Wednesday, December 26, 2012

A Review: Dracula

Dracula by Bram Stoker
 
 
In this novel, Jonathan Harker visits Count Dracula's castle on a quick business trip. But he quickly finds out that the Count is no ordinary man, and behind his sauve, kind demeanor is a threatening, blood-thirsty desire for those around him. Will Jonathan Harker be able to escape the castle alive? And if he does, will he find the Count in London wrecking havoc on those he loves?
 
 
Vampires. Love. Adventure. What more could a story possibly need to be good? This novel was surprisingly easy to read, despite its older language. It is written in journal entries and letters, which is interesting and helps the story to move along faster. The plot was well thought out, but towards the end I was growing bored with the story and knew what would happen.
 
Overall, it was a good novel, though I wouldn't recommend reading it at night if you scare easily. Did I mention it has vampires in it? And these are no Twilight, "I won't drink your blood because I love you" vampires (although I like that kind, too). It is a great read, and one of the classics I didn't have to struggle through. 

Saturday, December 15, 2012

War on Christmas

Is there a war on Christmas? We were talking about this a little bit in one of my classes the other day, and personally, I don't think it's a war on Christmas as much as it is on Christ. Satan and the world want to rip him away from Christmas and make it just about gifts, just about ourselves.

No other holidays from other religions receive the emotional drama that Christmas and Easter do, to my knowledge. Some people want to remove nativities from public places and say "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas". This is the same fight our nation has had about changing the pledge of allegiance and taking "In God We Trust" off our bills.

Should we as followers of Christ be surprised by any of this? Jesus said all who follow him will be persecuted and hated; just look at Christ and the disciples. Followers of Jesus in other nations are literally being killed, scorned, and imprisoned for there faith, while the battle in America is much more subtle, coming through lies in the media, government, and ourselves, right where it catches us the most: selfishness and pride.

Sometimes I think it would be easier to be a follower of Christ in a country where you could be killed for him. There, you have to follow him wholeheartedly or not and usually know for sure who Satan is using to fight against Christ. I wouldn't know for sure though, because I've never lived in a place like that. Even if it would be easier, it would be more frightening. But believers in these countries are forced to trust Christ in all things, and these trials strengthen their faith brilliantly. Someday our nation will be at this violent stage. Are we ready? Will we be bold for him like Paul?

It's so easy to forget Jesus and the reason he came not only at Christmas, but every day. Praise God that he won't let Satan or our flesh tear Christ from our souls or make us forget him completely!

What are some ways we can fight this war for Christ? And please keep those who are suffering for Jesus in your prayers this Christmas (and after that too). I hope everyone finds joy in the celebration of the birth of the King of Kings and his ultimate resurrection!

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Radical Faith

So at my church we were studying being a dangerous church like the believers in Acts for a while. My pastor told us an incredible true story last week about a man he knew in Fiji.

This man who lived in Fiji one day heard the Lord speaking to him through the Holy Spirit to go and share the gosple in Japan. The man answered, "Okay, I'll go. Let me just book a flight there and start raising money."

But God told him to go now, so the man replied that he just needed to get a change of clothes and some money. But the Spirit was insistent in him and said there was a taxi waiting for him outside.

So without a change of clothes, money, a plane ticket, or probably even a passport, the man walks out of his house in Fiji and into the taxi.

On the way to the airport the man explained to the driver that he didn't have any money. The driver understood and let him go without being paid.

At the airport the man walked up to the counter and told the lady he's flying to Japan today. She looked at her computer and said, "You're not in here, so you're not flying anywhere today." So the man sat down and prayed like crazy, thinking he himself was insane.

A while later the woman walked up to him and gave him a boarding pass. So he got on the plane (don't know the details, sorry) and an American was waiting for him in Japan, expressing his delight in having someone help build a church. They had been praying for someone to come for a long time.



All I can say to this story is wow! I often wonder why God doesn't do crazy awesome things like this in my life, and I think it's because I'm not sensitive to His spirit or taking those risks for Him.

How can we live dangerously for Christ in our daily lives? Do you have any ideas/suggestions?

Friday, November 30, 2012

A Review: Just Ella

Just Ella by Margaret Peterson Haddix
 


 
 
What happens when happily ever after is actually not very happy? Ella is a Cinderella who won the Prince by accident and is living in the castle, relieved not to have to scrub her stepmother's floors, waiting to marry the handsome Prince.
 
But with each passing day, the castle feels more like a prison, and Ella doesn't fit in with the daintiness and restrictions pressed on her.
 
Ella soon realizes the life she thought she wanted may not be in a beautiful castle married to a wonderful Prince, but escaping her engagement proves more dangerous and exciting than she first thought.
 
 
 
This was one of my favorite novels when I was younger. It's a fast, easy read, and though it's aimed for middle-schoolers, I still love jumping back into Ella's world. Although I don't like it as much as Gail Carson Levine's Ella Enchanted and Two Princesses of Bimarre, it is an interesting, unique twist on the old Cinderella tale.  
 
Margaret Peterson Haddix is the author of the Among the Hidden series. You can check out more about her and her books on her website here. 
 
What interesting books have you guys been reading lately? And it's almost Christmas!! What books, if any, are on your wish list? Mine is the Matched series by Ally Condie; I'm so excited to read them all!

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Gobble Gobble!

Happy early Thanksgiving!! I don't know if I'll be able to post before Thursday, so I am doing it now. Thanksgiving is such a great time to praise God for things you are grateful for, that you usually don't think about. So here are 20 things I praise my Savior for (in no particular order):

1. Being able to go home for Thanksgiving
2. My family
3. Christ's tortuous death and glorious resurrection!
4. Warm showers (especially after being without them for several weeks in Mongolia)
5. Friends
6. Laughter
7. Imagination
8. God's forgiveness and love (does this count as two?)
9. Books that keep you thinking about them long afterwards
10. My job
11. Mountains
12. Yummy, home-cooked food
13. Tears (or else I would just explode...)
14. Chai, esp. on a cold, rainy day
15. Stories
16. The Church Body
17. Biking
18. Autumn colors
19. Music
20. God's love letters to his people

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Move D.C!

So, I'm in this group on campus called Bella Joy. They work with woman in sex trafficking, but also help with other organizations. One group they help is called Invisible Children, which is connected with the Kony 2012 campaign. Anyone heard of it?

Kony 2012 and Invisible Children is a group started a few years ago to raise awareness about the children in Africa (mostly Uganda) who are forced to fight in a war commanded by General Kony. The war has been going on for many years, and the children in Kony's army are brainwashed and forced to kill innocent people. The children who live in the country or small towns walk to the village every night to sleep in order not to be taken to fight.

Move. D.C is an event Invisible Children is putting together November 17th to raise greater awareness for this horrible problem in Africa and enlist the help of the nation's leaders. On the 17th, thousands of people in support of Invisible Children will walk around the capital in D.C, lobbying for those who cannot speak up. What an awesome opportunity to speak up for justice and truth! The event is free, and the Kony 2012 website has a lot of information on where to stay, eat, and how to get to D.C on their website. Check it out!

Some people from our club our going, and I wish I could, but it's right before Thanksgiving break. Keep this event in your thoughts and prayers though, and rememer the children in Africa who are forced to kill their loved ones and are living in a kind of Hell. What can you do, where you are, to stand up for truth and justice? Not only for these children, but for other people too?

Who will shine Christ's love in his life of death and despair?

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Happy Early Halloween!

I just realized that this is only my second post in October. Yikes! I try to write once a week, then something comes up, and I just don't get around to it. I'll try to be better about it, but sometimes I feel like I have nothing that important to say.

Anyways, since it's almost Halloween, here is my version of a 'ghost' story. And don't worry, it's clean and not even scary. Enjoy!

A House of Glass



          “This’ll be great!” Aaron says next to me. “I’ll bet there are loads of haunted things in there.”

            I look up at the house that’s just a shadow against the half-light of the moon. The entire rotted wooden frame leans to the side, as if longing for its existence to be over, and the broken glass in the windows grin crookedly like jack-o-lantern teeth.

            “Yes,” I remark, listening to the trees on either side of us rasp in the wind. “It’ll be much more fun than going to a haunted house and being chased by guys in gorilla suits holding chain saws.” I chuckle, remembering last year’s silly Halloween outing.

            “Let’s go in,” Matt says behind me. “I’m getting cold.”

            So, in a trio, we walk over the cracked sidewalk, open the weather-weary door, and enter the ghost of a house.

            The wood floor creaks under our feet and the whole house shutters in the gusts of angry wind. We’ve entered a kind of entry way with torn wallpaper and a bare light-bulb that probably wouldn’t give off much light if it was still working.

            “This place is sweet. Let’s check out this room first,” Aaron strides into a room to our right, and Matt and I follow a bit more timidly.

            “Wow,” Matt says once we enter the dark room, and I nod in agreement.

            Every wall is covered with a sheet of glass like still lake water. Only the ceiling and floor are wood.

            Aaron walks up to a wall and gazes at it, his breath misting the smooth surface. “Look, guys, you can see the other room.”

            I walk up to the wall and peer through. Sure enough, on the other side of the glass is the empty entry way we just left.

            “Cool,” I remark. “I wonder if all the other rooms are like this. And if so, why would you want to live in a house of glass?”

            “You wouldn’t have any privacy, that’s for sure,” Matt replies, looking through the opposite wall. “The room through here is exactly the same as this one. How strange.”

            I step back and a flash of red catches my eye. I glance at the wall cattycorner to me and see nothing.

            My heart beginning to run, I walk to the glass wall and gaze long and hard at it. There’s a room identical to this one on the other side. While gazing at the empty room for any sign of red, a gruesome, wolf-like face with bright red eyes and finger-long teeth appears.

            I gasp and step back, looking anywhere but in the room on the other side of the glass.

            “What is it?” Matt asks, coming to stand by me.

            “Nothing,” I reply, not wanting to seem scared. “Where’s Aaron?”

            Matt glances around. “I’m not sure. I’ll go look for him.” He leaves through the door to the entryway, and I walk silently to the other door that I guess leads to the room where I saw the creature.

            I open the door slowly, my hands slick with sweat and the hairs raised on the back of my neck.

            I see nothing through the crack in the door, so I creep into the glass room.

            The fearsome beast is nowhere to be seen. I glance at the black glass, noticing nothing unusual.

            Then, wondering if I look as frightened as I feel, I step closer to one wall. I don’t look through the glass to the next room, but at it.

            I yell and jump back.

            The beast is on the other side of the mirror again, but now its entire body is in sight.

            It is standing on two shaggy legs, with its other two legs still beside it. Rusty red blood saturates its fur, but even more startling is the hate gleaming at me through its red eyes.

            My mouth opens in horror and the creature stretches it mouth wide, revealing its scissor-sharp teeth and blood-stained tongue.

            I take a step back, sure the evil creature will attack any moment, strong enough to shatter the glass. And sure enough, it takes a step toward me.

            Then, like the bursting of an artery, the terrible truth hits me.

            The beast is me.

           

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Lindsey Stirling, Anyone?

So, my brother and some of his friends came up for a Lindsey Stirling concert here Wednesday. It was super great to see him. And, of course, the concert was awesome. If you have not heard about Lindsey Stirling, type her into Youtube and see some of her homewade, crazy cool videos. You can also check her webpage out here.

But who is this girl, you might ask? She's a woman who plays the violin and dances at the same time. She likes to do hip-hop music, and all of her music is original. She went on Dancing with the Stars and got chewed up at the final. But she just released her first CD and is touring all over the country, hence the concert I went to on Wednesday. She's very talented and cute and fun. Check her out if you're interested.

I think it's so cool that she has pursued her desires, even when people told her not to, and it might seem strange that her profession is playing the violin in a hip-hop way while dancing. But if God has given us talents and passions, we should pursue them with all our might and become the best so He gets the glory (this last part is easier said than done; so often I want the glory!) So, what passions/desires/gifts has God given you? It could be as simple as being a mother, or as crazy as being an underwater basket weaver.

And, because everyone loves pics, here are some of the hike I went on with some people from CCU (notice the snow; it was freezing!) And because I'm dumb, I forgot to take my camera with me to the Lindsey Stirling concert :).



Sunday, September 30, 2012

A Review: Sold

Sold by Patricia McCormick
 
SoldThis novel is about a thirteen-year-old girl named Lakshmi who lives in a small mountain village in Nepal. Although her family is poor, she enjoys the small pleasures in her life.

Then Lakshmi's family is left without the little they have, and her step-father takes her to a beautiful stranger from the city. But the stranger is not who she says she is, and Lakshmi ends up as a prostitue in India. Will she ever see her mother again or the mountains guarding her village home?

This story was gripping and deeply moving. Although it's fiction, it is based on fact and opened my eyes to the horrors of sex trafficking that is still going on today to unknowing children and their sometimes unkowning families.

I highly recommend this story to anyone who is interested in sex trafficking, but especially to those who don't know anything about it. It is a quick, raw look at the horrible business occurring all over the world. I will say that the ending did not leave me feeling fulfilled, but maybe it was written that way, as my sister said, to lead us to action. Read this story! Then tell me what you did about it. :)

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Prancing in the Public Sphere

Today and tomorrow at my school, Colorado Christian University, we are having a Symposium about Christians in the public sphere. This basically just means that a lot of speakers talk about engaging in politics and in public ideas in general.

I thought it was going to be boring at first, and it did get dull this morning after an hour and a half, but I'm glad they're forcing us to go. It's sad how many people, especially Christians, are not involved in this often nasty, warring public area of life. I am guilty of this, esp. over the last few years in college. I am ashamed to admit I do not know much about this Presidential campaign and have not been following what's happening in the world as I should be. 

So I understand why Christians shy away from politics and other public ideological areas. Who wants to be called a bigot and hate-filled person? People have a negative attitude on followers of Christ today. But why should this surprise us? Christ said everyone who wants to live a godly life will be persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12).

Christ was not ashamed or afraid to stand up for the truth, and I think it is our duty as his servants to stand for that truth and shine his light in a way that is respectful and caring of others. People may not care about politics persay, but they probably do care about their freedoms. I

f we as believers connect to others who have different beliefs than we do and try to figure out why they believe that way instead of getting angry at them, we will earn more respect in the public sphere. If Christians back away from these hot topics and difficult ideas, who will take our place? I want to stand confidently on the truth of God's word and listen humbly to others in this heated time for our country. I don't serve the government or myself, but the King of the Universe, and I want to live in a way that makes him look good and glorious to those around me. We are to be his salt and light in this world, and if we don't stand up, there will only be darkness left.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Italiano Festivalio and Hiking

I don't have much to say today, just working on school and debating nearly every second if God truly wants me to be a teacher or not. So, who wants to look at more pictures?! Everyone loves pics, right?

Last weekend I went to the Italian Festival which was a lot of fun. There was a lot of Italian food you could buy as well as shirts and other items. My favorite part, though, was the flag throwers who came all the way from Florence. And man, were some of them good-looking! :) I also went on a hike today up in Golden Gate Canyon State Park, where it looked like the trees were on fire because the aspens were turning yellow. Our God's awesome, is he not?





Thursday, September 6, 2012

Sister Fun

It's been hard adjusting back to school; more difficult than I thought it would be. This might be due to my continued drop in care of grades and classes. But these last few days haven't been all work. My sister came in town this last weekend (Labor Day Weekend) to celebrate my 21st birthday, which was Tuesday, September 4th. Here are some pictures of our time together: (which included hiking up to a glacier and eating at the Cheescake Factory)
 






Hope your Labor Day Weekend was as fun as mine!

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Home

I'm leaving tomorrow for Denver, CO for yet another semester of school at the lovely, tiny campus of Colorado Christian University. Moving into an apartment requires even more packing than moving into a dorm.

All the stuffing of clothes, books, bedding, cookery, etc. into boxes is one of the hardest parts of college, because you have to do it almost every year until you move somewhere off campus. I should be a packing pro by now, and I definintely know by now that rolling is better than folding.

Although all the packing and moving is annoying and exhausting, it has reminded me that nowhere on this Earth is truly my 'home'. My home is in Heaven, with the Lord, and how grateful I am that he wants me to live with him forever! I am so excited to taste the food that will be better than anything on this earth, hear music that brings tears of joy to my face, and ultimately dance in the prescence of my King!

But it is so easy to forget that this Earth is not our home. It is, after all, where we are living now, and everything in it yaps and yells at us to buy more, relax more, and make ourselves comfortable here. I definitely follow the world and listen to it more than I should. But thank the Lord Jesus that he won't stop pursuing me!! So world, flesh, and Satan, I have a few words for you: YOU ARE NOT MY LOVER, JESUS CHRIST IS, AND HE WILL BRING INTO HIS EMBRACE SOMEDAY. UNTIL THEN, I WILL FIGHT YOU IN HIS STRENGTH. So there! :) Let us gaze on Jesus, and be so in love with him that the darkness in this earth flees from us and people flock to his light in our souls.

Colossians 3:1-2 "Therfore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your heart on things above, not on things that are on earth."

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Akiane: Child Prodigy

I first heard about Akiane this last semester in my Creative Writing class. My teacher said she was a child prodigy and showed us some of her paintings, and I was so intrigued I went home and looked her up online.
 
What I saw blew me away. She is a self-taught artist who started painting by the age of around four. And even then, her paintings were far, far above her age. Some of her paintings are from visions she has about God and Heaven, like the one below on the left, others are just about life and people she has met. She explains the meanings behind some of her paintings and the visions on her website and in her biography. 
 
Her family was athiest until one day, when she was four, Akiane came up to her mother and said she had met God. Her parents had never talked about God before, so they were surprised she knew what that word even met. All of her family now believes in God and his son, Jesus Christ.
 
Although her paintings are amazing and beautiful, Akiane also writes poetry, which she also began to write when she was very young. Many of them, if not all, are like the visions because she sees the words in her head and they come out perfect the first time she writes the poem out. The poems are lovely, but hard for me to understand. They are on her website with her paintings.
 
Akiane has donated and sold many of her paintings. She has been on many T.V. shows (including Oprah) and has met many famous people. God is using her in incredible ways, even though we probably do not understand them all.
 
The story of this child prodigy raises many questions in my mind. Why did God give her such talent? Why does he allow some people to see visions and not others? This makes me think of the prophets back in the Old Testament. Why did he choose some and not others? The workings of the Lord will always be a mystery to us, but I still can't help wrestling with these questions.
 
If you would like to learn more about Akiane and see more of her works, you can visit her at: http://www.artakiane.com/
 
(Most of my information was from her biography, Akiane: her life, her art, her poetry and her webstite)  
 


She painted this when she was 11                                                                 15 years old

 
                                                                     12 years old



Monday, August 13, 2012

Uglies, Pretties, Specials by Scott Westerfeld


This series is about a girl named Tally who lives in a world where everyone has an operation at the age of 16 to make them 'pretty'. Tally can't wait for the operation and for the fun to begin. But Tally's friend, Shay, doesn't want to be pretty and thirsts for a life where she is valued for what she looks like as she is. Shay does something unexpected, and Tally must find her friend or never be pretty. But the operation is not what it seems, and Tally must decide if being pretty is worth the cost she would have to pay to be like everyone else.  

 

The next two books in the series, Pretties and Specials, follow Tally as she fights to keep her identity in this futuristic, controlling world and remembers that who you are is more than what you look like.



These dystopian novels are intriguing and exciting. The first one was a bit slow and the plot obvious at some points. But the pace picks up in Pretties and Specials and these latter books have more twists and turns so that you are always wondering what will happen next. They are great books with thought-provoking ideas and some romance, but not so much that I wanted to throw up :).

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Poetry, Anyone?

I do not have anything exciting to say today (haven't visited any foreign countries in the last week), and am not ready to post a book review. So how about some lovely poetry? This is the sonnet I wrote in Creative Writing last semester. I thought writing a sonnet would be hard, and it was, but it was more fun and easier than I originally believed it'd be.

Sick
My roomate has a forest in her room,
tons of plants that sway, hang and respirate.
Gnats will bring a slender plant to its doom;
the tiny creatures have planted its fate.
The sick stalk now sits in a paper bag,
awaiting the young doctor's prognosis.
Its complaints go unheard and its leaves sag;
my friend's anger, like bubbles, starts to fizz.
I watch all this with humor from my perch,
amazed at the power the small gnats hold,
when a random, clanging thouht makes me lurch,
its clarity ringing like a bell tolled.
     I'm sick, not from gnats, but from hidden sin,
     and who will cure me and the rest of men?

Is anyone brave enough to admit they write poetry? I wish I wrote it more often; it can be so beautiful.

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Left My Heart in Mongolia...

This is a picture of the crazy highschool students I taught at the second half of camp. The first half of camp I taught middle schoolers, and they were not as crazy, but still fun. Each camp was about two weeks long. In-between the two camps, we went back to UB and experienced the Mongolian holiday, Naadam. It was awesome, as the whole trip was. During Naadam, we got to see horse races in the country (they were all 5-10 year olds riding a several kilometer race!), see big, fat men wrestling, and some archery.

Some of the highlights of the trip: seeing some of the students become interested in God and want a relationship with Him, washing my clothes and hair in the freezing river, my highschool students singing me a song at the end of class after I wanted to pummel all of them for talking, and living life with my teammates. It was an awesome trip, and most of me wants to still be in that vast, mountainous country. I'm still adjusting to being surrounded by white people :)

Sorry that I didn't blog very much over there, but we didn't have wifi out in the country, and in the city I was too busy. I can't wait to talk to you more about the trip, and let me know if you have any questions about it! God did some awesome things over there, and I can't wait to see what He has in store for the future of that country.
This is a typical ger that a family lives in out in the country. This one was on the outskirts of our camp and lived in, as you can see by the laundry. I didn't go in it, but some of my teammates got to teach in a ger, and we had several team meetings in one.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Training has Begun!

Hello everyone! We have been in training the last two days for about six hours each day. Today we practiced planning lessons and teaching them in front of each other. It was very entertaining to be bad students who speak little Asian and how the teachers responded. I think we will all be ready Monday, when camp begins.

This afternoon, after a rather boring session here at the hotel, we were able to go to a culture show. The performers (Mongolians) wore their traditional costumes, which are beautiful and colorful. They played traditional music, including horse hair instruments kind of like violins that they hold with their knees, singers who can sing in two tones at the same time, elegant dances, and a contortionist who put her legs behind her head and moved them like they were alive (so cool). It was a really cool show, and  it almost convinced me to stay in Mongolia forever (I'm still thinking about it...).

We will be staying at this nice hotel until Friday, and then take a train to camp where we will teach students. Four of us will be teaching in gerrs. I hope I'm one of them! We will go from nice beds, warm meals, hot showers, to greasy food, 2 showers for 100 girls, and who knows what else. I'm so excited! Well, I've got to go, my awesome teammates are playing phase 10. Farewell! (P.S. If you comment, please do not say anything religious, just to be safe. Thanks a ton and I miss you all!)

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Mongolia!

Sa bano! (hello)I'm in mongolia! We got here yesterday morning after traveling 13 hours to Beijing then three more to Ulaanbaater (UB)the capital. We toured the city and saw a memorial, where I got to hold an eagle. So heavy and so cool! Today we split up and went to several churches. At the one I went to they had guitars and sang with their hands up. Though I didn't understand them, it was so cool to worship with them. They even had us come to the front and sang a blessing to us. So neat! We ate at a Chinese place that was good, we all shared 10 dishes. This afternoon we are going shopping and touring some more. We will be staying here at a hotel in the capital till Friday, then we will go out to camp in the country to teach English. Training begins tomorrow, and I can't wait to learn more about this country and people, though i am not ready to work hard. Well, I must go. Hope you are all doing well! Barista!

Monday, June 18, 2012

From California to Mongolia

Wow! I've been in California (and Nevada, had to see Vegas) with my family the last ten days or so. And yes, that picture is of a humpback whale. It and its calf came right next to our boat while whale watching in Monterey Bay. So awesome! God is truly amazing.

I wish I could talk about everything we saw and did on the trip, but that would probably just bore you. Some of the highlights were: waterfalls at Yosemite, giant sequoia trees, a spotted owl at Muir Forest and redwood trees, sea otters, sea lions, and harbor seals in Monterey Bay, humback whales and pacific white sided dolphins


while whale watching, unique rock formations with water gushing on them and the beautiful coastline of Big Sur. Why don't I live in California by the sea?!

It was a great trip, and on Thursday I leave for Mongolia to teach English. Woohoo! I won't have my computer, but there will be internet access, and hopefully computers. I'll try to write about my travels on this blog frequently, but I'm not exactly sure what our schedule will be like. I don't know if I will be able to upload photos over there either. I'll write as often as I can, so stay tuned! (If for some reason I can't access my blog, I will send out emails to friends and family about the trip, but check here first).

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Love? Love!

Is it just me, or is love between a man and woman usually a large part or the main focus of young adult books nowadays? In The Hunger Games it plays a large role in the plot, love is the main focus, of course, in the Twilight series, it is in the Forest of Hands and Teeth series I just finished reading and will write a review over soon, and in the book, Matched. Don't get me wrong, these are great books and some of my favs, but I get tired of reading about people falling in love, and how awesome it is and all of that. (maybe this is because I am still single? :)

Do readers put love between teenagers in these books because that is what the readers are craving? I know love is a part of growing up and is important, but there are different kinds of love. What about brother and sister love? What about love between children and parents? These things are mentioned and sometimes are the core of  stories, but I haven't read any like that in a while. There are other things stories can be about as well. Does a futuristic or fantasy book like the ones mentioned above have to have love in them or be a large part to be good?

I truly hope books don't have to have people fall in love in order for them to be bestsellers, and I don't think so. The Harry Potter series, for example, has some romantic love, but it doesn't play a large role. The Dragon Slippers series by Jessica Day George has some as well, but not much, and neither does Eragon, although his desire for Arya is in each book and affects what he does. What are some other books with little or no romatic love between the characters? I know they're out there!

Monday, May 14, 2012

A Review: The Boy Who Dared

The Boy Who Dared by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
                 (Based on a True Story)

During the rise of Hitler and his reign of power, Helmuth Hubener is a normal German teenager. He is enthralled by the Nazi's shining uniforms and wants to make his country proud of him.

But as he gets older, Helmuth realizes that Hitler is lying to their country about the war in Europe. He decides to take a stand for the truth, but this could end up in his death and the pain of those he loves.


I heard Susan Bartoletti (what a mouthful of a last name) talk about this book at the Festival of Faith and Writing a few weeks ago and had to buy it so I could find out what happened to Helmuth. And it was definitely worth the purchase. The main story is told in flashbacks to the past, with enough focus on the present to keep the reader intrigued and not confused. Susan does an excellent job creating a fictional story based on facts while still keeping it truthful. There are even pictures at the back of the book of the real people mentioned in the story. It is an exciting way to learn about our history. This book is definitely a must read for any age!

Other books by Susan Campbell Bartoletti: Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow
                                                                      They Called Themselves the K.K.K: The Birth of an American Terrorist Group
                                                                      Naamah and the Ark at Night (a beautiful picture book)
                                                                      No Man's Land

Friday, May 11, 2012

Written or Typed?

Finals are over and I am back home in Amarillo, Texas! I already miss the mountains, but it is so good to be back with my family. Now I can read and write as much as I want (or as much as possible with my brother's graduation and birthday happening).

I was thinking about this the other day; I like to write the first drafts of my stories/poems on paper first, then type them later. This way, I can write anywhere, and I love writing outside. If you write on a computer, you have much less freedom where you write. But I usually do write essays first on the computer after outlining them on handwritten papers. I guess I just need more inspiration from outside with my stories than with my essays.

I also think writing on paper is more personal. That probably sounds crazy, I know, but I like to doodle or write down ideas on the sides of paper while I'm thinking. And I don't need to be able to write fast on first drafts, because the ideas come slowly at first. I always to go back and type them up though. So which do you prefer? Writing or typing? And if you haven't written outside before, I hightly recommend it! Especially at a park or other beautiful place.

Thursday, May 3, 2012

A Review: The Oath

There is a monster hiding out in the small city of Hyde River. It is not as quiet and stealthy as it once was. It is killing more and more people, and when it kills Steve's brother, he is determined to find out just exactly what kind of creature it is and capture it. But the citizens of Hyde River do not take kindly to having their secrets exposed, and this monster is not merely a physical being. Will Steve be able to find his answers without being killed or succombing to the darkness in this town and in his heart?

I loved this book! It was the first book by Frank Peretti I have read besides the children's books,  Hangman's Curse and Nightmare Academy (great reads!) and House, co-authored with Ted Dekker. This story really made me think about sin and its deadliness. Peretti is able to talk about deep, spiritual things in an intriguing, thrilling, and suspenseful way. But be warned: this story is a thriller. It has twists and turns and a few graphic parts. It didn't give me nightmares or anything like that, but I would still suggest not to read it at mealtimes or bedtime. It wasn't dark, just suspensful. It was an awesome read, and I highly recommend it!

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Jumping into Books

So, I watched the movie, Inkheart last night (which is also a great book). It's about people coming out of books and going into them, and I was thinking how awesome it would be to go into a book. Especially for a writer, imagining going into one of my books would be awesome. I would love to go into my Alana story and be a mermaid. I would also love to go into the Hairy Potter books. Magic and dragons! The whole Voldemort thing wouldn't be fun though. There are some books I wouldn't want to go into like The Hunger Games. That would just be terrifying. Ted Dekker's books would be pretty frightening too. What are some books you would like to enter, or not enter?

If you went into a book, would you become a character, or just be a new character as yourself? And would the story change, or end the same way? Hmmm. Interesting ideas. Perhaps a future book idea. If I do it, I'd have to work hard to make it different than Inkheart. Oh, I just thought of another book I'd love to enter: Eragon. It would be so cool to be bonded to a dragon! (or to be the dragon)

Friday, April 27, 2012

A Review: Ever

EverEver by Gail Carson Levine

Kezi is a teenager who lives in a made-up land that resembles Greece. She enjoys making rugs and dancing with abandon.

Olus is the Akkan greek god of winds. He is young for a god and lonely among his own kind. He visits mortals and finds them intriguing.

Olus's loneliness brings him to Kezi's family. He watches her family and begins to care for her. One day, something horrible happens and Kezi chooses to sacrifice her life in order to fulfill her father's oath to Admat, the god of everything.

To save Kezi's life, Olus must face several trials, and to live and be with Olus, Kezi must face the underworld and the tests of the gods. Will Kezi and Olus be together? Will Kezi be able to find a way to survive the sacrifice without awakening the Admat's wrath?

This was an interesting, unique love story seen through the lens of a people who believe in greek-like gods. I enjoyed the perspectives from both Kezi and Olus and the beliefs the people had about the gods. It was a fairly predictable and simple story, but sweet and well-crafted. It was not as good as Ella Enchanted and The Two Princesses of Bamarre, but worth reading nevertheless.

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Lord as Logos

Happy Resurrection Day!!!
It's hard to believe that Jesus, the man-God, rose from the dead on this day. (Well, not literally on this day, but that's beside the point). I'm so glad He did not stay dead!

What's also amazing about Christ is that He is called the Word (logos). John says this about Him: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1-2). This is probably the reason why words have such an important meaning to day. Words build people up, tear them down, exalt God, and do so many other things. Through words, life is created. God created the earth by speaking it into existence, not by thinking about it, forming it, or any other way. When He did that, He gave words, both spoken and written, their importance. So then, shouldn't we use words of all kinds to proclaim His goodness and greatness?

Sunday, March 4, 2012

A Review: Eye of the Sword

Eye of the Sword by Karen Henley
   Review by Rachel Fike

In a unique world set in the medieval time period where angels, humans, half-angles and darkness walk, Trevin has pledged his life to serve King Laetham of Camrithia. His true allegiance, however, lies with the King's daughter, Princess Melaia. Some strangers show up from the dark land of the Dregmoors, but Trevin is sent on a quest to find the missing comains (captains of the King's army) and must trust Melaia's bodyguards to protect her from the strangers' advances.

While on his quest, Trevin also searches for the missing harps that will restore the stairway to Heaven. Trevin throws himself into the quest to prove himself, but his past resurfaces along with false charges, murderers, and the slipping away of time. He must finish his quest in time to save his future with Melaia and overcome the darkness in his past.

This was a great read. There are things happening right after one another, and I loved the angels and fantasy world Karyn has created. Being the second book in the series, I was surprised at how easy it was to understand and follow without reading the first one. I had a little trouble keeping track of the names and history of everyone, but there is a glossary in the front which helped. I also didn't like how Karyn called the Most High the mother-father, but I'm not sure if she was referring to God or not, and if so, I don't agree with it. But overall, I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to read the others in the series.
  
-I recieved this book for free from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

More Info
Read Chapter One 

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Christian and Secular Books

Chris, I think you brought up a good thought, and one that I have struggled with for a long time. I used to, and still do sometimes, feel guilty when I read a lot of secular books and not many Christian ones. This might be just because I have a guilty conscience. But  a lot of the secular books, especially in young adult, have exciting plots in them and deep love and interesting characters. There are not many good Christian books for young adults that are fiction; a lot of them are devotionals or stories without fantasy and fairytale aspects. Of course, I have found a few, and it depends where you look. But usually, there a lot less fiction Christian books to choose from, even in the adult section. It irritates me when all I can find are Amish romances and regular romances. Don't get me wrong those stories are great and needed, but can't there be more variety?

Where are the Christian stories with dragons, fairies, and other worlds? Christian writers are called to honor God in all they do, and should be able to portray Christ in all that they do. When was the last time a Christian fiction book as talked about as the Hunger Games or the Twilight Series? Our stories won't be as popular because the element of Christ, but should be just as well-written and creative, even more so because we as believers are to do everything, even writing, for God. We are called to a higher standard. So where are you Christian writers? We should not be afraid to write bold, daring, awesomely unique stories for our Lord (and I'm talking to myself here). The world needs the gospel told to them in fresh, new ways; this is one of the reasons I write. And thank you Ted Dekker, Donita K. Paul (Dragonspell), Randy Alcorn, C. S. Lewis, J.R.R Tolkien and others for daring to tell unique, sometimes odd, God-glorifying stories!

I believe it's okay to read secular books. What do ya'll think? I believe Christians can learn from non-believers, even about God, though the writers didn't intend for that reason. In Charles Dicken's book about the French Revolution, the end is an excellent portrait of Christ. And the Harry Potter books, especially the last one, point indirectly to Christ and his deep love. These books can also tell us false things about God, without even meaning to, so we need to be extra careful when we read them. But God can definitely use them to point people to him. He can use anyone or anything he will, and I want to be one he chooses to use!

-Let me hear all of your thoughts on this subject everyone!

Sunday, February 19, 2012

A Review: The Princetta

The Princetta by Anne-Laure Bondoux

This book is an adventurous fiction novel for young adults. I've never read anything by this author before, so I didn't know what to expect. It was a fairly good book, but different than I expected. The main character, Malva, is a teenage princess who decides to run away from home when her parents tell her she must marry a man she has never met.

But that's where the normal princess story ends. Malva and her chambermaid face many dangers and new lands that test them and their companions to the limit. Will they survive the sea and the monsters within?
                                                     
                                                      This story was different than I thought it would be, but I still enjoyed it. I liked the adventures and new places the characters go. The story had several sad parts, but I think these made the story more realistic and pulled the reader deeper into the plot. Sometimes I felt disconnected from the characters and would have liked more detail about the places and creatures at times. But it's still an exciting and fun read.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Ekphrasis and Peter Pan

In my Creative Writing class we are learning about Ekphrasis, where you write a poem from a painting, photograph, sculpture, or any other kind of artwork. The poem can be descriptive, a story of what's going on, or basically anything you want. It's actually pretty fun (but this coming from an English major!), and I recommend you trying it. Here's one I did for class:


    Dreamworld                                                            
                                             
As if in a dream
I hear a knock on the window of my heart.
The one who never grows old has come for me.
“Come fly away with me” he says.

So I jump out into the unkown,
my hand held tightly in his.
I gaze at the world below me
sleeping through the wonders just over the stars.

The one who never grows old
takes me far beyond,
beyond the grayness and quietness
to a place where only dreams come true.

Light, laughter, and love
fill my eyes
and I never want to leave
this terrifying adventure.

When the fantasy is over
and I am safe in my soul,
I can still hear his whisper, “come fly with me.”
I eagerly grasp his hand once more and
leave this dreamworld behind. 

-The painting is by Max Lucado. He has done a lot more Disney paintings which are beautiful.