Thursday, July 31, 2008

Dwindling Days of Summer

Tomorrow, yes, folks, to-mor-row, I have my first inservice day of the school year! Our first full day of school is next Friday, the 8th. I've already spent countless hours just this week in my classroom arranging and decorating it. Oh, where have you gone, my dear sweet summer?!

Don't think I'm not looking forward to going back. I love teaching and especially love the beginning of a new school year. It's so full of life and . . . promise! The kids are excited to be back. The parents are really excited to have their kids back in school! :) And the teachers are excited to see their coworkers and all of the fresh, new faces in their classroom, ready and eager to dive into that wonderful pool of knowledge.

Of course I'm looking forward to it, just like I do every year, but this closing of another summer vacation reminds me of how quickly time just slips away from us. And there's nothing that anyone can do about it. Like a freight train, time just keeps chugging along. I suppose we can either hop aboard and enjoy the ride, or let it pass us by (as I just did) and wonder how it can slip away so fast. At the next stop, I'm hopping on. How about you?

Are you waiting for some reading material??? How about the synopsis tonight? Okay! Here goes:


The Heart’s Journey Home

Home is where the heart is . . . or is it?

Three years after Kate Sterling's heart was shattered by the unexpected death of her husband, home is about loyalty and practicality. So she packs up what is left of her life in Nashville, Tennessee, and moves back to Harvest Bay in north central Ohio with her young daughter. Expecting her hometown to be the same sleepy little community she grew up in, she discovers that some things have changed.

First, Adam Sullivan, the once goof-off jock she avoided in high school, breaks down her initial defenses and becomes Kate’s confidante. Having experienced hardships of his own, he understands her in a way no one else can. He is gentle, insightful, compassionate . . . and miraculously makes her broken heart perform acrobatics. But in order for their relationship to grow closer, Kate not only has to get past the pain of losing her husband, but she also has to deal with the fact that Adam is not a Christian. With her own faith on shaky ground, does she have the passion and fire to lead someone else to Christ?

Then Kate learns the town’s doctor is expanding his office and her brother-in-law, Nathan Sterling, is leaving his successful Vanderbilt practice to accept the open physician position, and she finds her head spinning. At first it’s almost like having a piece of her husband back . . . until Nathan confesses his love for her, leaving her emotions torn.

It isn’t until Kate suffers another devastating loss that she finally understands that the God who loves and cares for her has given her a second chance at love. Now she must make a decision: Is God leading her to a love linked to the past . . . or to one who will walk with her into the future? Which road will Kate take on The Heart’s Journey Home.



Prayer Concerns: Please continue to pray for my grandma, Angela Dominick, who fell a week and a half ago and broke her hip. Also, please continue to pray for my very dear friend from high school, Patty Smith, who is battling ovarian cancer. Pray for William Hickson, who has mitochondrial disease, and for his family as they deal with the daily struggles. Also, please pray for my sister, Julie Roder, who is expecting her second child sometime in March and that she'll have a safe, healthy pregnancy. If you have a prayer concern (even if it is unspoken - God knows all of our needs after all) please email me personally through my profile and I will be happy to post it. There IS power in prayer!

P.S. Happy birthday, Bonnie! I hope it was a great one! Love ya!

3 comments:

Amy Deardon said...

Hi Jen, I was just visiting Krista's blog and thought I'd pop over. I can't believe you're starting school so early! Good luck with everything. Hope you have AC :-)

Your synopsis sounds like a great story! How much have you written yet? I'm wondering from your first chapter that you had up earlier if Nathan is also a romantic interest? If so, maybe this could be clarified just a tad?

See, it's so easy to be a critic :-) I'm happy to trade if you want (if you promise not to laugh too hard, or at least not let me know).

Good luck with everything, and enjoy "The Last Week"!

Anonymous said...

Hi Jen,
I'm intrigued by the synopsis. Can't wait to read the book.
I've been kind of mourning the passing of summer. I'm not a cold weather person at all. Hope you have a great start of school.
Carol Bruce Collett

Krista Phillips said...

I loved the summary! I was wondering if Nathan would be her love interest, and I just bet now that he will! I actually love that you DON"T show it in the first chapter snippet. It adds to the mystery of the romance! I think a good writer makes you wonder and want more. It is hard as a romance writer to keep that *mystery* alive. Everyone knows that boy ends up with girl. But if you can sneek it in there an make them doubt it, then Voila! Well done!