Cherish this Holiday Season

It seems every year Thanksgiving and Christmas come faster and faster. I think the older we get, the more used to the length of a year we become. Kind of like the return drive on a long trip often seems shorter than the initial drive. Our minds tell us that the trip was so long, and being creatures of pessimism, we anticipate the return trip to be longer than it really is.

Such as with life. How often, students, do you put off that paper because you have an entire week to get it done? Or husbands, how many months go by before we actually fix the furnace? Just look at how big your kids are, if you want me to get to the point.

I recently read a little play by Thornton Wilder called Our Town. It is a very haunting account of this very discussion. The Pulitzer prize winning play is simple enough on the surface, but if one is really paying attention, one will be almost terrified of what Wilder is trying to tell us in his play.

And that is simply: Life is fleeting. Enjoy it now while you can.

One needs also to read through Lamentations or almost any other wisdom book of the Bible to get a clue that this is no joke. Time flies, and may I add: whether you’re having fun or not.

So as you gather around the Thanksgiving table with your family – whether you like them or not – I want to challenge you to really take the time to relax, breathe, and live a little in the life you’ve been given. Enjoy your families, regardless of the circumstances. One day Uncle Fred or Grandma or Dad aren’t going to be sitting at that seat, and you’ll miss them.

If you feel that the holiday season has become mundane, soak it in anyway, because one day, you’ll look back on it all and miss it. And if you do this, your attitude will change.

I dreaded taking the dogs out to do their business four to five times a day. But after reading Our Town, I stopped and reflected on the fact that one day they’ll be too old to go down the stairs by themselves and I’ll have to carry them, recalling these days – these days – of their mobile youth. So I stopped pestering them to “Go potty!” and just let them take their time and allow them to enjoy the cool air and bark at the squirrels.

If you’re like me and hate shopping, go with your spouse anyway this Christmas season, and have fun. Don’t throw a fit, or pout, because one day, you’ll regret soiling would-be sweet memories. Take in every moment – the good and mundane – fix the bad ones, and don’t continue to leave behind regrets of lost memories.

I’ll leave you now with a chilling passage from the third and final act of Our Town. Emily, the young, hopeful bride from the preceding act has died and is in the grave observing a very dull day in her early life as Scrooge does in his own harrowing visions.

Emily - I can’t. I can’t go on. It goes so fast. We don’t have time to look at one another.

She breaks down sobbing…

Emily (cont.) - I didn’t realize. So all that was going on and we never noticed. Take me back – up the hill – to my grave. But first: Wait! One more look. Good-by, Good-by, world. Good-by, Grover’s Corners… Mama and Papa. Good-by to the clocks ticking… and Mama’s sunflowers. And food and coffee. And new-ironed dresses and hot baths… and sleeping and waking up. Oh, earth, you’re too wonderful for anybody to realize you.

She looks toward the stage manager and asks abruptly, through her tears:

Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it? – every, every minute?

Stage Manager - No.

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How to Deal with Holiday Family Tensions

Christmas Wish List for the Book Lovers in your life.

Customer Etiquette: 10 Tips on How to be a Good Customer

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Christmas Wish List Part 3

I wish you all a wonderful, and delightful Thanksgiving as you gather with friends and family tomorrow.

And now the conclusion of the best books I’ve read in the last 18 months.

For theology readers

How Christianity Changed the World, by Alvin J. Schmidt – This is sort of a mixture of world history and Christian theology. A great read explaining how, indeed, Christianity changed the world.

Mere Christianity, by C.S. Lewis – You’d think every Christian would have read this by now, but I had only read it about a year ago. How I bypassed it all these years is beyond me. Completely mind-blowing.

For fiction lovers

The Hunger Games series, by Suzanne Collins – Great suspense, drama and action. These books are sure to go down as modern literature’s finest. No one’s too old to get into this series. Frequent violence involving teens.

The Price of Freedom, by A.C. Crispin – The prequel to Pirates of the Caribbean. Chronicles the life of young Jack Sparrow and how he chose the life of a pirate. Frequent, but mild sensuality.

The Man in the Box, by Andrew Toy – Prepare for extreme suspense, adventure, and a bit of fantasy. Great for anyone second-guessing their current life situation and seeking a way out. Released November 30th. Violence.

For history buffs

The Forgotten 500, by Gregory Freeman – Classified for over half a century, this flawless, nail-biting book depicts the OSS setting out to recover more than 500 downed airmen trapped behind enemy lines during WWII.

The Devil in the White City by Eric Larson – The subtitle says it all: “Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America.” A couple of very brief depictions of disturbing murders.

Manhunt, by James L. Swanson – A second-by-second account of Lincoln’s murder and the after-effects. Incredibly difficult to put down. Very graphic descriptions of violence and its after-effects.

For biography addicts

Born Again, by Charles Colson – The life and conversion of Nixon’s right-hand man, accused and punished for heading the Watergate Scandal.

Steve Jobs, by Walter Isaacson – Fascinating business techniques can be learned in this book. But don’t expect any life-giving wisdom from this curious man who changed the Western world as we once knew it. Language.

For sports fans

Bottom of the 33rd, by Dan Barry – Quite simply one of my all-time favorite books, hands down. It sounds like a dry read, but the author’s brilliant use of words draws you into such a beautiful and simple story. I felt like I was sitting in the cold bleachers during all 33 innings.

The Rookie, by Jim Morris – The wonderful Disney movie is actually only based off of one or two chapters of this great auto-biography of the world’s oldest professional ballplayer.

Alright, that’s more than 20 books (rest of the list in the links below). Enjoy, and happy Thanksgiving! And happy shopping.

For Part 1 of this list, click here.

For Part 2 of this list, click here.

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Last Minute Jitters [or] What Will You Be Writing?

Last week I posted about NaNo. I said I was going to do it, and I will. But as you can see by the duel title of this message, I am growing very skeptical – or undecided – about what my subject matter should be.

I had it all figured out until last night. I was going to write a Christmas story that I’ve had planned for the last seven years, but I realized I’m just not ready for it yet. It’s a precious story to me that I don’t want to be rushed.

Then I started thinking about what people have been saying about my book The Man in the Box (coming out Nov. 30th). And it seems I’ve established myself as a suspense/adventure writer. Now granted, my next book is nowhere near said genre (Scroll down here for synopsis), but I wouldn’t want to disappoint fans of the book by deviating from suspense for too long – hence, keeping people in suspense…

Anyway, all that to say, I thought I had my book for this NaNo writer’s contest all figured out. But clearly, I don’t. I’m writing this as an encouragement to those of you who find themselves in the same boat as me. You’re not alone. And (I hope) I’m not alone.

When it comes to stories and books, I don’t want to just wing it. I want to deliver the best plot, the best characters, I possibly can. And I hope you’re the same way. I hope there aren’t many people entering this contest just to write a book, without having any concept of what they want to write. (How many times have you seen an awful movie and wondered, “Did they just make this because they were bored?”) No, I hope you go into November with a clear reason as to why you’re writing a book, and with some concept of what it will be about.

Because if you just start writing something without having any idea where it’s going or why you’re writing it, then it’s very likely you’re going to give up, and you’ll kick yourself and eat a lot of ice cream and you won’t be in any shape to eat a hearty Thanksgiving dinner… hmmm, I think I see why this contest is held in November…

I’m not there yet. But I have four days to get there. And so do you. And remember (as soon as I figure out how) I’m going to have a link somewhere on this blog for you to post your developing stories for all to see. So, stay encouraged, get prepared, and be ready to write the best book you possibly can. NaNo starts November 1st.

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