What kind of brownie lover are you?

Do you like middles or edges? I'm an "edges" brownie gal myself. I always head for the corners first. Love that crunchy, thick edge. Delicious!

Well, Deb Raney (my writing critique partner) clued me in to this wonderful invention in the picture. It was made for "edgie brownies lovers" like me. Every brownie has that yummy crusty edge. This is my first time to use the pan today, and the brownies (notice how much of the mix was left in the bowl...ahem...comfort food to the max!) are baking right now. I'll share the finished results below.

As you may know if you've been following this blog, I've spent the past two weeks visiting my parents in Atlanta and just got back a couple of hours ago. We got some not so good news yesterday. We were hoping and praying that the surgery that my mom, June, underwent on the 19th (where they took 60% of her liver due to cancer that began in the cystic duct and gallbladder) would end up ridding her body of cancer. But that wasn't the case. 

The pathology report revealed that the cancer is also in the remaining portion of her liver. The biopsies they took on the day of the surgery that they thought were clean, upon further study, weren't. We brought mom home last night, which was wonderful! The staff at Emory were fabulous but after eleven days in the hospital, we were all ready to get home.  Mom and I piled up on the sofa last night and watched Dancing with the Stars. A total girl's night. She's very weak but will slowly regain her strength as her appetite returns and she starts eating again.

I'll head down to Atlanta again in two weeks to accompany them to the chemotherapy and radiation doctors, and we'll find out more then about this long road of healing ahead. Thanks again for your continued prayers. We serve and worship a great God. I loved the drive home today and really appreciated the "alone" time. I cried off and on the whole way, of course, and dialed my iPod to some favorite worship songs. I felt God's mercy the entire way.

Okay, my oven's beeping. Off to check my cornbread. Yes, cornbread. I took the brownies out a few minutes ago. I'm making every comfort food I can think of, LOL. Here's a peek at the finished product...YUM! 

Latest in Christian Fiction (and a chance to win a Kindle!)

A new book by Cheryl Wyatt! 

A PLACE TO CALL HOME

Amelia North needs refuge, and finds it--in Refuge, Illinois. Stranded there after a car wreck, the single mother expects to be cold-shouldered. After all, she’s already been rejected by her parents, her church and her daughter’s father. Instead, she finds a town full of people with open hands and hearts…including pararescue jumper Ben Dillinger.

Ben wants to help Amelia and her daughter find safety and stability. Instead, he finds himself freefalling—right into love with the ready-made family.

About Cheryl:

Cheryl Wyatt’s closest friends would never dream the mayhem she plots during announcements at church. An RN-turned-SAHM, joyful chaos rules her home, and she delights in the stealth moments God gives her to write. She’s convinced that having been born on a Naval base on Valentine’s Day destined her to write military romance. She stays active in her church and in her laundry room. Her debut novels (Books 1 and 2-Wings of Refuge Series-Steeple Hill) received Romantic Times Top Picks. In addition, her debut books received the honor of coming in at #1 and #4 on eHarlequins's Top Ten Most-Blogged-About-Books, lists which included several NYT Bestselling authors. Cheryl is currently serving as Vice President of American Christian Fiction Writers. www.acfw.com

To receive her quarterly newsletter for updates on new releases and contests with GREAT prizes (think: free books, CDs, iPods, and a Kindle!), visit her Web site at www.cherylwyatt.com and sign up in the space provided. Cheryl respects your privacy and will not share your e-mail address with a third party.

Cheryl's current contest is for a FREE KINDLE!!! Read this note from Cheryl...

"Starting April Fool’s day 2009 I’ll be running a Kindle contest. Only my newsletter subscribers will be eligible for entry. To receive those quarterly newsletters as well as more information on the Kindle contest, visit www.cherylwyatt.com and sign up in the newsletter space provided. This is a double-opt-in feature and you will receive an e-mail prompting you to confirm that you wish to receive the newsletter. I respect your privacy and will not share your e-mail address with a third party. Winner will be announced on Independence Day 2009 on my newsletter and blog."

Good luck on winning that Kindle!

A peek at Within My Heart

Several readers have emailed recently asking about the characters in the next Timber Ridge Reflections novel. More on that below, but first, here's a peek at the cover of the third novel in that series, Within My Heart, that I'm currently writing...

The cover features Rachel Boyd, the heroine in Within My Heart. We first meet Rachel in From a Distance, then again in Beyond This Moment. Her character intrigued me from the very beginning so she "staked her claim" for Within My Heart early on. I hope you enjoy her story.  

And the answer is a big "YES" to those who have asked if we'll see more of the characters from Timber Ridge in this next book. Absolutely. And we'll also be seeing much more of Dr. Rand Brookston. ;)

A quick update on my mom--

Thanks for your kind comments both on this blog and on Writes of Passage regarding the last post on her progress. Mom's doing amazingly well today and has really turned a corner in her healing. She had her first real food in a week this morning. Granted, it was clear liquid but she still said it tasted delicious. It was so good to see her eat. She appreciates your prayers for her and our family. And so do I. Bless you, guys!

Now, off to do Wii Fit. My favorites are the Advanced Step and the Hula Hoop!

Taking life minute by minute

I'm incredibly grateful for the prayers that have been lifted up for my mom this past week (pictured to the right with my dad). Her healing since last Thursday's surgery has been very slow, and not without its setbacks. 

I hadn't been home from the hospital long last night when the phone rang. I picked up and heard my dad say, "Tam...I think mom's dying."

You can imagine what emotions hit me in that moment. Disbelief. Fear. Denial. Anger. Helplessness. And you can guess what questions came to mind. Can I get back to the hospital in time to say goodbye? Will I see her again this side of Heaven? Have I said everything there is to say?

I had trouble understanding what Dad was saying on the phone so I asked him to pass the phone to a nurse. She got on and said that they had indeed called a code on my mom because her vitals were dropping. It wasn't cardiac arrest though. It was due to respiratory problems, along with some other issues.

Long story short, they told us they thought she'd had a stroke. So around midnight last night they did a CAT scan on her head and chest, and we waited. The chest scan was clear but the brain scan was inconclusive. It wasn't until later this morning that we learned the brain scan was negative for a stroke, which was great news! They're not completely certain what happened yet. We're thinking perhaps a combination of medicines and other factors, but may never know for sure. 

I'm sitting outside of ICU right now, dad's in with mom, and minutes ago we had our first real conversation with her since before her surgery last Thursday. What a blessing that was, and how precious those moments.

As dad and I sat together as mom "drifted," I told him that I realized last night (when he called me) that there was nothing left unsaid between me and mom. Nothing that needed "fixing." In that sense, we're ready to step into eternity in regard to each other. Dad and I talked about that and about how the same is true for our relationship. We live life with everything "said" between us. That's such a blessing. [Though my husband might disagree since he has to live with me constantly making sure "everything's said." :)]

Mom has a long road of recovery ahead and it's not going to be easy. But we're hopeful for a complete healing and for many more years here together. We're still awaiting the pathology report on the tumor, of course. That's due to come back in the next couple of days, and we're finding strength in knowing God's already waiting for us there in that moment as surely as He's with us in this one.

Back to ICU, and to hug mom! 

P.S. Thanks for the private congrats on From a Distance being a Christy Award finalist. My daughter is taking full credit due to her hair being used on the cover. ROFLOL! As much as I appreciate that nomination though, what means far more to me is having heard from readers who've read FAD and who've said they've taken a step closer to Christ because of it. 

Now that's something I'll carry with me into eternity. Thanks, friends.

Latest in Christian Fiction

Marlo Schalesky has a new book out (love the cover too) and it's entitled If Tomorrow Never Comes! Here's a peek:

They say you should reach for your dreams. 

This time, they’re wrong…

Childhood sweethearts Kinna and Jimmy Henley had simple dreams—marriage, children, 

a house by the sea…everything they needed for happily ever after. What they didn’t plan on was years of infertility, stealing those dreams, crushing their hopes.  Now, all that’s left is the memory of young love, and the desperate need for a child to erase the pain. Until…

Kinna rescues an elderly woman from the sea, and the threads of the past, present, and future weave together to reveal the wonder of one final hope. One final chance to follow not their dreams, but God’s.  Can they embrace the redemptive power of love before it’s too late? Or will their love be washed away like the castles they once built upon the sand? 

The past whispers to the present.  And the future shivers.  What if tomorrow never comes?

 

A Bit About Marlo:

Marlo Schalesky is the award winning author of seven books, including her latest novel, If Tomorrow Never Comes, which combines a love story with a surprise ending twist to create a new type of novel that she hopes will impact readers at their deepest levels. Marlo’s other books include Beyond the Night (just nominated for a Christy Award – yay!), Veil of Fire (winner of the 2008 ACFW Book of the Year, historical category), and Empty Womb, Aching Heart- Hope and Help for Those Struggling with Infertility.

Marlo is also a California native, a small business owner, and a graduate of Stanford University (with a B.S. in Chemistry!). In addition, she has earned her Masters in Theology, with an emphasis in Biblical Studies, from Fuller Theological Seminary. Marlo lives with her husband and five young children in a log home in Central California.

When she’s not changing diapers, doing laundry, or writing books, Marlo loves sipping Starbucks white mochas, reading the New Testament in Greek, and talking about finding the deep places of God in the disappointments of life. 

A chat with Marlo:

How did you come up with the concept for If Tomorrow Never Comes?

If Tomorrow Never Comes began with a single image that popped powerfully into my mind – an old man, walking along a foggy beach at dawn, bending to pick up an old locket from the sand.  The rest of the story grew from there.  The funny thing is, when you read the book, you’ll find that Kinna finds the locket, not an old man.  But originally the image of the locket in the sand was so intriguing to me that I kept thinking about it until a story began to develop.

 

How closely is If Tomorrow Never Comes based on your personal experience? 

In If Tomorrow Never Comes, the main characters are struggling with the fall-out from infertility.  I’ve spent most of my adult life – 15 years – dealing with infertility and miscarriage.  I’ve had some successes along the way, and whole lot of failure, disappointment and pain.

So, as far as plot-line goes - what happens to the characters and how they’re changed and challenged through the book - that is uniquely Kinna & Jimmy’s story.  But the emotions, the fears, the questions they face are things I drew from my own experience.

The longing for a baby that seems like it will never be fulfilled.  I’ve been there.  Month after month of trying and failing.  Turning into year after year.  I’ve been there.  Frustration.  Doubt.  Wondering how God could possibly love me in the midst of this.  Been there.  Having to pry my white-knuckled fingers off my own hopes and dreams.  Been there.  Choosing to love anyway.  Choosing to believe anyway.  Choosing to trust God anyway.  Been there.

It seems that just about every deep and meaningful thing I’ve learned about God, I can point to my journey through infertility and say, “Yeah, infertility taught me that.”  It taught me that I’m not the god of my life.  God is.  It taught me there are things I cannot control, cannot achieve, no matter how hard I try.  And sometimes we must choose to live the life God has given us, with love and hope, even when it’s not the life we dreamed. 

Because infertility taught me that God calls us not to the pursuit of our dreams, but to love.  “Love one another,” Jesus says.   “Love your neighbor as yourself.”              God taught me that through the journey of my own infertility.  My hope is that If Tomorrow Never Comes will reveal the same truths to others as well.

 

What is the symbolism for the title If Tomorrow Never Comes?

The idea behind the title is that the choices and decisions we make today dramatically impact our future, our “tomorrows,” and not only ours but the tomorrows of others as well.  Choosing to love, choosing to do right despite pain, disappointment, and sorrow, allows tomorrow to come.  But choices made out of desperation, fear, and clinging to our own desires can cut off the future God wants for us.

We don’t know, we can’t see, what tomorrow holds.  So all we can do is do what’s right now, love now, trust now.  Because God sees the whole of our lives and weaves all things together, even those hard and painful things, in a way that will make a beautiful masterpiece in the Kingdom of God. 

So, really, the title means that if we choose love today, if we choose sacrificial love, God will hold our tomorrows in His hand.  That’s what’s at the heart of If Tomorrow Never Comes . . .the choice to love, the choice to believe, the choice to let go of our dreams in order to embrace His.  To do it today, for the sake of all our tomorrows.

Check out Marlo's website here, and I hope you'll check out If Tomorrow Never Comes.

Update on my mom

I wish I could find the words to say how much it means to me to know that so many of you are praying for my mom. The surgery yesterday was over four hours long but was successful in so many ways.

The doctors did find a mass located at the base of her liver near the bile duct (which we already knew that the bile duct had cancer). The surgeon took that tumor and over half of mom's liver, along with the bile duct. Then he reconstructed the duct and did the repair work.

It will be at least a week before the pathology report comes back on the tumor, so we don't know for sure whether that was malignant or benign. But the surgeon did take several other biopsies yesterday and had three pathologists standing by to read them--and they all came back "clean." Praise God! 

When asked if mom's remaining liver will regenerate in her lifetime, the doctor smiled and said that with proper nutrition, her liver will regenerate in about a month! God's design of the body 

is nothing short of amazing!

Here's my mom and dad pictured with our son when he moved into his college dorm this past fall.

Mom had a good night last night, her pain is under control and we're hoping she gets out of ICU today but that remains to be determined. She'll be in the hospital for another 7-10 days. The greatest obstacle right now (as we await the pathology report on the tumor and to find out if the cancer has spread) is the threat of infection. With all she's undergone--the invasive surgery, the tubes and drains, etc.--she has a 50/50 chance of infection setting in, which will bring unwanted complications.

But we all know that God doesn't let percentages bother Him. Nothing can stand in the way of His will. Whatever that is. Bless you all, again, for standing in the gap for me and my family. While I love words, sometimes, wonderful as they are, they fail to express our thanks. 

And to the kind friends who stayed with us in the waiting room yesterday, helping the hours to pass...God bless you. Your laughter and love made all the difference.

One last request, please...if you've visted CBD.com and have frequented their "Author Shop" (located here), then you've been blessed by the work of Dianne Burnett, the Fiction Coordinator at Christian Book Distributors.  Dianne's husband, Wayne, was very recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and was told his diagnosis at best is a 2-5% chance of recovery, and the doctor gave them no hope. 

But we know better, do we not, that God can heal with a thought if it's His will. Would you please join me in praying for Dianne and her husband, Wayne--for healing, for a miracle, and for an immovable faith as they walk this road.

Now to get a few words written before heading back up to the hospital. 

Continued blessings...

P.S. It's mom and dad's 55th Wedding Anniversary tomorrow (the 21st), and we'll be celebrating their life together. Of course mom won't remember due to the morphine, but oh well... We'll tell her about it. :-) 

Waitin' On a Woman

My daughter and I went to see Brad Paisley, Dierks Bentley, and Darius Rucker in concert together Saturday night and had such a fun time. I just love that girl so much, and it's nearly impossible to believe she graduates from college this May. Where did all the years go?

I enjoy country music, among many genres, and part of the reason is that country music tells stories. And of course, I love story. One of my favorite songs of the night was Waitin' on a Woman.

More on that in a second...

But first, I want to share what happened during a quiet moment of worship this weekend at church. While others were still singing, I closed my eyes and---anticipating leaving for Atlanta this week to be with my parents during mom's surgery on Thursday---I asked God that when the surgeon opened mom up, that the surgeon would find no cancer. Not a single abnormal cell of it. I know God can do that if He wills. With a thought, He can heal. I have no doubt. Then another prayer quickly followed on the heels of that one... Father, would you give us the strength to not just accept what's coming on Thursday, but to have the faith to give You praise no matter what the news is?

I was crying, of course. The music ended and we all sat down. I dabbed my eyes and reached for my glasses. Then heard the Lover of my soul echo my prayer right back to me in the words of the minister. Lloyd opened his message by saying (and I quote), "Are you praying for a miracle this morning? Or...are you praying for an immovable faith?"

I just sat there, stunned. And of course started crying all over again. LOL. But truly, I believe God was "answering" my prayer, in a sense. Not a promise of healing or of "great news" that we'll get on Thursday, but also not "A word of warning:batten down the hatches, a storm is coming." But rather, He just whispered back, "I'm here. I'm listening. I'm in control, and I'm holding your mom. And it's gonna be ok."

Thanks so much for your prayers for my mom, June. I'll keep in touch in regard to what comes. But whatever that is (say it with me...), igbok.

Now, back to Waitin' on a Woman. The first time I heard the song, I ran home and downloaded it. Then couldn't wait to watch the music video. If you've not seen it, take two minutes and enjoy it. Just click on the title of the song (the picture is one we took at the concert of the huge screen on the stage), and you'll be able to watch the music video. Love that Andy Griffith!



BTW, I love how so many of you have written saying you've gotten your own igbok bumper sticker. Cool! It's not too late. You can get yours here.

Giveaway - The Convenient Groom

It's that time again!

I'm giving away a copy of Denise Hunter's The Convenient Groom. If you're interested in your name going into the hat, please leave a comment below and we'll include you! We'll announce the winner on Friday, March 27th, so leave your comment by then.

Here's the back cover blurb:

Dr. Kate has it all-a radio talk show, a nationally-syndicated column, and a publisher who is paying for a lavish wedding to coincide with the release of her first book, Finding Mr. Right-For-You. But when her fiance jilts her the morning of the wedding, her life begins to crash around her. Who, after all, would want a relationship book by a counselor who can't even hold her own engagement together?

When Lucas Wright realizes what has happened, he offers to marry Kate and save her public image. Kate's heart-and her pride-have been deeply wounded. Are Lucas's handsome smile and utter devotion enough to convince her that her marriage is more than she had ever expected?

Denise Hunter is a wonderful romance writer and a great gal. If you've not read one of her books yet, you're in for a treat!

It's an overcast, foggy morning here in Tennessee--great for writing--and I need to get to it. I head for Atlanta later this week to take care of my mom who's having surgery on Thursday. We'll find out the extent of the cancer's spread then. We're praying for the best while also knowing that God will walk with us through whatever comes. 

Later, I'll post some pictures from a concert my daughter and I went to on Saturday night, but for now...time to write!

Latest in Christian Fiction

DiAnn Mills has a new book out and I enjoyed it so much I endorsed it! If you like romantic suspense, then read on...

A little about Breach of Trust--

Paige Rogers survived every CIA operative’s worst nightmare. A covert mission gone terribly wrong. A betrayal by the one man she thought she could trust. Forced to disappear to protect the lives of her loved ones, Paige has spent the last several years building a quiet life as a small-town librarian. But the day a stranger comes to town and starts asking questions, Paige knows her careful existence has been shattered. He is coming after her again. And this time, he intends to silence her for good.

Take a look around at the people you see every day. The friendly clerk at the coffee shop. The cheerful woman who teaches Sunday school. The quiet, unassuming librarian. Wouldn’t you be shocked if one of them turned out to be a former CIA operative with a secret too big to keep under wraps?

It could happen.

This edge-of-your-seat thriller is the first book in the new Call of Duty series. In Breach of Trust, Paige Rogers is a former CIA agent who is living incognito as a librarian in the sleepy little town of Split Creek, Oklahoma, after experiencing a life-altering disaster in the line of duty. But the unwelcome past has suddenly turned up to find her, in the form of a ruthless politician who is out to destroy everything Paige holds dear. She knows too much, and he’s desperate to silence her. Can she bring him down before he ruins her life? And most of all, what would the Lord want her to do?

--Endorsements:

“[Breach of Trust] is romance with an operative kick when the quiet life Paige Rogers enjoys is sent into overdrive by a past that refuses to stay buried.” —Tamera Alexander, best-selling author of From a Distance

“DiAnn Mills has crafted a tightly woven tale of danger and deception. Breach of Trust is a page turner to the very end.”—Kathy Herman, author of The Grand Scheme

“Mills creates extraordinary characters wrestling with profound life issues in the face of immediate danger. A surefire recipe for a great read!”—Jill Elizabeth Nelson, author of Reluctant Smuggler

Check out DiAnn's website and also the trailer for this book.

Latest in Christian Fiction

I'm thrilled to tell you about a new novel, When Love Blooms, by Robin Lee Hatcher. Robin's not only a gifted writer and speaker, she's a dear friend and she has a heart for romance. 

Here's a peek at her latest, When Love Blooms...

She could say what she wanted. Emily Harris didn't belong in the hard life of the Blakes. She would wilt there like a rose without water. He'd be sending her back to Boise before the first snows. He'd be willing to bet on it.

From the moment Gavin Blake set eyes on Emily Harris, he knew she would never make it in the rugged high country where backbreaking work and constant hardship were commonplace. Beautiful and refined, she was accustomed to the best life had to offer. Heaven only knew why she wanted to leave Boise to teach two young girls on a ranch miles from nowhere. He'd wager it had to do with a man. It always did when a beautiful woman was involved.

Emily wanted to make some sort of mark on the world before marriage. She wanted to be more than just a society wife. Though she had plenty of opportunities back East, she had come to the Idaho high country looking to make a difference. Gavin's resistance to her presence made her even more determined to prove herself. Perhaps changing the heart of just one man may make the greatest difference of all.

What people are saying about When Love Blooms:

Penned with the descriptive nibs of all the five senses, Robin Lee Hatcher transports the reader to the magnificent high country of Idaho in a thoroughly engaging tale of love and wounded heroes. When Love Blooms is layered with appealing characters, and I was so at home with the story's cast, I felt like I was like viewing my own family history. I have yet to read a Hatcher novel that didn't entrance me from the first page, and with a unique plot for a romance, When Love Blooms is no exception. Novel Reviews and I give it a high recommendation.
— Novel Reviews

About Robin--

Robin Lee Hatcher discovered her vocation as a novelist after many years of reading everything she could put her hands on, including the backs of cereal boxes and ketchup bottles. The winner of the Christy Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction (Whispers from Yesterday), the RITA Award for Best Inspirational Romance (Patterns of Love and The Shepherd's Voice), two RT Career Achievement Awards (Americana Romance and Inspirational Fiction), and the RWA Lifetime Achievement Award, Robin is the author of over 60 novels, including Catching Katie, named one of the Best Books of 2004 by the Library Journal. 

Robin enjoys being with her family, spending time in the beautiful Idaho outdoors, reading books that make her cry, and watching romantic movies. She is passionate about the theater, and several nights every summer, she can be found at the outdoor amphitheater of the Idaho Shakespeare Festival, enjoying Shakespeare under the stars. She makes her home on the outskirts of Boise, sharing it with Poppet the high-maintenance Papillon.

Click here for to watch the book trailer for When Love Blooms.

Puppies, ice cream, and squirrels

Before our daughter left town on spring break, heading west to visit her best friend, she tried to make us promise not to celebrate Jack's 3rd birthday (yesterday) until she got back. Which, of course, just made us want to celebrate Jack's 3rd birthday yesterday (while she was gone). Ornery, I know, but our family's funny that way...

Anyway, loving parents that we are, Joe and I snapped the following pictures last night and emailed them to her, just to let her know we care. ;) Scroll on down...

It's gorgeous here in Nashville today and I'm headed out to the deck to continue writing Within My Heart--unless my allergies (grrrrr....) chase me back inside.

Hope your week started out well, and thanks everyone for your continued prayers for my mom. She's tentatively scheduled for surgery next week. I'll let you know how that goes. Your encouragement and prayers have made all the difference.

And now, pics from the...ahem..."birthday party."

The squirrel lasted all of ten minutes. . . Oh well, he had fun! (Jack...not the squirrel). ;) 

Winners of the Giveaway

Thanks for entering the recent giveaway! The two winners are:

Maulsbys who receives A Passion Most Pure

and

Leigh who receives The True Identity Bible

If you gals will send me your snail mail address via the CONTACT page on my website, we'll get your books mailed this week. 

Many thanks everyone, and a new giveaway is coming later this week!

Interview and another chance to win The Inheritance

Thought I'd point you to a recent interview and another chance to win The Inheritance.

Hope you've had a great week!

Winners of Website Contest

Thanks to everyone who entered the website contest for copies of The Inheritance, the first historical in the Women of Faith Fiction line with Thomas Nelson. Your response to the giveaway was so encouraging!

Congrats to the following ladies whose names were drawn:

Debbie Epperson

Lindsay Delipper

Amy Kittel

Deborah Khuanghlawn

Marilyn Mustain

The next contest is already up. Enter to win one of five copies of Beyond This

 Moment which releases this month! 

Beyond This Moment is the second book in the Timber Ridge Reflections series. You can find out more about the book here. 

Current contest ends March 31 so sign up soon!

Flat tires and clipping nails

I'm currently sitting in Moody's Tire in Franklin waiting for a new tire to be put on my husband's car. His left front tire blew this morning on the way to work so he limped back home on the "donut" and we traded vehicles for the day. I needed to run some errands this morning anyway...

But really now...what is it with men who clip their nails in public? And then let the remnants just fall to the floor? I truly don't think a woman would ever do that. Would we? Reminds me of an Everybody Loves Raymond episode. So funny... Except that one of those "remnants" just went flyin' and nearly landed on my laptop! Okay, there are definite limits to my sweetness (just ask my family).

I recently splurged big time and bought the Beth Moore updated DVD study series A Woman's Heart, God's Dwelling Place, and began watching it last night. Oh. My. Goodness. God certainly knew I needed this study at this particular point in my life. I started weeping on the elliptical, then was boohooing by the time I got on the treadmill. But it was a cleansing cry.

I know you know what I mean.

Beth started reading the scriptures in Exodus, setting up the study and explaining the premise, the tabernacle, and linking the instructions God gave the Hebrews in Exodus to the final words about the tabernacle in Revelation 21, and I was overwhelmed at how thorough and perfect and magnificent our gracious God truly is. 

How could I ever not trust Him? Trust His hand in my life, and in my family's life. In my mother's life.

Mom and dad came this weekend along with my brother and his sweet family, and we had sucha wonderful time. Here are some quick pics we snapped yesterday morning before mom and dad hit the road.

Mom's doing okay. To look at her above you probably wouldn't even realize she's so sick. She's getting stronger every day (recovering from recent gallbladder surgery), but she tires easily. In about two weeks, she faces another surgery that will reveal the road ahead of us. I'll keep you updated as to what the doctors find and, in the meanwhile, we appreciate those prayers. 

My parents don't own a computer. I've offered to buy them a laptop and they just smile and shake their heads--a look I got a lot growing up. So while they were here I shared this blog with them and the precious comments you guys have made regarding mom's recent cancer diagnosis (I also shared some of your private notes to me where you say you're praying for her). They were both so touched and amazed at how many people across the country are petitioning God for her healing. So thank you, friends, for that special time.

Now, the car's about ready. I see them pulling it up out front. I think I'll stop by Panera Bread on the way home and grab a latte--and clip my nails. :-)