Considering our upside down life of the past few weeks, I thought it would be a nice change to bring you into my corner of the world.
If you’ve read my newsletter, which went out last week, you know that my husband and I are on a quest to find the best cinnamon rolls in Michigan, and around the country. I wish we could take a long trip just to find every bakery that specializes in this favorite treat, but that’s not likely to happen. Still, we do travel now and then, so finding yummy delicacies in other states would be a welcome treat.
Besides the various home projects we hope to tackle this year – like redoing some of the kitchen and upgrading the carpet and paint and clutter quotient in our bedroom – I am in the middle of researching Esther’s story. I’ve begun to “cast” my characters, but am a long way from knowing where this story will take me. I am praying for direction as I study.
I am also waiting to hear from my editor about the nonfiction manuscript she is currently reading, trying not to bite my nails as I wait for her thoughts on it. The marketing team has titled the book When Life Doesn’t Match Your Dreams, Hope for Today from 12 Women of the Bible. I know that sounds long, but the Hope for Today part is the subtitle. I’m anxious to see what kind of cover they design for this one as it’s my first nonfiction!
Over the years I’ve received a number of letters from readers who have wanted to read the Loves of King Solomon novellas but do not read e-books. I appreciate those of you who hold out for print books and love the feel of a real paperback book in your hands. Unfortunately, the novellas were/are only available for e-readers, but come next May 2019, the compilation of these stories will at last be available in print! This means edits for me will come sometime this spring or summer, on both of the above-mentioned books. It’s going to be a busy year.
I want to say again, however, that the compilation will not have ALL of the exact material as is found in the e-books because in order to weave all four stories together into a cohesive unit, I had to cut some of backstory of the women. So IF those of you who don’t like e-books want to see these women from different perspectives, perhaps the free Kindle app would allow you to do so. Just a thought because I’d hate for anyone to miss the big picture of these books!
Last week we took things a little easier, though I did manage to coax hubby outside for several walks, freezing weather or not, because it is SUPPOSED to be spring, and I needed the activity. Writing is a sit-too-much business, and sometimes that has its downsides.
Because of the school’s spring break, hubby didn’t have any substitute teaching work. Instead, he got rid of a lot of paper clutter. Yay! We’ve removed several pieces of furniture from the living room and the basement, which makes downsizing one step closer. Why is it that we spend the first half or more of our lives accumulating “stuff” and the last third or so getting rid of it? The minimalists have figured something out I wish that our generation had learned long ago.
Tiger has been acting “out of sorts” for the past few days. We are trying to figure out if he is just miffed that the schedule changed or if something is not quite right. He’d been doing so much better, gained some weight, and was his generally perky self. Now he wants to chew everything from clothing to leather to paper to plastic. We are “watching” him.
We had semi-planned a trip west this spring, but decided this wasn’t the best time. I’m okay with that decision except when I look outside and see snow in April. Then I wonder why we spend our winters in Michigan. Oh wait…this is SPRING. Supposedly it will be in the 60s tomorrow.
I leave you with this thought, which has had me pondering for some time. The subject – forgiveness is fodder for other blogs, but today I share these words of Jesus:
“A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” (Jesus asked Simon)
Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.”
And he (Jesus) said to him, “You have judged rightly.” Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”
#livegrace #forgive #lovemuch
