12 January 2023
The past year has been rough. I won’t bore you with details, but it’s been difficult to write anything. Not “writer’s block” but “high priority” interruptions. Today I posted the first short story I’ve written in over a year! And I now feel so much better for having done it. That novel I mentioned in September ’21 is progressing. It, too, was delayed by the ‘high priority’ stuff. I should say that I have written a few things, just nothing nice enough to post.
23 October ’21
Just after the last Ice Age, when I was in college, I wrote a story based on an event that actually happened. I typed it up (there were no such things as ‘personal computers’) and saved it until I could actually do something with it. Well, my one and only copy of the story was lost. I did try to recreate it, but was never happy with the outcome. Two days ago I found the recreated story, stored on an old flash drive. It took me a couple of hours to rewrite it and today I posted it.
BTW: I am almost reaching the end of the second chapter of my novel. In addition, I’m working on a story about Judah, one of the twelve sons of Jacob.
Additionally, I did post a very short essay on character motivation on 1 Oct. –Well, I guess that’s one way to describe it. It is, I hope, thought provoking. 🙂
26 September ’21
Years ago I began a novel about a kid who moves to a town that seems to be hiding all sorts of mystery. I set that project aside to write many of the stories that are posted on this site. Now I am returning to that project. I will not abandon this site, but new stories and essays may be a bit thin for a while.
25 March ’21
I just added another story to the “Staley’s Store” series. And I’ve updated the maps for that series. I also added a page to Forever Stone linking to a friend’s blog. He’s written a great series on “The Historical Jesus”. It’s worthwhile, regardless of your religious inclinations.
13 March ’21
I dug up three reviews/essays I had started writing and did a bit of editing today. And now I’ve added these three reviews to the menu. They are actually a comment about Disney & Lucasfilm, some thoughts on Stranger In A Strange Land and some comments about Paolini’s Inheritance Cycle. All three of these were written some time ago. Today I read them again and did some editing. They are all three in the category of “to be read after reading the book” sort of review. So, if you have not seen all the Star Wars movies, read Stranger In A Strange Land or The Inheritance Cycle, please watch/read them first. BTW: there is another review of The Inheritance Cycle that really is a true ‘review’ in that it is written for those who have not read it.
9 March ’21
The Bible Study, “First Corinthians Inside Out” is now published on the Bible Study website. It did not take many days to write it. Probably because I have had it on my mind for many months.
I keep finding things I need to correct on Always Rejoicing. If you see an error of any sort, please let me know. It’s working as I expected it to. I just hope people find it easier to use. My pastor read the Forever Stone site and said it was “challenging”. Well, it was “challenging” to write. So that’s expected. 😀
1 March 2021
It’s March 1st. And I am somewhat satisfied with the remodel of Always Rejoicing. All the pieces are in place; at least I think they are. I really do not like how the menu works. On larger screens it can expand beyond the window. The only ‘cure’ for that is for you, the visitor to this site, to shrink the window until the little “hamburger” menu icon appears on the top right. Then you can expand the menu properly. I’ve modified the menus so that, for most, they will work properly and the ‘bug’ will not be noticed. If you have a tablet or phone you should not have a problem. These days that’s probably most people.
Future Plans: Well, it took two months to get this site to the point where I’m ‘satisfied’ with it. I’ve evaluated Forever Stone and the Bible Study. Since the sites are functioning adequately I’m going to start writing again. I am praying about where to go next, but I think The Lord is directing me to look at 1st. Corinthians. As for Forever Stone, well, The Lord told me to return to those adventures after a year. So many of the adventurers who went hiking in Israel may return in July. We’ll see…
Finally, if you notice anything I’ve written that’s false, any typographical error or anything about the site that does not work properly, please let me know. Thanks.
Rejoice Always!
Uisdean
14 February 2021
It’s Valentine’s Day! And the ‘Remodel’ is almost finished. Feel free to wander around the site. You should be able to register as a ‘subscriber’ to the site. I’d appreciate that, since I’m not selling anything. When you register or make a comment that helps me to know that you find something interesting here. I will be adjusting some things, like the menu and some of the items in the sidebar.
Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. This is, for many Christians, a season of JOY, a season of preparation for the Holy Week and the Easter season. So, while we do give up something that is a hindrance to our relationship with God, we also rejoice in the JOY of knowing that “He Is Risen!” I wish you a Joyous Lent!
For more about Holy Week see Holy Week at C. O. T. R.
Rejoice Always!
Uisdean
29 January 2021
Always Rejoicing is being “Remodeled”. That process is probably about half done as of today. At this time you should be able to access every post through the Menu at the top. This should correct some of the navigation and other problems some smaller screens were experiencing. When this remodel is complete, the Forever Stone site will be remodeled. I do hope you will like the changes, once it’s done.
There are plans to study, most likely, 1st Corinthians once the remodel of Forever Stone is completed. No plans to change things on the Bible Study site. It appears to be working properly.
Rejoice Always!
Uisdean
18 December 2020
Merry Christmas! I have not posted much of anything; mostly because I spent the last half of October working Early Voting and then worked Voting Day. Recovering from that took a while. I’m not nearly as spry as I think I am. My wife looked at the “Commercialized Christmas” essay and made a few constructive comments. So I revised it and it’s now ‘up-to-date’. The title is a link to the essay, so just click on it. Again, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
–Uisdean
1 September 2020
First, I do ask for your prayers. Any time a person tries to do something as a ministry, for the Lord, they will be attacked from the spiritual realm. There are times when doing this is very difficult. It is rewarding. I truly enjoy writing. And so I thank you for your prayers.
The Bible Study of Tobit is complete, as is an essay on the Apocrypha. In that essay you will see some of the ideas from ForeverStone. That’s okay. While writing that essay on the Apocrypha I realized that all of AlwaysRejoicing is concerned, in one way or another, with the idea of Church Unity.
The ForeverStone “Priesthood” adventure is, after a year of trying to write it, completed. I know it does not answer all the questions it raised. But that was never the intent.
“The Fifth Commandment” is finally posted on AlwaysRejoicing. The plan, subject to Holy Spirit approval, is to continue the stories in the “Staley’s Store” series.
I’m pondering two Bible Studies: Jeremiah and 1st Corinthians. I ask your prayers as to which book and guidance in the design of the study.
Finally, I’ve added this to all three sites so you can easily see what’s changed.
That’s the current status of AlwaysRejoicing.com
Rejoice Always!
Uisdean
1 September 2020
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