This and that

I hope you are all enjoying the summer as much as I am. But where did July go? (Tiger figures the squirrels took it.) There are definitely not enough days in this beautiful season. At least not in Michigan. Then again, it is nice to see the seasons change. Perhaps that is part of what keeps life interesting. I’ve been keeping busy with various projects these past few weeks. Last week, I decided my decluttering desire had taken too long a hiatus, so I organized some clutter (which I hope to get rid of!) in one of the bedrooms. At least now we can close the closet doors! In the process of going through things, I ran across some of my son’s books – yes, we still have quite a bit of things belonging to the sons that don’t live here anymore. But sometimes those things can prove to be treasures, as I discovered in some of the books he did not have room to take with him.

One was The Prodigal God by Timothy Keller. I have been reading Walking With God Through Pain and Suffering by the same author, so the book immediately intrigued me. It’s actually a short book, and I read it in two days. If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend it. Keller takes a look at the parable of the prodigal son or as some called it the two lost sons. It is well worth the read especially if you want to truly understand what this whole message of salvation (the gospel – or good news) of the Bible and the Messiah’s coming is all about.

I’ve also finished a first draft on the Egyptian Princess (not the actual title) novella, which I’m in the middle of re-reading and tweaking as I go.

Less than a month now – 3 weeks – until the release of The Desert Princess (Ebook Shorts) (The Loves of King Solomon Book #1)! I can’t wait to share Naamah’s story with you! I hope you enjoy my switch to 1st person and can step into her life as we begin our journey into the world of King Solomon.

On a personal front, I began a new diet plan this month, not so much to lose weight (although with an upcoming wedding, that would be a plus), but to discover what foods might trigger some health issues I’ve had. The book/diet I’m following (The Plan: Eliminate the Surprising “Healthy” Foods That Are Making You Fat–and Lose Weight Fast is one I dabbled in before and found some tasty recipes. Thought I’d share a picture of a meal I made last week. Spicy apricot chipotle chicken on a bed of greens, zucchini and onions with orange oil and Manchego cheese, and carrot/beet salad. I have to say with almost every meal, I feel like I’m sitting down to eat at a restaurant! I never cook with such color and presentation on my own.

I also discovered some interesting information on pain – particularly dealing with what I would call tendonitis in my elbow. I discovered that much of the pain can be relieved by massaging the muscles in the arm. And resting the area as much as possible. If you’re interested, here’s one of the sites with more information. I can say that I’ve been working the tight muscles and trigger points and my right elbow is much improved. So perhaps there is something to this theory.

Hubby just told me there are some new hints on the upcoming season of Downton Abbey! He gave me the link. Enjoy!

Next month there will be some big specials (one-day only) for a few of my books. If you want to keep up on such news, please sign up for my newsletter. I’ve got the newsletters for the specials ready to go on the appropriate sale dates, and hope to post on Facebook and Twitter, but I might not get them posted here as we have some upcoming vacation and edits on Rahab waiting in the wings.

Until next time…enjoy your summer!