Taking a Break

It looks like fall outside, feels like fall outside--but it should all change in time for next Monday when Katie and Jonathan return to school. But summer is winding down, and it has been a busy one, but not without its pleasant moments--sitting on the patio with Henry on a warm summer evening watching Katie and Jonathan chasing fireflies, taking afternoon walks with my girlfriends at work, and just enjoying the beauty of the flowers, birds, and summer clouds.

Today I received the page proofs for Better Than Life, what in June looked like a daunting project--crashing a book, writing/compiling 128 pages by August. I remember at the very beginning, before I'd even begun to write, our publisher told someone that I'd finish "ahead of deadline, like Annette always does." When I heard her say that, I thought, "There's a first time for everything." But she was right-- I did finish ahead of deadline, and instead of 128 pages, it will be 160. And I have to say that I'm satisfied with the results.

Researching and writing about the persecuted church has affected my thinking on so many things: the fellowship of Christ's suffering, loving our enemies, the necessity of standing up for Jesus, and the greatness and creativity of a God who can use even horrible circumstances to accomplish His purposes. I've learned a lot, and if those who read the book come to a better understanding of the plight of our Christian brothers and sisters throughout the world, it will have accomplished its purpose.

So because summer is nearly over, the book is in good shape, and Jonathan went with his grandparents to visit family in West Virginia, Katie and I are headed to the Windy City for a couple of days. We don't have a schedule, and there are no planned activities--except for an obligatory visit to the Cheesecake Factory. We're just going to make some memories before the summer of '07 leaves us forever. One thing I can say for certain--there will be no blogging during the trip. This will be a writing-free week for me.