Taylor Swift: A ‘Red’ speck in the spotlight

Posted on September 22, 2013 by minndixiemom

After months of anticipation, we finally made it to the Taylor Swift “Red” concert in Nashville.

Serina, center, Sophia, right, and their buddy, Abagail, rock their Taylor Swift Ts.

Serina, center, Sophia, right, and their buddy, Abagail, rock their Taylor Swift Ts.

We arrived at Bridgestone Arena Friday night ready to rock. Serina, 8, Sophia, 6, and their friend Abagail, 8, were wearing their freshly purchased Taylor Swift “Red Tour” Ts.

As we wound through the throngs of fans, 14,000 in all, we searched for our seats in section 332. We walked up and up and up and up until we reached S, the highest row possible. Seriously, nothing behind us but a concrete wall. But alas, those seats were the “best available” when we purchased our six tickets earlier this year at nearly $100 apiece after taxes and fees.

We sat down as Ed Sheeran began his performance as the second opening act. (James Casey was the first.) The sound was good, but we had to crouch down to see the monitor obstructed by the obnoxious black netting that hung from the ceiling. Sheeran wowed many fans, but Serina and Sophia came to see Swift and Sophia really didn’t have time for opening acts. She just knew that she’d been waiting a very long time for this event. A very long time, considering she got the ticket for her birthday back in May.

Swift came on at 8:35 and Serina and Abagail were still excited, but Sophia’s enthusiasm and patience had waned significantly. It didn’t help that Swift was so far away from us she appeared to be a speck in the spotlight, a mere smidge on the distant stage.

Sophia cried, and eventually fell asleep.20130920_192342

Serina was tired, too, but still engaged. My husband, David, and I barely hung on. It’s no offense to Swift, who is a tremendous talent. It’s simply a testament to our own fuddy-duddiness. Abagail and her mom, Morgan, the livelier of our bunch, were still going strong.

The saving grace was when Swift headed to a stage in the back to give the poorly seated an opportunity to get a better glimpse of her in action. She performed several hits from the secondary stage, including the duet “Everything’s Changed” with Sheeran. From her new locale, Swift transformed from a speck to a star.

I truly enjoy Swift’s music and think she’s an adorable human being, fabulous performer and clever songwriter. But I think we would have enjoyed the concert much better had we been able to buy better tickets. Amazing how quickly the decent seats disappear!

Morgan snapped this photo of Swift performing with Sheeran in the back of the stadium.

Morgan snapped this photo of Swift performing with Sheeran in the back of the stadium.

Of course that’s our problem, not hers. Swift fulfilled her end of the bargain, delivering a two-hour performance packed with “Red” favorites. Besides the title track, she sang “We are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” “All Too Well,” “I Knew You were Trouble,” “Holy Ground” and others.

She delighted most of the audience with different outfits and fabulous strings, including guitars, banjos and violins. Plus, Swift surprised country fans with a guest appearance by Rascal Flatts, with whom she performed “Hurts the Most.”

By the time we left the concert, Sophia had rejected her "Red" tour t-shirt and was recovering from both a good cry and mediocre nap.

By the time we left the concert, Sophia had rejected her “Red” tour t-shirt and was recovering from both a good cry and mediocre nap.

Swift even offered a mini therapy session, reminding young fans that no one can “make” someone like them and that, unfortunately, some people never grow out of being mean — the perfect segue into the song, “Mean.” That number got me going again, but not Serina, who was disappointed and beat, and Sophia, who was still sleeping.

We got back to our hotel rooms around midnight. It was late, and good or bad, the girls experienced their first concert.

But who knows when they’ll make it to another concert. Might be when they are teenagers — old enough to drive themselves, stay awake and leave their fuddy-duddy parents behind.

Posted in Family, marathon, Southern living | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Cristina Lynn: New CD lyrics featured in popular Harlequin series

Posted on September 18, 2013 by minndixiemom
"Sinners and Saints" is Cristina Lynn's third CD.

“Sinners and Saints” is Cristina Lynn’s third CD.

If you’re familiar with north Alabama singer Cristina Lynn, you know not to expect mainstream country. Her music is as traditional as Patsy Cline with a friendly, folksy flare and uniquely rich tone.

As soon as “Sinners AND Saints” starts to play, Lynn engages listeners lyrically and musically. But the songs featured on this CD, her third, connect with another group entirely — readers of the popular Harlequin books.

Lynn wrote the song, “Sinners AND Saints,” after she read a draft of “The Downfall of a Good Girl” by Kimberly Lang, a Tennessee Valley-based romance author.  That’s when the two women teamed up to share and showcase their different writing talents with the soundtrack.  “The Downfall Of A Good Girl” is Lang’s first book in the Harlequin Romance ‘Kiss’ line.

“Our goal was to show how two different writers from different worlds can team up,” said Lynn. “We also wanted to prove that women can be creative, work hard and still be moms.”

It worked. All five songs on the “Sinners AND Saints” track appear in works by Lang, who also hails from north Alabama. You’ll read about “Whiskey & Honey,” “Rainin'” and “Service Your Heart” in “Downfall.” Lynn’s original wedding song, “Today,” is included in the sequel, “The Taming of a Wild Child.”

But of course the CD offers something books alone cannot: Music. Lynn’s vocals, original lyrics and guitar picking take you down a back road leading straight to traditional country music.

“Thank you for hearing traditional country,” said Lynn. “I was after that vibe. I wanted this CD to showcase my love of traditional country and my love of songwriting. I also wanted to give my listeners what they’ve been asking for. What you hear on this CD is what you hear when you come see me live.”

The songs on the CD showcase Lynn’s broad talent as a singer and songwriter. The title track, “Sinners and Saints,” is upbeat and has you tapping your toes. “Whiskey and Honey” is soulful with a touch of melancholy. My personal favorite is “Today.” It’s a beautiful, heartfelt ballad with strong harmonies that reflect Lynn’s passion for her own marriage.

“For years I wanted to write a wedding song, but could not figure out what I wanted to say,” said Lynn. “To me your wedding day should be about so much more than just a love shared.  It’s about every minute of the rest of your life with that person beginning ‘Today.'”

If you’re planning your big day or know someone who is, check out the song. The question will be: Do you play it during the ceremony or save it for the couple’s first dance?

The “Sinners AND Saints” CD is now available on iTunes and CDBaby. Connect with Lynn on Twitter. Lang’s books are available at numerous retailers, including Amazon.

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Eggs: The science of the perfect scramble

Posted on September 14, 2013 by minndixiemom

As a finalist for the Eggland’s Best Chief Egg Officer contest, I think it’s important that I not only answer the age-old question of “water or milk” when it comes to scrambled eggs, but also delve deeper into this popular method of egg preparation.

Neil Lamb, Ph.D., biotech scientist and educator extraordinaire, loaned me one of his favorite recipe books. In “CookWise,” author Shirley Corriher adds a dash of her biochem experience to your culinary experiences, offering the scientific hows and whys of successful cooking.

Eggs are easy, versatile and nutritious (click here to learn just how nutritious Eggland’s Best eggs are). Whether you boil, fry, poach or scramble, you can’t do much to mess them up. But Corriher gives you step-by-step instructions, along with explanations, to help you make your basic eggs better than ever.

So simple, Sophia, 6, scrambles eggs for herself and her sister, Serina, using Corriher’s techniques.

20130914_085213

First thing to know, no matter how you cook your eggs, gentle heating is key. The longer you heat eggs (or other proteins, like chicken), the drier and more leathery they will become.

Adding water, up to 2 tablespoons per egg, will make them puff when scrambled as the water turns to steam. Here are the other steps Corriher offers for scientifically achieving the perfect scramble:

  • Use a heavy pan, ideally one with a nonstick surface.
  • Warm the empty pan, remove from heat, spray with nonstick cooking spray, then add oil or butter, if desired. (If using butter, maintain low heat – butter burns and sticks easily.)
  • Maintain manageable ratio of eggs to pan size. (You don’t want to splash precious egg out of the pan while stirring!)
  • For the lightest, largest curds, let eggs stand and puff, then push to one side. The less you stir, the lighter they’ll be.
  • Remove pan from heat before eggs are completely cooked. Seriously, Corriher says retained heat from the pan will continue cooking the eggs.

20130914_085708Voila! Le perfect scramble via Eggland’s Best, Sophia and Corriher. Serina and Sophia are happy. So is their mom.

And if you haven’t cast your vote for MinnDixie Mom (Karen P.) for Eggland’s Best CEO,  you still can — daily through  September 30.

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Eggland’s Best: Karen Petersen for CEO

Posted on September 9, 2013 by minndixiemom

Charlie Lanktree is the long-time CEO of Eggland’s Best eggs. He’s done a phenomenal job.

According to an article in Forbes magazine, Eggland’s Best has flourished under Lanktree’s leadership. At present, the company has franchised farms in 30 states and the eggs they produce have annual retail sales of $650 million.

Now it’s my turn. I want to rule the roost as Eggland’s Best’s CEO. No, not the Chief Executive Officer. 

I would like to be the company’s Chief Egg Officer.  And you can help.

It’s the Eggland’s Best Chief Egg Officer contest, with online voting playing a key factor in determining the final three participants. So get cracking! Vote every day for the next three weeks!

The final three go up for a vote with videos in November with the first Eggland’s Best Chief Egg Officer announced in December. The winner gets $5,000 and a year’s supply of EB eggs. My two little chicks want the eggs; my husband wants the cash (packing that nest-egg for our future); I want the title.

You can vote daily starting Sept. 9 – Sept. 30. Your vote would mean so much. Me: a CEO! My mother, 79, will be so proud. She won’t ask for details. Seriously, she’ll just tell all the ladies at her next hen party, er – knitting group, that her youngest daughter is the CEO of Eggland’s Best and let them believe that I knocked Lanktree of his perch.

Seriously, I’ve never been a CEO and this is my big chance. All the glory — okay, a fraction of the glory — without the budgets and personnel headaches. I serve my own family Eggland’s Best eggs, which have that cute little stamp that tells you “We each contain a mere 70 calories, and have more of the good stuff, like omega 3 and vitamins E and D, and have 25 percent less saturated fat.

While I enjoy eating EB eggs, I don’t want to breathe, dream and live them like Lanktree must to ensure his company continues to flourish.

I want to consume the eggs; I don’t want them consuming me. I’ll leave that to Lanktree. After all, from what I’ve heard, he’s a pretty good egg.

Thank you for your vote!

Posted in Health | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Spectacular Sisterhood

Posted on September 4, 2013 by minndixiemom

Sisters on Heidi's birthday in NJ.

My sister and I used to fight like crazy.

Heidi, the oldest, had the quiet, clever one-liners that led me to tears before I erupted in rage. Sure we had periods of deep devotion, but they only lasted until the next time one of us took offense (which was usually me). While less frequently, this ridiculous behavior lasted into our early 3os.

Thankfully, times have changed!

I took our daughters, Serina, 8, and Sophia, 6, to visit Heidi and her family in Maplewood, NJ over the long Labor Day weekend. It was a brief, but amazing visit.

As a kid, when Heidi and I weren’t fighting, I thought she was the best big sister ever. She let me hang out with her friends, tried to give me singing lessons, and when I was really young, let me crawl into bed with her when I was scared.

Today, I still think she’s the best big sister ever.

Heidi and I are similar in many ways: height, complexion, enthusiasm, zest for life, and love of family. Yet our lifestyles and careers are dramatically different. For one, she wound up in chic, fast-paced NYC and I landed in easygoing, high-tech Huntsville, AL.

Heidi is a director at FleishmanHillard PR, and commutes by train to the Big Apple every day. I’m a development specialist for the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, and drive to work every day.

Heidi manages dynamic teams. I’m a member of a dynamic team managed by our department’s VP.

We both love our jobs.

These similarities and differences make us who we are, as neighbors, moms, daughters and sisters.

I realize that as we get older, there is less conflict and more love. All those fights we once had seem like figments of our imaginations.

Riordan, Lena, Serina and Sophia share a group hug!

Riordan, Lena, Serina and Sophia share a group hug!

During this visit, we continued to strengthen what has become a spectacular sisterhood, as we gleefully watched our children, “the cousins,” fortify their own bonds.

My daughters and Heidi’s children, Lena, 10, and Riordan, 7, have been together sporadically over the past several years. Between visits, their fondness for each other still grows — through phone calls, stories and plans for the next reunion.

This time around, the kids loved swimming together at the community pool, exploring Maplewood’s quaint downtown, watching Disney’s “Planes” in the old-time theater, and celebrating my sister’s birthday at the fabulous and “very fancy” Huntley Taverne.

Serina loved Clementine, the goldendoodle pup.

Serina loved Clementine, the goldendoodle pup. 

But the highlight may have been playing with the Hovland-Pickett’s new goldendoodle puppy, Clementine Creamsickle Fluffypants Pickett.

It was special for Heidi and me, who are so close, to watch our own children grow closer. They played, laughed and absolutely adored each other, like friends separated by a few houses, not cousins distanced by 900 miles.

My husband, David, didn’t join me this time and Heidi’s husband, Jim, also did his own thing, both spouses recognizing our need to revel in our ever-evolving relationship.

For Heidi and me, the visit was shorter than we wanted, but exactly what we needed: face-to-face sisterhood, complete with hugs; parental, cooking and career advice; laughter; tears; amazing food; and strong coffee.

Back in Huntsville now, I miss my sister. Fortunately, those few days together will hold me over until the next time. After all, our sisterhood is also stronger than the miles between us.

Sisterhood, it seems, is stronger than almost anything.

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Diet Coke: How Dr. Oz helped me kick a 25-year drinking habit

Posted on August 26, 2013 by minndixiemom

I consider myself to be a healthy woman. I follow a balanced diet, exercise regularly, and don’t drink alcohol or smoke. While I shoot for a healthy lifestyle, however, I have had a few dietary vices, primarily chocolate, coffee and Diet Coke. For instance:

  • I consume chocolate daily, but in moderation and never before noon (just a little rule that helps me limit my intake).
  • I drink a lot of coffee, usually three (or four) cups before I get to work.
  • Finally, that carbonated concoction: Diet Coke. I drank at least four cans per day for nearly three-quarters of my life.
MinnDixie Mom is now Diet Coke-free.

MinnDixie Mom is now Diet Coke-free.

My mom, a retired psyche nurse and bona fide health nut, has nagged me about my “pop” problem for years, even more so since she moved in with us last summer.

“Karen,” she’d say. “Do you know what those chemicals are doing to you?” Or, my favorite: “Karen, today Dr. Oz said that soda” does this or that… Dr. Mehmet Oz is her go-to health guru, and quite frankly, I was growing tired of him.

“Mom,” I’d respond defiantly, “The more you bug me, the more I’ll drink. I’ll quit when I’m ready to quit.” (Yes, we are still talking about diet cola.)

Several weeks ago, I came home earlier than usual. Dr. Oz was on and I joined my mom in the living room where he was on TV, talking about cancer risks. The M.D. zeroed in on pancreatic cancer, a form of cancer that claimed my grandmother’s life at age 60.

“It grows silently and stealthily for decades attacking an organ you cannot live without,” Dr. Oz said.

Dr. Oz showed how two cans of soda can send a normal pancreas into overdrive.

Dr. Oz showed how two cans of soda can send a  pancreas into overdrive.

He went on to explain that as little as two cans of soda a week can send your pancreas into overdrive. Dr. Oz gave a demonstration showing what two sodas could do to your pancreas. Granted, he used sugared beverages, but the experiment caught my attention and, for the first time, I took the potential health risks of all colas seriously.

After drinking my last Diet Cokes, I was done. I already drank lots of water and it was suddenly not a big deal to skip the carbonated beverages and drink just water. (And coffee, of course.)

I don’t know how much better my pancreas looks, feels or functions three weeks off the Coke, but I bet it’s not getting any worse. And I know I’m setting the right example for our daughters, ages 6 and 8. Plus, who knows how much money I’ll wind up saving!

It’s strange, when I finished those last two Diet Cokes, I wasn’t convinced I was quitting for good. I simply thought I’d give it a shot. After 21 days, it seems I had pretty good aim.

At the end of his segment, Dr. Oz maintained there is nothing wrong with an occasional soda. He urged drinkers to cut back to one a week. Unfortunately, I’m an all-or-nothing kind of girl; in this case, I choose nothing.

My mom is thrilled that I’ve kicked the habit. She doesn’t mind that I wouldn’t listen to her. It’s enough that I eventually listened to her medical hero, the Great and Powerful Dr. Mehmet Oz.

Blogger’s note: Understandably, beverage industry insiders take exception to studies that link its products to increased cancer risks. Many have challenged study findings, calling them flawed.

Posted in Health | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Liberty’s Legacy: growing super citizens

Posted on August 23, 2013 by minndixiemom

A World War II veteran, 88-year-old Delbert Belton, was beaten to death in Spokane, Washington this week. Two teens are accused of committing the brutal crime.

If that isn’t a call to illuminate and educate our children about the true heroes in our nation, I don’t know what is. But kudos to one small, Huntsville-based nonprofit organization for doing its part to educate, inspire and empower today’s youth. I’d like to introduce you to Liberty’s Legacy.

Eufala students learn how to become super citizens when the Liberty's Legacy heads to south Alabama.

Eufala students learn how to become super citizens when the Liberty’s Legacy heads to south Alabama.

After participating in the Tennessee Valley Honor Flights, Huntsville residents Patti Yancey and Laurie Sammons marveled at the servicemen and women who fought so hard to ensure our freedom.

“The most profound thing to me was that they were so incredibly humble,” said Sammons, who is now donor relations manager for Liberty’s Legacy. “Most of them had never spoken of their service in the war, even to their families. For so many people to be honoring and thanking them, they were overwhelmed. Some of them cried.”

After all, they didn’t serve for praise. They served because out of duty. They served for their country, their children, and their children’s children.

They served for you and me.

“When they finally got to the memorial in DC, the silence and awe they had when finally seeing it for the first time was incredible,” said Sammons.

Sammons, Yancey, and other trip supporters recognized a sense of patriotism and civic duty in the vets we don’t see today. They brainstormed ways in which that American spirit could be planted in children, in schools, in communities… in hearts across Alabama and beyond. It was time to “pass the torch to the next generation.”

kickoff-small-3-909117c919That’s how Liberty’s Legacy, a nonprofit organization founded by Huntsville businessman Davis Lee, began. Its three-fold mission of character building, financial literacy and career development addresses children from kindergarten through 12th grade.

There are in-school kits that offer hands-on activities and “experiences.” Ten-week programs culminate with a presentation and performance by Lady Liberty herself!

“The excitement we see in the children is heartwarming,” said Sammons. “You get chill bumps and shed a few tears.”

Thousands of students have completed the Liberty’s Legacy program with remarkable, measurable outcomes. They are committed to inspiring and educating “exceptional young citizens.”

As a nonprofit professional and mother of two, I appreciate the organization’s unique vision and passionate efforts. The other day, my mom, husband and I discussed the “Greatest Generation” and “Silent Generation,” and how much grit, courage and perseverance those men and women had. Now, computers handle our hard work and most American children don’t know how many men and women sacrificed their lives for the freedom we often take for granted.

The folks at Liberty’s Legacy know it’s not too late to teach kids civic responsibility, character building, history and their important role in shaping this nation’s future. They recognized a hole in our society and are filling it one pebble — and one student, one classroom and one school — at a time.

WATCH A VIDEO on how Liberty’s Legacy is building super citizens!

Posted in Patriotism | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Another first day of school

Posted on August 19, 2013 by minndixiemom
Sophia, left, is in first grade this year; Serina, is in third.

Sophia, left, is in first grade this year; Serina is in third.

With children, you have many firsts: first words, first high-fives, first steps, first ER visits, you get the idea. But you get to repeat one “first” every year. And for children and parents across North Alabama, today was yet another first day of school.

Serina, right, with her third grade teacher Ms. Graham.

Serina, right, with her third grade teacher Ms. Graham.

This morning, I took our two daughters to their most recent first day of school. Serina, 8, kicked off third grade with Ms. Liz Graham, while her sister, Sophia, 6, started first (another first!) grade with Mrs. Chanel Leslie. Both educators full of passion for their work, their students and their school, Huntsville’s Academy for Academics and Arts.

Fortunately, the first day of school seems to be getting much easier for all of us. For starters, both girls woke up on their own, no pulling, pleading or obnoxious singing from either parent necessary. (Sophia, though, got up a tad too early. David thought he heard her rustling around shortly after 4 a.m. No wonder she passed out on the way to school.)

Sophia, right, with her first grader teacher, Mrs. Leslie.

Sophia, right, with her first grader teacher, Mrs. Leslie.

Also, the school supply lists don’t freak me out like they did when Serina started kindergarten. ‘Oh my gosh! They want Elmer’s glue sticks,’ I thought. ‘I only see Rose Art. What to do?’ I was certain teachers failed students for getting the wrong brands. Apparently, these amazing individuals are much more forgiving than I realized.

Back-to-school clothes shopping was also a breeze this year. Each girl got two new pairs of leggings and t-shirts from Target. That’s it. That’s all they needed. That’s all they wanted. In previous years, I dropped big bucks at Gymboree and neither wore any of their new clothes. Turns out they outgrew cutesy very early.

Sophia was so excited for the first day of school, she got up way too early. And fell asleep on the way to first grade.

Sophia was so excited for the first day of school, she got up way too early. And fell asleep on the way to first grade.

But they can’t seem to outgrow cute — not in their parents’ eyes, anyway. We think they get even cuter. Every “first day of school” picture is somehow sweeter than the previous year’s snapshot.

One thing did get more difficult, though. Serina, like all the other third graders, now has to (or “gets to,” depending on perspective) carry a laptop to school everyday. That, along with her backpack, feels like she is “carrying an elephant.”

As someone who had to walk two miles to school, uphill and typically in three feet of Minnesota snow, and wrote papers with a typewriter and a bottle of White-out, I don’t feel sorry for any of them.

But I do wish our precious students and their awesome teachers and support staff the most positive, safe and educationally rich school year possible. May God bless you all!

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Mormor and the grown-up tricycle

Posted on August 14, 2013 by minndixiemom

My mom is my inspiration. In faith, family and fitness. And in perseverance.

At 79, Mormor (the Norwegian equivalent of grandmother, or mother’s mother) is still healthy in mind and spirit. Unfortunately, neuropathy has robbed her of her ability to exercise as she once did — with passion, energy and purpose. When my mom walked, it was as if she were doing exactly what God wired her to do.

From the time I was five, my mom, Sigrun Hovland, walked to and around Lake Nokomis near our house in Minneapolis. Five miles. Every day. Briskly. Powerfully. Purposefully.

She inspired others to get out and be active. Other women would stop on occasion saying, “We have watched you walk for years! You are the reason we started walking.”

When I was 18, I started walking, too, beginning a lifelong commitment to healthy living. She inspired me and I realized God had wired me to do the same thing. When I walked, I too felt God’s pleasure!

But when my mom got older, in her early 60s, she started losing the nerves and muscles in her extremities. She was losing her balance and walking became harder. Not to be deterred or, heaven forbid, sedentary, she started riding a bike. She loved it. She felt free. My mom felt like she was flying!

But her disease progressed and eventually she was unable to maintain her balance on her traditional, 10-speed, two-wheel bicycle.

Again, she would not be deterred. Last summer, Mormor moved down to Huntsville to live with my family and me and has since seen a few other seniors riding three-wheel bikes around our end of town.

Mormor riding her new bike around the track at Challenger.

Mormor riding her new bike around the track at Challenger.

“I want one of those,” she said.

Mormor was like a kid at a toy store. She found the perfect one at Blevins Bicycle Company. It was a Sun adult trike — the only one in stock. They say they sell about one a year. But this one is special. This one now belongs to Mormor. And last night, she tried out her new ride and it gave her fresh wings to fly.

Mormor is once again able to do what she loves. Not on her feet, but on wheels. Three of them. A very special grown-up tricycle that not only gives my mom a new opportunity to exercise, it gives her speed. And me, inspiration.

Ride, Mormor, ride!

Posted in biking, Fitness | Tagged , | 10 Comments

Purpose Driven Life

Posted on July 19, 2013 by minndixiemom

It’s a familiar story for many of us putting in our time on this glorious earth.  I was struggling for a while earlier this year about my purpose in life: What am I supposed to do?

A friend recommended I read Purpose Driven Life by Dr. Rick Warren. I remember when it came out more than 10 years ago. It made headlines and helped thousands, if not millions, of readers find clarity and direction. But not me. I had clarity, or so I thought. Until this spring when I was searching… for something.

Wow! I have gotten so much out of this book and will likely write more on the subject. For now, however, I’ll simply touch on the part that focuses on finding — and using — your spiritual gifts. When I was in Minnesota earlier this month, a friend asked me why I hadn’t been writing. “I don’t know,” I told her.

The truth is, I had lost my inspiration, or at least ignored it.

“Never walk away from your true gifts,” she later said in a text. I cried. The next chapter in the book was on finding and honing your spiritual gifts.

But how do you know what they are? In PDL, Warren explains that you are usually passionate about your spiritual gifts, enjoy using them and can get lost in them. Furthermore, your spiritual gifts are things you are good at. For years, I have written poetry, completely losing track of time while writing. I have been able to express very difficult experiences and emotions through poetry.

After reading the chapters on spiritual gifts and using them for God’s glory, I thought, ‘Why not turn my poetry toward subjects of faith?’

I was inspired to write about temptation, which Warren calls a compliment. “Satan doesn’t have to tempt those already doing his evil will.”

The Devil’s Compliment

Temptation is a compliment;
You’ve lived a godly life.
The devil doesn’t target those
Already on his side.

As soon as you get comfortable
The evil one will strike.
First he’ll plant the seeds of sin
In the soil of your mind.

Next, he’ll wait so patiently
For your sinful thoughts to ripen.
When they grow beyond control;
His grip on you will tighten.

Satan knows the time to pounce,
And put temptation in your life:
Alcohol, idolatry,
Cheating on your husband or your wife.

What the devil doesn’t tell you
Is that indulgence has a price.
You’ll turn your back on all you love,
Including Jesus Christ.

Before you take that final step
Fulfilling dark desires.
Imagine life away from God,
Burned by Satan’s fire.

Cry out loud, in desperation,
God wants to hear your call.
Ask for help, while you still can,
Before you take the fall.

But if you fall, as humans do,
There’s something you should know.
Forgiveness is available.
God’s love and mercies flow.

Jesus died up on that cross
So that we all may live.
Salvation’s ours if we believe
And strive to lead a life like his.

Temptation is one compliment,
I’d rather not accept.
Devil, dance without me,
With faith, I’ll pass God’s test.

***************************

Warren adds that everyone is good at something, hundreds of things, at least. But sometimes, it can take time, effort and quiet introspection to discover one’s spiritual gifts. Once you make that magical discovery, use it! After all, according to Warren, “An unwrapped gift is a wasted gift.”

Posted in Faith | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments