As some of you have pointed out to me, it has been a while now since I posted a blog at Raven’s Food.

This has been a very busy time.  Judy and I are ending one phase of our life and moving into another.  I will be retired from my profession of many years as of May 31 of this year.  It takes a lot of effort to do anything anymore – even to stop making efforts.  A lot of details have been worked out.  Some are still underway, but we think we have them all at least started now.

At the same time, as I think you know, I am starting a new “career.”  The writing projects are underway.  The first one is now published!  There were times when I wondered whether we would ever get that done.  We have sent out the books to all the folks who pre-ordered and new orders are coming in.  Judy and I are learning how to manage the flow of those things.

This first book, Birth of The Holy Nation, volume 1, is designed as an analysis of the Father and son relationship of God the Father and the man Abram who became Abraham as he matured in the relationship.   The book also previewed the relationship of Abraham and his son, Isaac.  Volume 2 is written (in its unedited form).  I hope to be able to move it into production soon.  That volume will pick up where volume 1 left off and will examine the lives of Isaac and Jacob as a father and son pair.  It will also reprise the relationship of Abraham and Isaac from Isaac’s (the son’s) perspective.  It will continue with an examination of the life of Jacob and observations of the relationships he had with his sons.  Of course, we have the most information concerning Judah and Joseph, so they will get a great share of our attention.  However, all the sons will be featured to the extent we can do so.

Three other, much shorter, books are also in preparation.  The first of those to go into production will be an analysis of marriage from a scriptural perspective.  It will be the next book to undergo publication, which should be soon.  The rough draft has already been vetted to a great degree and is now in the hands of professional editors.  The initial title idea is “Flesh of my Flesh.”  Of course that may change as we near publication, which I hope will also be pretty soon.

Two other short works have been written.  One is a rough draft and the other is a rougher draft.  The rough draft one focuses on God as an entity apart from our relationships with Him.  In it, we will examine existence, authority, and love in the context of their origins in God Himself.  Its tentative title is “First Things First.”  Of course, titles change but that is where we are going with it at this time.  That one also may be out this year.

The third short work that has been drafted is tentatively called “Paternal Love,” and will be an expansion on the nature of the love of a father that was somewhat examined in “Birth of The Holy Nation, V1.”  As I said, that one is quite rough right now and will get some further development, probably this summer, so we can move it along as well.

Several other small projects are either under way or are in the planning process.  The next major work is also at its beginning stages.  Its purpose is to examine the Israelite phenomenon from the time in Egypt to departure from Sinai with the law and the tabernacle in tow.  That may not be the end point, but the work will focus primarily on how the birthed nation came into an initial actualization as an independent political phenomenon.

I expect that with my retirement, my blogging activities will resume.  If that is good news to you, then rejoice with me in it as you continue to read along.