Just say it!

Isn't it interesting that Google feels the need to to post special doodles on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but can't come up with anything more creative to say than "Happy Holidays"? Really? Which ones do you mean? I know people will berate me for using Google, but I won't go into my reasons, etc. That's silly. I'm not really even all that concerned about Google. I'm just using it as an example. My point is, if you're going to wish someone the blessings of the season, whatever it is, be specific! Say what you mean, for goodness' sake! Don't settle for a watered down 'holiday,' live a full, rich, Christ-filled 'Christmas!' It is His birthday we're celebrating, isn't it? Merry Christmas, Friends! And a very Happy New Year! May the blessings of God be yours!

"It's not the destination...

...so much as the journey." - Cpt. Jack Sparrow

It's time to embark! Tomorrow marks the beginning of yet another month of literary abandon. That's right, NaNoWriMo is upon us again!!! I most likely will not be posting on my blog for a while, do to what will be a very full schedule during November. I will be working full time and writing in my spare hours. Discipline will be paramount. :)

The big highlights of October, which have not gotten any of the mention they deserve, include:
1)Dance night we hosted on the 14th, we did a few new dances, including some Brandon had recorded, and one or two we learned at the OSR.

2)Visiting with the Sherrills again down in Virginia for the twins' birthday. We had a wonderful time getting to spend some more time with them. We went and saw The Three Musketeers with them, as well as visited George Washington's grist mill and distillery.

3)The Pre-NaNo Pep Party, which was on the 28th. My scheduling didn't work out very well, not everything we were planning fit in, but I think everyone had fun, and that was the important thing. :)

Good morning, Starshine!

The earth says hello! :)
Oh, the joys of getting up early...:)

Off to work in a couple of minutes, glad to be done with twelve hour days for now! It will be nice to be back to leaving at 4 today. Very thankful for answered prayer yesterday, however, as the machines worked quite well, all things considered all day and we finished up a really big order.

Ta ta! Have a blessed day!

Wait, "WHAT" to Him I owe?

A reflection from today:
For as long as I can remember, my family has tithed.
When we were young, we had 'spend cans,' piggy banks, (savings,) and a "God money" can, and we divided our money between those three categories, (little as there was of it back then.)
As I prepared to tithe today, I tallied up my last couple of checks from work, and as I came up with the sum, the thought flitted almost, I may say, unbidden, across my brain, "I owe God [x amount of] dollars." No sooner did the idea hit me, though, than another hit me even harder.
How stupid to say that! How presumptuous - how blasphemous - to think to 'give God His cut.'
I 'owe' God everything, not a meager ten percent of what I earn. My money, my possessions, every single breath I take.
Have I been giving a tenth of my mint, dill and cummin while neglecting the more important matters of the law? (Matt. 23:23)
Perhaps I have been viewing the tithe as the end, rather than the means, as I should. Perhaps as often happens with symbols, it has become the destination, rather than the guidepost.
That ten percent, then, represents the vast debt which I could never hope to begin to repay, and every time I set aside my "God money," it should remind me, and I should fall on my knees and cry out "Thank you, Lord Jesus!"

For nothing good have I
Whereby Thy grace to claim
I'll wash my garments white
In the blood of Calvary's Lamb

Jesus paid it all
All to Him I owe
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow

No, Caleb...

You may not just log into Facebook to check messages even though the aforementioned social network chose now as the time to change things so I don't receive notification emails...
I am sorely tempted, "but by the mass, [my heart is] in the trim!"
Yes, I am taking a month off of Facebook, what due to my job, I am finding it much easier than I thought. :)

So, where has the Summer gone to??? Can anyone tell me? :)

Some recent highlights in my life:

The Ohio Summer Rendezvous, Sept. 16-18. Where Brandon and I were once again blessed to share: A time joy, a time long anticipated and past too quickly! A time of friends, of fellowship, of fun, of dancing, acting, playing, visiting, and sharing in the glories of God's creation on display in Southern Ohio with fellow homeschool graduates and brothers and sisters in Christ.Thanks so much to the Ferrars, the Orths, and Hannah Michelle L for all the hard work put toward the event! I can't wait for the next one! :)

Shakespeare's 'Henry V'. From which I (with the help of two wonderful friends) performed part of act 4, scene 3, namely the St. Crispin's Day speech as the OSR. Despite the fact that I forgot my place several times, and had to pause, and the fact that I choked up about half way through the speech, I was really, really happy with the end result!
Yesterday, I finished watching Kenneth Branagh's 1989 film adaptation, which I had started watching a week or so earlier, and I was totally blown away! Now I need to read the entire play myself. :) If you saw my performance, or even if you didn't, you should check out Branagh's St. Crispin's Day Speech...*is speechless*. It is A-MAZE-ING.

Pulling my arm free of about a quarter ton of solid concrete which had fallen on it, and finding that it was only scraped and not broken! Thank you, God!!!

Seeing 'Courageous' with my family at the theater this past Saturday. It was GREAT! I highly recommend it, especially if you like Flywheel, Facing the Giants and Fireproof! Sherwood Pictures has done it again, and better than ever!

Participating in the Stark County Life Chain in Canton. Thankful for the opportunity to "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute." The cry of unborn life is indeed great, and being able to present to the truth to those driving by, and to pray for them as well, even for only an hour, is a privilege.

Firing a 9mm (or any gun for that matter) for the first time in my life. Thanks so much to my co-worker Dan for letting me! He was right, it does feel good! I fired 15 rounds in all, and made three hits. Okay, so I need a little work on that... :)

Well...I need to sleep, so I will talk to you later!
Blessings,
~Caleb

Hello September!

Well, it's been a fair amount of time since my last update, which was not a real 'update,' on life, but a sneak peek at the novel I'm planning to write this November! If you haven't seen that yet, please check it out! :)

Last week, my dad and I had the opportunity to be extras during the shooting of Marvel's upcoming film "The Avengers" which will be coming out next Summer. He and I and some friends went to the open casting call in July, and long after we had given up hope of getting a call, Daddy got one! I was excited for him, of course, but disappointed that I had not. Then about a week later, I got a call too!
So, yeah. That was...pretty cool. :)
We spent two nights (last Monday and Tuesday) in Stuttgart, Germany, (aka Cleveland OH.) I'm telling you, the set was AMAZING! I loved it.

A few days before that, on the 20th, our family went up to Conneaut for the D-Day Ohio re-enactment, which was REALLY neat. The Allied and German camps were really neat to look through, and the battle was really well executed. Not to mention getting to visit with some of our area friends, The Kuntzes (who clued us in about the re-enactment!) the Browns, Debbie Bates, and the Andersons. Lots of fun at the re-enactment, as well as getting to visit a little more with the Andersons (and Alex and Amanda, and Kyle, and the other Alex...:)) at the Andersons' house.

Oh! Also, I entered my Horatio Hornblower costume, my formal kilt attire, and my Caledonia tartan waistcoat in the fair, and got second place, first place, and second place on them, respectively.

I've had a busy couple of days this week with work for WPG and the neighbor, but I've begun work on mine and Brandon's costumes for the OSR. I will need to really knuckle down in the next few days, hopefully good progress will be made sooner rather than later, so that I'm not in the usual mad rush the day or two before the event. :P

So, that's what's been happening...

Eyes Of My Heart (promo/prologue)

So, this is [part of] the prologue (or basically a preview) of what will, hopefully, be my novel this November. I hadn't been writing much lately, and so I thought I'd do this, both as just to get a bit of writing in, and also to try and begin focusing ideas for this story before NaNo rolls around. Enjoy! :)
(And I realize this is kind of a cheat of a blog post...;))




The glory of triumph was stirring Alexander's heart as he cut past two guards and faced a third in the very gateway of the castle. His advance was inexorable, the men who came against him could not stand against his fierce onslaught. The great sword gripped in his fist fell in blow after blow against his enemies. Punishing, vanquishing. He penetrated the high guard of the next soldier in front of him, and bowled him over with his shoulder. He was in the courtyard now. The stones beneath him fairly resonated with absorbed heat, but the sweat which covered his brow and soaked his clothing was nothing compared to the victory at hand. With a sideways slash and a powerful backswing, he swept his enemy's sword out of the way, and kicked it from his hand. Raising himself to his full height, he lifted the tip of the blade to his enemy's throat.

"Yield, blackguard." He wiggled his sword impatiently. "Yield, I say!"

"Who are you fighting?" The voice, so close, and yet utterly unexpected, made Alexander start involuntarily. He turned. The girl was sitting on a circular bench beneath a tree, watching him. Her gown was simple and unadorned, but by the very cut and texture of it, Alexander could see that the girl was 'quality.' A large white and grey tomcat, whose fur she was gently stroking, lay curled beside her. Alexander was so taken aback by the intrusion into his battle, that he simply stared at her. She smiled, as if understanding.

"I'm sorry if I startled you," She said. "I often sit here beneath this tree during the afternoon. The people who pass interest me."

There was another moment of silence in which the only sounds audible were Alexander's still-heavy breathing and the low drone of the cat's purring.

"Who were you fighting?" She asked again.

He drew himself up again to answer, "The enemies of the King." He replied with as much grandness and pride as he could muster, flustered as he was by the girl's interruption.

She nodded, smiling still, which irritated Alexander's warrior sensibilities. "You are a very brave knight," she said admiringly. Needless to say, this statement considerably bolstered Alexander, and he smiled now too, though his eyes were now gazing intently at his feet and the point of his sword between them instead of at the girl.

"A 'brave knight'? Fah!"

This interruption was much more offensive, and, if possible, even less expected than the first. Anton, Alexander's one real, flesh-and-blood, opponent, came striding across the square, smirking at Alexander. The girl's head turned slightly, toward the sound of the approaching footsteps, but her eyes did not leave Alexander. "When was the last time you drew your sword in defense of His Majesty and his interests, Anton?" She asked gently, but loud enough for the walking ego to hear as he drew near. He frowned at her, and then at Alexander. "I have more important things to do than play act!" He viciously directed the last words in Alexander's direction.

"Oh." The girl replied simply.

Anton seemed to be taken aback by the nature of the response. Apparently he had expected more, or perhaps less.

"I am a squire to a knight," he proclaimed, "and I'll be one myself, long before this little man ever gets out of the kitchen!"

Alexander was bristling, fairly shuddering with shame and rage, but unsure what to do. Anton must have noticed the spasmodic jerks of his sword hand, for he smiled mockingly and raised his empty hands, palms up, as if to say, "You don't dare try and fight me, little knight - I have no weapon, and what sort of chivalry would that be?"

"Perhaps," the girl's voice snapped, as effortlessly as if it had been a piece of taut string between a pair of shears, through the tension between the two boys. "Perhaps, Anton, but you must admit there was a time not so very long ago, when you were as enthusiastically in the King's service as this brave boy is now. Has your reality taken away your fervor?"

Anton stood silent for a few moments, while the girl waited patiently, letting the cat, who had rolled onto its back during this discourse, play with her hand. After the brief silence, Anton simply stalked away.

As soon as Alexander lost sight of him around the corner, the girl smiled again, and beckoned to him. "Come closer, brave knight."

As he approached her, he guessed that she was probably a year or two younger than himself. Her eyes were large and blue, her golden hair long and braided. When he was in front of her, she indicated the place beside her and, after a moment of hesitation, Alexander seated himself. He was of that age when boys shy away from girls; for what reason, they themselves do not even fully understand. However, Alexander was of an outgoing nature as well, and was not as petrified of the fairer sex as some. The girl smiled, and turned in his direction, but their eyes did not meet.

"What does your sword look like?"

Alexander's mouth actually dropped open, but he willed it closed again. It was hardly polite to leave it hanging wide like a cod's on market day. He eyed the crude wooden implement in his hands, not quite sure how to reply. It was right in front of the girl, so what prompted such a question. She seemed to know what he was thinking and added almost apologetically, "I know the shape of a sword, but great knights often have very unique ones."

A flash of understanding brought a slight scowl to Alexander's. The girl's condescension was not appreciated. He had no delusions about his sword, it was but wood and nails, with uncountable dents and scratches along the length of it. He was not such a child to be imagining a grand sword out of a piece of battered oak.

"It's just wood, miss." He was looking away now, trying to contain his irritation, and also beginning to feel strange under the girl's eyes. "Just for practice."

"I know." The soft smile was again turned toward him, "but do you not have a dream of having your own sword when you are a knight?"

He turned to look her full in the face. Her unblinking smile drove his eyes away from hers. He felt himself start to squirm, his boyish shyness suddenly falling on him full force. "Y-yes, I mean, I suppose I do..." He stammered, wondering how to politely get away.

"What is your name?" Asked the girl.

"Alexander."

"Ah, The Defender." The girl nodded. "Your parents chose well."

"Would they had." Alexander managed to choke out.

The girl's face clouded, and she looked away. "What?"

"My Aunt named me. My parents are...are." He stopped and looked away himself. After a moment he stood, slowly wiping the corner of his eye.

"I'm sorry."

Alexander looked back at the girl and started. She was looking at the place beside her on the bench where he had been sitting, and her hand was slowly moving out, he guessed, in quest of his. He slowly sat back down, staring at her with strange fascination. Her gaze did not waver, though her brow began to furrow. Slowly, he slid out his right hand until the tips of their fingers touched on the bench. The girl took hold of his hand gently. "I'm sorry," she repeated, and at the same time, Alexander raised his left hand and passed it slowly in front of her face. Her eyes did not blink, nor did they follow the path of his hand. He gasped.

"What is it?" She asked quickly, her head turning swiftly.

"Your...your..." Alexander gulped and blurted: "Your eyes!"

"Oh...!" The girl turned away, her hands moving to hide her eyes. Alexander reached out quickly and caught them, however. The girl slowly turned back to him as he gently pulled her hands from her face.

"Your eyes are..." His voice caught in his throat. He hadn't meant to hurt her, and the guilt he would have felt otherwise was increased tenfold by the realization of her disadvantage. She couldn't help it that she was blind. He could not imagine the difficulty she must have endured without her sight. The thousand and one things he saw and took for granted every single day, an which had never made her heart glad. The girl's blue eyes stared at him, the corners glistening slightly with tears. Although he knew she could not see him, her eyes were... "beautiful. Your eyes are beautiful, miss." He finally whispered breathlessly.

...To be continued...