A Glorious Reminder

You are not an accident. None of this is an accident.

The improbability of the enormous number of “accidents” or “coincidences” required to result in you renders your “accidental” existence impossible. But you do exist.

And that’s not all.

 Via Pinterest

There is scientific, mathematical, and philosophical evidence to show that an omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent God designed the universe—in both its vastness and its detailed complexity—to bring about life on earth, the life of the pinnacle of His creation—humanity.

What does this mean?

The measureless and majestic God, High King over all Creation, takes a unique and particular interest in you. Yes, YOU! In all your frailty and shortcomings, the holy and perfect God cares about you.

Get this. He loves you.

How incredible and staggering is that?

Don’t take that for granted. Love gets tossed around like a limp beach ball so that the power of that little four-letter word can sometimes fail to penetrate. But that just shows how much we need a shift of perspective.

Via Pinterest

God’s love is so enormous, so pure and perfect and everlasting, that even the truest human love appears pale and paltry in comparison.

We were dead in our transgressions and sins, but God’s immeasurable love has brought us into life.

The wonder of God’s love is this:

For God so LOVED the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. – John 3:16-17

Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. – Romans 5:7-8

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:38-39

And this is but a meager sampling!

He created you for a purpose that will not be thwarted, not even by all the forces of evil and our most blatant rebellions. You were created to love and be loved by the perfect Love.

Praise His Holy Name!

Have hope, Beloved. For that is what you are. You are Beloved. Beloved of God, your Heavenly Father and Creator.

Go now and live in the radiant light of this knowledge.

The Liebster Award

I fear, fair readers, that I have been a bit absent of late. Between working quite a lot of hours the past two weeks, working on my word count for Camp Nanowrimo, and *blush* getting re-addicted to Downton Abbey, I have had little time for finishing blog posts. I hope to amend that soon.

But here I am! And a BIG thanks to Ciera Horton @ The Write Things for tagging me for the Liebster Award. Ciera keeps a great blog on writing and culture that all of you must read. Let me tell you, this girl is going places. Plus, she is currently hosting a book giveaway on her blog that you are all welcome to enter. 

But now...For the Liebster Award

1. I hate shoe shopping. Always have, probably always will. Could be because my foot size is 5 1/2 Wide. FYI that size has a good chance of having a light-up Buzz Lightyear or Disney princess on the size.

2. At Mexican restaurants I order chicken nuggets or a cheeseburger.

3. Saturdays in the fall are for college football. Saturdays not in the fall are for wishing it was football season.

4. CONFESSION: Part of me wishes Christine had chosen The Phantom over Raoul. 

5. I can get a little obsessive over dairy products--various cheeses, Greek yogurt, and cottage cheese make me very happy.

6. I don't know how many times I've watched The Lord of the Rings movies. No one wants to count that high outside of math class. 

7. Binge-watching British television shows happens a lot more than it should...Anyone want to watch Downton Abbey, Doctor Who, Merlin, or Sherlock?

8. Office supplies are my favorite! I unofficially collect them. 

9. My computer just crashed. I hate my computer. 

10. Tea? It's okay. Coffee? Gross. Hot chocolate? Yes, please!

11. My two favorite baseball teams are the Chicago White Sox and whoever is playing the Cubs. 

Now for Ciera's questions...

1. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Great Britain, for a long and jolly holiday. I've dreamed of visiting since I was four, which was when I first learned that such a place existed thanks to C.S. Lewis and four Pevensie children. 

2. Would you rather have the starring role in a movie only ten people see, or be an extra in a huge blockbuster hit?

The huge blockbuster hit. That would be a good story to carry into awkward social settings, not to mention watching the movie over and over again to try to spot myself in the background. I just hope it's a good one and that they don't cut my scene. 

3. If you could relive any day from the past year, what would it be and why?

I'd like to go back to Disney World, please. 

4. What famous movie or book character do you identify with?

Frodo Baggins. He's short; I'm short. He likes food; I like food. He's resilient; I've been called that too. He inspires me, and his journey (and the aftermath) really speak to my heart. I bawl every time I read "The Grey Havens" chapter even though I've read it plenty of times. #FrodoLives

5. How would you describe your personality as a fashion accessory?

I'll go with a scarf because I'm versatile and dependable with a flash of flair. I can mean business, but I also know how to have fun. 

6. If you could have any superpower, what would it be? 

I would be able to karate chop a fly out of thin air. That could be pretty useful. 

7. If you had only one day left to live, what would you do?

I would write one seriously long journal entry, holding nothing back. Then I would go spend the day with my family. 

8. What's a secret talent you have that most people don't know about?

I have extremely mobile facial expressions. But I guess that's not something you can keep secret real well. 

9. Are you a morning or a night person? 

Neither. I am a sleeper. My brain starts to shut down at 9 p.m. but anytime I have to wake up before 8:30 a.m. things look pretty ugly. 

10. Why did you start blogging?

For a lot of reasons. First, to keep myself writing--it helps to get words on the page. Second, I wanted to start connecting with readers and fellow writers as I embark on my writing journey. Third, sometimes I feel like I have something to share. My hope is that A Curious Thrill becomes a place of encouragement, inspiration, and growth as we walk through life. It's a blog with a lot geared towards readers and writers, but I try to make it accessible to everyone. There's so much to learn from one another! 

11. What's something you hope to accomplish or work towards this year?

Finish something! A writing project besides papers for class, that is. If I could get things in gear and actually finish a draft of my work-in-progress Beautiful, that would be stellar. However, I don't know if I'll get that far. But I need to finish a draft of something. It's been awhile. 

Here is where I'm supposed to tag 9 of my fellow bloggers. However, I am so new to the blogging word that I don't have that many people to tag. Only 1, actually. 

Rebeka @ The Other World

1. If you were a color, what color would you be?

2. What is one of your favorite childhood memories?

3. If you could enter into any book series, which one would you choose?

4. Do you have a favorite sport?

5. Dogs or cats?

6. Favorite Disney character?

7. If you could travel to any time period, where would you go?

8. What is your favorite ice cream flavor?

9. What books are on your reading list?

*I'm stealing the last two from Ciera's questions for me because I liked them so much.*

10. Why did you start blogging?

11. What is a goal that you hope to accomplish this year?

Thanks again, Ciera! Now it's Rebeka's turn. And I hope to be back soon with more curious thrills to share and new features to unveil. 

Until then, I bid you all...Happy Saturday! 

Cinderella of the Day: Clara Diane Thompson

And the Five Glass Slippers Tour continues! Today I am excited to feature another talented storyteller on A Curious Thrill. Welcome, Clara Diane Thompson!

I am quite eager to get my hands on Clara’s story “The Moon Master’s Ball.” But I won’t say anymore. Read on to learn about the tale for yourself.

About “The Moon Master’s Ball” by Clara Diane Thompson

After her terrifying experience there several years ago, the one place young housemaid Tilly longs to avoid is Bromley’s Circus. But when kindly Lord Hollingberry begs her to deliver a message to the mysterious Moon Master hidden away among the circus dwellers, Tilly can’t refuse . . . and finds herself ensnared in a web of enchantment cast by the loathsome Mrs. Carlisle and her beautiful goddaughter.

About Clara Diane Thompson

Clara Diane Thompson lives in the swamps of Louisiana with her loving family, dashing dog, and a very confused frog that resides in the birdhouse outside her window. Aside from writing she enjoys playing guitar, singing, Broadway plays (particularly The Phantom of the Opera), ballet, tea with friends, and long BBC movies. An enchanted circus may or may not appear occasionally in her back yard.

You can find out more about Clara and her writing on her blog: www.ToFindaCastle.blogspot.com.

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Q: From what juicy tidbits I've gleaned thus far, "The Moon Master's Ball" seems to be filled with a magical circus, enigmatic characters, and riveting tension. Just how I like a good story. How do you go about creating this mood while also allowing your story to ring true with both the original tale and your readers? 

I knew I wanted this to be a somewhat frightening story, so the autumnal atmosphere that I placed around the story just seemed right. The shadows seem to shift differently in autumn, and everything just appears to be a bit more magical. But autumn cannot only be a cold time; it can also be very cozy and warm, giving people the chance to bundle up in their cottage with a cup of cider in front of a crackling fire. This is the mood I started off with: scary, cold, but warm at the same time, and threw the ingredients of a story in with that atmosphere, keeping every aspect of the story true to those three elements. Scary, cold, but warm.

I also thought that the story needed to be such a tangled mass of mysteries that no reader could figure out. So, I wrote a story that wound up being eerie and autumnal, warm and cozy, and a mystery. I had great fun writing it, and to tell you the truth, the mood and the characters just fell in to place as I wrote the story.

    

What a thought provoking question, Rebecca! I really enjoyed answering it.

Thanks so much, Clara! Autumn is my favorite season, and I think you just captured one of the reasons I like it. I think I can safely say that we are all excited to discover how your chilling yet cozy mystery unfolds.  

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Tour Schedule

Friday, June 27^th | Cinderella of the Day: Clara Diane Thompson

·         A Curious Thrill

·         Blooming with Books

·         Fictionally

·         Flowers of Quiet Happiness + Review

·         Jenelle Schmidt

·         Kathryn Elizabeth Jones

·         Tales of Goldstone Wood

·         The Splendor Falls on Castle Walls

·         The Wonderings of One Person

·         Vonnie’s Reading Corner

Saturday, June 28^th | Giveaway Winner Announced at Seasons of Humility

*Blog Tour Home: http://seasonsofhumility.blogspot.com/p/five-glass-slippers-blog-tour.html  

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About the Collection

ONE BELOVED STORY, FIVE EXCITING WRITERS
A COLLECTION TO CHERISH

What happens when Cinderella is so painfully shy that she cannot bear the idea of attending the royal ball? Or when the slipper fits . . . but on the wrong girl? What happens when Cinderella is determined to oust an imposter prince from her rightful throne? Or when she is a cendrillon miner working from a space station orbiting a cthonian planet? What happens when Cinderella, a humble housemaid, is sent with a message for a prisoner trapped in a frightening fairy circus?

Here is Cinderella as you have never met her before, wearing glass slippers and off on unforgettable adventures!

Available now in paperback and Kindle formats!

The Five Glass Slippers collection will be on sale for only $.99 in Kindle format for the duration of the blog tour (June 23-28)! 

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Here’s your chance to be Cinderella of the ball! One lucky winner will receive a paperback copy of Five Glass Slippers, several Cinderella-themed items (including a bookmark crafted by Belle on a Budget, a journal, and a DVD copy of the Disney movie), as well as special gifts handpicked by a few of the collection’s authors (a glass slipper cookie cutter with recipe, freeze-dried astronaut ice cream, and an Apple Tree Inn cup and saucer). This giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only.

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