L.Y. Levand's Blog, page 48
August 12, 2012
August 12th, 2012
What was one thing that made Jesus different from the other Jews of His day?
He didn't let race or lifestyle keep Him from helping others. In fact, His own people often judged Him for associating with those who were different.
I think Christians today should learn from this example. Jesus helped them, but He wasn't like them. He was the complete opposite of them. He stood strong, always, for His Father in Heaven, even when faced with what must have been crushing peer pressure. He wasn't wrapped up in His own righteousness, even though, of anyone, He had the right. We don't have that right, yet every one of us has had a problem with pride at one time or another.
How do we treat those who are different? Do we turn up our nose at them? Or do we throw our own convictions to the wind and let them carry us along? I say neither extreme is healthy. What do you think?
He didn't let race or lifestyle keep Him from helping others. In fact, His own people often judged Him for associating with those who were different.
I think Christians today should learn from this example. Jesus helped them, but He wasn't like them. He was the complete opposite of them. He stood strong, always, for His Father in Heaven, even when faced with what must have been crushing peer pressure. He wasn't wrapped up in His own righteousness, even though, of anyone, He had the right. We don't have that right, yet every one of us has had a problem with pride at one time or another.
How do we treat those who are different? Do we turn up our nose at them? Or do we throw our own convictions to the wind and let them carry us along? I say neither extreme is healthy. What do you think?
August 11, 2012
August 11th, 2012
Troy led Beenie through the dark woods, his tail flying out behind him. He led her right to the bottom of a giant tree, and went through a door in the roots.
"Troy, did you bring your friend with you?" a gray mother-squirrel asked.
"Yes, yes. Here she is," Troy said.
"Hello," Beenie said, smiling. "Thank you for inviting me."
"It's no problem, dear," the mother squirrel said. "Troy forgets to take his friends home a lot."
"Mo-om," Troy said, his whiskers quivering.
Beenie giggled.
"Now eat up, you two, before it gets cold."
"Yes ma'am," Beenie said. She sat down at a table made of tree bark, and picked up her acorn-hat bowl. She took a big swallow. "This is yummy," she said, taking another gulp.
Troy's mother set a platter of warm bread on the table, and gave Beenie and Troy each a slice. Beenie dipped it in her stew, and took a bite.
"Are you going home tomorrow, Beenie?" Troy's mother asked. "I was going to go to the market, if you'd like to come with us first. Then we can take you home."
"The market?" Beenie asked.
"They sell lots of stuff there," Troy said. "Like acorn-hat cups, mushroom slices, moss mattresses and berries." He licked his lips. "The berries are really, really good," he said.
"That sounds like fun!" Beenie said.
"It's settled then," Troy's mother said with a smile. "Maybe we can even stop at Henrietta's sweetshop on the way."
"Hurray!" Troy yelled.
"Troy, did you bring your friend with you?" a gray mother-squirrel asked.
"Yes, yes. Here she is," Troy said.
"Hello," Beenie said, smiling. "Thank you for inviting me."
"It's no problem, dear," the mother squirrel said. "Troy forgets to take his friends home a lot."
"Mo-om," Troy said, his whiskers quivering.
Beenie giggled.
"Now eat up, you two, before it gets cold."
"Yes ma'am," Beenie said. She sat down at a table made of tree bark, and picked up her acorn-hat bowl. She took a big swallow. "This is yummy," she said, taking another gulp.
Troy's mother set a platter of warm bread on the table, and gave Beenie and Troy each a slice. Beenie dipped it in her stew, and took a bite.
"Are you going home tomorrow, Beenie?" Troy's mother asked. "I was going to go to the market, if you'd like to come with us first. Then we can take you home."
"The market?" Beenie asked.
"They sell lots of stuff there," Troy said. "Like acorn-hat cups, mushroom slices, moss mattresses and berries." He licked his lips. "The berries are really, really good," he said.
"That sounds like fun!" Beenie said.
"It's settled then," Troy's mother said with a smile. "Maybe we can even stop at Henrietta's sweetshop on the way."
"Hurray!" Troy yelled.
August 10, 2012
August 10th, 2012
My two favorite editors (mother and cousin) have read through the first three chapters of not-publicly-named novel, and rendered their verdicts!
Mother corrected sections where things didn't make sense, while cousin insisted that character feelings were very well-done - but the world itself is difficult to grasp.
Not sure how to make the world more vivid, especially in the framework that already exists. Any of my fellow authors out there have advice?
Mother corrected sections where things didn't make sense, while cousin insisted that character feelings were very well-done - but the world itself is difficult to grasp.
Not sure how to make the world more vivid, especially in the framework that already exists. Any of my fellow authors out there have advice?
August 9, 2012
August 09th, 2012
Kym isn't quite sure what to do with all the zucchini we're getting. We've already done a giant jar of zucchini pickles, so when we got yet another zucchini that wasn't being eaten, we washed up another jar. But when we rummaged through the fridge, we found radishes, too.
So, feeling creative, we sliced up radishes and put them with the zucchini. We had an odd moment when she added too much parsley and we had to combat the smell with another onion, but other than that it went well.
When we checked back a day later, Kym was delighted with the delicate pink of the vinegar. Apparently, the red on the radishes leeched out into the vinegar. We don't know who'll eat pinkish pickles, but they're pretty. Designer pickles, she calls them.
So, feeling creative, we sliced up radishes and put them with the zucchini. We had an odd moment when she added too much parsley and we had to combat the smell with another onion, but other than that it went well.
When we checked back a day later, Kym was delighted with the delicate pink of the vinegar. Apparently, the red on the radishes leeched out into the vinegar. We don't know who'll eat pinkish pickles, but they're pretty. Designer pickles, she calls them.
August 8, 2012
August 08th, 2012
Here's a healthy diet tip: If you think you're hungry, drink water. If you don't want to drink water, go outside (leave the twinkie in the house) and take a long walk.
If you're like me, you eat when bored. So occupy yourself! Go weed in the garden, play games, wash the car...do something! If you're not bored, you probably won't feel hungry.
If you're craving sugar or sweet stuff, go for strawberries with whipped cream, or yogurt with blueberries. It's yummy, I promise!
If you're like me, you eat when bored. So occupy yourself! Go weed in the garden, play games, wash the car...do something! If you're not bored, you probably won't feel hungry.
If you're craving sugar or sweet stuff, go for strawberries with whipped cream, or yogurt with blueberries. It's yummy, I promise!
August 7, 2012
August 07th, 2012
We have a garden behind our house. My dad used the rototiller on it, and made trenches for watering and rows for planting.
I had planters made of cutoff milkjugs, and my little seedlings were outgrowing them. So I went outside one Saturday to plant them in the gaps of our garden.
After I'd put them safely in the dirt, I looked at the far end of the garden, and saw a sad, drooping row of sunflower seedlings, and pitiful-looking row of onion greens. And then I saw that the trenches my dad had dug were bone-dry at the far end, and I went to investigate.
It would appear my father and brother forgot that water only flows downhill.
Oh, I had fun. It's been years since I got to play in the mud like that! And I had a valid excuse, too. I wanted water to get to my sunflowers and onions, and the pumpkin seedling I'd just planted.
I must have looked like a mudmonster when I went inside. I should have held my arms out and moaned like a zombie. Now THAT would have been priceless.
I had planters made of cutoff milkjugs, and my little seedlings were outgrowing them. So I went outside one Saturday to plant them in the gaps of our garden.
After I'd put them safely in the dirt, I looked at the far end of the garden, and saw a sad, drooping row of sunflower seedlings, and pitiful-looking row of onion greens. And then I saw that the trenches my dad had dug were bone-dry at the far end, and I went to investigate.
It would appear my father and brother forgot that water only flows downhill.
Oh, I had fun. It's been years since I got to play in the mud like that! And I had a valid excuse, too. I wanted water to get to my sunflowers and onions, and the pumpkin seedling I'd just planted.
I must have looked like a mudmonster when I went inside. I should have held my arms out and moaned like a zombie. Now THAT would have been priceless.
August 6, 2012
August 06th, 2012
If you have an MP3 player, grab it! When it comes to exercise, my MP3 is my best friend. It's fun to do exercise to fast-paced music, and that means you'll put more effort into it, and therefore you'll get more out of it.
Some people may daydream (like me) while they listen to music and exercise. You can also plan out your day, and brainstorm. In short, it's good for you, and you should do it! If you enjoy your exercise, you'll be far more likely to do it, which is healthier for you.
So, what music do you like to listen to while you exercise?
Some people may daydream (like me) while they listen to music and exercise. You can also plan out your day, and brainstorm. In short, it's good for you, and you should do it! If you enjoy your exercise, you'll be far more likely to do it, which is healthier for you.
So, what music do you like to listen to while you exercise?
August 5, 2012
August 05th, 2012
A lot of Christians seem to have lost sight of what it means to be a Christian. The rise of 'hate-crimes' makes me wonder just what Christians think we're supposed to do.
I'm of the opinion that gay marriage, and the very lifestyle, is wrong. I also believe that hating the people who disagree with me is wrong. So what do we do? If we try to stop gay marriage, they accuse us of keeping a right from them that they should have. And some people just hate them.
You should not hate anyone for being different. You should not make fun of or torment those who think or believe differently. And, contrary to what seems to be popular belief, you can disagree very strongly without engaging in hate-filled acts.
Choose better weapons, people. Hate and violence aren't getting anyone anywhere. We do have a right to speak our minds, but surely we can keep it civil, and restrain ourselves from purposely hurting someone else. We fight on the opposite sides of the battlefield, but that doesn't mean we have to kill each other.
I'm of the opinion that gay marriage, and the very lifestyle, is wrong. I also believe that hating the people who disagree with me is wrong. So what do we do? If we try to stop gay marriage, they accuse us of keeping a right from them that they should have. And some people just hate them.
You should not hate anyone for being different. You should not make fun of or torment those who think or believe differently. And, contrary to what seems to be popular belief, you can disagree very strongly without engaging in hate-filled acts.
Choose better weapons, people. Hate and violence aren't getting anyone anywhere. We do have a right to speak our minds, but surely we can keep it civil, and restrain ourselves from purposely hurting someone else. We fight on the opposite sides of the battlefield, but that doesn't mean we have to kill each other.
August 4, 2012
August 04th, 2012
Beenie looked around in the dark, shaking from the cold.
"Troy!" she called. "Troy, come back, please! I don't know how to get home!" He didn't answer, and it was very quiet. "Maybe I'll fly up and see if I can find the field," Beenie said.
She fluttered her wings, and smacked into something. She screamed and fell back down. She saw a big black bug flying away, buzzing. She'd hit a bug. There were lots of them now, flying all over.
She stood up and walked to a tree. Maybe she could climb it and find her way home. She climbed the tree, all the way to the tippy-top, and looked for the field. She couldn't see it; it was too dark.
"Troy!" she yelled.
"What?"
Beenie fell backward and screamed. She flapped her wings as hard as she could to keep from falling.
"Troy, you scared me," she said. "Why did you run away?"
"I needed to go home," Troy said, twitching his bushy tail. "But my mom told me to come back and find you. She says you can stay with us tonight, since it's so dark."
"I can?" Beenie smiled.
"Uh-huh," Troy said. "She's cleaning the guest room for you right now, and we're having mushroom stew for supper!"
Beenie clapped her hands and bounced. "That sounds yummy," she said.
"Then let's go!" Troy said. "I'm hungry."
"Troy!" she called. "Troy, come back, please! I don't know how to get home!" He didn't answer, and it was very quiet. "Maybe I'll fly up and see if I can find the field," Beenie said.
She fluttered her wings, and smacked into something. She screamed and fell back down. She saw a big black bug flying away, buzzing. She'd hit a bug. There were lots of them now, flying all over.
She stood up and walked to a tree. Maybe she could climb it and find her way home. She climbed the tree, all the way to the tippy-top, and looked for the field. She couldn't see it; it was too dark.
"Troy!" she yelled.
"What?"
Beenie fell backward and screamed. She flapped her wings as hard as she could to keep from falling.
"Troy, you scared me," she said. "Why did you run away?"
"I needed to go home," Troy said, twitching his bushy tail. "But my mom told me to come back and find you. She says you can stay with us tonight, since it's so dark."
"I can?" Beenie smiled.
"Uh-huh," Troy said. "She's cleaning the guest room for you right now, and we're having mushroom stew for supper!"
Beenie clapped her hands and bounced. "That sounds yummy," she said.
"Then let's go!" Troy said. "I'm hungry."
August 3, 2012
August 03rd, 2012
I'm working on chapter four of my full-length novel. I've finished the first three chapters (finally), and am quite pleased with them. BUT when I started chapter four, I got to the end of the first page, reread it, and decided I didn't like it, after all.
I've also had to delete a section I really did like, because it didn't fit.
If you're an author, tell us about your own editing woes. Have you ever had to remove a section you liked, or rewrite something entirely because you didn't?
I've also had to delete a section I really did like, because it didn't fit.
If you're an author, tell us about your own editing woes. Have you ever had to remove a section you liked, or rewrite something entirely because you didn't?
