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Sandra Carrington-Smith's Blog (38)

The Big Book of Soul - Book Review

Being passionate of all things spiritual, I became really intrigued when I read the editorial reviews of The Big Book of Soul. Finally I had the opportunity to read a book dealing with the spiritual practice of Hoodoo which focused on healing rather than hexing.



I went to a local bookstore to pick up a copy already expecting to like the book, but nothing prepared me for the treat I was about to receive. The cover itself, with its abundance of color and festive energy was striking… Continue

Added by Sandra Carrington-Smith on March 19, 2010 at 4:26am — No Comments

The Power of Our Beliefs

“Fear is faith that it won’t work out.” ~ Author unknown





While watching a comedy sitcom in which a kid was trying to learn how to swim, I saw my daughter become pensive for a moment. Then, with a puzzled look spreading across her little face, she said: “If I can swim, why is he having such a hard time with it? He can just float.”





I tried to remind her of when she didn’t know how to swim either, and how apprehensive she was when the swimming instructor first… Continue

Added by Sandra Carrington-Smith on March 15, 2010 at 6:15am — No Comments

One Block at a Time

“The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.” ~Chinese Proverb



While playing Lego blocks with my daughter, yesterday afternoon, my attention was piqued by a home she had built for one of her little miniature dolls. She had erected the walls around the figurine, and in the excitement of the moment, she had forgotten to include a door.



Here was the poor little doll, sitting in a cluster of colored plastic bricks tightly intertwined together as… Continue

Added by Sandra Carrington-Smith on March 12, 2010 at 4:09am — No Comments

From the Inside Out

“A lot of people say they want to get out of pain, and I'm sure that's true, but they aren't willing to make healing a high priority. They aren't willing to look inside to see the source of their pain in order to deal with it.” ~ Lindsay Wagner





About a week ago, my oldest son got hurt playing basketball. What initially appeared as a red, slightly swollen bump, changed color over time, and became a silver-dollar-sized brown and yellow bruise covering the inside of his… Continue

Added by Sandra Carrington-Smith on March 11, 2010 at 4:03am — No Comments

The Book I Never Wrote - A First Edition Misprint

Last night was a bit of a rollercoaster. After reaching the top when I received the copies of Housekeeping for the Soul I had ordered two weeks ago, I took a fast dip when one of my contacts sent me a message and told me that the advance copy she received today for review was misprinted – right jacket and wrong book inside of it!



I am of firm belief that people’s paths cross for a reason, but this unexpected merging of literary children created sheer panic. Within a matter of hours,… Continue

Added by Sandra Carrington-Smith on March 10, 2010 at 4:12am — No Comments

Heaven on Earth

“Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads.” ~ Henry D. Thoreau





Although I’ve heard the expression ‘Heaven on earth’ many times, it was only yesterday that I realized how easily we misinterpret its meaning.



While I buy into the concept that to get to the light at the end of the tunnel one must first go through the tunnel, I also feel that the road has been particularly long and rough this year – with sub-freezing temperatures almost everyday, and a pale sun… Continue

Added by Sandra Carrington-Smith on March 9, 2010 at 4:15am — No Comments

March 8 - International Women's Day

On September 19 1893 New Zealand became the first country in the world to give women the right to vote. Women in other countries campaigned for justice for many years.



In 1910 a second International Conference of Working Women was held in Copenhagen. A woman named Clara Zetkin (Leader of the 'Women's Office' for the Social Democratic Party in Germany) proposed the idea of an International Women's Day, which was launched the following year on March 19.



Two new journals… Continue

Added by Sandra Carrington-Smith on March 8, 2010 at 9:43am — No Comments

Wish Upon a Star

“Star light, Star bright, the first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight.” ~ From Pinocchio







When I woke up early in the morning, I had no idea what an amazing day yesterday would turn out to be. In so many ways, March 4 was special already, as it marked the first day of my oldest son attending a driving class. The rest of the day passed relatively uneventful, and it was almost seven o’clock when I finally got home. I started… Continue

Added by Sandra Carrington-Smith on March 5, 2010 at 9:07am — No Comments

A Walk in the Woods

“In the middle of the journey of our life, I came to myself in a dark wood where the straight way was lost. Ah! How hard a thing is it to tell what a wild, and rough, and stubborn wood this was, which in my thought renews the fear! So bitter is it that scarcely more is death: but to treat of the good that I there found, I will relate the other things that I discerned.” ~ Dante Alighieri







It’s quite amazing how time and age can make such a difference in the way one… Continue

Added by Sandra Carrington-Smith on March 3, 2010 at 5:57am — No Comments

As the Wind Blows

“In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: It goes on.” ~ Robert Frost







When I was a young girl, I found it mind-boggling how older people never seemed to really worry about anything. As for any teenager worth her salt, a small stumble was enough to devastate my world.



One day, one of my mother’s friends came over to see us. She looked terrible – her face was etched with deep lines of worry, and her eyes lacked the spark I was accustomed to… Continue

Added by Sandra Carrington-Smith on March 2, 2010 at 5:17am — No Comments

Non-Fiction Writers Conference in the Raleigh NC Area

Triangle Area Freelancers (TAF) will hold its annual nonfiction symposium Write Now! 2010 at Wake Technical Community College (Main Campus) on Saturday, March 27, 2010, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Local broadcast journalist and WRAL crime beat reporter Amanda Lamb will deliver the keynote address. Amanda is the author of three books: Smotherhood, Deadly Dose, and Evil Next Door, which is scheduled for an April 6 release.





The conference classes, taught by nationally published writers… Continue

Added by Sandra Carrington-Smith on March 1, 2010 at 5:43am — No Comments

A little help...please?

The past few days have been insane at best. As the date of release of Housekeeping for the Soul is getting closer, I'm working around the clock to get all my ducks in a row, and boy...that's a whole lot of ducks to line up!



Today I e-mailed many of you asking if you can forward a newsletter Dena and I have created. For some of you, however, I don't have e-mail addresses, so I will post the link here in hope that you can be kind enough to copy it and send it around to your… Continue

Added by Sandra Carrington-Smith on February 28, 2010 at 8:03pm — No Comments

When Opposites No Longer Attract

“The people who live in a golden age usually go around complaining how yellow everything looks.” ~ Randall Jarrell





Yesterday morning I received a call from a friend who’s traveling through Mississippi and stopped by a restaurant in Jackson. As she related her impressions of this restaurant and of the people working there, my friend was obviously quite impressed. As it turns out, this restaurant is part of a chain, even if one would never know it from the atmosphere it offers –… Continue

Added by Sandra Carrington-Smith on February 28, 2010 at 5:56am — No Comments

Ghosts of the Past

“It is easy to be negative about past mistakes and unhappiness. But it is much more healing to look at ourselves and our past in the light of experience, acceptance, and growth. Our past is a series of lessons that advance us to higher levels of living and loving. The relationships we entered, stayed in, or ended taught us necessary lessons. Some of us have emerged from the most painful circumstances with strong insights about who we are and what we want. Our mistakes? Necessary. Our… Continue

Added by Sandra Carrington-Smith on February 24, 2010 at 5:43am — No Comments

Mirrors

“Maturity is that time when mirrors in our minds turn to windows, and instead of seeing the reflection of ourselves we see others.” ~ Author Unknown





If my middle son and my daughter were closer in age, people would think they are twins; not only because they look so alike physically, but mostly because of their identical characters. You see, in my life I was blessed with a royal pair, the king and queen of stage drama.





Naturally one would think the two are peas… Continue

Added by Sandra Carrington-Smith on February 23, 2010 at 5:22am — No Comments

Quenching Our Inner Thirst

“Many activities are really distractions that excite us but don't satisfy, just leaves us wanting more distraction. But, they can be bought with money, and worth every penny of it.” ~ Djofraleigh





I read this quote a few days ago and, for some reason, it has been lingering in my mind ever since. Yesterday, taking advantage of a little extra time I had available for myself, I sat alone for a little while and pondered the meaning of such a profound statement.





In… Continue

Added by Sandra Carrington-Smith on February 22, 2010 at 5:19am — No Comments

Changing Planes - A Book Review

It doesn’t happen often that one stumbles into a new book and sees many pieces of the puzzle of life suddenly fall into place. That was my experience a few nights ago, as I got lost in the timeless words of Changing Planes by Laurie Brenner.





When I received my order from Amazon, I was relieved the book was not too long, and I figured I would read it in a just a few days. As it turned out, I couldn’t put it down, and I finished reading it the next day.





I don’t… Continue

Added by Sandra Carrington-Smith on February 21, 2010 at 6:37am — No Comments

A Door I Never Considered

“The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live.” ~ Flora Whittemore





My daughter is not a morning person. Each day, getting her out of bed classifies as a struggle in itself, but getting her ready to get out the door on time to get to school is nothing short than a Herculean task.





Getting dressed is the big challenge – since the time she turned one and could barely walk – Morgan decided glamour was the name of her game. Before making her… Continue

Added by Sandra Carrington-Smith on February 19, 2010 at 6:07am — No Comments

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