OCW Conference

This summer promises to be insane...

One of the things that I'm looking forward to is the Oregon Christian Writers Conference the first week of August! I haven't heard back, but I'm hoping I the coaching class I signed up for. It looks really amazing. Part of it is getting a 20 page critic!

Although OCW isn't really the type of writing I want to do, I know this conference is going to teach me a lot. I'm very excited.

I'l also get to meet James Scott Bell. He wrote Plot and Structure, which is an extremely amazing writing book. I haven't been able to get into his fiction much....but his educational books are really, very good. I emailed him once to tell him so and he wrote back a very encouraging email that made me happy for weeks. :-)

Anyways....
Miss Pickwickian

Don't Waste Your Life - Lecrae

Something different...just because it is amazing. :-)



Don't Waste Your Life

[Hook: Cam]
Don't wanna waste my life

[Verse 1: LeCrae]
I know a lot of people out there scared they gone die
couple of em thinking they'll be livin in the sky
but while Im here livin man I gotta ask why
what am here fo I gotta figure out
waste my life/ no I gotta make it count
if Christ is real then what am I gone do about
all of the things in Luke 12:15 down to 21 you really oughta go and check it out
Paul said if Christ aint resurrect then we wasted our lives
well that implies that our life's built around Jesus being alive
everyday I'm living tryin show the world why
Christ is more than everything you'll ever try
better than pretty women and sinning and living
to get a minute of any women and men that you admire aint no lie
We created for Him outta the dust he made us for Him
Elects us and he saves us for Him Jesus comes and raises for Him
Magnify the Father why bother with something lesser
he made us so we could bless Him and to the world we confess him
resurrects him so I know I got life matter fact better man I know I got Christ
if you don't' see His ways in my days and nights
you can hit my brakes you can stop my lights
man I lost my rights I lost my life
forget the money cars and toss that ice
the cost is Christ
and they could never offer me anything on the planet that'll cost that price

[Verse 2: Dwayne Tryumph]
Armed and dangerous
So the devil jus can't handle us
Christian youth them a stand wid us
Livin' n driven/ given a vision/ fullfillin the commission he handed us
London to Los Angeles
Da rap evangelist
Ma daddy wouldn't abandon us
"I gotta back pack fulla tracts plus I keep a Johnny Mac"
So are you ready to jam with us
So lets go, gimme the word an lets go
Persecution lets go
Tribulation lets go
Across the nation lets go
Procrastination bes go
Hung on the cross in the cold
Died for da young and the old
Can't say you never know
Heaven knows
How many souls are going to hell or to heaven so we gotta go in and get em
Whaaaaat!

[Verse 3: LeCrae]
Suffer Yeah do it for Christ if you trying to figure what to do with your life
if you making money hope you doing it right
because the money is Gods you better steward it right
stay focused if you aint got no ride
your life aint wrapped up in what you drive
the clothes you wear the job you work
the color your skin naw we Christian first
people living life for a job make a lil money start living for a car
get em a house a wife kids and a dog when they retire they living high on the hog
but guess what they didn't ever really live at all to live is Christ yeah that's Paul I recall
to die is gain so for Christ we give it all he's the treasure you'll find in the mall
Your money your singleness marriage talent and time
they were loaned to you to show the world that Christ is Divine
that's why it's Christ in my rhymes That's why it's Christ all the time
my whole world is built around him He's the life in my lines
I refused to waste my life he's too true ta chase that ice
heres my gifts and time cause I'm constantly trying to be used to praise the Christ
If he's truly raised to life then this news should change your life
and by his grace you can put your faith in place that rules your days and nights

What's in the Works and...."Love" by Me

So the reason there has been no lyrics is because I've been stuck on this one.... All my other "songs" have developed a rough draft in the first day or so.

Until....this one I've been working on. I think I've been trying to to cram way to much into a few verses and tackling to big of concepts. You know how when idea becomes dear to your heart it can never get good enough on paper? Well, that's where this idea is at. I care to much about it now to ever do it justice.
Anyways...I broke my brain on it for an hour or so today and then decided to loosen up and work on something else. If I just wrote something quick to get my fingers warmed up again, maybe it would go better.

The result is this song, Love.
I wrote it in the style of my Death song, because to me, it seems only Christ's love is the opposite of death. I'm not sure I tackled a manageable concept here. I had a lot of issues running through my head when I wrote it, but I'm hoping it turned out making some sort of sense.
I'm certainly more ready to go back to the challenging project now.

So anyways, here it is. Maybe someday you'll see the other project.

Love

I want to have it
I want to feel it
I want to horde it
I want to give it away

I just can’t see it
I just can’t touch it
I just can’t hold it
I just can’t give it away

They try to say it
They try to give it
They try to show it
I try to give it away

I can’t receive it
How can I give it?
Must I live it?
I receive to give away

I don’t deserve it
I did not earn it
I can’t accept it
I have none to give away

He freely gave it
He died to save it
I can’t repay it
Can I give His love away?

© Miss Pickwickian


Thanks for reading,
Miss Pickwickian

Blue Like Jazz - Donald Miller

Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality by Donald Miller
Thomas Nelson, Inc






Rating: 9
Readability: 9
Impact: 10+





Read it again: Certainly. There are parts of it I wish I could just cram into my brain!
Recommend it: Yes, I highly recommend it. I'm sure it says more to some people then others and I can see why some readers wouldn't like it, but that's their problem. ;-)


What to Expect

A artsy ramble by a consciences thinker and convicted Christian.

My Squib

I ordered this book on a recommendation with out reading about it. I really had no idea what it was about until Amazon delivered it on our doorstep.

I enjoyed it but was skeptical for the first few chapters. Once I was a third through I was devouring it with a pen and notepad in one hand.
Donald Miller has an amazing, artsy writing style (although he could cut down on the long sentences). He speaks honestly from the heart.

At times I can't agree with Donald Miller theologically (or grammatically, for that matter). I would also would rate it at PG 13 for his nitty-gritty honesty...
Other then that, this is any amazing book and I highly recommend it. (I've actually just ordered three more copies for friends and family!)

As a side note, I also enjoyed this book because it's author lives in Portland. He often mentions local places and events. As a frequenter and Portland lover, this was especially cool for me. ;-)

I know that God put this book in my life when I needed it. I thought so much of it was written directly at me in a special way that I could understand. Thank you, Ellen, for recommending it. ;-)

Now I need to put it action!

From the Book

"And so I have come to understand that strength, inner strength comes from receiving love as much as it comes from giving it. I think apart from the idea that I am a sinner and God forgives me, this is the greatest lesson I have ever learned. When you get it, it changes you. My friend Julie from Seattle told me that the main prayer she prays for her husband is that he will be able to receive love. And this is the prayer I pray for all my friends because it is the key to happiness. God's love will never change us if we don't accept it."

The Son of God Goes forth to War

One of my many favorite songs....




"The Son of God Goes Forth to War"
by Reginald Heber, 1783-1826)

1. The Son of God goes forth to war
A kingly crown to gain.
His blood-red banner streams afar;
Who follows in His train?
Who best can drink His cup of woe,
Triumphant over pain,
Who patient bears his cross below--
He follows in His train.

2. The martyr first whose eagle eye
Could pierce beyond the grave,
Who saw His Master in the sky
And called on Him to save.
Like Him, with pardon on His tongue,
In midst of mortal pain,
He prayed for them that did the wrong--
Who follows in his train?

3. A glorious band, the chosen few,
On whom the Spirit came,
Twelve valiant saints; their hope they knew
And mocked the cross and flame.
They met the tyrant's brandished steel,
The lion's gory mane;
They bowed their necks the death to feel--
Who follows in their train?

4. A noble army, men and boys,
The matron and the maid,
Around the Savior's throne rejoice,
In robes of light arrayed.
They climbed the steep ascent of heav'n
Thro' peril, toil, and pain.
O God, to us may grace be giv'n
To follow in their train!

Hymn #452
The Lutheran Hymnal
Text: 1 Timothy 6:12
Author: Reginald Heber, 1827
Composer: Henry S. Cutler, 1872
Tune: "All Saints New"

And so I Continue in My Endeavors to Appreciate Poetry

LXXI and LXXII from Shakespeare's Sonnets

No longer mourn for me when I am dead
Than you shall hear the surly sullen bell
Give warning to the world that I am fled
From this vile world, with vilest worms to dwell:
Nay, if you read this line, remember not
The hand that writ it; for I love you so,
That I in your sweet thoughts would be forgot,
If thinking on me then should make you woe.
O, if, I say, you look upon this verse
When I perhaps compounded am with clay,
Do not so much as my poor name rehearse,

But let your love even with my life decay;
Lest the wise world should look into your moan,
And mock you with me after I am gone.

O, lest the world should task you to recite
What merit lived in me, that you should love
After my death, dear love, forget me quite,
For you in me can nothing worthy prove;
To do more for me than mine own desert,
Than niggard truth would willingly impart:
O, lest your true love may seem false in this,
That you for love speak well of me untrue,
My name be buried where my body is,
And live no more to shame nor me nor you
For I am shamed by that which bring forth,
And so should you, to love things, nothing worth.


Thought you'd all be in for something cheery on a Monday. ;-)

Thanks for reading,
Miss Pickwickian

Busy Dying

"He not busy being born is busy dying."
~Bob Dylan

Random Squib on "Daniel Deranda"

If you haven't, please read my post, The Author You know as George Elliot Thanks. :-)

So, this is just a mildly random post on what I liked and didn't like about the Masterpiece Theater portrayal of Daniel Deranda.

The strengths of the movie to me were the characters. (That's basically the strengths of any movie I like. ;-) They all seemed complex, and if sometimes extreme, believable...developed... interesting...

The most interesting character to me was Gwendolyn. She has obviously been pampered by her mother and hates being poor. She knows she beautiful and she uses it. She is pretty much utterly selfish. She marries a rich creep thinking she can control him. Before marrying him she even promises not to accept his proposal to his mistress who is raising his children with little money. Hello? Caution light, you'd think.

Basically she makes a series of miserable choices and she pays for it. She continues to see Daniel and makes us nervous being a little to friendly. Her husband becomes jealous etc...

Anyways...at the end she does not get what she wants, but she is a very, very different person. She lost, but she's changed and content with where she has come. She now knows how to act like a considerate human. I know it was unusual, but where the story ended for her was actually very cool and satisfying for me.

The other characters, Daniel, Mirah, and Sir Hugo (especially Sir Hugo) really made the movie for me.

I can see why a lot of people do not like Daniel Deranda and I'm really not defending very well here, but I think it makes it as an interesting delve into human character. Obviously not every character is probably realistic, but I just found it a very interesting study. It really made me think.

The costumes and acting were done very well. I was very impressed, especially compared to many period dramas and George Elliot ones in particular. I really enjoyed Hugh Dancy, Jodhi May, Romola Garai, and Jamie Bamber's performances.

My main bone to pick (which you would known if I you did what I told you at the beginning of the post) was the story being pro-Jews vs. pro-Christian.

So...that's all very unclear and not a very cool squib....but that's it.
I've been working all day on a book project and my brain has been dead for the last hour or two. ;-)

Love to hear more discussion on Daniel Deranda or George Elliot in general.

Thanks for reading. I know it wasn't too thrilling.
Miss Pickwickian

One of the best things about it being Daniel's white suit....