The Simple Things Tag (2020 Edition)

The lovely Emma Starr tagged me for this last October. Now, a number of months later, I was nominated for it again by SawyerMarie from Sundrop Girls. (go check her blog out and give it  a follow, friends! she has some amazing, God-honoring content.) 

Since this is one of my favorite tags (and I was challenged by one of my favorite blogger friends), I figured I'd go ahead and do a 2020 edition of the "Simple Things" tag. :) Enjoy!

RULES:

1). Link back to the person who started the tag and thank them. Thanks, Camille! 

2). Link back to the person who tagged you and thank them. Done! ^^^^

3). Use the graphic below.

4). List 5 simple things that make you happy with pictures.

5). Tag 3 people.

6). Remind everyone to be joyful with the little things!

All righty, here goes! In no particular order, five simple things that make me happy would be . . . 

1). Walks w/ with these two cuties (aka my sisters). 

2). Checking my Spam folder. (and no, I'm not joking. xD) All Blogger, Wordpress, and Goodreads updates go here to be read and refiled in their correct locations. :)

3). The moving glitter in my phone case!! Believe it or not, I've wanted a case like this ALL. MY. LIFE. and finally, in May of this past year, my little dream has come true! Tilting this gorgeous case causes the white and gold heart-shaped confetti pieces to swirl and sparkle in a most spectacular display. (can you guess by now I'm obsessed with all things glitter??) *heart eyes*

(let it be known that yes, while not shown here, I do have a phone to go with the case. ;D)

4). Snail mail!!!! Opening the mailbox and discovering an envelope with YOUR name on it has to be one of the best, most exciting feelings in the world. 

5). Spending time daily with God and writing verses/thoughts in the journal my mom made for me. :D

Wow, that was bunches of fun! :) Now it's your turn. Comment below and tell me what five simple things make you happy (or if you'd prefer to do this tag on your blog, go right ahead!). I look forward to seeing your answers! <3

REMEMBER TO BE JOYFUL WITH THE LITTLE THINGS! (which, in reality, are not all that little.)

Blessings,

Ellen S.

Liebster Award

Okay, now that all the blog tour and Q&A stuff are over, I decided it was time to go scrolling through the 190+ posts in my pesky draft section of the blog and decide what to tackle next. And what do you know? I stumbled upon an ancient post (about a month old) that I completely forgot to publish. >.< Emma tagged me for this award a while back. Thanks, lovely! (Emma has a fabulous blog, so be sure to check her out and give her a follow! :D)

THE RULES:

1). Thank the person who nominated you. 
2). Display your award

3). Answer the questions you were asked
4). Nominate 5 bloggers
5). Ask 6 new questions
6). Let your nominees know they were nominated.

Emma's questions:

What is something your mom does that makes you feel loved? Oh, soooooooo many things!! It's impossible to choose just one. :) She was with me every step of the way on my writing journey for The Whispers God Gives, offering her feedback and encouragement. Even now, she continues to endorse, influence, and remain my #1 fan. :D
In the morning, if I'm awake early enough, Mom will pop in my bedroom on her way downstairs to smile and say she loves me. During the day, she's there to answer my questions, offer her wise counseling, or just listen as I share my heart. And of course we can't forget the a.m.a.z.i.n.g. meals she makes for our large family! 
In the evening, when Mom and I are in our separate bathrooms brushing our teeth and getting ready for bed, we'll knock patterns on the wall to each other (and yes, we like to joke that the walls in this house are paper-thin. XD) 
Sorry not sorry, friends, but my mom is truly the best!! <3

What is your favorite natural phenomenon? Why? Hmmm, probably ice glaciers. Why? Because I had to look the word "phenomenon" up in the dictionary to answer this question, and the example they gave included ice glaciers. *laughs*

What are three of your quirkiest habits? Picking up things with my feet (literally, I can lift just about anything using only my toes . . . don't ask. it comes from years of practice), handling my favorite books with the utmost care (what? you do it too? great! maybe it's not such a quirky habit, then), and . . . hmm . . . not sure I have a third one. *shrugs*

What do you and ducks have in common? Uhhh, a love for fresh bread and cool water? :D

What do people overestimate/underestimate about you? Overestimate? The "nice" side of me. Contrary to what some people may be inclined to think as they read my well-written, organized, always-pointing-back-to-Christ posts and see my behavior outside the home, I'm a wretched sinner too. I mess up more times than I'd like to admit and struggle daily with anxiety, the need to surrender, patience, and self-control.
Underestimate? Just how much I care for any one particular person. I firmly believe that whoever God places in my path has a purpose in my life and I in theirs. I long to show them love and friendship in ways they've never experienced before. If I've met you, I'm not about to forget you. Virtual friends and blog viewers also have a special part of my heart. :)

Do you believe in penguins? (This is a very controversial topic, so please be thoughtful in your answer.) Well, sure, I believe that penguins exist!! I think they're extraordinary creatures, and I'd love to meet one in person someday. :)

This was a lot of fun!! Now, for my six questions . . . 

What's one thing your dad does that makes you feel loved?
Do you consider yourself a morning person?
Would you rather watch movies or TV shows (or neither)?
Can you describe to me one exciting moment of your life when you felt like you were walking on air?
If you had to change your name, what would you change it to, and why?
What's one book on your TBR that you absolutely can't WAIT to read?

I nominate:

Caleigh @ Caleigh's Random Thoughts
Caitlyn @ Flight of the Quill
Annika @ Annika Lorraine
Izzy @ Dappled Sunshine
Brooklyn @ Five Shekels
Rhoda, Lilly, Sarah Grace, & Elate (in the comments!)

. . . as well as anyone else who'd like to do this award, whether on their own blogs or in the comment section below. :D I look forward to reading everyone's answers!!

Blessings,

Ellen S.

Just because . . . here's a picture of one of the gorgeous roses I found while on my walk today. :)

p.s. Have you noticed that Ellen's Musings is officially six people away from fifty followers?? It seems so surreal. You guys are amazing! <3 And if you're stalking me right now and debating about pushing the "follow" button, allow me to give you a little extra incentive: fifty followers = another awesome giveaway. :)

The Sunshine Blogger Award

Hi friends! I was nominated for this amazing tag by Rosy @ Rosy's Writings. I believe it's the first "award-themed" tag I've ever done, so that adds even more to the fun. (yay!)
Here are the rules for this tag:
1). Thank the blogger(s) who nominated you and provide a link back to their blog
2). List the rules and display an award logo on your blog post
3). Answer the 11 questions the blogger(s) asked you
4). Nominate 11 other bloggers to receive the award and notify them by commenting on any of their posts
5). Ask the nominees 11 new questions

All righty, let's begin! Rosy's questions:

Coffee or tea? Well, in all honesty . . . neither. Although, if I have to choose (and I'm assuming I do, because it's one of the questions), I'd go with coffee, simply because I know tea makes me feel sick. (But then, on second thought, I have never sat down to enjoy a full cup of coffee before, so who knows if either my belly or I would really like it that much?)
Pens or pencils? Ohhhhhhhhh, definitely pens. I LOVE my pens!!
What books are you reading right now? Along with The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, which I'm reading for school, I'm rereading a few favorites. :-)
Do you wear a watch? ABSOLUTELY!!! I have one on ALL the time. *glances down at wrist* *gasps* Oops, spoke too soon. I don't have my watch on now. I forgot it to put it on after my shower. *cringes* (Sorry about that!) *hurries to grab it*
Do you like to wear jewelry? For the most part, yes. I have a purity ring from my daddy on my left hand, and a gorgeous birthstone ring (from my mama) on the right. They're the only two pieces of jewelry that I wear on a regular basis and almost never take off. I also own lots of necklaces and bracelets, but it's harder to wear those when you're jiggling toddlers and newborns. :D
Do you know how to paint? Yep, I do. Do I always do a good job at it? Uh . . . no.
What meal did you have on your last birthday? TACOS!!! I always, always, ALWAYS have tacos on my birthday.
What's your favorite style of shoes? Flip-flops and sandals. :-)
Penguins, dolphins, or peacocks? Dolphins!
Favorite movie? Hmm, I'm not really the movie type of girl, but three movies I do like would be "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang," "The Apple Dumpling Gang," and "Anne of Green Gables." (Please don't make me choose between those three!!)
What was your favorite of all the above questions? Probably the meal-on-your-birthday question. :-)

Okay, time for the nominations! I nominate Ellie and Sandrina, as well as anyone else who happens to be wearing something that's yellow, pink, purple, or green. :-) And if you don't have a blog, feel free to answer the following questions in the comments below. :D

My Questions:

1. Hot or frozen cocoa?
2. If you could travel to another state (or country), which would you choose and why?
3. If you could eat only one meal every day for a straight week, what would it be?
4. Do you prefer writing or reading stories?
5. What's your favorite Bible verse, or a verse God leads you to most?
6. If you have a blog, who was your first follower?
7. Do you consider yourself to be a tidy, organized person?
8. On a rainy day, would you rather curl up inside with a book or shrug on a jacket, grab an umbrella, and hurry outside to splash in the puddles?
9. What's your favorite color?
10. Has a book ever made you cry before?
11. What's one childhood memory that always makes you laugh?

Look fun?? Go ahead and award yourself this tag. ;-)

Can't wait to see your  answers!

Blessings,

Ellen S.

Book Buddy Collab Tag with Sandrina

Hey guys! I have to say, I'm super excited about today's post. Kaitlyn @ Kaitlyn Krispense, Author did this tag over on her blog, and I thought, Oh, my! That looks like a lot of fun. So, when my sweet friend, Sandrina, offered to "collab" with me, I immediately agreed. 
Sandrina and I have been email/pen-pals since 2018, and we've had multiple opportunities to Skype together. I feel like I know her reading preferences pretty well, but there are some questions in this tag that I'm not altogether certain I'll get right. The only ones I'm sure about are #1 and #10 (maybe). 
Well, only one way to find out . . . and that's to begin! (and please be warned that there may be a large use of asterisks in this post. Oh, and my first-ever time using GIFs, all from a favorite TV series of mine, The Andy Griffith Show. *smiles*)

THE RULES

- Thank the blogger that tagged you. Link back to the creator.
- Pick a bookish friend to do the tag with you and contact them.
- Coordinate so that your bookish buddy posts their part of the tag on the same day as you. Be sure to link their post/blog to yours!
- Answer the questions given. Comment on your buddy's post to let them know how well they answered!
- Tag five other bookish bloggers and give them a set of 10 new questions. 

THE QUESTIONS

1. Who's your buddy's favorite author? Hm, I'm going with John J. Horn. :-)

2. What's their favorite trope? Uhhhhhh . . . *mind draws a complete blank* I actually have no idea. Maybe . . . the main character getting injured and searching for healing? 

3. What's (one of) their all-time favorite books? Fawkes by Nadine Brandes.

4. When is their favorite time of day to read? I'm gonna say nighttime.

5. What is their favorite book-to-move adaption? Um. *eyes grow wide* I don't think we've ever discussed that before. Oh, oh, wait! *claps hands* On our most recent Skype call, she mentioned liking the new Little Women movie. Let's use that.

6. What is their favorite nonfiction book? I have absolutely no clue. *groans* Okay, I already feel like I'm blundering, and we still have four questions left to go! I know she really liked Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus, and . . . another book by Chad Williams, I think his name was. But (unlike me) Sandrina reads a bunch of nonfiction. How can I know the one book she liked best? *scurries to Goodreads* *finds nothing helpful* *inserts the second GIF*

7. What are three of their favorite book covers? Beloved by Kaitlyn Krispense, Fawkes by Nadine Brandes, and . . . (can I change the question to two favorite book covers?? XD) . . . ah! got it! A book from the Eagle of the Ninth series.

8. Do they prefer series or standalones? Series.

9. What movie or TV show reminds them of their favorite series? AGH! You're kidding! *buries face in hands* *drums fingers on keyboard* *stares at the wall* I'm about to take a sheer guess, but could it possibly be . . . a How To Train Your Dragon movie?

10. Are they a stay-up-until-morning-to-finish-the-book person, or a sleep-is-too-important person? Definitely the former, stay-up-until-morning-to-finish-the-book person. :D

Welp, there you have it! Be sure to check out Sandrina's blog to read her answers. :D (Eeks, can't wait to see how well either one of us did on this!)

Now, I tag: Brooklyn, Emma, and the first three commenters on this post who have a bookish buddy and want to do this!! :-)

The questions:

1. Who's your buddy's favorite main character?
2. What's their least favorite genre?
3. Do they prefer contemporary or historical fiction?
4. Can your buddy listen to music while they read?
5. Is your buddy a read-the-book-in-one-sitting person, or a I'll-read-this-later person?
6. What is your buddy's favorite villain?
7. What is one of their least favorite books?
8. Where is your buddy's favorite place to read?
9. Is your buddy someone who can pick at all the faults in a book, or just read it, enjoy, and ignore the faults?
10. What's the thing that annoys them most in books?

Blessings,

Ellen S.

The Merry and Bright Tag // Poem: "God's Great Gift"

Hey all! I have an especially fun post for you guys today. :-) Ellie R. tagged me for this last Sunday. Thanks, Ellie! 

THE RULES:

1). Thank the person who tagged you
2). Make sure to include the "Merry and Bright" pic in your post
3). Answer the following questions

1. Favorite movie to watch at Christmastime:

Uhh . . . none? Sorry, y'all, but I am not a movie-watcher. If "Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" counts for a Christmas movie, I suppose you can put me down for that. ;D 

2. Some Christmas songs I enjoy:

"Oh Come, Oh Come Emmanuel," "God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen," "Away In a Manger," "What Child is This?", "Silent Night," "It's Called Christmas" . . . 

3. Some books I love in winter:

Any that distract me from the cold weather outside. LOL 

4. Some Christmas goodies that make me smile:

Peppermint Chex mix, homemade cinnamon rolls, pretty pieces of thin mint bark . . . to sum it up, any tasty treat my mom chooses to make. :D

5. Some Christmas-y words that make me happy:

Jesus, advent, prayer

6. Some things I look forward to every year:

The Christmas Eve service at our church; giving gifts to close friends and relatives; running baked goods to our neighbors and watching their faces light up; sending packages; writing letters; taking a break from school (LOL) . . . 

7. Favorite Christmas memories (that happen every year)

Baking with my family, doing advent, holding candles and singing carols at our church, and visiting a local farm to drive around and see their lights

8. Memories to be made this year

Hm, not sure I have any. :-)

I tag: whoever wants to do this. :D

And now, in celebration of our precious Savior's birth, a Christmas poem for you all (and yes, this is a repost from last year).

God’s Great Gift

Love came down to die for us
It did not come by plane, car, or bus.
It was a Heavenly Being, a Righteous One,
Who came in the form of a Baby Son.
He was born by a woman and laid in a cradle of hay
So that we might all come, and have hope while we pray.
His Father sent Him down to die for the sake of all,
There is no sacrifice like this, that He obeyed the call,
Leaving His palace of splendor, His gates of gladness,
To come down to this earth, this earth full of sadness.
Christmas is the twenty-fifth of December;
This is the day on which we all remember
That Jesus Christ is our loving Savior, our selfless God,
Who leads us now with staff and rod.
Really, Christmas is not just one day a year,
But a joyous thought that could bring us all cheer,
If only we stop oft and think on such a glorious thought.
God’s sacrifice saved this earth from the trap in which we were caught.
Every day is Christmas, in a way, and Jesus deserves to be praised,
For He, the Righteous, Holy One, was born, and killed, and raised,
To give us hope and endless life,
To give us a promise amidst the pain and strife.
Who has greater love than He,
Who gave His Life for you and me?

Merry Christmas!! Jesus loves you!! 

Blessings,

Ellen S.

Musing #107 - The Simple Writer's Tag

I've decided to make my own tag. I've never done it before, but there's a first time to everything, right? ;D This one is called "The Simple Writer's Tag," and these are the rules:

1. Link back to the person who started the tag
2. Answer the ten "Simple Writer's" questions
3. Tag as many writing friends as you'd like!

*Here is where I would post "The Simple Writer's Tag" graphic . . . if I had one. Sadly, however, I'm not a graphic designer ☹ If the tag circles back to someone who does design graphics, feel free to invent one of your own!*

The questions:

1. How do you like to write, by typewriter, pen, or computer? Computer!

2. Do you prefer to write in the first or third person? Definitely first. :-)

3. Do you enjoy doing one POV or multiple POVs? Depends if I'm going for short story or full-length novel.

4. What's your favorite genre to write about? Christian.

5. Who is your strongest writing supporter? My mom!! (and everyone else in my big family, and my friends, and my favorite author . . . yeah, I have a ton of writing supporters, but none as amazing as my mama 😉)

6. What is one thing that gives you inspiration to write? Well, believe it or not . . . food. Just hearing the name of something tasty spurs me to the computer. (the characters may or may not eat a lot in my books . . .)

7. Do you like revision? Uh, yes and no. During revision, when my book is marked up in red and there're comments running all along the sides, I want to scream. Why can't a book be perfect the first time around?? But in the end, I'm quite thankful for revision . . . and I do so love editing others' files. :-)

8. Poems or stories? Stories!! 

9. Can you listen to music while you write? Yes, yes, YES! Who can write without it??

10. Present or past tense? Present is so much more fun! 

Now it's your turn!

I tag:

Sandrina
Emma
Lilly
Lily Cat
Brooklyn
Izzy
Brooklyne
Libby May
Laura
Sawyer Marie

. . . as well as anyone else who'd like to do this tag, whether on their own personal blogs or in the comments below. 
Can't wait to see your answers!

Blessings,
Ellen

Musing #99 - The Simple Things Tag

Sweet Emma Starr from Seven Billion Smiles tagged me last week for a fun challenge called "The Simple Things Tag." Here are the instructions:

1. Link back to the person who started the tag and thank them. Many thanks, Camille! 
2. Link back to the person who tagged you and thank them. Thanks bunches, Emma!
3. List 5 simple things that make you happy with pictures.
4. Tag one person.

Okey-dokey, five things that make me happy would have to be . . . 

1. Pretty autumn leaves

This picture was found online

2. Gorgeous book covers :-)

3. Butterflies

4. Marigolds

5. My pen! The glitter moves around when you shake it, and the colors are SO pretty :-)

I tag my amazing friend, Sandrina!
Can't wait to see your answers! 

Musing #93 - The 20 Questions Book Tag

Hello and happy Monday, friends! I'm here because God is alive, and He's putting breath in my lungs and a beat in my heart. I'm so thankful to Him that He's given me great friends like Emma Starr and Sandrina, who join me in fun little challenges and great book tags. :-)
Speaking of which, Emma tagged me on Sunday for another one of those "great book tags" - this one with twenty questions - so I guess I better get started! 

1. How many books are too many in a series? Uhhhhhhh . . .  Let's just say that so long as the series is good, there can never be too many books. Think Andi Carter. I would jump for joy if Mrs. Marlow told me she was releasing another few books for Andi's married life!

2. How do you feel about cliffhangers? Cliffhangers are fun (especially if you're the one creating them) and they're excellent in books (unless, like me, you tell yourself, "One more chapter," and then the cliffhangers are so bad you just keep reading), but one place I never like to find them is on blogs, 'cause then you have to wait for the blogger to do another post before you can relax again.

3. Hardcover or paperback? Ooh, both are amazing, and I don't think I could decide between the two. After all, hardcover doesn't bend, and if you get water on it you can wipe it off easily. Paperback doesn't take too much to get crinkled, wet, or destroyed, but it is easier to read on. So . . . 

4. What's your favorite book? Eeks! Surely there's never a true answer to that question, right? Honestly, I couldn't decide! Besides the Bible, my favorites range from "Tales from Memory Creek Ranch" by Susan K. Marlow to "Freedom" by Faith Potts to "The Torch Keepers" by Hosanna Emily to . . . well, all the others listed in my "Blogger Profile" and elsewhere.

5. Least favorite book? Sorry, but I have a bunch in that category - namely all those that are sitting in my bookshelf (or on my Kindle) unfinished. Seriously - they got that boring. 

6. Fiction or nonfiction? Fiction all the way!

7. The most recent book you couldn't finish? "One Eye Laughing, the Other Weeping" - a Dear America diary. The book was running smoothly . . . and then, of course, some inappropriate content had to be thrown in there, and I didn't reach the end.

8. A book you're currently reading? None at the moment, although I finished a Nancy Drew book this morning just moments before answering this question. (Need to get back to the library . . .)

9. Last book you recommended to someone? "Fawkes" by Nadine Brandes.

10. Oldest book you've read? (publication date) The Bible.

11. Newest book you've read? (publication date) Not sure. I've been reading (and semi-editing) a series of books that has not yet been published, but I guess that doesn't count. And . . . oh, oh, I've got it! "The Torch Keepers" by Hosanna Emily is probably the newest book I've read - it was published and released September 1st, 2019.

12. Favorite author? SUSAN K. MARLOW! (If you hadn't guessed the answer to this question already, you obviously don't know me very well! *wink*) 

13. Buying books or borrowing? Ooh, buying! There's something about holding a brand-new book in your hands and knowing that it's yours to keep.

14. A book you dislike that everyone else seems to love? Hmm . . . probably "Counted Worthy" by Leah E. Good.

15. Bookmarks or dog-ears? Neither, actually. Have you noticed that both methods leave noticeable marks on the pages of your precious books? ;-)

16. A book you can always re-read? Oh, yay! The answer comes readily for this one: "Tales from Memory Creek Ranch."

17. Can you read while listening to music? Yes, yes, YES! I can do just about anything while listening to music. As a matter of fact, I'm listening to my Pandora station even now as I type. :-) 

18. One POV or multiple POVs? That depends upon how well the author switches POVs. Susan K. Marlow, Lois Walfrid Johnson, and Hosanna Emily do very well with their many POVs, but there are others (like Carolyn Keene, author of the Nancy Drew series) who don't handle the different POVs half as well.

19. Do you read a book in one sitting or over multiple days? Again, that depends. Short book? Easily done in one sitting. And, unless the book is immensely boring, I never take more than 48 hours to finish reading it. I remember the first time I got "Andi to the Rescue" in my hands and I kept telling myself, "C'mon, you've looked forward to this for so long. Try to read it in smaller sections, saving some for right before bed at night, and some for the morning." Somehow, I managed to do that . . . but I haven't always been so successful. ;-)

20. Who do you tag?

Sandrina @ From the Notebook

Lilly from Lilly's Tidbit

Kaitlyn on Kaitlyn Krispense, Author 

. . . and anyone else who'd like to do this tag, either on their own personal blogs or in the comment section below. All you have to do to participate in the tagging fun is answer all the questions found above! I look forward to reading your answers. :-) 

Blessings,
Ellen