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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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Isaiah 43:25

Dear Lord,

Thank You so very much that You sent Your Son to die for us and to completely erase our sins. Thank You that we can come before You with a clean slate, without all our mistakes and selfishness and greed, because You’ve wiped it all away. Please help us to love You and serve You with all our hearts, to the best of our ability.

Amen

親愛なる主よ、

あなたがご自分の御子を私たちのために送り、私たちの罪を完全に消し去ってくださったことに心から感謝します。私たちは、自分の過ちや自己中心的な行い、欲望など全てをあなたが消し去ってくださったおかげで、清い心であなたの前に立つことができます。どうか私たちが全力で、心を込めて、あなたを愛し、仕える手助けをしてください。

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