Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Weaving Stories on Woven Wednesdays with Ruth Logan Herne

"Jesus was not a theologian. He was God, who told stories." Madeleine L'Engle


Some folks call prostitution "the oldest profession".

They're wrong, of course.

The oldest profession is story telling. From the beginnings of time, folks have told stories. Shared stories. Imagined stories. 





They made things up. They re-told history, recording it by voice and ear.

Villages, tribes and communities assigned a listener, or a story keeper, or a "teller". And so it began, a time when stories, both fact and fiction, began their patterns long before cotton or linen or flax weaving existed. When early man-- and woman-- drew charcoal patterns within caves. When rudimentary counting by slashes of burned stick... or four-legged figures depicted fierce predators. A time of few words, but still stories.

I love being a teller of stories. I love taking Biblical precepts and bringing them to life in contemporary works. I love seeing that while time marches on, people are still people. They're good, they're bad, they're strong and weak, they're tempted... oh, so tempted! 



"Yet man is born unto trouble as the sparks fly upward." Job 5:7, KJV

Modern times swim with temptation. It surrounds us. It's there on the street, in the subways, in the signage, in the music, on the television, in the arts, and in our homes. We are like those of old, picking our way through the difficulties, except we're so much better off than our forebears. 

We have medical help, schooling, clothing, food, and shelter. We have programs that help so many... so very many.

But with all of this, all the good fortune or plain and simple fortune, or even simply getting by, we give in to temptations all the time. Because without God... without faith... without that light of Jesus guiding our hearts and lighting up our souls... nothing is enough.



In the 17th century, Blase Pascal described a phenomena we still hear today. He described a vacancy within the human spirit, a vacancy so special, a hole so gaping inside us, that only God could fill it, although man tries valiantly to fill it every other possible way. 

But it's a God-shaped hole, and try as we might, it's meant for him. For that faith, that inner strength, the beauty of believing in times of trouble and moments of joy.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son..."

And there it is.

The Master Storyteller.

The Eternal Weaver.

The One, The Only, The Alpha and the Omega.

As we weave our way through this beautiful Wednesday, as we celebrate the joy and satisfaction of successful work by wonderful women, as we bond together in prayer and peace, let's thank God the Father Almighty for the gift of story telling, the beauty of faith and fiction, the delicacy of woven words.



For this gift, freely given, should always be appreciated. As we sculpt our stories, as we pare our words, as we bless others tales of happiness and woe, let us share the joys and pangs within us, as Christ did in his life... and on that cross.

"For greater love hath no man..."  

We search for joy and satisfaction in the physical world, when the truest faith, hope and love surrounds us in the spiritual realm. The wonderfulness that fills that God-shaped hole to bursting.

Happy birthday, lovely ladies! We share a birthday this week... your blog is young.

I am not.

But I'm not old, either, and I'll blast anyone who dares say otherwise! 

Let's have cake and coffee (or sweet tea!), and share our stories. And for this month, let's remember each and every one of those blessings, not by what others have that we covet... but by what we hold in our hearts, every single day.

And to make our hearts beat a little faster, Ruthy is offering a copy of her newest book (and FIRST MYSTERY!)  "A Light in the Darkness", the delightful first book of the Mysteries of Martha's Vineyard series, published through Guideposts. Leave a comment and Ruthy will put your name in her prettiest chipped candy dish! :) 



And here's the brochure (and the link) for this wonderful series... 
LINK TO "A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS"





Multi-published, bestselling author Ruth Logan Herne has well over a million books in print, a fact that still amazes her. She writes in the middle of the night, when there is NO ONE around to pester her, and by day she helps care for cute kids and a busy farm, all of which appear in her delightful, award-winning romances. She writes for the heart, from the soul and loves to chat with people! You can friend her on facebook, find her on Twitter @RuthLoganHerne and see her in Seekerville (www.seekerville.blogspot.com), Petticoats & Pistols.com  , the Yankee Belle Cafe  or swing by her website to see what's up, ruthloganherne.com 

14 comments:

  1. Ruthy so happy to see you on STT this beautiful Wednesday God has blessed us with. What an awesome post about weaving stories--I have sweet memories of our parents telling us stories during our childhood beside reading books to us.

    I love all your books interwoven with the beautiful love of God and His forgiveness, grace, mercy, peace, joy, hope and an eternal home with Him some day. Thank you for sharing your love for stories.

    A Light in the Darkness is on my TBR pile. Blessings.

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  3. Thanks for the post. We all have stories to share and weave....
    Looking forward to A Light in the Darkness!

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  4. Thank you, Ruthie for your beautiful post. We, as women, are truly blessed in a multitude of ways. Good is so good.

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  5. Thank you Ruth for a wonderful post. My grandmother was a wonderful story teller and I credit these verbal stories and my father's love of reading for making me such a lover of storytelling!
    Blessings
    Connie

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  6. Cannot wait for your newest! Beautiful post. The world constantly tries to fit "things" into our God-shaped hole. We can only have Him fit there, and we need Him!

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  7. RUTHY!!! Welcome to the Stitches Thru Time blog and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Breaking out the streamers, confetti and cake.

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  8. OH PLEASE enter me!!! Sadly we've had a bad experience with guidpost so I only want to read authors I trust!!! Ruthy you are one that I not only trust, but LOVE TO READ!!!! And if you will pardon me, SQUEALLLL!!!!! I am SO excited that you've written a mystery!!!!! :D I can't WAIT to read and review it!!!!!!!

    Hugs, Amada (pronounced: a.m.a.th.a)
    amada_chavezATyahooDOTcom

    P.S. I must also add this is one of the best blog posts I've read in a LOOOOONG time and I LOVE it! I could read this post again and again! :)

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  9. Can't wait to read "A Light in the Darkness!"

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  10. Always love me some Ruthy posts ..and books! Can't wait to read A Light in the Darkness....count me in! THANKS.
    jacsmi75 at gmail dot com

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  11. Thank you for that beautiful post Ruth that we can rejoice in the beautiful uniqueness we have as Daughters of the King and godly woman. Birthday Blessings and I would love to read your new book.
    marypopmom (at) yahoo (dot) com
    Maryann

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  12. This one looks especially good! Thanks for the chance to win Ruth's book!

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  13. I love her books! Bookwormgal2011 at yahoo dot com

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