is to let you know I haven't forgotten about my blog. This has been one of those weeks where the writing is flowing fast and easy. And that means that everything else gets neglected.
However, I do plan to post a review of The Great Eight within a couple of days.
Oh, I forgot. I did find one other major diversion that might have a little bit to do with my late posting this week; Facebook. Oh no! I've succumbed. I admit it. In between paragraphs I've been clicking over to see who else I can 'friend'. So far I've found 58 old college buddies and highschool friends, some of whom I haven't seen for nearly twenty years. And some of the ones that are friending me, I don't recall being friends with. That's okay, I guess, as long as no one starts getting creepy on me. Anyhow, I've spent the week going back and forth between the fictional world of my manuscript, set in 1947, and my past life as a teenager/young adult circa 1988-1996, give or take a few years. No wonder I haven't gotten to that review yet.
The Story Behind My Blog's Title
Why is my blog named "My Father's Oldsmobile"? Click on the car and find out.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Book Review: Gallimore by Michelle Griep
Every February my family and I spend a few days in a cabin in the woods. We usually do a lot of hiking during the day and play games at night, but this year the weather didn't cooperate. And even if it had, most of the trails were closed due to an ice storm that wreaked havoc on the area a couple of weeks ago. Since I couldn't explore, I did the next best thing. I curled up in front of the fire with a book, Gallimore by Michelle Griep. And oh...what an adventure I had.
Jessica Neale has never recovered from her husband's death. She's dealt with her pain by building walls, and it's time for those walls to topple. The problem is, they're really thick and won't be breeched by conventional means.
What she needs is a handsome medieval knight, an evil lord, ticked off king, an innocent page, and God. Of course, to get four of these five she has to do a little time traveling.
Gallimore was a blast. I read it in two days. Besides entertaining me with action, romance, intrigue and humor--it moved me with its message of Grace. And, it posed an interesting question; to what lengths would God go to get our attention?
I think the answer is; whatever it takes.
I know I can be hard-headed, but I don't think I would require something as extreme as Jessica's experience. Just in case though, I'm going to stock a fanny pack with soap, toothpaste and a tooth brush, travel shampoo, and a change of underwear to keep with me at all times. This will make sense after you read the book.
Oh yeah! Deodorant.
Thanks for the adventure Michelle. I hope you'll write a sequel.
Jessica Neale has never recovered from her husband's death. She's dealt with her pain by building walls, and it's time for those walls to topple. The problem is, they're really thick and won't be breeched by conventional means.
What she needs is a handsome medieval knight, an evil lord, ticked off king, an innocent page, and God. Of course, to get four of these five she has to do a little time traveling.
Gallimore was a blast. I read it in two days. Besides entertaining me with action, romance, intrigue and humor--it moved me with its message of Grace. And, it posed an interesting question; to what lengths would God go to get our attention?
I think the answer is; whatever it takes.
I know I can be hard-headed, but I don't think I would require something as extreme as Jessica's experience. Just in case though, I'm going to stock a fanny pack with soap, toothpaste and a tooth brush, travel shampoo, and a change of underwear to keep with me at all times. This will make sense after you read the book.
Oh yeah! Deodorant.
Thanks for the adventure Michelle. I hope you'll write a sequel.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Book Review.Michelle Sutton's It's Not About Me--but it is my blog
Which means I get to tell you how this story relates to my own life. (In a minute)
Annie Myers is a good girl. She tries to please those around her with her deeds, and she's devoted to the people in her life, as well as her church--but not Christ. Only she doesn't know it.
After a tragic incident Annie is forced to give her life a thorough look, and she doesn't like what she sees. She feels empty, and unsure of the relationships in her life. That includes her relationship with the Lord. God uses this as an opportunity to bring about a change in Annie, and He doesn't stop there. One by one, we see the characters in this story change as God uses the most challenging circumstances in their lives to draw them to Him.
I kept having flashbacks to my own teenage years as I read Michelle Sutton's book. I grew up in the church. I went on a regular basis and believed I was a Christian because I didn't do all that bad stuff. Then one day, it wasn't enough. My superficial beliefs could only take me so far. So I rebelled and became one of those bad kids--a long with a good percentage of my youth group. Oh, at church we still looked very righteous, but if you saw us on Friday nights?
A funny thing eventually happened. God brought one person--just one--to our church, and because of that person's faith a change started taking place. I remember, for the first time in my life, feeling accepted for who I was. And as I got to know this person I came to understand that a relationship with God was never about following rules; but for some reason, my growing relationship made me want to follow them.
As we were saved, our youth group transformed into a haven where each of us could find comfort and encouragement as we struggled in our walk with the Lord. Before God brought this person to us, the youth group had consisted of about fifteen kids. When we got together, out of the watchful eye of our parents, well. . .we did pretty much everything we weren't supposed to. But, because of one person's obedience to God our activities changed, and more important, so did our hearts. Apparently Christ's love was contagious, because by the time I graduated our youth group had grown to forty-five. And during our time together, we laughed, cried, shared our testimony, and we loved. In other words, we worshiped.
So Michelle, thanks for writng a book that brings so many issues to light. It's so easy to see what's on the outside and make assumptions about a what's in a person's heart. I usually think of this in terms of some one who is outwardly gruff, but tender inside. And yet, I forget that it can go the other way too. I'm reminded that God can use me, and I need to pray for my brothers and sisters and reach out to them. How tragic would it be for someone who is so close to be so far, and miss all of the spiritual blessing God has to offer because I made an assumption.
John 13:34-35
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
Annie Myers is a good girl. She tries to please those around her with her deeds, and she's devoted to the people in her life, as well as her church--but not Christ. Only she doesn't know it.
After a tragic incident Annie is forced to give her life a thorough look, and she doesn't like what she sees. She feels empty, and unsure of the relationships in her life. That includes her relationship with the Lord. God uses this as an opportunity to bring about a change in Annie, and He doesn't stop there. One by one, we see the characters in this story change as God uses the most challenging circumstances in their lives to draw them to Him.
I kept having flashbacks to my own teenage years as I read Michelle Sutton's book. I grew up in the church. I went on a regular basis and believed I was a Christian because I didn't do all that bad stuff. Then one day, it wasn't enough. My superficial beliefs could only take me so far. So I rebelled and became one of those bad kids--a long with a good percentage of my youth group. Oh, at church we still looked very righteous, but if you saw us on Friday nights?
A funny thing eventually happened. God brought one person--just one--to our church, and because of that person's faith a change started taking place. I remember, for the first time in my life, feeling accepted for who I was. And as I got to know this person I came to understand that a relationship with God was never about following rules; but for some reason, my growing relationship made me want to follow them.
As we were saved, our youth group transformed into a haven where each of us could find comfort and encouragement as we struggled in our walk with the Lord. Before God brought this person to us, the youth group had consisted of about fifteen kids. When we got together, out of the watchful eye of our parents, well. . .we did pretty much everything we weren't supposed to. But, because of one person's obedience to God our activities changed, and more important, so did our hearts. Apparently Christ's love was contagious, because by the time I graduated our youth group had grown to forty-five. And during our time together, we laughed, cried, shared our testimony, and we loved. In other words, we worshiped.
So Michelle, thanks for writng a book that brings so many issues to light. It's so easy to see what's on the outside and make assumptions about a what's in a person's heart. I usually think of this in terms of some one who is outwardly gruff, but tender inside. And yet, I forget that it can go the other way too. I'm reminded that God can use me, and I need to pray for my brothers and sisters and reach out to them. How tragic would it be for someone who is so close to be so far, and miss all of the spiritual blessing God has to offer because I made an assumption.
John 13:34-35
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
Friday, February 6, 2009
What Controversial Issues Should Christian Fiction Address?
Or should it address any? Maybe its sole purpose should be to provide wholesome entertainment for Christians?
I won't deny, there is a market for that. It may very well be the biggest market for Christian writers. But, is mere entertainment the best use of a writer's talent?
Hehe. My blog. Now I get to tell you what I think. And I can be as blunt and tackless as I want.
NO!
It boggles my mind how we, as Christians, can look at the example set before us by Jesus Christ himself, and yet lock oursleves in a little box where we get to paint the walls and ceiling shimmery blue, lay grassy green olefin carpet, stick plastic sunflowers in the ground and call that real.
I'm not saying that every Christian book must boldly go where no book has gone before. We need the light reads; the gentle encouragements from time to time. But to declare those books that do take on wordly issues as unChristian is contrary to Christ's very example.
Recently I was reading reviews of a book that tackled many horrid, painful subjects. The author used scripture and Biblical examples as guidance for her main character's thoughts and actions. Most reviewers appreciated her ministry, but I found a few--more than I expected--who declared the book to be dangerous, and unChristian.
Why? She brought up child molestation and rape. How dare anyone acknowledge such a thing. Next was prostitution. Christ never knew anyone like that. Adultry! Cover your eyes. And worst of all, she wrote about sex between a husband and a wife. She even described it in poetic terms, making it seem. . . enjoyable. How unChristian!
Sadly, what every one of these reviewers missed was the beautiful tale of forgiveness. Isn't that why Christ died?
We live in a world full of hurt. In my own family we've dealt with divorce, adultry, out-of-wedlock pregnancy, rape, homosexuality, eating disorders and mental illness. In my close circle of friends that list of 'unmentionables' expands to include drug addiction, alchoholism, victims of molestation, abortion, and probably a few things I don't know about. You want to know what all of these people have in common? Christ. Everyone that has crossed my mind as I have written this list is a Christian; with the acception of one, and we're working on her. But could any of these people have been ministered to if those that brought them to Christ had not addressed their pain? Sin is pain.
I don't think I would be a Christian today if that were the case.
I won't deny, there is a market for that. It may very well be the biggest market for Christian writers. But, is mere entertainment the best use of a writer's talent?
Hehe. My blog. Now I get to tell you what I think. And I can be as blunt and tackless as I want.
NO!
It boggles my mind how we, as Christians, can look at the example set before us by Jesus Christ himself, and yet lock oursleves in a little box where we get to paint the walls and ceiling shimmery blue, lay grassy green olefin carpet, stick plastic sunflowers in the ground and call that real.
I'm not saying that every Christian book must boldly go where no book has gone before. We need the light reads; the gentle encouragements from time to time. But to declare those books that do take on wordly issues as unChristian is contrary to Christ's very example.
Recently I was reading reviews of a book that tackled many horrid, painful subjects. The author used scripture and Biblical examples as guidance for her main character's thoughts and actions. Most reviewers appreciated her ministry, but I found a few--more than I expected--who declared the book to be dangerous, and unChristian.
Why? She brought up child molestation and rape. How dare anyone acknowledge such a thing. Next was prostitution. Christ never knew anyone like that. Adultry! Cover your eyes. And worst of all, she wrote about sex between a husband and a wife. She even described it in poetic terms, making it seem. . . enjoyable. How unChristian!
Sadly, what every one of these reviewers missed was the beautiful tale of forgiveness. Isn't that why Christ died?
We live in a world full of hurt. In my own family we've dealt with divorce, adultry, out-of-wedlock pregnancy, rape, homosexuality, eating disorders and mental illness. In my close circle of friends that list of 'unmentionables' expands to include drug addiction, alchoholism, victims of molestation, abortion, and probably a few things I don't know about. You want to know what all of these people have in common? Christ. Everyone that has crossed my mind as I have written this list is a Christian; with the acception of one, and we're working on her. But could any of these people have been ministered to if those that brought them to Christ had not addressed their pain? Sin is pain.
I don't think I would be a Christian today if that were the case.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
I Adore Francine Rivers
My favorite author is Francine Rivers. I adore this woman. The Lord has gifted her with tremendous talent, and she glorifies Him through every word.
The thing that amazes me about Francine's writing is how effortlessly she weaves God's word into her stories. I've come to realize that the reason it seems so natural is that her characters have incredible depth. Francine writes their thoughts and feelings with such fullness; such fluidity, that the reader lives the characters' lives. We experience their struggles. And when we come to the Bible verses, so beautifully woven into the prose, they speak to us because they're exactly what WE need to hear.
Francine, thank you for your inspiraton. God Bless.
The thing that amazes me about Francine's writing is how effortlessly she weaves God's word into her stories. I've come to realize that the reason it seems so natural is that her characters have incredible depth. Francine writes their thoughts and feelings with such fullness; such fluidity, that the reader lives the characters' lives. We experience their struggles. And when we come to the Bible verses, so beautifully woven into the prose, they speak to us because they're exactly what WE need to hear.
Francine, thank you for your inspiraton. God Bless.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
1970 Olds 442