Into the Fire

Glorious beauty at Christmastime. Love the Christmas beauty. 

Father, you gave us life, light, the way, and truth in Jesus "who came to save us all from Satan's power when we were gone astray. Oh – oh, tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy." Can't thank you enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

I love this one, and it's done beautifully here. Hope you enjoy it too. 

Father, you brought Jesus to make peace between you and mankind after the Fall. He is the Prince of Peace. Thank you is never enough. Holy Spirit, lead those open hearts to Him. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Thursday evening several people and my family enjoyed an incredible time. There were props and lighting and a wig and a fog machine. There were laughs, discussions, setting up and taking down. There were pizzas and breadsticks. There were strangers becoming friends and instructions, directions, and placements. It was right here at our home, and it was indeed incredible. 

More to come . . . 

Father, only you can make things like this happen. Only you answer prayers perfectly. Only you bring this kind of joy. Thank you is never enough, but you have it from my heart. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

     In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. 

     So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 

Luke 2:1-5 (NIV) 

          From my WIP (Work-in-Progress): Then . . . you

Chapter 28

Stone walked back to the kitchen, picking up his laundry basket from his bathroom on the way. He heard the dishwasher in action as Jenna wiped down the island. It looked like she’d finished in the kitchen.

     “So how would you feel about joining me in the living room for story time?” he asked with a smirk.

     “Are you asking me out on a ‘date’?” she said playfully.

     “Hmmm.” He transferred the basket under one arm and smoothed his moustache with his free hand. “Yeah, I kind of am.”

     “Well,” she said, purposely drawing out the word. “I accept. What time shall I be ready?”

     He looked at his watch. “How about 20?”

     “Twenty it is.” With that reply, she tossed the towel in his basket, and walked off to her room.

     He followed her down the hall and couldn’t deny how much he enjoyed the view.

     Washer going, he considered her playfulness, relieved she could be that comfortable with him, and decided to do something – correction: another thing – way outside his comfort zone. He hustled to the kitchen and looked in the obscure cupboard above the refrigerator, glad to have remembered where he’d stashed them. Then he went to the far bedroom and found two TV trays in the closet and hauled them out to the living room. He restocked the fire, admiring its reflection in the darkness of the room. He pulled out his bed, stacked the pillows, set up the trays, went to the kitchen for two glasses filling them with ice water, found two placemats he’d never used and took them to place under the waters. He lit the two candles he’d found, both in brass holders, and added them to the trays.

     “Not bad for an amateur,” he said aloud, hands at his hips. He checked his watch. Five minutes to spare, knowing she’d be punctual. He ran his hand through his hair, contemplating anything else he might add without making it over the top. Satisfied, he stretched out his legs and sat up against the pillows on “his” side.

     When he heard her approach, he glanced over to watch her walk in the room. She’d changed into a shimmering green blouse, black slacks, and two-inch black heels. She’d done something to her hair to make it fall in curls down her shoulders, and her makeup set off those incredible eyes plus a shiny lipstick drew his helpless eyes to those luscious lips. It took every bit of his self-control to keep his reaction to a smile. He immediately stood.

     “You look stunning,” he managed to say. “I apologize for being under-dressed.”

     “You look great to me,” she said quietly. “Where would you like me?”

     He noticed the split-second moment when she realized what she’d said and he could almost feel the heat from her reaction from where he stood. Not to mention how his reaction to her question was on tilt as he tried to shut off his thoughts.

     “You sit wherever you’d like.”

     “I hope you don’t mind this?” She pointed to her attire. “It’s just that I’m so grateful to come home from work and be able to throw on sweats and get comfortable. I guess I just wanted you to know that I can look nice once in a while – since we’re on a date and all.” She gave him an embarrassed smile.

     “Mind? You’ve got to be kidding. Like I said, you look stunning. Definitely eye candy, Jenna-Leigh.” He took a moment before he added, “But know this: you’re a beautiful woman and I always think you look good.” He gave her one of his stares that told her he was serious.

     “Thank you, Stone. You’ve been too good to me.” She sat down on the other side of the bed and took a sip of the water. “This is so thoughtful. I love it.”

     He took his seat next to her and contemplated where to begin. “I guess I need to finish the story I started earlier in the evening.”

Father, apart from you I can do nothing. I'm always desperate for you, and thank you is never enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

As much as I love the beauty of Christmas, the splendor of it all, I'm not sure why I don't watch Christmas movies or read Christmas novels. I have one suspicion as to why. I think it's because they don't ring true for me. For me, they don't capture that magnificent reality that I've attached to those moments that make Christmas the divine experience it is for me. I do emphasize the "for me" because only I can determine what those vague or specific indefinable but known expectations are that I have for Christmas.

That's it. Those are my Thursday Thoughts . . . 

Father, you know how much Christmas means to me. You made it that way, and I love it. Thank you, Jesus. It's never enough for what you've done for me and every other soul who dares to welcome you into their hearts. We're always desperate for you whether we know it or not. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.  

So. As an author, I realize how important marketing is, but I also know that I'm a total failure at marketing my own work. Part of that is due to the fact that I have come to recognize, the hard way I might add, that the – for lack of a better term – "mainstream Christian Fiction audience" does not belong to me. Although all of my novels are clearly and uncompromisingly redemptive, they are apparently too raw in capturing the intensity of romance – in that the sexual attraction is real and passionate, the tempting scenarios authentic (at least in the world of most people's experiences) – does not appeal to that particularly large and stalwart typical Christian Fiction reader. Plus, in my stories the world is also portrayed with authenticity – which we all know can be pretty ugly at times – without judgment.

Now, having said all that which is a mouthful, I need to confess I feel a minor surge of anger every single time I see the "clean", "sweet", etc., marketing label on Christian novels. Please, again, don't misunderstand, I get it. If you want to read a good romance or love story from the general market arena, of which there are zillions of offerings, you can certainly expect graphic, pornographic, moment-to-moment explanations of sexual conduct of probably every kind. So, the clarification of "clean" or "sweet" when attached to a romance novel insures that any of the graphic content will be excluded. And that's a definite plus. But, what it also tends to infer is that the reality of sexual attraction and temptation will be absent. Not entirely but often mostly. 

So. Back to marketing my work. I could talk probably for hours about each character and story I've written, but can I tell you that you need to read them or that you should read them? I cannot. I must know your tastes and preferences before I insert the suggestion that you try one of mine. I write "Love stories with a passion", and my tagline is Raw Romantic Redemptive. Beyond that, it's up to you, the reader. 

Father, each one of us has to do what we believe is our particular mission in this writing journey. We trust you to check us, help us, and direct our steps as only you can do. I thank you for each word, each character, each story because apart from you, I can do nothing. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.  

This is an amazing rendition of the song. The video is sterling, fascinating, imaginative, and ultimately beautiful. Had me sobbing at the end – but that's me. Hope you take the time to watch and listen. It's truly beautiful. 

Father, thank you is never enough for what Jesus came to do. Redemption awaits all those daring to accept and believe, follow and learn, reach out to be saved from sin. Nothing compares. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Well, yes, I've done something that I rarely do. Actually two things. One: I read a novella. Two: It is a Christmas novella. 

Those who know me well have learned that in spite of how much I love Christmas, I don't read novellas and I don't read Christmas novels nor do I watch Christmas movies. And there's inevitably the collective sounds of gasping at those admissions. 

But, for Becky Wade's writing, I made an exception for You and Me.

Connor Bryant has returned to Misty River after a 16 year absence to take care of his mom who's been diagnosed with ALS (aka Lou Gehrig's Disease). He's an established artist and teacher now, but left his southern California environs to come home. One thing he never left behind in those years away from home was his desire to make a long-term relationship with the girl he fell in love with in 7th grade. Shay Seaver has held his heart through all those years, oblivious to the fact that she'd made any impact on him past their friendship. 

Connor takes a different tactic with Shay to try to read what her desires are for a man and building a relationship – since she's dated significantly beyond what Connor's ever attempted. As his tactic requires they spend time together incorporating her suggestions, she realizes there's a chemistry between them she missed in their sometimes awkward youth, but now it seems like she's too late for their relationship to gain traction.

Well, you know, this is a novella so there's not a lot of time for dreariness and heartbreak. Besides it's a Christmas novella after all! 

So you know the drill. And it's fun to walk – or read – through it. It's also meaningful to watch two old friends discover things about themselves in the process that resolve feelings while creating new ones. You and Me is a sweet Christmas romance done by a well-qualified author in Becky Wade who always does justice to the beauty of romance and the seriousness of love.  

Father, please continue to bless Becky's life, her writing, her projects, her home and family. Keep her safe and full-up with the stories you have just for her to tell. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

     "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"

     The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God."

     "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her. 

Luke 1:34-38 (NIV)