Wed, Jan 17th - 9:35AM

Good Bye for Now

My Husband and I had a talk yesterday about the blog, and we decided that I was going to have to quit blogging.  I have really enjoyed getting to know you all and sharing some of my testimony, but I guess I have been enjoying it too much at the expense of my other writing. 

As I have said before, I tend to be very one track minded, and I have been having a hard time concentrating on my novel.  Since both the book writing and the blogging are done on my computer, it is just too easy, when I start to get the least little bit restless with my writing, to slip over to the blog, and then my mind shifts gears, and I can’t seem to get back to the writing. 

What works far better for me is to switch occasionally to some physical work that lets my mind regroup, and refresh and when I go back to the book the writer’s block is usually gone.

So this is to let you know that you probably won’t be hearing from me unless you wish to receive my news letters with current testimonies, which I will still send out to friends and family occasionally.  If you leave me your email address I can put you on my email list.

If you wish to see more of my paintings, my husband is in the process of entering them into our web site: http://www.faithchristianmission.com/   Right now there are already some of my prints listed, but the quality of the pictures used was poor, so they look very dull.  Hopefully they will be updated soon as well.

So for now, I wish you all the best.  I’ll continue to pray for each of you as the Lord brings you to my mind. 

Tue, Jan 16th - 9:25AM

Painting of Jones falls, one of several around Owen Sound

Sun, Jan 14th - 5:58PM

My mistakes God's direction

About 17 years ago I decided to go to night school with my husband.  We were taking English and I found that I still enjoyed creative writing.  I had heard my Mother tell her stories all my life and had always felt that they were worth writing down.  So when my teacher started getting excited about the work I was producing I started getting excited to.

I became convinced that I could really become a writer, and I was bound and determined that I would be successful.  I started writing Mom’s story, with two thoughts in mind, one was that I could pass on something worth while to the next generation, but the other thought, (mistake #1) was that I could impress my family and friends by being a published author. 

I spent a lot of time with my Mom getting the details and when I had a few chapters written I took it over to a neighbor who was also a published author and children’s book writer.  He was suitably impressed but had a few suggestions to make.  I enjoyed his compliments but didn’t take much of his advice (mistake #2).  I sent a synopsis and first four chapters to three publishers and got two rejection slips and one very nice encouraging letter saying that they loved it but couldn’t do it.

By now I had finished the English course and was deeply immersed in art.  I discovered that I loved painting with oils.  During that course I did four or five oil paintings.  One of which I show here. 

One painting that I had painted during that time sold for $1000.  I had become an artist over night.  I figured it would be wonderful to do nothing but sit and paint pictures for the rest of my life. (mistake #3).  My ambition to become a writer fell by the wayside in my newfound success as an artist. 

I immediately became a self promoter. (mistake #4).  I knew people bought paintings from artists whose names they recognized so I started getting my name out there.  I also promoted every other artist in the area.  We had huge art exhibitions, I got a few of my pictures done into prints and I became part of the artist’s co-op.

My husband was impressed with my talent.  He decided that we should start an Art Center with galleries and art supplies and framing and classes.  It suited my ego and I encouraged it (mistake #5).

But God wasn’t in it.  Bruce had received a reminder call from the Lord to go out into ministry but his reply was, “not now, Lord. My wife needs a chance with her art. (big mistake).  We did everything possible.  I wrote columns in various news papers, did a monthly TV report, and spent tons on advertising, but we just kept going farther and farther under.

Fourteen months later after loosing our home our savings and our health, the Lord finally helped us bail out.  We were more than ready to go into the ministry He had planned for us.

Three years ago, when the thought started coming to me that I should finish Mom’s story, I tried to dismiss it.  I wanted nothing more to do with anything that would necessitate the promotion of “Carol Flett”.  But it continued to play on my mind until I begged the Lord to show me what I should do.

This is what He directed me to:

 Ps 78:3:  I will open my mouth in a parable which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.

 4 We will not hide them from their children, showing to the generation to come, the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.

 5 For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:

 6 That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:

 7 That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:”

I knew that Mom’s story was a wonderful testimony of the workings of God.

Still, I was not totally sure that I wasn’t just wasting time, but then when I opened my Bible the next time I saw a long tedious genealogy, and I realized that God went to a lot of trouble to keep a record of parents and grand parents.  After that I flipped over in the Bible to another passage.  It opened to me at Psalm 145:4.  “One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.”  And verse 2 says “Every day will I bless thee.”  I believed my writing would bless him, and I knew that I would have to do it every day.

My husband reminded me that my painting did not have much potential for winning souls to the Lord but my writing could.  I started back to my writing. 

I guess I will leave the rest of the story for the next blog entry.  It’s time to put the supper on.

Thu, Jan 11th - 9:14PM

I have struggled all day with rewriting a few short pages of “Susie’s Calling, and I begin to wonder what is wrong.  Have I lost my focus?  Am I forgetting who this project belongs to?  Am I looking for personal gratification in all of this?  Deep down is my motivation a desire to hear people say, “That’s Carol Flett, a terrific author?”  If that is the case, I may as well quit right now.  If my motivation is anything but a deep tremendous longing to see souls won to the Kingdom of God and others strengthened in their journey, then there is no point in writing one more sentence.

Lord Jesus You know my heart.  Let me be your tool.  Accomplish your will in my life.  If I am not yet ready to do this story, please do whatever work that needs to be done in me first so that I can be used of you.  Help me to remember day by day, hour by hour, word by word, why I am writing.

And Lord, I pray that you would keep me at peace as I strive to do what I believe You have led me to do. 

I started to write this post while feeling quite down, and wound up in tears pouring my heart out to the Lord.  I am OK now, and I know that one way or another He will keep me on track.  Maybe next time I will try to write a bit of a background.  It’s a testimony that is meant to be shared.

Wed, Jan 10th - 10:00AM

Family

Here is my family.  Bruce Jr. is next to his Dad on the left.  My oldest grandson, Isaac, (far right) is in need of prayer right now too, but I thank God for every one of my children and grandchildren, and especially for my wonderful husband.

I am not in these pictures because I was at the other end of the camera, and besides I didn't want to spoil the picture.