#that post conference adrenaline… it’s exhilarating

[tallmadgeandtea]

HI EVERYONE!! It’s Oct. 12, which means that I have survived another year of The Conference and that my fellowship is truly over! (Bummed AND happy at the same time, very confusing.

The day started off rather… hectic. Ten minutes before I was set to leave, my dad called me to let me know his car was hit on the way up (everyone was fine) so we left TWO HOURS LATER, for an already 2 1/2 hour drive. But I made it, poster and all!

I was still shaken up come presentation time, but afterwards I had a great time explaining my project and my primary source readings in particular, which is good, because that’s what made my project stand out! I didn’t place (conferences have competitions, surprisingly) but people (Early Americanists in particular) enjoyed my presentation and my professor said that people also told HIM I did a great job so!

WE ARE BACK!!!!!

Also, finally uh… here’s the poster!

[guy-j]

My personal connection to Psalms 40:2 by The Mountain Goats - 7/31/22

Psalms 40:2 (NASB) He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the mud; And He set my feet on a rock, making my footsteps firm.

The song Psalms 40:2 by The Mountain Goats tells the story of delinquents burning down a chapel through a manic rock-heavy tone. I feel a special connection to this song, as in a strange twist of fate, I was raised less than 15 minutes from the chapel referenced in the story; The Precious Moments chapel in Carthage, Missouri. Having been to this place many times in my tenuous relationship with the lord, I would be lying if I said that the thought of razing it to the ground wouldn't be immensely satisfying. The explosive subject matter makes adrenaline surge in my veins in a way that is frighteningly exhilarating, even if the tempo of the song isn't the most thrilling.

Maybe the hatred is due to the anger I harbored in my youth, but the cheesy-cherub sweetness always made me feel like a joke.On my first visit, I couldn't have been older than ten. I felt too old for it, even then, but I was still a believer. I went through the motions of walking the grounds and savoring the exhibits. When it came time to leave, I begged my mother to purchase a card from the gift shop featuring my name and it's supposed biblical meaning. The connectedness I experienced in my faith at that time made it's later absence all the more bittersweet.

On my second visit, I felt slightly isolated and secluded from my faith, which was an emotion made worse when surrounded by the hyper-commercialized saccharine nature of the place. I remained optimistic, awash in the post-youth conference high that I was consistantly soaked in at the time. The visit was in between my bible camp in the summer and a back to school youth group festival, and we went with people that we knew from my christian homeschooling days. In the words of John Darnell, I was "drunk on the spirit". Even then, in my doubting moments, I was flooded with feelings of love for the place. It was beautiful to me still.

My third and, lord willing final, visit came only a few years ago. I'm much older now, and my relationship with faith is much more complicated than it was when I was ten. I was tarnished with a world weary attitude and was in the midst of a depression that I am only now beginning to crawl out of. The grounds are in disrepair, almost as though they are mirroring my own feelings. The animatronics no longer run, nor do the crumbling fountains. The stores are mostly closed, including the gift shop. There was a part of me that wanted to see if they still carried the card that I bought when I was so young and clean. I made my way to the chapel on the grounds, the same one mentioned in the song, and as I stood there, I wanted nothing more than to burn the building down with myself inside. The gentle, childlike expressions of the angels mocked the pain I was feeling, and the inspirational figurines lining the side hallways were nothing more to me than a potential projectile to turn the stained glass windows into a glittering carpet. In the back of that chapel, among the other guests in some year between 2016 and 2020, my name is written in a book in an angry scrawl. Someday I may go back and look for it, once I'm less prone to whatever emotion overtook me that day.

The accompanying verse, Psalms 40:2, is a personal favorite of mine. There's something intoxicating about the phoenix-like intensity. Everything around me can be completely obliterated, and I will be pulled from the rubble, bruised, bleeding, but alive. In a way, it encapsulates my journey since my last visit to the grounds of Precious Moments. I have destroyed myself, completely and totally, and have been dragged from the remains. I have solid ground to stand on now, or at least solid enough. As Darnell cries in this anthem, "He has raised me from the pit, now he will set me high." Things will be better from now on. They certainly can't get worse than what I felt then.

[stormyvixen]

New Release Review! Cowboy, Cross My Heart (Heart of Texas #2) Donna Grant!

New York Times bestselling author Donna Grant takes you deep inside the Texas rodeo scene, where danger and desire ride side by side. . .

Naomi Pierce isn't the type to let a cowboy sweep her off feet. It's not her first rodeo, after all. But when she returns to her Texas hometown, she can't help but be swept up again in the rough-and-tumble world of hard-riding, bronco-busting good-ol'-boys she loved as a girl. She might be here to photograph her Rodeo Queen best friend. But it's one fine-looking cowboy who really captures her eye...

Brice Harper is all man, all muscle, and all heart. From the moment he rides into the stadium, he can't help but notice the beautiful stranger with a camera watching him from the stands. It doesn't take a zoom lens to see the sparks of instant attraction. But things really heat up when he meets Naomi up-close--and he discovers that someone is stalking her friend. Brice wouldn't be any kind of cowboy if he didn't offer to help the ladies out. But can the rough rider keep this spirited shutterbug out of danger--without risking his heart?

Thrilling suspense and treacherous adversaries draw readers deep inside the Texas rodeo scene, where danger and desire ride side by side. Naomi Pierce and Brice Harper are two strong, convincing characters that readers can easily fall for as they are pulled into their story with a magnetic attraction that holds them hostage once they are in. The romance between Naomi and Brice is full of sizzling electricity and red hot passion although the relationship is threatened by the situation that they find themselves ensnared in.  There are plenty of emotional turmoil to accompany that situations as well the kind that goes along with any newly forming relationship to keep readers engaged with the characters.

While thrilling suspense and exhilarating danger ensures that that they keep turning the pages as the search for a stalker makes Naomi and Bride targets of manipulative and powerful enemies. Surprising twists, family issues, friend issues, a budding romance and adrenaline pumping events guarantees that there is never a dull moment and since the author paints such vivid imagery and has created brilliant characters the readers has no problem becoming caught up in all the thrills and romance.

The steady to fast paced plot is further enhanced with believable and realistic issues faced by the characters and the well developed world is enriched by the loyalty and courage of the characters in the Heart of Texas series which enthralls readers and assures that they keep coming back for more.

Author – https://www.donnagrant.com/cowboy-cross-my-heart/

Add Cowboy, Cross My Heart to your shelves at-

Goodreads – http://bit.ly/2pWuZhX

BookBub – https://www.bookbub.com/books/cowboy-cross-my-heart-heart-of-texas-book-2-by-donna-grant

Cowboy, Cross My Heart is the 2nd book in the Heart of Texas series

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/series/205221-heart-of-texas

Author –  https://www.donnagrant.com/category/books/?series=heart-of-texas-books

Amazon –  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GVNBYQT?ref=series_rw_dp_labf

which includes –

1 The Christmas Cowboy Hero 2 Cowboy, Cross My Heart & #3 My Favorite Cowboy (coming February 26, 2019)

in print or ebook at –

St. Martin's Press - https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250169006

Amazon - http://amzn.to/2mJAL52 Amazon-AU - http://amzn.to/2pjzuqn

Amazon-CA - http://amzn.to/2mXCN2K

Amazon-UK - http://amzn.to/2mXzc4E

BaM - http://bit.ly/2nopBpX

B&N - http://bit.ly/2mhCFho

IndieBound - http://bit.ly/2mFI8tN

Powells - http://bit.ly/2or3MU3

Kobo - http://bit.ly/2pHrUDb

iBooks - http://apple.co/2p018bf

in audible at -

Tantor - http://bit.ly/2xB5E0w

Audible - http://adbl.co/2zXzkr2

Donna is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over forty-five novels. Her most popular series is the breathtaking Dark King (aka Dragon King) series featuring dragons, immortal Highlanders, and the Fae.

In addition to her novels, Donna has written over forty short stories, novellas, and novelettes for digital-first and print release. She has been dubbed as giving the “paranormal genre a burst of fresh air” by the San Francisco Book Review. Her work has been hailed as having “deft plotting and expert characterization” by Publisher’s Weekly and “sizzling” by RT Book Reviews.

She has been recognized with awards from both bookseller and reader contests including the National Reader’s Choice Award, Booksellers Best Award, as well as the coveted K.I.S.S. Award from RT Book Reviews.

Donna travels often for various speaking engagements, conferences, and book signings. She is also a frequent workshop presenter at national conferences such as RT Book Lovers Convention and Thrillerfest, as well as local chapters.

Born and raised in Texas, she also has ties across the border in Louisiana. Growing up with two such vibrant cultures, her Cajun side of the family taught her the “spicy” side of life while her Texas roots gave her two-steppin’ and bareback riding. She is never far from her faithful 80 pound dog, Sisko, or her three cats. She can often be found at the movies or bookstore with her children. Or buying makeup. And shoes.

Website - http://www.donnagrant.com/

Goodreads – http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1141209.Donna_Grant

Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/donna_grant

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Donna-Grant/27841130699

Pintrest - http://pinterest.com/donnagrant1/

Tumbler - http://donnagrantauthor.tumblr.com/

G+ - https://plus.google.com/105242829600024056540/posts#105242829600024056540/posts

InstaGram - http://www.instagram.com/dgauthor/

BookBub - https://www.bookbub.com/authors/donna-grant

Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Donna-Grant/e/B00279DJGE/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1515779150&sr=1-2-ent

Review set for Sept 5, 2018

[duaneodavila]

A Valentine’s Post: Business Porn And Putting The Magic Back In Starting A Law Firm

Because of this blog and a national practice, I travel out of town several times a year for speaking engagements, conferences and hearings.  Rather than feign work on a long cramped bus or plane ride, I generally stay up until 3 am the night before I depart, scrambling to push assignments out the door.  That way, I can relax a little on the road and take a break from the day to day grind.

Often after a productive trip, I’ll indulge in what I’ve come to refer to as business porn – glossy magazines selling the fantasy of the start-up, featuring superstar [role] models like Seth Godin  or tech-start up CEOs.  Read enough of these publications, and after a while, all of the stories on companies and founders run together: tales of missed opportunities, serendipity and caffeine-fueled all-nighters. But despite the cliches, somehow, each of these entrepreneurs and visionaries convey a sense of excitement and wonder and promise that’s captivating. I envy them not for their enormous wealth (though who wouldn’t want some of that?) but rather, because they love what they do so thoroughly that every day is joy-filled; as exhilarating as dancing a jig, Malcolm Gladwell would say.

It’s that spirit that’s often missing from starting a law firm.  So many solo practice blogs focus on the minutia;  billable hours v. flat fee , home versus virtual versus rented space and technology choices and ethically, what not to do. Mea culpa, Myshingle is guilty of that too (at least, some of the time) because frankly, that’s what many readers want.  But for me, the how-to always comes second to the why and what -or of starting a practice. The laundry list of tasks are merely footnotes to our larger narrative, yet they often overwhelm us so much that they sap the joy out of what we do. I’d rather build my castles in the air first ; it makes the job of building the foundations under them all the more palatable. 

Celebrating the fun of starting a law firm isn’t only – well – fun, it’s important to the continuity of our profession.  There are lost generations of jobless lawyers, from grads to granddads moping around, depressed about the future. For many, the allure of entrepreneurship or non-legal callings are far more appealing than starting a law firm.  In some instances, these lawyers (who after all, are newbies with no experience or lifelong grinders who’ve forever been under someone else’s thumb) just don’t realize that law can be fun and fulfilling; they’d rather do anything but hang out a shingle.  Though the profession won’t suffer when those who never wanted to practice depart, I fear that other grads who really do want to practice law are drawn to other work because it sounds more exciting.  I’m here to shout from the rooftops, that it’s not; that work that’s exciting and fun may be standing here, right under your nose.

Because that there’s nothing quite like the feeling you get from a grateful client or a judge’s praise or snatching a victory in the case that seemed DOA.  There’s nothing quite like that adrenaline that courses through your blood when you’ve got a brief due at 9 am that needs to be filed, and the satisfaction you feel afterwards when you make the deadline.  There’s nothing that compares to satisfaction of knowing that you built something – a law practice – of value to others that didn’t exist but for you and your efforts.

Though some view the legal profession as crumbling, from my perspective, we stand on the edge of enormous possibility. We live in an age where technology and social-media enable and empower us; when dynasty- firms are crashing and burning and new ways of practicing law and expanding access to justice are emerging every day. There there’s no defined path ahead, just a broad canvas of possibility and dozens of stories of innovation and hope and accidental practices waiting to be written with grit and determination as we live the question of where our profession is headed. Uncertain, yes, but still, there’s never been a more magical time to start a law firm or build a law enterprise.

Seth Godin and all the other business visionaries will always thrill me and I’ll always eagerly look forward to our brief flings whenever I’m on the road. But solo practice, hanging a shingle, law firm startup – however you want to brand it or build it – that’s what has my heart.  Maybe this year, it will capture yours too. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Related

A Valentine’s Post: Business Porn And Putting The Magic Back In Starting A Law Firm republished via Above the Law

[yes-dal456]

Finding Your Purpose

We are like tiny droplets in an infinite ocean with no concern for whatever exists beyond what our minds can comprehend. This can be comforting when things feel overwhelming. On the other hand, we must maintain some sort of feeling of significance, or we run the risk of clenching onto what our purpose is in life.

Your purpose is not to be a author, an actor, a manager, an entrepreneur, a lawyer, a physician, or any other career out there.

Those are all positions. They are admirable, achievable goals. If you’re trying to make something of yourself and use the talents you’ve been given, those are ideal things to be aiming towards.

But, they’re not your purpose.

Your career is important. It’s important to wake up every day with ambitions that make you feel like you’re contributing to the world.

However, your whole world should not center around the line of work you are in. Work challenges you and forces you to think and encourages you to use your talents to improve whatever it is that you’re trying to discover, create, sell, or fix. It helps to mold you into the person that you are, and it is a contributor to who you are.

But, it does not define who you are.

It’s easy to depend on work to give you a purpose because work allows you to be judged. Work gives you the opportunity to say, “I’m worth money” or “I’m doing just fine because I got a promotion” or “This is good enough to pay my bills.”

When you’re trying to find your purpose outside of work, no one is paying you for it. No one is promoting you. Nobody is paying your bills. Nobody is bringing you into their conference room or office for evaluations.

This is why it is difficult to find a purpose outside of your career. No one is telling us if we’re doing it right or wrong. No one is showing us the ropes. There’s no training or ladder to climb up. You don’t go straight up or straight down. You simply move in curves, twists, and turns, with no one there along the way to say that you’re doing great, or you need to work on this, or you’ll get promoted once you accomplish that.

Finding your purpose is up to you, and that’s why it’s terrifying yet at the same time exhilarating.

Finding your purpose is about learning. It’s about finding out about as much as you can about the world. Traveling. Reading. Exploring new hobbies or interests. Conversing with strangers and actually listening to what they have to say. Asking questions. Lending a helping hand. Making a difference. Allowing time for you to focus on what fascinates you.

Finding your purpose is about spending time with people - people you love and care about. It’s about finding the people you’re with in those rare moments where you feel like you understand the world, even if it’s just for a second. It’s about finding people who make you laugh and provide support when you are going through something. It’s about finding people who teach you and provide you with new and different perspectives. Overall, its about discovering people who make your life better.

Finding your purpose is about getting out of your comfort zone and doing things that terrify you. It’s about doing things that make your heart throb and shoot adrenaline through your veins. It’s about doing things that allow your body to remind you that it is very much alive and flourishing. It can be as physical as rock climbing, or as mental as a game of golf, or as spiritual as yoga. It’s about doing the thing you’re most afraid of, and then seeing how good your mind and body feel as soon as you’re done.

Because truly, at the end of the day, when you’ve retired, you still have to keep on living. You still have to keep on finding your purpose when you’re no longer receiving a salary. You have to find your purpose through other things in life - things that accelerate your wisdom, growth, courage, and strength.

Do not stress yourself out by convincing yourself that finding your purpose is just one more thing on your never-ending to-do list. Because here’s the surprisingly liberating news: finding your purpose does not have an endgame. It’s continuous. You are always going to be finding your purpose and you’re never going to stop. This is just the beginning.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

from http://ift.tt/2r840ka from Blogger http://ift.tt/2r1DHj9

[imreviewblog]

Finding Your Purpose

We are like tiny droplets in an infinite ocean with no concern for whatever exists beyond what our minds can comprehend. This can be comforting when things feel overwhelming. On the other hand, we must maintain some sort of feeling of significance, or we run the risk of clenching onto what our purpose is in life.

Your purpose is not to be a author, an actor, a manager, an entrepreneur, a lawyer, a physician, or any other career out there.

Those are all positions. They are admirable, achievable goals. If you’re trying to make something of yourself and use the talents you’ve been given, those are ideal things to be aiming towards.

But, they’re not your purpose.

Your career is important. It’s important to wake up every day with ambitions that make you feel like you’re contributing to the world.

However, your whole world should not center around the line of work you are in. Work challenges you and forces you to think and encourages you to use your talents to improve whatever it is that you’re trying to discover, create, sell, or fix. It helps to mold you into the person that you are, and it is a contributor to who you are.

But, it does not define who you are.

It’s easy to depend on work to give you a purpose because work allows you to be judged. Work gives you the opportunity to say, “I’m worth money” or “I’m doing just fine because I got a promotion” or “This is good enough to pay my bills.”

When you’re trying to find your purpose outside of work, no one is paying you for it. No one is promoting you. Nobody is paying your bills. Nobody is bringing you into their conference room or office for evaluations.

This is why it is difficult to find a purpose outside of your career. No one is telling us if we’re doing it right or wrong. No one is showing us the ropes. There’s no training or ladder to climb up. You don’t go straight up or straight down. You simply move in curves, twists, and turns, with no one there along the way to say that you’re doing great, or you need to work on this, or you’ll get promoted once you accomplish that.

Finding your purpose is up to you, and that’s why it’s terrifying yet at the same time exhilarating.

Finding your purpose is about learning. It’s about finding out about as much as you can about the world. Traveling. Reading. Exploring new hobbies or interests. Conversing with strangers and actually listening to what they have to say. Asking questions. Lending a helping hand. Making a difference. Allowing time for you to focus on what fascinates you.

Finding your purpose is about spending time with people - people you love and care about. It’s about finding the people you’re with in those rare moments where you feel like you understand the world, even if it’s just for a second. It’s about finding people who make you laugh and provide support when you are going through something. It’s about finding people who teach you and provide you with new and different perspectives. Overall, its about discovering people who make your life better.

Finding your purpose is about getting out of your comfort zone and doing things that terrify you. It’s about doing things that make your heart throb and shoot adrenaline through your veins. It’s about doing things that allow your body to remind you that it is very much alive and flourishing. It can be as physical as rock climbing, or as mental as a game of golf, or as spiritual as yoga. It’s about doing the thing you’re most afraid of, and then seeing how good your mind and body feel as soon as you’re done.

Because truly, at the end of the day, when you’ve retired, you still have to keep on living. You still have to keep on finding your purpose when you’re no longer receiving a salary. You have to find your purpose through other things in life - things that accelerate your wisdom, growth, courage, and strength.

Do not stress yourself out by convincing yourself that finding your purpose is just one more thing on your never-ending to-do list. Because here’s the surprisingly liberating news: finding your purpose does not have an endgame. It’s continuous. You are always going to be finding your purpose and you’re never going to stop. This is just the beginning.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

from Healthy Living - The Huffington Post http://bit.ly/2q9ByAO