings…It’s something we make inside ourselves.” –The Hiding Place, Corrie ten Boom

“Forgiveness is the key that unlocks the door of resentment and the handcuffs of hatred. It is a power that breaks the chains of bitterness and the shackles of selfishness.” – Clippings From My Notebook, Corrie ten Boom

Jesus said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

When am I the weakest? When I’m hurt and angry. That is when I need to rely on God’s GRACE.

Finally,

Psalm 37:8 (TLB)

Stop your anger! Turn off your wrath. Don’t fret and worry—it only leads to harm.

Lisa Bull sees her life as a journey along God’s divine plan. While considering herself an expert on nothing, she enjoys laughing and has made “choosing joy” her motto. Lisa has experienced God’s unfailing love and grace in her life and wants nothing more than for others to enjoy that same gift in their lives.

Lisa is the daughter and granddaughter of ministers. She has multiple relatives in ministry on both sides of her father’s family including several pastors, pastor’s wives, and missionaries. In fact, ministry in her maternal grandmother’s family can be traced back several generations. She loves being a wife and mother of two terrific young men.

Visit Lisa at Walking Bare Souled in the SONshine and JoyGurls.com

The post Are you a brooder by Lisa Bull appeared first on Sarah Price.

Hey, there!

I’m Marilyn Luce Robertson, and I love taking walks in the woods, finding the perfect word, and those super-deep belly laughs that make your sides ache and leave you breathless. And chocolate. I love that, too – especially dark chocolate. But, most of all, I love my 6-year-old little boy. The day he was born, God opened up a secret room in my heart that overflowed with a love unlike any I had ever experienced. *happy sigh*

After a few wrong turns and bumps in the road and living on both coasts as well as in the Midwest, I married my college sweet-heart – the dimpled, 6′ blonde who could always make me smile

Most days find me pretty busy with being a wife, a mommy, and a nearly full-time freelancer (then there’s that whole doing the laundry and cleaning the bathroom thing, but let’s not spoil the moment). I like to encourage people with my personal writing, sharing my experiences of making it to the other side of a variety of hardships which I like to jokingly refer to as life. One of my friends started teasing me several years ago by calling me a “Jerry Springer Reject.” She used to say that my life has taken so many unbelievable twists and turns that not even Jerry Springer would believe it. It always makes me laugh because sometimes I think she might be right!

God has brought me through a shopping list of troubles – poverty, a dysfunctional family, abuse, divorce, tragedy, loss, and grief. And, most recently, my son’s diagnosis of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. I can’t tell you the “why,” but I can tell you the “how.” The Joy of the Lord has been, and always will be, my strength.

And that brings me to JoyGurls.com. Years ago, way before I ever heard of blogging, the idea of JoyGurls popped into my heart. At the time, I thought maybe it would be a book title (and, I guess that’s still possible), but I kept it tucked away until my good friend, Lisa Bull, and I were sitting around drinking coffee and talking about life. Cupcakes may or may not have been involved, but I digress.

We had been wanting to do something together, and had toyed with ideas like drinking coffee and vlogging, or eating and vlogging, or being silly in general and vlogging. Surprisingly, (cough), these ideas never came to fruition.

So, Lisa and I sat visiting this one night, and I shared a fledgling vision of JoyGurls with my friend, and the rest is history! We work together to make JoyGurls a community where women of all ages can come together to experience and embrace joy in the midst of, well, everything that life brings your way. From the mundanities of set-much-too-early alarm clocks, dirty dishes and carlines, to those life-changing events that threaten to destroy you — illness, personal loss, grief, broken relationships, or shattered dreams — it seems that there is so much of life that pulls and tears at our spirits.

But God has a solution. In His infinite mercy and love for us, He has provided a limitless source of power and strength. Something beautiful, inspiring, and divine.

He shares with us His joy.

Together, we hope to inspire you to embrace joy in the midst of whatever is going on in your life. During the good, the bad, and everything in between, know that you’re not alone. JoyGurls stick together!

Visit JoyGurls on Facebook and at www.joygurls.com

The post Creating a Community of Joy by Marilyn Luce Robertson appeared first on Sarah Price.

As I walked toward her, I kept my eyes locked on her face. I would be ready. IF she chose to look at me this time, I would be ready. Closer. Closer. She was with a friend. But, I knew she saw me.

Surely this time she would acknowledge me. I waited. The minute her eyes caught mine I had my smile ready and my greeting waiting.

Her eyes locked on mine…I smiled…”Hi, How are—“…she rolled her eyes back to her friend and walked on.

Whoomph!

She may as well have punched me in the gut. The air rushed out of my lungs as she passed.

Injured. Again.

Week after week the same thing. I saw her. She saw me. I waited, hoping that would be the day things would change. We’d known each other half our lives, after all. I couldn’t think of anything I had done that would cause her to despise me. But—yet–

“What is wrong with ME?”

“Why am I not likeable?”

“Why does she hate ME?”

“What have I done to her?”

Have you ever been in a situation similar to this?

Here is my prayer for all of you today:

Ephesians 1:17-18 (VOICE)

God of our Lord Jesus the Anointed, Father of Glory: I call out to You on behalf of Your people. Give them minds ready to receive wisdom and revelation so they will truly know You. Open the eyes of their hearts, and let the light of Your truth flood in. Shine Your light on the hope You are calling them to embrace. Reveal to them the glorious riches You are preparing as their inheritance.

Look. It’s time God’s children quit living in their feelings. This is not His desire for us. The Enemy knows that my feelings are vulnerable. He knows that I am driven by emotion. So, where does he attack me? My feelings! Everything becomes about me. When something happens or someone seems upset, I immediately assume I did something or they’re mad at me or they don’t like me.

Am I the only one that deals with this?

1 Corinthians 2:16b (AMP)

But we have the mind of Christ (the Messiah) and do hold the thoughts (feelings and purposes) of His heart.

We have the mind of Christ! Do you think He walks around worried about people not liking him? Do you think He takes every look or sigh personally? NO! He is confident is Who He is. For He is the Great I Am. He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End.

People! We HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST! Let that soak in for a second.

Stop allowing other people’s issues and problems become your own.

Just. Stop.

Now. If you KNOW you have done something to hurt someone, OF COURSE you need to confess and ask forgiveness. You know, that, right? BUT, if there is nothing you can think of, you have to realize that sometimes people just have “issues”. And, you need to let it be just that—THEIR issues. Don’t borrow other people’s problems! Don’t you have enough of your own?

Stop allowing Satan to mess with your head!

Look what is says in Isaiah:

Isaiah 54:14 (VOICE)

This time, you will be founded and grounded on right thought, speech, and action. And no one will trouble you, abuse or oppress you; you will know no fear and have no worries.

So, what should you do when someone treats you like the lady in my story?

Matthew 5:44-47 (MSG)

“You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’

I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty.

If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal?

Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.

The post Love Your Enemies by Lisa Bull appeared first on Sarah Price.

I love the internet. I do. I have made so many friends there. Dear sweet friends. I am able to chat with my cousin who lives 2,000 miles away and my aunt that lives in South America almost instantaneously because of the internet. I’m able to have coffee dates with Sarah, in New Jersey “in person” through the cameras on our computers. The internet has enriched my life in many ways.

And, while having a friend’s face pop up on my phone in Messenger is awesome, it does not compare to coming home from work, opening the mailbox and seeing an envelope addressed to me from a special friend.

THAT makes my day happy no matter what.

My entire adult life I’ve enjoyed sending birthday cards out to friends and family. But, over the last couple of years, I’ve started going beyond that. I’ve started mailing greeting cards. There is no rhyme or reason, really, to who gets what when. I keep a number of cards on hand and if a name pops into my mind, I’ll choose a card that I think is fitting, write a personalized note and send it in the mail.

Sometimes I buy cards with someone specific in mind…a card that reminds me of a private joke with a friend or maybe a picture of something I enjoy doing with someone. Other times, I buy a set of cards and randomly mail them out. I also enjoy buying post cards while on trips and sending them to as many friends as I can afford.

Every now and then a friend (Pam J ) might get a lengthy letter where I sort of “throw-up” all of my feelings.

Usually, though, I write a simple note to say, “I’m thinking of you.”

Now. I’m not writing this to toot my own horn. My goal here is to get you thinking. What little (or big) thing can you do to reach out and make people just a little happier? Do you have a talent you can use? Do you have a gift? There is something each one of us can do to reach out to others.

Every human on this planet has a need to be needed and loved. What small part can each one of us play in making sure others know they have value?

Well. I need to go mail a few more cards…be checking your mail box!

The post Greeting Cards by Lisa Bull appeared first on Sarah Price.

So I’m on vacation in Los Angeles which, frankly, is my favorite city on the planet. Every time we come here, we run into celebrities galore and who doesn’t love that? Besides, Los Angeles has a perfect day every day and that means hanging out on the beach, listening to the waves, and re-reading my favorite books.

That is a vacation that I think we can all agree is…simply…perfect!

Anyway, while I was out here, I received a wonderful phone call. Apparently there will be a meeting in New York City of Austenites on September 12th! The topic of discussion? Emma.

Now, who wouldn’t want to sit in a room and talk about Emma??? I simply cannot wait to attend this meeting and become acquainted with other women (and men, perhaps) who adore Jane Austen.

One of the things that I love about Jane Austen is her uncanny ability to read people. She knows the inner workings of the mind and can describe them in her characters in such a way that you know…literally know…those people.

When I wrote my book, The Matchmaker (published 2015 by Realms, an imprint of Charisma House), I fell in love with Emma. I call her my spirit animal (a phrase my 13-year-old uses and, frankly, I like it so I’m stealing it from her!). Of all Jane Austen’s characters, I feel a strong kinship with Emma…more so than any of the others!

Let’s face it. Jane Austen creates amazing female protagonist! Elizabeth is wonderful, Eleanor intelligent, Marianne innocent, and Fanny sweet. But there is something about Emma that just speaks to me.

Perhaps it is because she real. Very real. She’s not overly intelligent and witty like Elizabeth nor is she overly responsible and practical like Eleanor. Frankly, Emma is blind to the obvious which frequently gets her in trouble. Sounds about right, don’t you think?

The post Jane Austen in New York City appeared first on Sarah Price.

So I’m out here in Los Angeles, following in the footsteps of Alejandro and Amanda from my Plain Fame series which is being re-launched on September 29th by Waterfall Press (an imprint of Brilliance Audio). It’s an awful lot of fun to visit the places that I described in the books…and to find new places to add to future books!

But something happened while I was out here.

Someone I care about asked me to do something that I don’t care about.

Have you ever been in one of those situations?

Over the past year, I have followed God’s word about forgiving. I have apologized for wrongs I did not do (and the wrongs I did do), forgiven when wrongs were repeatedly done to me, and done my best to forget and move on. I have extended olive branch after olive branch to no avail. And, when I finally get permission to move on and live, while in the midst of fun vacation, I was reminded…once again…and asked to once again pull open my shirt so that my heart is exposed to the daggers of Roman soldiers?

It’s a little much to bear.

In Matthew 6:7, Jesus says “Blessed are the merciful for they shall receive mercy.”

Mercy is another word for compassion, grace, forgiveness, and kindness. We can be kind and we can show grace, but Jesus does not say that our act of extending mercy means that other people will respond likewise.

In situations where we show grace, kindness, forgiveness, or mercy, it can be misread by those who wear blinders and see only what they want to see.

But that’s OK. You see, Jesus does not say that the mercy received by merciful is from this earth. The compassion shown to us is undoubtedly from God, not mankind.

So, now that I have been asked to show compassion, I know that God will extend mercy to me. Sometimes we have to compromise our own principles to achieve the greatness that God wants from us.

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