Monday, January 30, 2017

The Snippets Tag



First off I would like to thank Savannah, because she said anyone could do this tag, so I believed her. ;D


- The Rules -

1. Include the graphic Madeline created or link to Madeline in the post 
2. Answer all the questions, however you want to. Creative interpretation is the key here! You can use the book you're currently working on to answer the questions, or other books you've started or have written. 
3. Tag 2-5 other bloggers 


1. Share your most gripping, fascinating, and hooking first line of a story. 

I stood in the crowded ballroom, surrounded by people, all of whom thought I was someone different than who I really was. 

-Masquerade 2014-

I'm not really great at writing opening lines. =P

2. Share a snippet that made you want to shout to the world that you're SO. HAPPY. 

“I love this show!” Travis smiled.  
“Ugh, I hate this show.” Nancy sneered at the screen. 
Both Travis and I leaned over to look at her with raised eyebrows. 
“How can one girl hate so much?” Travis said in disbelief. 
“I don’t know, she probably had a lot of practice with my cat.” 
“How can you learn hate from a cat?” 
“My cat hated everything … well, except tuna and my bed.” I said, shrugging. 
“Hey, Nancy, do you like tuna?” Travis asked, looking over at her.
“What?” She asked. 
“Never mind.” 

-Where Did the Super Glue Come From 2014-


3. Share a snippet that gives you a bit of insight into one of your most favorite characters ever. 

 “That’s just it.” I said, “There are so many people at stake here, more than me and Eric, or even the people at A.C.T. Every single person in this world has an impact on the people around them and people like Eric are just sending those around him to bad things. I know I’ve lived a life for God, even if I haven’t followed him perfectly, but I think I’ve made a difference. All those people at A.C.T. have a difference to make as well. They are saving lives every day. Maybe this will give people a chance to come to Christ and to bring others to him also. I don’t want to shirk my duty today if it means the countless life’s of the people who will be affected.” 
For a moment, I just stood, watching David process what I had said. I was scared to death, but I knew now this was what I was supposed to do. And who knew, maybe there would be a way out. 
“You certainly had an impact on me.” He said. 
“I’m glad. And I am so thankful for our friendship.” 
He smiled “I’ve got a feeling, Mandy, that God’s still got a lot planned for you.” 
“Selfishly, I hope so to.” 

-Just Your Ordinary Spy 2016-

Mandy is my favorite character I've ever written about and here, in book three I really feel like I get to her core.

4. Share a snippet that gets you beaming with pride and you're just like 'yep, I wrote that beauty'.  

That day Jackie actually did pretty well at improving her act. In fact, for two weeks she amazed her dad with how much she minded him. But, soon the memory of the heart mistress was not so fresh on her mind and she began to think of it as a weird dream. Soon, she fell back into all her old habits, and some new ones to. Each one distressing her dad, and each time she did something wrong, a tiny piece of the heart fell off. Seven months later there was only a tiny sliver left, and it had turned to a faded red. Jackie Groff’s heart was slowly blowing away to nothing, and she had chosen to ignore that fact. Instead, she went on her way, doing what she thought was making her happy, but deep down in was only inflicting her pain, making her heart grow smaller every time. 

-Heartless 2015-

Yeah, this may sound odd, but I really loved my style here.

5. Share a snippet of genius, deliciously witty dialogue between your characters. 

“Good, now let’s get back to that matter at hand.” I smiled.
“Cute pun.” 
“Stop goofing off.” 
“Why?” 
“Because I told you to.” 
“That’s no fun.” Travis pouted.
“All right, you can goof off again.” 
“Yeah!” 
“Just don’t yank my hand off, okay?  I don’t want to spend tonight in the hospital.” 
“You’re right, you might wrinkle your dress.” 
“And you might rumple your perfect hair. How much hair gel did you put in it this morning?” 
“Only a half-bottle. I wanted it to look nice all day long.” 
“Well it certainly looks stiff.”
“Kinda like Nancy?” 
“Cut it out, Travis.” 

-Where Did the Super Glue Come From 2014-

6. Share a snippet that leaves you breathless, in a cold sweat with action-induced intensity. 

The alarm still rung above in an annoying incessantly while Matt started to pick the lock. Now it was my turn to watch my clock as I watched him twist and turn a little tool in the door knob. 
Suddenly the alarm stopped. I stood still for a moment as it caught me off guard.  If I had thought it felt tense before with the alarms ringing, it was nothing to what I felt now. The whole building felt deathly silent. My own heartbeat rang in my ears and I wished I could get rid of its ever present noise. Even the turning of Matt’s tool in the lock seemed to make too much noise. Suddenly he pulled it out and slowly turned the knob, opening the door while making as little noise as possible.

-Just Your Ordinary Messenger 2016-


7. Share a snippet of a most interesting first meeting between your characters. 

“I wonder if there are people who really act like that?” I said as a commercial came on.
“Most likely.” I turned and looked at the guy who now had an outstretched hand. “Hi, I have no clue who I am.” 
I laughed as I took his hand. “Good, because I don’t know who I am ether.”
“I see we’re in here for the same reason.” He chuckled “It does seem odd not to know what to call each other.”

-Am I Forgetting Something 2014-


Consider yourself tagged, if you'd like!

Friday, January 27, 2017

Part ll of Encuragment From Job


Here is part two: 

33:12-18
For God is greater than any human being. So why are you bringing a charge against him? Why say he does not respond to people’s complaints? For God speaks again and again, though people do not recognize it. He speaks in dreams, in visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they lie in their beds. He whispers in their ears and terrifies them with warnings. He makes them turn from doing wrong; he keeps them from pride. He protects them from the grave, from crossing over the river of death.

33:26
When he prays to God, he will be accepted. And God will receive him with joy. 

37:23
We cannot imagine the power of the Almighty

42:2
. I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you.

(I also like it how the NIV puts it.)

I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted.


Friday, January 20, 2017

I Live For Moments Like This




I gaze up at the moon 
My heart fills with awe 
My Daddy made that 
I live for moments like this 

I hold my best friend 
For the first time in years 
A laugh escapes me 
I live for moments like this 

I write a page 
Filled with my heart 
It fills me with peace 
I live for moments like this 

I let my hair fall in my face 
I grin behind its cover 
Feeling accepted and loved 
I live for moment like this 

I lay in the grass
Getting soaked to the bone 
The camera shutter clicking away 
I live for moments like this

I hold a babys finger
It smiles at me
We both laugh

I live for moments like this 

I dance down a sunshiny path 
Not caring what others think 
My feet bare and my hair wild 
I live for moment like this 

I read a passage in my Bible 
I blink at it a few times amazed
My Daddy wrote this for me 
I live for moments like this 

I laugh so hard my stomach aches 
But I couldn’t care less about the pain 
Joy spilling over in my heart 
I live for moments like this 


But sometimes there are those days 
Where no moments like that come 
And I begin to wonder 
What am I living for today? 


Tears course down my cheeks 
I think I’ll give up this time
But a voice inside says 
I live for moments like this

I feel like I’m about to drop 
But there is still lots to do 
I wish someone else would do it 
I live for moments like this

I feel the anger boiling
I ball my fists at my side
Trying now to let it out

I live for moments like this

I dunk a washcloth water again and again
A feverish sibling is leaning against me 
There are so many things I could be doing 
I live for moments like this 

I can barely hold my eyes open 
But I keep on texting 
As the heartbroken friend talks 
I live for moments like this

I hold a screaming child on my shoulders
Another wails in my lap
I’m about ready to scream myself
I live for moments like this

I shove the bike peddle down 
My legs about giving out 
No strength is left in me 
I live for moments like this

I listen as she talks away
About so many hard things 
I wish I didn’t have to listen 
I live for moments like this

I search desperately for an answer 
It seems so far out of my reach 
Tears spill on my Bible 
I live for moments like this

I’ve begun to realize 
That I don’t just live 
For the good moments in life 
I live for the bad as well 
Because God is using everything 
For my greater good 
So no matter what is going on  
I live for moments like this

You live for moments like this

Monday, January 16, 2017

Cakey and a New Mug




















Well guys, I've got like nothing to report. Life is getting into a pretty good rhythm of complete spontaneity. Meaning I have no idea what is going to happen next. ;D This last week has involved an awful lot of babysitting. Rebekkah tried to get the oldest, a twenty month year to say my name and it came out as Cakey. I told her I'd rather remain nameless then go by Cakey. ;) But then again it might not be to bad to go by a name related to surgery sweet stuff. What do you think?

In random events I got myself a mug that looks like a camera lens. It is super awesome. I've got one problem though, all my friends keep going "Oh, you got a new camera lens!" Yeah, kinda not. I was twirling it and someone started freaking out because I was mishandling a lens. Its been really funny actually.

So guys, I need inspiration desperately, what is going on in your week? Share your funniest event, please! 

December Highlights




Hello everyone! Sorry this post is so late, but better late then never, right? Here ya go: 





I actually got my Christmas presents sent out early. Yes, this made my highlights because that's the first time I've ever done that. ;)

I got to play an angel in our local live nativity. More story's from that here.

This was the program for his event that I kept notes on. =)

I got to play official photographer at one of my brothers honor society meetings. Mostly what this involved was eating a lot of snacks and playing on WiFi. The other little part involved photos of a lot of random stuff and getting to stand up when everyone had to sit down. It was awesome.

This is a sad highlight. I discovered I cannot drink milk. I can still have some milk products, thankfully. Though, I'd much rather give up milk then keep throwing up, so it worth it. Its just sad while I'm at it. 


My brother graduated collage! I kept teasing him for this past four years that I was in collage to because he would tell me all this stuff he was learning, and stuff. So we teased that I'm now out of collage. Seriously though, I'm so happy. Now we have a nurse in the family! 



I spent the day in San Antonio with some friends and my family. That was super awesome. We got to eat the most awesome TexMex, visit some old Spanish missions, and walk a crazy long way on the river walk. I posted pictures from that here.

I watched a Star Trek that was so funny I was doubled over in laughter. Yeah, small things in life, but I love moments like that.

My sister and I tried to make a conversation out of the hot sauce packets. ;D

My family had an awesome Christmas party, had an amazing Christmas and an amazing shopping trip. I'm just lumping these together since they're all Christmas stuff. We have a Christmas party every year, and this one went really well. So did our Christmas. Of coarse no day every goes precisely as planned, but it was awesome none the less. I ended up singing so much at church that I could only barely wispier for about thirty minutes afterwards. And the day after Christmas the girls in my family always go shopping and this year was awesome. I got to hang out with my family, get a lot of fun stuff. 








The Snippets Tag The Introverted Extrovert

How To Print Your Novel for 10$ The Introverted Extrovert


2016 Bookish Recap Adventures Beyond the Horizon 


Me Twilight to Dawn 

Your Choice Twilight to Dawn

Need Him A Purpose and a Promise

Out of the Deep Burning Youth


What were some of your December Highlights? Even if they are kinda old news by now. ;) 


Saturday, January 14, 2017

Encouragement From Job


I've been reading in Job this month and wow is it good. I've never got this much out of the book before. So here are some of my favorite verses so far. I'll be back with part two in awhile. =)


1:21
The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord! 

5:17-18
But consider the joy of those corrected by God! Do not despise the discipline of the Almighty when you sin. For though he wounds, he also bandages. He strikes, but his hands also heal. 

12:13
But true wisdom and power are found in God; counsel and understanding are his. 

22:21
Submit to God, and you will have peace; 

22:26-30
Then you will take delight in the Almighty and look up to God. You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows to him. You will succeed in whatever you choose to do, and light will shine on the road ahead of you. If people are in trouble and you say, ‘Help them,’ God will save them. Even sinners will be rescued; they will be rescued because your hands are pure.”

23:14 
So he will do to me whatever he has planned. He controls my destiny. 

Monday, January 9, 2017

A Cold and San Antonio



The rest of these photos are from San Antonio.





This is mission Conception.


Isn't this hotel beautiful?!


Hello! I know I have not done my monthly highlights yet, but I got distracted, and now I'm sick, so it will probably be next Monday before I get around to it. To be honest this week has been full of lots of random things. I mainly am just stopping by to share these photos before I get back to sitting on the couch, nursing my cold. ;P 

But I want to hear about your week, how was it?  

Saturday, January 7, 2017

He Will Protect Me


This is just something I was thinking about this week. 



My heart quakes within me 

I feel my world crumble a bit 

All around me the only thing I see 

Is a horrible world that is bent to destroy 

But then at that moment in time 

Something fills my entire soul 

And I know that I’m 

Filled with something greater 

Then all this mess outside 

He will protect me 

And catch every tear I’ve cried 

And nothing can pull Him away


Monday, January 2, 2017

Book Recap of 2016


Just to start us off: Happy 2016!!!! Now onto the tag. ;D


Rules:
1) Include the above button in your post.
2) Answer the 11 questions. 
3) Use as many book covers as you like. (The correct answer to this question would be ALOT. B-)) 
4) Tag 5-10 people and notify them that they have been tagged. 


How many books did you read in 2016? (Exact if you know, or approximate if not.) 

165 according to Goodreads. It was actually closer to 170 because of re-reads I couldn't count and unpublished books. =) 


Did you set a reading challenge for yourself and, if so, did you meet it?  

I tried for 120 and I got 165.


What was your most read genre this year? Least read? 

Children's Mystery books. Second was probably Historical Fiction.


What's five of your favorite books from 2016? 

I'm gonna cheat and do ten:




The King's Scrolls by Jaye L. KnightDare by Tricia MingerinkUnbroken by Rebekah A. MorrisReversal Zone by J. Grace PenningtonCourage and Corruption by Sarah HolmanIs That Really You, God? by Loren CunninghamGod's Smuggler by Brother AndrewThe Treasure Hunt by Kate WillisSufficient Grace by Jessica GreysonSamara's Peril by Jaye L. Knight

Now in actual order of how much I liked them. Sorry I couldn't do that with the photos, but I was having a problem. 

1. The Kings Scroll. That was my top book by far. Not only was the plot awesome, the message hit me at a time when I really needed it. 

2. Sufficient Grace. Its by Jessica Greyson, enough said, right? Seriously though, this book was amazing. 

3. God Smuggler. This book was so powerful. Really, if you haven't read it, you really should. It was incredible. 

4. Reversal Zone. J. Grace Pennington is always awesome, and this one followed suit. This felt like a Star Trek episode, except cooler. 

5. Courage and Corruption. What can I say, Sarah Holman never disappointing me. And I do mean never. I've loved every book by her so far, and I don't ever see that changing.

6. Unbroken. This was amazing. I cannot wait to finish this series. 

7. Dare. This book is kinda standing in for the three books of this series I have read. While it got off to a bit of a rough start, I loved the books. I am looking forward to reading more. 

8. Is That Really You, God? After hearing Loren Cunningham speak in person I really wanted to read his books, so this one seemed perfect. I loved this collecting of stories really showing the power of prayer, and how God always answers us. 

9. Samara's Peril. Yeah, I know, two books from the same series, but it was amazing. I am REALLY looking forward to the next book. 

10. The Treasure Hunt. This was a delightful book. I wish it had been around when I was 10, because I would have loved it even more, but as it was I really enjoyed it. 


What's five of your least favorite books from 2016? 

A Time to Die by Nadine BrandesThe Word Changers by Ashlee WillisStepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Payson PrentissThe Golden Braid by Melanie DickersonEnna Burning (The Books of Bayern, #2)

Yeah, sorry guys. I know most of these were pretty popular. I could go on a laundry list of what I didn't like, but I don't really want to. You can ask me about them in the comments and I'll tell you if you really want to know. 


What new favorite author did you discover? (Not necessarily that the author is 'new', but that they became new to you this year.) 

Rebekkah Morris!! You should try her out, shes awesome.

(These are the five of her books I read this year, and in the order I read them from left to right.)

The Unexpected Request by Rebekah A. MorrisUnbroken by Rebekah A. MorrisThe Graham Quartet and the Mysterious Strangers by Rebekah A. MorrisAt the Christmas Lodge by Rebekah A. MorrisThe Old Mansion's Secret by Rebekah A. Morris



What's five of your favorite book covers from the year? 

The King's Scrolls by Jaye L. KnightSufficient Grace by Jessica GreysonReversal Zone by J. Grace PenningtonThe Messenger by Siri MitchellCourage and Corruption by Sarah Holman

*Happy sigh* Aren't they pretty? I must say Sufficient Grace was probably my all time favorite of all the covers.


How many books did you purchase for yourself in 2016? (Exact if you know, approximate if not.) 

I think about fifteen. I did not buy a lot of books this year. But I did get Jaye L. Knight books, some Millie Keith books, Jane Austen and a few other books. Including Kate Willis's The Treasure Hunt. =)


What's the longest book you read in 2016? 

The Bible. Second was probably Samara's Peril or The Kings Scroll.


What's the shortest book you read in 2016? 

Letters from a Scatter-Brained Sister by Amanda Tero

What's your reading goal for 2017?

I am aiming for 120 books, ten a month. I'm actually hoping not to go to far over that. I'm having a bit of trouble with over reading. =P 



Most everyone I know has already been tagged, so whoever wants to do it, can. =)