I know a lot of my friends here use only Window Spaces for interacting with other people on the internet. That's cool. However, if you're looking for a place to share your Christian beliefs, debate theological issues, or just have a little fun, you're invited to join me and my friends at the Servant Chat forums. The URL is http://realservantchat.proboards54.com . Anyone can view the posts as a visitor, but if you'd like to participate by posting you have to sign up as a member. Right now we have a very small membership roster, but we hope to grow into a larger family and community. Check it out.

     I don't agree with everything presented by John Calvin, but I was reading an article in Christianity Today in which some of Calvin's writing is paraphrased by Knox Bruce-Beza. The following is paraphrased from The Institutes of the Christian Religion and other writings by John Calvin.

 

     The ascended Christ reigns over the church and all societies but in different ways. In truth, the only "Christian nation" is the body of Christ as it is dispersed throughout all peoples and in all times. Confusion on this point has resulted in far-reaching consequences.

     At the present time, we are under a two-fold government, so that we do not (as commonly happens) unwisely mingle these two, which have a completely different nature. Christ's spiritual kingdom and the civic jurisdiction are things completely distinct. For now Christ's visible rule is a kingdom of grace, advancing through the proclamation of the gospel: the preaching of the Word and the sacrements. In this kingdom, enemies of God are made heirs, strangers and aliens are bound together in a communion deeper than any social bond, and the gospel conquers the earth through the Word and the Spirit rather than through secular powers and cultural labors. Only when Christ returns will he reign in a kingdom of glory, as the realms of this age are made subservient to his will.

     These kingdoms are distinguished but should not be opposed. We are citizens of two cities: one temporary and the other eternal. In the one, we are made neighbors, in a society that can never be perfected, but in which we love and serve our fellows with our common gifts. In the other, we are made co-heirs with Christ in a communion of saints, sharing all heavenly blessings forever.

 

     I believe this relates exactly the way things are and should be. God reigns over the entire world even if most of the inhabitants don't believe in God. Even the United States isn't truely a Christian nation, instead it's a nation in which some of God's children reside. By reaching out to those who don't know God, we can lead them to the way of salvation. No one has ever been saved by the law, whether God's or man's, and they never will be. As Calvin says, "The gospel conquers the earth through the Word and the Spirit rather than through secular powers and cultural labors."  The attempt to change people's behaviors through laws will always fail. The only way to succeed in decreasing the crime and harm done to others is to teach people God's truths and show them that living by his will is the only way to improve society. We change people through love, not force.

     One of my favorite things to do with a little down time is to play detective / mystery games on my computer. I've already played all of the CSI games. Recently, I've enjoyed the Agatha Christie games. I finished "And Then There Were None" and "Murder on the Orient Express". Currently, I'm working my way through "Evil Under the Sun", although I hit a small snag in that one. It seems one area of the game doesn't work properly on some computers without what is known as a game patch. I'm still waiting to hear back from the company to find out where I need to go to download that and, hopefully, be able to finish the game.

     I've been asked why I play those games. The first answer I give is because they give me a chance to exercise my brain. I get to do that when I'm writing, but there are times it's nice to sit back and play through a mystery someone else has taken the time to create. There seem to always be some parts of the games that make no sense, at least to me, like when the character has to do something which in no way relates to solving the crime ... again, that's just my opinion. And then there are some games which present scantily clad women or contain a lot of cussing which really has nothing to do with the game at all. Those I can overlook as long as the game is interesting, challenging, and has a good plot following a logical course and a surprising final solution.

     I've seen a few games at the local stores which I'll probably get around to buying and playing. The ones in which the player gets to take on the role of Sherlock Holmes all look very interesting. There's also one called "Jack the Ripper" I'm almost sure I'll get because I researched that case for my second novel (which is now complete) and I just think it would be fun to "solve" that case. There are some places online selling some of the older games, but I haven't seen too many detective / mystery games other than the ones I've already played or the seemingly endless Nancy Drew series (of which I've played a few).

     I'm not sure how many of my friends and visitors play these types of computer games. If any of you have played any, please tell me which ones or make suggestions. I'm not looking for any of those hidden object games ... it makes no sense to me to go from place to place collecting useless objects and after fifteen or twenty rounds of that be told I solved the mystery. And free online games or downloads are out of the question. I picked up a "worm" at one of those sites and had to completely reload my computer. What I'm searching for are the games I can buy on CD or DVD to play on my PC. I can probably find some of the older games at Amazon so even those suggestions are appreciated.

     Hi everyone. I'm just taking enough time to let you know I propbably won't make it to anyone's spaces for a few days. I got a worm on my computer and had to redo the whole system. I'm in the process of getting all my programs and files back on my hard drive.

 

NT AUTHORITY / SYSTEM

     If you start getting a message that the service and app control has to restart your computer and does so in 60 seconds, you probably have the worm. Your computer will restart, but you'll probably have to go through that five or six times before it stays on for any period of time. There are several versions of the worm which causes this problem. The one on my system was Rustock.AN . Some virus scanners will find it and remove parts of it, but it will come back or just keep working anyway. If you know a computer geek, they can probably find all the bits and pieces and get it off your system. If you don't know anyone to fix it your only alternative is to do what I did. Save all your important stuff to disks or memory sticks and then do a complete system restore. The bad part is, you're starting from scratch and have to reinstall everything.

 

     I don't know where I got the stupid worm, but I did. I hope no one else does.

     I was visiting my friend Happy Flower and read her blog. There, she had some information and questions about things needed to submit to a publisher. To help both her and any other writers, I'm going to share what I've learned so far. Don't think I'm an expert. If I were, maybe a literary agent would already have my full manuscript in his/her hands.

     Before beginning the main points, I'd like to mention that most queries, summaries, etc ... the first time you send the information ... must be done so in the body of an email (if they accept the information via email) unless otherwise stated by the agent/publisher. When they do request information via attachments, most I've found require the documents be in Microsoft Word. If your manuscript is for a novel, make sure you have the entire novel written before submitting a query to an agent/publisher. From what I've read, they won't be very happy if they get excited about your project and then you tell them it's not finished yet.

     One thing I've seen at the sites of most publishers is the fact they won't accept either queries or any part of a manuscript directly from the writer. Most want to receive the information from a literary agent who's representing the writer. Either way, the information here applies. If you're submitting any information to a publisher or agent, make sure you're giving them what they request at their website. If you forget even one small thing, your query will most likely end up in the wastebasket.

     The query letter should be only one page, typed in a standard font at size 11 or 12 and be formatted like a business letter. Many good examples can be found by typing "Query letter" into a search engine. The first sentence should include the title, word count, and genre of your book. Next come two short paragraphs about the plot. This needs to grab the agent's attention and make him/her want to read more. Finally, include a short paragraph about you as the writer ... previous published works, conferences you attend, etc. Again, look at examples on the web.

     For novels, most agents/publishers ask for a summary, although some do want a book proposal. Have both ready. The hard part is summarizing your 80,000+ word novel in a short space. A typical summary is no more than two pages in a standard font at size 11 or 12. Each paragraph is separated by a double space and no indentations are needed at the beginning at the paragraph. Write a short paragraph about the action in each chapter of your book. If you find yourself going beyond two pages, perhaps you can summarize two or three chapters in one paragraph. To make it even more difficult, some agents/publishers may request the summary be only one page. I have both a one page and two page summary saved so I can send whichever is requested. As with the query letter, examples are available on the web.

     An agent/publisher may also request sample pages or chapters from your novel. If they ask for ten pages, they want the first ten pages of your manuscript. If they ask for one or more chapters, they want the first chapters in your book unless otherwise stated. Some may ask for the three chapters best describing the action in your novel. If you're adding these to the body of an email, the formatting will usually not remain as you had them saved so some re-formatting may be required (paragraphs indented, etc). From my experience, if in the body of an email, the agent/publisher is only reading for the content and not the actual manuscript formatting.

     Manuscript formatting is important when it comes to submitting any portion of the manuscript via an email attachment or through the postal service. The agent/publisher wants to make sure its in the format needed by editors. Manuscripts should have page numbers at the top of every page and the entire thing must be double spaced. Once again, use a standard font at size 11 or 12. Also, as mentioned, most editors/publishers seem to use Microsoft Word so it would be best to have that program and use it to type your manuscript. If you use other programs, such as Microsoft Works Wordprocessing the formatting gets messed up when viewed using Microsoft Word.

     One book I've found very helpful in explaining every step of the process is Putting Your Passion Into Print by Arielle Eckstut and David Henry Sterry.

     To start a search for a literary agent, go to http://www.aar-online.org (Association of Authors' Representatives). The list contains hundreds of agents. I started by visiting those who have websites. By doing so, you can read about the agents and find out what types of books in which their most interested. It doesn't do any good to send a query for a horror novel to an agent who hates horror novels or only represents works of non-fiction. You can also do an internet search for specific types of agents such as "agents for Christian fiction", "agents for sociology textbooks", etc.

     If anyone has any further questions, let me know. As I said, I'm not a professional and I'm still in search of the ever elusive agent. I have had a few nibbles, but no one has yet asked for my entire manuscript. The search continues.

I received an email today that looked important, but that I recogonized as a scam. The following is an email I sent to all my friends. I'm posting here for those who aren't in my address book.

 

If you got an email stating is was from MSN, Windows Live, or Hotmail and that your account would be closed if you don't fill out the form and send the information --- DON'T DO IT!!!! If you notice, there is no butterfly next to the senders name in your inbox list. This shows the email is NOT an official email from MSN or its affiliated networks. If you've already filled out the form be warned!!! You've just given someone your username and password and they now have full access to your account. My guess is they'll change the password and you won't be able to access your account. If they don't, they'll still be able to use your account to send people emails (including viruses), read you're personal information, and read any incoming emails which may contain personal information.
 
Again, DO NOT RESPOND TO THAT EMAIL!!!!

 

As an added explanation here at my blog. As far as I know, the only time Hotmail will close any account is for reported abuses or if your account sits idle for longer than about three months or so. They don't even warn you, they'll just do it. I've said it before and I'll say it again ... If you ever receive an email from any company or organization (including Hotmail) that wants you to verify you're information, go directly to the website (through your browser, not the URL provided in the email) and do the changes or additions once you're signed into your account.

     I received a message today from Rhonda so she could check up on me since I haven't posted anything or left any comments for a while. It's nice to know there are people out there who care enough about each other they do that from time to time. Rhonda sent the message, but I know my other friends have been wondering if I dropped off the face of the earth. Nope. I'm still here, but the past month or so has been full of work and other such things.

     The main thing I've been working on is all the paperwork and such associated with trying to buy a house. I know it will be worth all the hassle and aggrevation, but right now I'm not seeing the end. If you've ever bought a house, you know what I'm talking about. The owner is selling the house herself so, instead of dealing with a realtor, the main paperwork is being handled by a lawyer. A few trips to his office has finally gotten the sales agreement signed. I'll be seeing him later for other assorted paperwork. The bank needed copies of W-2s, pay stubs, and other things associated with income and debt. After getting those papers to the appropriate person, I had to go sign the loan origination papers, permission for the credit checks, etc, etc. Monday, the appraiser is coming out. Hopefully, after that, the paperwork can be processed and I'll find out soon if the loan has been approved.

     A question for previous home buyers. Why is it the bank, appraiser, and other people involved insist on doing things on their time and act as if you're causing problems when you refuse to take time off work? Oh well. I stood my ground and the appraiser is coming out on my schedule. The other thing driving me nuts is how they want me to do all the footwork and gather information which is a matter of public record (deeds, surveys, etc). Public record means, in today's world, they can get on the computer and get the information for themselves. Just why do they charge such high fees and expect someone else to do their work?

     I still haven't found an agent or publisher for my first book. I'm not going to give up. In the meantime, I'm within one chapter of having my second manuscript completed. I'll still have editing and proofreading to do, but I'll be close enough to finished to say its done. At this rate, I'll have an entire series of books written before the first one ever gets published. Even if the books never get published, I've had fun writing them and will have books I'll read many times.

     Hopefully, when things settle down a bit, I'll have more time to blog and check in on my friends. Until then, may God bless you.

     Some of you will notice the number of people in my network has decreased. I know some people are going to be upset that they no longer appear on that list. All I can say is I need to simplify my Space and one way to do that is to slim down the people in my network. The names of people listed at my profile aren't the only names I've deleted. There are many names I've deleted from my messenger and my email contact lists. I can't say whether or not I'll delete any more names. What I can say is I won't be adding any more names any time soon.

     So why am I doing this? I don't know about other people, but I'm now spending between 1 1/2 - 2 hours a day checking and reading emails, blogs, and messages posted at the message board I help moderate. By the time I do that, do whatever house chores need done, and eat supper there's not much time left for anything else. I need to cut back somewhere and, as much as I hate to cut out anything, the most sensible thing right now seems to be streamlining my Space. We'll have to wait to see what happens in the future.

     I just wanted to let my friends know that if you don't see me on here everyday it's because I'm busy checking out various banks about first mortgages, looking at the real estate sites, and weighing the pros and cons of buying a house vs a mobile home. One thing I've discovered is that even though I have a job that pays the bills, being single with one income will definitely limit my options for a future residence. I'll try to pop on for a little while everyday so I can keep updated on all the happenings around Spaces.

     As I was reading through the various blogs today, I remembered how people couldn't understand why I was upset when someone I only knew from an internet chat room died. People will say a lot of things about these relationships. Some will tell you it's crazy to grieve over someone you never met or knew in real life. Others will accuse you of not having a "real life" if you get so attached to people in cyberspace. They just can't understand we can have friends in many places, whether that be people we can interact with in person or people we've never met except through chat rooms, message boards, or blog spaces. Probably the most often heard comment is "You really don't know if that person was ever telling you the truth or just making up stories". All I can say is there are people out there with powerful life stories which are believable enough I've built what I feel is a real and lasting friendship with those people.

     One such story is the one that caused me great grief when the person died. One man came into a chat room and was very harsh toward Christians and Christianity. Night after night, he'd rile up the usual crowd because of his criticism and unbelief. Over time, he refused to talk to most of the regulars and chose to only talk to two or three of us. We'd have many discussions about our beliefs and he'd be very polite when asking questions or stating why he couldn't believe as we did. Over the course of several months, his heart and mind changed and he became a brother in Christ. He would come in and tell us how much better his life became and how much closer he was to his family since becoming a Christian. Not three months later, a friend of his logged into chat using the man's name and password so he could tell us the man had died. I was devastated. Here was a man who had just recently become my brother and now he was gone. Of all the stories he shared with us, he never mentioned the cancer he'd been battling for years or that being the reason he'd turned away from God. His friend told us those details. He also told us the man was not only thinking about his family at the end, but those of us who had taken the time to listen to him and help him find the right path in life.

     Perhaps the main reason we build these friendships in cyberspace are because we can share things we wouldn't share wth the other people around us. I know some people who, because of illnesses and diseases, can't get out in real life and the internet is their only source of communication. Whatever the reason, cyberfriends are important link in our lives. I really miss my friends who are no longer here. Every time someone dies, I feel the pain of the hole left in my life because they're no longer here to share a silly story or drop a good bit of advice.

     I hope that we all meet again in that far better place.

     You all know I did my fair share of complaining when Windows Spaces first made major changes to the way things work around here. I still haven't figured everything out, but enough that I can find the updates and such. Once in a while I still run into a glitch; however, those times are getting fewer and further between events. The other night I was checking on my friends over at Facebook and came to the conclusion that Windows Spaces is still the place to be for my main socializing within the place know as the blogosphere. Why?

 

     1. I can find everything from my blog updates to incoming messages and invitations within one or two mouse clicks. At Facebook, all of the controls and updates are spread among too many pages.

     2. I never have to wait more than about 10 seconds for pages to load, with the exception of blog spaces containing videos and music. At Facebook, I've never had a page load in less than about 30 seconds. With having cable internet, 30 seconds is crazy.

     3. My friends will talk about anything here, yet when they talk about weather or getting a new car (among other things), they're more apt to discuss every detail and what they learned from the experience. At Facebook, people give the report on the activity and nothing else ... even when you ask them for more details.

     4. When my friends here have a problem or concern, they share enough details that people can help (if they're looking for help) and then give updates when things get better or worse. At Facebook, it seems people just complain to be complaining and get angry if you try to help.

     5. If I receive an invitation to join someone's network, I can check out their Space before accepting or declining the invitation. At Facebook, the only way to see someone's page is to accept the invitation.

 

     Sure, I'll keep my Facebook account so I can keep in touch with family members and old school mates (sort of), but I already told them I won't be spending as much time there. What it all comes down to is I may still complain when Windows Spaces makes changes, but at least here I can figure things out. The main difference I appreciate is that here, friends are friends and I always know where and how to find you all.

I found this on a card and wanted to share it with you. This is a prayer of Francis of Assisi.

 

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. Oh Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love; for it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying that we are born again to eternal life.

     Texas Eyes wrote a great blog about some of her childhood memories. Most of the things she mentioned brought back memories of my own childhood. Those were the wonderful days when kids were still kids and there was nothing more high tech than a television and the old Atari 2600, which we could only use at night or if the weather was bad. Here are some of my favorite memories.

 

On the Tennessee side:

     Visiting my Granny. She'd treat us to penny candy, honey from a jar containing part of the comb, and great family stories.

     Going fishing with my mom's Uncle Charlie. I can still remember the smell of his pipe tobacco. Staying at his place sometimes scared me because he had this bobcat stuffed and standing guard by his fireplace. I always imagined it coming alive in the middle of the night and getting me.

     Some of you will find this one strange. Uncle Charlie owned and operated a funeral home. Sometimes we'd stop by to visit while he was at work. He'd let us roll down the ramp from the main floor to the lounge downstairs ... as many times as we wanted. Then he'd buy us orange sodas. It was in glass bottles you pulled out of the front of the machine.

 

On the Pennsylvania side:

     Living right next door to my grandmother, grandfather, and great-grandmother. I loved sitting on the glider on summer nights and listening to my great-grandmother make up fairy tales and stories.

     The whole family playing board games around the table.

     Mom, Dad, two brothers, the dog, and me all laying on my parents bed on Saturday nights watching Saturday Night Live and then the Saturday night horror movie.

     Me and my brothers riding our bikes all summer long.

     Playing in the woods and creek behind the local playground.

     My dad reading to his three kids before they went to bed. He read the classics ... Black Beauty, Treasure Island, Tom Sawyer, and many others.

 

     I could list so many other things. Sadly, most kids today would find those things boring. Many of them probably wouldn't want to spend time with their family because there are too many gizmos and gadgets to take up their time. Think about it ... kids would rather text each other than sit down and have a real conversation. What a shame.

     Ok, this blog is going to me sharing my thoughts, complaints, and low points. If you'd rather not read it, go ahead and click away from this page.

     Yesterday was a great day. The weather was beautiful and I finally got a chance to get outside and get some things done. I worked in the front yard for about four hours. There were flower beds to weed, plants that needed moved, branches and twigs to pick up, and a driveway to get back into a little better shape. The whole time I was working, I had Christian music in the CD player and I sang along. I always tend to feel closer to God when I'm outside enjoying the nature he created even though I'm working.

     This morning is completely different. All I can do is sit here wondering when things will change. All of the people I call friends (those in real life, not cyber space) are either older than me and spend their free time at the bingo hall and such or are younger than me and would rather hang out at the bars and clubs, none of which I consider exciting or fun. I have a completed novel, but I can't get anyone interested enough to even ask to read the whole story before rejecting the manuscript. If the membership numbers at Christian dating sites are to be believed, there are thousands of lonely Christians in this country, but none of them (a lot of them my age) even want to talk to plain old me. NO, I'm not using this blog space as a dating site ... so don't even ask. I have a blog space about my book so I can network with other writers, yet their definition of networking must be to advertise their book by being in my network instead of actually being willing to help or encourage other writers. So many people I work with come to me for advice or just to gripe about everything, yet when I need someone to talk to they don't have the time. I admit, that's what I'm doing now ... moaning and complaining.

     So when are things going to change? What do I have to do? Change my behaviors and attitudes so I feel more comfortable hanging out at the bars and clubs? Forget about my dream to get my book published? Stop caring enough about people to try to help them? Let my hair grow longer, start wearing make-up (not to mention dye my hair), and wear "sexy" clothes so I can catch the eyes of men?

     I know, I know. Everything happens for a reason or God can make some good come from it. Everything happens according to God's plan and timing. I need to just give it all to God and wait. I've lost count of the number of times I've told people those same things. Maybe it all comes down to the fact I'm learning being a pastor can be one of the lonliest jobs in the world. People come to you for help and expect immediate relief, yet when a pastor needs help, it often seems there's no one there to talk to.

     Ok, I'll let you all get back to whatever it is you need to get back to.

     Do you think you can learn anything from a Jehovah's Witness? I think you can.

     Today at work, I got a chance to have some interesting discussions with one of our temps. We got to talking about how people will kill for many reasons and how people seem to resort to violence more than ever. He then mentioned that J.W.s will not serve as police officers because they don't believe in carrying guns and using violence to resolve conflicts. The conversation was interupted by break time ... and I never miss break time. Anyway, once we got back from break, I ask if J.W.s were pacifist. It's so nice, at least for me, to find other people who believe as I do and live life as a pacifist.

     This blog isn't about being a pacifist, it's about learning something from a J.W. As usual, the conversations flowed from one thing to another. I think it was irritating the other two people working beside us, but Brad and I were very involved in discussing religious beliefs. I love it when I can find someone, anyone, who is as passionate about their beliefs as I am and will have a rational and calm discussion even when we disagree on many points. Even though we avoided the major differences (at least for today), we spent at least two hours of the day talking about the beliefs we share ... pacisifm, living our lives as examples for other people to follow, and how we can only be doing our "jobs" for God if we talk to people about Jesus.

     And that last is what I'd like to present as a valuable lesson we can learn from the J.W.s. Even if you're like me and disagree with many of the core beliefs of the Jehovah's Witnesses, take some time to listen to the passion with which they discuss their beliefs. Most of the J.W.s I know will find an opening in almost any conversation and use it as a way to present their religious beliefs. Why aren't we as Christians (Catholic or Protestant) doing the same? Or if we do talk about our beliefs, why is the passion missing? Why do we think we have to talk only to other Christians in hushed tones, yet never get passionate and discuss God's truth with non-Christians? Learn something from the J.W.s. Our job is to bring some light into the world and we can't do that by keeping the light to ourselves and only sharing it with other light bearers.

     I hope all of my friends had a blessed Easter and may those blessings continue throughout the week.

     As for me, I spent the weekend doing some work on my manuscript. Part of that work is reformatting the entire thing. From what I read at various agent's sites, any manuscript they request (not that they've requested mine yet) must be submitted as a .doc file. This means using Microsoft Word, a program that until this weekend I didn't have on my computer. Our computer guy at work had a copy of Microsoft Office (with Word) that he bought but never used. Amazingly, he gave me the software. Yes, it's all legit as the software had never been previously registered and came with all of the necessary licensing numbers and such. I will have to mention his name under the "Special thanks" at the front of my novel. In fact, his name should be in very large bold letters because that was a $200+ package of software.

     Another thing I'm working on while waiting to hear from any agents who currently have query letters from me waiting in their email inboxes is to pare down my manuscript word count. As it stands, the novel is 110,000+ words. While that's ok for a novel, common advice available on the internet says that for a first novel from an unknown author, publishers are looking for a length of between 80,000-90,000 words. I really don't want to cut anything, but after reading back through my story, I found quite a bit that I can cut and not change or take away from the plotline. The great part is that I think a lot of what I cut is good and I can use it later in other books in my series.

     I also found listings for some other published writers and located their websites or the sites of organizations they either work for or operate. I sent out emails explaining that I have an unpublished manuscript that I'd like to have evaluated by people who are "well known within the Christian community". Am I crazy? The worst they can tell me is they won't read it. What's three or four more rejection letters on top of what I've already received? And they just might agree to read my manuscript. No, I'm not holding my breath.

     Well, it's time I get back to editing and reformatting.

     Because a few friends have had problems with receiving private messages from people trying to scam them out of money, I want to tell you all how to block people you don't know from sending you private messages. Just follow the following steps.

 

1. Go to the home page (where you check for updated blogs, etc)

2. Click on the link you'd use to be taken to your private messages

3. Click on the "Options" link (on the right side under your picture)

4. In the drop down menu, click on "Communication preferences"

5. On the next page, use the drop down menu under "Private messages" to set your preference to "People in your network"

After you finish these steps, the only people who can send you private messages are people you have in your network list. You can also choose not to allow anyone to send you private messages.

     One of the greatest holidays of the Christian faith occurs next weekend. We celebrate Easter on Sunday. I'm not talking about the easter with a rabbit who delivers candy and such to good little boys and girls. I'm talking about the resurrection of our Lord and Savior. If you ask me, and you didn't, I'd tell you without the resurrection, the Christian faith would be meaningless. Sure we needed Christ to be born and live on this earth and we needed him to die for our sins; however, without the resurrection, we'd be following yet another dead prophet.

     You've heard the quote "A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet"? Perhaps it would. You could call a rose a daffodil, tulip, or by the name of any other flower and it would still be a rose. You'd be incorrect in the name, but it is a rose. Each type of rose has a specific set of characters and characteristics (botany terms) which make it a rose regardless of what you may call it. It's the essence of the rose which makes it a rose, not the name anyone chooses to use. The same can be said of people. You can call me Sheila or by one of my many nicknames and it doesn't change who I am at the core of my being.

     But there are other things in our lives which lead to confusion if you give them one name and the core being of that thing is something other than what the name implies. Here I'm talking about Christians and Christianity. As I've said in other blogs and comments, I consider people from many denominations my brothers and sisters in Christ. That only goes so far. There are many people out there claiming to be Christians and teaching things which completely oppose Christ and his teachings. These people aren't Christians and they definitely aren't my brothers and sisters in Christ. If a person's core values aren't Christian, then they can use that name but they aren't what they claim.

     It's time we real Christians take a stand for Christ and his truth. The Bible says we must confess that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised him from the dead. How hard is that to understand? Why is it there are people calling themselves Christians who use that title yet don't believe Jesus died for their sins or that God never raised him from the dead? Why are there people who believe that while Christianity and accepting Christ works for us, it's not what God planned for everyone? I'll tell you why. While many Christians are fighting the political battles to have laws enacted which reflect a Christian worldview, they forget about Christ. They want to be accepted by the secular world, so they ditch proclaiming the truth so they don't make anyone angry. They're more worried about their own personal comfort level than they are about the millions of lost souls.

     If you don't believe Christ died for your sins and/or that God didn't raise him from the dead, stop telling people you're a Christian. If you teach other people that it doesn't matter what religion they follow because everyone will be saved in the end (all religions lead to God), stop telling people you're a Christian. In the first case, you're a liar and headed for the eternal fire. In the second case, you're leading other people astray and away from the saving truth and Jesus is going to tell you "depart from me". If you're thinking I'm being judgmental, read the Bible which tells you the truth about Christ and salvation. The disciples had their disagreements, yet they never backed down from the basic truths about salvation. They went to their deaths proclaiming Christ crucified and accepting him as Lord and Savior as the only means to salvation. Unless you believe they died for an outright lie or were mistaken in their beliefs, you should be willing to do the same.

     Your pastor may be changing the truth to be more tolerant of other people. The truth is being watered down to get people from other religions to like us and, perhaps, join our ranks without having to take the final step of accepting Christ. They have no problem with alienating people by using the pulpit to proclaim the need for anti-abortion laws and laws against gay marriages, yet they do have a problem with alienating people by proclaiming the one and only way to salvation is through accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior. Obeying such laws do not make people Christians, accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior does. People who obey the world's laws still end up in a state of eternal punishment, people who accept Jesus as Lord don't.

     Which way do you want it to be? Do you want friends and allies here on earth or do you want to live with Christ when your life here is over? It's up to you. God told us what's required. If you want to be called a Christian, then you need to be a Christian at the core of your being where it really matters. In the end, there are sheep and there are goats. Which are you? If you're a sheep, be a sheep to the very core, not a goat trying to look like the other sheep. God knows the difference.

     This weekend I took a break from searching for an agent and the drive to get my own book published. Instead of "working", I sat and read a book written by another author.

     While doing some research at various online bookstores and distributors, I wrote down a list of some books from the Christian suspense/mystery category that were similar yet different from my own manuscript. This was done so I could present an "argument" to any agent or publisher who may tell me "Christian fiction doesn't sell" or "there's no market for crime novels with Christian themes". Perhaps I'll get around to writing a blog about Christian fiction in general at a later date.

     One book that caught my eye, was "The Shack" by Wm. Paul Young. I made a visit to the local Borders bookstore and bought the book. Some of you may have already read this book because it was first published in 2007. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it. I'll allow you the pleasure of looking up the book for a more detailed description, but part of the description from the back cover states: "In a world where religion seems to grow increasingly irrelevant, THE SHACK wrestles with the timeless question: Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain?"

     Although I disagreed with some of theology presented and/or the way it was presented, it's a great novel. It shows one man's struggle in dealing with the loss of a loved one, his distrust and near disbelief in God, and his struggle with figuring out who God is and how he works in ours lives. Through a wonderfully described spiritual experience, the man gets the answers to his questions. This is my description by what I got from reading the story; however, I think each reader will probably walk away with different views and opinions.

     If you've read the book or read it later, let me know what you thought about the plotline, the presentation, and/or what you learned from the story.