A lot of things

I'm in Knoxville at my brother's right now. My sister is here from Indiana with her kids. She's at my Mom and Grandma's house.

I've had a great week since I left home last Thursday, but I'm very tired. Physically, emotionally, spiritually, mentally.

Yesterday we had a fun picnic and walking in creeks, then going to Pigeon Forge. That place is incredible - all entertainment and nothing but entertainment.

I didn't feel well toward the end, but I love being with everyone. Missing Tony a bunch right now, but I'll see him tomorrow, late.

ICRS - The Christian Retail Show - was very fun. I always love walking the showroom floor. I had lunch with friends Judy Baer and Tracy Higley on Monday. We ran into the lovely and gracious Karen Ball in the lunch line, so we all joined lunching forces.

Tracy and I walked the showroom floor some, and as we passed by one booth, the publisher wanted us to stop and get a signed copy of a book. So, after a few passes, we stopped. It was a book about pleasing God instead of man. We laughed so hard because we ended up getting a copy . . . to make the "man" happy. Too, too funny.

Sunday night I had a great time at the Thomas Nelson fiction dinner. I sat with Colleen Coble and her husband, Dave, as well as Michael and Gail Hyatt. Michael is the president of Thomas Nelson.

He is so personable and gracious. The kind of man who knows how to engage people in a sincere manner. His wife was the same - very gracious and warm, like you'd met a friend.

Allen Arnold, our fiction publisher, always has us answer a couple of questions. This year it was our favorite cereal and our hopeful legacy.

Cereal was hard. Tony and I have one, I just don't know the name of it. Something with almond covered raisins.

As for my legacy, how can I really say? To be known in heaven more than I'm known on earth?

I thought of a hundred things but this is what I want my legacy to be: that some day people will say, "I met a woman once. I don't remember her name or even what she looks like, she might have been a writer, but every time I was around her, I could see Jesus. I wanted to be more like Him. I knew He loved me."

That's not what I said Sunday night, but given time to think, it's what I want my legacy to be.

Weekends like this one are fun and exhilarating, as well as nerve wracking. "Did I offend anyone." "Did I hurt anyone's feelings?" "Did I gossip?" "Was I gossiped about?" "Did I present myself in a professional way?" "Was I gracious and kind at all times?"

Enough to drive a person batty! :) To these things I say, "Grace, grace!"

To every one I did or did not see at the show, grace, grace.

Our summer conference, In The Fire, starts tomorrow night through Saturday night. I'm looking forward to it.

Freinds, Fast and Atlanta

Our friends Marlow and Tonya Dunham visited over the weekend. They were down to attend a class, and then spent a day and a half with us. Well, I worked some on Monday and they went to the beach, but we had a blast playing Euchre.

Let's just say when the men wen to the kitchen to scrounge for food, the women cheated. Sort of. We laughed so hard.

Good friends are a treasure.

Finished and turned in Sweet Caroline on Wednesday evening. I'm happy with it! Lost of good changes, and as usual, I cut lots of words. It's the journalistic training. Write tight.

40 Day Fast
Tomorrow is the last day of the 40 day fast and The Call Nashville. Please keep The Call in prayer. Join them via God.tv. Fast if you can.

Writer's Retreat and Retail Trade Show
I'm in Atlanta for a writer's retreat and the Christian Retail Trade Show. Today we had a workshop all day with the great Donald Maass. Wow. What a great day. So much writing wisdom and techniques.

Mostly how to look deeper, think differently about our writing. Relieved I did some things well with Sweet Caroline, cringed when I saw things I could've done better. One scene in particular, but we learn with each book

Susan Warren and I have been reworking her next book, PJ Sugar tonight. Fun. I was telling her to cut something and she pouted at the idea. I said, "Hey, you're the award winning, award finalist, not me. Don't listen to me."

But, she's good. She did. ;)

Tomorrow, more writing workshops and connecting with a few people.

Grace and peace.