Pencil in His Hand: A Mother's Journal of Stories, Thoughts, and Poems.

The cone flower blooms in winter A Peek into my Garden and some Thoughts Dearest Reader, How about you? Do you bloom in the midst of winter like the cone flower? Are you full of sunshine when your day is gray? It's not easy, and I would actually like to say, near impossible without Jesus living in your heart. It is the Holy Sprit who enables us to bloom in the hardest, driest, coldest places. You see, the cone flower, does bloom in winter, but it has been soaking in the sun all summer long, drinking in all the water it can, and basking in what winter sun God provides. So, it is able to bloom despite the cold.  When you come up close to the cone flowers, you will hear the buzzing of bees. This hardy plant is a favourite with the little creatures as they search for pollen in the garden. Are you attractive like the cone flower? No, not in your outward appearance, but inwardly. Do God's love, light, and grace shine outwardly from within attracting people to Him? We can all shine an...

  Romance in Fiction Most people like a bit of romance in the stories they read. After all, true love and wedded bliss are wonderful gifts from God.  The Bible tells us that God is love.  He is also just. That does not change the fact that God is love though. Of course, God's kind of love is on an entirely different level from ours: His love is so amazing, so beautiful, and is embodied in Jesus' death for us. So, most people would agree then, that love is good, and should feature in our stories and poems. It is especially important in my view, that we share God's love for the world when we write. I would say that that is essential. But what of romantic love? Should Christians write romantic stories? And should we read them? I'd say that the answer depends largely on how the romance is written. For a Christian to write and/or read romance in good conscience, it needs to be clean. Another important criteria, is that the characters, must be realistic. Many male characters ...

  Impossible? Emil cast his line gracefully into the middle of the river. "Great cast." Gus said as his own rod bent under the weight of a fish. "It's going to be a pan-sized one." Emil grinned as he watched his friend reel the fish in. "Yup. Looks like we may have a decent lunch." He removed the hook from the fish's mouth and cleaned it carefully at the waterside. The two men fell into a companionable silence broken only by the sound of the lapping water. Emil studied some lazy clouds as he waited for a bite. After some moments, he spoke. "Wouldn't it be cool if the Rapture happened right now, while we're fishing? Kind of appropriate, I think." Gus chuckled. "You always were a dreamer Emil." "It's not a dream," said Emil as he reeled in his own catch, "it's in the Bible. 1 Thessalonians, chapter 4." "I know, I read my Bible. It just sounds so impossible. Like a dream." He added, ...