Woe! It’s Wednesday

Life is hard. Life isn’t fair. Life sucks.

I’ve heard (and felt) all of the above in the last few weeks. And with some good reasons:

• A friend is slowly being crippled by a chronic disease.
• A thirty-something mother of three young girls from church has decided to stop chemo and begin palliative/comfort care for the remainder of her life.
• Two babies died this week.
• A niece passed a kidney stone the size of a pea.
• A young man is dying of AIDS.

Life is hard.

Life isn’t fair.

Life sucks.

But it’s what we’re stuck with as long as we’re on this side of eternity. I keep coming back to the fact that “… our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” (2 Corinthians 4:17)

I have a friend who keeps threatening promising to make t-shirts that say “Heaven is Gonna Rock.”

The more people I know on that other side, the dearer Heaven becomes. I made one of the dying people I know promise to deliver a few messages for me.

I’m not morbidly thinking I will die anytime soon, or wishing for heaven.

It’s more like a favorite aunt and uncle has moved to Fairbanks. I’ve never had a desire to go to Fairbanks and see it for myself. But just knowing that someone I love is there makes the thought of traveling to Fairbanks a little more bearable. And it makes Fairbanks a bit more special to me.

You know how real life is left behind when you’re on vacation? Heaven is kind of like a permanent vacation from laundry and dental cleanings.

It’s gonna ROCK!

Technorati Tags: Heaven,Woe! It's Wednesday

Book Talk Tuesday: Explosive Eighteen

Even though I kept reading them, for a while now, I’ve felt like the Stephanie Plum books were a bit over the top. I mean, just how many cars can Stephanie blow up in one book? I think the record was three. Maybe four.

While still big and verging on over the top, I liked Explosive Eighteen more than some of the recent numbers.

Stephanie does lose a car but not to any explosion or accident. I liked how Janet Evanovich was able to keep up with the theme of Stephanie’s car woes without resorting to another Molotov cocktail or grenade launcher. Not so say explosions don’t happen. Lula and a rocket launcher. ‘nuff said.

I think someone was after Stephanie. She was usually half a step ahead and escaped by the narrowest of margins. Ranger saved her once or twice. She called Joe. Bob the dog was happy to see her. She went to her parents’ home to eat. Grandma went to a funeral or two.

There you go. A Stephanie Plum novel summary. And a darn enjoyable one at that!

The plot of any Stephanie Plum book doesn’t really matter. The story is just an excuse to showcase Stephanie’s confusion about Joe Morelli and Ranger as well as Lula’s and Grandma Mazur’s outrageousness. Both had been reined in just a tiny bit, which worked better for me. All in all, I’ll keep reading!

Technorati Tags: Book Review,Janet Evanovich,Explosive Eighteen,Stephanie Plum

Woe! It’s Wednesday

Life happens whether you’re ready for it or not.

Stud Muffin has been planning his retirement for years. It finally happened last month. We’ve been so busy with a couple trips and the holidays that it hasn’t really sunk in yet that he’s going to be underfoot  around 24/7.

I always start each new year with a renewed focus on my writing, my time management, and my office. None of that has happened so far.

It’s not that I’ve been relaxing on a sunny beach or watching Downton Abbey (I wish – I still haven’t had time to watch Sunday’s premiere).

We’ve bought a new computer and I’m trying to get that set up (it’s a Mac and the learning curve is a bit more than I expected). We swapped mattresses with one daughter and that led to getting new bed coverings for both bedrooms. I’m not sure how that happened, but it took a couple of days to get everything changed out, the old stuff laundered and put away. We’ve been cleaning out cupboards and closets. Stud Muffin took a carload of stuff to the thrift store yesterday. We’re getting things accomplished, just not what we had planned.

Isn’t that the saying? “Life is what happens when you make other plans.”

Proverbs 19:21 says, “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”

As long as I keep reminding myself that God’s purposes are being accomplished, my messy office isn’t such a big deal. [Breathe in, Carrie. It’ll be okay.]

I do believe that. It’s just hard when the list grows exponentially each day.

So, on to more planning but with lowered expectations of getting anything on my to-do list checked off.

Thanks. I needed that reminder.

Technorati Tags: To do list,New Years,expectations

Book Talk Tuesday: Against All Odds

This has been on my nightstand for a couple of months and I finally got to it.

Loved it!

I’m a big Dee Henderson fan and when Dee’s front cover blurb extolls a book, you better believe I pay attention.

Monica Callahan has been estranged from her father for years so she’s not pleased when she finds he’s sent some FBI agents to her home because he believes she’s in danger.

Evan Cooper is not pleased to be babysitting some diplomat’s daughter.

But they both change their minds when it becomes the danger is real and so is their mutual attraction.

A friend had raved about Irene Hannon and insisted I read her. Thank you, Sheri!

The characters were fully realized. The plot worked, even though it’s a bit outside reality. But isn’t that what good fiction is all about? Taking us out of our real world and putting us into a fictional reality? 

Technorati Tags: Book Reviews,Irene Hannon

I think it’s time…

I created a new blog over at WordPress a few months ago.

People far more proficient at this blogging thing than I am recommend WordPress as opposed to Blogger. I’ve been happy with Blogger, but what do I know? So for a time, I’m going to be doing some double postings. The same thing on each site. As I get more familiar with WordPress, I may stop posting to this blog.

We’ll see how it goes. I’ll keep you posted.

Guesting

While I’ve been absent from my own blog, I’ve been present elsewhere on the web.

Here are links to three guest posts I’ve done recently for other writer friends.

Anne Baxter Campbell

Catherine Leggitt

Kathy Harris and her Divine Detour

Thanks for clicking through! And thank you to each of these ladies for hosting me for a day.

Technorati Tags: kathy harris,divine detour,catherine leggitt,anne baxter campbell

Bet You’ve Figured It Out Already

Yes, I’m on hiatus until January. I’ve been reading some good stuff lately and I can’t wait to tell you about them.

I’m also watching every smarmy Hallmark and Lifetime Christmas movie I can. I think I have twenty or so backed up on the DVR. I may have to delete a few to make room for the good stuff, like What Not To Wear which begins again in January.

This is a busy time of year and often, at least for me, that busy-ness keeps me distracted from truly being present in the moment and enjoying the season of togetherness with family and friends. I’m looking forward to slowing down in the next week to ten days and savoring some special moments.

I hope you do the same.

See you in 2013!