SPRING AGAIN

What a wonderful time of year. The birds have returned and sing their songs early in the morning til evening. Even as I write, 7pm (EST) the Robins sit in the tree talking to each other. My daffodils and tulips are just getting ready to bloom. I anxiously await when they will be in full color.

I have started another chapter in my life. In January, I started teaching at National College in Health Care Education. I love working with my students and sharing all that I have learned in my many years of experience both as a nurse, a patient and patient advocate. I have been told that I am a very tough teacher but that they walk away knowing more than what they walked in knowing. Something every teacher wants to hear. It is also reassuring when you have a student who signs up a second time to take another class that you are teaching. Especially when they have a choice of instructors.

I am getting ready to leave next week to attend the WOMEN OF JOY conference in Branson, MO. Three of my favorite authors will be speaking: Karen Kingsbury, Liz Curtis Higgs, and Kay Arthur. Mom and I will be driving out and taking about 1o days for the entire trip. I am really looking forward to this time.

Take time and enjoy Spring where you are. God's handiwork is everywhere.

Thoughts of Fall

Fall is close upon us. The temperatures are cooling. The geese are practing their formations and getting ready for their migration south. There is just a hint of colors changing on the leaves of the trees outside my window. Next thing will be my husband asking to spend an evening by the fire in the firepit in our backyard. This is my favorite time of year.

I love to walk out in the woods and hear the sound of crackling leaves underfoot, and the birds and squirrels playing amongst the boughs of the trees. Can you see it? Can you hear the sounds of fall? And the smell? If I close my eyes, I could sense the change of the season, the image, the sounds, the smell. Take a moment to enjoy God's beautiful creation.

As always, Writing 4 Him,
Lisa

Anticipating a long awaited VACATION, I sit here with my eyes glued to the Weather Channel and our local news. Ernesto is the name of my latest interuption of anticipation. His potential for destroying my dreams of the week to come to all places but the BEACH.

Well, I have determined rain or shine, wet basement or not, we are going on vacation this week. It may be delayed a day, but we will get there. We have not had a real vacation for 15 years or so. There are no plans. I have my suntan lotion, my bug spray, beach chair, and my choice of book or computer. Writing is relaxing for me. I hope to get a lot of that done this week.

For those of you who are awaiting the WINGS Parent Resource Manual, it will be complete in the weeks to come. Marlena and I worked at putting finishing touches on it this week. I will be doing the final edits and last minutes additions, spicing it up with some clip art and a few other little surprises. So be looking for it by the end of September.

I came across a beautiful reminder night before last of why God has called me to write. I found Josiah's most prized stuffed animal, his Eyore. It brought tears and sobs to my heart and soul as I once again mourned for my earthly loss, but I KNOW where he resides for eternity, in the arms of the almighty Father God. My calling is to share Josiah's story of love and faith and a future.

My prayer for each of you is that you are doing what God has called you to do and if you are not that you would know what that call on your life is.

Blessings,
Lisa

A New site for A New Day

This is my first day of blogging. I hope that you will come here often and see what is new in the life of this new writer.

First of all let me tell you who I am. I am Lisa Marie Higgs Smith, born to wonderful parents, Ed and Mary Higgs. I am married to an awesome Christian man, Gary. We have two beautiful children. Our 17 year old daughter will be a senior in high school. Our son, who was born with special needs, is now residing in Heaven with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. You can check out his website at www.caringbridge.org/va/josiahsmiraclepage.

I am in the process of writing a book entitled, Against All Odds. This is a book inspired by the last five years of our life, through the challeneges of having a child with special needs and the way that family, friends, church, and community came together to help a family in crisis. Interspersed with stories from our life, it is my prayer that this book will help families, church, and communities know how to help families in crisis through illness, finances, depression and life in general.

I have just returned from the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writer's Conference directed by Marlene Bagnull. Wow, what an awesome time I had. God is truly working in this new chapter of my life. Every step of the way, I see the new thing that he is doing in my life.

I would like to thank Marlene for the opportunity to attend GPCWC. If it were not for the scholarship program, I would not have been able to attend.

I would also like to thank my dear friend and mentor, Kay Walsh, for nominating me for the scholarship. Kay, you are so awesome! Thank you for all of your encouragement and editing.

To my family and church family, thank you for all your support of the years. Thank you to those who supported this dream and helping me get to Philadelphia. Thank you to, WINGS, without whose friendship and support I could not have donew without over these last 4 years.

To all my new friends from the conference, if I try to list everyone, I know I will leave out someone. So, to all of you, I say THANK YOU!! You have given me encouragement and faith to move ahead.

The next step for me is to write more. With the first chapter of Against All Odds complete, I am moving on to complete the synopsis of each chapter. I plan to have the first three chapters with appendixes complete by October. There are also several devotionals in the works. I am also planning on going to Sandy Cove, if all works out. Please pray for me as I try to be obedient in what God has called me to do.