The 13th Symbol

Just a note for regular readers of my blog. I will be curtailing my blog posts for several weeks in an effort to finish my manuscript, The 13th Symbol . Over the last few months I’ve gotten behind in my self-imposed deadline because I wanted to make sure the Biblical history behind my first two books (The 13th Enumeration and The 13th Prime) was explained at my Biblical history blog. As most of you have probably realized by now, I love searching out the details of Biblical history and Bible prophecy. Over the last two years it has been a real pleasure to share my thoughts and perspective with all of you. I look forward to sharing more of my research with you in the coming months.

Those of you who have read my novels know that I have woven into each story an aspect of Bible prophecy which is often unexplored or misunderstood. My hope has been that through the eyes of the characters in the novels I can inspire you with my own enthusiasm for the subject. It is my belief that searching the pages of the Scripture for the treasure it contains is a noble and rewarding effort, an effort that ultimately leads to evidence of our Creator’s plan of reconciliation for all mankind through Yeshua, the Messiah promised in the Scriptures.

So if you are one who finds the articles here at my blog a little dry or boring I encourage you to read one of my novels. You’ll get much of the same information but it will be packaged in a thrilling novel written from a Biblical world view.

 

13th_Cover600_BlogThe 13th Enumeration is the first book in my series. The novel explores the subject of Daniel 9 and the prophecy of 70 “weeks”.  The premise of the book is based around the idea that the lineage of Yeshua (Jesus) in Matthew 1 is in fact a symbolic code which proves that Yeshua is the Messiah promised in the Scripture. In this novel I’ll take you to the shores of Galilee where Yeshua once walked. We’ll climb the cliffs and explore the tunnels of this ancient land on a truly epic treasure hunt for the secret of The 13th Enumeration.

With over 175 reviews on Amazon, I encourage you to see what other readers are saying about: The 13th Enumeration.

 

 

13th_Prime-600

The 13th Prime: Deciphering the Jubilee Code is book II in my series. This novel begins where The 13th Enumeration left off and continues the adventure of Rachael and Zane. The 13th Prime explores the significance of the Jubilee and Sabbath cycles in the Bible. It looks at these cycles in the context of a prophetic framework within which YHWH has left evidence of His prophetic plan of reconciliation for all mankind through Yeshua.

From the city of Jerusalem to the ancient cliffs of Petra and on to the city of London the treasure hunt continues with Rachael and Zane in The 13th Prime: Deciphering the Jubilee Code.

 

 

13th_Symbol_Blog600In my third book The 13th Symbol, I will attempt to explore a dual Biblical theme. One of the great prophetic themes of the Bible is the typology of the bride and bridegroom. Through the eyes of Rachael and Zane we will see some of the beauty of this wonderful subject.

The 2nd theme is one of the most controversial topics of Bible prophecy today. Who or what is  the final world empire before Yeshua returns. Will it be eastern or western? The struggles between the antagonists in this book allowed me to look at the subject in a unique way.

Sure to be controversial The 13th Symbol will investigate these subjects from a different angle. My hope is the story will challenge those who read it to pick up their Bible and “see if these things be so”.

 

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A brief synopsis of The 13th Symbol:

At the very cusp of the Order’s victory in their ancient battle for the destiny of mankind, the death of Peter Herschel threatens the Order’s very existence. Will another rise from the ashes of these events to lead the Order and bear the torch of enlightenment? Behind the scenes, two men set in motion events which they hope will result in one of them winning the ultimate victory. The stakes have never been higher. The only thing standing between them and their destiny is the location of the 13th Symbol.

Terrorists cross the border from Mexico into the US, wrecking havoc at one of America’s most important military UAV testing facilities. An advanced UAV is hijacked and a devastated military base is left behind as the real target, America’s 5th largest city, 185 miles to the north, unwittingly waits for the wrath of one of the military’s most advanced weapons. Once again, Darius Zarindast has brought the war to American soil as he sets in motion a multifaceted plot in his secret struggle against the Order. Can he rise from the ashes to lead the world into a new era?

Senator Michael Vidal’s rise from America’s leading pastor to its most influential Senator has changed the balance of political power in Washington. Can he leverage his success in the US political realm to replace the late Sir Peter Herschel as the leader of the world’s most influential secret society and further advance himself towards his ultimate goal?

Zane Harrison has never been happier. He has won the love of Rachael Neumann, and in just a few days she will be his bride. Unknown to him, their lives are about to be turned upside down. As east and west race to find the 13th Symbol and an unimaginable fortune in gold, their focus converges on Zane Harrison. As events overtake him, Zane struggles to survive and tries to finds a way out of the greatest treasure hunt the world has ever known.

 

13th_Ch_Blogcover600 YA willing I plan to write Book IV in 2015. From the tunnels and excavations under the temple mount to the desert sands of Ethiopia and then back again to the Sea of Galilee, Book IV will explore the topic of the Ark of the Covenant and rebuilding the Temple.

I am going to introduce a new character in this novel and I would like to try and write his story in the first person. I never tried it before so it promises to be challenging. You don’t have to worry about Zane and Rachael they will still be a big part of the story.

For those who love a good challenge, see if you can figure out the title of Book IV. I’ve given you the first two letters. The first person to guess the correct title (and post it here)  will receive a signed copy of Book IV after it has been written.

If you are wondering about the cover, no, it is not finished. I just needed something temporary to post here. I have a mental image of the Ark of the Covenant that I would like to place on the cover. I hope to find something like it or find someone who is able to produce it for me. I’m sure by the time the manuscript is done I’ll have a better idea of what I want the book cover to look like. Until then…

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Backyard Gardening: Pruning your Trees

Almond_BlossomsI don’t know about you but each year gardening brings new joy and excitement.  Whether it’s the first green shoots of the daffodil plants or the fresh pink blush of the peach blossom, it reminds me of a new cycle in life. It’s as if God cleans the slate and starts over fresh. With a relieved sigh we shake off the cold of winter and embrace the start of warmer days.

Gardening is rich in valuable lessons we can apply to life. Win and I started pruning our trees this past month and it reminded me of how important pruning is in our personal lives.

Gardeners and arborists have known for thousands of years that judicious pruning is essential to the health of trees. This is especially true if your trees are intended to produce fruit. Pruning is necessary throughout the life of your tree but is especially important for young trees. Trying to prune a tree which has been left to grow for years without care can be a traumatic experience and in some cases can kill the tree.

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Pear Tree – Before Pruning

Some of the reasons for pruning a tree include:
*Shaping the tree for optimal exposure to the life giving rays of the sun.
*Removing excessive and non productive growth which can divert the tree’s limit resources.
*Removing dead wood. (Deadwood is often the result of insufficient care.)
*Improving the overall health of the tree
*Increase the quality and yield of the tree’s fruit.

It does not take much imagination to see that the above reasons apply equally as well to our own lives. A good gardener prunes his trees throughout the year but how often do we remove the excessive growth, suckers, and deadwood from our personal lives?  This is  doubly important for the little trees in our personal gardens. Pruning is essential if we want our little trees to grow up strong and healthy, someday producing good fruit.

Little trees left untended will grow hundreds of small competing branches that never reach the true potential and majesty of a tree.  Rather they are relegated to the status of a stunted bush full of deadwood, tangled untrained branches, and small fruit.

Pear_Pruned

Pear Tree – After Pruning

The pear tree above is three years old and has been pruned each years since it was planted. As you can see in just one year the tree grew so much it has small branches growing everywhere. Each year and sometime during the year we prune back the excessive growth, focusing the growth of the tree through a central trunk and four main lower branches. As the tree grows, these main branches will provide the structure for future growth. It will also provide a frame strong enough to support itself when the tree begins to produce fruit.

One of the most important jobs of a wise arborist, when nurturing a young tree, is to encourage the growth of just a few branches most likely to benefit the future development of that tree.  No matter what kind of gardener you are, pruning helps the trees in your garden reach their full God given potential.

 

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It’s Late Pal!

Shortly after the August 2013 addition of the Arizona Highways came out I was getting ready for bed and to my surprise I found my wife Winnie reading the magazine in bed. Now this is unusual for several reasons, which I will explain momentarily, but most surprising to me was that as I crawled in between the sheets my wife was so engrossed she did not even look up from her magazine. Out of curiosity and maybe just a touch of envy I asked, “What are you reading?”  Several seconds after my words finally filtered through her thoroughly engaged mind, she replied without taking her eyes of the page,

“It’s late Pal…”

Now admittedly, Winnie is a direct no-nonsense German girl, but in twenty years of marriage she has been anything but dismissive or distant. Further adding to my discomfiture was the fact that I felt I had been misunderstood. With this unexpected answer ringing in my ears I turned over, pulled up my covers, and tried to understand her uncharacteristic reply.

Bill-&-Win1To really appreciate my conflicting thoughts you should understand a little about our history.  Winnie is my heroine. I am unapologetically in love with my wife. We are best friends and I prefer her company to any other living human being.  Twenty one years ago we were set up on a blind date. Her, a beautiful no-nonsense 18 year old German exchange student who I had a hard time understanding and me a 21 year old, much too serious and lonely plumber. Six months later we were married.

In fairness to Win, buried in my own hurt feelings was a little bit of guilt. You see, I’m a plumber by trade and my occupation requires a decent amount of hard work, but my wife’s daily endeavors make my job look like a permanent vacation. A normal day for her typically begins around 6am with 20-30 minutes swimming laps in our pool. That is followed by gardening, then office work (for our business), school (she homeschools our five children, 7-18), lunch, piano (she’s taught all five children to play), more office work (invoicing, taxes, scheduling, etc.), more gardening (our leftover produce she sells at our local farmers market), dinner, and then more office work. Somehow during these activities she manages to execute her “normal” household tasks with prototypical German precision.

So when Win hits the bed sometime around 10pm she has typically done more work than three normal people. Most admirable to me is her day does not end in exhausted frustration and fear for more of the same the following day, but instead with humble satisfaction of accomplishment. Now you can understand my surprise at finding Winnie reading the magazine in bed. You can also understand the complicated mix of my emotions which resulted from her unusual reply to my question regarding the subject of her absorbed interest.  But the greatest shock of all was yet to come.

Lying there in bed, sorting through that matrix of complicated emotions my thoughts were arrested by the beautiful sound of my wife’s dulcet laughter. I’m not talking about normal laughter you hear in the course of every day life, no I’m talking about the laughter of genuine good feeling warmed with twenty years of respected and love. Turning around, my startled gaze took in my wife lying there with the magazine in her lap, the sparkle of mirth in her eye and a lovely smile on her face. Before I could ask what had cause her joyous outburst she simply held up the magazine, turns it around showing me a beautiful picture of an ethereal lake scene taken by Gary Ladd.  With barely suppressed laughter she says,

“You asked what I was reading. I said it’s Lake Powell!”

I don’t think either of us have laughed that hard in twenty years.

So the moral of this story? Remember the next time you are walking the rough narrow ridge of human emotion, overlooking the deceptive waters of doubt and misunderstanding, take a moment to consider the view, it’s probably just Lake Powell!

 

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