One of my favorite dramas aired in the early 1970s through the beginning of the 1980s. It was on for 9 seasons. I absolutely loved this show which was about a large family that lived out in the country on a large piece of land. There were several children in the family along with Mama, Daddy, Grandma, and Grandpa. The time setting was near the early 1900s.
The oldest son in the family happened to be a writer. Of course that caught my interest. At the end of one of the seasons he finally got his first book published.
The show was set at a time when young people still respected their elders. True there were a few episodes where the oldest son had a disagreement with his father. But in the end he always honored, respected, and admired his father. The oldest daughter also had her bad moments when she experienced growing pains and felt like no one understood her. But, her older brother always understood her. In fact there was one episode where she ran away from home. Her older brother found her, they talked, and he brought her back home.
The family always prayed before their meals. It was usually (if not always) the grandfather who prayed. From time to time the family was shown going to church. There were also innocence and good morals in this show. This family was also great on hospitality. One time the family members took in a deaf girl, and another time they took in an orphan boy. In one episode they had a substitute teacher staying with them. Whenever someone came by the house they were often invited to stay for dinner. There was always room for more people at that long dining room table. The family members also helped their neighbors. They fixed roofs, ran errands, etc. In one episode the oldest son took an older lady out to the coast so that she could see it one more time.
The members of this family were close and they loved each other. True they had their moments when they got frustrated or disagreed with each other about something. But in the end they always made up with each other somehow. There was one episode where Grandma and Grandpa even got separated for about a day or two. Grandma had gotten upset with Grandpa and misunderstood something that he was doing. Later she realized what he was really doing, and they made up. They looked into each other's eyes like they adored each other.
I think this show is probably my number one favorite. It's a classic that can still be seen on cable. I have seasons one, two, and five on DVD. I know that sounds a little odd that seasons three and four have been skipped. I do plan to eventually get them though. Several years ago a friend sent me the DVD set of season 5 before I even had DVDs of the show yet. I don't know why she had me starting with season 5. But, she seemed to think that I needed to. Hey, at least I got my DVD collection started of this show. I later got seasons 1 and 2 on DVD.
It's such a nice refreshing and heartwarming show to watch. I just love it, love it, love it. :)
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Writing Update 7-22-12
I am still working on "The Whole Truth". I think I'm getting close to the end though. I still have about two big scenes and the end scene to write. Right now I'm going back through what's already been written and making adjustments according to the story's emerging theme. I'm thinking that the official title is going to be "The Bond". Right now this story is almost 7,500 words - the length of a novelette.
It's taken me a while to write "The Whole Truth"/"The Bond". Part of the problem was I was trying to write certain scenes and not getting very far with them. I finally figured out that those scenes were not supposed to be in the story. I've noticed that my writing goes faster when I'm working on what's supposed to be part of the story.
The next story that I plan to work on is "Grace Song". I've made changes in my notes recently. So I've been figuring out in my head how this particular story is going to go. I want to restart it in the right place and get it written!
It is my prayer that these two stories will be an inspiration and encouragement to readers. In fact, I pray that for all of my stories. God is so awesome in His grace.
"The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned."
Isaiah 9:2
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.
It's taken me a while to write "The Whole Truth"/"The Bond". Part of the problem was I was trying to write certain scenes and not getting very far with them. I finally figured out that those scenes were not supposed to be in the story. I've noticed that my writing goes faster when I'm working on what's supposed to be part of the story.
The next story that I plan to work on is "Grace Song". I've made changes in my notes recently. So I've been figuring out in my head how this particular story is going to go. I want to restart it in the right place and get it written!
It is my prayer that these two stories will be an inspiration and encouragement to readers. In fact, I pray that for all of my stories. God is so awesome in His grace.
"The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned."
Isaiah 9:2
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Classic TV Shows - part 1
I thought I'd start another new series here in my writer's blog. I want to discuss some classic TV shows from the 1960s and 1970s. Because of copyright issues I won't name the shows. I don't want anyone to come looking for me whom I don't want to come looking for me. Though I only have good things to say about these particular shows.
I have gotten a little fed up with what's available on TV now. No I don't have cable or satellite. I don't watch enough TV to justify paying for it. So I just have my little antenna that I use. There is a network that airs classic TV shows from decades past. But they have the annoying habit of suddenly going to a commercial break right in the middle of a scene or right in the middle of someone talking. I want to know what that person said. Don't you?
I really do miss the innocence that was still on TV back in the 1960s and 1970s. I don't think bad language was even allowed back then. There was no blood and gore when someone got shot. The shows were clean and generally family-safe.
I grew up in the 1960s and 1970s. There were several TV shows that I absolutely loved back then. There are 3 that are my top favorites to this day. Back when VHS was still around I bought some of the episodes of these shows on tape.
Recently I've started to get DVDs of shows that I loved back then. Of course I'm getting DVDs of my 3 favorites. Something that I'm enjoying is getting an entire season on a DVD set. That is so fun.
I have noticed a pattern with the shows that I loved. These are ones that I have DVDs of or am considering getting DVDs of (or in one case I have my first DVDs of it on order right now). Each of these shows was about a family. Well, technically, one of them is an exception to that. Still, the characters are like siblings.
I have just ordered a DVD set of the first season of a show that I did not grow up watching. It was on way past my bed time. But I have come across reruns of it over the years, and have liked the show. So I've decided to add it to my collection. It's another show that's about a family.
It seems to me that the family dramas back then had more substance to them. My 3 favorites are family dramas. They dealt with timeless issues like prejudice, honesty, respect, mercy, etc. The shows are set in a long ago time - long before TV, home computers, cell phones, and computer games. Goodness, what did these characters do with themselves anyway? For one thing, they actually sat down at the table and talked with each other face to face. No one was distracted with texting or the TV.
I have gotten a little fed up with what's available on TV now. No I don't have cable or satellite. I don't watch enough TV to justify paying for it. So I just have my little antenna that I use. There is a network that airs classic TV shows from decades past. But they have the annoying habit of suddenly going to a commercial break right in the middle of a scene or right in the middle of someone talking. I want to know what that person said. Don't you?
I really do miss the innocence that was still on TV back in the 1960s and 1970s. I don't think bad language was even allowed back then. There was no blood and gore when someone got shot. The shows were clean and generally family-safe.
I grew up in the 1960s and 1970s. There were several TV shows that I absolutely loved back then. There are 3 that are my top favorites to this day. Back when VHS was still around I bought some of the episodes of these shows on tape.
Recently I've started to get DVDs of shows that I loved back then. Of course I'm getting DVDs of my 3 favorites. Something that I'm enjoying is getting an entire season on a DVD set. That is so fun.
I have noticed a pattern with the shows that I loved. These are ones that I have DVDs of or am considering getting DVDs of (or in one case I have my first DVDs of it on order right now). Each of these shows was about a family. Well, technically, one of them is an exception to that. Still, the characters are like siblings.
I have just ordered a DVD set of the first season of a show that I did not grow up watching. It was on way past my bed time. But I have come across reruns of it over the years, and have liked the show. So I've decided to add it to my collection. It's another show that's about a family.
It seems to me that the family dramas back then had more substance to them. My 3 favorites are family dramas. They dealt with timeless issues like prejudice, honesty, respect, mercy, etc. The shows are set in a long ago time - long before TV, home computers, cell phones, and computer games. Goodness, what did these characters do with themselves anyway? For one thing, they actually sat down at the table and talked with each other face to face. No one was distracted with texting or the TV.
Morning Star Fellowship - part 2
Here's another installment on the history of Morning Star Fellowship. Today I'm continuing to focus on Shawn Hart. In the next installment I think I'll start talking about Fred Kealy and his family.
The 1960s
One summer Shawn Hart and Jacob Stephens went to a Christian camp over on the Oregon coast. There Shawn met a girl named Lydia Robinson. She was from the town of Oak Springs way down in southern Oregon. They were both 16-years-old. Shawn and Lydia started a long-distance romance that stretched over two years. They frequently wrote back and forth to each other. Shawn always sent Lydia a copy of a poem or two that he had recently written. They also sometimes called each other long-distance. They also often visited each other on weekends. It was not unusual for Shawn to drive down to Oak Springs, pick up Lydia, and drive back to Kye Valley. Ed and Marie both liked this nice Christian girl whom their son was dating. In time they gave Shawn his own car so that he wouldn't have to borrow a car to go down to Oak Springs.
Meanwhile Shawn frequently helped at the church in the afternoons after school. In the office he helped with miscellaneous office tasks.
Then came the summer after Shawn and Lydia had graduated from their high schools. Shawn planned to attend Kye Valley Christian College (KVCC) in the fall. In August Shawn and Lydia suddenly broke up. Ed and Marie asked their son what happened. But, he wouldn't tell them.
Shawn's best friend, Jacob, asked him, "What happened between you and Lydia? Did you two have a bad argument or something?"
Shawn just looked at him for a few silent moments and replied, "I'm sorry. I can't talk about it."
In the fall Shawn went on to KVCC. Something else happened that perplexed his family. He suddenly stopped singing and he stopped writing poetry. Whenever anyone asked him about it he just simply said that he was too busy with school work. After graduating from KVCC Shawn went on to be youth pastor at Morning Star Fellowship. Even then someone still asked him about singing and writing poetry. He always smiled and said that he was too busy with ministry. By that time he had married his college sweetheart Marianne Smith.
Over the 20 plus years following Shawn never mentioned Lydia to anyone - not even to Marianne. Yet, there were a few times when he did remember her, in the back of his mind, and wondered about her. He had a secret that he would not tell anyone. The words just wouldn't come out.
The 1960s
One summer Shawn Hart and Jacob Stephens went to a Christian camp over on the Oregon coast. There Shawn met a girl named Lydia Robinson. She was from the town of Oak Springs way down in southern Oregon. They were both 16-years-old. Shawn and Lydia started a long-distance romance that stretched over two years. They frequently wrote back and forth to each other. Shawn always sent Lydia a copy of a poem or two that he had recently written. They also sometimes called each other long-distance. They also often visited each other on weekends. It was not unusual for Shawn to drive down to Oak Springs, pick up Lydia, and drive back to Kye Valley. Ed and Marie both liked this nice Christian girl whom their son was dating. In time they gave Shawn his own car so that he wouldn't have to borrow a car to go down to Oak Springs.
Meanwhile Shawn frequently helped at the church in the afternoons after school. In the office he helped with miscellaneous office tasks.
Then came the summer after Shawn and Lydia had graduated from their high schools. Shawn planned to attend Kye Valley Christian College (KVCC) in the fall. In August Shawn and Lydia suddenly broke up. Ed and Marie asked their son what happened. But, he wouldn't tell them.
Shawn's best friend, Jacob, asked him, "What happened between you and Lydia? Did you two have a bad argument or something?"
Shawn just looked at him for a few silent moments and replied, "I'm sorry. I can't talk about it."
In the fall Shawn went on to KVCC. Something else happened that perplexed his family. He suddenly stopped singing and he stopped writing poetry. Whenever anyone asked him about it he just simply said that he was too busy with school work. After graduating from KVCC Shawn went on to be youth pastor at Morning Star Fellowship. Even then someone still asked him about singing and writing poetry. He always smiled and said that he was too busy with ministry. By that time he had married his college sweetheart Marianne Smith.
Over the 20 plus years following Shawn never mentioned Lydia to anyone - not even to Marianne. Yet, there were a few times when he did remember her, in the back of his mind, and wondered about her. He had a secret that he would not tell anyone. The words just wouldn't come out.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)