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  • allisonteboauthor

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    QOTD: Whatโ€™s a film in a popular franchise that QOTD: Whatโ€™s a film in a popular franchise that you think deserves more love? . . For me, thatโ€™s WHEN MARNIE WAS THERE , one of several Studio Ghibli films that donโ€™t seem to get the love they deserve. . . Iโ€™m not usually a fan of ghost stories but this film was an exception. Whether or not a character is a ghost or merely a memory/vision is left somewhat up to interpretation. Whatever Marnie might be is somewhat irrelevant, as her character really functions to tackle a theme that I keep coming back to again and again in fiction: dealing with death. . . Anna, a girl struggling with asthma and depression, buries herself in her art โ€“ but life and memory pulls her out of her self-built walls of charcoal and paper and to the edge of a marshโ€”where a mysterious house waits for her across the water hiding a girl who is just as lonely as she is. . . I wonโ€™t give away anything, in case you havenโ€™t seen it, but suffice to say, by the end of the film, I had tears running down my face. Annaโ€™s rage towards the uncontrollable parts of life, her resistance to letting go, and subsequently her forgiveness and acceptance of the people who hurt her deeply touched my heart. Like all Ghibli films, there is a triumph in the sorrow, a beauty of surrender as the characters not only learn to live with their empty places, but allow it to help them grow. . . Thereโ€™s a touch of mystery as Anna seeks to find out who the โ€œgirl in the windowโ€ really is โ€“ giving this haunting film a thread of curiosity to lighten the melancholy mood. And while this film is melancholy itโ€™s certainly not all sadness; there are soft moments of humor, rich moments of living, and joyous discoveries to offset the grief. . . The director for WHEN MARNIE WAS THERE is the same as ARIETTY, and you can tell. It has that same luminous and lush quality. The setting for the film is the Kushiro wetlands in Hokkaido, Japan โ€“ and I couldnโ€™t stop drinking in the glorious animated forests and marshes. From the story, to the music, to the animation โ€“ the film is a work of art. But, more than that, itโ€™s a reminder that you can be in someoneโ€™s life for the briefest time, but you can still change their life forever.
    โ€œHold this geode close to your eyeโ€ฆDo you see โ€œHold this geode close to your eyeโ€ฆDo you see the crystals? There are pieces of emeralds deep inside them. When you first become an artist, youโ€™re like that rock. Youโ€™re in a raw, natural state, with hidden gems inside. You need to dig down deep and find the emeralds tucked away inside you. And thatโ€™s just the beginning. Once youโ€™ve found your gems, you have to polish them. It takes a lot of hard work.โ€- Whispers of the Heart . . . Embroiled now in a rough draft that feels about as dull and ugly as a rock, I find myself sympathizing greatly with Shizuku. Bursting into tears at this juncture of the creative journey is completely understandable. . Pulling something from your heart and preparing to display it to the world is always a hard and vulnerable task. The fact that we will have to do this over and over again only makes the mining process look even less appealing. . Polishingโ€”whether itโ€™s our character or our jobโ€”isnโ€™t an easy task. It is often dull, and sometimes feels pointless. We rub and we rub and we squint to see if our efforts have made any difference. . The world may one day see the flash and glitter of the emerald inside of us; it rarely sees the days, months, and years spent quietly rubbing away. But it is the polishing where the real work liesโ€”that makes the gem inside shine. It is the tenacious chipping away that reveals the jewel. . Itโ€™s not enough to have a bent for empathy, a skill for cooking, or a knack for accountingโ€”it is only when we work at the gift that the gift takes on deeper meaning. We are all given raw materials to work with when we come into this world, and those gifts are special, but itโ€™s the polishing that makes them precious. . As I stare at my blinking cursor on my current WIP and try to summon up the courage to mine an ugly geode out of my raw materials, I remind myself that polishing is something that Iโ€™ve done many times before. I will be polishing till the day I die. Thereโ€™s no need to be afraid of it, rather, we should look forward to it, for in doing so, we are imitating our Creator, who polishes us lovingly every day in the preparation for the day when we become emeralds. . Your life is a story: keep polishing.
    โ€œWithout even thinking about it, I used to be ab โ€œWithout even thinking about it, I used to be able to fly. Now Iโ€™m trying to look inside myself and find out how I did it." โ€“ Kikiโ€™s Delivery Service . . At the beginning of 2021, something strange happened. . . I lost my inspiration. . . Writing suddenly became the hardest thing in my life, when it was present at all. But far worse have been the period when it has been absent entirely. Creation has been an act of sheer will, hard-won and intermittent, and in many moments, the joy of the creating has disappeared, leaving the grief of absence. . . It was in the height of this drought that my dear friend @joellenkemper sent me a package of Studio Ghibli DVDs, including My Neighbor Totoro and Ponyo, and my views on storytelling changed forever. . . Thus began a feverish quest to watch all the Ghibli films. The third one (I think) that I watched happened to be Kikiโ€™s Delivery Service. . . The story felt like it was made just for me. At the risk of overusing an overused phrase . . . I felt seen. I sat through the film and I was Kiki, the bright-eyed girl full of dreams and ambitions suddenly crashing and burning when her muse goes AWOL. . . I understood her pain and turmoil more deeply than I could describe. Watching Kiki finally stop fighting and go on an introspective quest to โ€œfind her whyโ€ caused me to reluctantly stop fighting and search my own heart. And in the end scene when Kiki finds her why again and takes to the skies once more, I was filled with hope for my own creative journey. Of all the Ghibli films, this film became mine in a special way, because it was like a page from my own journal, and it enabled me to look at my struggle as just another beautiful aspect of the creative journey. . . Iโ€™m still struggling, to be honest. My broom still doesnโ€™t fly like it used to. . . But I am emulating Kiki, considering WHY I create. I spend more time than before praying about my craft and try to keep โ€œbusy in the bakeryโ€โ€”doing the tasks that God has given me to fill the creative emptiness, trusting that Iโ€™ll fly once more.
    QOTD: Have you watched any Studio Ghibli movies? W QOTD: Have you watched any Studio Ghibli movies? Which is your favorite? . This was a really tough ranking for me. I had to come up with nitpicks to get any kind of order. But here is my casual ranking of Ghibli films! . . KIKI: 10/10. I've managed to forgive that bit at the end with Jiji. ๐Ÿ˜… . ARIETTY: 10/10. Perfection! . PONYO: 9/10. Trippy craziness that makes little sense, but still amazing! . TOTORO: 9/10. Itโ€™s perfect too, but I love Kiki and Arietty a SMIDGE more. . MARNIE: 8/10. This was wonderful, just a bit melancholy, so while I love it, I wonโ€™t have it on repeat as often because it makes me cry, haha. . PORCO: 8/10. Mostly I was just a SMIDGE disappointed over the open ending and, you know, the main character IS a pig. BUT ITโ€™S STILL GREAT. . HOWL: 7/10. I know, I know. Itโ€™s a darling film. But I watched an edited version (some of it is too creepy for this sensitive reviewer) so I figured I would dock some stars for that. . WHISPERS: 5/10. Thereโ€™s no magic, no wild world building, so that makes me lose a little interest. But this is still a very cute story about the creative journey. . CASTLE: 3/10. I just watched this one and there were a number of things that didn't make it a favorite. But, more importantly, it didn't make it feel like a Ghibli film at all! HOWEVER, I did like Pazu and Sheeta's relationship and the locations of the mining town and Laputa were cool. I also have a soft spot for robots. . The Wind Rises: 2/10. Though it has some wonderful bits of animation and a nice love story, I had trouble rooting for the guy who invented the planes that bombed Pearl Harbor. Plus, I'm never going to be a fan of sad films. . The Cat Returns: 1/10. This was bizarre, even for Ghibli. It is definitely uninhibited storytelling, and Anne Hathaway and Elliot Gould turned in a great performance, but thatโ€™s really all I can say for it. . From Up On Poppy Hill: 1/10. It has nice animation, and one of my favorite foreign pop songs (Sukiyak), but thatโ€™s it. Overall, it seemed like a soap opera to me, sorry. . Ocean Waves / Only Yesterday: 0/10. I didnโ€™t like them one bit, and Iโ€™m not sorry. ๐Ÿ˜… . . Okay, your turn! What are YOUR favorite Ghibli movies?
    QOTD: Whatโ€™s one of your favorite pieces of fand QOTD: Whatโ€™s one of your favorite pieces of fandom merchandise? . . This beautiful one of a kind book bag was designed by my immensely talented friend @joellenkemper - who has been a singularly special friend to me since the day we met. . . Joellen is the person who first introduced me to the world of Ghibli in 2021. And, if that wasnโ€™t enough of a gift, she decided to make something of Kiki for me, since she knew I have a close kinship with her, to remind me that my creativity is always there with you โ€“ even when it seems like itโ€™s gone. . . AND, this book bag arrived on a day when I was sick, so it was DOUBLE the pick-me-up. Isnโ€™t Joellen amazing? Itโ€™s like her heart knows when her friends need her. Sometimes it almost overwhelms me how special a person Joellen isโ€”she might not have a talking black cat, but I swear sheโ€™s still magical. . . Make sure you follow her amazing art account (tap on photo to see her handle) to see more of her beautiful illustrations! And donโ€™t forget to tell me in the comments below about the piece of merchandise from your favorite fandom that YOU treasure.
    Guess what? The Goblin and the Dancer was nominate Guess what? The Goblin and the Dancer was nominated for the Realm Makers Readers' Choice Award! ๐Ÿ˜ฑ . . I was absolutely blown away to see my novel make the semi-finalist list. There are no words to describe how excited and humbled I am to see my goblin keeping company with so many amazing books and authors. ๐Ÿคฉ . . I canโ€™t believe that Grik made it into the top 25! This wouldn't have happened without all of you, and I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for getting me this far. ๐Ÿ˜˜ . . The voting is now open to decide the winners of the award. If you would take a moment to click on the link and vote for The Goblin and the Dancer once more, I would be so grateful!โ™ฅ๏ธ . . Click on the top link in my profile to cast your vote! ๐Ÿ‘‰
    โ€œA heartโ€™s a heavy burden.โ€ โ€“ Howlโ€™s Mov โ€œA heartโ€™s a heavy burden.โ€ โ€“ Howlโ€™s Moving Castle. ๐ŸŒธ๐ŸŒธ๐ŸŒธ๐ŸŒธ๐ŸŒธ๐ŸŒธ๐ŸŒธ๐ŸŒธ . . I think in the last couple of years, weโ€™ve all felt the burden of our hearts more keenly than ever. Some people, like me, feel not only the weight of my own heart, but the collective weight of the hearts around meโ€”even beyond the walls of my home. I can feel how tired you are, how depressed, how frightened and utterly weary. I can feel your heart standing on the brink of giving up. . And I understand. I know how heavy a heart can feel. . Would it be easier not to know and feel all the pain and sin in the world? Assuredly. But would it be better not to sense that burden? Categorically, no. . We are made in the image of a God who feels. Our hearts are tiny echoes of His ownโ€”a heart more vast than the universe, and a Heart that feels the burden more deeply than we can possibly imagine. . In Howlโ€™s Moving Castle, Sophie fights to restore the heart of the person she loves, even though a heart will be a heavy burden to him. A heart that feels will require a person to care, to fight, to work, to sacrifice. . But, like Howl, we can say that, despite what the costs, it is worth it. History shows us the horror that comes from being heartless. It is better to have a heart capable of breaking than to have no heart at all. . And when our hearts feel heavy, let it cause us to turn to the One who Bore All Burdens on the Cross. Let it encourage us to open ourselves to the Holy Spirit as a vessel of prayer, to groan and intercede in petitions and tongues, acknowledging that we donโ€™t fully understand the weight and urgency, but God knows - and perhaps He is asking us to pray for something we donโ€™t even know about. . If your heart feels a burden, maybe we should recognize it as an honor, for to feel the burden of a sinful world means that we are being given a new heart - the heart of Christ. It means we are being slowly shaped into Christโ€™s image. . A heart IS a heavy burden; so let us rejoice and pray, asking the Heart Of All Hearts to make the tiny miracle beating in our chests an echo of Him.
    Youโ€™ve probably realized by now that Studio Ghib Youโ€™ve probably realized by now that Studio Ghibli is very important to me! *grins* But let me try to explain it once more. . . Sometimes a book or a film rocks our soul to its core and fundamentally reshapes us as creative. In May of 2022, my creative life changed forever when my friend @joellenkemper introduced me to the world of Studio Ghibli. . . Iโ€™m still discovering new ones, and with every rewatch, I still find my mind being blown and my heart igniting. My imagination takes flightโ€”renewed and invigorated. . . These films taught me so much about writing and reminded me not only of how powerful stories can be, but also of why I write. Their art makes my soul sing and their music wrings out my heart. They reminded me of the magic of living and of the magic I wish to convey with my own stories. They have been an โ€œepoch in my lifeโ€ in every sense of the word. For the first time in my life, I had something from popular culture which I could relate my books to! Before Ghibli, I had never been able to think of something from popular culture similar to my writing, nor did I understand what makes my โ€œbrandโ€ work. After watching Ghibli, I finally understood that itโ€™s the word WHIMSY that connects the seemingly incongruous elements of my writing: classic vibes, weird worlds, funny dialogue, heartbreaking moments, pathos and play, a dreamy realityโ€”theyโ€™re all connected by the thread of whimsy that takes these parts and makes them into a pattern. . . But they have affected more than my writing: they have affected my life, too. As strange and otherworldly as they might be, they, more than almost any other stories, make me delight more in the real world. Ghibli venerates the preciousness of a cup of coffee in the morning, mist in the woods, the crunch of sneakers in gravel, the swish of a bicycle wheel, the play of shadow and light, the creak of a familiar house. With these otherworldly tales, it romanticizes the real world, with a deep love and veneration Iโ€™ve rarely seen. They remind me to revel in the ordinary. . . They are magic, pure and simple.
    THE #1 WAY TO CORRAL YOUR PLOT BUNNIES. . . Maybe THE #1 WAY TO CORRAL YOUR PLOT BUNNIES. . . Maybe this scenario is relatable to you. You have a deadline on your current work in progress, or you have committed to working on Project Such-And-Such for the rest of the year. . . But then . . . suddenly you get a new idea. Or you watch a Marvel movie and you're suddenly on the brink of death if you don't write something with that vibe RIGHT NOW but you can't, because your current project is a historical romance. . . This happens to me all the time. I don't often get plot bunnies, per say, but I get "vibe temptation" constantly. For instance, I recently watched Encanto for the first time and suddenly all I want to work on is magical realism set in South America about a family living in a magical house. Or, you know, as close as I can get to that without plagiarism. I'm not ready for that vibe (the colors, the settings, the atmosphere) to be over and I want to create my own version. But, I CAN'T TAKE THE TIME TO FOLLOW VIBES ANY TIME I PLEASE, LIKE SOME KIND OF UNTRAINED BLOODHOUND PUPPY. . . So, I have come up with a method to grant myself short-term gratification on these sudden storytelling urges while STILL remaining focused on my current writing projects. . . I'm going to be sharing my method for corralling my plot/vibe bunnies in my newsletter. CLICK ON THE LINK IN MY PROFILE TO SIGN UP BECAUSE I'M SENDING IT OUT SOON. ๐Ÿ‘‰
    โ€Iโ€™m going to explore in the house,โ€ said Pe โ€Iโ€™m going to explore in the house,โ€ said Peter. Everyone agreed to this and that was how the adventures began. It was the sort of house that you never seem to come to the end of, and it was full of unexpected places." โ€“ The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe . . . . . . . I was recently re-reading The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis and was grinning over the opening chapters where the Pevensie children explore Professor Kirkeโ€™s strange old home in the country. The mystery of unexplored rooms and an afternoon devoted to discoveries in every mothballed corner never fails to enchant me. Itโ€™s such a FUN scene and like all of Jackโ€™s writing, it got me thinking about the deeper implications and I finally realized why the trope of โ€œexploring a new house that we just moved intoโ€ is so universally tantalizing to us. . . What is it about moving in that excites us? Itโ€™s a staple of childrenโ€™s fiction, and yet even adults (or, at least, the best kinds of adults) simply canโ€™t resist this nicely-worn trope. The new house waiting to be known is as tantalizing as an ice cream cone, as giddifying as Summer vacation. Why is that? . . Because of the symbolism, naturally. If you look closely enough, every single trope on Earth has a spiritual counterpoint, and a deeper meaning, waiting to be found. . . I think the reason humans love the trope of exploring the new house is because it whispers of Christโ€™s promise that He has prepared a home for us full of many mansions, a promise that evokes anticipation, wonder, and awe. Perhaps even, a little bit of the most delightful kind of trepidation: the fearful delight of the unexpected. . . I think, in that Heavenly mansion that is custom-made for our souls, there will always be a new corridor, a new flight of stairs, a wardrobe door, even. The house will always be familiar and yet always new. There will be rooms of comfortable familiarity but also endless halls of unexplored corners. . . Why do we crave stories of exploring new houses? Because we know, in our hearts, that itโ€™s what we are destined for. The magic of exploring Professor Kirkeโ€™s house will be what the children of God will be doing for Eternity.
    QOTD: Whoโ€™s one of your favorite authors? . . Co QOTD: Whoโ€™s one of your favorite authors? . . Constance Savery is easily in my top ten! Her writing is a blend of deep spiritual themes and charming wit, wrapped around some of the most relatable and brilliant characters ever written, in my opinion! And the charming and utterly irresistible YOUNG ELIZABETH GREEN is no exception. . . Elizabeth Green is an orphan who, at fifteen years old, has been offered her first post as a governess, in charge of Donata Deveril. Young though Elizabeth is, she has a rare gift for dealing with unruly children and though she is nervous at the thought of going into the world, she sets out with determination to love and care for her new charge. . . But as soon as she reaches Deveril Court, Elizabeth finds that a mistake had been made. Donata isnโ€™t a naughty six-year old at all; she is a wild harum-scarum girl of Elizabeth's own age, rampaging round the countryside with her cousin Nelmont. The Deverils had expected a strict elderly governess who could take Donata in hand. The wily Donata quick takes control of the situation and convinces Elizabeth to masquerade as an elderly woman; a faรงade that grows more complicated every day as numerous misfires, and Elizabethโ€™s own uneasy conscience, come into play. Must she go back to the orphanage, a failure? . . Set against the background of Regency England, this story shows a gentle girl struggling to live up to her principles and to share her faith with a troubled family. It is utterly darling and I highly recommend it. . . . . #bookstagram #booksbooksbooks #bookaddiction #booksbooksandmorebooks #booksofinstagram #booklover #bookmoments #readersofinstagram #readerslife #booklove #instabook #booknerd #bibliophile #readerofinstagram #booksbooksbooks #bookstagram #bookishcommunity #books #constancesavery #oldbooks #myfavoriteauthors #greenaesthetic #oldliterature #inspiringcharacters #booksilove #youshouldreadthis
    I think by now you have all realized how important I think by now you have all realized how important Studio Ghibli is to me. *grins* So it shouldn't come as a surprise to you that I am BEYOND EXCITED to be hosting a Studio Ghibli themed bookstagram challenge! . To make the treat complete, I have two lovely ladies co-hosting this event with me @christinesmithauthor and @brighterthansunflowers_gracie . To participate in the challenge, simply post pictures inspired by the dayโ€™s prompts and use the hashtag if you want your photos to be shared. . It is not necessary that all of your photos be about Studio Ghibli โ€“ just somewhat inspired by the daily prompts. You also donโ€™t have to post every single day! Post as little or as much as you like! . Lastly, donโ€™t forget to follow all the hosts! The challenge runs through all of the entirety of May, so I hope youโ€™ll have a chance to participate! . I had so much fun coming up with these prompts and I hope you have fun interpreting them!
    โ€œIt's gone!' sighed the Rat. 'So beautiful and s โ€œIt's gone!' sighed the Rat. 'So beautiful and strange and new. I almost wish I had never heard it, for it has roused a longing in me that is pain, and nothing seems worthwhile but just to hear that sound once more and go on listening to it forever. No! There it is again!โ€ he cried, alert once more. โ€œSuch music I never dreamed of, and the call in it is stronger even than the music is sweet!โ€ Rapt, transported, trembling, he was possessed in all his senses by this new divine thing that caught up his helpless soul and swung and dandled it, a powerless but happy infant in a strong sustaining grasp. โ€œNow you must surely hear it!" cried the Rat joyously. โ€œAh, I see you do! This is the place of my song-dream. Here, in this holy place, here if anywhere, surely we shall find Him!โ€ . . (a few pages later . . . ) . . Then suddenly the Mole felt a great Awe fall upon him, an awe that turned his muscles to water, bowed his head, and rooted his feet to the ground. It was no panic terrorโ€” indeed he felt wonderfully at peace and happyโ€” but it was an awe that smote and held him and he knew it could only mean that some august Presence was very, very near. Trembling, he raised his humble head; and then, in that utter clearness of the imminent dawn, he looked in the very eyes of the Friend and Helper . . . All this he saw, for one moment breathless and intense, vivid on the morning sky; and still, as he looked, he lived; and still, as he lived, he wondered. โ€œRat!โ€ he whispered, shaking. โ€œAre you afraid?โ€ โ€œAfraid?โ€ murmured the Rat, his eyes shining with love. โ€œAfraid! Of Him? O, never, never! And yetโ€” O, Mole, I am afraid!โ€ Then the two animals bowed their heads and did worship.... >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> . . . . . . . . Thereโ€™s a reason C.S. Lewis fondly quoted WIND IN THE WILLOWS in his papers, and even drew from it for inspiration. Intentional or not, Grahame's prose smacks of the divine, and when I read it, I too can hear that strange and beautiful piping that rouses a longing like a pain.
    QOTD: Whatโ€™s a movie people should watch to unde QOTD: Whatโ€™s a movie people should watch to understand you better? Whatโ€™s a film that encapsulates YOU? . . For me, one of those films is MARY POPPINS RETURNS, a movie that centers around the premise that itโ€™s easy to believe in magic when youโ€™re young, but what happens when you grow up? . . Itโ€™s a more mature story than the original Mary Poppins: dealing with grief and tenacity of joy in the face of loss as the characters cling to an inheritance of hope and beauty despite all odds. And yet it loses none of the colorful buoyant qualities of the original film: in fact the sheer joyousness feels even more intense because of its emotional maturity. There is no easy magic here: it is insistent magic, the shining victory of someone who has learned to hold onto their inner child even during a Great Slump. Its sheer stubborn jolliness: itโ€™s a celebration caught on film. . . There are so MANY aspects of this film that I loved, but one of the aspects that I must mention is the sheer amount of healthy relationships portrayed within it. There is so much respect between the family. Itโ€™s one of the few modern films Iโ€™ve seen where the children arenโ€™t brats: they are sweet and well-meaning and want to please their father, but they are still definitely real. Their relationship between themselves and their father is very much like my relationship with my parents when my siblings and I were children. In addition, the love between the grown brother and sister meant a great deal to me, personally, and reminded me of me and my brother. Thereโ€™s the odd idea that when siblings grow up, we grow apart (if we were ever close at all). Not so in my familyโ€”or in this unique film. It is simply one of many aspects that made it resonate with me. . . I canโ€™t even put into words how special this film is to me: every time I watch it, I am overwhelmed with emotion. The spiritual parallels and significance bring tears to my eyes and make my heart glow. Itโ€™s the Mary Poppins I always wanted to see: the Mary Poppins of my heart.
    โ€œI have seen two things that cannot reconcile. A โ€œI have seen two things that cannot reconcile. A man dead, without questionโ€”and that same man . . . alive again.โ€ . . . I saw Risen three times in theaters, and have watched it many times since. This is truly one of the most unique pieces of Biblical fiction I have ever seen. Plotted and filmed as if it were a drama about a police procedural, we are breathlessly drawn ever deeper into Tribune Claviusโ€™s desperate search for the truth and the body of the slain Jesus. But when he finally comes face to face with Truth himself, it brings the roman soldier falling to his knees. . . Risen is one of the most beautiful films Iโ€™ve ever seen, painting a shining and respectful depiction of our Savior and how His resurrection rocked the world to its core. No matter how many times Iโ€™ve seen it, I feel the wild exultation of knowing Christ rise up inside me in a new froth of wonder and am moved to tears. Jesus himself fully utilized stories to engage us, excite us, and to teach us, and thatโ€™s why I think Biblical fiction can be so inspiring for us. This film sends my imagination jetting off on holy tangents and reminds me all over again of how terribly glorious, how magnificent, how very blessed it is . . . to be a Follower of Christ. . . . Christ is RISEN, He REIGNS and, one day, He will RETURN! Hallelujah to the King of Kings! May the Prince of Peace bless you this Easter. . . . #easter #easter2022 #happyeaster #eastersunday #celebrate #risen #easterstories #thecruxifiction #eastermorning #josephfiennes #roman #praisegod #heisrisen #christarose #christislord #praisegod #iamachristian #godisgood #christoursavior #jesus #jesuschrist #risen #risenmovie #eastermovie #eastercelebration #worship #worshipthelord #repentandbelieve #repentandbesaved #jesusiscoming #kingofkings๐Ÿ‘‘
    โ€œJoyful, joyful, we adore You, God of glory, Lor โ€œJoyful, joyful, we adore You, God of glory, Lord of love; Hearts unfold like flow'rs before You, Op'ning to the sun above. Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; Drive the dark of doubt away; Giver of immortal gladness, Fill us with the light of day! All Your works with joy surround You, Earth and heav'n reflect Your rays, Stars and angels sing around You, Center of unbroken praise; Field and forest, vale and mountain, Flow'ry meadow, flashing sea, Chanting bird and flowing fountain Praising You eternally! Always giving and forgiving, Ever blessing, ever blest, Well-spring of the joy of living, Ocean-depth of happy rest! Loving Father, Christ our Brother, Let Your light upon us shine; Teach us how to love each other, Lift us to the joy divine. Mortals, join the mighty chorus, Which the morning stars began; God's own love is reigning oโ€™er us, Joining people hand in hand. Ever singing, march we onward, Victors in the midst of strife; Joyful music leads us sunward In the triumph song of life!โ€ . โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€” . I have never read all the lyrics to "Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee" until recently and they seemed like the perfect words to summarize the exultation of Easter. . . . . #easter #easter2022 #happyeaster #eastersunday #celebrate #risen #easterstories #eastermorning #praisegod #heisrisen #beautifulmorning #christarose #christislord #bible #booksofinstagram #readersofinstagrampraisegod #iamachristian #godisgood #christoursavior #worshipgod #jesus #jesuschrist #eastercelebration #worship #worshipthelord #repentandbelieve #epentandbesaved #jesusiscoming #joyfuljoyfulweadorethee
    QOTD: Whatโ€™s a story that sums up part of your s QOTD: Whatโ€™s a story that sums up part of your soul, that represents part of your heart or outlook on life in a special way? . . For me, itโ€™s THE RISE AND FALL OF MOUNT MAJESTIC. . . The world building is nothing short of delightful. As for the style, there is a beautiful, rhythmic cadence to Trafton's writing style that reminds me of waves lapping on a shore โ€“ itโ€™s simple, soothing and beautiful in its steady repetition. And the story? Well, this book is not so much about WHAT happens as it is more a suggestion about HOW we ought to approach life and all its twists and turns. . . There is not a proper โ€œpink bowโ€ ending for this book, but a wild and real mixture of fear and faith, the unknown and the known, joy and loss . . . all wrapped up in a tenacious hope. . . I am not a crier by nature, and it is quite rare when something fictional can reduce me to tears, but by the final pages, I had tears in my eyes and running down my face. . .. "Itโ€™s alive, itโ€™s alive! Have you ever seen anything more wonderful and beautiful and marvelous in the whole wide world? Oh, life is the sunrise, and life is the sea, and life is a game, and life is a pot of tears, and life is a starfish growing its arms back, and now everything is different again!" . . There are some books that piece through you right to your core in a way that you canโ€™t explain. And even though itโ€™s inexplicable, and a bit painful . . . itโ€™s as sweet to your heart as a favorite song. . . Every once in a while, you stumble across a story that captures a little piece of how your heart looks at the world. . . And for me, one of those stories would be The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic. . . . "Life is a mess and a miracle. So pick up a broom and dance."
    โ€œ๐—ช๐—ต๐—ฒ๐—ป ๐˜†๐—ผ๐˜‚ ๐˜„๐—ฎ๐—ธ๐—ฒ โ€œ๐—ช๐—ต๐—ฒ๐—ป ๐˜†๐—ผ๐˜‚ ๐˜„๐—ฎ๐—ธ๐—ฒ ๐˜‚๐—ฝ ๐—ถ๐—ป ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—บ๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐—ป๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด, ๐—ฃ๐—ผ๐—ผ๐—ต," ๐˜€๐—ฎ๐—ถ๐—ฑ ๐—ฃ๐—ถ๐—ด๐—น๐—ฒ๐˜ ๐—ฎ๐˜ ๐—น๐—ฎ๐˜€๐˜, "๐˜„๐—ต๐—ฎ๐˜'๐˜€ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—ณ๐—ถ๐—ฟ๐˜€๐˜ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐˜†๐—ผ๐˜‚ ๐˜€๐—ฎ๐˜† ๐˜๐—ผ ๐˜†๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ฟ๐˜€๐—ฒ๐—น๐—ณ?" "๐—ช๐—ต๐—ฎ๐˜'๐˜€ ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—ฏ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—ธ๐—ณ๐—ฎ๐˜€๐˜?" ๐˜€๐—ฎ๐—ถ๐—ฑ ๐—ฃ๐—ผ๐—ผ๐—ต. "๐—ช๐—ต๐—ฎ๐˜ ๐—ฑ๐—ผ ๐˜†๐—ผ๐˜‚ ๐˜€๐—ฎ๐˜†, ๐—ฃ๐—ถ๐—ด๐—น๐—ฒ๐˜?" "๐—œ ๐˜€๐—ฎ๐˜†, ๐—œ ๐˜„๐—ผ๐—ป๐—ฑ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ ๐˜„๐—ต๐—ฎ๐˜'๐˜€ ๐—ด๐—ผ๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐˜๐—ผ ๐—ต๐—ฎ๐—ฝ๐—ฝ๐—ฒ๐—ป ๐—ฒ๐˜…๐—ฐ๐—ถ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐˜๐—ผ๐—ฑ๐—ฎ๐˜†?" ๐˜€๐—ฎ๐—ถ๐—ฑ ๐—ฃ๐—ถ๐—ด๐—น๐—ฒ๐˜. ๐—ฃ๐—ผ๐—ผ๐—ต ๐—ป๐—ผ๐—ฑ๐—ฑ๐—ฒ๐—ฑ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ด๐—ต๐˜๐—ณ๐˜‚๐—น๐—น๐˜†. "๐—œ๐˜'๐˜€ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐˜€๐—ฎ๐—บ๐—ฒ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด," ๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐˜€๐—ฎ๐—ถ๐—ฑ. . . . . QOTD: Whatโ€™s a meal that makes you as happy as a Pooh Bear with honey? . . You all know I have a passion for baking, but I donโ€™t think Iโ€™ve made it quite clear before how, in general, I get excited about food. . Really, REALLY excited. . I anticipate meals with fervor and enjoy them with zest. I enjoy thinking about food and planning meals. Sometimes, if Iโ€™m not in my usual tearing hurry, Iโ€™ll cook, and thatโ€™s enjoyable to me too. I like plating food, smelling it, looking at it and, especially, eating it, . Thereโ€™s a running joke in my house about dinnertime. Every time someone asks โ€œwhatโ€™s for dinner?โ€ in our house, someone will respond, โ€œitโ€™s Allisonโ€™s favorite!โ€ Because most things are. The mere announcement of a meal can make me squeal and caper. Iโ€™ve been told Iโ€™m nice to cook for because I am so appreciative of the food being prepared. . I just have a deep unabashed love for food, okay? I think Iโ€™m part Pooh. . All that being said, itโ€™s obviously difficult for me to pick favorites. But the first meal that came to mind is a cream homemade potato soup (my soul has a special reserved veneration for soups of all kinds) filled with scallions and cheese and bacon with a side of crusty homemade bread. MmmMMM. . . . . #bookstagram #booksbooksbooks #bookaddiction #booksbooksandmorebooks #booksofinstagram #booklover #bookmoments #readersofinstagram #readerslife #booklove #instabook #booknerd #bibliophile #readerofinstagram #booksbooksbooks #bookstagram #bookishcommunity #books #poohbear #winniethepooh #aamilne #piglet #pooh
    โ€œYou must take my place, Jo...and if itโ€™s hard โ€œYou must take my place, Jo...and if itโ€™s hard work alone, remember that I donโ€™t forget you, and that youโ€™ll be happier in doing that than writing splendid books or seeing all the world; for love is the only thing that we can carry with us when we go, and it makes the end so easy.โ€ โ€œIโ€™ll try, Beth,โ€ and then and there Jo renounced her old ambition, pledged herself to a new and better one, acknowledging the poverty of other desires.โ€ โ€“ Little Women . โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€” You know, it is a mysterious mystery to me why so many women insist on holding up Jo March as the gold standard of feminism when her arc is anything but. Does she push against cultural norms? Yes. Is she an independent tomboy? Yes. But she has a character arc: she doesnโ€™t STAY that way. Her rebellion softens into strength. Her willful independence is broken as she realizes she needs other people. Her wild tomboy ways mature into womanliness that does not lose any of its individuality. Her flexible ambitions not only change but are, for a time, abandoned. . . This scene is, to me, one of the most memorable and dramatic in the entire book. Jo, always on the hunt for a heroic climax, finds it not in publishing a book, but in surrendering all her dreams, all her plans, and devoting herself to service, instead of self-indulgence. Beth isnโ€™t the only character that passes away in Little Women, in a sense, Jo dies too. She dies to self. . . And, in the end, her willingness to lay it at Godโ€™s feet makes all her successes as a writer and a teacher all the sweeter, because the wild horse finally let the Good Shepherd take her halter and lead her to a pasture of surrender. . . The often maligned โ€œmoralizingโ€ of Little Women is, in my opinion, the thing that has made this classic never lose its popularity. Not the Laurie and Jo proposal scene, not Jo making a name for herself in a manโ€™s publishing world, or the other shallower aspects that audiences make an inordinate fuss over. Itโ€™s the relentless example of victorious living, of the hard, quiet growth that takes place off-stage, in the shadows, that makes us a better person. Thatโ€™s the part I love most about Little Women and Jo March.
    QOTD: If you could have any author as a writing me QOTD: If you could have any author as a writing mentor, who would it be? (author must be living, sorry) . . Iโ€™m torn between multiple authors, but I have to admit, Patricia C. Wrede is one of the first people that comes to mind because she writes exactly the kind of fairy tales I strive to write. While Wredeโ€™s fairy tales are not retellings, they have the preposterous adventures, whimsical world building, and madcap characters that I try to infuse into my Tales of Ambia series. I particularly resonate with Wredeโ€™s relentless irreverence in skewing archetypes and tropes in twists that turn expectations on their head โ€“ in the most delightful and satisfying way. . . I can think of several others, but sheโ€™s definitely the first that came to mind! . . Mini Book Review: An adorable, tongue-in-cheek series in the style of The Princess Bride, these topsy-turvy little adventures are full of fun creatures, lovable characters, and madcap twists that would make perfect read alouds for the whole family! . . . .#bookstagram #booksbooksbooks #bookaddiction #booksbooksandmorebooks #booksofinstagram #booklover #bookmoments #readersofinstagram #readerslife #booklove #instabook #booknerd #bibliophile #readerofinstagram #booksbooksbooks #bookstagram #bookishcommunity #books #patriciacwrede #dealingwithdragons
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