Monday, May 29, 2017

It's a Wonderful Life



If you've been following my blog,  you know there have been a lot changes in my life recently. The biggest is that I'm losing my eyesight. That was a shock, and I've been in a quandary - what to do.

When I settled into bed tonight I talked to the Lord and asked Him, "What am I going to do with my life now?" He reminded me of a time when I asked that same question. It was many years ago - 1991. An auto accident left me with injuries that would never heal and chronic pain. Sometimes my pain was debilitating. 

I sank into a depression. I wasn't the person I had been before a log truck barreled around a corner, tipped over and hit my van.

I wasn't the wife or mother I had been. I couldn't take care of my family, they were taking care of me. My body was wounded, but worse than that was my damaged spirit. I asked God what could I do? What kind of life could I have? What use was I?

God lifted me and set me on a new path. He opened doors that led me into the life of an author. I grabbed hold of my feeble courage and stepped through those doors. I spent more than twenty years writing and publishing books. I was a thrilling adventure.

Here I am again asking God to show me what to do, to lead me down an unknown path, and to trust Him. 

A new adventure awaits me. I don't know what it is yet, but I want to share it with you. I will join you here on my blog and let you know what's up with me. And I'd love to hear what's up with you too. 

There is a scene in the movie Secretariat when Penny Chenery Tweedy stands up to people who tell her to sell Secretariat, thinking her foolish to keep the horse. She says, her father's legacy to her is not about money, then says, "You must have the will to win if you can and live with it if you can't. It's about life being ahead of you and you run at it because you never know how far you can go unless you run."

Such powerful words. They inspire me to run the race set out for me because if I don't run how will I know what God set out for me to do. And so I will run (figuratively speaking - I'm a bit gimpy). I will take one step at a time, one day at a time. 

Please cheer me on. I need you. And I will cheer for you too. 

Let's go. We'll do this together.


Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie

Monday, May 15, 2017

A NEW SEASON FOR ME



     "There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven. A time to be  born and a time to die.  A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to rebuild. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away. A time to search and a time to lose. A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak up. A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace."

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8


There is a time for all things. Life is made up of seasons, and seasons change. I've never liked change much, but I see that as a weakness in me. If we all refused to move on through the seasons of our lives, the world would be a mess. Where would be the rest and the renewal?

God has a good plan. Each season brings something new. And God offers us His hand so we can take it and confidently allow Him to lead us. I'm doing my best to do just that. I've had a big decision to make and have been thinking and praying about it for many months. I have decided it is time for me to move on. It is time to retire from writing.

If you've been following my blog you know that I have an eye disease that is stealing my vision. It has been progressing for several years, but I only recently discovered what it is - MacTel II. 

It is similar to macular degeneration in that it destroys a person's central vision. But it is not the same disease. Presently there is no treatment or cure. Without a cure or God's intervention I will loose all of my central vision and will no longer be able to do things like read or drive a car of look at my loved one's faces. In recent months the progression has sped up. Simple things in life are becoming more difficult.

I have decided that spending time with my family and seeing as much of the world as I can while I can is most important. As I move along I will be listening to God. He will tell me what He has in store for me. I can trust Him.

I will be here on my blog as long as I am able. And I will still be spending time with my friends on Facebook.

I will not lie, it hurts to imagine not writing stories and it makes me sad. The whole idea of not being able to see the details of life is frightening and a bit infuriating. I am working through the emotions and I'm confident I will find my way. 

I hope you will remember me in your prayers. 

Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie 

Monday, May 08, 2017

RETURN TO THE MISTY SHORE GIVEAWAY



WE HAVE A WINNER!




Thanks to all of you who took part in the RETURN TO THE MISTY SHORE GIVEAWAY. 

The two winners are ....

1st prize:   M.A. Gustafson
2nd prize:  Bonnie Strappello




I will be contacting you immediately.

Grace and peace to you from God,

Bonnie


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