Is God Always Fair?

Well, it depends in how you're using the word "fair." God is certainly fair when it comes to judgment. He is the epitome of goodness and always right. He knows us inside and out, knows our motives and very thoughts.

However, he doesn't always give us what we deserve. That's where His love, mercy and grace come to play.When we accept Christ as our Savior, what He did on the cross washes us clean. We get to trade our sinfulness for Christ's righteousness, because he took our sins on Himself, and they died with Him. Then God can look on us in love, mercy, and grace, and we can approach holy God.

I've heard Adrian Rogers say and read where Warren Wiersbe wrote something to the effect that mercy is not getting what we deserve, but grace is getting what we don't deserve. We don't deserve God's favor, because we are guilty. However, through grace, He blesses us anyway because of what Jesus did on the cross. Thank goodness He's not always fair in this regard.

What blows my mind, what I can't understand, is why anyone wouldn't want to accept this great gift. The greatest gift you'll ever receive is free for the asking. No one knows what real living is all about until they live with Christ in their hearts. His love truly completes and makes us whole. How amazing!

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My Bookshelf Grows

I got the copies of my first published book in March, 2015, a year and a half ago. I feel truly blessed, because from then until now, I have published six novels, and will be starting on my fourteenth unpublished manuscript next week. I actually write them faster than my publisher can publish them.

With this last one that's just coming out, I've now published all the historical novels in my Appalachian Roots series. They are Cleared for Planting, Sown in Dark Soil, Uprooted by War, and Transplanted to Red Clay. In addition, I've also published When Winter Is Past and With

Summer's Songs as indies.

Right now, my publisher is considering the next manuscript, Through the Wilderness, set on the Oregon Trail. I'm also thinking I may start publishing my contemporary trilogy of the Farmers (the family name) in November. These will be Promise, Peace, and Pardon. I'd like to bring them out about two or three months apart. So conceivably, I could publish eight or nine books in two years.

If Ambassador International accepts Through the Wilderness, I will likely send them my other historical standalone, In from the Storm, set in Wyoming. From there, I should have the Cactus Creek, New Mexico, series ready, and there will be five books in it. I like to have a whole series written before I start publishing them so that I can make any needed changes along.


In addition, I still have the contemporary manuscript with a bit of a mystery, Deceitful Matters, and two Christian non-fiction, On the Road to Jericho and From the Top of the Mountain to the Bottom of the Sea. I'll see where God leads with them. I'm having the time of my life with all this, while learning to leave it all in God's hands, which takes the stress and worry away.  May God receive the glory and my readers be inspired, encouraged, and entertained!

All my profits go to a scholarship fund for missionary children.

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The Battle of Harper's Ferry 

Harpers Ferry

The Battle of Harper's Ferry, then part of Virginia but later to become West Virginia, began on September 12, 1862, as part of the Maryland Campaign. Confederate troops under Major General Stonewall Jackson surrounded and took the Union garrison at Harpers Ferry with relative ease. This allowed General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia to advance through the Shenandoah Valley into Maryland and secured supply lines.

Stonewall Jackson

Major General George McClellan followed Lee, taking his time but outnumbering him more than two to one. Still, Lee decided to take the risk of dividing his army and sending part of them to attack Harpers Ferry. By the morning of September 15, Stonewall Jackson had nearly 50 guns positioned on Maryland Heights and at the bottom of Loudoun Heights. The Union officers saw how hopeless their situation was and raised the white flag to surrender. After taking more the 12,000 prisoners, Jackson and his men rushed to Sharpsburg to rejoin Lee for the Battle of Antietam.

In my Civil War Novel, Uprooted by War, Luke doesn't fight at Harpers Ferry. He didn't join the army until early summer in 1862, and then he trained in Eastern Tennessee. He participated in some skirmishes and small battles there, but Antietam is the first major battle he was involved in. See the blog of July 18 for more on this - http://janicecolehopkins.blogspot.com/search?q=antietam .

(As always, all my profits go to a scholarship for missionary children.)

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Time Passes Faster and Faster

My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle...(Job 7:6).

Many of you have probably already discovered how much more quickly time seems to pass as we grow older. Warren Wiersbe was discussing this in his book, The Bumps Are What You Climb On. (Isn't that a great title?) The following ideas are taken from chapter nineteen:

Since our lives are like a weaver's shuttle, there's a pattern and purpose involved. God controls the shuttle and God has a pattern for each of our lives. But you and I are still on the loom; God isn't finished with us yet. As you and I look at the progress, we see the shuttle running swiftly through the warp, and we see a pattern developing, but only the Weaver can see the finished product. Never judge a weaver by the unfinished product. Don't get angry with God because you don't agree with His choice of colors or patterns. You and I cannot see the total picture; only God can see that. And don't get disgusted with life because the pattern isn't what you want. The Weaver knows best. Some people try to improve the pattern, and they end up making it ugly instead of beautiful.

We should also be reminded never to judge another too harshly or give up on them. We shouldn't worry over the bad choices of others, let the Master Weaver handle the situation. What looks to us today as a marred product, can, in Christ's hands, become a beautiful weaving. He can untangle the threads, untie the knots, and weave lives so that the finished product brings honor and glory to His name. Just keep praying and trusting and let the Weaver do the rest. He will manage all our time.

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Balancing the Details

I find that so much of writing requires a balance between two opposites or two sides. Take the details in a novel, for example. Although they're certainly necessary, too many can slow the story and make it boring. I recently read a novel that did this. It would have pages of description of mundane things like preparing a meal, chit-chat like "How are you?" "Oh, I'm doing fine," and unnecessary scenes that did nothing to move the story.

Novels need to be believable and realistic but not too much like daily life. If you wrote about a day in your life, giving all the details, it would usually be a boring read. Authors don't need to include everything a character might do, like brushing their teeth every night and morning, unless there's a purpose for it being there that will tie into something else.

I've read books that give the reader very little credit. They almost talked down to me, assuming I could figure out very little on my own. Most readers have a good imagination or they wouldn't chose books over television or movies. It's okay to let your reader fill in some of the details. Do give enough to set the stage for each scene and build character images. However, don't weigh the story down with so much description that the action and story themselves get lost. Your readers will let you know how you're doing. Listen to them.

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Labor Day History

First Labor Day Parade - NYC, 1882

In the United States and Canada, the holiday is held on the first Monday in September to honor the American worker and the contributions their labor has made to the success, strength, prosperity, and well-being of the nation. In the beginning labor unions help promote the day. The first Labor Day parade in the United States was held in New York City on September 5, 1882. Yes, Labor Day came on September 5th that year too.

Matthew Maguire, a machinist, is thought to have introduced the idea of celebrating Labor Day in the U.S. in 1882. At the time, he served as secretary of the Central Labor Union of New York. Oregon became the first state to make it an official public holiday in 1887. It became an official federal holiday in 1894.

Labor Day is seen by many as the end of summer, and this has culturally been accepted. Many stores have Labor Day sales to move out the remaining inventory of summer goods. Traditionally, schools waited until after the Labor Day weekend to start a new year, and some still do. Many of the fall sports also begin their season then. In addition, it's often the last vacation of the year for families. So, hope you had a happy Labor Day everyone!

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Labor

Commit thy works unto the Lord (Proverbs 16:3b).

Only in modern times has work become something to be done only when necessary and to be avoided when possible. Back in history, most people took pride in their work. Perhaps the assembly lines and mass production caused people to start looking at work differently. The Bible is certainly clear that work is important. As far back as Genesis, God assigned Adam and Eve tasks to do in the Garden of Eden.

Proverbs tells us to look at the ant, who works diligently without supervision (see Proverbs 5:5-8). We should be as self-disciplined and as productive. The apostle Paul addressed this too: "...if any would not work, neither should he eat. For we hear there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies" (2 Thessalonians 3:10-13). And James tells us that faith without works is dead (see James 2:26).

God expects us to work, both to support ourselves if we are able and for Him. He assigns each of us tasks according to where we are in life and the gifts he has given us. Are we working diligently for Him? Anything we do, we should dedicate it to God. If we can't do that, then perhaps we are involved in some thing we shouldn't be. As another Labor Day approaches, let's assess how well we do our work, celebrate what we do right, and improve what we need to do better.

And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord (Colossians 2:23a).  

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