Noise

As a writer and an extroverted introvert (it’s a real thing) I find the noise of life draining, even the good noise. Rushing from one good thing to another, trying to be on time, on point, and always present in the moment eventually depletes every battery. I find I cannot be all things to all people all the time. I can do only a few things well. I’ve learned there’s a fine line between Supergirl and a trainwreck.

Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference was the last week of May. So many writers I admire came to teach the craft of writing, share their knowledge of all things publishing, and most of all encourage each of us and one another to stay the course. It’s my favorite writing conference and I save for it all year.

This year my good friend and critique partner, Abigail Skelton, came all the way from Oregon to attend with me. She’d never been to the southeastern United States, so I picked her up at the Atlanta airport a couple days early and we camped in Cade’s Cove on our way to the conference. She was excited to see the setting for Lois Gladys Leppard’s Mandie books, a favorite of hers as a child. The novels are set in Deep Creek, part of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and Franklin, North Carolina. We were able to spend time in both places.

Our camping trip was a fun adventure. We saw bears, hiked to waterfalls, and made s’mores. The days were cool enough to ward off the mosquitoes, warm enough to see fireflies (she’d never seen them before!), and even though it poured rain the last night we were able to pack up the tent before it hit. A Subaru Forester isn’t a bad choice if you need to sleep in the car, and doing so saved us from having a wet tent to spread in our hotel conference room.

We arrived in Black Mountain for the conference needing a shower. (National Parks have bathrooms but no showers.) We were sharing a room with another writer friend, Molly Jo Realy. She welcomed us, then cleared out so we could unpack and get cleaned up.

Blue Ridge is held at Ridgecrest Conference Center and this year was the 50^th Anniversary of the writer’s conference. The faculty was stellar, the worship time with Russell and Kristi Johnson outstanding, and the time with fellow Christian creatives was exactly as always–like coming home.

We’re all there to learn, but we’re also there to encourage, to catch up, and to pray for each other. “What’s going on in your life and in your writing? What can I do to help?” Those are the conversations you overhear at Clouds Coffee, The Nibble Nook (over really good ice cream), and in all the outdoor spaces where there are swings and rocking chairs in shady places facing mountain views.

There are the Selah and the Foundation writing awards, and of course everyone wants to win, but the best part is the excitement of fellow writers, cheering each other on and genuinely happy for the winners. Blue Ridge is truly a special place. I came home Saturday exhausted but excited for what’s ahead, recharged and ready to dive in again.

Sunday, I decorated my room at church with twinkle lights, planets, stars, and a tent in preparation for Monday’s 1^st and 2^nd Grade Bible Study in our Vacation Bible School, Illumination Station. VBS week is the most non-stop, energetic, noisy, and exhausting week of the year. It’s also the most fun. Seeing kids’ faces light up over learning about Jesus as the Light of the World (John 8:12) was amazing. And I can’t wait until next year. But first, I need a nap.

My local writing group with Lauren Bonds (@laurnabonds on IG), Emily Malcom, and Anna Scarborough, has been busy as well. We’ve been writing together since last fall and have thoroughly enjoyed composing three books of weekly family devotions for our church. It has been a privilege and a pleasure to provide parents a way to encourage their kids in their faith. We’re currently working on a new one for this fall.

After a week of catching up on laundry and chores at home, I’m currently back in North Carolina house/cat-sitting for my oldest. She’s taking a group of her students and parents to Paris and London. As much fun as that sounds and as much as I’d love to go there, right now I just need to sit on the porch, be silent, and listen to birdsong. I need to take a break to reset, recharge, and reflect. Life’s been crazy and I need a retreat from the noise.

In contemplating all the crazy, I find one thing has been a common thread both in the chaos and in the quiet. That one thing has landed me in a good place somewhere between masquerading as Supergirl and ending up a trainwreck. It’s made all the difference.

I’m thankful.
Thankful for family
for friends
for the privilege to pursue a calling I’ve felt since childhood.
I’m thankful for the ability to respond and help when my people need me.
I’m thankful to get to have adventures
and write
and invest in kids.
Most of all, I’m thankful for the One who loves me–loves all of us–enough to care about every little detail of our lives.
When the noise around me is raging
I’ll stop and remember
He’s there.
He loves me.
He forgives me.
He gives me grace.
And because of Him, I want to give that same grace to everyone he puts in my life

being thankful for whatever adventure comes my way
and every good gift He gives.

Happy Summer!

Blessings!