Winter and Spring, Ups and Downs

We're just back from warm North Carolina, where the dogwoods are
blooming, the fruit trees promise abundance, and pale green graces
forests and woods. Back to Colorado, where it snows a foot one day
and the next tulips and daffodils pop up in lonely gardens. My own
feelings can't keep up with the changes! One week I'm with my
wonderfully smart Asperger's grandson, Michael, in NC, laughing and
being amazed by his creativity and imagination, the next I'm back
where laundry and cooking and responsibilities consume my time. I'm
as up and down and as high and low as the weather. Michael at 10 just
learned (from me with his mother's permission) that there's no Easter
Bunny, no Santa and now he's wondering about God. "You can believe
that myth if you want to," he told me. My heart is broken. "Why did
you lie to me for so long?" Why did we? Will he ever be able to
trust us? But as the spring promises hope, I claim hope too, for our
children and grandchildren to find the Truth that can make them free
and wisdom to be able to have confidence in us again. Blessings,
faithful readers. (The website will be available in the next week or
two, and the book soon. I promise!) Judy

In the Middle of the Night...

In the middle of the night words and ideas amble, slither, bounce around on fresh immature but creative tottering legs, crowding each other out, hoping for a story to cuddle in...

In the morning they are nowhere to be found; the great American novel idea has ephemerised; the mind is empty of plot and description and dynamic, captivating, characters.

Back to the blank page or the ready-made pages of the latest who-dun-it series churner-outer.

Lenten Journey: Holy Week

A friend said her Lenten exercise is a twenty-minute walk and talk with Jesus.  Now I walk as well; I try to pray, but after a few phrases my mind
      skitters            goes sideways          blanks          shakes out empty.

After half a block I reel it in and start all over again.  A few thanksgivings, then

      meanderings      desperate pleas     veers to the left        more empty shakes.

Today I will walk; the snow is melted off the sidewalks; I will try to skitter less and be in His presence more.

But wait:  I am in His presence all the time, no matter what state I am in.

Comforting
   
      Overwhelming  
       
            Forgiving    
         
                 Belonging    
             
                      PEACE

What's it all about, Julie?

I remember how my mother was always reading her Bible. She was such a
worrier, I often wondered what good it was doing her, but this morning
as I prayed again to have more faith and trust in God's will and
sovereignty, I knew I was just like my mother. My daughter at 40
shows more confidence in God than I do. I'm shamed and blessed.

I was also thinking back to my teenage years when I just wanted to
live long enough to get married. Then when I got married, I wanted to
live long enough to have kids. Then to see my kids through childhood
and into marriage. Then to experience grandchildren. (Did those
things come to pass?) Now to get this book published and in my hands!

For Lent this year I desired to give up fear, anxiety and worry. And
even though those things aren't gone, I've thought a lot about my lack
of trust. I've remember what Jesus did for me on the cross so I could
cast all my cares on Him and go forward in life with courage. I'm
sure my mom had come to the same conclusions...over and over again.
And the book will be finished when it's finished, His will being done
in all things and in all circumstances, at all times.

So...that's what it's all about, Julie! Happy Palm Sunday weekend.

First Look

A book cover!  Can it be ours?

Panic, Pray and Publish

I've looked on the back of book jackets for years, thinking how cool
it would be to be a real author with my picture gracing that page.
Of course, I'd want to look like Jan Karon and I don't. I'd picture
myself at book signings, seated behind a table with my books piled
high and lines of people wanting me to sign their book. I'd smile and
be gracious and charming, a perfectly coiffed blonde with red
manicured nails and ivory hands without one age spot. My clothes
would be from Chico's, my heels high and stylish and Chanel No. 5
would waft from my presence. That, of course, is all a dream, so I
guess you'll have to buy the book to see what we really look like.

But the dream of having a book with Julie's and my name on it is
actually coming to pass! What a gift. Now we're going to be thinking
about publicity, posters, pushcards, press releases, and promotional
items. Now we must have persistence as we panic and pray and
publish. Now we must just be who we are...unpretentious, late, late
middle aged (I can't say old!) women with a story to tell. We hope
you'll share your thoughts with us on the blog.

Journey of a Journey

I have to pinch myself; I think our book will actually happen.  Last week the layout people started working on fonts and appearance of our text. Yesterday Judy and I approved the cover.  Late yesterday afternoon our marketing director emailed us throwing words around like bookmarks, niche for sales, press releases.  And underneath somewhere are the words "book signings."  Ha, we thought when we finished writing we were actually finished.

I might lose heart, but Judy is giving me courage.  We are in this steep learning curve for experience, though wouldn't it be fun if we had a New York Times best seller.  In your dreams!  So if you happen to see an errant flyer with A JOURNEY OF LETTERS printed on it in big bold letters, you can empathize with our angst, shake your head over our folly, or if you've a mind to, give us an encouraging pat on the shoulder.  And if you want to write a book,  you could try pen on paper and then simply pass it around to your friends.