Chloe did a beautiful 9-11 tribute over at the Niblets blog, and I’d like to build on it with my own observations. Today, it’s hard to believe it’s been 13 years since the world changed, and she’s absolutely right about one thing: we can never go back. I can’t imagine getting on a flight now without being scanned down to my bones (and my luggage being scanned to the atomic level), and it’s hard to remember that the Department of Homeland Security didn’t exist once upon a time.

It brings up an interesting question that’s been posed over and over in the passing years: are we sacrificing our freedom for increased security? Many believe we are, and that it’s shifting us to a socialist state. We’ve heard plenty of screaming over the years about the NSA and other instances of the government snooping into our private affairs, which brings up the question of whether we’d rather be free or secure. And then again, if you’re doing what’s right, does it matter? After all, if you have nothing to hide, then why does it matter if the NSA knows where you are,  who you’re talking, texting, and emailing to, and what you had for lunch today? I guess the real question is our right to privacy. And again, we enter the freedom/security loop. Is there an end? Is there an answer? I don’t know.

The escalating tensions in the east with ISIS now are actually a factor I’m figuring into the draft of the science fiction trilogy I’m writing. There’s no doubt that terrorism is still a huge issue in the world today, and it’s impacting world events and even history itself. I feel our grandparents generation, “the greatest generation,” are turning in their graves right now. They fought and worked so hard to rid the world of the evils of Nazi’s and the threats of dictatorships only to have radical terrorists rise to plague future generations. It just goes to prove that it’s always something. Marvel might have it right after all. Remember what Hydra said about “cut off one head, and two more rise?” That seems to be the truth. Fiction and reality have uncanny parallels. Then again, reality influences fiction, so there you have the answer to that riddle.

I think this is a testament to the fact that future generations will fully realize that 9-11 changed the world as we know it. They may not have the memories or personal connections and recollections of exactly how these changes happened. Heck, those of us that have experienced it probably find ourselves hard pressed to articulate it ourselves, because many of the changes are felt rather than seen. But we know it’s there, and they will realize it too, even if they weren’t here to experience it. It’s like we know Pearl Harbor changed the world, even though many of us weren’t around then. At least better media coverage will give future generations something more to see from the day that changed the world in the twenty-first century.

The truth is that we’re still seeking that balance between freedom and security, and the explosive advances in technology in the past 13 years haven’t made it any easier. Every step forward is one more thing we have to consider that can be misused by those that wish to do us harm. It’s a shame that we have to live in such a state of partial paranoia – but then again, as it ever been any other way? There were many decades between Pearl Harbor and 9-11, which no doubt led to some complacency. How do you strike the balance? I’m not sure there is any one answer, or what direction this whole debate is taking us as a nation, a society, and a world in. 13 years later, and the story is still unfolding in many ways. It’s something to think about.

That’s my meditation on the day. I offer a prayer for those lost on 9-11, their families and friends, and all affected by the terrible events of that day. Wait, that means all of us, because in one way or another, we were all affected. Well, here’s a pray for us all!

That’s all today. Take care. Have a happy Friday tomorrow and a fantastic weekend.

Bye!

I hope all of you enjoyed Shatterpoint. I like to do a blog series every now and then just to mix things up around here, and it looks like the website hits went up while that series was running. I hope you enjoyed it. I plan to spruce it up and offer it as a free ebook through Smashwords in the coming months, so keep your eyes open for that. 

It's amazing where inspiration comes from. Shatterpoint was spurred by a trip to a Christian Bookstore a few weeks ago, and to tell you the truth, my muse has been quite busy every since. It seems that ideas are everywhere, and I'm finding stories all over the place. In addition to Shatterpoint, I've also started a fun project over at Conure Corner titled "Invasion on Anipal Land." It's what I call "the ultimate bird fairy tale," and it features many of our Twitter pals. So far, they're loving it. Swing by at the hyperlink if you're interested. I posted Installment 4 today, and there's one  more installment due out, probably on Tuesday. I don't plan to publish that - it's just a fun project that Rick and I thought would be good for the bird blog. 

I also wrote two short stories last week. One's a flash fiction piece titled 5:00 over at Readwave. The other is a short story that's still in progress called "Dedication"  over at Writing.com. It was inspired by seeing the same car parked outside an abandoned building in our office complex for a week. That one is still in rough draft format and needs work, but I welcome feedback from the Writing.com community. Again, it's just a fun writing exercise for me to hone my skills. 

Today, I started another round of edits on Obsidian. I figured I may as well keep going since I have the momentum up and things are flowing well. I tell you, it might seem like I'm in my own little world(s) to others, but these are the times writer's like. Writing ideas all over the place when things are relatively settled in life - what more can you ask for? It's a blessing I'm definitely grateful for. 

In other news, the foot is on the slow healing process from plantar fasciia. At least it's not getting any worse, which is good, but I am trying to take care of it. I appreciate all the well wishes, too. It will heal. I actively keep that in mind, especially on occasions when it acts up. Heck, it might be the only thing on WebMD that doesn't end in death :) Rick is helping me out a lot around the house too, which no doubt is helping with the healing. He helped me clean the house and get groceries this weekend, and every day he helps me with all the other things that go into keeping a house running, in order, and relatively sane. I appreciate it so much. He's the best! 

The birds are doing good. Heck, they think they're famous with this fairy tale on their blog, and they're enjoying it. We've all had a tremendous amount of fun with that one. More bird stories may be in order in the future!

So that's what's up with me. I hope you're doing well. Take care, and have a great week. 

Bye!

One final stereotype I’d like to shatter is that Christians don’t like anybody that isn’t a believer. That’s not true. In fact, we’re called to go into the world and mingle with all people. If you want to join the faith, great! If not, well, we’re still existing together in this world and trying to make the best of it as we know how.

Christ’s command to love one another means that we respect people, whether they agree with us or not. It means being a decent human being and being polite and courteous to others. It means demonstrating the grace we have received to everybody we meet, and realizing that they have just as much a right to be who they are as we have to be who we are.

In other words, don’t be a jerk. You gain nothing by that. Treat others with the same respect that you want to be treated with, no matter what. It might be reciprocated. It probably won’t in some cases, but living by faith isn’t about what you receive. It’s about doing what’s right because it is right and you want to shine the light of good on the world, and that’s reason enough. Walking the walk is the most powerful testimony you have. Remember, people are influenced by the actions they see; not the words they hear. Everybody’s talking. Not everybody is doing. You can’t expect people to embrace joy if you’re griping and complaining all the time.

Where there’s life, there’s hope, and where hope is, grace abounds. The end times haven’t come yet, so there’s still an unlimited amount of grace to go around in this old world. There’s grace for you. There’s grace for me. There’s grace for everybody! Let’s live in the joy of that grace.

See, Christians aren’t the stuffy, tight lipped, Bible-toting, hard nosed, closed minded morons that you expected. We live in this world one day at a time, just like you do. We even have a unique personality and quirks just like everybody else. We’re still human beings, and we certainly aren’t better than anybody else. All that really makes us different from the rest of the world is where we lay our foundation. Everybody is rooted in something, and our foundation is Christ. What’s yours?

I hope you’ve enjoyed this wild ride through inspiration from somebody that by all rights, should have probably kept it to herself. What can I say? I’m a writer. I guess the extrovert in me won out this time. Now I shall retreat back to the introvert and work on my next novel. Stay tuned. It’s a humdinger.

Grace, peace, and joy to you, now and every day! I’ll see you on social media, my blog, and in my next publication.

Cheers! 

Faith is one thing inside the safe haven of church or other confined groups of believers, and quite another when it comes to putting it into practice when you get out there into the real world. Battleground Earth – Living by Faith in a Pagan World, my first published book, deals with this issue in detail. I stand by everything I wrote in that book, even if it isn’t the finest example of my writing abilities, and there’s no need to recap it here. Christianity has lasted for two millennia in this world, but the world still hasn’t stopped fighting it. Without fail, somebody, somewhere, is going to have a problem with your faith.

This could happen in a number of ways, so I’d like to take this opportunity to discuss a couple of areas where I’ve seen this resistance in all its ugly glory, and share the wisdom I’ve gained in dealing with it over the past ten years.

Contradictions

I’m going to be more brutally honest here than is appropriate in a Christian book: I’m skeptical of popular people. I’m pushing 40 years old, and I have a lovely knife collection courtesy of all the ones stuck in my back from “well liked” people that were hiding a hair trigger temper. Certainly not all of them have been that way, but I’ve been on the receiving end of the wrath of “swell” people that launched all out assaults on my character – sometimes for standing my ground, sometimes for rocking the boat, and sometimes simply for refusing to get involved in their drama and minding my own business like I thought I was supposed to. It’s caused me to back away from people that seem to have too many friends, because you never know where those emotional landmines are.

Certainly, I know this is falling prey to a stereotype I’ve created in my own mind. The problem with having a bachelor’s degree in psychology is that you can’t fool yourself. I know it’s a generalization, that its not fair for me to think like that, and that for every popular time bomb I’ve met, I’ve crossed paths with two or three that were perfectly decent human beings that demonstrated great fruit of the Spirit. I guess that when you’re caught in explosions that big, you don’t forget it. You definitely watch your step, or at least try to stay at a range outside of any potential blast radius.

I’m no respecter of persons, which has been much to the dismay of many that have crossed my path. I’m not impressed by power or position, and frankly I don’t care how many friends you have or how many people like you. My criteria for whether I like and respect you is simple: you’re a decent human being, or you aren’t. Integrity, honesty, authenticity, and loyalty are the hallmarks that define character. That’s easy enough and certainly fair, but you’d be surprised at how many people have a problem with it.

I bring this up because I’ve heard many other introverts and “loner” types (like me) complain about similar experiences, and I believe it’s a context that we can all relate to. By now we’ve come to the sad realization that cliques didn’t end in high school, and they’re just as prevalent in the adult world as they are on the playground. You’d think we’d learn, but then again it took 70 years of captivity for the Israelites to learn that God meant what he said about commandments, obedience and all those other inconvenient things that made them “uncool” with the pagans around them, and the rest of us still don’t get it. Gene pools are supposed to dilute with successive generations, but Adam’s stubbornness is just as dominate now as it was in the beginning of time. That’s frightening.

We live in a world of contradictions, and frankly some people are better at standing up to them than others. A bold person who doesn’t mind standing out or being a loner with a small “inner circle” of trusted individuals (like myself) usually winces less than a people-pleaser that’s been taught to make everybody happy. It’s a battle we all face, and some of us do better than others. Fair enough, we can grant other believers the grace to face the battle. It’s the people that don’t have time for that giving us reason to reach for the Excedrin, the squeeze ball, the social media post, the wine, the whiskey, or whatever you wish.

Christians should know that they’ll be challenged, and that they need to stand up to it. The problem is that they often get mixed up on what they’re standing for. Many new believers make the classic mistake of believing that they’re standing up for Jesus and defending His principals. Even I did this back in the day. I’d go to the mat for anything just to I could win another battle for Him. The problem is, I didn’t realize what a fool I made of myself in so many instances, because Jesus doesn’t need anybody to stand up for Him. He already won the ultimate battle, and He will come again victorious to clean up the rest of the crap that’s in the world. What’s done is done, and what’s coming is coming. Nothing we do changes that. So what, exactly, are we fighting for?

Our own integrity, that’s what, and the truth is that it’s only a fight if we make it one. Living by faith in a faithless world is a personal choice, and standing by our choices is our right as human beings. If we chose to believe in God and live by His word, we have a right to do that, and to expect that others will respect it. They don’t have to like it. They don’t have to like us. They do have to understand that this is how it’s going to be with us, and that understanding usually comes by calmly standing our ground than martyring ourselves. I learned the hard way that whining, screaming, and crying over the unfairness of it all gets you nowhere. Nobody hears you, and nobody cares. I finally got it one day and when somebody snapped at me about being “like that,” and I replied, “you have to understand that I’m going to do what I believe is right. If you want to prevent that, you do what’s right first.” You could have knocked them over with a feather. There went the fight. And yes, I have been tested on that, but once usually all it takes for people to learn to keep their shenanagins on their side of the line.

 It seems that Martin Luther’s “here I stand, I can do no other” is much more effective than engaging in battle. You do what you will. I’ll do what I will. God will sort it all out for better or worse, and He deals with such things through time and circumstance better than I would. End of story.

The bottom line is that you can’t just talk the talk; you have to walk the walk. Everybody talks, which is why fighting doesn’t work. Respect is earned through actions, not won by words.  A therapist once told me that people lie with their mouths and tell truth with their actions, so don’t listen to words; watch what they do. That’s some of the best advice I’ve had (and the one thing lots of people wish nobody had ever told me).

Yes, you will butt heads with non-believers every now and then, but you know what? Non-believers butt heads with one another, so you’re not special. Your faith-based words and actions are just another thing about this world that pisses them off and deepens that two ton chip on their shoulder anyway. It happens all the time. Some people are just jerks, and you can’t do anything about it. If you calmly stand your ground then you find yourself fighting less and being yourself more. Don’t let it get you down.

When “Right” Becomes A Liability

Just be aware that when they realize that they can’t turn you, then they’ll try to turn your own nature against you. This is usually the next line of defense, because they believe they’ve watched enough movies and TV to be as clever as the characters they admire. They’ll actually believe they can turn your virtue to their advantage and against you and if you aren’t mindful, this trick can work.

Here I’ll make another one of my well-known, unflattering admissions: I’ve been known to provoke people to anger on purpose. I know that pissing people off isn’t shining light on the world, but it’s part of a strategy. Standing on faith gave rise to a problem in my life that’s seemed to grow over the years: co-dependency. People learned that I’m a hard worker with high standards, so they believe they can relax and rely on me to do things. The problem is the domino effect described in Proverbs: a little rest, a little folding of the hands, and eventually I’m asked to do things that they should be doing themselves. They try to flatter me by telling me I’m so smart and they don’t understand it all, but I realize it as the smokescreen that it really is. It’s not that I’m smart; it’s that they’re lazy, and they want to capitalize on my work ethic “because it’s the Christian thing to do.” Talking, pleading, whining, and leaving it to rot doesn’t work against lazy, because lazy can tolerate a lot. The only way to win against co-dependency is to set boundaries, kick off the training wheels, and leave them to coast. And boundaries raise people’s ire every time.

I know you aren’t supposed to hang people out to dry. I know it’s not nice to challenge them or to make them angry. But as a person once told me, sometimes people are wrong, and they need correcting. Yes, people get angry with me when I withdraw, but I do it with the intention of helping them rise to their potential. If they do it “just to show me,” at least they rose to something, and I’ve seen a lot of progress happen that way. See, you’re smart too. Intelligence isn’t limited to a lucky few. We’re all smart in some ways. If I make you mad trying to mine your talent, fume away.

Christian is not equivalent to doormat, and you must have the audacity to draw the line and stare them down. I don’t recall a single Bible verse where Jesus said “whatever, have it your way” and walked away. People like the Christ that was obedient to the cross; not the Christ that turned over moneychanger tables – and yet it’s all the same. Remember this: when somebody makes “the right thing” a liability, it’s no longer “the right thing.” That changes everything.

Sometimes the right thing looks and feels wrong, but that doesn’t change the fundamental facts. It’s human nature to test people. It’s human nature to push them to see how much you can get away with. It’s human nature to push limits. And its God’s will that the right thing be done in all circumstances, despite human nature. The real question is, are you working with Him or against Him?

Respectfully Disagreeing and Standing Alone

I believe we’ve all known Christians that believe the world is out to get them. They think that everybody is against them because of their faith and that they have to constantly be on the lookout for the next attack. It may sound paranoid, but there are times when it does feel like your faith makes you a target. The world doesn’t flinch at making fun of Christians, at pointing out our flaws, or at making assumption like the ridiculous ones I’ve addressed in this book, and countless others. Christians do seem to be exempt from political correctness. I’ve never seen somebody get in the face of an Islamic and accuse them of being a hellbound killer, but they’ll snicker at Christians and call us freaks to our face. There’s certainly a double standard at play in society, but I don’t believe it’s cause for paranoia and it’s certainly not worth martyring ourselves over. We can only be a victim if we allow it.

We are all unique creations and as such, some personalities aren’t going to play well together. This is true whether you’re Christian or not, and unfortunately there’s no “once size fits all” answer on how to deal with conflict. We do have to remember the one hallmark of our faith, though, and that’s grace. Grace is about freedom, and the truth is that we have no right to judge because we don’t know where they’re coming from. Often, it behooves us to remember that hurt people hurt others, and the best thing is to forgive and let go for our own peace. Don’t let hate send you to hell. The charge of the Christian is to share the gospel, and people have a choice on whether to accept it. We try to share what we know to save their soul, but we can’t save them from themselves. If they want to show the world what a jerk they are then you can’t stop them.  

The truth is that as Christians, we will sometimes stand alone. Look at mainstream media and you see there aren’t many people of faith at the top. The world doesn’t like that, so the world doesn’t allow it to rise. Sure, that may change with the indie markets rising. Certainly, they have more of a voice, and more niche markets are rising for us. But in the end, we won’t be popular. That’s the price of a life rooted in Christ. He did say that we are not of the world, so the world doesn’t love us, so I hope you’re ok with being a loner. And really, it’s not so bad. I rather prefer being a loner because there’s a unique freedom in not being bound by expectations and being able to embrace what speaks to your soul without justifying it to those that don’t understand. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from standing alone, its that the view is a lot better from here.  

Heck with the world, anyway. In pure geologic terms, it’s just a huge rock hurling through space, and rocks can’t think. If people want to win the favor of a rock, they can have it. What matters most are things that can’t be quantified: love, relationships, faith, peace, and joy. A rock can’t give you that.

Wow, when you put it that way, it does sound silly. Suddenly, panoramic view of freedom looks inviting, and eternity seems like an investment worth considering. 

It's amazing how "words in season" come right when you need them. Last week was a doozy, no doubt, but it seemed that the words I needed to hear kept coming at just the right time. Here are some of the winners from last week that kept me encouraged and kept a light on the path before us:

1. When an egg breaks from the outside, the result is death. When it breaks from the inside, the result is life. That reminded me of a line from the song Where the Dead Ships Dwell that says "I won't let the world break me." I know that's a yin and yang comparison, but to me it's plenty relevant: your circumstances can break you, or you can break free of them. It's all a matter of perspective, and where you allow your primary influence to come from: within or without. 

2. Sometimes you win. Sometimes you learn. It seems this goes in seasons, and the seasons of learning are usually longer than the seasons of winning. What I really like about this, though, is that it doesn't say you lose - because you don't have to. If you can be ok with learning, then you really can't lose, because every experience adds wisdom and equips you to do better later. We can learn from every experience, whether it ends out the way we hope/expect or not. 

3. People who shine from within don't need the spotlight. And we go back to real things coming from the inside. This is a perfect time to hear this too, as May tends to be a whirlwind of celebrations, between graduations and Mother's Day. We do all have our "spotlight" moments, but true character comes when nobody's looking. Do you always need accolades and "atta-boys" to stay motivated, or do you do what's right because it's right? This is an issue I've addressed in this blog before, so there's no need to revisit it in length. 

4. Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:3-4) I like this because it basically says that it's alright to be human beings, not humans doing. Too often, we think that we have to work and fight to get ahead, and wind out stressed out and weary. But this says that if we do what we're supposed to, then He will not only keep us safe, but bring the desires He planted in our hearts to pass. Wonderful, simple words of encouragement.  

And as a bonus:

5. Once they figure a way to work a dead horse, we'll be next. Likely I'll be the first too. 'Edd,' they'll say, 'dying's no excuse for lying down no more, so get on up and take this spear, you've got the watch tonight." If you work, you know why that's funny. We all feel it sometimes, don't we? That tidbit is from A Sword of Storms, the third book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series. I thought it was hilarious and you'd appreciate it. 

Good words to ponder, I believe. I hope they've inspired you as they have me over the past week. 

That's all today. Take care, and have a great week. 

Bye!

That’s a sign I have in my office at work. They know I’m a writer, and this is certainly appropriate so they’ll remember that when I get a little “out of it,” that’s where they can find me. I’m not afraid to admit its certainly been the case for the past week. I have been in own world, and I’m not exactly fighting to escape it, either.

It started last Thursday when the tendons in my right wrist flared up. Apparently, I had been typing more than I realized, and those muscles and tendons had something to say about it. Between work, book promotion, and publishing the “When a Pet Dies” article, I suppose I didn’t realize I was wearing myself a bit too thin in the wrist. Almost a year of no problems, I grumbled, and then it warms up and this flares up. Oh well. So I was off the computer over the weekend, and once I finished with the volunteer project at church Saturday morning, off I went. We had free movie tickets from Christmas and free HBO this weekend, so with that and my books,  I caught up on all my fantasy worlds. Come Monday, the wrist was better and I’m back to writing again (but I’m limiting myself, because it does get stiff after a while, and I know not to push it too much or I risk more longstanding problems, which I don’t need). Now, a week later, I have no clue what’s going on out there. Aliens could have landed in the Walmart parking lot, and I wouldn’t know it. But my latest rewrites on Nonstop to Nowhere are done. I started reading A Clash of Kings (the second book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series or, if you prefer the TV version, Season 2 of Game of Thrones). And I’m all caught up on the Marvel Universe (S.H.I.E.L.D. is compromised by HYDRA – who would have thought it?).

Sometimes fantasy is more interesting than fiction. Hey, it beats wars, rumors of wars, political chaos, weather disasters, meetings that feel like beatings, excessive pollen causing allergy woes, and wondering if the vending machine in the break room is going to actually give you a drink when you put money in it. Boring! And frankly, I’m a planner, not a gambler. I got my Claritin D, set up files for my next round of meetings, and stashed an extra Cherry Pepsi in the refrigerator in the file room.  There. Reality solved. I still need to do rewrites on Rearview Mirror, and that sounds like a good thing to start on next. I may get Nonstop to Nowhere done by the July deadline too, if I quit changing it and stop getting distracted by all of the other good fiction out there. Well, the free HBO is gone now, and summer reruns are coming soon. It’ll work out.

I had a dream the past few nights about wandering around alone, looking for people I knew. Oh, there were people all around me, because I was in a public place, like a store or a mall, but it wasn’t people I personally knew, and I was looking for familiar faces.  Every morning, I woke up knowing that nobody’s left or abandoned me. I’m the one that’s wandered off into my own little world. Well, what can I say? I’m a borderline introvert/extrovert. I guess I’ve gone into hermit mode for now. It doesn’t mean anything bad.  It just means that I’m being a writer. I’m in my own little world. Again.

That’s all today. Have a Happy Friday tomorrow and a great weekend.

Bye!

Is the world worth saving? Take a look around.

It's no secret that Rick and I have been rather frustrated for the past week. People haven't been at their best, and we've done a lot of consulting with our inner circle in navigating through it. As I was taking my walk today, I found myself pondering the question that was the catalyst for Splinter over 3 years ago: Is the world worth saving? Take a look around. For every beautiful thing you see, there's an ugly counterpart in the shadows. And sometimes those shadows take over. Difficult people and tough times can make you feel isolated, but the truth is that it's something we all go through, and we all have times when we think: to hell with it all. Let it burn. I went through an entire season of life like that, which gave rise to this book. I spent six months figuring out how to kill the world and everybody in it - and pondering whether it was worth saving at any cost. And if you find that disturbing, remember that a publisher picked up this book, so obviously I'm not alone in these ponderings. In fact, I believe they're universal questions.

It's not flattering, but it's true. In fact, I think it's perfectly natural to question whether it's all worth it. From a Judeo-Christian perspective, we know that Christ died to save people, but in the end, the world will burn. The Bible is explicitly clear that people will be saved, but a New Heaven and a New Earth will come after the current one is destroyed - and destroyed magnicifiantly, according to the study our Sunday School class is doing on the Book of Revelation. And if you aren't the religious type, then consider this: the sun will go nova one day. It will flame up, consume the planet, and die itself. Whether you're a person of faith or not, it's all going down one day. So is it worth it to put up with the irritations and aggrivations to help and preserve it? 

It's a natural question, and I believe there's no right answer because the answer will shift according to our perspective. People will aggravate you. It's going to happen. It's true that people can change, but that's not the question - it's will they change, and too often the answer is no. Often enough that we come to the point of giving up on them. And you can forgive them, but still give up on them. People can wear you out. I can testify to that, and often. I read something last week that said evil exist because people exist, and since God doesn't want to eliminate free will then he'd have to eliminate humanity to get rid of evil - and He loves us too much to do that. I know many arguments could be posed on this issue alone, but suffice it to say I mention it to testify to a simple fact: People suck. Every one of us. Even the person of faith struggles with the ebb and flow of good and bad in the soul, and we don't always win the battles. When does it come to a point where we give up and say that's it, I can't take it any more and I have no hope of positive change - and walk away? I think my latest novel, Move, addressed the issue of whether people are worth saving and when you get to the point of giving up well.

Things and circumstances can also aggravate you, too. Sometimes people cause the situations and sometimes it's what I like to refer to as the "random crap of life." Bad things happen. It rains on the just and the unjust alike, as The Bible says, and we have to deal with it. Even our best efforts can fail and things can go bad, or wrong, or completely to hell. It's the imperfect nature of the universe showing itself, and it can do that magnicifantly too. We get tired of going around the same mountains, of struggling with the same problems, of butting our heads and kicking and screaming against the old thing on a different day and wondering what the point is, and why we can't overcome it or find victory for once and for all? It's easy to say, to hell with it, things won't change. Sure, the law of undulation makes this impossible. Life is a series of ups and downs. Much like the ebb and flow of the soul, so do the circumstances of life. Will things go up? Absolutely yes, but they'll also go back down. Nothing ever stays the same. It's  natural to wish the highs were longer seasons and the lows and building times were shorter seasons but alas, it's often the other way around. Reaping a harvest takes time, and sometimes we get so frustrated with the working/waiting cycle that we wonder if it's all worth it, if it's sure to fade away eventually.

I've been accused of being too "post modern" in my thinking on these things, but I'm not backing down because I feel this is truth. It's natural to have doubts about ourselves, other people, and the world we live in. To deny that is to deceive ourselves, and I feel it's better to face it. I think that Splinter faces these issues head on by showing you one woman's journey through faith, doubt, and back to belief in a new set of convictions.

Are people worth saving? It's been done, but how far does your belief go? Check out Move and think over your own convictions.

Is the world worth saving? Take a look around, and join the debate when Splinter is released on November 1st.

That's all today. Have a great rest of the week.

Bye!

On this, my 38th birthday, I find my self pondering the progress of the past year. I suppose this is a natural thing to do on a birthday. On first glance it could seem disappointing, as there are no "major" changes to report, but that's actually deceptive. There have been changes in the past year, but they've been more in the way of "shifts" instead of what could be clearly defined as "changed." I suppose this sounds somewhat elusive, so of course I'm going to explain.

The progress of the past year has actually been more in the way of building on things that have already been in motion. While it doesn't seem that much has changed - after all, life is progressing along very much the same today as it was a year ago - I can't say that I think about or feel the way that I did about life as I did one, two, or five years ago. In fact, as I ponder it, I notice that my paradigm has shifted quite a bit in the last 4 years. I suppose this is natural. My job changed and I finally broke into publication with my writing in 2010 - 2011, and while these things are "the norm" in my life right now, I see how incorporating those changes into my life has changed my view of life and the world. My basic morals haven't changed. That's not something that's likely to change. But the way you see the world around you and apply those morals can change, and I'm starting to see the evidence that it's happened. When you walk in faith long enough, you delve deeper into things, and that's certainly what's happened to me.

So how have I changed? For one, I'm seeing a whole new application of the concept of "reaping and sowing," as described in Galatians 6:7. You all know that this is one thing that my grandfather was a big believer in, and I took it to heart. But this verse applies to more than just relationships with other people and how you treat them - it also applies to progress and purpose in life. In fact, if you shift two more verses you'll read that "in due season we shall reap, if we do not lose heart." (Galatians 6:9) After several years of hard work to re-establish myself professionally in my current workplace and to get my writing established, I see the value of patience in all that we do. If life really is a series of ups and downs, reaping and sowing, then that has big implications for all of life. If we choose to only allow ourselves to be happy on the mountaintop, when we're reaping the rewards of our labors, then we're guaranteed to be miserable (or at least, withholding our own happiness) at least 50% of our life. Folks, that just isn't acceptable to me. That's not going to do it. Sure, there are some people that enjoy being miserable and whining and complaining to get attention, but that's not the way I choose.

I know from experience that there are blessings in every day because I've been through the major life changes when I looked back and realized that there were little blessings that I took for granted, and I was sorry for it. An example: before my writing was published, I used to do counted cross stitching and wrote short stories. Much to my surprise, I find that I have very little time for that now, between promoting my published works and creating new ones. I love my writing and pray daily that it will continue to grow and reach more people - in fact, I'm prayerfully striving to make a break into science fiction with Splinter this fall - but there are some days when I miss having the time to cross stitch, or to goof off on Writing.com with short story contests. I didn't realize how much time these things filled in my life until my writing grew to the point where I had to make decisions about what stayed and what went. I still stitch occasionally, but large projects are out now. And as for short stories, they take me longer to write, prepare, and complete than they once did. And ditto for the work move. I was glad to make it and still believe it was the best, but I didn't realize the little things I took for granted, like talking to a couple of my friends when things got slow, the great walking paths on the State House grounds, a covered parking spot or those outstanding subs for a great price on Tuesdays and Fridays. Yes, I've gained a lot through both changes. I wouldn't undo either of them or the world because I gained a lot more than I lost. But I did learn to not despise the small things, and to appreciate the small blessings that go with each day as well as the big things we work so hard to cultivate and grow in our lives.

Some people say this means to "enjoy the journey on the way to where you go," but I think there's a deeper meaning than that. A devotion I read recently said, "God doesn't want you to be happy. He wants you to do what's right." That really hit me and helped me to get a grasp on my own paradigm shift. I used to think that the point was about being happy, and I actually worried for a little while, wondering if I'd ever be happy like I was before. I see now that I won't, because happy is a side effect. The purpose of life is not to serve our feelings, but to do what we're supposed to be doing and work hard to do what's right for our purpose in life. If you are faithful in well doing and obedient to the spirit, there's a contentment to your life that nothing - situations, circumstances, or other people and their attitudes (because that really reflects on them more than anything else, but that's a pondering for another entry) - can affect. You can rest in knowing that you're doing all you can, and that allows you to enjoy the blessings of every day, large or small. And contentment is better than happiness. It's more stable, because you can still see the blessing in what you have even if a thousand aggravations are bleeding out of them. It's built on a firmer foundation that gives you the patience to hold out for the "bigger picture" even if you don't understand what the point is (as is often the case). It's built on a trust between you and the Lord and nobody else can put their hands on it. And that can give you the courage to do what's right, even in the face of ridicule, opposition, or doubt. Happiness is transient and comes and goes with circumstances. Contentment is faith in action.

No, the earth hasn't moved in the last year. Things look much the same today as they do every other day. But I know they aren't. I see how the work at the everyday levels is building to something new and better. I might not know what yet, but when it is revealed then I'll reap a reward in due season, and be glad I didn't lose heart.

That's all today. I hope you have a great week.

Bye!

In my last entry, I made the comment that it's impossible to know what the modern workplace is like because of the tremendous power of change. I'd like to expand on this comment in this entry, and muse over how this trend has the potential to leak out of the workplace and into other areas of life now.

It started with technology. Computers revolutionized the workplace, and there's no denying that it made drastic improvements. Frankly, I can't imagine how people of previous generations ran an effective office with things as archaic as file cabinets and typewriters. They managed, but now we're moving at the speed of light, at least in offices. I remember a colleague once saying "remember when we sent out notification letters? It would take a week or more for people to reply to them now. Now it's notification emails and thanks to smartphones, our own phones blow up within seconds of hitting "send." It's true. Things move faster now, and they have more ways in than ever. Is it a good thing? All in all, probably so. Things get done faster and have the potential to get done more efficiently. But notice the adjective that's more active than the actual verb in that sentence: potential. Because efficiency depends largely on effective and (most importantly) wise implementation. And this requires having people that make sound decisions and are willing to learn and grow with the changes this improvement brings.

Yes, technology is ever changing, and it requires people in the workforce to keep changing with it. Nothing stays the same, and now we're morphing with the speed of development. You always have to be willing to grow and learn, to embrace new things and let go of old things that might be comforting, but are no longer effective. The good new is that this change, when done with pure motives and right intentions, is the path to progress. You learn, you grow, and hopefully you take those lessons into your personal life and see what you gained continue to bless your life.

Ah, but there's another side to this, and here's the catch. This is where the shapeshifter comes into play, because the constant change in the workplace started with technology, but it oozed it's hand into other aspects of the workplace as well. Changes in how things are done require changes in management, changes in staff, changes in operations. It doesn't stop with the machines. Integrating the machines changes the people, and the way people operate. It means that we must not only adapt to how the machines help us to do our work better, but we also must embrace how the machines change the human element of the workplace. And this, folks, is where we run into issues, because machines don't have a mind and will of their own, but people do, and they aren't afraid to use it. For better or for worse, and sadly, the tendency to react rather than reflect and act in faith means that this element is subject to lots of rash decisions and acts that aren't always conductive to progress.

I've come to realize that there are two kinds of change. The first kind is the progressive kind that I discussed above. An opportunity opens and it's given thoughtful deliberation and consideration. People take advantage of that opportunity and more opportunities arise from it. Yes, it's hard and it requires change, learning new things, and forging into new areas, but the hard work is worth it and beyond the growning pains come progress that lead to a "golden age" of productivity and success. This is the kind of change we should always embrace, and that we shouldn't fear. Yes, it takes hard work to do new things, but the work of laying that solid foundation pays off when you build something that's stronger and better for a new day. Often, the things you learn from these "hard seasons of growth" can be implemented into other areas of life which spurs more growth and more blessing. It can have a chain reaction. One example of this: My office move 3 years ago gave me the courage and strength to start the process of becoming an independent author. The trials I went through getting those programs moved opened my eyes to every area of life, and I realized that I had spent a lot of years submitting my writing to traditional publishers in a sinking economy that had bolted their doors closed to new authors and weren't listening. "If they stop listening, stop talking," someone advised me around that time (of a different situation, but ...) and one day I stumbled upon a CNN article about how ebooks were outselling hardbacks and the light went off. I dug in to edit and revamp my approach, submitted to epublishers and mixed in some self publishing, and now 3 years and 7 books later, I finally have the foundation laid that I was waiting for someone else to do for far too long. I lost my fear of taking chances, I found the courage to make bold moves of faith on my own, and I finally got the ball rolling on the progress I had prayed for. That success gave me the courage to stand firm, to learn what I needed to learn, and to work with others to make the move successful, and it was. Progressive change at work had a 2 for 1 special in my life: the work move was successful despite setbacks and challenges along the way, and I got established as an independent author.

Ah, but there's another kind of change, and sadly I see it in my life now. It's change born of fear, and this is almost always detrimental. Sadly, progressive change usually gives way to this. Things move along well and people are happy with how it's going, but then something happens that changes some element that everybody was comfortable with. Usually, it has to do with setbacks, challenges, changes in leadership, or an unexpected loss of some sort. People get scared and react. Instead of asking "okay, what can we do to stabilize the situation and are there any opportunities from this, no matter how small, that we can seize and use to rebuild?" they ask "how do we protect ourselves." The motives shift from purity (doing better) to selfish (save me!), and that's the road to destruction. Change is not about progress, but about re-establishing control, protecting the "status quo," and preventing more damage. This is where you run into trouble, because damage control is never productive and that's looking at the situation from the wrong end. I think we all remember Yoda's logic in Star Wars Episode 1 - "fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to the dark side." That's not fiction; it's face. People get scared and they react. Then they get mad because things aren't working out. Then the anger replaces all semblance of reason, and it becomes a battle. As Loki so eloquently put it in The Avengers, freedom leads to a mad scramble of power. Yep, he had a grain of truth there too. It's scary.

Take it from one that's seeing it unfold. There are changes afoot in an area of my life now, and I find myself surrounded by a lot of fear. It's disturbing. I find myself pondering a lot of things, but foremost amongst them is protecting the progress I've worked so hard to achieve over the past few years. An emerging culture of fear could well do that, at least in this one area, and that means that a fight is on. It might already be on, because these spiritual things are a whole different battlefield. That's one song I do not want to sing another verse of in my life. I pray over it a lot, because I don't want to become another soldier of fear. I'm determined to stand firm and to protect the progress I've made. Fear is the devil's best tool, and by the power of Christ I will stand. I pray such courage will spread to others as well. That's a good infection that we desperately need.

Change will happen, and it can be tough to discern whether you're seeing the progressive or the destructive kind. All change is scary because it usually means challenges, hard work, sacrifice, and learning. Growth is hard because it stretches us to new places, but in the end it's good. And destruction also hurts because, well, it's supposed to hurt. There's nothing good about it and being torn down is a catalyst to find some courage and fight against whatever is trying to undo the progress you've done. In the end, you have to keep your head about you and discern the motives for the change. Pray, meditate, dig deep, ask questions, ponder the situation, and find out if the motive is pure. If it is, then you're being called upon to grow and it's a challenge and an opportunity to accept. If it's born of fear, sharpen your sword and get ready to fight because it's on like Donkey Kong, and you better be ready to stand firm or you'll get smashed by barrels of defeat.

And with that dated and somewhat lame analogy, I will call the point made and the entry done. I hope you have a great weekend and that all of you dad's out there have a Happy Father's Day tomorrow.

Bye!

What is holiday detox, you ask? Well readers, it's that period immediately following Christmas when you're so tired and burned out that you can't motivate yourself to do anything. The house is a mess and you don't care. The "to do" list is growing, and you say to hell with it. You're worn out from celebrating with all the family, food, fun, presents, and to do of the holidays and you want to hibernate in bed for, oh, the rest of the winter to recover.

Be honest, who's there? Has anybody else had a wee bit of a problem motivating themselves to do things they don't want to do?

I know I am. I'm Christmased out. The holidays are nice, but it's time for them to move along out of here. I fully believe that the days between Christmas and New Year's Day are a time when the world needs to back off and let us be lazy, just for a little while. We need some time to ourselves before we get back to the grind. We need a break to rest and recuperate from the heavy activity of the holidays. We need to drop out for a while and tend to our own wants and needs. And that's not a bad thing. In fact, we probably need it more often than just post-holidays. We need to take time to ourselves regularly. If we work ourselves to death, we'll eventually break down and then we won't be good to anybody.

I think that's one good resolution to make for the new year - to take more time out for yourself. I know a lot of people would say that's selfish and rude, but I'd counter that those accusers aren't truly in touch with themselves and need to take this opportunity to get in balance themselves. (Or they're selfish jerks that think everybody in the world should be their handservant and their attitude needs correcting - but that's one for another entry.) If there's one truth I've seen this holiday season, it's that the world isn't going to give you a break. It will work you to death and wear you down to nothing. It's our responsibility to keep life in balance, and to work things out for the best. We have to be aware of what's going on and what we have, and to stay alert and in balance. To do that, it's necessary for us to say "no" to the demands of the world every now and then and tend to our personal needs. The best way to do that is to take regular time outs. And the world won't give them to us, so we have to take them. I say resolution #1 is to take what we need to be our best, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Block out time to yourself that's not open to anybody. Setting boundaries isn't wrong.  In fact, it's the only way to achieve confidence and to have balance in your life.

So go ahead and take a break - God knows, you need it. And make that a habit in the future, while you're at it. ;)

That's all today. I hope you have a great week.

Bye!