Waking Up to the World, and Hope

Waking up this morning to grey skies, and a cool breeze has been wonderful. Reading the news reports has me longing for scriptures. Only God has the strength to prevail in this world. I put my life in his hands. I put my family's life in his hands. He has the only hands big enough to hold us all.

"but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint."
Isaiah 40:31 (happens to be my confirmation verse)

God is our hope and our refuge, and he makes us soar, helps us run and not grow tired. I love this verse because if fills me with energy, and the desire to run the race God has set before me. Powerful images for me, since I grew up flying in my Dad's ercoupe, and running wherever I went, and racing whenever I could.

So, this morning, as I perused my Submissions file, I took heart in the fact that I have submitted 15 poems and stories to various publications this year, and three have been accepted for publication. So despite odds and obstacles, I keep writing and I keep submitting.

And, that count doesn't even include the awesome support and encouragement I've received from my church home, Peninsula Lutheran Church. PLC published 15 devotionals written by me, and everyone has been so amazingly supportive, I praise God for that support and for the wonderful people in my life. Thanks be to God! I need to put more of my writing into His capable hands, and even though I long to write some amazing, thrilling, adventurous sci fi, I think I'm being called to write some more devotions . . . aah, so much to write, and that is exciting.

Published, Rocked, and Thankful

Everydaypoets.com published one of my poems yesterday. "Unexpected Grace" will be on their site for the next 18 months or so, making its way into the archives after 4 days or so on their main page. Today, it will show up second in the line up, tomorrow third, etc.

It's cool to be published again. Now, I just need to be my writing routine back . . . maybe after Creation Fest. We've been enjoying amazing musicians, inspiring speakers, and fun worship.

Hawk Nelson and Skillet "rocked our faces off" on Wednesday night.

Yesterday we had fun in the kids tent, and heard a good speaker. Stellar Kart rocked the Fringe stage in the afternoon, but we were too tired to enjoy Kutless and Casting Crowns, which is too bad. We like Casting Crowns. 10:30 is a little late for us when we haven't had enough sleep for two nights previously.

I'm so thankful that we are able to be here, and that I'm able to write, and that I've been published. Thank you Lord!!!

Hopefully today we will be awake for more . . .

art spills

Grape juice spattered on new clothes, vanilla rice milk puddled on the floor, chocolate rice milk flung to the ceiling and the far reaches of the room - these are the artworks that dominate my life.

Searching for frogs in the woods take precedent over my writing, and so I write on my facebook and my blog in little blurbs that just offer me a momentary taste of words.

And here I go again . . . even though I know the frogs are in my strawberry patch eating all the slugs that are trying to steal the fruit. But the woods have an appeal that the strawberry patch just doesn't have.