I stand corrected!!

Well, gee whiz…
I stand corrected. My life isn’t boring after all.
I am president of ACFW—an organization of over 1000 members. Whoo hoo. and trust me, it's been anything but boring lately. :) On about TEN different levels.
I signed a three book chick-lit deal recently with Warner Faith to follow my Claire Everett series (what a bummer to hang up those leopard spotted slippers though—write letters to Chip MacGregor, demand a fourth book! But shhh don’t tell him I sent you.)
Let’s see…Claire Knows Best will hit the shelves in a couple of weeks. I got my box a few days ago. It's always a thrill to get a new book. I looked at it and told Rusty, "It's official. I'm a writer." This is like my 25th book or something like that. it's just a great feeling. Especially when it's something you're really, really proud of. Mom’s already read it—like she hadn’t already—and declared nothing else will do now. I’ve ruined her for all other books for awhile. Good old, Ma Devine.
Let's see...what else isn't boring about my life? I am going on a four author, four city book tour down in Florabama with Shelley Bates, Lyn Cote, and GASP----DEBORAH BEDFORD. How many of us LOVE Deborah’s amazing books?

We’ll be beginning in Mobile, Alabama on June 19th, I’ll post the itinerary when it gets a little closer.

Anyway, my publicist, reminded me of my soooo NOT boring life, and I felt I must recant my earlier post.

I stand corrected!! Ha!

My life is so boring

Seriously, I just work, cook, clean, eat and sleep. But at least I'm doing nothing in my new house. Which is still really, really great. We have a cool horse that I look at in the field. Really pretty. It's actually not ours. A friend asked to keep it in our pasture and barn. I like looking at it. We're thinkinga bout getting a couple of steers to raise for meat. :) We're going to name them Lunch and Supper to be sure the kids keep things in perspective. Books I'm reading: Waiting for Summer's Return by Kim Sawyer (first time novelist for Bethany House) Really really good book. Has a Jeanette Oke feel to it. First one I've felt has that feel since Jeanette herself! Also reading How to write the Christian Best Seller. A compilation of interviews from tons of our favorites in the industry...Angie Hunt, Terri Blackstock, Karen Kingsbury, Melody Carlson, Jerry Jenkins, Steve Laube. Definitely worth picking up! Oh, well. I felt like I needed to blog, but I guess I didn't really have anything worthwhile to say. Registration opened for the ACFW conference! Hope to see you there!!

Home

Hello all! I typed that heading and tears welled up in my eyes. Yesterday morning my husband and I clicked our ruby slippers together, closed our eyes and woke up this morning---home. We spent our first night amid mess, clutter, unpacked boxes, un-put-together beds, plastic cups, paper plates, crazy dogs that think we're all off our rocker for coming to the wrong house. Our home. All through the Word God speaks of bringing His people to their own land. The place He's promised. A desire for a sense of place is born into us all. The pioneers fought and died for it, our forefathers. I understand that feeling for the first time ever. How great is our God.

Surprises

A few weeks ago we had some horrible news and it looked like we wouldn't get our house. I called my friend Susan Mae Warren and blubbered into the phone for a couple of hours and she said these words to me, "Tracey, I don't know why this happened. But I do know that God delights in surprising you." She was right. Our situation turned around within days and God surprised us with a better plan for buying our house. WAY better and something ONLY God could have accomplished. I'm convinced that people who love to give surprises are people after God's own heart. Today I went to town got my hair and nails done (okay I don't want to talk about the wisdom of having my nails done the week I'm packing to move), and when I got home a HUGE box of new books waited for me, a great starbucks card and a note from a friend who wished me happy-moving-into-my-new-house. Although a real friend would have waited and shipped them to the new house intead of making me load another box. Whatever! JUST kidding. My heart just thrilled to getting this surprise. Completely unexpected, completely undeserved, just goodness and friendship. What a great day. :) I want you to say it with me, "God delights in surprising His kids."