Righting My Skewed Perspective

Sometimes my perspective gets skewed. It happened this week as I’ve tried to work writing around baseball games that get rained out and moved to fields two hours from town, track meets that require overnight stays, day-long shopping trips that prove unproductive, and a husband clomping around in a boot to hopefully stave off further damage to an Achilles tendon.

I’ve wanted to pull my hair out, to run screaming into the night or even just throw myself on the floor and pitch a fit. After all, writing is what the Lord has called me to do. It is my worship. Instead, I sat down with my journal, ready to delve into the Word of God, knowing my desperation for Him in that moment.

I tend to read through Scripture from beginning to end but on no set schedule, just day to day from where I ended the day before to where I feel satisfied on this day. Sometimes that is a few verses, sometimes a few chapters. So feeling completely overwhelmed, I opened to my place marker. Genesis 22 greeted me at the top of the page—along with a handwritten caption for the chapter: The Lord Will Provide.

I read on with a different perspective than before, seeing Abraham’s long waited for child as my own long waited for book contract. Abraham loved Isaac—the first use of that word in the Bible—yet God sends them out to worship, also the first use of that word, with Isaac as the sacrifice. Maybe Abraham’s perspective got skewed in his joy over the child. Maybe instead of worshipping God because of Isaac, maybe he’d come to regard Isaac as of greater consequence to his heart than God. Whatever the case, Abraham obeyed (also the first use!) and God rewarded him for his obedience.

Abraham set out with all the tools required for him to offer a burnt offering to the Lord: the wood, the fire and the knife—even the sacrifice. Yet he tells Isaac on their journey, “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering.” And suddenly it occurred to me that God still proves Himself by providing the “meat” of our worship. That part isn't up to me. In the words of a Matt Redman worship song “We have nothing to give that didn’t first come from Your hand. We have nothing to offer You that You did not provide.”

So today I’m choosing to trust God to provide the “meat” for my worship of Him through my writing. I’ll gather my tools, go on the journey, trust Him to provide when and what He desires. And I’ll believe that whatever ends up on the alter of my heart will be His doing and bring the most glory to His name. I want to love and worship God, not the thing He’s given me to offer up as worship.

Have you noticed your perspective skewed in any area of your life lately? How did God reveal it to you? How did you right it?

To Win Her Heart by Karen Witemeyer

I love it when a novel entertains and engages me as a reader while at the same time impressing me as a writer. Add in a story and characters that ring true and spiritual truth that makes me you think and it equals a book that is very hard to put down!

To Win Her Heart by Karen Witemeyer is just such a book.

Eden Spencer is a librarian who hates violence. As does blacksmith Levi Grant. They have two more things in common as well: their love of God and their love of books. It seems a match made in heaven. But Eden has no idea of Levi’s past. She only knows the changed man he has become. When she learns of his former life, Eden must confront her own hypocrisy.

Karen has an amazing way of weaving deep themes of grace and acceptance, forgiveness and repentance through a lighthearted romance, of making you think while keeping you entertained. As a writer, I greatly admire that skill. It is not easy to accomplish! Her characters seem to live and breathe, their strengths and weaknesses those with which we can all relate. Her cast of secondary characters is just as memorable. And of course I always love the late 19th century Texas setting.

If you are a historical romance fan—or even just a historical novel fan—I encourage you to read this one. It’s characters and its truths will stay with you for years to come.


*I received this book free from the publisher.

He's Alive!

The Hope of Change

It’s amazing how many times we read God’s Word in the same chunks, grouping certain chapters or verses together in the same way. So I love getting out of my box, reading until some new juxtaposition of things strikes my heart. It happened again the other day in Genesis.

First I read of Sarai and how God protected her from the Pharoah of Egypt when Abram claimed her to be his sister instead of his wife. (Genesis 12) And in that moment, Sarai seemed to be a woman I attained to be—a woman who trusted God even when her husband made a wrong choice.

But fast forward 4 short chapters to Genesis 16. Now we see what I imagine to be a frustrated Sarai—probably feeling like a failure because she isn’t pregnant and Abram keeps saying, “But God told me I’d have an heir.” In exasperation, she gives him her maid, Hagar. When Hagar becomes pregnant and her husband says, “Do whatever you think best,” she doesn’t take his words to heart but instead mistreats her servant who had no choice in this matter in the first place! Not a woman I need help emulating here. In fact, she seems more like the shrew I don’t want to be.

Then comes the amazing part. Though we aren’t told of the intervening thirteen years, we assume Sarai made her peace with the having Hagar and Ishmael around. Though she’d started by blaming Abram for the situation, maybe she came to the conclusion that she’d been wrong in the first place. Maybe as the years passed she made her peace not only with her husband, her maid and Ishmael, maybe she made her peace with God, learned to trust Him no matter if His word appeared impossible to accomplish. But whatever happened in those years, we know this: the woman who had been a shrew suddenly becomes a woman blessed by God. He changes her name to Sarah, explaining that she will be the mother of nations and kings. (Genesis 17:15-16)

Does that encourage you in the same way it does me? An imperfect woman, frustrated by the things she can’t control, goes from impatient wife and harsh mistress to a woman God chooses to bless, a woman God holds up much later as an example of a godly wife. (I Peter 3:6) I find great hope in that today.

What Biblical story has given you hope lately?

Springtime of the Spirit by Maureen Lang

I’ve learned that with all good things come not so good things, too. For me, publication curbs what has been the love of my life: reading. It isn’t that I don’t run for a book in every spare moment like I used to, it’s just that those spare moments are harder to find.

That’s the reason it took me way longer than I wanted to finish Maureen Lang’s newest book Springtime of the Spirit. It’s the third book in The Great War series and it took me to a place I’d never been before: post WWI Germany. I learned all kind of fascinating things as I followed Christophe and Annaliese’s journeys to find themselves and each other. I’ll admit I tend to ignore most of the politics of the past. They have just never interested me as much as the social history—the lives of everyday people. But as usual, Maureen sucked me in with great characters and their own personal conflicts. In spite of myself, I learned some political history. (Of course it doesn’t hurt that I truly love this time period!)

This book can definitely be read as a stand alone, but I love that all three of the books in this series tackle a different time period of those war years in Europe. It really helped me put things in perspective as a whole, especially since most of my own study of the decade of 1910-1920 has focused on America, which had a very different experience from Europe. So if you are looking for a good story in a unique time and place, I encourage you to find all the books in this series: Look to the East, Whisper on the Wind, and Springtime of the Spirit. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed!

A Sunday Psalm

I rejoice in following Your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.
I meditate on Your precepts and consider Your ways.
I delight in Your decrees; I will neglect Your word.
     --Psalm 119:14-16

My Testimony in Three Songs

In spite of the fact that I am a writer, I often wish for someone else to put words to my feelings, my experiences. And that’s where music comes in. All my life I have looked to songs to help me articulate my feelings and my experiences.

I remember several years ago when I first heard two songs that encapsulated where the Lord had taken me in my journey with Him. I wept for two reasons: that someone had captured my experience so completely and that someone else had obviously journeyed a similar road. Not long ago I ran across another song that touched me in the same way. However this song spoke to where I had been before the Lord and I got down to real business.

So today I wanted to share with you those three songs that seem to so completely convey my testimony. Maybe they won’t seem so amazing to you—or maybe you’ll identify in part or in whole. Either way, I hope you enjoy each one.

Do you have a song or songs that seems to have captured your feelings at a specific time in your life?

Hollywood Nobody by Lisa Samson

Free Kindle books work as a marketing tool. Why do I know this? Well, several weeks ago I downloaded for free Lisa Samson’s YA title Hollywood Nobody. Now, I love Lisa Samson’s books. And I love YA books. So I figured this would be a great read. And it was. I absolutely loved this book. But here’s the catch: it was the first of a four book series!

When I finished Hollywood Nobody while accompanying my husband on a business trip, I immediately downloaded Finding Hollywood Nobody. By the time we got home, I’d finished it, too. Life intervened, but when I was about to hop a plane for another trip, I thought about what I’d want to read. Yes, my Kindle is full of books (mostly free downloads!), but I wanted to know what happened to Scotty and Charley on their crazy life on the road. So I downloaded book three: Romancing Hollywood Nobody. I finished it in the airport between flights. By now there was no turning back. Good-bye Hollywood Nobody zipped through the air and onto my Kindle.

So there you go. One free book led to my purchase of three more. If you like YA, if you like Lisa Samson—if you like a well-told story full of quirky characters, laugh-out-loud humor and punch-you-in-the-gut spiritual truth, pick up the Hollywood Nobody series. I really think you’ll like it.

Have you ever bought an author’s book after being introduced to that author or that series through a free book (a download or a gift)? Tell us!

A Sunday Psalm

The works of His hands are faithful and just;
all His precepts are trustworthy.
They are steadfast for ever and ever,
done in faithfulness and uprightness.
He provided redemption for His people;
He ordained His covenant forever--
holy and awesome is His name.
    --Psalm 111:7-9

Happy Birthday, Mr. Man!

I knew this baby was special the minute he arrived in the world, with his round face and—gasp!—blond hair. Add the blue eyes and dimples and he was irresistible. He grew into a stocky, serious toddler, then a tall, lanky teenager with a very dry wit. He’s the one who takes care of us all—and the one we all adore.

Today he turns 18. Happy birthday, Mr. Man!

My Cool Twitter Story

Social media. Love or hate it, I think it is here to stay. And in spite of some issues with it, there are some really cool things about it, too. I jumped into Facebook pretty quickly. Fun to reconnect with people I hadn’t seen in years. I especially enjoyed catching up with high school friends before our 25^th reunion. It made the time so much more fun because we could disperse with all those initial questions.

For some reason I was more hesitant with Twitter. But I finally dove in. Not long after, as I began to connect with people, a pastor at a church we attended as young marrieds followed me. I followed him back. At some point he retweeted something of mine. All of a sudden my twitter account showed a new follower. I didn’t recognize the name. Then a direct message popped up, signed with a first and last name, a name I hadn’t seen in years. And I cried.

Long ago, as young mothers, I’d confided in my friend Becky my dream to write historical fiction. She had declared her willingness to help with any research I needed to do. More babies arrived. She moved away. I completely lost touch with my friend as the years passed.

It felt so good to be reconnected with her. We emailed. We even called. But that wasn’t enough. I wanted time to catch up, to hear her journey through the years, to share mine. She mentioned that her offer of research still stood. And in my mind, a plan hatched. A research trip I needed to take would put me close to her house. And it would help to have another set of eyes and ears and hands for note taking. And at meals and at night, we could catch up without any time limits.

So today she is with me on our way to Indianapolis. I’m so grateful for the gift of friendship—for the friends that have been there in the past, the ones I have now, and the ones God has prepared for me in the future. But there is something very sweet in the gift of a friendship rediscovered after so many years. I’m so glad God prepares good gifts for His children!

Have you ever “rediscovered” a friendship from the past? How did you happen to reconnect?

A Sunday Psalm

Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to Your name be the glory,
because of your love and faithfulness.
Why do the nations say, "Where is their God?"
Our God is in heaven; He does whatever pleases Him.
     --Psalm 115:1-3

Grappling with Control

I know what if feels like to hold myself back from a relationship. I often did it when I knew a friend would be moving away or changing schools or we’d be leaving when summer camp week ended. I’d distance myself, keep the other person at arms length in hopes that I wouldn’t feel the separation so intensely.

For the past decade or so I’ve recognized this tendency and made a conscious effort, by the grace of God, to remain engaged in spite of impending change. But just like so many times when I conquer the foe of self, it rises back up again in a little different form, subtle enough to confuse me into ignoring the root issue.

Last week I realized I’d been shutting off my heart to new characters. I’ve been afraid of them, somehow. Afraid they’ll hurt me by not having a story compelling enough to attract my editor’s attention. Now I know some of you are rolling your eyes and muttering, “But those aren’t real people! Give me a break!” But you see, those characters—and their stories—are the way God has wired me to connect both with Him and with other people. So when I hold myself distant from my characters, I essentially hold myself distant from the Lord. I cut myself off from the creative flow He has designed me to carry. When I don’t let these characters into my heart, I can’t learn from them. Nor can others.

In the eleven months leading up to my first contract, I prayed to hold this journey of publication loosely, to not grasp after it but just to follow as the Lord leads. But refusing to embrace the pain of possible rejection of a character I’ve come to love is just as bad and trying to make something happen in my own power. Both are an assertion of my control versus God’s control. Which brings it all back around to those real people I distanced myself from. I wanted to control the amount of pain I felt at losing their friendship or even just their presence in my life. And once again, that phantom self has to die.

Have you dealt with an issue in your life that came back around in a different form and surprised you?

Instantaneous About Face

An unmade bed has never bothered me. At. All. Forty-four years off blissful indifference. Then wham! All of a sudden—literally overnight—I’ve become a fanatic about making my bed. I have no idea what happened. It wasn’t a conscious decision of any kind. I just looked at my bed one morning and decided to make it up. Then I did it again the next day. And the next. 

Have you ever experienced an instantaneous about face like that, whether a small habit or a significant lifestyle change?

Happy Birthday, Baby Girl!

Can it be twenty years already since I first welcomed a baby into the world? Apparently so, for my daughter turns 20 today.

I’m so proud of all she is becoming and I’m so thankful that the Lord used her in my “becoming” process, too. For truly we have grown up together. I wouldn’t be who I am today without the experience of parenting her—of loving her, disciplining her, falling on my knees to plead with God on her behalf. I can now embrace the choosing of Joy as her middle name, for she is a joy to watch as she follows hard after the Lord and after her dreams.

Happy birthday, baby girl! You are very much loved!

A Sunday Psalm

I will remember the deeds of the Lord,
yes, I will remember Your miracles of long ago.
I will meditate on all Your works and consider all Your mighty deeds.
Your ways, O God, are holy.
What god is so great as our God?
     --Psalm 77:11-13

Lessons from Haman

I loved Beth Moore’s comment recently in the study of Esther. She remarked that when she took up the study she never imagined she’d learn as much from Haman’s life as she did from Esther’s.

I completely agree! I expected to learn (and be convicted) by Esther’s submission, by her faith, by her courage. I even anticipated lessons from Mordecai. But Haman? He’s the villain in the story! And yet don’t we all battle that sinful nature just as he did?

Haman shows us what pride and arrogance and a sense of entitlement and a thirst for personal glory lead to—humiliation and death. And they don’t look pretty in the process, either. I’ve been as convicted about what I don’t want to be as I have by the way my life falls short of what I do want it to be.

The funny thing is, I see this in fiction all the time. I can name several novels I’ve read where I’ve walked away shuddering to think that I acted in any way like this or that character—maybe even a character that I admired at the beginning of the book or even when reading it at a different stage in my life. I think God uses those people, real or fictional, to hold a mirror up to our hearts so we can see what we’ve been blind to before.

So what about you? Has a personality from Scripture or a book or even real life given you a grim look at your own heart lately? What did you see? How have you responded? 

Business Trips

I’ve never been one accompany my husband on business trips, even if he only made a handful of such trips over the past several years. The few times I attempted it were not pleasant for either of us. I spent all day waiting for him to be done, desperate—after the novelty of rest wore off—for some occupation or attention. When he finished working, he wanted to rest, not go out. It wasn’t a good combination.

But with his travel time increasing and our children at home decreasing, we’ve been wondering what this meant for us. And his recent trip to DC proved a chance to find out.

What we discovered amazed us. We had a great time! While he worked, I worked. When he finished for the day, we were both ready for a break, with neither of us desiring anything extravagant. I didn’t feel neglected. He didn’t feel pressured to entertain me.

Of course we will still have a child at home for the next two years, but this experiment gives us new vision for the future. And at a time where our situation in life is changing rapidly, we needed that.

Have you been given a taste of something new for your future, a glimpse behind the curtain of the possibilities to come?

A Sunday Psalm

Even in darkness light dawns for the upright,
   for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.
Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely,
   who conduct their affairs with justice.
            --Psalm 112:4-5

Revisiting Our Younger Selves

My husband and I recently returned to visit the city where we met twenty-six years ago. It was our first trip back alone, and our first trip back in at least ten years. Walking the streets of Washington DC in our mid-forties was quite a different thing from us in our late teens. Not only has the city itself changed. We have changed.

I saw our younger selves on those streets, stars in our eyes. The romance of summer love but also the romance of power and prestige and ambition. We had big dreams in those days, dreams we believed would bring us back to that city. But nothing played out exactly as we thought it would. It wasn’t just one thing but many little ones—decisions, closed doors, unexpected desires.

Had we visited DC again in our late twenties or early thirties, I’m afraid we would have found disappointment, regret even, in how our lives were progressing. Him in a busy law practice. Me caring for three children consumed with school and soccer. A very suburban life. A far cry from what we’d envisioned in those long ago dreams.

But with almost twenty-four years of marriage behind us, this trip revealed a contentment and a comfortableness I couldn’t have imagined that long ago summer of 1985—or if I did, I imagined it to be unromantic and dissatisfying. A failure somehow. Instead, my almost mid-forties self discovered great romance in the familiarity of the man beside me, in the shared experiences, both good and bad, and the discarded and re-formed dreams we’ve experienced together.

No, the dreams of our youth didn’t come true—at least not in the way we imagined them then. Instead, the Lord gave us something different, something that turned out to be better. And I’m so thankful He did.

Creation

I love that because the Holy Spirit is my teacher, I can open the Word of God to a very familiar passage and suddenly see it in a new light. It doesn’t always happen, but when it does, I’m always amazed. And it happened the other day.

What passage is more familiar to us than the creation story found in Genesis 1? But as I returned to the beginning of the story again, I saw it with fresh spiritual eyes.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void, and darkness covered the face of the deep.” (Gen 1:1-2)

It suddenly struck me to wonder why God created the earth at first “without form, and void” and with darkness covering it. I mean God could have created it whole, all at once. But He didn’t. He created it first as something without form. Empty. Dark. He added to it day after day, bringing order and light and life into that which was characterized as without form and void and dark.

Then a thought occurred to me: perhaps Genesis 1 is both an account of the creation of the heavens and the earth and a picture for us of how God works in our lives. After all, much Scripture has both a literal and a spiritual meaning. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that we are new creations. If so, shouldn’t we understand how God approaches creation? According to Genesis, He didn’t accomplish it in a moment, though He could have. Instead, He worked over a period of time, building on what He’d done the day before. Why would His creation of our spiritual man be any different?

From the moment I received His grace, He has brought order and light and life to my new man, adding to what has come before. One day my image will mirror His. I will be like Him, for I will see Him as He is. (Corinthians again, this time 1 Corinthians 13:12.) Then He will rest from His creation of me. And I will glory in His presence forever.

Do you see God working in your life in such a manner?

Thank You, Dr. Onuf!

Long ago, in my college days at SMU, my history professor advisor for my senior thesis asked my next step in the field. Where did I see myself after graduation? Grad school? I shyly revealed to him my ultimate goal in the field of history: to write historical fiction. To my amazement, he didn’t laugh or sneer. Instead, he gave me a piece of advice I’ve held onto all these years. He said, steep yourself in a time period and then write from what you know of it.

I’ve now written two novels for publication set in the years just prior to and including World War I, but I still don’t feel “steeped” in the time period. So I’ve been reading more. The problem is, information is hard to find. The 1910s to 1920 is proving elusive. Oh, there are a few books here and there on the political climate, especially the reason for and situations leading up to WWI, or the military issues of WWI, but other than that, not much. I did recently happen across a few books in a used bookstore, but most of the information on women, their roles and their mindsets, comes from the radical side—and not all women fit into that category. But remembering back to my years as a history major, I remain undaunted in my search. I’m trying to read between the lines, trying to track down documentation of women’s lives in their own words. I want to create characters that are not just believable but also historically accurate. And honestly, as frustrating as it has been, I love every minute of it!

So I want to say thank you to Dr. Peter Onuf. His advice continues to echo in my head as I research a time period from which to create stories.

Saving Money Takes Time

I used to be a great money-saver. I clipped coupons. I studied the sale flyers. I went to this store and that store getting the best deals on the things I needed. Now don’t misunderstand. I was never an extreme couponer. It was just that in my role as a stay at home mom, I knew part of my job was to stretch our money as far as it could possibly go. It made me feel as if I were contributing to the economic health of our family when I would save $20 on a trip to the grocery store. 

Lately most of my money saving habits fallen by the wayside. Not because I don’t want or need to save money. After all, come August I’ll have two kids in college! But all of those money-saving techniques require something I don’t have right now.

Time.

Yes, saving money takes time, and my obligations now have crowded out those other habits. Oh, I still watch the flyers, but I have less time to sort through and organize my coupons. Or to make trips to multiple stores. I prefer to shop in bulk, for even the time it takes to buy what we need is at a premium. Yet even in this I see the hand of God. Ultimately, I must trust Him as my provider while being a good steward of both the time and the money He’s given me. And what better reminder than a pile of unsorted, mostly expired coupons! Suddenly I find myself talking with the Lord more frequently about my shopping than before. And in spite of the change, I’ve managed to stay within the bounds of my budget. Funny how that happens!

What area of your life is the Lord showing you He can control better than you can? What have you recently surrendered? What are you having trouble surrendering?

Learning to Juggle

I remember when my little sister learned to juggle. I can’t remember if the instructions came from a video or a book, but I remember that she started with one ball, practicing catching it with both the left and right hand. Then she added a second ball. When she got proficient with those, she added the third. Suddenly, she was juggling!

This process of becoming a published writer is kind of like learning to juggle. I’d been very comfortable with handling work on one novel. Over the past few months, I’ve become used to thinking of two projects: the marketing of Wings of a Dream and the writing of the book to be named later. But today I turned in that 2^nd book, which means after a short break to catch my breath, I throw that third ball in the air—researching and brainstorming new story ideas, while I wait for the infamous editorial letter on book two.

The good news is that I feel ready to add that next ball to my routine. Hopefully I’ve learned enough in the past year that I can toss it in the air and keep on going. But if not, I’m so thankful that there is grace all around—from my God, my family, my friends and my editor—to take a deep breath, gather my projects, and start juggling again.

If you are a writer, where are you in the “juggling writing projects” process? Are you doing novels and short stories? Books and magazine articles? More than one book at a time?

If you aren’t a writer, what are you learning to juggle at the moment? Where are you in that one, two, and three ball process?

Les Mis the Musical

How many times have I seen/listened to the musical Les Miserable? I can’t even count. And yet when my husband and I stumbled on the 25^th anniversary concert version last night on TV, we watched with rapt attention, as if it were the first time.

Why is that? I think it equal combinations of story and character and music. Story, because the themes of redemption and grace are so powerfully illustrated. Character, because Valjean, Javert, Fantine, Eponine are complicated people with feelings and actions with which we can relate. And music because it adds an extra emotional element that makes the story even more unforgettable. I’ve read the book—abridged and unabridged—but it’s the musical version I go back to over and over again.

What about you? Have you experienced Les Mis on stage or on CD? Read the book (either version)? Or are you one of the uninitiated to this amazing story of grace and love?

A Sunday Psalm

Turn to me and have mercy on me,
as You always do to those who love Your name.
Direct my footsteps according to Your Word;
let no sin rule over me.
    --Psalm 119:132-133

Busy as a Bee

Sorry I've been neglectful of late. I'm busy working to get my second novel turned in. I promise I'll be back here next week!

A Refreshing I Didn't Know I Needed

I spent most of last week at a writing retreat. I went into it being acquainted with only two or three of the fifteen other writers in attendance. I left with fifteen new friends who I respect as writers, as women, and as fellow followers of Christ.

But though I carry memories of sweet fellowship, I think what I’ll remember most are the quiet acts of service I noticed during my time there. Two of the women brought their husbands. Now these guys didn’t just hang out. They didn’t just show up to support their wives. They came and served all of us. They toted luggage. They helped prepare our meals. They washed dishes. They dealt with mechanical issues in the house. And they did it all in a spirit of brotherly love. 

Our cook for the week also demonstrated her servant’s heart, spending the week away from her family and cooking us three yummy meals a day—all simply to make our time there comfortable and enjoyable. She served out of her friendship with the woman who organized the retreat—and out of her love for Christ.

And yet beyond these overall acts of service, I watched in amazement as all the women served one another through small acts of kindness, offering a listening ear, praying for each other—whatever situation presented. When an opportunity to serve arose, I noticed women jump in and do exactly that.

I confess, it surprised me. Too many times over the years I’ve seen women take from each other, not give expecting nothing in return. Witnessing that attitude among such a group refreshed me in a way I didn’t realize I needed.

Can you remember the last time you “retreated” from your everyday life? Did you find refreshment of your spirit in some way? Perhaps you were one of those who served others as they retreated. What did you glean from your time on either side? Tell us about it.

A Sunday Psalm

Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save.
When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;
on that very day their plans come to nothing.
Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord his God, the Maker of heaven and earth,
the sea, and everything in them--
the Lord who remains faithful forever.
       ---Psalm 146:3-6

The Demise of a Rosebush

I cried over a rosebush last week. Wept. Sobbed. And I don’t even like plants!

Let me explain. When we bought this house almost five years ago, one of the most charming things about it was the backyard. Obviously the woman in the house had taken great pride in creating a beautiful outdoor space. It included not only a vast array of plants but a deck, one section of which was covered by a flat, slatted roof of sorts. Along one support post for this cover grew a creeping rose bush that had been lovingly trained to vine out over the slatted top. It only covered maybe ¼ of the space.

Over the years, the rosebush tendrils grew longer and longer. We trimmed them, weaved them in and out, until by the end of last summer—four years after buying the house—we had a beautiful green canopy shading us from the unrelenting summer sun. It made our deck useable. Enjoyable.

This year, we realized a good tree trimming was long overdue, so my husband hired it done, asking the guy to trim some off the top of the rosebush roof as well, since while we’d kept the sides in shape, we couldn’t reach it on top. The guys showed up. I was in other parts of the house busy with other things. I walked into the living room, looked out my windows and saw sunlight streaming down on my deck. No rosebush. It was gone.

After calmly asking them to stop (there still remained the main branch and root running up the support pole) and explaining that there had been a mistake, I started to cry. Just a bit of a shaky voice and watery eyes as I spoke with the apologetic men, but heartrending sobs after I shut the door and fled to the back bedroom.

I realized even then that my reaction was over-the-top. I knew it was tied to the physical and emotional exhaustion of the week, three out of town games to end the basketball season you’ve read about here already. But it was the demise of my rosebush that spurred the deluge of tears. A rosebush I didn’t even plant and honestly very rarely tended. But I knew I would miss its shade in summer much as I will miss my calm and compassionate son when he leaves for college.

How about you? Do you get emotional over the big things or do you find your temper or tears spilling out over something small and unrelated?

How Cool Is This?

My sister emailed me just the other day and informed me that my book is available for pre-order on Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and CBD!

Wow! So very cool!

Happy Presidents Day!

 

(I still think of it as a celebration of Washington's and Lincoln's birthdays. Maybe because those are two of my favorite eras in American history!)

A Sunday Psalm

The Lord is exalted over all the nations,
His glory above the heavens.
Who is like the Lord our God, the One
who sits enthroned on high,
who stoops down to look on the
heavens and the earth?
      --Psalm 113:4-6

The End of an Era

Last night I watched my boys take the court together, their last time on the same team. Twelve years ago my sons—one just turned 4, one not quite 6—stepped on a soccer field together, the younger having begged to get to play like his brother and his sister. From that first moment, the younger son didn’t miss a beat. He got in there and played as well as the older kids. And the older one, from the first, didn’t dismiss his younger brother. He took care of him, encouraged him, included him.

Fast forward to middle school. They had each played on their own soccer and basketball teams, but then soccer ended and for one season—younger brother in 6^th grade, older in 8^th grade—they both wore their school football uniform. Although neither played much, I loved seeing them on the sidelines together.

Almost two years ago, though, we entered a new era. A freshman and a junior, not only did they both play varsity football and basketball, but due to being in a “rebuilding” year in both sports, they both had significant playing time. I can’t describe the feeling of seeing the younger throw a touchdown pass to the older. The older kick the extra point while his younger brother took the snap and held the ball. Or to watch one pass to the other for a lay-up or a jump shot, to watch the younger stare down a player on the other team who had fouled his brother or the older encourage the younger before a free throw.

Of course they aren’t perfect. Though they often supported each other on the field or court, they also fought some, too. Especially since the older tends to coach as he plays—and younger one is a perfectionist that doesn’t need to be told what he just did wrong. But even when they were at odds, I knew it wouldn’t last. A few hours later, they were back to teammates, trying to figure out how to get the next win.

I know it is time for the older one to move on to a college life that may or may not include basketball. But the next two years of watching our youngest son perform without his brother will feel strange. Not bad. Just different. So today I mourn the end of an era.

How do you deal with changes in the season of your life? What is an upcoming change you wish would hold off a little longer—or maybe one you wish would hurry up and arrive?

The Girl in the Gatehouse by Julie Klassen

If you love all things Jane Austen as I do, you will thoroughly enjoy Julie Klassen’s newest book, The Girl in the Gatehouse. A woman suddenly in reduced circumstances, living on the estate of a relative. A handsome captain just paid off and ready to explore adventures on land instead of at sea. Mysteries. Misunderstandings. A house party. Two theatricals. And that’s just the beginning.

Perhaps, like me, you will recognize bits and pieces—sometimes turned upside down—of beloved Jane Austen characters and plots (and even names!) all mixed up together. But you’ll fall in love with fresh, new characters as well. Like sailor-turned-manservant Martin—one of my favorites! (You’ll have to read the book to discover who he is and why he is so memorable!)

Julie’s stories are delightful and this one certainly did not disappoint.

For Valentine's Day

When I thought about posting on Valentine's Day, I just kept thinking of this scene from Holiday Inn (1942). Here is Bing Crosby singing "Be Careful, It's My Heart" while Fred Astaire dances with Bing's girl. It's a sad/sweet song. Bing's voice delightful. The dancing is wonderful. But I think my favorite part is the snow coming down outside the windows and the two dancers posed in silhouette behind the paper heart.

Enjoy!

A Sunday Psalm

Listen, O my people, to my instruction;
Incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
I will open my mouth in a parable;
I will utter dark sayings of old,
which we have heard and known,
and our fathers have told us.
We will not conceal them from their children,
but tell to the generation to come the praises of the Lord,
and His strength and His wondrous works that He has done.
      --Psalm 78:1-4

Evaluating the Process

Eight and a half months. That’s how long it has taken to birth my second to-be-published novel. That doesn’t mean it is ready for press by any means. It just means the story has left my brain and taken up permanent residence on the page. Now begins the arduous task of getting feedback—first from my critique group, then after I make changes based on their suggestions and observations, from my editors at Bethany House.

As I look back over these past few months, I’ve evaluated my process of taking a story from a paragraph of a concept to a whole, written book. It has been a huge learning process. Though my first book took me almost the same amount of time to write, I had done most of the research years earlier. The time frame on this one encompassed both research and writing. I realize now that thinking and planning time is important. Even if it doesn’t feel like work, it is very important work. If done up front, it can quash some of the hair-pulling moments of making sense of the first draft in revisions. I discovered that setting reasonable goals is less stressful than setting extraordinary ones. And I learned that patience is necessary at every stage of the process. Word upon word, page upon page, emulating the tortoise, not the hare, a book finally emerges.

Do you evaluate your work habits on occasion, looking for ways to be more productive? What kinds of tasks are you learning to do more efficiently—or perhaps what kinds of tasks are reshaping your character so that you can do all your work more peacefully?

The Rhythm of Secrets by Patti Lacy

I’ve resolved to use my Wednesday posts to tell about the latest book I’ve read, because as I’ve said before, so many of my friends and favorite authors have books coming out this year. I hope in the course of my reflections you’ll find a new favorite book or author!

I “met” Patii Lacy online over a year ago. Now while my kids would not count us as “real” friends, we have not only emailed, we’ve actually spoken on the phone! And shortly after we became friends, we both sold books to Bethany House that will release in the fall of 2011! (Hers is contemporary fiction.) So while we have yet to meet face-to-face, we’ve truly become fast friends.

Until now, though, I hadn’t read one of her books. Then came The Rhythm of Secrets. Oh. My. Goodness. This story will grab hold of your heart and keep you reading. Set in that “no man’s land” (not contemporary, not historical) of the Vietnam War era, Patti tells the story of Sheila Franklin—or would that be Sylvia Allen? Or perhaps Sheba Alexander? From the shattering of her young world in the French Quarter of New Orleans to the splintering of the new life she created in Chicago, this is a story of grace and redemption reminds me yet again that my God can redeem even the most painful pasts, bring freedom in the revelation of even the most devastating secrets.

After reading The Rhythm of Secrets, I can’t wait for Reclaiming Lily to arrive in the fall!

Out With the Old

I’ll admit that I’m frugal. Some might say cheap. For whatever reason, in spite of my age, I have not become a part of the throwaway generation—those who replace things just for the sake of replacing them, not because they have outlived their usefulness. But even penny-pinchers like me have to break down and spend money on occasion.

Last week, in what arguably could be one of the coldest, messiest weeks ever in Texas, my flannel sheets died. They wore out. Split down the middle. And I mourned. It wasn’t just the thought that I’d have to go out and spend money on a new set of flannel sheets. These beautiful sheets adorned with bouquets of roses (very Victorian!) were given to us one Christmas by my husband’s grandmother. We’ve had them for over 20 years. Granted, we don’t use them all winter here. Most winters it’s two or three weeks, max. But when we’ve needed them, I’ve loved them. And now I must replace them.

We’ll muddle through, find an acceptable substitute for a decent price (even in replacing things my frugality reigns supreme!), but I’ll hate it. It will take years for those new sheets to feel like mine. And I guess that’s the crux of my frugality in terms of replacing things—a sentimental attachment, a sense of belonging. Unfortunately for both my sentiment and my pocketbook, we have many, many everyday items that are reaching the end of their very long lives. I have a feeling I’d better get used to some change.

Besides antiques, do you have anything you use on a regular basis that is over twenty years old? (Like my blender and my pots and pans, both received as wedding gifts almost 24 years ago?) Will you mourn at its end or rejoice? What kinds of items do you hold on to until they die?

A Sunday Psalm

Sing to the Lord a new song,
for He has done marvelous things;
His right hand and His holy arm have worked salvation for Him.
The Lord has made His salvation known and revealed
His righteousness to the nations.
He has remembered His love and His faithfulness
to the house of Israel;
all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
     --Psalm 98:1-3

Winter Weather and the Past

Every time we have unusual winter happenings, my mind drifts back to the Ingalls family and The Long Winter. Blizzards that shut down the trains. Burning hay when the coal ran out. Grinding wheat in the coffee grinder to make small loaves of bread. Going to bed early and getting up late because they’re wasn’t much else to do. It always makes me thankful I live now, not then.

But the weather incident of the past few days has taken my thoughts in different historical directions. Before the days of TV—or radio--in the days before meteorologists made their findings known to us, how did Texas people cope with such an unusual onslaught? Think about our most recent scenario.

Sunday, January 30. Almost 80 degrees. Spring weather. Not terribly unusual, but definitely welcome. But a hundred years ago, no one warning of a coming cold—with ice and snow. No one encouraging them to stock up the pantry and turn up the heater.

Monday, January 31. More normal temperatures of 50s-60s. Back to “winter” for Texas. But our ancestors went through their day without the warnings of coming sleet, freezing rain, plummeting temperatures.

In the middle of the night, rain and thunder. In the days before media, I’d imagine those who woke to the thud of rain turned over with the thought of cooler temperatures on the way. But can you imagine their surprise at the tink of sleet against glass? The white covering the ground as day dawned with icy temperatures and biting wind.

What if all the canned goods were still in the cellar? What if your neighbors had gone visiting and asked you to milk their cow—at their farm? And they couldn’t get back for several days? And you had no telephone to call and find out their plans? And what if you were low on firewood or coal because you had no warning? A trip to the outhouse would be fun, wouldn’t it? Or dealing with chamber pots if you chose not to?

Yes, those are the things I thought of as my kids stayed home from school day after day, as my husband built a fire that I was thankful didn’t comprise my only source of heat. As we come out on the other end of this event and get back to our “regular” lives, I reflect on those that came before. But while I love to venture to that past in my reading and my writing, I’m very, very glad I live in the now!

What kinds of events make you wonder about life in the past? How far back does your imagination usually take you? Do you think about things you’ve read in regard to those events or do you wonder about the things you never read about?

150 Quick Questions to Get Your Kids Talking by Mary DeMuth

My friend Mary DeMuth is not only a very talented writer, she is also an awesome cook and facilitator of conversations. She has used these strengths to create a family dinner table that is much more than just a meal. It is a deepening of relationships. And now some of her methods have been captured into a helpful new book: 150 Quick Questions to Get Your Kids Talking.

This a small book, in length and in stature, which makes it perfect for the family who wants to keep it near the dinner table and use a question or two per mealtime, as the DeMuth family does. Or it’s just the right size to tuck in a glove compartment or other nook of a car if you are a family often on the go to your kids activities, such as we always were. But no matter when, no matter where, these questions will help your family get talking. And when talking—and listening—commences, families grow closer. They understand each other better.

I highly recommend this book for a jumping off place in deepening your relationship with your children.

Lady in the Mist by Laurie Alice Eakes

I’m generally a cross-genre reader, picking up everything from mystery to historical to romance to . . .  you name it. Pretty much everything except horror and erotica. And while I like each of these in their separateness, it’s even better when they all collide in one book.

Lady in the Mist by Laurie Alice Eakes is that kind of book. Set in 1809 on the coast of Virginia, it blends meticulous historical detail with mystery, suspense, political intrigue and romance. Tabitha is a midwife who not only wants a family of her own, she wants to stop the English from impressing the men of her town into their navy. Enter an Englishman turned indentured servant and the fun begins.

I loved learning about history from this book—not only the time period of some of the political issues, but about the role of midwives, a subject on which Laurie Alice has done extensive research. But she does so much more than convey history. She creates a book that is hard to put down. Not only are the characters and their stories completely engaging, the quality of the writing makes them even more so. Laurie Alice is truly a master of the craft, besides being a lovely person to know.

Lady in the Mist is the first book in Laurie Alice’s series The Midwives. I’m already excited to see what she’s come up with for the next one!

Disclaimer: I received this book free from the publisher.

A Sunday Psalm

I have seen You in the sanctuary and beheld Your power and Your glory.
Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify You.
I will praise You as long as I live, and in Your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods;
with singing lips my mouth will praise You.
       --Psalm 63:2-5

How Readers Read

Readers have different methods, just like writers do. They choose their books differently. They read their books differently. As a reader, I used to be a die-hard one-at-a-time reader. I simply could not start reading one book if I was in the middle of another. It just didn’t happen. As I got older and had children, I had to learn to multitask. Eventually that spilled over to my reading, too. I would have two or three books going—one in my purse, one on my nightstand, one in the living room. I could put down one and pick up another without batting an eye. Usually they were wildly different books, too. A piece of classic literature, a more recently published novel and maybe, just maybe a non-fiction book sprinkled in.

But in the nine months since I’ve signed my book contract, my reading time has constricted. And in that shrinking, I find I can’t divide my attention between multiple books. I’m back to being a one-at-a-time reader. (The only exception to this is reading on the fly from the kindle app on my phone!)

How about you? Do you keep multiple books going at one time or do you finish one and start another? Do you read all in the same genre or, like me, do you have to have to intersperse contemporary and historical and mystery and classics (and, okay, non-fiction if you must!)?

Head in the Clouds by Karen Witemeyer

I’ll admit that I often go into a new book with a bit of fear and trepidation if I have any kind of relationship with the author. I mean, what will I do if I don’t like it?

From the opening pages of Head in the Clouds by Karen Witemeyer, I knew that wouldn’t be a problem! Her story of a Texas rancher’s daughter who finds herself as a governess on the Texas sheep ranch of an English nobleman completely captivated me. It didn’t hurt that besides an English character or two Karen also sprinkled in references to some of my favorite classic English literature titles. And a great message of faith and following God’s plan for your life. Top it off with a heavy dose of romance and this was one of those books that I hated to see end.

I’m so glad Karen has more books waiting in the wings. And I’m even more excited to meet her face to face in a just a few weeks!

Studying the Master

When I first heard about Beth Moore’s study of Esther a while ago, I wanted to do it. Yet every time it came up, it wouldn’t work in my schedule. The time wasn’t right. But when a friend of mine, a gifted Bible teacher, said she was hosting this study in her home this semester, on a day I generally have free, I jumped at the chance to attend. When we went to our first session, my friend asked us all to tell why we chose to study Esther.

For me, that was an easy question. I’m drawn to the “stories” in the Bible. I learn best from them. So I love the Old Testament and the gospels, returning to them again and again, though I’ve come to love every part of God’s Word over the years. In Esther we are given a more drawn out story than most. And with a woman as its central character. I love that. I know that the study of this book over the course of several weeks will reveal so much about God, which of course tends to reveal so much about me and the areas where I fall short.

So I’m excited as I embark on a study of Esther. I know it will challenge me as a person of faith, but I also feel it will challenge me as a writer, to see how a story reveals the character of God even when He is not overtly mentioned. Because while I ultimately want the story of my life to be one that puts God on display, I also want to show Him through the stories I write. And what better way than to study the Ultimate Writer of Truth.

A Sunday Psalm

When I said, "My foot is slipping,"
Your love, O Lord, supported me.
When anxiety was great within me,
Your consolation brought joy to my soul.
     --Psalm 94:18-19

A Brand New Journal

I love the day I open a brand new journal, its lined pages pristine. It always reminds me of Anne Shirley saying “Every day is fresh with no mistakes in it.” And yet I know the pages before me will be filled with mistakes. Not just words crossed out and misspellings, but bigger things. Like sin. And struggle. It can be a depressing thought instead of a jubilant one. So I always recall the comfort of Lamentations:

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.

How do I know this holds true? Because when I open I new journal (which ends up being every year or so) I take a few moments to pull down all the old ones out of the top of my closet. Scattered remembrances of the last twenty-five years of my life. I flip through the pages. Sometimes I read the journals all the way through. Sometimes I read a few pages here and there. But one page or one hundred doesn’t change the fact that those journals—once filled with blank pages, now filled with words from my pen—are tangible evidence of that very promise of God’s new mercies and His faithfulness. I see from where He has brought me and I anticipate where He will take me through the pages yet unwritten.

My newest journal waits just a few last pages transcribed into the old one. And then I will look back—and look forward. And I’ll begin again.

Do you journal? Do you write every day or as the mood strikes?

PInch Me!

All of a sudden it feels really real!

Of Fuzzy Robes and Fireplaces

I love winter. I really do. But as I’ve grown older I’ve discovered that I love it most when I can spend it as I wish—in a fuzzy robe in front of a blazing fire. That hasn’t happened much this winter. I’ve had to leave the house on freezing temperature days much more often than I would like!

Still, there are Saturdays and Sundays, most of which don’t require me to go anywhere in the early mornings. My husband makes a fire. I hang out in a nearby chair wearing my fuzzy robe. I drink coffee and get a few things done at my computer or read a book, but then that’s not really the point. The point is the fuzzy robe and the warm fireplace, and the cozy feeling that accompanies them. I guess if I indulged that feeling every day of the winter it wouldn’t be as satisfying as it is when I only get it on occasion. But those fuzzy robe and fireplace days are really the part of winter I most enjoy.

What is your favorite season? What type of day during that season makes it most enjoyable for you?

A Sunday Psalm

The Lord is gracious and righteous;
our God is full of compassion.
The Lord protects the simplehearted;
when I was in great need, He saved me.
Be at rest, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.
        --Psalm 116:5-7

Reading List 2011

When my friend Carla mentioned that she’s looking forward to reading my book this year, it struck me how many friends I have with books releasing in 2011. Here’s just a partial list. I know there are more, but this is off the top of my head!

The Muir House by Mary DeMuth

Broken Wings by Carla Stewart

A Force of Habit by Alice Loweecey

Secrets of the Heart by Jillian Kent

Lady in the Mist by Laurie Alice Eakes

The Lady of Bolton Hill by Elizabeth Camden

Springtime of the Spirit by Maureen Lang 

Journey to Riverbend by Henry McLaughlin

Patti Lacy has one due out in fall, but I don’t know the title. And I believe Gina Holmes' second book comes out this year, too.

And all of those authors are just the ones I consider friends! That doesn’t count other authors I simply admire or might have met once. Good grief! I think I’ll definitely have to schedule more reading time.

Is there a specific title or author you are looking forward to reading this year?

What a Week!

Wow. What a week. After Christmas, we took a great trip to Colorado with our kids, arriving home the night of the 2^nd. I imagined it would take me all of Monday to get things sorted out, but then I would be back on my regular schedule.

Boy was I wrong!

How busy was it? Well, I posted to my blog once last week, on Tuesday—or so I thought. It didn’t post, but I didn’t realize it until Friday night! Laundry, unpacking, taking down Christmas, cleaning house, grocery shopping, answering emails, dealing with various details of life. Four basketball games, two nights of dinner guests, a few stolen minutes of revisions on my manuscript, a whole family gathering. It doesn’t sound like much when written out that way, but those things consumed all my waking hours.

This kind of week used to throw me into a tizzy, complete with emotional meltdowns. It isn’t easy for me to walk an unmarked path. It’s stressful—and scary. And though I’m better at it than I used to be, I long for the security of routine.

But the Lord never really promised us security—except in Him. He is the only thing that doesn’t change. And while none of the events in my week were earth shattering or life changing, I still needed to camp on the rock of God’s immutable nature.

So how do you cope when your plans are derailed in favor of things that absolutely must be done or dealt with? Are you flexible enough to set aside your agenda and go with the flow? Do you succumb to the moment but stress over all that is left undone? Is there a prayer or a verse that helps you make it through? I’d love to know!

A White Christmas

Two months ago we planned our family "Christmas” celebration for January 9. All of my siblings and their families would be in town—even my sister and her family on furlough from the mission field. We hadn’t all been under one roof for over two years. And my uncle was in town as well. We hadn't seen him for almost 5 years!

The kids were excited to exchange presents with their cousins, each having drawn a name to buy for in early December. We all looked forward to the food and the fellowship and yes, even the noise of 13 kids and all the adults trying to talk at one time. But in all our preparations we never imagined a white "Christmas." But that’s what we got. The cold rain we woke up to turned to snow just about the time we were all headed to Mom and Dad’s house. It was beautiful to watch, fun for the kids to play in, and generally added to the festive mood of the gathering. Quite an unexpected joy!

Have you had an unexpected take-your-breath-away moment catch you by surprise lately? I’d love to hear about it!

A Sunday Psalm

For who in the skies above can compare with the Lord?
Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings?
In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared,
He is more awesome than all who surround Him,
O Lord God Almighty, who is like you?
You are mighty, O Lord, and Your faithfulness surrounds You.
               --Psalm 89:6-8

Looking Ahead

I kind of tried to ignore the turn of the calendar this year. That’s really not like me. I usually revel in the newness of January, the clean slate of a new year. But the thought of 2011 really threw me for a loop.

It’s not that I’m not excited about this coming year. There are some really great things happening. But those great things have some scary edges on them, too. Want some examples?

In 2011:

• My son—my oldest boy, my middle child—will graduate from high school. While this is a big yippee in our lives, the thought of him going off to college is bittersweet. He is the child that instinctively knows me. The one that senses when I need help and steps in. The calm one. The steady one. The one that kind of holds us all together. The thought of our home without him on a day-to-day basis is a bit scary.
• My first novel will be published. A huge praise and an exciting time, but also a terrifying thought. Besides bracing myself for bad (or tepid) reviews and sparsely attended booksignings, I must plan a book launch party—and every party I’ve ever planned has flopped! Seeing my name on a book cover is a dream come true, but the reality is that the new road of published author is definitely a walk of faith up a steep mountain.
• I have several trips on my calendar: a writing retreat, a research trip, the ACFW conference, and possibly another one. I’m thrilled at the thought of seeing old friends and making new ones, and the travel itself doesn’t make me as nervous as it used to, but I do worry about how being gone slices into my productivity, both in writing and in my home duties.

Those are my major things at the moment, on top of the normal tug of war between the feelings of anticipation and trepidation when considering what the days in a new year will bring.

What about you? Are there things you see coming in 2011 that incite both excitement and fear in you? Are you leaning more to one side than the other? Please share!

Merry Christmas!

 

O Come Let Us Adore Him!

For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 

--Luke 2:11 

The Attitude of Christmas

I’ve been banging my head against a brick wall, waiting for a breakthrough. Not literally, of course. But every minute of work on my current novel has felt this way. I wanted to get it done. Fast. Early. I wanted it to be at least good—though fabulous would have been better. In the meantime, I’ve been reading through Psalms and contemplating Christmas. And then it all came together.

Not my story, though that would have been nice. No, what came clearly into focus was that my focus had shifted. It had moved from being grateful to the Lord for letting me do what I love to do—write fiction that illustrates His truths—into a desire to be noticed, to be lauded, both for the story and for how quickly I turned it out. Not an attitude that fares well when put up against Mary’s song of praise at being told of her coming pregnancy or the angels lauding the birth of the Savior of men or shepherds leaving their flocks to come worship or kings who gave of their time and their wealth to bless the King of Kings. And when combined with the spotlight of David’s praise of his God even in the midst of dire circumstances, the darkness in my heart became evident. 

I guess I’m discovering yet again that this writing journey is about so much more than accomplishing the writing. It’s about recognizing my characters flaws, my weaknesses, and falling on His grace and strength. It’s about growing my faith and conquering my pride. But even with all of that, it really isn’t about me at all. It’s about God using His work in me to declare His own glory and power and strength. My purpose is simply to praise Him through my life and my words, even if the crafting of both of those things takes longer than I wish it would. And isn’t that the attitude of Christmas—our response of praise to God’s display of Himself all around us?

May your Christmas season be filled with the joy that comes from praising our God.

A Sunday Psalm

The Lord has made His salvation known and revealed His righteousness to the nations.
He has remembered His love and His faithfulness to the house of Israel;
all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music;
make music to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing,
with trumpets and the blast of the ram's horn--
shout for joy before the Lord, the King.
          --Psalm 98:2-6