After each revision of Contingency, I have worked on drafting a new story. That gives me a break from the intensity of editing and gets me back to the rush of creating something new. That said, this latest draft has been the toughest one yet. The thing doesn’t want to go together at all. It’s like trying to reason with a left-handed Southern woman *ahem*. It proves what I’ve suspected- writing books is like raising children. No two are exactly alike. Some are easy to write/raise and some are problem children. There won’t be any tried and true system for cranking out books in my future.

I am trying to read the backlog of blog emails that accumulated over Christmas. That still counts as reading, right?

I’ve added a host of new Facebook friends- yay!

I downloaded Amazon’s Kindle for PC app (They have one for phones, too!) Check it out. My daughter tried to install it. I grow less impressed with Vista all the time.

Sometimes, I type along, and God stops me and says, “Excuse me, but did you read what you just wrote?” Last Thursday, I was writing about my husband and our first date. I finished the post with this-

God’s plans aren’t always packaged the way we expect, nor do they proceed in a typical fashion. An early disaster isn’t always an indication of future ones. Hang in there. “The end of a thing is better than its beginning.” Ecclesiastes 7:8

God said, “Did you get that? Keep writing!”

Tuesday is dedicated to Study Tips so I didn’t mention it then, but January 5th marked the 20th anniversary of my first date with my husband. (Yes, I keep track.) That evening was a series of disasters. Jon got lost and was 45 minutes late. We went to a restaurant that had absolutely nothing for me on the menu- authentic Mexican. I’m more of a sissy-have-a-little-chili-powder-in the-room-and-call-it-Mexican type. I had five refills, I think, trying to quench the burning from whatever I ordered.

After all this, we missed the movie and had to wait an hour and a half to catch the next one. Awkward. Then when it was all over, he didn’t kiss me goodnight. I figured that was the end of that. And then I didn’t hear from him until February 8th.

I didn’t know it then, but Jon operated on a different schedule than most. Of course, we had that second date, and all the ones that followed, and in April we’ll celebrate our 18th wedding anniversary.

God’s plans aren’t always packaged the way we expect, nor do they proceed in a typical fashion. An early disaster isn’t always an indication of future ones. Hang in there.

“The end of a thing is better than its beginning.” Ecclesiastes 7:8

I don’t have any profound words today- Just some that God said…

Also, do not take to heart everything people say… (Eccl. 7:21)

But it’s hard not to. However, God’s words are the ones that count and He said “I have loved you with an everlasting love…” Jeremiah 31:3 and “You did not choose Me, but I chose you…” (John 15:16).
Then there’s Isaiah 43:1-3. “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned. Nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord you God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”

I need to focus on God’s words which are eternal truth.