Productive week

Friday at 4:30 and I'm finishing up a late lunch. I've had a productive and restful spring break. This week I have: submitted my first novel to another agent, submitted my sci fi short story to a magazine, edited 50% of my second novel, read a great book on writing YA novels, revised some query letters, downloaded guidelines to Christian magazines I hope to sell articles (6), I've already written, applied for a writing grant, went to the park and wrote some poetry, and brainstormed some ideas for the next series of novels I want to write.
A busy, productive week. It did get off to a slow start and I let it. I still needed to process losing my job next school year and where in the world will I work in three month. That's where immersing myself in God and His word helps. He said don't worry just write.
And so I have. Through fits and starts this week I got alot done.
Next week is open transfer period and I have to start competing with other teachers, who lost their position like me, or just want to switch, for the few slots that are out there. It's gonna be stressful but I have determined in my heart to write through it. To not let my homelike or my writing suffer due to circumstances I have no control over. Jesus says in John 14:27 "let not your heart be troubled, nor afraid." I gotta go with what He says cause it's my lifeline.

Restoration

I found a house for sale. Only $8,000.00. To say it's a fixer upper would be a gross understatement. It would be a fun project, but it would take way too much of my time.

Now the house I am truly interested in was built in 1920, has 5 bedrooms and two baths. It is two stories and sells for $35,000. An investor bought it, was seeing dollar signs after restoring it- in the $350,000 range, and then the housing market collapsed.

It is a beautiful house, original hardwood floors, fireplace(probably decorative only at this point), original windows. It would give me just the right amount of challenge to restore it. Am I going to buy it? Well, I have to check it out first. Termite damage-yes or no, New roof-yes or no, Rotting floors-yes or no. Original electrical wiring-yes or no.
Because that $35,000 price tag could easily jump to $150,000, or be unrepairable.

I love the idea of restoring an older home. Taking something that still has value and bringing it back to its glory.

Like God does with us. He sees us as we are-downtrodden, broken, defeated and restores us through His son Jesus.
He takes us as He formed us, strips away what the world has piled on us, and makes us shiny and whole again.

Being a lover of all things antique (historical) I am intrigued by this house. I have always loved "old" things and time periods.

In regards to my writing, upon the completion of my third novel, I will be dipping my fountain pen into the well of historical fiction-specifically young adult historical fiction. By that time I hope to have raised the funds I need for a trip to Scotland. That trip will allow me to work on several novel ideas, historical and present based.

Change

I took the weekend to unwind as my uncle suggested. But also to spend time at the park seeking God's direction.
Change happens; many times without our permission. That's what happened to me Friday. I know good will come out of it, and I know I'm not the only single parent that has found themselves having to dust off their resume, dig out their interview suit (where is it anyway), and hit the pavement looking for work.
Natasha Bedingfield's "Unwritten" is playing in my ear as I write this. I sometimes wonder if God uses the shuffle feature on my phone's iPod to get my attention-to remind me.

Oddly enough it has lent more passion to my writing. I'm not in a panic of "If I don't get published we'll starve", I trust in the Lord with all my heart (Proverbs 3:5-6).

I enjoyed my time of relaxation this weekend.
I also found some dig opportunities for this summer (my anthropology degree) in various places. I figured it would be cool to spend a week or two lying in the dirt digging up fossils, or shell middens, or an abbey in Ireland (okay that one's gonna cost me airfare), but still like the song says "The rest is still unwritten".

Hiccups

Have you had the hiccups? A severe case that went on for minutes?
It causes you to stop what you're doing and focus on getting rid of them.
I've been focusing on my hiccups for the past couple of weeks and haven't written or blogged ( 1 entry).
Much prayer, solitude (at the park), bible reading, and a great book by Kevin Leman "Have a new you by Friday", helped me address my hiccups.
You see, I had some life hiccups that I'd been ignoring. And the thing about hiccups is they must be addressed.
What were my hiccups? Well, you'll have to read my 4th novel (I'm still at the research stage because it's a fantasy/historical novel), to find out. I'm taking some of those hiccups and creating a fictitious character.
It feels good to be hiccup free. That is not to say that an occasional hiccup won't come my way, but I am being proactive and not reactive.
It also means my life is dramatically changing. Which is good. As Gandalf told King Theoden in LORD OF THE RINGS THE TWO TOWERS: "Breathe the free air."
Oh I'm drinking deep of this air and loving it.

Aliens

This week I am paying homage to my love of science fiction by writing a series of short stories based on sci-fi.
The purpose is two or three fold if you will.
I miss writing short stories. I want to work on my setting, and characterization. And I want to have a collection of sci fi short stories to self publish (possibly).
The one I am working on today came from a dream I had. It's cool. Aliens and a surprise ending.