All posts by angeliquecongerauthor

Lifelong Learning

Keep Your Brain Healthy

Regardless of our station in our life, each of us will find greater happiness if we continue to learn. Even people who no longer work for a paycheck or salary have a need to continue to learn.

Studies have shown that when you exercise your brain, diseases that destroy your ability to remember are less able to affect you. If you have a family history of Alzheimer’s or Dementia, or if you’ve been involved in an accident that damaged your brain, even if only slightly, you will want to do everything you can to protect your brain.

If you don’t learn something new, you have wasted your day. You have wasted an opportunity to grow and learn and you missed out on keeping your brain active and healthy.

So much of our lives are spent in competition, we begin to believe even developing our brains should be competitive. In some professions, competition is important, as car racing.

“Even if you cannot reach those who are ahead of you, one is bound to keep always learning, and especially acquire experience in racing and credibility.” –Aryton Senna

Racing to catch up with another car, or to catch up to the next guy, or even to learn something new can benefit you and your brain. A study I read several years ago studied nuns who worked to stay mentally active. They lived well into their 90s, mentally alert and active.

So, what do you do to maintain a healthy brain? Keep it active. Play games that stimulate it. Read. Learn something new. Complete a word puzzle. Put together a jigsaw puzzle. Solve logic puzzles. Write a book. Tell your children and grandchildren the story of your life.

I chose to write books. I hope to have my first book ready before the end of June, telling the story of Eve. She spent much of her life learning.

What are you doing to keep your brain active?

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Marijuana

The Marijuana Band Wagon

The argument in our little corner of the country is whether or not the state or county has rights to determine who will run the marijuana stores. For now, they plan to sell marijuana only for those who need it medically, but as we saw in Oregon and Colorado, the lure of financial gain will soon change the laws to include recreational use.

I understand the need and desire to find relief from chronic pain, especially for parents of children who suffer from cancer and other debilitating diseases. No one likes to see their loved ones suffer, especially their little ones. We all want to find relief for pain, and cure for terrible diseases. I suppose marijuana does relieve pain. I am concerned about those who choose to use this drug for recreational purposes.

I’ve heard all the arguments, that marijuana is no worse than alcohol, that it causes less long lasting effects on the body, and that it helps the pain. They come from advocates, whose eyes are blinded by desire to use. Alcohol isn’t much better, in many respects.

I agree. Marijuana is not as destructive as heroin, cocaine, L S D, bath salts, and other illegal drugs. Users don’t jump from high windows thinking they can fly, or become addicted the first try, and die on the first or second use. But, they do impair the user, making them unsafe to drive. It affects the growth of the brain in young people, leaving them less than before use. They do forget their responsibilities, like jobs, safety, and children.

They are called “potheads” for a reason. Even stories that intend to support casual use portray the user as someone with fuzzy memories and strange activities. The substance that affects the user stays in the body and the brain for weeks. It isn’t as safe as those who push to legalize it would suggest.

My state tends to legalize many things in an attempt to bring money into their coffers. Medical marijuana is joining this, with many proponents shouting that it will help our schools. I doubt the money will reach the schools. As they greedily seek to gain more money from users, they will attempt to expand it beyond medicinal use to casual, recreational use.

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New Year

Remember the Past, Set Goals for the Future

At the end of each year many of us take a few moments to remember successes and failures of the last year, and set goals for a new year.

I, too, have been thinking of the things that happened in 2014 and have thought of some goals for 2015.

After never writing more than a chapter in a novel, I have written first drafts for 2 books and half of another, and, I began this blog, which has been sort of regular. The first book has been rewritten several times, and requires another rewrite before I send it on to an editor, before publishing it. For me, I find this to be successful, extremely so.

In my years as a student, I wrote lots of papers, including a 72 page thesis for my master’s degree, but never was I able to complete even a first draft of a novel. This year I wrote two, plus part of another, and have plans for more.

I guess for an author who isn’t published yet, or who hasn’t managed to complete anything, I’ve done pretty good. I’ve spent lots of hours sitting here, in my chair with the television playing hundreds of movies for my husband, writing all year.

2015 will be my year for publishing! I visited with my artist who will be painting my cover, and by the time I’m ready to publish, she will have a cover for me. Before then, I must do another rewrite, and get an editor to check it out.

My goals are to finish all the books in my Ancient Matriarch set, and see if my other book will become a series. I plan to publish the first book by the end of June, and have others ready shortly after. This means work, work, and more work. I’ll need to work harder, faster, and smarter to get all the books ready in time. I may also need to run a funding program to help pay for my artist and editor.

Additionally, my goal is to publish a blog each Wednesday. That seems to be the best, giving me time to come up with ideas and get it written.

2014 started my writing life, 2015 should be the year I share with you, my readers!

What are your goals for the coming year?

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Holidays

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

It’s funny how you work so hard on a project, get up every morning, until it’s done. Then you wonder just what you will do with your time.

This has happened to me again today. I finished my Christmas sewing yesterday, got up early to sew the last nightgown, packed everything into boxes and wrapped in lovely wrapping paper, and sent off to grandchildren to open for Christmas.

Today, I woke up and wandered through the house, wondering what I would do with myself in the quiet of the morning. Yes, the Christmas paper litter needs to be picked up, in case we have visitors, and I could bake or make candies, for the same reason. But here I sit. I think I’d rather get back into the writing habit.

I think I’ll start by picking up with my blog and get back into the habit of blogging regularly, once a week. Look for me on Thursday. Then, back to working on my books, yes I have more than one in process. With any luck, next year I can wish you a Merry Christmas as I suggest you buy my books.

But that is next year.

This year, I will simply promise a more regular writing of this blog, and wish you a Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays. I hope your celebrations are filled with family and joy.

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Law

No Forgiveness in the Law, No Recognition of Repentance

A young person I know has recently turned his life completely around. He struggled with addictions to drugs, alcohol, and nicotine, anything that would help him forget his pain. His pain is not unlike many young men, he struggled to discover friendship, to hold onto love, to find his place in an unforgiving, unrelenting world.

This young man ended up on the street, feeling compelled to shoplift in order to eat, sold drugs for money, found himself in dangerous situations and the women with him in more danger, and drove under the influence of alcohol more than once, and was caught by the police driving under the influence. He struggled to find himself and often considered ending his life, seeing no way out of his problems. He is reminded of the struggles of his life by the tattoos and piercings covering much of his body.

He has cleaned up his life, no longer addicted to nicotine, alcohol, or drugs. He is happily married with children. He is back in school, receiving excellent grades in his classes. He is considering moving forward, hoping to attain a law degree. The tattoos and piercings will be expensive to remove, some are not easily hidden. For him, it is not the tattoos or piercings that will prevent his ability to overcome his past. It is his DUI arrest. It seems people interested in the law are not allowed to have problems in their youth, especially problems with drinking and driving.

I do not condone drinking and driving, or driving in an impaired manner. It is dangerous, and people are killed much too often by drunk drivers. However, it is the politicians, the police, the lawyers, and often judges who drive drunk and get away with it. Why is a young man or woman unable to study and take the tests enabling them to practice law because of one DUI? It seems hypocritical to me. “Don’t drink and drive; at least don’t get caught, before you become part of the law. After, it is perfectly fine.”

The law is never blind, regardless of the pictures of justice blinded. It seldom forgives. Men who do cruel, mean, and awful things should never be totally forgiven, I don’t want a rapist or a murderer living next door to me or my family. However, many of our neighbors have driven under the influence and been caught by the police. We don’t fear them or use it against them when they seek employment or education. We continue to be their friends, we cheer when them on in their efforts.

Jesus Christ often reminded his followers, of whom many of us are, of the importance of forgiveness:

 “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned; forgive and ye shall be forgiven”[1]

“Take heed to ourselves; if thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.

And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.”[2]

“. . .He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone. . .”[3]

Those who make rules forget the great command to forgive, to understand that all men can change. Men and women have the ability to change, to improve, and become better, as the young man I know has changed. His repentance, his complete change should be recognized, should be understood, and given the opportunity to make himself into a valuable member of society.

It’s too bad the law doesn’t recognize repentance.

[1] KJV: Matt. 5:7

[2] KJV: Luke 17: 3-4

[3] KJV: John 8:

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Uncategorized

NaNoWriMo is Over, for This Year!

To all my friends and those who have begun to follow my blog, I apologize for my silence this past month. I was overwhelmed writing the first draft of a new book in my series, Ancient Matriarchs.

The first draft is written, and I’m waiting on the return of Eve Remembers from my beta readers. When they come back, I will be spending my time working to rewrite and edit that book one more time. I’m hopeful that this last round of rewrite/edits will be enough to consider paying an editor to go through it.

After that, I’ll need to pay for a beautiful cover, and get it published. There is hope that Ancient Matriarchs: Eve Remembers will be ready for you to read by summer. This is my first book, so I’m taking my time, to be sure it is right before I send it out for you to read.

Thanks for your patience.

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Freedom

It’s Time to Stand for Freedom

I totally believe in freedom of religion and religious instruction. However, our Constitution included a short amendment which our forefathers believed extremely important. In fact, it became the first, and most important to them. It reads:

          “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,”

Congress shall make no law to establish religion or prohibit free exercise of religion. Sounds simple. But it has not been.

Over the last century men and women forget the second part of that statement, believing that religion has no place in our lives. Religion has slowly been banned from our public lives. Children can no longer offer a prayer in school to gain divine help on a test; athletes are disrespected if they bow to offer a quick prayer of thanks after a difficult play; graduates are no longer allowed to pray at a graduation; and military can no longer admit to their religious beliefs. Symbols of belief are removed from all public display. Unless they are Muslim beliefs.

It is near the holidays. Most schools no longer have “Christmas holidays” or “Christmas programs.” They allow winter holidays, or holiday programs, but Christianity has been removed part and parcel from our lives, except in our churches.

Unless it is Muslim beliefs. Muslims seem not to be confronted with the “separation of church and state” myth. Schools are allowed to force the Muslim religion on all students as part of “history,” yet there can be nothing said about the changes in history because of a Christian religion. Good, honest citizens who respect the flag of our country and the veterans who fought to protect our freedoms are fined and forced to remove that flag, yet Muslim flags representing vile and despicable groups are allowed.

What ever happened to that part of the first amendment that protects the prohibition of the exercise of religion? Nowhere does it say only the Muslims are protected, nor does it say only Christians or Jews or Hindus or Buddhists can only be protected. It suggests all are protected from prohibition of religion.

Why, then, are students, athletes, believers in Christ or Jehovah, or any other deity denied the right to offer thanks to their God, unless it is Allah? Our freedoms give each of us the right to believe and worship “according to the dictates of our own conscious”. Every person in this great and grand country has that right, NOT just the Muslims.

We need to stand for our individual rights of worship and refuse to allow only one group those sacred rights. If we do not make it clear to others that we refuse to be denied this particular right, we will lose all our freedoms. The one particular group who is getting everything it wants because too many people fear retribution will take all our rights, and gain control of everything in our beautiful country, without a fight, with no shot fired, as we bend over in fear.

Choose freedom! Be counted as one who refuses to lose the rights so much a part of our country, those rights which make us special and free. Others of those freedoms itemized in the Bill of Rights are under attack, but the first and foremost, the one that will determine all the rest of our freedoms is the freedom to worship as we choose. Do not allow others to destroy that freedom, or any of the others!

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Life

Choosing Death Over Life

The news recently tells of people choosing death over life. One woman has a brain tumor and fears the pain it may bring, and chose to get the pill that will end her life. She plans to choose the day of her death. After losing prominent people to suicide, this is too much.

Life is beautiful. Life is important. Each person is built with the internal drive to maintain and continue life. Until the time of our death we do all in our power to preserve our own lives and the lives of those around us, especially those whom we love.

Life is given by God and He will take us home when it is our time to return to Him. Taking any life continues to be murder, whether another life or your own. There is darkness in the lives of some people that seems overwhelming to the point they choose to end it.

When one faces a disease that in most cases ends in debilitating pain, the desire is to avoid the pain, at any cost. Death seems to be the better choice.

Many men and women choose life in similar and worse situations. They choose to suffer valiantly, to face the pain with love for family, and determine to live the life given them honorably. These men and women are honored for living.

There is no honor in the cowardly choice of giving up, fearing to face the pain and avoiding the lessons of life that come when we confront pain.

Life is our purpose on earth.

In my book, Eve Remembers, Eve considers the pain of losing a child to death. She says:

“Our sorrows multiply. Father told me I would have sorrow in the conception of my children, but I did not understand the sorrow would be greatest with the murder of a child.”

A murdered child is one pain, cancer is another. In either case, there are joys and learning that only come from suffering. Only through pain can some things be learned. I honor those who choose to suffer.

Follow my website: http://www.AngeliqueCongerAuthor.com and learn more about Eve Remembers.

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Uncategorized

The Big Lie

The Big Lie. People are falling for it, everywhere. They don’t think they are; they think they have avoided it. Still, more are falling for it every day.

What is this lie?

Science can answer every question; there is no need for God.

If you believe science has the answer for everything, you are vitally mistaken.

Science can answer many questions, solve many problems. Scientists questions, using logic, seeking proof of a hypothesis. Results must be described in physical, measurable, and objective terms. Try to describe wind. Or measure love. Not possible. You can measure their effects, but you cannot directly measure them.

Scientists investigate nearly everything, and often find a nearly correct answer. Even scientists admit they never “know” the full answer. Each experiment, each investigation may bring them closer to a complete knowledge, but another scientist may ask the question in another way, investigate differently, hypothesize something new, and turn every “known truth” on its head. Consider the flat earth belief.

All scientific results are temporary truths, temporary until someone learns something more or better.

Contrast the variability of science with the constancy of God, who is “the same yesterday, today, and forever.”[1] His laws continue to be constant, whether the laws of gravity or the laws of chastity. God’s laws were introduced to Adam and Eve in the garden, and continue to have purpose for all men and women.

Unlike Jonathan Edwards’ view of “sinners in the hands of an angry god”[2] the One True God gave commandments that his children “might have joy.”[3] We are his children, and God loves us.

The belief in secular humanism and situational ethics leads people away from firm standards toward the insecurity of science and the “it’s all good” attitude, contributing to the slippery slope of no standards, no right or wrong, no sense of propriety. Children have no trouble disrespecting parents and others, students cheat, and adults murder the unborn in the name of choice. People cause others pain and grief because it feels good to them, never considering the effects on another human.

 

Because people choose the disobedient path, they believe the corollary of the Big Lie, God does not love us, or he would not let bad things happen to good people. No one wants a child to have cancer, a husband to be in an industrial accident, family to be killed by a drunk driver. God could prevent these deaths, but in many cases he chooses not to do so, for those left behind learn much more about themselves and others when compelled to struggle in a different manner.

God loves His children, and all who live on this earth are His children. We all have received the gift of choice, and the corresponding consequences that follow.

God allows bad people to hurt others, allowing the choice of action that was the greatest gift from the beginning of time. All actions have consequences, and someone must feel those consequences. If the consequences were taken away, or one was forced to not hurt another, the right of choice of actions—good or bad—would be lost, and God will not deny us the gift of choice.

What do you think? Is this the Big Lie, or would you suggest another?

 

[1] Hebrews 13:8

[2] “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”. Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758). Enfield, Connecticut July 8, 1741

[3] 2 Nephi 2:25

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Uncategorized

Join My Anti-Erotica Crusade?

I am a member of several author groups, sharing help and trying to sell our work. Most of these are good. Others, I realized jarring in their dance with pornography in the guise of “erotica”.

I have been doing research for the cover of my book, Eve Remembers, the past few days, looking at colors and designs, how they show up, entice a reader. As my book is an historical novel, with a woman’s view, I was looking at the section of historical novels. Occasionally, I would stop; look at the blurb, when a book looked interesting. It was an interesting experience. Many openly advertised erotica.

Pornography, in all its disguises, including erotica, has but one purpose—destroy the family as it destroys the opportunity for healthy love and sex. It is more addictive than the strongest drug. Even an accidental view will replay in the mind until the twisted seems normal. Today, small children are affected by innocent views of this smut.

The written word is no different. Reading and writing explicit sex scenes lives in the mind, with or without the violence and degradation often accompanying erotica. Sweet connections between a husband and wife are personal, and need not be revealed in specific detail. Sex between unmarried couples or those of the same gender do not need all the gory details!

Women are threatened when their man dabbles, and becomes drawn into pornography. It causes trust issues, when he prefers to look at other women. Yet, women read and enjoy erotica, insisting they are only interested in the “relationships”. I have heard good and (supposedly) righteous women thrill at the news their favorite romance/erotica will soon be in visual form. They read it. They vicariously experienced the erotica, the violence, the degradation, the illicit behavior, and thrilling over it. Now they want to see it.

Do they not see themselves as partaking of pornography? Do they not see themselves as unfaithful wives? “We are just reading a fun book, not looking at, nor participating in pornography,” they cry. But the story is forever in their minds, there to raise the thoughts of inappropriate behavior, there to dream of a man who is not theirs.

Incredibly, women write an inordinate number of this type of book. They write of women as objects, and then write ferocious article complaining of men treating women as objects! Readers of these books join the mob in voicing outrage at being treated so vilely. It is fine to read of this, but not to have it be part of their living? Men read the books women write. Some must assume women want similar treatment, or they would not read and write about it so frequently!

Not all women read erotica, nor all men act like women are objects for their entertainment. Enough do to create a problem for everyone.

Leave the erotica alone. If everyone stopped reading it, they will stop writing it.

I know, I am dreaming. There are too many in our world that participate in illicit behavior, and enjoy reading and seeing it, as though it validates their behavior. The destroyer has claim upon a large portion of people, who gladly ignore the good and decent.

Will you join my crusade? Stop reading erotica? Stop viewing it?

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