New Beginnings, Shaky Steps

Things look very different in our house these days.

My oldest daughter graduated last week, the same day my youngest got her first job. I feel old.

But proud :)

It got me thinking about how much life is changing and wondering if we are ready. Soon our active household of five will be four with an empty chair at meals. Then ten short months after that we will be able to reduce our kitchen table to a small nook - just enough room for three.

Life changes on us, doesn't it.

At the present time there is an RV parked in our yard. It isn't ours. It belongs to a couple from our church who are facing a life change too. They'll stay there a few days longer -- a little hesitant to say goodbye to what was and also a little excited to find out what lies ahead. But so many questions are churning.

Much like us.

I am the kind of person who likes change - well, as long as I had some say in it. So as my oldest daughter prepares to pack up her room and squeeze it into an enlarged closet called a dorm room, I am excited for her. And for us. Yet, I'm getting a little weepy as I write this and I can guarantee on the day we wave her off I will be as well, BUT I am not distraught. I am hopeful.

But let me call it hope that has been worked for.

Often when we

You don't have to be the strong one.

I read a book this week that was outside my usual style.  And it wasn't even a book I am supposed to review.  A friend from my church recommended the author Dee Henderson to me.  So I found a series on the library shelve and started at book number 1. It's called The Negotiator.  I enjoyed it.

At the end of the book it explained there is a prequel.  It's called Danger in the Shadows.  Now that book I loved!  Here is the first chapter if you want to check it out.

The heroine in the story, Sara is a young woman who had lived a horrendous life in real, tangible fear.  I won't spoil it for you, but there is a very good reason for her to fear for her life - every day. Although she is a believer and she turns to God to help her with her fears, it isn't the relief she has been hoping for.  It isn't until the end of the book that she finally gives her fear TO God.

Believe it or not, there is a big difference between praying about something and giving that something to God.  But as I read Sara's journey I saw myself in her.

Have a little faith today.

"The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today. Let us move forward with strong and active faith."

~Franklin D. Roosevelt

I have been debating whether or not I should enter the NaNoWriMo contest again this year.  It is a month long writing contest where a writer starts a book and finishes it (minimum 50K words) in exactly a month.  The month of November, to be exact. That is precisely where they get the crazy name from. NAtional NOvel WRIting MOnth.  Check it out on line if you wish.  This is the link.

Last year I joined the party and I even finished my novel.  It was my fifth complete novel that year.  (You can find a little blurb about it on the OtherProjects Page.  It is aptly documented under the number five heading.)

I had assumed it would be a lot easier than my contest I do each year to write a whole novel in 3 days.  After all, I had been writing large chunks of words for 10 months prior to that and thought 50 thousand words would be a piece of cake.  

Well ... It wasn't.  

The whole point behind the month long contest is build a new habit. 

I asked for it.

God is so good.  All the time.

Why are we creatures of doubt?

Why can't we just rest in the arms of the Almighty and know that He is in control and that He loves us and He longs for the best things for us.

Please tell me I am not the only one who frets.

I am part of a group of ladies who meet regularly to go through the book Fearless, by Max Lucado.  We met on Friday last week. It was already an emotional day for me and then the book gave me a strong left hook to the jaw.

My last post was about an armload of "junk" I've been holding and wishing God would take it away.  Friday was the day all the junk would hit the fan.  It did, but it was amazing how God filled me with peace and He carried me through the event.  He turned my nightmare into a dream.

If I could I would like to get specific with you.  I hope I don't scare you away.

A few months ago I posted about my past.

I bearly made it out alive!

And yes ... I do know how to spell.

I had a near (too-near) encounter with a bear at camp.  It is a thrilling story that I want to share with you, but first I have to clarify a little about where my head was at.

This all goes back to a path that God placed me on twenty months ago.  For those of you who follow me regularly you know I am referring to when God asked me to write stories.  If you are new, check out this post for more information.

Ninety percent of the time God gives me the complete story He wants me to write.  However, twice now God has only given me the person.  A real person.

Come with me on a journey back in time to Southridge Bible Camp in northern Saskatchewan.  It is July 17th, 2011.  I am invited to the camp to be the Speaker to the grade 4, 5 and 6 campers.  There are no campers present yet, they will arrive in a couple hours.  Right now I am sitting in the dining hall with about

Fear never wrote a book.

Courage did.  Faith did.

Those are the words of Max Lucado.  You can take the words 'wrote a book' out and put in anything you want... started a business, dealt with a painful past, repaired a broken marriage, admitted to a deep sin.  You know what you need to put in there. For me it is obviously writing a book.

I am not afraid to write them.  I am afraid to admit to them and make them known.  However I will admit pasting online a work in progress (or WIP for those in the 'Biz') was a huge step in the right direction.  And I'm not done writing it.  I know some of you may be wondering what is going on.  It has been weeks since I posted the last partial page.  However I guess I am taking a breather.  A chance to sit back and listen to the sound of hope as it rises up from the accomplishments I've made.  Sound cheesy?

Well, here's cheesy for you.

Is anyone out there afraid of the dark?

I just finished reading the book, Within My Heart by Tamera Alexander.  If you haven’t discovered her as a writer yet, I offer my wholehearted recommendation.  She writes historical fiction if that is your fancy.

Her story tells of a young doctor and a young widow who learn the lesson in faith of taking risks.  That – (if I could steal a line from the end of her book) – faith’s first steps are “often taken neck-deep in fear”.   The interesting and compelling aspect of the hero character is that he is afraid of the dark.  Not a childhood fear of monsters under his bed but a grown man’s desperation.  

If you plan on reading the story I urge you to jump ahead to the next paragraph ... NOW!  (Spoiler Alert!)  His fear is natural and explainable and even excusable.  He has every reason to be afraid of the dark.  He was buried alive.  However, even though God allowed that experience in his life and saved him from it does not mean God expects him to carry that fear around.

If God doesn’t want His children walking through this life grasping fear in fist-fulls around our heart, then why do we?