Saturday, February 7, 2009

Did My House/Horse/Dog Sitting Duty...

I spent all day Wednesday and part of the day Thursday up in Eatonville house-sitting and watching over two Swiss Mountain Dogs, a blue heeler, a Pomeranian, a pug and an adorable mixed mutt of some sort, plus three horses (two quarter horses and an Arabian, I believe). And yes, I know all of their names. In order, they are: Adonis and Star, Rocky, Coco, Rosie, Katie, Gus, Kissy (Charisma) and -- uh oh? -- Lady? I think the third horse is Lady but will have to ask next time to be sure, which will probably be pretty soon.

Luckily I didn't have to go to Clover Park Technical College yesterday because the class I take notes in was having a test for the full hour, so I was able to concentrate all day on getting about 12 articles written (for a cosmetic surgery firm, divorce insights, a diversity firm, and a security firm). I also spoke with a new buyer who wants me to write press releases for many of her clients, perhaps a few each week. If the cosmetic surgery firm likes what I wrote, I'll have them long-term, too.

So I'm building up a small clientele that wants me to write for them every week. Fabulous! There is still enough time left in the day to continue to bid on smaller jobs that have quick turnaround deadlines, too, so I'm in good shape. Not exactly "rolling in dough" by any stretch of the imagination, but over time maybe I'll find some to roll in... and if I do, it'll smell and feel like rose petals because my dream of being self-employed and making enough to survive will be fully realized! Boy howdy, that is going to be one mighty delightful day!

I was just thanking God last night for blessing the road I'm on. I told Him a year ago that if I was still struggling by the time my unemployment ran out, I would give up the notion of "writing for a living" and get a 9-t0-5 job as a secretary, administrative assistant or receptionist -- all of which pay pretty paltry sums up here, and are hard to find in this economy, but... hey, they're what I know how to do reliably! I kinda had a hunch that if I really hunkered down and went for it, pushing past the fear, something good would happen, but it took some serious doing to move forward with the plan. It was when I kept getting unemployment extensions beyond all understanding that I realized, "Hey, God really is in all of this!" so I kept plugging away, still applying for dozens upon dozens of other jobs as required by the Employment Security Department, but NONE of the many apps and resumes ever resulted in interviews (except several times for the same non-profit, which ultimately went another way). So I thought, "OK... I can't even GET a normal 9-to-5 job right now... so what does that tell me? GOD IS IN THIS! HE WANTS ME TO BELIEVE IN THE DREAM HE PLACED IN MY HEART AS AN EIGHT YEAR OLD, WHICH HAS NEVER WAVERED!!!!"

I'm a real dunce sometimes, ya know? I had Pulitzer nominees telling me I was a helluva writer (thanks Ted Crail!), actors who know good writing encouraging me (Thanks, De!) an English teacher buying me THE WRITER magazine because she saw my potential as a sixth and seventh grader and couldn't teach me herself, not being a writer... and still I doubted?!?!?!?

I should have had my head examined!

I still haven't had my head examined, because it's a pretty good head, with Jesus inside. I just have to listen to it, and especially to my heart, and decide to follow them! When I do, sometimes magic happens -- if not for me, certainly for others.

And that's the way God planned it, from the very beginning... before any of us were here! That everything we engage in should be either "good" (of God) or "very good." Jesus said, "You will do even greater things than I have..."

I'm still waiting to see that happen in our lives! LOL!

Now, THERE'S a mountain to climb!!!

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