Wee Little Piggy
Big week coming up. I’ve been invited to share my cancer journey at MOPS (mothers of preschoolers) at EV Free Fullerton Church Tuesday morning and the following Tuesday as well. The Awesomes will be joining me which makes sharing this talk especially meaningful.
Thursday I leave for the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference to be with 400 people I’ve never met. I’m flying into San Francisco, renting a car and driving down to disappear in those breath-taking redwood trees off Highway 17. Between now and Thursday I am trying to figure out how to pack five days worth of clothes into one of those overhead bin carry-on pieces of luggage. And really the big questions are: how many pairs of shoes can I smash in? and will there be enough room for my feather pillow?
Since this is my first time attending the conference, I have been assigned a “buddy” to answer questions and help prepare me for our time. My buddy, Janneke, has been wonderful. After I shared with her about the editor finding me and where I was at with the editorial team reviewing my book proposal next month, she suggested I look into the Non-Fiction Mentoring Clinic. I had seen information about this writing clinic on the conference website but didn’t give it any thought because it was by application only and I didn’t think I qualified. The deadline for the application was last Wednesday. Only two spots were left. Well, in the course of a few hours last Wednesday, I was accepted into the clinic and assigned a skilled and knowledgeable mentor who will work with me and four other writers. And it turns out one of those four is my buddy! I look so forward to having the personal input and a place to ask questions, receive feedback and help on writing and the writing world.
I just keep alternating between pinching my arm and screaming into my pillow. See, I really think I need to bring my pillow…
God continues to open doors and provide above and beyond what I deserve and desire.
I needed some new eyeliner. Scanning the miles of make up in the Sephora store I concluded,
Best to go with waterproof.
As you can imagine, between sharing the cancer journey, news about Jonathan and colleges, and all this writing world everything my emotions have been all over the place. Tears could flow anywhere at anytime about any number of things.
Yesterday morning, on the one morning I planned to sleep in, I woke up in the quiet of the early, early morning. I sat wrapped up in a blanket with my Bible and journal asking the Lord how to stay grounded in the midst of all these new things going on.
There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more. And there is one who withholds what is justly due, and yet it results only in want. The generous man will be prosperous and he who waters will himself be watered. (Proverbs 11:24-25)
It was as if God spoke to my heart the way to stay grounded is to hold on loosely, be generous with helping others, not to compete but to seek out good for others. Focus out and up and not on myself or the outcome. I was mainly thinking about writing, but I think these principles also translate into other areas of life.
All this book and writing stuff has been a crazy, wild ride. Thanks for being part of it. Thank you for your encouragement. Appreciate and ask for your continued prayers. It feels like the pace is picking up and a picture that captures how I feel is this:
