It's been too long since I wrote anything here, but I have been busy. After doing a great deal of research on today's publishing world, I decided to go with Westbow Press, the assisted self-publishing arm of Thomas Nelson. Because of their association with such a well-known and respected parent company, I trust this organization to help me produce the best book possible.

So far my experience with Westbow has been totally positive. My check-in coordinator is easy to contact, and if he's busy at the time, he gets back to me within a day. That impresses me! 

I am learning about marketing as well as the details of publishing, and I am enjoying it immensely. My manuscript is nearly ready for final submission; I'm just waiting for some promised help with checking details in setting. So I'm trying to be paitent - never easy for me!

I've heard some people say that self-publishing is for people who really aren't good enough for "normal" publishers. What do you think?  Have you self-published? Or do you believe big royalty publishers are the only way to go?

Two days ago I received the news I'd hoped for: my foot is healing nicely, and I can now get around using only one crutch. If you've never had to use crutches, you may not realize how significant this news is. But after six-and-a-half weeks of being unable to do much of anything due to needing both hands on my crutches, having one hand free is huge!

Now I can carry things, even spillable things like a cup of coffee, without worry. I can do some cooking and cleaning, and I can get up and down the stairs without doing the "butt-scootin' boogie." This good news from the doctor was the key that unlocked the cell of uselessnes, and it feels wonderful.

However, this morning as I was preparing for the day, I reached for my second crutch, out of habit, and that got me thinking. What if I ignored my doctor's words? What if I chose to continue being helpless and mostly useless? After all, I have weakened considerably in the last month and a half, and taking on chores again is extra difficult. And besides, using two crutches feels much safer.

Silly, isn't it? But isn't that what I do when I ignore the freedom trom sin that Jesus paid for with his life and continue my bad habits? There are certain crutches of bondage in my life that I hold onto, even though I have received the Good News that Jesus has freed me. St. Paul wrote about his struggle in Romans 7, and I've always identified with that passage. I guess I want this freedom to be effortless, but of course it is not. But it is available, and I would be silly to keep ignoring it.

How about you? Do you have areas where bondage is more comfortable than freedom? I'd love to hear from you.