Carding the Senior Citizen

We have a community billboard that proudly announces "May is Senior Citizens Month!" While I feel honored, it didn't thrill me nearly as much as going to the store the other day and being carded. Since I didn't frequent the places that normally carded kids when I was in my early twenties, I didn't have that experience very often. And really, back then you wanted to look older. What fools we were.

Now that I'm more "mature," it was a thrill when the clerk at the store wouldn't give me the senior discount until I showed her proof of age. I proudly pulled out my new drivers license--the one that didn't make me look ten years older like the last picture. She "hmmmed" and then looked at the date, did a little math (in her head!) and rang up my discount.

Yea! Sometimes getting older pays off.

Meet Meghan Rose! (Lori Z. Scott)

(Note: I met Lori at a writer's conference a few years ago and enjoyed her enthusiasm for writing and her passion for bringing good books and stories to children. I hope you'll enjoy reading about her Meghan Rose series.)

Do you yearn for a Christian based fiction book geared for younger elementary children?

If so, then check out the Meghan Rose series. This new series from Standard Publishing introduces Meghan Rose, the bounciest first-grader in the world! Young readers will get to share Meghan’s adventures, laugh, and learn important life lessons. Each title also includes a bonus section with discussion starters and fun activity ideas.

I am excited to welcome author Lori Z. Scott, joining us today to talk about the newest releases in her Meghan Rose series—Meghan Rose All Dressed Up and Meghan Rose Has a Secret.

Since 2000, Lori has published over fifty short stories, devotions, puzzles, poems, and articles for children, teens, and adults. She has been published in Focus on Your Child, MOMSense Magazine, Spirit Led Writer, Pockets, and Devozine. She is the author of Busy Moms’ Devotions to Go and four Meghan Rose titles. In addition, Lori has contributed to over a dozen books including Real Moms, Cup of Comfort Book of Prayers, and 2007 Eppie Award winner Infinite Space, Infinite God.

A graduate of Wheaton College, Lori has worked with children for over twenty years, both as a teacher in the classroom and as a volunteer for local churches, museums, and schools. When she’s not busy driving her two children to various church, sporting, and artistic activities, she moonlights as a speaker for women’s groups and schools.

Lori, welcome. Thanks for taking time to be with us today.

My pleasure.

You often introduce yourself as first a mother, then a teacher, and finally a writer. Why is that?

I feel like being a mother is my highest calling in life. And that means I’m a caregiver, nurse, tutor, cheerleader, counselor, transportation expert, and nutritionist. Doing all those mommy things is a bit like filling a jar jam-packed with marbles. I pursue my own interests in the empty spaces around those marbles because being a mommy trumps all.

I call myself a teacher second because working with kids has been such a huge part of my life. Just as God gifts different people for different tasks, I feel like God has given me a special ability to understand and work with children. Or maybe I’m just not ready to give up playing and comics yet.

I call myself a writer last because I often feel like writing too much fun—and pays too little—to be a real job. But then again, writing is another interest in my life I have felt called to pursue. God blessed me there too. When I decided to start writing, my first submission won second place in a science fiction writing contest. My second submission won MOPS International story writing contest.

I guess what I want moms to realize is, it’s okay to put the mommy part of our lives first and to trust that God will still bless, fulfill, and lead us in other areas as well.

Why would parents like your series?

A good question—one that I have to answer from my own experience. When my daughter was in first grade, her teacher started reading the Junie B. Jones books in class. Since Meghan liked them, I picked up a few copies.

Well, I enjoyed the humor in those books, but had to edit out some of the grammar slips, name calling and attitudes. I thought there had to be an alternative choice—a book that was just as funny, but also had a good take-away value. I scoured the Christian bookstores. I couldn’t find any fiction for that age group, only devotional books and Bible stories.

When I asked about it, bookstore owners often commented that they wished they could offer such a book. In fact, they’d had numerous parents come to the store, all asking the same thing: Do you have a fiction book my young child will enjoy reading? And, like them, I walked away empty handed.

So I wrote the book I couldn’t find—a book for my daughter AND for all those other mothers just like me. I put in everything she wanted—an interesting story filled with giggles and characters worth rooting for—and everything I wanted—good moral values (but with nothing preachy about the story at all). And because I don’t believe I’m alone in those desires, I’m convinced other parents (AND THEIR KIDS!!!) will like the series too.

Why did you include discussion questions and activities at the end of each book?

That’s the teacher part of me flaring up big time! LOL. But seriously, how many times have you as a mother read a book and thought, “There’s a good lesson in here” but didn’t know how to draw your child into a discussion about it? I remember reading Where the Red Fern Grows with my daughter and wanting to talk about the tender topic of death that book touches on. Since I didn’t know where to start, I couldn’t fully take advantage of that teachable moment. (Instead we both just cried all the way through the last few chapters.)

That’s why I included questions for parents or teachers to use after they read the story, so they can capitalize on the book’s underlying message. (Although I hope people laugh through the last few chapters of Meghan Rose instead of cry!)

And the activities are all for the kids. They love extending the story experience by creating their own volcanoes or whatever. I also put a ton of other ideas for parents and kids on my website under the BLAM (Brilliant Little Activities to Make) link (www.MeghanRoseSeries.com).

So each book has an underlying message? Tell us about that.

As I mentioned, I wanted the stories to do more than entertain. I wanted them to have takeaway value. Each book’s message is very subtle but still evident throughout the book. While Meghan Rose on Stage! talks about discovering your talents, it’s ultimately about friendship. Meghan Rose Has Ants in Her Pants explores the idea of patience—a difficult area for most kids to deal with. The newest two books—Meghan Rose All Dressed Up and Meghan Rose Has a Secret—address inner beauty and kind words. But again, none of it is preachy. It’s heavy on the humor and very, VERY light on the lesson…yet neither quality is lost on the child.

Are the books just for girls?

Not at all! One mother of two boys emailed me about how much her sons enjoyed reading them with her. She said they could hardly read for laughing so hard—they were all HOWLING!! The youngest one loved it so much he started sleeping with the first book under his pillow at night.

In fact, the comment I hear most from people who read the books is, “I laughed out loud.” The second comment I hear most often is about how much kids (and parents) like the discussion questions and activities. How can all that just be for girls?

Where do you get the inspiration for the humorous parts of the books?

Most of that comes from my upbringing. My dad was always coming up with puns and jokes. He made them up on the spot, and they were hilarious! I can’t tell you how many hours we spent laughing around the dinner table. I think dad influenced all my sisters. In fact, one of my sisters was part of an improvisational comedy team. (She’s also a pastor’s wife—it’s a fun combination.)

I also grew up on a steady diet of comic books. Peanuts and Garfield were my favorites, and later Calvin and Hobbes. And we’d also watch comedy on television, especially The Carol Brunette Show.

That said, some of my inspiration just comes from everyday life. My kids crack me up. They both have a great sense of humor.

The main character in the Meghan Rose series shares your daughter’s name. Why is that?

She was the foundational basis for the character. When I started the series, I needed someone likable, outrageous, clever, spunky, and sensitive all rolled into one. Well, that’s my Meghan. And since I originally wrote the books just for her, I simply used her name. You’ll also see the names of other people I’ve met, although the character they’re named for is totally fiction. Mrs. Arnold, for example, was the name of Meghan’s real first grade teacher. But she’s not like the Mrs. Arnold in the book.

Are any of the characters like you?

I think maybe there’s a little bit of me in all of them. Certainly a lot of me is reflected in the teacher, Mrs. Arnold. Then Ryan shows the jokester side of me, Kayla has the goofy side, Lynette has the rule-following, show-off side, and Meghan’s Mom has the practical side. The Meghan character herself is about 80 percent of the “real” Meghan, 10 percent of me and my creative musings, and 10 percent total fiction.

Do you ever visit schools to talk about the books?

Yes! I’ve visited several schools and talked about the steps a writer goes through to get from idea to published book. I’ve also shared ways to boost everyday creativity and develop writing ideas. All three presentations seem to fire up everyone, even the reluctant writers. Kids tell me that what they enjoy most about the time we spend together is learning my two-handed drawing trick and discovering how to write their own jokes.

As a teacher, I value school visits. I think it’s important to inspire and encourage all children…to help them see opportunities and possibilities. As a mom, I can’t help seeing my own children reflected in the faces I meet. That gives me extra incentive to make kids want to reach their dreams, whatever they might be.

Can you share one idea for mothers to help their children be more creative?

Sure. Hmmm. Hard to pick one. I guess one great idea is to encourage your children to be involved with artistic endeavors. That can include a whole variety of options, like drawing, painting, or making things out of shoe boxes. Children can listen to or dance to music. Or make their own music. They can dress up and put on a show for family or friends, or memorize a silly poem. And it should be fun, not work.

Where can readers learn more about you and the Meghan Rose books?

They can visit my website at www.MeghanRoseSeries.com. My award-winning illustrator, Stacy Curtis, designed it. It offers jokes, puzzles, and activities for kids and great ideas for teacher and parents (on Mrs. Arnold’s BLAM page). It also introduces the books and characters, provides links to book reviews, and gives ordering information. I posted a retold fairy tale reader’s theater that gives visitors a good feel for the style of humor found in the books at www.meghanroseseries.com/teachers_LittleRed.asp .

You can also purchase a copy Meghan Rose on Stage!, Meghan Rose Has Ants in Her Pants, Meghan Rose All Dressed Up, andMeghan Rose Has a Secret by clicking on the titles here.

That sounds great. Well, thank you for your time!

Thank you for letting me visit with you.

Leave a comment for a chance to win one of the Meghan Rose books!

A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts--the video

Okay, I will be the first to admit it--I'm easily distracted when a new "toy" is tossed my way. This morning I read Brandilyn Collin's blog and she reported finding a new way to make free 30 second videos with still pictures. It is totally awesome! So I spent the morning playing. Here's what I came up with:

View the Videos

For those of you who regularly read my blog and couldn't get the videos to play, I have fixed them on the two posts about the QE2. For some reason You Tube wouldn't upload while I was on the ship.

Remembering the Titanic

Aboard the Queen Elizabeth 2, we crossed over the exact spot where the Titanic sits on the bottom of the North Atlantic. The date was April 14—ninety-six years after the Titanic hit an iceberg and sank early the next morning. In the cold and rain and amidst somewhat rough seas, the officers of the QE2 placed a wreath in the water in memory of those who lost their lives.



It wasn’t hard to imagine how terrifying it must have been in the dark with the April weather as it is and the ship slowly sinking. But as terrible as the tragedy was, Commodore Warwick (retired Cunard captain of the QE2 and QM2) reminded us in a lecture of the changes that were brought about world wide because of that loss.

There is now an iceberg patrol which is why we happened this trip to be on the southerly crossing course. It is faster to go by a more northerly course but the ice this year had forced our crossing further to the south and thus over the Titanic. Commodore Warwick said he felt the captain of the Titanic was following a southerly course as a matter of safety. In all his years of transatlantic crossing, Warwick said he only saw ice this far south two or three times.

The other safety measures of course include having enough lifeboats for all aboard and measures for safe evacuation. No ship will ever again be considered “unsinkable.”

QE2 makes last sail from NYC

On Saturday, April 12, we boarded the Queen Elizabeth 2 for its last transatlantic New York to Southampton crossing. Our departure from Manhattan Dock 92 was delayed a bit since fog had kept the QE2 from meeting her early morning arrival time. In exchange, we received a spectacular view of NYC as the sun set and the lights came on. It was as magical as sailing out of Hong Kong last October. We were accompanied by a NYC fireboat most of the way in full watery regalia.

The QE2 will make a few more voyages including one back to NYC from Southampton but then will continue on to its final destination in Dubai where it will become a floating hotel like the original Queen Mary in Los Angeles.

Today, the fourteenth of April, we are due to pass over the spot where the Titanic sits miles under the ocean surface. Hopefully, I will be able to post pictures of the wreath laying tomorrow. Please be assured—we have seen no icebergs this trip.

The Starbucks Bowl

Last week I attended the Erma Bombeck Humor Workshop in Dayton. It was a great writers conference. Garrison Keillor, Connie Schultz, and Martha Bolton spoke. Keillor is a great story teller. You just wind him up and he goes forever.

I attended a workshop called Raising Your Humor Writing IQ led by Dr. Mark Shatz. One of the exercises he had us do was centered on Starbucks. Here's some of what I came up with:


The Starbucks Bowl


Word has it that beer will be replaced at football stadiums with Starbucks coffee. Football fans will belly-up to the barista and be able to order a Frothy Five Yarder--one shot of five different flavors.


Souvenir Starbucks hats will be available as well. They will replace the ever popular beer hats that are worn on the top of the head with long plastic straws for sipping your favorite brew. The Starbucks hats will serve a greater purpose than just refreshing the football fan. The hot coffee will also warm the fan's head.


Dollar beer night will be replaced by dollar Venti night. Vendors in the stands will be equipped to froth your lattes with the new portable mini-cappuccino machine.


The best news of all. . .a new NCAA championship football game will become part of the post season schedule--the Starbucks Bowl! Instead of the winners proclaiming a trip to Disney World, however, they will all be saying, "I"m goin' to Starbucks!"


(Hope I've made you smile.)

Been There. Done That. Got the T-shirt!

Recently we made the trip to Florida to see grandkids and catch a couple Indians' spring training games. While in the area, there was an extra stop I wanted to make. About a half hour out of our way was a small area know as Fort Lonesome. There has never been a town there to my knowledge, certainly not a fort, and the most I could find when I researched it was that it had two grocery stores--one of which has since met the wrecking ball.

In my internet search I also discovered that it was considered a ghost town. Well, now isn't that just the juice a novelist needs for some ideas? We arrived mid-morning at the Fort Lonesome Grocery--the only building in sight other than a shed on one corner of the intersection. A couple of large trucks were parked in the gravel lot when we pulled in with our rental car.

Walking inside the store was like walking into a movie scene out of the 50s--the one where the unsuspecting tourists make a stop at the wrong place. We stuck out like sore thumbs. With a half-dozen truckers (all standing with drinks and sandwiches in hand ready to checkout) as an audience, I asked the lady behind the counter if she knew anything about this place being a ghost town. Her answer: "We got live people here and we got dead people here. . .and that's all."

I bought the T-shirt anyway.

Book Cover--A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts

As I sit and watch the snow melt--Yeah!--I'm torn between welcoming the signs of spring and being eager for the fall to arrive. Why am I so eager? We (my co-authors and I) have received design ideas from our publisher for the cover of our book as well as peeks at what the inside may look like. It's like Christmas has arrived early!

This is what we think the cover will look like--at least it will be very similar. The inside of the book will have rich colored pages that accent the stories, scriptures verses, recipes, kids activities, green thumb tips, etc. We couldn't be more proud than if the six of us were all giving birth at the same time.

Oh! Guess we are--sorta.

I Survived the Blizzard of 2008

One last whine about all the snow and I'm done--I hope! Don't want to see another flake, no sir.

Here is what it looked like in the midst of the storm. I call it a blizzard even though officially they are saying it didn't meet the criteria. The winds had to be sustained at 30 mph or more and the visibility had to be reduce to 1/4 mile for at least a three hour stretch to qualify as a full-fledged blizzard. We must have missed the mark by five minutes.

The first flakes started falling at 10:30 a.m. Friday as I was gathering food for the anticipated weekend barrage. It was supposed to start until noon. At noon when I went out to my Toastmasters meeting, the roads were already slippery and snow covered. When I got back, I pulled the car into the garage and it still has not seen the light of day.

The video was taken in the middle of the day on Saturday. The snow fell all through Friday afternoon with a little lull just after dinner. It started up again around nine and snowed all through the night and the next day. It didn't clear until around midnight Saturday night (that would be one a.m. since we set the clocks ahead before retiring).

When it was over, we officially had 21" but there appears to be 24" on the table on our deck.

Under the pile of snow from the driveway is a six foot crabapple tree--shivering, I'm sure.

The roads were still a bit treacherous this morning on the way to church, but the sun was a welcome sight. Hopefully we will see more of it tomorrow and the next day, and the next. . .and the next. . .

The Longest Winter

"The longest winter" sounds like the title of a book. Hmmm. I'll have to think about that. But it does feel like the winter is never ending around here. A week ago we were dumped on with almost two feet of snow. It melted and was promptly replaced this week with more snow, then freezing rain, then sleet, then ice, then snow again. Help!!

Today we are to have a quiet weather day as we watch with icy anticipation another storm move up from the southwest. Depending on its track, we will get snow and/or lots of snow.

Am I whining? You bet.

Pavlov's Sharks?

It's finally happened. A diver was fatally bitten by a shark during a shark dive in the Bahamas where the dive company was feeding the sharks. It's not the first time a diver has been bitten by a shark during such a dive. It is the first death. This is reminiscent of the the stories you see where no one installs a signal crossing at a railroad intersection until a certain number of people die there.

Some divers will do anything (like some drivers) for the rush--like pulling the tail of a nurse shark. Shortly after we took this picture someone else came along and tried to aggravate this creature. I've seen some divers work themselves into a frenzy over diving with sharks--not because of research or the casual encounter but because of the sheer adrenaline rush of being in the middle of a shark feeding frenzy. Shark diving is bringing in the dollars.

Some researchers and diving associations are finally beginning to admit that perhaps they are changing the behavior of the sharks by coming to a dive location and dropping chum or a "chumsicle" (a frozen clump of fish part) into the water with divers on a regular basis. Long ago I learned about Pavlov's dogs. Didn't anyone else get that in elementary science?

While sharks may not salivate, I've seen how they congregate when they've been conditioned to being fed. In Walker's Cay in the Bahama's, the shark feeding dive begins by going to the spot where they discovered sharks congregated because garbage (including fish parts) was dumped there each day. They surmised that the sharks heard the truck and approached because they knew the sound meant food.

At the beginning of each shark dive the boats circle the area where the dive is to be. The sound of the boats has now become the cue to the sharks that there is food available. Divers are put into the water and kneel in a large circle around a "chumsicle" and watch as the sharks weave in and out among them to have at the chum.

It's not a big leap to think that food and divers can be associated. Certainly we are not on the food chain for sharks. They bite but they don't like what they get is what we're told. Still, whenever you dive near a place that does a shark feeding dive, there are always those gray forms that appear and silently slip by--perhaps trailing a little saliva.

So, you ask, how do you really feel about this?

DON'T FEED THE SHARKS!

A Hawaiian Welcome

While we were in Hawaii, we visited three different churches, two in Lahaina on Maui, and one in Hilo, on the big island of Hawaii. I was amazed at how many visitors there were and at how welcomed all were made to feel. Each church passed out leis to the visitors and each lei was unique--fresh flowere, shells, and braided ribbon. But gifts aside, the greatest gift was being sought out and welcomed by pastors and members. They truly grasp the idea of the "family" of God.

I would like to think this is the norm for all churches but as I have recently visited churches in my own hometown, I've found that visitors are often left to their own coming and going. I've even directly approached pastors in receiving lines after services and never been asked my name.

Perhaps it's cultural. Hawaii does have a Polynesian background. Maybe it has something to do with a warmer climate and cool sea breezes rather than snow and ice. It is definitely not denominational. I have visited several different denominations both here at home and in Hawaii.

Shame on us who don't make our visitors to our church homes feel welcomed and loved. And kudos to the Hawaiians for their Christian hospitality and caring enough to welcome strangers into their midst. After all, Paul said, "Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it." (Hebrews 13:2 NIV)

Lava Flows from Pu'u O'o

With fear and trepidation, I agreed to an airplane ride over the volcano that is now spewing lava. Originally, when we planned our trip last year, there was lava flowing into the ocean and it could be observed by hiking out to a "safe" viewing area. Our plan to hike and view was scratched when several days after our cruise stop in Hilo in June, there were a series of small earthquakes that caused the lava flow to be diverted. The only way to see it now is by air.

My fear is not unfounded but rather stems from losing two good friends to a helicopter crash in Kauai. No way would I get in a helicopter. A plane felt much safer. We found an operation called Island Hoppers that did a wonderful job of making us feel comfortable--after our youthful pilot got done joking that he was only seventeen.

Anthony flew over the area known as Pu'u O'o where you can look down into some of the open craters and see the lava boiling below. The videos are a bit shaky. The heat rising from the lava made the plane ride a little bumpy at times but Anthony always warned us when it was to happen and I've had worse rides on commercial airlines. All in all, it was an amazing trip.

As you view the video, keep in mind that this was during the day so it was a little more difficult to see the red color except in the most intense areas where rivers of it flowed. All the areas you see that are a shiny gray are where the lava is flowing and cooling as it moves out toward where it will eventually hit the ocean, I guess, if it is not diverted again.










Our pilot Anthony and plane.
Island Hoppers flys out of Kona and Hilo
808-329-0018

Whales--Up Close and Personal!

Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, it did! Today we were actually held captive by three whales. Federal regulations in the basin between Maui, Molokai, and Lanai require a boat to cut their engines if a whale is within a hundred yards. This helps to avoid a whale being injured by a turning propeller. Just as we were ready to head back from our whale watching, three whales approached our boat and dove under it. We stopped and they turned around and circled our boat, diving under and surfacing right next to it.

We were so close, we got sprayed twice from their blow holes. I think they were having as much fun with us as we were with them. I hope the next boat load of watchers got as good a view. They had to wait an extra hour for us to return.

The pictures at the right show a behavior called a spy hop. The whale pokes its head up long enough to take a look around and then pops back down under the water.

Hana Ho!

Venturing out again on a whale watching expedition, we were rewarded many times over with sightings. As a matter of fact, the captain just stopped the boat at one point and we were surrounded by whales.

These first video clips are of a young calf breaching. He seemed to be very playful and almost responded on cue to our "Hana Ho!"




As we were sitting still in the water, we noticed what's called a "competition group." There were 4 or 5 whales in the group probably mostly males and competing for the privilege of mating with a female. As we watched, we realized they were headed for our boat--at full speed! It looked like four or five 40 ton torpedoes coming straight at us.



What an amazing morning.

A Whale of a Time!

Sitting on our lanai on the twelfth floor of the condo building we have quite a view of ocean between Maui and Molokai. The area is somewhat shallow (200-350 feet we're told) and is relatively calm. This is ideal for the whales who have come here to calve and to mate.

As I look out, I can see big splashes in the water where whales--mostly the males--are slapping thier tails on the surface, or splashing with their pectoral fins, or just plain jumping for joy--or, being male, attention. They are a little too far out today to capture with my camera but I have circular impressions around my eyes from pressing binoculars to them constantly.

Today we stopped at a lookout near McGregor's point where the Pacific Whale Foundation has a naturalist stationed to answer questions. I know that the whales weigh around 80,000 pounds and are between 40-45 feet long but I wanted to know how to translate that into language a young grandchild would understand. The naturalist accomodated me. "Think large yellow schoolbus. Every kid knows how big that is."

So now, imagine something the size of a large schoolbus having the power to lift 80,000 pounds of blubber out of the water. Now imagine the splash that makes! Each time a whale breaches, it's appropriate to yell, "hana ho!" meaning, "Do it again!"

Another naturalist aboard one of the whale watching boats told us they jump because they're happy. Makes me understand where the phrase "having a whale of a time" must come from.

Valley Isle on Dwellable

More Whale Watching at Maui

Today we ventured upon a couple of whales performing very near to shore. I took a couple more videos. On one of our expeditions, the naturalist said they think the whales breach (jump out of the water) because they're happy. These two must have been very happy. The trick is to try to time the camera right. There's no warning for when they'll breach.



In one of the next two videos, you'll notice two tales waving at us.

Whale Watching in Maui

This is one of the most fantastic things we have ever done! We can sit on the lanai of our rented condo and watch whales as they swim, play, jump, tap out messages--you name it.

On two days, we have been out on whale watching expeditions early in the morning. Here is video of this morning's great trip. Unfortunately, the whale we saw breach completely out of the water VERTICALLY(!) performed when my camera was out of reach. Hope this You Tube thing works. It's my first attempt.

Rattled Surviving Your Baby's First Year Withoug Losing Your Cool!

I don't usually do Blog Tours for books but this one is special. Trish has written a book that I truly wish had been around thirty-plus (for my twins sake, I'm not telling) years ago when we started our family. Twins! You bet I was Rattled! Actually, the twins' birthday was just yesterday so this is very appropriate. Enjoy!

BLAST OUT Blog Tour for Trish Berg’s Latest Release…
Rattled Surviving Your Baby’s First Year without Losing Your Cool!

Can you change a diaper faster than a rodeo cowboy ropes a calf? Need more sleep, more laughter, and ten minutes in the bathroom – alone?

You must be a mom….Don’t let the clutter, chaos, exhaustion and Cheerio-dust get you Rattled.

With practical advice and scriptural reminders, author Trish Berg can help you not only survive the chaos and clutter of motherhood, but get back to the simple joy of being a mom.

I am excited to welcome Trish Berg, joining us today to talk about her new mom book, Rattled, Surviving Your Baby’s First Year without Losing Your Cool!

Trish is a national speaker for Hearts at Home, author of The Great American Supper Swap and Rattled. She has been published in Today’s Christian Woman, MOMSense, CBN.com, P31 WOMAN, and numerous regional and national publications.

Trish earned her MBA before leaving the workforce for motherhood, then earned her Doctorate in Diaper Changing in Ohio where she and her husband, Mike, keep busy raising their four children on their family cattle farm.

Trish, welcome. Thanks for taking time to be with us today.

Thanks for having me.

So why is it so easy for moms to get rattled during their baby’s first year?

Motherhood is simply draining and exhausting. Hands down the toughest job I have ever had.

But moms are not alone, and I want moms to know that God walks with them through these exhausting years.

What stresses moms out the most?

I think moms put a lot of pressure on themselves to do it all by themselves, and to do it all the right way. They need to simplify, let go of many details, and ask for help, from their husbands, and from neighbors and friends.

Rattled actually begins by looking at the months of pregnancy. How can moms use this time to prepare to survive baby’s first year?

Nine months is not nearly enough time to fully prepare for motherhood. I am not sure there is enough time to fully prepare.

I remember when our first child, Hannah, was born, I felt that my world had been turned upside down. Hannah did not like to sleep, and so we spent many nights walking the floor, bouncing her up and down, trying desperately to settle her down. My husband, Mike, and I took turns walking laps around the house, like the Indy 500 with a lot more bouncing.

I am not sure I could have prepared for that.

But during your pregnancy, you can prepare in other ways. Like arranging for help. Ask your mom or mother-in-law if they can spend one day with you each week during the first few months. Just knowing someone is coming in the morning to help with the baby can make the being up all night not seem so terrible.

You talk about surviving motherhood. How do you help moms do that?

In Rattled, I talk about a mom’s survival kit. If you were thrown out into the wilderness, you would need FOOD, SHELTER, FIRE and WATER to survive.

Well, moms have been thrown out into the wilderness of motherhood, and to survive, they will need:

Water from the word (2 Samuel 22:3a) –To be in God’s Word.

A fire like desire for prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:17) – Moms can pray their way through their day.

Nourishment body, mind and spirit (1 Corinthians 13:13) – Love on all levels nourishes us.

Shelter from life’s storms (Proverbs 17:17)-Friends to lean on, trust, and support us.

In Rattled, I spend some time talking about how moms can use that survival kit to get back to the joy of mothering.

You spent a lot of time listening to what other mothers had to say. Share with us your best advice for new moms.

I would tell moms to relax. No one does it right all the time. Let the laundry pile up. Leave the dishes in the sink, and just enjoy holding your baby today.

Don’t worry about doing “it” right, just enjoy the moments you have.

That is sound advice...

But what aboud dads? Give us a few tips into what dad is going through during the first year.

Dads are just as insecure as moms are about parenthood. Even more so in many cases.

Moms do much of the baby feeding, diaper changing, and baby care. So dads can sometimes feel left out, and incapable of caring for their own baby.

One thing moms can do is encourage dad to be involved. But in doing so, moms must let go of “their way” of doing things, and let dad discover his own way.

For example. When Hannah was a baby, every time Mike would change her diaper, I would criticize the way he changed it. I tried to teach him how to put his fingers under the leg elastic and make sure it wasn’t bunched up, preventing a future leak.

But every time I criticized him, he stepped back and became less involved. And you know what? Even when I did the diapers the “right way” they still sometimes leaked.

So I had to learn to let Mike change her diaper his own way. I let him put her to bed his way, bathe her his way, and be the dad God wanted him to be.

That can be difficult for moms who can tend to be slight control freaks when it comes to baby care.

But let me just encourage you that the help you will get from dad if you can let go of those details will bless you in more ways than you can imagine!

In Rattled you’re very open about the loss of your own pregnancy in 2002. How has that loss changed your outlook on motherhood?

I in the 2nd trimester of my fourth pregnancy when I went in for a regular check up. I was not having any problems at all, and went in alone.

My OB/GYN performed an ultrasound just to check for twins, and suddenly my world turned upside down when he could not find a heart beat.

I was completely devastated. Mike and I had two weeks of further testing before we had assurance that our baby had died. And through it all, I prayed for a miracle, my miracle, that my baby would be alive again.

But in the end, God’s miracle was not that my baby survived. God’s miracle was the reassurance that He used me as a vessel to bring a tiny soul to Heaven.

A year later, I lost another child to miscarriage.

Today, I have a greater sense of love and appreciation for my four children here on earth whom I hug with my arms, and a closer tie to Heaven where my two babies are waiting for me, whom I can only hug with my heart for now.

Today you’re the mom of 4 happy and healthy children. What do you see as the greatest blessing about being a mom?

I would say learning patience, but my husband would laugh out loud at that…since I am probably one of the most impatient people there is.

So I guess I would have to say enjoying the journey. I live Psalm 118:24 every day of my life.

“This is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.”

Life is messy. Things break. Kids get sick. But moms need to remember to enjoy the journey no matter where the journey leads.

Today at the Berg house, our washing machine is broken. Our mini van needs new tires. We are hanging onto Mike’s 1986 Jeep on a wing and a prayer, hoping it makes it another year or so.

There is mud on my kitchen floor, crumbs on my carpet, and I can honestly say that I love my life. Just as it is.

Now, I certainly have moments where I get stressed and discouraged, and can even lose my temper (just ask my kids), but I am also learning to enjoy each moment of every day as a gift from God.

And thorough it all, my simple hope and prayer is that I can be the mom that God wants me to be.

Where can readers learn more about you, Rattled, your other books, and your ministry to moms?

My website at www.TrishBerg.com offers tons of FREE resources, links and downloads for moms, as well as mor information on my books and ministry.

Moms can also purchase their own copy of Rattled by clicking here.

And I will be speaking at all 3 Hearts at Home Conferences in 2008, I would LOVE for you to join me there. The National conference is in March in Illinois, and in the fall there is a conference in Michigan and Minnesots. You cna get more information and register at http://www.hearts-at-home.org/

Thanks, Trish, for joining us today. What a joy to meet you and learn more about your new mom book Rattled.

Thanks for having me. Blessings to you.

You can catch up with Trish all week long on her BLAST OUT BLOG TOUR by going to the following sites. There will be FREE book prizes, and great moms to connect with at each blog.

BLAST OUT BLOG TOUR for RATTLED

2/11/08
http://stainedglasspickup.blogspot.com/

http://mommymonk.blogspot.com/

http://www.5minutesformom.com

http://pursuingsimplicity.blogspot.com

www.jaxcreations.blogspot.com


2/12/08
www.survivingthechaos.blogspot.com

www.tinaannforkner.blogspot.com

http://www.myspace.com/mommyszablewski

www.xanga.com/mommyeaton

www.Coldnoodlesforbreakfast.blogspot.com


2/13/08
http://godusesbrokenvessels.blogspot.com

http://triciagoyer.blogspot.com

http://genxparents.blogspot.com

http://sprightly-amyanne.blogspot.com


2/14/08
http://spaghettipie.wordpress.com


2/15/08
www.keriwyattkent.blogspot.com

http://ramblinroadstoeverywhere.blogspot.com

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/cappuccinosmom

www.mommycomelately.blogspot.com

http://www.cornhuskeracademy.blogspot.com

www.karenehman.com


2/16/08
http://zyphe.blogspot.com/

http://carasmusings.blogspot.com

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/martha


2/17/08
www.marybethwhalen.com

www.bookjunkieconfessions.blogspot.com


2/18/08
http://www.terragarden.blogspot.com

The Contract is Complete!

The last signee, Cathy Messecar, has put her "John Hancock" on the dotted line and the contract along with our completed manuscript is on its way to Leafwood Publishers. We should be seeing some ideas for the cover of A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts soon. This truly is exciting. Almost like having a new baby!


If you'd like to know more about Cathy, check out her excellent blog that compliments her book, Stained Glass Pickup. You will be blessed.

Contract Signing Continued

The pony express made it to Texas and our fifth Word Quilter has signed the contract for A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts, sealed it, and mailed it on to our other Texan!

Leslie Wilson has a busy life with kids, hubby, and a demanding speaking schedule. Yes, she took pictures of signing the contract but we're still waiting to receive them. If you'd like a glimpse of Leslie's pretty face, you'll need to go to her website for now. Besides, she loves it when you visit!

Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee

Last night I finished this remarkable book by Charles Shields. I was drawn to it when I learned that Harper Lee, or rather Nelle Harper Lee, never published another novel. To Kill a Mockingbird was her first and only published book. As a writer my curiosity was aroused. Why would anyone who wrote such a compelling work, received a Pulitzer, and sold movie rights never get published again?

Ms. Lee is an enigma. Through the years, she has granted few interviews, been very selective in her personal appearances and thoroughly guarded her private life as much as possible. There was much talk about a second novel but from the information gathered by Shields from friends and those who had any contact with her through the years, it appears she worked on one or two ideas and for whatever reason, fear of failure or failure to follow through, she never passed another manuscript on to her publisher.

Much is said about her relationship to Truman Capote. They were childhood friends and Lee, according to Shields, had a lot to do with Capote's writing of In Cold Blood.

Mockingbird is a good read and very interesting. It left me to ponder though: what would I do if my first published novel took the path of such success? I might be afraid to write another too.

California Contract Signing

Our contract for A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts made it to California. Finally! I was worried that I'd accidentally sent it by pony express and the horse ate it. Our CA girl, Terra Hangen, signed it and now it is on its way to Texas to Leslie Wilson. We are having so much fun with all of this.

Terra is a new blogger. She's a wonderful writer and does a lot of stories about gardening and nature. We both write columns for Positively Feminine.org. Check out her blog, In the Beginning.

In My Lifetime--Automobiles

I can hear the giggles now. No, I did not arrive during the horse and buggy stage and no, I wasn't around for Ford's launch of the Model T. I do remember my grandfather having an old truck that he had to crank with a bar inserted in a hole in the front of the grill in order to start it.


My memories consist mostly of design changes. Mom and Dad fluctuated between Chevys and Chryslers and they each had their own stage of "wing" designs for the rear fenders. One particular model that Dad bought for Mom had huge fenders in the back. I'm pretty sure it was a Chrysler. It was similar to the one at the right but I remember hers being light blue.


Before we were married, Bob owned a Corvair convertible much like the one in the picture. We traded it in on a Ford before moving to Maryland and planning the start of our family.


The one car I truly loved was the Mustang. I had always been a fan of the Thunderbird, which was a popular sports car in the late 60s. The later versions of it were not nearly as appealing. When the Mustang came out it replaced the Thunderbird for "sportiness. " Again over the years, the "sporty" was made a bit more family friendly and I got my opportunity to purchase a used one--an early 1980s model. I enjoyed that car and cried when we had to sell it and replace it with a van so that our five kids would fit comfortably in one vehicle.


Probably the most fun we had with a car though was the Thunderbird that talked. The kids loved it! "The door is ajar," the female voice would complain. When Bob was done with it, he passed it on to our teenage drivers and they drove it until it began falling apart. The voice never faltered even when Bob and our son, Ron, took the dashboard out to try to repair something. They never did get to the part and had to reassemble everything to take the car--and all the leftover parts in a jar to the garage for a professional to work on it.


Now we not only have cars that talk but cars that can tell us how to get there, change our music stations, keep track of all sorts of data, show movies, and generally distract us from our primary purpose--safe driving from one point to another.

Contract Signing!

It's the story of six lovely ladies who were living in six cities far apart.

All of them with aspirations and lots and lots of heart.

Til the one day when these ladies got together,

Though the internet was not as good as lunch,

They began to form a friendship and pool ideas,

Now they're a contracted writers bunch!!

Known as the Word Quilters, Trish Berg, Brenda Nixon, Terra Hangen, Leslie Wilson and myself under the leadership of Cathy Messecar will be publishing a book called "A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts" with Leafwood Publishers in October of 2008. The three Ohio WQs signed the contract at a coffee house in Loudenville this morning.

The six of us met online through a writers forum and formed a group to encourage each other in our careers. Along the way, we found an idea for a collabrative book and have been working on it for a year now. I feel privileged to be the only member who has met all five of the others face-to-face. Three of us are from Ohio, one from California and two from Texas.

It was great fun this morning and we look forward to this great adventure together. (Left to right bottom picture: Brenda, Me, Trish)

YEAH!!!

Let it snow!

Normally I would not be in favor of the "let it snow" campaign but it is Christmas and more importantly our little 2 1/2 year old Floridian will have the opportunity to see his first REAL snow. All he knows is a Miami version of snow--shaved ice blown into a big pile in the middle of a city park for the kids to play on until it melts. This is usually accompanied by breakfast with Santa.

Of course playing on that snow in a pair of shorts and short-sleeved Tee is a little different than having to don boots and jackets and scarves and going out in 30 degree weather. He may not like that so much. He told his mommy the other day when the temperature dropped to 58 degrees that it was "too cold" to go outside.

But I know we all would enjoy a Currier and Ives Christmas scene--even if we have to watch it from inside the house. No matter. What is truly important is that our family will all be together--migrating home from the south and west to the Robbins' nest for our celebration of Jesus' birth.

May you have a blessed Christmas--snow or no snow!

In My Lifetime--Christmas

In a world where things are always changing and progress happens in the blink of an eye, there is one constant that brings most of us all together again--Christmas. The things of Christmas have changed over the years though. Take trees for instance.


Growing up, there was always a live tree. I don't know that artificial was even available in those early years. The bulbs were multi-colored and hot to the touch and silver tinsel was a must. Then came the years of the aluminum tree. The silvered branches changed color as a disc with four basic colors, red, green, purple, and yellow, rotated in front of a spot light that shone on the tree. Mom refused to have one. I'm grateful.


There was one year when she succumbed to the flocking. I don't know how she talked Dad into it because I seem to recall him wrinkling up his nose every time he looked at it. Maybe she sold him on the idea because it was supposed to preserve the tree longer.


Of course the more popular artificial trees became, the more outrageous they got. Pink and purple and white. Each year we passed on the lastest fad and stayed true to the real smell, the real feel, and the real mess of needles to clean up.


Mom gave in to the artificial world when the trees became a little more realistic looking and my brother and I were gone. That way she could get us to come home and put up the tree early. Mom was not above a guilt trip. "I don't think we'll have a tree this year," always brought us home to decorate.

Bob and I started out with real trees. Our first, which was probably the most perfect we had, stretched our budget at $5. This year we had to shop for a new artificial tree since we lost ours in a flood last year. We thought we'd wait until the sales after Christmas and this year get a real tree--until we looked at the prices. A nice tree around here goes for at least $70. We bided our time and found an early sale on artificial. Now there are no fire worries, no needles to clean up, and our decorating is done and ready for the kids to come home.


While out shopping, we saw aluminum trees trying to make a comeback and artificial ones that were flocked. It made me think of all the changes over the years and the one thing that has remained constant. The reason for the season--Jesus.

Amazing Grace

Three days of our overland trip in China were spent cruising on the Yangtze River between Chongqing and Yichang through the Three Gorges area. Before going to China, I had prayed for God to show me moments that would reveal his presence. I knew we would traveling in countries steeped in Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, and Communism. I longed for His assurance that He was still at work there as well.


The Three Gorges area was beautiful even though we saw most of it through a misty and, at times, rainy fog. At the place where the Daning River empties into the Yangtze, we left our riverboat to board a smaller catamaran for an excursion up the Daning through the Lesser Gorges. Along the way we saw dramatic cliffs rising from the river, lush vegetation, terraced farmlands that reached to the mountaintops, and an occasional pack of monkeys scurrying through the bush or along the shore where they were feeding on corn dumped most likely by the tourist boats.


Because of the dam project near Yichang, the Gorges area is being flooded gradually. The final flood stage will be reached in 2009. Already many towns have disappeared beneath the 150 meters of water that has filled the Yangtze and its tributaries. The population is being relocated to new apartment buildings along the hilltops near the river. The younger generation is happy to have the new lodging. The older generation is very sad to leave their generational farms and homes. It is all for the need of a fresh water source for China as well as hydroelectric power for a county whose industrial progress and modernization is moving too fast for the old systems to keep up.


This was all explained quite well by the local guide on our excursion up the Daning. On our return trip, she told of some of the customs and traditions of the area and sang a folk song in her language. Then she asked the 100 English-speaking guests to sing to her a song she had heard in English, Amazing Grace. A hundred voices rang out in the middle of one of the most beautiful places in China. It was the biggest "God moment" of my trip.


His grace is truly amazing.

In My Lifetime--Viet Nam Perspective

It's been a month since I've posted--a very busy month. We were traveling in Asia. A land tour as well as a cruise that took us through China and on to Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand, and VietNam. Surprisingly, our favorite two stops were in Viet Nam.

Perhaps our interest was peaked most in Nam since we lived through the Viet Nam war era. I remember holding our breath through the draft lottery that would determine our future. Bob's number was high enough to make it possible to ensure he would finish school and we could continue with our plans for the future.

I recall the nightly reports that more than any other war brought home the sacrifices we were making. Then there were the protests, the draft card burnings on campus, and the young men who fled to Canada to avoid the draft. Viet Nam was certainly devisive in those years.

Our two stops in Viet Nam were quite different. The trip to Ho Chi Minh city gave us a glimpse of history--remembering the pullout of Saigon, the mass evacuation by helicopter, the war headquarters. Our other excursioin took us into the countryside where we met more closely the people of Viet Nam. Our hearts were touched by their lives as they shared customs, lifestyle, and traditions with us.

But what will stay with me are the words spoken so profoundly by one of our guides. "When people say Viet Nam they mean a war but Viet Nam is a country." Yes, a beautiful country with some very beautiful people.

A Glimpse of Heaven?

Okay, I've hesitated to post this lest I appear a little, well, kooky. (That was a good term in a little earlier time of my life).

I was visiting a church this past Sunday that loves to sing the old hymns as well as some of the snappy new choruses. We were singing "Victory In Jesus." The words truly began to sink in around the second verse: "He made the lame to walk. . .blind to see. . .come and heal my broken spirit. . .and somehow Jesus came. . ." But it was the third verse that transported me.

"I heard about a mansion. . ." Time seemed to slow a bit.
"He has built for me in glory. . ." Something clicked in my head.
"And I heard about the streets of gold. . ." I was suddenly imagining gold bricks making a street like the old cobbled streets I've seen in Europe.
". . .beyond the crystal sea. . ." And here, time seemed to stop. In my mind, I had a clear picture of a body of water unlike what I had ever seen before. It wasn't the green of Lake Erie, or the deep blue of the Pacific or even the inviting turquoise of the Caribbean. It was clear, sparkling and pure--like fine crystal.

Have I lost you yet?

It was comforting and while I've never cared for the melody of the hymn, the words this time gave me a glimpse of heaven that sent goosebumps up my arms with the beautiful scene.

Jesus said he was Living Water when he met the woman at the well. I think somehow that crystal sea--so pure and clean--would be just that, Living Water.

In My Lifetime--Required Reading

I'm a little out of touch with what is required reading today in schools since my children are now having children. (The sixth grandchild arrived last night!!) But here are some of the books I remember having to read:

Dick and Jane books (That's what I cut my reading "teeth" on)
Silas Marner (I think that was ninth grade)
1984 (I think they label this one history now instead of futuristic fantasy)
Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer (Through the years Mark Twain has been honored and banned)
Animal Farm
Lord of the Flies (Wonder if they based the new reality series on this?)
Catch 22 (This one may have been in college but I did take advanced Lit in high school)
To Kill a Mocking Bird (I'm reading about Harper Lee now--interesting)

Of course there was also Frost, Whitman, Dickinson, and ee cummings. I liked ee. I thought it was neat not to use capital letters.

Through the years authors have come and gone. Their popularity soaring and diminishing. Still there are those who keep on: Doctorow for one.

Today I wonder how long Grisham, King, Patterson, Brown, and the other "moderns" will hang on to their popularity? I think King might last a while because he's more unique--kind of like a Poe.

Well, so much for my meanderings this morning. What books do you remember as required reading in school?