Praying

by | Oct 30, 2009 | Uncategorized

After a week of feeling pretty blah physically (headaches that may have bordered on migraines, given the way sound grated on my nerves and my stomach was upset), I didn’t want to put the effort into the My Friend stuff, which takes longer than my other posts of the week. Especially since I’m trying to put myself into a prayerful mindset.

Tomorrow, my church is having a morning prayer vigil. We’re a small congregation, and while we keep getting new members, then other ones leave for one reason or another. Never that they want to leave our church, but it’s too far away or their work schedule changes or . . . you know. But it occurred to us that we need to have something better than ideas if we want to reach people. We need vision. So tomorrow, we’re going to be on our knees waiting for it.

I’m one of those people that needs to learn to listen better. Usually when I get something from God, it isn’t actually during my prayer time. Often following it, but it generally hits when I’m in the middle of a conversation or a task, one of those epiphanic moments that brings me to a halt. Tomorrow, I really want my heart and mind to be prepared to stop and listen to the Lord, not just talk to him.

We’ll be praying specifically for our church, for the local and national governments, and for other issues that weigh on our hearts. If anyone has ever held a prayer vigil like this and has some tips for things to do (i.e., make a list before you go, make a list of impressions after you leave, that sort of thing), I’d love to hear them. And if you just want to take a moment now to say a prayer for me and my church family to really commune with God, I’d appreciate it.

I don’t find it a coincidence that in the week leading up to this, I’ve been borderline ill, bad tempered, and unable to concentrate on anything. I want to slap my own wrist for getting caught up in the physical when I wanted to be preparing all week for this. So today, I’m hoping my friends will join their prayers to mine to help me get out of my headache-induced rut and focus on Him.

Love you guys!

Thoughtful About . . . Growing Up

by | Oct 29, 2009 | Thoughtful Thursdays, Uncategorized

It’s a phrase we’ve heard, and which I’ve tossed around a few times: “Oh, grow up.” And lately, I’ve had a few moments of “Wow. I feel like an adult all of a sudden.” Like when we finally bit the bullet and bought insurance. Do you have any idea how grown-up it feels to have a BlueCross card in your wallet for the first time?

But yesterday I wondered a little about the process. See, my kids are a lot like I was when I was small. Competitive, loud, and they throw temper tantrums whenever they don’t get their way. Every time my mom sees it, she laughs and says, “Gee, I wonder where they get that from.” To which I reply, “I have absolutely no idea. I certainly never acted that way.”

Now, it’s a bit of a joke because I’m so even-tempered now that one of my college professors actually said, “I’m concerned that such temperance is unhealthy in one so young.” Last night my husband asked, “So . . . what happened to that temper?”

My answer? When I was about ten, I started getting on my own nerves. It took a lot of energy to get upset over nothing, and it didn’t seem to accomplish much. So I made a concerted effort to grow up–in that respect, anyway.

Not so oddly, it’s been through having kids that are so stinkin’ much like I used to be that has sparked my temper again. I growl daily, and often think that this 2-4 age may just kick my butt–but then they cuddle up against me . . . I’m still amazed at deeply the mother-instinct runs. I mean, I remember being like my daughter, and screaming every single time I stubbed my toe. (Every. Single. Time.) But now when I thwack my elbow off the corner of a cabinet (like I did last night. Ow.), my first thought is, “Don’t scream. Don’t wake the kids. Suck it up.”

I still have those moments when I feel like a kid myself, I’m still amazed when I feel like an adult in a certain respect for the first time. And I’m finally realizing that this “growing up” thing probably never ends. There are always going to be new steps in the process . . . and as long as I realize that, I keep myself malleable for the Lord to keep on a-workin’ on me.

Remember When . . . Women Were Possessions?

by | Oct 28, 2009 | Remember When Wednesdays

The title doesn’t exactly narrow down what time period I’m talking about today, does it? Not this century, but otherwise . . . =)

Since I’ve spent the last few weeks whipping A Stray Drop of Blood into shape and getting it off to my endorsers, then working on my Companion Guide (aka Encyclopedia Roseann-ica), I’ve got ancient history on the brain. And one of the topics in said guide, because of its relevance, to the story, is the Mosaic law on what happens when a man forces himself on a woman.

According to Deuteronomy 22, here’s how it works. If a woman is betrothed, and a man rapes her, he is to be killed. If she’s not betrothed, then he has to marry her, with no possibility for divorce. Great, huh?

Now, for the most part I’m totally on board with the Law of Moses. I think they make sense, that they create a stable and healthy society. But there are definitely times when I’m glad the social conscience has evolved, and this is one of those times.

As I read it, what these particular instructions come down to is that women are possessions. Rape is not an offense against them, but against the man who possesses them. If a man rapes a woman whose body belongs to another man, it is a crime against that man. Hence the punishment of death. And if the woman doesn’t cry out, she’ll be killed too.

This really grabbed my imagination, as I considered the different situations and ramifications that could result from this. I always ask, “What if?” What if a girl knows that if she cries out against a man, someone will come and try to save her? But what if that someone is a slave, and if he raises his hand against his master, he’ll be killed? What then? Would she keep silent to save her friend?

Naturally, I complicate things a lot beyond this simple Law in Stray Drop. It’s all mixed up because of my heroine’s status, the complicated line between bondservant and slave, her feelings, the outlooks of the various men, and the clash between Roman law and Hebrew law. For more info on all these things, check out that Companion Guide!

Story Time . . . FOOLS RUSH IN by Janice Thompson

Story Time . . . FOOLS RUSH IN by Janice Thompson

by | Oct 27, 2009 | Uncategorized

I’d been wanting to read one of Janice Thompson’s novels (I read one she co-authored a few years ago), so when Revell sent me a review copy of Fools Rush In it promptly went to my to-be-read stack instead of my give-it-to-another-reviewer stack. The blurb made it sound hilarious, and I couldn’t wait to dig into this story about a Tex-Italian wedding planner who’s in over her head with a boot-scootin’ wedding, given that she knows nothing about country-western stuff.

What I’ve found is a book that gets me where I least expect it. There are a few lines that had me chuckling, but also a few gags that I rolled my eyes over. Until something super-funny came of them later in the story, which then had me breathing a laugh. My husband asked me what was so funny, so I started to explain the whole gag to him, which took it from eye-rolling to hilarious. Ever have that happen? When you’re suspending disbelief while in the pages of a book, something’s silly or a little funny, but then when you try to put it into verbal words, you see how truly hilarious (and ridiculous) it is? We spent quite a few minutes rolling over one of these.

The premise is that Bella Rossi, whose family is a transplant from first Italy, then New Jersey, just took over the reins of a wedding planning business in Galveston, Texas, and she has the brilliant idea to offer themed weddings. But the first theme is Boot-Scootin’, and she’s got no clue. And music? Her brother, the usual deejay, is off to Houston, in love, and knows nothing about country music anyway. Thankfully, the Lord drops a cowboy-deejay in her lap . . . only, he drops a knock-her-down-in-a-dead-faint (literally) surprise along with him.

This is a great story, full of fun and love and faith. I have a couple chapters left (had to go to bed rather than finishing it off last night, thanks to a little tummy bug), but will gleefully finish it today. There are a few places where it feels like the author lapses into telling, rather than showing me what’s going on, but it’s usually when a character is rambling, so that may be kindness on Janice’s part, LOL. Overall, I’m really enjoying this read. My favorite part is the family dynamics (and feuds). There’s nothing like a great Italian clan, and this bunch will keep you grinning.

Now if only I can figure out how I ended up with THREE copies of this book . . . =)

Modern . . . Super Yachts

by | Oct 26, 2009 | Uncategorized

Thanks to a hubby who’s remote-happy, we watch a lot of random stuff on TV. This guy cannot leave a channel alone unless he’s watching hockey. But since scripted shows don’t make a ton of sense in small snippets, during commercials of our “real” shows, we tend to watch a lot of Travel Channel, History Channel, Discovery, etc.

During one cruise through the Travel Channel, we came across a show on super yachts. Never heard of them? They’re what they sound like: yachts, but super-sized and super-fancy. This things are awe-inspiring. The woods . . . the art . . . the design . . . the amenities! Amazing, I’m telling you. So luxurious you sigh in pleasure just watching about them. I’d love to just take a tour through one someday so that I can gawk for an hour.

The first time we saw this special, I started thinking, “How can I someday use one of these in a plot?” Having a main character own one seemed a little over the top. I mean, I don’t usually do the whole gazillionaire thing. But maybe I could have a character who worked on one? Maybe? But that just seemed way too . . . simple. Still, it had possibilities. The owners of these beasts are notoriously picky, so if someone worked on one as the chief stew, they’d be in charge of all these details–from pillow placement to the flowers in particular vases to making sure the guests had their every whim met.

We caught another part of the same show a couple months later, when I was thinking up a series that would be a spin off of my Outer Banks Trilogy. Suddenly it clicked. I could have my heroine working there, yes, but she isn’t what she seems. Throughout it, we’d see her doing furtive things, and given the series she’s in, we’d know who she should be, but it’s a few chapters before we’re absolutely sure. And of course she totally falls for the yacht owner’s little brother, who can’t quite believe he’s falling for her, the Plain Jane chief stew who should just be another employee . . .

I’m now really excited every time I think about this story, even though it’ll be years before I get to write it. It’s one of those things that popped into my head so perfectly that I know the story will work well. And it’s cool enough an idea that it’ll make a great finale to this second trilogy I have in mind.

And maybe by then I’ll be able to afford a little tour on one of these fantabulous ships. Be still, my heart!

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