Writing, Life, & Being Thankful

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What a whirlwind this week has been! Right now, I am mini-vacationing at my parents’ home. And when I say “vacation” I mean it in the sense that I am working my tail off on my manuscript for the NaNoWriMo challenge. I just managed to travel to my parents’ house for a change of scenery to do it. (Actually, I have my yearly psoriasis check up with the dermatologist. But since my parents are here, I think I’ll visit them too…)

 

A while back, I wrote a post called The Magnificent Seven, where I shared several people for whom I am thankful. Well, today, I’m feeling pretty thankful, so I thought I would share another installment.

 

The Terrific Three

 

1.       Kimae-Pie

A few weeks ago, I emailed her out of the blue and said, “Have you ever thought about sharing your testimony with a bunch of random strangers? Do you mind if I do?” Without hesitation, she said yes. A couple of weeks later, she Facebooked me 1,400+ words and said, “Feel free to cut it up and take out the unbelievable parts.” Well, I didn’t cut those parts out and I believe that it was a very powerful testimony. If you totally missed it, you can read my introduction here and Kim’s testimony here. I am thankful for her willingness to share her testimony. Mostly, I’m just thankful that she’s my friend.

 

2.       Kimberli Buffaloe (@ksbuffaloe), Stephanie Wetzel (@redclaydiaries), and Bridget Chumbley (@BridgetChumbley)

Well, for starters, it’s all Steph’s fault… The last week of October, she asked me if I was taking part in the NaNoWriMo writing challenge. My answer was something to the effect of: “Are you insane?! I don’t have the time to write 50,000 words in the month of November!” But she was going to give it a shot and wanted somebody to suffer through it—I mean, enjoy it with her and support her. So, after she said Please and promised me some Skittles (the sour ones, not the regular ones), I said Yes and signed up. Within hours, Steph and I had also peer-pressured Bridget, her daughter, and her mother into doing it.

 

Now, I’m 12 days into this thing and I’m admittedly behind (though I have broken the one-quarter mark at 12,500 words). It has been complete and utter lunacy, but I’ll also admit that it has mostly been a BLAST! (Except at 1 AM on Sunday morning when I was writing in the kitchen, wearing headphones, thinking I was the only one awake, and was writing a suspenseful scene. My brother walked into the kitchen and scared the pure tee stuffing out of me!)

 

Once I’d signed up, I sent a message to Kimberli saying, “I think I’ve lost my mind!” She agreed with me and then signed on as my #1 NaNo cheerleader. She has advised me, encouraged me, and prayed me through migraines. When I get through with NaNo, I think I might have to bake a butter cake for her and her sweet husband…

 

3.       Mama and Ruby

Some of y’all “met” my Mom and her best friend, Ruby, in my posts “Act Your Age” and “The Girls’ Road Trip…” but just in case you missed those, I can describe my Mother in one word. Childlike. She’s really a joy to hang out with because she loves an adventure and loves to laugh.

 

Recently, as I have been climbing out of my minor detour into depression, I can’t tell you what a God-send it has been to have Mama and Ruby to drag me out of my doldrums to go PLAY… jigsaw puzzles and trips to the beach and Grande Mocha Frappucinos at Starbucks and phone conversations about poetry. I’m so thankful for them!

 

On a final note…

 

I intended to do a Veteran’s Day post this week, but honestly, all of the patriotic holidays have been very emotional for me since my Granddaddy passed away in 1999. (I know, it’s been ten years and I’ve got to get over it…) So, I just couldn’t get it together to do one. With Bridget Chumbley’s permission, I’m going to borrow back the comment that I left on her blog, in her comments as my tribute to veterans.

 

My Granddaddy, PFC Jesse Cloman Staton, Sr., was in “The Glorious Corps” during WWII and was wounded on Okinawa. Those were the proudest years of his life and they made him who he was. Until the day he died, his house was always covered with little flags (stuck in flower arrangements, in between books on the bookshelves, wedged into the corners of picture frames) and he never failed to stand in silence during the playing of the national anthem (or the Marine Corps Hymn). For all of the years of his life, he would never walk past a man with a buzzed hair cut without stopping him and saying, “Son, are you one of Uncle Sam’s finest? Are you in the Glorious Corps?” And if they said yes, he’d say, “I am too. WWII. Now, did you go to Parris Island or Pendleton?” And then he’d always end the conversation by saying, “Thank you, Son. Thank you.” And bless their hearts, I never saw a single one of those men shun him, ignore him, or mistreat the dignified, white-haired stranger.

 

In honor of him, I’d like to say thank you to all veterans…. Not just on Veteran’s Day…. But on EVERY day. Semper Fi and God bless you all!

About Sarah Salter

Comments

  1. First, sorry I’ve been a total loser in the NaNoWriMo challenge. I will continue to root you on, but I’m pretty much a total flake and should have known I couldn’t fit it in. You have inspired me to do some writing… which I really need to do.
    You keep going… you are awesome, girlie.

    Second, I’m so glad you ‘borrowed’ back the comment you left on my blog… it was very special and I’m glad you posted it here!

  2. Very nice. And while you’re being thankful, pop over to http://www.everydaytestimony.com and leave a note of gratitude. 🙂 Just sayin’!

  3. I am going to attempt NaNoProWhatchamacallit in January. Longer month (by one day) and no holidays to prepare for. 🙂
    I think I’ll borrow your idea and write about whom I am grateful for during Thanksgiving Week…

  4. That’s so sweet! And I’m thankful for you, for your encouragement (even when you didn’t know you were encouraging me) and for your humor. I’ll take you up on that butter cake–if you make it to at least 40k before the end of the month! Need help? I’ll give you a sour Skittle for every one hundred words you write. Ha!

  5. Thanks for the shout-out! I’m glad my pestering got you motivated. Like Bridget, I am not proud of what I’ve gotten done on nano. But I love encouraging you in it.

    Go Sarah Go!!!

  6. Thank you 🙂 Thank you for your love, encouragement, true friendship, and avenue in which to share my testimony for the first time ever. You are an amazing vessel of God…

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