ocean

It’s finally spring here in Kansas City, Missouri. The birds are so happy lately, chirping and singing, and my daughter Heather is happy, too, because it’s her favorite time of year. I love it, too. 

The trees that had been gaunt, barren skeletons this winter, stripped of their autumn glory, are now clothed in emerald green leaves. Flowers are blooming: Virginia bluebells, pale-pink geraniums, yellow Black-eyed Susans, white hydrangeas, and one of my favorites, the sunflower.

They’re such a simple thing, but fresh flowers give Heather and me joy. In fact, Heather’s name means a flower, the mauve or white heather plant that is found widely in Europe, usually in late summer. It’s an usually beautiful flower, just like Heather.

This morning the streets were still damp from last night’s rain. The mourning doves were cooing, as I drank my creamy coffee and talked with God. 

So many things going on right now. I prayed Psalm 18 over me and my family, especially for Heather and her girls Annabelle and Violet, who were coughing badly last night. Heather went through a painful divorce several years ago and is basically a single mom–the hardest job in the world. I was one with Heather for nearly 10 years. Heather has important projects this week, so she can’t afford time off.

So I pray for them: “The Lord thundered from heaven, And the most High uttered His voice. Hailstones and coals of fire, He sent out His arrows and scattered the foe, Lightnings and in abundance, and He vanquished them.” Please pray complete, speedy healing for them.

Our beautiful daughter Leah is continuing to practice her violin and her art, and is now looking for her first job. Please pray God’s favor upon her to get the right job, and courage for her to apply and at interviews. 

This morning I quickly glanced through my avalanche of emails; it’s time to clean it out and delete, delete, delete, and unsubscribe (again!) from newsletters I don’t even read. Time’s a’wastin’, as Joaquin and Reese sang in Walk the Line. I love the advice to apply the 4 D’s to email as soon as you get it: do right now, delegate it to the right person, defer (by adding to a to-do list, for example), or delete it. 

Your time is gold. I’m hearing about more sudden deaths lately, especially with younger people, and Ray is seeing a lot more deaths lately at his work as a paramedic; yesterday three patients died on his calls, which is unusual as Ray usually saves lives. I believe these unexpected deaths are because it’s the end times. Jesus is coming back soon, and we need to be ready to face God at any time.

One of the emails I saw today was from Home-Away with beach rental houses for a bargain. A girl can dream, right? Ray and I both desperately need a vacation.

I love the ocean. When I was growing up, my family went to the beach every summer for a vacation: Jekyll Island seemed to be the most common spot, since my dad’s Civitan Club conventions were held there. We also went frequently to Daytona Beach and even the gulf, Panama City. 

Several years ago, I visited my friends Pat and Kim Weber and their family in Jacksonville, Florida, where I tried boogie boarding for the first time at that beach. It was a blast!

The most beautiful ocean and beach I’ve ever seen were in the Bahamas, when I spoke at Tony Robinson‘s Women of Destiny conference on a cruise ship to the Bahamas.

The water is an exquisite blue-green and so clear, and the sand a soft white with no shells or rocks to hurt your feet. It was truly like paradise. When I ate coconut shrimp, drinking a pina colada with a little umbrella in it, I thought, “It doesn’t get any better than this!”

The beach is calling my name!

But work calls, too. This week I’m working on a new book, the second book in my Storm Tossed fiction series, entitled Afflicted. The main character, Rachel, gets kidnapped while on a mission trip in Africa. This book was inspired by the powerful story of missionaries Martin and Gracia Burnham, In The Presence of My Enemies, but will take place in the Congo in Africa instead of the Philippines.

I have written several chapters and already have the image for the cover from Istock, where I usually buy images for my book covers. (You can be the first to hear about the new book’s release by signing up here at my website on the right-hand side at the top of the page.)

I just spoke at a virtual event with my peers Doreen Penner and Karen Wells, Walk Free Summit. We’re working on creating a bundle product of audios and handouts from our speaking presentations at the event. Stay tuned for details!

That’s about it for now. How has your week been? What are you up to? Leave your comments below.