Well, here we stand at the end of another decade. It was an excruciating one for me personally.
My wife moved away on August 9, 2012. That’s the date I count as our divorce day even though the courts say it occurred sometime around September 2015 or so.
My mom died February 27, 2015. I gave a eulogy for her children on March 3, 2015, exactly one year after my apartment was broken into while I was trying to sleep. I scared off both intruders before they took anything.
December 9, 2014 I made a mistake that cost me my driving job of 5 years. After that I held a position with a few different temp agencies that required me to drive some incredibly difficult work patterns.
2019 showed signs of improvement interspersed with some bad things. I made contact with a car while making a left hand turn near the end of March. That resulted in a fine and a threat for a lawsuit that never materialized.
I got another ticket for failure to yield the right of way during another left hand turn in an 18-wheeler. I haven’t received many tickets in my driving career. Two in one year is a first for me.
I’m definitely ready for a career change.
The family farm in Michigan sold in stages this year as well. When the inheritance is split six ways there isn’t much to go around.
Some people think I sent too much of it to some folks in Uganda. I hope God has a different opinion. I personally wish I could have sent more. A Christian school is now making great strides in building their own facilities on their own land because of part of my inheritance.
The highlight of the entire decade for me came in September this year. That’s when I was able to live off part of my inheritance while attending my 40 year high school reunion. Not everybody came to it but I was able to spend quite a bit of time with many of the kids I grew up with…as well as our English teacher who received one of my books as a gift.
The next two weeks I was able to spend time with each of my six siblings individually. I’m so glad to know I get along with all of them at this point in my life. Too many folks can’t make that claim.
At the end of September I attended the Maranatha Christian Writers’ Conference before I left Michigan. A publisher requested my middle grade manuscript. An agent asked for my Christmas devotional book. I’m still waiting to hear back from them. If I don’t hear back in January I’ll assume they aren’t interested. That’s the way this industry rolls.
I paid a small publisher to republish 100 Prayers of a Writer. They sent me a link in early December showing that it’s available for sale online. Then they said they would send me a copy of the book but that it might be delayed because of the seasonal shipping time. I still haven’t received my book.
It’s kinda hard for me to get excited about a book I can’t hold in my hands. I should be marketing said book by now but don’t feel like I can when I’m not confident it’s really real yet.
The last half of this decade has been more than excruciating for my illustrious illustrator, Dyann. She endured yet another back surgery the day after Christmas. I’ve lost count of all of the surgeries and illnesses she’s gone through since we got together to create the children’s storybook app, Have You Heard of the Herd?
I’m praying all of this warfare will pay off in 2020 when it finally becomes real as well. Anybody could’ve made cartoon characters for this app but the lifelike critters Dyann paints will definitely set this app apart from anything else out there.
I Played what I felt were minor roles in the two Kairos Prison Ministry at Beto weekends this year. God still used what I did in remarkable ways for at least one man in each event. That’s what it’s all about!
The temp agency I was working for was bought out earlier this year. They changed our health insurance provider in the middle of the year. I begin coverage by a third company in January because I hired on with the mattress company I’ve been driving for in October. Yeah, it’s a bit messy but fortunately I’m pretty healthy.
God has been providing for me financially per the manna regimen. Just enough to get by each day, week and month. I’m actually able to help some folks out occasionally. That always makes me feel great.
Every year in December I wonder if this coming year will be my breakout year. I’m always optimistic that it will be. So far that hasn’t materialized. Many things are in place now that haven’t been there in the past. That’s what makes me think 2020 is the year God really uses me to build His kingdom in incredible ways.
I’ll send a newsletter out to my subscribers on January 1st detailing some of these things. Sign up on my website to get the latest news about little old me. wadewebster.com
I don’t know what your past year and decade have been like but I pray this next year holds some amazing surpises for you. too.
I’ll see you later. Wade
