Sabbath on Sunday

Last Sunday, I turned in my first mystery for NAL, Murder, Plain & Simple, which I’m writing as Isabella Alan, to my agent. It’s always a wonderful feeling to turn in a book and be able to step away from it for a little while. When I turned in the book I had a few options, I could jump into writing the next one that is due August 1st (Eeeek!), clean out my garage, or take the day off. I was sorely tempted to clean out the garage. As some may know, I love to organize things. Cleaning out a closet or a desk drawer is fun and relaxing to me. I know this is a strange way to unwind. However since it was Sunday, I forced myself to take the whole day off and not feel guilty about it. I wasn’t 100% successful in not feeling guilty because I have a work ethic that is a tad ridiculous. However, I did enjoy the day, which included a nature hike at the Metro Park close to my home. While hiking, I saw so many pretty birds that are back in Ohio for the spring and summer. My favorite part was being in the woods alone while three red-breasted grosbeaks flew around me from tree to tree. In my heart, I knew it was gift from God because I love birds so much. Before the success of my writing, I used to go on bird hikes all the time. It was His way of saying, “Amanda, it is okay. You can take a day off and enjoy what I created.”

Below are some of the photos I took that day.

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So does this mean I will take every Sunday off? No. It’s not feasible for me to do that and work full time, but I do dream of the day when I have one career (writing), and every Sunday will really be a Sabbath Day.