I finally might be getting a clue! (You only have to knock me in the head once or twice. )

          I’ve been on Facebook for almost a year. I love it. I’ve reconnected with friends from college and from many of the places we’ve lived over the years. I love getting glimpses into their lives via the status entries. And, when it’s something that particularly intrigues me, I like the instant communication factor of commenting. Quick and non-intrusive, we can comment back and forth as each of us finds time in the day. No trying to juggle schedules to get face time. Face time is great, but it’s impossible to spend time with some friends. They are either too far geographically or too busy. At least this way I stay in contact and even get a glimpse into their daily lives. (And sometimes even a chuckle. Like the time a friend’s daughter got on her dad’s facebook and wrote on her siblings’ walls that she was their dad’s favorite child. The ensuing banter made me feel connected in a way I haven’t since multiple moves have separated us.)

          Anyway, I have noticed a trend in the types of posts, mine and my friends’, that generate a lot of activity. Snappy, to the point quotes, short posts that reveal something unique about the poster’s personality or life, or, at least in my circle of friends, verses of Scripture which are particularly insightful and appropriate to our daily lives. My posts about learning to can and pickle and make jellies inspired multiple comments from friends, as did the few Scripture verses I posted that spoke to me during my daily time with the Lord. The updates and comments were short and to the point, but we all enjoyed that brief connection.

          That got me to thinking. I don’t need to say a lot. I just need to say something that others want to hear . . . and maybe even discuss.

          I want this site to be a go to place for reviews, but I can’t write multiple reviews a week. I can’t even seem to get one review written a week. So what else can this site offer to readers? Why not some of the same Scripture verses I put on my Facebook status? After all, I’m assuming most readers coming to this site are Christians looking for reviews that honor that faith choice. It stands to reason they might also want to come for a short verse or inspirational quote.

          So that is what I’m going to do, starting today. At least twice a week, I’ll post a verse or quote or short post on something I find inspiring or thought-provoking. I probably won’t give a lot of commentary, but sometimes I might write a longer post. I’ll even try to plan my posts around some sort of theme. I’ll plan and post more about that in a day or two.

          I’ll continue to post reviews on Fridays, as often as I can. In fact, I think I’ll start posting reviews of some non-fiction books I’ve read recently, as well as the fiction. That will more realistically reflect my reading and make it possible to post more often. Expect to see a review next Friday!

          Hope to “see” you more often! Or rather, here’s to you seeing me more often!

          Are there people actually reading this blog? Does anyone but me care when I post something? Does it even matter?

          These are some of the questions running through my mind in recent weeks. If there are regular visitors coming to read this blog (and there are a few according to my stats), you realize I struggle to post regularly. I have good intentions. I just don’t seem to be able to write a review and a musing each week. (Might have something to do with having to read a book before writing the review. )

          This leads me back to the question of continuing. When I started this blog, I was certain it was the Lord leading me. I had a clear idea of what I wanted to do, write reviews that would discuss the presence or absence of Christian-compatible themes, actions and characters in stories I read, particularly in the fantasy and science fiction genre. I love that genre, but some of the stories written are anti-God, anti-faith and anti-anything good. Some stories no Christian should read, but many are wonderful glimpses into human interaction and struggle that could enrich any mind. Others are good stories, but some underlying theme or assumption needs to be challenged. How does a person who wants to fill his or her mind with good things, things that strengthen and support a faith-filled life choose those books that will enhance that life?

          That’s why I wanted to present my thoughts on this blog. To share with others my thoughts about those books I read. There are voices out there crying that fantasy is unChristian and anti-Christian. That just isn’t true. Not always. Some stories shine with Christian principles. Others sparkle with wit and humor, lightening the heart with wholesome fun. I want to share my thoughts and impressions, giving enough information so readers can choose wisely. I think such a service is needed.

          But is anyone listening? Or am I just talking to thin air?

          It may appear so and I wonder if I should quit, but if my Lord led me to start this blog, surely He will make certain I know when to stop. Even without listening ears, there are positives that keep me posting, albeit infrequently.

          By continuing to maintain this blog, I force myself to write. Even though I slip and forget to write or post for a week or two or even more, the fact that something needs to be put up on this blog spurs me to continue to write something. Anything. And my mind is also constantly thinking of books I can review. Some are books I’ve read; others I want to read.

          If I stopped writing for this blog, I could spend the mental and physical time creating stories and writing them or studying aspects of the craft of writing. Trouble is, would I? I have a procrastinating personality. Without the tiny prod from the obligation to write this blog and these reviews, I might slip into less productivity. In fact, having to regularly prodece something here probably helps fuel my fiction writing.

          See my dilemma? Do I keep writing, hoping there are some people listening? Yes! I keep writing. And I’ll keep striving to be consistent in my posts. I hope my words inspire you!

          I find myself in something of a dilemma. Who is my audience? I’m not sure.

          I am a dedicated Christian. My life and all I do reflect that. (To be sure you understand what that means, you might want to check out the My Beliefs page.) I want to explore aspects of that faith with and for those who share it. I want to encourage others of like mind with my anecdotes, uplift them with insights and challenge them with the Word. I want to, as Hebrews puts it, “spur one another on to good works.” (Heb 10:24)

          But I also have what I think is a somewhat unique gift (or is it a curse? ). I am able to understand, sometimes even relate to, the objections or arguments against believing, against living this separated lifestyle we Christians are called to embrace. (Or at least I understand some aspects of those objections. Even I find it almost incomprehensible how anyone can choose to not believe in anything spiritual.) I also want to dialogue with them, I want to reason with them, I want to introduce them to the Truth. (He is my Best Friend, after all. I want everyone to know Him as I do. Or at least to a little better why I want to honor Him.) Even beyond that, though, is the fact that dialoging with non-believers will challenge and quantify my own faith. What good is my faith if I can’t articulate to a dissenter in such a way that she at least sees a glimmer of my perspective? And in so doing, I fulfill my destiny, to be light and salt to those around me. (Mt 5: 13)

          There is my dilemma. Who do I talk to? Do I create different blogs for each audience? Or talk to both, and risk alienating one or the other by some of my posts? It’s a dilemma.

          My life, my ideas, everything about me tends to merge and combine and synthesize differing personalities, ideology and practices. This harmonizing and integrating theme runs throughout my entire life. It’s there in my childhood, when I was arbitrating fights between cousins. It’s seen when I was a young mother and I became the catalyst that created a trio of friendship between three disparate women that still thrives, even though we are separated by long distances and family crises. And obviously that same theme is here in my dilemma.

          And, I think, it is the answer to my dilemma.

          Struggle though it may be, I think this blog just might be meant to be a catalyst, as I was with my two friends, that creates (or at least calls for) a friendship, or at least mutual respect, among those who read it. A friendship that accepts, even welcomes differences of opinion while acknowledging a core of absolute truth.

          So while most of my posts may be directly targeting the thinking Christian, I will continue to keep in mind there may be those reading who need a more complete explanation or definition.

          I’m swamped! I finally make a list, 9 tasks long, of what I want to accomplish this summer and suddenly I have 4 new tasks that must be done NOW. And I still have to do those 9 tasks in 99 days. Well, to be honest, I could set some of them to the side if I must. Not all of them, though. One task, tutor a student, must be done this month. I don’t have the luxury of setting it aside. I’m in the midst of that task right now.

          This is why I haven’t posted in a week. Every waking moment has been spent on one or another can’t-be-set-aside task. I had hoped to write up a short description of all the 9 tasks, why I chose each one, how I would measure progress and completion and any other thoughts I wanted to share about it. Not going to happen. It will be September if I wait until it is completely finished to post it. LOL You won’t hang around that long! I wouldn’t expect you to.

          So short snippets as often as I can post them will now be the norm. For the summer at least, the pre-determined schedule will be jettisoned. (Who knows? Maybe we’ll discover this blog runs better that way.) When I get busy like this, I get even more efficient at grabbing those short bits of time. So I suspect I’ll still be able to post twice a week. I just can’t promise posting on a set day and I’m doubt I’ll be able to post many reviews. I’ll work on reviews as I can, but they take much more time to write. I will probably only post a few of those this summer. (If you have any requests, send them to me and I’ll put them on my ever-growing to-do list.)

          Keep treading water with me and we’ll have a great summer in the pool!

          In case you haven’t noticed, I’ll tell you. I’ve been having a hard time thinking of things to blog about. It might be that I have made the focus of this blog a bit too narrow and the “target audience” a bit too broad. At least in my own mind. I’ve considered and discarded several topics in the past few weeks, some because they were not reading- or entertainment-related, others because I thought they might be too “faith-filled”.

          I’ve been evaluating that hesitancy and have come to a conclusion. If you read my About page, you will see that I consider myself a Christian, a wholehearted Christian who lives her life by the truths and principles taught in the Bible. I want to reach out and encourage others like that. I’m well aware that the percentage of people who think like me is small. Even smaller are those with an interest in fantasy entertainment. Many of them may never read my blog, but even so, that person is my audience, the target of my musings. All others are more than welcome, encouraged and solicited even, but my topics will be directed at those who love the Lord Jesus and desire to live lives that honor Him.

          Most likely nothing will really change except the frequency of my posts. My style of conversing, in written and verbal form, is inclusive, considerate and accepting of most everyone I meet. I don’t try to antagonize or condemn and I certainly don’t expect everyone to see life exactly the way I see and experience it. Occasionally, though, I will say or do things that do antagonize or at least discomfit those who do not share my faith. I do not apologize for that. (At least not when it is prompted by my faith. If I’ve just been plain rude, I will eventually apologize. )

          I’ll still be posting reviews most Fridays. The change there, though, will be that I will post reviews of fiction and non-fiction, not just fantasy. I’ve recently read several non-fiction books that I believe are worth sharing and I read across several genres and would like to share thoughts on those. If I find a backlog of reviews accumulating, I’ll add another day for posting them, but for now reviews or links to other review sites will be posted on Fridays.

          In addition to these minor changes for Tuesdays and Fridays, I will also be chronicling a new project, 9 by 99 in 2009. I blogged about it at Routines For Writers and will post more details here during the next few days. I’m not going to plan a blogging schedule for that project. I’ll just post as I have something to say, but at least once a week. Sometimes my Tuesday’s musings and my 9 by 99 musings will be combined, but my goal is to post something different at least three times per week.

          I’m not a morning person. I much prefer staying up late and sleeping in. As a result, I’ve done my best through the years to have jobs or appointments or otherwise structure my life so I don’t have to get up until about 8 or 8:30. Now that my kids are grown and pretty much out of the house (I have one 16 year old still at home), that is pretty much my schedule. Most mornings, my husband gets up about an hour or so before me. His leaving wakes me up just enough that I start my “waking up” process, which is pretty much drifting in and out of sleep for the next hour or so.

          This morning my husband woke up an hour earlier than usual. That, of course, brought me to wakefulness. Right on schedule, about an hour later, I woke up, looked at the clock and realized it was early. I lay there listening to the rain and debating if I wanted the extra time for enjoying the luxury of lying in bed or if I wanted to use it to get a little extra work done (like write this blog!). After a moment’s debate, I drifted back into listening to the rain and wind outside. After several minutes, or so I thought, I flung back the covers and got up. When I looked at the clock, it was 8:30! I’d been lying there for an hour. I must have drifted off to sleep and not realized it.

          My next thought, though, was, “Thank You, Lord,” because I had my blog topic.

          So many times I think of things I would like to do. Time passes and suddenly I realize that wonderful thing didn’t happen. I either have to scramble to make up lost time or I let the idea die a regretful death. If I want to accomplish things, I can’t drift through my days or meander through life. Yes, there is a time and place for play or relaxation. I experienced one this morning. But progress only comes with conscious thought and planning.

          What do my meandering thoughts have to do with this blog? I think it might be time to do some planning. I’ve been winging it for the past six months. The reviews I’ve written have been what I’m reading, the musings what I’m thinking at the moment I sit at the computer. (Or, like today, what I thought of first thing in the morning.) I’m not sure anything is going to change drastically right away, but it is time for me to stop drifting and start planning.

          If there are books or movies you would like me to review or topics you’d like me to discuss, now is the time to comment.

         Recently a friend and I were discussing entertainment. She made the comment that there really isn’t any such thing as pure entertainment. All entertainment has an agenda. The author or producer has a worldview and has imprinted it into the book or movie. No book or movie can be entirely free of the author’s morals and mores. She has a point.

          That reminded me of something I read a few years ago. Apparently a major movie mogul had made a comment about creating and producing movies that influence young minds into the next century. An older gentleman commenting on this condemned it, implying it was wrong to produce entertainment with the purpose to influence. I remember wondering at the time how it could be possible to do anything else.

         I think what the man was lamenting was in fact that the principles and values that would be promoted were contrary to what he considered appropriate. I agree. The current culture promotes many views that I find offensive. Lifestyles and patterns of life are promoted that lead to destruction or exploitation. Values I hold dear are ridiculed. It is a shame that our entertainment promotes that.

         And that makes it even more imperative that those with the inclination and ability write stories that address these pathologies in our current culture. Someone should write stories of true love, real happily-ever-afters, selfless sacrifice and maybe even sappy sentimentalism. Who is composing scenes and tales of heroic deeds of valor or simple acts of kindness? Where can I find entertainment that inspires and encourages me to be a better person?

          Those stories are being written, they are being published and produced. Perhaps not in abundance, but they are there. And slowly, one story at a time, I am reading and commenting them.

         Spiritual warfare. Say those words and you get multiple reactions. Some dismiss it as hype and alarmism; others “see a devil behind every bush” as my friend likes to put it. The reality is somewhere between those two extremes.

         Incidentally, this reaction is common with every issue, every doctrine, everything where anyone can have an opinion. The extremes are the easiest to see and where many congregate. But usually a subject has multiple facets that makes it an effort to develop an intelligent opinion. And each of us must wrestle our opinion out of those facets. Unless I am somehow responsible for a person’s opinion (teaching a child, counseling a friend, discussing a policy decision), I’m perfectly happy to let them discover and form their own. I know some disagree, but again, like Paul said in Philippians 3:15b, God is able to make everything clear to each person He interacts with.

         One of the reasons I began this site, though, was to put my opinion out there in the hope of encouraging and helping others find theirs. I’ve come to realize (I hope with humility) that I have an ability to see multiple sides of an issue or topic. As a younger person, that made me easy to confuse and lead astray. Over the years, though, I’ve become intimate with God’s Word and that has given me a solid grounding from which to evaluate issues, doctrines or even frivolous topics.

         Spiritual warfare is so much more than a frivolous issue. It is a fact of life for the Christian. It is important to be informed on this issue. It is even more important to be prepared for the battle. Ephesians 6:12 is clear on this issue. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

         Without more information, that knowledge can be frightening. It does not need to be so. 2Ti 1:7 reminds us, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” Knowing that and the rest of the Ephesians passage gives us all we need for protection and victory in the war that is happening all around us.

         Ephesians 6:12-18 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled round your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

         This issue is important to me. So important that I urge you to search and study and solidify your own knowledge so that you can stand in the battle. Do not cower in fear. You have been given a spirit of power. When you “Resist the devil, he will flee from you.” (James 4:7) if you will search and study the Scriptures, I am confident that even if you think differently on this matter, God will make it clear to you.

         Today’s blog is essentially a continuation of my Friday review of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series Friday, with some personal observations of merit or concern for the Christian. Warning: While there are no true spoilers, some of my comments might reveal enough that major points of plot can be discerned.

         Twilight is essentially a romance between a human and a vampire. On first glance, that might seem inappropriate reading material for a Christian. I was surprised, though, to see many truths illustrated and mirrored in the Twilight series.

         One of significant import to a Christian is the Cullens’ choices in regard to their vampire nature. The Cullens have a clear sense that killing humans is wrong. They separated themselves from others of their kind in order to live according to their conscience. This is a vivid picture of the constant struggle that is (or should be!) evident in each Christian. We are to put off the sinful nature and be controlled by the Spirit. In real life, that means there are many times when we chose to resist the pull of “our old nature”, whatever that may mean to each individual Christian, and chose to live in a way that is hard, but right. In a very real sense, the Cullens’ way of life illustrates that dynamic that should be evident in every Christian’s life. This is seen most vividly in the last book, when we get more intimate glimpses into the vampires’ way of life and daily struggles.

         Another, less “weighty” reason I see value in this series is Bella. Bella is portrayed as a regular down-to-earth teenager. Not angry or rebellious, not extreme or radical, just a normal teen with a slightly above normal maturity, or at least life-awareness. This attribute seems appropriate for this story. A flighty, never-a-serious-thought type of girl would never have been attracted to an 80+ year old vampire. In order for that relationship be believable, Bella needs that maturity, that awareness of human nature and that intellectual and emotional honesty with which she observes the world around her. But even with all that maturity, it is obvious that she is essentially a teenager. A teenager experiencing life changes and emotions and dilemmas. A teenager who, even with her maturity, is still floundering and making less-than-stellar choices.

         Whether designed by the author or not, many things about Bella’s circumstances create a rapport with readers that allow for subtle lessons and observations. In fact, the entire story, the little details as well as major plot circumstances, serve as unobtrusive but clear illustrations of truth. By making Bella a supposedly awkward outcast, she forges a bond with the majority of teens everywhere. Bella’s surprise at the ease in which she is accepted into the school and community life is yet another subtle lesson to all those awkward teens that their perception of themselves might be based on old history and not current fact.

         Some would say the fact that Bella’s parents are divorced and her mother remarried are reasons not to read this book. I disagree. I think Bella’s situation actually allows insights that could not be seen if her parents were still together. In this culture marriages are dissolved. It is not right but it is a fact of life. We could write stories that ignore this fact, but should we? As Christians, we are to impact the world for our King. We are to reveal Him to those we see everyday, to those we talk to, to those we come to love and to those we barely know. This is as true for us who are writers as it is for every Christian. If we ignore the true nature of society and create stories based on that supposed ideal, can we really reach those living in the not-so-ideal?

         Yes, Bella’s mom and dad should not have divorced. If they hadn’t, the events of Twilight would have been different, but probably not by much. The Cullens would still have moved back to Forks. Edward would still have had been blindsided by the way Bella’s blood “sang” to him. Most likely, they would still have fallen in love and Bella would have been put in danger. Stephenie Meyer could have written the book with Bella’s parents still married. But that is not story of Twilight. By making Bella the daughter of divorced parents, she has immediately forged a connection with every teen impacted by divorce. And she shows some of the consequences of that divorce: a child too-soon dealing with issues too big, a child torn between two people she loves, a child forced, albeit by her own choice, to choose which parent needs her more.

         The physical attraction between Bella and Edward is handled well. It is there, but it is held in check. Because Edward is 80+ years old, and he has spent most of his vampire life exercising immense control of his desires in other areas, it is believable that he is the one to set the tenor of their level of intimacy. It is commendable that both are virgins when they finally marry, but it concerns me that Edward routinely spends the night with Bella. While it may seem the epitome of romance for a boy to hold the girl he loves while she sleeps, it is not something to be encouraged. Edward might have honed his self-discipline by the years spent resisting his vampire impulse to feed on humans, but it is unlikely any other teenaged boy has the same level of control.

         While I think Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn make a great series, I recognize that many things in these stories may seem “messy” to Christians. Even if we ignore the vampire aspect of the book, there are still those choices and actions and opinions expressed that are at least slightly off what is pleasing to God. For the most part, though, I think those events and choices make for a compelling and gripping story.

         The truth is, real life, real emotion IS messy. Real life experiences teach us and cause us to mature. Real life experiences engender messy emotions and risk messy choices. Real life experiences give us ample opportunities to choose rightly or wrongly. The emotions we feel may be right or not; they may be fueled by right causes or not; they may motivate right actions or not. That is the nature of the human condition.

         It also seems to be a theme the runs through this entire series. That we all have choices and many times we have to force ourselves to choose the hard thing because it is right. This constant tension, that everlasting struggle to find the best, wisest, most perfect choice, whether in action or emotion or opinion, is a fact of life in this world. And Stephenie Meyer illustrates that well through the “messy” choices made by each of the characters throughout the series.

         We first meet God as our Creator. The very first glimpse we get of God in His Word is in Genesis 1. But He’s not just our Creator, He’s the Creator of all things. He took nothing and with a power and creativity we cannot even begin to imagine, He created the earth and everything in it.

         And then He made us. In His image. “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him;” (Genesis 1:27a) The meaning of this verse has been debated for centuries by theologians and philosophers and those much wiser than me. I wouldn’t dream of suggesting I completely understand this concept, but I do have a few thoughts on the matter.

         The Creator of the universe made me (and you!) to be like Him. (And the rest of the Bible reveals our rejection of His plan and His persistence to see that dream of His accomplished.) Being created in God’s image has more meanings that I could possibly enumerate. I think at the very least that means we are creative. Not that we should be creative. Not that we could be creative. But that we ARE creative. Every person in every land, in every century. Every one of us is creative.

         It doesn’t matter if we paint, mold clay, write, lay tile, cook dinner, read a story to a child, file taxes and keep accounts, or write computer programs. We are creative. It is at once exciting and sobering to think that when I create a new story, I’m emulating my Father and Creator. And when I create a whole new world, as all fantasy writers do, I take that imitation to a new level. I’m not creating from nothing as He did, but then I’m not God. I’m a fantasy writer created to be like God, not to be God.

         Isn’t that thought awesome? Awe-inspiring. Mind-boggling. When I write, I imitate the God I love. And not just in my writing. The very expression of my daily life reveals the creativity endowed by my God. The way I clean house (or don’t clean it LOL) has levels of creativity. My neat and orderly husband has been stretched to his limits at times, but I’ve also benefited from his creativeness in finding storage and cleaning solutions.

         I have a friend who swears she’s not creative. She can’t draw. She can’t paint. She can’t write. But she can orchestrate a loosely connected group of people together to accomplish a common task and do it in such a way that every person knows they were important to the process. I know her husband gets frustrated that she takes a bazillion pictures. That’s probably why he bought a digital camera. But picture-taking and scrapbook-making are just one of the ways she makes the people who matter to her feel accepted and loved and remembered. She daily exhibits the creativity of her Creator. And she does it often in the way He intended. With love and grace and style.

         That is true for you too. You are created in His image. You are creative. Go create!