Karis Waters's Blog, page 3

Harry Potter Meets X-Men in 1940s England: A WIPjoy Summary

At the beginning of January, you may remember my post about #JaNoWriMo and #WIPjoy and marveled at the eccentricities that are writerdom. I’ve had a wonderful time this month chatting with authors and readers about my latest WIP (otherwise known as a work-in-progress) on social media, particularly about Twitter, and answering the daily challenge questions about my story.

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Check out those questions. Aren’t they super fun? I started thinking. Some of my best and favoritest fans aren’t always on Twitter or social media. But they’d still probably enjoy all the little tidbits I’ve been posting about my super-fun new writing project! So, I decided to share my answers with you for this week’s blog post.

Intro Week: 

Day 1: My work-in-progress is a YA urban fantasy, Harry Potter meets X-Men in WWII England. A young girl discovers her special abilities and is sent to a school for children with special powers, powers Hitler and his cronies would seek to exploit. 

Day 2: Katrin is a shy, quirky girl raised by her strict grandmother and a household of servants. Her best friends live in her books.

Day 3: I start getting to know my characters by creating a Pinterest page for my characters and their world. But I really get to know them by writing.

Day 4: What happens when a bookish girl with special powers is evacuated from wartime London and sent to a school for the gifted?

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Day 5: Writing this novel flows very naturally. The main character has a very distinctive voice!

Day 6: “Of course, you’re strange.” Amos shook her head and turned back to watch the goings-on. “Everyone here is.”

Day 7: I’m an author and editor of soft speculative fiction. My co-authored romantic suspense novel, Kenan, was published last year.

Relationship Week

Day 8: My main character’s best friend is a kick-butt tomboy with a disregard for rules and a love of chocolate biscuits.

Day 9: My dynamic trio of main characters end up as roommates at a school for children with special powers.

Day 10: No. No one suffering from a broken heart yet. They’re only 12. But I’m sure the teen angst will kick in soon enough! They’ve each suffered grief of a different sort.

Day 11: “Grandmother loves me like an ugly Christmas jumper given you by someone you’ve loved, so you can’t quite throw it in the rubbish.”

Day 12: Since I didn’t realize until last week that I didn’t actually have an antagonist (just a looming threat)…I have no idea what my antagonist’s past was like.

Day 13: Love and life are complicated. Relationships change because people change. Sometimes the ones who love us most, hurt us most.

Day 14: Katrin and her Grandmother don’t get along at all. Grandmother wants her to be a lady, not an adventure-seeking bookworm.

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A “Few of my Favorite Things” Week

Day 15: My #WIPjoy dialogue is clever and funny, with a strong voice and a distinctly British flavor and vocabulary. Also snark. Lots and lots of snark.

Day 16: I love how I describe things…with a clever and unique turn-of-phrase that drops the reader into the setting and sets the tone.

Day 17: I love how I depict characters…because creating characters is like making new friends and then going on adventures with them.

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Day 18: “Grandmother’s eyes glinted a clear, cold blue like an icy pond. It was always winter and never Christmas in Grandmother’s eyes.”

Day 19: I love my world/setting because…it’s a magic/superpower school in an old manor house…in northern England…in the 1940s. What’s not to love?

Day 20: I’m shipping two older characters because there is past history, and I’m a sucker for happy ending love stories for old people.

Day 21: I’m most impatient to hear reader reactions to the Giftings and world building. I want it to delight them as much as it does me!

Protagonist Take-Over Week (Respond in their own words)

Day 22: Describe myself in five words? Awkward. Bookworm. Kind. Orphan. Telepathos.

Day 23: I’m only 12, and I’ve had a pretty boring life so far. I don’t know what I’d change about my past, but I wish I’d known my mum.

Day 24: I relax by curling up in a window seat in an old, musty library and reading my favorite books. And drinking tea, of course. 

Day 25: “There’s nothing for it. I’ll have to apologize.” And I did. And I made my best friends for life.

Day 26: I grew up in Oak Harbor, my Grandmother’s London townhouse, but I go to Switherton Abbey, a school for the Gifted in northern England.

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Wrap-Up Week

Day 29:  I’ll probably be working on this WIP as a wrinkled granny, penning their adventures. Not really. But it feels like it.

Day 30: I want readers to know that what makes them different also makes them uniquely gifted to help others. Also, friends are important.

Day 31: My #WIPjoy = Harry Potter meets X-Men in WWII northern England. A shy, bookwormish girl discovers her giftings and the power of friendship.

 

Overcoming the Fear of Failure: Every Creative’s Battle

Recently I was writing down answers for an online author challenge called #authorconfession (see my blog post on writer hashtag communities on the Crosshair Press page) and I came across an interesting question.

What are you most afraid of as a writer? 

It kind of took me aback and I had to consider the question for a moment. Certainly, my greatest fear is fear of failure. But then, what is failure? For me, failure isn’t so much about the number of books sold or which publisher picks up my manuscript.

For me, failure looks like not being able to do justice to the story in my mind and heart. It’s failing to capture and communicate it in a way that makes it real and brings it to life.

But then, I’m never going to be able to do that perfectly. There are limits to the English language, after all, and part of the joy of reading is filling in the gaps in a book with your imagination. That’s why every reader sees the same book a little differently.

I posted my answer on my Facebook page and was astonished by the flurry of comments and conversation it stirred up. Many authors–both newbies and well-established professionals–identified with my fear of failure and had their own nuance to what that meant for them. It got me thinking.

Is the fear of failure something every Creative struggles with on their journey? Is pushing through that fear simply the toll we pay to create something amazing and beautiful? 

It’s easy to let that fear be paralyzing and waste time revising a paragraph for the umpteenth time, browsing Pinterest for “research,” or just letting the many household chores or complexities of life steal all our creative time and energy. It’s that fear of failure that keeps us from sharing our work with others because we feel that if they don’t like it, we’ve failed–stunting our growth in our craft through lack of constructive critique.

In the course of the conversation, I asked my fellow Creatives for tips on how they overcome their fear of failure. My favorite response was from the fabulous Yaasha Moriah Wheeler (Side note: Isn’t that an awesome name? I’m going to steal it and use it in a book).

“Define failure. This is what happened when I tried: Failure means I never get published. Oh, wait. I am published, and as long as self-publishing exists, no one has an excuse not to get published. Okay, failure means I don’t sell many books. Well, what’s ‘many’? I need a number. Wait, what about that one person it makes a difference to? Would it be worth it for that ONE person?”

What does failure mean to you? Or, flipping the coin over, what does success mean to you? How do you define it? It’s a pretty nebulous concept, really, for us to be so concerned over. Is the fear of failure really just the fear of an illusion? Yaasha says as much.

“When you start asking questions about what failure means, you start realizing that failure isn’t real. Everything you do will impact somebody, teach you something, or bring you joy. Failure is pretty much impossible.” 

Can I just say that again, nice and slow, to let it soak into our souls, to make sure we get it? When you start asking questions about what failure means, you start realizing that failure isn’t real. I’ve been letting fear of failure paralyze me in my creative endeavors, fear of some dire consequence that isn’t even real.

Why do you write? (Or scupt? Or paint? Or dance? Or whatever fabulous creative thing you do?) Is it for accolades, to achieve some nebulous sense of having “arrived,” to sell a certain number of books, to have the largest fan club or have your face on a poster?

If so, you’re destined for frustration and disappointment. There will always be someone who hates your book and thinks it’s the worst thing ever written. You will never be “successful” enough to eradicate that fear of failing. If anything, it gets stronger because you have to live up to your successful reputation.

The only way to push past fear of failure is to dig deep into why you write. Why you create. The meaning and purpose behind your labor. Is it your love for your characters or craft? Is it to inspire young readers like you were inspired as a child? Is it to bring glory to a Creative God? Then failure is only failing to pursue your craft to the best of your ability. 

Don’t let the fear of failure keep you from creating the amazing, beautiful things you were created to create. Don’t let fear of something that’s not even real keep you from achieving more than you ever thought possible.

You will learn. You will grow. You will impact others. You will glorify an infinitely creative God. You will not, cannot, fail.

Photo by Silver Fern Creative Photography. All rights reserved. 

My Goal for 2017: Live Well

‘Tis the season of New Year’s resolutions (although by now, most will have given up on theirs) and goal-setting. All around me my writer friends are setting word count goals and plotting how many novels they’re going to churn out this year. And there’s not necessarily anything wrong with setting those kinds of creative goals. I’m a planner myself, and strategic business does require that kind of foresight.

But this week, as I looked at the goals and resolutions others were posting, I felt my stomach churning.

I felt so behind (I’m even behind making my New Year’s resolutions!), stressed and inadequate for the challenges I’m facing right now in life. The very thought of adding more pressure to accomplish more things made me feel like breaking out in hives, just for an excuse to curl up in my fuzzy blanket and start a Hobbit/Lord of the Rings marathon.

In that moment, I felt the gentle nudge of the Holy Spirit speaking to my weary, battered soul and challenging me to set a different kind of goal for 2017. 

“But that’s not cool,” I protested. “I’ll look lazy. It’ll look like a cop-out.” Per usual, God was unimpressed with my excuses.

So here I am, setting down a different kind of goal for 2017. My goal for 2017 is to live well. 

What does it mean to live well? Now, there’s a real puzzler. I suppose it’s different for every person. For me, it starts with my word for 2017: Joy.

I chose joy because so many joyful things are happening right now. I’ve started my dream business editing fiction manuscripts. I’m picking out wedding invitations and flowers and registering for crock pots with my incredible fiance.

But I also chose joy because myself and those I love are facing some real challenges right now. Depression. Anxiety. Job loss. Starting a new business. Financial challenges. Major life changes. And I am choosing joy in the midst of those challenges, because I am promised that the joy of the Lord is my strength. So, joy is where the strength to get through starts. Facing a year with so many uncertainties, I need all the strength I can get!

So, number one on my list of resolutions for 2017 is…

1. Choose joy. Every time. Everywhere. In every circumstance, happy or sad, easy or frustrating, confusing or exciting. I choose now to choose joy.

2. Give grace. I’m terrible at giving myself grace to be human, let alone anyone else. I’m a perfectionist to the bone, and get really irritated when reality doesn’t match my beautiful vision of what it should be. But that’s called life. And life is messy. And people are imperfect (including myself). And sometimes we all just need a little more grace.

3. Develop a healthy lifestyle. Last year I made some pretty big steps forward in learning how to cook healthier meals and exercising regularly (thanks to Youtube yoga videos and signing up for an adult ballet class). But I grew very discouraged and frustrated because I didn’t lose the weight I wanted (I even gained some – thank you, stress and holidays). This year I want to continue focusing on developing healthy habits (#winthenextpitch) without letting the results create so much anxiety and discouragement.

4. Feed my soul. This past year was one of running from one thing to the next, scrambling to keep up with a to-do list constantly slipping away from me. Something had to give, and usually it was the little things that feed my soul. Taking a few extra minutes to put together a cute, coordinated outfit and put on make-up. Reading and doing Bible study for a few minutes before bed. Going out for coffee with a friend. Sitting and doing nothing occasionally.

This year, no matter how loud the to-do list is clamoring, I’m going to take a few minutes every day, every week, to feed my soul and do the little things that make my heart glad.

5. Live generously. Have you noticed that the lower the number in the bank account, the more stressed and busy you become, the tighter you hold on to things that don’t really matter? Or maybe that’s just me, catching myself clinging desperately to every penny and scrap of time, tapping my fingers as a friend shares her heart, holding on so tight to my to-do list when I should be clinging to and savoring each moment with the ones I love.

Well, no more. I’m prying my clinging fingers off the clock. I’m putting my priorities on reset. I’m taking a deep breath and exhaling grace. Because the secret to living well is remembering the person I am becoming is so much more important than anything I can get done. Can I just say that again?

The secret to living well is remembering the person I am becoming is so much more important than anything I can get done. 

I wasn’t the first person to come to this realization. The apostle Mark writes, “What good is it if you gain the whole world and lose your soul?” [8:26] Though he meant it primarily in the spiritual sense, I believe it applies to the rest of life as well.

What good is it if I make my word count for the day, but I ignore my friend who is having a rough day? What good is it if I accomplish my exercise goals, but let myself become fixated on body image instead of celebrating healthy choices? What good is it to write a novel pointing people to Christ, but never let them see Christ in me?

What good is it to write a novel pointing people to Christ, but never let them see Christ in me? 

I run from one project to the next, desperately trying to stay ahead of this pursuing monster called Failure, and miss the most ironic truth at all. In striving to avoid failing in business, in my writing, in my creative pursuits I run the danger of failing in the one thing that really matters. A life that honors Christ. Becoming the woman He wants me to be.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s a place for setting practical goals. And I’ll be scribbling those down too. But these are the goals that really matter in the long run, that God has put on my heart. If I can keep my focus on these goals, the rest will fall into their proper place.

Maybe I’ll dramatically fail in reaching my word count. Maybe I won’t get any more editing clients (makes me sad just thinking about it). Maybe my business fails and I don’t complete my novel on deadline and I teach a writing workshop and everyone hates it (and me). Maybe everyone looks at this list of goals and thinks, “She’s just a lazy sap.” So be it.

If I can say at the end of 2017 that I have lived well, then I have still accomplished my goal.

What would it look like for you to live well? What are your goals for the new year? 

When you have no words (and that’s okay)

I ask my friend in the Dillons parking lot, shoppers passing by with carts full of riches untold for most of the people in this world.

“Do you ever feel like you don’t have any words left, or maybe that there’s too much to say for words?”

Like you just need to be with the people you love, touch them and bury your face against them and breathe in their familiar scent and reassure yourself that they’re there. That you’re there.

That you’re safe and in the place you belong with the people you belong to. 

You can physically touch the reality that while around you the world keens and lives shatter and people pass from this life to the next – as we all will someday – in this moment, the ones you love are still with you.

Another text comes and a young son has taken his own life and somewhere a mom weeps tears of pain and grief deeper than words can express.

It’s a strange silence that falls when feelings run too deep for words. 

I’m a writer, a story-teller. My gift is expressing through words the images and memories and feelings others experience but cannot articulate.

Yet, even I have learned that at some junctures there are no words. And that’s okay. Some depths cannot be expressed within the confines of letters and sounds and syntax.

A year ago next month my beloved aunt tried to take her own life. And as I drove that long road to their house to be with their kids, flat wheat fields lying dormant rolling past, I prayed, “God, what do I say? What can I say?”

And He gently replied, “Sometimes words are not what’s needed. Sometimes words are not the answer. Sometimes what is most needed is you.”

My presence. My arms wrapped around a scared 15-year-old girl as we lay on the couch watching Dr. Who and trying to forget the unforgettable.

Words cannot heal that depth of hurt. Not really. Not yet. But my presence can begin the healing.

If you forget every other word I’ve written here today, remember  this: People don’t need your words as much as they need you.

They need to touch you and know you’re real. That you’re still there, with them, living and breathing. They need to know that maybe they don’t have words to express what they’re feeling and maybe you don’t have words to take away their pain, but they have you.

Set your phone down. Put your computer away. Go into the other room and hug your son goodnight, because there’s another mom kind of like you who wants nothing more than to hug her son again and never will.

I still have no words some days and the clock keeps ticking past and new challenges rise up even as old ones are overcome. Last night I hugged my aunt and smiled back at the smile on her face that I thought I’d never see again, and I thank God that He is enough and more than enough to comfort and give hope. Sometimes it’s His words that encourage us, and sometimes it’s just knowing He’s there, that’s He’s faithful and powerful where we are weak, no matter what we might be facing.

Sometimes it’s His presence that matters most. Knowing that He’s there. And if God values the gift of His presence–after all, He was the one who, when He could have promised the universe, promised, “I will be with you”–isn’t the gift of our presence one of the most precious gifts we can give those who are hurting and feeling hopeless today?

In the rush and busyness of the new year, with all its to-do lists and running frantically to keep resolutions, falling behind and vowing to do better, take a moment to give those you love the gift of you.

Sometimes they don’t need a clean house or the perfect birthday card or some meme-worthy words of wisdom. Sometimes they just need you to be there and be present with them whatever they’re facing. Just like God is always present with you.

Celebrating 2016 (*passes the champagne and popcorn*)

Have you ever noticed that Christians (creative ones in particular) aren’t very good at celebrating accomplishments? Making to-do lists, sure. Crossing things off the list, sure. Maybe even mentioning something to a close friend over coffee, as long as you’re careful to enumerate all the ways the accomplishment is imperfect in the process.

But celebrating accomplishments? We’d rather move on to the next item on our to-do list than throw a party. 

Perhaps it’s because celebrating our achievements sounds too much like pride. Maybe it’s because many of us creatives are introverts and break out into hives whenever forced to attend a party or talk about ourselves. Whatever the reason, I’m determined to learn to celebrate my accomplishments – or rather, what I’ve been able to accomplish through God’s work in my life.

My word of the year for 2017 is JOY. And there are a lot of reasons I chose “joy.” One reason is that I have many reasons to be joyful, chief among them my upcoming wedding in three months. But another reason is that Scripture tells me joy is my strength that gets me through hard circumstances, and I’m facing plenty of those too. 

I wrote last week about finding courage for the year ahead, and I think one of the ways we do that is celebrate what we’ve managed to accomplish with God’s help in the past. So, without further ado and in no particular order, here’s what I’m celebrating from 2016.

 

[image error] My boyfriend and I hugging in the airport when I moved back to the States. It’d been six months apart.

1. I moved back to my home country and civilian life without going crazy. 

Okay. I know you’re laughing and it sounds weird, but the struggle is real. This year was my first year living back in my hometown after living in England and traveling the world for almost three years (check out the “Explore” category of posts for stories about my adventures). And let me tell you, reverse culture shock is no joke.

2. I traveled to Mexico City to film a documentary video on sex work and trafficked women.

Yes. I really did. And it was really, really intense. Definitely no walk in the park. But it was all worth it, because I just found out recently that the organization was able to rescue the main sex worker girl (Jasmine) that we interviewed. #freedom

3. I started my own freelance fiction book editing business, while still helping run our indie publishing house, Crosshair Press. 

Running a start-up creative business is waaaaayy harder than I thought it’d be, even with so much help and advice from some amazing friends in the industry. It has involved forms and bank accounts and numbers and spending two hours on the phone with the IRS over my Christmas holiday. But, it’s also been totally worth it, and I’m so thankful to get to make my living doing what I love (and helping authors in the process)!

4. I did a complete content edit on four full-length book manuscripts since launching my business in August. 

One for Crosshair Press. Two from another well-known publishing house. And one for a private individual. Plus, I’m excited to be lining up new clients for my editing schedule in 2017 (there are still spots open, so contact me if you’re looking for an editor).

5. I taught a workshop as a faculty member at a writer’s conference. 

Yikes! I mean, talking in front of real live people. About writing. About writing and editing fiction. I mean, how scary and awesome and amazing is that! Not only that, I got my expenses covered and I got paid for it. And, turns out, despite being an introvert I actually really loved it. #adultgoals

6. I did a Final Friday showing of my photography at Reverie, a local coffee shop.  

In my home city, the last Friday of the month they do an arts walk with exhibitions at different galleries and coffee shops. In September I got to showcase several of my travel landscape photography canvases and even sold a couple pieces! Exciting!

[image error]One of the photography fine art pieces I displayed as part of my Final Friday exhibition.

7. I started taking an adult ballet class!

Yes, I’m serious. I’d never taken a dance class in my life. Never played on a sports team in my life, unless you count t-ball. I’d only had informal East Coast swing dance lessons from my fiance. But my fiance is a principal semi-professional dancer with Ballet Wichita, not to mention doing several other forms of dance as well, so he talked me into trying out a ballet class.

I’d always wanted to learn dance, but didn’t have the opportunity as a kid and figured it was too late to start. Moral of the story: you’re never too old and it’s never too late to learn something new! Don’t get me wrong. It’s been tough. I’ve had sore muscles in places I didn’t know existed, and been so frustrated I cried every week after class my first month (just ask my oh-so-patient fiance). But I stuck with it. I did it. And now I’m a little over three months in and starting to pick it up, starting to tone up, and really, really proud of myself for not quitting.

8. I exercised at least twice every week this past year. 

Even if it was just 20 minutes of yoga stretches. That may not sound like much (and some weeks, it was more like 3-4 days), but for a competitive-adverse, exercise-allergic bookworm like me, it represents a lot of hours exercising when I could have been working. Or reading a book. Or browsing Pinterest. You get my drift. I didn’t lose the weight I was hoping (probably less ice cream and more consistent cardio will be necessary for that) but it still represents a big accomplishment for me, considering I don’t really have an athletic bone in my body.

9. I blogged consistently every week since the beginning of September. 

Again, may not sound like much, but blogging consistently is the bane of my existence and it was a big goal for me after launching my business. I love blogging, but I have a tendency to get caught up in other things and forget about it until two days after I was supposed to post. Whoops! But I got better organized and more disciplined, so I was able to write my posts ahead of time, and am still going strong!

10. I got engaged! Like, to be married! (Say what?!)

Though I really have to give God (and my awesome fiance) credit for this development, I do consider snagging such a thoughtful, funny, godly and hard-working guy my greatest achievement, if it could be classified as such. I was saving this one, trying not to be that person always gushing about their significant other. But I couldn’t resist. He’s just so handsome.

JaNoWriMo, WIPjoy, and other weird things writers say

Writers are a strange breed.

No, really. I mean, we search Google for the best ways to kill people. (“As a mental exercise, I’ve often planned the murder of friends and colleagues.” BBC Sherlock, Sign of Three) We wax eloquent about pacing and syntax, identify ourselves as “pantsers” or “plotters,” talk to imaginary people and complain when these figments of our imagination don’t do what we want.

Somewhere in the evolution of writerdom writers have come up with their own strange dialect, a writer lingo that can be nearly indecipherable to the normal Muggles among us. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten strange looks or comments the last few days from all my talk about JaNoWriMo and WIPjoy.

So, what are they anyway? I’m so glad you asked, because I’m super excited to tell you! JaNoWriMo and WIPjoy are two writing community events designed to drag me away from the many adulting responsibilities of running two creative businesses, and force me via peer pressure to actually get done some writing of my own.

Some non-writerly types may be familiar with NaNoWriMo, a shortened version of National Novel Writing Month, known by writer Muggles as “November.” The idea is that formerly sane writers have a moment of insanity and try to write a 50,000 word novel in the space of four weeks.

[image error]However, some of us writer types have other things going on in November *ahem* *Christmas* so we decided to do it in January instead. Being brilliant and creative types, we settled on the highly original name, “JaNoWriMo.” So, there you go.

My JaNoWriMo project is my current work-in-progress (more on that later), a YA (young adult-again with the acronyms) urban fantasy (real life with fantastical elements) that’s basically Harry Potter meets the X-men in 1940s WWII northern England. Let’s just say I love unusual cross-overs. But so far it’s tons of fun!

[image error]That brings me to #WIPjoy, the brainchild of an author friend of mine, Bethany Jennings. It’s a hashtag that stands for work-in-progress (in other words, your current writing project). Every day for a month there are “challenges” and you post snippets or answer questions about your WIP. So, for the whole month of January I’ll be posting on Twitter and Facebook about my JaNoWriMo writing project. Convenient, huh?

Take a look. These are a few of the questions I’ll be answering. They can be surprisingly tough at times! What questions would you add?

Want to follow along? You can follow me on Twitter and/or Facebook for daily updates on my writing struggles and fun sneak peeks at my upcoming project. Should be tons of fun! And if you’re a writer doing JaNoWriMo or WIPjoy, comment below and tell me about your project!

Courage to Laugh at the New Year

My best friend loves to give quirky and/or homemade gifts for Christmas, and this year was no exception. In addition to a hilarious photo book of our escapades the last couple years, she gave me a framed typography Scripture verse that she colored during one of our many nights watching movies together on the basement couch.

[image error]She chose one of my favorite verses, and one that seems even more meaningful as I look into the black hole of the unknown that is 2017.

“She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs at the days to come.” (Prov. 31:25) 

Some versions say “she laughs without fear of the future.” What would it be like to be that kind of woman? The kind of bold, brave, God-trusting woman who has such an unshakable faith that she laughs when she thinks of the days ahead, no matter how terrifying that unknown future might be.

I’ve been thinking a lot about joy and courage these past few months as change and transitions continue to rock my ordered little world. Even though many of the changes are good and exciting (like getting engaged and starting my own editing business!), change in any form can be hard and scary.

It’s a hard day when you finally accept that you’ve become that fearful, anxious, worrying person you swore you’d never be. When I think of all the unknowns and obstacles facing me in this new year, of all the struggles and challenges of the past year, laughing is the last thing on my mind. 

Fearful and cowering is not me.

I’m the child who climbed to the top of the swaying cottonwood tree in my grandma’s back yard. I’m the teen who went to the premier Christian writing conference at the age of 19 and chatted over dinner with Frank Peretti. I’m the woman who quit her successful job at a newspaper to move overseas (where I didn’t know a soul) and join a missions organization. I’m that person who has traveled to over 30 countries (including Siberia and the wilds of Africa), interviewed monks and prostitutes, and rode every type of transportation known to man.

And I’m afraid. I’m more than afraid. I’m terrified of the days to come. 

Excited, yes, of course. Over the moon to get married in just over three months. Thrilled to get to make a living doing what I love. Thankful for so many incredible blessings. But still terrified. And I know I shouldn’t be. As Corrie Ten Boom famously said, “Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength.” And if the joy of the Lord is our strength, it is also our courage to face an unknown future with all its joys and heartache.

It’s a strange correlation, isn’t it? Worry actually robs me of the joy I need to face the frightening future. In my logical brain, joy comes from the circumstances I’m worrying about being resolved. But what if the opposite were true?

What if a change in circumstances isn’t what erases worry and brings joy and courage to face the future? What if choosing joy is what gives the strength and courage to erase worry and change our circumstances?

What if laughter is the key that unlocks the strength the Lord has placed within us? That hidden confidence and strength that comes with conviction that He is with me and goes before me, that He loves me and has promised to provide for me and mine.

Dignity is defined as the quality of being worthy of respect and honor. What if I were characterized by honor, respect, and strength instead of fear, anxiety, and depression?

What if laughing at the days to come is the key to living with strength and dignity? 

So, here is my most important New Year’s resolution. I choose to laugh in the face of the days to come. I choose to choose joy and let Him be my strength. I choose trust instead of worry, courage instead of fear, boldness instead of the self-pitying voice that tells me it’s no use trying, because I’ll never be good enough.

I resolve to face 2017 with the strength and courage that comes from joy, and laugh at the days to come. 

Finding joy in every season

Every season has its charms. The flowering trees and new warmth of spring. The carefree, lemonade-sipping dog days of summer. The crisp fall air, perfect for walks in brilliantly-colored leaves. And then the Christmas season, where the dark comes sooner and the days grow colder, yet all over the world people put up lights and bring evergreens inside and celebrate God sending Hope into the world.

[image error]The same goes for life, too. Sometimes there are seasons when the sun shines bright and everything is springing up new and beautiful. In some seasons we just sit back and coast along, enjoying seeing the results of our labor growing strong around us. Some seasons are harvest seasons, where we finally get to see all our hard work begin to pay off.

And then some seasons are Christmas seasons, when the cold wind bites through us and the days are short and the night closes in–but when we can choose to hang shining lights in the night and embrace the evergreen nature of Christ’s abundance and celebrate the hope we have because of Jesus’s birth. 

This season is a true Christmas season for me and mine. In some ways, the dark comes early and winter bites deep. I’m overwhelmed and struggling to get two start-up businesses off the ground. People I love dearly refuse to be reconciled or are struggling with mental illness and depression. An invasion of bedbugs has taken over my fiance’s apartment (turns out they’re taking the U.S. by storm). And just last week, my fiance went into work at his job of 5+ years and was told he no longer had a job. Three months before our wedding.

If I let myself dwell on it, life can look pretty dark and discouraging right now. But, it’s also Christmas. And Christmas means celebrating the gifts God has given us, most notably the gift of hope in Christ and eternal life with Him. [image error]

So that night, when I held my fiance and we watched our earthly hopes of getting a better apartment for him, getting insurance before mine runs out, having money for a honeymoon, and more fall out from beneath us, we prayed together, as we do every night, and rejoiced in the Hope who came into our world after 400 years of silent dark. And we chose to rejoice in the gifts we’ve been given.

Health. Family. Friends. Each other. Talents. Education. Church. Freedom. My cousin’s toddler giggles. No more night shift. Late nights at Chick-Fil-A with new friends. New (much needed) clothes for Christmas. A fragrant fir Christmas tree. The means to buy gifts for others who are struggling.

Finding joy in every season isn’t about pretending that a season isn’t hard, or dark, or cold. It’s about choosing to bring the evergreen inside, choosing to hang up the lights, choosing to give to others with joy and celebrate the gifts we’ve been given with joy and to embrace this season with joy. It’s about choosing to celebrate the good gifts even more because of the hard times, not letting the hard times steal our joy. 

So this Christmas I’m putting up greenery and lights, baking gingerbread cookies for others to enjoy, picking out (or making) presents for those I love, and gleefully celebrating every gift that comes my way, great and small. And somehow, each little choice to rejoice is another bright speck shining in the dark, cold night sky, pointing the way to the reason we all rejoice.

“Behold! I bring you good tidings of great joy that will be to all the people! Today, in the city of David, a savior has been born to you. He is the Messiah, the Lord…And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” Luke 2:11, Isaiah 9:6

Fimding joy in every season

Every season has its charms. The flowering trees and new warmth of spring. The carefree, lemonade-sipping dog days of summer. The crisp fall air, perfect for walks in brilliantly-colored leaves. And then the Christmas season, where the dark comes sooner and the days grow colder, yet all over the world people put up lights and bring evergreens inside and celebrate God sending Hope into the world.

[image error]The same goes for life, too. Sometimes there are seasons when the sun shines bright and everything is springing up new and beautiful. In some seasons we just sit back and coast along, enjoying seeing the results of our labor growing strong around us. Some seasons are harvest seasons, where we finally get to see all our hard work begin to pay off.

And then some seasons are Christmas seasons, when the cold wind bites through us and the days are short and the night closes in–but when we can choose to hang shining lights in the night and embrace the evergreen nature of Christ’s abundance and celebrate the hope we have because of Jesus’s birth. 

This season is a true Christmas season for me and mine. In some ways, the dark comes early and winter bites deep. I’m overwhelmed and struggling to get two start-up businesses off the ground. People I love dearly refuse to be reconciled or are struggling with mental illness and depression. An invasion of bedbugs has taken over my fiance’s apartment (turns out they’re taking the U.S. by storm). And just last week, my fiance went into work at his job of 5+ years and was told he no longer had a job. Three months before our wedding.

If I let myself dwell on it, life can look pretty dark and discouraging right now. But, it’s also Christmas. And Christmas means celebrating the gifts God has given us, most notably the gift of hope in Christ and eternal life with Him. [image error]

So that night, when I held my fiance and we watched our earthly hopes of getting a better apartment for him, getting insurance before mine runs out, having money for a honeymoon, and more fall out from beneath us, we prayed together, as we do every night, and rejoiced in the Hope who came into our world after 400 years of silent dark. And we chose to rejoice in the gifts we’ve been given.

Health. Family. Friends. Each other. Talents. Education. Church. Freedom. My cousin’s toddler giggles. No more night shift. Late nights at Chick-Fil-A with new friends. New (much needed) clothes for Christmas. A fragrant fir Christmas tree. The means to buy gifts for others who are struggling.

Finding joy in every season isn’t about pretending that a season isn’t hard, or dark, or cold. It’s about choosing to bring the evergreen inside, choosing to hang up the lights, choosing to give to others with joy and celebrate the gifts we’ve been given with joy and to embrace this season with joy. It’s about choosing to celebrate the good gifts even more because of the hard times, not letting the hard times steal our joy. 

So this Christmas I’m putting up greenery and lights, baking gingerbread cookies for others to enjoy, picking out (or making) presents for those I love, and gleefully celebrating every gift that comes my way, great and small. And somehow, each little choice to rejoice is another bright speck shining in the dark, cold night sky, pointing the way to the reason we all rejoice.

“Behold! I bring you good tidings of great joy that will be to all the people! Today, in the city of David, a savior has been born to you. He is the Messiah, the Lord…And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” Luke 2:11, Isaiah 9:6

Review: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Okay, I’ll admit it.

I went into Fantastic Beasts cautiously excited and more than a little skeptical. I love the Harry Potter world and series (both the movies and the books) and I was prepared to be disappointed by a completely different story line, time period, and cast of characters.

Instead, I was utterly charmed and blown away by this spin-off tale that feels almost like Harry Potter for grown-ups, while retaining the playfulness and wonder of magic that characterized the first series. 

The Story

It’s 1926, and magizoologist Newt Scamander (Eddie Radmayne) has just completed a world tour to find and document a vast array of magical creatures for his book. He makes a quick stop-over in New York, which quickly goes awry thanks to a No-Maj (Muggle) named Jacob, a misplaced magical suitcase, and the escape of several fantastic beasts from his traveling menagerie onto the streets of New York.

The incident couldn’t have happened at a worse time, with tensions and suspicions between No-Majs and the magical community at an all-time high, thanks to the shenanigans of a mysterious and powerful dark wizard, Grindelwald (played by Johnny Depp), who is mentioned in the Harry Potter series.

What I liked

Newt Scamander, the quirky Hufflepuff magizoologist responsible for caring for (not to mention finding) said fantastic beasts, absolutely steals the show with his kindness, passion for his creatures, off-beat sense of humor and the brand of adorable awkwardness the British do so very well (think the 11th doctor).

He’s joined by an eclectic and fascinating supporting cast of social misfits, including a portly No-Maj, Jacob, who just wanted to start a bakery; Tina, a former auror and eventual love interest who arrests Newt hoping to get back in the ministry’s good graces; and Tina’s sister, Queenie, a pink-clad ditzy blond who’s a legilimens (reads people’s thoughts) and is, in reality, anything but a ditzy blond.

(From left): Jacob, Tina, Queenie, and Newt

One of the perks of a magical movie about full-blown wizards is that the main characters incorporate wonderful magic  and advanced skills naturally into their everyday life, unlike in the original series, where the audience only gets to see these spells in later books and movies as the main characters learn them.

The Harry Potter series made a scarred orphan boy, trouble-making twins, a bookworm know-it-all, a poor youngest child with an inferiority complex, the “dumb fat kid,” the “looney” social misfit, and a half-giant animal fanatic into the heroes of one of the most popular series of all time. The heroes of Fantastic Beasts continue that tradition by showing why people should be appreciated for their differences and who they really are, not by stereotypes or mistruths.

Whether you’re a social misfit animal lover (and a Hufflepuff, traditionally one of the most mocked houses at Hogwarts), an out-of-work auror who takes adorable awkwardness to another level, a ditzy blond who loves baking, or a single, overweight grunt worker without an ounce of magical talent, you have something valuable to offer.

Original fans will also appreciate quite a few Harry Potter series “Easter eggs,” or references to Albus Dumbledore, Grindelwald, and other characters who are featured or named in the original series.

And let’s not forget the fantastic beasts themselves, brought to life with breath-taking visuals and jaw-dropping creativity from the mind of acclaimed author J.K. Rowling. If the dragons and hippogriffs from the original series were the trailer, this film is definitely the main event! All creatures great and small, from the kleptomaniac platypus-like Niffler to the living leaf with an attitude (a bowtruckle) and the majestic thunderbird fascinate and create the magical sense of wonder that enthralled fans of the first series.

What I didn’t like

Actually, this is less something I didn’t like and more of a caution to fans of the original series. In the vein of the latter Harry Potter books and movies, the story balances the light-hearted humor and charming magic central to the series with deeper, darker and more mature themes and challenges.

Woven into the story is a demonstration of the dangers of a character trying to suppress their magical abilities to fit in, implied instances of an abusive parent hitting a child with a belt (Tina intervened, which is how she lost her job as an auror), and a tense scene where the main characters are sentenced to death by a member of the ministry of magic and only escape with the help of one of Newt’s creatures.

These mature elements, while present in the latter Harry Potter books (several instances with Umbridge come to mind), are central to the story in many ways and could be disturbing to small children. This is not a movie for kids under 10, and I recommend that you see if first with your child and talk about these issues.

Summary

In Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them J.K. Rowling and her team have crafted a delightful and charming re-introduction into the wizarding world that stands on its own two feet. It showcases the quirky, engaging heroes, magical creatures, enthralling world-building, and the deeper themes of friendship, bravery, and kindness that are characteristic of the original series in a fresh, new way.

I highly recommend this film to Harry Potter newbies and die-hard fans alike. This has the feel of a classic that will definitely be going on my birthday wish list!