Friday, June 30, 2017

Sweet Memories, Just Plain Cute



More memories from our KIDS’ BOOK.

November 6, 1992: “This morning, I was in the kitchen while Rebecca was eating breakfast in the dining room. She called out, ‘Bird in bird feeder eating.’"

December 3, 1992: “A little ago Rebecca informed me that she'd found an icky bug. I said, ‘Don't touch him.’ She said, ‘I want to kiss him.’

“A little later, I was in our bedroom, and Rebecca was in the living room. She came toward our room saying, ‘Mommy, I want to give you bunch of kisses.’ Of course, I said yes."

Hmmm. Now I’m wondering if she’d just kissed that “icky bug.”

September 18, 1993: “This morning I went into the hall and bumped into Caleb. He was holding his pillow in front of Him. I asked why he had his pillow. He started pushing the pillow against me and said, “I'm, I'm, I'm gonna push you!’"

October 18, 1993: “At lunch, we were talking about how much I loved my kids. Rebecca asked if I loved myself. I said I didn't need to, since Jesus loves me. She said, ‘Daddy loves you very lot.’"

November 13, 1993: Rebecca asked, ‘When I grow up, will I still be Rebecca?’"

Later that night: “It was almost bed time, so I told the kids, ‘No taking the pillows off the couch; no emptying the toys out of the baskets, (We used laundry baskets for toy boxes,) and no standing on the table and playing with the toy baskets.’ And Caleb said, ‘And no spankings.’"

February 19, 1994: “This morning, Sarah was jumping on the trampoline and counting like the other kids and I do. She said, ‘One, two, five, six, nine, eight.’"

March 7, 1994: “This afternoon, Sarah was playing with the Legos, and I was sitting by her at the table. She got down to pick up one that dropped and said to me, ‘Don't mess with my stuff.’"   

Friday, June 23, 2017

Reading As a Writer



Often as I’m reading a book for fun, I’ll catch myself noticing techniques the author used.

Amazing cliff hanger. Ooohh, nice plot twist. Great character development. Interesting word. Excellent dialogue. Whoa, fantastic mystery technique. Smooth, natural way to speak of Jesus in the story.

And so on.

Many times I’ll remind myself to use a certain technique, or word, I come across in my own writing. “Nasty. Hmmm, now that’s a word I’d like to find a use for in a story.”

I laugh at myself when I think like this, but it doesn’t stop me enjoying the book. It usually reminds me of how much writing is a natural part of my being.

I’m always impressed by a writer who makes me so caught up with a character that I find myself praying for the character before I remember it’s just fiction.

I’m a tight writer. In the writers’ group I’m a part of, I hear many people talk about needing to cut their words. I have the opposite problem. I have a hard time coming up with enough words, in fleshing out scenes, in giving enough meat to what’s going on.

I love when I’m reading, and the scene seems so real because of the description and action, and the extra, real-life interruptions that come in. I admire that and wish to grow in that kind of ability.

I crave the skill I see in other writers to create characters so different from each other, who keep each character true to himself, acting in the way that that person would act, because of the way they have been developed.

I just finished a book, WHERE COURAGE CALLS by Janette Oke and Laurel Oke Logan. This was another book that made me think about myself as a writer. The excellent showing of different characters, fully developed, the skill of moving the story along without introducing changes and solutions too soon. And it made me cry. I think that is such a gift to give an author, that our emotions are so moved by the people in the story.

I know I still have so many ways to grow as a writer, to improve this skill. I am grateful that one of the best learning tools for a writer is to read and read and read other writers, and to learn from those that I respect.



Friday, June 16, 2017

Grace and Truth, John 3:1-15



I really like Nicodemus.

It doesn’t make me mad that he went to see Jesus secretly. I can only imagine the fear of the religious leaders people might have had who believed in Jesus. Nicodemus was one of the leaders. I’m sure they would have been even harder on him.

But he truly believed that Jesus came from God because of the works Jesus did. Many saw those works, didn’t want to accept the truth, and just let it roll over them.

Nicodemus didn’t understand what Jesus said, but he pushed on, asking questions. I believe he wanted to know the true things of God.

Jesus spoke roughly to him it seems, but from later Scripture, we know that Nicodemus held on to faith in Jesus.

Nicodemus wanted to know the truth, he sought it out, and Jesus knew what Nicodemus needed to hear to bring him into faith.

If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. Jeremiah 29:13 NLT

Father God, teach me what I need to know to grow stronger as your follower.