Tuesday, October 6, 2020

The Home Stretch

Woe is the puppy who loves to play ball when Mama's on deadline. The good news is that the temps are nice enough to open the windows. 

Just look at the steam rising off one of the tanks the other morning.
This story I'm working on has been giving me fits. It's one of those that kind of shifted direction about halfway through and my characters have not been very forthcoming. Bottom line, it really slowed me down. Then I got a really bad toothache that I tried to put off until after the book was turned it, but the pain won out and I was forced to go to the dentist where I found out I had a cracked tooth that would likely need a root canal and a crown ASAP. That definitely wasn't part of my plan and, of course, needed to be scheduled prior to my deadline. And then both of my sons texted to say they'd be in for the weekend. 

When it rains it pours, doesn't it? But I refused to stress. None of those disruptions were a surprise to God. Nor was the story shift. So rather than giving in to the anxiety, I determined to trust Him with my deadline. 

I gathered up my laptop and some food and ran away for day last week. I didn't go very far. Only to the camp house. Still, it gave me a change of scenery and an entire day without interruptions so I could immerse myself in the story.

Guess what?

It worked. The story is finally out of my head. Now all I have to do is spruce things up a bit before sending it in on or before my deadline.

You know, God has a knack for making the impossible possible. But how readily do we forget that? We fret and struggle to do things on our own instead of turning the reins over Him. Even though His word tells us that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. We're a hard-headed lot, aren't we?

Before I go, check out these twin calves spotted near the camp. Aren't they cute? It's not often we see twins.
What do you do when you find yourself struggling to accomplish something?

Award-winning author Mindy Obenhaus is passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. She lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, two sassy pups, countless cattle, deer and the occasional coyote, mountain lion or snake. When she's not writing, she enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, cooking and watching copious amounts of the Hallmark Channel. Learn more at mindyobenhaus.com

13 comments:

  1. Yay on trusting God and meeting deadline. Thanks for the inspirational post, Mindy.

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    1. Mary Cate, letting go isn't easy, but it sure beats worrying myself sick. ;)

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  2. 1. Congratulations on getting that stubborn story to come right, Mindy!
    2. The twin calves are adorable.
    3. I need to build a camp house...

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  3. Wrestling with plots isn't my favorite, but I love it when the story finally comes together! So glad you got the time/space/wisdom to get it sorted out.

    So sorry about the root canal. :-( I have a cracked tooth that I'm babying along - the dentist says it's okay until my next checkup in January. I sure hope he's right!

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    1. I feel your pain, Jan. The dentist said I had another one that will need to be taken care of, too. Evidently all the dental work I had done as a kid is now failing! What's up with that?

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  4. That poor, forlorn puppy! Tell her she's performing a noble sacrifice for readers everywhere. She should get a medal. Or treats. Yes, lots of consolation doggy chews. :-) Happy writing!

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    1. Kav, I cracked up today. She was trying to lay on the window sill again, except this time the window was closed so she didn't quite fit. She tumbled off, gave me a dirty look as though it was my fault and then left. :D

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  5. Mindy, I love that you have a place you can retreat to! What a blessing! I'm so glad the story came together. Now you can enjoy the boys being home. :)

    I'm so sorry about your tooth! I had been suffering with pain for nearly a year. When it got so I was taking Motrin way too often, I finally had to go to the dentist a couple of weeks ago. He discovered mine was cracked as well. Thankfully, he was able to try a huge filling first. So far, so good. The nerve is still tender but the main pain is gone. I can eat using that side of my mouth again! I've almost forgotten how. haha I pray your oral surgery goes well and you get some relief!

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    1. Missy, I had the root canal done Monday, so things are feeling much better. Now I just need to finish polishing this book. ;)

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  6. Twin calves!!!!!!! Oh how stinkin' adorable!

    And I'm sorry about the wretched tooth, but glad it's better. Amazing what a root canal and crown will do, isn't it?

    I blame the virus for everything.

    I figure it's fair game.

    And I'm working on a delightful story now that makes me smile so I can block viruses and news from my mind for a time... and make dreams come true in fiction, LOL!

    Thank you, Mindy. I loved this glimpse!

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