It's Monday, another week filled with renewed promise! Promise of what the future holds in store.

I spent a good part of the afternoon getting reacquainted with the web site of the publishing company of my up-coming book. It was a pleasant matter to see the book in their on-line book store collection - respectively found under the author name - Sherry Lynn Lipari which did not acknowledge my name without the Lynn included.

I was reading on promotions and book signing and all that good stuff and felt suddenly overwhelmed with the whole process! Yet, it's still rewarding, I feel as though I have made it this far in many of the endeavors in my life.... And surely, I don't take these successes lightly or for granted. However, I want to see it go beyond this point and that is where the overwhelming emotions come into play.

The devil really likes to take advantage of such emotions and to cause us to stall out, spin our tires without forward motion, if you know what I mean. I am digging in my heels and determined to fight back this time. I also know I have to get buy with writing and creating again. One book published and one movie script in promotions stages hardly constitutes me as a successful writer, at least in my way of looking at it. The bar is raised once more and it is up to me to meet and exceed it.

As for "The Big House on the Hill".... With the time passed with the one bank who was dragging on and on but resulted in learning that there were far too many outstanding bad loans on the books to lend on this one. As for the back up source, it didn't fly either. So, I am to assume God has us right where he wants us until something so blatantly obvious knocks us up along side the head that we have to dead to not notice... That means I can begin to get serious about doing some major renovation this summer. We have to tear out the current lean-too shelters for the horses and get them rebuilt over the summer months; since Chad currently has the excavation business we need to get our water lines taken care of, replacing and putting in some new lines which will ultimately make life much easier all the way around next winter. I want to talk to the owner and see about locking in at least part of the property here and see what it will cost to renovate and remodel the house, adding some much needed living space, and putting a floor in the attic to make it a useable room for the future. I know it's hot and cold up there, but once a floor is in, we can address insulating the ceiling, putting in an attic fan and/or window fans for summer and a wall heater or free standing electric stove for winter.

As you can see, I have been making back up plans all along and never gave up the idea that we may be right where God wants us. Then again, I'd be a liar if I said that I'm sure of that as well. I had the strangest thought today. It was before knowing about the loan so it wasn't a result of that at all. However, it was as if the still small voice inside of me that has generally been deciphered the past as what I consider the whisperings of the Lord's Holy Spirit. It had to do with Ron's work moving us and being prepared to follow through.

Now, considering Ron has never said a word of such matters and to my knowledge this is not a likely possibility, I'm not sure where it came from or why. However, I will file it into the memory banks and be prepared to act on it if something should come to pass in such areas. It still appeared to be a rather peculiar thought regardless.

So, for now... I'm going to focus my on-going energy into doing what needs to be done around here and being thankful for what we have been blessed with.

If I were to get a huge movie offer tomorrow... Would I go buy "The Big House on the Hill"? I'm not sure... I suppose I would have to pray on that one! I tend to believe that many times in our lives doors close for a reason... Perhaps that is the case with this house as I have shared some valid concerns in the past. However, don't get me wrong.... I still think it is an awesome house! Nonetheless, all things work to good for those who serve the Lord, and I have to believe this is the case in the house situation as well. Many times we struggle to see the grace and the good in very unfortunate situations, but over time, if we allow the process to unfold as it is meant to and trust God to guide the way; we generally find cause and effect in time.

Remembering yet one more time... "God is in the process, therefore trust the process."

I think I will call it a night here pretty quick. I'm still attempting to recoop from the weekend of racing. As much as I enjoyed the two day extreme - I admit, I told Ron that I didn't think I wanted to do the two day thing any too often... Between riding and horse stuff on Saturday afternoon; racing Saturday night; not getting home until after mid-night; going to Jackson to get the other season passes on Sunday A.M.; and racing again from noon to 6:30 on Sunday; dinner and then an hour ride home... I'm pooped and apparently so is everyone else! Oh well... It was still fun!

Okay - I think I'm out of here for tonight. Hope you are all still hanging in there and inspired to make tomorrow the best tomorrow yet! After all, tomorrow is the first day of the rest of our lives!

Be blessed, pray for rain - (at least for us!), and sleep well!

God Bless and Good Night World!