Updates from October, 2014 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

  • Lynda Jones-Burns 5:31 am on October 31, 2014 Permalink | Reply  

    Magic To Do 

    For those of you who’ve read several of my Blogs, you’ve probably noticed that I always end them with “Determined Lynda has magic to do.” One of my previous blogs explained why I coined the phrase: Determined Lynda. Since I feel at one with my faithful readers, I want to share the reason I adopted the mantra: “I’ve got magic to do.”

    Coincidentally, Bettina Charles, the star of my novel A Complicated Love Song, was born on the same day as me — June thirtieth and many of our experiences are similar. When we both, were little girls, ten years old to be exact, we experienced our first Broadway musical at the Imperial Theatre, of course, in New York City. Since I didn’t see Tina there, I’m just going to speak for myself from this point forward.

    As I sat in the audience watching Ben Vereen perform the leading role, I was amazed. For the entire performance, I couldn’t help but have a big smile on my face and a sparkle in my eyes. It was then, while watching him bedazzle me and the entire audience, I fell in love with live theatre—musicals, pure dramas, ballet, opera, and the symphony. I’ve spent my life in the appreciation of the performing arts. It’s one of my most favorite things. Well, from the instant Ben Vereen uttered the lyrical phrase, “I’ve got magic to do,” I received it. From then to now, I’ve lived my life believing that I can make magic happen.

    Determined Lynda’s Final Thought for the Moment: The belief that something enchanting will materialize changes dreams into success stories. —Lynda has magic to do. Do you?

    Copyright © 2014, Lynda Jones-Burns. All Rights Reserved.

     

    • Sylvia 7:33 pm on November 2, 2014 Permalink | Reply

      Love that phrase!! It challenges all of us to reflect on the magic we’ve got to do! I’m so proud of you and your work! Keep doing your magic!

    • Ethel Vance 2:47 pm on October 31, 2014 Permalink | Reply

      I also loved Ben Vereen; although I was never able to see him perform live, I always watched him on television. You certainly “can make magic happen.” I am so excited about reading your book
      “A Complicated Love Song.”

  • Lynda Jones-Burns 12:49 pm on October 30, 2014 Permalink | Reply  

    Picking Up a Few Things 

    In my novel A Complicated Love Song, my main character Bettina Charles had a taste for tacos and went into the market to purchase the ingredients. Because of her celebrity status, fans forced her to flee. Just like Tina, my mouth was set on tacos, so I needed to pick up a few things. I dashed into the grocery store without a cart or one of those hard to carry baskets. I thought my arms would suffice just fine—one to nab it and grab it off of the shelves and the other to hold that which I had accumulated.

    As I went along, those twos and few items grew to many, but my free arm did not increase in size. Of course, I wasn’t going to get a cart because I was just picking up a few things. The excuse made sense before admitting it aloud. The enormity of my plight got so bad that both arms and my chin had to be engaged for holding. Now, my nab it and grab it tool had been reduced to the fingers on one hand while standing on my tip-toes.

    At that point, items started to slip from my arm-basket. I spent more time retrieving merchandise from the floor than continuing my mission to pick up a few things. It was silly to do and funny to watch as I saw onlookers shaking their heads.

    Determined Lynda’s Final Thought for the Moment: If your arms get that full, stop fooling yourself. Either get a cart or release some of that unnecessary baggage. After all, the initial intent was to pick up a few things. — Lynda has magic to do. Do you?

    Copyright © 2014, Lynda Jones-Burns. All Rights Reserved.

     

    • Ethel Vance 1:50 am on October 31, 2014 Permalink | Reply

      I am with you on this because I am always telling the clerks that “I only came in for three items.”

    • Lakisha Davis-Small 6:06 pm on October 30, 2014 Permalink | Reply

      I did that yesterday, getting stuff out of Family Dollar.

    • Nina Chandler 2:57 pm on October 30, 2014 Permalink | Reply

      Who does this?! Laughing at myself because I do it too often. Then the cashier is waiting for our favorite line, ” I only came in here to get one thing” but she is steadily ringing up my basket full of items. I am ready for my copy of “A Complicated Love Song”. This is good stuff!!!! I see the story as I read………AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • Peter Jackson 2:19 pm on October 30, 2014 Permalink | Reply

      We have all been there, but tried to keep up the good fight. Good insight and very funny.

  • Lynda Jones-Burns 5:51 am on October 29, 2014 Permalink | Reply  

    Pure Thoughts 

    In the book God’s Trombones, James Weldon Johnson created poetic verse, highlighting the unique phrasing of the old-time negro preacher. He wrote about pastors and deacons and mothers of the church. They were people who survived a time in American history where slavery was a recent nightmare and Jim Crow Laws were an unwelcomed friend. In his poem, Johnson underscored how many corporate prayers were prefaced. He wrote: “O Lord, we come this morning—knee-bowed and body-bent before Thy throne of grace.” To me, his words described acts of reverence—people coming before God with open and honest hearts.

    In developing A Complicated Love Song, I started each writing session with a prayer, expressing my desire to tap into my purest and most childlike thoughts. To make that happen, I had to exhale and clear my head of distractions. Then, with an exposed spirit, I was able to write, approaching my blank page in a manner, once again, best described by James Weldon Johnson—my favorite line in his poem. “We come this morning—like empty pitchers to a full fountain, with no merit of our own.”

    Without the weight of self-importance or the arrogance to think my humanity had words of wisdom to convey, I was freed-up to let the story be delivered to my spirit. All I had to do was watch the film in my mind’s eye and put pencil to pad and write an account of what I was viewing. That prescription was the best medicine, enabling me to release my prose.

    Determined Lynda’s Final Thought for the Moment: When my baggage is put aside and my mind is empty, my cup is filled to the point of overflowing. —Lynda has magic to do. Do you?

    Copyright © 2014, Lynda Jones-Burns. All Rights Reserved.

     

    • Nina Chandler 2:59 pm on October 30, 2014 Permalink | Reply

      Work that magic, Mrs. Burns! I see sparks from a fire that has been buried within me and to you, I say THANKS.

    • Lakisha Davis-Small 8:27 pm on October 29, 2014 Permalink | Reply

      This blog is wonderful, I had to print it out to share. I am so proud of you in everyway!

  • Lynda Jones-Burns 6:18 pm on October 28, 2014 Permalink | Reply  

    Truth Be Told About My Hats 

    I attend St John Baptist Church in Columbia, Maryland. This past Sunday, I received compliment after compliment about my beautiful hat. I’d been adorning my head with them for three weeks in a row. I accepted each and every comment with gratefulness for the feel good emotions that they brought to me. With a pun intended, they placed a hypothetical feather in my hat.

    In my novel: A Complicated Love Song, my main character Bettina Charles has a great-aunty named Gertrude ‘Trudy’ Watkins-Charles. She is a self-proclaimed spiritual advisor and would react to this same situation in her on special way. She would say it like this. “Truth be told, I really preciated each one of those kind words about me and my hats. I know I looked real good. Lord, please forgive me. In my moment of weakness, my flesh got in the way, causing my vanity to overtake my virtue.”

    Well, as it related to me, I’m going to tell you guys the truth, but please don’t tell anyone else. You see, the reason I’ve been wearing the hats was because I was trying to stretch the time until making my next hair appointment.

    Determined Lynda’s Final Thought for the Moment: If you can’t spare the time to get your hair did, plop on a hat and go right on strutting your stuff. — Lynda has magic to do. Do you?

    Copyright © 2014, Lynda Jones-Burns. All Rights Reserved.

     

    • Jone J. 1:15 am on November 2, 2014 Permalink | Reply

      We all have many reasons for adorning our heads, but it only matters what’s under the hat.
      Virtues or vanity. Can’t wait to meet this character Aunt Gertrude.

    • Nina Chandler 3:00 pm on October 30, 2014 Permalink | Reply

      I love the hat story, Sista Gurl!

    • Brandy 1:03 pm on October 30, 2014 Permalink | Reply

      Tee-hee! So funny!

    • Ethel Vance 1:55 am on October 29, 2014 Permalink | Reply

      I loved this blog and thought it was very funny. I can relate to wearing a hat to hide my hair. I look forward to your next blog. Keep them coming. The writing is wonderful.

  • Lynda Jones-Burns 5:43 pm on October 27, 2014 Permalink | Reply  

    Doubtful Lynda vs. Determined Lynda 

    My literary fiction body of work entitled: A Complicated Love Song was written, rewritten, and written again. Although my novel is nowhere near the realm of a spiritual genre, it would not have been completed without the Lord guiding my thoughts, heart, and hands. The continuous writing toil was a four hundred seventeen day endurance competition. Who were the competitors? They both were me, Lynda Jones-Burns. I competed against myself—Doubtful Lynda versus Determined Lynda.

    Doubtful Lynda had plenty to say. “Why go on this writing journey? Why put yourself under such tremendous pressure. You don’t know if this novel is any good. Who is the captive audience that is waiting and interested in reading a story dreamt up in Lynda-land?”

    Determined Lynda was mild-mannered and vocally challenged. She cried, prayed, and worried a great deal. She willed herself to her office and sat in front of her computer with fingers on the keyboard. Determined Lynda prayed, “Lord on this day, that you’ve allowed me to see, impart in me something through my heart to my hands.” At the prayer’s conclusion, God delivered and Determined Lynda received scenes of a clear and cohesive plotline. She, however, had to sit there and put in the time. My directive was: “Be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for ye know that your labor is not in vain.” — I Corinthians 15:58

    Determined Lynda’s Final Thought for the Moment: If you have a burning desire to accomplish something, devise a plan. Then, put on your thinking cap and working gloves and do something about it. — Lynda has magic to do. Do you?

    Copyright © 2014, Lynda Jones-Burns. All Rights Reserved.

     

    • Brandy 1:01 pm on October 30, 2014 Permalink | Reply

      Can’t wait for your book to come out! 🙂

    • Lakisha Davis-Small 8:28 pm on October 29, 2014 Permalink | Reply

      Her vs. Her I understand all to well with myself. Thanks for this blog 🙂

    • Sheila 7:23 pm on October 29, 2014 Permalink | Reply

      When does the book come out I can’t wait to start reading my copy. Stay strong Determined Lynda

      • Lynda Jones-Burns 1:47 am on October 30, 2014 Permalink | Reply

        Thank you so much. Looks like my baby A Complicated Love Song will be delivered earlier than I anticipated—probably the end of November. Please keep reading my blogs and send the word out to others to do the same thing.

  • Lynda Jones-Burns 7:50 pm on October 25, 2014 Permalink | Reply  

    Eight Months Pregnant 

    I’m in my eighth month of pregnancy, carrying A Complicated Love Song and it has been a long and difficult journey. I have preeclampsia, a dangerous complication, in which the doctor placed me on people rest. I had to keep to myself with my feet elevated and write, write, write. I did so faithfully for 417 consecutive days, no matter what else was going on with me or in the world.

    At this point in my pregnancy, I’m far beyond showing—I’m huge—but I’m glowing. I can’t help but shout it to the nations. “Hey everyone, my baby is on the way! I can feel her kicking and I’m excited and nervous at the same time.” Now, that the hour is drawing near, the distance I traveled and the morning sickness I endured don’t seem half as bad—although they both were dreadful.

    Determined Lynda’s Final Thought for the Moment: Although pain and sacrifice are not strong enough words to describe what I’ve been through, I’m certain that joy is on the horizon. — Lynda has magic to do. Do you?

    Copyright © 2014, Lynda Jones-Burns. All Rights Reserved.

     

    • Jone J. 1:05 am on November 2, 2014 Permalink | Reply

      The labor was long but the birth makes it all worthwhile and a forgettable pain. Anxiously awaiting reading your novel.

    • Nina Chandler 3:05 pm on October 30, 2014 Permalink | Reply

      Sitting in the waiting room and anticipating the arrival of this bundle of joy. Look at the ones who want to hold this blessing; Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books for America, Facebook, etc. Congratulations, it’s a ………….#1Bestseller.

    • Lakisha Davis-Small 8:27 pm on October 29, 2014 Permalink | Reply

      I can dig it!

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