Life Advice #1: Flirt Shamelessly

No, I don't mean the cute guy meets cute girl kind of flirting. I don't mean, 'do you think I'm pretty', 'don't you want to kiss me' flirting.
I mean, don't hold back words of love.
If you feel affection for someone, male or female, friend or family, express it.
I don't know how many times I've wanted to tell someone they're amazing and kept quiet because I thought they'd think I was being over the top, fake, weird, gooshy, flirty, or just an awkward scum who's terrible at expressing herself.
Honestly...
who cares? 
I am so done caring. I've been caring since I was seven and quite frankly I'm wearied of it.
I don't think we were put on this earth for such a short breath of time just so we could love people and then hold back. Words are powerful, guys. I want so badly to emphasize that. I might even have to write another post about it.
Look, it's true you can come off the wrong way by pouring words of affection and admiration on them. But that should never stop you. Be thoughtful; put yourself in their shoes and phrase it so that it will come across as genuine; you want them to hear only an open, artless compliment from the mouth of a friend. But if you overthink it and double guess yourself and hesitate, you'll end up sounding fake anyway, so in the end, just... say the kind words that are on your heart. Let them know they are loved. People need that. Even if 90% of people you compliment just get awkward and disturbed, it's worth it for the 10% whose day you absolutely made. 

How To Work Harder

It's so frustrating! I'm just not working hard enough. I know I can do better than this. How do I get myself working faster when I don't have the strength? How do I improve?

You need motivations. That's plural; but it only takes one hand to count them.

1) Purpose - Why am I even doing this? Does it matter? What's the significance? Is it meaningful?

2) Goal - When I'm on a long run, I've found that seeing the end of the jogging trail always gives me an extra burst of energy. This applies to all areas of life. Your eyes need to be fixed on not only the future, but the end. That will give you something to strive for and make the work worth it.

3) Drive - Who or what is compelling you? Sometimes our feet drag and we feel we need someone to literally push us from behind. This is what keeps you going even when it gets tough, when it hurts or you don't want to.

4) Urgency - A time limit. Anything from "I need to do this before I die" to "I need to do this before the day is over."

5) Focus - This requires self-control. That means not getting up for that snack, not taking that break, not allowing your thoughts to drift and not allowing more enjoyable things inhibit progress.


That being said; if you are the type of person who often gets told 'you work too hard,' 'you run people over' 'you act like work is more important than people':
First of all, join my sad club.
Second of all... I might need to write a future blog post for you?

Surprised by Joy

I have to share this poem. It left me in tears. 

Surprised by Joy
     BY WILLIAM WORDSWORTHSurprised by joy—impatient as the Wind
I turned to share the transport—Oh! with whom
But Thee, long buried in the silent Tomb,
That spot which no vicissitude can find?
Love, faithful love, recalled thee to my mind—
But how could I forget thee?—Through what power,
Even for the least division of an hour,
Have I been so beguiled as to be blind
To my most grievous loss!—That thought’s return
Was the worst pang that sorrow ever bore,
Save one, one only, when I stood forlorn,
Knowing my heart’s best treasure was no more;
That neither present time, nor years unborn
Could to my sight that heavenly face restore. 

This, by the way, is the poem after which Lewis named his autobiography of faith. Read it; it will change your life. 

Defining Religion

A couple of words that get thrown around a lot are love and religion. They almost seem to have a different meaning for every person, and for some they seem to have multiple meanings.
We say "I love you" to our soulmate but then say "I love Doritos" or "I love Tony Stark." Unless of course...
We say "I'm not religious," but then we say we believe in God. Or perhaps we call ourselves 'religious,' but it's only on Sundays and it's not personal; it's just a moral code or an upbringing.
How can we know the true definition of these words?
Since God is the ultimate source for truth, and in fact is the Truth, let's see how he defines them.
Let's look at religion.

Religion
(v) Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Well! There we have it. Glad to have that knocked out of the way; you can all put away your religious debate papers now.

If anyone knows of another instance where the word religion us used in the Bible, let me know in the comments and please provide the verse and what version of the Bible you're using. Thanks!

Heh.

I'm pretty sure my soulmate is a cross between Doritos and Tony Stark.

Defining Love

A couple of words that get thrown around a lot are love and religion. They almost seem to have a different definition for every person, and for some they seem to have multiple definitions.
We say "I love you" to our spouse, but then say "I love Doritos" or "I love Tony Stark."
We say "I'm not religious," but then we say we believe in God. Or perhaps we call ourselves "religious," but it's only on Sundays and it's not personal, it's just a moral code.
How can we know the true definition of these words?
Since God is the ultimate source for truth, and in fact is the Truth, let's see how he defines them.
Let's look at love.

Love
(v) Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not rude or proud. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful, it does not rejoice at evil but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things; in other words, it always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. Whoever does not know love does not know God, because God is love.

That's the short definition, anyway. If you want the full one, go read the Bible. ;)

Quote on Stress

Stress is like an ache, something that gnaws at the depth of your soul. It’s that pit in your stomach that manifests itself when you’re lying in bed and you remember all the things you need to accomplish. It consumes every thought, and every decision is made with whatever is wrong in the back of your mind.

It is so painful, so often unbearable, but many times, it seems inescapable.

And that’s what’s the worst of it.

But we are not without hope.

-Amanda Beguerie

(The rest of her article is equally beautiful if you're interested.)

3 Day Quote Challenge: Day 3

Day 1
Day 2

Well, I was looking at the lyrics of Day by Day by Andrew Peterson, trying to pick just one quote from it, but I couldn't; it's all too good. He's such a wordsmith, and his songs are so inspired. The tune is equally beautiful.

Well, we took a train to Kensington
And listened to the children run
Just beyond the garden gate
Where Peter and Wendy played

There was a sign that said we weren't allowed
To duck inside and join the crowd
Without a son or daughter's hand
To lead us into Neverland

And it hurt so bad
But it's so good to be young
And I don't want to go back
I just want to go on and on and on
Day by day, day by day

And everybody's so surprised
When right before your very eyes
Your baby's in the second grade
You blink and it's her wedding day

And we just can't get used to being here
Where the ticking clock is loud and clear
Children of eternity
On the run from entropy

And it hurts so bad
But it's so good to be young
And I don't want to go back
I just want to go on and on and on

Day by day, day by day

So don't lose heart
Though your body's wasting away
Your soul is not
It's being remade
Day by day by day

Well, you have never met a single soul
Who didn't feel the curse's toll
Who didn't wish that death would die
Maybe that's the reason why

And it hurts so bad
But it's so good to be young
And I don't want to go back
I just want to go on and on and on

So don't lose heart
Though your body's wasting away
Your soul is not
It's being remade
So don't lose heart
Don't lose heart
Your body will rise and never decay
Day by day by day

Again I have no choice but to tag fictional characters. Poor me. :D

Zack Somethingsomething at I Like Things That Go 'Boom'
Hurrykat at How to Fly
Spanner at I Have Competitive Issues

3 Day Quote Challenge: Day 2

Day 1

Here's the quote of the day!

This one is from what's possibly my third favorite fantasy book series, the Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson. :D

I'm supposed to nominate three people per day. Am out of people. :P Will tag fictional characters.

Nathan at Help I Am Trapped and Have No Internet Access Also I Can't Stop Living and It's Killing Me
Hiccup Haddock at I Was a Failure at Life But Hey Now Everyone Loves Me and I Think I'm Pretty Cool
Karl at I Do Not Sleep

3 Day Quote Challenge: Day 1

The superfluously lovely Chloë Womble at A Fangirl's Fantasy. Thanks for thinking of me! :D

Rules:
-Thank the person who nominated you
-Nominate 3 new bloggers everyday
-Post a new quote everyday for 3 consecutive days

Today's quote: 

Happy National Day of Prayer, by the way! *rejoycing* 

God, thank you for using Reagan to bring us this national holiday. Forgive us for not praying constantly. Set our hearts on fire again, and let us be in communion with you all the time.

Nominating: 

My dear friend at The Wandering Narnian

Maggie at Traveling Home

Elizabeth at Confessions of a Teenage Writer

Isaac Newton: Lovely

Newton's assistant described him as absent-minded, and wrote down some daily activities with Newton which give us some insight into that lovely person's life:

*There was a typo. 'In the performances of which he was meticulous and exact.'

My Belief

John 3:16 says, “God so loved the world, he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believed in Him would never die but have eternal life.” To an American in the South, where multiple churches deck every town, and the word ‘religion’ passes through most conversations casually, rolling off the tongue with a sleepy familiarity, John 3:16 can be worn-out, overused, and overlooked. Often, the regular churchgoer has heard it so many times that they no longer hear it, while even the ‘nonreligious’ person has dismissed it as insignificant. But to me, that verse is life. It speaks of God, the creator of all things, of a lost and broken humanity, which has turned from God to sin, and of his beloved Son, Jesus, who is by nature God. That verse encompasses the most life-changing truth anyone will ever encounter. God’s love in unfathomable and unchanging, and Jesus is a personal savior who died for each person who chooses to follow him.

In fact, the Bible is the ultimate source for this belief. There are over twenty-four thousand ancient documents from the Bible found in Europe, Asia, and Africa, many of which are over two thousand years old. Out of the thousands of legitimate manuscripts of the Bible, there are very few that aren’t identical, and even these few examples are mostly mistakes such as the misspelling of a name or number. God has preserved his Holy Word so that every verse can be translated accurately. This is further proof of his love and mercy towards mankind. The Bible is filled with detailed accounts including dates, numbers, names, and places so accurate that even some atheistic historians, upon examining the Bible, admitted that it was as historically accurate and reliable as any ancient document they’d ever examined. 2 Timothy 3:16 says that “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness.” That verse makes it perfectly clear that the Bible is purely inspired by God and that each person should make the choice in their own heart to believe what it says.

Not only is God’s truth backed up by his infallible word; it’s also backed up by millions of people, too many people to count. Ever since the beginning of time, humans from all walks of life have given their all for the belief that God was their maker and king. Many famous scientists followed Christ. Robert Boyle, Issac Newton, Michal Faraday, and Lord Kelvin exemplify profound faith coupled with an understanding of God’s Creation. George Washington and Abraham Lincoln loved God and studied his Word deeply. Beyond these famous examples are countless more. Millions of Christians have died for their beliefs. For instance, in the days of Ancient Rome before Constantine, Romans tortured and killed Christians brutally, insisting that they deny their faith. But even in the face of grief, death, hatred and pain, thousands of believers held to their beliefs and went to their graves proclaiming Jesus Christ because they truly knew who he was; he had died for them, and he was worth dying for. I have seen the transforming power of God in the lives of my family and friends. I have met hundreds of Christians whose eyes shine with joy and love, and who praise God as the ruler of their lives. God’s Holy Spirit is clearly at work in their hearts, instructing them in an unexplainable, undeniable way and guiding them with a still, small voice, opening their eyes to truth, goodness, beauty, and selflessness.

Most importantly, I’ve seen God at work in my own life. Ever since I was seven, I’ve felt a growing realization that God is indeed real, that he loves me and cares for me personally, and that every word of his Bible is true. The more I read the Bible, the more I come to love it. He is a constant companion, a friend who knows my heart - and all the evil in me - and yet loves me anyway. As I read his Word, worship him in song, pray to him throughout the day, talk to other Christians about him, and hear stories of his work in their lives, I am continually reminded that God is transforming the hearts of many people, and loving them personally. He brings me comfort when I’m upset or in pain. He steers me away from addictions, whether they’re small bad habits or overwhelming obsessions. He leads me into conversations with people I would never have otherwise talked to, and he uses those conversations to lift my heart and the hearts of others.

In summary, God loves me and everyone else on earth with an infinite love, and the evidence for this truth is endless. From the unchanging, unbroken certainty of the Bible, to the countless Christians who have believed in Jesus through every hardship imaginable, to my own experiences with God and the undeniable closeness of my relationship with him, there is such a staggering amount of support for the works of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit that one would have to be blind to not see that he is real. He exhibited perfect love by giving up his own Son, the ultimate sacrifice. He died at the hands of those he came to save, in order to grant life to anyone and everyone who chooses to follow him. This is the truth that has changed my life and saved my soul forever, knowing that God loves me enough to humble himself to the point of death. 

Why Am I Reading This?

What is your story about? And no, I’m not asking what happens to who. I’m asking why am I reading this? Why, dear writer, is this worth my time? It’s not a trick question; you don’t have to come up with a clever or profound reply. (Often the simplest answers are the most profound.)

Why did you take so much trouble to write this? Were you trying to tell me something? Than say it. Did you want me to escape with you to a beautiful new world? Then show me, show me why that world is worth going to. Show me what makes it new and different. Show me beauty. Use the right words, the lovely words. You can ramble all you want as long as you use the right words. Give every word a purpose.

Or perhaps it was because of the characters. Do you, dear writer, love your characters?

Why?

What makes you love them so much? Is it the fact that they had a PBJ for lunch or that they had a history lesson? I doubt it. Millions of people have had PBJs. Billions have had history lessons. What makes your character any different? Why are they any more special to you than a stranger you pass in the parking lot?

I know that character feels pain. Deep pain. I know they feel inexpressible joy and strange discomfort and guilt and envy and suspicion. Make me feel that way too. People don’t care if ten humans in Latvia die. (Some of them pretend to care. Fewer still try to care. But they seldom succeed.) But you know what people do care about? If their best friend dies. If their soulmate is lost forever. If they’re separated from their child for life.

Why is that? What makes that best friend any more meaningful to a person than twenty lovely people far away? Can you make me care about your character as much as I care for my child? Or will they be just another human to me?

Look, I know your characters are valuable. They have more depth and worth than even you know. But unless you can express that worth to me, I’ll never see it. Your words, every one you utter, must be gems, or I’ll never grasp how good your characters are. They exist in a terrible, precious world and the only thing between them and me is your brain, your fingers, and your pen.

"Then get to it."

Hannah's Horrid Happenings

 Wrote this children's story hurriedly once, then re-read it recently and loved it! I'm thinking about illustrating it... What are your thoughts? Comment below!

“Get up, Hannah. Today is school picture day.”

But Hannah didn’t want to. She was having a perfectly delightful dream about little men shaped like pills, and that was much more interesting than whatever picture day. The pill men were rolling around in a line, putting on a show for her, and they looked so funny.  Mum pulled the covers off of Hannah. She pulled Hannah off of the bed.

“Mummmmyyyy…” Hannah moaned. “You’re making me forget my dream.”

Mum didn't care. Grown ups are like that. She left the room without apologizing, or saying good morning or trying to help her remember her dream.

Soon Mum came back into the room.

“Get dressed, Hannah. Today is school picture day.”

But Hannah didn’t want to. She was writing down a perfectly brilliant idea she’d had about a story with a very bad weasel, and that was much more interesting than school whatever day. The weasel could be working for the bad guys, and he could drop off the ransom note, and then maybe –

Mum closed Hannah’s notebook on her. She dropped the clothes on Hannah’s lap.

“Mummmyyy…! You’re making me forget my idea.”

Her mum made her get dressed. She made her wear a stiff white shirt and a skirt. She even made her braid her hair! Yesterday Mum had let her wear galoshes and her pink jacket, and let her keep her hair down. That was a perfectly good day. This was a perfectly horrid day.

After breakfast she tried to explain all the kinds of fairies to Morgan. "There's flower fairies, butterfly fairies, water fairies, um... and then there's..."
Morgan wasn't listening. He was trying to put his face into his bib.

"Wash up, Hannah. It's school picture day."

But Hannah didn't want to. Fairies were much more interesting than school whatever day. She stuck out her tongue at Mum and told Morgan, "There's night fairies, and.... umm..."

Mum scolded Hannah. She made Hannah wash her hands and face.

“Mummmmyyyyy…! You’re making me forget the last kind of fairy.”

Obviously Mum didn’t care about anything. What a perfectly horrid day.

She had a perfectly horrid ride to school. She had to sit in a perfectly horrid stool and sit up perfectly straight.

"Say cheese," said the happy picture man.

Hannah crossed her arms and made a grumpy face. She was not going to smile for the camera. School picture day had ruined a perfectly good day.

The man pulled a funny face that wasn’t at all funny. She scowled at the picture man. His head looked like a pill. His face looked like a weasel. His shirt looked like a bib.

Just then, Hannah's day got perfectly wonderful. She remembered her dream. She remembered her idea. She remembered the last kind of fairy. She gasped in delight.

Click.

“Lovely,” said the picture man, smiling down at his camera. “Next?”

My 15 Favorite Books and Why

This photo is (c) Someone "Not Me" Else

I have a brief list of what are probably my all-time-favorite books. And I briefly considered why.

 (These are not really in order. They're all so good it would be impossible to rate them against each other.)

1. The Bible is my fave because of its truth, goodness, and beauty, and its message of hope. Also it’s perfect.
2. Lord of the Rings is amazing because it seems original. There’s nothing new under the sun, of course, but at least the way the book’s presented feels like something new. So many fantasies are just built on or ripped off of LotR. His characters are like us, but their culture, languages, and settings are different, just like in my Italy essay. It’s an inspire me book. A go-for-along-walk-with-no-mobile-phone book, a garden-and-make-something-beautiful book, a learn-another-language book, a become-master-woodcarver-or-a-master-artist-or-a-master-something book. 
3.  Narnia is the same. But the inspiration part leans more toward go-write-a-good-book or go-bake-some-muffins or go-be-someone’s-friend. 
4. Peter Pan cripples me with sadness, and yet it makes me happy? The characters. Also, Barrie plucked at the heartstring in me that longs for eternal youth and joy and fun. 
5. Anne. Oh my. She’s my soulmate. My bosom window friend. I miss her so much. I wish she were real. All the characters, really. But mostly Anne. The events that happen are funny or cute or shocking or heartbreaking, but only because of the characters and the way they’re presented. Presentation is huge. She presents nature in a way that makes me really want to start a garden, plant a tree, or go gaze at clouds. How does she make her description so rich? It’s more than fun to read. She can give life to the most boring, ordinary of things. Oh, my heart.
6.  Wingfeather Saga. The characters. The feel of the world. It makes me so fuzzy and warm. Hot pockets, firelight, and decorative swords. Old books. Fruit. Green hills. Oceans. Garrets. The characters. The plot is also a roller coaster. The fantasy element is amazingly well done. I don’t think it’s ever been so well done since Tolkien or Lewis. The characters. 
7. A Tale of Two Cities. Words fail me. The characters... the depth... the narrative voice! Very unique. Very eloquent. He had me on a leash the whole way. Whatever he wanted me to feel, I felt. He knows what he’s doing. He’s a master of writing. Description gave a good, clear mood. Memorable, especially for such a long book. 
8. Mere Christianity. Oh. My. Where to begin... His first sentence. Actually, every sentence. Every sentence was profound. Not a word wasted. I was able to understand so well. His logic was amazing. His way of presenting truth can’t be argued with. This book also strengthened my faith and reshaped the way I thought. This is the kind of book you re-read a million times... and take notes. 
9. Surprised by Joy. Same! Same. Manalive, I love Lewis. 
10. Heidi Similar to Anne of Green Gables. Makes the simplest things seem the sweetest. Makes me love life and mountains and people and milk and goats and cheese and bread and grass and the sky. The version of Heidi that I have has illustrations that match my imagination and make me so happy. 
11. For Women Only. Every woman needs to read this. Even if she feels a distinct calling from God to celibacy. No seriously, every woman should read it. It re-shaped the way I thought about men, and helped me understand them and how to love them in a godly way. 
12. Pride and Prejudice. The characters. The brilliant dialogue. The insight into human behavior. The presentation, the dry, witty narrative voice. Classic novel. 
13. The Girl Who Could Fly. Just.... my child. This is like Peter Pan but with more superhero. Also, it’s modern so it feels closer to me. But I think the main reason I love it is because of it’s free, fun writing style that makes you feel like a child again. And the characters. 
14. Ella Enchanted. Oh... my... I don’t know what to say. This book will never get old. The premise is original if anything is. The characters and scenes are wonderful and the fantasy feeling makes me happy. This book really took my emotions on a flight. 
15. Understanding Comics. The insight is thought-provoking and amazing. Another book that changed the way I think. The way it was presented in fun comic form was really well done. I keep turning back to it. It’s useful for all kinds of things including how to improve my creative writing. Man, it just changed the way I think about so many things.

Questions to Ask Your Character

http://hubpages.com/technology/fun-random-polls
Answer these fun, random, and interesting questions for your characters! Things I would never have thought to ask them...

Guys I Just Discovered Poland.

This showed up when I Googled 'Poland scenery'

 My love for Europe has been expanding over the years, and I've begun to wonder why I know so little about Eastern Europe, or countries to the East of Italy and Germany. I Googled 'Poland scenery'. I know very little about Poland - mostly history from the World Wars. But I was struck with an impression I will not soon forget.

These are just some of many gorgeous photos that showed up.

Poland had Ireland's rolling hills - only they're mountains. It has the castles, rivers, and grottos of Italy and Germany, the alpine and aspen slopes and the sky-high lakes of Colorado's Rockies. It has a very unique and cute style in its buildings, compact and stacked like pancakes, with rows of square windows that almost remind one of England. Their traditional dress and culture looks like a beautiful, vibrant swirl of German and Russian.

I could spend hours exploring pictures of Poland.

How did I not know about all the beauty that lies in Poland? How has it remained so wrapped in obscurity and mystery, beyond the reach of my self-centered, closed-up American mind? I love learning more about the world around me. Poland is a country I must look into; I must explore it, learn more about it, unwrap its beauties, and fall in love with it.

Just Google Poland already, willya?

Today's Random Writing Quote

A good story with a bad ending is a bad story.
~Bronze the Sling

Who Cares What Your Character Had For Lunch on Wednesday?

Everything worthwhile takes time and effort. Ironically, the most worthwhile things are the hardest, the longest, the dreariest. And frustratingly, they often don’t fully pay off until the very end, or if they pay off along the way it’s in short sweet pieces.

Take learning the piano, for instance. It’s the night of the grand concert. The pianist steps up, takes a deep breath, and relaxes as their fingers take on a life of their own. The notes flow with apparent effortlessness, and the music dances out as if the pianist and the piano are one. The audience is breathless until the final strain has ended, and then all of their pent-up pleasure bursts forth is rapturous applause. The piece was eight minutes long.

The audience may imagine how much work was put into perfecting those eight short minutes of music, but they will never come close to understanding every drop of effort that it took. If they could only find themselves in the pianist’s shoes, they would see the hours of repetitive practice, the painstaking starting and stopping and restarting and re-stopping as they tried to master the nuances of the piece, the countless practice sessions under the guidance of their mentor, and the years of gradual, careful improvement that, by patience and persistence alone, brought the pianist’s skill to this point.
The audience could not understand as the pianist did that behind that one piece of music lie years of training, the physical training of the fingers in deftness and eloquence, the mental training of the brain in the reading of sheet music and the patterns of notes, and the training of the ear to pick out what miniscule adjustments in volume and timing create a performance thick with feeling, expressive and erudite.

What the audience sees is the final result; the grand concert. They have a vague idea that practice and talent are necessary and must exist, but they are seeing only a small picture of a painstaking and committed  life of piano playing. They are seeing the performance as one sees a square of sky through a skylight, but cannot see that beyond that patch of sky and all around it lie clouds and hills and mountains and fields, trees and rivers and rocks and houses.

And so it is with the writing of a book. What the reader sees is that the character is named Logan. He is an orphan and has low motivation and doesn’t like rice. The reader sees the story unfold, and they feel they have been told a great deal about Logan; after all, an epic adventure has just taken place; an adventure that lasts for 341 pages and takes place over the course of many strenuous, painful months for the poor characters.

But the reader has really only read a brief account of some of the events of seven months in the long life of one character in a large world of other characters. Few of the other months are even mentioned. The reader recalls that the character’s parents died when he was five but doesn’t know how they died. The reader has seen that Logan undergoes a strong character arc as he struggles through various trials and experiences various novelties. But the reader is never told about the character arc Logan went through when his parents died, or the arc Logan was soon to go through as he discovered the difficulties of married life, or the arc he would go through as he came to a mid-life crisis and realized he was developing a bald spot.

The reader doesn’t know that his parents named him Logan after their favorite comedian, let alone that his parents had a peculiar and delightful sense of humor. The reader doesn’t know that Logan has low motivation because he was raised in an uninspired home full of too much indulgence, self-centeredness, and mindless TV programs, and never fed encouragement to live for something more, to discover other countries or other foods or other people outside of those in his day-to-day circles. The reader doesn’t know that Logan dislikes rice because when he was thirteen he was pressured into joining a rice-eating contest which caused him to lose his lunch and his breakfast. The reader doesn’t know what happened to him when he was two or what would happen to him when he turned twenty five or what would happen to him when he was eighty. The reader doesn’t know.

But not knowing doesn’t stop the reader from loving the character. The reader is shown how insecure Logan really is. The reader likes Logan more because that makes him relatable. The reader is informed that Logan has no relatives besides his aunt, and that makes it twice as upsetting when his only living family member dies. The reader is told that Logan is more concerned about the stain on his shirt than the fact that he is in a life-or-death situation. That makes the reader laugh - that and a million other little things that Logan does.

By the end of the book the reader is thoroughly in love with Logan. The reader will think of him every time they hear the name Logan, and they’ll search online for fan art and look up the author’s website and tell their friends how much they need to read the book, all because Logan was such a well-rounded, realistic, relatable character, who acted and spoke and took in information in his own unique, memorable way.

What made him that way? Why did Logan stand out from the characters in so many other books, hurriedly written and hurriedly read? After all, any author could write that their character didn’t like rice. Any character could have adventures. Any author could give a character a random flaw, and why not let that flaw be a lack of drive? Many characters are orphans, and many characters face life-or-death situations. So what made Logan so… Logan?

The answer is found in simply two things: character development and worldbuilding.

When a writer creates a story, they do not simply put words on a page. They create a universe. This universe is inspired by Creation. Creation is complex and limitless and full of details. Each human is given one body, one life, and one window to the world, through which they perceive only a piece of what takes place in Creation. They only see pieces of the people they meet, and when they ‘get to know’ someone, they only really bget to know a bit about them. Humans see in part and know in part.

But what an author must do is to ‘play God’, to see the lives of everyone in their fictional universe and understand the hearts of every character in their story. In order to create a masterpiece in the end, they must start with days and months and even years of work that will never even make it into the final book. And so they begin the toilsome process of worldbuilding and character development.

Now, from the very start the author’s job is to discover. They must find out the character’s name; that is what gives him life. And then they must find out who gave him that name and why and what it means and how they chose it and when and how he feels about it and how his friends feel about it and how many people Logan knows who share his name. From there a whole branch of new questions stem; if his parents are humorous, what made them so? Have they always had a cheerful outlook on life? When did they meet and who were their parents and what were their relationships with their siblings growing up? Are they the oldest or the youngest siblings? And suddenly the author’s mind jumps back to Logan – why doesn’t he have any siblings? Does he wish he had siblings? Are there any people in his life who are like siblings to him? How does not having siblings affect his lifestyle, worldview, and treatment of others? How does it affect his maturity, actions, and attitude?

It is possible for an author to take this stream of questions too far. The author could ask who his friend was and who his friend’s friend was and who his friend’s friend’s friend was, and get lost in a sea of irrelevant characters who won’t affect one word of the story. But there must be a certain degree of wandering off the beaten path for an author. After all, every person’s actions affect another person’s actions in a ripple. It may never make it into the story that Logan had lunch with his friend on Wednesday, and that it was cloudy and he ate a hamburger and gave the pickles to his friend’s dog. It may not even make it into the story that that friend exists. But the author may nonetheless make themself a little chart listing all the foods Logan ate during those seven months, just to keep track of whether their character has a realistic eating pattern or not.

So much detail and planning seems ludicrous, but it is the framework on which the story is built. The tiny scraps of information, trivial dates and times and lists of facts are what come together to build a fleshed-out, deep, well thought-out and truthful character. They are what make the story real.

Just like in a piano recital, the reader sees only the information given in the published book. They are looking through a window. But behind that performance or beyond that window lies a wealth of work and thought and effort and detail put into that character’s universe, all with the goal of building towards one small stack of 341 pages. That is what smoothes out the bumps, eradicates imperfections, adds mood and emotion, and makes the author sound like they know exactly what they’re talking about. That’s what makes the book and its world and its characters so real.

Sisterhood of the World Bloggers' Award

  Maggie Rice at homewardtraveling.blogspot.com tagged me for this one. Thanks luv!

1.What's your favorite part of the season?

My favorite part of the Christmas season is how it re-focuses every day on Christ and what he did for us. 

2. Do you have your decorations/tree up yet? 

But it's so easy to loose focus. You get caught up and distracted by the number of gifts and cards and deadlines, and all the decorations to string up, and all the baking to do and all the parties and all the events and all the excitement of GETTING GETTING GETTING. You lose sight of what Christmas is about. You lose sight of Christ in the dazzle of materialism and commercialism. So this year our family decided to do something different. We actually took down all our Christmas decorations except for the Christian ones. We didn't even have a tree. We didn't do presents. (Okay... Mom couldn't help but give us a few over the dourse of the 12 days of Christmas... but aside from that...) 

At first there was some dissension. My little sister was out of sorts. My mom admits she cried one night, upset about 'losing Christmas'.

But as the days progress, we discovered a change in the very essence of how we thought about Christmas, how we saw Christmas, and how we acted for Christmas. It became a time of celebrating Christ, focusing on him and loving others. We were filled with ineffable joy volunteering and helping widows. We had family devotionals that brought us closer together. We were more relaxed, able to better enjoy our time spent together and with friends. And oh, Christmas was the best. We were not in the least disappointed to have no stockings, tree, or presents. We woke up and ate a lovely breakfast together, sang Christmas hymns, and read the gospel accounts of Jesus' birth together. Then Mom and I went out with some precious friends and visited with, sang carols for, and prayed for a lady at the hospital (my friend's grandmother). We also prayed for another lady there and sang for her. It was such a blessing! We met a nice nurse there from Russia. She said they didn't celebrate Christmas in Russia! (I'm sure there are some people there who celebrate it. But when she last visited in 2005 they still had no word for 'Merry Christmas', no concept of the Christmas holiday.) Pray for Russia!

Then we came home and had a Christmas feast with our family. All in all it was an amazing Christmas, one of the best of my life. How much can your Christmas change when you take the Christmas spirit seriously?

3. What is your favorite Christmas decoration?

Mine has always been the tree. I have this half-secret tradition to wait till everyone has gone to bed, then sneak out of my room. The living room is lit by the fairy Christmas lights, glowing with so much warmth and color. They glint off the ornaments. Underneath the tree is a wealth of presents piled one on top of another, a mountain of shiny packages spilling past the couch and around the back. Every one is beautifully colored, thoughtfully decorated, and laced with sprigs of holly, glittering bows, silver frost, and golden leaves. It's so enchanting. I hum a Christmas carol and feel the deep peace of a silent night, rejoicing in beauty and color and light and enchantment, with no one but Jesus for company. Then, dizzy with hapiness and coziness, I curl up under the tree and drift into sleep. 

4. Your favorite Christmas tradition?

Probably the Christmas Eve service at our Colorado church. In a tiny log chapel our little congregation (more like a big family) gathers and sings beloved, timeless carols by candlelight. Is anything more enchanting. The kids act out an impromptu Christmas pageant. The senior pastor plays Herod (and gets so into character that we're splitting our sides with laughter). He's only rivaled by his grandson, one of those special people who can make you laugh without even trying. His performance is even more hilarious in its spontaneity. Afterwards the kids get candy canes, and then I give my best friends and family presents, and the sweet darlings give me some gifts as well (which I still have, and still love). Sigh...

 5. Your favorite Christmas memory?

I don't remember what made that Christmas so great, but I just remember thinking This is the best Christmas of my life. It was about three years ago. Everything went so perfectly. Everyone was dizzy with joy.

6. How about your favorite Christmas song? 

TOO HARD. I love Veni, Veni Emmanuel. I love Good King Wenceslas. I love Lo How A Rose E'er Blooming. I love Infant Holy, Infant Lowly. And then of course the entire Handel's Messaih. And what would Christmas be without Stille Nacht? 

7. If you could get anything you wanted for Christmas, and I mean literally anything, what would it be?

Literally anything? Oh, child... you don't know what you're saying. 

My first thought is I'd want to go to heaven and be free of sin, right here, right now. But I know that's not God's will for me. I've got to stay and further the kingdom on earth. Next I thought I'd like everyone on earth to be saved and the world ends and we all go to heaven happily ever after the end. But that's not in his will either, is it? No, God saves exactly whom he wants to when he wants to, amen. 

So then, how about just a closer relationship with God? I'm so weak. I need to know him more, love him more, be more like him. If my relationship with him would improve, everything else would improve proportionally. 

8. If you could give one thing, anything, what would it be?

I would give salvation. 

9. Do you prefer online shopping or, er, the other kind where you actually leave your house?

Ew, leave my comfort zone? Online shopping. ;)

10. What do you do on Christmas eve? 

See 4. Although this year we did Christmas eve at a different church, which wasn't the same but still good. I have two churches, two church families. They're both very close to me, so I'm kind of torn between two worlds. I dream passionately of a world where those two church families will meet in one place as one family, and we'll all worship and rejoice and love together. That dream will be more than realized in the coming of the kingdom of God. But for now I'm just a child of eternity on the run from entropy. 

Here are my questions for you!I'm just going to tag anyone who reads this post. You can answer all or any of the questions in the comments below! 

1.  If you were tossed into a fictional world, which world would you want it to be?  (In other words, which would you have the best chance at surviving?)

   

  

2.  If you could take three people with you to that world, who would you take?

3.  If a stranger suddenly struck out at you and attacked you, would you actually have the courage to fight back? Even if you had that courage, would you actually be able to bring yourself to harm a living being? Would you have the grit to poke them in their eyes? And even if you had the sand to do so, would you be at all successful?

4.  What would be the ideal way to meet your future husband/wife, in your opinion?

5.  If there's one character from a book/movie you would never want to find sitting in your living room, who would it be?  (Leaving out the ones that are too big or abstract to sit in your living room- i.e. Sauron...)

6.  If there is one character from a book/movie you would want to find sitting in your living room, who would it be?

7.  If you could live one day of your life in the style of a movie, what genre would you pick?  (Animated, comedy, romance, crime, adventure, action, etc.)

8.  What movie from that style would you pick? And furthermore what character would you most want to be?

9.  If someone were to compose a soundtrack for your life, who would you want it to be?

10.  What's the purpose of life if life has no purpose?