Faith Like a Monarch Butterfly

Yesterday was a classically beautiful autumn day in Michigan. I went to Lake Michigan, and at one point, was looking out from a deck next to a small sand dune above the water. Soon, from off to the side of the dune, as if by magic, a series of Monarch butterflies began to fly by. One right after another, sometimes 3-4 or more at a time. Amazed, I started to count them and when it reached past 20, I began to laugh at the wonder of it.

After a few minutes an older couple who had been biking came up on the deck and sat down to eat lunch on a bench behind me. I turned around to look at them, but they had no idea what was happening. They weren’t paying attention to the lake or the butterflies. So for them, the butterflies didn’t exist. The beauty, the fun, the wonder were lost on them. Their reality wasn’t big enough to include more than 50 monarch butterflies gracefully gliding along the lake, on their way south.

If had the ability to run into that same couple today, if I could find them, knock on their door and tell them about the butterflies, they would have a choice. First of all, they could choose to simply not listen. Then they could choose to not believe. In order for them to accept what I saw, they would have to have faith. Without it, the experience and the wonder of what had happened would be lost to them.

That’s how faith works.

A Bit of Business... and a Lot of Fun!

You can get in the running to win a copy of 20 Short Ones (my book), by going to goodreads and registering. 10 copies will be given away on September 28. The giveaway ends on that date.

If you live in Kalamazoo, I'll be at a book-signing with two other authors (Roxanne Fawley and Joseph Padgal two fine writers and even finer human beings), at Family Christian Stores on South Westnedge, on Oct. 18, from 1 to 3 p.m.  It's going to be fun, so please come and say hello!

To all of the folks who registered to win a copy of the book through two previous goodreads' giveaways, thanks, so very much, for taking an interest! Outside of book giveaways, 20 Short Ones is available through: Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Family Christian Stores and WestBow Press websites.

It's been a lot of fun learning about the publishing industry. Mostly by trial and error, with a lot of help from WestBow Press. One of the main things I've learned is: If you have a dream, go for it! When I was very young (maybe first grade) I began to write. As a teen I wrote for the local newspaper for their Youth Today Page. As an adult I worked as a freelance journalist writing human interest stories. But writing an actual book is unlike any of these experiences. It truly is a dream come true!