Submission Follow-up

A Black Hole to Ponder

This week I did follow-up on three articles I have out for consideration. There is something to be said for the immediate rejection. At least you hear something. I have not heard one peep from any of the publishers I submitted articles to back in June/July. So I sent emails to each of them asking if they received my email way back in "ancient history"... seems like anyway.

I have plenty of patience, but at some point you begin to wonder Did they get the email I sent? or Did it go into the black hole of cyber-space? The latter situation oftentimes amounts to an accidental hit of the Delete key. Hmmmm...

This circumstance provoked a ponder. Instead of being called writers—having not yet been published and thus not earned the title author—we should be called author-in-waiting. After all, writing involves lots of waiting. I don't mean the act of writing, although we sometimes wait for juices to flow, the muse to inspire or creativity to happen. But the part where we send off our "babies" to the publisher and wait to get a response. We hope to hear that our work is worthy of publication, however, dead silence after awhile causes the mind to wonder.

I'm hoping my follow-up elicits some kind of response... or am I in for more waiting?

Death: The Final Passage

Patti Benedict

3/2/1957 - 10/3/2009

My little sister Patti went to be with Jesus last Saturday night. She is now completely healed of the cancer that caused her so much pain these last four years. Oftentimes we felt helpless having her far away in Oregon--five hours by car. We made many a trip over the time to love and comfort her.

Patti was number four of six in the family. For whatever reason, she held onto many "demons" from the past that burdened her in life. While the rest of us settled in the Sierras outside of Sacramento, she chose to move away.

Shortly after the last person left my husband Bob's birthday party Saturday night, we got the word my sister had passed away. She died in the hospital; never got home to die as she had wanted. I am so grateful we all saw her three weeks ago in the hospital before her last surgery to unblock her intestines. Most importantly her salvation was assured with a prayer I helped her pray while two of my brothers (believers) were in the room with me. Having not walked with Christ in her life, she feared death. She never got to know the Great Healer like the rest of us have. She was 52 and is survived by her husband Bob and daughter Melissa.

At the time of her passing, a brief thunder shower occurred. My three brothers and remaining sister enjoyed a magnificent display in the sky as they drove home that night. Lightening lit up the sky as it streaked from cloud to cloud. Isn't that just like our God? He wept at the pain Patti endured and then took her for a total healing. My friend Kendra, who lost her husband, calls these occurrences God winks... Indeed. What an amazing God we serve!

Patti is now at perfect peace with no pain, enjoying the healing she so longed to have. I spoke to her last Thursday and told her, even though she was dying, I would see her again in heaven. It brought tears to my eyes and, I believe, a knowing for her. She knew her final passage would bring her to Glory.

Glory to the Lord Most High!