Favorite Book Friday

The Great Divorce by C. S. Lewis

Musical Thursday

This was shared with me, years ago. I added it to my toolbar so I could find it easily. Years later, and I still love it: http://www.andiesisle.com/magnificent.html

Wordless Wednesday

Tuesday Tidbit

From Knight in Disguise Book 4 and last book in the Endless Knights series. I'm really hating saying goodbye to these characters. The most recent unedited sentence written before preparing this post:

Leo thought of the woman who had changed everything.

Monday Quote

Many a truth is said in jest, on social media:

That which does not kill you gives you a lot of unhealthy coping mechanisms and a really dark sense of humor.

Sunday Scripture

Promise continued, from last week:

Proverbs 3:24

When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.

Saturday Links

I've enjoyed DaySpring for years. I've sent cards and receive their email letters. Last Sunday, they included the link to a devotional I needed right that moment:
https://www.dayspring.com/articles/a-week-of-mondays

40-minute interview on You Tube: Jim Caviezel's Testimony from working on Passion of the Christ.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ejaw0F8-sY

God bless you.

Favorite Book Friday

Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien is this week's choice. I love that Tolkien encouraged C.S. Lewis in discovering his faith in God, and Lewis encouraged Tolkien in finishing LOTR.

Musical Thursday

Today, LOTR fans the world over celebrate the birthdays of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins.

Fifteen years ago, the movie "Fellowship of the Ring" was released in December. It changed my life forever. Peter Jackson did an admirable job of translating the book to the movie screen. I'll tell you a secret, I hadn't planned to see the movie at all. I feared they'd jack up the title and put a new story under it. I didn't want a new story. I read The Lord of the Rings books twice in middle school.

My sister wanted to see the movie and bribed me to go with her. She'd pay for the tickets and popcorn. How could I refuse such a generous offer? I did, at first. I saw a special on the making of the movie and found myself curious. I finally agreed and decided to go in without any expectations at all. It had been a long time since I'd read the books, so figured I could go to the movie without the book interfering with whatever story Jackson told.

The moment I saw the Shire I recognized it. Jackson portrayed it perfectly. As the movie played, I remember bits of the books. Familiar references to the book littered the movie, and I was drawn in, bit by bit.

Particular scenes startled me, and for the first time in my life I understood what people meant by a "good" scared. It's knowing you can be scared by something because you're ultimate safe. Safe is a new concept for me.

As the movie progressed, I slipped deeper and deeper into the story, afraid to trust my beloved story to Jackson and slowly wanting desperately to be able to do exactly that. There were a few things I didn't care for, but I understood he'd chosen to do them for continuity in the movie. There was a scene coming, and I wondered how he'd handle it. I feared he'd mess it up and make it comical or stupid or simply unbelievable. I promised myself if he could carry it off, I'd give myself permission to lose myself in the movie. The scene arrived, and I cried. It was exactly as I'd envisioned it for decades. Oh... it still makes me cry as I think about it.

As much as I love the movie, I love music more. If the music is wrong, I don't care how good the movie is, it's forgettable.

Howard Shore composed all the music for The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. I wasn't as enamored with the latter movies, but I loved the music.

A few days before the release of The Two Towers, Howard Shore gave a lecture and presented a pre-screening of the movie. One of my California LOTR friends asked if I'd be interested in attending. I took a leap of faith and said, "Yes!" I flew to Cali and met a friend I'd only known online. I was introduced to others I'd met online and others, all of whom were LOTR fans like me.

Howard Shore was inspirational and funny. It was amazing.

We watched the movie in awe and wonder. When Shadowfax, the horse who agreed to carry Gandalf, galloped over the rise the first time I cried. One of my LOTR friends put an arm around me and whispered, "He looks like your horse." I'd had to put my horse down a few months earlier. My LOTR friends on the Fan Club boards had shared in my grief. This friend I'd never met before knew immediately what had touched my heart.

The musical score to LOTR is one of my favorite choices for background music when I'm writing.

Wordless Wednesday

Tuesday Tidbit

The most recent sentence written in Knight in Disguise:

He thanked God for inspiration beyond his own.

Monday Quote

Not all tears are an evil. ~ J. R. R. Tolkien

Sunday Scripture

Speaking of the Lord's wisdom and understanding:

Proverbs 3:21-23

My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion: So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.

Saturday Links

The Writer's Refuge shared the post Writing for Legacy and offers a bit of advice for those who want to share short stories for books like Chicken Soup for the Soul.
https://thewritersrefuge.wordpress.com/2016/09/11/writing-for-legacy

Want to build a web site? Kris Cruz starts with Part I: Drafting a Proposal.
https://kriscruzblog.com/2016/09/06/proposal-site-map-and-wireframe/

Want a completely different perspective on how to escape a lifestyle rut? Impossible's recent post offers a suggestion:
http://impossiblehq.com/2000-dollars-48-hours/

God bless.

Favorite Book Friday

The non-fiction book Miracles by Eric Metaxas was an inspiring read. It's a keeper for me. I enjoy Eric Metaxas' books. He does his homework. I loved his book Bonhoeffer. What a remarkable man. Metaxas' book Amazing Grace is on my Wish List.

Musical Thursday

Susan Boyle and Donny Osmond sing "All I Ask of You." They're both favorites.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADOil43WP54&feature=youtu.be

Wordless Wednesday

Tuesday Tidbit

Knight in Disguise is moving forward now I've figured out my heroine. This is the last night typed before preparing this post (unedited, of course):

Her father may have provided a house for her, in a less fashionable part of town, but he hadn't provided much else, certainly nothing close to what he'd provided for himself.

 

Monday Quote

Lisa Bevere posted on social media:

If you think you’ve blown God’s plan for your life, rest in this:

You, my beautiful friend, are not that powerful.

God knows the beginning from the end.

You didn’t come to this earth to prove to God you would do anything. He knows.

You came to this earth to prove to yourself what you would do.

Sunday Scripture

John 15:13

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Saturday Links

Lynn Mosher shared "Breezing." Anything to do with horses catches my attention. This fit me:
http://lynnmosher.com/breezing/

Motivating Daily is a bit of inspiration, every day, and this one is from Benjamin Franklin:
https://motivatingdaily.com/2016/09/09/words-vs-action/

Jennifer Slattery is studying John the Baptist, more inspiration:
https://jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com/2016/09/08/obedience-in-the-mundane/

God bless.

Favorite Book Friday

So many choices. So many amazing books. I want to share books I'm currently reading, but I also want to share books I thought worth keeping. I think what I'll do is share favorite books I'm currently reading once I finish them and work through the books on my shelves when there isn't a current one for the week. This week, I'm sharing books on my shelf. My Scriptures go without saying. I can't live without them. The next oldest books on my shelf, above my computer, are all three books of "The Lord of the Rings," The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King. I first read them in middle school. I was between twelve and fourteen. None of my friends read the books, so I was alone in my love for them. It wasn't until the movies came out that I finally found a host of other amazing wonderful people who loved the story as much as I did. I met online friends through various LOTR events. I'm still friends with many of them.

These are the survivors of my original Christmas cactus.

Musical Thursday

MercyMe's I Can Only Imagine opened the world of Christian bands. I bought a CD and discovered the radio station K-Love and a plethora of other bands and songs that inspire and comfort me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVfFY3MMxEI

Wordless Wednesday

Tuesday Tidbits

Welcome to a writer's world. A bit of story popped into my head, and I realized it didn't belong in the current WIP but in an upcoming one. Here's the most recent line added (unedited):

"He could make him disappear without a trace of evidence."

Monday Quote

I saw this posted on social media:

Today I broke my personal record for most consecutive days lived.

Sunday Scripture

Proverbs 3:20

By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.

Saturday Links

"A Writer's Path" shared Allison Maruska's post on why a person might stop reading your blog posts:
https://ryanlanz.com/2016/08/20/five-reasons-i-stop-reading-your-blog-post/

Jean Fischer shares "Labor Day Quotes for Writers":
https://jeanfischer.wordpress.com/2016/08/28/labor-day-quotes-for-writers/

Donna Hatch shares her love of "Harps and Music":
http://donnahatch.com/harps-and-music/

My first thought reading the title of Ginger Kolbaba's post was: "I'm not sure I want to read this. I like Ginger's books. I don't want to 'tarnish' my opinion." I read it anyway and am grateful I did.
https://gingerkolbaba.wordpress.com/2016/09/02/god-is-not-a-god-of-second-chances-and-the-clouds-prove-it/

God bless.

Favorite Book Friday

I read new-to-me author Pepper Basham's A Twist of Faith, a contemporary Christian romance. It started as a difficult read. I didn't like the heroine. She touched uncomfortably close to home. I'm glad I stuck to it and read to the end. She gave me the opportunity to confront some painful truths in my own past. I hope she writes more stories about other characters in this book.

Musical Thursday

I love the music of John Williams, Star Wars, Harry Potter, etc. Imagine my surprise when I listened to Holst's The Planets. My favorites are "Mars" and "Jupiter." I fell in love with "Jupiter" the first time watching Disney's original Fantasia.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Isic2Z2e2xs