An Unexpected Blessing - The Liebster Award

Surprises that bring unexpected blessings into your life do not happen everyday.   But when they do, it is a blissful, joyful feeling.

Recently, I had just such an experience which left me a little speechless, because I was honored that my friend Joy Lenton, who is a wonderful writer, would nominate me for an award.  I enjoy her  blog, Words of Joy, which she fills with lovely prose and poetry that touches my heart and others with her wisdom, transparency, and love for the Lord.  Thank you, Joy.  I am honored to be one of your nominees for the Liebster Award.

It has taken me many weeks to finish writing this post.  I went through bouts of writer's block to the point, I even struggled to know what to write when I wanted to make a comment.  Then, I got very busy trying to keep up with my blogs, Facebook pages, and home.  However, I am determined to do this thing, because it is time to pass the blessing on.

Again, the name of the award I have received  is The Liebster Award.   After some very interesting searches on the internet and finding a variety of fascinating blogs, I discovered that liebster is German for dearest, beloved or dear.  The blogs nominated for this award are one's favorite blogs.  From the research I have done, it seems the original idea was to nominate 5 of your favorite blogs with less than 200 followers, as well as link back to and thank the person, who nominated you.  It's a wonderful way to create community, as well as highlight up and coming blogs.   

You may copy and paste this for your
Award Picture or choose other pictures.
The way the award looks is varied -- personal
preference seems to be acceptable.

The rules, which seem to vary,  for The Liebster Award are simple:

1. Thank your nominator and link back to his/her blog.
2. Post 11 random facts about yourself.
3. Answer the questions the nominator comes up with for you. 
4. Create 11 new questions for the bloggers you have nominated.
5. Choose 3 /5 /11 bloggers with under 200/300/500 followers to nominate, and link them to your post.   Most of the rules said 5, but some said 3 and 11.
6. Go tell your nominees that they have been nominated for the Liebster Award. (smile-I love this part.)
7. There are really no definite rules I am learning, as I read other articles about the Liebster award.  The rules seem to be moldable, and I am going to change the mold a little.  I am only going to ask my nominees 5 to 7 questions.
8. I am being brave, because I have never liked breaking  "The Rules", but 11 questions took me forever it seemed, and I know how busy most bloggers are.
9. One more thing.  I noticed there are a variety of choices for Award Pictures.  So you can choose which one you prefer.  Just copy and paste.

11 Random Facts about Me

1. I am the youngest of 3 children, a brother 18 years older and a sister 15 years older.
2. When I was growing up, I raised two baby squirrels and one hoot owl, because they became separated from their mothers.
3. My husband says I get "fish fever"  when I go fishing.
4. I remember playing that I was "playing" the upright piano, and my mother never fussed about the noise.  Happiness was finally having lessons.
5. I started singing in choir when I was 6 years old, and didn't stop until I was too ill.  If I am ever well enough, I plan to sing again.
6. The first time I tried to sing a solo in public before contests, in our classroom, I was so scared nothing would come out.
7. I don't ever remember not knowing how to swim underwater.
8. In high school, I had the lead as "The Madwoman of Chaillot."
9. When my mother and I would go to the library, I was reading my books before I got in the car and all the way home.  When I was growing up, I sometimes used to read with a flashlight under the covers.
10. When my brother was visiting and we were walking between Grandma's house and our house, I would run ahead of him;  because, he told me it was the second person that got bit by the snake.  And speaking of snakes, my big brother was bit by a water moccasin, the day before I was born.
11. My favorite ice cream is rum raisin. 

Answers to Joy's Questions for Me

1. I love Starbuck's coffee;  however, it's a rare treat.  I usually get a Cappacino, but I have been known to get a Mocha Frappicino on a hot, summer day.  Also, I'm fond of their scones, and if I want something very sweet I will get a cake pop.   And please don't put sugar in my coffee, unless it's a Mocha Frappicino, which is almost like an icy milk shake.
2. When I watch television, I enjoy programs that solve a mystery, that are suspenseful.  My favorite TV series was Monk.  I tried to never miss that show.   I enjoyed the life that Tony Shaloub brought to this character:  also, there was pathos, humor, and puzzles to solve.  I like NCIS and Blue Bloods too.  
3. Pre-writing is useful in planning;  however, when I am blogging I tend toward informality, while endeavoring to maintain basic structure and grammar.  When editing,  I like to read the piece silently and aloud.   While I check for spelling errors and grammatical errors, I am also listening for the flow of a piece, because readers will soon lose interest in stilted, disconnected thoughts.  Finally, I try to always be mindful of the kind of piece I am writing.  Blog posts are not research papers.  When they become too lengthy, readers begin to lose interest.  I have to admit it is often difficult to find the  perfect length for a post, but saying enough about a topic without being wordy is always one of my main goals when writing.
4. If I had to participate in something outside of my comfort zone, it would be in the area of public speaking or radio. 
5. If I were to develop another skill, I would consider a master's degree in counseling, and work as  a Christian mental health therapist.
6. My ideals most clearly align with those of the Virtuous Woman or the Wife of Noble Character in Proverbs 31:  10 - 31.  However, I think it is important to note that while many women do well to desire the character and traits of this woman, she is an ideal;  and, I believe it is only by the grace of God that any woman is able to follow these ideals. It is only by believing in and following Jesus Christ that any woman can hope to attain to this, because no works are enough in themselves to conquer the sinful nature of humankind.
7. If I were to choose a genre in which I do not usually write, it would be to write science fiction or fantasies that  explore the mystery of God's creation and and His ultimate purpose in our lives.
8. My passion in life is to encourage others to live life well, no matter what their circumstances might be, and to point them to the source of joy, Jesus Christ.
9. Aside from writing, blogging, and communicating via social media, I like to play piano, sing, read, shop, swim, fish,  spend time with my family, do various crafts, watch birds, go to the beach or the mountains, and many other activities.  Unfortunately, it is not as easy to do these things anymore,   as my energy and my physical mobility has been impacted by chronic illness.
10. If I could be anything, I would be a wife,mother, piano & organ playing dancer-singer-writer-poet-actress-painter-philosopher-theologian, who also gardens, cooks, plays tennis, makes jewelry, sews, designs clothes and interiors, as well as costumes.  I would compose music, choreograph dances, and I would be a teacher too.  I would also  water ski, snow ski, and ice skate.  I would also be able to do a cartwheel, which I never could seem to do when I was younger.  And since there are probably about half a dozen or more other things I would do, I would definitely need an eternity to do them all.  Oh yes, that's right--I have eternal life, because Jesus is my Savior.  Cool!  I have more that I have even dreamed to look forward to.
11. When asked what human characteristic  I admire most, I first thought of the ability to love;  then, I thought of the ability to be selfless or unselfish, which all goes back to love.

Now, I have the pleasure of nominating 5 other bloggers for The Liebster Award.  

• My first nominee is Cheryl Smith, author of Homespun Devotions...From My Heart to Yours.  She is a homeschooling wife, mother, and writer, who blesses my heart with her insights into living life as a godly woman.
• Coralie Cowan, who writes about Life More Abundant is my second nominee.  She is a very busy wife and mother, who is also an excellent writer.  I like her sparse, matter-of-fact style that draws the reader right into what she has to say.
• Another favorite writer, who I am nominating for The Liebster Award is Angela C. Gifford, author of Angela's Musings.  I probably should admit to being especially proud of her, because I knew her when she was a little girl;  and, it is so neat to see little girls grow into godly women.  Furthermore, she is a very good writer, who is an inspiration to other women and has a heart for God.  She has written a book called Never Go Hungry Again, A Spiritual  Nutrition Guide for Moms.  
• Another blog I am nominating is Clutter365, by Alison Golden.  She is a busy mother of twins;  and, she has inspired me with her very simple method of clearing clutter one item at a time.  She started with planning on doing it for a year, and she decided to continue.  Today, she is on Day 472.  Her method is perfect for an energy challenged grandmother, a busy young mother, or anyone who wants to have a cleaner house or office:  the idea is to be consistent.
• My fifth nominee is Christine Wright, author of Living Joel 2:25.  Christine has a message of restoration.  She has been called to share this with other women, and it blesses my heart to read her blog posts, as she shares God, the Redeemer and how He can restore the years eaten by locusts.

Seven questions for my Liebster Award Nominees to Answer

1. What is one work  (book, painting, film, poem, play, etc.) that has had an impact on your life?
2. What do you enjoy most about writing?
3. If you could choose any place in the world to get away from your regular routine, where would you go?  (I am talking about a long trip.)
4. What is one goal you have accomplished in the past two years?
5. If you were to write in another genre, what genre would you choose and why?
6. Name something you like to do to treat yourself or get away from your normal routine. Make it something close to home:  ie.  a walk in the park, working in the garden, having a cool glass of lemonade in the back yard and reading a book, going to a coffee shop, lunch out  with the girls, etc.
7. What is your favorite quote?