Captain's Log, Stardate 11.04.2008 I finished Revelations yesterday, which marks the third time I’ve read through my entire Bible! Yay! I am a bit ashamed to admit I’ve been a Christian since my teens, but I have only read through the entire Bible three times. That’s why I’m challenging the teens in my church to read their entire Bible by June 1st. (Want to join us?) I really like the Bible in 90 Days because it gives me a page goal and a sense of accomplishment at the same time. And the Spirit often convicts me on at least one thing during my reading since I’m covering so many pages in a sitting. I think I will use my NLT Bible for this next round (I just finished the last round with my TNIV Bible). At some point I think I would also like to do a Bible study in Isaiah, because I really don’t understand that book very well. I might do a blog Bible study for that if some other people want to join me. I already have a book, Isaiah in the Lifechange series by NavPress. Is anyone inte...

Captain's Log, Supplemental Yup, finished it today! Cool, huh? This is the second time I’ve read through the Bible. I really liked using the NLT Bible for this, but next time I think I’ll use the TNIV. The different translations helped me notice different things about the Word as I read. Or maybe the Spirit was just prompting me to notice different things. I also understand now why it’s so important to read through the entire Bible. So many things in the New Testament are so much richer after reading the Old Testament—I understand some of the deeper meanings. Or, again, it might be the Spirit revealing deeper meanings to me. Either way, it’s pretty cool. The great part about the Bible in 90 Days is that it makes it so much easier to read through the Bible. Granted, it took me more like 150 days, but still ... reading through it this way enabled me to get through the entire Bible twice in two years, whereas the Bible in a Year program always had me dropping it after a few months. S...

Captain’s Log, Supplemental Bible in 90 Days: day 83. Yup, still doing it. It’s been so interesting doing this a second time. I’m catching more stuff this time around that I didn’t catch last year. I read 1st and 2nd Timothy and was convicted about being a soldier of Christ, and being more self-disciplined about the work God has called me to do. Knitting: I’m doing a sweet little tank top for the summer with this faboo soft cotton blend yarn from Knitpicks.com. It’s also this wild grapeade shade. I’ve already decided my next sock. I’m going to try to make a toe-sock. I’m taking Michelle Cho’s toe-sock pattern and altering it to see if I can do a toe-sock from the top down rather than toe-up. I’m also going to use Knitpicks Memories yarn in Hawaii color blend (on the left)! I think this will be fun. Speed reading: Inspired by a post on my friend Georgiana D’s blog , I have bought a speed reading book and will hopefully learn how to speed read. I read the introduction today. LOL Wri...

Captain’s Log, Supplemental Blog book giveaway: To enter, go to the blog links below and post a comment there. With This Ring, I'm Confused by Kristin Billerbeck The Witness by Dee Henderson Bible in 90 Days: Day 58. I just finished Amos, and God pointed out to me a short passage describing Israel’s rich and complacent, and how judgment will fall swiftly on them. Which I’m sure didn’t win him any friends with said rich and complacent people. Anyway, the passage struck me because I could see myself becoming complacent (although not rich … sigh …) and I didn’t like to see myself mirrored in this prophecy. I didn’t like to see myself becoming indolent and trivial in my daily cares. I want to be earnest and filled with God’s Spirit. I want to actually please God. (And I certainly don’t want to suffer the same fate as those rich and complacent people, thank you very much.) Anyway, it was interested to see myself mirrored in a book like Amos. Usually it’s someplace like Ephesians or ...

Captain’s Log, Stardate 03.06.2007 Blog book giveaway: To enter, go to the blog links below and post a comment there. With This Ring, I'm Confused by Kristin Billerbeck Two books in the Black Or White series by John Aubrey Anderson Here are a few pictures from my trip to Hawaii: Me and Grandma (paternal) Me and Grandma (maternal) Me and Malia Spencer. We are toasting our toes under the kotatsu table (it has a heating lamp underneath and a futon (heavy Japanese blanket) under the tabletop to keep the heat in under the table). My dad’s hibiscus flowers. Aren’t they gorgeous? A brownea flower—a very unusual, beautiful flower that is rare in Hawaii, although I think they are more common in Australia. TMI: Bible in 90 Days: Day 55. Yup, still going, although I slacked off for a while. I just started the book of Daniel—one of my favorite Old Testament books. The glory of God revealed gives me shivers of anticipation. The New Jerusalem—I’ll actually see it one day! Way cool! The Bible...

Captain’s Log, Supplemental Blog book giveaway: To enter, go to the blog links below and post a comment there. Two books for moms by Jenn Doucette She’s Out of Control by Kristin Billerbeck I got this from my friend Cheryl Wyatt . This made me laugh SO HARD I thought I was going to pass out. A wife was making a breakfast of fried eggs for her husband. Suddenly, her husband burst into the kitchen. "Careful," he said, "CAREFUL! Put in some more butter! Oh MAN! You're cooking too many at once. TOO MANY! Turn them! TURN THEM NOW! We need more butter. Oh my GOSH! WHERE are we going to get MORE BUTTER? They're going to STICK! Careful ... CAREFUL! I said be CAREFUL! You NEVER listen to me when you're cooking! Never! Turn them! Hurry up! Are you CRAZY? Have you LOST your mind? Don't forget to salt them. You know you always forget to salt them. Use the salt. USE THE SALT! THE SALT!" The wife stared at him. "What in the world is wrong with you? You thin...

Captain’s Log, Stardate 01.31.2007 Blog book giveaway: To enter, go to the blog links below and post a comment there. If the Shoe Fits by Marilynn Griffith Eyes of Elisha by Brandilyn Collins Win books and an iPod Nano! Contest ends TONIGHT at 11:59 p.m.! Get more info on my contest page ! Help me title my next book! Head on over to this blog post and leave your title ideas! TMI: Bible in 90 days: day 50. Case had his sentencing postponed. His wife says this is a good thing, and other things are happening that might be the miracle that was prophesied for him. I came across this passage from Jeremiah today that seems to apply to him: 7 “But blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence. 8 They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit....

Captain’s Log, Supplemental Blog book giveaway: To enter, go to the blog links below and post a comment there. My Monday book giveaway is Hell in a Briefcase by Phil Little with Brad Whittington My Thursday book giveaway is A Girl’s Best Friend by Kristin Billerbeck . You can still enter both giveaways. On Monday, I'll draw the winner for the Hell in a Briefcase 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 ! Fear God. My word for the year is “fear” of the Lord. I got this fabulous idea from Marilynn Griffith. She picks a word for the year in January. Last year, I prayed and God laid on my heart that my word was “persevere.” NOT a very comforting word for the year, but it proved apt with some of the stresses I had that year. This year, it’s fear of the Lord. The past few months, I’ve been convicted that I take G...

Captain’s Log, Stardate 01.03.2007 I’m participating in the “One Thousand Gifts” list from Christian Women Online. Click on the picture to find out more about it. 926. It was nice to sleep in yesterday 927. It was nice having my husband home for the day 928. I had salad for both lunch and dinner 929. I brainstormed more on my new book 930. I got a wonderfully encouraging e-mail from Sharon Hinck 931. I had a good time talking on the phone with Pamela James 932. I’m enjoying listening to The Phantom of the Opera . 933. Those pistachio nuts we got for Christmas are SO GOOD! 934. I love the smell of freshly washed blanket throws that we use in the TV room 935. I snacked on dried apricots. They were really yummy. 936. I once again made that really tender chicken breast, so it’s truly not a fluke of my culinary talents! 937. I’m almost done with my Thousand Gifts! 938. I am loving the book 45 Master Characters by Victoria Lynn Schmidt. It’s really helping me in this brains...

Captain’s Log, Stardate 12.29.2006 I’m participating in the “One Thousand Gifts” list from Christian Women Online. Click on the picture to find out more about it. 851. I had a good vacation time with family. 852. It was so nice to come back with all those Merry Christmas comments from you guys! Thanks! 853. My dad was really pleased with his Christmas gift, and so was my mom 854. It was wonderful to sleep in my own bed. I slept like a log. 855. Although I cut my finger, it’s healing nicely 856. I’m on day 32 of my Bible in 90 Days. Job is hard to read. It’s not black and white, which makes me have to pay attention carefully. Not everything Job’s friends say is untrue, and not everything Job says is really what God wants to hear. Job gets pretty bitter. 857. Captain Caffeine got a chance to sleep in when we got back from vacation. 858. I got some new books for review 859. Writing.com sent me a cute bumper sticker with their Christmas card 860. I got an Amazon gift e-mail so I’m going t...

Captain’s Log, Stardate 12.22.2006 I’m participating in the “One Thousand Gifts” list from Christian Women Online. Click on the picture to find out more about it. 826. Blogger is now out of beta! Yay! Soon there will be cooler stuff. I think—from what I read on the website—there won’t be word verification anymore, but I’m not positive about that. 827. I’m done with Sharon’s manuscript and it was GREAT!!! 828. I sent off my article for Christian Women Online 829. I had a great talk with my Marketing Director about my cover. 830. I had a great talk with my friend Stephanie Quilao ( Back in Skinny Jeans ) about the covers, and her perspective. I really trust her advice because she’s a marketing guru and Asian American, so she knows not only progressive Asian American culture, but also marketing trends. 831. I got my Les Miserables the complete symphonic recording CDs! I’m uploading it to my iTunes. 832. I am totally enjoying getting back into Musicals. I used to love them in college an...

Captain’s Log, Stardate 12.19.2006 I’m participating in the “One Thousand Gifts” list from Christian Women Online. Click on the picture to find out more about it. 776. It’s going to go as low as 28 today! I’ve never been so glad for the extra space heater as now. 777. I finished my latest synopsis critique yesterday 778. I worked on some cards 779. I’m on day 30 of my bible in 90 Days, I’m back on track again. It’s encouraging how God paved the way for the people to rebuild the temple and Jerusalem. I love how He had prophesied about Cyrus years before it actually happened. 780. My friend and awesome writer Audra Harders (she was one of the 2006 Genesis FaithWords Finalists) got a part time job! It’s right up her alley and it leaves time for her to write! 781. I’m using my new laptop to crit my friend Sharon’s manuscript! It’s rather exciting. 782. I got books from Avon! They’re for review. I’m looking forward to reading them! 783. My husband got the wrong smoothie in his order and s...

Captain’s Log, Stardate 12.15.2006 I’m participating in the “One Thousand Gifts” list from Christian Women Online. Click on the picture to find out more about it. 701. I finished the rough draft of my manuscript yesterday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now for revisions so I can get it to my critique partners. 702. I’m glad I got two bunches of celery at the grocery store because I went through the first bunch pretty fast this week. 703. I love eating celery—the crispy crunchy texture, the water exploding in my mouth when I bite into it. 704. I like oatmeal, too—the nutty flavor, the combination of soft and whole grain textures. 705. Made a dinner date with us, my parents, and my in-laws for the 23rd. I’m looking forward to good Mexican food! 706. I exercised yesterday! 707. I’m in day 29 of my Bible in 90 Days. I just started Ezra. It’s very inspiring how the people first rebuilt the altar to the Lord to restart the daily sacrifices even before Jerusalem had a wall, or they had laid the temple’s fou...

Captain’s Log, Stardate 12.14.2006 I’m participating in the “One Thousand Gifts” list from Christian Women Online. Click on the picture to find out more about it. 676. I’m on day 28 of my Bible in 90 Days. It’s both sad and yet good that the Levite priests in Israel escaped to Judah to continue to serve the Lord when Israel split from Judah. I guess I’m just sad when I read about the corruption in later years. 677. I exercised yesterday! 678. I think I ate bad smoked salmon dip yesterday, but God was good and helped me not get too sick. 679. My friend Ronie is almost done with her bachelor’s degree in psychology! She takes her last exam on Friday!!!! Woohoo! Congrats, girl! That psych is certainly doing you good with characterization, don’t you think? 680. I fixed our YahooGroup so now Dineen’s e-mails are going through rather than being pegged as spam. 681. My Steeple Hill discussion board friend Hope Chastain got picked to pitch her romantic suspense to Krista Stroever! 682. Dineen...

Captain’s Log, Stardate 12.13.2006 I’m participating in the “One Thousand Gifts” list from Christian Women Online. Click on the picture to find out more about it. 651. Heather is now officially moved! Enjoy cold, snowy, windy Denver, babe. 652. I’m on day 27 of my Bible in 90 Days. It was very inspiring to see how the people gave so freely of their wealth for the temple, and Solomon’s prayer reminded me that everything I have his God’s. 653. I exercised yesterday! I almost didn’t because I woke up so late, but I’m glad I did. The ab exercises almost killed me but I did them! 654. I got a full night’s sleep. 655. Brainstormed with Captain Caffeine about Christmas gifts for the relatives. I think I know what to get our sister in law. All women like jewelry, right? 656. I posted pictures of my office at my Scrapbook blog . Just click on “My Office” on the right sidebar. 657. My wireless trackball was giving me problems, so my husband brought home a regular (non-wireless) trackball for m...

Captain’s Log, Stardate 12.12.2006 I’m participating in the “One Thousand Gifts” list from Christian Women Online. Click on the picture to find out more about it. 626. HEATHER MOVES TODAY!!!! YAY!!!!!!! 627. Heather had to get up at 3:30 A.M. to catch her flight and I got to tease her mercilessly about it. I’m so mean. 628. It’s rather neat how even though people move houses, their blog address remains the same and I can still keep up with them and see how they’re doing. 629. Had a great phone convo with my friend Pammer, who is going to make a GREAT ACFW VP!!! 630. I exercised yesterday! 631. I ordered Xmas gifts yesterday! 632. I ate lots of veggies 633. There was only one bad thing on my list of what I ate, and it was a small amount of potato chips I snacked on with my husband. 634. I moved our small space heater into my office and so now it’s nice and warm in here. I turn it off when it gets to the right temperature so I don’t waste electricity. 635. My parents gave us this silk-f...

Captain’s Log, Stardate 12.11.2006 I’m participating in the “One Thousand Gifts” list from Christian Women Online. Click on the picture to find out more about it. 601. Heather moves tomorrow! 602. I remembered to replace the battery in my guitar pickup. 603. We got some shopping done today for the Christmas truffles we’re going to make. 604. My parents told me what to get for my relatives for Christmas, so now I don’t have to rack my brains trying to come up with something. 605. The baptism yesterday was really nice even though I didn’t know when I was supposed to walk up and read Emily’s testimony, because I expected the pastor to SAY SOMETHING like “This is Emily,” or “Camy’s going to read Emily’s testimony.” 606. Had a great lunch of ¾ of a Trader Joe’s mini portabella mushroom and roasted garlic pizza. Yummy! Plus it was low fat, and I only ate part of it. 607. Got some cool wines at Trader Joe’s that were only $2 each! I love living in northern California. All the local wines are...

Captain’s Log, Stardate 12.10.2006 I’m participating in the “One Thousand Gifts” list from Christian Women Online. Click on the picture to find out more about it. 576. Thank You God for Your help in finishing this manuscript. I can feel Your power when I stop and pray. 577. Thank you also to all the friends who are praying for me to finish! 578. I rearranged my scene index so now I think I have a better feel for how the climax is going to go. 579. I was really good and only ate half of my Vietnamese sandwich for lunch. It was perfect because I took longer to eat it, so I was just as satisfied as if I’d eaten the whole thing. Those sandwiches are yummy! 580. The Candy Apple tea from Adagio.com is really good! I think I will order more of this and the Candy Cane so I can drink it after the Christmas season ends. 581. I exercised yesterday! I think that means I’ve exercised every day this week! 582. Captain Caffeine was nice enough to go get our dog’s ear cleaning solution from the vet t...

Captain’s Log, Stardate 12.08.2006 I’m participating in the “One Thousand Gifts” list from Christian Women Online. Click on the picture to find out more about it. 526. My scarf is coming along nicely. It’s so soft, I love it. 527. I’m starting to eat an ounce of nuts every day. It’s supposed to be very healthy, plus it has the good fats I probably need to lower my cholesterol. And there’s a lot of fiber, too. 528. I’ve been drinking cranberry juice every day, too, for my uterine tract. But I think next time I’ll buy the 100% juice instead of the cranberry cocktail. This stuff was cheap, but there’s tons of sugar. 529. I got my tea from Adagio today! I ordered samplers of Candy Cane (because I can’t find Celestial Seasonings Candy Cane Lane anywhere, I’ll have to go to Whole Foods and look there) and Candy Apple (apple and caramel—Mmmmmm). I also ordered my favorite everyday tea, Adagio’s Irish Breakfast. Again, if anyone wants a $5 gift certificate for Adagio Tea, just e-mail me or co...

Captain’s Log, Stardate 12.07.2006 I’m participating in the “One Thousand Gifts” list from Christian Women Online. Click on the picture to find out more about it. 501. I exercised yesterday! 502. I had writer’s group last night. It was only 3 of us, but it was so much fun. We got to celebrate Shelley ’s new book deal for a YA series! 503. Had some yummy champagne to celebrate Shelley’s book deal. :) 504. I only had 4 pieces of shortbread, and it had oatmeal in it so it wasn’t completely decadent. 505. Dineen took home some shortbread so I don’t have to eat all the rest. :) 506. My MacBook Pro arrived yesterday!!!! 507. I discovered an easy way to elevate my desktop monitor as well as my keyboard and mouse so that I can stand and work without my neck bending down so much. 508. I remembered to post (and yes, this is a feat to be celebrated) another blog marketing post at the CAN Marketing Blog . 509. I am very grateful Captain Caffeine is familiar with Macs, because there were some thin...