Doing the Tough Things in Life

Rocks like this proved challenging on the Long Trail. Author Photo

I found myself at a crossroad. Or rather, at a cross-trail, as I was hiking the Long Trail of Vermont this past September. I’d already come well over half the journey. The day was rainy and windy. And I was stopped by two huge ledges of rock, about eighteen inches apart. In order to continue the hike, I had to cross one then the other. Narrow bands of rock, that if I slip, I could see down a crevasse many feet below.

Wow the fear. Not a pleasant prospect. Yes, the rocks and the weather were bad, but the crippling fear was worse. What to do? Where to go? I had already been through so much. Tough stuff. Even Mt Mansfield, the highest point in Vermont. If I turned around now, the hike was doomed. And all my past effort wasted.

Then I heard it. A still, small voice. Authoritative but kind. 

"Sit down on the rock there.”

I did.

“Scoot yourself slowly across it.”

Hard to do, but I did, with a drenched backpack on my back. I scooted across the narrow ledges of rock until I made it to a place where I could haul myself up and continue on the trail. 

Author photo

That voice was there in the scariest of places. Telling me what to do. Directing my path. It was a voice, not a light per say, but it acted like a light. Shining comfort when it was darkest. Illuminating a place that I could not see, but when I obeyed, I saw very clearly.

Perhaps you are in places like this. You need direction. It’s looking really scary.

Listen to the still, small voice. He will tell you where to go and what to do. And you’ll come forth like the sun, with more courage under your belt and ears ripe to listen for any further directions along the path of life.

A Day Never Forgotten...

Ten Years ago...one terrible, nightmarish journey. September 11, 2011. A day wrought in tragedy and death. Can anything good come of it?

September 11, 2011 a little after 9 AM. It had become a usual routine for me to do some work before turning on the TODAY show and eating my breakfast around 9 AM. Today was no different. I had just done some cleaning , we were going to have a friend come over in the afternoon to look at my husband's computer. I settled down as usual in my chair with a bowl of Raisin Bran. The TODAY team had just joked about something. Then Katie Couric came on to say that there was an incident at the World Trade Center. A small commuter plane had hit it, they were saying, and switched live to the scene. I sat there eating my cereal, thinking what a terrible thing to have happen once again (I recalled the bombing there about seven years back). I told my son who was in the back getting ready for school to come see the burning building. As I was watching this live, I saw a huge jetliner careen across the screen and into the second World Trade Center building, followed by a tremendous fireball. I nearly dropped my bowl but managed to put it on the table. This was history unfolding before his eyes and mine. I knew we were under attack and a terrible event was happening. And it went on for hours. More planes. More explosions. Buildings collapsing. The innocent dying. It was an event from hell.

My parents used to talk about the Day of Infamy when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. They were kids back then. I had been to the Arizona memorial in Hawaii and was moved. But I never thought I would witness an attack in my lifetime. Until September 11, 2001 when our own airplanes and US citizens were used against us. It was a horrifying thing.

What good can possible come from something so awful? I do know that for the first time, everything stopped. No one cared about money or politics. People came together and prayed. People hung the flag, put it on their cars instead of college alma maters, burned candles, sung patriotic songs. USA shirts and hats were worn everywhere and were hot ticket items. People were Americans. We grieved as a nation. We were family.

Dear God, I pray nothing like this will have to happen again to make us realize who we are as a nation - one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

What were you doing on 9/11, and how did it affect you?

Guest Vickie McDonough on Writing Realistic Characters

Blissful Writing Thoughts is pleased to have guest blogger and multi published author Vickie McDonough here on using the challenges we face in life to make the characters in your novels more realistic. She is also offering to give away a copy of her latest book!

ONLY MOSTLY FROZEN

By Vickie McDonough

Two and a half years ago, we had a horrible ice storm in Oklahoma. Power was off to nearly 2/3^rds of the state, which was buried under two inches of ice. Trees had split in half, limbs had dropped off like leaves in a heavy fall breeze, cracked ice that had fallen from limbs resembling broken glass. The ground looked the aftermath of a tornado, and the streets were all but impassable.

But let me back up a step. Every fall I plant pansies. They are one of the few flowers that can live through our chilly winters and will sometimes still be blooming in January, if the temperatures don’t get too low. With two inches of ice on my precious flowers, I figured I’d have to replant again come spring. Well, much to my surprise, as the ice thinned, color began to show beneath it—purple, yellow, white. My pansies were not only still alive, but they were thriving—using the ice as nature’s greenhouse and the sun to warm them. When the ice was finally gone, I had the biggest and most healthy looking flowers I’ve ever had. Some blooms even measured four inches across. Amazing! Those little mis-named plants should be called “toughies” because they’d gone through hard times, persevered, and come out even stronger and prettier.

So, how does this relate to writing, you ask? As people, we all encounter difficult times—sickness, the death of a loved one, finanacial struggles, the loss of our home to fire—and sometimes to ice. It’s how we face those challenges that either make us stronger or show us that we have much more to learn. It’s the same with the characters in our books. Don’t be too nice to them. They must face obstacle, challenges, things that are going to make them want to give up and turn back—and sometimes they will, but they must learn something in each situation. Maybe the heroine is not as brave as she thought. Maybe the hero figured he was ready to remarry but realizes he isn’t—just before the wedding. Or, maybe he is.

Isaiah 41:10 says: So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. God never promised that we wouldn’t go through hard times, but He does promise to strengthen and uphold us.

Don’t be afraid to let the characters in your story suffer or face troubles. You know you will in real life, so use trials to make your stories more realistic. And know that when you—or your protagonist—walk through hard times—what you learn in those times will strengthen you and build character. And the next time you—or they—face difficult situations, things will be a little bit easier.

Finally a Bride, the third book in the Texas Boardinghouse Brides series, is now available. Here’s a little sneak peek:

Noah Jeffers returns to town determined to make up for past misdeeds. Will reporter Jacqueline Davis uncover his secrets before Noah can capture her heart? With nowhere else to go, ex-con Carly Payton returns to the Lookout boardinghouse. Garrett Corbett is looking for an upstanding wife, not some jailbird. What will he do when overpowered by Carly’s unassuming appeal? Be on the lookout for romance in Lookout, Texas.

Vickie McDonough is an award-winning author of 23 books and novellas. Her books have won the Inspirational Reader's Choice Contest, Texas Gold, the ACFW Noble Theme contest, and she has been a multi-year finalist in ACFW’s Book of the Year/Carol Awards. She was voted Third Favorite Author in the Heartsong Presents Annual Readers Contest in 2009. Vickie is the author of the fun and feisty. Watch for her new books from Moody Press, Texas Trails: A Morgan Family series, in which she partners with Susan Page Davis and Darlene Franklin to write a 6-book series that spans 50 years of the Morgan family. The first three books release this fall. Also, next year brings the release of a new series from Guidepost Books, Whispers on the Prairie, set in 1870s Kansas. Vickie hopes readers find her stories An Adventure into Romance.

Vickie and her husband live in Oklahoma. She is a wife of thirty-five years, mother of four grown sons and grandma to a feisty five-year-old girl. When she’s not writing, Vickie enjoys reading, gardening, watching movies, and traveling. To learn more about Vickie’s books, visit her website: www.vickiemcdonough.com

Vickie is donating an autographed copy of Finally A Bride to one lucky commenter. If you don’t win and would like to purchase the book, it’s available online at Christianbook.com, Amazon, and Barnes and Nobles and may be available in your local stores.

(for US residents only. Void where prohibited. Odds at winning depend on number of entries received)

Under the Weight of It

Okay, so I am not holding up the literal weight of this rock. You might call it instead a tight place. I am on a hike I took with my husband last week. We had to negotiate rocky areas and obstacles to climb an impressive mountain in the Blue Ridge called Old Rag. It also proved a unique illustration of what can go on in our lives. Maybe the crushing weight of rejection or a deadline in writing, or some other trial in our lives is affecting us. We try to hold the weight of it back or make it through in our own strength and find it too heavy and burdensome.

But do you see behind the rock a glimmer of light? An opening one can use to crawl underneath the rock and to a blessed area of relief and freedom as we make our way to the summit? So it was on this hike when I had to lower myself beneath the weight and size of this boulder, scooting underneath it to find a way out. God is faithful to provide ways out of heavy obstacles blocking our way. To help us out from underneath weighty things that come across our path. That is, if we will stop and look for the open door on the other side. To find that shining light to guide and direct us.

Maybe you are in a similar place in your life. Or with your writing, feeling the weight of rejection or writer's block or some other glaring obstacle seeking to block your pathway to glory. Stop and look for the light behind the weight and follow it. Then see your path made clear.

NEXT WEEK I will be joined by talented, multi published fiction author Vickie McDonough who will guest blog and give away a book! Feel free to learn more about her writing at her website.

The Unexpected Dawn of an Orphaned Idea

As a writer, it can sometimes take a long drawn-out night to see the dawn of an idea come to light. As what happened with an idea I had some ten years ago. Back then I was called to write an idea for a biographical series with another historian. Since I dealt in fiction writing, he would do the history, and I would write the storyline. One of the stories for this book was on the life of William Penn and the Quakers. It was contracted by a major publisher. The idea was hashed out and rewritten over and over. For two years I worked on it. The book was done. Then out of the blue the publisher decided they didn't want it anymore. The editor who originally contracted it left the fiction department. That was that. An orphaned book with nowhere to go.

Talk about major disillusionment. It took a while after that for me to pick up the pieces and write again. I really thought, why bother? All that research; all that work I did. Hours and hours, and for nothing, in my finite mind.

And so the book sat. I left it along with all my other hard work to lie in a computer file gathering whatever dust computers gather.

Fast forward to this past summer of 2010. I am on the Appalachian Trail hiking in New York (yes, hiking). I get a frantic cell call from my agent. My long time editor who I have worked with for nearly fifteen years needs a fourth author for a novella collection. She thought of me and wondered if I could come up with an idea.

What is the collection? A Quaker Christmas.

Wow!

After so many years, I could use the research I once did and put some of it into this tiny story. No, it doesn't compare to the work I originally did. But I was still able to bring out a bit of William Penn's life and compare it to the life of my hero. Most importantly, God did not forget all that work. That when we are faithful to sow, He will cause it to grow if we are patient. Granted I didn't think it would take 10 years. But to God, its just a day.

So if you are waiting for your seeds, be patient. In God's timing, they will grow. And usually when you least expect it.

Dauntless Resolution

I had the opportunity to spend my Thanksgiving down at the Outer Banks of North Carolina. On one of those days, I toured the Wright Brothers National Monument. I had been to the Outer Banks numerous times, but never felt led to see this place, until this year. Having just come off an arduous adventure on the Appalachian Trail of which my sights were set on a goal, I was interested to learn of these two brothers whose goal it was to have a machine powered flight. And I was amazed to learn of their tenacity, their willingness not to give up, no matter how difficult the task, their sheer energy and will to accomplish a feat that only lasted a mere 80 plus seconds, but a feat that changed our nation and the world.

The above monument speaks of a goal "achieved by dauntless resolution." Oh how we need that in our lives. Each of us has dreams and goals, something we wish to achieve. But it can take years of hard work. It may look as if it will fail (one of the brothers, having witnessed failure after failure, said not in 1,000 years will man be able to fly - but yet he went on trying to make it happen!). One must persevere to see the fruit come forth. And we can take heart in those who have gone before us, like the Wright brothers. They had a goal of flight. They worked day and night on that goal. They suffered setbacks, one after the other. But they never gave up. And they saw their dream finally realized one December day at Kitty Hawk, at the foot of a sand dune called Kill Devil Hill. May stories like this give you courage to press on, no matter what.

Those Times of Refreshment

For the last two weeks I had the opportunity to hike along my favorite footpath - the Appalachian Trail, in southern Virginia. This picture was taken in the early morning when the dew was still wet on the grass and even frosted white in some places. What a great opportunity to spend a bit of time in God's creation, becoming refreshed and rejuvenated for whatever lies ahead. I must admit the past few weeks have been rather jarring to my spirit as well as my writing. And like Jesus did when He also ventured to the mountains to seek God and pray, so I enjoyed the time away. Sometimes it's good to take time off from the computer, the news, the hustle and bustle of life to spend time with God. Maybe you can share as well what ways of refreshment you have sought out, especially when the paths of life take you to unpredictable places and your soul begs to be refreshed.

A Feast of Trials

This past week has been one of trials and tribs, which we all face. It had begun a few weeks ago with a left ankle problem (and of a strange and unknown origin). It then escalated to GI problems in which I was diagnosed with ulcers and possible other damage. Not to mention the other personal and also national events going on. Sometimes with trials it seems they can also be either feast or famine. And it sure seems as if I am having a banquet of them laid out before me at this time.

But God is not without faithfulness to see one through. The testing of faith produces patience. The trials are only for a moment. His favor is for a lifetime. And today I got good news that the issues in my GI tract are not as bad as I feared. The ankle is still a question mark (and as you know, I do love to be active) But I feel God is also in control of that situation. I am still uncertain of my path the next few months but trust He will guide me in them. And as for the other things of life and in our nation that can try men's souls, they are best left in the hands of One who knows what to do with them. And if I am called upon to help or to do the work of a soldier in battle, He will also lead me in that area as well.

Okay, I don't have all the answers. I see a lot of unknown before me. But it is in these times one must remember His past faithfulness. He has not let me down once. He will make His will know even in areas I don't understand. And I can only follow.

In the Crossroads

I am officially in a crossroad of my life right now. Since returning from my journey on the Appalachian Trail in '07, I have been blessed with five book contracts and the joy of sharing my gift of writing. I have written and published many books. I have participated in numerous book signings, blog and radio interviews. Things were looking up in the publishing world, to be sure. I was even looking at entering the big leagues with a proposal making it twice to a major publisher's committee. Things were looking very good.

But then everything dried up. After this month there are no more contracts. The proposal at the major house fell through unexpectedly. I am looking at several months now with nothing happening. Not that there aren't new books in me or that will come forth eventually. I still have a few proposals in house under consideration. But I am looking at the summer and fall ahead of me and essentially a wide open area. Clearly I am at a crossroad.

I have always wanted to return and hike the Appalachian Trail again. Starting in Maine this time and heading south to Georgia (in '07 I did the opposite). I thought perhaps I might try it in 2011. But with the doors closing in certain areas, especially in writing, I am seeing an open door to perhaps go for it this year instead. Of course that has put me in a bit of a tailspin. And planning. And wondering if this is right. First came my husband, and he seemed on board. I have spoken to my editor and my other book projects in need of editing will fit into the timeframe I would be away. I have the equipment and some money. If my health hangs in there and my parents are all right, it looks possible.

Wow, this is NOT something I had planned to do this year. It makes me think of an old song by Nancy Honeytree that I have been listening to. About being ready to give our hearts to God.
She sings:
"Be ready when you give your life to God,
For He will surely change it,
Just when you thought you had it planned,
He is apt to rearrange it.
But your peace will be unmeasured as His plan unfolds from above,
You'll be glad you gave your life to the Lord of life-changing love.

So this where I am right now. Stay tuned as this plan continues to unfold before me. And I see which direction I do take.

I Scream, You Scream. We All Scream at Editing.

Courtesy of the website www.wonderbaby.org/images/ivan-screams.jpg

Okay, I must confess. This was me yesterday. Literally. I received the news most authors dread to hear. That your wonderful book did not make the grade with the editors. Look, I remember those papers we handed in in school. They had big red pen marks on them and a large letter on top that was the grade. Well, I got my grade from the editors. And it was not an A. Not a B either. Maybe a C for the idea only. But the writing was bad. The plot was wrong. The characterizations were lacking. It was poor work. It hovered at an F.

AAGH. I screamed. More out of the realization of how much work I would need to do to make it right. Like having to rewrite a good portion of the book (with many scenes from scratch). And all of this when I had another book due in that I was currently working on. And having only a few weeks to accomplish the revision.

Then for some reason I remembered a quote I saw on Anne of Green Gables, in the second movie. Gilbert is complaining about Anne's article that won a baking powder contest instead of something superior. The style, the mumbo jumbo, the poor plot. She screams at him. And he says quite plainly, "You can cry all you want. It won't make you write a better novel." That scene helped settle me down. Nothing was going to change unless I calmed myself and got down to business.

And I realized something else, too. This is not my little book. These are not my ideas. The book was entrusted to me by God. It's His work. I am a vessel of His truth through fiction. And I need to do it the best way I know how. I often wonder if God made some of the apostles rewrite books of the Bible because it wasn't what He wanted. :) That some of man's ideas were thrust in there, and He said calmly, Do it over, please. Of course that probably didn't happen. But I wonder. And if so, the end result was worth it--a life changing message that affects people today.

And so I have stopped screaming and have settled down. The rewrite is massive--the most I have ever had to do for a novel. But for all I know, it could be my best book ever. And that's a book worth writing...

Dog Training for Writers 101

I have a new bluetick coonhound adopted from the Charlottesville SPCA two weeks ago that I am currently training. I went ahead and took a chance on an infomercial about dog training and purchased the kit. So far it has been going pretty good. Until today when the leash slipped out of my hand and the dog took off. After chasing and calling she finally returned. And then I found out all the training I'd done was put again to the test as she reverted back to leash pulling and other bad habits.

Okay, so what is the lesson learned in that for me as a writer? Yes, we are going to be challenged as we are being trained in our craft. We are glad for the control of the Holy Spirit as we navigate the waters of writing and other areas of our lives. Alone, we can try and go after it ourselves. And find us lacking in self control and wandering about lost and without purpose or even a home.

God is training us like I am training this dog. He is commanding us, leading us where to go, demanding that we give Him our full devotion as Master of our lives. We can resist. Try to run away. But He has our best interests in mind. The goal of this particular program I am using on my dog is freedom for any kind of leash or lead. Wouldn't it be nice if God is able to trust us in any given situation to stay by His side and not wander away?

So in the midst of training, no matter how taxing, take heart. Listen. Heel. Obey. And you will then find our Great God giving you freedoms you could never begin to imagine!

A Journey of Amazing Things...

And so I journeyed to Denver and the annual American Christian Fiction Writers conference not knowing what would happen. On a rainy and dark Thursday morning I head to the car and the airport to catch my flight, only to miss a step and fall flat on my back. I tore up my right ankle (I had JUST finished rehabing my left ankle from a sprain on a hike in August) and received a bruise that is about ten inches in length on my forearm. Crying, I barely have time to go and find some ankle braces to throw in my carry on. There isn't even any time to ice it.

Reality sinks in quickly. I am going to the conference bruised, in pain, and unable to walk. What does that bode for this journey? It ain't lookin' too good...

But I will find out in a whole new way...that when I am weak, He is most definitely strong.

- on the airplane, an old gentleman helped me put my carry-on up above and then took it down. And the ice the flight attendant gave me on the airplane and the nice bag of ice a guy made up for me at a McDonalds in Dallas.

- at the hotel in Denver, limping down halls that first 24 hours to see friendly and sympathetic faces offering encouragement and support

- my wonderful roommate, Cindy, who stood by me at my low point on Friday, when I was wondering why I even write or why I'm even here. She saw the highs and lows of a published author. It is not all fame and fortune. It is tough all the way.

- the gathering of Barbour authors Friday night. What a turning point for me. I met some great friends, laughed a lot, but it was the contact with my editors JoAnne and Becky, that were highlights for me. Especially when Becky made the suggestion that I write fiction about the Appalachian Trail, and they would look at it. That could not have been a greater uplift to a downtrodden spirit and a confirmation that God has me exactly where He wants me.

- mealtimes. Each table I sat at gave me unique and interesting experiences. An overwhelmed writer looking for encouragement. Laughing with a good friend, Deb. Another writer who prayed with me about family matters. My former editor, Tracie Peterson, who sympathizes with family matters, and we plan to pray for each other. It was all good.

- Editor appointments. The first one on Friday was a disaster for me, which led to my low time. But I had one left - on Saturday with the editor of Bethany House whom I had been in e-mail contact with four years ago. And she remembered me! It has been a long road trying to find a book they will take. But there is still hope as I have resurrected an idea they rejected five years ago but are willing to look at again. So we'll see.

- Graduation. I attended this fiction clinic for advanced authors and at the end, you receive a diploma and a gift. Wow, I had not graduated in over 25 years, so this was extra special! And the diplomas were beautiful, hand done by one of the editors. It was these encounters with editors at private functions and at the graduation that made me realize how much these busy people truly value their authors and make us feel special.

There are more fascinating things that happened, which I will likely address as I blog. But God met me in Denver. I knew He would, but I didn't know how. But He did it in the most perfect way possible.

TODAY! New Civil War release!

I am pleased to announce the release today of "A Blue and Gray Christmas" with three other terrific authors. This collection of four novellas is a bit bittersweet for me as I was not originally part of this four-person team that conceived the idea. The fourth dear author, Kristy Dykes, developed terminal brain cancer and was unable to write her novella. Thus I was asked if I might step in and take her place, which I did. From that moment I desired to write a story that exemplified the importance of covenant in an engagement and marriage, no matter how tough things become in a relationship. And so my novella, Till Death Do Us Part I dedicated to Kristy Dykes who lived and breathed a covenant relationship with her husband and her Lord and Savior. I hope you enjoy this set of stories that takes place during a difficult time in a our nation's history.

Summary of my novella

As the sound of distant cannon nears her hometown of Fredericksburg, Virginia, Leah Woods is determined to focus on her upcoming nuptials with Seth Madison. But when Seth disappears, she begins to have misgivings. As troops begin bearing down on their town, Leah clings to whatever faith she can muster in these uncertain times--when no man or woman is safe from the terrors of war.

Some photos of Fredericksburg

Chatham Manor (known as the Lacy House during the war) where Seth disappears

The town of Fredericksburg from the manor grounds

You can purchase the book here.

Lessons Learned from the Oregon Trail

Take a look at the pictures from our recent trip to Oregon. We think we have it hard on the path of life! Here we learned about the pioneers who traveled the long and difficult path to Oregon country. They had come so far, thousands of miles, reaching the Mt Hood region of Oregon country, when suddenly they are confronted by another obstacle - a steep and dangerous mountainside unlike any they have encountered before (the one pictured above).

Now you may wonder, what did they do so they did not lose control of their wagons and all their possessions weren't lost? They did several things, such as anchor the wagon to a rope tied to a tree and slowly drove the wagon down the hillside. Another way was to tie a rope around a large cut spruce tree and allow the tree's limbs to snag the brush along the way and thus slow the descent. All of it was to prevent them from going too fast and avoiding catastrophe.

What an interesting lesson to learn in our walk in life. Sometimes we face steep hillsides and just want to race down them. But God has a way of slowing us down. Sometimes He ties obstacles on to us so we travel steady and sure, and not fall headlong away from His will. He wants us to arrive at our destination intact, our spirits strong, our faith in Him alone.

And so we learn a valuable lesson from the pioneers of old. Don't be afraid if God seems to have tied a dead weight on you at the moment. He has your best interest at heart. And it may be keeping you from a disasterous fall.

Bad Heat Wave in Life? Try God.....

A surprise heat wave in life got you down? I can relate. We've been in the depth of a surprise heat wave this April- the third straight day here with temperatures in the 90's when it should be 70. I don't do too well when the sun is so hot, as it kind of wrecks havoc with my system. It means that my body has to change its metabolism, which can throw it off balance. And that can lead to stress and strain and an occasional emotional outburst or two. But then things get back on track and one can endure the sun better, even if it glows red.

Ever had that happen with your work? Or life in general? You're going along, and suddenly it feels like you are in a pressure cooker, melting under the intense heat of a deadline or a trial. It can make you feel like the broiler has been set and you are cooking way too fast. Things are beginning to smoke and even burn. And you can't help but let off steam in the process, maybe by way of a bad thought or word or deed.

This is when we must find time for God and be in fellowship with Him. To allow Him to cool us off, so to speak. To let His words and thoughts about us refresh our spirits and energize us to forge ahead, even if the going is hot. I just completed an illustration of this in my current WIP (work in progress) where my hero is likewise finding it hot going in the pressures of life, doing what he wants in Moab, Utah. He asks to see the reality of God in his life. And what happens? A friend buys hm a slushie to refresh him on a hot day. Another comes to visit. A third give him words of encouragement about his life. His prayer is being answered, and now he isn't feeling the heat but feeling the love of God who cares about him.

I believe that's what God wants for us, even in the middle of a surprise heat wave in life. His refreshing by way of the wind of His spirit. So settle down in a favorite place and let Him breathe into your soul today.

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 Effective Prayer...

If there is one thing I have learned over the course of the last week, that is the effective prayer of a righteous man...which the Bible says avails much.

Sometimes the prayer comes not in the way we think it should. But God's promise is that it will avail much if we are in a right standing with Him. That He hears and He answers. I had much to pray for this past week. For family issues, for our nation, for upcoming books and how to manage my time. For appliances and cars that are on the fritz. For so many things it seems to boggle the mind. But God it is not mind boggled by it. It is not above what He can and will handle if we surrender it to Him.

But the most important thing is to yield when prayer comes forth. And to accept help in prayer in times of need. I have been so blessed in recent days by the body of Christ - sisters in the Lord, coming forward to intercede along with me for these needs in my life. To take the time to pray in a car or on the phone or online. Wow, what a powerful thing that can be. To intercede on the behalf of others. To call to mind the needs of those above your own. Yes, I have been inundated it seems with a multitude of prayer requests. But I witnessed the love of others who come alongside to join in that intercession. To pray until answers are given. To stand firm, holding up my arms, if you will, doing battle in the heavenlies. How beautiful it is when brethren dwell together in unity. But especially in the unity of prayer. It cannot help but availeth much in these times that try men's souls.

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.

There is hope...

Hope amid adversity. I took a picture of this thistle on my hike last year. It reminds me that yes, thorns and thistles might spring up, but there really is beauty tucked away within each of our trials that can make it something beautiful. This past week several people I know have died from cancer. I am personally struggling right now with the ol' mid life crisis - which I thought to be a myth. I spent some time last week on a few hikes, thinking about God and the beauty of His creation. I was looking forward to another wander today, but I ended up spraining my ankle on Saturday in a hole on the lawn, dug by my dog. Not to mention my ongoing gallbladder issue and perimenopause symptoms. Then my son is still going through struggles of manhood vs the kid in him as he is struggling with job issues, and he needs the job for school costs. And of course, I seem to be going no where with writing right now, though I am preparing for a writing conference next week and a job interview for part time employment at a library this week.

Hope can still spring eternal even if adversity may be striking. A beauty in a common thistle. A silver lining in the cloud. If one is patient and does not despair.