Kookie Cut-Outs by Rachel Britz

Delivering cookies and good news.

We Can Learn From Rude People

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Last week I met with my first prospective agent at a writers conference. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the traditional publishing world, acquiring an literary agent is a must these days. Although I might not be very seasoned and I’m still working on the said novel, I’ll admit that this meeting was pretty exciting for me.

I brought a few samples of my work, a book proposal and a small gift of cookies. Of course! That’s just what I do. It’s who I am. And for me, the most important thing I told myself about this divine appointment was that I just needed to be myself.

Well, unfortunately there were no fireworks. After the meeting I concluded in my mind that we likely weren’t the best fit, AND THAT’S OKAY.

Except, an odd thing happened to me the following day as I passed by this agent’s booth. I noticed my gift of cookies had been tossed into a basket among assorted chocolates as a give-away for her engaged visitors.

Really, is that rude or is it just me?

I’ve discovered that rude people fall into one of two camps:

1) They have no clue they are being offensive. 

One time when I was a teenager I went with a group of my friends to a hockey game. When the National Anthem began to play I thought I’d be funny to scream out different lyrics. I remember I was quite obnoxious – but what I sought out to do {make people laugh} worked. Afterwards, a women came down from the stands and pointed to an elderly man sitting behind us. As she jabbed her finger at me she sternly asked if I had any idea who he was. I shook my head at the crazy women, to which she passionately explained that the man was a WWI vet who deserved a little respect.

Wow. I had no idea what I had done could be so hurtful. But, I’ll tell you what… it never happened again.

2) They all-knowingly seek their own ambitions. 

During this same writers conference I attended a session by a well-known author and speaker who has a powerful story. As I sat down, among a table of women I didn’t know I noticed that the two right next to me were talking – apparently about an exciting book deal one of them was being offered. As the keynote speaker began her session these women kept talking. It was extremely distracting. One woman from the table got up and found a different seat. I overheard their snarky remarks, suggesting they understood she had left because they were talking. Yet, they purposefully continued the conversation. I glanced over several times, hoping they would get a clue and move their conversation elsewhere. Nope. They kept on. How rude, right? Aside from a table of women who came to listen to the speaker — what about the speaker who had spent endless hours preparing and crafting her message.

It seemed as if these gals had their own agenda and if you didn’t like it, well then, tough luck.

So, here we have two camps of rude people. Now, don’t get me wrong for one stinkin’ moment. I have been in BOTH camps. Holy smokes. I’ve walked away from situations so embarrassed by my lack of patience and dirt-rotten rudeness that it honestly creeps me out. We’ve all been there, on both sides of the coin.

Through these little incidents I’ve begun to question what we can learn from rude people {including ourselves}. Because, hey, I know you’ve got one rude person popping to mind at this very moment. 🙂

These are my take-aways on being someone who is above reproach when dealing with rude people.

1) Rude people need grace. I didn’t say they deserve it. I said they need it. Grace is God’s favor. It’s a free gift with no strings attached. It’s sorta like judging a guilty man by setting him free, even though the man is guilty. And that’s something we all need.

2) Rude people need truth in love. Sometimes we need to speak up. Not all the time, but certainly, if you’ve taken time to think through another person’s actions and you feel this quickening in your heart to speak – then yes, you should. But, ONLY in love. Never anger. The virtues of love can be found in 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7. Read, study, and let them sink in. Truth and love must go hand-in-hand.

3) Rude people have a history. Beth Moore said it best, “Meanness has a history.” We all have history. It’s just our meanness can be traced back to a root. It’s easy to look at someone with disgust because of the circumstance they’ve slapped into our face. However, being a people who are above reproach means that we strive to look at things from above. Above the circumstance and into the heart. If we realize that this person carry’s brokenness the same way we do it helps us to gain perspective and compassion.

We can learn from rude people. I believe if we remind ourselves of these things it will not only help us overcome the difficult person before us, but might offer the key they need to break free from their impertinent ways.

The Hamster Wheel of Life: Let’s Stop the Spinning

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My kids love the pet store. We’ve spent endless hours combing the isles to pet the rabbits, the ferrets and birds. We’ve googled at the gold fish, star fish, blow fish and spiked ones. We’ve held the geckos and gawked at snakes feeding on mice.

And, we’ve watched the hamster go around and around and around. Spinning his little wheel as if his life depended on it. Where does he think he’s going anyways?

Photo credit:renegadehealth.com

I must confess that I’ve spent a lot of time on the hamster wheel this year. My mind perpetually spinning negative thoughts. Thoughts about my worth. Thoughts about my image. Thoughts about my love.

There are a multitude of ways we end up here. I’ve found the quickest way is when our mind takes captive a destructive thought pattern. It goes a little something like this:

  • A fear seed is planted. 
  • The mind wheel begins a slow arduous tilling process. 
  • As things begin to heat up so do the emotions; anger, resentment, and pity. 
  • Spin, spinster, spin. Faster and harder, we try to run. Out run. Out think.

The truth is we can’t. I’m here to tell you, WE CAN’T. I’ve tried and failed. I believe this is why some of us never get off — because those thoughts are always with us. The fear screams us to sleep. Our day starts cold. Spin, spinster, spin.

How, Lord? 

There is more to life than this. We know it, right?

So let’s get after it.

1) We want to be in the “right” relationship with fear. Naturally, we have a deep seeded respect for those things we believe could bring us the most harm. Being in relationship with it means that we’re doing life together.

To be clear, there is really only ONE thing to fear. It’s the ONE.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of Him is understanding.” {Proverbs 9:10} 

It’s about the attitude of our heart to the fear source. When we adopt {replace} this piece of truth and gain the understanding that truly there is only ONE to fear, then we give our minds the gift of peace. And peace of mind, creates space. Space for wisdom and understanding.

2) We all hope. It’s what we desire. Do I matter? Am I enough? Are you pleased with my work? Will I ever get…? Even when our hope feels like wishful thinking and perhaps is cloaked in disbelief — therein lies a greater question of faith.

How often do we come to God with more hope than faith?

3) Faith, it’s what we know and believe to be true. Faith produces true, trusting hope. Then, turns it into certainty. A sure thing. God’s love is unfailing and His peace is promised {Isaiah 54:10}.

Freedom from the hamster wheel is available to all of us. We need to KNOW {Gal 3:13} that we are redeemed, DECLARE {Psalm 102} that we are redeemed by saying it out loud to renew our mind, and we must CLAIM {Isaiah 54:5} that we’ve been redeemed. 

My prayer for you and for me is that we may discover more joy, more peace, and laughter once again! Our life to the fullest depends on it. #fightforit 





Unsung Heros #joyfortoday

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This is my new friend Sean, owner of the Donegal School of Traditional Irish Music. I met him on the ferry boat coming from Arranmore island. Within minutes of sharing my story with him he gave me some invaluable historical information that was relevant for my novel. I knew I’d made a lasting friend.

Later in the week we met up with him once again. This time at a pub in which he was performing. Here is a clip.

The song is Lakes of Pontchartrain.  A traditional ballad about a beautiful girl who gives shelter to a traveling man. In this tiny pub listening to the melody surround me, I witnessed a man in the corner singing along and some fellas conversing in full brogue over a pint. The atmosphere. The lyrics. I’m not sure, but I felt something stir. I thought about the woman being sung. She had her own song.

Wow.

If only we all had a song.  A thrummed keepsake; a eulogy of our love, life, and treasure. A beat to keep our feet moving. A song to slide, hip, and re-find our rhythm. A dance — for joy.

Unsung. On any given day, it’s how most of us feel.

Feeling as if we’re unsung manifests itself differently in each of us.

Unaccomplished.
Under-appreciated.
Unworthy.
Undeserving. 

I’ve encountered many unsung days. It’s a pitiful thing. I know. But sometimes it’s a hard story to retell, especially when the wolf is always at the door. I am learning, though, and what I’m finding is that if I can sing someone else’s song…it helps to stir the music in my heart once again.

Truthfully.

Think about someone you know RIGHT NOW that feels unsung. They are struggling. Stuck in a rut. Perhaps we can be the one to offer a note, a word of praise. These are the songs that make the most difference. From unsung to unsung.  Encouragement to keep dancing — shuffle, shuffle, step — for joy.

For another day.

Dia dhuit. Hello, from Ireland!

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Dia dhuit. It’s Irish for Hello.

You say it like this: /Jee-ah ghwitch./  That “gh” is a throaty sound. A bit like something is stuck in your throat.

Bunratty Folk Park, Ireland

The rumors about Ireland are true. They are a people of great hospitality and indeed, thus far, every greeting along the way has been met by the most generous folks.

Greetings. They are a part of every culture. Their role is to establish a basis for relationship and communication.

In preparing to come here I read that in Irish “Dia” means “God”.  Literally, “Dia dhuit” {Hello} means “God to you”. I’ve also learned an interesting fact that “Adios” in Spanish means “With God” and “Goodbye” in English originally meant “God be with you”?

It’s crazy to think that all over the world we express these salutations, spoken in different tongues, but they all seem to harbor a similar root; God and You.

Cliffs of Moher, Ireland

And that’s how it should be, in my belief. That everywhere I go, we go. God and me.

If I travel around the world. We go.

If I bring cookies to a new friend. We go.

If I pick up bananas from the grocery store. We go.

If I hold my child after a bad day. We go.

God and me. 

It’s as if we have a calling of sorts to greet the world. Not alone, but with the company of the One. Each of us, whatever corner we live on, can take up this simple task. A way to smile and be the light in someone’s day. We’re supposed to be like a city on a hill, shining for all the world to see. Are you? To think, it could all begin with a salutation.

So go forth, friend. Make today bright. God and you.

Worth the Wait. I’m Going to Ireland!

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Some things are worth the wait. Things like delivering babies, and a visa for your son half way around the world. Things like healing, and the fruition of a dream.

Waiting is never easy. Never. Especially when your Veruca Salt world screams, “I want it now!” There is purpose in waiting. Of course there is.

Little secret: God cares most about your character. 

“…Because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us…” Romans 5: 3-5

Waiting does not mean God doesn’t care. It means He wants to teach us how to lean, trust more. It means keep going, don’t give up. It means He cares most about your character.

For two years, TWO YEARS, I’ve been working on my first novel. A story about a girl from Ireland in 1880. In the midst of her own tragedy she is called into the greatest challenge of her life — but will she overcome?

For two years, every time the UPS guy delivers an Amazon shipment my son excitedly asks, Is this your book? Oh dear Lord, this boy, his waiting…

But hope is on the bend.

I’m Going to Ireland!



This weekend my mother and I will be making our way across the pond. Ireland bound. Ready to do some hands on research for the book. While we are there we will be visiting several museums, a few home steads from the early 19th century, and mostly spending time in Donegal town, the setting for my story.

Some days I feel like I’ve gone at writing this book all wrong. I’m doing everything backwards and, my-oh-my, this is taking forever. But then I remember how far I’ve come, how much I’ve learned, and how much I’ve changed for the better.

I guess some things are worth the wait.