Teaching Creative Writing, Helping the Girls of India and Working With Incredible Non-Profits

Summer is underway and we are busy.  Our trip to California was so relaxing.  

I love writing and all my artistic outlets, but I’m learning it’s important to take a break and just sit and relax.  My mom has actually lectured me on “slowing down” and says the word “recreation” allows mind, body and spirit to "re-create."  As a creative person, this got my attention and I’m now willing to take small breaks from my creative ideas.  The result?  I’m relaxed, highly-motivated, re-focused and ready to start back up again.

I was featured in The Beehive, a local Arizona newspaper.  The article is on my fasting experience and how it helped me to let go of negativity, live more in the present and lose weight. I pray it will help others who know that if they feel trapped or overwhelmed, God can and will put them on their own path to healing, feeling empowered and living their dreams.

I’m headed up to Utah next week for a Rising Star benefit.  I look forward to meeting with founder Becky Douglas and being inspired by all the good she does for the people of India.  I’m working with Rising Star on a special project – My 100 Daughters.  

I’m drawing 100 girls from India in hopes to help sponsor 100 girls and also to get me and my family onto the path of adopting a little girl.  The illustrations from  My 100 Daughters will be published in a coloring book and a children’s book.

While in Utah, I’ll be meeting with Ann Webb of Global Life Vision. She travels to India and Africa, taking mentors and helping those in need.  There mission is to empower those in developing countries by helping them to recognize their vibrant worth and magnify their influence, to explore and clearly identify goals, instill a healthy mindset, learn valuable life skills and live the pulse and passion of the dreams within their heart.  There goal is to create and ignite a change from within each person inviting them to live an abundant life with clarity, vision and confidence and to support and nourish them as they experience success as creators of their own life transcending above and breaking the cycle of poverty, abuse, or limits.  I can’t wait to learn about what I can do to help children in India.

Next, I’ll be meeting with Big Ocean – an organization based on faith, family and motherhood.  Big Ocean Women was founded by Carolina Allen of Provo, Utah. She sees the powerful role that women can have as we influence our families, communities, and the world. As she attended a meeting at the United Nations, she saw a small group of liberal feminists making international decisions to move away from faith and family, and speaking as if for all women. As the majority of women on planet Earth are women of faith, Carolina wanted to create a massive grassroots movement of women who believe in faith, family, and motherhood. Big Ocean believes that every woman is a wave in the ocean of humanity, and together we have astounding impact for good in the world. She shares the term “maternal feminism”, that all women are born with inherent powerful and unique characteristics which greatly contribute to our families and communities, both locally and internationally. Big Ocean seeks to represent these maternal strengths and contributions at all levels of politics, economy, and society.

Big Ocean has asked I share what I’ve learned about girls of India, what Rising Star Outreach and Global Life Vision are doing and how we can make a difference now.  Those of you in the Utah area, all are welcome.  You do not need to be a member of any of these organizations to attend.  I look forward to seeing you there.

Those of you who know me, know I have a horrible fear of flying.  Agh!  But, I’m really doing this.  I’m taking my two littles, Eden and Canyon as parting from them would leave me practically paralyzed.  I’m hoping to overcome this fear and learn to trust in God more.  I’m staying with a friend in American Fork and will be visiting Heber, Layton, Salt Lake City and Provo. 

Also, I’ve been asked if I’ll be teaching creative writing this summer.  Yes, I’ve set the dates for LEARN TO BE A CREATIVE WRITER. I’ll be teaching at New Horizon June 27, 28, 29 (Tues-Thurs)from 1:00 to 3:00.  This is open to all 3rd grade and up school-aged children and teens.  I’ll be focusing on visualization, poetry, graphic art, short story, journal writing and more.  We will also be learning about today’s best-selling children’s and YA authors.  What does it take to be an author?  Let your children be empowered in their own world of stories, dreams and ideas. Please bring your own notebook, journal or composition book and pen and pencil.  Your child will also receive a free coloring book from My 100 Daughters. Class is free, but seating is limited to 20 seats. If interested, please email me at mydeartrash@gmail.com with your child’s name, age, area of interest and their favorite book, author and illustrator.   

When I started fasting in January 2016, I was told six distinct things would happen.  One of them was I would be adopting a little girl from India.  I'm witnessing in incredible ways how God has put me on that path.  Another, is I would be teaching children how to write. Teaching has opened my heart to our children's incredible imaginations, that they have something to say and most importantly,  we as adults needs to listen.

About the teacher: Laura Lofgreen is a blogger, writer and illustrator.  Her blog My Dear Trash has had over a million hits.  She has published four books including The Memory Catcher, Starving Girl, and What Has Your Sister Done?  The Stolen Bible is her first book in the exciting new young adult series S.H.I.N.E. - retelling historical events in a way it could have happened if those forgotten by time could have shared their story. She has been featured on ABC 15 News, Mesa Tribune, Arizona Republic and The Beehive.  Seeing the Everyday Magazine has published her stories. She graduated Magna Cum Laude in Communication.  While at ASU, she served in the student government. As a full-time missionary on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, she was the mission historian and newsletter editor. Her six beautiful children patiently support her goals to tell stories about others overcoming great obstacles, discovering their worth and living out their dreams.  In her spare time, she loves making chocolate chip cookies and taking long walks, but not at the same time, of course. She’s been married to her husband Derek, a marriage and family counselor, for 18 years.