Category: Uncategorized

One scene from a nearly-forgotten movie remains fresh in my mind: A criminal visiting a run-down apartment looks through a doorway and spots a scantily clad girl sitting on a bed. She’s high on drugs. Immediately the lowlife tells his buddy, “I’m in love.” He proceeds into the bedroom to take advantage of the stoned woman.

In that film, the criminal doesn’t achieve his goal. The moment he touches the girl, she comes alive and fights like an angry cat. I stopped watching, but the scene stayed with me, a cinematic reminder of how people confuse love and lust.

Both men and women can experience either love or lust. With some couples, one person might genuinely love the partner, while that partner merely lusts the other — but believes his/her feelings are love. After all, nowadays people stretch the word love to express appreciation for ice cream, their favorite TV series, a new fashion… whatever. So, what’s the difference between love and lust? Although they can look similar, there are huge differences:

Lust expresses strong interest in another person, but for selfish reasons. In the movie scene above, the criminal  felt strong sexual arousal. He wanted to enjoy the woman’s body. The same happens in the real world. Although a person in lust might be witty, charming, generous, and do “thoughtful” things to win appreciation from the one he/she lusts, the underlying goal is self-centered: to engage in sex, mainly for personal gratification. Lust cares more about getting than giving.

A person in lust, say a man, might believe he’s in love. But if the target of his attention makes clear that sex without marriage isn’t going to happen (or that it’s not going to happen anymore if it already has), he might grow frustrated, even angry, when the desires of his hormones are thwarted. (He might eventually give up and seek an easier target.)

The fact that a physical relationship brings pleasure doesn’t guarantee it’s a love relationship. The prostitution trade proves that even total strangers can enjoy the physical sensations of touching, kissing, having sex–all without love.

Contrary to lust, Love is more concerned with giving than receiving. Genuine love is concerned with meeting the needs of the loved one, regardless of whether the loved one can reciprocate. Neither is love purely emotional. To a great degree, to love or not love is a decision.

An older couple had been married many years. When the husband suffered a heart attack and other health issues, he lay in the hospital, unconscious and surrounded by machines, tubes, and wires. His adoring wife could get close enough only to caress his bare foot as she waited to see whether her mate lived or died. Selfless dedication. Caring. Giving without receiving… Love!

Although love might be expressed in a touch, it can survive without sex. In fact, love can endure even when there’s no touching, even across many miles, as in time of war or travel for business.

There are various types of love (love for a child, for a spouse, for a family member), and each differs

in intensity and type of commitment. But if the love is genuine, its primary concern will be the welfare of the other, not using that person to please self.

The Bible declares in 1 John 4:8, “God is love.” So the best description of love will come from God’s own Word. See for yourself the image on the right to review 1 Corinthians 13, and see what God says on the subject!

 

Dear friends,

Quite a few of you have finished reading The Methuselah Project and then declared, “This would make a great movie!” Thank you. Allow me also to thank the many who have practically demanded a sequel to find out what happens to Roger Greene and Katherine Mueller after The End.

The truth is, I’ve been working on a sequel. So what’s taking so long? I’ve also been working on a movie screenplay of the original Methuselah Project novel. However, I’d had very little experience with writing movie scripts. It’s a whole different art from penning novels, and it’s taken me quite a while to learn the in’s and out’s of the craft.

Now, though, I’m excited to announce that this past autumn I submitted my screenplay to Movieguide’s annual Kairos Prize for beginning screenplay writers. As of last week, out of hundreds of submissions from 20+ countries, my script for The Methuselah Project made the final cut and is one of the 10 Finalists. On February 2 in Hollywood, one of us ten hopefuls will win the $15,000 prize. In addition, all of our scripts will be available for interested professionals in the film industry to review for consideration. I praise God for helping me to learn this new (to me) craft of writing, and for helping me to polish my project well enough to become a finalist. I’m sure the other submissions are excellent, and some of those writers have more experience with scripts than yours truly. Yet, whether I win or lose the Kairos, I feel God’s hand of blessing and sincerely thank Him for this level of achievement.

Along with some unfortunate realities of life that have claimed large chunks of this writer’s time, studying screenplay writing has definitely slowed momentum on the sequel to my third novel. Now, though, I plan to proceed “full steam ahead” with that sequel. Thanks for your patience, and thank you all for sharing my excitement as a Kairos Prize finalist. The odds are still 9 to 1 against me. However, 9 to 1 is lightyears better than the 100s to 1 odds that existed when I submitted my project. On February 2, I’ll be in Hollywood and holding my breath. We’ll see what happens!

Here’s a link for more information about the Kairos Prize and my competition:

Kairos Prize Finalists Have Been Announced!

 

 

As some of you friends and readers know, I’ve been studying the craft of screenplay writing. And even though novels and movies are both stories, and both depend on writers to create them, there is an enormous difference between novels and screenplays. So, learning the ins and outs of crafting a professional-looking script has been quite a learning curve for this novelist.

Now I can announce that–miracle of miracles!–the screenplay I created from The Methuselah Project actually made the semi-finalist list for Movieguide’s annual $15,000 Kairos Prize. I’m amazed, since there is tons of competition. In past Kairos competitions, 500+ scripts have competed for the winning spot. This is my third time to enter, but it’s the first time I’ve made the final 15. Even if I don’t win, being a semi-finalist is tremendously encouraging. If nothing else, Movieguide’s announcement gives me some confidence that I’m finally gaining a proper feel for screenplay-writing. Thank you to all of you who have sent me your congratulations for this milestone!

If you would like to see Movieguide’s announcement, here’s the link:

Semi-Finalists for the $15,000 Kairos Prizes Announced!

From now through Friday, January 20, the ebook of The Methuselah Project is available for only .99 cents! Already read it? Then please consider sharing the news with a reading friend who hasn’t.

Thank you, dear readers, for each mention, each share, and each tag you’ve made to reach an even wider audience. Blessings to you all!

Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/2iyZoyG

 

 

And in case some of you have heard about the book but still aren’t sure it’s right for you, let me share a quick screen capture of the latest reviews:

 

 

 

 

I’m honored to be featured in the January/February issue of Southern Writers Magazine with The Methuselah Project. Thank you to everyone who has purchased the book or Kindle version, and special thanks to all those who have given it such high ratings on Amazon! You readers are tops!

No, as an author I truly don’t endorse the pilfering of another writer’s material. However, once the inspiration for the following poem sprouted in my mind, creativity took over. The idea practically begged me to write it, just for fun. This poem is a repeat, as I shared it on my blog one year ago. It’s one of the very few poems this author has attempted. So many people got a laugh that I’m rerunning it. Enjoy!

Stopping to Plagiarize on a Snowy Evening

By Rick Barry (with inspiration from Robert Frost)

Whose words these are I think I know.
His lawyer isn’t watching, though.
He will not see me scanning here
To steal his words, which nicely flow.

My little dog must think it queer
To filch these lines without fear,
To pinch the words and be a fake,
The darkest cunning of the year.

He gives his dog tags a loud shake
As if to warn, “A lot’s at stake!”
The only other sound’s the beep
My printer makes as lines I take.

These words are lovely, rich and deep,
But me? I have deadlines to keep,
And lines to type before I sleep,
And lines to type before I sleep.

 

 

In any group, ask for a show of hands: “Who here would like to be considered kind and helpful by others?” Chances are, a good number of hands will go up.

Now try another question: “Who here enjoys being interrupted when you’re busy doing something?” Probably fewer, if any, hands will rise. And understandably so. After all, when we’re pursuing a hobby, or studying for a class, or even writing a weekly blog post, we know how we planned to use our time and aren’t excited when someone disrupts our schedule.

But here’s something interesting to chew on: In the Bible, Jesus taught many truths, and He performed many miracles. Pay close attention to how many of His most memorable miracles resulted from someone interrupting while He was busy, either engaged in doing something or walking toward a goal. Here are a few:

Luke 5:17-19 – While Jesus was teaching a crowd, several men showed up with an ill friend who needed healing. These men had no appointment. They didn’t even wait until Jesus had finished, but barged right in with their paralyzed friend. Jesus not only stopped His lesson to heal the paralytic, but used that opportunity to teach those present yet another lesson.

Luke 8:22-24 – When He was sleeping, the disciples awoke Jesus because of a storm. Rather than simply roll over (He was in no danger!), Jesus rose and rebuked the waves and the wind for their sake.

Luke 8:43 – While on His way to heal the daughter of a man named Jairus, a woman with an issue of blood touched Jesus’ garment and received healing. The crowed pressed all around, and no one but Jesus and the woman realized what had happened. He could have continued walking toward His original goal, but Jesus stopped and singled out the woman to spend a moment of conversation with her.

Mark 10:46-52 – While walking with a huge crowd of people, an “unimportant” blind beggar named Bartimaeus began noisily shouting to Jesus. Some rebuked the beggar. Didn’t he realize Jesus had more important things to do? But Jesus stopped and called for the man. The beggar hurried forward and requested the gift of restored eyesight. Jesus did the miracle, and a joyful Bartimaeus joined His followers.

Yup! Some of Jesus’ most well-remembered miracles occurred during moments when He was basically busy with something else, but was interrupted. How do you respond when someone with a need interrupts you–in irritation, or with compassion and a heart to help? That interruption just might be a God-given opportunity to accomplish something bigger than the interrupter expects. Think about it!

 

Years ago, I received a powerful lesson on thankfulness from a man whose name I don’t know. The man didn’t realize he taught me anything, because he doesn’t realize much of anything. Literally. Here’s the story:

One Sunday afternoon I was in a nursing home to participate in a short church service for residents. Because the elderly folk often forgot what day it was, let alone what time it was, we visitors roamed the hallways and invited people to the activity room. At the junction of two corridors I noticed a man who looked to be in his upper twenties sitting in an armchair. I assumed he was waiting for a grandparent. As I walked past, the man sat as if daydreaming.

“Hello!” I said.

He remained silent. This fellow gazed in the direction of a wall without focusing. After finding and inviting a few more senior citizens to the activity room, I asked one of the nurses about the man in the chair.

“Oh, that’s very sad. He has the body of an adult, but his brain never developed. He has the mind of a baby.”

So the “visitor” actually lived there, even though he was decades younger than other residents. I couldn’t help reflecting on the many things I’d done in life that man had never done—and never would. He hadn’t attended school. He hadn’t shared jokes. He’d never driven a car, read a book, gone swimming, carried on a conversation, fallen in love, gotten married, or done countless things I took for granted. Except for the grace of God, I could have been the mindless man languishing in that armchair, and he could have been the one looking at me with eyes full of pity!

Dear friend, this Thanksgiving you may question whether you have much for which to be thankful. Perhaps you wish you were richer, more attractive, more intelligent, more muscular, more successful, more _________ [fill in the blank]. But realize this: No matter what you do not have, apart from the grace of God you could be sitting in a nursing facility this very instant with the intelligence of a turnip. Rather than focus on everything you do not have, thank God if you can simply think. Not everyone can.

 

 

 

 

One of the lessons 2016 has driven home to me is that, of all possible forms of humor, mockery is the one I appreciate least. Unfortunately (in my opinion) mockery remains popular across a wide spectrum of people seeking a way to belittle others for anything from physical disabilities to differing views on religion or politics.

I do understand the temptation to mock. Mocking can make the mocker feel smug, intelligent, and witty at the expense of his target. Mocking provides a verbal way to shoot at someone we don’t like without the danger of getting arrested. So in a sense, mocking brings the mocker a reward, particularly if the mockery succeeds in inciting others to join in the jeering and finger-pointing. And I’m sure I’ve mocked before, but I hope in the Lord to have outgrown this particular form of humor.

As a follower of Christ, I do find many incidents of mocking in the Bible. A few include:

– Job was mocked in the midst of his calamity and depression (Job 21:3; 30:9).

– God’s messengers, the prophets were mocked by ungodly listeners (2 Chronicles 36:16).

– Local civic leaders mocked Nehemiah and his followers when they were rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 2:19).

– David was mocked by his enemies, people who resented God’s hand of blessing on the young man (Psalm 35:15-16).

– Soldiers mocked Jesus with words, but added their spittle, slaps, whip lashing, and a crown of thorns (Matthew 26:67-68).

– The Jewish king, Herod, joined in mocking Jesus (Luke 23:11)

– The apostles were mocked by a crowd, who accused them of being drunk early in the morning (Acts 2:13).

That’s only a quick sampling. Many more Bible verses speak of mocking, and they provide food for meditation. But the truth that strikes me over and over is that the mockery in the Bible generally comes from people with whom I wouldn’t care to associate. In contrast, Jesus certainly pointed out sin, and He didn’t hesitate to tell people when they misapplied the Scriptures. Jesus definitely got angry when He drove out those money-changers who turned the temple created for worshiping God into a place for buying and selling animals to sacrifice. (Even without divine power, Jesus was definitely no weakling!) But did Jesus ever put on goofy faces to mock Herod or faraway Caesar to the cackling of His followers? Did He draw slapstick caricatures of the sinners who refused to heed His teachings? I’m not finding it.

I won’t dictate what others should or shouldn’t do with mockery. But if I have to make a choice, I’d rather be mocked than stand among the ranks of mockers. If someday I slip from this goal, somebody please give me a kick in the backside and remind that I’m not being the kind of person I aspire to be!