"Even Better Than Before" - An Excerpt

For the past month or so one question has dominated my conversations with old friends. It's not "What does it feel like to be free to travel?" or "Are you still pissed at Disney World?" It's not even "How's life with just 7 toes?" The question that seems to be on the minds of everyone I chat with these days is this - "How's that novel coming along?"

The answer is not simple. I have written over 50,000 words, which is enough for a complete novel. but most of that poured out of me in June. I have rewritten probably 20,000 of those words as ideas have changed and characters and details are tweaked and refined. The ending has been a challenge, deciding if there will be great reality and some pain or a total Disney-like happy ending for the main characters to reflect a preferred future of my own. But the bottom line is the novel is coming along nicely. I don't really expect it to ever be published, but I do hope to share it with anyone who wants to read it. Someday.

Although it is saved under the code name MGB, the working title of the book is Even Better Than Before.The storyline centers around a group of old friends reuniting for the first time in a number of years in their old stomping ground of North Myrtle Beach. Many of the characters are based on the friends with whom I shared so many marvelous adventures and relationships in the days of my youth. Though none of the characters are based totally on any one person and many of the circumstances, personality traits (and flaws) and details are radically different, some (like the one in the excerpt below) will be easily recognized by my old friends. Others had to be a mixture of various people or the novel would have far too many characters to remember. It is a tale of friendship, conflict, music, grace, redemption and romance. My hope is that it is a reminder of how much impact a small group of friends can have on each others' lives. And it is also a story of "What if?" With a little different timing and a few twists of fate, all of our lives could be different. What if life came with do-overs? Writing fiction lets me explore that in ways reality won't allow. 

So here's an excerpt to prove to you I have indeed been up to something these past few months! It is not the very beginning of the novel, but it comes very early on before everyone arrives at the beach. I hope this will wet your appetite for more. Let me know what you think. 

Arrivals

The calendar said late May, and it was a perfect day to be driving a ragtop to North Myrtle Beach. Craig Stevens was cruising down Highway 9, his 6’3” frame packed into his classic forest green MGB, top down and the Beach Boys blasting from the stereo. His thinning blonde hair was covered by a baseball cap to prevent sunburn, and those blue eyes that had caused many a young lady to swoon back in the day were covered by a new pair of Oakley’s his sister had given him for his birthday. As he cruised along his mind was spinning. This was all very familiar to him - Memorial Day weekend at Myrtle Beach with his favorite people. It was a trip they had taken so many times before, but this was the first time in nearly 15 years. A lifetime seemed to have passed in the interim. Craig and his wife Nancy had 3 children and 2 dogs. He had spent nearly 20 years as a financial planner and in the process had built quite a comfortable life for his family by being safe, practical and quite often, he admitted to himself, boring. As Do It Again began blaring from the speakers and he felt his foot give the accelerator a tap, he smiled at that thought. This weekend might be many things for many people, but it was hard to see how boring could possibly be among them. It certainly wouldn’t be for him. Craig needed this weekend. He had instigated the planning and was arriving early to be the welcoming committee. Nancy was coming later with his sister and brother-in-law, Allyson and Zach Hinkley. Time with old friends was very important to Craig. The old gang was reuniting and renting the big beach house that had been home to so many memorable moments. It was time to get on with the business of making new memories. The sun, the surf, the sand and some cold beers would help. Old friends would help more. But the thing that had Craig most excited was that at long last he would be there. His best friend. It had been 8 years since they were together, and it felt like an eternity. The Beach Boys sang his feelings. "Well I've been thinking 'bout all the places we surfed and danced and all the faces we've missed so let's get back together and do it again!" He gunned the gas, patted his MG on the dashboard and let out an extremely unsophisticated whoop. “Take me to the Betsy B, Moneypenny” he shouted at his car as they entered Horry County, South Carolina. Funny how at age 45 the word 'Horry" still made him giggle…

30/30: A Favorite Book

The 30/30 Vision Blog Challenge continues today with an easy task. Or at least an obvious one. The prompt and description I wrote back in December says this: "A Book You Could (or have) Read Over & Over Again - "If you could only take one book to that aforementioned deserted island..." The obvious answer, the simple answer and the correct answer is The Holy Bible. I have read it over and over again. It is full of history, great adventure, heroes & villains and of course the story of our faith. It is written in a myriad of styles so it seldom get boring (begots excepted) and it is constantly revealing new truths and new people to connect with to me. I love the scriptures, and the Bible is the clear choice as the answer to this prompt. But that is too simple and perhaps too cliche to just leave my answer at that. So let's go a step beyond. What would be the 2nd book I would choose?

Let's look at some of the books I have read multiple times at as adult (not counting Dr. Seuss, who should get more credit here than he is going to receive!). I have read the 3 books in The Lord of the Rings trilogy at least 4 times since college. I have read Brennan Manning's The Ragamuffin Gospel and Mike Yaconelli's Dangerous Wonder several times each. I have read a dozen books in Lee Child's Jack Reacher series and could easily choose Jack to be my island buddy. But after giving is some serious thought, I think my #2 choice for the One Book would be The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas. I am certain I have read it 6 or 7 times in my life.

Why do I love the Musketeers so much? It is a story of great loyalty and bravery in the face of long odds. There is plenty of excitement and adventure, and a good dash of romance. There is a struggle with theology, particularly through the character of Athos, who has a long history with the Church. But the primary draw to this classic novel for me is friendship. Athos, Porthos and Aramis share a bond like few others in literature, and as this story progresses they add a young D'Artagnan to the mix. Throughout the tale you see the relationships they build, the love they have for one another, and you hear them shout those famous words- "All for one and one for all!" It is inspiring, and it always causes me to remember how blessed I am to have so many friends in this world who have my back no matter the circumstance.

The other reason I return to this book so often is that every few years they make another movie version, and I always give them a try. A number of them over the years have been very good (For me, the best was the 1973/74 films The Three Musketeers & The Four Musketeers in which they split the book in half to be more able to tell the entire story. Not prefect, but very good!) and quite enjoyable- but none of the will ever equal the depth and details of the book. So I return to the source to get my "Real Musketeer" fix nearly every time, and I am always glad I did.

So my task for today is complete, and I'll even throw in a bonus. The Bible wins, The Three Musketeers are second. The Lord of the Rings are third. So tell me...what's your go-to book?

Because of Jesus,

That Sinking Feeling

Do you have that sinking feeling that all the prayer, reading, Bible studies and seminary classes haven't turned you into a super Christian? Are you tired of trying to follow all the rules and say all the right things so that you can be "good enough" in the eyes of God? Then may I suggest something? GIVE UP! Because not a single one of us can be "good enough" for God. And that's Good News...

I have been re-reading my friend Rick Bundschuh's brilliant book, Deep Like Me. Rick reminds us that just as Peter sank in the waves when walking on the water, we all sink sometimes. We are all "deep" like Peter. And we all need rescuing. We can be in a right relationship with God not because of anything we do, but because of what Jesus DID! I hope that these thoughts will comfort you as you walk these last days of Lent in preparation for Good Friday and Easter. We often beat ourselves up for our lack of faith, lack of commitment or failure to grow spiritually as quickly as we think we ought to. We go back on promises to ourselves and to our God. And far too often we think we are the only ones who fail. Rick writes these words of encouragement. Soak in them:

You are not alone. Others of us have those same thoughts and feelings.

You are not that weird. Our faith is often convoluted, inconsistent and conflicted.

You will make it. You still have a long way to go, but by hanging on to Jesus, your faith understanding and and wisdom will grow, and yes, it is difficult and even baffling at times.

I would like to tell you that the journey gets easier over time, but that would be a half-truth. At the very point that you acclimate and finally get used to the new spiritual altitude, God hollers at you to get up and get moving again.

Take comfort in knowing you are not alone. Get charged up knowing that God has more for you. Always. Remember, even his closest followers thought Jesus was done on the Cross of Calvary. But he wasn't finished; death was! The story did not end on the Cross, and because it didn't OUR story is still being written as well. Don't give up hope. Just give up the stinkin' thinkin' that says following Jesus is some self-improvement plan. We will all fall short today. And that's...OKAY. It is Grace makes all things new again each and every day. That sinking feeling you feel is completely normal. Just relax and float. The Great Lifeguard is always on duty...

Because of Jesus,

Magic Moments: Warm Fuzzies

Have a blessed wedding day, Marie Allen!!! And Happy Halloween to one and all! To celebrate, this post features an evil witch! Enjoy!

Today's Throwback Thursday post puts us in the wayback machine and takes me back to one of my oldest memories- and then skips ahead to one of my favorite Magic Moments! Come along for the ride!

One of my earliest recollections of a vespers service at Quaker Lake Camp in the early 1970's is of someone reading Richard Lester's amazing little book, Fuzzies: A Folk Fable. It was first published in 1971. The picture to your left is a scan of the cover of my copy, which is well-used and no longer in one piece. That book has quite a history. We used it over and over at QLC during my years as a camper and a staff member, and even later when I was volunteering as Camp Pastor. I continued to use it during my years as a Youth Pastor in a variety of settings.  The story is timeless, and absolutely perfect for a discussion about what it takes to build and maintain a community of faith and trust. For those of you who may not know the tale, here's a synopsis:

Sad Fuzzies

Once upon a time there was a beautiful valley, unsoiled by the things of this world.  All the people had were each other. They didn't know enough to be fearful or suspicious, and they loved the opportunities to meet and greet one another each day. This was because of the Warm Fuzzies. These were happy little soft round furry creatures that loved to be picked up and held. Just holding one made you feel better. People would collect them, and then carry them around and exchange them with people as they would greet them each day. You never knew who might give you a Fuzzy. And the simple joys of  greeting, sharing and smiling wer so wonderful that the people of the valley never missed movie theaters, bowling alleys and fast food. Life was very good.

Unfortunately, Jaunita, the Head With in Charge of the Blahs, discovered the valley and set out to put a stop to all this happiness. She spread a rumor that there was terrible shortage of fuzzies. People began to hoard them, to lock them up and save them for themselves. Soon people stopped greeting each other with fuzzies, and then they stopped greeting each other altogether. At first the fuzzies were sad that they were no long being shared with the people of the valley. Then the locked up fuzzies began to wither and die. And soon, the fuzzies were just a memory and people began to look elsewhere for happiness.  The story ends with a grandmother recounting the good old days and telling her grandkids about the fuzzies and what life was like before the valley became a big city.  It ends with her saying, "I wonder what life would have been like if there hadn't been a shortage of fuzzies?"

I read this story dozens of times over the years, but no reading stands out quite like a night at Melbourne Beach, FL in 1995. It was my 2nd summer at the First United Methodist Church of Kissimmee, and we were holding our famous Last Gasp Summer Blowout. As we met in our meeting room for the final night's worship I was planning to use the story to talk about community and friendship. I read the book, shared a message, and passed out little colored fuzzy balls to the students. We then had a time of prayer and sharing, and a number of the youth began to talk about how important this community of faith was to them.  One of our school guys began to share about how youth group was the ONE place he always felt loved, no matter what- and tears began to flow. It became very emotional. At the conclusion of the time I encouraged them to share hugs and to also share the fuzzies they had been given.  The next 15 minutes were a total outpouring of love. You could literally SEE this "group" become a family right in front of your eyes.  The fuzzies became very real symbols of all the family of God could and should be, and many of them went home with youth as treasured keepsakes of that night.  I remember hugging everyone in the room, some of them more than once, and telling them how much I loved them. And unlike many emotional "mountintop" moments in ministry, this one never went away. We talked about it for years because we still felt that connection. In fact, years later when I was leaving that church, several of the young ladies who were there that night gave me a collage of adventures we had shared together- and as you can see. the frame is decorated with fuzzies.  That night at the Quality Suites was not just a Magic Moment. It was even better- it was a GOD MOMENT! And none of us who were there were ever quite the same...

So don't miss the chance to share a warm fuzzy- a smile, a hug, a handshake or a laugh- with the people you encounter today.  Let there be no shortage of fuzzies!

Because of Jesus,

Dance of the Prepositions

In John 17,  Jesus explains to the disciples that while they are going to be left in this world after he is gone, they belong to him.  This call to be "in the world, but not of it" is a challenge to us all.  As Caedmon's Call once sang, "This world has nothing for me and this world has everything.  All that I could want and nothing that I need."  Christians struggle with this at every turn. We cannot follow Jesus in a vacuum. Following him means impacting the people and the world around us in his name. Some of us seek to hide from the world, because being faithful would be much easier than facing the temptations and struggles of living in it.  Some of us want the church to be more like the world, seeking to create a "Christian Ghetto"  full of all the things we love, but twisted in a way that allows us to feel pious about them.  And some of us simply let the things of this world take the place of God. We allow them to become our "false idols."

Today's "words to soak in" come from John Fischer's 1988 book Real Christians Don't Dance (Bethany House Publishers).  John has written a number of great books and a number of great songs including The All Day Song, one of the all-time Quaker Lake Camp and youth group favorites!  I have shared this prose with many groups over the years as well as once before on this blog.  Now I'll just shut up and let John talk.  Have a blessed weekend!

The Ins And Outs Of "It"
"In it, not of it," the statement was made
As Christian One faced the world, much afraid.
"In it, not of it," the call was made clear,
But Christian One got something stuck in his ear.
"Not in it, or of it" was the thing that he heard.
And knowing the world was painfully absurd,
He welcomed the safety of pious retreat,
And went to the potluck for something to eat.

Now Christian Two, he knew what to do,
He'd show those fundies a thing or two!
How will the world ever give Christ a try
If we don't get in there and identify?
So "In it, and of it," he said in his car,
As he pulled in and stopped at a popular bar.
"I'll tell them the truth as soon as I'm able
To get myself out from under this table."

Now along comes Christian Three jogging for Jesus,
In witnessing sweats made of four matching pieces.
His earphones are playing a hot Christian tune
About how the Lord is coming back soon.
"Not in it, but of it," he turns down the hill
And stops in for a bite at the Agape Grill.
Like the gold on the chain of his "God Loves You" bracelet,
He can have the world without having to face it.

While way up in heaven they lament these conditions
That come from changing a few prepositions.
"Not in it, or of it," Christian One thought.
But who is the world will know that he's not?
"In it, and of it," thought Christian Two.
But who in the world will know that he knew?
"Not in it, but of it," thought Christian Three.
But who in the world watches Christian TV?
And Jesus turns to Gabriel, shaking His head.
" 'In it, not of it...' wasn't that what I said?"

Because of Jesus,

7 Things: My Favorite Books

I love to read, and I always have.  I was one of those annoying kids in high school who actually read the assigned books and didn't buy Cliffs Notes. I firmly believe no movie can ever be better than the book it is based on- even The Lord of the Rings movies that I love so much!  In my adult life I enjoy a wide variety of styles, from action/adventure (Lee Child's novels featuring Jack Reacher are awesome- I just can't believe they cast Tom Cruise to play Reacher in the first movie, One Shot. Terrible choice!) to mystery to biography/history to spiritual growth. But as with most people who love to read, there are certain books that I will occasionally return to and re-read even for a third or fourth time.  Those are the books that I would have to qualify as my favorites.  Here are 7 books (actually 10, but I am counting a series of 4 books as one) that I have read at least 3 times, and will probably read again at some point along the way.  Each book has influenced me in some way, and I often return to their pages for inspiration and guidance. Number 1 would of course be the Holy Bible, but I assume you know that about me, so I left it unstated.  Here is my list of 7, narrowed down from my original list of 29.  It was really tough to leave out Tony Campolo's The Kingdom of God Is a Party, pretty much every book ever written about The Beatles and C.S. Lewis's The Screwtape Letters.  And now I haven't! :)  

1. The Hobbit & The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R. Toilken
2. The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning
3. Soul Tsunami by Leonard Sweet
4. The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
5. And the Band Played On by Randy Shilts
6. Real Christians Don't Dance by John Fischer
7. What's So Amazing About Grace? by Philip Yancey

Most of my choices are well known to a general audience, but some of you may not have heard of And the Band Played On. It is the true story of the earliest years of the HIV/AIDS crisis and the Gay community in USAmerica, and how hatred, bigotry and politics turned a disease into an epidemic. It is a huge book that tells a huge story.  Anyway, that is my list. Gimme yours!

Because of Jesus,