Next week will be a busy one!

I speak for a MOPS group next Friday. I spoke for the group last spring, and the coordinator called this fall and said they enjoyed my talk so much, they wanted me to come back! I was thrilled! It’s so nice to hear an encouraging word like that. I’m going to be speaking to them about setting goals for the new year.

Saturday I will be doing a book signing at The Abbey, a neat Christian store in Norfolk, NE. Stop by if you’re in the area!

The next Monday evening I will be speaking to a reading group about what it takes to write and publish a book. The lady who invited me said that several of the members are interested in writing. I hope I can encourage them and give them some good guidelines.

The goal workbook will be completed and for sale at that time. It’s called, Make it Happen! Your Guide to Setting and Reaching Goals that will Change Your Life! As well as guidelines for and steps to setting good, achievable goals, there will be goal worsheets in the book, so readers can actually outline their goal and track their progress towards their goals. Watch for more details here!  

I have several other projects to finish by the end of next week. One of them is a study guide for Home is Where the Mom Is. It’s suitable for individual use or for use for group study. Watch for more details here!

This weekend I hope to get our tree and some decorations up. We’re supposed to get an ice storm so will probably be stuck inside. That’s OK and sometimes necessary to get things done!

Have a great weekend!

First of all, thanks so much to Lynn V., Elizabeth N., and Rebecca G. for e-mailing me their list of things they are thankful for. For emailing me their list, they each won a FREE book of their choice, from Shelmar Publications! Watch for your chance to win a free book! 

My kids and I and my sister and niece ventured to Missouri for Thanksgiving. The trip was . . . well . . . interesting. Here’s my list of what I’m thankful for after that trip.

1. We got our flat tire close enough to town to coast to a quick shop, and AAA got there in under an hour to change the tire.
2. Cody made it most of the way into the bathroom before throwing up, a few hours after we got to mom and dad’s.
3. My grandpa, who is a perfectionist and has a strong stomach; he helped me clean mom and dad’s car up after Morgan threw up in it. That was Friday afternoon.
4. The fact that after making 8 stops in the first three hours of our drive home early Saturday morning (my niece was sick by that time, too), we only stopped once more the rest of the way home.
5. The fact that Becky and I did not get sick until we were safely home. WHEW!

My cousin said that she always thought cleaning up after kids was the ultimate in servanthood, and that moms would get extra jewels in their crown in heaven for doing that. I guess I earned a few extra jewels this weekend!

Despite the, um, drawbacks of our trip, we had a fun trip to Missouri, and it was wonderful to see mom and dad and my other sister and her husband, and of course grandpa. Mom’s food was fantastic, as always! But . . . I think we’ll have Thanksgiving at OUR house next year!

I recently read a blurb about giving thanks. A study found that people who routinely kept track of things they’re thankful for, slept better and woke up more refreshed. A few years ago it was popular to keep a Gratitude Journal. In it, the journal-keeper listed five things he or she was thankful for, every day. I’ve done this occasionally but would like to make it a habit again. I challenge you to do the same!

Here are five things I’m thankful for, today:

1. The fact that I can talk about my faith, and religion in general, without fear of being thrown in jail.
2. The availability of wonderful healthcare, great doctors, and medicine that we can get when needed. (Morgan’s stomach problems seem to be resolving, at least somewhat, with her new medication; Cody was sick again and the antibiotics he was prescribed seem to be kicking in and he’s feeling better, too!)
3. A husband who works extremely hard to be successful! Our annual cattle sale is Sunday; you can check out the catalog (or “cattle”log–LOL!) at www.BurkeCattle.com  
4. That same husband, who gives great hugs when I really need one.
5. E-mail friends.    They never interrupt when I’m “talking”!
6. I will be spending Thanksgiving with my sisters, mom and dad, and grandpa! (I’m ignoring the weather forecast that we might get snow next week the day we’re planning to leave . . . )

WOW–that was easy! And I even thought of an extra.

What are YOU thankful for? Send me your list–the first five people who do so will recieve a FREE copy of either How to Find Your Perfect Job in Nursing, Home is Where the Mom Is, or my newest book, What Should I Say?

I’ve received several messages lately suggesting sending gifts and cards to soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Hospital. I forwarded the address for WRAMH, and then received the following suggestions from a friend who lives in

She said that WRAMH receives many, many packages during this time of year, and sometimes the staff is overwhelmed and doesn’t even have time to open and distribute all of the donations. She suggested waiting to send things to WRAMC (pajamas, hot chocolate, etc.) until a time when less is received there, perhaps in February and March, between Christmas and Memorial Day.

It’s the time of year when we’re thinking of people who are spending the holidays without their families, and since we are so blessed to have soldiers who are willing to make that sacrifice (or have made it in the past), here are some suggestions for doing so for some soldiers who might not get the attention the ones at WRAMH are getting. 

First of all, consider calling your local VA hospitals and nursing homes, as many veterans from the

Another great way to give is to go to www.anysoldier.com. Soldiers from all of the services, who are stationed all over the world, can register. They then post information about their unit, what they do, and sometimes what some of their needs are. You can get the contact information and send them an encouraging letter and/or personalized package. You can search for a particular soldier, or by the state their unit is from, by the number of men or women in the unit, and so on. It’s a great way to give what the soldiers really need.

Consider including your children in the process—talk with them about what it means to serve our country. Allow them to help you pick out a soldier or unit to send a box to, and let them pick out things to put in the box. When you read the letters on the site, you’ll see how much letters from kids—from anyone!—make a difference.

I suggest sending your package using a Priority Mail box, which you can get free from the post office; they cost about $8 to send, no matter how much it weighs! I know from personal experience that you can fit a LOT of stuff into one box! If you send a package via Priority Mail by the first week in December or so, it should get there by Christmas.

If you’d like to support a wounded soldier and his or her family, check out http://soldiersangelsforum.com/index.php?name=Sections&op=viewarticle&artid=51

Our country is so very blessed to have soldiers who are willing to serve our country! Consider showing them your support this holiday season. And as always, remember the soldiers, and their families, in your prayers.

In my last post I gave suggestions for doing something related to writing your book, every day.

Today I’m going to give you some ideas for organizing the information you collect. The information you gather, and things you write down, will be for all different parts of your project–the book itself, promotion and publicity for the book, cover ideas, and so on.

I have two books that are just in the beginning stages of being written. One will be written for grandparents, on the order of the “What to Expect” books. The other is a book that will explain mental health diseases and problems (depression, schizophrenia, etc.) in NON-medical terms. This book’s target is anyone who knows someone who suffers from any form of mental illness.

These “books” are each in one of those expandable folders, with sides (so the little pieces of paper don’t fall out!) They’re partly filled with newspaper clippings, ideas jotted down on sticky notes, blurbs torn out of magazines, web-site references, and so on. When I’m ready to start the actual organization and writing of either of these books, I’ll organize the materials further, but for now this is a great way to keep any information that’s even remotely related to the topic, in one place.

Home is Where the Mom Is  and What Should I Say?  both started this way–in their own folder. When I was ready to start the actual organization of the book, I put information for each chapter in a separate file folder, and then put all the folders in a basket near my desk.

When I got an idea or found information for a chapter, I put it in that file. When I was ready to write the first draft of a chapter, I just pulled out the file and organized the information and wrote! Then the first draft went back into the file until I was ready to edit it.  

I also included folders for “people to send review copies to,” “people who will review a chapter,” and so on. It’s important to think about ALL of the stages of writing and publishing from the beginning, as you’ll come up with ideas for all of these stages during the process.

I like the file folder way of organization because it’s easy to add information and you have all the information for any given chapter, in one place, so when you work on that chapter all you have to do is grab the file. 

When I was working on What Should I Say? last fall, our family went to the cattle show in Kansas City. I planned to work a lot on my book (I “can’t” lift buckets or help with chores–I never learned how to! ) and knew I’d have a lot of free time at the show. But I knew it would not be practical to carry along a basket of file folders.

Instead, I used a small 3-ring notebook, dividing it into sections for different situations (when a loved one dies, when a friend has a miscarriage, when someone is very critical, and so on), ideas for publicity and promotion, and son on.

I went through the situations (death, miscarriage, etc.) and wrote down exactly what to say and not say, and what to do and not do. As I got into the groove of thinking about these situations, I’d page back and forth between the different situations with more suggestions to include in the book.  

At that time I didn’t know exactly how I was going to organize the book, or format the chapters (I ended up writing paragraphs about the main topic, and using bullet points for what to say and not say, and do and not do), so decided to work on those things while we were in Kansas City. I had several uninterrupted hours every day to work on the book, and it really came together there! I accomplished a lot.

Right now, I’m working on several different projects including a newspaper column query (to present several sample columns to editors), the goals book, the healthcare manual, and several other projects.

Since I’ve been on the road, at work, and doing a lot of “waiting” lately, I gathered my sample columns, information for the healthcare manual and goals book, and the other projects, and put it all in a 3-ring binder. I can edit and add to lists easily,  typing the edits when I get home. It’s part of my committment to doing SOMETHING related to writing every day, and achieving my writing goals.

I hope these ideas help you! I don’t think any two writers use the same system for organizing their work. The “right” way to do it is the way that works for you! Write me with YOUR ideas for organizing your writing, and I’ll publish them in a future blog entry.

Almost every time I mention to someone that I’m an author, they reply that they would like to write a book. Sometimes the person is clear on what type of book (fiction, non-fiction, etc.) they want to write, and sometimes they just know they want to write a book.

Writing is (obviouly!) a passion of mine, and because of the satisfaction and enjoyment I get through writing, I want to encourage others to pursue their dream of writing a book, too!

I’ll write more posts about writing a book, and in the soon-to-be published Goal Book, I’ll cover goals to set when writing a book, also.  

In this post I want to share a basic guideline that is for anyone and everyone who wants to write a book, whether you are editing the last chapter of your book or the thought, “I’d like to write a book!” just entered your mind today.

The most important step is to work on your book every single day, in some way. This might seem overwhelming, especially if you are in the very beginning stages of writing, or think the actual publication of your book is years down the road.

There are many, many, many tasks involved in writing a book. First and foremost, start writing down your ideas! Jot down topics or stories you want to include in your book. Think about people you’d like to interview, research you want to do, and the title of your book. Contemplate markets for your book, illustrations or photos you might want to include, and who amongst friends, family, and acquaintences could review a chapter or two for you as you’re writing.

If you are new to the writing world, learn about it through websites, books, blogs, and magazines. Check out books and magazines at a bookstore or the library. A great website that I refer to often is www.parapublishing.com

“Working on your book every day” includes even small things like jotting down an idea or checking out author websites or sending a well-written letter to the editor. Just make sure you do SOMETHING every single day, large or small.

Soon, the “writing bug” will be in your mind all the time! You’ll automatically look at things through the eye of an author, and cut out articles, jot down ideas, and be thinking about writing and publishing. And whenever you write–whether it’s a casual entry on a blog, a thank you note (challenge yourself to make it interesting! a cute phrase or two can make all the difference between boring and interesting), or formal report, you’re learning more about how words flow, editing, and so on.

So, if you want to be an author, START TODAY! And guess what? You can count reading and responding to this blog entry as the “something relating to writing that I did today.”

You wake up one morning feeling like you’ve swallowed gravel and your head seems like it weighs a thousand pounds. Or your “morning” begins in the wee hours of the morning, comforting a feverish child . . . and then the other one. Or (and this strikes terror into the hearts of many women!), your dear husband wakes up complaining of being infected with the worst illness to ever strike mankind.

Clearly, it’s going to be a sick day! Here are a few strategies to help you survive, no matter who is sick.

If you are sick:

First, make a to-DON’T list for the day. 

• DON’T do laundry. Wear underwear inside out if necessary. OK, just kidding there, but do laundry only if you absolutely HAVE to, and then the absolute minimum. This is no time to sort colors, delicates, and so on–throw it all in together.
• DON’T cook. Take something out of the freezer, ask your husband to bring home take-out, or order out yourself. If none of these are an option, serve (or, preferably, let the kids serve themselves!) the simplest food possible; cereal, “just add water and microwave” meals, or food eaten directly from bags and boxes. Plead ignorance (or a high fever!) if teachers, your mother-in-law, or the “perfect” mother down the block asks about the kids’ report that, “Mom let us eat Doritos and ice cream alllll day!”
• DON’T clean the house. If your kids are old enough, give them a list and bribe them to at least clear a path through the house. If they’re not, just accept the fact that it will look like a tornado went through . . . and the lady down the block, whose house is always spotless, WILL stop in.
• DON’T entertain. Let the kids watch appropriate TV and DVD’s. Let them get out the messiest crafts (cleaning it up tomorrow will be well worth a day of rest for you!). Encourage them to make “tents” throughout the house with blankets and sheets. For that matter, encourage ANYTHING (within reason) to get the rest YOU need. Younger children will enjoy spending the day with you, in your room, rubbing your back, arms, feet, and/or hands–just give them a bottle of lotion and they’ll rub for hours!
• DON’T FEEL GUILTY! Much as we moms hate to admit it, the world WILL continue to revolve without us there to supervise. Take care of yourself, so you can heal . . . you’ll be the caretaker again soon enough!

If the Kids are Sick

When the kids are sick, follow the above recommendations as needed, and pare down your to-do list as much as possible. You’ll probably be able to get a FEW things done around the house, especially if you do the following:

• Set up a “sick bed” in a place that’s convenient to you, so you can check on your child, give medications, and take food, drink, etc., as needed. This might be in a central area of your home, in your bedroom, the child’s bedroom, or even in your office.
• Resolve to take care of your child first and foremost! The dirty clothes, messy rooms, and everything else can wait . . . give your child the reassurance that helping him or her to feel better is your priority.
• Do what you can . . . but also use the day as an opportunity to cuddle, hug, rock, and spend time with your child. Read to her. Play games. Take a nap with him! You need the rest if you’ve been up during the night, and so you don’t get sick.

If your husband is sick:

Follow any and all of the following recommendations, depending on how sick he is and the amount of attention he wants when he is sick, with the addition of the following suggestions:

• Be PATIENT! I know this is hard to do, especially if it was just a week ago when YOU had the same germ yet your husband went out of town for three days, leaving you with a baby and toddler to care for when you were vomiting, achey, and had a fever. It really doesn’t help when he says, “Now I know why you wanted me to stay home!” (not that this ever happened to me . . . ) Remember that you vowed “in sickness and in health” and take really good care of him. It will make you feel good and he WILL appreciate it!
• If he asks you to leave him alone, do so! Some people prefer the minimum of human contact when they’re feeling ill. Set him up with juice, medicine, and the remote, and just peek in every hour or two. Offer a backrub or warm neck wrap, but be ready to leave immediately if he says “NO”! 

Hopefully your family will experience a minimum of sick days this winter . . . but follow these hints to make them a little bit easier.

It’s the time of year when sick days are almost inevitable. Preparing for them will save you time, sanity, and money! I was reminded of this again during the last week. Cody came home from the National FFA Convention last Saturday night, with a bad cold. I’m almost compulsive about being prepared for illness, so had medicine and comfort items for him when he got home, and throughout this last week (he still has a bad cough, and just isn’t feeling a lot better, so a visit to the doctor may be in order next week).

Plan for sick days by stocking up on the following items:                                                             

• Over-the-counter cough, cold, fever, and pain medications. The FDA recently made a recommendation that kids under the age of 2 years do not use certain cold medicines, so be sure to check with your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. Read labels carefully and do not give additional acetaminophen (Tylenol) if it’s also contained in any other medication you give. Read the labels carefully (and ask the pharmacist if you are unsure) to make sure you have the appropriate form and strength of medications for every member of your family.
• Prescription medications: refill any necessary prescriptions BEFORE you’re completely out of the medication, so you don’t have to make a trip to the pharmacy when you, or your kids, are not feeling well.
• Comfort foods: soup, applesauce, pop sickles, ice cream, juice, rice, and so on–whatever makes you, or your family, feel a little better in the midst of an illness.
• Comfort items: tissues, lotion (for back or hand rubs, and sore noses), warm socks, DVD’s, simple crafts, CD’s, card games, and so on, to occupy kids’ minds when they’re recovering but still need to rest, AND to occupy them when YOU are sick and need to keep them busy so you can rest.

 Prepare now for sick days!