Saturday, April 30, 2011

Hero Showdown!

ANNOUNCING...

The Hero Showdown!

Captain Wesley Elliot














versus:




King Aramoth!







How it works:
Leave a comment asking any questions you like pertaining to either of these characters, regardless of whether or not you have read the books. (If you haven't, be sure to order one by e-mailing us at khprovidence.1@verizon.net !)

When a sufficient number of questions have been submitted via comments, I will add some of my own and write a post comparing the hero of The Teacher and the hero of The Tiphereth Trilogy. There will then be a poll so that you can vote for your favorite!

If the "Hero Showdown" idea is at all popular, I may have other Hero showdowns comparing other characters in the books, possibly including Aramiel vs. Maria Dalton, Eleutheria vs. Faith Elliot, Gwynarae vs. Mrs. Elliot, Hiram Grady vs. The Enemy, and so on!

Be sure to comment with good questions!

Imagine you are interviewing the two heroes for a panel discussion...:)

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Happy Resurrection Day!


Christ the Lord is risen today,
Sons of men and angels say;
Raise your joys and triumphs high,
Sings ye heavens and earth reply,
Sing ye heavens and earth reply.




Love's redeeming work is done,
fought the fight, the battle won.
Death in vain forbids him rise,
Christ has opened paradise,
Christ has opened paradise!



He lives!  He lives! Our Glorious King,
Where, O Death, is now thy Sting?
Dying once he all doth save,
Where thy victory, O grave? 
Where thy victory, O grave?



Soar we now where Christ has led,
following our exalted head.
Made like Him, like Him we rise,
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies,
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies!



Hail, the Lord of earth and heaven!
Praise to thee by both be given;
Thee we greet triumphant now;
Hail, the Resurrection Thou,
Hail, the Resurrection Thou!





Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!
Sons of men and angels say "Alleluia!"
In vain the stone, the watch, the seal,
Christ has burst the gates of hell,
Christ has burst the gates of hell!


Jesus Christ is risen today,
Our triumphant holy day,
Who did once upon the cross,
Suffer to redeem our loss.
Hymns of praise then let us sing,
Unto Christ our heavenly King,
Who endured the cross and grave,
Sinners to redeem and save.
But the pains which he endured,
Our salvation hath procured.
Now above the skies he's King,
Where the angels ever sing.
Sing we to our God above,
Praise eternal as his love.
Praise him, all ye heavenly host,
Father, Son and holy Ghost.


Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Review of The Tiphereth Trilogy!

Kelsey from Little Notes has reviewed my book, The Tiphereth Trilogy!  You can read it by clicking on this link:

http://mychristianreviews.blogspot.com/2011/04/tiphereth-trilogy-by-katie-hepner.html

Thank you so much Kelsey for a great review!

Be sure to purchase your copy now while it is on sale!  Scroll down for details.

To learn more about the citizens of Basileia, you can visit http://loyalbasileians.blogspot.com/ !

Sunday, April 17, 2011

St. Elmo Murray's Ordination

   It was a beautiful Sabbath morning, just one year after Edna's departure from the parsonage, and the church was crowded to its utmost capacity, for people had come for many miles around, to witness a ceremony the announcement of which, had given rise to universal comment.  As the hour approached for the ordination of St. Elmo Murray to the ministry of Jesus Christ even the doors were filled with curious spectators; and when Mr. Hammond and St. Elmo walked down the aisle, and the old man seated himself in a chair within the altar, there was a general stir in the congregation.
   The officiating minster had come from a distant city to perform a ceremony of more than usual interest; and when he stood up in the pulpit, and the organ thundered through the arches, St. Elmo bowed his head on his hand, and sat thus during the hour that ensued.
  The ordination sermon was solemn and eloquent, and preached from the text in Romans:
   "For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.  But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life."
   Then the minister, having finished his discourse, came down into the altar and commenced the services; but Mr. Murray sat motionless, with his countenance concealed by his hand.  Mr. Hammond approached and touched him, and, as he rose, led him to the altar, and presented him a a candidate for ordination.
   There, before the shining marble pulpit which he had planned and built in the early years of his life, for the idol of his youth, stood St. Elmo; and the congregation, especially those of his native village, looked with involuntary admiration and pride at the erect, powerful form, clad in its suit of black--at the nobly-proportioned head, where gray locks were visible.
   "But if there be any of you who knoweth any impediment or crime, for the which he ought not to be received into this holy ministry, let him come forth, in the name of God, and show what the crime or impediment is."
   The preacher paused, the echo of his words died away, and perfect silence reigned.  Suddenly St. Elmo raised his eyes from the railing of the altar, and turning his face slightly, looked through the eastern window at the ivy-draped vault where slept Murray and Annie.  The world was silent, but conscience and the dead accused him.  An expression of intolerable anguish crossed his handsome features, then his hands folded themselves tightly together on the top of the marble balustrade, and he looked appealingly up to the pale Jesus staggering under his cross.
   At that instant a spotless white pigeon from the belfry, found its way into the church through the open doors, circled once around the building, fluttered against the windows,  hiding momentarily the crown of thorns, and, frightened and confused, fell upon the fluted pillar of the pulpit.
   An electric thrill ran through the congregation; and as the minister resumed the services, he saw on St. Elmo's face a light, a great joy, such as human countenances rarely wear this side the grave.
   When Mr. Murray knelt and the ordaining hands were laid upon his head, a sob was heard from the pew where his mother sat, and the voice of the preacher faltered as he delivered the Bible to the kneeling man, saying:
   "Take thou authority to preach the word of God, and to administer the holy sacraments in the congregation."
    There were no dry eyes in the entire assembly, save two that looked out, coldly blue, from the pew where Mrs. Powell sat like a statue, between her daughter and Gordon Leigh. 
   Mr. Hammond tottered across the altar, and knelt down close to Mr. Murray; and many who knew the history of the pastor's family, wept as the gray head fell on the broad shoulder of St. Elmo, whose arm was thrown around the old man's form, and the ordaining minister, with tears rolling over his face, extended his hands in benediction above them.
   "The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God Almighty, and the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be among you, and remain with you alway."
   And all hearts and lips present whispered "Amen!" and the organ and the choir broke forth in a grand "Gloria in excelsis."
   Standing there at the chancel, purified, consecrated henceforth unreservedly to Christ, Mr. Murray looked so happy, so noble, so worthy of his high calling, that his proud, fond mother thought his face was fit for an archangel's wings.
   Many persons who had known him in his boyhood, came up with tears in their eyes, and wrung his hand silently.  At last Huldah pointed to the white pigeon, that was now beating its wings against the gilded pipes of the organ, and said, in that singularly sweet, solemn, hesitating tone, with which children approach sacred things:
   "Oh Mr. Murray! when it fell on the pulpit, it nearly took my breath away, for I almost thought it was the Holy Ghost."
   Tears, which till then he had kept bravely back, dripped over his face, as he stooped and whispered to the little orphan:
   "Huldah the Holy Spirit the Comforter, came indeed; but it was not visible, it is here in my heart."
   The congregation dispersed.  Mrs. Murray and the preacher and Huldah went to the carriage; and, leaning on Mr. Murray's arm, Mr. Hammond turned to follow, but observing that the church was empty, the former said:
  "After a little, I will come."
   The old man walked on, and Mr. Murray went back and knelt, resting his head against the beautiful glittering balustrade, within which he hoped to officiate through the remaining years of his earthly career.
   Once the sexton, who was waiting to lock up the church, looked in, saw the man praying alone there at the altar, and softly stole away.

...from St. Elmo, by Augusta Jane Evans Wilson

I think that this is one of the most moving scenes in the entire book.  Everyone should read St. Elmo and any other books by Augusta Jane Evans Wilson that they can get their hands on.  Some day, I would like to witness an ordination.  Not as eventful, nor as dramatic a redemption story as the one portrayed here probably, but I think it must be a beautiful and solemn thing.



Disclaimer:  I do not neccesarily condone the appearance of, decoration choices, and so on of the church herein described.  The authoress is describing an Episcopal church and while I certainly believe that one could be a true Christian and attend a church such as is described, but I would certainly suggest some changes.  

Friday, April 15, 2011

A Song in the Making...

Oftentimes when a certain concept has been really striking me or lying heavy on my mind for a while, I come to a point where I need to overflow and it's often onto paper.  I enjoy writing so this is a familiar way for me to free my mind.  If I'm in the middle of a story and I can work it in, I'll do so, perhaps causing some indignant words to flow from the mouths of my characters that seem incongruent with the story.  If, like now, I am trying to take a break from writing books to catch up on the myriad of other things that make up my life, these thoughts remain pent up in my mind a little longer...which almost always causes them to end up on paper with a rhyme, a rythym, and a bit of tune...
Could be called the lyrics to a song...

After a bit of perfecting I take my laptop to the piano and try and put my tune on the keys, which usually results in my recording to my laptop a new little bit of piano playing.
Which said recording has definite tune to it, but would be rather lame as an actual song if it were just piano and singing.
I personally am partial to the sound of electric guitar (especially bass) and drum sets.  Sadly (to me anyway)we don't own those instruments despite the fact that we have a whole collection of instruments including some (very) unusual ones. 
With a bit of drum added to the piano, perhaps a violin, and an acoustic or electric guitar, these songs wouldn't be all that bad.  But for now I am leaving them at the piano stage.

I thought I would post some of the lyrics to one of my more recent songs, called:
The world around us


feeds us worldviews

different than God’s word

And oftentimes we suck it in



They say “Someday your Prince will come”

But that’s not always true

They say no harm will be done

Make last first kiss sound so sweet



They call good bad and evil good

They make good look dark and scary

They put the bad in a field of flowers

With a sunset, water and sparkly lights



But it’s all

Fairytales




It doesn’t look as popular

nor as beautiful to you

Because you’ve been deceived

And accepted their worldview



They make the story however they want

Stealing gets applause and truthfulness a grunt

Rebellion is applauded while obedience decried,

In real life it doesn’t work that way it’s an outright lie


...
But they make the lies seem beautiful

and wickedness so cool

That we easily get drawn away

and allow the lies to rule
...

And their lies lead to destruction

their path leads down to death

so guard your heart, mind, soul, and eyes

with every waking breath



Cause it’s all fairytales
...


They capture your heart

and excite your poor mind

They capture your fancy and

make wiser eyes blind

They draw you away and

They poison your mind

They make you start looking

For things you can’t find

When you should seek God and

to live by His law for their

attractive lies are fairytales

and aren’t true at all


...
God’s word alone contains the truth

though the path is narrow and the way is hard

that path alone will lead to life

so follow it with all you are

Cause the world cannot give you truth

the best that they can give you is a dressed up lie

And it’s all Fairytales



This isn't the entire song but these are the best lines and will give you the general idea.  What do you think?

Don't forget to leave a comment with your e-mail to order your books while they are on sale!

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Roses and a great post

First, the "poem" I mentioned, written years ago when I first read L.M. Montgomery's "Anne's House of Dreams."

Roses
Roses, Roses, a gift from above.
White Roses, white roses, forsaken love.
Pink Roses, pink roses, love expectant,
Red Roses, red roses, love triumphant.

I liked that each color had a meaning! 

While speaking of L. M. Montgomery,  I was reading The Story Girl and found a reference to a Henty book!  The children are going to go pick berries or something, but the oldest brother prefers to stay home and finish reading his new Henty!  I enjoy finding references like this in my books.

I only just read this, but there is a wonderful post on Romance and Literature that everyone should read!  It's on the Ballantyne the Brave blog.  Here is the link:

http://www.ballantynethebrave.com/blog/romance_in_literature_1/

And the best sentence (with the previous sentence for context) to get you started...

"Be careful, though, that you don't fill your mind with unrealistic ideas about who your spouse should be. Mr. Darcy is much too busy answering mail from his fan club to think about marrying you."

And by the way, how did Mr. Darcy get to be the poster child for every girl's ideal?



Monday, April 11, 2011

Dripping...

I've been going through my poetry notebook and found all sorts of "scribblings" some terrible and so copied and others not half bad.  I've decided to post some of these over the next few weeks.  Even though the quality of the poetry can sometimes barely be considered poetry still the concepts are rather uplifting, I think.  Actually I'm just looking forward to putting pictures that go with the theme!

Dripping
Dripping, dripping, dripping,
though it is not raining,










Everything is wet,
although it has not rained,
the sun is brightly shining,
yet it is quite cold,








With every little drip
happiness gushes up in our hearts.  Why?









Because the snow is melting,
Because Winter is over,








And every drip of melting snow
Brings the happiness of Spring!










The next poem will be about Roses.:)  By the way, these were all written over the years and some are much older than others, the ones with more sophisticated language are more recent.

Don't forget to order your copies of The Teacher and The Tiphereth Trilogy now while they are on sale!  There will rarely be a sale this good!

Monday, April 4, 2011

AMAZING APRIL SALE!

Maria Shiphrah Dalton Publications is having an AMAZING APRIL SALE!

Get an amazing 50% off your total order when you purchase both The Teacher and The Tiphereth Trilogy together!
That's only $15 for both books!

Get 25% off when you buy just one book, either The Teacher or The Tiphereth Trilogy!
That's only $7.50 for The Teacher, and only
$15 for The Tiphereth Trilogy!

Take advantage of this Amazing, once in a blue moon sale!  This is an incredibly rare chance to get these books for such low prices!  Stock up now while you have the chance!  Sale ends April 30th!

Sale price does not include shipping.  Shipping and Handling: $2.98 per book

To order, you can just leave a comment with your e-mail address!  Or you can e-mail me at khprovidence.1@verizon.net !