• Jul. 27, 2009 - The Truth about Friendship.

This is from a lovely and very educational book I've been reading.
"Teachers of Good Things" by Mrs. Francie Taylor.

"Being a good friend involves great care, and we must be attentive to stay within the bounds that God has placed for friendship: be like iron sharpening iron, love at all times and help during fiery trials. However, we must also realize that God will give the direction to know when and where we are to apply these principles. Friendship, like many other areas of life, must stay balanced to be fruitful.

Let's look at some friendship fallacies and compare them with facts.

Fallacy: A true friend should call you regularly to see how you're doing.
Fact: A true friend may pray for you regularly, but may only call once in a while. Like fruit in season, friendship has seasons as well.

Fallacy: We need lots of friends.
Fact: We need Godly friends, and the number of them is up to the Lord.

Fallacy: If I am sick, my friend should be the first one on the scene to check up on me and help take care of my needs.
Fact: Illness is not mandate for friends to run to the rescue. Everyone in life experiences down times from illness, injury or other various losses. God is in charge of determining who we need and when.

Fallacy: After all that I have done for my friend, she owes me!
Fact: After all that Christ has done for us, we are debtors. We must focus on being a giving friend, not a taking friend.

Fallacy: If people don't include you in their events, they are a clique.
Fact: No one gets invited to everything! It is much better to be on the lookout for ways to extend the hand of friendship than to be searching for ways that others are not doing so.

These fact and fallacies are meant to expose some of the faulty thinking that can creep into our minds as we reflect on friendship. If you have been struggling in this area and have not been a sound minded friend, now is the time to reevaluate and rechart your course. Be a true, Godly friend. You will never lack a friend if you aim to be one according to God's plan.

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• Jul. 25, 2009 - Art of Marcus Stone.

Marcus Stone was a British Painter from the years of 1840-1921.

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• Jul. 24, 2009 - Let the fun begin.

Last night my "novel" kept running through my mind, and I couldn't help but just start on it. It was supposed to be the one I was saving for NaNoWriMo, but ohhh well! Looks like I'll be working out a new plot. I wrote around 1,000 words last night until this morning.

Here's the preface, but I can't share too much at this point!

Have you ever felt lost?
That fear that overtakes a child when it realizes Mother is gone. That horrible pain when you realize you chose the wrong path. The feeling of being alone without direction. Sometimes though, it is much deeper than this. Sometimes it is a matter of the soul, something that exceeds above words and adjectives. A glacier with no path, simply a fate and an end. This is where you find me, and perhaps where you find yourself.

I'm so excited! I think this will be a great book. =)

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• Jul. 23, 2009 - Cute book covers.

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• Jul. 23, 2009 - Consequences of Sin.

Great sermons!
Each video is 10:00 minutes long.

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." -Romans 6:23

Consequences of Sin Part 1.

Consequences of Sin Part 2.

Consequences of Sin Part 3.

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• Jul. 22, 2009 - Quotes from Just Jane by Nancy Moser.

"I take fresh paper, a deep breath, and begin to do just that.
For I am a writer. And writers write."

"I do enjoy the writing process. I do enjoy creating another place and time, populating it with people who could be as outrageous, vainglorious, courageous, or victorious as I will them to be. Through my writing I capture a smidgen of control - if not my own life, in the lives of my characters. Their happiness, success, justice, or demise depends on me. If only I had as much control over my own fate."

"We must sleep," she says.
And dream.

"But I do not want to venture out. Mine is not a penchant for plantings and pinchings, but for pronouns and prepositions."

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• Jul. 22, 2009 - Just Jane.

I got four new books from the library today, after returning those ghastly and horrid others. I've started Just Jane by Nancy Moser just now. Already it's wonderful and rich!
I can hardly pick out a section to quote to you because I'm liable to quote the whole book! If you enjoy Austen, writing, history, or anything elegant I'm almost certain you'll love this book!
I'll be sure to share more quotes and tidbits as I read farther. =)

"I long for the correct word, the indisputable one-and-only connection of words that will capture the essence of my intention. Yet these unfound words tease me by hiding in the shadows of my mind, just out of reach, being naughty and bothersome and -- Aha!"

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• Jul. 22, 2009 - The One Minute Writer.

If you'd been the first human to step foot on the moon,
what would you have said, for the world to hear?

If I landed on the moon, I would probably try to relay exactly what I was seeing. I would try to explain how close I felt to God to see such a wonderful piece of His creation! I would speak of the glory of the Lord, and His handywork. I can't imagine what it must feel like to be there, and to see those things that most people only dream of.

Sixty seconds goes by SO fast!

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• Jul. 22, 2009 - Beautiful Stranger.

She couldn't go inside... not like this.
Uneasy, Emma shifted from one side to the other. Tears and mascara started to stream down her cheeks. She stood on the front steps, searching for an excuse to walk away from the red brick church, but she couldn't fight it. Nothing Emma told herself could stand up against the horrifying thoughts of her past, and even worse... the thoughts of her future.
"Is it even possible?" she mumbled. Her mind was racing.
"Could God really forgive me? Could He really?"
"I know it's hard to believe, but it's true. God loves you, honey."
The small voice had come out of nowhere. Emma, startled by the unexpected response, looked up the steps to see a young lady. Despite her frazzled state, Emma instantly noticed the sheer beauty of the woman.
"Who are you?" Emma asked.
"I know you're afraid, but just believe."
Emma was broken and tired. She wanted to believe, but she doubted what she heard.
"Come inside," continued the lady, as she opened the front door of the church.
Almost as if moved by someone else, Emma began walking towards the front door. She moved slowly, holding onto the railing, putting one foot carefully in front of the other.
"Don't worry, I will be right here in the back row."
Emma watched as the beautiful stranger took her seat. Every eye in the room was on Emma. Some looked on in disgust, others simply curious. She was crying harder now than before. She locked her eyes on the altar at the front of the church. Unaware of anyone else, Emma began walking. She fell on her knees and clung to the altar. Through tear-filled eyes, she looked up at the preacher who had come to her side. Emma grabbed his arm.
"Is it real? Is this love real?! Is it?"
Before she could ask again, the man started to read from an old leather Bible,
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."
The words rushed through her broken heart. Now, Emma knew.
She knew in her heart that the love of Christ was real. She knew that it was time to leave the past, and meet Jesus. Through trembling lips, Emma began to pray.
"Dear God, I need you! I am a sinner, and I need your blood to cover me. Everything is in my past. I will follow you, Dear Lord. I believe in this love, I believe!"
An unexplainable joy overtook Emma as she stood. After hugging the preacher's neck, she turned and started back down the aisle, ready to share the story. Reaching the stranger's pew, she now realized... that it was empty.
"Where is my friend? Where is she?!"
An older man then looked back over his shoulder.
"Ma'am, you came in alone."

"Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares."
Hebrews 13:2

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• Jul. 21, 2009 - So Discouraging.

I've been realizing more and more lately how hard it is to find good, clean literature.
Aside from turning to Christian Fiction (which is in most cases very good) you just can't pick up most books and not find vulgar language or crude and graphic scenes. Well, I find it awful! I checked out three books from the Library today, and I refuse to read at least two of them. They are so vulgar and filthy I just can't feel right about it. I'll start the other one later and see if it's worth my time.

If you decide to take a stand and not partake in the sin of the world, you will be faced with temptation on every corner, mark my words. Compromise is an ugly and gripping tool of our enemy, and more Christians need to be aware of it. Don't settle for "Well there are only a few words" or for "It's not really that graphic". Stand up against those things, and be a vessel that God can use.

I believe I will try to compile a list of books that I've read, that are clean and pure. I can make a list and post it here on my blog, and maybe help someone to find a book that wont lead them astray. I love to read, and I enjoy it so much! I want other people to learn and enjoy it as well, but I don't want others to allow sin and temptation into their lives.

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• Jul. 21, 2009 - James Tissot!

I chose a James Tissot print for my blog header, and thought I would share some of his other art. Somehow, I'd never heard of him before, but his art is wonderful. James Jacques Joseph Tissot (October 15, 1836 – August 8, 1902) was a French painter. He studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris under Ingres, Flandrin and Lamothe, and exhibited in the Paris Salon for the first time at the age of twenty-three.

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• Jul. 21, 2009 - The One Minute Writer.

Today, what is inspiring you?

Today, I have been inspired by the books that I found.
Even the ones I didn't choose, just the ones I browsed through.
Every now and then I remind myself that I'm going to do Nanowrimo, and I need to work on it!
When I see all of those books, I remember that it isn't impossible for me to write something good.