I have been reminiscing and boy am I anxious to go. Started packing in fact. Not like SOMEONE whose name we won't mention who packed five months in advance and her hubby mistook her suitcase for Salvation Army giveaway.
We have been working hard to try to make this conference the best ever. Many changes have been implemented and the line up just looks wonderful. I look forward to the fellowship and networking. I hope to aim this at new and first time attendees so that they can learn from my lessons. This is a list of helpful hints and things I wish I'd known when I attended before.
There is a prayer room. Find it. Use it. You will need it. There is always someone willing to pray with you. Even in the hallway. If you have the gift of prayer you might want to hang out in there some of the time to help others. God has a way of peeling back our layers and sometimes it's painful.
You don't have to be in every class. I got overwhelmed the first year and ended up skipping out and buying the CDs. If you need a break, take one. If you need to network or fellowship, do so. Let God take you by the hand and lead you. (I got some amazing revelations last year by doing this.)
Prepare to buy books. I ended up gutting my suitcase and lugging way too much in my carry on case because of this. Not fun.
Whether you are new or not, if you see someone sitting alone, go say Hi. I'm a firm advocate of not letting anyone be lonely for very long if I can help it. I was once a lonely wallflower so I know what it feels like.
Pack lightly unless you are bringing your own personal hunk to carry luggage for you. I about killed myself last year year trying to lug all the stuff I found necessary to drag along with me. NOT this year. This year as luggage went on sale I purchased some and gave it a trial run when we went to the board meeting. Still needed to lighten up and I figured out how to do it. It's all about color coordination. (On another note, you may want to pack some um, foundation garments on your carry on as well as in your suitcase because you just never know what can happen. )
Lastly but not by any means leastly, open yourself to let God work in you. If He gets you to the conference, He has something to show you. And if you've never met Him, get ready because He personally attends all our worship services and hangs out in the prayer room and in the hallways and hotel rooms.
If any of you have any tips of what you learned the hard way, please post them.
2007 and beyond! :D
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Foreign Object Damage (FOD)
Hey all!
I have been on vacation, however we got rained out at the lake AND my fil sold his other house. After I cried about it (I REALLY loved that house), I realized that I had a bucket load of work to do. First there was Grandma Fass's piano which came to me. Which meant that I needed to get my work area out of the living room (that was a bad idea anyway, but hey, I gave it a shot, lol). So in moving my office, I got the bright idea to vacuum. Well, I had no choice because some bird seed had spilled and it had made a humongous mess. So I got the vacuum cleaner out and proceeded. You ever heard bird seed being sucked up into a vacuum cleaner? No? Well it's loud enough you don't hear anything else. Suddenly I smelled a horrid burning tire smell so I shut the vacuum cleaner off and it spat a bunch of seed back on the floor (rude little thing) and I flipped it over but couldn't remember where the belt was. I was pretty sure that it needed a new one. (I had to change it once when it was new because I didn't know it's sucking power and accidentally sucked a washrag into it and couldn't get it out in time....but I digress.)
My husband bounded down the stairs. "Whose burning rubber!!" "It's me." (He already knew that, it was a redundant question because as soon as he smelled it, he came looking for me, the usual culprit.) Yep, the belt was burned out. I couldn't remember where the other one had gone. I put it someplace safe. It's, um, still safe, lol.
Hubby looked at me and said, "What were you doing?" I pointed to the mess I was trying to clean up and he looked at it and looked at me and said, "It's a vacuum cleaner, not a brush hog." (LOL!)
I got the belt (and it turned out I needed some more bags....yeah, the others are safe and secure with the other belt) and bags.
This morning my vacuum was fixed. Attached to the neck of the vacuum was this note:
NOTE TO USER: It is necessary to perform a FOD walk prior to vacuuming. The longevity and performance of said appliance and its components directly correlate to the quality and degree of FOD walk executed. For maximum performance, please inform FOD walker of importance of removal of surface debris.
Thank you kindly,
Management
Needless to say my morning started with a smile. (FOD walks are Naval Air speak for Foreign Object Damage--I thought it meant Foreign Object Detection which I think sounds better, but it's the Navy so what can I say, it's their word, but I digress. It also means you should take what I'm about to say with a grain of salt because this is my interpretation, lol. On air craft carriers they perform these FOD walks to make sure the deck is clear of debris before a bird lands since some of the smallest things can foul out the engines. Hubby is prior Naval Air so we do FOD walks. We also 'Pull the chalks" and "Roll 'em out". All without saying a word.
I should tell you about the excitement about the piano moving in, but I'll save that for another day.
Have a terrific day!
I have been on vacation, however we got rained out at the lake AND my fil sold his other house. After I cried about it (I REALLY loved that house), I realized that I had a bucket load of work to do. First there was Grandma Fass's piano which came to me. Which meant that I needed to get my work area out of the living room (that was a bad idea anyway, but hey, I gave it a shot, lol). So in moving my office, I got the bright idea to vacuum. Well, I had no choice because some bird seed had spilled and it had made a humongous mess. So I got the vacuum cleaner out and proceeded. You ever heard bird seed being sucked up into a vacuum cleaner? No? Well it's loud enough you don't hear anything else. Suddenly I smelled a horrid burning tire smell so I shut the vacuum cleaner off and it spat a bunch of seed back on the floor (rude little thing) and I flipped it over but couldn't remember where the belt was. I was pretty sure that it needed a new one. (I had to change it once when it was new because I didn't know it's sucking power and accidentally sucked a washrag into it and couldn't get it out in time....but I digress.)
My husband bounded down the stairs. "Whose burning rubber!!" "It's me." (He already knew that, it was a redundant question because as soon as he smelled it, he came looking for me, the usual culprit.) Yep, the belt was burned out. I couldn't remember where the other one had gone. I put it someplace safe. It's, um, still safe, lol.
Hubby looked at me and said, "What were you doing?" I pointed to the mess I was trying to clean up and he looked at it and looked at me and said, "It's a vacuum cleaner, not a brush hog." (LOL!)
I got the belt (and it turned out I needed some more bags....yeah, the others are safe and secure with the other belt) and bags.
This morning my vacuum was fixed. Attached to the neck of the vacuum was this note:
NOTE TO USER: It is necessary to perform a FOD walk prior to vacuuming. The longevity and performance of said appliance and its components directly correlate to the quality and degree of FOD walk executed. For maximum performance, please inform FOD walker of importance of removal of surface debris.
Thank you kindly,
Management
Needless to say my morning started with a smile. (FOD walks are Naval Air speak for Foreign Object Damage--I thought it meant Foreign Object Detection which I think sounds better, but it's the Navy so what can I say, it's their word, but I digress. It also means you should take what I'm about to say with a grain of salt because this is my interpretation, lol. On air craft carriers they perform these FOD walks to make sure the deck is clear of debris before a bird lands since some of the smallest things can foul out the engines. Hubby is prior Naval Air so we do FOD walks. We also 'Pull the chalks" and "Roll 'em out". All without saying a word.
I should tell you about the excitement about the piano moving in, but I'll save that for another day.
Have a terrific day!
ACFW Conference
I'm late again. I was on vacation, so I do apologize. I didn't realize that one of my days to post coincided with vacation time.
Today I wanted to talk about the ACFW National Conference Dallas 2006. Boy what a year. I almost didn't make it. I even gave up my room registration because the money just wasn't there. I cried a little and then realized that this was God's will so I decided to go ahead and take the time off at work and really apply myself to my writing for that time. I would purchase the MP3s later and glean as much as I could from them. I said, "Okay, Lord. It's just you and me."
Then a funny thing happened. Apparently the Lord already had other plans for me. By the grace of God and the generosity of three individuals (they know who they are and how much I love them) my conference fee, my flight, and my room was paid for. I went knowing God had paved the way, not knowing what to expect.
Let me tell you, I didn't get a contract. Didn't expect to. I handed that over to God and just sat back to see what He would do. I had the most awesome spiritual aha moments, wonderful prayers said in prayer rooms, hallways, hotel rooms, you name it, we prayed there. The harp and bowl was especially touching as three of our five crit partners were able to be there and we really connected. (I do so adore those lovely lovely sisters of mine for putting up with a nutcase like me and loving me in spite of it, lol.)
Also, I STILL don't know what God had planned, but I do know that when I heard that all but two of the officers of the board were stepping down and would we prayerfully consider running....my heart leaped out of my chest. Of course God and I had to wrestle about the office I needed to run for. I did run as God intended, and I was elected Vice President. But I still don't think that was God's purpose for me going. I may NEVER know, but I know that is a conference I will not forget. I had so much fun, but I also got in closer contact with God and more firmly on the path He wanted me on with renewed vigor.
God also asked me for a promise and I made it, although it was scary. It had to do with writing. Let me repeat it was scary, BUT, even though I have a manuscript being considered right now....you know how the waiting is.....I have handed it to the Lord and feel perfect peace about it. Some days I get anxious and some days I fret that I may have sent in pure drivel, but God gently reminds me that He has it all under control. My job is to keep writing with JOY in my heart. (That was my keyword from my first conference in Denver...I just love the way God ties all this in together.)
This year is going to be in Dallas again....lovely facility and folks, they have Starbucks in the hotel. It just doesn't get any better than that. Unless someone knows of a hotel that has Starbucks AND DeBrands??? Anyone?
Today I wanted to talk about the ACFW National Conference Dallas 2006. Boy what a year. I almost didn't make it. I even gave up my room registration because the money just wasn't there. I cried a little and then realized that this was God's will so I decided to go ahead and take the time off at work and really apply myself to my writing for that time. I would purchase the MP3s later and glean as much as I could from them. I said, "Okay, Lord. It's just you and me."
Then a funny thing happened. Apparently the Lord already had other plans for me. By the grace of God and the generosity of three individuals (they know who they are and how much I love them) my conference fee, my flight, and my room was paid for. I went knowing God had paved the way, not knowing what to expect.
Let me tell you, I didn't get a contract. Didn't expect to. I handed that over to God and just sat back to see what He would do. I had the most awesome spiritual aha moments, wonderful prayers said in prayer rooms, hallways, hotel rooms, you name it, we prayed there. The harp and bowl was especially touching as three of our five crit partners were able to be there and we really connected. (I do so adore those lovely lovely sisters of mine for putting up with a nutcase like me and loving me in spite of it, lol.)
Also, I STILL don't know what God had planned, but I do know that when I heard that all but two of the officers of the board were stepping down and would we prayerfully consider running....my heart leaped out of my chest. Of course God and I had to wrestle about the office I needed to run for. I did run as God intended, and I was elected Vice President. But I still don't think that was God's purpose for me going. I may NEVER know, but I know that is a conference I will not forget. I had so much fun, but I also got in closer contact with God and more firmly on the path He wanted me on with renewed vigor.
God also asked me for a promise and I made it, although it was scary. It had to do with writing. Let me repeat it was scary, BUT, even though I have a manuscript being considered right now....you know how the waiting is.....I have handed it to the Lord and feel perfect peace about it. Some days I get anxious and some days I fret that I may have sent in pure drivel, but God gently reminds me that He has it all under control. My job is to keep writing with JOY in my heart. (That was my keyword from my first conference in Denver...I just love the way God ties all this in together.)
This year is going to be in Dallas again....lovely facility and folks, they have Starbucks in the hotel. It just doesn't get any better than that. Unless someone knows of a hotel that has Starbucks AND DeBrands??? Anyone?
Monday, June 11, 2007
ACFW National Conference
Hey all!
Hope you had a fabulous week. Hope you already signed up for our wonderful conference.
Let's see, in 2005 we went to Nashville. The whole family went and we spent over a week in Tennessee since my husband has family in the mountains. We also decided next time we go, we're going to take our own signs and name those roads. They all look the same. I can't tell you how many various ways we took to get to his aunt's houses, lol.
Nashville was interesting. It was a hard conference. I really felt a need to connect, but couldn't find anyone to connect with. My friends (the Fab Four) were all busy doing their own thing and my family and I kept missing each other. It was as if God needed me to be completely alone so the only one I could depend on was Him. I felt invisible. I got the classes on MP3s and it's good that I did because I couldn't concentrate, God was talking too loud. I never did venture into the prayer room then either, though I had some very heartfelt prayers in the hall with Cynthia Rutchi and one later from my friend and c0-fab fourer Cheryl. (She has an amazing ability to see into my heart and hear what I'm feeling even when I'm in denial.)
I did have a great meeting with an editor even though I was scared out of my gourd. I had a good pitch and was ready with that part. Not so much ready for the, "Tell me more about it." part though. Flying by the seat of my pants.
What I learned is that God is with me. His grace is sufficient. And He works all things for good. Romans 8:28. I was on my way to learning more about contentment. (A lesson I'm obviously still learning considering where I STILL work.) Nashville laid the groundwork that started and improvement in my craft.
An ACFW conference is like an Inspirational Romantic Suspense. The three threads are there woven in together, tied in together seamlessly. In a IRS, it's Romance, suspense and faith. With a conference, it's learning, network/fellowshipping and worship. God talks to us there, not just about our writing, although since it is what He's called us to, it's near and dear to His heart, but about our eternal souls and the lessons we need to learn. Sometimes those lessons are more painful than at other times, but I'm always glad to have learned and draw closer to my God.
Don't wait any longer, run register. This conference is not one you want to miss.
Hope you had a fabulous week. Hope you already signed up for our wonderful conference.
Let's see, in 2005 we went to Nashville. The whole family went and we spent over a week in Tennessee since my husband has family in the mountains. We also decided next time we go, we're going to take our own signs and name those roads. They all look the same. I can't tell you how many various ways we took to get to his aunt's houses, lol.
Nashville was interesting. It was a hard conference. I really felt a need to connect, but couldn't find anyone to connect with. My friends (the Fab Four) were all busy doing their own thing and my family and I kept missing each other. It was as if God needed me to be completely alone so the only one I could depend on was Him. I felt invisible. I got the classes on MP3s and it's good that I did because I couldn't concentrate, God was talking too loud. I never did venture into the prayer room then either, though I had some very heartfelt prayers in the hall with Cynthia Rutchi and one later from my friend and c0-fab fourer Cheryl. (She has an amazing ability to see into my heart and hear what I'm feeling even when I'm in denial.)
I did have a great meeting with an editor even though I was scared out of my gourd. I had a good pitch and was ready with that part. Not so much ready for the, "Tell me more about it." part though. Flying by the seat of my pants.
What I learned is that God is with me. His grace is sufficient. And He works all things for good. Romans 8:28. I was on my way to learning more about contentment. (A lesson I'm obviously still learning considering where I STILL work.) Nashville laid the groundwork that started and improvement in my craft.
An ACFW conference is like an Inspirational Romantic Suspense. The three threads are there woven in together, tied in together seamlessly. In a IRS, it's Romance, suspense and faith. With a conference, it's learning, network/fellowshipping and worship. God talks to us there, not just about our writing, although since it is what He's called us to, it's near and dear to His heart, but about our eternal souls and the lessons we need to learn. Sometimes those lessons are more painful than at other times, but I'm always glad to have learned and draw closer to my God.
Don't wait any longer, run register. This conference is not one you want to miss.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
ACFW National Conference!!!
Hi guys!
I know this is late. I'm having some serious computer problems so please forgive me. I'll try to get this typed in at work. :)
I wanted to talk to you about the upcoming ACFW Conference in Dallas, TX in September.
But to do so, I want to take you back. 2004 ACRW Conference in Denver, CO. My very first conference. It was a new beginning for me on so many levels.
It was the first time the Fab Four had ever met face to face. It was the first time I had ever flown on a commercial flight. First time I had left home without my family. All during the first year I had to do without my mother. And ACRW announced it's intention to change the name to ACFW.
Mother and I had scraped and saved and planned for me to go. She thought it would be good for me although she didn't know what she'd do without me. My husband was all for it too. He tried to find ways to save for it.
That first year, I made friends that have been with me through thick and thin. They put up with my idiosyncracies and love me in spite of my numerous faults. I tend to rely on them too heavily at times though I really try not to.
God showed me how to better worship and honor Him that year. He showed me that my writing should honor Him. He showed me there were more ways to pray than the one I'd known (thanks to my dear friends and Brandilyn). He let me know that He was there no matter what happened.
I had thought my writing was pretty decent. Wrong! I had so much to learn. I got overwhelmed at the conference and didn't know about the prayer room until the last day. I came home and applied what I had learned.
But what I learned was so much more than writing I can't put it into words, but that conference changed my life. I am so glad God made it possible for me to go. I left with a plan and a better understanding of the world God was leading me into.
If you can go at all to the 2007 ACFW Conference, I urge you to do so. Being on the planning side of the conference this year, I can tell you, the lineup is the best yet.
Tune in again next week as I tell you what happened at the ACFW Conference in Nashville.
I know this is late. I'm having some serious computer problems so please forgive me. I'll try to get this typed in at work. :)
I wanted to talk to you about the upcoming ACFW Conference in Dallas, TX in September.
But to do so, I want to take you back. 2004 ACRW Conference in Denver, CO. My very first conference. It was a new beginning for me on so many levels.
It was the first time the Fab Four had ever met face to face. It was the first time I had ever flown on a commercial flight. First time I had left home without my family. All during the first year I had to do without my mother. And ACRW announced it's intention to change the name to ACFW.
Mother and I had scraped and saved and planned for me to go. She thought it would be good for me although she didn't know what she'd do without me. My husband was all for it too. He tried to find ways to save for it.
That first year, I made friends that have been with me through thick and thin. They put up with my idiosyncracies and love me in spite of my numerous faults. I tend to rely on them too heavily at times though I really try not to.
God showed me how to better worship and honor Him that year. He showed me that my writing should honor Him. He showed me there were more ways to pray than the one I'd known (thanks to my dear friends and Brandilyn). He let me know that He was there no matter what happened.
I had thought my writing was pretty decent. Wrong! I had so much to learn. I got overwhelmed at the conference and didn't know about the prayer room until the last day. I came home and applied what I had learned.
But what I learned was so much more than writing I can't put it into words, but that conference changed my life. I am so glad God made it possible for me to go. I left with a plan and a better understanding of the world God was leading me into.
If you can go at all to the 2007 ACFW Conference, I urge you to do so. Being on the planning side of the conference this year, I can tell you, the lineup is the best yet.
Tune in again next week as I tell you what happened at the ACFW Conference in Nashville.
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