I enjoy S.J. Hill more as a speaker than as a writer. I imagine that he’s kind of like Paul in that way. Part of it, from what I can assess from his writing, is that he seems to be more a dichotomist vs. a trichotomist. And those of you who know me, know where I stand! Body, soul, spirit! =)

Overall, a decent devotional book. Great book for my FYI students given our topic at hand: The Heart of the Father. Excellent in conjunction with Lifetime Guarantee which clearly delineates trichotomy.

Yes, I read it. Don’t judge.

I just finished reading Raymond Carver’s “Neighbors”, and I found myself drawn into minimalist fiction once again. Initially, I wasn’t sure what to do with the dialogue, as I don’t remember “The Swimmer” including that much. However, Carver establishes a nice rhythm with it, and it is not expositional.

The pattern of “Neighbors” and “The Swimmer” is similar. It starts with the protagonist completing an activity (i.e. feeding a cat or swimming in his neighbor’s pools) and progressively makes that activity more and more awkward. It makes me wonder if Carver’s other stories are similar or if ever he experiments in a style that is more difficult for him.

Also, I appreciate Carver’s (okay, I’m going to say it)… “handrails”… throughout his story. Actually, I enjoy that his said handrails sometimes lead to nowhere. For example, initially I assumed the cat moved the story forward for Bill. Then, I assumed it was the Stone’s apartment. Towards the end, the reader realizes that it is not just Bill who is changing but also Arlene.  Finally, the key becomes a hindrance for Bill and Arlene not being able to enter the apartment together. Is this because that neither of them were supposed to be in the apartment together? If Bill and Arlene were ever jointly in their neighbor’s apartment, would they have the same experiences as they have had separately? Also, it seems as if they are leaning into each other at the end–realizing that each other is all they have… or, is it that they are leaning into the door to force it open? What will happen on the other side of that door? Why do I care more about what happens on the other side of the door than I do about the main characters?

Overall, 4 gold stars for Carver. Not five because “The Swimmer” is a million times better, and I prefer swimming over apartments.

Umm… clearly, you should submit here. Clearly.

http://shop.notesandgracenotes.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7&Itemid=11.

Psalm 45: 1 My heart overflows with a good theme;

I address my verses to the King;

My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.

After watching a beautiful memorial service for a beloved friend and daughter, Kalila Marie Borden, I was blessed to hear this song by Steven Curtis Chapman (written in memory of the loss of his little girl, Maria Sue).  As a writer it sucks to not have the words to express sympathy and sorrow. However, every now and then, I am blessed with a song, prayer, poem, or story that someone else has written that perfectly captures what I wish I could share with family and friends who have experienced loss, especially of children.

The song I wish I could have written: Heaven is the Face

The part in pink in the lyrics below is what I pray for all of you… you know who you are.

Heaven is the face of a little girl
With dark brown eyes
That disappear when she smiles.
Heaven is the place
Where she calls my name
Says, “Daddy please come play with me for awhile.”

Chorus:

God, I know, it’s all of this and so much more,
But God, You know, that this is what I’m aching for.
God, you know, I just can’t see beyond the door.
So right now…

Heaven is the sound of her breathing deep,
Lying on my chest, falling fast asleep while I sing.
And Heaven is the weight of her in my arms,
Being there to keep her safe from harm while she dreams

And God, I know, it’s all of this and so much more,
But God, You know, that this is what I’m longing for
God, you know, I just can’t see beyond the door.

Bridge:

But in my mind’s eye I can see a place
Where Your glory fills every empty space.
All the cancer is gone,
Every mouth is fed,
And there’s no one left in the orphans’ bed.
Every lonely heart finds their one true love,
And there’s no more goodbye,
And no more not enough,
And there’s no more enemy (no more).

Heaven is a sweet, maple syrup kiss
And a thousand other little things I miss with her gone.
Heaven is the place where she takes my hand
And leads me to You,
And we both run into Your arms.

Oh God, I know, it’s so much more than I can dream.
It’s far beyond anything I can conceive.
So God, You know, I’m trusting You until I see
Heaven in the face of my little girl,
Heaven in the face of my little girl.

So, I recently added a link to my friend’s blog (see sidebar) Ahab’s Quest, and I have to admit that I am more than slightly jealous. This could potentially lead to some competitive blogging in the near future.

Beware

And it isn’t even class day! Sorry about the sound quality.

3 more to go.

So, in lieu of getting my PhD in creative writing this year, I am, instead, taking classes through Exchanged Life ministries for lay counseling. Therefore, it is time for my “after class blog posts” which have become as traditional as my “before theology class and/or creative writing workshop day” slurpy runs. I could never sleep on those nights anyway, so a sugar high always seemed appropriate.

This time, I have decided to include within my posts, a song that sums up what I have learned.

With no further ado:

… a whole lot of student essays.

But, I am thinking about incorporating lunar bombings into my latest short story.

In other news: It’s time to start applying to graduate school. Joy!