Vicki V. Lucas's Blog, page 4
November 2, 2016
Torment a Grammar Nerd #1: Aw vs. Awe
Isn’t English amazing that one small letter – e – can completely irritate a person? Let me show you.
Picture this scenario. You’re scanning the newsfeed on Facebook, reading what your friends have posted about their life and current news articles.
continue reading: Torment a Grammar Nerd #1: Aw vs. Aweat Vicki V. Lucas
How to Torment a Grammar Nerd
We all have that one special person in our lives. The grammar nerd. The one who comments on Facebook, ignoring what you said to tell you how you said it wrong. They say “well” instead of “good” when you ask how their day is. Worse yet, they interrupt you when you’re telling a story to fix what you are saying.
Don’t you ever just get tired of the grammar nerds endless quest to fix bad grammar? continue reading: How to Torment a Grammar Nerd
at Vicki V. Lucas
March 17, 2015
6 Great Quotes from The Princess and Curdie by George MacDonald
George MacDonald fooled me. I read both The Princess and the Goblin and the sequel The Princess and Curdie, thinking that they were just stories. It wasn’t until I was an adult, and I re-read them that I realized that these books aren’t just tales.
They’re devotionals.
If I could put into practice and fully understand just one sentence, then I would be a better person. But maybe I shouldn’t be surprised about it. The greatest teacher of all time, Jesus, told simple stories that we could understand and remember.
So what are these gems that George MacDonald scatters throughout The Princess and Curdie that leaves me breathless with its simplicity and depth?
[image error][image error]First of all, you must know that the story continues when Curdie is much older. Princess Irene now lives with her father in the capital city to keep her out of danger. Little do they know, danger surrounds them, and they become trapped by those who hunger for the crown. Curdie falls into the routine of work and daily life and, having no one to talk to about Irene’s Great-great grandmother, drifts farther and farther away from what is good.
And in this setting, George MacDonald weaves a tale you will never forget while dropping wisdom in for us in a gentle and treasured manner. See for yourself.
When Curdie kills a pigeon belonging to Irene’s Great-great grandmother (who portrays God):
“He had stopped saving, and had begun killing! What had he been sent into the world for? Surely not to be a death to its joy and loveliness. He had done the thing that was contrary to gladness; he was a destroyer! He was not the Curdie he had meant to be!” (page 23)
When Curdie sees what he’s done wrong:
“I was doing the wrong of never wanting or trying to better. And now I see that I have been letting things go as they would for a long time. Whatever came into my head I did and whatever didn’t come into my head I didn’t do.” (page 31)
Grandmother’s command regarding herself:
“If you should hear anyone speak about me, never to laugh or make fun of me.” And she continues to say, “Only to hold your tongue, and not seem to side with them.” (page 32)
When tested on Grandmother’s request while surrounded by many who mock her:
Curdie said, “It would be better that he who says anything about her should be quite sure it is true, lest she should hear him, and not like to be slandered.”
He continues to say… “If bad things were true of her, and I knew it, I would not hesitate to say them, for I will never give in to being afraid of anything that’s bad. I suspect that the things they tell, however, if we knew all about them, would turn out to have nothing but good in them; and I won’t say a word more for fear I should say something that mightn’t be to her mind.” (page 43)
Grandmother’s words to Peter, Crudie’s father
“Things come to the poor that can’t get in at the door of the rich… It is a great privilege to be poor.” (page 51)
Grandmother to Curdie:
“You may ask me as many as you please-that is, as long as they are sensible. Only I may take a few thousand years to answer some of them.” (page 52)
When Curdie asks for a sign to always know Grandmother:
Grandmother says, “No, Curdie, that would be to keep you from knowing me. You must know me in quite another way from that. It would not be the least use to you or me either if I were to make you know me in that way. It would be no better than if I were to take this emerald out of my crown and give it to you to take home with you, and you were to call it me, and talk to it as if it heard and saw and loved you. … No; you must do what you can to know me, and if you do, you will.” Page 54
And my favorite of the whole book right now is when Grandmother is preparing to send Curdie into danger….
“Now, Curdie, are you ready?” she (Grandmother) said.
“Yes, ma’am,” answered Curdie.
“You do not know what for.”
“You do, ma’am. That is enough.” (page 53)
How I long for that simple faith to say, “God, I don’t know what You are calling me to do. But You do. And that is enough.
Which quote speaks to you the most? Why?
Want to learn more about George MacDonald?
Read An Introduction to George MacDonald: His Faith-Filled Fantasy, Fiction, and Fairy Tales
over at Kindred Grace (and don’t miss the George MacDonald giveaways they’re having today and tomorrow!)
The post 6 Great Quotes from The Princess and Curdie by George MacDonald appeared first on Vicki V. Lucas.
January 16, 2015
Broken but Gathering Blue
Do you feel bad when you throw away something that’s broken? Probably not. If a pair of scissors breaks in two, there is no point in keeping it. But what happens to broken people? This is the question behind Gathering Blue, the second book in the series by Lois Lowry that starts with The Giver.
In Gathering Blue’s society, people who are born with a handicap or anyone who get sick are disposed of because it is believed that they have no way to contribute to the village. The “broken” are rejected until one little girl is born.
The Plot of Gathering Blue
When Kira’s mom saw that her new little girl was born with a twisted leg, she can’t follow the village’s rules. Her mother, who just lost Kira’s father to beasts while he was hunting, defies the rules and keeps Kira. When the mother dies years later, Kira’s talent with embroidering saves her. In an effort to learn how to dye thread, she visits an old woman who teaches her but also tells her that blue can only be made from a plant “yonder.” This information sets in motion events that will change Kira’s life forever.
If You Liked…
The Village, you will like this book. The Village is a psychological thriller movie by M. Night Shyamalan. This is not a recommendation for the movie because all I remember of the movie was being scared but really liking it at the end. If you’ve already seen the movie, I know you’ll like this book.
Why You Should Read Gathering Blue
1. Kira deals with a handicap of a twisted leg. This threatens her very survival, but her mother gives her tools to deal with hardships and encourages Kira to find a way to make herself useful.
2. Kira is a great role model. She has deep empathy, doing what she can for those who have a harder time in life than she does. She’s hardworking, and she sacrifices herself for others.
3. Kira faces opposition and finds courage. Despite everyone telling her that she is useless and shouldn’t exist, she remains strong.
4. Kira faces one choice that is extremely hard, but she makes the right one even though it’s the hardest one.
Two Warnings Before You Read Gathering Blue
1. I found the beginning of this book a bit slow. I almost quit reading it, but I’m glad I continued. Give it a chance even if you get a little bored at the beginning.
2. This is the second book of the series, but Lois Lowry has written the series so that you could read it first and not miss important information from the first. However, before you continue onto the third book, I highly recommend you read both The Giver and Gathering Blue. And if you watched the movie, still read the book. The movie was well-done, but the book is much better.
Have you read Gathering Blue? What was your opinion of it?
The post Broken but Gathering Blue appeared first on Vicki V. Lucas.
December 17, 2014
7 Reasons Why I have Banned the Elf on the Shelf
While I like the idea of of the Elf on the Shelf and see the fun behind it, I have decided to ban the elf on the shelf from my home. I find these 7 reasons against it too compelling to invite this little doll into the house.
What is the Elf on the Shelf? You buy a kit that has a book and a small doll that looks like an elf. (The Santa kind, not the Tolkien kind. If it were the Tolkien kind, I’d have 20.) The books sets up the situation: The elf gets its Christmas magic when you record the name you give him/her on the certificate in the back of the book. Then the elf watches the children all day. At night, the elf then flies back to the North Pole and reports if they have been good or bad. The elf comes back before the kids wake.
I see what fun it could be. The pranks, the mischief, the fun. I get it. My personality type would love it as a Christmas tradition. As a mom, all I would have to do to get my daughter behave is point to the elf and remind her that it was watching.
Despite the fun and the trick of making kids behave, there are 7 reasons why we ban the elf on the shelf from our Christmas traditions.
1. Watching for Mistakes
It promotes the thought that someone is always waiting for you to mess up. This in turn could lead you to think that God is just sitting up in the clouds waiting for you to make a mistake so that He can snatch your gifts away. Also, as far as I can tell, there is no way to gain forgiveness from the elf or Santa. Once you mess up, it’s in your record book forever.
2. Tattle Teller
The elf is essentially a tattler teller. “Johnny didn’t eat his peas!” We have other words for this: gossiper, snitch, busybody, and meddler. Yet we praise the elf for this very action and say he’s “helping” Santa.
3. “Me” Focused
For me, the elf goes against the spirit of Christmas. Remember “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry? Its whole story was about sacrificing in order to give to another person – something that is modeled after God’s gift of Jesus. Christmas is when Jesus sacrificed his right to Heaven’s throne and came to Earth. I want my daughter to be focused in Christmas as a season if giving, not getting. The elf encourages an attitude of getting, as the attention is focused on what I can do to get what I want.
4. Bad Example
The elf, by most of accounts, is kind of bad. Now I love a good prank, and I see all sorts of funny pictures of what a different elves did. Some of them are downright funny. Eating a bunch of chocolate with wrappers flung around, drawing evil face on photographs on the wall, or playing video games. However, most of them are downright bad. Glass in the sump pump, making a mess with toothpaste in the bathroom, poker night complete with empty beer cans with stuffed animals, being naughty with Barbie and/or other toys, being caught in the act of murder, drinking with other toys, and more.
I understand people can mess up anything, but I’m saying that I rarely see the elf doing dishes, cleaning up, or helping out around the house. So why should I put a character in my daughter’s life that gets away with murder?
5. Don’t Touch
One rule of the elf is that the kids can’t touch it. If they do, the magic will disappear. As a mom, I understand that this is a great idea. However, what does this teach? One of my favorite stories of Jesus is when he says to let the children come to him. Can you picture him playing with the children? God in flesh on his hands and knees, chasing after little children who shriek with laughter? I want my daughter to run to Jesus, cling to him in times of trouble, and hold his hand when walking on stormy seas.
6. Troubling Objections
I’m not convinced that it’s the best tradition to install in my daughter. Psychology Today posted an article in 2012 called “Let’s Bench the Elf on the Shelf.” In this article, David Kyle Johnson, Ph.D., who also wrote against Santa Claus, lists as four objections to the elf. He says…
“It’s a lie, it threatens your parental trustworthiness, and it encourages credulity.”
He continues by explaining these three reasons against the elf and then continues with the fourth problem with this tradition.
“A fourth objection to all this Christmas lying—an objection to something that can be present in the Santa Claus lie as well, but is the main purpose of The Elf on the Shelf lie: goading your children into behaving with promises of future lavish reward.”
I don’t want to raise my daughter into thinking that if you act a certain way, you get good things. The reason for obedience isn’t directly related to what you get. I don’t want her to be entitled and start to think – “I did this and this and this, so I get that. This is what the Pharisees of Jesus’ time believed. We can never work ourselves into eternal life. We accept the gift God gave us.
7. Christ is Enough
Finally, Christmas doesn’t need help. The story of Jesus being born is a story that still awes and inspires me. The sacrifice of giving gifts to each other fills my heart with love. When we focus on the real meaning of Christmas, we find no need for a little elf.
How about a substitute? Maybe you like things about the elf but don’t want to use it. Any thoughts of what you could do?
Try the nativity scene. Set up the stable. Have Joseph and Mary “travel” across the house to it. Tack a star dangling from the ceiling and move it each night with the Wise Men following it. (Yes, I know that the Wise Men were actually later, but they are often in the Christmas story.) Have the shepherds “rescue” the sheep from “cliffs” (or off couches). You can still keep to the real meaning of Christmas and yet have some fun with it.
Do you have an elf on the shelf? Why do you have it? Do you think it detracts or enhances the meaning of Christmas?
The post 7 Reasons Why I have Banned the Elf on the Shelf appeared first on Vicki V. Lucas.
December 1, 2014
6 Powerful Quotes in Frozen
Sometimes you find God in unexpected places. I find His truth and love in books, songs, and music where I am always amazed at how God shines through the darkness. But what about Frozen? Can we find anything of God? I found 6 powerful quotes in Frozen that show the love of God and reveal truth. 
1. “I’m never going back, the past is in the past!”
Elsa sings this line in the song, “Let It Go.” It reminds me of how we are forgiven and no longer bound to the past. We often cling to the hurt and bitterness of what happened when God longs for us to let it go and begin again. It reminds me of Peter, who had denied knowing Christ. He could have clung to his failure, but instead he accepted Christ’s forgiveness and did mighty things for God as he spread the message of love across the world. Don’t let the past control your present and future. Allow God to move you beyond that into something greater than you can imagine.
2. “You don’t have to live in fear.”
Anna says this to Elsa when she’s trying to convince Elsa to go back to their castle and set everything right. Fear surrounds us, and yet God has something better for us. II Timothy 1:7 says “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” Worried about the future? Your health? Your job? You don’t have to live in fear.
3. “Cuz I’ve seen them do it before.”
At first, this line doesn’t seem like much. Kristoff says it after Anna meets with Elsa. Here’s a mild spoiler, so ignore this paragraph if you haven’t seen the movie.
Kristoff: “We’re going to see my friends… They can fix this.”
Olaf: “How do you know?”
Kristoff: “Cuz I’ve seen them do it before.”
Why do I love this line? This is the exact approach we should take with God. When we see someone, we should introduce them to God because he can heal them. How do we know that? Just like Kristoff’s simple statement of faith, “Cuz I’ve seen HIM do it before.”
4. “You built me. Remember that?”
This is quite possibly my favorite line. Olaf is awed in Elsa’s presence. Face to face to his maker, his voice quakes as he reminds her who he is. He’s hoping that she remembers. Maybe he needs to know that he matters, instead of just being created and forgotten. Maybe just meeting her is enough to fill his heart with wonder.
Can you imagine meeting your Maker? Of hearing Him say, “Now who’s this?” Maybe you’ll stumble out words like “You made me. Remember that?” And what joy would come as He exclaims with a joyous laugh, “Of course I remember!”
5. “Only an act of true love can thaw a frozen heart.”
Grand Pabbie says this as Anna’s heart is freezing to death. As we all know, the greatest act of true love was when Christ died for our sins. Only this act of true love can take away our sins (or thaw a frozen heart). We can make rules and laws. We can punish people for bad behavior, but until Christ’s love flows through that heart, the person will never change. The only way the problems of this world are going to change is for all our hearts to thaw with true love.
6. Olaf: The only fixer upper fixer that can fix a fixer upper is… All Trolls: True, true, true, true, love.
Here’s another mild spoiler, but at the end of the movie, when the snow and ice melts, Elsa echos this by exclaiming that love caused the change. Again, it gives back my point in number 5. The only way we can change is through true love. This true love starts with Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, but we can live it out every day to the people around us.
What is your opinion of the movie Frozen? Does the good outweigh the bad? Is it a movie to be avoided? Should our children be allowed to watch it?
And don’t forget to check out these other thoughts about Frozen!
Frozen: A Tale of Sorcery or Talent?
The Magic of Frozen: Accept or Reject?
6 Disturbing Quotes from Frozen
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November 21, 2014
How to be a Successful Writer
How can someone be a successful writer? One of my friends asked me this the other day, and as we discussed it, I felt like this question would be something I’d like to discuss with you and get your opinions of becoming a successful writer. 
First, define success. The term success can mean different things to different people. Does “successful writer” mean someone who sat down and managed to put enough words together to call it a book? Does it mean getting accepted by a traditional publisher? Does it mean holding a printed book of your work in your hand? What about money? Is making an income enough to be a success, or does success come when you are a big name and making millions?
Once your definition of success is stated, then you can make it a goal and work to achieve it. You’d be surprised how fast you can reach your goal when you actively start working for it.
Second, have perseverance. You have to do through some dry time to reach the times when you pull in money. Some people go into writing thinking they will write one book and make it big. While this does happen with some people, this is not the norm.
If you decide to try to be published by a company, it can take up to two years just to be accepted. Depending on the company, you may have to wait another two years to see the book in print. However, I know some people who have been trying to get accepted for over 20 years. I know others who met one editor and was accepted on the spot.You can also self-published, which means you don’t go through an established publisher, but instead you chose to publish on your own. This path also needs perseverance because it’s like starting your own business. Most of the people in self-publishing say that it takes about 10 books to start making real money. The faster you can get books out, the better. We’ve all heard the tales of a person writing one book and making millions. This is possible. But I’ve also heard of people who had to get fourteen books out before making an income. I’ve also heard of authors who have over 21 released and making well over a million dollars a year. So you need both perseverance in waiting for the numbers to add up and in sitting down in a chair and typing, getting the story down.
Third, cultivate an eye for a story. What makes a good story? How to tell it effectively? Some of this can be learned, but a lot of it comes through just knowing how to tell a story. Watch movies, read books. Decide why you like or hate certain stories.
Fourth, you need an ability to learn. There are tons of self-help books you can read that will guide you through the process. They can help you learn how to develop a character, how to plot, and how to market. Most of the people I see that write poorly are those who think they know everything and never try to learn anything new.
Finally, you need a belief in yourself. Ever hear of Dick Francis? He was a jockey and then an author. He wrote over 40 books and became a well-known writer. But he never finished high school! He just sat down one day at a typewriter and began a story.
This is the amazing thing about writing. You don’t have to have a degree. You don’t need fancy education. You need a story, some passion to get the job done, and stubbornness. And, like Winston Churchill said, “go from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm” because you can learn from each failure.
That’s what I told my friend when he asked what it takes to be a successful writer. What did I leave out? What would you say if someone asked you?
The post How to be a Successful Writer appeared first on Vicki V. Lucas.
November 18, 2014
6 Disturbing Quotes in Frozen
Is Frozen just a happy tale that one can watch without worry? Does it contain any hidden agenda meant to brainwash your children? 
The following are 6 disturbing quotes in Frozen that make me cringe every time I hear them.
1. “Conceal it. Don’t feel it. Don’t let it show.”
When Elsa’s father says this, he’s saying it out of concern and desperation to help Elsa. And, as the story goes, we come to the conclusion that this advice is wrong. While I believe that emotions can and should be controlled, I don’t think I need to go into the danger of repressing them.
2. “No right, no wrong, no rules for me. I’m free!”
This is a line that Elsa sings in the song “Let It Go” when she flees from her castle and runs up into the mountains. The reason that it bothers me is that there is an absolute right and an absolute wrong. This applies for recently crowned queens as well as commoners. Freedom doesn’t necessarily mean a freedom from rules. It’s within the rules that we find freedom.
3. “You can fix this fixer upper up with a little bit of love!”
This comes from the trolls in the song “Fixer-Upper.” While I appreciate the thought that we can just love a difficult person and that person will change, change doesn’t happen until that person meets God and His life-changing love. We don’t change people. God changes people.
4. “We aren’t saying you can change him cause people don’t really change.”
You’re probably thinking by this point that I hate the Fixer Upper song. I really don’t. I like the idea that true love isn’t always to someone who is perfect and that we all need a little bit of grace. However, this line is one that gets my goat. (If I had one…which I don’t…Let me restate.) However, this line is one that fires me up. People don’t change? You want to tell that to the person trying desperately to break his/her drug addiction? “Sorry, honey, people don’t really change. Even if you clean up your life, you’re still a drug addict deep down inside.” What about to the murderer who found God in prison? “Yep, you’re redeemed, but you’ll never escape what you did because you can never change.” This line tells us all to take a long, hard look at yourself. If you don’t like it, if your life is less than desirable, too bad. You’re stuck.
Isn’t the Bible about people changing? Think of the shepherd who became a king, the childless who had children at 90, the lost saved, the coward into a courageous leader of the church? And the greatest change of all? God changed into man so that Jesus could die and change death into life?
God can take your shattered life and make it into something beautiful. Nothing sums it up quite like this song and video – Beautiful Things by Gungor.
“God makes beautiful out of the dust. God makes beautiful things out of us.” I’m firmly believe that some of His most beautiful work is when He takes someone broken and remakes that person into something beautiful.
5. “Some people are worth melting for.”
Olaf says this with such sweetness that you miss the thought behind it. This line comes when Anna is left in a locked room, heartbroken, dying, and alone. Then Olaf comes along. When Anna warns him away from the fire, he replies with this line. I see this everywhere. On Pinterest, t-shirts, in stores, on Christmas ornaments. When I saw the Christmas ornament, that’s when I got particularly mad. Why?
Who chooses which people are worth melting for? Now I would die for my daughter if it was in my power. I would for my husband and my family, too, at least most of them. (Just kidding.) The stranger down the street? I don’t know if I have that in me. So what method am I using? Only the people I love? How does society decide who is worthy to melt for? But this is not the real reason I hate this line.
I believe in a God who loves everyone, not some. John 3:16 “For God so love the world that He sent His only son to die…” And I’m not talking about a snowman melting. I’m talking about God leaving Heaven to die a horrible death for people that reject Him. I rejoice everyday that God didn’t say “Some are worth dying for.” At Christmas, of all times, we should be proclaiming that “All people are worth melting for.” Instead, we take a cute little snowman’s words and put it on the Christmas tree. Some? Forget that! Our God is big enough to include all!
6. Kristoff: Have you had a meal with him yet? What if you hate the way he eats? What if you hate the way he picks his nose?
Anna: Picks his nose?
Kristoff: And eats it.
Anna: Excuse me, sir. He is a prince.
Kristoff: All men do it.
I’d be greatly disturbed if I had to tell you why this is disturbing.
What do you think of these lines? Do you agree or disagree? Did I miss any that bother you from Frozen?
The post 6 Disturbing Quotes in Frozen appeared first on Vicki V. Lucas.
6 Disturbing Quotes from Frozen
Is Frozen just a happy tale that one can watch without worry? Does it contain any hidden agenda meant to brainwash your children? 
The following are 6 disturbing quotes from Frozen that make me cringe every time I hear them.
1. “Conceal it. Don’t feel it. Don’t let it show.”
When Elsa’s father says this, he’s saying it out of concern and desperation to help Elsa. And, as the story goes, we come to the conclusion that this advice is wrong. While I believe that emotions can and should be controlled, I don’t think I need to go into the danger of repressing them.
2. “No right, no wrong, no rules for me. I’m free!”
This is a line that Elsa sings in the song “Let It Go” when she flees from her castle and runs up into the mountains. The reason that it bothers me is that there is an absolute right and an absolute wrong. This applies for recently crowned queens as well as commoners. Freedom doesn’t necessarily mean a freedom from rules. It’s within the rules that we find freedom.
3. “You can fix this fixer upper up with a little bit of love!”
This comes from the trolls in the song “Fixer-Upper.” While I appreciate the thought that we can just love a difficult person and that person will change, change doesn’t happen until that person meets God and His life-changing love. We don’t change people. God changes people.
4. “We aren’t saying you can change him cause people don’t really change.”
You’re probably thinking by this point that I hate the Fixer Upper song. I really don’t. I like the idea that true love isn’t always to someone who is perfect and that we all need a little bit of grace. However, this line is one that gets my goat. (If I had one…which I don’t…Let me restate.) However, this line is one that fires me up. People don’t change? You want to tell that to the person trying desperately to break his/her drug addiction? “Sorry, honey, people don’t really change. Even if you clean up your life, you’re still a drug addict deep down inside.” What about to the murderer who found God in prison? “Yep, you’re redeemed, but you’ll never escape what you did because you can never change.” This line tells us all to take a long, hard look at yourself. If you don’t like it, if your life is less than desirable, too bad. You’re stuck.
Isn’t the Bible about people changing? Think of the shepherd who became a king, the childless who had children at 90, the lost saved, the coward into a courageous leader of the church? And the greatest change of all? God changed into man so that Jesus could die and change death into life?
God can take your shattered life and make it into something beautiful. Nothing sums it up quite like this song and video – Beautiful Things by Gungor.
“God makes beautiful out of the dust. God makes beautiful things out of us.” I’m firmly believe that some of His most beautiful work is when He takes someone broken and remakes that person into something beautiful.
5. “Some people are worth melting for.”
Olaf says this with such sweetness that you miss the thought behind it. This line comes when Anna is left in a locked room, heartbroken, dying, and alone. Olaf comes along and tries to help. When Anna warns him away from the fire, he replies with this line. I see this everywhere. On Pinterest, t-shirts, in stores, on Christmas ornaments. When I saw the Christmas ornament, that’s when I got particularly mad.
Why?
Who chooses which people are worth melting for? Now I would die for my daughter if it was in my power. I would for my husband and my family, too, at least most of them. (Just kidding.) The stranger down the street? I don’t know if I have that in me. So what method am I using? Only the people I love? How does society decide who is worthy to melt for? But this is not the real reason I hate this line.
I believe in a God who loves everyone, not some. John 3:16 “For God so love the world that He sent His only son to die…” And I’m not talking about a snowman melting. I’m talking about God leaving Heaven to die a horrible death for people that reject Him. I rejoice everyday that God didn’t say “Some are worth dying for.” At Christmas, of all times, we should be proclaiming that “All people are worth melting for.” Instead, we take a cute little snowman’s words and put it on the Christmas tree. Some? Forget that! Our God is big enough to include all!
6. Kristoff: Have you had a meal with him yet? What if you hate the way he eats? What if you hate the way he picks his nose?
Anna: Picks his nose?
Kristoff: And eats it.
Anna: Excuse me, sir. He is a prince.
Kristoff: All men do it.
I’d be greatly disturbed if I had to tell you why this is disturbing.
What do you think of these lines? Do you agree or disagree? Did I miss any that bother you from Frozen?
The post 6 Disturbing Quotes from Frozen appeared first on Vicki V. Lucas.
November 14, 2014
Writing Christian Fantasy Tip #4: No Lost Heirs
The King lies dying. There is no one to take the throne as the prince disappeared years ago. The story starts with a young man, raised in a humble setting. As the story progresses, the need for the prince becomes greater until (Surprise!) this young man finds out that he is the missing prince and takes the throne.
Sound familiar? Here’s a bonus tip for writing Christian fantasy for you. If it sounds familiar, change it.
Just as the parents really shouldn’t go missing without a good cause, so it is true with the children. To be honest, I love this storyline because of how it can be used. Just as Merlin had Arthur raised without knowledge of his status and Obi-Wan hid Luke in Star Wars, there are merits to this path. For example, often the children do not grow up in a privileged status, they are free to take risks that may not be open to a crown prince, and can draw on their upbringing to bring creative solutions to the problems of battle or ruling.
But there are twists you can use to surprise your reader and make the story an expected journey. Perhaps there is a prince, but your main character is the older twin. Maybe he’s the younger son, but the crown prince is killed in battle. Another route would be to have the main character learn who he is when he is young by overhearing some talk or a slip of a tongue.
The point is this: Be creative. (That’s your second bonus tip for today.) Get them to the throne if you like but do it in a new way.
Do you think this plot line is overdone? Do you think fantasy is too much about the main character becoming the king or the leader instead of other story lines?
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