https://theyoungwriter.com/summit/ Y’all have to do this! It’s a free two-day online conference for young writers! It features amazing speakers! I did it last year and it challenged me, motivated and inspired me so much! If you’re doubting about whether you should attend (virtually), in the words of someone somewhere—you have nothing to lose but everything to gain. Well, nothing to lose aside from a little bit of time, if you somehow don’t end up learning anything or just don’t like it…There’s a 99.99% chance you’ll learn something and love it though, so give it a go! It’s time well spent!

What would it take to be willing to risk To be willing to risk it all For a cause that is trampled and Amid the majority, looks puny and small It takes a heart on fire On fire for the world For a person who’s suffering and Needs the truth to be told No, this life isn’t easy Not easy at all You can’t cower and melt You must rise and stand up tall It takes a heart fully surrendered Surrendered to your Savior God Your life is not your own Let go, give Him your all What would it take to be willing to lay To be willing to lay it all down For someone you don’t even know Who everyone else overlooks It takes a heart full of His love Love for the lost and broken Hurting, helpless and hopeless Into the darkness hope can be spoken This world will fade but The souls will not Choose you this day who you will serve Make sure it’s His Kingdom You’ve sought Someday you’ll hear Him You’ll hear the call You’ll know in your heart that You’d be willing to risk it all This was inspired by the recent murder of a young couple who served as missionaries to Haiti. The conversation on the whole thing has really errupted on both sides. It’s bringing out the best and worst in people—I heard the whole story via Allie Beth Stucky’s Relatable podcast. One comment she read said “These Christians don’t know when to leave well enough alone.” Yeah, you’re right, person! It’s because we don’t stay out of other people’s “business” that lives are changed and hope is rekindled! We are promised persecution and death, but we are also promised eternal life with The Creator of the Universe! Fellow Christ-followers, take up your cross, let every martyr’s story light a fire in your soul to reach everyone you can with the gospel! I know, easier said than done, but we must refuse to be comfortable—we must deny our flesh and obey Him wholeheartedly! These are just some thoughts that have been flying through my head and heart. I do want to reach people with the Good News, and praise God, I’m getting the opportunity to do so this summer as I serve at a youth camp in NC. Of course, it’ll be up to the Holy Spirit, but I’m willing to step outside my comfort zone and let Him use me. Here are my fishes and loaves, Lord! Anyway, sorry this was so long, it’s a late-night writer thing, I guess 😂

Some things you just can’t even imagine  Some things are too hard to believe  But when you see pain in this world now  Pray and hope that it will soon recede     For your home is not where you are standing  Your home is in heaven above  So don’t tremble or cry or despair   Just rest in the Father’s love    Some things are too horrid to contemplate  Some things send fear straight to your bones   But remember you don’t have to worry  Because with God you’re never walking alone    When you hear of fighting among you  And when you hear rumors of wars unknown  Know that it is only the announcement calling   That Jesus is coming to take back His throne    Some things cause your hope to waver  Some things break your heart in two  But you know how this wild story ends   And it ends with eternity for you    So when your knees buckle  Under the weight of it all  Look to the hope of Heaven  He will not cause you to fall  “For this world is not our home; we are looking forward to our everlasting home in heaven. With Jesus’ help, we will continually offer our sacrifice of praise to God by telling others of the glory of His name. Don’t forget to do good and share what you have with those in need, for such sacrifices are very pleasing to Him.” --Hebrews 13:14-16 “So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the LORD your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” --Deuteronomy 31:6 "You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains." --Matthew 24:6-13 "The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand." --Psalm 37:23-24

I tried to do a flip but fell flat on my face. How humiliating! Macho Man saw it all and laughed. I flushed.  “Dubious Dude, you’ve got a heck of a long way to go before you can join me on any of my missions.” He said bluntly while grinning and standing, his arms akimbo.  I picked myself up from the training mat. Trying to subdue my fiery emotions, I made no response and instead, turned and walked toward the fridge of energy drinks.   I’d been training for days. Hadn’t slept once in maybe...96 hours? That was likely part of my problem. But I didn’t care as I reached for another Monster and pulled back the top. I was rewarded by that satisfying fizzing sound.   If only it was so easy to please my mentor. Well, more like my monitor. Or annoying older brother. Or that guy that you’ve only met once in your life because he said that you had cool superpowers and you had to come with him to refine them and eventually be good enough to save the city someday. Yeah, I know that no one can relate to that one. But that’s how it was for me.   Macho Man just showed up at my Idaho apartment one day and that I was gifted. That I had superpowers. I don’t know how he knew when I didn’t even know myself. But after he took me to his high-tech training facility hidden under an old potatoe field, he had me do a series of tests. He told me to do what I was good at. So I asked if he had any packets of mac ’n cheese. Macho Man said no and looked at me like I was an idiot.   He always acts so superior like he’s the only competent one, like he’s surprised I’ve survived all these years on my own. But I got good at shrugging off his comments and looks. I finally realized that my powers are being doubtful, suspicious, and ambiguous. Very clever and cunning. No, my powers aren’t in strength but rather in sly...ness. Think of me as a Loki type of guy. So while Macho Man is busy starring at himself in the mirror, I’m going behind his back.  Do you know, I think that Macho Man lied about my having any powers. And I doubt he has any powers himself. I mean, I have never seen him in the papers of the Idaho Tribune or on the screen of Idaho Channel 13 News. I think he brought me here just for the sake of having a side-kick. More like slave-to-kick.  I think Macho Man is just a rich man having a mid-life crisis. And now I don’t just think these things anymore. I know them.   It happened one day when Macho Man was spending a ridiculous and abnormal amount of time in his giant bathroom, probably flirting with himself in the mirror again. I took the opportunity to sneak into his room and steal his fat wallet. My hands shook in anticipation as I unfolded it and slid out his I.D.   I swear, my jaw dropped to my toes and I laughed three loud, long, consecutive laughs. I slapped my hand over my mouth right after that though, knowing I’d just alerted him of my presence. Scurrying away, I realized that his wallet was still in my grasp, but there was no time to put it back, so I went straight to my closet-sized room and locked the door.  I sat on the edge of my bed which put me right into the closet, my old gym shirt flopping onto my head. It didn’t matter though. It didn’t matter that the toilet was only one foot away. It didn’t matter that “Macho Man” might pound me. All I could think about was the revelation I had just uncovered. And...  “Hey, Dubious Dude,” Macho Man boomed, bringing me back to the present. “Drinking all those Monsters won’t help you do better flips!”  “Yeah?” I retorted. “Well I’d like to see you do a backflip—how about that?!”  I could see that Macho Man was taken aback by my response.  “If you’re so super, why don’t you show me how it’s really done?!”  Macho Man flinched, then started to move but hesitated.  “That’s what I thought, Greg.”  Astonishment registered on his face. “How did you know? I always wear a mask!”  I took his wallet out from my back pocket and tossed it to him, but he missed. I rolled my eyes.   “So why do all this, huh?” I questioned. “Why practically kidnap me and train me to be you sidekick, Greg?”  “I guess I just didn’t like being a nobody, so when I inherited all that money and won the lottery, I decided to come up with a whole new persona. A someone. But it got lonely, and you were the first person that came to mind—I thought maybe we could work together—be a team! But you saw through it all, didn’t ya’. Guess I’m not very convincing.”  “No, you’re not.” I crossed my arms.  “Would you forgive me?”  A smirk tugged at the corner of my mouth. “On one condition...”  ~~~  “C’mon, Miniature Man—keep up!” I called, as Greg, formerly Macho Man, lumbered behind me.  “Did you really have to change my superhero name too? I mean, it’s bad enough being your sidekick now...”  “Quit grumbling. This time we’re doing it my way. This time, we’re gonna save the city not just train to!”  So I found this story when I was scrolling through my Word documents. I was pulled in by the title (as you might have been) and when I read it, (though I hardly remember writing it--it's been that long!) I decided that I should for sure finish it up and post it. I do remember that I wrote it for the lightbulb @V-rose came up with, #SuperSidekickPrompt Hope it made you laugh a little! 😁

I liked the post Keilah made about how she tested AI, so I thought it'd be fun to give it a go! :) When asked to write a poem about a girl with blue eyes, brown hair, and freckles who met the man of her dreams: She had blue eyes like the sky And brown hair like the earth She had freckles on her nose That gave her face some mirth She dreamed of finding true love Someone who would understand Her hopes and fears, her joys and tears And always hold her hand One day she met a man who smiled And made her heart skip a beat He had green eyes like the grass And blond hair like the wheat He was kind and gentle, smart and funny He shared her passion for art He listened to her stories And touched her very soul They fell in love and got married And lived happily ever after They had two kids, a boy and a girl And filled their home with laughter She thanked the stars for sending him Her perfect match, her best friend She looked into his eyes and said I love you till the end I actually really, really love that one! How about y'all? Trying to get ideas for a part of a story I'm writing, I asked AI to tell me a story about a young woman named Minne who was traveling by stage to California to visit with her uncle--I'm pretty impressed with the descriptions: Minnie was excited to see her uncle again. He was the sheriff of a small town in California, and he had invited her to spend the summer with him. Minnie had always admired her uncle, who had left their home in Missouri to seek adventure and justice in the West. She had heard many stories of his exploits, and she wanted to see them for herself. She packed her bags and boarded the stagecoach that would take her across the country. She was the only passenger, besides the driver and the guard. The stagecoach was a large wooden wagon, pulled by four horses, with a leather roof and curtains. It had a bench inside for the passengers, and a luggage rack on top. It was not very comfortable, but Minnie did not mind. She was too busy looking out the window, watching the scenery change as they traveled. The journey was long and hard. They had to cross rivers, mountains, deserts, and plains. They faced many dangers, such as bandits, Indians, wild animals, and storms. They also had to stop at various stations along the way, where they could rest, eat, and change horses. Sometimes they met other travelers, who shared their stories and news. Minnie learned a lot about the West from them. She also learned a lot from the driver and the guard, who were friendly and talkative. The driver was an old man named Hank, who had been driving stagecoaches for over twenty years. He knew every road, every town, every landmark, and every shortcut. He also knew how to handle the horses, the wagon, and any trouble that came their way. He was a master of his craft. The guard was a young man named Tom, who had joined the stagecoach company a few months ago. He was in charge of protecting the passengers and the mail that they carried. He had a rifle and a pistol, which he kept close at hand. He was brave and loyal, but also reckless and impulsive. He often got into fights with other people, especially those who tried to rob or harm them. Minnie liked them both, and they liked her too. They treated her like a daughter or a sister, and they taught her many things about life in the West. They also made her laugh with their jokes and stories. They became good friends during their journey. One day, they were approaching their final destination: the town where Minnie’s uncle lived. They were driving through a narrow canyon, when they heard a loud bang. Hank stopped the horses and looked back. He saw smoke rising from behind them. “What was that?” Minnie asked. “Sounds like dynamite,” Hank said. “Dynamite? Who would use dynamite here?” Tom asked. “Maybe some miners,” Hank said. “Or maybe some outlaws,” Tom said. They heard another bang, followed by more smoke. “They’re trying to block our way,” Tom said. “Who?” Minnie asked. “I don’t know, but I don’t like it,” Tom said. He grabbed his rifle and jumped off the wagon. “Stay here,” he told Minnie. He ran towards the smoke, hoping to find out who was behind it. Hank took out his pistol and followed him. “Be careful,” he told Minnie. He left her alone in the wagon. Minnie was scared. She did not know what was going on. She wondered if it was a trap or an ambush. She hoped that Hank and Tom would be okay. She wished that her uncle was there to help them. She looked around for something to defend herself with. She saw a shotgun under the bench. She picked it up and checked if it was loaded. It was. She held it in her hands and waited for something to happen. She heard more bangs and more smoke. She heard gunshots and shouts. She heard horses neighing and hoofs pounding. She heard someone coming closer to the wagon. She peeked through the curtain and saw a man on horseback. He had a bandana over his face and a hat over his head. He had a gun in his hand and a bag on his saddle. He looked like an outlaw. He saw her too. He pointed his gun at her and yelled: “Get out of there!” Minnie did not move. She aimed her shotgun at him and yelled back: “No!” He fired his gun at her. She fired her shotgun at him. They both missed. He fired again. She fired again. They both hit. He fell off his horse. She fell off the bench. They both lay still on the ground. The shooting stopped. The smoke cleared. Hank and Tom came back to the wagon. They saw Minnie lying on the ground with blood on her chest. They saw the outlaw lying on the ground with blood on his head. They ran towards them. “Minnie!” Hank shouted. “Minnie!” Tom shouted. They reached her and lifted her up. They saw that she was still breathing. They saw that the blood was not hers. They saw that the shotgun had hit the outlaw’s bag. They saw that the bag was full of gold. They saw that the gold had stopped the bullet. They saw that Minnie was alive. They saw that she had saved their lives. They saw that she was a hero. They hugged her and cheered. “Minnie, you’re amazing!” Hank said. “Minnie, you’re awesome!” Tom said. Minnie opened her eyes and smiled. She felt a pain in her chest, but she did not care. She felt a joy in her heart, and she did care. She had survived. She had fought. She had won. She had lived a Western adventure. She had made her uncle proud. I think some words were a bit repetitive and each character really didn't have a voice of their own, but hey--a robot did that! Ok, time for the final one. I asked AI to write a sequel story to The Princess Bride: The Princess Bride 2: The Return of Humperdinck It has been ten years since Westley and Buttercup escaped from the evil Prince Humperdinck and lived happily ever after. They have a son named Henry, who is brave and clever, and a daughter named Rose, who is beautiful and kind. They rule the kingdom of Florin with justice and peace, and they are loved by their people. But their happiness is threatened by a new danger: Humperdinck has returned. He has been hiding in the neighboring kingdom of Guilder, plotting his revenge. He has gathered an army of mercenaries, pirates, and rogues, and he plans to invade Florin and take back his throne. He also wants to capture Buttercup and make her his bride, whether she likes it or not. Humperdinck launches a surprise attack on Florin, catching Westley and Buttercup off guard. He manages to kidnap Buttercup and take her to his castle in Guilder. He locks her in a tower and tells her that he will marry her the next day. He also tells her that he has killed Westley and their children. Buttercup is heartbroken and hopeless. She does not believe that Humperdinck has killed her family, but she does not know how to escape from him. She wishes that Westley would come and save her, as he always did before. Meanwhile, Westley is alive and well. He was not at the castle when Humperdinck attacked, but he heard the news from a messenger. He rushed back to Florin, only to find it in flames and chaos. He searched for Buttercup and their children, but he could not find them. He feared that they were dead or captured. But he did not give up hope. He remembered the words of his old friend Inigo Montoya: “There’s a shortage of perfect breasts in this world. It would be a pity to damage yours.” He knew that Buttercup was still alive, and he vowed to rescue her from Humperdinck. He also found out that his children were alive. They had escaped from the castle with the help of their loyal servants and friends. They had hidden in the forest, where they met some old allies: Fezzik the giant, Inigo Montoya the swordsman, and Miracle Max the wizard. Fezzik had retired from fighting and had become a farmer. He had a wife named Olga and a son named Fergus, who was as big and strong as him. Inigo had become the new Dread Pirate Roberts, after Westley gave him his ship and his name. He had sailed the seas for many years, seeking adventure and treasure. He had a crew of loyal men, who followed him wherever he went. Miracle Max had moved to the forest with his wife Valerie, after Humperdinck banished them from his kingdom. He had continued to practice his magic, making potions and spells for anyone who needed them. They were all happy to see Henry and Rose, who reminded them of their old friends Westley and Buttercup. They agreed to help them find their parents and stop Humperdinck’s invasion. They also met another ally: Vizzini the Sicilian. He had survived being poisoned by Westley in their battle of wits. He had faked his death and escaped from the scene. He had spent the last ten years plotting his revenge against Westley, but he had also learned some valuable lessons: never get involved in a land war in Asia, never go against a Sicilian when death is on the line, and never underestimate the power of true love. He had heard about Humperdinck’s attack on Florin, and he decided to join forces with Westley’s children. He realized that Humperdinck was a bigger threat than Westley, and that he owed Westley a debt for sparing his life. He also hoped to redeem himself for his past crimes. Together, they formed a plan to infiltrate Humperdinck’s castle and rescue Buttercup. They used their skills and talents to overcome the obstacles in their way: guards, traps, puzzles, riddles, etc. Meanwhile, Westley arrived at Guilder with his own army: the people of Florin. They had rallied behind him after hearing about Humperdinck’s attack. They wanted to defend their kingdom and their queen from the tyrant who had oppressed them before. Westley led them to Humperdinck’s castle, where he met with his children and their allies. They were overjoyed to see each other alive and well. They hugged and kissed each other, then prepared for the final battle. They stormed the castle, fighting their way through Humperdinck’s forces. They reached the tower where Buttercup was held captive. They broke down the door and entered the room. They saw Buttercup standing by the window, looking at the horizon. She turned around and saw them. She could not believe her eyes. She ran towards them and embraced them. “My Westley! My children! My friends! You came for me!” she cried. “Of course we did, my love. We would never leave you,” Westley said. “We love you, mother. We missed you so much,” Henry and Rose said. “We’re here to help you, your majesty. We’re your loyal subjects and friends,” Fezzik, Inigo, Max, Valerie, and Vizzini said. They all smiled and laughed, happy to be reunited. But their happiness was short-lived. They heard a loud voice behind them. “Hello. My name is Prince Humperdinck. You killed my father. Prepare to die.” They turned around and saw Humperdinck standing in the doorway. He had a sword in his hand and a scar on his face. He looked angry and vengeful. He had followed them to the tower, after hearing the commotion. He had seen them rescue Buttercup and take her away from him. He was furious and jealous. He charged at them, swinging his sword. They faced him, ready to fight. Westley stepped forward, holding his sword. “Hello, Humperdinck. You kidnapped my wife. Prepare to die.” They clashed their swords, starting a duel. The others joined the fight, trying to help Westley. Humperdinck fought them all, showing his skill and strength. He wounded Fezzik, Inigo, Max, Valerie, and Vizzini, making them fall to the ground. He reached Buttercup, who was holding Henry and Rose in her arms. He grabbed her by the hair and pulled her towards him. He raised his sword to stab her in the heart. He said: “You are mine, Buttercup. You always have been and always will be. You will never love anyone but me.” He was about to strike her, when he felt a sharp pain in his chest. He looked down and saw a dagger sticking out of his heart. He looked up and saw who had stabbed him. It was Westley. He had thrown his dagger at Humperdinck, hitting him in the exact spot where he had stabbed him ten years ago. He had avenged himself and saved Buttercup. He said: “You are wrong, Humperdinck. You never had her and never will. She loves me and only me. And I love her more than anything in this world.” Humperdinck dropped his sword and let go of Buttercup. He fell to the floor, dead. Westley ran to Buttercup and hugged her. They kissed each other passionately. They said: “I love you.” “As you wish.” They looked at their children and their friends, who were still alive and recovering from their wounds. They smiled and thanked them for their help. They said: “We love you.” “As we wish.” They all hugged each other, happy to be together again. They left the tower and the castle, leaving Humperdinck’s body behind. They returned to Florin, where they were welcomed by their people with cheers and flowers. They resumed their reign as king and queen of Florin, ruling with justice and peace. They lived happily ever after. So I know that y'all have probably watched the movie, but I've also read the book twice (yes there is a book) so I'm a little more picky about this sequel story. I've actually been working on one of my own, and I like it better. I don't know if you noticed, but there were some inconsistencies with the plots and also misuse of some of the quotes...but overall I liked reading what our old friends have been up to all these years. Well, here's the big question: Will AI replace artisans such as we writers, artists, actors, etc? Personally, I don't think that AI really could...it's synthetic. It's man-made and thus does not have that unique in-the-image-or-God creativity that we, as humans do. Oh, companies will try to replace our raw and matchless craft, but ultimately it will be lacking. Here's the takeaway--DON'T. GIVE. UP. If you love storytelling, or painting, or singing, or dramatics or whatever it is you love, God gave you that passion for a reason and He intends that you use that talent for His glory. AI can't take that away from a Child of God, but we can certainly learn from it. Just please don't use it to write the book that you publish...I mean really, it's still pirating if you steal from a robot! Ok, I'll stop talking now--have a great week and don't die in the hurricane! Byeeeeee! 😁

Irene moved her hand across the china, relishing the silky-smoothness of the fresh-washed plate. Taking it out of the water, she dried it off with a towel and brought it gently to its place in the cabinet. She returned to the sudsy dishwater, humming as she started on another dish.   There was no one else at home as both her older and younger sister had gone to town with their mother to see what they could find for dinner, and her three brothers and father were away at war. The lack of family members left Irene to her whims of daydreams and hymn-humming to fill the silence of the big, empty house.   More than once as she was up to her arms in soap bubbles and dishes had she reminisced of the days before the war when food had been plenty, family together, and everything bright with hopes for the future. O, for those days when youth was synonymous with dances, picnics, and laughter, not funerals, anxiously awaiting news from the front lines, and crying.   There had been a naïve girl once, Irene could clearly recall, who had loved a dashing boy, and the desire of her heart had been to spend her happily ever after with him. He had loved her, too, but then the news came that the South was seceding from the Union, and that boy had gone with thousands of others to fight the war to keep the country together. The boy had promised to write to the girl, and he did, but after the first few letters, all correspondence suddenly ceased. It had broken the girl's heart because every possibility for this end of letters could mean nothing good. And it was then that the girl became one of the many who came to the realization that youth was really synonymous with heartbreak, hopelessness, and growing up before your time.   Irene jumped at the knock upon the door.   Quickly drawing her hands out of the water, she dried them on her apron but was chagrined to find that they were red and wrinkled. She was in no way ready for company. Still, what could be done about it now? She discarded her apron, pinched her already flushed cheeks out of habit, and began to do what she could to adjust her roan-brown mane as she crossed to the door.   Her wandering mind had started whirring with questions. It was long past the polite visiting hours, what could this person want? Why couldn’t they have given notice or come on the morrow? In this semi-distracted state, she flung open the door to reveal a stranger whose hand was raised mid-knock. Taking notice of the man’s uniform and grave demeanor, Irene remembered her manors and bobbed a curtsy, murmuring “How do you do.” The man bowed slightly in return but did not return her greeting. Instead, he began in a still graver voice,  “Are you of any relation to Hiram Jeoffrey Meres?”  No. No, this can’t be happening. There's was not the first family in the little New England town to receive such a visit. Something bad had happened. Something bad had happened to her father!  “Why yes sir, I am one of his daughters—Irene Meres.”  The man removed his hat and held it between his gloved hands, avoiding her gaze.   “I’m sorry, miss. Your father is dead.”  ~~~ 

I still haven't come up with an answer regarding who should get the Book Dragon badge or win the giveaway. I'm trying out yet another poll here to see if maybe more people will respond.

I know this is like a super controversial piece, but we Christians have got to be a light shining the truth in these dark and confused times. I couldn't cover everything on this topic, but maybe if you drop a comment about some other controversial thing our world is talking about that you'd like to see me write about, that'd be cool. Maybe this could be a series? LMK what you think of what I have so far in this sort of first-draft piece. Anything I should add? Also sorry I didn't do more on the "man's role" part, but being a gal I guess I just had more to say on the topic of which I was familiar and passionate than the opposite. Why is there all this confusion about sexuality and gender, etc. when it’s so clear right there in the first book of the Bible, Genesis, in the 1st chapter, verse 27; “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” But our world has purposely blinded itself to the truth because to do otherwise would be to admit that there is a God who created everything, and altering what He created is like spitting in His face. Like Sharpie-ing a mustache on the Mona Lisa or tearing it even. Like nuking a national landmark. And the results are as catastrophic as Pompeii, or 9/11, or name any war you can think of. Altering the Master Artist’s plans does not go well. Worst of all, they make Him sad. What you first need to take into account is that God didn’t make a mistake when he made you who you are. You are a girl because He made you a girl. You are a boy because He made you a boy. There is no changing that despite what “doctors” say because it’s the fundamentals of who you are. And there isn’t an in-between. Only male and female. It’s Biology 101. Growing up, we all feel confused and different and awkward but don’t think that means you are supposed to be something you aren’t. If you feel abnormal, talk to a pastor or parent and go to God’s word. Realize that God made you who you are on purpose and He absolutely adores you. In Psalms 139: 13-16, King David says “For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.” (Some capital Ys were added by me.) Isn’t it amazing that God, in His great love, took into account even the smallest details when He created you? In Luke, it says that God knows the very number of hairs on your head! He knows you and loves you and wants you to love Him back. All you have to do is ask. Now that we’ve glanced over that confusion, let’s take a look at rolls. Rolls between men and women specifically in marriage are clearly outlined in the Bible too. After God created Adam, He realized that it wasn’t good for him to be alone, so from Adam, He created Eve. A helpmate and companion. In Genesis 2:23-24, Adam says “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife; and they shall be one flesh.” God states throughout the Bible that in marriage, the husband is to rule over his wife, however, this does not mean that the husband is to abuse his leadership. In fact, God says that leaders are to be servants. The husband should not be a tyrannical or iron-fisted leader, instead, he should lead with love. They are to provide for their wives and children and be the spiritual leader of the home as well, reading scripture and telling of God’s love. “Aggressive masculinity” can be true in abusive cases, however, men were designed by God to be the leaders, providers, and protectors in their homes. They are to love their families. So according to that definition if God says that’s good, then who am I to argue? As it says in Titus 2:5, yes, women are to be “Discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.” but it’s not this awful Cinderella-servitude life as is so often depicted, nor do you lose your identity by entering into married life. In 1 Peter 3:3-4, it says that “...the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit is very precious in God’s sight.” Being submissive and serving in the home is nothing to look down upon as feminists would say it is. In Proverbs 31:10-31, it says “A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants. She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers. She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet. She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple. Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes. She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.” This lie that the world tells that says a woman has to be successful and have a career, that children are a nuisance and men are a waste of time, is totally contrary to God’s Word. Women don’t have to always be proving themselves. The calling of a wife and mother is the noblest calling there is. Some women are called to be single and serve God that way, and that’s fine, but a woman doesn’t have to “become a man” so to speak to do that. Women aren’t to be in authority over men as it says in 1 Timothy 2:12—so being a woman pastor is out of the question. But there are plenty of ways in which women can lead discreetly, like teaching children’s Sunday school, or being a servant leader and working behind the scenes. Women can certainly tell others about Jesus and how He’s changed their life and lead others to Christ, but the point is that women aren’t to take away from God’s message by being in an authoritative position in the spotlight. It’s just not what God intended. Woman was created as a helpmate and she should strive to be like the woman in Proverbs 31 with God’s help. Men and women are equal under God, however, they are not the same because God designed them differently, and gave them different strengths and weaknesses. Where a woman might be weak in one area, a man may be strong, and vice versa. God created men and women to complete each other and to love each other. But for the marriage relationships to work correctly, any relationship for that matter, God must be in the picture. Men and women must love God and put Him first in their lives. Marriage is a beautiful picture designed by God to portray His relationship with us. So, without Him, well, that’s where the world falls short. That’s why they’re so confused—because they’ve left God out of the picture. Don’t make the same mistake. Follow His commands and be filled with His wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. Everything will be clear then

#ReadingMonthWeek1 Here's my story inspired by the prompt to create a short story featuring siblings. "Oh, Lord!" cried Martha, wringing her hands and running in such a frantic manner that it alarmed everyone in the great house. "Why, whatever is the matter, dear?" Asked Mrs. Holbrooke of the young servant. After putting a hand to her breast and heaving a moment to catch her breath, Martha eventually related, "It's the children! Come quick ma'am, for they've half a mind to leap from the roof just now!" Mrs. Holbrooke, despite her motherly fears, suppressed her nerves and went quickly from the parlor where she had been darning some of the children's socks. She was followed closely by the short servant and her labored breathing and greatly exerted steps. Upon reaching the yard and garden, the worried mother looked about, praying that perhaps Martha was wrong about her children being atop the roof after all. But as she saw no sign of her "beloved sweetings" among the beds of pansies and primroses, she turned her pretty face with trepidation toward the gabled roof. "Hullo, mamma!" called out her youngest, five-year-old Toby, who was standing upon a lower part of the roof (very near, I might add, reader, to falling off), with his arms extended and what appeared to be a great pair of wings attached to them. "Oh, Lord! Oh, Lord!" exclaimed Martha, fainting directly thereafter. Toby giggled. "Isn't this great fun, mamma? We will fly like Ickrus and Dadlus!" he said, quite butchering those two Greek person's names but not seeming to mind. As if on cue, Toby's older sister, Emi, who was eight-year-old, and their older brother, 10-year-old Harry, appeared next to him both adorned with white, feather wings as well. Bewildered but maintaining her composure, Mrs. Holbrooke, said “Children, do come down. Mamma does not like you to be up quite so high.” “Oh, but we will come down directly, mamma,” Emi responded, “Except we shan’t use a silly old ladder; we shall fly down!” Beginning to borrow Martha’s panic, Mrs. Holbrooke repeated her entreaty calmly but urgently. “No, my lovies, you must away down the ladder.” “But don’t you wish to watch us soar, mamma?” Harry pleaded, thinking that surely his dear mamma would be proud of his ingenuity. “Not today. You must come down the ladder straight away.” Disappointed that he should not be allowed to try out his winged contraptions this afternoon, Harry sighed saying “Oh alright then, but you’ll let us fly some other time, won’t you?” Mrs. Holbrook did not say anything to agree to this arrangement but merely forced a small smile. Harry, a leader as always, was the first down the ladder. Boyishly, when he was two rungs from the soft grass, he leaped off, spreading his wings. It was not a great height being no more than a two-foot jump, so Mrs. Holbrooke did not scold. Emi was the next down and she did it rather smartly. Last came little Toby. Alas, he fumbled, it being difficult for the tot to manage both his natural as well as his new winged appendages. And about halfway down the ladder, the small lad lost both grip and balance and came plummeting down. His mamma screamed though no sound came forth. But, as Toby fell, he cleverly flapped his wings, and while this did not make him fly, it did lessen the impact of his tumble, so he came away from the incident with only a few bruises. After quickly removing her children’s wings, Mrs. Holbrook took her little dears to her bosom. “Oh, my dear Horatio, my sweet Emmeline, my baby Tobias!” Silent tears of pent-up worry and now of gratefulness cascaded down the mother’s face. She took a hanky from her pocket and dabbed at her eyes and cheeks with the cloth. “It’s alright, mamma. See, I’m not hurt,” consoled Toby, as he wrapped his chubby arms about his mother. Mrs. Holbrooke placed kisses on the faces of her three children. “Come, my beloved sweetings, let go indoors and have some tea,” She said though she knew she would be the only one who would be in need of the calming refreshment. Then remembering the unconscious maid lying nearby, Mrs. Holbrook summoned another servant to aid the girl. She also told the gardener to lock the ladder up where the children could not get at it. Harry was vexed at his mother’s order, but put the feeling away as he looked upon his mother’s tear-stained face. The children each put an arm around their mother as they went inside. Once tea had been ordered and drunk and the children busily munching upon gingerbread, Mrs. Holbrooke began “My dears, whatever possessed you to leap from the roof?” Toby sweetly sidled up to his mother on the green, corduroy sofa. “Well, mamma, Harry read to us all about Ickrus and Dea—Deo...oh, I don’t remember how to say it, but they got locked up in a tower and so they took feathers and stuff from birds that flew by and made wings so they could escape. And we all agreed that it would be a capital idea to make wings and so Harry showed us how from his book and me and Emi got to help make em and--” By this point, the elder two siblings were flushed and had lowered their heads. “We really thought it a splendid idea, mamma! We thought it would work and that you’d be pleased and—and we didn’t think it at all wrong!” Defended Emi though she still looked shamefaced. Harry reiterated Emi’s words with as much fervor as a man put on trial for a dreadful crime. Innocent Toby was the most dismayed of the children for he had no idea that they had done anything worthy of a scolding and he did not wish to make his mother unhappy, and so he wept most disconsolately. But he was soon soothed by his mother’s words “There, there, my beloved sweetings. All if forgiven. All is well now. I know that you did not intend to do wrong, but you mustn’t do such things again without mine or your father’s consent. You might’ve been killed and then what would I do without my precious darlings?” The children were eventually calmed. More gingerbread was eaten and the parlor returned to a relative calm as Harry asked why their wings did not work, when all of a sudden, Martha burst into the room looking as if she had seen a ghost. “Oh, Lord! Oh, Lord!” she cried, fanning herself with her hands. “Calm yourself, Martha,” Mrs. Holbrooke spoke gently. This scene seemed all too familiar. “Whatever is the matter?” It took the maid a minute to begin breathing normally again. “Oh, Lord, ma’am! It’s the chickens—they’ve gone and lost all their feathers!” ___________ The Little Women book I chose to read was Little Men. I love it as I do all Louisa May Alcott books because they're so sweet and wholesome. They're filled with noble characters who are realistic as they strive to do good and stumble sometimes. I definitely would recommend that you read it (if you haven't recently). It's just so, so good! I really want to make some of the gingerbread...but we didn't have enough ingredients, sadly. Edit: I just watched like a 1934 adaption of Little Men last night--it was sweet and the closest to the book that I've found so far. I hope y'all are having fun with reading month!

#MonologueinMotion The first few lines or this came to me this morning. Maybe it's the beginning of some dystopian fiction? lmk what u think Everyone is afraid of the dark whether they admit it or not. It preys on our fears making us see and hear things that aren’t there, making us stumble around blindly and fall...because when you can’t see a thing, the nothing becomes the very thing you are afraid of. The nothing. The void. Our imagination, as some would say. Whatever you call it, everything within us screams for that one rare remedy called light. Once we find the light, the darkness no longer has the advantage. For once, we believe that maybe we can conquer the blackness. The light illuminates everything to our eyes, ‘causing us to laugh at our previous fancies and walk a little straighter, even a mite cocky. But sometimes we wish that we didn’t know, that we couldn’t see. And little by little the darkness seems more and more like the comfort of a blanket wrapped about us, like the arms of a father or mother, like the warmth of—yes, the warmth of a fire amid the chills of winter. Because for the first time in your life, what you see is what you didn’t want to and it’s too late to go back to the way things were before.

Designer clothes are never very cute. So, why are they so expensive? I wanna know who would actually pay $285 dollars for a handbag. Why in this modern age are there still tags on our clothing?! Who came up with the idea for there to be different measurements around the globe? How come people buy pre-ripped clothing these days? Why did I decide to post this? Does anyone actually relate? lol XD

The weather was sunny as Paula Malcomson and Suzanne Collins pondered addicting questions such as who the youngest president was, and did Martin Luther King Jr. like Chick-fil-a. The two talked to the hunger games cast hoping that their queries might be answered. Jennifer Lawrence suggested they all check a multiplication table to fifty, Josh Hutcherson suggested that they could check amazon or walmart, and Liam Hemsworth said that he thought they should just give up thinking about such useless things and play with galadriel, legolas, frodo, sam and mary poppins, funko pops. At the end of the day though, they all ended up planning a beauty & the beast wedding, and watching the greatest showman. The End?..... Hope y'all got a laugh out of this! 😄 #SuccessfulSearch

“Buying a book is not about obtaining a possession, but about securing a portal.” ― Laura Miller It was the 24th. Savanna opened her purple laptop. Then, after logging in, she pulled up Zoom and began the Zoom meeting she’d scheduled with one of her best friends, Katherine. “Hey!” They greeted each other, smiling and giggling as they began to relate what had been going on in their lives the past few weeks. “It totally sucks that we can’t meet up in person more often. Especially for Christmas. Y’all are like family.” Katherine sighed. “Right?” Savanna agreed. “And it’s hard enough trying to make it for a Zoom meeting.” The girls talked for a few minutes more about their sibling’s antics and books they’d been reading, when Katherine stopped. And no, the meeting hadn’t frozen or glitched up as Zoom meetings are want to do on occasion. “Wait a minute.” Katherine’s freckled face lit up so that you could easily tell that she had an excellent idea. “Have you ever read The Magic Treehouse series?” she asked. “Y-eah...” Savanna said slowly. “Why?” “Y’know how by looking at a book or picture and wishing to go to that specific place, the kids would be transported there?” “Mmhmmm,” Savanna nodded. “Forget time machines and all that junk that people have tried and failed to create for hundreds of years—what if books have been the answer all along?!” Katherine exclaimed, using excited hand gestures. Savanna looked slightly skeptical as she wore an amused but interested grin. Inwardly though, she was hoping against hope that perhaps, just perhaps, this bookish-magic existed. “Well, how will we discover if it works.” Savanna watched the screen as Katherine looked around her brightly colored room, seemingly for an answer. Savanna too, looked behind her, noting the sun which shone through her light-green curtains making her side of the Zoom video very back-lit. She made a slight frown—she hated when it did that. She rotated her laptop in the hopes that it would look better. “Ah-ha!” Savanna heard Katherine shout and watched as her friend went out of the camera’s view to grab something. Savanna could just barely see Katherine unclipping a picture from her photo wall. As Katherine came back to the front of her laptop, her side of the video jostled around so much that it could have made a seasoned sailor queasy. Savanna just smiled. “I’ve got it! See here--” Katherine held a photograph of herself and Savanna standing on Savanna’s lawn about a year ago. “Ok, but wouldn’t that take us into the past...?” Savanna wondered. “Well, maybe, but hey, it’s worth a try. So, I’ll get my journal out ‘cause I wrote about my visit at your house—that should serve for the book part, I suppose--and then I’ll look at this picture and wish that I was at your house.” Katherine squeezed her eyes shut and her lips moved as if in a silent prayer. Savanna watched the screen intently. Suddenly, there was a bright light, a great spinning and a whirling- whooshing sound! Then, there was stillness. And Katherine was gone. “Oh my gosh!” Savanna exclaimed. “What just happened?” Savanna’s siblings, Gracie, and Piper were nearby, so hearing their oldest sister shout, they rushed over. “What just happened?” Gracie asked. I just said that. Savanna thought in amusement, things like that often happen in a big family. She said, “Umm, honestly, I have no idea.” “Where’s Kaffwen?” Piper questioned, climbing atop Savanna’s lap and looking curiously at the laptop screen. Mrs. Croft, walking by with Zoe in one arm, and one of the boys’ toys which she was returning to their room in the other, happened to see the sisters talking excitedly together. She peeped into Savanna’s room, a puzzled look on her face. “What are you girls doing?” “Umm, Katherine just disappeared.” Savanna said in astonishment. “Oh, is the Zoom meeting glitched up?” “No, she literally disappeared, mama.” Mrs. Croft still looked just as confused as before. Samuel and Gideon, who were playing video games in the living room, heard a knock on the door. Big, red-haired, floppy-eared, Sadie, jumped off the couch from which she had been blending into, taking a nap, and began barking at whoever was at the door. Sweet, three-legged Charlie nimbly jumped off the couch and followed suite, but he didn’t like to bark that much. Everyone rushed to the door, not because they were expecting anyone in particular, after all, Mr. Croft wouldn’t be home for another few hours, but because, well, I don’t really have an explanation. Anyways... And who do you suppose was at the door? Why, it was Savanna’s dear friend, Katherine! “Katherine? How did you get here?” Mrs. Croft asked sweetly but confusedly as she looked about outside to see if she could spy the vehicle that had brought her here. Katherine’s face was beaming, and as though not hearing what Mrs. Croft had said (because likely she hadn’t for pure excitement), she addressed Savanna. “It works!” Savanna just nodded, but a smile broke loose upon her face and she and Katherine danced around in the yard laughing in utter happiness! The bookish-magic was real! It worked! Once the girls explained everything to Mrs. Croft and the rest of the Crofts, and then called up Katherine’s family to explain, the two were already planning where they would like to go next. “Wait, I’ve got it!” Katherine said decidedly. “Where?” Katherine held the book she had brought against her chest so Savanna couldn’t peek. “Just wait and see,” The friends linked arms so that the whooshing wouldn’t separate them and then they shut their eyes. Again, Katherine’s lips moved as she made her wish. The swirly-whirly, tornado-like occurrence began once more and after about a minute, it stopped. When Savanna opened her eyes, she found that she knew where she was immediately—Italy! But not just Italy—Verona, Italy, in one of the Christmas Markets! “Suprise!” Katherine exclaimed merrily. Savanna couldn’t say anything because she was simply too happy. The girls spent hours just walking along the stone streets, past the intricate and ancient tan buildings, and by the market stalls filled with handcrafted ornaments, snow globes, and the like. There were giant Christmas trees, and everyone seemed in a cheerful humor. “Buon Natale!” The Italians greeted in passing, the girls repeated the Merry Christmas and added a less-seasoned pronunciation of “E anche a te.” (and to you as well). “Ready to go?” Katherine asked the still starry-eyed Savanna. “What? Do we have to go anywhere else?” “Yup, I’ve got another Christmas surprise!” Katherine took out another book, wished, and whooooosh! When Savanna looked about, she was greeted by another place she knew and loved very much—Uganda! And there, running all about, were the adorable Ugandan kids that Savanna had learned to love very much in her past visits there. Savanna introduced Katherine to the kids and they all had a great time playing games like soccer, and more. Savanna told them she wished that she had brought some Christmas presents for them, but in broken English, they told her that her visit was the best present they could’ve gotten. After playing some more, Savanna and Katherine thought of where else they wanted to go. Eventually, the girls decided on going to Katherine’s Bath, England, where Jane Austen’s family home was located. So, using another book and picture, followed by yet another whooshing-swirling, they landed upon the cobbled streets of Bath. They toured the Jane Austen Centre which ended in the gift shop. Katherine nearly died for want of funds to buy out the shop of all its darling Jane Austen-merch. Finally, they agreed upon New Zealand—Hobbiton in Auckland, specifically. It was a dream come true for both of them. A Christmas miracle, so to speak. People cosplaying as the LOTR characters mingled about, and fans took pictures in front of the hobbit holes. It wasn’t nearly as pretty at this time of year, what with the snow and cold making it impossible for the flora to thrive as in the springtime, however, it was still lovely. Unlike the Magic Treehouse books, there was no treehouse transporting them places, and time actually passed in real-time, so as it neared sunset, the best friends decided to return to their families and spend the rest of their Christmas Eve at their church services. “Ready?” Savanna asked, seeing Katherine fumble around in the tote bag full of books she’d brought along. “Umm, yeah, just a sec...” If on a Winter’s Night a Traveller by Italo Calvino, which had gotten them to Italy, Uganda : The Land and Its People by Godfrey Mwakikagile which took them to Uganda, Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen which had taken them to England, and The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien which had delivered them to New Zealand, but no picture or journal was to be found. Savanna began to grow somewhat worried, and her suspicions were realized when Katherine turned up her head. A devastated look was upon her freckled face as she uttered “I’ve lost it!” A hobbit walked past, curiously observing the scene, and in so doing, almost running into a wooden signpost. Sheepishly he continued on his way. “No, that can’t be right, how would you have lost it?” Savanna questioned, unwilling to give up. “Here, let me look.” Katherine handed the tote to Savanna who looked through the bag, searching for the photo. “It must have flown out of my hands when I was transported to your house! The things must still be at my house! I’m really sorry, Savanna, I never meant for this to happen.” Both Katherine and Savanna sighed, discouraged. “It’s alright,” Savanna offered. “We’ll find another way to get back home, but how?” A swoon-worthy, elven guy (who was actually Orlando Bloom dressed up as Legolas for some random reason) walked up to the girls. “Are you damsels in distress?” He asked, in his Legolas voice. “Absolutely,” Katherine said, suddenly looking the opposite. “Can I be of assistance, in any way, fair maidens?” “Absolutely,” Katherine repeated dreamily. “Snap out of it,” Savanna nudged Katherine, trying to get her out of The Orlando Bloom Trance which his female fans know to be a true hazard when encountering him. “Come, I’ll buy you both a snack at The Green Dragon,” He gestured. Katherine nodded and followed him like a puppy dog. Savanna rolled her eyes, laughed, and followed along. The girls told Orlando of their plight, and eventually, because Orlando Bloom is magical, he was able to transport both the girls back to Savanna’s house in his private jet just in time for church. And of course, he was invited to stay for the Christmas Eve service, which he did. Afterward, he flew away in his jet back to his house in some super epic place like Arkansas (lol I have no idea where, and yes, I know Arkansas isn't epic😄). The next day, Katherine’s parents came to pick her up. Savanna and Katherine never forgot the most amazing, most spectacular Christmas adventure they’d ever had, but found that it was impossible to ever have one like it again because the bookish Christmas magic had worn off. Though they could still travel to different places in their minds while reading, they weren’t able to be transported there physically—without a plane ticket that is. Merry Christmas, @ǟ ɢɨʀʟ ռǟʍɛɖ ֆǟʋǟռռǟ! I can’t believe that we’ve been friends for so long! It’s crazy--crazy awesome! I hope and pray that we’ll be friends for many, many more! Love ya’, sister! Have a very merry Christmas!

See now, the brilliant colors which until now, you have never seen Taste now, the luscious fruits that until now, you've never tasted Embrace now the One Who loves you whom you have waited so long to feel This is joy--ah, yes, here in heaven there is real, lasting joy It fills you when you see, when you taste, when you touch, when you Hear now, the glorious sounds which until now, you've never heard Walk now, upon the soft greens that until now, you've never stepped on Talk now, to the ones who love you who you have missed for a long, long while This is joy--ah, yes, here in heaven there is real, lasting joy It fills you when you hear, when you walk, when you talk, when you Are forever in the presence of your Creator and Savior, Your God and King Yes, that is true joy I was inspired to write this after watching a movie from the 40s called Our Town, which you've probably never heard of. It's all about the small-town life--the community, the people; appreciating the little things that you often take for granted such as your loved ones, etc. Anyway, towards the end of the movie, one of the characters dies (turns out that her death was just her own dream though, so she didn't really die, but anywho...) and she is laid to rest in the old graveyard with the many others who have gone before her. There isn't however, any joy or celebration. There isn't a heaven or a hell--just the graveyard and her dreary inmates. She finds that she can relive old memories which only agonizes her as she cannot ever return to the land of the living. "I don't want to die! I don't want to die!" she sobs. That is when she wakes up and finds that she's still alive. That's also about the time when the movie ends. I thought that it was sad, their outlook on death. And yes, death is sad for those who do not have hope and faith in Christ, but we Christians have nothing to fear of death. There is, in fact, nothing drear or miserable or sad about a true Christan's death, for heaven is their new home and--oh, heaven is just splendid, my friends! We've been reading a devotional called "Imagine Heaven". It's filled with stories of people who have died for a few minutes (or in some cases much longer) and have gotten to glimpse the wonders of heaven. Heaven is better than anything you could imagine! And just in case you were wondering, no, you don't float around on clouds playing a harp. Heaven is full of so many new things that you'd never get bored or tired or wish you were back on Earth. In fact, God will be creating a new heaven and a new earth that are pure and amazing and more than all the positive adjectives I can think of! It's hard sometimes to think that there could be something better than here on earth, I used to think so. But all you need to do is get excited about heaven--read books like "Imagine Heaven" or "The Chronicles of Narnia"--particularly "The Last Battle". Get hyped just as if you were going to Disney World, or you fill in the blank, and invite as many people to go with you as you can! Make heaven crowded y'all, 'cause only there, is there true joy!