In the state of Washington in the Enumclaw area there is a saying, "The Mountain is out." All those living on the plateau know when someone says this it means Mount Rainier is visible, which also includes clear skies and sunhine. In the spring this is a special event. I know, I grew up in the rainy northwest.
On Saturday, May 16th, it was a gloriously beautiful day. My friend Ann Shorey and I were driving from our hotel to Enumclaw when I said, "Uh oh, the mountain is out."
So, why would that be a problem for two visiting authors? After a long, wet winter locals do anything but stay indoors when the skies turn blue and the sun warms the earth. And Ann and I were on our way to the Salt Shaker Bookstore to teach two writing workshops and sign copies of our most recent releases along with local author Susan Marlow. Conditions meant turn out would likely be low. After all, The Mountain was out.
The Salt Shaker Bookstore is a first-rate store that specializes in Christian books and gifts. They also serve coffee and goodies. I think it's a terrific place to spend a day.
As it turned out, on the 16th I was one of the few who felt that way. We had only one attendee for our workshops. Two of the store employees graciously joined the class and of course Ann and I took part when the other was speaking. I suppose the natural inclination is to see the event as a flop, but not so.
God knew what He was up to. He had a plan and May 16th belonged to Him. It was a delightful day. Our one attendee, Judy Gann, is a non-fiction author who has just begun her journey into fiction writing. She was happy to be there and ready to learn. Ann and I enjoyed her company immensely. We were both touched by the store employees who sat in on our classes. The folks at the Salt Shaker are super nice people. Throughout the day there were unexpected visits from special friends and readers. And I was especially surprised by a visit from my Junior High principal, Charles Wilson. What a special treat.
May 16th in Enumclaw is the day, in my history, that I taught my smallest class ever(thus far), but it will also be remembered as an absolutely lovely day filled with unexpected blessings. It definitely was NOT a flop. And I was especially happy to be in Enumclaw on a day when The Mountain was out. :-)
Praising God for His blessings!
Grace and peace to you from God.
Bonnie
I tried, I swear lol.... I am glad it was such a great day and you had the wonderful view of the mnt as the cherry on top of the sundae :) Have a great day and see you soon!
ReplyDeleteWe missed you on Saturday. I do know you tried to get there. :-) And I loved our time together on Sunday.
ReplyDeleteHugs.
Thank you so much for the kind words and for the opportunity to host the event. You are always welcome at The Salt Shaker. God bless your work and we hope to see you again soon.
ReplyDeleteJoshua,
ReplyDeleteIt was a pleasure to be included in the booksigning. I look forward to more in the future.
Blessings to you and everyone working there in the store.
Bonnie
Good job, Bonnie. if I had time, I'd post about the alarm clock in our hotel room that wouldn't die! All around, a day to remember. The Salt Shaker is a gorgeous store--just being there made the day worthwhile.
ReplyDeleteBonnie (and Ann),
ReplyDeleteIt was such a blessing to be your pupil for the morning. Thank you so much! Your presentations were fabulous. Just the information I needed to hear. I'm already applying your great material. You and Ann are gifted teaches.
I'm not sure why it all worked out the way it did. But, I thank God for the special time with you and Ann.
Thanks, Judy. Ann and I both enjoy teaching. And I'm so glad to hear you're already working on your new project. Can't wait to read it.
ReplyDeleteBonnie
That's right, Ann. I nearly forgot about the alarm clock. That was interesting.
ReplyDeleteFor those of you who weren't there, the alarm clock in the motel went off no matter whether we had it turned on or not and then it wouldn't stop. We finally had to have the clock removed.
It was a fun weekend, Ann. Enjoyed our time together. :-)
Bonnie