one step closer to a once-distant goal (#767-775 of 1000 gifts)

"What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals." ~ Zig Ziglar

My first research for Destiny's Hands (a biblical fiction about the life of the artisan Bezalel) is dated 2001. In the ten years between then and now, completing that project was on many of my New Year's Resolution and long-range plan lists. Thus you will understand my excitement when last week, I signed a contract with Word Alive Press to publish this story.

It followed the story's inclusion in the list of finalists of the 2011 Word Alive Publishing Contest. Till the contest judge read it, no one but I had laid eyes on it. I had no idea how it would do and was thrilled when it got a mention. Finishing the project to this point and actually signing a contract to get it published makes me hugely grateful and is #767 on this week's list of 1000 gifts.

768. On Wednesday I taught my last class of the fall Women By Design session. I so enjoyed the ladies and the book we studied (Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer).

769. After class Wednesday some of us went for lunch. The words of encouragement (plus someone buying my lunch) were icing on the teaching cake.

770. We're still enjoying the last bits of fall. Here leaves, blown by the wind, are caught in a hedge-top, standing up like brush bristles. 

771. A cozy house to keep us warm and dry through the rainy windy November storms.


772. Our first Christmas event of the season—a potluck with the poets. There was lots of yummy food and, for dessert, Christmas memories and poetry.

773. Yesterday's exciting football game—and the home team won!

774. Watching that game with my two favourite football fans (hubby and son).


775. My old sandwich maker. Brought it out of retirement yesterday to make some fine cheese paninis.


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