Cares:
Still waiting! God is teaching me so much patience.
You know those growing periods in life? Those tangible moments you can look back upon and confidently say, “Yep, God was really growing me there.” That’s what these past few weeks have been like. It’s like God is reaching down into the deepest parts of my soul and showing me things that aren’t flattering. Like pride. And idolatry. It’s very humbling. And sort of painful. But in a good way.
I’m obsessed with the song Hurricane by Jimmy Needham right now. In the song, there’s a line that goes, “I am yours and you are mine. You know far better than I. And if destruction’s what I need. I’ll receive it, Lord from Thee.” There’s amazing power in that line. It brings me to my knees. All too often I paint God’s grace the color nice. All blessings and favor. But sometimes, His grace is destruction. Sometimes it’s pain. Sometimes it’s tearing everything down so He can rebuild. He’s in the business of bringing beauty from pain.
Concerns:
I broke my Kindle yesterday. It fell (thanks to my beloved dog) and cracked on the ground. I was beyond bummed out about it.
Celebrations:
I talked to the nicest customer representative from Amazon and he is replacing my broken Kindle for free!
It’s the last day of school! Which means after four o’clock today, I have ten weeks of summer vacation. Ten weeks of cuddles with my son (yea right…the boy doesn’t slow down long enough to cuddle). Ten weeks of writing while he naps in the afternoon. Ten weeks of doing all those things I can’t do during the school year because I’m too busy – like cook dinners for my family, keep the house clean, go jogging. I’m ridiculously excited about it.
The outline for my WIP is shaping up. Hubby is taking little man up to Wisconsin to visit Grandma and Grandpa tomorrow, which means I have the whole day to work on it. I would LOVE to be able to start writing the rough draft sometime next week.
Question to Ponder: It’s been a long time! Update me on your lives. What are your cares, concerns, and celebrations?
Hooray for summer! I hope you get to do all the things you're wanting to do. I'm still making my to-do list for the next few months!
Good news about your Kindle! God does His best work when we're in the dark places, the caves of our heart, as I like to call them.
I like Hurricane too, and Switchfoot's Hurricane speaks to me during my dark, ego days as well. I'm grateful for God's gift of talented musicians who share God's teachings!
My concern, which is really a want, I want to be home more with my daughter and husband and to write in the mornings during the day while they are at work and school so I don't take up writing in the evenings and weekends when they are home.
So hard to remember that destruction and pain can be gifts of grace.
Care: My daughter is carrying a large baby–"Goliath Girl," I call her.
Concern: She is scheduled for induction at 8 a.m. tomorrow. Doctors are concerned about possible shoulder dystocia–but hopefully they'll be watching close and take her for C-section if needed before it's an emergency.
Celebration: I'll be holding a new grandgirl tomorrow!
WOO for the kindle! That's a great story! Love these posts of yours.
My concern is I just got a rejection from an agent that had asked for a full and I was SO SURE it would be it!
Celebrating the fact that I still have a lot to learn about patience and trusting that it will happen at the right time.
GREAT to hear from you, Katie! So sorry about your Kindle, but WOOHOO about Amazon replacing it!!
Oh my goodness… I can totally relate. Sometimes I feel like I'm dragging my feet every day trying to make it through and be strong. But I know God has a reason for EVERYTHING we go through, even if it isn't fun and it is just plain heartbreaking.
Welcome back to the blogosphere, and to summer! After a hectic run up to it, the idea of ten free weeks must make you giddy… although keeping busy helps the time pass when you're waiting. I hope the wait won't be much longer for you and the word will be good.
Enjoy your day of uninterrupted writing. I have one today, too. 🙂
I love that you started off by saying this: "God is teaching me so much patience." So many expect patience to be given, but it's a learned thing.
Yay for summer vacation!
I have concerns for my family, but know we're going to be okay. Celebrations and thanks for that at-peace feeling, even when things are hard.
Hope you have a great weekend, Katie. 🙂
Hi Katie –
I hope you were able to get all the books on your Kindle back. Amazon's customer service department established a lot of goodwill. 🙂
Have a great weekend!
Blessings,
Susan
Oh, I'm so glad you're not going to have to endure life without your kindle. I'm loading mine up for my vacation right now. So exciting.
Yay for school being out. My kids go next tues, wed, and thurs.
And sorry about all your waiting. I'm not very patient, so I can't imagine. Keeping my fingers crossed for you.
Enjoy your time off from one job, and into the other! Summer flies by. I hope you do all the things you've been dreaming about, but don't beat yourself up if they don't all get done!
Care: friends is sad places
Concern: wondering about some things spiritually
Celebrations: Little by little the fog clears in my mind. Summer is here!
Yay for Summer Vacation! Maybe we should plan a writing weekend somewhere in the land between us!
I'm sorry about your Kindle but am excited you're getting a new one for free!!!! I'm very happy with mine and enjoy it all the time! Right now I'm finishing up a final edit on my latest novel and working very hard to think up some great plot lines for my new WIP. I can hardly wait to get started! It's going to be such a fun summer. =)
Yay about 10 weeks off! Nay about the broken Kindle, but Yay for the free replacement!
I understand what you mean about learning about ourselves in the midst of waiting. My attitude took a prideful turn this winter, but a little humility brought me back to my optimistic self. No, things didn't magically go my way, but I have a choice to look to the future instead of now. There's always hope.
Cares: My sinuses are terrible.
Concerns: I'm getting ready to submit again (probably in two weeks). The rejections get much harder the further into my journey. I pray for the strength to continue if my book is not requested.
Celebrations: One more week left of school and then it's party time!
Have a great weekend! (Praying for you to hear excellent news soon!)
Hey – Keli beat me to it, but I'll say congrats on the last day of school anyway! 🙂
Hold on to what I tried to remember during that very hard waiting period before my first offer this spring…no news is good news. I know that doesn't help with the constant feeling that your life is in limbo, but for me it was some small comfort.
Patience lessons are the hardest!
Katie, congrats on your last day of school. It's my teacher hubby's last day as well. Let's hear it for ten weeks without bells.
That's so cool about Amazon replacing your broken Kindle for free. Talk about customer service!
Regarding the waiting, I have a theory. I think it could be that God wants you to be free to enjoy the thrill of a new contract during your vacation months when you will have more time to celebrate and deal with the changes that come into a writer's life after making a First Sale. Works for me. How about you?
Thanks for your comment on my blog Katie. I stopped by yours to become your newest follower!
Today's guest blogger is THE Elana Johnson!
Sorry to hear about your Kindle. That sounds like something our dog would do, but then he would run around the backyard tossing it in the air to make sure the device was dead.
Enjoy your weekend.
Yaaay for you, Katie!! I am so happy that you have the opportunity to snuggle with Brogan, write your heart out, and listen to the Lord's voice during this time of refreshing.
Cares and Concerns: My mom has been a widow for one year now, and is struggling financially. I've tried to talk her into moving closer to us, but she won't hear of it. She needs supernatural provision.
Celebrations: I had another story published in a Guideposts anthology–this is my second one with them–so I am entering their Writers Workshop contest. The 15 winners get an all-expense trip to NY to attend their Workshop. I'm nearly done writing my entry, and praying for some of that favor you mentioned!
Bless you, sweet sister,
Jen
Here's to the slow moments of summer vacation!
So cool that rep. is replacing your Kindle for free! And even more cool you get a summer to love on your fam. and write. I know all about taking a good look at my uglies, and these aren't the insecure, imagined uglies…these are the prickly little stinkers that inhabit my thinking, my doing, my being. When I get a glimpse of those bad boys, I'm all the more grateful for my Savior taking a firehose to 'em and washing me clean.
Cares: I actually think I can have two polished MS for ACFW.
Concerns: I actually think I can have two polished MS for ACFW.
Celebrations: I actually think I can have two polished MS for ACFW.
I am the little engine who could, thinking, thinking, thinking I can. ;D
Sending love,
Wendy
Oh, that's good that Amazon will take care of your Kindle. I would have been so bummed if not.
Welcome back! hurray that school is over and you get your summer with your son:))
I went through a low period where I was ready to call it quits on fiction. The whole process is about perseverance and some days it is easier, others not so much. But working away at it today. Hope you get so much accomplished today too!
Super great that they are replacing your Kindle. My kids still have 2 more weeks of school :O(
Have a great weekend! :O)
It's so good to hear what you've been up to lately! What a relief with the Kindle! I'd be worried about that happening too if I ever got one (or more likely someone spilling a drink!). That's awesome that they're sending you a new one!
We're on our last day of school today too. YAY!! Except during the summers I have to order curriculum for the upcoming year, plan every subject for every child, make copies, empty folders, etc. It's a lot of work.
And as for the book front, I'll keep praying for you! I'm super nervous about handing in my completed book to my editors. I still have quite a bit revising to do before I'm ready to hand it in, but I'm already nervous!
Have a wonderful last day of school!
Yay! I love that you're going to be home with Brogan. 🙂 And that you get a whole day of working on your WIP! woohoo!
Also, I love how you wrote about Grace. That's so beautiful and true. Your description is something I'm going to be carrying with me today.