My sister is about to pop

My sister is about to pop, and I am very happy. I will be an uncle in a few weeks and in our family this is the first of our siblings to have a child. I think everyone is terribly excited. By the third of fourth child it might not be such a big deal, but right now it is. At Christmas I had fun looking for baby clothes. So did everyone else, judging by what my sister got for presents.

It has been a while since I've made time to write and for that I am sorry. The older I get, the more there is I want to do, and my days end, or I get tired (take your pick) before I have finished half of the things on my lists for the day. Weekends are prized commodities for me, much more precious than barrels of oil.

I had a fantastic 2006. I got back to being me again. I remembered my purpose and my passion and began pursing it again. One of the unique things about purpose, is that the closer you walk with God, the more you see, the more plans and dreams and goals God gives you. The more you trust and live by faith, the more blessings that come down. I had a lot of blessings this past year, but they haven't dimmed my enthusiasm for pursuing even harder.

I am walking the path God had in mind when he created me and bestowed his gifts upon me. It feels good. It feels right. I could be walking a little straighter, but I’m glad I’m on the path.

Now for some concrete news. My fantasy novel has progressed quite well, I feel. Shannon, my reader and cousin's wife, is doing a wonderful job encouraging me and deflating my balloon enough so that I can still walk through doors. CJ, I can only imagine what it must be like at the dinner table every night. I am thinking a May completion date for the rough draft. I've said it, so hold me to it! Liella has become a fun character to write about, and Ebben is just beginning to find his voice and his passion.

My other novel, Addicted to Love, has been on the back burner, but there hasn't been a day go by that I haven't thought of a great point that must be in the book. I write them down as they come, because I am a terrible rememberer. I am excited to see where this book takes me, as much as where it takes my readers.

Ron's book, which I am publishing, is nearly complete. We are in the trading stages, where I give him what I have completed and he grins and then frowns and tells me how he wants it to look or where here wants to change a sentence.

OG's Speculative Fiction released its fourth issue and I think it looks great. The response I have been getting with each release has been great. You can check it out here, http://theopinionguy.com/ogsspeculativefictionissue4.pdf

This week's article on the website is "Monarchy." I broke my own rule and talked about politics, something I really don't like to do. Some other good points on marriage and vision are also in the article.

And lastly, I've made some new friends and found some old ones. Friends are good. They help me keep me laughing and teach me lots, and I can never laugh enough or learn enough.

Mo and Bryan, you're in my prayers as are you, Barry and Amy.

And lest I forget, a quote of mine. "Change is an action."