Last summer, while checking into our hotel in Dresden, Germany I had the treat of meeting soccer legend, Brandi Chastain. She had her hair pulled into a ponytail was wearing a gray t-shirt, navy blue athletic shorts and cleats. She was kicking a pink Nike soccer ball in the hotel lobby. Yes, in the lobby. She is the woman known for kicking the winning penalty kick to win the U.S. Women’s National team the World Cup in 1999. She was in Dresden to be one of the lead ESPN announcers for the World Cup, speaking to tens of thousands of television viewers for two weeks straight.

When I asked Brandi what advice she had for young people who wanted to be soccer stars, she said,

 “Do it everyday. Kick it, pass it, dribble it, every day. When I was young, I kicked the ball against the side of the house for an hour every day. I got to know the ball so well, and how it would bounce off the house and where it would go if I tapped it a certain way and how to kick it back if it came to me a certain way, that when I was on the field, when I was in a game, I never had to think. I knew exactly what to do.”

The same is true for whatever it is you want to achieve in life.

For writers, like me, it means writing something every day. Stephen King says it in his book, On Writing. Anne LaMott says it in Bird by Bird. Do it everyday. That doesn’t have to be writing five chapters of my next novel. It could be a blog or a character sketch or a review of someone else’s work. But each day, I need to be conscious of word choice, descriptions, rhythms and flows of words.

You want to learn how to cook? Chef up a meal every day. It could be scrambled eggs or a grilled cheese sandwich, but if you do it everyday, you’ll figure out too much salt makes your eggs taste like potato chips and how long to let your grilled cheese sizzle to get the cheese to melt to a perfect gooey consistency.

If you want to get closer to God, read a chapter of the Bible every day and contemplate it. I promise you’ll get closer to Him.

No matter what instrument you play, your instructor will ask you to practice every day. Play your scales. Work on the hardest part of your piece. Soon your ears will know the difference between a C sharp and a B flat. Your fingers will know how to move along the keys of a piano or the frets of a guitar.

If your goal is to become a teacher, explain something to someone every day. It could be how to take care of a tortoise or how to French braid hair or plant pansies, or anything, but the more you practice explaining things to people, the better you’ll be at it. I promise.

So, get going. Today, tomorrow and the day after that – do your thing. As Dr. Seuss said, “You’re off to great places, today is your day.” Today can be your day. You just need to get started.

What can you do on a daily basis to help you achieve  your dream?

The earthy, fresh smell of mown grass. The squishy, muddy ground, slopping against my feet. The chill of early morning cocooned in a giant sweatshirt and an even more giant dark roast with a shot of chocolate from Starbucks. Pulses racing. Fans cheering. The satisfying slap of leather on the insole of a cleat.

It’s that time of year. The time when every Saturday morning is spent at the soccer fields. Not that different than fall in attire, gear and schedules, but the attitude, the atmosphere is like it’s from a different district altogether.

Fall soccer buzzes with the start of a new school year, new teams, grueling heat, fierce competition. Spring soccer is shorter, random, more congenial, do I dare say it -- relaxed.

In the fall, groups of boys within 24 months of each other’s birthdays and girls within 24 months of each other’s birthdays pass, dribble and shoot together. But in the spring, due to the large clumps of players lost to the ball diamonds – there are co-ed teams, the age spans of leagues goes up to 36, sometimes 48 months!

Teams always seem to be running late, short a player or two. How do you handle that? Sub, trade, swap. What other sport or season takes its best player and loans it to the other team? What other fans cheer for all the players on both teams, because at some point in their sons’ or daughters’ sports careers the other players from both teams have been on their teams?

It is a sport season like no other. Don’t get my wrong. Fall soccer, with all its intensity and speed and skill are an absolute thrill. But, there is so much to be learned from this softer, spring version of the international sport. So much to be gained by teaching players and fans alike what’s truly of value:

Sharing - of players, fields, equipment, high fives, resources

Sportsmanship – valuing all players, old or young, big or small, experienced or newbies for what they add to the game

Appreciation – for the other team, for your own team, the other parents, the refs, a Saturday in April without lightning, the sport, time to play, time to cheer, time to bond



Sounds like the Golden Rule to me: “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” Luke 6:31

Many will argue, that the thrill of the game is embedded in the rivalry. But I will argue back, that the true thrill of the game is playing our best, cheering our loudest, meeting new people and appreciating their talents and strengths.

Game on!

The population of my town just split in half. One U-Haul at a time, residents abandoned Oxford, like the Onceler’s family after the last Truffula tree fell to the ground. But there hasn’t been a shortage of trees or a tragedy to drive out the inhabitants. This exodus isn’t alarming. Here, in Oxford it is expected.

Each May 12,000 students roll out of town leaving 12,000 residents to hold down the fort until their return. Each August the co-eds come charging back, doubling our population with energy, excitement and youth.

Without the 18-22 year olds Oxford, Ohio would have little reason to exist. Our commerce revolves around the University. And with no students, the University is obsolete. The restaurants and shops wouldn’t have enough customers, and the landlords have no one to rent their apartments and houses to. The students provide us with opportunities to hear speakers like the Dali Lama, jam to bands ranging from Wynton Marsalis to The Fray and cheer in a state of the art hockey arena for a championship team. What other town of 24,000 people offers Lily Pulitzer, Vera Bradley, an Aveda salon, an indoor track, an Olympic size pool and a climbing wall?

So, is the town half empty when the students leave?

Of course not.

Summers in Oxford mean free concerts at the Uptown parks every Thursday night, a deliciously fresh farmer’s market every Saturday morning, fountains to splash in, a 4th of July celebration that rivals Mayberry’s and long, lazy, hazy days to relax and recharge.

In the summer I can always find a parking spot, there is never a line at Starbucks and my drive time to anywhere in town is less than five minutes.

But in August, I’ll be thrilled to see the return of the students. They add vibrancy and excitement to my town. From them I learn about the latest fashions, the newest music and how to live with expectancy and a sense of adventure.

In Oxford, the town may become half full in the summertime, but it is never half empty. What joys does your town offer this summer? How do you plan on making the most of your summer days?

I recently went to see Snow Patrol play at a dated club in Cincinnati that holds about 1000 people. Let’s just say the last time I’d been to Bogart’s was when I was in college, and my friends and I were jamming to Royal Crescent Mob.

The place hadn’t changed a bit – not even the sticky concrete floors or the stench of stale beer or the dated wood paneling.

Half way through the show the band played their song, “Run”, and at the chorus the entire audience began chanting along with the lead singer, Gary Lightbody, “Light up light up as if you have a choice  - even if you cannot hear my voice.” Bogart’s echoed with the inspiring lyrics. Goosebumps ran up my arms. For a moment, everybody in the crowded club shared something. From the stage I could see Lightbody’s eyes well up with tears. He drew his hand to his chest and at the end of the chorus shouted, “Bless your hearts.”

This is a band who has recorded and released five albums. This is the band who opened for U2 in their last tour, playing for stadiums full of tens of thousands of people, but that night, at a teeny, grungy club in Southern Ohio they were reminded they had potential. People identified with their music, sang their songs.

Potential. We all have it. We just need to be reminded every now and then.

Our God gives you everything you need. Makes you everything you’re to be.
2 Thessalonians 1:2

No matter where we are in the pursuit of our dreams, sketching out our plans or riding high in the rafters, we have days of discouragement, “no’s”, dings and doors slammed in our faces. But one fan singing along is all it takes to keep us going.

Who do you need to encourage today? Who do you know who doesn’t see their potential, but might, if only you pointed it out?

Pulling into our neighborhood after another adventure, this time to North Carolina for a mountaintop spring break, I felt myself ease back into the driver’s seat, release my grip on the steering wheel and audibly sigh. The trip was a lovely escape from calendars and clocks, but there is always something soothing about returning home.

Everything was as we left it – even the load of darks in the dryer (apparently they didn’t fold themselves while I was gone). Once back inside, the unpacking began -- the transition from vacation to reality. Traveling is a passion of mine. The more treks I take -- both in actual voyages and on the road of life, I realize how important this final step is. As much as there is anticipation and excitement in the packing for a trip, there is therapy and peace in the unpacking.

Pillows back on beds, iPods back in docks, jackets back on hooks. As each item is transported from car to home, it carries a story with it -- tales of the bunk beds the pillows rested on, the tune that became the theme song of the trip, the day it started out chilly, but we ended up building sand castles on the beach.

What happens to you in a day or week or month or year? Who did you meet? What did you learn? Who did you disagree with? Who pleasantly surprised you? What was the strangest thing you experienced? The funniest? Who are you worried about? What are you praying for?

From the time we leave our homes in the mornings to the time we return in the evenings, even if the only place we go is to our virtual office, we collect stories. At the end of it all, it’s necessary to unpack. After all, what good are stories if they’re never told?

Unlike unpacking a roller bag, to unpack our lives, we need a partner. This could be a parent, roommate, best friend, boy/girlfriend, teacher, coach -- whoever’s a good listener. For me, the unpacking is always with my husband. Some days we dump the contents of our daily suitcase in heaps, rattling off event after encounter in one run-on sentence. Other days we remove one item from our suitcases at a time, sharing one meeting, a new place we discovered, a confrontation, piece by piece. Some nights we take turns unpacking items from our mental luggage back and forth like a tennis match of show and tell. And there are times, due to urgency; it’s necessary for just one of us to unpack a steamer trunk of a day. The other’s carry on can wait.

And just as it’s satisfying to have my faded jeans back in my wardrobe, my clunky, silver bracelets back in their drawer and my favorite black boots back on their rack, it’s gratifying to share with my hubby about the route I took on my morning run, a quote from the book I’m reading and the phone call I had with one of our moms.

Life is a journey. You need to pack to get ready for each adventure, town and port along the way. But you also need to take time to unpack your bag, look at where you’ve been, how it will effect where you’re going and every once in a while do some laundry.

Who helps you unpack the stories of your life?

“Why are those girls all wearing exactly the same thing?” I wondered, driving through campus.

Some articles of clothing are considered “required” for girls on our campus – black yoga pants, riding boots, scarves -- but these matching outfits of cut-off jean shorts, plaid shirts and cowboy boots were out of place - to say the least.

On the next block another group sported the same costume. Aha! -- a costume, for a party – maybe farm, maybe hoedown, maybe hillbilly. I’m sure the official name for the party was more clever and loaded with innuendo, but you get the gist.

The next girl I drove past broke my heart.

She stood out because: 1. Instead of shorts she wore denim short overalls with one of the straps undone, exposing her shoulder. 2. On top she wore a hot pink bra with no plaid shirt. Just the bra.

Something made this poor girl feel the way to be noticed - to be accepted was by exposing her skin. Is that what she truly wants? To be remembered as the girl with the hot pink bra? I wanted to pull over, to hold her in my arms. Instead, I silently cried for her in my car and kept driving.

She’s been on my mind ever since that day. And so now, I’m telling her everything I longed to tell her in that moment in this blog. I’m praying she and anyone who’s ever felt like her will read it.

Dear Girl in the Pink Bra:
I’ve never met you, but I don’t have to know you to know that you have an inner beauty burning somewhere beneath your pink bra.

If you are at this university you must be both bright and talented. It’s not easy to get accepted. The admissions board selected you from hundreds of applicants because of your gifts. But in this outfit no one can pull their focus away from your cleavage to hear your great thoughts or to learn from your insights. No one will notice the unique pattern of your eyes or the distinct melody of your laughter. Instead of being revealing, you are concealing your true identity and masking the things about you that are truly beautiful.

You have so much potential. You can be accepted for you, your beautiful self, not for your bra or for your body, but for you.

The next time you wear your pink bra, please wear something over it that covers the rosy lace. By covering your bra, you will actually uncover some of your very essence. By hiding some of your skin, you will allow others to see so much more of you – the real, true beautiful you God created you to be.

Please know you were fearfully and wonderfully made.
Peace be with you.
Laura

Psalm 139:14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.    

1.     Fixed by Force is your breakthrough novel. What got you started writing? Have you always wanted to be a writer?

My writing started with my five-page, fully illustrated stories from childhood, called, “Blue Man vs. Green Man”.   ;)   I have no idea what they were about, but the characters always became friends at the end! Now I enjoy writing stories, poems and even songs. I try to write something daily. Writing is one of my favorite things to do, although all the editing, spelling, and grammar can be exhausting.  Being able to watch something come together out of nothing, creating something that others can be affected and inspired by...that's an awesome feeling!

2.     What advice do you have for others who have a dream in their heart, but aren't sure how to go about making it a reality?

I think what keeps a person from chasing their dreams isn’t necessarily fear of failure, but uncertainty of “how” to go about it?  I remember feeling that way often, especially when I was receiving hordes of rejection letters from literary agents!  Personally, I found it helpful and encouraging to seek others in my position— some who were striving for similar dreams, and some who had achieved theirs.  By joining groups and clubs, and even mailing lists, I was introduced to others with the same goals and ambitions...and questions.  I was able to communicate with people who had experience and knowledge I lacked about writing, and who encouraged me to keep moving forward in the pursuit of my dream. 

3.     Why did you choose the topic of steroids to center your novel around?

Steroids are a topic I am familiar with, in a similar capacity as the story's protagonist, Spencer.  My struggles with steroid abuse occurred from ages 16 to 18, and were driven by many of the same feelings as Spencer's use.  For Spencer and myself, steroids were not a vice specifically for athletic reasons or bodybuilding, as most people seem to assume of steroid users, but for a self-esteem makeover, mainly, internally, where lacking courage, and fading self-worth could somehow be “fixed” by using these chemicals. 

4.     How did you personally escape this addiction?

My personal escape from the belief that I 'needed' the steroids, unfortunately, took much longer than Spencer's, but it was by similar means.  I had some very positive and uplifting people in my life, but I separated myself from them during my use, mainly because I was afraid they would try to make me stop.  But I let one person in, my wife, who was my girlfriend then, and her strength, encouragement, and faith in me and in God, was the catalyst for my change.  She reminded me of my value, which is something so many young people struggle with.  What I learned, is that if you can somehow let one person through the barriers you put up, they may be the person who has been placed in you life for a reason. 

5.     Are you ever tempted to resume use? If so, what keeps you strong?

I have been tempted several times throughout the years, even recently, when self-image struggles creep back up.  But when I think about my life, there is nothing that is worth risking for the temporary and artificial effects of the steroids. 

6.     Your main character is an athlete. What's your favorite sport and/or favorite team?

Well, being a native northerner and living across the lake from Chicago, I've always been a fan of the Bears, Cubs, and Bulls.  Football is my favorite sport to watch and play, which may be why I added it to the story.

7.     Without giving away the plot, do you have a favorite scene or chapter in Fixed By Force?

Can I pick two? ;)

I really like the scene when Spencer uses for the first time, since it illustrates the desperation of his use, and the “change” that occurs in the first moments of his addiction.

Also, the most affecting scene for me, personally, is his desperate late night injection into his triceps, when he 'battles' against his own body.

8.     I write for and speak to predominately high school and college-aged women. We talk frequently about pressures to be thin, to wear the right clothes, to do well in school, to have a boyfriend, etc. What kinds of pressures or expectations are put on young men in today's society?

There are a lot of pressures on young men to be 'masculine' and 'tough'.  And societal expectations often say this means having six-pack abs, never crying, or liking only so-called 'manly' hobbies, like sports.  I remember feeling incredible pressure to be muscular and attractive, like every 'desirable' male celebrity on magazine covers. Young men often forget their value for things like their creativity, sense of humor, thoughtfulness, empathy, etc.  I am hoping this story may inspire young men to focus on those traits more than the societal pressures of 'being a man.' 

9.     What one thing do you think young women should understand about the psyche of a young man, that they probably don't get?

I think young women should consider that young men are often just as insecure as they are.  Young men can be just as negatively affected by hurtful insults about their self-image.   

10.  What are the traits you were looking for in a wife?

I love that my wife can be silly and laid-back.  I was really drawn to her confidence in her personality and her drive to accomplish her goals.  And she is beautiful, but her true beauty has always shined brightest in her love and empathy for others.

11.  Your website is incredibly cool! I love the audio as soon as you enter. Who did the narrating of the chapters? Is it you?

Thanks!  Yes, all of the audio is my voice.  I used Wix Website Builder for the site, which is an easy to use Flash website creating software, and I use audacity (free recording software), for the audio recoding. 

12.  Do you have another book in the works we can look forward to? 

I actually have several in the works, but which one I finish and release first may depend on what readers are looking for!

I have been working for some time on a book based on Janelle's life, who is a main character from, Fix by Force, and also on a YA book, which is a realistic, take on the “superhero” genre. I’ve loved this subject since being an avid comic book reader in my youth

Thanks, Jason, for taking time to chat with us today. Okay, readers, what do you think Jason’s next book should be about?