Playing Catch Up

Yes, I’ve been silent for a whole week now. I thought this would be the week that my life finally returned to “normal,” whatever that is. I thought I’d be able to fall into the routine I’ve been planning for this school year since August. But, alas, it didn’t happen. Or maybe it did. 

Mainly, I’ve been playing catch up as well as tying up a few loose ends from last week’s volunteer stuff. And I didn’t realize quite how big of a hole I’d dug for myself! So blogging fell to the bottom of the priority list. 

I’m feeling better now, though, especially with the thought of Monday’s holiday to help me get back on track. Of course baseball is about to start, and even though only two of my three are playing, it is two different teams with two different schedules. Plus it is the beginning of spring—the beginning of birthday season around here as well as all the spring events as we wind down school. So maybe “normal” won’t happen this year. And next year, with one less child at home, I’ll have a “new normal.” 

One thing is for sure: my life is never boring!

The Importance of Time

I watched a Food Network Challenge with my kids last night. It was a cake challenge, eight hours for a pastry chef and assistant to design and create an elaborate cake for a specific occasion or theme. Four teams. Four cakes. The winner gets $10,000. 

But in this challenge, the unforeseen happened. With one hour left on the competition clock, a chef passed out. The clock was stopped. The ambulance was called. The chef regained consciousness, but left on the gurney to get checked out at the ER. 

This chef’s assistant, however, was now on her own with the daunting task of putting on the finishing touches. The chef from another team spoke up. His cake was almost finished. He could help finish the cake for the chef that was ill. The competition resumed. The helping chef’s assistant finished their cake, then he, too, came to help complete the ill chef’s cake. 

When the time came for each chef to stand before the judges, here is what one of them said to the chef who left his own work to help another: “I applaud your time management. Because did your own work so well, you were available to help someone in need.” 

Her statement hit me square between the eyes. I’d had a discussion with a friend that very afternoon about time and what it should be used for. When I stand before the One who judges my work, will he applaud my time management? At this moment, the answer would be no, because the point is not “am I getting everything done,” the point is “am I meeting my responsibilities with excellence and thoroughness in a timely manner so that when a true need arises I can be available to help.” 

Notice that this chef would not have been expected to pick up the slack for another chef who simply chose to over-embellish their project and ran short on time. In fact, that happens all the time in these competitions. No, the other chef stepped in when the unexpected happened. And he was able to do so without sacrificing his own responsibilities and without stress because he had planned his project carefully and used his time wisely. 

That’s where I am today—needing to get things back in perspective, needing to do the things I have been called to do so that I have time and energy available when a true need arises. I want to be a good and faithful servant of the Lord, not one weighed in the balance and found wanting.

Intricate and Elaborate

BACKGROUND NOTE: Some of you have asked if I’m reading through the Bible in a year. The answer: yes and no. Several years ago, I decided the read the Bible straight through, from Genesis to Revelation. It was an amazing experience. By reading it as I would any book—from cover to cover, in order—I was able to clearly see threads of thought, images, words, and know how they strung together from Old Testament to New. I’ve read through several times now, never with a specific timeframe in mind. It has taken me anywhere from 4 months to 2 years. And because the Word is “living and active” (Hebrews 4:12) I recognize different truths and images and words on every reading. So, with all that said, here are my thoughts for today . . .

  

As I have been considering my reading in the early books of the Old Testament—you know, the “boring” ones—a new thought struck me. God spends a lot of time telling Moses (and us) His plans for the outfitting and care of the Tabernacle, His dwelling place with Israel. His plans were both intricate and elaborate. 

Because of Christ, the dwelling place of God is no longer a tent or temple. According to Paul in I Corinthians 6:19 our bodies are now the temple of the Holy Spirit, of God’s Spirit. We are His dwelling place. So what do these two things mean? Here are some things that occurred to me:

 

• Intricate --  Each piece of the tabernacle had a intricate design, everything from the priestly garments to the structure of the tent to the pieces of worship within. The designs were so intricate that they required master artisans to do the work. If we are God’s dwelling place, why do we imagine that God’s attention to the intricacy of detail has changed? Why do we see our lives as a series of unrelated events or think God is only concerned with the monumental pivots in our lives? He is the Master Artisan. He has created His dwelling place both for beauty and for glory. We are that place. And the intricate design He is hammering away in us to create may not always look beautiful until we see the finished product. But in His hands, it can be nothing less than glorious.
• Elaborate --  God could have just set up a small tent, maybe with the Ark of the Covenant, and have been done with His dwelling place. Instead, it was an elaborate work, layers of fabrics and precious metals and stones. It was large, as a place. It was elaborately staffed and moved. While we are each created with an intricate design, we are corporately the elaborate expression of God’s dwelling place. We are layered together as believers, each with different functions, different placement, different duties, to become His body, the place where His Spirit dwells. No one thing is unimportant, though some do their work in concealment, as the wooden frame of the tabernacle was covered over with gold. The picture and function of God’s dwelling place was, and is, elaborately designed. 

As my life takes its ups and downs, as seasons of life and work ebb and flow, I’m trying to remember that God is working both an intricate and an elaborate plan in and through me because I am His dwelling place, the representation of His glory. And seeing all He did to make the tabernacle a place that reflected Himself, how can I believe He does any less for me, who He has already created in His image? You and I are His tabernacle. He is busy implementing His design. And He does all things well.

Reading Like a Writer

I confess that, until now, there have been writing books that I have learned from, enjoyed, and even recommended to others, but there has never been one I loved, one that I could truly say is my favorite. 

Francine Prose’s book Reading Like a Writer: A Guide for People Who Love Books and for Those Who Want to Write Them has changed all that. What is it about this book that puts it over and above all the other excellent tomes on writing? I think the first is that it appeals to me from the very premise—that writers, at least good ones, are first and foremost readers. They love literature not only for the stories they unfold but the mastery with which the author tells them. 

This book reads like an old-fashioned college literature class, one without a political or philosophical agenda. Prose maintains that literature should be read closely, examining words, sentences, paragraphs that all come together to make the whole work the masterpiece that it is. She doesn’t delve into larger things like plot and structure, instead choosing to focus on the things that truly make a book memorable and fresh—the language. When used correctly, it conveys the uniqueness of a story, a place, a character. It’s all about the words and how they are strung together into sentences, paragraphs, dialogue, and narration. 

To my fellow readers and writers, I recommend you run out and buy this book. It will transform your thought processes, the way you think about reading and writing. It will deepen your admiration and understanding of your favorite authors and allow you to see the intricate detail they bring to their storytelling. And it will inspire you to do the same.

 

Parting the Waters

By now I guess you realize that I don’t do “book reviews,” but I do tell you when I find one worth reading. And this one is definitely worth your time. (And believe me, once you dive into it, you won’t be able to put it down!) 

Parting the Waters: Finding Beauty in Brokenness by Jeanne Damoff is the beautiful account of her family’s journey through the drowning, then recovery of her son Jacob. It is a universal story, really, in that we all, as parents, know that tragedy can strike our children when we least expect it. Jeanne doesn’t hide the hard and the dark of the situation, but every word of the telling spotlights God’s faithfulness, His love shining through every piece of the story in ways that make your heart ache. And that is her point. Even in brokenness there is unfathomable beauty orchestrated by the sovereign hand of God. 

Jeanne’s story encouraged me to cling tight to the knowledge that ultimately God is good, no matter what the future holds, especially as regards my children. At one point she is asked why God didn’t protect her son. Her insight (you’ll have to read it to know what this is!) has broadened my understanding of how God “protects” our children when we ask him to.

I met Jeanne Damoff five years ago on our way to a writer’s conference in California. She had just finished this book and was beginning the journey toward publication. In the years I’ve known Jeanne, I’ve come to call her friend. I heard bits and pieces of her family’s story with Jacob, even met her delightful son. But while I have had great love and respect for her as a person, as a wife, and as a mother, to be honest, I had never actually read anything she’d written—except her Christmas newsletters, which are wonderful! But the lyrical words with which she tells her story confirms her as a writer I admire as well. 

I guarantee this book will encourage your heart, strengthen your faith and help you look for something beautiful in even the most trying of circumstances.

 

Elizabeth's Take on Emma

My children don’t let me see their writing assignments for school. I think it all started when they were in elementary school and I had to quit looking at those kinds of assignments because I wanted them to write at a level they were not capable of at those ages. 

Fast forward to now: high school and middle school. Now I still fear to look at their papers because I don’t want there to be any appearance that I have done the work for them. And yet, when I don’t, I cringe, knowing they will turn in work with simple errors that could have been corrected by my proofread. So I walk this tightrope, wanting to read their work and very rarely being allowed to. 

But last week as I straightened up the study, I found Elizabeth’s essay on Jane Austen’s Emma. Now this is one of my favorite books. I have been so excited that she had to read it. I knew the paper had already been turned in and graded for last semester, so I sat down to read this draft. After all, it had been left lying around in plain view. 

I was pleasantly surprised! Yes, there were errors that made me cringe, but it was her assessment of the story and its characters that made me smile. I saw her compassion for the manipulated and insecure Harriet Smith, her unabashed disgust for Emma’s thinking so well of herself and trying to control everyone around her to suit her ideas of how life should be. And I loved the “life lessons” she pulled from the story—that you can’t control other people’s feelings, that “we as human beings are blinded by our own ambitions and sometimes miss the yellow flags right in front of us,” and that our imaginations and dreams are not reality and we can’t live as if they are. I wish I’d had those insights when I was her age!

The Whole Wide World

Sometimes I get tunnel vision. I’m in the home stretch of my kids living under my roof and being constantly under my influence. So I’m focused on them, my own tiny little anthill of activity. And sometimes I forget there is a whole, wide world out there beyond our little bubble. 

But sometimes, like when I go to a writer’s conference or, like last night, to a business dinner with my husband, I remember. I remember that there are people out there who can talk about more than SAT scores, teenaged crushes, or the latest high school basketball game. I remember that people can have thoughtful, intelligent conversations on many subjects. And I remember that I am a thoughtful, intelligent person who can participate in those conversations. 

I need that remembering once in a while. For one thing, it helps me as I prepare my kids for the whole, wide world, for the people and situations they will encounter beyond the threshold of the very small world they live in now. But it also reminds me that I am, and have been, and will be again, a part of that whole, wide world. That when I look up from these intense years of child-rearing, my life isn’t over. Indeed, it has just begun. For then I will return to the wider world older, wiser,  more experienced, more understanding of human nature and of myself. 

This is why I can’t grieve over my children growing up and leaving home. Because all it means is that together we will expand the arena of our lives and our relationships will become all the richer for it.

Masterpiece Classics

I am not one who particularly likes movies made from my favorite books. Probably because Hollywood usually does a lousy job of it—reinventing characters, changing plotlines, etc. My exception to this comes in the form of Masterpiece Classics, the arm of Masterpiece Theatre that brings classic literature to life on DVD or your PBS station. I think my reasons for this are two-fold. 

First, I think oftentimes the British revere the literature more than we Americans. They don’t seem as eager to change stories and characters that have endured through generations. But my second reason is even more compelling. Masterpiece Classics productions take me back to classic literature. This happens in several ways. 

Sometimes the latest Masterpiece Classic movie reminds me of a book I read long ago and it inspires me to find it again and re-read it. What is so fun about this it that the book is always different than the last time I read it. As I grow and change, my response to literature changes. I see different nuances, identify with different characters. This happened last year as I watched the Masterpiece Classics version of Mansfield Park. I re-read the book as a mother, instead of a flighty (albeit married) college student, and suddenly I could see things in the older characters I had overlooked before. It was a powerful reminder to me that as parents, we understand and help guide the character of our children. 

Sometimes I watch movies based on books I’ve heard of but never actually read. This can often spur my interest or give me enough of a basic understanding of a story to give me the courage to attack a particularly daunting book. Like Bleak House. Its nearly 1000 Dickensian pages terrified me. But the story on screen captured my imagination. I plunged in and read the whole thing. Now it’s one of my favorites. 

On rare occasions, my reading and Masterpiece Classics will coincide and they will release a version of a classic I have recently read. Then, as I watch, I get to remember, to re-experience the story in a different medium. This was my experience recently with Tess of the D’Urbervilles. While the story is depressing, heartbreaking really, the telling of it on the page is beautiful. Besides remembering the lovely words and images, I liked watching the actors, seeing if I really believed them to be the characters that peopled my head as I read.

So if you get in the mood for classic literature and need a boost to get you into that book, pick out a Masterpiece Classics production and see if it doesn’t get you motivated to dive into those pages!

Gallimore

I realize that not everyone can suspend their disbelief far enough to enjoy a book based on the premise of time travel. But I think everyone with an overactive imagination and a love of history (like me!) has fantasized about time travel at one time or another. So it’s no wonder that historical time travels are ever-present in the world of literature. 

I just finished reading a very fun one. Gallimore by Michelle Griep was a great read. Filled with romance, suspense, unlikely friendships, and historical detail, Gallimore held me suspended between the world of today and that of medieval England as I followed the adventures of modern-day woman Jessica Neale and Gallimore’s knight Sir Colwyn Haukswyrth, two hurting people from two very different worlds. 

It is through books like Gallimore that time travel is possible, because you get a feeling not only of another place and time, but the difficulty of reconciling that with the way we live and view life today. So if you are hankering for a trip back to the 14^th century, try Gallimore. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed!

For Glory and For Beauty

Over the years I’ve come to love the later chapters of the book of Exodus. I used to think them mundane and boring, all the details for the building of the tabernacle and its furnishings. But now I see in it all the beauty I think the Lord intended—and I mean that literally! 

Do you realize that the priestly garments were made “for glory and for beauty”? It says so in Exodus 28:2. And when you really read it, picture the things described, both the clothing and the furnishings, you realize what things of glory and beauty they were intended to be. 

But for me, the beauty of these chapters does not end with the aesthetics. It extends to the actual work itself, and the people involved in it. Everyone had a unique part to play. Some gave to the work, whether gold or silver or bronze or acacia wood or spices for incense or oil or precious stones. Some gave fabric already made or skins in their possession. Some women spun material specifically for the project.  

Once all the materials were in place, two men were specified to take charge of implementing God’s instructions, men skilled in all areas of the work needed. Can you imagine? These were the guys that, as children and teens, people probably hated because they were good at everything! They could do it all! And that was for a reason. 

Others helped with the woodworking, with the gold overlays, with the engravings on gold and precious stones. Some helped with the sewing or the putting it all together. Some gave the ingredients and baked the bread. When everything was finished, the whole thing had to be set up, which was in no way a one-man job! Then, of course, Moses anointed it all and Aaron and his sons performed the services before the Lord. 

I love that the place of God’s dwelling wasn’t the work of one man, or even one group. It was everyone doing what the Lord had given them to do. For glory and for beauty—both the place and the process.

Anticipation

I have a stack of new books in my “to be read” bookcase right now. (It was a particularly good Christmas for books at my house!) Because these are books that I picked out (either said I wanted or bought with gift cards), I am especially eager to delve into each one. The anticipation is making me nearly giddy!

I’ve already finished and told you about one. Two others have been started. When I finish ones that are worth your attention, you can be sure I will let you know! For now, I will savor them like a gourmet meal, stretching the pleasure to last as long as it can, yet eager to experience each new taste on my tongue.

An Unusual Biography

Sometimes I don’t want to know the stories behind my favorite authors. Sometimes it ruins the experience of losing myself in the read when I know too much background information. But for some reason I didn’t have any of these qualms when I discovered the book Looking for Anne of Green Gables: The Story of L.M. Montgomery and Her Literary Classic by Irene Gammel on the shelf at Barnes and Noble. I not only love all the Anne books, but most everything else by L.M. Montgomery. I’ve read most of them so many times that it wouldn’t matter what I now learned about the author and her writing process, the stories are forever ingrained in my mind.

So I asked for the book for Christmas. And my sweet husband ordered it for me. It was a fascinating read, a somewhat scholarly look at the influences that went into the writing of Anne—both in Montgomery’s life and in the things to which she was exposed from the world outside Price Edward’s Island. It was both a biography of Montgomery, the wirter, and Anne, the character. As a writer, I was spellbound by the way people—both real and fictional—shaped the conglomeration of physical and emotional traits that become Anne. And while Montgomery’s life story left me sad, I think I will read her books again with a new appreciation for her creativity and tenacity. 

How Are Your Eyes?

A funny thing happened to me yesterday. I got up and put in my contacts. Nothing unusual there. But when I reached the living room, I could tell something wasn’t right with my eyes. Things were a bit blurry. At least on one side. 

I could have panicked. After all, given my eye issues, I am always told to watch for changes that signal the need for immediate medical attention. But this has happened before, and I suspected the reason was the same. 

I returned to the bathroom, took out my contacts, then reinstalled them in the opposite eyes. Eureka! I could see! I have no idea how many days or weeks or even months they’d been wrong. It may have been awhile because it took a little getting used to. But when I tested each eye alone by reading the clock across the room, I knew they were again in the correct position. 

I’m not sure how this happens. Perhaps a tired night and I screw the wrong lid on the wrong contact. Or maybe (more likely) a tired morning where I mix up left and right. It got me thinking, though, about my spiritual eyes. How often, living in this world from day to day, do we mistakenly switch our focus? How many days or weeks—or even years—does it take for us to realize we aren’t seeing things quite right and recognize the solution to seeing clearly again?

My prayer for myself—and for you—this year is that our spiritual eyes would see clearly. That we would recognize when we’ve made an unintended switch of truth for partial truth and do what it takes to regain clear sight. 

After all, walking a narrow path is much easier when the edges aren’t blurry.

All Creatures Great and Small

Years ago, I was struck, I think, by the poetical nature of the titles: All Creatures Great and Small, All Things Bright and Beautiful, All Things Wise and Wonderful, And yet, as a child spying them on the shelf at my grandparents’ house, I assumed they were boring, stodgy old books, unworthy of my attention. Not until years later did I learn the nature of those books—the memoirs of a veterinarian. That confirmed my first impressions. Certainly there was nothing in those books of interest to me. 

Until I saw the BBC series based on the books. Then I fell in love with the characters. But I still felt little use for the words that birthed them. This summer, that changed. On a trip to Pennsylvania I picked up a copy of All Creatures Great and Small in a coffee shop/used bookstore as I waited on my latte. I read the first page and was captivated by the words and the images they evoked. This was a book I could read! I showed it to my husband, who concurred. We bought the book. 

My husband got it first, needing something to read on the plane ride home. He loved it—but he left it in the pocket of the seat in front of him as we exited the plane. He asked me to find another copy. I finally remembered. He finished it. I set it on my stack to be read, finally picking it up a couple of weeks ago. 

The rest of the book lived up to the first page that had enthralled me. James Herriot’s use of language and imagery and description and humor keep me glued to the pages of this fascinating trip through time and space to experience Yorkshire of the middish-1900s. I enjoyed every page, both for what was said and how it was said. Now to find the rest—and the time to enjoy them!

 

 

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

From Our Family to Yours!

An Unseen Gift

Sometimes I wonder how my almost adult child can do so many good things and then turn around and do so many stupid things. In fact, the more I contemplated that the other day, the angrier I got. One moment she seems to be maturing into a responsible adult. The next, she seems as clueless as a two-year-old. I found myself wanting to lecture, lecture, lecture. I wanted to tell her how disappointed I am in some of the choices she has made lately—nothing horrible, just irresponsible. 

Fortunately, she wasn’t home. As I stewed, imagining my righteous anger toward her, a still, small voice reminded me of something: I do the very same things. I don’t like to admit that. None of us do. But even now, even though I know I have grown up a lot in the past twenty years, I still do stupid things, say stupid things, make stupid decisions. I end up having to apologize. I end up wondering when I will ever learn. Suddenly I saw my righteous anger as what it truly was: self-righteousness. I’m not that much different from my daughter. It’s just that my stupidity shows itself less often. At least I hope it does. 

So for Christmas I’m giving her a gift: I won’t berate her for her actions, I will simply love her through the consequences. She may never even recognize that she has received this gift, but I will know it has been given. Just another step in my own maturing process.

It Matters

It took me a long time to realize that I mattered to God. I mean really mattered. These days, I am very comfortable in that understanding. At least I thought I was. 

I spent Saturday morning at a wonderful brunch where our hostess fed us amazing food then asked the ladies around the table to tell something surprising that God did for them this year. I don’t always share in these types of situations. I didn’t know all the women in attendance and I get a bit shy. But after awhile, I knew I must open my mouth. 

I shared how God had surprised me this year by giving me encouragement in my writing—from contest finals to a story published in a book, even the encouragement of an award-winning author who met me in a great disappointment and showed me that, even then, God saw me and my writing. When I finished sharing, this statement came out of my mouth: “It surprised me that God would encourage me in something that doesn’t matter. If I don’t take care of my family or something like that, those things matter. But my writing? In the big picture, it doesn’t matter if that happens or not, yet God specifically encouraged me in that over the course of this year.” 

The room went silent. Another woman jumped in. “But it does matter. That’s what I’ve seen in every story shared—it all matters to God.” 

I thought about her words as I drove home. I have had the attitude that my writing is kind of a “throw away.” I’m not published, it isn’t my job, it seems to be just for me, and doing it doesn’t displease the Lord, so I keep on. But my writing isn’t important. Doing or not doing it won’t make any great impact on the important things in life. 

Or will it? Given the incredible encouragements the Lord has given me this year, I think I have believed a lie. My writing does matter to the Lord. It apparently matters very much! If it were truly a “throw away,” something with no eternal value whatsoever, something that will not specifically bring glory and honor to His name, would He so overtly encourage it? I think not! Something of great value—to myself or someone else—lies in telling my stories and telling them well. I think I’d better take that as seriously as God seems to. 

Friends of the Library Christmas Luncheon

What better way to advertise our writer's group--and promote our books!--than to host a table at the annual Friends of the Library Christmas Luncheon. This was our second year to participate. This year, we themed our table A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts. It had the same feel as the book's cover! Leslie even got to speak for a few minutes on the origins of some of our Christmas traditions--and she sold several books in the process. Enjoy the pictures!

The Bishop's Wife

I do love Christmas movies. I watched one of my favorites last night: The Bishop’s Wife. Cary Grant is an angel that comes in answer to David Niven’s prayer for help and guidance. David Niven is the Bishop who wants to leave a lasting mark on the kingdom of God and to His glory by building a grand cathedral. To that end, he spends his time and energy in raising the funds to build the glorious edifice. He neglects his wife and daughter and forgets the place from which he has risen. 

But through the angel, God shows He cares more about the people in Bishop Brougham’s life and the Bishop’s relationships with them. He cares more about the Bishop helping people than building yet another building. In the end, when the Bishop has submitted to God’s answer to his prayer for guidance, he gives a sermon about giving of ourselves to the Christ Child, not just each other, at Christmas. 

I love this movie for so many reasons. For one, it emphasizes that in our “doing” we cannot forget the “being”—that if our relationships suffer in our work for the Lord, then maybe we aren’t pursuing the right thing. It reminds me that our relationships are truly the only things that last in God’s economy. They are our treasures stored up in heaven. And it reminds me that when we pray, sometimes the Lord answers in ways we don’t expect, redirecting our efforts that we thought so worthy and good into something we didn’t expect, but something so much better, so much more worthy to be called His doing. 

If this movie isn’t on your usual Christmas watch list, be sure to catch it on TV or DVD. It is one of the gems of the season for me.

Please Excuse . . .

To Whom It May Concern:

Please excuse the lack of blogging at Five Bazillion and One. The writer has been inundated with football details throughout the playoffs, culminating in the state championship game this weekend, Thanksgiving, one doctor visit for herself, one doctor’s visit for her child (to cast the broken hand), one band program, one mission dinner, two basketball games, and, well, life in general.

She should be back to thinking—and writing—again next week. Unless Christmas trips her up, too!

Dialoguing

As we traveled to and from our football playoff game this weekend, I unwittingly participated in a wonderful writing exercise. With two and half hours of highway driving each way, the kids in my car wanted a movie to pass time. Of course they could all SEE the movie from the back seats. I was relegated to LISTENING to the movie. 

Have you ever listened to a movie? It’s quite an interesting exercise, especially for a writer. Of course, I had seen both of these movies before, so it wasn’t hard to picture the pictures, but there is something about not having the images flickering in front of you that really brings out the words that are spoken and emphasizes the way the story is told. 

Now both of these movies had excellent acting, which helps tremendously. After all, the words written by the screenwriter must be spoken with the unique inflection of the character. But even the best actors have a hard time making flat dialogue come alive. 

These movies didn’t have that problem. The dialogue was witty and real and sarcastic and even silly sometimes, but it worked. It didn’t give information dumps. It didn’t tell too much. It didn’t bypass emotional moments. It felt like how I want the dialogue in my books to sound in my readers’ heads. 

Try it sometime, even if you aren’t a writer. Close your eyes and hear the movie instead of watching it. It’s amazing the things you can discover about the characters just through the words they say—or the things they don’t say!

Good for a Laugh

It isn’t always a laugh a minute with teenagers in the house. Especially when there are three of them! So I often begin my day with a peek at the Zits comic strip. It helps me laugh at my predicament with oh-so-true scenarios involving two parents and their teenaged son.

Check it out here. If you have—or ever have had—teenagers, I guarantee you’ll laugh.

Lessons Learned

Lessons learned this week: 

• Good advice stands the test of time: Twenty years ago, my history professor gave me some advice about how to write historical fiction. Yesterday, a historical novelist that I greatly respect and am honored to call my friend gave me the same advice.
• Submission and suffering often go hand-in-hand: Have you read I Peter lately? Chapters 2 and 3 talk about submission—to masters, to governmental authorities, to husbands and wives, to each other as believers—and about suffering for doing right, as Christ did. The juxtaposition of these two themes struck me for the first time. We will suffer when we submit to any other human, simply because they are human. Yet we are called to submit, without reviling, entrusting ourselves to God, as Christ did in His suffering. It’s not easy!
• God can give the most amazing encouragements: In the midst of wondering if I’m doing right in fighting for time to write, I received an incredible encouragement to keep at it, one that truly only the Lord could have done (because evaluation of any type of art is so subjective.) At the same time, my friend, struggling with the need to go back to work, also received encouragement for her writing and a reprieve from starting the new job just as her kids were off school for Thanksgiving vacation.

Have you learned anything this week? I know the Lord is always teaching. This week, I just happened to be listening!

A Good Day

I needed today. I got a fun phone call about a contest I entered. I caught up on laundry and the kitchen. And I got a bunch of research done for my (hopefully) next book project. I’ll top it off with a good workout , dinner with the kids, and maybe finishing the book I’ve been reading. It’s been a long time since I’ve been this content with my day.

I’m sure things will return to chaos tomorrow, but I’m enjoying this moment.

Uncomfortable Clutter

The comfy chair and ottoman that my husband bought for my birthday many years ago sits back in a corner of our living room. Beside it, the brick hearth stretches beyond the fireplace, giving me a convenient little “table.” Very often this is strewn with books and papers that need my attention as well as my calendar and my to-do list. I stay on top of it, making sure it is regularly cleared, usually while my family watches a football game or works on homework in the room around me. For almost two and a half years, this space has been convenient and manageable. 

Until now. 

Now it is cluttered beyond recognition due to my lack of time to sit and clear it! I have a stack of research books, most uncracked, one flagged with sticky notes on information to be transferred to paper. And I MUST check the due dates on all of them! 

Blank notecards are stacked, waiting for my words of encouragement to our football team before their first playoff game. A book by a friend of mine sits beneath them, waiting to be read. Booster club receipts and checks occupy the corner near the mantle, needing to be entered into my bookkeeping system, and a rubber band surrounds 25 elementary school literature pieces I agreed to judge. 

Of course the usual stuff is there, too: school papers, calendar, pen, random pieces of paper that need to be filed or noted or even just thrown away. The need to unclutter calls to me. I will sit down this evening and go through things, piece by piece. At least that’s the plan. And you know what so often happens to the best laid plans . . .

 

Mind Mush

I know. I’ve been quiet. The truth is, I have nothing to say. My brain is mush. Too many “to-dos” clogging up the flow. Not just too many in number, too many in variety. It makes me tired to wear all the hats I’m wearing at the moment. Keeping everything straight is like juggling cats—every time one falls, it dashes out of reach and scratches when you try to get it back in the mix! But some of my responsibilities are winding down now—at least they are supposed to be. 

So forgive my lack of words. I promise it won’t be like this always. (At least that’s what I keep telling myself!)

Cold Snaps and Pumpkin Pies

I don’t cook much. And what I do cook, I don’t necessarily do well. But I can make a mean pumpkin pie. (It’s my grandmother’s recipe.) So every year in October, at either Halloween or the first cold snap, whichever comes first, I make the first pumpkin pie of the holiday season. I don’t know how many pumpkin pies we eat as a family between the end of October and January 1, but I’m sure the number is ridiculously high. 

The cold set in for a few days last week, so I made the pie on Monday while everyone was gone and left in the fridge for each person to discover on their own. It didn’t take long. We raced through dinner that night and polished off the pie in less than 24 hours. I could easily have made two! 

I have a feeling that with two teenaged boys in the house I’ll be making pumpkin pies even more frequently—both this year and in the next few to come. I just hope I can keep to my “slivers.” Otherwise, I’ll be asking for new clothes for Christmas!

 

 

Monday Mayhem

A cold morning. No pressing engagements. A mound of laundry and dishes to be done at leisure. Peace and quiet in the house.  What a lovely prospect. 

For about three minutes.

That’s the amount of time I had to revel in my Monday morning. Then my phone rang. My ringtone—the theme song from The Amazing Race—alerted me that it was one of my children calling. Before I answered I determined I would NOT bring up to school whatever it was that whoever forgot.

“Mom, we got hit,” my son said. They’d gone to pick up some neighbors for school today and while turning into the driveway from a busy street got hit from behind. Bumped, actually, when the car behind them got hit by the car behind them. I threw on a sweatshirt, jeans, and my house shoes and left. He’d said they were all okay, but this being my daughter’s first real accident, I wanted to make sure she covered all the bases—and I didn’t want anyone taking advantage of her or trying to pin the blame on her because she is a teenager.

By the time I got to the site the woman who bumped my daughter, a mom who was concerned that my kids get to school on time, had taken her phone number and sent her on since there was no damage to either car. But then the police arrived because the third car was smashed up pretty good. I waited around, again to protect my daughter’s interests. In the cold. With bedhead and unbrushed teeth. On the main road in our town. For over ½ an hour. Finally, I drove home, changed into real shoes and brushed my teeth then met the officer and my daughter at her school so he could take her statement and assess that she had no damage.

It all turned out fine. She has no blame in the situation and no damage to her car. But there went my peaceful Monday morning. Dare I hope for Tuesday?

 

 

Echoing the Ancients

I’ve been doing a Bible Study on women of the Bible and it’s scary how much I hear their voices echoed in my own, especially today. 

I got a rejection letter today. Well, an email, to be exact. I found thoughts like these running through my head: 

How long, O Lord? I’m getting old! (Can you hear Sarah’s lament in there?)

I have no idea where I’m going. Can I just lie down and quit? (Hagar the handmaiden’s actions spoke louder than her words.)

I’ll do another book. Maybe then an editor will love me. (Hello, Leah.)

Give me publication, lest I die! (Poor Rachel! The very thing she said would happen if she didn’t get children happened while bearing the second one she demanded.) 

In all the recounting of these women’s lives, I see their impatience and all the trouble it caused. But I also see God’s redemptive grace. I see women who had a sure word from the Lord about their futures, some even from the mouths of angels, and yet they wavered in their belief that what was spoken of them and to them would ever happen.

I don’t have quite that sure of a word. I don’t have any divine promise that I’ll ever see a book of mine published. But I know I have to write. It’s as much a part of me as blue eyes and brown hair. So for now, I’ll go with that.

 

Grocery Store Gym Rats

I used to hate women who showed up at the grocery store in their workout clothes. I viewed each one of them as a mockery of my inability to find the time or energy to exercise. It was as if they flaunted their self-discipline in front of me. And I hated them for it. 

But lately I’ve found myself in grocery stores, sweaty and pony-tailed, my running shoes squeaking on the floor as I race through the aisles. I don’t do this to call attention to my activity, but instead as a prudent effort to keep from having to make two trips out of the house! Suddenly I understand these women I previously scorned. After all, what busy wife and/or mother, knowing she has a list of two or twenty or fifty items that must be bought that day, would pass up the grocery store on the way home? And how I look at the grocery store? I’ve long since given up caring about that! 

So now I’m one of “those” women. And if you spy me grabbing cereal and milk after I’ve come from the gym, just remember that my appearance is no reflection whatsoever on yours!

Book Fair

Yesterday, in spite of homecoming dance busyness, I took a few hours to help set up the book fair at school. I love the book fair. I’m a sucker for good children’s literature and, in this case, my purchases benefit our school library. To justify my itch to buy, I usually do some niece/nephew birthday and Christmas shopping at the book fair. Of course each year I also pick up one or two titles for myself, sometimes to put away and wrap for myself for Christmas, sometimes without even that pretense! 

But it isn’t just the buying part I enjoy. I also love working the book fair, helping parents and students find a book they will love, a book that will fuel their love of reading. It reminds me of the days early in my marriage where necessity intersected dreams in my job at a bookstore. Sometimes I miss being surrounded by books and by people who want to read and want to talk about what they’ve read. It’s what has made me occasionally toy with owning a bookstore of some sort. But then again, the work would cut into my reading time!

Care to Share?

I’m looking for advice. I’m treasurer in an organization where the vp and I fundamentally disagree with the president as to how to fulfill the mission of our organization and how that translates into monies spent. It is such a frustration situation, one I’ve never experienced before in all of my work in various organizations. Do I just ignore it? Do I orchestrate a coup? Do I simply dig in my heels and refuse to allow expenditures that the vp and I don’t agree with?

This type of conflict is the very reason I’ve avoided taking these types of volunteer positions. Anyone care to share something that’s worked in a similar situation in the past?

Mind Clutter

I’ve wondered, lately, why it is I war against taking on leadership positions of any sort. Today, I had a new insight: mind clutter. With all the things I’m “in charge” of this fall, it isn’t that I don’t have any time to write, it’s that my mind is cluttered with the details of all those other things and can’t find the space to think about the stories I want to tell or the words I want to write! 

I don’t have this issue so much when I’m in “worker bee” mode. I just do the tasks I’ve agreed to do, such as driving kids to and fro practices and games and field trips or working at the admission gate or concession stand, and while my body works, my mind wanders. I think and plot and consider. Then, when a bit of real time opens up in my schedule, I’m ready to write.

 But these days my mind teems with to-dos and don’t-forgets. It constantly works over schedules and details, trying to ensure that nothing goes unattended. I guess if I only had charge of ONE thing, it wouldn’t be so stifling. But more than one leadership position has crowded out my “mulling” time and, thus, my creativity.

 I know it isn’t forever. In fact, when football season ends, things should get back to a more normal pace, even if it is still a frantic one. That is, of course, if I can steer clear of any other responsibilities being dumped in my lap! 

Historical Done Right

There are a lot of historical novels out there that do historical in different ways. Some want to tell the story of a time period or historical event and create characters that seem to serve only as a venue to convey information. Some take a story or a character that seems almost modern in thought and action and simply place it in a historical backdrop. But the ones who do it best are those that tell a compelling story about a character that is completely imbedded in his time and place in history. In other words, the story and the history are so intertwined that one cannot be separated from the other.

I read two books like this recently. Actually, I picked up the first one, William Henry is a Fine Name, which won a Christy award in 20007, on Sunday morning. (We go to church on Saturday nights.) By the time I turned out the light and went to bed, I had not only finished the book, but I was half-way through its sequel, I Have Seen Him in the Watchfires, which came out last month. By Monday afternoon I’d finished that one, too. 

Cathy Gohlke does what a historical author should do. She tells a story. It is a story of another time and place, but, more importantly, it is the story of a character, of his growth and change. It is the kind of story that reminds us that people who lived in earlier times were just people like us, people who had moments of faith and doubt, lived through hardship and joy, and vacillated between worry and confidence. People trying to make sense internally of what was happening in their external world. 

Next time you itch to be transported to another time and place, consider these books. I don’t think you’ll be sorry.

A New Library

I’ve always loved libraries. I can remember the branch library we frequented in my growing up years. It wasn’t glamorous, but it held all sorts of wonderful books. College libraries bring back so many good memories, too. But in the time I’ve lived in this town, I’ve lamented the fact that the library was small and cramped, because I not only like libraries for the books they hold, I also love the atmosphere. I enjoy sitting at a table or in a chair among the stacks and writing or researching.

 So imagine my joy when just last month they opened a new library building in our town! It is big—2 stories—with plenty of areas to sit and work. It even has tables and chairs on an upstairs balcony that runs the length of the building. A rock wall is the centerpiece. There are spaces just for children and for teens, plenty of computers to research on, and windows everywhere. And the cushy chairs even have small swinging table things attached to the arm! 

It will take some time to build up the collection of books to fit the new space, but that will be exciting to watch. I hope to make myself a frequent fixture, my fingers racing across the keyboard, inspired by the books that surround me. What more could a writer want?

A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts

A SCRAPBOOK OF CHRISTMAS FIRSTS

 

(Leafwood Publishers, October 2008)

 

A wonderful new gift book, A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts, is available in October for Christmas giving. Today, I’ve invited the six coauthors to share their unique story of how they came together to publish this exciting book full of stories, recipes, tips for simplifying the holidays and so much more (click on bookcover to see the trailer!).

 

First, let me introduce Cathy Messecar, Leslie Wilson, Brenda Nixon, Trish Berg, Terra Hangen and Karen Robbins. Thank you for being here today, ladies.

 

Karen: Thank you for the invitation.

 

You are from three different areas of the country—Texas, California, and Ohio. How did you all meet?

Terra: We all six joined The Writers View, an online group for professional Christian writers. Trish and Brenda met in person in 2004 for lunch, I understand, and on 9/18/04, after reading a post Brenda sent to TWV, I sent an email to Brenda, asking if she would like to join with me and walk alongside each other, as a Barnabas group. Brenda said yes that same day, and suggested Trish too. Very quickly Cathy, Leslie and Karen joined in and our stalwart band of six was formed. Living in California, I was so happy to find 5 Barnabas writers in other states so we could bring together a wealth of different viewpoints and expertise

 

Brenda: Actually, We haven’t met. We’re all great colleagues and friends via the internet. Four years ago Terra and I formed a dyad to support each other as Christians who write in the secular markets. Along came Trish, Cathy, Karen, and Leslie (not necessarily in that order) and we formed a close knit bond of support, creative energy, and professional accountability.

Karen: I met Trish through an online forum called The Writers View and she invited me to join the group.

 

Trish: Although we belong to the same Yahoo writing group, we met one by one online. Eventually, the six of us decided that since we all write as Christians for a secular market through magazine articles and newspaper columns, we could support and encourage one another.

 

Leslie: Though we met virtually through The Writers View, I have been blessed to give and get hugs from Trish (at a MOPS conference), Cathy (in the area on business) and Karen (in town for a writers' conference). I can’t wait to meet Terra and Brenda face-to-face, though I feel as though I already know them!

 

How did you come up with the idea to do a book together?

Brenda: The book is Cathy’s brainchild. She mentioned the concept of telling stories of events that happened for the first time at Christmas and sharing holiday historical tidbits and recipes and each said, “If you need any help, let me know.” That offer morphed into each of us equally contributing and co-authoring A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts.

 

Trish: Yep, Cathy came up with the idea and the title, and asked us if we wanted to join her on this project. Of course, we said Yes!

 

Terra: Cathy mentioned the idea for a Christmas book to the group, and someone (I think it was Leslie) suggested that maybe our group could all write the book together. Cathy agreed to lead the way on the project. The earliest email I have on this is from 9/7/05, which shows that this has been a three year collaboration from idea to publication.

 

Karen: (Chuckling) Terra is a librarian and keeps our historical records by saving our e-mails.

Leslie: Actually, Terra, I wrote that comment (in a group e-mail) kind of tongue-in-cheek. Cathy, the ultra-sweet person she is, took my joking at face value and here we are. However, I believe God prompted the passion and ideas we all bring to the project and that He will do mighty things as a result of our collaboration!

 

Why did you decide on a Christmas theme?

 

Brenda: It was Cathy’s concept to write a book centering on Christmas.

 

Cathy: For several years, I’d been thinking about Christmas as a threshold to introduce Jesus to folks who aren’t familiar with him, and I love a simpler Christmas with the emphasis on family, friends and doing for others. I knew of some families who had experienced “firsts” at Christmas—reunions, losses, special surprises—and I wanted to collect those stories.

 

Terra: Cathy’s idea immediately resonated with me because Christmas books are “a way past watchful dragons,” as C. S. Lewis wrote. Many people won’t buy a book about being a Christian, but will buy a holiday and family fun book, thus the “past watchful dragons.” People who want to grow in their faith, and people who have no faith but celebrate Christmas will buy our book and hopefully be led to put the focus back on Christ for the holiday, and for their lives.

 

Leslie: Though Cathy birthed the idea, the rest of us quickly hopped on board. Not only is Christmas special to me—especially now that I have a family of my own—but also that particular holiday cries out to be simplified, to return to the meaningful aspects of celebration, and to lose some of the hype and commercialism.

 

Tell me a little about what is in A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts? What is your favorite part?

Cathy: I like that you can read one chapter in about 15 minutes and, with all the different suggestions, it feels like Christmas Eve. Makes you want to set up the nativity! Many of the suggestions for family activities can be adapted for any family get-together.

 

Karen: There are heartwarming stories about things that happened for the first time at Christmas. For instance, one of my stories is about the first Christmas with our adopted children. And the book is pretty. When I first saw the colorful pages and drawings, I fell in love with the illustrator’s work.

 

Brenda: I don’t have a favorite part – I love it all!

 

Terra: I like the way the parts are woven into a seamless whole, like a patchwork quilt, that is stronger and more beautiful than the parts.

 

Trish: It’s like everything you ever wanted to know about Christmas, all the best tips and recipes, and neat stories all wrapped up in this perfect little package.

 

Leslie: I love reading the special stories, hints, recipes—whatever—and imagining the precious family time that precipitated each moment. Plus, the book is gorgeous, beautifully printed, truly something to be proud of. And we are.

 

I’ve heard that the book is really a nice gift book; can you tell me a little about the format?

Cathy: Yes, it’s a hardbound book, full color interior. The layout makes it easy to read. It has a definite scrapbooky look on the interior. Different logos identify sections, such as an oilcloth-look Christmas stocking appears beside the “Stocking Stuffer Tradition” (help for connecting family members), and the “Cookie Canister” recipes are on a recipe card, and the back ground of “A Gift For You” is a gift box with bow. It’s a classy gift that they can be placed on a coffee table or in a guest bedroom during the holiday season.

 

Brenda: I like to describe it as a Starbuck’s sorta gift book. It’s high quality, crisp, and practical.

 

With six different personalities and areas of ministry, how did you manage to put this all together and still remain friends?

 

Karen: We pray a lot for each other and it helps that none of us have an over-inflated ego.

 

Cathy: There were no squabbles. Surely, we had differing opinions, but we knew that any of us could suggest an idea for this book and that each idea would get fair reviews from others. We actually voted on some aspects—everyone in favor say, “Aye.” If you’ve ever watched women at a Dutch treat luncheon when they divide up a meal ticket, it can be intense as they split the ticket down to the penny. As the project came together, I was in awe of my gracious coauthors, unselfish women who respect each other.

For some decisions, we did a round robin—things like book title and chapter titles and what categories to put into the book. Then, as compiler, I’d send out a list of needs to The Word Quilters, that’s what we call ourselves. For instance in a section we call “Peppermints for Little Ones” (hints for children’s activities), I’d put out a call, and the WQs sent in their hints, and then I put them into appropriate chapters.

 

Brenda: (Smiling) Are we still friends? Seriously, we each have our own platform, ministry, and family life, and those interests kept this project in perspective – it was important but not the only thing on our plates. No one was so enmeshed in this project that she campaigned for her own way. We never had a bitter disagreement or insistence to be “right.”

 

Terra: We are each other’s biggest cheerleaders.We offer support and ideas for our separate writing projects and for personal prayer requests. I love these ladies, and I have only met one of them in person. So far, Karen is the only one who has met each of us, and one day we hope to meet in person, in a circle of friendship and love.

 

Trish: I think we are all very flexible and forgiving. We do have a variety of personalities here, but God has worked amazing things through our little group.

 

Leslie: Though I have seven non-fiction projects in various stages of completion, I could not be more thankful that this is the one to reach publication first. I am truly blessed to have worked with these women, learned from them, watched as they’ve poured heart and soul into crafting a product that will impact lives for the Lord.

 

Where can my readers get a copy of SOCF?

Cathy: The coauthors will all have a supply, plus our publisher, Leafwood Publishers, will have plenty of copies and discounts for buying five or more. Or they can be ordered at most online stores or by your local bookstore.

 

Karen: And anyone who leaves a comment here can be entered in a drawing for a free book and a gift basket worth $200! For a list of its contents, check our blog, A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts. And while you're there, leave another comment and increase your chances of winning!

 

Tell me more about your blog.

 

Karen: We started our blog in July and it is accumulating a wealth of information about Christmas. Each of us posts one day a week following the theme for that week. Watch for new recipes, tips, ways to simplify, stories, etc., similar to what is in our book.

 

Leslie: Ooh, ooh, let me answer this one. I’m probably the newest to blogging among the group, but I LOVE it. I’ve enjoyed posting and receiving comments back from readers. What an amazing adventure having an online voice can be! This blog will focus on a different theme each week—anything from tips to avoid overeating during the holidays to how to give a guest room special touches—and expand on the material in the book. I think readers will get to know the authors’ individual personalities and connect on a more personal level. Plus, they get that many more ideas, information, inspiration (!) at no additional cost.

 

WQs: As an added bonus for inviting us to your blog, we’d like to pass along this Christmas tidbit to you and your readers:

Enjoy a blessed Christmas this year! And thanks for inviting us to share our book, A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts, with you.

 

 

A Real Book

Thanks to my dear, tenacious friend Leslie Wilson, today I hold my very own copy of a book with my name in it. No, not a novel. Not even a book with my name on the cover. Or even in the “acknowledgements” section, although such books have been very special to me. 

In this book, on page 107 to be exact, my reworked article “Let it Snow,” along with my name, appears in the newly released gift book A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts. (Check back Monday for an interview post with the authors!)

 It’s my first time to be published in a real book. (Okay, so one flash fiction piece got added to the contest’s anthology, but who buys those? No one. At least, no one except the people who have stories in them!) And what a beautiful book to debut in! It is full of color, scrapbook-style pages relating heartwarming stories, mouth-watering recipes, and holiday tips and traditions for making the Christmas season memorable. 

I’m so excited I can hardly stand it! Is it time to put up the tree yet?

ACFW 2008

For me, this year’s ACFW Conference was all about relationships: my relationship with God, my relationships with others, and my pitching relationships to agents and editors. I hardly remember going to classes, though I know I attended a few. My most memorable times were spent in conversation. Not just how-are-you, what-do-you-write conversations, but deeper communication, the relating of our lives and how God is working in them. In the prayer room, I poured my heart out to the Lord both in joy and disappointment and was answered on both occasions with the hugs and prayers of two very wonderful authors. And for the first time in my life, I felt like I pitched my book well. My words came easily and I felt comfortable sitting and talking with editors and agents with whom I had meetings. All in all, it was a great conference! 

Here are some pictures of friends old and new.

 Me and Lisa Buffaloe at the Saturday night banquet. Every time we meet face to face we connect more deeply as people and writers. 

Heather roomed with me and won the Genesis contest for Women's Fiction! Woo-hoo Heather! Gina Hernandez, a wonderful writer from Florida, completed the trio that turned Friday night dinner into a 7 hour gab session, covering every topic from marriage and kids to theology and writing!

Me with Susan Meissner at the Mall of America booksigning event. I will tell you more about Susan's book in the coming days.

Funny lady Katy McKenna. I love this woman! We met at the end of last year's conference and regretted not getting to know each other better then. This year we were able to spend a bit more time together. She is such an encourgement to me!

As I process through all that happened over the weekend, I'm sure you'll hear more about it. For now, I am content knowing I was where God wanted me to be this weekend. And I'm energized to take up the journey of writing once again.

Oh, the Desire to Spend!

Most women encounter the temptation to spend when they see a dazzling pair of shoes or a trendy outfit. Not me. My closet will attest to the fact that I am overly frugal when it comes to my appearance. But let me walk into a office supply or stationary store and—look out! My wallet seems to jump into my hands and beg me to open it wide.
 
Today I salivated over the zip-up binders that hold a legal pad and oh, so much more. Do you know what these things run? I was thinking $10 or $15. Boy, was I wrong! One cute red leather one even had handles so it looked like a purse. And don’t even get me started on the computer bags!
 
But it isn’t just the higher end items that get me going. I could try a new pen every week. Or stapler. Or file folders. Highlighters. Post-it notes. Cute paper to print out all those holiday letters I never get around to writing. The list goes on and on.
 
This is not new, of course. I remember when I was a young mom and our MOPS leadership group, of which I was a part, had a retreat. We were given a “get to know you” sheet to fill out. One of the questions was “Where is your favorite place to shop?” Now this MOPS group met at a large church in a very affluent part of town, so answers mostly centered around the upscale malls. My answer? Half-price books. Ok, so that’s not “office supplies,” but books fall into the “paper” category. Paper and bags and all that go with them would, I guess, be a more accurate description of my fetish. So I’ll never be a fashion plate, but if my file folders match my computer bag, I’ll be happy.

Thomas Hardy

I’ve read two Thomas Hardy novels in the past few months: The Mayor of Casterbridge and Tess of the D’Ubervilles. I have to say, I love Hardy’s use of language—his descriptions, his metaphors, his way of describing a look or a feeling. Absolutely lovely!
 
But the stories themselves can be a bit depressing. Not in an “all is woe” kind of a way, but because one of the major characters usually comes to a point where he/she has to make a decision about how to respond to a person or circumstance. In both books, I grieved the character choosing to respond in a self-serving way. The decision always resulted in disaster, whether for that character or for another character.
 
I can deal with these kinds of “darker” stories because the entire they show s a visible, tangible picture of what kinds of things can happen when you make decisions based on emotion or selfishness or a desire to conceal the truth (all of which could be argued to be the same thing!)
 
These are the kinds of stories I take my inspiration from, the kind of stories I want to write—although I’d like to show the effects of good decisions, too. I want my stories to make people think, consider, change. And I want them to stand the test of time.
 
Impossible? Probably. But a worthy goal, I think.

Tastes Great vs. More Filling

As a writer, I look for conflict—or potential for conflict—in big and little situations. I draw on such things for my characters. Tonight I noticed an interesting one: foodie vs. teenage boys.
 
Elizabeth’s culinary delights don’t exactly thrill her brothers. It isn’t just that she uses ingredients that they are convinced they don’t like, or that she likes to plate the food in interesting ways. Many times it comes down to the amount of food allotted to each person.
 
She made salmon cakes tonight. She never makes them the same way twice. Tonight, they had an Asian flair. There were two for each person. The boys actually like these. They were happy. Until about 15 minutes after they’d finished their dinner. Next thing I knew, they were cooking one of the cheap-o pizzas I keep in the freezer for those occasions when everyone is on their own for dinner.
 
Ah, well. Either she’ll find a husband who appreciates her efforts to please his palette or she’ll learn that a man—or a teenaged boy—mostly wants something to fill his stomach. And if it tastes good? That’s a bonus.
 
 

Ten Days and Counting

In ten days I will board a plane (at a ridiculously early hour of the morning, thanks to the cancellation of my original flight!) and head to Minneapolis, MN, where I will have the privilege of participating in the ACFW Annual conference for the third year in a row.

Four days of talking to writers, worshipping with writers, praying with writers, laughing with writers, even crying with writers. Four days of learning and pitching and volunteering and reconnecting with old friends and making new ones.

Can you tell I’m excited? It will be a much-needed break from all things football, although I will hate missing one of the few JV games on our schedule.