Darlene Franklin

Exploring Oklahoma

2009-11-09T08:38:00.000-08:00

After four months of not moving far beyond the triangle from my house to the assisted living center where Mom is to Jaran's house, I decidied it was time to explore Oklahoma a little bit more. I tried what I did in Colorado. Travel for an hour in any direction and see where I ended up.

Last week I traveled south on I-35 to Paul's Valley and came back via 77. It was a lovely afternoon jaunt.

Yesterday I traveled west on I-44. First surprise (although I should have expected it): it's a toll road that cost me &6.50 for travelling about 50 miles "there and back again." After about half an hour, I decided I was tired and only wanted to get back home. At the time, I was approaching Chickasha. I thought the sign read "next 3 exits," so I was looking for one that that said "food" this exit. I bypassed the MacDonald's because I wanted "real" food.

Big mistake. Only two exits led to Chickasha and the next exit was twenty miles down the road. What could I do? I trundled down the road, exited at Sterling and hoped I could at least find a gas station with bathrooms and snacks. Five miles off the highway, over the crest of the steepest hill I've seen in Oklahoma so far, I think I found Sterling. The main portion of the town lay somewhere to the south of me but I didn't want to get lost trying to find it.

And no, I didn't find any gas station, let alone a restaurant. Thank the Lord I had plenty of gas.

So I headed back for Chickasha and headed for the place a sign advertised for serving "fried pies." I found the stand; but it was closed. But at least I found a gas station. After a bathroom and a nice long cold drink of diet coke and cheese crackers, I felt much revived and made my way home.

Oklahoma, here I come. I think I need to get off the highways and onto the back roads to actually see more than billboards and rest stops.

Missing Jolene

2009-11-02T09:36:00.000-08:00

Hardly a day goes by when I don't think about Jolene; but rarely do I brood and cry any more.

Until last week. I was trying to think of an example of someone who shared all news, good and bad, with that one special person. And I remembered how Jolene always called me with the details of her life. Oh, how I wanted the phone to ring and to hear her voice. Oh, how I longed to have her run to me full of joy and throw her arms around me. I cried, hard, for several minutes; and tears continued to spill throughout the weekend.

This morning I woke up from a dream about Jolene. I have stacks of boxes to sort through ... things that belonged to Jolene and Mom, as well as some of my own. In my dream, someone found a quilted black-and-pink purse that Jolene prized. They wanted to throw it away; I wasn't sure.

So Jolene was in my thoughts when I woke up. During my quiet time, I sang, "Draw Me Closer, Lord, to Thee." Jolene again skipped into my thoughts when I sang "I long to rise in the arms of faith." Again, I missed her arms around me.

But then I realized ... Jolene doesn't need to be drawn closer to the Lord. Not anymore. She's as close as she can get. That which I prayed for, she already knows.

All I can do is look forward to the day when I join her in the Lord's presence.

2009-10-20T08:24:00.000-07:00

How Mondays evaporate ... two weeks ago staying up until almost 2 a.m. on Sunday night (you heard me right) listening to the Rockies lose to the Phillies and see their season end ... yesterday, Grandma time with Jordan who slept most of the time but I couldn't get on the Internet.

But here I am today, determined not to let another week go by without writing something.

Fall has arrived in Oklahoma. I took Jordan for a walk along her street last week after rain. I handed her yellow leaves and introduced her to dogs we met. I felt like a teacher when she replied "oof!" the next time she heard a dog barking. It's cool and damp and definitely time for long sleeves. I understand it's already snowed in Colorado, and I can't say I mind having rain instead!

Pumpkins abound everywhere ... the residents in Mom's assisted living place recently decorated pumpkins. One creative person painted theirs with black, white and gold stripes ... very striking. Another lies on the floor of Jaran's house, ready for Shannon to take it to school to decorate.

Speaking of Jaran's house, their cats seem to have adopted me. The adult cat, named an improbably "Pinky" (male and black. Where did Pinky come from?) dozes on my hood whenever he has the opportunity. The kitten Mister (also male and black) isn't satisfied with dozing outside the car. He jumps in as soon as I open the door, probably looking for more of the hamburg he found there once.

In other words, life is good, and Oklahoma begins to feel like home.

The Dangers of Boasting

2009-10-05T08:45:00.000-07:00

Since I decided to start writing full time back in June, I have received several affirmations.
--the three book Vermont historical series for Heartsong (Prodigal Patriot, book #1, due out next summer)
--another novella for 2010 (Face of Mary in A Woodlands Christmas)
--Book of the Year nomination for Dressed in Scarlet in Snowbound Colorado Christmas
--every devotional I've sent out has sold
--publishers considering my longer books
--the awesome booksigning in Denver
--This year's novella anthology, Wild West Christmas started out wild at the gate and promises to sell very well.
--most recently, an invitation to join the staff of a magazine

Not much of this has amounted to much money yet, mind you, but the possibility is there.

I also gave my first speech at Toastmasters and was told I did things well that some Toastmasters take years to learn.

I could be walking around with a puffed up head. Probably am.

Maybe that's why God has sent this path across my path twice in the past week: "Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord" (Jeremiah 9:24, 1 Corinthians 1:31).

Jeremiah in fact reminded me "Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, or the writers of her contracts (my insertion) but let who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me."

I pray I will be faithful with the opportunities God is giving me.

ACFW Afterglow

2009-09-21T09:47:00.000-07:00

ACFW=American Christian Fiction Writers. I went to their national conference in Denver last weekend.

The best way to describe conference for me a reunion with hundreds of my closest family members, to put faces with people I have come to know and love via email.

I may post several times about conference - different aspects of the experience - but for now I'll share high points and low points.

The low points jumped on me when I crossed the two-building length one more time to get to lunch--to discover the meal was a buffet and I had to stand in line. I started crying. I went to conference sans cane and sans pain pills and overall did well. But I'd had it by lunch that day.

As for high points, I laughed and smiled my way through the booksigning. No, I didn't have an out-the-door line like Debbie Macomber (I sat a table near her). But I did have a lot more than the "possibly none" every writer fears at occasions like this.

The laughter?

My roommate and good friend Connie Peters brought four of my books to sign. I wrote something different in each one. For my mystery, I was trying to write Enjoy the murder and mayhem.

I was talking while I was signing and my subconscious took over. I actually wrote Enjoy your murder and mayhem.

Susan Davis, who shared the table with me, told Connie,"Well, it's your book. You bought it."

Renewed laughter.

There is more to the story, about a purple pen (thanks to Rene Gutheridge).

Tears of happiness when a friend from Echostar took a bus from downtown Denver to the Tech Center to come to the signing. Waving at you, Gregory!

Later I'll tell you what I learned.

Mom's Question

2009-09-14T09:26:00.000-07:00

Mom is back in her apartment at an assisted living center. She is quickly slipping back into what we feared: doing nothing but lying on her bed except for meals and for the times therapists and aides come to help her.

Lying in bed might not be so bad if she was doing something. Watching television. Reading. Looking out the window.

But she lies there, blinds down, tv off, dozing on and off and thinking random thoughts. When I chide her, she says "But what is there to do?"

I don't know how to respond. She has puzzle books and coloring books and crayons. She doesn't do any of that. She doesn't even turn on the tv. She has the schedule of activities at the Center, but she only attends church services. I urge her to try them all out. Unless she truly hates something, take part in everything. But she chooses not to.

I feel like she's waiting to die. And it breaks my heart.

One Writer's Mind: Revisions

2009-09-08T08:01:00.000-07:00

Revisions. Ugh. I find them almost as hard as starting a new project. In some ways, they're harder, because I have to examine my newborn baby closely for areas that are sick and need intervention. I'd like to believe they're perfect as they come out, but of course they're not.

My writing process: everyone's is different, so I'll let you in on mine. I write a first draft with no corrections. I make notes to myself along the way: "This sentence is bad but I'll fix it later." "Anac," which means I want to check whether the word or phrase was in use in that time period. "Go back and fix earlier references" when I change something. So it's really raw. I do the entire manuscript that way.

Then I do a major overhaul; send it out for critique; revise again; and give it one final look before I send it off.

I am in the first, major revision mode on two different projects at the moment: the last third of a manuscript that is due on the editor's desk on November 1st and the first three chapters of a new project for a proposal. I want to take that one with me to the ACFW conference in Denver next week.

The final third is the easier project. By that point in the story, I know my characters well and I know where the story is headed. Revisions consist of cutting out the junk, and making the writing sing and filling in a historical gap here and there.

But the urgent project at the moment are the three chapters for conference. And man, it's miserable. As usual, I started the story in the wrong place and had to cut out the first two scenes. Some day I hope I will figure out the right place to start the story before I write boring, unnnecessary stuff!

On top of that, I used different names for the same character. Oops. Another character didn't get a name. Double oops. And a third character changed from a teenaged Jewish girl to an older African Americian woman, and I had to decide if she was a protege, a mentor, or a confidante. So Miriam became Maggie and is neither Jewish nor African American but Irish.

All of that before I've started revising the actual wording of the manuscript at all.

Terry Brooks, author of marvelous fantasy books, wrote a writing manual called Sometimes the Magic Works.

That's what pulls me through the revision stage. The rough, raw, ugly baby turns into something magical--something that editors and readers want to read.

Amen.

Under Construction

2009-09-02T10:55:00.001-07:00

Good morning everyone! For anyone out there who is listening ... what would you like to see on my blog? Family updates? Writing news? Devotionals?

Let me know, and I will try to bring what interests you to bear.

Wild West Christmas has arrived!

2009-08-24T08:22:00.000-07:00

On Friday, someone knocked at my door, carrying two boxes of books. I said, "Oh, my books!"

The UPS delivery man said, "You must like to read."

I corrected him. "No. These are books I wrote. See, that's my name on the cover!"

Oh, the joy of having a new "baby" to show off. And I love our covers for Wild West Christmas. And I counted my blessings that I have had three books release this year.

So in the interests of shameless self-promotion, I'm going to quote from the back cover of Wild West Christmas.

"Sharp-shooting LUCY AMES is thrilled to join Major Paulson's Wild West Show. But is she setting her sights too high when she begins falling for budding evangelist Gordon Paulson? Would she be better off aiming for a stable, widowed rancher?"

My story, Lucy Ames, Sharpshooter, follows Charlsey's Accountant by Lena Nelson Dooley, and before A Breed Apart by Vickie McDonough and Plain Trouble by Kathlee Y'Barbo. Each novella tells the romance for a different sister in the Ames family.

Wild West Christmas is available from Barbour Publishing and coming soon to a bookstore near you.

Lucy Ames, Sharpshooter comes on the heels of my Book-of-the-Year-nominated novella Dressed in Scarlet, which came out last year. Next year, The Face of Mary will appear in another Christmas collection. That's right. Last week I found I get to write another Christmas story. I love 'em! The new contract gave me always-welcome reassurance that I have might the right decision to write full time, at least in August 2009.

Have a good week, everyone!

"E"-sy Does It: A Primer on Dementia

2009-08-17T07:24:00.000-07:00

I don't care what the calendar says. There must have been a full moon last Saturday. Nothing else explains the bizarre behavior at the skilled nursing facility where Mom is staying.

At a nursing home, I've learned to tune out the moans, wails and mumblings of other residents and focus on Mom. If I can wheel a patient somewhere, or give a hug or ring for a nurse -- I do it. But otherwise, I have to tune out the excess noise.

On Saturday, a woman named Eloise wandered into Mom's room. Mom introduced her as Eloise Smith. She said Eloise Jones (I've forgotten the real names, but they were different). Mom asked is Smith was her maiden name. Eloise got a confused look on her face, said "That was a long time ago," and then started talking about a boy. She stood in a muddle, unclear where she was or why she was there, so I offered to take her back to her room.

Out in the hallway, I encountered two more E's: Evelyn and Edna. They had joined their wheelchairs in a fierce battle. Whenever Edna tried to move past Evelyn, Evelyn turned to block her passage. Evelyn accused Edna of stealing her blankets.

Eloise couldn't remember her room. And we couldn't get past the wheelchairs.

The blankets belonged to the nursing facility. But Evelyn had it in her mind that they were her blankets. When a nurse's aide intervened, she grumbled. "I'll sell them up north. I can get better prices there."

It was funny and sad, both at the same time.

I joked to Mom, "Is there an Emily, Esther or Earlene?" And thanked God that Mom's mind is sharp, she lives in today, even if she sometimes forgets small things. She is alert and positive, much more so than when I first arrived in Oklahoma.

I walk by a room full of patients every time I go to see Mom. They recognize me, smile, greet me. I feel shame for my previous perception of the elderly living in nursing homes: scary, unattractive, ... unworthy of my time or attention. Only as I see my mother's slide and I catch an Edna or an Evelyn on a good day, do I recognize these people are also God's children. Precious treasures who have lived full lives and deserve respect and love.

And the day comes every closer that I will join their ranks ... and pray someone will still love me.

The Difference a Year Makes

2009-08-10T11:11:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been reading my prayer journal entries from a year ago.

Man, did I struggle through my birthday. Every event made me miss Jolene all the more, my birthday especially.

This year I had the joy of spending the day with family. Eating ice cream with Mom (soft enough for her to manage). Going to Western Sizzlin' with Jaran and family. Watching Jordan's face go through every expression from disgust to delighted "give me more" as she tried all kinds of new foods: cottage cheese. lime jello. peas. And any number of other things.

Last year, Mom and I were struggling with whether or not she should have her heart valve replaced. Was the surgery successful? I don't know. She has gone downhill rapidly in these last few months, taking me with her on a journey that always arrives at an unexpected time.

A year ago, I asked God for patience, wisdom, courage ... and I still need all those things. And more.

Through good times and bad, surgery and recovery, contracts and rejections ... God is faithful. Praise the Lord that never changes.

Happy Birthday

2009-08-03T06:02:00.001-07:00

To me!

I'm off this morning to take care of those darling granddaughters for a few hours then a day full of fun.

Talk with all of you later!

A WEEK'S JOURNEY

2009-07-27T08:41:00.001-07:00

So much has happened this past week ... if I concentrate on one thing, I will overlook other things. So I will do this in more or less chronological order.

Monday: Mondays seem to be a struggle to get back into a writing routine. Saturday I work as needed, Sundays I take off. Mondays it's nose-back-to-the-grindstone time and I just take a long time getting anywhere. But eventually I did. And shared supper with Jaran & his family at the restaurant where he works.
Tuesday: Met my writing goals (yay!).
Wednesday: Managed writing goals, Jaran came by, went to choir at night.
Thursday: Here's where things got interesting. Long-distance phone call from a Denver friend. Looked for my retirement check, which was supposed to be delivered by the 23rd. No sign of it. Found out my novella Dressed in Scarlet is a finalist in the ACFW Book of the Year (BOTY) contest! Too excited to do any more writing, so I went out to celebrate. Saw Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
Friday: Found out the check had been delivered to the office at my apartment on Tuesday! Aargh. At last deposited. Yay! Spent the afternoon taking care of Jordan and evening out for supper with family.
Saturday: Attended the OKC chapter of ACFW for the first time. New friends!
Sunday morning: Tried to join local church. Ran into a big snag; they're saying I should be baptized again, I disagree strongly. Very upset.
Sunday afternoon: Shelley (dil) invited me over for a home-made "greasy Mexican fiesta." We gobbled it down ... all of us going back for 2nds. Wonderful afternoon with the older girls, who made my day by telling me they didn't want me to go home. They joked about how they would sleep in Jordan's crib and I could have one of their beds. :) Day ended as well as it had started out poorly.

I have visited Mom almost every day. After last Sunday's discouraging visit, this week she has remembered small things, like the Bible book I'm studying with a friend and the soon-to-be-released movie of our favorite book of all time (after the Bible): The Time Traveler's Wife.

Many more ups than downs ... but please pray with me that I'll have wisdom about the church situation.

MAKE NEW FRIENDS BUT KEEP THE OLD

2009-07-20T09:07:00.000-07:00

What a time last week turned out to be. The old Girl Scouts song "Make new friends but keep the old" came true.

I'm starting to get plugged in. On Wednesday night, I visited choir rehearsal. Oh, how I miss choir when I'm not singing. I received a warm welcome from the folks at Southern Hills Baptist Church. They're already working on Christmas music. Christmas in July is more than a catchy phrase at this church.

On Thursday, the lady who invited me to sit with her in church last week called. Friday night, my new friend from last Sunday invited me to join her at Toastmasters. Saturday, I went to a potluck dinner and movie night with the singles class.

(I must have overdone it with all the parties and outings. I got sick on Saturday night and didn't make it to church.)

Silver friends? I like to think so.

And the olden, golden ones. A letter from the man who helped me prepare to move. An email from a former coworker. Another from a friend from my church back in Colorado.

Friends--how needed. What wonderful gifts from the Lord.

Keep Mom in your prayers. She has good days and bad days. Yesterday I mentioned her stay at the hospital. She said, "When was I in the hospital? What for?" Oh, Mom.

Thanks to all of my blog friends.

Sunday, Sunday

2009-07-13T08:02:00.000-07:00

At 8 o'clock yesterday morning, I tried to brush the sleepies out of my eyes and convince myself to get into the shower so I could get to Sunday School on time. (Those of you from ARBC will laugh. You know how rarely I made it to 9 a.m. Sunday school. But weekends are no longer my only chance to sleep.)

I'm so glad I went.

Last week I visited a megachurch here in Oklahoma City. The services were great, and they responded with 4 contacts during the week. But I had missed that personal touch during Sunday school--no one took the time to talk with me. But I returned, and asked God, Please let them welcome me into their midst. And if I should meet another writer--so much the better, Lord.

God answered that prayer. They invited me to a French-themed pot luck supper & movie night on Saturday. One lady asked me to sit with her during the worship service. And lo and behold ...

Yes, I met a writer! Who is also a musician. Out of a church of 1200, in a class of 12 people, I met another writer. She invited me to her local group, and we've made arrangements to go to a Toastmasters meeting on Friday night. Fridays, yay! When I always feel at odds and ends.

Thank you, God, for leading me. Amen.

Jolene Speaks

2009-07-08T07:37:00.000-07:00

Daddy I say as I run to you
I then fall in your arms
As you give me a big squeezy bear hug
I look into your face
A face of love and wonder
I shall find a place called home in your arms
You say loving and comforting words to me
Tell me that I am all right and no harm shall come
And though I close my eyes you put me
on a soft cloud and sing a lullaby
Oh Little One you shall find peace in me.

By Jolene Franklin
January 19, 2001

Darlene's note: This one makes me want to cry. Jolene ran home to her Father, and this prayer came true for her.

One Writer's Mind: Progress

2009-07-07T06:03:00.000-07:00

Wow. Is God good or what?

When I talk about good times, I have to remind myself that God is also good when times are tough. His nature doesn't change when my circumstances do!

But this past week has had some amazing developments.

It's official: I have received a contract from Barbour for the first of a three book set of historical romances set in Vermont. In the past week, I have written over 10,000 words for Prodigal Patriot, a love story set during the American Revolution, scheduled for publication next summer.

I also have received a contract for 30 short pieces for a nonfiction book for Barbour.

So God is blessing my decision on both fronts.

Thanks for your prayers and encouragement as I work on both these assignments.

Lullabies and love songs

2009-07-06T06:54:00.001-07:00

I've mentioned before that I make up silly songs, or sing silly lyrics to well-known melodies.

Often I'm singing to my cat, Talia. She follows me around and looks at me with round blue eyes (Siamese blue), and so I add her to my song. "Talia, Talia, where have you been? I've been to London to visit the queen. Talia, Talia, what did you there? I frightened a little mouse under her chair." Every time she hears her name, her ears perk up and she looks at me. Sometimes she graces me by jumping next to me on my bed or onto the computer desk or the box I am unpacking.

I sing to Talia because she is precious to me and because I love it when she knows I'm talking to her.

Do you suppose God feels the same way?

One of my favorite verses from the minor prophets is found in the third chapter of Zephaniah: "The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." (emphasis mine. verse 17)

I pray I will hear His song, perk up my ears, and bask in His love.

Blank Page

2009-07-02T07:07:00.000-07:00

There is little more daunting to a writer than a blank page. It stares at me, challenging me, making me doubt my ability to put anything meaningful into words, to match let alone improve previous successes.

I should know. I've had three "blank pages" in the past two weeks, writing first chapters for a number of different projects I hope will sell. And the beginning always seems heavy, uninteresting--nothing anyone would want to buy.

Yet a blank page is exactly how I want to be before God. I want to come to Him without my ideas pencilled in. To allow Him to write His plans, His thoughts, His prompts to action on my heart, day by day, hour by hour.

And then maybe the blank pages of my writing will fall into line.

FYI: Mom left the hospital on Tuesday and is in a skilled nursing facility for rehab.

Jolene Speaks

2009-07-01T06:46:00.000-07:00

On Calvary

Written 1-19-2001

On Calvary you washed away my sins
The price was big
And my sins were as scarlet
So you came to man as man to die
Now I am as white as snow
Now you show your love for my at calvary
Oh the price you had to pay

One Writer's Mind: Pursuing the Dream

2009-06-30T06:21:00.000-07:00

After 18 years of writing almost every day, a few hundred articles and seven books, I am at last taking the plunge. I am going to try to make my living writing.

I don't know much about how it will work. My agent, Chip MacGregor, talks about thinking of income in terms of quarters. How much do I need every three months to get by? And I know I am close.

The question comes, how will I make up the difference? It's a business. I have to treat my computer as my office and sit down each and every day and write for the length of time I would be working at Echostar--probably more. I have to explore open markets and introduce myself.

And trust God to open and close doors.

When I say "write," I don't mean I am writing a novel or an article for eight hours a day. That includes time spent researching, marketing, planning--even blogging. Writing and editing take up only a portion of my work time.

Pray with me for discipline for getting "to work" in a timely manner each day, and for a balance between my family's needs (where will Mom go after the hospital?) and my need for income.

And start pursuing your own dreams. What do you need to do to get there?

Mountains and Valleys

2009-06-29T08:56:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I got to dive into the Oklahoma Christian writing community by attending the 2nd annual W.I.N. (Writers of Inspirational Novels?) conference in Tulsa.

How many people worked together to make it happen for me individually--Dianne back in Denver who paid my way. Janet from Edmond who drove three of us up to Tulsa. Josanne who worked tirelessly to find me a hotel room and Vickie who put me up for a night. The numerous people who welcomed a newcomer and talked with me. I got to meet Margaret Daley and Brandt Dodson, two of my favorite authors.

The weekend was the mountaintop. Tulsa is hilly and lush and green. By the time you get to Oklahoma City, the plains have about started and it's no longer hill country.

I almost didn't go. Mom had a stroke on Thursday. She's in the hospital.

She appears to be doing well. The stroke affected her tongue; swallowing is hard. She doesn't want to do the exercises, but without them, eating and talking will be hard. We don't know when she'll return to the Assisted Living center, but it may be soon.

She insisted I go ahead to the conference, so I did. I am so thankful I was here when it happened, and not back in Denver.

Thanks for your continuing prayers.

Three Girls

2009-06-25T06:28:00.000-07:00

I spent several hours with my grandchildren yesterday--Savannah, 13, Shannon, not quite ten, and Jordan, 6 months.

Savannah and Shannon had already been hatched when they joined my family. My first memories of Savannah are of dashing through a water sprinkler on a hot summer day (when she was still young enough to enjoy such things) and convincing her that Jaran's Mom could be cool. She survived a difficult first year of junior high and has matured into a sweet young woman.

Shannon had adopted every animal on her Mimi's farm when I met her. Unfortunately, the bunny rabbits and chicken died. But now she has rescued a box turtle named Peyton and is keeping it as pet. So far the cat Pinky hasn't decided to devour it. Whenever I turn up, she pulls out a game and challenges me to a new round of Wii or cards or whatever.

And Jordan--well, you've heard me talk about her plenty.

I came home in mid-afternoon, happy and drained. A friend told me "Good. That's what you moved to Oklahoma for."

Amen.

Now for finding some friends that AREN'T members of my family. A bit lonely so far ...

Jolene Speaks

2009-06-24T06:51:00.000-07:00

Now that I am settling into my new place, it's time to renew my celebration of Jolene's work.

Here are 2 poems from January 14, 2001:

Oh How I Come to Thee

Oh, I come to Thee
Oh Lord I bow down to You
Oh in Your tempe of grace and power
Oh how I shall sing holy holy is the Lamb
Oh God in the highest I shall praise Thee
Oh God how I shall know Thee

Holy is the Lamb
Holy Holy is the Lamb
Lamb of heaven
And lamb of God
Oh Lamb of grace
And Lamb of power
Oh how I shall praise the Lamb

A New Dwelling Place

2009-06-22T07:48:00.000-07:00

"Trust in the Lord and do what is good; dwell in the land and live securely. Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you your heart's desire." (Psalm 37:3-4, HCSB)

Verses to cling to as I make a new home in Oklahoma. I have been here for a week. Have I unpacked yet? Are you kidding? The kitchen is mostly done, so I can cook. The rest remained untouched while I spent much of Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday taking care of that precious grandbaby. (Kisses to Jordan here). I lack the strength to attack it all at once, so I will juggle the remaining dozens of boxes with writing.

Highlights so far?

Talia the cat took to the road like a seasoned traveler. She curled up on the child's seat in the moving truck and didn't complain the whole way. Praise the Lord!

Jordan is a happy, healthy six-month-old, who stares at Grandma and grins widely. She's cute and intelligent and ... any of you grandparents out there, fill in the blank.

Hoping to meet people soon. Visited a church yesterday, but it doesn't feel like the right place, so I'll keep on looking.

Mom isn't doing well. She's much weaker, she's lost a lot of weight, she's forgetful and disoriented. The good news is that yesterday she went out to church and she went out to dinner with me. Two outings in one day! I hope she will take more of an interest in things now that I'm here.

Great apartment. Jaran did well! It's at the center of things. And it's more spacious than I remembered, which is lovely.

Unless the Lord shows me otherwise, I plan to try to write full-time. Jaran and Mom need me for significant amounts of time. Pray with me for discipline in work and for God's blessing on sales.

I have the same email address for anyone who wants to write. belovedfranklin (at) msn (dot) com.