The Blind Housewife: Morning Devotions

This morning I felt the Lord leading me to read the following Scriptures. I copied them here for you. I tried to copy and paste the King James 1611 version, but the website I found had it copied from the original text, which is not a bad thing, but I didn't think y'all would be able to read it with U's as V's and V's as U's and I's as J's and... Anyway, this is the 1769 version, which reads just like my King James. So, here's what I read when I opened up the word.

1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord [is] gracious.
4 To whom coming, [as unto] a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, [and] precious,
5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ

Do I feel malice toward anyone? No. What about guile? I don't think so. What about envy? Uh...well, not the evil kind. Am I a hypocrite? No, at least I try not to be. I try to be true to what I claim. I guess, though, if I do feel some envy, even if it isn't filled with hate, then I am not being as true as I thought i was.

Now, what about those spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God by Jesus Christ? Well, I desire to do more for God. I want to be a daughter He can count on. There are places I would like to go, things I would like to do in order to spread His love and message of salvation. I want to do my part to be that living stone, part of the house. But, it feels like God is closing the door on what I want to do.

Here's where I might be a bit envious. A friend of mine has her own publishing company. Now, I don't envy her; I don't want that responsibility. :) Today she is going to a book signing. A couple of months ago she went to a book signing. I'm an author. I have published two books, and yet, I'm still here at home. Two months ago my youngest was sick. Today my oldest girl has a fever and a bit of a cough. I want to promote my books. Both of them are Christian books. I am certain God gave them to me. So, what on earth does He want me to do with them? How can i promote them, if I can't go anywhere?

Just so there's no misunderstanding, I'm happy for Peggy Hoy and her books. Y'all can check them out at either

http://www.hoyfamily.net/

or

http://www.fhpublish.com/

Here's something else. I have a friend who is in the ICU, sitting at her husband's bedside. He's on a ventilator, and the doctors don't know why. He can't talk to his wife because of the tube down his throat, and he can't communicate via sign language, because they have restrained him. My friend is blind, so even if he points to something, she can't see it. The hospital he is in is about twenty miles from my house. I'd like to go down there, and at least give my friend a hug and let her know I care, but I can't. I don't have a driver; I don't have a babysitter...and well, it irritates me that I can't be of any help to my friend.

But, one thing I'm sure of, God knows best. My Father in heaven is telling me as clear as the day to be content to stay home and take care of my own. Sometimes, I find myself asking Him, "But, every day, Lord? Day in, day out, stay home?" His answer, I reckon is "YES!"

I love my kids, don't get me wrong, but this is getting hard, and i need y'all to pray for me. Being a full-fledged Titus 2 woman is apparently God's will for me, and I know He will give me all I need to accomplish what He wants me to. So, why am I struggling?

I'm stubborn, and that's the reason. I'm hard-headed, too. lol I'm tired, and the flesh does grow weak, sometimes. But, the Word does say that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. It also says, He will never leave me. Jesus tells me to cast my cares upon Him, for He cares for me. He also says His yoke is easy and His burden light.

All right, God, I give up. Your will be done, not mine. I'll stay home today. I'll care for my babies, do the laundry, clean the kitchen. I'll keep to home. :) Now, Lord, help me to do it with a cheerful attitude. As for tomorrow, well, your word says to take no thought for the morrow, so I won't.

Well, there you have it. I didn't write all that to invoke sympathy or to complain; just being as honest as I know how to be. These are thoughts and feelings anyone would have, sighted or blind. I guess if I could give any advice, it would be, live in an accessible area before you have kids. Then, when you need or want to go somewhere, it won't be so difficult. Other than that, pray, pray and pray some more. And, if you can't think of anyone to pray for, pray for me. :) Happy Friday, y'all!

On Books and Writing

I am not a superstitious person. I don't believe in bad luck or good luck. But, I am firmly convinced that if I talk about a story too much without writing it, it will never get written. It's almost like talking about it, jinxes it or something. If I reveal my secrets too soon, I never finish the book.

Here lately, it seems I can't finish any story, talked about or not. Maybe, depression has had some part in this, but I think it's more of a lack of direction on my part. When I published "Wild Heart", there for a while I was on cloud nine. I was ready to get the word out about my book. I wrote the sequel within eighteen months and published it through CreateSpace. I have sold less than fifty copies of that book, I would guess. Publish America says I haven't sold a book in over a year and want to know if I want to pay $149 to have my contract back. Those idiots need a wake up call, if you ask me. I didn't pay to have it published, they have made more money off me already. No way am I paying them for my contract, when I can have it back for free in a couple of years. CreateSpace, on the other hand isn't asking for any money, but my book isn't selling, either. I don't like how it came out, actually. So, what to do?

My friend, Peggy Hoy has her own Christian publishing company and has agreed to publish the second edition of "To Tame A Heart". I would like to do this for a couple of reasons, not the least of which, I could bring the price of the book down, and she can make it look better. But, what keeps running through my mind, is why pay all that money to have it printed? Will I sell enough copies to make it worth while? If I held on to the manuscript, could I submit it to Harlequin or pitch it to a literary agent?

Here are some hard truths I am coming to understand:
1. While "Wild Heart" and "To Tame A Heart" are my babies, they are not my best. I can do better.
2. People, no matter what these vanity presses are saying, do not want to buy books, and if they do, they don't want to pay more than $7.99 for it.
3. Even if I manage to wow an agent or an editor with my log line, signing a contract with a mainstream publisher means a full-time job, which means I will need babysitters in order to meet deadlines. Working full-time doesn't leave a lot of room for homeschooling. I'm not sure that is the route I want to take.
4. I just don't have hundreds of dollars lying around to spend whenever I finish a book.

So, do I sound depressed to you? Or, are these things to consider, things that make sense?

I believe I am called to sing. I believe I am called to play the piano. I believe I am called to be a stay-at-home wife and mom. I believe I am called to homeschool my kids. I believe I am called to write. All I need now, is for the Lord to reveal unto me, just what He wants me to do with it all. :)

Just so you won't think I'm totally negative, I am writing. I had a manuscript lying around here with 6k words. Monday, four days ago, I started working on it in earnest. It's up to 12,393 words, now. It's not a Western, it's not a historical at all, unless you consider the 1980's to be a long time ago. lol I don't have any plans for it, just to finish it and do my best. Maybe, that's all I need to worry about. Maybe, the problem is I wrote "To Tame A Heart" for a few someones. Maybe, this WIP is working because it is for me. But, then again, maybe not. I don't know. I do know, however, I keep praying, and God keeps the ideas coming. I need y'all's prayers that I finished this one. Maybe, when it's done, the third book in the "Wild Heart" series will happen, or the mail-order-bride story will happen, or...well, I could name a number of stories I've started, but I won't. :)

Just for your amusement, here's a story Kierstin, my 4-year-old told me this morning. I transcribed it, just as she told it to me.

"Devils and Pigs" by Kierstin Wells Transcribed by Shannon Wells
the big man that's named Deck. he was so crazy like the crazy man from the Bible. He hurt hisself with rocks like the crazy man did. people tried to chain him up with ropes and chains but he broke them with his teeth, not like the crazy man. The demons got out of him and he broke the chains for kids. The kids had loose pants so they had chains for belts. and then, the demons got in the pigs, then they were crazy like the crazy man. After the demons got in the pigs, they got bad and shouted out like evil crazy pigs. then they hurt thereselfs with chains. they were crazy awful. The pigs were crazy and that's all.

Thanks for reading, and feel free to join the conversation with your two cents worth. Until next time, keep on keeping on. :)

Presenting First Time Novelist, Peggy Hoy!

From international drug lords, to country preachers; from hopelessness to faith in Christ, "Classified" by first-time novelist, Peggy Hoy, has it all. Not your run-of-the-mill Christian fiction, this book will keep you on your toes from beginning to end. Just when ou think you know what is going to happen, Hoy surprises you with something new. I literally did not want to put it down, and I stayed up all night to finish it. With characters so real they seem to pop out at you from the pages, and with action so fast paced and real, you will soon find yourself in Hoy's world, laughing, grieving, and living right alongside her characters. This book is funny and sad, full of suspense and joy, and the message of God's love pours out through every word. "Classified" is a must read! I highly reccomend it.

Shannon: So, Peggy, what was your motivation for writing "Classified?"

Peggy: That's funny. It was a whim, actually, that evolved into so much more. I say it really started as a whim because I was turning forty and wanted to see if I could accomplish something. I joked that I was setting out to write the Great American Novel. Of course, like I said, after a while, I found that I truly had a desire to glorify the Lord in the story. When I set my heart to that, it all fell in place and I found the help I needed to finally finish something I started. 

Shannon: Did you base your characters on real life people?

Peggy: I didn't start out to, but as my characters developed, I found that some of the personality traits in my characters - especially Ranson Hilliard - were found in a couple of men I knew. There are a couple other people who helped inspire Amy, but just bits and pieces. Sam, however is a totally fictitious character. 

Shannon: Well, I have to say, Sam is my favorite character. :) So, is there a sequel? Can you tell us what we can expect?

Peggy: There is a sequel called "Closest Enemies" which continues to develop the first characters to be introduced and introduces a few more. You can expect kidnapping, fraud, counterfeiting and of course some more tender moments and life-changing events to add some spice. There is also a third book which wraps everything up in a neat little bow, I hope anyway! It's got murder and an all too-real terrorism plot.

Shannon: Wow! I can't wait. It sounds like you have a lot planned. When did you first realize you wanted to write books?

Peggy: I've always wanted to. Like I said, I've never been able to actually get it all to come together.

Shannon: I'm curious, and I know everyone else is, too; who or what inspires you the most?

Peggy: There are a million things that inspire me. It can be something as simple as a phrase I catch from someone telling about an event that happened to them, a picture I see or even a song. I'll be honest, too. You inspire me! I love talking to you about my work because you always have positive feedback, and since you had blazed the entire book publishing and printing trail for me, it made it much easier not to worry about the little hangups and just write!

Shannon: Well, thank you. Truthfully, you inspire me, too. "Classified" seemed to come to you so easy. It almost seems like you did quite of bit of reading to study your craft. Do you like to read as much as you like to write?

Peggy: I love to read when I'm not writing. When I'm writing, I don't want to read anything because it might inadvertantly cause me to write something about what I've read. I read my Bible, but I limit my reading to that while I'm writing. When I'm not writing, I'd love to find some Christian books which aren't so, well frankly, sappy. 

Shannon: I know what you mean. Do you have a favorite author?

Peggy: I like to read after Debi Pearl for devotionals and marriage and child training guidance for non-fiction. As for fiction, before I was convicted for reading so much profanity, my favorite author was Diana Gabaldon with her Outlander series. For Christian fiction, I like Frank Peretti, but I like him much better when he writes alone and not with someone else.  Also there is this local author named Shannon Wells who does a pretty good job, too, and I'm not just saying that because of the interview!

Shannon: Awe, you're too sweet. :) I think you're a pretty good writer, too. So, do you have any favorite books out there?

Peggy: I like This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness by Frank Peretti, and some of his other works, but I woulndn't read and re-read them. 

Shannon: Besides writing, what other hobbies do you enjoy?

Peggy: I sing with my family in a bluegrass gospel group and we travel all over the country doing that. I like to sew quilts and I enjoy helping families learn how to begin homeschooling.

Shannon: You are a busy lady. lol How do you find time to write between singing engagements, home school, and all the traveling you do with your family?

Peggy: I have no idea! Honestly, I don't know where the time was stuffed in there. I stayed up a few nights, but my body isn't used to that and shut down without my permission most of the time. I never write when I'm at a meeting, either, because I want to focus on the ministry and pray for the services without hindrance of thinking about a plot during preaching!  As far as homeschooling goes, it was Sarah's senior year and Logan didn't need me much either, so I guess that's where it happened. When I got started I would write probably sixty to eighty pages at a time, though. God was really good to give it to me like that!

Shannon: I notice your book is published by Father's House Publishing. I do not think anyone has heard of that publisher before. Can you tell us more about it?

Peggy: Father's House Publishing is my brainchild. As I looked for a publisher, I found that it was very expensive, first off. Secondly, I found that all the Christian publishers I could find were not all that picky about what they published or what version of the Bible the works featured. I stand strongly on the final authority of the King James Bible, and was convicted about having a company who promoted other bibles put their signature on my books. So I was led to start my own publishing company for the sole purpose of not having my name associated with any company who does not honor the Word of God exclusively in the King James Bible. I found that it not only eased my spirit, it cost me a whole lot less to do it myself than to go with an established publisher. I could have published for free through some other companies on line, but again, their name would be on my work. 

Shannon: What advice would you give to all those aspiring authors out there?

Peggy: Keep it real. Even if it's fiction, you can make it believable! I know that junk sells, but I don't know how some of those authors actually rest at night knowing they put out so much trash! It's like cheese puffs, all air and no good stuff! Stay away from cliche phrases and leave some things to the readers' imaginations. It's not necessary to describe every little detail. Last but not least, write, write, write! 

Shannon: Sound advice! Is there anything else you would like to share?

Peggy: Thank you for the opportunity to share some information with you about "Classified" and Father's House Publishing! I appreciate your interest, and look forward to working with you in the future!

Shannon: No, Peggy, the pleasure was all mine. Thank you!

So, there y'all have it! "Classified by Peggy Hoy can be purchased from the publisher's website

www.fhpublish.com

It costs $10 plush $3 for shipping and handling and Father's House Publishing accepts payments through PayPal.

Peggy mentioned her family's singing group. She sings with her husband, Ron, her daughter Sarah and her son Logan. The whole family is sincere, and their spirit filled singing blesses me everytime I hear it. They play their own instruments; no sound tracks for these folks. :) Check out the Hoy Family's website at

www.hoyfamily.net

Thank you for joining me today! Y'all have a wonderful weekend, and I'll catch ya on Monday!