Building Resumes

I met someone on my run yesterday morning walking a dog that looked just like my dog, Honeybun. I stopped and asked her if she knew she had a Carolina Dog.
"You know, some people have told me that!" she said.
"Yes, she looks just like my dog. I was wondering if you had taken my dog!"
She laughed and we talked about the characteristics of Carolina Dogs. She had just moved to the neighborhood, so it was nice to get to know her. And it was wonderful to meet her dog. There are now 5 Carolina Dogs I know of in our neighborhood!

I told her that I had just written a second book about Carolina Dogs, hoping she would ask for a hundred copies. She didn't...but she did ask my name. That is a start. There are other promising book promotions on the horizon, besides trolling the neighborhood for readers.  I received a request for an interview from a major magazine in the Cell Tower Business for my last book, and a potential interview request yesterday for my recent dog book. Nonetheless, promoting oneself as an author is HARD WORK, and with a billion other authors out there, success is almost impossible. (PS- my book is really inspiring and encouraging...the link is :http://www.amazon.com/Bark-Covenant-Vicky-Kaseorg-ebook/dp/B00LNA7T4G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405292065&sr=8-1&keywords=kaseorg+the+bark+of+the+covenant )

However, I loved our sermon this Sunday. The pastor asked, "When did you last tell someone about Jesus?" I could honestly answer, "This morning." No one may read my daily blog or read my books, but every single day, I tell someone about Jesus. Maybe I'm not as terrible a failure as I have been feeling lately, at least in those terms! And every Monday, today included, I will be on the sidewalk of the local abortion mill with my megaphone, telling the women of the love and sacrifice of Jesus on their behalf, begging them to sacrifice their own selfish desires and fears rather than the precious life they carry within them. I remind them that little person was created for a special purpose by a loving and perfect God who sent His own son to die for the sins of humanity. How could we not step forth in faith and trust Him in response to a love like that? I will not receive fame or fortune from that message...though I may be cursed and spit upon. It has happened out there!

Don't get me wrong. I WANT fame and fortune. I want it BADLY, probably in equal amount to how much I don't want curses and spit. I want the ease and comfort and (let's face it) fun of financial security. But more than anything, I want God to be pleased with me. I suppose if we are building a resume, it should be that we can stand at the judgement seat of God one day and list a few good things we did with all we had been gifted with in this life. My salvation, once I trust in Jesus, is never in question, but God's pleasure with how I lived my life will be questioned that day. I doubt God will care if I am a famous or rich author. He probably will care whether or not I squander the talents He gave me to use for His glory, and to obey His command to go forth, and tell others about His precious gift of redemption through Jesus.

The new neighbor walked on with her Carolina Dog, and I realized she had only asked my first name. She could not find my book without a title or my last name. Oh well. God knows my last name.

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Hebrews 13:5 

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

1 Peter 1:24 

For “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls,

Proverbs 19:1 

Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool.