Exodus 20:12 (New Living Translation)
“Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the LORD your God will give you.”
I just looked at my archives and saw that it’s now been over a month since I last posted. That’s the longest dry spell I’ve had in the three years I’ve maintained this blog.
There are several reasons. First and foremost, Nancy and I are in the process of moving her mother and brother down here to Emporia. There’s a lot of work involved in that, getting the house in Kansas City in shape for sale, making arrangements for storage for the stuff that will eventually be sold in the downsizing, sprucing up the house next door, which Nancy mother and brother will be moving into, and so forth. It’s become close to a full time job. That’s not said as a complaint. We’re really enjoying doing this. Nancy’s mother has earned every bit of the sweat equity we’re putting into this.
We’ve also been able to take a week’s vacation to celebrate our twentieth anniversary at Zion and Bryce national parks in Utah in the midst of all the busyness. It was an absolutely spectacular getaway! If you haven’t visited either of these parks, we recommend you put them on your must see lists.
Just before we left for vacation, I got a call from a literary agent in Nashville, TN. I’d given him some samples of my writing at a writer’s conference in Glorietta, NMEX about a year ago, along with samples to other publishers and agents. I’d gotten favorable feedback in the months that followed the conference, but the consensus seemed to be that the writing, while good, just wouldn’t work in their respective markets. So, I was surprised that I would even get a call a year after having submitted the samples. I was even more surprised to learn that the agent felt that he had a chance at landing me a book deal. He asked if I had other essays besides the few I’d submitted. “Hundreds,” I said. The next thing I knew he requested fifty within a week after returning from vacation. Needless to say, the week following vacation was full, with work on the house next door and hours spent editing essays for inclusion into a full manuscript. The work has been submitted. Now the waiting and praying begins.
Things will still be light on the blogging side of my equations for another couple of weeks. By that time Nancy’s mother should be moved in next door and settled. Then, I’ll pick up again in earnest. I haven’t come close to running out of ideas.
I want to thank the folks who expressed concern over the absence, especially Paul at Prying1. Your prayers and support mean the world to me.
So, a few more weeks, and….I’ll be back!
