I am, by nature, a writer. It's the one thing that stirs deep within my soul, screaming to come out if I don't do it often enough. In addition to the fun scribbles I've created throughout my life, as an adult I've also published several novels!
Years ago I got it in my head that if I wrote romance I could get my foot in the door to write what I really love - Young Adult. But that wasn't my path. The entire road was...just not for me. That's not to say that I judge or even dislike romance - I adore it. BUT it wasn't for me. So after self publishing a few Adult Rom's and even signing with a digital publisher for a few, I felt the Spirit convicting me and I left.
A few years later, I wrote and signed with another digital publisher for my two Young Adult novels, WANDER and IDEAL FAITH. They're in my name and easily found, if you're interested! Just get on amazon and search Lynn Marie Spinks with either title!
Which leads me to the present. After having a child, moving into my mom's basement with the whole fam as we search for our next house, and losing the laptop charging cord...yes, I was dying... I saw another opportunity to write.
My church is full of amazing people. We are led by our senior pastor who writes Middle Grade Fantasy novels. Go ahead, read that again. Leading with him are college professors, musicians who have played tours across the country, a man who survived a deadly bridge collapse - like, we actually have it all. And they were looking for someone who may feel led to write parenting articles for a new ministry outreach - Parent Ninja. It's an email that you can sign up to receive, once a week, or you can catch the abbreviated version in the weekly pamphlet at service.
So I offered to "try out" - and I thought for sure they would say "Cute. You have one three year old. NEXT." Instead. They published it. And I'm on the list for more! It has been an amazing experience in which I believe God is teaching me through my own words. When I sit down to write these articles I am challenged with my own behaviors and parenting choices. I am forced to look at how the compare biblically. And sometimes it hurts!
I'd love for more people to sign up for the newsletter and gain everything I am from, not just my own articles, but the incredibly gifted people I'm honored to share space with. The link to our official Parent Ninja posting is here along with the full version of this article (which is kind of funny and you may enjoy!), and if you click on the top where it says to join the list you'll be signed up! For free! Yay! If you're just here to see what I'm rambling on about it, I give you: the abbreviated version! Enjoy and Blessings!
Ultimate Pinterest Fail
By Lynn Marie Spinks
In this generation of parenting, we all have one common frenemy. Pinterest.
Recently, I found myself scrolling through ideas of things to do with my toddler. But take your eyes off of the phone. Raise them to her, holding up dolls. Enraptured in the idea of making a better moment, I was completely blind to the only thing that mattered to her.
My attention.
Our toddlers don’t have a Pinterest board for things other parent’s are doing. What they would pin, is us. When I was pregnant I dreamt of giving her the world. If she deserves and receives it all, then she’ll have an inkling of how I feel, right?
The short answer is no. As parents we are their world, just as they are ours. Toys come and go. But our time and attention - that’s what they were meant to receive.
When we fail to recognize that, we are creating the worst Pinterest fail of all.
Proverbs 22:6 says “train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it,” the Holy Spirit didn’t mean train your child to search the internet for more or better. With this generation, it is extra important that we remember to train up our children by our actions.
And that means limiting our own screen time to lunch breaks or after bedtime and using the time we have with our kids for just that.
