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What I'm writing in YEAR OF THE DOG

I just finished writing Year of the Dog ! It had a massive plot hole that I had to fix which turned out to be more work than I expected. Here’s a snippet: “Hey, Auntie Nell.” He wrapped his arms around her, bussing her on the cheek and breathing in pikake flowers and shortbread cookies. And suddenly he was nine years old again, and her solid presence had made his chaotic world stable once more. “What are you doing here?” He usually took her to dinner on Wednesday nights, but today was Tuesday. The edges of her smile faltered a little before brightening right back up again. “What, I can’t visit my nephew?” She angled around him to enter his home. “Is this your new house? Looks lovely.” Which was a blatant lie, because the fixer-upper was barely livable, much less acceptable to a neat-freak like his aunt. She also left four matching pink and purple floral suitcases on the stoop behind her. Only then did Ashwin notice the cab driver standing slightly to the side of the walkway. “Can ...
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Sunday Prayer

Captain's Log, Stardate 01.29.2006

Leave any prayer requests in the comments and I’ll be praying this week. You don’t have to be Christian to leave a prayer request. If you’d rather not advertise to everyone on the blogosphere, just leave an unspoken prayer request or email me.

If you don’t see yourself and you want to, email me or leave a comment. Not to be mean or anything, but if you don't email me or comment to update your prayer request, I'm only going to pray 3 Sundays.

Thank you, Father, for today. It’s a good day.

Lord, please heal Heather from this lingering fever and weakness. Help her to feel strong again and give her energy for all she has to do.

Lord, please help Pammer to work through this fear. Give her wisdom about what she should do about the Genesis. Thank you for taking care of everything for her husband’s dental work. Please heal her family from the flu. Father, please be with Jules. I pray that her surgeries go well and that you can heal her completely. I pray the lumps are benign.

Please touch Squirl with your healing power. Give wisdom and skill to the doctors as they figure out what to do about her hip. Please ease her pain and heal her hip problems.

Lord, you know we only want your will, but I do pray that my friends’ SW series will be picked up by the pub board.

Lord, please help Dineen get done writing what she needs to. Give her ideas and creativity, and also affirmation about her writing.

Please help Robin to feel better. Heal her from her sickness and give her energy. Be with Robin's daughter Emily, and cover her with your peace. Let her know you are near her and watching over her.

I lift up Ronie to you and ask you to continue to cover her with your grace, peace, and strength. Lead her in her writing and open doors for her.

Thank you that it looks like Ron won't be laid off, but please be with the other workers who will lose their jobs. Please keep your hand over all of them and use this situation for the glory of your name.

Father, I pray for your mighty healing power to rest on Mir’s teeth and gums. Please ease her pain. Give her strength and energy this week. I pray for healing for Mir’s nephew Kiko, that the heart problems aren’t serious.

Father, please help Sharon to write for you. Give her the energy and creativity to finish her manuscript on deadline and to finish edits for the other two. Thank you for providing for her family and continue to keep close watch over all of them.

Be with Charise as she figures out her job situation and what to do. Lead and guide her, Lord.

Please continue to help Amber to heal. Thank you for helping her so far.

I pray you will open and close doors for Gina, and please let her know what you want for her writing.

Please give Crystal affirmation and encouragement in her writing, Lord.

Please be with Paula this week--enable her to meet her writing deadlines and yet still spend enough time with her family. Give her wisdom for prioritizing.

Father, please give Megan wisdom about her decision this weekend. Please help her to know your will. Guide her heart and her thoughts.

I lift up Lori to you and ask you watch over her as she and the doctors decide what to do about her knee. I pray everything goes smoothly.

Help Donna continue to write for you.

Thank you for helping Gail recover so smoothly and quickly from surgery, and please be with Brenda through her chemo treatments.

Help Heather G. to find her peace, love and hope in you alone.

I pray for the right decisions by Malia’s doctors and insurance for her knee. Lord, please touch her and heal her. Thank you for helping her with her schoolwork, and I pray everything works out.

Father, I lift up Darlene's friend Val. Please lead her daughter on a path of healing both emotionally and physically. Help her ground her self-esteem on your love for her.

Father, help Mok as she waits for the March 1st crossover date. Lift her up and strengthen her as she waits on your timing.

Lord, hold Angie P. in your hands during tax season and continue to keep her smoke-free. I pray for healing for Pattie and strength for her body.

Please be with LaShaunda as she gets ready to send her stuff out. Give her your peace about it all, and assure her you've got it all in your hands.

Lord God, thank you so much for the work Christina is doing for you in Japan. Please help her to grow closer to you and be empowered to reach out to others. I lift up Sagamihara, that they will find a new English teacher, and that you be with Christina at open class in March—I know it’ll go well because you’ll be helping her. Please help her to trust in you and give you her best, which is all you ask.

Be with Audra these last few weeks before her baby comes. I pray everything will go smoothly and that you continue to watch over her.

I lift up Margo and her women’s Bible study, and that your spirit will continue to move in women’s hearts to bring them to the study and bond them together in love and knowledge of you.

Please be with Kelly and help her in her new job and the new medications she’ll be taking.

Thank you that Lynette finished her manuscript. Please continue to be with her in her writing, and give her wisdom about future projects and Mt. Hermon.

Continue to help Tiff with her new job. Please also be with her as she writes, and help her to write for you.

Father, please be with all my friends married to non-believers. Give them your joy this week.

I lift up your persecuted church, and pray you will continue to cover them all with your strength, grace, and love.

Please continue to help my ACL heal well and smoothly, and help me to finish my writing. Thank you for how you’ve helped me this week.

You are holy God. Amen.

Bible in 90 Days: day 21. Thank you, Lord, for helping me to do my Bible in 90 Days today. I was struck by something not in the Bible text itself, but a commentary on Solomon’s mother, Bathsheba. The small choices I make each day are important. They can prepare me for larger choices, or they can have far-reaching consequences. I need to take my walk with God day by day. He will forgive me day by day, but I need to be faithful to Him day by day.

Writing: I usually don’t write on Sundays, but I wanted to finish this chapter. I’ll take a rest day later this week.

Diet: Had a falafel for lunch, without the yogurt sauce (not by choice, by accident. 500). My husband also helped me make incredibly fattening scones with my new scone pan from William-Sonoma—man, it makes baking scones so much easier. I just drop the dough in like muffins and the pan shapes the triangles for me. When they’re done, I flip the pan and they fall right out. I had one scone (175—yes, I actually calculated it).
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Comments

Dineen A. Miller said…
Hey girl, love your new background. Thank you sooooooo much for the prayers. I'm plugging away.
Sun Jan 29, 09:23:00 PM 2006
Unknown said…
AMEN! Thanks for the prayers! They are SO appreciated!

And hey, that chapter reads great! :)
Mon Jan 30, 07:40:00 AM 2006
Heather Diane Tipton said…
Thanks for the prayers C.
Mon Jan 30, 10:21:00 PM 2006
Anonymous said…
Thank you so much for the prayers. I really appreciate them. :)
Tue Jan 31, 06:49:00 PM 2006
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