Just Writing

Just Writing: Modesty of the heart

2011-12-27T20:11:00.000-08:00

Just Writing: Modesty of the heart: For anyone who has ever suffered the betrayal of adultery you will understand when I say that when I go to church I do not enjoy knowing tha...

Modesty of the heart

2011-12-27T19:34:00.000-08:00

For anyone who has ever suffered the betrayal of adultery you will understand when I say that when I go to church I do not enjoy knowing that there will be women there, dressed immodestly, parading in front of my husband. My husband now has never cheated on me, but I have suffered that rejection in my first marriage. Unfortunately, the scars of that have stayed with me for over 20 years now. They are fading but they are not gone completely.
I am no longer the person I was 20 years ago or even 13 years ago for that matter. Because just 13 years ago I dressed exactly like I mentioned above. I took no thought that I might be causing men in the church to struggle with lust or be tempted to sin. I was just so thankful to have lost the weight put on in my 2nd marriage that I wanted to show off that weight loss. I didn't consider how that would make other wives feel, I was just thinking of myself.
Over the past 13 years I have put on 53 pounds. I am back to the place where I feel ugly, disgusting and completely unattractive. I am ashamed of the weight gain and how unhealthy I am. My joints suffer from the added weight and because of this it limits what I can do physically for exercise. But no longer do I want to make excuses. I want to lose this weight and keep it off this time. But I don't want to fall back into the temptation to dress immodestly.
I didn't realize, until we attended church with our Amish friends, just how much it bothered me that women would come to church dressed in a fashion that provoked men to lust. But walking into the Amish service I didn't have to worry about that at all. I was so blessed to be among women who valued modesty as much as the Lord had brought me to value it. I was so at ease and was able to thoroughly enjoy the service and really focus on the Lord and the messages that day instead of constantly worrying that my husband would have to deal with seeing the flesh of someone who wasn't his wife.
Seven months before we attended this service I had started wearing the headcovering. This came about when the Lord led me to the scripture in 1 Corinthians 11 and convicted me to cover. This was a hard thing to do. I was very vain and didn't want to cover. I again felt ugly wearing the headcovering. I couldn't show off my hair if I had it cut and highlighted. Wearing a headcovering really doesn't go with wearing pants, it just doesn't feel right. So I also started wearing skirts and tops. I did try to choose outfits that were pretty because I do believe God created beauty and we should not have to dress somber in order to show our obedience to God. I think that the plain dress of the Amish is pretty. I have come to see it that way over the past year and a half. I think the prayer kapp is beautiful too. When I see the hidden beauty of the hearts of my Amish friends it comes through and makes everything else beautiful.
See beauty and modesty are a thing of the heart. If you're not beautiful on the inside, if you aren't modest in your heart then you are not going to be beautiful or modest on the outside. Oh you might look like a trophy wife but when you are behind closed doors how often do you worry about whether your husband still thinks you're attractive? How often do you look in the mirror and not like what you see and then spend hours trying to create something beautiful?
Something the Lord is still teaching me is that we are beautiful in His eyes. It doesn't matter what we look like on the outside, it's the heart. My husband tells me I'm beautiful, gives me compliments all the time but because of those past hurts and scars I keep not believing him. It's not fair to him either. It's completely not fair for me to reject his attention because someone else hurt me. But when those scars run deep it's hard to believe it when someone tells you something different.
Why modesty? Why wear skirts and tops and not slacks and tops? Why wear that thing on my head if it makes me feel ugly?
Well, I choose modesty because I know it pleases the Lord. I choose modesty because I have a daughter and granddaughter who I want to set an example for. I choose modesty because my husband likes that I am modest. I choose modesty because I've always danced to a different drum and it is completely opposite of the way women of the world dress.
I choose skirts and tops (except when I fall back) because my husband loves me looking like a woman. Becasue my husband prefers me in skirts and not pants. Because the Lord said not to wear the clothing of the opposite sex. Because of the rise of homosexuality and the way the majority of lesbians dress and I want to be different. I want to look female, like a woman and not a man. Because when I do lose weight I don't want to show off curves to other men who are not my husband.
I choose to wear that thing on my head even when I feel ugly because when I put it on I know I am obeying what the word of God tells me is right for women to do to show that they recognize the order he set forth. God-Jesus-man-woman. It reminds me to be in submission to my husband and not other men. It reminds me that I am a child of God and in being a child of God I need to live to a higher standard than the rest of the world. It reminds me of the blessings I received when I first started covering. It also humbles me. Removes the vanity that is so horrendous that I detest it. It will hopefully remove the stubborn pride that I hold on to. It speaks to those who I come in contact with that I am a Christian. But it only speaks this way if I am in my heart. If I act ugly when I have the headcovering on it is no different than if I act ugly without it on. Again, a heart issue. I also wear it because 1 Corinthians 11 says to do it "because of the angels". When I stand in the congregation of the saints and cry holy, holy, holy I also cry that with the angels and archangels.
I realize that a lot of what I have said will sound harsh to some who read this. But I write this in love. I write this in hopes that someone will read it and be blessed by it. That it will strike a chord in someones heart and lead them to seek the Lord on modesty.
Please, sisters in Christ, please dress in an appropriate fashion to not cause your brothers in Christ to sin. Please, pastors, take a stand for righteousness, holiness and modesty. Hold your congregations acountable in the way they dress. If they have nothing else to wear then take some of the offerings that are supposed to go to help the body of Christ and buy them an outfit that is modest. Again, sisters in Christ, please be modest in your dress as a witness to other women in the church: Mothers, daughters, sisters, granddaughters, aunts, cousins, sisters in Christ need to see a higher standard then they are seeing in the world.
If we continue to dress as the world when we are actually part of the body of Christ then those looking for a difference will never see it.

Saddened

2011-09-13T14:46:00.000-07:00

I must say that I am saddened by what I see taking place in the church. The body of believers who are supposed to be building each other up, calling on those who are sick, seeing to the widows & orphans, feeding the poor and preaching the gospel are seriously falling down on the job.
From my experience, and I have been raised up in the church so for 40 years now, I have seen the church go from solid to dysfunctional to say the least. What was once considered good solid preaching and song singing is not considered "a dead church" if the music isn't blaring and contemporary, if the congregation aren't on their feet dancing, shouting & running around.
Communion, which is one of the sacred ordinances is treated as lightly as the Holy Spirit is mocked in these meetings.
Now I know there are good, solid Protestant & Catholic churches still practicing biblical teachings but for the most part the "megachurches" are the ones I am talking about.
Who has the best sound out of all the churches in town should not matter as long as hearts are turned to God and worshiping Him and not the worship service. But at a former church I was told that their worst sound was better than any other churches best sound.
What ever happened to the gospel of Jesus Christ being of the utmost importance? Of seeing souls saved? Of the church taking the tithes & offerings that are brought in & dispersing them among the body of believers to meet the needs that are there?
It grieves the Holy Spirit when pastors and leadership put more importance on a performance than on the preaching of the word and the reading of scriptures. You might ask how I can say that. The Holy Spirit is part of the trinity. God the Father, God the Son & God the Holy Spirit. If God thought it so important to give us His word, then I would assume He places a high importance on it since it is through His word that we learn of Jesus, learn how we are to live for Him and how we are to treat others. No where in scripture is the song service or "worship" service placed above the reading of scripture or the sharing of testimony.
We need to get back to the basics of Christianity. We need to get back to what hundreds and thousands of martyrs have spilled their blood for. For the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Many have wondered how Joe & I could back out of the church completely and do home fellowship. We have even been told that it's not good for us that we need other believers to encourage us. But we do meet with other believers. It's just in the homes. And since we left the church of beleivers who "encouraged" us a little over a year ago, I can count on 2 hands the number of people who have contacted us & can count on 1 hand the number of times the pastor has contacted us.
We are supposed to lift each other up, to encourage & edify but anymore it's all about show.

Small Town Tragedy

2011-07-29T17:53:00.000-07:00

I live in a town of 1100 people unless you count the prison population and then it's 2800. I have lived here now almost 40 years and I cannot remember a time when I was ashamed to say that I did indeed live here.
This week a terrible tragedy occurred. A 7-year-old boy rode his bicycle out in front of a car, was hit and killed. The man who hit him has been hounded by police in the past, and has had a troubled past. Rumors have flown as to what caused this accident. Word was that he was driving 50 mph in a 30 mph zone, that he was drunk, on meth. None of this is true.
See the thing about where I live is that the police like to harass people. They get enjoyment out of asserting their authority. And this is what's happening here.
The state police released the man, saying that there was nothing he could have done to avoid the accident. And this is a horrible thing that happened. But it is not something that should have led to a modern day witch hunt.
He and his family have received death threats, signs are being put up all over town that children have written or drawn that have said mean things about him. Some of the signs haven't said anything other than asking people to slow down. But one sign read "Child Killer". And the person spearheading this campaign is not only supposed to be a christian, but thinks that this is good therapy for the children to help them heal.
What about this man's mother? What about him? He has to live with this the rest of his life. He has children of his own. What kind of world do we live in that this is allowed to take place and even condoned by our city council?
Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty? Or showing love and compassion to someone? We haven't walked in their shoes, and we certainly can't bear this load for him that he now has to carry.
I am truly ashamed to be a part of Sumner now and want nothing to do with anyone who is supportive of this kind of treatment.

Here and now

2011-07-25T18:50:00.001-07:00

Right now, in the here and now, I have several projects I am working on. I have some non-fiction for adults, fiction for young adults, planning a childrens book for little ones and maybe one for just a little bit older ones.
Why do I have more than one project going at once you might ask. Well let me tell you. I intend to have a career as a writer. In order to get published I need to write. To make money I have to write and sell. I could spend all my time on my novel but that is going to take me into next year and I can also use my time to branch out into other fields. See, to be a writer you don't have to stick to one age group or genre. The writing field is wide open and opportunities aplenty to be grabbed if one wants to invest the time and energy.
Two of my favorite quotes: It's always about the story-Stephen King & Guard the time alloted to writing as a Hungarian Horntail guards its firstborn egg-J.K. Rowling.
So I guard my writing time just like that Hungarian Horntail guards its firstborn egg & I am doing my best to learn that it's always about the story. It takes practice, practice & more practice but the possibilities are endless of what can be accomplished if I commit to practice, write, keep my butt in the seat, sacrifice, still be here for my kids and practice. Did I mention practice? That's what writing is. The more you write the more you learn. The more you learn the better your writing is and there is no end to what you can do with that.
So right here and right now I am a writer and I intend to write. Other shoes I could walk in but why would I want to? I want to do what I was created to do and that is to write.

Charlotte's Journal 4

2011-05-21T16:24:00.000-07:00

I have mixed emotions about joining those surrounding the body. They need my help and will welcome it with no doubt, but memories are being stirred up that had long been buried. Like I said, it wasn't all that long ago that the young lady was found here in these very same woods.
She was beautiful, and it grieved my heart that a life had been taken. Someone's daughter, granddaughter, sister, friend & classmate. Her name was Rosey and she was from one of the less fortunate families in Warrior. She, like me, had been taken under Rachel's wing to help sort through her trials and situation.
She should have been on her way home from school but chose to visit Rachel that day. She had met Rachel at church and knew she was welcome always. It was about 3:30 when she started into the woods. I saw her. As I mentioned before, I was in the gardens and I have a clear view of the treeline from there. It wasn't abnormal for her or some of the other school kids to go through, so I didn't think anything of it. It was later, when her parents started to worry, that they contacted the police. The news spread fast and was all over the radio and scanners. Why when I heard I contacted them immediately so they would know where to look.
I guess the time was somewhere around 7:00 when they entered the woods to see what they could find. She never made it to Rachel's. I am not sure why I didn't hear something-a scream, shouting, anything-but all around me was peace.
When they found her she had been sexually assaulted and beaten to death. Her attacker was vicious. Every bone in her face was broken until she was unrecognizeable. I am so thankful I didn't see her in that condition. Rosey was such a sweet girl, never harming anyone and always willing to help when someone was in need. What happened to her was incomprehensible and I still mourn for her.
They never located her attacker. But he took something of hers and when they find him they will know it. No one, other than the police know what it is that was taken. At least that they know of. But I know, and I am constantly waiting and watching in the event that it happens again.
Well, I'd better get this over with. Are you coming with me?

Charlotte's Journal 3

2011-05-19T17:12:00.000-07:00

I'm almost to the end of the trail. You're not tired are you? We can rest if need be but I'd rather continue on. I don't want to keep my friends waiting.
Rachel has been my dearest friend for over twenty years now. I never thought I'd have someone to be close with other than Jerry. But Rachel has listened to me during my darkest hours, hugged me and let me cry but most important she has been consistent and faithful to our friendship. I cherish her and consider her one of the greatest blessings the Lord has given me.
Jerry and I used to go to Rachel's house every summer for Lemonade and cookies when we were younger, sitting under the shade tree near the pond and having a little picnic. She'll be expecting me with what has happened and if I'm not mistaken Jerry will have beat me there.
Here we are, the edge of the woods at the treeline across the pond from Rachel's house. Just as I suspected, the police are not letting anyone get close to the body.
Well, we might as well join them but be ready, we're in for a very long night.

Charlottes Journal 2

2011-05-17T11:28:00.000-07:00

It must have been my skirt catching on the branches that I heard. I hope I didn't frighten you, I should know by now to watch where I am walking. Many years have passed but there was a time when these woods were friendly to anyone passing through. Children would run and play hide and seek, young lovers took evening strolls and even those in town would take a Sunday drive to stop and walk through.
But not now. Times are different, not as nice and people are not as trusting as they once were. Time...definitely not on our side. Time seems to get away from me the older I get and yet there are days that just drag on and on and on. The sisters do their best to help by keeping me busy but every once in a while I am able to have some time alone and that's when I do my thinking and dreaming.
I was in the gardens three years ago when my dreams were shattered. One of the teenagers from Warrior was found under an old tree and brush here in these woods. Her life snuffed out before it had even began, at only fifteen years old. These woods had never seen so many people as on that day. The emergency workers, her parents-why everyone in town was here to look for her. I was so hoping that she would be found alive and not in these woods. But the woods that had protected me so many times were not as nice to her.
But where are my thoughts going? And why am I thinking on something that is in the past? If you are going on this walk with me you don't want me to dredge up old ghosts.

Charlotte's Journal

2011-05-16T19:08:00.000-07:00

It is so dark tonight. I don't know if I should have come out alone but I couldn't wait for Jerry forever. I know it worries the sisters when I go into the woods at night by myself but there was nothing to be done about it. You see, I am on a mission and I intend to complete my mission.
I have friends who are in need of my help and I can't just sit around doing nothing while they are waiting. I know, I know, someone else could help them you are thinking. But there is no one else to help the way I am able. I see and hear things that others do not. I have since I was a child and there is no getting around it, the ability is here to stay.
I always notice shadows and sounds more when I am alone out here. The woods even seem to be closing in on me the deeper in I go. There's a faint musty odor even though it's late Fall. Many times I have been in these woods but not so often by myself.
I'm glad I grabbed my shawl before leaving. It's getting colder and I still have a little ways to go. A quarter of a mile, in fact. That old rotted tree off to the West is a perfect reminder of just how far I've come. There should be a trail to my right just ahead that is a shortcut to the pond.
Oh! Did you hear that? Was it just me or was there a rustling in the leaves coming from behind me? Hang on....

Another time another me

2011-05-04T18:20:00.000-07:00

I am certain I was born out of time. An old soul, longing for days gone by that can never be recaptured. I have ran, played and lived among the Native Americans. My home has been the castles of Lords to the crofts of commoners. I have washed clothes in a creek, made butter and my own soap, lived in a little log cabin and even under the banks by a creek. Many a time my heart has raced as I was being watched, stalked even.
If I could only go back in time! Why hasn't someone created a time machine? Yes, that too I long to do-to travel back to the past but not forward in the future. Always longing, always dreaming, always thinking of ways to make it happen. Yet I haven't found the proverbial needle in a haystack yet that is the key that unlocks that mysterious door.
But what if I did hold that key? Then where would I go? Which time period would I visit? Would I be content in the past or long for the future?
The grass is not always greener, I'll grant you that but what I wouldn't give to just have the opportunity! Instead I waste my days, I languish in the here and now never knowing what it is to see those dreams fulfilled.
Is there no easy answer to my dilemma? I'm afraid not. I am convinced it is only wishful thinking and that I will live out my days always looking behind while striving to move forward.
Yes, I am certain that I was born out of time. Another time, another me-for now I will live out my dreams through the written word. Because I see no other option until someone builds that time machine for me!

Article from Novel Journey by Mary DeMuth

2011-01-15T07:30:00.000-08:00

Publishing doesn't validate your life.

How true.I have to admit before I was published, I thought that if I reached that nirvana called "published author," I'd have sweet validation. Every day would be smiles and dancing. You know what? I was wrong. Being published is terrific, mind you, but it doesn't bring happiness or validation. Instead, it adds more stress to your life.Gone are the days when I could write for the sheer joy of it. Always looming is a deadline. And though I pinch myself because I "get" to write, and I feel like I'm doing what I was created to do, I sometimes get lost in the cycle of publicity, sales and marketing. And I'm tired of worrying about provision.Maybe I'm the only one (and I'm embarrassed to admit this publicly), but I check my Amazon ratings for the three (Note: now ten, and I don't do this anymore, thankfully) books I have in print. I know, know, know that these ratings mean very little. I know that a high rank (which is bad) just means that during that hour the book didn't sell. I know that if a band of readers (like a book club) went together and bought ten of my books in one hour, my rating would shoot lower (which is good). But it doesn't mean anything.Why do I pester myself with such nonsense? After all, publishing doesn't validate my life, right? It's like this weird endless cycle of neediness. It evolves in incremental steps of if onlys:
If only I could be published in a magazine, even if I'm not paid.
If only I could be paid to be published in a magazine.
If only I could go to a writer's conference and have an agent show an interest in my proposal.
If only I could sign with an agent.
If only that agent could sell my work.
If only I could have more than one contract.
If only I could earn out the advance for the book I wrote.
If only I could sell enough books so a publisher would want another book from me.
If only a publisher would treat a mid-list author like me kindly.
If only I could make a living at writing.That's a lot of if onlys! I remember reading about blocked goals once and it's stuck with me. A blocked goal is a goal that is dependent on other's actions or happenstance. All these if onlys fit, albeit somewhat awkwardly, as blocked goals. I don't have any control over whether I'll get a contract offered. I can't make people buy my books. I can't make my book sell enough to earn back an advance. I can't control the fickleness of this industry.What I can do is create goals that can't be blocked. Goals like:
I will listen to the heartbeat of God and write what He inspires me to write.
I will not let writing, by God's strength, overshadow the needs of my family.
I will write the best books I can write, always seeking to improve, abounding in humility and teachability.
I will be patient when sales wane and trust God's sovereignty.
I will promote my books with this motivation: to see the kingdom of God advanced.
I will laugh at the unpredictability of this industry and strive to be lighthearted.
I will serve others and not let elusive and fleeting fame (if that happens) inflate my head.
I will attend conferences, read writing books, and welcome critique.
I will serve my readers by praying for them and answering emails when God provides time.
I will write for the sheer joy of it, not despising unpublished words. So, yeah, publishing does not validate me. Sure it feels great to hold my book in my hands. It's lovely when I get a good review. But it's the hand of God on my life that brings me ultimate validation. That God stooped to earth and chose me, a frail, needy girl, stops my heart every time. And by His grace, I will carry on.Mary DeMuth mentors writers toward publication at The Writing Spa, which now has a brand spanking new Facebook page. Head over to this post today or tomorrow for a chance to win the 2011 Sally Stuart Christian Writers' Market Guide, my fiction proposal tutorial, and a 5 page substantive critique from me (a $200 value!).
Labels: Mary DeMuth, publishing, The Writing Spa, validation, writing tips
posted by Mary DeMuth @ 1:13 AM

Amish Friends

2010-12-22T06:51:00.001-08:00

I was blessed about a year ago to meet a couple who are New Order Amish. Over the past year my husband and I have become good friends with them, were invited and attended their church and have been in their home for a Christmas meal and fellowship.
One thing I have learned from them is that they truly walk out in their everyday lives the love of Christ. They live the words of Christ and truly love others. Their children are a blessing and a joy to be around, as are the parents.
I am sharing a link to a newspaper that a friend of mine on facebook publishes for the Amish and Mennonite community in Sarasota, FL. I will be posting more on the Amish at a later date.
http://amishamerica.com/win-a-subscription-to-the-pinecraft-pauper/
Please check out the link and her newspaper and leave her a comment.

Life

2010-11-23T08:13:00.000-08:00

Our lives have been so busy lately. Even when we try to step back and reevaluate and slow down it's hard to do.
We started the month out with me going 2 hours away to be in court with my niece twice and never having to appear before the judge. We are still waiting on his judgment and since then have been blessed with her baby being born. Vivian Grace, 7 lb. 9 oz 20 1/2" long. But even with the joy of the new baby she is still unsure of the future with her other two children.
November 13th our daughter was married and the weeks leading up to that were a harried time. One of the days I was at court was the Friday of the rehearsal for the wedding. I literally spent the whole day on the road. I have found that I do not like being on the road. I do not enjoy my routine being upset and being rushed from one point to another.
In the midst of this my step-son began playing basketball for his 8th grade team. Games every week, practice every night and the world just spinning away with us.
When do I have time to write? I haven't taken time to write. I have neglected that longing deep inside of me to get onto paper the thoughts swirling in my head. I am afraid that I am not a writer but a wannabe. And I do not like being a wannabe. I either want to go the whole distance with this or just quit and move on. And I have quit, a number of times. Yet I always come back. There is an urging to quit procrastinating and finish the story started this time last year.
Why do I struggle so much? Does it have to be so difficult to do the thing I wan to do the most? Why do I allow distractions to take me off course? Distractions like blogging instead of working on my story? But blogging is writing and as long as I'm writing something I'm a writer.

School Days

2010-09-21T10:40:00.000-07:00

I remember, as a child, being so excited every Fall because of school starting. New school clothes, books, pencils...the thrill of finding out who would be in my class and if I would get to sit next to one of my friends. I loved learning and genuinely liked most of my teachers and was liked by them as well.
The excitement wore off about half-way through the year though. Soon the drudgery set in of the same 'ol same 'ol and I would be ready for school to be out for the Summer by the time January got here. But I still liked learning and was not ready for that to end when school let out so I would read all Summer long.
As I grew older the initial excitement was still there and so was my love of reading. As an adult I would get as excited as my children when it was time for them to start school and was even more excited when we decided to homeschool!
The first couple years were wonderful with homeschooling. My daughter took right to it and excelled in her subjects, my son and step-son were a little more difficult but I figured that went with the territory of boys.
How discouraging when my daughter finished high school and we put our boys back in public school. My step-son, because of him being Oppositional Defiant and disrupting the day for everyone involved, and my son wanting to be around his friends again.
I agonized over sending them back. For all the joy that I had when I was in school there was a lot of heartache also. I knew all about bullies, locker rooms, taunting and school beatings. I didn't want our children to go through those hurtful things as I had. I knew how cruel children could be and wanted to shield my sons from that. But they both wanted to go back and were happier that way.
Our decision to public school again was four years ago for my step-son and 2 years ago for my son. My step-son excells in school academically but my son not so much. He has more of the attitude that he wants to hang with his friends and be cool. At first I thought this was terrible, he had made such good grades when we homeschooled! But I realize that this is all part of School Days. School is not just about growing academically. School is where you learn what the real world is like. You learn to interact with others that you do not necessarily agree with and must learn to do so with a measure of diplomacy; or you wind up in the Principals office.
I am still learning to deal with the way things have changed since I was in school. When I was in school we only missed if we were sick. My son tells me, 'I have nine days I can miss without an excuse, so what is one day going to hurt?" I tell him, "When I was in school I only missed if I was sick." Needless to say I get rolled eyes and "It's not the same mom!" How true that statement is. When I was in school we respected our teachers and did not have such a thing as "Cross Dress Day." How times have changed!
There are things that have not changed though. My boys and my daughter still get as excited as I did when school started. They love to get school clothes and supplies and about half-way through the year I start hearing, "I can't wait 'til summer." I guess that goes along with School Days.

New Website

2010-09-15T10:16:00.000-07:00

My sister and I have launched our new website and webstore. We are officially small business owners now. I'm not sure that makes much difference to us, but it sure does to the IRS!
Bobbi and I have started a retail craft business and are selling rag quilted items, wreaths and smelly jellies reusable air fresheners.
Bobbi has her certificate in floral design and creates beautiful wreaths and is currently working on the flowers for my daughters wedding!
Anyway, I wanted to share the website link so anyone who wants to can stop by and check it out and maybe leave us a note.

http://www.lngcreations.webs.com/

Great Fiction

2010-09-13T14:47:00.000-07:00

I love fiction. I have loved fiction as far back as I can remember. Over my lifetime I have read thousands of books. Not all have been fiction but the majority has. Because of my love of reading I also have a desire to write. And I want to write fiction. But not just any fiction. I want to write great fiction.
Some of the authors that come to mind who have been an influence in my writing are: Ted Dekker, Brandilyn Collins and Frank Peretti.
Books from my past that have urged me to write are "Harriet The Spy" and the "Little House On The Prairie" series.
I have literally traveled to all parts of the world, gone back in the past, been thrown into the future, loved, laughed, cried and raged at atrocities on humanity.
Fiction has been spoken of as 'evil' but to me it is pure heaven. I have met John the Baptist, Yeshua, Amos, Saul, Joseph and many more. Through books I have been thrown to the lions, nearly drowned, abducted, loved, hated and scared beyond reasoning. I have know the Saviors love and felt the tangible presence of the Holy Spirit. Books are not evil. Books are only evil if people make them evil.
What determines if a book is great fiction? I believe the heart of the writer. Does the author love their characters? Do they get into the minds of them? Can we see through that person's eyes? Am I transported to another place and forget that life around me exists? Yes, yes, yes.
Reality doesn't satisfy. I am content with all things and in all things. But I am not satisfied. I hunger for more, I thirst for adventure and romance, not just in books but in my marriage also. God created me this way. I was fashioned in my mother's womb, knit together by Abba Father. He knew me before I was in my mother's womb. So He knew I would love to read and write. He also knew what types of stories I would love. He doesn't resent the fact that I love fiction. Why would He? He's a writer Himself. He understands. He puts the desires in us and knows what great writing is. Be it non-fiction or fiction.
From Shakespeare to J.R.R. Tolkien the world has been made a much richer place.

Labor Day

2010-09-06T06:42:00.000-07:00

Today as we cease from our labor some with friends others with family, let us reflect on how blessed we are. We are blessed to live in a nation where freedom still rings, in our town walking in the evening is still safe, studying the word of God is available without losing your life and we can celebrate "Labor Day".
For believers we have a day every week when we are to cease from our labor and to rest. We are blessed by God and given this day from the beginning of time, before the commandments were presented, to set this day aside as holy unto God. But how many of us truly do this? How many observe another day as holy instead? We worship God every day of the week and we love God no more on one day than another. But He gave us one day above all days to cease our work, our striving, our labors (not just jobs) and to rest and reflect on the mysteries of who He is.
The one commandment of the ten given to Moses that the church tries so hard to throw out is keeping the Sabbath. Most do not have a problem with "Thou shalt not lie", "Thou shalt not commit adultery" or "Honor thy father and thy mother" but "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it" is considered of no effect anymore.
"That was for the Jewish people", "We're under a new covenant and we don't go by the old", "We're gentiles so we only follow what Jesus said."

Genesis 2: 2,3-And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.
John 14:15-"If you love Me keep My commandments", John 14:21-"He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.", Matthew 5:17-"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.", Revelation 12:17-And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ."
Galatians 3:27-29For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Just as we have the freedom to celebrate Labor Day we have the freedom to keep the Sabbath. Our salvation does not hinge on us keeping it, it is not a ritual or tradition but a matter of the heart. God does not love us any more if we do observe it but there is such a blessing in loving what God loves, in obeying His word, in doing what Jesus did. Just some food for thought.

Life gets in the way

2010-09-02T19:46:00.000-07:00

I aspire to write every day of the week. My lifelong dream has been to become a writer, published at that. But sometimes, no matter how hard I try, life gets in the way of my writing.
Writers should be able to write around life, to write in the midst of the noise and chaos, neverending ideas with words flowing freely from the pen. This is not how I write. Life does get in the way with my head hitting the pillow and not a word having been written. Then comes condemnation and discouragement, hand-in-hand.
If I was a real writer, I tell myself, my word count would have been achieved, query letters on their way to editors and articles written for submission. My life doesn't cooperate though. The house needs cleaned, laundry piled high, meals to be cooked then the dishes need washed. And that's only the every day stuff. What about kinks being thrown in? Side trips out of town, loud kids along with snoring husband. Nevermind the social networking I'm involved in: Facebook, Writers Forums, Speciality Forums and my daily dose of Solitare.
I can always find excuses not to write but I think the best excuse I have come up with so far is-life gets in the way.

The 5 things I've learned from being married to a musician

2010-09-01T07:06:00.000-07:00

Being the wife of a musician has opened my eyes to a different lifestyle from what I had pictured living.
I imagined limousines, all-night parties, sold out concerts and swanky hotel rooms. Groupies flocking him, autograph signings and boring bus rides were also somewhere floating in my head.
We would travel the world as musicians are known for doing and dine with top recording artists, all the while dreaming of a less hectic pace of living.
But over the years I have discovered what the life of a musician is really like.
Here are the top 5 things I have learned from being married to a musician:

He still works a regular job and gets paid very little for what he's worth.
He practices hours on end and there is no escaping in a 1250 sq. ft. house the sound of the guitar or bass shaking the windows.
I hate, detest, and despise distortion. Did I mention I dislike distortion?
I do not worry about other women, his other love is his instrument.
Packing equipment is a way of life.

No, my husband is not a professional musician playing venues all over the world. Why, you might ask?

He prizes his relationship with God first, then his relationship with his family. He sacrifices daily his ability to run with the big dogs to provide us with love and stability.

Could he be a professional musician? At the drop of a hat he could. He has the talent, drive and dedication it requires. He has thousands of hours of practice under his belt, 30 years of experience and an unlimited passion. If the music industry were to get wind that he exists they would beat down his door. We can't have that, now can we? Shhhhh......it'll be our little secret. I think I'll keep him all to myself.

Oh, one more thing. Come a little closer, I don't want anyone else to hear. Are you alone? No one standing near you? Ok, I really hate distortion.

Muslim Father Kills Two Daughters in the USA ( TEXAS ) !

2010-08-31T08:27:00.000-07:00

Are honor killings coming to the U.S.A.?

2010-08-31T07:45:00.000-07:00

In todays society people are presented with news in a number of ways.

The internet provides hundreds of news sites accessed with a click of the mouse. Newspaper stands on street corners, home delivery of the news, news on open air-the options are endless.

But are Americans really being told the truth?

How much do we know about honor killings? What are honor killings?

According to Amnesty International USA,

"So-called honor killings are based on the belief, deeply rooted in some cultures, of women as objects and commodities, not as human beings endowed with dignity and rights equal to those of men. Women are considered the property of male relatives and are seen to embody the honor of the men to whom they "belong." Women's bodies are considered the repositories of family honor. The concepts of male status and family status are of particular importance in cultures where "honor" killings occur and where women are viewed as responsible for upholding a family's "honor." If a woman or girl is accused or suspected of engaging in behavior that could taint male and/or family status, she may face brutal retaliation from her relatives that often results in violent death. Even though such accusations are not based on factual or tangible evidence, any allegation of dishonor against a woman often suffices for family members to take matters into their own hands."

These things only take place in other countries I have been told. But do they? Could honor killings begin to happen here on our own soil, or have they already begun?
Do we, in this country, have the right to take another life? Even if we believe they have
brought shame on us or our families?
Who will protect these innocent young people from preconceived ideas of adults?

Reality vs. Fantasy

2010-07-26T13:19:00.000-07:00

I was asked a few weeks ago, while in church, why I like to dream. I said, "To escape reality." The pastor thought this was amusing. But it's true. Why do we dream? Why do we write fiction? Why do we read fiction for that matter? Not only is it because we long to give the world new stories to read, new places to visit, new people to love, but we also write fiction to give ourselves an escape.
What does this world offer in reality? War, poverty, hunger, sin, debauchery, the list could go on. When I write I am able to lose myself in another place and time. There's an innocence in writing that just cannot be found anywhere else.
I know there are many who are against fantasy because they believe we cannot be Christ followers and enjoy fantasy as well. That kids who read fantasy or any type of fiction cannot truly know and appreciate what Christ did for them. The reason is that Christ won't be able to measure up to the superheroes in the books.
I have heard Tolkiens & Lewis' works put down as witchcraft & totally against God. But I have to wonder. Didn't God put it in their hearts to write these beautiful stories? It cannot be argued that He gave them the gift of writing. A gift that the world has enjoyed, a gift that those in the church have enjoyed.
I believe we need to be able to be strong enough in our faith, in our walks with the Lord to discern between fact & fiction and to be able to follow the Lord and enjoy stories as well.
I pray that the world does not lose the Tolkiens & Lewis', the Rowlings & Meyers, the Hemingways & Frosts. God gave them to us for a reason. He gave us the desire to write for a reason. May we be as proficient in our writing and touch as many lives as they have.

Mercy Me - Homesick (Live)

2010-06-04T15:07:00.000-07:00

Paul Washer: The True Meaning of the Cross

2010-05-27T12:47:00.000-07:00

Obama to snatch up to 75% of your income

2010-05-25T05:35:00.000-07:00

Obama to snatch up to 75% of your income