Joy, Love, Hope, Peace and Faith

Of course, if you an read dates you know that I’m not a regular blogger.

All my good words get used up on Twitter and Facebook. Ha!

I mean, novels. Yea, I save all my words for books.

Actually, I have a lot of thoughts when I’m not in front of the computer, things I’d like to share with y’all but by the time I’m back at my desk, the moment has past.

Or, I’ve tried to write my words of wonder and found the topic too hard to communicate.

Have you ever read Matt Walsh? His opinion pieces are long and well thought out and I figure that in and of itself is a full time job.

So, I blog in spurts. But you can catch me on Southernbelleview and My Book Therapy the 2nd and 4th Thursdays.

Was thinking a lot about jealousy lately as it’s an issue with characters in the upcoming The Wedding Chapel.

While writing that book I was constantly confronted with brokenness in the characters. One character became more vulnerable than I imagined. Another more bitter.

As I wrote, digging deeper into the “why and how” of their behavior, I realized jealousy was at the core. But why did it cause so much damage?

Because jealousy, or any sin, left unchallenged eventually causes damage.

In the teen movie Mean Girls, Cady Heron is a hit with The Plastics, the A-list girl clique at her new school, until she makes the mistake of falling for Aaron Samuels, the ex-boyfriend of alpha Plastic Regina George. (From IMBD)

Jealousy.

What about Gone With The Wind? Scarlett is crazy jealous of Melanie because Ashley loves her while Scarlett pines away from the soft and quiet Ashley.

Through the whole movie, Scarlett is driven by her jealousy of Melanie. So much so it impacts her marriage to Rhett-who loves her!

In the closing scene, when Rhett’s had enough, Scarlett comes to her senses. “I love you, Rhett.”

But it’s too late.

Our emotions can drive us so far away from the very truth and happiness we seek. Perhaps beyond the point of no return.

Did Scarlett win Rhett back? We’ve been asking that question for seventy-five years.

The Lord spoke to me in a dream once about how we plug our truth into our experience and our faith into our feelings. While experience and feelings are real, they are not always true or right.

As for my characters, jealousy destroyed a precious relationship. But those who followed after had a chance to learn from their mistakes. The next generation had a chance to redeem their story.

Was the jealousy worth it? No. It destroyed lives.

Don’t let your past get you down. Don’t let those dark negative emotions drive you. Seek the One who loves you. He will show you the way to go.

Be blessed!