Becky Wade's Blog, page 60

Totaled Truck & Treasured Memories

Okay, call me sentimental but when I cleaned out my truck this week, I got a little misty eyed.

This faithful 2012 Ford F-150 has seen me through a lot, while also racking up a ton of miles.

Pic of the truck when we first bought it years ago
(I LOVE driving a larger vehicle! Anyone else?)

This truck carried me back and forth from Nashville to Atlanta nearly every week for two years while my precious Dad’s health declined with dementia.

Me and Dad in 2019 shortly before he went Home

It kept me safe when a deer decided to take an ill-fated leap across Hwy 20 (in Atlanta) at 2:30 in the afternoon (!) on one those many trips back and forth. Thank goodness for insurance!

It’s been a great ride for many years now.

But last Monday as Joe and I were headed out the door, truck keys in hand for an appointment, someone plowed into both of our parked cars right outside of our townhouse. Joe actually saw it happen, and everyone heard the impact. Neighbors came running.

Gratefully, no one was hurt. The person driving (a very kind neighbor who lives down the street, we hadn’t met until that day) apparently blacked out while driving (yikes!)and doesn’t remember anything but waking up to the accident. We’re all so incredibly thankful it didn’t happen on the highway. As they say, things could have been so much worse.

Both cars were totaled. Crazy, right? But again, no one was hurt. And cars can be replaced. People cannot. I’m so grateful for God’s protection on all sides.

But it’s amazing how time consuming an accident can be. Tow trucks, insurance calls, body shops, rentals, more insurance calls, wreckers…and shopping for other cars, which I’ve never enjoyed. But does anyone really enjoy car shopping?

We’re in the process of buying replacement vehicles, which it is exciting to have something newer with more of the recent technological bells and whistles. And while a sunroof doesn’t technically fit that category, I adore them and used mine all the time.

What’s a feature on your current vehicle that you love? And that now that you’ve had it, you don’t think you could live without?

Hugs from my corner of Franklin, TN,

Tammy

AUGUST GIVEAWAY…and don’t you dare laugh!

49 Years…and Counting

On Friday, Becky shared that she and her husband are celebrating their 30th anniversary this summer. (Happy anniversary!) That post happened to land on the day of Ken and my 49th wedding anniversary. I enjoyed reading Becky’s marriage journey so much that I thought I’d share ours too.

Ken and I met when his brother and my best friend from high school were dating, and they set us up on a blind date. I don’t really believe in love at first sight, but it was definitely intense like at first sight. Ken had finished two years of junior college and was headed to Kansas State University. I was about to start my freshman year at Emporia State College (then called Kansas State Teachers College).

Riding horses on my farm the summer we met.
Our college photos the year we met (me, a freshman, Ken, a junior).

We had a long-distance courtship that school year, writing daily letters to each other between our campuses that were eighty miles apart. We got married on August 11 the following summer.

Ken and Deb Raney

After our wedding, we lived in campus married housing at K-State one semester but after the Christmas break, on Ken’s 21st birthday, we dropped out of school, loaded all our earthly belongings into a 24-foot rental truck, drove our Ford Pinto into the truck, and headed for New York City where Ken had always dreamed of working in the publishing industry as an illustrator.

That move is probably one of the best things we ever did for our marriage. We had each other and the Lord to depend upon. No running home to mama when things got tough (and they did get tough!) but we grew closer to each other and to God during the next two years than probably at any other time in our marriage. We lived on love and oatmeal. (You can read a bit more of that story here.)

Even as a young teenager, I had been told by several doctors that I probably would not be able to conceive children. But two years after moving to New York, God surprised us with a miracle pregnancy. We knew we wanted to raise our son near our parents, so in the summer of 1976, with me eight months-plus pregnant, we loaded everything into another rental truck and with the help of dear friends from our church in New York, we moved back to Kansas.

Our son, Tarl, was born in October and doctors said he was a miracle and we shouldn’t expect to have any more. But three years later, the Lord blessed us with our daughter, Tobi, and we rejoiced to have one of each. Two years minus one week later God gave us another son, Trey, and we were ecstatic. Then eight years later, to all our great surprise, Tavia made her entrance into the world. I gave birth to a baby in the ’70s, two in the ’80s, and one in 1990, meaning we had kids in our home for thirty-two years! You can believe we are enjoying our empty nest! Haha! But these four are the greatest blessings of our life!

Life was crazy and chaotic, including two years where we had four kids in four different schools! But before we knew what hit us, the kids grew up and started leaving home.

We’d been blessed to rent a four-bedroom duplex very cheap, which allowed me to stay home with the kids all through their school years. I started writing to to pay for college and once the oldest three had their degrees, we bought our first house. Soon our kids were bringing home special gals and guys, and then Tobi got married and made us Papa and Mimi, our most cherished titles!

The weddings and grandbabies came in quick succession after that and now all four of the kids are married-with-kids. And just look at us! We grew by four last year and barely fit in one house now.

Oh, but these are our hearts! How we love them! We can’t wait to see what God will do in each of these precious ones’ lives. We feel so very blessed. Thanks for letting me share our story. Ken’s grandparents each lived to be 101 and they celebrated their eighty-second anniversary! I don’t expect that Ken and I will do the same, but we do hope we have many more years together to enjoy the life God has given us and to serve Him with all our hearts.

Inspired by Scripture

This Sunday feature is brought to you by ClashVerseoftheDay.com. You may sign up to receive a beautiful photo with Scripture in your inbox each morning or view the verse each day online.

30th Anniversary!

My husband and I are celebrating our 30th anniversary this summer. Here’s one of my favorite candid shots, taken as we were leaving the chapel immediately after the wedding ceremony…

In 1993 we were 24 (him) and 21 (me). Now that I have children around this age, I can fully appreciate how very young we were to be making such a giant commitment. But we were also smart enough to recognize that we were in the perfect stage of life–no kids, no mortgage–to work overseas for awhile. So we followed his job as a tennis pro to the Caribbean island of Anguilla, where we lived for 3 years. It was during this time period, in 1994, that I tried my hand at writing for the first time. I fell instantly in love with it. For the next four years, I wrote manuscript after manuscript, submitted them to literary agents and publishers, and received nothing but rejections.

Newlyweds in AnguillaAfter Anguilla, his job moved us to Perth, Australia for a year.

Then he was offered a Head Pro position at T Bar M Racquet Club in Dallas, where he’s been ever since and has served as the Athletic Director for many years.

In 1998 I received “the call” from an editor at Avon Books in New York who wanted to buy and publish my debut novel. That general market historical romance (now out of print) released in 1999.

When we added our first baby to the family in 2000, I’d published two books and had the third in the publishing pipeline. I’d intended to continue writing after our daughter arrived, but I was overwhelmed by the demands of taking care of her and burned out on writing by then. What I really, really wanted in that moment was to set the writing aside. And so I did. I thought I was quitting forever, which was bittersweet. Sweet because I was eager to stop. Bitter because that ending was hugely disappointing. Despite my years of effort and big dreams, my writing career had been unremarkable and short-lived.

Our son arrived in 2003. When he was almost 5 two things happened. 1) I heard God saying, Becky, it’s time to write again. This time, books that will glorify Me. I was incredibly surprised because I hadn’t planned on resuming writing . . . ever. 2) After two years of infertility, I learned we were expecting our third baby. I DEFINITELY hadn’t planned on resuming writing while taking care of two young kids and expecting a third. But those God calls, He equips. I suddenly wanted to write. I was suddenly inspired. When I sat back down at my computer and opened a blank document and started typing, I felt that great love of writing that I’d once had come rushing back.

I began the manuscript that would become My Stubborn Heart in August of 2008, working only during the hours when my daughter was in elementary school and my son in pre-school. By the time the new baby arrived in late April of 2009, I was just a few chapters from typing The End, but I set the book aside and didn’t open it for 10 months.

My mother-in-law has always been a huge supporter of my writing (and everything and everyone else connected with her family). “I’ll come over as many times as needed,” she told me, “to watch the baby so that you can finish your book.” And so, she took care of baby. I wrote. And the rest is history.

Our little ones grew.

And grew.

Us, nowadays

At this point, His Highness and I have lived the majority of our lives together. Friends, partners, spouses, allies. We were young when we spoke our vows, but we’ve been living them out from that day on. When I think back on these 30 years of joys and sorrows, ups and downs, I’m abundantly grateful. And so very cognizant of God’s incredible goodness and faithfulness to us.

We’re trusting Him with our family, our work, our future.

“Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.” Isaiah 26:4

The Biltmore and God’s Creativity+ Giveaway

This has been a quick week with a trip to North Carolina for a conference/vacation. I’ve had the opportunity to learn and present at a scholarship of teaching and learning conference tied to my day job while also exploring the North Carolina mountains with my family. It’s a last hurrah before life gets insane with the start of school and then ACFW — all at the same time.

One of the joys of this trip was the opportunity to connect with my dear friend Pepper Basham. She’s one of my soul sisters, the few individuals that I can trust with every part of me and who I know gets me, loves me, and will challenge stinking thinking. There’s a few people God has put in my life like that and she is one of them. So it was a delight to get a couple hours with her at the Biltmore. While others were listening to the audioguide, Pepper and I were talking writing, family, and faith with a good sprinkling of Biltmore trivia. I’m sure it was entertaining.

One of the great things about being out of town was the creative side of me was fed by wandering the gardens. The flowers. Y’all, it’s insane. So beautiful. We joke as a family about creating the Putman estates, but places like this make me wonder it would like to create a corner of that in our yard. Anyone want to come help?

There’s such beauty and diversity in God’s creation and so much of it is on display on the grounds at the Biltmore. There’s something about being in places like this that feeds a part of my soul and creativity that I need. But it’s hard to find the time to slip away for times like this. I tend to come when it’s a combination of work and family time. And this week has been a great combination of both.

We’re missing our 19 year old, who’s still on his internship, but he’ll be home this weekend. I can’t wait to see him. How do you find time to feed your soul? Are you able to find ways to escape even for a day or two?

To help you relax, here’s a giveaway for a book. Either a copy of Sarah Ladd’s latest book or Pepper’s latest. Both are excellent and I’d love to share them with you!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Summer Reading Vibes

Happy Wednesday, friends. Today I’m excited to have my friend Debb Hackett guest posting today. She’s such an awesome supporter of authors, an avid reader, a gifted speaker and writer. I know you’ll enjoy her post. Have a great week! 

Hey, Inspired readers, it’s a real joy to be with you today. I hope this post finds you extremely well. I realize for some, summer is now in the rearview for 2023, but here in England, schools don’t go back until the first full week of September. My family is still refining vacation plans, so I’m firmly considering what stories I bring along. 

What I do know, is that without the chance to curl up for a little bit most days, it won’t feel like a break. Certain members of my family like to use vacation to see and do and visit. That’s fine, but for me, putting my feet up needs to happen as well, and there’s no better place for that than in pages of great escapism.

There’s a reason beach reads are a thing. For most of us reading this blog, stories are a place we come up for air. We curl up or stretch out with a good book to relax and unwind. So, I wanted to share some thoughts on what to take for great vacation reading and suggest some excellent books I’ve encountered lately. 

The great format debate. While an e-reader is extremely useful for being able to bring hundreds of books in one tablet, purists prefer something they can hold and touch. You also have to consider the glint of the sun (hopefully) off the screen of some e-readers, and the dire consequences of getting one wet. 

Do you like to take road trips, walk on the beach, or go for hikes on vacation? In this case, audiobooks are a great option, especially if you have family along that enjoys stories too. 

As we gear up to hit the road, for physical books, I’m taking Pixels and Paint by Kristi Ann Hunter. I enjoy her historical romances, so suspect this contemporary romance will hit the spot. I can also recommend The Love Script by Toni Shiloh and Positively Penelope by Pepper Basham, both just released this month. 

For my tablet, I have Shadows at Dusk by Elizabeth Goddard. I do love a good suspense novel, and this one is set in Alaska, a place that fascinates me. Other recent romantic suspense I can recommend include Facing the Enemy by DiAnn Mills, and Countdown by Lynette Eason. 

Finally, for listening, I’m partway through Counterfeit Faith by Crystal Caudill. This is a historical romantic suspense, so a little bit of everything. The narrator is excellent too. Then I’ll flip to the third in the Remington Stone series from Susan May Warren, which is a time travel adventure over six books and our hero is still in deep trouble!

Whether up a mountain, under an umbrella on the beach, or camping in a field, tell me what you’ve read or plan to read on vacation this year…

Writer, broadcaster, and speaker Debb Hackett has been a radio journalist for more than twenty years. Married to a test pilot, Debb lives just outside London, England, with her husband and their two daughters. Her first work of fiction won the Foundation Award at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference and was an ACFW Genesis Award finalist. When she’s not writing, Debb can be found leading worship, cheering for Green Bay or skiing. If you can swing by her house while she’s making scones, that would be a win. She blogs at: https://debbhackett.com

A Wonderful Time with Readers & Writers

I recently attended the Mississippi River Readers Retreat for the second time. Being there was just as much of a blessing as it was the first time, back in 2021.

Inspirational Regency Reader hosts Julie Klassen, Erica Vetsch, and Michelle Griep (left). Fabulous Tea Party with readers (right).

Authors spent time together beforehand at the beautiful Linden Hill estate, to get to know one another, share from our hearts, brainstorm, etc. This was followed by a lovely (if warm) tea party with readers.

Authors (left). Readers (right).The schedule (left). Talented organizers Mandy, Gabrielle Meyer, and Joyce (right).

Then on Saturday, we were ready for the all-day readers retreat, with worship time, delicious food, author panels, time to sit with and ask questions of authors, fun(ny) book “commercials,” and more.

Author panels (left). Loved meeting with influencers/bookstagrammers like Alissa (right).

We also listened to two wonderful, inspiring speakers: author-agent Cynthia Ruchti and digital creator Shannon Hargreaves of The Reel Bookery on Instagram.

Cynthia Ruchti and Shannon Hargreaves

There is such a genuine, godly spirit at MRRR. It was a sincere privilege to attend as an author once again, and readers seemed to truly enjoy the experience as well. MRRR is an every other year event. Please consider yourself invited to attend the 2025 Mississippi River Readers Retreat. I promise you, you will be glad you went.

Note: some images borrowed from sister-writers and readers, with gratitude.

No wonder I avoid the phone . . .

I have written a series of writing lessons and published them on Amazon–Writing Lessons from the Front. There are 12 books now, and I keep adding to them as I think of topics. But I’m not writing today about the books. I’m writing about telephone support people, God love ’em.

The other day I went into the inner workings of Amazon’s program and changed the categories of those writing books–because Amazon changed their categories. Everything went fine, so I clicked the button that sends my changes to Amazon for review.

Then I got several emails from their reviewer saying, “Amazon only publishes paperbacks and hardbacks. We do not publish calendars, spiral notebooks, etc., etc. Therefore we will not publish your book.” I got this letter for six of the 12 books.

What? They already HAD published my 12 books–in fact, they were live on Amazon at that moment. So I called the helpline. Amazon is really good about having people call you.

So this woman answers, gives me the usual spiel about how it’s a recorded line, etc., and then asks how she can help. I tell her that I think they think this is a spiral notebook (because the back cover shows the spiral of the notebook on the cover), but it’s not, it’s a paperback. In fact, it’s an existing paperback.

“We won’t publish it,” she said. “It’s a spiral notebook.”

“It’s not,” I insisted. “It’s a paperback. I have 12 of these paperbacks–they have a picture of a spiral on the back cover. And you’ve already published it.”

“The customer will think it’s a spiral.”

“No, because the customer will only see the front cover, where there’s no spiral thingy.”

“But then they’ll see the back and have a negative customer experience. You’ll have to remove the spiral.”

“What about the six books you approved? They have the same spiral.”

“We don’t want anyone to have a negative customer experience.”

Sigh. So I hung up, then went online and vented to some friends. “Call again,” someone urged. “Don’t give up.”

So I called again and tried a different tack. This time I talked to a nice young man who was apparently in India.

“Hello,” I said, after giving him my log in information so he could see my books. “I received an email saying that you only publish hardbacks and paperbacks, so you couldn’t publish my book. But you already have published my book, I just wanted to change the categories. Can you see all those paperbacks?”

“Yes,” he said. “I see that it is a paperback.”

“Wonderful! So can you please approve this paperback? I don’t want to have a negative customer experience.”

He hesitated. “I’ll have to speak to my supervisor. I will send you an email.”

Update: I waited three days, then I called again. I kept submitting those six books, and then four of them were approved. Only two remained, and one day one of those was approved. But I kept getting emails about the last book being a spiral bound.

Finally–finally, it was approved. And I don’t know how many hours I spent writing emails or on the phone.

And then . . . oy, what a day . . . Somehow a lot of doctors think my insurance was Florida Blue when it was really Medicare. So I’ve been getting all these bills that Florida Blue didn’t pay (because I don’t have it any more) and one office actually sent me to a collection agency! So I called the collection agency, explained that the bills should have been submitted to medicare, and that my insurance was Medicare with a secondary policy of something I’ll call “United We Stand.” (Not the real name–I feel weird putting this stuff out there).

Anyway–so the guy says, “So you’re now with Florida Blue and a secondary of United Healthcare.”

“No, that’s Medicare and United We Stand.”

“So it’s Medicare and Standard Insurance.”

“No, it’s Medicare and United We Stand.”

“Okay–well, you’ll have to call the doctor’s office and tell them that.”

“Fine. Can you give me the number of their billing department?”

“We’re not allowed to give out numbers.”

“Then can YOU call them and explain all this?”

“Not allowed to do that, either.”

“Then I’ll try to find them.”

“But let me warn you, lady–this will hurt your credit record if you don’t pay up.”

“Look here,” I said, going into Mature Woman mode, “Collection agencies are notorious for threatening people, and I will not be threatened. This had better NOT hurt my credit score because this is not my fault. Have a good day.”

Sigh. So I hung up and googled the doctor’s office and the woman looked for my name, my account number, my date of birth–couldn’t find me. Probably because my file was at the collection agency.

So I ended up writing an email, I explained everything, included every account number, and then let it go. I am praying there is a Mature Woman in that office who can straighten this mess out. If not, I’ll probably have to tell them that I’m having a negative customer experience.

Have you ever experienced this kind of nightmare? How did you maintain your sanity . . . and your patience?

Inspired by Scripture

This Sunday feature is brought to you by ClashVerseoftheDay.com. You may sign up to receive a beautiful photo with Scripture in your inbox each morning or view the verse each day online.

The “stuff” that hangs on

As you know from Tammy’s post on Tuesday, I returned home on Monday from our 20th Annual Plot, Play, and Pray retreat in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. As always, I am filled up with joy from my time with these wonderful sisters in Christ. They mean more to me than I can say, and they continue to strengthen and inform my faith.

Even the trees in Brandilyn’s forest have faces!

One of the first things I noticed upon my return was that my large patio plant looked very beleaguered. It received water, but it looked very brown and sparse because no one had plucked off the dead blooms, something I do almost every day. I’m sorry I didn’t take a photo of it in that sorry state. But here is a before photo:

Boo keeps watch on the patio and the flowers look great

On Wednesday morning, with wonderful old Keith Green songs playing on my patio speaker, I sat on the stool and plucked and plucked and plucked off most of the “dead stuff.” And it got me to thinking about how drab I would look if I let the dead stuff—the sins, the old habits, the wrong thoughts—that Christ has freed me from cling to me as I walk through life.

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.
Hebrews 12:1 (NASB95)

Gathering with other believers, whether at a retreat or at church or anywhere, helps us to get or remain untangled. It helps us renew our minds, to get rid of the “dead stuff” that clings to us.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 12:2 (NASB95)

With the transformation that comes with the renewing of my mind, I can cast off the old dead blooms that try to cling to me. Hopefully, after walking with the Lord for the better part of five decades, I don’t have as big a pile of “dead stuff” as my patio plant had.

Looking better without the “dead stuff”

What steps do you take to remain unentangled?

Many blessings,
~robin