Victoria Advocate, A Different Perspective

Oh, mercy me! Recruiting for the Glitter and the Grouch book launch this week. But life doesn’t stop because I’m busy. Nope. It just keeps piling on, despite my inward groaning. And my internet service, which blinks out every evening, did so last night as I was about to speak in a zoom meeting. Gotta love it when a less than lovely expression gets frozen on the screen for everyone to see.

It was a distinct honor to give a copy of my book to local legend, Bill Stafford. He’s finished the Texas Water Safari thirty-two times, and has written a book, The Texas Safari Has a Polecat in It, about his experiences. He was a valuable resource during the writing of Glitter and the Grouch, willingly sharing stories and his vast knowledge of the race.   

Glitter and the Grouch is my riff of the great river race that takes place in Texas every year. It was also a pleasure to interview Kc Boren and his wife, Charlie. They were vast reservoirs of knowledge and fun. I lost track of the many times I pored over their photo album about the race.  

My launch team for the book is forming. If you love to read, but have never been on a launch team, let me encourage you to take the plunge. If you like the contemporary romance genre with a strong Christian thread, it’s a great opportunity. If you’re on Facebook and willing to post graphics, or learn how, this is the place to be. Trust me, I’m stepping out of my comfort zone too. Shoot me an email for the link if you want to help.

After a long week of work, my husband was bored, so we drove to Indianola and sat in lawn chairs by the shore. The water was a deep, midnight blue and stretched across the bay like living glass. Quite soothing. Of course, I read a book while Dave metal detected. Breathing the briny air and watching the seagulls revived me.  

 I’m amazed at the way the Lord sees our deepest hearts. An insecurity that’s plagued me over the years is that I started writing too late. Yes, I spent years raising a family and working, but my dream stayed on hold because of fear and procrastination.

Recently, I discovered the Apostle Paul felt the same way. In 1 Corinthians 15: 6-10, Paul lists the people that Jesus appeared to after He had risen from the dead. After the list, he writes, “and last of all, as it were one untimely born, He appeared to me also. For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle because I persecuted the church of God.” Then he writes, “but by the grace of God, I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain, but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I but the grace of God with me.”

Paul was convinced the grace of God was enough to cover ALL his mistakes. He served God exactly where he was.

Have you ever felt like you’ve lost too much time? Or as if you aren’t enough? What if you’ve been thrust into something you didn’t ask for and don’t know how to handle?

No matter what, we can move forward because of the grace of God. Paul didn’t give up or bow out because he wasn’t enough. He KNEW he wasn’t enough. News flash here: no one is enough. No amount of beauty, talent, wisdom, or riches is enough. Everyone needs God’s grace.  

Remember the story of the bumblebee. It’s actually a scientific impossibility for the bee’s wings to sustain its weight. It shouldn’t be able to fly. But the bee doesn’t know that, so it flies anyway.

And so should we.