Some Forks in the Road

It's been a long while since my journey has brought me to this place. It was a busy summer that quickly morphed into fall and the first fork in the road appeared. Maybe I should call it a detour, because unlike Frost's poem, I didn't have a choice in which direction to go. In October I was asked by my employer of almost 18 years to take early retirement. But wait!! This wasn't in MY plan. I still have a car payment and a mortage. Ah, there is a proverb that says man plans his life, but God determines his steps. And Jerimiah 29:11 tells me the Lord has plans for me, plans not to harm or cause calamity. Plans to give me hope and a future. So starting November 1st I entered the world of retirement. I spent a month or two trying to figure out what I was to do. Get a part-time job to make up the difference between paycheck and pension? Write like mad and try earning some money at it? By the time January rolled around I sensed God leading me down the writing path. At least give it a shot. Since then I've been making each day a work day. Up early and as soon as devotions are finished I hit the writing trail. Out the queries have flown to magazines, both secular and Christian. And a new cozy plot is developing and almost ready to pitch to a new CBA line. What fun! I'm loving it!

A few weeks ago I received news I'm a finalist in an upcoming anthology about real people coming to Jesus. I'll refrain from anymore details until I know it's a done deal. But what a boost that was.

Then this week another blow, another loss. My beloved cat, Max, became deathly ill. Actually I guess he'd been dealing with the kidney disease for a while before it got so bad I took notice of it. The vet assured me cats are masters at disguising it when they feel sick. Even so I keep asking myself if I was so preoccupied with my own issues that it blew right past me. You see by the time I took notice the disease was so advanced my only choice was to put him down on Tuesday morning. Again, I've been told there is no way to arrest the disease when it strikes...perhaps manage it by extreme measures, but you can't make it go away through medicine. I still have his half sister and we're doing okay. I've cried a bucket since Tuesday and I'm probably not over it yet. I know God is in control and His timing is best. I have to accept that. The photo at the top of this posting shows Max on the left and Chessie on the right.

So now I'm off to write some more. I just got a nibble on a query. Guess I'd better get that article written!