What optimism is and isn't

Here's a thought: Optimism untempered by a realistic view of the world leads to disappointment, or even disaster.

Having said that, I'm generally an optimist, but one who has experienced some of the pitfalls inherent in that outlook. But I still try to have a positive approach to things and I'm pretty resilient, I think. But I had lunch with a friend a few days ago and it's got me thinking about the difference between being optimistic, being realistic and being negative.

My friend wanted to share an idea with me -- it's an idea for a project that we both have talked about in the past but never saw a way to do. But as she described her new approach to this idea, I found myself trying to inject a bit of realistic thinking into the discussion. I suggested things we might want to research, approaches we might consider. Mostly, I was thinking aloud. But my friend felt I was being negative -- apparently she had expected me to express whole-hearted enthusiasm for the idea and I wasn't fulfilling her expectations. I thought about it and apologized for coming across as negative, because that wasn't my intent. But if I'm going to be involved in something that will require a lot of time and possibly some money, I want to be sure it's done right. I will admit right here that I'm not much of a risk taker, so I'm sure that colors my outlook.

I know my friend pretty well and I know why this possible project means so much more to her. I also know her well enough to understand some of the life experiences that have shaped her way of thinking. She's more likely to see things as either-or, black-and-white, whereas I see more shades of gray, more in-between options. I've always been this way and sometimes I wish I wasn't. But I don't think it's being negative to disagree with someone or to suggest that more research is needed. I don't think it's crushing someone's dream to suggest some realistic thinking. In fact, the best way to make a dream come true is to have a plan. I'm not saying my friend doesn't have a plan, but I don't think it's very well thought out yet.

So what do you think? When someone brings you an idea that you know needs to be fleshed out in more detail, a dream that one will have to hurdle many obstacles to achieve, is it being negative to point those things out? I'm not talking about saying something like "Boy that will never work. What a stupid idea." That's obviously negative. What I mean is something more along the lines of "Maybe we ought to talk to some people who've done this sort of thing before." or "Other similar ventures have not been able to turn a profit. I'm just not sure it's realistic to expect much."

I'm interested in what other people think about this.

Despite the pig, I have good taste

OK, one more quiz and then I promise, I'll quit for today. But this is a really, really cool car!

I'm a Mercedes SLK!

You appreciate the finer things in life. You have a split personality - wild or conservative, depending on your mood. Wherever you go, you like to travel first class. Luxury, style, and fun - who could ask for more?

Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.

This is fun. (link via Jordon)

I don't think Pachelbel would mind

A friend sent me this link to an awesome guitar rendition of the Canon in D. I wish the video was a better quality, but the sound is great.

Who I am, porcinely speaking

So, I've discovered that how you draw a pig says something about your personality. Don't believe me? Check this out. I am not an artist, I know. But apparently my pig is a fairly accurate representation of how I see the world. Interesting. (Thanks, Michelle, for the link.)

A good book and some randomness

First, let me point you to a book that's released today: Building the Christian Family You Never Had, by Mary E. DeMuth. Mary is one of the Master's Artists and lives in France, where she and her husband are missionaries. I was blessed to grow up in a Christian family, but that's not true for many people. So how can you break the patterns of the past and be the start of a Christian heritage for your children? That's what this book addresses. I haven't read it yet, but it looks good. I know from reading Mary's blog that she writes with a wonderful honesty. You can find out more about Mary and her writing and her family at her blog.

Next, the randomness.

Know what this day is? The day the first Apple Macintosh went on sale! I'm certainly glad about that.

Foxtrot is having some fun this week with the whole Million Little Pieces fiction/memoir concept. Bill Amend has addressed some timely topics lately -- very funny stuff.

A few encouraging words

As one who struggles with self-doubt and angst over her writing, I found this post from Storytellers Unplugged most heartening. While I want to aim for excellence, I need to quit dithering and just write, write and write some more. If you're the same way (and admit it, you are), you might find encouragement in Richard Steinberg's words, too and find, as I did, some good practical advice, as well.

What I've been up to

I've had a busy few days, so here's a little catch-up:

Friday evening and Saturday we had a worship seminar at church led by Jonathan Dow of Aldersgate Renewal Ministries. We had folks from several area churches and it was an excellent weekend. (Aldersgate is affiliated with the United Methodist church, by the way.) He led us in a lot of worship and modeled the things he was teaching. He got into some of the nuts and bolts of worship leading, but a lot of the weekend was devoted to the foundation and heart of worship -- the Biblical underpinnings and having your heart right with God before you ever get up in front of the congregation. It was excellent.

I spent some time with my husband. (Always a good thing.) We went out to eat for our anniversary Saturday night, then to his company Christmas party Sunday evening (yes, I know it's a month late, but it was a free dinner, so I won't complain). And we watched the Steelers trounce the Broncos Sunday afternoon. Very good game, though maybe a little less exciting than the Steelers/Colts game the week before. But the two teams I wanted are in the Super Bowl. Now I have to decide who I'm going to cheer for. This is a bit of a dilemma, you see. Because I like the Steelers, but Mike Holmgren (coach of the Seahawks) is a Covenanter. I think I'll have to give this some thought.

Yesterday, the President (yes, that President), spoke here for a Landon Lecture and I attended. Let's just say I have mixed feelings about some of this administration's policies, but I'm not going to pass up the chance to hear a President speak -- it's history. So I went and it was interesting. It's always interesting to watch the people at something like this, and it was even more so yesterday because of all the media and the state and local officials who were there. The speech was OK, though he didn't say anything especially new or unexpected. I will express one thought I've had about the speech, and then I'm done -- when politicians make repeated use of a word, the purpose often seems to be to divert one's attention from a condition that is just the opposite. We heard the word "liberty" a lot yesterday. Just something to think about.

Breathtaking

May I direct you to a beautiful picture here? The photographer gives you the option of changing backgrounds -- try it, it's like looking through a window into a winter-clad forest.

Mom, I love that shirt!

One spring day in 1976 I walked out of my dorm and stopped to talk to a guy sitting on a picnic table. It was a nice Sunday afternoon and we ended up talking for a couple of hours. I think that evening we went with a bunch of friends to our favorite pizza place downtown. (It was not a date, we just had mutual friends.) And everytime I turned around during the next couple of weeks, there was that guy. No, he wasn't stalking me. I just think God was doing his little thing and making sure we had chances to get to know each other better. So we did. And by the time I went home for the summer, I knew I was going to miss this guy. I still think my father was a little alarmed when I introduced him to Bob, who was 25 the day I left for the summer. I was still 18. But how could my parents object? He was a seminary student!

By Christmas we were engaged, and on Jan. 21, 1978, we were married in my parents' church, with my Dad and Uncle Tom sharing the officiating duties. It was a very fun wedding — not elaborate or expensive, but we were surrounded by our friends and family and a good time was had by all. Our pianist drove with us back to Lincoln; we left her at her dorm and we honeymooned in our apartment. We went to church the next day and people were a little surprised to see us, but it seemed like a good way to start out. And after church we went to the grocery store. And more friends were surprised to see us there, but we needed groceries and we had wedding money.

Much of our married life has been like that -- a mix of practicality and whimsy. We lived in an apartment where we named the rooms after places in The Lord of the Rings. The bathroom was called Mordor, just so we could say "I'm going to Mordor."

Here's a picture from 1979 -- it's at my parents' house and I suppose Julia was a baby, but she's not in the picture. (Our first child was born 11 months and 1 day after we got married.)


And now we come to the title of this post: My sister-in-law found this picture at my parents' and gave it to me at the 50th anniversary party. My immediate response was "Oh, I loved that shirt!" When I showed it to Julia and later to Megan, they both said the same thing, "Mom, I love that shirt. Do you still have it?" Sorry, no. But it was a great shirt, wasn't it?

Tomorrow Bob and I will celebrate 28 years together. Those thin young people in the picture didn't know what was coming, but they were committed to one another and to God, whatever the future held. It hasn't been perfect, but it's been a joy and we're closer now than ever. So happy anniversary to us.

Story snippet: "Take me out"

I've been writing another Adam Caldwell story (the main character from In Transit) and I thought I'd post a scene. Adam is working on a story about Darren Rucker, a minor league baseball player accused of killing his girlfriend. In this scene, Adam encounters O'Malley and Robinson, a couple of cops who are generally bad news:

(Later on Sunday afternoon, when Adam comes back from Rev. Wilson's:)

I reached the third floor of my building and stopped short. The door to my apartment was slightly ajar and I heard voices. I approached the door carefully and realized the TV was on. I knew I hadn't left the TV on and I never leave my door unlocked.

I shoved the door open with my hand and stared into my living room: O'Malley and Robinson were sitting on my couch, drinking my beer and watching a ball game on my TV.

"Good afternoon, officers. Why don't you come right in and make yourselves at home?" I said. The cops weren't alarmed or apologetic.

"Don't mind if we do. Huh, huh." Robinson said, with a sort of gorilla chuckle. The man's enough to make you believe in evolution.

"You got some new stuff, didn't ya?" Robinson pointed at the TV and patted the couch.

O'Malley smacked Robinson's shoulder, "Shut up!"

I didn't comment on it, but I made a mental note -- this confirmed my suspicion that the two had been responsible for the trashing of my apartment a few months ago, when I was covering the immigrant smuggling story.

"I don't suppose you're here to admire my décor. What do you want? And how did you get in here, anyway?"

"The super let us in," O'Malley said.

"Just like that."

"Yeah, just like that. He has a healthy respect for the law, unlike someone else in this room."

"You shouldn't let him talk about you like that, Robinson."

Robinson was paying more attention to the ball game, though. "Huh? Hey, look, Sammy Sosa's comin' up to bat."

"Shut it off you doofus. We've got business to attend to here," O'Malley said, standing up. "We hear you talked to our boy last night."

I knew who O'Malley meant, but I made him tell me.

"I talk to lots of people, all the time. You got someone specific in mind?"

"You always have to be cute, don't you. I'm talkin' about Rucker and you know it."

"Well, yeah, I interviewed him after the ball game. So?"

"So I want your notes."

"No. You can't have them."

I braced myself for what I was sure would come next. I never get away with saying "no" to those two without some painful physical consequences.

But I think my abrupt answer surprised O'Malley because he just stared at me.

"And why not? You know we'll get them sooner or later."

"Not without a subpoena, and maybe not even then. A reporter's notes are protected under Nebraska's shield law."

Maybe O'Malley knew more about the law than I thought, or maybe he had another plan for getting my notes. He motioned to Robinson, who hadn't turned the game off.

"Come on, let's go." Then he pointed his thick finger at me. "I'll get those notes, one way or another. And you can do this" he made a rude gesture "with your subpoena."

"Hey, Sammy just hit a home run!" Robinson sat up and waved his can of beer around, sloshing some out on my coffee table. O'Malley grabbed his partner under the armpit and heaved him up off the couch.

"I told you to turn that off. Let's go! You can watch the game somewhere else."

They left, Robinson grumbling all the way out the door.

I got a rag to wipe up the spilled beer and then sat on the couch, staring at the TV but not really seeing the game. There wasn't anything incriminating in my notes -- all Darren and I talked about was baseball -- but I wasn't going to tell the cops that, at least not when they think they can just park themselves in my apartment and demand my notes. It was a matter of principal. The problems was, it's those matters of principal that keep getting my apartment trashed. I decided to lock my notes and computer up at The Observer office, just to be safe.

Feel free to leave impressions or whatever in the comments.

Things I realized this weekend

I didn't do much exciting this weekend, but here's a few observations:

The song "We Win" from the David Crowder* Band's new album (A Collision) is best listened to at a very loud volume while you're driving down the highway at 65 mph. And you should definitely sing along. The song makes me want to jump up and down, but obviously that would not be a good thing to do while I'm behind the wheel of a car going 65 mph. Anyway, excellent song on an excellent album.

If you want to convince your children of your insanity, ask them to help you out by enacting a scene from your work in progress. Last night I was writing a scene with a bit of action and I wondered if that would actually work. So I went downstairs and asked Tim and Joel to help me out. They were a bit skeptical at first, and Joel wasn't real thrilled being asked to portray the doofus cop part, but they helped me and it worked. (They successfully demonstrated that one guy could heave a larger guy off a couch, if you're interested.)

Grown-up children are still your children and the urge to smooth things out for them never really goes away. But it's probably better if you don't.

And to think I wanted to be an archeologist ..

You scored as English. You should be an English major! Your passion lies in writing and expressing yourself creatively, and you hate it when you are inhibited from doing so. Pursue that interest of yours! English 100% Journalism 92% Linguistics 75% Psychology 58% Sociology 58% Mathematics 58% Theater 58% Dance 50% Philosophy 42% Anthropology 42% Biology 33% Art 25% Engineering 25% Chemistry 17% What is your Perfect Major? (PLEASE RATE ME!!<3) created with QuizFarm.com (Thanks to Randall for the link.)

Friday musings

It's Friday and my mind is jumping from one thing to another, none of which have anything to do with what I'm supposed to be doing. But if you want to enlighten yourself, here's some links:

I heard a good piece on NPR this morning about the whole "Million Little Pieces" issue. I happen to think that creative nonfiction should be truthful, by the way. Once you start being less than honest, it's hard to know where to stop. There's some good discussion of this issue at Faith in Fiction (message board), too.

Mick Silva has an excellent post up about cultural relevance. And Mark takes up the subject here, too. I'm still sorting out my thoughts, but as I commented on Mark's post, too many people who want to tranform the culture seem to think there's some perfect formula for doing so. But Rom. 12:1-2 tells us that we must be transformed by the renewing of our minds (in Christ). Transformation comes from the inside, through the work of the Holy Spirit. We can't impose transformation on others.

Infuze's Best of 2005 is now available. Alas, my story isn't in it, but you'll find lots of even better stories. Your fingers should run, not walk, to the Infuze store to order your copy.

Reality check

For those of us who aspire to publication, today's Non Sequitur is required reading.

The Master's Men

When I turned on my computer this morning, this picture was in the little picture frame widget I have.

This was at my parent's 5oth anniversary and the men in the picture are my brothers, cousins and uncle. Tim and Jim, my brothers, are the guys on either end. In between are Tom, Kerry and their dad, my Uncle Tom. When we were all in college in the mid-70s, early 80s, Uncle Tom was a music professor at the small Christian college we attended and he directed a men's chorus called ... The Master's Men. I think maybe Tim (the oldest) and Kerry (the youngest) weren't in it at the same time, but they were all in Master's Men at some point. So they sang a song at the anniversary party and it was just beautiful.

So I just thought I'd put this up for fun, and to honor some guys who truly are the Master's men, in every way.

This does not surprise me

what decade does your personality live in?


quiz brought to you by lady interference, ltd


Listen, I was a just a little young to be a flower child, but I wished I wasn't. (I turned 12 in 1969, do the math.)
(found the link at Lisa Samson's Author Intrusion)

Rich and complex and loud

So part of my Christmas present from Megan was an iTunes gift card and last week I got the new Switchfoot album, "Nothing is Sound." This is one awesome album -- I can see why many critics ranked it among the best of the year. And as I've been listening to it, I'm reminded of U2. Not so much the sound, but in the depth of the lyrics and the musical complexity. These are great songs.

A couple more good links

Gordon Atkinson (Real Live Preacher) weighs in on The Book of Daniel (the TV show, not the OT book) at Salon. What he has to say about some Christians' reaction to the show is more interesting than the show.

And the waiter has a good story today about a marriage -- Treasure. (Note: The language, as usual, is PG-13 or so.)

The perfect antidote for a gray winter day

Randall Friesen is posting 9 days of summer at his photoblog, drycold. He's up to number 5 now of absolutely gorgeous pictures of flowers. Go feast your eyes. (To see the ones he's already posted, just click on the Before link.)

Good words

Here's a little item for you grammar geeks out there: John McIntyre, assistant managing editor fo the copy desk at the Baltimore Sun, has a blog, You Don't Say. It's pretty good.

And for a few more good words, visit The Master's Artist for Mark Bertrand's weekly post. He has some good things to say about understanding yourself as a writer and starting from where you're at.

Have a good weekend!

One more book I'm looking forward to

Actually, there are lots of books I want to read, but here's the final installment about books that are coming out this year that I know I want to read.

The first novel by Robin Parrish, editor of Infuze, is coming out this summer from Bethany House. Though I haven't seen any of the story yet, his editor is pretty impressed.

I love Infuze and I love suspense, so Relentless is going on my list, too.

By the way, Robin blogs about his novel here. It's a nice peek into the process.

Thank God for poets

The words of David Crowder, a psalmist for the 21st Century:

I need words, as wide as sky
I need a language large as this longing inside.
And I need a voice, bigger than mine
And I need a song to sing you, that I've got to find
I need you ...
To be here now ...
To hear me now ...

I'm never exactly on the cutting edge of things, so I've only just discovered the David Crowder Band (thanks, Megan, for leaving cd's at home). So I started listening to Can You Hear Us a couple of days ago and was simply blown away. I've been preparing for a Bible study in the Psalms and am coming to understand the role this book can play in our lives. (I'll be using Praying the Psalms, a study by Eugene Peterson) They help us express emotions and responses to God in ways that prose simply can't do. That's what the songs on this cd do for me, too. This is music that's not easy to categorize. It's worship music, but not like any other worship music. I like it.

I was thinking about this cd and about the conversion stories Dave's been posting, which are also hard to categorize, and I'm reminded that our God is vast and complex and hard to categorize. So why should we think that our offerings to him should be simplistic and formulaic. This is not to say that there's something wrong with a simply-told story -- look at the parables. But it's important to remember that God is not of our creation -- we are his creation and we're pretty complex ourselves. The most satisfying stories somehow express that complexity.

Still, sometimes our language seems to fall short (at least mine does). And that brings me back to David Crowder (and many other poets). I'm not a poet, myself, but I'm thankful for them.

Books I'm looking forward two, part 2

First a little update on yesterday's post: I got an e-mail from Gina this morning that said I'm one of the lucky winners of an autographed copy of Forgiving Solomon Long. Whoo-hoo! I hardly ever win anything, so this is cool. (My son Tim is the one who wins stuff in our family -- he has actually won two, yes two, TVs. And he's still in high school. Long story, lucky kid.)

Now on to today's subject, which happens to be Waking Lazarus, by first-time novelist T.L. Hines. Tony is letting his (future) readers in on the book publishing process with his innovative Web site, The Other Side. You can sign up and participate in forums, contests and walk with Tony along the road to publication. He calls it an "open source approach." I call it cool. When I signed up, I got a preview of the opening chapters and I was really impressed. Tony is a good writer -- what I read was suspenseful and a little spooky, but not too spooky (I have a low heebie-jeebie threshold, believe me).

So what's it about? Here's the synopsis from Tony's site:

Jude Allman has died three times. Jude Allman has returned to life three times. His three Near-Death Experiences (NDEs) have made him a cult celebrity: he has a bestselling autobiography, talk show appearances, even a TV Movie of the Week.

But the bright spotlight of fame has also made him increasingly paranoid--paranoid enough to change his identity and hide in Montana. Six years after his disappearance, a stranger shows up on Jude’s doorstep with a startling claim. She tells him he is a prophet of God, a modern Moses.

But Jude doesn't feel like a prophet. He feels his own paranoia deepening, and he's having blackouts while children around him become an abductor’s prey. Yet he soon discovers he has the key to stopping the kidnapper--hidden inside the past he's tried so hard to forget.

Can he unravel the mysteries of his own deaths and find the missing children?

Think it sounds intriguing? So do I. So I'm looking forward to this book, which will come out this summer.

Here's some good stories

Later today, I'll post the next book I'm looking forward to, but in the meantime, I want to remind you that Dave Long has been posting some of the conversion stories (from the contest last fall) at Faith in Fiction. He started last week and he's continuing this week. Some of the stories are finalists, but he's thrown in a few extras for good measure, and they're all excellent -- well-written, engaging and highly original. I find myself thinking "I am not worthy," when I consider my own feeble effort. Mike Snyder's story "All Healed Up" is the most recent addition to the list and it's one of my favorites. So go catch up on your reading.

Added later: Robin Parrish has posted a look at what was learned in 2005, at least in regard to faith and creativity. It's great. And when I read it in light of the stories Dave's been posting, I can't help but feel optimistic about the prospects for truly innovative, original, ground-breaking storytelling that shines God's light in a most excellent way.

Books I'm looking forward to

One of the neat things about this blogging thing is that my reading horizons have broadened. Not only do I hear about new books pretty regularly, I even hear about some books before they're published. And there are some books that are coming out this year that I know I want to read. Here's the first one on my list.

I loved Forgiving Solomon Long, Chris Well's debut novel. It was fresh, fast-paced and funny. So I'm really looking forward to Deliver us from Evelyn. Like Solomon Long, it's set in Kansas City and some of the same characters are back. Here's how the publisher (Harvest House) describes the story:

... Chris Well’s second nail–biter revolves around Evelyn Blake, heartless media/publishing mogul. The inconvenience she suffers when her billionaire husband mysteriously disappears is multiplied when nearly everybody starts inquiring, “Where is Blake?”...

Detectives Tom Griggs and Charlie Pasch are feeling the heat from on high to get this thing solved.

Revenge–focused mobster Viktor Zhukov has figured out Blake was tied in with a rival gang’s ambush.

Rev. Damascus Rhodes (his current alias) figures a man of the cloth can properly console the grieving Mrs. Blake.

By the end of this high–speed thriller, some characters find unexpected redemption...and more than a few are begging, Deliver us from Evelyn..

If you want to know more about Chris, he has an excellent blog, and this week he's being interviewed by Gina Holmes at Novel Journey. You might even win an autographed copy of Forgiving Solomon Long and get a sneak peak at Deliver us from Evelyn if you leave a comment.

Tomorrow and Thursday I'll highlight two more novels I'm looking forward to, both by first-time novelists.

The obligatory end-of-year post

(I hate coming up with titles.)

Yes, this is a bit of a look back, end-of-year sort of thing. I've been blogging since mid-March and I've written more than 220 posts. In many ways, its been a year of growing for me and the blog has been part of that. I started the blog because I thought it would be a way to get me to write some every day (or nearly every day), and it could be an outlet for my occasional opinions. But I've discovered that blogging is a communal activity in many ways. I hadn't been doing this very long before I discovered a few Christian writers who linked to Faith in Fiction, which led me there and I found an amazing community of writers. And they pointed me to wonderful books (Peace Like a River, Gilead) and opportunities to write and share.

So I've been writing more and I've found a few critique buddies and I've gotten to read some great books and converse with some fascinating people. I've had some rejections, but I've also had two stories published at Infuze and I'm writing a regular column for my church newsletter. I've got more story ideas than I know what to do with and I have a novel to revise and one to finish. I've learned a lot about faith and writing from wiser writers than I.

But more importantly, this year has been one of spiritual growth. I feel like I've come through a rather large desert and found an oasis. God is teaching me and blessing me and showing me ways I can serve him that I had never considered before.

So thanks to you folks who stop by from time to time and even leave me encouraging comments. You've been a very nice part of this year. Have a safe and happy weekend and I'll be back next year.

Magic

Richard Dansky writes about Blue Lightning on the Brain at Storytellers Unplugged -- the moment fiction grabbed him and wouldn't let go. The book that grabbed me was Black Beauty (I'm a girl and I'm older), but the effect was much the same. Enjoy.

I resolve ...

Actually, I haven't resolved much yet. But I did post a new Notes from the Windowsill column -- Resolve.

Rebecca's angel story

My friend Rebecca tells wonderful stories about her family and her life. Today I read a story she posted about angels without wings and it's perfect for any time of the year. Have a merry Christmas!

Have yourself a merry little ...

I probably won't blog again until next week sometime, so I hope you have a very merry Christmas. We still have some of the big kids at home, and I'm looking forward to filling up a pew again at church. Wherever you are, stay safe and take some time to thank God for his gift to us.

And if you want to do a little reading, here's a couple of worthwhile links:

Gina Holmes interviews author Athol Dickson at Novel Journey. It's an excellent interview and he's a fascinating person. He says some really good things about writing, too.

And in keeping with the Christmas season, Mark Bertrand talks about A Fold in Time -- God at work in history -- at The Master's Artist. I think this is one that should go on the best of the Master's Artist list.

Merry Christmas to me from Infuze

Here's a happy thing — I have another story at Infuze! It's called In Transit and it's about a down-on-his-luck reporter named Adam Caldwell and his investigation of an illegal alien smuggling ring. Let me know what you think in the comments at the story.

Browser wars

I'm a Mac user. Therefore I felt a little guilty when I made Firefox my default browser, but I had my reasons. For some reason, Gmail's text formatting options don't work in Safari. And I like the way I can organize my bookmarks down the sidebar in Firefox. And it doesn't crash when I open the Weather Channel Web site. And Firefox has integratetd a lot of cool plugins and search bars, which I use. It's not that Safari isn't a good browser, but I've grown to like Firefox a lot.

But I have one fairly big issue with Firefox -- it doesn't support OS X's services menu. So I can't highlight the text of something in Firefox and save it directly into a text document or into MacJournal, like I can with Safari.

And now my browser situation has become even more complicated -- today I downloaded the newest version of Opera and I think I'm in love. It supports the Services menu, it has very nifty options for the sidebar, I successfully imported my Safari and Firefox bookmarks, it's fast (though with the university high speed connection, that's not usually an issue for me), and its interface is clean and easy to use. But -- it's not the best for posting to Blogger because all the options don't show up in it (which is also a problem with Safari) and, like Safari, it doesn't work with Gmail's text formatting.

I remember when I first started using the Web -- in 1995 when I took a class on communication and technology -- and I used Netscape 1.0 and thought it was pretty cool. I checked my e-mail through telenet, using a program called Pine. I had no idea how far the technology could come in 10 years. So, I'm happy for the choice I have now. And if you haven't tried either Firefox or Opera yet, you should. They're free and easy to use.

Old churches, new ideas

Jordan Cooper referred to an article about growth in older churches in Leadership Journal. It caught my attention because we've been blessed to be part of older churches that don't fit the conventional wisdom about such congregations -- that they're closed-minded, set in their ways, not likely to grow. Since most of the churches I've been a part of have been older, established congregations, I know there's truth in that. (Now that I think of it, the phrases I just used to describe older churches can apply to people over 40, too!) But, as the article says, churches over 40 can be effective for the Gospel. I think this can especially be true in small towns and rural areas, where church growth is often limited in the traditional sense, but where there are still lost and hurting people in need of God's grace.

Let me tell you a little bit about the two churches I'm thinking of: Brantford Evangelical Covenant Church and Clay Center Evangelical Covenant Church.

Brantford is the first Covenant Church we were members of. It's a church with a long history in north central Kansas, with its roots firmly planted in the Swedish heritage of the area. (You can find out a little more about the denomination here.) It's never been a huge church -- attendance runs pretty consistently around 100-120. It also sits out in the middle of nowhere -- it's probably 8 miles from the nearest town. But we were welcomed into fellowship and found a solid church home for five years. It continues to minister to families in the area through a Mother's Hour program, an active youth group, men's fellowship and other ministries. Young people have gone out from this congregation to serve in ministries and missions around the world.

When we moved to Clay Center, more than 12 years ago, we joined the Covenant Church here, and it, too, defies the stereotype of older churches. Members who have been part of the congregation for many years like to tell the story of how our church has grown because it is such a great testimony to the power of prayer. You see, by the mid-1970s, the church was nearly dead. There were almost no families with children and the congregation hadn't had a full-time minister in many years. But many of the ones who were left began to pray for families with children to come. And, gradually, they did. And as the church looked for ways to reach out to the community, they started a Mother's Hour program, which led to further growth. About 1985 or so, they called a full-time pastor and by 1990, the congregation had outgrown the old church building. A new building was built that year and we added on in 1999. We have two worship services on Sundays with a combined attendance of around 300 or so.

But the numbers aren't nearly as important as what those numbers represent -- lives changed because of Jesus Christ. Of course, many of the members moved into the community (as we did) and came looking for a church home; others came from other churches. But there are many who came as new believers, or people who had wandered from the faith of their youth and now come back. We have effective children's and youth ministries that touch many families; members of our church regularly go on mission trips or do service projects in the community. Our church is committed as a body to helping hurting people -- those in prison, those who are sick, those whose families or marriages are struggling.

We are not perfect, but when I hear stories about other churches, I realize how blessed I am to be part of this church. The petty divisions that haunt so many churches don't seem to take root here and I believe a lot of that is because the prayers are still going up for our church and our ministers. And I think that's maybe the most important factor in whether an older church can live -- the prayers of God's people for renewal. It's a prayer God answers.

Friday fun

I haven't posted a list of Friday links for a while, but I've found several good things worth sharing lately.

I've received Bob Kauflin's* Worship Matters column in my e-mail for several years now and he never fails to have some valuable insight into what God desires in our worship and in our lives. He's especially made me more conscious of the depth (or lack thereof) in the music we sing in church. And now he has a blog. He's got some good posts up right now about Christmas carols and other good music.

Here's another goody that came through e-mail: An Eight-Dollar Bed is featured in the latest Door Insider (that's the Wittenburg Door e-mail newsletter). In the midst of the humor and satire, the Doorkeepers usually manage to throw in some food for thought, and this article falls in that category.

Have you noticed the latest Christmas decorating fad? Inflatable snow globes. I saw one in someone's yard a few weeks ago as we were traveling back from Illinois and I was more or less mind-boggled. Though some of the boggling was due to the fact that the huge inflatable thing was in a yard already packed with candy canes, snowmen, and Santa and his reindeer. I would think a thing like that could give a kid nightmares.

Finally, here's a cute little timewaster, courtesy of the Doorkeepers: Deck the House. Have fun.

*If you were a Glad fan in the 1980s, you should remember who he is.

Then and now

My brother sent me pictures from my parents' 50th anniversary reception, so I thought I'd share. I think I've posted the first one before.

Then
That's my parents, Charles and Margaret Coonce, with (left to right) me, Jim and Tim in front. I think it was Easter, sometime in the mid-60s. Yes, Jim's a redhead. I love Tim and Dad's matching flattops. I have blue-framed cat-eye glasses, and I was so pleased with my matching dress and coat outfit. I'm guessing Mom set my hair the night before either in pin-curls or on those prickly brush rollers (which I hated).

Now
Mom and Dad get to sit down, Tim, me and Jim stand behind. Tim and I take after Dad -- we both got gray pretty young. Jim's still a redhead, but it's somewhat thinner than before. And of course, my brothers got taller than me.

I really do still think about writing

And I actually do still write, but I haven't very much lately. (We're in major Christmas cantata mode at church right now -- we've had extra choir practices the last several weeks.) But at the back of my mind are various plot issues, story ideas and resolutions mingling together. One of those is to get the first part of Secrets in Connors Grove into shape enough to enter in the ACFW Genesis contest. (Of course, that means I need to send in my dues.) And in the longer term, I need to finish rewriting Secrets, because it needs it and it's the first of the Connors Grove stories. And I still intend to finish my NaNo novel (A Long Night in Connors Grove).

But if I'm going to do some serious revision, I need to address some problems in my writing and I just realized what one of them is. I explain too much. First of all, I have this tendency to want to give all the backstory up front, which slows down the novel way too much. (But I already knew I do that.) But I just realized that I also resolve conflicts and suspense threads with explanation. It's a lazy approach to storytelling. And what brought me to this epiphany? I read Mark Bertrand's excellent post on his writing blog, Notes on Craft. And the light went on. Of course, now I have to figure out how to earn the conclusion of the novel, but I think it can be done.

Blog Tour: "Landon Snow and the Auctor's Riddle"

I love books. This probably comes as no surprise to most people. So it's a real pleasure to recommend a book that is written by someone who also so obviously loves books. R.K. (Randy) Mortenson's first novel, for children, is called Landon Snow and the Auctor's Riddle and the story unfolds as an 11-year-old boy finds himself in a huge library in the middle of the night and then falls into a book and into a whole new world. The characters are engaging and believable and the story is pulling me right along (I'm about half-way through). Randy's got a knack for descriptive language, too.

For me, part of the joy of books is their feel. This book does not disappoint — it's hardbound with beautiful cover art, nice quality paper and very readable type. It's a good size for children to hold — even when reading under the covers with a flashlight. You won't want to trade this in at the used book store or put in your garage sale. It's a keeper — both because of the quality of the storytelling and the quality of the binding.

Randy has a nice Web site for the book, too, with a few hidden goodies. So if you have any grade-school age kids, this would make an excellent Christmas gift (and you want to make sure you get a turn to read it, too).

At last

Mark explains what he's been up to, and it is cool. Check it out.

Art and faith, revisited (sort of)

Gina Holmes has an interesting interview (the first of three parts) with Ted Dekker at her blog, Novel Journey. Among the subjects Dekker touches on is his take on "Christian" fiction (read the interview to see what he says). Dee's post Monday at the Master's Artist also relates to the subject. As does Mark's on Friday (actually most of his Master's Artist posts do).

I find it worthwhile to follow this ongoing conversation among Christian writers, and not only because I am one. It seems to mesh in some ways with an idea that's been floating around my head for a while -- an idea we should be living lives of worship. I'm hardly a good example of this, but I keep coming back to the idea that everything I do should be for the Lord, whether it's my writing, my singing, my work or anything else I do as part of my daily life. And when I look at it that way, I realize that I should be offering my best to the Lord, who after all gave me the gifts I'm using. I'm not there yet.

What color should my eyes be?

Your Eyes Should Be Brown

Your eyes reflect: Depth and wisdom What's hidden behind your eyes: A tender heart

What Color Should Your Eyes Be?

Interesting. (And my eyes are actually hazel.)

It's Christmas music time!

A couple of days ago I sort of went on a music downloading binge. I found that iTunes has the Vince Guaraldi soundtrack for A Charlie Brown Christmas. Sweet. I suppose part of it is nostalgia for the things of my childhood, but Guaraldi was a wonderful jazz pianist and composer and the songs evoke such a peaceful feeling — I couldn't resist. I got a few George Winston Christmas songs, too, from his December album, which go nicely with the Guaraldi.

Then I opened my new Macworld and found a coupon for 50 free downloads from eMusic.com. Well, I can hardly resist free stuff, so I surfed on over and took advantage of my free trial. And it really is a free trial -- there's nothing to stop you from getting your free songs and canceling your membership (well, nothing but a little begging and pleading). The offerings aren't as deep (unless you're really into indie music) as iTunes, but I did find 50 songs*. I got an album (Short Term Memories) by Chris Rice, who I've heard of but never listened to, and I like it a lot. I'll definitely have to add more of his music to my collection. And it includes a neat little Christmasy song called Welcome to my World.

So today I'm listening to Christmas music at work. It goes well with the snow on the ground outside.

* Just in case you're curious, and even if you're not, I also got Downpour, by Chronos; Parachute, by Guster; Rare Earth, by Rare Earth (duh!); and a live version of Lola by the Kinks. More proof of my strange taste in music, I suppose, but there you have it.

Vote now!

Infuze magazine is having a poll to choose the best stories from 2005. My story, Long Way Home, is one of the choices! Woo-hoo! This is what Robin Parrish, the editor, says about the poll.

INFUZE is publishing a collection of our best Short Stories and Poems from 2005, and you get to help decide which stories and poems make it into the volume!

So, go vote. If you've never visited Infuze before, you have to register, but it's free and they don't do anything evil with your information. And you'll want to keep on visiting because it's the coolest Christian arts and culture 'zine around.

By the way, Chris Well has posted links to all the stories on his Learning Curve blog. This is an easier way to access the older stories on the list.

Seven things

Seven sevens:

1. Seven things to do before I die:
        Go to London
        Publish a novel
        Drive a Miata
        Go to Thailand to visit my missionary relatives
        See the Grand Canyon
        Drive across the country
And one more thing: Take a trip or do something cool with my best friend before she dies.

2. Seven things I cannot do:
        Higher math
        Hammer a nail straight
        Walk and (zip coat, roll sleeves, chew gum -- fill in routine task here) at the same time
        Think of the perfectly cutting thing to say at the perfect time to say it (see "You've Got Mail")
        Back a car in a straight line
        Parallel park
        Understand the attraction of NASCAR

3. Seven things that attract me to my husband (or significant other or best friend):
        His wacky sense of humor
        How he listens to me
        His encouragement of me
        His kiss
        His way with our kids
        His passion for God
        His intelligence

4. Seven things I say most often:
        Good grief
        Good night!
        Holy cow!
        Anyway …
        Well duh
        Stop fighting
        Go to school

5. Seven books (or series) I love
        The Lord of the Rings
        The Left Hand of Darkness
        The Chronicles of Narnia
        Little Women
        Jane Eyre
        To Kill a Mockingbird
        Peace Like a River


6. Seven movies I watch over and over again (or would watch over and over again if I had the time):
        The Goodbye Girl
        Tootsie
        While You Were Sleeping
        A Charlie Brown Christmas
        About a Boy
        Safe Passage
        Notting Hill

7. Seven people I want to join in, too:
        Megan
        Gary
        Brad
        Rebecca
        (I can't seem to think of anyone else ...)

Advent column

I've posted my December "Notes from the Windowsill" column at my writing blog. It's called Expectation and Fulfillment. It was prompted by some of my associate pastor's teaching on the letters of Paul, and Romans in particular.

Blogging for the lazy

It's Friday, I'm cold and I'm lazy. I'm having a hard time focusing my thoughts, so I'll point you to some thoughts that are more focused.

Mark Bertrand posts about Structure and Direction in Fiction today at The Master's Artist. There's a lot of meat there, but I liked this thought in particular:

A lot of folks, for example, talk about writing from a Christian worldview without appearing to (a) really know how to write or (b) have a truly Christian worldview! There's a place for everyone, of course, and God uses the humblest means to bring about undreamt-of outcomes. But as good stewards of whatever creative gifts we've been given, we ought to apply ourselves to craft as a way of exploring the God-given structure of our art, while at the same time working toward a redemption -- not just thematic, but total -- of our work.

I was struck by the idea of being a good steward of the creativity God has given me. That seems to help keep things in perspective.

I want to go to London. (Randall Friesen takes nice pictures.) I love the way the light hits the buildings. Awesome.

Here's a good timewaster: The Grid Game. (thanks for the link Chris)

And, finally, two people (the aforementioned Chris and Julana) tagged me for the meme of Sevens. I promise, I'll do it next week. This will take some thinking.

Blog Tour: Comes a Horseman

This month's featured selection is Robert Liparulo's thriller from WestBow, Comes a Horseman. My copy just came over the weekend and I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but it looks good. I decided it looked like something I wanted to read during daylight hours, though -- I have a low heebie-jeebie threshold.

The author has an awesome Web site if you want to find out more about him and his book. You can find links to his interview at Infuze, news about the sale of movie rights for the book, a bit of biography, contests, and other cool stuff.

And Chris Well has an excellent three-part interview with Liparulo over at his Learning Curve blog. Not only does the author share some insights to his writing process, he answers some questions in the comments section. He sounds like an interesting guy.

What do your characters long for?

I started reading Robert Olen Butler's book about writing, From Where You Dream. I found it in the KSU library a few weeks ago and thought it looked good, and the title and author sounded vaguely familiar to me. Now I remember why -- Kathleen recommended this book earlier this fall. And now I can see why she recommended it so highly. There's a lot of meat in this book. It challenges the analytical way many of us approach writing.

In my reading last night I got to the chapter about "Yearning." He says:

We are the yearning creatures of this planet. There are superficial yearnings, and there are truly deep ones always pulsing beneath, but every second we yearn for something. And fiction, inescapably, is the art form of human yearning.

Yearning is always part of fictional character. In fact, one way to understand plot is that it represents the dynamics of desire. It's the dynamics of desire that is at the heart of narrative and plot.

I read this and realized what is most often wrong with my stories. I usually start with a character or characters, which doesn't seem to be a bad way to start, according to Butler, but I don't always have it clear in my head what really drives these characters. Thus, something is missing, the story doesn't fully engage the emotions. (And emotion is where Butler says our writing truly comes from.)

So I've been thinking some today about how the dynamics of desire drives some stories. The one that came most readily to mind is one of my favorite movies of all time, While You Were Sleeping. It becomes clear early on that what Lucy desires more than anything, whether she realizes it or not, is a connection to a family again. She has a crush on Peter the hunk, but she doesn't know him. Her longing for family is why, in a sort of mistaken identity twist, she ends up letting Peter's family think she's his fiance, after she rescues him from the train tracks. (You really need to see the movie, though.) Everything that happens in the story flows from that desire and its consequences. And it's one of my favorite movies because it has so much heart. It engages my emotions.

And what does this mean for me? I've got a novel I'm revising, a novel I'm writing, and a couple of short stories I'd like to get published somewhere. But I need to get to the heart of my characters and show what drives them, what they most long for. Otherwise, all that great description and witty dialogue and exciting plot twists will ring hollow to the reader (and for the writer). Makes me think a little of I Cor. 13: "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal." And isn't coming to understand what drives a character, or a live person for that matter -- getting to the heart, in other words -- involve love?

Some random thoughts on a snowy Monday

We had a great time this weekend — lots of visiting and catching up with people I don't get to see very often. My parents' 50th anniversary reception went very well and I think my folks really enjoyed it. My youngest sister-in-law put together an awesome scrapbook of our family's life -- very cool. And she's going to make another one that will include photos and memories from this weekend, as well as bringing the family history up to the present time. (I think she got through the 80s in the first one.)

Yesterday afternoon my daughter and two of my sons and I drove back home to Kansas. My husband called Julia's cell phone to tell us there were tornadoes in Kansas. Yes, in November. Not unheard of, but unusual. And now it's snowing. Yep, I'm back home in Kansas. Anyway, we did run into heavy rain with lightning and wind as we crossed Missouri, but we got home safely. The nice thing about driving with Julia is I get to discover new music. A few months ago she introduced me to Guster. Last night we were listening to a band that was new to me: Blue October (from Texas). I liked them -- very loud, very interesting music.

As for NaNoWriMo: I fear I will not reach 50,000 words by Wednesday at midnight. I've written almost 24,000 words, and I feel like that's a good start, but I just don't have the time and energy to crank out another 26,000 words in less than three days. I knew when I started that I had an awful lot going on this month. So I'll chalk this up to experience and keep working on it. I plan to finish it this winter, so I'm not quitting. And this puts me even more in awe of people who have reached their goal already. Big congrats to all you NaNo finishers!

Thanksgiving thoughts

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day and I'll be taking a few days off from blogging — we'll have dinner tomorrow with our daughter and son-in-law in Lawrence, then Friday we're all off to Illinois for my parents' 50th anniversary celebration. I'm really looking forward to seeing my parents and brothers and their families, as well as a fair number of other relatives and friends. All our kids, except Megan (because she lives in Alaska), will be there.

A couple of years ago I wrote a Thanksgiving column for the newspaper. It still applies.

Here's a few other links of interest:

The Internet Monk is on a roll this week — two interesting essays. Yesterday he wrote about drama and art in a church-affiliated school — very good thoughts about art and faith. (11-28-05: Yes, I've edited this -- the other link is now gone and apparently Mr. Spencer doesn't like to be quoted. I am sometimes uncertain about blogging etiquette. Sorry.)

Mark Bertrand doesn't usually make political comments. Generally he sticks to literary or theological musings (except for the occasional ninja post). But he wrote something yesterday that I liked a lot. You can read it here. I think it is always wise not to confuse the Kingdom of God with the kingdoms (or nations, if you prefer) of this world.

Finally, if you get really bored with football, or the kids drive you crazy, check this out. It'll keep you occupied for a while.

Today

Somehow it had almost escaped me what today is. On Nov. 22, 1963, John F. Kennedy was shot and killed in Dallas. A couple of years ago I wrote an essay for the newspaper, but it ended up not being used. So I posted it over at my writing blog. When I taught News & Feature Writing, I used an excerpt from Saul Pett's masterful piece of newswriting to show my students the power of language. Here's a bit:

John Fitzgerald Kennedy fell to an assassin's bullet in Dallas, Texas, at lunchtime on November 22, 1963. In streets and offices and homes and stores, in lunchrooms and showrooms and schoolrooms and boardrooms, on highways and prairies and beaches and mountaintops, in endless places crowded and sparse, white and black, Republican and Democrat, management and labor, the word went out and cut the heart of a nation.

Husbands called wives, wives called friends, teachers told students, motorists stopped to listen on car radios and stranger told stranger. "Oh, no!" we cried from hearts stopped by shock.

Incredibly, in a time of great numbers, in a time of repeated reminders that millions would die in a nuclear war, when experts feared we were being immunised against tragedy, the death of a single man flooded our hearts and filled all the paths of our lives.

A great shadow fell on the land. Much activity simply stopped, here and overseas.

A big bronze gong sounded, a man shouted "The market is closed" and the New York Stock Exchange stopped. The Boston Symphony Orchestra stopped a Handel concerto and started a Beethoven funeral march, the Canadian House of Commons stopped, a dramatic play in Berlin stopped, the United Nations in New York stopped and Congress and courts and schools and race tracks stopped. Football games were cancelled and theatres were closed and in Dallas a nightclub called the Carousel was closed by a mourner named Jack Ruby. …

Friends in need

You may remember that I went to Mississippi in September to do some disaster relief. Even though it's been more than two months since the hurricane, the needs continue. Today there was a note from the Mississippi 4-H Foundation about the need for coats. I'll quote from the news we received through the Extension system:

"Friends: Our total 4-H family from across America has been unbelievably generous toward our children here in Mississippi following Katrina. There will never be enough thanks to offer. The level of devastation has not diminished but has only hit us hard again with the change in season.

We have an urgent need for "coats for kids" from toddler through teen. Our group that went to the coast today returned basically in tears. They carried 300 coats and found they were short 2,500 just at one school. As warm as the coast is in the summer, winters are cold and the wind and moisture magnify the discomfort. Children are sitting in makeshift class rooms shivering through the day. They go home to small FEMA trailers and in some cases tents.

Mississippi 4-H is soliciting, receiving and working with Mississippi State University to distribute items that will go to all needy children along the Mississippi Coast. Their need is for NEW coats, sweaters, socks, sweatshirts, headwear, and blankets. New, because we simply don't have the means to have used items cleaned, prepared and delivered in time.

If any of you have personal connections with suppliers/distributors/dealers who might be able to help us, we (thousands of we) would appreciate it beyond words. This could be a great way for someone to eliminate old stock. We are making some direct contacts ourselves but sometimes it's the "who" you know that is important. Yes, money so designated would allow us to purchase coats.

Any provided items should be sent to Operation 4-H Relief, Mississippi 4-H, Bost Building, Mississippi State University, MS 39762. All gifts will be received as 501c3 contributions.

The Web site for MSUCares 4-H Relief is here. You can find other contact information there, too.

Labels

I’ve been thinking about the human need to label and categorize everything. I suppose this is partly the result of the various debates bouncing around the online Christian community (some of which are pretty acrimonious). Of course, we’ve been naming and categorizing things since God gave Adam that job in the Garden. And knowing how to classify something is an important organizational tool. For instance, if you have an insect or rock collection you can consult any number of helpful resources to figure out what it is you’ve got. (Though, after editing some lessons for the 4-H geology project I’ve realized that classifying rocks isn’t always as straightforward as one might think.) A dictionary or encyclopedia would be useless if it wasn’t organized in some way.

My point is that there is nothing inherently wrong with applying a label to something, as long as the label doesn’t become the substitute for what something — or someone — really is.

We do this with books, too. I think it’s Randy Mortensen who said that when he was pitching his children’s fantasy (just recently published by Barbour) Landon Snow and the Auctor’s Riddle he had to come up with a recognizable hook to hang it on. Sort of Harry Potter meets Narnia or something like that. (Apologies to Randy if I’ve got that wrong.) But of course, the story is much more than that. (Little plug here: Randy is taking the Christian Fiction Alliance Blog Tour in December and you can find out more about Landon Snow then.)

We feel more comfortable when we can put a label on something: her book is a mystery, he’s written an inspirational romance, he’s charismatic, she’s a lawyer, they’re vegetarians. Admit it — those phrases all conjure images in your mind, don’t they. If we’re not careful, we let the labels become substitutes for actually getting to know those people. The worst crimes against other humans are committed when we objectify people.

Jesus had a nifty way of dealing with these sorts of prejudices — he told stories that turned the stereotypes on their heads. How about The Good Samaritan or the Rich Man and Lazarus? Jesus could always see past the label to the person underneath. It’s a little harder for us, not being divine and all, but we have the Holy Spirit to augment our vision.

It’s important to remember that each one of us is known by many labels, but those labels do not completely define who we are. I’m a wife, mother, daughter, sister, writer, editor, blogger, singer, friend, neighbor and probably a few other nouns — but I’m more than that. I’m a sinner saved by grace and perhaps that leads me to the only label that matters — Christian. And so are many of the other people we might happen to disagree with. Just something to remember.

No, you're not lost

I've just renamed my blog and changed the template. I'm not brave enough to try anything too wild, but I was tired of the old one so I found a different Blogger template that I liked. And blue is my favorite color.

As for the new name, you might find some clues here. Or not.

Some more thoughts on freedom and art

This whole “edgy” discussion has got me thinking again. Because every time it comes up people seem to gravitate toward the extremes. Some fear that freedom will inevitably degenerate into licentiousness. Others fear that caution leads to legalism and bad art. And from those opposite poles no consensus is formed.

I lean toward the freedom end of the spectrum. It’s clear to me that freedom in Christ includes the concept of responsibility and being responsive to the Holy Spirit’s guidance. This keeps us accountable. It’s not cheap grace that we live under.

What keeps coming to mind, though, as I follow the discussion, is the idea that maybe we’re all missing the point. So what is that point? I’ll admit I’m still trying to articulate it. As I said yesterday, we’re all on the same road going nowhere. So, what if we quit looking for the box that defines Christian fiction? What if we quit looking for lines and saying “I’ll go this far and no farther”?

I think we need to recognize that we have redeemed imaginations. We have the possibility of seeing the world as it really is, and yet also as it should be. Others have said this better — Mark Bertrand’s Masters Artists posts are a good place to start. (I wrote this last night before I saw what Mark wrote today, which is even better than what I'm saying here.) But here’s where that idea is leading me. I’ve been in a Sunday school class studying the letters of Paul. Our associate pastor, who is teaching, describes Paul’s eschatology as “already but not yet.” I like that way of expressing the concept that the kingdom of God is come, and yet it is still to come. We live in expectation, but we also live with that expectation’s fulfillment in Christ Jesus. It’s hard to wrap one’s brain around this idea. Something in human nature wants rules, boundaries. And God gives us those, but he also gives us freedom and the Holy Spirit. He gives us mystery and wonder. He gives us imaginations and creativity in expressing them.

We should be telling stories such as the world has never heard, stories full of truth and wonder because that’s the God we serve.

Phil Keaggy sings a great song by Van Morrison, “When Will I Ever Learn to Live in God?” The song talks about how creation testifies to God, but it also talks about great art:

“You brought it to my attention
That everything was made in God.
Down through centuries of great writings and paintings,
Everything was in God.
Seen through architecture of great cathedrals,
Down through the history of time,
Is and was in the beginning, and ever more shall ever be.”

And the song's chorus is the lament that too much of the time we forget that. But it points to where we ought to be so that what we do is transformed, is our act of worship.

“When will I ever learn to live in God?
Will I ever learn
He gives me everything
I need and more
When will I ever learn?”

Updates and some random thoughts, not too 'edgy'

I was sick yesterday (actually I've been sick all week, but yesterday I actually stayed home), so I didn't post anything. I thought maybe I'd get some writing done while I was home yesterday, but I was too wiped out. I haven't gotten much written since Saturday because I have this cold, I'm not giving up. So maybe tonight I'll get another chapter or two written.

When I checked the Faith in Fiction message board today, I saw the "edgy" debate rages on again. It's an interesting discussion because it goes to the heart of who we are as Christian writers. My own thoughts on the subject are kind of fuzzy. I keep thinking of something from The Left Hand of Darkness (by Ursula LeGuin and one of my favorite books of all time) -- to oppose something is to uphold it, in an odd sort of way. The discussion continues to go in circles and never finds new ground. To debate what is acceptable material for a Christian writer seems to invite extremes of opinion. Those who urge restraint and those who argue freedom are still on the same road and we get nowhere. But Mark Bertrand said two things that seem to point to a different road, if he didn't keep getting drowned out:

"... but I am interested in writing honestly about God, man and the world, with as much faith to the complexities of our condition as I can muster."

And this about art and ideology:

"The Christian artist has to do more. He must bring ideas into an encounter with experience and produce something more (and of a different order) than ideology. This is imaginative, not instructive, work."

I doubt seriously that I have the skill as an artist to realize those goals, but I think it's what I dream of doing. The books that have affected me deeply have done so because they somehow give me a glimpse of God's truth (yes, even a secular writer such as LeGuin), they introduced me to ideas that opened my eyes and my mind. They were "imaginative, not instructive." And those stories have remained more vivid in my memory than many words uttered by teachers in countless classrooms. Something to think about.

Celebration time!

I could be singing "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas" today — the snow was sticking as I left home. And now, to add to the fun, the November Celebration of Christian Fiction is up. Violet Nesdoly is the host at Promptings and she's opened the shop so you can start planning the perfect gift for the writer on your list (or add it to your own wish list :) ). My own entry is here.

Whoo-hoo! Snow! (Maybe)

I think our mild autumn weather is over. I just checked the weather forecast for northeast Kansas. They have issued a winter weather advisory -- we might get an inch or two of snow by tomorrow! And it will be windy! (thus the advisory) I prefer snow to be the kind that wafts gently to earth, not blows in my face on a 30-40 mile wind, but if it's cold enough to snow, maybe it will be cold enough to take care of the stuff floating around in the air and making me sneeze.

No surprise here

Hobbit


To which race of Middle Earth do you belong?
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This is fun!

Probably not what Rick Warren had in mind

Check out today's treasure from the Calvin and Hobbes archives.

NaNo update and more

I wrote two chapters last night and I've reached more than 20,000 words on my novel. That puts me more than a third of the way through. Yay! The story is still flowing well, but it's awfully talky. I'll definitely need to go back and rewrite a lot of it. Still, I've discovered that writing all this embeds aspects of my characters more deeply into my consciousness, which seems to help the rewriting process. No, I'm not getting all mystical or philosophical, but I don't know how else to explain it. Another way to say it might be: The better you know your characters, the easier it is to portray them smoothly.

Wednesday I mentioned B.J. Hoff's post at the Charis Connection about writing realistic fiction. Today Mark mentions another post of hers, along similar lines, at The Master's Artist, in his discussion of "edgy" fiction. He does wax more philosophical and theological, but as always, it is enlightening.

Yesterday was the 3oth anniversary of an event made famous in song: the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald. There's an interesting Web site with information about the tragedy and you will also find lyrics to Gordon Lightfoot's song. I liked the song long before I knew more about the real event.

Today, of course, is Veterans' Day, which is the anniversary of the signing of the armistice that ended WWI. My Grandpa Myers, who died in 1965, served in that war. One of my favorite family stories is how my future grandparents corresponded during the war. Oscar Myers (yes, his real name) was nine years older than Julia Hudson, but he knew her at church and already had his eye on her. Julia must have been about 16 when we entered the war and Oscar was sent overseas. Her brother told her she should write to Oscar as her patriotic duty. Well, they were married in 1920 and more than 50 years later, when Grandma died and my mom and her siblings cleaned out the house, they found that she had saved many of the letters. I remember Grandpa as a kind, patient man with a twinkle in his eye. He loved the Lord and I know I'll see him and Grandma someday, but I still miss him. Thank you Grandpa and Grandma Myers, for the heritage of faith you bequeathed your children and grandchildren.

Writing is a craft so you need tools

There's something of the geek in me — I get excited about reference books and free software. I like maps and encyclopedias. I even blogged about it once. And there are things about the writing life that appeal to that inner geek. Here are a few:

MacJournal is a truly nifty and useful journaling program. As I wrote in the post I mentioned earlier, I use it almost everyday and have entries related to all kinds of things I want to remember for work or for writing. I save song lyrics in MacJournal, or J. Mark Bertrand's essays about writing, or blog posts or just random thoughts. I still use the free version I got several months ago, but an updated and beefed up version is published by Mariner Software. At around $30 it's still pretty inexpensive.

I also find some books indispensible for writing: a good dictionary ( I use Webster's New World College Dictionary or the American Heritage Dictionary the most), of course. But I also like some other types of grammar references.

Working With Words, by Brian S. Brooks, James L. Pinson and Jean Gaddy Wilson (Bedford/St. Martin's) has been on my desk for years. It's marketed as a textbook, so it's not cheap, but you can find used copies in college towns. The authors give a clear, concise treatment of grammar, but the most helpful things in the book I find are the lists and guides -- a usage guide, words that present spelling challenges, a guide to avoiding stereotypical language (including words to avoid) and, most helpful to me, words that are (and are not) hyphenated.

I've also become something of a fan of Robert Hartwell Fiske. I own two of his books: The Dictionary of Disagreeable English (Writer's Digest Books) and The Dictionary of Concise Writing (Marion St. Press). Both books are good reads and helpful when you're wondering about usage or trying to reduce the fat in your prose.

There's more: I enjoy reading books about writing. They inspire, encourage and help me see where I might go with this. I've especially enjoyed Stephen King's On Writing and Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird. Both books are engagingly written and deal with writing on a practical level, as well as addressing some of the more esoteric aspects of the craft.

So there's a few of the tools in my writer's toolbox. I'm sure you would have others. But that's what so great — no toolbox is ever too full.

A writer's task

Since I've been blogging I've followed the ongoing discussion of how Christian writers present the fallen world around us. Novelist B.J. Hoff talks about this in her post yesterday at the Charis Connection, Accepting Responsibility as a Writer ... and as a Reader. She offers excellent insight into this and other areas of the writer's craft.

For your viewing pleasure ...

Here's a few links of a more visual nature.

Randall Friesen (Covenant pastor and blogger) has a photoblog now, drycold. He's a good photographer and I like it. Click the before link to see what he's posted thus far. You won't be disappointed.

Liminality is a photoblog that I just stumbled on one day. I know nothing about the photographer, Tristan Roy, but he takes some interesting and beautiful pictures. This photo he posted last week is cool.

I follow these partly because I have a character in my Connors Grove stories who is a photographer. I'm more familiar with news photography, so these give me a bit of a sense of art photography.

Finally, I must thank Dave for this link: The Calvin and Hobbes Snow Art Gallery. Awesome.

In NaNo news: I've written about 14,900 words -- still a little behind my goal, but I'll write more tonight. I've posted some chapters over at my writing blog so you can get an idea of what the story is about. Remember, it's a first draft and, as I said the other day, it's long on dialogue and short on description at this point.

Some things should not be done at the same time

I have a new pet peeve: multi-tasking tasks that should never be performed together. Here's an example -- eating your lunch and calling someone at the same time. I'm not talking about someone calling you and you happen to have a bite in your mouth so you have to swallow quickly. I'm talking about initiating a phone call while you're in the midst of eating your lunch. Take it from me folks, the person on the other end does not want to hear you crunching your apple over the phone. It's just gross and it's not worth the two minutes you save by trying to do those two things at once. Just thought I'd share that with you.

What I'm learning from writing really fast

I've written more than 8,000 words now on my NaNo novel -- probably the fastest 8,000 words I've ever written. And when you compress the writing process into such a short period of time, you start to notice things about your writing. Here's what I've discovered:

I write a lot of dialogue. I realized that what interests me is the interaction between the characters. I don't write tons of description, though I have a picture in my mind of the setting. I'm just more interested in how people relate. I can always go back and add description and cut unnecessary dialogue later.

I'm a little weird when I write. We've moved the computer desk out into an area of the upstairs hall so my youngest son can have his room to himself. So last night I had my earphones in and was pounding away at the story -- it was a really exciting part (at least to me) and I'm pretty sure I was mouthing the dialogue a bit as I was writing it. I was completely oblivious to my husband walking by and going downstairs. But when he came back upstairs I did notice him and he teased me a bit about being so absorbed in my story. I told him to get used to it.

My outline is evolving over time. I keep realizing that I need to divide up some parts of the story into more chapters, or I need to include another character's point of view. I had an outline to start with and it's helped, but it's certainly not set in stone and as the story evolves it changes, too. A road map is nice, even if you decide to take the scenic route.

So that's what I'm learning so far. Even if this novel never goes much beyond NaNo (but I hope it does), it's good experience. And I'm having a blast.

Odds and ends

Here's a few random things:

You can find my author profile over at NaNoWriMo here. There's also an excerpt from the novel in progress. It's rough and it's not all I've written but it's the start.

I found an entertaining way to waste a few minutes: hop over to The Thinklings and try out the different skins for the blog. I think my favorite is The Lord of the Rings. I know, I'm easily amused.

This link came to me from Kansas Professional Communicators. A group of people who are tired of the polarization in our country has set up a Web site promoting civil discourse -- the RedBlue Project looks kind of cool. The project is being led by Barkely Evergreen and Partners in Kansas City.

Finally, while I'm not big on forwarding stuff, here's a site worth clicking on: The Breast Cancer Site. Corporate sponsors fund free mammograms for women in need based on how many clicks the site gets, so follow the link and click on it every day.

Is this bragging?

Oh, who cares. I'm really excited. Yesterday I wrote 2800 words, today I wrote more than 3600! Of course, I was off work today. (My son had an appointment and I took the day off, but I figure I may as well write while I have the time, right?) I probably won't have a lot of days with this level of productivity, but the story is flowing well and it feels good. But it's also a story that I've had rolling around in my head for a while, which makes it easier, I think. But usually when I start feeling really good about something, it all goes south, so maybe I shouldn't speak too soon.

Should I post any of it? What do you think?

Day 1

So I started working on A Long Night in Connors Grove during my lunch hour today and hope to get back to it for a while this evening. I'm feeling pretty good about it (not that I've had time to get discouraged yet). But to help me stay inspired I read the second installment of Chris Well's NaNo interviews: with Chris Mikesell, who was a NaNoWriMo winner last year. He has some good suggestions, but I wish I'd had his advice about junk food sooner -- I stocked up on Brach's Spice Drops last night. But I figure the blog will help me follow another bit of advice -- accountability. I'll have to maintain some kind of word count since I've publicly committed to this project. And anyone who knows me is free to send me the occasional chiding e-mail.