Scenes and Putting Actions and Emotions in Dialogue
by Molly Noble Bull
www.mollynoblebull.com
In lesson # 3, we learned that a scene must end in disaster for the viewpoint character. But in fiction, a disaster doesn’t always mean a person died or the main character lost a fistfight. In a scene, a disaster simply means that the viewpoint character didn’t reach his or her goal for that scene.
Let us say that the teenage viewpoint character has a date with the cutest boy in school, and her goal in chapter one is to catch the bus on the corner and meet the hero at the football game. But she misses the last bus out. (Disaster)
More about scenes will appear in future chapters.
A couple of lessons ago, we learned that narration or narrative writing tells, like “Once upon a time there were three little pigs.” We also learned that dialogue shows and that a scene was that part of a chapter, book or story that takes place as it happened, second by second.
Scenes give the reader the feeling of actually being there.
Scenes can also describe emotions like being happy.
Examples.
“She was happy” is telling, and good writers don’t tell they show.
“She smiled” is showing, and good writers show their characters saying something or doing something.
Not all dialogues contain the words “he said” or “she said.” There is something better.
Good writers often substitute a sentence that contains action for “he said” or “she said.”
Examples:
“I’ll get it,” he said. (Okay)
“I’ll get it.” He raced to the door and opened it. (Better)
“I don’t understand,” she said. (Okay)
She shook her head. “I don’t understand.” (Better)
Here are some sentences that tell. Think of action words that show those same emotions and actions and write them in your sentences.
I will do the first two to get you started. Then you do the rest. Replace every “was” sentence or phrase with a sentence that contains action words, and remember, there can be many possible answers. I would like for you to get in the habit of actually acting out these emotion as if you were a character in a play or movie before writing them down on paper.
Examples.
After hearing the news, he was sad. (telling)
He dropped his head, frowned and his shoulders slumped. (showing)
She nodded. (showing the word yes instead of saying it)
Show a character doing these things by their actions.
Write a non-verbal “no” that shows.
Answer: She shook her head.
He was thirsty.
(He was thirsty is telling. But when you describe him being thirsty by his actions, that’s showing. Describe him being thirsty. Then do the same thing with the rest of the examples below. )
Roger was disappointed.
Susan was also disappointed.
Nancy was hungry.
Judy was sick to her stomach.
Bob had a headache.
Mary was tired.
Jim was nervous.
Alice went inside.
Roger’s tooth hurt.
Susan’s arm itched.
George’s joke was very funny.
Lucy was very unhappy.
Jason liked to ride his horse.
He hated to do homework.
Sally liked to help mom in the kitchen.
Brenda was frightened of Pete’s dog.
Using as many of the telling sentences above as you like, write short dialogues. You will need at least three lines of dialogue and one action sentence for each. Below are two examples. Number your examples as I did below. Post no more than one of your answers below, and I will comment on it.
Example 1:
“I’m sorry, Roger,” the teacher said. “You failed the math test.”
“May I take it again, ma’am? You let me the last time.”
“No. You can’t. I have to turn in my semester grades in thirty minutes.”
He dropped his head, frowned and his shoulders slumped.
Example 2:
“Are you packed and ready to go camping, Susan?” her mother asked.
Susan glanced at the floor. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Well, you don’t look very excited about the trip. Is something wrong?”
She nodded. “My friend Mary has the chicken pox, and I just found a spot under my bangs.”
See you next time.
Love,
Molly Noble Bull
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Fiction Writing 101: Lesson # 5
Fiction Writing 101: Lesson #5
Scenes and How to Find Them In Novels
by Molly Noble Bull
www.mollynoblebull.com
Whether a scene contains dialogue or is a pure action scene where nobody talks, a scene must contain the three elements listed below to be a scene at all. If a paragraph or a group of paragraphs does not contain the three elements, it is not a scene but what we call an incident. To be able to identify a scene when you see one, you must first know the three elements that all scenes must have.
Review: What are the elements of a scene?
Goal
Conflict
Disaster
Goals Defined:
A scene goal is whatever the main character in that scene wants to have or to accomplish. Dwight Swain says that well thought-out goals are something physical that you can take a picture of with a camera.
For example, you can take a picture of a plate with Mexican food on it. But you can’t take a picture of being hungry. So, the character goal in this scene must include the main character’s desire for Mom’s Mexican food.
A goal like that might be written this way.
Jim could practically smell as well as taste tacos, Spanish rice and refried beans as he hurried down the concrete steps of the school building. Today was Tuesday, and Mom always cooked Mexican food on Tuesday night.
From this, we can conclude that Jim’s goal is a plate of Mexican food for supper.
Other Examples :
A goal for one character in a scene might be to reach home safely during a thunderstorm.
The goal in another scene might be to steal a cookie from a cookie jar.
The goal of a young girl might be to become a cheerleader.
For a boy, a goal might be to make the football team or win first place at the science fair.
Conflict Defined:
In a novel, conflict is the element that keeps the main character from reaching his or her goal, and this element can be a person, an animal, an object or a situation.
Here is an example of a story conflict:
Goal: Jim could practically smell as well as taste tacos, Spanish rice and refried beans as he hurried down the concrete steps of the school building. Today was Tuesday, and Mom always cooked Mexican food on Tuesday night.
Conflict: But when he arrived home, he saw his mother in the car and driving away. She didn’t even see him.
From this narrative, you can see that Jim might not reach his goal of a Mexican supper because there is a conflict. Mom is driving away instead of in the kitchen cooking Mexican food.
Disaster Defined:
In a scene, the disaster proves that the main character was unable to resolve the conflict and was therefore unable to reach his or her scene goal, and to be a scene at all, every scene must end in disaster for the main character. However, not all scene disasters include a death, a hurricane or the bad guys killing the good guys. A disaster for the main character would merely mean that he or she didn’t reach his or her scene goal.
Example of a scene outline:
Goal: Mexican food for supper
Jim could practically smell as well as taste tacos, Spanish rice and refried beans as he hurried down the concrete steps of the school building. Today was Tuesday, and Mom always cooked Mexican food on Tuesday night.
Conflict: Mom is driving away
But when he arrived home, he saw his mother in the car and driving away. She didn’t even see him.
Maybe she forgot some of the fixings and went to the store to buy them, he thought.
Jim went into the house and headed straight for the kitchen, hoping to smell spicy food cooking.
Disaster: He will be eating tuna fish for supper
Instead, he found a note from his mom on the cabinet and propped up against the sugar bowl. The note stated that Mom had a school board meeting that night and that she’d almost forgotten about it. She left milk and a tune salad sandwich in the refrigerator for Jim’s supper.
Jim didn’t reach his goal of a Mexican supper; so for him, this was a disaster.
What I wrote above was incomplete. It was a scene outline. The finished produce might include what happened on the school steps and what happened on his way home from school. It could include dialogues.
Example:
“Hey Jim,” his friend Monty called. “Want to go over to my house and throw a few? I got a new football for my birthday, and I’ve been wanting to try it out.”
“Thanks. But I gotta get home. We’re having Mexican food tonight.”
Homework: Write one sentence for each as I did above—scene, conflict, disaster. Using your three sentences as an outline, write a scene or a short story that contains all three elements.
Molly Noble Bull
Scenes and How to Find Them In Novels
by Molly Noble Bull
www.mollynoblebull.com
Whether a scene contains dialogue or is a pure action scene where nobody talks, a scene must contain the three elements listed below to be a scene at all. If a paragraph or a group of paragraphs does not contain the three elements, it is not a scene but what we call an incident. To be able to identify a scene when you see one, you must first know the three elements that all scenes must have.
Review: What are the elements of a scene?
Goal
Conflict
Disaster
Goals Defined:
A scene goal is whatever the main character in that scene wants to have or to accomplish. Dwight Swain says that well thought-out goals are something physical that you can take a picture of with a camera.
For example, you can take a picture of a plate with Mexican food on it. But you can’t take a picture of being hungry. So, the character goal in this scene must include the main character’s desire for Mom’s Mexican food.
A goal like that might be written this way.
Jim could practically smell as well as taste tacos, Spanish rice and refried beans as he hurried down the concrete steps of the school building. Today was Tuesday, and Mom always cooked Mexican food on Tuesday night.
From this, we can conclude that Jim’s goal is a plate of Mexican food for supper.
Other Examples :
A goal for one character in a scene might be to reach home safely during a thunderstorm.
The goal in another scene might be to steal a cookie from a cookie jar.
The goal of a young girl might be to become a cheerleader.
For a boy, a goal might be to make the football team or win first place at the science fair.
Conflict Defined:
In a novel, conflict is the element that keeps the main character from reaching his or her goal, and this element can be a person, an animal, an object or a situation.
Here is an example of a story conflict:
Goal: Jim could practically smell as well as taste tacos, Spanish rice and refried beans as he hurried down the concrete steps of the school building. Today was Tuesday, and Mom always cooked Mexican food on Tuesday night.
Conflict: But when he arrived home, he saw his mother in the car and driving away. She didn’t even see him.
From this narrative, you can see that Jim might not reach his goal of a Mexican supper because there is a conflict. Mom is driving away instead of in the kitchen cooking Mexican food.
Disaster Defined:
In a scene, the disaster proves that the main character was unable to resolve the conflict and was therefore unable to reach his or her scene goal, and to be a scene at all, every scene must end in disaster for the main character. However, not all scene disasters include a death, a hurricane or the bad guys killing the good guys. A disaster for the main character would merely mean that he or she didn’t reach his or her scene goal.
Example of a scene outline:
Goal: Mexican food for supper
Jim could practically smell as well as taste tacos, Spanish rice and refried beans as he hurried down the concrete steps of the school building. Today was Tuesday, and Mom always cooked Mexican food on Tuesday night.
Conflict: Mom is driving away
But when he arrived home, he saw his mother in the car and driving away. She didn’t even see him.
Maybe she forgot some of the fixings and went to the store to buy them, he thought.
Jim went into the house and headed straight for the kitchen, hoping to smell spicy food cooking.
Disaster: He will be eating tuna fish for supper
Instead, he found a note from his mom on the cabinet and propped up against the sugar bowl. The note stated that Mom had a school board meeting that night and that she’d almost forgotten about it. She left milk and a tune salad sandwich in the refrigerator for Jim’s supper.
Jim didn’t reach his goal of a Mexican supper; so for him, this was a disaster.
What I wrote above was incomplete. It was a scene outline. The finished produce might include what happened on the school steps and what happened on his way home from school. It could include dialogues.
Example:
“Hey Jim,” his friend Monty called. “Want to go over to my house and throw a few? I got a new football for my birthday, and I’ve been wanting to try it out.”
“Thanks. But I gotta get home. We’re having Mexican food tonight.”
Homework: Write one sentence for each as I did above—scene, conflict, disaster. Using your three sentences as an outline, write a scene or a short story that contains all three elements.
Molly Noble Bull
Fiction 101: Lesson # 6
Scenes, Sequels, And Scenes Without Dialogue
by Molly Noble Bull
www.mollynoblebull.com
We learned that scenes often contain dialogue. But not all scenes have dialogue. Action scenes are filled with emotions and action verbs like raced, jumped, grabbed, slammed, rolled, socked, darted, nodded, danced, laughed, frowned and many more, but action scenes contain little or no dialogue. Nevertheless, they are still called scenes if they contain the three elements listed here.
Goal
conflict
disaster.
Below is a scene without dialogue that came from my novel, The Winter Pearl. The novel takes place in Colorado in 1988.
The main character, Honor McCall, ran away from her abusive uncle, Lucus, after the death of her aunt. However, she is afraid Lucus will find her and force her to return to the farm.
Underline the goal of the main character in this scene and mark it in your margin. In this case, Honor has several goals. Mark all of them. Then underline the conflict which might include several sentences and mark it. Finally, underline the disaster in the scene and mark it. Study this scene well so you can write a scene without dialogue.
#
Honor still wore her best dress, the tan one she’d worn to the burial. When she’d wrapped her shoulders in her brown woolen shawl and pulled on her brown and yellow print bonnet, she snatched the vegetable basket from the shelf by the back door. Without another glance at Lucas, she went out.
The root cellar was to the right of the garden. If he was watching now, when his mind cleared Lucas would remember that she had turned in the opposite direction. Honor prayed he wouldn’t notice. Walking, then running, toward the wooded area behind the house, she discarded the basket as she fled.
The cool October air smelled of nuts and pinecones. The wind murmured through the bare branches of the trees, tossing the soft curls around her face. Below her bonnet, her long auburn hair blew every which way.
Honor darted a fearful glance behind her. Nothing moved. She slowed her pace, tying the ends of her knit shawl in a knot. The soft garment did little to shield her from the slicing breeze, but it was better than no covering at all.
By the time Honor reached the turn off that led into town, her breath was coming in deep gasps. She knew better than to stay on the road. If Uncle Lucas had a shred of wits about him, he would look for her there first. Besides, she couldn’t take the chance of being spotted. Travelers moved along the road all the time. Her best bet, she decided, was to follow a line of trees.
Darkness had painted the sky a grayish black by the time she arrived in Falling Rock. The bare trees looked like skeletons in the dim light of three street lamps. It was late enough that all proper folk were off the streets. The only men and women in public now would be those inside the Silver Nugget Saloon on the corner—or those standing outside that establishment. Honor skirted around and behind the saloon, making her way toward the church. Her aunt had told her that the building was kept open day and night. She would be safe there.
Honor hoped that by now Lucas would have passed out. Her best chance for escape hinged on his not coming after her until morning—and on her not being seen by anyone else. There were plenty of men around who thought like Lucas, and a young woman of barely nineteen years would be a quick target for them. Her aunt had cautioned her that such men were always out there.
As soon as she entered the church, Honor found a pew toward the middle of the chapel, and stretched out on it. Anyone who came in would not be likely to see her. She couldn’t afford to fall asleep, but it was nice to rest her bones.
A sudden growl of hunger rumbled from her belly, loud enough to be heard if a stranger stood nearby.
#
Sometimes scenes are separated from the paragraphs above and below them by blank spaces. This makes scenes easy to locate when reading a novel. Unfortunately, not all novels are written that way.
In Fiction, what Dwight Swain calls a sequel comes immediately after a scene.
What is the purpose of a sequel? A sequel comes immediately after a scene, giving the main character the opportunity to reflect on what just happened in the story. A sequel also provides the reader with the opportunity to rest before going on to another scene.
The elements of a sequel are ---
Reaction
Dilemma
Decision
Reaction Defined:
The first part of a sequel takes up where the scene left off because sequels begin with the main character’s thoughts and reactions to what took place in the scene.
Dilemma Defined:
The dilemma for the main character in a sequel is deciding what to do next in order reach his or her goal, and there are often several options.
Decision Defined:
After all the options have been carefully considered, the main character makes the decision, selects one of the options and follows it.
Sequels are written in the narrative, and unlike scenes, they tell more than they show.
In fiction, all characters should be different. In this segment, you will learn how to write a proper reaction to a scene depending on the character you are writing about. You will also learn how to write a scene based on a sequel. Remember, a bold and outgoing character will act differently from a shy, frightened one.
Let us say that you just finished reading a scene where Jane breaks up with her boyfriend, Bob, after a big argument. Jane goes up to her room in a huff, leaving Bob behind. What might she be thinking as she climbs the stairs? And what would her reaction to their fight be a little later after she has had time to think about it?
Write a sequel based on the scene I just described and include the viewpoint character’s reaction to what just happened in the scene, her problem or dilemma, and her final decision as to what she will do next.
Then write a new scene that is at least three pages long that includes dialogue that is based on the information found in the sequel you just wrote about Jane.
Below are two possible scenes. Choose one of them, and write a scene that is at least three pages long based on the information below and include dialogue and action in your scene. Then write a sequel after the scene you wrote. Your sequel should be one page in length or a little less. After you have written your sequel, write another scene based on the information in your sequel, and make that scene at least three pages long as well.
Scene/Selection One:
Goal: Peggy was invited by her friend, Grace Brown, to go skiing in Colorado with the Brown family during Christmas vacation, and she very much wanted to go.
Conflict: Her mother thought Peggy should stay home to catch up on a school assignment she was behind in. Peggy cried and argued and threw a fit. She even tried to get her father to go against her mother’s decision. But Mom and then Daddy still said no.
Disaster: Peggy told the Browns that she had permission to go to Colorado when she knew she didn’t. Early on the morning they were scheduled to leave, Peggy was sneaking out of the house when her mother caught her. And what was her punishment? She was grounded for the entire Christmas holidays.
# #
Scene/Selection Two:
Goal: Roger needed money for a down payment if he hoped to go to baseball camp with his friends in the neighborhood next summer.
Conflict: But his mom refused to give him the money. Money was tight since his dad died, and they needed every penny Mom earned to support Roger and his little sister, Gale.
Roger got an after-school job sacking groceries at a grocery store and earned eighty-five dollars. On the day he planned to make his down payment, Gale fell and broke her ankle while roller-skating. And after Roger warned her to be careful, too.
Disaster: Mom needed seventy-five dollars to pay for setting Gale’s ankle, and she wouldn’t get a paycheck for another week.
by Molly Noble Bull
www.mollynoblebull.com
We learned that scenes often contain dialogue. But not all scenes have dialogue. Action scenes are filled with emotions and action verbs like raced, jumped, grabbed, slammed, rolled, socked, darted, nodded, danced, laughed, frowned and many more, but action scenes contain little or no dialogue. Nevertheless, they are still called scenes if they contain the three elements listed here.
Goal
conflict
disaster.
Below is a scene without dialogue that came from my novel, The Winter Pearl. The novel takes place in Colorado in 1988.
The main character, Honor McCall, ran away from her abusive uncle, Lucus, after the death of her aunt. However, she is afraid Lucus will find her and force her to return to the farm.
Underline the goal of the main character in this scene and mark it in your margin. In this case, Honor has several goals. Mark all of them. Then underline the conflict which might include several sentences and mark it. Finally, underline the disaster in the scene and mark it. Study this scene well so you can write a scene without dialogue.
#
Honor still wore her best dress, the tan one she’d worn to the burial. When she’d wrapped her shoulders in her brown woolen shawl and pulled on her brown and yellow print bonnet, she snatched the vegetable basket from the shelf by the back door. Without another glance at Lucas, she went out.
The root cellar was to the right of the garden. If he was watching now, when his mind cleared Lucas would remember that she had turned in the opposite direction. Honor prayed he wouldn’t notice. Walking, then running, toward the wooded area behind the house, she discarded the basket as she fled.
The cool October air smelled of nuts and pinecones. The wind murmured through the bare branches of the trees, tossing the soft curls around her face. Below her bonnet, her long auburn hair blew every which way.
Honor darted a fearful glance behind her. Nothing moved. She slowed her pace, tying the ends of her knit shawl in a knot. The soft garment did little to shield her from the slicing breeze, but it was better than no covering at all.
By the time Honor reached the turn off that led into town, her breath was coming in deep gasps. She knew better than to stay on the road. If Uncle Lucas had a shred of wits about him, he would look for her there first. Besides, she couldn’t take the chance of being spotted. Travelers moved along the road all the time. Her best bet, she decided, was to follow a line of trees.
Darkness had painted the sky a grayish black by the time she arrived in Falling Rock. The bare trees looked like skeletons in the dim light of three street lamps. It was late enough that all proper folk were off the streets. The only men and women in public now would be those inside the Silver Nugget Saloon on the corner—or those standing outside that establishment. Honor skirted around and behind the saloon, making her way toward the church. Her aunt had told her that the building was kept open day and night. She would be safe there.
Honor hoped that by now Lucas would have passed out. Her best chance for escape hinged on his not coming after her until morning—and on her not being seen by anyone else. There were plenty of men around who thought like Lucas, and a young woman of barely nineteen years would be a quick target for them. Her aunt had cautioned her that such men were always out there.
As soon as she entered the church, Honor found a pew toward the middle of the chapel, and stretched out on it. Anyone who came in would not be likely to see her. She couldn’t afford to fall asleep, but it was nice to rest her bones.
A sudden growl of hunger rumbled from her belly, loud enough to be heard if a stranger stood nearby.
#
Sometimes scenes are separated from the paragraphs above and below them by blank spaces. This makes scenes easy to locate when reading a novel. Unfortunately, not all novels are written that way.
In Fiction, what Dwight Swain calls a sequel comes immediately after a scene.
What is the purpose of a sequel? A sequel comes immediately after a scene, giving the main character the opportunity to reflect on what just happened in the story. A sequel also provides the reader with the opportunity to rest before going on to another scene.
The elements of a sequel are ---
Reaction
Dilemma
Decision
Reaction Defined:
The first part of a sequel takes up where the scene left off because sequels begin with the main character’s thoughts and reactions to what took place in the scene.
Dilemma Defined:
The dilemma for the main character in a sequel is deciding what to do next in order reach his or her goal, and there are often several options.
Decision Defined:
After all the options have been carefully considered, the main character makes the decision, selects one of the options and follows it.
Sequels are written in the narrative, and unlike scenes, they tell more than they show.
In fiction, all characters should be different. In this segment, you will learn how to write a proper reaction to a scene depending on the character you are writing about. You will also learn how to write a scene based on a sequel. Remember, a bold and outgoing character will act differently from a shy, frightened one.
Let us say that you just finished reading a scene where Jane breaks up with her boyfriend, Bob, after a big argument. Jane goes up to her room in a huff, leaving Bob behind. What might she be thinking as she climbs the stairs? And what would her reaction to their fight be a little later after she has had time to think about it?
Write a sequel based on the scene I just described and include the viewpoint character’s reaction to what just happened in the scene, her problem or dilemma, and her final decision as to what she will do next.
Then write a new scene that is at least three pages long that includes dialogue that is based on the information found in the sequel you just wrote about Jane.
Below are two possible scenes. Choose one of them, and write a scene that is at least three pages long based on the information below and include dialogue and action in your scene. Then write a sequel after the scene you wrote. Your sequel should be one page in length or a little less. After you have written your sequel, write another scene based on the information in your sequel, and make that scene at least three pages long as well.
Scene/Selection One:
Goal: Peggy was invited by her friend, Grace Brown, to go skiing in Colorado with the Brown family during Christmas vacation, and she very much wanted to go.
Conflict: Her mother thought Peggy should stay home to catch up on a school assignment she was behind in. Peggy cried and argued and threw a fit. She even tried to get her father to go against her mother’s decision. But Mom and then Daddy still said no.
Disaster: Peggy told the Browns that she had permission to go to Colorado when she knew she didn’t. Early on the morning they were scheduled to leave, Peggy was sneaking out of the house when her mother caught her. And what was her punishment? She was grounded for the entire Christmas holidays.
# #
Scene/Selection Two:
Goal: Roger needed money for a down payment if he hoped to go to baseball camp with his friends in the neighborhood next summer.
Conflict: But his mom refused to give him the money. Money was tight since his dad died, and they needed every penny Mom earned to support Roger and his little sister, Gale.
Roger got an after-school job sacking groceries at a grocery store and earned eighty-five dollars. On the day he planned to make his down payment, Gale fell and broke her ankle while roller-skating. And after Roger warned her to be careful, too.
Disaster: Mom needed seventy-five dollars to pay for setting Gale’s ankle, and she wouldn’t get a paycheck for another week.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Bride and Groom
We are saved by Grace and faith in Jesus Christ, our Savior, Lord and King. Jesus is the bridegroom, and we are the bride -- the church.
As young brides, we must learn to do what our husband likes.
Jesus showed his love for us by saving us from an eternity in hell.
As his bride, we must show our love for him.
In fact, Jesus told us how to show our love for him. He said, "if you love me, keep my commandments." Jesus also said that he says what the Father tells him to say. Therefore, we must keep God the Father's commandments too if we want to show our love for the Lord.
So how does a young bride discover what her husband likes in order to please him?
Let's say that she doesn't ask and he doesn't tell her how he likes his eggs cooked in the morning. But she LOVES scrambled eggs. So on the first morning after the honeymoon, she fixes scrambled eggs for breakfast.
And he says, "You know what, honey. I hate scrambled eggs. I like fried eggs over medium."
Still, she likes scrambled eggs. Her mother fixed scrambled eggs every morning. Her grandmother fixed scrambled every morning of her adult life, and she was told that her great grandmother did, too. Life without scramble eggs would break a family tradition. If her relatives came to visit and she didn't serve scrambled eggs to everybody, they would be disappointed. And she really likes scrambled eggs.
She likes the taste; she likes the smell, and she likes the fact that while cooking them as well as while eating them, happy childhood memories flow into her mind. She often decorates the plate of scrambled eggs with orange slices and red apples to make the dish look more appealing, and she really feels great when she does that.
So on the second morning of their marriage, she fixes scrambled eggs again, and every morning after that, she scrambles her husband's eggs.
Her sweet husband still loves his wife, but he begins to think that his wife doesn't love him very much. If she did, she would show her love by doing what he asked her to do.
The Holy Bible contains a lot of information about what the Lord likes and dislikes -- what He hates and what he loves.
As the Bride of Christ, it's our job to find out how he likes his eggs and fix them that way -- even if it means changing a family tradition.
As young brides, we must learn to do what our husband likes.
Jesus showed his love for us by saving us from an eternity in hell.
As his bride, we must show our love for him.
In fact, Jesus told us how to show our love for him. He said, "if you love me, keep my commandments." Jesus also said that he says what the Father tells him to say. Therefore, we must keep God the Father's commandments too if we want to show our love for the Lord.
So how does a young bride discover what her husband likes in order to please him?
Let's say that she doesn't ask and he doesn't tell her how he likes his eggs cooked in the morning. But she LOVES scrambled eggs. So on the first morning after the honeymoon, she fixes scrambled eggs for breakfast.
And he says, "You know what, honey. I hate scrambled eggs. I like fried eggs over medium."
Still, she likes scrambled eggs. Her mother fixed scrambled eggs every morning. Her grandmother fixed scrambled every morning of her adult life, and she was told that her great grandmother did, too. Life without scramble eggs would break a family tradition. If her relatives came to visit and she didn't serve scrambled eggs to everybody, they would be disappointed. And she really likes scrambled eggs.
She likes the taste; she likes the smell, and she likes the fact that while cooking them as well as while eating them, happy childhood memories flow into her mind. She often decorates the plate of scrambled eggs with orange slices and red apples to make the dish look more appealing, and she really feels great when she does that.
So on the second morning of their marriage, she fixes scrambled eggs again, and every morning after that, she scrambles her husband's eggs.
Her sweet husband still loves his wife, but he begins to think that his wife doesn't love him very much. If she did, she would show her love by doing what he asked her to do.
The Holy Bible contains a lot of information about what the Lord likes and dislikes -- what He hates and what he loves.
As the Bride of Christ, it's our job to find out how he likes his eggs and fix them that way -- even if it means changing a family tradition.
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