Those Who Walk Alongside Us

I like this picture - it was taken when my husband Steve and I were on the snowfields below the base of Mt. Rainier on our trip this summer. I think often of Steve and also my friends who have walked with me on difficult travels in my life. Even on one of my climbs up Lassen Peak, when Steve was not there and I could not get up one particularly icy section, a hiker came behind me and offered me a hand up so I could make it to the summit.

As a writer, it can be a tough and lonely journey as we struggle to put words on paper or the screen and then find a publisher for them. And it doesn't work to be a lone ranger in that walk either. The way can be treacherous. Lonely. Cold and snowy, even icy as we slip and slide. We really need a person to come alongside us, to help hold us up in prayer, to give a steady and sure hand, even a belief in what we are doing. Without it, one cannot get very far in the journey.

I encourage you as writer to find other writers and friends to come alongside and help you. When discouragement settles in or the rejections come or the writer's block is there, you can call on them to lift your arms in prayer. To show you a path that you never thought to try before. To give you words of wisdom that you may need to hear that provides a lamp and light to an otherwise darkened path.

Don't go it alone in this life. It's too hard. Reach out to others and allow them to minister to your life. Accept it humbly as a guiding hand from God that you need in your life.

I Never Thought I Would Write This...

How I wanted to share with you a joy over the past week - I heard back from several editors for books and now have several contracts and books to write.

But at the same time I grieve a tremendous loss tonight - our beagle Lady. She was still fairly young (though no one was exactly sure of her age when we got her) but for some reason began to develop multiple health problems all at once. Last week I took her for back issues and suddenly she deteriorated to the point she could no longer eat because of megaesophogus, and had double pneumonia because of aspirating food. Along with this she had urinary issues, a mitral valve murmer leading to congestive heart problems, and a herniated disk with hip issues.

So it was with great pain we decided to put her to sleep this night.

Lady loved to walk and sniff out rabbits around the yard. And yes, she even enjoyed interesting trips like in the canoe or going to the beach house with us this past summer. She would sit at our feet and look up lovingly with her dark pretty eyes. She loved cuddling up, even nosing my hubby's hand, insisting that he pet her. She would love to come upstairs and investigate our kitchen floor for any yummy morsels. And she loved being outdoors and taking long walks around the neighborhood. She even visited my son and I when we went on our big hike in '07 on the Appalachian Trail. She had the greatest temperament, sweet and easy going, and took everything with the ease of a grand lady, including preferring her bedding be aired out and changed.

Lady was a sweetie, my sweetheart love, and we will miss her greatly. But we are so glad for the years we had with her.

I'm Cranky...

Okay, I know you have gotten days like this. I'm sure I'm not the only one who gets them. We have had quite a November already - in fact I was telling my husband tonight that it's okay by me if November disappears (even though this month we celebrate his birthday and tomorrow is our 19th wedding anniversary - and of course, next week is Thanksgiving of all things!). But the month started out bad with family issues and still seems to be running the gauntlet of trials and tests. Appliances and cars exploding. Tax issues. Assorted health thingies (is thingie even a word?). I am like the little girl above, being served a dish of yucky, stringy green trials and tribs and saying with a pout, "I don't want any!"

I know last week I talked about the necessity of prayer. And that is still so important, especially when one is feeling the way I am tonight. But we are emotional beings. God made us that way. There will be times that,yes, we are feeling out of sorts. That the pressures are big and seemingly insurmountable. And the best thing to do is get real with them. Like I am doing tonight. Talking about it. Saying that this is tough and the way seems cloudy. I'm sure Job in the Bible felt the same way. He took his complaints to God. And God answered them, not only with quiet rebuttals but also by the miracle of restoration.

So in crankiness can come the hope of restoration. That I might be the deer panting, wondering, yearning to see the Lord. But hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him. For the help of His countenance. Psalm 42

The Time for Armor

Be strong in the Lord and the power of His might.

If there was ever a time for Christians to get on the whole armor of God and to stand fast against the wiles of the devil (Ephesians 6) now is the time. I have seen more happening in the spiritual world with spiritual battles than I can say. And not just with this upcoming election in a life or death struggle, but life or death struggles within families (I have a big one in mine right now) and in other areas. We are called to prayer, we are called to action, we are called as warriors to be on the offense and not the defense. To make a stand. To fight for what is right - the word of God. To do all we are called to do and then to rest in His hands for the outcome.

Don't be battle weary. Now is the time to clothe yourself in full armor and do battle. Fight against spiritual forces in heavenly places. We do not battle flesh and blood. And it requires patience, steadfastness, determination and faith to see this all to a victorious conclusion.

Graduation!

This will be a short Monday post as I am recovering from a very exciting but fairly draining weekend. On Saturday we held my son's high school graduation, marking the end of his home schooling that began when he was four years old. Hard to believe it is over, and he now begins a brand new chapter in his life. In the picture from left to right is my husband Steve, my mom, the graduate, me, my sister Andrea, and my dad. We had both families and church families there to celebrate, and it was a sweet time. I did shed a few tears, but I also look forward to the future and all that God has in store, both for my son, Joshua, and yes, for me too. I'm not certain where our paths will take us, but we look to God who holds the future in His hands.