Non-fiction

If We Care Enough . . .

| Sandra Pavloff Conner

GOLIAH - GOSPEL GIFS

I know people — and I’ve read much about others — who are stuck in a terribly hurtful, life-destroying situation, but seem to do nothing about getting out of it or changing it. So many of those people fail to act because they see themselves as victims — people who have no options. They feel they are just not brave enough to pay the price it might cost to effect real change. What they don’t understand is this truth:  A majority of the people in this world who have brought down evil, hurtful, life-destroying situations have not been brave people. They have been people who cared.

Sometimes taking a stand and fighting against what’s hurtful and wrong has nothing to do with courage. It has to do with caring enough to do the right thing.

 

 

 

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Why is WordPress De-Railing Our Readers?

| Sandra Pavloff Conner

WOMAN SCORNEDWhat is it with WordPress’ sending readers to a page that is NOT OUR ACTUAL BLOG SITE? Have you noticed that when you see the posts in your Reader,  and click on the post title, WP does NOT take you to the post on that person’s blog?  They take you to a generic page that has the post you’re looking for — and even the blog owner’s gravatar — but it’s NOT their actual site.

If a blogger clicks on the words “Visit site,” they get taken to the site, but if they click on the post itself, they do not.

Why on earth do we put so much time and attention into making our sites look exactly like we want them to look, and have widgets set up a certain way, etc. so people will notice specific things on our site — and why choose a specific theme or particular colors, etc. — if readers ARE NOT GOING TO SEE THEM????? The logic is inscrutable.

You’ll notice the use of capital letters. It’s something I tell all my creative writing students to avoid doing. And the fact that I’ve used them is indicative of how aggravated I am. I asked WP about it in an e-mail, but no answer.  So I decided to vent right here. Whew!  I feel better.  🙂  🙂  🙂

 

Daily Post Prompt: Inscrutable

 

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Trash Talk — I Need to Monitor Comments

| Sandra Pavloff Conner

KNIGHT IN ARMOR CLIPARTJust want to let my regular readers know that I’m going to have to start monitoring and approving comments for the foreseeable future. I haven’t done that since the very first year of this website. I’ve allowed people to comment freely, and I’ve had almost no spam or unacceptable trash in those comments. However, the past two weeks I’ve had a number of totally off-the-wall and trashy things posted in my comments section — things totally unrelated to the post itself.

So, although 99% of my visitors are still very dependable when it comes to reasonable and polite comments, I don’t want to give opportunities for these few “crazies” out there to post things that would confuse or even offend readers in general. As most of you know I am not a “politically correct” journalist, so the problem has nothing to do with political correctness. It has to do with comments that are ludicrous or trashy — or are obvious attention grabbers in order to lure people to the commentor’s  site. I think it’s time I put up a shield and start standing guard for a while.

Sorry about this change, and I hope those of you who comment for the right reasons will continue to comment a lot. I’ll try to stay on top of approving them as quickly as possible.

 

 

 

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Share Your World 1/15/18

| Sandra Pavloff Conner

To participate in “Share Your World,” visit Cee’s website for the details.
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Question # 1: Complete this sentence: I’m looking forward to….

Heaven

Question # 2: What is your favorite comfort snack food? 

Chocolate chip cookies

Question # 3: What was one of your first moneymaking jobs (other than babysitting or newspaper delivery)?

Working in an ice cream stand

Question # 4:  What inspired you or what did you appreciate this past week? 

As a writer and a creative writing teacher, I am constantly on the alert for really good advice on writing of any kind. I don’t want to hear cliches and worn-out rules that don’t really get to the meat of how to write better. So when I come across fellow creators who are truly genuine and transparent about their craft and how they use their gifts for that craft, I stop and listen, and, inevitably, I’m inspired. I had that experience this week when I watched an interview with author/teacher Marion Roach Smith. I’ve included the link to that video here in case some of my readers who are also writers might like to check it out.

 

 

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Weekend Coffee Share – 1/13/18

| Sandra Pavloff Conner

COFFEE - BRIGHT YELLOW PXBY - seagul
Hi, fellow coffee drinkers. Well, to begin with this week, I need to confess that I am not drinking coffee as we have this little chat. I’m actually drinking a glass of beer. Does that count??? Now, I’m not a big drinker, and I never drink alcohol of any kind if I’m driving. But I do enjoy the occasional glass of wine or beer. And today — with my sandwich at lunch — beer just seemed like the winner.

I’m also enjoying the first day of sunshine that we’ve had in a week. Of course, I’m not going out in it, since the temps are frigid, and the ice on the roads is still really bad. I imagine the major highways are clear, but getting to them from our local and side roads is the challenge. But I don’t have to go out for anything today. I stocked up a few extra supplies so that I could hunker down if necessary.

Now tomorrow is a different story. I’m supposed to do the sermon at church in the morning — actually it’s the second part of the sermon I began last Sunday — and my church is about 30 miles away. Sooooo — I’m going to have to do some more praying and planning about travel tomorrow.

To make matters more difficult, I’ve been having trouble with my car heater as well. It’s been working only about half the time. That wasn’t a serious problem last week when it was in the 40’s and 50’s. But this week with single digits at night and in the wind chill during the day, it’s a sort of — uh — well, maybe a big — problem.  There are a couple church members who would come to get me, but I don’t really want them to have to do that, so I’ll have to make some decisions within the next several hours.

The sun on the ice and snow is pretty, and it has lifted my spirits enormously. I’ve even manged to write two poems today and about half a chapter of a book I started several months ago and have had a hard time continuing.

After I lost my best friend back in August in a very tragic accident, I had a very difficult time getting back into my creative mode. Not only was he my best friend, but he was also my best editor and often a source of great inspiration and terrific creative ideas. We were a really good team, and I have several novels on the market to prove it. But, as I’m sure you can imagine — and perhaps some of you know by experience — when half of a team is deleted, the spirit of the remaining half of the team is sorely damaged. During this time, I’ve been able to express myself only in poetry, and I even began a brand new website devoted to poetry in order to set that creativity free. But I have not been able to write on any of my novel projects during these four and a half months. But at last, this week, I have experienced a breakthrough of sorts, and two novels are beginning to feel the positive effects of that breakthrough.

Well, that’s probably enough sharing for this week. I can see by the clock that in another hour, I’ll probably be ready for that cup of coffee and maybe some cookies — or fruitcake. And, by the way, why is it that fruitcake seems to get a lot of bad publicity?  I love fruitcake. And mine’s almost gone. I hope I don’t have to wait until next Christmas to find some more.

Oh, one more thing. I discovered something interesting about birds this morning. With all the ice, I wanted to help the birdies find food, and since I don’t keep a regular bird feeder, I went to my bread and cracker supplies. I have quite a few birds that visit my yard, and often two families of birds that live in my Blue Spruce tree in my front yard. This year I’ve had mockingbirds, cardinals, blue jays, blackbirds, and another kind that I don’t recognize.

I put out some bread and some graham crackers, but then I discovered an old box of garlic and chive crackers. I decided I’d give them a try as well. The smaller birds didn’t bother with those garlic crackers. They ate the other things, but a large contingent of blackbirds came swooping down and really dug into those garlic and chive crackers. They were gone in no time. So now I know — and I can put it on record — that blackbirds like garlic and chive crackers. A friend of mine who’s very knowledgeable about birds said the big birds will eat just about anything. So I just might go in there and see what else I need to clean out of my cabinets.  🙂

 

photo courtesy of seagul @ pixabay.com

Join “Weekend Coffee Share” at eclecticali.

 

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Weekend Coffee Share, 1/6/18

| Sandra Pavloff Conner

COFFEE CUPS -- 5

If we were having coffee today, January 6, 2018, I’d remark on the fact that way back in the 1950’s, when I was still in elementary school, we would never have dreamed that we’d still be right here on planet earth in 2018 and involved in such amazing technology that we can communicate with thousands of people at one time and in just a matter of seconds. How cool is that????

I’d also remark on the fact that the 12 Days of Christmas came to a close yesterday, and I enjoyed the extended celebration. I always do. Christmas should not last just a few days. It deserves much more. Today is Epiphany. For those of you who are not familiar with that celebration — or even with that word — it means “a revelation or a showing forth of something not realized previously.” In the church, it is generally the time when Christians celebrate the revelation of the Gospel to the Gentile nations — and the visit of the oriental wise men is generally the focus of many of the church services and messages.

Actually the wise men did not visit Jesus and His family until about two years after He was born. We sort of throw it all together these days when we do Christmas programs. But giving that part of the history of Jesus’ birth its own special place in our celebrations helps us focus on and appreciate God’s wonderful gift to all the nations on earth equally.

I’d also mention — as did Trent — that it is bitterly cold outside. Of course, here in Southern Illinois, we don’t have it as bad as he does up in Vermont. But it’s definitely hard to keep the houses warm — even the very well insulated ones. And I noticed that Alli (our hostess for this coffee share) commented on the fact that she seemed to sleep a lot this week and during the holidays. I did too. I think a lot of that has to do with the extreme cold. It uses up a lot of our energy. And, of course, holiday festivities with family and friends takes a good deal of energy as well. All my holiday festivities were great fun, but I am glad for some time to wind down now.

Today I visited with some friends for the afternoon. It was really great to touch bases with them and just share in their quiet home, enjoying a cup of coffee and some delicious nutty cheese spread on crackers. So, yes, I did have coffee with friends today for real. And not only that, but my hostess today gave me the cup that she had served me coffee in. It was a jolly Christmas cup that sort of resembled a round Christmas ornament. I was thrilled when she served my coffee in it and said so, which prompted her to make it a gift to me. I’d show you a picture of it, but it’s in the sink waiting to be washed.

Oh, I might also tell you that I had to buy a new printer this week, and now I have 30 days to check it out and make sure it’s exactly what I need. I hope it is. It’s such a hassle to buy new ones, get them installed, try to find the user’s guides online and then try to understand that guide thoroughly. I don’t want to have to do that again for a good long time, so here’s hoping and planning for this Epson WorkForce 2760 to be my “perfect printer.”

And here’s wishing you all a blessed Epiphany and a wonderful, healthy, and successful 2018.

 

 

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Chocolate for Christmas — Day 8 (Christmas Eve)

| Sandra Pavloff Conner

HOT CHOCOLATE - CLEAR - Skeeze - PX

I have to do one post that features hot chocolate. And what better time than Christmas Eve. Hey, if you’re feeling really festive, you might even want to leave some for Santa.

This post will close out my “Chocolate for Christmas” series. Hope all of you chocolate lovers out there get a whole lot of chocolate for Christmas.  🙂

 

photo courtesy of Skeeze @ pixabay.com

 

 

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Weekend Coffee Share 12/23/17

| Sandra Pavloff Conner

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If we were having coffee today — and we were at my house — we’d be using Christmas mugs because I love them, and I have LOTS of them. I’d also probably say I couldn’t visit more than a few minutes because I have more things on my schedule than I have hours to give to them.  But I can honestly say I’m not feeling too stressed about it.

There was a time in my life when I would have been very stressed, but these days (I’m sure it’s by the grace of God) I seem to be able to take more things in stride and not beat up on myself if I don’t accomplish every single thing on my agenda. And I concern myself a lot less with other people’s opinions of me as well. My goodness, it’s a freeing experience. I think that comes partly with age. I guess I feel I’m old enough to have earned the rest from social pressure.

I would also tell you that I’m trying to figure out how someone who absolutely loves Christmas and has been counting down the days since October can be on the threshold of Christmas Eve and still not have the Christmas towels on the towel racks and no goodies baked.  Yep, I’m describing myself. That’s me this year.

Well, actually, I do know part of the answer to that question. It’s because of the remodel I just went through on my house. (I’ve been able to blame a lot of stuff on the upheaval caused by that remodel. But before long that excuse is going to run out of fuel). But — no kidding — spending two months with a house full of men and equipment — who kept turning off my power and moving me out of my office and away from my computers — caused me to get way behind in my work. And since I’ve had so much work to catch up with, I’ve had to put several of my Christmas plans on a back burner. But I’m gradually getting it all done.

And one thing in my favor is that I celebrate the 12 Days of Christmas — not with the song by that name — but in the traditional Christian celebration of the Lord’s birth from December 25 to January 6 (Epiphany). So that means I can wait until Christmas Day to really get started and still have almost two weeks to enjoy it all.

One more thing I’d likely do if we were having coffee is present you with a really cute coffee mug. In fact, I did just that with a friend I had coffee with this morning. We hadn’t been able to meet and visit for months, so we stole some time out of this morning to do that. She loves coffee, as I do. This week I came across a brand new coffee mug in a store that I frequent. On both sides of the cup were these words: “But first … coffee.” It fit my friend perfectly. It fits me as well. And if you and I were having coffee, that would mean you love coffee too, so I think you’d enjoy receiving a cup like that. I know I would. Hey … maybe I’ll go buy myself one too. 🙂

Hope you all have a very merry and healthy Christmas!

 

Visit “Weekend Coffee Share” to participate and share you thoughts.

 

 

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Chocolate for Christmas – Day 6

| Sandra Pavloff Conner

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Chocolate chip cookies and fudge have to be the standards by which all other Christmas treats are judged. They were two things that my mother always made PLENTY of.  We always liked the old fashioned cocoa fudge. It took longer and was more tedious to make than the kind made with chocolate chips, and Mom always stirred in a huge spoonful of peanut butter just before she poured it into the pan to cool.

FUDGE -ed. - Pixel -- PX

For many years, my mother and I had our own special tradition concerning that fudge. On Christmas Eve morning, she and I always sat down together to have fudge and coffee for breakfast.

 

photos courtesy of Pixel1 @ pixabay.com

 

 

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Chocolate for Christmas – Day 5

| Sandra Pavloff Conner

HERSHEY BAR - Janeb13 -- PX

It’s probably safe to say that the ‘first family’ of chocolate in the U. S. A. is Hershey. And ever since they created the first “Hershey chocolate bar” for WWII soldiers on the battlefield, they’ve held a special place in the hearts of chocolate lovers everywhere. The bars created for the soldiers didn’t taste nearly as good as the ones we eat today. Their purpose during the war was to provide nutrition in emergency situations, and they were made to hold up under extreme conditions so that they lasted for entire campaigns. You can read more about the history of Hershey’s chocolate bars HERE.

 

photo courtesy of Janeb13 @ pixabay.com

 

 

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A Happy Plug for a Happy Little Book

| Sandra Pavloff Conner

RALPH'S AMAZON COVER - frontA great friend and ministry colleague of mine, Pastor Ralph Brandon, has written a book of uplifting, life-enriching devotions, and it has recently become available on Amazon.

Ralph has served the Lord for more than 45 years as a pastor, professional Christian counselor, and founder and administrator of a large Christian school. He is also a columnist for two newspapers, and those columns have been so popular that his readers began to clamor for him to put those articles into a book.

So a few years ago, he did so. The book Stories From the Sunnyside of Life, offers a unique look at truths from God’s Word. What makes them unique is that he’s wrapped up these truths in stories filled with the “down-home” humor from his life experiences since childhood, growing up in a little hamlet known locally as “Sunnyside.” I’m going to let him tell you about his work in his own words below.
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“Nestled deeply into the southern portion of the state of Illinois, USA, is a little hamlet known as Sunnyside. I grew up there, and my wife Barbara and I still make our home there today. 

“That little hamlet — and the wonderful people who have populated it — have molded me in multiple ways, so it’s only natural that as I go about the work I’ve been assigned in this world — pastoring, professional counseling, teaching and administrating Christian schools — I find myself applying years of Sunnyside experiences to those endeavors. 

“So years ago, when I began writing a column for two local newspapers, I found myself sharing Sunnyside in my lessons and exhortations in those columns. As a result, readers began requesting me to put those articles into a book, and I finally complied. My first book “Stories From the Sunnyside of Life” is the result. 

“Early in my life, I discovered that the Lord has evidently given me a gift for comedy, and, to my joy, He has made much use of that gift as an asset in carrying out my work in every part of my service to Him. He’s made significant use of that gift in my writing. I love sharing the powerful, life-changing truths from God’s Word, and when I can offer those truths and lessons wrapped up in some of the “down-home” humor of life in Sunnyside, it’s a great delight. I’ve been thrilled and grateful to see how popular the first book is, and I’m looking forward to offering a second volume of similar stories in 2018.

“The Word of God says in Acts 17:26 that He “appointed … the boundaries of our habitation.” I thank God that He chose the boundaries of my habitation to be Sunnyside. The stories I share are not mine alone. They belong to all of those wonderful people.”
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Ralph will be putting out a second volume of similar stories this year, but if you’d like to check out Book # 1, you can find it in digital or paperback HERE.

I hope many of you read it and find it a boost to your life and your faith.

 

 

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Chocolate for Christmas – Day 4

| Sandra Pavloff Conner

`CHOCOLATE CAKE W. STRAWBERRY - leoalenkar - PX

You see those strawberries on top? That makes this a fruit dessert. So there’s no guilt.

 

 

photo courtesy of leoalenkar @ pixabay.com

Christmas is Calling

| Sandra Pavloff Conner

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Calling?   Did you say create a post about “Calling”???  Well, that is absolutely perfect timing, because it just so happens that my Christmas website: Merry Christmas World!, is located at a domain address with the words “christmas is calling” as the main part of the address.

So —— my post today is to provide a link to that Christmas website and hope that all my readers enjoy their visit to MERRY CHRISTMAS WORLD!

 

Daily Post Prompt: Calling

Chocolate for Christmas – Day 3

| Sandra Pavloff Conner

CHOCOLATE DIPPED MARSHMALLOW - Stux - PX
When my sister and I were kids, my dad made chocolate dipped marshmallows every Christmas for years.
They always had two coats of chocolate.
MMMMMMMmmmmmmmm!
Never had any others as good as his.

 

photo courtesy of Stux @ pixabay.com

 

 

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