Well, I won’t unneccessarily bore you. 😀 After Truckee, we headed back to San Rafael where we had a 4th of July/Ciara’s birthday BBQ. We watched fireworks from the train tracks across the street. By about this time, we were having vehicle problems–again! Last year, we made this same trip, but with Brian’s parent’s travel trailer and luxury van. Sadly, the van broke down because of a mechanic’s error in prepping the van for travel. *sigh* anyway, so this time, we arrived in our 1997 Expedition–which was shuddering as if she had a bad cold. It’s not a good thing when the CHECK ENGINE light comes on–it’s worse when the thing is blinking at you like a sparkler! So, anyway, …

Wowzers! it’s been eons since I posted, but I have a legitimate excuse…I was on vacation. We left Texas early the morning of July 1, which was my eldest daughter’s 13th birthday. With that note, the first picture I’m posting is of Ciara (pronounced KIRA) and some of her birthday celebrations… The girl is amazing. She’s already 5’6″ and has this very “exotic” taste in clothing and style (which she was born with–imagine matching your clothes at 2 years of age, when other children are worried about which wall to use markers on!!). Ciara is a very laid back young lady, except when it comes to spiders (tee-hee). She’s very into nature and animals, and oh–let’s not forget her obsessive …

Jeff Gerke is guest blogging at: http://rebeccaluellamiller.wordpress.com about his un-hostile takeover of the editor’s panel discussion at Mt. Hermon. Because I write often in this genre, my bestest bud, Dineen Miller told me about Mr. Gerke’s comments, as did Camy Tang. Naturally, I savored these nuggest and his borderline-prophetic claim that Christian sf/f would make its comeback in 2-5 years. If you’re looking for encouragement in speculative fiction, check out this blog entry. ———————————————————————————– Dear friend Beth Goddard gave me an idea Friday. I think i’ve made her uncertain about approaching me with ideas, because I tend to horde what little bit of “free” time I actually have after homeschooling and college work every day. But this idea…it restored my …

Did that title grab you? Well, what if I told you a man slaughtered so many animals that the number was too great to count?? Unbelievable? Read on… This morning, in reading from the Bible, and something hit me. It says in I Kings 8: v.5 – and King Solomon and the entrie assembly of Israel that had gathered about him were before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and cattle that they could not be recorded or counted. I thought, wow, thousands? Well, I’d have to guess no, since at the dedication of the temple, scripture later says: 62then the king and all Israel with him offered sacrifices before the Lord. 63Solomon offered to the Lord: twenty-two thousand sheep …

GOAL!!!!! YES! I did it. The hardest manuscript I’ve ever written–and last night I wrote the last chapter and epilogue. Midnight Zone was the most technical story I’ve ever written. It’s hanging in the balance with an editor right now…actually, I looked at my submission track last night and remembered it’s at TWO. Maybe one of them will give this story a shot. it’s really amazing (well, at least to me *wink*). I have to say, this story gave me a run for my money–and energy. Of course, now that I’m done, I realize it needs some restructuring and layering in (I realized in the last 1/4 I slipped back into my knack of leaving out the setting–UGH!). But for …

Reader Beware: this is a recurring theme. 😀 The more I pray and seek God’s will, the more I pray that I can learn to be flexible (a dangerous prayer in its own right), the more I see the hand of God moving. And it blesses me to realize how very active our God truly is. You hear often that we need to stop and smell the roses…what about concentrating on the ever-present activity of the Lord? See, I’ve known that God is working in my life, but I always had a detached sense about it. Now, I wonder if I ever truly believed it. Kinda like one of those things where you say, “sure, sure.” so everyone will leave …

Well, I’ve delved into the Deep…got into the zone…THE MIDNIGHT ZONE this weekend. for those who don’t know, that’s the title of my latest WIP. The seedgerm of this idea hit me last year while I was preparing for the 2005 ACFW conference. But I never really got terribly serious about it–until this last month. It’s a rockin’ story, set in the Deep Ocean–a layer called the Bathypelagic or Midnight Zone. I didn’t get any writing done at all on Saturday, but on Sunday, I burrowed in and wrote from about 3pm until just before midnight (no pun intended)–and got a LOT done. I wrote over 12,000 words, bringing my word count to just below 75k, which was my goal …

Who besides me cringes when they hear, “It’s all in God’s timing.” Well, I used to cringe BIG time–cuz God’s timing felt light years away. And don’ t get me wrong–I still flinch when I hear that sometimes, but now…now…WOW! I am so excited to see what is going to come of all the little nuggets God has been planting in my life. He’s stripped me bare of superficial and external affirmations, both things I had made the mistake of allowing to carry me through, from one to the next. God has made it plain that ONLY HIM is where I need to get what I need for each day. And you know, I can honestly say I’ve grown LEAPS …

Promise of a Lifetime, by Kutless I have fallen to my knees As I sing a lullaby of pain I’m feeling broken in my melody As I sing to help the tears go away Then I remember the pledge you made to me I know You’re always there To hear my every prayer inside I’m clinging to the Promise of a lifetime I hear the words you say to never walk away from me and leave behind the promise of a lifetime Will you help me fall apart Pick me up, take me in your arms Find my way back from the storm and you show me how to grow Through the change I still remember the pledge you made …

I’ve just had the blessing of a lifetime. My first interview!! Gina Conroy interviewed me for her blog, http://portraitofawriter.blogspot.com Zip on over there and take a gander at what I rambled about. LOL Thank you, Gina, for honoring me on your blog. YOU are an incredible woman of God. I am so glad to have met you!