Dominoes

I used to love setting up winding paths of dominoes and watch as they tapped each other over, one after the other. Spacing them and deciding their paths would take me hours, and I loved to watch and listen as they clicked each other over in a chain reaction. My unpracticed hands would accidentally nudge one domino, of course, and the whole project would topple. I quickly learned to leave a few gaps that I would fill in only when I was ready to set off the domino chain.

I can remember the excitement of placing those last pieces, calling in my sisters to watch, and positioning myself to knock over the first domino. All that hard work would culminate while I watched the snake shift as the dominoes fell, and I would eagerly pick up the pieces and start over.

This week I learned (again) of the good things that happen when we obey God. It doesn't matter how big or small you think what he asked you to do is. Obey anyway, because when you obey God, the 'dominos' he has set up begin to fall. And what a blessing it is to look back and see the chain reaction of encouragement, more obedience and a stronger relationship with God! 

Let the dominoes fall!
And, to let some more dominoes fall, go ahead and leave a comment telling me about it! 

A Dinosaur Named Cank

For a fun, children's e-book with a dinosaur-turned-pet, check out this e-book: Candy and the Cankersaur by Jason Sandberg (amazon, nook). It may even inspire them to create their own dinos that survived!

Candy's rich, and somewhat neglectant, father gives her a pet dinosaur (a cankersaurus rex). The neighbor boy is jealous and takes some drastic actions, but in the end decides he would rather have friendship.

I couldn't find the 'theme' of the story, I thought the writing could have been stronger in some spots, and Candy's father never seemed to see she just wanted to spend time with him. However, it's a light, amusing read for kids with bright pictures that 'pop'.

Sandberg's other paintings, ebooks, and bio.

Nuance

Fall doesn't start until the 22nd yet schools everywhere are in full swing. 

And it's still summer. 

Technically. 

Summer, as a season, is different from Summertime itself. Mostly because of the things it allows you to do. Summertime offers more freedom, whereas Summer means warm weather. Usually. 

***

"It's a Small World" we sometimes say

when we meet someone we hadn't expected. Like when you babysit the kids of the woman who was the camp nurse at your old church's summer camp when you were in elementary school.

But sometimes it's more accurate to say,

 "What a Big God!"

***

I want to be a writer.

Someone who writes.

It'd be nice to get published, too, but that's not what I mean. I want to write even if I don't get published. I want to find strings of words that resonate, pick imagery that sticks and tell stories worth hearing.

Not all writers get published. Sometimes writing for the sake of writing is enough.  

What (August) Smiles Are Made Of

Novelty

When we learned of my dairy intolerance a year and a half ago, the only substitute 'ice cream' I ate was vanilla. There was almond vanilla, soy vanilla, coconut vanilla and so on; but it was all vanilla. And I didn't mind because I didn't know anything different. It was the only flavor I ate for about a year.

But then, my mom bought me Mint Chocolate Chip coconut ice cream.

After the first bite, I sat there, almost shocked, staring at my bowl. My mouth watered as it burst with uncontrollable flavor. I can't remember if I shoveled it into my mouth or rationed it, but both seem right.

New ice cream flavors are a novelty. Rare, long train rides are, too. Even new textbooks and, as a writer, new story ideas.

But they are only a novelty because of their infrequency. Once they happen more often, the novelty becomes routine and the monotony sets in.

Then, the scenery becomes too familiar and the train-sickness sets in, textbooks become dry when they aren't moistened with reader interest, and writing a story takes hundreds of hours of hard work.

And no matter how many new flavors of ice cream you buy, you always get used to them.

But, I don't believe the novelty has to wear away.