Besides the fact that it is the word of God and full of life-changing truth, the Bible is a truly beautiful and well written book. The poetry is beautiful, the descriptions are snappy and clear, and the stories are amazing.
One thing I love about the stories in the Bible, something that gets lost sometimes when you try to make a movie or a novel out of it, is how clearly you can see the hand of God working through the character's lives. In Jonah, for example.
Jonah is told by God to take a message to Nineveh. He refuses, because he does not like Ninevites. He tries to run away on a ship, and God sends an awful storm. When the sailors on the ship find out that Jonah is trying to run from God, they throw him into the sea, where a big fish (sent by God) swallows him up. He is kept alive inside this big fish until he gets spit up onto shore and takes the message.
The thing that is really awesome about this story is that the Ninevites were a fish worshipping culture. Their god was in the shape of a big fish. So when Jonah came straggling into the city, his hair and skin bleached white by the stomach acid of the fish, and explained that his God was the creator of the fish and had kept him safe and told the fish to spit him out, the Ninevites were astonished. This God was obviously bigger than their puny fish god. They were afraid because they realizd they had been worshipping a creation rather than the Creator, so they repented and began to follow the one true God.
This story is amazing to me because God used Jonah's disobedience and turned it into a good thing. Being swallowed by a fish is normally bad, and Jonah probably thought it was his punishment for disobeying. Well, it was a consequence of disobeying, but it turned into a good witness to bring other people to the truth. Isn't that amazing? God is totally in control.
~Jane~
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Conversation with a character
Well, my dear readers, I have neglected you once again. I am really terribly sorry. I was stressed out all week about the history test, which is finally over now. I feel like I did pretty well. I knew all the fill in the blank question, and I barely even had to look at the word bank for those. Then there were short answers, which weren't too hard. My grade on those depends on what the teacher was looking for and how much detail she wanted. Then there was the essay.
She gave us three essay questions on our study guide, with one of them being on the test. I studied all three, but I really felt like I could answer the first one more throughly, so I was hoping that would be the one. And it was! I was so excited when I saw which question it was. I think I answered it well, I just can't wait to see what my grade is.
Ok, enough about school.
I am writing again! Well, sort of. I have had this character living in my head for quite awhile. She is a young person, living on her own, and she works at a bookstore. She practically runs the place and she's hoping to own it one day but she doesn't have enough money. She is lonely but won't admit it, and she has a great sense of humor. She is also trying to write a novel, but since she doesn't own a computer she is writing it out in notebooks.
Anyway, I discovered something interesting about her today that may be the opening of a plot.
Me: "You know, I've never asked you where your family is. Why do you live all alone?"
She, quietly: "I don't know where my family is."
Me: "What do you mean? Did you have an argument and break off ties with them? That doesn't seem like you..."
She: "No, I mean I really don't know where they are. They disappeared a few years ago."
Me: *Stunned silence*
She: "It was a few months after I moved out. I went home one day to stay over for the weekend and they weren't there. All of their things were still in the house, and the car was in the driveway, but they were gone."
Me: "What did you do?"
She: "Well, I tried calling their phones, but they wouldn't answer. So I went to the police and they said they would investigate, but they didn't seem terribly concerned. I didn't know what else to do. Ever since then I've been trying to save up to pay a private detective to find them but I'm barely making enough to live on, so I haven't gotten very far."
Me: "..........." *Speechless*
So, now I am excited that this character has potential for a plot. I want to help her find her family! This revelation gives her a lot more depth as a character, and now I really want to write this book.
~Jane~
P.S. This is post #150!
She gave us three essay questions on our study guide, with one of them being on the test. I studied all three, but I really felt like I could answer the first one more throughly, so I was hoping that would be the one. And it was! I was so excited when I saw which question it was. I think I answered it well, I just can't wait to see what my grade is.
Ok, enough about school.
I am writing again! Well, sort of. I have had this character living in my head for quite awhile. She is a young person, living on her own, and she works at a bookstore. She practically runs the place and she's hoping to own it one day but she doesn't have enough money. She is lonely but won't admit it, and she has a great sense of humor. She is also trying to write a novel, but since she doesn't own a computer she is writing it out in notebooks.
Anyway, I discovered something interesting about her today that may be the opening of a plot.
Me: "You know, I've never asked you where your family is. Why do you live all alone?"
She, quietly: "I don't know where my family is."
Me: "What do you mean? Did you have an argument and break off ties with them? That doesn't seem like you..."
She: "No, I mean I really don't know where they are. They disappeared a few years ago."
Me: *Stunned silence*
She: "It was a few months after I moved out. I went home one day to stay over for the weekend and they weren't there. All of their things were still in the house, and the car was in the driveway, but they were gone."
Me: "What did you do?"
She: "Well, I tried calling their phones, but they wouldn't answer. So I went to the police and they said they would investigate, but they didn't seem terribly concerned. I didn't know what else to do. Ever since then I've been trying to save up to pay a private detective to find them but I'm barely making enough to live on, so I haven't gotten very far."
Me: "..........." *Speechless*
So, now I am excited that this character has potential for a plot. I want to help her find her family! This revelation gives her a lot more depth as a character, and now I really want to write this book.
~Jane~
P.S. This is post #150!
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Just a Trifle
I just wanted to hop on and point my readers in the direction of Just a Trifle, a wonderful blog about Sherlock Holmes. She has just posted a very interesting analysis of Holmes' first meeting with Dr. Watson. If you enjoy Sherlock Holmes in the slightest, you will like this blog. And if you love Sherlock Holmes as much as I do, you will love this blog. : )
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Life
It is storming outside. : )
Yeah, you know how I feel about storms. They are near the top of my list of favorites.
Today I handed in my poem "The Storm" to my creative writing class to be work shopped. Work shopping is where everyone else in the class discusses your piece and hands in a written response to it. So, on Thursday, I'm going to have 26 people tell me exactly what they think of my poem.
That's a little scary.
I have a huge History test on Friday morning I am a little bit nervous about. Well, I am very nervous. I haven't studied enough. That's what I am going to be doing for the next couple of days.
Next Tuesday I am handing in a first draft of an essay and doing a group presentation for literature class. Those assignments I am actually excited about. I can't wait for this weekend. I will be done with the monotony of this history book and I will be able to analyze literature to my heart's content.
Yeah, you know how I feel about storms. They are near the top of my list of favorites.
Today I handed in my poem "The Storm" to my creative writing class to be work shopped. Work shopping is where everyone else in the class discusses your piece and hands in a written response to it. So, on Thursday, I'm going to have 26 people tell me exactly what they think of my poem.
That's a little scary.
I have a huge History test on Friday morning I am a little bit nervous about. Well, I am very nervous. I haven't studied enough. That's what I am going to be doing for the next couple of days.
Next Tuesday I am handing in a first draft of an essay and doing a group presentation for literature class. Those assignments I am actually excited about. I can't wait for this weekend. I will be done with the monotony of this history book and I will be able to analyze literature to my heart's content.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Good morning
The sun is shining through a gap in the curtains and gilding my hands with light as I type. I look up at the curtains. They are deep ruby red with small stripes. They glow and a faint patch of red light seeps onto the walls next to them. The house is hushed. It is not the hush of everyone trying to be quiet, but it is peaceful. The rest of the house is asleep, somewhere else. They are dreaming of delicious sights and situations and I wonder what they are.
My mug is cornflower blue with tiny white glimmers where the light hits its rounded edges. The coffee inside is rich brown. It reminds me of the woods on a November day. The mug is smooth and warm to the touch, and when I take a sip the warmth slides down my throat, soothing it.
The only sound is the muffled clicking of my keyboard. It is a comforting sound somehow. It sounds like the feeling I get when I have hit on a good idea for a story, and it comes pouring from my fingers. I hardly have to think about what I will say next. The story is there, ready to be written, I just have to keep typing.
I am wearing my favorite black pajamas and a large pink robe. This is the robe I wear when I am sick, because I can wrap it around myself like a blanket. It is worn and frayed around the sleeves.
I feel loved. I thank God for another lovely day, for another sunrise, for my familiy's sweet dreams, for the ability to write, for the stories He gives me, and for my fluffy pink robe.
~Jane~
My mug is cornflower blue with tiny white glimmers where the light hits its rounded edges. The coffee inside is rich brown. It reminds me of the woods on a November day. The mug is smooth and warm to the touch, and when I take a sip the warmth slides down my throat, soothing it.
The only sound is the muffled clicking of my keyboard. It is a comforting sound somehow. It sounds like the feeling I get when I have hit on a good idea for a story, and it comes pouring from my fingers. I hardly have to think about what I will say next. The story is there, ready to be written, I just have to keep typing.
I am wearing my favorite black pajamas and a large pink robe. This is the robe I wear when I am sick, because I can wrap it around myself like a blanket. It is worn and frayed around the sleeves.
I feel loved. I thank God for another lovely day, for another sunrise, for my familiy's sweet dreams, for the ability to write, for the stories He gives me, and for my fluffy pink robe.
~Jane~
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Ramblings
So, what did you think of my poem? I got two very complementary comments on it, but I would love to know if you didn't like it as well. Are there any parts that need work or were unclear, and what parts were your favorites?
I tried a new chiropracter today. I think I like this one, he seemed very friendly and professional. I think he knows what he's doing and he says I will feel better within a month, which is good news. I'm getting tired of hobbling around.
So today I saw the chiropracter and then just rested. I did a tiny amount of homework, and I took a really wonderful nap on the couch. Tonight was my sister's birthday dinner, and I woke up from my nap just in time to get cleaned up and eat homemade lasagna.
Hmmm... That is all I can think of to post at this moment. I will try to be more interesting tomorrow. : )
~Jane~
I tried a new chiropracter today. I think I like this one, he seemed very friendly and professional. I think he knows what he's doing and he says I will feel better within a month, which is good news. I'm getting tired of hobbling around.
So today I saw the chiropracter and then just rested. I did a tiny amount of homework, and I took a really wonderful nap on the couch. Tonight was my sister's birthday dinner, and I woke up from my nap just in time to get cleaned up and eat homemade lasagna.
Hmmm... That is all I can think of to post at this moment. I will try to be more interesting tomorrow. : )
~Jane~
Friday, September 10, 2010
The Storm
The wind that screeches takes its toll
On fence post flying, hits the wall
Waves of clouds like sea-foam roll
Blinding drops on pavement fall
Inside we shiver under cover
The lion in the chimney roars
Afraid of fear that we discover
Light a candle, lock the doors
Out the window is a darkness
Shot with sparks of blinding day
One brave one stands as a witness
Inside glass they watch and pray
The wind is falling, sweeping gently
Thunder, laughing, swiftly wanes
The rain falls on the window lightly
Teardrops whisper down the panes
On fence post flying, hits the wall
Waves of clouds like sea-foam roll
Blinding drops on pavement fall
Inside we shiver under cover
The lion in the chimney roars
Afraid of fear that we discover
Light a candle, lock the doors
Out the window is a darkness
Shot with sparks of blinding day
One brave one stands as a witness
Inside glass they watch and pray
The wind is falling, sweeping gently
Thunder, laughing, swiftly wanes
The rain falls on the window lightly
Teardrops whisper down the panes
~Jane~
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Writing
I said that I would post my first poem on here, but I've changed my mind. This one is a bit more personal than I intended. Maybe the next one.
I am pretty pleased with the way it turned out though. It has a decent structure and it sounds kind of good. I didn't know what to write about so I took a little thing that's been bugging me and purposefully blew it out of proportion, drama queen style. Now it sounds like I was really emotional when I wrote it. : )
I think I'm going to try to do Nanowrimo this year. I asked my creative writing teacher and he said I can turn in some of the chapters instead of short stories. That way I feel less guilty about writing, because it's going towards a class as well as just my personal goal.
Now I have to decide what to write about. I was thinking some kind of medieval adventure. I've been really into Robin Hood lately and I'm also reading a series of books set during King Arthur's time. Maybe I could put my own spin on it and do a alternate medieval world, sort of like medieval steampunk.
Or I have another idea for a science fiction story. I have a very elaborate idea of the setting and society and concept for the story. I even have a main character lurking in my brain, he just needs a name still. What I don't have is a plot, but sometimes I have to start writing before I know what that will be.
~Jane~
I am pretty pleased with the way it turned out though. It has a decent structure and it sounds kind of good. I didn't know what to write about so I took a little thing that's been bugging me and purposefully blew it out of proportion, drama queen style. Now it sounds like I was really emotional when I wrote it. : )
I think I'm going to try to do Nanowrimo this year. I asked my creative writing teacher and he said I can turn in some of the chapters instead of short stories. That way I feel less guilty about writing, because it's going towards a class as well as just my personal goal.
Now I have to decide what to write about. I was thinking some kind of medieval adventure. I've been really into Robin Hood lately and I'm also reading a series of books set during King Arthur's time. Maybe I could put my own spin on it and do a alternate medieval world, sort of like medieval steampunk.
Or I have another idea for a science fiction story. I have a very elaborate idea of the setting and society and concept for the story. I even have a main character lurking in my brain, he just needs a name still. What I don't have is a plot, but sometimes I have to start writing before I know what that will be.
~Jane~
Monday, September 6, 2010
A party and a hoodie
I'm so sorry that I haven't been posting the last couple of days! I have had a very busy week or so.
First of all, Kevin's birthday went well. We met a few good friends at a fun outdoor mall type of place in town. We got coffee at the coffee shop in the big bookstore there, and played a new card game, which was one of Kevin's birthday presents. Then we started our scavenger hunt.
We did boys against girls, and went out and took pictures of eight cool and unique things. Then we got back together, switched cameras and tried to find the things that the others took pictures of. It was really fun. The only thing I didn't like was that we were so divided the whole time. That's the problem with all team games, you want to spend time with everyone.
One of the "rules" was that if we ran into the other team we had to scream and run away. We only ran into the boys once. They came around the corner suddenly and we followed the rule enthusiastically. I think we startled some girls who were walking near us. : )
Today was the Renaissance festival. I went as a "hoodie" after all, and I think I looked Robin Hood-ish. I had brown pants tucked into tall black boots, and a tan vest over a green shirt. I wore a low belt with a leather pouch dangling from it and a grey cloak. I even did a braid across my head like Marian wears in her hair sometimes. Mine was a little messier and looser, and the bobby pins showed, but it was pretty good considering how troublesome and slippery my hair tends to be when I put it up.
I forgot to take a picture, but maybe someday soon I will recreate it for you to see. The best thing about the outfit was that, besides the cloak, everything I had on was just normal clothes. The cloak was something I found in our dress up box, and it's made out of a single piece of fabric.
~Jane~
First of all, Kevin's birthday went well. We met a few good friends at a fun outdoor mall type of place in town. We got coffee at the coffee shop in the big bookstore there, and played a new card game, which was one of Kevin's birthday presents. Then we started our scavenger hunt.
We did boys against girls, and went out and took pictures of eight cool and unique things. Then we got back together, switched cameras and tried to find the things that the others took pictures of. It was really fun. The only thing I didn't like was that we were so divided the whole time. That's the problem with all team games, you want to spend time with everyone.
One of the "rules" was that if we ran into the other team we had to scream and run away. We only ran into the boys once. They came around the corner suddenly and we followed the rule enthusiastically. I think we startled some girls who were walking near us. : )
Today was the Renaissance festival. I went as a "hoodie" after all, and I think I looked Robin Hood-ish. I had brown pants tucked into tall black boots, and a tan vest over a green shirt. I wore a low belt with a leather pouch dangling from it and a grey cloak. I even did a braid across my head like Marian wears in her hair sometimes. Mine was a little messier and looser, and the bobby pins showed, but it was pretty good considering how troublesome and slippery my hair tends to be when I put it up.
I forgot to take a picture, but maybe someday soon I will recreate it for you to see. The best thing about the outfit was that, besides the cloak, everything I had on was just normal clothes. The cloak was something I found in our dress up box, and it's made out of a single piece of fabric.
~Jane~
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Wowzers
Go check out my sister's blog! She has officially started her paper doll blog event, and has pictures of one of her paper doll outfits. It is stunning!
Busy
I am having a very busy couple of days.
Today I have a lot of homework and laundry to do, then my brother's birthday dinner. Tomorrow I have classes from 8 until 1:45, then I take my brother to his Bible study, then we are going out with some friends for his birthday. We are supposed to be doing a scavenger hunt of some sort, but I don't know how I'm going to find time to make one up.
My back has been hurting all summer, and I think it's getting worse, so I could really use some prayer for that. Today was the second time in the last couple of weeks that I had to stay home from work because my back was aching so badly. I really need the money, especially now that I'm back in school, so I can't afford to miss any more days of work.
On Labor Day Monday, My brother and I are going to our local Renaissance festival. Visitors are encouraged to dress up for this, and I usually do. I went as a peasant girl one year, and a pirate the next. This year I really want to go as one of Robin Hood's gang, as shown in the BBC show. I'm not going to copy any specific costume, just dress in that style.
Well, I am having trouble finding a costume. Yesterday I made a pattern for a vest, but I can't make that until Saturday, because I'm so busy. Besides the vest, I'm not sure what to wear. Does anyone have suggestions for how to make that style of clothes, or at least adapt modern clothes?
Today I have a lot of homework and laundry to do, then my brother's birthday dinner. Tomorrow I have classes from 8 until 1:45, then I take my brother to his Bible study, then we are going out with some friends for his birthday. We are supposed to be doing a scavenger hunt of some sort, but I don't know how I'm going to find time to make one up.
My back has been hurting all summer, and I think it's getting worse, so I could really use some prayer for that. Today was the second time in the last couple of weeks that I had to stay home from work because my back was aching so badly. I really need the money, especially now that I'm back in school, so I can't afford to miss any more days of work.
On Labor Day Monday, My brother and I are going to our local Renaissance festival. Visitors are encouraged to dress up for this, and I usually do. I went as a peasant girl one year, and a pirate the next. This year I really want to go as one of Robin Hood's gang, as shown in the BBC show. I'm not going to copy any specific costume, just dress in that style.
Well, I am having trouble finding a costume. Yesterday I made a pattern for a vest, but I can't make that until Saturday, because I'm so busy. Besides the vest, I'm not sure what to wear. Does anyone have suggestions for how to make that style of clothes, or at least adapt modern clothes?
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