Rebecca Bryan's Blog, page 5
December 17, 2012
Peace on Earth
This is one of my favorite Christmas songs. I thought I'd share it with you today.
Sending my kiddos off to school this morning was harder than I expected. I told them I loved them and watched them walk down the sidewalk towards the school a little longer. My heart ached for the families affected by the terrible shooting last Friday. So many thoughts raced through my mind. The internet is obliterated with opinions on what we should do to keep this from happening again. The depression I had felt after the elections was back in full force. A feeling of hopelessness swept over me. The words from a famous Christmas song echoed in my head as I drove home.
And in despair I bowed my head
There is no peace on earth I said
For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men
I don't want to argue gun control laws or tighter security at schools. Heaven knows the school in Connecticut was as good as you can get, but when evil is in force you cannot stop it. Maybe our teachers should be trained in combat and have a gun close by. But even then could you be certain that the perpetrator wouldn't gun down half the school by the time the trained teacher could reach them? You can't be certain that doing any of these things will keep crazy people from acting crazy.
When I got home I turned on the news, something I hadn't done all weekend as I didn't want my kids to hear it. I cried again as I heard the childrens' names read one by one. They were better than this world in many cases. It hits close to home.
I have a six year old. She is special. She is full of love and kindness. I love all of my children, but even they would agree that she has an angel's heart. She reminds me of so many of the children that lost their lives. She is amazing. I often ask her where she came from? And she responds that she came from Heaven. And then I smile and laugh and say, "You're right. You came straight from Heaven"
Those children and teachers who lost their lives lost them because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or were they? I'd like to believe that God knows them and knew what was about to happen and was there to welcome them home. That is why he took only the best. Yes, I want to hear about a miracle. I want to wake up and discover that it was just a bad dream.But the reality is, it happened, as will more evil in the future if we don't change our ways.
The scriptures say that in the last days "the hearts of men will turn cold." With all the deliberate shootings out there I can say that the idea of cold and unfeeling hearts is happening at a rampant pace and no amount of law reform is going to change that. There is only one who can soften the hearts of man. And that is the only thing I am sure of today. I know there is a God. I know His son Jesus Christ was there to take those children and teachers into His arms and welcome them home to that heaven in which He resides. I know that He has a plan for us, and If we will obey his commandments, and welcome him back into our lives, and into our schools, and into our states, and into our country, he will protect us in our time of need. But if we continue to shut Him out, deny His existence, refuse His name on our lips-- He will stay his hand. And our tardy cries will be in vein.
But the bells are ringing
Like a choir singing
Does anybody hear them?
Peace on earth, good will to men
In light of the tragedy, some wonder if they should take down their Christmas decorations. I say "NO!"
Do not let the adversary win! Do not let hopelessness rule our dark days.
Christ was not born in a mere stable and then crucified on a cross just so we could refuse His comfort and hope when we needed it the most. The reason for Christmas is to celebrate His coming. It causes us to sing loudly the hymns that through Him we can have peace again. That death is defeated and that we will be with our loved ones again.
I am then reminded of the rest of that beautiful Christmas song. I want to sing it loudly through my tears.
Then rang the bells more loud and deep
God is not dead, nor doth He sleep
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men
Life is short. Our children our precious. I am so grateful for the five I have been blessed with. I am thankful for every day, even the hard days. But most of all I am grateful for the knowledge I have that God lives. That Jesus is the Christ. That even in the very darkest days we can find peace, hope, and yes, even, eventually, joy again. May each of you my friends have the love of Christ in your hearts this Christmas Season, and if you feel hopeless, please, take this time to turn to that creator that loves you and knows you by name and wants to comfort you too.
Till, ringing singing, on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,
Of peace on earth, good will to men!
Merry Christmas
Becky
Sending my kiddos off to school this morning was harder than I expected. I told them I loved them and watched them walk down the sidewalk towards the school a little longer. My heart ached for the families affected by the terrible shooting last Friday. So many thoughts raced through my mind. The internet is obliterated with opinions on what we should do to keep this from happening again. The depression I had felt after the elections was back in full force. A feeling of hopelessness swept over me. The words from a famous Christmas song echoed in my head as I drove home.
And in despair I bowed my head
There is no peace on earth I said
For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men
I don't want to argue gun control laws or tighter security at schools. Heaven knows the school in Connecticut was as good as you can get, but when evil is in force you cannot stop it. Maybe our teachers should be trained in combat and have a gun close by. But even then could you be certain that the perpetrator wouldn't gun down half the school by the time the trained teacher could reach them? You can't be certain that doing any of these things will keep crazy people from acting crazy.
When I got home I turned on the news, something I hadn't done all weekend as I didn't want my kids to hear it. I cried again as I heard the childrens' names read one by one. They were better than this world in many cases. It hits close to home.
I have a six year old. She is special. She is full of love and kindness. I love all of my children, but even they would agree that she has an angel's heart. She reminds me of so many of the children that lost their lives. She is amazing. I often ask her where she came from? And she responds that she came from Heaven. And then I smile and laugh and say, "You're right. You came straight from Heaven"
Those children and teachers who lost their lives lost them because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or were they? I'd like to believe that God knows them and knew what was about to happen and was there to welcome them home. That is why he took only the best. Yes, I want to hear about a miracle. I want to wake up and discover that it was just a bad dream.But the reality is, it happened, as will more evil in the future if we don't change our ways.
The scriptures say that in the last days "the hearts of men will turn cold." With all the deliberate shootings out there I can say that the idea of cold and unfeeling hearts is happening at a rampant pace and no amount of law reform is going to change that. There is only one who can soften the hearts of man. And that is the only thing I am sure of today. I know there is a God. I know His son Jesus Christ was there to take those children and teachers into His arms and welcome them home to that heaven in which He resides. I know that He has a plan for us, and If we will obey his commandments, and welcome him back into our lives, and into our schools, and into our states, and into our country, he will protect us in our time of need. But if we continue to shut Him out, deny His existence, refuse His name on our lips-- He will stay his hand. And our tardy cries will be in vein.
But the bells are ringing
Like a choir singing
Does anybody hear them?
Peace on earth, good will to men
In light of the tragedy, some wonder if they should take down their Christmas decorations. I say "NO!"
Do not let the adversary win! Do not let hopelessness rule our dark days.
Christ was not born in a mere stable and then crucified on a cross just so we could refuse His comfort and hope when we needed it the most. The reason for Christmas is to celebrate His coming. It causes us to sing loudly the hymns that through Him we can have peace again. That death is defeated and that we will be with our loved ones again.I am then reminded of the rest of that beautiful Christmas song. I want to sing it loudly through my tears.
Then rang the bells more loud and deep
God is not dead, nor doth He sleep
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men
Life is short. Our children our precious. I am so grateful for the five I have been blessed with. I am thankful for every day, even the hard days. But most of all I am grateful for the knowledge I have that God lives. That Jesus is the Christ. That even in the very darkest days we can find peace, hope, and yes, even, eventually, joy again. May each of you my friends have the love of Christ in your hearts this Christmas Season, and if you feel hopeless, please, take this time to turn to that creator that loves you and knows you by name and wants to comfort you too.
Till, ringing singing, on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,
Of peace on earth, good will to men!
Merry Christmas
Becky
September 10, 2012
Help me with a book cover!
Okay, so it's been a while, but I've been busy. Life is busy. Sometimes too much so, but alas, that is our plight in this modern world. This is the exciting part. I am very close to publishing my second novel. I have done about ten major rewrites and feel like it is finally in a good place. But I have a problem. I can't decide on a name. In the beginning it was called, Bubble Land. If you read the story you will understand it. But most people who haven't read the story aren't going to get it. So I changed it to, Escaping Bubble Land. Still people don't get it. So then I went to A Broken Road. But there are lots of books with that same title. I want something a little more unique. So this is where I need your help. I need your opinion. Just a quick answer will do. What should the name be called? And what cover do you like the best? After reading a small blurb about the book, check out the photos and let me know what you think.
Twenty year old Cass gave up on life after the death of her little brother. Six years later she has made a mess of her life. A college drop-out facing her first DUI and six months of probation, she is forced to return home to live with her parents and get her life back in order. But Cass has secrets that keep her from believing change is even possible. When she meets James-- a former secret crush now working on her parents fledgling farm for the summer-- she is resigned to believe that with all the mistakes she has made her chance of winning James' affection is zero. But some things haven't changed: her love for James. Even when she discovers that he has a serious girlfriend, Cass can't help but fall in love with James' kind and nurturing ways as he works to bring the failing Wyoming farm back to life just as he encourages Cass to believe in herself again. But temptation lurks behind every corner and the possibility of her secret past coming to light forces Cass to choose if she has the will to change or if she will return to her life of alcohol abuse.
Here are a few cover possibilities: Lights will guide you home
Healing Hands, or Light to guide you home or Will to change or
Bubble Land, or Girl in a Bubble, Broken wings.
Twenty year old Cass gave up on life after the death of her little brother. Six years later she has made a mess of her life. A college drop-out facing her first DUI and six months of probation, she is forced to return home to live with her parents and get her life back in order. But Cass has secrets that keep her from believing change is even possible. When she meets James-- a former secret crush now working on her parents fledgling farm for the summer-- she is resigned to believe that with all the mistakes she has made her chance of winning James' affection is zero. But some things haven't changed: her love for James. Even when she discovers that he has a serious girlfriend, Cass can't help but fall in love with James' kind and nurturing ways as he works to bring the failing Wyoming farm back to life just as he encourages Cass to believe in herself again. But temptation lurks behind every corner and the possibility of her secret past coming to light forces Cass to choose if she has the will to change or if she will return to her life of alcohol abuse.
Here are a few cover possibilities: Lights will guide you home
Healing Hands, or Light to guide you home or Will to change or
Bubble Land, or Girl in a Bubble, Broken wings.
July 29, 2012
Another great blog review. Thanks Angieleigh! http:/...
Another great blog review. Thanks Angieleigh! http://www.angelicdefiance.com/
A review of The Sand Bar. I have to agree on the idea of ...
A review of The Sand Bar. I have to agree on the idea of making it a movie. What a dream. Anybody want to take up the challenge of a screenplay?http://memoriesovertakingme.blogspot.com/2012/07/the-sand-bar-by-rebecca-bryan.html
July 13, 2012
I made the list! That is pretty exciting. Now go read the...
I made the list! That is pretty exciting. Now go read the book! http://selfpublishingnews.com/2012/07/10/readers-favorite-award-winners-in-self-publishing/
July 6, 2012
Yesterday I did kind of a cool thing. I recorded my...
Yesterday I did kind of a cool thing. I recorded my first podcast! I'm not sure how it all happened, but here's the short version. A guy named Jack sent me a message on facebook asking if I'd be interested in doing a radio interview on his am book club program. He gave me the web address and I checked out his previous recorded interviews with other new authors and found him to be a very good interviewer, not to mention a delightful human being. It's nice to know that there are great people out there, even in Florida!
So I agreed to the interview. I was a little nervous that I wouldn't know how to answer his questions or worse that I would ramble on, but Jack, or John (as he goes by on the show) was the consummate professional. He praised my book, asked the right questions and moved the interview along quite nicely. He was amazing actually. Me? Well, I just wish I had a lower voice than I do. Maybe I should take up smoking...J/K. The podcast is called Book Club with John Austen and can be heard on Tuesday and Thursday morning on tan talk radio network in Tampa, Florida and also Little Rock, Arkansas.
To quote John, "I can't guarantee that you'll sell a million books, but I can guarantee you will be heard all over the world."
How can you turn that kind of offer down? So here it is, my debut podcast.
www.internetradiopros.com/bookclub/
So I agreed to the interview. I was a little nervous that I wouldn't know how to answer his questions or worse that I would ramble on, but Jack, or John (as he goes by on the show) was the consummate professional. He praised my book, asked the right questions and moved the interview along quite nicely. He was amazing actually. Me? Well, I just wish I had a lower voice than I do. Maybe I should take up smoking...J/K. The podcast is called Book Club with John Austen and can be heard on Tuesday and Thursday morning on tan talk radio network in Tampa, Florida and also Little Rock, Arkansas.
To quote John, "I can't guarantee that you'll sell a million books, but I can guarantee you will be heard all over the world."
How can you turn that kind of offer down? So here it is, my debut podcast.
www.internetradiopros.com/bookclub/
June 14, 2012
Since publishing The Sand Bar in April I have been very b...
Since publishing The Sand Bar in April I have been very busy trying to keep the small tugboat a float and haven't had much time to keep this blog updated.The life of being a published author has been a better experience than I expected. People are kinder, more supportive than I imagined. It's been such an honor to meet so many of you and hear how you loved the book and shared it with your friends or kids. I've even had some men read and actually like it. The thing is, I know that they read it because they wanted to support me. I feel so blessed. I wouldn't have expected it. I want to let you know how much I appreciate it. Taking risks, stepping outside our comfort zones, putting stories on paper, or stories on film, or painting pictures or a number of other things that open ourselves up to criticism is scary but necessary if we want to live out our dreams or take a chance or grow and develop and create. I love to create! I love telling stories. Thank you for jumping out of your comfort zones and giving a new author a chance! And tell your friends about The Sand Bar. And if you liked it, click like on Barnes and Noble or Amazon. Every like counts!
Thanks again. Now I'm off to run in the Ragnar relay with some good friends. Have a great weekend!
Thanks again. Now I'm off to run in the Ragnar relay with some good friends. Have a great weekend!
May 28, 2012
An interview and a review. http://jerseygirlbookreviews.b...
An interview and a review. http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...
May 26, 2012
Passion For Pages: Review for The Sand Bar
Passion For Pages: Review for The Sand Bar: Title: The Sand Bar Author: Rebecca Bryan Publication Date: March 25, 2012 Source: Author Summary (from Goodreads): With nothing to...
May 24, 2012
Former St. Anthony woman writes novel, ‘The Sandbar’ - Standard Journal: Features
Former St. Anthony woman writes novel, ‘The Sandbar’ - Standard Journal: Features: ST. ANTHONY — A woman who grew up in St. Anthony has written a novel with a title that city residents will recognize as quite familiar.
