Recognizing Opportunities

God always is working on His plans for us and opens doors, shuts doors, but also tests us to see are we going to go our own way or recognize the doors He opens for us. I was contacted by a hybrid publishing house last week and have been talking with them. I'm flattered that they love my book published a few years ago and are interested in re-publishing my updated, revised version when I'm ready for that. They want to send it and me to the Miami International Book Festival in November for 8 days and give me an agent, among many other incentives. I'm taking a couple of more days to read over the material they are sending me before I make a decision, but I have to admit, it sounds good. This could be a door that the Lord is opening with the promise of great opportunities to come, or it could be a test to see if I'm going to just jump at what sounds like a great opportunity. I'm not going to make this decision lightly, definitely not without praying to God and asking for His help. Next week, I'll post the news about what was decided and upcoming events. "Doubt of whatever kind, can be ended by action alone." Philosopher and Author, Thomas Carlyle

Writing/Networking Trip

I just got back from a networking and writing conference in British Colombia, Canada a couple of days ago and had such a great time! The countryside was so beautiful. My sisters and I put together our own Hallmark movie locations tour last year and went up in May, meeting some various crew, cast, and producers for some of our favorite Hallmark Channel Shows, including the wonderful Lori Loughlin, Holly Robinson Peete, and Rick Fox. They were all very wonderful and invited us onto their set to watch some filming. This year, we planned our 2nd Hallmark Tour, visiting the set of 'When Calls The Heart',and a new Hallmark movie coming out this summer, meeting more producers, directors, and cast/crew, including the main cast from the Aurora Teagarden Mysteries series: Candace Cameron Bure, Marilu Henner, Niale Matter, Peter Benson, Miranda Frigon, and the wonderful director Martin Wood and producer Trevor McWhinney. They chatted with us, took pictures, and let us watch filming. It was great! Last week, we finished up the tour with a writing conference in Vancouver that was really great. I got more writing done, was inspired with the idea for an intriguing new mystery, and networked with publishers and authors from all over the world. Looking forward to a year of new opportunities! And now, for the quote I promised I would include with my posts: "I've missed over 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times I've been trusted to take the game-winning shot. . .and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. That is why I succeed." Michael Jordan. And Jeremiah 29:11 says: "For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Thank you God.

Changing Your Life

Some people hate change and do all they can to avoid it; others love it and are continually inviting it into their life. I embrace change in all facets of my life. Life is always changing and can't be avoided. Sometimes it's good and sometimes it's not so good, but it always happens and you can choose to embrace it, or you can choose to whine and spend time trying to make it go away and return to what it was, but it never will go back. Change is like time, it only goes forward and never back. But as today's quote says: "You're one connection away from being able to change your life." Author, Larry Bennet. This can be in a positive way or a negative way. We may not be able to order God to bring us the opportunities and changes we want, but we can order the perspective we view those changes with and adapt our lives to them in a positive way. Matthew 12:35 says: "For the good person brings good things out of the good stored up in him, but the evil person brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him."Let's decide to bring out the good things.

Changes and Choices

I am going to start this and my future posts with a quote that is relevant to the post, then end with a verse. "You may have habits and daily patterns that are so much a part of your daily life that you may not recognize them as choices." Unknown Author Life can be usually so busy that we tend to go through it on autopilot some times, I know I do. But we need to realize that these are choices we make each day, what to do, how to do it, and when to do it. Some things are things we take care of that must be done, like getting ready for work or school, other things are running errands or helping someone in need. When things need to be done, we can still choose how we want to do it and in what order or when we want to do it. Other things we can do are choices in a different way-we can choose whether we want to do it or not, and if we want to do it, we can choose how much we want to commit to doing. Breaking the pattern of when and how we do things can actually build more brain connections! So start building, but remember, it's always better to think before making a choice, and make it a good one. "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few." Matthew 7:13-14

Experiences That Humble

Well, it has been a life-changing couple of years! I am just going through a final recovery period after having TWO close-to-death experiences this past year! I suffered a stroke last spring and had to undergo brain surgery. It was successful but took me a couple of months to recover due to infection and allergic reactions to the two medications I was given. As I completed the therapy and was nearing total recovery, I was t-boned by a speeding car and it was back to the hospital last summer! I had fractured almost everything on my left side and required two surgeries. I now have metal rods in my left leg and screws in my hip and ankle. I have been going through eight months of rehabilitation therapy so far, and will now continue on my own until I can complete my total recovery and hopefully be moving and walking normally before all these events. While I was in the hospital beginning rehab from the car accident, my mom was undergoing lung cancer surgery in another city. It was very difficult for me to not be able to be with her and helping support her because I was in the beginning stages of my own recovery three hours away. My mom has recovered well and is still cancer-free to this day, but this past year has truly been a time and season of humbling and stretching my faith in God. Many prayers were lifted and I have become even closer to Him. I know there was a reason for it all, even if I don't understand why. My give Him all the credit for saving my life and healing me. It was a year of big changes and events. I changed schools and companies. I'm now with Learn 4 Life and love them! The service and care they show toward the families they serve, the staff they employ, and the communities they support, is just beyond imaginable. Through both of my health issues, Learn 4 Life was there for me. They supported me and kept my job open for me to return to as soon as I was able. My son and I also moved across town after my stroke, so we dealt with settling into a new place as I began my recovery three days out of the hospital and into a new house. I wouldn't have been able to do it without God in my life and the support of my friends and family. It has been a long and difficult road but I'm looking forward to what He has for my life this coming year. He is moving in our lives and I sense big changes coming, but in a positive sense this time! But that is a story for another time!

New Seasons

We are entering the third month, here in Southern California, of the hottest summer I can ever remember! There was no June gloom, just an average of 90-100 degree weather most everyday. As Fall slowly approaches, we look forward to blessings of slight dips in temperature and the teasing cool breezes of the changing seasons. Our lives undergo changes in seasons sometimes as well. I continue to teach and write, but am now looking forward to taking on a new 'hat' as a small biodynamic farmer. It has been a dream of mine for awhile to have a farmhouse in the country where I can grow a lot of my own food and maybe raise some livestock. I recently applied for a small farm loan and will hear back in a couple of weeks. I'm praying that this will be my time, that I will soon see another dream of mine come true. Here is a picture of the farmhouse my son and I are hoping to get:

In my next post, I will include a picture or two of the land we want to put our home on. These next two weeks are going to be the longest two weeks I've ever gone through😊

Trials

All throughout life, we encounter trials that test our faith and perseverance. They may be little things that once they happen, get handled and we move on. Other times it can be very difficult things that take a lot more courage and strength to get over and deal with before we can get on with life. But life does go on, whether we want it to or not. We can't stop it, it's not going to wait for us. It has its own schedule and a plan is set. We can choose to move with it or against it, but it will continue moving forward. So the question is, are we going to move forward with it, or stay behind?