General Questions Prompt Long Pauses...

Imagine two lines of people. Two lines glaring each other down. Like the good guys standing confident and ready as the evil guys stand across from them with eyes shooting daggers and pounding pipes into their palms. Well, that is similar to how I imagine my book, film, and character preferences. There is one question that is asked in "Get to Know You" questionaires that just pokes at me like a mosquito trying to dig its stinger into my skin to draw blood. Erg! "What is your favorite genre to read or watch?" Um.... And, that is where my imagination inserts this vision of favorite books or book characters or movie characters lined up glaring at each other in a face-off.

I mean on the one side, let us say to the right, we have Sherlock Holmes, Captain Jack Sparrow, Katniss, and other not so calm, peaceful, or meek characters; opposite them would be Elizabeth Bennet (Jack, no, that is not Miss Swan... hahahah), Ever After, Anne of Green Gables, and others. That is only a small peek into my literary or filmatic friends. Then, imagine characters like Bambi, Sully and Mike Wasowski, the Minions just traipsing through the middle of those two lines, clueless to the danger they are marching into. Oh, boy...

I am a fan of a little bit of everything. I don't even like to answer the "Who is your favorite author?" or "What is your favorite music to listen to?" question, because I am not guaranteed to LOVE everything any musician, actor, or author creates. I take it one book, one character, one movie at a time.

It reminds me of life. Is one day really better than another, if I try to make every day count? I take one day at a time, and try to acknowledge the lovely, beautiful, funny, enjoyable, laughable things in each given day. Because if I only wait for the days that I KNOW should possibly be great, like my birthday or Christmas, well, that just leaves a lot of days for me to be pretty down, discouraged, and not enjoying days. There is a song that reminds us to Choose Joy.

"Count your blessings, name them one by one. Count your blessings, see what God has done. Count your blessings, name them one by one. Count your many blessings, see what God has done." That daily habit can encourage myself daily. And, it helps to be encouraged, so I can encourage others daily. So, let's make the most of this day, filling it with wisely chosen friends (real or literary or on screen), activities, and habits that will inspire us to keep going, doing, being better and full of joy.

Psalm 118:24 says, "This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it."

Do you generally have favorites?

Below are some favorite articles that I came across. Things that make me think a little harder, observe a little stronger, evaluate a little more. So... here you go.

Here is a link called Jesus Stories are Not Just Allegories. I hadn't thought about this point before. It is worth a gander.

 Here  is a link to an article called The Image of Man. I got the book that was mentioned, shortly after I read about it, because the description given sounded like something that might amuse me. Interesting thoughts...

Here is a great article regarding Allegory and the Gospel. I loved reading this one. It encouraged, inspired and poked at me.

Here is a fabulous article called Art and Evangelism. Another perspective that was inspiring and prompting to me as a creative person who likes art, writing, music, and other artistic demonstrations.

Two specific comments made in that last article which really stood out to me were:

"...art, instead, should 'bear witness to truth.' "

“Art that reflects a biblical worldview does not necessarily have to focus explicitly on the person and life of Christ or specific Scripture passages. Everyday occurrences of life and work . . . may also be . . . a natural metaphor for spiritual truth”.