Book - Tracy M. Smith

19 Jul

Looking Good

trsmith Blog, Body Image, Book, Feelings, God, Life, Teaching Children, Truth 1 1

In “Choosing Life,” I told you that I was disowned. I was a single parent, working 9 or 10 hours a day, 6 days a week, to feed my kids and pay the bills. I felt like I had been sold into slavery. And I had a sinus infection. So, on my way home from work one night, I had to stop at the pharmacy to pick up a prescription my doctor called in. Back in the car, I was…..

12 Jul

Ending Well

trsmith alcoholism, Blog, Book, family members, Life Lessons, memoir 2 0

When I wrote “Choosing Life” I told you a little about how my father ended. Let me tell you how he began. I have a box of momentos that I saved from my childhood. In it there are several pins that my father received from having perfect attendance at his Baptist Sunday School. When I became a Christian (in my twenties), my dad told me that he had “accepted Christ” when he was a boy in Sunday School. My dad…..

04 Jul

Life Lessons for Free

trsmith Blog, Book, family members, Friendship, Life, Life Lessons, Older People, Teaching Children 0 1

In my book, “Choosing Life,” I told you that I taught my sons when they were youngsters to be patient with older people. We called them LOC’s and LOD’s, Little Old Chicks and Little Old Dudes. I told them that older people had worked hard all their lives and that they could go as slow as they wanted. And that we were going to wait for them. Children need to be taught. Do you want to know why they move…..

28 Jun

Why the Cross?

trsmith Blog, Book, Cross, Jesus, Relationship with God, Sharing, Testimony, Truth 0 1

In “Choosing Life,” I told you about my career as a CPA. I worked in both public and private companies. Early in my career, I worked for another CPA in a private company. I’ll call her Judy. She was younger than me. Judy was one of those women who built her career and then had her children. Her husband was a house-husband, an artist, and a Buddhist. She had been turned off early by religion and didn’t mind her husband…..

08 Jun

Chariots of Fire

trsmith Blog, Book, Jesus, Media, Movies, Parenting 0 2

The 1981 movie Chariots of Fire included the story of Scottish Christian Eric Liddel, who participated in the 1924 Olympics for Great Britain. He and his sister were destined for missionary service in China. In the movie, his sister reminds Eric of their mission. Eric replies, “But God also made me fast. And I feel His pleasure when I run.” Everything I learned I learned from the movies. (Almost) This statement about feeling God’s pleasure intrigued me. I remembered many…..

01 Jun

I Always Wanted to Write a Book

trsmith Blog, Book, Life, memoir, Relationship with God 2 1

The last thing I expected to do was to finish writing “Choosing Life.” I had written the first chapter of a book a few dozen times. Then I would put it away in a file to be forgotten forever. And so it was after I wrote the first chapter of this book. The next day, however, I woke up with an idea. By the end of the day, the second chapter was completed and filed away with the first chapter……

25 May

Oklahoma City Memorial

trsmith Blog, Book, memorials, travel 4 1

The Bible tells stories of the patriarchs who are told by God to build an altar, or a memorial, on a site to remember what happened there. This week has been filled with news about the 9/11 Memorial that just opened on the site of the World Trade Center in New York City. Many of us will not be able to travel to New York to visit this museum. However, if you are close to Oklahoma City, the memorial built…..

18 May

Who Are You in the Bible?

trsmith Bible stories, Blog, Book, cactus jelly, Church ladies, cooking, family members, Godly heritage, Jesus, memoir, Mothers, Relationship with God, teachers 2 1

One of my many favorite Bible stories is found in Mark 4:24-39. It’s the story of the Syro-Phoenician woman, a Greek, not a Jewess, who came to Jesus because her daughter was possessed by a demon. She fell at His feet. “First, let the children eat all they want,” He told her, “for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “but even the dogs under the table eat…..

14 May

Sharing Personal Stories

trsmith Blog, Book, family members, Life, memoir, Relationship with God, Sharing 0 2

I was recently asked if it was difficult to share such personal, intimate stories from my life when I wrote “Choosing Life.” I’ll try my best to describe a mindset that I probably share with other people who were abused as children. My head is full of stories about me and about my family. But as I child I learned to disconnect from what was going on around me. I developed the ability to block out everything around me so…..

07 May

Generations of Dysfunction, Part 2

trsmith alcoholism, Blog, Book, family members, Forgiveness, Life, memoir 3 1

When I wrote “Choosing Life,” I told you a little about my father’s father. Grandpop worked in a rivet factory and, after the war, got my father started in that business. He was an Irishman, and therefore charming, but he was a drunk. Every Friday night he spent his whole paycheck at the local bar. Grandpop also had a short fuse. One time, when another man at the bar made him angry, he knocked him unconcious with a single punch……

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Looking Good

Ending Well

Life Lessons for Free

Chariots of Fire

I Always Wanted to Write a Book

Oklahoma City Memorial

Who Are You in the Bible?

Generations of Dysfunction, Part 2

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