Excerpt from Moon Dance by Susan K. Earl

A half moon greeted us as we rode sedately into the yard. I held on to Joe as I slipped silently off the horse, and his whispered “I love you” filled me with joy. I wandered thoughtfully toward the house and just about tripped over Rueben and Frank
as they lazed under a big shady pecan tree.
“That you, Maggie?” Frank asked. He looked beat and didn’t bother opening his eyes or waiting for my reply before he posed another question. “Joe all right?”

“Mmhmm. He’s stabling Rueben’s horse. Then he’ll be back.”
“I believe I’m too tired to budge from this spot, even with that wonderful smell comin’ from Mrs. Gilley’s kitchen.”
Rueben sat up, rubbing his eyes. “Think I’ll head on into the house and get a bite to eat ‘fore I sack out for the night. Y’all come on. Mom’s made chicken ‘n’ dumplins tonight, and it don’t get better’n that.” He reached out and pulled Frank up. “Come on now; you’ll feel better after you eat.”
They shuffled into the house like two old men, but Frank turned back at the kitchen door and searched through the darkness for me. “You comin’, Maggie?”
I called back softly, “When Joe gets back, we’ll be right in.” I leaned back against the sturdy old tree and gazed at the rising moon. Its light softly shimmered through the shadows, illuminating bits and pieces of the yard while leaving the rest in darkness.
It had been a long day, and I felt weary to the bone, but as I gazed at the glorious moon, I prayed, thanking God for his generous goodness, for Joe, for our families, and for that very
day of existence. Tears dampened my cheeks, not just from sadness or joy, but a mixture of the two. I closed my eyes and let the peacefulness of the moment sink into my soul.
All at once, I felt his heartbeat against mine, I felt his breath in my hair, and I imagined I heard his sweet voice...

Moon Dance ~ a novel
Copyright © 2009 by Susan K. Earl. All rights reserved.

Just Me...Not Winnie the Pooh...

on finding your purpose in life...In which Alex strives for perfection, Susan stumbles as she builds her treehouse , and God offers direction and purpose for their lives.

It was a beautiful day in the hundred acre woods. Pooh was walking along aimlessly, making up a new hum. On the other side of the woods, I was walking along in search of him. Needless to say, he didn't come my way. As I walked through the woods I kept hearing a voice, softly at first, but persistent. I sat down on a fallen log to contemplate what the voice was saying to me. As I sat in silence, I suddenly felt eyes staring at me. I turned around and found a little piglet carrying a balloon in his hand.
"Hello Piglet. Where are you off to?"
He smiled shyly, "I'm looking for Pooh, and here I've found you! What are you doing here today?"
"Well, I came to find Pooh and see about building a treehouse... but as I was walking along I kept hearing a voice calling me, and I stumbled over this log. So I thought I would just sit here a while and listen."
Piglet's eyes widened, "What did the voice say? Was it a helfalump?"
I giggled, "No Piglet, it wasn't a helfalump! It was a very special voice of a dear friend. Alex and I have been seeking God's purpose for our lives. Today God revealed a secret message to me in an acronym."
Piglet looked up at his balloon and sighed, "Ah, one of those. What did God say in this a crow name?"
"What is success?"
"Success?"
I nodded, "Yes, success. You use each letter in the word to stand for a direction to follow, so you can find purpose and success in your life. Like this, Piglet...
S - Seek God first
U - Understand his desire for you by reading his word.
C - Consider his purpose and plan laid out before you
C - Carry out his plan
E - Express his love freely to all
S - Support each other as you carry out God's purpose and plan
S - Serve only him...Let there be no other God in your life"

"Hmmm, success." Piglet scratched his chin and gazed up in the sky. "And did you find it?"
"I did, I shared God's word with you. Now we have found our purpose in life."