Be Like Goldie

 

We have just returned from the Netherlands, where we stayed for two weeks. We went because of my sister’s wedding, which Goldie didn’t know, but she came happily along anyway. Goldie isn’t keen on holidays and packed cars, as the very first time we went on holiday, she returned to the original owners, as she wasn’t old enough to leave the country yet.

Goldie was happy enough to see the owners, but not so happy when we left in the loaded car. So since then, she has been very suspicious of loaded cars and the word Holiday. When she is near us, her tail is still wagging, for although she is worried, she loves and trusts us. We might not like editing or what we will think the editor will do to our manuscript, but be like Goldie. We are daily shaped and moulded, by an all-knowing God, so trust the process. 

Being kind and a working dog, she tries to help with packing by taking things into the garden to line them up and check their quality. Goldie could probably get a job somewhere testing the quality of products. Packing for six people and a puppy is rather manic, and our stress levels rise, which is why I don’t like to go anywhere for less than two weeks, as the stress is the same, you might as well make it worthwhile. Goldie is still happy though, and when we take her into the garden for a game, she is fully in the moment. Be like Goldie, take writing breaks, especially when stress builds up and enjoy your moments.

Walking in the Netherlands was very stressful for Goldie, as the smells and sounds were so different. In the woods, she was on very high alert. I wasn’t fully aware of the Wolves that had been released into the Netherlands. Despite their problems, wolves help to cull the wild boar. Wild boar are a problem in the east of the Netherlands, as there are too many. They plough the edges of the road, which Goldie found fascinating, but sniffing it made her jump out of her furry skin each time.

I wouldn’t be surprised if she could smell wolves, as she would stare into the woods and growl or even bark, something she doesn’t do very often. If I had known about the wolves, I would have talked to Goldie in a much louder voice and stomped along the sandy path with more noise as well, I think. But Goldie trusts me and happily went on her walks, even though she had more of an idea of what went on in the woods than I did.

When she wears her yellow jacket, she is good as gold. We can visit a museum or even a large Emergency Services Day. She isn’t too sure yet of what her job is, so she simply is the best Goldie she can be, knowing it will please us. So as a writer, when you’re sitting down with your writing cap on, even if you’re unsure of what you’re doing, be the best You, knowing we have a Heavenly Father smiling down on us, helping us and guiding us. His Spirit will move us and teach us, for we are secure in and through Jesus. So be like Goldie, and smile, even when people don’t see it, and trust.

Maressa Mortimer is Dutch but lives in the beautiful Cotswolds, England with her husband and four (adopted) children. Maressa is a homeschool mum as well as a pastor’s wife, so her writing has to be done in the evening when peace and quiet descend on the house once more. She loves writing Christian fiction, as it’s a great way to explore faith in daily life. Because of her interest in writing, Maressa is part of Creativity Matters: Find Your Passion For Writing, an anthology encouraging people to write.

Her debut novel, Sapphire Beach, was published in December 2019, and her first self published novel, Walled City, came out in December 2020, followed by Viking Ferry, a novella. Beyond the Hills is the second book in the Elabi Chronicles, and was released in 2021, followed by stand-alone novel Burrowed, released in 2022. All of Maressa’s books are available from her website, www.vicarioushome.com, Amazon or local bookshops.