Friday, June 8, 2012

The Blessing


Some days I am so overwhelmed by the blessings that I have received from God that I don’t know how to process them.  I am excited to the point of feeling a bit nauseous.  This would be one of those days.  How does one share their good news with others when they are surrounded by news that isn’t good?  I am not sure how you start the conversation.  I’m not sure how you share the excitement when others are sad.  So I haven’t.  I have prayed for the right time, for the timing of God is perfect. 

For the last several months I have been rather busy on my computer.  The tightness of my jeans is a testament to that fact.  The reason for this is that in the next week or two my first book will be released.  I am so excited.  This journey that God has led me down has been exciting and overwhelming and just plain amazing.  I am in awe of this blessing He has bestowed upon me.  The entire thing has been His will and His timing; I am neither smart enough nor savvy enough to have pulled this off on my own.  In fact there has been a team working the entire thing out.  I have been blessed with an amazing editor and publisher, graphic designer, and others working to get this project ready that I have never met.  Again I say I am amazed.
My Book Cover


More information will be coming soon about the release.  I can tell you that it will be available first as an e-book.  The printed version is being worked on now.  Thank you to all who have been so supportive, to my team, and most especially to God; for without you nothing is possible and only with you is everything.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Two Girls, Pedicures, and a Black Van


My friend Christi and I get together about once every six to eight months.  Our visits are too far and few between but when we do find the time to get together we have a great time.  On our most recent adventure we met in a town that’s somewhat midway for us as I am a big chicken when it comes to driving on large interstates.  That is the nice thing about having a friend who accepts every part of you, you don’t have to have an anxiety attack in the middle of a six lane interstate with cars whizzing by at a hundred miles an hour.  Where they are in such a hurry to get to I will never know.  We met for breakfast then planned out our day. 

We went shopping at Kohl’s then decided to get pedicures.  Doesn’t getting a pedicure sound nice?  It has been about five years since I have had a pedicure.  What I remembered was getting to sit in the large massage chair.  So it is like a bonus, a massage and pretty toes at the same time.  When we get there, there is a bit of a wait.  We pick out our colors then sit and visit while we wait for our turn.  When a chair opens up my friend graciously lets me get started first.  When I sit in the chair I immediately start pushing buttons to get the chair working.  It starts out innocently enough.  I feel a roller climbing up my back “This is nice. It feels like when I would have my husband roll the rolling pin up and down my back when I was pregnant.  I like it.”  That was my first thought, this started to change.  The seat started to squeeze the hind quarters you see, and then a new roller got to work.  Then my thoughts shifted.  My first thought was “Oh, um, wait, no, Hey Now!  I didn’t say you could go there!”  So I started pushing more buttons, eagerly searching for the one button that would stop the chair from violating me further.  When I finally find the correct button and get the seat part to stop its exploration of my rear, I of course, continue playing with the buttons to see what all it can do.  This makes the little lady giving me my pedicure pause to see if something is wrong.  I tried to explain to her that everything was fine; I was only playing with it.  She wasn’t convinced so finally I exclaim “It is fine, I’m playing because I am a child.  I can’t not push the buttons.”   She then smirks to herself and gets back to work.  Finally she says to me “Flower?” to which I say “sure” because I wasn’t exactly sure what she had said.  So I got a flower, if you are interested, it costs $5.00 extra for that service.  I am finished with my pedicure and sent over to the drying station while I wait for my friend to get finished.  This takes quite some time because the first gentleman didn’t bother to go to her chair and went to a different chair and the next gentleman was in no hurry.  We did enjoy our visit while we waited and plotted er planned our next adventure while we waited. 

We went to the mall.  Going to the mall is not always as interesting as it is when we are together.  In the entire parking lot, my friend chooses to park next to the menacing looking black van with tinted back windows.  She comments on this as she parks.  “That van looks like a kidnapping van.”  She says.  “Yes it sort of does.  So why are we parking here?”  I say.  “Oh it will be fine.  Do you think they would try to pull me into the driver’s side window?”  “No I think they would pull you in through the larger door on the other side of the van.”  As we get out and walk towards the mall she stops to notice the doors.  “I think you are right.  You know I think someone may live in that van.  I think I saw pillows and blankets back there.”  “Really, you want to stand in the middle of the parking lot next to the kidnapping van and access?  Maybe they want you to be comfortable while they abduct and violate you?  I don’t know!  WALK toward the entrance to the mall before we get nabbed for being stupid.”  This then spurs an onslaught of laughter that carries through the book store and into the restroom and a few giggles here and there the rest of the time we are together.  There was an uncomfortable moment while in the book store coffee shop where we thought the man who lives in the van might be deciding whether or not he could take us.  We, I do believe, changed his mind with the antics we started while there and fortunately when we walked back by the menacing van, no one was there to nab us. 

I don’t know why God looked at the two of us girls and decided that He would bless us with this friendship.  Or maybe I should say I don’t know what He thought I could bring to it because I am so blessed to have this kind, funny, intelligent, warm individual to be my sister in Christ and best friend.  I am so glad He did and I cannot wait till our next adventure.