Congratulations to our April Writing Challenge Winners

Enjoy reading this month's SCWC writing challenge winners. The challenge? Write an informational article on something related to Spring.

We did something different for the April challenge posted in the Southern Christian Writers Conference Facebook group (if you're not a member, go join the group HERE). The challenge went out to our nonfiction writers to create an informational story (maximum of 2000 words in length) on a Spring-related topic. Imagine the possibilities...severe weather, garden flowers, Mother's Day, Spring Break travel, allergies. We couldn't wait to read what our members came up with!

After considering our submissions, we chose these writers as our winners and finalists:

1st place: April McCay

2nd place: Dottie Gravely 

3rd place: Frances Lucas

** with an extra submission from SCWC staff member Stephanie Rodda

"Gardening in the Spring Refreshes the Soul"

By: April McCay

"You're only here for a short visit. Don't hurry. Don't worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way." (Walter C. Hagen)

Spring…such a lovely season, with new growth happening all around us. Burst of colorful flowers dart up from the ground, and trees sprout life among their branches as March arrives and February leaps away. Birds gather at feeders, chirping in gratefulness as God provides for them once again.

Gardeners are prepping the soil and planting bulbs with much anticipation for future growth. Their discipline and devotion lead to a beautiful harvest of flowers, vegetables, or fruit when they tend to their gardens.

However, what if this spring we become gardeners of our soul, planting seeds for spiritual growth and sharing the harvest with others? What if we prep our hearts with God’s Holy Word and pray for His guidance? In Deuteronomy 32:2, the Bible says, “Let My teaching fall like rain and My words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants.” What will our upcoming harvest look like if we applied that verse to our life? What if we welcomed the drenching and overflow God has revealed unto us in His word while on our knees? What if we sow with a heart of gratefulness and harvest the good and compost the rest? Compost is the material gardeners use to help their garden grow. It is the ugly things in life that may not seem beneficial for growth because of its decaying nature but something miraculous happens when we lay it down and allow it to properly breakdown. It may even stink at first when we begin the process, however it soon provides the nutrients to condition the soil (or our soul, figuratively speaking).

In the waiting, Job 29:23 is a refreshing reminder. “They waited for Me as for showers and drank in My words as the spring rain.” In every season, water is needed for growth and cleansing. Only God, our Heavenly Father can provide that for one’s soul. 

In Hosea 10:12, it says, “Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you.” You have to prepare spiritually in your own life first for such a harvest. You have a purpose and God has a plan for the bouquet you share with others around you. Jesus reminds us in John 15:1, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.” Be prepared for a beneficial pruning as God guides and leads you through an amazing season. He is right there with you, leading you toward an eternal harvest that is meant to be shared with others along the way. “For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field...” 1 Corinthians 3:9.

Isaiah 61:11 (NIV)

"For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.”

"How to Create a Forum for Your Thoughts"

by Dottie Gravely

Many writers are pregnant with thoughts to express, but lack readers or listeners for their words, a forum or an audience. Why not take up blog writing and find some readers for what is pent up in your creativity? Spring time is a good time for something new! Instead of spring cleaning and doing a garage sale, dust off ideas packed away in a brain longing to burst into bloom.

Step One: Find a blog server. A free one is nice. I stumbled into Weebly at a teacher in-service workshop which carried step-by-step details on setting up a website or blog. Weebly offered two free sites. Thus began www.legaciesthatlast.weebly.com.The blog server should be compatible with Microsoft Word or whatever word processor you use. Some of my friends use Blogspot or other sites.

Step Two: Give your site a name. The site will inform you if your name is already in use. I had wanted to use “lasting legacy” from the subtitle of my first book (Alabama and Beyond, Creating a Lasting Legacy), but someone had already chosen that. You’d better write down your username and password for your new account.

Step Three: Grow your platform through announcing it via Facebook and other social media. Put your site address in the signature line of your emails, using your settings. Make it “clickable” by placing you cursor to the immediate right of the last letter and hitting the space bar one time. It will turn blue and researchers will find it immediately.

Step Four: What should you write? For me, I have prayed for “downloads” into my mind during those annoying times that I can’t sleep at night. Or, I simply share a book review of the latest volume that has captured my attention. Missionary biographies are my personal favorites. My goal is to include something for the gospel in every blog. (Matthew 6:33)

Step Five: Always include a graphic that has a parallel theme. It is worth a thousand words. Just give credit for your source of photos, charts, etc.

After writing blogs for almost a decade and compiling two books of them, a new friend recently saw my blog address on a forward of my email to his wife. He told me that he read my blogs for three hours.

Did that ever make my day!!!!?

"THUMBS UP!"

By Frances Lucas

Spring is a good time to start over. The beauty of spring reminds us we can start over with just about anything we stopped doing during those bitter cold months. Spring is also a season of new beginnings where we feel more motivated to start something we have never done before.

 Of all the things people do during spring, those who garden have always amazed me. They know what to plant, where to plant, how to plant, and when to plant. Their green thumbs bring pleasure to others producing beautiful landscapes for everyone to enjoy.

Green Thumbs, Anyone?

I am missing my green thumb. My children know not to give me plants because the once living and thriving plant will not survive very long under my watch. However, now that I have recently retired (a different kind of starting over), I am gathering information for beginner gardeners who want their skills to go from a colorless thumbs down to a green thumbs up. If that’s you, my friend, read on. There is hope for us!

 Why do I want to begin gardening so late in life? While there are a lot of great benefits of gardening, my biggest reason is just outside my front windows. I bought a new home a few years back and what attracted me most was the beautiful yard. The bushes were blooming with colors of red, pink, white, yellow, and orange. Such beauty drew me in.

Sadly, however, I haven’t seen the bushes as beautiful as they once were since that spring day. Every time I look out my office window, I am reminded I need to get busy.

Therefore, I am giving a thumbs up to learning more about gardening and getting a little dirty this spring. Here are some things I have learned so far that will help me get started and I hope will help you as well.

Careful Steps

START SMALL. While I would like to quickly transform my view from a plain green yard with a few dead bushes to a stunning colorful landscape, that is just not possible. I need to start with something small so I will have a greater chance of keeping it alive longer than a week.

CHOOSE SMART. To be honest, I don’t know the difference between a tomato sprout from a daisy as far as care and maintenance go. I'm no botanist so I want to stick with plants that won’t stress me out. I need to be smart and realistic about this for real success.

ZONE IN. Who knew that some climates are not good for certain plants? Maybe that is why my flowers never bloomed back in 2002 (my last attempt to plant roses). I need to find out what grows well in the area where I live. Trying to plant something that is destined to die or never even bloom would be a kamikaze move.

SUN BLOCK. Not all plants need a lot of sun. Just as it is important to know what I can grow in my area, I need to determine how much sun the plants will need. My yard gets a lot of sun so I will need plants that don't require a great deal of shade.

GET DIRTY. My grandchildren love playing in the dirt. If I want a great garden, I am going to have to get dirty. Not all soil is great to use so I should check out the dirt I have and see if I need better dirt. Yes, that is a thing. Dirt is not just dirt. Certain dirt won't work for some plants.

WATER PLEASE. This is possibly the main reason I can’t keep plants alive. I don’t underwater them. I overwater them. I don’t want them to get thirsty, so I just drown them instead. I have learned that overwatering can lead to root rot. Who knew? I will find out the right amount of water the plants need before I begin.

WEED BARRIER. Mulch is great to keep away the weeds. It can also hold the moisture in and regulate temperature. No one likes weeds to come up and strangle or hide the plants. I need to learn more about what causes weeds and ways to keep them away from my plants. My goal is to kill the weeds, not the plants.

MAKE TIME. Plants need TLC. Spending time with them on a regular basis will let them know I care. Plant abuse or neglect will soon be tell-tale signs for all to see. Some people even talk to their plants, and they truly believe it helps the plants to thrive.

SOW THE SEEDS. When we plant seeds, we pretty much know what will eventually come out of the ground. But we have to plant them first. If we want, we can buy some that are already partially grown and plant them to save a few steps. Either way, if we don't sow, we don't reap.

 BE PATIENT. Waiting is something everyone has to do when gardening. That first sprout. The first bloom. So exciting but it is going to take a while. While I am waiting, I will do more research so I can get my yard back to blooming. The colors and the wonders of it all will be worth it!

The Beauty of a Name

While I am not great at the names of flowers or even what they look like, I guess it would be good to know what type of plants are easiest to care for so I can have better success. Resources list the following as easy flowers that are hard to kill and their benefits.

Marigolds – repel pests, improve soil health, add vibrant colors.

Petunias – thrive most anywhere, produce colorful blooms, perfect for hanging baskets.

Zinnias – easy to grow, variety of colors, attract pollinators.

Sunflowers – cheerful plants, provide seeds for birds, attract pollinators.

Geraniums – aromatic foliage, long blooming season, add vivid colors.

Cosmos – low-maintenance, variety of colors, attract butterflies.

Pansies – bloom profusely, cool-season flowers, add color in early spring and fall.

Dahlias – various shapes, sizes, and colors, ideal for cut flowers.

Lavender – fragrant herb, calming aroma, attract pollinators.

Snapdragons – add height to flower beds, bloom in cool weather, colorful.

 While all of the above are easy to care for, they are all different with regard to how to grow, when to water, and time to plant. My plan is to look at them all online and find the ones most attractive to me, see if they grow well in my area, and get started.

Get Physical

Gardening will not only help my yard look better; it will also help me create some good habits for my life. Gardening offers both physical and mental benefits for us such as physical exercise, stress relief, mental well-being, and developing new skills.

There are many things I should do to take better care of my body, mind, and soul. I feel gardening is a good start. Gardening has proven to be very therapeutic. There is a term called "grounding "which means there are electrical charges from the earth that can have positive effects on our bodies. Getting outside is therapeutic!

Spiritually Speaking

If we were to think a bit more deeply and spiritually about this, we can go back to the beginning. Back to the Garden of Eden where God created the beauty of the gardens. Adam and Eve lived in the garden and God told Adam to care for the garden. God wants us to care for this earth He has blessed us with and keep it beautiful.

Genesis 2:15: The Lord God put the man in the garden of Eden to care for it and work it."(NCV)

Taking time to garden will create beauty for our yard, help us mentally and physically, and remind us of God's great creation.

So maybe, just maybe, this year I will do a little gardening inside and out. How about a thumbs up to that? Will you join me in learning more about gardening and brightening up your world?

"How to Survive Mother's Day"

by Stephanie Rodda

Mother's Day can be emotional rollercoaster! Usually those emotions are sweet and heart warming. And yet, that is not always the case. Some of the produced emotions aren't always kind. Sometimes it is more like having your heart raked over live coals. Memories, regrets, hopes deferred, expectations unmet, disappointments faced, all can hurt tremendously.

It's a bittersweet day for many people. There are countless reasons that Mother's Day can hurt like heck. Some of the pain-producing factors can't be avoided and must be coped with and dealt with as best as we can. But, there are some particular pitfalls that I hope you might be helped to bypass with these Mother's Day survival tips.

If your heart is hurting about your own mother, your strained relationship with her (or lack thereof) or perhaps y’all are separated by miles or even by death, Mother’s Day will most likely bring pain to your heart. I pray that the good will outweigh the bad and your day will be joyful in spite of your grief. 

If your heart is hurting because of your own state of motherhood, perhaps a delayed of that state, an estrangement, or a loss of other sorts, Mother’s Day will most likely bring pain to your heart. I pray that hope will spring anew and your day will be joyful in spite of your longing and loss. 

If your heart is hurting as a grandmother, perhaps due to limited contact because of busy schedules or simply distances between homes, Mother’s Day will most likely bring pain to your heart. I pray that modern technology will help you find creative ways to connect and your day will be joyful in spite of your adjustments. 

As I said, there are some things that we just can’t control and there are just some hurts that can’t be avoided. But, we can learn to cope and continue on. I’ve been there. I truly understand and remember quite clearly dreading the Sunday every year when the preacher would tell all the moms to stand and I remained seated. That particular pain eventually changed for me. This pain will eventually change for you. Take courage. 

However, here is what I really want to talk about today. I want to talk about the moms who may be very disappointed when Mother’s Day rolls in and rolls right back out leaving behind a wake of hurt feelings because, well, it wasn’t all that. It was another day of changing diapers and cooking and cleaning and servitude. Let’s be real. Sometimes we can feel unnoticed and under appreciated, especially on Mother’s Day. And when that happens, it’s the pits. 

I want to encourage you to avoid this emotional pit fall that Mother’s Day can deliver, if at all possible. Here are some important steps. 

◦ Recognize that you are worth celebrating! You work hard. You give up sleep, your favorite activities and sometimes your choice of foods. Hey, we get it.  We knew what we were signing up for (well mostly). We know that’s how the boat floats. But, on Mother’s Day we may have had some high hopes. 

◦ If you have a well intentioned husband and small children, a subtle hint may be in order. If, from past experiences you realize that a subtle hint isn’t going to work, be more direct. “Hey Honey, you know what I really want for Mother’s Day?” And then tell him! 

◦ If you have no husband or if the husband you have refuses to cooperate with the less than subtle approach there’s no sense being miserable. It won’t help matters to pout or rant. It might help to have a plan of your own in place.

◦ If you have adult children that are too busy to bother celebrating the woman who wiped their noses and their derrières, well don’t despair. Show them some grace and then show yourself some tender loving care.

◦ If others won’t celebrate you then just CELEBRATE YOURSELF! Yes, you heard me right. Take yourself for a pedicure. Rent your favorite movie. Hog the remote control. Buy the flavor of ice cream that you like and no one else does. Go through the drive through if that’s all you can afford and still not cook or serve cold cereal for supper. You are worth celebrating. 

Still hesitant? Not measuring up to how you are sure things should be? Perhaps not. But, it’s better to have a day of fun and special treats that you choose than realizing there’s a BBQ going on and it’s your heart on the grill. 

I’m going to make a confession. There has never been a Mother’s Day that didn’t find me having a tender moment when things didn’t go just right. Maybe, this year will be the exception. I don’t know. But, what I do know is I’m going to do my best to avoid known pitfalls of expecting my husband and children to be mind-readers. I’m going to speak up, be honest and do my best to have a great Mother’s Day. How about you?

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We love providing monthly writing challenge to our members. Stay tuned for our May challenge--which will be released in our Facebook group and also via our monthly email newsletter.

The SCWC's aims is to encourage Christian writers of all genres, as they strive to fulfill their calling and also get published. To learn more about the writing process and to enjoy fellowship with other writers of faith, we'd love for you to join us at the annual Southern Christian Writers Conference. The 2024 conference is June 7-8 in Birmingham, Alabama; you can register by filling out our REGISTRATION FORM. We hope to see you soon!