And the Winner is...

Last night I had the wonderful honor to speak at the Weddington United Methodist Church right here in my home town. Thank you to the many ladies that came and welcome to my blog. I hope that you'll visit often and find this to be a source of inspiration and information. My blog is not a one way conversation. I hope you'll feel the freedom to post questions and thoughts so that we can keep in touch. I love to do Q&A discussions with my blog readers. So, if you thought of some questions last night that you didn't have time to wait around and ask, well now's your chance.

Now... the moment you've all been waiting for... the winner of one of my books from the envelope drawing last night is:
METTIE SPITTLE!
Mettie, just post here on my blog that you've seen this notification and I'll contact you to get you your free book. Congrats!

Lastly, I just want to recap the main points of the prayer I encouraged everyone to start praying last night. I know at a dinner sometimes it is hard to take notes so I wanted to have this on my blog for those of you who want to write it down:

Lord,I want to see You.
Lord, I want to hear You.
Lord,I want to know You,
so that I can follow hard after You.
Make me into a woman who lives to say yes to You.

Again, thank you all for being such gracious hostesses. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with you. Please stay in touch. Hey, maybe we can all meet for coffee at the Covenant Coffee in Wesley Chapel sometime soon. If you are interested, let me know and post your e-mail address in the response box. I'll plan something soon.

Have a great day expecting to see and experience God!

Agent Insights

Hi Gals,
The other day I recommended a resource that teaching about what to look for in an agent by Janet Kobobel Grant. Well, I just got some insights from Janet on agent's fees and expenses. I thought I would pass along for those who have asked me about this. Hope it helps...I'll be answering more writing questions tonight so stay tuned.
Blessings!

Just to set the record straight on agents charging fees for postage,
photocopying, etc., let me assure all of you that the Association of Author
Representatives (AAR), the national organization that monitors agents' actions, sets
forth in its regulations that an agent may charge for costs incurred in the
selling of specific manuscripts.

Charging fees for reading or editing manuscripts is not allowed. That's
because the agent isn't really making a living by placing your manuscripts with
publishers but by reworking your material.

Generally agents who do charge fees for postage and such will have in their
contract that they must give an accounting of what those expenses are.
Nowadays most agents submit material via email attachments, and phone calls, which
used to be among those expenses, have pretty much fallen by the wayside as
well--unless the agent is making international calls to sell foreign rights.
And, unless an agent works with children's material or publishers such as
Harlequin, which require the manuscripts be submitted as hard copy, the costs of
charging for expenses can be higher than the amount the agency receives in
payment for expenses.

Our agency used to charge fees for expenses associated with selling
manuscripts, but in the Christian market, the majority of agencies don't charge fees.
So, even though AAR recognizes this as a valid way for an agent to do
business, our agency changed its policy because we didn't want there ever to be any
question about our integrity. We found people were confused and didn't make
the differentiation between reading and editing fees and straightforward
repayment of expenses.

So don't let the word "fees" scare you away from agent. Find out why fees
are being charged, about how much they would be per month, and in what way the
agent accounts to you how much you owe.

If an agent charges a higher commission than other agents, that certainly
deserves a conversation. In what ways can that agent justify higher payment?
It's appropriate to ask for references from that agent of authors he is
representing and to ask them in what ways the agent has earned the additional
commission.

Janet Kobobel Grant
Literary Agent & Founder
Books & Such, Inc.

Lysa's Story

Lysa's appearance on Oprah:




Lysa's appearance on Life Today:

Your Writing Questions Part Three

Hi again my writing friends...
Here are some more questions and answers:
***Question***
What's your favorite part of the writing process? What's your least
favorite?
My favorite part of the writing process is of course when I get to hold the finished product in my hand and ohh and ahh over it like a mom who has just spent hours in labor adoring her newborn. But, I also enjoy the actual process of writing each chapter as well.

I feel God's pleasure when I'm writing. I think that's actually a line from Chariot's of Fire. But it is a great joy to have an idea pop into my head, feel inspired, sit to write, and have the words flow in me and through me. (It's not always like this!!! Sometimes it resembles more of where it talks in the Bible of weeping and gnashing of teeth...well not that bad but close if I'm pushing a deadline and no words come- yikes!)

But, no matter how pressured I get for time, I refuse to write words just for getting something down and meeting a deadline. Every page I write, I read back over it and ask myself this question, "What is so good on this page that I would feel motivated to highlight it if I were the reader?" If I can't quickly answer this question, then I rewrite some of what is on that page to make it worthy to be highlighted.

***Question***
This is great and so helpful! Thank you for adding it to your blog spot. I'd LOVE more information regarding literary agents. Is there a website or more information you will share with us about this?

***Answer***
There are a couple of agents I could recommend for you to check out:
Janet Kabobel Grant-
She has been agent for several people that I know and seems to have a great reputation. You may want to look into her e-book that you can pay to down load called "How to Find An Agent, How to be Your Own Agent." You can find out more by using this link:
http://www.jubilantpress.com/ebooks/ebook_agenthelps.htm

A few others who have had good success are Wes Yoder from Ambassador Agency and Bill Jesen. Micca Campbell is using Bill and has found it to be a wonderful experience if you'd like to talk with her...e-mail me for her contact info if you are interested.

Again, I hope you find this helpful... look for more answered questions tomorrow.
Happy Weekend!

Your Writing Questions Part Two

This is proving to be a great dialog about writing! Thank you to the many who sent me questions either through my blog or e-mail yesterday. I will tackle just a few of the questions at a time but I promise I will get to yours quickly. So, for this post here are the questions I'm tackling...

***Question***
How has writing changed for you over the years, from the first book to your 11th?

***Answer***
I think I have come to understand more the great responsibility that comes with writing. I guess when I wrote my first book I kept wondering, "Will anyone read this?" But now I know that people are reading what I write and that they take my words very seriously. So, I must make sure that my research is correct, that my perspectives are Biblically sound, and most of all that I am continuing to grow in my relationship with the Lord.

Another thing that has changed is that I have found my voice. I don't struggle with trying to be all things to all people. I know what kind of writer God has called me to be and what kinds of books that He has called me to write. I know my writing will always be born out of my daily adventures with God and all that I learn from Him. It is a great feeling to have found your voice.
If you don't think you've found your writing voice yet... think about these questions?
When do I feel most comfortable in my writing? Is it when I write Bible studies, real life stories about other people, fictions stories, humorous things, articles based on research, or personal example articles? I feel most comfortable writing an article or chapter using something that I have experienced personally and how God spoke to me through that event. I will wrap my biblical teaching, research, and Bible study all around my personal experience.

***Question***
What do you like better - writing or speaking?

***Answer***
Hmmm.... depends on what day you ask me. But if I had to pick only one, today I would pick speaking. But ask me tomorrow and it might change. I really love both writing and speaking!

*** Question***
Do you have a favorite book that you've written?

***Answer***
This is a little like asking me which of my five kids is my favorite...smiles! This is a hard question. I guess if I had to pick one, I would say, "What Happens When Women Say Yes to God." I think this book is the signature message of my life. If I have only one thing that I'm known as after I've graduated to Heaven, I would like to be known as a woman who lived and found great joy in saying yes to my Lord.

If I have time, I'll answer a few more questions today. If not, keep checking back and I'll get to them all this weekend. Thanks for stopping by my blog. I hope this writing dialog will encourage and help you!
Blessings...

Answering Your Writing Questions

Hi Friends,
I am enjoying doing a little writing mentoring this week. So, keep your questions coming...
Here is one that I received yesterday-

When you have a manuscript at a publishers for their consideration, how long do you wait before you contact them? Which is better for contacting - by email or phone?J. Wolfe
August 22, 2007 4:31 PM

***answer***
I know this waiting period can be excruciating! But, be patient especially if you submitted something to a publisher this summer. The publisher's year culminates in an event each summer called ICRS held in July. At this large retailer's show, publishers are inundated with proposals both from their existing authors as well as potential authors. When they return home from this show, many of them take their family vacations and don't even think about looking at the large stack of proposals until late August. My suggestion to you would be to e-mail if you have not heard anything in 12 weeks. Wait and see if you get a response to your e-mail. If not, then call and ask to speak to the editor's assistant. Keep both your call and e-mail short, sweet, and to the point.

If I was inquiring about my proposal, I would phrase my request something like this:
"Hi Mr. Smith,
My name is Lysa TerKeurst and I had the privilege to meet you at XYZ writer's conference. I am writing to inquire about the status of my proposal. I had some exciting interest in my proposal but I didn't want to move ahead without hearing from you. (If this is true...but if you submitted your proposal to more than one publishing house, hopefully this is true.) I so enjoyed our meeting and have the utmost respect for your publishing house. Looking forward to hearing from you at your convenience.
Sincerely, Lysa TerKeurst"

Another thing to consider is checking out a literary agent. They are the pros at getting book proposals in the publisher's hands and keeping tabs on where your proposal is in the whole process. Let me know if anyone would like more information on agents.

Also, if you have a question that you'd like an acquisition editor to weigh in on, send me that as well and I'll poll some of my publishers to get an answer for you.

Happy Writing! Keep those questions coming...
Blessings!

Interested in Writing?

Hi Friends,
Many of you have asked me questions regarding your interest in writing. I love to help aspiring writers!!! But, it is impossible for me personally mentor everybody. So, I had an idea about doing a short series on my blog to help answer questions and give insights to those who are interested in the Christian publishing world. If you have questions, post them in the response section here and I'll answer them.

To get us started here are my answers to some questions I was recently asked in an e-mail:

***question*** What I want to know is what did you learn through the publishing process of your book that you never knew beforehand?
***answer*** I never knew how much the publishing houses are looking for partners...not just good writers. It is almost essential for you to have some kind of platform and marketability before a publisher will even consider your writing. They have to make the numbers work and one thing that helps that is if they know you will be out there selling your book at speaking engagements or though your ministry efforts. If you don't have a consistent speaking ministry yet, then make sure your resume has writing credits- other places you have been published- like magazines, e-zines, newspapers, etc. Or, build up an audience through a blog where you can track your readership through some type of site meter. Anything you can do to show the marketing department at a publishing house that you have an audience will be very helpful.

***question*** What mistake did you make that you' ll never make again (with God' s help)? ***answer*** In my first attempt at writing my first book, I used the first 10,000 words to try and establish myself as some very knowledgeable expert. It was stiff and plastic sounding. My editor basically read this and told me to start over. From then on, I have realized that my audience isn't looking for a preachy expert. She is looking for a friend who will be REAL, offer solid advice, walk this journey with her as a friend and mentor, and most of all share my own experiences honestly. But it is also important for me to remember that I can't take another person any further down this journey than I have traveled myself. So, constant growth in my life is necessary for me to have anything valuable to share. My relationship with the Lord can not get crowded out in this process... for He is the only one who gives me words worth writing and reading.

***question*** What can you pass on to another author?
***answer*** The process of getting published can be a heartbreaking one. Remember rejection from man is not rejection from God. If God has given you the passion and desire to write--- then write. Getting a book published is not the quintessential experience for a writer. Writing something that you go back and read and realize that your writing has God's fingerprints all over it, is! Let God use you to help others whether it is through a bound book, articles, blog entries, or even a simple notebook that you hand write in and pass around for your friends to enjoy. No writing is ever a waste of time.

I hope this helps. I look forward to your questions. Remember, any question regarding writing is fine. Don't be shy... post whatever you feel could help you with your own writing adventures.

Sweet Blessings and Happy Writing!

What do I do when I don't feel close to God?

Have you ever struggled with not feeling close to God? Last week during my missions trip to Bogota, Columbia, I was struck by a recurring question from some of the leaders at one of the churches where I spoke. At least a third of the questions during my Q&A time centered around what to do when you don't feel close to God. They wanted a quick and easy answer. Maybe they expected a 3 point fix it plan where I admonished them to read their Bible more, spend more time in prayer, and remember to tithe faithfully. While all of these are important and necessary, that is not what God had me share with these ladies.

I shared with them what has moved me from feeling my way to God and onto experiencing Him every day. Trying to feel our way to God can be fickle at best and dangerous at worst. I love reading my Bible, praying and giving my tithe but that is not what fuels my relationship with God. What totally sets my heart on fire is applying what I have learned or heard in my time with the Lord. It is making the choice to say yes to God and to honor Him no matter how I feel.

My greatest desire each day is to live out the message of Christ through my life. Some days it is in the smallest of ways. Other days, it is through doing something truly sacrificial that costs me time, money or emotion. But Romans 12:1 reminds us that it isn't a suggestion that we serve and give, it is what we are made for, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God- this is your spiritual act of worship."

In the Life Focus New Testament Devotional Bible it says this, "There is nothing cheap about the sacrifice Paul calls for in Romans 12. Far more than a dead animal or a hard-earned buck, it involves your very life." John Henry Jowett says, "The Lord wants my body. He needs its members as ministers of righteousness. He works in the world through my brain, and eyes, and ears, and lips, and hands, and feet. So let me daily have a consecration service, and let me every morning present my body a living sacrifice to God."

I love this thought. Though I am so far from being perfect....so very far, God still wants to use me daily. He wants me to experience His love working in me, through me, with me, and by me. That is how I know that I am close to God. So much more than a feeling, it is a daily decision that results in a closeness to God that infuses my heart with love, peace and incredible joy. Lord, give me to courage to live You out loud every day of my life. No matter how much it costs me, or requires of me, may I live to prove the reality of You.

Falling in love with Ecuador

I don't think I'll ever forget the afternoon I spent in the home of a woman on the outskirts of Quito, Ecuador. She gets up everyday at 4:30am to make breakfast over an open flame for her husband. He leaves their two room home at 5am hoping to find work that day. Then she wakes her five children to get them ready for school. It is a big sacrifice to send her four girls and one son to school. But she and her husband want a better life for their children and they see education as a key component for that to happen. She then spends her day walking to and from the market to get food for her family. There is no way to refrigerate food so what little they have must be brought in each day. Once a week, she carries her family's clothes several miles to the village washing hole. After cleaning the clothes she then must make the back-breaking return journey up the mountain to her home carrying the now wet and heavy cothes. When I asked her how I could specifically pray for her, she teared up and through the interpretor told me, "pray for my husband to come to know Jesus and for him to have work. And pray for me to continue to have the strength I need to serve my family." So, I am praying for my sister. But I can't just pray and walk away. I must ask God what part He wants me to play in answering her prayer. So, now I am looking for a way to get her a donkey to help her carry her groceries and laundry. (Talk about putting things into perspective for me. I pray I never again complain about having to drive in my car to go grocery shopping or walk just across my kitchen to get to my washing machine and dryer.) The thing my new friend is most excited about in her life is that two of her children were chosen to participate in the Compassion International program through the local church. Because of the vast numbers of families that want to get into the program, Compassion must limit participation to two kids per family. I went to the Compassion project and saw first hand what they do for the children in their project. It is amazing. The kids in the program come to the church after their school day is finished. There they are fed healthy food, given extra tutoring (most of these kids have surpassed where their parents are educated), have access to medical care, and most importantly are taught about Jesus. I was moved to tears working in the Compassion project. The workers care so deeply for these children and are truly a beacon of hope and promise in their life. Meeting the physical needs of the kids through the Compassion project, allows the church to show the reality of Jesus thus attracting the parents to come to church. Whole villages are getting saved through this effort. This sweet lady whose kids are participating in this project got saved at this church and is very hopeful that her husband will as well. All this to say, I have fallen in love with the people of Ecuador and pray I can return many times. I have drawn close to some things that I know must break God's heart and they have broken mine as well. Though I know I can't help every suffering family in the world, I can help those I have been made aware of. So, I will buy a donkey for one family and sponsor a child from another family through Compassion. But most of all, I will continue to pray and ask God to make me a person who is forever aware, forever willing, forever compassionate, and forever couragious enough to step out of my world into into someone else's.

Please Pray

While on my missions trip last weekend, I learned a dear friend of mine lost her husband in a tragic accident. Todd Hage was a volunteer fireman responding to a call when his truck ran off the road and flipped. Todd died at the scene. He leaves behind his wife Michelle and two daughters ages 12 and 9. The funeral was today.

Please pray for this dear family. My prayers have been for Michelle to be able to just be able to get through this moment and this day. It seems too overwhelming to think of all the life change that is coming in the future. So, I have been praying that Jesus would comfort her and give her strength and wisdom just for this moment and just for this day. Please join me in praying for her and her girls.

I will be posting about my missions trip in the near future. Currently I am on my way to Columbia, South America. Please also pray for the safety of my family and me while we are apart. And pray for the people we will be ministering to. Thank you so much.

May each of us laugh a little harder, pray a little deeper, and linger just a little longer with each day we are blessed with.

Need a little joy boost?

Yesterday I spent several hours catching up on writing thank you notes. "Hours?", you say. Yes, hours. I was quite behind. You see I have felt convicted lately to make a better effort to remember to thank people. Not only does this acknowledge that I appreciate them but it also reminds me of all the things I have to be thankful for!

What spurred on this new thank you resolution? Well, recently many people took the time to wish me a happy birthday either with a card, gift, or phone call. I wanted them to know how much it touched my heart so I wrote a thank you to each one. It felt so good to thank people that after I got through my birthday list I wanted to keep going. I prayed and asked the Lord who else I might need to thank. He kept bringing people to mind so I kept writing.

My hand was quite tired by the time I signed, sealed and mailed the last card but my heart was incredibly full of joy. Need a little joy boost in your day today? Well, grab a pen and ask the Lord who might need a thank you note from you. Maybe it would be a good idea to stick a few thank you notes in our Bible and make writing thank you notes a part of our quiet time time each day. What do you think? Oh, and by the way... thank you for reading my blog!

Incredible Couples Get Away Deal!

Have you been thinking of making an investment of your marriage but unsure where to go and what to do? Well, look no further! Art and I are speaking at the Forest Hill Church couples weekend to be held at the beautiful Billy Graham Training Center at the Cove in Asheville, NC September 7-9, 2007.

They are offering such an amazing deal on this conference that I had to let you know about it. Cost per couple is only $199 (This is such a GREAT DEAL!!!) which includes lodging Friday and Saturday nights, breakfast, lunch, and dinner on Saturday and breakfast on Sunday, as well as all your conference materials! To register online go to www.foresthill.org and click on the "events" tab. To look at the beautiful pictures of the Cove, you can go to www.bgtc.org.

Art and I will be doing our marriage conference retreat called, "This Crazy Little Thing Called Love." It is humorous, heart-touching, and full of practical helps for couples to find true fulfillment in their marriage. We are an ordinary couple who share our own struggles in an honest way hoping to help others to find out how exciting it can be when you fall in love all over again! We hope to see you there!!!

Now for a little marriage encouragement in the meantime, here's an article that I wrote last year that you might identify with:
Victoria’s Little Secret
Okay, confession time ladies, Victoria’s got a little secret and I’m not in on it! This new-found knowledge came to me last week with the little treasure I found while cleaning out my office. I was making great progress when suddenly I spotted an envelope with hearts all over the outside and a gift certificate inside. I was so thrilled to have found this unexpected surprise, I eagerly opened it and found it was a gift certificate to Victoria Secret. “Oh her,” I thought a little disappointed. Not that I don’t like sweet little Victoria it’s just that she is a reminder that my post-kid body leaves a lot to be desired. The thought of wearing something that is scratchy, over revealing and undersized just doesn’t give me the motivation I need to make a special trip to the mall.

I guess when I got it, I just filed it away with good intentions to use it when my taste buds die, my body shrinks, and muscles suddenly appear in all the right places. So, when had I gotten this little gift? Upon closer investigation, I doubled over in laughter as I realized the certificate was over 10 years old! Art came over to see what was so funny so I handed him the certificate. He found no humor in the situation and offered to take it off my hands and use it to buy me a gift. I just smiled back at him and requested that he remember two things on his shopping trip: warmth and comfort! Does Victoria make flannel PJ’s?

Whether it is because of changes in our bodies, sleep deprivation, time constraints, financial pressures, or a myriad of other things, marriage after kids changes. But it doesn’t have to be for the worse. We must still make our marriage a priority and watch it grow stronger through the kid years. After all, one of the greatest gifts parents can give their children is the security of a solid love relationship between Mom and Dad.

We know this with our heads but the realities of life make it easy for marriages to slip into what I call ‘business partner mode.” You are doing life together and sharing responsibilities but your relationship is void of the romantic spark that keeps a marriage exciting and thriving. Finding that 10 year old certificate was a real wake up call for me to take an honest assessment of where the romance barometer was registering with my marriage. And to be honest, we were found lacking.

Somewhere between our hectic schedules we’d stopped getting intentional with our love life. Soccer games, gymnastics meets, school projects, serving in ministry, home repair projects, yard work, running a business, paying the bills are all important things but they had crowded out time for Art and me to just be together.

So, instead of hoping things will just magically reignite and get better, I’ve decided to actively pursue a richer relationship with my husband. It will be a matter of choice not chance. Here are some of my newly resolved choices:

1. Seduce Him. Oh, gasp, is that allowed to be said in a Christian Magazine? Absolutely! I know when my husband has been left wanting for too many days in a row, he gets cranky! So, I thought about what makes me just as cranky. The answer is food or the lack thereof. When I’m really hungry and can’t get some food my perception of everything gets skewed and my mood gets sour. This is true for most women, so, to continue this analogy, think for minute if your husband was your only source for food. But, every time you went to him to get this nourishment that you not only wanted but also needed, he said back to you, “Not now. I’m too tired. I have a headache.” It would be quite irritating. When I think about this scenario, it breaks my heart to think of how often my husband comes to me for the intimate nourishment that he not only wants but also needs and I don’t respond. So, I’m challenging myself to make the intimate needs of my husband a priority. God says that sex inside marriage is a gift and through it He blesses the husband and the wife. Most husbands would love it if there wives were a little more intentional about initiating intimate connections, so seduce him.

2. Serve Him. Oh, I can feel eyes rolling on this one. However, I’ve discovered that my husband sees me serving all kinds of people…my kids, the women at Proverbs 31 Ministries, friends and neighbors. But when is the last time I really looked for something he wanted and did it for him? Sometimes the thing we least want to do in our marriage might be the very thing that could help our relationship the most. A friend of mine doesn’t like to cook but a homemade meal means the world to her husband. Recently, I encouraged her instead of trying to convince him his expectations are unrealistic, make it a priority to make him feel respected and loved by cooking for him. It’s what she least wanted to do but after she cooked her husband a delicious meal- the smile on his face and the pep in his attitude gave her the motivation to pull out her cookbooks more often. Instead of getting offended the next time your spouse asks if you can do something to better meet their expectations, why not see it as an opportunity to invest in your marriage? It’s worked wonders for my friend’s marriage and it just might work wonders for yours as well.

3. Simply be sweet to him. Why is it that I can be so kind to strangers and then - just seconds later - impatient and unkind to those I love most? Unfortunately that old saying is true, “Familiarity breeds contempt.” But I don’t want short fuses, quick tempers, and rushed conversations to be the legacy I build with my husband. The Bible tells us to be “quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” I have to not only desire to be kind to the ones I love, but I have to choose to do so each moment, reaction by reaction. I have to think about my words before I speak and ask myself, “Am I being quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry?” If this is what I really want for all my interactions with my husband, then I’ve got to make the choice to swallow my quit wit and cutting remarks and simply be sweet!

So, my little hidden gift certificate actually has served me well. It was a sign that I need to make some adjustments and investments. I think I’ll ask Art if I can accompany him to the mall. And no, I won’t be in search of flannel. Maybe I’m starting to clue in to Victoria’s little secret after all.

Kids are watching!

In my last post, I shared about the fun we had on our recent vacation to Camp-of-the-Woods Family Camp in the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York. One of the best parts of our vacation was the lack of modern technology...no TV... no computers... very limited phone service. Therefore, there was time for other things like playing kickball with the kids, watching the sun set across the lake, lingering at the dinner table, campfire stories and songs, and playing board games. There is one game Art and I love playing with our Long Island friends, Dean and Suzy. It's called "Acquire."

This is an intense, strategy-filled game of buying and merging hotel chains to increase your net worth more than your opponents. We have played this game at camp for years. We even have a silver cup that resides at the home of whoever wins the during camp for that year. The name of each year's winner is engraved into the cup... this is a serious game! I won't say who has won the past two years but her initials are LT and she is featured in this photo holding up a number one...smiles!

Anyhow, since returning home from camp we have kept playing games of all kinds and have had less desire to turn the TV back on. I've noticed that my kids seem to be interested in doing what they see me doing. If I'm wanting to watch TV...they seem to watch TV. If I'm reading a book, I'll catch them curling up on the couch reading a book. And if we are hooping, hollering, and connecting over a board game, soon they are doing the same. And you better believe if they see us grab a ball and head to the front yard, they grab the make-shift bases and before too long a serious game of kick-ball is underway!

May you too have a summer that gives new meaning to the words linger, laugh, lack in the less important, lavish in the most important and lots and lots of love!