キャミー・タング著「戌年」連載小説 プロのドッグトレーナーであるマリ・ムトウは、厄年を迎えている。 犬小屋と訓練所の改築をしながら、いつも不服そうにしている家族と同居することになった。母と姉に言わせれば、犬の毛とよだれかけにまみれる仕事は、家族にとって恥ずべきものだという。彼女は元カレを説得し、数ヶ月間犬を預かってもらうことにした。しかし、彼の兄は、数週間前に彼女が誤って車に追突した、怒り狂ったセキュリティ専門家であることが判明する。 アシュウィン・ケイトウは十分な問題を抱えている。叔母が玄関先に現れ、同居を希望している。彼は彼女にすべてを借りているので、断ることができません。母親が家を出て行った後、ネルおばさんはアシュウィンと弟を引き取り、愛のあるキリスト教の家庭で育てた。しかも、弟のダスティもアパートを追い出され、居場所を求めている。しかし、彼は犬を飼っている。そして、その犬の飼い主は誰だと思いますか? しかし、旧友でオアフ島のノースショアでデイスパを経営する私立探偵のエディサ・ゲレロから依頼を受ける。マリの施設で奇妙な破壊行為があり、3年前に失踪したエディサの妹の財布を発見する。エディサはマリが危険な目に遭っているのではと心配する。警備の専門家であるアシュウィンがすでにマリを知っていることを知ったエディサは、忙しい若い女性を密かに監視することを彼に依頼する。 アシュウィンは、活発でのんびりとしたドッグトレーナーに不本意ながら惹かれていく。彼女は、幸せそうな母親を思い出させる。その母親の裏切りによって、彼は人と距離を置くようになったのだ。マリは、アシュウィンの冷たい外見を見抜き、彼が家族に忠実な男であることを認める。彼は、彼女のキャリア選択を批判するだけの母親や姉とは違う。 マリのバラバラな家庭とアシュウィンのバラバラな家庭の中で、過去を隠そうとする人たちから、彼らの周りに危険が迫ってくるようになる。彼らは、影で動く秘密に光を当てることができるのか? 過去に発表されたパートへのリンクはこちら。 *** 第8章 - 恐ろしくも真っ白な不動産書類 『みんな仲良くできないのかな?』 マリは無用に力を込めて箱に本を投げ入れた。最近、なぜ彼女は人生の中で全員と言い争いをしているのだろう?もしかすると、これは本当に悪いアイデア
Captain’s Log, Supplemental
Blog book giveaway:
To enter, go to the blog links below and post a comment there.
My Thursday book giveaway is The Cubicle Next Door by Siri Mitchell.
My Monday book giveaway is Calm, Cool and Adjusted by Kristin Billerbeck
You can still enter both giveaways. On Thursday, I'll draw the winner for the The Cubicle Next Door and post the title for another book I'm giving away.
Win an iPod Nano! Exclusively for my newsletter YahooGroup subscribers, I have a huge contest running until January 31st! Get more info on my contest page!
My Blog Bible Study in Isaiah:
Zion will be restored by justice;
Those who repent will be revived by righteousness.
Isaiah 1:27
I thought this was the theme of chapter one in Isaiah. God wants his people to repent but he also promises judgment.
This spoke to me about his character—He is active. He will move and he has moved.
I can’t take lightly the Word of the Lord, what he’s promised to do, the actions he says he’ll take. It expands my view of him, gives him a more terrible and wonderful cast.
Chapters 2 and 3 can be summed up in this verse:
Human pride will be brought down,
And human arrogance will be humbled.
Only the Lord will be exalted
On that day of judgment.
Isaiah 2:11
(It must be important, it’s repeated in verse 17.) It’s another promise of God’s actions against his disobedient people, and more importantly—why.
I think I don’t remember God’s power and holiness as much as I should. He promises to destroy Jerusalem and Judah in order to purify it (4:4). That’s pretty extreme. God is pretty extreme. That’s why he’s God.
Where is my heart? I think about God as my father and my friend, but I don’t think about him as holy and powerful, and that’s also part of his character. I can’t ignore some aspects of him just because they’re unpleasant in my little world.
Will I be among the holy remnant, purified?
Tell the godly that all will be well for them.
They will enjoy the rich reward they have earned!
But the wicked are doomed,
For they will get exactly what they deserve.
Isaiah 3:10-11
TMI:
Writing: I posted another article on developing your writer’s voice at my Story Sensei blog.
Blog book giveaway:
To enter, go to the blog links below and post a comment there.
My Thursday book giveaway is The Cubicle Next Door by Siri Mitchell.
My Monday book giveaway is Calm, Cool and Adjusted by Kristin Billerbeck
You can still enter both giveaways. On Thursday, I'll draw the winner for the The Cubicle Next Door and post the title for another book I'm giving away.
Win an iPod Nano! Exclusively for my newsletter YahooGroup subscribers, I have a huge contest running until January 31st! Get more info on my contest page!
My Blog Bible Study in Isaiah:
Zion will be restored by justice;
Those who repent will be revived by righteousness.
Isaiah 1:27
I thought this was the theme of chapter one in Isaiah. God wants his people to repent but he also promises judgment.
This spoke to me about his character—He is active. He will move and he has moved.
I can’t take lightly the Word of the Lord, what he’s promised to do, the actions he says he’ll take. It expands my view of him, gives him a more terrible and wonderful cast.
Chapters 2 and 3 can be summed up in this verse:
Human pride will be brought down,
And human arrogance will be humbled.
Only the Lord will be exalted
On that day of judgment.
Isaiah 2:11
(It must be important, it’s repeated in verse 17.) It’s another promise of God’s actions against his disobedient people, and more importantly—why.
I think I don’t remember God’s power and holiness as much as I should. He promises to destroy Jerusalem and Judah in order to purify it (4:4). That’s pretty extreme. God is pretty extreme. That’s why he’s God.
Where is my heart? I think about God as my father and my friend, but I don’t think about him as holy and powerful, and that’s also part of his character. I can’t ignore some aspects of him just because they’re unpleasant in my little world.
Will I be among the holy remnant, purified?
Tell the godly that all will be well for them.
They will enjoy the rich reward they have earned!
But the wicked are doomed,
For they will get exactly what they deserve.
Isaiah 3:10-11
TMI:
Writing: I posted another article on developing your writer’s voice at my Story Sensei blog.
Comments
And yet in my heart I know this is the great lie that I have to unlearn.
God is not my buddy. He's the Creator of the universe. Moses learned the truth: To look on him is to die. Jesus was the truth: to live like him is to take up a cross.
But somehow I still tend to think of church as this place of group therapy where God helps me negotiate a more comfortable life and better mental health.
I'm not saying God is sadistic. His desires for us are good. But I wonder if my view of him--and goodness in general--isn't horribly skewed. Thank God for the gift of his spirit. Thank God for the example of Jesus.
Boy, am I preaching here or what?
Happy Thanksgiving, friend!
Can God be your buddy, and holy and powerful creator of the universe? I mean, we don't stop being friends with someone just because they have this fantastic intangible part to them...
There has to be some balance to this...I'm sure. Maybe that will come next?