Allison Tebo's Blog, page 15
November 10, 2017
Bound // Blog Tour
It’s book tour time! I am so excited for my lovely friend, Victoria – who is releasing her SECOND BOOK this year.
I’m delighted to be apart of her journey in this very small way and participate in promoting a special book called – Bound.
About The Book
Two souls don’t find each other by simple accident. ~Jorge Luis Borges~
Levi thought he was making this journey alone. But when he meets an eight-year-old girl at the train station, that plan is turned on its head.
Casey is running away and finds out that Levi is too. They decide to journey together and their lives are suddenly bound together in a journey they will not soon forget.
Both children come from abusive situations and are running from the dangers of their previous life. Levi is confident he can handle this on his own, but when Casey is injured on the journey, he must seek help from the first person that comes into his path, or rather people. Mr. and Mrs. Bellworth are simple farm folk with a heart for kids and a passion for serving God. When their unconditional love and gentle care surrounds Levi and Casey, the troubles of their previous lives melt away and they start to flourish. But when Casey is dragged back into the abusive world she came from, the emotional trauma, pain and distrust resurfaces. Will they be forever bound by their past? Or will God answer their prayers?
Author’s Bio
Victoria Lynn is in her 20s and if she’s not writing, she is probably sewing, singing, playing the piano, washing dishes, creating something with her hands, or learning something new. She has a passion for serving her Creator, encouraging others and being creative. She blogs at www.rufflesandgrace.com about writing, fashion, modesty, her walk with God and life. She lives in Michigan with her parents and 8 siblings.
You can find Victoria on her: Blog, Website, Facebook, Goodreads, and Pinterest.
Author Interview
1. What inspired Bound?
A writing Prompt that I did on my blog. My mind was spinning with ideas, so I just couldn’t not finish Levi and Casey’s story.
2. What is your favorite place and time to write? Where and when do you usually end up writing?
At night in my bed. After everyone is asleep and it is dark, the distractions are at a minimum and I can usually get lost for an hour.
3. Do you have a favorite character in Bound?
Not really, I love them all so much!
4. What was your favorite moment / scene to write in Bound?
Either the epilogue, or the moment when Mikayla is pleading with Jason. The emotions were flying for that scene to the point that I was crying real tears!
5. What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?
I usually research as I go. I don’t always know what to research before I start until something I don’t know comes up, and then I research that.
6. What did you edit out of this book?
Actually, nothing aside from typos or awkward sentences. You would be surprised. God had a plan for this book and it was far more complete after the first draft than my first novel London In the Dark was.
7. What has been your favorite feedback about Bound so far?
Everyone seems to love it! The common thread is that it pulled on their heartstrings. Can an author receive any higher praise? I think not!
8. Did you plan from the beginning to design Bound’s cover. What made you decide that your design was just right for Bound?
I did. I was searching through images of a train station and when that one came up, it was so gorgeous, I couldn’t not use it! The train, the movement, the vibrancy of the colors, I thought it was stunning and just perfect!
9. Do you think there will be a sequel to Bound or do you see yourself writing another book about abused / neglected children and foster care?
I don’t think there will be a sequel. I have no plans for one right now. I do see myself writing similar stories in the future, but they will all be different.
October 31, 2017
October In A Nutshell – Letting Go Of Old Dreams For New Ones
Once again, I had another rather ‘unproductive’ month. I mostly played catch up. But a few key events happened.
Tweaked my blog design a smidge.
Went to our libraries massive bi-annual book sale.
And yes, I got gobs and gobs of beautiful books.
And behold – the book haul!
Three classics – I’m especially pleased with lovely editions of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Sherlock Holmes.
Media grab bag. The Holy Bible narrated by James Earl Jones (honestly, I just want to listen to that guy read a phone book or order pizza). The Woman In Gold was okay – but I’m really excited about nabbing my own copy of Sahara and U-571 – two great movies.
Three Redwall books! I’m slowing rebuilding my hardcover collection of Redwall and have done pretty well picking up copies at library sales.
And in case you’re wondering – that old blue book in the corner is by Grace Livingston Hill.
Last of all – the books below weren’t from the library sale – they were rescued from Ebay.
Job Training.
I am still in the same business I’ve been working in for the last decade – but I’m now transitioning headlong into nothing but sales. I made somewhere between 500 and 800 sales calls in the month of October (IforgethowmanyIcantcountanymore)
People, I have to tell you be nice to sales people, especially on the phone. I can tell you it’s not easy. Calling a complete stranger (some of them jerks) and trying to sell your services over the phone is tricky. It can be discouraging, boring and even (on off days) a wee bit nerve wracking – especially when they ask you a question you don’t know how to answer just when you were trying to sound as knowledgeable as possible so they’d want to do business with you.
Actually – exiting isn’t optional. Sales NEVER end. Sales require grit, thick skin, and a very good (intact) self image. And of course, selling ability.
The gif above is now a permanent part of my brain – always flashing in the background. It’s exciting (one of the nice things about my job is that I know we bring good service to people and fantastic rates and provide a lot of help to businesses that really need it) but there’s also a wee bit of pressure. Fortunately for me, I am training under my dad, one of the most talented and amazing sales people I have ever known.
I Wrote Three Short Stories.
And I am having so much fun. It’s like magic. Who would have thought that you could write a story in 1000 words? It’s incredible! I am learning so much about writing; my skills are being strengthened and enhanced. I would advise every writer to try short stories. When Indie authors tackle 400 page projects – theme, characterization, structure and plotting can be all over the place. With that many words to use, almost anyone can manage to write a novel. But with a short story – you can see the story at a glance, you MUST boil it down to its essential juices. It teaches you what story telling is all about. All the greats started and were known for short stories – and I can see why.
I submitted those short stories to a magazine.
Here’s hoping that one of them is published.
And speaking of short stories . . . Onto the the REALLY exciting news.
I was published in a mainstream magazine!
I submitted three short stories to a magazine in September and this month they notified to let me know that they are publishing one of them in their December issue – payment is pending.
This truly is a dream come true. I feel as if I’ve finally been verified as an author. Professionals think my writing is not only good enough to publish in a mainstream publication – but something the general, random public will want to read. It’s amazing. Sure, it’s not a huge magazine – but it’s a great way to get my feet wet before I attempt submitting to the big ones. God was so gracious to open this door for me and it was HIS PERFECT timing – I didn’t rush it, didn’t force it. It’s an incredible blessing!
Writing News, Changes and Decisions
First of all, I’m not entering the Rooglewood Fairy Tale Contest.
This was a pretty hard decision for me – but rather an inevitable one. I settled on a story too late – and then life’s interruptions and not feeling well intervened with my plans and turned my schemes upside down.
I had really hoped to be a part of Rooglewood – I hadn’t really entertained the idea that I might win (I had fantasized a smidgen about making it into the finalists) but it’s really highly unlikely that I would have. Still, not ever knowing is tough. I’ll harbor the faintest doubt for a while over what COULD have happened. I’ll never know – but what I DO know is that God has turned a new page for me. Not only have I run out of time to attempt Rooglewood – I need to be working in another direction. More about that presently . . .
I will also not be doing NanoWriMo this year.
I cannot begin to say how much I wanted to do NaNoWriMo this year . . . I really, really wanted to. I had projects selected – I wanted to become a veteran by doing it two years in a row . . . Again, life and health came into play . . . and with that, clarity. As much as I wanted to do NaNo, it would be like painting a house . . . when I really need to be working on the plumbing.
I’ve almost gotten to the news – just one more bombshell.
Originally, the Tales of Ambia was not supposed to be a series but then the amazing feedback started trickling in. I was astounded at how many people not only wanted it in paperback but wanted more; and even had suggestions for the future of Ambia.
BING. Faster than you can say “Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo” Ambia suddenly had a future – a rather colossal future.
For a while – I was raring to go on Ambia . . .
Dear readers, I have . . . a bit of a bombshell to drop.
It’s about Ambia . . . .
This fairy godmother is overworked, overwhelmed and I my wand has been sent out for repairs.
Ready for the news . . . ? I’m not too happy about it – so I have to get some kind of weird jollies out of teasing you and using sarcastic gifs. #hidingthepain
You ready?
The Tales of Ambia Is Closing Down
CALM DOWN, CALM DOWN!!!
Don’t panic – at least, I hope you’re panicking. I would be flattered if you are.
The Tales of Ambia is not ending exactly (I just had to use that gif) but production is drastically closing down. All those lovely sequels that I have planned are going to take more time to release then I had first anticipated.
Why?
I had to remind myself . . . Ambia was not supposed to be a series – and while I am overjoyed that is and I am completely in love with Ambia – I can’t give it my full attention right now. For several heady months – I had been going with the plan to try to publish two Ambia novellas a year . . . then memory returned and a door opened.
I have other novels – novels that I wish to traditionally publish – that need to enter their second and third revisions.
I was published in a magazine – and there are more magazines that I need to solicit. Unfortunately, these magazines are not seeking fairy tales and require novelettes (half the length of The Reluctant Godfather ) and flash fiction – so submitting a future Ambia book to them is impossible.
Never fear, Ambia is not going away – but my original calculations of writing the series in six years is definitely a bust. (that was kind of a stupidly ambitious plan anyway and I must have been drunk on La Croix’s sparkling water and totally out of touch with reality when I made that estimation).
I assure you, Ambia will STILL be very much a part of your future and mine.
Lord willing, I hope to release at LEAST an Ambia short story next year. I tentatively, possibly, perhaps MIGHT (or rather hope) to release the Frog Prince late next year as well, HOWEVER – I might try to submit that to a indie publisher instead of Amazon first – so that could also push back the release date.
Trust me – I WANT to work on Ambia – and I cannot wait to start churning these puppies out but – alas – such is life. I have to focus on something other than fairy tales for a time. I must RESIST the fairy tales.
So will I be publishing anything in 2018?
Okay . . . maybe not die . . . since that’s the kind of stress I’ve been trying to avoid lately, but I’m going to try my hardest and I am pretty confident that I will release at LEAST a short story (the Goose Girl) next year.
So what am I actually going to be DOING and WRITING on for the rest of 2017?
I kind of said it already, but . . .
Nobody could ever accuse Allison Tebo of letting grass grow under her feet. The first letter of my name is also the first letter of ‘ambition.’ A door has started to crack open – and I am going to charge at that door with all of my might and then some.
Hence, I am going to be writing short stories – dozens and dozens of short stories – as well as working on five or so novelettes – all stories designed to be submitted to magazines.
My plan – to be published in magazines as many times as possible. When the rights from those (hopefully) published stories revert back to me (some of them will revert back very quickly) I will either republish the short stories as stand-alones or an anthology on Amazon.
When the (hopefully) published novelettes revert back to me I will either expand them or republish them ‘as is’ on Amazon.
Any short stories or novelettes that ARE NOT accepted by magazines will be expanded or left alone (according to individual needs) and will go straight to publication.
Hooowever….I am also looking into small, Christian publishing houses and am even researching writers agents. I am not really happy with everything Amazon does and i would like to explore the option of having them merely as distributors of my books, instead of controlling the publishing.
In this case – I MIGHT BE submitting the novelettes and anthologies to publishing houses – which will slow down the publication even further. Depending on various factors – I MIGHT go ahead and publish them more quickly through Createspace – we’ll have to see!
Ambitious I know . . .
By hard work and God’s grace – you will have more to read from me . . . sooner than you think. I trust and pray that he will recharge my fairy dust and fill me with words.
I am 99 percent positive that you will really enjoy my works in progress and “future releases.” Here’s a tiny sneak peak of the novelettes I’m currently working on.
1) A diesel-punk western buddy story with plenty of sarcasm (move over Colin and Burndee).
2) A melancholy road trip story in a primitive dystopian setting.
3). A high-octane, closed door science fiction adventure.
For those of you who have read both The Reluctant Godfather and Keys To The Chains, I write in several very different styles –
I have a few more surprises for you all up my sleeve!
Now – as I’ve been experiencing – life happens, I’m not quite sure how I’m going to be feeling / doing through November. So I’m reminding myself to hold these plans very loosely and to trust God. It’s good to have a goal to shoot for, but His timing is far superior to my own – it is perfect.
So stick with me! Ambia might have to wait, but I have whole new worlds waiting to be unleashed upon you.
Tweaked my blog design a smidge.
Went to our libraries massive bi-annual book sale.
And yes, I got gobs and gobs of beautiful books.
And behold – the book haul!
Three classics – I’m especially pleased with lovely editions of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Sherlock Holmes.
Media grab bag. The Holy Bible narrated by James Earl Jones (honestly, I just want to listen to that guy read a phone book or order pizza). The Woman In Gold was okay – but I’m really excited about nabbing my own copy of Sahara and U-571 – two great movies.
Three Redwall books! I’m slowing rebuilding my hardcover collection of Redwall and have done pretty well picking up copies at library sales.
And in case you’re wondering – that old blue book in the corner is by Grace Livingston Hill.
Last of all – the books below weren’t from the library sale – they were rescued from Ebay.
Job Training.
I am still in the same business I’ve been working in for the last decade – but I’m now transitioning headlong into nothing but sales. I made somewhere between 500 and 800 sales calls in the month of October (IforgethowmanyIcantcountanymore)
People, I have to tell you be nice to sales people, especially on the phone. I can tell you it’s not easy. Calling a complete stranger (some of them jerks) and trying to sell your services over the phone is tricky. It can be discouraging, boring and even (on off days) a wee bit nerve wracking – especially when they ask you a question you don’t know how to answer just when you were trying to sound as knowledgeable as possible so they’d want to do business with you.
Actually – exiting isn’t optional. Sales NEVER end. Sales require grit, thick skin, and a very good (intact) self image. And of course, selling ability.
The gif above is now a permanent part of my brain – always flashing in the background. It’s exciting (one of the nice things about my job is that I know we bring good service to people and fantastic rates and provide a lot of help to businesses that really need it) but there’s also a wee bit of pressure. Fortunately for me, I am training under my dad, one of the most talented and amazing sales people I have ever known.
I Wrote Three Short Stories.
And I am having so much fun. It’s like magic. Who would have thought that you could write a story in 1000 words? It’s incredible! I am learning so much about writing; my skills are being strengthened and enhanced. I would advise every writer to try short stories. When Indie authors tackle 400 page projects – theme, characterization, structure and plotting can be all over the place. With that many words to use, almost anyone can manage to write a novel. But with a short story – you can see the story at a glance, you MUST boil it down to its essential juices. It teaches you what story telling is all about. All the greats started and were known for short stories – and I can see why.
I submitted those short stories to a magazine.
Here’s hoping that one of them is published.
And speaking of short stories . . . Onto the the REALLY exciting news.
I was published in a mainstream magazine!
I submitted three short stories to a magazine in September and this month they notified to let me know that they are publishing one of them in their December issue – payment is pending.
This truly is a dream come true. I feel as if I’ve finally been verified as an author. Professionals think my writing is not only good enough to publish in a mainstream publication – but something the general, random public will want to read. It’s amazing. Sure, it’s not a huge magazine – but it’s a great way to get my feet wet before I attempt submitting to the big ones. God was so gracious to open this door for me and it was HIS PERFECT timing – I didn’t rush it, didn’t force it. It’s an incredible blessing!
Writing News, Changes and Decisions
First of all, I’m not entering the Rooglewood Fairy Tale Contest.
This was a pretty hard decision for me – but rather an inevitable one. I settled on a story too late – and then life’s interruptions and not feeling well intervened with my plans and turned my schemes upside down.
I had really hoped to be a part of Rooglewood – I hadn’t really entertained the idea that I might win (I had fantasized a smidgen about making it into the finalists) but it’s really highly unlikely that I would have. Still, not ever knowing is tough. I’ll harbor the faintest doubt for a while over what COULD have happened. I’ll never know – but what I DO know is that God has turned a new page for me. Not only have I run out of time to attempt Rooglewood – I need to be working in another direction. More about that presently . . .
I will also not be doing NanoWriMo this year.
I cannot begin to say how much I wanted to do NaNoWriMo this year . . . I really, really wanted to. I had projects selected – I wanted to become a veteran by doing it two years in a row . . . Again, life and health came into play . . . and with that, clarity. As much as I wanted to do NaNo, it would be like painting a house . . . when I really need to be working on the plumbing.
I’ve almost gotten to the news – just one more bombshell.
Originally, the Tales of Ambia was not supposed to be a series but then the amazing feedback started trickling in. I was astounded at how many people not only wanted it in paperback but wanted more; and even had suggestions for the future of Ambia.
BING. Faster than you can say “Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo” Ambia suddenly had a future – a rather colossal future.
For a while – I was raring to go on Ambia . . .
Dear readers, I have . . . a bit of a bombshell to drop.
It’s about Ambia . . . .
This fairy godmother is overworked, overwhelmed and I my wand has been sent out for repairs.
Ready for the news . . . ? I’m not too happy about it – so I have to get some kind of weird jollies out of teasing you and using sarcastic gifs. #hidingthepain
You ready?
The Tales of Ambia Is Closing Down
CALM DOWN, CALM DOWN!!!
Don’t panic – at least, I hope you’re panicking. I would be flattered if you are.
The Tales of Ambia is not ending exactly (I just had to use that gif) but production is drastically closing down. All those lovely sequels that I have planned are going to take more time to release then I had first anticipated.
Why?
I had to remind myself . . . Ambia was not supposed to be a series – and while I am overjoyed that is and I am completely in love with Ambia – I can’t give it my full attention right now. For several heady months – I had been going with the plan to try to publish two Ambia novellas a year . . . then memory returned and a door opened.
I have other novels – novels that I wish to traditionally publish – that need to enter their second and third revisions.
I was published in a magazine – and there are more magazines that I need to solicit. Unfortunately, these magazines are not seeking fairy tales and require novelettes (half the length of The Reluctant Godfather ) and flash fiction – so submitting a future Ambia book to them is impossible.
Never fear, Ambia is not going away – but my original calculations of writing the series in six years is definitely a bust. (that was kind of a stupidly ambitious plan anyway and I must have been drunk on La Croix’s sparkling water and totally out of touch with reality when I made that estimation).
I assure you, Ambia will STILL be very much a part of your future and mine.
Lord willing, I hope to release at LEAST an Ambia short story next year. I tentatively, possibly, perhaps MIGHT (or rather hope) to release the Frog Prince late next year as well, HOWEVER – I might try to submit that to a indie publisher instead of Amazon first – so that could also push back the release date.
Trust me – I WANT to work on Ambia – and I cannot wait to start churning these puppies out but – alas – such is life. I have to focus on something other than fairy tales for a time. I must RESIST the fairy tales.
So will I be publishing anything in 2018?
Okay . . . maybe not die . . . since that’s the kind of stress I’ve been trying to avoid lately, but I’m going to try my hardest and I am pretty confident that I will release at LEAST a short story (the Goose Girl) next year.
So what am I actually going to be DOING and WRITING on for the rest of 2017?
I kind of said it already, but . . .
Nobody could ever accuse Allison Tebo of letting grass grow under her feet. The first letter of my name is also the first letter of ‘ambition.’ A door has started to crack open – and I am going to charge at that door with all of my might and then some.
Hence, I am going to be writing short stories – dozens and dozens of short stories – as well as working on five or so novelettes – all stories designed to be submitted to magazines.
My plan – to be published in magazines as many times as possible. When the rights from those (hopefully) published stories revert back to me (some of them will revert back very quickly) I will either republish the short stories as stand-alones or an anthology on Amazon.
When the (hopefully) published novelettes revert back to me I will either expand them or republish them ‘as is’ on Amazon.
Any short stories or novelettes that ARE NOT accepted by magazines will be expanded or left alone (according to individual needs) and will go straight to publication.
Hooowever….I am also looking into small, Christian publishing houses and am even researching writers agents. I am not really happy with everything Amazon does and i would like to explore the option of having them merely as distributors of my books, instead of controlling the publishing.
In this case – I MIGHT BE submitting the novelettes and anthologies to publishing houses – which will slow down the publication even further. Depending on various factors – I MIGHT go ahead and publish them more quickly through Createspace – we’ll have to see!
Ambitious I know . . .
By hard work and God’s grace – you will have more to read from me . . . sooner than you think. I trust and pray that he will recharge my fairy dust and fill me with words.
I am 99 percent positive that you will really enjoy my works in progress and “future releases.” Here’s a tiny sneak peak of the novelettes I’m currently working on.
1) A diesel-punk western buddy story with plenty of sarcasm (move over Colin and Burndee).
2) A melancholy road trip story in a primitive dystopian setting.
3). A high-octane, closed door science fiction adventure.
For those of you who have read both The Reluctant Godfather and Keys To The Chains, I write in several very different styles –
I have a few more surprises for you all up my sleeve!
Now – as I’ve been experiencing – life happens, I’m not quite sure how I’m going to be feeling / doing through November. So I’m reminding myself to hold these plans very loosely and to trust God. It’s good to have a goal to shoot for, but His timing is far superior to my own – it is perfect.
So stick with me! Ambia might have to wait, but I have whole new worlds waiting to be unleashed upon you.
October 22, 2017
ALLISON’S WELL ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY ANNOUNCEMENT!
Dear Readers – It’s Coming Up On My Blog’s One Year Anniversary!!!!
Attention: Listening to the music below is mandatory for reading this post.
AND PARTYING IS NOW MANDATORY!!!
I cannot believe it! I have been so blessed by this blog – and I hope it has been a blessing to some of you!
A BRIEF EXPLANATION FROM OUR SPONSORS.
My blog will actually be celebrating it’s first birthday in late November. However, since that is the height of NaNo season and Thanksgiving – I decided to postpone the blog tour. And since Christmas is right on it’s heels – I knew it would be dumb to have it then. Thus, the blog tour will be taking place in the second week of January, once all of the festivities have died down and people are (hopefully) looking for a little excitement and more celebrations.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming . . .
Allison’s Well has been a part of the blogging world for almost one year! It has been such a joy getting to know all of you and a true gift to have you follow my blog. Because of this special occasion, I am organizing a blog party. There will be all sorts of fun posts AND a big giveaway. “grins” Would you be interested in participating?
Because the Blog Party will mostly be about Allison’s Well – I was hoping to link up with readers who would be willing to write a short post about Allison’s Well or myself (Examples: Your favorite posts of Allison’s Well, how you met me, why you follow my blog, your favorite memory of me, a letter / note to me or Allison’s Well – etc).
And Now For All My Dear Followers Who DO NOT Blog. Here’s a way for you to participate too!
I was considering having a ‘hacked’ post be a part of the blog party!
Participants will write a brief message either about me or my blog (from a sentence to a small paragraph – whatever you prefer).
Examples: A mini letter to me. A anecdote about how we met. Why you follow my blog. What your favorite posts are (same suggestions / examples as above).
A family member or friend will gather all the messages – put them onto one post and then post it during the blog party – guaranteeing that I am totally surprised.
Attention: Listening to the music below is mandatory for reading this post.
AND PARTYING IS NOW MANDATORY!!!
I cannot believe it! I have been so blessed by this blog – and I hope it has been a blessing to some of you!
A BRIEF EXPLANATION FROM OUR SPONSORS.
My blog will actually be celebrating it’s first birthday in late November. However, since that is the height of NaNo season and Thanksgiving – I decided to postpone the blog tour. And since Christmas is right on it’s heels – I knew it would be dumb to have it then. Thus, the blog tour will be taking place in the second week of January, once all of the festivities have died down and people are (hopefully) looking for a little excitement and more celebrations.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming . . .
Allison’s Well has been a part of the blogging world for almost one year! It has been such a joy getting to know all of you and a true gift to have you follow my blog. Because of this special occasion, I am organizing a blog party. There will be all sorts of fun posts AND a big giveaway. “grins” Would you be interested in participating?
Because the Blog Party will mostly be about Allison’s Well – I was hoping to link up with readers who would be willing to write a short post about Allison’s Well or myself (Examples: Your favorite posts of Allison’s Well, how you met me, why you follow my blog, your favorite memory of me, a letter / note to me or Allison’s Well – etc).
And Now For All My Dear Followers Who DO NOT Blog. Here’s a way for you to participate too!
I was considering having a ‘hacked’ post be a part of the blog party!
Participants will write a brief message either about me or my blog (from a sentence to a small paragraph – whatever you prefer).
Examples: A mini letter to me. A anecdote about how we met. Why you follow my blog. What your favorite posts are (same suggestions / examples as above).
A family member or friend will gather all the messages – put them onto one post and then post it during the blog party – guaranteeing that I am totally surprised.
October 15, 2017
Williamsburg, VA – Xmas 2016.
Huzzah! The post for our family vacation is finally up! It took me long enough, but at last, here it is, in all its dubious glory.
First up we have the George Wythe House. Historians can absolutely, categorically confirm that George Washington DID sleep here.
George Wythe was a delegate to the Continental Congress, and Virginia’s first signer of the Declaration of Independence. The house also served as General George Washington’s headquarters just before the British siege of Yorktown. The house is ‘dressed’ in the same way it would have been if George Washington and his staff were in the middle of their campaign.
Going through these historic houses always gives me cold chills. I find myself touching the walls, door knobs – and especially running my hand along stair banisters, wondering who has touched that banister before me – wishing some of the greatness would wear off; thrilling at the way I can touch history with your finger tips.
The details in these historic buildings are so meticulous – you almost expect George Washington to come walking through the room at any minute.
George Washington wasn’t there, but the Marquis de Lafayette was. We had seen this re-en-actor last year on our previous visit and he is hands-down, one of the best re-en-actors in Williamsburg. He combined intelligence, charm and fabulous acting into an immersive experience and interview that visitors won’t soon forget.
On to the Benjamin Powell House!
Benjamin Powell was a carpenter and contractor in historic Williamsburg. His restored house now serves as a center to teach children (and overgrown kids) historic games, actives and the refined pastimes of by-gone days….such as playing a spinet.
I got to play a spinet! A lady in historical costume was playing the instrument and I (ever hopeful and anxious to volunteer) asked if playing a spinet was the same as playing a piano. She said it was quite similar and asked if I wanted to play.
“DO I? MOVE OVER LADY! “
I’m just kidding….I was, of course, thrilled to try and grateful for her offer.
Playing the spinet is very similar to playing the piano, except that there aren’t any pedals, the keyboard is about half the size and there are no sustained notes….which of course, is what gives the spinet its lovely, twinkly sound.
I am a fairly proficient sight reader and there was a lot of traditional sheet music on hand. I was so immersed in playing ‘Jesu’ Joy of Man’s Desiring’, I had not even realized that I had drawn a crowd until a group broke into applause once I was finished. That was a pretty special moment.
never forget the experience.
http://allisonswell.website/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/mvi_9769_672-1.mp4
i DID NOT sound as bad as this video makes me sound…my sister was capturing the moment with her regular camera, which has very bad speakers. Ahem.
Next – the public auction!
The auction is usually held outside, but because of inclement weather we were all crammed into a cozy little building – which was fine, because my feet were sore and I welcomed the chance to sit down.
The two men that run the auction are wonderful actors and never step out of character, making this as much a theatrical event, as a shopping experience.
There is nothing like an auction to bring out the crazed shopping beasts that sleep in every human being’s hearts – specifically female hearts. The bidding can get quite riotous. Some bidders get so carried away they even indulge in victory dances – or wiggles – after winning their desired object.
I enjoyed the rowdiness of the auction….as each piece was sold, the auctioneer would thump his staff against the oak floorboards, shout ‘huzzah’, and the entire room would shout ‘huzzah’, right back at him. As the auction progressed our enthusiasm kept growing.
The other fun thing about the auction was that each guest was given a numbered list of the items that would be available for sale. Items were brought up for auction as people in the audience requested a number. ‘Requested’ might be too nice a word. Whoever could yell the loudest was the one that ensured that their item would be the next item sold.
I stayed for about an hour, watching the fun. I needed to move on, but I really wanted to try bidding on one particular item, that had yet to come up for sale. Whispering to my sisters, all three of us began hollering ‘my’ number at the top of our lungs, completely overpowering all the other contenders in the room.
“Due to the overwhelming desire to see number so-and-so.” The auction commented wryly, looking in our direction. “That shall be the next item.”
While I was pleased with our success and tickled by our rowdiness, I’m sorry to say that I chickened out of actually bidding. I hesitated and ‘he who hesitates; loses.’ I disappointed myself, but I wasn’t surprised to find myself backing out of the bidding. Even Ebay auctions make me nervous. I am no gambler.
Christmas Day! A lot of the historic buildings were closed and reenactments and special performances were at a minimum. I took the opportunity to leave Duke of Gloucester Street. and explore some of the less traveled paths of this beautiful location.
This was a solo venture, and I enjoyed the solitude as I strolled the gorgeous avenues and snapped a slew of pictures.
Williamsburg is a dream come true for artists. The place is full of ready-made-art that shouts at me to draw or paint it. I’m itching to commit these beautiful houses, twisted trees and charming streets to canvas. I’m very excited about the file of reference photos I now have and look forward to sitting down with my watercolors sometime in the future to recapture my vacation.
The Courthouse
The Magazine
Next, we went to the Carleton Stage to hear ‘James Madison’ speak. What struck me the most about his talk, was his emphasis on how valuable the gift of parchment was in his day. Parchment was a wonderful thing to receive – it held the key to a multitude of treasures- because words could be committed to parchment….and then the parchment could be shared….and words on parchment could change nations.
‘James Madison’s’ respect for the power of words, and the responsibility that power entails, shamed and intrigued me. Our modern culture takes words for granted. With a few clicks of the keyboard every random thought is instantly shared with the entire world. The men of this city and time put great thought into their words – and great purpose. They didn’t go to all that time and effort to tell people how they were feeling – they were trying to change a nation. I wonder how they would have used the Internet with its modern conveniences of Facebook and Twitter….and how they would marvel at the way words have become so devalued in our culture.
Briefly visited the Dewitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum.
To cover the incredible treasures in this building would take an entire series of blog posts….a coffee table book…a series of coffee table books – all full of wondrous pictures and intriguing facts. The picture below, is only one small example of the incredible artifacts and art on display.
My twin and I headed to the Governor’s Palace to tour the amazing gardens and run through the famous Maze – and I do mean THROUGH the hedges, because what’s the fun of using the paths?
Unfortunately, the gardens and the Palace itself was closed by the time we got there and we were only able to walk by the main gates and snap some pictures of the estates’ grounds and outbuildings.
And here we have a bus stop sign….because I have a peculiar infatuation with public transportion.
Riding the bus has been one of the highlights of my trip every time I visit Williamsburg. Why I possess this unusual and passionate fascination, I can not say – though I would like to try to summarize my feelings in some future post. For now, suffice it to say, that I love being crammed into this miniature world, seeing ‘a slice of humanity’ play out in a confined space. I love the convenience and independence of public transport. And I really, really, like hanging onto the overhead bar and getting thrown around like a kernel in a bag of popcorn. Buses, are ALMOST like amusement park rides….and I can never have enough amusement park rides. I think some of the drivers WERE frustrated thrill drivers, for they handled their vehicles with reckless – even furious – abandon – making their buses even MORE fun to ride on.
See right there? A bus is like a test tube full of unique specimens… This is life on a microscopic level! There, aren’t you fascinated now?
I spent A LOT of time on the bus this year…and passed the time by taking bus selfies.
And now it’s time for ‘Silly Stories With Alli’ – The part of the show where Alli comes out and does something silly!
A day doesn’t go by when I don’t do SOMETHING stupid that makes other people laugh. I won’t disappoint you now….
Something Peculiar Happened On The Way To The Bus Station….
I was rushing to meet a family member and leaped onto a bus without paying much attention. The bus was empty and as we began to drive away I suddenly realized that we were going down a peculiar route. I was shocked to see my desired destination whip past my window. My mouth fell open. Buses stop at these various locations like clockwork, I didn’t know what was going on.
We kept driving and I started to panic. I had never been on this route before, I wasn’t recognizing any of the landmarks….where was the driver taking me?
Several things were rushing through my head by this point….the foremost one yelling at me that I was being kidnapped. For what reason, I had no idea. I’m not famous, I’m not wealthy. I have enemies, but I don’t think they would bother to kidnap me.
I moved towards the front of the bus, furiously thinking out my options.
Option 1. Demand to be let off the bus, even though I didn’t know where I was and try to find my way back to the Main Street.
Option 2. Start screaming.
Option 3. Overpower the driver with Krav Maga, render him utterly senseless and drive the bus to my desired location.
‘3’ was definitely my favorite option. I could easily picture myself doing something heroic and it would be a great excuse to satisfy my closet ambition to drive a bus.
But I didn’t do any of these things. I waited, mouth shut, heart pounding, trying to figure out what was happening and stave off a mental and emotional break down.
Then without warning, we reached a familiar looking sight – the Visitor’s Center.
I had boarded an Express Bus….buses that go back to the Visitor’s Center by a slightly different route….and that never makes any other stops.
Feeling unutterably stupid, I climbed off the bus and boarded a regular bus, vowing to be more careful when I chose my next bus. Because of one small slip, I had wasted twenty minutes, given myself a scare and reaffirmed (unnecessarily) that I was an idiot. I did however, give myself a good laugh, and I’m sure a lot of people on the next bus were wondering what was wrong with the giggling fool that was sitting with them. I could have told them – but they probably wouldn’t have understood….or appreciated it.
The Fife and Drums!
Hands-down, this is my favorite part about Williamsburg. As night falls over the city, your ears strain, listening for that clear, beckoning piping. Your pulse starts to speed up, ready to drub in time to the sound of the drums. Then you hear it, and the heart of every person in that city swells with patriotism, stirs with pride.
Human beings seem born to march. There is a magic to the fife and drum players, they have the same irresistible pull of the Piped Piper. I have watched extremely large crowds full of people of every age and description move like an ocean wave after the Fifes and Drums, powerless to stand still, pulled into the musicians wake like moths towards a flame. Who could resist those leaping torches, the glint of weapons, those magnificent uniforms? Everybody loves a parade, and a military parade is even better. Let’s face it, these traditions may be hundreds of years old, but it’s clear that the stirring rhythms of the Revolutionary drums still beat in American hearts, and our modern ears still strain to hear the fairy-like strains of fifes.
Last, but not least . . . THE CANNONS!
Technically, ‘Firing in Christmas’, happened on Christmas Eve. This series of pictures is not in chronological order. But I had to finish with the cannons, otherwise we wouldn’t have had ONE BIG FINISH.
No, the cannon did not blow up…it just looks like it did.
And that concludes our feature presentation.
Happy travels my fellow wanderers….enjoy the journey….and above all….pay attention to what bus you board in life!
First up we have the George Wythe House. Historians can absolutely, categorically confirm that George Washington DID sleep here.
George Wythe was a delegate to the Continental Congress, and Virginia’s first signer of the Declaration of Independence. The house also served as General George Washington’s headquarters just before the British siege of Yorktown. The house is ‘dressed’ in the same way it would have been if George Washington and his staff were in the middle of their campaign.
Going through these historic houses always gives me cold chills. I find myself touching the walls, door knobs – and especially running my hand along stair banisters, wondering who has touched that banister before me – wishing some of the greatness would wear off; thrilling at the way I can touch history with your finger tips.
The details in these historic buildings are so meticulous – you almost expect George Washington to come walking through the room at any minute.
George Washington wasn’t there, but the Marquis de Lafayette was. We had seen this re-en-actor last year on our previous visit and he is hands-down, one of the best re-en-actors in Williamsburg. He combined intelligence, charm and fabulous acting into an immersive experience and interview that visitors won’t soon forget.
On to the Benjamin Powell House!
Benjamin Powell was a carpenter and contractor in historic Williamsburg. His restored house now serves as a center to teach children (and overgrown kids) historic games, actives and the refined pastimes of by-gone days….such as playing a spinet.
I got to play a spinet! A lady in historical costume was playing the instrument and I (ever hopeful and anxious to volunteer) asked if playing a spinet was the same as playing a piano. She said it was quite similar and asked if I wanted to play.
“DO I? MOVE OVER LADY! “
I’m just kidding….I was, of course, thrilled to try and grateful for her offer.
Playing the spinet is very similar to playing the piano, except that there aren’t any pedals, the keyboard is about half the size and there are no sustained notes….which of course, is what gives the spinet its lovely, twinkly sound.
I am a fairly proficient sight reader and there was a lot of traditional sheet music on hand. I was so immersed in playing ‘Jesu’ Joy of Man’s Desiring’, I had not even realized that I had drawn a crowd until a group broke into applause once I was finished. That was a pretty special moment.
I was a little disappointed (but not altogether surprised) to discover that the spinet was a reproduction made in the 1980s. Nevertheless, I will
never forget the experience.
http://allisonswell.website/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/mvi_9769_672-1.mp4
i DID NOT sound as bad as this video makes me sound…my sister was capturing the moment with her regular camera, which has very bad speakers. Ahem.
Next – the public auction!
The auction is usually held outside, but because of inclement weather we were all crammed into a cozy little building – which was fine, because my feet were sore and I welcomed the chance to sit down.
The two men that run the auction are wonderful actors and never step out of character, making this as much a theatrical event, as a shopping experience.
There is nothing like an auction to bring out the crazed shopping beasts that sleep in every human being’s hearts – specifically female hearts. The bidding can get quite riotous. Some bidders get so carried away they even indulge in victory dances – or wiggles – after winning their desired object.
I enjoyed the rowdiness of the auction….as each piece was sold, the auctioneer would thump his staff against the oak floorboards, shout ‘huzzah’, and the entire room would shout ‘huzzah’, right back at him. As the auction progressed our enthusiasm kept growing.
The other fun thing about the auction was that each guest was given a numbered list of the items that would be available for sale. Items were brought up for auction as people in the audience requested a number. ‘Requested’ might be too nice a word. Whoever could yell the loudest was the one that ensured that their item would be the next item sold.
I stayed for about an hour, watching the fun. I needed to move on, but I really wanted to try bidding on one particular item, that had yet to come up for sale. Whispering to my sisters, all three of us began hollering ‘my’ number at the top of our lungs, completely overpowering all the other contenders in the room.
“Due to the overwhelming desire to see number so-and-so.” The auction commented wryly, looking in our direction. “That shall be the next item.”
While I was pleased with our success and tickled by our rowdiness, I’m sorry to say that I chickened out of actually bidding. I hesitated and ‘he who hesitates; loses.’ I disappointed myself, but I wasn’t surprised to find myself backing out of the bidding. Even Ebay auctions make me nervous. I am no gambler.
Christmas Day! A lot of the historic buildings were closed and reenactments and special performances were at a minimum. I took the opportunity to leave Duke of Gloucester Street. and explore some of the less traveled paths of this beautiful location.
This was a solo venture, and I enjoyed the solitude as I strolled the gorgeous avenues and snapped a slew of pictures.
Williamsburg is a dream come true for artists. The place is full of ready-made-art that shouts at me to draw or paint it. I’m itching to commit these beautiful houses, twisted trees and charming streets to canvas. I’m very excited about the file of reference photos I now have and look forward to sitting down with my watercolors sometime in the future to recapture my vacation.
The Courthouse
The Magazine
Next, we went to the Carleton Stage to hear ‘James Madison’ speak. What struck me the most about his talk, was his emphasis on how valuable the gift of parchment was in his day. Parchment was a wonderful thing to receive – it held the key to a multitude of treasures- because words could be committed to parchment….and then the parchment could be shared….and words on parchment could change nations.
‘James Madison’s’ respect for the power of words, and the responsibility that power entails, shamed and intrigued me. Our modern culture takes words for granted. With a few clicks of the keyboard every random thought is instantly shared with the entire world. The men of this city and time put great thought into their words – and great purpose. They didn’t go to all that time and effort to tell people how they were feeling – they were trying to change a nation. I wonder how they would have used the Internet with its modern conveniences of Facebook and Twitter….and how they would marvel at the way words have become so devalued in our culture.
Briefly visited the Dewitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum.
To cover the incredible treasures in this building would take an entire series of blog posts….a coffee table book…a series of coffee table books – all full of wondrous pictures and intriguing facts. The picture below, is only one small example of the incredible artifacts and art on display.
My twin and I headed to the Governor’s Palace to tour the amazing gardens and run through the famous Maze – and I do mean THROUGH the hedges, because what’s the fun of using the paths?
Unfortunately, the gardens and the Palace itself was closed by the time we got there and we were only able to walk by the main gates and snap some pictures of the estates’ grounds and outbuildings.
And here we have a bus stop sign….because I have a peculiar infatuation with public transportion.
Riding the bus has been one of the highlights of my trip every time I visit Williamsburg. Why I possess this unusual and passionate fascination, I can not say – though I would like to try to summarize my feelings in some future post. For now, suffice it to say, that I love being crammed into this miniature world, seeing ‘a slice of humanity’ play out in a confined space. I love the convenience and independence of public transport. And I really, really, like hanging onto the overhead bar and getting thrown around like a kernel in a bag of popcorn. Buses, are ALMOST like amusement park rides….and I can never have enough amusement park rides. I think some of the drivers WERE frustrated thrill drivers, for they handled their vehicles with reckless – even furious – abandon – making their buses even MORE fun to ride on.
See right there? A bus is like a test tube full of unique specimens… This is life on a microscopic level! There, aren’t you fascinated now? I spent A LOT of time on the bus this year…and passed the time by taking bus selfies.And now it’s time for ‘Silly Stories With Alli’ – The part of the show where Alli comes out and does something silly!
A day doesn’t go by when I don’t do SOMETHING stupid that makes other people laugh. I won’t disappoint you now….
Something Peculiar Happened On The Way To The Bus Station….
I was rushing to meet a family member and leaped onto a bus without paying much attention. The bus was empty and as we began to drive away I suddenly realized that we were going down a peculiar route. I was shocked to see my desired destination whip past my window. My mouth fell open. Buses stop at these various locations like clockwork, I didn’t know what was going on.
We kept driving and I started to panic. I had never been on this route before, I wasn’t recognizing any of the landmarks….where was the driver taking me?
Several things were rushing through my head by this point….the foremost one yelling at me that I was being kidnapped. For what reason, I had no idea. I’m not famous, I’m not wealthy. I have enemies, but I don’t think they would bother to kidnap me.
I moved towards the front of the bus, furiously thinking out my options.
Option 1. Demand to be let off the bus, even though I didn’t know where I was and try to find my way back to the Main Street.
Option 2. Start screaming.
Option 3. Overpower the driver with Krav Maga, render him utterly senseless and drive the bus to my desired location.
‘3’ was definitely my favorite option. I could easily picture myself doing something heroic and it would be a great excuse to satisfy my closet ambition to drive a bus.
But I didn’t do any of these things. I waited, mouth shut, heart pounding, trying to figure out what was happening and stave off a mental and emotional break down.
Then without warning, we reached a familiar looking sight – the Visitor’s Center.
I had boarded an Express Bus….buses that go back to the Visitor’s Center by a slightly different route….and that never makes any other stops.
Feeling unutterably stupid, I climbed off the bus and boarded a regular bus, vowing to be more careful when I chose my next bus. Because of one small slip, I had wasted twenty minutes, given myself a scare and reaffirmed (unnecessarily) that I was an idiot. I did however, give myself a good laugh, and I’m sure a lot of people on the next bus were wondering what was wrong with the giggling fool that was sitting with them. I could have told them – but they probably wouldn’t have understood….or appreciated it.
The Fife and Drums!
Hands-down, this is my favorite part about Williamsburg. As night falls over the city, your ears strain, listening for that clear, beckoning piping. Your pulse starts to speed up, ready to drub in time to the sound of the drums. Then you hear it, and the heart of every person in that city swells with patriotism, stirs with pride.
Human beings seem born to march. There is a magic to the fife and drum players, they have the same irresistible pull of the Piped Piper. I have watched extremely large crowds full of people of every age and description move like an ocean wave after the Fifes and Drums, powerless to stand still, pulled into the musicians wake like moths towards a flame. Who could resist those leaping torches, the glint of weapons, those magnificent uniforms? Everybody loves a parade, and a military parade is even better. Let’s face it, these traditions may be hundreds of years old, but it’s clear that the stirring rhythms of the Revolutionary drums still beat in American hearts, and our modern ears still strain to hear the fairy-like strains of fifes.
Last, but not least . . . THE CANNONS!
Technically, ‘Firing in Christmas’, happened on Christmas Eve. This series of pictures is not in chronological order. But I had to finish with the cannons, otherwise we wouldn’t have had ONE BIG FINISH.
So without further ado – DAH CANNONS! It’s shootin’ time! I love a big fuss, especially if it involves explosions and military uniforms!
No, the cannon did not blow up…it just looks like it did.
And that concludes our feature presentation.
Happy travels my fellow wanderers….enjoy the journey….and above all….pay attention to what bus you board in life!
October 8, 2017
Not A Moment To Lose: Praising God In Times Of Pain
I think anyone who has lived in continual pain or discomfort for any period will agree that remaining hopeful is difficult. Our hope can be as erratic as sun and clouds – one minute shining, the next hidden. One minute our eyes are fixed in faith on a light at the end of the tunnel, then the next we feel as if we’ve been wandering around in darkness forever with no chance of ever getting out.
As I mentioned in my previous post, September – Half a Nutshell , I’ve been struggling with reoccurring pain. As I also mentioned in that post, especially in late September, God spoke to me and comforted me about this and renewed my hope. I began to think maybe it would lift soon.
Then October started, and I mentally watched another month start to disappear under more discomfort. This past week has been very difficult, not only physically – but mentally, emotionally and spiritually, I have been in pain. I think anyone who has struggled with reoccurring illness or pain will understand what I’m saying.
Last night, I was getting completely overwhelmed. What bothers me even more than pain is not being useful, not being able to accomplish anything. I have been very limited in what I’ve been doing lately. I was panicked as I considered how I was going to lose and waste even more time to this pain.
And then I realized an amazingly simple truth. I had known it before, but the Holy Spirit made it new in my heart.
Time spent in humble prayer cannot be wasted time.
At the end of my life, or perhaps in that brief moment before He “wipes away every tear,” I will not be wishing I had worked more, written more, traveled more – no –
I’ll wish that I had prayed more.
I felt as if a boulder had been rolled off my shoulders. My biggest fear was alleviated. I was so overwhelmed with happiness and gratitude that life was not “passing me by.” I didn’t have to look upon it as months of my life, a quarter of 2017, wasted and spent doing nothing.
If I prayed in detail for every family member, every extended family member, every friend and friend of friend, our nation, the War on Terror, the persecuted Church, the Body of Christ – not to mention whatever the Holy Spirit might bring to me through the gift of tongues –
If I pray in detail for all of this, I could fill every minute of the day – I can be quite busy – in my spirit.
I believe, with everything in me, that C.S Lewis was correct in saying that we know Him a little here so that we might know Him there better. I believe our walk here will be a direct parallel with how well we know Him in Heaven, how close we are to Him. And I want to be close, so very close.
So even though pain does not come from the Lord – this time where I am unable to do my normal work can be an amazing gift to me. I haven’t had something taken from me, He has given time back to me; time to draw close to Him, time to grow in Him, time to listen.
The scriptures tell us to offer up the sacrifice of praise (Hebrews 13:15).
Praising God for a good day, health, or something we wanted coming to pass is easy; praising Him in hard times is not so easy, that’s why the Bible calls it a sacrifice. I think that praise offered to God at these times is not only sweeter to Him, but it is like medicine for us – an antioxidant for life and all its sin and hardness.
But when a truth really reaches me, when He whispers a reality into my ear so clearly, praise comes easily to me.
As it began to flow out of me, peace began to flow in. I went into the bathroom and just stood there saying over and over again: “You’re so beautiful,” tears streaming down my face as I thought about Him instead of myself.
How easy it was to switch tracks and turn the train. In a few moments I went from crying about me, to weeping over Him.
I had known He was with me and yet, I felt alone. But suddenly I felt Him, as clearly as I felt my own skin.
Have you ever had the Holy Spirit suddenly overcome you? It’s the most amazing, exhilarating and comforting feeling in the world and it’s almost always when you least expect it. It’s like the love of your life suddenly swept through the door to surprise you.
This last month and a half, I felt like a woman walking endlessly up and down the beach with a metal detector, always looking for gold but making do with dimes until suddenly, without warning, she finds buried treasure.
I get so wrapped up in asking the Great Physician for results, I forget who He is. As I stood there, overwhelmed by Him, not by what He’s done and can do, I began to sing two songs under my breath, “Oh Lord, You’re Beautiful,” and “I Stand In Awe Of You.”
If you truly slow down and contemplate the words to I Stand In Awe Of You, it says He is TOO wonderful. How can anything be too wonderful? Too marvelous for words? Only Him. He is TOO BIG to fit into those small, finite words. He is beyond us, beyond everything.
Most Christians, when they are thanking God, thank Him for what He has done (dying for us, living for us) and we absolutely, categorically should praise Him without ceasing for this.
But will we praise Him just for who He is? Just because He is worthy of praise? Not because of ANYTHING He has done, but because of His character? Because He is so beautiful, so perfect, so terrible, so amazing, that we simply want to gaze at Him and worship – and not ask for or expect anything – including salvation – because we are overwhelmed with awe?
At 3 am on a Sunday morning, I was filled with peace and joy – I returned to bed almost bursting, smiling, tears still flowing. I laid down to sleep in peace, because I have looked upon someone that makes me and this world shrivel away. I was an artist looking at something so beautiful, no one can ever capture it, because it is Beauty Himself. He is everything I am not, He is God – He is everything I’ve been searching for all my life.
This is a hard life and God can’t or won’t always “kiss it and make it better.” And yet . . . He does kiss me (in His own way) – He shares intimate love with my soul . . . and yes, He does make me better day by day.
~
Wednesday through Friday, I spent the time fasting certain things, entreating God for guidance on this situation – on what was causing it and if there was something I needed to change. Saturday morning I was frustrated, because there didn’t seem to be any clear answer.
But after any time seeking God, if you are open and truly seeking, if you are fasting and looking to Him, some clarity will come, if we are open to receiving an answer that might not be the one we were seeking because we “ask with the wrong motives.”
Some of you know that reoccurring pain is a constant battle. The war is not won once – it ebbs and flows – one battle after another, good days and bad.
But today, I have chosen it to be a good day – and my prayer this Sunday is about Him. I don’t know what’s going to attack me tomorrow, or even this evening – but right now, this is my prayer.
O Lord Please Light The Fire
That Once Burned Bright And Clear
Replace The Lamp Of My First Love
That Burns With Holy Fear
Praise God for the cup of mercy in hard times. At least for today: “He has restored to me the joy of my salvation.” Psalm 51:12
In every inspirational photograph I’ve ever seen – you always see the person in a particular pose, head up, arms wide.
Look up, lift up your eyes, peel your arms away from your heart and open your arms wide. Let your mouth praise Him – not because of His promises, not because of what you want or need from Him, but because of who He is.
I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it. Psalm 81:10
If you have entered a season in your life with more time than usual on your hands – pray and ask Him how you should pray. There’s not a moment to lose.
As I mentioned in my previous post, September – Half a Nutshell , I’ve been struggling with reoccurring pain. As I also mentioned in that post, especially in late September, God spoke to me and comforted me about this and renewed my hope. I began to think maybe it would lift soon.
Then October started, and I mentally watched another month start to disappear under more discomfort. This past week has been very difficult, not only physically – but mentally, emotionally and spiritually, I have been in pain. I think anyone who has struggled with reoccurring illness or pain will understand what I’m saying.
Last night, I was getting completely overwhelmed. What bothers me even more than pain is not being useful, not being able to accomplish anything. I have been very limited in what I’ve been doing lately. I was panicked as I considered how I was going to lose and waste even more time to this pain.
And then I realized an amazingly simple truth. I had known it before, but the Holy Spirit made it new in my heart.
Time spent in humble prayer cannot be wasted time.
At the end of my life, or perhaps in that brief moment before He “wipes away every tear,” I will not be wishing I had worked more, written more, traveled more – no –
I’ll wish that I had prayed more.
I felt as if a boulder had been rolled off my shoulders. My biggest fear was alleviated. I was so overwhelmed with happiness and gratitude that life was not “passing me by.” I didn’t have to look upon it as months of my life, a quarter of 2017, wasted and spent doing nothing.
If I prayed in detail for every family member, every extended family member, every friend and friend of friend, our nation, the War on Terror, the persecuted Church, the Body of Christ – not to mention whatever the Holy Spirit might bring to me through the gift of tongues –
If I pray in detail for all of this, I could fill every minute of the day – I can be quite busy – in my spirit.
I believe, with everything in me, that C.S Lewis was correct in saying that we know Him a little here so that we might know Him there better. I believe our walk here will be a direct parallel with how well we know Him in Heaven, how close we are to Him. And I want to be close, so very close.
So even though pain does not come from the Lord – this time where I am unable to do my normal work can be an amazing gift to me. I haven’t had something taken from me, He has given time back to me; time to draw close to Him, time to grow in Him, time to listen.
The scriptures tell us to offer up the sacrifice of praise (Hebrews 13:15).
Praising God for a good day, health, or something we wanted coming to pass is easy; praising Him in hard times is not so easy, that’s why the Bible calls it a sacrifice. I think that praise offered to God at these times is not only sweeter to Him, but it is like medicine for us – an antioxidant for life and all its sin and hardness.
But when a truth really reaches me, when He whispers a reality into my ear so clearly, praise comes easily to me.
As it began to flow out of me, peace began to flow in. I went into the bathroom and just stood there saying over and over again: “You’re so beautiful,” tears streaming down my face as I thought about Him instead of myself.
How easy it was to switch tracks and turn the train. In a few moments I went from crying about me, to weeping over Him.
I had known He was with me and yet, I felt alone. But suddenly I felt Him, as clearly as I felt my own skin.
Have you ever had the Holy Spirit suddenly overcome you? It’s the most amazing, exhilarating and comforting feeling in the world and it’s almost always when you least expect it. It’s like the love of your life suddenly swept through the door to surprise you.
This last month and a half, I felt like a woman walking endlessly up and down the beach with a metal detector, always looking for gold but making do with dimes until suddenly, without warning, she finds buried treasure.
I get so wrapped up in asking the Great Physician for results, I forget who He is. As I stood there, overwhelmed by Him, not by what He’s done and can do, I began to sing two songs under my breath, “Oh Lord, You’re Beautiful,” and “I Stand In Awe Of You.”
If you truly slow down and contemplate the words to I Stand In Awe Of You, it says He is TOO wonderful. How can anything be too wonderful? Too marvelous for words? Only Him. He is TOO BIG to fit into those small, finite words. He is beyond us, beyond everything.
Most Christians, when they are thanking God, thank Him for what He has done (dying for us, living for us) and we absolutely, categorically should praise Him without ceasing for this.
But will we praise Him just for who He is? Just because He is worthy of praise? Not because of ANYTHING He has done, but because of His character? Because He is so beautiful, so perfect, so terrible, so amazing, that we simply want to gaze at Him and worship – and not ask for or expect anything – including salvation – because we are overwhelmed with awe?
At 3 am on a Sunday morning, I was filled with peace and joy – I returned to bed almost bursting, smiling, tears still flowing. I laid down to sleep in peace, because I have looked upon someone that makes me and this world shrivel away. I was an artist looking at something so beautiful, no one can ever capture it, because it is Beauty Himself. He is everything I am not, He is God – He is everything I’ve been searching for all my life.
This is a hard life and God can’t or won’t always “kiss it and make it better.” And yet . . . He does kiss me (in His own way) – He shares intimate love with my soul . . . and yes, He does make me better day by day.
~
Wednesday through Friday, I spent the time fasting certain things, entreating God for guidance on this situation – on what was causing it and if there was something I needed to change. Saturday morning I was frustrated, because there didn’t seem to be any clear answer.
But after any time seeking God, if you are open and truly seeking, if you are fasting and looking to Him, some clarity will come, if we are open to receiving an answer that might not be the one we were seeking because we “ask with the wrong motives.”
Some of you know that reoccurring pain is a constant battle. The war is not won once – it ebbs and flows – one battle after another, good days and bad.
But today, I have chosen it to be a good day – and my prayer this Sunday is about Him. I don’t know what’s going to attack me tomorrow, or even this evening – but right now, this is my prayer.
O Lord Please Light The Fire
That Once Burned Bright And Clear
Replace The Lamp Of My First Love
That Burns With Holy Fear
Praise God for the cup of mercy in hard times. At least for today: “He has restored to me the joy of my salvation.” Psalm 51:12
In every inspirational photograph I’ve ever seen – you always see the person in a particular pose, head up, arms wide.
Look up, lift up your eyes, peel your arms away from your heart and open your arms wide. Let your mouth praise Him – not because of His promises, not because of what you want or need from Him, but because of who He is.
I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it. Psalm 81:10
If you have entered a season in your life with more time than usual on your hands – pray and ask Him how you should pray. There’s not a moment to lose.
October 1, 2017
September – Half A Nutshell
Just like I do for every month of the year, I had big plans for September. Buuuut . . . things happened and I only “accomplished” a smidgen of what I had originally intended.
Nevertheless! Some fun and great things happened in September! Let us begin…
Some friends from Florida stayed with us to get away from the brunt of hurricane Irma. It was wonderful to be able to spend time with them.
Our family attended a WW2 Reenactment in Linden, TN and this was so amazing it will produce not one but THREE blog posts (one about the event, one about dancing, and one about soldiers) so stay tuned, I hope to have those up soon!
For now, suffice it to say that I had a complete blast. It was absolutely amazing and best of all, I got to meet an online acquaintance! My sweet friend, Elsie Stoltzfus, was one of the reenactors and I was so incredibly blessed to meet her and give her real life hugs! I keep thinking about it and every time I do, I thank God for the opportunity to meet her in person.
I was interviewed at Homeschooled Authors.com .
I was interviewed by my sweet friends Victoria Lynn and Sarah Grace at Ichthus Family Productions.
I was interviewed LIVE on Youtube by Livy Jarmusch.
And yes, I did go bouncing around the house quoting this line when she first asked me.
Nevertheless! Some fun and great things happened in September! Let us begin…
Some friends from Florida stayed with us to get away from the brunt of hurricane Irma. It was wonderful to be able to spend time with them.
Our family attended a WW2 Reenactment in Linden, TN and this was so amazing it will produce not one but THREE blog posts (one about the event, one about dancing, and one about soldiers) so stay tuned, I hope to have those up soon!
For now, suffice it to say that I had a complete blast. It was absolutely amazing and best of all, I got to meet an online acquaintance! My sweet friend, Elsie Stoltzfus, was one of the reenactors and I was so incredibly blessed to meet her and give her real life hugs! I keep thinking about it and every time I do, I thank God for the opportunity to meet her in person.
I was interviewed at Homeschooled Authors.com .
I was interviewed by my sweet friends Victoria Lynn and Sarah Grace at Ichthus Family Productions.
I was interviewed LIVE on Youtube by Livy Jarmusch.
And yes, I did go bouncing around the house quoting this line when she first asked me.
September 21, 2017
My Star Wars Theories
After following many Star Wars theories and reading available tidbits – I have assembled my assessment of what will happen in Star Wars’ near future.
So, let’s try to guess what the Big Mouse has in store for us, shall we?
Are you ready?
My Theory
Maz Kanata will die, rather like her counterpart, Yoda.
Rose will replace Rey as Finn’s romantic interest as far as she is now the one encouraging and urging Finn to stay in the Resistance and be a hero.
Rose will be a straight-forward, bouncy, sidekick with possibly annoying dialogue. She will not be a Lando Calrissian type character – that part will be reserved for Benicio Del Toro who will betray our heroes at some point.
Captain Phasma will have a somewhat vague demise, reminiscent of Boba Fett, where we’re not REALLY sure if she is eaten by a Sarlaac or not. I know they kind of did that with the trash compactor in The Force Awakens, but since this new Star Wars franchise is basically repeating a lot of old themes, I’m sticking with it.
There will be enough doubt about Phasma’s demise to leave room for plenty of spin-off novelizations.
In The Last Jedi, Rey and Kylo will battle again (obviously) and some huge reveal will occur (obviously). Kylo will sort-of win this duel since he sort-of lost the one in The Force Awakens.
And Now . . .
“The Greatest Shock In Star Wars History”
(or at least since The Empire Strikes Back released)
. . . the secret that is keeping Disney from releasing another trailer . . .
I propose that Rey is either a reincarnated version of Anakin Skywalker, ‘The Chosen One’ – or a reincarnation of Obi Wan. I think it’s more likely that she’s “Anakin” – because this would bring dubious closure to the three trilogies. Although with Kylo bucking to be Vader and then having to fight “Obi Wan” might be something they would do.
Yeah –
It’s –
Rey will lose a limb at the end of The Last Jedi. Hey, it’s a Star Wars tradition.
Laura Dern’s character will be pro-peace (i.e: peace at all costs) and at odds with Leia’s practical policies. Laura Dern will make all sorts of foolish decisions but she won’t really be a villain, she’ll just be ‘misunderstood’ or ‘mistaken’ and people will make vague comments about how “Someday, in a better future, her politics will actually work.”
Leia will die at the end of The Last Jedi. And no, I don’t think that just because Carrie Fisher passed away, I was holding to that theory for a long time. I believe the three main characters of the old trilogy will be picked off one at a time to make room for the whippersnappers; allegedly, ‘passing the torch’. Because, for some reason, we can’t have both old and young characters on the screen for an extended period of time.
In The Last Jedi, Kylo and Leia will have a kind of confrontation but Kylo will not actually do anything to harm her. I believe Leia will die in a kind of ‘staying behind on the ship’, scenario and that the real person responsible for her death will be . . .
Hux.
Hux being responsible (or at least partially responsible) for Leia’s death will put more emphasis on the barely-utilized tension between him and Kylo.
Kylo will eventually kill Hux in episode 9 or 10, allegedly to forward himself, but maybe with some secret desire to avenge Leia.
Luke will die in episode 10 after imparting final words of wisdom to Rey and possibly one other character who is with her at the time.
Probably BB-8 .
And speaking of droids, R2-D2 (remember him?) will probably “die” with his Master or go out in a blaze of glory because he is so depressed about Luke’s inevitable demise (as am I). This would make room for that round little interloper who, for some reason, has replaced R2 in fans affections.
C-3PO, having the same idiot’s luck that he’s always had, will be one very lucky droid and actually survive to the end of the trilogy. BB-8 will be his new buddy and then you can have all the ‘old guy – young guy’ jokes. #eyeroll
Chewie will die at some point in yet another blaze of glory. Expect a lot of them people, there are a lot of characters from the original trilogy with death in their future.
Rey and Kylo will have a tormented, hinted-at romance until, finally, at the end of episode 10, the two of them will ‘Force bond’ – self immolating – bringing the Dark Side and the Light Side into one single force – the Gray Force – thus bringing a balance to the Force and finally ‘resolving their relationship’.
This ‘bonding’ will also destroy Snoke. Yeah, I forgot about him till now . . . Snoke, you may be ugly but you’ll never be The EMPEROR.
I think that Snoke is definitely not as large as he appears and may be something far more vague than an actual ‘person’ – but more of an ‘entity’.
The Jedi will be denounced as a snobbish clique who are hogging the Force for themselves. The Jedi will be disbanded – or a new form of Grey “Mentors” (because, we can’t possibly have some kind of elite group in this new all-inclusive universe. “Master” is a bad word!) will be formed as the galaxy realizes that the Force is for EVERYONE – not just a select few; because ‘all roads lead to enlightenment’.
The evidence for this ‘new way’ is already among us…
EVERYBODY CAN USE THE FORCE, NOW? Yup. No training, no initiation, and NO WORK. Nobody has an advantage; everyone is a Master. Nobody is excluded.
At the end of this new trilogy…
Finn and Rose will become a couple and sadly but boldly go on in the brave new world.
Oh yeah . . . and Poe. The guy that was supposed to die in The Force Awakens and has been hanging around awkwardly since then.
Poe will take more of a leadership role in the Resistance, sort of “replacing” Leia.
Lastly – I repeat.
‘FinnRey’ will die.
The Force Awakens is a LOT like A New Hope (parodying one act and scene after another) so it makes sense that The Last Jedi will be a lot like The Empire Strikes Back. Using this evidence and reasoning, Rey and Finn will NOT end up together. At the end of A New Hope, it REALLY seemed like Luke and Leia would be a couple with Han just a hopeful hanger-on. Empire Strikes Back rolls in and no such luck! Surprise; Luke and Leia are brother and sister.
It would make sense thematically (since they seem to be parodying the original series so much) that Finn and Rey will remain platonic friends in the future of Star Wars. Plus, since they are doing more of a ‘strong woman’ push with Rey, it makes sense that she would remain single or only have a slight romance, not be in a long-term relationship.
Also, a Star Wars exec made the comment that they had no idea which direction Star Wars would go after The Force Awakens. Star Wars has a long history of the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing and making up story lines as they go; filling plot holes with plot twists. So apparently, the tradition lives on.
And that’s it, campers.
Note – I hate this.
I categorically hate my theory for the future of Star Wars – but I think this is what will happen.
(yes I know I’m mixing franchises with that James T. Kirk Gif but I’m going to do it anyway..)
I just wanted to put it in print and date it – so to speak – so I can look back later and see how close (or wrong) I was.
September 14, 2017
60th Post Giveaway – WINNERS ANNOUNCED
Sorry for the delay everybody – but here it is – the vlog announcing the giveaway winners!
That’s right, winners. At the last second I decided to give away TWO signed paperbacks of The Reluctant Godfather because – I HONESTLY WANTED EVERYBODY TO WIN and the best I could do was give everybody one more shot at it.
I was feeling a little under-the-weather last night so I seem a little spacey in the video. “coughs and hides”
But anyway – ONTO THE VIDEO.
CONGRATULATIONS TO KELLYN ROTH AND DEBORAH O’CARROLL!! ‘cheers and hugs’
If you are still interested in getting a copy of The Reluctant Godfather you can buy a copy at Amazon or Createspace.
And don’t go away anybody – November is the one year anniversary for my blog and I’m planning a big giveaway and lots of fun activities that I’m super excited about! ‘frolics’
And international readers – don’t forget to go to my Buddies Abroad Day post and claim your free small gift, a copy of my short story The Key To The Chains !
Lastly – thank you EVERYONE for following my blog and for entering the giveaway – Allison’s Well has been a blessing to me and so has each one of you.
That’s right, winners. At the last second I decided to give away TWO signed paperbacks of The Reluctant Godfather because – I HONESTLY WANTED EVERYBODY TO WIN and the best I could do was give everybody one more shot at it.
I was feeling a little under-the-weather last night so I seem a little spacey in the video. “coughs and hides”
But anyway – ONTO THE VIDEO.
CONGRATULATIONS TO KELLYN ROTH AND DEBORAH O’CARROLL!! ‘cheers and hugs’
If you are still interested in getting a copy of The Reluctant Godfather you can buy a copy at Amazon or Createspace.
And don’t go away anybody – November is the one year anniversary for my blog and I’m planning a big giveaway and lots of fun activities that I’m super excited about! ‘frolics’
And international readers – don’t forget to go to my Buddies Abroad Day post and claim your free small gift, a copy of my short story The Key To The Chains !
Lastly – thank you EVERYONE for following my blog and for entering the giveaway – Allison’s Well has been a blessing to me and so has each one of you.
September 8, 2017
A Bakers Dozen Of Tears – 13 Scenes In Movies That Made Me Cry
Some of you may already know that I am not a very sentimental viewer and that I’m not much of a crier. Oh sure, I’ve done the fake sobbing like: “Waaaah, I can’t believe they did that, that is so saaad!” but not actual, genuine, legit tears.
I know some people cry buckets over movies and when I see that or am told that, I’m always standing there looking like this:
I just can’t sob over movies (or books) – sobbing is something I save for special emergencies.
And just to clarify – when I say these scenes made me cry, I mean as in my eyes well up or a single tear run down my face (trust me this is a BIG deal) or maybe a couple of tears, tops. Believe me, this is BIG, people.
So without further ado – let’s stop laughing and bring on the tears.
As my twin pointed out on her sneak preview of this post, it’s most filial love and scenes that involve it that make me cry.
I know some people cry buckets over movies and when I see that or am told that, I’m always standing there looking like this:
I just can’t sob over movies (or books) – sobbing is something I save for special emergencies.
And just to clarify – when I say these scenes made me cry, I mean as in my eyes well up or a single tear run down my face (trust me this is a BIG deal) or maybe a couple of tears, tops. Believe me, this is BIG, people.
So without further ado – let’s stop laughing and bring on the tears.
As my twin pointed out on her sneak preview of this post, it’s most filial love and scenes that involve it that make me cry.
September 5, 2017
GIVEAWAY (60th Post Celebration)
Looking at my blog the other day I realized I had nearly written 60 posts. That’s a lot, I suppose and yet it doesn’t FEEL like a lot at all.
I currently have 54 wonderful subscribers so that’s almooost one subscriber per post! EXCITING!
Late November will be my blog’s one year anniversary and I would love to see how many subscribers I can befriend by that date and how far my blog can grow before then – that would be an epic early Christmas present.
So will you help me?
I have cookies!
Actually a book.
A signed paperback of my book, The Reluctant Godfather, to be exact.
And this time, the giveaway is open to participants WORLDWIDE, not just the United States. If you are living internationally (outside of the United States) now is your chance to win a signed paperback of The Reluctant Godfather !
So here’s how you win.
1. Follow my blog (2 points) and notify me you did so in the comments below.
2. Share this giveaway on social media, (Facebook, twitter, pinterest, instagram, goodreads) (1 point per platform) and notify me you did so in the comments below.
3. Recommend my book to a friend who have not already marked it as ‘to read’ (1 point).
4. If you have already read The Reluctant Godfather, leave a quick review on Goodreads (1 point) and/or Amazon (1 point).
5. Recommend my blog to a friend (1 point) and get 3 extra points if they sign up. Notify me of that in the comments as well or if you are signing up to my blog based on a friend’s recommendation, please give them credit!
Note: If you have already followed my blog that will count as a point and if you have already read The Reluctant Godfather and left reviews those will also count as points – just please confirm it in the comments.
I currently have 54 wonderful subscribers so that’s almooost one subscriber per post! EXCITING!
Late November will be my blog’s one year anniversary and I would love to see how many subscribers I can befriend by that date and how far my blog can grow before then – that would be an epic early Christmas present.
So will you help me?
I have cookies!
Actually a book.
A signed paperback of my book, The Reluctant Godfather, to be exact.
And this time, the giveaway is open to participants WORLDWIDE, not just the United States. If you are living internationally (outside of the United States) now is your chance to win a signed paperback of The Reluctant Godfather !
So here’s how you win.
1. Follow my blog (2 points) and notify me you did so in the comments below.
2. Share this giveaway on social media, (Facebook, twitter, pinterest, instagram, goodreads) (1 point per platform) and notify me you did so in the comments below.
3. Recommend my book to a friend who have not already marked it as ‘to read’ (1 point).
4. If you have already read The Reluctant Godfather, leave a quick review on Goodreads (1 point) and/or Amazon (1 point).
5. Recommend my blog to a friend (1 point) and get 3 extra points if they sign up. Notify me of that in the comments as well or if you are signing up to my blog based on a friend’s recommendation, please give them credit!
Note: If you have already followed my blog that will count as a point and if you have already read The Reluctant Godfather and left reviews those will also count as points – just please confirm it in the comments.
