Scribbles and Scrambles - Flinging Checkers

Wouldn't Flinging Checkers be a great band name?

On Monday I brought up some melancholy thoughts about change, especially the sadness of missing faces within the church and broken relationships. Janet blogged about this http://janetswritingplanet.blogspot.com/2007/01/going-through-pictures.html on Wednesday and I realize I have a few more things to say.

We are born with the notion that the world revolves around us. When I open my eyes or make a noise there’d better be someone there to meet my needs. Life has to beat reality into us and selfishness out. Some find gentle adults who teach the truth…that we are simply one of six billion…important but no more so than the others. Others have adults who brutalize and lie, bringing confusion into the mix of pain and selfishness. The rest, most of us, fall into some degree of the middling.

We plant our learned lessons deep and impart them through the filters of our dysfunction.

It’s a miracle that any of us connect with one another on any level.

Assuming that you are a believer and follower of Jesus—read on and ponder.

We need to stop and remember that God created unique DNA for all six billion earth inhabitants and the billions who’ve walked before us. We need to look to the God who creates one-of-a-kind snowflakes. Then let’s put that information into our quirk-o-meters and decide that none of us is going to be identical to the others. I can’t read your mind, nor should I expect you to read mind. I’ll love movies, music, books, colors and food that you may detest. One will prefer worship served formal, another prefers worship with dance. God reached my soul with a question, Martin Luther’s with a scripture, one of my favorite Bible study teacher’s with an event, and thousands of others with thousands of different and unique ways.

Of course we won’t all agree on the wall colors in the church or the Biblical length of hems. A church is made up of clueless, lucky-to-have-found-the-truth “accidents” with in-your-face stinking baggage through mature scholars who’ve repacked their baggage into appropriate church attending attaches, and everything in between.

We all have something to teach and much to learn.

What would happen in our churches if the believers in Jesus Christ actually embraced Gal 2:20 – (my paraphrase) I’m dead and I’ve given Christ my body to complete His tasks and goals? Or if we realized that crawling on the altar (Romans 12:1-2) meant not operating out of our needs/wants but considering others needs/wants as equal and God’s wants as paramount. Am I suggesting that we let go of God’s call to holiness? Nope. Am I saying that anything goes; anything can be taught as truth? No. Of course not. But why can’t we hang onto the truth with our whole heart, soul, mind and strength and yet love our neighbors as ourselves?

Consider others as more important than yourself and don’t injure the one for whom Christ died (more paraphrases - Phip 2:3, Rom 14:15, 1 Cor 8:11.) When you stop to evaluate how you’ve been let down, mistreated or ignored, run to Him with those issues and then obey Him.

Are you considering bowing out of a relationship because the other person won’t meet your needs or read your mind? Are you a spiritual checker flinger? You know, like when you were a kid and were playing checkers with someone and they asked a question you didn’t like or said something you didn’t want to hear, or cheated, did you rip the checker board off the table, scatter checkers as evidence of your ire, pack it up and take it home?

Stop, please, and pray before you act. Really pray.

My worst enemy haunted me. Constant anger bubbled inside of me. She controlled me until God reminded me that He loved her too. Letting God take that burden of hatred freed me to follow a much better master, Him. But it hurt that He asked me to stop hating her, that He expected me to be kind, to be the bigger person because she had done nothing but steal from me. Now I’m glad He loves her because she needs Him. I understand that He loves me enough He doesn’t want me to bathe in the acid bath of selfishness and self-pity.

Jesus really does want us all to get along or He wouldn’t have called us to unity. And He doesn’t call us to do what is impossible for Him to do through us. Ask Him how you can help repair the damage you’ve done to relationships you’ve had, and then follow His instructions. What an excellent start to a new year.Tomorrow, I promise to put the quirk back on. Really. Ray’s dropping by…

Serials and Scenarios - A Pagan's Nightmare

A Pagan's Nightmare -
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0446579599

Ray Blackston's Web Abode -
http://www.rayblackston.com/


The Review -

Ray Blackston has crafted a skewed and entertaining novel in "A Pagan's Nightmare."

Some day, I'd like to meet this man -- Ray, not Larry, or Lanny, or Ned. Well, maybe I'd like to meet them, too.

This story within a story is both rich in humor and surprising in it's spiritual depth.

Warning...you may experience deep crunching sensations accompanied by sharp pain in your toes as you read. Ray hits a little too close to home when he paints some unflattering yet realistic pictures of "the sky is falling" theology.

If you like your Christian fiction without pablum or platitude - this is your book. If you want a fun read and you can laugh at yourself or if you are wearing steel-toed boots, give it a shot.

If you want by-the-rules Christian fiction, you may find yourself frustrated, but do try to get beyond that, this is a mind-twistingly good read.

Thanks, Ray.

Interview - Friday.....

Ray is pondering my questions as we speak. Come back Friday for a serving of the inner Ray.

Scribbles and Scrambles - Insulation and Change

My bio/description says I love change. I do…to an extent.

For example, I two-stepped on the inside (only because I’m too clumsy to master the two-step on the outside) when I spied my newly installed toilet and vanity cabinet in my still not-quite-ready-for-the-troops upstair’s bathroom.

I also willingly changed my plans to help Rob shoot insulation into the attic. This brings me to a bunny trail. Rob tells people he married me because I passed the drywall test. This lovely test requires the testee to stand on a ladder, arms raised, holding a piece of drywall in place for the tester while he nails or screws it to the ceiling. Apparently, Rob was impressed with my quick thinking when I added my head to my hands and made an easier on the arms triangle brace.

I did turn the tables on him, though. I think I’ve mentioned the gales of giggles I succumb to when lifting heavy furniture. That doesn’t happen with drywall, I’m serious and helpful with drywall. Ha. He thought I’d be useful with all heavy lifting.

Shooting insulation was no laughing matter either, unless you like to snork insulation debris into your nostrils. (Which I don’t recommend.) Though I’m sure you could Google for an insulation snorting party near you. Never try it with fiberglass!

Oh, back to the topic, change. The kind of change I don’t like is broken relationships. Okay…I know most people don’t ENJOY bad relationships, but I’m talking about the kind that isn’t REALLY bad, but where someone pulls away and floats off into the sunset. This seems to happen a lot in churches.

Sigh. I wish we could all just get along.

I miss the ones who’ve floated away. I think they took a little bit of my heart with them.

Okay – done with change, well, kind of. Thanks for your comments about Marilyn Griffith’s fun interview.

Wednesday through Friday is the blog tour for A Pagan’s Nightmare by Ray Blackston. Ray’s book is quite the adventure, so I’m anxiously awaiting his interview answers. I’ll post my review on Wednesday.

Serials and Scenarios - Marilyn Griffith - Inside Out

Marilyn Griffith dropped by late last night and answered all sorts of questions. Here's a few for your perusal. I'll post the rest later - she has another book coming out soon. If you can't wait, I'm open to bribes.

I think I'll invite Marilyn to my next slumber party. I think we could have all sorts of fun.

My Q's are red, her A's are blue.

Pick one…..

Pink iguana, purple cow, periwinkle giraffe. Which one and why? Can be negative or positive.

Pink iguana. Positve? she's pink. Negative. She's an iguana. "Nough said.


Favorite turn of phrase or word picture, in literature or movie.

"Good morn-ting!" (Madea, Tyler Perry's Family Reunion) I said every morning for about a month after I saw that movie.


What period of history intrigues you the most?

Oh goodie, one I can answer! The period from about 1852 to 1870 would top the list. I read a lot of slave narratives and civil war accounts from both sides of the war. Next after that would probably be the 1020's.


What would you write if there were no rules or barriers? (epic novels about characters in the Bible, poetry, greeting cards, plays, movies, instruction manuals, etc.)

Oh...you are going to get me into so much trouble now! LOL An big, thick, science fiction epic. Yeah, I know. That's why there are rules and barriers.


What makes you feel alive?

Another freebie. My husband's beard against my face, baby toes and kid hugs, good music, great food, friends who love me even when I zone out and forget to call them, pretty flowers... You get the ideas. I'm pretty simple.


How does something worm its way into your heart? Through tears, truth, humor or other?

All of the above. Those three are my favorite trilogy. I try to infuse some of each into my books. How did you know?


Frizzy hair, purple scarf and a book – make a character.

An exploding eggplant. It's probably what I looked like, but hey, if you can't be a frizzy vegetable every now and again, what's the point in living? And living is important. More important than my currently untamed man. If I don't get this book back into my boss's library before she notices...

"Cherise! Where have you been? And what's wrong with your hair. And that outfit? It's horrid. Warm colors, honey. Warm. Colors. Didn't we have this talk after the electric blue incident?"

Too late. "I had to make a run. An errand--"

The book, a hardback copy of Maya Angelou's I Know why the Caged Bird Sings, slipped out of my bag and hit the floor. I guess I squeezed it too hard and managed to turn it upside down. Did I say that my boss makes me nervous.

My employer's face turned a blotchy red. In spots.

"Tell me that isn't to replace my autographed copy I've been looking for. Tell me..." She slid to the floor in a dead faint.

So much for living...

Man, I got carried away with that one. LOL Thanks for the fun, Kelly!
Thank you, Marilyn. Great insight into the inner you!

In case you missed the links yesterday:

Tangerine- http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0800730429


Marilyn's Website - http://marilynngriffith.typepad.com/rhythmsofgrace/


Happy Weekend!

Serials and Scenarios - Tangerine by Marilyn Griffith

Marilyn Griffith has an excellent last name. My maiden name.

She also inspires awe. I caught a workshop she taught at the Nashville ACFW conference. The woman is organized and made me want to be also. She seems to flourish even though being a mother of many. Check her out. Hopefully I'll post some interview Q's and A's tomorrow.

Tangerine -
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0800730429

Marilyn's Webpage.
http://marilynngriffith.typepad.com/rhythmsofgrace/


Tangerine Reviewed....

Love the title. I’m sure Marilyn Griffith was going for the snap of color. But tangerine the fruit also sums up Jean, the main female character. Jean demonstrated a whole lot of sweet and mushy but her bitter/tangy skin stood in the way throughout the majority of the book.

Griffith’s third novel in the “Shades of Style” series diverse blend of characters reminded me of the Yada-Yada Prayer Group.

Both unique and common drama struggles pepper “Tangerine.” Faith is not buried, hinted at or hidden in “Tangerine.” Marilyn weaves belief throughout the lives of the characters to the point where the prayer meetings and conversations felt déjà vu realistic.

For those of you who wish Christian fiction might relax some of the standards that often make characters pious, perfect and pasty you might find “Tangerine” as real, as well, life. Struggles such as sexuality, forgiveness and prison life permeate the novel. Overcoming those issues through the grace of Jesus and the friendship of other believers is the strength of this read.

Scribbles and Scrambles - I Quit!

Tomorrow I’ll be reviewing Marilyn Griffith’s “Tangerine.” Sweet with a slight bite. Easy to peel, digest, etc. etc.

Today I’m going to confess a bad attitude. Again!

What the who, is there a nasty attitude virus going around? If so I keep catching it.

I may have a cure, though. No, not the one where I throw the sheets over my head and refuse to get out of bed, though that sounds like it might do the trick especially if I could talk a family member into SILENTLY delivering French Press and chocolates.

But since that’s as likely to happen as me winning the lottery without purchasing a ticket I’ll just share my deeper thoughts.

This virus has been brewing for awhile. It flared on Sunday.

Rob and I discussed it on the way home from church. I’m not sure which of us is the carrier and which caught it, but we both spent a large chunk of worship time focused on other PEOPLE.

Ah-ha! The main symptom of said virus.

While focused on other people I was unable to really worship the Creator of the world, the King of kings and Lord of lords because, while He had my whole heart, my mind was distracted. I say He had my whole heart because I wasn’t watching the others in the service to mock them or judge them. My intentions were good, concern that they were unable to worship because they struggle with the type of songs that we were singing.

What? Yeah. That’s what I thought once I realized what I was doing. Then I put on another sour attitude because their struggle put me in a bad place. Grumble, grumble.

I need to readjust my view.

So here I go. Lord, people are going to disappoint me and hurt me and frustrate the life out of me if my focus is there, on them. Help me to hear Your voice, keep my eyes on Your path and my feet lined up with my eyes. Do Your will in my life. And here they are, (insert name(s)) now You take care of them. I quit.

Ahhh, I feel better. I think I might crank up the stereo and sing on the way home.

See you tomorrow.

Scribbles and Scrambles - Random Lessons from 2006

I'd like to share a few lessons I've learned this year.

First, I'm glad I'm teachable. Life would get a little stale if I just rode the big floating ball we call earth.

No longer a closet Pollyanna, I will look for the compliment in any statement directed toward me. Example...I found "you look like a deranged elf" endearing because it was preceeded with "you look adorable." Crazy? Perhaps.

Visits to Nannyland have refreshed a perspective I've lost now that my kids have gotten older. I tend to take life for granted and forget:
Sometimes all you need is a good nap.
That good music is designed for dancing.
Emotions are best expressed.
Some books and songs require belly laughs.
Walking is one step at a time, one foot in front of the other, and learned gradually.

Nike's catch phrase, "just do it" rings true in writing. Plugging away and being persistant has made writing easier and the end result less nasty. ( I may be deluding myself - please refrain from contrary comments until after the changing of the new year.)

I hope your 2007 is a year full of God's blessings, learning and moments that inspire dancing. And French Press coffee.