Author: deborahanndykeman

Writing has always been a love of mine. Except for school reports! I didn't cherish those moments. I began with poems in grade school, and short little stories that I illustrated. I created something for each family celebration and probably wore my family out. But I graduated to a longer 'book' by the time I was 18. Following traditional romance novel writing, I pounded out a pretty cheesy story on a Royal typewriter I had found at a garage sale. You didn't worry about your nails when using one of those! When four of our five children were still young, I wrote my first full-length book back in 1998. I followed it with three more in that series. Those are my current WIP, needing many updates and editing. I'm happy to say as of this writing, the third in the Love Defined series is almost ready to be released! Currently, I have eleven published books. My husband and I have been married for forty-one years, and we have five children and nine grandchildren. I've been a homeschooling mom, Sunday school teacher, AWANA director and a pastor's wife. I've worked as a CNA and an Activity Director. A new love of mine is book cover designing! Stayed tuned for more on that. When I'm not busy writing...which I love, BTW, I'm working on home projects, marketing and attending events, where I love to meet you...my readers!
A Quick Thought

Autumn Hue

deborahanndykeman

To walk a wooded path on an autumn day is glorious! The crispness is the air with each intake of breath. The smell of decaying leaves, crunching under your feet. If you pause, you may feel the stillness all around, the drift of a leaf to the ground.

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The beauty in the various colors of red, yellow and orange, sun caressing the array, is sometimes difficult to believe. You stand in awe.

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Enjoy the colors all around you. Creations flaming show. Sit on your deck, take a walk through the woods and absorb the hues, sounds and smells of this new season. Welcome autumn!

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Our Christian Walk

Working For a Living

deborahanndykeman

Working for a living. Just about all of us have to do it. I was very fortunate to be able to stay at home with our five children for 20+ years…but that meant that my husband was gone…working for a living.

Some people are able to work at a job or profession that they love. But a very high percentage have to just work, and that makes life not so pleasant at times. So what can you do to still live your life and enjoy it, in spite of having to be gone for several hours out of every day?

You can be the answer.

Yes,  most of the time, you can control your environment and make it as pleasant or as miserable as you want. And I really do think this applies to many circumstances in life. And as a disclaimer, I’m not talking about abusive relationships here. There are times in your personal life and your work place it is just best to leave the situation, but that is for another post.

I’m digging out of the muddle of being at work for the past week or so. Doing double shifts, covering for others, as have many at my place of employment. It seems to be the same everywhere and it is becoming very discouraging. People don’t want to work, they want a paycheck. So here is a quick run-down of what it means to have a job.

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Work when you are scheduled to work. If you have a job, know what your schedule is and be there, every time.

Report for work on time. Not five, ten, etc. minutes late. Plan your day to be there, where you are supposed to be, where you are being paid to be.

Do your work. All of it, everyday and in a timely manner. Don’t take the easy road, wasting time, leaving stuff for others to finish. Find out how something is supposed to be done, and do it, the correct way, every time.

Put the phone away. You are being paid to work, not talk or text. Have some integrity and do what you are being paid for.

Be considerate of others. This is the big one. If you are considerate of others, then you will follow all of the above. People matter, and when you follow the guidelines I’ve given, you show that others matter to you. When you don’t follow them, you show that you care for no one other than yourself.

For me, this post is a ‘duh’ moment. What I’ve said is not difficult to follow and just common courtesy. It was something that people always did when they had a job. You weren’t entitled to be paid without working for it. And you were thankful to be paid and you wanted to be a good employee. The people that didn’t care were few and far between. Now they are the majority, and it makes it very hard on the rest of the people that still do care, and want to do a good job.

You can be the answer.

Strive to be the employee and the co-worker that others really appreciate, and want to be around. You change your working environment for the better. You be the answer to the problems, not another problem.

Yes, most of us are going to have to work for a living. But you can make  a difference in how those hours are spent, and you can make them count for good. You can be a benefit to those around you.

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Marriage, Parenting 101

Another Anniversary

deborahanndykeman

When I was young, a wedding was a happy celebration for me. It was a day to dress up in a beautiful gown, have flowers overflowing every surface, and you walked down the aisle to your handsome husband-to-be. It was the most tremendous of happenings in a young girl’s life. And I looked forward to my wedding day with great expectation.

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When our first daughter was married almost eight years ago, it wasn’t a happy day for me. Yes, I know that is a rather blunt way to put it, and it seems a bit selfish, but that was the way I felt. I was losing my oldest daughter, and all the attributes she brought to our family circle…and I was depressed. That tiny baby I held at birth, and cherished, was no longer mine, she belonged to someone else.

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As I look at my husband in this picture, I see sadness on his face. And I know he was feeling many of the same emotions I was.

Fast forward a few years to our second daughter’s wedding. No, I wasn’t any more happy about it. I was sad and depressed. Again, a part of our family was once again changing, and it would never be the same. She was leaving us by choice, and that hurt.img_0539

I think the most difficult part of each wedding ceremony for me was watching my husband walk our daughters down the aisle, and then kiss her goodbye. It really symbolizes the ending of one way of life and the beginning of another.

Our third daughter is celebrating her first wedding anniversary today. Her wedding, one year ago was just as hard on the emotions. Even more poignant was the fact that she wore my wedding dress and veil. It was an honor, but flooded my mind with so many memories of my own wedding day. All those years shuffled away under the load of babies, jobs, bills, and responsibilities. Where had they all gone is such a hurry?

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September 19, 2015

When I was young, I never thought of weddings as being a sad day. I pretty much thought people were shedding tears of happiness. I didn’t understand all that was behind those tears…just as our daughters do not understand right now. And that’s how it should be.

Our three daughters, (we have one more to go), have all married wonderful young men. They have lives of their own now. Yes, it’s been very difficult to let go of each one, and I know I’m not successful at it most of the time. Those girls were MY babies not many years ago. I fed them, rocked them, and sang them to sleep at night. I dressed them up in matching clothes, and fixed their hair every morning. I was frustrated with them as teenagers, hoping they would leave home very quickly on many days over the years. But now they are no longer mine as they once were, and in reality, they never were really mine.

I was allowed a very short number of years in their life in my role as their mother. Yes, I’m still ‘Mom’ but not in the same way. It’s hard to let go, and it’s sad. I think I cry each time one of them celebrates another anniversary. But I am happy for them, proud of them, and thankful that they still choose to include me in their lives, sometimes almost on a daily basis. And someday they will understand. I pray that by the time that day arrives, I will have matured enough to hold them, and give comfort. That I will be able to tell them there is happiness in watching their children grow as men and women, husbands and wives, and fathers and mothers.

And that’s just as it should be.

Happy First Anniversary, Mitchel and Alyssa Lynn! You are loved!

Parenting 101

That time I was banned from God tube…

deborahanndykeman

This site is always an enjoyable read for me. She’s a Christian mother of multiple children…and that’s all that needs to be said about that. You get it! Enjoy!

I pray that I might boldly profess, that no matter how badly I mess up the message, checking the wrong box, too long of a tweet, or fatigue induced grammatical errors, all will know my heart belon…

Source: That time I was banned from God tube…

Writing

Book Edits

deborahanndykeman

I didn’t want to just disappear and come back to an empty blog. So for all of you that are so diligent about stopping by here, liking posts, and commenting…I will be gone for a few days. Please feel free to check out my other posts over the past year or so. And as always, I love to hear from you! It really does make my day!

No, I’m not going on a vacation, which I would dearly love. My daughter and I are editing the fourth book in the Rubyville series and we hope to have my part in it done by the end of the week. Then she and Julia Ryan, (the lady that has designed my absolutely gorgeous covers), will do their work of making it all look beautiful. It has been a real privilege to work with these two and I literally could not have done this past year without them! I think I have the easy part!

So, please don’t give up on me…I’ll be back!

A Day to Remember

In Memory…

deborahanndykeman

September 11, 2001

Sometimes there are no words. Only silence.

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We remember and reflect and pray. In humble memory of the lives lost, and the families that went on. For a city that rebuilt and a country that will stand united.

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Our Christian Walk

My View is Not Your View

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This photograph speaks to me on many different levels. Each time I look at it, I try to figure out all the reasons why. I’m going to list my thoughts, and please share yours on what this photograph does for you.

The sunlight coming in gives hope and a feeling of happiness, but the darker surroundings, and the bare bushes create a sense of loss or sadness.

The neat and tidy bricks, clean and glowing in the sunlight appeal to my joy of order in life. The metal banister on each side contributes to boundaries and almost gives you tunnel vision, causing you to focus on the person.

The person, definitely a man in my opinion. Because of the bold stance, one hand in the pocket. If you look very closely, there may be another person standing to the right. That is something I just now noticed after viewing this several times over the past few weeks.

Now for the part that causes confusion for me. Does that walkway extend into the water, almost fading to the edge of the horizon?  Is it a seawall of sorts? Notice the calm waves to the left and the more turbulent water on the right. And if it’s a seawall, it must be high-tide.

Does this photograph give you a sense of happiness or doom? Is it hope, or hopelessness that you feel when you look at it?

When I view this, and I have many, many times, I feel as though I have been on a long, tightly controlled journey. At the end of that uniform, brick walkway, I stand and the options are open to me. There is a vast array of choices.Some of them are a bit chaotic, but there is hope, and a definite feeling of joy as I look at the brilliant rays trailing over the water. I have come from the darkness surrounding me, the gloom, and I have survived. For me, that partially submerged walkway means that there is direction and all I have to do is keep walking toward the welcoming light.

I know that many will look at this and think, “Yeah, it’s a person enjoying the sunset, nothing more.” That same person will think that the glass is half-empty.

For me, life is so much more enjoyable because of our abilities to see, hear, taste and smell. I know it is for most of us. But do we really use those senses as we should? Do we take full advantage of them on a daily basis? Probably not. Use your senses as you study this photograph. Hear the ocean waves, smell and taste the salt water in the air and on your tongue. Feel the breeze.

I love photographs and pictures that speak to me. I like to try to find the hidden meaning, or what the photographer or artist were thinking at the time that the work was produced. I like to ‘get’ what they were communicating.

This photograph is so much more than what you see. After all, my view is not your view. I think this scene could capture our Christian journey here on this earth. So much of our lives are a struggle, clouded in darkness and the daily trials and tribulations. But if your hope is in Heaven, you follow that brick walkway and the future is open and brilliant at the end of your journey. It can still be a little chaotic as you travel, but the path is there, and all you have to do is follow. The Son is beckoning.

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A Quick Thought

Oldies but Goodies

deborahanndykeman

I love music, and I can generally find appreciation for all genres to some extent. As I grow older, the louder and more repetitive beats associated with heavy rock and roll, and sometimes rap, are a bit much for me. Jazz has always been one of my least favorite, but I can even listen to that in a background kind of way.

Music from the ’50’s era and into the early ’60’s has always been very special to me. As a teenager I would listen to that whenever I had a chance. There is something that is happy and full of hope in much of that music, even though many of the songs could be a bit depressing. Teen Angel by Mark Dinning is one that comes to mind. But overall, I think the music was upbeat and positive. It made you feel good.

I was just visiting over at https://thepbsblog.wordpress.com/2016/09/08/throwback-thursday-jam-a-change-is-gonna-come-sam-cooke/. I check this blog often and enjoy what she posts. I was attracted to this particular post because of the Sam Cooke song. This song does have more of a message to it, and I don’t want to take anything away from that post with my words.

But hearing Sam Cooke’s voice, brought back a flood of memories. Happy ones I might add. He did address some pretty important issues with many of his songs, but three come to mind that are a little lighter. And that’s what I want to share with you all today.

This first one always makes me smile and I think of young love. School is not a huge priority as you can hear, but he is trying. And he is trying because he’s in love and wants that love returned. Literally, when you think of young love, the world would be a wonderful place if someone returns your love…and I don’t think that’s too far off base. Because being in love and having that returned makes this life a much easier road to travel.

Now this one…he has that girl. And they are just enjoying life. Just a great beat.

I’ve always loved this one. If our children are all here and we are doing dishes, we usually end up singing this one. Again, just happy, an era of innocence and more gentle times.

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I could listen to and share music on here all day and then some. But that doesn’t get the laundry done or the dishes washed. I won’t accomplish my writing goals for today. But I sure do appreciate YouTube and the ability to listen to some great oldies. Thank you to those that put the music there for all of us to enjoy. Have a fantastic Thursday afternoon!

Writing

Editing: an investment you can’t afford to skip

deborahanndykeman

This post is wonderful! So of course I had to share it. It’s for all you writers and editors out there, especially those who are self-publishing. Take notes on this one!

You’ve heard it before but it bears repeating: it’s not a great idea to edit your own manuscript. Revise, yes—as much as possible. Polish that sucker up! But editing is a very dem…

Source: Editing: an investment you can’t afford to skip

A Day to Remember

Greetings, September!

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My husband was raised in the Hudson Valley region of New York state. That is where we met the summer of 1983. As you know from past posts, I grew up in Colorado. I love the time period of Colorado when my family lived there. Denver was big, but not huge like today. The towns were spread out on all those flat lands leading up to the Rocky Mountains in the west. It was gorgeous, no humidity, and the snow melted quickly. But I really didn’t care for the Rockies. Yes, I can admire them…from afar. But that is about all I wanted to do with them!

But I digress. My family lived in upstate New York for awhile and Vermont. Both beautiful locations. For me, it was the Norman Rockwell existence I had always dreamed about. I adored the little mountains, covered in trees and foliage. They seemed much more hospitable to me. Even so, I still admired them from afar.

After a short time in Tucson, Arizona…a world away from upstate New York…we moved to the Hudson Valley region. I was in love! I can still remember driving in to that little town so close to the Hudson River. It was very late at night, at the end of May. Stone fences lined the roads and the mist hung heavy in the air. It had been raining for most of our drive that day and everything was dripping. You could smell the deep, earthy scents and the stillness closed around you. While living there I worked second shift, and my memories of getting off work at eleven and driving to our small town, will always be with me. During the summer, the huge trees draped their branches over the weaving road. The heavy dampness in the air would cause me to use my windshield wipers to be able to see through the inky corridor of the blacktop.

My husband and I moved further north after our marriage, to the Catskill region. My husband had always been a hiker and bike rider. And yes, he was warned that I didn’t find these activities or camping very thrilling. He did manage to get me out on some walks, and these pictures remind me of what we always had the privilege to see.

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Autumn in my mind will forever be associated with New York. These pictures bring back happy memories of what seem like more simple times.

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When our first child was born, we spent many hours walking down paths such as the one below, my husband carrying her on his shoulders.

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Maybe that’s why she loves to walk today!

Today is the first of September. I know it won’t officially be fall for another three weeks or so. But for me, September is the beginning of my husband’s most favorite time of year. Since he grew up around these kind of views…I can certainly understand why!

Happy first day of September to you!