Changing Thumbnails from most Recent to a specifc Category

[buzybonnie]

I know there's been some discussion on changing thumbnails to match as you browse thru categories (still working on that LOL!) but I would like to have the default images show a very specific category rather than most recently added posts - the thought being that I create a "featured" category and when I know I have a client who's coming to see the site, I can drop specific posts into the featured category and those thumbnails would be the first to show so I know my client will immediately find the images I want them to see.

I am assuming I'd change something in the recent.php line of $recent = .... but not sure what.

<?php $categories = get_the_category(); $category = $categories[0]; $cat_ID = $category->cat_ID;?>
<?php $recent = new WP_Query("cat=$cat_ID&showposts=9"); while($recent->have_posts()) : $recent->the_post();?>
[img]<?php echo get_post_meta($post->ID, [/img]" alt="<?php the_title(); ?>" /><?php endwhile; ?>


Thanks for any insight!