Skip to main content

Captivating, chapter 11

Captain’s Log, Stardate 09.15.2006

Blog book giveaway:
My Monday book giveaway is JADE by Marilynn Griffith.
My Thursday book giveaway is SQUAT by Taylor Field.
You can still enter both giveaways. Just post a comment on each of those blog posts. On Monday, I'll draw the winner for JADE and post the title for another book I'm giving away.

Warrior Princesses:

I liked the title of this chapter, but when I started reading it, I was confused about what she meant.

The chapter started off describing women who went to war or fought battles, taking on the roles of men. But then the chapter went into how we fight as women, and talking about fighting our spiritual enemy, Satan.

Okay, that’s fine. But what did that have to do with the physical warrior women at the start of the chapter? All Christians must fight Satan as our enemy. Spiritual warfare isn’t anything unique to women.

I’m wondering if she’s addressing women who feel they aren’t qualified or equipped to battle spiritual warfare? Who feel they’re too weak or helpless?

In my Bible studies, I always thought the passages on spiritual warfare were addressed to both men and women, and I’d never thought there might be women who don’t battle spiritual warfare, but maybe that’s what she’s talking about?

Then Stasi talked about her bout with depression and taking anti-depressants. I realize some churches don’t like the use of those medicines. I think they’re fine—I was a neuro-psychology major in college and understand the chemical imbalances in the brain.

However, the chapter seemed to veer off-course for a little bit to talk about how depression is terrible and anti-depressants are not bad.

“Another common enemy that often is at work in women’s relationships is a spirit of accusation.” I can relate to this. I have experienced it, and I see it often enough.

Is firmness in spiritual warfare the only way a woman is a warrior? In combination with the chapters on beauty, mothering and nurturing, it seems to give that message, although I don’t think that was the authors’ intentions.

TMI:

Writing:
It is around 2 am right now and I’m trying to get my Marketing Info sheet done. I was working on it earlier this evening but THE POWER WENT OUT AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!! We were in the dark for almost 4 hours, during which I could have finished my Marketing Info sheet. Instead, I made cards.

Update: I’m done! It’s about . . . oh, 4 am. But it’s in my Senior Editor’s e-mail Inbox at 6 am her time, so I’m in good shape.

Cheryl might still send me "something dead" just to be a brat.

Today, I posted a query letter post at my Story Sensei blog.

Diet: I really need discipline. I didn’t exercise yesterday, too! This is pathetic. I think my calorie count was about 1600 so that’s not too bad, but STILL.

On a different note, I am trying to stay at home as much as possible between now and the ACFW conference to try to NOT catch any bugs before then. But I have to go to youth group on Saturday night, so I don’t even know why I bother. Those kids are germ incubators.

Hey all you moms, any advice to stay healthy besides washing my hands often?

Comments

  1. Hiya Camy,

    Well, a mom I am not *g*, but I keep a lot of vitamin supplements handy and they seem to help me stay healthy (or to get better quickly if I catch a bug). I keep Airborne tablets handy, and also Emergen-C vitatmin packets (powders that mix into water for a fizzy drink). I also take regular vitamins (multi, vitamin C, B complex)...but if I'm feeling rundown I'll cut out my regular B and take some Emergen-C or something. Also use a TON of hand sanitizer...and rest all you can.

    Congrats on finishing your marketing sheet! Exciting!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hey, I was just gonna say all of the above! Vitamin C especially, it works for our family every time we're exposed to "junk"...
    Have a great time at the conference! Can't wait to hear about it!

    ReplyDelete
  3. My family stays healthy most of the time. I make them take vitamins. I look at the label to get the one with the most nutrition in it. Some products aren't worth taking.

    I make them drink water and eat fruit. I give them juices that have 100% or more Vitamin C. I buy V8, Splash, etc (always reading labels).

    I don't let them have an enormous amount of soft drinks (maybe two in a week) because water is what the body needs.

    I make them go to bed at a decent hour. Of course, I don't hold myself to that instruction - I like the quiet at night when everyone is sleeping. They let me sleep late on the weekends. =D

    ReplyDelete
  4. Okay, I know it sounds all goody-goody Christian, but when I need to stay healthy amidst all the germs, I pray. Riding the T to work here in greater Boston is like hopping into a germ incubator twice a day, with people actually sneezing ON you. So gross! So I'd just sit there and thank God that HE keeps me healthy, and throw in a little "no weapon formed against me shall prosper" for good measure. It worked AMAZINGLY well.

    Maybe being a Warrior Princess includes defending ourselves against germs??? :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi, Camy!
    Glad to see you know what to do when the power goes out: Make cards! :-)

    Hugs, Sharon
    (your fellow rubber-stamping junkie)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Camy, I cant wait to be done posting on this book. I've read the last two chapters, just need to write the post. This chapter wasnt really a favorite. She went all over the place I thought!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Indeed, all over the place! But I came away feeling full of purpose from this chapter - like I posted on my blog, I had some suplemental information. Consider the following: the spiritual world is more "real" than the physical since the physical is diminishing, and temarary, and the spiritual world isn't. So to be mighty in the spiritual realm - to me - adds to my physical world strenth. I'm "supernatural" if you will. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Okay- advice on keeping the colds away: drink lots and lots of water, I hear Airborne works really well, there is also an herbal pill you can take called Cold Snap (you can get it at your local Health Food Store), Zicam works pretty well if you've started to get a cold already, and taking Echinacea works if you take a ton of it. ... hope that helps- besides washing your hands like crazy!

    As for Chapter 11- yeah, I have to say...I wasn't quite sure how spiritual warfare was connected with the physical aspect of being a warrior either, but it was pretty important to touch on none-the-less. I don't think she meant to isolate men from the whole spiritual warfare issue; I jus think that since it is a book for women, that is who her comments are directed toward.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Cute card! Great way to use the time with the power out. Why does the power keep going out???

    Glad to keep getting the Captivating updates. Still glad you're reading it and not me!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oooh Camy, I read this too late; it's Sunday. But I agree that Airborne works great! I'll be caring for kids this week and next during a training session for a group of MOMS. Believe me, I'll be suckin' down Airborne before I leave the house!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Lots of great advice on staying healthy...but number one for me is getting enough sleep. Hate to admit that my body just can't handle all the late nights the way it used to!

    Can't believe I forgot to get Espresso with Esther from you at our photo shoot!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

One-Skein Pyrenees Scarf knitting pattern

I got into using antique patterns when I was making the scarf my hero wears in my Regency romance, The Spinster’s Christmas . I wanted to do another pattern which I think was in use in the Regency period, the Pyrenees Knit Scarf on pages 36-38 of The Lady's Assistant for Executing Useful and Fancy Designs in Knitting, Netting, and Crochet Work, volume 1, by Jane Gaugain, published in 1840. She is thought to be the first person to use knitting abbreviations, at least in a published book, although they are not the same abbreviations used today (our modern abbreviations were standardized by Weldon’s Practical Needlework in 1906). Since the book is out of copyright, you can download a free PDF copy of the book at Archive.org. I found this to be a fascinating look at knitting around the time of Jane Austen’s later years. Although the book was published in 1840, many of the patterns were in use and passed down by word of mouth many years before that, so it’s possible these are

Excerpt of The Wedding Kimono

I posted an excerpt of my Christian contemporary romance novella, The Wedding Kimono , on the Sweet Romance Reads blog. Click here to read the extended excerpt. Already one of my newsletter subscribers? Click here to get The Wedding Kimono free!

What I’m writing in The Year of the Dog

This month, I have decided to focus more on my Christian Contemporary Romantic Suspense novel, Year of the Dog , so I’ve been spending more time working on it. It’s actually an old manuscript that I submitted to Zondervan but it was never bought, and I’m rewriting/revising it as a (second) prequel novel to my Warubozu Spa Chronicles series set in Hawaii. Here’s a little bit of what I just rewrote/edited. This morning, her mom was about to tackle the attic when Marisol put her foot down. “Mom, I have to go to work. I can’t spend the whole day helping you clean the house.” “You have plenty of time. What can you possibly do all day now that you quit your job?” “Oh, I dunno. Renovate my new facility?” “You’re only going to have dogs there. How much renovation do you really need?” “It would be nice if the roof didn’t leak and the windows opened and shut. Oh, and I kind of need a floor.”  I guess Marisol’s relationship with her mother isn’t getting better anytime soon …

Phoebe’s Muffatees knitting pattern

In Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 4: Betrayer , Phoebe wears a pair of lace muffatees, or gauntlets/arm-warmers that hide a rather deadly surprise. :) I actually got the idea of having her wear muffatees because I saw a lace manchette pattern in Miss Watts’ Ladies’ Knitting and Netting Book , published in 1840, page 20. However, after doing some research, I found that they were called muffatees in the Regency era, and the term manchette did not arise until a few years later. They were essentially arm-warmers worn under those long sleeves on day dresses, which were usually made of muslin too thin to be very warm. I decided to knit Phoebe’s muffatees using a Leaf Pattern originally suggested for a purse in Mrs. Gaugain’s book, The Lady’s Assistant, volume 1, 5th edition published in 1842, pages 234-237. I think there was an error and row 36 in the original pattern was duplicated erroneously, so I have adjusted the pattern. The original manchette pattern called for “fine” needles a

Camille Elliot's March newsletter

My Camille Elliot (Christian Regency Romantic Suspense) newsletter went out last week, but in case you missed it, the link is below. In my newsletter this month, I posted a link to a knitting pattern for the muffatees/arm warmers worn by my character Phoebe in Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 4: Betrayer as well as a blog post for the cover character for Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 2: Berserker . I also posted an update on my health and my next upcoming release. Click here to read my Camille Elliot newsletter for March.

ひとり寿司第31章パート3

「ひとり寿司」をブログに連載します! ひとり寿司 寿司シリーズの第一作 キャミー・タング 西島美幸 訳 スポーツ狂のレックス・坂井 —— いとこのマリコが数ヶ月後に結婚することにより、「いとこの中で一番年上の独身女性」という内輪の肩書を「勝ち取る」ことについては、あまり気にしていない。コントロールフリークの祖母を無視するのは容易だ —— しかし、祖母は最終通告を出した —— マリコの結婚式までにデート相手を見つけなければ、無慈悲な祖母は、レックスがコーチをしている女子バレーボールチームへの資金供給を切ると言う。 ダグアウトにいる選手全員とデートに出かけるほど絶望的なわけではない。レックスは、バイブルスタディで読んだ「エペソの手紙」をもとに「最高の男性」の条件の厳しいリストを作った。バレーボールではいつも勝つ —— ゲームを有利に進めれば、必ず成功するはずだ。 そのとき兄は、クリスチャンではなく、アスリートでもなく、一見何の魅力もないエイデンを彼女に引き合わせる。 エイデンは、クリスチャンではないという理由で離れていったトリッシュという女の子から受けた痛手から立ち直ろうとしている。そして、レックスが(1)彼に全く興味がないこと、(2)クリスチャンであること、(3)トリッシュのいとこであることを知る。あの狂った家族とまた付き合うのはごめんだ。まして、偽善的なクリスチャンの女の子など、お断り。彼はマゾヒストじゃない。 レックスは時間がなくなってきた。いくら頑張っても、いい人は現れない。それに、どこへ行ってもエイデンに遭遇する。あのリストはどんどん長くなっていくばかり —— 過去に掲載済みのストーリーのリンクはこちらです。 *** ********** 「ダメだ、早すぎる」エイデンは別のエクササイズボールをつかんで彼女の横に寝転がり、ボールの上に足を置いた。「僕の真似して」 ブリッジのエクササイズ——肩を床につけたまま、床から体を持ち上げた。彼女は彼の真似をした。できる限りゆっくり降りてくる。ハムストリング筋が燃えている。 「いいよ」十五回の一セット目、彼がペースを決めた。それが終わると、彼女は息苦しいのに、彼は汗もかいていない。 すぐに彼はまた位置についた。「行くよ?」 彼女は位置について、うなずいた

A List of my Free Blog Reads

Curious about what my writing is like? Here’s a list of all my free books and the free short stories, novellas, and novels that you can read here on my blog. I’ll update this post as I add more free reads. Christian Humorous Romantic Suspense: Year of the Dog (Warubozu Spa Chronicles series, Prequel novel) (Currently being posted monthly on my blog as a serial novel) Marisol Mutou, a professional dog trainer, finally has a chance to buy a facility for her business, but her world is upended when she must move in with her disapproving family, who have always made her feel inadequate. When she stumbles upon a three-year-old missing persons case, security expert Ashwin Keitou, whose car she accidentally rear-ended a few weeks earlier, is tasked with protecting her. However, danger begins to circle around them from people who want the past to remain there. Can they shed light on the secrets moving in the shadows? Christian Romantic Suspense: Necessary Proof (Sonoma series #4.1, n

Tabi socks, part deux

Captain's Log, Stardate 07.25.2008 (If you're on Ravelry, friend me! I'm camytang.) I made tabi socks again! (At the bottom of the pattern is the calculation for the toe split if you're not using the same weight yarn that I did for this pattern (fingering). I also give an example from when I used worsted weight yarn with this pattern.) I used Opal yarn, Petticoat colorway. It’s a finer yarn than my last pair of tabi socks, so I altered the pattern a bit. Okay, so here’s my first foray into giving a knitting pattern. Camy’s top-down Tabi Socks I’m assuming you already know the basics of knitting socks. If you’re a beginner, here are some great tutorials: Socks 101 How to Knit Socks The Sock Knitter’s Companion A video of turning the heel Sock Knitting Tips Yarn: I have used both fingering weight and worsted weight yarn with this pattern. You just change the number of cast on stitches according to your gauge and the circumference of your ankle. Th

Camy's Blog Tour!

Thanks so much to everyone who participated in my blog tour for Sushi for One ! The full schedule (with links) is at the bottom of this post. Here are some highlights from a few interviews: From Julie Carobini's blog : Hey Camy, You often speak fondly of Captain Caffeine and his imported espresso maker. What's your favorite caffeinated beverage order? Honestly, tea. Strong English Breakfast or Irish Breakfast tea. I'll take Earl Grey if I'm feeling zesty, or Ginger Peach (Republic of Tea) if I'm feeling fruity. In the summer, it's iced. In the winter, it's scalding hot, sometimes with a little soymilk and honey. However, I won't turn my nose up at a latte, especially if it's from Captain Caffeine or our favorite coffeeshop, Barefoot Coffee in Santa Clara. From Sally Bradley's blog : SB: In the story, Lex mentions a girl named Camy who gets brained by volleyballs all the time. I have to ask — is that you making a cameo in your own bo

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! In honor of the holiday, I tinted my hibiscus Bible verse image green. :) The verse today was suggested by Laura Ann Grymes, Isaiah 41:10. I absolutely love this verse too, because even when my IBS is bad, it reminds me that God is in control and I feel strengthened and encouraged just from reading the verse.