MondayBlogs – Page 4 – Rebekah Lyn Books

Brownie and the Dream

When my brother and I were children, our family had a dog that showed us what unconditional love was all about. I dreamed about him last night.

The first frame of my dream showed our present day cat, Lily, twining around the legs of a medium sized brown dog. I saw the legs and then I saw the dog. It was Brownie! Immediately I felt as if I were a child again. I was so surprised and delighted that I threw my arms around him and cried. Pure love was coming from his warm, furry body while he just sat there.

I never quite realized before that Brownie was one of God’s chief representatives in our lives. Brownie never found any fault in us. He went everywhere we went and protected us every day of our lives. He was part of us.

Lately, I’ve been practicing hearing from God. Today I got a big surprise. I learned that I don’t have to be any more perfectly right with God in order to hear what he’s saying than I had to be to “earn” Brownie’s love. God isn’t going to criticize me. Right now I’m reading Mark Holloway’s book, The Freedom Diaries. Here’s what God told Mark.

“You have thought you had to be right with me to hear me speak. Haven’t you read the Bible? It’s a collection of stories about me turning up and talking clearly to people who are going about their lives without any more moral purity than anyone else around them. Moses, Gideon, Esther, Saul, Simon Peter, Isaiah.”

Talk away, Lord, I’m listening, and I’m loving what you’re saying. Thank you for the dream about Brownie that reminded me what it was like to have someone love me fully and unconditionally.

I’m getting new ideas for the Sunday School class, I know Bill is getting over his flu, and I’m not concerned about it. I’m learning more every day about the exciting plans God has for me. Life is fun. “I Just Feel Like Something Good is About to Happen.” Gaither song.

Read Isaiah 6:5 , Luke 5:8 to see what Isaiah and Simon Peter thought at first about hearing from God.

Find, The Freedom Diaries, by Mark Holloway and materials about dreams at: http://www.cwgministries.org/store/freedom-diaries

A Quotation from Letters to a Young Poet

Here’s a beautiful quotation from poet Ranier maria Rilke’s book, Letters to a Young Poet

So rescue yourself from these general themes and write about what your everyday life offers you, describe your sorrows and desires, the thoughts that pass through your mind and your belief in some kind of beauty – describe all these with heartfelt, silent, humble sincerity and, when you express yourself, use the things around you, the images from your dreams, and the objects you remember. If your everyday life seems poor, don’t blame it; blame yourself; admit to yourself that you are not enough of a poet to call forth its richness, because for the creator there is no poverty and no poor, indifferent place. (Scribe, DiVoran Lites)

November Has Been Exciting

November has been an exciting month! I spoke at my first book club and met a group of women that I hope to get to know better. DiVoran Lites and I had the chance to participate in the first annual Florida Bookstore Day on November 15 along with four other authors at our local bookstore. I found out that Jessie is a top five finalist in the Patrick D. Smith Literary contest, and I was invited as a co-author in a book signing with award-winning journalist and bestselling author Jay Barbree. Just one of these opportunities would have been enough to fill my heart with thanks, but all three in the span of 12 days has left me feeling incredibly blessed.

During my talk with the book club, one of the ladies told me she’d mentioned my book to the head of the U.S. Space Walk of Fame and he was interested in having me come down for a book signing. I had hoped to have a launch party for Jessie at this museum, but had never been able to connect with the right people, so I was thrilled to have this door opened for me. I gave this nice lady my card and within days received a call inviting me to be a part of a book signing they already had planned with Jay Barbree. Barbree’s book, Live from Cape Canaveral, was one of the first that I read when I started research for Jessie, so I can’t express what an honor I considered this invitation.

I spent four hours at the museum this past Saturday with veterans of the space program stopping in to see Mr. Barbree, chatting about old times and picking up copies of his latest book, Neil Armstrong: A Life of Flight. Many of them took the time to talk with me and purchased my book as well, but even if I hadn’t sold a single copy I would have enjoyed every minute. In many ways I felt like I was watching the nameless, behind-the-scenes characters of Jessie, coming together for a reunion, telling the stories that simply can’t fit into a single novel or biography.

The U.S. Walk of Fame Foundation has been through some difficult times, moving from location to location over the past 16 years. Their current home still won’t hold all of the memorobilia and artifacts they have acquired, but it provides an impressive account of man’s journey into space. In addition to the musuem, the Foundation has created monuments for all those who have worked on the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and Space Shuttle programs. These momunents are located at Space View park in Titusville, FL and anyone who has been a part of these programs can purchase an engraving to be added to the monuments.

The Foundation isn’t just about remember our past though, it’s also about encouraging young minds. Students ages 8-13 are invtied to partipcte in STEM Sessions (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) several times a year to learn more about living and working in space, robot technology, and launch safety. Many thanks to Charlie Mars, Karan Conklan, and all of the volunteers who give their time to this labor of love, education, and preservation. If you would like to support the Foundation, you can learn more about memberships here.

You can also connect on Twitter~Facebook~ You Tube

As we go into the Thanksgiving holiday I know that I have more than just these exciting events to be thankful for. I have a wonderful family, supportive fans, a job that allows me the flexibilty to pursue my writing, and most of all a God that holds me in the palm of His hand, guiding my steps, even when I feel like I am walking in the dark. I hope you all have a safe and happy Thanksgiving.

The Magic of Falling Leaves

There is something enchanting, magical even, about falling leaves. They don’t just flutter to the ground, they dance and whirl, as if enjoying their freedom. Even when they land they aren’t content to lie still, they take flight again in a gust of wind or in the wake of a speeding car. I could watch this ballet for hours, except you never know where the next show will be.

I recently spent a weekend chasing fall around Western North Carolina and while the colors weren’t as vibrant as what I’ve seen in the past, there was a different beauty to the landscape. Perhaps spending my whole life in Florida with little to no fall color that made this trip so spellbinding; maybe it was the much needed reprieve from the stifling heat; or maybe it was taking the time to see the world from a different perspective.

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As I watch my photos from this trip slip through the screensaver on my computer, I’m struck by the thought that fall is a chance for God to show us what a master artist He is. There is the side of a mountain with red, yellow, and orange spattered among the deep green of the pines and spruce. There are the fallen leaves, some brown, some still golden, that found a resting place on a moss covered rock in the rushing rapids of a clear stream. In the front yard, red and pink roses are still blooming in front of trees that are changing color daily.

Back in Florida, I can immerse myself in the photos and videos from this trip and find inspiration. There is so much beauty in the world, sometimes we just have to take time to change our perspective.