partsofspeaking

I wrote recently about "the end of blogging" or blogging reconsidered, and I don't really want to be mouthing off here unnecessarily.  Like millions of others, I am heart sick about our siblings in Christ who were gunned down during prayer meeting; I am encouraged by the grace their families have shown.  I don't want to seem flippant or heretical and say God is glorified in their murders.  He was not glorified in their murders--He was and is glorified in the response to the murders and despite their murders. Thankfully the villain was found quickly (leading a wag to ask why they couldn't catch the escaped prisoners in New York after all this time).  I think he wanted to be found.  He wasn't trying to hide, although he did get out of the state fast.  Now, I would love for that redneck flag to go away, permanently.  I waver between despising it and rolling my eyes at it.  There are enough of them in this county, two not far from my house, and I ...

This link takes you to a witty, brilliant, totally on-point essay about mystery writing and the core of film noir.  It got the link from my MOOC on film noir by TCM. http://www.en.utexas.edu/amlit/amlitprivate/scans/chandlerart.html I want to write mysteries and have a set up, a character, and some stories (three of them) but I would take to heart what he says.  Cozy mysteries, Murder She Baked (or Wrote), Hallmark Mysteries, etc. are fun escapism when one is tired and wants something to lull him or her to sleep, but definitely miss the whole point of the evil perpetrated. Especially in the aftermath of the--what word suffices? cold-blooded murders only begins to describe what that demented young man, who is not from Charleston, did--I don't think murder is worthy of being written about in a cozy way. 

Having finished a doctorate, I guess I needed something to do (insert rueful smiley face), so I signed up for a MOOC on film noir, sponsored by Turner Classic Movies and co-sponsored by Ball State University in Indiana. For those of you who don’t know, a MOOC is a massive, open online course.   These were all the rage two years ago and were supposed to transform higher education; so far, not so much, but for lifelong learners like me, they are great.   MOOCs are usually free, involve a learning management system (this one uses Canvas, which I have used before and like), can have some assessment (tests), may result in a certificate if one does all the work but usually no real college credit.   MIT and Stanford have a number of them.   The massive part refers to the fact that anyone can take the course so massive numbers enroll, although fewer finish.   This course involves four “DAILY DOSES” with links to short clips of movies, a discuss...

I published this book as an ebook in March 2012, and have finally gotten it in print through CreateSpace.  All proceeds go to World Vision, so please don't see this as self-promotion to get me money.  I have to use the Internet for my marketing because as a full-time college administrator, I do not have a lot of time for meet and greets with the public, although I am scheduling a couple in July. http://www.amazon.com/Unexpected-Christmas-Visitors-Barbara-Graham/dp/1475107471/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1434219797&sr=8-2&keywords=The+unexpected+christmas+visitors

I have been singing the words to that song a lot lately, but found myself bothered by the line What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You are near. Outside of the poetic hyperbole, I would say that sleepless nights are due to anxiety, and anxiety is a sin, according to both Jesus and Paul.  If not a sin (my own hyperbole), anxiety is not desirable and not a show of faith.  Dark nights of the soul are real and all saints have them (or most, again hyperbole), but three years of tossing and turning is a medical condition and a sign of deep distress.  There would be no place for this kind of fear if one is trusting God.  Pietistic religion, which I have had more than enough of in my life, is just the flipside of mysticism, where too much emphasis is placed on experience--of feeling God's presence instead of just accepting it, knowing it, believing it regardless of how one feels.  

I found this "blog post" on blogging interesting.   http://www.christianitytoday.com/women/2015/june/why-bloggers-are-calling-it-quits.html While I am guilty of "blogging my opinion" I don't do it everyday, don't think I have something to say on everything, and don't think my opinions are priceless.  I try to share ideas and links that would build up rather than tear down, since I have a naturally curmudgeonly spirit about most things, especially the media.  I want to share faith and Christian knowledge, whatever that is. But I know that the best kind of writing is writing that takes a while (like novels, and I've written five so I know the time it takes), a dissertation (two years), scholarly writing, and textbooks.  My next event, after putting an ebook novel into CreateSpace form, is to finish a relatively short study on leadership in Daniel, especially leadership by believers in secular spaces. I am also reading several books that are long ...

Bringing Abundance Back I am proud of this book and engaging in a social media blitz--Facebook, Twitter, email, and here--to get the word out.  I've actually sold some already! The story behind this cover is kind of funny.  Although the book is set in the South, this picture was taken in northern Pennsylvania.  But the owner had lived in Chattanooga for a long time and is a wonderful gardener, so I think she brought a Southern vibe to her property.

I am starting to feel like I can get through the next six months.  Still not eating much, have little appetite due to annoyance of eating.  Wax really helps.  The teeth are loose, which is a good thing (hard to believe).  I probably will lay off these posts for a while.  If anyone my age is thinking about braces, be forewarned that they are more life-altering than you would imagine.

I'm very proud of this one.  Please follow link.  It will be available in print and Kindle, all proceeds to go to World Vision, and I've kept the price down as much as I can.  And it's a fun read, humor and tears. Bringing Abundance Back

In the Odyssey, Odysseus (Ulysses) had his soldiers stop up their ears and tie him to the mast so that they would not succumb to the Sirens. I consider click bait on Facebook and other sites to be the modern-day Sirens.  How much time I have wasted looking at: Pinterest fails (which are funny) Creepy pictures that are supposed to make me have nightmares and don't even bother me Photos of twins who are two different races (apparently) Celebrities who (fill in the blank--were in horrible movies, died too young, have ugly siblings) People with deformities (what is this, the freak show at the circus?  These poor people are being exploited.) Photoshopped nonsense Historical oddities The Internet has turned into Ripley's Believe It or Not, a feature that used to appear in the Sunday papers when I was a kid.  So, my resolution from this moment is to --in the words of Taylor Swift--never, never, never, ever, ever, ever click on one of those again and use that time wh...

I have, like too many others, chosen to read about Bruce Jenner after feeling like I couldn't get out of it, since when I check my Yahoo mail the Vanity Fair cover shouted at me.  So I have read varying opinions this week.  They seem to be categorizable into the following: 1.  Rants or sarcasm or invective 2.  Calls for compassion 3.  Accolades for his choice 4.  Theological discussions about what he has done 5.  Psychological analyses of his action and transgenderism Smarter people than I have written about it, so I'll refrain from saying more than that I find it sad that he was apparently so unhappy that this was his solution. Also sad for his children.  And I am angry about the media and the constant throwing of this in our faces.  According to one source, he sped up this "process" because he was pressured by the producers of his reality show.  If that is true, it casts a whole differently light on the subject.  Why a rea...

I didn't know chocolate pudding could taste so good (cooked Jello chocolate, that is). I could swear there is a wire or two cutting into my cheek. Ibuprofen really helps. I am tired. I have lost 5 lbs, but need to lose 25 more, so that's ok. Thank goodness for Progresso Soup. I have never brushed my teeth so much, but the electric tooth brush helps. Actually it doesn't feel quite as bad on the gums as it did, but the pain (or the painkiller) is causing fatigue, and I have to work 45 hours in four days. 

I broke another bracket last night, called the dentist, it's not hurting me so I'll go in Monday. Made myself some chocolate pudding, might eat the whole bowl.  Had spaghetti tonight but chopped it up into little strands, no salad or bread, which is good.  Pain comes and goes, ibuprofen helps; if I am busy I don't notice it.  Sometimes the wires hit my cheeks--worst part. 

Back in February I made the decision to get Six-month smile braces, and they finally were "installed" Wednesday.  I have been miserable since.  Part of the reason is that they broke and I had to go back to the dentist to have them reapplied.  If it's not the pain, it's the awareness of the metal and plastic up against my inner lips, it's the stickiness in my mouth, it's the time it takes to brush my teeth, it's the effort to talk, it's the fatigue from the pain and analgesic, and it's the hunger from not being able to eat.  It is a little better today than yesterday and I actually at some pasta today, but it wasn't without quite a bit of soreness.  Since I need to lose weight, that will be a blessing, but I fear exhaustion after a day of work. I didn't realize how crooked my teeth were, either.  In December, before my 60th birthday, maybe I'll be happy with straight ones, which will be odd. My husband said I'd probably get use...

This song reached a part of me yesterday, so I will share the lyrics. We pray for blessings, we pray for peace Comfort for family, protection while we sleep We pray for healing, for prosperity We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering And all the while, You hear each spoken need Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things 'Cause what if your blessings come through rain drops What if Your healing comes through tears What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love As if every promise from Your word is not enough And all the while, You hear each desperate plea And long that we'd have faith to believe 'Cause what if your blessings come through rain drops What if Your healing comes through tears What if a thousand sleepless nights ...