Holy Father, after so many years of reading the sacred writings and waiting for You to fulfill the prophecies, the time has come for me! I thank You for finally calling me to do Your work. I obeyed Your will to be baptized by Cousin John. You filled me with Your Spirit and I am overjoyed that You spoke and called me Your son, Your beloved! Thank You, holy Father!

You have brought me into the wilderness to strengthen my dependence on You. Believe me, I do depend on Your love and care.

However, I am troubled.

From the writings, I have learned all that was prophesied about me. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because the Lord has anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.”

But I’m a man. I can’t do these great things prophesied about me.

Fear not, for I am with you. Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

Remember the stories of Moses, Elijah, Elisha. They were men who did great things because I was with them. My hand was with them. In the same way, My hand will be with you, working through you.

 Father, the pain in these people’s lives! Not only the aches of their diseases, their crippledness, their blindness. There are the sorrows of their guilts, their separations, their fears! How am I to bear all that?

 Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. Yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.

You must experience all that with them. How else can they know that the Almighty sympathizes with their troubles?

Their leaders will hate me. A close companion will betray me! From my reading of the psalms, I can tell they will put me on a cross! Father, the rejection!

And so they have rejected Me. They have refused to acknowledge My love and care for them. They refused to depend on Me to meet their needs and so went their own ways. They hurt themselves and other people in the process. You must show them the better way.

Again, I will be with you until the end. The Spirit will strengthen you to bear it all. This is why I sent you.

 Oh, Father! All the filth of everyone’s sin will be on me! All Your anger at everyone’s rebellion will be on me! You will loathe me!

 Profound sorrow fills My heart. I must sacrifice My beloved son just as Abraham almost sacrificed his because he loved and trusted Me. And you, My son, must love and trust me just as Isaac did his father.

Yes, Father, I love You and trust You. From My mother’s womb You have been My God. I know the love You have for all the people of the world and I love them, too. I will trust and obey Your will.

Some years ago, I started to write the story of Mary Magdalene. I composed an outline of events, wrote various scenes…and received criticism that my ideas were unrealistic. I set the story aside and went to other things.

I recently discovered that Steve Copeland has beaten me to publication and with a more realistic book. I enjoyed it immensely.

Mary Magdalene: A Woman Who Loved read like a cross between the Gospels of Mark and John and a modern novel. Several subplots wove toward the climax of Jesus’s crucifixion and resurrection. They depicted as much sinking into sin and finding forgiveness and love from the God/Man as they showed His healing the sick and raising the dead. The subplots also followed the machinations of the Pharisees and the rulers of the Temple against this troublesome prophet. In addition, the author had prominent Jewish followers (Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus, for example) and Mary herself, searching prophecies to discover that Jesus was, indeed, the Messiah.

Two things bothered me, however, about Copeland’s writing. One was his improper use of commas. Consistently, he failed to set proper names and nouns apart when someone spoke to that person. “Thank you for the wine my friend…” was the first example. Moments later, “In any case, enjoy your beloved Israel my friend.” Such a glaring mistake jarred me from reading enjoyment until I could ignore it.

Second, the author called the main character Mary of Magdalene instead of Mary the Magdalene or Mary of Magdala.

On the other hand, his words in describing her release from demon possession moved me deeply. Time and again, he described the profound gratitude and love of those Jesus helped with His healings.

Here’s an excerpt about a paralyzed boy and his parents:

And then her neighbours were near the centre and some men were helping to pull the cart over the ground to where Jesus was waiting. The couple was standing together. He was sober and holding his wife, his unshaven face dark and expressionless. She was holding her hand to her mouth. She looked terrified. At that moment Mary’s heart began to melt as she saw the unmasked hope in these people who dared to bring their son.

Jesus went to the cart. She saw his face. His expression was full of determination and compassion. He placed his hand on the boy’s head and then for a moment lifted his gaze to the watching parents. His face softened into a slight smile and his eyes sparkled with sheer joy as the boy straightened his crooked limbs. The mother gasped and cried out as her husband held her for fear her legs would collapse beneath her.

Jesus took the boy’s hand and helped him to turn towards him. Then the boy sat up and looked directly at his parents. He was stretching out his arms and legs, and making little circles with his hands.

“Come,” Jesus said to them gently, “behold your son.”

The boy’s father lifted him off the cart and stood him on the ground.

He was taller than Mary imagined he would be. He was a little shaky on his legs at first, his thin limbs taking weight for the first time. With his father’s help he began to walk. People were raising their hands in prayer and calling out praises to God.

His mother rushed to her son and lifted him in her arms, tears of pure joy streaming from her face. She hugged him tightly, looking past him to Jesus and nodding her thanks. The boy was almost as tall as her.

Mary wept. She felt both joy and sorrow and she couldn’t explain why. They were walking towards her, slowly, hand in hand with their son who was becoming more and more confident on his new-found legs. Mary moved around to the other side of the tree until they passed. They were laughing, full of love and thankfulness.

Readers can download this story from Barnes & Noble here. They could read it online at Scribd.com. They can also find it at Smashwords.

I think this is one of those books put out for free that would sell well at a modest cost.

While doing research for my current work in progress, I came upon some interesting information about cities of refuge in ancient Israel. From ancient times and all over the world, cultures have allowed the killing of a person to be avenged, no matter the circumstances of the killing.

The ancient Israelites understood the idea of an avenger of blood so well that scriptures do not explain it. The Law merely allows for cities of refuge among the tribes.

Interesting fact: Moses and Joshua told the Israelites to establish six cities of refuge, three on the east side of the River Jordan, three on the west. (A lot of what we now call the nation of Jordan was once the territory of the eastern tribes of Israel.)

These six cities became refuges for those who accidentally killed another. If murderous intent could be shown, the killer was to be sent out of the city where the avenger of blood waited.

Fact: If murderous intent could not be proved through the testimony of at least two witnesses, the killer was allowed – nay, had – to stay within the safety of the city walls. He or she could not leave even to attend the three mandatory festivals of worship. That person was cut off from the community of faith.

Final interesting fact: “…until the death of the high priest. ” Four times the Law stipulates that the death of the high priest set killers free to return to their home towns. Since the refugee could not safely go to the Tabernacle in Shiloh or the Temple in Jerusalem to sacrifice a lamb, Yahweh provided another means to free them.

Isn’t it interesting that Messiah took every part in the sacrifice to cover sin? He was the Lamb of God who took away every person’s sin, as John the Baptizer said. He was also the High Priest who took the blood of His sacrifice into the Holy of Holies as the writer of Hebrews said. Finally, Messiah was the High Priest who died so that even killers may be set free.

 

I shook my head as I examined the under side of my leather belt. The stitching across the end that folded over to hold the buckle was nearly gone. It looked as though one good tug would break the remaining strands.

I asked a couple friends if they did leather work or could recommend someone who did. Juli told me about good friends in a nearby city. Al mentioned a shop in town. Both friends said the cost would likely be more than the value of the belt. I could see their point, especially for gas to go to the nearby city.

However, I liked the belt. It fit me well. And I don’t like to discard something just because it’s flawed if there’s some way to fix it.

How like the Redeemer.

Motivated by love, the Lord God made all of Creation to house Humanity, whom He created as a companion for His Son. Humanity became flawed. Some of us hold on only by a few threads. We certainly don’t seem worth the cost to fix us.

Yet, God sent Messiah to an Earth far removed from home, at least morally. The Anointed One lived humbly among flawed Humanity. The Redeemer took on excruciating torture, gave up His life, and went through a Hell of torment to return to the Father a Humanity no longer hanging by a thread. All this, motivated by love.

As the song by Rick Founds says,

You came from Heaven to Earth

to show the way

From the Earth to the Cross

my debts to pay

From the Cross to the Grave

From the Grave to the sky

Lord, I lift Your name on high

What have you been unwilling to throw out, wishing to somehow redeem it? Have you let the Redeemer touch your life with His love and mercy?

Herman Cain’s father, Luther, wanted ownership of his own home, his version of the American dream. According to the free December 2011 issue of Newsmax magazine, he saved money from three jobs, one of which included being chauffer for the president of Coca-Cola. Luther Cain asked his boss for part of his pay in company stock…and got it. As the stock’s value increased, he eventually quit one job then another and paid cash for his dream home.

That is my version of the American dream. Luther Cain was wise enough to realize that saving income from three jobs wouldn’t be enough; he had to own a piece of the rock. Business ownership – capital investment – is the best way to lift people out of poverty.

Yes, poor people need jobs so they can rely on their own efforts to have income. They particularly need to save to buy the big-ticket items that drive our economy. They also need to buy into business ownership, whether proprietor- or partnership or through the purchase of stock that pays dividends. This will lift them out of soul-smothering poverty and dependence on others.

 

On a cool, crisp autumn afternoon, gray clouds flowed across the sky, bringing a promise of rain later in the evening. A light breeze ruffled the last fall of leaves that thinly carpeted the back lawn.

Two fathers wished to spend time with their adult children. Father A invited his kids to come over and watch the Big Game on his television. He even told them to invite friends. None of them watched the game much but they had a good time.

Father B got out his lawn rake and leaf blower to move the carpet of leaves into a pile in the corner of the lawn. He didn’t want the coming rain to turn the leaves into a carpet of mulch.

As he worked, Father B wished his children had come to work alongside him. They could have had fun and celebrated a job completed together. How like Father God with His children, he thought. He has important work in the world He wants His kids to do and so often they go off and have fun instead.

So, tell me. Which was the better father?

November is definitely not a good month for National Novel Writing Month – at least for me. It turns out too many other important things occur in November for me to give enough attention to 50,000 words of a new novel.

For one thing, at work we have open enrollment and everyone is allowed to update or change health insurance coverage and other benefits. This year, the company decided to shop for better rates and went with a different health insurance company. In addition, my household has shrunk to myself, an old dog, and a young cat.

Son Nicholas, who also works for the factory, will be getting his own insurance. He has also moved to a tiny house with another young man. Son Harrison is still at college and needs help paying for medications.

This has meant researching the full costs of medications (for a high-deductible health savings account) and whether certain doctors are part of the new health network.

For another thing, a friend has counseled me to get my finances in order with a budget, pay off debts, and get money into savings for emergencies. Only then, he said, should I concern myself with writing stories that don’t produce income. “…yet,” I responded. I still intend to make my novels – if not my short stories – financially productive.

So I have been exploring and trying out various money management applications from the Internet. I have also been rethinking how I plan the use of my current income. I downloaded the Splasm Checkbook and Budget by Snowmint Creative Solutions. Setting these up has taken time for thought and implementation.

Finally, leaves need to be blown together (several times) and carted to the street for pick-up by the city. In addition, with the house nearly empty, the time has come for me to sort through and distribute or store away all the stuff I don’t use much. This certainly goes for my late wife’s clothes and accessories.

All of these important activities have gotten in the way of writing. I have done some of that but not nearly as much as needed to make the 50K goal. I will continue writing. I still intend to get a lousy first draft of this novel completed then turn to finishing the Joshua and Caleb story.

I have set myself a deadline to get something published and into the market by the end of May next year. If I cannot manage that, I’ll have to rethink being a professional novelist.

My only hope is that I see God continuing to move in the circumstances of my life. The hymn Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me looks like a good sentiment right now.

 

Without the pursuit of dreams – however impractical – you do not live, you merely exist. Dreams are given by God, I believe, so you will do your part in His great goals, the build-up of His kingdom around the Earth and the maturing of a queenly Bride for His Son.

However, unless you are a Kennedy or a Gates, you must have a way to pay the bills. Though the dream is vital, having an income is required for the freedom to pursue it. Find a means of income – the returns on capital investments or a job you can enjoy (or at least tolerate). Find fun or satisfaction in that source of income. Spend money wisely. Save for hard times and for investment in your dream.

Only then, can you pursue your dream…and find ways to make it profitable, as well. That may sound like crass commercialism – a mercenary approach to sharing the results of your dream. This seems to be the attitude of the Apostle Peter when Simon the Sorcerer sought to buy the power to convey the Holy Spirit on others.

However, you still need income to pay the bills. Ministers of the gospel receive salaries though they offer God’s free gift of grace. Making an income from your dream allows you to leave a job you don’t like or merely tolerate. Also, putting a price on the products of your dream signals to buyers that you value your works. They will be less apt to toss them aside as worthless.

My own dream is to have my novels published and sold worldwide so people will enjoy good reading and learn the ways of Yahweh. However, I must work at a factory job to pay the bills.

I enjoy various positive aspects of my employment there. Meanwhile, I also work on building up a backlist (inventory?) of stories that I can eventually sell. I also pay for how-to books and invest time in reading blogs to learn the ways and means of marketing my writings.

Getting my writings out into the world for people to read requires that I market them – something I don’t wish to do. Marketing experts say, though, that marketing is at least half of a writer’s business, especially once a backlist is built up.

So, I’m working at finishing my various novels. (NaNoWriMo will give me the opportunity to start the last of my series set in ancient Israel.) After November, I’ll set Jubilee aside and finish Joshua and Caleb, the first in the series. Then I think I’ll rework Devil’s Brew with a new James Henry.

Then comes the marketing.

What are your dreams? Do you have adequate income to pursue them? How might you create streams of income from fulfilling your dreams?

The leaders in the non-denominational church I attend do not perform the full range of duties most people would expect of someone with the title of pastor. If the need arose, they could do the work of apostles, prophets, evangelists, and teachers. Others labor at administration, coordinate Sunday School, and provide money for special needs. More than anything, however, our elders are pastors. They do the work of caring for God’s people.

Matt is a spiritual mentor to a few people. As one of the elders, he helps lead the church but another holds the post of Head Elder.

Matt led a small home group for several years, hosting my wife and me and others until I had to work evenings. Donna continued to attend and received teaching and encouragement, especially during her illness with cancer. During her final days in the hospital, Matt and his wife (and others) prayed and worshipped with her.

Matt helped us family members through the decision to let Donna go and stayed with us after her demise. Matt and his wife were a big part of God-with-us throughout out that whole period.

This is what a pastor does. Thank you, Matt.

 

Who looks after you when you go through hard times?

Does that person of persons show how much God loves you?

 

 

 

 

In Part 1 of this series, I explain the goal of writing 50,000 words of a new novel during November (National Novel Writing Month). A major challenge of NaNoWriMo is the amount of time it takes to get down 50K words in some semblance of a novel. Yes, it need be only a lousy first draft but it should be complete enough to tell most of the story.

Professional writers might spend eight hours a day, six days a week, producing 1923 words each of twenty-six days. (I value Sundays as a day of rest.) That’s only a touch over 240 words each of eight hours. Taking Thanksgiving off for family, a professional writer still needs only 250 words an hour or 2000 in eight hours times twenty-five days. That doesn’t sound like much with adequate preparation beforehand.

Most NaNoWriMo participants, however, work elsewhere to make a living. Assume nine hours to commute to the job, perform it, and return; more time with the family; still more to sleep and meet other needs. A writer might have only five hours a day to give to writing. Five hours times twenty-five days equals 125 hours to pound out 50K words. That’s four hundred words per hour. That seems like quite a challenge.

OK, let’s add another three hours each of eight weekend days (Saturday and Sunday). Twenty-four hours plus the 125 above and add an extra hour sometime to round up to 150 hours spent writing. That comes to 333.3 words per hour. Still sounds like a lot. As I said, it’s a major challenge.

For myself, I have arranged to take vacation from my factory job during the first and second full weeks of November. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of those weeks will give me six full days for writing. A final vacation day the next Wednesday, followed by Thanksgiving weekend, will give me another three or four full days. In all, I’ve scheduled for myself almost 70 three-hour work sessions over the course of the month. My calculations work out to almost 840 words needed per session or 280 words per hour.

I’ll be spending a lot of time in October, preparing my outline and planning each scene. Once I – finally! –  start the actual writing, I expect the words will flow quickly at first. Later in the month, I suppose I’ll have to dig deep for material as the storehouse gets low. Again, that’s part of the challenge.

Once I succeed, though, what a feeling of accomplishment! More than receiving a certificate of Winner, I’ll have the satisfaction of knowing another novel is out of my head and on paper or computer file.

How would you schedule writing time in your life? What would you set aside during the month of November in order to meet the 50K-word goal?