Thanatophobia

by C.J. Chase

As a writer, I spend much of my life searching for just the right word for the situation. Should I have my character walk, amble, stride, pace, saunter, or creep into the room? I've often said that if only I read my Bible as much as my thesaurus...well, you can probably guess. This week, I learned a new word:

Thanatophobia: noun, the fear of death

Many years ago, I read the book, The Victorian Celebration of Death. To be honest, I no longer remember much of it—except for one thing that particularly captured my interest. The author compared Victorian customs surrounding death with those of our “modern” era. While the Victorians had elaborate rituals (special clothing, ink, stationery, etc.), we moderns tend to pretend death doesn’t exist. Three days of bereavement leave, and then back to work you go as if nothing happened.

In fact, I had that experience once. After a sudden death in my immediate family, I called into work. I told my boss what had happened. She granted me leave, then cut the conversation short. Very short. I hung up, rather disturbed. Perhaps she was only busy, but I always suspected a deeper reason at work.

It strikes me that many in our culture suffer from thanatophobia. And why wouldn’t they? We live in a post-Christian society. The future is a frightening place when it holds only emptiness. Better to pretend death doesn't exist than face our fate. For what meaning does life have if there is nothing beyond our few decades on earth?

As it happens, last week I reached the point in my book where I had to kill a character. Mind you, not a nice character, but the one my family refers to as the Slimy-Guy-Who-Deserves-to-Die. No one is going to morn his death--well, except his grandmother. (Note from the suspense writer: these are the best kinds of characters to kill because everyone is a suspect.)

But doesn't that title--the Slimy-Guy-Who-Deserves-to-Die--describe each and everyone one of us? We are all guilty of sin [Romans 3:23] and the punishment for sin is death [Romans 623]. Considering what would await us if we got all that we deserved, thanatophobia should be a universal affliction.

But fortunately, Jesus conquered death and saved us from thanatophobia.  O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? [I Corinthians 15:55 KJV]

I recently attended a funeral. Now as funerals go, this was the best kind—the deceased was a 92-year-old Christian widow of a pastor who left behind a legacy of family and faith. Yes, there was sadness, but there was also celebration--lots of uplifting music and a reading from Revelation.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” [Revelation 22:3-4 NIV] 

Many Christians are observing the beginning of the Lenten season. Even if you come from a tradition that doesn’t formally observe Lent (like I do), you can still take these weeks leading up to Easter to reflect on God's grace--the grace that saves us from thanatophobia.

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. [Philippians 1:21 NIV] Imagine that! With Christ, we have a win-win situation, both here and forever afterward.

After leaving the corporate world to stay home with her children, C.J. Chase quickly learned she did not possess the housekeeping gene. She decided writing might provide the perfect excuse for letting the dust bunnies accumulate under the furniture. Her procrastination, er, hard work paid off in 2010 when she won the Golden Heart for Best Inspirational Manuscript and sold the novel to Love Inspired Historicals. Redeeming the Rogue was an August, 2011 release. You can visit C.J.'s cyber-home (where the floors are always clean) at cjchasebooks.com

The Opposite of Art - Athol Dickson

  By Dina Sleiman

This book went on my must read list when Athol started talking about it on Novel Rocket. He predicted although probably his best book, it would also be his biggest commercial flop. Why? Well, in addition to being very “edgy” for the CBA market, in other words realistic, it’s also his most literary book.

So of course I had to have it. The very next amazon gift card I received immediately went towards purchasing this book. I mean, even if I hadn’t known much about it, the name and cover themselves would have been enough to intrigue me.

And the contents did not disappoint. I can’t say this is one of those books that kept me riveted, and I didn’t put down. In fact the opposite is true. I found that again and again I had to pause for upwards to a day to digest and reflect upon what I had read. But I will say this, it’s going on my top five all-time favorite novels list. If forced to pick a spot at this very moment, I’d probably put it at number two, but it’s a little early to make that final decision.

Why did I love it? First of all, the main character is a brilliant artist. After a near death experience, he’s determined to paint “the glory” as he calls it. But he can’t quite remember it. He can’t quite grasp it. So he begins a worldwide quest through the major religions of our time in search of it.

Will everyone love this book as much as I do? Maybe, maybe not. If you’re looking for fluff, don’t even bother. But if you love a book that will challenge you and make you grow, then dash immediately over to amazon and buy it, because it’s right up there with the best of the best. It’s not the fastest paced book, although there is ample romance and suspense to keep you interested and provide entertainment value. The structure is sort of odd, and yet it serves the story. At times, it delves into the realms of magical realism in a beautiful and symbolic way that brings to life the wonders of the spiritual world.

In his quest through the world’s religions, Athol uses a delicate hand both in showing the beauty that does exist and the areas where they fall short. Although he never clearly states, “Jesus is the way,” I believe he showed that with gorgeous symbolism that lived up to the theme of the book. For him to have pinned it down and become didactic, would have undermined this book as a great piece of literature. And Lord knows we have few enough of those in Christian fiction.

I simply loved every moment of this novel. But I think what I loved the most was the quest for the ultimate beauty. God is the quintessential beauty. He is beauty personified. Too often I think we overlook that in Christianity. We focus on laws and rules and theologies and forget about the unparalleled bliss of a relationship with the divine. There are two new books that came out in 2011 called Beauty Will Save the World. And I think it’s true. This generation will not be drawn to God through ration and reason, but rather through beauty and love. Please join me on Thursday, February 1^st as I delve further into this topic.

Joy

Sometimes the best thing we can do to help ourselves is just find something that brings us joy.

What if you were out shopping one average day, and suddenly an opera broke out?



Opera Company of Philadelphia "Flash Brindisi" at Reading Terminal Market (April 24, 2010)

How can you not be smiling after watching that? It's pure joy, free and unexpected and delightful.

Thank you, Opera Company of Philadelphia.

Bravo!

What have you done lately that has brought you joy?

How can you bring joy to someone else?



DeAnna Julie Dodson has always been an avid reader and a lover of storytelling, whether on the page, the screen or the stage. This, along with her keen interest in history and her Christian faith, shows in her tales of love, forgiveness and triumph over adversity. She is the author of In Honor Bound, By Love Redeemed and To Grace Surrendered, a trilogy of medieval romances, and Letters in the Attic, a contemporary mystery. A fifth-generation Texan, she makes her home north of Dallas with four spoiled cats.

What is Faith?

What is faith?

faith/fa-TH/
Noun:

1. Complete trust or confidence in someone or something.
2. Strong belief in God or in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof.

The "based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof" part is, I believe, the key. Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." How can we have substance and evidence without substance and evidence?

On the surface, it's ridiculous. It's contradictory. It's not rational. And, yet, it is true. When our spirits are reborn and alive in Christ, we can know these things that are spiritually discerned. Our spiritual eyes are opened, and we can see that substance and that evidence. We can take hold of it and hang on to it even when "reality" tells us something different.

I had a long discussion with an unbelieving friend on just this subject. I said I know God is real. He said I believe it but can't possibly know it. I realize the distinction he was making, but he didn't seem to understand the one I was making. I know. As much as I know the things I can see and feel or taste, touch and smell, I know. And yet I realize he can't possibly understand what I was telling him. The natural (unregenerated) man cannot understand the spiritual.

Can. Not.

1 Corinthians 2:9-16: "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ."

Thank God that He has given us the Holy Spirit to help us in discerning spiritual things. It's an amazing, awesome gift that I can't possibly explain. As a pastor I know likes to put it, "You just know in your knower."

How does that work? I don't have a clue. But I have faith that it does.

What are you having faith for right now?

What do you see with your spiritual eyes?

DeAnna Julie Dodson has always been an avid reader and a lover of storytelling, whether on the page, the screen or the stage. This, along with her keen interest in history and her Christian faith, shows in her tales of love, forgiveness and triumph over adversity. She is the author of In Honor Bound, By Love Redeemed and To Grace Surrendered, a trilogy of medieval romances, and Letters in the Attic, a contemporary mystery. A fifth-generation Texan, she makes her home north of Dallas with four spoiled cats.

Fairy Tale Furor

Once upon a time...

Cliche? Yes.
But those four words still hold the power to lure a reader, or a listener, into the realm of imagination.

Fairy tales are often the first fiction stories with which we fall in love. They stir our hearts toward belief in the impossible, remind us that good triumphs over evil, and promote the boundless power of true love.

Perhaps it's a need to escape all the negativity and division around us, or the tragedy of war and natural disasters, or the fear of the future ... whatever the reason, the humble fairy tale is no longer limited to children's literature and animated Disney films. (Disney, in fact, has turned down several recent animated fairy tale remakes.)
 
On TV this season are two new prime-time series, "Once Upon a Time" and "Grimm," that mix and match various classic fairy tales in fresh modern contexts.

In theaters, we've seen a recent remake of Little Red Riding Hood, and Beauty and the Beast with Beastly.

This spring will see the much-anticipated release of Snow White and the Huntsman with Kristen Stewart as Snow White, Charlize Theron as the Evil Queen, and hunky Chris Hemsworth from Thor (also the people's Facebook choice to play Jamie Fraser in Diana Gabaldon's Outlander if and when the book ever becomes a movie) as the Huntsman.

It would be almost impossible to list all the books based on a fairy tale, written to reflect a fairy tale, or even lightly framed around a fairy tale plot. (I'm looking forward to reading Melanie Dickerson's new release, The Merchant's Daughter, based on Beauty and the Beast.)

Thumbelina via wikipedia

With all this fairy tale fever, I've been thinking about all the fairy tales I remember reading as a child, especially the obscure ones and the ones with unusual characters or plots, and wondering how those could be adapted into a fresh stories for this fairy tale hungry generation, like Thumbelina, or the Wild Swans for example. For inspirational writers, finding a way to weave the gospel of Christ into these classic stories provides an additional challenge.

These stories sparked my love of fiction and fantasy. Judging from the popularity of the remakes, the time is ripe to search out the hidden treasures in those classic stories. And there are far more stories out there to be told or retold in a fresh manner. Check out the following chart of fairy tales on wikipedia. You might be surprised by the number of stories listed that are unfamiliar to you.

Do you have a particular favorite fairy tale?
How do you feel about the remakes and re-tellings we're seeing in popular culture today? 

About the Author: Niki writes fiction, blog posts, articles in the local newspaper, grocery lists, and Facebook status updates. She can be found at her own blog, In Truer Ink, in addition to posting here. She was a 2009 finalist in the Faith, Hope, and Love "Touched by Love" contest.

The Invisible Woman

 by Susanne Dietze

In the aftermath of the gruesome English Staplehurst rail crash of 1865, only one first-class passenger car remained on the rails. One of its passengers was Charles Dickens, arguably one of the greatest figures of English literature. With him were two women, a young lady named Ellen "Nell" Ternan, and Ellen's mother.

Many scholars have dismissed Ellen as the married-Dickens’ platonic companion. Other evidence points to the contrary, identifying Ellen as the married author's true love. Either way, Ellen is receiving a lot of press this month, as February has been set aside to celebrate the 200^th anniversary of Charles Dickens’ birth (February 7, 1812) in over 50 countries.

Charles Dickens in 1858

Dickens was a literary rock star while he was alive, and his popularity hasn’t dimmed. First published at age 23, his works retain their bite and richness despite the passing of time. Mystery, love, longing, sacrifice, inequity, corruption, and other timeless themes are woven into tales with memorable characters and well-crafted plots. His legacy continues, perhaps in ways he wouldn’t have expected. It’s not uncommon to yearn for a Dickensian Christmas. Alas, “Dickensian” also is used to describe poverty and squalor.

But he was also quite human. Dickens was a complicated person, the survivor of a brutal youth, an energetic man, a demanding father, and a not-so-doting husband. He parted from his wife Catherine in 1858, after ten children and twenty-two years of marriage, shortly after meeting Ellen Ternan.

He was forty-five; Ellen was eighteen, performing in The Frozen Deep, which he produced. Ellen is said to have been clever and passionate, interested in politics and literature. She left the stage shortly thereafter, and was supported by Dickens for the rest of his life, residing in houses he took under false names. She received £1,000 upon his death, as well as income from a trust fund ensuring she’d be well cared for throughout her life.

Ellen Ternan, 1858

Most of the world didn’t know about Dickens’ thirteen-year long relationship with Ellen. He kept her well-hidden from the media and the two destroyed whatever correspondence they may have shared. She didn’t accompany him on his two trips to America, although she did travel with him on occasion (they were returning from France when they were in the train accident). Other evidence of their liaison survives, however, including confirmation from Dickens’ children, who spoke unhappily of his relationship with Ellen and the sad news that Ellen bore a son who died in infancy.

What happened to Ellen? Six years after Dickens died, she married a pastor twelve years her junior (it’s said she told him she was 23, not 37. Sounds a little bit like actresses of today!). They had two children and ran a boys’ school.

Ellen hasn’t been forgotten, of course. The Invisible Woman: The Story of Nelly Ternan and Charles Dickens, by Claire Tomalin, was published in 1991, inspiring an upcoming movie starring Ralph Finnes and Felicity Jones. Invisible no longer, Ellen’s name is forever linked to Dickens’—a complicated, flawed, gifted man by the standards of his time, as well as our own.

Have you ever read any Charles Dickens outside of a school assignment? Which of his books is your favorite?

 

Susanne Dietze has written love stories since she was in high school, casting her friends in the starring roles. Today, she writes in the hope that her historical romances will encourage and entertain others to the glory of God. Married to a pastor and the mom of two, Susanne loves fancy-schmancy tea parties, travel, and spending time with family and friends. She won first place in the Historical category of the 2011-2012 Phoenix Rattler, and her work has finaled in the Genesis, Gotcha!, and Touched By Love Contests. You can visit her on her personal blog, Tea and a Good Book, http://www.susannedietze.blogspot.com/.