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issue

The Road to Fulfilling Your Bucket List by Tiffany Byram

Take a Step Back by Rosemary Thomas

Gibson's Natural Grocer

Chris Broussard Shelley Duran Barbara Ellis Durbin Winnie Griggs Wesley Harris Liz Hines Ashley Maddox Jason McReynolds Rachel Pardue Judith Roberts Chalaine Scott Melissa Teoulet Rosemary Thomas April Warford Timmons Darla Upton

Jonquil Jubilee by Joyce Lilly

5 Things by Kathy B Nelson

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The Minute Magazine is distributed throughout Caddo, Bossier, Claiborne, Bienville, Ouachita, Webster, & Lincoln Parishes in Louisiana. They are FREE for you to enjoy. Take some to your friends, relatives or anyone else who needs a refreshing, enlightening â&#x20AC;&#x153;minute.â&#x20AC;? Copyright 2015. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be copied or reproduced without permission. The Minute Magazine cannot be responsible for unsolicited materials. The editorial content of The Minute is prepared in accordance with the highest standards of journalistic accuracy. Readers are cautioned, however, not to use any information from the magazine as a substitute for expert opinion, technical information or advice. The Minute cannot be responsible for negligent acts, errors and omissions. The opinions expressed in The Minute are those of our writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. The publisher has the right to accept or reject any advertising and / or editorial submitted.

am so thankful for a brand new year. At this moment in my life I feel that anything is possible. Brand new babies will do that to you. My husband and I welcomed our newest son Deason into the world on December 16th. Babies also help you prioritize and determine the things that are really important to you. Now is the perfect time for me to reorganize my bucket list and start marking things off. I hope you will join me in putting your own bucket list together and making those goals a priority in 2015. Wishing you joy and happiness in this new year. May you strive to encourage, enlighten, and inspire those around you through your words and actions and may this year be your best yet!

Tiffany Byram 5

e always have the best of intentions at the start of each new year. We tell ourselves that this time will be different, that this go around we will have the strength and willpower to stick with the same list of resolutions we've been trying to complete for years. You can always find the same things on those lists. Travel more, lose weight, save money, quit that bad habit, exercise, etc and so on. What do all of these things have in common? The answer is easy. They can be found on almost everyone's "bucket list." A bucket list is a list of goals, accomplishments, and experiences you want to have in life before "kicking the bucket." Some things on the list can be a little crazy like milking a poisonous snake. Others are easy like writing a love letter. Some are logical like buying a house. A few are improbable like winning the lottery. Each bucket list is as unique as its creator. Having such a list is a great way to stay focused on living life to the fullest. A bucket list can help ensure that you always have things to strive for in life. At the same time, a bucket list can be pretty pointless if all we ever do is add things to it and never check any off. Bucket lists are basically a to do list with no time limit. That's why it's so important to figure out how to incorporate your list into your schedule.

2015 is the year of the bucket list. It's time to get it together, to step it up a notch. Write it down. Prioritize. Figure out what you can check off your bucket list this year and DO IT. Nothing is impossible. The word itself says I'm possible. The first step to completing your bucket list is to actually make one! After you've created your initial list keep brainstorming and when an idea pops in your head add it to your list or save it in your phone to add later. The next step is to categorize. Put like items together. Travel goes with travel. Wish list items

like meeting your favorite movie star and writing a hit song can be put together. Attainable goals like reorganizing your closets and destressing your life can be put on your "do now" list. You will need to put some genuine thought into your bucket list.... and then put even more thought into what things you can check off in 2015. When you use your bucket list as a map it will help you chart a course in life, giving you a clear path to follow. But keep in mind that although the path may be clear, the road to fullfilling your bucket list can be difficult. One easy way to get on the right path is to prioritize. Your list will have lots of different types of goals. Some are easier than others. Riding an elephant might be a little harder to accomplish in North Louisiana than eating more vegetables. Consider starting a savings account for your bucket list. Would you rather have your weekly starbucks or actually ride on that elephant in a few years? Small changes now can add up to some pretty big adventures in the future. Another way to find direction through your bucket list is to focus. Make your goals a priority and make an effort each week or month to complete at least one task from you list. This will help you stay motivated. A bucket list is a great tool to reenergize. When the day to day pressures begin to overwhelm you, take a minute to look through your list and see if there is something you can do to help refresh you. (Adding reward items to you list like going to the spa should do the trick.) It is so easy to get caught up in our routine and so difficult to break out of it. That's why a bucket list is so great. You've already done the work of figuring out what is important to you. Now you just need to pick something from the list and do it.

It is important to be HONEST with yourself. This is YOUR list. Anyone can add get fit, save money, and take a dream vacation to their bucket list. But it is important to go one step further and actually begin to check things off that list. Good luck and keep this quote from Henry Ford in mind: "Whether you think you can, or think you can't, you're right."

My 2015 Bucket List

Whether you

think you can,

or think you can't,

you're right. Henry Ford

ice cream & other things that should be discussed

written by Ashley Maddox Relationships: The Price of Admission

recently watched a youtube video about relationships. The speaker discussed how every relationship has a price of admission. For example, my husband leaves empty water bottles all over our house and it drives me absolutely crazy. However, I am willing to deal with this because I accept the fact that he is not going to change and I love him. Therefore, I will pay the “price of admission” to continue our relationship. In return, my husband deals with my lack of skill in the kitchen and the fact that I never pull my car up far enough in the driveway. That is his “price of admission” for being with me. (Please note that there are many more prices of admission that we pay for each other but there is not enough time or space to list all of those items out). We all start out with this idea of our perfect match. Tall, muscular, witty, smart, Johnny Depp, or whatever other adjectives you may use. So many times we forget to look at our imperfect selves while we are looking for our

perfect match. We get blinded by our ideals and forget that since we are not perfect we can’t be someone’s perfect match either. It is the acceptance of each other’s imperfections that make relationships work. We also have to accept our own imperfections to make a relationship work. When you convince yourself you are perfect, the fall from your pedestal is going to be earth shattering. Now, I am not saying be hard on yourself. Let me give you an example. As mentioned earlier, I am very inept in the kitchen. There are only about 5 things I can make and even when I am making them I am a nervous wreck. I splatter spaghetti sauce everywhere, I panic when things start to boil. I am a huge mess in the kitchen but I accept that

about myself. I could get in the kitchen and practice and learn how to cook and be confident. Here’s the thing: I don’t want to. I have accepted the fact that I am not good in the kitchen and my husband has known it since the day we met. He also knows that I have no desire to change. He accepts this about me and I don’t try to stress myself out being someone I am not. It really goes back to being honest with ourselves and our significant others. You have to know yourself and you have to know what you can handle in someone else. While there is a price of admission for being with someone, we also pay a price when we pretend to be someone we are not.

Ashley is originally from North Louisiana but now resides in New Orleans, Louisiana. Her experiences growing up in the country and being transplanted to the big city give her a unique perspective into life's quirks and hilarities. She is active in the New Orleans lifestyle and she has a great group of friends from which to draw her inspiration. She is a member of the Krewe of Nyx, attends numerous Mardi Gras Balls, runs, and enjoys reading and ice cream. She is married to her loving husband Jerry (who may or may not have written this bio).

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Written By: Rosemary Thomas

simple. We can develop new habits. We can think outside the box. We can change ourselves and become who we want to be.

Let's

get right to it. Like it or not (and of course we don’t)… Admit it or not (and of course we won’t)... our time is limited. We waste so much of it doing things we don’t want to do. We get stuck. We become people we don’t really know anymore. We are stuck in jobs we don’t like, activities we don’t enjoy and routines that do nothing to enhance our lives. We have reasons. We don’t have time, we don’t have money, we don’t have energy. We have obligations and responsibilities and so we plod along like little ponies walking in a circle giving rides at children’s birthday parties. But I am here to say that it doesn’t have to be that way. I realize that all of us will not be able to quit our jobs and run off to a life full of adventure. That is not what this is about. Maybe we can’t quit our jobs, someone still has to take care of the kids and the aging parents, and we still have to pay the bills and mow the grass and cook dinner.

I do love a list, so this is a list of some ideas to help you look at your life from a slightly different angle. See if any of them resonate with you. See how many you can adapt to fit into your life. Make your own list. Never stop trying. Never stop looking at yourself. Never stop growing. We aren’t here long. Live with joy. Live with intention.

1. Start every day as a new day.

Every day should be a fresh start. Don’t be held back by yesterday or the day before. Get up and get going and try again. Use positive selftalk in the mirror every day. Let go of an unhappy past. Set it free. That past heartbreak, disappointment, grief belongs to yesterday.

2. Quit complaining.

Stop it. Now. Remember what your Mom told you. Quit complaining about your job or your family or your health. No one really wants to hear it. I promise they don’t.

Living our life to the fullest requires a big 3. Live more consciously every day. Don’t just through the motions. Try to do something different – out shift in perspective. Take one giant step go of your routine – several times a week. Look, we aren’t taking backwards and view you life through the eyes about sky-diving on your way home from work. What is your routine every day when you get home from work? Do you of a stranger. It is up to US to create a life automatically turn on the TV? Well, don’t. Leave it off a couple of days a week and read a book, or play a game with your that we love. We can't give that power to our family. Take a walk. Just do something different. spouse, our children, our pastor, our friends, Hold yourself to a higher standard. Each teachers, boss, siblings, or anyone else. Only 4. of us has our own set of ethics, principles and moral codes. Live true to them every day. If your co-worker tells a sexists WE can create our best life. or racists joke, don’t laugh. Instead, let them know that you We can do that through being conscious of what we do and why. I think so much of what we do is just habit. Plain and

found it offensive. Think consciously about what you believe is right and wrong for you, and be true to that.

10. Hang out with people that help you be your best self. Spend time with people that you can look up to

and those that have the qualities you admire. Don’t spend your precious, precious time with those that encourage your worst qualities to bubble up.

11. Help someone. Volunteer. Help your friends or family.

Do a kind deed. Do it because you want to with an open heart and no expectation of anything in return. It can turn your whole day or week or life around.

12. Declutter. Start small.

Unclutter your drawers, your computer, your purse your wallet, your home. Get rid of unused stuff. Get rid of clothes that don’t fit, papers you don’t need, objects you don’t use. Clutter clouds up more than your space. It crowds out creativity and calm.

13. Be focused on the Big Picture.

Don’t get bogged down or discouraged in the little stuff. Life is messy. It is frustrating. Accept that. Deal with it, let it go, and move on.

14. Relish the little moments.

How much do you love to snuggle by a fire on a rainy day? What about sitting in the sun on a cool spring day? Playing fetch with a dog? Listening to a cat purr? There are MILLIONS of little things we can find absolute joy in if we tune in and pay attention.

15. Laugh more.

Hang out with people that make you laugh. Read things that make you laugh. Don’t be afraid to laugh. Laugh loud. It makes other people laugh. How many times have you laughed only because you heard someone else laugh? Be that person.

5. Stop putting your life on hold.

Is one of your life goals to go to France? OK, so you can’t go now or even this year, but maybe you can start learning French. Maybe you can learn to cook French food. Bring some part of that goal into your life today. (Take a look at my column on the next page for some easy recipes for a wonderful French meal to get you started on your journey to Paris!)

6. Don't do things for the sake of doing them. Evaluate your actions. Do you no longer enjoy a social group or outing? Try something new. Don’t keep doing things just because.

7. Be empathetic and compassionate.

Try to see things from someone else’s perspective. Be kind in your thoughts about others. Don’t badmouth other people. If you don’t like something about someone, either say it to their face or don’t say it to anyone. If someone is gossiping about someone else, don’t participate and instead change the subject. Don’t criticize or judge others. Who knows why they are as they are. Accept them and leave it alone.

8. Embrace and express gratitude.

16. Remember you have a choice. You have a

choice in who you want to be and in how you are going to react to any situation. Choose wisely. Look at yourself honestly. Not to be critical of yourself, but to know where you are now and where you want to be.

17. Get into nature.

Even if you are not an “outdoors” person, get yourself outside. You don’t have to go wilderness camping, but take a walk in a park. Really (really) look at a tree. Listen to the bird. Be amazed at the miracles all around you.

18. Love yourself. You are amazing and totally unique.

You are you and no one else can say that. Be proud of you. If you are not proud of you, become someone you can be proud of. You have the power to become anyone you want to be.

19. Love others. We are all in this mess together.

Be patient with others. We are all trying – some are succeeding, some struggling. Take inspiration from the successes, and boost up those still getting there.

20. Love life.

We all have SO much to be grateful for. Focus on that. Glorify that. Express that sense of gratitude to others. There is always a choice in how you look at even the worst of circumstances. There is a positive force surrounding gratitude. Let the force be with you.

Like I said, we aren’t here long. This may very well be our last day. This may very well be the last day of someone we love. Love the journey. Love the trials and tribulations and disappointments along with the glory days. This is it. Embrace it.

9. Let go of unhealthy relationships. If you have

I am going to make 2015 the BEST YEAR OF MY LIFE. That is my big goal. My little goals include everything from reaching my ideal weight, opening up a soup kitchen and completing my house remodel. The list is endless, the possibilities are endless and my enthusiasm is endless. I hope 2015 is the best year of your life too! Let's do this together.

friends that are overly critical or people in your life that are negative or dishonest or do not respect you, maybe it’s time to set them free. You don’t have to disown them and never speak to them again, but limit your interactions with them.

a fresh perspective from rosemary's kitchen

written by Rosemary Thomas This is a continuation of Rosemary's Feature Article on page 12. ----------------------------------------------------

Friseé With Bacon and Soft-Cooked Eggs

The soft egg yolks blend with the warm vinegar mixture to form a rich dressing for this classic French salad. Serves 4 8 large eggs 4 slices bacon 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon olive oil 4 cups frisée, torn 4 cups radicchio, torn black pepper Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Gently add the eggs and cook for 6 minutes; rinse under cold water and peel. In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp, 7 to 9 minutes; remove, crumble, and set aside. Add the vinegar and olive oil to the bacon drippings and stir to combine. Place the frisée and radicchio in a medium bowl. Add the warm dressing and toss to combine. Serve topped with the eggs, bacon, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. ----------------------------------------------------

Pan-Seared Steak Au Poivre

Create an easy pan sauce using beef broth, cognac, and butter to add a luxurious touch to the pepper-crusted steaks. Serves 4 4 small filet mignons, 1-inch thick 1 tablespoon cracked black peppercorns 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 cup beef broth 1/4 cup cognac (optional) 2 tablespoons butter, cut into 4 pieces

Pat each filet mignon dry with paper towels, then sprinkle each side with the pepper.

Additional items: Strainer (Sieve) Kitchen Blowtorch (optional)

Heat a heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, on the stovetop over medium-high heat until a few drops of water dance across the surface. Add the oil, then the steaks, and cook 3 to 4 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary so the oil stays hot but does not smoke. Turn the steaks and cook until small drops of red juice come to the surface, about 5 minutes for medium. Transfer to a platter and keep warm.

Preheat oven to 275°. In a small pan, bring cream, 2 tbsp. sugar, vanilla bean, and salt just to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Remove and discard vanilla bean.

Add the broth to the skillet over high heat and scrape up any browned bits. Pour in the cognac (if desired). Boil 1 to 2 minutes to burn off the alcohol. Remove the skillet from the heat. Whisk in the butter, one piece at a time, until melted. Pour the sauce over the steaks. Serve with mashed potatoes or seasoned roasted “French” fries.

Divide custard between 4 shallow gratin dishes (each about 1/2 cup in capacity). Place dishes in a baking pan, then place pan in oven. Pour enough cold water into pan to come about halfway up sides of dishes. Bake until custards set, 30-35 minutes.

----------------------------------------------------

Crème Brûlée

This elegant dessert is really easy to make! Serves 4 2 cups heavy cream 5 tbsp. sugar 1/2 vanilla bean, split Small pinch salt 4 egg yolks

In another bowl, whisk egg yolks with 1 tbsp. sugar until sugar dissolves. Slowly whisk in cooled cream (if it is not cool, yolks will scramble). Strain through a fine sieve.

Cover cooled custards with plastic wrap. Chill in refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight. Before serving, sprinkle 1 1/2 tsp. sugar on each custard and use a blowtorch to caramelize tops, holding torch at an angle (flame should barely touch surface) to brown sugar. (If you don’t have a torch, just place under broiler until sugar caramelizes just prior to serving!)

Rosemary Thomas is an avid cook and gardener who enjoys the challenge of owning a restaurant and working with her daughter. She is an RN and continues to work several days a week in Shreveport where she lives with her husband, three dogs, two cats and 80 chickens.

www. theminutemagazine. com a season of

becoming written by Shelley Duran Check Hell Yes/No

efore I begin, I just need to say that the following should not be taken as sound advice, I literally heard it from the mouth of someone who we’ll say isn't the sharpest pencil in the box (I'm not sure who still uses boxed pencils, but you follow what I’m politely trying to say). This is merely something to ponder. I mostly workout with men at the gym. My trainer is a man and there are obviously a lot of men in a boxing gym and it’s easy to create a network of sweat when you’re all regulars around the same time every day. I've learned a lot from the conversations we have. Some of it is mind boggling and weird and things I still don’t understand. Some of it is educational and some of it is kind of profound if you listen hard enough. The conversation turned to relationships this week while doing heavy sets of overhead squats. I was explaining why I recently decided to end things with a man I had been seeing for a couple of months. I had thought long and hard about it and tried to answer all the questions in my mind before I told

him anything, I explained to them. And while they all nodded, I sort of got the feeling that they didn't get it. But after his round, one fella said “yeah I just use the Hell Yes/No Rule and that’s a good enough answer for me”. Ummm what? The Hell Yes/No rule is pretty selfexplanatory. According to this man, once a new relationship begins (in whatever your definition of the word relationship you’re using), the person must inspire you to say Hell Yes for the relationship to continue. If they do not, then the answer is a Default No and things must be put to an end. No harm, no foul, he just wasn't feeling it like he should. Are you rolling your eyes? Don’t worry, I did too at first. But he went on to explain how much easier it’s made dating for him. He stopped stringing women along, he stopped FEELING like he

was being strung along. It created clear boundaries for him, and when the relationship DID work out, he felt like they were on the same page (that page having a joint HELL YES written across it). Here I was methodically thinking about making the right decision and having logical answers, and his feelings were logical enough for him. If he didn't want to say Hell Yes, then that was it. Now, I can imagine some not liking this, particularly if you’re the one being told No, but if nothing else, it’s honest. While the idea of thinking Hell Yes/No feels a little fraternity to me, the concept of asking and answering that question right off the bat – and letting that answer be enough – sounds pretty freeing. It might take some time to un-learn the idea of wanting to justify your emotions with logic, but it’s worth doing the work. Can I get a Hell Yeah?

Shelley is a twenty something gal two-stepping in Lafayette, Louisiana. When she's not working as a Marketing Manager for the Chamber of Commerce, she can often be found running through her neighborhood in order to enjoy Cajun cuisine on a regular basis. Her beloved dog, Olive is often by her side. Follow her rants and quips on Twitter @shellbellduran.

rants of an

old hen

written by Chris Broussard

Our Earth Ship

ick and I were just dating when he decided that his next home would be underground. Anyone else would have found that strange and probably questioned why?...not me. Nope. I had my eye on Rick Broussard for some time. And while I figured that he, too, had taken a shine to me, where he or I would live was not that big a deal for me. I didn’t care, so long as we would be together. As it became obvious that we would marry, the idea of this underground home became the center of conversation for us. I was fine with it. If he had said that we would live out our days in a tent…I would have been fine with that, too.

newborn son. We were fortunate to be able to both stay at home with our little boy. Rick had enough royalties coming in to cover our household expenses for nearly four years. Together we carved out an existence in the piney woods of Claiborne Parish with our little boy by our side. We’re still living underground and loving it! We know it’s not everybody’s cup of tea but it has certainly been ours. I can’t imagine living anywhere else. It reflects our love of nature and art. Rick and I fight over wall space for my art and his photography. It’s not fancy, but neither are we.

Our forty wooded acres surround the house and past our piney stand of timber lays more wooded land. For more than thirty years we’ve seen the trees turn lime green in the spring and back to deep red in the fall. We’ve watched our little boy grow up here. Our greatest moments have been when we are all sitting around our fire pit together reminiscing about life here. We created our own little world and every now and then, we let people in. Living underground with Rick Broussard in our ‘Earth Ship’ has been a real trip!

After we married, the house underground became a reality. Taking nearly a year to complete, we were both involved in this earth sheltered creation. Rick was more involved than me. He had spent a couple of years researching it and even toured an earth sheltered home up north somewhere. Before construction had even started, we both hiked into the woods and marked the trail that would later become our long and winding driveway. We purposefully dodged dogwoods and sidetracked luscious fern beds. Harold Weaver was our general contractor. This was a new venture for him but he was more than willing to oversee Louisiana’s first real underground dwelling. The interior of the house was still incomplete when we moved in with our

Chris Broussard, co-founder and chairman of the board of Cultural Crossroads is an artist, an entrepreneur and currently the art enrichment teacher for Glenbrook. She started writing down her personal accounts of whimsical and heartfelt experiences in a blog called "Rants of an Old Hen." And will now share her favorites with Minute readers.

Pic # 1--This is the entrance to the house from the hill. The stairs inside of the little structure on top takes you about 18 feet under the ground to 2000 sq ft. of living space. Pic #2--Around the house. Pic #3--The Old Gas Pump and Esso sign are the first things you see when you drive up the hill to our house.

You’ve known her for so long. Now, suddenly, something has changed.

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strangers at my

coffeepot

written by Darla Upton Suck it up, Buttercup!

hang around with a group of ladies who are all just awful. Well, there's one who is not awful at all but she spends a lot of time praying for the rest of us because we are just awful! The whole lot isn't worth beating. At our core we are good people; we just laugh too loud at our own jokes, call each other stinky or heifer during a pity party and one of us has even been kicked out of the Dollar Store. So, when I was told this issue would focus on bucket lists, I had to giggle. Those women. The ones I mentioned as being awful and needing prayer they call it the Sucket List--as in Suck it up, Buttercup! Let's go! While the youngest member of our group is only a year younger than I am and the oldest is well, old. Cough. She's old as dirt. Cough. We all have a distinct memory of being young. When we were younger we had the energy to go and do but no money or time. College and raising babies put any lists on the back burner. Now that we are older and have the time and good friends to split the bill with, we often lack the gumption. That's how the Sucket List was formed. Sometimes you just need a friend to say quit talking about it and do it! For example, if you love someone you will say to her, "If you want to see Laura Ingles' homestead then sucket up and go already. Just get in the car and go. Take pictures. Send postcards. No, I don't want to go. I hated 'Little House on the Prairie.' Make Donna Jo go, I think she had a thing for Michael Landon when he played Little Jo on 'Bonanza.'" Or maybe even one day you'll get a post on your Facebook feed that

some author is going to be in Dallas. Your friend that posted it starts talking herself out of it saying things like, "It's on a Monday. It doesn't even start until after five. It's going to be crowded." That's when you have to step up and say, "sucket it, let's go!" There are a ton of excuses we give ourselves to keep from doing the simplest of things. We talk ourselves out of a lot of fun. The fix for it is just one friend elbowing you saying, "Come on, let's go." One nudge and you end up drinking margaritas while waiting on a book signing in Dallas, on a Monday, after five. You end up so drunk on fun and tequila that when you approach the author to sign your book and she says, "I love your shirt," you take it off and hand it to her. Memories like that don't happen sitting at home making lists and then making excuses! Memories like that happen because someone said, "sucket up, buttercup, and grab your keys!" The most important thing to remember is that your list doesn't have to be all luxury trips to exotic places. It doesn't have to be climbing a tall mountain. Not everything on your list has to be monumental. Put some simple things on there so you won't talk yourself out of it.

My sister loves to break into houses. Not like breaking and entering and robbing but if there is an abandoned house she has to go look through it. I don't like doing this. It makes me uncomfortable to see things left behind and forgotten. Plus, I'm always scared some critter, or worse some killer, is gonna jump out and get me. My sister however, sees nothing but architecture, broken antiques, a home and a story. We have been doubled over laughing and arguing outside of many abandoned houses and I wouldn't trade those times for any island resort. In fact, there's an abandoned house near the bed and breakfast. I took her to it back during the summer. It is on our Sucket List to investigate as soon as a frost kills the tall grass. Sometimes it's just the adventure of breaking into an abandoned home, or going to a book signing, or going to a nearby town and having a cornbread sandwich because you have never heard of such a thing. All it takes is a friend pushing away your excuses and saying, "Sucket up, Buttercup, let's go!" By the way, in downtown Jefferson, Texas, you can get a cornbread sandwich. You can't get one anywhere else. Add that to your list!

Darla lives in Jefferson, Texas, where she raises her eight year old son, Atticus Gregory with her significant other, Hugh Lewis II. Hugh owns the Alley-McKay House Bed & Breakfast. Atticus Gregory is the Eloise of the McKay House. Prior to being a self-employed, stay at home mom she was a Civil Litigation Paralegal for a defense firm in North Carolina. She eventually returned to her hometown of Texarkana, Texas, where she met Hugh while working at the Texarkana Gazette as a production assistant. Girl meets boy, girl falls in love with boy, girl has a baby and gets a bed and breakfast? It happened. So, she was smart and professional at one time and now she can't find her keys, has more toys in her purse than pens, can't decide if she should color her hair again and sometimes she burns the bacon. Luckily, no matter what life hands her, she has a good sense of humor, vodka and her typewriter.

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and to be concerned about what chemicals or additives or medicines were used in the process of getting it to my plate.”

pening a natural foods and supplements store is two things for Ruston native Brian Warren. On the one hand, Brian is a born and bred entrepreneur with obvious skill and enthusiasm for crafting a small business that not only supports himself and his family but also provides jobs, a locally-owned tax base and other opportunities for his hometown. On the other hand, creating Gibson’s Natural Grocer feeds— literally—a personal health journey that Brian started several years ago when he began working out at CrossFit Ruston and was introduced to the Paleo diet. “I was always the kid that could eat whatever and not see any negative impacts. I was also athletic, so I didn’t have to try too hard to stay in shape. But that all changed in my late twenties,” said Brian. “I had always been very interested in the workout Gerard Butler used to prepare for his role in the movie 300. So when Even (Derveloy) opened CrossFit Ruston, I was completely game to try it.” As part of their workout, the CrossFit community heavily promotes what is known as the Paleo diet, so-called “clean” eating that focuses on limiting the consumption of processed foods and completely eliminating grains, legumes, refined sugar and dairy. “Eating Paleo was completely new to me,” continued Brian, “but it really worked for me. Admittedly, today I don’t eat a strict Paleo diet, but through it I became completely sold on being aware of what I eat and how it was grown or raised

But as much as Brian believes in the Paleo diet, he recognizes that “health food” is different things for different people. “But our product line isn’t just about Paleo,” said Brian. “Our goal is to provide a wide array of choices for people who can’t find the right options for their diet at the traditional grocery store. Whether their preference be gluten-free, allergen-free, organic, vegetarian, vegan or the like.” Gibson’s—located at 1305 Commerce Street somewhat between the backsides of Green Clinic North and Brennan Dodge—is a 5,000 square foot store complete with all-organic produce, a wide selection of gluten free foods, numerous lines of health supplements and even environmentally friendly kitchen tools and gadgets. The store also offers a variety of Indian, Asian and Vegan fare. One aspect of Gibson’s of which Brian is particularly proud is a 360 square foot community room, which is utilized for various educational and community events such as Coffee With, a recurring series of casual talks with guest speakers on a variety of health and wellness related issues. Past Coffee With guest experts have included Green Clinic pediatrician Dr. David McGehee, Certified Financial Planner Byron Moore and local honey producer Aaron Jennings. The calendar for all Gibson’s events can be accessed on the store’s website at gibsonsnatural.com. Brian also encourages the community to utilize the space for social, non-profit and community meetings of all kinds. “We’re really hoping for people to feel like this store is theirs,” said Brian. “We genuinely want people’s input on what to stock. We want them to hang out in the community room. We want them to be proud to shop with us and proud to have us in Ruston.”

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Gibson’s is a 5,000 square foot store complete with all-organic produce, a wide selection of gluten free foods, numerous lines of health supplements and even environmentally friendly kitchen tools and gadgets. The store also offers a variety of Indian, Asian and Vegan fare. But, you may be wondering, if Brian’s last name is Warren, where did the name Gibson’s come from?

her lifestyle habits were the perfect marriage of all the things I personally want to achieve with this endeavor.”

“My maternal grandparents were Joe and Ila May Gibson,” shared Brian. “I wanted to name the store after them in honor of my roots. In the 1930s my grandfather ran a gas station in downtown Ruston, in the building that is now BancorpSouth. My mother still has his log showing where the patriarchs of lots of well-known Ruston families would stop in for gas. It’s really neat to look through.

But don’t let an awe-shucks story like that fool you into thinking of Gibson’s as a small, mom-and-pop establishment. With an initial investment of $350,000 and the creation of 4 full time positions as well as numerous part time ones, Gibson’s is already promising to have an impact on Ruston’s economy.

“My grandmother,” Brian continued, “was a wonder woman! She died at nearly 105 and up into her 90s participated in and won medals in numerous Senior Olympics competitions. She taught me how to garden, how to cook and, from growing up during the Great Depression, how to be resourceful. “When I was looking for a name for the store, I thought about them and felt like it was only right. His business sense and

“We are so excited to have Gibson’s here in Ruston. This is a great addition to our city and adds so much to our quality of life in Ruston and Lincoln parish,” said Ruston’s newly elected Mayor, Ronny Walker, whose term began on January 1st of this year. “We appreciate Brian and his vision for Gibson’s and our city. We need more entrepreneurs who will open businesses and provide jobs in our great city. Take a visit to this store and I promise you will come away impressed .”

NOW

OPEN IN RUS T ON

Open Monday – Saturday, 9am – 7pm 1305 Commerce Street, Ruston gibsonsnatural.com 318-255-3834 23

headlines & hemlines written by Rachel Pardue

A New Resolution

attles over popularity, social status, appearances, and careers take place every day. Competition is good because it pushes the contestants to test their limits, but I cannot help but wonder if this age-old idea of rivalry is somewhat outdated. In my observation, competition, although necessary in places such as business, politics, and sports, is not needed for the day-today life of the individual. Society has taken the idea of self-improvement and placed it upon a scale of comparison to their fellow humans. Life itself has become a competition. Every year, almost half of the men and women of America make a list of everything they desire to change about themselves, and somehow this is perceived as a positive endeavor. It is an entire cultural misconception that a checklist can lead to a better life. 1. Take down Christmas lights 2. Go to the gym 3. Look like a supermodel/body builder 4. Be happy New resolutions are made in the hope that happiness lies at the end of this unobtainable list; only eight percent of Americans, however, even complete their New Years Resolutions. Furthermore, statistics from surveys taken for Stephen Shapiro’s book, Goal Free Living, suggest that none of the select eight percent reported feeling any happier upon completing their resolutions. I do not want to discredit the noble goal of self-improvement. Resolutions to stop smoking will always be encouraged,

and an overall healthy lifestyle is something to strive for. The problem, however, lies within the superficiality of modern ambition. We live in a society where if someone receives a compliment, instead of graciously accepting the kind praise, they respond by rejecting or denying any kind words. Sadly, it is simply social convention. It is considered polite to degrade yourself by rejecting any idea that you may just be extraordinary. How in the world did we develop into a society where it is socially unacceptable to love yourself? If you have confidence in your abilities, you are prideful. If you are satisfied with your appearance, you are full of yourself. If you are happy with your life, you are conceded. I personally believe that sitting down and starting your brand new year with a list of things you don’t like and want to change about yourself, is a negative start. I think that everyone’s New Year’s resolution should be to accept themselves for the person they are rather than who they wish to become. Imagine, for a second, if it could become social convention to humbly but thankfully accept a compliment and then return the positivity. Imagine, if we could walk up to each other and lift one another up with words of praise,

not only about external appearances, but rather someone’s kind spirit, their intelligence, or their personality. Sadly, today it is almost a bonding experience when someone, for example, replies to a compliment about her beautiful hair with “No you’re insane! I hate my curls”. To which the person responds, “You should see my hair it is ten times worse than yours”. Self-loathing has become a bonding process. It is seen as normal, even polite, and these insecurities are the inspiration behind most New Year’s resolutions. My New Years resolution, and the resolution that I challenge to all of you, is to find happiness within your current situation. I am simply advocating that we respect ourselves enough to acknowledge that we are flawed individuals who could use some improvement, but nevertheless, it is not wrong to be proud of how far we have come. Just maybe if we all learn to love and respect ourselves then instead of feeling intimidated by other people, we can be happy with the person we are and look to incredible individuals as role models, friends, and confidants but never competition.

Rachel is a senior at Cedar Creek where she is Student Council President, Vice-President of the Key Club, Secretary of the National Honor Society, Co-captain of the dance line, and a member of the Lady Cougar Basketball team. Rachel will graduate in May and will soon be deciding which college to call home.

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Jonquil Jubilee 2015 Written by: Joyce Lilly

es it's cold outside but spring is just around the corner. Now is the time to tell you about the Jonquil Jubilee Festival held annually in Gibsland, Louisiana. We hope by telling you early you will make time to attend this year.

There have been some changes over the years. Beautiful collector’s posters are designed each year. Events and programs that didn’t work have been replaced with new events and programs to change with the times. Children’s programs are always included as well an annual t-shirt.

In the spring of 1998, some friends sat drinking coffee. One said, “My daffodils were beautiful this spring, wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could have a festival, say a ‘Jonquil Jubilee’?”

The outstanding visible sign of achievement is the blooming of thousands and thousands of daffodils, beginning in late January and continuing through March every year. The earliest blooms are to be seen from Interstate 20 all the way into the town of Gibsland, literally thousands of blooms. It is a site to behold.

All agreed that would be fun and the rest is, as they say, history. The first Jonquil Jubilee was held February 27, 1999 about year after that chat over coffee. There was much talk and conferring between the 1998 conversation and the actual first annual Jubilee. Committees were formed, goals were established and much thinking and planning was done. The festival goals were: (1) to create interest in Gibsland and Bienville Parish, (2) to stimulate clean-up, rejuvenation and beautification of Gibsland and Bienville Parish, (3) to raise funds for Gibsland Revival 2000, Inc. and to enhance downtown Gibsland, (4) to promote unity and cohesion among citizens, (5) to promote Bienville Parish as the Daffodil Capital of Louisiana. Net proceeds from sales and activities go to Gibsland Revival 2000, Inc., a non profit organization. A sense of community has been stressed in planning for each festival since its conception. Involvement of all citizens in every walk of life has been encouraged and received. All civic organizations and churches have joined to make the Jonquil Jubilee a success. You can see that success as we plan for the 16th festival to be held on March 7, 2015.

Each year, thousands of bulbs are planted in downtown Gibsland, in personal yards, and along ditch banks on private and public roads in the GibslandMt. Lebanon-Oak Grove area, the area which comprises the driving tours. Cost of the bulbs and labor for planting is paid by the Jonquil Jubilee. Homeowners have invested in improving their personal property by planting hundreds of bulbs. Finding the variety that does best in our climate is always a fun challenge. To say that Gibsland and the surrounding areas are proud of their daffodils understates the thrill which the community feels each year during late winter when the blooming of the bulbs begins. On every corner, and in every gathering, there is always the talk of the daffodils “Are yours coming up yet? Do you think the weather is hurting the blooms? How many did you plant? Did your Ice Follies come up again?” Everyone is happy; everyone is concerned; everyone delights in the beauty that is ours in Gibsland, the Daffodil Capital of Louisiana.

Experience the hospitality of a small town, and celebrate the arrival of Spring at the Jonquil Jubilee.

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Garden Tour Lions Club Breakfast Tablescapes Quilt Show 5K Run Raffles & More

For more information:

jonquiljubilee@gibslandbank.com

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Jonquil Jubilee

Gibsland, Louisiana The Daffodil Capital of Louisiana Gibsland is approximately one mile south of I-20, Gibsland/Athens exit #61, 45 miles east of Shreveport, 56 miles west of Monroe. 27

cooking simply

simply cooking

written by Melissa Teoulet To Busy to Cook Cooking

love food but I really love easy simple food. If it’s something that I can throw in the oven or a crockpot, then I’m happy as a clam. I don’t have to touch it, stand over it, watch it, etc… There are a lot of other things I could be doing with those moments, like laundry. Why is it that laundry is never, ever done? And dusting too! As soon as I dust, everything looks nice and shiny for ohh about 3 minutes and then somehow somewhere, there is a fine layer of dust all over everything again. One of these days, I’ll learn the secret to a clean house that actually stays clean. Since that day is not today, I seek out recipes that are the walk away from it kind so I can tackle all those other chores… again. With that in mind, I have a seasoning blend that I’ve been using a lot of lately that’s super simple and is amazing with pork. It’s a brown sugar spice rub so it’s sweet and savory. I’ve only tried it with boneless pork chops so far but I’m eventually going to try it with a pork butt and see how it works as pulled pork. I predict it will be great. The recipe makes more than you will need so just store it in a jar for future use. I have mine in a pint-size mason jar. ---------------------------------------------------Brown Sugar Spice Blend 1/2 c. Brown Sugar 1 tsp. Paprika 1 tsp. Garlic Powder 1 tsp. Salt 1 tsp. Black Pepper Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and transfer to a jar with a tight fitting lid for storage.

---------------------------------------------------Easy Brown Sugar Pork Chops with Buttered Noodles 6 boneless pork chops Canola Oil Brown Sugar Spice Blend 8 oz Egg Noodles (I like to use the medium size here) 3 tbsp. Butter 1 tsp. Dried Parsley 1 tsp. Garlic Powder 1 tsp. Onion Powder 1 tsp. Salt ½ Tsp. Black Pepper Set oven at 350°F. Do not use a baking sheet for this. I made that mistake the first time and I ended up on my knees the next day having to scrap burnt sugar out of my oven. The pork releases a lot of juices that will spill over if the pan is not deep enough. A 2-inch baking dish is a better choice here. In your baking dish, pour a small amount of oil, enough to coat both sides of the pork. Place all the pork chops in the pan and coat the bottom with oil. Sprinkle some of the spice blend on top of the pork and rub it in a little. Now flip the chops over and coat the other side with oil. Sprinkle more of the spice rub, again rubbing it in a little. At this point, you shouldn’t have any extra oil lying

around in the pan. Extra oil in the pan will just make your food greasy and unappetizing. Pop the baking dish in the oven and walk away. Cook these guys until they are done, flipping halfway through cooking. I don’t ever set a timer for stuff like this, mostly because I don’t have a timer but somewhere around 20 minutes or so until done, I think. The liquid released from the pork chops becomes this sweet glaze that’s pretty tasty served over it. I serve my pork chops with buttered noodles, which is another easy weeknight dish. To make the noodles, bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the noodles and cook until done. Strain the noodles and add back to the pot. Add the butter, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and dried parsley. I gave you some measurements but I always just eyeball it. The heat from the noodles will melt the butter and you can then stir it up. Season to taste of course, but keep it simple. The glaze will coat the noodles with all their delicious too. Here’s how you make a pretty presentation, slice the pork into strips. In the center of a plate, place a bed of noodles. Add your pork strips on top of the noodles and drizzle with the brown sugar glaze from the pan. Yumm. ----------------------------------------------------

Melissa is a happy-go-lucky, thirty-something from Chalmette, Louisiana who recently moved to Long Island, New York. She studied culinary arts at the Chef John Folse Culinary School at Nicholls State University. Between spending time with her family and immersing herself in books, she lives for exploring new places, bringing smiles to everyone she meets and sharing her passion for Southern cuisine with that unique Cajun twist.

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thirsty southern soul written by Judith Roberts

Dealing with the new normal

itting in a mini-cafeteria at Louisiana State University-Shreveport hospital, my mom looked up at me and said, “Life has changed so much in the past two years.” I couldn’t argue. In an instant, everything that had happened in the past two years – the good and the awful – sprung into clear focus. The birth of my daughter. The death of a close friend. The death of my aunt. Graduating with my doctorate. My father’s debilitating disease progressing. Progressing every day. Progressing with shocking rapidness. Progressing despite everything. Most of my new normal is not what I want to be normal. Four years ago, my husband was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes – juvenile diabetes. You know, the kind you usually find out about before a kid hits puberty. But not so in my husband’s case. But he adjusted much better than I did. He’s very conscious about checking his blood sugar, exercising, and giving himself his medicine through an insulin pump. For someone who gets woozy at the sight of needles, I fought this normalcy. No, not us! I mentally screamed. It’s too much! I don’t want to deal with this! After Alice was born, a close friend told me a time would come within the first month where I would just bawl my eyes out. She never said why, but two weeks

later, the tears came, and I completely understood. Leaning over my newborn’s bed after another endless night of feeding, changing, rocking, swaddling, and holding a pacifier in her mouth, I was exhausted. All I could think of was how this was my new normal. I would never sleep again. I would always be this tired. I would always be responsible for this helpless child. Thankfully, that new normal never actually became a “real” normal. It was just a phase. After about a month, Alice started sleeping for five-hour stretches, and by six months, she was sleeping 12 hours a night. Now, I warn all of my pregnant friends about that first month. “Don’t worry,” I tell them. “It doesn’t last forever. It’s temporary, and it will pass.” Some things, like kids not sleeping through the night, do pass (at least, hopefully). But things like death, disease – those things don’t go away. When I kept my dad company in the hospital, I started noticing all the other people who were in the hospital, too. The nurses were running from room to room, checking on patients and assisting them. But the patients – I started wondering who they were. Everyone has a story. What was theirs? How long had my dad’s roommate been

there? I heard him tell a nurse that he lived on his own. Did he have family? Did he need a caregiver once he was released? Who loved him? Did he have visitors? Everyone has a story; some are just better than others. An alcoholic is never a reformed alcoholic – he’s always considered a recovering alcoholic. It’s a day-in, dayout, continual process – just like any disease. My husband cannot go one day without his insulin. He has to constantly monitor it, regulate it, watch it. He doesn’t get a day off. My daughter – even though she can feed herself and even climb up and down the stairs – still needs her father and me to care for her. She is not left alone at the house, her needs always come before our own, and we dote on her. But we don’t get a day off from caring for her. My father has to take his medicine every day. My mom has to care for him every day. There is no day off for them. This is our new normal.

Judith Roberts is a journalism instructor at Louisiana Tech University and a born and raised Louisianan. She is an alumna of Tech, Grambling State, and the University of Southern Mississippi. She and her husband Kyle have one gorgeous and feisty child, Alice, and they are members of Temple Baptist Church. Judith has run three half marathons and also enjoys reading and writing -- but not arithmetic.

louisiana girl

revelations

written by April Warford Timmons New Shoes

ost of us, myself including, have too much. We live a life that may not be extravagant, but it is comfortable. It doesn’t include wondering if you have enough to eat, a warm coat for your children, or shoes that you can wear. As a matter of fact we most often have tomorrow’s meal planned or at least the food in the pantry. You probably have last years’ coat, though it may be out of season, it will keep you warm when the winter winds begin to howl. You probably have more than one pair of shoes. You don’t have to worry if they have holes in them, or if they are worn out. If they are, you just reach in your closet and grab another pair. If you are like me they never wear out because you may own “too many shoes”, which by the way, is a lie made up by a shoe hating man. We live in a world of excess. We live in a world of luxury – whether we believe it or not. However, there was a time in this great country that this was not always the case. If you are blessed enough to have grandparents or great grandparents that grew up in the Post-Depression era, then you have living proof that life was hard, food was scarce, and jobs were even scarcer. The poor were very poor. Working class people scraped by and scraped by barely. My own great grandmother was one of these. She raised a family of 5 on one income as most did in the 1930’s. When my great grandfather died, my grandmother was 13 years old. A hard life turned into an even

harder life. There was very little money and what money they did have certainly didn’t go towards luxuries such as an extra pair of shoes. You see, my grandmother was a player, a basketball player, and from what I am told, a pretty salty one at that. She would throw and elbow in a heartbeat. She’d fight over a ball. She would hustle. She would score and she would play. She was every coach’s dream. She had the ability. She had the heart. She had the determination. She just didn’t have the money for a pair of basketball shoes. Those were the days when a gym floor was sacred and no one stepped on Butler Miears’ gym floor with street shoes on. You put on your basketball shoes to walk on that floor or you walked around it. Apparently he saw something in my Mawmaw (as I affectionately call her) that made him want her on the team. She could play but she couldn’t afford the shoes- it was a dilemma. A dilemma with a simple solution, Butler Miears bought her the shoes. He bought her a pair of shoes so she could play. He bought her a pair of shoes so she would know that there are kind people in this world. He bought her a pair of shoes because he was a kind and decent man. She once told

me that they were the only pair she ever got. She took care of them, because she knew they would probably be the only pair she would ever receive. She told me this story many years ago when I was a teenager and it has always followed me. It was such a simple, small thing, but a great and powerful thing at the same time. I got the opportunity to meet Mr. Miears’ two younger brothers when I was an adult. I was so excited to meet them and share with them what their brother had done for my grandmother. As I told them, both on separate occasions, they both had the same reaction. They shook their head, smiled and said “That sounds just like him”. I’m reminded every day that life is hard for people. People face challenges. They are poor. They are hungry, and they are heart sick. You can make the difference in people’s lives. Instead of trying to imagine what it would be like to walk in their shoes, you can choose to give them a new pair of shoes for a new opportunity. Pay it forward. You will reap the benefits tenfold.

April is a wife and mom living in Sarepta, Louisiana. When she's not working as a dental hygienist, she's out taking pictures or just following her two cute kids around. Find out what she's up to by following her blog at lagirlrevelations.blogspot.com or follow her on twitter @lagirlrevs.

the journey written by Jason McReynolds The Most Exciting, Life-Changing Weather Article Ever

his time of year is when the weather gets squirrely. It’ll be freezing one day, warm the next, and then back to cold again. New Orleans has 8 months of summer, 3 weeks of fall, 2 months of winter, and 3 weeks of spring (if we’re lucky). Does that add up to a full year? Ah, you get the point. We don’t really have seasons down here, we just have humidity. And when you have humidity it makes summer oppressively hot and winters bitterly cold. I know, I know, we don’t get snow or temps below freezing much in NOLA but for us, when it drops below 60 degrees, it’s cold. I have a friend in Anchorage, Alaska who wears shorts and t-shirts when it jumps above 40. That’s weird. But everyone has their own normal when it comes to weather. This past winter started a bit early in New Orleans. In November we were in the 30's. That normally doesn’t happen until January. And even then, it’s only for a few days, maybe a week at the longest. And really, it doesn’t take a meteorologist to recognize that the weather has become crazier in the last 5-10 years. There have been more floods, more droughts, more rain, more tornadoes, etc., etc. They used to call this global warming until the winters started getting colder and not hotter. Now they call it climate change. Nobody’s perfect, right? Who are “they” anyway? The problem is that whoever “they” are, they lay out these ideas as if they are perfect… 100% correct. We could blame the media or the scientists or ourselves but blame only digs a hole deeper to defend. It doesn’t create a

solution to move forward. The first thing we need to do is understand what is going on. Now, I’m a pastor and not a scientist. But I know smart scientists on both sides of the climate change debate. Some say we cause it with cars and other toxins that we put into the atmosphere. Others say that the atmosphere is grandly cyclical and will swing back around to normalization. I’m not writing this to convince you one way or the other. I actually want to throw a wrench in the cog of the debate and blow your mind that way. Back in November, when we were having that crazy cold weather, I was leading my congregation through a small book in the bible called Ruth. It’s 4 tiny chapters and takes 15 minutes to read through the whole thing. It’s an awesome book about loss, love, and the foreshadowing of Jesus. But at the very beginning something caught my eye. It says that there was a famine in the land (Bethlehem) and the story’s central family went to live somewhere else. In other words there was no rain and it caused a drought. After 10 years the bible says “the Lord had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them” and they moved back to Bethlehem. So God brought back the rain and the crops. Those are just a couple of many verses in the bible that talk about weather. Joseph was warned of 7 years of plenty and 7

years of drought. Noah and the flood is straight up bad weather. Jesus Himself says that God causes the sun to rise and the rain to fall. God is credited with controlling or causing the weather each time. Now, you’re probably wondering why a pastor is butting into a climate change debate in the first place. Well, there’s not much out there that people don’t scream and argue about anymore, so I’d like to offer an optimistic proposal into this debate. It may be twisted into an unpinned grenade but at least it’s out there. What if God is using all of this weather phenomena to rattle our cage and draw us back to Him? It’s no secret we’ve gone from a walk to a jog to a sprint away from our Heavenly Father in the last several decades. This is what He did in scripture and God hasn’t changed. What if our cars don’t cause anything? What if it isn’t cyclical at all? What if those two ideas each have a little bit to do with it? What if one or both have everything to do with the climate change? Is God powerless to change it? Did our long-term stupidity finally stump Him with our giant SUVs that He didn’t see it coming? We’ve always wanted to control the weather. We’ve tried cloud seeding. China uses huge fans in their cities to blow away smog. Here’s the thing. Those are solutions to defeat problems that we’ve caused. The real goal with controlling the weather should be to

Jason McReynolds is the pastor of New Orleans Community Church. He and his wife, Liev, have two boys and one little girl. Jason enjoys hanging out with his family and friends, watching and/or playing any kind of sports, and taking his wife out on dates. To learn more about him, or NOCC, visit: www.neworleanscommunity church.com

make New Orleans feel like San Diego or Hawaii 12 months of the year! That won’t ever happen though, will it? A weather front can stretch across continents. There is no way to control it. We know this. But what we don’t do is give God the credit for controlling it. Maybe, instead of arguing about it, we should pray about it. Maybe, instead of trying to fix our own mess, we should admit it to God and ask Him to fix it. Does that hurt anyone? Nope. Do we have anything to lose? Nope. Will it work? Yes. Ok, you may not agree with me, but I say yes because of what I read over and over again in the bible. When a people group stops believing in and following God He pulls His blessings away and there is a slow fall into mediocrity and then destruction. Weather is a huge part of this. However, when a people turn to God and pray to Him and follow His ways, He makes them great. It really is that simple. If we will just turn back to God we’ve got no reason to give up on the truth that is sung in the old kids song, “He’s got the whole world in His hands.”

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Dr. Denise A. Webb

Family Medicine Medicine

MINDEN MEDICAL CENTER IS PLEASED TO WELCOME OUR NEWEST PHYSICIAN

Dr. Denise A. Webb focuses on the individual health needs of her patients and empowers them to play an active role in their healthcare. It’s definitely a team effort, but she encourages her patients to recognize the importance of their well-being and preventive care. Dr. Webb chose to become part of Minden Medical Center because of our “reputation for quality care and strong community involvement.” Board certified in FAMILY MEDICINE, Dr. Webb cares for patients of all ages. She treats everyday illnesses and chronic conditions. Services include: women’s health care, school, work and camp physical exams, immunizations, lifestyle modifications, health maintenance and preventive health services. “Caring” is the one word she uses to describe herself. She chose the medical field because she saw people in need and knew she could make a difference. Dr. Webb is accepting new patients at 101 Murrell Street, Suite 2 in Minden. Appointments may be made by calling (318) 377-3535

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP American Academy of Family Physicians, Louisiana Academy of Family Physicians, AKA Emergency Medical Response Team EDUCATION MEDICAL SCHOOL Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia, PA

FAMILY MEDICINE INTERNSHIP & RESIDENCY Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, AZ FACULTY DEVELOPMENT FELLOWSHIP University of Arizona in Phoenix, AZ

PERSONAL Dr. Webb enjoys traveling, playing tennis, cooking, writing, playing fetch with Brutus (her black lab border collie mix), and volunteering with her sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha, in her spare time.

www.mindenmedicalcenter.com

#1 Medical Plaza | Minden, LA 71055 | (318) 377-2321

from simplicity to

stilettos

written by Chalaine Scott A Campfire

’ve planned a lot of vacations. Picked the perfect spot at the beach. Sent a check to confirm a cabin in the mountains. Reserved a room on the Las Vegas strip. I’ve scheduled and scribbled the dates in on my calendar for fun. And they’ve served me well, with awesome stories to tell, pictures to share and memories to keep. But what I’ve learned so far is that sometimes, the best moments don’t come miles from home. The best feelings aren’t felt in faraway places. The best journalings in our hearts weren’t etched in foreign lands. Usually, the most treasured moments happen right where we are, when we’re least expecting. It was a crisp July night. A million stars covered the earth like a glittered blanket enveloping the sky. A million, I say, but who could count that high? A hanging moon illuminated the darkness. Fireflies made their appearance, dancing in the air. Nights like this were always my favorite. The cool grass brushed my bare feet, a sweatshirt hugged my arms and a fire warmed my legs. I balanced a marshmallow at the end of a stick, spinning it gently to crisp each side. I made up one tiny section of a circle; seven other bodies warmed the seats that surrounded our fire. Seven other bodies that shared the same blood line, just cousins on a family vacation, breathing in the lakeside air and soaking in the remnants of another season coming to an end. An end, is what began our conversation. The end, to be more specific. The end of the world. As depicted in hundreds of sci-fi movies. As spoken

of for centuries. As prophesied in Revelation. And as most-feared by my 12 year-old-cousin. We had gone around the circle naming our top 3 fears. My sister went first. Sharks. Nathan next. Heights. Then me. Snakes. They continued. Rats, drowning, failure. The conversation shifted. Death. Divorce. The end of the world. Never telling someone we love that we love them. I think there’s a misconception. Or, maybe it’s just a misinterpreted, misunderstood messed up culture that believe it’s easier to find a way out than to find a way in. A generation who believes love doesn’t exist. I won’t believe it. I can’t believe it. I look those allegations straight in the face and hold a picture of my father up to the lie. Because there’s no way I live in a world without love when I’ve seen it in his eyes since I was a little girl. There’s no way I exist without it. I look those accusations right in the face and I say, impossible. Because I’ve sat surrounding a fire in the simplicity of summer with my cousins and felt something no one can ever deny me. The end of the world can be a scary topic, which is why conversations about it are usually avoided. But on this night,

huddled around a makeshift fire pit in my little backyard, it changed a life. Was everyone in our family going to Heaven? That was one of the first questions. That answer was a tough one to admit aloud. I want everyone I love to be in Heaven, and it breaks my heart that I won’t see all of them there one day. The questions continued. Where did we come from? How can God forgive a past that is so bad? How can God continue to forgive us even when we know we’re going to sin again? Hours of seeking answers and wanting to know more and a desperate soul longing for change. Longing for love. Longing for Jesus. One simple campfire turned into a life-changing campfire. One that I will treasure for the rest of my life. And for the rest of eternity when one day I hug my cousin’s neck when we meet again in Heaven. Whenever that day shall be. You can book a hundred vacations. You can schedule trips and plan events that you think will bring you happiness. But my suggestion is to sit somewhere with the people you love and let your heart be free to talk about the things that are most important to you. These are the moments you don’t have to pay for, and very often, they’re the best ones you can get.

A copywriter, novelist, and columnist, Chalaine lives by her pen. She is always traveling and never settling, making memories wherever she roams. Living off her dog's cuddles, her brother's humor, and sweet iced tea, she is just a girl in love with the simplicities. Mostly though, she is just a mess in stilettos, living off God's grace and living to serve Him, welcoming inspiration from wherever it comes and pursuing her dreams with whatever it takes. Follow her @Chaleezy

a collage of southern stories and recipes:

seasoned moments written by Barbara Durbin Taste Testers

olidays, reunions, and church suppers are all opportunities for people to try foods prepared by others. We will waltz ourselves past that which stimulates our taste buds and with the most discerning eye, give full critical review. Those watching from the sidelines can tell a person’s opinion of the soon to be repast just by the look upon the faces. There may be the wrinkled nose of disgust which means, “Ugh, why would anyone bring that.” Or it may the look of sheer pleasure as a soon to be diner eyes his favorite dish in the long feast line. If you continue to watch, those “comment makers” quickly become “participating takers”. You know those folks; they are usually the ones placing the dishes on the table. Those who wait until they think no one is looking grab a clean spoon and “taste test”. Once they’ve placed the tale-tale sign of “spoon dip” into the dish, they immediately fill that void with a large serving spoon. Thus, they leave no sign for an unsuspecting guest that they are not the first to dine upon the dish. They may be the person who says, “Wait this appears to have too much black pepper, better check to see if the children can eat it.” Who are they fooling? Shoot, everybody knows they just want to know how it tastes. Watch closely and you will see the most discriminate “tester” is found slithering around the dessert table. They tend to eye the cherry cream cheese pie with

just an ever so slight turn of the head as they leisurely saunter by. They will rotate and promenade slowly in a second run on the opposite side as they are influenced by the smell of cakes, cookies, and fudge brownies. Their eyes begin to glaze like donuts and in a full sugar intoxicated rush they volunteer to cut the pie and slice the cakes. There, under their dropped open mouth, is the highly prized and most sought after dessert, “homemade” banana pudding. Quick as a flick of a crumb off the tablecloth, they shovel a large portion into a serving bowl, place a spoon in the hollow and make for the kitchen. With no excuses whatsoever, they rush past all others and place, plastic-wrapped in the fridge, their most coveted dessert. Once safely positioned, they straighten themselves, lose that “must have it” look and to all intents and purposes, become normal. They continue their job of preparing the deserts for serving. So, the next time you are requested to say grace, ask all to bow their heads and close their eyes. Go ahead, bless the food, bless the hands that prepared it and then ask the Lord to especially bless all those who tasted it before hand and those who have a bowl ready to take home. Should you look up at that exact moment, many guilty eyes will be starring at you. Finish your prayer with “amen” and don’t worry,

those saved portions will be there for you to take home. ----------------------------------------------------

“Taste Testing” Banana Pudding

1 1/2 c. sugar 4 T. cornstarch (heaping) 1 t. vanilla 4 eggs 12 oz. can of evaporated milk 2 cups whole milk 12 oz. vanilla wafers 8 bananas sliced In a large thick bottomed boiler mix the measured sugar and cornstarch. Add eggs one at a time, stirring thoroughly with a whisk after each addition. Slowly pour and stir in the evaporated and whole milk. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly with an egg turner* to keep from scorching When pudding thickens remove from heat and add vanilla. In a glass serving bowl alternate rows of wafers and bananas. End with a row of bananas. Pour pudding over wafers and bananas. Shake gently to settle the pudding and top with crumbled vanilla wafers. Cool to room temp then place in fridge. *When the egg turner leaves a soft “trail” in the pudding and it keeps it shape; the pudding is ready to pour over the wafers and bananas.

Barbara Durbin is a legal secretary and a published newspaper and magazine columnist. When not at her "real job", she works on her baskets filled with vintage books/china for "The Vintage Bee." She loves a walk in the woods and her time with God. Barbara and her husband have four children, four grandchildren and a dappled dachshund named Bella. Look for her on facebook and follow her "Pocket Full of Moment" comments.

Written By: Kathy B. Nelson

From the

Author

Things, my recently released book, is the product of a bible study I have been teaching for 10 years. These “things” are principles on dating and marriage, based on the life of Boaz in the Biblical book of Ruth.

I have been working with youth and young adults, primarily 18-24 years old for over thirty years. I am committed to seeing them have strong, healthy relationships-whether it is a friendship, someone they are dating, or someone they want to marry. It became apparent that many of the guys and girls did not have some of the fundamental attributes, or disciplines, that are required of us from God’s Word. These 5 things that are demonstrated in the life of Boaz, in the way he loved Ruth, are the key to building great relationships and marriages that last a lifetime.

An Overview of 5 Things: What Every Guy Should Do and Every Girl Should Wait on Before Getting Married

One of the “things” that the Bible teaches as a fundamental discipline is favor. Favor is the gracious act of choosing someone to be a priority and hold a special place in his or her life. God showed us favor from the very beginning when He created man in His image. He gave him dominion over all the earth and desired for us to enjoy it. Then, our gracious God custommade a woman as the perfect companion to the man He had created. What favor! Since we are made in the image of God, we are created to think and love like Him, showing favor to the ones we love. The other 4 “things”protection, provision, affirmation, and integrity- are based on this same premise. God demonstrated these principles in His love for us, and Boaz demonstrated them in his love for Ruth.

While the title may lend itself to those who are not married yet, I have shared these principles at marriage retreats, as well as parenting forums to help parents understand how to encourage and develop these attributes in their children. Any group that wants to have tools to help them love others better, and please God as well, would benefit from reading this book. After all, it is never too late to start loving each other better or be encouraged in how you have been loving others already. Since my first love is teaching, I jump at opportunities to share these principles in person, but my prayer is that this book will reach a much wider audience than I ever could. I also pray that it will be encouraging to anyone who reads it. While you may find that you are lacking in some of the areas God has designed for us, He is the very one that enables us to start again. The promise in Ruth is that we have a Redeemer- someone who takes the mistakes that have cost us great loss and restores our original value. His sacrificial love for us enables us to

begin again. He is the Author of second chances and I am very grateful for that kind of provision through an amazing love that He has given us. 5 Things also contains a section of FAQ’s that have come up over the years from students and adults. I hope this section, along with the principles in the book, will provide encouragement and inspire new goals in your current relationships and the ones to come. “5 Things” can be purchased at amazon.com,barnesandnoble.com or directly from the publisher at tatepublishing.com

I can be contacted at speakitministries@yahoo.com, should you have any questions regarding my book or speaking to your group.

the toy lady candid thoughts of a child life specialist written by Liz Hines

How NYC is Preparing Me for Parenthood

o, I'm not pregnant. I'm not sure if my mother just breathed a sigh of relief or disappointment. The last time that I was home I told my parents that at 35 whether or not I'm married, I was going to get a child. I think this phrase startled my parents based on the one word- 'get'. I think my parents know just how much I want to have a family. I believe their first fear was not me raising a family on my own, but that I may want it so bad that I would somehow steal a baby. *Disclaimer* I would NEVER steal/kidnap a child! I am only known to be so determined and stubborn to do and get what I want, that this may have been their first thought. The point is, I know that by some way or another, I will be a mother someday. While I have never known the path of my life, what my major may be sometimes, where my first job would be, where I would live, who I'll marry, etc. But I have always, always known I would be a mother. Not until the last year or so have I really begun to make decisions about my life with this in mind. Up until now I have enjoyed doing pretty much what I want, when I want, how I want and only having to worry about myselfand of course my dog Charmin.

But now I have starting thinking about things like retirement, insurance, savings, and buying a 'forever home' (with a yard!). I am realizing that some of the choices I make now are going to start to shape the type of mother that I am going to make. It's time to start shedding this selfish way of thinking. It's not just about me and Charmin, but about some babies that are not even thought of, or maybe have already been born somewhere and are waiting for me, or maybe some young woman is now realizing she is pregnant not yet ready to raise a child. So, that being said- I have known since I moved to NYC there was no way I would raise babies in this city. No. WAY. It's dirty, people are mean, it's crowded, it smells, and I just don't want to explain to my child about why that man just exposed himself on the subway. Now, there are parents who choose to raise their children here, and by no means do I frown upon that, it's just not for me. I never knew how much living in NYC would help me prepare for becoming a parent. I'm sure I will realize many other ways once I actually become a mom, but for now, these are the three main

things I have learned that I hope to apply to parenthood later. 1. Let go of control of my living space. I lived alone for a while when I lived in Fort Worth, TX. I LOVED it! If there were dishes in the sink, I knew they were mine. Charmin had free rein of the apartment, and all my stuff was exactly where I left it and how I left it that morning. But now I live in a 2 bedroom apartment with 2 other people. That sink full of dishes is only mine 1/3 of the time. I can't always play my "pumping up in the morning for work" music as loud as I want. I can't stay up (too) late watching TV as my roommates don't get off at 10 pm like I do. My ketchup is gone when I only use it once or twice. The trash is full, and the toilet is dirty. I can already hear my mother-friends laughing. I'm sure they are thinking "oh please, that's just the START of it!". I realize that none of these are a big deal at all- it's just the differences between living alone and sharing my space with someone else. I know one day my child will smear their poop on my freshly cleaned floor. 2. Taught me to be flexible. This goes along with number one, as allowing

Liz is a typical southern girl that decided to take on the big city. After taking the scenic route through college she packed everything up and decided to try out life as a New Yorker. Her dog, Charmin, is adjusting well and meeting lots of city dogs in Central Park. Liz is living her dream and is bringing a little southern charm up to the Big Apple.

things to just be. NOT my strong point (my mom is laughing right now). Plans change in a matter of minutes here. People have 3 different schedules: Work, personal, and travel. "Let's get together sometime" may as well be translated to "good luck pinning me down". Imagine going to eat with 5 girls- one is a vegan, one is a 'primary' vegetarian, one has some political biases against certain restaurants, and two of us only care if cold beer is served. There is a reason we only get together once a month. Choosing a restaurant takes an act of congress. What do I do? Sit back and let them decide, and just show up where I'm told. No use in forcing your way, just let it all hit the fan, and help clean up when it comes down.... 3. Taught me to let go of things our of my control. "Due to an incident/ investigation, all trains are being held." WHAT? This can mean 2 minutes, or 2 hours. And you'll never get an answer.

It can be a fire, a bomb threat, a person on the track, a man deciding to re-enact subway surfer, the MTA employees just playing around, or a malfunction. No matter what the reason, the best thing to do it to just settle into your book or an intense game of Candy Crush. This may have been the most difficult part of adjusting to NYC for me. NOTHING ever ran according to how I needed it to. Some days you could literally see steam coming from my ears. I would stomp my cowboy boots and huff around the train. It took almost a year for me to realize that while it's just the train- it really is life. And I can't control it anymore than I can make the sun rise and the tide come in. These three lessons pretty much revolve around me letting go of control, but in case you don't already know- I am my father's daughter. I thrive on routine. I like knowing what to expect. I want people to do and respond the way I am anticipating. I want things to

happen the way I need them to. And if anything disrupts that, I may snap. On any unsuspecting poor human being. Or a wall. But I know I can't decide when my child(ren) will be sick. Or running late. Or want to take 30 minutes to tie their shoe because they just learned and want to show me. Or throw a tantrum in the middle of the store that's comparable to the tantrums their mother once had (that NO ONE is to tell them about!). I can teach them every skill I want them to know, but I can't control them. My kids will have an incredible mother, no doubt there; and while I want to become a wonderful mother, I know I still have a long road to get there, and learning to be the best mom I can be does not stop with my first, or my last, child. ----------------------------------------------------

Minden Pediatrics is Growing Healthy, Happy Children

Children have different health care needs than adults – both medical and emotional. Dr. Cristal Kirby Dr. Michael Ulich

In choosing a pediatrician Minden Dr. Cristal at Kirby and Pediatrics you will Dr. Michael Ulich your child areknow nowthat seeing patients in is being treated by an Ruston, LA at expert in children’s health. The physicians 307 North Monroe and staff your Call to makemanage an appointment child’s total health care needs, including:

318-377-7116 • Growth and Accepting new patients

development (newborn to 21 years) • Illnesses Office hours in Ruston: • Nutrition Monday, Wednesday & Friday • Immunizations 9am - 4pm. • Injuries • Physical Fitness Saturday appointments can be •made School Problems at our Minden Clinic.

mindenmedicalcenter.com/DrKirbysblog

bringing back

the past

written by Wesley Harris Return to Camp Ruston

hile World War II raged across the globe, Americans back on the homefront were heavily engaged in the war effort. Evidence of the conflict permeated every community—training camps, military maneuvers, war bond events, scrap drives. Rationing of food, rubber, and gasoline were imposed to fulfill military needs. Unlike the Mideast conflict of recent times, World War II affected everyone personally and most did their part to support the country. One of the most fascinating aspects of homefront life during WWII was the presence of prisoner of war camps across America. There were hundreds of them, housing mostly German and Italian troops. The Japanese rarely allowed themselves to be taken prisoner. Many American civilians found jobs working in the POW camps as electricians, carpenters, and nurses. In June 2006, I met a former German prisoner of war when he returned to visit Camp Ruston, one WWII's largest internment facilities. Horst Blumenberg lived at Camp Ruston from October 1944 to January 1946 after his capture in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean when American planes attacked his submarine, the U-664. Horst and some of his crewmates barely escaped as their U-boat sunk. Once the brief battle was over, the planes did their best to aid survivors by dropping rafts and life vests and calling the U.S.S. Borie to the scene. In the eight hours until the Borie arrived, Blumenberg found himself at the bottom of a raft, covered with the blood and bodies of his wounded comrades. Blumenberg eventually reached an

interrogation camp near Arlington, Virginia. He declared himself an "antiNazi" and cooperated to some degree with the Americans. For his own protection, he was separated from his crewmates who were sent to a Nazi camp in Arizona. "I was the only one at Camp Ruston. I said I wasn’t a Nazi," he explained. "In 1943, it was a very dangerous thing to do that. If Hitler had won the war, I would have been a dead duck." Blumenberg's early cooperation with his captives dissolved as he became a problem prisoner for Camp Ruston authorities. After one escape attempt, an American official wrote, "He is believed to be a Communist and is certainly an agitator. His manner is surly, arrogant and overbearing because of services once rendered. For all reasons above he is deemed uncooperative." Anyone who did not cooperate was considered a Nazi or a Communist. The wire fences of Camp Ruston brought on homesickness and even mental instability in some prisoners. Blumenberg admitted the confinement drove him a little crazy and his frequent escape attempts from Camp Ruston were more to ease his own mind than return to Germany. In one escape, the young sailor and three other prisoners fled the branch

camp at Barksdale Army Airfield where they had been sent on a work detail. Guards shot at them as they went over the camp’s wire fence. They made their way to the Red River where they found a log and floated downstream. They lived off the land, scrounging rice, peanuts and corn from fields for about a week. They left the river and headed west toward Texas. In DeSoto Parish, about 75 miles into their trek, a local law officer confronted them. They unsuccessfully tried to pass themselves off as lost Swedish sailors traveling to the west coast. The officer fed them hamburgers and Cokes before turning them over to the FBI for transfer to an isolation cell at Camp Ruston with bread and water meals. They told authorities they escaped because they were tired of eating SPAM, the meat emulsion many American GIs learned to loath. During his 2006 visit, Blumenberg presented several pieces of memorabilia to Louisiana Tech University, the repository for Camp Ruston archival materials. He enjoyed talking with the media and others who wanted to know more. He allowed me to escort him to the site of old Camp Ruston and question him for hours about his experiences. I had previously interviewed Horst by phone and e-mail for a book I wrote about the U-boat sailors at Camp Ruston. In addition to Blumenberg, the entire crew of the

Wesley Harris is a native of Ruston. Among his books are FISH OUT OF WATER: Nazi Submariners as POWs in North Louisiana during World War II and GREETINGS FROM RUSTON: A Post Card History of Ruston, Louisiana, available from amazon.com. Check out his Louisiana history blog at http://diggingthepast.blogspot. com. He can be contacted at campruston@gmail. com.

U-505, the first enemy vessel captured by the U.S. since the War of 1812, was held at Camp Ruston. After the war, Blumenberg was shipped to Europe where he labored in a series of British work camps before he was released to return to Germany. His family had never heard of his fate. "By the time I got home, it was September 1947, and the war was over in 1945," he said. The continued incarceration long after the war ended angered him. But Blumenberg had definite plans for his future. "The day I walked through the door [in returning home in 1947]," Blumenberg said, "my mother asked me, ‘What are you going to do?’ I say, the first chance I have, I’m going back to America. She said, ‘You haven’t even sat down yet after all those years and you’re telling me you will go to America?’ I said yes. Which I did." Blumenberg moved to the United States in the 1950s, became an American citizen, and worked as an engineer, retiring in Kentucky. I corresponded with Horst for several years after his 2006 visit. He loved sharing stories of his adventurous life. Eventually, Horst's emails stopped. I believe after surviving the horrors of war and the near misses of his captors' bullets, "Taps" has sounded for my German friend. Part of the Camp Ruston property is owned by Louisiana Tech; the rest of the camp was recently transferred to Grambling State University. Only a few rapidly deteriorating buildings remain of the once sprawling camp. Photos: Horst Blumenberg near one of the few remaining buildings at the Camp Ruston site, 2006. Horst Blumenberg as a POW at Camp Ruston. This collage of overlapping photographs shows the enormity of Camp Ruston. At its peak population, the camp held over 5,000 prisoners of war.

a novel approach written by Winnie Griggs

Effective Pacing - Rapid Fire is Not Always Best

acing is the rhythm and momentum, the ebb and flow of your story. It’s the speed your reader moves through the story as well as the speed with which your story events unfold. Pacing is not measured in actions or events, but in the emotional investment your reader has in the unfolding of your story. Well-orchestrated pacing strikes a balance between heart-pounding action scenes and the more thoughtful, cerebral scenes. Even though we’ve all heard that the faster the pace the better, that doesn’t mean that you need or even want breakneck, adrenalinepumping action in every scene. In fact, there are certain scenes, even in the quickest paced stories, that have an enormous emotional payout for your reader and these are scenes you definitely do NOT want to hurry through, that you want to make sure you give depth and texture and sensory richness to. In a romance, these would include, among others: • The First meeting/inciting incident • The First Kiss • The first love scene (if your book includes one) • The realization of being in love (for each the hero and the heroine) • The revelation of the major backstory event that informs your hero/heroine • The black moment • The happily ever after resolution These are the scenes that readers anticipate and look forward to. They

are the heart and soul of your book, the emotional lynchpins that, when done well, can propel a book to ‘keeper shelf’ status. Make certain you take the time to bathe your reader in whatever emotions are applicable - jubilation, hope, hedonistic sizzle, despair, poignancy, rage, a deep and abiding commitment, etc. Since these are the scenes your reader looks forward to, she won’t mind you slowing the pace a bit here. In fact, be careful not to rush through them, or worse yet, transition over them all together. However, this doesn’t mean you want to drag things out unbearably. Take the time to focus on the emotions your characters are feeling, and the details that enhance these emotions, as well as those you want your reader to feel (not always the same), and then move on. To do this you will need to draw on every tool at your disposal, including craft, instinct, finesse, and your writer’s “inner ear”. As for the mechanics, there are a number of ways to control your pacing. 1. You can control pace through the inclusion or exclusion of detail. Passages that are lush with imagery and description slow the reader down

as she tries to visualize and appreciate the picture you are painting. However, in a high voltage action scene, your detail should be stark and delivered in staccato bursts. color final

2. Another method is through the use of dialog and the way in which that dialog is delivered. The energy and emotion of the conversation will seep into the reader, subconsciously adding to the tension or calmness of the pace. 3. And then there is the manipulation of story time itself. To move things along, compress all those days and weeks when nothing of significance happens into a short transition. Conversely, take your big payoff scenes, such as the ones noted above, and really focus in on them. Just remember, pacing is all about piquing and holding your reader’s interest, about making it a keen ‘page turning’ experience for her. As the author, it’s your job to manipulate pace and story time in order to keep the reader engaged. ----------------------------------------------------

Winnie Griggs grew up in south Louisiana in an undeveloped area her friends thought of as the back of beyond. She and her siblings spent many an hour exploring the overgrown land around her home, cutting jungle trails, building forts and frontier camps, and looking for pirate ships on the nearby bayou. Once she ‘grew up’ she began capturing those wonderful adventures in the pages of her notebooks. Now a multipublished, award winning author, Winnie feels blessed to be able to share her stories with readers through her published books. You can learn more about Winnie at www.winniegriggs.com or connect with her at www. facebook.com/WinnieGriggs.Author

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