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Night
I was out walking my son’s dog and saw this cloud formation. It’s hard to see but it made me think of angel wings and I wanted to capture it. It wasn’t quite this dark outside but my camera thought it was. Life is like that, sometimes–no a lot of times what you think you are seeing isn’t accurate. The look the woman gave you in line was just a look, she wasn’t plotting on knocking you down and stealing your purchase when you left the store. Or the man that cut you off really didn’t see you, just because he resembled the waiter you left a small tip (bad service) had nothing to do with it. This really isn’t going anywhere more mindless rambling. I’ve just been trying to look at life differently than I have in the past.
On a lighter note check out my friend Jen’s blog for a funny post on sending out a short story.
Why God?
I’m reading Six Prayers God Always Answers by Mark Herringshaw and Jennifer Schuchmann. One of the chapters is about our questions of ‘Why God?’
I’ve asked that question so many times in my life. Why did all three of my brothers have to die? Why did my dad leave us? Why did my husband die? Why did it have to be so hot today? Why aren’t more of my books being bought? Why? Why? Why?
Herringshaw and Schuchmann brought it to my attention that God won’t answer those whys because there isn’t enough time. Or rather, as they put it think of a two year old and all they why’s they ask. As a parent you know each why leads to another why. Even Job asked why and God said (my words here)…not enough time and your attention is way to short to follow the reasons. Instead of asking why Herringshaw and Schucmann suggest we ask what now, God? How do I proceed?
I like that. It’s a simple thought. Even if I could understand the why of all my questions I can’t change any of those things. Maybe I wouldn’t even want to. For instance would it have been in my families best interest if Danny and David were still alive but not well? No, and it wouldn’t have been good for them either. In that case the what now becomes should my children undergo genetic testing before having children? That’s up to them. I took a chance and had all boys, the odds are good I haven’t passed on the genetic problems of my family.
I know this is a bit of a ramble. This week is the one year mark of my mother-in-law and father-in-laws passing and I found myself asking why again.
Since I can’t change the past I’ve decided it’s best for me to trust that God really does know what He’s doing and in the end I will understand the why when I get to heaven.
Interested in learning more about this book? It’s available at amazon.com
Whispers of the Bayou
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Whispers of the Bayou by Mindy Starns Clark
I didn’t think it was possible to bring back the feeling of being young, a library book in my hands
Clark has found a fountain of youth. At least for me with Whispers of the Bayou she transported me back to my youth, where I spent my summers devouring every Daphne Du Maurier the library had on their shelves. Clark’s book had me gasping, quivering in terror and when the story ended I didn’t want to read another book for several days. I just wanted to savor the glorious feeling of having read a well-written suspense story.
Kudos to Clark I will be purchasing her other books soon. And my copy of Whispers of the Bayou will not be lent to anyone, so don’t ask. This is a keeper!
Seriously this book didn’t let me go to bed. I stayed up until I finished the last page.
Here’s the back cover copy:
Swept away from Louisiana Bayou Country as a child, Miranda Miller is a woman without a past. She has a husband and a child of her own and a fulfilling job in a Manhattan museum, but she also has questions–about the tragedy that cut her off from family and caused her to be sent away, and about those first five years that were erased from her memory entirely.
Summoned to the bedside of Will Pedreaux, the old caretaker of her grandparents’ antebellum estate, Miranda goes back for the first time, hoping to lean the trust of her past and receive her rightful inheritance. But Will’s premature death plunges Miranda into a nightmare of buried secrets, priceless treasure, and unknown enemies.
You just have to read this book! That’s me not the back cover!
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Fireworks
What a great night at my parent’s home. This is the first time I’ve been successful at getting firework photos. Most of the time I end up with black sky or just a glowing ember. Sparklers are a favorite for us, Sara dubbed us, The Sparkler Girls a few years ago and it’s a title we hold dear.
We tried hard to make the letters J and A for Josh and Andy who were missing from our gathering this year. We missed you guys!
It’s May
It feels like May for the first time in weeks. The sun is shining and it’s warm outside. I am amazed at how quickly I become energetic when the sun is shining. I am convinced I could never live in Washington or Alaska. I need that bright happy light.
I’m getting anxious for June to arrive. Contract month! I’ll be signing with a bigger publisher than I have ever signed before. I am excited! I’ll post on the experience as it occurs. I’m sure there will be expectations I hadn’t anticipated.
Still stalling on starting my next book, due to the weather. I love blaming cloudy gray days for my not being productive. It takes the pressure off of me!
I finally saw the movie Enchanted this month. I loved it. What a fun story and how I wish I could call the animals in to do my yuck work.
New Look
I have a new respect for those who design blog templates after two day of trying to do it myself! I found a person who makes easy to use templates. Christine! She has a lot to offer. I wish I had discovered her earlier. I might have had time to write the last two days!
I had fun playing with my digi stuff too while making my new header. What do you think of it? Lie Fhung is an amazing digi artist.
Family news:
Josh is home for a little while this summer. It’s been fun having him here. He makes me laugh. He has an interview for a job this week so he cut his hair! He looks like a grown-up now of would if he changed shirts!
Wendell has been up to some more odd behavior . He’s decided to spend a lot of time up here. I’m wondering if he’s judging me for my lack of time spent on writing!
Faith
Faith is personal but it touches other people through what you do, write and say. This clip was shown at my church on Sunday. It made me cry because it so aptly reflects what I believe. Freewill often brings us to our darkest place. It’s a dreadful place to be. I’m thankful to know because of God’s love for me I can be rescued.
What High School did you attend?
That’s the big question that gets asked when you meet someone new in the St. Louis area. This past weekend I had a few of my friends over for a flashback night, 1970’s music, box pizza and chocolate cupcakes oh and bring your yearbooks. My friend Marty, couldn’t bring much to the party, she didn’t go to school in Missouri! Poor thing. (don’t feel to bad for her she had the California coast for a backyard!) My friend, Patty did go to high school in this area. As we flipped through her yearbook we were surprised to find a few secrets, (hush I’m not telling on you) but lets just say now it’s understood where that rah rah attitude comes from. The other thing we found in her year book were photos of my cousin! (Hi Terry! )
On April 9 at www.seekerville.blogspot.com another friend wrote about divine connections and mentioned me. I hadn’t considered how may of times God has put someone in my life to help along the way. It’s like looking back in that yearbook and spotting a photo or a bit of an autograph that fits into my life puzzle.
I had amazing help along my way. In high school Mrs. Ferry believed in me, not only did she trust that I had read every book on the class list already she let me audit another class during her class time as long as I came back for her tests. Then she took it a step farther. She told me I could go to college. I had my doubts about that, we didn’t have any money. Not to worry, she took me by the hand and helped me fill out financial aide forms. That still wasn’t enough, because of her I was able to be one of the first to graduate high school in January to begin my college career.
Before Mrs. Ferry, Mrs. Rogan had a turn at modeling me into a writer. She also gave me Shakespeare!
Those are just two people, there are many more. Looking back at the blessings brought my way has been fun. Thank you Julie Lessman for giving me a nudge to remember.
Pushing to the limit
How hard to you push yourself?
I watched the movie Facing the Giants last night, good movie. There is a scene where the coach blindfolds a football player after the player says he’ll give his all to do what the coach asks. He has to crawl across the football field with another player on his back for 50 yards. (I’m not a football person so I can’t remember the exact term for this exercise!) With the coach’s encouragement the player made it all the way to the end of the field, way past the 50 yards. It was hard, he wanted to quit but he didn’t know how far he’d already gone and he’d promised the coach to give it his all and he still had more to give. Are you with me? I feel like I’m rambling!
I’m that player (not really, you’ll never see me crawling on a football field!) but I am not really giving my all to God. I want to change that. I think the blindfold helped because the player wasn’t able to see how far he’d come and how far he had to go. A lot of times I think, well I’ve already written several books isn’t that enough? It’s so hard to give so much of my time, my imagination and my life to writing a book—and I write short books! I can’t imagine being Julie Lessman and writing such a long book, no not one but three or more!
Sorry, back on track… so I am challenging myself and anyone else that wants to try. I’m going to give my all, 100% to my writing. That is a scary statement but I know my God won’t let me down, I just pray I don’t let Him down.