A Psalm for leadership

One of the devotionals I read this week was based on Psalm 72. It struck me as pertinent to our world and national situation today. I took the liberty of paraphrasing verses 1-4 and 12-14. Tell me what you think.


Give our president your justice, oh God, and your righteousness to the leaders of our country.
May they lead your people with righteousness and the poor with justice.
May the mountains yield prosperity for the people, and the hills, in righteousness.
May our leaders defend the cause of the poor people, give deliverance to the needy, and crush the oppressor.

May they deliver the needy when they call, the poor and those who have no helper.
Let them take pity on the weak and the needy and save their lives.
From oppression and violence help him redeem their lives
For precious is their blood in His sight.

2016 in review

I hope you all had a wonderful 2016 and are feeling the blessing of the season of Advent, leading up to the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

I have enjoyed good health and an active life again this year, thanks be to God.

I’ve managed to get a few books sold, with presentations at book discussion groups, church, and organizations and book festivals in Sun City, Tempe, Payson, and Prescott Valley. I still have far too many stacked in a storage unit, but I’m trying to whittle away at them. My new book has been a bit of a struggle and is taking a long time to get together. I’m hoping to complete needed research and editing and rewriting in the next three to  six months.

I didn’t get to Michigan this year, but I got to spend some time with Ravi and Jennifer, Monneth, and Neil’s families in March. In June I went to the American Library Association Conference in Orlando to promote my books, since that also gave me the opportunity to spend a couple of days with Ricki and Archana and the kids before they went to India. I fulfilled a life-long desire to visit New Orleans in September for the Bouchercon Mystery Conference. I stayed at one of my time-share locations there, so saw a little more of the city than I would have staying at the Conference Hotel. I also took a city bus tour and a paddle wheel cruise on my last day. I should have planned a couple more days, but I enjoyed the time I did have. Guess that’s about all the highlights, except for a couple of overnighters in Phoenix for writer events.

I’m still loving Arizona, my new church and choir, playing scrabble and doing Arts and Crafts fairs with Sharon, being catered to at Alta Vista Senior Living. Of course, I haven’t stopped missing my family and friends, and my wonderful church and choir in Traverse City. Sometimes I feel like a split personality.

I’m hoping and planning to get to Michigan next year around late May early June. Richard and Sally’s son Hunter and Patti and Gunda’s daughter Hayley are both graduating from high school and I want to meet Patti’s first grandchild (Steve and Kayla’s) who is soon to be born.

That’s about it for me. I’m looking forward to finding out what God has planned for me in 2017 and hope you are, too.

Love,

Pat