Since Independence Day was this week, it seems like an appropriate time to tackle a few thoughts I have on the very American topic of free speech .. and what it is not.
It's interesting to me that people have such different views on what free speech is. I think it often gets abused due to people not actually reading the First Amendment, so here you are:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Free speech does not mean there are no consequences to what you say. There are times when certain topics of conversation or manners of speech are a straight-up bad idea. If you get irate or verbally abusive, it doesn't matter what you're saying ... Wrong is still wrong and should be punished.
Along these same lines, free speech does not mean rules are unconstitutional. As an employee, I've been told not to say certain things (like company passwords). That's a rule to protect the company, but it doesn't infringe upon my right to free speech as long as there is no Congressional law prohibiting me.
Free speech does not mean self-control should disappear. People use it as a get-out-of-jail-free card so that they can say whatever they want. While technically you can say whatever you want ... that's not unique to America. Exercising common sense and self-control as well as free speech is a good idea.
I think something else everyone forgets is that free speech does not mean words cannot be harmful. We act like because we have it in writing that the federal government cannot cover our mouths, we're going to be belligerent loudmouths. Words themselves have natural consequences. There are SO many Bible verses about this that I don't even know where to start ...
Free speech does not apply to only those you agree with. Talk about something that drives me crazy ... You'd think it'd be common sense that if I get to talk, so do you. Part of free speech is leaving room for differing opinions. We don't have to agree. But we do have to let them speak if they choose.
In the end, God gave us the freedom to do anything when He created us. Free choice includes free speech. But I'd like to encourage you to keep in mind that it's easy to misuse privileges like this just like Adam and Eve did in Eden.
So while freedom of speech and the press allow me to write articles such as this one and publish books ... I have to be careful not to abuse that right. Because freedoms are abused just as often as they are taken for granted.
~~~~~
You do realize the irony in me asking for your thoughts on free speech, right?? I'd love to hear all politely expressed opinions on this topic!
A while back I did a Mother's Day letter from Farris to Gemma set after Martin Hospitality. Since Father's Day is this weekend, I thought I would do the same thing ... except with a character named Kat (whom you'll meet in Martin Legacy) writing to her father, Josiah.
Kat is a unique character. While this letter is not actually in book 2, consider it a preview! Or a bonus. ;)
Dear Dad,
You know I don't like writing letters, but Mom said I had to do my own.
I know I'm supposed to say you're the best dad ever, but I don't know whether you're the best dad in the world or not, because you're the only one I've ever had. We didn't even get to pick each other. Sounds like a recipe for disaster.
I don't think I'm a disaster, though, and neither are you. That means things worked out just fine, I guess. God must have known what He was doing.
Thanks for being my dad. And especially for making me do piano lessons when I was little and Mom was tired of making me. I love them now. I'll play your favorite song after supper for you.
Love you!
xo Kat
~~~~~
Any thoughts about Kat's personality? How do you celebrate Father's Day?
Last week my post was on writing flash fiction. Today I'm going to share some tips on synopsis writing, otherwise known as blurbs. You know, that pesky paragraph or two that goes on the back of a book? Hated by authors all over the universe. Unlike flash fiction, these aren't optional if you're headed down the author path. So the less miserable they make you, the better.
I actually love writing blurbs. To me, it's highly satisfying to make a book sound super exciting and all dramatic in a few short phrases. That doesn't mean it's always easy, though.
Tips to keep in mind
I always thought they needed to be as short as possible, but several well-loved authors I know getting published through big traditional publishers have super long blurbs ... like four+ paragraphs or just really long. So maybe length is personal taste. And my personal taste is short. ;) Mainly because I think being concise is important.
As I'm sure you know, the ultimate goal of a synopsis is to make someone read (or buy) the book. This means it has to be engaging and provide a "hook" that's unavoidable.
Of course, if it's not someone's genre or what have you, there may be only so much you can do. This is not about making false promises! If you give the wrong impression, you're setting yourself up for one-star reviews. But you do want to pose a problem or a "what if" that will appeal to people who read comparable books, which is why many blurbs end in a question.
Something lots of new blurb writers struggle with is the fact that it feels like you're giving spoilers. That's because you are. Often there's one vital piece of information revealed in the first few chapters that needs to go in the back matter to set up the story and the drama of the real revelation in the book. Trust me, it's a small worthwhile sacrifice to make and no one will mind.
So the real dilemma always becomes what do you tell?Only the pertinent details. Again, you're setting up the story. They don't need to know a bunch of names, places, eye color, or distant relatives yet. They'll get that throughout the first few chapters when they decided to start the book. The main character's name, role, where it's set, and whether or not God's a character would all be good things to include.
My formula
Ultimately, all those details to keep in mind make my process look something like this:
Paragraph One
Sentence 1: short and punchy introduction to the main character
Sentences 2-3: set up the story with those pertinent environmental details
Sentences 3-4: give the moment that changes everything
Paragraph Two (if there's a second main character or entity)
Sentence 1: short and punchy introduction to the secondary character/entity
Sentences 2-3: paint the scene for this character again with pertinent details
Sentences 3-4: show how this character relates to the first *optional* (some people prefer not to connect those dots until later in the story depending on how it's told!)
Paragraph Three (this will be paragraph two if there isn't a second main thing to introduce)
Sentences 1-2: state what begins to happen and what must or does happen as a result (fear, sacrifice)
Sentences 2-3: present the dilemma this poses for the character (often a question)
I hope that's helpful as a basic formula, but don't let it restrict you. I didn't use the formula to write my published blurbs (it just fits them). I did use it on the bonus blurb below. :)
Example blurbs
Here are the blurbs I have for my published books to exemplify that process.
Gemma Ebworthy is eighteen, pregnant, and alone. Now that she's been evicted, she finds herself sleeping in a barn, never dreaming that tomorrow could bring kindness of a life-changing magnitude.
The Martins aren't a typical family--even for rural Kansas. With more kids than can be counted on one hand and a full-time farm, Gemma must make a lot of adjustments to fit in. But despite their many differences, Gemma finds herself drawn to this family and their radical Christian faith.
When Gemma's past collides with her yet again, she must begin revealing her colorful history. With every detail Gemma concedes, she fears she will lose the Martins' trust and the stable environment she desires for herself and her unborn child. Just how far can the Martins' love and God's forgiveness go?
Andora is a beautiful young woman with insatiable curiosity. Raised in splendor, she is spoiled by her privileged life. When a love letter is slid under her door, her life takes a drastically unromantic turn. Nothing makes sense—her arranged marriage, the gifts her parents bestow on her wedding day, or her new husband’s temperament.
As Andora begins to unravel the mysteries around her, she ignites a chain of events that have the power to sabotage her entire village forever. Only her new-found wisdom as a desperate peasant's wife can save her from her folly.
***
Both of those blurbs give away the entire first chapter, but they work! There are lots of optional goodies as well, like a log line, quote, descriptor (like with Andora's Folly), or even an editorial review. However, I think all of that is mere icing on the cake. The synopsis has to stand on its own.
You can do it! Those are not first drafts. I wrote and rewrote them, sent them to a trusted friend or two (who have good blurbs), and rewrote them again. Don't be afraid to revise! The synopsis for Andora's Folly underwent a total rewrite because I removed one chapter, thus changing the whole crux of the book. #oops
And just for fun, I'm sharing the brand new blurb for Martin Crossroads, subject to change of course! WARNING: contains mild spoilers for book 1.
***
Martin Crossroads(130 words)
Gemma Ebworthy won't be a single mother for much longer. Engaged to a man she's convinced she doesn't deserve, her new life with a husband, Savior, and growing family is only the beginning of her journey forward.
Farris grows up under pressures stemmed from his own conception. Fighting to exceed his mother's expectations, he finds a fast friend in his adoptive father. Yet the differences between him and his siblings continue to cause a rift in his heart.
With each development in the new Martin family's farm life, they must learn to overcome the past together. And when the past reappears in a form Gemma never thought possible, her trust in God and in her son will be tested. What will it take to bring them through the crossroad?
I sincerely hope that will be of help! Come back to leave your success stories!! On a scale of 1 to hellfire, how much do you hate writing a synopsis? If you're interested in some help, I charge a flat rate of $10 for a synopsis edit.
Once again, sign up for the newsletter in the sidebar to see the Martin Hospitality prequel flash fic in your inbox next week!
Speaking of my books, I'm participating in a Christmas in July event with a bunch of writer friends! My portion will be on July 28, but check out other stops along the way for individual giveaways and bonus ways to enter the really large giveaway (international option as well)! There's all kinds of Christmassy stuff going on to give you a break from the heat with a good read.
At the time you're reading this, I'm kicked back at a mansion on a lake celebrating my blog's 2nd birthday. I kid you not. (Except that being at the lake with my church has nothing to do with my blog but the weekends lined up, okay? :P)
I started this blog over two years ago. o.o Where has the time gone?! You tell me. All I know is I have loved blogging. Not all the time, sure. But it has literally saved my writing career.
To be totally forthright here, I used to laugh at blogs. As much as I liked the idea of journaling, I was never happy with it or consistent, so why bother? To me blogging was journaling online. So why would I care to read blogs (except for an occasional recipe), let alone write one and be all authenticand extroverted (*shudder*)?
Well, the first writing blog I ever found was Katie Grace's and I was blown away. I was enjoying this? More than that, after several months of e-mail communication with her, I'd roped her into helping me start my own blog. Ha! (Poor girl didn't know what she was getting into when I sent her that initial "I love your blog and I never love blogs!!!" e-mail.)
On February 24, 2016, Katie was so so kind and posted this post on her blog sharing her side of our God-orchestrated meeting and my first ever blog post (*hides from the cringe*).
The funny thing about all of this is, it was totally God. As in, I was inexplicably compelled to start a blog and my mom was like "I thought you hated blogs!" (Think of Lizzie when she wants to marry Mr. Darcy. That was me and Leftie here.) Now, two years later, this "fluff writing" that was so dreadfully personal (blech!) has become the very crux of everything I do. And I would even say that this blog saved my writing career before it had even begun.
How? IT GAVE ME ALL OF YOU OF COURSE!!! No blushing, I'm dead serious! Blogging isn't just an outlet I didn't know I needed, and it's not just a platform for numbers needed for traditional publication. Because that outlet is me getting to connect with the real people all over the world that each of those numbers represents. YOU!
Here's the cliff notes version. Without this blog I never would have:
flown halfway across the country to OCW with Ivy Rose and Emily McConnell
had the first agent experience that I did
had people in multiple countries interested in Martin Hospitality
had 16 beta readers volunteer to read my messy second draft
known there were so many people like me
seen internet friends as real friends
been blessed with so many smiles and encouragement and yes, teary eyes, in relation to my books and your friendship
The easy way to apply to some of this to your own blog (without guaranteed results) is to:
have someone launch your blog
guest post
be yourself, but professional
interact in the comments
engage beyond your blog (social media)
be willing to seek people out and follow up
be prompt and genuine in your replies
don't make promises you can't keep
post consistently
All of that has had a huge effect on my befriending all of you :) Books are nothing without an audience and writers are nothing without support, so I cannot thank you guys enough for being that to me every day. The real reason I keep blogging? I know I'll get to see all your shining faces in the comments and that brightens up my life. All these words I share both here and in my books amount to me hoping to shine back, even just a little, into yours. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for that opportunity and privilege. :)
Bloggers, what keeps you blogging? Non-bloggers, why do you follow blogs? Have you ever considered starting one? I want to know it all!!!
(And yes. As of now this blog is known as Leftie.)
Also, congratulations to Seneca, Keturah, and Faith Potts! You guys won the giveaways and should each have an email in your inboxes :)
My firstborn little book baby is one today! *sniff* Cue all the reminiscing, Q+A, giveaway, sneak peeks, and just about everything else!
WHAT PEOPLE HAVE TO SAY:
I swear I'm not doing this to be vain xD Those of you who are published will understand just how lovely it is to hear people love your book (especially people whose opinion you value), and I am being choosy and sharing only a few tearjerkers, I promise. ;)
You know, the Martins are my newest favorite fictional family :D ~ Lisa on page 200
How can a person switch favorite characters so many times in a single book?! ~ Kaitlyn K on page 365
There is something so wonderful about this book. I can't even put my finger on it- it's just so pleasing and peaceful. I loved it! ~ Rachel's Bookish World
Miss Abigayle’s writing style has an old-fashioned feel to it that absolutely sucks you into the story while giving you the warm fuzzies. ... This is the kind of story that you want to curl up with and forget life’s problems for a few hours. ~ Ivy Rose
This book is so happy. I just felt bright and uplifted after finishing it. ~ Olivia Rollins
I'm so thankful for all of my readers and reviewers *sniff*
Have you reviewed Martin Hospitality yet? I'm just going to remind you that some of you who "reviewed" on Goodreads have actually only gotten as far as "review to come once published." Which is totally fine! Just a little reminder there ;) I'm also going to throw out there that Amazon is the place to post reviews. As in it helps me a LOT. Even more than Goodreads. So if all of you would copy and past your Goodreads reviews, I would get +30 reviews before the day is over. What are you waiting for?!
THE AWARDS:
Again, I'm not vain ... just insanely proud of this accomplishment! Mainly because I know for a fact there is no. freaking. way my book would have ever done this one its own. Nope. Not even with my help. Soak it in, my friends. You're looking at a supernatural act of God.
On the note of awards, I've been considering putting the award on the cover of my book. There's space, the color is decent, and I feel like it might help catch people's eye?? But I want your thoughts on this! Vote in the poll for me? Pretty please???
THE STATS:
In case you've forgotten I'm a statistics fanatic queen B)
Goodreads:
How many copies printed: 159
(I'm guessing I easily sold 100 if not more of these)
How many Amazon copies sold: 51
Grand total copies in existence: 210
Gracious, that feels like a lot to me. It'll be a while before I can put "Over 1 million copies in print" on the front but that's okay. Maybe my goal for its second birthday? (Kidding, I kid.) xD
I'm pretty sure I remember telling my brother that I'd be really happy if I sold 100 copies in its first year, and I definitely surpassed that thanks to promoting family and friends and some successful book signings. ^.^
The Martin Hospitality e-book will be FREE for the first time ONLY tomorrow Sunday, February 4 in celebration. Spread the word and grab a copy while you can!!
Sign up for my newsletter in the sidebar before the afternoon of Sunday, February 4 to get an exclusive sneak peek at Martin Crossroads (the sequel)! Hint: it involves Farris's siblings ;)
Okay, so I tried to do a spoiler warning for those who haven't read Martin Hospitality, but if you stop listening when I say to you won't be able to hear me end the spoiler warning haha xD SO. Maybe skip around when I say spoiler warning if you're really that concerned? Sorry xP
These questions were so good. SO GOOD! Think I'm exaggerating?
I hope you all enjoyed that! I still don't know how to edit a video so ... yeah. Instead of a blooper reel at the end you get it sprinkled all throughout lest I bore you with perfection xP Thanks again for the terrific questions; I hope my answers met the challenge.
MERCHANDISE:
To say I'm obsessed with the idea of bookish merchandise would be an ... understatement. To say the least. I'm still greatly brainstorming quality, inexpensive things I can offer, so I'd love to hear what you would like to buy. But for now, I can promise you these:
12 different cardstockbookmark - available NOW on my Etsy shop (why yes I did design all of this week ... o__o)
Themed candle - coming summer 2018, courtesy of BookBurn Candles
Magnetic bookmarks - coming ASAP (I've ordered the supplies for these and just have to make sure my plan to make them actually works)
What else? As I said, ideas are welcome! T-shirts, frameable quotes, mugs, decks of cards ...
SEQUEL TIMELINE:
Initially, my hope was this spring. Due to the amount of planning this novel is taking and the fact that I've devoted some of my time to other writing endeavors ... that's obviously not happening. While I would love to have Martin Crossroads out in 2018, I'm not sure how feasible that is ... I probably won't know until I attempt to draft it yet again (which will be soon). At all costs I would absolutely like it to be out by spring 2019 -- 2 years after Martin Hospitality. I'll keep you all posted! And as I said above, you can get an additional sneak peek if you sign up for my newsletter before tomorrow afternoon!
And now for the parting photo:
Thank you all so much!!! I know this is how I end almost every post and video, but I have no words to express how much you all mean to me. If Martin Hospitality could talk, I'm sure he'd agree ;)
Q: Okay, so how much time do you think I spent preparing this blog post? o.o You'll find my estimate next week.
My family doesn't really celebrate Halloween, but we all know the best part is dressing up, right? Actually, it's the food. Even I like to do that sometimes, so I've compiled a list of bookish characters that are good enough for me to actually dress up as ... if I was dedicated enough.
Prepare yourself. Some of these have spoilers, but no order or numbers. XP
Mary Poppins {Mary Poppins}
because a parasol, flowy dress, red lipstick, and hat
Maria Von Trapp {The Story of the Von Trapp Family Singers/The Sound of Music}
hello, her party dress and a captain, please?
also, super simple in the hair department
bonus points if you use drapes
Parvin Blackwater {A Time to Die}
a little dirt, fur skirt, and hiking boots
bonus points for the missing hand
Aleah Valinor {Sentinel}
silver hair and green eyes are a must
after that you can go in scrubs or fox pajamas if you feel like it
an orange kitten is also suggested
Odette Menkels {The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest}
aka female Robin Hood/swan princess
blonde fishtail side braid
America Singer {The Selection}
perfect for redheads who want poofy dresses
or jeans on a Saturday
Anyone {The Mysterious Benedict Society}
Any character would work here!!!
Kate - red striped shirt and a bucket
Sticky - bald with glasses and a dictionary
Reynie - green sweater vest and logic
Constance - rain gear and fit throwing
Mr. Benedict - you're going to need a wheelchair
The Dread Pirate Roberts {Princess Bride}
Buttercup's great and all. But Zorro-esque is better
Pollyanna Whitaker {Pollyanna}
basically, go shopping with a rich aunt for new dresses
maybe don't fall out of a tree ...
Anne Shirley {Anne of Green Gables}
another good redhead option
a slate and puff sleeves complete the look
Scarlett Blaine {Chasing Jupiter}
wavy hair, freckles, a bicycle, and peach pie!
(guys can go as Grandpop Barley with peanut butter and a red tie)
Cassandra Mortmain {I Capture the Castle}
hand-me-down 20s fashion is the goal
it won't matter how out of style you are
Eliza Doolittle {Pygmalion/My Fair Lady}
black and white, ridiculous bows and hats, and a parasol
it doesn't count unless you talk properly!
Okay, so some of these outfits were from movie versions ;) This post goes to show the importance of detailing outfits in your writing! Otherwise, they're really hard to cosplay! Who would you dress up as?
On a much more important note, it's the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther nailing the 95 Theses to the Whittenberg Cathedral. You're all invited to my church for a fun celebration/history lesson this Sunday! ;D
To celebrate The
Old River Road's first birthday, the e-book will be discounted to $0.99 on
Amazon July 8th - 10th. If you haven't read her book, this is a great opportunity!! Ivy is also revealing the title
of book two in the Long Lake Legacy series, so stay tuned for that ;)
But first some about her debut novel.
The Old River Road
1885
When seventeen-year-old Clara
Boutwell married her dashing coworker, William McDonald, she was convinced her
life was near perfect. The journey before them as newlyweds in the great city
of Chicago was promising and exciting. But a frightening disease soon takes
William in its grip, forcing them to the clean air of the western frontier in a
desperate attempt to save his life. But pioneering doesn’t prove to be easy, with
miles between neighbors instead of fences. On the eastern Washington prairies,
the McDonalds face hardships and trials in a new world where everything is
tested, from physical endurance to emotional strength—down to their
relationship and faith in the Lord.
This novel tells the incredible
true story of Clara and William, the great-great grandparents of the author, in
a sweet narrative full of laughter, tears, and the struggles of an early
pioneering family. Prepare yourself to share in their experience as you read
this account of a pioneer family in Washington state, and see their lasting
legacy that has endured into the fifth generation.
Ivy Rose is a young novelist with a passion to create beautiful fiction. She’s been accused of wearing out coffee makers and clearing the entire house of its chocolate supply. Armed with a desire to create scenarios readers can easily relate to, she writes in many genres about ordinary individuals faced with extraordinary choices. When not studying for exams, she can be found practicing fiddle, TaeKwonDo, or ATV-ing the Pacific Northwest.
There you have it! Be sure to hop over to Ivy's blog and congratulate her!! Definitely snag her e-book while it's on sale because this book is a.ma.zing. And family friendly. And a true story. Truuuuust me ;)
Welcome to the extravaganza celebration! I have been planning this and taking notes on how people celebrate their blog anniversaries since I started a blog. Ignore that I'm still late to my own party nevertheless. This is going to be so much fun.
Before you get started, make sure you play my Spotify playlist in the sidebar for some nice ambiance music ;) Now you may continue.
Before we really get started I want to say a huge thank you to Jesus for laying this on my heart just over a year ago. I always despised the thought of blogging--so much time and having to be nice to people I don't even get to meet! Hehe ... well, here I stand corrected. This has been very fun, so sorry for being a stick-in-the-mud!
I have to blame the amazing Katie Grace, my first online friend, first blogger to follow, and first critique partner. God has forged such an awesome relationship with us. Your blog inspired me to have one, and your help is what got me here! I really have to thank you in person some day ...
And thanks to all of you. What's a blog if there are no readers? A journal. And I really really stink at journaling consistently. You people are the reason I keep coming back. :)
Lots of bloggers give their blog a fresh design for a new year. I wanted to change mine up a little, but not by much. So note the new header and the change of red to an army green. Still not 100% but it's new and I like it for now :) I imagine I will change to a fresh downloadable template at some point. Nevertheless, something fun for the one year mark!
I asked for celebratory photos and my favorite would be awarded a Martin Hospitality e-book! I received several submissions, all of which were awesome (!!!!). I'll list them below before revealing the winner.
How oh how I can I be expected to choose from just two people?! The cruelty. I love that Laura used my cover for her background and my original typewriterly blog font, but I love that Victoria used stats and made it all official. Gr. An e-book for the both of you I say for participating and being so different for one another! Congrats to Laura and Victoria!!
There is still a Goodreads giveaway going on where you could win 1 of 5 signed, first edition paperback copies of Martin Hospitality. It ends in 3 days, so be sure to enter! It is selectively international, but you must 18 or older to enter.
Never fear! I didn't know about the age restriction on Goodreads so I have another giveaway in honor of The Left-Handed Typist's birthday/blog anniversary ... whatever you want to call it. These are 3 separate giveaways and are not international (sorry):
1 // one signed, first edition paperback of Martin Hospitality
2 // two typewriter coasters & three bottlecap world map magnets
3 // one green watercolor notebook (unlined) & one blue watercolor world map postcard
I love stats!! So I'm going to include them all hehe
Number of posts: this makes #89 ........ o.o
Number of followers: 70 GFC, 35 Feedburner, & 23 newsletter ... although I'm sure there's overlap in there ;)
Number of comments: 2,021. Isn't that a beautiful number?! About half of those are my replies
Number of views: 26,256 although that number has already changed. Still. That's a lot. While over 75% of those are from the USA, the next country up is Croatia with 8% followed by Russia with 2.5%. Not what I was expecting.
Your favorite to read: A Vlog and Ramblings with where I shared my first vlog and a few random updates / announcements. Although it only has Jonathan's guest post beat by like ... 6 views I'm not sweating that at all But in all honesty I did suggest the topic of his post to him. He's just good at making things epic. Moving on >.>
My favorite to write: Ehm. The Art of Book Journaling probably. Which reminds me I need to do more of that.
I wanted to introduce something new for this year. While I tried this once before, I didn't really promote it or ever add to it. What better time than now?!
Introducing: writing prompts! Or as my own special line of them will be called #typewriterprompts.
I have 12 I'm introducing here (all free for media sharing and using in writing etc) and I will introduce a new one every month. So I'm revealing a year's supply ;) I'm really excited to give this a shot. Hopefully it will encourage me to write down interesting ideas and give you guys some surges of creativity as well!
I'm also hoping to begin a post series soon on self-publication. I want to know all the specific questions you have for that series right here so that I can tailor this to you.
Aaand as one final announcement, I now blog over at Teen Authors Journal as well. I'm aiming for weekly on Thursdays, so wish me luck and leave me a comment over there!
Hopefully this has been a fun post thus far! Before you go and even if you have participated in nothing so far please, please, pleasepleaseplease take this survey and let me know what changes you would like to see me bring to my blog and the writing world in general. I do this for you guys. Your experience is important to me ;)
Also, post requests and how we met and any other fun facts because I love getting to know you all better!
Sadly I neither created, photographed, or consumed this. But what's stopping us? (Thanks to my sis and myself for all the other pics.) Do take a slice of lemon cake on your way out.
~~~~~
Thanks so much for partying with me!! I wouldn't still be posting here, loving it despite all odds, and meeting new people with their own awesome dreams if it weren't for you.
Happy Christmas Eve! I'm here with another Christmas post to encourage you to reflect on the symbolism of all the traditionally festive items that make up the Christmas spirit. There may be more to some of them than you thought! But this is not an exhaustive list ;)
What is one thing that is essential to Christmas and is not used throughout the rest of the year? (That last phrase was to keep you all from guessing "food.") A Christmas tree!! We have a real Christmas tree this year and it's glorious ^.^ There's a whole lot of the Biblical story wrapped up in Christmas trees, even though I'm pretty sure there were no evergreens in Bethlehem. At least not wintry ones.
First, there's the fact that we only use evergreen trees. Cedar, firs, pine ... you have options. The whole point of evergreens is that they don't turn brown with the season changes. They only do that when you cut them down and stick them in your living room, but even then it takes a few weeks. Undying life. What does that remind you of? Even death could not conquer Christ, and the promise of His coming goes back to Adam and Eve when they were removed from the tree of life. Through Christ, we're reconnected to God, because He lived after He died and God's love for us is undying. Life and death is a big theme in the Bible's overarching story :)
Christmas trees also are triangular. Not really, but in 2D form they are. I can't remember where I read this, but I believe that trees were first used in early Christian Christmas services because the leaders of the church believed the tree was a sign of the trinity: three points, all equally crucial to the tree. I'm pretty sure this tradition didn't begin until the 16th century, but only in certain regions of the world. Before then, other pagan cultures used evergreen branches as part of their winter festivals, so it took a while for all churches to accept that Christmas trees weren't, in fact, a pagan practice.
What I would consider the second most essential item to the Christmas spirit is lights. They're so warm and twinkly and fun. Some people go all out with strobes, projectors, inflatables, and all of that to elevate the Christmas spirit. Adults really get into it! I personally like the warm white Christmas icicle lights and the ones that line roofs. But lights are lights! Jesus was called the Light of the World. He brought light to overcome the darkness of man's spiritual condition. The metaphor that appears all throughout the prophecies and fulfillment is intentionally a part of our celebration today.
There's also presents! My littlest brother cannot wait to start opening the presents stacking up under our tree. (We've had to re-wrap a few.) While gifts seem to go along with some celebrations, like birthdays, they have a deeper meaning for Christmas. First, the wise men brought gifts to Jesus when they visited Him. He was probably around two at the time just like my littlest brother, so I'm sure He was excited! Gold, frankincense, and myrrh may not sound like much to get excited about as a two-year-old, but they were very valuable. Second, Jesus is the most precious gift we as a human race have ever received. Maybe try giving a little of Him this Christmas season.
Now we get to food. :D Specifically, candy canes. We own the most precious Christmas book ever called The Legend of the Candy Cane and it's amazing. Have you ever thought about a candy cane as anything more than a Christmas candy? I probably wouldn't have either, but I've read this book every year for as long as I can remember, so I'm not ever going to forget now! First, a candy cane is the shape of a crook. Like a shepherd's crook? Hm, yes :) And if you turn it upside down it looks like a certain letter of the alphabet that Jesus begins with. I have no idea if candy canes were created to represent the Biblical story, but it works out rather well.
The traditional red and white stripes also represent something: Jesus's sacrifice. You probably remember that the scourging He received before His crucifixion is often referred to as "stripes." The red candy stripe represents the blood sacrifice He made on our behalf and the white represents our perfectly clean condition once we apply that sacrifice to our lives.
Let's not forget the true meaning of Christmas as we have fun celebrating with family tomorrow. Merry Christmas, everyone!
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Hopefully you enjoyed that and some of the symbolism was new to you :) What is your favorite part of Christmas? Do you have a favorite Christmas memory?
It's the most wonderful time of the year, don't you agree? No one sings that song about summer for a reason, people. I am on my author Christmas break, which means reading is what I am prioritizing. So I've wracked my brain to come up with some good Christmas reads for you :)
I just realized how few Christmasy novels I've read ... Oh well. Here goes.
Where Treetops Glisten by Cara Putman, Sarah Sundin, and Tricia Goyer. I read this one over spring break, I think. It has three Christmasy stories with characters that connect to one another and is well-written.
The Nutcracker by a gazillion different people. :P We own the one by Susan Jeffers. You just can't have Christmas without nutcrackers as my 6-year-old brother will remind you. It's on my bucket list to go to the ballet sometime :D
Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I don't know why this one in particular popped into my head. I think most of the Little House books have references to holidays and snow but this one has food and more food. I love it :)
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. It has the word "Christmas" in the title. If you haven't read this one, this is the year! It's short, I promise.
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis. This one has an abundance of snow as well as some great redemptive themes. I like this one around Christmas :)
Five Little Peppers and How They Grew by Margaret Sidney. I read this book when I was young and made my mom read it aloud to all of us last year. I love all their little celebrations in this family because they have close to nothing and, but are so loving and always doing little things for each other. It reminds me of a child's version of:
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. I adore this book, and yes, it's long. But it has a lot about convictions, family life, and selflessness which makes it 100x more beautiful than just the plot.
Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg. Before Tom Hanks and Josh Hutcherson, this was a beautifully illustrated book which I happen to like.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss. This was actually a book before it was a movie as well and is good *nod* It's Dr. Suess. Just go read it.
My conclusion from that list is that there needs to be more Christmas in books!! Make it your new writing goal: include immense holiday celebrations. I have the Martins celebrate Thanksgiving in Martin Hospitality, but Christmas is a little more sparse as you will see ;) Still, you don't ignore holidays in books! That's one thing I really appreciate about the Harry Potter and Little House books: holidays. We all adore them in real life, so why not include them?
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What is one of your favorite Christmas reads? Have you ever written about a holiday?
