Amen,again.
Picture the darkness of night;
My eyes open slight.
I tossed and I turned.
Couldn’t sleep; for I yearned
For; a moment in time.
That singular instant
I had prayed, I had cried.
I wondered;
Had, He heard me?
Would He, be satisfied?
Had I spoke clear enough…
Did I say the right word?
Did I need to scream out?
Praise God, Thank you Lord!
---------------------------------------------------------------
It was a nightmare;
A frightening breath
held in time.
But, it was then
That, my life, was truly sublime.
‘Twas then, I’d felt God’s kindness
It was pure;
Bequeathed; on time.
‘Twas then that I’d learned, to trust; to endure.
God did hear my prayer!
-------------------------------------------------
God answered; gave me his almighty hand
Just at that second,
That instant in time
And He, the potter molded like clay,
Me: a writer; with script for, the land.
The miracles His Holiness… gave as reward,
“If”, I would do what‘s been asked in,
My own; humbling word.
I held on so tight, I followed his lead;
And, fear turned to grace.
Love swirled about me, that eve;
He whispered so clear,
‘Tell the stories’, my dear.
Granted, I knew nothing,
And, nothing was okay.
For God, was my mentor, God, showed me the way.
God held out his candle
And loved me; that day.
He persuaded my hand to hold tight to the pen.
Literally he urged me; again and again.
The weeks borne years,
I held close to his plan
And, with; all of my heart…
I wrote for the Man.
----------------------------------------------------------
Still… wondering, sometimes
If; you’d forsake me;
You wouldn’t!
You challenged me when,
I thought that I couldn’t.
The pen and the ink
For, a sinner; like me?
God, what is it you want, make me able to see.
I’m trying my best,
To, please you Dear Lord.
I made you a promise I agreed, to keep.
But, I’ve tried and I’ve cried
Alas, even lost sleep.
Because; of a promise
A promise… or leap!
Ah…
I feel you Lord,
I’ll gather your, light.
You’ll get me through,
It’ll all be, alright.
Forever…
Amen, again.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Infamous Jake
Infamous Jake
A friend when I needed one…
He plays himself; in “I Must Be in Heaven, a promise kept.”
Wanting a large breed dog, but needing one that would be gentle, with our grandkids, Hubby and I checked the internet and researched the different breeds for personality traits, needs, and compatibility. After considering all the types of dogs available, our family decided on a Labrador retriever.
It was a brisk fall day and an ad in the local news paper; lead us to a lady that had pups for sale. She raised Labs and we were able to meet the breeding parents. Like little bundles of joy, there were about 6 black ones, and 3 blond ones. No chocolate, although the Mommy was a beautiful brown, the Dad a huge, yellow.
We were wanting a male…so our choices were narrowed. The woman pointed out the boys and told us to get acquainted with them all, and left us to play with the delightful 6 – 8 lb., puppies.
A cute little yellow one greeted us immediately; tripping on his ears and fumbling with paws that were seemingly too big for his body. His tail wagged and he playfully followed us as we checked out all his brothers and sisters. His body language just seemed to be saying, ‘take me…I want to go home with you. See me, look; down here…’
Two of our grand-daughters had gone with us that day… and deciding would have been nearly impossible, if left to Bill, the girls, and I. We didn’t have to pick just one; Jake won our affections; and chose us. We named him, during the ride home… that was 11 years ago.
Jake has been a loyal friend, he’s smart, obedient, and ALWAYS will be one of our cherished family members. He has a ‘young at heart’ attitude and enjoys swimming in our pool for exercise. There have been many times my husband and I would come home from work to find him waiting on the top step. Seeing us, he’d dive to the deep end and retrieve his toy and with his big brown eyes … plead for us to join him.
The breed is known for adaptability and I’ve heard Labradors can be enjoyed in country or city environments. They do need plenty of exercise though …so get out your running shoes. Labs are also extremely people orientated…so expect them to want to be everywhere you are. They’ll never let you down…if you don’t let them down!
Our Jake has been “potty trained’ since he was seven weeks old. He’s never chewed on furniture or our belongings…
His parents were field trial and he has been very trainable. No hip problems, no fleas, no back talk. He’s the best kid, a parent could want!
Jake’s been, a true and loyal friend…
(See him at: http://www.imustbeinheaven.com )
A friend when I needed one…
He plays himself; in “I Must Be in Heaven, a promise kept.”
Wanting a large breed dog, but needing one that would be gentle, with our grandkids, Hubby and I checked the internet and researched the different breeds for personality traits, needs, and compatibility. After considering all the types of dogs available, our family decided on a Labrador retriever.
It was a brisk fall day and an ad in the local news paper; lead us to a lady that had pups for sale. She raised Labs and we were able to meet the breeding parents. Like little bundles of joy, there were about 6 black ones, and 3 blond ones. No chocolate, although the Mommy was a beautiful brown, the Dad a huge, yellow.
We were wanting a male…so our choices were narrowed. The woman pointed out the boys and told us to get acquainted with them all, and left us to play with the delightful 6 – 8 lb., puppies.
A cute little yellow one greeted us immediately; tripping on his ears and fumbling with paws that were seemingly too big for his body. His tail wagged and he playfully followed us as we checked out all his brothers and sisters. His body language just seemed to be saying, ‘take me…I want to go home with you. See me, look; down here…’
Two of our grand-daughters had gone with us that day… and deciding would have been nearly impossible, if left to Bill, the girls, and I. We didn’t have to pick just one; Jake won our affections; and chose us. We named him, during the ride home… that was 11 years ago.
Jake has been a loyal friend, he’s smart, obedient, and ALWAYS will be one of our cherished family members. He has a ‘young at heart’ attitude and enjoys swimming in our pool for exercise. There have been many times my husband and I would come home from work to find him waiting on the top step. Seeing us, he’d dive to the deep end and retrieve his toy and with his big brown eyes … plead for us to join him.
The breed is known for adaptability and I’ve heard Labradors can be enjoyed in country or city environments. They do need plenty of exercise though …so get out your running shoes. Labs are also extremely people orientated…so expect them to want to be everywhere you are. They’ll never let you down…if you don’t let them down!
Our Jake has been “potty trained’ since he was seven weeks old. He’s never chewed on furniture or our belongings…
His parents were field trial and he has been very trainable. No hip problems, no fleas, no back talk. He’s the best kid, a parent could want!
Jake’s been, a true and loyal friend…
(See him at: http://www.imustbeinheaven.com )
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
I read it!
Part One:
After meeting an author on ‘Edgy Christian Fiction Lovers’ website I decided to participate in a Mother’s Day promo for his book. There were a few requirements but they generally seemed… simple enough.
One would be; I’d have to write a review. The book would arrive at my doorstep… I’d read it. Then next, pass it on to someone as a gift, for Mother’s Day. I thought about it; read the rest of the post and said, “Okay.” Considering my frugal side; I’d get my hands on a new book to read, then have an ‘only slightly used,’ present to give away.
I hit reply, offering my online assistance, and then continued to check out some more posts on a few more of my networking sites.
Just as promised, the book arrived in about three days. I love it when the U.P.S. truck stops in front of my house! I barely heard the sound of truck breaks… a sound I recognize (must be a woman thing: packages are a comin’) and before I reached the front door the driver had already dashed back to his truck. I peeked out and could see a brown cardboard box parked in a corner of the entryway. As I retrieved it; recalled… “Ah, it’s my book!”
My husband’s wondering what came… but I’m on my way to the kitchen for a sharp knife. I yell back, “its Timothy Fish’s book.” I planned on sharing it with Bill too, as he’s the one in charge of publishing my web-site, e-book, and paperback for my novel. “Honey guess what, it’s been published by Book Surge." I began reading the back cover and thumbing through and obviously had gotten Bill’s attention with my last comment.
Bill reached for the book. “Let me see.” Looking at it with his ‘inspector gadgets’ eyes, I realized I’m glad I only have to contend with writing my books. Bill relayed back to me offerings on the structure, layout and type size, templates… etc. I just stared back… his tech-y jargon was getting pumped up, and I knew it was getting a bit over my head. Snagging my gift back; I needed to paddle out of his stream of intellectual rambling, and said, “Hold on, shall we read this together?” Bill agreed, although his favorite genre is sci-fi; he will read just about anything as long as it’s in English. So, with fresh cups of coffee in hand and book we meandered out to our favorite spot on the porch, and delved into, “Searching for Mom.”
Part Two:
Any afternoon is enjoyable with the hubby, but working on projects…well we just both love to get into the nitty–gritty of things. We shared the reading and discussed content, set-up, genre’s and more. I know Timothy Fish, probably wouldn’t have wanted us to critique this way but being a writer and publicist: it’s sometimes hard not to look at a book in its entirety. (That’s been a fairly recent downside to our “reading for pleasure,” enjoyment. Writer’s beware!)
However, reading “Searching for Mom” (the story) did have enough good writing to keep us on track. One area of discussion that did come up was; who’s the target audience? How could I give my opinion and really give an honest review without it. It was an easy enough read , and appropriate for a middle school age… yet also redeemed a message for single parents; raising children on their own. Myself, shoot I don’t fit into either of those but… I love books about kids. (I still remember those old hieroglyphics on my pyramid wall!)
Having done an adequate amount of research, I knew that my own book could fit into a number of categories for readership… I still am not convinced it should be only a ‘women’s book,’ even though I have it listed under romance. Relatively speaking, I wanted to be able to make a reliable point to future readers about his book. I have to admit, and I’m sorry; I’m still a bit stumped. I’ll have to remember to ask the author… for curiosity sake.
Part Three:
Bill listened as I read aloud the last paragraph. I looked up at him and his crooked little smile let me know we were in agreement. “Searching for Mom”, by Timothy Fish, along with beautiful weather on our back porch proved to be a perfect way to spend our afternoon.
So, now that I’m back to reality (my computer desk, cup of cold coffee, and writer’s ‘cap’ back on… I’ll give you the run-down. Bare with me… this is my first review for someone. Hope I’ve given Timothy a fair shake.
Searching For Mom
By Timothy Fish
Sara is in the sixth grade. Her single Dad is doing a good enough job raising her, but does not want to talk about the past. Sara’s only dream is to have a Mom; a real life, Mom. She even prays to God…
Sara wants a Mom, who would live with her and her Dad; and would devote plenty of time to the both of them. A Mother who; would always bake the most delicious cookies and serve them up, still warm from the oven. A Mom that would love her so much, she would even allow Sara to eat them all; even if it was just before dinner time.
She tries to talk to her dad about this… He just doesn’t understand. He doesn’t seem interested. He says he needs more time and his excuses continue. She wonders how long she will have to wait. Why did she have to be the only girl in sixth grade… without a mom?
Frustrated, Sara feels her prayers are not being heard; she ultimately decides she’s going to have to take matters into her own hands if her dreams are to come true.
She makes her mind up to find A Mom, there’s no stopping her; or her imagination. She’s determined. However, her scheming doesn’t work out quite the way she intended; or the way I may have expected.
“Searching for Mom”, is an enjoyable afternoon read. Sara’s wittiness gave me more than a few chuckles; intertwined with tension and inspiration… this little girl held my interest until the final page was read.
Reviewed by: Valerie Anne Faulkner, author
http://www.imustbeinheaven.com/
After meeting an author on ‘Edgy Christian Fiction Lovers’ website I decided to participate in a Mother’s Day promo for his book. There were a few requirements but they generally seemed… simple enough.
One would be; I’d have to write a review. The book would arrive at my doorstep… I’d read it. Then next, pass it on to someone as a gift, for Mother’s Day. I thought about it; read the rest of the post and said, “Okay.” Considering my frugal side; I’d get my hands on a new book to read, then have an ‘only slightly used,’ present to give away.
I hit reply, offering my online assistance, and then continued to check out some more posts on a few more of my networking sites.
Just as promised, the book arrived in about three days. I love it when the U.P.S. truck stops in front of my house! I barely heard the sound of truck breaks… a sound I recognize (must be a woman thing: packages are a comin’) and before I reached the front door the driver had already dashed back to his truck. I peeked out and could see a brown cardboard box parked in a corner of the entryway. As I retrieved it; recalled… “Ah, it’s my book!”
My husband’s wondering what came… but I’m on my way to the kitchen for a sharp knife. I yell back, “its Timothy Fish’s book.” I planned on sharing it with Bill too, as he’s the one in charge of publishing my web-site, e-book, and paperback for my novel. “Honey guess what, it’s been published by Book Surge." I began reading the back cover and thumbing through and obviously had gotten Bill’s attention with my last comment.
Bill reached for the book. “Let me see.” Looking at it with his ‘inspector gadgets’ eyes, I realized I’m glad I only have to contend with writing my books. Bill relayed back to me offerings on the structure, layout and type size, templates… etc. I just stared back… his tech-y jargon was getting pumped up, and I knew it was getting a bit over my head. Snagging my gift back; I needed to paddle out of his stream of intellectual rambling, and said, “Hold on, shall we read this together?” Bill agreed, although his favorite genre is sci-fi; he will read just about anything as long as it’s in English. So, with fresh cups of coffee in hand and book we meandered out to our favorite spot on the porch, and delved into, “Searching for Mom.”
Part Two:
Any afternoon is enjoyable with the hubby, but working on projects…well we just both love to get into the nitty–gritty of things. We shared the reading and discussed content, set-up, genre’s and more. I know Timothy Fish, probably wouldn’t have wanted us to critique this way but being a writer and publicist: it’s sometimes hard not to look at a book in its entirety. (That’s been a fairly recent downside to our “reading for pleasure,” enjoyment. Writer’s beware!)
However, reading “Searching for Mom” (the story) did have enough good writing to keep us on track. One area of discussion that did come up was; who’s the target audience? How could I give my opinion and really give an honest review without it. It was an easy enough read , and appropriate for a middle school age… yet also redeemed a message for single parents; raising children on their own. Myself, shoot I don’t fit into either of those but… I love books about kids. (I still remember those old hieroglyphics on my pyramid wall!)
Having done an adequate amount of research, I knew that my own book could fit into a number of categories for readership… I still am not convinced it should be only a ‘women’s book,’ even though I have it listed under romance. Relatively speaking, I wanted to be able to make a reliable point to future readers about his book. I have to admit, and I’m sorry; I’m still a bit stumped. I’ll have to remember to ask the author… for curiosity sake.
Part Three:
Bill listened as I read aloud the last paragraph. I looked up at him and his crooked little smile let me know we were in agreement. “Searching for Mom”, by Timothy Fish, along with beautiful weather on our back porch proved to be a perfect way to spend our afternoon.
So, now that I’m back to reality (my computer desk, cup of cold coffee, and writer’s ‘cap’ back on… I’ll give you the run-down. Bare with me… this is my first review for someone. Hope I’ve given Timothy a fair shake.
Searching For Mom
By Timothy Fish
Sara is in the sixth grade. Her single Dad is doing a good enough job raising her, but does not want to talk about the past. Sara’s only dream is to have a Mom; a real life, Mom. She even prays to God…
Sara wants a Mom, who would live with her and her Dad; and would devote plenty of time to the both of them. A Mother who; would always bake the most delicious cookies and serve them up, still warm from the oven. A Mom that would love her so much, she would even allow Sara to eat them all; even if it was just before dinner time.
She tries to talk to her dad about this… He just doesn’t understand. He doesn’t seem interested. He says he needs more time and his excuses continue. She wonders how long she will have to wait. Why did she have to be the only girl in sixth grade… without a mom?
Frustrated, Sara feels her prayers are not being heard; she ultimately decides she’s going to have to take matters into her own hands if her dreams are to come true.
She makes her mind up to find A Mom, there’s no stopping her; or her imagination. She’s determined. However, her scheming doesn’t work out quite the way she intended; or the way I may have expected.
“Searching for Mom”, is an enjoyable afternoon read. Sara’s wittiness gave me more than a few chuckles; intertwined with tension and inspiration… this little girl held my interest until the final page was read.
Reviewed by: Valerie Anne Faulkner, author
http://www.imustbeinheaven.com/
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Jumpin' in feet first!
Sometimes I’ve felt so naïve about this great big gigantic world of writing, and I’ve wondered; what’s a nice girl like me doing in a strange unknown place like this… the publishing world.
I had walked in, sat down, and made myself comfortable. I had felt I had enough information to think I could play this game. After all, look at how many people are writing and succeeding. So with a story… a web-site and of course My Space, I have been faithfully applying all my ingenious strategies so I could become well known enough to fit in and make the team.
Um…
Well, guess what? I am a newbie, inexperienced, and would have to admit; my fellow writers have been at this for a long time. I know why. It takes years to qualify, to build up muscle so-to-speak. Like an athlete; a swimmer that begins at a young age and strives all their life, many of my team mates have been practicing, literally, all their lives. They’ve received awards and at-a-boys, and through much effort have made it to the top. Definitely a place to strive for…but at times I have wondered if I was in over my head, in the deep end of the pool. Gulping for breath and treading water…
Then you find someone who lends a hand, throws a life line and teaches you some of their own hard knocks lessons… and ultimately encourages you with their response and leaves you feeling optimistic and feeling like there’s hope.
Today I received my first review of I Must Be in Heaven, a promise kept and I’m walking on air. I’m recognized as a novelist. My work has been read and…
Well, here’s the review By:
Nina M. Osier,
Author of the Farthinghome Trilogy
(Fictionwise.com best selling series)
I had walked in, sat down, and made myself comfortable. I had felt I had enough information to think I could play this game. After all, look at how many people are writing and succeeding. So with a story… a web-site and of course My Space, I have been faithfully applying all my ingenious strategies so I could become well known enough to fit in and make the team.
Um…
Well, guess what? I am a newbie, inexperienced, and would have to admit; my fellow writers have been at this for a long time. I know why. It takes years to qualify, to build up muscle so-to-speak. Like an athlete; a swimmer that begins at a young age and strives all their life, many of my team mates have been practicing, literally, all their lives. They’ve received awards and at-a-boys, and through much effort have made it to the top. Definitely a place to strive for…but at times I have wondered if I was in over my head, in the deep end of the pool. Gulping for breath and treading water…
Then you find someone who lends a hand, throws a life line and teaches you some of their own hard knocks lessons… and ultimately encourages you with their response and leaves you feeling optimistic and feeling like there’s hope.
Today I received my first review of I Must Be in Heaven, a promise kept and I’m walking on air. I’m recognized as a novelist. My work has been read and…
Well, here’s the review By:
Nina M. Osier,
Author of the Farthinghome Trilogy
(Fictionwise.com best selling series)
Bill and Valerie met in 1962, and promptly fell into puppy love. That was natural enough; Valerie, after all, was only 12 years old. That was their beginning, just the same. They married when she was 18, just before Bill left for Vietnam. After he came home safely, they raised three children and founded an electrical contracting business. With over 30 years of marriage behind them and their family grown, they scaled that business back in preparation for retirement. They worked together, no longer employing anyone else, and they both loved it that way. What could be better than spending every day of your life - at work as well as at home - with your best friend? Who also happens to be your spouse?
That's how it was on the morning when an aneurysm burst inside Bill's brain. In minutes, Valerie's life went from near perfection to waking nightmare. Would her husband survive? If so, would he be the Bill she'd known and loved for so long; or would she find herself transferring a shell from hospital to nursing home, after the long fight to save his life? And not incidentally, how was she going to stay afloat financially without a source of income - let alone pay for Bill's care without medical insurance?
In this novel based on a true story, God answers Valerie's prayers and questions one step at time. The faith she and Bill have shared and nurtured for so many years bears her up when she needs it most. The publishing world offers plenty of other true stories about Christians forced to deal with a loved one's catastrophic illness, but trust me when I tell you that this story is unique and well worth reading. It's a tale told simply yet vividly, and above all it's a love story. Its gritty realism pulled me right in, and it never once committed the sin of turning saccharine. Which is why I found it so difficult to put down!
Reviewed by Nina M. Osier, author of 2005 EPPIE winner, “REGS” http://www.geocities.com/nina_osier/
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