by Jason Joyner | May 16, 2011 | Ale Boy's Feast, an ale a day keeps boredom away, Blog, CSFF, fantasy, Jeffrey Overstreet
One last voyage.
The CSFF Tour is about to finish up a series that we’ve featured since it started. Four books is a lot, and it is cool to see it through to the end. I’m talking about Jeffrey Overstreet’s Auralia Thread series, and the 4th book The Ale Boy’s Feast.
I’ve been involved with each tour, so to give some context, I’d point you to my previous posts about the series.
Book 1: Auralia’s Colors
Book 2: Cyndere’s Midnight – including an interview with Jeffrey Overstreet.
Book 3: Raven’s Ladder
For further information, you can check out Jeffrey’s site Looking Closer. Also, my fellow travelers at the CSFF Tour will have many interesting posts for your perusal. Check them out below.
Gillian Adams
Red Bissell
Grace Bridges
Beckie Burnham
Morgan L. Busse
Valerie Comer
CSFF Blog Tour
Shane Deal
Chris Deane
Cynthia Dyer
Andrea Graham
Katie Hart
Ryan Heart
Bruce Hennigan
Carol Keen
Dawn King
Inae Kyo
Shannon McDermott
Shannon McNear
Karen McSpadden
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Eve Nielsen
John W. Otte
Sarah Sawyer
Kathleen Smith
Donna Swanson
Rachel Starr Thomson
Robert Treskillard
Steve Trower
Fred Warren
Dona Watson
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by Jason Joyner | May 10, 2011 | Blog, faith, how many Switchfoot song lyrics can you find, sacrifice
|
| Ahhhh. |
Duh!
I’ve been working on a novel set primarily in Thailand for a loooong time now. Much of it is based off of my own experiences there. I’ve used the web many times in research and helping me to set the mood. Still, there’s one thing I’ve overlooked until recently.
Travel bloggers.
Seems pretty obvious now, especially where one of my characters spent time backpacking in Thailand for his backstory. In the social media age there are numerous bloggers using their writing to help support their travel addiction (color me jealous).
One I’ve started following has journaled some amazing adventures – way beyond what I experienced. It has been enlightening. But when this blogger announced finding the “secret to happiness,” I was curious what it would be.
There are some good points in there about making time for what matters, getting out of the rat race, and so on, but it boiled down to one point:
 |
| Ooh, look at ME! |
Do whatever makes you happy.
Ah, the old idea of hedonism. It became all about what the blogger wanted to do – having the freedom to go with the flow and travel where there is opportunity. I’d love to do that as well. Wouldn’t it be nice to find a way to live simply and engage in whatever strikes our fancy?
I still think we are made for something more.
Serving self brings joy for a time. Eventually, there is a realization that even this is empty. A wiser man than I once tried living for all of his desires, and he came to the conclusion that all is vanity (Ecclesiastes 2:9-11).
I was saddened by this blogger’s announcement, because they were so excited by this epiphany. I know that it won’t end well if this is where they camp out for life.
I would submit that we are meant not to live for ourselves, but we are meant to live for others. My greatest joy comes when I can truly help someone and give it freely without strings attached. This isn’t often, because my selfish nature makes a mess of me, but when it does happen it resonates so deeply the ripples carry through my life for a long time.
Our ultimate example comes from a humble Jewish carpenter, who forsook everything, even when he had everything, to meet the needs of me. And you.
I hope this blogger realizes a life of sacrifice and giving, of serving others, will bring lasting happiness more than they have ever experienced in focusing on self. This is your life, so I encourage you to give it a try.
—
by Jason Joyner | May 10, 2011 | faith, how many Switchfoot song lyrics can you find, sacrifice
|
| Ahhhh. |
Duh!
I’ve been working on a novel set primarily in Thailand for a loooong time now. Much of it is based off of my own experiences there. I’ve used the web many times in research and helping me to set the mood. Still, there’s one thing I’ve overlooked until recently.
Travel bloggers.
Seems pretty obvious now, especially where one of my characters spent time backpacking in Thailand for his backstory. In the social media age there are numerous bloggers using their writing to help support their travel addiction (color me jealous).
One I’ve started following has journaled some amazing adventures – way beyond what I experienced. It has been enlightening. But when this blogger announced finding the “secret to happiness,” I was curious what it would be.
There are some good points in there about making time for what matters, getting out of the rat race, and so on, but it boiled down to one point:
|
| Ooh, look at ME! |
Do whatever makes you happy.
Ah, the old idea of hedonism. It became all about what the blogger wanted to do – having the freedom to go with the flow and travel where there is opportunity. I’d love to do that as well. Wouldn’t it be nice to find a way to live simply and engage in whatever strikes our fancy?
I still think we are made for something more.
Serving self brings joy for a time. Eventually, there is a realization that even this is empty. A wiser man than I once tried living for all of his desires, and he came to the conclusion that all is vanity (Ecclesiastes 2:9-11).
I was saddened by this blogger’s announcement, because they were so excited by this epiphany. I know that it won’t end well if this is where they camp out for life.
I would submit that we are meant not to live for ourselves, but we are meant to live for others. My greatest joy comes when I can truly help someone and give it freely without strings attached. This isn’t often, because my selfish nature makes a mess of me, but when it does happen it resonates so deeply the ripples carry through my life for a long time.
Our ultimate example comes from a humble Jewish carpenter, who forsook everything, even when he had everything, to meet the needs of me. And you.
I hope this blogger realizes a life of sacrifice and giving, of serving others, will bring lasting happiness more than they have ever experienced in focusing on self. This is your life, so I encourage you to give it a try.
—
by Jason Joyner | May 3, 2011 | Blog, faith, physical therapy is like torture sometimes, random thoughts
Sometimes it is the one little detail that changes things. One “tweak” in the regular ways of things can make a big difference.
Last week I was signed up for a photography class in the evening after work. I had to work in a different town, so I brought my laptop in my backpack to mess with the photos from last class.
When I pulled into the parking lot, I realized I was closer to the vehicle next to me than I liked. Trying to be considerate, I only opened my door halfway. I’d have to squeeze out, but no big deal.
Except for one little detail.
|
| Hurts right THERE! |
I threw my backpack on my left shoulder. The backpack loaded down with extra weight. I slipped it out first, and twisted and leaned to the left as I got out of the car.
Tweak
Yeah, that was the sound of my back going out. I started having pain before I got to the doors of the building. In two hours I couldn’t sit OR stand for long periods of time. Thankfully I work in a medical office so I was able to use an e-stim machine to zap my spasming muscles to buy a little relief.
There are actually several “little details” that contributed to my back going out. If I wasn’t taking the class. If I hadn’t brought my laptop. If I hadn’t parked too close to the other vehicle. If I loaded my right shoulder instead of the left.
It made me think of the spiritual life. Sometimes all it takes is that one little detail: a white lie, a tiny compromise, a small sin. It’s not a big deal, right? What is it going to hurt?
Sometimes it can hurt a lot. Trust me.
It took a few days of rest and a visit to my friendly neighborhood physical therapist to get put back together. All of the yard work I had planned for the weekend? Not happening. Still, the physical issues could be restored with a skilled therapist and rest.
The little sin, the small compromise, the white lie?
Not as easily.
Catch us the foxes,
The little foxes that spoil the vines,
For our vines have tender grapes. Song of Solomon 2:15
—
by Jason Joyner | May 3, 2011 | Blog, faith, physical therapy is like torture sometimes, random thoughts
Sometimes it is the one little detail that changes things. One “tweak” in the regular ways of things can make a big difference.
Last week I was signed up for a photography class in the evening after work. I had to work in a different town, so I brought my laptop in my backpack to mess with the photos from last class.
When I pulled into the parking lot, I realized I was closer to the vehicle next to me than I liked. Trying to be considerate, I only opened my door halfway. I’d have to squeeze out, but no big deal.
Except for one little detail.
|
| Hurts right THERE! |
I threw my backpack on my left shoulder. The backpack loaded down with extra weight. I slipped it out first, and twisted and leaned to the left as I got out of the car.
Tweak
Yeah, that was the sound of my back going out. I started having pain before I got to the doors of the building. In two hours I couldn’t sit OR stand for long periods of time. Thankfully I work in a medical office so I was able to use an e-stim machine to zap my spasming muscles to buy a little relief.
There are actually several “little details” that contributed to my back going out. If I wasn’t taking the class. If I hadn’t brought my laptop. If I hadn’t parked too close to the other vehicle. If I loaded my right shoulder instead of the left.
It made me think of the spiritual life. Sometimes all it takes is that one little detail: a white lie, a tiny compromise, a small sin. It’s not a big deal, right? What is it going to hurt?
Sometimes it can hurt a lot. Trust me.
It took a few days of rest and a visit to my friendly neighborhood physical therapist to get put back together. All of the yard work I had planned for the weekend? Not happening. Still, the physical issues could be restored with a skilled therapist and rest.
The little sin, the small compromise, the white lie?
Not as easily.
Catch us the foxes,
The little foxes that spoil the vines,
For our vines have tender grapes. Song of Solomon 2:15
—
