Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Seeing the Finish Line and Starting a New Race...

Usually in the middle of the old one.

I have a couple of projects on the go at any one time. Thinking up ideas for new books while researching others and writing another one. I one time thought I should only work on one thing at a time, but soon found that was impossible. I come up with ideas in the strangest places.

Like Church for instance. My current WIP (work in progress) started out as an idea when I was watching an extreme moto cross event. I started to wonder what it would take for a Christian to be that sold out to God. Xtreme Xianity was born.

So what does that have to do with Church? I was listening to a sermon that had nothing to do with this idea when i suddenly had the outline for this book in my head. I wrote it down, mainly because I've come to realize that my mind will also forget about it until I am in the middle of something else.

This book looks at the lives of biblical characters and what it was about them, their attitude, faith and actions that made them extreme followers of God. I hesitate to say Christian because some of these people are Old Testament people.

It has been a remarkable journey writing this book. There are the obvious ones, like Abraham and faith, Paul and commitment, or David and attitude. But there are ones that most of us would never consider.

People like Anna and Simeon. Only mentioned in Luke, but a shining example to us of their devotion. Consider the unconditional love of Hosea or the perseverance of Jeremiah. We often associate patience with Job, but when you examine his life, it is his hope that stands out.

So in the midst of writing this book, I am editing my first novel, Free and putting the finishing touches to The Bible School Dropout's Guide to Dispensationalism, which I'm sure will be a best seller...

While I am doing this I get this idea: Do I have enough of the summaries and charts I designed during the past few years to create a book of just these charts for designer Bible studies. The Bible School Dropout's Book of Charts was born.

During this time, I received some questions about a failed family calendar that was suppose to be completed the year before. The person who was responsible for putting it together bailed and I ended up with a family tree project. So I released four titles while still working on Xtreme Xianity. Not to mention my study guide for Genesis 1-11, now working on chapter five.

So now i am almost done the draft for Xtreme just in time to get ready for Nanowrimo... National Novel Writing Month - only 41 days away. There is still the study guide for Genesis 1-11 and the next project on the horizon after that...

ah the writing life.. and i still have my day job.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Coming Home

Oops. my bad....


I offer my sincere apologies to the blog-chain members of Christian Writers. I was unplugged for the weekend and it occurred to me I was suppose to do something. That something was participating in September's chain and my day was Labor Day, September 5.

"Let me see that baby!" were the first words my wife and I heard as we came home for the first time with our daughter. She was a bright and gurgly six-month old and we were arriving home for her first Christmas with the family.

It wasn't fun traveling at Christmas time with a family in tow. It was 40 below. We had lots of luggage and a baby to check through and carry on. There was a delay while the plane was de-iced. That made us late for our connecting flight to Sault Ste. Marie. The airline was ice enough to hold the flight long enough for use to get on.

It was quite interesting racing through the airport 20 some odd gates to get to our plane. It had already been boarded and the attendant was waiting for us. She grabbed some of our stuff and escorted us out to the plane. It wasn't a nice comfortable jet, but a turbo prop that carried about 30 passengers.

Well, almost all of us got on. Our luggage didn't make it until the next day.

We came through the gates and before we could say anything, my parents had ripped baby Kimberly out of our arms and were awing and oohing over her. It was only after a few minutes had passed that they realized we were there too.

Well, Christmas came off well, We collected our luggage. Two sets of grandparents spoiled our daughter. Two Christmas dinners to chow down on. And the discovery our family would soon grow again. A bet that earned me a chinese dinner.

It was at that point we started to discuss the idea of moving back home. When there was just the two of us it was more important to be together, to get our careers off the ground, make our place together. But with children to consider, we had to weigh that against what would be best for our family. We decided thqt it was more important for our children to get to know their roots. Shortly after our visit home we decided to move back.

In our Christian walk, It also important have a place we call home. A local Assembly where we can grow and exercise our gifts. A place where we can fellowship and worship with like minded people. A place to put down roots. A place to come home to.


You can follow the chain by clicking on the link to the right. The next couple of bloggers are;

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  • 9/8: Michele Archer, http://mlarcher.webs.com/apps/blog/" target="_blank">M. L. Archer Writer

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  • 9/9: Brian Jones, http://andeluvia.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Andeluvia