A Fantastic, Fun Project (with Friends!)

This post is party of Patty Wysong's

A to Z meme. This week's letter is "F"

I don't know about you, but I LOVE Christmas. As a Jew who came to Christ in her early 30s, there is such rich meaning to this time of year for me that I never realized as a child (or even a young adult).

So, when my extremely dear friend (who shares my brain) Patty Wysong mentioned a Christmas short story anthology she wanted to put together, I  was on top of it. (Sort of) I found a few of my Christmas flash fiction articles I'd written and sent them off to her right away (actually, I got distracted and didn't send them until a couple days AFTER the deadline - but that's because SHE had the brain :P). And despite my tardiness, my three little stories will be in this wonderful anthology which will be available VERY soon!

We are still working on a cover and release date, but we have a TITLE - which is super exciting to me!

So, if you to sit down with some Christmas stories that will make you laugh, cry, cheer, and worship (and who knows what else!) be sure to keep your eyes open for:

Christmas Treasures: A Collection of Christmas Short Stories

We have more than a dozen different authors in this book (many of which are VERY dear friends), and the stories are in a variety of genres, so there is sure to be something for everyone.So, you want to know who ELSE will be in this anthology? Well, feast your eyes on THIS list (and click the links to see their blogs/webpages)!

  Karla Atkins

Susan Craft

Anne Garbozci Evans

Linda Glaz

Karlene Jacobsen

Karen Prough

Christina Rich

Kathy Rouser

Donna Scofield

Joanne Sher (yeah - that's me :D)

April Strauch

Elaine Stock 

Karen Wingate

Patty Wysong

I promise to let you all know when we have a cover, a release date, AND when it can be purchased! I'm pretty stoked :)

 
My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the king; my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer. Psalm 45:1
 

Biblical Flash Fiction - The Unbroken Line

I've been looking forward to getting to 2 Kings 11 in my chronological Bible reading  ( I read it Tuesday!) for a while. The story is likely one you don't remember very well, if at all. But it has one of my favorite bits of irony in all of the Old Testament - and it's one I didn't even notice for a while after I first read it.

I believe that I first recognized the irony just before I wrote some flash fiction related to the story. The piece below - that very story - was my very first attempt at biblical fiction. I wrote it over half a dozen years ago for the FaithWriters Writing Challenge. The topic was unsung heroes. I've fixed this piece up a bit (it's clear I've learned a bit about writing since I wrote it LOL). Hope you enjoy it!

The Unbroken Line

Jehosheba stared out over the pasture before her. A land flowing with milk and honey. Peaceful and tranquil, with sheep and their shepherd resting by the still waters nearby. She couldn’t ask for a better view from her home. She closed her eyes in prayer.

Photo Credit

Thank you, Lord, for my many blessings. You have given me a wonderful husband in Jehoida the priest – such a man of God! And, most importantly, you are allowing him, and me, to serve You in the temple. I am afraid of what is happening with my family, but I know, Lord, that you are in control of all of it.

Opening her eyes and gazing toward the horizon, she saw a figure in the distance, riding toward her.

Must be a messenger from the front lines.

Jehosheba sighed. Probably bad news. A year ago, a messenger reported that her father, King Jehoram, had died. Her half brother Ahaziah then took the throne.

Oh, how she wished her family would love the Lord like she did. She prayed for them all daily: even her stepmother. Athaliah, daughter of Israel's King Ahab, was as bad as her infamous father. Unfortunately, Ahaziah was growing up more and more like his mother. The last Jehosheba heard, Ahaziah had joined with Joram, king of Israel and Athaliah’s brother, in a war against the Arameans. No good could come from that.

The messenger was getting closer – he would likely be to her door within a minute or two. She threw a quick prayer up to her Lord and walked toward him. It was her cousin Keldar, a general in her brother's army.

Catching his breath, Keldar dismounted, sat on the ground and looked into Jehosheba’s eyes with desperation.

“Your brother, King Ahaziah of Judah, has been killed in battle, along with Joram king of Israel.”

‘Oh, Keldar! May God use this for His good. Can I get you a drink? A bite to eat?”

“Thank you, dear Jehosheba, but I am too grieved to eat, and I have a flask of water.”

She nodded and invited him in for a rest.

“Unfortunately, that is not all the distressing news I have for you. Rumor has it that Athaliah is looking to take over. They are saying she is planning to get rid of the entire royal family so she can take the throne for herself.”

Jehosheba’s eyes narrowed and gleamed with resolve. “I must get to the palace. I can’t let that woman destroy the Davidic line.”

**

The commotion was deafening – fighting, yelling, crashing of furniture. It was a wonder Jehosheba’s baby nephew Joash wasn’t screaming along with them. Thank the Lord, he played quietly on the floor with his nurse Sarai, the nursery door shut tight. Zibiah, the baby’s mother, was cowering in the corner, terrified of the massacre of the princes just outside.

“We have to keep Joash away from her, Zibiah! It’s too late for the others, but him we must save.”

Zibiah nodded, choking back tears.

“I can sneak out the window with the baby and Sarai and hide him from Athaliah. You just pray that the Lord will erase Joash from her mind.”

“Of course,” Zibiah muttered. “But where will you take him? Where can he possibly be kept that she won’t find him?”

Smirking, she replied, “I think I have an idea.”

**

Entering the temple through the rear door with her two guests, Jehosheba found just what she was looking for – a small bedroom without an occupant. Leaving Sarai and baby Joash there, she went to find her husband.

Athaliah wouldn’t come near the temple if her life depended on it. It stands for everything she is against. And what better place to raise a future Godly king than in His house?

**

Image courtesy of Christiansunite

Six years later

Jehosheba stood a few hundred feet from the temple entrance, A large group of men gathered. Though she couldn't hear what they said, she knew their plan. Her step-mother Athaliah would be forced from the throne, and her nephew Joash, who she and Jehoida had raised like he was their own, would rule Judah. King David’s line would continue.

**
Based on 2 Kings 11, 2 Chronicles 22-23

Jehosheba was certainly clever. Hiding the future prince in the temple :) Love it!

 
Scripture Stories: Timeless Truths

Biblical Flash Fiction - Smile

My first attempt at a novel began as the result of the FaithWriters Writing Challenge - and a relatively minor Bible character by the name of Michal. This is one of the challenge entries I wrote featuring her - and probably one of my favorites.

Hope you enjoy it as well :)

Smile

Graphic source

"His bravery knows no bounds, it seems," Jonathan muttered. "It seems I was right about him."

"He has certainly caught the king's eye." Ahiram helped his master remove his armor and hang it on the proper hooks in the armory. "First a musician, then an armor bearer for the king, and now a giant slayer."

Jonathan nodded. "He has caught my eye as well." He bit his lip. "God is surely with him."

Ahiram nodded. "From what I have seen, his faith in the Lord never falters. He is quite an example to the other armor bearers."

Jonathan nodded, leaning against the armory wall. "David is certainly a courageous and Godly man. He is a man to befriend for certain. I have no doubt he will play a crucial role in the growth of my father's kingdom, and I would like to be beside him in this. It seems he can only do good for Israel."

The two men heard shuffling outside the armory door. Jonathan looked out to see his younger sister walking--no, skipping--away down the hall. He almost called after her, but turned back to Ahiram instead.

"The next time you see him, Ahiram, send him to me."

**

"Oh, Rivka. Did you hear? He did it. It was David, Rivka!" Michal sank into her bed, cheeks flushed and a broad smile overtaking her entire face. "I'd heard the giant was killed and the awful Philistines defeated, but he did it, Rivka." She sighed. "David--my David--killed him."

She snickered. "Your David, child? Have you spoken to him even once since Jonathan introduced you that day?" Rivka winked. "I don't think he's yours, dear, and he may never be."

Michal's face turned a deep crimson. "But Father said whoever killed the giant would get his daughter's hand in marriage. And I am the king's daughter, after all."

Rivka sat on the bed and put her hand on Michal's back. "This is true, dear. However, Merab is yet unmarried, and you know that traditionally she must be married off first."

Michal gasped, and buried her head in her hands. "But Merab couldn't care less about him. Father wouldn't do that, would he?" Michal looked into her servant's eyes and knew exactly what Rivka thought about that proposition. She began to weep softly.

"Now, now, Michal. One never knows." Rivka rubbed Michal's back. "Don't lose hope, dear. God works in surprising ways."

She leaned into Rivka. "Jonathan did say he would put in a good word with father, didn't he? And Merab is already being courted. Perhaps it will happen."

Rivka smiled. "Yes. Perhaps it will. But it will not likely happen on this day. So today, Princess Michal, you must prepare for the women's victory banquet. Your mother will be expecting you and Merab to look your best."

Michal popped out of bed and opened her wardrobe, rifling through the dresses hanging there. She pulled out a ruffled blue gown and placed it against her front side.

"How about this?" Michal's eyes sparkled. "David smiled at me when he saw me in it at Father's throne room a fortnight ago."

Rivka raised her eyebrows. "It's a lovely dress. But you likely won't see David, I'm sure you realize. You know as well as I that the men's banquet and the women's banquet are separate."

"Perhaps not." Michal gazed out her window. "But one never knows, does one?"

"I suppose not, Michal. I suppose not."

**

Michal glided through the palace toward the women's banquet hall, stopping in the garden when she noticed her brother Jonathan standing beside a sycamore tree.

"Congratulations, Brother. God was with us once again."

It was only once she was standing right beside him that she saw he was not alone. Just to the other side of the tree was another of her father's fighting men.

Michal willed her face from reddening as she gazed at the giant slayer, then dropped her eyes quickly.

But not before she saw him smile.

 
Scripture Stories: Timeless Truths

Biblical Flash Fiction - Crossroads

Next week, I promise, I'll have a Bible character biography. Been quite busy with "life" and other writing stuff - and these are "premade," so much less work to put up here. And besides I've already read about the characters in this piece in my chronological Bible reading (about a week ago, if I recall!). It's a favorite story of many, I know (the Bible one - not my rendition of it, necessarily LOL).

Hope you enjoy it!

Crossroads

Photo credit

"Oh, how I love you, dear Mahlon." She caught the lump in her throat with a gulp, as tears misted from her brown eyes. "Whatever shall I do?"

The delicate hand of Orpah touched her shoulder. She reached up and gave it a squeeze.

"Now I understand, Orpah," Ruth whispered. "Now I understand."

The two widows held each other tightly, until matronly arms engulfed them both.

"Mother," the ladies said in unison.

"Ruth. Orpah." Naomi sighed. "What a month this has been."

Friends and family bowed their heads as the women left the burial site together.

**

"Nothing. Nothing left in this land." Naomi kicked the dirt beneath her feet. "Barely enough grain for a loaf of bread."

Ruth, grinding the wheat, shielded it from the dust particles. "We will make do, Mother. Your God will provide."

Naomi sighed. "Perhaps. He has provided dear daughters-in-law to this old woman."

"And to us, a wonderful mother," Orpah said, entering the home from the outside.

The three grinned.

**

"She has been so good to us. She has lost a husband and both sons. How can we deprive her of daughters as well?" Ruth sat in the corner beside Orpah, her voice barely above a whisper.

"We are a burden on her, Ruth," Orpah retorted. "Two more mouths to feed and no man to help her with it. If we go back to our homes, we will be provided for. We may even get new husbands. We are still young, you know."

Ruth held back her tears. "But what about Naomi?"

Orpah smiled. "She is returning to her people. Perhaps they will take care of her, as our people take care of us."

"Perhaps." Ruth shuddered. "Or perhaps not. Who knows what will meet her in Bethlehem? The least we can do is help her-go with her and aid her in her new start. Would she do less for us? Think of how supportive, how loving, she has been toward us--enemies of her people--for all these years. What an amazing God she must have to treat us that way. Do you really want to go back to our old way of life, our old gods?"

Orpah rested her chin on her hand and sighed. "I suppose you're right. She would certainly appreciate the help."

Ruth rose from the ground and grabbed a bulging satchel leaning against the wall. "Then we need to make haste, so we can catch up with her before it is too late."

**
Once the girls caught up with Naomi, the three strolled together in silence. After a few minutes, they reached a divide in the road. Naomi stopped and looked both Ruth and Orpah in the eye.

The stiff body before her did not answer. She continued staring as it was lowered into the ground.

Courtesy of Christians Unite

"Go back, each of you, to your mother's home. May the Lord show kindness to you, as you have shown to your dead and me. May the Lord grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband.*" Naomi embraced and kissed both of them, and they wept together.

Ruth looked up at her mother-in-law. "We will go back with you to your people.*"

Naomi dismissed the idea as nonsense.

Orpah leaned into Ruth and whispered, "She has a good point, and we would be a burden." Backing away, Orpah kissed Naomi on the cheek. Wiping away tears, she left Ruth and Naomi, trudging back toward Moab.

Ruth, however, clung to Naomi, swearing to follow her wherever she would go, and claiming Naomi's God as her own. I will help her through this struggle. And, God willing, she will help me through mine.

**

Naomi put out her arms eagerly, receiving the wiggly, giggly bundle and pulling him close to her heart. "Little Obed," Naomi cooed, "What a wonderful family you have been born into."

Ruth and Boaz looked down at their child with glowing, love-filled eyes. "Thank you, Mother, for loving me, for supporting me, and for encouraging me in my grief to reach out to this wonderful man." Ruth's eyes left her child's and rested on her husband, then her mother-in-law. "You have helped me discover the beauty from my sorrow."

Naomi handed Obed back to Ruth. "It is you I should thank, sweet Ruth. You have given me help and hope. And, perhaps best of all," Naomi ran her hand through Obed's hair, "you have given me a son."

**
This story's empty spaces can be filled in by reading the Old Testament book of Ruth, Chapters 2-4.

References (from NIV):
Ruth 1:8-9, 10

How had God turned YOUR sorrow to joy?

 
Scripture Stories: Timeless Truths

Our Promised Son - Biblical Flash Fiction

Flash fiction is a fun medium, one I first discovered several years ago when I joined FaithWriters. That site is also where I discovered my love of biblical fiction. I haven't written much flash biblical fiction lately, but I've got a store of ones I did write "back in the day," and as I reach certain passages in my chronological Bible reading, I will share some of them with you.

Well, it's time. This one was a fun one to write. I read about this particular incident last week. Hope you enjoy it!

 Our Promised Son

It was a blessing straight from God. The answer to my prayers. My dream come true. What I'd been hoping for since I was a little girl.

Or so I thought.

Then again, who would blame me for expecting the best? When the angel of the Lord shows up on your doorstep not once, but twice, who wouldn't think life was about to get rosier? Yet, that's not exactly how it ended up for me.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. Maybe I should just start from the beginning.

When Manoah and I got married, we planned to have a houseful of children. We were soon reminded, however, that we could prepare all we wanted, but it was only the Lord's plan that was guaranteed to come about.

As the years went by, we (actually, I) began to wonder if I'd done something to fall outside of God's favor. Children are, after all, a blessing from Him, and we just weren't getting any.

Courtesy of Christians Unite

I have to admit I was close to losing hope when the angel showed up. That all changed the minute I looked into his face. How could a woman be pessimistic when an honest-to-goodness angel announced that her prayers would be answered beyond her wildest imagination?

Not only was I going to be blessed with a child, it would be a boy. To top that off, he would be a Nazirite from birth, dedicated to our Lord, and he would grow up to deliver us from 40 years of Philistine rule. What could be better than that?

Apparently, several things. But I'm getting ahead of myself again.

I told my husband what the angel said, but it seemed he needed confirmation from a higher source, so to speak. He asked God to send the angel again, and before I knew it, that awesome figure was before me. He informed Manoah that our son was to avoid anything from the vine and all things unclean, and all the other Nazirite restrictions (Exactly what his loving wife had told him earlier, by the way). So, it was settled.

Manoah and I assumed our job as parents would be easy. After all, God had hand-picked our son for the job. Our sovereign Father would raise him up to follow Him devoutly, right? We were certain our boy would graciously and wholeheartedly live up to his Nazirite vows. After all, why would God have us devote him in the womb if our son wasn't going to follow through?

I hate to say I may never know the answer to that question.

Now, don't get me wrong. I love my son. He is God's gift to Manoah and me. It's just that he seems to have this tendency to go against our, and the Lord's, commands. Trouble seems to be his middle name, and, besides his physical strength, defying authority appears to be his defining characteristic, if you know what I mean. We tried to bring him in the training and admonition of the Lord, but there's only so much a parent can do.

Like that Philistine woman. I tried to warn him that she was trouble, that he should marry one of his own kind. But did he listen to me? Not for a moment. He dragged us off to Timnah to arrange the marriage with that pagan anyway. Imagine our shame. Our son, a Nazirite, marrying outside the faith.

Fortunately - thank the Lord - their marriage didn't last very long. His exploits didn't stop, however. It seemed all he wanted to do was incite the Philistines to anger. I thought the angel said my son would deliver us from our oppressors - not rile them up at every opportunity. He doesn't seem to be making much progress, either. Makes me wonder if that really was an angel.

I do have a bit of hope. He's found himself a nice girl, it seems. She's certainly pretty, but seems sweet too, and our son clearly adores her. Perhaps my dream come true is still possible. Maybe all he needs is the right girl to help him get straight with God, to help him live up to the promises the angel made all those years ago.

Maybe, just maybe, Delilah is that girl.

Courtesy of Christians Unite

Based on Judges 13-16

So - how long did it take you to figure out who the story was about?

 
Scripture Stories: Timeless Truths

Appeasing Anger - Some Biblical Fiction

The Bible is full of angry folks - and many, many different attempts to appease it. Here's my take on one scenario you may or may not remember from Genesis - from a perspective you may not expect. I read about this incident in my chronological Bible reading last weekend. Hope you enjoy it.

Five Hundred and Fifty Animals Richer

I'm sure, at the time, he thought he was taking the easy path. It was at my expense of course, but that's certainly no surprise. He's been grasping at my heel since before I can remember.

What I can tell you, however, is that it took every bit of livestock he gave me to appease my anger. Years of bitterness are not easy to remedy. I have to admit, though, that the menagerie he sent did the trick. All's good with us again - after twenty years of bad blood.

Since my brother was a child, he'd been a mama's boy. He was no lightweight, though. That deceiver tricked me into selling him my birthright for a hot meal. He was always one to try to get something for nothing.

You see, I was the hard worker in the family, and Dad's favorite for sure. I'm a hands-on guy: working in the fields, hunting game, the outdoorsy type. I work hard and generally reap the rewards of my labor. Sure, I'm impulsive sometimes, but who isn't?

My brother, on the other hand, is a schemer, an "intellectual," who only works as hard as necessary, using trickery to get more than he deserves. When I lost my birthright, I was mad, but after a few weeks, I was over it. After all, I sold it to him of my own free will. I should have known to watch out for him. Anyway, it's not like he stole it from under my nose.

The blessing, though, was another story. I couldn't have stopped him if I tried. That brother of mine waited until I was doing some real work, then he cut corners, convinced Dad he was me, and stole what was rightfully mine, with the help of my mother. All I can say is Mom was wise to send him away. I probably would have strung him up if he'd as much as come near me.

Of course, if she thought I was mad when Jacob left, she was clueless how much that anger would build inside me over the years. Every time I looked at my mother, my hatred for my brother intensified. By the time Jacob's messengers arrived in Seir and told me he was on his way to see me after twenty years, murder was all I had on my mind. I gathered up 400 of my closest friends (well, my closest angry friends, anyway) and started marching his way. "Favor in my eyes,*" indeed!

Anyhow, as we marched, a servant approached us - with 220 goats! Now this was something I didn't see every day. I asked the man to whom he belonged and where he was going. He told me, and I quote, "they belong to your servant Jacob. They are a gift sent to my lord Esau, and he is coming behind us.*"

Well, who in their right mind would refuse 220 goats? So, I took them, as at least a partial payment for what that deceiver had done to me. I was still planning to tear him limb from limb, mind you - but at least I now had some livestock to show for it.

What do you know, but a few minutes later another servant showed up, this time with 220 sheep. I took those too - who can't use a nice big herd of sheep? I have to admit these gifts were softening me a bit. I might have only injured him severely if he'd shown up then.

This went on for at least an hour. Next, it was thirty camels and their young, followed by forty cows and ten bulls. That Jacob sure knew how to break down a man's anger. I was only mildly peeved (as I drank a nice cup of fresh milk). I still wanted to do that boy bodily harm, but a few slaps in the face likely would have satisfied my wrath.

It was the next delivery, however, that removed that last bit of animosity. When I saw those thirty donkeys braying and strutting toward me, I suddenly realized how ridiculous I had been acting. Here I was, a wealthy fulfilled man, fuming over a grudge twenty years old.

As Jacob and his family approached, I ran up and embraced him. All was forgiven. Like I said, those gifts did the trick.

You know what, though? If he'd just apologized sincerely and maybe made me a nice dinner all those years ago, Jacob could have been 550 animals richer today.

* Scripture references, in order: Genesis 32:5, 32:18 NIV

Have you ever had to pay the price to appease someone's anger? How much easier would it have been to do the right thing in the first place?

Scripture Stories: Timeless Truths
Graphics courtesy of Christiansunite.com

Halfway to Heaven

I have a post at the Midwest group blog The Barn Door today. Hope you'll stop by and learn a bit about my - and my family's love affair with the blanket. Especially this time of year, we're Snuggling Up!

I wrote this bit of biblical fiction for the FaithWriters Writing Challenge, where I broke in my Christian writing chops, so to speak (a great site, by the way - and I'm not just saying that cuz I work for them! LOL).  In my chronological Bible reading, I read about this particular Bible episode this past Friday, so figured I needed to pull it up to reflect on and share with you.

Hope you enjoy it, and that it gives you an interesting perspective and insight into a well-known event.

 Halfway to Heaven

Voices seemed to ring out discordantly from every direction.

"Wiederholen, bitte."

"Que?"

"Haud agnosco."

"I don't understand."

What had just happened? Uz had no idea, and there wasn't a person in hearing distance, it seemed, who could explain. In fact, there likely wasn't a soul on Earth who could help him understand the change that had just taken place.

The physical surroundings were, it seemed, unaffected. The sun still shone. The flowers still bloomed. The ziggurat, not yet fully constructed, was still in view; with the sun reflecting off the tar binding its bricks together. The people were physically unchanged since the last time he'd looked -- not ten minutes earlier. Yet, at the same time, everything had undergone such a metamorphosis, such a radical change. Would anything ever be the same again?

Graphic courtesy of Phillip Martin

At first, it seemed like a dream: a hallucination. Yet, it was so real. One moment he'd been chatting with his wife Sera about the weather and its effects on the building project, and the next minute every sound coming from her mouth was incomprehensible.

He asked her to repeat herself, but she seemed as baffled by Uz's words as he had been with hers.

"Ich verstehe nicht," Sera had said.

Uz had never heard words even remotely similar to those come from anyone's mouth, much less his wife's.

He'd then turned to his friend Javan, a foreman for the ziggurat.

"What's going on here?"

Uz would never forget the look of sheer perplexity on Javan's face. It was as if his friend had no idea who Uz was, much less what he was saying.

"Quod? Quod?" Javan's hopelessness was evident on his face and in his tone. "Revolvo, commodo."

Uz glanced at his wife, but found her as baffled at Javan's proclamation as he was. It appeared that not a soul could understand the words of any other human being anymore.

How would they get anything done? How could anyone meet the most basic needs if no one could communicate with anyone else? Body language could only go so far. Of one thing Uz was certain: there was no way they'd ever finish the tower.

Sighing, Uz gestured for his wife to follow him. The pair walked dejectedly from Shinar, leaving their dreams, and a tower halfway to heaven, behind.

Based on Genesis 11:1-9

Have you ever pondered how God confused the languages at Babel? What it might have been like for the people then? What did you think of my interpretation?

 
Scripture Stories: Timeless Truths

My Garden - God Is So Good

Welcome to my Wednesday feature God is So Good. Here I will share stories - true and fiction, mine and others' - of the Lord's presence in the midst of trials, struggles, and difficulties.

In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. John 16:33b

I'm sharing some fiction with you today. I wrote this piece a little over three years ago for the FaithWriters Writing Challenge (which I REALLY want to start entering - at least occasionally - again).  I hope it reminds you of the blessings to come.

My Garden

Photo credit

Looking at the wispy white clouds against the sky, I am reminded of my garden of long ago. As I glance out over the horizon, I smile, recalling the lush, colorful foliage, the beautiful and diverse animals, and, yes, the deep blue of the firmament. Clouds were scarce, but the peppering of them in assorted places made the blue seem that much brighter, that much deeper. The loveliness and peace of that place was nearly unrivaled.

It was perfect.

I sigh, focusing on what is before me here rather than my recollections. The ground beneath my feet is a reddish-brown and feels rough, a complete contrast to the lush green carpet of the floor of my garden. The plants here are sparse, and many have thorns.

I approach a small patch of poppies. I inhale the scent (it is quite lovely), but it is the petals that grab my attention. Though their edges are generally smooth, I notice irregularly-shaped holes in each one, made, no doubt, by a hungry insect or two. They are still beautiful, but not perfect.

I run my tongue over my front teeth and look up again. In the distance, I see another cloud, larger and darker than the others. Clearly a rain cloud. It appears to be heading this way. Soon, the sky will darken, the red-brown dirt beneath my feet will turn to mud, and these beautiful, but imperfect, flowers will be weighed down by the falling rain.

Yet, I remind myself, the rain will also bring refreshment to the people, a touch of color to some of this drab land, and continued life to all who need it.

I grin and look, not toward the sky, but down the path I am walking on: the road to the temple, just within my sight.

Yes, it will get worse before it gets better. Much worse, in fact. But, it will get better. Better, even, than My garden.

Of this I am certain. For that is why I have come. That is why My Father sent me.
 *

The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. Romans 8:19-21 NIV

It WILL get better. We must never forget. God will make it so. He is SO good! 

Do you have a story you'd like to share about God's goodness in your struggles? Drop me an email and we can talk!   

Traveling Rough Roads With God's Strength

Pushing Forward - A Goal/Progress Update

We're halfway through the year. NO- I can't believe it. It can't actually be July, can it?

Yup - that's "The Nile" for real (photo credit)

I know - denial is a river in Egypt.

ANYhow, I guess I should look through my yearlong AND monthly goals (hope you agree).

I have four 2012 overarching goals: to 1)learn a lot about the writing craft and apply it, 2)restructure Ailing Body, Nourished Soul and get it out, 3)work on planning, etc., the second tween bib fiction devo book, and 4)continue to build my name recognition/platform.

I've taken a LOT of classes so far this year, and am learning tons (check out my writing craft recap posts - another coming this Thursday!) AND am beginning to apply it to my writing. As far as ABNS, I've JUST submitted it to a contest whose first prize is a publishing contract and some cash (it's still open - check it out here). We've worked a bit on the second tween bib fiction devo book, but are waiting until we sell the first before we do much work (and speaking of, I'm planning to send a proposal to the same publisher who's hosting that contest :D). And for building name recognition/platform - I think I'm doing pretty okay there.

Okay - enough of the overarching stuff - how about goals for June? How'd I do?

And here are my June goals, right from last month's  goals/progress post:

• Keep up in the FREE ACFW online course, The Snowflake, by "The Snowflake  Guy" himself, Randy Ingermanson. I have heard SO much good stuff about this method for planning a novel, and I read his wonderful post about it - and am TOTALLY intrigued. Looking forward to working through this with him. I know I will learn TONS!
• Work on what I've learned in my classes this year to Handmaiden to A Princess, "fixing" another 60 pages of the manuscript. That brings me very, VERY close to the end of what I've got written so far.

Photo credit

 I DID keep up in the Snowflake class, though I must admit that first week was a doozy (over 1,000 emails). I learned a TON - mostly that I'm DEFINITELY a plotter, and I need to go through EVERY STEP of Randy's method (he covered four, and there are a total of ten) to get my book idea , etc. in shape. I WILL work on that - eventually. And you can pester me if it's been a while and I haven't mentioned it.

As far as editing - I made it  through ALL the pages I had left in Handmaiden to a Princess - Just out of those 60 plus pages, I cut at least TEN PAGES out. And it's tighter. We'll see if I'll actually be able to use any of it once I have my story REALLY figured out.

So, how about my July goals? Check them out below:

• Keep up in the FREE ACFW online course, Description, Dialog and Dirty Words by Publisher Jeff Gerke (sound intriguing, doesn't it?)
• Keep up in Writing and Researching Historical Fiction (runs July 9-August 5) at Savvy Authors - sounds like one I can use. Yathink?? ;)
• Fix up and send out the proposal for Jennifer Slattery and my tween bib fiction devo book to Write Integrity Press.

Considering it's summer, I'm thinking that's plenty. Thanks for reading, and cheering me on!

 
Traveling Rough Roads With God's Strength

Where'd That Month Go?? A Goals/Progress update

Since this is the first Tuesday of the month, I'm on my monthly "tech fast" - no computer, no texting (and my cell phone is NOT smart, just fyi). Looking forward to it (yeah, I wrote this post early). My son has a morning dentist appointment, and my daughter's guinea pig gets to go to the vet around lunch. Otherwise, hoping for some longhand writing, reading, cleaning, and basic chilling. 

Of course, that's NOT stopping me from sharing how last month went, and what my plans are for May - which arrived ENTIRELY too fast for me. Sheeeesh.

ANYhow - my goals for April, straight from last month's post, were:

• Review the classes I've taken since the beginning of 2012 (Mistakes that Scream Novice, Six Stages of Change - The Character Arc, Empowering Characters' Emotions, and Deep Editing) and work on applying what I've learned to Handmaiden to a Princess, starting with page one and working through til the month,or what I've written so far, is done - whichever comes first.
• Finish reading and learning from Characters, Emotion, and Viewpoint by Nancy Kress (I'm about 1/3 of the way through currently. Learning tons here too!).
• Write another short story, likely for the FaithWriters Writing Challenge, applying what I've learned thusfar.

Well, I didn't exactly review the lessons per se, but I did review what I learned in my head, and began applying it to my MS. And BOY did I have a lot to apply! I'm slowly working my way through the 90 or so pages (30k words approximately) that I have written so far - have made it through 24 pages (aka the first three chapters) so far.

I did finish Characters, Emotion, and Viewpoint (great book!) - watch my blog on Thursday for what I learned from it, and a few other writing-related publications I made it through this past month. I didn't write another short story, but that's okay. Was busy with "life" stuff.

So, I did all right. How about May, you ask? Well, here I go.

• Keep up and learn from the month-long online Setting as Description class I'm signed up for in May (actually started yesterday) at Savvy Authors. This one sounds GOOD, especially for a biblical fiction writer like me. And I'll bet it's not too late to sign up, since it's only been going for 24 hours. Join me? (though I SHOULD mention there's already an assignment due at the end of today - which I've finished so I can ENJOY my tech-free day!)
• Work on what I've learned in my classes this year to Handmaiden to A Princess, "fixing" another 30 pages of the manuscript.
• Learn from Janice Thompson's FREE class on the ACFW course loop - Adding Humor to Your Writing (this one sounds FUN!). (this is a "want to" - will let this one slide if I get too overwhelmed - can always go back and look at it later)

So, there you go! Thanks for reading, and cheering me on. Onward I go!


Traveling Rough Roads With God's Strength

Crossroads - God Is So Good

Welcome to my Wednesday feature God is So Good. Here I will share stories - true and fiction, mine and others' - of the Lord's presence in the midst of trials, struggles, and difficulties.

 In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. John 16:33b

 My "Christian fiction writing" officially began in the FaithWriters Writing Challenge. I posted my first piece close to six years ago, and entered nearly every week for two years, and continued to enter occasionally after that. Often, my stories were about God's presence in the midst of difficulties - and perhaps none so much as the biblical fiction I began writing a few months in, and that has become one of my passions. This piece (which I wrote almost exactly four years ago) is a favorite of mine, and I hope it blesses you, reminding you that God is ALWAYS there.

Crossroads

By Joanne Sher

"Oh, how I love you, dear Mahlon." She caught the lump in her throat with a gulp, as tears misted from her brown eyes. "Whatever shall I do?"

The stiff body before her did not answer. She continued staring as it was lowered into the ground.

The delicate hand of Orpah touched her shoulder. She reached up and gave it a squeeze.

"Now I understand, Orpah," Ruth whispered. "Now I understand."

The two widows held each other tightly, until matronly arms engulfed them both.

"Mother," the ladies said in unison.

"Ruth. Orpah." Naomi sighed. "What a month this has been."

Friends and family bowed their heads as the women left the burial site together.

**

"Nothing. Nothing left in this land." Naomi kicked the dirt beneath her feet. "Barely enough grain for a loaf of bread."

Ruth, grinding the wheat, shielded it from the dust particles. "We will make do, Mother. Your God will provide."

Naomi sighed. "Perhaps. He has provided dear daughters-in-law to this old woman."

"And to us, a wonderful mother," Orpah said, entering the home from the outside.

The three grinned.

**

"She has been so good to us. She has lost a husband and both sons. How can we deprive her of daughters as well?" Ruth sat in the corner beside Orpah, her voice barely above a whisper.

"We are a burden on her, Ruth," Orpah retorted. "Two more mouths to feed and no man to help her with it. If we go back to our homes, we will be provided for. We may even get new husbands. We are still young, you know."

Ruth held back her tears. "But what about Naomi?"

Orpah smiled. "She is returning to her people. Perhaps they will take care of her, as our people take care of us."

"Perhaps." Ruth shuddered. "Or perhaps not. Who knows what will meet her in Bethlehem? The least we can do is help her-go with her and aid her in her new start. Would she do less for us? Think of how supportive, how loving, she has been toward us--enemies of her people--for all these years. What an amazing God she must have to treat us that way. Do you really want to go back to our old way of life, our old gods?"

Orpah rested her chin on her hand and sighed. "I suppose you're right. She would certainly appreciate the help."

Ruth rose from the ground and grabbed a bulging satchel leaning against the wall. "Then we need to make haste, so we can catch up with her before it is too late."

**

Once the girls caught up with Naomi, the three strolled together in silence. After a few minutes, they reached a divide in the road. Naomi stopped and looked both Ruth and Orpah in the eye.

"Go back, each of you, to your mother's home. May the Lord show kindness to you, as you have shown to your dead and me. May the Lord grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband.*" Naomi embraced and kissed both of them, and they wept together.

Ruth looked up at her mother-in-law. "We will go back with you to your people.*"

Naomi dismissed the idea as nonsense.

Orpah leaned into Ruth and whispered, "She has a good point, and we would be a burden." Backing away, Orpah kissed Naomi on the cheek. Wiping away tears, she left Ruth and Naomi, trudging back toward Moab.

Ruth, however, clung to Naomi, swearing to follow her wherever she would go, and claiming Naomi's God as her own. I will help her through this struggle. And, God willing, she will help me through mine.

**

Naomi put out her arms eagerly, receiving the wiggly, giggly bundle and pulling him close to her heart. "Little Obed," Naomi cooed, "What a wonderful family you have been born into."

Ruth and Boaz looked down at their child with glowing, love-filled eyes. "Thank you, Mother, for loving me, for supporting me, and for encouraging me in my grief to reach out to this wonderful man." Ruth's eyes left her child's and rested on her husband, then her mother-in-law. "You have helped me discover the beauty from my sorrow."

Naomi handed Obed back to Ruth. "It is you I should thank, sweet Ruth. You have given me help and hope. And, perhaps best of all," Naomi ran her hand through Obed's hair, "you have given me a son."

This story's empty spaces can be filled in by reading the Old Testament book of Ruth, Chapters 2-4.

References (from NIV):
Ruth 1:8-9, 10

From Genesis to Revelation, from the beginning of time to today, God is SO good!

Do you have a story you'd like to share about God's goodness in your struggles? Drop me an email and we can talk!

 
Traveling Rough Roads With God's Strength

Not Just A New Year - A New Month :)

Yeah - I've already talked to you about how I did in 2011 (click here if you missed it) and what I plan to do in 2012 - God willing, of course (check out THAT post here!). But there's still the matter of my shorter-term goals. So if you can bear ONE MORE goals and progress post in a week (yeah - that's three), read on. This one, I don't think, will be as long.

How'd I do in December? Well, let's check out my goals, fresh from last month's post:

• Three blog posts a week minimum
• 10k in Handmaiden To A Princess
• Start working on "reworking "Ailing Body, Nourished Soul 
• Get back into my "usual" routine

I actually managed about four blog post a week - maybe a touch more. I didn't write any more of Handmaiden to a Princess, but I did read through it and make some observations about HOW MUCH I need to learn. Made some changes, too. That's what inspired me to dedicate this year to learning my craft more (click here for details).

I did start reworking Ailing Body, Nourished Soul, but have barely started. At least I made a bit of progress. And yeah, I managed #4 (that was an easy one, don't you think?).

Considering the holidays, I am not disappointed in how I did. But January is another month (and the start of another year!). And I'm planning to do MUCH better about sticking to my goals. AAANNDD, for January, they are below ;)

• Keep up with the two online classes I'm taking this month (1. Avoiding Mistakes that Scream Novice on the ACFW course loop[free to ACFW members!] and 2. Six Stages of Change - The Character ARC at Savvy Authors ) and make good progress in The Art of War for Writers by James Scott Bell.
• Completely read through Ailing Body, Nourished Soul, noting thoughts of how to "transform" it into less of a memoir and more of a "help through struggles" book.
• Work with Jennifer Slattery on determining the 52 New Testament biblical fiction devos in our next project.

Okay - that looks like a lot. I think I'll stick with those three - plus my blogging.

And now, off to DO it ;)

Traveling Rough Roads With God's Strength

Friday Fiction - "Handmaiden To A Princess" Excerpt

It's been a LONG time since I hosted Friday Fiction, but when the lovely Sara "Sawa" Harricharan mentioned the possibility of posting a NaNoWriMo excerpt, I figured it would be fun!

Soooo, here I am :) Remember - this is NOT edited (I didn't even reread it! LOL).

Be sure to link up in the gadget below my story. Don't forget to browse the links, read a few pieces and leave a comment or two. We all love the feedback. Happy reading!

Handmaiden To A Princess - NaNo excerpt

Dew still covered the ground as Ashia walked along the flower-bordered walkway from the princess' quarters she had just left. The sun, scarcely above the horizon, shone directly in her eyes, so much that shielded her eyes with her left hand. Her right, however, grasped as small knife. A necessary implement for her morning duties.

The closer she got to her destination, the slower she walked, until she came to a complete standstill at the entrance to the king's flower garden. Eyes closed, she inhaled slowly and took in all the scents of the nearby flora. The smile across her face widened. And once she opened her eyes, what she saw warmed her cheeks.

“Nahum. I didn't expect to see you here so early.” She lowered her eyes slightly, trying to calm the flips in her stomach.

He chuckled, his brown eyes sparkling. “I am always here at this time. It is you who are early. Does the princess have an early engagement? Did she request flowers still fresh with dew?”

She willed her smile to tone down. “Oh, nothing like that. I simply didn't sleep very well, and thought I would get an early start, and perhaps have time to mill about before I needed to return.” She shifted the knife from hand to hand.

Nahum nodded and smiled. “Then I shall leave you to your milling.” He turned and walked up one of the paths, stopping at a patch of pansies.

As he knelt, Ashia turned, heading down the main garden path toward the center. Sitting on a log beside one of many patches of growth, she once again inhaled the many scents of the flowers around her. A red and yellow lily caught her attention. She brought her face within inches of the bloom, inspecting every bit of it. Not an imperfection in sight.

Next, her fingers caressed the petals, the silky feel making her fingers tingle. Finally, she lifted the knife, which she'd placed on the ground beside her, and cut the stem about a handsbreadth down from the bloom.

“One more,” she muttered, “and the princess will be satisfied.”

Ashia rose, the lily in one hand and knife in the other. Inhaling, she surveyed the nearby flower beds, watching for a bloom to complement the one she'd already chosen. Perhaps another red and yellow flower. Or maybe just one of those colors. 

She released the air from her lungs as a tall hyacinth, the same shade of crimson as the lily, caught her eye. She raced toward it and dropped to her knees in front of the multi-flowered blossom. Holding the lily up beside it, she smiled. “Perfect.”

Something brushed against her shoulder. “Those do complement each other beautifully. You really do have an eye for color and beauty.” Nahum's voice made her look up. His brown wavy hair covered his right eye. She resisted the urge to brush it away from his face.

She smiled at him, then returned to the flower. After cutting it from the stem, she rose. “Thank you, Nahum. I do enjoy all that grows here. A touch of beauty in a frightening, uncertain place.”

“That it is.” He beckoned her toward a small bench not far away. They both sat.

“And the Lord said that it was good.” Nahum stretched his arms out and extended them from in front of him to his sides. “My scriptures say that Yahweh made all of this: every tree, plant, mountain, hill, person, star in the sky. And that it is good.”

Ashia fidgeted in her chair. “If this is true, I wonder why he made the nettle? Or the mosquito?” She lowered her voice and head. “Or the madman.”

Nahum raised his eyebrows. “Or war. Or death. But He is sovereign. And much of what he did create is lovely. Especially in this garden.” He leaned to the side and picked a daisy from the ground. “For you. A bit of beauty to take with you into the cruel world.”

She grinned, stifling a chuckle. “My god would ask for this flower as a sacrifice, perhaps. He would demand I focus on pleasing him, rather than lightening my mood. To him, beauty is useless unless it is benefiting him.”

Nahum's brow crinkled. “My God also desires sacrifice. He is a just God, who does not take our transgressions against Him lightly. Yet, He also blesses those who love Him and gives us beauty to appreciate. He values nothing more than devotion to Him, and truth.”

She snickered. “And mine values gold, silver, and spices. He gives us nothing unless we beg, and even then there is no guarantee. We must please him, or face his wrath.”

Nahum sighed. “And yet you worship him. You sacrifice to him.” He looked into Ashia's eyes. “Forgive me for my questions, and do not answer if it makes you uncomfortable, but I'm curious. Do you believe your God created the world? Why do you sacrifice to him? What makes him worthy of your worship?”

Ashia's insides tightened and she felt her face pale. “I really don't know what to say. I know he has kept me and my family safe. And the rituals are so important to Mama. I guess I never really thought about it before.” She forced a smile. “But I will.”

 **

Thanks for reading! Be sure to link up below, and read some of the other stories. You'll be blessed!



Traveling Rough Roads With God's Strength

No Looking Back: A Goals/Progress Update

FIRST - I'm looking to make some changes here at the blog, and I'm seeking help/ suggestions. Check out my coNUNdrum over at Connecting Now. Would love your thoughts/feedback!

I usually write these posts a day before they go live, but it didn't work out that way today. This one I began writing just before 3pm on August 1 (we'll see when it goes live). And it might have looked a bit different if I HAD written it yesterday. But I'll get to that later.

I'd have to say, overall, that I did fairly well in the goals department this month (she says before she looks at the goals she set for herself! ;) ). So, let's check out what I wanted to have done by today.

As always, directly from last month's goals/progress post.

1. Get my Handmaiden To A Princess plot and characterization straightened up and get to writing
2. Write four biblical fiction devotionals for my project with Jennifer Slattery
3. Send out four more queries for Ailing Body, Nourished Soul
4. Keep up with my new responsibilities as blogger for the FaithWriters blog (check it out!)
5. Three blog posts average a week

Well... I worked on plotting, though not as much as I'd like. I have the bare bones basics of a twelve-step plot (found it in the Seekerville archives - it's actually a Janice Thompson post - LOVE IT!) for Handmaiden to a Princess and have fleshed out seven of the steps.

I managed to write FIVE biblical fiction devos this month (woowoo!) - though I still have some work to do re: getting three of them critiqued through ACFW. Only six more to write! I also kept up with the FaithWriters blog (LOVING writing over there - hope you'll stop by!) and managed 19 blog posts this month, which is just over four a week. So, good there :)

And I sent out three queries (not four) - and all three have been rejected. Two of them today. Yeah, I'm a little down, but I know God's timing is perfect. I still have two more to send to, and I'm feeling more and more nudged by the Lord that this may not be my first published book. And that's okay.

Hope THAT isn't in MY rear-view mirror!

So, enough looking back (LOL that was a LOT of looking back, wasn't it? Oh well).

Here are my goals for August:

1. Finish fleshing out my 12-step plotting and most of the rest of the "prewriting" stuff and get to writing Handmaiden to a Princess
2. Write four biblical fiction devotionals for my project with Jennifer Slattery
3. Send out two more queries for Ailing Body, Nourished Soul
4.  Four blog posts average a week

I think I'll leave it at that. I have other goals, but they're not TECHNICALLY writing-related.

Thanks for reading and praying along with me. I really am making progress. (and don't forget to stop by Connecting Now and help me with my conundrum!)


Riding God's Grace On Rough Roads

Misplaced Musician: Friday Fiction

Welcome to my contribution to Fiction Friday, hosted this week by YOURS TRULY! Make sure that you link up here with your own fiction below. Or, if you just want to read some great fiction (ALWAYS great in my opinion!), just scroll down and check out the links.

I am totally in biblical fiction mode lately - not only because my current WIP is set during biblical times, but my newest project, with the lovely Jennifer Slattery, is also in that genre. So, I thought that I'd share one of my favorites from the FaithWriters' Challenge. The topic was "music." I wrote this, by the way, four years ago this past Monday

Don't forget to link up below the and read the other entries!

MISPLACED MUSICIAN
By Joanne Sher 

"What are we doing here? Why have we been abandoned like this?"

The middle-aged man sighed and lowered his body until he was sitting against a poplar tree, staring out into the Kebar River of Babylon, the land of his captivity.

It had been at least a dozen years since Ollam had felt like singing God's praises. Yet, he hadn't stopped completely. Partly out of habit, and partly due to demand from his captors, he'd played his songs on occasion, the wonderful songs of praise his ancestors had composed. He could hardly help it. He was a temple musician, and though the temple was out of his reach, the songs still haunted him.

How he loved those songs, those psalms of praise of the homeland he hadn't seen in years, and of the God who had sent them to this terrible place. The wonderful songs written by great men of his faith: Moses, David, Asaph, the sons of Korah. But whenever he sang them, his heart ached. Each year, he would sing them less and less.

Singing songs of the temple, of Zion, of his Lord, was like being dragged from Judah all over again. The pain, twelve years old, returned fresh, and any wounds that may have been partially healed opened once again.

Just the other day, a Babylonian official had ordered him to play his harp and sing one of the songs of ascents. He knew the official was mocking him, but he also knew the punishment for disobeying. The words, and the melody, were still burned in his memory.

May the Lord bless you from Zion all the days of your life;
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem,
and may you live to see your children's children.


It had taken all of Ollam's willpower to keep his composure during the performance. When the official started harassing him, however, he could handle it no longer. Turning his head, he'd cried like a baby. The official had laughed and dismissed him.

Ollam looked out at the Kebar. The river was at flood stage and was rushing by violently, hitting the rocks along it with fervor. Such a contrast to the waters of his favorite psalm, as much as Babylon was to Judah. He opened the knapsack beside him and pulled out his harp. His voice and fingers joined in harmony.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he restores my soul.

Throwing down his harp, he buried his head in his hands and wept.

"Where are they, Lord? Where are the still waters, the green pastures? Where is my restored soul?"

Leaning against the tree, Ollam slowly rose. He reached down for his harp and examined it.

"I just can't do it anymore, Lord."

Raising the harp over his head, he felt it hit a branch of the tree he'd been leaning on. He gently maneuvered the branch through the harp's strings until it was a good half-cubit down. Letting go, he looked out on the river and wept.

By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept
when we remembered Zion.
There on the poplars we hung our harps,
for there our captors asked us for songs,
our tormentors demanded songs of joy;
they said, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!"
How can we sing the songs of the LORD
while in a foreign land?

**

References in order, from NIV:
Psalm 128:5-6
Psalm 23:1-2
Psalm 137:1-4

Thanks for reading! Be sure to link up below, and add your own fiction to the list!

Paving Rough Roads With God's Presence