Lynn H. Blackburn

March 2018

Wow. What a crazy month!

From time to time (in theory monthly but we’ll see about that) I’m going to be sharing a list of some of the thing I’ve learned in the past month.

This idea came from two of my favorite podcasters/authors, Emily P. Freeman and Anne Bogel (aka Modern Mrs. Darcy). I find it personally fulfilling to pause at the end of the month and record the big and small and weird things I’ve learned.

1. Having the right chair is a game changer. 

When my editor accepted In Too Deep, Book 2 in the Dive Team Investigations series, I celebrated.

By buying a chair.

I know. I know. I really should try not to be so wild. 🙂

Since we turned a storage area into an office last summer, I’ve been sitting in a folding chair from a card table set and it has been killing my legs and back.

But y’all. This chair makes me insanely happy. I went to several stores and sat in a lot of chairs. I knew as soon as I sat in it that this chair was going to make my office time much more pleasant.

And it has.

2. Sometimes you need to be willing to say “yes” but say “no” anyway.

I hate to see a need that I could meet and not volunteer for the job.

Of course, I’m also insanely busy and operating at the edge of my abilities. So lately, my default answer has been an emphatic “no.” But I’m learning that sometimes I need to be truly willing to say yes, even if I don’t know how I would manage it, and then wait for God to provide clarity and direction. Because sometimes in the waiting, He shows us more about Himself and His love for us than we ever would have seen if we’d jumped to the “no” without seeking Him first.

3. Sometimes you need to be willing to say “no” but say “yes” anyway. 

Regardless of how much I have going on, there are still things I really want to say “yes” to but I have to be willing to pass on. I have work to do. Books to write. Children to love and teach. A husband who puts up with an awful lot in order for me to do what I do. I need to eat and exercise and do ALL.THE.THINGS and even though it’s hard, I say “no” to a lot of stuff that I would really enjoy.

But sometimes, even though I’m willing to say “no,”  I get to say “yes” anyway. In March, I said “yes” and purchased plane tickets for a quick trip in April with my husband to Catalina Island. I will be doing a lot of writing on the plane, but I’m thrilled not to have to pass on the chance for some kid-free time with my husband.

4. Some advice is hard to follow.

There’s a general rule for writers when it comes to reviews.

“Don’t let the good reviews go to your head. Don’t let the bad reviews go to your heart.”

I haven’t figured out how to do that yet so I’ve decided the best approach to is to avoid the reviews as much as possible.

5. I cannot function without a written planner.

My love for my bullet journal is well-documented, but as much as I love it, sometimes I start thinking it will be okay if I don’t write things down for the next week.

WRONG!

I typically think through the coming week sometime during the weekend before. At least by Sunday night. But I spent Saturday and Sunday in SCUBA class and I was exhausted and crashed early. Then I tried to wing it for the next couple of days and, well, that wasn’t the best idea I’ve ever had. If I had paused on Friday to makes *sure* I remembered what I was committed to the next week it would have saved me from a couple of close calls (and I’m still not 100% sure I haven’t forgotten something). Needless to say, it’s Friday night and I have already planned out next week.

6. I was completely unprepared for #TeamGabe.

Have you read Beneath the Surface yet? Since its release in early March, one of the things that completely caught me off guard has been the love for Homicide Investigator Gabe Chavez. I’ve received emails, Facebook messages, and in-person questions about Gabe. Always the same question.

Does Gabe get his own book?

Answer: Yes. He does. I’m writing it now. And I love that y’all love Gabe!

7. Favorite quote of the month.

“Faith is acting like it is so,

even when it is not so,

so that it might be so,

simply because God said so.”

— Tony Evans

(quoted by Priscilla Shirer in her study, The Armor of God).

What did you learn in March? I’d love for you to share it with us in the comments!

Grace and peace,