Amanda Stephan's Blog: God is Good, God is Great, page 59

Pride & Prejudice Poll

Yes. I'm sure you can tell I'm in a poll mood lately. Ah well! How else am I supposed to know what you think?! ;)



Pride & Prejudice.



That title alone evokes many a different emotion in many people. For myself, it brings back thoughts of beautiful, timeless prose by Jane Austen that has weathered almost 200 years of readers. After a few moments, the movies made from this book comes to mind. I think I've seen all of them. *sigh*



For my husband, when he hears the title, he runs to our room and gets ready for work. Perhaps I've forced him to suffer through another showing too many times?!



Our children have come up with a silly yet funny little ditty when they hear the title. And they groan. Behind my back. For some reason, children think that if the parent isn't looking at them directly, the said parent's ears aren't working. Huh. Go figure. But, seeing as how these kids are only allowed to watch one movie per day (it's either one movie or play the video game. Not both. Hey! What can I say?! I think it's important they not rot their brains out too early!) ;) they will sit and watch it with me. Yep. I have it goin' on!



What about you? Do you have a favorite P&P movie?






Poll




Which film version of Pride and Prejudice do you prefer?


Greer Garson & Lawrence Olivier

Elizabeth Garvie & David Rintoul

Jennifer Ehle & Colin Firth

Kiera Knightley & Matthew McFadyen









Lonely Hearts ~ a sweet Christian Romance
The Price of Trust ~ Christian Romantic Suspense
http://www.booksbyamanda.com

He Reproached...She Captiulated...We Quit Reading

Limiting the variety of dialogue tags, a "rule of thumb" in the literary world, was very difficult for me to accept. As a second grade writing teacher I often encouraged my students to think of words to describe their characters' dialogue other than 'said'.



Yet during the production of my first novel, my editor suggested my use of more flowery dialogue tags was unnecessary. I remained unconvinced, but took her advice half-way...meaning I deleted or changed some of my tags. Even after reading some well written posts on the subject I couldn't bring myself to agree with what was essentially the opposite of what I had been teaching my students.



However, I began to pay attention to tags used in other books...those by prolific, best-selling authors. As you might have guessed, there was little variation from the word 'said'. And when the speaker was obvious, there might not be a dialogue tag at all.



So I have tried to scale down my use of 'commented' and 'reproached' and 'moaned' (etc).







In addition to that is the overuse of adverbs hooked to tags such as 'she said joyfully'. This is a particular weakness of mine. I am learning, however, that if I take more care in what my characters are actually saying, I don't have to tell my readers how it was said. I can assume they are smart enough to know.



Take for example, "I'm so excited!" Sara shouted gleefully or "Thank you so much," she whispered thankfully. The adverbs are completely redundant. We can infer quite easily the speaker's emotion from the words.



For more on this suggestion check out the following articles:

http://www.writing-world.com/fiction/said.shtml

http://www.fiction-writers-mentor.com/dialogue-tags.html



Happy writing,










Lonely Hearts ~ a sweet Christian Romance
The Price of Trust ~ Christian Romantic Suspense
http://www.booksbyamanda.com

Days Like This!

My momma should have told me there'd be days like this! I should have known it would be "one of those days" when I unfolded the terribly folded towels and redid them to my liking. I like my towels folded "just" so. A long time ago I resigned myself to accept badly folded towels because if I was going to accept help in keeping the house or doing laundry, I was going to have let go of my perfectionist ways.





Today, when I put the towels away, I regressed. I'm sorry to say, the towels were terrible. Some were folded in large uneven squares. Some were long thin rectangles. How could there be any order in the linen closet? I had to redo some of them. They wouldn't stack. What is a woman to do?



(so...this isn't my closet...but I like it!)





I only refolded the long thin rectangle ones, so, I only partially backslid. It took all of my resolve to leave the rest, but I did. I over came the need for perfect rows of color-coded towels neatly lined up in rows. It was tough, but I managed!



Eventually, I came to realize towels are not going to change the world. Badly folded, neatly folded, tri-folded, it really makes no difference. As long as they are clean, they are acceptable. Isn't that what God looks for in us? When we stand before Him, it won't matter what side of the tracks we were from, how rich we were or what color our skin is.







Hebrews 10:22 says Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.



God wants us clean. He wants us to draw near to Him and allow Him to wash our minds and our bodies clean from the grime and yuck of the day. He wants us to stand pure and fresh before Him. Totally cleaned by the blood that Jesus shed for us on Calvary. He wants us all; neat, messy, tall, short, fat, thin, you get the idea. It matters not how we are "folded", only that we are clean.





Thanks for taking the time to grow with me today! Darlene :)Lonely Hearts ~ a sweet Christian Romance
The Price of Trust ~ Christian Romantic Suspense
http://www.booksbyamanda.com

New Friends

"As I went back across the street, I thought, "Maybe that grin is the start of a friendship." I had the feeling that something significant might have happened in my life-quiet but important."




A few weeks ago, a question was asked on Facebook; 




"If a stranger smiled at you, would you return the smile?" 




and I had to stop and think. My honest answer is, yes. Yes I would and I do. But more often, I'm the one instigating the action in the first place. The interesting thing to me is, the stranger's reaction.

They look startled, at first.

Then they do a double-take. Perhaps to make sure I meant it. 

When our eyes lock and my smile hasn't slipped, 

they return it. (Most of the time.)




But my favorite part is watching their eyes. 

(I'm one of those people that look straight in other's eyes.

It's just something that I've always done. I have nothing to hide, right?)

Their eyes light up and suddenly, you can just tell...




you made someone's day better.




Just by a smile.

And it was worth it. Every teeny, tiny miniscule fraction of a second.




"Our encounter didn't square with my previous notions of Norman. He was someone other than the person I had taken him to be, although who he really was remained a mystery." ~~from the book, A Man Called Norman: The Unforgettable Story of an Uncommon Friendship







Sometimes that's how the best of friends start

a smile...





















I'm going to finish reading A Man Called Norman 

and make it a practice and habit to smile

more often!

Hopefully it'll make someone else's day better ~ including mine!





Lonely Hearts ~ a sweet Christian Romance
The Price of Trust ~ Christian Romantic Suspense
http://www.booksbyamanda.com

And Let There Be Light!

I met Christian Children's Author Jennifer Mauter in 2010 via
Facebook, and through this meeting I had the opportunity to read and review
her book Illumination Station-The Big Adventure .
I have seen many creative characters through the years, talking
vegetables, animals, robots, and insects; but I must admit that this was
the first time that I had ever seen anyone use light bulbs as
characters.



Jennifer's characters are not only
creative, they are also fashioned in such a way that children will be
able to relate to them. The storyline shows children that good or bad,
there are consequences for all actions. I enjoyed this story so much
that I bought a copy for my niece who seemed to enjoy
it as well.



Jennifer has been kind enough to share some of her thoughts on being an author, and it is my sincere wish that you will all enjoy getting to know her as I have.







1. Tell us a little bit about yourself: Where you are from, Your book, etc…



I
am a mom and grandma from Gibsonburg, Ohio. I taught Sunday school for
many years and wanted to find a way of one, getting children to class,
and two, holding their interest once they got there. I wrote a Christian
Children's Book "Illumination Station-The Big Adventure." The idea
came to me after praying for an idea that would teach children about
God's Word in a unique, fun way.



God gave me the idea
of using special light bulbs that only illuminate through God's Word.I
then developed the town of Illumination Station and its two streets;
Commandment Drive and Temptation Highway. I researched light bulb terms
and named my characters after them. Whenever a towns person is led
into temptation, their light goes out and everyone knows why. The only
way to earn their 'illumination" is through community service. It
teaches children that there are consequences to their actions.



2. Are there any authors that greatly influenced your writing style and what were some of your favorite books as a child?



I can't say that any authors influenced me, but my favorite author was Dr. Seuss and of course, Nancy Drew.



3. How long did it take you to get your first book published? Were there ever moments when you became discouraged?



I was very fortunate that the first publisher, Tate Publishing Co., Inc. awarded me a contract.

The discouragement is from marketing. It's been very difficult, if not nearly impossible to "get the word out."



4. What made you decide to write for Children/YA age groups? Are you currently working on anything else?



As
I mentioned above, I was a Sunday school teacher for many years and
found a great need in getting children interested in God's Word. I
wanted to make it fun to learn about God.



5. What do you find the most difficult part of being an author?



Marketing
is without a doubt the most difficult part of being an author. I don't
sell myself well, and therefore struggle to market my book. I feel that
it takes a strong, confident person to market a book, because you have
to sell yourself as well. I'm really not that person, but I'm going to
keep trying.



6. What are some of your hobbies, other than writing?

I love scrap-booking, sewing and doing creative art projects. Interior decorating is another favorite hobby of mine.



7. What words of encouragement would you give to children who might not be great readers?



I
tell children that the whole world opens up to them through reading.
There is no limit to where they may travel or what they can do. We are
so blessed to have the ability to read and explore everything through
literature.



8. Do you hold any other jobs outside of your writing? If so, do you find that this helps your writing or gets in the way?



I
am disabled due to a neurological disorder that causes chronic nerve
pain from my neck down my spine and into my arms and legs. I don't
however let the bad days discourage me. I'm so grateful to wake up
every day. I choose to overcome the pain, not let it overcome me.



9. If you could meet one author, living or dead, who would it be? Why?



I
would love to meet Joel Osteen or Oprah Winfrey. Joel's soft-spoken,
spiritually uplifting words fill me with encouragement, and forgiveness.
Oprah's life class is a life-saver. After experiencing a very difficult
situation, I am now able to put my focus where it belongs, not where
it's been.



10. Do you have any other information you would like to share, such as a website, author page, awards won, etc.?



My blog is called Illumination Station. (Now I have to remember to update it!)



 So ends another episode of Kids Korner with me, Children's Author Aileen Stewart. Join me next week for another exciting episode same krazy time, same krazy channel. And feel free to drop by my personal blog Aileen's Thoughts any day of the week for even more on reading, writing, and life in general.


Lonely Hearts ~ a sweet Christian Romance
The Price of Trust ~ Christian Romantic Suspense
http://www.booksbyamanda.com

Sundays with Kristi - Fruit of the Spirit: Joy

By Kristi Burchfiel

I've been thinking a lot about joy this week. I'm sure that a lot of it had to do with the fact that I knew I'd be writing this post, but I had a bit of an unusual week. For those of you just joining us on Sundays, we're going through the Fruit of the Spirit. You can check out the previous posts by clicking on the "Sunday" tab above.

Let's head back to my personally joy-challenged week. One of my kids managed to land herself in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit of our local hospital. Praise God, nothing too major and she's doing just fine now, but spending one night there listening to beeping machines and crying children certainly afforded me some additional time to think. I must admit, it was not the typical place that comes to mind when I picture "joy." Yet, we can learn a lot about what it means to produce this aspect of the Fruit of the Spirit from situations like these. We're going to look at three truths about joy from three people in the Bible.

Joy is a Choice
James 1:2 "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter carious trials."

Joy is a choice. Joy is not just some feeling that we get when we see a beautiful sunrise, or a sleeping baby. It's not a relaxing sensation we experience from spending an hour getting a massage or a mani-pedi. Joy is a state of mind. Joy begins in the mind when we make a conscious choice to "consider" everything joy. Trust me, everything is not going to feel joyful in our lives. James, the brother of Jesus, experienced persecution and trials, yet he chose to consider it all joy. Not some of it. Not most of it, but all of it. No matter what your circumstances are, do you take time to consciously choose to be joyful.

Joy is Only Found in the Lord
Philippians 4:4 "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say rejoice!"

We will rarely find joy in our circumstances. Much more often will be the oppressing weight of decision-making, pain, hardship, regret, and despair. While we will occasionally experience a situation that makes up feel happy, calm, and good, rarely does that feeling last for an extended period of time. What's important to remember is that our joy is found in the Lord. Even when our circumstances change, our Lord does not change. Because o that, even in the darkest times and most depressing circumstances, we can choose to have joy because our joy is in the Lord, not in our surroundings. Paul wrote this passage while in prison. Even as he was sitting in prison, he was able to share that he had joy because his joy was in the Lord.

Joy is a Gift From God
Psalm 51:12 "Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit."

There can be times when we do not experience the joy that we are meant to. Wrong doings and wrong attitudes can create a barrier between us and joy. The Holy Spirit often uses this unsettled feeling to prompt us that we have an area, or areas, that we need to confess and repent. Even when we don't feel joy, joy is still a gift to us. David, in this psalm of repentance, is coming to God to confess that he had broken His commitment to God and done things he knew were wrong. What does David ask for? He asks that God would restore the joy of his salvation. Joy is a gift that comes from God. God wants us to have, experience, and hold on to joy. Even when we don't feel joy, we can choose to pray and ask God to help restore our joy in Him.

What did I learn as I sat in the Pediatric ICU this week? Joy is a choice and I can choose to have joy. Why? Because my joy is in the Lord God Himself, not in my circumstances or situations. Finally, God has given me His gift of salvation and with it, the joy that only He can provide. Even when I can't feel joy, all I have to do is talk with God about it and He is able to restore His joy to me. I am extremely thankful that my daughter's stay in the hospital was short and not serious, but I know that even if it had been more severe, I have joy in the Lord and I will choose to accept it and rejoice regardless of my circumstances.

Father, whether I feel it or not, I choose Your joy. I know that You are God and I will hold on to You through the hard times and the difficulties of life. I will rejoice in You because I know who You are and I trust You. I accept Your gift of joy and I will hold to You through all things. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

RESPONSE:
Are you having trouble finding your joy during a difficult time? What choices are standing in the way of choosing joy? Take time to share each one with God and ask Him to take them and exchange them for His joy.Lonely Hearts ~ a sweet Christian Romance
The Price of Trust ~ Christian Romantic Suspense
http://www.booksbyamanda.com

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

"Redeeming Love" by Francine Rivers, a more modern telling of the book of Hosea, tells the story of a woman who was born to a single mother as a result of her affair with a married man. At seven years of age Sarah had already learned just how harsh and cruel this world can be. Her father did not want her and her mother, fighting poverty, resorted to prostitution to make ends meet. When Sarah is eight years old, her mother dies, leaving Sarah in the care of her "Uncle Rab" who sells her into prostitution.

Fast forward to age 18. Angel, Sarah's new name, is living in Pair-A-Dice, California. She has experienced several failed attempts to escape prostitution but has now landed herself in the employ of the Duchess and her bodyguard/enforcer, Magowan. Having been in this profession for 10 years, Angel has become hardened and exhausted. She wishes that she could just end her life, but lacks the courage to do so.



Enter Michael Hosea. One day, during one of Angel's daily walks, Michael Hosea is selling his produce to the local store and happens to catch a glimpse of this beautiful woman. Immediately he hears in his heart, "This one, beloved." Knowing that the Lord has spoken, Michael begins asking the merchant questions only to find out that Angel is a prostitute. Surely he has misunderstood the Lord. After a lot of soul searching, Michael Hosea knows that he has heard the Lord and that Angel is to be his bride. Using all the gold he has earned selling his produce, Michael spends several nights trying to talk to Angel and woo her to no avail. Finally frustrated and angry that nothing is working, Michael heads home. For days the Lord will not leave him alone about Angel and Michael fears that something is terribly wrong. Once back in town to sell more produce, Michael finds out that Angel has been beaten almost to death. That night he convinces Angel to marry him and takes her home to nurse her back to health.




During her recovery and for months after, Angel does all she can to push Michael away. He's getting to close and if she lets him in she'll fall apart completely. Michael continues to try to plow through her defenses. Though by no means perfect, Michael desperately wants her to see how much he loves her and wants her to be whole and free. Each time Angel runs away, he brings her back. Each time she pushes, he tries desperately to show her love instead of anger. Overall he's tender and patient and accepting and begins to slowly work to climb the walls in Angel's heart. But just when Angel's heart begins to soften, she begins to feel unworthiness and fear and she continues to run. When she is finally able to let go and heal, it is because she finally feels the love of the One who will never let her go no matter what she does. Then, and only then, does she finally accept the love of her husband and is able to let him in completely; once again becoming Sarah, wife to Michael Hosea.




I have to say that the first time I read this story; I was completely overwhelmed by the images of how much God truly loves us in the words and ways of Michael Hosea towards Angel. In preparation for this review, I read the book again. I can still identify with Angel so much. No, not in how her life has played out or what she chose to do to try to survive, but in her feelings and emotions and thought processes. I too have felt, and still sometimes do, that I am unworthy and afraid; that I am not doing anyone any good. I have felt the desire to be loved by someone as deeply and fully as Michael loves Angel. I have also felt that desire with God and, though I know from Scripture that He does love me this way, it is hard to reconcile that to life when you've never felt that on earth. But all through this book, I saw nothing but God…His love for us, His grace, His mercy…Nothing but God!




There are some sentences in this book that immediately stand out to me. I hope these touch your heart as much as they have and continue to touch mine.




"Michael caught hold of her. "I'm right here." He felt her shaking and drew her into his arms. "I'm not going to leave you in darkness." He tipped her face up and kissed her gently. "When are you going to understand I love you.?""




This line reminded me so much of what God says to us sometimes…"When are you going to understand I love you?" He sits patiently and wonders when we will finally get it. When we will finally see that He loves us, no matter what we do or what we say, He loves us.




"Look, mister, if you knew even half of what I've done, you'd have me headed back to Pair-A-Dice so fast-"




"Try me. Go ahead and see if it makes a difference."




Do you hear God in that? Go ahead, tell me all your dark, dirty secrets and see if I care. See if it makes me feel any less about you. See if I love you any less or want to cast you out. Go ahead try me. The answer of course is that it won't make one bit of a difference, but wow, what a picture.




This book has become one of my all time favorite reads. If you haven't read Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers, you are missing out on a great picture of who God is.




[image error]



Lonely Hearts ~ a sweet Christian Romance
The Price of Trust ~ Christian Romantic Suspense
http://www.booksbyamanda.com

The Untold Story of the Prodigal Mother

In last week's Dear Dee Dee column, I wrote about parenting prodigal children.  In "What's Really Going On Here?" I talked about the spiritual warfare going on in our families and the lengths to which Satan will go to see that our children do not grow up to be the next generation of believers.



Since there were no reader questions this week, I am taking the liberty of following up that column with "The Untold Story of the Prodigal Mother," a stvory that evolved from my quiet time one morning as I poured out my heart to God about my own prodigal.  In Scripture we read about the prodigal son, his father, and his disgruntled brother.  But nowhere is the mother mentioned, until now....her story is our story.







The Untold Story of the Prodigal's Motherby Dee Dee Wike



                                                                                                           Hopeless.  In a word, that is exactly how she must have felt as her son disappeared over the horizon with not so much as a backward glance over his shoulder.  How had their relationship managed to deteriorate so badly?  It seemed only days ago that they had sat beside one another in the breeze of a warm summer evening, watching the sun set over the pasture below as the sheep bleated to one another after a long day of lazy grazing.



            She remembered the day he was born.  After months of waiting and dreaming of the great things her son would accomplish, he arrived just before the bitter chill of winter set in.  The harvest had been plentiful that year and there was much to celebrate.  Now just days after his birth, the family had gathered around a table laden with the earth's richest fares, rejoicing not only in God's bountiful blessings but also in the new life asleep in his mother's arms. 



            The first few months were joyful ones for her as she nursed her little one and cradled him often.  What special moments they had together!  Always dreaming of the special plans God had for him, she prayed for the child, as he lay nestled at her breast, hopeful that Jehovah would capture the heart of her little boy and grow him into a great man of God.  Remembering the stories of Moses, Abraham, Joseph, and David, her imagination ran wild with thoughts of all the ways God might use him to reveal the truth regarding His own Son, the Messiah.  Surely God's hand would be with her son all the days of his life, as he followed in the footsteps of his parents and older brother by living a life of dedicated service to their God.



            Her son, like so many other young boys his age, was taught the stories of the patriarchs, the apostles, and the prophets who had foretold the coming of the Messiah.  He knew of the miracles Jesus had performed.  But there were those in the temple who preached a different message, who used their position and influence to deceive many who believed.  Before long, questions began to swirl around in his mind, confusing him and weakening his faith.  What if all those stories about God were not true? 



            When her son began voicing some of those questions and spending his time with those known to hold different beliefs from theirs, she became alarmed.  She prayed.  She spoke the truth.  She could tell her son was slipping away from them, changing somehow, but there was little she could do to stop what was happening.   Her own frustrations and fears tormented her.   Their relationship, once so close and endearing, became one of strain and conflict.  Although the truths of what he had been taught had not changed, his beliefs had, and she was losing the battle.



            As her son challenged the boundaries of God's commands and his parents' convictions, feelings of love between the son and his parents gave way to anger and resentment toward them.   Frustrated by her own inability to get through to him, the mother became despondent and depressed, feeling as though somehow she had failed him and the God who had entrusted her with this young man's life.  It was more than she could bear. 



            As his rebellious attitude and restlessness escalated, she knew it was inevitable that one day her son would leave.  How she had prayed that God would somehow soften his heart and rekindle it with passion for God and His truth!  But that day never came.  Having enough of religious traditions and the restrictions he felt they imposed on his individuality, he asked for his inheritance, packed up his belongings, and set out in search of freedom—freedom from religious mores, outlandish beliefs, and a holiness that was impossible for any man to attain.  Surely the pastures of a foreign land would be greener than the ones he had called home.



            The day he left was a day of great pain, yet relief of sorts for his mother, who had been subjected to his tirades and the unending questions by those who surely blamed her for the disgraceful direction his life had taken.  Because the father was away herding sheep much of the time, he could not appreciate the depth of frustration and pain the mother had suffered as she watched her son pull away from them, day by day.  Although the son's decision to leave came as no surprise to her, the father was left stunned by his son's insistence that he be given his share of the inheritance.  It was clear that he had no intention of returning home—ever. 



            The older son, seething with resentment, had watched as his younger brother heaped insults and disrespect on his parents for months.  He had been there to comfort his mother one time too many.  For him, this day had not come too quickly.  He was glad to see his brother go, although he couldn't stand the fact that his father had given that undeserving wretch one cent of their inheritance!



            In the days that followed, life slowly returned to normal for the father and older brother, but the mother's broken heart seemed to hemorrhage within, draining her of all her energy and the desire to do anything.  She fell into a deep depression, always wondering where her son was, how he was getting along, and fearing the worst.  Her prayers, like her tears, flowed unceasingly.



            The father, who had always gotten along well with him, couldn't understand how the younger son had become so selfish and discontent.  Yet, he was of age to be on his own.  What choice had either parent except to let him go find himself in a distant land?



            The younger son left the comfort, safety, and love of his family in search of happiness and independence.  While he was away, he squandered his fortune in wild living, even spending part of his inheritance on prostitutes in an effort to satisfy his deep desire for love and fulfillment.  Without the watchful eye and concern of his loving parents keeping tabs on him, he could do as he pleased, and he did.  One day, though, when the money had run out and the only thing filling his stomach was hunger pain, he realized that he had acted foolishly.  Homeless and desperate enough to eat the pods the pigs were being fed, he began to long for the comforts of home.   Even his father's servants lived better than he.  They were clothed, fed, and sheltered by a loving master who appreciated and rewarded their good service to him.  How could the son have been so foolish as to think he could make it without the love and support of his family? 



            As he lay out under the stars feeling smaller than the blades of grass beneath him, he looked toward heaven and began praying to the One who had watched over him through all his months of wandering.  Deep in his heart he knew he had sinned.  All the wine, women, and worldly goods that had consumed his inheritance failed to fill that empty place inside.  His physical hunger was only symptomatic of a deeper spiritual hunger that had somehow been suppressed all these months.  In the silence of that starry night, far from home, the son began confessing sin after sin.  As the weight of his sins slipped from his shoulders, his heart became tender toward his heavenly Father and toward the earthly family he had left behind so many months before.  He knew what he had to do. 



            As the sun dawned fresh upon a glistening meadow, he rose and turned toward home.  Not knowing how he might be received, he resolved to go humbly to his father, ask his forgiveness, and settle for being received and treated as one of the hired servants.   After several days' travel, the son anxiously topped the hill overlooking his father's sheep pasture just as the sun was beginning to set.  His father, looking longingly toward the setting sun, saw a familiar silhouette on the horizon.  Could it possibly be? 



            Inside their home the mother poured a pitcher of water drawn from a nearby well.  As water splashed from the pail onto the table, the drops mixed with her tears.  Would she ever see her son again?  With each passing day her hope dimmed like the stars at sunrise.  Yet she could never completely abandon the hope of seeing her son once more.  As she stood there with her eyes closed, relishing memories of a sweet little boy's laughter, she was aroused by the sound of music and laughter from outside the house.  Curious, she went to the window and looked out, hardly believing what her eyes beheld.



            Silhouetted in the glow of the sunset, with servants all around, stood the father and the prodigal in the clutches of a warm embrace.  Suddenly the servants scurried in different directions, carrying out the father's orders to kill the fattened calf, prepare a feast, and bring the ring and robe to make the son's homecoming official. 



            As the older brother stood glaring in the shadows, the mother knew that the conflict was far from over.  The younger son had returned home seeking forgiveness, which she knew the older son would be reluctant to extend.   Her prayers of thankfulness for the safe return of the lost son quickly turned to prayers for reconciliation and healing as she realized she now faced a perhaps more difficult challenge, restoring peace between these two rivals.  For now, though, she would simply rejoice in the return of her son and her hope.Lonely Hearts ~ a sweet Christian Romance
The Price of Trust ~ Christian Romantic Suspense
http://www.booksbyamanda.com

What's in a Name?

Author and writing consultant, Rick Shelton, made a statement at a recent workshop that has stuck with me. Although he was giving a Writing Workshop on how we as educators could better instruct children in the art of writing, his truths hit home with me as an author.
"A character should only have a name if he or she does something important in the story."
Hmm. After I thought about it, the statement was so obvious I had the urge to slap my hand against my forehead. After all, if the character is so minor he contributes little or nothing to the plot, why do we care about his name?
As readers of fiction, we want to connect with the characters in the story. One of the first ways anyone connects is by knowing another's name. Yet if I give a name to everyone in the story, it devalues the main characters, as well as disconnects the reader. Once a character is named, we automatically begin to picture that character in our mind. We try to form an opinion of that character. Are we going to like this person or not? How is he important to the plot? What is he going to do?
But if we name insignificant characters it becomes confusing to the reader. The reader asks herself, "Wait a minute. What happened to ---?"
Take for example the paraphrased beginning of a recent young author's short story:
Me and my friends, Mallory Grace and Susan and Emily and Emma Claire all went to the mall. Mallory Grace and I decided to get an ice cream. I got chocolate chip and Mallory Grace ordered a plain vanilla. While we were sitting in the food court enjoying our frozen treats we saw some cute boys.
Well, okay. Are you asking yourself where did Susan and Emily and Emma Claire go? Our writing consultant, Mr. Shelton, would advise that if they no longer appear in the story, then we don't need to know their names.
The young author could just as easily have begun with something like, I went to the mall with Mallory Grace and some friends.
Now, although the examples are elementary, the point is still valid. So consider, please, if it is truly important to give a name to the post man, the bus driver, and the sister's pet poodle. Unless they have more than a half-page part in the story, it's not impolite to allow them to remain nameless. If you found this hint helpful, you may want to read more from Rick Shelton at http://www.rickshelton.us/
Happy writing,


Lonely Hearts ~ a sweet Christian Romance
The Price of Trust ~ Christian Romantic Suspense
http://www.booksbyamanda.com

Cleaning House

On Friday of this past week, I subjected my physical body to a good cleansing. I don't mean my daily shower or my personal grooming habits. I am talking about the inside, the parts I can't see, those that work behind the scenes. The parts that keep our body operating; the liver, the kidneys, yeah…those parts that you can't reach with a loofah, need a good cleansing every once in a while too.





There are times that getting positive results come from doing something that isn't particularly pleasant. For instance, many people do not like exercising, yet, exercising is very good for us. In my experience above, I had to drink a very nasty concoction that left a bad taste in my mouth for the better part of 24 hours. It wasn't a fun experience, but it was very good for me. I feel better. I feel healthier. It was worth the unpleasantness. Because of it, I want to eat better and treat myself with more respect.



If our physical bodies need cleansing, how much more do our spiritual bodies need soaping? My thoughts are not always Godly. My actions do not always portray the will of God for my life. My tongue does not always speak life. My heart does not always love. My actions often times give me away. I am a sinner, yet, I am saved by grace. I thank God daily that He loves me enough to show me the error of my ways.





Our children can attest to the fact that discipline doesn't feel good. If we remember back to our childhoods, we know from personal experience that discipline hurts. Yet, we know that it is necessary. Without discipline, our children will not learn right from wrong. If we fail to do our job as parents, the ones that God has entrusted to us will have a harder time becoming the men and women God has called them to be.





Hebrews 12:6 states: "For the LORD disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child." It doesn't feel good getting disciplined by God, does it? I know. I have been the recipient of a holy "spanking" more than once. God desires for me to "clean" house. With His help I will think Godly thoughts. I will listen to His bidding and act accordingly. I will choose to speak life. I will choose to love. I will choose to live a holy life, submitted and obedient to the Holy Spirit. I know there will be times that things get messy. I also know that God will be with me, enabling me to clean up the cobwebs and dust, making my home fit for a King.





Thanks for taking the time to grow with me today!



Blessings!

DarleneLonely Hearts ~ a sweet Christian Romance
The Price of Trust ~ Christian Romantic Suspense
http://www.booksbyamanda.com