Keeping It Fresh by Steph Beth Nickel

 

Writing Writer Notes - Free photo on Pixabay

Sometimes it's hard to keep things fresh. We may lack inspiration and excitement about what we write and/or what we read. Just why is that?

When we discover a process that works for us, we may stick with it—even when it no longer serves us well.

When we settle on our favourite (genre, book format, location to write, etc.), we may become reluctant to try something new.

And as we get older, we may get set in our ways.

One way to keep things fresh and exciting is to continue to explore, no matter how old we get, no matter how set in our ways.

What does this look like practically speaking?

Location. Location. Location.

If possible, I highly encourage exploring new locations. My hubby and I spent three weeks with our eldest and his wife last year. In that time, we visited Scotland, Iceland, and Ireland. Cliché as it may sound, it was the trip of a lifetime.

While a trip across the Pond, or even across the country, may not be possible, checking out local attractions and taking day trips can create happy memories and inspire your writing.

And speaking of writing…

Taking your laptop or notebook to a new location can get your creative juices flowing when the same old-same old weighs you down.

Finding it challenging to write at the time of day you’re used to because of a change in your circumstances? Not only can a change of location benefit your writing, writing at a different time of day can do the same.

Plus, trying your hand at writing something you’ve never written before can stretch your writing muscle.

And remember…

You never have to share that poem that makes you cringe or that fanfiction that makes you shake your head and ask how you could have ever written such drivel.

On the other hand…

You just may find a new passion, one you may eventually share with others or one that you keep to yourself.

What about reading?

There are a plethora of fiction genres and subgenres available and nonfiction books on virtually any topic you can name. Why not branch out and pick up a book you wouldn’t typically be drawn to? And if it turns out you really don’t like it, it’s a-ok to set it aside. Really, it is.

Hardbacks. Paperbacks. eBooks. Audiobooks. Fiction. Nonfiction.

I have volumes in every category on the go at any given moment, but I know I’m an anomaly.

How about you? Do you read only nonfiction paperbacks? Fiction eBooks? A variety of audiobooks? One at a time or so many you have to concentrate intently to keep characters and plotlines from getting confused?

If possible, why not read in a format you aren’t typically drawn to? I find each one has its specific charms.

And maybe read one nonfiction book and one novel at the same time if you’re used to reading a book from beginning to end before going on to the next one.

How do you keep things fresh in the areas of writing and reading?

The Case of the Missing Gun Cabinet Keys; Based on a True Story by Sandra Rafuse

The gun cabinet keys were missing. Bob had looked for them in the safe place where he kept them, but they weren't there and they should have been. He needed to use two of his guns to teach the Hunter Safety course to the registered students in a couple of weeks; the students would handle them one on one (one instructor/one student/one gun) under strict supervision with no ammunition anywhere in sight. Where were the keys?

So began the search: a most unusual occurrence. Anyone who owns guns knows the guns have to be kept locked up in a gun cabinet and the keys put in a safe place somewhere away from the cabinet. Drawers were opened and cleaned out. Floors were thoroughly swept with all the swept-up stuff examined carefully, shelves were searched and items rearranged, pockets were checked, and when all that was done, the process began all over again. How could the keys be missing? They were so important and were never moved from their safe place until they were needed to open the gun cabinet door. Bob was becoming worried that he would have to break open the door and then the gun cabinet would no longer be able to be used. The search went on daily.

It was the middle of the night. The room was dark and I was awake. Lying on my side I stretched out my legs and moved my head higher on the pillow, lifting my eyes to look out the open bedroom door, out into the blackness of the hallway. I was thinking of...what?...nothing. There was only stillness and silence in the room.

Then...'They're on top of the door jamb'. A clear, calm, and peaceful voice spoke in my mind. I knew immediately what the voice was telling me. Raising my blanket and tossing it aside, I carefully and quietly slipped out of bed and stepped out of the bedroom into the hallway. Searching with my eyes through the dimly lit area, I took three steps forward to the doorway of our boys' room. Lifting my right hand to the top of the door frame, I deftly moved my fingers along the top of the wood until they bumped into something hard. I knew what it was...there they were...the missing gun cabinet keys!

The memory of a day a couple of weeks ago came rushing back. I had been planning to clean out a few drawers in a secretary and when I opened the top drawer, I saw the keys lying in a corner.  Knowing they needed to be kept in a safe place while I cleaned, I turned and looked at the nearby door frame to the boys' bedroom.  And what thought came into my mind? The most logical one of course. 'What safer place to put the keys than up on the door jamb?' Right there and then I put them on top and promptly forgot about them until this night.

Oh joy! Just like that, the missing gun cabinet keys were found. The case was closed. I wanted to wake  Bob up right away but I knew he needed his sleep so I let him be. As I lay there, with the keys safely under my pillow, I anticipated the look on his face in the morning when I would tell him they had been found. And I thought about the voice that had spoken to me. I thought of how good God is to be concerned about everything that happens in Bob's and my life. In his own timing, he gives us the answers we are looking for and we are helped.

 

Sandra Rafuse lives in the small town of Rockglen, Saskatchewan with her husband, Bob, a Gordon Setter named Sadie, an old and much loved cat named Kitty, and a Peregrine falcon named Peet. She is a retired teacher and an amateur writer and is enjoying having the opportunity to share what God has been teaching her through all her life experiences very much.

 

 

P.S. It was while I was contemplating which genre I should try to write in this month that I recalled the missing keys situation. 'I'll try and write a short mystery story', I thought to myself. 'Maybe I will become another Agatha Christie'. So I checked out "mystery" on the internet and found out I would need to have a murder take place in the story to make it a real mystery. Oh dear. That wasn't going to happen here. Well, I figured that this was a mystery anyway and decided to go ahead and give it a try. I now have even more admiration and respect for all those great mystery writers out there. Kudos to them!

They Call Me Pastor by Bob Jones

The July prompt invited us to explore a genre we have never written in. Mine is poetry. I researched the various types of poetry: free style, haiku, ode, elegy, epic, ballad, acrostic, sonnet, and limerick to name a few.

Here’s my attempt at my own definition of freestyle poetry.

Being a pastor is not something to which I aspired.
It certainly wasn't a childhood desire.
By nurture, I'm a people person.
By nature, I’m the opposite version.

See a turtle on a fence post?
It didn't get there on its own
someone placed it there alone.
My fence post is a platform
that is not the norm,
of pastoral dare
for people under my care.

My most common connections with people occur
Sundays in the church foyer, which I prefer.

Preaching, teaching, praying, and meetings that are kept short,
Or officiating a wedding, a baby dedication or a celebration of some sort.

My most enduring connections are with people in crisis,
careening through a divorce,
facing debilitating distress,
suddenly bereaved,
with a loved one in need of help,
or diagnosed with a terminal illness,
not knowing where else to turn, who call for help.

We cry together,
struggle together,
pray together,
mourn together,
heal together.

Those circumstances create timeless connections.

We bond because of the shared pain and grace,
and thrive through the things we face.
We become warrior, sisters, brothers,
because our light has not been smothered.

It's easy to pick up a conversation after many months of separation,
renewed connections need no preparation.

Every so often, one of those connections does not stand the test of time.
Or trouble.

Seemingly out of the blue there is a change.

When my leadership,
spiritual insight,
ministry,
vision,
friendship,
are no longer adequate for their,
preference/need/circumstance,

and a close friend/co-worker/congregant
chooses to no longer be an ally,

I have to say,
“Ouch,”
and then,
“Grace and peace to you.”

…and continue to nurture and focus on the people still in my care.

I'd like to say that I have learned not to let such experiences of loss affect me, but I haven’t.

I’ve concluded that pain is the price of caring and vulnerability.
Jesus understood that.

After all,
who was it that experienced the first, “Judas Kiss?”

My pastoral ministry has spanned forty-four years, however in many ways I feel like a rookie.

I suppose that’s good because it means that each day brings new,
challenges,
complexities,
opportunities,
ways of doing things, and
ways of dealing with life.

The newness compels me to lean hard into Jesus.

No two days of ministry are EVER the same.

Variety is the spice of life,
and my pastoral experience is 5-pepper spicy.

There is nothing I would rather be than a pastor,
Even though other careers

To hear someone, someday say
that my life helped saved the day
or inspired them to pursue pastoral
would be my highest commendation.

Til then,
I will keep the faith,
fight the good fight,
run with perseverance,
long for His appearing,
forget what is behind, and
press toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me.

And there you go. How did I do?

Thank you for reading all the way through.

Exploring Poetry by Sandi Somers

 

First Limerick 

During my second year of teaching, I introduced limericks to my Grade Five class. We studied the rhythm and rhyme scheme. Then before asking each student to try writing one, we composed one together. Chuckles and laughter filled the classroom, and my chest filled with pride for my creative students. I’ve never forgotten it.

 

There was an old car without tires,

Who always ran over those liars.

When the liars got caught,

The car said, “O gosh!

I’ll never be sold to the buyers.” 

                            

There are times I’m inspired by poetry and spin off a well-known (to me) poem. To give a background to the poem below, my InScribe local writers’ group was practising alliteration, onomatopoeia, rhythm, and repetition, using as our model Alfred Noyes’ “The Highwayman” (read it here). One morning, with a sudden inspiration, I began to write my own spin off. I composed half of it in a few minutes, and the rest needed to be thought out carefully day by day. I submitted it to FellowScript, and it was published. You may have read it there. 

The Deadline

 (Apologies to Alfred Noyes’ “The Highwayman”)

 

The moon was a missile of motion

Sailing through starlit skies

And the shaft of light through the window

Shone as I typed through my tears

 

My mind lay bare in the moonlight—       

          Blank and bare in the moonlight

And the blood of my veins in the moonlight

Throbbed at my sweated brow

 

There was pressure at every keystroke

And cross-offs on every dark line

For I couldn’t see through my tears

The direction I should take.

 

Then softly a whisper I listened

And then I heard the Lord say

Look to me for insight

          Watch for me for insight

I’ll inspire you ‘fore midnight

And nothing can bar your way.

 

I whispered a prayer of great thanks

As I swirled words and phrases

T’was only God who had done it

Had given me words that I needed

 

My mind shone with brilliance

My thoughts flew like flickers

And this writer kept writing—

          Writing—writing

I kept writing to the dreaded deadline.

 

And now ere the stroke of midnight

Soft ere the stroke of midnight

The tip of my finger touched “Send”

The submission at last t’was complete.

 

And there you have it. Poetry brings images and vividness to life that sometimes can’t be expressed in prose. Poetry elevates our language. I might say that I was inspired to write a poem, but the psalmist began with these wonderful words: 

 

My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the king;

my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer. 

Psalm 45:1 (NIV)

 

Sandi Somers writes mostly non-fiction, but has explored fiction, particularly historical and Biblical fiction. Most of her poetry learning has come from poets in her InScribe local writers’ group. 

Image by Tea time reading poetry

No Zombies Here by Brenda J Wood

I started out with cookbooks. They suited my time frame.

Several years went by. I upped my writing game.

Columns in newspapers. Dabbles in low-cal food;

Potato menus yearly for Potato Festival brood.

And then I found my Jesus. Devos then my game;

Because, you all know it. I really wasn’t the same.

Heart-to-Heart, a devo. God, Gluttony & You - Bible study rage.

Others all soon followed as I wrote page on page.

The numbers kept on rising. Two books on grief alone.

Bible studies gathered. All of them my own.

Christmas, children, poetry. I wrote them all, my pets.

The Slightly Murderous Christian - that’s what old age gets.

Books on fat and eating. Cheering You Up on Your Weigh Down.

What’s left? I ask politely, as I write in dressing gown!

What’s left to challenge? On this one you can bet.

I haven’t written horror or Zombies. No, not yet.

Those all die a perfect death. My heart denies them breath.

And do remember friends. Keep writing unto death.

(Top)Image by NietjuhArt from Pixabay

Brenda J Wood has authored more than fifty books. She is a seasoned motivational speaker, who declares the Word of God with wisdom, humour, and common sense.

Confessions of a Flibbertigibbet by Lorrie Orr

 

Explore

This month’s prompt is taken from July 2014, written by Sandi Somers, and asks you to explore, to travel in new directions. Perhaps you tend to write in only one particular genre, or in one particular voice and style for a particular audience.

This month, become an explorer by selecting a genre or a voice/style that you haven’t worked in before (or rarely). Write for a different audience. Do a little research. Then tell us how you saw with new eyes, what you discovered, and if you would consider further writing in this genre.

I married a curious and adventurous explorer, and I've embraced much of his spirit, albeit with more trepidation. We've lived in and visited places that have my heart pounding and my hands sweaty. Our most recent adventure took us along two infamous roads in British Columbia. The portion of Highway 20 (Heckman Pass) known as The Hill descends from 5000 feet to sea level in 10 kilometres. There are no guardrails, up to 18% gradients, hairpin curves, and a very steep drop off the edge. "My life is in your hands," I kept reminding God as we crawled down the road in four-wheel drive-low range. The views at the end of the road, in Bella Coola, were well worth the chewed-off nails.

Exploring can be uncomfortable in any area of life, writing included. And it can be a grand adventure, full of unexpected twists and turns. Jane Austen's words "Indulge your imagination in every possible flight," taken with the idea of writing in different genres, fit my writing persona well. When asked what I write, I have to think for a moment to come up with a concise answer that doesn't make me sound like a flibbertigibbet. My writing life runs the gambit of genres from poetry to fiction to devotionals to nature writing. And I'm currently writing (nearly finished) a memoir. Whew! A children's story or two lurk at the back of my mind, as well.

Writing is a way of exploring my own heart and mind, and a way to communicate with others. Lists keep me organized. Pouring out my heart in written prayer connects me to Jesus. Journaling crystallizes my thinking. I hope that devotionals encourage those who read them. Louise Penny says that she began to write mysteries because that's what she enjoyed reading. That inspired me to begin a mystery of my own, now set aside until the memoir is finished. In my limited experience with fiction, I pray that spiritual truths will be made clear even if the name of Jesus is never written. Nature writing is inspired by the wonders of creation, from the tiniest ladybug to the grandeur of stars moving across a night sky.

I have always been one to try new things; hobbies, recipes, books, and crafts. My interests are varied. Several years ago I read Refuse to Choose: A Revolutionary Program for Doing Everything You Love by Barbara Sher. She groups people into two loose categories, Scanners and Deep Divers. How free I felt after reading that Scanners like me need to do different things, often have multiple careers, and can be involved in parallel fulfilling activities. This is the way God made me. I use my character trait without guilt, but I am careful to make the effort to focus on finishing projects rather than just having many unfinished pieces. Sticking with a project until it's done is important.

As Gerard Manley Hopkins wrote, "The world is charged with the grandeur of God," and although Hopkins was speaking about Nature, God's grandeur includes human minds, created in God's image. I pray that my writing will, in a tiny way, reflect the glory of He who gave me the desire to write.

I will go anywhere, provided it be forward.

David Livingstone

Lorrie Orr writes from her home on Vancouver Island,

from where she accompanies her husband on adventures near and far,

always taking a notebook and a camera along to

record her thoughts and impressions.

Is Listening to a Book, Reading? by Mary Folkerts

I must confess that I have started something, and I'm unsure if I can go back to how things were before.

A few years ago, I discovered that my public library offered audiobooks that I could borrow. Now you will find me on long summer evenings, swatting mosquitoes and battling weeds with my mind engrossed in an alternative reality. I can make a mundane task more enjoyable while reading (no listening!), to a good book. It's great, except I now seldom pick up a novel to read anymore, and that, I don't like!

I used to devour novels while I sat, letting my eyes soak up the words, fully engaged in the scenes created on the pages. If I wanted to read, I had to take the time to do so. Now I can multitask, and it takes more willpower for me to sit quietly and dedicate time just to read. I can certainly make it a priority, and I need to, because there's nothing more refreshing than sitting quietly with a book in hand. Technology advances have their drawbacks!

I have read many genres over the years, from romance, mystery (I was a diehard Nancy Drew fan!), science fiction, thriller(ish), historical fiction, self-help, and more. I have many favourite authors who paint vivid stories that leave me feeling like I have visited a part of the world I have never seen before (and now want to). Some such authors: Francine Rivers had a way of weaving a fantastic story with beautiful biblical truths about God's love, Eugenia Price transported me to early Savannah, Georgia, with her descriptive novels, Sharon Garlough Brown in her "Sensible Shoes" series created a desire in me to write fiction that would speak to those suffering with generational pain, Kristin Hannah in "The Nightingale" and Ronald Balson in "Once we were Brothers" made me feel the horror of WW11 with shocking realism, and Mary DeMuth in her "Daisy Chains" series revealed family secrets and those suffering abuse. Then there are the Christian authors who have inspired me to grow in my faith and writing, such as Ann Voskamp, Jennifer Dukes Lee, and Hannah Brencher, among others.

It's the author who shows me, rather than tells me their story, that catches my attention. Don't just tell me what happened; describe the scene and emotions so I feel like I am there with the characters. Help me merge into the story.

Writers must also be readers, at least that's how I see it. We find inspiration in how other writers string words together, how they build their stories, and what keeps the readers' attention.

And on that note, I must carve out time this summer to pull a book off the shelf, sit on a lawn chair, and let the story transport me to another time and place. There's nothing like it!

Mary Folkerts is mom to four kids and wife to a farmer, living on the southern prairies of Alberta, where the skies are large and the sunsets stunning. She is a Proverbs 31 ministries COMPEL Writers Training member involved in church ministries and music. Mary’s blog aims to encourage and inspire women and advocate for those with Down Syndrome, as their youngest child introduced them to this extraordinary new world. For more inspiration, check out Joy in the Small Things https://maryfolkerts.com/ or connect on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/maryfolkerts/

Books and Life Long Learning by Colleen van Nieuwkerk

Today we are pleased to welcome Colleen van Nieuwkerk as our Guest Blogger. We hope you will enjoy reading how books have been her lifelong companions.

Reading is one of my favorite pastimes. There is hardly a day that goes by where I do not read something.

Reading was a pastime encouraged by my mother as she instilled a love for reading into me and my four siblings. She read a lot herself, she sometimes read to us, and we received many books as gifts from our parents as well as from our grandmother who owned a Bible Book Store which she ran from her enclosed front porch. There were many treasures found there!

I remember the first time I went to the public library. I was amazed. So many books from which to choose—The Trixie Belden series, The Bobbsey Twins, and Joy Spartan of Parsonage Hill. Grace Livingston Hill was a well-loved author I read as a teen. Required reading at school did not seem to be a chore to me. I have always loved to study.

Historical fiction is my favorite genre. I am the family archivist and reading historical fiction has helped me to understand what our families walked through as they emigrated from Europe to the United States and then into Canada. My husband’s parents lived through WW2 in Holland and emigrated to Canada.

Some fiction authors I enjoy are Brock and Bodie Thoene, Lauraine Snelling, Lynn Austin, Jane Kirkpatrick, Jan Karon, and Francine Rivers as well as many others.

A slower pace these days has not diminished the life-long desire for learning that was developed through reading and studying over many years. As I served in full-time vocational ministry in our church for twenty-three years, I chose to create a plan that would round out my reading and allow me to grow in many areas. In the beginning, about thirty years ago, I began to read in four separate areas, often writing notes and recording quotes:

1. Theology—Bible reading and study as well as authors such as Nancy Leigh DeMoss, Ann Voskamp, Elisabeth Elliot, and Beth Moore.

2. Womanhood—We can always grow as women, even as our age and stages of life change. I read authors such as Sally Clarkson, Jean Fleming, and Anne Ortlund. These authors and others have influenced me in growing into the person I desire to become. Many of these authors write in all these categories and I have collected many of their books in different genres.

3. Children and Ministry to Children—Authors such as Edith Schaeffer, Tedd Tripp, and Jani Ortlund, as well as many curriculum developers influenced my philosophy of ministry to children and helped me to parent our children.

4. Leadership and Ministry—Authors such as Kevin Leman, Oswald Sanders, Michael Hyatt, and Gordon and Gail MacDonald have all had an impact on my life. Since retirement, I no longer read in the areas of Children’s Ministry or Leadership, but I do continue to read about womanhood for my own personal growth, and also as an author who leads as I write and teach curriculum for women. Theology is still on my reading list. I have recently added two new areas of reading in these genres:

5. Grief and Loss—I became a widow five years ago, and have read excellent books by Jerry Sittser, Clarissa Moll, Lisa Appelo, Elisabeth Elliot, and Mark Vroegop who have helped me to learn to allow joy and sorrow to reside side by side deep in my soul. These books were hard reading and yet became so precious to me as I read good and practical advice.

6. Writing—I love to read Memoirs, Biographies, and books about how to grow as a writer. This is an area where I need more study.

Book clubs have never really interested me, except where I have gathered women in a church setting to read and study both the Bible and godly authors who help all of us to grow in our faith.

The ministry that I lead, Heart2Heart: Strength and Dignity, was influenced by reading books about intentionality and legacy. God used these topics to enlarge my writing as ideas for life and ministry alongside women became a new focus for me. I look back over these past ten years, as I have written and taught this course, and am amazed at how books we read can change us forever. Legacy becomes the opportunity we gain to encourage others who are on the journey behind us as we continue to learn ourselves from those who are ahead of us—this is lifelong learning!

Thank you for the opportunity to share my love of reading and studying with you all. I enjoyed reading your posts and now have some new authors to search out.

Colleen van Nieuwkerk is GG to three sons plus 3; twelve grandchildren; and two great-grandsons. She loves to read and enjoys reading to the littles in the family as well as gifting books to them. Colleen writes curriculum for women as well as teaches and is currently writing the story in book form of how this all came about. She lives in northern Alberta and can be found online @colleenvannieuwkerk.com

A Bookshelf Tour ~ Valerie Ronald

 

When my husband and I moved to a smaller house last year, my extensive collection of books needed downsizing. It took time and consideration for me to decide which books made the cut and which did not. Those I kept reflect my reading interests and history. Come with me on a journey through my bookshelves to catch a glimpse of my reading world.

Bronzed bookends styled with swirling vines and leaves hold several favorite children’s books. Bound in faded blue cloth, The Enchanted Garden by E. Nesbitt, was a book prize presented to me long ago, as top pupil in my grade five elementary class. I read this treasured book often as a child. Its setting in Victorian England sparked a life-long interest in that country. Beside it are several picture books containing art by my talented daughter, a children’s book illustrator. Her creations remind me of helping her discover the magical world of books by reading to her when she was a little girl.

The next shelf holds collections of books I never tire of re-reading, written by two of my favorite novelists, Rosamunde Pilcher and Elizabeth Goudge. Both these British writers, though living decades apart, excelled at creating beautifully detailed settings that come alive in my imagination. Goudge’s vivid scenes are particularly vital to her engaging plots, rich in nostalgia and hope still found in the timeless corners of the world and in the hearts of those who live in her stories.

“Her books satisfy my yearning for the mysticism of old legends and folklore, yet they are founded on the truth of Christianity. Jesus walks every page of her books without being named, for He shines in the eyes of innocent children and beasts, He paints the natural world with strokes of love and beauty, and He speaks through the struggles and fortitude of characters who strive to do the right thing.” 1

Below a display of my travel keepsakes are the books which have taken me far spiritually. Ann Voskamp’s One Thousand Gifts, Charles Stanley’s The Spirit-filled Life, Richard Foster’s Sanctuary of the Soul, and several books by Jan Johnson. Her book, Enjoying the Presence of God, helped me discover how to enjoy God’s presence in the rhythm of my ordinary days.

Next to my collection of rustic angel figurines are devotional books I read yearly. I met author, Jane Rubietta, at a women’s conference where she was the keynote speaker. Her seasonal devotional books companion my daily quiet time with God, bringing depth and application through studying the lives of Old Testament characters. There is a list of these books at the end of this post. 2

An old book is more than just words on paper ˗˗ it is a sensory experience engaging smell, sight, and touch. It gives me satisfaction to hold a well-worn volume in my hands as the pages fall open, emitting the scent of old ink, paper, and glue. That is only one reason why I am drawn to an old book. I like to think about who its previous readers were and what drew them to this particular book. Reading words from a bygone age captures the atmosphere of the era when they were written. Some of my bookshelves house early editions of the Anne of Green Gables series by Lucy Maude Montgomery, leather-bound copies of Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca, and the Brontë sisters’ Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. Most cherished is an English translation of Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables, published in 1887. And, yes, I do read my old books.

My personal library does not have a particular theme or favorite topic. Rather, I choose to think of my books as old friends, varied in personality and character, like my human friends. I do not just see books on my bookshelves, I see a treasury of beloved stories, characters, and wisdom that have positively influenced my writing life and more. They have shaped my thinking, my beliefs, my creativity, and most of all, my imagination.

1 Learning in the Shadow of Two Elizabeths

2 devotional books by Jane Rubietta - Winter - Finding Your Way (Adam and Noah), Spring - Finding Your Promise (Abraham), Summer - Finding Your Name (Isaac and Jacob), Fall - Finding Your Dream (Joseph)

Valerie Ronald writes from an old roll top desk in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, with her tortoiseshell cat for a muse. A graduate of Langara College School of Journalism, she writes devotionals, fiction and inspirational prose. Her purpose in writing is to encourage others to grow in their spiritual walk.

A Few of My Favourite Writers by Alan Anderson

 

“God gave me poetry to help me from losing my mind in the darkness.”

…Alan Anderson

Perhaps because I am growing older, I am particular in what I read. I keep current in what I read but hold on to favourite writers I have loved for years. If I were to write a post on my favourite writers, we would need to split it into at least two or three parts. In this post, however, I will highlight but a few.

Henri Nouwen (1932 to 1996)

The writings of Henri Nouwen continue to hold my hands and let me know I am not alone. His book, The Wounded Healer, has nurtured my heart since I engaged with it years ago. Throughout my studies at seminary, Nouwen often attracted my attention as I sharpened my people-helping skills.

Henri Nouwen’s words helped me free myself from the head knowledge of what I was required to read at seminary. The tone, the sensitivity, the honesty of Nouwen’s writing, are evidence he spent quality time with people and was aware of his own times of darkness. His awareness of himself as a wounded healer allowed him to come alongside other people in their brokenness. With this self-awareness, he brought hope.

The writing of Henri Nouwen helped me develop my personal tagline, “touched by grief, held by hope,” for much of my writing. If I cannot show I have walked alongside people in my writing, I have missed the mark.

Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 to 1926)

A priest friend introduced me to Rilke’s work after my wife and I joined an Orthodox Christian church. I was hooked on Rilke’s poetry from then on.

Rilke’s stages of poetry paint a picture of one who is on a search in life. I appreciate his themes on existence, solitude, and the divine. A lesson to take from Rilke’s writing is to give deep thought to what one writes.

John O’Donohue (1956 to 2008)

If there was ever a poet of recent history I would have loved to chat with, Irish poet John O’Donohue would be the guy. I believe he and I would have been buddies. His book, Anam Cara, drew me in and established him as one of my favourite writers.

Anam cara is an ancient Celtic term for soul friend. This is such a beautiful thought to hold to your chest, dear reader. Here are a few lines from John O’Donohue to ponder,

“In everyone’s life, there is a great need for an anam cara, a soul friend. In this love, you are understood as you are without mask or pretension. The superficial and functional lies and half-truths of social acquaintance fall away, you can be as you really are. Love allows understanding to dawn, and understanding is precious. Where you are understood, you are at home. Understanding nourishes belonging. When you really feel understood, you feel free to release yourself into the trust and shelter of the other person’s soul.” Anam Cara, John O’Donohue, 1997, p. 14

Scott Cairns (1954 to present)

I first heard of Scott Cairns after listening to podcasts of poet Angela Doll Carlson. Both are Orthodox Christian poets I resonate with and love their way with words. Scott Cairns is a multi-published poet, memoirist, professor, workshop and retreat presenter.

These days I am reading his book, The End of Suffering, for the second time. He offers an even-tempered, not carried away by emotions, perspective on how one may find purpose in suffering and pain.

The writers I mention all stir my soul. There are those who make my soul weep. After reading their words, I often sit and ponder. I mull over what they teach me. There are times their words cause me to invite quietness and solitude to cloak me in silence.

I write best in quiet settings to calm my soul and help focus on how to present hope to those who honour me by reading my words. What about you, dear reader?

 

Alan lives in a small village called Deroche, British Columbia, with his wife, Terry, and their poodle, Charlie. He enjoys walking on the dike near his home with trees all around and where he finds inspiration to write. He occasionally writes articles for FellowScript Magazine and is a regular contributor to the InScribe Christian Writers’ Fellowship blog. Alan’s website and blog is https://scarredjoy.ca.

A Serious Reader by Gloria Guest

For this month's blog I decided to re-post a blog from several years ago, with a few updates. I feel confident that since we can re-read the same book over and over and still receive something from it, my past blog can pass also.😉

I’m a serious reader. By that, I don’t mean that I devour books weekly and have an entire stack by my bed. In fact, truth be told, it’s been quite a while since I’ve read my way through an entire book. I’ve been guilty of dropping quite a few of them smack dab in the middle and not finishing them, for reasons I’m not sure, other than they didn’t entirely hold my interest. This is not to say that they weren’t well written however. I feel it is more likely due to some chronic stress that has been a part of my life for awhile now. That being said though, a book for me, or most anything I read, needs to be deep, usually spiritual, although not directly, and purposeful.

I do daily read up on current events. It seems to be a need of mine, to know what’s going on in the world around me. I suppose even though I haven’t worked in the field for a while now, I’m a reporter at heart, as I tend to also feel the need to share my findings on social media.

I like to read historical fiction, and so have read many of Brock and Bodie Thoene’s books, and others who write in that genre. I also am drawn to memoirs. The saying that ‘the truth is stranger than fiction,’ is intriguing and often true. I myself have had some of my own truth questioned, in parts of my memoir. Memoir writing is perhaps one of the most vulnerable genres one can write in, and even though I shrink from it at times, at the same time I am fascinated and drawn in by it.

One book that has piqued my interest in the last while, and I hope to finish by summer's end (meaning I won’t drop it half way through) is such a memoir. It is called educated (in small letters) by Tara Westover and chronicles the author's life beginning in hardship and deprivation, from a young girl born in rural Idaho in 1986, to first setting foot in a classroom at the age of seventeen, and onwards to her further education at Brigham University and Trinity College and Cambridge University. Tara was born to survivalists in the mountains, who stockpiled supplies in the expectation of a government takeover. She and her siblings saw no doctors or nurses, and they were kept so isolated from mainstream society that there was no help to call when her dysfunctional family slipped into violence or her father became delusional. I find it hard to grasp that this was this young girl's life in 1986, in one of the most developed countries of the world. It’s also fascinating and uplifting to read her journey that takes her from such despair and want right into the some of the most upper education halls, in that same country. The strength and determination of the human spirit shines forth.

With this month’s theme being about our reading, I can’t help but think, what a fitting choice; to read about a young woman who wasn’t given the opportunity to read. It makes me realize that I take reading for granted. Reading came easy to me in school and was my most loved subject. From my early years of reading Curious George to Charlotte’s Webb to Little Women to The Hobbit (plus many more) and on to Shakespeare and the classics in high school; I wished that, that was all there was to school! It was the only subject that I was always at the head of the class for; reading and literature.

Next on my list is another memoir, called From The Ashes by Jesse Thistle. It chronicles his life in foster care as a young Metis-Cree from Prince Albert and the abuse he went through, and also the healing. Now living in Toronto, he has climbed through it all to become an assistant professor in Metis Studies at York University.

I believe that there is much to learn from a book, whether we agree with it or not. A book leads us into the lives of others, into our own lives, and our surrounding world. And no matter the subject, as a Christian I believe that God wants to also show up in the pages of the books we choose to read, to lead us ultimately to Him and His goodness. I can’t imagine my life without being able to read. Yet in our country and others there are still those who are illiterate or have never been taught to read well. Now I enjoy reading to my Grandchildren, and it was in fact, the first activity I did with the five year old twins who joined our family nine years ago now. I read to them from my son's book that I had read to him as a child called Butter Cup the Cow, and the bonding began. :)

I don't want to continue to take reading for granted, so as a 'serious reader' my plan is to start taking the privilege of reading, more seriously.

Gloria reads and writes from the prairie town of Pangman, SK. She is a past reporter with many published articles and columns in various newspapers and a prolific reader of world and current events. She also especially enjoys reading memoirs and devotionals. She has taken editing classes online from Simon Fraser University, Creative Writing classes from the U of T and has published fiction in two anthologies. She continues to dabble at writing her own memoir, along with having other writings in the works.

Reflections on Reading and Writing by Lorilee Guenter

 I am a voracious reader. I crack open a book and step through the door to another place, another time. Each book offers a chance to peak through the window into another person's life. I begin each year with a plan to keep a record of the books I read. I envision ending the year with a list of titles I've read, and authors I spent time with. I expect this list to remind me of the characters who entertained me, and the thinkers who made me consider a variety of ideas. Like many good resolutions, this one falls.

I read to be informed and to learn. I am actively reading at least one non-fiction book, maybe more at any given time. My e-reader currently has half a dozen titles in various stages of completion. Sometimes the books all relate to a topic I am researching. Other times biographies and autobiographies are found in my reading pile. This month none of the books I'm reading (physical or electronic) are biographical, which is unusual. I especially enjoy reading the published journals, letters, or biographies of authors and creators.

I read to be entertained. Some of the earliest books I read, remain favourites. I suspect it is because they opened up new worlds of imagination. The first book I signed out of the school library was "Charlotte's Web." Other early favourites include "Winnie the Pooh" and "Anne of Green Gables." Over the years many other characters and books have joined these three as favourites. There are now too many to list.

Sometimes I pick up a book by a new to me author and enjoy it so much that I hunt down everything I can find by them. Other times I pick up a book and set it aside after a few pages. (Confession: This rarely happens since even writing I don't enjoy is useful if I can determine what I dislike. My writing becomes stronger because of what I learn from other styles.) 

A few years ago I would say "I read anything except romance and horror." Then Dad challenged me to write a romantic suspense. Since I don't think it is possible to write a good book in a genre you don't read, I went to the library and signed out a stack of romance books. Some I enjoyed. Some I thought, "yeah right, like that's realistic." As someone who reads fantasy and science fiction, it might seem contradictory to critique a book as unrealistic. However, each genre has its own expectations and in my opinion there should be enough realism in romantic suspense that the reader is willing to enter the story. I have taken Dad's challenge and written a draft of a romantic suspense. It will take much revision and editing before I'm convinced it meets the realism test. I think I can still safely say I don't read horror, although that might be because no one has issued a challenge regarding horror and offered recommendations.

While I always have at least one book I am reading, I write in fits and starts. Sometimes the words spill from my pen. It is as if I am compelled to sit and think through the tip of my pen. Other times I seem to find any and every excuse to leave the pen undisturbed on the desk. I don't know why. I get agitated during these times because I should be writing. I should be creating not just consuming. The 'shoulds' throw up one block and then another until the tower of bricks topples for lack of a strong foundation. Excuses that began as good reasons are washed away. Then one idea leads to another. The time of contemplation and silent processing comes to an end. 

I begin to pick up my pen. I pause. I am learning to embrace the pause and trust the Holy Spirit will guide my words when I am ready for them. Until then, I read, I visit with friends and family, I garden and I wait. I try not to let agitation invade this time of waiting. I am learning, but I am not there yet. Too often I still run on ahead, only to crash into the tower of excuses. Perhaps one day I will recognise the healthy rhythm God is trying to teach me.

Lorilee Guenter is a Saskatoon based artist and writer. Her writing stems from the many questions she finds herself pondering and from the things she observes on her wanderings. One such question is how did events she lived through become the subject of history.

A Favourite Pastime by Carol Harrison

 

I have enjoyed reading since I first learned how with Dick and Jane. Reading opened a world of possibilities for me. The library and church library became favourite hangout spots in my growing up years. Chores got delayed, much to my mother’s dismay at times, because I got lost in a good story and needed to read just one more chapter.

Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Danny Orlis series, and Grace Livingstone Hill were authors and series I gravitated towards. Yet I also could spend hours browsing through the set of World Book Encyclopedias my parents scrimped and saved to buy by the time I reached Grade four. What a wealth of information for my inquisitive mind.

Long after my light should be off at bedtime, I read by the little lamp beside my bed until I heard my parents’ footsteps of the staircase. Sometimes I would then try and read by the light of the street lamp outside my window. This worked better in winter when the trees no longer had leaves to shade the light from shining inside.

By junior high I loved to read to learn. Teachers assigned essays that required research and I never complained. After all my homework involved reading and writing about it.

I married someone who loved to read as much as I did and books became part of our home. Board books appeared before the little ones could hang on to them or do more than chew on the corners. Chores still became sidelined as I succumbed to the urge to read just one more chapter.

Now reading occupies much of my time over the last couple of years. Research has become easier with Mr. Google at my fingertips. The library is right around the corner from my condo and e books are available with the push of a button arriving on my phone like magic.

I firmly believe the saying the writers need to be readers. It opens up a gathering of ideas about styles and different genres. It sometimes shows me what not to do in my writing and other times gives me ‘ah ha’ moments of what might work better to grab a reader’s attention and hold it through the entire story. Both of these ways help improve my writing. As I while away the hours with my nose in a book.

My bookshelves are stuffed to overflowing. I enjoy collecting and reading books by authors I have met along the journey. I have also enjoyed a variety of series by Janette Oke, Lauraine Snelling, and Robin Jones Gunn. Lately I have been reading some Christian suspense. One author that grabs and holds my attention throughout the story is Lynette Eason.

There are many more authors I have read over the years since that first magical moment with Dick, Jane, Spot, and Sally. It’s a wonderful past time and learning opportunity.

Carol Harrison loves to curl up in her big chair in the reading corner of her home in Saskatoon. Here she reads, journals, and just takes time to daydream as well.