S.D. Smith's Blog, page 26

The Green Ember FREE on Kindle

Hear ye, hear ye! The Green Ember is FREE Today on Kindle.

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The Beautiful Irony of Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s Amazing Grace

You can’t imagine how this music (below) takes me back. It takes me back to a dusty township and dirty children, smiling wide, excited to come to church. It takes me back to Africa, to the beautiful Zulus I shared life with as a boy. My father, who planted a Zulu church alongside Pastor Sithole (pr. sit-holy), used to joke that you could tap the next five Zulu men you met and if you put them together you’d have the Mills Brothers. This is no insult to the Mills Brothers, a group we love. Instead, it’s an only-barely hyperbolic expression of how incredibly gifted Zulu people are as singers. Almost all Zulus can sing, but perhaps no group is more famous than Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

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Ladysmith Black Mambazo is legendary in South Africa, hailing not too far from where I lived. But they are also well-known internationally, most famously for backing up Paul Simon on his classic album Graceland. (Here they are singing Diamonds on the Souls of Her Shoes live.) You might also actually recognize them from a Lifesavers commercial.

They are wonderful. They remind me of a powerfully formative period of my life.

I love all their music, but hearing them sing Amazing Grace is particularly poignant. Why?

Because the composer of that song, John Newton, once captained a slave ship trading in African slaves. This is, of course, well-known and was dramatized in the film about Newton’s friend William Wilberforce named, “Amazing Grace.” That all these years later, an African group would sing Newton’s song so beautifully is a kind of glorious irony. The Gospel shattered Newton’s way of life, and the music born of that beautiful breaking has circled the globe and is sung by Christians everywhere, including Africans.

Including Zulus, a people I will always love.

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Dang It, Barbie

“Disappointment is an endless wellspring of comedy inspiration.”
Martin Freeman

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Thus Always to Dragons

Today is Saint George’s Day, and I am happy to have it. I need a reminder that the dragon can and must be defeated. How fitting that his day is during Easter (which is fifty days long!), when the greatest Hero defeats his (and our) greatest enemy, the dragon (Rev. 12).

So I am wearing my Saint George shirt today. Most of my book-writing in recent years has been on a computer bearing the same device. It says Sic Semper Draconis, or “thus always to dragons.” This design is by Chris Koelle, who is brilliant and also designed our “Green Ember Mended Wood” shirts. I’m not certain where the clever alteration of sic temper tyrannis—sic temper draconis—originated, but I know N. D. Wilson’s heroic Smiths in the Ashtown Burials series have it as their family motto. And I, a Smith working in the Forge right now, claim it as my own heraldic arms. 

I claim it because I think Saint George is a true story, regardless of the technical accuracy of all the details. No evidence exists that I know of to disprove the story’s veracity, but that’s not the point. It is true because it tells the truth about Reality. It depicts in simple terms the real Story of the world. We are in a “kill the dragon, save the girl” story, as so many have said. These kinds of stories are scandalous to zealous moderns who would rather have simply misunderstood enemies be hugged into harmony at the end of silly conflicts, rather than run through with a satisfying thrust that sounds both slick and bone-crunchingly meaty. Have some of that, dragon! This is to say nothing of the puritanical zeal of progressive fundamentalist scolds who loathe the idea of a male hero doing anything besides selfishly messing everything up. (Sadly, we men offer so much evidence for their claim it is—pathetically—somewhat understandable.)

But the truth is this is our story, and we are that saved princess. Those belonging to Christ are called his bride. When you go to a Christian wedding, even if you are a man, look at the bride and see your example. Marriage is a picture of the deeper, truer reality of our relationship to our Savior. Christ and his bride are not like marriage, marriage is like Christ and his bride. One pictures the other. We are playing roles in a bigger story than we can fathom. The stories are true and they are ours. 

We need a hero. We need saving. We need to be rescued. That’s what Jesus does. And because he does, we can be part of his story. The Story. And we are called to be like him.

He is in the dragon-killing business. So too, in our various vocations and in our beautifully diverse capacities and gifts, should we be battling the darkness of dragonkind. It doesn’t have to be a grand and glorious battle in every moment. In fact, I am an enthusiastic advocate of thinking small. But many smalls together stack up fast. Lay all our little defiances together, row upon row, and we will find that we have fought, and fought well.

So battle on, brothers and sisters, and tell the story of Saint George to your children. Better still, tell the story of the victorious Christ, whose heroic heart and lavish love mean rescue, redemption, and restoration!

(These are only a recent few of the hundreds of pieces of art I receive from kids all over the world who are desperately hungry for heroic stories. God bless them!)

A far more serious attack on the fairy tale as children’s literature comes from those who do not wish children to be frightened…I think it possible that by confining your child to blameless stories of child life in which nothing at all alarming ever happens, you would fail to banish the terrors, and would succeed in banishing all that can ennoble them or make them endurable. For in the fairy tales, side by side with the terrible figures, we find the immemorial comforters and protectors, the radiant ones; and the terrible figures are not merely terrible, but sublime. It would be nice if no little boy in bed, hearing, or thinking he hears, a sound, were ever at all frightened. But if he is going to be frightened, I think it better that he should think of giants and dragons than merely of burglars. And I think St. George, or any bright champion in armour, is a better comfort than the idea of the police.”

C. S. Lewis
from On Three Ways of Writing for Children

Fairy tales, then, are not responsible for producing in children fear, or any of the shapes of fear; fairy tales do not give the child the idea of the evil or the ugly; that is in the child already, because it is in the world already. Fairy tales do not give the child his first idea of bogey. What fairy tales give the child is his first clear idea of the possible defeat of bogey. The baby has known the dragon intimately ever since he had an imagination. What the fairy tale provides for him is a St. George to kill the dragon.”

G. K. Chesterton
from Tremendous Trifles

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Q1 (Jan-March) #GreenEmberKidArt Winners

See the 2019 #GreenEmberKidArt official rules below.

Our Best #GreenEmberKidArt for Q1 (Jan-March)

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dddddrrrrrrrumroll please …..

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By Stone, age 11! Well done!

And…

Our Randomly Selected Kid Artist Winner for Q1 (Jan-March)!

By Eleanor age 11 , Congratulations!

Congratulations to the winners!

Follow this tag: #GreenEmberKidArt to see the wonderful art by the kids (posted by parents) on Instagram.

And here for the same tag on Facebook.

#GreenEmberKidArt 2019 Official Rules

Official Rules: To enter, simply share your child’s Green Ember art (publicly) on Instagram or Facebook. Use the hashtag #GreenEmberKidArt (along with #RabbitsWithSwords and #TheGreenEmber if you would) and tag Sam’s author account in either Facebook or Instagram (both for more entries). Please indicate the child’s age. Use of child’s first name or picture is optional, and up to parents’ judgement. Parents are entering for kids. Kids may not enter on their own. Good luck!

Quarterly Winners

1) Randomly Selected Kid Artist!
EVERYONE who does the above is entered to win this! Any age. Any skill-level. Just have fun!Prize: Wild Glee, Contagious Joy, and $20 Gift Certificate at www.SDSmith.net/Store!

2) Best #GreenEmberKidArt of the Quarter
This will be the piece judged (by our secret, unscientific formulas) to be the “best.” Age will be considered, so each will be judged against expectations appropriate for the artist’s age. Come all ye diligent artists!Prize: Unimaginable Glory, Prodigious Esteem, and $25 Gift Certificate at www.SDSmith.net/Store!

Year-End Winners

A GRAND PRIZE will be awarded in both categories at the end of the year. All quarterly winners of the “Best” Category are entered for one Grand Prize.

Everyone who posts (according to the rules) is entered for the Random Grand Prize!

Grand Prizes will include an on-line Author Visit with S. D. Smith, a signed set of the The Green Ember Series, and more!

Note: Q1 (Jan-March) Winners will be announced in April, Q2 (April-June) Winners will be announced in July, Q3 July-Sept) Winners will be announced in October, and Q4 (Oct-Dec) Winners will be announced in January. 2019 Grand Prize Winners will be announced in January as well.

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Kevan Chandler | Beckley, WV

Transcending | Limits

April 1, 2019 | 6pm

Faith Baptist Church | 480 Prosperity Rd, Prosperity, WV 25909

AGENDA:

Welcome and Intro

Screening of “We Carry Kevan” – 30 minute documentary

We hear from Kevan

Q&A Moderated by S. D. Smith

Join us for a special evening about transcending limits from the man who hiked across Europe and China in a backpack carried by his friends. We’ll have the opportunity to view the inspiring 30 minute documentary, “The View from Here.” Kevan will be joined by many of the friends who carried him on his recent adventures. Come and be inspired to transcend the limits in your life!

“The message is for the disabled community as well as able bodied. We need each other to make it happen. If we are creative and courageous enough to give it a try, then the world becomes accessible.” – Kevan Chandler

This event is FREE. Donations will be accepted.

Help us spread the word: 1.Download flyers to print and images to share on social media here. 2. Share the Facebook Event

Learn more about Kevan:  http://wecarrykevan.com/

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Limited Time: FREE Green Ember Books I and II on Kindle! (And Book III on Sale!)

FREE: The Green Ember

FREE: Ember Falls

FREE: Black Star

$1.99 —> Ember Rising

$1.99 —> The Wreck and Rise of Whitson Mariner

The post Limited Time: FREE Green Ember Books I and II on Kindle! (And Book III on Sale!) appeared first on S. D. Smith.

#GreenEmberKidArt Official Rules

Official Rules: To enter, simply share your child’s Green Ember art (publicly) on Instagram or Facebook. Use the hashtag #GreenEmberKidArt (along with #RabbitsWithSwords and #TheGreenEmber if you would) and tag Sam’s author account in either Facebook or Instagram (both for more entries). Please indicate the child’s age. Use of child’s first name or picture is optional, and up to parents’ judgement. Parents are entering for kids. Kids may not enter on their own. Good luck!

Quarterly Winners

1) Randomly Selected Kid Artist!
EVERYONE who does the above is entered to win this! Any age. Any skill-level. Just have fun!Prize: Wild Glee, Contagious Joy, and $20 Gift Certificate at www.SDSmith.net/Store!

2) Best #GreenEmberKidArt of the Quarter
This will be the piece judged (by our secret, unscientific formulas) to be the “best.” Age will be considered, so each will be judged against expectations appropriate for the artist’s age. Come all ye diligent artists!Prize: Unimaginable Glory, Prodigious Esteem, and $25 Gift Certificate at www.SDSmith.net/Store!

Year-End Winners

A GRAND PRIZE will be awarded in both categories at the end of the year. All quarterly winners of the “Best” Category are entered for one Grand Prize.

Everyone who posts (according to the rules) is entered for the Random Grand Prize!

Grand Prizes will include an on-line Author Visit with S. D. Smith, a signed set of the The Green Ember Series, and more!

Note: Q1 (Jan-March) Winners will be announced in April, Q2 (April-June) Winners will be announced in July, Q3 July-Sept) Winners will be announced in October, and Q4 (Oct-Dec) Winners will be announced in January. 2019 Grand Prize Winners will be announced in January as well.

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S. D. Smith Gives Green Ember Book 4 Update In Short Video

Links mentioned in this video…

And….

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2018 #GreenEmberKidArt Grand Prize Winners!

Congratulations Jaci! Best #GreenEmberKidArt for 2018!

Excellent work!

Jaci wins an awesome prize pack including an on-line Author Visit with S. D. Smith for her and her family, a signed set of The Green Ember Series and some other Green Ember Swag!

Congratulations “Sleimaniacs”! Randomly chosen #GreenEmberKidArt Grand Prize Winner 2018!

“Sleimaniacs” also wins an incredible prize pack including an on-line Author Visit with S. D. Smith for her and her family, a signed set of The Green Ember Series and some other Green Ember Swag!

Want to join in the fun in 2019? Read on to find out how…

***** ***** *****

Official Rules:

To enter, simply share your child’s Green Ember art (publicly) on Instagram or Facebook. Use the hashtag #GreenEmberKidArt (along with #RabbitsWithSwords and #TheGreenEmber if you would) and tag Sam’s author account in either Facebook or Instagram (both for more entries). Please indicate the child’s age. Use of child’s first name or picture is optional, and up to parents’ judgement. Parents are entering for kids. Kids may not enter on their own. Good luck!

Monthly Winners

1) Randomly Selected Kid Artist!

EVERYONE who does the above is entered to win this! Any age. Any skill-level. Just have fun!

Prize: Wild Glee, Contagious Joy, and $15 Gift Certificate at www.SDSmith.net/Store!

2) Best #GreenEmberKidArt of the Month

This will be the piece judged (by our secret, unscientific formulas) to be the “best.” Age will be considered, so each will be judged against expectations appropriate for the artist’s age. Come all ye diligent artists!

Prize: Unimaginable Glory, Prodigious Esteem, and $15 Gift Certificate at www.SDSmith.net/Store!

Year-End Winners

A GRAND PRIZE will be awarded in both categories at the end of the year. All monthly winners of the “Best” Category are entered for one Grand Prize.

Everyone who posts (according to the rules) is entered for the Random Grand Prize!

Grand Prizes will include an on-line Author Visit with S. D. Smith! Signed sets of the books! More!

***** ***** *****

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