Happy Birthday Jack

On this day, in 1898, Clive Staples Lewis was born in Belfast, Ireland.  He was more popularly known as C.S. Lewis, but his friends all called him Jack.

He slipped quietly from this world on 22 November 1963, his passing overshadowed by louder events of the day.  (22 November 1963 was the day John F. Kennedy was shot.)

During his life, he was an extremely influential theologian, and his radio broadcasts during the Second World War brought him fame as a profound thinker, with a manner of ease in explaining profound concepts.

It is impossible to over-estimate how much I have been influenced by his style of writing, and Mere Christianity and The Screwtape Letters are two of my all-time favourite works theological books.

“Do not waste time bothering whether you ‘love’ your neighbour; act as if you did. As soon as we do this we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love him.”

“As long as you are proud you cannot know God. A proud man is always looking down on things and people: and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.”

“The safest road to Hell is the gradual one — the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.”

“Much of the modern resistance to chastity comes from men's belief that they "own" their bodies — those vast and perilous estates, pulsating with the energy that made the worlds, in which they find themselves without their consent and from which they are ejected at the pleasure of Another!”

The man was a genius.  And his books still speak to me today.

 

Happy Birthday Jack; and thank you.

NaNoWriMo 2010

Less than a month ago, I started writing NaNoWriMo with the insane idea of writing 50,000 words in 30 days. 

It was insane.
 
It was impossible. 

It was fun!

 

 

Of course, because I am never one to do things by half measures, I also decided to sign-up again as a Municipal Liaison.  Which means that I was responsible for the Port Elizabeth region.  Well, let me just say that that has been a blast. 

Writing with some of the most awesome people I ever met, these guys have done me proud at every turn.

And what happened?

Does that answer your question?

I hit 50,000 words today, but my novel is nowhere near finished.  I am planning to try and fit in about another 2000 – 3000 words before Tuesday night.  As always, it has been a real learning experience. 

So thank you to my loyal reader(s?) for following me on this journey, and normal blogging will resume shortly, once I figure out what normal means.

In the words of Satan

This video is pretty hard-core!

We used it today in the confirmation preparation course I am co-leading, to talk about how Satan works.

It is by a local (South African) band called The Arrows Band.  It literally scared me a little bit when I first saw it.  Some of the images are a little visceral, but it totally rocks.

THE ARROWS - In The Words (of Satan) lyrics

I've been here since the beginning
Know exactly how you work
I know all of your cravings
Know what makes you go berserk
Been lying from the start just to make you play a part
in my infinite rebellion against the Father God

Hate
Everything he is
And I make you hate him too
Make you hate him with your actions it's so easy for me to do
'Cause you like it...
Sin feels good for the ego...
You love it...
Oh, come on baby

And all the time, I'm winding you up
Like my perfect little puppet, you're my favourite robot,
welcome to the show but I'm watching you and all of hell is with
me too, helping me make my lies look true

Oh and there is a lie that works for everyone,
everyone
A lie that opens your hearts so I can get me some
more of your free will
I'm winding you
Winding you
Give me the control that's why I'm telling you
Selling you
Anything
Everything
Appealing to your human way of being and I use it all against you to just keep your eyes from seeing past the life you're living
Past the moment you're in
Past the pleasure of your sin
Or the cigarette you're smoking
Choking on your lust
I'll make you drunk with pride
So deeply spun into my system that you won't see the light
Never mind that I'm drowning you
I keep deceiving you...

'Cuz I don't tell you
That God in heaven
Who loves you
Who yearns for you
I don't tell you
That the freedom of forgiveness and truth
Why would I tell you?
Why would I tell you the truth?

But I'll say that millions of years ago an accident exploded
And you're the result of this cosmic unknown with no real purpose
Created for no real intent
The reason for your living is just coincidence
So all the remains is what you can gain
Whatever meaning you attach to your days you decide
Mmm, but I help you recognize important things in life
Introducing money, it's the root of all, evil they say so
I attach yourself worth to the salary you're paid, be a slave to your property
Your jewellery
Your cars and things
Advertise that lie up on the TV so you'll want that bling
Selling bit by bit the little pieces of your soul
Climbing up the ladder of economic control
Oh, the greed of man makes it so easy to pervert the Father's plan

Or I'll tell you...
There is a heaven but there's many ways to get in
Keep you so confused that you stay bound to your sin
Tell you there are many ways to the same God
Keep you distracted with your methods so your heart stays hard,
I'll make you think you've got spirituality, but it's really just emotional alchemy
Oh, the vanity of self-idolatry I never let you see that it breeds
Hedonism! Whoo!
And it's the answer of this generation
Come on, drink it, snort it, smoke it, swallow it
Chew on my illusion of freedom till you vomit it

And still I don't tell you
That God in heaven
Who loves you
Who yearns for you
I don't tell you
That the freedom of forgiveness and truth
Why would I tell you?

The End is nigh (again)

So, it has again been a while since I blogged here.  I have been a little busy over at my other page talking about my current NaNoWriMo project.  Well, actually I have been busy writing, so I have been neglecting the blog as well.  

But soon (very soon) I will be finished, there will be fireworks, and I can relax and do some catch up.

At the moment I am at about 47,000 words in my novel, and it is just getting warmed up.  Which is not to say I am not looking forward to finishing it, I just don't think it is going to be finished by the time I reach 50,000.  Which will be a first for me.  

I am wondering about finishing it tonight, so I can keep writing with no pressure for three days.  But I suspect I will actually just finish it tomorrow.

It has turned into an interesting theological exercise, with lots of biblical themes:  Purpose, faithfulness, prayer, cross-dressing midgets.  Okay, I still haven't made the cross-dressing midget fit smoothly into my novel, but there is always the re-writing process I suppose.

So I will see you all soon, and catch up on what has been happening in your lives.  Until then, I guess I will just continue to stalk you on twitter.

Stairway to Heaven, but not as you know it.

Do you know Rolf Harris?

Because if you don't.... this post might mean nothing to you.  :-(

Rolf is an Australian entertainer, known for bringing us songs such as "Jake the Peg" and "Tie Me Kangaroo Down."  In 1990, he was on the show "Money or the Gun", where each guest artist has to perform Stairway to Heaven in their own style.  (You do know Stairway, right?)



The man is a genius.  This is vintage Rolf Harris style.  Gotta love it.

Who knew

You may have noticed I have been a little scarce of late.  Well that is because I am still doing National Novel Writing Month.  Yes, it takes a whole month; who knew?

If you have been reading my recent updates, or following my other blog, then you will know a little bit about what I am writing about this year.  Which might be more than I know.  

It's interesting.  I thought I was writing a farce or comedy about a writer trying to finish his latest novel, but apparently my novel has other ideas.  I mentioned the humorous interlude of the brother who wants to leave the priesthood to become an accountant.

Well, this is turning into a major plot point, and is helping my main character understand the difference between your job, and you ministry; and the elements of a true calling.  I think this is rapidly becoming Christian Fiction.

Who knew?

Lest we forget

 

A red stain, on a distant shore.
We shall remember, for ever more.

From “Red Stain” by David Seven

 

Writing Report

Are you still hanging around here?  Okay, I better say something then.

I have been a little scarce this week, due to the fact that I am still writing my latest novel.  The going is slow, and I am only up to about 16,000 words.  But I am having fun.

I think once I am finished, I will probably throw this one out, and go back to edit an earlier one.  But you never know, it may have it's moments.

Right now, I am giving my main character a brother, who wants to leave the priesthood to become an accountant.  That ought to be good for a few laughs.

I am actually starting to see quite a strong spiritual element to the story, which had never been the plan to start with.

Interesting.

I'll let you know how that works out.

To learn more, go to my other blog, or visit me at the NaNoWriMo site.   

Soap Bubbles

One of my favourite blogging buddies is Michelle over at ~Psalm 104:24~.  She doesn’t blog nearly enough to satisfy my tastes, but I enjoy each and every post.  If you’re looking to read about a “treehuggin' homeschoolin' free spirit peacemaker dreamer tattoo lovin' nature freak” then you really shouldn’t be bothering to look elsewhere.

Well, among her other accomplishments and job-titles, Michelle is a goat farmer.  And so when I recently won an impromptu contest on her blog,  (impromptu, because I was the only one who knew it was a contest) she agreed to send me a prize.

And in the post today, all the way from the United States of America, my first bar of Goat’s Milk Soap. (Oatmeal flavour, for the manly fish.)   

 

Thank you Michelle.

Biblios Hokku – Now what?

For those of you who have been following me for a while, you know that I recently completed an insane project called Biblios Hokku. 

To put it simply, I wrote 66 Haikus, one for each book of the Bible.

Which took me a while, but it was pretty awesome.  It was amazing, and challenging, and caused me to really study each book in depth.  But now it is over.

And I don’t know what to do next.

Suggestions?  What would you like to see?

Song of Songs in limericks?

I need a new project.

(For after November of course, because November is National Novel Writing Month.)

Hello and Goodbye

I apologise if I have been a little scarce of late.  I have been frantically preparing myself for my insane NaNoWriMo project.  For those of you who don’t know, I take part in National Novel Writing Month every year.  During November, I try to write 50,000 words in 30 days.

Is it insane?

Of course. 

This year we have an estimated 200,000 writers worldwide taking part.  Why don’t you join us, and make it 200,001?

I will probably be quite scarce for the next few weeks, I may pop in and look around, but I doubt I will have time to comment on your blogs.  I will try and do a few blog posts as well, but probably not going to be too many happening.

To learn more about my madness, go visit my page or my writing blog.  I write under the name of David Seven.